History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 81

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 81

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At a meeting of the directors, a committee of three, consisting of Philip Mattis, Esq., of Eas- ton, and Charles Saeger and Jacob Dillinger, of Allentown, was nominated to investigate the concerns of the institution.

Pursuant to the call, a meeting of the stock- holders was held June 5th, at the banking-house, and because of the large attendance adjourned to the public-house of William Craig. Stephen Balliet was elected president, and Augustus L. Ruhe, secretary. The investigating committee nominated by the directors at their meeting was confirmed, and they were instructed to employ counsel if necessary, make a thorough examina- tion of the affairs of the bank, and report within thirty days to "a grand committee of thirteen, consisting of Solomon Fogel, William Eckert, Charles Kramer, John Wagner, Christian Pretz, Philip H. Gaepp, Augustus L. Ruhe, Christian Berger, John Lichtenwalter, John F. Rauch, George Blank, John Saeger, and Anthony Krauss."

The investigating committee (in which John

426

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

F. Ruhe had taken the place of Philip Mattis) proper tribunal in order that the right of the di- began their work and carried it on diligently and rapidly.

Prior to this time the bank had made an as- signment to John W. Hornbeck, Esq., Charles Kramer, George Keck, George Brobst, and Wil- liam Blumer.

The feeling that existed in the community at this time may best be illustrated by following the incidents as they occurred from day to day. The Lehigh Bulletin, commenting on the failure of the bank, said, "The rottenness of this institu- tion will now be made manifest. We have rea- son to believe that the stock is all sunk, and that the note-holders and depositors will get little or nothing." On the 14th of June, at a meeting held for the purpose of adopting such measures as might be necessary to protect the rights of the note-holders, the following resolutions, which throw considerable light on the progress of af- fairs and the fevered state of public feeling, were adopted :

"WHEREAS, the Northampton Bank, .. a series of financial expedients as numerous, as wild, after and as reckless as they were unfitted to effect the purpose for which they were intended, has, notwith- standing the solemn and oft-repeated assurances of her perfect solvency, made by her principal of- ficers and backed by the publication of statements of the most plausible nature, been at length compelled to admit her own insolvency and transfer the wreck of her property to assignees for the benefit of creditors ;

"AND WHEREAS, the officers of said bank, after squandering the greater part of her assets by as- signing, transferring, and pledging them to sun- dry irresponsible persons for the purpose of eking out a few more months of a miserable existence al- ready most ruinously prolonged, have dared on the eve of this general assignment and in view of it to prefer a portion of her note-holders by ex- changing the only valuable portion of her prop- erty remaining in her possession for the Northamp- ton Bank bills held by them and their friends, and thus securing them from loss, while others as justly entitled to the payment of their claims are left to divide among themselves the comparatively value- less portion that remains, all which is in our opin- ion fraudulent and contrary to the act of assembly of 1843, enacted to prevent preferences in deeds of assignment ;

"AND WHEREAS, the assignees are now by the oper- ation of the law above and superior to the power that appointed them, and wholly beyond their con- trol, subject only to the action of the stockholders in joint meeting, and the Court of Common Pleas of the county at its next term; therefore

"Resolved, That the assignees acting as they are for the benefit of all the creditors of this ill- omened institution, and able and willing as we feel they are to discharge their duty without fear favor, or affection, be and they are hereby re- quested to treat the recent transfer of the Mauch Chunk mortgage loan and other similar transfers as if they never had been made, and adopt such legal measures as will bring the matter before the

rectors to make such transfer ...... may be legally investigated.

"Resolved, That the stockholders, in whose in- tegrity we have ever had unbounded confidence, be requested to withhold their approbation from this assignment until it is ascertained beyond a doubt that the assignees in carrying it into effect will adopt such measures as are necessary to test the legality of these obnoxious transfers."

Public opinion became every day more in- censed against John Rice, the president of the ruined bank, for his reported nefarious, and certainly unwise and unfortunate, administra- tion of its affairs. He withdrew from assisting the committee of investigation, refusing to give up certain papers belonging to the institution, and on the 4th of July left town. The assignees, thinking that all was not right, sent the sheriff after him, who overtook him at Coopersburg. He entered into bail in the sum of ten thousand dollars for his appearance at the next term of court. A week later he was burned in effigy on the public square by a crowd of men and boys, so violent had become the feeling of the community.

