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 PRKSENTED BY 
 
 
SKATING 
 
 and the 
 
 Philadelphia Skating 
 Club 
 
 John F. Lewis 
 
 Philadelphia 
 189S 
 
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 Auitlbr 
 Gl«^ S Wife 
 
INDEX 
 
 Page 
 
 History of Skating and the Philadelphia Skating 
 
 Club 7 
 
 Charter 53 
 
 By-laws, as follows : 
 
 Article I. — Members, Their Qualifications, Election, 
 
 Dues, Resignation and Expulsion 58 
 
 Article II. — Life Members 59 
 
 Article III. — Expulsion of Members 60 
 
 Article IV. — Honorary Members, Ladies 61 
 
 Article V. — Non-resident Members 61 
 
 Article VI. — Officers, Annual Election, Nominations . 62 
 
 Article VII. — Meetings, Quorum 63 
 
 Article VIII. — Order of Business 64 
 
 Article IX. — President's Duties 64 
 
 Article X. — Vice-President 65 
 
 Article XI. — Secretary, Minutes, Notices ..... 65 
 
 Article XII. — Treasurer 66 
 
 Article XIII. — Executive Committee, Duties, Organi- 
 zation, Approve Bills 66 
 
 Article XIV. — Board of Surgeons 67 
 
 Article XV. — Special Committees, 68 
 
 Article XVI.— Badge, Fine 68 
 
 Article XVII.— Cord and Reel, Fine 68 
 
 Article XVIII.— Majority to Elect 68 
 
 Article XIX. — Impeachment of Officers 69 
 
 Article XX. — Amendments 69 
 
 Article XXI. — Management of Club House, House 
 Committees' Duties, Lease of House, Power to 
 
 Pay Bills, Amendment of This Article 69 
 
 Lists of all the Officers and Members of Standing 
 Committees from the Organization of the 
 
 Club to Date 73 
 
 Present Officers 83 
 
 Members' Names 85 
 
 Permanent Fund Resolution 89 
 
This " History of Sicating and the Philadel- 
 phia Skating Club " was read by Mr. John F. 
 Lewis, at the Annual Banquet of the Club, January 
 9, 1895, at the Manufacturers' Club House, Wal- 
 nut Street, above Broad. The President, Thomas 
 W. Marchment, was in the chair, and the Com- 
 mittee of Arrangements consisted of Peter Breen, 
 Dorrance Evans, Howard W. Lewis, John H. 
 Packard, Howard Evans and John P. Walker. 
 
 The paper is published by the Club's direction. 
 
The origin of skating is veiled in the remot- 
 est antiquity. Like many arts which amehorate 
 the condition of man, it was doubtless conceived 
 and born of necessity. No trace of it can be 
 found in the Bible, though the Book of Job, 
 which is the oldest in the sacred libraiy, has 
 several references to frost and ice. He speaks of 
 brooks " which are blackish by reason of the ice," 
 and says : " The zvaters are hid as luith a stone, 
 and the face of the deep is frosen^ 
 
 But the devil can quote Scripture to his pur- 
 pose, and might urge (if he knows anything 
 about low temperature at all) that several Biblical 
 passages prove that the children of Israel could 
 skate. For instance, it is said in Deuteronomy, 
 " Their foot shall slide in due time," and he might 
 claim that the backward roll was described, in 
 language more figurative than accurate, when 
 Hosea said : *' Israel slideth back as a backsliding 
 heifer." 
 
 Turning to profane history, it is learned that 
 skating probably originated in the north of 
 Europe, and that the first skater was some hardy 
 Norseman, who fastened bones to the soles of his 
 
lO 
 
 poem called the " Complaint " says : " / know 
 hoiv to perform eight exercises : I fig! it tvitJi cour- 
 age ; I keep a firm seat on Jiorseback ; I am 
 skilled in sivimviing ; I glide alorig the ice on 
 skates; I excel in darting the lance; I am dexterous 
 at the oar, and yet a Russian maid disdains me!' 
 
 The substitution of an iron for a bone runner 
 is so simple and self-evident an invention, that it 
 must have been made at an early date. 
 
 Olaus Magnus, the Swedish historian, who 
 was born in 1490, describes the skates used by 
 the early Scandinavians as being " of polished 
 iron, or of the shank bone of a deer or sheep, about 
 a foot long, filed dozvn on one side, and greased 
 with hog's lard to repel the luet,'" but modern 
 criticism shows that imagination is often mixed 
 with historical fact. 
 
 No trustworthy record is known that iron 
 blades were used in mediaeval times. In 1572, 
 however, it is recorded that the Dutch fleet was 
 frozen in near Amsterdam, and that the Duke of 
 Alva, conceiving it easy prey, sent a body of 
 men to capture it, but that the brave and hardy 
 Dutchmen sallied forth on skates, and routed 
 their aggressors, and little doubt can exist that 
 their skates were iron shod. Skating had been 
 
II 
 
 more in vogue in the Netherlands, than in any- 
 country in Europe, and they had, doubtless, be- 
 come proficient on the frozen canals, which are 
 the chief means of communication in winter 
 between their towns and villages. 
 
 After the time of Fitzstephen skating seems 
 to have fallen into disuse in England. Possibly 
 a succession of mild winters, or the gradual 
 draining of the marshes, made a scarcity of ice. 
 At any rate, the sport does not seem again to 
 have become general, until introduced from 
 Holland, after the restoration of the Stuarts. 
 
 Pepys, in his Diary, written about 1659, 
 says that he went " over to the Parke, where I first 
 ill my life, it being a great frost, did see people 
 sliding with their skeats, which is a very pretty 
 arty And John Evelyn, under date of Decem- 
 ber I, 1662, says : " Having seen the strange and 
 wonde-rfid dexterity of the sliders on the new canal 
 in St. fames' Park perform before their Majesties by 
 divers gentlemen and others with sckeets, after the 
 manner of the Hollanders, with what swiftness 
 they passe, how suddenly they stop in fidl carrier e 
 upon the ice, I went homey 
 
 Few records exist of the development of 
 skating in the Eighteenth Century, but the Dutch 
 
12 
 
 artists, Vanderneer, Beerstraaten, and others, 
 have represented it as a common sport of the 
 people, and illustrations exist of fairs held on 
 the ice of the Thames, in 1716 and in 1740, in 
 which the exercise is depicted. 
 
 No precise date can be fixed for the intro- 
 duction of skating into America. Philadelphia 
 seems to have witnessed it as soon as any place 
 in the country, and this is not unlikely from the 
 fact that the amusements of the old city were 
 largely under Quaker influence, and certainly no 
 manly exercise can be conceived, more beneficial 
 to the soul and body, than the art aptly described 
 as " the poety of motion." It is quite certain 
 that skating early became a sport in which 
 Philadelphians were noted. Graydon, in his 
 " Memoirs," says that " though Philadelphians 
 have never 7'educed skating to rides like Londoners ^ 
 nor con?iected it with their business like Dutchmen, 
 I will yet hazard the opinion that they are the best 
 a?id most elegant skaters in the world f' and he 
 had seen, " New England skaters, old England 
 skaters, and Holland skaters y 
 
 Dunlap, in his History of Art, says that West, 
 the painter, was a skilful skater. West once 
 formed the acquaintance on Philadelphia ice of 
 
13 
 
 the then Col. Howe — the General Howe of the 
 Colonial War, but the resulting friendship dis- 
 solved with the spring thaw and was soon for- 
 gotten. One day, the painter having crossed the 
 ocean, was skating on the Serpentine and 
 amazing Londoners by the grace and rapidity of 
 his motions. Some one suddenly exclaimed, 
 " West I" " West ! " It was Colonel Howe. " I 
 am glad to see you," said he, " and not the less 
 so that you come in good time to vindicate my 
 praises of American skating." He called to him 
 Lord Spencer Hamilton, and some of the Caven- 
 dishes, to whom he introduced West as one of 
 the Philadelphia prodigies, and requested him to 
 show them what was called " the salute." West 
 performed the feat so much to their satisfaction 
 that they went away, spreading over London the 
 praises of the American skater. " Nor was the 
 considerate Quaker^' says Dunlap, " insensible to 
 the value of such commendation. He continued 
 to frequent the Serpentine and to gratify large 
 crowds by cutting the Philadelphia salute y 
 
 The Delaware River, whose majestic waters 
 washed the gateways of the old town, was the 
 place where our forefathers learned to skate ; and 
 doubtless, before it became frozen sufficiently to 
 
14 
 
 bear, the city ponds were also patronized. One 
 of these ponds was in the neighborhood of what 
 is now Eighth and Arch Streets, and adjoined 
 Dr. Church's family burying ground. Everly's 
 Pond was on the south side of Arch above 
 Seventh, and Evans' (named doubtless by a sort 
 of historic prophecy after the skating family of 
 that name) was on the north side of Race Street 
 and extended to Branch Street. Hudson's Pond 
 was at the northwest corner of Fifth and Hig-h 
 or Market Streets, and was the favorite haunt of 
 Colonel Morris, Thomas Bradford, and Alexan- 
 der Fullerton — noted skaters of their day. 
 
 At the corner of Ninth and South Streets 
 was the Great Blue Horse Pond, surrounded by 
 willows, and chiefly used by the citizens of old 
 Southwark, who doubtless there acquired much 
 of that " slipperiness " which has often distin- 
 guished them in politics, if in nothing else. After 
 rainy falls, this pond was often connected in 
 winter by a continued line of frozen waterway, 
 with an inlet at Little Dock Creek, by way of 
 St. Peter's Church, at Third and Pine Streets. 
 Skates were called " dumps," and the iron run- 
 ner was no longer than the foot. Watson, in his 
 Annals of Philadelphia, records that the Dela- 
 
15 
 
 ware was often filled with skaters, and some 
 were conspicuous for dexterity and power. Both 
 William McKay, in his " Lang Syne Reminis- 
 cences," and Watson, mention William Thorpe, 
 Doctor Foulke, Governor Mifflin, Charles Wilson 
 Peale, George Heyl, and a negro named Joe 
 Claypoole who wore " low-gutter skates " and 
 was particularly swift in his movements. George 
 Heyl, Watson says, was especially graceful and 
 clever at figure skating, and dressed, as Vv^as then 
 the fashion, in a red coat and buckskin tights. 
 He probably wore shoes and hat also, though 
 Watson does not say. His description is not 
 dissimilar to that given in " The Skaters' Text 
 Book," that the mem.bers of the London Skating 
 Club " always zvear trousers, black coats, and tall 
 hats, in accordance ivith an ancient custom,'^ and 
 it is. to be hoped they always did, especially in 
 cold weather. Dr. Foulke, the famous surgeon, 
 lived on Front Street and was a noted skater. 
 He was adept at the " High Dutch," and in cut- 
 ting his name. Peale, seems to have introduced 
 the idea of carrying the runner above the foot 
 and then back, in the style familiar to the old- 
 time skater of the present day. 
 
 Graydon names General Cadwalader and 
 
i6 
 
 Charles Massey as the best skaters of their 
 time. Massey was a biscuit maker, and must 
 have been at home with " the roll." 
 
 Skating continued to grow in popularity as 
 the city increased. The Delaware, and subse- 
 quently the Schuylkill, afforded exceptional 
 opportunities for its enjoyment. The ice upon 
 the Delaware was less broken up by boats than 
 as it is now, and would often become two feet, and 
 even more, in thickness, and be used 'as a highway 
 for travel to and from Camden. The skaters and 
 walkers on the ice formed a considerable multi- 
 tude. In every direction booths were erected for 
 the sale of refreshments, and not infrequently an 
 ox-roast would add novelty to the scene. Sand 
 was first sprinkled over the ice to sustain the fire, 
 and the ox roasted from mighty spits, while the 
 savory odor and bracing air were whetting the 
 appetites of the hungry spectators. Horses were 
 specially shod for racing sleighs, and the course 
 on the ice sometimes extended to Burlington and 
 beyond. 
 
