History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 82

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 82
USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 82
USA > Pennsylvania > Wyoming County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 82

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The officers for 1880 were as follows: W. C. T., John Murrish; W. V. T., A. B. Magee; W. S., William Vance; WV. Treas., Joseph Williams; W. F. S., Frederick Mott; W. chaplain, Hugh Jones; W. L. deputy, David Stetler; W. I. G., Emma Worder; W. O. G., Frank Searfoss; W. M., Jonathan Greenwood.

THE "CAVE-IN" AT NO. 10 SLOPE.

On the morning of April 23d, 1879, it was learned that the roof of the mine reached by No. 10 slope had fallen in and imprisoned William Hawkins, Edward Price, Patrick Green, John Green, Barney Riley, John Clark, a door boy, and William Kinney, the mule driver, who were working at the farther end of the gangway, over a mile from the top of the slope. Measures were at once taken by Mr. Charles Parrish, operator of the mines, to sink a shaft for their rescue, and by incessant labor for five days and nights the men and boys were rescued, having saved themselves from starvation by butchering a mule employed in the mine.

WARRIOR RUN.

The post-office at this place, established in March, 1880, with George H. Pehle as postmaster, goes by the

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

name of Peely; though the station on each of the rail- roads is named as above.

WARRIOR RUN COLLIERY,

in the southwest corner of Sugar Notch borough, is operated by A. J. Davis & Co., Mr. Davis being general superintendent, James E. Roderick inside foreman, Robert F. Lloyd outside foreman, and John C. Jones mine boss, The men and boys employed inside the mines in 1878 numbered 146, and outside 107. The coal mined amounted to 56,453 tons.

The mines at Warrior Run were opened in 1837, where the lands were owned by George Cocker. Samuel Holland and Colonel Hillman obtained permission to open the mines and build a railroad to the Susquehanna, a distance of about three miles; also to construct a basin at the river for loading boats with coal. John Rheinhei- mer, who cut the first tree preparatory to opening these mines, is still employed here as one of the outside men, is preparing ties and other wood work used here. The first opening was made at what is now the red ash slope, near the Lehigh Valley railroad. They afterward opened a drift farther down the stream. The railroad was built with wooden rails, and served the purpose. Down at the basin, which is near the Dundee shaft, they had a store, managed by John Merrick, son-in-law of Mr. Holland. Soon after the mine was opened the Mauch Chunk Coal Company became the operators, and after two or three years the mines were abandoned. During the winters the coal was piled up at the basin for want of transportation. From about 1840 there was nothing done here till 1865, when the Warrior Run Coal Company commenced operations with Martin Coryell as superin- tendent. In December, 1869, the property was leased to A. J. Davis, the present operator.

FIRST PESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HANOVER.

This church was organized in January, 1871, at the house of James E. Roderick at Warrior Run, were regu- lar services were held for the first year and a half, after which they were held at the office of the Warrior Run Coal Company till November, 1874. The original mem- bers were Robert F. Lloyd, Edward J. Edwards and wife, James E. Roderick and wife, and William Jones. The first preacher was Rev. Willian D. Jenkins.

In 1874 Hon. Hendrick B. Wright gave this people a lot at Warrior Run near the old Indian trail, upon which to built a church. The church was built in 1874, of wood, 24 by 40 feet, at a cost of $4,000, and was dedicat- ed in November of the same year, by Rev. Joseph Davis, D.D., assisted by Revs. E. J. Hughes, T. J. Phillips, W. H. Williams and W. D. Jenkins.

The present membership is 60. Value of church prop- erty $4,000. The preachers since Mr. Jenkins have been Rev. E. J. Hughes and Rev. Joseph E. Davis, D.D. The latter, who is the present pastor, has served since 1874. The present deacons are Robert F. Lloyd and E. J. Edwards; church clerk, James E. Roderick; trustees, J. E. Roderick, James F. Jones and Robert F. Lloyd.

