USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania > 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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134
Mr. Gaylang
707
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
police force and the efficiency of the Mayor's Court that all such rascals would be brought to summary justice. Thomas Fairman was appointed chief marshal of the North and the East Wards, which divisions of the city were principally represented at this meeting.
Previous to January 1, 1836, the city had expended for a lot for the hay scales the sum of $5,000; for the city poorhouse, $20,000; for the reservoir lot on Grant's Hill, $25,000; for the engine-house, two lots, one on the east side of Cecil Alley on the river $10,000, and one on the west side $50,000; for the gas lot, $11,000; and for the water-works, in round numbers, to date, $120,000. By January 1, 1836, the water-works supplied 1,826 dwellings, 34 steam-engines, 30. hotels and taverns, 4 breweries, 12 livery stables, 5 tanyards, 2 public baths, etc., etc., on all of which the water tax amounted to $11,828. At this time the city assessment amounted to seven mills on the dollar, or a total of $30,816.81. Among the improvements in 1835 were a large row of buildings on Liberty Street at the corner of Wayne, consisting of nine houses in one block; Ledlie's warehouse; the Fetterman & McClurg block; Captain Wood's large row of houses on Marbury Street; the Bank of Pittsburg; Irwin & Wine- biddle's superb row of stores and warehouses, and several new churches; and it was particularly noticed that a great improvement was being made in the architecture of the new buildings that were erected.
The act of January 16, 1836, provided for the laying out of the boundaries of the four wards, and set apart a large tract on the east as a city district, to be surveyed into streets and blocks and otherwise prepared for future admission to the city. The boundaries of this tract were substantially as follows: Begin- ning at the city limits on the Monongahela, thence up to the mouth of Two- mile Run in the middle of the river, thence straight to William Farrow's, and on until the line should intersect the south boundary line of Northern Liberties, thence west on said line to the east line of the city, thence south by the city line to the place of beginning. The whole tract was ordered to be surveyed into sections of not less than thirty nor more than sixty acres. By this time . the city had begun to spread out up the Monongahela on both sides, the same on the Allegheny, had begun to climb past Grant's Hill and up the eastern valleys. Many large structures had been erected in Pittsburg, and Allegheny had undergone a wonderful improvement, so much so that already the sub- ject of its incorporation as a city was broached. Three commissioners were appointed by the act to make a survey of the Eastern tract, divide the same into sections, squares, strcets, alleys, etc., as they should think proper, keeping in view roads already laid out, houses already built; and it was further provided that, upon petition of not less than thirty freeholders of any section of this district, the same should be admitted within the corporate limits of Pittsburg.
The act of April 1, 1836, extended the powers of the mayor to embrace all privileges accorded to aldermen, the same having been restricted by the act of December 26, 1833. The act of April 1, 1836, further provided that the county commissioners should have power to borrow $60,000, to be used in building a new courthouse.
The law of March, 1836, provided for the laying out of Duquesne Way. Pursuant to this law, the councils had careful surveys made and the necessary maps prepared, and directed the surveyor, in August, 1837, to mark out with stakes the lines and limits of the new street. After this had been done the councils went in a body to examine the work. It was found, after careful investigation, that if the law requiring no part of Duquesne Way to bc nearer Penn Avenue than 420 feet was complied with, the river at some portions would have to be restricted to such an extent as to render it incapable in times of high water of carrying off sufficiently fast the excess. This fact was so
708
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
manifest that it became a question in the minds of many whether it was wise to lay out such a street, and, if so, whether it should not, for at least a portion of the distance, be located nearer Penn Avenue than 420 feet. The surveyors, after careful figuring, announced the following areas at the several bridges:
Present Area in Feet.
Area if Duquesne Way is Continued.
Allegheny Bridge.
34,604
31,553
Aqueduct.
34,108
30,940
Mechanic Street Bridge.
