Philadelphia Timeline, 1868

1868

• January 8. Great Fenian demonstration and obsequies in honor of Allen, Larkin and O'Brien.
• April 27. Boiler explosion, Penn treaty Iron Works, Beach above Marlborough street. Five persons killed.
• July 17. Strike of firemen at Gas Works. City in total darkness. July 18th advance of wages granted, and work resumed.
• July 30. Charles E. Becker, proprietor of a zoological garden, in the rear of his saloon, 441-443 North Ninth Street, bitten by a rattle-snake, and dies in twenty minutes.
• Ice-house of Star Ice Company, on the Schuylkill above Girard Ave., falls, injuring 9 men and killing 3 horses.
• August 4. Cotton and woolen mill of John Brown & Sons, Moyamensing Ave, and Moore Street, burned. Loss, $105,000.
• August 11. Parade of Independent Order of Red Men, and dedication of the hall at S. W. Cor. Third and Brown Streets.
• Conflagration at Front and New Streets. Loss, 70,000.
• September 28. Brig Sunny South, loaded with coal-oil, explodes near Chester; Capt. James R,, Kelly, pilot, of Philadelphia, killed.
• October 1. Mass Convention, "Boys in Blue," of the United States, being discharged soldiers of the U.S. Army.
• October 2. Parade of "Boys in Blue."
• October 17. George W. Childs, of Public Ledger, presents burial lot in Woodland Cemetery, valued at $8,000, to the Philadelphia Typographical Society.
• October 22. Mrs. Mary E. Hill killed in her house, N.E. Cor. Tenth and Pine Streets. George S. Twitchell, Jr., and his wife, the daughter of Mrs. Hill, arrested on the charge of having committed the murder. Subsequently Twitchell was found guilty and sentenced to be hung. On
• April 8th, the day he was to be executed, committed suicide. Mrs. Twitchell acquitted.
• November 25. City Museum Theatre, Callowhill Street between Fourth and Fifth, destroyed by fire. Rebuilt and opened as Concordia Theatre. Later bottling establishment of John F. Betz & Son.
• December 3. fire, 619-623 Market Street. Loss $150,000.
• December 4. Ferry boat Brooklyn, belonging to Gloucester Ferry Company, destroyed by fire. Loss, $30,000.
• December 23. John and Rebecca George present 83 acres of land, known as "George's Hill," to the city as an addition to Fairmount Park.
• December 30. Depot of 2d and 3d Street Railroad destroyed by fire.