Source:Fleming-traveler
George T. Fleming. "Traveler sees much in old city: Maryland man writes book about Pittsburgh in the early days: List of merchants." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Apr. 30, 1916, sec. 5, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85459508.
SOME interesting facts of "middle-aged" Pittsburgh having been brought to light since last writing it has been thought best to present them as corroborative of previous history of Pittsburgh in the first decades of the nineteenth century. While not new to historians of our city the data presented is new and undoubtedly interesting to the general public.
William G. Lyford of Baltimore, Md., contributed not a little to the history of Pittsburgh when he penned his impressions of our city in the journey he made to the West in 1836–37.
These impressions he published in Baltimore in the latter year in book form under the title:
The Western Address Directory, containing the cards of merchants, manufacturers and other business men in Pittsburgh, (Pa.), Wheeling (Va.), Zanesville, (O.), Portsmouth, (O.), Dayton, (O.), Cincinnati, (O.), Madison, (Ind.), Louisville, (Ky.), St. Louis, (Mo.), together with Historical, Topographical, & Statistical sketches for the year 1837 of Those Cities and Towns in the Mississippi Valley. Intended as a Guide to Travellers. To which is added alphabetically Arranged a List of the Steamboats on the Western Waters.
The copy in question furnishes no doubt of original ownership. It is variously signed: "Christopher Magee's Book, Pittsburgh, March 30, 1838." In fact all the fly leaves are taken up with Magee signatures: "Christopher Magee, Jr.," and C. L. Magee, and John Gallagher's name appears once or twice.
Christopher Magee, Jr., inscribed his name January 12, 1840, in a fine running hand. One signature, "C. L. Magee," could be taken for that of the late Christopher Lyman Magee, but the date testifies to the contrary, for on July 10, 1839, the latter was yet to be born.
The advertisement on page 131 under the top line, "Pittsburgh Manufacturers in 1836," tells of the Magee interest in the book under view. This advertisement reads:
C. & C. L. Magee, Wholesale and Retail Fur and Silk Hat Manufacturers, 42 Market Street, Pittsburgh. Constantly for sale a general assortment of Caps and Ladies Fancy Furs, Wool Hats and Hatter's Furs and Trimmings.
Another Pittsburgh hat advertisement is immediately below. It is that of McLain, King & McCord, the partnership consisting of Benjamin McLain, Hugh D. King and John D. McCord. This firm was at 117 Wood street.
All Pittsburghers familiar with "Who's Who" in Pittsburgh will readily mention the second generations of these old-time hatters. Most familiar names, all of them.
Of course there are many other Pittsburgh firms advertised, more than 100, all appealing names and with a homelike ring.
Lyford records that he left Baltimore "16th Nov. 1836," for Pittsburgh, having paid the fare, $5, to Chambersburg.
He records every phase of the journey, which was by stage. Most interesting reading it is. The fare from Chambersburg was $8.
Lyford staged along via the old road through Bedford, Schellsburg, Stoystown, Ligonier and Greensburg, where he stopped over night on account of a broken down coach.
Lyford enumerates every village on the way thus:
Passing through Grapeville, 4 miles from Greensburg; Adamsburg, 2; Jacksonville, 3; Stewartsville, 4; Turtle Creekville, 9, (22 miles). On the summit of Turtle Creek hill we saw in a western direction a cloud of smoke canopying what we were informed was Pittsburgh, in 9 miles farther, passing through Wilkinsville and East Liberty, we were in the city—and at 5 o'clock p. m., Nov. 19, no longer depended on an extra. Distance from Chambersburg, 158 miles; from Baltimore 235.
In his next chapter Lyford records that he felt more than an ordinary anxiety to see and hear for himself concerning the fame of Pittsburgh as a manufacturing city, and to prove what the newspapers had long since informed him. Lyford speaks in quotations of the "Birmingham of America," a designation that had for some years been applied to Pittsburgh.
The day after his arrival was Sunday, and all the remainder of the week it rained so that Lyford had little chance for sightseeing. The soot and smoke, he attests, he soon lost sight of with the pleasant weather and all sojourners he states did likewise.
Mr. Lyford at length turned himself loose, cast his eyes about and we find him to have been keen-sighted. He records all the early history of the city and he is the author of the prophesy quoted last Sunday, of the great and flourishing city that was to arise, the hills reduced and the valleys filled.
We owe much to Mr. Lyford. He was both frank and friendly. His walks and talks about old Pittsburgh as he recorded them are most interesting reading to this generation.
He went into statistics. He got all the news. He had a keen nose, a sharp eye and a ready pen.
Mr. Lyford finds much to admire in the great aqueduct of the canal and the other bridges then in use. The Smithfield and the St. Clair (now Federal) do not escape his observation and comment.
