These, at $100 each, makes the amount of capital, viz: $35,000,000. Present premium per share, $124 to $1241. Some of the largest domestic stockholders are as follows: Shares. 6331 1400 From the MS. documents in possession of the HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA. A Proclamation concerning the Caves of Philadelphia, By Wm. Penn, Proprietory and Governor, &c. 2683 WILLIAM PENN, PROPRIETOR AND GOVERNOR, 2026 Whereas I did at first in regard of the infancy of things 1500 and especially out of tenderness to the poorer sort per1417 mit divers caves to be made in the Bank of Philadelphia 1168 fronting Delaware river for a present accommodation, 1150 and perceiving that they are commonly disposed of from 957 one to another, as a kind of property, and taking farther notice of the great detriment that is like to insue to the 875 street by the continuation of them as well as the disor860 ders that their great secresy hath given occasion to loose people to commit in them, I do hereby desire and strictly order and warn all the inhabitants of the said caves to 805 depart the same within two months after the publication 800 hereof, and require my trusty and loving friends and 787 commissioners. William Markham, Thomas Ellis and 730 John Goodson, or any two of them to see that the same 703 700 be accordingly effected. And that no damage may re 942 900 -850 850 839 dound to the public, by my former indulgence, the said commissioners are hereby ordered to cause a survey to be taken of the state of the said caves, that such who have lived in them may be obliged to secure the Bank and state from any damage that may happen from them. It being but a reasonable thing that those who have had the benefit thereof should indemnify the public, of which all persons concerned are to take notice and yield their due obedience as they will answer the contrary at their peril. The foregoing is a copy of an original document remaining in the Land Office of Pennsylvania at Harrisburg. S. WORKMAN. REPORT ON IRON. The Speaker laid before the Senate a letter from the President of the Board of Canal Commissioners, viz: Hon. WILLIAM HAWKINS, Speaker of the Senate. SIR-In the reply to the resolution of the Senate of the 31st January last, requiring the canal commissionGiven at Worminghurst Place, in Old England, the ers to furnish to the Senate a statement of the quantity 24th of the 11th month, 1686. of iron contracted for by them for rail-road purposes, the price per ton agreed to be paid, of whom and when purchased, and whether of American or foreign manufacture, the canal commissioners have the honor to REPORT: John Key being the first born in Philadelphia, petitions the Board that according to the proprietary's promise it is said he may have a lot in the city and 500 acres of land granted him being now of age. A warrant from the proprietary's dated 26th, 3d month, 1683 appears for a lott to his father, which they say was laid out in Mulberry street. Ordered therefore that a warrant be issued for re-surveying these lots, but nothing appearing for the further aforesaid pretended promise of land 'tis referred to the Proprietary. 8th month, 22d, 1705. That they invited proposals by public advertisement, for furnishing iron for 323 miles of single track of the be received at Downingtown, on the 11th of May last. Columbia and Philadelphia rail-road: the proposals to A few persons only offered to furnish iron, and their offers were predicated upon importing the iron from England. Not one proposal was received to furnish the iron of American manufacture. Three hundred and twenty tons of flat bars, for laying 10 miles upon the Eastern division, sill plan, have been contracted for with Haven and Smith, shipping mer From the Minute Book of the Commissioners of Pro chants, of Philadelphia. The whole of this iron has perty. page 284. The following document appears to have been a letter of introduction in favor of the "Free Society of Traders," from William Penn to the Indians, under the Title of the "Emperor of Canada." On page 396 of vol. 1. of this work, will be found a letter to the same personage, from N. More, the president of that Society, dated two days earlier than the present letter, and which is probably the one alluded to in the preceding paper. been contracted for in England, at £6 17 6, per ton. The contract was entered into on the 18th day of July last, stipulating that the contractors are to make purchases in England on the most favorable terms for the commonwealth, and to be paid the amount of cost and charges, with two and a half per cent commission, upon the iron being landed on the Wharf at Philadelphia; of this parcel of the Delaware, this quantity is settled for and cost $8729 178 tons,3cwt. 1qr. 21lbs was delivered before the closing 79 or at the rate per ton of $48,944. It is understood that this is lower by some dollars per ton than the cost of any rail road iron heretofore imported. It