Source:Fleming-visitors
George T. Fleming. "Visitors tell about early city: Travelers leave interesting tales of Pittsburgh a century ago: Busy town even then." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Mar. 19, 1916, sec. 5, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85766822.
PITTSBURGH as an incorporated city is one hundred years and two days old today. Yesterday was the first day of the new century and today is the second of our corporate existence in the way of a city.
Interest passes then to the period when that corporate existence began.
Who was who then?
What did the little city look like?
What did folks think of us? Write of us? Prophesy or picture us?
These are questions that arise when the century is rolled away and in imagination one goes back to 1816 and the succeeding decades, and perhaps a few years preceding 1816.
That was a momentous year in history, called "The year without a summer." Ice was formed in every month in New England and Northern New York. Some crops were saved by keeping fires burning in the fields day and night and some fruit saved likewise.
The days of 1816 were dark, cold and dispiriting.
We have no local history of weather conditions here such as our New England relatives suffered under, and no local records show loss of crops by freezing. In tracing many historical items by family and other traditions it does not appear that Pennsylvania suffered greatly from lack of a real summer that year.
The story of the calamity that was widespread in parts of the country is mentioned as having been contemporaneous with our city's creation and to call attention to the historical fact that dark days then befell the land.
Something now of the borough of Pittsburgh, incorporated a city within the same corporate limits, March 18, 1816.
An Early Publication.
Fortesque Cuming came through here about 1808. His sketches of a tour to the Western country commenced in 1807 and concluded in 1809, were published by Zadok Cramer, one of the three Pittsburgh printers and booksellers who was the compiler and publisher of Cramer's Almanac and "The Navigator."
In Riddle's directory of 1815, the firm name is Cramer, Spear & Eichbaum, one of the partners being William Eichbaum, Jr.
This print shop was on the east side of Market street, between Second and Front streets, now Second and First avenues.
Zadok Cramer was dead before 1815, for Riddle has:
"Cramer, Elizabeth, widow of Zadok, west side of Grant between Second and Third.'
This was away up town.
The name immediately above Elizabeth's is:
"Craig, Isaac, Major, Water between Redoubt alley and Ferry street."
This was close to where John Scull had started the Pittsburgh Gazette, July 29, 1786. He was still printing it and publishing it in 1816.
So much for some Pittsburgh people merely mentioned before passing to F. Cuming's story.
John M. Snowdon was one of the other printers and booksellers, also the editor and proprietor of the "Mercury." His shop was on the west side of Market, between Third and Fourth streets. Scull's office was at Market and Front streets. Robert Patterson was the third, at the southwest corner of Wood and Fourth.
Mr. Cuming is quite interesting. He was a close observer and did not hesitate to say what he thought. He says, in one place, that "Pittsburgh is inhabited by people who have fixed here for the express purpose of making money."
Let us rejoice that they did. The places inhabited by people who fixed there for the above laudable purpose seem to have been numerous as recorded in the history of the world. Had it been otherwise here, Pittsburgh would not have promoted progress to any great extent, and progress would not have been evident in Pittsburgh. Our forefathers stayed because it paid. Sensible people.
Some Are Criticized.
Mr. Cuming admitted that the Pittsburghers of that day were celebrated for hospitality, but though [sic] it might be due to politics. Old settlers who had purchased property when it was low, nettled him because, having become wealthy, these assumed airs of superiority even over the well-born and well-bred part of the community, who had been reduced from a more affluent situation by misfortune, or who had not been so fortunate as themselves in acquiring what stands the possessor in lieu of a descent and all the "virtues and accomplishments."
However, Mr. Cuming looked around the town a bit and recorded that Market street was the only paved street. In the next three years he records that most of Wood street and Front street, Third from Market to Wood, and Chancery lane from Water to Second were paved, and that further paving was intended, as other grading had been done, especially on Diamond alley.
Cuming was not impressed with Pittsburgh. It was unprepossessing, principally from the bad condition of the streets. From the extensive rise of coal the houses were black from soot and smoke. Coal then was 5 cents a bushel.
McCullough's Inn was the principal stopping place. This was kept by William McCullough and was on the northwest corner of Wood and Fifth streets.
