History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 16

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454

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Practical tests, carried on under the direction of John J. Davis, at Arnot, having demonstrated that coke of an excellent quality could be produced from Blossburg coal, the Blossburg Coal Company, in 1880, erected 200 bee-hive coke ovens at Arnot, and for a time carried on the manufacture of coke on a large scale. A similar plant was erected in 1882 at Tioga by the Fall Brook Coal Company. For several years these plants were operated successfully, a ready sale being found for the output. The necessity, however, of washing the coal, added so much to the cost of manufacture, that it was found impossible to compete, on anything like equal terms, with Connellsville and other coke producing centers. The works at Tioga were accordingly abandoned, and afterwards dismantled, and production for ship- ment at Arnot reduced until at present but a few ovens are operated, and those only .semi-occasionally. The output for 1895 was 976 tons.

LABOR STRIKES AND TROUBLES.

From 1840 until 1865 there had been occasional disagreements between the miners and the companies operating the mines at Blossburg, Morris Run and Fall Brook. Most of these occurred after 1863, when the Miners' and Laborers' Benevo- lent Union was formed. Subsequently the laborers and mechanics withdrew and formed a separate union. Each union had a committee to hear the complaints of individual members, and to present such complaints to a full meeting for action. To this committee applications were to be made by those seeking employment, none but members of the union being permitted to work for the mining companies. A limitation was also placed on the number of members to be admitted to the Miners' Union. The Laborers' Union was not so strict in this regard, and many miners, unable to obtain admission to the Miners' Union joined it, and worked in the woods, though the wages were much less than those paid to miners.

At this time the great Civil War was in progress, draining every department of industry of able-bodied laborers and mechanics. This not only created a demand for labor, but a demand on the part of the laborer for an increase of wages, made neces- sary by a constant increase in the cost of living. These demands were either ac- ceded to without a strike, or compromised after a strike had been inaugurated. As the result of these repeated advances, miners were among the best paid wage earners in the country, and their union one of the strongest industrial organizations in ex- istence. The unusual wages paid also stimulated miners from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to seek employment in the United States, and the miners at Morris Run and Fall Brook now received large accessions from those countries to take the places of those that had gone into the army, as well as to supply the demand for more men to work in the mines and the woods.

In the year 1864 there was a great demand for houses, the companies being un- ·able to build them fast enough. While this demand was at its height, Hon. John Magee, during a visit to Fall Brook, discovered that a number of miners working in the mines at Morris Run were living in his houses at Fall Brook. It was also dis- covered that miners were working in Fall Brook and living in Morris Run. As the two companies were business rivals, this arrangement did not please Mr. Magee, and an understanding was had between the companies that each should restrict its miners

Gyours truly Lg'Savis

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COAL MINES AND MINING.

or laborers to the occupancy of houses owned by the company in whose employ they were. A contract or lease was drawn up and submitted to the householders to the effect that when they ceased to work for the Fall Brook Coal Company, they would surrender possession of the houses occupied by them. These contracts or leases were submitted to the unions and were rejected. Notices, dated December 31, 1864, to surrender possession were then served on the employes of the Morris Run Coal Com- pany, living in the Fall Brook Coal Company's houses, and like notices served on the employes of the Fall Brook Coal Company living in the houses of the Morris Run Coal Company.

The strike that followed was a long and bitter one. The men had been earning good wages and were prepared for a prolonged contest, to which they were urged and encouraged by their leaders. At the end of three months ejectment proceedings were begun. The opposition to this led to an appeal to the sheriff, and to the sum- moning of a posse of 200 or 300 of the citizens of the county which was likewise resisted. This occurred on May 8, 1865. The arrest of a number of miners followed, some of whom were committed to jail, others fined and still others put under bonds.

Finding himself unable to serve writs and enforce ejectments, the sheriff ap- pealed to the governor, who ordered the "Bucktail" regiment to report to and assist him. The work of forcibly dispossessing the miners of their honses and removing their household goods was then carried forward, the goods and their owners being loaded on cars and conveyed to Blossburg. This action broke the spirit of the strikers, and led to negotiations which resulted in the larger number of them re- turning to work, though at decreased wages, owing to the termination of the Civil War, and the decline in the price of coal. The failure of the strike had also re- sulted in a virtual dissolution of the Miners' and the Laborers' unions.

