, and he has left us most
minute and prolific writings, covering everything he saw in the
course of his work; indeed one wonders how he ever had time to work at
all at his profession! Among his records is this account of dear
Richmond Hill before it had been lowered to the level of the valley
lands. It was, in fact, the last of the hills to go.
After describing carefully the exact route he took daily to the
Commissioners' office in Greenwich, as far as Varick Street where the
excavations for St. John's Church were then being made (1808), and
stating that he crossed the ditch at Canal Street on a plank, he goes
on thus:
"From this crossing place I followed a well-beaten path
leading from the city to the then village of Greenwich,
passing over open and partly fenced lots and fields, not at
that time under cultivation, and remote from any
dwelling-house now remembered by me except Colonel Aaron
Burr's former country-seat, on elevated ground, called
Richmond Hill, which was about one hundred or one hundred
and fifty yards west of this path, and was then occupied as
a place of refreshment for gentlemen taking a drive from the
city.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153