History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 84

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 84
USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 84

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" The shert-iron steamboat ' Codorus' paid another visit to Harrisburg on Sunday last, with the members from York County as passengery. The members of the Legislature in general are much pleased with the performance of this boat, ind expres- great satistation with the succes- of the experiment. Froin what we have heard we infer that there w.11 be a Legislative enactment in favor of the enterprising proprietors."- Chronicle, Dec. 5, 1×25.

" STEAMBOATS .- The steamboat ' Susquehanna' lott this place on MIon- day last for York Haven.

" The 'Pioneer' returned to Harrisburg on Wednesday Inst. The nix . chivery of the veysel is out of sufficient power to stem the current of Hunter's Falls.

" The ' Colmio-' is lying at Montgomery's Ferry, about twenty miles above Harrisburg "-ibid., April 3, 1826.

320

HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.

In a letter dated July 14, 1834, addressed to the Secretary of War, Lewis Cass, by Henry K. Strong, of Harrisburg, on behalf of the citizens of Ilarris- burg, relative to opening a steamboat communication between the Chesapeake Bay hy way of the Susque- hanna and the lakes, allusion is made to one of the above-named steamboats, perhaps the "Codorus," as follows :

" Eight years ago a short-iron steamboat, built at York, in this State, was put upon the river, at. ot twelve miles below Harrisburg, and forty from tide-water, and was propelled by steam to the line separating the States of Pennsylvania and New York, uearly two-thirds of the whole distance from the Chesapeake Bay to the lakes. If this was not the first iron-clad steamboat ever constructed, it was the first that ever Ruled upon .Imerican waters."

The editor of the Harrisburg Chronicle, Hugh Ham- ilton, appears to have been somewhat skeptical as to the practical use of these boats, as will be seen by the following extract from that paper :

"The people of Baltimore are in high -points in consequence of the successful trip of the " susquehanna' up the North and West Branches to Danville and Milton. While we think great credit is due to the wu- terprise of the Baltimore Steamboat Company and congratulate them upon the result of the experiment, which hasdemonstrated that a steam- boat can move against the rapids of the River Susquehanna, we retain skeptical as to the practical use of the boats which have visited us, The weight of an engine of sufficient power t. propel the boats op the rap- ids produces ench a draught as must prevent their running unless the water should be at a high stage, and such a stage we have not more than three months of the year,-March, April, and May."

The steamboats continued to visit the borough at short intervals during the continuance of a medium stage of water in the river, until after April, 1826, when one of them, the " Susquehanna," exploded its boiler while making its way through a narrow pas- sage of shoal water in the river at or near Berwick, Columbia Co, which almost totally destroyed it, be- side killing two and severely injuring several of its passengers, among whom was Christian Brobst, men- ber of the Legislature from Columbia County. This accident appears to have dampened the ardor of the proprietors, and shortly afterwards the boats were removed from the river to a more favorable latitude.

The steamboat enterprise was not again renewed on the Susquehanna in this vicinity until the spring of 1857, when a company of citizens purchased and brought here a small side-wheel steamboat that bad formerly been used as a pleasure-boat on the river Delaware at Philadelphia. The boat made frequent excursions on the river during the summer following. but the speculation proving a failure, the stockhohl- ers resold it to its original owners, and in the fall of the year it was returned to Philadelphia.

In this connection we cannot omit the following reference to a correspondence between the citizens of Harrisburg and the War Department on the subject of sloop and steamboat navigation :

On the 20th of September, Is 3, a large and respectalde meeting of the citizens of Harrisburg was held at the court-house in Harrisburg. to take into consideration the propriety of opening a steamboat and sloop communication between the Closapeake Bay and the lakes, by way of the Susquehanna River.

The following were the officers of the merting : Valentine Hummel. Sr., president; Joel Bailey and Henry Bueller, vice-presidente ; Charles C. Rawn and Mordecai MI .Kinney, secretaries.

At this meeting resolutions were passed declaring the project na. tional in its character and advantages, and necessary for national de- fense. A general committee was appointed, from which srlert commit- tres were chosen to diaft an address to the people of the United States: to draft a mumuorial to Congress, and to address the Secretary of War.

