History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1, Part 35

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904; Hungerford, Austin N., joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Richards
Number of Pages: 948


USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 35
USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 35


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).


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Margaret Wilson


Charles Kramer.


Charles Davis ..


Charles L. Hutter


3


James llall


2


Daniel Fried ..


5


Walter C. Livingston.


5


Michacl Schueider, Jr.


5


Jacob Newhard


5


Christian F. Beitel


Abraham Horn ..


1


Abrabun Newhurd.


William Eckert.


5


Peter Newhard


5


William Ginkinger.


1


Daniel Zeller.


4


Jacob Newhard.


Charles A. Gross.


2


Jouns Kuntz.


2


John Wilson.


3


Selfridge & Wilson


5 Benjamin Ludwig


3


William Fry


5 John Ealrr .....


Charles Seagreaves


0


Androw htdass


10


Juhu & Gibons.


Charles Hutter


Moses Horn ..


1


1


Christian Boobst


5 Jobin F. Ruhe.


Inonard Nagle


2 Moses llorn


2


Andrew Klotz


John Giltuer.


2


Houry Ebner & Co. 5


20


John Spangenberg.


3


Keck & Saeger


5


Jacob Slein


Jonas Smith ...


Jonas Knut%.


1


Joseph Weiss


3


Selfridge & Wilson ..


5


Jolin B. Moser.


1


John Miller 20


Frederick Heineman. 5


Charles Davis


2


Jacob Stern


5


Godfrey and Christian Prelz. 10


Jehin D. Roney


5


Nicholas Sneger.


5


Abraham Rinker.


2 Joseph Fry ..


Andrew Gangwero. 3


Corporation of borongh of


Northampton, by John J.


Kranse, burgoss. 500


4


The organization was known as the Northampton Water Company. The first election was held June 4, 1827, at the house of Michael Schneider, at which time and place five managers were chosen to serve for the ensuing year, viz. : Walter C. Livingston, John Miller (fuller), Peter Hoffinan, John Rice, and Charles HI. Martin. Subsequently Livingston was eliosen president and John Rice sceretary,-a faet whiel, taken in connection with their large ownership of stock, as indicated by the list, shows them to have been among the foremost men in pushing the water- works projeet to completion.


The company resolved to use the water from the clear and strong-flowing spring near the Little Lehigli, in the south part of town, owned by Abraham Wor- man, and sinee ealled the "Silver Spring," or " Chrys- tal Spring," and purchased the site from the owner. Pumping-works were ereeted where the present ones are, and a reservoir constructed where those now in use are located. The pumping was done by water- power, the stream of the Little Lehigh driving a breast-wheel which communicated the power to the pumps, and answered the purpose very well until the growth of the town made more thorough arrange- ments necessary. This work was accomplished in 1828-29,' and pipes laid along Hamilton Street to Fifth. The number of shares subseribed for had in the mean time been augmented, and in 1829 there were one thousand and forty-one, making the stock of the company ten thousand four hundred and ten dollars. The deed from Abraham Worman to the company giving them the right " to enter and dig across his premises a trench to the large spring near his dwell- ing," and to use the water from it, was not signed until March 19, 1831. On the 30th of April, of the same year, Walter C. Livingston deeded to the Northi- ampton Water Company the lot of land "on which the reservoir or cistern had previously been eon- strueted," sixty by two hundred and thirty feet, on the north side of John Street (now Fountain), bounded on each side by an alley. Two other lots adjoining were sold to the company the same day by other per- sons.


From this time on, for ten or a dozen years, the affairs of the company progressed smoothly and satis- factorily, though slowly. The pipes were slowly ex- tended on Seventh, Sixth, and Fifth Streets as there was demand for them, but in other respects very little was done in the direction of improving the effective- ness of the works. In 1839 the president was Peter Newhard, and the secretary John Eckert. In 1841 the capital stock paid in was sixteen thousand two hundred and seventy-one dollars, and the water-rents amounted to one thousand and sixty dollars and forty-


! The records of the Northampion Water Company for the years prior to 1841 having been destroyed, with The exception of one book giving the list of original stockholders, it is fuqtossible to make an exact aud detailed statement concerning the eniliest period of the company's his.


tory.


Jolin Eckort.


5


Walter C. Livingston and John Rice. 100 20 10


llenry King and John Rico ....


John Strassburger ..


2


llonry Weaver ..


Henry Reichart.


5


Timothy Geidner 2


Peler Rhonds 5


5


unge Habetacker


5 . John W. Jungkurth.


George Kock


5


Jolin Sunth.


