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PITTSBURGH IN 1816

COMPILED BY THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH ON THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GRANTING OF THE CITY CHARTER

PITTSBURGH CARNEGIE LIBRARY 1916

PREFACE This little book will interest the Pittsburgher of 1916 chiefly because the parts and pieces of which it is made were written by men who were living here or who passed this way in 1816.

The three newspapers of the day--the Gazette, the Mercury, and the Commonwealth--have furnished, though somewhat sparingly, the items of local news. They have also furnished advertisements--these in greater abundance and variety.

The men who were the tourists of the day in America, traveling by stage, wagon, boat, or on horseback, often made Pittsburgh a stopping place in their journey. Many of them wrote books, in which may be found two or three pages, or a chapter, on the city as it appeared at that time. It is from these books that the section "Impressions of early travelers" has been gathered. The date given with these extracts is the date of publication, but the period referred to in every case is between 1815 and 1817.

In addition to these gleanings from contemporaries, a number of paragraphs from various histories of the city have been included.

The sketches that have thus been bought together do not form a systematic or well proportioned description of the city; yet they may help, through their vivid pictures and first-hand impressions, to give some idea of life in Pittsburgh a century ago.

Table of Contents

Page

THE NEW CITY 7

IMPRESSIONS OF EARLY TRAVELERS 13

UNITED STATES CENSUS 20

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES 21

TRAVELING EASTWARD 26

TAVERNS 30

STEAMBOATS AND RIVER TRAFFIC 31

FERRIES AND BRIDGES 40

THE NEWSPAPERS 42

CHURCHES 44

SCHOOLS 48

LIBRARIES 50

THE NEW BOOKS OF 1816 51

THE THEATRE 52

THE MORALS EFFICIENCY SOCIETY OF 1816 55

FOURTH OF JULY, 1816 55

POLICE 55

EAGLE FIRE COMPANY 56

WATER-SUPPLY 56

BANKS 57

POST-OFFICE 59

THE SUBURBS 60

COURTS 61

COUNTY ELECTIONS 61

THE STATE LEGISLATURE 62

SLAVERY 63

ADVERTISEMENTS FROM THE NEWSPAPERS OF 1816 64

The New City

A MEETING OF THE DEMOCRATICK REPUBLICANS OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH,

City Election

A number of respectable citizens, desirous of preserving that harmony which has for several years past, so happily prevailed in the borough councils, and which is so essential to the prosperity of our infant city, have formed the following Ticket. They recommend it to the cool, dispassionate considerations of their fellow citizens; and they flatter themselves, that it will, on the day of the election, meet with a firm and honorable support. It is formed, as tickets of the kind ought to be, without respect to party. There can exist no possible ground for the absurdity, that party feuds and animosity should be called up on occasions like the present. Every consideration of public interest, and of the peace and good order of the city, forbids it.--Our city is as yet in its infancy.--Its government is to be organized, its ordinances framed, its police established, and its general policy devised.

SELECT COUNCIL

John Wrenshall, Benj. Bakewell, James Ross, Thomas Cromwell, John Hannen, E. Pentland, Dr. Geo. Stevenson, George Shiras, Robert Patterson.

COMMON COUNCIL

James Lea, Walter Forward, John Lyttle, Alex: Johnston, jr., Geo. Miltenberger, James Irwin, Richard Bowen, Mark Stackhouse, John W. Johnston, Paul Anderson, John P. Skelton, George Boggs, James R. Butler, John Caldwell, George Evans.

City Election

The first Election under the Act Incorporating the City of Pittsburgh, was held on Tuesday last, when the following gentlemen were elected:

SELECT COUNCIL

James Ross, Dr. Geo. Stevenson, William Hays, John Roseburgh, Samuel Douglas, James Irwin, Mark Stackhouse, William Leckey, Richard Geary.

COMMON COUNCIL

William Wilkins, James R. Butler, John P. Shelton, A. Johnston, Jr., James S. Stevenson, James Brown, Paul Anderson, John W. Johnston, George Evans, John Caldwell, Richard Robinson, Thomas M'Kee, Daniel Hunter, John Carson, John W. Trembly.

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