USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of Mifflin County : its physical peculiarities, soil, climate, &c. ; including an early sketch of the state of Pennsylvania Volume I > Part 24
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Alas for human prophecies. The canals have all been built these many years. Space forbids us following the history and progress of the means of transportation at the different ages of the world.
In 1791 a " society for promoting the improvement of roads and inland navigation" existed in Pennsylvania, and it was the first State to commence these improvements. Albert Gallatin, then Secretary of the Treasury, in a report to the Senate of the United States, in 1807, says: "The Lancaster road, the first extensive turnpike in the United States, is the first link of the great western
244
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
communication from Philadelphia." "The State of Pennsylvania has also incorporated two companies in order to extend by two different routes as far as Pittsburgh and the Ohio." The Union canal, connecting the Schuylkill with the Susquehanna, was incor- porated in 1791, and completed in 1827. A railroad four miles in length was built about the same time in Massachusetts, running from a granite quarry to a seaport, and the same year one was built from a coal mine to the Lehigh river, in Pennsylvania, thirteen miles long. In 1828 several others were begun. The first locomo- tive ran in the year 1829, and first tried on the 8th of August, 1829. Thereafter more swift progress was made. The road over the Al- leghanies was a wonder to the world. It consisted of eleven levels or grade lines and ten inclined planes. The ascent from Johnstown to the Summit was 1,171} feet in a distance of twenty-six miles, and the descent from the Summit to Hollidaysburgh 1,399 feet in ten miles.
In 1835 the act incorporating the Cumberland Valley road was passed and first report of a survey from Harrisburgh to Pittsburgh in 1840, but not until 1846 did the project assume a tangible shape, and the Pennsylvania railroad company was incorporated on the 13th of April that year, and the charter was granted 25th of February, 1847. Grading the first twenty miles west of Harrisburgh was let July 16, 1847 ; also 15 miles east of Pittsburgh. On the 1st of Septem- ber, 1849, the road from Harrisburgh to Lewistown was opened for trade and travel, and on the 17th of September, 1850, to the Moun- tain House, one mile east of Hoilidaysburgh, and in August, 1851, twenty-one miles east of Johnstown was finished, which with what was built east of Pittsburgh left a gap of twenty-eight miles to com- plete the line. This was closed during the following year, and on DECEMBER 10, 1852, the cars run from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, making connections by using the old Portage road over the moun- tains. That section was not finished until 1854. Tne road begins a gradual ascent at Harrisburgh, where it is 310 feet above sea level, and at Lewistown 488 ; at Huntingdon, 610; Tyrone, 886 ; Altoona, 1,168 ; and on the summit of the mountain is 2,161 feet above the sea ; Johnstown, 1,184; Greensburgh, 1,091; Pittsburgh, 748, or 438 higher than the beginning to rise at Harrisburgh. Stations in Mif- flin county are: Lewistown, 176 miles from Philadelphia, and is the junction of the branch to Milroy, thirteen miles long, on which are Logan, Yeagertown, Mann's, Reedsville, Honey Creek, Nagi- ney's and Milroy ; also, the branch to Sunbury, fifty miles long, on
245
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY
which are Maitland, Painter, &c., in this county. The next station above Lewistown on main line is Granville, 169 miles ; Anderson's, 171 ; McVeytown, 178; Newton Hamilton, 188, and Mount Union, 191 miles from the eastern terminus. The Milroy branch was built in 1865 and '66, and the Sunbury in 1874 and '75.
Total miles of railroad owned, operated or controled by the Pennsylvania railroad in 1875, six thousand six hundred and sixty- five, which has been somewhat increased since that time. One of the first important railroad projects in America, was from Phila- delphia to Columbia, chartered March 21, 1823. Although it was not at that time consummated, it was the means of educating the public. The tedious journey from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, less than a half a century ago, occupied more than a week, but is now reduced to a pleasant excursion of a few hours.
Time and space no longer divide localities as in former times. We now travel with the velocity of the wind, and correspond and communicate from continent to continent with the lightning's flash. "Behold what wonders hath God wronght."
RAILROADS BUILT IN 1878.
