History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 149

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 149

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Iron Industries.

Samuel Fitz, an ingenious me- 'procured a patent from the English govern- chanic, started a small foundry ment for an improvement to the balance

wheel of a watch. Not succeeding with the sale of his patent in England or France, through which countries he traveled, he re- turned home and in 1859, procured a sim- ilar patent from the government at Wash- ington. His ambition was not realized. Although a man of intelligence, he lived the remainder of his life as a solitary recluse,

on his father's farm, north of the village of Jefferson, in 1838. In 1840 he moved to Hanover and erected a shop to the left of Abbottstown Street. This was the first foundry and machine shop within the limits of the borough, and cre- ated a great deal of interest among the peo- ple when it began operations. Crowds of citizens collected at the foundry to see the permitting no one but his immediate family furnace melt the pig iron at a very high to converse with him. Only one time, for temperature to a liquid mass. It was a a period of thirty years, during which he lived in solitude, did he visit the borough of Hanover. This was in 1863, when he was novel sight to nearly all observers, who for the first time witnessed the melting. of iron and the formation of this fiery liquid into drafted to serve in the Union army. He ·different forms of iron products. Mr. Fitz refused to talk when the surgeon examined

832

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

him. He was therefore excused from serv- has been owned by H. N. Gitt, who carries ing as a soldier. He died at his home near on an extensive business. Hanover in 1893. Penn Flouring Mill, a large five-story

an industry originated by John Fitz, manu- factures small steel castings. C. J. Baker is president and general manager, and John Fitz, secretary and treasurer.

Hanover Union Steel Casting Company, brick building, was erected in 1863 by Sam- uel Fitz at a cost of $30,000. It was fitted up with burr milling machinery. This mill was purchased in 1885 by George Kline- felter, Charles E. Moul and Samuel Hostet- ter. It was then made a roller process mill,

The foundry of Levering Brothers was established in 1907 and began the manu- under the firm name of Klinefelter, Moul & facture of castings.

Company. This firm purchased a large quantity of the wheat grown in the vicinity and ground it into flour. The mill was sub- sequently owned by an incorporated com-

Heindel Manufacturing Company is one of the largest industrial establishments of Hanover. It is owned and operated by Charles H. Heindel, William F. Kintzing pany, and has recently been purchased and and C. M. Heindel. The business was operated by H. N. Gitt. It has a capacity founded in 1903, when the company en- of 125 barrels per day.

gaged in the manufacture of castings, gas The Ketterer Wagon Works, situated in stoves and general foundry supplies. The the northwestern section of the borough, business prospered and on March II, 1907, were established by Charles P. Ketterer, of Mr. Kintzing purchased the building and New York City, in the year 1891. Soon machinery owned by the American Foun- after the building had been erected and the dry & Machine Shop, which had been works put into operation, a violent storm founded at Hanover in 1897, by the Ameri- blew the building to the ground and injured can Tobacco Company. The foundry much of the machinery. A new building was completed in 1892, and the manu- facture of wagons of different kinds, trucks

burned down in 1900, but was partly rebuilt and afterward operated by this company until it was purchased by the Heindel and vans, has since been carried on. About Manufacturing Company. 60 workmen have been regularly employed.

David E. Winebrenner conducted an ex- This establishment has been under the tensive canning business on Frederick management of George D. Hopkins. Within recent years these works have been In operated by the Ketterer Manufacturing Street at the west end of the borough for twenty years or more with success. 1900, he organized the firm of D. E. Wine- Company.

The Hanover Shoe Company

brenner & Company, his son, D. Edwin Winebrenner, joining him in the business. Other was organized in 1901, with D. D. Ehrhart, president; H. D. Sheppard, secretary; C. N. This enterprising firm has given employ- Industries. ment during the summer months to 150 or 200 hands. Within recent years improved Myers, treasurer. A brick building 45x200 machinery has been introduced, which feet and four stories high was erected. The greatly facilitates the preparation of canned average output of this establishment has goods. The products of this canning fac- been 5,000 pairs of shoes a week. The pro- tory find a ready sale in all parts of the ducts of this factory are disposed of at country.

stores owned by the company. In 1907 the company owned twenty-three of these

Pollock Packing Company is engaged in the canning business. A. K. Straley is stores in five different states of the Union. general manager. Two hundred employees are continuallly en- The Hanover Mill was erected gaged in the manufacture of " The Hanover Shoe," which is sold at a regulation price.

