The next ten years of this history do not promise to be as rich in incident for the historian, or as full of practical value to the city, as were the few years just chronicled. A number of causes were operating at this time to retard the prosperity of the town, and but for the vigor with which it was endued, it must have sunk under the misfortunes which surrounded it. Evil reports, prejudicial to its health; garbled accounts from rival cities of the mortality here; a lamentably disordered state of currency, a Board of Trustees whose inefficiency was constantly complained of, were all opposing the growth of the town; and had it not, as has been before said, inherently possessed the elements of its own progress, it must have faded, and might have been entirely destroyed by the pressure of these untoward circumstances. For about two years the western country had been laboring under the operations of shaving and brokerage; there was not at this time a single bank west of the mountains whose paper could be passed at a fair value, except in the immediate neighborhood of the bank itself, and there were not more than three or four that pretended to pay their notes in money. The paper of the Bank of Kentucky was at a discount, and there was no hope of its improving. Tennessee and Ohio were in a similar, if not a worse condition. The paper of the United States Bank was alone merchantable at its value, and uponLouisville, as the great commercial mart of the western country, must these circumstances weigh most heavily. Despite all these disadvantages, however, the town did progress, not so rapidly as its past course would have promised, but with a rational and steady improvement. One of the drawbacks mentioned above was beginning to be removed. The new Trustees of the town began to prosecute their measures of improvement with some degree of energy. Wells were dug; pavements laid; streets graded; ponds drained; and a general activity prevailed which showed some attention toward making the town more desirable as a residence, both in point of comfort and of health. The removal of the causes o£ disease, however, could not be instantaneous, and even if they had been it would have required time to convince those disposed to emigrate hither of the fact.
The first act of the Trustees in the year 1820 was to order the purchase of two or three fire-engines. Conflagrations had recently become of not uncommon occurrence, and the means for combating them were so few in number, and so incompetent in character, that this measure had become entirely necessary to the safety of the town. Accordingly, Thomas Prather, Cuthbert Bullitt and Peter B. Orsmby were appointed a committee to purchase suitable fire-engines for the use of the city. This being done, the town was laid off into three wards, and Coleman Daniel, Daniel McAllister and Peter Wolford were appointed, one to each ward, to obtain each 40 members to work these engines. These members were to elect each a Captain of the engine and such other officers as might be necessary, and to adopt rulesfor their own government. Public cisterns, or other like conveniences for the use of firemen, were then unknown. Each citizen was required to keep two or more leather fire-buckets on his premises, while a larger number of the same were kept at the engine houses. These were taken to the fire, and two lines of men formed from the engine, which was stationed near the fire, to the nearest water. One of these lines was occupied in passing buckets filled with water, which, when they arrived at the engine, were poured into it; and the other in passing back the empty buckets to be refilled, it was by this tedious process alone that they were enabled successfully to combat a fire.
Although tables of various sorts, showing the progressive increase of the town, have been from time laid before the reader, yet the events of thirteen years have been passed over without offering to his inspection that most conclusive of documentary evidence, the tax list. It may be remembered that the assessment of 1807 amounted to $913 50. The following list for 1821 will give a clear idea of the increased value of property since that time.
VALUATION OF GROUND AND IMPROVEMENTS, $1,189,664 00.
The following is a census of the population, taken at this period:[12]
On the 3d of March in this year Mr. Nicholas Clarke associated with him, in the publication of the Western Courier, Messrs. S. H. Bullen and A. G. Merriweather. After this period the name of the paper was changed to The Emporium and Commercial Advertiser, and it was issued semi-weekly instead of weekly. This connection, however, was not of long duration, for in February ’22, Messrs. Clarke & Merriweather left the establishment, transferring their interest to Mr. Bullen and Mr. F. E. Goddard. The paper finally came into the hands of this latter gentleman alone, and its publication was stopped while under his management. Mr. Goddard will beremembered by most of the citizens of Louisville. He was the preceptor of a great many of the younger men now here, and was universally beloved and respected. His genial humor, his extraordinary scholarship and his fine qualities of heart made him the admiration of his friends, while his faithful discharge of all his duties and his firm and unwaving efforts to improve the minds and morals of his numerous pupils, cause them to respect his memory, and call forth alike their gratitude and their veneration. No man has ever occupied Mr. Goddard’s position who enjoyed more universally or more meritedly the regard of his fellow citizens.
In May, still of this year, a branch bank of the Commonwealth was located here. From an article in the Emporium it would seem that this bank was established without one dollar of specie capital and hence its notes were sold at very large rates of discount. The paper of this bank and that of the Bank of Kentucky formed almost the only currency at the time, and as merchants, in order to pay their calls abroad, were obliged to buy specie or Eastern funds at a great advance, they naturally enough refused these bills at par value. This seems to have been a grievous trouble to the management of the bank at Frankfort, and it was suggested by them that the Legislature should remove the branch established here to “some other situation where love of country, love of truth and love of general prosperity might overcome the combinations of the weak and wicked.” This removal, however, was not effected.
It was also during this year that a night watch was established, who were paid by a subscription of thecitizens and not from the treasury of the town. B. Morgan, C. Sly and M. Woolston were the first persons elected to this office.
1822—The first event of the next year was the authorization by the Trustees of the issue of town notes, varying in denomination from twelve and a half cents to one dollar, the aggregate value of all of which was not to exceed four thousand dollars. These notes, however, did not meet with the usual fate of the shinplaster currency, for in about a year afterward we find an order of the Trustees for counting and destroying them, leaving the impression either that they were not put into circulation or were redeemed and so withdrawn from a market already glutted with such trash.