Mail facilities were accounted good when Cuming was here, twice a week from Philadelphia and Baltimore. By 1815 three mails arrived a week from the East; on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, closing Tuesdays, and Saturdays at 8 a. m.
Likewise the town had three Western mails, arriving Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, closing Sunday at sunset, and on Wednesday and Friday at 1 p. m.
Short Mail Routes.
Then there were short mail routes also; Beaver and Erie arriving on Monday evening and closing same day at sunset, presumably in order that the post rider might get away by daylight in the morning.
Steubenville folks were better off. They had a bi-weekly mail, arriving Sunday and Wednesday evenings and closing the same days at sunset.
The Huntingdon mail went via Ebensburg and Indiana. It arrived on Tuesday and closed same day at 12:30 p.{{thin}m.
The postoffice was open on Sunday for one hour—4 to 5 p. m. John Johnston was postmaster. Patrons were notified to leave letters within the time specified to insure their going in the mail of that day.
They were also instructed to be particular in directions, states to be distinguished and where otherwise doubtful the counties. Letters could be sent either prepaid or paid by the party to whom addressed.
The rate for any distance not exceeding 40 miles was 12 cents—running up a scale to 500 miles and to 37½ cents.
Stamps were not in general use, nor were envelopes. The single sheet was folded and sealed with wax and an impress on the wax. The directions were on the outside of the fold.
Double letters, or those composed of two sheets, took double rates. Triple letters, or three sheets, triple rates, and packets of four or more sheets that weighed one ounce or more were rated equal to one single letter for each quarter ounce.
Newspapers, carried not exceeding 100 miles, or for any distance not carried out of the state in which printed, cost 1½ cents; if carried out of the state where printed and over 100 miles 2¼ cents.
Magazines and pamphlets carried not over 50 miles, 1½ cents for each sheet; over 50 miles and not exceeding 100, 2¼ cents; over 100, 3 cents, and there was a restriction, to-wit:
But pamphlets are not to be received or conveyed by post on the main line, or any cross road where the mail is large.
Old Fort Disappears.
This made them scarce, as well as high priced.
The postoffice was on the north side of Front street between Market and Ferry streets.
By 1810 all signs of Fort Duquesne had disappeared, but the ditch and ramparts of Fort Pitt were yet to be seen. Beyond them were a few straggling apple trees and some pear trees, all that remained of the King's Artillery Gardens planted by the first troops that garrisoned Fort Pitt, and stretching along the Allegheny River. These trees when Cuming was here were fully 50 years old.
Coming into the town of Pittsburgh from the Lawrenceville way the first object to catch the traveler's sight was the belfry or steeple of the court house in the Diamond, erected in 1791. Then the smaller steeple of the Round Church was noted.
Cuming describes this as "the brick octagonal Episcopal Church." It stood in the triangle at Wood, Sixth and Liberty streets and its picture was shown in last Sunday's article.
The handsome new brick meeting house of the Presbyterian Congregation was also noted by Cuming. This was the second edifice of the First Presbyterian congregation and stood on the site of the McCreery store building at Wood street and Sixth avenue. The Rev. Francis Herron was pastor. He resided at Penn and Wayne streets, now Tenth street, on the site of the Pickering building.
A picture of the "meeting house" is shown today. It was erected in 1803 and took the place of the log "meeting house" erected in 1785 on the ground donated by the Penn heirs.
The brick edifice lasted until 1851 when it went the way and in its stead arose the third church building which was torn down when the McCreery building was erected in 1903.
Fine Church Buildings.
The third edifice was of stone, somewhat like the present structure on Sixth avenue, and it was accounted a fine piece of church architecture, as was the "brick meeting house" in Cuming's day and the present structure in our day.
Cuming noted that for shade purposes the dwellings were surrounded with Lombardy poplars and weeping willows.
He has something to say of Grant's Hill, our "dear" old "hump." It was then fully 100 feet high and covered with a delightful, short green herbage and was a favorite resort for the people for parades and out-door exercises. Doubtless Cuming meant celebrations, for thereon the populace were wont to gather and the Fourth of July was a special day for turning out.
