Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Part 14

Author: Wilson, Erasmus, 1842-1922; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926. cn
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : H.R. Cornell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1192

USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania > Part 14

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In 1826 ejectment suits were instituted against the city by Messrs. How- ell for a piece of ground lying along the Monongahela, claimed under an assignment from the Penns, and the Select and Common Councils employed Richard Biddle to protect the interests of the city and appropriated $200 as a retainer. This famous batture case, involving the title to a large tract on the Monongahela River front, was finally decided by the Supreme Court, in March, 1832, in favor of the city, Judge McKean delivering the opinion and reversing the Circuit Court. Messrs. Wilkins and Sargeant were the opposing counsel and Mr. Denny assisted Mr. Wilkins (r).

In November, 1826, the street commissioner finished, at a cost of about $1,200, an extension to the steamboat wharf on the Monongahela from the lower end of Market Street landing to the lower end of Ferry Street landing.

(p) Federal Gazette (Baltimore), September, 1823.

(q) Niles Register, May 22, 1824.

CHAPTER VI.

TRANSPORTATION CONTINUED-THE FIRST BRIDGES-LATER BRIDGES AT MECHAN- IC'S STREET, HAND STREET, SOHO, SHARPSBURG-THE CANAL AQUEDUCT-THE SUSPENSION AND THE TRIPARTITE BRIDGES - THEIR VALUE- THE PENN- SYLVANIA CANAL -- THE TUNNEL THROUGH GRANT'S HILL-INCIDENTS CONCERNING THE CANAL-SALE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS-RECENT BRIDGES-LOCK NAVIGATION ON THE MONONGAHELA-STA- TISTICS-EARLY RAILWAY PROJECTS- LEGISLATION-

ADVENT OF THE RAILWAYS-SUBSCRIPTIONS OF STOCK THERETO -- REPUDIATION OF THE BONDS- INCIDENTS, OBSERVATIONS AND STATISTICS.

In the year 1810 a bill was introduced in the State Legislature providing for the construction of two bridges at Pittsburg-one over the Monongahela and one over the Allegheny, and an estimate of the probable cost of such a structure was made by Judge Findley. It was calculated by him that the 1,200 feet of river would require chains of 1,540 feet, and four such chains of inch and a half square iron bar, weighing sixty-four pounds to the foot, with some excess, would amount to $8,800; smith work would cost $3,080; a bridge thirty feet wide would require $900 worth of plank; three piers would cost $15,000; other expense, $1,050; right to use certain patents, $1,200; putting together, $1,296; incidentals, $1,000; total, $32,326. James O'Hara, William McCandless, David Evans, Ephraim Pentland, Jacob Beltzhoover, Adamson Tannehill, Thomas Cromwell, Thomas Enochs and Dr. George Stevenson were the commissioners appointed to open books for the subscription of stock in the Monongahela bridge. John Wilkins, James Robin- son, Nathaniel Irish, George Shiras, George Robinson, Isaac Craig, James Irvin, John Johnston and James Riddle were authorized to open books for the subscrip- tion of stock in the Allegheny bridge (a). Probably owing to the war of 1812, the bridges were not built at that time and in 1816 (b) the law was reenacted, and the Governor, on behalf of the State, was authorized to take 1,600 shares of stock in each bridge. The law specified that one was to be built over the Monongahela at Smithfield Street and one over the Allegheny at St. Clair Street. William Wil- kins, James Ross, Thomas Baird, John Thaw, David Pride, Philip Gilland, Oliver Ormsby, Christian Latshaw, Jacob Beltzhoover, James Brison and Samuel Douglass were the commissioners for the Monongahela bridge, and William Robinson, Jr., Thomas Cromwell, William Hayes, James O'Hara, George Shiras, William Anderson, James Adams, Robert Campbell and others were the com- missioners for the Allegheny bridge.

The last installment of stock for the Monongahela bridge was called for by the treasurer, John Shaw, to be paid May 15, 1818. The first arch was laid on the piers on Saturday, June 20, 1818 (c). It was rapidly built, when'once begun, and rested on two abutments and seven intermediate piers of stone. It was constructed of wood and iron, with the catenarian curve of arches, the contract price being $110,000. As if to favor the contractor, the weather during the fall was excellent.

(a) Act of March 19, 1810.

(b) Act of February 17, 1816.

