History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 117

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418

USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks county in Pennsylvania > Part 117

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In the next decade, from 1857 to 1867, the Civil War was the most prominent subject which engaged the attention of the people, and it is treated at length in this history. 3 The streets were regulated by a topographical survey, which was successfully carried on for several years, and which, by the establishment of lines and grades, encouraged building operations, especially in the northern section of the city ; 4 and the houses were numbered by an admirable

2 See Chap. XVIII. Internal Improvements.

$ See Chap. XII., Civil War.

4 The "Topographical Survey " of Reading was author- ized by act of Assembly passed April 26, 1864, in pur- suance of which the City Councils caused the lines and grades of the streets to be surveyed, fixed, etc., during the years 1864-5-6-7-8. Duplicate confirmed plans of the several sections (eight in number) are on file in the Quarter Sessions office of Berks County.

1 See Chap. XI., Mexican War.

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system aloug all the streets.1 The " water- works" became the property of the people; ef- forts were made to improve the city charter by two amendments ; the wards were differently ar- ranged and increased in number ; and a " Fire- men's Union " was organized. The people were very active and energetic in every depart- ment of life and the general wealth of the community was increased millions of dollars. Weekly newspapers became more thoroughly circulated, and the daily newspaper was estab- lished. Postal facilities were increased, to the great convenience of the people. The fourth railroad from Reading was projected and suc- cessfully extended, affording direct communi- cation with Lancaster and Columbia. Political excitement reached the highest point which the community was able to bear without resulting in a serious social disturbance.

During the third decade, from 1867 to 1877, general enterprise was active in the beginning and continued so for several years ; but then it began to decline and finally showed marked effects from the panic which prevailed through- out the country. Fire elsewhere destroycd much property, resulting in enormous losses which amounted to many million of dollars ; and it seemed that some evil genius possessed this community also, by the numerous acts of incendiarism in the most populous parts of the city. Fortunately for us, the volunteer fire companies were not only prompt but vigilant. They were interested in the preservation of property and therefore were moved by the noblest impulses to prevent losses from fire. Then the " Electric Fire Alarm" was intro- duced, which soon demonstrated its incalculable value to the community ; and the water supply

was largely increased by the appropriation of the water of Antietam Creek, and the construc- tion of a lake to be used as a storage reservoir, with a capacity of many million gallons. The "Centennial" was a prominent subject for several years, especially during the year 1876 for six months, from the 10th of May to the 10th of November, when our people patronized the "Great International Exhibition " at Phil- adelphia very extensively, having traveled repeatedly to and fro in regular and excursion trains. The railroads were busy, and their activity led others to be extended from Read- ing: the Wilmington and Northern, and the Berks County. Street railways were also intro- duced and operated through the length and breadth of the city. The old market-houses be- ·came objectionable, and upon the erection of fine, commodious and pleasant buildings in the several sections of the city by private enter- prise for market purposes, they were removed. New and modern halls were provided, not only to encourage but to gratify the public desire for amusement. Foundries and factories were ex- tended in different branches of industry, show- ing the increasing enterprise and wealth of manufacturers, and the employment of a larger number of mechanics and workingmen. Merchants and business men generally began to appreciate more the value and also the neces- sity of advertising in various ways, especially in the newspapers; and just as they here en- dcavored to attract the attention of the people of Reading and the districts throughout the county, so did the merchants at Philadelphia endeavor, through the newspapers, to draw trade away from the growing stores here to the business places there. Competition became an active feature of business life and a state of carrying on trade was produced far in advance of previous decades. The city was extended north- wardly in 1871, and the total area increased to three thousand two hundred acres. And a new charter for the city was obtained, by acceptance of the general act of Assembly passed May 23, 1874, for the government of cities of the third class. In the previous decade the militia system was obliterated by the Civil War; and though a new system was then provided, it did not exhibit

1 On May 30, 1863, eight petitions from citizens of Read- ing were presented to Councils, praying them " to pass an ordinance providing for the numbering of the buildings in this city." A special committee was appointed, which re- ported June 29, 1863,-" that the public wants demanded that it should be immediately acted upon by the Councils." Accordingly, an ordinance was passed and approved August 31, 1863. This provided for the allowance of one hundred numbers for each square, on each street running east from Front Street, north from Penn and south from Penn. The system was first advocated in 1854. Previously a system had been in vogue on Penn Street for business convenience, the numbers running east and west from Fifth Street.

