History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 83

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century > Part 83

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Coal sections at Ellsworth Collieries are 6 feet 10, and 6 feet 11 inches. Samples of coal from the Ellsworth mines show sulphur ranging from 0.67 to 0.98, indicating an excellent quality in this direction. Much of the coal is made into coke. On a branch of Pigeon Creek,

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

above the Ellsworth Collieries Nos. 3 and 4 at Cokeburg, is situated a small reservoir to supply the coke ovens. This company has lately constructed on the Eli Tom- baugh farm, on center branch of Pigeon Creek, a reser- voir which has an estimated capacity of 12,000,000 gal- lons, and is, like the other, used to supply water to the plant.

The company owns 127 large miners' houses, three boarding houses, a hotel, a supply store, a general mer- chandise store and a butcher shop. There are 205 coke ovens at these mines and these present one of the most striking sights in the county when seen burning at night. These collieries are assessed and valued at $402,- 400, but this does not include their large holdings of coal in the adjoining townships.

The coal of this company is high priced, 320 acres of the Swagler farm being purchased at $300 per acre.

On the 27th of December, 1906, the Ellsworth Coal Company sold out 16,000 acres of coal land to the Lack- awanna Steel Company for $10,000,000. The mines are still operated by the Ellsworth Collieries Company.

The output of these mines is enormous. During the year 1908 the Ellsworth No. 1 mine had an output of 572,542 tons of coal and employed 736 men. The No. 2 mine had an output of 565,310 tons and employed 600 miners.

The No. 3 mine of the Ellsworth Collieries Company had an output of 295,898 tons and employed 574 men, while the No. 4 mine gave employment to 109 miners.

Soon after the Ellsworth Colleries were opened up the St. Luke's Roman Catholic Church was organized. The first building, an $800 structure, was built outside the borough of Ellsworth, and was blown down. Soon after- wards a $1,200 brick church was built, which was burnt. The present commodious brick church was erected at a cost of $12,000. The present rector is Rev. A. J. Garstka and membership about 500. This church has a station at Hazel Kirk.

FINLEYVILLE.

On December 3, 1787, the land now embracing the borough of Finleyville was warranted to John Wall. He conveyed a part of this tract called "Mount Pleas- ant" to James Barclay, a sea captain, in 1788. The town was laid out by James Barclay and he was licensed to keep tavern in 1788. The inn was kept here at after- times there being considerable travel through this vil- lage by stage coach between Pittsburg and Brownsville. At this time the village got the name of Rogue Alley. In 1797 war was threatening from the French. It was deemed advisable to build two vessels at Pittsburg for the defense of the Ohio River. These vessels were row- galleys. A sign was painted of a row-galley at the

tavern at Finleyville and the tavern was named "Row- galley." Afterwards the sign disappeared and the place was called Rogue Alley by those ignorant of its history.

The land passed into the hands of Hugh Barclay, David Mellinger and John Finley, the town deriving its present name from the last mentioned person. Plans of lots were laid out in 1884 and subsequently by F. M. Finley and by the heirs of West Fry in 1892 and at later times. A postoffice was established at Finleyville in 1826, with Gen. Robert Finley as the first postmaster.

Finleyville was incorporated as a borough February 19, 1896, from Union Township. The Pittsburg South- ern Railroad was built through in 1879 and Finleyville made a station. This railroad is now operated by the B. & O. Railroad Company. Finleyville has been lately connected with Pittsburg and with Monongahela City by the Pittsburg and Charleroi Railway, operated by the Pittsburg Railways Company-a trolley line with very substantial roadbed.

The Pittsburg Railways Company has surveyed a line between Finleyville and Washington. The line follows North Avenue in Washington to the old excavations of the Pittsburg and Southern Railroad Company to the valley of the B. & O. Railroad, and thence along that line to Finleyville by way of Eighty-Four, Wyland, Thomas and other smaller towns. The only place it leaves this line is in the vicinity of Wyland to Gilkeson Station to avoid the great loop of the B. & O.

The West Side Belt Line (owned by the Gould in- terests) has surveyed an extension of its road from a point near Snowden, Allegheny County, through Finley- ville to Zollarsville.

Finleyville is connected with Library, Allegheny County, by a Flinn Road constructed by the county. This road is three miles and 1,274 feet in length and had an estimated cost of $40,332.34.