2 1


Andrew Gangwere


9 Charles Kramer,


Michael D. Eberhart


Lonis Schmidt. 5


Peter Newhard


3


Charles H. Martin .. 10


Gangwere & Schaller. 10


Jacob Saeger 10


Walter C. Livingston $25


Frederick Ilyneman


5


Bernhart Reese ..


50


1


4


Martin Schwenk


10 5


Conrad Knerr, John Bogart, commissioners of Lehigh County


1


William W. Weaver.


John J. Krause. 5


138


HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.


four cents. About this time it became necessary to inerease the reservoir capacity of the works, and a new cistern was dug. It proved, however, to be in poor ground, and leaked so badly that it was of little use. In May, 1843, the then secretary of the com- pany, A. L. Ruhe, was instructed to bring Charles D. Bishop, a civil engineer of Bethlehem, to the ground, and to obtain his opinion as to whether it was best to attempt the mending of the new or to rebuild the old. He gave his opinion in favor of the latter, and it was rebuilt at a cost of eight hundred and thirteen dollars.


A short time prior to 1830, the town having in- creased considerably in population, and the company having extended its pipes to a largely increased number of houses, found that it could not, with the facilities it possessed, furnish a sufficient water-sup- ply. This occasioned great dissatisfaction to the con- sumers and the people generally, and for the next two or three years constant complaints were made, and various measures resorted to with a view of forcing the company to increase its power and afford a eon- stant and adequate supply of water. The first of these eoereive steps was a movement to form a new company,-a project which was seriously considered by only a few people, except as a stimulus to the spirit of the old company, although the plan of bringing water from the Lehigh Mountain by gravity was talked of by some. A charter for the Allentown Water Company was granted Jan. 29, 1850, the com- missioners named in the act being Jacob Bitz, Charles Seagreaves, Jacob Miller, Thomas Weaver, Jesse Samuels, John Appel, Peter Troxell, and Henry Reichart. The Water Company was not in the best of circumstances financially at this time. It had just bought (in 1850) the spring property and lands ad- joining from Henry King for six thousand three hun- dred and fifteen dollars, and although a portion of the lands had been resold (to Weaver and Ludwig), it was in debt for about one-third of the amount of pur- chase, and dividends had not been large or frequent. Hence, although the company doubtless saw the ne- cessity of making improvements, and was willing and oven anxious to make them, nothing was immediately done. In 1851 it was shown that the number of shares issned had been seventeen hundred and uine- teen, and that the amount of stock was seventeen thousand one hundred and ninety dollars. But the works had cost after that time thirty-seven thousand nine hundred and seventy-four dollars, or over twenty thousand dollars more than the stock amounted to. It was proposed that stock should be issued to the full amount, and that measure was carried out not long after. On April 3, 1852, citizens assembled in a public meeting, of which R. E. Wright was president, denounced the Northampton Water Company for its failure to regularly supply sufficient water, and passed resolutions censuring the officers for mismanagement. Subsequently a committee, consisting of Jesse Sam- uels, John B. Moser, and Charles S. Bush, was ap-


pointed, with instructions to proceed against the com- pany, and to effect a forfeiture of its charter. Just what was done by this committee is not at this time known. It is sufficient to say that the charter was not forfeited, and that under a new board of managers, elected May 11, 1852, and consisting of John Eckert. Michael D. Eberhard, Joseph Weaver, and John Diefenderfer, steps were taken which resulted in the improvement of the works and the removal of dis- satisfaction. In September, 1852, two half-lots near the reservoir were purchased from Simon Schweitzer for four hundred dollars, as a step preliminary to in- creasing the capacity of the works. On September 15th it was moved in the board meeting that, as the water-power, foreing pumps, reservoir, ete., were in- adequate, a committee be appointed to buy the mills on the Little Lehigh, with a view of increasing the former. These mills were the property respectively of G. C. Von Tagen, of Philadelphia, and A. A. & J. D. Wagner. The committee, consisting of Lewis Schmidt, Joseph Weaver, Michael D. Eberhard, and Jolm Diefenderfer, found that the Von Tagen mill could be purchased for ten thousand dollars, and the Wagner mill for seven thousand dollars. They re- ported in October to the stockholders, who approved of the purchase, and it was accordingly made. The mills were then let to Joseph Dietrich for one thon- sand aud fifty dollars per year, with the special pro- viso in the lease that the water was never to be drawn off below a line six inches from the top of the dam, that sufficient might always be left to run the pump- ing machinery of the water-works. In December, 1852, it was decided to build a new reservoir, thirty- six by one hundred feet. A special act of the Legis- lature authorizing the company to borrow twenty-five thousand dollars for the purpose of carrying out these and other measures was passed Jan. 19, 1853. The several improvements were accomplished, and the enlarged capacity of the works proved generally very satisfactory. A new water-wheel and pump were put in operation in 1856, and what was called the water- house was built about the same time.


