Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 12

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930


USA > Pennsylvania > Indiana County > Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I > Part 12


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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About ten years ago the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railway Company built a road In 1912 the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- from Punxsutawney down the Big Mahoning pany completed a road from Vintondale up


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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


Blackliek creek by way of the Red Mill, White Susquehanna completed its line from Juneau Mill, to Colver and thence to Pine Flats.


After a long delay the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroad Companies com- pleted the road from Cherrytree to Clymer in November, 1905. Shortly afterwards the rails were laid np Dixon's run to Dixonville, a dis- tance of three miles, and down Twolick creek to Sample run, a distance of a mile and a half.


A peculiar coincidence in railroad building in the county is the fact that the Buffalo and


on the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg to Wallopsburg by way of Covode and Plumville to Wallopsburg at the same time.


In April, 1905, the New York Central and Pennsylvania completed the railroad to Heil- wood, the new coal town on Yellow creek, by way of Pine Flats. The New York Central and Pennsylvania Companies both run daily passenger trains from Cherrytree to Heilwood, Clymer and Dixonville.


CHAPTER V ROADS


THE FIRST ROAD


After the close of the Revolution the Gen- eral Assembly of Pennsylvania, by act of March 29, 1787, directed that commissioners should be appointed to survey a highway over the Allegheny Mountains between the waters of the Frankstown branch of the Juniata river and the Conemaugh river. By the same act the commissioners, having surveyed the pro- posed road, were further directed to trace the course of another road, beginning at the termination of the first mentioned road, and leading along "the left bank of the Cone- mangh" to that point "where the river began to be navigable, at all seasons." Down to this time communication between the Juniata and the Conemangh valleys had been maintained by bridle paths. The commissioners were ap- the survey they had made was confirmed by the Council of the Commonwealth, the Con- stitution of 1776 being still in force. On Sept. 25, 1788. the opening of both roads was con- tracted for by Robert Galbraith, then the pro- thonotary of Bedford county. The contract was for the whole length of road from Franks- town, now in Blair county, to the point where the Conemangh "began to be navigable at all points." This point was seventy miles east of Pittsburg by water. On Jan. 4, 1790. Mr. Galbraith wrote to the Council that, agreeably to contract, he had opened the road from Frankstown to the month of Blackliek creek. The Blackliek enters the Conemangh from the north, a short distance below Blairsville. At its mouth there once stood a small town called Newport. A ferry connected Newport with the opposite side of the Conemaugh in West-


moreland county. The Frankstown road was subsequently, about 1791, extended by way of this ferry to Pittsburg, and its name is re- tained in Frankstown avenue of that city. It crossed the Alleghenies through Blair's Gap in Blair county and through the central part of Cambria county near Ebensburg, thence passing through Armagh and north of Blairsville to its terminus at the mouth of Blacklick creek. This was the original Frankstown road. It was a thoroughfare con- necting the eastern and western parts of Penn- sylvama. It was succeeded early in the nineteenth century by the so-called Northern turnpike, which was otherwise known as the Huntingdon turnpike.


In the early days the cost of transportation between the eastern and western parts of Pennsylvania by bridle paths, pioneer wagon pointed, and on Dec. 18, 1787, their report of roads, and turnpikes was a serious matter. "The good old times" were accompanied by great drawbacks and this was one of them. In Washington's diary of his trip to western Pennsylvania in 1784 he says, speaking of Pennsylvama: "There are in that State at least 100,000 souls west of the Laurel Hill who are groaning under the inconvenience of a long land transportation." In 1784 the freight rate from Philadelphia to Pittsburg was 1215 cents per pound, while in 1786 a rate of $10.50 per hundred weight (112 pounds) was charged for the same distance. In 1803 the charge for hauling most articles of merchandise from Philadelphia to Pitts- burg was $5 per hundred.


In 1817 it still cost $100 to move a ton of freight from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company now per- forms the same service for a few dollars.


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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


About 1890 an old gentleman who had been a such a dash of liveliness about the very merchant wrote to George B. Roberts, then thought of it that it awakens our interest. It president of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- was truly the life of the turnpike. Dashing along at a gallop, the four horses attached to the coach formed quite a marked contrast to the slow-plodding teams drawing the big wag- ons. Then there was something of more than ordinary interest about the coach itself and the passengers as well." The driver invari- ably carried a horn with a very high pitched tone, which he winded at the brow of the last hill to signalize his approach. pany, as follows: "Before any canal was made I shipped eight hundred barrels of flour one winter from Pittsburg to Philadelphia by wagon, the freight on which was $2,400, being $3 per barrel. That was called back loading (Conestoga wagons, six horses, and bells). My first load of goods, sixty years past, cost $4 per hundred pounds from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. Having handled Uncle Sam's mail bags for over sixty-one years consecutively I have taken two bushels of oats, or four pounds of butter, or five dozen of eggs, or two bushels of potatoes, for a letter that came 400 or more miles." Those were the days when it was not required that postage should be prepaid and when the rates were high.