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auy strength during this decade in our com- munity. The feeling and the general situation of the people in this respect are altogether dif- ferent. We have had no " battalion days," no military exercises. In the beginning of the decade before 1867 there were over fifty com- panies of militia which exercised frequently every year in the several sections of the county ; but in this decade (before 1877) we had only two companies, one at Reading and the other at1 Hamburg, whose exercises were scarcely noticed. The building and savings associations had a flourishing existence and assisted greatly in improving the city with numerous dwelling- houses for the working people. The political feeling of the people throughout the country changed very much, and the process of change necessarily developed a high degree of excite- ment. The year 1876 was particularly dis- tinguished in this respect. Improved postal facilities were given to the people, and the bus- iness of the post office was largely increased.

And the fourth, or last decade, from 1877 till now, has not fallen behind the previous decades. It started out with a serious trouble, the regulation of which was beyond our wis- dom. We could not rectify it; it broke upon us like an explosion ; and then, through fear, it subsided. This was the labor question. Several years before 1877, the subject was agi- tated earnestly and it led to the formation of different societies, the most prominent of which was the Brotherhood of Locomotive Eugineers. Demands for higher wages were made; these were not complied with and a strike followed. This

1 In 1869, there were four military companies at Read- ing : First Reading Reserves, commanded by Captain Oscar R. Christ ; First Reading Rifles, commanded by Thomas E. Weber ; Reading Zouaves, commanded by Captain William B. McMichael ; and Veteran Zouaves, commanded by Cap- tain John Gehring.

The total enrollment of men for military duty then was 11,502.

In August, 1870, a military encampment was held at Reading.

A " Grand Military Parade and Review " took place at Reading on May 28, 1875, under the auspices of company A, Reading Rifles, and company C, Reading Zouaves. There were, altogether, fourteen companies in line, num- bering six hundred men ; some of the companies were from Philadelphia, Allentown and Easton.

strike was general in this State and in other States ; and it was persisted in until it termin- ated in a great riot at Reading, which is de- scribed elsewhere in this chapter. Councils in- creased the water supply to answer the growing demands of our rapidly-increasing community ; and they made efforts in the direction of im- proved highways. An earnest and a successful beginning for a City Park was instituted in 1878 by private individuals, but the decade is passing away and the park is still to be estab- lished.

Numerous other things within the past forty years have transpired which are worthy of men- tiou, but they cannot be detailed without increas- ing the size of this history far beyond my inten- tions. It would be a difficult matter for me to determine just what to include and what to ex- clude, what to present in an extended manner and what to give only a passing notice. For this reason I have only taken a general survey of this period. The industries, internal im- provements, churches, schools, associations, offi- cials and census of Reading are treated in sepa- rate parts of this chapter. All the parts, taken together, give the county-seat a prominent place in the history of this county. The reader will, therefore, understand that I was compelled to confine myself more to the history of past events which are not within the knowledge of most of the people living, than to the history. of matters and things which are within the re- collection of the present generation.

