History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 23

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992

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British boxers and French fencing-masters did not succeed, however, in exciting in the Philadelphians' breasts an inordinate fondness for the " ring" or salle d'armes, It is a singular fact that the native Ameri- can, in every part of the Union, though he be ever re.uly to fight his battles with the knife, the pistol, or the rifle, and he may on an emergency strike with his

fist, has never taken kindly to scientifie fisticuffs or the small-sword exercise.

But the Philadelphians were fond of many sports requiring strength or agility, especially out-door sports, Bowls, ten-pins, quoit-throwing, bullets or "long bowls," the shuffle-board, with its heavy weights to be shoved or "shuffled" with a strong hand, guided by a cunning eye, were games which attracted crowds of visitors to the suburban inns and public gardens. A little betting on results may have thrown a spice of gambling in these amusements, but generally they were indulged in merely for the sake of the sport.

The first place of publie resort fitted up on the plan of the public gardens in London was at the Lower Ferry at Schuylkill, known as Gray's Ferry. It was opened to the public shortly after the Revolu- tion, and soon attained a well-merited popularity. Visitors, attracted by the novelty of the thing. were delighted with the tasteful arrangement of the place, where shaded walks, beautiful flowers, and artistie decorations combined to please the eye, while com- fortable boxes afforded places of rest, where refresh- ments of every kind could be obtained. The city poets-the muses have never lacked fervent worship- ers in Philadelphia-grew delirious over the beauties of the place, both natural and artificial, and the Columbian Magazine more than once admitted into its "Poet's Corner" " Verses upon Gray's Ferry," and " Lines" and other poetical effusions inspired by the same. Nor was the attractive resort celebrated by poets ouly, its praise was sung in prose as well. The following passage, clipped from one of these lauda- tory articles, bears evidence to the orderly disposition of the people :

" It is remarkable that public gardens are so little disordered by the concourse of mixed multitudes. The reason of this must be that even rude minds are harmomard by the genius of the place, and are awed into veneration for its bennty. When the pleasure-grounds of the Messrs. Gray were first opened to the public, their friends apprehended vexa- tions mischief from the loss cultivated part of their visitors; but were agreeably disappointed, notwithstanding the novelty of the scene aud that impatience of restraint which, in some degree, is a necessary evil in very fter countries. In this respect, I place elegant gardens among the nurseries of nati mal virtue. The mered page, in conformity with our finer feelings, has laid the scene of man's first innocent and happy existence in a garden, and represents the future mansions of the just under the emblems bf n paradise planted with the trees of Life, and watered by the crystal streams that spring from the throne of God ! A mind accustomed to noble th ughts will frequently rise from Nature to Nature's God, and exclaim, with the poet,-

". 11.1! Sonr e of being !- universal Soul Of heaven and earth ! Essential Presence, hail : Te Thre I bend the knee! To Thee my thoughts Continual climb, who with a master hand Hast the great whole into perfection touched """

Among the amusements prepared for the entertain- ment of visitors were concerts and fire-works,-the latter the most popular at all times with the crowd. On the 4th of July, 1790, the proprietors of Gray's Garden gave a splendid exhibition. The floating bridge was decorated with shrubbery and flowers, and with flags representing all the States in the Union.

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AMUSEMENTS OF THE PHILADELPHIANS.

The ship " Uuion"-a prominent object in the Fede- ral procession of 1789-lay off the gardeus, flying the colors of all nations. At night the " Union" appeared iu a blaze of light, as did also a floating island, with a farm-house and garden. The portraits of the Presi- dents of the United States, and the many statues of heathen deities which decorated the gardens, were illuminated also. Thousands assembled at the ferry to admire the fairy-like scene, and it was pronounced a great success,-the grandest spectacle, in fact, pre- sented since the Federal procession pageant.

At that time Gray's Garden had already a rival in the public favor. This was Harrowgate, in the upper part of the county, where a mineral spring had been discovered, possessing, it was claimed, great medi- cinal virtues. The proprietor, George Esterley, adver- tised his " Medical Waters for Drinking or Bathing," giving the analysis made by Drs. Rush, Mease, and Streble ; but mindful of the comforts of the well as much as of the cure of the ailing, he ended his ad- vertisement with the following inviting promise : "He is determined to keep the best of liquors of all and every kind. Breakfast, dinners, tea, coffee, and fruits of all kinds may be had at the shortest notice, and also excellent accommodations for boarding and lodging," which leads to the belief that brandy and rum did not destroy the virtues of the Harrowgate mineral waters.

