USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > Annals of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania in the olden time; being a collection of the memoirs, anecdotes, and incidents of the earliest settlements of the inland part of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 36
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In 1742 a Pest-house was erected on Fisher's Island, p. 461 .- Everybody fearing to have the pest-house in his neighborhood, the committee on site found a difficulty in procuring the proper ground. Finally, it was located on Fisher's Island, which con- tained three hundred and forty-two acres, with some buildings and negroes, the whole of which were bought for one thousand seven hundred pounds by the committee, Joseph Harvey, Thomas Tatnal, Joseph Trotter, James Morris, and Oswald Peel, who were to hold the estate in trust. This island was on the south- west side of the Schuylkill, near its mouth. It originally con- sisted of two islands, called Sayamensing and Schuylkill Islands. On the west was Minquas Creek, and on the north a stream formed by the junction of Church or Bow Creek and Kingsessing Creek, which ran easterly into the Schuylkill. Fisher, who owned it, gave the name, but it was changed to Province Island, afterward changed to State Island. Penrose Ferry bridge crosses from the eastern shore of the Schuylkill to the western shore of Province Island. Some of the buildings were used as hospitals, and the rest rented out. Six acres nearest the Delaware were re- served on which to erect a new building, and the remainder were to be leased. Fines were imposed to prevent any one harboring a person ordered to Province Island. In January, 1750, one thousand pounds were appropriated to build pest-houses.
The Friends' alms-houses were the first erected in this city, as they built some small houses on John Martin's lot in 1713, and the larger one on his front lot in 1729. But they were only for the members of that Society. In 1712 the need of a poor- house was laid before the City Council, and it was resolved to hire a work-house " to employ poor p'sons."
In February, 1729, the Overseers of the Poor represented to the House the lack of accommodation for the poor from the great accession of foreigners and the increase of insolvent debtors, wives, and children. It was therefore resolved that one thousand pounds should be loaned to the mayor for purchasing ground and building alms-houses. In 1739 the Assembly put this money
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into the hands of trustees. A pleasant meadow between Spruce and Pine and Third and Fourth streets was bought in 1731 of Aldran Allen, and buildings erected. The Philadelphia Hospital started here with the alms-house in 1732, being the first one es- tablished in this country. The building was a long low one, with a piazza around it, with outbuildings, and stood near to Third street, and was entered by a stile in that street and by a large gate on Spruce street. This was abandoned in 1767, when the new ones, built at Tenth and Spruce streets, were ready.
Alms- or Bettering-house .- In 1765 the poor had increased so largely that the overseers applied to the Assembly for greater accommodations. There were in that year one hundred and fifty out-pensioners, and the support of the poor cost three thousand two hundred pounds, of which eight hundred and fifteen pounds were contributed by the citizens. In February, 1766, the Assem- bly authorized a number of citizens, under the title of "The Con- tributors to the Relief and Employment of the Poor in the City," to hold lands and goods for the purpose, and the old alms-house lot to be sold. Contributors raised a portion, two thousand pounds were borrowed on mortgage on the property, and seven hundred and fifty pounds were loaned by the city. Twelve managers were appointed from the contributors. If the contributions for its sup- port were not sufficient, the balance was to be raised by tax. Magistrates had power of commitment of disorderly, idle, or dis- solute people for three months to the House of Employment.
The new buildings were generally known as the Bettering- House, or Alms-house for the Relief and Employment of the Poor, and were built on the lot from Tenth to Eleventh and Spruce and Pine streets. The alms-house fronted on Tenth street and the house of employment on Eleventh street, each building being in the form of an L, one hundred and eighty by forty feet, two stories high with attics, and a tower thirty feet square and four stories high at the corner of the two portions. In the centre between the two was a building three stories high with attics, surmounted by a belfry or cupola. Running around the lower story and opening upon the interior yard was an arcade.
At its opening, in October, 1767, two hundred and eighty-four poor were admitted to the alms-house, which was increased to three hundred and sixty-eight by the end of the year from the city and districts. At this time the old house was abandoned, and in its turn the bettering-house gave way when the new alms- houses at Blockley, across the Schuylkill, were erected, about 1835.
