USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume I > Part 43
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"On the next anniversary, the 12th of February. 1847, the Society met at their new rooms in Owens' building, on JJohnson's (better known as Monument ) Square. It had been under the same roof with the Savannah Library Society for nearly eight years, and certainly had but a precarious pecuniary foothold. What was wanting in funds was made up by energy and perseverance.
"On June 14th, 1847, it was determined to purchase the Custom House lot, and means were ordered to be taken to raise the money
"In the meantime the union of the two Societies had not been lost sight of. The ground was ready for the seed. The Library Society had literally sheltered the Georgia Historical Society for nearly eight years. Most of the shareholders in the former were also members of the Georgia Historical Society. It was the predominant feeling that the sphere of action of both societies would be widely extended thereby, and their usefulness consequently inereased."
The Savannah Library Society was an old institution, organized as early as January 6, 1809. It had done a good work for Savannah. but. according to the writer from whom we have so liberally quoted "that Society languished, in 1837 it nearly collapsed," and in 1847 its condi- tion was very much like that of the Georgia Historieal Society and at the meeting of the latter on the 14th of June, 1847, "the President (Judge Wayne) stated that, acting on a suggestion formerly made. he had proposed to the Savannah Library Society to form a union with this. A committee, consisting of Messrs. Win. Crabtree, Holmes Tupper. and Solomon Cohen, had been appointed by that Society to confer with any which might be appointed by them.'
Following that statement, Doctor Arnold offered this resolution which was adopted : " Resolved, That the President appoint a committee of three, himself to be one, to confer with the committee of the Savannah Library Society, with full powers, to negotiate a union of the two Societies, and that they report at an ensning meeting." With the president as chairman, Messrs. A. A. Swets and Edward J. Harden formed that committee.
"The two committees met and agreed upon a plan of union which was ratified by the Savannah Library Society at a meeting held on the 17th of June, 1847, and by the Georgia Historical Society, at a called meeting held July 12, 1847. Certain rights were reserved by the Library Society in ease of the non-fulfilment by the Georgia Historical Society of certain conditions; but all the conditions imposed, and all the obliga- tions entered into have been fulfilled, and as the union has lasted without a ripple * * * it may be fairly considered indissoluble."
The Georgia Historical Society purchased the enstom house lot in Bryan street, between Bull and Drayton, and a building was erected
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according to plans drawn by Architect Norris which was occupied by the society until 1871, when it was found too small for the Jarge and steadily increasing library, and at that time the society leased Armory Hall, the property of the Chatham Artillery, from that company for five years, and the library was promptly removed. the books being placed on shelves specially made for them at considerable expense. Before the expiration of the lease the building erected for the society by Mrs. W. B. Hodgson as a memorial of her husband and named the W. B. Hodgson Hall was finished, and the books were again taken from their shelves in Armory Hall and carried to the elegant new building where they still remain.
The society has done good work in the matter of collecting and pub- lishing "information relating to the history of the State of Georgia," as its charter provides. and it is now in as prosperous condition as it has ever been. The latest step taken by it in making it a means of edu- cation to the people was its agreement with the city of Savannah, in March, 1903, whereby its valable library became a part of the free public library established at that time by the city government and now entirely supported by the latter.
Just before the founding of the Georgia Historical Society the build- ing on Johnson square in which the congregation of Christ church wor- shiped, became unfit for use and was pulled down to make way for the present building which has since its erection in 1838, been remodeled. The edifice razed in 1838 had been injured by fire the previous year after having served as a place of worship from the year 1810. The Georgia Historical Society, as we have seen, purchased the lot near that church, on Johnson square. from the United States. The Right Rev. Bishop Stephen Elliott was made the first bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church in Georgia, and served also as rector of Christ church. He died suddenly on the 21st of December, 1866, at which time he was the president of the Georgia Historical Society.
The laying of the corner stone of that church in 1838, proved an interesting occasion.
