USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Apollo > History of Apollo, Pennsylvania. The year of a hundred years 1816-1916 > Part 3
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What is now known as the Laufman Addition formerly belonged to David McLane, who was editor of the Pittsburgh Gazette for sev- eral years.It had been laid out and called the McLane Plot, but few lots were sold and it later became the property of the rolling mill company. The last addition to Apollo Borough was made in 1893. It included Oak Hill and a part of Sugar Hollow, now called Eleventh Street.
Up until 1887 what is now known as Warren Avenue extended south only to First Street. The alley in the original plan was in this year by ordinance widened to 42 feet to South Fifth Street. It was also increased to 40 feet from Seventh to Eleventh Street.
Proceedings in Court had been inaugurated for several months asking that the town be divided into wards. There being no objec- tions filed the Court issued a final decree dividing the town into two wards, First ward being south of North Fourth Street and Second Ward all of the borough north of the same. This decree was made December 13, 1899, and three school directors and three councilmen were ordered elected for each ward.
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THE HISTORY OF APOLLO. ORDINANCES.
By act of March 12, 1870, the Burgess and Council authorized the levying of a street tax not exceeding ten mills as provided for in act of 1848. It required property owners to pave fronting on streets with brick or stone. In case of financial inability so to pave, at the option of council they were permitted to pave with boards or plank. This ordinance provided that in case property owners failed to pave, the council could authorize the work and enter the cost as a lien against the property.
The names of the streets were changed in 1889. North Street became First Street and all cross streets were numbered from this point. The streets running parallel with the river were to be called avenues. According to this nomenclature, Water street became Kis- kiminetas Avenue. Canal Street became Warren Avenue. The other avenues eastward are Pennsylvania (Church St.), Armstrong, Terrace, Woodward and Oak avenues. There are two exceptions, Grove Street has a name, not a number, and the small street running north and south back of E. A. Townsend's is called Crow Street. The avenues westward are Railroad and Clifford. The western ter- minus of N. Fourth Street and the northern terminus of Clifford Avenue were vacated by ordinance in 1891.
The Philadelphia plan of numbering buildings was adopted in 1890.
An ordinance fixing the proportion of street paving to be paid by the borough was passed in 1897.
Apollo Electric Light, Heat & Power Co. was franchised in 1891. Other franchises were Conemaugh Gas Co., 1886.
Apollo Gas Co., 1889.
Apollo Water Co., 1888.
Leechburg and Apollo Electric Railway granted right of way in 1904, an extension of time for completion of road granted to 1906.
An act for the preservation of public health was passed in 1888.
THE KISKIMINETAS RIVER.
It has been stated that the first mention of this river was by Christopher Gist, Washington's guide, when he was with the Ohio Company. He says "Monday, 12th, Nov., 1750. Set out from Stoney Creek, Crossed a great Laurel Mountain, came to Loyal Hannon, an old town on a creek of the Ohio, called Kiscomina- tis, thence from an Indian town on said creek, &c."
In searching history we find that in 1748, two years before, Conrad Weiser set out from what is now Berks County to negotiate with the Indians, who, Geo. Croghan said, were becoming estranged from the French. Weiser was a prominent trader. He was well versed in Indian affairs as he had been adopted by the Mohawks, When he started on his mission he kept a diary. It will not be
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BALANCED ROCK. (Picture by Leland T. Henry.)
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THE HISTORY OF APOLLO.
necessary to mention more than the stations passed near this local- , ity, August 22, 1748, after crossing Allegheny Hills (Mts.) he came to Clearfields, this being at the head waters of Clearfields Creek, a branch of the Susquehanna, in Cambria County. From thence he traveled to the Shawonees Cabbins, 34 miles distant, reaching that point Aug. 23. On Aug. 24 he states that he "found a dead man on the road, who had killed himself drinking too much whiskey. The place being very stony we could not dig a grave. He smelling very strong we covered him with stones and wood and went on our jour- ney." Came to 10 Mile Lick 32 miles (Ten Mile Lick is Spring Church, so called because it was ten miles from the Indian Town Kiskiminetas which was below Pine Run and opposite Shaner's Run.) August 25th, "Crossed Kiskeminetoes Creek and came to Ohio that day, 26 miles." On this route it will be noticed that he took a trail leading across to the Allegheny near Chartiers.
