History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 81

Author: Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1046

USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 81
USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 81

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).

"On Thursday, 29th January. I left Lancaster on foot, proceeding along the Harri-borg road at a steady pace of about three anles and a half an hour. The weather was remarkably fine, and the road in ex- cellent order. and. wbut was remarkable for the senson, a little dusty About a mile and a half frem Lancaster I passed a turnpike roll-gate. from a little beyond which I got the list view of the streplos of that town, and soon after I crossed a stone bridge over a branch of Conestoga Creek. The road continued fine and the country rich, laid out in large farms, with good dwelling houses of brick and stone and immense barns. Though hill and dale, woods and cultivated forms presented treniselves alternately, yet there was nothing very striking in the scenery.

"The road continued fine nine miles, to a rivu!et called Big Chickey. which I crossed over on an Indian bridge, which is a high tree cut down So as to fall Across the stream from bank to bank, and then its branches lopped off. The banks being bigh, and the bridge long and narrow, my nerves were so discomposed when I reached the middle that I had like to have fallen off, but balancing and tottering. I at length rearbed the end. Two miles farther I had to cross another Indian bridge over Lit- tle Chickey Creek, which I did holdly, without any difficulty, which is one proof of the use of practice and experience.

" The road now hecanie very bad, the turnpike intended from Lancas- tel to Harrisburg not being as yet finished farther The country also is not so highly toiproved as in the neighborboil of Lancaster, the in- habitants still residing ile their original small log houses, though they have generally good and spacious stona barns.

"After four hours' walking I arrived at Elizabethtown, eight-en miles from Lancaster, and stopped at the sign ef Gen. Wayne, where for a five-jenny Vit six cents amil a quarter) I got a bowl of excellent egg punch and a cro-t of bread.

" It is surprising that at so short a distance from Lancaster the nec- Pasaries of life should be at least a third cheaper, which on inquiry I found theoi here. The villige contains about thirty tolerable houses. has a meeting-house and a school, when the master can be got, which 18 not always the case, the place having now been some months vacant, to whom the trustees insure twenty-five scholars, at two dollars each per quarter, which, being only two hundred dollars per annum, I would have supposed insufficient for his support, if at the same time I had not been informed that his board and lodging in the must respectable man- ner will not cost him above eighty dollars a year in this cheap and plen- tiful county.

" After resting about an hour, and not feeling at all fatigued, at half- past four I proceeded for Middletown, eight miles farther, fir : loading one of the barrels of my gun with a running ball, as I hel to pass near where un. Eshelman was robbed and murdere I last fail.

" The road over Conewago Hills was bad, and by the tinte I arrived at the bridge over Conewago freek, three miles from Elizabethtown, my left foot begin to pain joe, an that I was forced to slacken my parp, which made it dark betore I arrived at Swatura d'reck, when the pain had much

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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.

Increased, which was occasioned by my stepping through the ice up to my knees in a run which crossed the road, which the darkness prevented my seeing

" The boat was at the other side of the creek, and the German family at the ferry-house let me kick my heels at the door until I was quite chilled before they invited me in, which old Mrs. Smith dul at last with very badl grace, and she alm ot wolded ine for risking the dropping on ber very dirty floor the spirits of targentine with which I was wetting the feet of my stocking- to prevent my catching cold, a phial of which I carried in my pocket for that purpose.

"In about half an hour, which appeared to me an age, the boat re- turned, and I gladly left the dirty. boorish, inta gitable mansioni, crossed the errek in a canor handed over by a rope extended from bank to bank. seventy yards, and in a few minutes after I found myself in Mirs. Wentz's excellent inn, the sign of Gen. Washington, in Middletown. My foot being much bli-tered I bathed it in cold water, and then injudi- ciously opened the blisters with a lancet and spaneed them with spirits of turpentine. I then got a good -uppet and at excellent ted, but may foot paioed me so much as to prevent my sleeping, wo I rose early, un- refreshed, and breakfasted with my landlady, an agreeable, well-bied ROMAD.

" The view down the Susquehanna from Mrs. Wentz's back piazza is very fine. The town contains about a hundred hunyes, and is well and handsomely situated about half a mile above the condux of watara Creek with Susquehanna River, the former of which forms a good harbor for boats, which it i- in contemplation to join to the schuylkill by a canal, in order to give Philadelphia the benefit of the navigation of the sus- quelamia through it- long course above Middletown. If this is carried into effect, it will draw to Philadelphia a vast quantity of produce which uow goes to Baltimore.

