Philadelphia Timeline, 1860

1860

• January 5. Bishop John Nepomucene Neumann falls dead at Thirteenth and Vine Streets.
• January 9. Obsequies of Bishop Neumann at St. Johns Cathedral, Thirteenth Street above Chestnut. Buried at St. Peter's Church, Fifth Street and Girard Avenue.
• February 13. Continental Hotel open for visitors, and open for quests February 16.
• April 25. Public Building Commission holds its first meeting under act of legislature.
• May 7. Fire, Tattersall's Stables, Filbert, below Thirteenth. 28 horses burned.
• May 24. Fire, Richmond and Schuylkill River Railway (Girard Avenue line) Depot, Girard Avenue and Twenty-Sixth Street.
• May 24. Cornerstone of Episcopal Hospital, Lehigh Avenue and Front Street, laid.
• July 6. Public Buildings Commissioners decide on Penn Square as the site of the court houses.
• July 13. Fire. Kimball & Gorton's car factory, Fifteenth Ward.
• July 22. Fire. Yard, Gilmore & Co.'s store, 40-42 North Third Street. Loss, $50,000.
• July 26. Tremendous tornado at Camden, NJ. Factory blown down. Three men killed.
• September 6. Plans for Public Building adopted.
• September 20. Contracts for Public Buildings awarded to John McArthur, Jr.
• October 9-11. Visit of Prince of Wales.
• October 19. Fire. Franklin Building, Sixth Street, below Arch.
• November 12. Sensation from threats of secession at the South. Great depression of stocks.
• November 22. Philadelphia banks suspend specie payments.
• November 23. Destructive fire, Twelfth and Willow Streets.