The Sunday-school was organized in 1871, with 12 pupils, and Robert F. Lloyd as superintendent. The present superintendent is John Evans. The total num- ber of scholars is 70, the average attendance 60.

HAZLE TOWNSHIP.

HIS township was taken from Sugarloaf in August, 1839, and a part of Butler was ad- ded to it November 6th, 1856. The township derives it name from Hazle creek, which rises on the east border of Hazleton; and it is said that the creek was so named from the fact that many hazel bushes grew on its banks near its source.

The Hazleton mine, just west of the borough limits, was opened in 1836. Soon after this other mines were opened, and in a short time this coal basin, number 3, lecame a vast mining district, and soon afterward basin number 4, north of Council ridge, on the Big Black creek, was explored and found to contain large quantities of the black diamonds. As soon as coal was discovered, the population of the township began to increase and min- ing villages sprung up. In 1804 the Lehigh and Susquehanna Turnpike Company was chartered, and soon afterward the road was surveyed and laid out 100 feet wide, from Mauch Chunk to Berwick, the route run- ning through this township. That portion of it run- ning through Hazleton now forms East and West Broad streets. This was the first road laid out in the township.

Justices in this township have been elected as follows: David Travis, 1840; Conrad Horn, 1840, 1852; William Kisner, 1843, 1848; David Martz, 1849; George Fenster- macher, 1852; Adrian Parber, 1857; Joseph Haywood, 1862; James W. Rhoads, 1865; M. G. McFadden, 1867; Charles McCarran, 1869; Malcom Ferguson, 1872; Wil- liam M. Jones, 1877.

The census of 1880 made the population of Hazle 10,550.

MINES AND MINING VILLAGES.

Latimer has a company store and post-office, a Meth- odist church, and about 1,000 inhabitants. Latimer col- liery is owned by the Black Creek Improvement Com- pany, and operated by Pardee Brothers & Co., with M. M. Cooper as superintendent. In 1878 there were mined at this colliery 114,870 tons of coal. There were ent- ployed at . slope No. 2 140 men and boys under ground, and 153 on the surface. Both at breaker No. 1, and slope No. 2 there are five engines, with a total of 280 horse power.

South Sugarloaf has about 350 inhabitants. South Sugarloaf colliery is owned by the Diamond Coal Com- pany.

Laurel Hill also has a population of about 350. Laurel Hill colliery, located here, is owned by the L. V.

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MINING CENTERS IN HAZLE TOWNSHIP.

R. R. Co., and operated by A. Pardee & Sons, with C. Pardee as superintendent. At this slope are seven en- gines, with a total of 285 horse power. In 1878 there were employed under ground 133 men and boys, and 105 on the surface.

Surgarloaf is another village of about 350 inhabitants. Sugarloaf colliery is owned by the Diamond Coal Com- pany and operated by A. Pardee & Co., with C. Pardee as superintendent. There is but one slope here, which in 1878 produced 30,903 tons of coal. There were em- ployed under ground 73 men and boys, and 6r on the the surface. There are six engines, of 280 horse power.

Japan is a small mining town, of about 400 population; with a store and school-house.

Oakdale colliery is at Japan, and is owned by the Union Improvement Company and operated by G. B. Markle & Co., with G. B. Markle as superintendent. There are two slopes, and the total product for 1878 was 124,109 tons. There are six engines, of 220 horse power. In 1878 there were employed at both slopes 241 men and boys under ground, and 118 on the surface.

Harleigh is another of the small mining towns for which Hazle township is noted. There are two taverns, a company and one or two other small stores, a Protes- tant school and a school under the supervision of the Sisters of Mercy. This place has a population of about 600. Harleigh colliery is located here, owned by the Big Black Creek Improvement Company, and operated by McNair & Co., with James McKee as superintendent. In 1878 this mine produced 35,000 tons of coal, and em- ployed 70 men under ground, and 76 on the surface. There are three engines, with 130 horse power.

