History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 39

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323

USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 39

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Local legislation, though not specially prolific, embraces a large number and variety of subjects. The prohibition of the selling and exploding of fire crackers; of bathing in the creek or river within certain hours; of storing nitro-glycerine or other explosive matter within the city limits; of selling tainted meat, or of depositing ashes and garbage in the streets, form the subject matter of some of the first ordinances. July 11, 1870, the name of Meadow street was changed to Third; Chub street became Fourth; Bass

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street, Fifth; Pike street, Sixth; Perch street, Seventh; Catfish street, Eighth; Union street, Ninth; Fisher street, Tenth; Martin street, Eleventh; Turtle street, South Park; High street, Twelfth; Turkey street, West Park; Doe street, Thirteenth; Buck street, Fourteenth; Fox street, Fifteenth.

Whether cattle should be permitted to run at large was long an issue in local politics; this was finally decided in the negative March 22, 1880. Re- strictive measures of a similar nature regarding geese were adopted April 24, 1883. In a spirit of liberality toward vested interests it was at first proposed to limit their operation to the First and Second wards; but a mem- ber from the Third, who regarded this as a covert design to make his dis- trict a pasture ground for the geese of the whole city, objected, and in deference to his protest the application of the ordinance was made general.

The organization of a fire department was first agitated in 1866. Feb- ruary 1st of that year occurred the most destructive fire in the history of the city. It originated on Liberty street near the corner of Thirteenth, swept down Thirteenth to Elk and down Liberty to Centre block, involving a loss of a quarter of a million dollars. Perhaps the most serious fire prior to this was the destruction of the postoffice building, March 4, 1852, while Adam Webber was postmaster. Stamps and currency to the value of sev- eral hundred dollars were lost. The Mansion house at the northern end of the upper bridge burned April 2, 1868; and on the following day a similar calamity involved the Atlantic and Great Western depot, with a large quan- tity of oil awaiting shipment. The Exchange hotel burned May 13, 1870, and the city hall, a large wooden structure fitted up with stage and scenery for theatrical representations, July 5, 1876. Hanna's block, on Thirteenth street, between Liberty and Elk, burned January 28, 1886. Fire limits were first established in 1873, and included the territory bounded by Otter and Back, Eleventh and Fourteenth streets. February 6, 1883, this was so changed as to embrace only. Liberty street between Twelfth and Thirteenth, and Thirteenth between Elbow street and the Lake Shore depot. August 10, 1874, provision was made for the election annually of a chief engineer by council and of two assistants by the fire department, which thus secured better organization than it had ever before enjoyed. This department is entirely of the volunteer character; the several engine and hose companies are well equipped, and have demonstrated their efficiency on the occasions referred to and many others of lesser note.

It does not appear that the parks received much attention under the borough dispensation. In 1860 a number of public-spirited citizens trans- planted trees to the public square, as it was then called; but during the building of the Franklin branch of the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio railroad and in the first years of the oil excitement teams crossed the grounds constantly, injuring and destroying the trees and neutralizing all previous attempts at grading. At the next session of the legislature the borough au-

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thorities were empowered to inclose the parks, which was finally accom- plished after much procrastination in 1865. It was thought that private enterprise should complete the work, but the improvement under this plan was very limited. The fence was removed after five or six years, and under the care of the city government the appearance of things gradually improved. At length, September 4, 1882, a park commission was established, to consist of the mayor and four citizens appointed by him with the approval of coun- cil. R. S. McCormick, A. A. Plumer, Casper Frank, C. W. Mackey, and A. G. Egbert constituted the first commission, of which one member is ap- pointed annually for a term of five years. This arrangement has given eminent satisfaction; its practical results are seen in the beautiful domain that forms so essential an element in the attractiveness of the city.

