USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 30
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Prior to 1882 the channel of the Stonycreek came up to a stone wall on the westerly side of Vine street, known then as Stonycreek street, which street was about 38 feet in width in front of John Thomas' residence, then Dr. Lowman's.
Before men decided to build a large city in this valley the views along both rivers were as beautiful as anywhere in the mountains. The high ranges hide the sunlight from one side of the stream in the morning and the other in the evening; an eminence extending from a range of mountains, cuts off the channel from a direct course, forcing it back around the hill to within a short distance of where it was broken, as at the Viaduct and Bridge No. 6, on the Cone- mangh, and at Benscreek on the Stonycreek. The bottom lands were cultivated on either side, with the white farmhouses and barns among the cherry and apple blossoms; and in the dense forest the trees in foliage covered the hills and dipped their branches in the stream, with the blossoming dogwood to add to the charm.
One of the most beautiful scenes was the view from the top of Benscreek Hill, where the Stonycreek makes a graceful curve around Hogback. Everything thereto belonging was pleasant to the eye and ear except the name-Hogback. The bottom lands were rich and fertile; the hills on every side were high and cov- ered with trees of mountain growth; the banks on either side had foliage sufficient to outline a division between the water and the cultivated fields; the rippling Benscreek flowed into the Stonycreek, above an uncultivated island, decorated with the trees of the forest; and the Hogback eminence extends from the river to the range of mountains of which it is part, like a cape in a placid sea. To the south is the embryonic village of Millcreek, with its mill and toll gate, and a few houses for company, and near by the old brick residence of the man who was manager of Benscreek charcoal furnace, when the battle cry was "Polk, Dallas and Shunk, and the Tariff of '42," and when pig metal was hauled to Johnstown in the winter and shipped on the Ca- nal in the summer.
All this lay within a knot's length of the top of the hill, and away beyond were the hills of Somerset and Scalp Level, and to the west the apparently unbroken Laurel Hill. All in all, it
327
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
was one of the most beautiful views on the Allegheny mount- ains-a sight fit for a goddess.
But man's ingenuity and civilization have robbed this fair valley of all its natural charms; trolley poles have taken the places of the giants of the forests; railroads trace their barren paths ; and a modern amusement park is located where the many of God's first temples stood.
THE ELEVATIONS IN CAMBRIA.
It is sometimes important to have the several elevations above sea level at hand. The first list is correctly and ac- curately located while those in the second are only approxi- mated. All those in the first list are taken from the top of the rail of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Feet.
Philadelphia, at Thirty Fourth street station 70.5
Altoona, Passenger station 1178.9
Kittanning Point .1624.2
East End of Tunnel, at Gallitzin
2125.
Top of Tunnel, westbound track, at Gallitzin 2350.
Gallitzin, westbound station
2161.1
One mile east of Lilly
1952.5
800 feet west of Lilly
1885.3.
Bens Creek Archi
1797.9
Portage station
1673.8
Wilmore station. road arch
1583.7
Summerhill station, arch east of station 1562.9
Ehrenfeld station 1519.5
South Fork, arch west of station 1485.1
Viaduct, west of South Fork 1457.
1414.5
Mineral Point station
Cambria Steel Co's dam, west of Mineral Point 1334.4
No. 6 Stone Arch Bridge, east of Conemaugh 1311.5
Conemaugh Round House 1186.2
Woodvale, Third street bridge, 11th ward, JJohnstown 1184.
Johnstown Passenger station
Stone Bridge west of station. Johnstown 1180.7
Sang Hollow 1143.6
744.8
Pittsburg Passenger station
ON THE CAMBRIA AND CLEARFIELD DIVISION.
Cresson
Munster 1938.
Kaylor 2044.
Winterset
2130.
Ebensburg
2034.5
Arch at Cresson
2022.6
1226.5
2022.6
328
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
Feet.
Ebensburg at Court House
2138.
Beulah Road
1899.
Nant Y Glo
1716.
Vintondale
1402.
Amsbry
1910.
Ashville
1844.
Bradley Junction
1787.
Patton
1734.
Garway
1432.
Tunnel Siding, near Carrolltown
1985.7
Carrolltown Road
1855.2
Spangler
1467.7
Barnesboro
1450.
Cherry Tree
1368.
Dean
1610.
SOUTH FORK RAILROAD.
South Fork 1491.
Lovett
1651.
Dunlo 2200.
Summit
2164.
Windber
1689.
Ashtola
2107.
ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTY, APPROXIMATED.
Susquehanna township: north of Douglass Run, 1700; Gar- man's Mill, 1429; northeast of same, 1700; southeast of same, 1600; southeast of Spangler, 1600; southeast of same, highest, 1800: Plattville, 1830; northwest of Hastings, 1987.
