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 39
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At the north-east corner of Second and Union streets about the year 1813 there was a plain tavern-sign representing a gate, and the following was inscribed under it :
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"This gate hangs well ; It hinders none ; Refresh and pay, Then travel on."
About twenty-five years ago there was a sign on the front of a little two-story brick house on the west side of Sixth street above Catharine. The house is still standing. A step or two has now to be taken before entering the lower story, the grading having thrown the house several feet below the street surface. The sign was about five feet long and about four feet wide, and represented a fine mansion or palace, with four steps, on which were figures, with an inscription below as follows :
"1. King-I govern all.
2. General-I fight for all. ;
3. Minister-I pray for all.
4. Laborer-And I pay for all."
On the west side of Sixth street, only a few doors above the sign of The Four Alls, there was some years ago a little tavern called The Ram's Head Head-quarters. Over the front door was nailed to the wall a huge ram's head, with large crooked horns, etc. This was about the year 1840. One Sunday evening in the Methodist church (Catharine street, above Sixth street) the pastor, Rev. "Billy " Barnes, the Shakespearian pulpit-orator, was seen to walk slowly up the eastern aisle and go into the pulpit. When there he turned around and gazed at the congregation for a few seconds, and then spoke thus: " While walking to this house of worship I was pained to see men going in the Ram's Head Head- quarters-a rum-shop-head-quarters for rams! Oh, brethren, what a contrast !- the lambs of heaven and the rams of hell !" This caused some little merriment among the curious, which was increased by Barnes doubling up his fists in a pugilistic attitude, stamping upon the floor, and daring the devil to come right out and fight him-" Here ! here! in this pulpit !"
Forty years ago there was a familiar sign in Franklin place, below Market street, west side. On a post about fifteen feet high at the curbstone was an oval sign, Going to Law on the one side, and Coming from Law on the other side, represented by a man on a handsomely-mounted steed going to law, and a worn-out man and a horse all jaded and torn coming from law. Another was on the south side of South street, below Fourth- The Bob Logic-a tavern kept by Jim Bath, a pugilist who taught sparring. This was forty-five years ago. He command- ed the "Corntoppers," who had burlesque parades on militia training-days. On Shippen street, above or below Sixth, a negro named Joe Battis kept a barber-shop and also taught sparring. On his shutters was a tin sign with a couple of men stripped to the buff having a set-to. It was said that he had a white wife.
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and that his customers and companions were white "sports," etc. Bob Tate, south-east corner of Fourth and Shippen streets, had a large sign on the corner-a full figure of General Jackson. This was a loafing-place for "Corntoppers " and " sports." This was about fifty years ago.
About the year 1796 and after, there was a sign at the south-east corner of South and Vernon streets, between Se- cond and Front streets, representing a woman sitting with a tub in front of her, in which a stripped darkey, apparently up to his middle in water, was standing; her hand was raised, with a scrubbing-brush in it, and from her mouth proceeded a scroll with the words, " Labor in vain to wash blackamoor white."
More than fifty years ago there was a large swinging sign, with a blue ground and a large bunch of purple grapes, which was the origin of the Purple and Blue, a short distance below Landreth's garden. The house was then kept by a Frenchman of the name of Lutier. Afterward it was kept by a Mr. Doug- lass, who altered the sign. He had painted on it a woman, well executed and of full size, with her head cut off, lying at her feet. He called it the "Quiet Woman "-as much as to say a woman couldn't be quiet unless her head was cut off. The people got very indignant at the sign, and Mr. Douglass was obliged to re- move it or to lose his customers. The Yellow Cottage was one square above the Purple and Blue, between Second and Front streets. Purple and Blue was a retreat for persons to refresh themselves after a long rural walk, and a meeting-place for sportsmen in quest of game-birds and fish. It was also a stopping-place or halfway house for the "Neckers " and truck- growers to water their horses and to take a drink on their way home from market. Old Colonel John Thompson occasionally had parades of his regiments there; and Colonel Pluck, who was an hostler at the Old Drover tavern, Fifth and Callowhill streets, was elected to the command of the militia of Philadelphia to make it odious and more unpopular, with a view of abolishing the law and its penalties. Billy Hurlick was at that time collector of militia-fines. The suits and levies made by this man made him the terror of every delinquent householder. Colonel Pluck made his first parade fantastically dressed and mounted on an old crippled horse, supported by guards to keep the poor animal on his feet, followed by the fantastic Corntoppers, who paraded through the streets with a comic band to the Purple and Blue, and went through burlesque field movements and company drill, to the greatest joy, shouting, and laughing of the militia- men and lookers-on. While going through the streets of old Southwark it was amusing to see the windows raised and the heads pop out, and then the rush from doorways and alleys by crowds of laughing men, women, and children, some of them
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only half dressed, shouting "Corntoppers !" or " What is it ?" or " Who are they ?" etc.
