USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Blair County, Pennsylvania > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
1. STATISTICS OF POPULATION.
CENSUS.
Males.
Females.
Total.
1850
11,181
10,588
21,777
1860
14,099
13,730
27,829
1870
18,878
19,173
38,051
1880
26,432
26,308
52,740
1890
35,892
34,974
70,866
RACE AND NATIVITY.
CENSUS.
White.
Colored.
Native.
Foreign.
1850
21,517
260
. .
...
1860
27,546
283
25,195
2,634
1870.
37,665
386
34,711
5,386
1880
52,257
483
48,882
4,936
1890
70,057
809
64,989
5,877
NATIVITY BY PLACE OF BIRTH.
PLACE. .
Census 1870.
Census 1880.
Born in the State
33,865
47,233
Maryland
268
615
New York
99
201
Virginia.
124
182
Ohio
60
134
New Jersey
78
104
Massachusetts
43
Delaware
32
Connecticut
17
West Virginia
32
75
Ireland.
1,491
1,515
German Empire.
1,324
1,505
England and Wales
339
415
Scotland.
37
50
France.
45
49
Sweden and Norway ..
16
33
Switzerland
31
33
Poland
22
Holland.
2
POPULATION OF MINOR CIVIL DIVISIONS.
TOWNSHIP OR BOROUGH.
1850.
1860.
Allegheny
2,352
1,649
Antis
2,452
2,204
Altoona.
3,591
Blair
991
1,176
Catharine
889
815
Freedom
792
Gaysport.
590
60
Greenfield.
1,032
1,099
Frankstown.
1,482
1,363
Hollidaysburg boro.
2,430
2,469
Huston
1,174
1,214
Juniata.
1,752
545
Logan ..
2,538
Martinsburg boro.
442
464
North Woodbury
1,836
907
Snyder
1,090
1,422
Taylor.
1,137
Tyrone.
1,068
1,766
Williamsburg boro.
747
798
Woodbury
1,450
1,279
Totals
21,777
27,829
11
British America.
137
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
In preceding table Williamsburg is given as a borough ; below as a village.
TOWNSHIP OR BOROUGH.
1870.
1880.
1890.
Allegheny
1,913
2,149
2,850
Altoona city
10,610 19,710 30,337
Ward 1.
1,925
2,734
3,273
Ward 2
2,521
3,340
4,680
Ward 3
1,687
2,491
3,049
Ward 4.
1,771
2,587
3,415
Ward 5
1,387
2,708
4,457
Ward 6
1,319
3,058
4,996
Greenfield
1,032
1,099
1,229
Huston
1,165
1,214
1,335
Juniata
1,752
545
621
Logan
2,517
2,409
North Woodbury.
1,829
906
953
Blair
1,571
1,094
1,143
Martinsburg
436
456
531
Catharine
907
596
513
East Tyrone boro.
279
435
E. Hollidaysburg boro.
1,553
1,753
1,505
Freedom.
1,020
1,228
1,140
Gaysport boro
799
764
867
Greenfield
1,233
1,285
1,319
Hollidaysburg boro
2,952
3,150
2,975
Ward 1
889
816
Ward 2
504
676
Ward 3
638
60
Ward 4
921
874
Huston
1,335
1,533
1,391
Juniata
621
729
684
Logan
2,422
4,590
7,688
Martinsburg boro.
536
567
588
Newry boro
953
1,695
1,651
Frankstown
4
0
2
Roaring Spring boro
489
920
Snyder
1,412
1,424
2,011
Taylor
1,368
2,011
1,116
Tyrone boro.
1,840
2,678
4,705
Juniata
0
0
0
Logan.
North Woodbury
7
1
0
Martinsburg.
6
8
5
Snyder
7
0
0
Tyrone boro
35
30
Woodbury
2,107
894
2.112
Williamsburg village.
821
566
888
Totals
38,051 52,740 70,866
WIIITE POPULATION.
TOWNSHIP OR BOROUGH.
