USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > Warwick's Keystone commonwealth; a review of the history of the great state of Pennsylvania, and a brief record of the growth of its chief city, Philadelphia > Part 34
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tent ; he avoided antagonisms ; he was silent under criticism and did not have those fighting qualities that draw the sword in defense. The Quaker was not given to show, to vain boastings, to arrogance or to self assertion and these influences permeated our lives and it is owing to this feature of our character, that patiently having submitted to abuse, the assailant takes it for granted that there is no answer to his comment. Our own smug self-satisfaction, has been taken as an acknowledgment of the truth of the criticisms.
No history of Philadelphia would be complete without a consideration of her social life, or what may be called her fashionable life. Society is exclusive in the extreme. So exclusive is it that its votaries live in a prescribed section and never venture beyond its limits in the discharge of any social duty. The fashionable social locality is bound on the east by "Hell's Half Acre," on the west by a locality bordering on the Schuylkill River known as the "Gut," on the north by Market street and on the south by Lombard. There are a few localities extending to the eastward where the votaries of society may still linger, for instance among the old homesteads on Third and Fourth streets, but the above locality virtually contains the social circle, although it must not be considered for a moment that all within this exclusive circle belongs to the social set. A fashionable lady found outside these limits on a visiting tour would, no doubt, be subjected to investigation or at least, to an inquiry. No fashionable lady's visiting circle extends beyond these limits. The chosen spot of this social circle is Rittenhouse Square, one of the beautiful and picturesque places of the city. Philadelphia has not a residential quarter like the Back Bay in Boston, Fifth Avenue in New York, Euclid or Prospect Avenue in Cleveland or Rhode Island Avenue in Washington. Here all fashionables are crowded within the limits described but in these other cities a man may change or occupy a location other than within a prescribed limit without losing his social prominence. Philadelphia is not wanting in beautiful residences but they are to be found, not within the city limits, but in the suburbs, and in this respect she will compare favorably with any city in the world. Broad Street is the natural Fifth Avenue of Philadelphia, and not many years ago, Mr. Widener and Mr. Elkins, two wealthy citizens, built at Broad street and Girard avenne two magnificent, palatial residences of brown stone, no doubt hoping to make Broad street a leading residential highway, but, if that was their pur- pose they met with no success for the two houses which they built are to-day used, one as a library and the other as a hotel. Not long since when Mr. Hammerstein built the Metropolitan Opera House at the corner of Broad and Poplar streets, it was a grave question before the opening night whether the fashionables would stray so far from home. The attraction was too great, however, and they crowded the opera in numbers. Many of them who had never been north of Market street no doubt were surprised to find that the opera house was not in the woods and the citizens who resided in that locality lived in substantial and handsome homes. .
Philadelphia is the greatest city in the country in so far as historical recol- lections and associations are concerned. It is here the second Continental Con- gress met, the Declaration of Independence was signed and the Constitution of the United States was established. It was the centre of the conflict when
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the American troops were quartered in Valley Forge. It was here the Repub- lic was established. It was here Washington was inaugurated and took the oath of office as President of the United States. It was within her borders at Gettysburg that the hosts of the rebellion were turned back and Lee compelled to abandon his project of northern invasion. Although one of the youngest of the colonies in the matter of the date of settlement, she was the most tolerant and liberal in her rule. Religious liberty was the law of the land and at a time when Massachusetts and several other colonies had statutes on their books which punished heresy with death; at a time when in England there were over two hundred capital offenses and when the books of Massachusetts bore about the same number of cases.
Prison reforms were early considered and humane care given to the in- mates of hospitals. Roger Williams and Ann Hutchinson who suffered perse- cution would have found an atmosphere of toleration and a refuge in Pennsyl- vania.
