USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > History of Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania. With illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 31
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A special election for borough officers was held December 2d, 1864, and resulted as follows:
Chief Burgess-R. B. Douty. Council-John J. Esher, Daniel Weaver, John Dunkelberger, W. H. Gilger, and Henry Van Gosken, Judge of Election-Stephen A. Harris. Inspectors-J. W. Young, and R. A. Am- merman.
This Council went to work at once, and enacted a large number of ordi- nances.
At the Spring election, the following officers were elected:
Chief Burgess-R. B. Douty. Council-Duniel Weaver, John Dunkel- berger, John J. Esher, William. H. Gilger, and G. H. Coder. Constable- Henry Neihoff. School Directors-D. S. Miller, M. Ernes, Pemberton Bird, J. J. John, W. K. Erdman, and F. S. Haas, Auditors -- F. A. Clark, and W. P. Withington. Directors of Poor-George W. Rorer and A. A. Heim. Assessor-David Fegely.
The town had so increased in size and population that, in 1871, it was divided into wards, the east and west wards, by an act of Legislature, ap- proved May 19th, 1871. Grant or Ninth street forms the division line.
Since the formation of the borough, the town bas shown a wonderful change. Pavements have been put down all along the principal streets ; streets have been opened, und put in excellent repair ; a fire department has been created, and all the wants and interests of a growing town are attended to by an attentive chief burgess and an excellent council.
The present town authorities are: Chief Burgess -- J. H. Zimmerman ; Assistant Burgess-Joseph Henninger; Council-Azarinh Cumpbell, Gulen F. Holsher, & Gottschall, , J. H. Johnston, Daniel Yost, and John Clifford
POPULATION.
The present population of Shamokin is estimated at eight thousand. At the census of 1870, it contained four thousand three hundred and twenty souls, showing an increase of about one hundred per cent. in five years. During the year 1875, at least one house was put up for every day in the year, and many of them were first-class houses. For the present year, notwithstanding the hard times, about two hundred houses were erected, many of which are first-class brick buildings.
STREET NOMENCLATURE.
The streets of Shamokin are laid out within a few degrees of due north and south. Beginning at the western limit, they occur ns follows: First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Market, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, or Grant, Orange, Marshall, or Liberty, Washington, Rock, Shamokin, Frank- lin, Pearl, Vine, Cherry, and Lombard, the last street on the east in the borough limits.
The streets running east and west, beginning on the north, are Packer, Cameron, Dewart, Sunbury, Commerce, Independence, Water, Lincoln, Sprizheim, Clay, Webster, Race, Chestunt, Spruce, Pine, Mulberry and Willow.
ADDITIONS.
Within the past few years, several additions of town lots have been made, among which may be named the following : West Shamokin, on the west ; Bellas' Addition, on the south ; Marshalton, and M. R. R. and M. Co.'s Additions, on the enst, nud Cameron Addition, on the north. When these are included in the borough limits, its present size will be doubled.
NATIONALITY OF POPULATION.
The population of Shamokin is composed of nearly every nation in Europe, but the lending nationalities' are American, Polish, German, Irish, English, Welshı, Seoteh, French, Russian, ete. A large portion of these are law- abiding citizens, and a great number of them have homes of their own.
TOWN CLOCK.
During May, 1866, through the exertions and liberality of John B. Donty, one of the most publie-spirited men of the town, a town clock was placed in
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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the spire of the Presbyterian church. There are four dials, each five feet in diameter ; the pendulum is fourteen feet long, with a sixty-five pound ball attached. It is a great convenience to the town.
FIRST IRON BRIDGE.
In June, 1867, an iron bridge was built neres Shamokin Creek, at Market street .*
AID TO CHICAGO AND THE NORTH-WEST.
The citizens of Shamokin, upon learning the great loss sustained by the people of Chiengo and the towns of the north-west, called a meeting and appointed committees to solicit contributions for the sufferers. F. W. Pollock, Esq., was appointed treasurer. The total amount contributed by Shamokin and vicinity, was the large sum of two thousand one hundred and forty-seven dollars and eighty cents. Well done!
FIRE-PLUGS.
There are twenty fire-plugs tlistributed over the more thiekly settled parts of the town, the property of the town. The borough officials had designexl to put in twelve more in such parts of the town as were not supplied, which would have fully secured all parts of the borough with water in case of fire. An election was held on August 26th, 1876, to decide whether a tax should be levied fur this purpose, but evidently through a misunderstanding, was defented by a large majority.
INDEBTEDNESS OF BOROUGIL.
