Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I, Part 70

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 584

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I > Part 70

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).

The present valuation of the borough is $817,748; number of taxables, 512. The borough tax for 1908 was 7 mills. $5,297.38 were collected and $3,000 expended.

The population of Bentleyville in 1870 was about 300; in 1890, 360; in 1900, 613; and in 1905 it was estimated at 675. In 1903 there were 127 voters in Bentleyville. and in 1908, 333. The population has increased rapidly in the last ten years since the railroad has been put through and the mines opened up. Now there are almost 1,000 homes in Bentleyville.

In 1868 when Bentleyville, was incorporated, it con- tained thirty-six dwellings, three stores, one schoolhouse, two grist and sawmills and one steam tannery.

The Pigeon Creek Valley, which has been termed the Connellsville section of Washington County, has prob- ably felt the hand of prosperity more than any other part of the county, with the exception of the Marianna district, during the past year. While other sections were slack the business about Bentleyville was brisk and building continued throughout the entire year (1909). It is estimated that more than eighty houses were erected in 1908 at a total cost of over $250,000. At the present time Bentleyville has four churches, about forty stores, two national banks, Acme Brewing Company, and nu -. merous other places of business. A few years ago the place was a mere village, but now it is one of the mining centers of this county, and in fact this end of the State. The town has now a population of more than 2,000 peo- ple.

The Braznell mines which opened up a short distance northeast of Bentleyville three years ago, and were pur- chased by the Pittsburg-Westmoreland Coal Co., in 1909, have been the cause of the boom. Some factories will

376

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

be erected here within the present year. Rumors to that effect have been afloat for the past year. Several sites have been purchased by financiers, and it is believed that they are being held for that purpose.

Outside capital has been attracted, and many people are buying for speculation. Many plots of lots have been laid out. Of the 625 lots laid off a few years ago over 500 of them have been sold and dwellings erected on them. In the McCormack plan of lots twenty-nine dwell- ings have been erected, while in the Richardson plan twenty-five have gone up. In the Frye, White, Crouch and J. E. Richardson plans all the lots have been pur- chased and they are built up almost solid. Three dwell- ings have been erected on the W. F. Richardson plan during the past three months. Several buildings are now in course of erection, while the contracts for a number of others have been let ready for the opening of spring. The St. Luke's Roman Catholic Church, which was erected at a cost of $12,000, is just nearly completion, and will be ready for dedication soon. A large brick building block thirty-two by 100 feet is under course of construction by Samuel Sidle. It will cost $8,000 when completed. Another large store room and dwelling is being erected by Bell and Wilson. Thomas Myers has given the contract for the erection of a large business block on the Grable lot to W. A. Marshall. The build- ing will be two stories, with an eight-foot basement, and will be twenty-eight by eighty feet. It will be used as a hardware and implement store with living room over- head.

The prospects for having paved streets through the town are very bright. A stretch from Bedworth's store to that of Mrs. Yannacci will be started early in the spring. The Sprowl road is now under course of con- struction through the borough which will connect this place with Charleroi.

At the present time there are five schoolrooms in operation with 220 pupils, making over forty pupils to each room on an average. It is estimated that this num- ber will be increased considerably the next year when the new house is occupied.

Bentleyville promises to become one of the telephone centers of this section of the county ere long. The In- dependent Telephone Company is engaged in erecting an air line from Charleroi to Washington where their lines will connect with those of the National Telephone Company at the county seat. By this connection this place will be put in communication with the entire county as well as all other adjoining counties. Tho entire right of way for this line has been secured. Bentleyville will be tho switching center for the lines and trunk lines . will bo run from here to connect with the Mutual lines at Centerville and with the Union Company at California, one to the Maple Creek Company near Charleroi, and in

fact with all of the independent organizations of this section of the State. It is expected that the exchange will be opened for business by April. H. L. Lamb, who is president of a number of independent companies, is looking after the interests of this line.

The postoffice receipts indicate that this community has been prosperous. The railroad lines have been extended from here and the business has increased in every way. Both of the financial institutions located here are in excellent condition with competent business men at their heads. The deposits have increased and everything looks favorable for the increased growth of these enterprises.

The Bentleyville "Times" was estiblished in 1908. It is printed every Friday by the Voice Publishing Com- pany in Monongahela City. The office is in Bentleyville. L. E. Flint is editor and manager, and E. C. Snyder local editor.

