USA > Indiana > Jefferson County > Madison > The western address directory : containing the cards of merchants, manufacturers, and other business men, in Pittsburgh, (Pa.) Wheeling, (Va.) Zanesville, (O.) Portsmouth, (O.) Dayton, (O.) Cincinnati, (O.) Madison, (Ind.) Louisville, (K.) St. Louis, (Mo.) , 1837 > Part 4
USA > Kentucky > Jefferson County > Louisville > The western address directory : containing the cards of merchants, manufacturers, and other business men, in Pittsburgh, (Pa.) Wheeling, (Va.) Zanesville, (O.) Portsmouth, (O.) Dayton, (O.) Cincinnati, (O.) Madison, (Ind.) Louisville, (K.) St. Louis, (Mo.) , 1837 > Part 4
USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > The western address directory : containing the cards of merchants, manufacturers, and other business men, in Pittsburgh, (Pa.) Wheeling, (Va.) Zanesville, (O.) Portsmouth, (O.) Dayton, (O.) Cincinnati, (O.) Madison, (Ind.) Louisville, (K.) St. Louis, (Mo.) , 1837 > Part 4
USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The western address directory : containing the cards of merchants, manufacturers, and other business men, in Pittsburgh, (Pa.) Wheeling, (Va.) Zanesville, (O.) Portsmouth, (O.) Dayton, (O.) Cincinnati, (O.) Madison, (Ind.) Louisville, (K.) St. Louis, (Mo.) , 1837 > Part 4
USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > The western address directory : containing the cards of merchants, manufacturers, and other business men, in Pittsburgh, (Pa.) Wheeling, (Va.) Zanesville, (O.) Portsmouth, (O.) Dayton, (O.) Cincinnati, (O.) Madison, (Ind.) Louisville, (K.) St. Louis, (Mo.) , 1837 > Part 4
USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > Zanesville > The western address directory : containing the cards of merchants, manufacturers, and other business men, in Pittsburgh, (Pa.) Wheeling, (Va.) Zanesville, (O.) Portsmouth, (O.) Dayton, (O.) Cincinnati, (O.) Madison, (Ind.) Louisville, (K.) St. Louis, (Mo.) , 1837 > Part 4
USA > Ohio > Scioto County > Portsmouth > The western address directory : containing the cards of merchants, manufacturers, and other business men, in Pittsburgh, (Pa.) Wheeling, (Va.) Zanesville, (O.) Portsmouth, (O.) Dayton, (O.) Cincinnati, (O.) Madison, (Ind.) Louisville, (K.) St. Louis, (Mo.) , 1837 > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > The western address directory : containing the cards of merchants, manufacturers, and other business men, in Pittsburgh, (Pa.) Wheeling, (Va.) Zanesville, (O.) Portsmouth, (O.) Dayton, (O.) Cincinnati, (O.) Madison, (Ind.) Louisville, (K.) St. Louis, (Mo.) , 1837 > Part 4
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23
*This was Andrew Lewis, who afterwards, as general officer, dis- tinguished himself so prominently in the Indian battle at Point Pleasant. The anecdote related by him, of the incidents attending the defeat of Grant, is now somewhat amusing, as the tragedy is so very far in the distance : It appears that it was Grant's intention, that no officer should participate in the glory about to be dispensed by this novel manœuvre, but himself; and for that reason had or- dered Lewis, with his Virginians, into the rear, with a view of guarding the baggage, as stated above. Here Lewis remained un- til he found it necessary to exert his force to relieve his superior offi- cer on the winding up of the unfortunate battle-and hastening to- wards him, for that purpose, trampling over the bodies of the slain to defend the liying, he drove back the savages with their uplifted
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this action, the Virginians evidenced the spirit with which they had been trained. Out of eight officers, five were killed, a sixth wounded, and a seventh taken pri- soner. Capt. Bullett, who defended the baggage with great resolution, and contributed to save the remnant of the datachment, was the only officer who escaped unhurt. Of 162 men, 62 were killed on the spot, and 2 wounded. This conduct reflected high honor on the commanding officer of the regiment as well as on the troops ; and he received, on the occasion, the compliments of the gene- ral. The total loss was 275 killed, and 42 wounded."
