Part 2

"The streets of Pittsburgh are lighted, and consequently the useful order of watchmen is established. My ears, however, have not become reconciled to their music. It is true, I have been more conversant in forests than in cities, and may not comprehend the advantages of these deep-mouthed tones; but breaking the slumbers of the invalid, and giving timely notice to the thief, form two items of much weight in my view as a set off against them.

Pittsburgh is laid out to front both rivers; but as these do not approach at right angles, the streets intersect each other obliquely.

It is not a well built city. The south-west part is the most compact, but many years must elapse before it will resemble Philadelphia. Wooden buildings, interspersed with those of brick, mar the beauty of its best streets; and as few of these are paved, mud, in showery weather, becomes abundant. A short period, however, will probably terminate this inconvenience." _Thomas's Travels through the western country in 1816._

"In October, 1816, a resolution was passed permitting a Mr. Gray to exhibit a panoramic view of the naval engagement on Lake Champlain and the battle of Plattsburg without a license or other tax, owing to 'the patriotic nature and worthy object of the exhibit.' In November, 1816, a committee was appointed to inquire whether it was expedient for the city to possess for public purposes more ground than it then did, and whether it would be expedient at that time to purchase ground upon which to erect buildings. In December a resolution introduced by Mr. Wilkins provided for the appointment of a special committee to make a detailed report upon the condition of the manufactures of Pittsburg, which resolution was adopted; whereupon the following committee was appointed: Benjamin Bakewell, Aquila M. Bolton and James Arthurs.... The city councils at this time also sent agents to Harrisburg and Washington to labor specially in the interests of public roads in the Western country. In 1816 Northern Liberties was laid out by George A. Bayard and James Adams." _Wilson's History of Pittsburg._

"The price of property has increased in the most surprising manner within the last ten years; it is now at least ten times as high as it was at that period. There are but few sales of lots in fee simple, the custom is to let on perpetual lease; the price in Market and Wood streets, varies from ten to twenty dollars per foot, and in the other streets from four to eight, and in particular situations still higher. The rents are equally high. In Market, Wood and Water streets, the principal places of business, it is difficult to procure a common room in an upper story, under one hundred dollars per annum; the rent of stores, vary from three to five hundred dollars; there is one warehouse which rents for twelve hundred; the rent of tavern stands, is from five to twelve hundred dollars. The rent of dwelling houses varies much, according to the locality and kind of the tenement; a genteel private family can scarcely obtain a good dwelling under three or four hundred dollars." _Cramer's Navigator, 1817._

"Provisions of all kinds bring a high price in this city though the _market_ is fluctuating. Hay, at present is twenty dollars a ton, and oats one dollar per bushel. Butter varies from twenty-five to seventy-five cents per pound. The farmers of this neighbourhood, however, produce neither cheese or pork, that merits a notice. The former of these articles is chiefly obtained from the state of Ohio, and bacon, procured from Kentucky, is now retailed at sixteen or seventeen cents per pound.

Before the late war, this market was distinguished for its cheapness; but with an influx of strangers, induced by the movements of that period, '_war prices_' commenced; and though peace has returned--and though many of those new comers have sought their former places of residence,--the encouragements held out to the farmer, suffers no diminution. Indeed, there are great inducements for the _industrious_ to migrate hither. Though the soil is uneven, it is far from being sterile; and exclusive of salubrity of situation, and of durable timber for fences, the coal mines, which pervade almost every hill, constitute treasures of great value.

Farms round this city, at the distance of two or three miles have been lately sold from fifty to one hundred dollars an acre, according to situation." _Thomas's Travels through the western country in 1816._

"We remark much difference between the manners of the inhabitants of this country and those of Cayuga. In that place, profane language is rarely heard from any person, who pretends to decency, except in a paroxysm of vexation. Here it is an every day amusement. Crossing the Monongahela, in the ferry-boat, with an intelligent gentleman of polished manners, I was shocked and surprised to hear almost every sentence from his lips interlarded with an oath or an imprecation; yet he was in gay good humour, and, I believe, unconscious of this breach of decorum.