From the Georgian, Tuesday, February 27, 1838: "The interesting ceremony of laying the corner stone of the new edifice to be erected for the Congregation of Christ Church, was performed yesterday at 12 M. A very numerous assemblage walked in procession from the 'temporary building' in Court House square to the site of the Church, where, after the performance of appropriate religions exercises, the Rev. Edward Neufville, rector of the Church, who officiated on the occasion, made the following announcement :
" 'In the name and in behalf of the wardens and vestrymen of Christ Church, I deposite in a glass vessel, within this stone, a copy of . the Holy Bible-of a vohinne which we hold next in estimation, to wit : the Book of Common Prayer-a journal of the Convention of the Dio- cese of Georgia held in 1837-the Churchman's Alamanac for 1838-the newspapers of the day-Sundry Coins-and a roll of parchment con- taining the following inscriptions:
4
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I. H. S. GLORY TO GOD
CHRIST CHURCH
Founded in 1743; destroyed by fire. 1796.
Re-founded on an enlarged plan in 1803.
.
Partially destroyed in the hurricane of 1804. Rebuilt in 1810; taken down in 1838. This corner stone laid (February 26th, 1838.) of a new edifiee to be ereeted
(according to a plan furnished by James Hamilton Couper, Esq. of Georgia, )
by Amos Seudder, mason, and Gilbert Butler, Car- penter, under the direction of
Wm. Scarborough, Wm. Thorne Williams, Robert Habersham, Win. P. Hunter, and Dr. T. Bartow, building committee. Rev. Edward Neufville, rector. Geo. Jones, M. D., and Wm. B. Bulloch, wardens. T. Bartow, M. D., Win. Thorne Williams,
Robert Habersham, Win. Scarborough, R. R. Cuy-
ler, Wm. P. Hunter, and P. M. Kollock, M. D. Vestrymen.'
"The books were placed in the glass vessel by two of the Sunday- school scholars, Masters George Jones and William H. Turner.
"After the placing of the stone, followed by a prayer, the singing of the last two verses of the 90th psalm, and a short address, the assembly was dismissed."
FIRST STEAMSHIP TO CROSS ATLANTIC
The fact that the steamship "Savannah" was the first vessel using steam to cross the Atlantic has been told so often and the circumstances attending the incident are so well known that it is strange to find that the story has been repeatedly desired and is still being called for. In some of the books written on the subject of steam navigation, although the truth is told in part, the statement is made that credit should not be given the story about the "Savannah" because a part of the time her sails were used in aiding her passage.
We quote one such discrediting account given as early as 1838, with its reputation.
From the Georgian, Wednesday, April 11, 1838.
"STEAM NAVIGATION.
"The following we extract from the Baltimore American: ' An ariele has been going the rounds of the newspaper press in which it is stated that the English steamer "City of Kingston, ".at present lying in our harbor, is the " first steam ves. sel that has ever crossed the Atlantic." In this there is certainly a mistake. In the
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year 1818 or '19, there was a steamship built in New York, called the " Savannah,"' which, after being supplied with her engines in New Jersey, proceeded to Savannah, Georgia, where she was owned. From Savannah she went under the command of Capt. Rogers to Liverpool. where she arrived after a passage of 22 days, during 14 of which her engines were in operation.
" 'From Liverpool she proceeded to St. Petersburg, and thence returned to Savannah. The experiment being found to be unprofitable, was not repeated. It will thus be seen that our own country lost the credit of having been the first to apply steam machinery to the navigation of the Atlantic. As our Fulton was the first person whose ingenuity demonstrated the practicability of propelling vessels of large dimensions by steam. so it was reserved for our hardy and fearless seamen first to prove to northern Europe and the world at large, that even the stormy ocean that reaches the Russian strand could not check their enterprise nor cause their courage to quail. To some this may appear a matter of little moment, but we con- fess that as Americans we are always gratified to sustain the just claims of superior- ity to which our countrymen may be entitled.' "
BURNING OF FILATURE BUILDING
In the year 1839. one of Savannah's historic buildings, of little pecu- niary value, it is true, but with an interesting record, nevertheless, was destroyed.