The city poets strung up their lyres and forthwith sang the praise of the new Helicon. Harrowgate became subsequently a favorite resort during the pleasant season of the year, less, however, on account of its spring than for the attractions it presented as a public garden. It was a famous place for concerts and exhibitions, and was sometimes called " Vaux- hall." In the summer of 1792, Monsieur Rolong, a famous harpist, appeared here. Messrs. Phill, Schulz, Tremner, Roth, Christhilf, Spangerberg, etc., assisted in an instrumental concert. Transparencies were ex- hibited, illuminated in the Chinese style. Kenna, of the Northern Liberty Theatre, gave a grand concert at Harrowgate, July 4, 1793.

The Wigwam baths, on the banks of the Schuylkill, at the foot of Race Street, were fitted up in 1791 by John Coyle. This establishment boasted of a Bowling Green, two shower-baths and one plunging-bath, but it had other attractions, alluded to by Priest, in his "Travels through the United States," 1793-97, when he says, "One evening, at six o'clock, a party of pleasure went to a tea-garden and tavern romantically situated on the banks of the Schuylkill, famous for serving up coffee in style. On the table there were coffee, cheese, sweet cakes, hung beef, sugar, pickled salmon, butter, crackers, ham, cream, and bread. The ladies all declared it was a most charming relish."

An attempt was made, in 1796, by Bates and Darley, performers at the new theatre, to establish a popular place of resort at Bush Hill. They leased for this purpose Andrew Hamilton's mansion with its fine

gardens, but their plau was not such as to command success, and the attempts to put it in execution proved a failure. By this plan one hundred subscribers, at one hundred dollars each, were declared necessary,- the money to be paid quarterly. The subscribers were to have free tickets to the exhibitions, concerts, and entertainments, and were to be repaid by Bates and Darley in ten years, by annual installments of ten dollars.

If Bates and Darley's scheme proved to be imprac- ticable, their selection of Bush Hill as a place of public resort showed judgment ; for a few years later the mansion and grounds were leased by Lozout & Brown, who established there a public garden, and their venture was quite profitable. J. E. Lozout, who was a pyrotechnist "from France and Germany," gave a fine exhibition of fire-works ou the grounds. It gave so much satisfaction that to gratify the public wish, on the Fourth of July, he gave another grand pyrotechnic display at Richardet's Long-ball Alley, below the new Catholic church, on Fourth Street. The fact that the tickets of admission were sold for one dollar speaks well for the excellence of the entertain- ment and the liberality of the patriotic spectators.

"Louth Hall," kept by John Hyde, on Tenth Street, between Race and Arch Streets, was taken by Louis Fouquet in 1803, and opened as a public gar- den. It soon became famous for its excellent cook- ery and the fine style in which Fouquet served up dinners and banquets. Military companies and other societies gave it the preference for their annual ban- quets. The place enjoyed a deserved popularity dur- ing about teu years ; after that, the cutting through of Cherry Street having spoiled the ground-, the busi- ness declined, and Fouquet gave it up in 1816. The place ceased to be a garden after his retirement.

There were some nurseries and botanic gardens which, being established originally for the cultivation of flowers, trees, and plants, became, in consequence of the elegance of the manner in which they were laid out and the attractions of the gardens and floral splendor, places of resort. Some of them furnished refreshments, edible and potable. Among the former were tea, coffee, milk, relishes, soups, etc. Some of them sold liquors, the most popular of which among those who resorted there were mcad, metheglin, malt beverages, ice cream, etc.

One of the oldest was that of Daniel Engelman, florist and seedsman. He was a Dutchman from Har- lem, Holland, who came to Philadelphia in 1759. At an early period he established his nursery and garden on the north side of Arch Street, between Schuylkill Seventh [Sixteenth] and Schuylkill Eighth | Fif- teenth]. He was still at that place in 1822. After he relinquished it, and about 1826-27, Thomas Smith became proprietor, and opened it as the Labyrinth Garden.

