USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pa. with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 17
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104
McKeansburg, Schuylkill Haven, and Orwigsburg were rival candidates, with claims nearly equally balanced. It is said that Peter Frailey, Daniel Graeff, John Kobb, John Dreher, Phillip Hoy and others induced the owners of saw-mills on the Mahannan creek, which runs near the borough, to detain the water in their mill ponds for a time; and when the commissioners were at Orwigsburg, at a preconcerted signal (the blowing of a horn) they hoisted their flood gates, and the stream, swollen in con- sequence, so strongly impressed the commissioners with the manufacturing facilities of the place that they de- cided in its favor.
The population of Schuylkill county when it was erected, in 1811, was between 6,000 and 7,000. In 1820 it was 11, 311 ; in 1830, 20,744 ; in 1840, 29,053 ; in 1850, 60,713 ; in 1860, 89,510 ; in 1870, 116,428 ; and in 1880, 128,784. The increase by decades is thus seen to be : from 1811 to 1820, about 5,000; 1820-30, 9,433; 1830-40, 8,309 ; 1840-50, 31,660; 1850-60, 28,797 ; 1860-70, 26,918; 1870-80, 12,356.
The act provided that until a court-house was erected the courts should be held at the house of Abraham Reiff- snyder, in the township of Brunswick. In accordance At the time of the incorporation of the county the only avenue of travel and transportation, except the old Sunbury road, was the Center turnpike, which was then with this provision the first court was held in the east room in this house (then, as since, a tavern), on the third Monday of December in 1811. Judge Porter, of the third | little more than passable. It was rapidly improved, and
75
OFFICERS OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
soon became an important thoroughfare. The river was utilized for the transportation of lumber. About the year 1825 the Schuylkill navigation was completed, giving an outlet for the coal that was mined in the county, and in 1842 the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad was extended to Pottsville, affording still greater facilities for the transportation of the rapidly increasing product of the coal mines.
By reference to the foregoing statement of the increase of population, it will be seen that the greatest rate of in- crease was during the decade following 1840, in which the number was more than doubled. The influx of people during those years resembled that of adventurers to the oil regions of this State, or to the gold mines of the west.
During this rapid increase of population the project was conceived of forming a new county. The Miners' Journal of January 30th, 1841, stated : " Petitions have been presented to the Legislature for the formation of a new county out of parts of Schuylkill, Dauphin, and Northumberland. The new county will embrace the two Mahantongos. We go in for the new county. The Mahantongos have always been an expense to Schuylkill, and the sooner they are cut off the better."
In 1853 the project was agitated of forming a new county, to be called Anthracite, out of the eastern por- tion of Schuylkill and southern part of Luzerne. At a meeting held at Tamaqua a committee was appointed to circulate for signatures petitions for the erection of such a county.
Judges .- From 1811 to 1851 the judges were appoint- ed by the governor. Robert Porter, Samuel D. Franks, Calvin Blythe, James M. Porter, Anson V. Parsons, Na- thaniel B. Eldred and Luther Kidder were appointed consecutively. Charles W. Hegins, elected in 1850, died, and Edward Owen Parry was appointed. During James Ryan's term the act providing for an additional law judge went into effect. Henry S. Souther filled that office by appointment until the election of Thomas H. Walker, 1871. An act of Assembly in 1867 established the first district of criminal jurisdiction, including Schuylkill, Dauphin and Lebanon counties, and Colonel D. B. Green was appointed to preside. In October, 1867, Judge Green was elected as his own successor, judge of the court. When this court was abolished by the constitution of 1871 Judge Green was made judge of common pleas of Schuylkill county for the remainder of his term. Cyrus L. Pershing was elected president judge in 1872; O. P. Bechtel second additional law judge in 1877.
Other county officers and representatives have been elected as follows:
Sheriffs .- William Green, 1811; Frederick Hesser, 1814; Benjamin Christ, 1817; George Rahn, 1820-1831; Matthias Dreher, 1823; John Rausch, 1823; Samuel Huntzinger, 1825; Charles Frailey, 1828; Henry Rausch, 1834; Peter F. Ludwig, 1837; J. T Woolison, 1840; Jer- emiah Reed, 1843; John T. Werner, 1846; Christian M. Straub, 1849; James Nagle, 1852, William Matz, 1855; John P. Hobart, 1858; John Rausch, 1861; Michael Ho-
ran, 1864; George C. Wynkoop, 1867; Charles W. Pit- man, 1870: James I. Pitman, 1871; J. Frank Werner, r 874; William J. Matz, 1877.