Flouring in 1880 by Welsh, Sleeder &

Mills. Company, who engaged in the

Hanover Glove Factory is an important milling business and the pur- industry which employs 45 hands and is chase of grain. This firm operated the mill owned by George D. Gitt, and operated by for several years and then disposed of it to himself and his sons, William H. and an incorporated company. Since 1904 it George N. Gitt. The business was

833

THE BOROUGH OF HANOVER

originated in 1830 by Philip Wolff, who en- gaged in the manufacture of buckskin gloves. He tanned his own leather from deer hides. In 1850 Mr. Wolff was suc- ceeded by his two sons, Philip and William Wolff, who manufactured buckskin gloves,

Wood Workers.

Wolf, Mummert & Dixon Com- pany are engaged in the manu- facture of patterns for use in foundries and the "Dixon " thread-cutting machine.

Hanover Bending Works are owned and which found a ready sale. In 1885 the operated by Charles R. Krug, who manu- business was purchased by George D. Gitt, factures rims for wheels and other products. who erected a factory and enlarged the

Hanover Plow Handle Company, owned facilities for production. He began to by C. E. Moul and W. H. Moul, is a new make new kinds of gloves and in 1907 made industry which conducts an extensive busi-

98 varieties, which were sold all over the ness. This firm has recently purchased a United States, producing an average of 50 large tract of woodland in West Virginia, dozens per day. He makes a specialty of a and has an extensive export trade.

gauntlet glove made of sheep skin worn ex- tensively by railroad employees.

Hanover Silk Company was organized as a limited partnership in 1892 by Vincent O'Bold, George D. Gitt and T. J. O'Neill. A three-story building, 120x60 feet, was erected in the eastern part of Hanover and fitted up with 45 looms for the manufacture of silk ribbon. This is the only silk mill in the prominent industries of Hanover. York County, engaged exclusively in the manufacture of ribbon. In 1904 the busi- ness was incorporated with George D. Gitt president and T. J. O'Neill, secretary and M. Hoke & Son, Michael and Paul A. iers. Hoke, for many years have engaged ex- men. tensively in burning lime, operating kilns

The Long Furniture Company was organized in 1902. J. W. Mumper is presi- dent, George A. Long, secretary, and A. C. Long, treasurer and general manager. This company regularly employs 150 work- men and manufactures a fine quality of ex- tension tables, which find ready sale in many states of the Union. This is one of

Hanover Furniture Company, of whichi Alvin R. Nissly is president ; F. T. Porter, vice-president ; Elmer J. Herr, secretary ; and A. F. Hostetter, treasurer, is engaged treasurer. About 100 hands are employed. in the manufacture of dressers and chiffon-

This company employs about 45 The Penn Heel and Innersole Company, in Hanover. They also deal in coal, wood, of Hanover, started on a limited scale and cement and other products. soon developed into a successful business, The brick making industry began at Hanover before the Revolution, when the Originally this factory was engaged in first brick houses were erected. Edward H. Snyder began to burn bricks in the with W. A. Pitts as general manager. making leather heels and innersoles, and then extended its business into making southern part of town about 30 years ago, leather novelties and other products. In and has continued the business on an ex- 1907 the factory was enlarged in order to tensive scale since that time. He has accommodate the demands for the trade of associated with him his son, Edward Sny- this company. der, Jr.

Hanover Wire Cloth Company, of which W. L. Glatfelter of Spring Grove, is presi- dent, and Charles E. Moul of Hanover, secretary and treasurer, erected buildings on East Middle Street, where an extensive business is done in the manufacture of wire screen cloth. This factory is equipped with 225 looms. About 75 workmen are em- ployed. The Hanover Shirt Company, owned and operated by the same parties, manufactures 700 dozen shirts weekly. This industry employs regularly 75 girls.

The Smith Lyraphone Company was organized in 1900, and engaged in the manufacture of automatic piano players. The lyraphone as first made was attached to the keys to play the piano. At present this instrument is placed in the interior of the piano. The company has done an ex- tensive business and in 1907 employed twenty-five workmen. Charles Dickey is president of the company ; J. A. Smith, in- ventor of the lyraphone, vice president ; Frank P. Smith, general superintendent, and Luther P. Horn, business manager.