Elder township; Junction of Chest Creek and Bluebaker Run, 1418; west of same, 1800; Hastings, 1735; east end of Mitchell's Mines, 2100; south of same, 2300; southwest of same, 2,000; southwest of Aldburn, 1600.
Chest township: above junction of Rock Run and Chest Creek, from 1700 to 1900; Head of North Branch of Rock Run, 1900 to 2100; Head of south branch of same, 2100; St. Lawrence, 2144; east of Thomas's Mill, 2000; northeast of Patton, 1800 to 2,000.
White township: Northeast of Glendale, 1500; west of same, 1600; southeast of junction of Rock Run and Mudlick Run, 1500.
Reade. northeast of Flinton, 1600.
Clearfield township: Southwest of Dean, 1700; southwest of Dysart. above Indian Run, 1700; west of junction of Clear- field creek and Little Laurel Run. 1700 to 1900; southwest side of Swartz's Run, 1700 to 1945; east of Patton, 1817.
Allegheny township : Chest Springs borough, 1969; junction of Beaverdam Run and Clearfield creek, 1650; northwest of
329
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
same. 1800; northeast of Loretto, 1900; northeast of Wild- wood Spring, 1798; southeast of Loretto Road, 2,000.
Carroll township: North of Eckenrode Mill, 1900; south of same, 2000; west of same, 1900; northeast of Carrolltown, 2100; southeast of same, 2000; north of Leslie Run, 2100; west of Bradley Junction, 2000.
Barr township: Nicktown, 1967; north of Vetera, 2094; junction of Blacklick and Teakettle Run, 1766.
Blacklick: Belsano, 1828; Pindleton, 2301; Ivison, 1775.
Cambria township: East of source of south fork of Black- lick, 2100; north of Winterset, 2064; north of Ebensburg, 2100; south, 2000; southwest 2094; west 2000.
Gallitzin township: South of Amsbry, 2100; west of Syber- ton, 1822; south of Syberton, 1858; east of Syberton, 2200; west of Elstie, 2300; west of Burgoon Cap, 2400; north of Coupon, 2400; south of Ashville, near junction of Clearfield and Beaver- dam Run, 1644; south of Sugar Run Gap, 2300; northeast of Gallitzin borough, 2400.
Cresson township : Blair Gap, at line of Blair and Cambria, 2332; east of the source of Burgoon Run, 2600; south of Laurel Gap, 2600; north of Summit, 2200.
Washington township: North of Lilly, 2097; Big Spring Gap, 2601; south of Big Spring Gap, 2700; north of Ben's Creek, 1900.
Portage township: Northeast of Bobs' Creek Gap, 2700; south of same, 2700; Puritan, 2000; south of Portage, 1700 to 1900; south of Martindale, 2555.
Summerhill township: South of Mock Creek Gap, 2600; head of Beaverdam Run, 2500; east of Wilmore, 1555; head of Birch Run, 1976.
Adams township: Near Bedford and Cambria line, 2800; at Blue Knob, in Bedford county, 3136; north of Bear Wallow, 2700; southwest of same, 2700; west of Rachel's Run, 2700; north of Dunlo, 2566; southwest of Llanfair, 2500; north of Allendale, 1900; head of South Fork branch of Conemaugh river, 2700; east of Onnalinda, 2444.
Croyle township: North of Lovett's, 1800; west of Mud Run, 1925.
Munster township: East of Kaylor, 1900; west of same, 2155 ; east of Noel, 1900; Luckett's, 2048; head of North Branch of Little Conemaugh river, west of Munster, 1989; head of Clearfield creek. 1900.
The elevations in the City of Johnstown and vicinity will be found in the chapter on the rivers and floods.
CHAPTER X V.
THE PENNSYLVANIA CANAL.
Do the residents of Johnstown know that portions of the Third, Ninth and Tenth wards of the city from 1832 to 1857 formed one of the important points of the great transportation system of our country; that this territory was covered with wa- ter from four to six feet in depth, and scores of boats floated over the space now occupied by the Gautier Steel Department of the Cambria Iron Company, the electric street cars, stores, shops, mills, churches and houses ?
The Acts of the General Assembly for the State of Penn- sylvania passed March 27, 1824, and April 11, 1825, authorized surveys to be made to ascertain the most practicable route to connect the effete East with the wild and woolly West, wherein the Allegheny mountains were the division line.
The Act of April 11, 1825, authorized surveys to be made for the Pennsylvania Canal, directing that the following routes be examined :
First. From Philadelphia, through Chester and Lancaster counties, and thence by the west branch of the Susquehanna, and the waters thereof, to the Allegheny and Pittsburg; also, from the Allegheny to Lake Erie.
