USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Armstrong County, Pennsylvania her people past and present, embracing a history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 29
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The site of Leechburg was for the most part patented by White Mattock, an Indian chief, in August, 1783, while John Vanderen had
also patented a parcel of land part of which Leechburg now occupies Feb. 10, 1773, ten years before. White Mattock's grant consisted of 19212 acres and the main business and residence portion of Leechburg is on this tract. Among the early owners of Leech- burg's site was John Walker, to whom this land was surveyed in October, 1773, but he seemed never to have taken out title papers. Other later owners were William P. Brady, Jacob Mechling, Frederick Steif, Joseph Hunter, Matthew Shields and David Leech. The site was later called "White Plains," and the names of White Mattock and Matthew Shields appear in most all old deeds, espec- ially those which came from David and his son Addison Leech. The first two settlers in Leechburg, as far as any history records, were Joseph Hunter, mentioned above, and Michael Moorhead, a drover by occupation. They owned cabins near the "Big Spring."
Leechburg was very prosperous in the past during the building of the old Pennsylvania canal, and was the headquarters of the pro- moters and builders of that famous connect- ing waterway between the Atlantic ocean and the waters of the Mississippi valley. This canal west of the Allegheny mountains was supplied entirely by the waters of the Cone- maugh and Kiskiminetas rivers (they being
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the same stream under different names), tion, held on the first Friday in May of that and did more to develop the middle and year, resulted in the election of David Leech as burgess, and Addison Leech, J. T. Johnston, Jonathan Hetrick, Wm. R. Garver and Jacob Ulam as councilmen. Alexander Gordon was elected justice of the peace. western States than any other enterprise before or after. It paved the way for the construc- tion of the Pennsylvania railroad and supplied a convenient and cheap means of transporting food and merchandise for the early inhabi- tants of the western part of the State.
David Leech came to this place in 1827, having the contract to build the Pennsylvania canal dam, in partnership with a man named Trux. The dam was 36 feet high and 574 feet long, and boats commenced to use the canal in 1829.
Leech used the water from this dam to run his flouring and saw mills and a woolen fac- tory from 1829 to 1832. Thereafter he was en- gaged in building freight and passenger boats for use on the canal. His was the second boat to pass through the canal to Pittsburgh. In all, he had at one time eight boats in constant use on the canal, until it was superseded by the Pennsylvania railroad, the railroad com- pany purchasing it from the State.
These mills, after David Leech's death, came into the hands of his son, Addison, and after him were operated by R. D. Elwood & Bro. The old mill building is now used by the Leech- burg Oil & Paint Co. as a manufactory of paints and painters' supplies.
In addition to the above-mentioned enter- prises the founder of Leechburg was, soon after he settled here, engaged in the mercan- tile lines of trade and together with his sons was afterward extensively engaged in the same business. He was, from 1853 till 1856, an active member of the firm of Leech, Chamber- lain & Co., engaged in the construction of the Allegheny Valley railroad from Pittsburgh to Kittanning. His vigorous constitution began to yield to the weight of years, the numerous cares and responsibilities of his active life and to the approach of disease, in 1857, and he died November 3, 1858, regretted and esteemed at home and abroad.
The growth of Leechburg began with the completion of the canal. The first brick house was built in 1830 by Solomon Moore. It has long since been removed to give place to a more modern dwelling. Leech was a great builder himself, and there are several of the substantial brick homes of his construction still in use. The old Leech residence is still in a fine state of repair.
MUNICIPAL
The officials of the borough in 1913 are: James B. Smail, burgess ; R. E. Gosser, presi- dent of the council; Joseph Stanier, Frank Truxell, W. H. Ashbaugh, Frank Munshower, James Campbell, councilmen ; John A. Hill, clerk ; James B. Kifer and T. Lee Van Geisen, justices of the peace; Lee Bush and A. J. Elliott, overseers of the poor; C. J. Nieman, treasurer ; C. O. Morris, solicitor ; J. H. Stiv- enson, constable ; J. M. Anderson, assessor.
