Source:Fleming-court-house-1
George T. Fleming. "Old court house once famous edifice: Pile was an architectural ornament of the city for 40 years: Built by noted men." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Oct. 22, 1916, sec. 5, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85878931.
THE forthcoming city charter centennial celebration tends to awaken interest in the early days of Pittsburgh and views of any kind that pertain to the history of our city are being sought eagerly to place on exhibition during the celebration.
Today there is presented an account of a historic building, once the pride of the city, and there were others well thought of.
Harris' General Business Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny for 1841 contains this account:
SPLENDID BUILDINGS IN PITTSBURGH.
Among the large number of extensive public improvements in and about the cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny, we may mention three large bridges and the Pennsylvania Aqueduct across the Allegheny connecting the two cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny, within the distance of one mile; the bridge across the Monongahela, the Western Penitentiary, the Orphan Asylum and the Theological Seminary in Allegheny City, the Western University, the Third Presbyterian Church on Third Street, Burke's Building, the Pittsburgh, Exchange, Merchants and Manufacturers' Banks in the city and last and not least our splendid new court house, and two noble hotels.
Immense Work Completed.
None of the bridges mentioned exist today as in 1840. The Monongahela Bridge at Smithfield street burned April 10, 1845; the University Building the same day; the Third Presbyterian Church in October, 1863, suffered the same fate after being saved April 10, 1845; Burke's Buildings in Fourth street, now Fourth avenue, and the bank buildings have gone long since, the M. & M. is out of existence and of the two noble hotels we have one yet, the Monongahela.
It is about the new or second court house of Allegheny county that Mr. Harris makes his greatest spread. He records:
This immense work is now completed. It is situated on Grant's Hill, on a lot formerly the property of James Ross, Esq. This edifice is on an eminence so high above the city as to afford an extensive view of the hills and valleys of the three rivers—the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio with all the towns and villages for miles around. The architecture is of the Grecian Doric order, a style the most noble and imposing left us as a legacy by the ancients. The ruins of Paestum and the Parthenum at Athens contain the finest specimens of this class—the wonder and admiration of all modern travelers.
The main front is divided into a hexo-style portico, and two pseudo peripteral wings. The building is 165 feet long and is connected with the jail in the rear.
Ceiling Exceedingly Beautiful.
The basement contains eight rooms, four of which are 32 by 25 feet each, and the others [sic] four are 15 by 32 feet each. These are used for public offices; the prothonotary and recorder occupy the two in front and the commissioners, clerk of sessions, etc., those in the rear. The whole of this story is made fireproof with groined arches, and makes a safe depositary for the public records. These rooms are connected with each other by commodious passages, 12 feet in width.
The principal story contains a rotunda 60 feet in diameter, four court rooms, about 45 feet square each, and two jury rooms, each 20 by 18 feet. Each court room is connected with the rotunda by two entrances, the one for the members of the bar and the other for the public.
The rotunda is 50 feet high to the base of the dome, which is supported by eight Corinthian columns. The dome at the base is 38 feet in diameter and is finished on the top by a lantern; from the highest part of which inside to the floor of the rotunda is 128 feet. The ceiling of the dome is exceedingly beautiful, being executed in stucco work with rich paneling. In the base of the dome are eight circular headed windows, which throw a softened and subdued light into the rotunda.
The second story is connected with the rotunda by three stone staircases; the main one is lighted from a small cupola which, with the tall ceilings of the staircase, exhibits richly ornamented stucco work. This story contains five rooms on each side. The eastern side is appropriated to the District Court of the United States, by which it already is occupied, and furnished in the finest style. On the west side are the rooms for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the public library, the judges, grand and petit juries. Each set of rooms is approached by a spacious corridor, 12 feet wide, and running the whole depth of the building, which gives to these apartments a high degree of elegance and commodiousness.
Erected in Five Years for $200,000.
The height of the principal story is 20 feet, that of the second story 15 feet; and from the floor of the basement to that of the principal story, is 13 feet.
The floor of the portico will be 20 feet above Grant street when graded, and is gained by two flights of stone steps in front. Here stand massive columns, 3 feet high and 5 feet 10 inches in diameter. These are of solid stone and fluted, and with their capitals are finely polished. From the level of Grant street, when graded, to the top of the lantern is 148 feet. The court house and jail stand upon a lot 240 feet square; both are built of sandstone from quarries in this vicinity. The principal fronts of both are enriched and polished.