Second. From Philadelphia, by the Juniata, to Pittsburg, and from thence to Lake Erie.
Third. From Philadelphia to the northern boundary of the State, toward the Seneca or Cayuga Lake.
Fourth. And one other, through Cumberland and Frank- lin counties, to the Potomac river.
Fifth. And one other, by the Conococheague, or Mono- cacy, and Conewago to the Susquehanna.
Sixth. And one other, through the county of Bedford, to connect the route of the proposed Chesapeake & Ohio canal with the Juniata route, as aforesaid.
The Board of Canal Commissioners made their report, af- ter an examination of the aforementioned routes had been made, and adopted the one through Johnstown, and they were author- ized to build the line by Act of Assembly of February 25, 1826.
.
331
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
This action of the General Assembly determined the question of the natural advantages which we possessed over all others.
The first systematic method of transportation after the pack mules were the turnpikes. The Federal Government built the National Pike in 1822, under the Monroe Administration. It began at Cumberland, Maryland, and terminated at Wheel- ing, West Virginia, but was subsequently extended to Illinois. The Somerset and Bedford pike had been authorized in 1816, and the Northern pike, passing through Ebensburg, and other turnpikes were in operation on the Alleghenies. In competition with these methods the State of Pennsylvania attempted the ex- periment of crossing the mountains by a railroad, and built the Pennsylvania canal, and the Allegheny Portage Railroad. The former was ready for business in the spring of 1832, and the lat- ter in the spring of 1834. The Erie canal between Albany and Buffalo had been opened in 1825.
The Pennsylvania system of improvements contemplated and constructed consisted of a canal, with locks and dams, from Pittsburg to Johnstown; a railroad on which the cars were to be drawn by horses, afterward by locomotives, between Johns- town and Hollidaysburg; a canal from Hollidaysburg to Colum- bia, through the Juniata Valley and along the Susquehanna river, and a railroad from Columbia to the Schuylkill river, in Philadelphia.
It was a combination of steam and water. When this sys- temi was completed Andrew Jackson was serving his second term as President of the Union of States, and, considering the prog- ress made in the arts and sciences, and the better means men and women have of gaining a livelihood, the nineteenth century bids fair to stand as a chief epoch in the history of the world, and when it is thus truthfully recorded, Johnstown will be one of the landmarks in the methods of transportation.
To operate the canal system it was as essential to have a basin for the loading and unloading of boats and transferring goods in bulk from the railroad on land to the boats on water and vice versa, as it is now for railroads to have transfer depots and great yards for the shifting of cars and making up trains. There were two basins on the Pennsylvania canal-one at Pitts- burg and the other in Johnstown-the latter, with its appur- tenances, occupying that part of the Third, Ninth, and Tenth wards between Clinton and Railroad streets on the west and
332
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
south and the "Five Points" and Portage street on the east and north.
That portion of land lying between the Basin and the Little
Scala 100 1und
ยท trent
Fender struck -
Sungur street
1
-
6
Letter Comomany !-
The Canal Basin at Johnstown.
state
Conemaugh river, from the "Five Points" to the waste weir, at the Overhead Bridge, was known as Long Island, but com- monly received only the name of "The Island." The waste weir
333
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
at the entrance of the basin and under the bridge, was one hun- dred feet in width, and from the waste weir to the aqueduct, in the rear of the Cambria Iron Company's office, all the land ly- ing between the canal and the river was known as "Goose Isl- and." The widest point on "The Island" was about three hundred feet, while "Goose Island" was a little less. The "Five Points" was so called on account of the converging of five thor- oughfares at that place, namely: Portage, Railroad, Church, and Depot (also known as Fenlon) streets, and the Old Portage railroad, coming in from the east. This was the connecting link of the land and water system of transportation of that day.
The Overhead Bridge, built in 1835, was a wooden structure, extending from Canal street, below Clinton, across the canal and waste weir, and a point of "Goose Island" to "The Island." It was three hundred feet long and sufficiently wide to allow teams to pass ; it rested on an abutment and pier on the Canal side, and had a gradual grade to the level of Portage street, on the Island.
The roadway on the Canal-street side was rather steep, with steps on the lower side for foot travelers. The bridge was not taken away until after the war. William Flattery was a justice of the peace, whose office was on the "Goose Island" side and midway on the bridge. Here justice was administered in an able manner for many years. The 'Squire was elected one of the associate judges in the old district court when it was established in this city in 1869.