It was at length determined that the main body of the army should move from Raystown, and the general call- ing on the colonels of regiments to submit to him seve- rally a plan for his march, that proposed by Washington appears to have been judiciously formed, but neither was adopted to the extent contemplated ; for, while the ques- tion was being debated, whether the army should pro- ceed further or take up then their winter quarters, some prisoners were taken, who represented the Fort in such a distressed condition, that it was deemed advisable to proceed on with the main army. Col. Washington was advanced in front, and with immense labor opened a way for the main body. The troops moved forward with slow and painful steps, and on the 25th Nov. took peaceable possession of the Fort ; the garrison having on the pre- ceding night, after evacuating and setting it on fire, pro- ceeded down the river.
tomahawks, and saved the regulars from massacre. While thus ad- vancing, he met a Scotch Highlander, under full press, who, to the question, "how fared the battle?" "I dinna wcel ken, (was the re- ply,) but think we're a' beaten; for there's Donald McDonald up to his hunkers in the mud, an' a' the skin aff his hecd."
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Pittsburgh-its Foundation, &c.
The works were repaired, and the new Fort received the name of Pitt, in honor of the then prime minister of England-lord Stanwix taking the command of it. The expeditions, to reduce this fort, cost the British govern- ment 60,000 pounds sterling. After furnishing 200 men from his regiment as a garrison, Col. Washington marched back to Winchester, in Virginia. This garri- son was kept up until 176S, and served as a Fort for the inhabitants, (for something like 200 had settled around it within the 2 or S preceding years,) to retire to on :he breaking out of the Indian war of that year.
Splendid gardens and orchards at that period, orna- mented the sites where Liberty and Penn streets are now, and a noble row of brick and stone houses belong- ing to traders, lined the Allegheny's banks; but they have nearly all been swept off, the latter by the under- mining of the river, and the former to make room for the introduction of the mechanics' workshops and the mer- chants' warehouses.
A part of this Fort, however, so far as houses consti- tute a part, must yet be remaining ; or a block house and officers' quarters must have been erected on or near the same spot, soon after the period last mentioned: for such buildings exist-they are of brick and two stories high; the former low pitched, adjoin each other, and carry in their appearance every thing of a military feature. The heavy timbers, in which the loop-holes are mortised, are on the sides next the city, about half the height of the building, and probably serve at this time to support the floor of the second story. A tabular stone, introduced just under the caves, on the S. W. side of the building,
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contains the following inscription, verbatim, literatim, et punctuatim :
A D 1764.
COLL. BOSQUET.
I asked permission of the occupant, a pleasant look- ing German, whose name is John Martin, to enter his citadel, which he readily granted, and found the low- er room tastefully finished and furnished ; but he could give me no farther information, than that he had a lease on it at $40 a year. I suggested to him the advantages he might derive, by opening the room, (which is about 20 feet square,) during the season of travel, for the ac- commodation of strangers, and have in preparation some light cakes, lemonade, ices, fruits, &c .- for that num. bers would be pleased to visit the military relic, if they could do so under circumstances other than intrusive and while he obliged such he would profit liberally by the pleasant speculation. His wife just at this moment entered the room, laughing, from an adjoining shed, and wiping her arms, (for she appeared to have been washing,) " dare Jon, didn't I dell de so, ofden ? hear vat de man say !" John laughed likewise, and replied " ah, I'ms doo old now ; and pesides, yoo nose I cot vork petter dan dat."
These buildings are located in the midst of lumber yards and workshops, very near the point at which the two rivers unite ; but as it is difficult finding them, from the nature of the materials with which they are surrounded, some of which appear as ancient as the edi- fices themselves, it is probable that few other of the in- habitants are acquainted with their existence than those
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Pittsburgh-its Foundation, &c. 47
whose vocations call them into that section. It is a subject which at present does not interest business men. -The " Coll. Bosquet," whose name is chiselled on the tone plate, is doubtless the officer who com- manded at Raystown, and contemporary with Wash- ington some six or eight years previous; but how or where he took command of the fort in question, the inscription is the only data I can find upon the subject.
