A well known citizen of New York, the late Dr. Haswell, enjoyed a span of life much beyond the allotted Biblical period of three score years and ten. He kept a diary from 1816 to almost 1900. We present below a few excerpts describing incidents which reflect the life of his day and have a peculiarly fascinating interest for ours:

1819 May 25.

A party left Tompkinsville, S.I., in a post stage, at 3 a.m., for Philadelphia, and returned at 8 P.M. This was an endeavor to illustrate the great dispatch of the route. Fare, eight dollars each way.

1819.

A piratical vessel was seen off Sandy Hook.

1819

There were not in this year ten private carriages proper. Many years past I essayed to recapitulate the number of citizens who possessed them, and I could not exceed seven, and to meet some one or more I may have missed, I put the number as first above.

1820

In March of this year was built the steamer Savannah of 80 tons, old measurement, said to have had folding water-wheels, which were taken out and laid on deck when not in use, presumably when she was under sail alone. She sailed to Savannah and thence to Liverpool, where she arrived on June 20, the first steam vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean.1820

A daily paper recited, as a matter of interesting information, that in Paris there were street shoeblacks, and the announcement gave rise to much speculation and even wonderment, for at this time the industry of boot and shoe blacking was confined to persons usually occupying a low-rent cellar, who called at your residence in the forenoon, received your boots and shoes of the previous day's wear and returned them cleaned in the afternoon, terms one dollar per month.

1821 April 22

The packet ship Albion, hence to Liverpool, was lost off Tuskar island, with her captain, Williams, and forty-four others, being the greater part of her passengers and crew. As this was the first disaster of the kind, and as the population of the city was small, the occurrence was a leading topic of conversation among all classes, and a subject of natural reference for some years afterward.

1821

Tammany Hall, then at the corner of Park Row and Frankfort Street, was advertised by its proprietor as a very salutary location, being on high and open ground, and airy.

1821. October 18.

The Advocate, edited by Mordecai M. Noah, published a notice of a man with a hand-organ, accompanied by a woman, as having appeared in the public streets and the question was asked, Who are they? The Potter's Field (Washington Parade, now Washington Square) was leveled; the use of it as a place of interment being abandoned in favor of a new plot of ground bought for the purpose, bounded by Fortieth and Forty-second Streets, Fifth and Sixth avenues now occupied by the Reservoir and Bryant Park. This plot, containing 128 building lots, was purchased for $8,449. In the matter of public groups, the necessities of the poor have greatly ministered to the advantage of their more fortunate brethren; Washington Square, Union Square, Madison Square, and Bryant Park, all owing their existence as pleasure-grounds to prior use as pauper burial-places. About this time an ordinance was enacted prohibiting the interment of human bodies below Grand Street, under a penalty of $250.

1822.

At No. 269 Broadway, near Warren Street, there was the confectionery shop of Peter Cotte, who occasionally received a bunch of bananas, which he displayed outside to the wonder of a great proportion of our citizens, juveniles, and country people. He procured them from some venturesome officers of a vessel trading from Havana.

1822. December 31.

The iron railing for the Park arrived from England, and in order to avoid a duty on the manufacture it was complete only in parts. Four marble pillars to the gateways at its southern terminus were erected and surmounted with scroll iron work supporting lanterns, and also made the depository of coins, etc. Samuel L. Mitchell, M.D., delivered an address on the occasion.

1823

Hoboken at this date, and for many years after, certainly as lately as 1840, was of a summer day the favored resort of our own citizens seeking fresh air, greenfields, and shady walks.

1823. September 23.

In some of the principal streets, the laying of gas-pipes for public service was begun, and on the 30th Saul Leggett, the President of the Gas Company (New York), gave a reception at his house, in commemoration of the event.

1823.

At this period the public promenades in the city were restricted to the Battery and to the bridge leading to the Red Fort, foot of Hubert Street, simple breathing-places, without even seats or refectories of any description. The general public went to Hoboken.

1824.

Should a boy wish a base-ball bat, if anything better than a casual flat or round stick was required, negotiation had to be entered into with some wood-turner to induce him to lay aside his regular work and produce one.

1824.

Clerks never ventured to wear their hats within the precincts of their employment, neither did they or other young men of the day fail to remove them on entering an office or dwelling, heu mutatus.

1824.

About this period night-latches for the outer doors of residences were introduced.