History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 107

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 107

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The use of the river water for household pur- poses becoming objectionable, an artesian well was drilled adjoining the pumping station and alternating filters erected to overcome its; fre- quent filthiness.

All the town gutters and refuse from manu- facturing places north of Bridge street had drain- ed into the canal, the surface of which frequently presented mysterious compositions.

The company requiring more room for stor · age purposes, a 36-inch main was extended on the canal bed, from a point facing the canal be- low the bridge, which carried water to the fore- bay at the machine shop and pumping station, while another of similar size ran from the fore- bay in front of No. 5 furnace and extended to the turbines opposite No. 1; the feeder canal was then abandoned and filled in, giving the com- pany large storage space in front of the furnaces.

For many years, the revenues of the water system were not given close attention and re- verses coming to the Crane Iron Co., its re- ceivers made overtures to the original owners, and the water and land rights, with some res- ervations, passed back to the Navigation Com- pany and then to the Clear Springs Water Co.

Council then reduced the number of fire hy- drants to 23, owing to the demands of the new regulations, and when in January, 1908, the rates were announced, many consumers discontinued the use of the water.

The Fire and Water Committee were directed to make an investigation and report the cost of establishing a municipal plant. A public meet- ing was called in the Town-Hall, Thursday, July 23, when it was proposed to ask the tax- payers for a loan of $80,000 to sink wells, and proceed with the erection of a municipal system.

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BOROUGH OF CATASAUQUA.

By unanimous direction of Council, it was sub- mitted to the tax-payers at the November elec- tion, which resulted in polling 776 votes for the loan and only 74 against.

Artesian Wells .- Two artesian wells were sunk upon a tract of land, designated by a geolo- gist sent by the State Board of Health, at Wal- nut and St. John streets, east of the Catasauqua creek. The success of the first well demonstrated the wisdom of the designated spot, and the sec- ond well was equally satisfactory. The wells are about 240 feet deep, steel cased, 10 inches in diameter, with a flow of 500 gallons a minute. They were both tested by air lifts for seven days and nights, and the supply of water was pro- nounced inexhaustible. The strata of sandstone were pierced the entire depth. The State Board certified that it was perfectly pure; and by practical tests at the boilers of the plant it was found free from lime sediments.

The committee had investigated other plants. and asked experienced engineers to come to Cat- asauqua, view the location and prepare plans for a municipal plant. Dr. C. J. Keim was then serving as burgess, with Councilmen Henry W. Stolz, Alfred J. Leh and Martin Graver from the First ward, and Thomas Jones, William McCandless, and Oscar Shugar from the Second ward, all favorable to a municipal water-works. Detailed plans and specifications were formally adopted, and the sale of the water bonds for $80,000 at 4 per cent. was advertised. George H. Hardner, of Allentown, became the contrac- tor, the sale of the bonds was made, three-fourths of the issue having been taken by residents of the borough. Work was started in March, 1910, and completed the following October. Two equity suits were instituted by the Clear Springs Water Co. to restrain the borough from proceed- ing to establish the water-works, but the Court dismissed both bills, deciding that their vested rights were not injured.

Thomas Jones is worthy of special mention in the establishment of this improvement for the public welfare. He came to Catasauqua in 1853 and assisted in laying the water pipe in 1854. For many years he was employed as a machinist at the Crane Iron Works; then he became mas- ter mechanic of the Catasauqua & Fogelsville R. R. under its superintendent, John Thomas, which position he held until the road was acquired by the P. & R. R. R. Co. He served in town coun- cil from 1884 to 1889; officiated as burgess from 1889 to 1891; and again served in the town council since 1908, while this improvement was being established.

Edmund Randall, the publisher of The Cata- sauqua Dispatch, is equally worthy of mention

for his continuous and persistent advocacy of its ownership by the borough.

Pumping Station .- The pumping station is a brick fire-proof building, with concrete founda- tions and floors, structural, steel and slate roof, with ample proportions for duplicating the pres- ent plant. The engine and compressor room is 50 by 60 feet and boiler room 50 by 50 feet, with fuel space for more than 100 tons. These rooms are well lighted, provided with fire-proof partitions and furnished throughout in a neat and substantial manner. The chimney is constructed of brick lining 5 feet square inside and 100 feet high, on a concrete foundation.

In the boiler room there is a battery of two high-pressure tubular boilers, 100 to 125 horse- power each, set in masonry with connections to pumping machinery.