The most recent action of special importance by the city council was the passage of an ordinance, June 19, 1889, establishing a board of health. It is provided that five members, two of whom are physicians, shall constitute this board, of which a new member is appointed annually for a period of five years. The appointment of a city health officer originates with this body, which has jurisdiction in all matters pertaining to public sanitation. The first board, composed of the following: Reverend E. F. Crane, B. E. Swan, J. W. Leadenham, M. D., E. W. Moore, M. D., and J. D. Chadwick, was appointed June 19, 1889.

The initial movement in the erection of the city building was taken De- cember 4, 1882, when a committee was appointed to confer with F. W. Mitchell regarding a location. February 6, 1883, the bid of W. L. Corrin was accepted, and the mayor was instructed to negotiate a loan of fourteen thousand dollars. The corner-stone was laid May 30, 1883, when C. W. Mackey delivered an address, and the building was completed in the autumn of that year.

Since Franklin came under city government its officers have been as follows:

1868 .- T. A. Dodd, mayor; R. S. McCormick, J. T. P. Watson, T. J. Mckean, L. C. Heasley, S. J. McAninch, Josiah Adams, Charles Bowman, and J. D. Myers, council.

1869 .- Henry Dubbs, mayor; R. L. Cochran, T. J. Mckean, A. A. Plumer, W. J. Lamberton, L. C. Heasley, W. R. Crawford, R. S. McCor- mick, and S. J. McAninch, council.

1870 .- C. M. Hoover, mayor; W. J. Lamberton, L. D. Davis, C. W. Mackey, W. M. Epley, William Painter, A. A. Plumer, L. C. Heasley, and T. J. McKean, council.

1871 .- C. M. Hoover, mayor; J. L. Mitchell, R. S. McCormick, J. W. Lee, L. D. Davis, T. A. Dodd, W. M. Epley, C. W. Mackey, William Painter, council.

1872 .- C. W. Mackey, mayor; G. E. Ridgway, I. E. Howard, T. A.

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Dodd, W. S. Carroll, D. W. Morgan, J. L. Mitchell, L. D. Davis, and R. S. McCormick, council.

1873 .- Samuel B. Myers, mayor; J. W. Rowland, G. W. Brigham, J. M. Bredin, S. W. Neely, W. A. Horton, Levi Foster, R. S. McCormick, and N. B. Smiley, council.

1874. - Thomas Hoge, mayor; N. B. Smiley. J. R. Grant, S. W. Neely, D. S. Smith, Robert Lamberton, T. H. Martin, James Smith, and I. E. Howard, council.

1875 .- J. W. Lee, mayor; N. B. Smiley, R. A. Brashear, N. S. Ridgway, William Campbell, Robert Lamberton, J. A. Humphreys, William J. De- Woody, James Bleakley, I. E. Howard, William Painter, and John Coefield, council.

1876 .- W. S. Welsh, mayor; John O'Neil, James Bleakley, H. D. Hu- lin, E. W. Echols, W. D. Rider, Hiram Brown, Daniel Grimm, W. J. De- Woody, R. A. Brashear, J. A. Humphreys, and William Painter, council.

1877 .- W. R. Crawford, mayor; H. W. Bostwick, R. L. Cochran, Alexander Cochran, Thomas M. George, R. S. McCormick, John O' Neil, R. Richardson, M. O. Taylor, R. H. Woodburn, J. A. Wilson, and G. H. White, council.

1878 .- W. R. Crawford, mayor; Alexander Cochran, D. Grimm, J. D. Myers, John O'Neil, B. E. Swan, Jacob Sheasley, G. H. White, R. S. Mc- Cormick, M. O. Taylor, T. M. George, and H. W. Bostwick, council.

1879 .- J. C. Sibley, mayor; J. N. Craft, C. Cowgill, W. C. Hawkins, R. G. Lamberton, George Maloney, Charles Mapes, R. S. McCormick, John O'Neil, N. H. Payn, Joseph Powley, and N. S. Ridgway, council.

