364 The Story of The Bronx 



members of the first commission to inquire into the feasibility 

 of the Erie Canal and to superintend its construction (18 10). 



In person, Morris resembled Washington so closely that he 

 stood to Houdin, the sculptor, as a model for Washington's 

 figure. His mansion at Morrisania was open to distinguished 

 persons of all kinds; among these were Louis Philippe d'Orleans, 

 afterward King of the French, and his brothers, the Due de 

 Montpensier and the Comte de Beaujolais, to whom Morris 

 lent considerable money on the occasion of their visit in 1799. 

 General Moreau, one of Napoleon's famous commanders, 

 was also entertained at Morrisania after the downfall of the 

 Emperor; and upon the visit of Lafayette in 1824, he also 

 was entertained at the mansion by the young son of the 

 distinguished father. 



The Gouverneur Morris house, to which many additions had 

 been made by the builder's successors, commanded a magni- 

 ficent view of the East River to the south, overlooking Bronx 

 Kills and Randall's Island. The rooms were large and lofty, 

 and upon the floors were the marks made by Morris's wooden 

 leg. Some weak efforts were made at one time to preserve 

 the house as a museum and the grounds in which it was 

 situated as a public park; but about 1905, the property 

 was secured by the railroad and the historic mansion was 

 demolished. 



Randall's Island is separated from the mainland by the 

 strait called Bronx Kills, and from Ward's Island on the south 

 by Little Hell Gate; the two islands were called in the Dutch 

 days Little and Great Barent's islands respectively, corrupted 

 after the advent of the English into Little and Great Barn 

 islands. They were both farmed by Governor Van Twiller, 

 and the Government had considerable difficulty in getting 

 them back from him. 