Beaver Brook, on the Carbon county line, has a com- pany store, a post-office, a blacksmith shop, two or three groceries and about 800 inhabitants. Beaver Brook col- liery is owned by the Beaver Brook Coal Company, and operated by C. M. Dodson & Co., with E. S. Bullock as superintendent. In 1878 the company mined 65.362 tons of coal and employed 169 men and boys under ground, and 114 on the surface. At the two slopes there are six engines, with a total of 210 horse power.

Cranberry contains a mining population of about 500. Cranberry colliery is owned by the estate of A. S. and E. Roberts, and operated by A. Pardee & Co., with C. Par- dee as superintendent. In 1878 there were mined at this colliery 106,420 tons of coal. There were 97 men and boys employed under ground, and 85 on the surface. There are four engines at this slope, of 40 horse power each.

Crystal Ridge is a mining village of about 400 popula- tion. Crystal Ridge colliery turned out in 1878 about 120,000 tons of coal. There were 62 men and boys em- ployed under ground, and 72 on the surface. There are at this slope three engines, with a total of 145 horse power.

Jeansville is a mining village two miles south of Hazle- ton, on the county line. It was named from Mr. Joseph Jeans, of Philadelphia, one of the original proprietors of the mines here. The place was first settled in 1848 by

William Milnes, who opened the first coal mine. There are three churches-Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal and Welsh Congregational; a hotel, a store, two schools, and 1,600 inhabitants. Mrs. Tubbs is the present post- mistress. Spring Mountain colliery is located at this place. It is owned by the Spring Mountain Coal Com- pany, and was operated in 1879 by J. C. Hayden & Co. There are three slopes at the colliery, two of which pro- duced in 1878 168,929 tons of coal. There were 238 men and boys employed under ground, and 173 on the sur- face. At the two slopes there are thirteen engines, with a total of 535 horse power.

Stockton was named in honor of Commodore Stockton, of New Jersey, whose liberality had done much for the people. The mines were opened here in 1851 by Messrs. Packer, Carter & Co., and the first coal was shipped June 8th, 1852. A sad calamity happened here December 18th, 1869. The pillars of the gangway running east and west had been so much "robbed " as to cause the cav- ing in of the gangway for nearly half a mile, carrying down everything upon the surface to the depth of twenty- five or thirty feet, among other things the dwelling occu- pied by the Rough family, and two of the Swank family. The bodies were never recovered, as the house took fire from the upsetting of the stove and the inmates were consumed by the flames. The spot where the house stood has been filled up to a level with the ground, and a neat marble slab laid, with the date of birth of each of the vic- tims and date of death inscribed thereon, as follows:

" Elizabeth Rough, May 18th, 1796. Margaret Rough, January 18th, 1837. Isaac Rough, January 22nd, 1839. Elizabeth Rough, March, 1869. George Swank, 1819. William Swank, 1850. December 18th, 1869."

There are at this place a store, a tavern, several saloons, . a church, two schools, car repair and blacksmith shops, and about 1,500 inhabitants. The first postmaster at this place was Ralph Tozer, appointed in 1860. The present postmaster is William Smith.

East Sugarloaf colliery is located at Stockton, and is owned by Smith, Roberts & Packer and the Tench Coxe estate, and operated by Linderman, Skeer & Co., with William Airey as superintendent. There are three slope ; here, which in 1878 produced a total of 177,393 tons of coal. They employed 358 men and boys under ground, and 220 on the surface. There are 18 engines, with a total of 690 horse power.

Mount Pleasant has a population of about 500. There is a company store at this place. The mails are received by carrier from Hazleton. In 1878 44,198 tons of coal were mined at Mount Pleasant colliery. The colliery is owned by the estate of C. Koons and others, and is oper- ated by Pardee & Sons. There are five engines, of 165 horse power. There were employed in 1878 77 men and boys under ground. and 67 on the surface. C. Pardee is superintendent of this colliery.

At Humboldt there are about 450 inhabitants and a company store. Humboldt colliery is owned by the Le- high Valley Railroad Company, and operated by Linder- man, Skeer & Co., with William Airey as superintendent.

