History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 99

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 99

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The telegraph was extended originally to this city by way of West Newton in 1864. The Monongahela Valley Co., was organized in 1864, by J. L. Shaw, and under his management as president the line was extended all along the valley. This, with the West Newton line, was merged into the Pacific and Atlantic, which, in 1877, was sold to the Western Union Company. In October, 1872, the office was moved from Wilson's drug store on Main street, below Second, to the railroad station. In this drug store the office was first opened.

Philip Catlin was the first barber in the city, as far as we can ascertain. In 1834 he had his shop in the barroom of Joseph Caldwell's tavern.

In after years, in the early forties perhaps, Maj. A. L. Williams, at the Manown Tavern, issued a currency in the form of shin-plasters, as they were called, redeem- able at his bar and at the store of Charles Bollman. This undoubtedly was the first and only bank of issue in the town, and it was of short life.

This city can boast that many of her citizens from time to time have held important positions of trust in the great arena of life. Aaron Kerr was elected to the Legislature in 1824-25-26-27-28 and in 1840, and was also a member of the constitutional convention of 1838.

George V. Lawrence was an active politician after 1842. He was elected to the Legislature in 1843-46-58-59. In 1848 he was elected to the State Senate over his opponent, William Montgomery, Esq. He was re-elected to the Senate in 1860, of which body he was speaker in 1863. He was again elected to the Senate in 1874-76-78. In 1864-66-82 he was elected a member of Congress. In 1872 he was elected a delegate at large to the con- stitutional convention. In 1843 the self-educated O. B.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

McFadden, a resident of the town, was elected with G. V. Lawrence to the Legislature. In 1845 he was elected prothonotary. At the expiration of his term, he emigrated to Washington Territory, where, under a Democratic administration, he was appointed a judge of the U. S. Court, from which position he retired to become a delegate to Congress.

John Storer represented Washington County in the Legislature in 1842.

Jesse Martin, the old postmaster, was elected to the Legislature in 1841.

Jacob Cort was elected a representative in 1847-48. J. S. Van Voorhis represented Washington County in 1857.

J. B. Finley was a member of the House in 1887-89-91.

T. R. Hazzard was also a member of the Constitu- tional Convention.

James Gordon became a resident in 1810. He served as justice of the peace for thirty-five years. He was in 1845 appointed an Associate. He was elected a member of the Electoral College in 1828, and as such voted for Gen. Jackson. In 1813 he was a county commissioner, and in 1857 was a member of the Board of Revenue Commissioners.

Samuel Hill was also an associate judge.

Thomas H. Baird and Ianthus Bentley were elected and served with honor as district attorneys of Washing- ton County. Bentley moved to Colorado, where he died. Sheshbazzar Bentley, Jr., father of Ianthus, was elect- ed commissioner and sheriff of Washington County.

Cyrus Underwood and Alvin King were elected re- corder, and R. F. Cooper, clerk of courts.

Hon. James Scott became prominent in politics and served in the Legislature of Ohio for nearly twenty years. During Grant's administration he was appointed secretary of the Territory of Washington, and on the death of the incumbent was confirmed governor. He was also U. S. consul to the Sandwich Islands.

Among the distinguished medical men in the nation ranks Dr. W. A. Hammond, once a boy in this city. He was surgeon-general at the beginning of the Civil War.

A great event in the history of the town was the wel- come extended to the hero of Tippecanoe, Gen. Will- iam Henry Harrison, who in journeying towards Wash- ington, D. C., to be inaugurated as the ninth president of the United States, passed up the Monongahela on the steamer "Loyalhanna." Prominent citizens on board the Moxahala, Capt. James Parkison in command, had steamed to a point down the river and escorted the general to the wharf. The entire populace lined the banks of the river and when the landing was made the newly elected president was received with indescribable shouts of enthusiasm and welcome.

Another notable event in the history of Monongahela

City was the centennial celebration of the founding of the town. This event was celebrated November 15, 1892, in the opera house.

The most recent event of this kind was the Old Home Week from September 6 to 13, 1908. Many of the early residents returned to the haunts of their childhood and the celebration was a success in every way.

The city has experienced many floods. One of the most disastrous was on July 11, 1888, when a great amount of damage was done. On the 14th of March, 1907 water was up so that skiffs could be rowed down Main street.