 The only ice boat, the old " States Rights ", 
 was utterly unable to keep the river free, and 
 beyond Arch and Race Streets seldom suc- 
 ceeded in going. 
 
17 
 
 If good skating was not found upon the 
 Delaware the enthusiast sought the Schuylkill — 
 a very long distance to travel for sport, without 
 the aid of any public conveyance. From Broad 
 Street to the Fair-Mount Water Works was a 
 vast expanse of open farm land, but when the 
 omnibus lines began running to Fair-Mount, 
 more skaters were attracted to the Schuylkill ; 
 and the later extension of the horse car system 
 increased its accessibility. The 'buses and cars 
 would hang out signs, " Good skating on the 
 Schuylkill," and hundreds, yes, thousands, would 
 go out. The most skilful skaters of this time 
 were Parrish, Zolekoffer, Evans, Paul, Snyder, 
 Peale, and Page. The latter was especially grace- 
 ful, and invariably attracted admiring crowds. 
 The younger skaters soon took up his figures 
 and added intricate changes, though never able 
 to equal the handsome Colonel for the grace and 
 dignity with which he moved over the ice, and 
 " skated from the centre " in those magnificent 
 open strokes which are rapidly becoming sadly 
 rare. 
 
 Possibly a sustained cold snap in the early 
 winter of 1849, or a sudden burst of skating 
 enthusiasm, led to a meeting, December 21st of 
 
that year, to form a Skaters' Club. Who was the 
 master mind it is not now possible to say with 
 certainty, but we know the historic date, and that 
 the meeting was held at Stigman's Hotel, on 
 George Street (now Sansom), above Sixth Street. 
 
 Colonel James Page was called to the Chair, 
 and William H. Jones was appointed Secretary. 
 After a warm discussion of the object of the 
 meeting — warm indoors only it is to be hoped — 
 those present constituted themselves into a com- 
 mittee to invite skaters to attend an adjourned 
 meeting, to be held a week later, for the purpose 
 of forming a club, to be known as " The Skaters' 
 Club of the City and County of Philadelphia," 
 the county and city not being then coterminous, 
 but the former embracing besides the old town 
 proper the districts of Richmond, Southwark, 
 Moyamensing, Spring Garden, Northern Liber- 
 ties, etc. The objects of the proposed club were 
 to improve its members in the art of skating and 
 afford them pleasure and safety in mutual com- 
 panionship. 
 
 The eventful December 28, 1849, duly arrived 
 in the course of the calendar, and this fact is cer- 
 tain, however doubtful history may be ordinarily. 
 The old hotel bar was well patronized, and the 
 
19 
 
 members had ice in tumblers, even if unprovided 
 with any to skate on. A committee of five was 
 appointed to draft a constitution for the baby- 
 club — Edward S. Lawrence, Albert R. Schofield, 
 William F. Van Hook, Josiah Ev^ans and the 
 Chairman. E. W. Bushnell was appointed Treas- 
 urer. Many of these names are familiar sounds, 
 but their possessors have long since passed the 
 Great Divide, and their good deeds entitle them 
 to an enjoyment forever of a climate not incom- 
 patible with the occasional formation of ice. 
 
 Upon January 2, 1850, another meeting was 
 held at Stigman's Hotel, and doubtless another 
 demand made for broken ice to satisfy an appe- 
 tite for smooth. Josiah Evans was elected Chair- 
 man, and WilHam H. Jones, Secretary, and the 
 new venture was so far definitely organized as to 
 require the appointment of a committee of three 
 — Evans, R. S. R. Andrews and Bushnell — to 
 select a pattern for reels, with lines sixty feet long. 
 On January 4th a third meeting was held, and 
 old Stigman's again honored. The Committee 
 on Constitution reported nine articles, which were 
 unanimously adopted. 
 
 Article i was as follows : 
 
 " The name of the Association shall be ' The 
 
20 
 
 Skaters' Club of the City and County of Philadel- 
 phia/ as unanimously approved by the gentle- 
 men agreeing to form the same, on the evening 
 ing of January 4, 1850, at Stigman's Hotel, 
 George Street, above Sixth. Its officers shall 
 consist of a President, Vice-President, Secre- 
 tary, Treasurer, and an Executive Committee of 
 five." 
 
 Article 2 is also quoted : 
 
 " The object of the Association shall be 
 instruction and improvement in the art of skating, 
 the cultivation of a friendly feeling in all who 
 participate in the amusement, and the efficient use 
 of proper apparatus for the rescue of persons 
 breaking through the ice." 
 
 Article 3 prescribed the duties of the Presi- 
 dent ; Article 4 of the Secretary ; Article 5 of 
 the Treasurer, and Article 6 of the Executive 
 Committee. 
 
 Article 7 provided for the election and expul- 
 sion of members, and required each member, upon 
 signing the Constitution, to pay twenty-five cents 
 to the Treasurer, to constitute a fund for defraying 
 ordinary expenses — the size of the tax guaran- 
 teeing a sure economy. 
 
 Article 8 provided that the meetings should 
 
be held at the pleasure of the President, at the 
 request of the Executive Committee, or when 
 determined by the vote of the Association. 
 
 Article 9 provided for elections, and Article 
 10 for amendments, and the whole was a model 
 of brevity and simplicity, and stamps the founders 
 of the club as men of pre-eminent good sense. 
 
 At this same meeting, the Committee on Reels 
 reported the selection of a sample, which could 
 be duplicated at Bushnell's, No. 64 Dock Street, 
 at cost, 18^ cents. Stigman's could probably 
 have furnished reels for less, if taken in the shape 
 of " apple-jack." This old hotel, thus honored 
 by the formation of the club, became known, 
 when years rolled by, as the " Weatherall " house, 
 — not the " Wetherill," as might be imagined 
 from the association of the latter name with the 
 Club's history, but the " Weatherall," as if blow 
 high or low, the Club formed within its hospitable 
 walls, should continue for decades through sum- 
 mer rains and winter snows. 
 
 Upon January 8, 1850, a meeting of the 
 new Association was held to elect officers, and 
 the poll resulted as follows : 
 
 James Page, President ; Josiah Evans, Vice- 
 President ; James SuUender, Treasurer ; William 
 
H, Jones, Secretary; Edward D. Yates, Corres- 
 ponding Secretary, Executive Committee — 
 George W. Paul, Oliver C. Gaul, George L. 
 Sartell, R. S. R. Andrews, and William F. 
 Van Hook. 
 
 The committee of the whole constituting the 
 first meeting at Stigman's, December 21, 1849, 
 reported the following for election, and as these 
 names constitute the historic ancestors of the 
 present membership, they are here written down 
 at the risk of prolixity. 
 
 Col. James Page, John W, Van Hook, Josiah 
 Evans, Sr., James Sullender, George W, Paul, 
 Edward S. Lawrence ,WilHam F,VanHook, James 
 W. Campbell, R. S. R. Andrews, Edward D. 
 Yates, Francis F. Shipper, E. V. McCoy, B. 
 Eakins, Vv/'illiam S. Andrews, Albert R. Scho- 
 field, Joseph H. Foster, Oliver C. Gaul, Conrad 
 B. Andress, James T. W. Neff, J, D. Sergeant, 
 E, W, Bushnell, Joseph T, Johns, John B. Weir, 
 Robert Colton Davis, Thomas W. Mattson, Val- 
 entine Dedeker, G. Le, Hurray, Samuel Collar, 
 B. W. Andress, John C. Hoffman, James W. 
 Roberts, P. H. Ellis, James A. Freeman, W. D. 
 Edwinson, John F. Kohler, Alexander E. 
 Harvey, A. P. Hughes, Theodore Taylor, 
 
23 
 
 Charles G. Evans, James Lesley, Jr., George W. 
 Summers, Franklin Peale, B. F. Wood, J. Walker, 
 Jr., William D. McKibbin, J. D. Ball, E. H. Mur- 
 phy, Theo. H. Hesser, Thomas W. Marchment, 
 Joseph Evans, George D. Wetherill, John T. 
 Roberts, J. B. Neal, C. H. Millikin, Samuel C. 
 Downing, Jerry King, William Daniel Deal, 
 Wash. L. Germ on, George L. Sartell, James 
 McCormick, John Hargraves, Benjamin F. 
 Dewees, George S. Bethel, John Wandell, Jr., 
 John Hughes, C. W. Pickering, A. C. Stockton, 
 W. D. Johns, J. G. Seibert, T. W. Hartley, E. 
 H. Heilman, E. D. Matthews, John I. Hunt- 
 zinger, H. W. Gorman, Barnett Smith, L. Stack- 
 house, Samuel T. Warner, W. B. Sm.ith, Isaiah 
 Bunyan, J, C. Sterling, William Fulton, Wilson 
 M. Jenkins, William D. Ford, Thompson West- 
 cott, A. G. Heston, William H. Adams, M. W. 
 Alexander, James G. Stacey, Charles C. Phillips, 
 John T. Andrews, T. H. Marston, F. A. Drovin, 
 Francis Vallee, George P. Evans, Gustavus Berg- 
 ner, Wash. L. Hall, Jacob Snyder, Charles A. 
 Weidner, Robert P. Morton, W. Henry Kimber, 
 L. B. Jackson, Edward S. Morris, P, J. Potter, 
 Jacob Andress, and Samuel James. 
 
 The badge adopted was, and still is, a small 
 
24 
 
 silver skate, an inch and a quarter long, worn on 
 the left breast. 
 
 The life-saving apparatus was the same as 
 that now provided by the rules. The cord and 
 reel, required to be carried by members, formed 
 the most simple and effective device. The reel, 
 about five inches long, made of hard wood, was 
 wound with a cord about fifty or sixty feet in 
 length, and ending in a noose for enclosing the 
 wrist. 
 
 In case of accident, two or three member^ 
 only were directed to go to the rescue, while 
 others acted as a reserve guard to keep back the 
 crowd. The rescuer first fastened the noose 
 securely to his wrist, and threw the reel to the 
 person in the water, who, having gotten hold of 
 the cord, was then gently pulled out upon the 
 firmer ice. 
 
 Safety ladders were designed of light wood, 
 about fifteen feet in length, and with eyes or 
 rings at the ends, and having about lOO feet of 
 attached rope. The ladders were iron shod, for 
 ease of propulsion upon the ice, and could be 
 shoved out to be grasped, or used to sustain the 
 weight of a man pushed out to the rescue, on ice 
 of extreme thinness. 
 
25 
 
 Small boats on runners, and copper or iron 
 sheathed, were also provided, danger flags and 
 ropes used to mark air holes or weak spots, axes, 
 life preservers, blankets, boat hooks and grap- 
 pHng irons employed, and the wisdom of their 
 design forty years have not been able to improve. 
 
 Col. James Page, the first President of the 
 Club, was succeeded as years rolled on, by 
 Josiah Evans ; then came Franklin Peale, and 
 after him, Thomas W. Marchment, the grand old 
 man who now presides over the Club's destiny, 
 
 E. W. Bushnell was one of the first to intro- 
 duce in Philadelphia solid steel skates. They 
 were sold at about ^30 a pair, a price which, in 
 view of the worth of money at that time, would 
 be almost ;^50 now, and possibly enabled him, if 
 he sold many, to recoup his loss in selling reels 
 at cost. 
 
 When the horse car lines began running 
 regularly to Fairraount, ladies occasionally went 
 out to walk upon the ice, or witness the skating 
 from the banks of the river, and about 1854 
 Miss Van Dyke, the daughter of James C. Van 
 Dyke, U. S. Attorney for Philadelphia one of 
 the members of the Club, appeared on skates, 
 and rapidly became skilful and expert. Miss 
 
26 
 
 Wetherill, from Germantown, and Miss Harvey, 
 Miss Schomberg, and Miss Lewis, from the city, 
 in after years, became good skaters also, and 
 other ladies began to learn, and the sport rapidly 
 became fashionable. The fear of the deep water 
 of the river, and occasional rowdies, made them 
 more or less timid, and one of the reasons for the 
 formation of the Club was the frequency v/ith 
 which skaters were attacked by roughs, and 
 their skates stolen. The members soon broke 
 up these gangs, and made it safe for any one to 
 venture on the ice during day or night. 
 
