Police
"When the borough was incorporated into a city [March 1816], the act incorporating it authorized the authorities to establish a police force, but there was none established for some years afterwards. The act limited the city taxation to five mills on a dollar, and the corporation could scarcely have paid a police force, even if one had been required. The city authorities did, however, pass an ordinance on August 24, 1816, establishing a night watchman, but soon found they had no money with which to pay him. They accordingly repealed the ordinance and for some years the city slept in darkness without the benefit of police protection." Boucher's Century and a half of Pittsburg.
Eagle Fire Company
"In 1811 the second epoch in the company's history may be said to have started, the younger element having gradually crept in and assumed control of affairs, and the older men had to some extent lost interest and perhaps gained rheumatism in the fire service. The company was now re-organized on a more active and vigorous basis. The first engineer to take charge under the new regime was William Eichbaum, who continued to act in that capacity until 1832, when he was elected First Chief Engineer of the Fire Department on its organization….
In the company organization the most important duty devolved upon the Bucket Committee. Every citizen was required to keep two or three heavy leather buckets with his name painted on them, and in case of fire these were all brought on the ground. Two lines of men and women were formed to the water supply, to pass the full buckets to and the empty ones from the engine…. When the fire was extinguished all the buckets were left on the ground till next day. Then, as many of the inscriptions were obliterated, there was some stealing of buckets and consequent fights. Certain folks … picked out the best buckets, just as in modern times some people get the best hats, or umbrellas, at the conclusion of a party. The Bucket Committee, to put a stop to this, decided to deliver all buckets to their respective owners." Dawson's Our firemen.
Water-Supply
"The water supply was gained, up to 1802, from wells and springs which flowed from out the hillsides, these being sufficient for a small town. An ordinance passed August 9, of that year, called for the making of four wells, not less than forty-seven feet in depth. Three of these were to be located on Market street, and were to be walled with stone…. Wells, with the springs at Grant's Hill, furnished the supply of water for public use until 1826." Boucher's Century and a half of Pittsburg.
Banks
"As early as the year 1815, there were only three banks in Pittsburgh; viz., the Bank of Pennsylvania, located on the north side of Second Avenue, between Chancery Lane and Ferry Street; Bank of Pittsburg, south-west corner of Market and Third Streets; Farmers and Mechanics' Bank, north side of Third, between Wood and Market Streets,—the aggregate capital amounting to less than two million dollars, which was considered abundantly adequate to the business of that period." Parke's Recollections of seventy years.
The Bank of Pittsburgh is situated on the s.w. corner of Market and Third streets.