1880. - W. R. Crawford, mayor; J. N. Craft, John Coefield, N. H. Payn, H. H. Martin, H. J. Raymond, John Coon, W. C. Hawkins, C. T. Mapes, R. S. McCormick, N. S. Ridgway, and R. Richardson, council.

1881 .- George Maloney, mayor; J. N. Craft, John Coefield, W. J. De- Woody, Casper Frank, P. R. Gray, D. C. Galbraith, H. W. Lamberton, D. W. Morgan, John O'Neil, J. R. Snow, and M. A. Seanor, council.

1882 .- George Allen, mayor; Casper Frank, P. R. Gray, George S. Criswell, W. N. Emery, D. W. Morgan, B. W. Bredin, J. R. Snow, J. D. Myers, H. W. Lamberton, John O'Neill, and John Coefield, council.

1883 .- George Allen, mayor; Casper Frank, Noah Ridgway, W. J. Bleakley, W. J. Mattern, B. W. Bredin, J. D. Myers, Perry De Woody, W. N. Emery, George Applegarth, John O'Neil, and T. M. Foley, council.

1884 .- George Maloney, mayor; Casper Frank, Noah Ridgway, W. J. Bleakley, W. J. Mattern, B. W. Bredin, N. B. Myers, Perry De Woody, Charles Miller, George Applegarth, John O'Neil, and T. M. Foley, council.

1885 .- Charles Miller, mayor; B. E. Swan, J. H. Cratty, W. J. Bleak- ley, Floyd Griffin, Perry DeWoody, S. T. Karns, J. P. Frazier, N. B. Myers, T. M. Foley, Hugh Carr, and John O'Neil, council.

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1886. - Charles Miller, mayor; F. W. Officer, E. Law, James Smith, N. B. Myers, John O'Neil, W. J. Bleakley, Isaac St. Clair, Hugh Carr, Perry De Woody, T. M. Foley, and B. E. Swan, council.

1887 .- William J. Bleakley, mayor; J. K. Bryden, Perry DeWoody, T. M. Foley, J. R. Grant, S. T. Graham, D. W. Morgan, A. H. McDowell, D. I. McVay, John O'Neil, C. J. Smith, and A. J. Sibley, council.

1888 .- S. C. Lewis, mayor; C. D. Elliott, J. R. Grant, P. Brown, Perry DeWoody, A. Leach, A. J. Sibley, and John O'Neil, common coun- cil; R. W. Dunn, W. J. Mattern, Harry Lamberton, E. Jeunett, and I. E. Howard, select council.

1889 .- William J. Bleakley, mayor; S. B. Myers, B. W. Bredin, G. R. Sheasley, C. M. Hulin, George Maloney, George Allen, August Leach, I. H. Borland, T. M. Foley, John O'Neil, and J. K. Elliott, council.

THE POSTOFFICE.

The Franklin postoffice was the first in the county. Postmasters have been appointed in the following order: Alexander McDowell, January 1, 1801; James G. Heron, October 1, 1802; John Broadfoot, March 31, 1809; William Connely, March 25, 1819; Henry McCalmont, November 17, 1819; Alexander S. Hays, September 15, 1821; Arthur Robison, May 6, 1821; John Evans, January 12, 1822; Samuel F. Plumer, October 10, 1831; Ben- jamin A. Plumer, May 9, 1832; William Raymond, July 10, 1841; Benja- min A. Plumer, October 29, 1842; Joseph McClelland, February 20, 1843; John H. Shannon, March 7, 1844; Adam Webber, November 8, 1849; Sarah Webber, April 23, 1860; Robert Brigham, March 11, 1865; Robert J. Canan, April 8, 1869; David D. Grant, February 24, 1875; John E. Adams, March 31, 1883,

, BRIDGES, RAILROADS, ETC.

