History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 32

Author: Smith, Robert Walter
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins
Number of Pages: 790

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Soon after the passage of the National Bank act the First National Bank of Kittanning was organ- ized, but did not then, viz., August 21, 1863, or until 1867, commence business. An attempt having been made to establish a Second National Bank here, the Kittanning Bank, being then a state bank, was changed to a national bank, July 2, 1866, so that until the next year, when the latter was closed or wound up, there were two national banks, under one management, in operation. Since then the First National has been the only one of that kind in operation here. Its capital is $200,000.

The Allegheny Valley Bank was established in

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

April, 1872. It is not incorporated, but is rather a copartnership, with individual liability. It is not a bank of issue, but of deposits and loans. Its capital stock is $100,000. It is located in the Reynolds block, on lot No. 121.

All of the banks in Kittanning have thus far done a safe business, their customers or depositors not having lost a dollar through failure or insolv- ency of either of them.

INSURANCE COMPANY.

By act of April 2, 1853, the Kittanning Insur- ance Company was incorporated. The number of corporators specified in the charter is twenty, any five of whom were authorized to be con- stituted commissioners, who, at any time within one year from the passage of that act, after giving two weeks' notice in one or more news- papers printed in Kittanning, to meet and receive subscriptions to the capital stock, which is to consist of 1,000 shares at $50 each, and to be paid in as the directors might determine, and which could be increased at any time to 10,000 shares of $50 each. This corporation is authorized to take risks on the mutual plan or otherwise against fire; to effect marine and inland insurances on vessels, cargoes, freights, etc .; also to make insurance on the lives of persons and animals; to invest the capital stock and other moneys of the company, or intrusted to it, in bonds, notes, mortgages, ground rents, judgments, stocks and loans of the United States and Pennsylvania, and in other good secur- ities, and to sell, transfer and change the same, and to reinvest the proceeds thereof in such other bonds, notes, etc., whenever the directors may deem it expedient, but it is not authorized to engage in the business of banking. The directors must annually declare a dividend of so much of the profits as they may deem advisable, which is to be paid to the respective stockholders, according to their rules and regulations, and annually publish a full and accurate statement of the condition and affairs of the corporation.

The company was duly organized, and it has ever since been doing more or less business in investing its stock and other moneys, and but little, if any, in insuring either property or lives. Whether it will, after this year (1876) engage in the latter branch of business remains to be seen. There have been established. here for some years past several efficient agencies, representing a con- siderable number of fire insurance companies of this and other states.

GAS WORKS.

The Kittanning Gas Company was incorporated by the act of March 13, 1858, which gave to

that corporation the exclusive authority to supply this borough and its vicinity with gaslight. The capital stock is limited to $20,000, and each share to $50. The penalty for using the gas without proper authority is not less than $20 or more than $80, and for injuring the works a fine not less than $100 and not more than $500, or imprisonment not less than ten days and not more than one year, or both, at the discretion of the court. The managers are authorized to issue certificates of credit or evidences of indebtedness not exceeding $15,000 at any one time, for the purpose of aiding in construct- ing the works and managing the business of the company, no certificate to be for a less sum than $50, the payment of such certificates to be secured by a general mortgage upon the real estate and all the effects of the company; and makes the stock- holders jointly and severally liable individually for all debts due mechanics, workmen and laborers employed by, and for material furnished to the com- pany to the amount remaining unpaid on each share of stock held by the respective stockholders. By Act of April 15, 1859, the Armstrong Gas Company was incorporated with the exclusive right and authority to furnish this borough and its vicinity with gaslight; the capital stock to be $50,000, and each share $25; the company to be organized and governed as provided in the general act of incorpo- ration of gas and water companies of March 11, 1857. All acts and parts of acts conflicting there- with were repealed. A company was organized and commenced building their works on the lot on the southwest corner of Water and Walnut streets; a house was erected and the ground prepared for constructing the gasometer, in 1860-1, but the em- barrassment of the chief stockholder, who resided elsewhere, prevented the completion of those works, and the company's property was subsequently sold under the sheriff's hammer. The act of February 25, 1860, repealed the above-mentioned act incor- porating the Armstrong Gas Company, and the act of March 25, 1859, which was a supplement to the act incorporating the Kittanning Gas Company, and provided that the last-mentioned company should commence practical operations within six months from the passage thereof. By the act of February 25, 1868, the above-mentioned supple- ment was revised, and the provision requiring the last-mentioned company to commence operations within six months was repealed. Thereupon the present Kittanning gas company was organized May 14, 1868, and erected their works, gasometer, etc., in the spring and summer of 1872, on lot No. 197, northwest corner of MeKean street and the public alley between and parallel to Jacob and Mul-

RESIDENCE OF WILL. A. MORRISON, KITTANNING, PA.