Railroad construction, as very likely a good many people will be . surprised to learn, was more active. in the United States in 1878 than in any year since 1873. Thus, in 1873, the new mileage built was 3,883 ; in 1874, 2,025 ; in 1875, 1,561; in 1876, 2,460; in 1777, 2,281, and in 1878, 2,688. This fact alone, considering how great a part the collapse of railroad building had in the general destruc- tion of the business fabric five years ago, indicates very encourag- ingly the recovery of confidence and enterprise. To build nearly two thousand seven hundred miles of new railroad in a twelve- month, proves that the American people have not entirely lost either their pluck or their money. Minnesota constructed 338 miles, Iowa, 255, Missouri, 209, Colorado, 193, Pennsylvania, 188, New, York, 129, Massachusetts and Delaware each 6, New Jersey, 3, and Maine none-the same as in 1877. The Southern States showed some activity, the country's resources being steadily pressed forward, the present year's showing largely exceeding that of any year since 1872.
America raises wheat two thousand miles from her ports of ex- port, conveys it by rail to the points of shipment, transports it over three thousand miles of ocean to Great Braitain, and sells it at a shilling a bushel less than it costs the English to grow it.
246
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
CANALS.
Cost of Eastern Division, -
-
-
- $1,736,599 42
Cost of Juniata Division,
.
-
-
3,521,412 21
Cost of Western Division,
3,067,877 38
Total cost of,
- $8,325,889 01
Between 1791 and 1828 the State of Pennsylvania appropriated for turnpikes, roads, bridges and inland navigation, $22,010, 554 00, and in 1824, there were appointed commissioners to explore the route for canal to the west, In 1826 they were fairly engaged in the work.
The Pennsylvania Canal from the Swatara river, near Middle- town, to the mouth of the Juniata, and from Pittsburgh to the mouth of the Kiskiminetas, on the Allegheny river, were put in progress. On the 4th of July, 1826, ground was broken near Har- risburgh, and completed to Lewistown, in 1829. In 1833, the Canal Commissioners were directed to complete the main line, and in 1834, the line was open from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, to wit: The Columbia railroad, cighty-two miles; Eastern Division of the canal, one hundred and seventy-two miles from Columbia to Hollidaysburgh; the Portage railroad to Johnstown, thirty-six miles, and the canal from Johnstown to Pittsburgh, one hundred and four miles.
MANUFACTURES.
In regard to the manufactures of Mifflin county, we will in this department merely give a synopsis and refer the reader to the sketches of the various towns for the details thereof. The follow- ing statistics we have secured at much trouble, care and expense, and are convinced of their correctness, subject to the changes that time brings in all human affairs subject to the vicissitudes and business changes more frequent in other localities than here. Total number of manufacturing establishments in this
county,
194
Hands employed,
- 700 to 800
Wages paid to employces,
$250,000
Capital invested,
$150,000
Materials used,
150,000
Value of products, -
$200,000
Iron mines,
15
Hands employed, about,
250
247
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
Wages paid, -
-
$100,000
Capital invested,
$110,000
Tons of iron mined,
54,000
Value thereof,
- $150,000,900
Value estamated of the agricultural products of the county,
- $2,250,000 -
The rolling mills and steel works of this county are second to none in facilities, resources, and in quality of articles manufactured. . Their steel rail, and steel tire for locomotives are sought for, and and shiped to points on both extremes of this continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts, and this reputation has been gained on the merits of their finished and tried goods.
For the details of the structure of the turnpike along the Juniata, we have given in full in the miscellaneous department of this work, in connection with the descriptions there given of the early transportation of grain, &c., over the mountains to the west, and the river transportation to the east.
OLD TIMES AND NEW.
I mnsed upon the pilgrim flock, Whose luck it was to land Upon almost the only rock Among the Plymouth sand.
In my mind's eye, I saw them leave Their weather-beaten bark-
Before them spread the wintry wilds, Behind rolled ocean dark.
Alone that little handful stood, While savage foes Inrked nigh,
Their creed and watchword, "Trust in God And keep your powder dry."
I knew I was alone-but lo! (Let him who dares, deride me-)
I looked, and, drawing up a chair, Down sat a man beside me.
His dress was ancient, and his air Was somewhat strange and foreign- He civily returned my stare, And said, "I'm Richard Warren!"
"You'll find my name among the list Of hero, sage and martyr, Who, in the Mayflower's cabin, signed The first New England charter.
248
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
I could some curious facts impart- Perhaps, some wise suggestions- But then, I'm bent on seeing sights, And running o'er with questions."
"Ask on," said I, "I'll do my best To give you information, Whether of private men you ask, Or our renowned nation."