The water for the basin and canal was let into the former through a sluice from the Little Conemaugh river at the "Five Points" also in another way, through a forty-foot feeder, from Suppes' Dam, in the Stonycreek, down along the present line of the Baltimore & Ohio road, through Sharpsburg (named thus in honor of Thomas Sharp, and a part of the present Fourth ward, between Green Hill and the Stonycreek river, from the corner of Bedford and Baumer streets, up to the Hor- ner line), thence across, in a straight line with Feeder street, to the Basin. The Feeder was the division line between the bor- oughs of Johnstown and Conemangh, and is now the line sep- arating the Third and Ninth wards of the city. The Feeder was finished in 1833, a year after the opening of the canal.
The canal proper, which was about sixty feet wide on the top line and intended to contain at least four feet of water, be- gan at the Overhead bridge, situated about fifty feet below
334
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
the mouth of Clinton street, and followed the present line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the continuation of the tracks of the Cambria Steel Company to the blast furnaces.
For the purpose of controlling the quantity of water neces- sary to float the crafts, or to draw off the water to make repairs, a waste weir was run from the Basin to the Little Conemaugh river, dividing "Goose Island" and "The Island" commenc- ing at the upper side of the Weighlock. It also formed an outlet from the weighscales which were immediately west of the bridge connected with the waste weir.
Within a short time after the canal was put in operation it was discovered necessary to have a reserve body of water to fill the canal during the dry season, and in 1835 the State began to construct the South Fork Reservoir, which was situated about sixteen miles from Johnstown, at an altitude of four hundred feet above the town. It was an immense affair, having a basin of thirty-two acres, its extreme length being three miles, from one-fourth to a mile in width, and at the breast about seventy- two feet in height. The State exhausted its finances, and did not have money enough to finish the dam, which was abandoned for a few years. In 1845 it was completed, and water was stored therein. In 1847 it broke and caused considerable damage to the canal and basin in Johnstown. One boat was taken through a break in the canal and passed under the aqueduct, in the rear of the Cambria Iron Company's office. In July, 1862, two small breaks occurred but no serious damage followed and the dam was again practically abandoned until about 1880, when it was rebuilt by the South Fork Fishing Club. On the 31st of May, 1889, the dam broke the second time, with terrible results to human life.
The Weighlock was on the north side of the canal, at the entrance to the basin, about a hundred and fifty feet below Clin- ton street, and immediately below the bridge which connected "The Island" with the town. From the beginning of the opera- tion of the canal up to 1835, when the bridge was erected, the only way to get a team to town from that portion of "The Isl- and," or "Goose Island," was to cross under the aqueduct on the bed of the river, which became impassable during high wa- ter, or go up around the "Five Points." Until 1835, when a weighlock was built here, all the boats, with their lading, were weighed in Pittsburg. The manner of weighing a boat was a. very interesting proceeding. After it had been run into the lock
335
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
at either end, the water gates were raised, and the lock being made as water tight as possible was drained through a race leading to the waste weir. Thus the boat was left resting on the cradle, or frame of the scales, when it was as accurately weighed as if on land. Then the gates were lowered and the water let in until it became level with the body of the canal.
The position of collector was one of great prominence and importance, and paid a salary of $1,000 per year, with house rent. The office of collector, as well as that of weighmaster, was sought after by politicians from every part of the State. The
Weighlock at Johnstown, Near the Corner of Clinton and Washington Streets.
collectors were: John Mathews, of Johnstown, 1833-36; Fred- erick Sharretts, of Johnstown, 1836-39; James Potts of Butler, 1839-44; W. A. Wasson, of Erie, 1844-47; Obed Edson, of War- ren, 1847-50; David Fullwood, of Greensburg, 1850-53; Albert Marchand, of Greensburg, 1853-57, and Frank W. Hay, for the Pennsylvania Railroad, 1857-1860.
The collector's office was opposite the Weighlock, on the ground now owned by the George Ludwig estate.
After the weight of the boat and its lading had been ascer- tained, the captain of the "Cambria," the "Transit," or the "Philadelphia," as it might be, at the Collector's office, paid
336
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
his toll and received his "clearance" papers, which were in effect, authority to use the canal. At several points between Johnstown and Pittsburg the captain would have to produce his clearance for indorsement by the State officials to guard against an increase of lading.
The basin was semi-circular in shape, commencing at the packet slip, at Canal (now Washington) and Clinton streets, and following Railroad street around to Depot street (or which be- came more familiar, Fenlon street) at the "Five Points," thence to Portage street, and thence in a straight line to the bridge at the waste weir and the weighlock. It was six hundred yards in length, and at Singer street, which was the widest point, two hundred yards in width. The first slip off Clinton and Canal streets was used by the line of packet boats which carried passengers during the years 1832 and 1833. In 1834 it was moved to the first dock above the bridge on "The Island," and remained there until the flood of 1847, when it was dam- aged; again it was taken back to the corner of Clinton and Ca- nal streets, where it remained until the system was abandoned. Richard M. Johnson, vice president under Van Buren, was one of the prominent passengers sailing on the packet from "The Island."