The first separate assessment list of taxables in Leechburg was made in 1832, viz. :
John Brown, lot No. 87, land 125 acres (Martin's), one head of cattle, valued or as- sessed at $833 ; Joshua Cooper, lots Nos. 78-79, one head of cattle, $58; Samuel Dickey, one house and lot, one horse, one head of cattle, $223 ; George Dupehorn, lots Nos. 83, 96, one head cattle, $108; Daniel Freeze, lot No. 36, one head cattle, $108; John Fee. blacksmith, lot No. 49, one head cattle, $283 ; Wm. Hicken- looper, lot No. 117, one head of cattle, $208; Jacob Hill, lot No. 10, two cattle, $616; David Kuhns, lots Nos. 98-99, two horses, one tan- yard, one head of cattle, $286; Christian Grove, head of cattle, $8; Malcom Leech, lots Nos. 38 and 31, $225; John R. Long, lot No. 12, one head of cattle, $408; James McBride, lot No. 84. one head of cattle, $183; William F. Martin, hatter, $100; Peter Nees, lot No. 3, one head of cattle, $108; Samuel Philliber, lot No. 30, $50 ; Matthew Taylor, tailor, lots Nos. 69, 101, one head of cattle, $108; Peter Ulam, cabinet maker, lot No. 11, one head of cattle, $508: Robert Walker, hatter, $100; Peter Weaver, shoemaker, one head of cattle, $33; David Weaver, one head of cattle, $8. Total valuation, $1,198.
THE KISKIMINETAS RIVER
Friday, May 18, 1838, was an important date in the history of Leechburg and of still greater economic importance to the residents of the various towns along the Kiskiminetas river. for it was successfully demonstrated on this day that the river was navigable for steam- boats. The canal above Freeport having be- come obstructed, the captain of the steamer New Castle decided to steam on up the river. He had on board a large list of passengers and
The borough of Leechburg was incorporated by act of March 22, 1850, and the first elec- a quantity of freight, and without a delay or
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
mishap he piloted the vessel right up near to the big dam, and but for that obstruction would have probably gone as far as Apollo. Returning the same day, he carried back 150 passengers and a miscellaneous freight cargo. 1
FERRIES AND BRIDGES
The first proposed public structure was naturally a bridge. A stock company with $5,000 capital was organized in 1832, but it was not until 1846 that the bridge was erected by Hugh Callen. It proved unsafe, was re- moved and a new one built, which, however, was carried away by the flood of 1861. Another was built in 1862 and swept away in March, 1875. The next bridge was built by the Kiskiminetas Bridge Co., at a cost of $25,000, in 1876. This was afterwards de- stroyed by floods and replaced by the present steel bridge in 1889, which was made free to the public in 1890. In 1907 the bridge was raised above the flood level and the approaches extended across the railroad tracks to Market street.
In 1905 the work of elevating the bridge above the high water line was done by the railroad, the two counties agreeing to pay $3,000 each for their share, but as the money was not claimed before 1913 the two counties have refused to pay the indebtedness, when the bills were presented in the latter year, claiming exemption under the law of limi- tation.
In 1886 the Pennsylvania Railroad pur- chased a quantity of land on the Leechburg side of the Kiskiminetas, built bridges at the upper and lower ends of the borough and ex- pended $2,500,000 in trackage and station houses and improvements. The trains ran through Leechburg. crossing the river twice, and connected at Anderson junction, on the Westmoreland side, with the former tracks, the tunnel on that side being used for freight trains only.
The year of the great Johnstown flood (1889) the upper bridge was carried away and the railroad was compelled to rebuild in 1901. This bridge was swept away by flood in March, 1904, and in this same year the grade on the Westmoreland side was lowered, the tunnel abandoned and the passenger trains again deserted Leechburg. The piers of the upper bridge are still standing but there is no prospect of the structure being rebuilt for the third time. The railroad, however, is pre- paring to widen and reopen the tunnel by a cut.
MANUFACTURES
A tannery was operated in 1828 by John Taylor on Spring alley and Main street. Brickmaking was also carried on at irregular intervals here. These were the only small. industries of the town in early days.
The Leechburg Foundry & Machine Co. was built in 1887, destroyed by fire in 1888 and rebuilt in the following year. The capital of the company was $100,000 and the officers were : W. A. Cochran, president; George Moesta, vice president ; W. D. Rowan, secre- tary; R. R. Moore, treasurer. In 1900 the plant was moved to Homestead, Pa., to be nearer the source of their orders.
The Pittsburgh Shovel Co. was founded in 1898, with the following officers: H. P. Goff, president ; W. S. Horner, vice president ; L. V. Walsh, treasurer; George S. Phillips, secretary and general manager ; L. W. Walker, superintendent. The factory is at the western end of the borough and employs 100 men, the product being shovels, scoops, spades and telegraph linemen's implements.