The Yellow Cottage Tavern stood back from the front fence and shrubbery on the east side of Second street near Greenwich, extending through to Front street, some two hundred yards or more. There was in front of this house a swinging sign, with this inscription :
" Rove not from sign to sign, but step in here, Where naught exceeds the prospect but the cheer."
The tavern was owned and kept by an old man named Steel. It was a place of great resort at that time. Beyond the lot it was all an open space to the Delaware River. Occasionally shooting- parties enjoyed themselves here. The rifle and target were used for prize-shooting for a pool, for chickens, and sometimes for a fat hog. Quoits, throwing of an axe, large stones, and fifty-six- pound weights were also indulged in. But the most amusing entertainment was walking up the hill to the tree blindfolded. A good southerly breeze could be enjoyed, together with a charming view of the river. These were the days when Ned Sprogell, " the terror of the Neck," was living. He kept the Point House for a while, and was twice tried for murder. It was said that he waylaid a drover on the Point House road below the Yellow Cottage. The victim had been at his house, and he was returning to the city after night, etc. However, he got off. Ned Sprogell kept a low kind of a whiskey-shop some- where in these parts, which was visited by a bad set of fellows, who idled away their time in killing frogs, blackbirds, and reed- birds (which sold at the low price of six and ten cents per dozen). His house was generally avoided by respectable persons.
The Red Cow was on the west side of Vernon street-a red cow, with a milkmaid alongside of her, the bucket upon the ground. The Harp and Crown-or as it became after the Revo- lution, Harp and Eagle-was situated in Third street (east side) below Arch, where Hieskell's City Hotel was built subsequently. Judge Henry, on his return from the Arnold expedition to Que- bec, mentions stopping at the Harp and Crown. The Directory of 1785 states it to have been in Third street above Chestnut, corner of Elbow lane. Family deeds and papers attest this. This inn in later times was known as the "Robinson Crusoe" Tavern. It was a frequent practice in old times for innkeepers, when removing, to take their sign with them, which accounts for the change in location. Hieskell's City Hotel was in full ope- ration forty years ago, but it has been torn down for over twenty years.
The sign of Burns's head in Bank street was kept by Muir- head forty years ago. On the south side of the sign were these words :
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"'Twas thus the royal mandate ran, When first the human race began : The friendly, social, honest man, Whate'er he be, 'Tis he fulfils great Nature's plan, And none but he."
The annexed lines were over the front door :
" The rank is but the guinea's stamp; The man's the goud (gold) for a' (all) that."
On the Chestnut street side of the Muirhead sign was the portrait of Burns, with the following lines, also from his own song :
" Tak' a Scotsman frae his hill, Clap in his cheek a Highland gill, Say such is Royal George's will, And there's the foe : He has nae thought but how to kill Twa at a blow."
The Royal Standard Tavern, in Market street near Second, was kept by Henry Pratt, P. D. G. M. of the Masons, who held their Grand Lodge here in 1749.