Gas is supplied to Bentleyville by the Philadelphia Gas Company. An Adams Express office is located here.

The resident physicians of Bentleyville are Drs. W. W. Bigger and A. N. Booth.

Bentleyville is a station on the Ellsworth Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. No station house has yet been built but one is expected soon. The railroad was built about 1900.

Latterly, August 11, 1909, the Bentleyville council passed an ordinance granting a franchise to the Pitts- burg, Monongahela and Washington Street Railway Company, the line to be in operation within two years from the date of the acceptance of the franchise by the company.

From Monongahela the new trolley line will run through Carroll and Fallowfield townships, to Bentley- ville, Ellsworth and Cokeburg, erossing the National Pike near Scenery Hill, thence to Marianna and on to Washington. The greater part of the right of way has already been secured and it is expected that arrange- ments for the rest of the line will be completed within a short time.

The West Side Belt Line (bought out by Gould inter- ests in 1904) surveyed an extension of its road from a point near Snowden, Allegheny County, up Peters Creek via Gastonville, Finleyville and Venitia, and thence south by Kammerer's, Bentleyville and Scenery Hill to Zol- larsville. This line would tap the extensive coal field of the Johnetta Coal Company.

It is expected soon that the Westside Electric Street Railway, now operating between Charleroi and Monessen, will be extended to Bentleyville and Ellsworth. The immense coal fields in this region make it imperative that some communication be established between these towns. The surveys have been completed for some time for this extension.

On May 10, 1904, work was started on the construction

377

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

of the first Flinn road in the county. This was the road from Beallsville to Bentleyville. It is ten feet in width of stone, twenty-three feet in width of grading and 9,700 feet long. The engineering cost was $1,059.73, and the construction eost, $20,794.63. Since that time $5,292.72 have been expended for repairs.

A State road is in the course of construction between Bentleyville and Charleroi. This road will be sixteen feet in width and 10,150 feet in length. The eost is estimated at $21,261.20.

Sheshbazzer Bentley, Sr., prior to the year 1787, owned a mill on Pigeon Creek where Bentleyville now stands. In 1868 there were two mills at Bentleyville. One of them, an old frame grist mill, is still standing and has been abandoned for several years. It is owued by John White. In 1794 two stills belonging to Shesh- bazzer Bentley were seized by Robert Johnstou, exeise officer, the day after "that dreadful night" when the citizen soldiers from east of the mountains arrested nearly 200 men in this region.

A public school building was erected in Bentleyville in 1837, after the passage of the school law. This build- ing was remodeled and turned into a union school. This sehool building has been replaced by a four-roomed frame schoolhouse in 1903. Two rooms are being added to this building at the present time, and another two- roomed building erected for the miners at the Braznell mines. In 1908 there were 3 schools in Bentleyville, with 3 teachers, all males, 125 pupils eurolled; average number of months taught, 7; average salary of male teachers per month, $50.00; eost of each pupil per month, $1.08; number of mills on the dollar levied for sehool purposes, 5; estimated value of sehool property, $5,000.

Soon after the town was laid out the Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist families united to ereet a Union Church building. This structure was destroyed by fire in the year 1828.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Bentleyville was built in 1848. It was a briek building located ou the hill aeross Pigeon Creek from the present frame church, which was ereeted in Bentleyville in 1893. A parsonage was built in 1908 at a eost of $2,900. The present pas- tor is Rev. J. S. Allison, Jr., and membership 210 .. The church is on the same charge as the Clover Hill and New- kirk M. E. congregations.

Presbyterian Church of Bentleyville-A Cumberland Presbyterian congregation was organized at Bentley- ville in 1884 and a frame ehureh building ereeted whieh is still standing. About two years ago the church was changed to the Presbyterian denomination. The ehureh is without a pastor at present. The membership is 120.

The Baptist Church of Bentleyville-A Baptist Church was ereeted in Bentleyville during the year 1908, at a

cost of $4,000, and the congregation organized in 1909. The pastor is Rev. J. F. Miller, and the membership, twenty-three.

The Pigeon Creek Lodge, No. 768, I. O. O. F., has a membership of seventy-eight. The Nile Commandery, No. 376, of the Knights of Malta was instituted iu 1906. It has sixty-two members.

The Junior American Mechanics were organized here in 1903. The membership is sixty-fonr.