Science, too, furnished at an early date Franklin and Rittenhouse, two of the leading philosophers of their age, and in their rank we may place Thomas Godfrey. Pennsylvania may claim Alexander Wilson, John Bartram, and al- though Audubon was born in Louisiana, his best work was done in Pennsyl- vania and much of the work done by Thomas Nuttall in his study of North American silva was compiled in this city. Joseph Priestly, the discoverer of oxygen, who was compelled to flee from persecution, found a refuge here in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, too, was the centre of medical science and Dr. Kane, the great Arctic explorer, was a native of Philadelphia and made this always his home. Institutions of science and learning were early established, notably the Franklin Institution. Ship building early became a leading indus- try and Roach's yards at Chester and Cramp's at Philadelphia turned out some of the largest vessels of the day, and the Baldwin Locomotive Works, es- tablished in 1829, gradually grew to be the largest locomotive works of its kind in the world.
Philadelphia is one of the greatest industrial centres in the world and the greatest home community. In no city are the people so well housed, not in tenement houses but in dwellings that truly may be called homes, where a man after his day's labor will close the door of his house on the world and retire within its sacred precincts to enjoy the seclusion, comforts and convenience of a home. It has no East Side with its clumsy and filthy tenements. Every opportunity is given to the thrifty, industrious man to be the owner of his dwelling. Building and loan associations help to house him and give him that independence that a man enjoys who has a title to his dwelling.
A great annoyance amounting almost to a pest, was the annual appear- ance, in the summer time, of what was called the measuring worm. There were many trees in Philadelphia in the streets and public squares and they were all filled with these worms. . They would average about an inch in length and in their bodies they are about the width of an angle worm. They were filled with a green liquid. They descended upon a web which reached from the branches of the trees to the pavement below. There were millions and millions in number and when crushed under foot by passers-by, formed a
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slippery surface and at times it was difficult for pedestrians to avoid falling. They would alight in their descent upon the hat or clothing of the passers-by and many men as well as women carried umbrellas as a protection against them. Every device and remedy was resorted to, to get rid of them and at last it was suggested that the English sparrow be introduced, which sugges- tion was adopted and in a short time the worms entirely disappeared. It was a case of clear extermination. Some people have regretted that such a remedy was introduced, for the belligerent English birds have driven out all the songs- ters and beautiful little birds that swarmed in our Squares; but as between the absence of the song birds and the presence of the worms, those people who knew what a pest the latter had become, would gladly favor the change.
In the late sixties Philadelphia had not thoroughly awakened to her com- mercial and industrial possibilities and the city still preserved the old-time quiet atmosphere which has since been replaced by the bustle and activity of an aroused determination. The streets lying adjacent to the Delaware River, in the district between Vine and South streets were still occupied with stores and warehouses of merchants who were contemporaneous with Stephen Girard; and Walnut street wharf was yet the docking place of the famous Cope line of huge wooden vessels that plied between Philadelphia and foreign ports, while the entire river front was filled with brigs and barques whose conspicuous figure heads faced the roadway while their huge bowsprits extended across the street, almost to the house line on the western side. This gave to the city an appearance of great maritime activity and the superseding of this style of water craft was a source of keen regret to the people of that period. The old East Indian merchant in the dark office of his huge warehouse, was still exist- ent and the musty, tar-smelling stores of the ship chandler were largely in evidence. The Pennsylvania Railroad had not at that time absorbed the New Jersey railroads and at the foot of Walnut street stood Bloodgood's Hotel, at which the passengers of the Camden and Amboy Railroad, a corporation that was said at the time to rule New Jersey's Legislature and Courts with an iron hand, were landed from the ferry boats "States Rights" and "Fashion."