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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

"The beautiful bridge over the Monongahela has nearly reached the north- ern shore; it will probably be crossed before Christmas. The one over the Alle- gheny is not so far advanced, but yet enough is done to insure its completion. Pittsburg will then exhibit what no American city or town has ever yet done- two splendid bridges over two mighty streams, within 400 yards of each other" (d).

"On Saturday (November 21, 1818) the last arch of the Monongahela being completed, and the whole floored, the undertakers and builders announced the pleasing event by the discharge of cannon from the middle pier and the display of the United States flag waving over the central arch, having attached to its staff a beautiful banner with appropriate representations. The City Guards and the new company of Washington Guards from Birmingham, heralded on their respective sides of the river, marched across and fired salutes. In the after- noon the workmen sat down to a substantial dinner, at which Mr. Johnston, the meritorious undertaker and superintendent, presided. The following toasts were drunk:

I. The State of Pennsylvania-the First in the Union for the Number and Beauty of Its Bridges. 2. The Legislature of Pennsylvania-Their Liberty Has Kept Bright the Hammer and the Axes of the Bridge-Builder. 3. The Governor. 4. The President of the United States-May the Route of His Next Tour be Entirely Bridged. 5. The Sixteenth Congress. 6. Henry Baldwin-Above High Water Mark. 7. Walter Lowrie. 8. The President of the Monongahela Bridge Company-Distinguished for His Public Spirit. 9. The Managers and Company-May Their Success Equal Their Enterprise. Volunteer by one of the managers: The Undertakers and Builders of the Monongahela Bridge-Their Success Has Equaled Their Enterprise."

November 26, 1818, John Shaw, treasurer of the Monongahela Bridge Com- pany called a meeting of the managers to appoint a gatekeeper to receive the toll, as follows: Foot passengers, 2 cents; vehicles of four wheels and six horses, 623 cents; vehicles of two horses, 25 cents; vehicles of one horse, 20 cents; horse and rider, 6 cents; horse alone, 6 cents; each head of cattle, 3 cents; each head of sheep, 2 cents.

The first three installments of stock of the Allegheny Bridge Company were called for by the treasurer, Alexander Johnston, Jr., to be paid on or before Jan- uary 4, 1818, or suit would be brought for the amounts. By October 5, 1818, the last arch of the Allegheny bridge had been laid. Mr. Johnson was the builder, and Mr. Stacker the mason contractor.

"We are delighted to find the Allegheny bridge has been commenced. Although a bridge over this river may not be more important to Pittsburg than the one over the Monongahela, when viewed merely as affording a facility of crossing a wide stream, yet in another point of view it will be truly useful. Pittsburg, owing to the limited space left for a city by the two hills and the two rivers, has been laid off on a most contracted plan. The inconveniences of some . of our narrow streets have, from the great increase of our population, become very seriously felt during the hot months of summer. The handsome, healthy plain surrounded by many fine situations for seats on which the town of Alle- gheny is situated will by the means of this bridge become a part of Pittsburg, and will, of course, present an opportunity for our city population to spread themselves more without detriment to their business or inconvenience to their families. This bridge will, in our opinion, have also an important effect on the country northwest of the Allegheny River, in an agricultural point of view, by bringing its inhabitants much nearer in fact to market. This river, although

(d) Gazette, November 24, 1818.

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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

much narrower than the Monongahela, is much more difficult to cross, owing to its extreme rapidity. In the winter and spring seasons it is frequently impass- able for days together, owing to ice and high water. These inconveniences will in a short time be remedied, and the two shores connected by a splendid street" (e).

The State held $40,000 worth of stock in the Monongahela bridge, and was required to assist in repairing the damage caused by the falling of the span in 1831-2.

In March, 1836, an act was passed to incorporate a company to build a bridge over the Allegheny River at Mechanic's Street, and another act passed the same year incorporated a company to build a bridge over the Allegheny at Hand Street. Each company was authorized to issue 1,200 shares of $50 each. Work on both bridges was at once commenced. In 1837 a company was incor- porated to build a bridge over the Monongahela at Birmingham, and to construct a turnpike therefrom to the Coal Hill Turnpike. It was specified that 3,000 shares of $25 each should be issued.

In December, 1837, the Allegheny, or St. Clair Street, bridge was lighted with gas for the first time, and the improvement was commented upon by the newspapers. J. Tassey, R. Gray and S. Lothrop were the building committee of the Hand Street bridge. This bridge and the Mechanic's Street bridge in Northern Liberties were erected in 1837-8. This gave the cities four bridges over the Allegheny, counting the canal aqueduct as one: St. Clair Street or Allegheny, Hand Street, Mechanic's Street; also one over the Monongahela at Smithfield Street and another projected over the same river at Soho or Bir- mingham. In 1838 an act was passed to build another over the Allegheny River at Sharpsburg. Not having been done by 1843, the act was extended for another five years.