The next struggle occurred in 1823. The panie of that year was severely felt by the mining companies, and they were on the point of closing the mines, when in September, upon consultation with a number of leading miners, they determined to run them two or three days a week, in order to keep the men employed a part of the time, at least. Soon after this new order of working had gone into effect, a move- ment among the miners looking to the formation of a miners union, similar to the one which existed from 1863 to 1865, led to another elash. The companies fearing a repetition of the scenes of the latter year, opposed the organization of the new union, and posted notices that they would not employ anyone belonging to it. The miners were determined to organize. As neither the companies or the miners would yield another strike resulted, the men organizing unions at Fall Brook, Morris Run and Arnot. At Antrim-many of the miners having suffered by the strike of 1865- they did not succeed, and work went on there without interruption.

This strike lasted from December, 18:3, until about March, 1874, and though a stubborn one, and resulting in much bad feeling, was free from the violence and the distressing scenes of 1865. After it was inaugurated a number of questions became involved. Terms acceptable to the men were finally submitted by the companies and work resumed.

In 1879, after a number of dull years, resulting in a marked decrease in the out- put of the mines, and the employment of the miners only two or three days in the

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week, business brightened and the demand increased. This was followed in De- cember of that year by a demand for an increase of wages on the part of the miners. It was acceded to, although the companies were filling contracts made in May, when prices were low. A few days later the men made a demand for a further increase of wages. This was refused, and after several weeks of discussion, another strike re- sulted lasting until May 1, the time for renewing contracts, when a satisfactory set- tlement was made and work resumed.

On May 1, 1890, the miners at Arnot struck for an advance of ten cents a ton for mining, and were joined on May 8, by the miners at Fall Brook, Antrim and Morris Run. This strike lasted until June 23, 1890, when work was resumed upon a promise of an increase of wages after July 1. During this strike the companies lost several valuable coal contracts, which resulted in less production and less work after the strike ended.

At a meeting held at Columbus, Ohio, March 11, 1894, the United Mine Workers of America resolved to demand a restoration of the scale of 1891, and in the event of a refusal to accede to the demand on the part of the operators, to order a general strike of all the bituminous coal miners throughout the country. At this time the miners of Tioga county had no grievance, but when the strike was ordered April 1, 1894, they quit work out of sympathy for the miners of western Pennsyl- vania and Ohio. The strike in Tioga county lasted until the middle of July when the miners returned to work at the old rate of wages. The strike was a costly one both for them and the companies. The latter lost valuable contracts, while the men lost twelve weeks' wages, and have since worked only a portion of the time, owing to a lack of orders for coal.

RECENT STATISTICS.

The report for 1895 of James N. Patterson, of Blossburg, inspector for the Eighth Bituminous District of Pennsylvania, to the secretary of internal affairs, presents the following facts and figures relating to the coal mines of Tioga county:

Arnol .- Number of men employed in mines, 531; number of men employed outside, 120; total, 651. Number of days worked, 208; number of tons of coal mined, 262,416.

Antrim .- Number of men employed in mines, 306; number of men employed outside, 74; total, 380. Number of days worked, 136; number of tons of coal mined, 122,408.

Bear Run .- This is the mine at Landrus. Number of men employed in mines, 243; number of men employed outside, 29; total, 272. Number of days worked, 203; number of tons of coal mined, 126,694.

Fall Brook .- Number of men employed in mines, 136; number of men em- ployed outside, 23;'total, 159. Number of days worked, 248; number of tons of coal mined, 72,465.

Gurnee .- There were sixteen men employed in the mines and outside. They worked 162 days and mined 6,511 tons of coal.

Morris Run .- Number of men employed in mines, 539; number of men em- ployed outside, 68; total, 607. Number of days worked, 127; number of tons of coal mined, 198,920.

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COAL MINES AND MINING.

The above figures show that 1,:69 men were employed in the mines, and 316 outaide, making a total of 2,085, who worked an average of 180 days during the year, and produced 789,414 tons of coal, being an average of 451 tons for each man ac- tually employed in the mines. The 316 men employed outside embrace blacksmiths and carpenters, engineers and firemen, slate pickers, superintendents, bookkeepers, clerks, mill men and woodsmen. Each of the companies, except the Gaines C'oal and Coke Company, operates one or more saw-mills and keeps a force of men at work in the woods, getting out logs and tan bark.

