Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 38

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1526

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > Butler > Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th > Part 38

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WINFIELD BRANCH.

The Winfield Branch is a tributary of the West Penn Railroad and was first pro- moted about 1890 by Joseph Brittain, of Butler, who, at that time, was developing the limestone and other mineral deposits of Winfield Township. The road was con- structed from Monroeville in Buffalo Township to West Winfield in Winfield Township. At the time the road was pro- moted West Winfield was known as Rough Run, and Butler parties were engaged in manufacturing salt and developing the limestone in that district.

THE ARGENTINE AND EAU CLAIRE ROAD.

On May 14, 1906, Harry A. Kinsey, Nor- man Sebrig, John Forsythe, and Edward Lloyd filed articles of association in the recorder's office of Butler County for the Argentine and Eau Claire Railroad Com- pany, with a capital stock of $30,000. The company proposed to build a road from Argentine in Washington Township to Eau Claire in Venango Township, a dis- tance of about three miles. The purpose of the road was to reach the coal fields in the two townships, but nothing has been done towards its construction.

In 1903 the Pennsylvania Lines con- structed a road from Volant in Lawrence County to Redmond Station on the John Tate farm in Slippery Rock Township. This line was built for a coal road and an outlet for the mines located at Redmond.

A branch of the Bessemer Road was constructed in 1907 to the Goff-Kirby mines in Venango Township, and in 1908 passenger trains were run on this branch to Degan Station, which is also the name of the postoffice at that point.

ELECTRIC PASSENGER RAILWAYS.

While many companies had been char- tered for the purpose of building electric railroads in Butler County and in Butler Borough, nothing definite was accom- plished until 1899, when J. V. Ritts, A. L.

Reiber, James B. McJunkin, Charles Duffy and John Berg, all Butler parties, formed an association to be known as the Butler Passenger Railway Company. In Septem- ber of the same year the company was duly incorporated with a capital stock of $50,- 000. The following were the officers of the company : President, A. L. Reiber; vice- president, John Berg; treasurer, James B. McJunkin; secretary, A. E. Reiber. The above named officers and J. V. Ritts and Charles Duffy constituted the board of di- rectors.

On the 3rd day of October, 1899, a fran- chise was obtained in the borough of But- ler for its principal streets, and in the spring of 1900 construction was com- menced on its tracks on Main Street and on Jefferson Street, which was completed and cars operated the first week of Sep- tember, 1900. Extensions of track were made and continued until about five miles of track were laid within the borough limit. In 1903 the company purchased a tract of sixty acres of land about two miles west of Butler, and opened the resort called Ala- meda Park. In December, 1905, the com- pany sold their plant to Pittsburg capital- ists who are now operating the road.

THE PITTSBURG AND BUTLER ELECTRIC RAIL- WAY COMPANY.

In 1905 Pittsburg capitalists organized and promoted the Pittsburg and Butler Railway Company and the same year be- gan construction of a line in both Alle- gheny and Butler Counties. The road was completed from Etna to Butler in Janu- ary, 1907, and cars were running as far as Etna the same month. By an agreement made with the Pittsburg Traction Com- pany, the Butler cars are now run into Pittsburg and passengers are delivered on Penn Avenue and Sixth Street. The com- pany built extensive car barns at Mars in Adams Township, and a large power plant at Renfrew in Penn Township, and has been the means of developing a vast

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amount of real estate between Butler and Pittsburg.

In December, 1905, the Pittsburg and Butler Railway Company purchased the franchises and plant of the Butler Passen- ger Railway Company, and has been oper- ating the local line since that time.

THE PITTSBURG, HARMONY, BUTLER AND NEW CASTLE RAILWAY COMPANY.

An electric railway system that has had much to do with the development of the southwestern portion of the county, brings Butler, New Castle and Pittsburg into close communication, and is one of the most important factors in the internal de- velopment and improvement of Butler County, had its inception at a meeting held in Pittsburg on the 9th of March, 1905. At this time the organization of the Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler and New Cas- tle Railway Company was considered, and the officers and directors elected at that time were D. B. Magley, president; M. G. Hibbs, L. E. McKain, James K. Magley and S. C. Vickers, the latter being secre- tary. The promoters of this enterprise were principally Butler County men, the originators being W. A. Goehring and Ed- ward Winters of Zelienople, and R. H. Boggs, of the Northside, Pittsburg, who is a member of the firm of Boggs & Buhl, of that city, and a native of Butler County. The Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway Company was chartered under the laws of Pennsylvania with the following officers : R. H. Boggs, president; Mark H. Hibbs, secretary and treasurer; W. A. Goehring, vice-president, and these with James Bryan, and Edward Winters constituted the directory. James Bryan is the chief engineer and Harry Ethridge, general superintendent. The same year the company entered into an agreement of consolidation and merger between the Pittsburg and Harmony Street Railway Company, the Thorn Hill Street Railway