It was during the year 1822 that the town was visited by a dreadful epidemic. Dr. John P. Harrison, late of Cincinnati and formerly of this city, a physician of distinguished ability, has published a minute and highly valuable account of this epidemic in the Philadelphia Medical Journal, Vol. 8. The disease was a highly aggravated bilious fever, so terrible as to deserve the dreaded name of yellow fever. The mortality was very great and the alarm existing on account of it throughout the whole interior of the neighboring States was of the most exciting character. The season was an unhealthy one throughout the West, but the scourge fell most heavily upon Louisville, probably on account of the miasma from her many ponds. The scourge here, as Dr. Drake says in his valuable history of the diseases of the Valley of North America, amounted almost to depopulation. The Trustees were by it awakened fromtheir lethargy. A Board of Health, consisting of Drs. Gait, Smith, Harrison, Wilson and Tompkins, were appointed to examine into the causes of disease and report the same to the Trustees, together with the mode or practicability of removing the same. This first Board of Health was appointed too late. Had they been ordered to examine into this matter years before, much might have been effected, but the time for such action was now passed, and this fearful malady, now inevitable, became the most terrible blow ever given to the prosperity of the rising town. The news spread far and wide, and the neighboring towns, instead of seeking to publish only the truth, assisted largely in circulating garbled intelligence and extravagant reports of a fact which tended to their advantage by destroying the fair fame of their rival. Emigrants from abroad as well as from this and neighboring States, for years afterward, dreaded even to pass through the town, and of those who had already determined to locate here, many were dissuaded from their purpose by the assertion that it was but rushing upon death to make the attempt. This occurred, too, just at a period when the resources of the town, beginning to develop themselves, were attracting the attention of capitalists. It was this alone which gave a temporary semblance of superiority to the neighboring towns, and, for a time, retarded the usual prosperity of this. Had the feeling of alarm ceased with the disease, it would have been less of a blow, but for years after it was referred to as a warning against emigration hither.
The next two years present nothing of interest to thereader, save the building in the winter of 1824-5 of an Episcopalian Church on Second Street, between Green and Walnut, the present Christ’s Church, the first rector of which was the Rev. Mr. Shaw.
On the 8th of May, in the year 1825, Lafayette visited Louisville. His reception here, as everywhere else, was enthusiastic in the extreme. The Trustees of the city paid into the hands of John Rowan, the chairman of the committee of arrangements for the reception, a considerable sum of money, to be expended in such manner as the committee might direct for this purpose. The resolution authorizing this expenditure was passed with a single dissenting voice, that ofRichard Hall. The meeting of Lafayette with some of the old officers of the revolution, particularly that with Col. Anderson, is said to have been extremely affecting. The whole city turned out to receive this distinguished patriot; processions were formed, arches erected, bevies of young girls strewed his pathway with flowers and the whole town was a scene of festivity and rejoicing. Whether the dissenting Mr. Richard Hall was with those who were thus showing their sense of gratitude to him who had left home, country and friends, and faced the thundering cannon’s mouth to aid them in their hour of direst peril, history does not tell us.
The Legislature of these years made very considerable additions to the power of the Trustees; allowing them to borrow money on the credit of the town, to purchase and hold real estate for erecting market-houses, wharfs, &c., to levy a tax on exchange brokers, to tax hacks, drays, &c., to appoint harbor and wharf masters, andmake rules governing the lading and unlading of vessels, to collect wharfage fees, to appoint inspectors of flour, &c. The first use made of this new power was the purchase of ground for a wharf. Rowan owned a slip of ground lying north of Water Street, commencing at Second and terminating at Seventh Street. A similar slip, lying between Seventh and Eighth streets, was already the property of the city. This slip the city agreed to add to Rowan’s, and also to pave the whole as a wharf, using the stone in Rowan’s quarry, situated on the premises, and for the wharf so constructed they agreed to give to Rowan and to his heirsforever, in semi-annual payments, one-half the receipts of this wharf. They also agreed that, if at any time Gray’s wharf, lying east of Second Street, should be bought, both parties might unite in the purchase and Rowan should receive as before one half the profits of the entire wharf. This contract; made with but a single dissenting voice on the part of the Trustees, that of Jeremiah Diller, must have been the result of either a very low state of finances or of very injudicious precipitation. Rowan’s heirs, it is understood, now get but one fourth of the wharfage, but even this would have been a sum better gained to the city than lost by a want of proper judgment or foresight.
On the 12th of January, in this year, the Louisville & Portland Canal Company was incorporated by an act of the Legislature, with a capital of $600,000, in shares of $100 each, with perpetual succession. 3665 of these shares were in the hands of about 70 individuals, residing in different States, and the remaining 2335 sharesbelonged to the government of the United States. In December contracts were entered into to complete the work of the canal within two years for about $375,000, and the work was actually commenced in March 1826. Many unforeseen difficulties retarded it until the close of the year 1828. At this time the contractors failed, new contracts were made at advanced prices, and the canal was finally opened for navigation, December 5th, 1830. When completed, it cost about $750,000. It is about two miles in length and is intended to overcome a fall of twenty-four feet, occasioned by an irregular ledge of lime-stone rock, through which the entire bed of the canal is excavated, a part to the depth of 12 feet, overlaid with earth. There is one guard and three lift locks combined, all of which have their foundation on the rock. One bridge of stone 240 feet long, with an elevation of 68 feet to the top of the parapet wall, and three arches, the centre one of which is semi-elliptical, with a transverse diameter of 66, and a semi-conjugate diameter of 22 feet. The two arches are segments of 40 feet span. The guard lock is 190 feet long in the clear, with semi-circular heads of 26 feet in diameter, 50 feet wide and 42 feet high, and contains 21,775 perches of mason work. The solid contents of this lock are equal to 15 common locks, such as are built on the Ohio and New York canals. The lift locks are of the same width with the guard lock, 20 feet high and 183 feet long in the clear, and contain 12,300 perches of mason work. The entire length of the walls from the head of the guard lock to the end of the outlet lock is 921 feet. In addition to the amount of mason workabove, there are three culverts to drain off the water from the adjacent lands, the mason work of which, when added to the locks and bridge, gives the whole amount of mason work 41,989 perches, equal to about 30 common canal locks. The cross section of the canal is 200 feet at top of banks, 50 feet at bottom and 42 feet high, having a capacity equal to that of 25 common canals; and if we keep in view the unequal quantity of mason work, compared to the length of the canal, the great difficulties of excavating earth and rock from so great a depth and width, together with the contingencies attending its construction from the fluctuations of the Ohio river, it may not be considered as extravagant in drawing the comparison between the work in this, and in that of 70 or 75 miles of common canaling.