It would be unjust not to express my belief, that honourable exceptions to these censures are numerous; but impiety certainly constitutes a strong characteristic of no inconsiderable part of this people....

I have remarked with regret the impiety of some of these citizens; but we think, that generally, they are entitled to much praise for obliging and courteous behaviour. Civility to strangers, in a high degree, even pervades their factories; and in all those which I have visited, the mean practice of permitting children to ask the spectators for money, appears to be unknown." _Thomas's Travels through the western country in 1816._

"Except the gratifying reflection arising from the review of so much plastic industry, Pittsburg is by no means a pleasant city to a stranger. The constant volumes of smoke preserve the atmosphere in a continued cloud of coal dust. In October, 1815, by a reduced calculation, at least 2000 bushels of that fuel was consumed daily, on a space of about two and a quarter square miles. To this is added a scene of activity, that reminds the spectator that he is within a commercial port, though 300 miles from the sea.

Several good inns, and many good taverns, are scattered over the city; but often, from the influx of strangers, ready accommodation is found difficult to procure. Provisions of every kind abound; two markets are held weekly." _Darby's Emigrant's guide, 1818._

"The published accounts of this city are so exaggerated and out of all reason, that strangers are usually disappointed on visiting it. This, however, was not my case. I have been in some measure tutored in American gasconade. When I am told that at a particular hotel there is _handsome_ accommodation, I expect that they are one remove from very bad; if '_elegant_ entertainment,' I anticipate tolerable; if a person is 'a _clever_ man,' that he is not absolutely a fool; and if a manufactory is the '_first in the world_,' I expect, and have generally found, about six men and three boys employed." _Fearon's Sketches of America, 1818._

"As every blessing has its attendant evil, the stone coal is productive of considerable inconvenience from the smoke which overhangs the town, and descends in fine dust which blackens every object; even snow can scarcely be called white in Pittsburgh. The persons and dress of the inhabitants, in the interior of the houses as well as the exterior, experience its effect. The tall steeple of the court house, was once painted white, but alas! how changed. Yet all this might be prevented by some additional expense on the construction of the chimnies. In the English manufacturing towns, a fine is imposed upon those who do not consume their smoke. Incalculable would be the advantage to this place, could such a regulation be adopted." _Cramer's Navigator, 1817._

"Upon the whole, I consider Pittsburgh, in every point of view, to be a very important town; and have no doubt, although its prosperity is now at a stand, and property if not declining, is not increasing in value, that it will _gradually advance_; and that the time must come when it will be an extensive and very populous city. The present population is 10,000, made up from all nations, and, of course, not free from the vices of each: this indeed is but too apparent upon a very short residence." _Fearon's Sketches of America, 1818._

United States Census

1810 1820

United States 7,239,903 9,637,999 Pennsylvania 810,091 1,049,449 Allegheny county 25,317 34,921 Pittsburgh 4,768 7,248

Business and Industries

"In 1813 there were five glass factories, three foundries, a new edge tool factory, Cowan's New Rolling Mill, a new lock factory built by Patterson, two steam engine and boiler works, one steel factory and a goodly number of small concerns manufacturing various articles. In 1817 the city councils appointed a committee to collect and publish a list of all the large factories in the city. This was done perhaps to let the world know of the industry and thrift of Pittsburg, and is valuable because it is an official list and is to be relied upon. It must also be remembered that these figures represented the industries of Pittsburg when barely emerging from the panic of 1815-17, a financial depression that has scarcely been equalled in Western Pennsylvania in all its history." _Boucher's Century and a half of Pittsburg._