In the engine room there are two air com- pressors of the Ingersoll-Rand most improved type, made to operate condensing, either or both together, through air receiver to air-lift system, with discharge from wells into storage reservoir; also two large Platt cross compound horizontal crank and fly-wheel pumping engines with con- denser, of combined daily capacity of two mil- lion gallons, made to operate, either or both to- gether, with suction from storage reservoir and delivery to system of water mains.

Reservoir .- The storage reservoir is 72 feet in diameter, 14 feet 6 inches deep, having a capacity of 364,000 gallons; made of brick con- crete and steel construction, with roof of cement tiling, and ventilator screened and protected from all impurities, which makes it a most fitting re- ceptacle for storage, direct from the wells. The large pumping engines, with suction from this reservoir, deliver the water through water mains and tower to the people.

Tower .- The water tower is located on the hill, near Sixth street and Howertown Road, in North Catasauqua, just north of the borough line. It is built of steel, 15 feet in diameter and 80 feet high, resting on brick sub-structure with stone trimmings, reinforced at the top with heavy eye beams. This sub-structure is on octagonal foundation of concrete, 30 feet in diameter. It is connected through the sub-structure with main and drain pipes and valves placed so that the tower may be used with the system or not, as may be desired. The reservoir affords the city a storage of about one-half million gallons of water for use in an emergency and, as a reserve, additional to the capacity of the plant, should there be a serious conflagration.

Mains .- The system of water mains, ranging from 16 inches to 6 inches in diameter, with but few laterals of 4-inch pipe, in all about seven

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

miles, is laid in the principal streets of the borough.

In case a fire occurs in the lower portion of the town, mains on American street, Howertown Road, Second and Front streets furnish a con- stant flow.

There have been located at the street corners thirty-five Matthews type hydrants, with 6-inch base connections and two 21/2-inch nozzles for hose and one 4-inch nozzle for steamer to each hydrant. This system is divided into 63 districts, any and all of which may be shut off as desired. In case of repairs, but one square of patrons will be inconvenienced for a short time. There are 70 fire plugs and 790 taps from the mains.

The Water Commissioners have been: David Tolan, 1910 to 1911, and Daniel Gillespie since 1911. The annual receipts are about $9,000.

Town Pumps .- There were three town- pumps in the place. The first was at Biery's Hotel, on Race street, set up when the first tavern was started.

The second was at the Thomas residence, on Front street, opposite the furnace; the well was sunk by the Crane Iron Co., and a pump-stock was placed there with a long iron handle to raise the water and a long handled iron cup was attached to it by a chain from which to drink it. This was highly appreciated, for the quality of the water was superior and many persons re- freshed themselves there, more especially the working people at the furnace; indeed, all the families in that vicinity got their drinking water at this pump. It was continued in active use until the town came to be supplied from the municipal water-works. It may be remarked that the company established another pump on the premises a short distance below the office, about 1860, to take its place, and the old one was removed on account of the commotion there at times which was objectionable. The iron pump-stock is still there but it has not been much used for several years.

The third was at the rear of the Eagle Hotel on Bridge street.

Public Fountains. - In the summer of 1911 the subject of public fountains on the streets of Catasauqua was agitated, which resulted in the appointment of a committee of citizens which consisted of :

Joseph Matchette, chairman

John Moat Franklin Beck

George Boyer

Cooper Weaver

Alvin A. Hauser

Reuben Weaver

Subscriptions were solicited and the collections amounted to $500. Then five places were se- lected for locating the fountains, as follows:

Front street, American Mechanics Hall. Bridge street, Postoffice Building.

Howertown Road, north of Pine street.

Five Points, Howertown Road.

Third Ward, Twelfth and Race streets.

These five fountains were set up in the fall of 1912 where the water has since been free, taken from small, ever-flowing vertical outlets, and this public convenience has been highly appreciated and commended.

Clear Springs Water Co. - The water- plant of the Crane Iron Works, established along certain streets of Catasauqua from the begin- ning of the town, in 1839, was sold, in 1905, to the Clear Springs Water Co. (whose large plant is situated near the northern line of Whitehall township, above Cementon) and from that time the Company has maintained an office in Cata- sauqua, being in the P. O. Building since its erection in 1907. The principal office is in Philadelphia. The local office has been in Cata- sauqua since 1905.