It belonged then to Gen. O'Hara, Cuming states, and visitor Cuming ventured the hope that Gen. O'Hara, with true patriotism, would reserve it for its present use and not permit one of the greatest ornaments of Pittsburgh to be destroyed by having it cut down and levelled for building lots.
However, Mr. Cuming is a little high in his measurement. From Smithfield street to the summit was about 70 feet. There are yet here people who went to the Third Ward school on the summit at Diamond and Cherry alleys, the south corner of the Kaufmann Store Building.
"The Hump must go," was said at several periods, and it went in three installments, the last we saw, and now that it's gone we must admit with our ancient visiting friend that it was a nice hump and that, as a park, and a handy one, it would have put it all over Schenley et al, especially for convenience.
But as Mr. Cuming said when he started out in his remarks—Pittsburghers had the money-getting habit and they had no sympathy for humps or longing for parks.
And Mr. C. had it all planned for them, too.
Just read:
Early Plea for Park.
Were Gen. O'Hara to fence it in, terrace it, which could be done at a small expense; ornament it with clumps of evergreens and flowering shrubs, and erect a few banqueting houses in the form of small temples, according to the different orders of architecture, it would be one of the most beautiful spot, of which not only America, but perhaps any town in the universe could boast.
And considering the tendency of such establishments to get on high ground, what a rent it would have brought as the site of a beer garden.
Now that it's gone we can begin to appreciate our hump, historic that it was and costly in its removal.
Had Pittsburgh had the historical fever and evinced the desire that is now growing widely to preserve historic sites, the old hill at Grant and Fifth and vicinity, rightly named Grants Hill, would, in its original state, have been one of the rare historic sites in Pennsylvania. It was the scene of a base defeat, it is true, but that preliminary to the coming of John Forbes and the founding of Pittsburgh.
From the historic hill, Mr. C. states "the eye looks over a fine level of 3,000 acres once intended as the site of a town to be called Allegheny, to be the capital of the county. But the situation of Pittsburgh being very properly judged more convenient, it has eventually become the seat of justice of the county and the most flourishing inland town in the United States."
This is all true.
In 1810 our embryo city had actually 767 houses. When Cuming was here, not being particularly busy and tiring of mere sight-seeing, he counted them. But this was in 1808.
Houses of Pittsburgh
In 17 streets, and four lanes or alleys, there were 236 brick houses of which 47 had been built within the year, and 361 frame buildings of which 72 were built within a year.
"There were 24 taverns, four or five of which were very good ones and the rest of every grade."
We can reasonably presume that none of these had cabaret shows and that "all kept the law the past year."
Coming back now to the Diamond or the Diamond Square it is well to observe that this was a thrifty locality and a busy one. The court house and Market were there and the lawyers' offices were all in the neighborhood or came there before the building of the second court house on Grant's Hill, opened in 1840 and burned May 7, 1882.
The old court house continued to be used as a market until 1852, when it was razed and the two market buildings recently torn away for the new buildings, were completed.
We have some early descriptions of this old court house. The large picture of it usually shown presents the lunette shaped sheds and the buildings on the northside of Market street from the eastside of the square to Fifth avenue.
There are also sheds in front of the building which faces south, a sign, "G. Robitzer" is easily read, also one "Confectionery" on the sheds in front, but these were modern, for the picture was made prior to the demolition of the building in 1852.
The view today antedates that picture by at least a score of years. No sheds are in front, and the inference is plain that the building was still in use by the courts and county officials, and that the market was outside in the sheds which show in the later picture.
Ashe's Tale of Markets.
Thomas Ashe was in Pittsburgh about two years before Cuming. The market in those days was frequented by Ashe during his sojourn of some months here.
Ashe states that while the market was daily frequented, on two particular days of each week it was overcrowded by vast numbers of country people who brought in produce of all kinds. These were Wednesday and Saturday.
We may believe our early citizens lived well while they were making money during their "fixed" residence. First-class beef, Ashe states, was often sold for three cents a pound, good veal at seven cents and pork at three cents. Fine fowls were a shilling a pair, while partridges, pigeons and all kins of game brought only reasonable prices. A haunch of venison was sold for 50 cents and a flitch of bear meat would bring $1. Butter was 14 cents a pound, eggs five cents a dozen and milk three cents a quart.