" The Present Alms-house out Spruce Street."-This was pulled down in 1834-35, when the new alms-house was built over Schuylkill. The ground was sold (see Reg. Penna., xiv. 320), with the then vacant square, half of which belonged to the hos-
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pital, and is now covered with fine houses. My father was sec- retary of the Board of Guardians at the time, and as such signed the deeds, and was present at the laying of the corner-stone of Blockley Alms-house. (See Reg. Penna., v. 347-8 ; also, for esti- mated cost, ix. 66.)
In the North American and United States Gazette for Novem- ber 5, 1860, it is stated that a bell had lately been discovered at the alms-house having on it "City Alms-house, 1758-Thomas Gregory ;" and the article says: "This was the bell cast for the first alms-house erected in this city," "which .... stood at Front and Pine streets." This must be a mistake, as the " original poor-house " was probably that on the lot referred to by Watson (I. 462), through which Union street now runs, and which was erected in 1731. (See Min. Com. Council, as above.)
LIBRARIES.
Association Library, p. 462 .- My father had a "Catalogue" of the " Books belonging to the Association Library Company of Philadelphia, printed by William Bradford, corner of Market and Front, 1765." It is a 12mo pamphlet of 68 pages, inter- leaved, and contains 20 pages of the " Articles " and a list of 107 members. The titles of books are alphabetically arranged. The property was transferred to the Union Library Company, which had been chartered by Governor Denny October 6, 1759, and the company passed a law 30th of January, 1769, " for the admission of the members of the Association Library." The Union Library Company was a flourishing one, with many members, and owned a building at the south-east corner of Third and Pear streets; it was afterward merged into the Philadelphia Library in 1769. He had also a printed certificate dated February 17, 1769, signed "John J. Laigton, secretary, admitting John Crozier of city, etc.," " for and in consideration of his share and property in the Books and Effects of the said Association Library, delivered to the Directors of the said Union Library Company, and also the sum of 20s. paid in the hands of James Whiteall, the said Company's Treasurer."
The Loganian Library was formerly kept in a small brick building on Sixth street near where George (now Sansom) street enters. It stood with its gable to Sixth street; the lot was not then enclosed, but was the receptacle of paving-stones, and was a dreary-looking place. This was removed after the union with the City Library, the street cut through and filled up with houses. A catalogue of this library was published in 1760. (See Amer- ican Daily Advertiser for January 31, 1792.) By order of Gen- eral Gates the books were ordered to be removed June 23, 1777.
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that the building might be used as a place of deposit for the ammunition of the army. (See Penna. Archives, v. 399; Reg. Penna., ii. 326.)
On Clarkson & Biddle's edition of Scull's map this library, marked K, is laid down considerably nearer to Walnut street than the present George (or Sansom) street. A fac-simile of this map was published in 1858-59.
Centennial Libraries .- Pennsylvania, in 1776, had eight public libraries : one at Chester, the Chester Library, founded in 1760, with 1500 volunies; one at Lancaster, the Julian Library, found- ed in 1770, with about 1000 volumes; and six in Philadelphia. Of those in Philadelphia, that of Christ's Church was founded in 1698, and contained 800 volumes; that of the four Monthly Meetings of Friends was founded in 1742, and contained 111 volumes; the Loganian Library was founded in 1745, and con- tained 4300 volumes. The Pennsylvania Hospital founded a library in 1762, and the University in 1775. The former con- tained 805 volumes, and the latter 2500.
The Friends' Library, now at 304 Arch street, belonging to the " four Monthly Meetings of Friends," was commenced by a re quest of Thomas Chalkley in 1741, and increased by a bequest of John Pemberton in 1794, and by other gifts. Its books are excessively rare, some unique.
The Junto was the first literary association in the Province. It was sometimes called the Leathern-Apron Club. It was formed in the fall of 1728 by Benjamin Franklin and others for their mutual improvement. It was a debating society, where essays and questions of morals, politics, and natural philosophy were discussed by these inquiring minds. The members were all men of no elevated origin. They met on Friday evenings- at first at a tavern, but afterward at the house of Robert Grace, in Market street near Second, the only member who was wealthy. The president directed the debates, and each member was required to furnish an essay once in three months. They were required to declare they respected each member, they loved mankind in gen- eral, they believed in freedom of opinion, and that they loved truth for truth's sake. It was difficult for new members to join, which many were anxious to do after it had been in existence some years. To accommodate these, other juntos were formed under the names of "The Vine," "The Union," "The Band," etc. The original members were Benjamin Franklin and Hugh Meredith, his first partner, Joseph Breintnall, Thomas Godfrey, Nicholas Scull, William Parsons, William Maugridge, Stephen Potts, George Webb, Robert Grace, and William Coleman. It was in existence about forty years.
