USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pa. with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 18
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" It may with truth be said that the elegant and com- modious extension, including the hospital, now finished and occupied, will make this prison complete in every particular.
" The cost for the eighty six cells and the hospital, in- cluding accommodations for assistants, store rooms and steam heating, both for the old and new buildings, is stated to be $116,582, equal to an average cost of $1,618.50 per cell.
" This jail has always been classed among those that are arranged in the best manner. Separation to the largest extent has always been enforced. Cleanliness and good order are enforced. The financial condition is shown to be favorable. The average cost of main- tenance per day for the year 1876 is reported to have been sixteen cents."
There are in this prison twenty-two looms for weaving carpets, and from ten to fifteen convicts constantly em- ployed in making shoes.
Previous to the incorporation of Schuylkill county as a poor district the poor of each township or borough were let out to the lowest bidder to be cared for, as was the practice in many other counties.
By an act of Assembly approved April 4th, 1831, the county of Schuylkill was made a poor district, and John C. Offerman, Michael Graeff, Samuel R. Kepner, John Barr, John Hughes, Simon Marborger and William Griff were named in the act commissioners to select and pur- chase a site for a house of employment for the poor of the district.
79
THE COUNTY FARM-LUMBERING AND RAFTING.
On the 9th of April two hundred and twenty-six acres of land on the Center turnpike, in North Manheim township, about one mile north from Schuylkill Haven, were purchased from Charles Christ for $6,000. To this were added in 1835 forty-two acres purchased from Benjamin Pott at $1,000, and by subsequent purchases and transfers the farm has come to include about two hundred and eighty-three acres.
When the farm was first purchased there stood on it a hotel or tavern house (still standing), which was used as an alms-house till the main building was erected in 1833. This was of brick, 90 by 48, three stories in height. In 1850 a wing used as a nursery, also of brick, three stories in height, 42 by 32, was built in the rear of the main build- ing, and in 1873 another story was added to the latter.
A stone building two stories in height, 28 by 65, was erected in 1842. It was formerly used for the insane, but it is now a quarantine, or place for the care of con- tagious diseases. The infirmary, 80 by 40, of brick, three stories in height above the basement, was built in 1859. Its apartments are occupied as medical and surgical wards. It possesses the requisite conveniencies for in- stitutions of this kind.
The building for the insane was erected in 1869. It is of brick, three stories high, and covers an area of 82 by 42 feet, with a wing in the rear 25 by 20 feet. It has some 38 rooms, arranged with special reference to the care of insane cases, and the basement has rooms for lodging vagrants and tramps. The bakery and laundry, also of brick, two stories in height, was erected in 1872.
The estimated value of the farm is $34,270; of the main building $50,000; insane department, $28,000; in- firmary, $21,000; laundry and bakery, $5,100; quaran tine, $1,200; out buildings, $4,600; total, $144,170.
The barn was erected in 1874. It covers an area of 65 by 120 feet, and has a height of 20 feet above a basement of ten feet. It was built at a cost of $23,000 plus the expense of boarding in the county prison the commissioners under whose superintendence it was erected.
Shops of various kinds are standing on the grounds, and airing yards are enclosed for those who are liable to wander. All the buildings are supplied with water from a reservoir some two miles distant. The barnyard is surrounded by a substantial wall seven feet in height.
The farm is in an excellent state of cultivation, and everything about the establishment gives evidence of the able and careful administration of all its affairs. The average number of inmates for 1879 was 614.
The steward of the almshouse is Frederick Beck ; matron, Mrs. Frederick Beck ; clerk, Benneville Stauffer ; physician, Daniel Decheil, M. D .; keeper of insane, James J. Grant ; nurse, Edward Dolan ; shoemaker. J. J. Shanbacher ; baker, George Huntzicher ; superin tendent of farm, Uriah Walburn.
A school is constantly taught, under the supervision of the county superintendent. In this school instruction is given to pauper children in the common branches. The average number of scholars is about thirty.
The first directors of the district were John Synder, Henry Shoemaker and John A. Offerman. The present directors are James Bellagher, James Grant and George Kauffman.
CHAPTER 1X.
