Deeds are only intended to purchase Peace instead of property), yet as it may be serviceable to you in other respects at a future day I think the testimony of Mr. De Peyster relative to that Deed, may be of great service, and he being very old I recommend it to your consideration whether it not be advisable for you to file a Bill in Chancery to perpetuate his testimony. 4 Oct. 1779. PETER W. YATES.

To the Worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen and

Commonalty of the City of Albany.

Resolved thereupon that a Committee of three be appointed to locate the said Lands and that a surveyor be appointed for that purpose.

The Committee chosen for the above purpose are Aldermen John Price, John Ja. Beekman and John Roorbach.

Resolved that a Committee of three be appointed to draw Instructions for the Committee that are appointed to locate the Lands at Tiononderoga, and that they report thereon by next Saturday. The Committee chosen are Alderman Stringer, Mr. Visscher and Gansevoort Jun'.

Resolved that the last mentioned Committee be and they are hereby empowered to draw on the Chamberlain for any Deeds and papers that they may conceive necessary,

Resolved that the Committee appointed to locate the Lands at Tiononderoga be empowered to draw on the Chamberlain for £400 and that they be accountable for the same.

Resolved that the said sum of £400 be taken on Loan, and that Alderman Roorbach and Mr. Visscher procure the same and give proper security for the payment of the same in the name of the Board.

October 9. Resolved that the Committee who were appointed last meeting to locate and take possession of the Lands at the lower Mohawk Castle be informed that the Board have postponed taking possession and locating said lands.

October 13. Resolved that a piece of ground containing one hundred acres be granted to Bodewyne Kip agreeable to a Resolution of this Board passed on the 24th day of March, 1775, that the said Bodewyne Kip have the same surveyed and laid out at his own expence and make a return of such survey to this Board certified by the surveyor, and that a Lease for ever be then drawn for the same, subject to a yearly rent of twenty-five Skipples of good and merchantable winter wheat, the same to be delivered in this City and that the first payment be made on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord 1782, and that the Mayor sign the same and the City Seal be thereto affixed.

October 14. This day being appointed by the Charter for the qualification of the Aldermen, Assistants and Constables for the ensuing year, the following were sworn, viz: John Roorbach, John Ja. Beekman, John N. Bleeker, John M. Beekman, Samuel Stringer, as Aldermen; Abm I. Yates, Isaac D. Fonda, Cornls Swits, Leo. Gansevoort Jun., as Assistants; Jacob Kidney, Thomas Archer, James Paul, John Van Sante Jun', as Constables.

Resolved that a Committee of three be appointed to devise ways and means to raise a sum of money sufficient to pay off the Debts contracted by this Board and to defray the necessary expenditures thereof in future, and that Aldermen Bleeker and Roorbach with Mr. Gansevoort Jun', be a

Committee for that purpose, and that they make a report as soon as conveniently may be.

October 19. John Price Esq. having been returned as one of the Aldermen for the first ward of this City, and not having qualified on the 14th instant he this day took the necessary Oaths.

Mr. Peter W. Douw having been returned as an Assistant for the second ward of this City, and not having qualified on the 14th instant he this day took the necessary Oaths.

October 20. The Committeee appointed to devise ways and means to raise a supply of money for the present discharge of the Corporation debts and for the further contingent expences which may accrue, Report that several very considerable sums are due to that Board for Lots of ground sold some years ago, viz: from John Van Alen for a Lot, John Williams do, Volkert P. Douw do, Guysbert Merselis deceased do, Martin Mynderse do, and others, and for raising an immediate supply of money, they are of opinion that all the ground lying from the Powder House on the north and south side of a street to be continued from the lots of Abraham Schuyler and Dr. Stringer till the said street intersects a street running nearly north and south back of the English burying ground be sold at public vendue and that the said ground be laid out into house lots of thirty-six feet front and rear and two hundred feet deep more or less as the situation of the particular alotments may happen, that a ground rent be reserved on every rent Lot ten shillings per year of gold or silver money as the same is depreciated when the said rent becomes due; that after the present debts are discharged by the sale of the said ground the money which may remain in hands be immediately put into the Loan Office as a future fund-which being read by paragraphs and the question being put whether the ground mentioned in the aforegoing Report should be disposed of it was carried in the negative in the following manner :

For the Affirmative-Mr. Bleeker, Mr. Gansevoort Jun.

For the Negative-Beekman and Roorbach, Aldermen; Fonda and Yates, Assistants.