Says he, " First tell me what is that In yon compartment narrow, Which seems to dry my eyeballs up, And scorch my very marrow."
His finger pointed to the grate- Said I-" That's Lehigh coal, Dug from the earth"-he shook his head- "It is, upon my soul!"
I then took up a bit of stick, One end was black as night, And rubbed it quick across the hearth, When lo, a sudden light!
My guest drew back, uprolled his eyes, Aud strove his breath to catch-
" What necromancy's that," he cried- Quoth I, " A friction match."
Upon a pipe just overhead, I turned a little screw, When forth, with instantaneous flash. Three . treams of lightning flew.
Uprose my guest, "Now heaven me save,"" Aloud he shouted, then "Is that hell fire ?" ""Tis gas," said I, "We call it hydrogen."
Then forth into the fields we strolled, A train came thundering by Drawn by the snorting iron steed, Swifter than eagles fly.
Rumbled the wheels, the whistle shrieked, Far steamed the smoky cloud, Echoed the hill, the valleys shook, The flying forests bowed.
Down on his knees, with hands upraised In worship Warren fell- "Great is the Lord our God," cried he- "He doeth all things well."
249
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
" I've seen His chariots of fire, The horseman, too, thereof ; 0, may I ne'er provoke His ire, Nor at his threatenings scoff."
"Rise up, my friend, rise up," said I, " Your terrors are in vain- That was no chariot of the sky, 'Twas the New York mail train."
We stood within a chamber small- Men came the news to know, From Worcester, Springfield and New York, Texas and Mexico.
It came-it went-silent, but sure- He stared, smiled, burst out laughing;
"What witchcraft's this ?" "It's what we call Magnetic telegraphing."
Once more we stepped into the street; Said Warren, "What is that Which moves along across the way As softly as a cat ?"
" I mean the thing upon two legs, With feathers on its head-
A monstrous hump below its waist Large as a feather bed:
It has the gift of speech, I hear; But sure it can't be human ?"
"My amiable friend," said I, "That's what we call a woman."
"Eternal powers! it cannot be," Sighed he, with voice that faltered:
"I loved the woman in my day, But oh, they're strangely altered."
I showed him, then, a new machine For turning eggs to chickens, A labor-saving hennery, That beats the very dickens.
Thereat he strongly grasped my hand, And said, ""Tis plain to see This world is so transmogrified, 'Twill never do for me. Your telegraph, your railroad trains, Your gas light, friction matches, Your hnmp-backed women, rocks for coal Your thing which chickens hatches,
-250
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
Have turned the earth so upside down, No peace is left within it" -- Then, whirling round upon his heel, He vanished in a minute.
Forthwith, my most veracious pen Wrote down what I had heard, And here, dressed up in doggerel rhyme, You have it, word for word.
Mines and Minerals. BRADLEY AND BULL'S SAND BANK.
A visit to one of the Most Extensive Sand Deposits in Pennsylvania. -A Brief Description of the Works.
To give a full and comprehensive description of the works is beyond our power, but we will endeavor to convey to our readers a slight idea of them. Before proceeding farther a short sketch of the first prospectors and workers may not be out of place : Messrs. J. R. Wirt, of McVeytown, and Edward Davis, of Juniata county, were the first persons to commence the development of what has since proven to be such an immense deposit of first-class white sand. They erected an engine, washer, &c., on the side of the road leading past the present works in the latter part of 1868, and began taking sand off the face of the rock, which buries itself hundreds of feet into the earth, and shipped the first ton to Camp- bell, Jones & Co., Pittsburgh. They only took out one car load, however, and then, owing to the lack of funds, abondoned the works. The sand was then left undisturbed in its primative bed until the Spring of 1870, when Bradley & Dull began operations. The first sand which they shipped was thrown out of the run which flows by the works, and which now furnishes the water for washing. Feeling confident that the mineral was in the neighborhood in sufficient quantities to warrant them in erecting the necessary machinery, they immediately commenced building, the first stone being laid April 25, 1870. A shaft was sunk in the rock at a point about 150 feet below where Wirt & Davis had been operating and the sand was found to be of excellent quality. The original shaft . was then enlarged until now it forms a pit of perhaps 450 feet in circumference by 40 or 50 in depth. When this depth has been reached the workmen had to cease operations because of the sudden and immense volume of water which came bubbling up from the bottom. The most wonderful feature of the water is that
251
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
