History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 128

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 128

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The first action taken by the Council to provide public cisterns for fire purposes was in 1822, when they appropriated money to build reservoirs in differ- ent parts of the town. These had been kept in use to some extent until February, 1866, when the Coun- cil resolved to build new cisterns and repair the old ones .. On the 19th of March in that year Chief Bur- gess Brady reported that he had contracted for three new cisterns,-one of two hundred barrels near John Harter's, one of three hundred barrels on the corner of Beau and Main Streets, and one of two hundred | Borough and Inhabitants of the said Borough the barrels on the corner of Main and Maiden Streets. On the 19th of May, 1874, the commissioners of the . said viz-Beginning at a point on the northern edge county met with the Council of the borough, and offered them one thousand dollars for the purpose of building one or more cisterns near the county build- ings, which offer was accepted. The cisterns were built and completed in May, 1875.

On the 30th of June, 1879, the Council ordered a cistern built near the seminary; and on the 16th of August, 1880, ordered two cisterns built, with a ca- pacity of five hundred barrels each, one near the foundry, the other near the corner of Ruple Alley and West Beau Street.

The present engine-house in the rear of the town hall, on the public square, was built in 1870. The Council accepted plans May 27, 1870, and authorized the burgess to advertise for proposals, which were received June 1st of that year, and contract given to Andrew Brady for seventeen hundred and twenty-five dollars.

On the 20th of September, 1880, the Mechanics' Hook-and-Ladder Company was organized, and a new truck placed under their charge. The company consisted of seventeen members, and was officered as follows: Charles V. Harding, captain; James Curran, first lieutenant; William Blackhurst, second lieu- tenant. Their rooms are in the engine-house. The three engines, "Good Intent," "Good Will," and " Eagle," all hand-engines, were sold for old iron.

The present property of the Fire Department is the engine-house, steamer "Little Giant," two hose- reels, fourteen hundred feet of hose; the "Hope" (hand-engine), hose-reel, six hundred and fifty feet of hese, hook-and-ladder truck, six ladders, pikes, ' of location on the public square by reason of the pro- axes, and drags, the whole under control of Fire- Marshal John McGuffie.

tober, 1839, by the county commissioners to the bor- ough of Washington, in which it is recited that whereas the commissioners of the county on the 21st of June, 1816, did grant to the inhabitants of the borough a certain part of the public square to be used as a market place, and whereas the (then) pres- ent commissioners " are about to cause to be erected new public buildings upon the said square, and are desirous of obtaining for the use of the County that part thereof so granted as aforesaid, and upon which the present market-house is built, and Whereas the Citizens of the said Borough in Town Meeting have signified their willingness to relinquish all their right and interest in and to the said ground provided the said Commissioners do grant and convey to the Bur- gesses and Inhabitants of the said Borough a part or portion of the opposite or southern end of the said square for the purpose of erecting thereon a new Market House and Town Hall;" for which reasons the commissioners "do give and grant unto the

following part or portion of the public square afore- of - alley on a line with the front of the new court house hereafter to be erected, thence north fifty feet, thence west - feet to the fence now enclosing the public ground in the rear of the brick building occupied by Samuel Surratt and others, thence South fifty feet to the Northern edge of the said alley and thence along said alley to the place of beginning for and in exchange of and for all the rights and interest of the said Borough in and to that part of the public square upon which the present market house is erected, and the said Burgesses and Inhabitants of the said Borough have likewise on their part given and granted and by these presents do fully freely and absolutely give and grant unto the said Commis- sioners for the use of the County all that part or portion of the public square now occupied as a mar- ket place and all their right and interest in the same by virtue of the within instrument aforementioned. To Have and to Hold the said parts or portions of the said public square so as aforesaid exchanged unto the said Burgesses and Inhabitants of the said Bor- ough and unto the Commissioners and their successors forever. Provided always nevertheless that the said Burgesses and Inhabitants aforesaid are to use and enjoy the said ground hereby granted and exchanged "for a market place and for the creation of a market house and Town Hall and for no other purpose what- soever."

