Beaver
Streets was a mill, either wind or horse, and as the water-power was
only to be obtained in positions exposed to the attacks of the savages,
it was placed upon a hillside.
"A
road led to this mill from Broad Street, and turning from the mill at
right angles, it came out in a road, now Stone Street. The road from
Broad Street to the mill was afterwards left open, and in course of
time became known as Mill Lane, subsequently as Mill Street Lane,
afterwards as Mill Street. In course of years the old mill was taken
down, and in latter days the ancient mill lane has been extended
through to William Street." This is the present South William Street.
Moore
Street has an interesting history, and it is illuminative of the
original physical condition of this region. The Customs House of New
York was formerly on the north side of Pearl Street when Pearl was the
water-front at this point. A pier was built out in front of the Customs
House upon which goods were landed from small boats and vessels which
could approach it. This pier was called the " Bridge " or " The Landing
Place." Filling in of this section along the present Water Street
ensued, the old pier became dry land, and its position being public
property, was left as a street, and from having been the mooring place
of boats it was so called, though the abbreviated cognomen of Moore was
attached to it.
The
temptation in this connection is irresistible to give Val-lentine's
account of the origin of Hanover Street and Slote Street, and as the
use of this work amongst public school pupils is helpful, if such facts
are recorded, in preserving their local pride, the disgression, I
trust, will not be unduly censured:
"
Previous to the year 1700 the whole space between William, Wall, and
Pearl Streets was not crossed by any street Soon after that date a
slaughter house was built in the vacant space in the center of that
block, about the present southwest corner of Beaver and Hanover
Streets. To reach this a lane led nearly on the present line of Beaver
Street from William