About 1730, Franklin proposed, since their books were often referred to in their disquisitions, that they should all bring them together, so that they might be consulted, and that they might be
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used as a library by the members. It was agreed to, but the number was not so great as had been expected, due care was not taken of them, and in about a year each member took his books home again. But Franklin thought a public library could be supported. He drew up proposals, and had them put into form by Charles Brockden the scrivener, and with the help of the other members of the Junto procured fifty subscribers of forty shillings each to begin with, and ten shillings a year for fifty years, the term the company was to continue; after the number increased to one hundred a charter was obtained. As Franklin says, "This was the mother of all the North American subscrip- tion libraries." The instrument of association was dated July 1, 1731. The first directors were Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Hop- kinson, William Parsons, Philip Syng Jr., Thomas Godfrey, An- thony Nicholas, Thomas Cadwalader, John Jones, Jr., Robert Grace, and Isaac Penington. William Coleman was elected treasurer, and Joseph Breintnall secretary. And thus originated
The Library Company of Philadelphia .- The books were first kept in Robert Grace's house, from which those who in 1731 signed the articles of association were allowed to take them home for perusal. Robert Grace removed from Barbadoes to Philadel- phia about February, 1707-8; his son Robert was born April 25, 1709, and inherited considerable property, amongst which was the residence on the north side of High street below Second, at that time one of the most eligible portions of the city, and nearly opposite the town-hall. After Franklin and Mr. Grace became intimate friends the residence of the latter was selected as the place of meeting of the famous Junto and the place of deposit for the new library. The house was one of the oldest brick houses in the city. An arched carriage-way opened in the rear upon Pewter Platter (or Jones's) alley, and through this the members entered, so as not to disturb the inmates of the house. The collection remained here for ten years, or until 1740, and was then removed, by permission of the Assembly, to the upper room of the westernmost office of the State House, and went on grad- ually increasing by purchase and donation. The Proprietaries contributed a lot on Chestnut, south side, between Eighth and Ninth streets, marked on Scull & Heap's 1752 map, but it was too far out of town to build upon, and also gave them a charter in 1742.
From the earliest start James Logan took an active interest in the library. Well known as a man of learning and the best judge of books, his offer of assistance in suggesting such books as it would be well for them to select was at once accepted. The list was made out, given to Thomas Hopkinson, who was on a visit to England, and he procured them through Peter Collinson of London. This gentleman wrote a note containing his best wishes, and sent a contribution of Newton's Philosophy and VOL. III .- W 29
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Miller's Gardener's Dictionary. The books, to the amount of £45, were received in October, 1732. The first librarian was Lewis Timothee, who attended on Wednesday afternoons and on Saturday from ten to four. He received a small salary, remain- ing in office till 1737, when Franklin succeeded him. Then William Parsons, and afterward Francis Hopkinson, Z. Poulson, George Campbell, J. J. Smith, and Lloyd P. Smith. Books were allowed to be used in the library-room by "any civil gentleman," only subscribers and James Logan being allowed to take them home.
Various gifts were made to the library. John Penn presented an air-pump, then a great curiosity, also a microscope and a ca- mera-obscura; Dr. Walter Sydserf of Antigua, £58 8s. 8d .; Samuel Norris, £20. The shares had increased in value by 1741 to £6 10s. Od.
The utility and success of this library caused the establishing of others, but as it was soon proved that one large collection was more in the interest of the people and of literature than several small ones, they were all by 1771 merged into the Library Com- pany of Philadelphia, and the separate names of the Amicable, the Association, and the Union existed no longer. The united libraries were removed in 1773 to the second floor of Carpenters' Hall, where they remained until 1790, when the whole collection was transferred to its present site in Fifth street.
The library was housed in its present quarters in 1790; the first stone was laid August 31, 1789. A tablet was inserted in the building with this inscription :
" Be it remembered, in honor of the Philadelphia youth (then chiefly artificers), that in MDCCXXXI they cheerfully, at the instance of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, one of their number, instituted the Philadelphia Library, which, though small at first, is become highly valuable and extensively useful, and which the walls of this edifice are now destined to contain and preserve; the first stone of whose foundation was here placed the thirty-first day of August, 1789."
