200 [Senate 



vessels of all classes and sizes are coining in and passing up the river 

 and bay to New-York, while others are leaving that emporium of 

 commerce, bound outward. There is a daily but a variegated and en- 

 chanting repetition of such scenes. If we cast our eyes across the 

 bay and river eastward, Long- Island meets the view, and we see a 

 rich and well cultivated part of Kings county, thickly settled; having 

 numerous and elegant habitations along its shore, extending north- 

 ward until the eye rests upon the city of Brooklyn. By a slight 

 movement of the visual organ, the harbor and city of New -York are 

 embraced within the panorama, which also takes in the distant hills 

 of New-Jersey to the northward, and the vessels which crowd the 

 Hudson river and disappear in the distance. 



The north side of Staten-Island is more thickly inhabited than any 

 other part; and for several miles is one continued settlement or succes- 

 sion of viilages. Part of the shore is low, and the view confined and in-' 

 ferior to that oi the eastern side. New Brighton is situated on the north 

 east point of the Island on a northern slope with an extensive pros- 

 pect to the north. In passing from that point, the road along the 

 kills is thickly studded with elegant mansions, among which is an 

 hospital or asylum for superannuated seamen, called the " Sailor^s 

 Snug HarborJ- Farther west is Factoryville, a large village, and a 

 siiort distance beyond, is Port Richmond, formerly Mercereau's ferry, 

 where a whaling company have their depot, and despatch their ves- 

 sels to the Pacific. For a mile or more westward of Port Richmond, 

 the road along the kill continues thickly inhabited by persons enga- 

 ged in the boating, fishing and oyster trade; and the neat appearance 

 of the small houses painted white, present an agreeable and pictu- 

 resque view as the traveler passes near them in the steamboats which 

 navigate these waters. 



In the north and eastern parts of the island, the land is not esti- 

 mated by acres, but by town lots or plots for country seats, and can- 

 not give a general value to land in other parts of the county. A few 

 years since since, one hundred dollars per acre was considered a fair 

 estimate as the average price of land throughout the island. This 

 was evidently too high; for although there are some good farms con- 

 taining land worth more than one hundred and fifty dollars per acre, 

 }-et there is much swampy, some sandy, and some poor woodland 

 worth but little. At the present time the writer is inclined to be- 

 lieve, that from Jifiy to seventy dollars, would be a fair average esti- 

 mate of the value of land per acre for farming purposes, throughout 

 the county. The farms situated near the water are generally more 

 valuable than those of the interior or more remote from water commu- 

 nication, and the best farming land is on the south side. 



TIMBER. 



Staten-Island was once celebrated for furnishing superior white 

 oak for ship timber, but there is very little standing of large size. 

 The woodland that remains is not sufficient to furnish the inhabitants 

 with fuel, the deficiency of which is supplied by anthracite coal. 

 The trees which are natural to the soil, are several species of oaks. 



