USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 45
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1889 .- Mayor, J. H. Payne; council: Nolan, Graham, Dwyer, Barr, J. R. Steele, Lewis, Thomas Thomas, P. Stubler, T. Savage, William Dough- erty, J. F. Campbell, J. Eisenbeis, J. W. Thompson, A. N. Breckenridge, J. B. Berry, A. W. Alsbaugh, M. J. Dale, L. H. Rudiselle, W. H. Seaton, Fair, Davis, and F. H. Taylor.
The city finances show the following interesting changes: For the first year (1862) the taxation was eight hundred dollars. In 1871 the total assessed valuation was eight hundred and twenty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-nine dollars and the rate of taxation four per cent .; in 1878 it was two million, two hundred and four thousand, four hundred and thirty-three dol- lars and the rate one and one-half per cent .; in 1888 it was one million, seven hundred and twelve thousand, two hundred and seventy one dollars with a thirteen-mill rate; and in 1889, one million, seven hundred and forty- four thousand, five hundred and twenty-four dollars with a twelve-mill rate, three mills more for the east side.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS, GRADING, AND DRAINAGE.
Aside from the water works, fire department buildings, and lock-up, the city has but a frame city hall on Seneca street with a total valuation of about twelve hundred dollars. In it are the council room, offices of the mayor, comptroller, and city engineer. This was erected soon after the new government of 1871 began and is the only city hall ever owned by the city.
The grading of the city has been a work of great magnitude. The early days of teaming up the creek and through the chief streets of the west and east sides were noted for their, to us, almost incredible depths of mud. During borough days but little was done to remedy this state of affairs, except to endeavor to fill in with broken rock to make them passable, for many of its citizens looked upon the place as not permanent. The overflows added to the difficulties of the situation, too, for the east side was from six to twelve feet lower than at present, evidence of which is frequently seen in the remains of old sidewalks where excavations have been made for foundations. On the formation of the city government in 1871 work was begun on Seneca and Main streets, the former being the heaviest grading done in the city, and the present grade was formed, chiefly to raise the flats above high-water mark. Center street was treated likewise, and other streets crossing Seneca. In 1874 a general system of paving and grading was begun and from year to year since streets have been graded until nearly half are now finished. Noticeable among these are First, Washington avenue, Harriot avenue, Spring, and others. This has been done on the foot front system.
The drainage of this city has been favored by nature so that in borough times use was made of gutters and creeks. Afterward cess-pools were used in places allowing the filth to percolate through the gravel. In 1876 the city was divided into twenty-three sewer districts, each district being as- sessed for its sewers, and a mixed over-and-underground sewer system was begun, using brick and stoneware sewers. Year by year these have been increased until they line probably one-eighth of the streets. Among the early work done was a four-foot brick sewer on Spring street, which, when nearly finished, the engineer attempted to enter with a light. Some manu- factured gas had leaked into it however, and an explosion followed in which the engineer was severely and permanently injured.
DEPARTMENTS OF FIRE AND POLICE.
The loss of many early records of the city makes details very uncertain. The volunteer system in the fire department was used until recently. Soon after the borough was organized the hook and ladder companies were formed, and in a few years an old side-bar hand engine was secured. After the great fire of 1866 a steam engine was purchased. On the completion of the water works in 1873, with a pressure of one hundred and thirty pounds on the flats, hose companies were all that were needed, and steamers were not
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OIL CITY.
used except in places away from the mains. From that time until July 27, 1887, four and five volunteer companies comprised the force. At that date a paid department was organized under Chief D. Fisher at a salary of five hun- dred dollars .. This department now has a chief, assistant chief, and thirteen firemen, forming hose companies Nos. 1 and 2, each of which have a horse. Beside there are two volunteer hose companies and a hook and ladder com- pany with hired team. The engine houses are as follows: A brick, corner of Short and Second streets valued at two thousand dollars; a brick on Main street valued at one thousand eight hundred dollars, erected in 1884; a frame on Seneca street valued at five hundred dollars; and a frame, corner of Washington and Seeley avenues, erected in 1883 at a cost of two thou- sand dollars. This property is valued at twelve thousand three hundred dollars. The Gamewell telegraph fire alarm system is used with twenty alarm boxes and a central bell tower over the Allegheny bridge. The de- partment is in excellent condition.
