land-owners held a meeting at Christopher Walton's store, at Fordham Corners, and appointed a committee to memorialize the legislature against the proposed low bridge, and also to ascertain the best method of removing the existing obstructions in the Harlem River. The committee, acting on the advice of counsel, decided to proceed against Macomb's Dam as a nuisance and to clear a passage-way for vessels through it. The resulting transactions are thus described by Mr. Fordham Morris in his History of the Town of Westchester: Lewis G. Morris, then quite a young man, was, by the votes of his associates, intrusted with the leadership of the fig-lit. In order to bring the question, if necessary, within the jurisdiction of the United States courts, it was determined that a vessel laden with a cargo from a neighboring State should ascend the river and demand passage way through the opening which the grant had directed should be kept for vessels, but which Macomb and his successors had neglected to provide. Mr. Morris therefore built a dock on his place about a mile north of the present site of High Bridge and chartered a periauger, called the "Nonpariel," with a cargo of coal on board consigned for delivery at Morris Dock. He arrived with his boat at the dam one evening [September 14, 1838], at full tide, and demanded of Feeks, the toll

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HISTORY

gatherer, that the draw or passage-way be opened ; of course Feeks could not comply. Some Hat boats which had heeii provided had on hoard a band of one hundred men ; and Feeks not opening the draw, Mr. Morris with his men forcibly removed a portion of the dam, so that the " Nonpariel " floated across. From that time a draw was always kept in the bridge, but for many years the passage was very difficult, the tide being so strong that it was only possible to pass at slack water.