In the upper sections of the canal, the alluvial earth to the average depth of 20 feet being removed, trunks of trees were found, more or less decayed, and so imbedded as to indicate a powerful current towards the present shore, some of which were cedar, which is not now found in this region. Severalfire-placesof a rude construction, with partially burnt wood, were discovered near the rock, as well as the bones of a variety of small animals, and several human skeletons; rude implements formed of bone and stone were also frequently seen, as also several well wrought specimens of hematite of iron, in the shape of plummets or sinkers displaying a knowledge in the arts far in advance of the present race of Indians.
The first stratum of rock was light, friable slate in close contact with the limestone, and difficult todisengage from it; this slate did not however extend over the whole surface of the rock, and was of various thicknesses from three inches to four feet.
The stratum next to the slate was a close compact lime stone, in which petrified sea shells, and an infinite variety of coraline formations were embedded, and frequent cavities of crystaline encrustations were seen, many of which still contained petroleum of a highly fetid smell, which gives the name of this description of lime stone. This description of rock is on an average of five feet, covering a substratum of a species of cias limestone of a bluish color, embedding nodules of horn stone, and organic remains. The fracture of this stone has in all instances been found to be irregularly conchoidal, and on exposure to the atmosphere and subjection to fire it crumbled to pieces. When burnt and ground, and mixed with a due proportion of silicious sand, it has been found to make a most superior kind of hydraulic cement or water lime.
The discovery of this valuable lime stone, has enabled the canal company to construct their masonry more solidly than any other known in the United States.
A manufactory of this hydraulic cement or water lime is now established on the bank of the canal, on a scale capable of supplying the United States with this much valued material for all works in contact with water or exposed to moisture; the nature of this cement being to harden in the water, the grout used on the locks of the canal is alreadyharderthan thestoneused in their construction.
After passing through the stratum which wascommonly called the water lime, about ten feet in thickness, the workmen came to a more compact mass of primitive grey limestone, which however was not penetrated to any great depth. In many parts of the excavation, masses of bluish white flint and horn stone were found enclosed in, or encrusting the fetid limestone. And from the large quantities of arrow heads and other rude formations of this flint stone, it is evident that it was made much use of by the Indians in forming their weapons of war and hunting; in one place a magazine of arrow heads was discovered, containing many hundreds of those rude implements, carefully packed together, and buried below the surface of the ground.
The existence of iron ore in considerable quantities was exhibited in the progress of excavation of the canal by numerous highly charged chalybeate springs, that gushed out and continued to flow during the time that the rock was exposed, chiefly in the upper strata of limestone.[13]The canal when built was intended for the largest class of boats, but the facilities for navigation have so far improved and the size of vessels increased so far beyond the expectations of the projectors of this enterprise that it is now found much too small to answer the demands of navigation. The consequence is that the canal is looked upon as, equally with the falls, a barrier to navigation. The larger lower-river boats refuse to sign bills of lading, compelling them to deliver their goods above the falls, and as this class of boats is increasing, it promises soon to be as difficult to pass this point as before this immense work was completed. Asprevious to the undertaking of this canal, so there are now numerous plans proposed for overcoming the impediment; and these do not differ materially from those suggested and noticed in 1804. The only ground upon which all parties agree is, that whatever is done should be effected by the general government, and not left to be completed by individual enterprise.
The government, as has before been said, owns a very large part of the stock in this canal, say three-fifths, and it is strongly urged by a part of the community that nothing would better serve the interests of western navigation than a movement on the part of the United States, making it free. The question of internal improvement is not within the province of this history to discuss, but certainly a deaf ear should not be turned by the general government to the united voice of so many of its children, all alike demanding to be relieved from their embarrassments, and the more particularly so, as it has already heard and answered the supplications of a part of its numerous family. Any semblance of favoritism in a government is a sure means of alienating the trust and affection of a part of its dependants. Whatever means may be most advisable to effect the removal of the impediment to navigation here should at once be adopted. And if the opening of the canal freely to all could tend to effect this object, the government has already had from it revenue sufficient to warrant it in taking off the tax from navigation. Up to the year 1843, there had passed through this canal, 13,776 steamboats, and 4701 flats and keels, making in all 2,425,567 tons, the tolls of which amounted to $1,227,625 50. Itwould not be an unfair calculation to rate the expenses of keeping up the canal at $30,000 per annum, or $390,000 for the thirteen years above referred to. Supposing the government to possess three-fifths of this profit, it would amount to $502,575, or nearly enough to build a new canal. It is not to be wondered at, then, that western people should feel disposed to murmur at having these large sums of money taken from their waters and applied to improving the Balize or Sandy Hook, or any other distant part of the Union. And the matter is the more grievous when it is remembered that these tolls are not only not free but are enormously and disproportionately high. Whether laden or not, each boat is obliged to pay at the rate of 50 cts per ton, in proportion to her capacity, as a toll! The whole subject is one deserving immediate and earnest attention, as involving interests in which not only Louisville, but the whole South and West is intimately concerned.
With the next year—1826—we come to the establishment of another newspaper here. This was called the Focus, and was edited by Dr. Buchanan, assisted by Mr. W. W. Worsley, and published weekly by Morton & Co. It contained a very large amount of reading matter on literary, scientific, political and commercial subjects. It was violently anti-Jackson in politics, but still found room in its columns for an unusual quantity of interesting literary matter. It was conducted with great ability by these gentlemen for a period of about three years, when, after the death of Dr. Buchanan, it was sold to Messrs. J. T. Cavins and G. S. Robinson. It was afterwards merged into the Louisville Journal,and placed, under the name of the Journal and Focus, in the hands of Mr. Geo. D. Prentice, as editor. This was in the year 1832. Since that time its history is too well known wherever the knowledge of American newspapers has penetrated to need any furthur notice here. It has been the lot of the gentleman who is at the head of it, and who is distinguished alike as a poet and a politician, as a wit and a sage, to wield an influence such as few men in any station have ever exercised; an influence which is not only political but also literary and social, and which has been exerted alike at the birth of a true poet and at the death of a false patriot or a foolish politician.
