Brooklyn
former city, since Jan. 1, 1898, one of the five boroughs of the city of Greater New York; situated on the W. extremity of Long Island, on New York Bay and the East river, which separates it from New York and connects Long Island Sound with New York Bay. Brooklyn is connected with New York by the Brooklyn, the Manhattan and the Williamsburg bridges and lyn proper, Williamsburg, Gravesend, Flatbush, ush, Flat Lands, New Lots, New Utrecht, and several smaller suburban towns that were united with it prior to its consolidation with New York. It now extends from the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island to the East river and New York harbor, and occupies the whole of (1920) 2,018,356.
The surface of the borough is generally elevated, sloping from the bay and river to a ridge which extends through the island. Its highest point is Mt. Pleasant, 194 feet above tidewater. Its water front extends from Newtown creek, emptying into the East river, to beyond Sheepshead Bay. The shore opposite lower New York is an irregular bluff, with an elevation of about 90 feet, and is known as Brooklyn Heights, while South Brooklyn is low. Brooklyn, being an aggregation of separate towns and villages, presents a very irregular street system and lacks unity of design. The main busi- Brooklyn is low. Brooklyn, being an ag- gregation of separate towns and villages, Ferry to East New York, and contains some of the largest retail establishments in the United States. Clinton avenue is the handsomest street in the city, and is lined with fine residences surrounded by ornamental grounds and shade trees.
There is an excellent water system and the average daily consumption is 170,- BROOKLYN 000,000 gallons. The borough has 892 miles of paved streets and 375 miles of electric street railroads and steam and with its suburbs, and by means of four electric elevated roads connect Brooklyn with its suburbs, and by means of four bridges with Manhattan Borough.
There are 55 parks, playgrounds and open spaces in Brooklyn, with an area of 1,153 acres. Prospect Park is the largest, with 526 acres, including 77 acres of lakes and waterways, 70 acres of meadvated ridge and commands a magnificent view of the ocean, the Sound, Long Isvated ridge and commands a magnificent view of the ocean, the Sound, Long Island, New Jersey, and New York City. original wooded condition, making it one It has been left to a great extent in its of the most picturesque parks in the United States. There is a Soldiers and Sailors' Memorial Arch and a statue of President Lincoln at the Flatbush aveington Park, the site of extensive Revonue entrance. Of the other parks, Wash- Greene is the principal one, is the largest.
Greene is the principal one, is the largest. side Park, and Highland Park.
Among the smaller parks are the City side Park, and Highland Park.
The principal public buildings of style. The Kings Brooklyn are grouped together about the Borough Hall. This building is of white marble in the Ionic sty County Court House stands just E. of the Borough Hall, and has a marble front with a Corinthian portico and an iron dome over 100 feet high. Near the Court House are the Municipal Building and Federal Building is the finest structure the Hall of Records, both of marble. The in the borough, built of granite at a cost of $5,000,000. It is in the Romanesque style, with numerous turrets and a tall tower. It was opened in 1892 and is occupied by the postoffice and the United States courts. Other notable buildings are the Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Bank, Pratt Institute, the Brooklyn Library, the Art Association Building, and the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. The most notable and important navy yard in the United States is located here.
Ma- In 1918-1919 Brooklyn had 8,281 factories, employing a total of 185,625 people, an increase in 10 years of over 3,000 factories and 40,000 employees. The principal articles of manufacture are: chinery and metal products, clothing, textiles, boots, shoes, furs, chemicals, drugs, paints, colors, paper goods, books, wood tiles, boots, shoes, furs, chemicals, drugs, hemp, jute products, rubber and leather ances, confectionery, foods, tobacco, fla goods. flax, Brooklyn has a water front of 200 BROOKLYN miles, and when the Jamaica Bay im- 1666 the first Dutch church was built provement is carried out will have 150 more. Over $200,000,000 has been spent in the development of its shore line. It is estimated that more than half the foreign commerce of New York City is carried on from the Brooklyn docks. The steamship piers alone represent an investment of over $100,000,000. More than 40 steamship lines with a fleet of 700 ships leave and enter Brooklyn docks.
One inlet from the East river alone, although only four miles in length, carries more commerce annually than that floated on the entire Mississippi river.
There were in 1919 6 National banks with 2 branches, 6 State banks with 14 branches, 6 trust companies with 16 branches, 22 savings banks, and 20 private banks with capital, surplus, and undivided profits of over $90,000,000 and representing resources of $1,000,000,000.
In addition to these institutions, there are 7 title and mortgage guarantee companies with home or branch offices in the city that have assets of over $100,000,- 000, a capital of $13,000,000, and a surplus of $29,000,000. Savings bank deposits are $423,363,418. There are 695,- 000 depositors with an average account of $609.
In 1919 there were 347,313 registered pupils in the public schools. The public school system includes a Training-school for Teachers, Girls' High School, Boys' High School, Manual High School, and Truant School. For higher education are the Polytechnic Institute for boys; the Packer Institute for girls; Pratt Institute (coeducational); the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy, and the Brooklyn Institute. Brooklyn has been widely known as the City of Churches. There are now nearly 575 of such edifices and chapels, with a membership of 782,422. The Roman Catholic Church is the strongest denomination. Then follow the Methodist Episcopal, Protestant Episcopal, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Congregational, Reformed, synagogues, and others of various denominations. The most important hospitals in Brooklyn are the Long Island College, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Homœopathic, General, St. Mary's, Methodist, St. John's, and St.
Peter's. The public institutions are most ly at Flatbush, and include the insane asylum, hospital, and almshouse.
The assessed valuation in 1920 was $1,865,123,952. The tax rate was 2.36.
Brooklyn was settled by the Dutch in 1636 at New Utrecht. In 1646 five small towns consolidated under the name of Breuckelen, from the Dutch town whence most of the settlers came. In BROOKS in Breuckelen. About this time the English came into possession of New York and Long Island, and Breuckelen became a part of West Riding. On Aug. 27, 1776, the battle of Long Island was fought in Brooklyn, and the village was held by the British till 1783. Brooklyn was incorporated as a village in 1816; slavery was abolished there in 1825, and in 1834 it became a city. Several adjoining towns were annexed from time to time, and in 1896 Brooklyn comprised all of Kings co. On Jan. 1, 1898, Brooklyn was consolidated with Greater New York, under the name of the Borough of Brooklyn.
WILLIAM CHARLES BROOKS, SHIRLEY, editor of "Punch," was born in London, April 29, 1816. From clerk he became a reporter, and settling in London, wrote dramas, contributed to some of the leading periodicals and journals, and in 1853 was sent by the "Morning Chronicle" to study labor conditions in Russia, Syria and Egypt. His observations were published in "Russians of the staff of the London "Punch." In 1870 the South" (1856). In 1854 he joined he succeeded Mark Lemon as its editor.
His novels include "Aspen Court"; "The Gordian Knot"; "The Silver Cord"; "Sooner or Later." He also wrote "Amusing Poetry" (1857). He died in London, Feb. 23, 1874.