The first franchise for the building of a bridge over French creek was granted by the legislature in 1802 to Marcus Hulings, who was granted an extension of time in 1805, but does not appear to have accomplished any- thing individually. Some years later a company was formed and in 1820 a bridge was built under contract by James Lowry. James Kinnear was treasurer of this company in 1823, George Sutley was secretary, and Alex- ander McCalmont was authorized to receive the annual subscriptions in lieu of toll. In the spring of 1832 the bridge sustained serious damages from a freshet; assistance from the legislature was invoked, and the governor was authorized to subscribe for one hundred shares of stock at twenty dollars per share. There is reason to think that the appearance of this structure did not improve as time passed. In 1857, one span having fallen down, the company abandoned the property, and the necessary repairs were made by private enterprise; and when, on Sunday morning, March 8, 1868, the

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middle span parted company with the shore ends of the venerable pile, the general feeling seems to have been one of gratification at the prospect of a new bridge. An effort was made to preserve the remaining parts of the original structure; but on the 14th of April the upright timbers temporarily erected for this purpose were struck by a boat heavily laden with lumber and shingles, resulting in further damage. The contract for the building of a new bridge was awarded to W. W. Breckenridge of North Liberty, Mercer county; it was completed in December, 1868. The formal transfer of this property to the county commissioners occurred in 1859.

The Franklin and Allegheny Bridge Company was incorporated by act of the legislature, April 3, 1837. The corporators were Alexander McCalmont, John Galbraith, Arnold Plumer, John Evans, L. T. Reno, James Kinnear, John W. Howe, Hugh McClelland, James Ross Snowden, and Jacob Dubbs, of Franklin, with a number of others at Bellefonte, Meadville, and Titus- ville, and in Erie and Clearfield counties. A wooden bridge was built at a cost of forty-five thousand dollars; it was seven hundred and twenty feet long and covered. May 13, 1863, at six A. M. - the morning after the great oil fire at Oil City-a large oil barge, wrapped in flame and smoke, was seen floating down the river; every effort was made to bring it to the shore, but without success. As it passed under the bridge the flames shot upward to the comb of the roof, and within half an hour nothing remained of the en- tire structure except the piers. A suspension bridge was at once erected on the original piers at a cost of twenty-six thousand dollars. This also was destined to destruction. Friday morning, December 31, 1870, a fire broke out in a building known as the Marshall house at the steamboat landing on the lower side of the bridge, whence it was communicated to the toll house. The suspension wires were anchored beyond these houses and passed over them to the towers of the bridge. While the crowd that had collected were engaged in saving the furniture in the toll house, one of the wires snapped from the effect of the heat. The structure swayed perceptibly ; several other of the wires broke until the whole support of the lower side of the bridge was gone. The first span sank to an angle of forty-five degrees, precipi- tating some of the persons thereon to the ice below, and in another moment it was hanging like a pendulum. The remaining supports broke and fell with a crash, burying several victims in the ruins. The entire structure was completely wrecked, and with the loss of life involved this constitutes one of the most fatal casualties in the history of the city. The present iron structure was erected in the following year.

The lower French creek bridge, originally a wooden structure, was built by the county in 1857. March 17, 1865, in one of the most disastrous floods this valley has ever experienced, the bridge was raised from the piers and floated to that mysterious bourne from whence no bridges ever return. It was replaced by a wood and iron structure. On Saturday, January 13, 1877,

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at eight P. M., the western span collapsed from its own weight. The sub- stantial iron bridge at this site was built the same year.

The Big Rock bridge, a mile below Franklin, on the Allegheny river, was completed in 1879.