Resolved that Alderman Roorbach be appointed by this Board to revise the Ordinances and make report which of them it is necessary should be revived at the next meeting of this Board.

Resolved that the Ordinance for regulating the public Markets in the City of Albany be repealed.

Resolved that the Ordinance for marking of Bread be repealed.

November 18. Matthew Visscher was sworn as an Assistant for the first ward, and William Fuller as Constable for the third ward.

The Board proceeded to the appointment of Fire Masters for the ensuing year, and thereupon appoint Jeremiah Lansing and John Graham for the first ward; Jacob I. Lansing, Anthony Egbertse for the second ward; John I. Zabrisky, Isaac I. Truax for the third ward.

Ordered that the Clerk immediately make out the Warrants for said Fire Masters and that the Fines for each neglect or default in cleaning the Chimnies be four pounds.

Resolved that the Clerk send Advertisements to Schaghtekoke desiring the Tenants who hold under the Corporation to bring in their rent to Mr. Ryckman the City Chamberlain.

The Board agreed with John Flansburgh to have the care of the public Bulls, and that for each of them he have four Skipples of wheat.

November 23. Mr. Mayor laid before the Board an extract of a Letter from the Revd Dr. Witherspoon to the Revd Mr. Westerlo, which was ordered to be read, but no Resolution made thereon.

December 3. Ordered that Mr. Gansevoort revise and amend the Ordinance of this Board for preventing of fire in this City and that he report the same with all convenient speed.

December 7. Mr. Gansevoort, who was appointed to revise and amend the Ordinance for preventing of Fire in this City, reported the Amendments which being read were agreed to, and

Ordered that the same be published, which was accordingly done. Jeremiah Lansing and John Graham, who were on the 18th of November last appointed Fire Masters for the first ward, having refused to take upon themselves the burden of the said office, and the said John Graham having assigned sufficient reasons why he could not execute the said office, and it appearing also that the said Jeremiah could not execute the said office, whereupon the Board appointed John Boyd and Barent Roseboom Fire Masters for said ward.

At a Common Council held at the City Hall of the City of Albany on the 14th day of January in the year 1780-Present, the Mayor, Ab. Yates Jun., Recorder, John Ja. Beekman, John N. Bleeker, Samuel Stringer, John Roorbach, John Price, Mat. Visscher, Isaac D. Fonda, Peter W. Douw.

Ordered that the Clerk draw an order on the Chamberlain in favor of Thomas Seeger for twelve pounds on account.

Ordered that the Chamberlain receive from Thomas Lotteridge the money due by him to this Board.

January 18. His Excellency the Governor being arrived in Town, it is Resolved that he be addressed in the following words:

May it please your Excellency: We the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of Albany beg leave to congratulate your Excellency on your safe return to this place. It affords us the highest satisfaction that your Excellency has by the Suffrages of the People at the last general Election been continued as Chief Magistrate of the State, and we reflect with pleasure on the prospect of a continuation of those civil and religious Liberties which we in common with other our fellow citizens have enjoyed under our free Constitution and your wise administration.

While we lament the late cruel Depredations committed by a barbarous and savage Enemy on the Frontiers of this State, it gives us infinite pleasure that your Excellency (ever attentive to the preservation and protection of its Inhabitants and to punish the insolence and cruelty of the foe) has manifested a disposition and exerted your endeavour to repel their incursions, and altho unsurmountable difficulties have arisen against effecting the complete capture of their force, yet we congratulate your Excellency on their defeat at Canajoharry by the Militia and Levies under the command of Brigadier General Rensselaer, and permit us to add that our happiness is encreased by the consideration that the Enemy were restrained from the completion of their purposes by the vigor

ous pursuit of your Excellency with the Troops whereby many valuable buildings and great quantities of grain devoted to destruction in the minds of the Enemy were preserved. We wish your Excellency every happiness in public and private life, and whatever the Enemies to our peace and mankind in general may conceive from the intriguing schemes of their enterprizing Politicians we trust that good Providence which has so often protected the people of the United States of America from the secret arts and machinations of the Enemy will abate their pride and confound their devices.

In testimony of the high sense we entertain of your Excellency's zeal & fidelity to promote the public good, we beg leave to present your Excellency with the Freedom of this City.

Ordered that a Committee be appointed to wait upon his Excellency with copy of the Address and request of him when and where he will be pleased to receive the Board with the same. The Committee chosen are Alderman John M. Beekman and Mr. Visscher.

