For the purpose of raising funds to indemnify these losses, the pro ceeds of an extra impost were allowed to the city, viz.: on exports of beavers and peltries, two and a half per cent. ; on imports of duffels and blankets, two per cent.; on imports of powder, lead, guns, wines, brandies, distilled water, and rum, five per cent.

There was no occasion, however, for the use of these defensive works, as the city was finally surrendered to the English by treaty between England and Holland.

1674.

The walls stood for nearly twenty years afterwards, without material alteration, viz., until the year 1692, at which period a war existed between Great Britain and France, and measures were taken to renew the dilapidated works.

A committee which had been appointed to survey the works around the city, and make an estimate of the expense of repairing them, reported that they had had the assistance of some of the militia

captains, and computed the cost of making necessary repairs at £200, exclusive of the cost of "great guns, powder, and shot."

At this period (1692) all the inhabitants not listed in the train bands were required to work on the fortifications, under a penalty. Block-houses were erected, as advance works, on the opposite side of the valley of the Maiden's path. One of these stood near the Governor's garden, at Broadway and the present Fulton street. Two stone bastions were also erected on the line of the walls, one of which stood at the present corner of Wall and William streets, and the other at the corner of Broadway. These were distinctively called "Hollandia" and "Zealandia."

The final demolition of the "city wall," along Wall street, after it had existed nearly half a century, occurred at the close of the seventeenth century.

In August, 1699, the Common Council petitioned the Governor and Council, representing that "the former line of fortification that ranged along the Wall street, from the East River to the North River, together with the bastions that were thereon erected, are fallen to decay, and the encroachments of buildings which have been made adjacent thereto will render the same useless for the future; and the city, proposing with all speed to build a new City Hall, at the end of one of the principal streets fronting to the aforesaid line of fortifications, pray his Excellency that the said fortifications be demolished, according to the powers and authority intrusted to him, and that the stones of the bastions, with the consent of the owners thereof, may be appropriated to building the said City Hall."

But other defenses were soon made necessary. In May, 1706, the

Common Council petitioned the Governor (Cornbury), representing "the imminent danger we conceive the city to be in from an invasion by the common enemy (the French), who, we fear, have committed great depredations upon the islands of Nevis, St. Christopher's and Montserrat, and the apprehensions we have that they will attempt the destruction of this flourishing city and province, which at this time are incapable of making a vigorous defense, by reason of our fortifications being wholly out of repair, our artillery dismounted, and our inhabitants not so completely armed as so great an emergency requires; and we do therefore humbly request that the repairing of said fortifications be ordered, and the making of others in convenient places."

It was considered necessary, for the object above indicated, that an act of Assembly should be passed, which was accomplished; and in accordance with its provisions the City Government ordered, in July, 1696, that "whensoever there shall be occasion for making or repairing the fortifications, the inhabitants on the south side of the Fresh Water (Collect Brook), shall be compelled, by themselves or substitutes, to work on the fortifications by equal turns, the Crier of the city to give notice, by beat of drum, when the different sections shall be required, at which time each one shall appear with a good spade, shovel, axe, or pick-axe, or other necessary tool to labor, as the overseers shall direct."

The excitement prevalent at this period was strengthened by advices from Antigua, received in the same month (July, 1706), that "four French privateers are sailed out of Martinique, and also that Mons. Deberville, with a strong squadron of ships of war, designs speedily to attack this city and province."

During several years after this period, although no attempt was made by the French to assail the city, the inhabitants were kept in readiness for labor, by the re-enactment of the law just quoted; but it is probable their active services were not called into requisition.

In after-time troubles, the Colonial Government, within whose functions the subject of public defense properly lay, generally assumed the burden of providing for the fortification of the city, and the city authorities were relieved, to a great extent, from active participation in measures of this character.

It may be mentioned, however, that in the war with the French, about the middle of the last century, extensive fortifications were erected for the defense of the city; among them was a palisade across the city, ranging not far from the present line of Chambers street.

This work was carried on under the authority of the Colonial Government. An extensive building for barracks was, however, erected by the Corporation on the line of the present Chambers street, north of the Park. For this purpose, three thousand five hundred pounds were raised by tax, about the year 1757. These barracks were two stories high, twenty-one feet wide, and four hundred and twenty feet long. It contained twenty rooms on each floor. It continued to be used for military purposes until after the Revolutionary War, when, having become useless, it was sold at auction. This was called the upper" barracks, in contradistinction to the "lower" barracks, which were on the Battery, on a line with the present State street, near Whitehall street.

66

CLEANING STREETS.

In the early times of the Dutch, no public orders relating to cleaning the streets appear to have been made, if we except that which was promulgated in the year 1658, which recited the too prevalent custom of building hog-pens and privies along the streets, with openings on the highway, left that the hogs, which roamed the public thoroughfares, performing the duty of scavengers, might enter and consume the filth. Indeed, the city was in existence threefourths of a century, apparently without measures being taken, on the part of the public authorities, towards an organized system of street cleaning.

The first mention in the records relating to this subject appears in year 1695, in the following words: "Mr. Vanderspeigle, having considered concerning cleaning the streets, proposes to undertake, for a year from the 1st May, inst., to supervise the cleaning of the streets, for the sum of thirty pounds."

In March, 1699, a committee was appointed to agree with a scavenger for cleaning the streets, and the town-crier was required to give notice every Saturday morning to the inhabitants to clean the streets and sweep the dirt in heaps before their respective doors.

In May, 1701, the Assistant Aldermen of the different wards were instructed to call on the several inhabitants in their respective wards, and ascertain what they are willing to pay towards cleaning the streets and carrying away the dirt; but this method not meeting

with a proper response on the part of the inhabitants, an order was made in the same month that the inhabitants of the city, on every Friday, sweep the dirt in heaps before their respective premises, in order that it be carted away on Saturday by the city cartmen. To compensate the latter, the inhabitants were ordered to pay them for every load three pence, if loaded by the inhabitants themselves; and sixpence, if the cartmen load it. The only street cleaned at public expense was Broad street; to this street much of the dirt was washed from other streets, by rains, and it was not considered just to compel the inhabitants to maintain its cleanliness. A public scavenger was appointed for this purpose, who received a salary of about forty dollars per annum.

THE BOWLING GREEN.

In

The Bowling Green was the first public park established. March, 1733, it was resolved by the Common Council" 'that the piece of land lying at the lower end of Broadway, fronting the fort, be leased to some of the inhabitants of Broadway, in order to be inclosed to make a Bowling green, with walks therein, for the beauty and ornament of the said street, as well as for the recreation and delight of the inhabitants of this city, leaving the street, on each side, fifty feet wide;" and in October, of the following year, it was resolved that the Bowling Green, as now fenced, be leased to Frederick Philipse, John Chambers, and John Roosevelt, for ten years, for a bowling green only. These lessees were public-spirited gentlemen, who had inclosed the square and engaged to keep it in repair for the public enjoyment.

The establishment of this ornamental park served to improve the character of the buildings fronting it on the west side. In May, 1745, it was ordered that the line of the street in that locality (which was irregular) be straightened between the houses of Augustus Jay (near Morris street), and the house of Archibald Kennedy (corner of Marketfield street), and that Mr. William Smith, who proposed to build, and others who might build, conform their lines thereto.

In 1747, it was ordered that a committee be appointed to have so much of the street around the Bowling Green and along the fence