The little town situated about half way between Wash- ington and Pittsburg, is of vastly more importance than many people are aware of. It is the point at which nearly all passengers between the river section and the county seat must stop. The town is older than many others in the county and its principal business in the past has been mining. It has railroad communication with Washington and Pittsburg and street car lines running through it to Pittsburg and all up-river towns. The property valuation of the town is $105,065. It has a bank and good schools. In 1881 it had a hotel, post- office, blacksmith shop, express office and station of the Pittsburg Southern Railroad. Its population in 1870 was about 80; in 1900, 447; in 1905, 680, and in 1908, 500 to 600, as estimated. In 1903 the registration of voters was 169 and in 1908 it was 178.

Finleyville contains one bank, one drug store, three hardware stores, three drygoods stores, two shoe shops,

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

a butcher shop, fruit and produce store, confectionery shop, baker shop, three real estate offices, three livery stables, three buggy shops, two blackswith shops, a monumental works, a floral store, two funeral directors and two hotels-Hotel. Hayden, Mrs. M. J. Hayden proprietor ; Hotel Clifton, Thomas McMannus proprie- tor. The resident physicians are Drs. A. S. Shuster and W. H. Hamilton.

The public service corporations are the B. & O. R. R., Western Union Telegraph Company, United States Ex- press, Bell Telephone Company, Pittsburg Railways Com- pany and the Monongahela Natural Gas Company. The Finleyville "Exponent" is published every week by J. E. Hayden, editor and manager.

In 1907 the three retail liquor licenses in Finleyville were revoked. It was proven in court that Peter Mc- Manus, M. J. Hayden and N. C. Morrison, hotel pro- prietors, holding licenses, conducted their establishments at Finleyville in violation of the law, familiarly known as the Brooks Law. Applications were afterward made for license here, but were refused by the court. This is the first time for several years that this town has had no licensed saloon, although many people com- plained of the boisterous conduct of the patrons of the bar. Some thought bars were necessary for the coal miners and to attract trade. Rev. S. T. Bown, a former football player and all around athlete, but now a minis- ter of the Presbyterian denomination, did the most active work, and bore the disapproval of the saloon keepers and their friends in the proceedings to revoke licenses.

The borough tax of Finleyville for 1908 was 10 mills. The postoffice receipts for 1908 were $1,489.51. The present postmaster is W. H. Boyd.

The First National Bank of Finleyville opened for business September 22, 1902, with a capital of $25,000. In 1906 the First National Bank building was erected at a cost of $10,000, with furniture and fixtures to the amount of nearly $3,000.

Since the Pittsburg Railways Company has been run- ning its line from Pittsburg to Charleroi steadily, Fin- leyville has become an important station on the line. Coal operations and other business interests have also been active during the past year and have contributed considerably to the growth of the bank.

The following comparative statements for the first five years are of interest in showing its growth during this period :

Surplus and Profits.

Deposits.

Dec. 31, 1902

$ 5,000.00

Dec. 31, 1903.

6,293.88

$ 97,000.00

Dec. 31, 1904

9,120.00

121,630.86

Dec. 31, 1905

11,606.49

130,322.02

Dec. 31, 1906

16,190.39

195,238.03

The capital at the end of the year 1908 is $25,000, surplus and profits $14,000, deposits $195,000 and re- sources $257,912.29, and book value of stock $156 on a par value of $100.

The officers of the Finleyville National Bank are A. H, Anderson, president; C. Fritchman, vice president; J. F. Boyer, cashier. The directors in addition to these three are John C. Potter, David G. Jones, J. N. Kerr and C. B. Troutman.

In the early part of the nineteenth century a school was held in a log schoolhouse on Peters Creek, one-half mile above Finleyville, and another school stood below Finleyville.

There are in this borough in 1908 four schools; aver- age number of months taught, 9; average salary of teachers per month, females $50.50; cost of each pupil per month, $1.14; average attendance, 208; number of mills on the dollar levied for school purposes, 7; esti- mated value of school property, $6,700.

The First Presbyterian Church of Finleyville-The Presbyterian Congregation was organized about the year 1886. A frame church was built about 1888 at a cost of $2,500 and is still in use. Rev. S. T. Brown was the last regular pastor, concluding his services in 1908. The present membership is 200.

