USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > A history of Blair county, Pennsylvania. From its earliest settlement, and more particularly from its organization, in 1846 to June 1896 > Part 10
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
Williamsburg.
When the first morning sun of the Nineteenth Century rose it saw more evidences of civilization in Williamburg and vicinity than any part of Blair county. The town plot had been laid out in 1795 by Jacob Ake, who owned 600 acres of land including the present village site and surroundings, and it is said he had a school kept here about the year 1790 he furnishing the room and paying the teacher and the settlers sending their children without charge. If this be true it was the earliest free school in this re- gion. The town plot contained 120 lots 50X175 feet in size. The original streets were Front and Second, each 60 feet wide, Plum, 50 feet wide, High, 66 feet in width and Spring only 42, eight feet being allowed for the flow of the spring, The early name of the town was Akestown, after its founder. It is said that in 1814 there were forty families here and that was equal to the population of Frankstown at the time and far in excess of Hollidaysburg. A saw and grist mill run by the water from the big spring were built and operated as early as 1791 or '92. A bucket factory was established in 1830 by Hawley & Woodcock and soon after a woolen factory by David Bender. An oil mill and tannery and several distilleries here, were among the very earliest industries of the county. The canal passed through in 1832 and the present Williamsburg branch of the Pennsylva- nia Railroad was constructed about 1870.
An iron furnace was built in 1857, which was run for a num- ber of years, but has now been removed and the only evidence of its existence to-day is a large pile of furnace slag. Williamsburg is beautifully situated on the Frankstown branch of the Juniata river and under favorable conditions has the making of a large city, and such it may ultimately become, but now its principal claim to distinction is as the birthplace, or near it, of some of the most prominent people Blair county has produced. One now oc- cupies a seat in the Supreme Court of the State, another is a mem- ber of Congress, another Mayor of the city of Harrisburg and another will soon be elected to represent this county in the State Legislature. The population is at present about 1,000. There are a number of stores, four churches, a bank and several smaller manufacturing establishments. The wonderful spring still turns the wheels of a good-sized grist mill.
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
Martinsburg.
The country in the vicinity of Martinburg was settled before the Revolution, but Martinsburg town was not laid out until 1815. The first plot was by Daniel Camerer and John Soyster built the first house. Abraham Stoner laid out a plot adjoining Camerer's in 1820, and James McCray plotted an extension to the borough in 1871.
The growth of the town was slow ; in 1860 the population was 464 and in 1880 567. Now it is about 1,000.
The borough was incorporated in 1832 and in 1834 a second Act of Assembly enlarged the bounds considerably.
The surrounding country is a rich agricultural district, and a very good trade is carried on here with the farmers of the lower end of the county.
No iron works were ever built at Martinsburg and no large industries of any kind established, but a big building, known as the Juniata Institute stands on the outer edge of the town and may be considered the most prominent feature. (See schools). Besides a number of stores, a hotel, and several churches there is a bank, the Martinsburg Deposit Bank which was established in 1870.
A small newspaper, the Cove Echo, was published here in 1874-5 by Henry and John Brumbaugh. Unlike other towns of the county Martinsburg is not surrounded by mountain scenery, but occupies a comparatively level plain.
Roaring Spring.
This beautiful and flourishing borough contains about 1000 inhabitants, and is one of the newest towns of the county, although it is the site of the first grist mill in all the region. Jacob Neff, built a mill here, below the Springs, about the year 1765, but it was not until quite recently that a town grew up in the vicinity. The Spring is one of the natural curiosities of Pennsylvania, bursting from the foot of a slight elevation, it sends forth a stream of clear, pure and cold water, of sufficient volume to turn an over-shot water wheel and run a fair sized grist mill; to which use it was put for many years, but now the large flouring mills of D. M. Bare & Co., are driven by steam power, although the water for the boilers comes from the spring.
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
As before stated, a grist mill was erected here at a very early day, the exact date now unknown, by Jacob Neff; and it was burned by the Indians and rebuilt by him prior to the Revolution. Later, but still long, long, ago, it was owned by John Ullery, who was its next proprietor. It passed through various hands and finally came into the possession of D. M. Bare who, in 1864, purchased the old mill, and in 1869 erected the present large one. Later, he associated others with him and the firm was styled D. M. Bare & Co. "Bare's Best," flour became a household word throughout a wide ter- ritory. Mr. Bare, in partnership with Eby, Morrison & Co., in 1866, built a paper mill just below the grist mill and these two, together witli a blank-book factory erected in 1886, are the great industries of the town; furnishing employment to a large number of persons. The first regularly laid out town lots were those plotted for D. M. Bare. in 1865-fifty in num- ber. Hon. George H. Spang also laid out a plot adjoining these in 1874 and in 1887 the borough was incorporated, and in the spring of 1888 the first borough officers were elected.