The police department, previous to the union of the east, west, and south sides in 1871, was managed by the separate boroughs. May 16, 1871, the ordinance establishing the present system was approved. From time to time the force has been enlarged until there are now a chief, five regular, and six special officers, the latter being the janitor of the Oil Exchange, the driver of hose cart No. 1, the Union depot master, one at the Oil City Boiler Works, the janitor of the high school, and the pound master. Among the chiefs have been S. S. Neill, John Gilmore, and H. M. Good.
WATER WORKS, GAS, AND ELECTRICITY.
At the motion in council of J. H. Evans, in 1872, the subject of water works was brought before the council, along with the numerous improve- ments inaugurated by the new city government, and the double reservoir system was adopted. The work was at once begun and reservoirs of the capacity of seventy-five thousand barrels were built on the hill-top about a mile and a half above State street on the south side, near and three hun- dred and twenty feet above the river. An engine house was built on the river bank, which is now a brick and iron structure forty feet by one hun- dred feet, and valued at about four thousand dollars. It has three pumps and a twelve-inch main crossing the river. To this springs have been piped from time to time until there are now eight large springs used, giv- ing an excellent quality of water. The pressure is one hundred and thirty pounds to the square inch on the flats, giving a power great enough for a much larger city. The spreading of the city toward the summit of the hills and other extensions makes it probable that a reservoir will soon be built on Rich hill for the hill service, and the mains will be increased to sixteen- inch pipes. The first cost of the works was one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars, but they have been so successful that they will no doubt soon pay both the cost of construction and maintenance.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
City illumination was first agitated in 1875, and January 26, 1876, a company was chartered to supply the city with gas. From the members composing it-A. F. Kent, C. J. Hepburn, Jonathan McCollum, C. F. Hart- well, and Doctor J. A. Ritchey-the following officers were. chosen: Mr. McCollum, president; Mr. Hartwell, secretary; and Mr. Kent, treasurer and superintendent. The capital stock was seventy-five thousand dollars, and in May they began work and pipe-laying, which, on its completion July 10th, when the city was illuminated for the first time, cost seventy thousand dollars. An effort is being made to secure electricity for street illumination.
FIRES AND FLOODS, ETC.
Among disasters that befall cities, such as fires, floods, panics, riots, and epidemics, the first two have been most characteristic of Oil City.
The Ice Gorge of 1862 was the first of any importance, and occurred December 7th, when the low water had caused a perfect field of bulk and barrel oil boats to collect along the Third ward wharves, waiting for high water. Much of this oil had been bought at seventy-five cents a barrel, and at this time Pittsburgh prices were thirty two cents a gallon. Rain had fallen, followed by snow and freezing the day before (Saturday), so that the river ice barred the creek. The rising creek waters overflowed the ice and froze again, repeating the process until a great ice-dam was formed. On Sunday forenoon the dam broke from its moorings, plowed up into a gorge the river ice which then began to move, snapping great wharf ropes and cables like threads and crushing the oil-fleet like so many egg shells. In a few minutes the greasy flood showed an estimated wreck of about sixty thousand barrels of oil and two hundred boats, a total loss of probably five hundred thousand dollars. It was somewhat of a consolation though that Pittsburgh prices fell in a few days to nine cents a gallon.
The Oil Fleet Fire of December 12, 1863, with its great pall of smoke piling over the water and town, and played upon by great flames following the frequent thunder of exploding oil barrels, was an event that was only prevented from wiping out the whole place by the prompt action of a few men.
A fleet of bulk and barrel boats had been brought down the creek a few days before, and some had stranded on Cornplanter island at the mouth of the creek. In the evening about half-past seven o'clock, the man in charge of one of these bulk barges suspected leakage and lowered a light to see the height of the oil. Instantly a sheet of flame shot up and an explo- sion, sending him several feet in the air, brought the community to the banks. Cables were used to pull away the boats between them and the shore. A large boat alongside flashed up with another explosion and after burning about an hour began floating toward the eddy where the whole fleet were moored. Those who had been fastening the first barge-
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OIL CITY.
