Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-11
THE TWIN CITIES.
PITTsBURG AND ALLEGHENY AND
THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Interesting Descriptions from the Pen of
Sacramento Lady Public
Parks and Buildings.
P1rrspURG pal. july 81. 1850.

Parks and Buildings.
PrTTsBURG (Pa.), July 81, 1889.
EDS. RECORD UNION: Pittsburg and
Allegheny are located at the junction of
the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers,
though the latter river does not bound
Allegheny City. Pittsburg is an odd
shaped place; its diagram more nearly re-
sembling an inflated balloon than any
thing else / can think Of Where the two
rivers meet to form the Ohio the Iron
City comes to an abrupt point, and then
widens out into an extensive territory
beyond. | have never seen ANYTHING so
long drawn out as Pittsburg. The cable
lines take You out Penn street and Fifth
avenue, and Pittsburgers are just as proud
of their Fifth avenue as Gothamites are
of their renowned thoroughfare. Well, as
l started to remark, the cars go through
places called Springfield, Bloomfield, Lin
den Grove, Oakland, East Liberty and a
dozen 9th ers-and all this is really Pitts
burg. and is called East End. The city
proper becoming too valuable place for
residence property, people gradually
moved out into the country, and so magni-
fed their town. Before natural gas came
to have such a reputation, this vicinity
was not nearly so densely settled. Now it
Is a big thriving country, and is almost
one continuous line of business houses,
fouudries, manufactures, etc. The city
now presents much nicer appearance
than 1t did some years ago, when every
thing was covered with SCOT. Some of the
finest buildings look like old antiouated
ruins blackened with age; nice stone
structures that were once white and ma
jestic looking, now appeared old and
tattered-yet inside these is an elegance
that poorly aceords with the outside dingi-
ness.
Pittsburg has quite a history. For
many years it was the bone of contention
between two great powers. Great Britain
| and France claimed it alternately. Vir
ginia and Pennsylvania have at different
| times disputed as to the ownership. The
latter State has undoubted possession now.
and she may well be proud of her western
metropolis. In 1853, General Forbes
built fort, on what is now Liberty street,
and called 1t Fort Pitt, after the English
statesman, and from which the city now
bears It's name. The only relic remaining
OF warllke times of the last century is an
old block-house on Fort street, near Penn
avenue. Though an interesting building
1t Is but little thought of now, as it is a
tenement house and shelters some of the
| poorest people of the CITY
PITTsBURG
Is virtually new city-totally without
relics and land marks so dear to the heart
and pride of Philadelphia-yet it possess
massive new structures that are not riyaled.
The new Courthouse is work,of art, and
Is said to be the finest in the country. 1t
certainly is beautiful and of peculiar de-
sign. 1t is two hundred and eight by
three hundred and six feet, three stories
high, with basement of twelve feet
Surmounting this building is tower four
hundred and twenty feet high. The stair
cases are of blue stone and Indiana lime
stone. The whole thing is as absolutely
hreproof as anything can be made. The
Exposition Building, Municipal Hall.
the Westinghouse Electric Light Com
pany's new quarters, the Hamilton ard
Penn buildings are all elegant.
There is large heap of stone on Smith
held street that may some day materialize
INTO Government building and postoffice.
IT ever completed it will be an ornament
TO the city, but twelve years nave passed
since 1t was begun, and it is yet but a big
| plle OF granite. The present postoffice is
dlngy place, and exceedingly ordinary
for so large city.
There are some good cable lines here.
but they cannot compare with those of the
| West. The cable-car building in East
End will be very fine when finished. 1t
occupies full square in the suburb of
Oakland, and will cost over a million dol
| lars. The electric car line is still in its
infancy but there is no telling what it will
be IN time. Barring the completion of the
public building, Pittsburgers are not
slow when it comes 10 enterprise.
From Mt. Washington, in Birmingham
| Ia suburb across the Monongahela). can be
obtained grand view of the city and sur
roundings. Mt. Washington is assembled
by means Of tramway. 1t is a magnifi-
| cent sight to view the three rivre. The
steamers lining the shores makes the
whole pretty and attractive scene. and il
is very interesting to watch the vessels
| coming down the two rivers, meet, and sail
side by side down the beautiful Ohio
bridges, as far as the eye can reach, can
| be seen, connecting the country across
the way with Pittsburg. There are eight
over the Allegheny river and five over the
Monongahela. The one at Seventh street
and the Smithfeld street bridge are among
the few bridges in the country over which
horses are allowed to go at faster gait
than walk. There is
AN IMMENSE RIVER TRAFFIC
Along here, and when the water is not too
low, packets innumerable go up and down
increasingly. The packets as rule are
very handsome boats, yet there are many
old-timers that look the worse for wear,
and have evidently seen their best DAYS.
Some steamboat man is undoubtedly an
admlrer of the great statesman-for we
were edited the other evening by seeing
the James q. Blaine" sail maiestically
down the river. These streams are the
home of the "shanty boat" Great num-
bers of these funny little houses can be
seen daily floating about, and coal barges
can be counted by the hundreds. Indeed.
1t is very lively to live near the water, for
there is no lack of aquatic sights.
In many Eastern places they have regu-
lar market days. So they have here, and
every "Wednesday and Saturday it is quite
a sight to see the ladies "going to market"
1t is interesting 10 watch proceeding
and the markets are very good too-for
even fruit seems plentiful, though most of
it comes from the South and California.
One of the attractions of Pittsburg is the
Inland reservoir, at the head of Inland
avenue. 1t is a pretty sheet of water COW |
ering twenty-five acres. There are two !
libraries in Pittsburg, but no art gallery. |
There are some nice stores, in which YOU |
fiud small art display, but no public
place 70 see pictures. The principal bury
ing ground of the two cities is the Allie |
ghany Cemetery in Pittsburg. The grounds |
are the third in size IN the United States. |
1t is succession of beautiful hills and |
valleys. In this cemetery is monument
erected in honor of General Alexander
Hayes, one of the best known Generals in
the United States army. Here, also, is
buried Stephen c. Foster author of sold |