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 43
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
During the winters of 1876 and 1877 upward of $8000 worth of plants were propagated. The receipts from all sources were $19,924.52, and the expenditures were $22,939.07, which, with the appropriation made, left a balance of $8140.93 to merge.
Taking 1877 as an off-year in Park history, there are still some interesting figures in relation to its use. Thus in the report of the Park Commission we are told that 5,365,235 per- sons entered the Park on foot. Of horseback riders there were
399
Old Fairmount and the Park.
64,046 ; of vehicles of all kinds there were 1,131,966. The average for the latter, at three for each vehicle, would make 3,395,898 carriage-riders. Add to these the 64,046 horseback- riders, and we have a total of 3,459,948, showing an excess of pedestrians-representing what might be called poor men-of nearly two millions of persons. These figures, we are convinced, do not represent the true return. In regard to the enumeration of horses and carriages the matter is easy, because they can enter the grounds only at certain points, and must pass the enumerators. But persons on foot can enter the Park almost at any place along its great boundaries without passing over the ordinary roads and footpaths, so that they cannot be counted even with the most careful system of observation. Every year the number of visitors to the Park increases, and we are glad to say that the number of pedestrians increases also. Among the latter are many who have means to ride when they desire to do so, but who have come to the conclusion that walking is the best exercise in the world Those who do not walk in the Park have no idea of its beauty, and know nothing of its wooded enclosures and shaded paths. There are portions of the Park, even in the neighborhood of such well-known points as Lansdowne, George's Hill, and Belmont, which are of great beauty, and of which the carriage-riding Park visitors know nothing. The Park in summer-time-indeed in all seasons of the year-is a glory to the city, and is worth more than it ever cost or is likely to cost hereafter.
Fairhill, p. 493 .- Isaac Norris had bought various pieces of property in the upper part of the Liberties, amounting to 834 acres. These bore the names of Fairhill and Sepviva, and adjoined the Masters estate. A patent confirming the various titles was issued to him Oct. 8, 1713. It stretched from the Germantown road to Gunner's Run or Creek; the part between Germantown and Frankford roads was called Fairhill, from the name of the meeting-house adjoining, and contained 530 acres. That portion east of Frankford road over to Gunner's Run was called Sepviva, and contained 155 acres. On the Fairhill portion Isaac Norris built a large square mansion, plain but comfortable, wainscoted in the parlors and halls with oak and cedar. Here he resided usually all the year, after he removed from the Slate- Roof House. The house was built in 1717, but, with many other country-seats, was burnt by the British during the Revo- lution. It was afterward rebuilt, and is still standing on Sixth street near Germantown road, and was used as a tavern under the name of "The Revolution House." The carriage-way led from the house to the Germantown road through well-shaded grounds. The gardens were laid out in the formal English style, and many plants and trees were brought from distant places; amongst others. the first willows were grown here from the slips given by Franklin.
400
Annals of Philadelphia.
PUBLIC GARDENS.
P. 494 .- See an account of the gardens around Philadelphia, drawn up by a Committee of the Horticultural Society in 1830. (Reg. Penna., vii. 105.) The Horticultural Society was estab- lished in 1828-Horace Binney, president; Samuel Hazard, sec- retary. (Reg. Penna., i. 344.)
A green-house was erected at Springettsbury in the former part of last century by Margaret Frame, youngest daughter of William Penn, who accompanied her brother, one of the Pro- prietors, in his visit to the Province, and who at that time built one of the wings of an intended mansion where he purposed to reside, and laid out a garden in the taste which then prevailed in England of clipped hedges, arbors, and wildernesses, which flourished beautifully till the time of the Revolutionary War, when the house was accidentally destroyed by fire. There were also handsome gardens and green-houses attached to the proper- ties of Charles Norris, Israel Pemberton, William Logan, James Hamilton, Isaac Norris, and some others.
Fouquet's Garden was between Tenth and Eleventh and Arch and Race streets, where mead and ice-cream were sold. There was a brick house, with gable to the street, standing above Cherry street after it was opened, belonging to Patrick Byrne, the lot extending from Tenth to Eleventh, on which the fine row of houses was built by Byrne's son-in-law. This house was an old one, and may have been used by Fouquet before Cherry street was opened, as he is said to have used the garden from 1800 to 1818. Byrne's lot was enclosed by a post-and-rail fence. (See also Watson, Vol. I. 235.)