Company, the Callery and Evans City Street Railway Company, the Evans City Street Railway Company, the Butler and Harmony Street Railway Company, the Ellwood City and Hazeldell Street Rail- way Company, the Wayne Electric Rail- way Company, the Ellwood City Electric Railway Company, and the New Castle and Harmony Street Railway Company. The Union Trust Company of Pittsburg became the guarantor of the bonds of the company and the work of construction was commenced in Allegheny County in the fall of 1905. Work was continued the follow- ing year along all the divisions of the line in Butler and Lawrence Counties, and in July, 1908, the Butler and New Castle di- vision was completed and opened for traf- fic on the 26th of July. The division of the road from Evans City to Northside, Pittsburg, was not completed until Novem- ber, and was opened for traffic about the 15th of the month. By an agreement with the Pittsburg Railway Company the P. H. B. and N. C. Co. reaches Sixth Street and Penn Avenue, Pittsburg, over the lines of the former, and delivers its passengers in the heart of the city.

The company erected a large power plant at Eidenau Station in Jackson Town- ship, and also has car barns located at that point.

THE NORTH PITTSBURG REALTY COMPANY.

The North Pittsburg Realty Company, which was organized in 1905, controls twenty-five hundred acres of land along the lines of the Pittsburg, Harmony, But- ler and New Castle Railway and controls a large block of land at Eidenau which has been laid out in building lots. Already a large number of houses have been erected at this point for the accommodation of the employes of the railroad. The officers of the North Pittsburg Realty Company are R. H. Boggs, president; Mark H. Hibbs, secretary and treasurer; W. A.

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Goehring, vice-president; and these with James H. Moore and Edward Winters con- stitute the board of directors.

LEECHBURG AND TARENTUM ROAD.

The Leechburg, Freeport and Tarentum Street Railway Company, which was char- tered November 7, 1901, filed an extension of route in Butler County the same year. This company proposed to build a line from the Freeport and Tarentum road in North Buffalo Township, Allegheny Coun- ty, to Butler by way of Saxonburg and Jef- ferson Center. This branch line was to connect with the main line of the road from Tarentum to Leechburg. The main line was never built and the extension into But- ler. was abandoned.

THE COTTAGE HILL STREET RAILWAY COMPANY.

The charter for the Cottage Hill Street Railway Company of Butler was granted June 4, 1903. This company proposed to build a line from the center of the town to the Cottage Hill Plan of Lots, which had been platted for sale by the Cottage Hill Land Company. The incorporators of the Street Railway Company were a number of Butler business men. John N. Muntz was president of the company and Charles Ritter, secretary. This line was never built.

THE CITIZENS' STREET RAILWAY COMPANY.

A number of Pittsburg capitalists who were interested in the development of real estate at West Butler organized the Citi- zen's Street Railway Company, of which Joseph A. Langfit was president and C. A. Bailey was secretary. An extension of their charter was secured on September 18, 1903, and the company did a large amount of work grading the road on the Marshall farm west of the borough. This enterprise was backed financially by the Standard Trust Company of Butler and Pittsburg capital, and after the trust company went into the hands of a re- ceiver, the road was abandoned. R. W. Harvey of Pittsburg was the superintend- ent of construction and had charge of the work done at West Butler.

THE SAXONBURG STREET RAILWAY COMPANY.

The Butler, Saxonburg and Tarentum Street Railway Company was an enterprise promoted in 1907 by a number of Saxon- burg citizens who filed articles of associa- tion and began the work of securing fran- chises and rights of way. The articles of association, which were filed on July 3rd, were signed by James Cirigliano, Emil F. Rudert, Edward C. Rudert, John E. Mu- der, and Otto W. Rudert, all of Saxon- burg. The company failed to get the fran- chises they wanted and the enterprise was abandoned.

CHAPTER IX

AGRICULTURE

Pioneer Methods-Primitive Appliances-Butler County Farmers Progressive- Agricultural Societies-The Butler Driving Park and Fair Association-Millers- town Fair Association-Chicora Dairy Park and Fair Association-North Wash- ington Agricultural Society.