I have deemed it necessary to say this much, to give you an idea of what the place was before the town exist- ed. I did not intend to write a history of it, but as it would be relevant to my purpose, in the prosecution of inquiries with respect to other matters, to have a foun- dation to build upon, the only alternative which was left, was, to begin and lay that foundation.
After laying out the town, in the year 1765, it was again laid out, surveyed and completed on its present plan, in 1784, by Col. George Woods, under instruc- tions of Tench Francis, Esq. attorney for John Penn and John Penn, Jr. A fort was also built farther up the river than the site of the old fort, and called Fayette.
Much however was to be accomplished yet, before this place could develop its resources. Although made a town of in 1765, a war was to take place be- tween the American colonies and the mother country, and towns as well as states would be effected by the ope- ration. After the termination of that war, however, in May, 1784, Pittsburgh was laid out and surveyed on its present plan. Its increase was not rapid until 1793, the depredations of the Indians preventing the exten- sion of settlements. But the " Western Insurrection" of that year, revolting as it is yet to think of, was
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thought by some to have contributed to give Pittsburgh a start ; for considerable money was put into circulation by the concentration of troops, many of whom remained, or returned there, after settling their affairs to the east- ward, and it has continued to increase ever since.
The advantages which Pittsburgh possessed for manu- facturing and other purposes, was apparent to every person who visited the place. Situated at the head of boat navigation, at the junction of two rivers, by the agency of which the staples of the manufacturer could be brought to his shop; and surrounded with inexhausti- ble sources of fuel, to procure a sufficiency of which it was only necessary to step over his threshhold, no won- der that in a few short years the town should swell to an inordinate size by the emigration of thousands of the ingenious and industrious mechanics of the country. The hills bordering on the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, afforded the greatest abundance of rich iron ore, and coal to smelt it ; and on their surfaces, abundance of forest trees suitable for building vessels to convey the products of the mechanics' hands to market.
Before these operations commence, however, it will be necessary to keep up the connexion of this historical sketch, and to again " tell a tale which has already been thrice told," that at Pittsburgh, the two rivers above mentioned, unite, forming an angle of something like thirty-three degrees: the Allegheny being about 400, and the Monongahela 450, yards wide at their mouths.
The Allegheny has its sources in Potter county, in Pennsylvania ; and, after taking a northwestern di- rection into New-York, sweeping through the lumber
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Pittsburgh-its Appendages, &c.
country to the western parts of that state, it turns about, and in its southern course re-enters Pennsylvania at the angle of Mckean and Warren counties, and after wan- dering through several other counties and receiving nu- merous tributaries, unites with the Monongahela at the point stated.
It is of some importance, perhaps, to be informed, for books may not be at hand, that the names of some of the tributaries of this stream should be given. The principal river is the Kiskiminetas, which is navigable for batteaux for 40 or 50 miles, and enters the Alleghe- ny about 14 miles below Kittanning. Kiskiminetas re- ceives in its course Conemaugh, and on these rivers it is where the salt works are erected, at which is manufac- tured a sufficiency of salt to supply the Pittsburgh and many other markets. The market price of the article is about $1.50 to 1.75 per barrel. French creek is also a N. Western branch of the Allegheny, entering it about 80 miles from Pittsburgh. It is on this creek, or a tri- butary, that the Sencca Oil is collected, which forms an article of merchandize in the Pittsburgh market. It is easily collected, by drawing a blanket over the surface of the water, on which it floats, and then pressing the blanket. The oil is esteemed very efficacious for rhuma- tic affections. It probably derived the name of Seneca, from its first having been found in possession of those In- dians. The Allegheny is celebrated for the transparen- cy of its waters, and gravelly bottom. It contains some islands, but its surface is unbroken, and the mean velo- city of its current is about 23 miles an hour ; when high, it runs 4 miles an hour, a little more rapid than the Mo- nongahela. Several square-rigged vessels were built on 5
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this river, soon after the commencement of the present century ; and a brig of 160 tons was launched, during an uncommonly high freshet, about 12 miles above this place, in November, 1810. The name Allegheny is sup- posed to be derived from an ancient tribe of Indians, called the Allegawe, which were routed by the Dela- wares, and their stock extirpated. They were repre- sented as a very tall race and much stouter than other Indians.