Messrs. Lay, Knightlinger, Titus, and others-started for the Laytonia side to secure grab-hooks; meanwhile Messrs. Phillips and Vanusdall got a ferry chain and, pulling for the floating fire, made fast, but not before it had set fire to the gunwales of several other barges. With the aid of a skiff, manned by Messrs. Watterson, Shoup, and Hunter, and another by Messrs. Lay and Irwin, they towed it down stream and landed it on Moran's island. Meanwhile the first barge began to burst and streams of flaming oil wound their way down the river lighting up the dark waters like miles of a sea of flame. The outer row of boats were ablaze. This was fought; boats were cut loose, one of which floating down past Franklin destroyed her Allegheny bridge; but by fierce fighting it was confined to the outer tier of boats, and the place was saved, after a total loss of about one hundred and fifty thou- sand dollars.
"A dense black cloud, formed by the smoke of the burning oil, hung over the entire locality like a pall. The lower part of the cloud, from the reflection of the flames, was rose colored, and frequently a beautiful pink. Every few moments a flash of light, resembling lightning, illumined the cloud, making a combination of colors exceedingly fine. The blazing boats floating on, the crowds of men stationed along the outside of the boats that remained fastened, keeping off those that were on fire, their forms frequently obscured by the smoke, the boats sinking, and the general confusion that reigned, furnished a fair fac simile of a naval battle, the explosion of the oil barrels, from the intense heat, furnishing the artillery accompaniment."*
The Ice-Gorge of January, 1864, began by the ice flooding down from the great ponds above on Oil creek and piling up in a creaking, groaning, ice mountain in the eddy at the mouth. Ice came down the river, too, and joining it, floated out into the river, carrying with it much of the crushed and splintered remains of about two hundred oil boats of all shapes and sizes, and parts of buildings along the creek.
The Pond Freshet of May 31, 1864, was a jam of the greatest magni- tude known in the history of Oil creek. It must be remembered that the oil boat usually had a bow that rode high out of the water, so that it was a mat- ter of no difficulty at all for one of them to ride right on to another boat and sink it. When the ponds above were opened, some of the too anxious pilots let their boats out too soon and ran ahead of the water. In the effort to hold them back a few of them ran against the bridge pier; whereupon the long bows of on-coming boats, rode on them and sunk them, others following and repeating the process until the great crunching, groaning, crackling mass were often six boats deep or high, making a dam, and enabling those farther up to ride down in safety. About fifteen thousand barrels and an equal amount of bulk oil floated down the river, and, after the subsiding of the waters, this furnished occupation for barrel hunters and those who dipped oil off the water. The removal of the mass of stranded wrecks was a work
*Petrolia
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
of many days, and for half a mile the creek was covered with boats compelled to await another freshet, or were hauled to the railways by teams at twelve dollars a day. It is needless to say the town was crowded to its utmost, and oil rose from seven dollars and seventy-five cents to eleven dollars and fifty cents per barrel.
The Great Flood of St. Patrick's Day, 1865, was the most disastrous that ever visited this region, and the loss was estimated at over five million dollars. Owing to warm continuous rains and melting snow, the Allegheny rose very fast on Thursday, March 17th, and Halyday run became a veritable cataract, rushing over Main street, flooding the cellars, and floating the oil barrels. By four o'clock the creek was within four feet of the Center street bridge, and the east flats-before the present grades were established- were covered. All sort of debris came down-boats, tanks, trees, boards, etc., and two large boats wedged the bridge from its foundation. The first floors on the west side were submerged. The river backed up the waters of the creek; at seven o'clock in the evening half of the bridge gave way, and three hours later the rest went. By midnight the creek had broken its banks and was forming a new channel almost up to Main street, carrying boilers, derricks, houses, etc., like leaves. Buildings on the east side were afloat even above Elm street, and Seneca street was like a mill race. Sixteen large oil tanks passed Oil City in less than three hours. To cross to the west side, boats were taken near the site of the railway on Center street and landing was made below the Petroleum house. Most of the buildings south of Elm street were submerged to the second story, and the occupants escaped by boats. A boom of empty oil boats secured most of the buildings from floating away, but the east side was almost a total wreck, while the west side was a surging flood except on the highest parts of Main street. On Friday a storm set in which added to the misery of the houseless and threatened to destroy what little remained. The total height of the water at its highest point was twenty-eight feet. It then began slowly to subside.