The George V. Lawience Council, No. 345, B. P. O. E., were instituted in 1908. The membership is over 100.

Union Holiness Association camp meetings have been held at Bentleyville for at least seventy years. About the year 1866 the Bentleyville Camp Grounds were leased from John W. Stephens, and on November 16, 1891, J. W. Stephens and wife sold the land to the Bentley- ville National Holiness Camp Meeting Association, for the consideration of $3,000. At present this corporation owns ten aeres of coal and surface land, on which are erceted boarding houses assessed at $5,000. Camp mect- ings are held annually, generally in the month of August, and are attended by large numbers of people. At the last meeting held in 1909 it was estimated there were 12,000 persons in attendanee.

It has been reported that the site of the famous camp meeting would change hands in the near future and the annual meetings be discontinued. It is said that street rail- way capitalists interested in projeeted lines in this sec- tion have made an offer of $30,000 for the grounds which will be turned into a pienie park. This report has been denied by the officers, who are as follows: Samuel Walker, president; J. Allen White, secretary; directors, Loeus N. Yohe, W. F. Richardson, J. T. Jones, Samuel Wright and Frank Mitehell. For the year 1909 the gate receipts show that as many people as ever attended camp meeting, and will reach a sum considerably over $900. The people who have money invested in these grounds never receive any dividends. The aim of the association is to make the receipts meet the expenditures, so that every cent paid into the association goes towards the meetings on the grounds.

Bentleyville National Bank (organized May 1, 1906)- The Bentleyville National Bauk of Bentleyville was the only finaneial enterprise which was organized and began business during the year 1906. This bank was formed by the leading citizens and business men of Bentleyville and adjoining districts in that part of the county, to meet the demands resulting from the opening of the new coal mines and the development of the resonrees of this seetion. The bank has a capital of $25,000, and at the close of the year 1906 had a surplus and uudivided profit aecount of $1,250.68. Its total deposits were $53,215.27.

378

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

It had loans and investments to the amount of $54,- 565.38, and resources of $87,059.42. The book value of the bank stock was $106.

At the end of the year 190S the surplus and profits were $4,313.85; deposits, $131,739.91; increase over 1907, $43,053.73 ; resources, $167,303.76; loans and investments, $126,493.67; and book value of stock, $117.25.

This new national hank promises to increase its busi- ness with the development of the Bentleyville region, and the outlook for extensive coal and coke operations here for the future are very bright. Many predict that this part of the county will in a few years be the center of very extensive coal operations. The Bentleyville Na- tional Bank is finauced and managed by men who have had experience in other financial institutions and are well known and conservative business men. The first officers were: C. K. Frye, president ; Dr. A. N. Booth, vice president ; J. T. Neel, cashier; J. W. Piersol, assist- ant cashier.

Farmers' and Miners' National Bank of Bentleyville- The Farmers' and Miners' National Bank was organized January 9, 1907, and opened in its handsome new build- ing March 14, 1908. This bank is located in a com- munity which had more business activity in 1908 than any other section of the county. At the end of 1908 its capital is $50,000; deposits, $26,569.34; resources, $88,- 469.34; loans and investments $54,236.08; and dividends paid, $1,500. Its officers are Joseph A. Herron, presi- dent; T. A. Hetherington, vice-president ; D. E. Lindley, cashier.

The Acme Mines of the Pittshurg-Westmoreland Coal Company are located in the northeast part of Bentley- ville, on the Ellsworth Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. These mines were opened up hy the Braznell Coal Company in 1906.

They were purchased hy the Pittshurg-Westmoreland Coal Company in 1908 and called the Acme mines. The number of acres at these mines are 506, and valuation, $151,800. In 1908, 124,376 tons of coal were mines and 146 men employed. The Acme is a shaft mine, and as many as ninety-eight wagons were hoisted a day. There are twenty-two houses at this mine.

The Pittsburg-Westmoreland Coal Company owns sixty acres of coal valued at $18,000 in Bentleyville Borough.

The Ellsworth Colleries Company owns 1,491 acres of coal valued at $288,900 in the horough.

BURGETTSTOWN.