The court house has been in the progress of erection for about five years, at a cost of near $200,000, and is pronounced by judges to be one of the most elegant edifices of its kind in the United States. The architect is John Chislett, Esq., of Allegheny, who furnished the plans and superintended its erection, to whose taste and skill it does abundant honor. The contractors and builders are Coltart & Dilworth, who have done a noble work well, and deserve great credit as mechanics and artists.
Mr. Harris has taken this description from the Christian Witness, a weekly religious journal published here from 1836 and for years after 1841. Elderly persons who knew this Court House well in its later days will smile quietly at the description. It was dark and dingy enough before its destruction by fire, May 7, 1882. The outer columns of soft sandstone had been broken at the edges of the flutings, the stone disintegrating in the years and they presented a sorry appearance. The lower floor, or basement, was damp and dingy and had a moldy smell. Buildings of one story had been added on the Fifth avenue side and on the Diamond street side until about all of the yards on those sides had been occupied.
Fire on Sunday in 1882.
Judge John W. F. White says that Senator Ross was paid $20,000 for the lot. The corner stone was laid October 12, 1836. The jail was on the same lot, but not at first adjoining the Court House. This was the third jail in Allegheny county; the present jail the fourth.
The building connecting the jail and Court House, Judge White says, was not built for 25 or 30 years afterwards. If he means from the time the corner stone was laid he is probably correct. This would make the date 1861 or later. The writer can testify that the buildings were connected in 1863. The connecting building contained offices and the Criminal Court was held in the second story. This court room was large and airy, with good light. The jail and connecting building were not burned in the fire of May 7, 1882. Court was held in the same room right along and the jail was used until the present jail was completed. The fire was on Sunday and broke out at noon. The front building was practically destroyed. The annex buildings, Sheriff's office, Treasurer's office, etc., also were saved. Many ancient records of the courts were burned.
That the Allegheny County Court House was accounted an architectural wonder is evident from many sources, the building having been written up frequently. Here is one from Boston in 1852, taken from Gleason's Pictorial Drawing Room Companion, edited by Maturin M. Ballou, famous afterwards as the editor and publisher of The Dollar Monthly Magazine.
In Volume III of the Drawing Room Companion, July to January, 1852, page 304, there is a half-page wood cut of our second Court House, which is reproduced today.
Picture "Exhibits Beauty."
On page 301 the same volume, under the caption, "Pittsburgh Court House," this paragraph occurs:
On our last page we give an artistic view of this beautiful edifice. It stands on one of the highest points in the city. It is a most magnificent structure; in fact, it has no equal of its kind west of the mountains. It was built in 1840. The picture exhibits in the view from the north, on the extreme left a portion of the jail building or sheriff's residence. To to [sic] the right is seen a portion of a frame building some 200 yards to the south, in which Louis Philippe, ex-king of France, resided when an exile in this country many years ago. The picture is a fine one, and well exhibits the architetural [sic] beauties of the building.
Comparing Gleason's picture with the one of the same building made in 1876, a lithograph drawing by Mr. William G. Armor, it is evident that Gleason's artist did not picture the building as it was. First, the cupola is shown too conical. This was modeled along beautiful lines and added greatly to the appearance of the building. Again, the outside columns were Corinthian, hence cylindrical, and were deeply fluted, and Gleason shows them quadrangular with plain faces.
The old tavern shown in Gleason's picture called the Oregon House, was most probably not there in 1797 when Louis Philip and his two brothers visited Pittsburgh and remained here for some time. Louis was then the Duke of Orleans and his brothers were the Duke of Montpensier and the Count of Beaujolais. They were entertained by the Chevalier Dubac, "Gabriel Dubac" in Pittsburgh, who kept a store at Market and Front streets, Front subsequently First avenue; but this is another story.
Clumps of Trees on Grant's Hill.
Judge Henry M. Brackenridge, son of Judge Hugh Henry Brackenridge, in his book, "Recollections of Persons and Places in the West," published in 1868, gives us an account of Grant's Hill. He states that it was a beautiful green eminence where Fourth of July celebrations were held and where the populace were wont to repair for a pleasure ground.
