USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Altoona > History of the city of Altoona and Blair County : including sketches of the shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. > Part 5
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David Henshey .1863
J. H. Isett .. 1879
A. C. Clapper
1879
1855
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
sold the paper to John Dean, now Judge Dean, October 21, 1863, from whom it passed, in 1865 or 1866, to Samuel Hoover & Son. March 16, 1868, it was purchased by David Over and his brother, Jacob Z. Over. January 7, 1870, the name was changed to Holli- daysburg Register. November 27, 1872, Jacob Z. Over retired, and David Over continues its publication. On April 14, 1880, the paper was enlarged from twenty-four to thirty-six columns, and on that day appeared in a dress of new and beautiful type.
The Hollidaysburg Standard, five columns, was started with materials of the old Huntingdon Gazette by P. L. Joslin, with George R. McFarlane editor, in the spring of 1838, and was owned by stock- holders. On January 1, 1841, O. A. Traugh and H. A. Boggs took charge, and on January 1, 1843, differences occurring between the editors and stockholders in regard to the Portage railroad, Messrs. Traugh and Boggs started a new paper, with new material, called the Beacon Light, six columns, which was continued until June, 1845. In the meantime John Dougherty purchased a lot of new material and resumed the Democratic Standard about October 10, 1844. Alonzo S. Dougherty purchased the Standard, O. A. Traugh pur- chased the interest of Mr. Boggs in the Beacon Light, and Messrs. Traugh and Dougherty merged the papers into a new series of the Democratic Standard, May 1, 1845, and in May 1, 1846, Mr. Traugh became sole proprietor, and has continued until this date, now thirty- five years, and making thirty-eight years in all, counting both papers. The Standard now has eight columns to the page, and is all that a good printer can make it. Among the assistants on this paper, form- erly well known, was U. J. Jones. William H. Schwartz is the present assistant editor.
The Blair County Whig was started about 1845 or 1846 by Jacob L. Slentz. After about three years, or about 1850, it was purchased by George T. Raymond and William S. Wilson. Subsequently Mr. Raymond alone conducted the paper. He is said to have been mur- dered at Woodberry, N. J. After a suspension of a month or two it was purchased by John Brotherline, recently deceased. During part of the time (1861) Mr. Brotherline had John H. Keatley associated with him, and he also changed the name to the Radical and Blair County Whig, about 1866. May 18, 1868, it was purchased by M. Edgar King and James H. Irwin, and the name changed to Blair County Radical. The office was removed to Altoona. On May 6, 1878, the interest of Jas. H. Irwin was purchased by Samuel J. Irwin, and by him leased to M. Edgar King, since which time James H.
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
D. G. MCCULLOUGH,
CHECKERED * FRONT GROCER,
Keeps the Largest Stock of Groceries and Pro- visions in Altoona.
W. R. WARD,
- DEALER IN -
BITUMINOUS AND ANTHRACITE COALS,
KINDLING WOOD, LUMBER,
HAY, STRAW, LIME, CEMENT, ETC. Corner 9th Avenue and 17th Street.
E- All orders for clean, pure Coal, (hard or soft) will be promptly filled, as also for Wood, Hay, Straw, etc. Orders can be sent from the Telephone Exchange, over F. W. Olmes' Meat Market. Eleventh Avenue, bet. 13th and 14th Streets, withont cost, and will receive ProMirr attention.
53
HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
Irwin re-associated himself with Mr. King, the style of the publishing firm being King & Irwin. It is Republican, and now in its thirty- fourth volume.
The Shield was a paper published about 1849 to 1850, in Holli- daysburg, in the interest of the Catholic church, by Hayden Smith.