Joseph Milson has been its superintendent since October, 1912. His predecessor was Wal- ter L. Watson.

This company supplies the following towns in the Lehigh Valley :

East of the river .- Siegfried's, Northampton, and North Catasauqua.

West of the river .- Cementon, Egypt, Cop- lay, West Coplay, Hokendauqua (part), West Catasauqua, and Fullerton.

The total length of mains in service is 43 miles.

Canal .- In the course of the construction of the canal, a lock was placed at a point which came to be in front of the furnace at Catasauqua, with dimensions of 22 feet wide by 95 feet long, and a drop of 8 feet from one level to the other. The number in the system is 36. The next lock to the north is about a mile distant, and the next to the south also a mile.

A double canal was maintained for a number of years from 1839, from a point near the Hart- man Ferry (locality of the Hokendauqua Bridge) to the furnace to facilitate receiving and shipping materials.

Grain and coal were "floated" down the river to the Delaware river, and thence to Philadel- phia, on flat-bottomed boats called "arks," and these "arks" were sold there because they could not be taken back against the current. In pass- ing Biery's Port these boats attracted much at- tention. When the canal came to be opened for transportation in 1828 the movement of the boats through the locks excited as much public interest for a time as the "casting"of iron in the furnace in 1840.

591

BOROUGH OF CATASAUQUA.

The first excursion to Biery's Port on the canal was made by a party from Allentown and · an "ark" was used to carry the excursionists. The boat was handsomely decorated with Amer- ican flags for the occasion. This occurred on Friday, June 26, 1829. Ogden E. Frederick re- calls how his mother-in-law, Mrs. James W. Fuller, with much spirit narrated the trip many years ago. She was amongst the party, having accompanied her parents, then a girl ( Clarissa Miller) II years old. She remembers distinctly the crowded condition of the boat and the great pleasure the extraordinary trip afforded. Two horses pulled the boat, and though the movement on the water was slow, the sensation was pleasing and the passing scenery truly picturesque and in- spiring, much beyond what she had yet experi- enced.

Another occurrence, worthy of mention, was several years afterwards when many of this com- munity went by boat to Easton to witness the hanging of a man named Getter, on a small is- land in the Delaware river.

Boat Yards .- Along the canal, from 1845 to 1865, two boat-yards were carried on for the building and repair of boats; one of them by Bogh Brothers, situated on the site of the Fire Brick Works between Walnut and Chapel streets, and the other by Ginder & Rehrig on the site of the lowlands opposite the Catasauqua Hotel.

RAILROADS .- It was in the Fall of 1855 that the first locomotive, the "General Wall," bor- rowed from the Central R. R. of N. J., with a passenger car attached, came to Catasauqua, which was as far as rails had been laid. It was a gala day for the borough, only two years old. On this train were citizens from Easton, includ- ing Thomas Mckean (then 90 years old) and an army officer on recruiting service. A dinner was had at the Eagle Hotel, while flags were flying and bands playing. After dinner a pro- cession was formed which marched to Hoken- dauqua, to view the furnace just erected there.

On the way from Allentown, the train ran slowly, stopping now and then to cut down pro- jecting limbs of trees which hung over the track.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad was established on the opposite side of the river and opened for traffic and travel in September, 1855; and in 1856 the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad was started from the Catasauqua Station there and opened for traffic and travel in 1857.

David Kline, a painter by trade, was the first agent and the first freight was brought by him over the bridge on a wheel-barrow.

The Central R. R. of New Jersey was estab- lished and extended along the canal through the

borough in 1867; and the New England R. R. is now being extended through the central section of the borough to the canal near the Crane Iron Works to facilitate the shipment of coal by boats from Catasauqua.

The trolley street railway was extended from Allentown through Catasauqua along Front street to Siegfried's in 1891.

POST OFFICE .- For twenty years after this settlement was started at the bridge, the hamlet was called Biery's Port. A post office was estab- lished July 24. 1844, and named "Craneville." after George Crane, of Wales, who was the owner of iron works where David Thomas was employed before coming to this country, and upon the appointment of Nathan Fegley as post- master in 1846, it was moved to the corner of Front and Church streets.

Mail came three times a week from Allentown to Mauch Chunk by stage, and several times a week from Bethlehem to Cherryville by one-horse conveyance. But letters for this place were frequently sent to Craneville, N. J., a small town 20 miles from New York City on this Easton stage route, which caused a delay of some days in the delivery of letters. The Crane Iron Co. re- ceived their mail from Allentown by private car- rier which helped somewhat.