Monongahela City has sent her full quota of soldiers to the wars. We find the names such as Butler, Wilson and MeClure in the Eighth Regiment of the Pennsylvania line raised about 1776-77. Some of the members of the regiment doubtless came from Monongahela City. Al- though the United States did not formally declare war against Great Britain until the 18th of June, 1812, it was the firing of a British man-of-war into the United States frigate "Chesapeake," on July 18, 1807, that aroused the indignation of the American people, and led to the formation of military organizations. It was at. this time that Capt. James Warne recruited the company of infantry known as the Williamsport Rangers, and Capt. John Shouse organized a troop of horse, both of which companies actively participated in the war.

Wilson Black and Richard Sparks Cooper both of Monongahela City, participated in the Mexican War, 1846-48.

The people of Monongahela City responded nobly to the call for volunteers during the Civil and Spanish Wars.

Their names make a long roll. Company A of the Tenth Regiment National Guards of Pennsylvania is a Monongahela organization of many years' standing and their previous drill fitted them to be a part of the "Fighting Tenth" which went to the Philippines in the last year of the nineteenth century.

The Monongahela City Gas Company-The Mononga- hela City Gas Company was incorporated in 1872 to fur- nish manufactured gas and was organized with a capital stock of $20,000. The first officers were William J. Alexander, president; J. H. Connelly, vice-president ; and D. C. Shaw, secretary and treasurer. The board of directors was composed of J. B. Finley, John L. George, William M. Devore, M. Naylor, and George V. Law- rence. The gas plant was built in 1873 by Connelly, Naylor & Co., at a cost of $32,000. This company dis- solved when natural gas was introduced.

The two gas companies operating at present are the .Citizens' Natural Gas and the Bellewood & West Monon- gahela Natural Gas Companies. The Bellewood & Mo- nongahela was established first and afterwards, about

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

1902, the Citizens' was started. Afterwards the two companies merged and now Monongahela City has two gas companies under the same management but two separate lines supplying gas at very low rates.

R. E. Byers is president of the Bellewood & Monon- gahela, and T. M. Byers, secretary. Of the Citizens' Company Samuel M. Downer is president, and Dr. George Murphy, secretary.

Monongahela Water Works-The Monongahela Water Company has been in existence for a considerable num- ber of years. On August 15, 1903, James McCullough and others associated with him, then comprising the Monongahela Water Company, sold their interests to Samuel A. Taylor. The works are now owned by New Castle capitalists. Constant improvement has been made on the plant. At the present time the water is pumped from a large receiving well to a reservoir 350 feet above the level of the river. Its capacity is 3,000,000 gallons, and from this reservoir the entire city is supplied. The large water plant at Monongahela City, with a capital of $120,000, a total capacity of 3,500,000 gallons of water, and twelve miles of pipe conveying the water throughout the entire city, makes the Monongahela Water Company a great advantage to the city.

The Williamsport Bridge Company was chartered March 16, 1832, and the first officers were James Man- own, president; Samuel Devore, treasurer, and Robert F. Biddle, secretary. The construction of the bridge commenced in 1836. William Pagan and Robert Alston built the stone work, and Lothrop & Stockton the super- structure. The bridge was ready for use in 1838 and cost $60,000. At the place where the middle abutment stands, there was a hole about eighteen feet deep, and in order to get a foundation, a large hollow box was built, ten by ten feet, and into this, stone and cement were dumped until it began to sink, and gradually filling up this hole, and formed the foundation on which the pier now stands. When the bridge was about half com- pleted a storm blew it down. Many of the workmen escaped just in time and lived to help complete the bridge, which was a great project at that time. The old covered bridge caught on fire and burned down April 12, 1883. The board of directors at that time were: William Galbraith, president; William J. Alexander, treasurer; Joseph Herron, secretary, and J. B. Finley, Franklin Manown and Frank Williams, managers. The bridge was too low for steamboats to pass under with- out lowering their smokestacks, which would be con- sidered an unbearable nuisance today.

