The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter VIII. Manufactures and Public Improvements. Iron Works—Canals and Rail roads—Water Company—Mineral Spring Some idea of the ordinary business of Reading, may be gathered from the account of trades and pursuits, given in a preceding chapter. But this Borough is of late assuming an importance from its manufactures … Read more

The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter VII. Post Office—Arrival and Departure of the Mails, Cars and Stages—Printing Offices—Banks—Public Buildings The Post Office was established at Reading in 1793, and Gotleib Yungmann was appointed as the first Post Master.—Previous to this time, letters were conveyed from Reading to Philadelphia and other important places, by … Read more

The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter VI. List of Public Hotels and Inns, Streets, Bridges and Markets The number of Hotels and Taverns is thirty-two. The following are north of Penn street: Daniel Herr‘s Hotel and Stage Office. Penn, between Fourth and Fifth streets. Jacob Donnahaur. Pennsylvania Farmer. Penn, between Fourth and Fifth. … Read more

The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter V. Merchants and Traders—Mechanics—Business Cards, &c. The persons engaged in trade, like those in the learned professions, are pretty numerous. They may be classed as follows, in reference to the nature of their business. 5 Dry Goods stores, wholesale and retail. 9 Dry Goods, Grocery and Queensware … Read more

The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter IV. Courts.—Judges.—Attorneys.—County Officers.—Justices of the Peace.—Surveyors.—List of Sheriffs.—Physicians. The subject of the Courts does not come strictly within the scope of a treatise upon the statistics of Reading. I will therefore merely mention that the courts of Quarter Sessions, Orphans’ Court, and Common Pleas, are held four … Read more

The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter III. – A list of the Churches in Reading, showing their location, Dimensions, Dates of their erection, Pastors, &c. The first house of public worship in Reading was probably that erected by the Friends. It was a log house, built in 1750, (about one year after the … Read more

The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter II. The Census of Reading, taken at Different times since its first settlement, together with a List of Houses, number of Taxable Citizens, &c. The first census of Reading of which we have any account, is the one mentioned in the preceding chapter, for the year 1751, … Read more

The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter I. Location and First Settlement. — General Description. — Wards. — Extent of Town. Reading, is beautifully situated on the eastern side of the river Schuylkill, in 40° 20′ N. Latitude, and Lon. 1° 03′ E. from the city of Washington. Its distance from Philadelphia is fifty-two … Read more

The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter XII. Miscellaneous Matters—Conclusion Having travelled through the course marked out for myself in the plan of the book, I find a little bundle of forlorn items upon my hands, which, though not entirely deficient in interest, failed of securing for themselves a lodgment by the way; and … Read more

The Description of Reading by William Stahle Chapter XI. Government of the Borough of Reading—Fire Companies—Military Officers and Companies Reading was erected into a borough, by an act of the General Assembly passed September 12, 1783. The original act of incorporation was repealed on the twenty-ninth of March 1813, and the present act passed. The … Read more