INTERIOR OF WILL. A. MORRISON'S DRY GOODS STORE, KITTANNING, PA.

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THE BOROUGH OF KITTANNING.

berry streets, and commenced the manufacture of gas in July, 1872. On a certain night in that month, after the gas had been distributed, every building, private and public, into which it had been introduced was illuminated with its light free of charge, which was, of course, a cheerful and brilliant entree of this changed mode of illumination. Besides the borough, which has, by contract with the gas com- pany, forty-four posts and street lamps distributed along the streets, there are one hundred and thirty-seven paying consumers. The aggregate length of the main pipes for distributing gas is a fraction over two and a third miles, which from three to six inches in diameter, and are laid from three to seven feet below the surface of the ground in the various streets. Those works cost $31,000. On Thursday, November 25, 1875, a fire occurred there, caused by the bursting of the gas- pipe, which, it was feared, would cause a general explosion and conflagration. So serious a disaster was prevented by shutting off the gas from the large tank, and by the prompt, resolute and well-directed efforts of the manager, Wm. B. Kerr. The loss thus occasioned was about $1,500, which was nearly, if not entirely, covered by insurance.

WATER WORKS.

By act of March 12, 1866, a charter was granted to the Kittanning Water Company for the purpose of introducing pure water from any stream in this county into this borough. The capital stock is $50,000, divided into shares of $50 each. The company was to be organized, managed and gov- erned as provided by the general act of March 11, 1857, providing for the incorporation of gas and water companies. The charter gives this company the right to enter upon and take possession of any lands or inclosures, streams of water within this county for effecting its purposes, on filing bond as required by that general act to cover all damages assessed therefor. This company is also authorized to borrow any sum of money not exceeding $20,000 and issue bonds at such rates of interest as may be agreed upon between the parties, each one not to be for a less sum than $100. Letters patent were issued May 17, 1871, and the company was organ- ized June 7, next following. Within the ensuing seven months the water works were completed and the water was turned into the pipes January 10, 1872. The number of paying consumers is 354. The reservoir, with a capacity of 35,717 barrels, is located in the upper part of the field east of the street and road extending past the court- house and jail into Valley township, 190 feet in hight above Water, Jefferson and McKean streets,

giving a pressure of eighty pounds to the square inch, to which water from near the bottom and middle of the Allegheny river, through a pipe extending from along the bed of the river beneath the public alley between and parallel to Arch and Vine streets, by steam pumps located on lot No. 58, on the south side of that alley and adjacent to the sonthern bend in Truby's Run. The reservoir, if empty, can be filled in forty-five hours. The main pipes are iron, four, six, and ten inches in diameter, and laid from three and one-half to four feet below the surface along all the streets, their aggregated length being four and one-half miles, besides 3,500 feet of six-inch rising main extending from the pumps to the reservoir and 600 feet of ten-inch suc- tion main extending from near the middle of the river to the pumps, which, with the engine, are in a brick structure erected therefor.

MERCANTILE AND PROFESSIONAL.

Although most of the merchants still keep a variety of such goods as belong to the different branches of mercantile business, there has been for some time a growing change in this respect, so that there are now four large drug-stores, whose trade is confined to drugs and such other articles as are usually kept by druggists. The trade in hardware, groceries, provisions, books and stationery has become more distinct from other mercantile busi- ness than it formerly was.

The professions of medicine and dentistry are more distinctly and numerously represented than was heretofore the case.

