USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Connellsville > Centennial history of the borough of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, 1806-1906 > Part 28
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Connellsville borough contracted for twenty-eight arc lights and sixteen incandescent series lamps-a contract was made with New Haven Borough for seven arc and two series lamps.
The power house was situated at the corner of Grape and Mountain alleys, on land purchased from H. P. Sny- der and now occupied by the Connellsville Distilling Com- pany. The building was a substantial brick, and the foun- dations for the machinery were put in in the most approved manner. Cedar poles were used for transmission lines, which were exceptionally well installed. The plant was a good one in every respect, as evidenced by the fact that for the thirteen years of its existence the incandescent system was out not more than ten minutes on three occasions, and the arc lights were out only three or four nights, for which heavy storms were responsible. Work was commenced on the plant about November 1st, 1889, and the lights turned on February 9th, 1890.
W. A. Bishop was made superintendent in the fall of 1891. The plant grew steadily till in 1904 it had a capa-
417
PUBLIC UTILITIES
city of some 8,000 incandescent sixteen candle power lights and about 14,000 wired up. The meter system was in- stalled shortly after the plant began operation, which ac- counts for the large number of lights connected with its lines in excess of its capacity. The arc lighting had grown in the meantime to a capacity of 150 lamps with about 100 lamps in service.
Parties interested in the Pittsburgh, Mckeesport and Connellsville Railway Company bought out the local owners June 2, 1902, at which time the officers and directors were J. M. Reid, president; E. T. Norton, secretary and treas- urer ; Charles Davidson, John D. Frisbee and Kell Long.
A list of the original stockholders follows with the number of shares held by each :
Name. Shares.
Charles Davidson Twenty (20)
J. S. McCaleb Fifty (50)
Kell Long
Ten (10)
R. S. Paine
Ten (10)
Eugene T. Norton Ten (10)
John D. Frisbee.
Twenty-five (25)
H. C. Huston
Five ( 5)
H. P. Snyder
Five ( 5)
H. S. Spear
One ( 1)
T. H. White. Fifteen (15)
Chas. H. Ways Two
( 2)
J. M. Reid. .
Twenty (20)
H. C. McCormick One
( 1)
Ellis Phillips
Ten
(10)
James Allen
Ten
(10)
George A. Torrence
Ten
(10)
W. A. McHugh
Five
( 5)
W. S. Hood.
Two
( ?)
A. W. Hood.
Two
( ?)
B. F. Boyts
Five
( 5)
J. A. Zimmerman. Five
( 5)
A. W. Bishop Two ( 2)
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
Name.
Shares.
H. P. Berryhill One
( 1)
J. F. Norcross . One
( 1)
D. F. Everett. Two
( 2)
S. Buttermore One
( 1)
G. R. Long Ten
(10)
G. F. Pritchard
One ( 1)
John Davidson
Three
( 3)
J. R. Davidson.
Three ( 3)
J. C. Sloan.
Three ( 3)
C. M. Miller
Three ( 3)
I. C. Smutz.
One
( 1)
T. F. Mahon
Two
( 2)
John Jay Gregg One
( 1)
Thomas Adams Five
( 5)
W. H. Thomas.
Two
( 2)
W. H. Soisson.
Two
( 2)
John F. McClelland Two
( 2)
John Henry® Two
( 2)
J. M. Kurtz
Two
( 2)
S. E. Shepp
Two
( 2)
John Dean
Three
( 3)
A. W. Bauman Two
( 2)
John A. Guiler
One
( 1)
J. C. Munson. Ten (10)
John B. Marietta One
( 1)
Samuel Heffly Two
( 2)
George W. Stauffer Two
( 2)
John L. Gans. Five
( 5)
On December 5, 1904, the company was merged into the West Penn Electric Company, an auxiliary of the West Penn Railways Company. The old power house was abandoned-current being taken from the large station of the Railways Company described elsewhere in this history.
WEST PENN ELECTRIC COMPANY.
The acts of the Legislature of Pennsylvania providing
419
PUBLIC UTILITIES
for the incorporation of certain companies do not make it legally possible to conduct the electric lighting business under a street railway charter. That income and profit from its surplus power might be properly realized the West Penn Railways Company organized December 5, 1904, the West Penn Electric Company with a capital stock of $500,- 000.00 and the following officers and directors: W. S. Kuhn, president ; J. B. Van Wagener, vice president; J. H. Purdy, secretary ; J. F. Cockburn, treasurer and Jerome Hill, Jr.