Smith's Island, a famous resort in those days, was in the middle of the river off Market and Chestnut streets, and two cockle-shell steamers of small capacity and with the wheels in the centre, bore the bibulously inclined to a spot where cool breezes and cold beer were the attractions. The winters at this time seemed much more severe than in later years and the Delaware was fre- quently frozen over. The ferry between Market street and Federal street, Cam- den, was of a primitive type and many a worker spent the night on the old ferry- boats "Dido" and "Mary," which were frequently ice bound and powerless to move in any direction. Many old families still occupied the residences on lower Walnut, Pine, Spruce, and the cross streets from Seventh street east, and it was years afterwards before the influx of foreigners drove them westward. For a long time the "Row," by which name the group of building's adjoining Indepen- dence Hall was known, had been deemed inadequate for the needs of the city's official business and a movement was started to erect a suitable Municipal Build- ing. After this had been determined upon the question of a site caused an almost endless discussion. Some wanted it erected in Independence Square while others
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favored Washington Square and many favored the intersection of Broad and Market streets, which was known as Centre Squares and was a spot of historical interest. The matter was finally submitted to popular vote and the present loca- tion was chosen. Ground was broken for the new edifice Angust 10, 1871, and the cornerstone was laid July 4, 1874. A commission appointed by Act of the State Legislature superintended the construction and it was over a quarter of a century before the Hall was turned over to the city. It cost over $26,000,000 and at the present time many people advocate its alteration or complete demolition, claiming that it was a stupendous error of the original projectors to block off two of the most important streets in the city with the huge pile, which has been completely dwarfed and hedged in by sky-scrapers, whose sites, they contend, should have been acquired years ago as a plaza in order that the costly building could have a proper setting.
On the same day that the cornerstone of the City Hall was laid, ground was broken for the buildings of the Centennial Exposition. This was the first exhibition of magnitude ever attempted in this country and the citizens of Philadelphia assumed the responsibility and pledged the money necessary to erect the buildings and pay the running expenses. Congress appro- priated $1,500,000, but the Supreme Court decided this was only a loan and it had to be returned. The Exposition was opened by President Grant on May 10, 1876. Over 100,000 people witnessed the opening exercises. Theodore Thomas' Orchestra rendered Richard Wagner's "Centennial Inauguration March," and a grand chorus sang Whittier's "Centennial Hymn." During the six months of the Exposition's continuance, the city presented a decidedly gala appearance. Visi- tors from every quarter of the globe were present and the many-colored cos- tumes of the different nationalities were a constant source of interest and gave the city a decided cosmopolitan appearance. Many conventions were held in the city during this period and "State Days" were inaugurated to swell the attend- ance at the Exposition. "Pennsylvania Day" was the largest of these, the attend- ance being 275,000. The effect of the Exposition was to greatly increase our ex- port trade and to give a wonderful impetus to the study of the arts of design.
The State House Bell which took the place of the Liberty Bell, was hung in the tower of Independence Hall in 1875 and was first rung on January 1, 1876, to usher in the Centennial year. It was cast from copper and tin fused with metal from four historic cannon, two that had been used in the battle of Saratoga by the opposing forces and two used by the conflicting armies at the battle of Gettysburg. On May 15, 1877, President Grant left Philadelphia on his famous trip around the world and was given a farewell reception in Independence Hall. On December 16, 1879, he returned and a procession that numbered 40,000 met and escorted him to his hotel. In the summer of 1877, labor disturbances among railroad employees began in different parts of the State and these cul- minated in scenes of riot and bloodshed in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Prompt action by the militia suppressed those in the western section of the State and the police, aided by a detail of marines and regulars, restored peace in Phila- delphia. Following the Centennial, Philadelphia made rapid progress in trans- portation, manufacturing and building. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad se- cured entrance into the city and the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad ac-
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quired the Bound Brook road which gave it a direct route to New York City. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company purchased a controlling interest in the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore line and the handsome terminals of the two last named companies were erected. In 1885, the "Bullitt Bill" was passed by the Legislature and became effective April 1, 1887. By this charter the Mayor's term was extended to four years and the office was endowed with more power and dignity. Re-election was prohibited. The twenty-five separ- ate bureaus existing before the passage of the bill, were consolidated and nine new departments were created. The new bill legislated the Gas Trustees out of office and placed the lighting of the city in the hands of the Department of Public Works. . The Sinking Fund remained as it was and councils continued in two branches as before, but with much diminished powers. On January 19, 1886, the Committee of One Hundred, which had been organized to oppose the re-election of Mayor Stokley, was disbanded. It had succeeded in electing Samuel G. King, Mayor and John Hunter to the office of Receiver of Taxes, and believing that the "Bullitt Bill" would remedy the conditions for which it had been fighting, it ceased to exist. The spirit of progress that had com- menced with the starting of the new City Hall and the launching of the Cen- tennial Exposition, continued. Vast improvements along all lines were started. Chrysalis-like the city was emerging and the change was marked. New build- ings were going up in every section. The "sky-scraper" had made its appear- ance and the lawyers who had offices in private dwellings adjacent to the State Ilouse and the old Courts, were preparing to move westward. Broad and Chestnut, Walnut and Arch streets were looked upon as the future centres of business activity and a scramble for offices in incompleted buildings ensued. The city was changing and the metamorphosis was great. In the outer sec- tions the staid brick dwellings with white marble steps, that had given Phila- delphia the name of the "red belt" were being supplanted by houses of fawn- colored bricks and limestone, with porches of ornate design, which in addition to furnishing sheltered breathing spots, were made beautiful by box-gardens of attractive plants. The University of Pennsylvania had removed to West Philadelphia and its former site was occupied by the imposing Post Office build- ing. Numerous churches of the various denominations were built in every section while mills were erected on the vacant acreage from the north city line to Darby Creek. It was an era of prosperity and it was hard to recognize the old city, not only architecturally, but in the many characteristics for which it had been famous.