Grant's Hill was the property of Senator James Ross whose mansion stood at what is now Fourth avenue and Ross street. The directory of 1815 gives it thus: "James Ross, Counselor at law, North side of Fourth, East of Grant."
Much of the hill was unenclosed. Clumps of trees grew on its irregular surface, but there were wide, open spaces; these were grassy in summer and bushes grew in profusion. Down the slope into Suke's Run, the site now of the jail and Panhandle tracks, there were many large forest trees.
In August, 1794, the motley army of whisky insurrectionists marched from their rendezvous at Braddock's Field and camped on Grants Hill, after marching through the small town of Pittsburgh. While camped here they were regaled and refreshed with good food and whisky by the citizens of Pittsburgh, who were fearful the campers would burn the town. Their generous treatment prevented this. Judge H. H. Brackenridge's contribution was four barrels of whisky.
Grants Hill, it must be remembered, has been cut down three times. When first built the second court house stood but slightly above Grant street, as shown in the picture in Sherman Day's "Historical Collections of Pennsylvania." Where the Frick Building stands was part of the hill, the ground sloping into a pond at Fifth and Smithfield streets.
Diamond street was not put through when H. M. Brackenridge wrote of the locality. Indeed, as late as 1815 this street was known as, and originally called Hammond alley. Across the alley from the court house was open ground, now the site of the new City and County Building. On this site many large political meetings were held, and some as late as 1840.
The "Pittsburgh Blues," under Capt. James R. Butler, son of Gen. Richard Butler, went into camp on Grants Hill September 12, 1812, preparatory to their departure to join Gen. William Henry Harrison's army in the Northwest. The hill was open ground then, and so in 1794, three years before the French princes honored Pittsburgh with their presence. It is possible that the princes were domiciled somewhere near Grants Hill, possibly at Jean Marie's, whose mansion stood in the center of the square bounded by Fourth avenue, Diamond street, Cherry alley and Grant street. Marie was French.
The map of Pittsburgh in 1795 shows his dwelling, also Senator Ross' located as stated above and a grove in the rear of and to the right of the Ross mansion.
The Braddock's Field road, subsequently the Fourth Street road, passed Ross' home, which fronted to the South and diagonally to the road. Excepting Marie's there was no dwelling nearer than Smithfield street and Second avenue, where Judge Alexander Addison resided on the northeast corner.
So much for the Oregon House and Louis Philippe, subsequently King of France.
The mention of Grant's Hill by Harris as standing on an eminence high above the city is correct, as the city line in 1840 extended only to Washington street, but Gleason is wrong in his statement that the building stood on one of the highest points in the city. The city line east had been advanced in 1848 as far as Kirkpatrick street and included in the city limits all that portion of the city familiarly known as the "Hill."
Old Coltart Mansion Still Stands.
Had Gleason said the building stood on the highest point in the business section or the lower portion he would have been correct. Only those who can recall the old court house can form an adequate idea of its height above the present street levels in the vicinity.
Something of the builders and architect is naturally in order, for we have Coltart square, Dilworth street and Chislett street in our street nomenclature—Coltart in Oakland, Dilworth on Mt. Washington, and Chislett in the Morningside district. The old Coltart mansion still stands on Forbes street above Craft avenue, at present occupied by the wards of the Juvenile Court.
John Chislett, architect of the second court house was the first superintendent of the Allegheny Cemetery. He laid out those beautiful grounds and with his aged wife and others of his family has long since been interred where his refined taste and engineering skill had done so much to beautify and adorn.
Inheriting the tastes and acquirements of his father, his successor was his son, John Chislett, Jr., who had been associated with him. The elder Chislett died in 1869, John Chislett Jr., July 16, 1890.
William Dilworth was a noted building contractor in early Pittsburgh. Harris gives his residence in 1841, "Dilworth, Wm., carpenter and contractor, one mile on old Washington road."
The Dilworth property lay west of Southern avenue, Mt. Washington, in the vicinity of and including Dilworth and all the adjacent streets.
Lived 50 Years on Mt. Washington.