834

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The Acme Extract Company, owned by interests he made a reputation which was E. G. Eckert, manufactures a variety of not confined to his home locality.

special products which have reached a large sale. Mr. Young was a descendant of a family which has been prominent and influential in The Hanover Ice Company, owned by C. R. McCosh, manufactures ice which is sold to consumers in the borough. the affairs of Hanover and vicinity for more than a century. Charles Young, his first American ancestor, was born in Germany in Hanover Creamery Company, of which 1729, and came to America with the early H. M. Stokes is manager, has constantly in- emigration from the Rhine Palatinate. His elder brother, David Young, the first of the name in York County, took up a tract of

creased its business. This creamery was founded in 1891 by J. G. Reist, Benjamin Hostetter, Eli G. Reist and C. L. Nissly. land a short distance west of Hanover in When it was started the creamery was under the management of Benjamin Hos- tetter. In 1896 Alvin R. Nissly purchased Mr. Hostetter's interest and assumed the management. He was succeeded in 1899 by H. M. Stokes.

the year 1731-five years before the rights to lands west of the Susquehanna had been purchased from the Indians by the heirs of William Penn. David Young, together with a few other Germans, came with the first white settlers west of the Susquehanna. They took up lands under Maryland titles by authority of John Digges, an Irish noble- man, who had a Maryland patent for 10,000 acres.

Hanover Produce Company, of which Aaron Hostetter is president and general manager, owns and operates several cream- eries in York and Adams counties, and car- ries on an extensive commission business.

John F. Rohrbach owns and operates a came to Pennsylvania in 1746. They pur- planing mill and employs fifty men in this chased a tract of land three miles southeast mill and in his business as a contractor and of Hanover, later owned by Michael Stover, builder.

of York Road station, on the Western Maryland. Here they spent the remainder of their lives, dying in 1800. William Young, their son, inherited the paternal es-

Hanover Cordage Company was organ- ized in 1888 by the Radcliffe Brothers, of Glen Rock, whose father had operated a rope factory there since 1848. Their interests tate and married Catherine, daughter of were purchased by the National Cordage George and Francina Etzler. They had three children: Jacob, born December 4, 1795; George, born June 24, 1797; and Wil- Of this

Company and for about six years the factory was not operated. Within recent capacity of the plant and employ nearly 100 hands in the manufacture of twine and small

years this mill has been owned and con- liam, born January II, 1803.

trolled by local capitalists, who doubled the family, Jacob owned a large farm situated

north of the Abbottstown pike. William, early in life, removed to Middletown, Ohio,

rope. H. N. Gitt is president ; C. J. Delone, but eventually returned to Hanover, where secretary ; F. W. Weber, treasurer, and he died in the year 1889. John Greenaway, vice-president and general manager.

John P. Hoke and Edward M. Hoke are associated in the manufacture of cement building blocks, under the firm name of John P. Hoke & Brother.

George Young, son of William, and father of John S. Young, married Susan, daughter of John and Catherine (Nace) Sholl. Their children were: Louisa C., William S., Reuben, Charles, John S., and Emily J. Throughout his life George Young was identified with the growth and

JOHN S. YOUNG, who was prominent in the manufacturing interests of Hanover development of Hanover. He owned a and the city of Baltimore, was born May 6, large farm a short distance west of the bor- 1832, and in 1852 entered commercial life ough, and on that farm he introduced the with his father, an able and progressive first reaper and mower used in the vicinity, man, to whom he proved a worthy succes- in 1852. He studied improved methods of sor. As a manufacturer and promoter of agriculture and showed his sympathy with local enterprises which benefited the public progress in that line in numerous ways, be- aside from their direct bearing on business coming a man of force and influence in the

Charles Young and his wife, Elizabeth,

John Silsung

835

THE BOROUGH OF HANOVER

town and vicinity, where he continued to Young was general manager and treasurer reside until his death, in 1866.

of the company from the time of its organ- ization until his death in 1899.

John S. Young received his education in the public schools and a select academy at Though he had such large interests in Hanover. During his early years he aided Baltimore he continued to be a prime mover in the cultivation of his father's farm. In in all matters advancing Hanover's material 1852, at the age of twenty, he began his interests. Feeling the need of better rail- road facilities for the borough of Hanover, George Young & Sons, grain merchants of Mr. Young, in 1874, projected a plan which resulted in the construction of a direct line from Hanover to York. It was built by a local company of which he was president, and was opened for travel in 1875. It was then called the Short Line, or Hanover & business career as a member of the firm of Hanover, this firm being composed of his father, George Young, and the two sons, John S. and Reuben. Having an extensive trade, they purchased a large amount of the wheat and other grains grown for a dozen miles around Hanover. The firm began York Railroad, and was intended to be a operations shortly after the opening of the connecting link in the competing line from first railroad from Hanover and Hanover the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, in western Junction, where it connected with the Maryland, through to Philadelphia and Northern Central Railroad, shipping grain in large quantities to the city of Baltimore, which was their principal market. Only a few years had elapsed until, in 1857, George Young & Company, composed of George Young and his two sons, William S. and New York. Mr. Young remained the active head of the Hanover & York Railroad from the time of its inception until it was sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad , Company, in 1893, after which he still gave his services as a director. He was also interested in the John S., embarked in the grain business on establishment of the Hanover Cordage

