CHAPTER XII.

THE CONSOLIDATED CITY OF BROOKLYN.

1869.

The consolidated city of Brooklyn, Kings county, is situated1 at the west end of Long Island, opposite to, and sonth-westerly of New York city, from which it is separated by the East river, an arm of the sea connecting the bay of New York with Long Island sound. It occupies the northern part of the county, and has an exterior line of twenty-two miles, embracing an area of 16,000 acres, or 25 square miles. Newtown creek, on the East river, bounds it on the north; and the towns of Now Utrecht, Flatbush and New Lotts on the south. The East river and the bay of New York form its western limits, and Queens county the eastern. Its extreme length, north and south, is about seven and threefourths miles, and its extreme breadth five miles; although, from the irregularity of its exterior line, its average extent either way is much less. The south and east borders are occupied by abroad range of low hills, extending into Queens county. Along the shore opposite the lower point of New York, is an irregular bluff known as Brooklyn Heights, which is now thickly built upon, and which is famous for the magnificent panoramic view which it affords of the city and bay of New York. A large portion of the southern part of the city is low and level. Newtown creek is an irregular arm of the sea, or bay, receiving several small fresh water streams. Wallabout bay is a deep indentation lying between the old cities of Williamsburgh and Brooklyn; and Gowanus bay

1 Latitude 40 degrees 42 minutes north, anti longitude 74 degrees 1 minute west (Greenwich), or about 3 degrees east (Washington).