USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I > Part 78
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During the little more than eight years the pottery has been operated it has made a splendid record, and is one of Canonsburg's most prosperous industrial concerns.
Pittsburg-Buffalo Company (Hazel Mine)-The de- velopment by the Pittsburg-Buffalo Company is recited at some length in the article dealing with coal. The Hazel mine of this company was opened in the summer of 1900, and since put in operation it has run almost constantly. The mine is one of the best equipped in the country, and has modern mining appliances through- out, with electric lights and engines in the long tunnels down out of sight.
David G. Jones, the general manager of the Pittsburg- Buffalo Company, is a resident of Canonsburg and a member of the town council. The Hazel mine gives employment to 700 or 800 men, the number varying from time to time, according to the briskness of the coal trade. Its payroll is large, and the money put in circulation by this industry affects, directly or indirectly, the entire community.
Standard Tin Plate Company-The Standard Tin Plate Company is, as its name suggests, engaged in the manu- facture of tinplate, its specialties being tinplates, terne- plates and blackplates. Its extensive plant is located in East Canonsburg, on what was for many years the Giffin farm. This farm was purchased in 1902 by the Cecil Improvement Company, which was formed in the spring of that year by local capitalists for the purpose of securing this important industry. The Improvement Company purchased the Peacock (formerly the Giffin), the S. W. MeNary, the Weller heirs and Kirk farms, and had them platted and later placed the lots on the market. This was the beginning of the suburb of East Canonsburg. There were 786 lots in the plot.
The Cecil Improvement Company included in its share- holders, among others, the following: J. V. H. Cook, S. L. Kennedy, George D. MeNutt, George C. MePeake,
W. H. Paxton and John F. Budke, of Canonsburg; Joseph Underwood, of Roscoe, and William I. Berry- man and Samuel Taylor, of Pittsburg. Edwin Jeffries engineered the construction of the plant, and the land company agreed to invest $50,000 in the enterprise.
During the summer and fall of 1902 the work of erecting the mills was carried on with vigor, and the plant was a most thoroughly constructed one, being built of steel, and of large dimensions. The best equipment that could be purchased was installed, and the plant put in operation early in 1903, since which time it has oper- ated almost steadily. The plant as constructed was a six-mill one, and during the six years since the industry was put in operation it has given employment to a large number of workmen and has manufactured an excellent article of tinplate.
Mr. Jeffries retired from the position of general su- perintendent and was succeeded by William H. Richards, who formerly had held a responsible position with the Canonsburg Steel and Iron Works, but who for several years preceding his connection with the Standard Com- pany had been connected with a mill at New Kensington. Mr. Richards still holds the position of superintendent. Louis Follet is general manager.
At present the company is engaged in making some additions to the plant, which, when completed, will make of the concern a ten-mill plant. The Standard has the reputation throughout the industrial world of manufac- turing excellent material, and the management at all times endeavors to maintain the reputation that has been earned.
East Canonsburg has one paved street, has water and gas mains, has street car service, and is a stop on the Chartiers Valley Railway. There is a schoolhouse, and a large number of houses of modern construction. It is not yet incorporated, but is part of Cecil Township.
Pittsburg Casket Company-The Pittsburg Casket Company located in Canonsburg in the spring of 1905, and has been in business here four years. Negotiations for the purchase of the MeDowell & Dickson lumber mill and yard were closed March 13, 1905, and possession given April 1. The price at which the property changed hands was $12,000. The company had been engaged in business in Pittsburg before this time, having been in- corporated in 1902 with a capitalization of $100,000. The directors at the time the plant was moved to Canonsburg were George P. Roberts, J. C. Beinhauser and James C. Cosgrove, of Pittsburg; Alexander Speer, of Canonsburg, and John Rogers, of McDonald.
After the company had secured property in Canons- burg, steps were at once taken to enlarge the building, and this was done at considerable expense. The latest pattern of machinery was installed and the plant made modern in every way. Large numbers of caskets are
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made and trimmed here, and aro shipped to all sections of the country, tho bulk of the company's trade, how- ever, being in the Pittsburg district. Twenty or 25 men are employed, according to the rush of work.
At a meeting of the stockholders held February 24 last reports of tho business doue during the past year were heard, and these were satisfactory. Ralph C. Capek is general manager of the company.
