630 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER 



Zion church, and one Messiah, Colored Baptist, and five* Union Free 

 schools. 



On the organization of the city, a City Court was established; juris- 

 diction limited to $1000. Appeals taken to County or Suoreme Court, 

 according to amounts involved. 



The old Philips Manor house was purchased by the city on the 1st of 

 May. 1S68, for public purposes. As few alterations were made in it as 

 possible. It became necessary to remove the beams and garret floor of 

 the north end of the building, in order to construct a Common Council 

 chamber, which has been done with great skill and taste. On the first 

 floor, which was the kitchen and drawing room, is now held the City 

 Court. The principal chamber is used as the office of the Board of 

 Water Commissioners. The large chamber, in the western end of the 

 building, is used for the Engineers of the Water Department. The old 

 parlor is now used as the Mayor's and Clerk's Office. The room used 

 as a sitting room or drawing room on the first floor of the old house is 

 used as an office for the City Treasurer, Receiver of Taxes, and Board 

 of Assessors. Yonkers has two Savings Banks, two Banks of Deposits, 

 and St. John's Riverside Hospital. 



THE SETTING OFF OF KINGS BRIDGE. 



On Sept. 16th 1872, the Board of Supervisors of Westchester County 

 passed an act by which they set off and erected into a separate town- 

 ship, to be called Kings Bridge, about ^ of the territory situated south of 

 the old Post farm, and a line extending easterly therefrom to the Bronx 

 River. This act was confirmed by the Legislature, on Jan. 1st 1874. 

 Soon after, the towns of Kings Bridge, West Farms, and Morrisannia were 

 annexed to the city of New York. Formerly a beautiful road led to the 

 landing, which was tastefully ornamented with the fine horse chestnut 

 (^Esculus.) This avenue afforded a beautiful sight in the month of May, 

 when those trees put forth their gay clusters of white flowers. In 1879 

 but one of these trees remained of all that in old times lined the western 

 side of the Post Road from its crossing of the Saw Mill to the road, to 

 the old landing, and thence toward the landing itself. This survivor is 

 now in the centre of Washington avenue, and is protected from injury 

 by oaken strips and bands of iron. But the beauty of the coup d' ceil is 

 the scene from the landing. In front flows the Hudson, like a broad sil- 

 very mirror; while opposite, tower in majesty the basaltic rocks of the 

 Palisades. ° Northward, the view is terminated by the highlands of Tappaan 



a The Indian name for the palisades is supposed to have been that of the present t>wn of 

 Wehawkeu ; the term awk, 10 indicate a structure of rocks resembling tree*.— Schoolcraft. 