George Honey, formerly clerk to the County Com- missioners, also established a garden at an early

944

HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA.

period. It was quite large, having four hundred and ninety-five feet frontage on Race Street, five hundred and seven on Schuylkill Third, and five hundred and fifty-six on Schuylkill Second. Thomas Birch, gar- dener, was established here as early as 1811. John MacAran, who had been gardener for seven years for William Hamilton, of the Woodlands, and who also had laid out and improved Lemon Hill for Henry Pratt, went into business with him as nurseryman, florist, and seedsman at the beginning of that year. They remained together until 1822. Birch relin- qnished control of the garden about 1824, and it was afterward kept by August D'Arras. It contained about six acres.

Gray's Garden ceased to be a place of public amusement about the end of the eighteenth century, although it continued to receive patronage as a place of refreshment. Its distance from the city was the principal objection to it, and when equally attractive gardens were established at more accessible points its popularity waned and finally disappeared. After the Grays, Joseph Reed kept the garden and ferry until 1803, when Isaac Tucker became the lessce. He was there but one year, and was succeeded by James Coyle, formerly of the Indian Queen Tavern. By that time the garden had ceased to be a place of amusement.

The same causes brought about the decline of Har- rowgate, notwithstanding the virtues of its waters and the musical attractions offered by Gillingham and Ilupfeld in 1810, when they got up a series of enter- tainments on the plan of the celebrated London "Vauxhall." Harrowgate was offered for sale in 1816.

The old Lebanon Garden, at the corner of Tenth and South Streets, is better remembered as a popular tavern than as a place of amusement. It became a favorite resort for old Democrats. Among the events connected with its history are a display of fire-works in 1817. and a bear-roasting on the 4th of March, 1×29, when Gen. Jackson was inaugurated President ; also a Democratic celebration on the Fourth of July, 1832, when a man was fatally injured by the explosion of a cannon.

The old ante-Revolutionary place of resort, Centro- House Garden, on the south side of Market Street, at the southwest corner of Schuylkill Eighth now Fif- teenth 'Street had not entirely lost its popularity at the beamning of the present century. A concert was given there on the 4th of July, Ison, by Messr -. Me Doradl, Wales, and others. In the summer of 150% a Mr. Viserien erected an amplithe itre at the Centre House Garten, and announced that the per- formanees would comeist in fects on the tight-rope. ground aod Laty tumban jote in which he would be the prigeral attpr. T'we building was opened in July 1809 by a Mr Martin, as a "summer theatre." Marlin sent np a balloon on the Fourth of July.

The I ombardy Garden wos appropriated to public h e abont 1500, JE was situated on the west side of

Centre Square and on the north side of Market Street. It occupied the lot now bounded by Market, Filbert, the street formerly called Oak and Merrick [now a portion of Broad Street , and Schuylkill Eighth | now Fifteenth Street . James Garner be- came the occupant, and provided " breakfast, tea, and turtle-soup" for his customers. Summer concerts were also given there. In 1803, Jacob Kraafs was the lessee and gave notice that concerts would be given, "admittance, twenty-five cents, part in re- freshments on the plan of Sadler's Wells." He also changed the name of the place to " The New Sadler's Wells," but in a very short time the old name was resumed. John F. Renault gave a grand exhibition of fire-works in May, 1805. Among other things presented to dazzle the public were figures of Wash- ington and Jefferson. In June, 1811. Charles J. Delacroix, for nine years director of the festivals at Vauxhall, New York, gave two exhibitions of pyro- technic art at Lombardy Garden. In 1819 the prop- erty was advertised to be sold. In May, 1822, An- thony Elton gave notice that he had opened, at the old Lombardy Garden, the Centre Square Hotel.1

As all the young people agree that eating ice-cream is an amusement, Bosio, the Italian confectioner, is entitled to an honorable mention in this chapter, since his " ice-cream house" opened in 1800, in Ger- mantown, " opposite the Spread Eagle," was the first establishment of the kind known to the Philadel- phians. Moreover, Bosio's success induced others to embark in the ice-cream business. Meanwhile greater attention had been given to the cultivation of the strawberry, and it was discovered that the flavor of this fruit combined admirably with that of fresh cream. The lucky possessors of strawberry-patches and milch cows invited the publie to come and par- take of this delicacy, and as no discovery is ever made but it leaves room for improvement, after a time " ice- cream" was substituted for the plain "cream" and strawberries.