The Leechburg Flour Mills were estab- lished in 1879 by A. J. Elliott, D. B. Ash- baugh, H. H. Wray, John Young, John Wil- liams and John P. Klingensmith. Here was made the first roller process flour east of the Mississippi river. The mills are now being operated by Harry May.
The Leechburg Lumber Co. has a fine plan- ing mill and sash factory in the western end of the town, employing an average of twenty- five men. The manager and principal owner is P. A. McCracken.
LEECHBURG ROLLING MILLS
The most important industry in the town is the rolling mills, which, under different man- agements, have been in almost constant opera- tion since 1872. In 1871 Rogers & Burch- field purchased the land on which the works now stand, and in 1872 the mills were built. The plant consisted of six single puddling furnaces, two knobbling fires, one refiner's fire, six heating furnaces, four sheet heating furnaces, three annealing furnaces, two pairs of muck rolls, two pairs of sheet rolls, two pairs of tin rolls, two pairs of cold rolls, one pair of muck shears, two pairs of sheet shears, one blast cylinder with engine complete, five cylinder boilers and one Allen engine of about 350 horsepower. The quantity of finished iron made per month was two hundred and fifty tons the quality of which was equal to
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the Juniata charcoal iron and number one for stamping. All the other was equal to the best brands of sheet iron. The tin works, consist- ing of three stacks, were built in 1874. Their daily product was ninety boxes of excellent tin. The number employed in the manufac- ture of iron and tin was one hundred and fifty. They were suddenly thrown out of employment by the suspension of these works September 19, 1875.
Rogers & Burchfield, who also owned the works at Apollo, had strained their financial resources by the building of the Leechburg mill and the purchase of other property, and were unable to stem the panic of 1874, although they held out for a year, and were forced to make an assignment, Reuben Miller, Jr., of Pittsburgh being appointed assignee.
This failure of their chief source of income almost paralyzed the inhabitants of the town, which had just taken a new lease of life and grown from a village of 350 souls to a bustling trade center of 1,500. Although a new town, filled with enterprising citizens, the smaller business houses had not increased abnormally, and for a town with such a seemingly bright future the trade was not overdone and was to a large extent in conservative hands, so there were but few failures among local mer- chants and they faced the storm most heroic- ally. Some of the skilled workmen went to the newly established tin mills at Mckeesport, for Leechburg had been the first plant in the United States to make tin. Others went back to the coal mines which they had left for the seemingly more desirable work in the mills ; and many returned to their farms or hired out as laborers. Most of the workmen were from England and Wales, and had never known other than the iron or tin trade, and to these strangers in a strange land the situation was dark indeed.
This failure was most disastrous to the members of the firm themselves, quite a num- ber of local business men suffered severely by the suspension, and the loss in business could not be estimated. Mr. Rogers, only a year before, had gone to Russia to try to secure the secret of making "Russian" or planished iron and the result was such that he secured valuable patents which were after the failure bought at assignees' sale by DeWees, Wood & Co., of Mckeesport, who also re-employed many of the idle workmen.
The DeWees Wood Company had attempted previously to manufacture planished iron, but had never been very successful, but after the purchase of the Rogers & Burchfield Com-
pany's patents they successfully produced a good quality of planished iron, under their old and newly purchased patents.
A fortunate thing for the working people of the town during the panic of 1873 was the fact that the Leechburg Colliery, then being operated by the late D. B. Ashbaugh, was run- ning on full time and readily employed much surplus help that the mills had thrown out of work. This proved not only a boon at this time, but during the entire twenty-five years of its activity was one of the best assets of the town, although the mines were situated half a mile away, across the Kiskiminetas river. During the first twenty years these mines employed American labor almost exclusively, and a large number of the employes owned their own homes, paid for out of their earnings.
The iron manufactured had proved espe- cially valuable for stamping and coating for the now famous graniteware which was then just coming into favor, having but recently been discovered. The St. Louis Stamping Company were among the largest buyers of this charcoal brand, and they had been greatly disappointed by the failure, as their business suffered for want of the material which they had so thoroughly tried out. The result was that when the plant was again put into opera- tion they were among its first customers and sent an expert on, keeping him here several weeks testing the new output, which again proved satisfactory. Thus, through the agency of this and other stamping companies, Leech- burg iron has been a household article in almost every home in America and its jingle can be heard in the kitchen of the lowly or the pantry of the more affluent.
