USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Lancaster > The story of Lancaster, old and new : being a narrative history of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, form 1730 to the centennial year 1918 > Part 11
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From little scraps gathered from history's pages the women of "Old Lancaster," if they worried at all, did not do so over twentieth-century gossip, card parties and picture shows. In promenading the business streets on a Saturday evening to see the sights, they were not hustled from side to side, nor in crossing a thoroughfare were their nerves shattered by the sound of the infernal automobile horn!
Entering one of the shops to buy material for either summer or winter use, they did not go home- ward worrying, like their present-day sisters, over the cost when made known to their husbands. Coming down within the memory of the few yet living, the town had its "Old Woman's Brigade," and it was not chartered either. This self-consti- tuted body of good Samaritans had its mission. In case of a lost boy or girl, away they would go with horn or dinner-bell, stirring up the whole com- munity with their ding-dongings. And when a fire broke out during night or day, all classes-men, women, and even boys and girls-turned out to instruct the firemen how to extinguish the flames.
Everybody during the chronicler's boyhood seemed to take things in an easy-going way, nor were the sleepers greatly disturbed by the night-watchman's rap at the front door, as he called out, "P-a-s-t two o'clock un' a snowy mornin'." A queer custom, was it not, with their small watch-boxes located here and there, wherein they would roast themselves
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during the time between calls. Then, on Hallow-een, what fun for the boys to see one of these boxes carried a half mile with the watchman securely encased inside, swearing in "Dutch" how he would have the Hallow-eeners locked up in the station house to be fed for a week on bread and water.
This was not anything unusual in the "Good Old Days," when all classes really enjoyed life in quite a different way from what they do today. Imagine, if you can, my busy merchant, a half-dozen business men sitting on a slab-bench in front of one of their stores on a summer afternoon swapping yarns! And oh, glory, such yarns, always and forever talking about the good times their grandfathers had when living within, for and by themselves back in the good old days!
Have you ever thought, dear reader, that each generation has had its good old days to recall? Oh, it is a funny world, is it not? No, the world is all right, it is the many funny people living in it that makes it seem funny, each wanting the best part of it for himself when he should know that in the end a very small plot will be sufficient to contain all that is mortal. It was while passing the old Moravian graveyard that the thought occurred, how little a few of the burgesses knew what was to follow after a century or more of their earthly pilgrimage?
Referring again to the women of "Old Lancaster," it was in the year 1818, the year the borough became a city, that the "Administration" building, so soon to be dismantled for governmental purposes, was erected, largely through the persevering efforts of
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women! And now let the few old grandmothers yet living in the halo of a ripe old age imagine themselves back ninety-one years ago. And as they stand on the vacant space on the Prince Street side in an open lot, they will see General Lafayette dismount from his carriage on the twenty-fifth of July, 1825, to be received by a cordon of women, who, before the free school system had become a possibility, had been instrumental in having this building erected, not so much for their own children, as for the poor of the town who could not afford to send their own to any one of the paid schools so numerous among the well-to-do.
In associating the names of the women of "Old Lancaster" .of a century ago with that of the in- vincible patriot, General Lafayette, is so entirely appropriate at the present time, and for the reason that throughout the forty-eight states of the Union the women are untiring in their efforts in upholding the great cause of human liberty, not only in this land of the free, but over on certain parts of the continent of Europe, where that "one touch of nature" permeates all hearts with the instinct of civil and religious liberty for down-trodden humanity.
And here, in these days of war, let the chronicler reproduce the scene, as the women conducted General Lafayette into the Administration building where the children of both sexes to the number of three hundred and thirty had assembled to pay their last tribute to the great soldier and patriot.
During the darkest hours of the Revolution he came as the friend of liberty to join the American
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forces. And now, a half century later, he had landed in "Old Lancaster" to help reap the fruits for which he had fought so gallantly as the devoted friend of Washington, "first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen."