A fire destoyed the paper mill in 1866 and another in 1887 the book factory, but both were immediately rebuilt. A large hotel was erected in 1888, near the depot. The railroad was extended from Hollidaysburg to Roaring Spring, Martinsburg and Henrietta, in 1871. It should be needless to add that the town was named from the spring, but it will surprise strang- ers to learn that no one now living, ever heard this spring roar. It is said, however, that in the early days of the count- try it did send forth a roaring sound that, in the stillness of the forest, could be heard for half a mile, and that changes made at its mouth obliterated this feature but not the name.
Tipton, Fostoria and Grazierville.
These are small, very small villages, on the P. R. R. be- tween Bellwood and Tyrone. The two former were started about the same time as Altoona and Tyrone but did not thrive as their projectors had hoped and both now present a some- what forlorn and deserted appearance. Yet the time is not far distant when they may put on new life and activity. The entire valley from Bellwood to Tyrone is very attractive and when the Logan Valley Electric railway is completed to Ty- rone, it will all be built up with residences and become one continuous town. Grazierville was the location of Cold Spring forge long before the railroad was built and it is but a small hamlet now, the forge having long since ceased to burn and its very site almost obliterated. Davidsburg is a small but ancient village on the public road between Bellwood and Fos- toria, off from the railroad. It was laid out in 1827, by John Henshey, and named in honor of his son David. Chief Logan, the Indian, had his wigwam beside the spring here before he
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
located at the present site of Tyrone. Prior the construction of the P. R. R. this place was on the public road leading from Bellefonte to the Portage railroad at Duncansville and was quite a flourishing village, with three stores, two hotels, a tannery, two blacksmith shops, etc. Dr. Crawford Irwin, now of Hollidaysburg, located here in his younger days.
The Future of Blair County.
No man can see an inch beyond the present, but a careful observation of the present, together with a thoughtful study of the past, often furnishes a basis for almost positive predictions for the future.
Such observation and study has occupied much of the writer's time and the result has been such as to fully satisfy him that Blair county has before her a future of great brilliancy. The situation is worthy of special consideration. The superficial area of the county is large, 594 miles, half as much as the State of Rhode Island and more than one-fourth the size of Delaware and while surrounded on all sides by mountains, a large proportion of the soil is tillable and most of it reasonably fertile. Well culti- vated it would support a large population, though of course, not nearly as large a's many other parts of the State. Her ability to maintain a population of 100,000 is easily demonstrable, and this is one factor in the case.
That she already has so many inhabitants, and is so far ahead of the surrounding counties in population and in the possession of a large city, Altoona, is another important factor. It gives her prestige, which is a drawing power, prven by the hundreds of people from the immediately adjacent counties now here and daily arriving. It is not reasonable to suppose that any other city within a radius of 100 miles will ever surpass or even equal Altoona in size. She is the metropolis of Central Pennsylvania and will remain so without a rival. There are too many shrewd and intelligent men here, with property interests at stake, for her steady growth to be checked for an instant.
For Altoona to cease growing means bankruptcy for them and they will keep enterprise on the move as a matter of self-preser- vation. With such men, so interested, and backed by a rich and powerful railroad, like the Pennsylvania, can anyone think for an instant that Altoona will cease growing before her population has reached 100,000, or that it will be allowed to stop even there ?
The Pennsylvania Railroad is solidly buit, has possession of the field and from the nature of the country it would be almost impossible for a parallel and competing line to be profitably con- structed anywhere near Blair county. A north and south road is feasible, would prove a benefit to the Pennsylvania Railroad and will undobtedly be built; and Altoona, as the largest city of this region, accessible by rail in every direction, will be the center of
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
trade and, of course, prosper greatly. Altoona being a great city and also a part of Blair county, it follows, necessarily, that Blair county will be great and every part of the county be benefitted by proximity to it.