North Street, Baltimore. That this venture justified their confidence in its success is evident from the fact that after the father's death, which occurred in 1866, the sons continued the business in Baltimore until 1888.

Company, but relinquished his interest when it was incorporated into the National Cordage Company. In 1895 Mr. Young, in company with other men interested in the local water supply, organized the Consum- ers' Water Company, and became its presi-

In 1867 John S. Young started a new en- dent. They acquired the franchise of the Hanover Water Company.

terprise, the grinding of bark, in which he continued during the remainder of his suc- cessful life. By 1871 the business had so expanded, and had such excellent prospects,

Mr. Young was a Republican in political sentiment, but he took no active part in po- litical affairs. He did serve as a member that he formed a partnership with J. C. of the borough council, but always declined Stevens and C. E. Thayer, of Boston, and other political offices. Mr. Young's great William S. Young, under the style of J. S. executive ability, good judgment and intel- Young & Company, for the purpose of ligent foresight enabled him to look after manufacturing bark extracts and flavine, the details of his vast business with great starting a factory at Shrewsbury station, care and exactness. The fact that he pros-

York County, Pennsylvania. In 1873 this pered in everything that he attempted was firm founded the present factory in Han- due to his industry, his correct business over for the manufacture of the same pro- methods, and his capacity, by reason of

ducts, and at the time admitted to member- which he became one of the most successful ship Howard E. Young. In 1876 the J. S. business men that York County has pro- Young Company was incorporated, and in 1883 they erected the immense mill in Balti-

duced. A large portion of his time, during the last twenty years of his life, was spent more, at Boston and Elliott Streets, for the in the city of Baltimore, where he was manufacture of licorice and sumac extracts. widely known in business and financial circles. He was one of the original mem- The establishment is one of the largest of its kind in the country, and the product of bers, and, until the time of his death, the the various mills is distributed all over the largest contributor to the support of St. United States, England and Germany. Mr. Mark's Lutheran Church of Hanover.

836

HISTORY OF YORK. COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Mr. Young was married in 1854 to Mary Kendig farm and mill, located on the Black A. Weigle, of Hanover. They had one Rock road, about three and one-half miles son, Howard E. Young, who succeeded his

south of Hanover, was purchased and father in the management of his extensive pumping machinery installed in the mill to business enterprises at Hanover and Balti- lift water from the Furnace Creek to the more. distribution and storage reservoir which PUBLIC ENTERPRISES. was constructed on what is known as Parr's Hill, on the Black Rock road. This reser- The Hanover Water Company was or- ganized April 25, 1872. The original source of supply is an excellent quality of chaly- beate water, from "Gitt's Spring," on the southern slope of the Pigeon Hills, not far distant from a rich vein of iron ore, through which the water passes. It is the ingredi- ent known as protoxide of iron, that gives to this water its healthful and invigorating properties. The water is brought in six- inch iron pipes from the source, 18,000 feet northeast of Hanover. One of the persons who used every energy to organize the water company was Calvin C. Wirt, who became the first secretary. He also origi- nated other needed public improvements in Hanover, but died early in life. The engi- neer of the company was R. K. Martin, of Baltimore Water Works. The Pigeon Hill reservoir is 277 feet above the highest point of the square. An additional reser- voir was built during the year 1884, near the first one to increase the supply of water for the town, and thus giving a storage capacity of 15,000,000 gallons in the Pigeon Hills. voir has a capacity of 7,000,000 gallons. January 25, 1896, the board of directors of the Consumers' Water Company passed a resolution providing for the purchase of the Hanover Water Company, which proposi- tion was accepted by the last named cor- poration. The Consumers' Water Com- pany now having acquired all the charter rights and franchises of the Hanover Water Company, extended from its new reservoir on Parr's Hill a twelve-inch main to Centre Square and ten and eight-inch mains to several other streets, then connected these new mains with those that were in oper- ation by the old company, and thus con- tinued to serve the public with an abund- ant supply of water. There was no change in the officers until the death of J. S. Young, November 12, 1899. Charles Young was then elected president and continued to serve until 1904, when he declined a re- election. J. H. Brough was then chosen president ; Dr. J. H. Bittinger, vice-presi- dent; C. E. Moul, secretary, and H. E. Young, treasurer, and at each annual meet- The first board of directors was composed of the following named persons: Joseph Dellone, president; C. C. Wirt, secretary ; Henry Wirt, George W. Welsh, N. B. Car- ver, H. A. Young and Stephen Keefer. Numerous changes occurred in the manage- ment and as the town grew a number of the citizens decided to form a new com- pany, and on the evening of Saturday, Sep- tember 21, 1895, in the office of J. S. Young & Company, the first meeting of the Con- sumers' Water Company was held. At this ing thereafter these same persons were re- elected. May 24, 1905, the board of direc- tors by resolution agreed to purchase the plant, charter rights and franchises of the McSherrystown Water Company, and un- der date of May 25, 1905, the name was changed to Hanover & McSherrystown Water Company, and May 29, 1905, the fol- lowing board of directors and officers were elected : D. Gring, Newport, Pa., president ; J. D. Landes, Mechanicsburg, secretary, and treasurer; H. E. Young and J. H. meeting a permanent organization was ef- Brough, of Hanover; and Dr. E. H. Leffler, Millersburg, Pa., directors. J. H. Brough is superintendent and general manager, and under the newly elected officers and the management of Mr. Brough the plant has