33,132
33,132
Hand Street Bridge
31,339
29,382
In March, 1836, it became evident that the city water-works would in a short time be unable to supply the rapidly growing city with sufficient water. Con- siderable complaint having already arisen, the water committee was instructed to inquire into the expediency of making arrangements for a more extensive supply of pure water, so located and managed as to supply the demands of the rapidly increasing population of the city. At this time the construction of other bridges across the rivers was under consideration. The Pennsylvania Bank of the United States loaned to the city $30,000 for thirty years, at five per cent. interest, to be used in making improvements along the Monongahela River front. It was stated in 1836 that the "Mammoth Bill," then under dis- cussion in the Legislature, appropriated a total of $724,000, which was to be applied directly or indirectly to the benefit of Pittsburg. It was stated in 1836 that there were then in the city nearly 250 buildings from three to five stories high, and that of these about eighty were either commenced or finished in the year 1836. In August, 1836, the citizens of Lawrenceville assembled in public meeting and passed resolutions declaring that the burgess and council of the borough had exceeded their authority in negotiating with the commander of the Arsenal regarding the opening of Covington and other streets, and by so doing had involved the borough in an enormous debt, and had gone so far as to borrow large sums of money without the sanction of the freeholders. . Malcolm Leech was chairman of this meeting and W. J. Munce secretary. In 1836 the Legislature passed an act incorporating a company to supply North- ern Liberties with water from the river, and another incorporating the Monon- gahela Slackwater Navigation Company, and incorporating two companies to build bridges over the Allegheny River.
In December, 1836, the citizens of Allegheny presented a memorial to the Legislature praying for the incorporation of a bank, to be located within that borough; and the memorial recited that the Pittsburg banks discriminated against the paper of the citizens of Allegheny, who received only such accommodation as was left after the business men of Pittsburg had been supplied. The memorial stated that the great growth of Allegheny demanded the establishment of such a bank, with a capital of $250,000, within that borough. As a matter of fact, during the period from 1834 to 1836, inclusive, the business interests of this community developed to an unprecedented extent. The enormous growth demanded great public improvements and taxed the skill and judgment of the city and borough authorities to their utmost extent. Although the water- works had been in operation for a period of only about six or seven years, it was found that they were inadequate to supply tlie demand, and the city pre- pared to extend the plant to meet the new requirements. Residences, business houses and public institutions had multiplied so rapidly that the opening and grading of new streets and alleys in every direction were necessitated.
By the act of April 23, 1829, Northern Liberties was made a borough, and by act of 1837 it became the Fifth Ward of Pittsburg.
709
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
In 1837 the basin of the water-works had an area of about 14,400 feet and stood about 80 feet above the level of the streets around it. From the time the basin was first built until 1837 the surrounding streets had been cut down from twenty to forty-four feet in perpendicular height, and at the latter date the water committee reported that it would be necessary for the city to build a high stone wall around it, at a cost of from $40,000 to $55,000, or to select a new site. They reported several eligible sites-one at the corner of Elm and Prospect streets, which could be secured for $40,500; another and smaller one near the above and south of Coal Lane, which could be secured for $19,500; another on Springfield farm, owned by Harmar Denny, which could be bought for $35,000. In 1837 the capacity of the basin then in use on Grant's Hill was about 800,000 gallons, and the quantity of water supplied daily was about 1,200,- 000 gallons. It stood opposite the new Courthouse, which had just been built. The conclusion of the water committee, W. Wade, W. J. Totten and G. A. Cook, was that whether the water-works remained in their (then) present loca- tion or were removed, a large sum of money would necessarily have to be expended.
Early in 1837 the City Councils approved the action of the banks in tem- porarily suspending specie payments. About this time the city issued large quan- tities of currency, commonly known as shinplasters, but the following year passed an ordinance providing for their gradual redemption. In September, 1838, the city borrowed of the Exchange Bank, for three years, at six per cent. interest, the sum of $100,000, to date from October 1, 1838, to be used in redeeming the certificates of small denominations issued in May and July, 1837, and in January, 1838.
In 1837 Pittsburg comprised five wards, and near it were the boroughs of Allegheny, Birmingham and Lawrenceville. In the autumn of 1837 so much suffering resulted to the working people, owing to the hard times, that the councils took special action for their relief. A committee of six persons in each ward and in each of the boroughs was appointed to solicit subscriptions of money, clothing and provisions for the needy, and a committee of sixteen persons was appointed to distribute the same. The assessments for the year 1837 in the five wards of Pittsburg amounted to $34,451.06; in Allegheny, $9,412.42; in Birmingham, $1,027.76; in Lawrenceville, $494.76. In May, 1837, W. Wade, S. P. Darlington and Alba Fisk, commissioners appointed to survey and lay out the city's eastern extension, began their work. It was a large task and gave employment to quite a large number of workmen.