Tho Simpson Stove Works, located on tho Alexander Land Company's plan, midway between Canonsburg aud Houston, has not been operated since the winter of 1903-4. The company was formed in 1901, and a build- ing 100x200 feet erected. George A. and H. Prescott Simpson were for a time at the head of the works, which manufactured stoves and ranges. The company went into receivers' hands in the summer of 1904, and tbe plant was sold October 29, 1904, by E. E. McCloy and H. Prescott Simpson, receivers, to W. H. Munball, of Pittsburg, for $10,250, subject to a mortgage of $10,000.
Cauonsburg Ico Company-Samuel Munnell, who has helped establisb many industries in Canonsburg, started operation of the ice plant in 1874. This plant is situ- ated on the Chartiers Valley Railroad near the station. ยท Ice is taken from an artificial lake. The water is let out of the lake in summer and the ground tilled. The plant has a capacity of 15,000 tons, both natural and manufactured ice being bandled. The greater part of tho product is shipped to Pittsburg. Mr. Munnell in 1880 received Samuel Duff into the firm. The plant was afterward purchased by Michael Beck and Joseph Duff. After the death of Michael Beck the interest of Joseph Duff was purchased by Michael Beck's sons and the firm is now known as Beck Brothers.
Canonsburg Milling Company-The flour mill at Canonsburg is operated by the firm of James II. Me- Burney and Joseph S. Moore. A mill was first erected by John Canon, the founder of Cauonsburg, about 1781, aud the present mill is on the same site. The mill was run by water power for many years, but at the present time the power is furnished by gas eugines. The ca- pacity is 100 barrels per day. The roller process was installed in 1905. There is also an elevator handling grain, hay, straw, etc.
The Canonsburg Electric Light, Heat and Power Com- pany, organized in 1893, supplies Canonsburg, South Canousburg and Houston. The company is engaged in making improvements to its plant, and expect to begin supplying. a daylight service during 1909.
Cauonsburg is supplied with water by the North Stabane Water Company, formerly the Peoples' Water Company of Canonsburg.
Canonsburg Marble Works-Robert H. Black started
tho marble works at Canonsburg iu 1876. The firm is now Robert H. Black & Son.
Chartiers Woolen Factory-The Chartiers Woolen Factory started operatiou in 1866. Among those who established the industry in Canonsburg were John E. Black, William MeDaniel and John Ilays. John Craig- head purchased the works in 1873 aud continued its operation about ten years. The business not being sue- cessful this factory was closed down and February 28, 1887, was destroyed by fire. It was a three-story brick building and stood near the creek bank at the south sido of West Pike Street.
The Chartiers Valley Agricultural Association was or- ganized at Canonsburg in 1874. The first officers were James McClelland, presideut; J. B. Johnson, vice presi- dent; William White, seeretary, and Dr. J. W. Martin, treasurer. Twenty-two acres of land was leased for ten years from Mrs. Sarah Currey across the Chartiers Creek, east of town, on the north side of the turnpike. The fairs were successful for a time, but afterwards the at- tendance dropping off the fairs ceased to be held about the time the lease for the fair grounds ran out in 1884.
CENTERVILLE.
Centerville was organized a borough from part of East Bethlehem Township February 16, 1895. On Oeto- ber 10, 1903 a small amount of land was annexed to the borough from part of West Pike Run Township. The boroughi is bounded on the north by West Pike Run and East Pike Run Townships and West Brownsville Borough, on the east by the Monongahela River, on the south by the Monougahela River and East Bethlehem Township and on the west by Deemston Borough. Ceu- terville Borough contains a large area of farm land and embraces a part of the river front which recently and naturally belonged to the township of East Bethlehem.
The population of Centerville Borough in 1900 was 746. In 1905 the population was estimated at 819. The number of voters in 1904 was 201 and in 1908, 276. At the present time there are 297 taxables, a real estate value of $2,342,832, and a personal property value of $55,745. The borough tax for 1908 was 5 mills.
The Pennsylvania, Monongahela and Southern Rail- road, operated by the Penusylvania Railroad Company, follows the river bank along the Centerville boundary and connects West Browusville and Rice's Landing, Greene County.
The Centerville Street Railway Company expects to connect California, Coal Ceuter aud Ceuterville in the near future.