The indebtedness of Shamokin is about thirty-four thousand dollars, a large portion of which is in the shape of bonds, at six nud seven per cent. Provision is made to pay off the interest semi-annually, and such portions of the principal, so that the entire debt will be liquidated in thirty years. This restricts the authorities in the works of repairs and improvements, as the taxes leviedl are inadequate to fully meet all these purposes.
EXPENDITURES.
For the past five years, a great deal of work has been done in opening streets and keeping them in repair. There are but few towns, perhaps, more expensive to keep in order than Shamokin. A number of streets have been filled up to grade at great expense. To put Market street in its present con- ¿lition, has cost over ten thousand dollars; while at least five thousand dol- lars has been expended on Independence street.
PAVEMENTS.
All the principal streets are now graded and paved along their entire length, with a few exceptions, which will soon be attended to by the watchful borough fathers.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
A fire department was established by the Couneil, with Jacob Meutchler as Marshal.
SHAMOKIN IRON WORKS.
These works were started in 1838, when the railroad was extended to Sha- mokin.
The machine-shop and ear-shop were built by the Danville and Pottsville Railroad Company, for the use of their road. The fonudry was erected by John C. Boyd and Zibn Bird, for the purpose of making stoves and hollow- ware. The power was derived from the engine in the machine-shop.
In 1851, Stephen Bittenbendler purchased the foundry, and in 1855, the machine-shop and car-shop. He carried on business here about sixteen years, turning out an immense amount of work, and keeping in employ a large number of men. In 1867, he leased the works to Cruikshank & Bro., practical mechanics, who carried on business for some time.
In September, 1870, Cruikshank & Bro. disposed of their lease to Messrs. Mullen & Hufman, of Part Carbon, two most excellent mechanics. Mr. John Mullen had been foundry boss, and Mr. David Hufman boss machinist of the Franklin Iron Works.
In the early part of 1871, this firm built the first steam-engine that was constructed at Shamokin. This fact attracted quite a considerable attention, and a large number of persons visited the shops to witness it. It was n twenty-horse-power engine, used to propel a fan at the Henry. Clay Colliery. It worked to perfection, and proved the builders to be mnaster workmen. It was extensively noticed by the local papers, and asserted as the second engine built in Northumberland County.
In the Spring of 1875, Mr. Rittenbender sold these works to Mullen, Huf- man & Co. This new firm proceeded to the erection of new buildings, better adapted to the wants of their business, which were completed in November of the same year. The buildings ure of brick, and built in the most sub- stantial manner. The foundry is eighty-six by forty-six feet, and twenty- four feet high in the clear. It is supplied with a crane that can lift twenty- five tons. There are two cupolas and two core-ovens here.
The machine-shop is one hundred feet long by forty feet wide, and sixteen feet high in the clear. It is well supplied with all the latest style of' machinery required for the business wants of' a mining region. Among the new machinery, they have a forty-inch slide-lathe with a twenty-two foot bed, a planer twenty-six by thirty-six, capable of planing a surface twelve feet in length, a radial drill, a heavy double-plated shaping-machine, and the machinery necessary for a first-class shop. As now furnished, they are the finest shops in the County, and among the finest in the State.
During the early part of 1876, one of the partners, Mr. David Hofman, dying, the firm ou June 1st, was changed to John Mullen & Co.
A large quantity of excellent work has been recently turned out from these shops. Among other machinery, they have just completed for the Sterling Colliery, one pair of hoisting-engines sixteen by thirty, link-motion, with a capacity of fifty-horse-power each, which are justly regarded as the best hoisting machinery in the region. They also furnished a similar engine and the machinery for this breaker. A considerable amount of machinery for the soft coal regions has been sent out from these works.
The Shamokin Iron Works are well located for business, starling in a V formed by the Northern Central Railway, and the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad.
When running full, they employ one hundred men, but at the present time there are only forty men at work.
The capacity of the shops is one hundred and fifty thousand dollars per annnm. Steam-engines and colliery machinery have been their special branches of work; but everything in their line of business enn be turner] out as they are well supplied with all the necessary fixtures.
ANTHRACITE FOUNDRY AND MACHINE WORKS.