it is blue and never ceases flowing, in deed so great is the volume that was the pump, which is kept going night and day, to stop for but a short period the tunnels would be flooded and much damage would ensue. After making this large excavation, tunnels were run into the rocks from the bottom of the pit for hundreds of feet. One is surprised after going a short distance from the entrance of the tunnels to find them enlarged into galleries thirty or forty feet high, from which tons and tons of sand have been sent out to the glass factories after having gone through the refining process here- inafter described. From the main tunnel, which is over 400 feet in length, passages are cut throught into the other drifts, which run nearly parallel with it. It is a curious sight to watch the miners with their little lamps fastened on their hats digging and delving in the very bowels of the earth for the mineral which is so useful and necessary. While we were down among the miners they put off a blast and the explosion caused a report which echoed and re-echoed through the long and sinuous passages, leaving a strong smell of powder for minutes after it. A drift or rather a shaft has been run from the road above, which descends at an angle of about 45 degrees, the bottom of which is reached by a system of steps. From this second landing is still another shaft to the tunnels 30 or 40 feet below through which the sand is thrown to be taken out in cars as that of the lower and more extensive galleries. These cars will hold about half a ton and are pushed out on a railway by two men to the inclined plane where they are drawn up and dumped into the Wash House. About 80 cars are taken out every day. Little rivulets of pure, cool water wind their way through the various passages and find an outlet at the entrance. Thousands and thousands of tons of sand have been taken out of these large cavities and there remains millions yet for generations to come. The whole hill appears to be one rock of beautiful white sand, which haslaid their untonchied until but ten short years ago. We now ascend the long steps which lead from the outside pit and enter the engine house. Here everything betokens neatness and care and indicates that the engineers-Will Seibert and Dallas Clark -- understand their business. We stop here to thank Mr. S. for kindly furnishing us with a light with which to explore the under- ground works. We were informed by Mr. William Ewing, the obliging foreman, that there are about two tons of coal consumed every twenty-four hours. From the engine room we proceed to the Wash House, a large building about 150 feet long and 20 wide.
252
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
The first machine which greets our sight is a Chasing Mill, or crusher, into which the sand is thrown and ground to fine parti- cles by two large wheels about twelve inches across the face and three and one-half feet in diameter, which revolve on a huge iron shaft. After the sand is crushed it passes into a washer, where it is carried through three different waters by four screw propellers and is finally discharged through an opening into the wheel-bar- rows of the workmen, who transfer it to another part of the build- ing where it remains until ready for the dryer. This is a large box-like arrangement, twenty-five feet long, five feet wide and four high, and has a capacity for about fifteen tons. The bottom con- sists of a number of steam pipes running lengthwise, with small spaces between them, through which the sand falls as it becomes dry, to the floor beneath. We understand Mr. C. P. Dull, one of the firm, is the inventor of this dryer. Mr. Bradley, to whom we are indebted for much of our information, told us that about thirty-five or forty tons are washed and dried daily. Looking at the sand as it drops from the dryer reminds one very much of a fall of snow, but the temperature of the dry house soon dispels the momentary coolness produced by that idea. After it is dried the sand is hauled in wagons, made for that purpose, to the railroad depot, and from thence it is shipped to Pittsburgh, Wheeling and other places to be transformed into glass. The demand for sand is very great at the present time and the proprietors find it almost impossible to fill their orders .. This is certainly a gratifying fact and another assurance that business is reviving and that trade in all its branches has received a new impetus. We have endeavored to give our readers some idea of one of McVeytown's greatest in- dustries, but we find ourselves utterly unable to describe it as we would like to, owing to our limited knowledge of mining, ma -- chinery, etc.
The quality of this sand for the manufacture of glass, is proved by the thousands of tons that are shipped for this purpose. While- Pittsburgh has became notorious for its extensive manufactories of glass and iron, the best sand and the best ores in the United States are in Mifflin county, and in inexhaustible quantities. The sand for the manufacture of glass was railroaded to Pittsburgh from long distances, even from Missouri, south of St. Louis, until the vast stores of Mifflin county's hills were probed and made to disgorge their golden stores, and then Pittsburgh's competitor in the glass trade in the west, sprang into existence, and made what.
253
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
is now " Crystal City," Missouri, where a superior article is manu- factured.
The manufacture of glass is not the only use of this sand. It is very superior for plastering purposes, for the manufacture of frear stone, combined with hydraulic cement ; for drain tile, for chimney flues, polishing marble and thousands of other purposes.