John McArran, who kept the botanical garden on the lot of ground which ran from Filbert to Arch and from Schuylkill Sixth (Seventeenth) to Schuylkill Fifth (Eighteenth) streets, was, we presume, a Scotchman. He was at that place as a botanical gardener and seedsman as early as 1821. He died some years ago. It was to his science and taste that Lemon Hill was most indebted for its decorations. McArran's Garden is quite within the recollection of not even old men. It con- tained four acres, and was well covered with shade trees, summer- houses, green-houses, rare plants, etc. Afterward ice-cream and other refreshments were sold, and fireworks and other entertain- ments were had there. Finally, a theatrical attempt was made, but not succeeding, it became deserted, and building improve- ments took its place.
Out Market steeet, on the block bounded by Market and Fil- bert streets, and West Penn Square and Fifteenth street, stood the old " Evans Garden." The old mansion was surrounded by the high board fence and the old trees within the enclosure. It
401
Public Gardens.
was a place of great resort in its day, and was frequented by many gentlemen for afternoon amusements. The First City Troop used the garden for its drills, etc. and place of assembling. In the summer of 1828 they went on an encamping excursion to the neighborhood of the Yellow Springs, Chester county, and took with them the late Frank Johnson, the celebrated colored mu- sician, who performed on his bugle while the Troop were prepar- ing to start. Captain William H. Hart then commanded the Troop. On that excursion the Troop took over eighty equipped men, with other (invited) gentlemen.
The Labyrinth Garden, on Arch street, was kept by Thomas Smith in 1828. He was a careful man in keeping a record of the weather.
The garden between Arch and Race and Schuylkill Second and Schuylkill Third (Twenty-first and Twentieth) was orig- inally kept by a person named Honey-afterward, we think, by Fouquet-and the last occupant was A. d'Arras. It contained six acres, and was the largest public garden.
Old Lebanon Garden .- This garden was located at the corner of Tenth and South streets, and extended back to Shippen (now Bainbridge) street, and opposite Ronaldson's Cemetery, which in 1829 had been two years under way as a new cemetery, convert- ing an old skating-lot into it. On Fourths of July fireworks were generally displayed. There was an old dilapidated sign hung in front of the garden. There were verses on the sign, and pictures above the verses. On the east side was inscribed :
" Neptune and his triumphant host Commands the ocean to be silent, Smoothes the surface of its waters, And universal calm succeeds."
On the opposite, or west side, was the following :
" Now calm at sea, and peace on land, Has blest our continental shores ; Our fleets are ready at command To sway and curb contending powers."
Over the old Lebanon Tavern were these lines :
" Of the waters of Lebanon Good cheer, good chocolate and tea, With kind entertainment By John Kenneday."
The following are reminiscences of two aged persons of nota- ble events : "Passing down Tenth street a few days ago, my thoughts took me back to Wednesday, March 4th, 1829, the day of the inauguration of General Andrew Jackson as President of the United States. It was celebrated by a portion of the then VOL. III .- 2 A 34 *
402
Annals of Philadelphia.
old Jackson party at the old Lebanon Garden, Tenth and South streets, by an old-fashioned bear-roasting and the destruction of other eatables. The Democrats of that day were assembled on that occasion, including such men as Captain Joseph L. Kay, Hugh Harbeson, Colonel John Thompson, John Snyder, John Horn, George Smith, Peter L. Berry, Asher M. Howell, James H. Hutchinson, and other well-known Democratic politicians. The old Lebanon at that time was kept by the late Captain John Pascal, and the day passed off without anything to mar the pleasure of the occasion. The inaugural address of General Jackson was not received in this city until Friday afternoon, March 6th, and was published in an extra from the National Ga- zette of that evening. The 4th of March, 1837, came on Satur- day, and the inaugural of Van Buren was not received at the Exchange until late on Sunday afternoon. To show how slow we travelled at that period, the late William J. Duane, Esq., a warm personal friend of Jackson, left the city on Sunday, March 1st, 1829, and did not reach Washington until the procession was leaving the Presidential mansion. Many remember the horse- expresses that would leave the old Post-Office, at Chestnut and Franklin place, at that time, and what crowds would congregate to see them depart and move out Third street. If Reeside & King were alive, and could see the improvements of the age, they would be lost in wonder and amazement."