In 1904 Centerville Borough had 28 miles of public highway. The National Pike, once the greatest thorough- fare of the country, runs along the northern boundary line of Centerville Borough.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
The Pittsburg coal bed is exposed along the river bluffs up river nearly to West Brownsville, where it passes slightly below water level and remains there through Centerville Borough and reappears in the great bend of the river by Fredericktown under the influence of the Bellevernon anticline, coming to view first about three miles below Riverville.
At Lock No. 5 the Sewickley coal occurs about 140 feet above the floor of the Pittsburg coal and has a thickness of three feet.
The Centerville Gas Field-The Centerville gas field is about a mile in diameter. This small field contains only a few wells, most of which are owned by the Mo- nongahela Natural Gas Company of Pittsburg and the Teu-Mile Natural Gas Company of Wayuesburg. In every case in early production in this pool the gas was ob- tained from the 50-foot sand, the depths varying from 1,960 to 2,010 feet below the Pittsburg coal. Some of the wells gave large amounts of gas. Some wells nearby obtained gas in other sands.
The wells of the Centerville pool lie near the crest of the Bellevernon anticline, which at this point is rather broad and pitches rapidly to the southwest. The more northerly of the wells are on the northwest slope of the anticline, one-half mile or so from the crest. The south- ern wells are on the very crest.
CENTERVILLE VILLAGE.
The only village of much importance in Centerville Borough is the village of Centerville. The postoffice was called East Bethlehem before the village got the rural delivery from Coal Center. The place was called Cen- terville from the fact that it is situated midway between Brownsville and Scenery Hill. Its location is on the National Pike three miles east of Beallsville. It was laid out by Robert Vale in 1819 and John Cleaver in 1821.
The population of this village in 1870 was 263. It contained at that time 50 dwellings, four stores, a church and the usual number of mechanical professions.
At present the place is probably smaller than it was iu 1850. The population in 1900 was 218. The present population is about 180.
The village has the advantage of the Bell and Home Mutual Telephones and Western Union Telegraph. The Greensboro Gas Company furnishes light aud heat from natural gas.
The Rogers House was a well known tavern in coach- ing days. It is a brick house located at Centerville, on the north side of the National Pike, and was originally conducted by John Rogers and at later times by Solo- mou Bracken, Mr. Wilson, Zephania Riggle, Peter Col- ley, Henry Whitsett, Jacob Marks, William Garrett and
Jesse Quail. While Mr. Riggle was tavern keeper the building was burned down aud a new one built. It was last conducted by J. V. Stathers. The building is now owned by William Bailey and boarders only are kept.
Joseph B. Jeffreys at one time conducted a hotel in a frame building in the western end of the village.
Bethesda Methodist Episcopal Church-A Methodist Episcopal Congregation was organized at Centerville in 1828. A lot was purchased in 1834 and a church built. A new church was erected in 1872 on a lot donated by Joseph Joues. The membership is 75 and pastor, Rev. O. B. Patterson. This congregation is on the same charge as those of Beallsville and Taylor congregations.
Cedar Lodge No. 633, I. O. O. F., was constituted at Centreville in 1868. There are 60 members. Centreville Encampment No. 224, I. O. O. F., was instituted in 1881. The other lodges are the Centreville Council No. 756, Jr. O. U. A. M., and the Horton Post, Ladies' G. A. R.
Dairy Grange, No. 1308, of Centerville, has had the most phenomenal growth of any of the eleven granges of this county. It was organized in 1907, and boasts a membership of nearly 200. Its members give ad- dresses from California, Coal Center, West Brownsville, Beallsville and Fredericktown. J. W. Dague is master and D. R. Staley lecturer.
CHEWTOWN.
Chewtown is a small mining hamlet of about 40 houses, located on the Monongahela River, a short dis- tance above West Brownsville. A Mr. Chew is said to have started a brick works at this place before the coal mine was opened up and the town was named after him.
DENBEAU.
Denbeau is a station on the Pennsylvania Railroad in Centerville Borough 2.4 miles south of West Browns- ville. Lock No. 5 and several houses are located here, as this is the fifth river dam above Pittsburg. The lock was constructed in 1856. It will be abandoned as soon as the concrete lock at Brownsville is completed.
Centerville Station on the Pennsylvania Railroad and Monongahela River is between Denbeau and Frederick- town. The Vaudergrift Distillery is at this point and is owned by George L. Hill and Furman South.
SCHOOLS.