The committee of thirteen, of whose appoint- ment mention has been made, received the re- port of the investigating committee on July 10, 1843, and four days later made a statement to the stockholders and the public. This report set forth the following facts: The deficiency, ad- mitting the assets in value as they appeared upon the books of the bank, amounted to $263,- 059.11. "Add to this amount." they say, "such assets as are considered worth nothing (but taken in the foregoing as good), $68,990.34, and the loss amounts to $322,049.45. Should to this amount the probable loss of the mortgage loan be added, . . . $66,500 it would swell the de- ficiency to $398,549.45. To this amount is to be added the item of dividends unpaid $6,414.85, contingent fund, $2,419.60, discount and inter -. est $1,750.72, and profit and loss $847.89, amounting together to the enormous deficiency of $409,982.51.

"The committee under these circumstances would respectfully recommend to such of the as- signees as have been approved by the stock- holders to pursue such a course as will speedily bring the fallen institution to a close."

This report was followed upon July 15th by the following resolutions by the directors:

"WHEREAS, it appears from the report of the com- mittee of investigation that John Rice, president of this bank, is a defaulter to a very large amount, and considering him the principal cause of bringing still heavier losses on the institution, by not only neglecting his duty while cashier, for suffering bills discounted to lie over without being protested, whereby the indorser was relieved and the debts

427

ALLENTOWN AS A BOROUGH .- 1811-1867.

lost, but lately, while president, by squandering the funds of the bank and pledging its available assets in the hands of irresponsible stock jobbers and brokers without the assent or knowledge of the board :

"AND WHEREAS, considering the conduct of the said John Rice for several years past in studiously concealing from the Board of Directors the true condition of the bank, while he was deceiving both them, the stockholders, and the public with garbled statements and false representations, is unworthy the further confidence of the board or the counte- nance of an injured community; therefore

"Resolved, That John Rice, president of said in- stitution, be and he is hereby expelled from the board, and that his official functions as president of this bank immediately cease.

"Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be signed by the board, and published in all the papers of the Borough of Allentown.

ABRAHAM NEWHARD,

THOMAS KERN,

HENRY EBNER,

THOMAS B. WILSON,

PETER HOFFMAN, SOLOMON FOGEL,

GEORGE BLANK,

JOHN ROMIG,

Directors."

The failure of the bank was severely felt in the community, some persons losing all their possessions, and very many were severely crip- pled in their business affairs. It was long before the town recovered from the depression follow- ing the failure.

In 1844 the Lehigh Valley Bank was or- ganized, with John Wagner as president, which conducted business until 1847, when its charter was repealed. Moses Y. Beach, of New York, was the capitalist of the concern. In 1852 a bill was passed incorporating the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank, with a capital of $100,000, but it was never organized. In 1851, William H. Blumer, William Kern, and Jesse M. Line organized the banking house of W. H. Blumer & Co. Their place of business was first in the Odd Fellows' building, and afterwards between the Allentown National Bank and the Allen House. The firm carried on business success- fully until 1877, when they failed.

BRIDGES.

Chain Bridge .- The first movement towards establishing a bridge across the Lehigh river at Allentown was the incorporation of a company by an act of assembly, dated March 28, 1797. The commissioners appointed were:

Of Allentown-Peter Rhoads, Henry Hagen- buch, and Thomas Mewhorter.

Of Easton-Peter Ealer.

Of Philadelphia-Wm. Tilghman and George Eddy.

The time limit fixed in the act for the erec- tion of a bridge was ten years, and not having been erected the act became void by limitation.

The next effort was made in 1806, an act having been passed March 28th, and the com-

missioners named were James Greenleaf, Jacob Clader, George Rhoads, John Keiper, George Butz, and Jeremiah Trexler. The time limit was five years, and this effort was also aban- doned.

The third effort was made in 1812, an act having been passed March 2d, and the Lehigh Bridge Company was organized, of which Dr. James Jameson was president, and George Graff, treasurer. Shares of the par value of $50 were issued, and a chain bridge was erected during the next two years at a cost of $15,000, when it was opened for travel.

The bridge was 530 feet long between the abutments, and 32 feet wide, 22 feet above the water. It consisted of two loops and two half- loops, and was suspended by four chains. A fine of $4.00 was imposed for trotting or gal- loping over the bridge. It had a double drive- way until damaged by- fire on March 13, 1828, when an entire section burned, including Dr. Jameson's stable on the middle pier, occasioning a loss of $3,000. It was again damaged during the building of the canal and dam by the canal company, when one of the chains was broken by a large rock from blasting operations near by ; afterward it had a single drive-way. It was swept away by the flood of January 8, 1841.