The losses were so great that many were totally ruined. Business was suspended for a month; about sixty thousand barrels of oil and an equal number of empty barrels were lost; one hundred and fifty boats, probably one hundred horses, and between two hundred and fifty and three hundred houses may be counted in; the railroads leading into the oil regions were washed out so that this place had no communication with the outside world for a week. It is pleasant to know, however, that there was but one human life lost. One of the lessons taught was that the city must be raised to a grade above high water; this led to the present grades on the east side. The city was rebuilt as rapidly as possible without outside aid. The fol- lowing year was pregnant with railway agitation as an outlet for oil, instead of the uncertain river.
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OIL CITY.
The Railway Riot of February, 1876, was the most notable event of that kind, and grew out of a conflict between the Oil City and Pit- hole and the Warren and Franklin railway companies over an entry into the city. The Pithole company had graded to below the hill above the Union depot site, when the rival company put on a force of men to tear up and destroy all they should do. This was kept up for several days until one of the Pithole company's directors, Jacob Shirk, came on to superintend the laying of the rails, with Mr. Fox superintendent of construction. He found the rival force throwing off the ties, and, incensed at the action, he stamped upon the last tie laid and ordered them to stop, whereupon a man -David White-rushed upon him. Mr. Shirk drew his pistol, but yells of " kill him " from the other crowd led him to escape to save himself. He was pursued down the main street to his home by about sixty men with picks and shovels, and headed by White. Citizens had collected about the burgess' office, and when White's crowd came there and began a bragga- docia scene, the bell was rung for police and White was arrested. He was removed to the county jail in the evening, and soon all opposition to the Pithole road was removed, and they entered the borough about the middle of March. There were probably about one hundred and fifty men on each side.
The April Flood of 1866 was so near the great flood of St. Patrick's day that it hardly seems as great as it was. It was due to the same causes as that flood, but was not so violent. The overflow was so great that it is said that the average depth over the whole flat was three and one-half feet. Many houses were destroyed, one hundred and twenty-five boats carried away, five thousand barrels of oil and about ten thousand barrels of bulk oil poured over the mad waters. Nine lives were lost and the succeeding months were attended with much sickness.
The Great Fire of May 26, 1866, was one of those disasters that come very naturally to a young city built up as temporarily as was Oil City, at that time. Center street was then the chief thoroughfare, and about two hundred and fifty feet north, on what is now Elm street, was a building used as a steam laundry, which caught fire about eleven o'clock on Saturday morning. The light frame structures burned like tinder; the fire broke through by a livery stable to Seneca street, and fanned by a hot May breeze it grew uncontrollable almost at once, and flashed away toward Center street. Here the Ohio and Philadelphia hotels on the corner, Shively's block, Burchfield & Casterline's hardware, Charles Robson & Company's office, Gotthall's provision house, Williams' brick store, Reynolds, Brodhead & Company, Colbert & Eggert's drug store, the six-story Mercantile block, the finest in the city, and whose occupants came near perishing in the flames, all blazed up in quick succession up Center street, heating the macadamized pavement white. The Methodist Episcopal church, the school house, Fox,
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
Fuller & Company's buildings, mills and lumber yards, the Metropolian and Oil City hotels, on up Plumer road, and Race street went in quick succes- sion, and it was only the most strenuous exertions that saved Grove avenue and the bridge connections with the west side. By the end of four hours almost fifteen acres had been burned over, probably two hundred buildings destroyed, one hundred and fifty families made homeless, and the total loss aggregated almost a million dollars, with less than ten per cent. insurance. With characteristic vim, however, the work of rebuilding began at once, and many contracts were let before the old buildings had been consumed.
The Flood of August 8, 1866, was the result of a sort of water-spout rain up the creek, causing the breaking of the Titusville dam. The effect on Oil City was the carrying away of oil, derricks, etc., along the creek.
