CHAPTER V.
 

(1711*1729.)
 

First Ponndkeeper and Soavengtr—Heathcote Hall—Home for Paupers—

First Pnblio Clock—Ropewalk Eitablished^Fiift Pretbyterian Churoli—

Irish Tuber Introdnoed—Pint Tax law—The "Hew York GaEette,"

The City Fathers of ye olden time placed a peculiar estimate on
woman's sphere. lA ministering angel thou" was poetic fancy; a working
angel was more to their taste. The men and women ef the eld city were
engrossed in not alone getting all the wealth they could—that Is, as much
ua Queen Anne and her representative permitted them to get—but In hold^
Lng what tbey had. A record of June 1, 1711^ tells that the widow of
Andreas Donn was continued In the oOlce of scavenger of Broad street^ at
a salary of 11 pounds sterling, and in the order of removal of the city pound
in this year Rebecca Van Schaick, widow, la mentioned as poundkeeper, for
administering which office she received one-half of the fees, tho ether half
going to the city.

The lack of smoothnese In tbe course of true love brought Caleb Heath¬
cote to the new country to forget his disappoinment He was the son ef
the Mayor of Chester, England, and on bis arrival entered politics in old
New-York. He was elected Mayor In 1711, and served four years; then
retired to Mamaroneck. where be built Heathcote Hall. Ills administration
was without note.

Speculators In 1712 began to look forward to new valuattons on land.
Just as their successors are doing now, and Broadway between Maiden I^ne
and tbe park, then considered uptown, waa levelled, and the city watch In¬
creased to six. It waa proposed this year, as paupers were beginning to tus
numerous and troublesome, to provide a building where they could be
looked after at the public expense, hut at the same time contribute toward
their own living. Tbe acheme was not successful then. Twenty years after,
however, in the rear of the present City Hall, en tbe Commons, a house wasi
built and supplied with spinning wheels and shoemakers* tools, with the
Idea of making the ne'er-do-well Inmates self-sustaining, it lasted for
^me time, hut was manipulated in the lutereat of others who were not
paupers, and went to pieces.

John Johnson, a shipping merchant, became Mayor In 1714. With bis
administration the flrst public clock made Its appearance. It was tbe gift
of Stephen De Lancey, and was presented to the corporation, to be placed
on tho City Hall for the use of the city. De Lancey was the American
ancestor of tbo family, and had fled from the persecutions of Lonls XIV to
New York. He was a representative in tho Assembly, and the money he
received as such (£QD) he invested In the clock.

HIetorlans of New-York agree that Jacob Lelsler and Jacob Mllhorne
were the firat vlctlme of the cause of freedom.   The people had chosen Lois-