Wooden Bridge .- After a ferry had been used at this place until the following December, a covered, wooden, toll bridge was erected to take the place of the chain bridge by the Allentown Bridge Co. It was washed away by the flood of January 4, 1862, at midnight.

A temporary frame structure was erected, which continued in use until 1867.

Iron Bridge .- On February 23, 1866, the county commissioners, with their civil engineer, Jesse Samuels, awarded a contract to William Lothrop, of Trenton, N. J., for the erection of an iron truss bridge, and to Solomon Butz for the abutments and piers. They applied to the legislature for authority to increase the loan for that purpose from $80,000 to $100,000. It was completed by the contractors, and accepted by the commissioners February 12, 1867. The cost was $75,367. This was in use until February 28, 1902, when it was swept away by the flood. A temporary wooden structure was put up by June Ist, by the following enterprising citizens : George O. Albright, Andrew S. Keck, Wilson Arbogast, Morris C. Bastian, and Frank H. Hersh for the public accommodation and their efforts in this behalf were highly appreciated. A moderate toll was charged for conveyances ; pedestrians paid one cent. It was 650 feet long and 28 feet wide. Until this structure was erected a ferry was in use.

428

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Hamilton Street Bridge .- A project to bridge the Jordan at Hamilton street was agitated as early as 1787 by the presentation of a petition to the court at Easton, but a strong remon- strance was filed at March sessions, 1788, against it, signed by more than fifty persons, which pre- vented its erection. Among the objections stat- ed were the steepness of the western bank of the creek, and the opening of a public road east- ward from Fifth street, which would cause much damage to adjoining property-holders. Owing to this remonstrance, a bridge was built shortly afterward at Union street, where the public road crossed the creek.

In 1837 a superior and substantial stone bridge was erected at this point, costing $10,593. It was 800 feet long and thirty feet wide and con- sisted of eighteen arches, considered at that time one of the finest bridge structures in the state. The contractor was Daniel Kleckner, of Al- lentown. The expense was chiefly borne by the county and the commissioners then were: Sol- omon Griesemer, Martin Ritter, and John Sher- er. Interested parties contributed $670 towards this necessary public improvement, among whom were Christian Pretz, Solomon Gangwere, and Selfridge and Wilson, who each gave $100, and others gave from $3 to $30.

Three arches at the east end were filled in when the improvements were made at Race street. In 1885, a 15-foot side walk was built along the north side. In 1890, an iron stairway was constructed on the north side, leading to the railroad, being done while the new station was erected by the L. V. R. R. Co. In 1909, a side- walk was added on the south-side.

The fine, superior, stone arches of this bridge, built seventy-seven years ago, are still in a good state of preservation, evidencing the remarkable character of the workmanship in its erection.

The stone bridge at the Lehigh Valley depot, no longer in use, was built at an early date, it is said prior to a bridge at Union street. It ap- pears on the Jarrett map of 1842, on which none at Union street is shown. The stone bridge at Union street, over the Jordan, was built by the county in 1853. It is built with four arches of an oval shape. Daniel Hillegass was the builder. It replaced a frame structure which was held in place by chains, to prevent the high water from carrying it away. Steckel's bridge was built in 1840. It was 110 feet long and twenty feet wide, a frame, covered structure.

Hanover Bridge .- In 1858 a wooden bridge of three spans was erected across the Lehigh river near the Allentown Iron Works in the Sixth ward, by the Hanover and South White- hall Bridge Co. It was a toll bridge and much

used by the Iron company in hauling iron ore from Hanover township. It was swept away by the flood of 1862 and never rebuilt.

FLOODS.

Flood of 1786 .- In the year 1786, there was a flood in the Lehigh river, known in the north- ern end of the county as "Tippy's Freshet," from the fact that the house of a man of that name, including himself, his wife, nad two children were swept away. The children were drowned, but he and his wife were rescued by clinging to the overhanging branches of trees from which they were taken by small boats. No other par- ticulars have been given of it. The water in the river rose at this time to a height of fifteen feet above low water mark.