February 9. Whereas it has been represented to the Board by the Inhabitants of the second ward (thro the Aldermen and Assistants of the same) that the Wells and Cisterns in the said ward are out of water, and that the same is owing to the great quantity used out of the Cistern at the Hospital thro' which those in said ward are supplied. And whereas it is absolutely necessary that the said Wells and Cisterns be supplied with water not only for the use of the Inhabitants but in case of fire. And whereas all the Wells and Cisterns in the limits of this City are under the sole direction of this Board, Therefore Resolved that after the tenth instant no person or persons do presume on any pretence whatever (except in case of fire) to draw any water out of the said Cistern at the Hospital or any other of the Wells or Cisterns in said ward until such time as the Wells and Cisterns in said second ward are supplied with water.

Resolved that every person who shall draw water out of the said Wells and Cisterns (except as aforesaid) shall for every such offence pay a fine of forty shillings to be recovered before the Mayor, Recorder or any one of the Aldermen, one half which fine to the use of the informer and the other half to the use of the poor of the City.

Resolved that Colo Van Schaick be furnished with a copy of the foregoing Resolutions and that he be requested to make the same known to those under his command.

Resolved that the Committee appointed to revise the Ordinances of this Board be dissolved.

Resolved that a Committee of three be appointed to revise the said Ordinances and that they report as soon as possible their revision and which they conceive necessary to be revived and what new ones are necessary to be made. The Committee chosen for the purpose are Aldermen Stringer and Price together with Mr. Visscher or any two of them.

February 17. The Board proceeded to the consideration of surrendering part of the privileges granted by the Charter to this City, and the applying for additional ones, and thereupon unanimously resolve to surrender up the said privileges to the State and to apply to the Legislature for additional privileges during their present meeting.

Resolved that in order to carry the same into execution a Committee of three be appointed to draw up the surrender and a petition for that pur

pose. The Committee chosen are Alderman Bleeker and Messrs. Visscher and Gansevoort who are ordered to report as soon as possible.

A Petition signed by Johannis Knickerbacker Jun. in behalf of the Elders and Deacons of the reformed Dutch Church at Schaghtekoke, was laid before the Board praying a Grant of one acre of Land adjoining the Lands of Walter N. Groesbeek.

Ordered that the consideration thereof be postponed, and that Walter N. Groesbeek who claims the Lands be furnished with a copy of the said Petition in order that he may state his claim and lay before the Board an actual survey of his Lands.

February 22. Alderman Bleeker, from the Committee appointed to draw a Petition to the Legislature of this State for the purpose of obtaining additional Privileges for the said City, reported a Draft which being read by Paragraphs was unanimously agreed to.

Ordered that the Clerk copy and sign the same in behalf of this Board and that the same be delivered to the members of the Senate and Assembly of this County.

Ordered that the Clerk draw an order on the Chamberlain in favor of Thomas Seeger for twelve pounds on account.

March 15. Alderman Price and Mr. Visscher reported to the Board that they had revived the Ordinance for regulating the Ferry between the Limits of the City of Albany and Greenbush and for establishing the Rates thereof, and the same being read,

Ordered that the consideration thereof be postponed till next meeting.

March 18. This day leased to Mr. Thomas Lotteridge and Mrs. Catharine Hansen for the term of one year the Ferry between the Limits of the City of Albany and Green Bush for £660 to be paid in quarterly payments, and it is agreed between the Board and the said Lotteridge and Hansen, that the Corporation shall and may from time to time regulate the rate of ferriage as they shall think proper, and that they the said Lotteridge and Hansen shall and will pay to the Board in case of an increase of the rate of ferriage such an additional sum as is in proportion to the above sum and the rate of ferriage now established, and so in case of a decrease of the rate of ferriage.

A Petition of John Stewart, a Refugee, was read praying a House Lot next to John McDonalds near the Fort on the same terms with McDonald.

Resolved that a Committee of three be appointed to examine the ground prayed for and see whether the same can be granted, and that they report with all convenient speed.

March 25. The Ordinance for regulating the Ferry between the Limits of the City and Green Bush was this day published and the following section substituted instead of the first section for transporting every person across the said Ferry.

For transporting any person across said Ferry 5s. 4d (provided that a sucking child or some remnants of goods or other things not herein after rated which a person carries under his or her arm be free from the payment of ferriage). For every man and horse, ox or cow, 24s.; for every live calf or hog 10s. 8d; for every lamb or sheep 8s.; for every dead hog 8s.; for every dead sheep or Lamb 5s. 4d; for every barrel of sugar, rum,