has been ascertained that the balance ef this contract is now in vessels at the capes and upon the clearing out of the ice will be landed at Philadelphia. way A contract was also made on the 18th of July, 1831, with A. and G. Ralston, Shipping Merchants of Philaten miles of the Eastern division, and on thirteen miles delphia, for 1335 tons of iron edge rails, to be used on of the Western division-also, for 432 tons of castings for pedestals or chairs and the requisite quantity of pins and wedges to be used in laying down the single trackedge rail plan. The contract stipulates that the Contractors are to make the necessary purchases in England on the most favourable terms for the Commonthe least possible delay, and that they are to be paid wealth, have the iron manufactured and shipped, with upon its being landed in Philadelphia, the amount of the costs and charges, together with two and half per cent. commission. One of the partners is now in England, attending to the manufacture and shipping of this iron, advices from whom have lately been received, stating that a contract has been entered into in England, for furnishing the iron edge rails, at £6 17 6 per ton, from which it will be perceived, that the whole of the railing has been contracted for at the same price. A part of the of the above 23 miles under the stone block and TO THE EMPEROR OF CANADA. The Great God that made thee, and me and all the world incline our hearts to love, peace and justice that we may live friendly together as becomes the workmanship of the great God. The King of England who is a great prince hath for divers reasons granted to me a large country in America which however I am willing to injoy upon friendly terms with thee. And this I will say that the people who comes, with me are a just, plain, and honest people, that neither make war upon others, nor fear war from others because they will be just. I have set up a Society of Traders in my province to traffick with thee and thy people for your Commodities that you may be furnished with that which is good at reasonable rates: And that Society hath ordered their President to treat with thee about a future Trade, and have joined with me to send this messenger to thee with certain presents from us, to testify our willingness to have a fair correspondence with thee: And what this Agent shall do in our names we will agree unto. I hope edge rails has been shipped and would have been landthou will kindly receive him and comply with his de-ed, had not the river Delaware closed at an earlier period sires on our behalf both with respect to Land and Trade. The Great God be with thee. Amen. than usual. The exact cost per ton of the edge rails HAZARD'S REGISTER OF PENNSYLVANIA. DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF EVERY KIND OF USEFUL INFORMATION RESPECTING THE STATE. EDITED BY SAMUEL HAZARD. VOL. IX.-NO. 8. PHILADELPHIA, FEBRUARY 25, 1832. NO. 217. FIRST SETTLEMENT OF COLUMBIA. gone. There were no pine boards for architecture as at the present day; and the joists, window and door frames were From MSS. documents in possession of the Historical made of oak; what little pine was in it, was obtained Society of Pennsylvania. from logs found in the river, and sawed at a mill on A brief statement of facts relating to the first settlement Strickler's Run, owned by Nathaniel Barber. There of COLUMBIA, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, by was also a fulling-mill on the same stream owned by S. ARTHUR B. BRADFORD, who says in his letter accom- Barber. The land back from the river was settled prinpanying the communication, that "the facts were cipally by Germans; Forry's, Strickler's, Sherrick's Gugathered chiefly from a manuscript journal, belong-ber's,&c. Their first purchase was from an old woman naing to the great grand-daughter of Robert Barber, the med Mary Ditcher, who used to go through the country making what was then called improvements-a few sticks first settler." piled together, a fire kindled, and a pot hung over it,con caster County, Pa. Recollections of the First Settlement of Columbia, Lan-stituted a first right. Those who could pay for the land had first choice, but these improvements were generalAbout the year 1726-7, Robert Barber of Chester, ly bought for a trifle by those able to pay for the lands. came to this place, and took up (as it was then called) This old Mary Ditcher seems to have been rather a sin1000 acres of land on the river Susquehanna, (pur-gular personage. She is described as wandering through chased I think from Jeremiah Langhorne, the agent of the woods, leading an old horse, her only property, with the proprietor,) bounded north by Chiques hill, S. E. her knitting in her hand, and clad in a garment chiefly by what was afterwards called Patton's hill. The jour-of sheepskin. This was called Hempfield township, ney from Chester in those days was thought a very from the great quantity of hemp raised there. The