e
Exchange coffee house, farther down the waterfront.

[Illustration: MERCHANTS COFFEE HOUSE (AT THE RIGHT) AS IT APPEARED FROM
1772 TO 1804

The original coffee house of this name was opened on the northwest
corner of Wall and Water Streets about 1737, the business being moved to
the southeast corner in 1772]

Widow Ferrari presided over the original Merchants coffee house for
fourteen years, until she moved across the street. She was a keen
business woman. Just before she was ready to open the new coffee house
she announced to her old patrons that she would give a house-warming, at
which arrack, punch, wine, cold ham, tongue, and other delicacies of the
day would be served. The event was duly noted in the newspapers, one
stating that "the agreeable situation and the elegance of the new house
had occasioned a great resort of company to it."

Mrs. Ferrari continued in charge until May 1, 1776, when Cornelius
Bradford became proprietor and sought to build up the patronage, that
had dwindled somewhat during the stirring days immediately preceding the
Revolution. In his announcement of the change of ownership, he said,
"Interesting intelligence will be carefully collected and the greatest
attention will be given to the arrival of vessels, when trade and
navigation shall resume their former channels." He referred to the
complete embargo of trade to Europe which the colonists were enduring.
When the American troops withdrew from the city during the Revolution,
Bradford went also, to Rhinebeck on the Hudson.

During the British occupation, the Merchants coffee house was a place of
great activity. As before, it was the center of trading, and under the
British regime it became also the place where the prize ships were sold.
The Chamber of Commerce resumed its sessions in the upper long room in
1779, having been suspended since 1775. The Chamber paid fifty pounds
rent per annum for the use of the room to Mrs. Smith, the landlady at
the time.

In 1781 John Stachan, then proprietor of the Queen's Head tavern, became
landlord of the Merchants coffee house, and he promised in a public
announcement "to pay attention not only as a Coffee House, but as a
tavern, in the truest; and to distinguish the same as the City Tavern
and Coffee House, with constant and best attendance. Breakfast from
seven to eleven; soups and relishes from eleven to half-past one. Tea,
coffee, etc., in the afternoon, as in England." But when he began
cha