By the census of the next year—1827—we find the population of Louisville to have reached 7063, showing an increase of nearly double since 1821. The attention of the people began now to be turned toward effecting an incorporation of the town and placing themselves in a condition for self-government, and accordingly on the 3d of November, of this year, a very large meeting of the citizens was held at the court house for this purpose, Levi Tyler having been appointed chairman and Garnett Duncan secretary, the following resolutions were adopted:
1st. Resolved, That public convenience renders it important that we ask for the passage of an act incorporating Louisville with its enlargements, and giving a city court for the speedy punishment of crimes and the speedy trial of civil suits.
2d. Resolved, That a committee of five citizens be appointed to draft an act of incorporation and to submit the same at an adjournment of this meeting.
3d. Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to confer with the inhabitants of Shippingport and Portland, and the enlargements of Louisville, and to request them to unite with us in this subject.
4th. Resolved, That we esteem the erection of a permanent bridge across the Ohio river, at the most convenient point across the Falls, of the greatest utility to the public, and calculated to enhance the commerce and prosperity of our town, and that we respectfully solicit the legislature of this State to incorporate a company with competent powers and capital to effect the erection of such a bridge, and that the city of Louisville, when incorporated, should be authorised to raise funds, by loan or otherwise, and to subscribe for —— dollars of stock in said company.
5th. Resolved, That a committee of seven be appointed to draft a charter for that purpose, and that our representatives be requested to use their best exertions to effect the passage of such charter.
Committee under the second resolution, Daniel Wurtz, Thos. Anderson, S. S. Goodwin, S. S. Nicholas, Garnett Duncan.
Committee under the third resolution, J. H. Tyler, W. D. Payne, W. S. Vernon.
Committee under the fifth resolution, J. H. Tyler, J. Guthrie, J. S. Snead, J. I. Jacob, G. W. Merriweather, D. R. Poignard, Geo. Keats.
These committees having duly reported, their memorials were sent forward to the legislature, and on the 13th day of February, 1828, the act of incorporation passed and Louisville became a city. Portland had refused tobecome annexed to the city as yet, but Shippingport had consented to the compact. The act of incorporation defines the limits of the city as follows: Beginning at the stone bridge over Bear Grass creek, near Geiger’s mills, thence on a straight line to the upper corner of Jacob Geiger’s land on the Ohio river, and thence by a straight line down the Ohio river, so as to include Corn Island and the quarry adjacent thereto, and thence to the upper boundary of Shippingport to the back line thereof, and the same course continued until it intersects the back line of the town of Louisville, when extended westwardly far enough to meet the said line extending out from the river with the upper boundary of Shippingport, thence from the said intersection to the south or back line of the present town of Louisville, and with the said back line to the south fork of Bear Grass creek, thence down the middle thereof to the beginning. The usual powers of a municipal body were vested in a Mayor and City Council, consisting of ten persons. The city was divided into five wards, each entitled to two councilmen, who were to be elected annually. These elections were to be held on the first Monday in every March. On election, the Mayor and Councilmen were to take an oath of office and these oaths were recorded. They were to choose a clerk annually, whose duty it should be to keep a record of the proceedings of the board, sign all warrants issued by them and to deliver over to his successor all books and papers entrusted to him. Five Councilmen and the Mayor or six Councilmen should constitute a quorum. The meetings of the board were to be public, and the Mayor’s salary should be fixed by theCouncilmen. The Major was not allowed any judicial authority in civil matters, but had the power of a justice of the peace over slaves and free negroes, and similar powers to require surety for good behavior and for the peace; and the power assigned to two Justices of the Peace in committing criminal offenders and sending them on for trial; he also had the casting vote in case of a tie in the board over which he presided, but had no vote otherwise. The powers before delegated to the Trustees were now vested in the Mayor and Council, and in addition to these were granted power to prohibit the erection of wooden buildings within certain limits, to erect suitable buildings for a poor and work-house, to establish one or more free schools in each ward, to elect all subordinate officers, and to pass by-laws with adequate penalties for their infraction. The office of City Marshal was also created by the act. He was to be chosen annually by the people, and, if required by the Council, he was to have a resident deputy in each ward of the city. His duties were to preserve order at all sessions of the Mayor and Council, and to execute all processes emanating from the Mayor. He was to be appointed City Collector and State Collector within the city. He was to execute bond, with sufficient security, before the Mayor and Council, to the State, for the performance of his duties, and a lien was retained on all his lands and slaves, and on those of his sureties, for all sums of money which came into his hands. He had the same powers and duties within the city as a Sheriff and received the same fees. Not less than two persons were to be voted for as Mayor, and the two having the highest vote forthis office were to be certified to the Governor, one of whom was by him to be commissioned and submitted to the Senate for their advice and consent. This charter was to be in force for five years from and after its passage, and no longer, and upon the dissolution of the corporation, all property was to revert to the Trustees of the town, to be chosen or appointed as heretofore directed by law.
The first election under this charter was held on the fourth day of March, 1828. Mr. J. C. Bucklin was elected Mayor, by a small majority over Mr. W. Tompkins, and W. A. Cocke was elected Marshal by a large majority. The following gentlemen were elected Councilmen: Messrs. John M. Talbott, W. D. Payne, G. W. Merriweather, Richard Hall, Jas. Harrison, J. McGilly Cuddy, John Warren, Elisha Applegate, Daniel McAllister and Fred. Turner. Samuel Dickinson was appointed Clerk.
A writer in the Focus, for January 20, 1829, gives an idea of the commerce of Louisville in regard to certain leading articles at this period. He says that “from 1st of January, 1828, to 1st of January, 1829, there were received and sold in this place 4144 hogsheads of sugar and 8607 bags and barrels of coffee, amounting in value to $584,681. He also fixes the inspections of tobacco in Louisville at 2050 hhds. for 1826, 4354 hhds. for 1827, and 4075 hhds. for 1828. The average price of these was, for 1826, $2 67, for 1827, $2 59, and for 1828, $1 98⅓. The whole value of these for the three years was $468,672 88. 1140 of these were shipped to Pittsburg, 3048 to New Orleans, 320 manufactured hereand 458 were stemmed. In this article sugars are quoted at $7 04 to $7 02, by the barrel, gunpowder tea at $1 20 to $1 25; and it also states that groceries of all kinds can be had here at as cheap rates as they can be procured either in New York or New Orleans. A writer in the Kentucky Reporter also adds to this information the following statement: The store rooms of the principal wholesale merchants are larger and better adapted to business purposes than any to be found in the commercial cities of the East. Not a few of them are from 100 to 130 feet in depth, by 30 feet wide, and from three to four stories high, and furnished with fire proof vaults for the preservation of books and papers in case of fire. The wholesale business has increased very rapidly of late, perhaps doubled in the course of two years. There has also been a proportionate increase in the shipping and forwarding business. Mechanics of all sorts have full employment and good wages.”