 The humane feature of the club originated 
 with the late William F. Van Hook. In the 
 winter of 1853 the Executive Committee reported 
 that twenty-eight lives had been saved that sea- 
 son, by the use of the cord and reel, and up to the 
 year 1859 the total number saved was fixed at 
 125. An improved safety ladder was adopted 
 by the Club in 1853. It was about "twenty 
 feet long," as the old minutes record, " with a 
 joint three feet from the end, with hinges, so that 
 upon reaching the hole in the ice, it will settle 
 in the water and enable the person to escape 
 with much more ease, giving a firm support to 
 the feet." 
 
27 
 
 The life-saving record of the club was such, 
 that it soon eclipsed the work of the old Phila- 
 delphia Humane Society, whose activity had 
 been gradually waning. This society was con- 
 nected wdth the early history of the city, and 
 identified with its management some of the best 
 citizens. Its funds were raised by contribution. 
 One of its m.ost important duties was to place 
 ladders throughout the town in alleyways, to be 
 used in rescuing people from burning buildings, 
 and by bucket companies, to pass up water to 
 extinguish fires. The houses seldom being over 
 three stories high, the ladders were not required 
 to be long, and were hung on hooks in alleys, 
 and, in case of fire or accident, were always handy. 
 Many of our older m^embers will doubtless recol- 
 lect seeing them on the wide stone stairways 
 designed by Stephen Girard, and leading from 
 Front Street to Water Street or Delaware Ave- 
 nue. When any markedly heroic act was per- 
 formed, the association issued its medal or cer- 
 tificate to the hero. Two of these certificates 
 now hang in the Ladies' Room at the Club 
 House. One was issued to Alexander E. Har- 
 vey, and the other to Edward Bowers, both 
 members of the club, who, with great peril to 
 
28 
 
 themselves, rescued from drowning some ladies 
 who had broken through the ice on the Schuyl- 
 kill River. Not long after these rescues, certain 
 ladies, in honor of the bravery of the Club's mem- 
 bers, presented to the Club the rescue ladder 
 and boat hook, which are placed as models in 
 the Club House. The presentation was made 
 on the 1 2th day of March, 1859, and though a 
 heavy body of ice was on the Schuylkill, the 
 crowd attending the ceremony was so great, that 
 for safety the exercises were held on the* banks 
 of the river, between the canal locks and Lipp's 
 old brewery, just opposite the Club House. Mr. 
 Harvey read the presentation letter, and Col. 
 Page, as President of the Club, received the 
 articles. Late in the afternoon the ice began to 
 soften, and during the night a warm south wind 
 set in, and the next day the surface, which had 
 been covered with thousands of skaters, was a 
 raging torrent of water. 
 
 After the disbandment of the Philadelphia 
 Humane Society, the Skaters' Club appointed a 
 committee of one, consisting of Franklin Peale, 
 the President, to ascertain from some of the old 
 managers what had become of the funds, with 
 the view, of course, of turning them into our 
 
29 
 
 treasury. Upon January 25, i860, Peale reported 
 that the funds had been presented to the Penn- 
 sylvania Hospital — the nearest approach, in the 
 recollection of the writer, of any instance in 
 which the Club came to securing a contribution 
 as an act of charity. 
 
 The Constitution and By-laws of the Club 
 were revised and amended January 13, 1859, ^^^ 
 copies of the printed pamphlet of that date are 
 still in existence. The rules and regulations 
 were substantially the same as those we now en- 
 joy, and occasionally have difficulty in inter- 
 preting. 
 
 In 1 86 1, upon motion of Colonel Page, a 
 copy of the revised By-laws of the Club, a 
 badge, cord and reel, together with an improved 
 pair of skates, were sent to the Emperor of the 
 French, but why, and whether he ever got them, 
 and what he did with them, history is sadly si- 
 lent. Possibly he was as anxious to learn to 
 skate as Abraham Oppenheimer, one of the 
 members of the Club, who appeared at its meet- 
 ings at this time and asked for an explanation of 
 that clause of Article II of the By-laws which 
 states the object of the Association to be, among 
 other things, "instruction and improvement in 
 
3° 
 
 the art of skating," He said he had asked sev- 
 eral members to instruct him, but had not re- 
 ceived the desired information. A committee 
 was forthwith appointed to afford the necessary 
 tuition — Simes, Van Hook and Sterling. So 
 successful was their teaching that they reported 
 within a year as follows : 
 
 " Owing to the aptness of their scholar, your 
 committee find that we had very little to do, 
 and we hope the members of the Club will not 
 think the committee flatter themselves when they 
 report that they have to confess their inability to 
 impart to him any further instruction. Accord- 
 ing to their judgment he is a 'finished skater;' 
 and we understand that he has so much confi- 
 dence in his skating qualities that he has thrown 
 down the glove — in other words, he has chal- 
 lenged the world, and the rest of mankind, or 
 womankind, to skate with him. As evidence 
 that the committee have attended to the duties 
 assigned them, we would state that the challenge 
 has not been accepted." 
 
 If the Emperor of the French had challenged 
 the Germans to skate instead of to fight, the 
 presents sent him might have proved useful. 
 
 The appointment of this Committee on In- 
 
31 
 
 struction is a good precedent to be followed in 
 these degenerate days, when outer-edge skating 
 is in danger of becoming a thing of the past. 
 
 Upon February 28, 1861, the Club was in- 
 corporated by special act of the Legislature as 
 " The Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane 
 Society," the incorporators being Franklin Peale, 
 James Page, Conrad B. Andress, James Sul- 
 lender, Edward W. Bushnell, Washington L. 
 Germon, Wm. F. Van Hook, Alexander E. 
 Harvey, Edward D. Yates, Wm. H. Taggert, 
 John H. Brinton, Charles S. Boker, John K. 
 Kane and David W. Sellers. 
 
 The charter is liberal in the extreme, and pro- 
 vides as the object of the Association almost the 
 exact words of the Constitution of the old Skaters' 
 Club. 
 
 During the Club's history various places have 
 been honored with its business meetings. After 
 Stigman's, or the Weatherall House, had been 
 abandoned the meetings were held at the hall ot 
 the Diligent Engine Company, Tenth and Fil- 
 bert Streets ; then at the Washington House, 
 Chestnut Street, above Seventh ; then at the 
 hall of the Washington Hose Company, Ninth 
 and Filbert Streets; at 1224 Chestnut Street; 
 
32 
 
 occasionally at the Club House in Fairmount 
 Park ; at Simes' office, 1 2 1 Walnut Street ; at 
 his house, 1822 Arch Street, and, in later years, 
 at the Colonnade Hotel. 
 
 The construction ot the capacious house on 
 the banks of the Schuylkill River, near Lemon 
 Hill, forms, of course, one of the most important 
 epochs in the Club's history. The erection of a 
 Club House had been agitated for years. As 
 early as January 17, 1855, Thomas S. Van Dyke 
 moved the appointment of a committee to memo- 
 rialize Councils "for a piece of ground on the 
 margin of the Schuylkill River, situated on the 
 front of the old Pratt estate." The matter was 
 referred to the Executive Committee, but seems to 
 have been neglected, and on February 7th, upon 
 Yates' motion, a special committee upon the sub- 
 ject was appointed, with Colonel Page as Chair- 
 man. The memorial was presented to Councils 
 March ist, but the site asked for was already 
 leased by the city, permission to build was refused, 
 and the committee discharged. 
 
 Before the erection of the house, the ladders 
 and hfe-saving appliances of the Club had been 
 stored at Fricka's Hotel, near Coates Street, and 
 were taken on the ice in the morning and every 
 
33 
 
 night carried back, the members acting as a sort 
 of boat-hook-and-ladder brigade. Raising the 
 money, the shortness of the skating season, and 
 the necessity for procuring consent from Councils 
 to build in the Park, seemed insuperable difficul- 
 ties. Yates still cherished his plan, and one day, 
 in December, 1859, when there happened to be 
 good skating on Wissahickon Creek, invited 
 Harvey, SuUender, and Bushnell, his fellow- 
 members upon the Executive Committee, to meet 
 him there on the following morning, at eleven 
 o'clock, to have a skate. The gentlemen invited 
 duly appeared. At one o'clock they were taken 
 into the neighboring inn, where they found dinner 
 ready, and after it was over, and that delightful 
 hour had arrived in which men are always easy 
 to convince, Yates produced his plan. The 
 Committee approved it and signed a report, 
 which Yates had previously prepared, recom- 
 mending the construction of the house. This 
 paper was submitted to the Club December 14 
 1859, and the original is still in existence. Its 
 recommendations were promptly adopted and 
 the Executive Committee requested to make 
 application to Councils for the necessary permis- 
 sion. It was resolved that the house should be 
 
34 
 
 built by the issuance of stock at ^lo per share to 
 members of the Club only, and that the stock- 
 holders constitute a Board of Trustees for its 
 government. 
 
 At that time the Park was vastly different 
 from what it is to-day. From Coates Street, 
 nearly to the site of the present Lincoln Monu- 
 ment, were places of business of various kinds, 
 and a canal was cut in from the river towards the 
 Reading Railroad from the old Pacific Boat 
 House. The Park itself commenced at the site 
 of the monument, and extended along the fore- 
 bay towards Turtle Rock, and then along the 
 river to about half way to Girard Avenue Bridge, 
 and thence eastwardly to the Reading Railroad. 
 It constituted the estate of Henry Pratt, and had 
 been known as Pratt's Garden, and later as 
 Lemon Hill. Adjoining this property, on the 
 north, and extending to Girard Avenue, was the 
 Sedgley estate. The carriage road running along 
 the fore-bay turned up the hill before reaching 
 Turtle Rock, and there was no magnificent river 
 road such as we now see. When the Sedgley 
 estate was bought by the city, in 1857, the old 
 Skaters' Club contributed the sum of ;^ioo, and 
 that small contribution was used for all it was 
 
35 
 
 worth as an argument why Councils should give 
 the Club the right to build. 
 
 The Executive Committee made a second 
 application to Councils, January 5, i860, and the 
 Committee on City Property, to which the appli- 
 cation was referred, was induced to unanimously 
 report upon it favorably to Councils, and that 
 then august body passed the necessary ordinance, 
 January 28, i860, authorizing the Committee on 
 City Property to designate a location for the 
 Skaters' Club House. J. C. Sidney, city archi- 
 tect, was directed to go to the Park and stake off 
 the plot of ground that might be chosen, and the 
 persistent Chairman of the Committee selected 
 the spot where the house now stands, because it 
 was a solid point of land projecting considerably 
 out into the fore-bay, and his judgment was 
 such that, even to-day, the house is undoubtedly 
 the best situated on the river. The old Star 
 Boat Club's frame house stood on part of the 
 ground, but as Councils had ordered all the frame 
 boat houses on the river bank to be removed, 
 no interference was met from that fact. 
 