While bridges over the river and creek rendered the county seat easy of access from the adjoining portions of the county, it was still dependent for communication with the outside world upon that rather primitive convey- ance, the stage coach. The facilities of this nature in 1851, as given in the mail schedule, were as follows: Curwensville to Meadville, via Franklin, one hundred and six miles-six times a week; Franklin to Brownington, thirty miles-tri-weekly; Franklin to Butler, via Clintonville, forty-two miles-once a week; Franklin to Warren, fifty-three miles-tri-weekly; Franklin to Waterford, via Cooperstown, Dempseytown, and Sunville, fifty- six miles-once a week; Franklin to Warren, Ohio, fifty-four miles-tri- weekly; Franklin to Hartford, forty-six miles-once a week. Fehl & John- son were proprietors of a through line to Pittsburgh, and the fare, including boarding, was two dollars and fifty cents. This was subject, in a measure, to steamboat competition.

The first steamboat to ascend the Allegheny river as far as Franklin was the William D. Duncan, of one hundred and ten tons, Captain Crooks, which arrived on the evening of Sunday, February 24, 1828. It was only in the spring and fall that there was a stage of water sufficient for naviga- tion, but this was a period of great business activity in the river towns. Steamboats continued to ply between Franklin and Pittsburgh until the completion of the Allegheny Valley railroad.

The first railroad opened to Franklin was the Atlantic and Great West- ern; the track to this point was completed Saturday, May 30, 1863, and on the Monday following a special train from Meadville, the first to enter the town, arrived with the directors of the company and a number of citizens, among whom was John Reynolds, a merchant at Franklin in 1814. The Jamestown and Franklin railroad was opened to this point in the summer of 1867, and the Allegheny Valley the same year. The city enjoys the advantage of being in direct connection with the principal trunk lines of the country, and with the lakes-advantages which exert a favorable influence upon her prospects as a manufacturing point.

MANUFACTURES.

The map of Fort Machault indicates the location of a saw mill about seventy yards from the Allegheny river, on a small stream flowing into it about the same distance below the mouth of French creek. The machinery was brought from Canada, perhaps from France. This establishment was in operation during the construction of the fort and barracks, and was, without doubt, the first manufacturing enterprise upon the site of Franklin.

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

Chestnut timbers, forming part of the dam, were discovered on Elk street, about ten rods below Benjamin W. Bredin's house, in a good state of pres- ervation, some years since.

The next attempt to establish domestic industries was not made until nearly seventy-five years later. In the first settlement of this region supplies of iron were obtained, at great expense, from Pittsburgh, or points east of the mountains. To meet this demand Samuel Hays built a forge on French creek, a mile from its mouth, about the year 1825. The process of manu- facture was exceedingly primitive. Bog ore, obtained at various localities in the immediate vicinity, was used exclusively, and charcoal was utilized as fuel. The ore was melted in what was conventionally called a "'ell-fire;" the slag was drawn off by the admixture of lime, and the metal, known at this stage as hoop-iron, was successively hammered and heated until the desired consistency was obtained. A wing-dam in the creek furnished water power for the blast and hammers. The operatives lived in houses about the forge, giving to the place the appearance of a small village. A. M. Lewis was iron-master. The construction of the French creek slack- water navigation rendered the location undesirable, and the works were abandoned early in the thirties.

In the meantime, about 1828, Alexander McCalmont erected a similar establishment on the north bank of the creek, a quarter of a mile above the upper bridge. His dam consisted merely of a bank of loose stones, suffi- ciently high to deflect water enough into the race to furnish power for the hammers and blast. In 1832-33 the forge was replaced by a quarter-stack blast furnace, twenty feet high, with a bosh diameter of six or seven feet. Bog ore was used almost exclusively. This establishment employed twenty men. Late in 1834 it was purchased by Samuel F. Dale, and continued in operation several years. During this time it constituted about the only industrial feature of the town.