The Monongahela river rises at the foot of the Laurel mountain, in Virginia. Its course is devious, and wa- ters several of the most fertile and populous counties in West Pennsylvania, receiving a stream very little infe- rior to itself, about 15 miles before its conflux with the Allegheny, called Youghiogheny.
The Monongahela is navigable, at certain seasons, to Brownsville, distant about 60 miles from Pittsburgh .- Some of the largest steam boats on the Western waters were built up this river, (the Henry Clay and Mediter- ranean, ) but were finished at Pittsburgh. A small steam boat, the Exchange, ascended the river to Clarksburg, in Virginia, in April last; but in general the river is too low for ordinary steam boats, and navigable only above Brownsville for small flat boats. Brownsville is a ma- nufacturing, business place, located at the intersection of the great National Road with the river. [More of this place hereafter. ]
The Monongahela is entirely destitute of islands, and its waters, when high, are turbid, partaking of the clay loam which its banks usually impart to it. Indeed, it derives its name, "it is said," from the Indians, the word implying, in their language, " the falling-in-banks." Its
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Pittsburgh-its Appendages, &c.
mean velocity is about 2 miles an hour, which becomes nearly or quite double that, when very high. The ice is never so thick in the Monongahela as in the Allegheny, and is removed earlier, in general, on the breaking up of winter. Its southern source, probably, will account for this circumstance.
The Youghiogheny is navigable for flat bottom boats, only, about 9 miles above Connelsville, and then not without something of a swell. Connelsville is about 45 miles by land south-easterly of Pittsburgh. It is imme- diately on the river, over which is a good bridge, which connects it with the village of New Haven. There are five furnaces within 9 miles of the villages in question, for smelting iron ore-the hills abounding with the rich- est veins of it, and veins of coal from the depth of 10 to 13 feet, in positions, in many instances, along side of the river: the land is of the first quality for grain or grazing, and along the banks worth from 15 to 40 dollars an acre. The best quality of pig metal is brought from this sec- tion of country, and last fall sold in Pittsburgh, in a few instances, as high as $65 per ton, more than double the price it had commanded at any time within the previous 25 years. But the place does not increase in popula- tion. The rapidity of its current prevents merchandise from ascending the river; and the government of Penn- sylvania has somehow either overlooked it, or possibly has not thought that the revenue arising from improve- ments upon it would ever be equivalent to the expense. A hope is expressed, however, by some of the prominent men in and about Connelsville, that the place will not be lost sight of by the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road company, or the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal company.
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Western Address Directory.
Having effected a union of the Allegheny and Monon- gahela rivers, the beautiful Ohio, the offspring of those two celebrated streams, next claims attention.
When "old Time" was younger, by some forty or fifty years, than now, Ohio was said to be of Indian ety- mology, and its meaning was "beautiful." As time travelled on, and people receded farther from the period when the Indian language was better understood than now, the said river lost that Indian translation, and that of Blood (" the river of Blood") was said to be the mean- ing of the word Ohio-and " La Belle River," (" the Beautiful River") was its French cognomen-and the Indians never understood French. Time continued to travel on, and, receding still farther from the period in question, another translation is presented to us, shew- ing that OHIO means neither " beautiful" nor " bloody," but a "White Cap"-and a Mr. Heckewelder is the au- thority for this new discovery. He saw the caps,* and if there are many of them on the river at any one time, the navigation is dangerous. The Indian name, as now assumed, is Ohiopeek, which is said to signify " very white, caused by froth or white caps." Mr. Heckewel- der says, " the word is not hard to remember." Pro- bably not with him; but there are many persons who would find it a difficult matter, I think, to remember, for any length of time, Ohiopeek or Heckewelder. However, I am down the Ohio before I was any thing like ready to leave Pittsburgh. I will return.