The year 1839 was in its infancy when several attempts were made by persons who were probably led by spite to burn a number of houses in the city. For some time all such attempts were brought to naught by the prompt appearance of the fire department, and the fires were soon put out ; but, on the 25th of March there were two fires starting from one source but not, however, of incendiary origin, which made such rapid headway that. before they could be subdued, much damage was done. In fact, the results of these two conflagrations were almost as disastrous as were those remarkable fires of 1796, and 1820. It was at this time (March 25, 1839) that the old Filature which had stood since the early days of the colony of Georgia was destroyed, and for that reason we give the account of the Georgian of the next day, March 26, in full : "About four o'clock yesterday afternoon, a fire broke out in the yard of the Savannah Steam Saw Mill Company, on the other side of the river, opposite the yard of the Steamboat Company of Georgia. It proceeded from an old building from one to two hundred yards below the mill, and about 100 feet long by 30 feet wide, the roof of which ignited from a spark from the mill pipe, the wind at the time blowing strong from the North West. The building was immediately in a blaze, and the fire communicated in ten minutes, or less. to the Schooner 'Medora,' of Providence lying at the wharf near. The fire was by the wind rapidly extended to a cargo of white pine boards on the wharf, owned by Captain Win. Crabtree. Jr., to which gentleman and George Hall, Esq., both of this city, the building in which the fire originated also belonged.
"In this building (on which there was some insurance, not yet ascer- tained, in the Howard Insurance Company of N. York, ) there was a new engine intended for a new Steam Saw Mill about to be erected, which was owned by the same gentlemen, and which we are happy to learn is partially injured. This engine was not insured.
"The flames also extended to another old building, of same dimen-
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sions as the former, the property of the Estate of the late Robert Isaac, which was also totally consumed, as also a portion of a pile of 200 Chald- rons of Liverpool coal on the wharf, the property of Messrs. Crabtree & Hall. The wharf heads have also been more or less injured. .
"The Schooner . Medora' was the property of Col. R. J. Arnold, of Bryan County, valned about $3,000, and. we regret to learn, not insured. Two men on board at the time endeavored to loose her from her moor- ings, but before she could be got adrift, they were compelled by the flames to desert her, in one of the boats. She was afterwards scuttled, and when our informant left her had been burnt to the water's edge. The mill was fortunately preserved.
"While the second building was in flames, and before engines could be carried across the river, the alarm was again sounded, and when we reached the scene, the old building on Reynolds Square, on the lot known as the old filature lot, was in flames, the roof having caught from a spark wafted several hundred yards across the river, which, ignited like tinder, threatened a serious conflagration. The engines were, however, on the spot, and though the element was very obstinate, by the timely aid of water well directed by the firemen, and by the exertions of many citizens, the fire was arrested, after destroying the double tenement wooden building occupied by Mrs. Russell as a boarding house, and by Mrs. Austin, and extending to a small double tenement also of wood on St. Julian street, occupied by Mrs. John and Mr. P. Cartier, which was totally consumed with outbuildings on the lot. The large building owned by Mr. Thomas Clark, and by Mr. Amos Seudder, was under insurance, as we learn, $800, made by Mr. Clark. Mr. Seudder had not insured on this building or on the other tenement which belonged to him. His loss, we regret to state, is therefore heavy, as two other dwellings (not insured) on the lot, one a double tenement on Lincoln street, were more or less destroyed by the axemen to arrest the conflagration. The dwelling of Mrs. Bourke, Mr. Sibley, and Mr. Thos. S. Wayne were, with other contiguous buildings repeatedly on fire, but preserved by great exertion. We regret to learn that much furniture was lost by Mrs. Russell and Mrs. Austin, and that two of their boarders, Messrs. Roberts, lost considerable, as also a Mr. Gardiner.
"We congratulate our citizens that it proved not more serious in its effects, and would urge upon Council the necessity of procuring more hose, some of which proved very deficient, and of keeping in good repair the cisterns, from two of which in the vicinity material benefit at this fire was derived."
The next day a correspondent, writing to the Georgian urging the citizens to contribute to the relief of certain of the sufferers by the fire, referred to the building on the Filature lot as "being very old and com- bustible-originally bilt as a silk manufactory, was rapidly consumed by fire, from a spark lighting on the roof, wafted from the fire at the lumber yard."