On the occasion referred to, the boys were arrayed in blue sashes, each with a bunch of laurel; the girls in their white, pink gowns, each with a bunch of wild flowers fresh from the hills of the Conestoga. And as the General entered the school room, on banners were the revered names, Washington, Penn, Franklin and other statesmen of Pennsylvania. On an upper tier of side seats, sat one hundred and thirty ladies, who had devoted their best years in making the school a success. In full view were three neatly decorated transparencies-The Genius of Liberty, standing on America, supported by Wash- ington, Lafayette and the great Franklin who had visited "Old Lancaster" in helping dedicate Franklin college so many years before.
On reaching the inner door of the Administration building, young and old rose from their seats, and with one acclaim, greeted Lafayette by joining in the chorus :
"Hero, hail! all hail to thee, Champion of our Liberty."
And now, what is to follow Lafayette's visit in 1825? No more befitting time than the present could be had in recalling his own home country, France, now struggling to perpetuate the freedom for which he gave his best years and money to the cause of our own independence.
GENERAL LAFAYETTE
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But the end is not yet. It was on the 24th of June, 1834, that the clerk of Common Councils presented to the Select branch the following resolu- tion for concurrence:
"Resolved, that this community has received with deep solemn regret the intelligence that Lafayette is no more! Resolved, that we sympathise with our fellow citizens throughout the Union for the loss of Him we loved; whose life has been a continuous scene of philanthropic exertion; and whose efforts and sacrifices in the establishing of our Independence has endeared him to every heart that loves its country.
"The splendor of his Star shone bright and un- dimmed during the darkest hour that lowered over his native land, and the confidence of his country- men, and the world in his patriotism remained firm and undiminished to the last.
"Resolved, that as a last tribute of respect to the memory of the departed Lafayette, these Halls be hung with black crepe for the space of six months; that the members of councils wear crepe upon their left arm for thirty days, and that it be recom- mended that our citizens do likewise. That the Bell of the city court house on tomorrow be muffled and tolled all day and that in the meantime a minute-gun be fired.
"Resolved, that a committee be appointed to wait upon our fellow citizen, George W. Barton, Esquire, and request him to pronounce an Eulogium at such time as may suit his convenience.
"Resolved, that a certified copy of these pro-
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ceedings, with a letter of condolence, be sent by the Mayor of the city to the relatives of the deceased Lafayette, and that Mr. Fortney be appointed a committee on the part of Common Councils, and Messrs. Hall and Freeman, on the part of Select to carry the resolutions into effect."
At a meeting, July first, "It was resolved to invite Captain Worrall and the corps under his command (the Washington Rifles of Philadelphia) to hear the eulogism by Mr. Barton on the illustrious Lafayette in the Lutheran church at the time named."
In reading the tribute passed by Councils of nearly a century ago, one cannot help but think that history is repeating itself in this twentieth century, with the spirit of "seventy-six" still dominant among the people of "New Lancaster."
At the time of Lafayette's visit in 1825, he was in his declining years and in his seventieth when he died in his own country, France.
If, then, more space is given to the patriotic Lafayette and to the women of "Old Lancaster" than would seem necessary, it is because both were deserving. Coming down to more recent times, most of the philanthropic work done for the eleva- tion of the deserving has been the result of women either in their individual or corporate capacity. Mention need be made of only a few notable examples of women active in all church work from the time of the burgesses to the present day. We verily believe, if it were not for women, half the churches in the city of Lancaster would be vacant. Let them re-
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main at home during one single Sabbath, and the chances are the pastors would be preaching to empty benches. Again, nine men out of ten, if they attend at all, do so to please their wives, or may be, their sweethearts. With mothers and daughters it is a religious duty; with men, most of us at least, a habit not innate, acquired from our mothers, perhaps.
A half century ago, few there were who could fail to recall the Bowman home in charge of the sainted Mary, sister of the Rev. Samuel Bowman. Nor can elderly people forget the "Home of the Friendless" started by Mrs. Kramph. Later on came the Y. W. C. A., the Catholic Society, The Long Home, The Iris Club, The Patriotic Daughters of the Revolution, all under the supervision of women. What the narrator does not know is how' many in years gone by have imitated Mrs. Ann Henry in the raising of thirteen children. The only spheres to which women have not been admitted are the councils and school board, made up largely of bachelors and widowers without any children of their own to rear and educate. However, since one lone woman has at last been elected to Congress, there is still hope for the women of "New Lancaster."