The first newspaper enterprise undertaken in Altoona was by William H. and J. A. Snyder, who, in the spring of 1855, published the Altoona Register from materials of the Standing Stone Banner. After five or six months it was discontinued, and the materials were purchased by Ephriam B. MeCrum and William M. Allison, who commenced the Altoona Tribune January 1, 1856. May 1, 1858, Mr. Allison disposed of his interest to H. C. Dern. July 19, 1875, the interest of MeCrum passed into the hands of Hugh Pitcairn, who, with Mr. Dern, has conducted the paper to this day. April 14, 1873, MeCrum & Dern began the Daily Tribune, which, after two years, on April 14, 1875, was discontinued. January 28, 1878, Dern & Pitcairn resumed the daily edition, which, with the weekly, continues to be published. Adam J. Greer has been the principal editor for a number of years. The proprietors recently erected a neat and sub- stantial three-story brick building, especially designed as a printing house, on Twelfth street, between Eleventh and Twelfth avenues. It fronts thirty-two feet on Twelfth street and has a depth of sixty feet.
The American Era, started by a stock company in Tyrone about 1856, with W. S. H. Keys as editor, afterwards Benj. JJones. The material then went into the Tyrone Herald, by Robert Stoddard, which suspended in about a year. It was revived again and called the Tyrone Star, by M. H. Jolly; afterwards it was conducted by Captain James Bell, and suspended. It was again revived and called the Western Hemisphere, by a stock company, with J. W. Scott and Cyrus Jeffries as editors. The paper suspended again, and then re- vived in August, 1867, by H. R. Hol-inger, under the old name of Tyrone Herald, and August, 1867, sold to J. L. Holmes and C. S. W. Jones in April, 1868, and after April, 1869, Jones alone conducted it. W. H. H. Brainerd was a partner in 1871 and 1872, and Al. Tyhurst in 1875 and 1876. Mr. Jones continues to this date. On the morn- ing of July 8, 1880, the fine, new, three-story Herald building was destroyed by fire, together with a large portion of Mr. Jones' printing material. With commendable energy and enterprise on the part of its publisher, the paper made its appearance as if nothing had hap- pened. 5
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
John H. Keatly commenced the publication of The Leader in 1866, in Hollidaysburg, but after a little over a year it ceased, and the materials went to Dr. J. P. Thompson, Williamsburg, who started the Temperance Vindicator in the spring of 1868. About 1870 the paper was sold to Col. George F. McFarland, who removed the office to Harrisburg, but the press, etc., went to the Bedford Press office.
The Altoona Vindicator was started May 1, 1868, by James F. Campbell. In the summer of 1869 the office was nearly all destroyed by fire. New material was secured and the office sokl, December 10, 1869, to D. W. Moore, who changed the name to the Altoona Sun, June 2, 1870, and it was conducted by Moore & Son, Moore & Mckinney, and again by Mr. Moore alone. John W. Me- Kinney entered the firm February 10, 1871. The Daily Sun was started May 2, 1870, and continued seven months. On May 10, 1874, the office was purchased by N. C. Barclay, and his brother, Cyrus N. Barclay, who enlarged it, January 1, 1879. In November, 1879, a joint stock company was organized, composed of a large number of the most active Democrats of Blair, Cambria, Huntingdon and Som- erset counties, for the purpose of establishing a daily Democratic paper in Altoona in connection with the Weekly Sun. The organization, under the title of " The Sun Printing and Publishing Company," was completed November 25, 1879, by the election of a board of directors, as follows: Andrew J. Riley, John P. Levan, George W. Good, N. C. Barelay, S. M. Woodcock, M. Fitzharris, Albert F. Heess, F. D. Casanave and R. W. Guthrie. The board of directors, at a subsequent meeting, elected A. J. Riley, president; N. C. Barclay, treasurer and business manager, and R. W. Guthrie, clerk. William P. Furey was elected as managing editor, John M. Furey, city editor, and Cyrus N. Barclay superintendent of the printing department. The first num- ber of the Altoona Daily Sun was issued December 11, 1879.
The Tyrone Blade was established by JJ. L. Holmes, June 1, 1870, who sold the office to Geo. Stroup, November 22, 1872, who changed the name to Tyrone Democrat, and continued its publication until July 8, 1880, when the office was destroyed by fire.