" The Susquehanna is a noble river, here about a mile wide, with fine sloping wooded banks, and abounds with rock-fish, perch, millet, eels, suckers, catfish, and white salmon, which last is described as a fine fi - trem seven to fifteen pounds weight, but a distinct species from the real saluon of Northern rivers. Notwithstanding their plenty. Mrs. Wentz assured me that she was seldom gratified with a dish of fish ; for though there are many poor people in the town and neighborhood who m ght make a good living by fishing, she says they are too lazy to do anything more than will procure them some whiskey, in addition to a misetalde subistence, which a very little labor will suffice for in a country where work is so well paid for, and where the necessaries of life are so abifn- dant and cheap.

" Was it not that the Susquehanna abounds with fills, shallows, and rapids, which impede the navigation, it would be one of the most useful rivers in the world, as its different branches from its different sources embrace a wonderful extent of country, settled or rapidly settling, and abouoding in wheat and maize Indian copo, which most probably will always be staples of the large and B. urishing state of Pennsylvania.

" The road to Harrisburg leads parallel to the Su-queh inua, in svine places close to the river, and never owte distant from it than a quarter of a mile, along a very pleasant level, bounded on the right by a ridge of low but steep wooded kills, approaching and receding at intervals, and affording a fine shelter from the noirtherly winds, to the firmns be- teen them and the river, which perhaps is one reason that the orchards ale >>> Duarerons and so fine in this tract.

" I have rarely seen in any country a road more pleasant that this, either from its own goodness of the richuess aod variety of the prospect. The Susquehanna on the left, about three-quarters of a mime wide, sometimes appearing and sometimes concealed by orchards, groves, or cludips of wood; the fine wooded i-lands in the river; the mountains which terminate the ridge called the south Mountain i which crosses part of Virginia and the southern part of this State) rising abruptly from the margin of the river, in which they are charmingly reflecte 1, altogether form scenery truly drlightinl.

" About three miles below Harii-burg the mountains terminate, and the south bank of the river becomes more varied, though still holly, and here on an elevated promontory, with a commanding view of the river from above Unrristurz to below Muldlet wn, I a large and appa- reutly fine stone house, owned ly Gen. sinipson, who re-bles in :t on his farmi, and is proprietor of a ferry much frequented by the western Was- oners, as the road that way is shorter by two miles than that hy Harris- burg. He farms ont the ferry on his side for about three hundred dal- lire per annum, while on this shle the propri ton rents it at lour hundred and seventy. The value of this ferry, called Chambers', may serve to convey somne idea of the state of traveling in this country. pir- ticularly if one reflects that there are many other well-frequented for- iles where public roads cross the river within thirty miles both above

and below this one, and which are all great aveunes to the Western country.

"When two miles from the ferry I observed a long line of sledla. horses, aten, etc., crowding on the ice, which scene, at that distance, had a curious and picture-que appearance, as the ice was glassy, and in con- sequence they appeared to be moving on the surface of the water, on winch their shadows, inverted and reflected as in a mirror, struck the eye with very grotesque imagery.

" some laborers who were at work in a barn at the ferry-house, and of whom I was asking some questions relative to the country, were much astonished at my double barreled gun, admiring its work and lightness, and calling it a curious creature.

" When within a inile and a half of Harrisburg the white cupola of its conrt-house and the roofs of the hunts of the town are seen peeping over the trees, and have a good effect.

" At one o'clock I entered that town, turning to the left over Paxtang Creek bridge. I stopped at the ferry-house, which w aled a tavern, but appearance of accommodation not being very promising, I continued my walk along the bank of the river, and stopped at another tivern. where I asked if I could have a bed that night. A dirty-looking girl at the stove drawled out that she believed I might. I then asked for some ouilled wine. She said eggs were scarce, and she could not get any. From these symptoms of carelessness I thought it best to try my furtnne a little farther, so putting on my shut-belt and taking my gin I quietly walked out in search of a place of more civil reception, and fortunately I entered Bennett's, the sign of the white horse, fronting the river, at the corner of the principal cross street, which leads to the market-place. I say fortunately, for I found it an excellent, plentiful, and well-frequented house, and Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, two fine girls his daughters by a former wife, and a Mrs. Fisher, an assistant, and appt- rently some relation, all attentive and studious to please.