PAST AND PRESENT.

From 1840-the year in which the Corning and Blossburg railroad was com- pleted-may be said to date a new era in the bituminous coal trade and production of the United States. Previous to that year, in which the production reached 78,571 tons, the bituminous coal supply of the country was confined to the Richmond (Va.) basin. The opening of the mines at Blossburg, however, and the subsequent organi- zation of the Morris Run, Fall Brook and Blossburg Coal Companies, soon placed Tioga county at the head of the bituminous coal producing sections of the country, and gave to Blossburg coal a wide-spread reputation as a smithing and steam coal. The area of bituminons coal production, however, soon began to extend rapidly, and the output to assume enormous figures. The demand kept even pace with the supply, and operators were able to maintain prices and to pay the scale of wages de- manded by the miners until the close of the great ('ivil War restored to the trades and industries of the country the men who had been at the front. Prices of every- thing, including labor, soon began to fall, and strikes and struggles between em- ployers and employes were frequent. The great army of labor was also rapidly in- creased by immigration from foreign lands, and it was not long before, instead of being a scarcity of laborers, there was a scarcity of work, not because work was scarce, but because the number of laborers had increased more rapidly than the various in- dustries had developed. Employers were therefore able to not only make terms, but to pick and choose, which they did to an extent that has practically changed the character of the mining population of Tioga county. The English, Scotch, Welsh and Irish miners, have for the most part given way to Poles, Swedes and Hungarians. These latter have proven industrious, frugal and tractable, and are becoming naturalized as citizens, as rapidly as permissable under the law.

Notwithstanding the business depression of the past few years, the coal pro- duction of the country at large continues to show a marked increase. In 1895 the production of anthracite in Pennsylvania was 45,000,000 tons, an increase of 5,000,- 000 tons over the previous year, and yet the miners did not work full time. For the same year the bituminous production of the country and the limited anthracite production of Colorado, reached a total of 148,990,933 tons, making for the United States a total anthracite and bituminous production of 193,990,933 tons, only 16,- 879,895 tons lesa than Great Britain, the leading coal-producing country of the world.

These figures give some idea of the enormous growth of this vast industry since the time when, in 1840, the shipment of coal by rail from Blosshurg began. They tell of thousands of millions of dollars invested in coal lands, in railroad and navi-

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gation companies, in rolling-mills, furnaces and factories, and in a multitude of in- dustries in every part of the country. And they also tell of hundreds of thousands of men who toil amid the dimness and darkness and dangers of the mines, in order to provide food and raiment for themselves and those dependent upon them.

Here in Tioga county the industry has been going backward. The last few years have been marked by decreased production and uncertain employment. The area of coal production is limited, and the cost of mining greater than in many other places, which does not give a hopeful outlook for the future. Nevertheless, the companies and their employes are looking eagerly and anxiously forward to a revival of business in the belief that even if wages are not advanced full-time work will be guaranteed.

CHAPTER XI.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND OFFICIALS.

FIRST MEETING PLACE OF THE COMMISSIONERS-TEMPORARY QUARTERS SECURED -FIRST PUBLIC BUILDINGS ERECTED-AN ODD CONTRACT-HIGH PRICE OF NAILS -DESCRIPTION OF BUILDINGS-THE NEW COURT HOUSE AND JAIL-THE PRESENT JAIL-THE ONLY CRIMINAL EXECUTION-NEW RECORD BUILDING-COUNTY HOUSE AND FARM-ROSTER OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS.