Among those " strawberry-gardens" which com- batted successfully against the old places of resort by offering their heated and thirsty visitors some cool- ing, delicious fruit bathed in rich, fresh cream, in- stead of the coarse viands and intoxicating drinks of yore, the following were noted :

In June, 1808, notice was given that Strawberry Hill, beyond the Robin Hood Tavern on Ridge road, was open for the reception of company. It was pro- vided with an abundance of excellent strawberries and cream.

George Esher, in June, 1824, gave notice to the publie that he was prepared to furnish strawberries and cream at his strawberry-garden on Ridge turn- pike, two and a half miles from the city. It is very probable that his place was at Strawberry Hill.

The Pen palvania Railroad depot now occupies the site of this gotden.

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AMUSEMENTS OF THE PHILADELPHIANS.

There is reason to believe that the premises are now in the park, and are known as Strawberry Mansion. Strawberry Hill was originally the country-seat of Commodore John Barry.

Daniel Kochersperger, in 1824-25, apprised the publie that he was ready to furnish them with straw- berries and cream at his farm on Francis Lane (now Fairmount Avenue), between Ridge road and the | occasions these exhibitions were of a rare degree of new penitentiary.

Vincent Chirico gave notiee in April, 1824, that he had opened Washington Garden, at the corner of Hamilton Street, Morrisville, near the water-works at Fairmount, where he was ready to dispose of eakes, fruit, ice-cream, ete. The situation of the garden was probably near the intersection of Ham- ilton and Morris Streets, which is now commonly ealled Callowhill Street, although not in a direct east and west line with that street.

The Moyamensing Botanic Garden, which was es- tablished in 1820 by Alexander Parker, was partieu- larly noted for some box-trees of unusual size which stood near the door. These eurious specimens of luxuriant vegetation and horticultural skill were eut and trimmed with fanciful taste so as to present the appearance of a square base or pedestal, two or three feet high, upon which rested a huge round ball ; above this rose a sort of spire, making altogether a very singular figure. Hundreds of visitors came, year after year, to gaze on these box-trees, wondering how they could preserve the symmetry of their outlines while perceptibly, though slowly, growing larger. The Moyamensing garden was on Prime Street (Love Lane), between Eighth and Eleventh Streets. At that time Ninth and Tenth Streets were not opened as far as Prime Street. When the extension of the city necessitated the farther opening of these streets, it happened that Tenth Street went exactly through the middle of Parker's Garden, leaving the old house just beyond the line of the sidewalk.

Another fine nursery garden was that established on the lot bounded by Filbert, Arch, Schuylkill Fifth [ Eighteenth] and Schuylkill Sixth [Seventeenth] Streets, by John MacAran, already mentioned as having been Birch's partner. MacAran supplied his visitors with strawberries and cream, and fitted out his garden in a very tasteful style. He built a large, high conservatory, in which were displayed large plants and trees, His hot-houses were long, spacious, and convenient to walk through. The out-door flower-beds and the garden, with its little boxes, vines, . and shrubbery, were all arranged in good taste, and with the occasional display of a rare exotic, and.illu- minations with colored lamps on gala evenings, the place commanded a large and profitable attendance. MacAran's garden contained about four acres.

MacAran's had a collection of living birds and animals, and the place became a concert-garden and vaudeville theatre about 1840, and fire-works were exhibited there. A spectacle that never failed to

attract the crowd was a fine representation of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Pyrotechnie exhibitions were always popular in Philadelphia, and at a remote period were the prin- eipal feature in all public celebrations. They were so well received that artifieers found it profitable to give them regularly on a minor scale. On special perfection. Watson's " Annals" contain the following description of the great fire-works exhibited in Sep- tember, 1758, on the Delaware River, in honor of the reduction of Cape Breton by Gen. Amherst : "It represented a eitadel in the centre and on each flank a tower. On shore were other works to represent the French. Then a great exhibition of fire ensued, and the sounds of cannonade, etc. The eitadel ap- proached to storm the works on shore; they sprung a mine and surrendered. Then succeeded rejoicings by a swarm of rockets from the towers, etc. This was certainly a very grand display for so small a community as Philadelphia then was to effect. The truth was, the enterprise of Cape Breton was deemed an American affair of great merit, a thing in which the northern and middle colonies gave themselves great credit."