Prothonotaries .- James McFarland, 1811; Philip Frail- ey, 1817; Jacob Dreibelbies, 1819; Henry W. Conrad, 1821; Peter Frailey, 1824: Jacob Hammer, 1827; Lewis Audenreid, 1836; George Rahn, 1839; Charles Frailey, [842-1860; Christian M. Straub, 1845; Thomas Mills, 1848; John Harlan, 1851; Samuel Huntzinger, 1854; Daniel H. Shoener, 1857; Joseph M. Feger, 1863; Thomas J. McCamant, 1866; William J. Matz, 1869; Hiram Moyer, 1872; Thomas F. Kerns, 1875-1878.
Treasurers .- Daniel Graeff, 1812; John Hammer, 1815; Jacob Huntzinger, 1818, 1822; John Schall, 1819, 1825, 1832; Joseph Hammer, 1828; Joseph Ottinger, 1834; John M. Brikel, 1838; Jacob Huntzinger, Jr., [840; Henry Shoemaker, 1844; Henry Krebs, 1846; B. C. Christ, 1848; F. B. Haercher, 1850; George D. Boyer, 1852; Isaac Ward, 1854; Samuel K. M. Keepner, 1856; William Bickel, 1858; James R. Cleaver, 1860; Joseph H. Ruhards, 1862; Henry J. Hendler, 1864; William B. Rady, 1866; Conrad Seltzer, 1868; Edward Bradley, 1870; George A. Herring, 1872; Daniel Barlow, 1874; Cyrus Moore, 1876; Louis Stoffregen, 1879.
Commissioners (term of office three years) .- Abraham Angstadt, John Ruth, and John Zebner, elected in 1811; John Hammer, Conrad Kershner, George Kimmel, 1812; George Orwig, 1813; Benjamin Christ, 1814; Henry Straub, Christopher Boyer, 1815; Daniel Focht, 1816; Christian Brobst, 1817; Jacob Hehn, 1818; Philip Foegly, 1819; John Pott, Abraham Reifsnyder, 1820; John Seltzer, 1822; John Reed, Abraham Angstadt, 1823; John Gehner, 1824; Henry Shoemaker, 1825; Ludwig Berger, 1826; John Matz, 1827; Henry Ege, Samuel Haine, 1829; David Turner, 1831; George Reed, 1832; William Mortimer, 1833; John Brans, 1834; John Shoener, 1835; Philip Osman, 1836; Adam Focht, 1837; Abraham Boughner, Benjamin Pott, 1838: Benjamin Lantzer, Edward O'Conner, 1839; George Seitzinger, George Boyer, 1841; Samuel R. Medlar, 1842; George Moser, 1843; Henry Zimmerman, 1844; Frederick Beck, William Wagner, 1845; George H. Stichter, 1846; Lewis Dreher, 1847; Isaac Betz, 1848; William Frailey, 1849; Michael Fritz, 1850; Thomas Foster, 1851; George Hartline, 1852; Jacob Kline, Isaac Straub, 1853; An- drew H. Wilson, 1855; David Lengle, 1856; Philip Boyer, 1857; Edward O'Conner, 1858; Samuel Kauf- man, 1859; Evan J. Thomas, 1860; Daniel B. Althouse, 1861; Robert Wall, Edward O'Conner, 1862; David Foley, Charles Springer, 1863; Elijah Zeiglar, 1864; Benjamin Evart, George Wilson, 1866; Edward Kerns, 1867; Patrick Dormer, 1868; Peter Miller, 1870; Valen- tine Benner, 1872; Moses Hine, 1873; Patrick Conry, 1874; Morgan W. Fehr, Lewis Blass, Patrick Collins, 1875; Samuel Garret, Daniel Beyer, A. J. Shortull, 1878.
