History of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

Lancaster city, capital of Lancaster co., Pennsylvania, is pleasantly situated on the Philadelphia and Columbia railroad, 1 mile W. from Conestoga creek, 70 miles by rail road W. from Philadelphia, and 37 miles E. S. E. from Harrisburg. It was for many years the largest inland town of the United States, and was the seat of the state government from 1799 to 1812. At present it is the fourth city of Pennsylvania in respect to population. It is situated in the most populous and wealthy agricultural districts of the state, and carries on a considerable trade by means of the railroad and the slack-water navigation of the Conestoga. The oldest turnpike in the United States has its western terminus at this place, and connects it with Philadelphia, which is 62 miles distant by this route. The streets are generally straight, crossing each other at right angles, and well paved. The greater part of the town is substantially built of brick, and the more modern houses are commodious and elegant....

From the Harrisburg Telegraph.
One of the most horrible railroad accidents that occurred during the present year, happened on Saturday afternoon, on the Pennsylvania railroad, three miles this side of Lancaster, as the Day Express train reached that point, en route for Philadelphia.

The train consisted of seven cars. The front axle of the third car breaking, that end of the car at once fell to the track, and as the train was under full headway, the rear cars ran into the one to which the accident occurred, crushing to death nine persons and maiming a large number of others – rumor says thirty or more. The scene is said to have been heartrending and sickening in the extreme. The shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying were such as to unman the stoutest heart, and cause many passengers to leave the vicinity of the accident to obtain relief from the sad spectacle presented. The following is a list of the persons who were instantly killed, or died within a few moments after the...

Lancaster, Pa., August, 14 - While SAMUEL METZELL'S barn was burning today the County Insane Asylum was discovered to be on fire.

There were 114 inmates all of whom were saved after great exertions.
The loss is $70,000.

Lancaster, a city, the capital of Lancaster co, Pa., is situated near the W. bank of Conestoga Creek, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, 69 miles W. of Philadelphia, 36 miles B.S.E. of Harrisburg, and 42 miles S.W. of Reading. It is connected with Reading by a branch of the Reading & Columbia Railroad, and a narrow-gauge railroad connects it with Quarryville. The houses are mostly built of brick, and the streets are generally straight, and cross one another at right angles. Two main streets, named King and Queen, intersect each other in the central part of the city. This city is lighted "gas, and is supplied with water conveyed from Conestoga Creek. It is the seat of Franklin and Marshall College (German Reformed), which was organized in 1853 and has a library of 13,000 volumes. The other most remark able buildings are the court-house, in the Grecian style, the county prison, Fulton Hall, in which public assemblies are held, St. Joseph's Hospital (Catholic), and the high school. Lancaster...

Lancaster, a city, the capital of Lancaster co., Pa., is situated near the W. bank of Conestoga Creek, on the Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia and Reading Rs., 68 miles W. of Philadelphia. It is situated in a fertile tobacco and grain region, and has varied and important manufacturing and other industries, which are represented by numerous cigar- and cigarette-factories, boiler- and engine- works, cotton-mills, manufactures of general machinery, emery-wheels, umbrellas, caramels, watch-materials, soap, etc. The city is the seat of Franklin and Marshall College (German Reformed), which was organized in 1853, and of the Theological Seminary of the German Reformed Church. This place was first settled in about 1720 and was incorporated as a city in 1818. It was the capital of the state from 1799 to 1812. Pop. in 1880, 25,769 j in 1890, 32,011 ; in 1900, 41,459.