History of Chester, Pennsylvania, USA

1682-12-04 - 1st General Assembly in Pennsylvania (Chester)

Chester, a post-township in the S. part of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, on the Delaware river, 15 miles S. W. from Philadelphia. Population, including Chester borough, 3219.

Chester, Pa. - The wagonload of fireworks accidentally exploded and a flying missile does terrible work among the spectators, a horrible death.

The Fourth of July celebration which began yesterday morning so auspiciously, ended last night with a tragedy that has thrown a gloom over the entire city.

The sad accident happened while the fireworks were being displayed in J. P. Eyre's field, just north of his residence on Seventh Street. A large number of people gathered near the ridge on which the pyrotechnics were placed, while many others were scattered in groups over the intervening space towards Seventh Street, while still more observed the display from the street, and others remained on the high ground on the eastern bank of Chester Creek.

Lin Bagshaw, a gentleman of long experience in the preparation of explosives and pyrotechnics, had charge of the display and for safety placed all the fireworks in a wagon and kept the vehicle at a safe distance.

While one piece was in...

Chester, a city of Delaware co, Pa., on the Delaware River, 15 miles below Philadelphia, and on the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad, 14 miles N.E. of Wilmington. It is also on the Philadelphia & Chester and Chester & Delaware River Railroads. It was settled by Swedes in 1643, and is the oldest town in the state. Its original name was Upland. It contains 20 churches, the Pennsylvania Military Academy, 3 national banks, 1 other bank, a national hall, a high school, and printing-offices which issue 2 daily and 3 weekly newspapers, and 2 monthly periodicals. It has increased rapidly in recent times, and derives its prosperity chiefly from manufactures of cotton and woollen goods, iron steamships, engines, boilers, &c. The city contains 41 incorporated manufacturing companies, and innumerable private manufacturing concerns, and has a Board of Trade. Chester was incorporated in 1866. Pop. in 1860, 4631; in 1870, 9485; in 1880, 14,997; in 1890, 20,226; of the township, 578...

Chester is located on the Delaware river, fifteen miles below Philadelphia, and fourteen miles from Wilmingon, Delaware. As Upland it was settled by the Swedes in 1643, and is the oldest town in he state. In 1644. the present site of the city was a tobacco plantation occupied by servants in the employ of the Swedish company. The Swedish government granted to Jörankeen a patent for land one and a half miles inland, following the right bank of Chester creek above its mouth and extending along the Delaware as far as Ridley creek. The land on the west bank of Chester creek, extending along the river to Marcus Hook, was granted by Queen Christina of Sweden to captain John Amundson Besh, "his wife and heirs," by patent dated August 20, 1653, Captain Besh, however, never entered into possession, as (lie land included In this vast tract seems to have been claimed and held by Armgart Papegoya, daughter of the first Swedish governor Printz. In 1645 Upland is still reported a tobacco plantation, ...

Chester, a city of Delaware co., Pa., on the Delaware River, 15 miles below Philadelphia, and on the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore and the Baltimore and Ohio Rs., 14 miles NE. of Wilmington. It is also connected by electric road with Philadelphia. It was settled by Swedes in 1643, and is the oldest town in the state. Its original name was Upland. It is the seat of the Pennsylvania Military Academy and the Crozer Theological Semi nary. The city has grown rapidly in recent times, and derives its prosperity chiefly from manufactures of cotton and woollen goods, iron steamships, engines, boilers, castings, furnaces, steel tubes, cutlery, etc. Its ship-yards include one of the largest in the United States. The harbor is good and the city, which has a board of trade, has considerable commerce. Chester was incorporated in 1866. Pop. in 1880 14,997 ; in 1890, 20,226 ; in 1900, 33,988.

Two men were instantly killed and one injured by the explosion of a steam turbine in the erection shop of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing plant at Chester at 8 o'clock this morning. The shop, in which more than 200 men worked, was thrown in a turmoil as the turbine was shattered by a blast which flung the two men to their death.
The dead are WILLIAM G. COGLEY, 50 years old, of 916 Eleventh Avenue, Prospect Park, and JOHN SNYDER, 52 years old, of Rutgers Avenue, Swarthmore.

CLARENDON SOUTHMAYD, 22 years old, of 910 Lincoln Avenue, Prospect Park, was injured. He is in the Taylor Hospital suffering from shock and bruises.

COGLEY was the foreman of the erection shop, while SNYDER was the chief inspector of the section. Both men were veterans in the plant service.

The explosion occurred as the two men were inspecting a steam turbine which had recently been constructed and was ready for shipment.
COGLEY and SNYDER were leaning over a portion of the powerful engine....