The Queen's Head, in King (or Water) street, where the Welsh "Society of Ancient Britons" had their annual dinners, was kept by Robert Davis in 1729.
The Crown, where the St. George's Society had their annual dinner, was kept by David Evans in 1731.
The old Phoenix Tavern, that was a popular drive years ago, stood at the north-east corner of Sixth and Phoenix (now called Thompson) streets.
The tavern and hay-market at Fifth and Green streets were kept in 1836 by John Weaver, a brother of Thomas Weaver. Thomas Weaver lived at that time on Sixth street, east side, one door above Green. John Weaver, after moving out to Nicetown, was elected Register of Wills.
The Bell Tavern, at 48 South Eighth street, west side, was a two-story, rough-cast house, and was named after the old bell that hung in the State House, which was presented to St. Au- gustine's Church, and destroyed by the fire in May, 1844. The Bell Tavern in 1828-29 was kept by Hines Causland, and was said to have been the first house in this city in which "Old Hickory " was named for the Presidency. About that time it was a great resort for politicians-such men as George Smith (the blacksmith of Sansom street), John and Henry Horn, Col. Sam- uel B. Davis, and others. It was for a long time a tavern. In 1845 it was kept by James Boylen. In later years it became a "three-cent shop," and was resorted to by blacks and whites, who, though they might have been well enough in their sphere;
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were not considered the most respectable members of society. At the time of the great fire of 1854, when the Museum and the National Theatre were destroyed, the building escaped the de- vouring element; but it has now been replaced by other im- provements.
Robert Bogle, waiter, No. 46 South Eighth street, is in the Directory for 1825-28. In the Directory for 1829 he is located in Pine street above Tenth. He lived in the house adjoining No. 46, on the north, where he had a store for the sale of con- fectionery and other small articles. He resided there for many years, and was well known to many of the inhabitants of that section of the city-many who remember him by his elastic gait and manner, with his hands, and sometimes his arms, filled with funeral and party invitations. Afterward he moved into Pine street above Tenth, and died in the spring of 1837. He was buried in St. Thomas's churchyard, in Fifth street. His funeral was attended by Johnson's band, of which he was a member, and by a numerous assemblage of colored citizens, who held him in high estimation. We have been told that Bogle occupied both houses-the "Bell" and that next door. (See a poem on this celebrated waiter and undertaker, by Nicholas Biddle.)
The Howard House, Walnut street above Third, a large marble structure, was more a first-class boarding-house than a hotel.
The Falstaff House, north-west corner Sixth and Carpenter (now Jayne street), probably owes its existence to the fact that the Chestnut Street Theatre was built in its vicinity. It was erected about the same time; so that its existence goes back no further than 1790. In 1795 it was kept by Lewis Young, and the sign was Washington. Young was there in 1801. He left the place in 1810. It is doubtful whether the sign of Falstaff was adopted before the time William Warren, one of the mana- gers of the Old Chestnut, became famous in that character, which was probably after the Chestnut Street Theatre was burned and rebuilt-about 1821. The painting was by Woodside, and was an excellent likeness of Warren.
The Sans Souci Hotel, on the west side of the Schuylkill, on the cliffs near Gray's Ferry, was a romantic place. It was the country-seat of the Say family ; and after the Philadelphia, Bal- timore, and Wilmington Railroad was opened, and after a bridge was built at Gray's Ferry, this mansion was taken by William Debeaufre, who opened it as a tavern and place of resort. Orth- wine, who had the tavern on the east side of the Schuylkill at Gray's Ferry, also kept this tavern. It was a short-lived affair, and only lasted a few years, being torn down to make way for the widening of the railroad.
The Rush mansion, on Chestnut street above Nineteenth, whose history is coextensive with that of Philadelphia as the bright cen- tre around which the fashion and intelligence of the city were often
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gathered, was opened in 1877 as a first-class hotel, and is known as The Aldine. It was the residence of the late Dr. Rush, who founded the Rush Library. He married Miss Ridgway, the daughter of the millionaire, Jacob Ridgway. She was a prom- inent leader of fashion and the literati of Philadelphia for many years.