WATERWAYS OF THE COUNTY-LUMBERING AND RAFT- ING-SCHUYLKILL NAVIGATION-THE UNION CANAL.
HE timber which constituted the original for- est south from Sharp mountain was princi, pally chestnut and white oak. Beech, birch- maple, poplar and gum were also found, and occasionally a few acres were covered with white pine or hemlock. In the mountainous regions farther north the valleys were covered with spruce or hemlock, with a thick undergrowth of laurel; then the mountain sides for about one-third or one-half their height produced white pine. Farther up chestnut, white oak, beech, maple, birch, etc., were found, and on the very summits of the mountain ridges yellow or pitch pine was the prevalent timber.
The pine and hemlock timber was valuable for lum- ber, and the first settlers of the region, except a few hunt- ers, came hither to avail themselves of this source of wealth. Saw-mills were erected at convenient points on the streams; the pine timber was sawed into boards twelve or sixteen feet in length, and the hemlock mostly into what were termed rails. Fifty years since more than 100 saw-mills were known to be running in the county. This lumber was arranged in rafts on the sides of the streams, and allowed to lie there ready for a start when a " fresh " favored.
These rafts were made by laying the boards or other lumber in alternate layers crosswise, each joint or link in the raft having a length of twelve or sixteen feet, a width of twelve feet and a depth of from twelve to fifteen in- ches, securely fastened together. On the top of these links shingles and lath were frequently loaded. From ten to fifteen of these links, or more if they were no more than twelve feet in length, were fastened together with hickory withes, and the raft thus formed was furnished with a long oar at each end for guiding it through the windings of the stream. On the occurrence of a favora- ble freshet the raftsmen, usually two to a raft, hurriedly filled their wallets with provisions and started on their trip. The. distance from the vicinity of Pottsville to Reading was frequently made in seven hours, and much skill and care was requisite in the management of rafts. Accidents did not often occur. Below Reading the cur- rent was less rapid and slower progress was made. The rafts were usually sold to lumber merchants at various points between Reading and Manayunk.
The completion of the Schuylkill navigation put an end to rafting. The mountains and valleys were long
80
HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
since denuded of their valuable timber, and nearly all the saw-mills have gone to decay. But for the existence of this timber the settlement of Schuylkill county would have been long delayed ; for the mineral wealth of the region was not then known and the rocky, rugged moun- tains and narrow valleys certainly did not invite the labor of the agriculturist. A few hunters only would have been attracted by the abundance of game and fish.
The Schuylkill Navigation Company was incorporated by an act of Assembly approved by Governor Simon Snyder March 8th, 1815. The purpose of the com- pany was, by the combination of a system of canals and slackwater navigation, to utilize the water of the Schuyl- kill river between Philadelphia and this region for the transportation of lumber, merchandise, produce, etc., which passed over the Center turnpike, and the coal which some then thought would become an important article of trade.
In the act James McFarland, John Pott, Daniel Graeff, George Dreibelbis and John Mullowney, of the county of Schuylkill, were appointed members of the commis- sion for opening books and receiving subscriptions to the stock of the company. The act provided that books should be opened in Orwigsburg and kept open ten days, or till one thousand shares of fifty dollars each were subscribed.
Work was commenced and the first dam built on this navigation at Mount Carbon, in the spring of 1817. Many of the first dams were built by Lewis Wernwag under contract. Some of the locks were constructed by employes of the company under its engineer and super- intendents. The excavations for the sections of canal along the river were usually done by contract. During the summer of 1817 the canal and slackwater was made navigable between Mount Carbon and Schuylkill Haven. Niel Crosby, John Curry, - Crowley, James Lanigan and George Duncan are remembered as contractors on this portion of the work.
In the spring of 1818 a freshet carried away the dams and destroyed the inlet locks that had been built the previous season. The work of rebuilding these was done under an engineer named Cooley, who adopted a plan different from that of his predecessor; and though his dams were injured by the great freshet of 1850, they were not carried away. The locks were built under the superintendence of Jacob Beck. During the spring and summer of 1818 work was commenced along the entire line through the county. Among the contractors who did work in this county are remembered. Ritter, Christian and Klein, who excavated a section below Auburn; Chope and the brothers Job, Sampson and Solomon Judge, who cut the tunnel near Auburn-a work that was said at the time "to require patience, strength and wisdom; one Crowley, also below Auburn and several places above ;- Lord, a dam and piece of canal near Port Clinton; and Archton and Peard, two dams above Port Clinton.
