THE TOWN OF CORTLANDT. 1 63 



republicans as far north as Livingston's Manor, on the lower verge of Columbia 

 county. " a 



The late Gen. Pierre Van Cortlandt, the proprietor of "Antonie's 

 Nose," or St. Anthony's Nose, which lies in the north-west corner of 

 Cortlandt-town, used to give another version for the origin of that 

 name, which deserves to be recorded here : — 



" Before the Revolution a vessel was passing up the river under the 

 command of a Captain Hogans, when immediately opposite this moun- 

 tain, the mate looked rather quizzically first at the mountain and then 

 at the captain's nose. The captain, by the way, had an enormous nose, 

 which was not unfrequently the subject of good-natured remark, and he 

 at once understood the mate's allusion. 'What,' says the captain, 'does 

 that look like my nose ? call it then, if you please Antony's Nose.' 

 The story was repeated on shore, and the mountain thenceforward as- 

 sumed the name ; and has thus become an everlasting monument to the 

 memory of the redoubtable captain, Antony Hogans and his nose." 



The elevation of Anthony's Nose is one thousand two hundred and 

 twenty-eight feet from the level of the river, and directly opposite Fort 

 Montgomery creek. From here to Fort Montgomery, which is now in 

 ruins on the opposite side, the large boom and chain was extended dur- 

 ing the Revolutionary war, which cost about seventy thousand pounds 

 sterling. It was partly destroyed as we have seen by Gen. Sir Henry 

 Clinton on the memorable 7th of October, 1777. 6 



"In the year 1672, orders arrived to Governor Lord Lovelace to put 

 the Province in a state of defence. Upon this occasion a small fort was 

 to be erected at Anthony's Nose, or near it on the North River." c 



An enormous suspension bridge across the Hudson River is now be- 

 ing commenced at St. Anthony's Nose. The following statement is fur- 

 nished by the engineer who is to superintend its construction: — "Clear 

 span, 1,600 feet; length of bridge between the towers, 1,665; total 

 length of bridge, including approaches, 2,499; height of bridge above 

 high water, 155 feet; working safe load for the rail road lines, 2,400 

 tons; working safe load for highways, 2,880; total safe load for the 

 bridge, 5,280 ; load that will break the bridge, 25,161. The 

 bridge will carry at one time 32 passenger cars; the bridge would 

 carry safely 38,569 people, and a train of 60 locomotives, if 

 they could be all on it at once; 53 locomotives and 18,000 would 



a The Romance of the Hudson. Harpers Mo. Mag, No. cccxi, April, 1876, vols. L, II, 647, 8, 9. 

 About 30 years since, several cannon were raised from the sunken British vessels in the river, 

 directly opposite Fort Independence, by the aid of diving-bells. A portion of the large chain 

 which stretched across the Hudson, is still preserved at the Manor-house on the Croton. 



b Letters on the Hudson. 



e Dunlap's Hist, of New York, vol. i, p. 12T. 