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

In 1878 there were mined at this slope 22,476 tons of coal. There were employed 44 men and boys under ground, and 56 on the surface. There are four engines, of 145 horse power.

Hollywood has a population of nearly 400. There is a company store here. Hollywood colliery is owned by the Black Creek Improvement Company and operated by Calvin Pardee & Co., with C. Pardee as superintendent. In 1878 there were mined at this slope 49,078 tons of coal, and 68 men and boys were employed under ground and 87 on the surface. There are 3 engines, with a total of 160 horse-power.

Milnesville was settled and the mines opened about 1850 by William Milnes, after whom the place is named. There is a Methodist church here, a company store, and a post-office, with William Monroe as postmaster. The population is not far front 1,500. Milnesville colliery is owned by the Porter estate, and operated by the Stout Coal Company, with Charles Kerbaugh as superintendent. Only one slope was worked in 1878, and from this were mined 66,330 tons of coal. There were employed 105 men and boys under ground and 74 on the surface. At this slope there are 5 engines, with a total of 290 horse power.

Jeddo borough was formed from Foster and Hazle townships, Oct. 23d, 1871; its population is 350. Here is the Woodside colliery, owned by the Jeddo Coal Com- pany and operated by Coxe Bros. & Co.

Ebervale has a church, a school-house, a company store, a hotel, a post-office, with Cyrus Young postmaster, and about 1,500 population. Ebervale colliery is located here, owned by the Union Improvement Company, oper- ated by the Ebervale Coal Company, and superintended Thomas P. McFarland. The number of men employed under ground in 1878 was 305, and on the surface 220. The coal mined in 1878 at the two slopes amounted to 158,314 tons. At both slopes there are 16 engines, with a total of 955 horse power, and one locomotive under ground.

The Hazleton mines are located on the north border of the borough, owned by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com- pany, and operated by A. Pardee & Co., with C. Pardee su- perintendent. They produced in 1878 142,152 tons of coal. There were 84 men employed under ground and 75 on the surface. Hazleton mine No. 3 is abandoned. It is related that in 1826 John Charles, a hunter, while dig- ging for a ground hog discovered coal at what is now known as the " Old Hazleton " mine, which led to fur- ther explorations and finally to the organization of the Hazleton Coal Company. This was the first company that was organized in that portion of the eastern middle coal fields lying in Luzerne county.

Drifton, like Upper Lehigh, is a neat little town, and in appearance an exception to the general rule in the mining districts. It has one hotel, three churches-Prot- estant Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal and Roman Catholic; an opera house, built by Coxe Bros. for the use of their employes; a company store, school-house, rail- road depot, "Major Charles S. Coxe Post G. A. R.," several civic societies and about 1,000 inhabitants. The town is well supplied with water, brought in pipes from a

hill near by. Cross Creek collieries No. 1 and 2 are lo- cated at this place, and owned and operated by Coxe Bros. & Co. The mines in 1878 yielded 285,320 tons of coal.

Drifton Lodge, No. 246, D. O. H. was instituted by grand officer Major C. J. Volkenand, who installed the following officers of the lodge for 1880: Martin Stein- heiser, E. B .; Jacob Bechtlof, O. B .; George Brandon, U. B .; Robert Fuchs, S .; Charles Hordt, A. S .; Jacob Nagle, T.

RAILROADS OF HAZLE.

The Beaver Meadow Railroad and Coal Company was chartered April 7th, 1830, and merged in the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company July 8th. 1864. There are about two and a half miles of road in Hazle township, crossing the line between Beaver Brook and Jeansville, and leaving the township on the line east of Jeansville.

The Danville, Hazleton & Wilkes-Barre (formerly Wilkes-Barre & Pittston, and now merged in the Lehigh Valley Railroad) Company was chartered April 18th, 1867. This road enters the township from Sugarloaf township, near where Black creek crosses the line; runs through the borough of Hazleton and village of Stock- ton, and leaves the township a little east of Lumber Yard station, running about ten miles.

