HISTORY OF BROOKLYN. 573

exciting universal attention. Its use and assured success can only be a question of time.

PLANK ROADS. The Brooklyn, Greenwood, and Bath Plank Company was incorporated March, 1852, with a capital of $12,000. It is four miles in length, commencing at the junction of Thirty-sixth street, Fourth avenue, and Martense's lane, or at the visitor's entrance of the Greenwood cemetery, and terminates at the Bath House in the town of New Utrecht, shortening the route between Brooklyn and Bath about one mile.

The Myrtle Avenue and Jamaica Plank Road Company was incorporated in February, 1853, with a capital of $25,000, which was subsequently increased to $55,000. This road is five and one-half miles in length, extending easterly from Division avenue, opposite the termination of Myrtle avenue to Jamaica and Brooklyn Plank Road, uniting with the same, about one mile west of Jamaica village, and was formally opened for travel on the 1st of June, 1854, shortening the travel to Jamaica about one and onethird miles.

PART III. DOCKS AND COMMERCE.

No city in the union, possessing the natural facilities and extent of water front, is so poorly provided with public docks, as Brooklyn. Along its thirteen miles of water front there are scarcely a dozen public docks,1 and even those are of limited capacity, and so inconveniently located, as to afford but little accommodation. It is said that while Brooklyn was still a village, a proposition from the owners of the land along the shore, from Middagh to Joralemon streets, to sell the same to the village, was lost, when it came

1 Without any very exhaustive research into the public landing places owned by the city of Brooklyn, we may mention the following which have come to our notice. (1). March 28,1704, a public landing place on Gowanus mill creek, at Freeke’s mill. (2). May 10, 1709, one at Rich. Brower's new mill on same mill neck. (3). A public landing place, and road to same, at low water mark on East river, six rods wide (Patchen’s Landing, foot of Atlantic street), laid out April 7, 1714. (4). April 15, 1718, a common landing to the ferry at foot of Joralemon street. (5). May 13, 1763, one at foot of present Doughty street, eighteen feet eight inches wide, resurveyed Nov. 29, 1799, and found to be lessened in width by the erection of a building which the commissioners ordered to be removed. (6). A landing at the Wallabout, purchased with the Fort Green farm, see p. 218, 219. (7). A landing at Gowanus, on shore and land late of Simon Bergen, deceased, recorded at Flatbush. (8). According to tradition, a public right of about three acres joining the Wallabout mill Pond, and land formerly of John Rapelje. (9). Land and wharf possessed by David Anderson and others, see p. 93. (10). Lots at Fulton ferry.