The new bridge from Hand Street across the Allegheny to Cedar Street was finished and opened May 29, 1840. It was 1,027 feet and 3 inches long and 42 feet wide. On each side were walks six feet wide for foot passengers, and on top was a walk twelve feet wide, with hand-railing and lattice-work. There were two abutments and four piers. It cost $70,000, and was built by Sylvanus Lothrop and others, who also built the aqueduct here and at Freeport.

In May, 1840, the act authorizing the building of the bridge at Soho was extended for another period of three years, no commencement having yet been made.

In 1846 the Councils of Allegheny appointed a joint committee to confer with the officers of the bridges at Hand Street, St. Clair Street and in the Fifth Ward to ascertain upon what terms such bridges would be sold to the cities, with the view of their being made free. In this year an act was passed constitut- ing the District Court of Allegheny County sole arbiter to determine whether the Allegheny bridge, under the law of 1810 and its supplements, should be made free. The result was a lawsuit of long continuance, a thorough over- hauling of the accounts of the bridge company, and the employment of the ablest lawyers of the city on both sides, among whom were Messrs. Loomis and Stanton. The bridge was not made free.

The great fire of 1845 destroyed the Monongahela bridge at Smithfield Street, and in 1845-6 a splendid suspension bridge was built there by Mr. Roeb- ling to take its place. Early in 1846 the bridge was opened to the passage of the public, prematurely, owing to the fact that, as the river was then impassable to the ferryboats from the large quantity of floating ice, neither individuals nor teams could cross. The bridge was accordingly thrown open. In November,

(e) Gazette, 1818.

le Brunot.

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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

1848, the St. Clair Street bridge was repainted, greatly improved and "made as good as new," and in January, 1849, was made free to ladies.

An important project in 1846 was to span the rivers at their junction to form the Ohio with a tripartite bridge, "starting from the Point at the confluence of the two rivers, spanning with one trunk half the breadth of the confluent streams and diverging on the breast of the bar into two trunks, spanning also the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers " A company was formed and chartered by the Legislature, and stock subscriptions were called for, one gentleman putting his name down for $50,000. The structure was designed to cost $300,000, though but 500 shares of $500 each were authorized. Rivermen and their friends com- bated the project upon the ground that it would result in an obstruction to the navigation of the rivers. A resolution favoring the construction of this bridge passed the Pittsburg Select Council by a majority of one and the Common Council by a majority of two. An opposing resolution was passed by the minor- ity in both councils. It was freely predicted that the necessary subscription could not and would not be raised. Whether this was the cause of the failure of the enterprise, or whether the numerous railroads then projected usurped public attention and thus smothered interest in the tripartite bridge, would be difficult to state; at any rate, neither the necessary stock was subscribed nor was the bridge built.

In 1851 the act for building a bridge over the Monongahela at Birming- ham was revived, but in 1853 was repealed, and a new corporation, known as the Birmingham and Pittsburg Bridge Company was authorized to construct a bridge at Soho. The Sharpsburg bridge project, which had languished so long, was put in operation in 1855, and on September 27, 1856, the bridge was thrown open to the public. Its construction at this time was due to the Lawrenceville and Sharpsburg Plank Road Company. In 1859 the old Allegheny bridge was de- molished and a splendid new one was commenced by John J. Roebling. In 1855 the Pittsburg Bridge Company was incorporated and authorized to build a bridge over the Monongahela at the foot of Liberty Street, among the incorporators being E. J. Brooke, James Wood, Christian Zug, Caleb Foster and Clarence Shaler. It was provided that the bridge should be built ninety feet above low water mark, and that the span under which steamboats must pass should not be less than 300 feet in length.