On the 17th of October following, Henry Buehler, Esq., from the select committee, published an address to the people of the United States

At the same time, G. W. Harris, Esq,, from the select committee, re- ported a memorial to Congress, which was published, circulated, and signed by a large unmber of citizens in various parts of the country, and seut to that body at its text session. A bill favorable to the project, and making a specific appropriation for a survey, was reported by the In- tertial Improvement Committee in the House of Representatives, but at so late a period in the session that it was not acted upon

On the 25th of July, 1:54, Henry K. Strong, Esq , from the select com- mittee, transmitted an alle and convincing address to Hon. Lewis CaAs, then Secretary of War, in which, after showing the advantages of at sloop and steamboat communication between the Chesapeake Bay and the Lakes, by way of the susquehanna, he inquired, " whether a survey of the route could not be made by an engineer in the service of the gov- ernment during the present summer ?"

In reply, Jolin J. Abert. Lieut -Col. Topographical Engineers, stated that " the department uns fully impressed with the importance of the route described, but the condition and engagements of the office were such that it was nut in its power to attend to the project during the present season."

A few days after the receipt of this intelligence, Mr. Strong again ad- dressed the Secretary of War, repeating a request for the services of an engineer to survey the river ; to which Col. Abert. on behalf of the Sec- retary of War, again replied, stating that " Dr. William Howard, with two assistants, are the engineer, whose services would be placed at the disposal of the parties interested in the maller."

At a meeting of the general committee of the citizens of Harrisburg, held Aug. 16, 1834, the following officers were chosen : Valentine Huin- mel, president ; Mordecai Mckinney. secretary ; Henry Walters, treas- urer. A communication was received from Dr. William Howard, United States engineer, estimating the expense, and making several sugges- tions relative to the proposed improvement, and stating that " by his orders he was entirely under the direction of the committee, and ready to execute any plan of operations which they might determine."

The following gentlemen were then chosen an executive commit- tee : Henry K. Strong, George Mish, Valentine Hummel, Sr., Jacob MI. Haldeman, John C. But her.

The report of Dr. Howard was referred to the executive committee. with instructions to devise a plan of operation for the survey. The pro- ject was ultimately abandoned in consequence, we believe, of the death of Dr. Howard, and the refusal of Congress to extend pecuniary co-ope. ration.

There are many facts connected with the bistory of internal improvements in this locality which it will be impossible within our prescribed limits to do little more than briefly refer to, and we shall present them as they occur to us in this connection. Very few per- sons have any idea of the difficulties of transporta- tion prior to the era of canals and railroads. Eighty- five or ninety years ago it was not an uncommon sight to see as many as five hundred pack-horses pass- ing the ferry here westward, loaded with merehan- dise, salt, iron, etc. The iron was carried on horse- back, being crooked over and around their bodies; barrels or kegs were hung on each side of these. The pack-horses were generally led in divisions of twelve or fifteen horses, carrying about two hundred weight each, going single file, and managed by two men, one going before as the leader, and the other in the rear, to set after the safety of the pack .. Where the bridle road passed along declivities or over hills, the path

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10G N. FRONT ST., HARRISBURG, PA.

RESIDENCE OF THE LATE WILLIAM GALDER,

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CITY OF HARRISBURG.

was in some places washed out so deep that the paeks vania Canal, from Columbia to Pittsburgh, opened up an avenue to trade, and brought prosperity to all the towns on its route. On none had it better effect or burdens came in contact with the ground or other impeding obstacles, and were frequently displaced. However, as the carriers usually traveled in com- | than Middletown and Harrisburg, and the former panies, the packs were soon adjusted, and no great place at one period was destined to retain a su- delay occasioned. The pack-horses were generally premacy in population, enterprise, wealth, and in- fluence. It was a great lumber mart; the Union Canal and its admirable location always made it a rival to the capital city. furnished with bells, which were kept from ringing during the day drive, but were loose at night, when the horses were set free, and permitted to feed and browse. The bells were intended as guides to direct Pennsylvania, as heretofore observed, embarked in to their whereabouts in the morning. When the , the work of constructing her public improvements in wagons were first introduced, the carriers considered that mode of transportation an invasion of their rights. Their indignation was more excited, and they manifested greater rancor than did the regular teamsters when the line of packets or railroad cars came into use about forty years afterwards.