"There are many good stores in Pittsburg, and a great trade is carried on with Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the States of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, &c.; exclusive of the carrying trade, and the number of boats that are always proceeding down the Ohio, with vast quantities of foreign merchandize, destined to Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, &c. The inhabitants send up the Alleghany, Monongahela, and their forks, whisky, cyder, bacon, apples, iron, and castings, glass and foreign merchandize; in return they receive many thousand bushels of salt from Onondago, and immense rafts from Alleghany and French creeks. The quantity of rafts imported into Pittsburg annually, is computed at 4,000,000 feet; average nine dollars per 1000 feet." _Palmer's Journal of travels in the United States and Canada, 1817._

"The state of trade is at present dull; but that there is a great deal of business done must be evident from the quantity of 'dry goods' and 'grocery stores,' many of the proprietors of which have stocks as heavy as the majority of London retail dealers. They are literally stuffed with goods of English manufacture, consisting of articles of the most varied kind, from a man's coat or lady's gown, down to a whip or an oyster knife." _Fearon's Sketches of America, 1818._

"It is difficult to form a judgment whether there is an opening in any of the present established businesses. One fact strongly in favour of the stability of this town is, _that there has not been a bankruptcy in it for three years!!!_ a singular contrast this with New York, in which the last published list of insolvents contained upwards of 400 names." _Fearon's Sketches of America, 1818._

"The principal manufacturing establishments are, a steam grist-mill, steam engine factory, slitting-mill, to which is attached a nail factory, the first of the kind in America; a cannon foundery, air furnace, cotton and woollen factories, two potteries, three breweries, &c.--There are four printing-offices, and two bookstores. A complete description of this interesting town would fill a volume." _Brown's Western gazetteer, 1817._

"Two cotton factories, one woollen factory, one paper mill, two saw mills, and one flour mill, are all moved by steam, in this city and in its suburbs across the Monongahela. Four glass factories, two for flint, and two for green, are very extensive; and the productions of the former for elegance of workmanship, are scarcely surpassed by European manufacture. It is sent in many directions from this place; one of the proprietors assured us that Philadelphia receives a part, but the great outlet is down the Ohio." _Thomas's Travels through the western country in 1816._

"Some of the ... manufactories may be denominated first-rate. This remark applies particularly to the nail, steam-engine (high pressure) and glass establishments. I was astonished to witness such perfection on this side of the Atlantic, and especially in that part of America which a New Yorker supposes to be at the farther end of the world.

At Messrs. Page and Bakewell's glass warehouse I saw chandeliers and numerous articles in cut glass of a very splendid description; among the latter was a pair of decanters, cut from a London pattern, the price of which will be eight guineas. It is well to bear in mind that the demand for these articles of elegant luxury lies in _the Western States!_ the inhabitants of Eastern America being still importers from the 'Old Country.'" _Fearon's Sketches of America, 1818._

"The glass establishment of Bakewell, Page & Bakewell was founded in 1808 and the building erected in 1811, on Water Street, above Grant, and, from the start, was devoted exclusively to the manufacture of white or flint glass. So excellent was the article produced that the manufacturers attained a fame, not only in all parts of the United States, but in Mexico and in many parts of Europe. No finer product could be found anywhere. If a stranger of prominence visited Pittsburgh he was taken with certainty to Bakewell's glasshouse." _Wilson's History of Pittsburg._

"Perhaps of all the wonders of Pittsburg, the greatest is the glass factories. About twenty years have elapsed since the first glass-house was erected in that town, and at this moment every kind of glass, from a porter bottle or window pane, to the most elegant cut crystal glass, are now manufactured. There are four large glass-houses, in which are now manufactured, at least, to the amount of 200,000 dollars annually." _Darby's Emigrant's guide, 1818._

"Walter Forward, the great lawyer of Pittsburg in his day, had addressed a large audience in the court house on December 28, 1816. In speaking of the rapidly growing iron business of Pittsburg, he said, that the iron interests were then consuming about 1800 tons of pig iron; that the business employed about 150 hands, and the product was valued at $250,000. Of wrought iron there was annually worked up about 2000 tons, the products from which were, according to the best estimates, worth about $1,300,000." _Boucher's Century and a half of Pittsburg._