It was not until 1855 that the name of the organi- zation was changed, by special act of the Legislature, from the Northampton to the Allentown Water Com- pany, although the name of the borough had been changed seventeen years before.


In 1866 the company sold the mill property to Henry and Joshua Schuurman, and in the following year sold the spring property to Peter Berndt and Edwin K. Crader for ten thousand dollars, reserving, of course, the right of using the water.


In 1869 the water-works passed into the possession of the city. The works had been offered by the com- pany during the winter of 1868-69, and at the spring election, the question being left to the votera, they de- cided, by a large majority, that the Councils should purchase the property. On April 13th the board of managers, in view of the fact that the Councils had


139


THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN.


been anthorized to accept the works of the company under the provision of the charter, appointed their president, Joseph Weaver, and secretary, W. H. Blu- mer, as a committee to negotiate with a committee from Councils. The latter, a joint committee of Select and Conmon Couneils, J. P. Barnes and A. M. Kee, conferred with the water company's commit- tee (in which C. E. Christ had been substituted for Josepli Weaver), and they made report that they had agreed upon the following :


" That the said Water Company agree to pay the interest in full on all their outstanding bonds up to Jan. 1, 1870, and they have the said bonds extended for a lerm of ten years from that date, with interest payable semi-annually on the first days of July and Jannary ; that they negoti- ate The Water Company's stock, with the consent of the owners, into a six per cent. city loan for a favorable term of years, with interest from April 1, 1870, payable semi-annually. They pay all the debts of the Water Company owing or contracted for, in fuel, up to July 1, 1869, and turn over said water-works, with all its rights, titles, privileges, or ap- partenances whatsoever belonging thereto, as soon as necessary arrange- ments can be completed to do so, to the city authorities. The city to pay all the expense incurred in carrying on said water-works from and after July Ist next (1869), and receive all moneys due from und after that date, except for munual resident water permits, now in the hands of the managers of the Water Company."


The works, on becoming the property of the city, were placed under the general management of a joint committee of Couneils, consisting of Jesse M. Line and Joseph Weaver, of the Select, and J. P. Barnes, William Egge, and F. C. Heebner, of the Connon branch. Charles E. Christ was made superintendent. a water commission, consisting of J. W. Grubb, John R. Sholl, Peter Brow, and John Stetler. R. A. Thayer was superintendent from March 9, 1875, to April 7, 1879, when he gave place to the present in- cumbent, S. S. Thompson.


used except when the stream is in such condition as to make it necessary.


The great spring from which the city is supplied, it is estimated, is capable of supplying a city of one hundred thousand population. The pipe connecting it with the pumping works delivers one million gal- lons daily at the latter, and the volume of the crystal flood which runs unused from the spring into the Little Lehigh is sufficient to turn a large overshot wheel. The spring is one of the most beautiful and copious in the country, and the water is absolutely pure.


Fire Matters-The First Parade in Allentown - The Department under the City Government .- The first action of the authorities concerning protec- tion against fire was an ordinance passed by the Town Council July 15, 1811, directing " the street com- missioner to provide fire-ladders for the Borough of Northampton," one to be thirty and the other twenty feet long ; and the next action of which there is any record was an ordinance passed Jan. 2, 1816, "to prohibit the misuse of fire-ladders, hooks, and other property of the corporation." The first engine was purchased in 1820, and an entry in the county commissioners' records shows that they paid in that year for " fire-engine and buckets" the sum of five hundred and twenty-four dollars. The Friendship or Northampton Company, which was the first in


In 1875 the works were placed in the management of ; town, was doubtless organized at that time and took charge of the engine. There is no record of the Lehigh Hose Company, afterwards an engine com- . pany, until 1830. A hose-wagon was bought by the Council in that year. On May 7, 1836, the Council resolved "that a joint committee, to consist of one


Under the city management the water-works have : member of the Lehigh Fire Company, one mem- been made more effective and reliable than ever be- ' ber of the hose company, and one member of the fore, and are very justly the pride of the community .. Friendship Fire Company, be appointed to procure, The supply of water having sometimes run low in. "on the credit of the borough, four hundred feet of


summer, when the droughts reduced the stream relied on for pumping power, it was decided to introduce steam, and that work was accomplished in the winter of ISSO-SI. The engine and attachments were put in by William F. Moser & Co., of this city, at a cost s appointed consisted of George Keck, of the Lehigh,


slightly exceeding six thousand dollars. Since this improvement was made the works have been ample , of the hose company.