In 1832, Henry Clay, the great leader of the "National Republicans," had been defeated for the Presidency by Andrew Jackson, and in the fall of 1835 he came to Johnstown on the Pioneer line of packets, on his way to assume his duties as United States Senator at the opening session of Congress.
The packet slip was the centre of attraction for the public, and at times that portion of the town was thronged with many hundreds of travelers waiting at the wharf for the arrival and departure of boats to and from the West, and for passenger trains to and from the East.
On both sides of the Basin were warehouses and docks, or slips ; on each side of the warehouse was a slip, fifteen by eighty feet, so that two boats could be loaded or unloaded at one time. A warehouse occupied a strip of land about seventy-five feet in width, and extended into the Basin from either Railroad or Portage streets (or, as the latter was also known, Broad street) about one hundred feet, with one or two sidings from the road to the rear end of the dock. The sup where the boat ran along- side of the warehouse, was from sixty to seventy-five feet in
337
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
width. The tracks of the Portage road ran on State ground, to Clinton street, between Railroad street and the Basin.
When the big cars which were eight feet in width and from sixteen to twenty in length were introduced, some difficulty was experienced in getting them from the main tracks to some of the sidings. At this time, about 1851, the Pennsylvania Rail- road commenced hauling through freight, before its line was connected between Johnstown and Pittsburg, and the Canan brothers-William, Robert and S. Dean Canan-were its agents at this place. Quite frequently the late Thomas A. Scott, presi- dent of the company, who was assistant secretary of war under Lincoln, took a hand as an ordinary laborer in carrying or truck- ing goods between the warehouses and the big cars.
The tracks of the railroad also ran down Portage street from the "Five Points" to the packet slip on "The Island" for the same purposes.
Prior to the flood of 1889, Portage street was about ninety feet in width, the widest thoroughfare in this vicinity, and many inquiries were suggested by this feature. Its original width had been three rods or from the Basin to the tracks of the Portage railroad, which occupied forty feet, leaving sufficient room for hauling the traffic between the warehouses and road. When the Canal was abandoned, Messrs. Sylvester Welch and Samuel Jones, who owned "The Island," donated the forty-foot strip to the public. Thus it became Broad street.
The first warehouse on Railroad street was the "Brick Warehouse" next the packet slip, which was used for a short time by the Reliance line of boats, for which George W. Swank was agent, but subsequently for commercial purposes by Mr. Swank and Henry Sutton, a son-in-law of Peter Levergood. who were partners in the merchandise business. Afterward the Canan Brothers occupied it for the flour trade. The site is now nsed by Love, Sunshine Co.
The second warehouse was used by the Dispatch line, of which Thomas Bingham was the agent, and the third was on the site of Barnes' blacksmith shop at the time of the Flood, near the mouth of Jackson street. It had been used by John Royer for a short time for the Pennsylvania & Ohio Line.
The third warehouse was also occupied by John O'Neill, agent for the Ohio & Kentucky line, and for a short time by the Merchants' line and Kiers'. Evan Roberts was agent for the Western line, Messrs. Walsh & Johnston for the Reliance line,
Vol. I-22
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338
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
Jesse Patterson also was agent for the Mechanics' line, Frederick Leidy for the Pilot line and Henry Keatzer for the Union line.
Others were occupied by the Perseverance line, whose agent was John Harrold, about 1837; also the Independent line, with Jesse Patterson as its agent. Samuel Leidy used the first warehouse west of the Feeder for a short time, and. in 1854, White & Plitt the warehouse above the Feeder. This was after the opening of the Pennsylvania road. For many years before that time the Pennsylvania & Ohio Transportation line oc- cupied the latter, and the Union line of which John Rover was agent used the warehouse and space between that of the Penn- sylvania & Ohio and Singer street.
Above the Union line slip was the warehouse of John Pick- worth, who conducted a line of boats for way traffic. Next to it was Speer's yellow warehonse, near to Singer-street en- trance occupied by the Canan brothers while agents for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Next to it was the warehouse of Peter Levergood. Above Haynes street (Conemaugh Borough) and toward the "Five Points" was the boatyard of Captain Thomas Young, who did a large business, and who erected the palatial "American House." on Church street, about 1832, and owned "Young's field." above that famous hostelry.
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