IMPORTANT NOTES:

e.d.u. = Exact date undetermined. Be aware that the event may not be listed in the proper sequence relative to other events of the same year.

Certain important pieces of legislation are labeled with dates [for example: Referendum Bill ('93)]. These labels are given for tracking purposes only, and have nothing to do with the actual names of the bills or proposals.

EARLY NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN HISTORY & ROOTS OF THEIR RIVALRY:

1609

Sept 2 - Henry Hudson sails into NY harbor

1623

e.d.u. - Dutch traders on Manhattan island; first settlement in Brooklyn likely (Dutch) at the Wallabout

1625

June 6 - First female white child in New Netherland born (Sarah de Rapalje) in Wallabout (Brooklyn)

1626

May 4 - Peter Minuit arrives

May 6 - Purchase of Manhattan Island for beads worth 60 guilders

1646

Nov 26 - Breuckelen (Brooklyn) granted municipal privileges under the Dutch, but one of their officials was subordinate to the Sheriff at New Amsterdam

1649

July 26 - Petition to Dutch sovereigns to establish the boundries of New Amsterdam so as to avoid trouble

1653

e.d.u. - Brooklyn gets Dutch charter

1664

Aug - English gain control of NYC; name it "New York"; 18 languages spoken

1665

e.d.u. - Brooklyn gets English charter

1673 

July 30 - Dutch reclaim "New Amsterdam"

1674

Nov 10 - English rule again

1686

Apr 27 - Dongan Charter (English) gives NYC generous ferry and water franchises

1708

e.d.u. - Cornbury Charter (English) continues NYC's generous water rights

1748

Mar 28 - Ferry house on Brooklyn shore of East River burns down. New Yorkers accuse Brooklynites of having set the fire as revenge for unfair East River water rights.

1776

Aug 27 - Battle of Long Island; Americans engage British on Brooklyn soil and retreat to Manhattan

1780

e.d.u. - Mongomery Charter continues NYC's generous water rights for a few shillings and a beaver skin

1816

e.d.u. - Brooklyn incorporated as a village

MANY EARLY (UNSUCCESSFUL) PROPOSALS FOR COSOLIDATION COME FROM VARIOUS QUARTERS:

1820

Oct 6 - Andrew Haswell Green born in Worcester, MA

1825

Brooklyn tries for several years to get city charter; opponents claim that it is Brooklyn's manifest destiny to eventually join NYC

1827

The very first movement to consolidate Village of Brooklyn w/ NYC started by Brooklyn real estate developers; it is ultimately unsuccessful.

1833

July 15 - Thomas Collier Platt born in Owego, NY

1834

e.d.u. - NYS Greater NY Committee submits a resolution to unite NYC and Brooklyn ("... it would create most magnificent city in the universe.")

Apr 8 - Brooklyn granted city charter over NYC objections

1843

e.d.u. - NYC Common Council tries to tax the property of Brooklynites doing busines in their city; Brooklyn Common Council sucessfully fights the bill in NYS legislature

1848

Dec 21 - Someone named "Grey" (citizen? state official?) proposes consolidation in the NY Commercial Advertiser

1849

Jan - NYC Common Council passed a resolution to open discussions of union w/ Brooklyn; Tribune approved because it would settle ferry, water supply, and tax issues; Mayor Havermeyer vetoed idea fearing that it would lead to governmental problems and encourage people to move to Brooklyn.

1850

e.d.u. - Senate committee explores uniting NYC and Brooklyn but reports against the idea; minority view says the union would end antagonism between the cities

1854

e.d.u. - A. Green becomes NYC Commissioner of public schools

e.d.u. - During a NYS Senate harbor bill debate, Erastus Brooks says NYC-Bklyn ought to come under one government

e.d.u. - Encouraged by Philadelphia's consolidation and the prospect of an East River bridge or tunnel, a member of the Board of Councilmen proposed annexation of neighboring towns.

1855

e.d.u. - A. Green on Board of Education

1856

e.d.u. - Brooklyn State Senator (and former Brooklyn mayor) Cyrus P. Smith introduces resolution for union of NYC and Brooklyn but it's defeated; the measure called for the landfilling of the East River!