The legal profession remains in statu quo in re- gard to the choice of specific branches of legal business by the respective members of the bar, such as is so often made in large cities. Each practitioner still continues to take charge of cases in courts of law, in courts of equity and in criminal conrts, without making any particular branch a specialty. A few are overburdened with their mixed business, while others, some at least, for lack of opportunity to develop, are comparatively briefless. Notwithstanding the increased facilities for traveling, the presence here of distinguished members of the bars of some of the adjoining coun- ties, during our court weeks, is far less frequent than was the case when the usual mode of locomo- tion was on horseback. In those times, when the general business in the courts in this and in those counties was lighter than it now is, but when there were more of important land titles to be tried than there have been for several years past, there was many an able, brilliant and vigorous contest before court and jury, in which those foreign and our

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

own resident lawyers zealously participated ; and there was, too, many a pleasant social gathering out of court, which was not barren of genial flashes of wit and humor and good feeling.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

In 1859, a town hall, brick, two stories, 50 by 32 feet, was erected for $1,000, under a contract be- tween the borough and Charles B. Schotte. The rear part of the lower story is used for keeping the fire-hose, hose-carriages, etc. The front part of that story is used as the chamber of the town council, and the post-office. The upper story was for a while used for public meetings and a school- room, but of late years it has been occupied as the printing-office of the Armstrong Republican. This hall is situated on the northeast corner of Market street and an alley, on the old jail square.

In 1872, a grain elevator, frame, 100 by 60 feet, 25 feet high, was erected by J. A. Gault & Co., on the east side of Grant avenne, on out-lot No. 22. Thongh owned by a private company, it is, on the score of general convenience to the agricultural class, at least, a quasi-public building. It has a capacity for holding or containing about 70,000 bushels of grain. The largest number as yet stored in it at any one time is 36,000 bushels.

In 1874, an opera house was erected by a joint- stock company, on leased ground, on the upper part of lots Nos. 128 and 133, on the southeast corner of Market street and a public alley between it and the Avenue Honse. It is a frame building, the main or front part, containing the parquet, dress circle and gallery, is 60 by 49 feet, with a hight of ceiling varying from about 16 to 25 feet. Its roof is what its builders call a drop-Gothic. The rear part, containing the stage, dressing-rooms and scenery, is about 24 by 20 feet, with a less hight of ceiling than the main part. The acoustic properties are very good, bating the ringing noise made by movements on the floors and stairs, on which are bnt single layers of boards. If they were so modified as to deaden the sound caused by foot-falls upon them, and the building were other- wise finished, the comfort and satisfaction of the audiences that assemble in it would be greatly en- hanced. Its cost, including that of some well- painted scenic representations, is $6,000.

CEMETERIES.

The first ground used for interring the dead within the borough limits consisted of lots Nos. 61, 67, 73 and 79, on the east side of Mckean, between Arch street and the public alley next north of the last-mentioned street, forming the square now owned by James Mosgrove and John Gilpin. Dr.

James Armstrong, the former owner, appropriated those lots to be used as a burial-ground.

Few interments, however, were made therein. Some, it is said, were made by mistake on the public alley bounding them on the east. Upon the representation made by the inhabitants of this town that if those lots should be occupied as a burial-ground, the water with which the people were supplied, owing to the sandiness of the soil and the elevation of these lots, would be materially adulterated, the legislature passed an act March 19, 1810, authorizing and empowering the commis- sioners of Armstrong county, after giving four weeks' notice in The Farmer's Register, printed at Greensburg, Westmoreland county, in one of the newspapers in Pittsburgh and by written or printed advertisements put up in six of the most public places in Armstrong county, one of which was to be on the court-house door in the town of Kittan- ning, of the time and place of sale, to sell the above last-mentioned four lots for the highest and best price that could be had therefor, to execute deeds to the purchaser or purchasers on payment of the purchase money, and to immediately apply the money arising therefrom to the purchase of other more eligible ground to be occupied as a public burial-ground for the inhabitants of this town and its vicinity, which was to be taken and considered in lieu of those four lots.

A few residents of this town were buried in the grave-yard on Pine Run, on the west side of the Allegheny river, now in East Franklin township.

A part of the field east of the public road ex- tending from the head of Market street past the court-house and jail, now owned by Mrs. J. F. Nulton, was used for a while as a burying-ground. Among the interments made in it was that of the remains of Robert Duncan, a former proprietor of a part of the Manor, and a brother of Thomas Duncan, deceased, one of the former justices of the supreme court of this state.

