344 The Story of The Bronx 



of Catholic orphans was formed as early as 1817 ; but it was not 

 incorporated until 1852. From 1848 to 1902, the buildings of 

 the Asylum stood on the block bounded by Fifth and Madison 

 avenues and Fiftieth and Fifty-first streets, just north of St. 

 Patrick's Cathedral. In 1899, the Bailey estate on Fordharr 

 Heights, containing twenty-eight and a half acres was bought 

 for $290,000, and the erection of buildings begun. There are 

 two buildings besides the old Bailey mansion. Each building 

 is 385 feet long, 50 feet deep, with two wings 50 feet by 125, 

 and a chapel, and is five stories high with basement. The 

 Asylum is in charge of the Sisters of Charity, and the buildings 

 will accommodate sixteen hundred in all. They were occupied 

 in April, 1902, but neither they nor the grounds were fully in 

 shape until a year later. Their position is a very commanding 

 one, and on a clear day, they can be seen from the Sound; 

 while from the northward and westward they dominate the 

 view. Upon the grounds of the Bailey estate, about 380 feet 

 northeast of the house, were the remains of Fort Number Six, 

 which was also called by the British, the "King's Battery." 

 In excavating for the foundations of the Asylum buildings, 

 it was necessary to destroy the old redoubt; and in doing so 

 several relics of the British occupation were brought to light, 

 including several coins, among which were some bearing the 

 imprint of George II., the oldest yet found within the Borough. 



Adjoining the Asylum on the south, at the corner of Sedg- 

 wick Avenue and Fordham Road, is Webb's Academy and 

 Home for Ship-builders. It occupies a commanding position, 

 one hundred and fifty feet above the Harlem River, and with 

 its two high towers, attracts the attention of the observer 

 miles away. It is situated in a park of thirteen acres. 



The founder of the Academy and Home was the late Wil- 

 liam Henry Webb, the famous naval architect and ship-builder. 