An excellent criterion to judge of the commerce of a place and to show the increase of its business, is its exchange operations. The following statement of Domestic Bills of Exchange, derived from the official documents of the bank of the U. S., being the amount on hand and unpaid on the 1st January of each year, will give some idea of the amount and increase of the business of Louisville:
The aggregate of business, as ascertained by a personalapplication and inspection of the books of the principal houses, was ascertained to be about $13,000,000.
On the 17th of September, in this year, the branch of the Commonwealth’s Bank was robbed of $25,000 in its own notes. The robbery took place before 9 o’clock in the evening. The door communicating with an entry was opened by a false key, the iron chest quietly unlocked, the notes taken, and the front door opened without any alarm being given. A reward of one thousand dollars in specie was offered for the apprehension of the robber and also a similar reward of $1500 for the recovery of the money. These rewards did not, however, produce the desired result and neither the money nor the robber was ever discovered.
During this year there was a secession of about fifty members from the Methodist Episcopal church here, who formed and established the first Methodist Reformed church. They constructed an edifice at the corner of Green and Fourth Streets, of which Mr. N. Snethen was the pastor. This church was afterwards used by the congregation of the First Presbyterian church, was then sold to the negroes, and finally torn down to make room for the immense Masonic Hall now being built on that spot.
The last event of this year which will be noticed here is the erection of the first city school house. This building, still standing at the south-west corner of Walnut and Fifth Streets, was then an extremely creditable ornament to the city. It is capable of containing seven or eight hundred pupils and is divided into a male and female department, which are entirely distinct from eachother. It was superintended by the Mayor and six Trustees, annually chosen by the Council. The first board of Trustees was composed of the following gentlemen: Jas. Guthrie, Jas. H. Overstreet, Wm. Sale, Samuel Dickinson, F. Cosby and Dr. J. P. Harrison. The standard of education pursued was as high as that of any private school and the terms were only from one dollar to one dollar and a half per quarter. The annual expense of this school to the city was $5,682. Several equally large schools have been since erected and the system of free-schools somewhat changed. These will be noticed at greater length in another part of this history.
The opening of the next year—1830—found the young city in a highly prosperous and thriving position. The security and permanence given to enterprise by the charter had its effect on all departments of business. Arrangements were made at the beginning of the season for the erection of not less than five hundred substantial brick houses, and, according to the report of a prominent resident of a sister city, there was not another place in the United States which was improving and increasing in population more rapidly than this. The number of inhabitants, as ascertained by census, had reached 10,336, and was still rapidly increasing. The friends of Louisville had every reason to congratulate themselves upon her position. The pecuniary troubles which soon after involved the place were not foreseen, and, with buoyant hopes and high expectations, the citizens looked forward to a continuance of their unexampled prosperity. How these hopes were wrecked and these expectations reduced, the history of the next decade will show.
The first act to be noticed in connection with the city was an amendment to the charter, which prevented the Council from borrowing or appropriating money without the consent of a majority of their body. As the project of a bridge over the Ohio was then talked of, and as the Lexington and Ohio Railroad had been suggested, and the city in her corporate capacity had been warmly urgedto make large subscriptions of stock to these enterprises, this provision was probably thought necessary to prevent too great lavishness in expenditure.
The next event of the year was the organization of another Presbyterian church under the Rev. Mr. Sawtell. It was commenced in April with 12 members who seceded from the First Presbyterian church. A building for worship was erected on Third Street, between Green and Walnut, and the church rapidly increased in numbers. It is at present in charge of Rev. Dr. Humphrey.
The last circumstance to be noticed in this rapid sketch of the year 1830, is the establishment of the Daily Journal by Prentice & Buxton, afterward Prentice & Johnston, then Prentice & Weissinger, and finally Prentice & Henderson. It was first published on an imperial sheet at $10 per annum. Although commenced by an entire stranger, as Mr. Prentice then was, the power of its articles and the exquisite vein of humor and irony displayed in its columns, soon gave it such popularity, that, even before its union with the Focus in 1832, it had risen to a firm and enviable position. In December Mr. Edwin Bryant became an associate editor of the paper, but did not remain in that position for more than six months. Soon after the establishment of the Journal the newspaper war with the Advertiser, so well remembered here and so widely known abroad as having given birth to a fund of wit and of satire heretofore unparalleled in the annals of newspapers, was commenced. Even the distant English journals had each their column headed—“Prenticeana”—and the paper was sought afterfar and near by every lover of fun or of humor in the land. It is to be regretted that the shifting character of American politics has rendered so many of the happiest of these allusions and witticisms obscure to the unpolitical or to the distant reader; a collected volume of them would else afford a delightful compendium for a leisure hour. To the older resident of Louisville, it may be interesting to recall the commencement of this long and hard-fought battle. Mr. Penn of the Advertiser, who had deservedly maintained since 1819 the most prominent rank as an editor in the West, was kind enough to furnish the Journal, at its commencement, with all its exchanges. This favor is repeatedly acknowledged by the Journal with great courtesy, but does not blind that paper to the fact that it is about to be attacked by the opposite party. Whereupon, after some time, the following article was published: “We assure the editor of the Advertiser that we shall never under any circumstances covet a personal controversy with him. We do not believe that his readers would be willing to pay him $10 a year for dissertations upon our private character, however bad it may be; and we are quite sure that ours would be loth to pay that sum for daily disquisitions on him, whatever may be his excellencies. We have due respect for the Jackson editors in the West, but we trust to be believed when we say our respect is undebased by fear. We prefer that they should accept our hand open and ungloved, but if they would rather have it in the shape of a fist, it is still at their service.” The Advertiser, seeming to prefer it in the latter form, hereupon commences anew its attack, when the war is openedin earnest by the Journal, which, at the end of a somewhat long and rather tart paragraph, let off in reply the following firstcoup de canon: “We believe he (Mr. Penn) has not had an article since we came here that was not made up of hints taken from the Journal. Well, we have one consolation—‘he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord.’” This is followed up by a series of well directed blows, which are vigorously replied to till the eleventh or twelfth “round,” when one of the parties left the field, still, however, refusing to consider himself vanquished.
