History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 46

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 46

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The Railway Bridges across the creek began with the construction of he Atlantic and Great Western railroad bridge at the mouth of the creek,

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

completed in 1866. During this time the first locomotive to cross the creek here was run across a track laid on the ice, so they could begin running on the up-stream tracts. The bridge is a large three-span iron truss crossing the mouth of the creek.

The Allegheny Valley railway bridge was built in 1869. It is a wooden Howe truss over the Allegheny river.

The Western New York and Pennsylvania railroad bridge over Oil creek was built of wood in 1870 and rebuilt of wood in 1882. The latter burned in May, 1888, by the floating oil fire, and in January, 1889, was rebuilt with iron.

The Oil City and Petroleum Bridge Company was agitated in the winter of 1862-63, when the growing needs of the oil region had outgrown the fer. ries. An act approved by the governor April 14, 1863, appointed J. J. Vandergrift, John H. Coleman, H. M. Hamilton, William Ewing, and Will- iam L. Lay, commissioners to receive subscriptions for such a company. Two hundred thirty-four shares were subscribed by the following gentle- men: William L. Lay, William H. Bowen, C. V. Culver, William A. Shreve, J. H. Coleman, A. Brawdy, J. K. Lowry, E. C. Barton, James Miller, B. K. Rathbun, C. W. Gilfillan, C. M. Titus, T. M. Parker, A. H. Pool, A. S. Pool, William Brough, M. L. Bagg, Fid Bishop, H. C. Gas- kill, and William Gaskill. They were incorporated May 16, 1864, and the officers elected were: President, William L. Lay; directors: Shreve, Miller, Coleman, Titus, and Brawdy; secretary, S. Stevenson; treasurer, A. S. Pool, and engineer, T. M. Griffith. The capital stock was one hundred thousand dollars. The site chosen was to connect Central avenue with a street to be opened into the old west side turnpike near the Petroleum house, joining the Cranberry coal mines with the creek thoroughfare. Work was immediately begun on a two-span suspension bridge, and excavation for the middle pier was nearly complete when everything was carried away by an unexpected flood. In January, 1866, a contract was made with Gilman & Howe to erect a Howe truss bridge of five-timber stone-filled piers, and to practically connect Seneca and State streets. It was to be twelve hundred and fifty-five feet long, with roadway eighteen feet and footways five and one- half feet, the whole being inclined ten feet, so that the south end would be thirty-eight feet above steamboat stage of water. This, together with the filling of Seneca street down to Center with stone and gravel to make it passable, cost one hundred and two thousand dollars, when it was opened to the public September 18, 1866. During the decade beginning with 1875 the wooden trusses were replaced with iron, beginning with the southern end, and masonry piers and abutments were put in, thus giving a practi- cally new structure to the public at their grand opening at noon March 21, 1885. In 1887 the north-end offices and walls were finished at a cost of three thousand dollars, so that with its covered footways, illumination of

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twenty-five lights, and ornamental fire-bell tower, it can hardly be surpassed on the river, and cost the company about one hundred and thirty-three thousand dollars.

The successive presidents of the company have been as follows: William L. Lay, elected in 1864; J. J. Vandergrift, 1866; and H. I. Beers, 1873. Harry Naylor and S. M. Irwin have collected toll for the past twenty-four and fourteen years, respectively, and "Bobby" Wallace's vigilant eye has watched over it during the night for nearly a quarter of a century.

The Venango Bridge Company was due to the desire of several citizens to unite the growing south side and the Third ward, and also to check the tendency to move all the west side business across the creek. A company was organized February 21, 1873, with J. J. Vandergrift, president, George V. Forman, J. H. Marston, J. M. McElroy, Joseph Bates, and W. J. Brun- dred, directors; Fid Bishop, secretary, and John Mawhinney, treasurer. A suspension bridge contract was made with Roebling's Sons & Company, and work begun in January, 1874, but on account of the failure of a contractor the structure was not completed until July 4, 1876. The engineer in charge was W. R. Stevenson. Its cost was about seventy-six thousand dollars, and it joins Petroleum and Bridge streets. It was in April, 1886, that a popu- lar agitation for reduced bridge tolls led to the purchase of two-thirds of the stock by citizens with the ultimate hope of making it a free bridge, and immediately reducing to a nominal toll. At the same time Mr. Vandergrift resigned, and C. F. Hartwell has been at the head of the company ever since. The capital stock is now forty-five thousand one hundred dollars. In the great flood of 1883 one of the cables was badly loosened, but soon repaired, and the beautiful structure hangs over the waters like a great festoon.