There are in Centerville Borough nine schools; nine teachers, (males 4, females 5) ; enrollment, 275; average uumber of months taught, 7 1-9; average salary of teachers, per month, males $73.44, females $57.00; cost of each pupil, per month, $2.63; number of mills on the dollar levied for school purposes, 212; estimated value of school property, $25,000.
There are six schoolhouses in Centerville Borough, in-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
cluding tho Centerville High School, which is valued at $12,000.
CHURCHES.
Westland Meeting-house-James Townsend on the 12th of April, 1792, sold land situated in the present borough of Centerville a mile south of the National Pike and two miles east of Centerville village, to the trustees of the Society of Friends on which a stone church was soon built known as the Westland Monthly Meeting-house. In 1864 tho Quaker Congregation having become de- pleted in number was transferred to the Salem Monthly Meeting, Ohio, and the church property sold two years later. The old church with its 12 windows, four doors and chimneys at the corners, has been torn down. Many of the Friends were buried beside this ehnreli, but be- cause of the excessive plainness of these ancient people and to avoid any appearance of pomp, most of the graves are unmarked.
Westland Cemetery Association-The Westland Ceme- tery Association was incorporated to care for this old Quaker burial ground and for future burials, May 5, 1902, upon the application of J. H. Farquhar, H. L. Ruble, O. M. Linton, Mattie M. Mitchell, Mahlon Linton, Thomas Horton, D. M. Baker, M. T. Ruble, George Han- eoek, W. H. Farquhar, H. T. Baker, John I. Cleaver, Ellen W. Taylor and N. L. Hormell. In one of the recent deeds for this property is found the following condition : "The ground now occupied as a graveyard shall remain and be maintained as such at the expense of the grantees herein, and to be used as it now is, and this couveyance is made and accepted upon that express condition and is part of the consideration on which it is made. "'
Jouathan Knight is buried in the Friend's burying ground, at Westland, East Bethlehem, and a small mar- ble head stone, 14 inches high marks the place. The stone was erected, contrary to the custom of the "Friends" and the outcome was that the stone was taken down and thrown away several times. At last his grandsons, O. R. Knight and J. H. Kuight, put it back for the third time, and it has never since been dis- turbed. It remains, to this day, and the Westland Cemetery is now thickly dotted with head stones and monuments.
In coming years some one may confound this Quaker Westland of over a century ago, with the miuing town named Westland at the edge of Mt. Pleasant and Char- tiers Townships which originated about 1903.
CHARLEROI.
EARLY HISTORY.
That tract of land on which stands Charleroi, gives little evidence of its existence until projectors for min-
eral deposits searched the Monongahela Valley. They stated the place where Charleroi is located, was in the center of a gas, bituminous coal and oil belt, the coal having two or more strata.
About 75 years ago the mineral hunters sought fields to continue their scientific discoveries and they left this valley in the care of coal diggers. These underground workers have done much to make the name of Monon- galela Valley famous throughout the world.
Year after year during the rainy seasons, the coal tonnage passing by Charleroi was immense. So great was the output of the black diamonds that in 1870 a railroad had to be built to assist the river facilities iu conveying the deposits to the markets. It was by the building of this road that the present Charleroi received its first name-"Railroad Crossing."
The road on its march to Brownsville cut directly through several farms, among them being those owned by the late Robert MeKean, the late Thomas Redd and William McMahan, on whose farms now stand the "Magie City."
The principal industry of Charleroi is the maunfacture of glass. It was to foster this industry that the "Rail- road Crossing" sign was removed and the word "Char- leroi" nailed on a commodious and magnificent station provided in its stead. This change in the town's cog- nomen was made in 1890.
The late A. F. Chandler, M. J. Alexander, George W. Crouse and A. M. Sloan comprised the founders and developers of Charleroi.
In the year aforementioned these men formed and organized the Charleroi Land Company, purchasing the property, in fee simple of the late Robert MeKean.
Mr. MeKean immigrated from Scotland about 51 years ago and immediately took possession of the farm on which now stands the infant city. Until his death he cultivated the land and sent the products to Pittsburg, where they were placed on the market, and sold.
When Mr. and Mrs. Robert MeKean came from Scot- land they had with them a baby boy seven months old. They named him James S. MeKean. Much credit is due this little Scotsman for the wonderful develop- ment of Charleroi. In his early boyhood days his enter- prise led him to take up quarters in Pittsburg and re- ceive and sell the products "off the farm."