The old "Hot-corn" woman had departed along with the vender of "Peppery-pot." The old fish woman who carried a green tray upon her head and cried her wares in a shrill falsetto voice was missing as was the itinerant seller of tea-berries and the antiquated negro who vended clams from tin cans, carried in each hand. Another class that had disappeared from the streets were the mildly insane men and women and those with exaggerated ec- centricities who attracted the attention of all visitors. These were characters like "Crazy Norah" and "Crazy Kate." The latter carried a portfolio of scraps of paper which she imagined were deeds of the entire city and at stated intervals she appeared at the various city offices and demanded her rights.
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Then there was "Steamboat Frank" who threshed his arms like a paddle wheel as he walked and latterly the "Corn Doctor," whose dress was made conspicu- ous by a variety of colors and numerous buttons which were sewn on his hat, across the front of his coat, upon his cuffs and pants bottoms, giving him the appearance of a Coster of the most prominent type. All of these have gone and those who have endeavored to emulate them have been cared for in retreats provided for that purpose. The city had come into its own. It was a place of bustling activity and had not time or inclination to stand among gazing crowds and be amused by the eccentricities of these characters.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
INTRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC LIGHT AND TELEPHONE, BI-CENTENNIAL OF TILE FOUNDING OF GERMANTOWN. BLIZZARD OF 1888. VISIT OF LI HIUNG CHANG. ERECTION OF PHILADELPHIA BOURSE. DEDICATION OF WASHINGTON MONU- MENT. PEACE JUBILEE CELEBRATION. CITY GOVERNMENT'S REMOVAL TO NEW CITY HALL.
T HE introduction of electricity was a great aid in the development of the city where over a century before Benjamin Franklin had de- monstrated its existence without realizing its possibilities. The first telephone was demonstrated at the Centennial Exhibition and the first exchange was opened in 1878, but it was a long time before the telephone became a business and social necessity. People regarded it as a toy and were hard to convince that it had large commercial possibilities. As its value became known several companies entered the local field and long litigation followed be- fore the Bell patents were upheld by the courts and the other companies com- pelled to quit operations. A year later the first demonstration of electric light- ing was given in the store of John Wanamaker, and, in 1881, Chestnut street was lighted from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill by Thomas Dolan, who had to agree to remove the lights if unsatisfactory after a test, before he was allowed to install them. In 1884, an electrical exhibition was held under the auspices of the Franklin Institute and the value of electricity being thoroughly demonstrated, the people welcomed any project where the energy was used and the electrification of the street railways soon followed. The application of elec- tricity to street car propulsion brought opposition from the same class of peo- ple who opposed the introduction of gas. They were many who contended that the overhead trolley wires would be a constant menace. They thought the snow and sleet would break them in winter and constantly jeopardize life. Others contended that the wires would never stand the climatic changes and would snap through contraction in cold weather. Many of the older people claimed that the attempt to utilize electricity was harnessing an energy in oppo- sition to nature and that a general disturbance of weather conditions would re- sult in all manner of terrible horrors. When they eventually found what an obedient and helpful force electricity had come to be, all opposition was withi- drawn.