A change was agitated as early as 1845, but owing to the dominant party represented by the old inhabitants at the lower end of town, they pre- vented the Post Office Department from adopt- ing various names proposed. Owen Rice was at that time chief clerk at this iron works (who, for many years, had been the scrivener of deeds for the country hereabouts) and learning from old drafts made in 1735 and later that the creek flowing through the east end of the village was named "Catasauqua" (Cattosoque) he suggested the name and it was adopted by the department on Aug. 10, 1846.

Postmasters .- The following persons filled the position of postmaster :

Nathan Fegley, Isabella D. Duff, 1865-71

1846-50

Joseph Laubach, 1850-53

Nathan Frederick, 1853-54

Adaline Creveling, 1871-77 William H. Bartholo- mew, 1877-89 Edmund Randall, 1889-94

Augustus H. Gilbert, 1854-55 Solomon Biery, 1855-61 Arnold C. Lewis, March-Nov., 1861

Jonas F. Moyer, 1894-98

Henry Davis,

Frank B. Martin, 1861-62

Charles D. Fuller, 1862-65

1898-1900 Charles Graffin, 1900-08 Samuel S. Graffin, 1908-

The borough post office force comprises a

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

postmaster and assistant; three clerks, auxiliary clerk, and special delivery messenger; four car- riers, sub-carrier, and mail messenger.

Three daily deliveries are made excepting Sundays; and four collections from 35 boxes located in different parts of the borough.

The following statement shows the character and extent of the postal business at Catasauqua : Daily mail handled :

Incoming (pieces), 4,600

Outgoing (pieces), 2,800

Registered mail during 1913:

Outgoing (pieces), 2,247

Incoming (pieces), 2,233

Stamped paper sold during 1913, . $13,340

Domestic orders paid during 1913, ... 21,950 Domestic orders issued during 1913, .. 34,048 International orders paid during 1913, 1,318

International orders issued during 1913, 3,426

POST.OF

POST OFFICE.

Post Office Building .- The post office has been located at Bridge and Railroad streets since 1907. The superior and attractive three-story brick building was erected by capitalists iden- tified with the National Bank of Catasauqua at a cost of $25,000. The first floor is occupied by the Post Office; the second by the Telephone

Exchanges, and the Clear Springs Water Co .; and the third by the "Charotin Club," a social organization of 80 members.

GAS WORKS .- In 1856, Joseph Laubach, John Thomas, William Getz, Samuel Glace, John Williams, and Joshua Hunt, of Catasau- qua, associated together for the purpose of or- ganizing a company to manufacture gas and sup- ply the town with an improved light. A char- ter was secured and the first officers were: Josh- ua Hunt, president; Joseph Laubach, treasurer ; John Williams, secretary.

The plant was established along the canal, north of Pine street, and there it has since been kept in constant operation. The enterprise was appreciated by the community and largely pat- ronized, which made it successful from its in- ception. The introductory price per 1,000 feet was $4.50; but this was gradually reduced un- til it came to be $1.50.

Bituminous coal was used until 1880 for the production of gas; since then it has been made by the Lowe process.

Three gasometers have been put up as fol- lows: 1856, with capacity of 5,000 cubic feet ; 1878, with 15,000; and 1905, with 50,000, when the improvements to the plant cost $8,500.

The average annual consumption for thirty years was 2,500,000 feet; the consumption for the year 1913 was 19,000,000 feet, with 1, 153 consumers.

The plant to 1884 cost $25,000; to January, 1914, the investment was $150,000. The total length of mains laid is 15 miles. East of the Lehigh river the company supplies Catasauqua, North Catasauqua, Northampton and Siegfried ; west of the river Coplay, Hokendauqua, and part of West Catasauqua.

William McCandless has been foreman and gas-man at the works since 1884; George W. Steele manager since 1902.

The franchises were leased on Dec. 23, 1913, to the Allentown-Bethlehem Gas Co., which in- cluded those secured by the Catasauqua Gas Co., Consumers Gas Co., of Northampton county, and Peoples Gas Co., of Lehigh county.

