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 7
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Assessed Valuation of Altoona.
Valuation of any place, as shown by the roll, gives but a very imperfect idea of its real wealth, yet it forms a basis for fair estimates. One portion of our wealth is not taxed and can therefore only be guessed at; this consists of the stock of goods in shops and stores, furniture and fixtures which do not go with the real estate ; this probably amounts to more than $5,000,000 in Altoona.
The assessed valuation in Altoona, on which tax was paid for State and County purposes, for six years past, was In 1890 $12,276,777
1891. 12,967,703
1892 13,881,309
1893
14,503,287
1894 14,909,415
1895
15,458,376
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
THE RELATIVE WEALTH OF THE WARDS AS SHOWN IN 1895,
First Ward assessed at. $ 2,343,240
Second Ward assessed at 1,720,585
Third Ward assessed at 2,468,291
Fourth Ward assessed at 2,261,485
Fifth Ward assessed at. 2,026,005
Sixth Ward assessed at. 1,742,065
Seventh Ward assessed at . 1,127,130
Eighth Ward assessed at 1,769,575
Total. $15,458,376
The valuation of the entire county in 1895 was $31,252,- 097, from which it will be seen that Altoona City proper pays almost one-half the county tax and if the city limits were extended, so as to take in the suburbs which should be included, her valuation would be considerably more than one- half that of the entire county.
Dates of Important Events in Altoona.
The first permanent white settlements of any account in the immediate vicinity of Altoona were made about the year 1810, although Thomas and Michael Coleman are said to have settled in Logan Township as early as 1775, and Hugh and John Long to have resided in Pleasant Valley in 1788.
Altoona was projected in 1849 and laid out in town lots by Archibald Wright of Philadelphia, the same year, but he sold no lots until 1851.
The deed of the land from David Robeson to Archibald Wright is dated April 24th, 1849.
The plot of Altoona was acknowledged by Mr. Wright, before an alderman in Philadelphia, February 6th, 1850.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company began building their shops here in 1850 it is said, although the deed for the ground on which they stood was not made by Mr. Wright until August 6th, 1851.
The first lots sold by Archibald Wright, after he had plotted the town, were two on the corner of Twelfth avenue and Thirteenth street to the trustees of the First Presbyterian Church, for the price of one hundred dollars, the deed being dated February 11th, 1851.
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
The first house was erected in Altoona in 1851 on Tenth avenue between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, John B. Westley, the carpenter and contractor, is still living in the city.
The first train of cars came into Altoona in 1850 from the east, and September 17th, 1850, cars ran through to Duncans- ville, and December 10th, 1850, to Pittsburg; crossing the mountains over the Alllegheny Portage which belonged to the State. The Hollidaysburg Branch was then the main line.
The Mountain Division, from Altoona west, via Kittan- ning Point, was not completed until 1854. The line was originally a single track.
The first passenger station was a frame building and stood on Ninth avenue between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets. It was moved to the north corner of Twelfth street and used for a fire engine house. The second floor is now Logan Hall.
The first president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, with whom Altoona had any concern, was J. Edgar Thompson.
The first postoffice in this vicinity was at Collinsville, from 1817 to 1851; during the latter year it was removed from there and established under the new name at Altoona.
Altoona was organized as a borough in February, 1854.
The first Burgess of Altoona was George W. Patton. Altoona became a city in February, 1868.
The first mayor of the city was General George Potts.
The first stores in Altoona were those of Bernard Kerr, father of R. A. O. Kerr, Loudon & Feree and Adlum & Irwin. Mr. Kerr kept the first one in the old log farm house of David Robeson.
The first druggist was George W. Kessler ; he began business in Altoona in 1853.
The first doctor was Gabriel D. Thomas, who resided in Pleasant Valley prior to the founding of Altoona, and who built one among the first residences in the new town.
The first lawyer was William Stoke, it is said, but he had no office here and only came to transact some business for the Pennsylvania Railroad, whose attorney he was. L. W. Hall, Esq., now of Harrisburg, was located here in 1855, and Col. D. J. Neff in 1860.
The first preacher to reside in Altoona was Rev. Henry Baker, who was pastor of the Lutheran church at Collinsville
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prior to the beginning of Altoona, and who came here with his congregation during the second year of its history.
The first public house in the vicinity was a tavern, where the White Hall Hotel now stands ; it was built by George Huff about the year 1834.