Burgettstown was laid out one mile north of the center of Smith Township hy Peter Kidd, surveyor, for George Burgett, February 28, 1795. The plat of the original town was duly recorded. Previous to this-sometime he- tween the years 1773 and 1780-Sebastian Burgett huilt

a mill on a hranch of Raccoon Creek at the site where the present flouring mill at Burgettstown now stands. Burgetts Fort stood near the Burgett house and mill. At the time it was laid out it was called West Boston, hut as a tribute of respect and honor to its founder, the name was changed to Burgettstown hy the citizens of the place. In 1789 Sebastian Burgett was returning from Pittsburg through the woods over rough roads with a load of castings with which to complete his mill. When about two miles from home the wagon upset while cross- ing a log and the castings fell on him, crushing him to death.

In 1865, when the Pittshurg and Steubenville (now P. C. C. & St. L.) Railroad was built through north of the "old town" of Burgettstown, a "new town" three- fourths of a mile north of the old Burgettstown grew up on the sides of the railroad survey. This station was sometimes called Cardville for a railroad official, and sometimes Abeline. Lots were laid out near the station by Diacon Whitaker, but his plots were never recorded. Additional lots were laid out hy J. T. Fredericks, and another plan of lois by I. L. Patterson. The railroad station continued to he called Aheline for several years afterward hy the railroad company, hut the people pre- ferred the old name. Ahout this time and at different subsequent times Rev. J. T. Fredericks and Mary, his wife, sold the greater part of the land south of Bur- gett's Branch of Raccoon Creek in lots and small acre- ages. Now this is entirely built up. These later sections together with old Burgettstown were incorporated as a horough on the 23d of March, 1881. The present jus- tices of the peace are: R. P. Stevenson and John P. Linn.

Burgettstown Borough has two postoffices. The young- er office was established near the railroad station ahout the time the railroad was constructed. This is a third- class postoffice with receipts in the year 1908 amounting to $4,078.01. It is a distributing station for Florence, Cross Creek, South Burgettstown, Cherry Valley and Murdocksville and rural deliveries.

The Burgettstown (now called South Burgettstown) postoffice was established ahout 1808 or '09. The first postmaster of whom there is any record was Thomas Miller, in 1811. John W. Pry, the present postmaster, was first appointed in 1873, and has served under eight presidents.

Freegift Crawford, father of Mrs. Dr. Bell, was among the first inn keepers in Burgettstown. More than eighty years ago this hotel was conducted at the corner where the old Pry building now stands. It was patronized largely hy the drovers who were accustomed to drive large droves of cattle and sheep eastward through Bur- gettstown. The last hotel keeper in this house was Henry Ahle, in 1873. After Crawford died Francis Hood, the

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. BURGETTS- TOWN

MAIN STREET. BURGETTSTOWN

BANK OF DONORA, DONOR.A

PUBLIC SCHOOL. BURGETTSTOWN

ARK FULL DIARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILOEN FOUNDATIONS.

379

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

last inn keeper in the "old town. " kept hotel diagonally across the road from the site of Crawford's hotel.

Three or four lots west of the Crawford Hotel, stood fifty years ago the old idle woolen mill and carding machine mill, formerly operated by Parker and Son.

The old "Keystone House" is located on the old Washington and Georgetowu State Road, a short distance from Burgettstown in the direction of Washington. It was conducted by Boston Burgett. The building is at present occupied by Robert Scott as a farm dwelling, but has not been used for hotel purposes for half a ceutnry. In front of this old weather-boarded house, in the middle of the road, stands a gnarled ancient oak. It is said that George Washington once hitched his horse to this tree when he stopped at the Keystone Hotel. At present the old tree is partly rotted and partly eaten away by the horses which have been hitched to it.

Between the Keystono Honse and the center of the "Old Town" Dougherty and Son operated a wagon- makers' shop for the convenience of the farmers in the middle of the last century.

There were two hotels in the "new town." The hotel conducted by T. Jeff Dowden was bought out in the year 1902 to make room for railroad improvement. The site of this hotel is on the north side of the rail- road, east of the freight depot fronting on the Florence Road. The Smith Hotel is on Main street near the depot and is still in operation.

There never has been any saloon license granted iu Burgettstown since the people have had the opportunity to sign and file remonstrances in the courts. Two appli- cations to court were made for license since the year 1900, but the temperance sentimeut was quickly expressed to tho conrt iu remonstrances, and license was refused.

At the present time Burgettstown is one of the thriv- ing boroughs of Washington County. It is located seventeen and one-half miles northwest of Washington, twenty-seven miles by rail from Pittsburg, and fourteen from Steubenville. In 1900 it had a population of 961, and now the population is estimated at 1,400. In 1908, 335 voters were registered. The borough tax for 1908 was 8 mills, and the total amount collected, $3,966.95.