The location of the next cemetery is on out-lot No. 2, which, and out-lot No. 4, were purchased by Joseph McClurg at the first sale of the town lots for $93. Mr. McClurg and Anne, his wife, by their deed dated July 13, 1808, conveyed the former to Paul Morrow for $100. As the money arising from the sale of the above-mentioned four lots was not sufficient to purchase out-lot No. 2, some of the inhabitants of this town and of other places sub- scribed and paid the requisite amount. Where- npon, the commissioners having agreed to appro- priate the proceeds of the sale of those in-lots to the purchase of that out-lot, Paul Morrow and Lydia, his wife, by their deed, dated September 21,

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THE BOROUGH OF KITTANNING.

1818, conveyed it to the commissioners of this county, viz .: Isaac Wagle, David Reynolds and Joseph Rankin and their successors in trust for the use of the inhabitants of the town of Kittanning and its vicinity, and of the grantors for their pur- chase money for a public burying-ground for the sum of $130. Thomas Hamilton made this, among other bequests, in his will: " One hundred dollars to aid in putting a neat substantial board or post and rail fence around the grave-yard lot in or near 'the said borough." That lot was unfenced for several years after it began to be used for burial purposes. There probably never was such a fence around it as specified in Mr. Hamilton's will, as no credit for the payment of that bequest was claimed by James Hamilton, the surviving executor of that will, in his final and only executorship account, which was approved by the proper court September 16, 1839. It was, however, applied toward defray- ing the expense of building the present brick wall around that lot, which was done by John F. Nulton in 1842. That bequest and a portion of the amount subscribed was all that he received. The quantity of land contained in that lot is, according to the assessment list of 1804, one acre, one rood and ten perches. It was never laid out in walks and roads, and it has been beautified by shrubbery to only a limited extent.

The company having control of this cemetery was incorporated by the proper court March 18, 1844.

The first catholic cemetery is located in the rear of St. Mary's church, on High street. One of the new ones, laid out a few years since, is on the high ground in Valley township, a mile and three-quar- ters in an air line northeast from St. Mary's church, and about one hundred and seventy-five rods east from the river. The other-that of the German portion of the congregation-is about 200 rods northeast of that church, on land purchased from James Patrick, in Valley township.

By act of February 18, 1853, a charter was granted to a corporation styled "The Kittanning Cemetery," which contains ample provisions for its perpetuity and for effecting the purposes for which it was constituted. The corporators are, at least once every year, to meet to fill vacancies that may occur in the corporation. The minimum number of members is restricted to seven, and the maxi- mum to twenty-one, who must be lot-holders. The officers are five managers, a president, secretary, and treasurer, who must report their proceedings and the state of the finances at the annual election, on the first Monday of June, and whenever a majority of the corporators may require. The

corporators or managers are authorized to purchase any quantity of land, not exceeding twenty-five acres, within five miles of the borough of Kittan- ning, for the purpose of the cemetery ; to lay out, ornament, divide, and arrange it into suitable plats and burial lots ; to allow the remains of persons buried elsewhere to be reinterred therein ; to pre- serve and replace head and foot stones, tombs, obelisks or monuments, to do all other things neces- sary and proper to be done to adapt the ground to the purposes of a cemetery ; and to sell the lots and burial plats in fee simple or otherwise, for the purpose of sepulture, to individuals, societies, or congregations without distinction of sect or creed, under such rules and regulations as the corpora- tors may establish for the government of lot- holders, visitors, and burial of the dead. The lots cannot be used for any but burial purposes and are free from taxation, levy or sale, under any process against the grantees and holders thereof or the corporation. It is also provided that the corpora- tion may hold as much personal property as may be necessary for its purposes, and that a fund be created out of the proceeds of the sales of burial lots to be invested in judgments or mortgages, the income therefrom to be applied to the improve- ment and perpetual maintenance of the cemetery in proper order and security ; that at least ten per cent of the purchase money of all burial lots he set aside for these improvements and the creation of that perpetual fund; and if the managers or corporators fail to perform the duties devolved upon them, they shall be subject to the control of competent judicial authority for correction. The penalty for opening any tomb or grave in this cemetery, without the consent of the corporation, and clandestinely or unlawfully removing, or at- tempting to remove, any body_or remains there- from, is imprisonment in the county jail or the western penitentiary not less than one nor more than three years, and pay a fine of not less than one hundred dollars, and for wilfully destroying, mu- tilating, defacing, injuring, or removing any tomb, monument, obelisk, gravestone, or other structure in the cemetery, or any fence or railing or other work for the protection or ornament of the ceme- tery or any lots therein, or for cutting, griddling, breaking, injuring or destroying, or removing any tree, shrub, or plant therein, or for shooting or discharging any gun or firearms within the limits of the cemetery, shall be deemed guilty of a mis- demeanor, and on conviction be subject to a fine of not less than five nor more than fifty dollars, and be imprisoned at the discretion of the court from one to six months. No street, lane, or road can be