The extraordinary success of the Erie Canal and the probability that it would rob Pittsburg, and all of Pennsylvania, in fact, of a valuable carrying trade, to say nothing of depriving the State of a large share of the trade of the great West, were the primary causes of the action of the State to enter upon an exten- sive system of internal improvements, among which was an elaborate plan for canals. The Governor's message to the Legislature on December 3, 1818, announced in detail the contemplated scheme for public improvement. Among other things, he said the plan to connect the Ohio River and the Great Lakes with the tidewater of the Delaware had often been suggested and by many 'was believed practicable; that the Susquehanna and the Allegheny could be thus connected by four routes: I. By the Juniata and Conemaugh. 2. By the Sinne- mahoning and Toby's Creek. 3. By the north branch of the Sinnemahoning and Potato Creek. 4. By Pine Creek. Besides these, the Great Lakes could be reached by the Allegheny River and French Creek, or by Chetauque Lake and Conewango Creek; that the Kentucky and Ohio Canal Company (at the falls of the Ohio) had reserved 500 shares of its stock for each of the States, Pennsyl- vania, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, and for the United States Government, and ended by recommending that the State should take suitable action in the pre- mises.

"Another plan is on foot in that hotbed of projects, Cincinnati, which we

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honestly confess adds another item to the amount of our present uneasiness, and this is a canal from the lakes either into the Ohio or the great Miami. We are aware that a hundred tongues will immediately exclaim, 'This is idle; the people of Cincinnati are going to the devil; they cannot pay their Eastern debt, and their present rag currency will end in utter quin' " (f).

Pittsburg brought great pressure to bear to secure the canal. The news- papers here and the leading citizens fought hard for this coveted line of inter- communication. It was pointed out a hundred times how the Erie Canal would rob Pittsburg of the trade of the West, and the consequences to Philadelphia were forced upon the attention of the conservative citizens of that city in scores of pointed appeals. It was not the fault of Pittsburg that the canal was not ready for operation in 1819 instead of 1829.

"If the canal be opened by a fictitious capital a boat will float upon it as safely as if it were finished by the treasury notes of the United States, although bearing an interest of 5 per cent. Let individual bankruptcy occur, the property will only change masters, and these great establishments will be as important and as lucrative when bought at sheriff's sale as when in the hands of the original proprietors, although they may have cost millions in the construction" (g).

The great success of the Erie Canal when once put in operation caused the friends of the measure in this State to redouble their efforts. In 1820, though but partly finished, the Erie Canal tolls amounted to $5,473.34. So prodigious became its business, it was announced in 1830 that the tolls had reached $1,056,- 921.12. In 1841 they almost doubled the latter figure. It was completed in 1825, and its unqualified success gave a great impetus to canal building throughout the world. It paid large dividends, and the value of its stock went soaring. Then it was that this State was bitterly reproached by the press and citizens of Pitts- burg for its apathy and shortsightedness-its total blindness to the highest inter- ests of its citizens. It is difficult to describe the despair which took possession of all classes here when contemplating the neglect of the State governinent to parallel the action of New York with a canal line from east to west across this State. It was fervently believed by the majority that the trade of Ohio, Ken- tucky, Indiana and the lake country was permanently lost to this state-wrested from her by the more enterprising citizens of New York. So great became the demand for all sorts of canal stock in New York city, that when the Morris Canal and Banking Company was organized, and its stock placed on the market, fully $20,000,000 was subscribed where but $1,000,000 was for sale. Men stood waiting in line for days and desperate fighting ensued to secure front places.

By act of March 27, 1824, three commisioners were appointed to explore the proposed routes for a canal from the Susquehanna to the Allegheny; but the act of April II, 1825, repealed this law and appointed five commissioners to con- sider making a navigable communication between various points in the State, among which was one between the Susquehanna and the Allegheny Rivers. Actual operations on the Pittsburg canal project were first begun under act of February 25, 1826; but it remained for 1827 to witness the passage of the general canal law of the State.

Previous to this a canal convention was held at Washington, D. C., Novem- ber 6, 1823, on which occasion the western portion of the State was repre- sented by Harmar Denny and James S. Craft. Another convention was held in 1826, at which time the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal engrossed the principal attention of the assemblage.

At a public meeting of the citizens of Pittsburg, held in January, 1827, a committee of three delegates, James Riddle, Henry Baldwin and Walter For-

(f) Gazette, July 22, 1819. (g) Gazette, January 22, 1819.

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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

ward, was appointed to represent the interests of Pittsburg at Harrisburg in regard to the location of the western section of the Pennsylvania Canal. It is probable that Pittsburg had never before been so united as it was on this subject. A permanent canal committee had been appointed at a public meeting of the citizens to watch and stimulate the progress of events. The probable connection of Pittsburg with Philadelphia and Baltimore by canal and with all the West by improved river navigation opened up a delightful prospect for the contemplation of all Pittsburgers.