Flood of 1839 .- An extraordinary flood oc- curred in the Lehigh and Little Lehigh on Sat- urday, Jan. 26, 1839. There was a hard, con- tinuous rain during Friday and Saturday which caused all the streams in the vicinity of Allen- town to rise to unusual heights, and by Saturday afternoon the waters of the river flooded a num- ber of stores along the basin and caused much damage to the goods in the cellars. One of the piers of the bridge was injured, and the flood reached within two feet of the floor.

The Little Lehigh also overflowed its banks from Mertz's tannery to Engelman's tavern. All the land was under water and the bridge across the stream was only two feet above the surface. Nonnemacher and Savitz suffered much dam- age, and great quantities of wood was swept away from brick-kilns, and many unburned bricks were destroyed. Damage was done to Hunter's, Heimbach's, and Weaver's grist-mills, and to Ruhe's tobacco factory.

The dam and stable at Edelman's mills were washed away and the bridge across the creek was so damaged as to make it impassable. The bridges at Klein's and Danner's mills were also injured. Many families along the creek had to leave. Rails, lumber and other property were swept away, and all the bridges were more or less injured.

The Jordan creek was also raised higher than ever known, and the rapidly rising current was so threatening that the people in the valley could barely escape with their lives. The bridges were injured, particularly those at Weida's, in Lowhill, and at Steckel's, near Allentown. Much lumber was swept away and the adjoining prop- erties suffered a great deal of damage. The river rose to 13 feet above low water mark.

During the height of the flood on Saturday afternoon, a distressing accident occurred at the crossing of the Little Lehigh between the two

429

ALLENTOWN AS A BOROUGH .- 1811-1867.

mills, on the road to Emaus. The driver of the Philadelphia mail-coach, Henry Gaumer, was drowned in attempting to reach Allentown. When he reached that point, some persons in the mills warned him of the danger, but he seemed determined to go ahead. The four horses halted part way in the stream; then the passengers were just able to rescue themselves. The driver jumped out to lead the horses, but three of them tore loose and ran back; he seized the remaining horse but this becoming unman- ageable he and the horse were drowned and the stage was swept down the stream a fourth of a mile until it became wedged between trees.

Gaumer was recognized as a brave young man, beloved by all who knew him. He left a widow surviving. His body was found on Sunday morning below the mill and an unusual crowd of people attended his funeral on Monday in the Allentown Cemetery. He was aged 25 years.

Flood of 1841 .- The flood of 1841 reached Allentown on January 8th, and began to sub-

store-houses at the basin have been considerably injured and several of our merchants, in not having their goods removed, have met with heavy losses. A large quantity of lumber, and a number of boats and scows were lost. About 2,000 tons of coal are lost. The navigation dam has but little if any in- jury done to it. The canal has sustained some in- jury.

Mention of this flood is made in the narrative of Catasauqua relating to the Crane Iron Works.

It has been related by old inhabitants of the city that in this flood a canal boat loaded with coal was swept down the river to Allentown, where it lodged on Hamilton street at Second. No persons were on the boat, having been res- cued on the way.

Flood of 1862 .- On Jan. 4, 1862, there was a most remarkable flood in the river at Allen- town, which was described in the newspapers as follows :

"The rain which caused it extended during three days, and the river commenced to swell to an alarming extent in the afternoon and evening of the

ALLENTOWN -1845.

EASTERN VIEW OF ALLENTOWN IN 1845.

side on the 9th. The Lehigh Bulletin of Jan. 23d, that year, contained the following account :

"After the intense cold weather we had the beginning of last week,-on Wednesday and Thurs- day, we had rain with a warm southern wind that brought on a sudden thaw. The river and streams in these parts rose rapidly to an unprecedented height. The Jordan and Little Lehigh appear not to have been as high as the great freshet of 1839. Owing to the immense height of the Big Lehigh, the back-water was several feet higher than two years ago. The Little Lehigh was about three feet higher over Mr. Martz's tan yard, than before. The Jordan ran on the large stone bridge over it.

"The freshet in the Big Lehigh was tremendous. The water was about 20 feet above low-water mark below the dam, and was about 3 feet above the highest point on the Big Island. Such a flood is not recollected by our oldest inhabitants.

"Our excellent bridge over the Big Lehigh, and the toll-house are gone; three frame houses of D. Kleckner, between his tavern and the bridge are gone. The gate-keepers' family have got away but saved nothing of the house. The other families saved more or less, but sustained heavy losses. The

4th. The torrent reached its highest point about 3 a. m. on the 5th and began to subside about 7 a. m.