the year 1822, when an act was passed authorizing the construction of the Pennsylvania Canal at the expense of the State. In 1827 the canal commis- sioners were authorized to make examination for a railroad to connect sections of the canal already par- tially connected. In 1828 they were directed to Fifty years ago the currency was eleven-penny- bits, fippenny-bits, and shillings,-eight shillings one dollar. Eight yards of calico at a shilling a yard was one dollar. Goods were marked in this way and groceries sold in the same way. As a general thing families bought articles at the store just as they locate and put under contract a railroad from Phila- delphia through Lancaster to Columbia. Millions of dollars were spent on the canal and railroad improve- ments, the expenditure being made necessary by the completion of the Erie Canal, which was taking the commerce of Philadelphia to New York. In 1832 wanted to use them,-one-quarter of a pound of tea, | portions of the Columbia Railroad were completed two or three pounds of coffee, or five of sugar, and when more was wanted some youngster of the family

and cars were run upon it. In 1834 the entire line, partly canal and partly railroad, between Philadel- was off to the store. Some accounts ran six months, , phia and Pittsburgh was opened to trade and travel. and the merchant made all his purchases twice a year on six months' credit. The goods were pur- chased at Philadelphia or Baltimore, and were brought from thence in large covered wagons, called Conestoga teams, drawn by six horses, sometimes one horse before the other, and all wearing bells upon the collar. These large wagons beld from four to five tons of goods. They were built for regular trans- portation wagons on the great turnpikes of the day. In those early years turnpikes were not the miserable apologies for roads which grand jury after grand jury It consisted of the railroad from Philadelphia to Co- lumbia, eighty. two miles ; the eastern division of the canal, from Columbia to Hollidaysburg, one hundred and seventy-two miles ; the Portage Railroad, from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown, thirty-six miles, and the western division of the canal, from the latter place to Pittsburgh, a distance of one hundred and four miles, making an aggregate length of three hundred and ninety-four miles. Horse-cars were for several years run over the Columbia road, occupying nine hours in traveling eighty-two miles. About 1836 report as nuisances, and all in vain, but they were , locomotives were regularly put at work on the road to the exclusion of horse-power. The cost of the line to the State was nearly fourteen and a half million dol- Tars.

well graded, rounded from the centre to gutters on each side, with all the necessary crossings for water, and most thoroughly macadamized. On these roads no wagon regularly engaged in carrying goods was allowed with tire on the wheels less than four inebes in width. All along the great highway-, at distances of ten and twelve miles, were public-houses,-large two-story frame buildings .- and here the teamsters would stop to feed and water their horses. They car- ried a long feed-box with them. This was placed lengthwise of the tongue and the horses placed on either side. These were the kind of wagons in which goods were hauled from the cities alluded to,-west- ward, to Harrisburg and farther on. What is now Harris Park was constantly filled with these teams, ; open, four-wheel car, similar, though smaller, to the awaiting their turn to ford or to be ferried over the river.

When the Harrisburg and Lancaster road was being located in 1835, much opposition was mani- fosted by the farmers on surveying the road at having their farms "eut up" or divided. The road, however, was partially completed at different points during the following year. In August, 1836, it was finished as far as Middletown, terminating here at Paxtang Street. As cars were soon needed, Messrs. William Calder, Sr., & Co. had a car built by Eben Miltimore at his coach-shop, then located on the corner of Chest- nut Street and River Alley. The car was a plain, present excursion cars of the street railroad now used. When finished it was taken down to the railroad, and a trial trip was made two or three miles down the road with two horses attached to it by a short tow-line.

The business activity of the people sought out new channels; roads were made, attempts at slack-water navigation ventured on, until finally the Pennsyl- ! as the track between the rails could not be used for

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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.

horses. In September, 1836, a locomotive engine was brought from the State road iwhich had been pre- viously constructed) from Columbia on a flat in the eanal and landed at Middletown, from whence it was run to Harrisburg ; and during the time, Saturday and Sunday, excursions were had to Middletown and back about every two hours with the car built by Mr. MFiltimore. The small ear was always crowded. Gov- ernor Ritner, the heads of the State department, and prominent citizens were first treated to a ride. This locomotive was made in England, and was one of the first placed on the State road. It was called the " John Bull," and would be a diminutive novelty now. It was a small, black affair with two driving- wheels, the piston connected in-ide of the wheel. The first locomotives put on the Harrisburg and Lan- caster road were built by Matthew Baldwin, of Phila- delphia, and were named after the three or four principal towns along the road. They had but two driving-wheels, with the crank and piston inside ; and were used for both freight and passengers.