The firm fortunately resumed activities at a most opportune time, as in less than a year from their start the business of the country began to recover from the effects of the panic and a most prosperous era in the iron business set in, sheets advancing from 314 cents a pound to 7 cents within a few months, and the firm having quite a supply of raw material in pig-iron, blooms, etc., on hand, their profits were, for a time, something beyond their fondest dreams.
Coal was first used under the furnaces, but as stated in 1874 gas was substituted with suc- cess, the first use of this clean fuel in the United States. The wells were just across the Kiskiminetas river, and had been drilled by Major Beale in 1869. A line of pipe was run across the river and under the boilers, the pressure being reduced by a crude regulator devised for the occasion, and the gas was lit
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
by John Cole, the superintendent, who used a long pole with a torch on the end, fearing an explosion. The success of this experiment in- duced William Rogers to try the gas under the furnaces, and again success rewarded his enterprise. William B. Jack was the first man to apply the gas to boiler heating and James Saulters first adapted it to heating the pud- dling furnaces in the mill. Since the first use of gas here the works have been constantly consuming it under the furnaces, although con- siderable coal is now used also. The gas is much cheaper than coal, and being free from sulphur makes a much better quality of iron than can be made with bituminous coal. It was at first used for illuminating the town at night, which was done by means of a perpen- dicular gas-pipe extending upward sixty-five feet, more or less, near the rolling mill, from the top of which jets of burning gas made a large and brilliant flame, whose light was visible a great distance. That gas well was developed in 1869 by an oil company, com- posed largely, if not entirely, of citizens of Leechburg, who drilled for oil, having been induced to do so by the knowledge of the sandrocks and other strata which they gained from the geological articles written by Robert W. Smith, the historian, that had pre- viously appeared in the Union Free Press. The depth to which that well was drilled is 1,250 feet, and that of the gas sand about 1,200 feet from the surface.
In the fall of 1876 the assignee of Rogers & Burchfield advertised the mill for sale and on the day named a number of prominent iron manufacturers were on hand and every- thing looked favorable for the starting of the wheels of industry. The property consisted at that time of the sheet mills and tin mills, puddling and knobbling furnaces and the new plant for the manufacturing of tin, together with 250 acres of farm land, most of which was underlaid with coal and was available for town lots, as it adjoined the town and was in fact mostly within the borough limits. The plant had cost. at the prices prevailing at that time, about $225,000. When bidding commenced it was soon seen that no such figures would be realized and after fairly brisk competition the mill was sold for $70,000 to a man named Criswell, who was bidding for himself and Rogers, and hoped to be able to reorganize the company for the old stockholders and thus retrieve their losses. Ile failed, however, to produce the cash and the property was again advertised a few weeks later.
A new company had meanwhile been organ- ized by Major Joseph G. Beale, and when the plant was again put up at auction it was bid in for $77,000 by J. G. Beale, J. C. Kirkpatrick and J. C. Wallace, of Pittsburgh, under the firm name of Kirkpatrick, Beale & Co.
After many repairs and improvements, the plant again resumed operation, scores of the old employes returned to work and the town again resumed its prosperous appearance. From this date to the present time the mills have run with but little interruption, although changing hands several times. In 1900 the plant was sold to the Pennsylvania Steel Co., which was later incorporated in the United States Steel Corporation. The works are now operated under the name of the American Sheet & Tin Plate Company, and produce the finest grades of sheet steel.
The West Pennsylvania Steel Works were built in 1879 by Major Beale, and were the finest equipped in the country at the time, being the first steel plant in the United States to be operated entirely by American employ- ees. It was later absorbed by the United States Steel Corporation, the machinery re- moved and the site sold.
Mr. Beale had at first built only an open hearth steel furnace for producing blooms or billets and it was the first outside the Edgar Thompson plants built in the State, he paying $10,000 cash for permission to use the proc- ess, which was patented. When he later built the sheet mills as stated above he took in as partner B. F. Jennings, the firm being Jen- nings, Beale & Co. As stated this mill was later operated as the West Penn Steel Works and absorbed by the trust in 1900, wrecked and moved away.