The act passed in the spring of 1837, which admitted Northern Liberties within the city limits of Pittsburg as the Fifth Ward, provided that the first election in the new ward should be held at the house of Alderman Glass, where three select councilmen and five common councilmen were to be chosen. Jus- tices of the peace in the borough were transformed into aldermen of the Fifth Ward. This act extended the limits of the city district up the Monongahela River to the mouth of Four-mile Run, thence straight across to the line of Lawrenceville, thence along the same to the middle of the Allegheny River, and thence to the place of beginning at the southeast corner of the city.
'Doubts of the reliability of the scrip issued by Birmingham, of its amount and of the intention of the town authorities concerning it, continued to increase and circulate. Finally a number of the strongest business men of that borough published a card, in which they agreed to pledge all their estate, real, personal and mixed, for the full payment on the part of the borough of all scrip or certificates of loan which had been issued, or which had been authorized to be issued by the borough ordinances, to the amount of $60,000. This card was signed by J. & J. Patterson, Whitehead, Thinsen & Phillips, Thomas Black-
.710
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
more, Hodge, Wetmore & Co., John McClurg, David Bealer, William Phillips, Thomas Whitehead, R. A. Bausman, William Noble, James Barr, David Chess, Jr., John Shawhan, A. Mckibben, William O'Leary, Charles Ihmsen and W. Symmes (m). The burgess and Town Councils of Birmingham felt called upon, i11 September, 1837, owing to the injurious reports in circulation, to announce that instead of having issued from $100,000 to $180,000 in borough scrip, only $35,000 of the $60,000 authorized had been issued. At this time R. A. Bausman was burgess and William Symmes, David Bealer, William Noble, James Barr and Alexander McKibben were members of the council. At this time individ- uals offered as additional security for the redemption of the borough scrip personal pledges to double the amount of the sum authorized to be issued. The prompt action of the citizens of Birmingham did much to restore confidence in the value of the borough scrip. The most of this paper was issued in denomi- nations varying from ten cents to $2. Soon after this it was found that large quantities of counterfeit scrip of the local issues were in circulation.
The water committee was divided on the question of where the new basin should be located. The majority, Messrs. Wade, Totten and Cook, reported in favor of its location on Springfield farm, near Two-mile Run, while the minority, Messrs. John S. Blakely and Linton Rodgers, reported in favor of Holmes' Hill, on Prospect Street. All agreed that the existing basin should be abandoned. The minority estimated the cost of its location on Springfield farm at $227,150, and on Prospect Street at $112,710.
Building improvements during the fall of 1837 and spring of 1838 were almost at a standstill. Great complaint arose over the ragged condition of the city shinplasters, whereupon the City Councils ordered a new issue to take the place of the old one. By the act of April 14, 1838, the limits of the borough of Allegheny were changed and extended. In 1838 the borough of Lawrence- ville issued a considerable quantity of shinplasters, and at this time Ephraim Estep was burgess. By the act of 1838 a large addition was made to Bir- mingham from the district below the town.
The newspapers complained in July, 1838, that the new water-works, which had been considered, examined and surveyed, were not being constructed. In July, 1838, during the hot weather, the engines of the existing works ran to their full capacity for twenty out of the twenty-four hours, and furnished daily 1,500,000 gallons. It was observed with much seriousness that the capacity of the present reservoir was only sufficient for about one-half day's supply; that the reservoir itself was unsafe, and that there was great risk of its giving way and flooding the adjacent blocks. It was stated that the city reservoirs should hold not less than 4,000,000 gallons, or enough for at least three days' con- sumption; and that the site chosen should permit of extensions to a total of 16,000,000 gallons. The present reservoir, it was stated, was about eighty feet above the principal pavements of the city, and the new reservoir should be at no less height.
In the spring of 1835 the City Councils authorized the sale of stock of the gas-works to the amount of from $50,000 to $70,000, the city reserving the privilege of taking the stock and works into its own hands by paying the stock- holders for their investment. Under the new order, books for the subscription of stock were opened in May, 1835. In June the gas stock sold at a premium of from $1.75 to $4.50, and on the 8th of June this premium netted the city $2,100. In October, 1836, the trustees of the gas-works gave notice that early in December their works would be in such a state of forwardness 'as to enable them, probably, to furnish gas to consumers. The councils fixed the price
(m) Gazette, September 30, 1837.