The bi-centennial of the founding of Germantown was celebrated October 6th, 1882, with elaborate ceremonies, and during the week of October 22-27 the bi-centennial celebration of the landing of William Penn was held. The active participants who represented the founder and other celebrated men of that day came up the Delaware from Chester and landing at the Blue Anchor tavern gave an interesting portrayal of the scenes that marked Penn's first arrival. A noteworthy part of the proceedings was the removal of the William Penn's
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cottage, the first brick house built in this state, from its original location on Letitia street, near Second and Market streets to Fairmount Park.
Many of the business and commercial interests were gradually working west- ward from the Delaware River and the government recognizing this change removed the General Postoffice in 1884 from Chestnut street below Fifth to the new building at Ninth and Chestnut. The Pennsylvania Railroad station at Broad and Market streets was formally opened in 1883 and trains of the entire system brought passengers from every point of the country to the very heart of the city.
On March 12, 1888, one of the greatest blizzards of the century occurred. It was general in its scope and did great damage throughout the entire country. In this city business was completely paralyzed. The railroads were unable to remove a train for several days while the street car traffic was completely stop- ped for a long period.
Always the originator and leader in matters pertaining to medical science, Philadelphia was the first to have an Institute of Anatomy. This was made possible by the Wister Endowment to the University of Pennsylvaina and in 1892, this useful and necessary school, the first of its kind in the world, was founded.
In 1893, the Reading Railroad Company, which had for a long time been endeavoring to reach the centre of the city, formally opened the Reading Ter- minal, and the two great trunk lines reaching the main business street, near the City Hall, were a great convenience to travellers.
One of the noteworthy events during the year 1895 was the visit of Li Hung Chang, Viceroy of China and his suite to Philadelphia. As personal rep- resentative of the Emperor of that country he had come to America to investi- gate the institutions of the Western hemisphere with the idea of installing mod- ern methods into the effete East. He had special instructions to visit Cramp's ship yard, but through some error in the plans of reception, he was unable to view that great industrial plant. Baldwin's Locomotive Works were also given the go-by because the illustrious guest would not forego his afternoon tea in order to visit the establishment. Thus was lost to China a personal knowledge of two great industrial works of the world. Despite these breaks in the pro- gramme Li Hung Chang greatly enjoyed his visit. Ile was accorded every honor by the city officials and the prominent gentlemen who had been selected to receive him, and left the city with the highest opinion of its hospitality and the greatest respect for its institutions and industries.
The same year marked an epoch in the city's commercial history. This was the opening of the Philadelphia Bourse which was erected on the site of the old Fifth Street Market. The Bourse, the only one in America and the largest in the world, was the creation of George E. Bartol, who after visiting all the Bourses of Europe organized a company for the erection of a building to shel- ter all the exchanges of the city. While the original plan was not consum- mated several of the exchanges now use the building. The upper floors are used for office purposes and the basement for machinery displays and it has come to be one of the busiest marts in the entire country.
The dedication of the Washington Monument brought President Me Kinley
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to the city when that handsome shaft was unveiled at the Green street entrance to Fairmount Park, and he was also present at the dedication of the Grant Monument. Both these occasions were notable events in the city's history and the large gatherings demonstrated the love for the President who was renomi- nated at the first National Republican Convention held here in many years. That convention, it might be said, made Theodore Roosevelt an international charac- ter. Ile had been discredited by the controlling political powers in his own state, but had developed a strength that his opponents could not ignore. It was deemed expedient by them to give him the second place on the national ticket, the belief, based on previous experience, being that a man consigned to the Vice-presidency, was virtually relegated to obscurity, as few of the incumbents of the office were heard of during their term and never afterwards. The un- fortunate death of President Mckinley brought Roosevelt to the Presidency, however, and he quickly upset precedent, and was nominated and elected to suc- ceed himself four years later.
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