The second bridge was started in 1887 and opened the next year. It was constructed in four spans and was 921 feet in length. The bridge was built on the piers of the old wooden bridge and was raised eight feet higher than the old bridge. This bridge company was

composed of the same people as the former company, and was headed by J. B. Finley and Joseph A. Herron. In 1900-01 a company was organized in Pittsburg of people from that district and the bridge was purchased - by it. This latter company afterward paid 14 per cent dividends on their stock. The bridge was in such con- tinual use that the toll became burdensome to the peo- ple, who desired a free bridge. Their cause was taken up by the Chamber of Commerce of Monongahela City to whom the final freeing of the bridge is due, thereby saving the citizens of the community over $15,000 in annual tolls. Condemnation proceedings were commenced against the bridge company by the counties of Wash- ington and Allegheny in 1902 to purchase the bridge and free it from tolls, and after three years of litigation the bridge was sold to these two counties in 1905. After- wards during the same year the river interests filed a complaint with the Secretary of War, stating that the bridge was too low and the middle pier hindered navi- gation. William H. Taft, then Secretary of War, or- dered the counties to raise the bridge fourteen feet above pool, or water level, and remove the middle pier. This was impossible to do on account of the approaches to the bridge being so low.

It was then decided by the counties that as this bridge was condemned by the U. S. government, a new one must be built a short distance below the other bridge. Work was commenced February 27, 1909. An iron struc- ture was made and erected by the Ft. Pitt Construction Co. of Canonsburg, and the $250,000 bridge was dedi- cated December 9, 1909.

Monongahela City Memorial Hospital-The first move to establish a hospital in the Monongahela Valley was made by J. Sutton Wall, James Louttit and Dr. G. A. Linn; at a meeting held by these three gentlemen at the office of the former gentlemen, Linn building, late in the year 1882. This movement later found its sequel in a move by Post 60, Grand Army of the Republic, to erect a monument in memory of the soldiers of the War of the Rebellion. At a meeting of the Post held Octo- ber 20, 1891, a committee was appointed to devise ways and means to erect a monument. This committee report- ed November 19, 1891, a plan to form a monument asso- ciation.

At a meeting held March 16, 1892, Dr. Gamble made a motion that a committee be appointed to report on the advisability of erecting a Soldiers' Memorial Hospital instead of a monument. At a meeting held February 24, 1893, Dr. G. A. Linn moved the name be Monongahela Memorial Hospital, which was adopted. On March 7, 1893, Dr. Linn was elected president; J. B. Finley, treas- urer, and Dr. J. G. Sloan, secretary. The committee reported the Legislature had appropriated $12,000, con- ditioned upon the promoters raising $10,000. April 12,

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

1902, Joseph A. Herron, chairman of special executive committee, reported gift of the Parkinson property, West Monongahela. The property was a gift from Hon. J. B. Finley.

On December 18, 1902, the hospital opened for the reception of patients.

It is unnecessary to speak of the need of a hospital in this thickly populated mining district, suffice to say that the wards of the Memorial Hospital have been crowded from the beginning. An average of fifteen pa- tients daily have been treated since the opening. The hos- pital confines itself to accident cases almost entirely. An ad- dition has been made to it which is about as large as the original building.

Other public service corporations of Monongahela City are the Western Union Telegraph, Bell Telephone, Adams Express and American Express and the West Penn Elec- tric companies. Electric light is much used throughout the city. The city also has a volunteer fire department and hose company. S. M. Downer has been fire marshal for many years. Some ten years ago Andrew Carnegie established a fine free library at Monongahela City.

Monongahela City has several hotels-The Mononga- hela House, Hotel Glasser, Hotel Abbott, Hotel . Main, Hotel Lazzari, Hotel Noble and the Glen Elk Hotel. It has six retail and four wholesale liquor establishments or places where the sale of liquor is legalized. The sale of intoxicating liquors in the city and in Carroll Town- ship was prohibited by legislative act, March 9, 1872. This act was repealed April 28, 1903.

The first newspaper to be published in Monongahela City was the Williamsport "Chronicle" established in 1813. In 1815 the "Western Patriot" was established by B. Brown. The next paper was the "Village In- formant," published first in 1818 by Joseph Clingan. The "Phoenix" was established in 1821 by B. Brown.

John Bausman, who seems to have established papers all over the county, started the "Pennsylvanian" at Mo- nongahela City in 1818. This paper seems to have been merged with the Williamsport "Patriot" by John Baus- man in 1833. In 1834 the "Patriot" was sold to Sam- uel G. Bailey and John W. Hammond who changed the name to the "Monongahela Patriot." The "Patriot" was purchased by A. W. Davidson in 1838 and became known as the "Carroll Gazette." R. F. Cooper became editor in 1840 and the paper ceased in that year.

The next paper to be started in Monongahela City was the "Neutral Ground." John McNeal issued the first copy in 1841. Rev. W. H. H. Barnes started a temperance paper the year before, but neither newspa- per had a long existence.