The Hazleton & Jeansville Passenger Railway Com- pany was chartered March 30th, 1873. The road has not been built. It was to be a local road between these two points, running around the east side of the moun- tain, passing through Stockton and Lumber Yard.

The Hazleton Railroad Company was chartered March 9th, 1865, and merged in the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company May 25th, 1868. This road runs from the old Hazleton mines to the top of the planes near Penn Haven Junction, nearly six miles being in this township.

The Jeddo and Carbon County Railroad Company was chartered March 23d, 1854, the name changed to Lehigh and Luzerne Railroad Company February 12th, 1856, and it was merged in the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com- pany June 16th, 1868. About one mile of this road was built in the east end of this township from the lumber yard north. It extended from Jeddo borough to Japan, Ebervale, Harleigh, Milnesville and Latimer in this township about six miles additional.

There are also about twenty-five miles of coal mine branch road in Hazle.

HAZLETON BOROUGH.

HIS is the largest and most enterprising town in the middle coal field region. It is on a broad table land, 1,700 feet above tide water. The borough is abundantly supplied with pure spring water by the Hazleton Water Com- pany. The water is obtained upon one of the hills southeast of the town and conveyed in terra cotta pipes. The altitude of Hazleton, the purity of the

William Law Pittston, Luzerne Co.,Pa.

andro Bruder. Pittston , Luzerne Co /, Pa.

J. J. WALSH, M. D. Pittston, Luzerne Co.,Pa.

JOHN DEKIN. Scranton, Lackawanna Co., Pa.

C. B. PRICE. Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne Co., Pa.

Calis Parsons Parsons Sta., Plains, Luzerne Co.,Pa.

ELLIOT P. KISNER. Hazleton, Luzerne Co.,Pa.

· C. P. MILLER, Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.

283

BUSINESS CONCERNS AT HAZLETON-BOROUGH HISTORY.

air and water, with the perfect system of sewerage and drainage and the enforcement of strict sanitary measures, make it one of the exceedingly healthy towns of the State. The water company has in course of construction an ar- tesian well, which when completed will add largely to the water supply.

There are located at this place the locomotive and ma- chine shops of David Clark, the extensive burial casket manufactory of I. W. Drake, the wholesale furniture man- ufacturing establishment of G. Reinhart, the Mountain foundry of H. W. Montz & Brother, the Phoenix planing mill of John Daniels, the Hazleton lime kilns of Casper Shaffer, several carriage, wagon and sleigh manufactories, and the Lion brewery, all of which employ annually a large number of men, and whose pay rolls aggregate annually over $1,000,000. There are also a large number of exten- sive dry goods, grocery, hardware, clothing and drug stores, cigar factories, and many other business concerns. The principal hotels are the Central and Hazleton. There are nine churches, with an aggregate membership of 5,789. There are twenty-one schools within the limits of the borough. Hazleton has also four weekly and two daily newspapers. The population of the borough is 6,893, against 4,317 in 1870. James James is the present postmaster.

As near as can be ascertained the first house built in Hazleton stood very near the site of David Clark's resi dence, on East Broad street. It is known that Jacob Drumheller kept a tavern at that place as early as 1809. The next building stood where Henry Dryfoos now lives; on the northwest corner of West Broad and Vine streets. This was called the " Old State House," since it stood at the crossing of the turnpike by the old State road run- ning from Wilkes-Barre to McKeansburgh. Mr. Daniel P. Raikes, now living at Hazleton, knew this place in 1817, when the two houses mentioned were the only ones; and as late as 1834 the increase had been but two or three. The next tavern after Drumheller's was built in 1836, by Lewis Davenport, on the site of the Hazleton House; it was subsequently burned, and immediately re- built.

The first store in Hazleton was on the site of A. Par- dee & Co.'s store, at the southwest corner of West Broad and Wyoming streets. It was built by Ingham Brothers, who sold it to Mr. Cooper, and he to Pardee, Miner & Hunt. The last named was the first operator of the old Hazleton mines. The first blacksmith shop was on the old turnpike, near where David Clark's repair shop now stands. The first resident physician was a Doctor Lewis, who lived up what is now West Boad street.