 Notwithstanding its difficulties, securing the 
 right to build was the easiest part of the project. 
 Raising the money was commenced February 9, 
 
36 
 
 i86o. A stock subscription list was opened, and 
 I need not say there was no over-subscription. 
 After weeks of hard work sixty subscriptions out 
 of the whole membership had been secured, but 
 ^600 was insignificant towards the erection of a 
 house intended to be 40 feet long by 40 wide, 
 and to cost ;^35oo. It had been expected that 
 the stock would be readily taken by the members 
 of the Club, without appealing to outsiders for 
 assistance, because it was intended that the Club, 
 having a large stock interest in the house, would 
 control it for its own purposes. Some new move 
 was evidently necessary or the scheme must be 
 abandoned altogether. Subscriptions by non- 
 members were authorized, and Yates then 
 induced a friend to subscribe ;^500 upon his 
 personal promise to take the stock back when_ 
 ever so requested. Another friend was induced 
 to subscribe ^400, two others ^100 each, and 
 Germon, a member of the Club, then subscribed 
 ;^500, and, as nothing succeeds like success, 
 many members began to increase their subscrip- 
 tions to ;^50, so that a total was at last secured 
 of ^2500. William S. Andrews, a member of 
 the Club, was requested to prepare a design for 
 the proposed structure, but as the stock had been 
 
. 37 
 
 largely taken by non-members, who would, of 
 course, expect dividends, it became necessary to 
 increase the size of the house, making it 60 feet 
 long by 40 wide, and providing for a basement 
 which could be rented to Boat Clubs when the 
 frame houses upon the river bank were taken 
 down. J. C. Sidney, city architect, who was 
 elected a member of the Club, altered the plans, 
 and prepared specifications complete for the 
 builder. Bids were received, the contract given 
 out October 18, i860, and the building was 
 completed in the spring of 1861. Furniture was 
 purchased and new life-saving appliances con- 
 structed. The house was erected under the 
 supervision of the following Building Committee : 
 Edward D. Yates, William S. Andrews, James 
 Sullender, Alexander E. Harvey, J, C. Sidney, 
 WiUiam F. Van Hook, and Washington L. 
 Germon. 
 
 On April 6, 1861, out of the many appHcants 
 to rent the basement, the University and the 
 Undine Barge Clubs were selected. Leases 
 were duly executed, but the future was not even 
 then plainly to be seen. The contractor pre- 
 sented a bill of $800 for extras, a thing which 
 contractors sometimes invent so successfully, and 
 
38 
 
 promptly placed it in suit. Releases were se- 
 cured from the material men, and the contractor 
 was forced to compromise, Yates paying out of 
 his own pocket, June 14, 1861, the sum of 
 ;^ 1 034. 17, making the total cost of the construc- 
 tion of the house ;^4990. Yates was compelled, 
 besides, to take the ;^500 of stock which he had 
 procured his friend to subscribe, and other stock- 
 holders began to make demands upon him to 
 take theirs; but, nothing daunted, he took all 
 offered, and found himself saddled at last with 
 over one-half of the entire issue. 
 
 The tenant clubs, the University as well as 
 the Undine, at once made overtures to Yates to 
 buy his holding, but, steadfast to his first love, 
 he looked forward to the time when the Skating 
 Club should have the house as their own, and 
 refused all offers to buy. At this time the 
 Skating Club, as such, owned no stock what- 
 ever, but Yates gave some to the Club, and by his 
 control of the stock set aside annually 20 per 
 cent, of all rents as a fund for the Club to use in 
 buying more, so that the Club yearly became 
 the holder of a larger number of shares. The 
 Skating Club at this time paid rent for the use of 
 the house, as did the two boat clubs, and the 
 
39 
 
 rentals enabled dividends at as high as lo per 
 cent, to be paid on the stock. The University 
 Barge Club, after an occupancy of about ten 
 years, vacated its part of the boat room, and the 
 Undine rented the whole basement. 
 
 The state of affairs was somewhat anomalous, 
 and it was natural that differences of feeling be- 
 tween the Skating Club and the barge clubs 
 should exist, but so long as Yates held his stock 
 the various conflicting interests were impartially 
 adjusted. He subsequently sold his stock hold- 
 ings to the late Samuel Simes, who consented, 
 upon such sale, that the stock should not be 
 resold without the consent of Yates, and, in fact, 
 Simes so provided in his will, drawn some years 
 before his death. 
 
 All honor is surely due, therefore, to Yates 
 for his magnificent efforts for the erection of the 
 house, and for his generosity to the Club during 
 his active connection with it. 
 
 The completion of the Club House added 
 fresh impetus to the skating furor. The fear ol 
 the deep water of the river, and the still remaining 
 fear of annoyance from roughs, led to the forma- 
 tion, throughout the city, of various parks for 
 skating purposes. 
 
40 
 
 In 1863 four members of the Club fitted up 
 the meadows at Thirty-second and Walnut 
 Streets as a safe skating place, and the West 
 Philadelphia Park became a famous resort, and 
 was the first private skating park in the city, of 
 which the writer has knowledge. 
 
 In the fall of 1864, about a year later, East- 
 wick Park, on the banks of the Schuylkill, at 
 Gray's Ferry, was laid out, and rapidly became 
 a popular and fashionable resort. These two 
 parks were liberally patronized, and Eastwick's, 
 especially, was frequented by the best and most 
 fashionable people in the city. 
 
 Other parks were subsequently established ; 
 the Arctic, at Broad and Mt. Vernon Streets ; the 
 Oakdale, Broad Street and the Reading Railroad ; 
 the Harrison, on Dauphin Street, Kensington ; 
 the Columbia, at Columbia and Ridge Avenues ; 
 the North Broad, the Central, the National, and 
 the large brick rink was built at Twenty-third 
 and Chestnut Streets. 
 
 These were established between 1863 and 
 1867, but so rapid was the growth of the city, 
 and, possibly, so suddenly did the popular furor 
 cease, that by 1870 most of them had been 
 abandoned. Between these years, however, it is 
 
41 
 
 safe to say that the art of skating reached its 
 zenith as a popular sport in the city of Philadel- 
 phia. Thousands of persons who would not go 
 on the river, visited the parks, whose ready 
 accessibility and comparative privacy were worth 
 the price of admission. Fetes, special perform- 
 ances by skilled skaters, who were invited, from 
 all parts of the country, to visit the city, carni- 
 vals, and other attractions rapidly made the 
 park proprietors rich, and, as may be imag- 
 ined, the exhibitions by professional skaters sug- 
 gested new points and figures to local skaters, 
 and developed the art in the Club. Not only 
 was skating itself improving during these years, 
 but the skate makers were not idle. The high, 
 old-fashioned and gigantic turned-up runners, 
 fitted to the foot with cramping straps, were suc- 
 ceeded by low all-steel skates, held at the heel 
 by a small iron plate, and upon the sole by a 
 clamp acting with a key. The clamp skate, 
 according to the writer's understanding, was first 
 introduced into Philadelphia about 1862. The 
 plate in the heel was in course of time succeeded 
 by additional clamps instead, so that the light 
 and graceful all-clamp skate of the present day 
 was developed. 
 
42 
 
 This history would not be complete without re- 
 ferring to the years which have elapsed down to the 
 present time, but contemporaneous story is always 
 difficult to record, if not, indeed, impossible. Men 
 cannot see their own times except with their own 
 eyes, and true history, which is a record of past 
 events, is best observed like a vast building — by 
 getting some distance away. And then, too, it is 
 not possible to write the record of recent years with- 
 out dealing largely with the names of the living, 
 and this is always as difficult as it is delicate. It can 
 be generally said, however, that the Club's history, 
 after the erection of the house, was prosperous. 
 Its work was attended to by efficient officers and 
 committees, and the years which gradually rolled 
 by were not unlike those through which we are 
 nov/ passing — productive of more and frequently 
 of less skating. Many of us can recollect the 
 skating season beginning early in the winter and 
 extending well into the spring, but such years 
 were the exception and not the rule. The old 
 minutes are filled with the usual details of when 
 skating on the dam began and when it ended ; 
 frequently record acts of heroism, and valuable 
 services rendered by the Board of Surgeons ; refer 
 to occasional skating upon the Delaware ; the 
 
43 
 
 appointment of committees to protest against the 
 breaking up of the ice upon the dam by steam- 
 tugs or its cutting by ice companies ; show the 
 election of members from time to time, and, I am 
 sorry to add, occasionally their expulsion for non- 
 payment of dues. It was customary, every year, 
 to authorize the President to vote the Club's stock 
 at the stockholders' meeting, and he would sub- 
 sequently report having done it, and that So-and- 
 so had been elected Trustee to serve for five years. 
 
 The old-time skaters still kept up their interest 
 in the Club, but when the fashion of skating began 
 to wane, new members were seldom elected, and 
 during the passing years the Club was repeatedly 
 called upon to mourn the death of its older mem- 
 bers. In 1875 Colonel Page's death was reported 
 to the Club and an appropriate resolution adopted 
 in his memory ; then Evans, Bushnell, Sullender, 
 Van Hook joined the great majority, and so from 
 year to year. 
 
 The expenses of the Club were met from the 
 dues of members and from dividends on such 
 stock as it had acquired. The income from dues 
 was vastly larger than at present, by reason of the 
 greater number of subscribing members and the 
 smaller number of Hfe members. Durinsf these 
 
44 
 
 years Samuel Simes, who had been elected Treas- 
 urer after SuUender, seemed to make it his sole 
 duty on the ice to collect dues in arrears, or any 
 fines which could possibly be imposed for the 
 treasury's benefit, and to his care and economy 
 very largely was due the ability of the Club to 
 meet its expenses. 
 
 Upon the election of Frank Evans, as Secre- 
 tary, in December, 1880, an earnest effort was 
 commenced to purchase and retire the outstand- 
 ing stock, his object being that the Club might 
 acquire an absolute ownership in the house. At 
 a meeting held December 226., when an effort 
 was made to abolish life memberships, he re- 
 ported that since the Club's organization 700 
 members had been elected, of whom about 25 
 per cent, only had become life members, 1 5 per 
 cent, were expelled for non-payment of dues, 5 
 per cent, had resigned, and the remaining 5 5 per 
 cent, had been due-paying, and that, under a 
 resolution passed February i o, 1 864, it had been 
 provided that the receipts from life members 
 should constitute a sinking fund for the redemp- 
 tion of stock. Upon his motion a committee was 
 thereupon appointed to devise a plan for redeem- 
 ing the outstanding shares. At the next meeting 
 
45 
 
 of the Club, January 26, 1 881, the committee re- 
 ported. They said that the annual average re- 
 ceipts of the Club had been less than its expenses 
 by about ;^50, and that the deficiency had been 
 met out of an old accumulation in the treasury. 
 The report stated that Samuel Simes was willing 
 to sell at par the 261 shares he held (Yates hav- 
 ing doubtless consented), and the committee ad- 
 vised their purchase. Funds were to be raised 
 by requesting annual members to become Hfe 
 members and by appealing to the honorary and 
 life members for contributions, and by establish- 
 ing a sinking fund. The report also recom- 
 mended that the committee be continued for the 
 redemption of stock and, if necessary, authorized 
 to borrow in the Club's name for that purpose. 
 The committee consisted of William R. Tucker, 
 who had previously been Secretary of the Club 
 for some eight years, Brandon L. Keys, George 
 F. Janney, Samuel Simes, and Frank Evans as 
 the moving spirit. At the succeeding meetings 
 shares of stock were from time to time surren- 
 dered to make their holders or others life mem- 
 bers, and eventually ^^ 1800 were borrowed, which, 
 together with the receipts from life membership, 
 permitted the redemption of almost all of the out- 
 
46 
 
 standing shares, so that the Club practically 
 owned the house absolutely and was freed from 
 the payment of rent. 
 
 More or less friction had from time to time 
 existed between the Skating Club and its co- 
 tenant in the house, the Undine Barge Club, 
 and was constantly appearing in various ways. 
 Objection would be made to renovating furniture 
 in the Club House because the furniture was 
 used by the tenant; to defraying expenses for 
 repairing the gas-making machine, because the 
 tenant burned the gas ; to even repairing the 
 house, because the boating season w^as nine 
 months, and the skating season a short three ; and 
 in thousands of other little ways, some pleasant, 
 others not, this porcupine and snake affection 
 was manifested. The members of the Barge 
 Club naturally joined the Skating Club, and, 
 being younger than those of the latter, attended 
 its meetings more frequently, elected their own 
 members to office and rapidly acquired the bal- 
 ance of power. 
 