1850
1860
1870
Allegheny
2,329
1,642
1,902
Altoona
3,539
10,462
Antis
2,450
2,204
1,893
Blair
972
1,171
1,561
Gaysport
571
587
790
Hollidaysburg
2,289
2,354
2,815
Catharine
885
815
907
Frankstown
1,478
1,363
1,551
Freedom.
792
1,020
Ward 7
823
1,985
Ward 8
1,969
4,482
Antis
1,893
2,281
2,060
Bellwood boro.
366
1,146
Snyder.
1,083
1,422
1,412
Tyrone boro
....
1,137
1,368
Tyrone
1,061
1,758
1,005
Woodbury
1,448
1,279
2,091
Williamsburg vil ..
737
781
815
COLORED POPULATION.
TOWNSHIP OR BOROUGH.
1850
1860
1870
Allegheny
23
7
11
Altoona
52
148
Antis
2
0
0
Blair
19
5
10
Gaysport
19
14
9
Hollidaysburg
141
115
137
Catharine
4
0
0
Freedom
0
0
Greenfield
0
0
4
Huston
9
0
0
Ward 1
830
Ward 2.
1,171
1,288
Ward 4.
1,416
Tyrone
1,006
1,004
1,239
Taylor
..
0
0
Tyrone
7
8
1
Woodbury
2
0
16
Williamsburg vil.
10
17
6
..
21
13
Ward 3
326
335
North Woodbury
Taylor
706
1,810
136
Frankstown
188
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
SCHOOL, MILITARY, AND VOTING AGES.
The following table gives the number of pupils, persons subject to military duty, and the voters in the county, from 1850 to 1880.
Census.
School.
Military.
Voters.
1850
8,421
3,743
5,118
1860
10,535
4,605
6,325
1870
12,593
6,885
8,155
1880
16,547
10,474
12,713
The statistics of 1850 and 1860, in the above table, are approximated. The school age of 1870 and 1880 is given in the United States reports from five to seventeen years of age, instead of six to twenty-one years, the true school age of the State. No sta- tisties of 1890 are given, as the part of the census reports of that year relating to these subjects has not been issued yet by the United States government.
II. STATISTICS OF MANUFACTURE.
CONDENSED STATISTICS.
Ceusns.
Establishments.
Employees.
1860
133
1,031
1870
440
3,624
1880
254
2,192
In this table and the one following, as in many other compilations in this work, no statistics for 1890 can be given, because the government has not yet (1892) issued those parts of the census containing the required information. Strange as it may appear, it seems impossible for the United States government to get one census com- pletely issued until nearly time to under- take its, successor.
Ceusas.
Capital.
Material.
Products.
1860 ... $1,609,290
$ 986,494
$1,510,449
1870 ... 4,145,430
3,704,301
6,428,366
1880 ... 3,017,563
2,752,243
4,233,552
This table and the one following include every mechanical or manufacturing establish- ment in Blair county, returned at the Tenth census as having had during 1880 a product of five hundred dollars. In comparisons of values of 1870 and 1880, it must be recol- lected that the values of 1870 were expressed in a currency which was at a great discount in gold, and for purposes of comparison the values of 1870 should be reduced one-fifth. Also, while capital, products and the number of employees increased largely from 1870 to 1880, that there was not an appreciable in- crease of the number of establishments, on account of the concentration of labor and capital in large shops and factories. No United States census has ever embraced in its statistics of manufactures the full pro- ductions of the hand trades of mason, car- penter, blacksmith, cooper, painter, plumber, and several others of less importance.
SELECTED STATISTICS OF MANUFACTURES.
1860. 1870. 1880.
Bakeries
7 5
Boots and shoes
8
. .
...
Carriages and wagons
3
13
1
Cars
3
1
Carpets
2
. .
Coke
4
Flouring mills
35
36 35
Foundry and machine shops ... ...
...
2
Furniture
1
15
13
Gas.