The first hotel erected in Altoona was the Exchange, which stood on Tenth avenue between Thirteenth and Four- teenth streets, where the Arlington now stands. It was kept by John Bowman. Among the earlier hotels was the Altoona House, where the Globe now stands ; it was a frame building and burned down about the year 1887.
The first school-house erected by the borough was built in 1834 on the corner of Seventh avenue and Fifteenth street. Prior to the founding of Altoona a union church and school- house combined stood on the present corner of Sixteenth street and Union avenue, just outside the early limits of Altoona. It was built during the year 1838 by the school directors of the township in conjunction with the Lutheran, Presbyterian and Methodist denominations and served the double purpose of church and school-house until the erection of churches and schools in Altoona. It is now used as a church by the African Methodist Episcopal congregation.
The first city superintendent of schools was John Miller.
The first church building erected in the new town of Altoona was the First Presbyterian, on the corner of Twelfth avenue and Thirteenth street in 1851. A minister from Hol- lidaysburg preached here every alternate Sunday beginning in November, 1851. It was a fair-sized frame building and was destroyed by fire in 1855. The trustees disposed of the ground December 3, 1855, for $3,000, and it is now occupied by the residence of the late William Murray. The congregation built on their present location in 1854.
The first bank established in Altoona was that of Bell, Johnson, Jack & Co. in 1853. It was later operated by William M. Lloyd & Co.
The first newspaper here was the Altoona Register, pub- lished for a short time by William H. and J. A. Snyder, in the spring of 1855. It did not survive the early frosts of that year, and after its suspension was succeeded by the Tribune, January 1, 1856, McCrumn & Allison, proprietors.
The daily edition of the Tribune was first issued April1 14, 1874. It was suspended April 14, 1875, and resumed January
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28, 1878, since which time it has appeared regularly. The weekly has been published continuously since its establish- ment, January 11 1856.
The first daily newspaper published in Altoona was the Sun, which begau a daily issue May 2, 1870, and suspended after seven months.
The Mirror was first issued June 13, 1874 ; the Times May 21, 1884 and the Gazette April 8, 1892.
The first water works in Altoona were owned and operated by the Altoona Gas and Water Company, a private corporation, which began to supply the borough with water December 15, 1859.
The first gas for, illuminating purposes, was furnished by the same company, beginning at the same time; rate per 1.000 feet then $3.00, now $1.20.
The water-works were purchased by the city in 1872 and the first reservoir at Kittaning Point constructed soon after.
The first fire company, the Good Will, was organized in 1859, just prior to the completion of the water-works.
The first fire engine, a hand machine, was housed here October 22, 1859.
The first steam fire engine in Altoona was purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and brought here in 1867.
A paid fire department superseded the volunteers May 1,1895.
The soldiers' monument in Fairview cemetery was erected July 4, 1867.
The first city directory of Altoona was issued in 1873 by Thomas H. Greevy, Esq. Since 1886 they have been pub- lished biennially by Charles B. Clark, Esq.
A county directory was published in 1882.
The first street improvements were the macadamizing of Eleventh and Eighth avenues in 1871-2.
The first good street paving was laid on Eleventh avenue, in 1889, asphalt block, between Eleventh and Bridge streets.
The first extensive and systematic sewer building was be- gun in 1888; although the first sewer, Eleventh avenue be- tween Thirteenth and Fifteenth streets, was constructed in 1870. D. K. Ramey, contractor.
The first street railway began carrying passengers July 4, 1882 ; the line extending from First street and Chestnut
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avenue to Eleventh street to Eleventh avenue, up Eleventh avenue, to Bridge street and on Seventeenth street to Eighth avenue to Fourth street. Motive power-horses and mules ; equipment-six small cars.
Electricity was first used here to propel street cars July 4, 1891. The Logan Valley Electric Passenger Railway was completed and passengers carried to Hollidaysburg, June 14, 1893 and to Bellwood, July 1, 1894.
Telephone service in Altoona began in March, 1880.
Electricity for illuminating in 1886. Streets lighted by electricity in 1888. For five years prior to that they were lighted by gasoline lamps, although gas had been used at a still earlier period.
The first planing mill, except that of . the Pennsylvania Railroad, was built prior to 1860 by McCauley & Allison, on the corner of Green avenue and Eighth street.
The most extensive fire which had occurred in Altoona prior to 1896, was on April 16, 1869, burning about half the square enclosed by Eleventh and Twelfth avenues and Thir- teenth and Fourteenth streets. It began on the corner of Eleventh avenue and Fourteenth street ; loss $60,000 to $70,- 000 ; but on January 6, 1896; a fire at the corner of Eleventh avenue and Eleventh street destroyed the Central Hotel and other property to the value of $100,000.