These works were originally started in 1860, by John Shipp, and then known as the Starr Machine Works. They were enrried on by Mr. Shipp, untd 1871, at which time they were purchased by John Medler, and by him operated until the month of' Octoher, 1874, when William Y. Cruikshank purchased and took possession. Recently, Mr. Cruikshank hans associated with him, a young man of experience and ability, aud the firm is now known as Lloyd & Cruikshank. The busi- ness done embraces the manufacture of all kinds of mining machinery, mill-work, etc. Everything, from a grindstone hanging to a steam-engine, is manufactured here in the best possible manner. At present, the works are busily employed on iron work, for the Northumberland County Jail. The shops, when running at full capacity are capable of turning out sixty thousand dollars worth of manufactured goods per annum, and ot affording profitable employment to fifty hands. The force now employed is about thirty. The works are complete. The iron is taken in the pig at one end of the shop, and when it emanates from the opposite end, the engive is ready for steam.
INDUSTRIAL IRON WORKS.
These works were first erected in Sunbury. In 1864, William Rennyson, of Pottsville, purchased them, and carried on business there until 1866, when he removed them to Shamokin, and erected them on their present site. In 1868, Mr. Rennyson retired, and they were idle for some time.
In 1869, William Brown, the present proprietor, purchased them, and put them in running order, and has kept them moving to the present time.
The works consist of the following buildings, all frame: Machine-shop, fifty by one hundred and fifty feet; builer-shop, thirty-six by forty feet; sereen-shop, fifty hy thirty feet; blneksmith-shop, fifty by forty-five feet ; fonndry, fifty by fifty feet ; erecting-shop, forty by fifty feet ..
When these works are running full enpacity, they can give employment to one hundred and seventy-five men, but at present time only twenty-five men are employed. The shops are capable of turning out one hundred und seventy-five thousand dollars worth of work per annum.
The principal business of these works is building engines, pumps, boilers, screens, forgings, and all kinds of machinery and repairs for mining regions. The works are properly named the " Industrial," as they furnish all wants of the coal regions. Considerable work is done for Schuylkill and Dauphin Counties, and sonte screen-work for Baltimore.
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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The shops are favorably located between two railroads. Mr. Brown is a very enterprising man, who gives grent attention to his business, and will doubtless build up a large trade. In his pattern-shop, over the machine- sbop, there is an immense collection of patterns, Mr. Brown has built sev- eral engines at his works, and has, at the present time, the only boiler-shop in Northumberland County. He dues a large amount of work for the col- lieries of the Miners' Railroad and Mining Company.
SITAMOKIN PLANING-MILL.
This establishment was started in 1874, by George Marshall, the present proprietor. It is favorably located between Independence street and the Northern Central Railway.
'The mill is a frame building, three stories high, forty hy fifty-four feet in size. This mill is fitted up with all the Intest improved machinery-a large flooring-machine, a prommy-planer, ete. The mill is driven by an engine of thirty horse-power. The principal business is planing rough lumber, and making sush, blinds, doors, mouldings, etc. Capacity of mill, forty thousand dollars; number of men employed at present, ten ; but enn use twenty when running full capacity.
BILAMOKIN MARBLE-YARD.
Established by Boyd & Rumberger, the present proprietors, in 1861.
Principal business is the ercetion of tombstones, mounments, and cemetery enclosures. Considerable work is sent to the neighboring counties. Yearly business amounts to about five thousand dollars.
LUMBER-YARDS.
George Marshall has on hand three hundred thousand feet. Sales, abont one million feet per annum.
Lumber receipts for 1875: Hemlock, six hundred and fifteen thousand one hundred and thirty-six feet; pine, four hundred and seventy-three thou- sand feet; total, one million, eighty-eight thousand one hundred and thirty- six feet.
R. S. Aweker has on hand about two hundred and fifty-thousand feet. Sales for 1875, amounted to one million three hunded thousand feet of pine and hemlock.
Daniel Yost has on hand about two hundred thousand feet. Sales for 1875, one million feet.
SHAMOKIN WATER COMPANY.
When Shamokin was first laid out, the inhabitants depended on springs, which supplied the people with the very purest kind of water, but as the town enlarged and the mines were extensively worked, some of these springs gave out and wells were sunk as a substitute. Some time previous to 1850, a small reservoir was made near Cameron and Rock streets, supplied with most excellent water from a large spring near by. This water was conducted in wouden pipes to small portions of Shamokin and Sunbury streets. But, as the town extended southward, the water supply depended entirely on wells with an inferior water. In 1865, Stephen Bittenbender, at n cost of eight thousand dollars, put down iron pipes, from a reservoir built by him. This was also supplied by a large spring. These pipes extended as far as Coal Run, on Shamokin street, and down Sunbury street, as far ns Orange street. Mr. Bittenbender supplied parties with water, at reasonable rates.