 Instead of being received into membership as 
 valuable accessories, they were looked upon by 
 m.any of the old skaters with more or less suspi- 
 cion, and this feeling led to the offering of some 
 
47 
 
 amendments to the By-laws, in 1881, providing 
 that the management of the house should be 
 under the charge of three Trustees, who should 
 be members of the Skating Club, and not more 
 than one of them members of any tenant club. 
 A special meeting was directed to be called to 
 consider these amendments, and exciting times 
 ensued. At a meeting held November 9th, the 
 proposed amendments were rejected by a vote of 
 56 nays to 5 ayes, and so active were the parti- 
 sans of both sides of the controversy that at the 
 succeeding meeting 1 5 members were proposed 
 and elected to membership, and the fight waxed 
 decidedly hotter. Running in new members 
 became fashionable, and some of the old skaters 
 went so far as to charge that the Barge Club 
 members, who were members of the Skating 
 Club, had voted in favor of the latter's acquisi- 
 tion of stock, and consequent ownership of the 
 house, simply in order to control it the better 
 themselves. Upon December 14th, the committee, 
 which had been previously appointed to examine 
 into the transactions of the Trustees and stock- 
 holders, reported that the Club owned 497 shares 
 of stock, and that two shares only seemed to 
 be outstanding. 
 
48 
 
 At the meeting held January ii, 1882, the 
 contest, which seemed to be for the control of 
 the Club House, between the Undine Barge 
 Club and the Skating Club, in the Skating 
 Club's own meetings, assumed definite propor- 
 tions. Each side was desirous of controlling the 
 vote of the Club's stock, in order to secure the 
 election of a Trustee, and so that the control of 
 the house might eventually be obtained. The 
 President was directed to vote the shares of 
 stock belonging to the Club in favor of J. Dickin- 
 son Sergeant, in place of Samuel Simes, whose 
 term expired. The vote was 47 in favor of the 
 resolution and 22 against it. 
 
 Notice of proposed amendments to the By- 
 laws was given, so that the control of the house 
 should remain forever in the hands of the Skating 
 Club. A circular was issued by Evans, and 
 approved by Sergeant, in reference to the man- 
 agement of the house, and calling upon the mem- 
 bers of the Skating Club to attend the meetings 
 and protect their property. A preliminary cau- 
 cus was held, and a plan of action agreed upon, 
 but at the next meeting of the Club, Januaiy 
 25th, the weather was passing description. A 
 drenchine rain had fallen in the afternoon durino; 
 
49 
 
 a spell of cold weather, and the streets were a 
 sheet of glass, so that when the meeting was 
 called to order, the action of the Club directing 
 the election of Sergeant instead of Simes, was 
 rescinded by a vote of 43 to 36. A resolution 
 was adopted directing that the stock be voted in 
 favor of Simes, and it is but just to him to say- 
 that he was a faithful and impartial Trustee. It 
 is gratifying to be able to record that the happy 
 result of this contest was, that the Barge Club 
 applied to the Park Commission for permission 
 to build, obtained it, and subsequently withdrew 
 their tenancy and erected upon the banks of the 
 Schuylkill, to the east of the Skating Club 
 House, the finest boat house in Philadelphia, and 
 one of the finest in the country. 
 
 During this heated term of contention a com- 
 mittee, consisting of Sussex D. Davis, Frank 
 Evans, William R. Tucker, Ewing Stille, and J. 
 Dickinson Sergeant, was appointed to revise the 
 By-laws of the Club. Its report came up for con- 
 sideration November 22, 1882, and the revised 
 By-laws, substantially as now in force, were 
 adopted, and all question as to the m.anagement 
 of the house thus set at rest. Since the retire- 
 ment of the outstanding stock, the house is 
 
50 
 
 under the charge of a House Committee, who 
 have succeeded the old Board of Trustees. 
 
 On December 13, 1882, a committee, con- 
 sisting of Clarence A. Hart, Edward S. Miles, 
 and the writer, was appointed to raise money to 
 pay the Club's indebtedness, now being a balance 
 of ^900 on the old loan of $ 1 800. After an earnest 
 effort certificates of indebtedness were taken by 
 the members in sufficient quantity to pay the 
 balance due, and place the debt in friendly 
 hands, and these certificates have been received 
 since for life memberships, and for various other 
 purposes, so that, under the management of the 
 present Treasurer, the indebtedness of the Club 
 has been entirely extinguished. 
 
 After the vacation of the house by the Barge 
 Club no tenant club could be obtained for 
 a period of about eighteen months. In 1883 
 the house was rented under an advantageous 
 lease to the lona Boat Club, who have since con- 
 tinued therein as tenants, the lease providing, so 
 as to avoid all friction between the two clubs, for 
 the exclusive use by the Skating Club of the 
 house in the winter, except the boat-room floor, 
 the concurrent use by it of the ladies' room 
 all the year round, and by the tenant club, of 
 
51 
 
 the entire house during the summer months 
 only. 
 
 It may be of interest also to add that the By- 
 laws relating to the management of the Club 
 House were again amended, December 9, 1891, 
 so that no member of any club renting the house 
 can be elected to membership, and if any mem- 
 ber joins such tenant club, he ceases to be a 
 member ot the former, so that the control of the 
 house is now placed for all time to come in the 
 hands of its owners absolutely. 
 
 This, in short, is the simple stoiy of the Phila- 
 delphia Skating Club and Humane Society. Were 
 the facts known pages could be filled with the 
 record of noble and disinterested deeds, of the 
 chilled warmed, of the weak protected, of the sick 
 attended, of the wounded treated, of the drowned 
 resuscitated, and of many lives saved, often at the 
 risk of death to the brave wearer of the little 
 silver skate. Doubtless from eight to nine hun- 
 dred people have been actually saved by the 
 members from drowning, but no list of these 
 rescues has been kept nor can well be made. 
 They remain alone in the recollection of those 
 who performed them, or who saw them, but the 
 Recording Angel has them all. The modesty of 
 
52 
 
 the Club has been as beautiful as its good deeds 
 unknown, and not a single instance is recalled of 
 any of those saved from a watery grave contrib- 
 uting a cent to its treasury, or even returning to 
 thank it. 
 
 Though the excellent organization of the Park 
 Guard has, in recent years, much curtailed and 
 supplanted our humane work, let us hope and 
 pray that our old Club may ever continue to 
 encourage the manly art of skating and its mem- 
 bers modestly and bravely to emulate the record 
 of the past. 
 
Charter 
 
 AND 
 
 By-Laws 
 
 " Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society." 
 
 1895 
 
An Act to Incorporate the 
 PHILADELPHIA SKATING CLUB 
 
 AND 
 
 HUMANE SOCIETY. 
 
 Section i. Be it enacted by the Senate and 
 House of Representatives of the Commonwealth 
 of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and 
 it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, 
 that Franklin Peale, James Page, Conrad B. 
 Andress, James Sullender, Edward W. Bushnell, 
 Washington L. Germon, William F. Van Hook, 
 Alexander E. Harvey, Edward D. Yates, Wil- 
 liam H. Taggert, M. D., John H. Brinton, M. D., 
 C. S. Boker, M. D., John K. Kane, M. D., David 
 W. Sellers, and all and every person who shall 
 at the time of the passing of this Act be members 
 of the Association called the " Philadelphia 
 Skating Club and Humane Society," shall be 
 and they are hereby created and declared to be 
 one body politic and corporate, by the name, 
 style and title of the " Philadelphia Skating Club 
 and Humane Society," and by the same name 
 shall have perpetual succession, and shall be 
 able to sue and be sued, implead and be 
 impleaded, in all courts of record and elsewhere ; 
 
56 
 
 and to purchase, receive, have, hold and enjoy to 
 them and their successors, lands, tenements, 
 rents," annuities, franchises and hereditaments, 
 goods and chattels of what nature, kind or 
 quality soever, real, personal, or mixed, or 
 choses in action, and the same from time to time 
 to sell, grant, devise, alien or dispose of, and 
 also to make and have a common seal, and the 
 same to break, alter, renew at pleasure, and also 
 to ordain, establish and put in execution such 
 by-laws, ordinances and regulations, as shall 
 appear necessary and convenient for the govern- 
 ment of the said corporation, not being contrary 
 to this charter or the Constitution and laws of 
 the United States, or of this Commonwealth, and 
 generally to do all and singular the matters and 
 things which to them it shall lawfully appertain 
 to do, for the well being of the said corporation, 
 and the due management and ordering of the 
 affairs thereof. Provided, That the clear yearly 
 value or income of the real and personal estate 
 of the said corporation shall not exceed the sum 
 of two thousand dollars. 
 
 Section 2. The object of the Association 
 shall be instruction and improvement in the art 
 of SKATING, the cultivation of a friendly feeHng 
 
57 
 in all who participate in the amusement, and the 
 
 EFFICIENT USE OF PROPER APPARATUS FOR THE 
 RESCUE OF PERSONS BREAKING THROUGH THE ICE. 
 
 ELISHA W. DAVIS, 
 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
 ROBERT M. PALMER, 
 
 Speaker of the Senate. 
 
 Approved the twenty-eighth day of February, 
 A. D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one. 
 
 A. G. CURTIN. 
 
 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE 
 COMMONWEALTH. 
 
 Harrisburg, March 12th, A. D. 1861. 
 Pennsylvania, ss.: 
 
 I do hereby certify, that the foregoing and 
 annexed is a full, true and correct copy of the 
 original Act of the General Assembly, entitled, 
 "An Act to Incorporate the Philadelphia 
 Skating Club and Humane Society," as the 
 same remains on file in this office. 
 
 In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set 
 
 my hand, and caused the seal of the Secretary's 
 
 office to be affixed, the day and year above written. 
 
 SAMUEL B. THOMAS, 
 Deputy Secretary of the Conunonwealth. 
 
BY-LAWS. 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 OF MEMBERS. 
 
 Section i . The election of members shall be 
 by ballot ; three Black Balls cast shall reject any 
 candidate. 
 
 Sec. 2. Each person, on being admitted to 
 membership, shall pay an initiation fee of Five 
 Dollars, and his election shall not be deemed 
 complete until he shall have paid his initiation 
 fee and annual dues, and provided himself with a 
 badge, cord and reel, which should he neglect for 
 two months thereafter, without a reasonable 
 excuse being offered, the privilege of his election 
 shall be forfeited. The annual dues shall be 
 Two Dollars ; the year commencing the first day 
 of January. 
 
 Sec. 3. The resignation of a member, who is 
 in arrears to the Club, or has not returned his 
 key to the Treasurer, shall not be accepted ; and 
 if he fails to discharge the same within two 
 months after offering said resignation, he may be 
 expelled. 
 
 Sec. 4. Every member shall have a right to 
 scrutinize freely the character of a candidate for 
 
59 
 
 membership, and any member communicating 
 out of the Club anything that may be said in 
 objection to a candidate, or mentioning the 
 name of any member who so objected, may be 
 expelled. 
 
 Sec. 5. If any member shall neglect to pay 
 the dues and fines he has incurred, within one 
 year from the time the first payment became due, 
 he shall forfeit the right of voting at any meet- 
 ing, and, after having regular notice in writing, 
 the question may be taken on his expulsion. 
 
 Sec. 6. No member of any club renting the 
 boat house of the corporation shall be eUgible 
 to membership, and any member of the Club 
 becoming a member of the tenant club shall 
 cease to be a member of this corporation, pro- 
 vided, that this provision shall not apply to any 
 member of a tenant club already a member of 
 this corporation. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 LIFE MEMBERS. 
 
 Section i. Any member of the Club in 
 good standing, transferring a share of stock to 
 the Club, shall become a Life Member, and shall 
 retain all the privileges of the Club House, as 
 prior to such transfer. 
 