CORPORATE HISTORY.

The borough was incorporated in accordance with an act approved April 3d, 1851, and a supplemental act ap- proved April 22nd, 1856. The first election for borough officers was held at the hotel of Thomas Lawall, on the corner of Broad and Wyoming streets, where the Hazle- ton House now stands, on the 27th of March, 1857, and resulted as follows: Burgess, Abraham Jones; high con-

stable, John Kahler; councilmen, Joseph Hamburger, George Brown, John Schreck, Andrew Ringleben, George B. Markle and William Ulrich. The council elected as president George B. Markle; secretary, F. A. Whitaker; treasurer, Charles H. Meyers; supervisor, John Kahler. At a meeting of the council April 30th, 1857, the first police force was appointed, as follows: D. Kroft, O. M. Martin, Emanuel Dunn, William Kortz, R. B. Conner, Henry Schultz, Frederick Knyriam, Reuben Kulb, John Staffen- burg, J. M. Whitaker, John A Barton, J. P. Salmon and John Hademick. At a meeting of the town council held August 31st, 1857, a contract was made with George Brown for building a stone "lock-up" at a cost of $300. It is 16 by 20 feet. 12 feet high, with walls two feet thick, and stands on the northwest corner of Mine and Cedar streets.

Acts were passed by the General Assenibly, and ap- proved April 15th, 1867. and April 9th, 1870, authorizing the council of Hazleton to borrow $20,000, and issue bonds therefor, for the purpose of purchasing apparatus for extinguishing fires, grading and repairing streets, and making and repairing culverts and sewers. An act was also passed and approved April 9th, 1870, for the division of the borough into two wards, dividing the wards and fixing places for holding elections; also an act to organize a police force approved by the governor April 15th, 1871.

December 11th, 1869, the boundaries of the borough were enlarged so as to take in the lands of William Kortz and forty-nine other proprietors, lying between the lands of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company and the Dia- mond Coal Company, northwest of the old boundary line.

At a special meeting of the borough council held De- cember 30th, 1873, the police force was changed from the old volunteer system to a paid force, similar to those of large cities. Four men were at first employed and uniformed, one of whom should act as chief. Since the incorporation of the borough the following persons have served as chief burgess and clerk of the council for the years named:

1857, Abraham Jones; 1858 and 1861, Ezra C. Vin- cent ; 1859 and 1863, R. F. Russel; 1860, Louis Lubrecht; 1862, Frederick Knyoir; 1864, Peter Breihoff; 1865 and 1866, Thomas S. McNair; 1867, Thomas N. Smith; 1868, Peter Heidensick; 1869, John A. Barton; 1870, Charles F. Hill; 1871, I. E. Ullman; 1872-74, Joseph P. Salmon; 1875, Gottlob Ullman; 1876, 1877 and 1879, John Pfouts; 1878, A. R. Longshore.

The following persons have served as president of the borough council: 1857 and 1858, George B. Markle; 1859-63, William Kisner; 1864 and 1865, A Silliman; 1866, F. Lauderburn; 1867-69, Thomas S. McNair; 1870, John A. Barton; 1871, A. R. Longshore; 1873 and 1874, Stephen D. Engle; 1875-79, David Clark.

The following named persons have served as clerk of the borough council, and for the years named: 1857-64. F. A. Whitaker; 1864 and 1865, Cyrus G. Young; 1866 68, J. S. McNair; 1869, W. P. Courtright; 1870-72, John E. Mears; 1873, E. S. Doud; 1874, M. B. Fowler; 1875. John Gorman; 1876-79, A. M. Eby.

284

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

The present borough council consists of David Clark, Justus Altmiller, Elias Bachman, Sylvester Engle, Peter Heidenreich and Philip Linderman.

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History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 82

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York Publication date: 1880 Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co. Number of Pages: 900

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900