" After getting some refreshment, I write somte letters and carried theo to the postoffice. The office being shut, the postmaster very civ- illy invited ne into his parlor to settle for the po-tage, where, sering . large map of Pennsylvania. I took the opportunity of tracing my jour- ney, which the postmaster observing, be very politely assisted me in it, pointing out the most proper route. There were some lalies in the room, apparently on a visit, and there was an air of's ciality and refine- meat throughout which was very plea-ing.

" Leaving the postoffice, I walked through the town. It contains about two hundred and fifty house-, most of them very good, some of brick, sobie of stone, and some of wood. The principal street was nearly east and west, and has two small market-houses in the centre, where the street is widened purposely into a small square.

"Parallel to this main street is a street charmingly situated on the bank of the Susquehanna, open to the river .on the side next it nn! tolerably well built on the other, having a wide footway, in some parts ptved, and marked in its whole length by a row of Lombardy poplars regularly planted, which serves also to shade the houses from the scorching raye of the summer's sun. This street, though at present wide enough, has ont been laid out sufficiently so to provide again-t the grulnal encroachment of the river ou its steep gravelly bank of about twenty feet high above the common level of the water. The view from every part of this street is very beautiful, both up and down the river, -abont five miles each way,-termunated upwards by the long ridge of the Blue Mountains, through a gap in which of abont three miles long, which is also open to the view, the river rolls its rapid current, contracted there to less than half a mile. wide, while down- wards the eye rests on the South Mountain, impending over Gen. Simp- sott's house, which in its turn seems to overhang the river from the high promontory on which it is situated Several islands add to the beauty of the view, particularly one on which is a fine farm of nearly one bun- dred arres, just opposite the town.

"The court-hous. is near the market-square on the principal cross street, and is a handsobre, plan brick building of two lofty stories, with a cupola rising from the centre of the roof, remarkable for its vane of copper gilt, representing an Indian chief as large as the life, with a low in bas lett hund and a tomahawk, in the act of cutting, in the right. The house is about seventy feet by fifty, with two small receding wings. The hall for the court is very neat, spacious, and convenient, doors open- ing from it into the record aud prothonotary's offices in the wings. A fue, Psy, doulde staircase leads to the great room over the hall for the courts. This room is how used as a temporary place of worship by the English Presbytenan- outil their own merting-house is finished, which is of brick, and in great forwardness. From each corner of this toom a door opens into the register office, the library, and two jury-round

"There is as yet no other place of public worship in Harrisburg.

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CITY OF HARRISBURG.

except an old wooden house used as such by a congregation of German Untheruns.

"This town, which is now the capital of Damnphin County, was laid out twenty-three years ago by the late proprietor, Mr. Harris, whose father is buried neir the bank of the river, opposite the stone house he lived in, under a large rid mes, which ones during his life concerted and stvedl him from sobre Indians by whom he was juished.

" I observed in the other of a Mr. Ih whey, a magistrate, a newly- invented patent store malo of sheet-inva, consisting of two horizontal parallel cylinders about a foot apart, one over the other and commu- bicating by a pipe ; the upper one is heated by the smok . from the lower, which contains the frel. M. Downey informed nie that it saved much Inel. The patente - lives here.

"On returning to my inn I found there a Mr. W. Porter, of Pittsburgh, just arrived. In the course of the evening he gave me much good in- formation of the Western country, acromepanied by a friendly invitation to call on him at Paste urab should I be retained there potil tus return from Philadelphia, where he was row going. Ile had form rly lived in Harrisburg for some years after his arrival from Ireland, his native country. The joyful eagerness with which anmibers of his old acquaint- ances flocked to Bethett'- to visit him evinced his having been much esteemed and respected.

"On Saturday, 24th, I arose early, but the ferry -boat notleing ready, I partook of an excellent breakfast with my friendly bost and his family, aud at teu o'clock I embarked in a large flat with the Western mail and several passengers and horses. The flat was worked ly nine stunt men with short setting-poles shod and pointed with irou, to break the ice and -tick in the bottom. Only one et or pushed on the upper side, while eight set on the lower side to keep the boat from being forced by the current against the ice, while a tenth steered with a large oar be- hind. A channel for this purpose had been cut through the Ice, and was kept open, as badel wagons could cross the river in a dat with more safety than on the ice.