The Altoona Baptist, first four pages, afterwards eight pages, pub- lished in the interest of the First Baptist church of Altoona; estab- lished November, 1873; Rev. Wm. Codville, editor. It was published by Harry Slep, for about one year, when it was discontinued.
The Evening Mirror was started in Altoona, June 13, 1874, by Harry Slep and Geo. J. Akers. It was a penny daily, four columns. September 14 it was enlarged to five columns. W. J. Fleming en-
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
tered the firm November 15, 1874. May 30, 1875, it was enlarged to six columns, price two cents, and forty cents per month. November 16, 1877, Harry Slep became sole proprietor, but his health failing, he sold the paper, on December 1, 1878, to W. K. Buckingham and W. S. Nicodemus, who, after a few months, changed it from an Indepen- dent to a Democratic paper, and named it the Democratic Call. Shortly after it resumed its independence from party shackles and bore the name of Evening Call. It passed into the hands of Alex- ander & Herr, who conducted it a few months, and on January 1, 1880, Edward B. Haines, who, for six years previously conducted the Williamsport Banner, purchased the controlling interest and in- augurated active measures for the improvement of the paper. He constructed a suitable building adjoining the one previously occupied, stocked it with new printing materials, introduced steam, etc., and at present publishes, in addition to the daily edition, a weekly edition of four pages, and also a Sunday edition styled the Sunday Call, four pages, eight columns to the page.
The Cove Echo was published about 1874 and 1875, in Martins- burg, by Henry and John Brumbaugh, and subsequently by B. F. Lehman ; but the Echo soon ceased for lack of support.
In 1874 D. B. Ream commenced a temperance paper in Altoona called the Living Age, but the age of its living soon ended, and the materials were purchased by Geo. J. Akers, who established a Sunday paper, called the Globe, which, after a couple of months, he con- verted into a daily, in the beginning of 1877, which ran for sometime, but for lack of oil on the gudgeons the Globe ceased to revolve daily, and the office was purchased and run by JJohn Tomlinson as a Green- back paper; but this enterprise also failed.
The Home Base, a base ball weekly, was published during the base- ball season of 1876, by Frank Mccullough, at Mirror Printing House.
Der Deutsche Volksfuehrer (the German People's Leader), was started in Altoona by Harry Slep, March 28, 1878. It has eight columns, four pages, and is the only German paper in the Juniata valley. It is not political. Published at Harry Slep's Printing House.
The Musical Advocate; Altoona ; monthly ; established July, 1877; R. B. Mahaffey, editor and publisher ; fifty cents per year.
The Gospel Trumpet, published in Altoona, monthly; established 1878; gratuitous; T. B. Patton, editor. Printed at Harry Slep's Mirror Printing House.
The Altoona Advance, weekly, by Mr. and Mrs. T. P. Rynder, was issued first on May 3, 1879. It is principally devoted to com-
56
HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
B. BERKOWITZ,
- CAN BE FOUND AT -
No. 1318 Eleventh Avenue, Altoona, Pa. WHERE YOU CAN PURCHASE YOUR
GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS, TEAS, COFFEES, SPICES,
SUGARS, SYRUPS, CANNED FRUITS, TOBACCO AND SEGARS.
F. P. TIERNEY,
ATTORNEY - AT - LAW.
Eleventh Avenue and Sixteenth Street,
ALTOONA, PA.
JACOB B. COWEN,
- DEALER IN -
DRY GOODS, GROCERIES, PROVISIONS, ETC.
Eighth Avenue and Nineteenth Street.
BLAIR COUNTY RADICAL.
A WEEKLY REPUBLICAN NEWSPAPER.
TERMS : $1.50 per year, invariably in advance ; otherwise, $2.00 per year. All kinds of Job Work at reasonable rates. Office in Sprankle's Building,
Corner 11th Avenue and 17th Street, Altoona.