The next engines purchased were two built by Messrs. Norris & Sons, of Philadelphia, and were used for hauling freight trains. They were named Henry Clay and David R. Porter, were heavier and lower than the first ones, having but two driving-wheels, with the piston connected to the driving-wheels on the outside, as they are now constructed.

The road was not fully completed until some time in 1838, owing to the slow work on the tunnel near Elizabethtown. During its construction the pas-en- . gers were conveyed around in stage-coaches. The Cumberland Valley Railroad was completed about the year 1837, except the erection of the bridge over the river. The first locomotives for that road were brought from Columbia on the canal, and landed on the wharf at Second and Vine Streets, from thence hauled over the Market Street bridge by six farm- horses. Bells were first used on the locomotives ; the first brought here for the Cumberland Valley Rail- road had whistles.

Several abortive attempts were made towards the construction of a through railroad from the Ohio to the Delaware, but it was not until 1846 that the pro- ject assumed tangible shape by the incorporation of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The charter was granted on Feb. 25, 1847, and the law granting to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad the right of way to Pittsburgh was abrogated in August following. Mr. J. Edgar Thomson prosecuted the work of building the road from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh with energy.

On Sept. 1. 1849, the first division, from Harrisburg to Lewistown, a distance of sixty-one miles, was , opened to travel. A year later the line was opened to the Mountain House, one mile east of Hollidays- burg, and on the 10th of December, 1852, cars were run through from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, connee- tions between the eastern and western divisions being formed by the use of the Portage (State) road over the

mountains. The Pennsylvania Company's road over the mountains was opened early in 1854. In 1857, after a long discussion, a law for the sale of the State works was passed, and the Pennsylvania Railroad became the purchaser of the main line, and was thereby released from the payment of tonnage, freight, and certain other specified taxes. The section of the law releasing the company from the payment of taxes was decided by the Supreme Court to be unconstitu - tional, and in 1861 an act was passed "for the com- mutation of the tonnage tax."

During the years immediately following the com- pletion of the road it was greatly improved, the tracks doubled, other fines leased or bought, depots and ex- tensions built, and more recently almost the entire line has been relaid with steel rails, the line straight- ened and regraded. During the war the Pennsyl- vania Railroad was largely used for the transporta- tion of troops and supplies, and its president, Col. Scott, was charged by the government with the special duty of furnishing transportation for large bodies of troops and immense quantities of army supplies.

Twenty-five years ago the Pennsylvania Railroad was but a link between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, extending from Harrisburg to the latter city; now it has its eastern termini at New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, and unites them by its own direet lines with Pittsburgh, Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Louisville, and St. Louis.

The railroads which centre at Harrisburg or pass through are as follows :

Cumberland Valley, connecting southward with the Valley of Virginia.

Pennsylvania, connecting the mighty West with the Atlantic seabord.

Northern Centrul, to Washington City southward, Sunbury and Erie north and west.

Lebanon Valley, connecting with the numerous ramifications of the Philadelphia and Reading Rail- road.

Dauphin and Susquehanna, to Dauphin, through Stony Creek Valley to the anthracite coal regions.

Steelton Branch of the Philadelphia and Reading.

Several railroads are projected, two great trunk lines, which will largely add to the growth and pros- perity of Harrisburg. The great southern line from Boston and Poughkeepsie through Harrisburg to the South and the Vanderbilt road promise advan- tages and facilities unsurpassed by any city in the Union.

CHAPTER VIII.

Prosperity of Harrisburg-Additions-Incorporated as a City-Visit or the Prince of Wales-The War for the Union-The Railroad Riots of 1877.

THE completion of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the absolute necessity for erecting a round-house and repair buildings at the then end of the road added a

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CITY OF HARRISBURG.

new impetus to the growth of the borough. The several years in consequence of the swampy condition enterprise of one individual alone is so deserving of honorable mention in this record that historic accu- racy demands it.

