He served as one of the commissioners for the Morrisania survey ; wiis counselor for the Southern Boulevard commissioners and commissioners of the Central or Macomb's Dam bridge ; is entitled to the credit of having drafted the act for the annexation of West Farms, King's Bridge and Morrisania to the city of New York ; he drew the acts authorizing the improvement of Harlem River by the Federal government, and has recently carried through the courts, to a successful issue, the preliminary work incident to acquiring the right of way for that important undertaking.

Just south of Mr. Lyons is situated the residence of .fohn J. Crane, Esq., a respected merchant of New York, and one of the promoters of the Suburban Rapid Transit Company. Near by, to the west of Mr. Lyons, are a number of country-seats, fast being absorbed into city lots, many of which will, in a short time, be absorbed into a new park, which the city is about to make, called St. Mary's Park, and in the immediate vicinity is old St. Ann's Church, described in another ehai)ter. Just on the banks of the Harlem Kills stands the house formerly of Gouverneur Morris, and not far distant, near the Port Chester Railroad depot, was the site of Bron.x's house, where, as we have already seen, the first treaty of peace with the Indians was signed. To return to Fordham and describe the valley of the Mill Brook, as it used to appear before the flourishing settlements, near the Harlem Railroad, ofTremont, Central Morrisania, Morrisania Station, Melrose and Mott Haven, would be a pleasing task ; but all their former beauties have departed, and suffice it to say that they are part and i)arcel of the great metropolis. One oasis of rural occupancy still exists at Central Morrisania.