The Franklin House, north-east corner of Chestnut street and Franklin place, was built by David Winebrener, and opened as a hotel by James M. Sanderson & Son in 1842. It occupied the site of several small dwellings. It has been so recently demol- ished that we should suppose that it would be very generally re- membered.
The Continental Hotel was opened for visitors February 13th, 1860, and for guests February 16th. The escort to the Japanese ambassadors from the Baltimore Railroad dépôt to the Conti- nental Hotel took place June 9th, 1860.
The Black Bear, p. 466 .- This tavern, on Fifth street below Market, stood where Merchant street now is, as that was cut through its grounds. It was formerly in Market street below Fifth, kept by Branham, and afterward moved to Fifth street, and kept by Justice. It was a large brick building, with an arched entrance, up which led a flight of marble steps to the first floor. Its large stable-yard accommodated the numerous farmers who sold in the Market street markets and stopped here. It also gave excellent dinners at a moderate price, and many of the merchants regularly dined there. Upon the demolition of the markets its custom of course went with them, and it gave way to the present fine market-house. From here also several lines of stages started.
P. 467 .- " Died on Friday, Mr. Joseph Yates, a noted tavern- keeper in Chestnut street in this city. (Penna. Chron., Nov. 26, 1770.)
Three-Tun Tavern was in Chestnut street, south side, below Second, kept by William Tidmarsh before 1725. "C. Marshall, druggist, opposite Strawberry, near the Three-Tun Tavern."
The Tun, in King (now Water) street, below Chestnut, at the corner of Tun alley, was kept by Ralph Basnet in 1732. It was the place where the Masonic Lodges were held.
P. 469 .- The Turk's Head (or Khouli Khan) was pulled down in the spring of 1847, and fine stores built where it stood.
Number of Taverns and Saloons in the City in 1877 .- At the request of the Municipal Commission, Mayor Stokley caused to be made by the police a census of the taverns and beer-saloons within the consolidated city. The whole number is 5455, being 718 more than when the census was taken in June, 1875.
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SHOP SIGNS.
P. 467 .- The following were some of the most known about 1720 to 1750 :
Lion and Glove, Water street, by Andrew Morris, glover ;
The Hat, Market street ;
Lock and Key, Chestnut street ;
Paracelsus' Head, Market street, Evan Jones, chemist ; afterward William Shippen ;
Crown and Cushion, Germantown, by the Quaker Meeting ;
Two Bibles, Market street, by St. Thomas Hyndshaw ;
The Whalebone, Chestnut street, by John Breintnall, 1731 ; Blue Ball, Water street ;
Tobacco Pipe, Second street, next the meeting-house, by Huglı Roberts ;
Black Boy, Market street, by John Prichard ;
The Still and Orange Tree, North Second street, by Nathaniel Downer, distiller, afterward opposite State House ;
Still and Blue Ball, King street, by Benjamin Morgan ;
The Scales, Walnut and Front street, by Edward Bridges ; Crown and Sceptre, Front street ;
Adam, by Charles Williams, tailor ;
Easy-Chair, by Plunket Heeson, upholsterer, 1739 ;
Ship Aground, by Richard Pitt ;
The Gun, Market steet, near John Kinsey's ;
Bird-in-Hand, Chestnut, opposite Strawberry alley ;
The Shuttle, Third street ;
The Green Stays, Front street ;
The Bell, Second street, opposite Baptist meeting-house ;
Golden Ball, Chestnut street, opposite Strawberry alley ;
Blue Wig, Front street, by William Crosthwaite;
Chest of Drawers, Front street, by May Emerson ;
Two Sugar-Loaves, by Timothy Matlack ;
The Globe, Market street, by Simon Myer, pewterer ;
Golden Heart, High street, by Samuel Emlen, druggist;
Spinning Wheel, Market street, by James Meredith ; Unicorn, by B. Farmer, druggist ;
Golden Ball, Chestnut street, by Christopher Marshall, apothe- cary ;
Amsterdam Arms, by Simon Siron ;
Highlandman, Second street, above High, by David Wells, to- bacconist and distiller ;
Hand-saw, Market street, by Mordecai Yarnall ;
The Still and Greenman, Market street, corner of Strawberry alley, by Henry Dexter ;
Trumpet, Market street, by William Klemm ;
Dove, Third street, by John White, druggist ;
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The Crown, Market street, by David Evans, olives and capers ; Coopers' Arms, Front street, by Nathaniel Tyler, beef and pork ; The Sun, Second street, by Samuel Roberts ; The Rose and Crown, Front street, by Philip John.