1857

e.d.u. - A Green becomes President of the Board of Education

e.d.u. - A. Green on Central Park Commission; eventually becomes President and later Controller

e.d.u. - NYS Metropolitan Police Act merges police in the NYC, Kings, Richmond and Westchester Counties; Fire Commission added in 1865; Health added in 1866; ended in 1870

e.d.u. - Former Brooklyn mayor Henry C. Murphy: "...river will soon cease to be a line that divides them [NYC & Brooklyn]"

1865

Apr 24 - Legislature gives Central Park Commission the authority to lay out Manhattan north of 155 St.

e.d.u. - Brooklyn absorbs city of Williamsburg (then three years old) and annexes the town of Bushwick

A. GREEN SUGGESTS CONSOLIDATION; THE IDEA SPUTTERS AND LIES DORMANT FOR 20 YEARS DURING POLITICAL SCANDALS:

1868

Dec 30 - Report of the Central Park Commission authored by A. Green suggests consolidation of all of Greater NY

1870

e.d.u. - Metropolitan Police Act ended

1871

e.d.u. - A. Green appointed Deputy Controller, then Controller, during Boss Tweed political and fiscal crisis

e.d.u. - James B. Hodgskin (of the Committee of 70) proposes Consolidation

1873

e.d.u. - Kingsbridge, West Farms, and Morrisania annexed to NYC

1874

Feb 12 - Formation of the Municipal Union Society of the City of Brooklyn (at Academy of Music)

Mar 24 and later - John Winslow of the Municipal Union Society of the City of Brooklyn presents a petition (7,000 signatures) and a proposal to a joint committee of the NYS legislature; they proposed that a board of 20 commissioners draft a plan for consolidation to be voted on in a binding referendum at the next election; Alderman Fisher of Brooklyn opposed the idea; Assembly passed the act but the Senate defeated it

Apr 18 - NYC organization (name?) of property owners opposed to consolidation meets at No. 5 Pine St.

1876

e.d.u. - A. Green nominated for mayor on Citizen's Independent ticket; he declines in consideration of presidential candidate and friend S. Tilden

1880

e.d.u. - A. Green appointed NYC Park Commissioner

1881

Jan - Thomas Platt elected to US Senate for the first time

e.d.u. - A. Green appointed as a Commissioner to revise NYS tax laws

1882

e.d.u. - Sen. Grady proposed 30 citizens draw up a Consolidation charter

1883

May - Brooklyn Bridge opens

e.d.u. - A. Green appointed to Niagara Park Commission

1886

e.d.u. - With the success of the new bridge, the NYC Board of Aldermen appointed a committee to explore union w/ Brooklyn, but Brooklyn mayor Daniel Whitney ignored them

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK RESURRECTS CONSOLIDATION CONCEPT:

1887

Fall - Delegation from Chamber of Commerce of the State of NY (let's call them the CCSNY) met with NYC Mayor Hewitt to complain about the crowded, dirty state of the city and to encourage civic improvements

1888

Jan - Mayor Hewitt proposes massive civic improvements to keep NYC competitive and efficient

May - CCSNY’s Annual Report supports Hewitt’s initiative and encourages consolidation; Real Estate Record and Builder’s Guide follows suit

June - Noting that Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston were growing through annexation, the Real Estate Record encourages NYC to set up a Commission to explore consolidation

GREEN TRIES TWICE TO ESTABLISH GREATER NY COMMISSION; HE IS ULTIMATELY SUCCESSFUL:

1889

Mar - A. Green proposes creating a Greater NY Commission to explore the consolidation question; the bill passes Assemby and Senate, but fails to get a "third reading" and dies; resistance came from Brooklyn senators & uptown real estate owners including the new Tammany mayor Hugh Grant

1890

Mar 4 and later - Encouraged by the CCSNY, A. Green renews his request that the legislature create a Greater NY Commission; they pass the proposal; passage was secured with help of Green’s Albany lobbyist and the support of major papers

May 8 - Gov. Hill signs the act creating the Greater NY Commission

June 3 and later - A. Green was made President and JST Stranahan made VP of the Greater NY Commission; (sparcely attended) public hearings held; maps drawn; Commission is unanimously in favor of consolidation