C. W. Scheck is now secretary and J. B. Van Wagener vice president and treasurer-no other changes are noted in the organization.
This company now practically controls the electric lighting and power business of Fayette and Westmoreland counties. Among the more important plants operated by it are ones at Connellsville and New Haven, Uniontown, Scottdale, Greensburg, Mt. Pleasant, Dawson and a num- ber of smaller installations and much isolated business trib- utary to its lines.
THE YOUGH LIGHT, HEAT AND POWER COMPANY.
Organized primarily to furnish power to the Connells- ville Suburban Street Railway Company and light to South Connellsville, this company was incorporated April 26, 1899, with $15,000.00 capital (shares $30.00 each) and the fol- lowing directors and officers: Joseph Soisson, president ; John D. Frisbee, Joseph D. Madigan, W. A. Davidson, John F. Soisson, George J. Humbert and S. R. Slaymaker. R. W. Soisson as secretary and treasurer.
Shortly after the erection of the plant a franchise was secured from Connellsville Borough, and the lines extended over a part of the town for an incandescent lighting service, in competition with the Electric Company. Its power house was located at South Connellsville. This company is still
420
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
in existence although it was sold early in 1902 to interests at present identified with the West Penn Electric Com- pany.
CONNELLSVILLE, NEW HAVEN AND LEISEN- RING STREET RAILWAY COMPANY.
In the summer and fall of 1890, John K. Ewing, Jr., secured the necessary rights of way for an electric street railway from Connellsville to Leisenring, Pa. On account of the inability of the company to secure the right to cross the suspension bridge (which was not considered strong enough to carry such heavy traffic) the line was built from New Haven to Leisenring under a charter from the state of Pennsylvania dated May 9, 1891. The authorized capi- tal was $100,000.00 divided into 2,000 shares of the par value of $50.00 each; $70,000.00 of which was paid in and bonds issued for $30,000.00.
The officers and directors were John D. Frisbee, presi- dent ; Joseph Soisson, A. D. Boyd, John K. Ewing, Na- thaniel Ewing, John K. Ewing, Jr., (who was also secre- tary), and E. T. Norton, treasurer. John L. Gans was superintendent and looked after the construction of the road, which was completed October 31, 1891. The first car was run on the afternoon of that day. The car was crowded, for many were drawn out of curiosity to see the operation of the first "trolley" in Fayette county. It was in charge of a representative of the General Electric Com- pany, which had furnished and installed the electrical and power equipment of the road.
The run out to Leisenring was very successful, on the return trip, however, while coming down the hill into New Haven the motorman lost control of the car. He put on the brakes, but the car slid and struck a passing freight train at the crossing of the South West Pennsylvania Rail- road's "Possum Run" branch. The car struck with such violence that it was thrown back and turned clear around ;
209
WEST PENN.
209
A DECADE ON THE WEST PENN. SYSTEM
422
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
the rear end of the car was demolished. The motorman and two or three others on the front platform jumped- escaping unhurt, but a man and a boy on the rear plat- form were thrown under the wheels of the passing train- the man being killed and the boy losing a leg. The other occupants of the car came out unhurt excepting slight in- juries from broken glass, etc., sustained by three or four, and the general shaking up and fright given.
This was a serious blow to the commercial and finan- cial success of the road, and plans were at once laid to avoid this dangerous grade, which was accomplished, about a year and a half later, by the purchase of a private right of way through the Hogg and Banning properties and building about one half mile of track.
About the same time this change was being made an extension was built westward from Leisenring to Graham's Crossing, about a mile and a quarter nearer Leisenring No. 3 or Monarch.
The road was operated under practically the same man- agement for nine years until December 31, 1900, when it was merged into the Pittsburgh, Mckeesport and Connells- ville Railway Company.
Prior to this merger, however, the line had been oper- ated for a short time by the Mr. Pleasant, Scottdale and Connellsville Electric Street Railway Company, and later by the Connellsville and Uniontown Railway Company-both of these companies being afterwards absorbed by the Pitts- burgh, Mckeesport and Connellsville Railway Company, which in turn was merged into the West Penn Interurban Railway Company.
The Pittsburgh, Mckeesport and Connellsville Railway Company was capitalized at $3,500,000.00 stock and $3,- 500,000.00 in 5 per cent bonds-it was incorporated under Pennsylvania laws, December 31, 1900. The project was conceived by W. W. Staub, a telegraph operator of Pitts- burgh, who proposed to build a line covering the entire Con- nellsville Coke Region and connecting it with Pittsburg.