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
of gas. Previous to this, or during the summer of 1836, under a call of the trustees of the gas-works, there had been furnished under contract 270 pipes nine feet long and ten inches in diameter; 125 pipes eight inches in diameter; 78 pipes six inches in diameter; 1,325 pipes four inches in diameter; and 428 pipes three inches in diameter. "Gas .- Last night, for the first time, several of our streets, many of our stores, etc., were lighted by gas. Although the evening was dull and gloomy, yet that portion of the city within the limits of the gas-pipes laid down was well lighted, and inany of our citizens traversed the streets, gratified with the great improvement and addition to our comfort. We visited the Exchange Hotel and found it most brilliantly lighted up. We did not call at any other of the hotels. The gaslights burn certainly with as much purity and brilliancy as any that we have ever seen" (n). In August, 1837, Richard Biddle, president of the board of trustees of the Pittsburg Gas- works, having tendered his resignation, resolutions of regret at his withdrawal were unanimously passed by the board, one of which was as follows: "Resolved, That the members of this board are deeply impressed with a sense of the services rendered to the city of Pittsburg by the Hon. Richard Biddle, as president of the gas-works, and that this whole community are under lasting obligations to that gentleman for the energy, industry and untiring perseverance with which he pressed forward so important a public enterprise, from its commencement to a successful accomplishment" (o). "We are informed that the Allegheny bridge will be lighted up with gas on this evening for the first time. This is certainly an improvement, and we sincerely hope that the Monongahela bridge will follow suit" (p). The gas-works were thus established by the ordinance of April 13, 1835. From that date to 1848 the city itself subscribed for 698 shares, and increased the capital stock to $250,000, and greatly extended the power of the trustees. Early in 1848 Thomas Bakewell, Morgan Robertson, Joseph Pen- nock, James Thompson, George Ogden, George W. Jackson, Samuel W. Caskey, Alexander Black, Joshua Hanna, James B. Murray, Christian Anshutz and others, petitioned the Legislature for an act incorporating the company, where- upon such a law was passed March 16, 1848. It was provided that the company should supply Pittsburg and Allegheny with gas; that the stock should be $250,000 in shares of $50 each; that the twelve trustees should be managers; that all old regulations of the city concerning the company should still be in force; that the city should own its own lamps; and that the company should furnish gas to the city at three-fifths the rates it did individuals. In 1845 the total revenue of the gas-works was $25,547.09, and the total expenses $21,625.68. Previous to December 1, 1845, there had been laid in the city of two-inch pipe 8 I-5 miles. Twenty-one hands were employed at this time, and there were 400 subscribers. Private consumers paid $16,327.66, and public offices and lamps paid $6,962.35.
In 1845 Pittsburg paid $37,756.08 interest on city loans; $5,592.92 for the city watch; $19,193.92 on the water-works; $33,315.17 toward the extinguish- ment of the city loans, and $10,324.82 to the trustees of the Pittsburg Gas-works. The water rent assessed for the year amounted to $21,416.80, and was levied on 4,609 dwellings, stores and shops; 430 new buildings; 169 hotels, taverns, grogshops, boarding-houses etc .; 49 steam engines, 12 rectifying distilleries, 15 foundries, 10 livery stables, 5 breweries, 4 glass factories, etc., etc. The length of water-pipes laid in 1845 reached 3,472 feet, mainly on Grant, Fifth, Water, First, Fourth, Washington, Etna and Tunnel. In 1845 Thomas McFadden, wharfmaster on the Monongahela, collected $10,047.20; and J. W. Lightner,
(n) Gazette, April 6, 1837.
(o) Gazette, September 18, 1837.
Advocate, December 8, 1837.
712
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
wharfmaster on the Allegheny, $614.84. James McDowell gauged 8,820 barrels of whisky, 8,804 barrels of molasses, and 440 barrels of oil. There were meas- ured within the city in 1845, 13,585,458 feet of lumber. The number of steam- boat arrivals of boats coming ottener than once a week was 1,347; other arrivals, 822; keel and canal boat arrivals, 427; flat and flatboat arrivals, 197.
Previous to about 1834 Allegheny borrowed $500, to be used in construct- ing its first market-house; $2,000 to be used for the improvement of Federal Street; $200 from Mr. Kennedy; $1;400 from Mr. Herron, $3,000 from George Rapp, and $5,000 from David Shields, to be used for current expenses. At this time there was placed to the credit of Allegheny, Nelson's Island, valued at $5,000, and the hospital, worth $400. In 1838 it was observed by the news- papers that this vicinity began to have the appearance of one large city, divided by the rivers. The harvest of 1838 was an excellent one and did much to improve the depression of the previous year.
