Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/422

 408 NEW YOKE (CITY) reappeared in 1819, and again in 1822 and 1823, occasioning a great panic ; the city south of the park was fenced off and nearly deserted, families, merchants, hanks, and even the city government, removing to Greenwich (now the 9th ward) and upper Broadway. This panic materially improved property north of Canal street, and correspondingly expanded the city. Gas first came into general use in 1825. The city now had 12 wards, and was growing at the rate of 1,000 to 1,500 houses a year a growth occasioned by the completion of the Erie canal, the first boat from which arrived Nov. 4, 1825. The canal celebration was the grandest affair ever known in the country. In the next decade New York received some se- vere blows from pestilence, fire, and financial disaster. The cholera appeared in 1832, carry- ing off 3,513 persons, and again in 1834, ta- king 971. On Dec. 16, 1835, the most disastrous fire known to the city swept the 1st ward east of Broadway and below Wall street, destroy- ing 648 of the most valuable stores, the mer- chants' exchange and the South Dutch church, and property valued at more than $18,000,000. With almost miraculous energy the city was rising from these ashes, when the financial ex- plosion of 1837" came, with suspension of spe- cie payments, failures, and bankruptcy through- out the country. Even this, however, but mo- mentarily checked the progress of the city. In 1842 the Croton water was introduced. On July 19, 1845, a great fire occurred between Broadway, Exchange place, Broad, and Stone streets, destroying over $5,000,000 worth of property. Several lives were lost in the Astor place riot in May, 1849, growing out of the as- sumed hostility of two prominent actors. (See MAOREADY.) Cholera came again in the sum- mer of 1849 and carried off 5,071 persons; again in 1855, when 374 died ; and lastly in 1866, when it carried off 1,212. The first city railroad (except the Harlem) was built through 6th avenue in 1852, in anticipation of the pro- jected industrial exhibition, which opened with great ceremony (the president of the United States officiating) July 14, 1853, in a magnifi- cent crystal palace in the form of a Greek cross, built of iron and glass, 365^- ft. in diam- eter each way, with galleries, and a dome 123 ft. high and 100 wide, the flooring covering 5f acres. This building was burned in 1858. In 1857 occurred another financial panic. In the same year the radical change in the control of the police made by the legislature, and the re- sistance to the act by Mayor Wood, resulted in popular disturbances in June and July. Upon the outbreak of the civil war the citizens of New York responded heartily in behalf of the Union, and during the continuance of the struggle the city furnished 116,382 men (equiv- alent to 89,183 for three years) to the federal armies, at a net cost of $14,577,214 65. The only serious disturbance during this period was the riot that broke out on Monday, July 13, 1863, in opposition to the draft. The mob, composed of the poorer class of the people, held practical possession of the city for sev- eral days, and it was not until the 17th that the mayor issued a proclamation declaring the riot suppressed. The offices of the provost marshals where the draft was going on were demolished ; stores and dwellings were rifled ; many buildings were burned, including the colored orphan asylum, then in 5th avenue; and several negroes, against whom the fury of the mob was particularly directed, were murdered. Collisions took place between the rioters and the troops, who were several times compelled to fire. The number of persons killed during the riot is estimated at more than 1,000, and the city subsequently paid about $1,500,000 by way of indemnity for losses sus- tained at the hands of the mob. The draft was resumed in August and completed with- out resistance. Another riot occurred on July 12, 1871, in which 62 persons were killed, growing out of a procession of Orangemen in commemoration of the battle of the Boyne. Threats having been made by their enemies to break up the procession, the Orangemen were provided with an escort of militia. They were attacked soon after the procession began its march, when the militia fired and dispersed the mob. In the summer of 1871 proofs were furnished that enormous frauds had been per- petrated by the existing officials upon the city treasury, raising the city debt in 2 years from $50,000,000 to $113,000,000, with outstanding claims to an unknown amount strll unadjusted (1875). One of the chief instruments of pecu- lation was the court house, large sums appro- priated for its construction finding their way into the pockets of the " ring." The amount ostensibly expended in its erection exceeds $12,000,000. The people were immediately aroused, and assembled in mass meeting in the Cooper institute on Sept. 4, when a committee of 70 members was appointed, to take the ne- cessary measures to ascertain the true state of the treasury, to recover any abstracted mon- eys, and to secure good government and hon- est officers. At the ensuing November elec- tion the candidates favorable to the accused parties were defeated by large majorities. The latter were subsequently prosecuted and some of them convicted and sentenced, while others fled the country. Several of the judges were impeached, and resigned or were removed from office. The annexation of a portion of West- chester county in 1873 has already been re- ferred to. The original charter of New York city, known as the Dongan charter, was granted by James II. in 1686. In 1730 the Montgom- erie charter was granted by George II., and in 1732 it was confirmed by the general assembly of the province. This charter was of the most liberal nature ; it made New York prac- tically a free government, established an elec- tive council, and gave unusual privileges to the people. The most important property grants were the exclusive possession and control of