fected and officers elected. John S. Young was elected president : Dr. J. H. Bittinger, vice-president ; C. E. Moul, secretary, and H. E. Young, treasurer. J. Q. Allewalt, Jesse Frysinger and Charles Young, in ad- been enlarged and improved for the purpose dition to the foregoing persons elected of supplying the towns of Hanover and Mc- officers, composed the first board of direc- Sherrystown with the best quality of water tors. A charter was procured from the obtainable in unlimited quantity. New and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The improved machinery was installed at the

837

THE BOROUGH OF HANOVER

pumping station, where the waters of Fur- the west end of McSherrystown to Han- nace Creek enter the Codorus Creek, the ca- over and through the borough to Mt. pacity of the pumping main to Parr's Hill Olivet Cemetery. The company formed by reservoir quadrupled, and the six-inch cast iron main from the reservoirs on Pigeon Hills paralleled by a new ten-inch line of pipe into Hanover, which has been con- nected with the mains formerly in use. The Hanover and McSherrystown systems have been connected, and both towns are now supplied from the same source.

these gentlemen managed the affairs of the Hanover Light, Heat & Power Company and the Hanover & McSherrystown Street Railway Company from 1893 until the year 1903. At this time Lewis D. Sell was president, and Charles E. Ehrehart, secre- tary of the two companies. The property and entire interests of both companies were purchased, in December, 1903, by a com- pany of which Captain W. H. Lanius, of York, was president, and George S. Schmidt, secretary and treasurer. Soon

The Hanover Gas Company re- Gas Company. ceived its charter January 8, 1870, and the works were built in the summer of the same year . under the superintendence of Jacob L. after the transfer, the new owners extended Kuehn, of York, along the Pennsylvania a line a half mile farther down the turnpike,

Railroad, near Carlisle Street. Captain A. W. Eichelberger was elected president and L. F. Melsheimer, secretary, at the time of

where they purchased twelve acres of wood- land from William A. Himes, and an addi- tional tract of four acres from Dr. J. W. C. the organization. Both remained in office O'Neal, and turned these sixteen acres into

until 1890. The other directors in 1885 a park, which was named in honor of Cap- tain A. W. Eichelberger, a previous owner. for pleasure seekers and has been the means of largely increasing the business of the street railway company. A tract of land was purchased and a car barn erected ad- were George N. Forney, R. M. Wirt, John R. Stine, Stephen Keefer and H. Y. This park has since become a noted place Sprenkle. The plant and all the rights and interests of the Hanover Gas Company were sold in 1900 to Robert Forrest, F. H. Shelton and associates. The new owners rebuilt a modern plant for the manufacture joining the power plant. That part of of gas, and laid new mains throughout the Centre Square around the oval was paved borough. The capital stock was increased by this company, which at the same time to $75,000. On March 16; 1905, the inter- extended lines to the limits of Frederick, ests of the. Gas Company were purchased by Abbottstown and Stock Streets.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 149

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372