This city, in the progress of its childhood and mino- rity, has had many difficulties to surmount to reach the
*See Hall's Statistics of the West.
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Pittsburgh-its Appendages, &c.
point of manhood it at present occupies in the ranks of our other American cities: the nature of those difficulties I will mention hereafter, under a more proper head .- Now, independent of its location at the upper point of steam boat navigation, concentrating canals, roads, and all other advantages, it bids fair to stand as long as the hills in its vicinity can afford it the means of life, or as long as the river remains to waft its products to a distant market.
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Western Address Directory.
LETTER II.
Pittsburgh, continued-Its distance from certain other cities-Pano- ramic view-Streets-Ship and steam boat building-Statistics in 1807, in 1810, and in 1814-Flourishing condition-Depressed do. in 1817-Revival of business in 1526 to 1532-Great floods.
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 12th, 1856.
Since my last, we have experienced some pleasant weather, and I have profitted by it, to the fullest extent.
This city is delightfully situated, and the scenery which surrounds it is beautiful, romantic, sublime. If it presents all these attractions at this inclement season, how much more distinct and forcible must they be in the season
"When Nature painteth all things gay!"
But as it is not my province to touch, at this season, upon flowers, or poetry, or any article except that which partakes of a business character, or which may tend to it, I will therefore observe what thousands knew before, that Pittsburgh is the county town of Allegheny, in the state of Pennsylvania, and lies in lat. 40° 35' N., lon. 80° 38' WV. It is 301 miles, in an E. by S. course, to Philadelphia; 208 to Harrisburg, the capital of the state; 235 to Baltimore; 252 to Washington city; 130 to Erie on the lake; 220 to Buffalo, N. Y .; 135 to Cleveland, 0 .; 183 to Columbus; 73, by the river, to Steubenville; 96, by do., to Wheeling; 25 to Washington, Pa .; 450,
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Pittsburgh -- its Appendages, &c.
by the river, to Cincinnati; 583 to Louisville, Ky .; 977 to the mouth of the Ohio; 1,157 to St. Louis; and 2,004 to New Orleans.
The history of this city has also been so repeatedly given, that it would be unnecessary again to do so, were it not that something new may be introduced, and the whole deemed somewhat indispensable to refer to, be- fore this communication is finished. It is situated on a plain, of a rich sandy loam, about half a mile in width from the Allegheny river to the base of Grant's Hill,* which isits widest part; and, embracing all the western part of said hill, extends up the Monongahela and Alle- gheny valleys to what are denominated the " two mile" stones. A part of the western extremity of Quarry hill is also occupied by something like 40 or 50 families.
The city, with its appendages, is computed to contain upwards of $0,000 inhabitants. The city proper, until the last year, was confined in its jurisdiction east to the Northern Liberties, sometimes called Bayardstown, but at this time that section is incorporated with, and made a part of, the city. The appendages are Lawrenceville and Kensington, between the two rivers ; Alleghenytown and Manchester, across the Allegheny river; and Bir- mingham, on the opposite shore of the Monongahela. - Coal hill bounds the bottom land, (on which Birmingham is built, ) of the Monongahela, and is the highest point of any other in the vicinity of Pittsburgh. Darby says, " the low water surface at Brownsville, which is about half the distance from Pittsburgh to Morgantown, is 850, and at Pittsburgh 830 feet above the tides in the Potomac
*Named in honor of the " hero" who attempted to take Fort Du Quesne by a reveillio.
