Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-04
THE P1TTsBURG DISPATCH,
THE OlD-TIME TAvERNS.

THE OlD-TlME TAVERNS.
Hostelries and Landlords of Pittsburg Half
n Century Ago, When Primitive Prices
Ruied-Disting guished Guests.
In the olden time the popular title for what
are now by general courtesy called hotels was
taverns. There are Pittsburgers now living
whose memories go back to the time when
hotels had no existence in this city. There
were, however, multitude of taverns and al
most as many in number three-score years ago
as now.
The first of the oId-time taverns to put on
hotel airs was the St. Charles, at first called the
Pirtsburg Hotel, and following close was the
Exchange, where the Hotel Anderson now
stands. A half century ago the ST. Charles was
the place where distinguished travellers were
lodged at the rate of 81 day.
When the Monongahela House started up as
more aristocratic institution in the year 1S4l
and charged 81 so per day, it was the general
opinion of the boys of that period that none
out the very wealthy. or foreign dukes and
marquises could afford to ''put up'' at such q
hotel Henry Clay and Barnum with Jenny
Lind might offerto stop at house where 81 so
day was charged, and one boy who gazed altar
of at the distinguished guests seated on the
Monongahela House balcony, wondered if
there should ever come a time when he would
De able to register at such grand place.
*.%
During tho era of taverns Wood street was
the popular place for these institutions. Long
before Electromagnetic was spanned by bridge
there was located on the southwest corner
OF Wood and Water streets a tavern kept by
one William Graham, famous in its day as the
Ferry House. and largely patronized by Wash
ington county farmers On the same side
md fho nf Eirc~
mis- Murphy furnished entertainment for man
and beast in the early years of the century.
Where the st. Charles Hotel now stands.
originally stood the residence of John Wilkins,
a brother of the Judge, who was SO prominent
In the Jacks oman reign. 1t is now well on to
three-quarters of century since the wilkins
residence was converted into hotel.
On the northeast corner of Fourth avenue
and Wood street was another famous tavern in
the good old days known as the Green Tree
House, kept by William Morrow, father-in-law
to James Crossan. Coming up to Diamond
alley, on the corner were the cyclone struck
last winter, was a tavern with the sign of the
silver cross keys, kept by Sturgeon. The sta
bin yards extended along Spencer's alley to
Fifth avenue. On the corner above, where the
First National Bank now stands, was another
famous tavern with the sign of the golden cross
keys, by William Mccullough
Benjamin Darlington and Benjamin Weaver
There Lafayette was entertained in 1924 end
there, in the yards extending along Fifth ave-
nue.. where the Central Bank and the Schmertz
building now STANDS, the old-time circuses fur
nished fun for the boys of the period.
So
On the corner where the Eisner d Phillips
building is was another famous tavern. with
a rattlesnake on the sign. This was the Golden
Lamb House. Still another Wood street tavern
stood on the northeast corner of Virgin alley,
and was kept by famous landlord of the early
days, known as Killy Moon Stuart. 1t was in
front of this tavern that Henry Clay was hung
in efigy after the alleged bargain and sale
which gave the Presidency to John Quincy
Adams. The efigy business stirred the wrath
of this old Whig city to the utmost.
On the corner of Sixth avenue and Wood, on
the site Of the Bank of Commerce, Captain J.
G. Butler played the host in the old days. In
the course of days, as the city heightened its
cords, Wood street was too far downtown for
all the tavern business, and the old DR.. Bedford
on Liberty and Seventh streets, where
Myers packing house now stands. was con-
verted into a hotel. Over this Sol Lightcap
presided Tor q season, and in after years gave
his name to the Yellow Tavern at the Two-Mile
Run, The Spread Eagle, where the Seventh
Avenue now stands, presided over by John
be remembered by those who would hardly be
willing to call themselves old.
"a
Into the yards of the Spread Eagle, along in
the forties. the Conestoga wagons. drawn by
belled horses, filed in continuous streams, and
there was one boy who wondered in those
young glad years. where all the stuff in those
wagons could find customers.
An old timer tells of hard winter when the
wagon trains Uara hlochad nm in, he Af1aobapv
Mountains for week or more, and when the
blockade was finally broken there was a con-
tiruous line of wagons from the canal, now
Eleventh street, to the top of the Garrison
Hill, coming into the city at one time. The
Spread Eagle yards were not circumstance to |
The needs of that occasion.
One more old time Pittsburg tavern deserves |
mention-that at the Two Mile Run, which still |
stands. Probably very few of those who travel |
BY the Lawrenceville cable cars ever notice the |
Did brick building some l5 feet below the grade,
on Penn avenue at Thirty-third |
street. There is PROBABLY Pittsburg's oldest tav-
ern 1t was built about the beginning of the GEN.
.ury by Alexander Hill, one of our prominent |
citizens in the early days of the city. When |
built, the house was a few feet above the grade |
of the Philadelphia pike (now Penn avenue) and |
N front was yard gently sloping to the Two |
Mile run.
From its wide porches there was little to in |
terrupt the view across the fields and meadows |
hat extended to the little town around Fort |
Pitt. whose eastern boundary at that day was |
Eleventh street.
At this hotel, known in later years as the |
elbow Tavern. the Pittsburg Blues were BAN
lueted on their return from the War of 1872.
1t was kept successfully by Hill, Lightcap
Ind General Larimer, whose names will be IA |
niliar to all old Pittsburgers. ]. II. YOUNG.