The Rolling Mill began operations in 1872.
The Silk Mill was built in 1888-9 and began operations in the spring of 1889.
The Altoona, Clearfield and Northern Railroad, formerly Altoona and Wopsononock was built in 1890-91.
Railroads of Altoona.
Being on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the great double track trunk route between the East and West, Al- toona enjoys superior advantages in the matter of transportation. Cars from every part of the Union come to Altoona with their original lading, and freight may be billed through from here to the Pacific or Gulf coast and the Dominion of Canada. Altoona be- ing the terminus of a division, all trains stop here to change en- gines and crews and take on through passengers for east or west . A number of branch lines reach every corner of the county to the
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
south and east: Williamsburg. Martinsburg, Roaring Spring, Henrietta, Newry; and the terminus of the Morrison's Cove Branch at Henrietta is only about three miles from the Huntingdon and Broad Top Railroad, extending from Huntingdon south to Bedford and Hyndman, Pa., and Cumberland, Maryland.
At Bellwood, seven miles eastward, connection is made with the Pennsylvania and North Western, which extends northwest through the rich coal regions of Cambria, Clearfield and Jefferson Counties to Punxsutawney and there connects with the Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad to DuBois, Bradford and Western New York.
At Tyrone, fourteen miles northeast, three branches lead off to the north and northeast; the Tyrone and Clearfield extending to Clearfield, Curwensville and DuBois; the Bald Eagle Valley ex- tending to Bellefonte and Lock Haven, connecting at the latter point with the Philadelphia and Erie road for Williamsport on the east and Renova, Emporium, Kane, Warren, Corry and Erie to the west; and the Tyrone and Lewisburg branch extending north- east to Pennsylvania Furnace in Centre County.
At Huntingdon, thirty-four miles east, connection is made with the Huntingdon and Broad Top for Bedford and Cumberland, the latter on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
At Cresson, fifteen miles westward, two branches lead off from the main line, one extending to Ebensburg, Spangler and Carroll- town, and the other to Ashville, Frugality and Coalport.
There is also another short road, the Altoona, Clearfield and Northern, extending from the eastern suburb, Juniata, to Wopson- onock mountain resort, and coal fields of Cambria County, which bring considerable amount of coal and lumber to the city. An- other railroad is likely soon to be constructed to Altoona, coming in from Philipsburg on the north. Altoona, with her nearly 50,- ooo inhabitants, is too valuable a prize for railroad enterprise to remain long with but a single through line.
The railroad traffic passing through Altoona is immense. The tonnage of the Pennsylvania Railroad system for 1895 was about one-seventeenth of the entire tonnage of the United States, and probably one-half of this passed through Altoona.
Twelve passenger trains leave Altoona daily for the west and eleven for the east, and some of these trains are composed of two or three sections, practically so many additional complete trains. Six passenger trains depart each day for the southern part of the county over the branches previously mentioned.
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
The number of freight trains leaving and arriving depends of course on the condition of trade, crops, etc.
Altoona has one of the largest freight yards in the country, being over five miles long and capable of holding thousands of cars.
STATISTICAL OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD.
Capital stock . $139,301,550 Miles of railroad owned and operated east of Pittsburg and Erie 4,490
Miles of railroad owned and operated west of Pittsburg and Erie 4,326
Total mileage of owned, operated and leased lines .. 8,816 Number of tons of freight hauled on lines east of Pitts -.
burg and Erie, year ending Dec. 31, 1895. 78,259,526 Number of passengers carried in 1895. 37,452,437 Value of shops at Altooda, buildings and grounds, not including machinery, about. $2,000,000
Number of men employed in Altoona shops, December roll, 1895; Machine Shops 4,051, Car Shops 2,364, Juniata Shops 789; Total. . . 7,204
Number of men employed on the three divisions entering here, who reside in Altoona; estimated by taking 1/2 Pittsburg and 1/3 of Middle Division . 1,880
Total Pennsylvania Railroad employes in Altoona .. 9,084 Monthly pay roll for shops. $325,000
Monthly pay roll for Division employes and trainmen re- siding in Altoona. 75,000
Amount paid out monthly for material and supplies, about. 100,000
Total amount of money put in circulation here monthly by the Railroad Company, about. 500,000
Altoona has two lines of electric cars ; both arc under one management and the service is very satisfactory.