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

laid out or made through the lands in the cemetery without the authority of the corporation, and such lands are exempt from taxation. The corporators or managers can borrow any sum of money not exceeding five thousand dollars, and issue therefor the bonds of the corporation, each not to be less than one hundred dollars.

The first meeting of the incorporators was held July 23, 1857. The Board was duly organized and officers elected. Subscriptions were soon after solicited for the purpose of securing suitable ground for the cemetery. On or before August 17 of that year the subscriptions thus obtained amounted to $3,285. On January 23, 1858, an agreement was made between Franklin Reynolds and the cemetery company for the sale and pur- chase of fifteen acres and four perches of land in Valley township, but adjacent to this borough, sur- veyed by James Stewart and J. E. Meredith, Sep- tember 23, 1857, for the sum of $3,000. On the payment of the purchase money in full Mr. Rey- nolds and Mary Jane, his wife, executed their deed therefor, dated May 20, 1864, to the cemetery com- pany or corporation. The site is eligible for such a purpose, being on elevated ground sloping north- westwardly, southeastwardly and southwestwardly, and but a few rods from the northeast corner of the borough limits. Grand, Centre, North, South and Crescent avenues are each thirty-three feet, the Holy Cross avenue is sixteen feet, another unnamed one is ten feet wide. The width of the walks in three of the sections is three, and of all other internal walks four feet. All the regular lots in seven of the sections are each 10×15 feet, all in four of the sections are each 16×16 feet, and those in one of the sections are each 16×17 feet. The entire number of lots, regular and irregular in shape and size, is 1011, besides eight others which appear on the draft or plot to be laid out, but not numbered. The number of lots in the various sections that have been sold is 248, at prices varying from $20 to $150 per lot, amount- ing to nearly $15,000. In 1875-6 the company expended fully $2,000, as I am informed by the secretary, in building stone wall on each side of the westerly entrance, stone steps, paved stone gutters or water-ways, etc. Evergreen and other kinds of trees and shrubbery have been extensively and successfully planted. Considerable money has been expended and much fine taste displayed on various lots by their respective owners; so that this cemetery is, year after year, becoming a more and more beautiful city of the dead.

In proportion to the length of time since those several cemeteries were laid out, the number buried

in them is not large, which, in connection with the fact that there are now within the borough limits seventy-five persons over the age of sixty, a goodly number of whom are over seventy and eighty years of age, is good evidence of the salubrity of this region. Although this, as well as other places along the river, is subject to dense fogs, they are not such as generate chills, or fever and agne. So dense are they sometimes that it is impossible to see objects quite near, and for experienced pilots to keep their boats in the channel. Their great density may be conceived from this incident: Many years ago Philip Mechling, William Rey- nolds and Daniel Reichert, when they were young men, being on the west side of the river, attempted to cross over to this side at night through one of those fogs. Their attempts were several times thwarted by their boat striking the shore on that instead of this side of the river. They finally suc- ceeded in crossing by following the direction of some noise on this side. Each thought, after land- ing, that he could reach his home without diffi- culty. But Mr. Reynolds, who lived in the lower part of the town, becanie so bewildered that he wandered about, unable to find his house, until the fog began to clear away early in the morning.

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 32

Author: Smith, Robert Walter Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins Number of Pages: 790

Author: Smith, Robert Walter
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins
Number of Pages: 790