In 1857, William K. Verbeke purchased in the borough of Harrisburg the block of ground fronting on Short and South Streets, and extending from Young's Alley to Curtis' Alley (now Angle Avenue), upon which were erected some twenty or thirty huts, principally occupied by colored people. This ground Mr. Verbeke wished to lay out in building lots, and in order not to distress those persons who had their homes upon the leased ground, he bought of Messrs. Miller and Fernley ten acres of land in susquehanna township, situated some distance above the borough line, on the west side of the "State-House Lane," adjoining property of Dr. Reily on the north, Mrs. William Reily on the west, and of Robert Gillmor on the south, and offered to sell them lots and remove their buildings thereto upon the payment of a dollar a week, as many were laborers or at service, which sum they could conveniently pay out of their wages, and thus become owners of the property. To this proposition they all gladly consented, and when the frail buildings were being pulled down, and being asked what they were doing, would reply. " We are going to put up our houses in Verbeketown." This was the way Verbeketown first obtained a "local habitation and a name." Independently of this Mr. Verbeke saw there was great need in Harrisburg of cheap lots for the moderately circumstanced. the la- borer and mechanic, and he therefore laid out the lots small, and put the price very low, as an inducement to buy and locate. He also set to work to improve the locality, as the land was wet and boggy, a water- course passing through the centre of it, and at time> when a heavy rain set in the whole place was entirely covered with water. In old times this was the u-ual condition of things, and it received the name of " Lake Harry," where some of our oldest inhabitants were ac- customed to go to shoot ducks. It became necessary therefore to have the ditch newly dug, which was done, extending the sewer at North Street.

The streets laid out were filled up with gravel and cinders nicely graded to afford facilities for ingress and egress. A cinder walk was laid from North Street to the ground. While this was being done many per- sons were buying lots and paying their dollar install- ment. and in less than a month one hundred and twenty were disposed of. To induce people to locate MIr. Verbeke had two good houses erected, one on Wil- liam Street and the other on Fulton Street, which he sold to persons without any means, never expecting they would ever be able to pay for them, so as to get them inhabited, and upon the same terms of one dol- lar a week. Two wells were dug, one on William Street and one on Susquehanna Street, the water of the former running over the top and formning a mod- erately-sized rivulet, which continued running for : divided into five hundred lots, and the total expendi-

of the ground in that neighborhood. To facilitate building up the place Mr. Verbeke bought a number of rafts at the river, and commenced the erection of rough houses for those who desired it. In this way. perhaps, a hundred small houses sprung up as if by magic. But as the frogs piped by night, an abund- ance of water-privilege- had, and it was the poor who took up their abode there, the people of the borough derisively spoke of it as "Warbecktown." though through the great improvements which have taken place since that locality is looked upon as a marvel of prosperity and energy. This land cust two hundred and sixty dollars per aere, and in consequence of these rapid improvements ten acres of land in the immediate vicinity, owned by Nicholas Reamshart, in the month of July -old for one thousand dollars per acre. About the same time Mr. Verbeke bought three acres of Jacob Shaffner for three hundred and thirty-three dol- lars per acre, which was laid out to conform to the other, making the same improvements upon it, and selling upon the same terins.

The plan of Mr. Verbeke being so successful, in April, 1858. he purchased the adjoining farm of twenty aeres of Robert Gillmor, at six hundred dollar per acre. This land was very unfavorable for building purposes. The eastern portion was low and wet, and the western part was full of hills and depressions. Mr. Verbeke considered that if the streets and alleys were graded the lots would sell at once, and if laid out larger interest could be charged, which would be a full return for the expenditure of grading. The sum expended in grading the land bought of Mr. Gillmor, which extended from Fulton to Front Streets, and from Sayford Alley to the lower line of Charles and Hay Alleys, was four thousand dollars. Verbeke Street, or, as it is erroneonsly called, Broad Street, runs through the middle of this piece of land. The proprietor, in order to favor the people buying of him, erected a two-story frame school-house at the corner of William and Verbeke Streets. thirty feet square. which was supplied with teachers by the township school directors; reserved a large plot of ground, fifty by eight hundred feet, in the centre of Verbeke Street, from Third to Fulton, for a market- house, and donated lots to the Methodist and Church of God congregations for churches and parsonage. This piece of land was also being rapidly dispo-ed of, and purchasers selling again obtained large profits. As an instance of this, three lots at the corner of Third and Verbeke Streets were sold originally for six hundred and seventy-five dollars, resold for two thousand five hundred dollars, afterwards divided into smaller pieces, and brought ten thon-and dollars. A few years later Mr. Verbeke added several aeres, from Susquehanna to Front and adjoining the Gill- mor tract, which he purchased of JJohn Shannon at fifteen hundred dollars per acre. All the land was

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History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 84

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