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
mercial purposes. It is delivered free at every house in the city, but in the county where it also circulates, a small subscription price is charged. Its political views are Greenback-Labor, Mr. T. P. Rynder having been the first man in the State to advocate a new party on the financial and labor issues. It believes in high tariff, high wages and cash payments. It is also a temperance paper. Mrs. Rynder contributes largely to its columns. It is printed at Harry Slep's Printing House.
In August, 1879, Ed. J. Slep commenced the publication of the Youth's Mirror, a creditable monthly sheet, devoted exclusively to the rising generation, which is still successfully published.
Our Work; Altoona; monthly; established February, 1880; published by the Young People's Christian Association of the Second Presbyterian church. Printed at the Mirror Printing House.
The Tyrone Times, started as a semi-weekly paper on June 1, 1880, shortly after changed to a weekly. Messrs. Holmes & Wooden, proprietors.
The Book-Keeper and Penman ; Altoona ; established August, 1880; J. F. Davis, editor and proprietor ; monthly ; one dollar per year. Elev- enth avenue and Thirteenth street.
The Marriage Advocate; Altoona; established 1880; J. F. Davis, editor and proprietor; monthly; fifty cents per year. Eleventh ave- nue and Thirteenth street.
The first Altoona City Directory of any consequence was puh- lished in 1873, by Thomas H. Groovy, present City Recorder. The accuracy and extent of the information it contained made it extremely valuable. This was followed by a directory for 1875-6 by the same author. The directory for 1878-9 was published by William H. Renner, of Altoona, which constituted a complete compendium of such information as is sought in a publication of that kind. The directory for 1880-1, Webb Brothers & Co., of New York, publishers, is before the public.
For the year 1875, George J. Akers compiled "The Mirror Hand- Book and Compendium of Facts," a pamphlet of forty-seven pages. It contained a synopsis of the local occurrences of the year (1875), marriages and deaths; interments in Fairview Cemetery ; State, county and eity elections; brief history of Altoona; list of city and county officers; sketch of public schools, etc .; making it a valuable book of reference. Harry Slep, publisher.
In the carly part of 1879, "The First Venture," a book consisting of one hundred and eighty-seven pieces of poetry and a story in prose,
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
entitled " After Many Days," was issued from the press of Harry Slep. It contained sixty pages. Harry L. Woods was the author, and was also the author of a book of Irish tales, entitled "Pat. Mul- doon's Anecdotes." Five hundred copies were issued, which com- manded a ready sale. .
LIST OF EXISTING DAILY, WEEKLY AND MONTHLY PUBLICATIONS.
Hollidaysburg Register, weekly, Hollidaysburg.
Democratic Standard, weekly, Hollidaysburg.
Blair County Radical, weekly, Altoona. Altoona Tribune, daily and weekly, Altoona.
Tyrone Herald, weekly, Tyrone. Altoona Sun, daily and weekly, Altoona
Evening Call, daily, weekly and Sunday, Altoona.
Musical Advocate, monthly, Altoona.
Der Deutsche Volksfuehrer (German), weekly, Altoona. Gospel Trumpet, monthly, Altoona.
Altoona Advance, weekly, Altoona. Youths' Mirror, monthly, Altoona.
Our Work, monthly, Altoona. Tyrone Times, weekly, Tyrone.
Book-Keeper and Penman, monthly, Altoona. Marriage Advocate, monthly, Altoona.
59
HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
CITY OF ALTOONA.