1
ENGINE ROOM-THE WEST PENN. POWER PLANT
424
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
The first step was the purchase of the Connellsville, New Haven and Leisenring Railway Company and was carried through successfully by enlisting W. H. Graham as presi- dent and M. K. Salsbury, secretary (both Pittsburgh men) who, by buying other small lines through the district to be covered, evolved what is now the
WEST PENN RAILWAYS COMPANY.
A Pennsylvania corporation with an authorized capital stock of $6,000,000.00 ($3,250,000.00, common stock and $2,750,000.00 of 5 per cent, non-cumulative preferred stock) and $6,000,000.00 in five per cent bonds of which $3,026,000.00 are outstanding. The officers of the com- pany are E. C. Converse, chairman of board; W. S. Kuhn, president ; J. S. Kuhn, vice president; R. P. Watt, secre- tary; J. B. Van Wagener, treasurer. Directors: E. C. Converse, W. S. Kuhn, R. P. Watt, J. B. Van Wagener, John E. Borne, W. H. Graham, W. A. Shaw, C. A. Painter and. A. J. Retzki.
This company was incorporated February 19, 1904, and now traverses the most remote parts of the "Coke county." The manager is W. E. Moore, and the transportation de- partment is directly under the care of J. W. Brown.
A power house costing over $1,000,000.00 is situated a little south of Connellsville on the Youghiogheny river. This plant is equipped in the most modern manner and capable of developing 10,000 horse power to be increased within a few months to 15,000 horse power, the work be- ing now under way.
The plant has among other up-to-date machinery three steam turbines of 1,000 K. W. capacity each, and another is now being erected to have a capacity greater than the three combined or 3,250 K. W. This plant is furnishing light and power to a district with a radius of over fifty miles, throughout the counties of Fayette and Westmoreland and reaching into Allegheny and Washing- ton counties. The company is already doubling its capa-
THE WEST PENN. POWER PLANT
426
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
city, and it will be only a short time until this must be vastly increased for the demand for electric power alone is making tremendous strides. A high potential current is delivered at convenient points along the line, and by the use of rotary or "step-down" transformers is converted to the proper voltage.
Its car barns and repair shops are located near New Haven. Necessarily there are car barns at other points on the line, but the largest and most important are located here as well as the general offices of the company, which are in the Title & Trust Building, Connellsville.
The road-bed and overhead work (trolley lines, feed lines, etc.,) are substantial and well built. Good big cars are used, and they are equipped with motors capable of making excellent time under all conditions. There are one hundred and twenty-five miles of track in the system, and this bids fair to be largely increased within a short time, as a number of extensions are under way and projected. The link connecting Mckeesport and Greensburg will alone add quite a mileage, and upon its completion make a continuous line from Pittsburgh to the "Klondike" coal field of southern Fayette county.
Main or Spring street of Zachariah Connell's time, and indeed for many years thereafter, would never have been conceived as the possible highway of such an immense traffic as is now half-hourly carried up and down the hill by the West Penn Railways Company, especially when it is remembered that a comparatively few years ago the grade was worse than that of Apple street today-the first "hump" taken off was as high as the second floor of the present Odd Fellows' Hall-a grade which would cer- tainly be discouraging to even the modern "trolley."
CONNELLSVILLE SUBURBAN STREET RAILWAY
COMPANY.
A charter was granted by the state of Pennsylvania
-
$ 427
PUBLIC UTILITIES
to this company on September 15, 1896. The capital stock was $25,000.00, shares $50.00 each.
The officers and directors were: S. R. Slaymaker, president ; Joseph Soisson, John D. Frisbee, P. S. New- myer, John F. Soisson, John F. Barry, R. W. Soisson, sec- retary and treasurer. It was built to take care of the travel between Connellsville and South Connellsville and extended from Main street Connellsville via Arch, Green and Race streets to Soisson Park, South Connellsville.
When it was first started the power was bought from the Connellsville, New Haven and Leisenring Street Rail- way Company. Later those interested started a light and power company as a separate proposition and the necess- ary current for the operation of the railway was purchased from it.
This company was merged on April 14, 1905, with the West Penn Interurban Railway Company at the time the Pittsburgh, Mckeesport and Connellsville Street Railway Company was merged into that corporation and is now operated, as is the Pittsburgh, Mckeesport and Connells- ville Street Railway by the West Penn Railway Company.
TELEPHONES.
About four-score years after the incorporation of Con- nellsville Borough, the Connellsville Machine and Car Company, whose shops were at "Sodom" and office near the "B. & O. depot" installed for their convenience a tele- phone service under license of the "Bell Company."