Dec 11 - Greater NY Commission directs a consolidation bill be drawn and presented to next legislature

GREEN’S GREATER NY COMMISSION PROPOSES A FULL-BLOWN CONSOLIDATION BILL (BOUNDARIES + GOVERNMENT), BUT IT IS DEFEATED:

1891

Apr 6 - A Green presents his Consolidation Bill to Greater NY Commission; the bill includes geographic boundaries as well as a description of the new city's administration and charter; the Commission sends it to Albany

Apr 7 and later - Consolidation Bill ('91) introduced in both chambers; the bill dies (presumably because it is too inclusive re: administration and charter)

GREEN CHANGES TACTICS AND ADVOCATES A REFERENDUM; REFERENDUM BILL PASSES AFTER THREE TRIES:

NOTE: After the defeat of the Consolidation Bill, Green and the Commission decided upon another course: they pressed for a referendum (which would eventually be non-binding and vague so as to be as inoffensive as possible); just getting a referendum bill alone passed would eventualy take three tries!; their arguments were fourfold:

1892

Jan 18 - A. Green presents his Referendum Bill ('92) to the Commission

Jan 19 - Referendum Bill ('92) introduced in both chambers; Kings County representatives offered an amendment exempting Brooklyn from the bill!

Mar 3 - Referendum Bill ('92) came up in Legislature again and was strenuously opposed by most Brooklyn members

Mar 15 - Referendum Bill ('92) came up in Legislature again and was tabled

June - A group of influencial Brooklynites issues an address criticizing their representatives for depriving them of the opportunity to express their opinions in a referendum; they encourage their fellow Brooklynites to elect better representatives in the next election

Oct 6 - The Commission received the pro-consolidation address; A. Green is authorized by the Commission to prepare another referendum bill

Dec - Several Brooklynites met at the Montauk Club and formed the Consolidation League to advocate union

Dec 8 - A public meeting of the Commission at the Real Estate Exchange is filled with pro-consolidation advocates

1893

Jan 12 - A. Green submitted his new Referendum Bill ('93) to the Commission; it was essentially similar to the first

Jan 25 - Referendum Bill ('93) introduced in the legislature

Feb - Consolidation League met at 44 Court St. and elected officers

Mar 8 - Consolidation League's trainfull of 200 leading citizens advocate union in Albany

Mar 9 to Apr 5 - Referendum Bill ('93) is fought over, but dies in committee

Apr 11 - Commission met again; they agree to press on

Oct 24 - Candidates for state legislature declare their position regarding Consolidation in response to the circular of the Consolidation League

Nov - Many pro-consolidation Brooklyn representatives elected

1894

Feb 8 - Referendum Bill ('94) passed the Assembly by 106 to 7

Feb 27 and later - Referendum Bill ('94) passed the Senate by 18 to 7; signed into law by Gov. Flower; the bill does not make mention of consolidated city’s form of government

PRO- AND ANTI- FORCES MOBILIZE TO SWAY REFERENDUM VOTERS; ORGANIZED OPPONENTS ARE FEW AND INEFFECTIVE; THE REFERENDUM PASSES, BUT ONLY BY A HAIR IN BROOKLYN:

NOTE: Consolidationists distributed leaflets, sent speakers, enlisted "good government" organizations and newspapers to gain support for consolidation; opposition came from two sources: the Brooklyn Eagle (which feared the end of an independent Brooklyn and the influence of Tammany politics in their city) and Tammany Dems; Manhattan real estate interests were divided

May - Towns of Flatbush and Gravesend annexed by Brooklyn

July 1 - Town of New Utrecht annexed by Brooklyn; membership in Consolidation League is at 21,872

July and later - Lexow Investigation in NYC reveals deep curruption in that city; many pro-consolidation Brooklynites cool on the idea of joining with NYC

Oct 15 - To dispel misconception that upcoming referendum is a binding vote, the Commission issues statement to voters reminding them that their vote is only an expression of their opinion

