New York and Its Institutions, 1609

Spring may be said to open generally about the first of March, and is considered pleasant to all except those afflicted with pulmonary complaints. To this class the air is moist, harsh, and severe, until near the middle of May. Parks, lawns, and gardens are clothed with the finest green by the first of April, and fragrant flowers bud and bloom in rich luxuriance.

Spring is the period for projecting new parks, streets, piers, public buildings, letting contracts, opening business, etc. Everything hums with excitement from the Battery to Harlem bridge, the rivers and bay are white with sloops and crafts laden with brick, lumber, sand, and a hundred other articles of domestic commerce, and everybody plans and hopes for a business harvest. The beauty and toil of this busy period are marred and aggravated by the advent of "May-day." On the first few days of May nearly half the families exchange houses, filling the streets day and night with loads of furniture and clouds of dust. The sidewalks are thronged in the meantime with women, boys, and girls, carrying mirrors, pictures, books, vases, babies, birds, dogs, etc., etc. Half the houses need repairing, and every family "must be served first;" hence, masons, plumbers, painters, and glaziers are in great demand, many of them toiling night and day. After a few weeks the houses are adjusted, the streets swept, the families appear in church, the children in school, and everything assumes a more cheerful aspect.

*These extensive removals necessitate the annual compiling of a new city Directory, which is gotten out with great dispatch. The note below appeared in the New York Tribune, June 17, 1871, and will explain itself.

* "The New York City Directory for 1871, just issued, is quite as interesting and complete as any of its predecessors. It contains 1,268 pages, exclusive of 172 pages of advertisements, and sixty-two pages of miscellaneous matter; the present volume contains 200,953 names. It is quite amusing to note the singularity of some of the names to be found within its pages. For instance, there are a number of Houses and only one Foundation; a number of the Goodkind, Corns and Coffins, several Plants, some Lively and some Nott, Long, Short, and Hot. Of the different colors, there are 547 Whites, 91 Blacks, 938 Browns, 3 Blues, and 253 Greens. Then there are 30 Whiteheads and 2 Redheads; 22 Bulls, 3 Cowards, 1 Happy, 1 Hen, and 1 Chick. Of the Seasons, there are 32 Winters, 24 Springs, and 5 Summers; of household utensils, 5 Pitchers, 16 Bowles, 1 Broker, 2 Allwell, and one Sick; of horse-fare, 4 Oats, 3 Straws, and 33 Hays. There are, also, 60 Lords, 21 Dukes, 321 Kings, 10 Queens 20 Princes, 14 Barons, and 24 Earls. The O's occupy seven columns, and e M's 85 columns. The ancient name of Smith occurs 1806 times. There are 36 Barbers to 1 Shaver, 5 Shoemakers, 7 Tinkers, and 1 Blower; 56 Pages with only 1 Blot; 1 Untied, 2 Loose, and 1 Blind; 3 Lawyers 28 Judges, and 2 Juries with no Verdict. Then again there are 40 Popes, 11 Priests, and 81 Bishops, 12 Peacocks and 2 Heads; 2 Books, 4 Bound; 16 Coffees, with 18 Beans; 26 Shepherds with 11 Flocks; 1 Ship, 2 Masts, and 64 Seamen. Of the different nations, there are 5 Englands, 18 Irelands, 4 Wales, 2 Chinas, 2 Germanys, 2 Frenchmen, 8 Germans, 2 Dutch, 1 Irish, 32 English, 99 Welsh, and only 2 Americans, and 7 Turks. Of the different fruits, there are 3 Apples, 4 Peaches, 7 Plums. Then come 7 Moons, 1 star, and 1 Gentleman. The name of George Washington occurs 9 times, that of Thomas Jefferson twice, John Quincy Adams four times, and Sly, Smart, and Slick once each. There are 2 Clocks, and 39 Hands; 1 Lion, 3 Bears, and 96 Wolfs; followed by 14 Divines, and 9 Deacons. The shortest name in the Directory is Py."