The Franklin Iron Works, Nock, Dangerfield & Company, proprietors, were placed in operation in 1842. The original members of the firm were Edward Nock, James Dangerfield, and Edward Pratt, all of whom had previously been connected with the Great Western Iron Works at Pitts- burgh, of which Edward Nock was general manager. Their advent at Franklin occurred June 2, 1842, and was attended with some eclat. The Great Western band, composed of Mr. Nock's former employes, accompanied him on the steamer Ida, and furnished music for the occasion. The pro- prietors brought about a score of skilled workmen with them, and at once began the construction of suitable buildings. The site secured was that occupied by McCalmont's furnace, which was still standing, but had not been in use for several years. A frame building, about one hundred feet square, was erected. There were two well constructed wing-dams, with the necessary appliances for communicating power. The plant consisted of

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four puddling and two heating furnaces, eleven nail machines, and one set, respectively, of muck, bar, sheet, and finishing rolls. Pig iron was obtained at furnaces in this and adjoining counties. Singleton's coal bank, in Sandy Creek township, furnished the fuel. The works went into operation with Edward Nock, general superintendent; William Nock, foreman of the heat- ing furnaces; James Dangerfield and Thomas Cooper, foremen of the rolling department, and sixty operatives. Six dollars a ton were paid for puddling; rollers received two and a half or three dollars per day. The product was sold at Pittsburgh and Erie. The works were operated to their full capacity, but a lack of harmony among the members of the firm prevented · the business from being profitable. H. Coulter & Company at length became proprietors. Then the workmen formed a co-operative company, to which Coulter was to furnish raw material, and for which he was to act as agent for the sale of their product; half their wages was to be applied to the purchase of the property, which would have been entirely accomplished in three years, but Coulter became insolvent, and the co-operative company did not long survive his failure. The workmen dispersed to different places. The works experienced various changes in ownership, and were finally dis- mantled several years before the war. The machinery was moved to Pitts- burgh, and all that now remains to mark the site of this once prosperous industry is a portion of the foundation walls.

In 1847 Edmund Evans built a foundry on the bank of the creek near the outlet lock. In 1849 this was purchased by William Elliott and W. M. Epley, who continued the business until 1856, when they were succeeded by Dempsey, Hunter & Mckenzie, and within a few years after this the business was finally discontinued. Stoves, plows, and plow points, mill castings, and general repairing were among the objects that received atten- tion here. Adjoining the foundry was a barrel factory owned by Judge Drain of Meadville and managed by George Ramsdale. This also is among Franklin's "lost arts."

The mills may also be mentioned in this connection. As in many other matters relating to Franklin, George Power is entitled to priority here. He brought with him a small cast iron grinding machine, upon which his neighbors and himself ground the flour and meal for their families. Alex- ander McDowell's mill on the Allegheny river is referred to in early county records, but its precise location is unknown. John Hulings built the first mill on the creek. It was nearly opposite West Park street, and by the action of the current the site is now in the channel of the stream. Abraham Selders, a brother-in-law of Hulings, built the second mill, on the south side of the creek at the west end of town just beyond the city limits. A riffle at this point was utilized as a dam, and probably influenced the selec- tion. This was a frame building. Alexander McCalmont had a grist and saw mill in connection with his furnace, which passed to Nock, Danger-

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field & Company with that property. This mill burned and was rebuilt by Robert Lamberton. The Venango mills were built in 1857 by Samuel F. Dale in partnership with Orris Hall of Warren, who operated them for several years. Water power is furnished from the outlet lock of the old French creek canal. Johnson & Company are the present owners. The roller process is used, having been introduced in 1882.

The first machine shop in the city was established in 1859 by David T. Lane. In 1862 he constructed the Advance No. 1, and in the following year the Advance No. 2, the only steamboats of any importance that may be regarded as the product of local industry.

The manufacture of sucker-rods at Franklin was originated by D. S. . Smith in the early years of oil developments. His work was done entirely by hand. The business passed successively to various individuals and firms, and in 1879 to Snook & Company, who were succeeded in 1888 by Frazier & Smith. In December, 1889, this firm amalgamated with the Franklin Sucker-Rod Joint Company, whose plant is located in the Third ward.

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History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 39

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co. Number of Pages: 1323

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323