hose, four axes (two for each engine company), to have one goose-neck for the Lehigh Company, and to have the engine-house of the Friendship Company repaired as they deem necessary." The committee William Boas, of the Friendship, and Joseph Weiss,


in capacity for the needs of the city, and have given In June, 1837, a petition was presented to the Couneil by " the Northampton Friendship Fire Con- pany" praying for a new engine. Although the bor- ough records make no exhibit of future action, it is probable that the prayer was granted the following year, for the county records show that in 1838 an ap- propriation of one hundred dollars was allowed the borough of Northampton for purchasing an engine. About this time the Humane Company was organized, and they received a new engine, doubtless the one for which the appropriation was allowed. In the Bulletin of Aug. 22, 1838, the officers of the company, Joseph F. Newhard, president, and A. P. Rhoads, perfect satisfaction. The total cost of the works to the present has been, in round figures, one hundred and ninety-five thousand dollars. There are now twenty-six miles of water-pipes in the city, one hun- dred fire-hydrants, and three thousand hydrants for families. The two reservoirs hold an aggregate of four hundred and ten thousand two hundred and forty-one gallons. The pumping machinery has a capacity of nine hundred and twelve gallons per minute, or about one million three hundred and eleven thousand eight hundred and eighty gallons per day of twenty-four hours. The pumps are not run, however, continuously, and steam-power is not . secretary, published a card thanking their fellow-


140


HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.


citizens for the kind and flattering reception they were accorded on the occasion of the introduction of their new engine. R. F. Smith was the secretary of the Northampton or Friendship Company at this time, as the Bulletin files show, and Eli J. Saeger was president of the Lehigh in 1840, while Benjamin Hagenbuch was vice-president, Ephraim Grim secre- tary, and Charles L. Geitner treasurer.


,The first firemen's parade in Allentown was made upon Aug. 26, 1843, Maj. Strauss acting as chief mar- shal. The hose company, the Friendship, the Le- high, and the Humane were all ont in force. Each of the engines was drawn by four horses, and the horses and engines were richly decorated with laurel, evergreen wreaths, and flowers. After the parade the companies indulged in a " cold-water fight" on the square, in which nearly all of the men received a drenching. The prominent men of the companies then included the following : The hose company, Joseph Weiss, James Hartman, and Jonathan Rei- chard; the Friendship, F. Samuels, M. S. Young, and Thomas Seip; the Lehigh, J. W. Wilson, E. L. Newhard, and Benjamin Hagenbuch ; the Humane, Joseph Young, R. Strauss, R. E. Wright, and J. F. Newhard. These men served as committees of their respective companies in arranging the parade.


The first hook-and-ladder company was organized in 1843, chiefly through the instrumentality of Ben- jamin Hagenbuch.


The old companies have all passed out of existence and others have taken their places. The Good Will was organized June 27, 1850, and received the engine formerly owned by the Humane, which in later years passed into the possession of the Slatington company. Tilghman H. Good was the first president of the Good Will. This company obtained the first steamer used in the town in 1865, the company paying two thousand five hundred dollars and the borough a like amount. The present one-a Silsby rotary engine- was bought in 1876, the company paying eight hun- dred dollars of the sum which it cost. The Good Will was incorporated in 1868. Its house was built ! by the city in 1870.


The Columbia, which was the successor of the Friendship, was organized Fee. 13, 1853, when Joseph F. Newhard was elected president, James W. Wilson secretary, and William H. Blumer treasurer. A hand-engine and hose-carriage were bought in 1854, and the steamer now owned by the company, the second in town, on April 7, 1866. The house was built in 1854-55, and the third and fourth floors have been added since. The steamer, which is a first-class Silsby, cost six thousand dollars, of which amount the company paid three thousand five hun- dred dollars, which was raised by subscription and a fair


The America Hose Company, which is a descend- ant of the Lehigh through the Young America and the Eagle, was organized in 1864, James Hausman


being elected the first president. Its house was built in 1870.


The Liberty was organized with forty members, John W. Sepp, president, Sept. 20, 1869. Its house was built two years later, and the steamer purchased in the intervening time.


The Hibernia Hose Company, of the Sixth Ward, was organized in 1871, and the Allen Fire-Engine Company, of the First Ward, about the same time, though it did not receive the fine Amoskeag steamer now in its custody until 1882. The Reserve Hook- and-Ladder Company came into existence in 1881.