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river at Washington city-and that the apex of the hills around Pittsburgh are within a small fraction of 400 feet above the water level in the rivers of the same vicinity." Boyd's hill is next in altitude to Coal hill. This was formerly called Ayres' hill; but some 45 or 50 years ago, a printer, by the name of Boyd, was found suspended by the neck, one day, from the limb of a tree, and being the last character who had particularly distinguished himself, like Grant, the people, to commemorate the event, imparted his name to the hill. All those hills, as well as Quarry, which extend along the Allegheny river bot- tom, abound with coal, and, where the trees have not been removed, are covered, in the summer season, with ' the most luxuriant foliage. The summits of any of them are sufficiently high for observation; and the view from Boyd's, which overlooks Grant's, will well repay the traveller for the fatigue he incurs in clambering up its steep sides, whether it be muddy or snowy in winter, or a hot sun in summer, provided the atmosphere is not too much obscured by the smoke from the foundries and factories.
The most prominent point which at first arrests his at- tention, if he casts his eye to the left, presuming he oc- cupies a station on Boyd's hill, is the village of Birming- ham, apparently under him, on the opposite side of the Monongahela, trending along the course of the river, with the chimnies of rolling mills, foundries, glass works, and lead and other manufacturing establishments, peering above the surrounding buildings, occupied by the various operatives, all in keeping with the character of the place. Between the position occupied by the spectator and the objects last observed, his eye, as he
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Pittsburgh-its Appendages, &c.
moves it, naturally falls, and rests on the several rolling mills, foundries, glass houses, and the gas house, (for supplying the city with gas,) recently erected, clustered within the circumference of 30 or 40 acres, on the south- ern side of the river, bounded by the northern base of Boyd's, but stretching along on the western edges of Grant's and Scotch hills. As he continues naturally to incline in a kind of panoramic direction, his eye, resum- ing the position from which it had slightly deviated, is attracted by Bakewell's glass house; the magnificent bridge spanning the lazy Monongahela, below which, on the opposite shore, are the Sligo iron works, some ware- houses, and smaller dwellings, tenanted by the opera- tives attached to the works mentioned. Coal hill, with " the winding ways" to ascend it, overshadowing the whole line, bounds the horizon, until lost in the distance, except a notch through which meanders Sawmill creek, along which the road passes to Cannonsburg, Washing- ton and Wheeling. Below the bridge, beside the bank, on the Pittsburgh side, are seen some 30 or 40 steam boats, either moored, arriving or departing; and imme- diately in front, that is, east of this marine array, are the numerous establishments, put into operation by steam power, where materials, of which iron, brass, copper, wood, glass, cotton or leather are component parts, are changed in their character, and, by the industry and ingenuity of the workmen, serve to supply many of the western, and even Atlantic markets with the necessaries and luxuries of living. Here, too, tower the church steeples, and at their base, lofty warehouses, new and safe stores, and desirable dwellings. Across the Alle- gheny, from its shores to a remote distance in the rear,
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Western Address Directory.
are descried, first as the most prominent, the Theologi- cal seminary, placed on the summit of a hill, which up- rears its head to a high altitude in the centre of the allu- vial plain, as if for the purpose of showing off to advan- tage the edifice, with which it is surmounted-and be- yond that, still more inclined to the eastward, is the Western penitentiary; and yet a little farther eastward, but at a remote distance, near the summit of a high ridge, is a building of imposing appearance, which was erected for, and once occupied by, a society of nuns, of the order of St. Clare. The edifice is at present a pri- vate residence. The space intervening, between the base of the ridge and the river, contains seats and dwell- ings of merchants and manufacturers, many of whom have their establishments on this side. Nearer the mar- gin, however, and for a mile or two in length, are various cotton and lead factories, iron foundries, rolling mills, machine shops, taverns, &c., &c. Here, too, connecting the city and town, as characteristic, that the wealth of one proportionably promotes the prosperity of the other, is another extensive wooden covered bridge, and a short distance above, the stupendous aqueduct, also covered, forming a part of the great Pennsylvania canal, which, after crossing the important stream, connecting with and feeding various basins, chambers, &c., through the medium of another short canal, which passes through Grant's hill by a tunnel, terminates by other locks at the Monongahela river, a short distance above the bridge .- [Farther particulars on the subject of bridges and this aqueduct, must be deferred until more information is ac- quired. ] Continuing to turn the eye still farther cast- wardly, it may find objects worthy of attraction, not
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