great undertaking, the country being uninhabited by township below was called Manor, from lands reserved any except Indians, whose wigwams were scattered by the proprietors, and called in imitation of the English promiscuously. In the following year, (1728,) three custom, the Proprietor's Manor. The settlers adjoining were Irish families named Patton, who gave name to the farmers actuated by a laudable spirit of adventure, came from Chester to make their homes in the wilderness. hill and the current below, called Patton's current. It Samuel Blunston, the richest of the three, purchased 500 has been said there was once a great slaughter of the acres of the land taken up by R. Barber, next the North Indians at that place, by a party of cruel men headed Hill: he built on the rising ground occupied at present by a person named Bill. In the neighbourhood, were The house was torn down a few many places said to be the graves of the Indians, and by Samuel Heise. years since, to make room for the building which now it was believed that a piece of cannon lay sunk in the The townstands on the spot. John Wright, took the middle current. Below this the settlers were Germans-Stinepart (about 200 acres;) he built where Misses E. and A. man's, Kauffman's, Hare's, Kupley's, &c. Anderson's ferry, Wright now reside, (2d st. opposite the Catholic cha- ship above was called Donegal by the Irish settlers, pel.) The house has been much altered and repaired, Anderson's, Cook's, Tate's, Hays's. but the greater part of it is still the same he built. He where Marietta now stands, is well known. came from Manchester, England, among the early set- changes have taken place since the first selling of the tlers in 1714; was a preacher in the Friends' Society, lands. Where Robert Barber first built, there was an and was judge of the county court for many years. Ro- island opposite the land, with large trees growing on it, bert Barber retained the remaining 300 acres next the but since torn away by the ice. The winters being lower hill-he came from Yorkshire, England-he fol- very severe the ice was very thick, and in the general lowed the sea for many years, and had been a prisoner breaking up those trees were gradually torn up, and in France. He built the brick house now occupied by carried off. At such times the water rose to a great John Hinkle he was sheriff of the county, and it was height above where the row of storehouses now stands. intended the seat of justice should have been here, in The old Indians said, they remembered the river rising consequence of which he built a prison near his house —a strong log building, which was pulled down not many years since. James, afterwards Sir James Annesley, was once confined there, having run away from his master, (his story is well known.) R. Barber had a son bearing his own name, who built a house which has VOL. IX. 15 Many the second bank with a break of ice; and Mr. Barber has ploughed up muscle shells, at that distance from the river. Near the point of Turkey hill, were what was called the shad rocks! where shad were caught with dip nets, every one paying a set price for a dip. The first shad caught with a seine, was between 1760 and 65, on the east side of the river below the old ferry course. A sturgeon was once caught in a fish basket in the lower falls. The ferry across the Susquehanna was very early established. Two large canoes lashed together were used at first to take a wagon across, which had to be unloaded. In 1750, it was much improved and rented for £100 per annum, with the ground attached to it. John Wright's stone house was built between 174050, also the little stone mill at the mouth of Shawnee run, (still standing,) this latter was built by James Wright. There was flour made at this mill, for the use of Braddock's army-it was packed in small casks for the purpose, and carried on pack-horses, a cask on each side-it was taken to what was then called Raystown and fort Duquesne, (now Pittsburg.) The people who had hired a time with the owners of the lands, or had been much employed by them, seemed to claim a kind of patronage from their masters, and usually contrived to get a small house with a garden, and potatoe patch. Their rent was so many days work in harvest, or other farmers work: many of them were tradesmen-weavers, shoemakers; and were paid for their work in grain, &c. Harvest wages were half a bushel of wheat; raising grain was not the principal object with the farmers, for there was no market for it: hops and hemp were the sources of profit. Many of these persons were Germans (redemptioners.) The first Friends' meeting-house was built in the upper part of the town, (Union street,) Catharine Peyton and Mary Peasley, ministers from Ireland, held meeting therethey travelled on horseback. In the fall of 1755, the inhabitants were greatly alarmed on account of the Indians. Braddock's army had been defeated and dispersed the preceding summer, and