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Show LANDMARKS OF NEW YORK MAKE WAY FOIL COMMERCE Old Uui!d!ngs, the Center of Historic Traditions, Rapidly Rap-idly Being Demolished -First City Hall, Erected by the , Dutch Inhabitants in 1642, Was a Primitive Structure. (Special Correspondence.) The demolition of tho old Hall ot ilccords in New York, used In tho days of tho Revolution as one ot the British prisons, following so soon after th'o romoval of other historical buildings, has excited a great deal of Interest nmong descendants of early citizens, but not enough to secure tholr preservation In any form. Many havo wondered why somo parts of tho old buildings could not havo been utilized util-ized by the construction of tho new buildings, if only that they might havo been preserved as relics. The first City Hall of Now York was tho "Stndt Huys," erected by tho Dutch Inhabitants In 1C42, at tho head of Coentles Slip, the waters ot which extended as fnr as what Is now Pearl street. It was a very prlmltlvo structure, struc-ture, but sufficed for tho iiccus of tho city until 1700, when a now City Hall was built at tho head of Broad street, fronting on Wall street. Tho year be-foro be-foro the Common Council had voted C$3,000 (about 51G.O0O) In addition to about $1,500 received from John Hodman, Hod-man, a merchant, for tho old Stadt Huys, for tho now hall, and It occupied occu-pied tho slto of ono of tho stout bastions bas-tions which wero erected when the dofenslvo wall, or wooden palisade (which gavo Wall street ltB present name), was built across the island. The stone of this bastion was used in constructing tho now building. The front of tho building was embellished with tho nrms of tho King and those of tho Earl of Bcllomont. These ornaments orna-ments wero defaced and destroyed immediately im-mediately after tho close of tho Revolution Revo-lution by vote of tho Common Council; Coun-cil; nnd when tho Declaration of Independence In-dependence was read to tho people In 177C from tho stops of the City Hnll the painted coat ot arms that hung on tho wall ot the main room was brought out and thrown Into tho lmnflro made by the citizens to celebrnto tho event. During tho Revolution tho City Hall New York's First City Hall. was occupied by tho British troops, nnd they wore accused of ruthlessly plundering the library nnd using many valuablo books In making cartridges. Tho City Hall Ihen pasbcd Into tho hands of Congions, nnd nftcr extensive exten-sive changes bornme known ns tho Federal Building. It wns in tho gallery of tho Senato Chamber that Washington Washing-ton took tho oath of olllco as President Presi-dent on April 30, 1789. Tho Blto Is now marked by tho Washington Rtntuo, which stands in front of tho Sub-Treasury building. Adjoining this Is tho magnificent marble stock oxchango building Just erected, the most palatial structuro in the world dedicated to finance. Over $2,000,000 was spent on Its construction. construc-tion. Another building connected with tho career of Washington stood on tho site now occupied by what was known ns tho Klold building when It wns erected by Cyrus W. Field, nnd now tho Washington building at Broadwny and Battery place. It was a mansion owned by a British officer known as "Honorablo Captain" Kennedy. Tho gardon of this mansion extended to tho bank of tho North Hlvcr, then on tho V lino of Greenwich street. Long beforo tho Revolution Kennedy succeeded to the estnto of tho Earl of Cassllla, when ho returned to England, after transferring his New York propeity to a son. It was subsequently sold to Nathaniel Prime, and at the tlmo of tho Declaration of Independence was occupied by Gen. Washington ns his headquarters. During the occupancy Present City Hall. of tho city by tho British the mansion was used by tho various commanding generals, and it was from its portals that Sir Guy Carleton started for Dobbs Ferry to confer with Gen. Washington on Nov. 23, 17S3, when thoy nrranged tho details of tho evacuation evac-uation of Now York and tho embarkation embarka-tion of the British troops. After tho wnr tho Kennedy mansion was occupied occu-pied by Mr. Sears, known as "King Sears," and his daughters wero mentioned men-tioned ns "princesses." Later It be-camo be-camo a girls' boarding school, and then a fashionable boarding house. In which Talleyrand, tho French statesman, states-man, stopped at 0110 time. It was. hero that Talleyrand, standing In front of a hot fire, had a pair of buckskin breeches destroyed by tho lntcuso heat nnd had his ilosli scorched. Until Its demolition n fow years ago tho Kennedy mansion was occupied as a hotel, nnd It formed a prominent landmark In that part of tho city. |