Altoona derived its name from the Latin word " Altus," or more , directly from the French word "Alto," signifying "high." It is situate at the base of the Allegheny mountains, 1,168 feet above the level of the sea. Its location and surroundings are rich in scenie beauty and atmospheric purity, so much so that it has become a favorite place of resort for tourists during the summer months. The scenery is of the most varied description. Within a radins of a few miles there is a gradual transition from the graceful and picturesque to the rugged and sublime. A short distance west is the famous " Horseshoe Bend." [See illustration.] The valley here separates into two chasms, but by a grand eurve, the sides of which are for some distance parallel with each other, the road crosses both ravines on a high embankment, cuts away the point of the mountain dividing them, and sweeps around and up the tremendous western wall. Looking eastward from the curve, the view is peculiarly impressive. while at Allegrippus, where most of the mountains cluster, the vast hills in successive ranges roll away in billowy swells to the far horizon. During the summer, twiec each day, an open "observation car" is attached to the Day Express train and makes the round trips between Altoona and Cresson Springs-the latter, in a more especial sense, perhaps, than the former, possessing a reputation as one of the most delightful summer resorts in the country. [See engraving of Cresson.]
Opportunity is afforded for another pleasing diversion by the vicinity on the north of the Wopsononoe mountain, easily accessible to carriages, from whose summit is spread before the eye a panoramic view which, in the opinion of experienced travelers, is unsurpassed npon either continent in all those features which delight and inspire. It comprises the entire valley of the "Blue Juniata," a picture of highly cultivated farms, bounded by swelling rauges of hills, which gradually fade away in the azure of the distant horizon.
The celebrated "Sinking Spring Valley," with its subterranean streams and immense caverns, lies to the eastward, while on the south-east is the Bell's Gap Narrow Gauge railroad, excursions hy which to the summits of the mountains are among the most satis- factory and popular diversions of life in Altoona.
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
DAILY MORNING TRIBUNE
The Best Daily Newspaper published in Central Pennsylvania.
HAS THE LARGEST CIRCULATION Of any paper between Pittsburg and Harrisburg.
Asan advertising medium it is unexcelled. It also contains the latest telegraphic and local news. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, 40 Cents per Month.
THE WEEKLY TRIBUNE,
A Thirty-two column paper, devoted entirely to news-miscellaneous and local, and is considered the best family paper in the State. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: $1.50 per year in advance.
The Tribune Job Printing Rooms
Have the facilities for executing all kinds of BLANK AND BOOK WORK, at the shortest possible notice, at the most reasonable terms.
DERN & PITCAIRN, PROP'RS. TWELFTH STREET, BET. ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH AVENUES, ALTOONA.
LIVE AND LET LIVE !
ENCOURAGE YOUR OWN MECHANICS !
PROTECT HOME INDUSTRY!
I. W. TOOMEY,
MERCHANT TAILOR,
Corner 11th Avenue and 17th Street, Over Sprankle's Bee Hive Store, Altoona.
Fabrics for Clothing of the latest manufacture-Best Materials-Most approved Figures and Styles to select from-Best Workmanship-Perfect Fit. . LOWEST PRICES.
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS.
The hotel accommodations both of Altoona and Cresson, as sum- mer resorts, are not only sufficiently ample, but of a character to please the most fastidious. The Logan House has long enjoyed, and richly deserves the reputation it has acquired of being one of the most completely appointed hotels in the country, and since its erection by the Pennsylvania Railroad company (1855) has served as a model for similar institutions. The system of electric bells has recently been introduced. The building itself, surrounded by broad piazzas, its elegant furnishing, its table and entire management, leave nothing to be desired, while the elevated site and charming surroundings combine to render it one of the most delightful health and pleasure resorts in the country. The large and beautifully shaded lawn affords a fine field for croquet and other out-door sport, while within ton- pin'alleys, billiard tables, etc., provide ample facilities for recreation. In addition to the Logan House, Altoona can boast of other hotels which would prove creditable to cities of much larger growth.
The Mountain House, which is the only hotel at Cresson, is a very extensive frame building, and stands on the crest of a hill in the midst of a delightful grove. The grounds are expansive and are handsomely laid out, and scattered through them are a number of cottages designed expressly for the accommodation of families. The hill on which the house stands is always fanned by a delicious breeze. Several springs of medicinal waters flow from the mountain in the vicinity, and pleasant drives lead away through the almost unbroken forests. The Mountain House affords accommodations for five hun- dred guests. Both the Mountain House at Cresson and the Logan House in Altoona are under the general management of the Key- stone Hotel company, and under the special direction of that truly efficient and polite caterer, Mr. W. D. Tyler.