It will be seen by this deed that a part of the public square was leased to the borough on which to build a market-house in 1816, and this deed was an exchange posed erection of a new court-house. On this land so exchanged the borough erected a market fronting the alley, and the old one then standing where the

Town Hall .- The first reference to a town hall in Washington borough is found in a deed made in Oc- · sheriff's house now stands was sold. On the 3d of

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

March, 1842, the borough of Washington purchased the old brick buildings on the public square for $360. Two days later the commissioners of the county re- solved to deduct thirty-three per cent. of the purchase money of above buildings "in consideration of erect- ing an engine-house on the public square, which was afterwards built in the rear of the market-house. On the 5th of May, 1842, the commissioners "granted, bargained, and sold" to the borough of Washington the lot on which the public offices stood, as is shown by the record of the commissioners of that date, viz .: " All the public ground on the public square lying south of a line commencing at the curbstone on Main Street, nine feet south of the new court-house, and running west until it strikes a lot of Mr. Smith, late the property of William Hunter, deceased. In consideration of said grant the burgesses and inhab- itants aforesaid agree to erect a town hall on said ground, otherwise the conveyance to be inoperative and of no effect, . . . as per deed dated and concluded on May 5, 1842, and recorded."

The Council of the borough of Washington, on the 23d of March, 1843, appointed a committee, consisting of Robert Officer, John S. Brady, and Thomas Mc- Griffin, to report a plan and probable cost of a town hall, which committee made a report which was accepted. A plan was presented by Mr. Erret and adopted by the Council. An article published in the Examiner two days later says, " About eight or ten months since at a meeting of citizens nineteen-twen- tieths of the people who acted declared in favor of the erection of a hall. A disagreement as to the mode of raising the money had sprung up. One proposition was to procure the passage of an act to empower the Council to borrow money, the other was by direct taxation. The Council called another meeting of the citizens, but before the meeting was held the com- mittee reported a plan to the Council which was adopted. At the meeting held the 6th of May, in response to the call mentioned above, the citizens refused to sanction any method of raising money, and the project for a town hall was laid over indefi- nitely."

No further effort towards the erection of a town hall was made until 1868. The commissioners of the county on the 4th of May in that year requested the Borough Council of Washington to remove the market- house and council chamber from the public square. On the 19th of May a committee of the Borough Council met with the commissioners to discuss the question of tearing down and removing the public buildings of the borough on the public square of the county, and the erection of a new engine building, with council chamber, town hall, etc. No definite conclusion was reached, and on the 16th of November, 1868, at a meeting of the Council, it was resolved that the citizens be called "to take into consideration the erection of a public building for a town hall and engine-house." On the 22d of December of the same

year the generous offer of Dr. F. J. Le Moyne was made to donate "from five to ten thousand dollars for a public library, provided the borough put up suitable buildings." The question was then discussed as to the propriety of erecting a town hall with rooms for the above purpose. On the 5th of January, 1869, the commissioners conferred with a committee from the Council on the subject. The following is from their records :

" This evening was appointed for a meeting with a committee from the Borough Council to confer in regard to the erection of a town hall, engine-house, and council chamber on the public square. Committee from the Council, Messrs. John McElroy and Samuel Hazlett. D. S. Wilson, Esq., attorney for the commissioners, being present, stated that if the borough could satisfy the county the above erections would sub- serve a public benefit in the way of protecting the public buildings, then the commissioners might safely ask the Legislature to confer upon them the right to grant the ground for the purposes of the above buildings. And it was therefore agreed by the commissioners if the borough would erect such buildings as would meet their approval, they the commis- sioners would join with the Borough Council in a prayer to the Legis- lature to confer upon them (the commissioners) the power to grant or lease so much of the southeastern portion of the public square to the borough for the term of not less than fifty years for the purpose of erect- ing the said buildings."

At a meeting of citizens held at the court-house, Jan. 15, 1869, the subject was thoroughly discussed and considered favorably. On the 18th of January the Council ordered a special election to be held on the 2d of February, the result of which is shown by the following resolution of the Council on the 15th of February : "Whereas, an election of the citizens of Washington was held on Tuesday, the 2d day of Feb- ruary, 1869, to decide the erection of a town hall, said election resulted by a vote of eighty-nine majority to erect said building ; therefore, resolved, a committee, consisting of three persons, viz., J. D. Boyle, John McElroy, and T. Hazlett, was appointed to meet and arrange with commissioners of Washington County for a lease of sufficient ground on the public square upon which to erect said building."