Agriculture in the pioneer days required of its followers physical strength, great endurance and a sublime patience. Along with these qualities were combined a greater independence and self-reliance than is possessed by the husbandman of the present generation. These qualities were possessed, too, by the women and children of the pioneer homes in the forest to a certain degree, for disappointment and obstacles were always presenting themselves.

PIONEER METHODS.

To the farmer of the present day the clearing of the land of the primitive for- est appears a Herculean task and a wilful waste of valuable timber. To the first set- tlers it was an ordinary duty. Felling the trees in winrows, logging and burning the piles of timber, was the work of this class of men, who were noted for their strength and giant physique. When the clearing had been made the work of cultivation be- gan. Plows with wooden mold-boards were used at this time, and the harrow was an ordinary drag made by the farmer and supplied with wooden pegs for teeth until iron could be obtained from Pittsburg. The old "Western" plow with metal mold

board came into use in the middle of the century and another product made at the local foundries was called the "Bull" plow on account of the difficulty experi- enced in handling it and the amount of horse power it took to run it. These gave way in time to the chilled mold-board plow, the sulky plow, and the modern inventions that make this part of the farm labor com- paratively easy. The old spike-tooth drag harrow has given way to the spring-tooth harrow and the rotary disk harrow, while a weeding machine, run by horse power, has taken the place of the old hand hoe in cultivating the corn and potato field.

In harvesting the crops the first settlers used the sickle to cut the wheat and rye and the scythe for the grass. Hand rakes were used and, in the harvest time, the women and children were obliged to work in the field and assist the men in putting up the crops. Then, the harvest season lasted from about the first of July until the first of September, and the long days were utilized from sunrise to sunset. The hand cradle for cutting grain was the first improvement in the way of harvesting im- plements, and may be seen at the present time, but is not in common use. Mowing machines and reapers were introduced into

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Butler County about 1850, but were not in common use for many years, partly on account of their cost and partly because they could not be operated successfully in fields that were full of stumps. The last quarter of the century has seen marked changes, however. The fields full of stumps have disappeared; the old side- drop reaper has been replaced by the self- binder, and the two-horse hay rake, the hay tedder, and the hay loader are doing the work that was once done by hand. The potato crop is planted by machinery and harvested by machinery, and the old-time "husking-bee" that was once an event in the neighborhood in October, has gone the way of the harvest "frolic" and other in- dustrial events that had social sides to them. The steam corn-husking machine has invaded the corn fields of Butler County, and a task that at one time was laborious and lasted several weeks, is now accomplished in a day or two.

No less marked is the advancement made in threshing the grain. In pioneer days and even in the middle of the last century, this task was saved for the winter months. The threshing was done with hand flails, or by using horses to tramp the grain out on a large threshing floor. This was fol- lowed by separating the grain from the chaff, which was done by winnowing and later by hand windmills. The old "chaff- piler" threshing machines were the first improvement in this line, and the name of the "Champion" and the "Bastian" are familiar to the older residents of the dis- trict. These were operated by treadle power run by one horse, the power being set on the barn floor alongside of the ma- chine. The four and eight-horsepower machines came in a few years later and these have been supplanted by the modern thresher and separator operated by steam.

BUTLER COUNTY FARMERS PROGRESSIVE.

The farmers of Butler County adopted progressive and modern methods at an

early date and the use of machinery be- came general as the conditions of the county would permit. Agricultural socie- ties, societies for the improvement of live stock, farmers' institutes and agricultural exhibitions were organized at an early day and exhibits of farm implements at the county fairs were made as early as 1850. Much sport has been indulged in over that three-cornered cereal called buckwheat, which was a staple crop in the early day and served a double purpose. It not only tamed the rank, virgin soil after the tim- ber had been removed and prepared it for the raising of the more pretentious grains, but served as an excellent article of food. And on more than one occasion when other cereal crops had failed because of June frosts, or extended droughts, an abundant yield of buckwheat in the fall caused the Butler County farmer to smile at the ex- pense of his more pretentious neighbors.