"The first furnace or foundry in the town which had a permanent existence was established in 1803 by Joseph McClurg. This was the celebrated Fort Pitt foundry.... Here were cast cannon that boomed over Lake Erie in the war of 1812 and thundered before Mexico in 1847. A large part of Commodore Perry's equipment came from here." _Magazine of western history, 1885._

"The first rolling mill of Pittsburg was built by a Scotch-Irishman in 1811 and 1812. It was called the Pittsburg Rolling Mill.... This extensive mill stood on the corner of Penn street and Cecil alley, and is referred to by early writers as the Stackpole and Whiting mill. They were two Boston iron workers named respectively William Stackpole and Ruggles Whiting. They introduced nail cutting machines which both cut and headed the nails. They operated the mill during the hard times which followed the War of 1812, and strange to say, failed financially in 1819, when business of all kinds had somewhat revived." _Boucher's Century and a half of Pittsburg._

"The slitting and rolling mill, together with the nail factory of _Stackpole & Whiting_, is moved by a steam engine of seventy-horse power. These we visited with much satisfaction. On entering the south-west door, the eye catches the majestic swing of the beam; and at the same instant, nine nailing-machines, all in rapid motion, burst on the view. Bewildered by the varying velocity of so many new objects, we stand astonished at this sublime effort of human ingenuity." _Thomas's Travels through the western country in 1816._

"At the close of the first quarter of the nineteenth century Pittsburg had surpassed all other parts of the West in the production of nails. A patent nail machine had been introduced extensively, and it had revolutionized the manufacture. Some of the factories were built in connection with the rolling mills." _Boucher's Century and a half of Pittsburg._

"The first rope-walk erected west of the Allegheny Mountains, was established in Pittsburgh in 1794, and was located on the ground now occupied by the Monongahela House. The business was carried on by Col. John Irwin and wife....

Immediately following the death of Col. Irwin, Mrs. Irwin gave her son an interest in the business; and it was carried on under the name and style of Mary and John Irwin.

In the year 1795 the works were removed to the square bounded by Liberty, Third, and Fourth Streets and Redoubt Alley. In view of the increasing demand for their products, and confined limits of this locality, the walk was removed in 1812 to the bank of the Allegheny River between Marbury Street and the point, where the entire rigging for Perry's fleet was manufactured....

Mrs. Irwin, on account of her age, and loss of health, resolved to quit business, in view of which she disposed of her interest to her son, who, in accordance with his preconceived notions on the subject, commenced the erection, in Allegheny, in 1813, of one of the most extensive works in the West, on the ten-acre out-lot bounded by the West Commons, Water Lane (now Western Avenue), out-lots Nos. 275, 29, and 30. It was known and designated as out-lot No. 276 in the 'Reserve Tract opposite Pittsburg.' Mr. Irwin successfully carried on the business until Jan. 1, 1835, when he associated with him his son Henry, under the name of John Irwin & Son." _Parke's Recollections of seventy years._

"Mr. Charles Rosenbaum has established a shop for making Piano Fortes, which are of superior quality. They are equal in elegance of workmanship, and in tone, to any imported. We are happy to hear that his success meets his most flattering expectation." _Cramer's Almanack, 1816._

"Knitting needle making has been commenced by Messrs. Frethy and Pratt. In New-York pin making is going on lively. It is hoped our females will be well supplied with these articles especially with the first." _Cramer's Navigator, 1817._

"Trunks are made smartly by J. M. Sloan, who wants for this purpose deer skins with the hair on.

Stocking weaving, for want of encouragement, perhaps goes on but slowly. We see no reason why a stocking cannot be wove as cheap and as good here as in any other part of the world.

