The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-08-08
The Chronicles of Baltimore.

HISTORY OF THE CITY FROM IT'S FIRST
SETTLEMENT TO TIE PRESENT TIME.
Colonel ]. Thomas Scharf, of this city,
has been for some time preparing history
of the city 70 Baltimore from the time when
Captain John Smith set maize upon the
site of Baltimore Town in 1907 to the pres
ent time. From the advance sheets of the
laborious work we get much of interest
The "Chronicle" tells graphic story of the
first settlement on the Patapsco. The town
of Baltimore was first laid out on the 18th
of January, 1880, by Philip Jones, COM
mencing at point near the northwest cor
ner of what is now called Pratt and Light
streets. and running northwesterly along or
near Uhler's alley, toward the Eastern road
and great gully or drain at or near Sharp
street then across Baltimore street east of
the gully, northeasterly with the same road,
and now McClellan's alley, to the precipice
which overhung the Falls at or near the
southwest corner of st. Paul and Saratoga
streets; then with the bank of the Falls
into the low grounds west Of Gay street !;
then due south, along the margin of those
grounds to the bank on the north side of
the river, and then by that bank various
courses, nearly as far as Water street, ran
westerly and southerly to the first mention
ed point. The town was divided by Balti-
more, Calvert, and Charles streets, and
nine lanes, named South, Second, Light,
Hanover, Belvidere, East, Lovely, st. Pauls
and German. In 1927 st. Pauls Church
was commenced where it now stands; it
was finished in 1744.
On July Both, 1854, the first flood took
nlnpn Tho Innoun f1,o
bridges were carried away in the county,
and the bridge in Baltimore Town was re-
moved about sixty feet. There was scarce
almost impossible. In 1853 the law was
that all persons importing Irish servents
being Papists, into the Province, should
pay penalty of forty shillings; and all
persons who refused to take the oath of
abjuration, or test, were deemed Papists.-
Jones' Falls in 1868, was uavigable for YES
sells at the corner ofGay and Fayettc streets.
The Presbyterian Church on the northwest
corner of Fayette and North streets re-
moved to the corner of Madison and Park
streets, was erected in 1866, and, rcmarka-
BILE to state, it has had but four pastors
since, viz: Rev. Patrick Allison, ID. D.,
from 1868 to 1902 Rev. James Inglis, d.
d., from 1902 till 1S19 Rev. VIM. Nevins,
d. d., from 1920 to 1885, and Rev. John G.
Backus from 1886 until the present time
The Court house was located on Calvert
street where the battle-monument now
stands, in 1868, and the Jail was located
where the Record office now stands. In
1859 the Mechanical Fire Company was
organized.
The Catholics erected st. Peters Chapel
on Saratoga street in ITO. St. Patrick's
Church was erected in Apple alley, near
Wilkes street, in 1902. Messrs. Douglas
& Hallam presented some theatrical per-
formances in a warehouse in 1878, at the
corner of Baltimore and Frederick streets,
and then erected small theatre near the
intersection of Albemarle and Lombard
streets, where they performed until the war,
when all amusements being prohibited,
they moved to the West Indies. A COM
pany, Mr.. Wall, performed in Baltimore
street in 1881, and Mr.. Hallam returned
after the war with Mr.. Henry, and built
another theatre near Queen, now Pratt
street, to accommodate the Town and Point.
The first Methodist church was erected in
1878, in Strawberry alley, and in the next
year another church was erected in Lovely
lane.
In October, 1775, Commodore Barney was
the first to unfurl the American flag in
Maryland. On May 5, 1775, the militia of
the town, organized under the impetus of
the spirit, styled the spirit of 177G, was re-
viewed by Colonel George Washington
On November 10, 1775, Lady Washington
passed through town on visit to her
husbands camp; she was accompanied by
Mrs. General Gates. In March, 1776, Cap
tain Nicholson, commander of the Defense
Maryland gunboat. cleared the Chesa-
peake of the English; Fort McHenry was
established, and militia marched to the aid
of Baltimore from Hartford county, York,
Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. On the goth
of July the Declaration Of Independence
was read at the Court House, and the town
was Illuminated, and an cffigy of George
III. was burned.
A. number of priyateors were built in
Baltimore. Count Pulaski organized q
force in the town. I'm 1881 the Count de