Register of Wills, Clerk of the Orphans' Court, and Recorder (offices combined until 1857 .- James McFar- land, elected 1811; Philip Frailey, 1818; Jacob Drieblebies, 1819; Francis B. Nichols, 1821; Peter Frailey, 1824; Charles Frailey, 1831; Samuel Huntzinger, 1833; Joseph Morgan, 1836; Jacob Hammer, 1838; Jacob Krebs, 1840; John H. Downing, 1842. Samuel Guss, 1845; Daniel Kercher, 1848; Lewis Reeser, 1851; Joshua Boyer, 1854.
Recorders .- Levi Huber, 1857; Dennis Maher, 1860; Benjamin F. Griffith, 1863; Martin Schaefer, 1866; Ernst F. Jungkurth, 1869; J. Webber, 1872; Adam Hartwig, 1875; John A. Reilly, 1878.
Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court .- Jacob
76
HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
Feger, 1857; Joseph Bowen, 1860; Adolph Dohrmann, 1863; Charles McGee, 1869; Benjamin F. Cranshan, 1872; Richard Rahn, 1873, 1878.
Clerk of the Courts .- This office was combined with that of prothonotary until 1857. Since 1857 Charles A. Rahn, James Glenn, Charles F. Rahn, and O. J. Aregood have served.
State Representatives ( Schuylkill and Berks counties one district from 1812 to 1828, since then Schuylkill one district) .- Jacob Krebs, 1812, 1813; Jacob Dreiblebis, 1814; Christian Haldeman, 1815; Michael Graeff, 1816, 1825; John W. Roseberry, 1819; Jacob Rhan, 1820; William Audenreid, 1822, 1823; George Rhan, 1824, r826, 1827, 1829; Samuel Huntzinger, 1830, 1831, 1832; Charles Frailey, 1833, 1855; Henry D. Conrad, 1834, 1835; Jacob Hammer, 1836, 1844, 1853; Daniel Krebs, 1837; William Mortimer, 1838; Augustus Holmes, 1840; John Deaver, 1841; Christian N. Straub, 1842, 1844; Abrahanı Hubner, 1843; James Taggart, 1845,
1846; George Boyer, 18.45, 1846, 1848; Samuel Kaufman, 1847; Alexander W. Leyburn, 1847, 1848; John A. Otto, John W. Roseberry, 1849; Nicholas Jones, 1850; William J. Dobbins, 1850, 1851; John S. Struthers, 1851; Stephen Ringer, Bernard Rei- ley, 1852; John Horn, jr., 1853, 1854; Samuel Hipple, 1854, 1856; Benjamin Christ, 1855; William R. Lebo, 1856, 1857; George Wagonseller, 1857; Charles D. Hipple, 1858; Michael Weaver, 1858, 1864, 1865; T. R. L. Ebur, 1858; Cyrus L. Pinkerton, 1859, 1860; John S. Boyer, 1859, 1860; P. R. Palm, 1859; Joseph R. Maurer, 1860; Henry Huhn, Daniel Koch, Lin Bartholomew, 1861; James Ryon, 1862; Lewis C. Dougherty, 1862; Adam Wolf, 1862, 1863; Edward Kerns, 1863, 1864; Conrad Graber, 1863, 1864; John Dormer, Joshua Boyer, 1865; Kennedy Robinson, 1866, 1867; John M. Crossland, 1866; P. F. Collins, 1866, 1867; Philip Breen, 1867, 1869; Edward Kearns, Michael Beard, 1868, 1869; I). E. Nice, 1868, 1869; James Ellis, 1870, 1871; J. Irvin Steele, 1870, 1871; F. W. Snyder, 1870; Francis Mckeon, 1871; Wallace Guss, 1872; Charles F. King, 1872, 1873; W. H. Uhler, 1872; Thomas Egan, 1873, 1874; Benjamin Kaufman, 1873; John W. Morgan, Frederick L. Foster, 1874. After 1874 the following members of the House of Representatives were elected for two years, under the new constitution: 1875-Ist dis- trict, John W. Morgan; 2nd, Charles J. Loudenslager; 3d, Joshua Boer; 4th, S. A. Losch, William J. Lewis, Fred- erick L. Foster; 1877-Ist, John W. Morgan; 2nd, Da- vid J. Mckibben; 3d, Willoughby C. Felthoff; 4th, John M. Kauffman, Decius H. Wilcok, W. Ramsay Potts; 1879-Ist, Patrick Conry; 2nd, John F. Welsh; 3d, I. T. Shoener; 4th, S. C. Kirk, C. Palsgrave, Clay W. Evans.