T HE first meeting, in their official capacity, of Nathan Niles, Caleb Boyer and Ira Kilburn,the first commissioners of Tioga county, was held October 20,1808,"at the Meeting House, in Wellsboro, in said county." At this meeting it was agreed by the commissioners "that their further meetings, for the purpose of transacting the public business be held at this place." The meeting of June 23, 1809, was held at the house of David Lindsey, which appears to have been the place of meeting for several years. That the commissioners were desirous of purchasing it for that pur- pose, as well as for the safe-keeping of records, the following, under date of August 20, 1811, will show:

Resolved, That, as a house is necessary for securing the papers and books of the county of Tioga, after taking the matter into consideration, we look upon the house of David Lindsey to be suitable for that purpose, and have agreed to advance the said David Lindsey the sum of $60 towards the payment for the said house, provided that at the next meeting of the board of commissioners we conclude to purchase it at the sum of $250, which the said David Lindsey agrees to take; and if at that time we conclude not to make the purchase the said David Lindsey agrees to refund the said $60, or leave the house in security until it be paid back.

NATHAN NILES, URIAH SPENCER, Com.

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PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND OFFICIALS.

There is nothing in the record to show whether or not this purchase was con- cluded, but the presumption is that it was, and that the house became the re- pository of the books and papers of the county, rather than the meeting place of the commissioners, as will appear hereafter.

This historic building, the first one devoted to the public business of the county, stood on the site now occupied by the Presbyterian church. It was a primitive log house, and was occupied, after the erection of the court house, by William Bache, Sr., who opened in it the first store in Wellsboro.

On December 18, 1812, the commissioners adopted the following:

Resolved, That the room below stairs at John Norris' be the commissioners office until we build one, and that we agree with his proposal of giving him the sunusl rent of $25. It is understood that for that sum he auppliea firewood and, when necessary, candles.

FIRST PUBLIC BUILDINGS ERECTED.

The first intimation given in the record of the intention of the commissioners to erect a court house is to be found, under date of November 5, 1812, in the "mem- orandum of probable expenses of the county of Tioga for the year 1813," the first item of which reads as follows: "Boards and work for court room, $100." Another item reads, "Prothonotary and commissioners office to be built, $300;" and still another, "Building jail, $400." These items show an intention on the part of the commissioners to erect a court room and jail, and a prothonotary and commissioners office, and to set aside $800 to meet, in part, at least the expense of their construc- tion.

On January 14, 1813, Eddy Howland, Timothy Ives and Nathan Niles, Jr., the commissioners then in office, approved the plans presented by William Hill, "of offices for prothonotary and commissioners," ordered them "placed on file amongst our office papers," and also adopted the following:

Resolved, That three advertisements containing the substance of a paper of this date filed in our office, describing the manner in which a court house and jail are required to be built, he made out by the clerk and sent, one to Tioga, one to Cowanesque, and that one be posted up in some public place in the town of Wellsboro.

It will be scen from the foregoing that the commissioners had in view the erec- tion of a court house and jail, which was to constitute one building, and that a second building was to contain the offices of the prothonotary and commissioners. Upon which building work was first begun it is impossible to say with certainty, but the inference from the record is that the court house and jail were given the preference, as we find that on April 26, 1813, "they viewed the work of Ebenezer Hill," and made the following peculiar contract with David Henry "to do the mason work of the under pinning of the jail."

1. He (David Henry) is to have one dollar per day for his own work, his provisions are to be found him and he ia to be furnished with half a pint of whiskey per day.

2. He ia to have half a dollar per day for the use of his oxen, for every day they are employed in hauling atone from the quarry for under pinning the jail, and tha oxen whilst working are to be found by the commissioners their necessary feed.

3. David Henry is to begin work thla day two weeks and continue at it until he has finished it.

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HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

4. In case of rain, David Henry's provisions shall be found for him and hay for his oxen, although neither of them may be able to work, but his wages during that period shall cease.

David Henry appears to have not only carried out his part of the foregoing contract, but to have come to the rescue of Ebenezer Hill, the contractor for build- ing the court house and jail, at a critical period, as is shown by the following entry in the commissioners' minute book, under date of October 4, 1813:

It being represented to the commissioners by John Norris and Ebenezer Hill that the work at the building of the jail and court house must have stopped directly after their last meeting had not John Norris and Ebenezer Hill borrowed a certain quantity of shingling nails of David Henry, and become bound to said Henry to return the said nails in five weeks from the time borrowed or pay him, the said Henry, half a dollar per Ib. for them in cash; the commissioners, having taken the same into consideration, and believing that Norris and Hill had no other view in procuring the nails but to for- ward the work of said jail and court house, do hereby resolve to relieve Norris and Hill from the penalty of their agreement, and subject the county to any and every expense or loss that Norris and Hill may suffer on the above account.