" In twenty-two minutes we were landed on the western shore of the Susquehanna, in Cumberland County, and I trudged on, my foot paiu- ing me very much, until half-past twelve o'clock, when I stopped at a tavern seven miles from the ferry and got some retre-huients. Here I found a tall, active old man of the name of Jameson, seventy -six years of age, who had crushed the ferry with me, and had afterwards pa-sed me on the road on horseback. He had accompanied his parents from the county Antrim, in Ireland, when only six years old, had resided thirty-six years at Paxtang, near where Ilarrisburg has since been built (where he had been on business,, and had after wards trDioved to a p. rt of Virginia about two hundred miles distant, where he has a large farm and distillery. He insisted on treating me, as he said he liked to en- courage the consumption of whiskey, of which and the telling of old stories he was so found that he appeared to forget he had so long a jour- ney before him until reminded by seeing some travelers pass on horse- hack, whom he hastened to overtake for the sake of their company.

" He did not, however, neglect finishing bis whiskey, which he wwal- lowed with great gout, and on mounting his horse cracked jokes about a buxom widow at whose tavern beyond Carlisle he proposed sleeping that night. Among other stories with which he had entertatied me, he told me the particulars of the massacre of the Indians at Lancaster, and he took a good deal of pride to bimself for having been one of the beroes who had assisted on that memorably disgraceful expedition. In justice, however, to the old niin, I must observe that be related with pleasure that the party he accompanied arrived too late in Lancaster to assist in the carnage."

In 1809. April 3d, the Legislature passed the act authorizing the erection of the Harrisburg bridge ; the capital authorized was four hundred thousand dollars, in twenty thousand shares at twenty dollars per share. Section 1 of the act recites. " The com- missioners shall reserve three thousand shares, which shall be appropriated by the president and directors, and used if the same be found requisite for the pur- pose hereinafter mentioned of vesting therein the moneys to be applied for a -inking fund to free the bridge." The originator. were looking far into the future and providing in their day and generation for the present. Section 2 says "the subscribers shall

have perpetual succession, etc.," under the names, ete., of " the president, directors, and company for erceting a permanent bridge over the river Su-que- hanna at or near the borough of Harrisburg." Sec- tion 7 says the bridge must be erected in fifteen years, and be begun within five years. Section 10 says the property shall be vested in a bond for thirty years after the bridge is completed. The rates of toll al- lowed were: Two-wheeled vehicle with one horse, thirty-two cents; a single horse and rider, eighteen and three-fourths cents; horse or mule without rider, twelve and one-half cent -; foot pa-sengers, six aml one- fourth cents. The section then -ays, " When the tolls shall exceed fifteen per cent. net annual profit. the excess shall compose a fund for the redemption of the -aid bridge, so as to render it free, -ave that there sball always be a small toll or other revenue for the keeping of it in repair: this exce>> shall be laid out in bridge stock, or some other productive funds. and the dividends or annual prodnet shall also be added to this fund; and all private donations for freeing said bridge shall likewise be received and invested in like manner." Section 13 relates entirely to dividends.

The company to construct the bridge wa- chartered July 6, 1812, and organized on the Sth of August fol- lowing. The first foundation stone was laid Der. 2, 1812. In a report of John Downey, the then trea -- urer, made up to July 30. 1813, it is stated that Theo- dore Burr was the contractor for the sum of one hun- dred and eighty thousand dollars, and of that he was to take thirty-five thousand dollars in stock. " the re -- idue to be paid him in proportion a- the work pro- gresses ; he is to find all the materials and to have the bridge completed on the first day of December. 1815." The report further says, " It is with no small degree of satisfaction that the board have it in their power to inform the company that the displeasure ex- pressed by some of the stockholders on account of the site of the bridge being fixed where it is now erecting has nearly -ubsided." The directors were Thoma- Elder, Jacob MI. Haldeman, John Ritscher, George Brenizer, Samuel C. Wie-tling. John Howard, Wil- liam Bryson, George Hoyer, Jacob Boas, Henry Beader, Michael Krehl, John Mytinger. The first toll received by the company was on Oct. 16, 151 ;. The bridge and the toll-houses were completed in 1817, at a total cost of one hundred and ninety-two thousand one hundred and thirty-eight dollars, The total length was two-thirds of a mile : width, forty feet ; and elevation, fifty feet. The bridge running from the island to the Cumberland shore is the original Burr plan, and the only one of the kind in existence. That part between the island and the city was car- ried away by the great freshet of March 15, 1846, and for about eighteen months after, the passage was made by means of a " ferry rope." The rope used was about three inches in diameter, and suspended between the two abutments, supported in the centre by ma-ts on

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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.

the piers. The flats were connected to this rope by two small guy-ropes, and by an ingenious contrivanee were propelled across the stream by the action of the currents. The rope, especially during high water, frequently obstructed the passage of the rafts and arks descending the river, and was finally cut by one of the incen-ed river men with an axe. The bridge was rebuilt in 1847. and burned in the summer of 1866, the present structure taking its place in 1867.