1
1
Iron and steel
25
28
16
Leather, tanned
11 11
10
Liquors, malt.
1
6
8
Lumber, planed
1
7
7
Lumber, sawed.
8
Men's clothing.
3
17 ...
Saddlery and harness
4
9
..
Tin, copper, sheet iron
2
13
12
Woolen goods
3
4
...
...
. .
139
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
In 1880 there were four coke works in Blair county, with one hundred and ninety ovens. Their output was 98,154 tons of coke, worth $212,102. The capital invested in these works was $110,000, while the land-two thousand three hundred and forty-five acres-cost $470,000. They gave employment to one hundred and seven men, whose yearly wages was $38,764.
TOTAL MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.
Census.
Establishments.
Capital.
Employees.
1860
133
$1,609,290
1,031
1870
440
4,145,430
3,624
1880
254
3,017,563
2,192
III. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
Census,
No. Farms.
Aeres Improved. Unimproved.
1850
80,033
55,150
1860
906
88,379
51,885
1870
1,053
98,285
52,500
1880
1,536
128,068
64,295
Of the 1,536 farms in the county in 1880, 1,045 were cultivated by their owners, while 62 were rented, and 429 were tilled for a share of their products.
Census.
Cash Value Farms.
Value Implements.
1850
$3,869,205
$120,778
1860
4,995,315
140,522
1870
8,098,146
277,788
1880
8,895,772
268,655
Farms as above referred to include all considerable nurseries, orchards, and market gardens, and no tract of land less than three acres in extent is considered as a farm un- less the value of its yearly product is five hundred dollars or more.
The census of 1860 only gave slight at- tention to the subject of the orchard and market garden values, and a thorough re- port of the subject was never made until 1880.
CEREALS.
Census.
Bus. Wheat.
Corn.
Oats.
1850
267,349
145,851
173,017
1860
189,072
399,510
139,216
1870
259,599
339,922 266,348
1880
272,296
474,297
143,068
The above table gives the three leading cereals of the county, while the product of the three minor ones is presented in the following table :
Census.
Bus. Rye.
Barley.
Buckwheat.
1850
50,825
3,636
5,226
1860.
77,526
21,015
18,716
1870
64,839
19,275
7,025
1880.
39,167
20,986
14,959
MEADOW PRODUCTS.
Census.
Tons Hay.
Bu. Clover Seed.
Bu. Grass Seed.
1850
13,637
1,387
50
1860
15,778
7,813
85
1870
20,677
6,033
94
1880
12,876
3,056
327
The grass crop is the greatest of all the crops of the country, and in addition to the pasturage, the value of the hay erop nearly equals that of the greatest of the cereals.
PULSE AND ROOT CROP.
Census.
Bu. Peas and Beans. Irish Potatoes. Sweet Potatoes.
1850
25,192
4
1860
77
95,575
118
1870
72
85,938
20
1880
285
142,626
329
DAIRY PRODUCTS.
Census.
Lbs. Butter.
Gals. Milk Sold.
Lbs. Cheese.
1850
$ 1,276
1860
10,962
737
1860 323,238
..
2,083
1870
40,863
3,859
1870 294,879
446,634
100
1880.
85,962
14,477
1880
409,690
141,316
124
... . ..
1,758
1850 203,088
Census.
Val. Orchard Products. Val. Market Gardens.
140
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Dairy products have to be secured by combining the statistics of agriculture with those of manufactures.
SUGAR AND MOLASSES.
Census.
Lbs. Maple.
Gals. Maple. Gals Sorghum.
1850
2,550
40
...
1860
1,764
229
...
1870
762
30
20
1880
4,084
306
13
The production of sugar and molasses has been among the most difficult subjects of enumeration in the agricultural census.
APIARY AND VINEYARD PRODUCTS.
Census.
Lbs. Honey.
Beeswax.
Gals. Wine.