Aug 26, he stopped at Shannopins, a Delaware town. Aug. 27, he dined at a "Seneka Town where an old Seneka Woman Reigns with great authority." This was Queen Alliquippa at the Forks of the Ohio.
Weiser met the Indian tribes, gave them presents, made them speeches and completing his duties returned. . On his way back he mentions "Kiskaminity Creek," and "Round Hole," another name for "Boiling Springs." He states that after traveling 35 miles from this place he came to where they had buried John Quen and found that the bears had pulled him out and left nothing but "a few naked bones and some old rags."
It will be noticed that Gist spoke of Kiscominetis as a creek and Loyal Hannon as a town. The Indians often spoke of the stream instead of the town. In their method, the Kittanning meant the river, from Gicht, main and Hanne, Stream. The name Kiskiminetas is given two or three meanings by writers. John McCullough who was a captive, says they came to a river, Kee-ak-kshee-man-nit-toos, meaning "Cut Spirit." Heckewelder, who was an authority on the language, said it meant "Make daylight," being the impatient excla- mation of a warrior in haste to take the warpath. He says it comes from Gieschgumanito. Many of our streams retain their Indian names, but some have been translated into English, yet keeping the Indian significance. Thus of the tributaries of the Kiskiminetas, Conemaugh (Gunamochki) means Otter creek. Loyalhanna (Laweel- hanne) means the middle stream because it is half way between the Juniata and Allegheny. Hanne in Indian means stream. The Indian of Stony Creek is Sinne-hanne.
The Indian name for Beaver Dam Creek (Beaver Run) is Amochk-pahasink. It means "where the beavers have shut up the stream." The Kiskiminetas was one of the most im- portant water ways in the state, especially during the salt industry. Its head waters are the Little Conemaugh and Stony
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THE HISTORY OF APOLLO.
Creek. The North and South Forks of the Conemaugh both rise in the Allegheny Mountains, within the limits of Cambria County. These branches merge at South Fork, where on June 1, 1889, the dam burst and caused one of the greatest calamities in the history of the state. Johnstown was destroyed with a loss of 2209 lives. The river is known as the Little Conemaugh until its union with Stony Creek, which rises in Somerset County and runs almost direct- ly North to the confluence. Besides the numerous acquisitions of smaller streams Black Lick rises in Cambria and runs almost parallel with the Conemaugh until below Blairsville, where it empties into the latter. At Saltsburg the Conemaugh and the Loyalhanna unite to form the Kiskiminetas. The Loyalhanna has its source in West- moreland County between Chestnut and Laurel Ridges. The Kis- kiminetas just after receiving the water of Roaring Run makes a steep declination which produces what is known in past histories as the "Big Falls." Here amid the rocks and bars the waters rush and madly swirl for nearly a mile. In early days many lives were lost in these rapids. By Act of March 9, 1791, the river was made a pub- lic highway. In 1811 improvements were made by blasting and removing rocks. At that time channels were made at the shallows and riffles.
In 1821, $5,000 were appropriated for the improvement of this stream and five commissioners were appointed to supervise the ex- penditure. In 1828, the river became a part of the great canal sys- tem.
Before its contamination by mines, mills and sewers fish were plentiful. The writer remembers an old time "Brush Netting" when hundreds of fish were driven down to the mouth of Beaver Run where a triangular inclosure had been built of stones in the river. A rope was stretched across the stream just below the rapids or Big Falls. Men and boys cut and tied green branches to this rope, mak- ing a brush fence. A team of horses was hitched to each end and by their pulling and men and boys pushing and kicking and shouting the fish were driven down to the angle and caught. The fish were laid in piles and a blindfolded man called out the names for distri- bution. While that was wrong it cannot be compared to the whole- sale poisoning by factories or mines. The fish were of fine size and quality. Bass, pike, salmon, catfish, perch and many not so de- sirable inhabited the stream. Back in the nineties the fish were all killed. The coal mines are the greatest evil. Mr. H. P. Drake, assistant engineer of State Department of Health thinks that the waste products of the mines will be utilized and all drainage into streams eliminated. It is thought that the by-products will pay for the installation of the system.
James S. Painter caught a pickerel with rod and line which weighed 23 pounds. This is the largest catch by that method re- corded. G. W. Wolfe caught one weighing thirteen pounds the day
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BURNT MILL HOLE. (Picture by T. J. Henry.)