Mr. Lyford describes well. Of the bridges he wrote:
The bridges over the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, are of wood, covered, and shut in—resting upon substantial abutments and piers of free stone, constructed upon such principles of masonry as to insure their durability, and to guard the superstructure against the ice and such other floating substances as are the consequences of the breaking up of the ice of those rivers, at certain seasons. That over the Monongahela, which is nearly three-fourths of a mile above its junction with the Allegheny, is 1,500 feet in length by 37 in width, and rests upon seven piers. It was erected in 1818, by a company, costing $102,450, the state taking $40,000. The lower bridge, over the Allegheny, is about half a mile above its junction with the Monongahela, also covered in, is 1,122 feet in length, 38 in width, and rests upon five piers. This bridge, which is 38 feet above the ordinary level of the river at low water, belongs also to a stock company. It was built in 1819, and cost $95,249, the state also taking to the amount of $40,000 of the stock.
The aqueduct of the Pennsylvania canal is a noble piece of work, of much novelty to strangers, and of interest to thousands. Including the chamber, or northern entrance, it is 1,140 feet long, 4 feet deep, 17 feet wide at bottom, and 18 at top—all made of wood, covered and shut in as the bridges, having a tow path for horses on one side and a foot way for passengers on the other—the whole resting on six piers, the abutments at each end powerfully strong, and of the most substantial stone work. Its capacity is 489,814 gallons. Its southern terminus connects with recesses, or basins, sufficiently capacious for the canal boats to lie without difficulty alongside of an extensive range of warehouses, into which their upward cargoes are passed, and from which they also receive their downward freight. These canal boats are owned by houses formed for purposes of transporting merchandise on the Pennsylvania canal. There are 14 regular lines; and the warehouses are provided for the temporary storage of such articles as are not immediately called for, and to keep all secure that might otherwise be removed improperly or {{sic|injjured|injured} by the weather. The canal, however, is continued across the southern part of the city, affording in its course other facilities, until it reaches Grant's hill, through which is a tunnel, and from thence to the shore of the Monongahela. The tunnel, in fact, terminates its course for the present; for, although chambers and locks have been constructed, and are capable of being used, there appears to have been no occasion as yet for calling them into active operation.
Two other bridges across the Allegheny are in contemplation—they are to be a short distance yet farther up. Some progress is made in the lower one, so far as to have completed its abutments; and its four piers are peering above the surface of the water at low water mark.
The old block house he gets right. It is not the "block house of Fort Duquesne." It is Bouquet's block house and was part of Fort Pitt. He speculates and grows retrospective. Speaking of Fort Pitt and its surroundings, he says:
Spplendid [sic] gardens and orchards at that period, ornamented the sites where Liberty and Penn streets are now, and a noble row of brick and stone houses belonging to traders lined the Allegheny's banks; but they have nearly all been swept off, the latter by the undermining of the river, and the former to make room for the introduction of the mechanics' workshops and the merchants' warehouses.
A part of this fort, however, so far as houses constitute a part, must yet be remaining; or a blockhouse and officers' quarters must have been erected on or near the same spot, soon after the period last mentioned; for such buildings exist—they are of brick and two stories high; the former low pitched, adjoin each other, and carry in their appearance everything of a military feature. The heavy timbers, in which the loopholes are mortised, are on the sides next the city, about half the height of the building, and propably [sic] serve at this time to support the floor of the second story. A tabular stone, introduced just under the eaves, on the S. W. side of the building contains the following inscription, verbatim, literatim, et punctuatim:
A D
1764
Coll. Bouquet.
I asked permission of the occupant, a pleasant looking German, whose name is John Martin, to enter his citadel, which he readily granted, and found the lower room tastefully finished and furnished but he could give me no further information than that he had a lease on it at $40 a year. I suggested to him the advantages he might derive by opening the room (which is about 20 feet square), during the season of travel, for the accommodation of strangers, and have in preparation some light cakes, lemonade, ices, fruits, etc.—for that numbers would be pleased to visit the military relic if they could do so under circumstances other than intrusive, and while he obliged such he would profit liberally by the pleasant speculation. His wife just at that moment entered the room, laughing, from an adjoining shed, and wiping her arms (for she appeared to have been washing), "dare, Jon, didn't I dell de so, ofden? Hear vat de man say?" John laughed likewise, and replied: "Ah, I'ms doo old now; and pesides, yoo nose I cot vork petter dan dat."
These buildings are located in the midst of lumber yards and workshops, very near the point at which the two rivers unite; but as it is difficult finding them, from the nature of the materials with which they are surrounded, some of which appear as ancient as the edifices themselves, it is probable that few others of the inhabitants are acquainted with their existence than those whose vocations call them into that section. It is a subject which at present does not interest business men.—The "Coll. Bouquet" whose name is chiselled on the stone plate is doubtless the officer who commanded at Raystown, and contemporary with Washington some six or eight years previous; but how or where he took command of the fort in question the inscription is the only data I can find upon the subject.