The work was not completed so that navigation to any extent was practicable till 1821. During that season what were termed " flats " ran as far as Hamburg in the
canal and river, and from there to Cooley's dam, five miles below Reading, they floated in the river, which was too shallow to carry canal boats. Below this dam, which was twenty-two feet in height, the river was used again to Phoenixville, below which the canal was completed to Philadelphia.
It was not till 1824 that the work was completed so that boats ran the entire length. As late as 1826 no horse or mule power was used for towing boats. Through the canals boats were towed by men at the end of long lines. Sticks were fastened by the middle to the ends of the lines, and these were placed by two men against their breasts or shoulders, and thus they towed the boats, in place of the teams that were afterwards used. In the river the boats were propelled by oars or setting poles, and a trip from Mount Carbon to Philadelphia and back often required six weeks for its accomplishment.
It is a remarkable fact that in 1824 Abraham Pott took a load of coal-28 tons-to Philadelphia, and on offering to pay the toll at Reading it was found that, although rates were fixed on every other article, even to a bushel of hickory nuts, coal was not named in the list, and he paid no toll bill afterward.
In 1827 the work of extending the navigation to the mouth of Mill creek was commenced, and it was com- pleted in 1828. In a pamphlet published under the sanction of the managers in 1852 it was stated:
" The works originally constructed were, of course, in accordance with the supposed wants of the trade. The whole line of navigation was completed of sufficient ca- pacity to pass boats of 28 to 30 tons burden.
"Increase of business obliged the managers afterwards to extend their plans. The canals and the slackwater pools were deepened from time to time; the locks orig- inally constructed were replaced by larger ones and an entire double set was made, so that boats of 80 tons could pass freely through the whole line. This was sub- stantially the condition of the works as early as 1832. The single item of coal tonnage had then increased to over 200,000 tons, and the annual receipts of the com- pany to over $280,000.
" For the next ten years, from 1832 to 1842, the affairs of the institution were in the full tide of prosperity. The business gradually swelled to over 500,000 tons and receipts to four, five and six hundred thousand dollars. Ample dividends were made, and shares which cost originally $50 were sold as high as $175 and even $180."
Another enlargement was made in 1846, under the belief that "it cost just about as much to bring down a boat laden with 80 tons as it would to bring down one laden with 180 or even 200 tons."
The two memorable floods of 1850 did such injury to this navigation that legislative action was deemed necessary, and on the 7th of April, 1852, an act was passed for the protection of the creditors of the Schuyl- kill Navigation Company. The preamble to the act set forth that "by reason of the devastations of floods the said company is unable to meet its liabilities, and the creditors thereof have petitioned for such legislation as will justly and equitably protect all the creditors for their respective claims," and the act appointed the presi- dent and managers trustees of the corporation.
8 1
SCHUYLKILL NAVIGATION-UNION CANAL.
This navigation was during many years the only ave- nue of transportation between the anthracite coal fields and tide water; and within the limits of its corpor- ate powers the company was able to control the trans- portation and influence the trade of the region. The origi- nal charter fixed such limits to these powers that the in- terests of the people were well guarded, but the company early sought to procure legislation that would extend and enlarge their corporate privileges and enable them more and more to control the increasing trade and industry of the region in their own interest. With a wise prevision of the evils that would result from granting the coveted extensions of the company's franchises the people for many years successfully resisted these efforts, although some of the original restrictions with reference to tolls and dividends were removed.
By a supplement to their charter, passed February Ist, 1821, the company were prohibited from purchasing coal lands, entering into the coal trade, or engaging directly or indirectly in the transportation of merchandise, lum - ber, coal, grain, flour, or any other article, or creating any monopoly of such trade or transportation.