The first road was built in 1882 by the City Passenger Railway Company and was opened on the 4th of July of that year with a notable demonstration. Electricity was not then in use and horses were the motive power. The line at that time was about three miles long, extending from First street
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
to Eleventh avenue to Bridge street, to Seventeenth street, to Eighth avenue, to Fourth street where the cars were turned on a turn-table and went back over the same route. Soon afterward a branch was constructed from the corner of Eighth avenue and Seventeentil street to Seventh avenue, to Twenty-fifth street.
In 1889 and 1890 a line was constructed from the corner of Eleventh avenue and Bridge street to Eighteenth street, to Union avenue, to Broad street and along Broad street to city line at Twenty-seventh street. The line was also extended from Fourth street and Eighth avenue, to Sixth avenue, to Lloyd street, below First street.
In 1891 electricity took the place of horses and a power house was erected on Nineteenth street between Ninth and Margaret avenues.
In 1892 the Altoona and Logan Valley Electric Passenger Railway Company was formed and in 1893 they built a line to Hollidaysburg, six miles long.
Early in 1894 they built a line to Bellwood, seven miles.
The Hollidaysburg line begins at the corner of Twelth street and Ninth avenue and extends along Ninth avenue to Thirteenth street, along Thirteenth street to Fifth avenue, along Fifth avenue south-eastward to city line and beyond that to Hollidaysburg.
The Bellwood line extends from the corner of Eleventh street and Eleventh avenue to Ninth street, to Howard avenue, to Third street, to Lexington avenue, to First street, to Chestnut avenue and north-eastward on the country road to Juniata, and from there crossing the railroad, down the valley of the Little Juniata-five miles farther to Bellwood.
The Logan Valley, soon after its completion, secured a controlling interest in the City Passenger, and the two roads are now operated practically as one, under the same Superin- tendent.
In the city cars run six minutes apart, and on the Logan Valley to and from Hollidaysburg, every fifteen minutes, and to and from Bellwood every half hour during the day and until a late hour at night.
Fares in the city, including a transfer if desired, over any of the City Passenger Lines are but five cents, and the same charge is made to Lakemont Park or Llyswen, and ten cents
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
to Hollidaysburg. To Juniata, the fare is five cents and to Bellwood ten cents additional. No transfers are given be- tween the City Passenger and the Logan Valley.
Lines have also been projected on other streets and avenues in the city beside those already noted, and some of them are likely to be built soon, especially one up the Dry Gap along Nineteenth street or on Washington avenue.
The Logan Valley Company laid out and beautified a fine park with a large artificial lake at a point midway between Altoona and Hollidaysburg which they called Lakemont, and which has no equal for beauty in the state. It is visited daily in summer time by hundreds and often by thousands of peo- ple, and in winter time the lake affords excellent skating, no charge being made for admission at any time.
The rolling stock of the two companies consists of twenty- five closed cars and thirty-six open cars.
The number of employes is 175.
The capital stock of the City Passenger is . . $200,000 And of the Logan Valley, authorized $500,000 issued. 375,000
Total stock outstanding .$575,000 The number of passengers carried in 1895 was 2,800,000. The officers of both companies are :
JOHN LLOYD, President.
C. A. BUCH, Secretary and Treasurer. S. S. CRAINE, Superintendent.
Business and Resources of Altoona.
In addition to being the location of the principal shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, the depot and base of supplies for engines, cars and furnishings, and the head- quarters of the General Superintendent, the Superintendent of Motive Power and Superintendents of other lesser depart- ments, employing, in the aggregate, over 9,000 men, which would suffice alone for the foundation of a large city, Altoo- na has other substantial advantages.
Situated on the main line of this great trunk route "be- tween the East and West. she is surrounded on all sides with. the elements of wealth and prosperity. Large deposits of bituminous coal and beds of fire clay to the north and west.
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Iron ore to the southeast; limestone in almost inexhaustible supply on three sides and mountains of ganister stone nearby, indispensable in the manufacture of steel and formerly im- ported from Europe. Lumber regions to the north, east and west, and a rich agricultural country south. All reached and penetrated by the Pennsylvania Railroad and branches or leased lines; with competing lines contemplating an entrance, her future stability is assured. Altoona is also the natural distributing point for the territory within a radius of forty to one hundred miles in every direction and is destined, at no distant day, to become an important wholesaling city.
Y
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.
The manufacturing interests of Altoona are now largely with the Railroad Company, and include the production of engines, cars, both freight and passenger, and all kinds of railroad supplies. We have in addition to this mammoth industry:
One Rolling Mill employing 135 to 175 men, and producing annually $250,000 to $300,000 worth of merchant bar iron.