BINDING THE CITY TOGETHER
In the year 1839 the thoughts of the city authorities were turned in the direction of deepening the channel of the Savannah river, and an
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appeal was made to the Georgia legislature to give an amount of money for that purpose, ineluding the removing of the sand bars between the city and Augusta, and in 1845 the latter joining Savannah in presenting a petition to the general assembly asking for an appropriation to deepen the river between the two cities for the improvement of navigation; but no response was made to the demand. In addition to that enterprise. at the same time came the question of building a bridge aeross the Savan- nah river, and, on the 23d of May the mayor, Hon. R. M. Charlton, was indueed to eall a publie meeting of the citizens to receive a report of a committee previously charged with the duty of estimating the cost of the work shonld it be declared feasible. A favorable report was made by the committee, recommending that the bridge be built "to bring Savannah into direet communication with South Carolina." and advising that another meeting be called to disenss the advisability of the work being done by the city of Savannah.
In calling the attention of the people to the importance of attending the meeting that day, the Georgian of the 28th of May said: "We hope it is not necessary to dwell on the importance of a measure of this nature. It would promote that social intercourse which is so desirable among sister States. It would improve our market, and it would do many other things of public benefit ;" and in commenting on the result of that meeting, the same paper said in its issue of the 30th : "It was the greatest meeting ever held in this City at this season of the year for the purpose of advancing the prosperity of our City and our State We have been convinced with Mr. McAllister that ` now is the time to strike the blow; now will Savannah. like the strong man whose arms were bound, arise in her might and burst her bonds asunder.' And we have been convinced with him, and every day shows the faet more clearly, that 'Georgia is the gate through which the great trade of the mighty West is destined to pass to the Atlantic Ocean.' Could our fellow citizens of the interior but witness the enthusiasm, the determination that exists in Savannah to forward the true interests of Georgia, they would shake off that apathy which seems to have made them rather in- different to the fate of the great seaport of their State." Others who addressed the meeting in support of the measure besides Mr. Mc Allister were Judge John M. Berrien, Judge John C. Nicoll, and Mr. Richard R. Cuyler.
At the meeting it was stated that South Carolina had appointed a commission to ascertain whether Georgia would build a bridge across the river to unite with a road which South Carolina contemplated build- ing which road should commence at some point on the old Charleston and Savannah stage road and extend to Savannah back river, and to report to the legislature of their state; whereupon, the following reso- lutions were adopted by the Savannah meeting:
" Resolved, by the citizens of Savannah in public meeting assembled. That they duly appreciate the mutual benefits which will result from establishing the communication proposed by the citizens of South Caro- lina, and will cordially unite with them in the accomplishment of that objeet by the construction of a bridge or bridges to connect the road proposed to be constructed by the citizens of South Carolina to Savan- nah back river, with the city of Savannah.
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"Resolved, That the Committee appointed at a former meeting of the Citizens of Savannah employ an engineer to make such surveys and estimates as they may deem necessary in the execution of the duty con- fided to them, and that the corporation of the City be requested to pro- vide for the payment of the same a sum not exceeding $500."
The matter seems to have dropped there, and there is no evidence on record that the city ever appropriated the amount asked for in the resolution.
Vol. 1-23
CHAPTER XXVIII CITY AND COUNTY INSTITUTIONS
CITY MARKET HOUSES-FIRST CITY JAIL-COUNTY JAIL IN CONTROL OF CITY-COUNTY JAIL OF 1846 -- DEATH OF ANDREW JACKSON.
On the 7th of April, 1763, a lot was set apart by the colonial assem- bly, in Ellis square, for a public market. and there a market house was built; but it was destroyed by fire in 1788.
On the 16th of October, 1787, while the old building was still stand- ing, the wardens of Savannah made a contract with Messrs. Thomas Newell and Robert Bolton, Jr., copartners and merchants, for the build- ing of a market on the public slip under the bluff at the foot of Bull street, of wood, the dimensions of which should be forty by eighteen feet and ten feet high. That market was separate and distinct from the regular market and was established for the convenience of persons bring- ing produce to the city by water which "by reason of the steep ascent of the bluff cannot. without a great labor and charge be conveved to the regular city market."