Furthermore, Blair county has mineral wealth. Some of it has been partially developed, but there is much reason to believe that the vast body of her mineral deposits are yet untouched. Some day a man with money to waste will erect a derrick in some of the valleys, perhaps Logan, below Bellwood, and after spend- ing a few thousands will find petroleum oil gushing out in such quantities as to repay him in a week. Then others will do like- wise while many will say, "I thought as much. Why was it not done before ? "
·Some time shafts and slopes will be sunk in Blair county from which vast quantities of coal will be taken, and fortunes will be made by that industry. Manufactures will flourish here, too: There is no reason why they should not. Artisans enjoy life better and can do more work in a healthy climate, where air and water is pure and the surroundings beautiful, than where the contrary is true, therefore thousands of mechanics will, in the early future, reside in Blair county and the products of their labor will be sold all over the world. Will not Blair then be great? Nearly everything that can be manufactured profitably in any part of the United States may, under good management, be manu- factured here with profit ; especially such articles as are in con- stant and general use by us. A pound of raw cotton, worth 6 or 7 cents in the fields of South Carolina is shipped to Massachu- setts and made into print cloth ; is sent to Blair county and we pay 50 to 75 cents for it. A pound of wool in California, worth 20 to 25 cents, also goes east and after being made into cloth comes to Blair county and we pay $1.50 to $2.00 for it. The difference represents the labor of eastern mechanics and the profit of eastern manufacturers and wholesalers. These and a hundred other things might be made in Blair county, and the workmen engaged at it live here and help to swell our aggregate of population and wealth. Some day this will be done.
Places of Interest which Visitors to Blair County should See.
First, the immense shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany, in their three departments of Machine shops, Car shops and Locomotive shops, where everything pertaining to cars and engines is made; where parlor cars of the most luxurious design and finish costing $12,000 to $20,000 are constructed and locomo- tive engines weighing a hundred tons are built, capable of rushing
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
through the country, on steel rails, at the rate of a mile a minute and hauling freight trains of such enormous weight that 1,000 teams of horses could not move them.
Second, the large freight yard extending from the eastern limits of the city to Elizabeth furnace, nearly five miles ; not yet completed but having miles upon mile of side tracks on which may be seen thousands of cars.
The extensive paper inills of Morrison & Cass, at Tyrone, where fine book paper is made from the thousands of cords of wood piled up on all sides of the mill. A similar plant, though not so large, at Roaring Springs.
The Logan House, at Altoona, which Bill Nye, when he stopped here, said was as large as the State of Rhode Island ; that he slept in the northeast corner of it, two miles from the clerk's office.
U The stupendous reservor at Kittanning Point, where over 400,000,000 gallons of water is stored for the use of Altoona.
The " Horse-shoe Bend " of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Kit- tanning Point, and the grand mountain scenery from there to Bennington, which has been admired by thousands of people from all parts of the world.
Roaring Spring and the big spring at Williamsburg, both of which flow strong enough to run a griest mill.
J Flowing spring near Williamsburg on the Pennsylvania Rail- road branch which ebs and flows at irregular intervals.
Sinking run in Sinking Run Valley, Tyrone township, which is quite a good sized creek and after a flow of several miles is completely swallowed up and disappears in the earth.
Arch Spring in the same township near Water Street, which bursts from an arched formation in a hill side and pro- duces a large stream which flows into the Juniata river. This is supposed to be the same Sinking run which disappears some miles to the west.
The large lime stone quaries and kilns at Frankstown, Duncansville, Canan Station and other places.
The ruins of old iron furnaces, at Allegheny Furnace near Altoona, others at Frankstown, Williamsburg, Elizabeth Furnace, McKee's Gap and elsewhere.
The beautiful park and lake at Lakemont on the Logan Valley Electric Railway, midway between Altoona and Holli- daysburg.
Wopsononock mountain and observatory, reached by the Altoona, Clearfield and Northern railroad from Juniata.
The magnificent landscapes to be seen from elevated points in and near Hollidaysburg, Altoona, Bellwood and Tyrone, and the beautiful Logan Valley as it may be viewed from the cars of the Pennsylvania Railroad in passing from Altoona to Tyrone. Also hundreds of other beautiful and interesting things and localities that will be pointed out by old residents of the county.
1846.
LITTLE BLAIR.
1896.
As from the rock that towers high, The eagle gazes toward the sky, Then spreads his wings and soars away, To bathe his plumage in the ray That falls in freshness from the sun; So Blair from lofty Huntingdon, Gazed upward toward Dominion's sky, And quick to see and strong to fly, Sprang upward in her liberty, And rose to glorious destiny.