On the 18th of January, J. D. Boyle, chief burgess, and Samuel Hazlett were appointed a committee to obtain plans and specifications for a town hall and submit them to the Council. This committee pro- cured plans and specifications from Joseph Kerr, an architect, of Pittsburgh, which were approved. The committee appointed to meet the commissioners re- ported that it was decided to ask the Legislature for the passage of an act authorizing the commissioners to lease a portion of the public grounds to the borough of Washington on which to erect a town hall, to be used as a post-office, and for other purposes. A pe- tition was so presented to the Legislature, and an act passed to that effect (approved Feb. 16, 1869). On the next day (February 17th) an act was passed "au- thorizing the borough of Washington to borrow a sum of money not to exceed thirty thousand dollars, to be applied to the erection of a town hall in said borough upon the ground leased by the commissioners of Washington County to said borough of Washing- ton for that purpose." The lease was made, and on

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RESIDENCE OF A. B. CALDWELL, WASHINGTON, PA.

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WASHINGTON BOROUGH.

the 5th of May, 1869, the chief burgess was author- ized to advertise for proposals to furnish four hundred thousand bricks, and to sell the old market-house at auction. On the 17th of February, 1869, Messrs. John Boyle, James McElroy, and Samuel Hazlett, committee on town hall building, reported that "it was agreed by the commissioners that the said build- ing should be placed at the distance of twenty-six feet from the south side of the Court-House. . . . Agreed, that no Market-House, Rooms or Stalls shall be connected with the said Town Hall building, or be erected upon any part of the Public Square. . . . It was also agreed that the county would lease to the borough fifty by one hundred feet for the term of fifty years for the purpose of erecting the said buildings, or so much less of the Southeastern part of the Public Square as may be occupied by said building. ... It was further agreed that the commissioners would ap- prove a Building which should cost from twenty to thirty thousand dollars, and be of modern style of architecture." The lease was made by the commis- sioners March 12, 1869.

The following action was taken by the commission- ers on the 2d of March, 1869:

" It was agreed by Commissioners McLean and Kerr to appropriate Eight Hundred dollars to the Borough for the purpose of putting a Slate roof on the Town Hall buildings. This appropriation is made in con- sideration of the said Town Hall building containing Engine Rooms in which Engines are to be kept, thereby affording protection to the Court- House and other County property, and for the further reason that the erection of said Town Hall Building the County will be saved the ex- pense of erecting an iron fence upon that part of the public square oc- cupied by said Buildings, which said fence is supposed to cost about the Eight Hundred Dollars appropriated, and, finally, for the reason that the erection of the Town Hall on the Public Square will save the County Room in wear and tear in the way of public meetings to the amount of some three hundred dollars annually."

The proposals were received by the Council and opened May 12th. The contract for the bricks was awarded to Andrew Ford. On the 9th of August, 1869, the contract for the brick- and stone-work was awarded to Andrew Brady, the carpenter-work to J. N. Porter, and the tin-work to Jesse Jordan. On the 18th of September, 1869, the corner-stone was laid by President Grant, with imposing Masonic ceremonies. In the corner-stone was deposited a box containing many articles of local and national interest. The work was carried forward from this time with rapidity, and on the 1st of April, 1870, the post-office was re- moved to the new quarters by William C. Wylie, postmaster. The Council met for the first time in the council chamber on the 5th of August, 1870. The funds for the erection of the building were disbursed by Samuel Hazlett, who paid out $31,518.51, that amount being the total cost. The building is fifty- six feet on Main Street, and extends back one hundred feet on Cherry Alley, with a basement under the whole building. An office in the southeast corner of the basement is occupied by the Western Union Tele- graph Company. The first floor is occupied by the post-office, reading- and library-room, with a fire-

proof vault and an engine-house. The second floor contains an audience-room (with a capacity for seat- ing one thousand persons) and a council chamber.