By the act of April 2. ISH, the Governor is au- thorized to subscribe for ninety thousand dollars of stock of the company. By the act of Jan. 17. 1812. the Governor is authorized to issue letter> patent where thirty (in place of one hundre l in original act, shall have subscribed two thousand shares, ete. The act of Jan. 31, 1814, provides for the payment of install- ments on stock sub-cribed for by the Governor, and the i -- ning of certificates, -eleven hundred and twenty-five when each fourth part is paid, -fonr thou- sand five hundred shares. The act of Feb. 10, 1817, provides for the payment of the last installment of twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars, and for rais- ing the rates of toll from thirty-two cents to thirty- seven and one-half cents: for every single horse and rider, from eighteen and three-quarter cents to twenty- five eents. The act of April 14, 1828, repealing so much of the act of April 10, 1826, relative to roads, bridges, ete., in which the State owns stock, be re- pealed. By the act of Feb. 28, 1832, the bridge com- pany is authorized to subscribe thirty-five thousand dollars to the stock of the New Haven and Harris- burg Bridge Turnpike Company, and have the name changed to "The Harrisburg Bridge Company." In the act of April 7, 1840, section 1 authorizes the com- pany to borrow fifty thousand dollars, and to sell seven thousand shares for the purpose of rebuilding the bridge. Section 2 says no share shall be sold for less than one-half of the par value. Section 4 says voting by proxy shall not be allowed. One vote is allowed for every share of stock. " provided no stoekholder shall be entitled to more than one-eighth of the whole number of votes." Section 5 authorizes the Cum- berland Valley Railroad Company to sell, the one to the other, the exclusive right to accommodate common travel, " so far as -aid exclusive right may be vested in either of the said companie -. " The act of Feb. 20, 1867, authorizes the company to conform to modern method- in collecting toll -. The act of April 4, 1867. is in relation to the establishment of a free bridge. and provides for the holding of an election twenty days after the passage of the art. The act of March 2, 1873, provide- a penalty for the carrying of fires and lights over the bridge. When the State decided to dispose of its turnpike, canal, and railroad prop- erty, its stock in the bridge was put up at sale and purchased by James Mc Cormick and Jacob M. Hal- deman. They paid nine thousand dollars for the ninety thousand dollars' worth of shares.

CHAPTER V.

Removal of the Seat of Government to Harrisburg-Act establishing the same-Laying of the Corner-stone of the Capitol-Occupation of the Capitol-Cost of Construction.

THE removal of the seat of State government from Philadelphia began to be agitated at the close of the Revolution. In March, 1787, the Assembly, then a single branch, in obedience to this sentiment, re- solved that Philadelphia was " an unfortunate loca- tion." expressing by votes its determination to build a State house " at Harrisburg, on a plot of ground, the property of the Commonwealth," etc., being four and a half acres, conveyed by John Harris in 1785. Harrisburg was then a town of nearly six hundred inhabitants.

In subsequent sessions, as in 1795, the House voted thirty-six to thirty-four in favor of removing to Car- lisle, Cumberland Co. The Senate did not concur. In 1798 the House again agreed to remove to Wrights- town, York Co., "without delay." The Senate re- fu-ed to concur. Io 1799 the effort in favor of re- moval was crowned with success. Both branches voted to remove to Lancaster, then a town of great importanee, much the most considerable in the inte- rior. Accordingly, in December, 1790, the Legisla- ture met in Lancaster, continning to do so until the spring of 1812, when (in December) the seat of government was removed to Harrisburg, at which point it was voted it should be as early as 1735. The provisions of the Constitution now require that no removal can hereafter be made without the consent of the people at a general election. Very many at- tempts have been made to relocate at Philadelphia sinee 1812, but it is not probable that that location would be acceptable to any considerable section of the State.

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History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 81

Author: Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1046

Author: Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1046