Prophesies, Novels, Top News In May 1886
Get into a conversation with a long-time Queens resident and you're likely to discover

James Fenimore Cooper illustration by F.O.C. Darley.

a subscriber of the Long

Island Star-Journal, a daily paper that informed the community about local and world news until it folded in 1968. A banner across the Star-Journal masthead reminded readers that the newspaper's name came from the merger of the Long Island Daily Star (1876) and the North Shore Daily Journal--The Flushing Journal (1841).

Welcome to May 1886!

The Star printed an article by the Hartford Times that contained prophetic thoughts about the future: "Some enthusiasts about the future say there will be a plan some day to arch over the East River, lay streets and build houses on a vast structure supported by piers and cables, as the Brooklyn Bridge is, without interfering with navigation, and make New York, Brooklyn and Long Island City a single city, the largest in the world. This may seem a bare-brained notion, but so did the Brooklyn Bridge when it was first proposed. And if a man had said twenty years ago that families would now be living on the top floors of ten-story buildings, he would have been called a fool."

Washington Irving photo taken by M. B. Brady in 1861.

A Star reporter interviewed Dr. Woodhull (no first name mentioned) of Brooklyn in Fischer's Washington Park, a house which had become a pub, at the foot of Webster Avenue (37th Avenue) in Ravenswood. Dr. Woodhull, the owner of the property, said that the house had been built in 1669, five years after the end of Peter Stuyvesant's reign as governor. During the revolution, it had been headquarters for British generals. Dr. Woodhull commented further: "In this house, Washington Irving wrote his amusing Knickerbocker History of New York, when he was about twenty-seven years of age...Later, Cooper (James Fenimore), the great novelist came here and wrote his novel of the 'Water Witch'. The scene of the celebrated chase of the 'Water Witch' by the British gunboat was laid right in front of this house." The door of the house, which bore the 'crows foot' cut by the British on all property confiscated by the Crown in the Revolutionary War, was the property of the Long Island Historical Society, as was the fireplace.

The house was built by Johannes Manning. The Blackwell family came into possession of the house through intermarriage or descent-Dr. Woodhull was not sure which. Col. Gibbs (one of the founders of Ravenswood) obtained the property from the Blackwells. After Gibbs, the property passed to General Hughes and then the Woodhulls. The house had been a private residence continually since its construction until five years before, when it became a public house.

In an editorial about the house, the Star seemed to be in favor of landmark preservation. It read: "What hallowed memories cluster around this ancient structure; what happiness and misery it has been the silent witness of; what historic personages it has sheltered and what crimes have perhaps been plotted under its roof. In this age of improvement, it is undoubtedly only a question of time when this building (unless something is done to prevent it) will be torn down to make way for some more imposing and modern structure. Would it not be well for some concerted action to be made to save this house-hallowed by age and associations- from such a fate?" (The house was demolished in 1901.)

The soda water season was upon Queens, so the Star ran an article about its manufacture. There were three soda water plants in Long Island City and two in Greenpoint. The aerated water was pumped into bottles at a pressure of 50 pounds per square inch. If a bottle were flawed, it would probably explode, hence making filling bottles somewhat of a dangerous occupation. After corking, a bottle was passed to the "wirer", who had to have nimble fingers. Then the bottles were crated and delivered. In the summer the plants and delivery wagons were working night and day. The business was profitable, but 25 percent could be lost on bottles that were not returned, since the manufacturers did not charge for the bottles. This loss was somewhat offset by profits coming from soda water sold in bulk for the fountain trade.

Work began on new track along Riker Avenue (19th Avenue) to the new pleasure resort (North Beach) on Bowery Bay. At the same time, the Steinway family also proposed to make some important additions to their already extensive stables on Steinway Avenue (Steinway Street). The stables were to be enlarged, additional horses purchased and orders issued for the construction of a dozen entirely new "double decker" cars of the "latest and most approved pattern".

The contract for construction of the pavilion and bathing houses for the North Beach amusement park was awarded to Henry Schaeffer of New York. It called for completion of 104 bathhouses by June 19 at a cost of $6,000. The pavilion was to be 100 feet long by 75 feet wide. On the grounds was to be a magnificent fountain sending a stream 150 feet high. Until the completion of the pavilion, the old Douglas mansion was to be fitted temporarily so liquid and solid refreshments could be sold there.

It was the intention of Henry A. Cassebeer, president; William H. Williams, vice president; William Steinway, treasurer; and George Steinway, secretary of the Bowery Bay Land and Improvement Company, that this park be "second to none, as a place of resort of respectable people seeking recreation". On May 21, the Star reported that more than 500 people had been seen strolling on the magnificent beach the previous Sunday.

The Star ran a listing of arriving ships at the ports of Long Island City and Greenpoint. Some of the visitors during May 1886 were: "Bark Quatteo Fraletti from Spezzia, Italy, at the Empire docks. Loading with oil for Alicante, Spain was Schooner Ida C. Schoolcraft from Brunswick, Georgia, at the foot of Fifth Street, arriving with railroad ties for the L. I. R. R. Bark Nomad at the Export Lumber dock to take on a deck load of lumber from the Export Lumber Company for Buenos Aires."

That's the way it was in May 1886!

Greater Astoria Historical Society exhibits are open to the public on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at Quinn's Gallery, 4th floor, Thomas M. Quinn & Sons Funeral Home, 35-20 Broadway, Long Island City. Save the date! Peter Vallone Sr. book signing event: June 5 at 7 p.m.

For more information, call the Greater Astoria Historical Society at 718-278-0700 or visit www.astorialic.org.