The "Valley Republican" was established July 7, 1848, by Solomon Alter, and has been published by the Hazzard's continuously since 1855. The first years it

was under the management of Solomon Alter. Hon. T. R. Hazzard was its promoter, owner and editor, and with his son, Chill W., conducted the paper until the death of the elder Hazzard in 1877.

He was succeeded at his death by his eldest son, Chill W. Hazzard, a man of exceptional ability as an editor and public speaker.

July 11, 1861, he enlisted as lieutenant in Company F, Twelfth Pennsylvania Reserves (Forty-first of the Line), and served in the Army of the Potomac with distinction for four years. He was breveted major for meritorious conduct on the field of battle and derived his rank of . colonel from connection with the National Guards after the war. He was state commander of the G. A. R., and prominently connected with Masonic and other fraternal societies.

In 1880 he established the "Daily Republican," and gave the best years of a noble life to establishing this heritage to posterity.

Upon the death of Col. Hazzard, which occurred in 1901, his heirs formed the Chill W. Hazzard Co., owners" and publishers. Vernon Hazzard was president, H. H. Hazzard, secretary, who, with Mary B. Hazzard, owned the capital stock of the company, which was incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania. Now Mary B. Hazzard owns all of the stock herself.

The American Association established in 1853 the "American Republican" and "Spirit of Washington," which existed about three months.

The "Aurora" was first published in 1857 by Joseph H. Wilson. Cyrus B. King was editor. It also lasted only about three months.

The "Valley Sentinel" was established in 1860 by Moses T. Scott & Co., with Robert F. Cooper editor, and continued a couple of years.

Major Chill W. Hazzard established the "Junior's Friend, " and "Pennsylvania Reserve News Letter"' in 1876. Another paper called the "Advertiser" was start- ed the previous year by John B. Scott.

The "Valley Record" was first published by Will- iam M. Boggs, March 4, 1876. After several changes, in 1892 it was merged into the "Monongahela Demo- crat," published and edited by the Monongahela Demo- crat Publishing Company. Whether this paper died a natural death or was merged into some other newspaper is not known, but the former is probable.

Sid Wilson started the "Saturday Voice" in Monon- gahela City in 1899. In 1901 the Zimmer Brothers, William and Harry, purchased the plant and sold out the following year to the Voice Publishing Company, and early in 1903 the "Voice" was merged into the "Times" with H. R. Campbell editor and William J. Zimmer manager of the Voice Publishing Company. Afterwards it was conducted by different officers of this

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

company. The present officers of the Voice Publishing Company are L. E. Flint, manager and editor, John F. Cooper, president, and Frank B. Wickerham, secretary and treasurer. The "Times" is printed daily except Sunday.

In 1908 Monongahela City ranked second among towns in Washington County with respect to bank deposits.

Monongahela City Trust Co .- The People's Bank of Monongahela City, which was organized in 1870 by J. B. Finley, with A. C. Sampson, president, and J. B. Finley, cashier, was for many years a leading institution in the valley. In order to secure a greater scope for its oper- ations, the People's Bank was turned into a Trust Com- pany in 1901 and the name Monongahela City Trust Company was assumed. Joseph A. Herron, the president, is one of the best known men in the Monongahela Valley and is a financier of recognized ability. J. B. Finley, vice-president, is president of the Monongahela River Consolidated Coal & Coke Co. John F. Cooper, treasurer, was for many years cashier of the People's Bank, pre- viously for six years having been register of wills of Washington County. W. H. Alexander, secretary, came to the trust company with twenty years of experience.

Alexander & Company, Bankers-The Alexanders are represented in the business life of Monongahela at the present day by the bank bearing their name. Joseph Alexander, born April 1, 1795, died June 20, 1871. He began as a trader in Monongahela City in 1828 and in 1843 took his son, the late William J. Alexander, into partnership with him under the name of Alexander & Son. This title was continued until 1850, when the present name of Alexander & Co., was adopted and the banking business established.

In 1860 James S. Alexander, a younger son of Joseph Alexander, was admitted to the firm which was further enlarged by the admittance of Joseph Alexander Her- ron, a grandson of Joseph Alexander, in 1871, who had been bookkeeper from 1866.

On the death of William J. Alexander in 1894, Will- iam H. Alexander and Frederick K. Alexander were taken into partnership. More recently death has de- prived the firm of James S. Alexander.