it was reported that the Indians were collecting a large number of bark canoes at the head of the Susquehanna, and were coming in great force to destroy all before them. The inhabitants were struck with fear at the slightest noise during the night, as they hourly expected the Indians coming down upon them. At last they agreed to take the women and children to Philadelphia. They rented a large house to accommodate | all, and late in the autumn five families and their attendants, in all about thirty, left their homes through fear of the Indians. The men remained however, some of them going occasionally during the winter to visit their families. The few Indians who were on friendly terms with the whites, were also struck with fear at the expected invasion, and in consequence fled to Philadelphia, where one of the lobbies of the old state house was allowed them for a place of residence. The whites who remained, fortified the stone house belonging to John Wright, which was the strongest in the place. The winter passing without an assault from the hostile Indians, the families together with the peaceable Indians, returned in the spring to their homes. The town has never been disturbed by hostile Indians since its first settlement. In December 1763, the massacre of the poor Conestoga Indians took place. They were called Conestoga, but there were also among them of the Shawnee tribe. There was one called Shawnee John; and the little run on whose banks they built their huts, is still called Shawannah (Shawnee) run. They were here when the first white settlers came; were entirely peaceable and seemed as much afraid of the other Indians as the whites were-they were great beggars, very intimate with and much attached to the whites-naming their children after their favourite neighbours. The government of Pennsylvania had got into other hands, and the mild and peaceable nature of the administration of Penn was changed for one more hostile to the poor Indians. The Friends did all they could to prevent it, but in ivan. Many thought they ought to be destroyed unceremoniously. Accordingly a company of Presbyterians, from Paxtang township, under the name of the Paxton Boys, determined to come by night and massacre promiscuously the poor Indians, at their town about nine miles off, near Turkey hill. Previous to this the Indians complained that they were suffering. They were afraid to go any distance from their town to sell their little wares, as the people began to threaten them. In consequence of this, James Wright and a German named Herr, who lived near the Indian town, were appointed by government, to supply them with flour, and other things necessary to their subsistence. They were advised to keep in their town, their christian neighbours sympathizing with them: the most of these were Germans of the Menonist Society, whose principles like the Friends', are against war or volence of any kind. Such was the situation of things, when on a snowy morning in December, 1763, a German neighbour came to Robert Barber's house, and requested him to go with him in pursuit of some ones who had been at his house the night before, and whom he called robbers. They had behaved in a very disorderly manner, such as melting the pewter spoons on the stove, &c. Mr. Barber, supposing it had been some persons in a frolic, advised his friend to take no notice of it. He had scarcely left the house, when five or six men came in, very cold, their great coats covered with snow and wet. They left their guns standing outside. Mr. Barber was not personally acquainted with them, though he knew from what part of the country they came. He made up a fire to warm, and treated them to the customary morning refreshments. While they warmed themselves, they inquired why the Indians were suffered to live peaceably here— Mr. Barber said they were entirely inoffensive, being on their own lands, and injuring no one. They asked what would be the consequence if they were all destroyed? Mr. Barber said he thought they would be as liable to punishment as if they had destroyed so many white men. They said, they were of a different opinion, and in a few minutes went out. In the mean time, however, two sons of Mr. B. about 10 or 12 years old, went out to look at the strangers' horses, which were hitched at a little distance from the house. After the men went, the boys came in and said they (the men) had tomahawks, tied to their saddles, which were all bloody, and that they had Christy's gun, (Christy was a little Indian boy about their own age-they 1832.] AFRICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY. 115 from Philadelphia to inoculate the children who never had had the small pox; being all connected they were taken to one house, to make it convenient for the Doc take the small pox, by inoculation, died; the rest all did well. It was the opinion then, that it would be wrong to inoculate the second time, lest the subject should take