Diverting the non-churchgoer's attention momen- tarily from the minutes we find "That in accordance with the wishes of the people of Lancaster, expressed at a general town meeting, the Legislature are hereby cordially invited to make the city of Lan- caster the seat of Government; and that they are respectfully assured that suitable and commodious buildings will be prepared for their accommodation."
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This was followed by-"Whereas, it is the intention to remove the Capitol from Harrisburg, resolved that a committee be appointed to visit said city." But as shall be seen, they did not bring the capitol with them. The cause is to be found in the fact that the committees' expenses being limited to fare, and only enough for a night's lodging at one of the cheap taverns-this alone should have taught councilmen that the members of the Legislature were not to be won over by any fine display of rhetoric, feelingly delivered. There may have been one other reason for not winning over this august body of legislators, a slip of the tongue by one of the visiting committee in making mention of the "ten-plate wood stove"!
However, during the year 1836, a determined effort on the part of Councils was made to purchase land in various parts of the city on which to erect another market house. The first was to buy the property extending from the corner of Orange and Prince to the alley to the south. Also the lot at the corner of East King and Duke streets. Then came Mr. Hopkins', along Duke to Orange, followed by Mr. Humes' corner back of Mr. Hopkins'. The most favorable site seemed to be Mr. Reidenbach's lot and building adjoining the market house on West King. But after many months of discussion, all the mentioned locations with others were aban- doned owing to the condition of the treasury.
In closing this chapter, we can well recall when, in 1846, the first telegraph office was established in the North American Hotel, where the Brunswick
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now stands. At the time we boys heartily enjoyed a story of a shoemaker living along the line on East Chestnut Street. Having made a pair of boots for a customer, and not knowing the best or the quickest way of delivering them, he concluded to send them over the wire. So, mounting the pole, over the cable he hung them. During the night, came an Irish laddy, who, seeing the boots by the light of the moon, took off his own, making the exchange. Bright and early the morning following, the shoe- maker, in glancing up, saw what his heart could most desire. Calling his Betsy, he exclaimed, "My customer has received the new boots, sending the old to the shoemaker to be mended."
And now, to close this somewhat rambling chapter finally :
STORY OF A BRUSSELS CARPET
People who knew the subject of our sketch best, declared that he had been born with a "veil" over his face; could see spirits prowling round in anyone or all of the old graveyards he was in the habit of visiting when the spell was on, usually at the time of the full of the moon. Be this as it may, he was an eccentric character, belonging to one of the first families, and in many ways respected, not to over- look his whims and caprices.
For years he had lived a bachelor, for the reason, no doubt, that few of the town girls were willing to marry a spiritualist. At last, however, he was unfortunate enough to marry a lady of his own age, self minded in conducting household affairs. It was 13
I
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shortly after the marriage knot had been tied that their troubles began in the selecting of a parlor carpet. From store to store they went their way, looking over the various patterns and designs, with the husband selecting one, the wife another. But, as the head of the family had to do the paying, his opinion prevailed, and within a few days his own selection was spread out on the parlor floor. With this, all might have gone well but for a way he had of taking his wife three times daily, in his endeavor to convince her into acknowledging that his own selection was not to be questioned.
Being a lady of fine sensibilities, easily aroused, every time she took in its shades and designs, it brought on a nervous spell, finally resulting in her remains being laid to rest in one of the cemeteries. With the burial ceremonies over, two things happened during the same evening. The first, a bunch of medical students had gone in search of a "stiff" that had been "planted" the same day in the same graveyard, but, as the sequel will show, owing to a misunderstanding on the part of the colored gentle- man who had been engaged to disinter the remains, something happened.