Nov 6 - Referendum is held; all towns vote in favor except Westchester, Flushing and Mt. Vernon (which asked to be included in the vote); Brooklyn votes for union by only 277 of 129,000 votes!; opponents charged that many voters who thought they were voting for constitutional reforms had accidentally voted for consolidation; strongest support for consolidation in Manhattan and Brooklyn came from wealthy and middle-income, native-born, German-Americans, and the better-off German and Irish immigrants; pro vote was high in parts of Brooklyn that needed improvements, and low in "jealous" parts of NYC that were seeking similar improvements; the poorest districts in both cities rejected consolidation due to Democratic opposition to the new constitution and despite the prospect of better, cheaper living conditions

OPPONENTS ORGANIZE SERIOUSLY TO STOP CONSOLIDATION MOMENTUM:

Nov 13 - Greater NY Commission decides to seek union first, charter later

Nov 21 - Anti-consolidation Brooklyn League of Loyal Citizens (let's call them the BLLC) formed by leading (Protestant) cultural and religous leaders with intent to set aside results of first referendum and hold another ("resubmission"); William Redfield was president; Brooklyn’s Protestant-led opposition slowed the drive for consolidation but because it was non-inclusive, did not develop a wide or diverse support base (Brooklyn was only about 60% Protestant); this slowing of the consolidation momentum eventually provided an opening to politicians who feared the political shake-up that would result from the union; anti-consolidationists argued the following points:

Nov 25 - The women of Brooklyn organized to oppose Consolidation

Dec 21 - Chauncey Depew made pro-consolidation speech at New England Society dinner in Brooklyn

PLATT STEALS CONTROL OF THE PRO-CONSOLIDATION CAMPAIGN BEHIND THE SCENES BUT HIS FIRST CONSOLIDATION BILL IS DEFEATED:

1895

e.d.u. - Consolidation of NYC libraries to form NYPL by A. Green

Jan thru May - The picture gets a little blurry as to what exactly happened in the legislature now, but the sequence is roughly as follows:

NOTE: In 1894 Republicans gained control in New York State, with Thomas C. Platt as the "Easy Boss" of the party. Seeing advantages in consolidation, Platt decides to embrace the concept. Why? Here are some theories:

e.d.u. - BLLC claims membership of 50,000 and a petition of 72,000 anti-consolidation signatures; Brooklyn Eagle sponsors anti-consolidation essay and song contests

Feb 15 - Members of the BLLC speak against Consolidation Bill ('95)

Mar 17 - BLLC sent anti-consolidation circular to legislature

Apr thru Nov - BLLC published "Greater Brooklyn" pamphlets

Apr 29 - Brooklyn Common Council commits against consolidation

May 7 - Supervisors of Kings County condemn consolidation

May 14 - Assembly passed Consolidation Bill ('95) without referendum amendment

May 16 - Consolidation Bill ('95) killed in the Senate; Brooklyn Mayor Schieren telegraphed Gov. Morton that the public sentiment in Brooklyn demanded a new referendum

e.d.u. - NYC annexes more of lower Westchester County (eastern half of the what will be called The Bronx)

PLATT RESOLVES TO PUSH CONSOLIDATION THROUGH; HE ENLISTS THE SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNOR; LEGISLATURE OVERRIDES MAYORAL VETOS AND PASSES BILL:

Nov 26 - BLLC announced it would demand resubmission

mid-Dec - Platt held a Greater NY strategy meeting with a few fellow Republicans at Brooklyn home of Benjamin Tracy; Gov. Morton, who had been a compromise candidate between independent Republicans and regular Republicans, was invited; the governor theoretically signed on with their plans, provided they did not intend to conduct a patronage raid on the Greater NY police, fire, etc. departments as part of the plan

Dec 31 - Gov. Morton, getting cold feet and hearing rumors that Platt intended to do a patronage raid, wrote Tracy that he wanted out of their agreement and suggested they support resubmission

1896

Jan 1 - Town of Flatlands annexed by Brooklyn; Brooklyn thus occupied all of Kings County

Jan 3 - Platt responds to Gov. Morton’s letter angrily, but sidesteps the issue of patronage