With the year 1831 came another amendment to the charter, which provides that the real estate in Louisville and the personal estate of all persons dying therein shall be subject to escheat to the Commonwealth, vested in the Mayor and Council, for the use of public schools. Also that all fines inflicted in Jefferson county shall be vested in the same manner, the fund arising therefrom to be expended in the purchase of a lot and erecting buildings thereon for said schools. It also provides that Jailor’s fees for commitments for offenses in Louisville shall be paid out of the city fund. These amendments to the charter are so numerous and of such frequent recurrence that we shall hereafter be content with a mere allusion to them.
It was also during this year that the present bank of Kentucky was built, with a view to the uses of the bank of the United States. A Louisville Lyceum was also established under the patronage of some of the most distinguished citizens of Louisville. This literary association continued in being for several years but finallywas obliged, like all its fellows, to sink beneath the careless inattention of a purely commercial community.
In 1832 a new calamity came upon the city. This was an unparalleled flood in the Ohio. It commenced on the 10th of February and continued until the 21st of that month, having risen to the extraordinary height of 51 feet above low-water mark. The destruction of property by this flood was immense. Nearly all the frame buildings near the river were either floated off or turned over and destroyed. An almost total cessation in business was the necessary consequence; even farmers from the neighborhood were unable to get to the markets, the flood having so affected the smaller streams as to render them impassable. The description of the sufferings by this flood is appalling. This calamity, however, great as it was, could have but a temporary effect on the progress of the city, as will be seen hereafter.
On the 27th of May the first Unitarian church was dedicated. It is situated at the corner of Walnut and Fifth streets, and was under the direction of the Rev. Geo. Chapman, of Mass. The building of the Louisville Hotel, and the issue of the first Directory ever printed here, were also events of this period. This Directory was published by R. W. Otis, and contains, beside much other valuable matter, a brief sketch of the history of the city, from the pen of Mr. Mann Butler, the accomplished historian of Kentucky. From it we get the following commercial table of Imports from Dec. 1st, 1831, to Aug. 4th, 1832, which will prove interesting to the reader of statistics:
The inspection of whiskey during this time amounted to 14,627 barrels. This Directory also gives the following as the statistics of manufactures:
One steam woolen factory, employs 30 hands and consumes 25,000 pounds of wool per annum.
One cotton factory, employs 80 hands and consumes 500 bales annually; works 1,056 spindles.
Two potteries.
One steam grist mill.
Two foundries, employing together 155 hands and consuming 1,200 tons of iron per annum.
Sixteen brick yards.
One steam planing mill, with two machines and two circular saws; planes, tongues, grooves, &c., about 2,000 feet of boards to each machine per day.
Three breweries.
Two white lead factories consume 600 tons lead annually.
Four rope walks, which work up 600 tons of hemp per annum.
Passing on as rapidly as may be, we come first to the chartering of the Bank of Louisville. The books were opened for subscription to this bank in March, 1833, and closed on the third day, $1,500,000 having been subscribedin that brief period. By the act of incorporation the capital was fixed at $2,000,000, but the commissioners were allowed to close the books at any time after $500,000 were subscribed. Each director was required to take oath not to permit any violation of this charter.
The next event in order was another amendment to the city charter, which provides that no street or alley can be laid out without consent of Council—that a jury shall assess what damages shall be awarded, and what paid by persons injured or benefitted by opening streets or alleys—that it shall not be necessary for the Council to have alphabetical lists of the voters made out, except for the tax collectors and judges of the election—that those only shall be eligible to office who are house-keepers or free-holders and have paid taxes the preceding year in the city of Louisville—that the removal of a councilman from the ward in which he was elected shall cause his office to be vacant, and that any vacancy occurring either in this way or by resignation shall be sup-plied by the Council out of the said ward.
A museum was opened here at this period by a number of gentlemen as stockholders, under the direction of J. R. Lambdin; the collection of objects of natural history, of curiosity, and of vertu was extremely good. A Savings’ Bank was also established during the year, under the direction of Ed. Crow, President; and E. D. Hobbs, Treasurer.