Two Iron Foundries.
One Silk Mill, employing 250 women and boys preparing the raw silk into yarn for the loom.
One Ice Plant, employing 30 men and manufacturing 50,000 pounds of ice per day from pure distilled water, by chemically produced cold.
Twelve Planing Mills, employing in the aggregate 350 to 500 men in the mills, manufacturing rough lumber into doors, sash, frames, etc., also several hundred carpenters outside.
One Brick Yard, employing 25 to 40 men and producing 3,000,000 building brick annually.
One Brush Factory.
One Broom Factory.
One Soap Factory.
One Washing Machine Factory.
One Mattress Factory.
Three Manufactories of Soft Drinks.
Three Marble and Granite Works.
One Steam Dye Works. One Flouring Mill.
Two Chop and Feed Mills.
Four Breweries, employing 50 men in the aggregate.
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
One Candy Manufactury.
Three Cabinet Shops.
Six Cigar Factories, employing 75 persons.
Four Ice Cream Manufactories.
Eleven Merchant Tailors, employing in the aggregate 150 to 200 persons.
Forty Shoemaker Shops, employing 75 to 100 men.
Five Wagon Shops, employing 20 to 30 men making and repairing-principally the latter-wagons, carriages and sleds.
Eleven Watchmakers and Jewelers, employing in the aggre- gate 25 men repairing watches and clocks used in Altoona and vicinity.
Five Harness and Saddler Shops, employing 20 to 30 men making and repairing harness for the local trade.
Eleven Bakeries, employing 50 to 60 men in the production of bread, cakes, etc., mostly for home consumption.
Nine Printing Offices, printing four daily and four weekly newspapers, besides irregular publications.
One Book Bindery, doing the local work of the city and vi- cinity.
MERCANTILE.
In the mercantile line there are the following and plenty of room for more :
Four Wholesale Grocery and Provision Houses.
One Wholesale Wood and Willow-ware House.
Three Wholesale Produce and Commission Houses.
Three Wholesale Confectioners.
Seven Wholesale Coal Dealers.
Four Wholesale Cigar and Tobacco Houses.
One Wholesale Dry Goods and Notion House.
Three Dry Goods Houses that sell wholesale and retail.
Six dealers in Builders Supplies, besides the planing mills.
Four banks with an aggregate capital of $400,000.
In addition to the above are several wholesale agents who carry only samples for firms in other cities.
In the retail trade there are :
Seven Dry Goods Stores.
Nine Book and Stationery Stores.
Three China, Glass and Crockery Stores, exclusively, besides three Novelty Stores that handle large quantities of of the same goods,
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
Fourteen Clothing and Gents' Furnishing Stores.
Three Hat and Gents' Furnishing Stores.
Twenty-two Retail Coal Dealers.
Twenty-two Drug Stores.
Six Flour and Feed Stores.
Ten Furniture Stores, three of which carry other lines.
Forty-six General Stores.
One hundred and thirty Grocery and Provision Stores. Two Butter Markets.
Seven Hardware Stores.
Six Installment and House-furnishing Stores.
Fifty-five Meat Markets.
Ten Milk Depots.
Six Millinery Stores.
Five Music Stores.
Five Novelty, Notion and 5 and 10c. Stores.
Eleven Shoe Stores, and twenty to thirty other dealers that sell shoes.
Four Tea Stores.
Nine Jewelry Stores; watches, silver, etc.
Three Department Stores, (these are enumerated also with the dry goods.)
PROFESSIONAL.
Eight Aldermen ; one for each ward. Forty-seven Lawyers.
Sixty-two Doctors, including two ladies.
Thirteen Dentists' Offices.
Four Architect Firms.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Four Florists and Greenhouse proprietors.
Fifty-four Barber Shops. Thirteen Blacksmith Shops. Two Carpet-cleaning Establishments.
Twenty Master Painters and Paper-hangers.
Five Fruit Stores carrying fair stock, besides numerous smaller ones.
Six Steam and Hand Laundries. Five Livery Stables. Six Photograph Galleries. Twenty-four Plumbing Shops. Six Sewing-machine Agencies.
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Semi-Centennial History of Blair County.
Twelve Restaurants.
Eight Tin Shops.
Twenty-seven Hotels, and twenty-two others with hotel license.
Eleven Fire Insurance Agencies.
Five Life Insurance Agencies.
Three Money Loaning Agencies ; real estate security.
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