History of Halifax City

by Thomas B. Akins

The condition of the transient poor of the town was very sad this winter. An organized system of relief known as the Poor Man's Friend Society, was instituted. The town was divided into wards, and three or four gentlemen volunteered in each ward to visit the poor throughout the winter months. A soup house was established, and other arrangements made to meet the objects intended. This society continued for about six or seven years. In 1824 Beamish Murdoch was its secretary. The following year William Young (the late Chief Justice) was acting secretary.

A large issue of paper money by the province took place in 1820. Silver change was almost driven out of circulation by the issue of small notes, many at one dollar, at 2s. 6d., and even at 1s. 3d. These notes were issued by private individuals upon their own credit and responsibility. Those of William Lawson and Adam Esson were the most numerous. The doubloon was at this time established at £4 currency, and the Spanish dollar at five shillings. The price of flour had fallen to twenty-seven shillings and six pence per barrel.

An anonymous pamphlet was published from the press of A. H. Holland, charging the magistrates of the town with malpractices, which caused much excitement. It was discovered to have been written by Mr. William Wilkie, of Halifax. He was indicted for libel, tried at the Easter term of the Supreme Court, found guilty and sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labor in the House of Correction. This was esteemed a most tyrannical and cruel proceeding on the part of the government. The pamphlet was a very paltry offence, such as at the present day would be passed over with contempt. Wilkie, though not a person of much esteem, yet being a member of a respectable family in the community, should have been spared the indignities thrown upon him by Chief Justice Blowers and the other Judges of the Supreme Court. After the sentence was known, the sympathy in his favor was very general throughout the town.

The reaction after the peace had reduced the price of agricultural produce, not only in Halifax but throughout the province. The West India trade, then the chief branch of commerce, had begun again to be prosperous, and the merchants were looking forward to profitable voyages. But the value of real estate had so fallen that sales were made in the body of the town for much less than half the cost of the buildings. This state of things continued for several years, and very few new buildings were erected between 1819 and 1823. The population was about 15,000, but the number of houses did not exceed 1,600.

The market square at this period presented a very different appearance from what it does at present. A low wooden building stood on the site of the present brick market house. The roof was originally flat and afterwards a pitched roof was added. The butchers' stalls in this old building were very convenient, perhaps more so than those in the new market house. The cellars of this building fronting on Water Street were let for the benefit of the town, and the south end was, some time after this, occupied by Mr. Alexander McLeod as a liquor store and grocery for many years. The ground in front of the market wharf and market slip was much lower than at present, and also that part of Water Street between the old City Court House and Stayner's Wharf, all which was filled up about 1830 or, perhaps, a year or two later. A range of shops under the Court House before this alteration in the streets afforded a large revenue to the town, but their value as places of business was destroyed when the street was raised, and though partially occupied afterwards, they proved damp and unfit for storage of goods. The truckmen, who were then very numerous, ranged their trucks and carts in lines in the square fronting the meat market (there being no other stand allowed) and in cold weather they might be seen, in the afternoons, when not engaged in trucking, amusing themselves with the game of football. Two liquor stores, one at the head of the market, on Beamish's Wharf, and the other at the opposite corner, now known as Laidlaw's corner, kept by Samuel and David Muirhead, were the chief places where spirits and beer were retailed to the truckmen and fishermen. In front of these shops were ranges of apple and cake stalls kept by old women, where also gull eggs and lobsters boiled hard could be had by the fishermen and shallop men from the wharves. The red woollen night cap was generally worn in those days by the market fishermen and the people from the coasting vessels.