St. Francis Roman Catholic Church-This congrega- tion first erected a church building in Gastonville in 1891. After the mines at that place ceased operation the congregation, in 1907, built in Finleyville their present house of worship, a brick structure, at a cost of $7,000. A brick parsonage was built in 1908 at a cost of $4,000. Rev. Mr. Herzog is the present rector. The church has as communicants from 70 to 90 families.

The Christian Missionary Alliance was organized in 1899. It has had the following evangelists: Rev. Mr. Schoommaker, Miss Aloway and Rev. M. B. Houck. The organization has a membership of about 25.

There is a Baptist congregation of colored people ministered to by Rev. J. C. Faulton.

The Finleyville Lodge No. 140, K. of P., was organ- ized over 20 years ago. There are 57 members.

HOUSTON.

The borough of Houston is situated on the left bank of Chartiers Creek at the point where it is joined by the North Branch or Little Chartiers, and also by Plum Run, seven miles from Washington, one and a fourth miles from Canonsburg and 24 miles from Pittsburg.

The location of the borough of Houston is most ad- vantageous. From the center of the town valleys open out east and west, north and south, and also northwest; and in all these valleys are rich and highly cultivated

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

farm lands inhabited by thrifty, progressive and in- telligent agriculturists. There is an abundance of land suited for building purposes. It is probably true that there is scarcely to be found in the entire Chartiers Valley a town site equal to that occupied by Houston.

Houston is in the midst of what was some years ago one of the best natural gas fields in the county, and the borough is still supplied with gas for fuel by the Manufacturers Light & Heat Company. It is also in the center of an extensive coal field, and large rail- road mines are in operation at Midland, one mile to the northwest, and at McGovern, a mile or more to the south.

The Chartiers Valley Railroad, which is double-tracked from this point to Pittsburg, and the Washington and Canonsburg Electric Railroad (the latter known as di- vision 13 of the Pittsburg Railways Company) afford excellent transportation facilities. The town is also well watered. The north branch of the Chartiers Creek unites here with the parent stream. The town has as yet secured no industrial plants, but there are excellent locations for industries.

The value of real estate in Houston Borough is $401,- 271; of personal property, $24,870; number of taxables for 1908 was 212; borough tax, 4 mills. The population of the borough is close to 1,000; the number of voters, 219.

The land on which the town was originally laid out is a tract which in the early years of the last century was owned by John Haft, but which was purchased by Daniel Houston on January 24, 1827. Mr. Houston was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was a near relative of Gen. Sam Houston, who led the Texans in their fight against Mexico for independence. Mr. Houson came to Wash- ington County from Franklin County, and first settled at West Middletown, but later removed to Mount Pleas- ant Township and still later to the farm on which at present stands the principal part of the borough of Houston. Mr. Houston was not only an intelligent and enterprising farmer, but also a public-spirited citizen, and when a company was organized sometime in the fifties, with a view to connecting Pittsburg, Canonsburg and Washington by a railroad, he took hold of the en- terprise and helped push it along. He not only sub- scribed for stock himself to the amount of $6,000, but he went among his friends and fellow-citizens and in- duced them to subscribe.

When the road was finally completed and opened for business it could have been said that probably no two men did more to push the enterprise forward to success than Daniel Houston and his son, David C.

Seeing the possibilities which the road opened up for the Chartiers Valley, David C. Houston laid out and

founded a town on the Houston lands. The town was laid out in 1871, and very properly christened Houston- ville, in honor of its founder. The first house in Hous- ton was begun in the summer of 1871 by A. T. Haft, who is still living and is the present assessor for the borough and also one of the town's most highly respect- ed citizens. However, before Mr. Haft had his house completed and occupied J. C. Johnson hastily erected a house, and he and his family moved into it, and thus became the first inhabitants of the new village.

A few years after the town was founded a section of the Moninger farm, lying on the south side of the little Chartiers Creek, was laid off in town lots and put on the market by the owner, H. E. Riggle, and they sold well. This section of the town in the days previous to incorporation was known as "Riggletown." Later Mr. Riggle sold the remainder of his farm to the Mon- inger Land Company, which had the greater part of the farm platted, and then advertised the lots for sale. A number of those who purchased lots have erected sub- stantial brick and cement residences.