This inscription was prepared by Franklin, with the exception of the reference to himself, which was inserted by the committee. The statue of Franklin, which occupies a niche in the front of the building, was given by William Bingham, who, in consul- tation with the directors, learned that Dr. Franklin "would approve of a gown for his dress and a Roman head." It would be a curious inquiry to learn what successive distortions of some
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simple remark of the doctor resulted in this queer recipe for a statue. Mr. Bingham sent an order to Italy, accompanied with a bust belonging to the Pennsylvania Hospital and a drawing of the figure. The resultant statue, we are told, was regarded by his contemporaries as showing a good likeness. It was said at the time to have cost five hundred guineas.
The Philadelphia Library passed through the Revolution with- out suffering any special detriment ; both of the opposing parties had the benefit of it. In August, 1774, it was ordered " that the librarian furnish the gentlemen who are to meet in congress in this city with such books as they may have occasion for during their sitting, taking a receipt from them ;" and the British army- officers who occupied the city during the winter of 1777-78 were in the habit of using the library, but invariably paid for the privilege. At the close of the war the number of books was about 5000.
The present building has a quiet, venerable appearance, and its interior, though plain, is impressive. Besides the books, the rooms contain portraits of Lord Bacon, Sir Isaac Newton, Wil- liam Penn, John Penn, James Logan, Benjamin Franklin, Rev. Samuel Preston, a benefactor (the portrait by West), William Mackenzie, a donor of books, Joseph Fisher, a donor of money, Thomas Parke, Zachariah Poulson, and others. There are various relics, such as William Penn's writing-desk ; a colossal bust of Minerva which formerly stood behind the Speaker's chair in the first Congress under the Constitution ; a mask of Wash- ington's face from the original and used for Houdon's statue; a reading-desk of John Dickinson, author of The Farmer's Letters ; James Logan's library-table, and other curiosities. Many of the books are now excessively rare and of great value; there are manuscripts in various languages ; incunabula or specimens of the work of the earliest printers; finely-illustrated volumes of antiquities ; many costly and large illustrated books; and the collection of books on America is unusually full and valuable, especially on the local history of the city and State, including complete files of newspapers from 1719 to the present day, and all the important maps. The arrangement of the books on the shelves is by sizes, not by subjects, which presents a uniformity of appearance; they are readily utilized by classified alphabetical catalogues.
The Library Company now numbers 967 members, and has over 100,000 volumes, including 11,000 rare and valuable books of the Loganian Library, founded in 1750, placed in its keeping in trust by James Logan, a descendant of the Founder, which was formerly kept in a small double one-storied structure on the west side of Sixth street above Walnut. This modest building was the first in the United States devoted to the uses of a public library. Mr. Lloyd Pearsall Smith holds the only hereditary
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office in the United States-that of librarian of the Loganian branch of the Library Company of Philadelphia. This is in accordance with the will of Mr. Logan, who placed the position in the right of his descendants, the present incumbent issuing from the line of Hannah Smith, one of his daughters. The posi- tion was occupied from 1766 to 1776 by William Logan; to 1792, by James Logan the second ; to 1806, by Zachariah Poul- son ; to 1829, by George Campbell; to 1851, by John Jay Smith; and to the present time by the present incumbent.
The necessity for a fireproof building for this valuable library has long been felt, and was made more evident by the fire at the Mercantile Library in 1877. In 1864 the late Joseph Fisher bequeathed $54,488.12 to the building fund, which now amounts to $118,000. The directors some years since purchased various properties in Locust street from Juniper to Broad, on which a building over eighty feet square is now being built.