The Upper Seneca Street Bridge was built of wood about 1877 and re- built of iron about 1883. It is owned by the county.

The First Steamboat ascended the river to the site of Oil City in Feb- ruary, 1828. It was the William D. Duncan, Captain Crook, and bore delegates to a canal convention at Franklin. Then a run was made up to the Oil Creek furnaces, but no farther, the captain stating that the current was the strongest he had ever navigated. From that time on until the time of railways the steamboats of various shapes and sizes were the usual means of transportation when the water was sufficient. By the time of the rail- way advent in 1866, the steamboat and oil wharves were as follows: Bush- nell's landing, foot of Chestnut street; Benny, Baylis & Company, 244 Main street; Cochran's, 264 Main street; Conkle's, 298 Main street; Dil- worth & Ewing's, foot of Robson street; Ellison & Baxter's, foot of Wal- nut street; Fisher's, foot of Hanna street; Fisher's No. 2, foot of Chestnut street; Fawcett Brothers, foot of Chestnut street; Gallagher & Danver's, foot of Walnut street; Holdeman & Murray's, 242 Main street; Jackson's,

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290 Main street; Lucesco Oil Company's, foot of Oak street; Munhall's, foot of Chestnut street; McKelvey & Miller's, foot of Walnut street; Maw- hinney's, 262 Main street; Oil City Storage Company's, foot of Oak street; Parker & Castle's, foot of Parker street; Porteous', foot of Walnut street; Phillips & Company's, foot of Hanna street; and Vandergrift's, on Chest- nut street.

Meanwhile the so- called hack lines on the Franklin and Warren turnpike had been run even in furnace days, but the "hack" was often no more than an ox team lumber wagon. In 1860 the growth of the Third ward led to the first regular hack line to Franklin, run by Len Davis, whose rates varied from two to five dollars a trip, according to the exigencies of the situation. From that time on teaming became one of the most extensive and lucrative branches of business in the oil region, assuming proportions and prices that seem almost incredible to the present generation. Twelve dollars a day for a team was often paid.

Railways and their depots became an absolute necessity by 1865. The Franklin branch of the Atlantic and Great Western was the first to reach the city (in March, 1866), with its depot near the Moran house. The rivalries and difficulties in securing right of way were very great in the case of nearly all the railways, and this one did not get its depot to the Petroleum house until almost a year later, when it soon crossed the creek and secured a depot about the southeast "Y" at the present Union depot. This is the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio railway.

Reaching the city at almost the same time as the Franklin branch was the Oil City and Pithole railway, which came in from up the river, and after some difficulty with the Warren and Franklin Railroad Company, entered the present depot grounds and was soon absorbed by them. This is the Western New York and Pennsylvania.

About the same time the Farmers' railway up the east bank of Oil creek was completed and run into the depot grounds over the filled up site of the old mill race. This is now the Western New York and Pennsylvania, and the change in road bed across the creek was made about 1870, to secure a safer grade.

The Reno railway, which tried to pass just northwest and outside of Oil City at the same date, was never completed.

A new depot was built in 1867 about the site of the fountain at the pres- ent grounds.

During that year the Cranberry coal company's short road came down Sage run to the river, and its operation ceased about 1883.

In December, 1867, the Allegheny Valley extension from Mahoning came. up the south side of the river and made their present depot, with a free transfer 'bus line to the Union depot, which was improved upon a year later by the erection of their bridge enabling them to run into Oil City proper.

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OIL CITY.

In 1870 the Jamestown and Franklin (now the Lake Shore and Michi- gan Southern) reached Oil City, and, unable to secure right of way around the front of "the Hogback," tunneled through it, and placed their depots in the Third ward near Bridge and Main streets

The old depot of 1867, and its grounds, owned by the Western New York and Pennsylvania railway, was replaced during 1883 by the present beau- tiful brick structure, in the midst of "Y's" and freight houses, at a cost of about twenty-five thousand dollars. This is rented to the other roads. Be- sides freight houses and a large amount of siding there are two repair shops, those of the Western New York and Pennsylvania near their Oil creek bridge and those of the Allegheny Valley near Sage run. The division offices of the Western New York and Pennsylvania are located here.

