Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-28
PITTSBURG IN THE 4O'S.

An Old Timers RemIHiscenceB-Joh Quincy
Adamg VlSit-ColOnel Blacks Prophetlc
specch--Whcrs People Garhcred to be
Amused.
The young printers of Pittsburg will,
scarcely believe that the writer I'M 1874,
just As years ago, was pulling off" on a
hand press, of the Washington pattern
the daily and weekly paper that had the
largest circulation of any published In Pitts
burg, averaging for months 2, 800 "pulls" a
day. The paper was the Spirit of the Age,
edited and published by R. W. Middleton.
After securing job on the Age under j.
Heron Foster, the writer secured lodgings
at M. J. Portzels Iron City Hotel, Fifth
street, between Wood and Market also
known as Patrick's Hotel. A few years
sfterward this old hostelry was transformed
into store rooms. David Stewards broom
factory was in one Of them. Robert Ander-
son, afterward Postmaster, occupied one OF
the beds in the room with the writer, whose
couch was known as No. Z. At that time
Mr.. Anderson was postal clerk.
About this time great man came to the
city-passed through it. No telegraphic
dispatch announced the time of his coming,
and the people we're on the qui vive when
ever the whistle Of steamboat was heard,
for he was coming from Cincinnati. At
last one afternoon he arrived, and the 40, 900
people of Pittsburg had an opportunity of
seeing the venerable John Quincy Adams,
then a member of Congress and man of
much note in the country-a man, be it
said of him, more anxious to prove himself
a statesman than to be millionaire.
Mr.. Adams was formally received at the
Exchange Hotel, of which Chambers Nc
Kibbin was proprietor. Hon. Wilson Nc
Candless. in most eloquent speech, well
coined the distinguished man to the city.
Mr.. Adams delivered fine speech and the
gallant and brave Colonel Samuel W. Black
responded. His speech seemed 10 thrill the
citizens, and his concluding words were:
Calling to mind the fact that the two elder
Adams had died on the Fourth Of July,
Colonel Black said, as he faced the aged
statesman, "Live on, venerable and vener-
ated sire, live onl And when this mortality
shall put on Immortality, may it be in the
calm twilight of summers eve, when bon
fires and illuminations light up the land"
John Quincy Adams died on the Sd of
July.
At this time Pittsburg was divided into
five wards. The Fifth ward comprised all
territory east of the canal, and the inhabi-
tants were mainly on Penn and Liberty.
Another canal crossed these streets, or rather
under them, Just west of where the Union
depot now stands. Those who walked out
on Sunday into the suburbs could lay down
in the'shade of tree on Boyd's Hill, just
east of the Court House, and looking over
to the Fourth street road, could see Prices
roundhouse and the cornfelds lying south of
Wylie street.
The only water basin then in the city was
located across Grant street from the Court
House, between Diamond and Fifth streets,
aud east OF the M. p. Church. The pump
ing house was on the Allegheny river bank,
below the present Sixth street bridge.
The largest hall in Pittsburg at that time,
beside "Irwin's Long Room" in the Dia-
mond, was Concert Hall on Liberty street.
1t was one-story structure about 30x50
feet In this hall the people saw Signor
Blitz perform his great illusory feats and
heard Russell sing "Woodman, Spare that
Tree" as few others could sing it. The old
American Hotel was also in the same lot,
with large yard in front and a shaded
yard in the rear for political meetings. In
it John j. Crittenden and Andy Stewart
made speeches.
There was small society hall over the
Mayors Office, Fourth street, near Market,
in which we heard Tom Marshall,
a young lawyer, then debate on
some question pertaining to intel
lectual culture. The other halls were
Gazzam's Philo Hall, over the postofice, on
Third street; wilkins Hall and the Odeon,
on Fourth street; Masonic Hall, City Hall,
Odd Fellows Hall, Library Hall, and per-
haps dozen others of lesser note. Christy's
celebrated minstrels appeared at the Odeon
in 1S46. and amused the people immensely.
The writer now wonders how the great
good men of those times got along without
balls and lectures and grew to be so great,
and can only solve the mystery by con-
cluding that they fed more on sermons than
men do now. j. W. s.