The last score of years of this century -a century already glorious with prodigious results, especially in our own vicinity-has ad- vanced ouly several years beyond 1880. Look -: ing backward through two scores of years in our municipal life, and realizing what education and steam have done for our industrious and law-abiding Christian community since 1840, or the close of the second score in this ceutury, when these two great forces just began to impress themselves forcibly upon our people ; and then looking forward through the remaining years of the present score to the year 1900, with the advantages of our vigorous population, educatiou, wealth, manufactures, various internal improvements and political freedom, what cal

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we not hope to accomplish in the next fifteen years, in respect to population, wealth and influence, with these same forces, the one to direct and the other to propel us in the progress of civilization ? We have here a grand centre possessed of inconceivable natural advantages which arise from the conjunction of fertile valleys and flowing streams. The prospects before us for developments on the one hand and accomplishments on the other are most pleasing to contemplate. But to insure our future pro- gress and make it proportionate with that of the past, we must fit ourselves to discriminate for things, not persons, and so direct our industrial, political and moral energy as to subserve the public welfare rather than individual aggran- dizement.

RIOT IN READING, JULY, 1877.1-The great riot at Reading was such an extraordinary event in the history of our community that I give it a special notice.

On Saturday, July 21, 1877, great excitement prevailed at Reading, owing to the general strike of railroad train men in the following States : New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. The central point of excitement was at Seventh and Penn Streets, where many men gathered to discuss the situation. At that time the excitement at Pittsburgh was intense, ending shortly there- after in the great destruction of railroad prop- erty, which consisted of buildings, cars, etc., and in the loss of at least a score of lives. On the next day the situation was, naturally, worse, owing to the news from Pittsburgh, and more men crowded at the point named, but there was no disorderly demonstration of any kind during the day. By ten o'clock in the evening the crowd had moved to the passenger station, where the men greeted the last train from Philadelphia (10.30) with shouts and yells. Then the excitement became uncontrollable. The crowd moved westwardly upon the Lebanon Valley Railroad, and fire and destruction of

property followed. It would be utterly im- possible to describe briefly the terrible occur- rences of that fatal Sunday night. Railroad tracks were torn up, and certain cabooses and freight cars were set on fire which resulted in a general alarm of fire, and response of the Fire Department, and during the terrible excitement in and about the "cut," near Sixth Street, whither all attention had been directed, the costly and handsome railroad bridge, which spanned the river within a mile to the west, was set on fire and entirely destroyed. The bright flames, which flashed high into the dark- ness of the night, attracted thousands of people to the place. The burning bridge presented a sight as grand as it was awful. This condi- tion of affairs was extremely alarming ; no one knew what was next to happen, what was next to be destroyed. The news shocked the whole community. Crowds had gathered on Satur- day, innocently, apparently, but unlawfully, with- out any earnest movement from the policemen to disperse them, and property had been de- stroyed on Sunday, the next day afterward. But what was to follow on the third day ? On Monday the newspapers were almost wholly taken up with vivid descriptions of the excited condition of the community and of the destructive work of incendiaries. They were the centre of attraction. So important were they that they were never before in greater demand, and so interesting, indeed, that the news which they detailed caused shuddering hearts and moistening eyes. Everybody dis- cussed the fire-everybody wondered what next ! Throughout the day great excitement prevailed, and as the night approached it grew greater. The four corners of Seventh and Penn Streets were again crowded hour after hour, subject to a weak protest, but without any determined effort from municipal or county authorities to clear the highway. Who were rioters ? Who were law-abiding citizens? All were disturbers of the peace. Trains were stopped there, coal cars were detached and many tons of coal were dumped upon the track for several hundred feet. Who did it? Men were blind. All was disorder. Hundreds, nay, thousands of people were concentrated at that

1 See report of committee appointed to investigate rail- road riots in July, 1877. Testimony taken in February and March, 1878, including witnesses at Reading, and read before Legislature May 23, 1878, pp. 25-28.