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THE HISTORY OF APOLLO.
before Mr. Painter's catch. H. P. Wood gigged one which weighed .32 pounds. On the same night he and John Jones gigged a catfish which drew 17 pounds. J. P. Wood holds the record for a large spoonfish. There have been many floods in the Kiskiminetas be- sides the Johnstown Flood. A notable one occurred in 1831, when part of Leechburg Dam was swept away. In 1866, Dam No. 2 above Apollo was destroyed. This was a calamity to the town as the Roll- ing Mill was run by water power at that time. Jan., 1881, the Apol- lo toll bridge was carried away. In 1907 the river rose to eighteen inches higher than it did at Apollo at the time of the Johnstown flood. This was the highest in history.
REGIONAL HISTORY.
There may be something inspiring to read about men dying in battle. The shouts, the rattle of musketry, the roar of artillery and the wild charge tend to make a soldier forget his danger, but when chased by foes as relentless as wolves, the pursued, wild eyed and panting like a hunted deer-such a death is revolting to our sen- sibilities. But of these there were many in the days of the colonies. Such was the death of the unknown man who was pursued for miles up the river until he was overtaken and killed on Chambers' Hill. He was buried a few yards beyond where the road turns toward the Chambers residence on the way from Apollo to Vandergrift Heights. Many of the older residents of town remember the oak tree by which he was buried. For many years wagons turned to either side of the forest marker rather than to fell the tree. Today all that re- mains of his body lies under the new brick road. Such also was the fate of Garver, who was wounded up the little run (Cat Tail Run) which empties into the stream which feeds the new reservoir of the Apollo Water Company. Bleeding, he staggered, half running, half. falling up the hill frrom the Enoch Crawford farm to the crest of the hill at the Chambers line. There he fell, was scalped and later his mutilated body buried. His grave was yet to be seen a few years ago. It is said he came from near Arnold on the Allegheny River. On the opposite side of the valley on the Crawford farm there was another grave with a flag stone marker at the head and foot. The history of this grave is unknown. As Linus Townsend writes of the lone grave near Spring Church,
'The lone grave and he who's resting here,
Alike by friends and kindred are forgot."
HANNASTOWN.
On account of local interest it may be pardonable to refer to Hannastown, although it properly belongs to history of Greens- burg. In July, 1782, while a number of residents of this village
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THE HISTORY OF APOLLO.
were engaged in harvesting, Indians were discovered skulking in the woods. The reapers at once retired to the town and hastily gath- ered all the inhabitants into the stockade. Hannastown, it must be remembered, was at that time the county seat of Westmoreland County. It was the first place where justice was administered west of the Alleghenies. On this fateful day the prisoners were released from jail and taken into the enclosure along with the rest. James Brison and David Shaw went out to reconnoitre and discovered the enemy to be in superior force. On their return they were pursued by the Indians and Shaw paused long enough to shoot one. Captain Matthew Jack on horseback circled around until he learned that it was useless to attempt to fight such a large force and then gal- loped off to warn the people at Miller's. As the scouts were leaving the Indians came out boldly and attacked the town. Enraged that they had not succeeded in surprising the inhabitants they began to pillage and burn the houses. One warrior dressed in a stolen uni- form of which he was so proud that he attracted much attention and was shot by a man in the fort. There were forty or fifty people in the fort and of these there were but twenty men able to use arms. These were armed with less than a dozen guns as most able bodied men were at the front. This may be said to be the last act of the Revolution in this section. The attacking party seems to have been about forty Canadians and one hundred Indians, who had come down the Allegheny in canoes and disembarked at Kittanning. The people in the fort beat their drums and rode horses back and forth across a bridge to make the enemy believe they were receiving reinforcements. The party fled in the night. They were followed as far as the Kiski- minetas where they crossed the river at the ford where Warren or Apollo, was subsequently located. The only death among the whites was that of Margaret Shaw, who was shot while rescuing a child which had toddled into danger. The Shaws and the Hannas of Apollo are descendants of those of Hannastown.
THE UNFINISHED MILLSTONE.