Mr. Lyford is attracted to Pittsburghs [sic] early graveyard about Old Trinity Church and the First Presbyterian Church on the Penn heirs' grant of land for church and graveyard purposes. He records:
On entering the church yard, in Sixth Street, I was forcibly struck with the singular order in which the sepultures for the dead were arranged—some at "heads and points," if I may be allowed the privilege of making light comparisons with grave subjects—and others, as a seaman would say, "athwart-hawse." There was not a living person present to answer why there was not more regard had to order in putting away the dead, had the question been asked; so I could only account for it by supposing, that the sexton, at each time, on opening a new grave, being permitted to exercise his own judgment, dug it in a line with the street which first met his eye, as he let fall the uplifted pickaxe, to remove the first clod.—The slabs appeared older than their inscriptions seemed to indicate, and from the dilapidation of many of the tombs, I supposed the deposites to have been the first in the city. I could decypher the epitaph, however, of only one octogenarian—George McGunnegle, died in 1821, aged 85. There reposed, however, the remains of Capt. Nathaniel Irish, a revolutionary officer, born in 1737, died in 1816—Capt. Richard Mathers, of the Royal Grenadiers, born in Westchester, (Eng.) and died at Fort Pitt, 1762—and as many others as to show, that also in this region "Death was no respector of persons.
Mr. Lyford goes up to Pipetown and finds the town of Pittsburgh—city in fact; town in size—had gas works already erected and about to be put in use. Some progress that—gas was a luxury.
He is not so well pleased with our early fire department—a volunteer system.
His notes are:
The Gas Works are situated on the bank of the Monongahela at the base of Ayres' (or Boyd's) hill, and are intended to be put into operation the approaching spring. The stock belongs to a company. The pipes, for conveying the gas through the streets are now being laid; hitherto the streets have not been lighted, and on some nights their darkness partakes of an Egyptian temprament [sic].
The Fire Department is not, perhaps, as well organied [sic] as it ought to be—there are 7 engine and hose companies.
During the three weeks he was here, Mr. Lyford certainly got about some. He went to the suburbs as then existing, and pleasant trips these must have been. He describes the arsenal, the theater, the Western Penitentiary "in Alleghenytown." The water works he examines critically and records:
The Water Works are seated on the bank of the Allegheny River and were erected by the city in 1828. The water is forced by steam machinery through the main shaft of 2,439 feet in length and 15 inches in diameter to the top of Grant's Hill which is 116 feet above the Allegheny River, where it is discharged into a basin, the capacity of which is 1,000,000 gallons, at the rate of 1,344 gallons a minute, the wheel making ordinarily within that period 14 revolutions and sometimes 15. About 90 bushels of coal are used per day. The basin is 11 feet in depth and contains a partition wall for the purposes of filtration. From this reservoir the city is at present plentifully supplied with water and above half the various mills factories, etc., within the city proper use it paying an annual tax for the consideration, the total amount of which, for the last year was $15,000. The tax to some families is $3, and is graduated according to the demand. Some of the manufacturing establishments paying as high as $1,200. Fireplugs are conveniently located, that resource may be had to them when needed.
As the city increases in extent and population, and a greater supply of water becomes requisite, the basin will probably be changed to a point farther east, which the corporation has aready [sic] secured, on a more elevated site, made larger and, of course, will have a greater head.
The basin Lyford mentions was at Diamond and Grant streets, the new basins that were secured were on Prospect street, now Bedford avenue, the site of Washington Park. They have long since been removed.
Of a certainty Lyford had his eyes on the inhabitants of the burg. He quotes Cramer, presumably Zadok Cramer, an early printer here, and acquiesces in Cramer's characterization of our heterogeneous population. He puts it in this paragraph thus:
The inhabitants of Pittsburgh, besides the native Americans, are a mixture of English, Scotch, German, French, Swiss and Irish—many of the foreigners are artisans and mechanics. There are not many people of color, and those who are desport [sic] themselves generally with prudence. The character of the people is that of enterprising and persevering industry—every man to his business is the prevailing maxim; there is, therefore, little time devoted to amusements or the cultivation of refined social pleasures. Strangers are not much pleased with the place in point of hospitality merely; but those who have business to transact meet with as many facilities as elsewhere. Great harmony exists among all classes; and with every denomination of Christians, there is a strict devotion to religious duties, and but few instances of gross vices or dissipation are heard of.—Cramer.
Dealing strictly in facts and figures, Mr. Lyford naturally had the press in mind. He also had antiquarian leanings and made some researches. He has kind words for the Gazette.