6o 
 
 Sec. 2. Any member of the Club in good 
 standing, who has been a member of the Ckib over 
 two years, may become a Life Member, by the 
 payment of Twenty Dollars, and those who have 
 been members for one year. Twenty -five Dollars. 
 Sec. 3. A new member may be proposed 
 and elected to Life Membership by the payment 
 of Thirty Dollars. 
 
 Sec. 4. Life members shall not be required 
 to pay yearly contributions, but shall be subject 
 to all laws, fines and penalties as prescribed by 
 the Charter and By-lav/s. 
 
 Sec. 5 , The Treasurer shall have the power, 
 without further action of the Club, to receive and 
 receipt for such life membership from all persons, 
 members of the Club. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 EXPULSION OF MEMBERS. 
 
 The expulsion of a member shall be by 
 ballot, and require the concurrence ot two-thirds 
 of those present. No member shall be expelled, 
 without having an opportunity to defend himself, 
 by being notified, in writing, ten days in advance, 
 of the charge preferred, and of the place and time 
 of holdincr such meeting". 
 
6i 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 HONORARY MEMBERS. 
 
 Section i . The Club shall provide an Hon- 
 orary Roll, and may, by a two-thirds vote 
 (which shall be by ballot), place thereon the 
 names of any persons whom they may deem 
 entitled to the honor, from age, or any act con- 
 sidered of benefit to the Club ; and no person on 
 said roll shall be subject to any of the duties, 
 fines, or penalties, as prescribed by the Charter 
 and By-laws, or be required to pay the yearly 
 contribution. 
 
 Sec. 2. Ladies may be elected members of 
 the Club, and, on being admitted to member- 
 ship, shall pay an initiation fee of two dollars, 
 and shall thereby be entitled to all rights and 
 privileges, except that of voting, and be exempt 
 from all dues, fines and penalties, as prescribed 
 by the Charter and By-laws. 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 NON-RESIDENT MEMBERS. 
 
 The Club shall provide a Non-Resident 
 Roll, and any member 7iot being in arrears for 
 dues, who expects to be absent from the city for not 
 
62 
 
 less than two years, may, by making application 
 to the Treasurer, in writing, be placed thereon, 
 provided, the same shall be confirmed by a two- 
 thirds vote of the members at the next stated 
 meeting, and be exempt from all fines and dues 
 until his return. 
 
 ARTICLE VI. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 Section i. The officers shall consist of a 
 President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, 
 Solicitor, Executive Committee of nine members, 
 a Board of Surgeons, composed of twelve physi- 
 cians connected with the Club, and a House 
 Committee of four members, of which Committee 
 the President shall be a member ex-officio, all of 
 whom shall be elected by ballot, at the first stated 
 meeting in January of each year. The said 
 House Committee of Four shall serve for the term 
 of four years, and the first committee elected 
 under this By-law shall decide by lot which 
 among their number shall serve for one, two, 
 three or four years, and annually thereafter one 
 member of said committee shall be elected at the 
 annual election, in January of each year, which 
 shall be held on the second Wednesday thereof. 
 
63 
 
 Sec. 2. Resignations or vacancies shall be 
 supplied by special elections, and, in the event of 
 no election being held at the time specified, it 
 may be held at the next ensuing stated meeting. 
 
 Sec. 3, All nominations for officers and 
 committees shall be made at a previous stated 
 meeting and posted on the bulletin board in the 
 Club House, and all officers and committees shall 
 continue in office until the election of their suc- 
 cessors. 
 
 ARTICLE VII. 
 
 OF MEETINGS. 
 
 Section i. Stated meetings for transacting 
 the affairs of the Club shall be held on the second 
 Wednesdays of December, January and February 
 of each year, at 8 o'clock, P. M. Adjourned and 
 special meetings may be held at such other 
 times as may be required. 
 
 Sec. 2. Seven members of the Club assem- 
 bled at the time and place of meeting, shall con- 
 stitute a quorum, and, in all transactions, not 
 otherwise directed, a majority of the votes of 
 those present shall govern. 
 
 Sec. 3. No business shall be transacted at 
 special meetings other than that for which the 
 meetincr was called. 
 
64 
 ARTICLE VIII. 
 
 ORDER OF BUSINESS. 
 
 Section i. At the appointed time of meet- 
 ing, on a quorum being present, the business shall 
 proceed in the following order : 
 
 1. Reading the minutes of the preceding 
 meeting. 
 
 2. Reports from officers and committees. 
 
 3. Collection of fines and dues. 
 
 4. Election of officers or members. 
 
 5. Deferred business. 
 
 6. New business. 
 
 7. Reading Executive Committee's Record. 
 Sec. 2. The Club shall adopt a manual for 
 
 the orderly conduct of its meetings. 
 
 ARTICLE IX. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 The President shall preside at all meetings, 
 and maintain order therein. He shall have a vote 
 only in cases where the members are equally 
 divided, or where the concurrence of two-thirds 
 is required, or when the voting is by ballot. He 
 shall appoint all committees, except in cases 
 where a nomination is made by the Club, and, 
 at the written request of five members, shall call 
 a special meeting. 
 
65 
 ARTICLE X. 
 
 THE VICE-PRESIDENT, 
 
 The Vice-President shall, in the absence of 
 the President, perform all the duties appertaining 
 to that office. 
 
 ARTICLE XI. 
 
 THE SECRETARY. 
 
 Section i. The Secretary shall record the 
 proceedings of the Club, and shall preserve their 
 books, papers, and such other property as may 
 be committed to his care. 
 
 Sec. 2. He shall attend at every meeting of 
 the Club with the requisite books and papers at 
 the time appointed, or if unable to attend, shall 
 cause such books and papers to be conveyed 
 thereto. 
 
 Sec. 3. He shall notify all officers and mem- 
 bers of their election, and every committee of their 
 appointment through their chairman, within three 
 days thereafter, and transmit to him any papers 
 or documents that may be necessary for the busi- 
 ness referred to them, and, on leaving his office, 
 shall transfer whatever books, papers, etc. that 
 may have been entrusted to his care to his suc- 
 cessor in office. 
 
66 
 
 ARTICLE XII. 
 
 THE TREASURER. 
 
 Section i. The Treasurer shall collect and 
 receive in trust all moneys payable by the mem- 
 bers (or donations made) to the Club, appropriate 
 the same to the payment of bills approved by the 
 Club, take charge of all property committed to 
 his care, keep regular accounts, and take an 
 account of fines levied. 
 
 Sec. 2. He shall be required to report at the 
 stated meeting in January a statement of the 
 payments and receipts of the Club and of the 
 amounts due by each member. 
 
 Sec. 3. He may employ a suitable person to 
 collect fines and contributions, and on leaving his 
 office shall transfer all books, papers, money, etc., 
 that may have been entrusted to his care to his 
 successor in office. 
 
 ARTICLE XIII. 
 
 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 
 
 Section i . The Executive Committee shall 
 be the business body of the Club. It shall pro- 
 vide, and maintain in proper order, such appara- 
 tus as may be deemed necessary to save life, and 
 shall keep a diary of all the incidents of the skat- 
 
67 
 
 ing season, and all matters it may deem suitable 
 for preservation, notice and action, looking to 
 information, improvement, pleasure and safety, 
 and report the same to the Club at each stated 
 meeting. 
 
 Sec. 2. It shall organize within one week after 
 its election, and appoint a Chairman and Secretary. 
 
 Sec. 3. It shall have power to frame rules 
 for its government, provided such rules are not 
 inconsistent with the spirit of this Charter and 
 By-laws. 
 
 Sec. 4. It shall have charge of all the appa- 
 ratus belonging to the Club, which it shall keep 
 in good condition, and the expenses incurred by 
 it in the repair and preservation of said apparatus, 
 and in the execution of other duties devolving on 
 it, shall be paid from the funds of the Club and 
 it shall examine and approve all bills before being 
 presented to the Club. 
 
 ARTICLE XIV. 
 
 BOARD OF SURGEONS. 
 
 The Board of Surgeons are authorized to 
 adopt a badge and enact laws for their own regu- 
 lation, provided such laws are not inconsistent 
 with the spirit of this Charter and By-laws. 
 
68 
 
 ARTICLE XV. 
 
 OF COMMITTEES. 
 
 The first member appointed on a committee 
 shall be the chairman, who shall report its action, 
 in writing, at every stated meeting, until the duty- 
 is performed. 
 
 ARTICLE XVI. 
 
 BADGE. 
 
 The badge of the Club shall be a small silver 
 SKATE as adopted, to be worn on the left breast of 
 the coat by the members, at all times when on 
 the ice skating, under a penalty of FIFTY 
 CENTS for each and every offence. 
 
 ARTICLE XVII. 
 
 CORD AND REEL. 
 
 Each member of the Club shall provide him- 
 self with a CORD and REEL, and carry the same 
 at all times, when on the ice skating, under a 
 penalty of ONE DOLLAR for each and every 
 offence. 
 
 ARTICLE XVIII. 
 
 ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 
 
 In the election of officers of the Club the can- 
 didates having a majority of the ballots shall be 
 declared elected. 
 
69 
 ARTICLE XIX. 
 
 IMPEACHMENT OF OFFICERS. 
 
 Any officer of the Club, for improper con- 
 duct, may be subject to impeachment and trial, 
 provided the charges are preferred in writing, 
 signed by three members, he having first been 
 duly notified, in writing, ten days in advance, of 
 the charge preferred and of the place and time of 
 holding such meeting, and, with the concurrence 
 of two-thirds of those present, shall be removed 
 
 from office. 
 
 ARTICLE XX. 
 
 AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS. 
 
 No laws or resolutions, inconsistent with the 
 principles herein declared shall be valid, and no 
 alteration or addition to the By-laws shall be 
 made, unless the same be proposed in writing at 
 one stated meeting and receive the sanction of 
 two-thirds of those present at the next, or any 
 subsequent stated meeting. In the meantime 
 such alterations or additions shall be posted upon 
 the bulletin board of the Club House. 
 
 ARTICLE XXI. 
 
 MANAGEMENT OF CLUB HOUSE. 
 
 Section i. The Club House, in Fairmount 
 Park, shall be under the entire charge and con- 
 
70 
 
 trol of the House Committee, who shall be the 
 Trustees thereof, so long as any shares of stock 
 shall be outstanding and not owned by the Club. 
 It shall designate what part shall be used by the 
 Club, and what part shall be rented, and under 
 what restrictions, if any, and at what rental ; but 
 it shall make no lease of the house or any part 
 of it without first submitting said lease to two 
 consecutive meetings of the Club, and the same 
 having been approved by a vote of two-thirds of 
 the members present at each; Provided, That no 
 member of any tenant club shall vote upon the 
 question of approving or disapproving such 
 lease. 
 
 Sec. 2, It shall notify the Treasurer, in 
 writing, of all leases made, who shall thereupon 
 collect in advance at least three (3) months' rent, 
 at the rate therein stipulated, and the failure, for 
 three months, to pay such rent in advance at the 
 beginning of each six months, shall be considered 
 a surrender of the lease, at the option of the 
 Club. 
 
 Sec. 3. It shall have power to draw on any 
 unappropriated balance in the treasury for the 
 payment of such bills as may be necessary to 
 contract for the preservation of the building, but 
 
71 
 
 it shall make no permanent additions or improve- 
 ments thereto without the concurrence of two- 
 thirds of the members present at two consecutive 
 stated meetings. 
 
 Sec. 4. It shall keep a written record of all 
 its proceedings, which record shall be read to the 
 Club at the stated meeting in January of each 
 year. 
 
 Sec. 5. It may make rules for its govern- 
 ment, provided such rules are not inconsistent 
 with the Charter and By-laws of this Club. 
 