The Express companies followed fast on the heels of the new postoffice about 1861 with Charles Shepard, now of Pittsburgh, as agent of the Union Express Company (American and Adams) with an office near the site of the New York hotel in the Third ward. The receipts were very great so that at the time Mr. Shepard was succeeded by Edward Porter about 1865, the United States Express Company came in, and the two companies had one office. This continued until 1872 when they separated, Thomas Nolan hav- ing charge of the former and James N. Bingham of the latter. The next change was November 1, 1884, when on account of disputed territory the American and Adams dissolved their union, Mr. Nolan continuing with the Adams. It was about two years later that the Wells, Fargo & Company Express succeeded the United States company. The three companies have offices near the Union depot, and each do an average monthly business of one thousand dollars.

THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE

has deputy assessors and collectors at Oil City. The first assessor was A. M. Turner, who reported to Joseph H. Lenheart of Meadville, and had his office in the Third ward not far from the Moran house. His service (1863- 66) was during the days of income and oil taxation, when incomes were returned as high as ninety-six thousand dollars, and one dollar a barrel was collected on oil; Richard Johnson from about 1866 to 1868; F. W. Hays to 1869; Doctor R. Colbert from August, 1869 to December, 1885; R. Bever. idge for a short time, and whose mysterious disappearance is still unex- plained; and finally John Barr, the present incumbent, have been Mr. Turn- er's successors. The territory has been enlarged on account of the repeal of tax laws so that liquor and tobacco only are now cared for. In 1874 occurred an interesting case of illicit distillery suppression. Doctor Colbert got the clew to a still on the Clarion river, and with a couple of officers found the place, the only evidence of life being a house, a large kettle with the smoke curling around it, and a horse standing at a water trough. An

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

examination of the watering place showed that the water was used to go under ground instead of to quench the thirst of the deceptive horse who remained there all day, and the innocent looking kettle sat over an under- ground smoke-stack! The officers swooped down upon the underground apparatus and got one of the "moon-shiners" into the penitentiary.

Among the collectors have been W. F. Groves, R. F. Wilson, and Doc- tor Colbert.

The United States Court Commissionership was first vested in Mr. A. M. Turner about 1867, and about 1870 Hugh C. Graham became his suc- cessor. The office proved to be more of a burden than blessing and since 1876 it has been discontinued.

POST, TELEGRAPH, AND TELEPHONE OFFICES.

It lacked two years of being a half century after the first United States postoffice route was established, when in 1840, Cornplanter postoffice was opened at A. G. Siverly's with that gentleman as postmaster, where mail arrived by courier once a week from Franklin. It is not known whether the official ax cut off Mr. Siverly's head, but he was succeeded at the end of the term by James Halyday, on Oil creek, who a year and a half later re- signed and let Samuel Bell of the furnace fill out the term. The mails were now semi-weekly by stage over the Pittsburgh and Warren turnpike, and were distributed during the next terms of James Young and Samuel Hopewell, the village store-keeper of the Third ward. It must be remem- bered that the district handled its mail like a big family, so that after the death of the next appointee, Thomas Moran, while his widow at the hotel was filling out the term, it was the custom for the newly arrived oil specu- lator to turn the barrel of mail over on the floor and pick out what he wanted.

The sudden needs of the oil region led J. B. Reynolds, who had opened a store, to secure the appointment of his brother, Calvin B., May 2, 1861, and to obtain a change to the name Oil City. The location of these places has been given, and when the wild influx of population is remembered it will not be surprising to know that very soon two clerks were needed. The term beginning March 11, 1865, was filled by Fid Bishop, and Alexander W. Myers, the former serving until January 9, 1866. The next two terms beginning April 8, 1869, were in the hands of J. B. Howe, whom Fid Bishop succeeded July 3, 1877, the latter using a room in the Lamberton block a few months, when he removed to the McCollum block, corner of Center and Elm streets. Postmaster Bishop and his clerks attended to the mail for ten years, when Colonel A. J. Greenfield was appointed January 20, 1886. The fact that even in Mr. Reynolds' time two clerks were employed and that four are now necessary will illustrate the growth better than other figures.