Jan 4 to Mar - Morton responded to Platt’s letter; he reiterated his support for consolidation but renewed his objection to any patronage schemes ("adinterim commissioners"); the governor held firm on his anti-patronage raid position throughout the entire period and probably made Platt concede the point in exchange for signing any consolidation bill; threat of these patronage schemes added ammunition to the anti-consolidationists and turned several of the long-time consolidationists (like the CCSNY and the "good government" advocates) against the consolidation, but their reversal of position made them appear indecisive and protective of their "pet" Mayor Strong

e.d.u. - The BLLC successfully lobbied for the introduction of a "resubmission" bill, but it did not pass

Jan 9 - Platt decides to make his move; at his direction, his close associate NYS Senator Clarence Lexow – whose name is strongly affiliated with his anti-corruption police hearings – pilots a resolution thru the legislature creating a joint committee on Affairs of Cities (which can appoint a joint sub-committee - which they did) to report by March 1, 1896

Jan 17, 18, 24, 25 - Joint sub-committee holds hearings in Brooklyn

Jan 29 - Joint sub-committee holds hearings in Albany

Feb 1 - Joint sub-committee holds hearings in NYC

Feb 5 - Joint sub-committee holds hearings in Albany; one speaker advocated the exclusion of Richmond County in the consolidation

Feb 25 - Joint sub-committee submitted their report with their Consolidation Bill ('96) to the legislature; the bill, similar to Gov. Morton’s 1895 bill, gave the boundaries for the new city (yes, to be called, New York, not Brooklyn or something else) as A. Green had proposed originally; consolidation would take effect 1/1/98; the three mayors, A. Green, the State Engineer, the State Attorney General and nine governor apointees would draft a new charter; a proposal to exclude Flushing, Jamaica and Hempstead from Greater NY was rejected; but two minor Tammany ammendments to help protect against a patronage raid were accepted

Mar 11 - Consolidation Bill ('96) passed in Senate 38 to 8

Mar 26 - Consolidation Bill ('96) passed Assembly 91 to 56; bill was then sent to the mayors of NYC, Brooklyn and LIC for approval or veto

Apr 2,3,4 & 7 - Mayor Wurster of Brooklyn holds hearings

Apr 10 - Mayor Wurster vetos the Consolidation Bill ('96); Mayor Gleason of LIC approves it

Apr 14 - Mayor Strong of NYC vetos the Consolidation Bill ('96)

Apr 15 - State Senate passed the Consolidation Bill ('96) over the mayors’ vetos 34 to 14

Apr 22 and before - The Assembly nearly sunk the bill when the BLLC and Manhattan opponents pursuaded a large bloc of Brooklyn Republicans and several upstaters to vote no, whereupon about twenty Tammany Dems reversed their prior votes; Platt scrambled to rally his forces and using promises and threats; he gathered votes from a few Green-loyal upper-Manhattan Dems, three Brooklyn Republicans and his loyal upstate Republican power base; the Eagle accuses Platt's forces of bribery; the Assembly passed the Consolidation Bill ('96) by two votes (78 to 69)!

GOV. SIGNS CONSOLIDATION BILL; DRAFTING COMMISSION SETS TO WORK ON NEW CHARTER:

Apr 28 - A BLLC-supported anti-consolidation mass-meeting held at Cooper Union to try to persuade the governor not to sign the bill

May 11 - After some hesitation – and a letter to Platt expressing his distaste for the Platt’s tactics – Governor Morton signs the Consolidation Bill ('96) into law; apparently he was assured that there are enough safeguards to prevent a patronage raid

June 9 - Gov. Morton appointed his nine members to the Charter Commission; Platt considered all the members "safe" and agreeable, but he had insisted that St. Clair McKelway, editor of the Eagle not be named; A. Green was ill; Brooklyn interests and sympathies were well represented

June 19 - Members of the Charter Commission met informally at Governor’s residence

June 25 - Charter Commission met and elected Benjamin Tracy (Sen. Platt’s close ally) president; Tracy was authorized to select a Drafting Committee

June 27 - Tracy announced Drafting Committee; they met; William DeWitt became chairman

July 1 - Drafting Committee adjourned for the summer; DeWitt packed up for Long Beach to begin work