Feeling the need of a prescription, the same evening the widower had occasion to enter a doctor's office. For a time he sat alone, awaiting the physician's arrival. Becoming impatient, he turned up the jet, when, glancing at the floor, his eyes instinctively took in the identical carpet over which all the trouble had occurred in his own home. The longer he glanced it over the more convinced he became
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that if it was not the same it was one off the same sample.
At last, disturbed in mind, soul and body, he reached over and picked up a medical journal. Opening its pages, the first to attract his attention was a large size engraving, around which stood a half dozen students, witnessing an operation for some internal complaint.
At last, the door to the dissecting room opened, with the head of old Mose, the doctor's trusty, peering through the crevice. "Boss," said he, "jis' hab a leetle patience, de docto' am jis gone out fur de sexton ub de graveyard, seein' de students be misleadin' des chile in gittin' de wrong stiff." With this, the door closed, leaving the patient in a more perplexed state of mind than ever.
Instead of passing out for a breath of fresh air to restore his perfect equilibrium, he strolled round the room, inspecting the numerous bottles filled with this, that and the other, any one of whose contents might have acted as a sedative in relieving his nervousness. At last, his hand coming in con- tact with the knob of the door leading to the dis- secting room, the door flew wide open, but there was not any Mose in evidence. Instead, to his horror, under a white spread on a table rested, as he could only think, the body of his departed wife and helpmate. Tiptoeing his way forward, he quietly raised the sheet when, to his everlasting surprise, there was the face of her whom he had tormented while in the flesh. Recovering all that was mortal of himself, backward he moved, closing
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the door after him. With the veil over his face, oblivious to even his own existence, he fell back into a chair in the farthest corner of the doctor's office, lost to the world, its sights and sounds.
It was while in this hypnotic condition of mental disturbance that the door leading to the street opened, admitting the physician with the sexton by his side, and too much excited to notice the forlorn spiritualist, too much under the influence of what had occurred to utter a word.
Rushing to the dissecting room door, he called: "Mose, Mose, you infernal villain, anyone called during the doctor's absence?"
"Only one gemem, boss; an' him I tell dat ye hed jis gone after der sexton to be remobin' de body frum de dissectin' table."
"You told him what you tell me? Well, as back to the graveyard must go the body, swing it over your shoulder, and take it out the alleyway and dump it into the cart waiting. And Mose, if you expect to live a happy life in this world and be forgiven in the next, keep your tongue from wobbling; for, if the widower spiritualist discovers the mistake we'll both land in jail sooner or later. Now do as you're told." And out the alleyway went the body, covered with the white spread.
And now, as to what followed after the physician had time to pull himself together.
Dropping into a chair after turning the gas lower, he began to soliloquize, "Hope old Mose and the sexton get the spiritualist's wife's body replaced before the morrow when the chances are he'll be
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there in the graveyard holding communion with her spirit over the misunderstanding in the purchase of the parlor carpet. Then, the rascally Mose! which of my patients could it have been that he no doubt frightened away by telling him what may yet be causing all kind of trouble, with the loss of my profession!"
With this, in stepped one of his students, who, dropping into a chair by his side, exclaimed, "Why so pensive? Don't worry, I've just returned from the graveyard, and all is now in apple-pie order, with the sexton sworn to secrecy. And so, before making a hurried visit to the plot I made it my business to call on the widower to prevent him from dropping in on you at this most inopportune evening, understanding that he needed something to stiffen up his nerves after the ordeal through which he has just passed."
"In the name of high heaven, man,"-jumping to his feet like a rocket,-"I've just been thinking that in all probability the person who called during my temporary absence might, after all, have been the widower! And to think that my thickheaded Mose got to telling him of the mistake in getting the wrong 'stiff,' as he called it! Confound him, I'll have him arrested as a 'body snatcher'!"
"Doctor, listen to reason. Do not make a dunce of yourself. Lock him up in the dissecting room for a week, until the storm blows over. And so, to make sure that the widower doesn't learn what's been going on, I'll take him on a visit for a week or two to the Seashore, where he can be looking up
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another wife! How does this strike your crazy bone?" And with this morsel of comfort, the student went his way to meet a party of others of the profession, to indulge themselves over a bottle of Mum in the lucky escape they had made.