In 1866, the Shamokin Water Company was chartered, with the following commissioners: Stephen Bittenbender, M. Ewes, John Caldwell, R. B. Donty, J. J. John, W. P. Withington, Reuben Fegely, John B. Douty, F. A. Clark, W. H. Marshall, Daniel Weaver, Daniel Evert, W. C. Roth, D. N. Lake, C. P. Helfenstein, and J. J. Esher. The capital stock was one hundred thousand dollars, to be issued in shares of twenty-five dollars.
A meeting of citizens was called by W. H. Marshall, and great efforts were made to organize the company, but they failed.
Nothing further was done until April, 1872, when a number of citizens employed F. J. Anspach to make a survey, and estimate the cost of water works fir the borough of Shamokin. Ou the first of May, Mr. Anspach submitted his report. Ile recommended the waters of Trout Run, with a reservoir in Shamokin, and steam pumps. He estimated the expense nt sixty-six thousand seven hundred and sixty dollars and eighty-seven cents.
The report was so favorably received that some forty thousand dollars of the stock wns subscribed at once.
A charter from the court was obtained in July, aud the company organ- ized. The Board of Directors chosen were, Issue May, Sr., John B. Duuty, Reuben Fegely, W. H. Marshall, W. R. Kutzner, M. Ewes, C. Grueber, A.
A. Heim, and F. J. Auspach. Isane May was elected President, and W. H. Marshall, Treasurer. Work was commenced at ouce. The old Fegely Dam, across Trout Run, was rebuilt. Pumping-works were erected opposite Brown's Industrial Iron Works. Two sixty-horse-power engines, munufac- tured in Shamokin, were erected, with pumps that were to force one thousand gallons per minute. The water was elevated two hundred and twenty-five feet, perpendicularly alonside of Big Mountain. Pipe was laid from the dam . to the pumps, a distance of ninety-two thousand feet, with a fall of fifty-four feet. The distributing-pipes through the town, partly iron and partly wood, ure ten, eight, six and four inches diameter, as the wants may be.
On December 6th, 1873, the water was let in the pipes. It reached the reservoir in one hour and fifteen minutes, a distance of ninety-five hundred feet. The reservoir, which contained fifteen thousand gallons, was filled in twelve minutes. Everything worked well.
During Jannary, 1874, W. H. Marshall had water introduced in his house -the first one using Trout Run wnter.
At a meeting of the Company, held in January, 1874, it was ordered to issue Water Bonds, to the amount of twenty thousand dollars, to complete the works.
For the following terse description of the present works, the writer is indebtedl to R. A. Ammermau, chief engineer, who is fully acquainted with all the improvements that relate to his profession.
The street minins being partly cast-iron and partly wooden pipes, the latter were found to be insufficient to resist the shock and pressure incident to the working of the pumps, frequently bursting and necessitating constant and expensive repairs. The company, in June or July of 1875, decided to aban- don the pumps, aml extend their line for supply, about three thousand six hundred feet further up the stream-Trout Run-and to an elevation of ninety-two feet above the old dam or reservoir.
The extension to the new dam or reservoir was completed, the water let in and the pumps stopped, on October 25th, 1875.
The main line now consists of seven thousand and sixty-three feet of twelve- inch wooden pipes, and four thousand six hundred and eighty-five feet of cast-iron twelve-inch pipes, to the site of the pumping-works; the water is distributed thence through the several streets of the town in ten-inch, eight- inch, six-ineb and four-inch iron and wooden pipes.
The capacity of main supply line to an elevation of sixty feet above the sidewalk at Donty's "Brown-stone Front," is two hundred and ninety-eight thousand gallons for every twenty-four hours, the pressure, at the intersection of Shamokin and Sunbury streets, being forty-five-and-a-half pounds per square inch, while the pressure at points throughout the greater part of town, will reach fifty-eight to sixty pounds per square ineh, being equivalent to a supply of over twenty thousand gallons per hour-sufficient to supply a population of over eight thousand persons, with sixty gallons each, for every twenty-four hours; with an adequate supply, at all times, for any emergency that may arise, except during seasons of extreme drought.
The company purpose, at an early day, to enlarge the dam or reservoir, it being entirely too small for the acenmulation and storage of a sufficient supply for a long, henvy drain, in case of protraced fires during excessive drought, notwithstanding, two fires on the same night, during the unusually "dry spell" of August, 1876, failed to exhaust the supply."
The present directors are: Holden Chester, President; Reuben Fegely, Vice President; William H. Marshall, Treasurer; Alexander Fulton, A. A. Heim, W. H. Douty, D. Llewellyn, C. Groeber.
SHAMOKIN GAS-LIGHT COMPANY.