In 1869 the late Dr. James Rush left his large estate, appraised at over $1,000,000, for the purpose of erecting a fireproof build- ing, to be called "The Ridgway Branch of the Philadelphia Li- brary." His executor, Henry J. Williams, has built a noble granite building on Broad street between Christian and Carpen- ter streets, in the Doric style of architecture, finished in 1877, and capable of accommodating 400,000 volumes, and worthy of the sixth city of the civilized world. The directors of the Li- brary Company of Philadelphia accepted it in 1878 ; it will con- tain, besides the Loganian Library and books seldom called for, the library of its founder, which consists of quite a large collec- tion of really valuable books. The newer volumes and those most consulted will remain in the old building, which at some future time will be sold and a new one erected on their own ground, corner of Juniper and Locust streets. There is a me- morial apartment occupied with the household furniture, the li- brary, the paintings, and the personal effects of Dr. Rush. As the somewhat eccentric testator directed that this room should not be exposed to "vulgar curiosity," the public need not expect to gain admittance within its sacred precincts or to gaze upon its treasures. In other parts of the building may be seen much of the furniture which belonged to the Rush household. In the northern wing are some twenty-five tables of a uniform size, which Mrs. Rush in her lifetime used to place in a long row to accommodate the famous banquets and dinner-parties given at her mansion. The splendid tapestry furniture and over twenty large mirrors which once embellished that mansion now decorate the reading- and conversation-rooms of the new library building. The plain marble slab which covers the remains of the doctor and his wife in the crypt on the eastern side, and over which the light is shed through a window of stained glass, bears the follow- ing inscription :
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"Sacred to the memories of MRS. PHOEBE ANN RUSH, daughter of Jacob and Rebecca Ridgway, and wife of James Rush, M. D., born December 3d, A. D. 1799;
died October 23d, A. D. 1857 ; and of JAMES RUSH, M. D., third son of Dr. Benjamin and Julia (née Stockton) Rush, born March 15th, A. D. 1786; died May 26th, A. D. 1869."
Mr. Smith, the librarian, states that seventy thousand books, including the Loganian collection entire and all books published before the year 1856, will be removed to the Ridgway branch, leaving about thirty thousand books at the establishment on Fifth street.
On the Broad street front of the Rush building grounds for many years there had been a lumber-yard; the other portions have been vacant. In the centre of the lot stood an old-fash- ioned, two-story double house, fast going to decay. It appeared to have had a portico around it, and there were also indications of numerous outhouses, etc. A very old buttonwood tree stood near the house, with other trees, which appear to have been fruit trees. An old lady well remembered after the war of 1812 see- ing the First City Troop, then commanded by Captain Ross, and Colonel Fotterall's regiment, assembled in front of this country- seat at that time and mustered out of service, and, after the mus- ter, marched into the enclosure, and the men, as she inferred, paid off. In 1824, in the fall of the year (September), the four cream- colored horses belonging to Carter, which conveyed General La Fayette into the city from Frankford on his arrival here, were driven up and down Carpenter street, which was then an open road, before a fire of artillery, for the purpose of testing their ability to stand a heavy fire as a salute to the general. Many remember "Cherry Grove " and "La Grange," on South Broad street, many years ago. This property was once known as La Grange, and it was bought by Dr. Rush of the heirs of the Rev. Dr. I. H. C. Helmuth of Zion Lutheran Church, and it is said he died in that house.
Dr. James Rush lived at No. 358 Spruce street in 1849. He was living in Chestnut street, west of Schuylkill Fourth, in 1851. Consequently, he must have removed to the new mansion in the latter part of 1849 or the beginning of 1850. The alterations of the house for the purposes of the Aldine Hotel were completed in 1877.
The lawyers have begun proceedings to set aside the will of Dr. James Rush, who left the principal part of his estate to
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found a free library. He married Phoebe Ann Ridgway, wnose father left her over a million dollars, which she in turn left to her husband. The claimant is a Mr. Robert Manners, an Eng- lishman, whose mother was a sister of Dr. James Rush. If the will is void because the trusts cannot be executed, then there are other heirs who would take a portion of the estate. The late Dr. Rush was a son of Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Revolutionary memory and for some time the surgeon-general of Washington's army. He left surviving him several children besides James. Richard, at one time our minister to England, was the eldest. Samuel, another son, was at one time recorder of Philadelphia when that office corresponded to that of recorder of London, and the recorder presided over the principal criminal court of Phila- delphia. He was a resident of Westchester for a number of years during the latter part of his life. Mrs. Manners, the mother of the claimant in the case just commenced, was the eldest daughter. All these children of Dr. Benjamin Rush left children surviving them who would inherit a portion of the es- tate if the will is declared void. None of the other heirs have joined with Mr. Manners in his effort to set aside the will, but, it is understood, are anxious to see its provisions carried out. It was drawn by the executor, Henry J. Williams, Esq., one of the soundest lawyers at the Philadelphia bar, though he retired from active practice twenty years ago.
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