" A buffalo's tongue was prepared and smoked and sent to General Jackson by Captain Pascal. A buffalo was bought by him from a well-known butcher at that time named Charles Pray. It came from the West with a drove of cattle, and sev- enty dollars were paid for it. It was penned up at Old Lebanon, and fed on hay and a bushel of potatoes daily. On the day be fore the barbecue several hundred persons congregated to see the fun. A stout rope, about one hundred and fifty feet long, was made fast in the middle to the horns of the beast, and about fifty persons took hold of each end and drew him back in the garden, which extended to Shippen street from South street. A ring had been made secure to the centre tree of three old cherry trees, in a row running east and west. The end of the rope was passed in and gradually drawn through the ring by the persons alternately letting go as they got to the ring, and exchanging their hold to the end which had passed through it. Both ends were finally made fast to the next trees. A Mr. Peal, who had frequently shot buffaloes on the prairies, stood twenty yards off and shot several times at the animal, aiming to strike him behind the fore shoulder. At each shot the buffalo merely gave a shudder. This Mr. Peal thought strange, and then he shot him in the head, which he did not wish to do for fear of destroying his skin, de- siring it as perfect as possible, to have it prepared for Peale's Museum, where, indeed it finally was placed, and a bunch of
403
Public Gardens.
candles hung at the side made of the fat of the said beast. After having been shot in the head the animal fell on his knees and rose several times. Fearing the possibility of his breaking loose, he was knocked in the head with a butcher's axe and killed. On the northerly tree the heart was hung up, exhibiting the holes made by the bullets, each one having passed through it. The tongue was prepared and smoked, and packed in a polished hickory box, in hickory shavings made for the occasion, resem- bling curled ribbons, by Henry J. Bockius, carpenter, and was sent to General Jackson. A bear was also killed, and roasted whole on a windlass such as was also built for the buffalo. Fires were kept up with pine and hickory wood all the night before. A salute by old Captain Chalkley Baker was fired on the play- ground adjoining Ronaldson's type-foundry. To view this salute the shed of the old tenpin-alley became filled with boys and men lying on their breasts to prevent detection by police employed to keep the shed clear. The shed was a double shed, and the whole concern moved and fell. The cracking noise gave the signal, and all but one man got out of the way. He was carried over home, and died soon after. Ronaldson's graveyard was then an open lot, with post-and-rail fence around it, being old and dilap- idated. Colonel Chalkley Baker and Colonel John K. Murphy withdrew the artillery to this lot and finished the salute.
The Dundas Elm Tree and Vauxhall Gardens .-- At one time a number of the lots of ground in the western portion of the city were owned by Colonel John Dunlap, of Revolutionary reminis- cences, and David Claypoole, Esq., of the firm of Dunlap & Claypoole, printers and publishers. Among the squares of ground owned by Mr. Dunlap was the lot bounded by Walnut, George (Sansom), Juniper, and Broad streets, on which he had planted various species of trees. But two of the original now remain-an elm and a pine. The square was for several years a public garden, known as Vauxhall. After the Dunlap family sold it, it was divided. The one half toward Juniper street was owned by the late Edward Burd, Esq., who about the year 1830 had a stone wall about two feet high, with a paling fence on the top, built on the three street sides; and the trees remained on that portion until the ground was sold or rented to build upon. When the late Harvey Beck, Esq., in the year 1836, commenced to build at the north-west corner of Walnut and Juniper streets, the men, in digging the cellar, unearthed a large well that had been used by the Dunlaps for the storage of ice, close by the garden. The western portion of the lot had a rough board fence around it. In the year 1833 the ground was rented to a Mr. Fletcher, who intended to improve it by building a row of dwell- ings fronting on Broad street ; but for some reason, after digging a portion of the cellars midway between Walnut and George streets, the work was abandoned, and the hole remained as a
404
Annals of Philadelphia.
pond until filled up. The lot remained open for boys or others to play on or to lie about in the shade, and most of the trees were cut down or destroyed. Mr. Dundas commenced to build in 1839, and occupied the house about the last of November, 1840. Henry Pratt-Mrs. Dundas's father-died in January, 1838, and it was not until the following year they concluded to build and to leave the old mansion in Front street. Some of the trees in the garden were transplanted from Lemon Hill; all that now remain of the trees are the elm and the pine. As to the elm being one hundred and fifty years old, it is only conjectural, but it must be far advanced in years-so much so that in a few years it will have to come down.