The value of real estate in Burgettstown is $517,175; personal property, $41,890; the total being $559,065; number of taxables, 406. In 1890 the population of Burgettstown was 929, and 1900, was 961. The number of voters in this town in 1904 was 303, and in 1908, 335.

The first Bell telephone was installed in Burgetts- town in 1892. A farmer line was built and put into operation in 1907. It is connected with the Bell Com- pany. About the year 1900 the West Penn, an inde- pendent telephone company, built a line between Cross Creek, Independence, Burgettstown and McDonald. This

company was bought by the Chartiers Telephone Com- pany in 1905.

In 1908 the merchants of Burgettstown dammed up a small stream on tho farin of George Tenan, a short distance northwest of Burgettstown. A pipe line was laid and tho water is used by some of the people in the part of Burgettstown near tho station.

A trolley car line is expected soon to connect Bnr- gettstown with Steubenville, Ohio, Midway and Mc. Donald, the charter having already been issued by the State.

Burgettstown was supplied with gas as early as 1890 by the Mahoning Gas Company. This company was later absorbed by the Laurence Gas Company. The People's Natural Gas Company succeeded that company in the early part of the year 1909.

A large amount of shipping is done at Burgettstown station. The ticket receipts are $3,000 to $4,000, aud freight about $8,000 per month.

The first detachment of State constabulary ever lo- cated in Washington County was sent to Burgettstown on November 3, and these four men were kept sta- tioned there until February 27, 1909. There was no uprising in the community, and no apparent immediate need for such a force, but their presence was a satis- faction to the people of the town, because of the very recent settlements in the four new mining cauips which had been located on three sides of the borough.

The Burgettstown district is one of the pioneer oil districts in the county. This town was several years the residence of C. D. Robbins, president of the Niagara Oil Company. Mr. Robbins, his son Harry Robbins and son- in-law, H. O. Patch, were the earliest of all oil and gas operators to reside in Washington Connty. They leased largo areas of land and drilled several wells very close to later developments of large producers. After C. D. Robbins removed to Washington, Pa., Col. Richard Crock. er, who had come from the northern oil fields and done much drilling in connection with Mr. Robbins, drilled a test well on the Woodburn lot about one thousand feet east of Burgettstown station for a stock company. The drilled hole was redneed very much at the conclusion because of difficulties and lack of experience in this field.

The contractor reported to his inexperienced asso- ciates that the oil found would not pay to operate at the prices of oil at that time. The well was plugged, but oil was freqently bailed afterward from this well by using a bottle and four or five hundred feet of string.

This was the only well drilled within the limits of Burgettstown, and the only well drilled in this region by a local company. It was drilled in the year 1887, and stopped at 3,200 feet, supposed to be below the Brad- ford sand.

380

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

The development of the "Hanover Oil Field" followed by the Dornan oil field in 1902, and the Cross Creek and Cherry Valley fields in 1904 and '05 materially added to the prosperity of this borough.

In 1902 and '03 the railroad company purchased land and rights of way along Raccoon Creek in and east of the borough limits for a system of storage and switches which were made necessary by the seven coal mines being opened up nearby. This revealed the fact that this town is to be the railroad center for several branch roads.

Burgettstown Milling and Plate Ice Company (suc- cessors to the Burgettstown Milling Company, formerly owned by James P. Leech). The Burgettstown Milling and Plate Glass Company started into the business, tak- ing over charge of the Burgettstown flour mill on the 5th of April, 1909. Ground was broken for a large two- story brick ice plant ou the 29th of April. The capacity of the plant is to be fifty tons of ice per day. The com- pany was incorporated in 1909 with capital stock of $100,000. The method of manufacture is new, the ice being freed from ammonia and magnesia by the passage through it of oxygen.

A. Russell Machine Shop. This shop was started in June, 1906. Russell Reversible Gas Engines and Russell Vacuum Pumps are manufactured. Another machine shop was previously operated by E. G. MeClure, of Wash- ington, furnishing repairs and supplies of tools to oil well operators. This shop was erected by Zahniser Brothers in 1906 and sold by them to E. G. MeClure, who removed this shop to Virginia.

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.

Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I, Part 70

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co. (Chicago) pbl Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 584

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 584