1850
289
2
1860
4,070
125
1870
1,275
78
1,583
1880
5,900
262
In 1879 there were 60,664 fowls in the county, of which 52,789 were barn-yard, or common stock. The product of eggs was 222,402 dozen. The statistics of poultry and eggs were gathered, for the first time, by the census of 1880, which showed that over one hundred and twenty-five millions of fowls were in the United States in that year.
WOOL, HOPS AND FLAX.
Census.
Lbs. Wool.
Hops.
Flax.
Bus. Flax Seed.
1850
26,278
80
395
71
1860
21,850
299
709
57
1870
19,666
14
180
9
1880
35,499
....
5
63
LIVE STOCK.
Census
Horses.
Mules.
Milch Cows.
Other Cattle.
1850
3,512
89
3,768
5,897
1860
3,966
22
4,379
7,394
1870
4,322
41
4,242
6,006
1880
4,675
141
5,638
8,346
In the above table oxen are included under the head of other cattle, and the following table will give sheep and swine and the value of live and slaughtered stock.
Census. Sheep. Swine Val. Live Stock. Slaught. Stock.
1850 .. 10,227
9,712 $348,644
$ 73,615
1860 .. 7,710
9,059 551,118 111,867
1870 .. 8,372
6,781 798,164 187,971
1880 .. 7,843 10,428
The animals reported in the census are those which are found on farms only. The number of sheep and cattle thus omitted is so small as to be insignificant, while the number of milch cows is not inconsiderable, and the number of horses employed in trade and owned by professional men, livery stable keepers, and others not farmers, is large. The number of swine not kept by farmers exceed all other animals kept elsewhere than on the farm.
WEALTH.
Township.
Real Estate.
Personal Property.
Total.
Allegheny .... $
224,575 $12,050
$236,625
Antis
332,220
22,031
354,251
Blair
209,300
12,615
221,915
Catharine.
232,345
10,625
242,970
Frankstown .
349,503
17,998
367,501
Freedom.
85,465
12,005
97,470
Greenfield.
106,220
10,145
116,365
Huston
317,572
14,872
332,444
Juniata
76,013
4,575
80,588
Logan
489,240
27,975
517,215
N. Woodbury
375,180
15,751
390,931
Snyder.
171,603
7,785
179,388
Taylor
379,830
22,042
401,872
Tyrone
344,100
22,150
366,250
Woodbury.
421,965
24,001
445,966
City.
Altoona.
1,729,340
23,910 1,753,250
Boroughs.
Hollidaysb'g.
315,125
11,640
326,765
Tyrone
301,070
6,125
307,195
Total of towns
under 1,000
193,000
23,501
216,501
Totals
$6,653,666 301,796 6,955,462
141
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
Taxation .- The amount of taxes in Blair county in 1879 was: State, $597; county, $58,992; township, $69,203; and school, $64,927; making a total of $193,719.
Indebtedness .- The indebtedness of the county in 1879 was as follows: County bonded debt, $124,000; township floating debt, $32; school distinct bonded debt, $4,929; city and township bonded debt, $451,819; and city and township floating debt, $12,859; making a total of $593,639.
Miscellaneous. - We give the following lists of county officers, which were not compiled in time to be placed under the civil roster commencing on page 56 of this work.
PRESIDENT JUDGES.
1846. Jeremiah S. Black. 1849. George Taylor. 1871-91. John Dean.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
1846. George R. McFarlane.
1847. Daniel McConnell.
1848. Davis Brooke.
1851. James Gardner.
1851. Levi Slingluff.
1854. James D. Rea.
1855. James L. Gwin.
1855. David Caldwell.
1855. John Penn Jones.
1860. Adam Moses.
1860. Samuel Dean.
1865. B. F. Rose.
1870. George W. Patton.
1870. Joseph Irwin.
1875. Charles J. Mann.
1875. Samuel Smith.
1881 (Jan.) Robert Stewart.
1881 (Jan.) Robert Gamble.
1881 (Sept.) Joseph Fitchtner.
Robert Gamble died in a short time after
taking his seat. Joseph Fitchtner was ap - pointed in his place, and at the next elec- tion was elected for a term of five years.