At this time the War of 1812 was in progress and nails were not only very dear but very scarce, it being well nigh impossible to procure them.

On October 7, 1813, the board resolved "that Ebenezer Hill be employed to do the inside work of the court house." In the estimate of expenses for the year 1814, made October 27, 1813, the following items appear: "Finishing the court house and jail, more than the agreement made with Ebenezer Hill, $500." "Two offices, one for commissioners and one for recorder, etc., $500."

After numerous delays, the buildings were completed some time during the year 1815, between which year and 1824, the minute books of the commissioners are missing from the commissioners' office. William Bache, whose memory con- cerning the earlier years of the county's history is clear, says the court house and jail stood about on the site of the present court house. It was a two-story building, the lower story being of logs and the upper story a frame. The lower story was used for a dwelling by the jailer, David Lindsey, the court room being upstairs. The jail formed the wing of the building on the northeast side. It was built of logs, which were filled with spikes to keep the prisoners from cutting their way out. The building erected for the commissioners and the prothonotary stood about on the site of the new office building. It was a two-story frame, the offices being in the lower, and jury room in the second, story. When the present court house was erected, this building was sold to Josiah Emery for $100, and was removed to a lot on Central avenue, opposite Willow Hall. It was used as a residence by him for thirty-five years. It is now the property of Jefferson Harrison and is still used for residence purposes, though so much changed by additions and improvements as to be scarcely recognizable.

The furniture of the old court room was very plain and primitive. It con- sisted of a rude bench for the judge; a dock, with its square box flanked by a railing on each side; a big oval table, between the bench and the dock, with a great deep scallop in its end, next to the dock, from which the counsel addressed the court and jury, and two long, narrow boxes on each side for the jury when their presence

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PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND OFFICIALS.

was required. In cold weather the room was heated by a fire-place and a ten-plate stove which stood in the southeast corner.

It was in this room that the early lawyers of the county, a number of whom afterward sat on the bench of the Supreme Court of the State or filled other honor- able official positions, were pitted against each other in the trial of civil and crim- inal causes. Every session of the court saw a gathering of attorneys, litigants, witnesses, jurymen and spectators from all parts of the county. In addition to the business calling them together, neighborhood news and gossip were retailed, and national, state and county politics discussed, with the usual amount of wire- pulling and log-rolling, the fate and fortunes of men ambitious of political prefer- ment oftentimes being decided during a confidential chat beneath the shade of a nearby pine or hemlock tree.

TIIE NEW COURT HOUSE AND JAIL.

As the years passed, bringing increase of population, wealth and business, it became apparent that the public buildings of the county were inadequate and that more substantial and commodious ones were demanded. This demand was empha- sized by the recent theft of valuable public records, making it necessary to provide for their better and safer keeping. Steps were accordingly taken to secure the erec- tion of new public buildings.

On February 2, 1835, an act of Assembly was approved authorizing the commis- sioners to borrow money, not exceeding $8,000, for the purpose of erecting the pro- posed new public buildings, and to pledge the credit of the county for the payment of the same. No time was lost. The old court house was torn down and the ground prepared. The new building was very solidly constructed of native sandstone, and if not imposing in architectural appearance, it has served its purpose well. During its construction the court found temporary refuge in the house of Mr. Bache, which was fitted up for its accommodation. The tooth of time has had very little effect upon this sandstone building. In appearance it is rugged and strong and likely to withstand the action of the elements for many years to come. Within it is com- fortably fitted up. The judge's chambers, which are capacious and well furnished, are on the first floor to the right as you enter from the east; and just across the cor- ridor are other rooms which are used for offices. Ascending by a broad flight the court room is found on the second floor. It is capacious, airy, and plainly but comfortably furnished. Within the bar the bench is sufficiently elevated to give the court a good view of the room and audience, while the bar, officers of the court, and jurors, have comfortable accommodations and pleasant surroundings. On the walls are suspended portraits of the president judges who have occupied the bench. Some of these men attained great distinction and adorned the Supreme Court bench of the State.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 16

Author: Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1454

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454