THEATRES.
P. 471 .- See Dunlap's History of the Stage; The American Stage, by James Rees, published in the City Item, July, 1853; Weymiss's Chronology of the American Stage ; Durang's Early His- tory of the Stage, with notes by the editor, Thompson Westcott, in the Sunday Dispatch, 1854; Wood's Personal Recollections of the Stage, 1855 ; Life of Edwin Forrest.
It is not known exactly who were the first performers alluded to by Watson as appearing in 1749. The only play spoken of was that of the tragedy of Cato, which was acted in August, 1749, probably in Plumstead's store in Water street. Though some of the Quakers "expressed their sorrow," the company probably re- mained some time, as on January 8, 1750, the Recorder called the attention of Councils to the matter, as stated by Watson, and most probably the magistrates drove them from the city, as their arrival in New York was announced in the New York Gazette of February 26th, 1750, as a company of comedians from Philadel- phia ; the managers were Messrs. Murray and Kean.
The Southwark Theatre was opened by David Douglass No- vember 21st, 1766. It was the only theatre in the city until the Northern Liberties Theatre was erected by Kenna, in Front street, below Noble, in November, 1791. It was superseded as a fash- ionable theatre by the opening of the Chestnut Street Theatre April 2d, 1793. The South Street Theatre continued to be a place of occasional dramatic performances until it was burned, May 9th, 1821. The property was then purchased, the old walls built upon, and a distillery opened there. We never heard of Patrick Lyon's having any interest in that property.
P. 473 .- The first Chestnut Street Theatre, in Chestnut Street, north side, above Sixth, was built in 1793 and burned down in 1820, on April 2d. Nothing was known as to the origin of the fire. It was rebuilt, and opened in 1822. Its popular name was "Old Drury." In this theatre Jenny Lind first sang, October 16th, 1850. She afterward sang in the Chinese Museum, corner of Ninth and Sansom streets, which was burned in 1854. About 1830 the New Orleans Opera Company, of which Davis was the manager, performed, at the Chestnut Street Theatre, La Gazza Ladra-a favorite piece at that day. The title was The Magpie Thief ; and the subject of the plot was devoted to the misfortunes and sufferings of the heroine, who was suspected and persecuted VOL. III .- Y
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for the stealing of jewels which the magpie had really carried away. The piece was afterward translated into English under the title of The Maid and the Magpie. Mrs. Jane Sheriff, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Seguin, the elder, played and sung in that piece throughout the United States.
Fanny Elssler, the famous danseuse, arrived in this country in the spring of 1840, and performed at the Chestnut Street Theatre in the summer and fall of the same year.
The opera of Norma was first produced in this country on the 11th of January, 1841, at two theatres in Philadelphia. At the Chestnut Street Theatre Mrs. Wood sustained the character of Norma. At Burton's National Theatre Madame Sutton was the prima donna.
Miss Charlotte Cushman played the Actress of Padua at the old Chestnut Street Theatre, under the management of James Quinlan-W. S. Fredericks, stage manager-in the season of 1850-51.