It was not till 1845 that the persistent efforts of the company to obtain an extension of their chartered privi- leges were rewarded with partial success. By an act approved February 14th of that year, the company were empowered to "build, or procure to be built, and own boats for the transportation of freight upon their naviga- tion, and to sell or rent such boats to individuals." They were by this act prohibited from owning boat-yards or workshops or from becoming themselves transporters.
Fourteen years later, or in 1859, another concession was made. A supplement, approved April 5th of that year, authorized the company " to contract for the trans- portation of anthracite coal and other articles upon their navigation, and to and from points beyond the same, and to include the charge for such transportation in their charge for tolls."
In 1870 the navigation was leased for the term of 99 years to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Com- pany, and in 1878 that portion of it between the mouth
of Mill creek and Schuylkill Haven was abandoned. The navigation has a capacity downward of 2,000,000 tons per year.
The Union canal, which was designed to connect the waters of the Susquehanna and Schuylkill, and through the latter to make a connection with the Delaware, was one of the earliest chartered corporations in the State.
In 1828 the project was conceived of constructing a dam across Swatara gap for the purpose of a reservoir for this canal. The citizens along the Swatara creek ob- jected that this dam would destroy their facilities for rafting lumber to Jonestown, which was then their market. In order to obviate this objection it was pro- posed to make a slackwater navigation in the Swatara from Pine Grove and pass the dam by a series of locks. In attempting to execute this project it was found more practicable to construct a canal along the Swatara in Schuylkill county, and it was accordingly done, with the exception of about two miles of slackwater near the county line, in what was the little dam. Work was commenced on the dam in the gap in the fall of 1828, and during the year 1829 operations were prosecuted along the entire line. The canal was so far completed that boats passed through it to Pine Grove November 22nd, 1830, and on the 3d of December the same year the first boat left Pine Grove for Philadelphia. No dams, except for feeders, were built above the little dam spoken of. Between Pine Grove and the slackwater above the little dam there were four locks, with an aggre- gate fall of about thirty-two feet.
Difficulty was experienced in obtaining possession of the stream to construct a dam for the upper feeder, and the citizens turned out with their teams on a Saturday night, and, out of straw, hemlock brush, stones and earth, made a dam, which they completed before midnight. It is a remarkable fact that, though floods have carried away the other dams on this stream, the remains of this are still to be found.
Finally it was enacted, March 21st, 1865, " that from and after the passage of this further supplement the pres- This canal as first constructed was capable of bearing boats with a capacity of 28 tons, which was at first found to be sufficient for the trade of the region. As the coal production increased greater facilities for its transporta- tion were required, and in 1851 the canal was enlarged so as to float boats of 80 tons burden. ident, managers and company of the Schuylkill Naviga- tion Company shall have power to build in their own shops all such new railroad cars as may be needed for the transportation of freight upon railroads to or from said navigation." So strong was the conservative senti- ment of the people in Schuylkill county, and so carefully The year previous to this enlargement, or in 1850, an- other dam was built across the Little Swatara, to form an did they guard against the encroachments of the monop- olies that have since absorbed many important interests, additional reservoir for the Union canal. This was a that nearly half a century was required for the acquisi- tion by this company of the powers which it finally came to possess.
high dam, and it flowed an area of several hundred acres. In June, 1862, a freshet carried away all the dams and greatly damaged the canal. The dams were never re- built, but by an act of the Legislature the canal was afterward vacated and the right of way was sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company
11
82
HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
CHAPTER X.
-
EARLY WAGON ROADS-CONSTRUCTION OF THE CENTER TURNPIKE-STAGE LINES.
