Its inhabitants took what measures they could to prevent the intrusion of aliens, and, in order to secure the cream of the traffic in ])eltries, the merchants sent runners into the wilderness to intercept Indians who might carr)' their goods to other markets. They owned a fleet of x'cssels, u])on which all, or nearly all, of the carrying trade of the city was done. They ha\-e been charged with unfairness and craft in their dealings with the savages, but this animadversion seems to be aljundantly refuted by the fact that the Indians were not only at peace but very friendl}' with the Albanians through the troubled years when other

53^ The Hudson River

colonists lived in daily terror of the torch and the tomahawk. Money was scarce, and the use of seawant was legalised. Six white beads or three black ones were accepted as the equivalent of one penny {stuyver). A beaverskin had also a recognised standard value in exchange, and beaver-skins were used in payment of debts, rents, etc. Two of the principal streets of modern Albany, State Street and Broadway, were known in the English colonial time as King and Court Streets, and in Dutch days as Jonker (Young Gentleman) and Handelaer Streets. A part of Broadway used to be called North Market, and, still earlier, Brewers Street. At first merchandise used to be conveyed to the vessels in skiffs and afterwards wharves were built for the convenience of shippers. At the time of the Revolution three or four Albany men stand out prominently in national annals. Gansevoort. President of the Convention that adopted the first constitution of the State, lived in the old homestead of the Gansevoort family that stood upon the ground afterwards occupied by Stanwix Hall. Philip Schuyler, Philip Livingston, and George Clinton were the leaders of the party that secured New York State to the Union.