Excerpt from Backward Glances: Reminiscences of an Old New-Yorker Chapter I Pp. The author at Battery Park ruminating in 1914. Aspect of same at that time. Elevated railroad obscured eastern view, barge office and the aqua tium the southern, derricks, shafting, tackling, boiler houses, etc., etc. Entrance of new tunnel to Brooklyn, noise of ma chinery combined made strong contrast, peaceful spot of years ago. Aspect of same locality in 1860. It was then en closed with ah iron fence. Trees extended over the entire park. The breathing spot and promen ade for residents of the lower wards, used largely by nurses and children. Central Park being opened 1856-7. Prospect Park, Brooklyn, 1860. Last slaver, the bark Cora at anchor in the Bay. The distant hills of Staten Island observed. Arrival of the steamship Great Eastern, the largest vessel ever built, on her voyage to New York, June 28, 1860. The Bay crowded with crafts as her escort. The Battery holding thou sands of citizens to welcome her. Her second arrival was at Flushing Bay, Long Island, Au gust 27, 1862. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.