HE old Sunbury road, which was established in 1770, ran between Reading and Sunbury. It was the route over which people occasion- ally passed between Fort Augusta and Phila- delphia. It could hardly be dignified by the name of a road, for it was scarcely passable except on horseback. From Port Clinton it ran to Schuyl- kill forge, some two miles; thence in a serpentine course to Orwigsburg; then to Schuylkill Haven; thence to Pottsville over nearly the route of the Center turnpike, though it crossed the river only seven times; then through Minersville to Deep Creek valley, about five miles west from Ashland ; thence over Locust mountain toward Sunbury. The commissioners appointed by the council "to view and lay out this road " through Schuylkill ( then Berks ) county were "George Webb, Jonathan Lodge, Henry Miller, Henry Shoemaker, John Webb, Isa.ic Willets, and Job Hughes, or any four of them." It was never much improved or cared for beyond making it barely passable by voluntary labor. It is said that in very early times a curious plan was adopted for " brak- ing" wagons in descending the sides of mountains or hills on this road. Brakes such as are now used were not then known, and the result of " chaining the wheel " was the speedy grinding away and destruction of the tire. To accomplish their purpose the teamsters adopted the plan of cutting trees of a suitable size at the tops of the mountains or hills and fastening them to the rear of their wagons, and by dragging them down not only relieving their teams from the labor of holding back the loads but preventing accidents. Large accumulations of these trees were often seen at the bases of mountains on this road.
At Deep Creek valley a road branched from this and pursued a crooked course to Pine Grove and thence to Lebanon. Like the Sunbury road, it was barely pass- able except for horseback travelers.
Except these there were at the time of the construc- tion of the Center turnpike, and for many years after- ward, scarcely any roads worthy of the name in the county. People went on horseback over bridle paths, or oftener on foot, always taking with them their rifles to be ready for any game they might encounter. It is remembered that when, in 1827, a party of men went from Pottsville to Mauch Chunk to witness the opera- tion of the railroad that had just been built there, they were obliged to thread their way over bridle paths on horseback, because there were no roads between the two places. In 1829 an act of Assembly authorized the con- struction of a state road between Mauch Chunk and increased.
Pottsville, but it was never built. As late as 1830 or
1831 passengers could for the first time be conveyed be- tween the two places, but nineteen of the thirty miles were traveled by railroad. Many state roads were about this time projected, but only a few were built.
On the 21st of March, 1805, by an act of Assembly, a company was incorporated " for making an artificial road by the nearest and best route from the borough of Sun- bury, in the county of Northumberland, to the borough of Reading, in the county of Berks." By another act, passed March 2rst, 1809, the governor of the state was authorized to subscribe for six hundred shares of the stock. By an act March 30th, 1812, the governor was authorized to subscribe for three hundred shares in ad- dition to the six hundred subscribed before; and by an act March 26th, 1821, $35,000 was to be subscribed, pro- vided $30,000 should be applied to the payment of a judgment in favor of the Bank of Pennsylvania.
In 1809 the road had been opened through, but its condition was very imperfect. The limit of four years prescribed in the original act for the completion of the road had not expired. Very much of the work of con- struction was done between 1807 and 1812.
In the county of Schuylkill this road passes from Port Clinton through the townships of West Brunswig, North Manheim, Norwegian, New Castle and Butler; through the boroughs of Orwigsburg and Pottsville, in which last it constitutes Center street; through the towns of New Castle and Fountain Spring and the borough of Ashland, on the line between Columbia and Schuylkill.
This road was an extension of the turnpike that had been constructed between Philadelphia and Reading, and constituted a portion of the great thoroughfare be- tween Philadelphia and Sunbury.
It is remembered by Abraham Pott and Jeremiah Reed, both octogenarians, that in 18c8 this turnpike, though open from Port Clinton, was hardly passable. Between Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville it had not long before crossed the river by fords nine times. Many hands were then engaged in the construction of this turnpike, and no toll was charged here till 1811. In 1811 or 1812 a weekly stage was run between Philadelphia and Sun- bury by Robert Coleman. The driver brought the set- tlers' newspapers and left them at the houses along the road, but at that time all letters were received at the post-office in Orwigsburg.
From the time of its construction to the establishment of navigation along the Schuylkill this road was the thor- oughfare over which all the commerce between Sunbury and its vicinity and Philadelphia was carried on. Trade was then conducted on a plan quite different from the present. There was but little money in the country and every merchant was a dealer in produce of all kinds, which he received in exchange for his goods and sent over this road to Philadelphia in wagons, which brought back his merchandise; and of course, as the regions along the route and near the terminus of this turnpike became more thickly settled, this carriage of produce and goods
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