Attempts have been made to secure a free delivery, but the people seem

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to prefer two postoffices without it. By this is meant the continuance of the south side office, established in 1864 under the name of the place -- Laytonia, with William L. Lay as postmaster. He opened the office in a building on the river bank, where Central avenue descended to the ferry. Some time after he moved it to a building, since destroyed, near the west corner of State and Front streets. James Beatty had it in a building on the site of the tailor shop at the foot of State street, from 1872 to 1876, and then E. B. Young had it in the Italian fruit store room on State street near the corner of Front. January 1, 1886, Miss Josephine Doty was made post- mistress and soon removed it to the present room at the foot of State street. Prior to this time the office was kept in connection with other business, but Miss Doty began with the determination of making the office self-sustaining. That she has succeeded is proven by the fact that under her efficient management, it became a presidential office in 1887, and the business has so increased that it is now a money order office and one clerk is required.

Telegraphic Communication seems to have reached the city about 1863, for in 1864 the Western Union, the Merchants' to Pittsburgh, and the United States all had lines, but the Western Union did the most business and soon absorbed its rivals. The first operator who became a fixture was Martin Luce, now of Titusville, who had an office on the west side, in the second story of the old Goettel house-the site of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern depot. In 1865 James S. Lowe became assistant oper- ator, and the following year was placed in charge of an office then opened on the east side where the railway crosses Center street. This was for the

oil men solely. In 1867 W. P. Lucas took charge. Some changes fol- lowed, and other lines came in to exist only a short time. About 1870 the two Western Union offices were consolidated in a building at the corner of Railway and Sycamore streets, and soon after in the opera house where four operators were employed. The greatest growth was during the Cherry Grove excitement when fifteen first-class operators were employed. They had an office in the Trust Company building previous to the opening of the new exchange building, since when they have had quarters there. The of- fice now employs ten operators.

The Postal Telegraph also extended its lines here in 1884, with offices in the Exchange building. They have four operators.

The Oil City Telephone Exchange was opened March 15, 1881, with Frank Ross as superintendent. They have since extended their wires to Siverly, McClintockville, and Franklin. Mr. Ross has been succeeded by J. S. Brown and A. T. Brennan, the present incumbent.

BANKS AND BUILDING ASSOCIATIONS.

In a city composed largely of financiers and where fortunes have so fre- quently changed hands it is but natural that there should be excellent bank-

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

ing facilities. Even in 1874 the banks of the city averaged a daily business of three and a half millions.

C. V. Culver's Bank was the first established in Oil City. This was in 1861, and the office was placed in charge of John H. Coleman. It was one of a system of banks, and was afterward merged into the First National Bank.

The Oil City Bank, incorporated in 1864, was a leading institution for a few years, and did a very large business. C. Heydrick, of Franklin, was president, and John W. Eddy, cashier. The latter was succeeded by J. B. Candy. It was a bank of issue, and one of a coterie of banking institu- tions established by Charles Vernon Culver during the early period of the oil excitement. The failure of the great banking house of Culver, Penn & Company of New York, March 27, 1866, forced the suspension of the Oil City Bank, and it never again opened its doors.

The Lamberton Bank is the outgrowth of the first banking house in the oil region. Robert Lamberton, now deceased, began at Franklin late in the fifties, and as the needs of Oil City became apparent, he, in 1861, opened business here under the name of R. Lamberton & Company, with J. B. Howe, cashier, who, in 1863, was succeeded by S. H. Lamberton, a position he has held continuously since. Some time afterward the banking business, on the retirement of the elder Lamberton, was assumed by a new firm-Reynolds, Hukill & Company-the cashier above mentioned being the silent partner. They changed from the old quarters in the Third ward to a building on the site of the Boston store on Center street, and in 1871, an- ticipating the improvements in the low flats on the east side, erected the present Lamberton block about thirteen feet above the old Seneca street level, and occupying five lots. The building cost about seventy-eight thou- sand dollars. About 1875 the firm was changed to Reynolds, Lamberton & Company, the silent partner being Doctor R. Colbert, and September 1, 1884, R. G. Lamberton purchased the entire interest and the present name was adopted, the firm including R. G., S. H., and C. M. Lamberton, who are respectively president, cashier, and assistant cashier. In 1887 the Ivy and Seneca blocks were added. Their available capital is two hundred thousand dollars with individual liability. The vault, lined with sixteen thousand pounds of steel and equipped with fine combination and time lock, is probably not surpassed in western Pennsylvania.