The growth of the county in cultivated farms and material wealth has been phe- nomenal and its present extent may be es- timated from the statistics compiled in the county commissioner's office in 1908. The amount of cleared land returned for tax- able purposes was 398,903 acres, divided into over five thousand farms. The amount of timber land in the county after all the years of destruction and waste amounts to 77,316 acres. The value of horses and mules is $557,000, and that of cattle $207,773. There are twenty-five thousand taxables in the county, 15,984 voters, and an estimated population of 79,000. The amount of money at interest returned in 1908 was $6,500,000, which speaks wonderfully for the industry and thrift of the people of the community.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

The first society in Butler County hav- ing, in part at least, for its object the pro- motion of agriculture, was organized at Butler April 7, 1830. William Ayres pre- sided, with John Parker and John Zieg-

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ler, vice-presidents, and Alexander Mc- Bride and James Bovard, secretaries. The organization was termed "The Butler County Agricultural and Domestic Manu- facturing Society," and a committee was appointed to prepare by-laws. Another committee, of twenty-eight persons-two from Butler and two from each township --- was appointed to secure members and 100 subscribers were enrolled to assist the president in pushing forward the inter- ests of the society.

The North Butler Agricultural Club, an organization of farmers, was founded in 1846, and was the successor of the old ag- ricultural organization.

The Butler County Agricultural Society. In the spring of 1852, a meeting to organ- ize an agricultural society was held at the home of Henry Kohlmeyer, being presided over by Samuel Anderson, of Venango Township, with John Say, vice-president, and Henry Kohlmeyer, secretary. A con- stitution was submitted by Samuel Hal- derman and T. J. Layton, in which the name "Butler County Agricultural So- ciety" was used. This was adopted and signed by twenty-seven members. This organization accomplished very little, ex- cept to arouse an interest in the matter.

The Butler County Agricultural and Horticultural Society was founded March 30, 1853, on the ruins of the former one. John Murrin was chosen president; Sam- uel M. Lane, treasurer; Archibald Blake- ley, William Campbell and Thomas Brac- ken, correspondents, and C. E. Purviance, secretary. There were twenty-six vice- presidents. The first fair was held at North Washington, October 13, 1853, at which prizes were awarded. The second fair was held at North Washington, in September, 1854, and, in one or other of the northern boroughs, fairs were held in 1855 and 1856. The fifth annual fair was held at North Washington, in September, 1857. The society, in November, 1857, elected Robert Ray, president; Allen Wil-

son, treasurer; Henry Kohlmeyer, corre- spondent; William C. Adams, recorder; and S. G. Meals, librarian. It struggled on some time, but the societies at the coun- ty seat won the battle for precedence.

The Semiconan Agricultural Society held the first annual exposition at School- house Number 1, East Connoquenessing, October 19, 1852. John Martin was then secretary. In 1853 the second fair was held, and in October, 1854, Prospect was honored with the third annual meeting. Soon after, the society merged into a broader organization.

The Butler Agricultural Association was organized in March, 1856, as the Fair Society, with John Anderson, president; James G. Campbell and George W. Cro- zier, secretaries; Archibald Blakeley, re- corder; Eugene Ferrero, correspondent ; James Campbell, librarian, and thirty- seven vice-presidents. This society held its first fair at Butler in September, 1856, and in December, Joseph Douthett was elected president, and J. B. McQuistion secretary.

The people of Butler borough and others from the southern townships held their second annual fair at Butler in Septem- ber, 1857. In 1858 a successful meeting was recorded. During the war there was little attention given to such matters, so that from 1861 to 1863, inclusive, no fairs were held. The sixth fair was held Octo- ber 4 and 5, 1864. The name of the so- ciety in November, 1866, was the "Butler County Agricultural and Stock Associa- tion." James Bredin was president, and H. C. Heineman, secretary, who held that position three or four years, or until its end.

"In 1866 the association leased five or six acres of the Thomas Stehle farm, where fairs were held for several years, or until twenty-one acres, near the pres- ent fairgrounds, were purchased and fenced in. Fairs were held there for sev- eral years until the old society dissolved

THE WALTER AND GRAHAM MILL (Photograph taken about 1875)

FLOUR GRAIN FEED

BUTLER ROLLER MILLS

*A* SONS

GEO.WALTER MFC'Sof

FLOUR. FEED ª

SCALES

BUTLER ROLLER MILLS (Geo. Walter and Sons)

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and the land was sold by the sheriff. Dur- ing the hey-day of this association, farm- ers' horses were entered for races, but no other horses were permitted to run. For several years there was no organization, and indeed, until 1877, there was no so- ciety.