Although Houstonville early became a village of con- siderable importance, and with good prospects for con- tinued growth and prosperity, the people were in no hurry to have it incorporated. Finally, however, in the nineties a move in that direction was made, but it was opposed by a faction which claimed that incorporation was unnecessary, and that it would mean an increase in taxation without any corresponding benefits to offset the increased cost. The matter was fought out before the grand jury, each side being represented by an attorney, but incorporation was defeated. The matter was then allowed to rest until the spring of 1901. By that time the coal boom was here, and the town had grown in the meantime. A railroad had been built up the Plum Run Valley and another up the little Chartiers Valley, mines in the vicinity were being opened, and there was strong talk of a street car line from Washington to Canons- burg.

Petition was presented to the court of common pleas at Washington on the 13th of May, 1901,. There was no opposition ,and the incorporation was decreed, and Houston took her place as the 32d borough in the county. The new borough started with a population of 600, and with a property valuation of $235,000. The town at the date of its incorporation was about 30 years old.

A little later court issued a decree for an election for borough officers, the election to be held on Tuesday, May 28. At that election 94 votes were cast and 14 votes were thrown out by the board on the ground that they were not properly marked. The election resulted in the success of the following candidates:

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

TOWN'S FIRST OFFICERS.

Burgess-Charles W. Banfield.

Council-Three years, George T. Cowan, D. L. McCon- nell and Simon H. Arnold; two years, John A. Berry, J. R. Henderson; one year, John Ritchie and R. M. Thomp- son.

School directors-Three years, Rev. J. C. Kistler, Dr. W. W. Sprowls ;two years, S. E. McNary, J. S. Ferris; one year, R. M. Miller, I. C. Patsch.

Auditor-Three years, W. M. Templeton; two years, W. A. Banfield; one year, A. A. Borland.

Justice of Peace-Dr. John Morrison.

Assessor-A. T. Haft. Constable-Adam Miller.

Tax Collector-A. W. McConnell.

After its incorporation, as before, Houston continued to build steadily; if not very rapidly, and the houses erected were almost uniformly of the better class. Until a few years ago the streets were lighted by gas, but the service was unsatisfactory, and finally the town council made a contract with the Canonsburg Electric Light, Heat & Power Company to light the streets with arc lights, and the service has proved satisfactory and a great improvement over the gas lamps of the olden time. A few weeks since the Electric Light Company of Washington was granted a franchise and it is expected that they will build a line into the borough some time during the present year.

During the summer of 1907 the Cummins Realty Com- pany purchased the Houston homestead farm from W. H. Houston and had it plotted, and later sold at public outcry a large number of lots. These lots sold at almost all prices, from $25 up into the hundreds, thus affording people of all-sized purses an opportunity to procure sites for homes, and many working people availed themselves of the opportunity; and the result was that the summer and fall of 1908 witnessed the most active season in building operations in the history of the borough; and this at a time when a great business depression pre- vailed throughout the country, and when neighboring towns were at a standstill so far as the erection of build- ings was concerned. In the neighborhood of 20 houses were erected in Houston in 1908, and while the majority of these were of the cheaper order, a few of them were fine residences.

Much good sawed-stone and concrete sidewalk has been laid in Houston during the past five years, and the council improved one short section of street in 1908.

In 1876 the citizens of Houston asked the township school board to establish a school at that place, and a room was rented in the house of Stephen Champ, and

Miss Clara Capron was employed to teach the school. In 1877 a new schoolhouse was built on MeNutt Street, and Samuel McWilliams was elected teacher. In 1887 the present brick school building was erected and a second teacher was chosen, but owing to the new build- ing not being ready for the opening of the schools, the first part of the term was taught with the advanced school in the old schoolhouse, and the primary in the old Seceder church, all moving into the new building in January.

In 1895 the schools had grown so that a third school had to be opened.

Houston was incorporated in 1901, and the first elec- tion for school directors was held in May of that year. Since then the schools of the borough have grown stead- ily. In 1908 it had five schools and six teachers-two males and four females; enrollment of scholars, 163; number of months taught, 8; average salary of teachers per month, males $47.50, females $50.50; cost of each pupil per month, $2.00; number of mills on the dollar levied for school purposes, 5; estimated value of school property, $6,000.