On the Saltsburg road, Westmoreland side, a branch road leads from Newton Kennedy's to the Rubright Bridge. In a little ravine a short distance down and to the right lies an unfinished millstone. The grain of the stone is perfect and that it was not finished is told thus: When naught but a wilderness trail led down this hill a grist mill was projected for a site on Beaver Run just below this place. The stone cutter had selected this stone and was at work cutting to his line when he was killed and scalped by Indians. After this deed the Indians followed down the trail to a cabin near Rubright's cross- ing. The woman of the house who was alone fled at their approach. Entering her house the marauders found a lot of newly baked bread, which they stole and went their way without searching for her. Whether from superstition or sentiment the stone was never fin- ished. Today it stands mutely testifying to the tragedies of our pioneers.
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THE HISTORY OF APOLLO. THE OLD MILLS.
Among the earliest necessities of frontier life was the grist mill. Prior to the use of steam power it was necessary to erect mills on streams easily dammed yet having an abundant and continuous flow. The old mills in this vicinity whose names are perpetuated because of their locations being favorite picnic grounds are the McCartney and Crawford Mills and the one remembered only as "The Burnt Mill Hole." The McCartney Mill was not only a grist mill but a fulling and dyeing mill as well was located there. These were situated on Rattling Run about three miles south of town. This vicinity is yet . a well known camping and picnic ground. It is related that the mill- wright who erected the mill was so engrossed in his labor that he forgot his wedding day and was only aroused to the other duties of life by the anxious guests who sought him and reminded him of his waiting bride.
Crawford's Mill was located on Pine Run, in Westmoreland County. A blacksmith shop, a tannery and a store were built near by. This mill site, besides being a favorite outing place, was known by the older settlers as the place of "The Haunted Gun." It was told many years ago that an old flint-lock musket lay on a rock. No one could pick it up. On attempting to do so an unseen hand knocked it back upon the rock. There it rested until rot and rust removed what human hands could not. Whether the spirit of a red man or a white stood guard, legend does not say. Up on the face of the cliff bordering the stream was a cave-like opening long un- explored. It was regarded as inaccessible. Of late years several enterprising youths explored it by means of a rope let down from above. It was found to be a room about 10x10 feet, with nothing within to gratify the curiosity of the explorers. In all probability it was a place of refuge in early days.
Burnt Mill Hole is another well known and popular resort for picnics and fishing. It is two miles up Beaver Run Valley. It is so called from a hole or pool-the remains of an old mill dam. The first mill built on this site was burned and the name of the owner has passed into oblivion. The second one owned by Moses Felmlee, was also destroyed by fire. The third mill built a little lower down the creek was erected by Miller Callen and sold to Smith Whit- worth. It was near the "White Bridge." Mr. Whitworth ran the mill by water power for a few years and then removed it to West Apollo, where steam power was installed. The building is used as a barn by Mr. Gianini, of the Belvedere. The scenery around the "Burnt Mill Hole" is picturesque and fishing has been good in times gone by. Further enchantment for the spot lies in the tale told by old settlers of the man who was tortured to death there. All the gruesome details of his cruel death have been rehearsed for the ben- efit of the boys who in turn told their companions as they sat in the deep shade near the stream. The pool is deep and because of an
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THE HISTORY OF APOLLO.
outlet at the bottom there is a whirlpool which sucks floating ob- jects into its depth. Several persons have been drowned in this hole and many believe it is the whirlpool which drags the victims under. The water is not of sufficient volume to do this. The treachery of the pool is in its precipitous sides, which cause the unwary bather to plunge suddenly overhead.
INDIAN SPRING.
Smith's History of Armstrong County mentions Indian Spring as a place one and one-fourth miles east of Toquhesp, an Indian town which was in the dim past situated near North West Coal mines. This spring can be found more easily by going out from Apollo on the Maysville Road. It may be seen at the head of a little ravine to the left of the road just before coming to the branch which leads up to Horrell's school. Under the guidance of James Kunkle, of Penn- sylvania Ave., a visit was made to this curiosity. It is not the spring but a rock which is the object of attraction. Formerly there was a large sandstone rock which jutted up from beneath the roots of a large chestnut tree. From beneath the rock there gushed forth a bounteous stream of clear cold water which formed a rivulet which rippled down the hollow through the forest. Evidently this was a favorite haunt for the redmen, as it is said the large rock was cov- ered with pictures. A smaller rock yet stands to the left of the stream just below the spring. Carved upon it is the crude figure of a man. The head and the body of the man are made deep so as to give the idea of solidity, while the arms and legs are but trac- ings. The hands have but three fingers, the knees are bent as if to represent the figure as walking. A few other tracings are vis- ible, but their import is not known. Owing to the scarcity of build- ing stone in this vicinity the larger rock has been quarried away and the spring is filled with spalls. This carving is doubtless the work of Indians.