The Third Ward Fire of 1868 occurred in the midst of a quiet spring day. A tank, standing near the site of the Lake Shore freight house, took fire and soon spread on both sides of Main street, and about half way up to the Petroleum house, while about the same distance was covered in the opposite direction. The heat was so intense that the current of air coming down over the bluff was strong enough to break trees. In a short time the ruin caused was estimated at over one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.
The High Water of 1873, although it was the next highest water that ever visited Oil City, was not destructive. It happened April 10th.
The Great High Water of 1883 exceeded all its predecessors, and was due to the February rains on the ice covered Allegheny valley. On Satur- day night, February 3rd, the water began rising and the ice left the creek; by Sunday morning at half-past seven o'clock the river had so backed up the creek that the flats were overflowed, and the water rose a foot an hour until noon, when it was two feet above high-water mark of 1873-the highest ever reached in the history of the place. The boiler works and machine shops looked like islands; the basements along Seneca street were filled; about one o'clock a mass of ice struck the northeast pier of the suspension bridge and.made it settle almost three feet, leaving the whole strain on the west cable; a train of loaded coal cars were run on to the creek mouth rail- way bridge to hold it down; the city pump house was destroyed, leaving the city without water supply; and Halyday run did some disastrous work in the Third ward. This flood was noted for its height at Oil City rather than for its destruction, as compared with that of 1865.
The Allegheny Ice Gorge of 1885 was the most remarkable flow of ice ever witnessed at Oil City. It had formed at Hickory, where cakes froze over cakes to a thickness of ten feet, and formed a dam which broke loose. This reached Oil City just after midnight on April 3rd and inside of an hour almost reached the mark of 1873. The great tumbling masses of ice filling the river from side to side was a magnificent sight. The basements on Sen-
o. M. Olaf
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OIL CITY.
eca street were damaged some, but by half-past two o'clock the water began to subside as quickly as it rose. These are the most important events that, verge on disasters.
FACILITIES OF TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION.
Although the Allegheny ferries began with the Indian canoe and the settler's skiff, it was not until the Bell furnace was in operation that a rough flat-boat was poled across near the railway bridge site, bearing the iron ore, charcoal, and lime stone from the Sage run tramway in regular ferry style. When the Drake well excitement began ex-Sheriff Thomas, of Franklin, saw the need for a public ferry and a rope ferry charter was secured, but soon sold to the farmer on the south side, Mr. Bastian, who built a boat large enough for a loaded wagon and team, and stretched a thousand feet of three-quarter-inch wire cable sixty feet above the water, and across near and west of the mouth of Oil creek. This was during 1861-62, and is thought to have been the first properly rigged ferry above Brady's Bend. The great demand for wood and Cranberry coal up the creek made the ferry receipts as high as forty dollars per day.
In 1863, however, William L. Lay, who then bought Mr. Bastian's farm and ferry, believed in the future of a South Oil City, and in connec- tion with the improvement of the turnpikes on the west bank of Oil creek and to the coal mines, he built a ferry boat for two loaded or four empty wagons, and by 1864 had to build one with double that capacity. William Phillips and others built another about the same time, crossing from the site of the Allegheny Valley depot. These gave way very soon to the bridge.
The Oil creek ferries must have begun in the old furnace days of 1828 near the mouth of the creek, but their operators are not known. The Halyday boys, Frank and John, poled a flat-boat across about two hundred feet below Center street late in the forties when the turnpike travel be- tween Warren and Pittsburgh was considerable. They continued until the old Center street single span, single track, wooden bridge was erected early in the fifties, and which served through the mad rush of the early sixties, until carried away by the great flood of 1865. For a short time a pontoon bridge for teams and a rope bridge built by Charles Haines for foot pas- sengers served until the iron bridge was built.
The Center Street Bridge was completed under the direction of H. C. Brundage, of Buffalo, New York, by the city at a cost of about sixty-five thousand dollars, and was opened July 27, 1866. Toll was collected until 1870, when the county purchased and made it free. It is single span, com- bination wrought-iron truss and arch, one hundred and eighty feet by forty feet, with double track and foot-ways.
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