This company was organized July 23d, 1874, and chartered by the State in November of the same year. The capital stork of the corporation is twenty-five thousand dollars. The works were constructed by J. D. Patton, Esq., of Trevorton, The gas, which by the way is a very superior artiele, is produced from erude petroleum in retorts patented by Mr. Patton. It is regarded superior to coal-gas, and is less linble to consense.
Works of a similar character have been erected iu Sunbury, Ashland, Shenandoah, and other places, where they give great satisfaction.
Nearly two miles of main-pipe have been laid in the streets of Shamwkiu, nud Inther extensions are being grudnally made.
This gas is now consumed in about one hundred houses, and is being ex- tended to nearly all the new buildings.
The directors and officers are, Charles P. Helfenstein, President; Samuel John, Vice President; George W. Ryon, Treasurer; J. J. John, Secretary ; L. B. Morganroth, J. D. Patton.
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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
SHAMOKIN BASIN.
This coal field, nearly all of which is in Northumberland County, is twenty miles long, and about two-and-a-half miles wide. It contains an area of fifty square miles. It is principally drained by the Shamokin Creek, which leaves the coal region at the Shamokin Gap, and empties in the Susque- hanna at Sunbury; this basin is bounded on the north hy the Big Mountain, and on the south by the Locust Mountain.
There are supposed to be thirteen veins in this basin, the numbers begin- ning at the bottom. Numbers thirteen, twelve, and fourteen, are red-ash, and numbers ten, tine, and eight, are white-ash. The two principal veins worked in the Shamokin region are eight and nine, called the Twins, or the two parts of the Mammoth vein. They average from eight to nine feet in thickness, of good coal, the best coal mines in the Shamokin Basin.
The outlets for this coal, are the Lehigh Valley Ruilrond, the Philadelphia and Bending Railroad, and the Northern Central Radway, the two latter having the larger portion of the tonnage.
There are now some thirty collieries in Northumberland County, which are prepared to mine and ship over two million tons of coal per annum. Twenty-six years ngo, the entire region, by hard work, were able to put out eleven thousand, nine hundred und thirty tons during the year; now, one of our second-rate collieries will send off that quantity in one month.
All the anthracite cont of America, which now exceeds nineteen million tons annually, comes from a small locality in castern Pennsylvania, com- prised in the six counties of Northumberland, Dauphin, Schuylkill, Luzerne, Columbia, and Carbon. There are no coal-breakers in the world outside of this favored region. If the several coal-basins were brought into one cou- tiguous body, they would form a small territory, a little larger than North- umberland County, twenty-four miles long and twenty miles wide. And when it is remembered that there is but little anthracite cual in the world outside of this small tract, and that one-tenth of the anthracite conl terri- tory, and one-twelfth of the anthracite product is in and from good old Northumberland County, the reader will form some definite order of the grent mineral wealth of the Shamokin region.
SIAMOKIN COAL TRADE.
The coal trade of our region commenced in a very humble way. Be- ginning with 1839, for a number of years it did not average fifteen thousand tons.
During the Summer of 1853, the railroad between Shamokin and Sunbury (then called the Philadelphia and Sunbury Railroad), was relaid with iron rails, and was formally opened, August 25th. The coal shipment this year was a little over fifteen thousand tons, a tonnage thut the Cameron Colliery would now send in one month, and regard as a small shipment. The coal was loaded in boats at Sunbury, and consigned to different points along the river. The next year, the road was extended to Mt. Carmel, and some seven or cight collieres sent off' sixty-three thousand five hundred tons, about what one ordinary colliery would now do in that time.
A conl-operator of this period, informed the writer that he traveled from Williamsport to Elmira and Buffalo, trying to sell conl, but met with little snecess, as the people knew little or nothing about this kind of fuel. This led coal men to employ men to travel these regious, and teach the people how to burn anthracite coal.
During the Autumn of 1855, the railroad between Sunbury and Williams- port was opened, and at the New York State Agricultural Fair, held at Elmira, in October, Shamokin was represented by two large masses of anthra- cite coal, each weighing over a ton. The exhibitors of these were Messrs. Cochran, Rede & Co., of Lancaster Colliery, and Boyd, Rosser & Co., of Luke Fidler Colliery. These specimens attracted n great deal of attention, and n number of speeches were made on the occasion. Among the speakers was Gov. Bigler, who stated, in his remarks, that the first conl from Shamo- kin to Elmira, direct in cars, had arrived that day, and that he was using a sample of it for a platform. This was considered quite a novelty, and had the effect of drawing the attention of western New York to Shamokin eoal.
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