The Chestnut Street Theatre was closed after the performance, on May 1, 1855, of the burletta of The Loan of a Lover and the comedies of Faint Heart never won Fair Lady and Perfection. The principal characters were personated by Miss Julia Daly, Mrs. Griffiths, Mrs. Mueller, Miss Annie Graham, Mrs. Monell, Mr. Griffiths, Mr. H. Lewis, Wayne Olwyne, Mr. S. W. Glenn, Mr. Morrow, and Mr. Jones. Olwyne and Griffiths were the managers. The house was torn down shortly after. The site is now occupied by Rockhill & Wilson's clothing store, and by the Evening Bulletin building. This latter was built by H. Cow- perthwait, the bookseller.
The Chestnut Street Theatre was purchased by Mr. Swift, a wealthy stock and exchange broker, and was taken down in May, 1855. Fine stores were erected upon its site. At the sale of old material and marble front Messrs. Struthers bought the four mar- ble columns, which had cost a large sum to import, at twenty-five dollars each.
The new Chestnut Street Theatre, above Twelfth street, was first opened for performances on the 26th of January, 1863, under the management of William Wheatley-Edwin Forrest playing the part of Virginius. There was a fire at the New Chestnut a few years after, which was fortunately extinguished without much loss.
There have been twenty-five theatres in this city, as follows : Corner of South and Vernon streets, between Front and Second, opened 1759; the New Theatre, corner of South and Apollo streets, between Fourth and Fifth, opened 1766 ; Northern Liber- ties Theatre, Front street, above Pool's Bridge, 1792; Chestnut Street Theatre, Chestnut, above Sixth street, 1793; Olympic The- atre, corner of Walnut and Ninth streets; Apollo Street Theatre, opened 1811; Prune Street Theatre, Prune street, below Sixth,
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1821; New Chestnut Street Theatre, opened 1822; Tivoli Gar- den Theatre, Market street, near Broad; Vauxhall Theatre, cor- ner of Walnut and Broad streets; Arch Street Theatre, Arch street, near Sixth, 1828; Washington Theatre, Old York road, above Buttonwood street, opened 1830; Pennsylvania Theatre, Coates street, near Third, opened 1836; National Theatre, Chest- nut street, near Ninth, opened 1840, burned July 5, 1854; Sils- bee's Lyceum, south-east corner of Chestnut and Seventh streets; City Museum, Callowhill street, between Fourth and Fifth; New Chestnut Street Theatre ; New Arch Street Theatre ; Continental Theatre ; Fox's American Theatre ; New Walnut Street Theatre; Theatre Comique; Philadelphia Museum, Ninth and Arch streets; Kiralfy's Theatre, Broad street below Locust; New National The- atre, Tenth and Callowhill streets ; New Adelphi Theatre, Broad street above Arch; Enochs' Varieties, Seventh street, below Arch. Some of these were originally erected for circus pur- poses. There have been several instances of circuses being turned into theatres, but none of which we know where theatres were turned into circuses-except it might be temporarily. The circus buildings in Philadelphia have been as follows: First, Market street, near Centre Square; second, corner of Twelfth and Market streets; third, Ricketts' Circus, south-west corner Sixth and Chestnut streets; fourth, Lailson's Amphitheatre, Fifth street above Prune; fifth, Pepin & Breschard's Circus, corner of Ninth and Walnut streets; Washington Circus, Old York road; Cooke's Circus, Chestnut and Ninth streets ; National Circus, Walnut street, above Eighth; Warner's Cir- cus, corner Tenth and Callowhill streets. The Academy of Music, corner of Broad and Locust streets, although at times used for theatrical purposes, can scarcely be classed among the list of theatres. There have also been very good theatrical com- panies exhibiting at other places-as, for instance, McAran's Garden, the Chinese Museum, the old Masonic Hall, in Chestnut street, the Assembly Buildings, and other places. Ethiopian minstrelsy has had during this period but two buildings specially devoted to its purposes, being Carncross & Dixey's Eleventh Street Opera-House and Simmons & Slocum's Arch Street Opera-House.
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