About the same time Kell Long, with a flouring mill on the New Haven side of the river and a warehouse and store room near the "South West" Station in Connellsville, put in a like service with a private pole line about three- quarters of a mile in length.
A great deal of curiosity and interest was aroused amongst the younger generation of Connellsville through the establishment of these lines, and in fact the older folks were not averse to trying the telephone when opportunity
428
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
. offered to learn if you could hear "plainly and distinctly over it" and if you could tell who was speaking.
Only a little more than twenty years have gone by, and the telephone is so much a thing of every day necess- ity that every little village and hamlet throughout the country, isolated farm houses and all sorts of out-of-the way places have a service capable of putting them in com- munication not only with the larger towns and places of their neighborhood but with the more remote cities and districts as well. It is another of the great aids to civiliza- tion, so new and yet so common, that we only wonder when we do not find a transmitter and receiver ready to our hand.
THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND PRINTING TELE- GRAPH COMPANY
licensed, by the owners of the "Bell Telephone," established an exchange in Connellsville in 1888. The or- ganization of the head office was still in its infancy, and they had few exchanges outside of Pittsburgh and Allegheny county. It was through the efforts of A. C. Gray, chief operator of Pittsburgh and J. S. McCaleb, a banker and foreign exchange dealer of Connellsville, that the exchange at the latter place was established. Operations were begun with about ten subscribers, with Miss Laura Everett, now Mrs. Martin Meagher as local manager, operator, collector, and accountant. Mrs. Meagher had a great many inter- esting experiences growing out of the ignorance of the peo- ple as to the uses and possibilities of the telephone in every day life, and tells many amusing stories of some of the earlier and more unsophisticated patrons.
The growth of the business from 1888 until 1895 was very slow on account of the rates then charged and also for the reasons that the convenience and economy of the telephone were not yet fully appreciated. In 1896 the very high royalties paid to the Bell Company were reduced, and in consequence the local charge for service was reduced
429
PUBLIC UTILITIES
almost 50 per cent and an active campaign started to in- crease the number of subscribers, which soon resulted in quadrupling the business of the exchange.
The first competition was met with about 1896, but competition in the telephone business, as in many other lines of trade, proved a benefit to the company already es- tablished, by educating the public in the many uses of the telephone and increasing its need. Every new subscriber secured made the service more desirable and in many cases absolutely necessary to some one else, so that there are today more than 800 subscribers connected with the Connellsville exchange.
The Connellsville branch is managed by Clarence Gib- son with headquarters at Uniontown, Pa., under him at Connellsville are fifteen operators, two clerks and collect- ors, two solicitors, a wire chief and three regular linemen.
MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST VIR-
GINIA TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY,
or as commonly called the Tri-State Telephone Com- pany. This company was incorporated November 12, 1897, by Milton I. Baird, et al., of Pittsburgh, who thereupon constructed a small telephone system with Connellsville as the central point. They built a line to Uniontown and established an exchange there; another to Normalville, where it branched, one part going to Indian Head, the other to Ohiopyle, at which latter place a small switchboard was installed. A line was con- structed to Scottdale, an exchange established there; a line running thence to Alverton and Acme, near Mr. Pleasant. From Uniontown they secured the Fayette Gas Company line to Masontown, where a small exchange was estab- lished; they also bought the Farmington Telephone Com- pany, which was operating a line from Uniontown to Farm- ington. An exchange was also established and maintained at Dunbar.
130
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
At these various places the company at its most pros- perous period operated between 500 and 600 telephones, with results very beneficial to the patrons of the telephone service in general, for rates were very materially reduced and the service much improved all around.
In the latter part of 1899, a deal was consummated whereby the ownership of a controlling interest in this company was transferred to New York people who then had in contemplation extensive plans as to the organization of a telephone system to operate between Chicago and Boston in general opposition to the "Bell Company." Some of their plans miscarried and they were obliged to abandon a part of their scheme and confine it to the development of their plants in New York and Boston and intermediate cities. As a consequence, instead of their being any exten- sive improvements in the service of this company, it was grossly neglected and the popular impression seemed to prevail that it had passed into hands friendly to the oppo- sition. This belief was strengthened early in 1903 by the Bell Company giving notice of some distasteful regulations they proposed enforcing such as reducing the free terri- tory of all subscribers to the immediate exchange and in- creasing the telephone rental. The citizens of the com- munities affected became considerably exercised over these conditions, and as a consequence determined to have relief.