The First National Bank of Oil City was organized November 5, 1863, and chartered on the following January 5th, with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars. Of the following gentlemen: William A. Shreve, William Hasson, J. J. Vandergrift, Joseph H. Marston, Charles Robson, William Brough, M. La Mont Bagg, William L. Lay, Conrad Reiter, George Cornwall, William C. Tillson, and Charles Vernon Culver, Mr. Shreve was chosen president with J. H. Coleman as cashier. The others-

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excepting Messrs. Culver, Marston, and Robson-were made directors. The changes in directorship have been as follows: 1864, J. H. Coleman vice Bagg; 1865, L. E. Beebe and C. M. Titus vice Reiter and Brough; 1866, W. H. Beers, I. C. Vanhook, and C. Robson vice Tillson, Coleman, and Shreve; 1867-68, A. L. Bennett vice Vanhook, Beebe, and Titus; 1869, H. I. Beers vice W. H. Beers; 1870-71, Vandergrift and Lay withdrew; 1872, L. P. M. Spencer vice Bennett; 1873-75, H. M. Choate vice Spencer; 1876, C. A. Cornen vice Choate; and from 1877 to 1889 inclusive the same, except C. A. Cooper vice Robson. Mr. Shreve was followed as president by William Hasson, the present incumbent, January 9, 1866.

This is the only bank of issue in the city, and was organized with au- thority to increase its capital to five hundred thousand dollars. Up to 1870 the bank was on Main street, Third ward, when it was removed to the pres- ent building, on the corner of Center and Seneca streets. Cashiers have succeeded Mr. Coleman in the following order: W. C. Rehren, January 12, 1864; John Walker, January 18, 1865; A. L. Bennett, May 13, 1865; L. P. M. Spencer, April 1, 1872; H. M. Choate, May 9, 1872; James A. Waugh, August 20, 1875; R. C. Beveridge, December 31,' 1878; and John M. Berry, February 7, 1885.

The Oil City Savings Bank. - On Main street near Bridge street in 1865 there was opened one of the earliest banking houses of Oil City, with S. D. Herron as cashier. It had been organized by directors George W. Cochran (also president), T. B. Porteous, James Miller, William Parker, W. J. Kountz, William Phillips, W. B. Riddle, John Mawhinney, and William Thompson, with an authorized capital of eighty thousand dollars, for which each stock-holder was individually liable. The cashier resigned the same year and his place has since been filled by H. H. Stephenson. The Wurster meat-market building on Main street was the next place occupied by the bank, and it was not until about 1874 that they secured the present loca- tion on the corner of Elm and Center streets. A quiet, prosperous career is a considerable thing for any bank to boast and under the successive presi- dencies of George W. Cochran, William Thompson, John Mawhinney, and William Parker this can be claimed for this institution.

The Oil City Trust Company grew out of the needs of the extensive operations of the firm of Vandergrift, Forman & Company, for more suita- ble banking facilities in 1872. They began as a private company with indi- vidual liability for the authorized capital stock, one hundred thousand dol- lars, and under the presidency of George V. Forman, with Henry L. Davis as cashier, who, late in the following year, was succeeded by W. J. Young. The present incorporation has been the most important change in the bank's career; it was organized as follows: President, W. J. Young; cashier, C. M. Loomis, who are still retained; and directors: J. J. Vandergrift, J. R. Campbell, W. J. Hulings, T. A. Mclaughlin, Henry Lewis, M. Geary, and

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M. Lowentritt. This company bought out the old company-business and building entire-June 30, 1883, and under their new state charter the capital stock was increased to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Their pres- ent large building, corner Seneca and Sycamore streets, became their quar- ters in December, 1873, on the removal from the opera house building where they began operations the year before.

F. W. Mitchell & Company, a private banking house, was composed, at its organization November 3, 1873, of three partners -F. W. Mitchell, George V. Forman, and F. H. Steel -with an authorized capital of fifty thousand dollars. Their building at the corner of Sycamore and Elm streets has been the location from the first, and the only changes in business occurred in 1875, when Mr. Forman withdrew, and in 1882 when W. H. Wise became a partner, together with the increase of capital July 31, 1877, to one hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Steel, as cashier, has had the man- agement from the first. This bank is recognized as one of the safest and most substantial financial institutions in Venango county.

The Building and Loan Associations which have been so great a boon to the working people of this country in securing homes, and of so great ad- vantage in the tasteful structure of towns, first obtained a footing in Oil City in 1881.

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History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 46

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