On the 8th of August, 1838, the councils authorized the "watering com- mittee" to purchase O'Hara's tract at Elm and Prospect streets for $25,000; the Adams tract in the Fifth Ward, on Quarry Street, for $2,500; the Laughlin tract in the Fifth Ward, at O'Hara Street and the Allegheny River, for $12,500; and authorized the issue of a large sum in certificates of loan. The committee was also authorized to buy more of the O'Hara tract, providing the same could be obtained at the same rates. In November, 1838, Robert Moore, superintend- ent of the water-works, called for proposals, to be opened December 14th, for grading the reservoir on Prospect Hill, preparatory to the excavation of the basins, estimating the grading to be done at 80,000 cubic yards. He also called for 3,500 perches of stonework for the engine-house at the rivers, and for two engines and the necessary forcing-pumps. During the summer of 1838 the water-works supplied 2,679 buildings of all sorts. At the close of 1838 it was esti- mated that the total cost of the water-works had been $173,246.85. So great was the growth of the city that, in March, 1839, the councils passed an ordi- nance authorizing the mayor to still further extend the water-works, and to borrow $200,000 in certificates of $1,000 each, but the latter clause, by sub- sequent enactment, fixed the denomination at $100 each. In March, 1839, it was particularly noticed by the Advocate that high prices ruled the market for real estate on Penn Avenue. The paper called that thoroughfare the Chestnut Street of Pittsburg. Single lots on that street sold for as high as $6,000. In 1839 the city duplicate amounted to $28,298.1I, and during the year the city watch cost $8,057.61; the city water-works, $21,333.58; and there was paid to the trustees of the gas-works, $9,198.57; there was redeemed of city scrip dur- ing the year, $9,897.25.
It was stated by the newspapers in February, 1839, that mechanics, for the first time, had begun to venture beyond Grant's Hill for homes five or six years previously. It was stated that for twenty years they had been discouraged from crossing that hill, owing to its height, and that, had the hill been on the same plane as Pittsburg, it would, long before 1839, have been covered with residences and other buildings. It was also observed at this time that when Market Street was originally laid out the owner of a cabin, whose property would be interfered with, begged the surveyor to limit the width of the street in order to spare his abode, and accordingly that street was made forty feet wide instead of fifty or sixty fect. The paper observed that then houses were dear and land was cheap, but that in 1839 the reverse was true.
In February, 1839, work on the new basin or reservoir was ยท begun, and the bottom of the basin was to be 160 feet above the river. The old basin was to be removed and the ground sold.
It was in 1839 that the powers which had been given to the Mayor of
713
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
Pittsburg by the act of 1816 and supplements were, to a large extent, removed, and at this time the power of granting licenses for the sale of liquor was given by the Legislature to the Pittsburg Councils. In 1839 the city paid $3.25 for the redemption of scrip which had been issued in 1814 and 1818. The water assessment for this year amounted to $18,375.20. During the year 1839 Foremen Clarke and Andrews were paid a total of $14,471.20 for excavating the new water- basin. During the year the city borrowed as an emergency loan $3,000 of the Bank of Pittsburg and $145,000 of the Exchange Bank.
It was in 1839 that Allegheny was transformed from a borough into a city. Four wards were created, separated by Federal and Ohio streets. Three select and four common council men were elected from each ward. The first elec- tion for officers under the city government was held at the house of Mr. De Haven, on Federal Street, on July 23, 1839.
On August 20, 1839, William Lehmer, John Shipton, A. D. McBride, John Keown, John Floyd, George H. Bell, William Larimer, Jr., Henry Coulter, William Bingham, D. P. Estep, H. D. King and John Irvine, committee, gave notice, agreeably to the constitution, that at the next session of the Legislature application would be made for a charter for the Commercial Bank of Pittsburg, with a capital of $1,000,000. In 1839, when Congress considered the question of establishing a national foundry for the manufacture of cannon, the repre- sentative from Pittsburg made a strong bid for the honor. At that time docu- ments in the Ordnance Office in Washington showed the high character of the cannon made at Pittsburg (q).
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.