State Senators (Schuylkill and Berks one district 1812- 35; Schuylkill and Columbia, 1836-43; Schuylkill, Car- bon, Monroe and Pike, 1844-49; Schuylkill, 1850-74; and since then two districts) .- Peter Frailey, 1812, 1816; James B. Hubley, 1820; William Audenreid, 1823; Jacob Krebs, 1828, 1832; Charles Frailey, 1836, 1850; Francis W. Hughes, 1844; George Rahn (to fill vacancy occasioned by the resignation of F. W. Hughes), 1845; John Hendricks, 1853; Christian Straub, 1856; Robert M. Palmer, 1859; Richard Reilly, 1862; William M. Randall, 1865, 1868, 1871; Oliver P. Bechtel, 1874; John P. Cobhan, 1875; Luther R. Keefer, 1877; William L. Torbett, 1877; John Parker, 1879.
In 1812, Schuylkill and Berks constituted a Congress- ional district; in 1822, Schuylkill, Berks and Lehigh; in 1832, Schuylkill and Lehigh; in 1842, Schuylkill, Dau- phin and Lebanon; in 1852, Schuylkill and Northumber-
land; in 1862, Schuylkill and Lebanon; and in 1874, Schuylkill alone. From this county the following congress- men have been elected; Edward B. Hubley, 1834, 1836; George N. Eckert, 1846; Charles D. Pitman, 1848; Christian M. Straub, 1852; James H. Campbell, 1854, 1858, 1860; Myer Strouse, 1862, 1864; Henry L. Cake, 1863, 1868; James B. Reilly, 1874, 1876; John W. Ryon, 1878.
CHAPTER VIII.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS-REMOVAL OF THE SEAT OF JUSTICE -THE COUNTY LAW LIBRARY.
S elsewhere stated the first courts in Schuylkill county were held at the tavern of Abraham Reiffschneider, in Orwigsburg. The first court-house was erected in that borough, in 1815. It was of brick, two stories high, about 40 by 50. The court room was on the first floor, and the jury rooms and public offices in the second story. The mason work was done by John Kreter, the joiner work and painting by William Wilder- muth and the plastering by John Downing. The cost of the building was $5,000. The first court was held in it in the spring of 1816. A bell was presented by Samuel Bell, of Reading, and it still swings "in its ancient turret high," where it does duty by calling the hands in a shoe manufactory to their work and announcing the hours to the people of the borough. It bears the inscription "Thomas W. Levering, founder, Philadelphia, 1817."
In 1827 a building for the public offices was erected. It was built of brick, about thirty feet in the rear of the court-house, and it had about the same dimensions. It contained two fire-proof vaults. In 1846 an extension was added to the court-house, filling the space between it and the public offices, thus converting the whole into one building.
By the terms of the act of removal the public buildings in Orwigsburg were to be held by the borough for school purposes. In 1854 an academy called the Arcadian In- stitute was established, and the court-house was used for this school. The institute having failed, an act was passed by the Legislature in 1870 appointing S. R. Mid- lar, Christian Berger and S. H. Madden commissioners to sell or lease the old court-house and public offices. In accordance with the provisions of this act these commis- sioners in 1873 leased this building for the term of 99 years to the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company.
According to the terms of the act of removal the citi- zens of Pottsville were to erect or cause to be erected a court-house and public offices within three years from the passage of the act. On the first of February, 1848, a meeting of the citizens was held, and Solomon Foster, Samuel Sillyman, Samuel Thompson, William Major and Abraham Meisse were appointed a committee to superin-
77
THE COURT-HOUSE AND LAW LIBRARY.
tend the erection of the court-house and to give to the county the security required by law. At a subsequent meeting the project was discussed of purchasing the Methodist church for a court-house, but this was aban- doned, and it was resolved to build on the site selected by the commissioners named in the act. A lot was pur- chased in the north part of the borough, between Second and Third streets, from the estate of George Farquar; and the work of demolishing the buildings thereon and making the necessary excavations was entered on in Oc- tober, 1849. Contributions in work and material, as well as money, were received, and all the work was done under the superintendence of Isaac Severn.