Juniata Sand Company, miners and shippers of flint glass sand, office and works at Lewistown, Pennsylvania. A. J. Kuhn, Super- intendent. This mine is four miles south-west of Lewistown, on the north dip of the Oriskany sandstone, in the main synclinal, south of Prospect Rock. There is a bed of pure white sand, from ninety to one hundred feet thick. At one point it is but forty feet thick, being colored by oxide of iron and rendered useless for the manufacture of glass. Gaps in the ridge are of rare occurrence, but where they do occur, the sand is discolored by the oxide of iron. A layer of yellow sand, twelve to eighteen feet thick, occupies the top of the formation. When the mine was first opened, the sand was worked out toward the ontcrop of the bed, leaving enough roof to prevent the surface from falling in, and to keep water out of the mine. Subsequently, the workings were changed to a point thirty feet lower, and the bed opened by means of a tunnel driven north through the Oriskany shales which dip forty-six degrees to the north- west. This tunnel is about two hundred and fifty feet long. From the tunnel, gangwaysare driven four hundred feet south-west, and one hundred feet north-east. The main gangways are from fifteen to eighteen feet wide, and fifteen feet high, leaving about fifteen feet between them and the old workings. The top is supported by heavy timbers. The gangway narrows at the top, and in addition to the heavy timbers it is lagged and packed to prevent sand from moving. The roof is very treacherous. It is liable to fall from small pockets on account of the cleavage planes running irregularly. At McVeytown, the necessity for timbering is not so great, because the mode of working is different. The gangway is more arching and not so high .. The deposit of sand is also more solid and less liable to give way than at this mine. Chambers of various sizes are driven right and left from the main gangway, and at right angles to it. Pillars of sand rock are left standing between the chambers to support the roof. These chambers are from twenty to twenty-five feet long, the length being goverened by the quality of the sand. When the sand contains oxide of iron, even in a small degree, it is useless for the manufacture of glass, and is not mined. When it
254
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
becomes necessary it is proposed to drive a tunnel still lower on the slope of the hill which will cut through the Lewistown lime shales in addition to the measures eut through by the present tunnel. It will be a long time, however, before the great quantity of sand on the present level can be worked out. The sand rock requires to be blasted in mining, but in falling it breaks to fine sand which needs only to be washed and prepared for market. The mine is supplied with a railroad track and cars to move the sand to the wash-house. The following analysis of this sand shows its character and purity : Silica, 98.84 ) Oxide of manganese, a trace ..
Alumina,
-
.17
Lime, a trace.
Oxide of iron,
.34
Magnesia, a trace.
Loss on ignition,
.23
99.58
At the washing house the sand is thrown into an iron bowl, where it is agitated by arms attached to a revolving horizontal beam. From this bowl it passes into an octagonal screen of wire cloth, two feet in diameter. The water, passing through this screen, carries the sand into a trough or box a few feet below. The sand settles in the bottom of the box and the water passes away over the top of it and carries away the white clay which exists in the sand in small quantities. Through this trough or box passes an eleva- tor made of gum belting eight to ten inches wide, with the boxes or scrapers on the lower side. This elevator runs on an inclined plane, sloping eighteen degrees, and at the rate of nine and one- half feet per minute, and carries the sand high enough to drop it into a trongh at a level of the next floor. A small stream of water is passed through the sand in this trough, when it is again elevated by the same process as before and carried the length of the build- ing into the drying house. The whole distance to the drying house is about one hundred fect. The elevators are carried over pulleys and the sand is pushed along on a smooth board surface by the. scrapers attached to the lower side of the belting. The engine used to drive this machinery has a cylinder nine inches in diameter and a twenty-two inch stroke, with a driving wheel six feet in diameter, which is run fifteen revolutions per minute. The dry house is over one hundred feet long, a portion of it being used for drying and a part for storing sand. The heat for drying is generated by three furnaces, each with a fire surface of twenty-six by thirty-six inches. These three furnaces consume about one ton of bituminous coal per-
255.
HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY.
day. The sand is spread upon the floor, under which passes the. fines connected with the furnaces, and is there thoroughly dried ready for the market. The top of the drying floor is three inches fire clay; under that is three inches of sand, then six in clay, then one inch of fire clay, and in the bottom ten inches of stone .. This floor becomes heated by the hot air from the furnaces passing under it, and it parts with its heat very gradually, thus making a good drying surface.
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