The canal law had no sooner passed the Legislature than active steps were taken to carry its measures into effect. Surveyors were sent over the proposed routes, committeees of the Legislature made careful examinations and exhaustive reports, and the entire line from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, besides many others, was accurately surveyed and described by the engineers. A disagreement oc- curred among the latter. William Strickland and D. B. Douglass, two of the engineers, reported that on the western division of the canal the route on the west side of the Allegheny River was much more practicable than the one on the east side, owing to an absence of bluffs which lined the latter. Nathan S. Roberts, the third engineer, reported adversely to the other two in many impor- tant particulars. It was found difficult, also, to get releases of land, especially through Pittsburg, on which to extend the canal. Late in 1826, and therefore previous to the passage of the principal law, the western branch of the canal was almost wholly under provisional contract.

The State by enactment permitted the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to extend a branch, or the main line, northward to Pittsburg. In January, 1827, Ohio incorporated the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal, popularly called the "Crosscut Canal," which was designed to extend the Pennsylvania Canal from Pittsburg westward into Ohio to tap the Ohio and Erie Canal and secure the trade of Ohio and Kentucky through Pennsylvania. This canal was incorporated by this State April 14, 1827.

Next to the existence of the canal itself, the most important question was on what route through the city of Pittsburg should the canal be run. One plan was to extend it down Liberty and Penn streets, another down Smithfield, and another in a tunnel through Grant's Hill, the objective point being the mouth of Suke's Run. The tunnel route was finally selected, and the contract for its construction was given out.

"Be it resolved by the Select and Common Councils, That the Board of Canal Commisioners be respectfully but earnestly requested to adopt the latter route (tunnel line ending at the mouth of Suke's Run), and in that event the faith and funds of the city be pledged; that the expense of making the canal, tun- nel and bridges according to the report of the engineer, including damages to private property, as well as all other attendant expenses, shall not exceed the sum estimated by the engineer as the costs of the Liberty and Penn street route, with the addition of $10,000 of damages to private property, allowed by the ·board in their resolution of February last" (h).

Early in 1827 the question of the western termination of the canal was seri- ously discussed by the citizens of Pittsburg and Allegheny, the latter insisting that to extend it through the former to Monongahela was an unnecessary and useless expense. But Pittsburg had in view a closer relation with the canal than across the Allegheny, and also had in view the extension here of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and designed a union of the two at the mouth of Suke's Run at some future time. Time proved that the building of the tunnel was a useless pro- ceeding, wholly unnecessary and followed by no suitable recompense.

(h) City Ordinance of May, 1827.

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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.

On May 25, 1827, Acting Commisioner A. Lacock called for proposals to be delivered at the house of George Beale, in Pittsburg, for constructing sections of the canal of about a quarter of a mile each from the mouth of Pine Creek, for the aqueduct of 1, 100 feet, and for the tunnel.

In May, 1827, the canal commissioners adopted a resolution for continuing the canal down the west side of the Allegheny River to a point opposite Wash- ington Street, there to cross and proceed by a tunnel through Grant's Hill to the Monongahela at the mouth of Suke's Run, the work to commence immedi- ately.

By the last of June, 1827, all of the western division of the canal was under contract. The aqueduct was taken by LeBarron for $100,000; and the tunnel and so on to Suke's Run by Meloy & Co., for $61,000, but changes were afterward made. It was stipulated that both aqueduct and tunnel should be completed by March 1, 1829. Mr. Roberts had estimated the cost of the canal through the city on the three proposed routes as follows:

Tunnel route .$85,767.49 65,033.28

Smithfield Street Liberty and Penn streets. 55,567.35

Many instances of the cheapness of freight rates from New York via the Erie Canal to this place were circulated just previous to this time, doubtless to spur the flagging interests of the citizens into action in the interests of the Penn- sylvania Canal. In May, 1827, it was declared that one house here had secured shipments from New York via the Erie Canal at the rate of $2.25 for 112 pounds (i)

In 1827 subscription to the capital stock of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was solicited, Alexander Brackenridge and James Correy signing the call. The act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania to assist the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal with a stock subscription of $1,000,000 was regarded with great favor by the citizens of this vicinity.

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Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Part 14

Author: Wilson, Erasmus, 1842-1922; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926. cn Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago : H.R. Cornell & Co. Number of Pages: 1192

Author: Wilson, Erasmus, 1842-1922; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926. cn
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago : H.R. Cornell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1192