out into streets.

Wolfert's meadow, covering the present Roosevelt, James, and adjacent streets, was bought by speculators, and streets laid out before the middle of the last century, while, at the same period, all above the present Fulton street, on the other side, was in farm land. The owners of Wolfert's meadow were Rutgers, Roosevelt and Bancker, who applied for a water grant in front of their property as early as 1744; and a few years subsequently, the Rutgers farm, extending from the meadow nearly to Corlears Hook, was laid out in building lots.

As to the construction of South street, it was not commenced until after the Corporation had procured the charter of 1730 (Montgomerie's). This gave them an additional four hundred feet into the river, and grants were made extending as far as the present South street, within a few years subsequent to the grant of the charter; and South street was constructed, in certain places, before the Revolution.

STREET REGULATING AND PAVING.

Before commencing to regulate and pave the streets, it was necessary, from the very irregular manner in which the houses were constructed, in reference to lines of thoroughfares, that a survey should be made, and permanent lines of streets be laid down. In reference to this survey, we find that in February, 1656, the Government was engaged in considering the plans submitted to them by the surveyor, and at that time they resolved to confirm the plan so submitted "from then and thenceforward."

In the same month inspectors were appointed to mark out the lines of buildings to be erected.

In January, 1658, it was resolved, that, "whereas, the inhabitants of Brower street (now Stone street) have represented that said street has been for some time impassable, and they are disposed to pave it with cobble stones, as well for ornament as for use, which the magistrates acceding to, overseers shall be appointed to contract for the stones, so as to make a beginning in the spring," and the expense was to be assessed on the residents.

This was the first street paved, but within the next half-dozen years most of the streets were paved in the same manner.

The pavement alluded to was without sidewalks, and the water ran off along the centre of the street.

The first sidewalk (then called a "strooke)" was that before mentioned in connection with the sheet-piling along the East River. But that was a local necessity. Sidewalks were not customary in streets for several generations subsequent to the period now spoken of. The system of paving in existence in 1693 may be inferred from the following order, made in that year:

"Forasmuch as the former orders, made for paving the streets, have been much neglected, whereby citizens and sojourners are much annoyed, and intercourse of trade among the inhabitants greatly lessened; for the better regulation thereof, it is ordered, that every inhabitant in the streets hereinafter mentioned, shall, before the 1st of August next, cause to be paved, with pebble-stones, so much of said street as shall front their respective premises.

Bridge street, from Lucas Kierstede's to Peter Delanoy's, ten feet from the front of each house.

"The whole of said street, from Peter Delanoy's to the middle of Broad street.

From Mr. Cortland's corner (present Broad and Pearl streets) to

the City Hall, ten feet from the fronts of the houses. From the City Hall to Martin Clock's (corner Pearl and William), ten feet; and so from the corner of Mr. Lewis' (William street and Hanover square) to the City Gate, ten feet.

"The houses facing the wall, up to the corner of Broad street, ten feet.

"The whole of Church street (Exchange place).

"The west side of Broad street to Ben. Devall's, ten feet.

"Broadway, on both sides, ten feet, down to Mr. Smith's (opposite the Bowling Green), on the west side, and to Lucas Kiersted's on the other.

"Beaver street to be repaired, ten feet on both sides."

From the foregoing order it will be seen, that some of the principal streets in the city were, at the period named, wholly without paving, and that none of the leading streets were paved more than ten feet from the fronts of the houses; that there were no sidewalks then paved distinct from the pebble-stone paving designed for vehicles, and that the middle of the street was without pavement.

The crude condition of the city in respect to its streets may also be inferred from an order made in 1691; that "the poisonous and stinking weeds before every one's door be forthwith plucked up."

In June, 1703, the street newly constructed along the river was ordered to be paved (present Water street); and at the same time, Flattenbarrack hill (Exchange place) was ordered for the first time to be paved. In 1707 Broadway was first paved, from Trinity Church to Maiden lane.

The system adopted for paving, at this period, was the same as formerly, viz. by requiring the owners to pave before their respective premises. In their default, they were subject to a penalty, which could be enforced by suit. This system continued for many years subsequently, and it is believed that, up to the time of the Revolution, the "kennel" ran through the centres of the streets; and if sidewalks existed, they were the voluntary work of the adjacent owners; we find no regulations in the public ordinances concerning either their construction or repair.

