106 [Assembly 



the Bowling Green. It was a large squarSj containing several hou- 

 ses, and in 1642, a church edifice was erected in the south-east cor- 

 ner of the fort. 



In 163S, tobacco was produced to a considerable extent on New- 

 York island. In 1652, the first public school was established. 1669 

 the first map of the city was sent to Holland. In 1662, a windmill 

 ■was erected on the King's Farm, not far from the site of the present 

 City Hotel; at this time some of the high ground opposite, and east 

 of Broadway, was cultivated as gardens. In 1676, a law was passed 

 to pave streets. 1677 there were 12 streets and 384 houses. 1693, 

 a church was built in what was then called " Garden Alley," after- 

 wards "Garden Street," and now Exchange Place, running in the 

 rear of the Merchants' Exchange, thence into Broad-street. The 

 ground here had been laid out and cultivated with much taste; and 

 hence, probably, the name "Garden Alley" was given to the street 

 passing by it. The location of a church here was objected to by 

 some, as being too far oid of town, but was finally carried; a rare 

 demur, says the writer of the account, in our modern views of dis- 

 tance. 



In 1697, the building now known as Trinity Church, was erected; 

 and Smith, in his History of New-York, says, "it was very pleasantly 

 situated on the banks of Hudson's river." The truth is, it was built 

 on the site of the present elegant structure at the head of Wall- 

 street; but in all probability there were no buildings at that time be- 

 tween it and the North River. 1711, a slave market was establish- 

 ed in Wall-street. 1718, the Park, called the Commons, was covered 

 with brush and underwood. 1720, a duty of two per cent, was laid 

 on European goods, the first regular tariff mentioned in the early 

 history of the city. 1729, three pence per foot was given for land 

 on the west side of Broadway, near the Battery. 1732, the first 

 stage route was established between New-York and Boston. The 

 coach, which at the present time would be thought an extremely 

 "slow one," wns fourteen days on the journey, conveying news to and 

 fro once a month! What an amazing contrast to our modern means 

 of communication by electricity and steam! 



In 1733, a law was passed to preserve the fish in Fresh Water 

 Pond, (now Centre-street.) 1737, a market house was built in Broad- 

 way, opposite Crown, now Liberty -street; at this time the city con- 

 tained 1416 houses, only sixteen having been built in seven years. 

 1742, wheat was 3s. 6d. sterling per bushel; the same year, coal 