 ■Sec. 6. Upon the election of the House 
 Committee, and thereafter, the Board of Trustees 
 shall cease to exist, and all books and papers 
 connected therewith shall be dehvered to the 
 Treasurer of the Club. 
 
 Sec. 7. No amendment or alteration shall be 
 made to this article, unless proposed in writing 
 by ten members, at a stated meeting, and then 
 laid over for three months prior to action, and 
 receive the vote of two-thirds of the members 
 present. 
 
OFFICERS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE SKATERS' CLUB OF THE CITY AND 
 COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 Instituted December 21, 1849. 
 Organized January 4, 1850. 
 
 Incorporated February 28, 1861, as the Philadelphia 
 Skating Club and Humane Society, 
 
 Presidents. 
 
 James Page, 1849-18 57. 
 JosiAH Evans, 18 57-1 8 58. 
 Franklin Peale, 1858-1870. 
 Thomas W. Marchment, 1870- 
 
 Vice-Presidents. 
 
 Josiah Evans, i 849-1 856. 
 Francis T. Fassitt, 18 56-1858. 
 Jacob Snyder, i 858-1 859. 
 Conrad B. Andress, 18 59-1 861. 
 Thomas W. Marchment, 1861-1870. 
 
74 
 
 Jacob S. Miller, i 870-1 874. 
 Jonathan K. Folwell, i 874-1 880. 
 Francis J. Ott, 1880-1892. 
 William H. Wetherill, 1892- 
 
 Secretaries. 
 
 Wm. H. Jones, 1849-185 3. 
 Wm. D. Deal, 185 3-1 854. 
 Edward D. Yates, 18 54-1 872. 
 William R. Tucker, i 872-1 880. 
 George F. Janney, i 880-1 880. 
 Frank Evans, 1880-1882. 
 James B. Simes, i 882-1 888. 
 John F. Lewis, 1888-1889. 
 William Hunt, Jr., i 889-1 890. 
 John P. Walker, 1890- 
 
 Corresponding Secretaries. 
 
 Edward D. Yates, 185 3-1 8 54. 
 Albert R. Schofield, i 854-1 856. 
 Wm. S. Andrews, i 856-1 857. 
 Washington L. Germon, i 857-1 870. 
 William R. Tucker, i 870-1 872. 
 Frank Mitchell, i 872-1 875. 
 Brandon L. Keys, i 875-1 882. 
 
 [Office abolished by revised By-laws, 1882.] 
 
75 
 
 Treasurers. 
 
 Edward W. Bushnell, 1849-185 3. 
 James Sullender, 185 3-1 863. 
 Samuel Simes, 1863-1881, 1882-1885. 
 Frank Mitchell, i 881-1882. 
 James B. Simes, 1885-1888. 
 John F. Lewis, i 888-1 889. 
 Howard W. Lewis, 1889- 
 
 Solicitor. 
 
 David W. Sellers, 1860- 
 
 Trustees and House Committee. 
 
 [Created December 26, i860, and elected by 
 
 stockholders Januaiy 3, 1861.] 
 Edward D. Yates, 1861-1866, 1866-1871, 
 
 1871-1876, 1876-1881. 
 Washington L, Germon, i 861-1865. 
 J. C. Sidney, i 861-1862, 1 862-1 867. 
 William F. Van Hook, i 861-1863, 1863- 
 
 1868. 
 Thomas R. Woodhouse, i 861-1863. 
 Jacob S. Miller, 1863-1865, 1865-1870, 
 
 1870-1875. 
 Stephen Morris, i 865-1870. 
 
76 
 
 Samuel Simes, 1867-1873, 1873-1878, 1878- 
 
 1882, 1882-1887. 
 Wilson M. Jenkins, i 868-1 871. 
 Thomas W. Marchment, i 869-1 874, 1874- 
 
 1879, 1 879-1 884. 
 Edwin A. Jones, 1871-1873. 
 Selah H. Clark, 1873-1878, 1878-1883. 
 Horace S. Woodbury, i 875-1 880. 
 Francis J. Ott, 1880-188 5. 
 
 [The Club having redeemed the outstanding 
 stock, the By-laws were amended April 12, 1882, 
 abolishing the Board of Trustees and substi- 
 tuting therefor a House Committee, of four mem- 
 bers, who were elected January 10, 1883.] 
 Sussex D. Davis, 1883-1885, 1885-1889, 1889- 
 
 1893- 
 J. Dickinson Sergeant, 1883-1884, 1884-1888, 
 
 1888-1892. 
 William R. Tucker, 1883-1887, 1887-1891, 
 
 1891-1895, 1895-1899. 
 Edward D. Yates, i 883-1 886 
 George F. Janney, i 886-1 890. 
 William H. Wetherill, i 892-1 893, 1893- 
 
 1897. 
 John F. Lewis, i 892-1 894, 1 894-1 898. 
 T. Hewson Bradford, M.D., 1892-1896. 
 
77 
 
 Executive Committee. 
 
 [Consisting of five members.] 
 Geo. W. Paul, 1853-1856. 
 Oliver C. Gaul, 185 3-1 854. 
 George S. Sartell, 1853-1854. 
 R. S. R. Andrews, 185 3-1 857. 
 William F. Van Hook, 185 3-1 857, 1859- 
 
 1864. 
 Alexander E. Harvey, 1854-1864, 1867- 
 
 1868. 
 William D. Deal, i 854-1856. 
 Edward D, Yates, 18 56-1 864. 
 James Sullender, i 856-1 861. 
 Conrad B. Andress, 1856-1859, 1867-1868. 
 Edward W, Bushnell, 1857-1861, 
 Samuel SiMEs, 1861-1864. 
 Thomas C, Parker, i 861-1863. 
 Thomas S. Wood, i 863-1 864. 
 Wilson M.Jenkins, 1864-1867, 1868-1872. 
 Joseph Brandt, i 864-1 867. 
 Valentine Dedeker, i 864-1 865. 
 Thomas W. Marchment, i 864-1872. 
 Samuel Haines, i 864-1 866. 
 Jacob S. Miller, 1865-1872. 
 Edward B. Ferris, i 866-1 867, 1 868-1 874. 
 [Increased to nine members, December 26, 1866.] 
 
78 
 
 Selah H. Clark, i 866-1 867, i 868-1 870, 
 
 1872-1879. 
 S. Weir Lewis, i 866-1 867. 
 Edwin A. Johns, i 866-1 867, 1 868-1 869. 
 Thomas J. Belville, i 866-1 872. 
 J. H. Armbruster, 1 867-1 868. 
 Frank M. Caldwell, i 867-1 877, 
 Joseph B. Rockhill, i 867-1 868, 1 872-1. 
 Joseph B. Leibert, i 867-1 874. 
 Frank Mitchell, i 867-1 867. 
 William R, Tucker, 1869. 
 Francis J. Ott, i 870-1 886. 
 Dorrance Evans, i 872-1 888. 
 Rowland F. Hickling, i 872-1 883. 
 Ev/iNG Stille, 1874-1891. 
 Edward S. Miles, i 874-1 888. 
 George F. Janney, iSyy-iSSS. 
 Frank Evans, i 879-1 881. 
 Herman A. Lewis, i 881-1883. 
 Clarence A. Hart, 1883-1888. 
 William B. Churchman, i 883-1 884. 
 John F. Lewis, 1884- 
 Harry C. Rockhill, 1886- 
 Andrew C. Craig, Jr., i 886-1 887. 
 W. Harry McMillan, i 887-1 892. 
 J. Somers Smith, Jr., 1888-1893. 
 
79 
 
 William Hunt, Jr., 1888- 
 S. AsHTON Hand, 1888-1892. 
 Robert K. Neff, Jr., i 888-1 892. 
 Howard W. Lewis, 1891- 
 M. Ash BROOKE Griffith, 1892- 
 RoBERT H. Large, i 892-1 893. 
 James P. Verree, 1892- 
 DoRRANCE Evans, 1894- 
 Edwards Sanford Dunn, 1894- 
 Francis C. Adler, 1894- 
 
 Board of Surgeons. 
 
 [Consisting of all the Physicians on the Roll. 
 Resolution, February 7, 1858.] 
 
 Dr. William H. Taggert, 1855-1866, 1867- 
 
 1868. 
 Dr. J. P. Brolaskey, 185 5-1 861. 
 Dr. Charles Campbell, 185 5-1 860. 
 Dr. John H. Brinton, 1855- 
 Dr. John K. Kane, 1859-1866. 
 Dr. Thomas G, Morton, 1859-1862. 
 Dr. Charles S. Boker, i 859-1 895. 
 
 [Limited to five members by the By-laws of 1S60.]' 
 
 Dr. William H. Taggert, 1861. 
 Dr. John H. Brinton, 1861. 
 Dr. Charles S, Boker, 1861. 
 
8o 
 
 Dr. John K. Kane, i86i. 
 Dr. J. P. Brolaskey, i86i. 
 
 [Increased to nine, December ii, 1861.] 
 
 Dr. B. Howard Rand, 1861-1876. 
 
 Dr. Louis Fassitt, i 861-1866. 
 
 Dr. Charles S. Wurts, 1861- 
 
 Dr. J. H. Slack, 1861-1874. 
 
 Dr. Samuel N. Woodhouse, i 862-1 867. 
 
 Dr. a. Leiper, i 866-1 867. 
 
 Dr. Samuel B. Howell, i 866-1 873. 
 
 Dr. J. Cheston Morris, 1866- 
 
 Dr. Ralph M. Townsend, 1867- 1874. 
 
 Dr. John H, Packard, 1868- 
 
 Dr. Benjamin Lee, i 873-1 879. 
 
 Dr. Horace Binney Hare, i 874-1 879. 
 
 Dr. William Lehman Wells, i 874-1 884. 
 
 Dr. a. S. Roberts, Jr., i 877-1 894. 
 
 Dr. J. William White, i 879-1 892. 
 
 [Increased to twelve, January 8, 1879.] 
 
 Dr. William G. Porter, 1879- 
 Dr. C. B. Nancrede, 1 879-1 892. 
 Dr. William Barton Hopkins, 1879- 
 Dr. T. Hewson Bradford, 1879- 
 Dr. Henry D. Harvey, 1884-1887. 
 Dr. William H. Finn, 1887- 
 
Dr. Louis Starr, 1892- 
 
 Dr. Charles S. Jones, 1892- 
 
 Dr. Elliston J. Morris, 1894- 
 
 Dr. Langdon Caskin, 1894- 
 
 Dr. Samuel W. Woodhouse, Jr., 1894- 
 
PRESENT OFFICERS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE PHILADELPHIA SKATING CLUB 
 
 AND HUMANE SOCIETY 
 
 For 1895. 
 
 President. 
 
 Thomas W. Marchment. 
 
 Vice-President. 
 
 William H. Wetherill. 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 John P. Walker. 
 
 Treasurer. 
 
 Howard W. Lewis, 
 427 Chestnut Street. 
 
 Solicitor. 
 
 David W. Sellers. 
 
 Executive Committee. 
 
 John F. Lewis, Chairman. 
 Harry C. Rockhill. 
 William Hunt, Jr. 
 
Howard W. Lewis. 
 M. AsHBROoKE Griffith. 
 James P. Verree. 
 DoRRANCE Evans. 
 Edwards Sanford Dunn. 
 Francis C, Adler. 
 
 Board of Surgeons. 
 
 Dr. Charles S. Wurts. 
 
 Dr. J. Cheston Morris. 
 
 Dr. John H. Packard. 
 
 Dr. William G. Porter. 
 
 Dr. William Barton Hopkins. 
 
 Dr. T. Hewson Bradford. 
 
 Dr. William H. Finn. 
 
 Dr. Louis Starr. 
 
 Dr. Charles S. Jones. 
 
 Dr. Elliston J. Morris. 
 
 Dr. Langdon Caskin. 
 
 Dr. Samuel W. Woodhouse, Jr. 
 