We propose to give brief chronological statements of the various measures before the Common Council, for the regulating and paving of streets, as the city gradually progressed in growth :

1733. A petition of executors of Van Cortland and others, stating that they have laid out a street, and called the same Cortland street, and asking that it be made a public street; granted, and entered on record.

1749. Dey street was regulated and graded.

1750. A Committee was appointed to lay out and pave Beekman and adjacent streets.

1750. Thames street was ordered to be paved. (This street had been made by Nicholas Bayard, as appears by the following proceedings: "Nicholas Bayard produces a draft of his lots between Trinity Church-yard and the Chief Justice's, and proposes that, if the Corporation will grant him a slip of ground on the south of his lot adjoining Trinity Church-yard, he would, in lieu thereof, leave a street on the north side of his lots twenty-one and a half feet wide, leading from Broadway to Comfort's Dock." This was agreed to by the Corporation.)

1757. A committee was appointed to lay out streets in North and Montgomerie Wards.

1760. A committee was appointed to regulate and pave Broadway, from Dey street to Division (now Fulton) street.

1761. Vesey and Division (now Fulton, west of Broadway) streets paved.

1761. Trinity Church ceded the streets on the King's Farm (from Broadway to the river, and from Fulton to Warren street).

1763. Part of Cliff street levelled and filled up.

1765. Committee to pave Roosevelt, James, Queen's (Pearl), and Rutgers (Madison) streets.

1769. Committee to regulate Crown street (now Liberty street). 1769. Vandewater street regulated.

1769. Committee to regulate King George street (now William street, north of Frankfort).

1771. Committee to regulate Warren street.

1773. Committee to regulate Robinson, Murray, and Warren streets report.

After the Revolutionary War, without specifying particular dates, except to say that the period extends to the year 1795, we shall give the successive measures taken in relation to regulating and paving streets. This subject of city improvements was then under a commissioner, instead of a committee of the Common Council. (Gerard Bancker was the first Street Commissioner.)

Greenwich street staked out north of the King's farm.

Broadway, report on regulating.

Augustus street (City Hall place) regulated.

Barclay street regulated.

Bowery, petition to regulate.

Catharine street being regulated.

Chapel street (West Broadway, below Chambers) to be regulated. King (now Pine) street being regulated.

Mulberry street being regulated.

Partition street (Fulton, east of Broadway), petition to regulate.

Burnt District (near Trinity Church) to be regulated.

Bayard street, survey of reported and approved.

Beekman street paved, from Pearl to Nassau street.

Broadway, survey of, ordered from Rector street north.

Broadway, bricks for sidewalk to be included in assessment for paving south of Vesey street.

Chambers street, petition to regulate.

Chatham street regulated and paved, from James to Division street. Chestnut street paved.

Church street, below Chambers, paved.

Broadway, or Great George st., to be surveyed from the Bridewell north.
Greenwich street to be made, from Cortland street to the Battery.
Greenwich street to be paved, from Cortland to Warren street.
John street regulated and paved, from Gold street to Broadway.
Maiden lane ordered to be paved.

Nassau street to be paved, from Maiden lane to Wall street.
Nassau street regulated, from Maiden Lane to Frankfort street.
Oliver street regulated.

Partition street (Fulton, west of Broadway) paved.

Queen street (Pearl) paved, from Fly Market to Rutgers (Monroe) st. Reade street regulated.

William street, from John to Fair (Fulton) street, paved; same regulated to Beekman street.

Bancker street regulated.

Barley (Duane) street regulated, from Broadway to Greenwich street. Broadway, petition for footwalks, from Murray street to Hospital. Broadway paved, from Vesey to Murray street.

Chambers street, petition for paving, referred.

Chapel street (West Broadway) paved, from Reade to Barley (Duane) st. Chatham Row (Park Row), footwalks regulated and regulations for paving.

Cherry street regulated, from Dover to Catharine street.

Chestnut street regulated, from Rutgers to Bancker street.

Church street paved, Barclay to Barley (Duane) street.
Cliff street regulated.

Crown (Liberty) street paved, from Broadway to Greenwich street.