A number of elms were on the square which Mr. Dunlap sold to Mr. Girard-on Chesnut street, between Eleventh and Twelfth streets-which were cut down in the year 1833 to make the pres- ent improvements.
Colonel John Dunlap was a native of Ireland. He came to this country when quite young, and afterward served an appren- ticeship to the printing business. In the year 1776 he was in business as a printer and publisher at " the newest printing-office on Market street." After Mr. Dunlap sold the property at the south-east corner of Market and Twelfth streets to Mr. Girard, he resided at the north-east corner of Chestnut and Thirteenth streets until his death in the year 1812.
The old firm of Pratt & Kintzing is remembered by many of the present generation as belonging to the time when our city boasted of her merchants. They had thirty-two square-rigged vessels on the ocean at once. Mr. Kintzing died in 1835, having entirely lost his eyesight by application to business.
Mrs. Dundas died in the house at the corner of Broad and Walnut streets, and Mr. Dundas died on the 4th of July, 1865.
A fire and riot took place at the Vauxhall Garden in Septem- ber, 1819. Our late townsman, Robert M. Lewis, Esq., often said that he was dining that afternoon at the house of a friend, on the west side of Fourth street, below Walnut. Among the guests was a relation of his, the late Robert Wharton, at that time mayor of the city. Toward evening there was a ring at the bell, and the servant answered the call, when John Hart, at that time one of the high constables of the city, rushed into the room and informed Mr. Wharton that a terrible riot and fire were in progress at the Vauxhall, caused by the failure of a balloon ascension. The company at once left for the garden. On ap- proaching Thirteenth street the elm tree was discovered on fire. They all hurried into the enclosure. Several arrests were made of the rioters, and the disturbance was quelled, but not until much damage was done. Mr. Lewis said the tree at that time was a large one. Mr. Dundas always thought it very old, and had it well secured in his lifetime to prevent its falling down.
U5
Fires and Fire-Engines.
FIRES AND FIRE-ENGINES.
From the settlement of Philadelphia in 1682 until 1696 no public precautions seem to have been taken against fire. In the latter year the Provincial Legislature passed a law for preventing accidents that might happen by fire in the towns of Philadelphia and New Castle, by which persons were forbidden to fire their chimneys to cleanse them, or suffer them to be so foul as to take fire, under a penalty of 40s., and each houseowner was to pro- vide and keep ready a swab twelve or fourteen feet long, and a bucket or pail, under the penalty of 10s. No person should pre- sume to smoke tobacco in the streets, either by day or night, under a penalty of 12d. All which fines were to be used to buy leather buckets and other instruments or engines against fires for the public use.
A similar act was passed in 1700, applying to Bristol, Phila- delphia, Germantown, Darby, Chester, New Castle, and Lewes, providing for two leather buckets, and forbidding more than six pounds of powder to be kept in any house or shop, unless forty perches distant from any dwelling-house, under the penalty of £10. A similar law was passed in 1701, and the magistrates were also directed to procure "six or eight good hooks for tearing down houses on fire."
By various acts of Assembly the breaming of vessels with blaz- ing fire, the firing of chimneys and the sweeping of the same, the firing of guns, squibs, and rockets, the building of bakehouses and cooper-shops, and the keeping of hay and fagots, were made the subjects of strict and particular legislation ; and by two acts of April 18th, 1795, the corporation of the city was authorized to prevent the erection of wooden buildings east of Tenth street, and to see that every occupier of a house had in repair not ex- ceeding six leather buckets, to be used only in extinguishing fires.
Of course our early ancestors got most of their ideas of public prevention of fires from the home country. After the great fire of 1666, London was divided into four divisions, provided with leather buckets, ladders, brazen hand-squirts, pick-axes, sledges, and shod shovels. Each of the twelve companies were to pro- vide an engine, thirty buckets, three ladders, six sledges, and two hand-squirts; and some inferior companies were to have some small engines and buckets. And the aldermen were to provide themselves with twenty-four buckets and one hand-squirt each, Water was supplied to the engines and squirts by pumps in the wells and fire-plugs in the main pipes belonging to the New River and Thames waterworks. The various corporations of
406
Annals of Philadelphia.
mechanics each provided thirty hands of different grades, to be ready at all times to attend the mayor and sheriffalty for extinguishing fires, and various workmen, laborers, and porters were also to be always ready. By the act of 6 Anne the church- wardens of each parish were to have introduced into the mains stop-blocks of wood, with a two-inch plug and fire-cocks, so that such plugs or fire-cocks might be quickly opened and let out the water without loss of time in digging down to the pipes ; they were to have a large engine and a hand-engine, and one leathern pipe and socket of the same size as the plug or fire- cock, that the socket might be put into the pipe to convey the water clean and without loss or help of bucket into the en- gine. Party-walls were also to be of brick or stone, and of a certain thickness.