For fifty years her wings she's tried, For fifty years her strength and pride Have weakened not, but stronger grown, ¿Till through the land her power's known, And Pennsylvania's counties fair, Obeisance pay to LITTLE BLAIR.
Her rock-ribbed mountains, high and blue, Are not more strong and not more true, Than is her love for those who gave Their strong, young life our Land to save, Who heard great Lincoln's call for men, And died in field and prison-pen. Blair's heroes sleep far, far from home, Their only epitaph, "UNKNOWN!" But angels bright are sent of God To watch beside their beds of sod. Long as our mountains pierce the skies- Till God shall bid the dead arise- Ne'er let the work our heroes wrought, By children's children be forgot.
Brave "Boys in Blue," when strife was o'er, When cannon ceased to flame and roar; When God's sweet angel whispered "Peace!" And caused the noise of war to cease; With sunburnt face and battle scars, Beneath the dear old Stripes and Stars, Marched homeward to the hills of Blair, While shouts of welcome filled theair. These "Boys in Blue," so brave and strong, Are with us now, but not for long; For one by one they pass within The tent that has no "outward swing." The debt we owe them never can Be paid on earth by mortal man. May He who died a world to save Smile on our heroes, true and brave.
But Blair has other heroes true As those who fought in lines of blue For Freedom, and inscribed their name High on the scroll of deathless Fame. Who, in the time of testing, stood Where duty called, and never would Their post forsake, but did their part in face of Death, like noble Sharp.
God's richest blessings on him rain Who saved the wildly rushing train; Who bravely answered Duty's call And gave the world a second Paul.
Where robed in ermine justice stands, Her balanced scales within her hands, Blair's sons now sit in court supreme Impartially to judge between The right and wrong of every cause- Maintaining justice and her laws.
Where statesmen "clutch the golden keys To mould a mighty state's decrees-" In congress halls her sons have gone And lasting honors there have won.
In church at home and church abroad Her sons proclaim the truth of God, And heathen far beyond the sea Point to the Christ of Calvary. Her teachers, too, well "skilled to rule" In city or in village school, Have learning's strong foundation laid In mind of boy and mind of maid, Till all her sons and daughters fair Are now the pride of "Little Blair;" While some have climbed Parnassus' hill, Whose name and fame the nations fill.
Her Press so strong, so true and free, To plead for Right and Liberty; All shams expose, all truth defend; Has proved herself the People's friend. As our own mountain air is free, So let our Press forever be!
The peerless Corporation, too, Known o'er the world, as strong and true As Johnstown Bridge, well known to fame, That stood so firm when torrents came; To all her men both kind and fair, Has brought large wealth to "Little Blair." In busy shops, on flying trains, With brawny arms and giant brains, With courage true and matchless zeal, Her sons promote the Nation's weal.
For fifty years she's done so well, No mortal all her deeds may tell; While mountains pierce the ambient air, O live and flourish, glorious BLAIR!
IDA CLARKSON LEWIS .
Altoona, Pa., April 13, 1896.
APPENDIX.
HOW THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL WAS CELEBRATED.
The Program as It Was Carried Out, June 10, 11 and 12, 1896.
The two old and true sayings that ey and Hon. William Dorris of Hunting- "Man proposes but God disposes," and don, Hon. John Scott and H. O. Kline of "There's many a slip 'twixt cup and the Philadelphia, Hon. J. H. Longenecker of lip, " did not receive much additional il- Bedford, Hon. Scott Alexander of Fulton lustration during the greatJubilee of Blair County, and others. County in commemoration of the comple- The addresses of Col. Neff and Judge Landis are given in full on the following pages. tion of her first fifty years of independent existence, as the pre-arranged program was carried out with but little change. In the evening the bar and invited .
Providence seemed to smile on the efforts guests assembled at the Logan House, at 8 o'clock, for a reception and banquet. They sat down to the banquet table at 9.45 and, with the exception of some attorneys from Hollidaysburg and Tyrone who were obliged to leave on the 12 o'clock train, did not quit the banquet hall until f o'eloek in the morning. No wines nor intoxieants of any kind were served, and the last two hours were spent in responding to the toasts, J. S. Leisenring, Esq., toast-mas- ter.
of the people of Blair to properly cele- brate the occasion. The weather all that could have been desired ; frequent show- ers during the week preceding and on the first two days of the week of festivities led to some apprehension that it might be a failure, but on Wednesday morning the clouds were dissipated and not another drop of rain fell until the last set piece of the pyrotechnic display of Friday night had enacted its part and the curtain dropped on the scene.