William Dilworth was a native of Chester County, Pa., born May 20, 1791. With his parents he moved to Allegheny county in 1797. He served in the war of 1812 under Gen. William H. Harrison. In 1817 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Scott, daughter of Col. Samuel Scott, a pioneer of Ross Township, this county.
On the evening of their marriage the couple took up their abode on Mt. Washington and here they continued to reside for over a half century.
The sons of William and Elizabeth Dilworth have filled a large page in the records of the commercial development of Pittsburgh. The worthy couple had a large family. William Dilworth, Jr., John S., Joseph and Frank A. Dilworth were all well known in Pittsburgh industries for many years and the name is still carried by several Pittsburgh business concerns. The daughters married prominent business men of this city and as such added to the general influence of the Dilworth family in the community.
William Dilworth, Sr., early began building operations. In 1817 he superintended the construction of the first Smithfield Street bridge, which was badly wrecked in the great flood of 1832 known as the "Pumpkin Flood," and entirely destroyed in the great fire of 1845.
The reputation gained by Mr. Dilworth on the building of this bridge led to his selection by Gen. William Robinson and his associates to supervise the erection of the first bridge over the Allegheny at St. Clair street, now Federal, in 1819.
Mr. Dilworth had charge also of the construction of the first water works in Pittsburgh, subsequently the site of the Globe Plow Works of Speer & Co., on Duquesne way, between the present Stanwix street and Cecil alley. Water was pumped directly from the Allegheny River, then a clear, pure stream, to a reservoir on Grants Hill, at Grant and Diamond streets, the site now occupied by the Frick Building.
Some accounts state Mr. Dilworth began work on the second court house in 1834. This is probably correct, as the building progressed slowly.
Mrs. Jacobina McAleese (nee Ziebler), mother of the late John McAleese, was wont to relate that when she came to Pittsburgh with her parents but little work had been done on the court house, but it was then under way. Her father, Matthew Ziebler, farmed all Boyds Hill, in the vicinity of the Duquesne University, and Mrs. McAleese had ample opportunity to observe the erection of the building. She placed the completion of the building in 1841, fixing the date as about a year before her marriage. Mrs. McAleese died in 1905.
"Barney" Burns, an aged and decrepit man who lived in the neighborhood, was wont to sun himself in the early 70's on nice days in the easy chairs at the old "Bill" Phillips Engine House (No. 5), on Center avenue, near Kirkpatrick street, and would relate to the fire boys with some degree of pride the part he had in the building of the court house, which was that of a laborer. His story was that the job lasted a long time.
It was a good job in its day, and a clean one. There was not the faintest tinge of what we now call graft in the whole process of erection.
In 1834 William Dilworth was elected a member of the Pennsylvania legislature and served one term. He was noted for his philanthropic spirit. One who remains anonymous, but who had benefitted by Mr. Dilworth's bounty, wrote of him in this respect as follows:
A place of great interest to me was the residence of the late William Dilworth. About 50 years ago Mr. Dilworth, impelled by the same generous philanthropy which characterized his after life, built a school house on part of his farm, employed a school teacher whom he boarded in his own family, and requested the neighbors of the hill (Coal Hill then) and the near country to send their children to this school. He not only requested the children of the poor to attend free of charge, but he bought them the necessary books.
I was of that class, and nearly all the school training I ever received was from books bought by him and in the school house at his expense. In my younger days I did not appreciate the great blessing he bestowed on me, but since I reached mature years I have entertained the liveliest feelings of gratitude toward him and his family.
There were others who could attest to similar obligations and call forth similarly grateful utterances.
William Dilworth and his good wife lived to celebrate their golden wedding, May 8, 1867, and the deep respect in which they were held was well illustrated on that happy occasion. His biographer states:
From near and far poured in friends of the family; a few friends of their youth, but mostly those who had learned to know and love them in later years. The extensive circle of family relatives who came to pay the tribute of filial regard to the benerable couple tended much to enhance their interest of the event; and beautiful, indeed, must have been the retrospect of half a century of the joys and sorrows indent [sic] to so long a wedded life.
William Dilworth died February 18, 1871, "full of years and honors and in the full assurance of a blissful immortality."
The floor plans of the second Court House shown today will greatly aid in the recollection of the building.