REGIONAL HISTORY.
A short distance above Rock Furnace on the left of Jackson's Run, is a huge boulder six or seven feet high and of irregular shape, so balanced that it can easily be rocked to and fro, but the united efforts of several men cannot displace it. Down below Rock Furnace, just above the first crossing there is a large flat rock which has several pot-shaped holes in it. These are supposed to have been used by the savages as receptacles into which they placed corn to reduce it to meal.
The spot now known as the Apollo Cemetery was already cleared when the first settlers took up claims here. This tract was on the Samuel McKee farm and had been used by the Indians as a corn field. Many Indian graves were to be seen further up the hollow and a few out on the point.
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THE HISTORY OF APOLLO.
The site of Apollo was the site of an old Indian town, although the name is lost to history. Indian towns were not so stable but that they were often changed. Evidences of campfires, darts, spear- heads, broken pottery, amulets, pipes, beads and tomahawks found here have been too numerous to have been anywhere else than a village. Owens' Hill east of town has been more of a camping place. Hugh Owens says that shortly after the farm came into their pos- session, traces of campfires with charcoal and mussel shells were found at various spots on the top of this knoll. Even yet some spots are darker than others, when the ground is newly plowed. It is not improbable that this high ground was Warren's "Sleeping Place." It was directly on the old Frankstown Trail from east of the mountains. This branch of the trail came via Clearfield, Indiana, passing between South Bend and West Lebanon to Round Hole or Ten Mile Lick, now called Spring Church. From thence it led to "Warren's Sleeping Place" on the Kiskiminetas River. From this place the path led to the old Indian town of Kiskiminetas on the Westmoreland side on this side of Leechburg. This town was situ- ated just below Pine Run, directly opposite the mouth of Shaner's Run. This run has been known as Carnahan's Run, but on Howell's map as Old Town Run. From this place the trail led over the Trout farm to Jack's Island or near Arnold. Robert Walter Smith, al- though a careful historian, was mistaken as to the location of this town and supposed it to have been near Saltsburg. His statement was quoted by the compiler of Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania. There were two towns near Saltsburg.
Both history and maps positively locate Kiskiminetas Old Town as stated above. The term "Old Town" was a common name for any of the towns which the Indians had, whether used or abandoned. Above Kiskiminetas Town on the hill was an Indian burying ground. Some of these were explored a number of years ago. Beads and darts were found and Jas. Schall found in one a quartz crystal. A number of years ago when the road from the upper part of Hickory Bottom was being made, Hugh Forbes, then but a small boy, along with another boy about his own size, were present when the work- men came upon a number of Indian graves on the hillside just beyond the present home of Charles Ward. The skeletons were shoveled out indiscriminately and thrown over the embankment. The boys, having an inborn hatred of the savages, piled the bones up and stoned them until broken into fine fragments so that "they would have a hard time getting together on the 'Resurrection Day.'"
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THE HISTORY OF APOLLO. FORT HAND.
This fort is one which belonged strictly to this region. It was built to protect this vicinity, in the fall of 1777. James Chambers was one of the reapers in the oats field in August of that year when they took refuge in John Mckibben's large log house on discovering the Indians hid in the woods. They were not attacked then, but the Carnahan Block House was. This block house was only a few miles distant but they were frequently cut off from it. The site of this fort is the same as the present residence of John B. Kerns on Pine Run, about four miles from Apollo on the Pittsburgh road. It was built of logs and had palisades surrounding it. The enclosure con- tained about one acre. Several cabins for the soldiers were within the stockade. A fine spring within supplied the garrison with water. From the finding of cannon balls on the site, it is supposed the fort was supplied with wall guns. Mckibben's house was a short dis- tance away and across the creek. The savages had become so vicious that the settlers of Westmoreland were constantly menaced. Col. Lochry had organized a company of sixty men for their pro- tection. He divided this company into four bands of rangers. One of these bands guarded the district between Mckibbens and Carna- hans before the building of Ft. Hand. This fort is mentioned as having received thirty men as reinforcements in March, 1778.
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