The banking business was opened in the rear of the store room which stood on the site of the present Mc- Gregor block. In 1870 a bank building was erected at a cost of $20,000. During the year 1906 a handsome and modern bank building, costing $52,000, superseded it.

First National Bank of Monongahela City. All of the financial institutions of Monongahela City are strong. The First National Bank was organized November 30, 1901, with a capital of $50,000, and is among the lead- ing banks of the river valley today. The bank pays six per cent interest to its stockholders. The officers and

directors of this bank comprise many of the progressive business and professional men of Monongahela, and the bank's business reflects the enterprise of the men who are directing it. Its officers are Joseph Lytle, president ; Eugene Byers, vice-president, and G. E. Davis, cashier. A beautiful new bank building has recently been erected at a cost of $65,000.

The mercantile business of Monongahela City last year amounted to $1,127,845, distributed among 145 mer- chants. No other town of its size in the county reached these figures, and no other town in the county, regard- · less of size, averages so much business to each mercantile house.

The Black Diamond Engineering Company was char- tered August 5, 1903, with a capital of $15,000. The first officers were: Charles Bentley, president; Levi R. Campbell, vice-president; George Alten, treasurer, and Thadeus M. Boggs, secretary and general manager. This plant has foundry facilities for making and rapidly handling castings up to 10,000 pounds weight each, and has two cupolas in operation, one used for large heats and the other one for smaller or special kind of iron. The foundry and machine shop departments are con- nected by traveling overhead cranes operated by com- pressed air, and castings are lifted in the foundry and carried across into the machine shop without changing or letting them down. The cleaning room and railroad siding are served by another traveling crane operated by compressed air. The elevator which elevates the pig iron and coke for the cupolas is operated by compressed air. The works includes a pattern shop and forge de- partment.

In 1908 this foundry was purchased by Joseph Her- ron and is operated now by Campbell D. Herron and Samuel C. Webb.

Monongahela River Consolidated Coal and Coke Com- panies' shops-J. W. Downer established a foundry in 1872. The plant at after times was operated by the following firms: Hindman, Downer & Lecky; Hindman, Morrison & Co .; Morrison & Co., and W. H. Morrison and T. H. Pollock. In 1881 Capt. R. R. Abrams was admitted to the firm, which then became Morrison, Abrams & Co. The firm then changed to Abrams & Robinson.

In 1893 J. R. Robinson purchased Mr. Abrams' interest and established the Robinson Machine Company. Soon after this he purchased the present site and erected new buildings. On May 29, 1902, the foundry and machine shop were burned to the ground but have been replaced by much larger buildings. In 1907 the plant was sold at public sale to the Monongahela River Consolidated Coal and Coke Company, and used as the company's shops. About 150 men are employed.

BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF MONONGAHELA IN 1883

U.C.RISHER

SCENE ON MONONGAHELA RIVER

MONONGAHELA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL MONONGAHELA

MAIN STREET, MONONGAHELA

ALEXANDER BUILDING, MONONGAHELA

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Monongahela River Consolidated Coal and Coke Com- pany Saw and Planing Mill-The Valley Saw and Planing Mill was originally built in 1850 by William and Joseph Brown. In 1851 Joseph purchased the interest of William and in 1854 Kiddoo & Pollock assumed con- trol. The interest of Mr. Pollock was bought out by David Moore. The building was destroyed by fire in 1858 and a new one erected. In 1867 the plant was pur- chased by John Blythe, Charles E. Beach, James Neel and E. A. Foster. The mill was burned again in 1875 and a new one erected. Afterwards at different times the firm was changed to Foster, Blythe & Neel, and Neel, Blythe & Co. This mill his been purchased by the Monongahela River Consolidated Coal & Coke Company and is used for building coal barges. The company has two docks, one at Catsburg and the one at the foot of Fifth street.

The Monongahela Clay Manufacturing Company is sit- uated on Pigeon Creek and the Ellsworth Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, not far from Monongahela City. The works were built in 1902 and H. B. Simpson became superintendent.

The material from which the bricks are made is ob- tained from the hill at this point. It is sifted, tempered with water and cut into desired lengths by machinery. The bricks are placed on trucks and dried in tunnels. There are ten of the tunnels each having a capacity for 7,000 bricks which are heated by natural gas.

The works have both square and round kilns, the lat- ter being thirty feet in diameter and each holds 90,000 bricks. The capacity of the works is 70,000 bricks per day. These are of a superior grade owing to the ma- terial used and to the treatment, and are practically nonabsorbent.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 99

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