On Feb. 9, 1870, the various companies were brought under -the present collective organization as a city department. Simon P. Snyder, who had been chief under the old organization, was the first under the new. W. K. Ruhe was elected in 1872, and served until 1875, making in 1873 the first report to the mayor and Councils that was ever compiled for this depart- ment. Jacob S. Reninger became chief in 1875, and served till 1878, when the present incumbent, John P. Dillinger, assumed the duties of the office. The Fire Department has been brought to a high degree of effectiveness under his management. The depart- ment is partly paid and partly volunteer. It consists of one chief, seven assistant chiefs, four foremen of steamer companies, four assistant foremen of steamer companies, two foremen of hose companies, two as- sistant foremen of hose companies, one foreman of hook-and-ladder company, one assistant foreman of hook-and-ladder company, four engineers of steamers, four drivers of steamers, five hundred and sixty active members. The officers, besides Chief Dillinger, are : First Assistant, George F. Missimer, America, No. 2; Second Assistant, Henry J. Ritter, Good Will, No. 3; Third Assistant, Walter E. Schwartz, Columbia, No. 4; Fourth Assistant, George 3. Kline, Liberty, No. 5 ; Fifth Assistant, Dennis D. Shields, Hibernia, No. 6; Sixth Assistant, Henry Yhuelon, Allen, No. 7 ; Seventh Assistant, George F. Reinhard, Rescue, No. 8.


Ameriea Hose Company, No. 2, is located in a three- story brick building at No. 16 South Sixth Street. Two four-wheel hose-carriages, one hundred and two members, with the following officers : President, Jacob S. Reninger; Secretary, Charles Weisbach ; Foreman, Henry Wetherhold ; Assistant. Foreman, Charles Ilillegas.


Good Will Fire Company, No. 8, is now located in a three-story brick building at the corner of Eighth and Maple Streets. Silsby steamer and a one-horse hose- carriage. It has ninety-one members, with the fol- lowing officers : President, Arthur G. Dewalt; Seere- tary, John P. Dillinger; Foreman, Harry Young ; Assistant Foreman, H. F. Longnecker.


Columbia Fire Company, No. 4, was organized in 1852, and is located at No. 714 Hamilton Street, in a four-story brick building. Silsby steamer and a one- horse hose-carriage. Sixty members, with the follow-


141


THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN.


ing officers : President, Henry J. Stuber ; Secretary, Franklin J. Strachley ; Foreman, Amandes D. Burger, Assistant Foreman, John Hoffert.


Liberty Fire Company, No. 5, is located in a two- story brick building, No. 713 Chew Street. Silsby steamer and a four-wheeled hose-carriage. One hun- ' dred and ten members, with the following officers: . from 1800 to 1815 was James Wilson, who was located President, H. D. Frankinfield; Secretary, George J. Kline; Foreman, Henry Hillegas; First Assistant Foreman, George W. Weiss; Second Assistant Fore- man, E. H. Baum. on the southeast corner of the Square and Seventh Street. He was succeeded by Selfridge & Wilson, who continued business until 1845. Other merchants prior to 1820 were John Haines, who built a fine stone Hibernia Hose Company, No. 6, is located in a two- story brick building, No. 631 Ridge road. Four- | Streets, and occupied it as a store for a number of years ; wheeled hose-carriage. Sixty-five members, with the following officers: President, Patrick Condon ; Secre- tary, Jolm J. Hanlon ; Foreman, Hugh MeCauley ; Assistant Foreman, Francis Murray. honse on the southeast corner of Hamilton and Seventh Charles Desliler, Spangenberg & Gangwere, on South Seventh Street; and William Eckert, ou the west side of Seventh Street, near Union. Deshler was succeeded by his son-in-law, William Boas. The first hardware Allen Fire Company, No. 7, is located in a two- story brick building, No. 132 Linden Street. Amos- keag steamer and a four-wheeled hose-carriage. Sixty- four members, with the following officers : President, Henry Yhuelon ; Secretary, E. J. Lumley ; Foreman, James Butz; Assistant Foreman, John F. Gibbons. store was opened by Peter Newhard, who was after- wards a member of Congress. The first apothecary was John Frederick Ruhe, whose store was opened soon after his eoming here and prior to 1800. He was a native of Germany, but learned the business of compounding drugs in London, at the house of the --- king's apothecary. He was succeeded by Ludwig


Reseue Hook-and-Ladder Company, No. 8, has a frame building on Hall Street above Hamilton. The : Schmidt. number of active members is fifty ; officers: President, John D. Uhrich ; Secretary, James W. Crader ; Fore- man, O. G. Beisel; Assistant Foreman, Thomas F. Knouse.




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