Sitting alone, as the physician thought himself, in the quiet of the solitude, all at once came the sound of deep breathing, which, falling on the doctor's ears, caused him to glance in the direction from which the sound came. Recovering himself almost instantly, he saw that there, leaning back in a corner chair, sat his widower friend, in a semi- conscious condition.
"In the name of the immortal George Washing- ton, man, how came you here!" Placing his index finger upon his pulse and his ear to his heart, he tried, by a subterfuge, to ward off what he had reason to feel was but to part with the secret that had thus far been held sub rosa.
Running his hand first down the right side, then to the left, he exclaimed, "When did the attack first come on? Why, my dear widower, you've an aggravated attack of bowel trouble, and the sooner you have your insides examined, the sooner you'll be relieved from following your departed over to the graveyard. Do you understand? And so, go with me to the dissecting room."
Rising slowly from his chair, he gradually re- covered from his bewilderment and asked, "And who, doctor, is the corpse you have lying over on the dissecting table, covered with a white spread? It's my own wife's remains; I saw her with my own
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eyes lying on the table! Oh! oh! oh! I can see her face at this very moment and as plainly as I see the Brussels of the same pattern as my own spread out on your office-floor!"
"You're under a delusion, and if you want to be convinced that you're only resting under one of your former spiritualistic spells, come with me!" And together they went their way to the dissecting room to find the table empty.
On their return, it began to dawn upon the physician's mind that his widower friend had actually seen with his own eyes what has been described.
After a reconciliation had been effected, with the promise that nothing be said, the widower turned and asked, "How came you by the same brand of carpet, the cause of all your friends' tribulations?"
"Ha! ha! that is easily answered. Calling on the merchant the same day you had purchased your own, I concluded to buy the remaining remnant, as it fitted this, my front office, as you see."
And this ends the story of the Brussels carpet.
CHAPTER XIII
FORCING THE WATER FROM THE OLD CITY MILL INTO THE CITY
IT was on Washington's Birthday, February twenty-second, 1837, that the joyful news swept like a tornado among the people of "Old Lancaster" that, on the opening of the plugs, came plunging water from the Conestoga River!
For just one hundred and seven years, dating from 1730 down to 1837, the inhabitants of Lancaster were compelled to rely on pumps, wells and springs for their water supply for domestic and other pur- poses. With the town surrounded, as may be said, with an over abundance, it had been allowed to go its way to the Susquehanna, sometimes at flood tide, at others peacefully in its circuitous path, to be utilized here and there in driving the wheels of a grist mill.
The canal for a time had served a certain purpose. This, with the incoming of the railroad, gave en- couragement to business men in the hope of making Lancaster commercially and industrially a greater center of trade and commerce. But what induce- ment had the city to offer the promoters of in- dustries in the greatest of all commodities, a plenti- ful supply of water?
As far back as 1789 Burgess Hand, in his admir-
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able address to senators and representatives of the United States, had made mention of the Conestoga's millions of gallons going to waste yearly. To the average mind at the time the raising of the water into the town was considered an impossibility. Nor was General Hand to live to see his favorite project put into successful operation.
At last, in 1825, a few of the town's citizens began to agitate the question, but with the unfortunate experience of the tidewater canal, and later the railroad project, another delay of a half score years followed. If the Conestoga had been higher than "College Hill," the problem might have been solved with little difficulty. And yet, in case of an ex- tended downpour, the dwellers in the lower parts had good cause to be thankful that the whole of the city rested on higher ground than the winding Cones- toga.
Nothing occurred until January 4, 1831, when the clerk of Common Councils presented a petition to the Select branch, signed by a number of the leading citizens. The resolution accompanying the petition ran: "And whereas, the only practical mode of accomplishing this important object would be to procure an act of the Legislature authorizing the issue of stock, with the proviso that the city of Lancaster shall have the privilege at any time within a given number of years of redeeming the said stock. It is believed that it would become valuable, and that capitalists would invest their money in it. But as it is not in the power of the city at present to raise the necessary funds, and as it would be
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