 House Committee. 
 
 Thomas W. Marchment, ex officio Chairman. 
 T. Hewson Bradford, term expires 1896. 
 William H. Wetherill, term expires 1897. 
 John F. Lewis, Secretary, term expires 1898. 
 William R. Tucker, term expires il 
 
PRESENT 
 ACTIVE ROLL. 
 
86 
 
 J, H. Armbruster, 1866. 
 Wm. W. Allen, 1863. 
 Wm. S. Andrews, 1866. 
 Wm. S. Almendinger,i866. 
 Wm. Allen, 1868. 
 Francis C. Adler, 1895. 
 Peter P. Breen, 1865. 
 Jos. Brandt, 1855. 
 Dr. John H.Brinton,i856. 
 Albert P. Brown, i860. 
 T. B. Belfield, i860. 
 Arthur Burt, 1881. 
 John Blakiston, 1863. 
 Abm. Baudowine, 1866. 
 Fredk. Meade Bissell, 
 
 1864. 
 J. S. Borgenski, 1866. 
 Thos. J. Belville, 1866. 
 Lewis D. Baugh, 1866. 
 J. Sellers Bancroft, 1869. 
 Horace A. Blakiston, 
 
 1872. 
 George Burnham, Jr., 
 
 T877. 
 Dr. T. H. Bradford, i 879 
 Frank Buck, 1879. 
 Elliott H. Burton, 1880. 
 Meredith Bailey, 1881. 
 Frank Bement, 1891. 
 Isaac S. Cassin, 1863. 
 Francis M. Caldwell, 
 
 1864. 
 Justice Cox, Jr., 1865. 
 A. Reeder Chambers, 
 
 1866. 
 John H. Cook, 1867. 
 Graham P, Cunningham, 
 
 i86q. 
 
 S. W. Colton, Jr., 1872. 
 Wm. B. Churchman, 1878. 
 Chas. J. Churchman, 1878. 
 Alfred Cope, 1881. 
 Dr. Langdon Caskin,i895. 
 Eugene Delano, 1892. 
 Sussex D. Davis, 1867. 
 D. P. Dietrich, 1867. 
 Edwards Sanford Dunn, 
 
 1889. 
 Evan T. Ellis, 1862. 
 DoRRANCE Evans, 1869. 
 Rich'd S, Edwards, 1871. 
 Howard Evans, 1871. 
 Frank Evans, 1874. 
 T. S. Edwards, 1875. 
 Francis T. Fassett, 1855. 
 Jonathan K. Folwell, 
 
 1859. 
 Wm, H. Finn, M. D., 1881. 
 Chas. J. Field, 1859. 
 Seth H. Fenn, 1866. 
 Wm. J. Flanagin, 1875. 
 Mover Fleisher, 1867. 
 Geo. W. Gamble, 1859. 
 Rich'd Griffith, 1859. 
 George Gilpin, i860. 
 Sam. H. Gartley, 1866. 
 M. Ashbrooke Griffith, 
 
 1891. 
 Wm. p. Gest, 1892. 
 Alex'r E. Harvey, 1854. 
 Jas. G. Hardie, 1852. 
 Thos. Skelton Harrison, 
 
 Sam'l p. Hutchinson, 1 860. 
 David B. Hilt, 1864. 
 Geo. B. Hilliard, 1865. 
 
87 
 
 R. T. HiCKLING, 1867. 
 
 A. A. Hyneman, 1867. 
 Clarence A. Hart, 1868. 
 Wm. H. Hurley, Jr., 1871. 
 S. AsHTON Hand, 1872. 
 Samuel D. Hopkins, 1875. 
 John V. Hastings. 1877. 
 E. Stanley Hart, 1878. 
 Dr. Wm. Barton Hopkins, 
 
 1879. 
 Chas. Herder, 1879. 
 John C. Hoffman, 1855. 
 Wm. Hunt, Jr., 1882. 
 Alex'r R. Heinitsch, 
 
 1881. 
 Harry F. Hall, 1881. 
 A. N. Heritage, 1878. 
 R. WiSTER Harvey, 1884. 
 W. Wharton Hollings- 
 
 WORTH, 1 88 1. 
 
 Dr. Charles S. Jones, 
 
 1866. 
 Geo. F. Janney, 1S65. 
 Henry M. Justi, 1881. 
 Andrew Jackson, 1893. 
 Edward P. Kelly, 1856. 
 Amos R. Little, 1862. 
 JAS. M. Longacre, 1864. 
 G. Albert Lewis, 1865. 
 Rich'd F. W. Loper, 1881. 
 G. Heidel Louden, 1876. 
 Edmund Lewis, 1876. 
 Herman A. Lewis, 1879. 
 Hov/ard W. Lewis, 1879. 
 John T. Lewis, Jr., 1881. 
 John F. Lewis, 1881. 
 Arthur H. Lea, 1887. 
 Robert Hartshorne 
 
 Large, 1889. 
 
 John Lambert, Jr., 1890. 
 E. Van Syckle McCoy, 
 
 1854. 
 D. C. W. McCorkle, 1891. 
 J. L. McDaniel, 1 89 1. 
 W. H. McMillan, 1878. 
 Thos. W. Marchment, 
 
 1853. 
 Galloway C. Morris, 
 
 i860. 
 John B. Mellor, 1861. 
 DrT J. Cheston Morris, 
 
 1863. 
 John T. Montgomery, 
 
 1864. 
 Frank Mitchell, 1864, 
 Edward S. Miles, 1871. 
 Carl M. Moody, 1877. 
 Jos. Gazzam Mackenzie, 
 
 1892. 
 Capt. J. G. Morris, i860. 
 Dr. Elliston J, Morris, 
 
 1895. 
 g. h. mollineaux, 1895. 
 Robert K. Neff, 1864, 
 Dr. C. B. Nancrede, 1864. 
 Sam'l Nevins, 1878. 
 A. Oppenheimer, i860. 
 Clifford Pemberton, 
 
 1859. 
 Jas. C. Parrish, 1859. 
 Henry N. Paul, 1863. 
 Dr. John H, Packard, 
 
 1866. 
 Dr. Wm. G. Porter, 1879. 
 George Van Hook Pot- 
 ter, 1888. 
 James Parsons, 1871. 
 Henry Pepper, 1864. 
 
88 
 
 Wm. Pepper, Jr., i88g. 
 Wm. D. Phillips, 1875. 
 C. S. W. Packard, 1883. 
 
 Jos. B. ROCKHILL, 1859. 
 J. J. RiDGWAY, 1864. 
 
 J. West RuLON, i860. 
 Jas. L. Rulon, 1864. 
 
 Jos. G. ROSENGARTEN, 1867. 
 
 Harry C. Rockhill, 1868. 
 John Rommel, 3D, 1879. 
 Harry C. Roberts, 1880. 
 Wm. Henry Reese, i860. 
 Carrol Smyth, 1892. 
 J. D. Sergeant, 1852. 
 "Chas. P. Sinnickson, 1880. 
 Julius C. Sterling, 1855. 
 Isaac Starr, Jr., i860. 
 David W. Sellers, i860. 
 Matthias Stratton, i860. 
 Coleman Sellers, 1863. 
 John Sellers, 1864. 
 John M. Sharp, 1865. 
 Lewis A. Scott, 1880. 
 James B. Simes, 1872. 
 EwiNG Stille, 1872. 
 Edgar L. Sheppard, 1878, 
 Dr. Louis Starr, 1880. 
 Wm. G. Steel, 1852. 
 W. DurrellShuster,i882, 
 O. Perry Smith, 1882. 
 WiNTHROP Smith, 1888. 
 Chas. Sinnickson, 1895. 
 Geo. R. Sinnickson, 1895. 
 Wm. R. Tucker, 1867. 
 Hollingshead W.Taylor, 
 
 1875. 
 Nathan A. Taylor, 1875. 
 Alfred P. Trotter, 1881. 
 George Trott, 1859. 
 M. Stanton Taylor, 1881. 
 
 Count Leopold Von Sel- 
 
 deneck, 1 89 1. 
 James C. Verree, 1892. 
 Jas. L. "Whitson, 1853. 
 Thos. S.Wood, 1853. 
 W. Wynne Wister, 1856. 
 Chas. J. Wister, 1855. 
 
 D. D. Wetherill, 1859. 
 Jos. J. Walton, i860. 
 Wm. H. Wetherill, i860. 
 W. Wynne Wister, Jr., 
 
 i860. 
 Dr. Chas. S. Wurts, 1861. 
 Dr. Sam'l W. Woodhouse, 
 
 1S62. 
 
 E. Burgess Warren, 1862. 
 Clement R. Wainwright, 
 
 1864. 
 J. G. Watmough, 1 87 1. 
 B. F. Whittington, 1866. 
 Sam'l Wagner, Jr., 187 i. 
 Albert L. Wetherill, 
 
 1872. 
 J. M. Power Wallace, 
 
 1871. 
 Horace S. Woodbury, 
 
 1874. . 
 Albert L. Wilson, 1874. 
 Alexander Wood, 1875. 
 Sam'l W. Woodhouse, Jr., 
 
 1881. 
 B. H. Wood, 1887. 
 John P. Walker, 1887. 
 Herbert J. Wetherill, 
 
 1891. 
 Matthew Walker, 1882. 
 J. Martin Yardley, 1875. 
 E. D. Yates, 1850. 
 Andrew Zane, Jr., 1859. 
 Eugene Zeiber, 1885. 
 
PERMANENT FUND RESOLUTION. 
 
 [Adopted at the annual meeting, January 13. 1892, upon motion of John F. 
 Lewis, fifty members being present.] 
 
 Whereas, the initiation fees paid by new members have 
 been paid out heretofore for the current expenses of the Club, 
 instead of being capitalized so that the income therefrom might 
 be used to assist in running the Club, and that therefore, though the 
 Club has been in existence for over thirty years, it has no invested 
 fund, except two shares of Pennsylvania Railroad stock recently 
 donated to it ; and Whereas, it is desirable that a permanent 
 fund be established so that extraordinary contingencies may be 
 provided against, and an income secured to assist in defraying 
 current expenses, in the event of the Club-House becoming ten- 
 antless or yielding no rent, therefore 
 
 Resolved, That a permanent fund be and is hereby estab- 
 lished, and the Treasurer be directed to open an account upon 
 his books to be called the " Permanent Fund Account." 
 
 Resolved, That the said two shares of Pennsylvania Rail- 
 road stock be transferred to said account, and that all initiation 
 fees paid by new members shall be at once credited to the said 
 fund, and all donations or bequests hereafter m.ade, unless 
 otherwise provided by the giver, and such sums as the Club may, 
 itself, by resolution from time to time, set apart for the said 
 und. 
 
 Resolved, That the income only of such fund shall be used 
 for current expenses, and the principal shall forever remain 
 intact, unless by the consent of three-fourths of the members 
 present at two consecutive meetings of the Club, and after notice 
 of the proposed expenditure shall have been given to every 
 member, when the principal may be expended. 
 
 Resolved, That the Treasurer of the Club shall be the custo- 
 dian of the fund, and that all investments of the same shall be 
 approved by the Club, and no investment thereof shall be made 
 
90 
 
 except in bond and mortgage upon real estate in the built-up 
 portions of the City of Philadelphia, in what are known as legal 
 investments, and in the bonds of railroad, railway, or canal 
 companies which pay a dividend on their stock. 
 
 Resolved, That these resolutions and declarations of trust 
 shall not be altered, amended or repealed, unless by the consent 
 of three-fourths of the members present at two consecutive 
 regular meetings of the Club, and after notice of the proposed 
 alteration, amendment or repeal shall have been given to every 
 member of the Club. 
 
FORM OF BEQUEST OR DEVISE 
 
 I give, devise, and bequeath 
 to the 
 
 Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society, 
 its successors and assigns