the disease the natural way, and have a double portion. Shortly after this date, the tranquillity of the town was disturbed by the revolutionary movements; great excitement was felt here, and as the inhabitants were any kind, their trainings in particular for war, were performed with sticks, &c. From this date, the history of the place is on record. AFRICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY. were much attached to him, as he was their playmate, and made their bows and arrows, and other means of amusement.) While the family all wondered what it could mean, a messenger came from Herr,tor. He had forty patients-one or two that did not giving information of the dreadful deed. Mr. Barber and some others went down to see the extent of the massacre. Shocking indeed was the sight!-the dead bodies of fourteen poor Indians lay among the rubbish of their burnt cabins, like half consumed logs! Mr. B. after some trouble, procured their bodies to administer to them the rights of sepulchre. It was said, that at the beginning of the slaughter, an Indian mother placed her little child under a barrel, charg-moved by a patriotic spirit, having no, or few arms of ing it to make no noise-a shot was fired through the barrel, which broke the child's arm, and still it kept silent. The rest of the Indians to the number of 28, who were absent from the town at the first massacre, were collected together to be reserved for a still more distressing fate. They were put into the jail at Lancaster, for safety, as it was said; but the merciless wretches not satisfied with their first work, went thither, and (not in spite of opposition, for there was none made,) broke open the jail, and cruelly and inhumanly, in the most shocking manner destroyed them all-old men, women, and children. There was at the time, a company of Scotch Highlanders quartered in Lancaster -their commander (Capt. Robinson,) pleaded for orWhereas, ignorance in all ages has been found to deders from the authorities to defend the jail, promising base the human mind, and to subject its votaries to the that none on either side should be hurt, but the magis- lowest vices, and most abject depravity; and it must be trates could not be found, though the event occurred admitted, that ignorance is the sole cause of the present degradation and bondage of the people of colour in in day light-whether through fear or that they con- these United States; that the intellectual capacity of nived at it was never known. Their excuses seemed too the black man is equal to that of the white, and that he trifling to be admitted-one could not find his wig, and is equally susceptible of improvement, all ancient histhings of as little importance were pleaded in extenua-tory makes manifest; and even modern examples put beyond a single doubt. tion of their guilt. An Episcopalian minister in LanWe, therefore, the people of colour, of the city and caster, wrote, to vindicate the conduct of the magis-vicinity of Pittsburg, and state of Pennsylvania, for trates, bringing scripture to prove that it was right, to destroy the heathen-and many others were of the same opinion. The Paxton Boys after this dreadful and inhuman slaughter, made their boast, that now having procured so many scalps, they would go to Philadelphia and let the Quakers share the same fate. They went, and the consequence is well known. It has always seemed strange that these men should have been suffered to go unpunished. The disordered and chaotic state of the colony at that time prevented, however, the speedy and impartial administration of justice. It was believed, however, that all or most of them, came to an untimely end. There was an Indian named Bill Sock, who it was said, had been up the river, with the hostile Indians who committed outrages on the whites during the preceding summer, and that the whites were actuated by a spirit of retaliation in the massacre of the Conestogas. But this statement, (which would afford but a trivial excuse for civilized men, acting in such a cruel and inhuman manner if true,) is however false, as Bill Sock was during that summer in the employ of Robert Barber. In the year 1757 or 8, a physician (Dr. Moore,) came At a meeting of the coloured people of the city and vicinity of Pittsburg, convened at the African Church, on the evening of the 16th Jan. 1832, J. B. Vashon, was appointed Chairman, and Lewis Woodson, Secretary. The object of the meeting being stated by the Chairamble and Constitution were adopted. man, after some further deliberation, the following Pre PREAMBLE. the purpose of dispersing the moral gloom, that has long hung around us; have, under Almighty God, associated ourselves together, which association shall be known by the name of the Pittsburg African Education Society, which shall have for the direction of its govern ment, the following CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE 1. There shall be a President, Vice-President, |