The total cost of the structure, including a bell of 1,623 pounds and a town clock, was about $30,000. The build- ing is 123 by 37 feet; two stories in height. The second story is divided into a court room 8772 by 54, and 21 feet in height, and four jury rooms, a consultation room and a library. The judges of the court in May, 1851, certified to the commissioners the satisfactory condition of the court-house, and in December, 1851, the grand inquest reported the new court-house built by the citi- zens, every way satisfactory. They particularly com- mended the court room for its neatness of finish and workmanship, and suggested some important additions to the plan of the room and the arrangement of the grounds. The removal of the public records from Or- wigsburg to this house was completed December 1, 1851.
The project of removing the seat of justice to Potts- ville was agitated as early as 1831. At a meeting held at the Exchange Hotel, November 19th of that year, it was seth forth in a preamble that the location of the county seat at Orwigsburg subjected the people in some parts of the county to inconveniences, and that a majority would be accommodated by its removal to Pottsville. It was therefore "resolved that it is expedient to take measures immediately to effect the removal of the seat of justice to Pottsville." Another resolution appointed Benjamin Pott, Burd Patterson, Thomas Sillyman, Jacob Seitzinger and John C. Offerman a committee to solicit subscriptions to defray the expense of erecting public buildings. At another meeting, December 3d, this com- mittee reported that a sufficient sum was ready.
At a meeting held in the court-house in Orwigsburg January 21st, 1832, resolutions were adopted opposing and denouncing this project of removal by " the idlers " and " lot holders " of Pottsville. No definite action was taken and the project slumbered during ten years. It was revived in 1842, after the establishment of rail- road communication between Pottsville and Philadelphia, but no definite action was then taken.
Early in 1847, in compliance with the prayer of many petitioners, the Legislature passed an "act concerning the removal of the seat of justice of the county of Schuylkill from Orwigsburg to the borough of Pottsville," and the act was approved March 13th, 1847. It pro- vided for submitting the question of removal to the qualified voters of the county who had resided therein during six months next preceding the election in 1847.
It also provided that unless the citizens of Pottsville should within three years erect or cause to be erected suitable buildings of brick or stone, for a court-house and public offices, no removal should take place. It directed that a new jail should be erected at the public expense, the old one having become insufficient for the increasing wants of the county.
It provided for the disposition of the public buildings at Orwigsburg when those at Pottsville should be occu- pied.
William F. Sanders, Augustus Holmes, Joseph F. Tay- lor, James B. Levan and Joseph Fertig were named in the act commissioners to " select and procure a suitable lot or lots in the borough of Pottsville" on which to erect the court-house and public offices.
As the time for the election in 1847 approached the advocates and opponents of removal put forth hercu- lean efforts, the former to accomplish and the latter to prevent such removal. Meetings were held in various parts of the county, addresses were made, resolutions were adopted, local prejudice, pride and interest were appealed to, and all the means that could influence voters either way were used. The result of the vote on the question at the election was 3,55 1 for removal and 3,092 against it. In accordance with the wish of a majority of the voters of the county, as expressed at this election, a bill to remove the seat of justice from Orwigsburg to Pottsville was enacted. This act was deemed proper because, although the former law provided for such re- moval, doubts as to its constitutionality were enter- tained.
In 1855-6 a conditional contribution was made by the county, in addition to a private subscription by mem- bers of the bar, for the establishment of a law library.
The nucleus of the present collection was formed in the spring of 1856, when a committee of attorneys pur- chased some four hundred dollars' worth of books. Acts of Assembly in 1861 and 1867 directed the appropria- tion of portions of fines and forfeitures for the purchase of books for this library, under the direction of the judges.
In 1871 an act was passed appointing " the law judges of the courts and three members of the bar, appointed by them, a board of trustees, with authority to purchase books each year to the amount of $3,000. At the next session of the Legislature a supplementary law was enact- ed, on the recommendation of the bench and bar, limit- ing the annual expenditures to $1,000.