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point on both sides of Penn and Seventh Streets. And with this state of affairs, then wholly uncontrollable, the six o'clock passenger train approached the city around the bend of " Never- sink," and the shrill whistle of the engine never sounded in such a piercing manner. The en- gineer remained bravely at his post; the command was given to proceed forward at full speed, and forward indeed he directed his engine at the rate of forty-five miles an hour over the block- aded track. Who can imagine what might have been the result? Fortunately the train passed through safely, but the people scattered pell-mell for their lives, coals were thrown high into the air, and a dense cloud of black dust obscured everything round-about for a time. At the passenger station a great excitement took place immediately after the arrival of this train. The next down train was stopped in the cut, and this unlawful, daring proceeding drew the crowd from the depot and intensified the excitement at Seventh and Penn Streets. And in this state the people remained at that point, immovable. Proclamations by the sheriff of the county and earnest appeals by the policemen of the city did not make the slightest impression upon them. It seems that the vast multitude were in sympathy with the riotons demonstra- tions. And so matters remained for nearly two hours, apparently growing worse as the dark- ness of night fell upon the community. Then, however, a sudden change arose. And what agent was this that could, as it were, in a mo- ment, in the twinkling of an eye, separate a maddened, threatening crowd, when sober, sen- sible appeals to citizens who had theretofore been a law-abiding people, were wholly unavail- ing ? It was the bullet. This acted upon them as effectually as the lightning upon the restless, thickening clouds in a portentous sky.

About eight o'clock seven companies of the Fourth Regiment1 of Pennsylvania Volunteers, numbering about two hundred men, under the command of General Franklin Reeder, arrived at the station in the city, viz. :-

Company B, Allen Rifles, Allentown ; Com-

pany D, Allen Continentals, Allentown ; Com- pany E, Blue Mountain Legion, Hamburg; Company F, Easton Grays, Easton ; Company H, Slatington Rifles, Slatington ; Company I, Catasauqua ; Company K, Portland, North- ampton County.

After some consultation they were marched down the railroad and through the "cut" towards Penn Street to liberate the train there. On the way they were attacked by persons on the elevated pavements, who threw stones and bricks upon them. They did not fire in self- defense, but moved on bravely. Nearing Penn Street, the situation became so dangerous that some of the men, by some order or mistaken command, shot off their rifles. Bricks and stones were thrown with increased energy, and many shots followed. The crowd immediately scattered, and men were seen bearing away the wounded and killed. With the dispersing crowd the soldiers also became disordered, and the companies disorganized. Their conduct was disgraceful, and the whole community, and especially the management of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, lost confidence in them as a means of restoring order or pre- serving peace. A battery of United States Regular Artillery, equipped as infantry, then came here shortly afterward, under the com- mand of General Hamilton, and remained till peace and order and safety were assured. The fidelity of G. A. Nicolls and George Eltz to their posts as officials of the railroad at this point, in the perilous situation of affairs then existing, was highly commendable.

VERDICT OF CORONER'S JURY.

" The undersigned members of an inquest upon the bodies of a number of citizens who were killed dur- ing a riot which took place on Monday night, the 23rd day of July, 1877, in the city of Reading, after having heard a large number of witnesses whose testimony is hereto appended, and after due inquiry and consider- ation of all the facts and circumstances attending the riotous demonstrations, report as follows :

"1. The said persons came to their death by a firing of the military upon the rioters.

" 2. That the soldiers composing a portion of the Fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, numbering about two hundred men, while marching through the railroad cut along Seventh Street, were continually assailed with stones and brickbats from

1 Company A, Reading Rifles, commanded by Captain R. P. Wenrich, was a part of this regiment, but it did not report at Allentown for duty,

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the time they entered the cut at Walnut Street bridge until they approached Penn Street, a distance of two squares, the assault becoming severer the further they moved, and being accompanied with pistol shots after having reached Washington Street bridge ; that dur- ing said march many of the soldiers were badly woun- ded by the missiles, some of them being knocked down two or three times; notwithstanding an order from the commanding officer not to fire, a single shot from one of the military was a signal for others to fire, which soon became general. It would be expecting too much of human nature, especially on the part of untrained soldiers, to expect them not to fire under the fearful peril in which they were placed, and when once the firing commenced the volleys of stones and pistol shots continuing and especially directed against their ranks, the inquest cannot censure them for the manner in which they acted.