Since the county was made a judicial cir - cuit there have been no associate judges.
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, FROM 1846 To 1892.
1846. Col. John Cresswell. David M. Hoffius.
1851. Joseph Kemp. George A. Coffey.
1854. Essington Hammond.
1857. Benjamin L. Hewit.
1863. John H. Keatly.
1868. John Dean.
1871. Milton Alexander.
1874. James F. Milliken. Thomas W. Jackson.
1880. J. D. Hicks.
1888, Martin Bell, jr.
CORONERS. -
1855. James Funk.
1858. William Fox.
1864. Jacob Weidensall.
1869. John W. Humes.
1880. W. H. Glenn.
1889. Michael Poet.
SURVEYORS.
1862. Henry C. Nicodemus.
1875. John M. Gibboney.
1878. Francis Cassiday.
1883. Samuel Katterman.
1886. O. M. Irvine.
1889. H. C. Love.
AUDITORS.
1847. Charles E. Kinkead.
1847. William P. Dysart.
1847. James Wilson.
1848. William Reed.
1850. James L. Gwin.
142
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
1850. David Tate.
1851. Jacob Walter.
1851. George W. Smith. 1852. James A. McCahan. 1853. Samuel Smith.
1854. Henry Lingenfelter.
1855. John Hagerty.
1856. John W. Tippery.
1857. Samuel Morrow. 1858. A. C. McCartney. 1859. Joseph R. Hewit.
1860. A. M. Lloyd. 1861. R. M. Messimer. 1862. L. Lowry Moore. 1863. David Henshey. 1863. John A. Crawford.
1864. Alexander Knox. 1864. George W. Reed.
1865. M. D. Thatcher. 1866. Abraham Robison.
1866. James McKim. 1867. D. E. MeCahan. 1868. S. A. Fulton.
1868. George W. Hoover.
1869. William H. Canan.
1869. J. D. Hicks.
1870. William H. Calvert.
1871. John C. Robison. 1872. J. J. Noffsker.
1873. Martin Bell, jr.
1874. Alexander Knox.
1875. Charles E. Butler.
1876. J. Ross Mateer. 1876. B. F. Custer. 1876. J. E. Hagey. 1879. . S. C. Baker ..
1879. J. H. Isett.
1879. A. C. Clapper. 1881. A. T. Wilson. 1881. H. C. Lorenze. 1881. J. H. Patterson. 1884. William L. Shellenberger.
1884. George R. Stiffler.
1884. A. J. Filler.
1887. George R. Stiffler.
1887. David Koch.
1887. A. J. Filler.
1890. George A. Stiffler.
1890. D. D. Coleman.
1890. James Condrin.
DIRECTORS OF THE POOR.