"Its impetuosity and the great height it attained were not entirely due to the heavy rains but rather to the breaking successively of several immense dams in the upper part of the river. The Allen- town bridge was washed off its piers at midnight of the 4th, causing an estimated loss of $50,000. All the bridges along the river from Mauch Chunk to Easton were swept away, excepting the rail- road bridges at Allentown and Freemansburg, and the bridge at Lehigh Gap.

"The furnaces and rolling-mills here were dam- aged much, and the lumber-yards suffered great losses, including the inhabitants of the lower part of town. Kline's Island was laid entirely bare.

"Several dwellings were made tenantless and two were carried away entirely. Bridges, boats, stables, houses, piles of lumber, logs, and goods of every description within the reach of the water came floating down on the angry torrent.

"Seven persons of this place lost their lives. Three of them were the wife and two children of Herman Laub. One was the son of a lock-tender ; and two were the wife and child of Anthony

430

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Dyer, a canal-boat owner. There were many heroic rescues.

"Property worth millions of dollars was de- stroyed. The loss and damage to property here amounted to more than $200.000.

"The river rose to 20 feet, 6 inches above low water-mark, six inches higher than in the flood of 1841.

"The flood was given its start just below White Haven, by the giving away of a dam; and the breaking of this dam caused the embankment of the Lehigh canal to crumble away, and then, as if by magic, its entire line from White Haven to Mauch Chunk was swept away, including all the locks and dams, (no attempt having since been made to rebuild them).

"Canal boats, with their human occupants, were drawn into the mad waters and hurled along on their turbulent bosom. Many thrilling scenes were witnessed. Lights were occasionally seen flashing on the passing boats, hurriedly, moving from one part to another; and when these boats came in sudden contact with some formidable object, a hor- rible crash would be heard, the flickering lights would vanish, and agonizing shrieks of human voices would be heard, calling for aid.

"At Slatington some men got on the bridge spanning the river there early in the evening to view the horrifying situation while the mad and fascinating waters were rising. Suddenly they re- alized their perilous situation and left the bridge ; but, to their great amazement, just as they got off they heard an awful crash and saw the broken tim- bers floating away."

An interesting description of this flood, as it affected Catasauqua, is given in the narrative of that borough.

Stage Coaches .- The first stage line in North- ampton county was established in September, 1763, by George Klein, whose "stage-wagon," started from the Sun Inn, Bethlehem, on Mon- day morning for Philadelphia, and left the "King of Prussia" tavern, on Race street, for the return trip, on Thursdays.

A notice in the Friedensbote, of Allentown, dated Nov. 18, 1812, read as follows: "The mail stage, winter schedule, leaves every Mon- day and Thursday mornings at 3 o'clock from John Frederick Ruhe's, the sign of the Rain- bow, in Allen street (now Seventh), Northamp- ton, and arrives the same evening at Adam Fluck's, at the sign of the White Swan, in Race street, Philadelphia. It leaves Philadelphia on Tuesday and Friday at 2 o'clock, spends the night at Montgomery Square and arrives in Northampton every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon. Every care will be taken for the convenience of travellers. Henry Ott, Samuel Sellers, George Weaver, William Smith."

The route travelled from Philadelphia to Al- lentown, with the distance from point to point, was as follows:

From the court-house, in Philadelphia

Miles.

To Poole's Bridge, 1/2

Norris'

21/4

Farmhill meeting, 23/4

Rising Sun,

31/2

" Stenton's,

51/4

Germantown Meeting House,

61/4

¥ Mount Airy,

81/2

Scull's,

Ottinger's,

121/2

Francis',

I23/4

White Marsh Church,

131/4

Benjamin Davis,

Baptist Meeting,

231/4

Housekeepers',

251/4

Swamp Meeting,

371/2

Christopher Wagner's,

471/2

Bethlehem,

Allentown,

523/4 58

In 1820 the "Great Northern Line of Stages," advertised the mail stage from Philadelphia, for Bethlehem, Northampton, Nazareth, Wilkes- Barre, Montrose, Owego, Geneva, Ithaca, Can- andaigua, Buffaloe, and Niagara, three times a week, leaving George Yohe's hotel, sign of Gen- eral Washington, No. 6 North Fourth street, and Daniel Lebo's White Swan Inn, 106 Race street, at 4 a. m. The fare to Bethlehem was three dollars, and from Bethlehem to Wilkes- Barre, four dollars. Way passengers were charged six cents per mile.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 81

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1158

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158