Leechburg has furnished more managers, superintendents and promoters of sheet steel mills and steel furnaces than any town of ten times its size anywhere in the United States. The present manager of the American Sheet Steel & Tin Plate Company in the Kiskimin- etas Valley, Addison H. Beale, who has charge of the thirty-eight mills at Vandergrift, eleven mills in Leechburg, five mills in Hyde Park and six mills in Saltsburg, is a son of Hon. Joseph G. Beale, of Leechburg, and first worked in his father's mill in this place. Wil- liam Bonfield, of Follansbee, W. Va., learned the business in Leechburg mills, where he was later superintendent, and still later manager and owner at Irondale, Ohio, of the sheet mill. John McGurley, large owner and manager of the West Penn Steel Company, Brackenridge, learned the business here. Harry Sheldon and
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Lester W. Walker, of the Allegheny Steel Company, and Elmer Hicks, of the same com- pany, managers and superintendents, Taren- tum, Pa., were from Leechburg, as were Elmer Cline, of the Canton (Ohio) Rolling Mills, and Edward Sohr, of the same company, su- perintendent and manager. Oliver Bardman, of the Chester (W. Va.) Mills, Robert Lock, superintendent, manager and large owner of the Apollo (Pa.) Steel Company, Charles Moesta, owner and manager of the Moesta Machine Company, Homestead, Pa., were from here. We could name twenty other prominent owners and superintendents from Leechburg originally, but will mention only
The present handsome Grand Opera House was built in 1908 by a stock company, headed by Dr. J. D. Orr, at a cost of $47,000. The need of a building for lecture purposes by the Leechburg Lecture Association was the pri- mary reason for the erection of this play- house. It is the most complete and hand- some theatre in the county. There are also two moving picture houses in the town. The J. E. Conohon, of Canton, Ohio, who built the postoffice is in the opera house building, to-
Canton Sheet & Tin Plate Company. Captain Hicks is also a large mill owner as well as manager and part owner of twenty coal com- panies, the offices of fifteen being in Leech- burg. John W. Kirkpatrick and Daniel M. Campbell are large owners in the West Leech- burg Steel Company, employing 750 men, and both these are Leechburg men. This gives a slight idea of the importance of Leechburg as an educator in the business and manufactur- ing world.
WATER AND FIRE PROTECTION
Leechburg is well provided with an abund- ant supply of the best water in the country, from the Leechburg Water Co. reservoirs at Beaver run, in Westmoreland county. The pressure is ample to throw a stream over the tallest building.
A disastrous fire visited the town in the winter of 1889, and this moved the citizens to organize the volunteer fire company, now consisting of sixty-five active and thirty honorary members. The officers at present are: H. E. Bruce, president ; J. D. Van Tas- sel, first vice-president : S. R. Saunders, second vice-president ; M. F. Findley, secretary ; James Saulters, treasurer ; H. R. Thomas, chief ; J. M. Stanier, first assistant; J. H. May, second assistant.
The fire fighting outfit in 1913 consisted of two hose trucks and two hook and ladder trucks of old design, but quite effective in use. A new auto truck will shortly be purchased. The borough building has been fitted up as a club room for the members of the company. There they have a fine room with the lower story for hose house. They also have hose house No. 2, in the northern part of the town.
story building in the center of the town, at a cost of $40,000, the lower floors being designed in part for stores. The hotel has been named the "Twaddle." Since 1911 the lessee has been A. A. Gales: Another hotel, the "Gra- ham," is conducted by D. T. Graham.
gether with store rooms, Masonic hall and the offices of the Armstrong Coal Company.
The borough building was erected in 1893 and is used by the town officials and the Leech- burg Volunteer Fire Company as a meeting place. The hose and ladder trucks are housed in the first floor, and there are also three store rooms.
BANKS
The First National Bank of Leechburg was chartered in 1900 with a capital of $50,000. In 1913 it is one of the few "Roll of Honor" banks in the United States, with a surplus and profits in excess of its capitalization. The officers are: Alfred Hicks, president: J. R. Long, first vice-president; Joseph Kepple, second vice-president ; C. J. Nieman, cashier. The additional directors arc: N. H. Slonaker, L. W. Hicks, James B. Smail, Josiah Klingen- smith and Daniel Gosser.
The Farmers' National Bank was chartered in 1908, with a capital of $50,000. The officers are: D. M. Campbell, president ; J. D. Flude, first vice-president ; P. A. McCracken, second vice-president ; C. F. Armstrong, cashier ; James W. Saulters, assistant cashier. These officers, with the addition of H. R. Sheffield, W. M. Swank, H. S. Zimmerman, S. R. Saunders, J. H. Parks, A. H. Beale and G. A. Hunger, form the board of directors.
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