1849. William Bell.
1849. Joseph Fay.
1849. J. A. Landis.
1851. Edward McGraw.
1851. Jacob Igo.
1851. J. G. McKee.
1852. John Bennett.
1852. George Cowen.
1853. C. Stoner.
1854. David Fleck.
1855. C. Guyer. 1856. M. Wike.
1857. Samuel Shryver.
1858. George Weaver.
1859. John B. Riddle.
1860. Peter Good.
1861. William Burley.
1862. David Aurandt.
1863. Jacob Nicodemus.
1864. Samuel Jones.
1865. Samuel Moore.
1866. Stephen Hammond.
1867. Samuel Smith.
1868. David Crawford.
1869. Jacob Stifler.
1870. Abraham Loudon.
1870. Andrew Biddle, appointed.
1870. John M. Bush, appointed.
1871. James M. Johnston.
1872. F. D. Young.
1873. Albert Wilson.
1874. Joseph Riddle.
143
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
1875. David Bell.
1876. Edward Bell.
1877. John S. Biddle.
1878. David Bell. 1879. J. C. Mattern.
1880. Eli Smith.
1881. David Bell.
1882. William Richardson.
1883. John Loudon.
1884. John A. Crawford.
1885. Joseph Robison.
1886. John Loudon.
1887. John A. Crawford.
1888. Alex. J. McKee.
1889. John Loudon.
1890. John A. Crawford.
1891. Alex. J. McKee.
We extract the following interesting description of the history and progress of Blair county and the Juniata valley in 1855, from Jones' valuable History of the Juniata Valley :
" When the early settlers were apprised of the fact that some of the more enterpris- ing contemplated cutting a pack-horse road over the Allegheny mountains, through Blair's Gap, they shook their heads omin- ously, and declared that the task was one which could not be accomplished. But it was accomplished ; and after its completion, it was not many years until the pack-horse track was transformed into a wagon road. People were well satisfied with this arrange- ment; for no sooner was there a good road along the river than some daring men com- menced taking produce to the east, by the use of arks, from the Frankstown branch, the Raystown branch, and the Little Juni- ata. With these advantages, a majority of the inhabitants labored under the impres- sion that they were keeping pace with the age; but others, endowed with a fair share
of the progressive spirit which characterizes the American people, commenced agitating the project of making a turnpike between Huntingdon and Blairsville. The old fogies of the day gave this innovation the cold shoulder, spoke of the immense cost, and did not fail to count the expense of travel- ing upon such a road. But little were their murmurings heeded by the enterprising men of the valley. The fast friend of the turnpike was Mr. Blair, of Blair's Gap, west of Hollidaysburg. His influence was used in the halls of the legislature until he in- jured his political standing; nevertheless, he persevered until the company was char- tered, and he soon had the satisfaction of seeing the turnpike road completed. Once built, it was found to be rather a desirable institution, and its value soon removed all opposition to it.
"Anon came the startling proposition of building a canal along the Juniata, and a railroad over the Allegheny mountains, to connect the waters of the Juniata and the Conemaugh. To men of limited informa- tion the project seemed vague and ill-de- fined; while knowing old fogies shook their heads, and declared that a canal and a turn- pike both could not be sustained, and that, if the former could accomplish the wonders claimed for it, the teams that carried goods between Philadelphia and Pittsburg in the short space of from fifteen to twenty days would be compelled to suspend operations ! But the opposition to the canal was too in- significant to claim notice; and when the building of it was once commenced an im- provement mania raged. The stately and learned engineer, Moncure Robinson, was brought all the way from England to sur- ยท vey the route for the Portage road. Like a very colossus of Rhodes, he strode about
144
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
the mountain, and his nod and beck, like that of imperial Caesar upon his throne, was the law, from which there was no ap- peal. By dint of long labor, and at a vast expense to the Commonwealth, he demon- strated clearly that a road could be built across the mountain, and rendered prac- ticable by the use of ten inclined planes. Alas! for the perishable nature of glory ! Moncure Robinson had hardly time to reach his home, and boast of the honor and fame he achieved in the new world, before a Yankee engineer discovered that a railroad could be built across the Allegheny moun- tain without the use of a single plane! Of course, then, he was thought a visionary, and that not a quarter of a century ago; yet now we have two railroads crossing the mountain without the use of a plane, and the circumstance appears to attract no other remark than that of ineffable disgust at the old fogies who could not make a road to cross the Appalachian chain without the tedious operation of being hoisted up and lowered down by stationary engines.
"The era of 'flush times' in the valley must have been when the canal was build- ing. Splendid fortunes were made, and vast sums of money sunk, by the wild specula- ticas which followed the advent of the con- tractors and the sudden rise of property lying along the river. As an instance of the briskness of the times in the valley when the canal was building, an old settler in- forms us that Frankstown at that time con- tained . fourteen stores, five taverns, and four roulette tables. At present, we be- lieve, it contains but two or three stores, one tavern, and no gambling apparatus to re- lieve the reckless of their surplus change.