"Prior to 1857 trotting horses were not considered in the community, although horse racing took place at intervals. It was the wild gallop in which the people delighted and on this gallop bets were of- fered and taken. The era of trotting matches in this county was introduced in May, 1857, when Thomas Fawcett, of Bir- mingham, and John Vensel, of Clarion County, bet $300 each on their respective horses, 'Bobb' and 'Jack.' The course was the plank road from Stewartstown to Zimmerman's Inn (now the Willard), at Butler, a distance of twenty-seven miles, and the time made was two hours and ten minutes. This extraordinary race drew the attention of the people to trotting matches, and scarcely a year has passed since in which races of this description have failed to draw a large crowd."

The Emlenton Agricultural Society was organized March 27, 1858, by citizens liv- · ing in the northern part of the county, with others from Venango, Clarion and Armstrong Counties. Among its mem- bers were many who had belonged to the old Butler County Agricultural Society of 1853. Henry Kohlmeyer, of Butler Coun- ty, was elected president. The first fair, held at Emlenton in the fall of 1858, was successful, but interest in the project then subsided and the organization disbanded.

The Butler County Colonization Society was organized January 25, 1860, with Rev. Loyal Young, president; Rev. Isaiah Niblock, and Rev. William A. Fetter, vice- presidents; and John Graham, secretary. "Robert R. Reed, agent of the State Col- onization Society, was the organizer, and the object was to obtain an appropriation of $5,000 to be applied to the colonization

of free negroes in Pennsylvania, which it was believed would benefit the agricultural interests of the State, as well as the ne- gro."

The Wool Growers' Association of Slip- pery Rock Township, was organized in April, 1866, with David McKee, president; Dawson Wadsworth, vice-president; John Bingham, secretary, and Lewis Patterson, treasurer. This organization soon merged into the Agricultural Society and lost its identity.

The Butler County Farmers' Club held its first meeting in April, 1869, when the following named officers were elected : John Q. A. Kennedy, president; John Q. A. Sullivan, recording secretary; Edwin Lyon, corresponding secretary; Hugh Morrison, treasurer; W. H. Black, libra- rian, and ten vice-presidents. The follow- ing year this organization was merged into the Farmers' Institute.

The Farmers' Institute held its first fair at Butler in September, 1870. The In- stitute succeeded the Farmers' Club and the officers were simply the men who would have been selected by the club had it con- tinued its organization. John Q. A. Ken- nedy presided in 1870, with Herman J. Berg and A. Cuthbert, vice-presidents; W. H. H. Riddle, secretary ; Edwin Lyon, cor- respondent; Hugh Morrison, treasurer, and G. W. Shaffer, superintendent. The Institute has, through the passing years. grown into a profitable and most deserv- ing organization. It is an educational so- ciety, important in its aims and successful in its workings. Meetings are held at stated intervals to which all agriculturists are invited, and at which ideas relating to farms and farmers are expressed and dis- cussed .. W. H. H. Riddle is the founder of the Institute in this county.

The Connoquenessing Valley Agricul- tural Association was organized in 1874, with Abraham Moyer, president; Dr. Amos Lusk, secretary, and Ira Stauffer, treasurer. For many years fairs were

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held regularly, and at length the associa- tion dissolved.

The Patrons of Husbandry attained great strength in this county during the seventies, Pomona Grange being the name of the county organization. A number of local granges exist in various parts of the county, though some of the earlier organi- zations have dissolved.

THE BUTLER DRIVING PARK AND FAIR ASSO- CIATION.

The Butler Driving Park Association was organized October 15, 1877, with the following named officers: G. J. Cross, president ; Joseph L. Purvis, James H. Te- bay and G. A. McBride, vice-presidents; P. W. Lowry, recorder; W. P. Roessing, correspondent; Joseph L. Purvis, treas- urer; L. M. Cochran, G. A. McBride, W. H. H. Riddle, and the president, treasurer and correspondent, directors. In October, 1877, this society leased a tract of twenty- three acres, just east of the old fair- grounds, from Mrs. Nancy Bredin, and transformed it into an excellent race track. In June, 1878, a race meeting was held, and a fair in the fall. The officers named, with J. S. Campbell and R. P. Scott, were the first stockholders. Under date, June 5, 1879, a motion providing for a fourth day races, and such telling references as "Dan Mace's Hopeful to beat 2:18 for $500," recorded. Later in June, a resolution to hold a fair in the fall was carried, and the original idea of confining the business of the corporation to racing and trotting, without regard to farm exhibits, was found to lack support.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 38

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1526

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1526