ELECTRIC WORKS .- A plant was established in 1890 for supplying the inhabitants with elec- tric light and power, situated along the public road in the southern extremity of the borough. The company (Catasauqua Electric Light and Power Co.) was organized by George Davies, Rowland T. Davies, James Thomas, and Row- land D. Thomas, and incorporated with a cap- ital of $60,000, and after establishing its plant, supplied the town with electric lights, under an agreement with the borough, at designated points.

Similar companies were organized in the ad-

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BOROUGH OF CATASAUQUA.

joining districts to the north and west for pub- lic electric lighting. All of the franchises se- cured by the companies were leased to the Le- high-Northampton Gas and Electric Co., which was organized in 1890, and the last named com- pany supplied the electric light and power to the several communities until Dec. 23, 1913, when the Lehigh Valley Light and Power Co. became the lessee of all the franchises.

The streets were lighted by gas lamps, set on posts, from 1856 to 1890; then incandescent electric lights were substituted, and in 1900 arc lights were added, which have since been main- tained. The installation in January, 1914, was as follows :

356-40 Watt tungsten street lamps; 38-550 Watt direct current arc lights.

In January, 1914, there were in use in the district 1,000 electric meters; and 83 motors of 603 horse-power used by manufacturers, etc. Total investment in plant, $200,000.

George W. Steele has been the manager since 1902.

THOMAS AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES .- The following sketches are included in this narrative to show the character of the founder of Catasau- qua and his contemporaries.

DAVID THOMAS was born Nov. 3, 1794, in the county of Glamorgan, South Wales. He was an only son and his parents gave him the best education which their means would allow, but this was confined to the rudimentary elements. He was very studious by nature and took much delight in the acquisition of knowledge. Not satisfied with working on a farm, he secured employment in iron works when 17 years of age and continued there five years, in which time he showed great aptitude for business. His prog- ress was so great and his accomplishments as an iron-worker were so highly appreciated that he was selected in 1817 as the general superintend- ent of the blast furnaces connected with the Yniscedwyn Iron Works in the Swansea Val- ley, and also of its iron-ore and coal mines. He filled this position for upwards of twenty years. During this time, he. experimented successfully with the use of anthracite coal as a smelting fuel, and ultimately produced iron by the introduc- tion of a hot blast.

While he was developing his experience in the successful manufacture of anthracite iron at this establishment in Wales, enterprising capitalists connected with the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co. in Pennsylvania were considering means to develop their business in the Lehigh Valley, and in this behalf they offered valuable water priv- ileges along the river to any persons who should

lay out $30,000 in erecting a furnace, and run it successfully for three months by the exclusive use of anthracite coal for fuel.

Selected Manager .- This great inducement led these capitalists to organize an iron com- pany, and they delegated one of their associates, Erskine Hazard, to visit that establishment and secure a competent man to superintend the erec- tion of such a furnace as was contemplated; and this resulted in employing Mr. Thomas. The Company selected Biery's Port along the canal, three miles above Allentown (afterwards named Catasauqua) as the locality for their great under- taking, and in one year after his arrival Mr. Thomas demonstrated the practicability of pro- ducing iron successfully as a commercial com- modity by the sole use of anthracite coal.

Becoming recognized as the pioneer in this particular line of business in America, this di- rected much long-continued public attention to this locality. Quite naturally his accomplish- ment and its beneficent results to the community were made a significant feature in the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Catasauqua in the year 1914. Therefore, the manner of his first arrival is worthy of emphasis in this sketch.

Visits Biery's Port .- In pursuance of his agreement with the Lehigh Crane Iron Co., Mr. Thomas came to Pennsylvania, reaching Allen- town with his family on July 9, 1839. Two days afterward, accompanied by his son Samuel (then a lad twelve years of age) he walked to Biery's Port to see where it was proposed to erect the new furnace. When he reached the top of Frederick's Hill (now called Packer's Hill), he stopped "to view the landscape o'er," and in the distance saw the Blue mountains whose blue outline extended along the horizon with its great ridge broken by prominent gaps in several places.

The residence of George Frederick was at the foot of the hill where he lived with a num- ber of stalwart sons in a two-story stone house, erected in 1757, and a few hundred feet north of it, near the entrance to Biery's Bridge (which crossed the Lehigh river) were the house and red barn of William Miller; while just across the river from Frederick's was the residence of Jacob Deily, formerly the home of George Tay- lor, a signer of the Declaration of Independence ; and at the far end of the bridge was the hamlet of Biery's Port.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 107

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1158

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158