July 14 - DeWitt begins work at Long Beach; as each section was drafted it was released to the comissioners and press

Sept 21 and later - DeWitt’s "Long Beach" Draft of charter is finished and laid before the Charter Commission; Drafting Committee continued to work on the document until Christmas Eve

Dec 24, 25 - Charter Commission et al, including Sen. Platt, had dinner with the Governor; a report of the Drafting Committee appeared in the papers on Christmas morning

1897

Jan 2 - Full Charter Commision met formally to receive the Charter and the report from Drafting Committee

Jan 4 and later - Public hearings were held for two weeks; minor changes were made based on the hearings, but the general scheme was unaffected; Committee on Revision made final changes

CHARTER FINISHED; IT IS FLAWED AND MANY REFORMERS WITHDRAW THEIR SUPPORT; LEGISLATURE PASSES IT DISPITE NYC MAYOR VETO:

Feb 17 and 18 - Final charter was ready to submit to legislature; the Charter Commission report that would accompany the charter was signed by all the Commissioners except A. Green who, because of illness, had not participated in the construction of the charter; the charter protected Brooklyn interests by providing for equal taxes and assessments, exempting Brooklyn landowners from taxation for the first six months, adopting a borough form of local government (with borough presidents), and preserving the borough’s cherished independent school system; the charter created a slightly modified version of the "strong mayor" design that had already existed in NYC and Brooklyn; it ignored some new reform improvements, but preserved many existing ones; the charter shifted much control over the new city’s physical development, planning, and improvement from the state to the city government; all in all the new charter satisfied most interests, but was still very flawed

Feb 26 - Tracy et al appeared before a joint committee to explain the charter

Mar 3 and 10- The committee heard objections to the charter

Sometime before passage of the charter - The NYS Chamber of Commerce as well as other institutions that had fought for consolidation urged caution, revision, and delay; furthermore, with Gov. Morton out of office and Platt-supported Gov. Black in, Platt revived the possibility of a patronage raid to harrass Mayor Strong; this soured Strong’s business and civic allies on the charter; but Tammany was now behind the plan, Brooklyn opposition had withered, and Platt was determined to see it through

Mar 4 - Thomas Platt was returned to US Senate

Mar 17 - The charter was reported to both Houses with minor amendments

Mar 23 - The charter passed the Assembly 117 to 28

Mar 25 - The charter passed the Senate; it was then referred back to the three mayors

Apr 1, 2 - NYC Mayor Strong held hearings

Apr 5 - Brooklyn Mayor Wurster held his first hearing

Apr 8 - Mayor Wurster returned the charter with his approval

Apr 9 - Mayor Strong vetoed the charter, suggesting amendments

Apr 12 - The Assembly passed the charter over the Mayor Strong’s veto

Apr 13 - The Senate passed the charter over the Mayor Strong’s veto, 34 to 10

May 4 - Gov. Black signed the charter, making it law

CONSOLIDATION DAY:

Dec 31 - Crowd of 50,000 complete with band, fireworks, singers marched down Broadway to City Hall Park; two minutes before midnight whistles blow; San Francisco Mayor raises flag via long distance electric switch; church bells ring; 100 guns salute. In Brooklyn there was a reception and a celebration with six former mayors . In LIC the Mayor conducted business as usual and the Board of Aldermen was in session until midnight; no formal celebrations held.

1898

Jan 1 - Mayor Van Wyck addressed a crowd at City Hall at noon (he had taken the oath of office several days before)

AFTERMATH:

1901

NYS Gov. T. Roosevelt’s Charter Revision Commission (filled with Manhattan independents) starts making changes to the charter

1903

Nov 13 - A. Green shot to death on Park Ave. by a jealous, deranged gunman who mistakes him for his girlfriend's "sugar daddy"

1910

Mar 6 - Thomas Platt dies; his influence in politics had severely declined when T. Roosevelt, with whom he never got along in NYS, became president – an ironic twist, given that it was Platt who got TR into the VP spot to get him out of his hair

1915

Far Rockaway and Rockaway, claiming neglect by the Manhattan-based city government, unsuccessfully try to secede from Greater New York