Ira E. Partridge of Uniontown learned that the New York people still owned a controlling interest in the stock of the Tri-State Company, and with the assistance of other Fayette county citizens purchased their holdings, and at once, upon reorganization of the company, started about rehabilitating it. At this time the company owned about three miles of cable, three hundred miles of wire, and had installed and in use between 300 and 400 telephones.
A number of new exchanges have been established and lines extended until connections have been made through other systems with points all over Fayette, Green, West- moreland, Washington, Somerset and surrounding coun-
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PUBLIC UTILITIES
ties ; also with Fairmont and many other towns of West Virginia ; Cumberland, Maryland; Pittsburgh and a num- ber of places in eastern Ohio. It now has over twenty miles of cable, 1,800 miles of wire and 150 miles of pole line with about 2,500 telephones in service. Of these tele- phones 1,025 are installed in Connellsville and New Haven -a material increase as at the time the present manage- ment assumed charge of the company there were only 260 subscribers in Connellsville.
The service is being constantly improved and the most up-to-date equipment installed throughout. All of the new switchboards have a capacity largely in excess of present needs, so that future growth is provided for in advance. The aim of the present management is to make the Tri- State a first-class local service and to confine its operations to Fayette county.
The present officers and directors are: R. E. Umbel, president ; John M. Core, secretary; F. H. Rosboro, treas- urer, Samuel M. Graham, Frank M. Semans, James M. Reid, Nathaniel Ewing, Charles F. Kefover, Robert F. Hopwood, A. C. Sherrard, James C. Moore.
THE SOUTH WEST NATURAL GAS COMPANY.
A number of Pittsburgh and Greensburg capitalists formed this company for the purpose of disposing of the natural gas output of the Grapeville field, through a num- ber of the towns of the southwestern part of the state.
A franchise was secured to occupy with its pipe lines the streets of Connellsville sometime in 1886. E. E. Crocker had charge of the construction work and was general su- perintendent of the company with headquarters in Connells- ville. J. M. West was the office man at Connellsville- succeeded by P. B. Malone. The office was located in what is now the first floor of the Elk's home. The work was pushed rapidly to completion and in a short time the gas was turned into the mains. The natural gas supply was thought at that time to be inexhaustible, therefore the pro-
432
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
duct was sold by contract, and if the house got too hot for the user he never thought of turning off the gas-he raised the window instead, and contributed his part towards heating "all out doors"-the price was the same!
Connellsville contracted for the lighting of the town with a number of flambeaux-in the light of modern ex- perience it is said that one of these lights wasted enough gas to heat two or three ordinary houses for the same time. They were seldom turned out-night or day-as it was too much trouble to light them.
This unpardonable waste eventually exhausted the sup- ply, and Connellsville faced the condition of being deprived of one of the greatest conveniences and blessings of modern life.
This continued for about two years-the South West Natural Gas Company having meantime sold its pipe line from Connellsville to Uniontown to the Redstone Water Company to be used as a water line for the Oliver Coke Works at Redstone Junction.
THE FAYETTE FUEL GAS COMPANY
then entered the field and Connellsville was supplied on a meter basis. This corporation was composed chiefly of Uniontown people of whom J. K. Ewing, Jr., was the lead- ing spirit, and continued the business for a number of years-undergoing a reorganization with slight change of name to the
FAYETTE GAS-FUEL COMPANY.
In the summer of 1900 this company was absorbed by the Fayette County Gas Company, which has been furnish- ing a good supply of gas since. Its wells are located in Southern Fayette and Green counties, Pennsylvania and in West Virginia. Every effort is made to husband the output of its wells, and the use of gas as a domestic fuel encouraged rather than for manufacturing purposes.
J. W. Reeser is the Connellsville representative of the company.
CHAPTER XII.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
CARNEGIE FREE LIBRARY.
In this day of great business enterprises, the trained thinker is a necessity. The man who can think clearly and continuously in Greek, Latin, history or literature can apply the same mental powers to methods of business, whether in its planning and financiering, or in its production and distribution.
This plan of training we call education. This training can be obtained in our schools, in our libraries, or, perhaps, in the active business of life.
In the three great professions of life, college training is an absolute necessity. Without it, a man in these pro- fessions, is only a weakling and handicapped for life. Those who obtain their training in the business world, have first to meet with many failures and disappointments, as is shown by the 95 per cent of failures in all classes of busi- ness. This large per cent of failures is due almost entirely to the one fact, they are not trained thinkers.
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