"The completion of the canal was the great event of the day, and the enthusiasm
of the people could scarcely be kept within bounds when, the ponderous boats com- menced ploughing the ditch. This will be readily believed by any one who will read the papers published at that time. From a paper printed in Lewistown on the 5th of November, 1829, we learn that a packet- boat arrived at that place from Mifflin on the Thursday previous, and departed again next day, having on board a number of members of the legislature, as well as citi- zens and strangers. The editor, in speaking of their departure, enthusiastically says : 'The boat was drawn by two white horses, when she set off in fine style, with the ' Star Spangled Banner' flying at her head, and amid the roar of cannon, the shouts of the populace, and the cheering music of the band which was on board.' Reader, this was a little over twenty-six years ago; and the jubilee was over a packet capable of accomplishing the mighty task of carrying some forty or fifty passengers at the rate of about four miles an hour. The climax of joy, however, appears to have been reached by the editor of the Huntingdon Gazette, on the 15th of July, 1831, when he became jubilant over the launch of a canal-boat, and gave vent to the following outburst : ' What ! a canal-boat launched in the vicinity of Huntingdon! Had any one predicted an event of this kind some years back, he, in all probability, would have been yelept a wizard, or set down as beside himself!'
"These gushings of intensified joy, al- though they serve to amuse now, do not fail to convey a useful lesson. Let us not glory too much over the demon scream of the locomotive as it comes rattling through the valley, belching forth fire and smoke, or the miraculous telegraph, which conveys messages from one end of the Union to the
145
OF BLAIR COUNTY.
other, with the rapidity with which a lover's sigh would be wafted from the Indies to the Pole; for who knows but that the succeeding generation, following in the footsteps made by the universal law of pro- gress, will astonish the world with inven- tions not dreamed of in our philosophy, which will throw our electric telegraphs and railroads forever in the shade ?
"For eighteen years, with the exception of the winter months, the canal packet held sway in the Juniata valley, carrying its average of about thirty passengers a day from the East to the West, and vice versa. When hoar old winter placed an embargo upon the canal craft, travel used to dwindle down to such a mere circum- stance that a rickety old two-horse coach could easily carry all the passengers that offered. Who among us that has arrived at the age of manhood does not recollect the packet-boat, with its motley group of passengers, its snail pace, its consequential captain, and its non-communicative steers- man, who used to wake the echoes with the 'to-to-to-to-toit' of his everlasting horn, and his hoarse cry of 'Lock ready ?' The canal-packet was unquestionably a great institution in its day and generation, and we remember it with emotions almost akin to veneration. Right well do we remem- ber, too, how contentedly people sat beneath the scorching rays of a broiling sun upon the packet, as it dragged its slow length along the sinuous windings of the canal, at an average speed of three and a half or four miles an hour; and yet the echo of the last packet-horn has scarcely died away when we see the self-same people standing upon a station-house platform, on the verge of despair because the cars happen to be ten ininutes behind time, or hear them call-
ing down maledictions dire upon the head of some offending conductor who refuses to jeopardize the lives of his passengers by running faster than thirty miles an hour!
" At length, after the canal had enjoyed a sixteen years' triumph, people began to consider it a 'slow coach ;' and without much debate, the business men of Philadel- phia resolved upon a railroad between Har- risburg and Pittsburg. The project had hardly been fairly determined upon before the picks and shovels of the 'Corkonians' and ' Fardowns' were brought into requisi- tion ; but, strange to say, this giant under- taking struck no one as being extraordinary. It was looked upon as a matter of course, and the most frequent remarks it gave rise to were complaints that the making of the road did not progress rapidly enough to keep pace with the progress of the age. And, at length, when it was completed, the citizens of Lewistown did not greet the arrival of the first train with drums, trum- pets, and the roar of cannon; neither did any Huntingdon editor exclaim, in a burst of enthusiasm, on the arrival of the train there, 'What! nine railroad cars, with six hundred passengers, drawn through IIunt- ingdon by a locomotive ! If any person had predicted such a result some years ago, he would have been yelept a wizard, or set down as one beside himself!'
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.