CITY MARKET HOUSES
On the destruction of the Ellis square building in 1788 a special tax was ordered by ordinance of December 16th to raise money to rebuild, but the new edifice was to be forty feet square. Under the contract with Newell & Bolton the building and lot nsed by them at the end of Bull street were to be used by them and their successors for fifteen years and the rates of commissions on articles to be sold were fixed by the words of the contract. When that agreement expired in 1802 the city built a market for the convenience of the eastern district in Warren square and that new building was forty feet long, thirty feet wide, and had a steeple. It was built by William Worthington at a cost of $953. The building was removed in 1811, and a new one built opposite the Exchange dock just where the former building stood and which had been known as the fish market.
The fire of 1820 destroyed the market in Ellis square, and the ques- tion of changing its location in rebuilding was submitted to the people with the result that 375 were in favor of a change while 275 voted against it. The election was held in January, immediately after the fire. and on the 24th of that month an ordinance was passed authorizing the
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building to be placed in the center of South Broad street at its inter- section with Barnard street. The house was to be 11716 feet in length by twenty-two feet wide, with a pavement four feet wide all around, and the price agreed upon by contraet was $5,982. The stalls were rented, and the income to the city amounted to $2.622 annually. The name of South Broad street was changed on the 17th of June, 1820, to Market street, but on the 20th of December, 1821, an act of the legis- lature was approved which authorized the erection of a market house on the lot originally used for that purpose as granted in 1763, where a market house had been erected and used until its destruction in 1820, and the citizens, in publie meeting held January 20, 1821 (before the passage of the act just mentioned), having expressed their desire to erect at their own expense another building at that place the work was immediately commenced and, when finished, it was accepted by council on the 13th of August, 1822, and the name of Market street was again changed to South Broad by ordinance passed the 30th of December, 1822.
Another effort was made, in 1854, to have the market removed or, if retained on its old site, to be rebuilt. The committee, on the 29th of June, recommended that something be done as the building was too small. and in May, 1855, instructions were given to the market committee to have designs inade for a new market house to be built either in Ellis square or on some other site more desirable. The plans were drawn, and the finance committee of council received instructions to provide for an issue of bonds amounting to $40,000 for the building; but the matter was brought to a stop when the finance committee of the council of 1856 made an adverse report to the bond questiou.
The next time the matter was discussed was in the year' 1869. and in February the city advertised for fifteen plans and estimates for a market house with a city hall in the building, with the proposal that the bidders state what amount in city bonds they would be willing to take in payment ; and on the 20th of July, 1870, the market committee, as instructed. advertised for "bids for the erection of a market under plans prepared by Schwaab and Muller," not to exceed $60,000. Eight days later the amount was increased to $75.000. Contracts were awarded on the 28th of September. The city proposed to issue $500.000 in bonds for local improvements out of which amount the market was to be paid for. It was estimated that the building would cost $75,000, but the amount actually expended on it was much more. It was begun in November. 1870, and finished in June. 1872. During its erection sheds built in Barnard and St. Julian streets were used in the place of stalls.
FIRST CITY JAIL
The first record in relation to the building of a jail by the city is what the minutes of commeil in March, 1743. reveal. At that time pro- vision was made for the building of a pair of stocks under the old exchange at the foot of Bull street. The exchange was destroyed by fire in 1796. In 1794, however, it was ordered that a jail be built, and
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that it should be seventy by fifty feet, two stories above the ground and one story below, the material to be of brick or stone.
COUNTY JAIL IN CONTROL OF CITY
A new jail was begun. in 1801, the legislature having, on the 30th of November of that year passed an act. placing the control of the county jail in the hands of the mayor and aldermen, and it was finished in the next year, when John Peter Oates was elected keeper. Council paid for the building, but looked for re-imbursement from the state by the authorization of the levy of a special tax. Concerning this matter Mayor John Y. Noel commented thus in his report of July, 1804: "Despite the liberal resources of which this city has had the benefit during several years, that its revenues should still be seanty and inadequate to extensive improvements is due to the erection of the goal and rebuilding the court- house for the use of the county with funds of the city, producing a deficit of more than $30,000. This use of the city funds for a purpose so beneficial and important was made in reliance on the good faith of the State in imposing an annual tax on the County for the purpose of gradually refunding to the City the sums which it might expend upon these County buildings. For want of this just provision the corporation has necessarily been employed during several years past in putting into execution one resource after another until it is ascertained that our revenues still continue in a state of depression from which nothing but the- justice of the Legislature can relieve it."
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