Wednesday afternoon, June 10, 1896, at 2:30 o'eloek the first formal meeting ' took place. It was the bar of Blair Conn- ty entertaining invited guests, disting- uished jurists, and former members of the county bar with reminiscent speech at the Court House, and in the evening a banquet at the Logan House, Altoona.
Hon. L. W. Hall, of Harrisburg, to whom had been assigned the task of re- sponding to "The Lawyer" was not pre- sent and this toast was not offered. Mr. Justice John Dean responded to the toast "The Judiciary" and spoke feelingly. Thos. H. Greevy, Esq., responded to the toast "Our Clients" in a humorous vein. W. I. Woodcock, Esq., in the absence of
The afternoon meeting was called Judge Bell, who was unable to remain to to order at 2:30, and on motion of the end of the banquet, responded to the toast "Our Guests." Most of the guests of the afternoon were present at the re- ception and banquet at night, and the Christian Endeavor Sextette led by Chas. Geesey, Esq., rendered some pleasing musie. The Committee on Arrangements was composed of Hon. Martin Bell, Hon. A. S. Landis, A. A. Stevens, Hon. D. J. Neff, J. S. Leisenring, W. L. Hicks, W. S. Hammond and H. A. McFadden.
A. 1. Stevens, Esq., Hon. Martin Bell, President Judge of the county, was chosen chairman. Rev. D. H. Barron, D. D., pastor of the First Pres- byterian church of Hollidaysburg, offered a prayer, and a sextette under the leader- ship of Charles Geesey, Esq., sang the national anthem "America." The sing- ers also rendered other appropriate selec- tions, at intervals, during the afternoon. Hon. D. J. Neff, the oldest active mem- ber of the bar, delivered the address of weleome. Ile was followed by Hon. Au- , gustus S. Landis with a historical ad- dress, which oceupied an hour in the de- livery, Other short addresses were made by Hon. William Dorris of Huntingdon, one of the five surviving members of the original bar, Hon. John Scott of Phila- delphia, and Hon. John Fenlon of Ebens- burg, also among the few survivors of that first court in Blair County nearly fifty years ago. Mr. Justice John Dean of the Supreme Bench, was the last speak- er, after which W. L. Pascoe, Esq., of Tyrone, at 5 o'clock, moved the adjourn- ment of the meeting in a few well chosen sentences.
Among the distinguished guests pres- ent were : Hon. John Dean of Hollidays- burg, Hon. A. V. Barker and Hon. John Fenlon of Ebensburg, Hon. John M. Bail-
Thursday morning's sun rose in a cloudless sky and the temperature was not much above 70 degrees Fahrenheit at any time ; a gentle breeze making the day a perfeet one for marching, no dust and no mud. This was Military Day and shortly after 11 a. m. the columns of sol- diers moved off over the route assigned in the following order :
Chief Marshal Theodore Burehfield and Staff, Altoona City Band, Fifth Regiment Drum Corps, Fifth Regiment National Guards of Pa., Battery "B" of the Second Brigade, Sheridan Troop, N. G. P., of Tyrone, Capt. C. S. W. Jones,
Carriages containing members of the General Committee and distinguished Guests,
Second Division-Marshall and Staff, Hollidaysburg Band,
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SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY.
Post No. 39, Grand Army of the Republic, Logan Band, Post No.62, Grand Army of the Republic, Roaring Spring Drum Corps, Post No.82, Grand Army of the Republic, of Roaring Spring, Continental Drum Corps, Post No. 172, Grand Army of the Republic, of Tyrone, St. Patrick's Band of Gallitzin, Post No. 426, Grand Army of the Republic, of Bellwood, Reese's Cadet Drum Corps, Post No.468. Grand Army of the Republic, 66 474, € 6 66
66 574, 66 66
People's Band of South Fork,
Encampment No.17 and 37 Union Veteran Legion, Camps Nos. 12, 89 and 234, Union Vet- eran Legion, Carriage containing old Soldiers, Bellwood Band, German Veteran Association of Altoona.
The route traversed was from the start- ing point near the depot in Gaysport, across the bridge into Hollidaysburg, Allegheny street to Juniata street, to Mulbury street, to Amelia street, to Al- legheny street, to Jones street, to Wal- nut street, to Juniata street, to Allegheny street, to Union street. Distinguished guests not in carriages reviewed the pro- cession in front of the Court House.
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