Post-Office and Postmasters .- By the Postmaster- General's report of 1792 it is shown that there were then no post-offices in the county. A list of letters was advertised in the columns of the Western Tele- graphe some time before the name of the postmaster was signed to it. It is ascertained from an assess- ment-roll of 1796 that Gabriel Blakeney was assessed in that year as store-keeper and postmaster. As far as is known, he has the honor of being the first post- master of Washington. Mr. Blakeney retired from business in that year, having advertised to close busi- ness, and calling for settlement in December, 1795. He was succeeded by William Meetkirke, whose name as postmaster appears with the list of advertised letters, Oct. 2, 1797. It is evident that David Moore became his successor, but at what time is not known. The assessment-roll of 1803 contains the name of Daniel Moore as merchant and postmaster, and also Hugh Wylie, merchant and postmaster. It would seem from this that in the early part of the year Daniel Moore was in office, and Hugh Wylie the lat- ter part; each one assessed the same. Hugh Wylie remained postmaster until 1828, keeping the office where J. Shan Margerum's store now is. He was succeeded by Joseph Henderson, who kept the office on the Round Corner, where James C. Acheson's store now is. He was succeeded the next year, 1829, by Thomas Morgan, who kept a store first in a house now occupied by Mrs. Swan, and later moved to the property long known as the Globe Inn, and in that part of it now occupied by Dr. Kaine's office. In 1839 he was succeeded by Samuel Workman, who kept the office where Patrick J. Finn now keeps a store. In 1840, Robert Colmery was appointed. During the first part of his term the office was kept in an old building where Smith's store now stands, and later was moved to the old log (weatherboarded) building which stood on the site of the Washington Savings- Bank building. On the 1st of April, 1845, Jonathan D. Leet succeeded him, and held the position till March, 1850, when he was superseded by James Mc- Dermott, who moved the office to the house now oc- cupied by Homer Seamon. At the close of his term David Acheson was appointed, and held the office four years. Feb. 17, 1857, George W. Aiken was ap- pointed, and retained his position until Aug. 1, 1858, when Freeman Brady took possession. He remained until the spring of 1861, when James McDermott was again appointed.

During the terms of Acheson, Aiken, Brady, and a part of McDermott's the office was kept in the build- ing where the savings-bank now is. The remainder of. McDermott's term the office was kept on the spot where Samuel Templeton's residence now stands. Aug. 4, 1865, William C. Wylie was appointed post- master, and still holds the position. During his term

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the office was first kept where Morgan & Hargreaves' store now is. The building was burned Feb. 2, 1866, and the office was removed to the building now occu- pied by Gen. John Hall, where it remained one year, and was again removed to a building of Mr. John Lockhart's, now occupied by H. M. Seaman as a jew- elry-store, and on the 15th of April, 1870, was removed to the present office in the town hall.

The Press of Washington .- The Western Tele- graphe and Washington Advertiser, an ultra-Federalist journal printed at Washington, was the first paper ever published in Washington County. The editors and proprietors were John Colerick, William Hunter, and W. H. Beaumont. The first number was issued on the 17th of August, 1795, having for its motto, " Free, but not licentious." The office was in a build- ing nearly opposite the market-house, which then stood on the northeast corner of the public square. About the same time the firm opened a book-store, and on the 5th of January, 1796, advertised that they "have completed the necessary arrangements for car- rying on the book-binding business, and that they are preparing to put a spelling-book to press." In the same month they published "Mrs. Barbauld's Lessons." The following are works the firm soon after published : June 28th, " a new Spelling-Book is this day published by Colerick, Hunter & Beaumont, Price, one quarter of a dollar; Dilworth's Spelling- Book Improved." October 8th, "The New Eng- land Primer." January, 1797, " Beveridge's Private Thoughts." May, 1797, " The Gentleman's Pocket Farrier, Price 20 cents." On the 17th of May, 1797, the firm dissolved, John Colerick continuing the pub- lication. On the 6th of June William Hunter and W. H. Beaumont advertised in the columns of the Telegraphe and Advertiser that they had been invited to establish a newspaper in Washington, Ky., and that they intended to commence a newspaper " on a Royal Sheet in folio." The Telegraphe was continued by Colerick until about 1807-8. In the assessment- roll of 1808-9 the name of Alexander Armstrong appears assessed as a printer and editor of the Western Telegraphe. How much longer the paper existed is not known. The Reporter of Aug. 12, 1811, refers to "the piece over the signature of 'an Old seventy- sixer' published in the Federal paper of this town of Thursday last." It is evident that at this time the paper was still published. The only copies of this paper now known to exist are in possession of Judge A. W. Acheson, and extend from Aug. 24, 1795, to the latter part of 1797.