Whisky, a great commodity, was only 25 cents a gallon. Board at the best taverns was 50 cents per day, and for an entire year's board, with washing, ironing and lodging, $100 was about right.
In winter sleighing was the favorite pastime. Every "fellow" who would stand well with the belles of the burg needed a horse and sleigh. These, the happy owners, Ashe tells us, "drove with great dexterity through streets, calling upon their acquaintances and taking refreshments at many an open house where excellent porter was brewed at a very cheap rate."
In summer, the early Pittsburghers consoled themselves with the enjoyment of concerts, evening walks and rural festivities held in the vicinity of Clear Springs and "under the shade of the old oderiferous [sic] trees."
We can readily believe that these last mentioned enjoyments were inexpensive. We sigh to know the prices of admission to the concerts.
We present also today a picture of St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church on part of Grant's Hill, the site of the former cathedral, on the lot on which is now arising the Union Arcade. Remember that this church, however antique it may seem now, was modern, for the corner-stone was not laid until June 24, 1829, and the building dedicated until May 4, 1834. The front faced Fifth avenue.
This was a consequential church edifice and obtained a full description in the American Manufacturer, the article being furnished by the architect, one Kerrins. He said, among other things:
This church, which is probably the largest in the United States, occupies an area 175 feet by 75 feet in width. It has one central and two side aisles and contains 240 pews which, with those in the gallery, make 350, giving a seating capacity for 1,500 or 1,800 persons.
The lots were originally 25 feet above Grant street, but were graded down.
In 1844 came the first "hump" cut. A subscription was raised and retaining walls put up to hold up the building.
Three years later came the second "hump" cut, and by this the foundations of the church were irreparably ruined. The church as shown was perched on a mound 20 feet or more above the street grade and stairs were built as shown, to enable the congregation to enter.
The condition of the church became gradually precarious. It was seen that it would have to be abandoned and a new edifice erected on the graded lot.
Church Is Burned.
The razing of the structure was unnecessary, for the roof caught fire from a spark from the chimney of the Episcopal residence adjoining and the church was entirely destroyed. This was on May 6, 1851. People are yet among us who saw this fire, children at the time.
This church history is also "hump cut" history, and if Fortesque Cuming had happened back the next day, May 7, 1851, and looked at the court house on the hill and then on the ruins of the church he surely would have sighed and perhaps "wiped away the briny tear."
The street scene at Smithfield street and Sixth avenue shows the second edifice of the German Evangelical Church built in 1815 and torn down in 1833. The parsonage or Pfarrhaus is at the left, the cemetery gate at the corner of Sixth avenue. The parsonage was built in 1819.
The cut of old Trinity on the present Trinity site is from an old print by J. B. Seymour. This same print appears in S. Jones' directory of 1826. The church was built in 1825 and torn down in 1870.
Ebenezer Denny was the first mayor of Pittsburgh. He was a merchant then, with his store on the northwest corner of Third and Market streets. It is interesting to note that this corner is Denny property today.
Mayor Denny was the father of Harmar Denny, St. Clair Denny and Dr. William H. Denny, and the great grandfather and great-great grandfather of the present generations of Dennys. He was a man of standing and true worth. He was a Revolutionary soldier and first came to Pittsburgh in 1774, a mere boy, as a bearer of dispatches to the commandant at Fort Pitt.
Monroe In Pittsburgh.
He was born in Carlisle, Pa., in 1761, served through the Revolution, attaining the rank of lieutenant. Served also under Gens. St. Clair and Harmar in their disastrous Indian campaigns, was adjutant to Harmar and aid-de-camp to St. Clair.
He married Nancy Wilkins, youngest daughter of John Wilkins, Jr., the sister of Judge William Wilkins.
Mayor Denny, usually referred to by his last military title, major, died in Pittsburgh July 21, 1822. He filled many positions of trust and honor. He was at one time a partner of Anthony Beelen. He was succeeded by John Darragh as mayor.
During Mayor Darragh's term President Monroe visited Pittsburgh. He came in September and remained a week.