Morrison Free Public Library-During the school term of 1893, the teachers and pupils, desiring a library, de- cided to give an entertainment to raise a fund as a nucleus for the purpose of a library.

A successful entertainment was given which netted them $50, and this, added to some donations from friends, purchased them 75 carefully-selected volumes for the foundation of a school library. These books were so appreciated by the young people that in 1899 Dr. John Morrison, then a member of the township school board, proposed that if the school board would provide room and bookcases he would donate something to the library.

This proposition was cheerfully accepted by the school board and the new bookcases were procured and filled with books purchased by Dr. Morrison. In 1901, after Houston was incorporated, the library had grown so and had become so popular that it hampered the school room, and the Houston school board took the matter up and purchased some more new bookcases and fitted up a room in the school building to be used exclusively for the library, and it was made a free public library and christened "The Morrison Free Public Library," any persons residing in Houston to have access to the books.

A free reading room was opened, on the tables of which all the leading magazines and periodicals were found for the use of the patrons of the reading room.

The doctor still kept adding to the library during his lifetime, and it now contains about 2,500 volumes of the very best selection, consisting of works on history, travel, biography, fiction, theology, law, medicine, etc.,

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

as well as many books of reference, such as encyclo- pedias, dictionaries, commentaries, etc.

Dr. John Morrison, who had taken both a medical and theological course, died June 3, 1906, without having married, much respected in the community.

The First National Bank of Houston-In the less than eight years in which the First National Bank of Houston has been in business, it has not only made a place for itself, but has succeeded in strongly entrenching itself in the business and financial affairs of the upper Char- tiers Valley. The bank has had a steady increase in business since its organization. Its capital stock is $25,000, with a surplus fund of $10,000. Its undivided profits at the time of the last called statement (February 5, 1909), was almost $5,000. At that time it had de- posits of $156,015.63. Each statement, as published from time to time at the call of the comptroller of the cur- rency, has shown an increase over the preceding state- ment. The institution has maintained a consistent policy of fair and conservative dealing, and it is as sound as any financiall concern in the county.

Although the year 1908 was not the most favorable in business and financial circles, the First National of Houston went ahead at a gratifying rate, and at the beginning of 1909 a dividend of 3 per cent out of the earnings of the preceding six months was declared.

W. B. Houston is president and Joseph K. McNutt cashier of the institution.

The First United Presbyterian Church of Houston was organized on October 9, 1888. Eighty-two members were received the day the congregation was organized. Of this number 31 are still members of the congregation. The first worshiping place was in the hall over the pub- lie school rooms. The first pastor was the Rev. E. E. Douglass, who was called to the pastorate of the church from the Seminary and took charge of the work on the first of April, 1889.

On May 4, 1894, the present church edifice was dedi- cated. Twenty-five thousand dollars would be a conserva- tive valuation on the present church building and the grounds.

The Rev. Mr. Douglass remained as pastor of the con- gregation for ten and one-half years. His pastorate was a most fruitful one. During that period 191 per- sons were received on profession of their faith and 136 by certificate from other churches, and the congregation contributed to all purposes $34,263, of which $7,104 went to benevolencies.

The congregation was without a pastor from October 18, 1899, to January 1, 1901, when the present pastor, the Rev. J. C. Kistler, took charge of the work. The membership then was 188. Since then every year has shown some progress in the work. One hundred and

ninety-five members have been received on profession and 177 by certificate. The present membership is 360. A debt of over $4,000 has been paid, $39,851 has been raised. for all purposes, of which about $15,076 was for benevolencies.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Houston was organized as a branch of the Canonsburg Methodist Episcopal Church in the old town hall by the Rev. J. B. Uber, pastor of the Canonsburg Church, on August 19, 1894, with 13 full members and 24 probationers. The congregation continued to worship in the town hall un- der the pastorates of the Rev. J. B. Uber and his suc- cessor the Rev. S. W. Macurdy, pastor of the Canons- burg Church, until 1897, when, through the generosity of W. B. Houston, who proposed to donate to the church two fine lots on which to erect a church building of their own, a movement was started which resulted in the erec- tion of the present comfortable church, which was dedi- cated in October, 1897.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 83

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1474

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474