MANHATTAN ISLAND 53
town
there is a little bridge, commonly called the ' Kissing Bridge,' where
it is customary, before passing beyond, to salute the lady who is your
companion."
It
seems insisted in early records that the wells of New York furnished a
very indifferent water; its quality is described as " sickening," and
even horses refused to drink it. Before pumps were in use,
old-fashioned wells with pulleys and buckets were in common adoption,
or the long sweep-pole. The first well was in front of the fort, and
this for many years was the only public one in town. The second was in
front of the City Hall, at Coenties Slip. In the year 1690 there were
about a dozen public wells in the city standing in the middle of the
street. They were given different names according to local
circumstancs, as " De Riemer's Well," " Tunis De Kay's Well," etc. From
Valentine's Manual of the Common Council, 1855, p. 556, this pleasing
and useful description of the Old Tea-Water Pump is taken: " The first
mention we have of the use of the spring water from the site of the
Tea-Water Pump is found in the diary of a traveller in New York, in
1748. He says, 'There is no good water in the town itself, but at a
little distance there is a large spring of good water, which the
inhabitants take for their tea. and for the uses of the kitchen. Those,
however, who are less delicate on this point, make use of the wells in
town, though it be very bad.'
"
Shortly before the Revolution this spring and its vicinity were made
into a fashionable place of resort at which to procure beverages
adultered with pure water.
"
A pump was erected over the famous spring, ornamented grounds were laid
out around it, and the Tea-Water Pump Garden held forth its attractions
under the most seductive influences. But its ancient glories have long
since departed, and it is now almost a thing of tradition. A gentleman
about ten years since commenced a search for this relic of ancient
festivity, and says he found the once celebrated Tea-Water