His syntax is a little off in one place, but we forgive him. Hebdomadals we were not—and that is something to be proud of, although it must be admitted the Gazette was one once, and for some time, but in 1836 it was a daily, and under the management of Messrs. Craig and Grant—and Craig was Neville Burgoyne Craig, not Neville Bayard Craig, as most people believe his middle name to have been.
But first hear Lyford about the Gazette and the press of Pittsburgh.
There are 13 papers published here at this time, two of which are daily, two others purpose to be, and the remainder are hebdomadals. The Pittsburgh Gazette is the elder, and was established by John Scull and Joseph Hall, the first number bearing date July 26, 1786. I particularly examined the file of those early numbers, and in a hurried range with my mental eye looked at Pittsburgh then and now! The sheets of The Gazette were of a demy size, with three columns of small pica and long primer on a page—the "subscription 17s 6d per annum." "Advertisements of a square, inserted three times for a dollar, and a quarter of a dollar for each continuance." This was the first paper established on the western side of the Allegheny Mountains. The present proprietors are Messrs. Craig and Grant.
Now as to Neville B. Craig. The stories in these columns of the Craig and Neville families attracted the attention of the grandsons of Mr. Craig and resulted in a correspondence between the writer hereof and the Craigs, and many facts published were admitted to be good history—one was not—the applying of the middle name Bayard. Mr. Craig was christened Neville Burgoyne Craig—and thereby hangs a story.
Dr. Neville B. Craig, grandson of the former editor and proprietor of the Gazette, now a resident of Philadelphia, wrote under date of March 2 inquiring the authority of Bayard as a middle name. It occurred in some Pittsburgh history somewhere in print, or else it had not been used herein.
Dr. Craig states that his grandfather always wrote his name Neville B and used only the letter B without the period after B, thus indicating that letter was not an abbreviation but served as a name, presenting a queer idea of his parents in the the [sic] bestowal of the letter for such a purpose.
The facts are that Maj. Isaac Craig, father of Neville B., was a great admirer of the British general, Burgoyne, and bestowed the General's name upon his son, but the son growing up in an atmosphere antagonistic to everything British, Maj. Craig found it advisable to omit the middle name. But the son compromised and used merely the initial. The grandson followed in the way of his ancestor, but his wife uses the full name thus: Mrs. Neville Burgoyne Craig.
Dr. Craig said he never heard the middle name Bayard used. Someone probably guessed it from the long friendship and partnership existing between Maj. Isaac Craig and Col. Stephen Bayard.
We have some other testimony to offer of these years antedating Lyford seven years.
Mrs. Ann Royal, who was here in 1829, was a native of Maryland and an authoress. She published two books in her day well and favorably known. These were "The Huntress" and "Paul Pry." Mrs. Royal was for a time a resident of Westmoreland county, Pa.
She describes the "superb" bridges at Pittsburgh, and the factories here especially appealed to her. She wrote:
I had heard so much of the steam manufactories and coal and smoke of Pittsburgh that I tried to form some idea of them; but was greatly disappointed. More smoke than I could have conceived, and the manufactories were far beyond my conception in skill of workmanship and amount of capital. Pittsburgh at the last enumeration contained dwelling houses, 1,140; churches, 12, public buildings, 7, stores, 60; groceries, 146; banks, 2, taverns, 16; factories, mills and shops, 440; warehouses, etc., 76. This number however has greatly increased and the buildings are going up at this time in all parts of the city.
Most of the houses are brick and some of them are lofty, fine buildings; but all of the houses are colored quite black with the smoke. The interiors of the houses are still worse, carpets, chairs, walls, furniture, all black with smoke; no such thing as wearing white; the ladies mostly dress in black, and a cap, or white ruff put on clean in the morning is tinged quite black by bedtime. The ladies are continually washing their faces.
Meantime the smoke, particularly in the absence of the sun, is quite annoying to the eyes of strangers and everything has a very gloomy, doleful appearance at first, excepting always the interior of the workshops.
Speaking of the squares or "Diamonds," common in all Pennsylvania towns, Mrs. Royal describes the Pittsburgh Diamond thus:
Mrs. Royal then proceeds extensively into descriptions of Pittsburgh mills and factories which is not pertinent to today's story.The Diamond is about the center of the city, is large and contains the market house in the center, and the public buildings, attorneys' officers [sic] and a few oyster cellars. The streets of Pittsburgh are not regular running in all directions; most of them, however, angle with the Monongahela. The citizens are now engaged in furnishing the city with good water and have sunk a very handsome reservoir upon the top of Grant's hill. But from some cause to me unknown, the pipes have mostly burst, and flooded the streets with water which I found very unpleasant.
The whole city is a perfect workshop; and a most remarkable fact in regard to the character of the society in Pittsburgh, and one which excites astonishment and pleasure, is that the mechanics and artificers are by far the most enlghtened [sic] part of the society.