The sidewalks throughout the town with the exception of part of Water Street, were all of wood. The old platform on George Street, between Granville and Hollis Streets, was known as Hartshorne's platform. Messrs. Hartshorne & Boggs occupied a range of wooden buildings at the corner of Granville Street, since replaced by the stone building erected by George E. Morton and now occupied by Knowles' Bookstore. On the lower corner, known as Martin Gay Black's corner, there stood an old gamble-roofed house on a high green bank occupied by Mrs. Hart as a dry goods store, and afterwards by T. & S. Greenwood, watchmakers. This old building was about this time replaced by another which afterwards made way for the handsome free stone building erected by the late Martin Gay Black.[87] This platform was the resort of merchants and others who congregated there in the mornings for a short walk and to talk over the news. A large ship gun did duty as a post at Hartshorne & Boggs' corner, and another at Black's, and formed a nucleus for loungers—not smokers, for smoking was strictly prohibited in the streets of Halifax at this time by the Magistrates of the town. Opposite, near the Province Building rail, was the old town pump mentioned above, known as Black's pump, remarkable for its good water, where dozens of boys and girls might be seen towards evening getting water for tea. The old wooden range known as Cochran's building, which occupied the site of the present Dominion building, had been only lately evacuated by the Legislative Assemblies and the Courts of Law, and was now being fitted up for shops. Among those who first occupied shops in this building were Winkworth Allen, who afterwards went to England, Mr. David Hare, who afterwards became the purchaser of the property; W. A. Mackinlay, on the north side, and Clement H. Belcher, at the north-west corner, both well known stationers and booksellers, occupied their respective shops a long time, the latter for more than twenty years. At the opposite corner, to the south, on Hollis Street, stood a large three story building erected by the late James Hamilton, who carried on an extensive dry goods business. It was afterwards sold to Burns & Murray, who erected the present handsome freestone edifice on the corner. Mr. William A. Black kept his watchmaker's establishment at the corner below, now occupied by the P. Walsh Hardware Co. The old Halifax Journal office occupied a wooden building at the corner of George and Granville Streets, where the stone store of T. & E. Kenny now is. Mr. Benjamin Etter had his watchmaker's shop at the corner of George and Barrington Streets, now known as Crosskill's corner, in the same old wooden building which has since undergone extensive alterations. Mrs. Donaldson carried on the confectionery business at the corner opposite and was succeeded by Adam Esson. There were two Donaldsons, both confectioners, whose wives carried on the business after the death of their husbands and accumulated large properties, usually known as upper and lower Donaldson's; the latter was in Granville Street and was the most fashionable, being patronized by the military and navy officers during the war. The parade ground was surrounded by a high wooden rail painted red and had a gate and two turn stiles opposite George Street; the latter for foot passengers who claimed the right to pass across the ground to the steps which led up into Argyle Street, and which still remain. John Howe kept the Post Office in the old building opposite the parade later occupied by Mr. Brander, Cabinet Maker. The late Matthew Richardson a year or two later erected the three story stone building next to Mrs. Donaldson on the site of the Hon. Andrew Belcher's garden, which occupied an open space south of Donaldson's or Esson's corner. Mr. Belcher had, a few years before this, left Halifax to reside in England. His residence was in Granville Street, the same building formerly owned and occupied by the late Doctor Hoffman a short distance south of Kenny's buildings and his garden extended in rear fronting on Barrington Street. No part of the city has undergone greater changes since this time than Granville Street. From George Street northward all the old houses on both sides have been replaced by lofty buildings with some rare exceptions. Between Romans' corner and the Ordnance Square, the street at this time was elevated about 20 or 25 feet above the present level. It was cut down about the year 1830 or 31, (perhaps a little earlier) and the old shabby buildings on the upper side removed, and those on the lower side had an additional story added to them below in consequence of the street being lowered. The whole of this part of Granville Street has been since twice destroyed by fire and replaced by the present buildings, at a cost and in a style far beyond the requirements of the city. Proceeding southward along Hollis Street from the Province Building, both sides as far as Sackville Street were occupied by a range of small low buildings. At the corner now occupied by the Queen stone building, there stood an old gamble roofed house of one story with a little shop at the corner occupied by a worthy old man, James Smith, who held the office of Deacon of St. Matthew's Presbyterian Church, opposite. The other deacon was James Dechman, senior, who was for many years keeper of the town clock, and resided in the clock building. These two old worthies have long since gone to their rest. The latter was father of the late James Dechman, of Halifax, master carpenter, who died at an advanced age some years ago at his residence in Bishop Street. The Rev. Dr. Archibald Gray[88] was minister of St. Matthew's at this time. His place of residence was the old house in Granville Street, opposite the Province Building, now known as the Acadian Hotel. Several buildings both in Hollis and Granville Streets, remnants of the first settlement, stood on high grassy banks with porches and steps outside and cellar doors on the side of the bank with plank platforms over the gutters; the porches and steps frequently projecting out on the side path.