In 1757 the New River Company had forty-eight main pipes of wood, of seven-inch bore, and the water was supplied to 30,000 houses by leaden pipes of half an inch bore. The Hand-in-Hand Fire Office, a mutual one, was started in 1696 by about 100 persons, to protect each other's houses. They employed thirty-five men.
Between 1768 and 1774 there were over 300 engines. Now there is, besides many private engines in large buildings and factories, the London Fire Brigade, established by fire insur- ance companies in 1833 and 1855, who have some 50 engines drawn by horses, 10 smaller drawn by hand, 2 floating-en- gines on the Thames worked by steam, and a number of hand- pumps, one on each engine. From the small size of the mains of the different water companies, the hose is not fixed directly on them, and down to 1860 they had not introduced steam fire-engines.
To return to Philadelphia. From 1701 to 1736 the means of extinguishing fires were principally provided by the corporation of the city. In 1718, Abraham Bickley, a public-spirited mer- chant, owned an engine, which was probably imported from England, and supposed to be still in existence in Bethlehem, which Councils agreed to buy in Dec., 1718, and agreed in Dec., 1719, to pay him £50 for it. This is the first engine we have distinct reference to. This engine being unable to contend with the great fire of 1730, which destroyed the store near Fish- bourne's wharf and Jonathan Dickinson's fine house-a loss of £5000-led to the purchase of three more engines by the city and four hundred leather buckets, twenty ladders, and twenty- five hooks, an assessment of twopence per pound and eight shil- lings per head being laid to pay for the same. Abraham Bick- ley was a merchant, Common Councilman, member of the Assem- bly, and alderman. He died in 1726 ; another Abraham Bickley, most probably a son, died in 1744.
In July, 1729, George Claypoole agreed to keep the fire-engine
407
Fires and Fire-Engines.
in good repair, and play the same every month, for £3 per annum ; but he declined it the next month, and Richard Armitt undertook it instead. James Barrett was paid £6 for twelve fire-buckets taken from him at a fire in Chestnut street. In January, 1731, two of the engines arrived, with 250 buckets, from England, and the third engine was built here by Anthony Nicholls in 1733, and the other buckets were manufactured here. This was the first fire-engine built in this city. It was operated in January, 1733, and "played water higher than the highest in this city had from London." This was the first he made, and he expected to make several others, but the Councils thought the bill was too great ; that the engine was very heavy and unwieldy, and re- quired much labor to work it; that some parts were made of wood instead of brass, and they feared it would not last long.
In December, 1733, there appeared in Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette an article on fires and their origin, and on the mode of putting them out. Some months later, in February, 1735, there appeared another article on hints for preventing fires, suggestions that public pumps should be built, a plan for organizing a club or society for putting out fires, after the manner of one in a neighboring city (Boston ?), and a suggestion that the roofs should be covered with tiles, and the brick walls be carried up above the eaves for greater safety in walking on them. This latter essay was signed "A. A.," probably Anthony Atwood, a well-known citizen, but was supposed to have been written by Franklin himself, for he says in his Autobiography : " About this time I read a paper [in the Junto] on the different accidents and carelessness by which houses were set on fire, with cautions against them and means proposed for avoiding them. This was much spoken of as a useful piece, and gave rise to a project, which soon followed, of forming a company for the more ready extinguishment of fires and mutual assistance in removing and securing of goods when in danger. Associates in this scheme were presently found amounting to thirty. Our articles of agree- ment obliged every member to keep always in good order and fit for use a certain number of leather buckets, with strong bags and baskets (for packing and transporting of goods), which were to be brought to every fire; and we agreed to meet once a month and spend a social evening together in discoursing and com- municating such ideas as occurred to us upon the subject of fires as might be useful in our conduct on such occasions.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.