Brush-making. Mr. Blair conducts this business to great advantage and manufactures vast quantities of brushes. Much more could be done were the farmers more careful of their hogs' bristles." _Cramer's Navigator, 1817._

Traveling Eastward

QUICK TRANSPORTATION.

"In the course of the present week, waggons have arrived at Pittsburgh, in _thirteen days from Philadelphia_, with loads of 3500 lbs. and upwards." _Mercury, May 11, 1816._

"Two good safe and easy Stages Will leave Pittsburgh for Philadelphia on the 27th or 28th inst. and will offer a pleasant conveyance for four persons on very accommodating terms. Apply at the Branch Bank on Second street or at the office of the Pittsburgh Gazette." _Gazette, 1816._

"Near Philadelphia, the single team of eight or nine horses is seen; in the lower parts of Maryland and Virginia, the light three-horse team is common; while in this country, the heavy Lancaster waggon, drawn by five or six horses, which vie in stature with the elephant, is continually before us. The extreme slowness of these overland sloops, often attracted our notice." _Thomas's Travels through the western country in 1816._

"Before the time of railroads between the east and west of the Allegheny mountains, the freight business to the Monongahela was carried on by means of the Conestoga road wagons drawn by six horses. By this way the freight to Pittsburgh was carried exclusively, but after the completion of the Pennsylvania canal, transportation was divided between the canal-boat and the wagon. As early as 1817 12,000 wagons, in twelve months, passed over the Allegheny mountains from Philadelphia and Baltimore, each with from four to six horses, carrying from thirty-five to forty hundred weight. The cost was about $7 per 100 weight, in some cases $10. To transport one ton of freight between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, therefore, would cost about $140, and in so doing two weeks, at least, of time would be consumed." _Van Voorhis's Old and new Monongahela._

"The standard wagon for heavy work was the 'Conestoga.' The bed was low in the center and high at each end. The lower part of the bed was painted blue. Above this was a red part about a foot wide which could be taken off when necessary, and these with the white canvas covering, made the patriotic tri-color of the American flag, though this was probably unintentional. Bells were often used in all seasons of the year though not strings of bells such as were afterwards used in sleighing. The wagoner's bells were fastened to an iron bow above the hames on the horses and were pear shaped and very sweet toned. Perhaps they relieved the monotony of the long journey over the lonely pike." _Boucher's Century and a half of Pittsburg._

"With the Conestoga wagons originated our modern 'stogie' cigars which have become so common in Pittsburg and which have been in recent years, sent from Pittsburg to every section of the Union. They were made in that day of pure home grown tobacco and being used very largely at first by the Conestoga wagoners, took the name 'stogies' which clings to them yet." _Boucher's Century and a half of Pittsburg._

"There was almost a continuous stream of four or six horse wagons laden with merchandise, going west and returning with the product of the Ohio Valley to supply the eastern cities. These wagons journeyed mostly between Pittsburg and Philadelphia and Baltimore. The wagoners generally stopped at a wayside inn which was less expensive than at the inns in the villages. Wagoners cared little for style but demanded an abundance while the stage-coach passengers demanded both. The wagoner invariably slept on a bunk which he carried with him and which he laid on the floor of the big bar-room and office of the country hotel. Stage drivers and their passengers stopped at the best hotels and paid higher prices. For the purpose of feeding his horses in the public square, the wagoner carried a long trough which at night he fastened with special irons to the tongue of the wagon.... An old gentleman told the writer that he had once seen 52 wagons in an unbroken line going towards Pittsburg on this pike. They were Conestoga wagons with great bowed beds covered with canvas, and none of them were drawn by less than four, while many of them had six horses. The old fashioned public square which kept them over night must have been a good sized one. The public squares on this turnpike were usually from three to four hundred feet long and from two to three hundred feet wide. Some of the older villages had two squares separated a short distance from each other, but this was generally brought about by a rivalry among two factions when the town was first laid out." _Boucher's Century and a half of Pittsburg._