The Hon. John Black, a short time previous to the year 1821, built the fine granite building in Hollis Street north of Government House, afterwards the property of his son-in-law, Hon. James B. Uniacke, since the residence of the Bishop of Nova Scotia. The old house within the railing at the upper corner of Hollis & Salter Streets, lately owned by Mr. Esson, was then the residence of Hon. William Lawson. It was originally built by Malachi Salter about 1760, perhaps before. At the opposite corner stood the residence of the Hon. Hibbert N. Binney, since removed. At the other corner Mr. Charles R. Fairbanks, some time Solicitor-General, afterwards Master of the Rolls in Chancery, son-in-law of Mr. Lawson, had just erected the fine brick building since occupied as a boarding school for young ladies. The late Samuel Lydiard Brewer built the iron stone house of three stories south of Mr. Binney's residence about the same time. The residence of the Hon. Michael Wallace, Treasurer of the Province, was in Hollis Street immediately opposite the Government House. It was a wooden building and considered a first class residence in its time; now altered into two separate dwelling houses. Trees were common in the streets of Halifax at this period as has been before mentioned. The stone building in Morris Street, the residence of Chief Justice Sir Brenton Halliburton, then Judge Halliburton, had been erected some years before this. Judge Stewart, his brother-in-law, built the yellow brick building at the north-west corner of Hollis & Morris Streets, now the residence of a gentleman of the same name, son of Hon. Alexander Stewart, late Master of the Rolls and Judge of Admiralty. The Hon. Thos. N. Jeffery, Collector of the Customs, built and resided in the building later occupied by Mrs. James Donaldson. The late Bishop Inglis, then Rector of St. Paul's, owned and occupied the low wooden building nearly opposite Mr. Jeffery's, since the residence of Mr. Hagarty. At the corner, opposite Judge Stewart's, was the old gamble roofed house, the residence of James B. Franklin, son of Governor Franklin. This old fashioned house still remains as one of the few relics of the early town. The Hon. Charles Morris built a handsome wooden dwelling house on the south side of Morris Street, between Hollis and Water Streets, afterwards the property of Hon. S. G. W. Archibald, Attorney-General and Speaker of the House of Assembly; since his death occupied as a boarding house. The late John Trider about the same time built his rough stone house at Freshwater Bridge. The late John Tremain had a Ropewalk adjoining his residence on the south side of the road leading up from Freshwater Bridge, now known as Inglis Street. This property was afterwards purchased by James Forman, Junior, and the old ropewalk building removed. The residence of Major Bazelgette at the head of this street had been originally constructed by John Trider from the materials of the old Government House which had been removed and the materials sold to make way for the foundation of the Province Building. It afterwards became the property of the late John Moody, a merchant in the town, who sold it to Major Bazelgette about the year 1817 or 1818, who added to the building and improved the grounds. Mr. Moody purchased the adjoining grounds and erected a new house; after his failure his residence was purchased by Hon. Enos Collins, who improved the property and beautified the surrounding grounds.

Old Fresh Water Bridge, so well known in former times, crossed the stream from Smith's Tanyard nearly in the same place as the present abutment. It was a rickety old wooden structure with a rough curb or rail. It was a favorite resort of the young of both sexes on Sundays and summer evenings, and the old wooden rail was covered with names and initial letters carved with the pen knife by visitors. The walk down Pleasant Street and up the road now known as Inglis Street and round the new road, as the Tower Road was then called to Pyke's Bridge, and thence down Spring Garden Road to Government House, was the fashionable promenade for all classes on Sundays and holidays. The old English Burial ground was then surrounded by a high, rough stone wall, built without mortar, which was removed some years after the new cemetery on Camp Hill was consecrated. The Governor's garden up Spring Garden Road adjoining the burial ground extended as far as the General's quarters. A portion of this field was taken for the site of the new Court House and County Jail. The new Poor House in the opposite space, then lately erected, was a rough stone building whitewashed on the outside, but the Work House or House of Correction was the old gamble roof building probably originally erected as a soldiers' barracks in the days of the forts, and afterwards used as a Poor House. All these buildings have been since removed and the ground sold to private speculators, a step much to be regretted, as the space was very extensive and the most eligible situation for a public building in the whole city.

The Poor House Burial Ground, at the corner opposite the present new Court House, was at this time a standing nuisance in consequence of the want of drainage and the careless manner in which bodies of paupers were interred. After the law for closing all places of burial in the city had been carried into operation, this open space was planted with trees and ground carted in to fill up hollow places, and a substantial wall built around it. The old tan Yard of Andrew and John Smith was then one of the most picturesque and secluded spots in the neighborhood of the town. The stream which turned their mill passed down from the south common through Smith's Fields, where it formed a pond near the town road, known as the mill dam, for many years the resort of skaters in winter, continuing south-eastward to Freshwater Bridge and passing through a range of willow trees, some of which may still be seen above the present bridge. Southward from old bridge the road was at this time but a footpath winding along the shore to Steele's Pond, beyond which it was passable for carriages. At a very early period, however, there had been a broad carriage road all along the shore to Point Pleasant, but the earth had fallen in or been washed away by the tide. Black Rock, a point running out south from Trider's old lime kiln, was then, and for many years after, the resort of bathers. There was a fine gravel beach outside the old Freshwater Bridge leaving a large expanse of gravel when the tide was out. It was customary for gentlemen's servants, truckmen and others who came morning and evening to water their horses in the stream above the bridge to ride their horses in the surf at low water.

That part of the city known as Schmidtville, or Pedley's Fields, west from Queen Street and the General's quarters, was not laid out into building lots until many years after the period we are now describing.