The Herald of Liberty, established by John Israel, was published in Washington, and the first issue of the paper appeared on the 6th of February, 1798, bearing the motto, " Man is man, and who is more?" The office was in a building opposite the court-house. The paper was a four-column folio, eleven by seven- teen inches in size. It continued until the paper reached No. 45. That number and Nos. 46 and 47

were reduced in size to eight by thirteen inches, as the publishers stated, "by reason of the scarcity of paper ;" with No. 48 the paper resumed its original size. On the 11th of February, 1799, Vol. II., No. 59, appeared with a new heading. On the 12th of Feb- ruary the same year there was published from the Herald of Liberty office " A Dose for Federalists, or the Letters of Curtius, together with a pill for Demo- crats vulgarly called the Alien and Sedition Laws. Price an eleven-penny-bit." There was also pub- lished, June 12, 1799, " A Defense of Believers' Bap- tism, with a reply to the arguments made use of against it in a public dispute held at Georges Creek, Fayette County, Sept. 29, 1797, between the Rev. V. Cook, Methodist preacher, and John Corbley, pastor of the Baptist Church, Muddy Creek, Greene County." At the time of the change of heading in February, 1799, Mr. Israel gave his circulation as "now 1296 papers weekly and list increasing." On the 25th of November the same year there was published "A Touch at the Times, price 6 cents ;" and April 4, 1800, " An Introduction to English Grammar de- signed for the use of Schools." On the 7th of July, 1800, the editor, John Israel, made proposals "For publishing a weekly newspaper in the Borough of Pittsburgh entitled the Tree of Liberty by John Israel & Co. To commence the 16th of August." The Herald was to be continued under the same manage- ment. The Tree of Liberty was commenced as pro- posed. In February, 1801, the office was removed " to the house formerly occupied by Daniel Moore, Esq., at the corner of Market and Belle Streets" (now Main and Wheeling). It is not known how long the Herald was continued. The only known copies are in one volume now in possession of Judge A. W. Acheson. It commences May 14, 1798, No. 15, and is continuous to Vol. IV., No. 206, dated January 18, 1802.

The Washington Reporter .- It is stated that in the year 1808, when William Sample was passing through the town of Washington with the fixtures of a print- ing-office, intending to locate farther west, he was persuaded to remain in Washington and establish a paper. An office was procured in "The Swan," cor- ner of Market and Belle Streets (now the Valentine House), and on the 15th of August in that year the first number of the Washington Reporter, 11} by 18 inches in size, was issued by William Sample and B. Brown (brothers-in-law). On the 10th of April, the next year, the office was removed from "The Swan" to the first door below the post-office in Main Street, and in April, 1810, moved to the northeast corner of Cherry Alley, on Main Street, near the court-house, it being "the mansion house of David Redick, de- ceased," and in April, 1811, again moved to the house " next door south of Samuel Shannon, Esq., and one d'oor north of Hugh Workman's, on Main Street, third square south of the court house." At this place the office remained until March, 1813, when it was

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moved to the fourth square south of the court-house, and on the 1st of January, 1816, was moved back to its previous quarters, where it remained till after 1823.

On the 9th of February, 1810, the firm of Brown & Sample was dissolved, Brown retiring, and Sample remaining as editor till his appointment as prothono- tary in 1819, when on the 31st of May in that year he was succeeded by Samuel Workman, who commenced a new series, Vol. I., No. 1. At the expiration of Mr. Sample's term as prothonotary in May, 1821, he again became the editor and assumed the management, which he retained till 1833, when he sold out to B. S. Stew- art and George W. Acheson, and removed West.1 In 1835 the above firm closed out their interests to John Ramsey and S. B. Robinson, who published the paper until the Ist of November, 1836, when Uriah W. Wise became the proprietor. At this time the paper was a six-column folio, 17 by 22 inches in size. On the 6th of November, 1839, John Bausman purchased the paper and commenced its publication, changing it from six columns to seven. By him it was continued till April 22, 1848, when John W. F. White became associated with him. This partnership continued till Feb. 16, 1852, when Mr. White retired, and on the 16th of February, 1856, James G. and Robert Strean became the proprietors. The paper was continued two years under this management until 1858, when on the consolidation of the Commonwealth (then owned by William Moore and E. L. Christman) with this paper the firm-name was changed to Moore, Strean & Co: Mr. Christman retained his interest, but retired from its active duties. On the 28th of March, 1860, Robert F. Strean retired, and the Wash- ington Tribune became consolidated with it (then owned by H. A. Purviance and James Armstrong). The firm was then known as Moore, Purviance & Armstrong.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 128

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216