"3. That the military were here as the representative of public order, under directions of Major-General Bol- ton, who was doubtless acting under the State civil authority, said orders having been duly communica- ted to General Reeder, commanding the Fourth Reg- iment, who was instructed to report to the Sheriff, Mayor or Railroad Officials. Having been met, before reaching Reading, by several officers of the Railroad Company, who informed him that the railroad depot was in possession of the mob, he left the cars with his command at a short distance above the depot, and marched down the railroad to the depot; upon reaching the depot, and finding it in possession of the Coal and Iron Police, but meeting neither the Sheriff nor the Mayor (the latter official being out of the city), he was requested by an official of the railroad com- pany to move in the direction of Penn Street to re- lease a passenger train then in the hands of the mob, and whilst complying with this request the firing of the military took place. It thus appears that under the evidence as far as it has been laid before the inquest, that General Reeder with his command was acting within his instructions, and if any blame is to be attached to the action of the military, it must be born by the superior officer in command.

"4. That whilst the deaths were immediately owing to the firing of the soldiers who were at the proper place under proper authority where the disorder was raging, yet the responsibility for the terrible tragedy of Monday night is directly attributed to those who composed the lawless body assembled near the corner of Seventh and Penn Streets, who were instigating the riotous proceedings; whilst many were present, not as inciting to riot, but out of idle curiosity, they nevertheless by their presence gave aid and confidence to the mob spirit who initiated the disturbance; the latter are the persons primarily responsible for all subsequent trouble and bloodshed, and if detected and arrested should be held to the severest accountability.

"5. The absence of the Mayor from the city may be

a sufficient excuse for the inactivity of the city an- thorities at the time.

"6. Whilst on the one hand the testimony clearly shows that Chief of Police Cullen was faithful in the discharge of his official duty, it is a matter of regret to the inquest that the testimony does not equally commend the Sheriff in the discharge of his duty. On the contrary, though telegraphed for early on Monday morning, 23d July, and having reached the city by special train provided by the railroad company at 5 o'clock A.M., he nevertheless made no attempt to provide for the preservation of the public peace, al- though earnestly appealed to and urged to organize a posse by a number of citizens during the day. It is well known that during the whole of Monday the city was under the power and in the control of the mob, whose progress was hourly gathering strength, and that before noon, Messrs. Wootten & Miller offered to furnish a sufficient number of men with arms and am- munition, to constitute a posse comitatus and suppress the riot if the Sheriff would give the anthority for so doing. This offer was declined by the Sheriff, who significantly remarked that the mob also had arms. All that the Sheriff of Berks County did in this fear- ful emergency, after wasting the whole day in his office doing nothing, was to issne his proclamation after 5 o'clock in the evening, calling npon the citi- zens to remain at home.

" In conclusion thereof or in accordance with the evidence presented, the inquest believes that the Sheriff having neglected and refused to perform what was his obvious duty, is in a measure responsible for the events which followed.

" In witness whereof, as well as aforesaid Coroner, as the jurors aforesaid, have to this inquisition put their hands and seals, this 7th day of August, 1877, [Signed] William Bland, David Fox, William C. Kelchner, S. A. Stout, John H. Kelly, Reuben Hottenstein, George S. Goodhart, (Coroner)."

The jury also rendered special verdicts in each of the cases of the ten citizens killed during the riot, as follows :

" MILTON TRACE came to his death on Sonth Sev- enth below Chestnut ; died from the effects of a large bullet wound entering in near the angle of the mouth, left side, passing through horizontally, wounding large arteries, fracturing the second vertebra of the neck and then passing out on the same side of en- trance; wound was received at the time the second volley was fired by the military.

"JAMES J. FISHER died near the corner of Penn and Seventh Streets, from hemorrhage of the femoral ar- tery, caused by a bullet shot which entered on the in- side of the left thigh, penetrating the artery and pas- sing out on the opposite side, fracturing the bone. Shot was fired by one of the military.

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 117

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards Number of Pages: 1418

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418