With his energy, affability, honest dealing, he was compelled to handle the products of others than his father's farm and soon enjoyed a large business. He became very popular and realizing his executive ability the citizens of Pittsburg elected him postmaster. He served part of his term in the old postoffice at corner of Fifth avenue and Smithfield, where now stands the Park building. The remainder was spent in the new structure between Fourth and Diamond Street, ou Smith-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
field Street. After be retired from the postoffice he was appointed to a position at the Union Trust Company at Pittsburg, which he held until his death.
It was largely through his influence that the land company was organized and the Mckean farm selected upon which to build the Magic City.
The company sliced tbe farms into lots and as fast as the river and railroad facilities furnished material, dwell- ing houses and business blocks were erected with the utmost possible speed.
The founders of Charleroi furnished the wherewith to supply the rapidly increasing population with gas, fuel, electricity, water and other necessities for a com- fortable livelihood.
PRESENT BOROUGH.
The borough of Charleroi was incorporated February 8, 1892. It is one of the most beautiful, busy and pros- perous cities in Western Pennsylvania, and one that while less than a quarter of a century old has already taken front rank among her sister cities in this, the richest section of the great Keystone State.
Charleroi is located on the P., V. & C. R. R., a branch of the Pennsylvania, and is about 41 miles from Pittsburg, with which she is connected by street cars. In the near future connections will also be made by electric line with Washington, the county seat. She is a strictly up-to-date town, with finely paved streets, ad- mirable drainage and sewerage, electric plant and natural gas, water works, surrounded with rich coal mines and has a number of important industries. Her people are enterprising and progressive and her taxes low. She has a well organized fire department and her police pro- tection is of the best. Her government is judiciously administered and her officials faithful and able.
The city of Charleroi now has a separate school dis- trict of its own under the supervision of a borough superintendent.
Charleroi has fine schools, occupying handsome build- ings, fitted with all modern conveniences and presided over by skilled teachers. These are admirably managed and will compare with those of any city of her size in the State, a credit to her citizens and an honor to her- self.
Her churches, eleven in number, represent the Metho- dist, Baptist, English and German Lutheran, Episco- palian, Presbyterian, Christian, Greek, Slavish, Italian and English Catholic denominations. They all have fine structures, have prosperous congregations and their pulpits are filled by educated Christian gentlemen, whose influence and work is always for good.
In her banking facilities Charleroi is well favored. She has three financial institutions, which rank among the soundest in the State and are noted for their care-
ful and conservative management, their liberality and their abundant resources.
She has many fine buildings and business blocks, prominent among them the handsome Masonic Temple. She also has many elegant residences which are the pride of her citizens.
Charleroi has a fine opera house, where all the best attractions on the road are booked, and which is fitted with every convenience. She also has one of the finest roller skating rinks in this section.
She is one of the important distributing centers for lumber and has two immense yards, which are potential factors in her commercial wealth. Among her large industries are the manufacture of plate and bottle glass and shovels.
Charleroi is the headquarters of the Monongahela Valley Labor Council and is the home of a number of the strongest organizations of organized labor in this section.
She has six fine hotels and a number of well kept res- taurants.
Much has already been said about the Magic City, Charleroi. No better name could have been given to a city which sprang into prominence financially and in- dustrially in a day. Though it is but a few years since the first lot sale was conducted and the first buildings erected near the river front, the town is now a growing and prosperous municipality of approximately 15,000 population.
The poulation of Charleroi in 1900 was 5,930. In 1905 the population of the borough proper was estimated at 8,271.
The number of voters in the borough in 1904 was 1,434; in 1908 it was 1,598. The borough tax for 1908 was 10 mills; $45,688.82 was collected and $7,090.80 ex- pended. There are 1,969 taxables in the borough. The real estate value of Charleroi is $2,989,025; personal property value, $193,905.
For several years it has not cost Charleroi one cent for the administration of the office of treasurer for both the borough and school district. This has been per- formed by the banks here, among which the office is rotated each year. When this system was installed there was keen competition among the three banks for the privilege of acting as borough and school treasurer, and to a certain degree the election of councilmen and school directors was made an issue at the local elections. In order to avoid factional fights the council and school board adopted the plan of rotating the office in order cach year, and the plan has worked well, thereby effect- ing a saving of $5,000 or more to the borough during the official term of a treasurer.
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