During the war of independence, when the Cheva- lier de Luzerne, ambassador of France, gave a splen- did night entertainment in honor of the birth of the dauphin of France (poor little Louis XVII., who was destined to die a prisoner, after untold sufferings), the principal feature on that occasion was a brilliant dis- play of fire-works. The pyrotechnist who prepared that exhibition was probably the Frenchman, Jean Laugeay. We find him, in October, 1781, exhibiting " a very grand fire-works, by a girl eleven years old, consisting of two English men-of-war fighting two Amerieans in force, and the battle shall be given to the Americans." In 1782 he gave an exhibition in the State-House yard (price of admission, one dollar), and on the 4th of July, 1787, another grand exhibi- tion at Reade's Centre House, Market Street (admis- sion, 78. 6d.).

Ambroise & Co., "fire-workers, painters, and mech- anicians,"-also French,-erected an amphitheatre in Mulberry Street, between Eighth and Ninth, where they gave regular exhibitions. A grand scene, which they brought ont in September, 1794, and repeated many times afterward, was a representation of the taking of the Bastille, in which the shattering of the drawbridge was depicted with awful fidelity, and balls were " seen issuing from the cannon and musketry." Ambroise & Co. may claim the honor of having been the first to manufacture inflammable gas and exhibit the effect of gas-light in America. In August, 1796, they advertised an exhibition of fire-works, part of which was composed of combustibles in the usual style of pyrotechnics. The other part was composed "of inflammable air, by the assistance of light, as lately practiced in Europe." By this latter means

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HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA.

were " exhibited an Italian parterre," "a picture of the mysteries of Masonry," "a view of a superb country-seat," "a grand portico," etc. There were eight pieces thus exhibited. Another fine exhibition given by these artists was the display of fire-works in February, 1796, in honor of the general peace reign- ing throughout the work at that time. The celebra- tion was gotten up by subscription at Michael Am- broise & Co.'s amphitheatre, in Arch Street, between Eighth and Ninth. There was a grand triumphal arch twenty-six feet in height and twenty feet in width, decorated with pilasters, statues, vascs, baskets, and inscriptions.

The oldest museum that we hear of in Philadelphia was that of Pierre Eugene du Simitiere, which was, at best, but a private collection, temporarily opened to the public. Du Simitiere was a Swiss-French gentleman, of good education, a writer and a painter. He had a decided turn for collecting curiosities, lit- erary or natural. He had lived in New York, and he spoke and wrote English correctly ; he came to Phila- delphia before the Revolution. He wrote a great deal. Five volumes of his curious MSS., with some rare fugi- tive printed papers, are in the Philadelphia Library. Ilis collection of curiosities became so much spoken of that he was frequently importuned by applications for permission to examine it. In 1782 he advertised it as the " American Museum," stating that it was con- stantly increasing, and that he was frequently applied to for an inspection of it; he had, therefore, set apart Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, between the hours of ten and twelve in the morning, and three and four in the afternoon, an hour for each company, not to exceed six in number. His house was in Arch Street, above Fourth. The price of the tickets was half a dollar cach. Du Simitiere afterwards pro- posed to make his museum a permanent public exhi- bition, and he applied for assistance from the com- monwealth to enable him to enlarge his building, but his application was unsuccessful.

In 1784, Charles Wilson Peale opened a museum at his residence, corner of Third and Lombard Streets. Mr. Peale had painted and preserved a large collce- tion of portraits, principally of Revolutionary men ; to this interesting gallery of paintings he added many natural curiosities collected by himself, and he opened his rooms to the public. The exhibition was a success from the first. The collection of portraits was a patriotic enterprise which could not fail to meet with general commendation. It served to pre- serve the features of the heroes who had fought the battles of the republic, or had assisted in saving it by their wise counsels and their examples of disin- terested patriotism. Already many of the originals slept the eternal sleep from which there is no waking, and though their deeds were remembered, posterity could have formed no idea of those faces lighted up by the noblest passion but for the pencil of Charles Wilson Peale.

This indefatigable and zealous artist worked day and night to make his museum an institution of which Philadelphia should be proud. His collection of natural curiosities increased so rapidly that his rooms could no longer contain them. In 1792 he dis- covered a new process for the preservation of beasts and birds, and he applied to the Legislature for assist- anec to enable him to perpetuate the advantages of his valuable discovery, which, he claimed, surpassed any previous process. He had already on several occasions sought to obtain aid from the State, for he held that his museum, though the undertaking of a private individual, was a public benefit.

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History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 23

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 992

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992