The editor of a Frankfort paper, giving an account of his visit to Louisville about this time, says: “Whoever visits this city leaves it with the conviction that all the elements are at work, which must advance it to a greatcommercial town, and urge it on till it has passed all the towns of the Ohio in the race for supremacy.” It is not to be wondered at that the thriving appearance of the city at this time should have attracted the attention and notice of strangers, and the more particularly as all the neighboring towns and cities were now suffering from the visitations of that dreaded and dreadful scourge, the Cholera, while Louisville hardly knew of its presence. The causes of disease here had been in a great measure removed, and notwithstanding the fears which the approach of the plague had inspired in a city which had before suffered so severely from contagion, the cholera passed lightly over it, not making sufficient impression to produce any effect against its prosperity. This was the more a cause of congratulation to the city as it afforded an opportunity to prove the falsity of the reports prejudicial to its health, which were still industriously circulated. But though exempt from this visitation, the city did not pass another year without its share of calamity. The government deposites which had heretofore been placed in the banks here and used by them as banking capital, were now removed, and as a consequent there arrived another disastrous period of pecuniary distress. This was so severe as to call for a meeting of the citizens, which took place at the court house in 1834, and the object of which was to memorialize the government upon the subject of their troubles. Of this meeting, T. Gwathmey was President, D. Smith and E. Crow, Vice Presidents, and C. M. Thruston and F. A. Kaye, Secretaries. In the words of the memorial, “all is gloom and despondence, all uncertainty and suspense, all apprehension andforeboding. Prices here have fallen beyond any former example. Flour has sunk from $4 to $3, or even $2 50 per barrel. Hemp, pork, and every other commodity has decreased in an equal degree. Real property has fallen in many instances 50 per cent. It is believed that there will not be employment during the ensuing season for one-fourth of the mechanics and working men of Louisville. Few contracts for building have been or are likely to be made. In the opinion of the memorialists, the first remedy for this state of things is the restoration of the deposites. They therefore pray that the deposites be restored, and such measures taken in relation to a National Bank as shall be most likely to afford relief to the country.” This crisis does not seem to have produced very disastrous results here, but was probably more severe in anticipation than in reality. It is even possible that, as political excitement ran very high, and as this removal of the deposites was very obnoxious to one of the political parties, that the evil was a foreboding induced by their own fears, and of such a character as actually to produce a temporary depression in business. And this opinion is supported by the fact that no material change seems to have taken place in the onward progress of the city. The policy and propriety of establishing water works had been for some time under discussion, and in this year the city went so far as to purchase a site for a reservoir on Main above Clay Street. This project was very soon abandoned, but whether from the pressure of the times or from the opposition of many of the citizens does not appear in any record of the period. The incorporation and surveyof two turnpike companies, the Bardstown and Louisville, and Elizabethtown and Louisville, during the same year, would however seem to incline us to believe that it was not given up for the want of means. The state of affairs, even if as bad as represented in the memorial, does not seem to have thrown a very deep or settled gloom over the community; on the contrary an incident of the period would seem to show a light-heartedness and freedom from care not common in times of distress. This incident was the sudden appearance in the streets of the city of a very singular procession, since known as theComical Guards. They were introduced as a burlesque of the militia drills, then of biennial occurrence here. The procession was headed by an enormous man, rivaling Daniel Lambert in his superabundance of flesh, mounted on an equally overgrown ox, on whose hide was painted the following descriptive motto, “The Bull-works of our Country.” This heroic captain also wore a sword of mighty proportions, on whose trenchant blade was written in letters of scarlet the savage inscription, “Blood or Guts!” This leader was followed by a band of equally singular character; long men on short horses, little boys on enormous bony Rozinantes, picked up from off the commons; men enclosed in hogsheads, with only head, feet and arms visible; men encased even to helmet and visor in wicker-work armour, and a thousand other knights of fanciful costume, and all marching with heroic step to the martial clangor of tin pans, the braying of milkhorns, the shrill sound of whistles, the piping of cat-calls, and the ceaseless din of penny-trumpets and cornstalk fiddles. Thisprocession halted in its progress through the streets in front of the residences of the officers of the militia, and after saluting them with a flourish of music, made them a speech, and cheered them with a chorus of groans. After marching bravely through the principal streets, this procession suddenly disappeared from public view never again to greet the sunlight.
Toward the last of June, the news of the death of Lafayette reached the city, and on the first of July a meeting was held, and resolutions passed recommending the stores to be closed, and the day spent in exercises suitable to the occasion. A procession, in which the trades and professions were all represented, and which was the largest ever seen in the city, was formed, and after passing through the principal streets, stopped in the lot occupied by Mr. Jacob, where a eulogy was delivered by Mr. M. R. Wigginton. All who had joined in the procession, wore crape on the left arm for thirty days. The whole proceedings of the day were highly creditable to the city, and highly worthy of the occasion. Another event of the year was the establishment of a new paper called the Louisville Notary and published weekly by D. C. Banks and A. E. Drapier. This paper however never rose to any eminence in the city.
During 1833 and 1834 two new amendments had been made to the charter. One of them authorizes some trifling change in the boundary of the city, and the other allows the borrowing of money to erect Water-Works, and compels the inspector of liquors to mark the degree of proof on the head of each barrel. The next year—1835—also shows similar amendments: first, requiringthe valuation of property to be made on the 10th of January in each year; second, authorizing the city marshall to collect his bills for summoning juries; and third authorizing the city to subscribe for stock in the Lexington and Ohio Railroad Company. This road was this year opened to Frankfort. The building of the Galt House also dates from this period, as does the first movement toward lighting the city with gas.
It will be recollected that in 1830 the population was given at 10,336, in 1835 it had reached by actual census 19,967, giving an increase of nearly one hundred per cent, in less than five years! The Tax list for this year will also show a similar increase:
A table of the imports of the city has been so recently given, that it may be more interesting to offer now a list of exports, for the six months succeeding January 1st, 1835, which is as follows:
To this list may be added the amount of goods sold during the next year—1836—by 47 of the largest wholesale dry good and grocery houses, which is officially stated at $12,128,666 16. There were also built during the summer of this latter year 110 stores and 114 dwelling houses, all of the better class. Rents were steadily advancing on the stores, and “as for dwellings it would be impossible to rent one, finished or unfinished. And these improvements resulted from the natural advantages of the place, and not from the completion of any of the works, to which the city had always looked as the precursors of greatness.” These statistics require no additional demonstration to prove the progress of the town. The first thing worthy of notice in this year was a ninth amendment to the charter, which abolishes the Mayor’s Court and establishes a Police Court in lieu thereof. This court was to be a court of record; its judge to be appointed as other judges, and to receive a salary of $1200. The prosecuting attorney to be elected by the Council. The City Court, as far as it is a Police Court, should always be open, and for the trial of pleas of the Commonwealth, there were to be monthly terms of said court, to commence on the first Monday in each month. It might summon grand juries. This act also fixed the salary of the Mayor at $2,000, and compelled all insurance offices to file with the Mayor a certified copy of their charters; it also extended the city boundary 300 feet above Geiger’s Ferry landing. Two more newspapers were in this year added to the growing list of the city. The first of these was the Louisville City Gazette, a daily, published by John J. & Jas. B.Marshall; and the second, the Western Messenger, a monthly, under the care of the Rev. J. F. Clark. This last was originally published in Cincinnati, but was this year transferred to Louisville.