The present number of volumes is about 2,000. The board of trustees consists of Hon. Cyrus Pershing, presi- dent judge of the court; Hon. Thomas H. Walker, addi- tional law judge; Hon. Oliver Bechtel, judge of common pleas; James Ellis, Esq., Guy E. Farquar, Esq., and Christopher Little, Esq., the last being secretary of the board.
Previous to the erection of a jail in Orwigsburg pris- oners were kept in the cellar of Reiffschneider's tavern. This cellar was made in the side of a declivity, and a stump was left at one end. To this stump a ring was
78
HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
attached by a staple, and slippery prisoners were fastened to it. The stump, with the ring attached, remained till 1850. This cellar proving insufficient a portion of Judge Rausch's house was used for the same purpose, and there it is said prisoners were sometimes fastened to a ring in one of the apartments.
The first jail was built in 1814, by Jacob George and Peter Kutz. It was of field stone, about 32 feet square, two stories in height. By a subsequent addition its length was made some 75 or 80 feet. Some years since, in accordance with the provisions of the act of removal, it was converted into a school-house, which it has since continued to be.
The act for the removal of the seat of justice provided for the erection of a prison in Pottsville at the expense of the county. Early in the year 1850 the commissioners commenced preparations for carrying out this provision of the law. Four lots on Market street were purchased for a site, at a cost of $7,000, and a " water lot " was also purchased, at $500. Plans, specifications and estimates were made, and work was commenced on the building lot, and a reservoir was constructed on the water lot.
In January, 1851, the site on Market street was ex- changed for that on which the prison stands, in the rear of the court-house, on Sanderson street.
A new plan by Mr. N. Le Brun, the architect for the prison, was adopted, and the work was commenced in the spring of 1851. Isaac Severn was the superintend- ent of the work. The contractors for the mason work were Hotem & Schonhar, of Reading; iron work, Thomas, Rorson & Johnson, of Norristown, and Linus Egoff, of Hamburg. The commissioners at the com- mencement of the work were William Frailey, Michael Fritz and Thomas Foster; while it was in progress Messrs. Hartline and Strauch. The total cost was about $70.000.
In 1852 the court decreed that the prison was ready for the reception of prisoners, and the sheriff was order- ed to remove hither such as were in the jail at Or- wigsburg.
Twenty-four years later, or in 1876, an extension was added to this prison which trebled its capacity. Mr. Le Brun was again the architect. The contractors were: Joseph Dolan for excavation, Samuel Anman for masonry, Fernster & Co., cast and wrought iron, and William Benchley, carpenter work. The extension was completed and occupied in the summer of 1877. The area of ground enclosed by the jail wall is two acres and forty- eight perches.
The prison and court-house were supplied with water from the reservoir which was built by the county till 1855, when the pipes and privileges were sold to the Pottsville Water Company, which has since supplied them. July 30th, 1870, the company purchased from the county the water lot, with the reservoir, for $600.
In the eighth annual report of the Board of Commis- sioners of Public Charities, August, 1877, it is said of the Schuylkill county jail : " This prison has been enlarged and greatly improved. To the 38 cells in the original jail,
86, exclusive of the 6 dungeons in the basement, have been added in the extension built during the past year, making the present cell capacity 124. The new cell block, with the entire interior arrangement built under the direction of Mr. N. Le Brun, the architect of the original prison, surpasses anything I have yet seen in prison architecture in the State. Modeled after the style of the Eastern Penitentiary, the new cell block ex- tends diagonally backwards a distance of 250 feet. The corridor is 1572 feet wide and 10 feet high. The cells are 14 by 9 feet, with a height of 10 feet. Those on the second tier are somewhat higher. The length of the new and old building is nearly 500 feet. The corridors are well lighted by skylights from the top, and their floors are laid in concrete in particolors. The floors of concrete in the cells are covered with wooden floors. They have long horizontal windows, by which ample light is secured, and are arranged with corner movable shelf, a seat, regis- ters for heat and ventilation, two doors ( one barred one solid ), gas lights, iron stairs to second tier and balus- trades of the same.
" A quarantine building or hospital has also been erect- ed in the jail yard. It is securely built and is arranged in the best manner. It is two stories high, built of brick, the upper floors being divided into fourteen rooms or cells, the doors and windows of which are arranged in prison style and contain all the conveniences usual in penal institutions. The basement is arranged for laundry work.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.