SITE OF THE CITY SELECTED.
We have already adverted to the fact that, in 1849, Altoona was conceived by the Pennsylvania Railroad. The site of the city in that year was selected by the officers of that public highway as the most available place for the location of their principal workshops. At that time this portion of the country was a forest, broken only here and there by small tracts cleared for farming purposes. The hills and dales, now covered with the most striking evidences of material prosperity and progress, were at that time owned by William London, David Robison and Andrew Green, each of whom had a farm.
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
WHERE THE SHOPS WERE LOCATED.
It was decided by the officers of the Pennsylvania Railroad that the shops should be located on the farm of Mr. Robison, the centre one of the three, and arrangements were made with Mr. Archibald Wright, of Philadelphia, to secure it. In connection with the pur- chase of the farm the following story is told: Mr. Wright sent Mr. Cadwalader to make the purchase. At that time Mr. Robison lived in an old log house, near where the Logan Honse now stands. On his arrival he found Mr. R. engaged in butchering hogs, and at onee made known his errand, as it had been previously ascertained that he would sell for $6,000. Fortunately for Mr. R., but unfortunately for Mr. C., the latter dropped a letter from his pocket, which was picked up and read by Mrs. Robison. This letter authorized Mr. C. to pay $10,000 for the farm rather than fail in the purchase. Like any other good wife she immediately communicated this information to her husband, and the result was that Mr. C. had to yield to the demand of $10,000 instead of $6,000.
Mr. Wright located the original plot of Altoona upon the farm purchased from Mr. Robison, giving to the Pennsylvania Railroad company some fifteen acres upon which to erect shops, offices and other buildings. At the time the plot was made a difficulty sprung up between Mr. W. and the farmers on either side, which resulted in disarrangement of the streets as they passed from one farm to the other; hence the unsightly and annoying offsets cast of Eleventh street and west of Sixteenth street. As soon as it was known that the Pennsylvania Railroad company intended locating their shops at this point, Messrs. Green and London commenced to lay out and sell lots.
NAMES OF LOCALITIES.
The plot laid out on the Robison farm was known as Altoona, while that portion lying cast of Eleventh street was known as Greens- burg, and that west of Sixteenth street was called Loudonsville. Subsequently another addition was made at the eastern end of Greens- burg, on the western side of the railroad, beginning near or at Seventh street. This part, on which are the lower Pennsylvania Railroad shops, was laid out by George R. Mowry, then a civil engineer of the company, and E. B. MePike, and called Logantown. These dis- tinetive names were retained until 1868, when a city charter was obtained, and these farms, together with land lying far beyond them, were brought within the city limits, when ward names were substi- tuted, and the old names dropped out of use.
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HISTORY OF ALTOONA AND BLAIR COUNTY.
WHEN THE WORK WAS COMMENCED.
In the summer of 1850 the railroad company commenced the erce- tion of shops. At that time the cars of the company passed over the mountain on the old Portage railroad, the mountain division, from this place to Conemangh, not being completed. One passenger train a day, hauling a baggage car and two passenger coaches, carried all the people traveling east and west by way of the Juniata valley. At that time the road-bed was on Ninth avenue, and the passenger sta- tion was located near where the locomotive paint shop now stands.
INSTANCE OF INCREASED VALUE OF REAL ESTATE.
In the spring of 1856 the lot upon which the Brant House now stands was offered for $250, and refused. Ten years after it was sold for $7,500. This will convey an idea of the rapid advance in the price of property when it was ascertained that Altoona was to be made the head-quarters of the Pennsylvania Railroad company.
BANKING HOUSES.
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