As will be remembered a motion had been made several years before this time toward the erection of a bridge over the Ohio. This project had been discussed from time to time ever since that period, and finally in this year, the contracts were entered into and the corner stone of the bridge was laid with all due ceremony, at the foot of Twelfth Street. The work however never progressed beyond this, the contractor having failed to perform his duty, beside which the next year brought with it by far the most terrible calamity that had ever affected the city. The last few years had been years of such unexampled prosperity; confidence had become so thoroughly established, credit was so plenty, and luxury so courted, that, when the unexpected reverse came, the blow was indeed terrible. On the 19th of April, the Banks of Louisville and of Kentucky suspended specie payment, by a resolution of the citizens so authorizing them. Previous to this, the Banks all over the country had stopped; another awful commercial crisis had arrived, and one which Louisville felt far more severely than she had felt the former. Instead of passing lightly over her, as before, the full force of the blow was felt throughout the whole community. House after house, which had easily rode out the former storm, now sunk beneath the waves of adversity, until it seemed as if none would be left to tell the sad story. A settled gloom hung over the whole mercantile community.Main Street was like an avenue in some deserted city. Whole rows of houses were tenantless, and expectation was upon the tiptoe every day to see who would be the next to close. Each feared the other; all confidence was gone; mercantile transactions were at an end; and everything, before so radiant with the spring-time of hope and of promise, was changed to the sad autumn hues of a fruitless year.
It was in the midst of this gloom and despondence which prevaded one part of the community, that the ears of another part were astonished and gladdened with a strain of melody, such as had not before stolen through the glades and groves of this western land. A young girl, modest and unpretending, unknown to all but her little circle, inspired by some unseen power, tremblingly warbled forth a few verses of melody, but of such enchanting power, beauty and harmony, that all the literary world were confounded, and all eagerly inquired who it was that under the simple signature of “Amelia,” and away off in the distant West had struck her lyre “with an angel’s art, and with the power of the fabled Orpheus,” and whose “strains had been caught up by melody-lovers throughout the Union, and sung in every peopled valley, and echoed from every sunny hillside of our vast domain.”[14]Such genius could not long remain unknown; and soon the name of its possessor was proclaimed through the columns of the Louisville Journal, but the name gave no clue to the source whence this mighty power had been derived. For the many, the ten days wonder soon passed away. The genius ofthe writer was acknowledged and forgotten by them. But the true lovers of her art followed her for many years with looks of admiration, regard and affection; and still, though her harp has long lain untouched, await with anxiety and hope for new strains from the lyre they have loved so well.[15]
It is not for the historian to dwell at any length upon subjects kindred to this, agreeable as the theme may be. We must then revert again to the usual details of the year. The first of these was the reception here of the distinguished Mr. Webster, who was met some twelve miles from the city by a large number of citizens. On his arrival he was welcomed by the Mayor and invited to meet the citizens at a barbacue near the city. The season was one of great festivity, and nearly four thousand persons were present at the barbacue. Mr. Webster addressed the citizens in his usual felicitous manner.
An important event of the year was the addition of the town of Portland to the limits of the city. The building of the First Presbyterian, and of St. Paul’s (Episcopal) Church, and of the bank of Louisville, as well as the selection of this point as the site for thegovernment hospital, and the incorporation of the Louisville Manufacturing Company, are among the events of this year. A paper called the Western Journal of Education, was also issued from the Journal office, under the editorship of the Rev. B. O. Peers, but was soon discontinued for want of sufficient patronage.
For some time previous to this period the removal of the medical department of Transylvania University at Lexington to this city had occupied much attention, and had created some bitterness of feeling between the two cities. In this year this vexed question was finally decided by the Legislature against the removal; no less to the gratification of Lexington than to the serious annoyance of this city. The examination of the subject however brought to light an old charter, passed in 1833 and amended in 1835, which sufficed to enable a new school of medicine to be established here. The city accordingly set apart four acres of ground and the sum of $50,000 in money for its use, and so organized a medical school here, of which Messrs. Caldwell, Cooke, Cobb, Flint, Yandell, Miller and Locke were the professors. In February of the next year, the corner stone of the building to be erected by the city for this use was laid, and soon after Dr. Flint, with the money appropriated for that purpose, visited Europe, and purchased a fine library and apparatus for the Institution. Few, if any medical schools in the United States, have ever risen as rapidly in public favor, or as speedily attained as high position in public estimation as this. The first course of lectures was delivered to 80 students, the second to 120, the third to 205, the fifth to 262; and since thattime the classes have reached 400 pupils. It has attained the rank of the first school of medicine in the West, and is second to few in the country. There is now another medical school in this city, which will be noticed at the proper place.
The next year—1838—brings us to the opening of a railroad to Portland. This road was intended to connect with the Lexington and Ohio railroad. It was kept in employ but a very short time, the citizens on Main Street below the depot at Sixth were violently opposed to the road, and used every effort to impair its usefulness. After the establishment of the Blind Asylum here, the profits of this road were transferred to that institution; but it did not long enjoy the advantages so offered, for the road was discontinued by an application to court from some of the citizens, as offensive to some, and unprofitable to all.
A glance at the population of the city for this year will show, that in spite of the commercial difficulties of the time, the city still grew with astonishing rapidity. It had now reached a population of 27,000, showing a gain of 7,033 in three years.
The only other event worthy of remembrance was the robbery of the Savings Bank. This was effected in the daytime, by a man named Clarendon E. Dix, who entered the bank about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Soon after this time, Mr. Julien, the cashier of the bank, entered the establishment and found Dix, who had still in his hand the large bank hammer, with which he had killed the clerk whom he found there. Finding that he should be vanquished in the struggle with Mr. Julien, Dixdrew a pistol and shot himself. He was believed to be insane.
The Literary Newsletter, a paper under the charge of Ed. Flagg, editor, was issued from the Journal office in December of this year. Its existence was limited to about thirty months. It was however eminently deserving of a much greater success than attended its issue.
The Kentucky Historical Society was also incorporated at this time, under the direction of Hon. J. Rowan, President; Hon. Geo. M. Bibb and Hon. Henry Pirtle, Vice Presidents; D. C. Banks, Recording Secretary; and Edward Jarvis, Corresponding Secretary and Librarian. Its library which was amassed by the indefatigable zeal of Dr. Jarvis, is now incorporated with the Louisville Library. The Society itself is not now in active existence.