After communication between Philadelphia and Pittsburg had been opened by means of roads and turnpikes, so that wagons and other vehicles could pass over them with reasonable speed, lines of stagecoaches were established for the conveyance of passengers and for car- rying the mail between the two cities and in- termediate points. Ringwalt says : "For many years two great lines of coaches run be- tween Pittsburg and Philadelphia starting daily; the 350 odd miles between the two cities were passed over in about three days, that is, if the roads were in very good con- dition, but more time was usually required. Every twelve miles a change of horses was made, and quickly. No time was lost and no rest was given to the traveler. The fare on the coach from city to city varied somewhat, as did the condition the roads were in, or as the rival lines cut the closest on prices. A through pass ticket from Pittsburg to Phila- delphia was all the way from $14 to $20, which in those days meant more than the same does now. There were special rates to emigrants, but they were brought west in covered wagons, and not on the regular coaches.


"For twenty-five years emigrant travel accompanied by two men, and all of them car- formed a big portion of the business along the ried their own bedding, which was spread out in the chimney-place in the winter. turnpike. It was mostly from Baltimore, on the bar room floor before a huge log fire thousands of emigrants landing there, and en- gaging passage to the West through com- The drover was "the man on horseback" of panies engaged in that business alone." Egle his day. He was a person of consequence. says that in August, 1804, the first through line of coaches from Philadelphia to Pittsburg was established.


Ringwalt further says: "The stagecoach feature of the old turnpike is something with night."


After the National road and the turnpikes had been built in Pennsylvania, a large busi- ness was done for many years, and until about the middle of the last century, in driving cat- tle, horses, sheep and hogs from the interior and western parts of Pennsylvania, and even from Ohio, to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and other eastern markets. The clouds of dust raised by the droves, the long lines of Con- estoga wagons united to make the thorough- fares of that day real arteries of commerce, which should not be lightly considered in comparison with the more expeditious trans- portation facilities of the present day.


There were stagehouses or hotels placed all along the turnpikes. Here passengers secured a hasty meal while change of horses was made, and the present generation cannot realize the . commotion that was caused by the rival lines with horns blowing, streamers flying and horses on the full run. Sometimes as many as thirty stages stopped at one of these hotels in a single day. Most of them were drawn by four horses, but in climbing the mountains six were frequently used. For the accommo- dation of wagons and drovers the roadhouses, with large wagon yards, averaged one for every two miles along the road. These were built especially for the purpose and consisted principally of a large kitchen, dining room, and very large bar room, the latter also serv- ing as a lodging room for wagoners and dro- vers. Six and eight-horse teams were usually


But he has departed. And the old stage drivers and wagoners! To-day they are scarcely to be found, "most of them having thrown down the reins and put up for the


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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


THE MAIL STAGE


In July, 1827, in the " American," we find the following regarding the stage route from Ebensburg to Butler, via Indiana and Kit- tanning: "The subscriber having become the proprietor of the line of stages, respectfully informs the public that he has provided him- self with new stages, excellent horses, and careful drivers; and is in all respects, fully prepared to render entire satisfaction to those who may patronize his line. Leaves Ebens- burg every Thursday at ten o'clock A. M., after the arrival of the Harrisburg and Pitts- burg stage, and arrives at Butler, on Satur- day, at ten o'clock A. M. before the arrival of the Pittsburg and Erie stage at that place ; so that passengers going in the direction of Erie can have a passage in that stage. Re- turning leaving Butler every Sunday, at eleven o'clock A. M. after the arrival of the stage from Erie, and arrive in Ebensburg every Tuesday at six P. M .; from which place passengers going eastward can take the stage the next morning.


"Passengers coming in this line as far as Indiana who may wish to visit Blairsville or Greensburg can, at all times be furnished with a conveyance to either of those places.


"LEONARD SHRYOCK."


These stage wagons were driven by four horses. The rate from Ebensburg to Butler was $3.75; from Butler to Kittanning, $1.25; from Kittanning to Indiana, $1.25; from In- diana to Ebensburg, $1.25. Way passengers were charged 6 cents per mile.


STATE ROADS


1810 .- The road from Milesburg, Center county, to Leboeuf, Erie county, was located in 1810, and passed through the northeast corner of the county. The survey is dated Nov. 24, 1810. The commissioners were : Francis MeEwen, John Maxwell and Joseph Moorhead, of Indiana county. In the same year a road was surveyed from Indiana to in- tersect this road.


1818-An act passed the Assembly in 1817 for the location and survey of a road from Bedford, Bedford county, to Franklin, Ven- ango county. The road was located and sur- veyed in 1818, and passed through Armagh, Indiana and other points in this county. The distance of this route was one hundred and twenty-eight miles. The commissioners were :


A. McCalmont, Venango county ; Isaac Proc- tor and Daniel Stanard, Indiana.


1825-The "Old State Road" was located from Philipsburg, Center county, via Indiana to Pittsburg in 1825. The survey is dated April 11, 1825. The commissioners were: J. B. Shugert, John Taylor, of Indiana, and A. B. Reed.


1826-The road from Ligonier to Blairs- ville, and thence to Indiana, was located and surveyed in 1826.


1838-The "New State Road" was located from Curwensville, Clearfield county, to East Liberty, Allegheny county, or as surveyed by Meek Kelly in 1838. The commissioners were: Alexander Patterson, William McCuthin and Moses Boggs.


1842-The road from Cherrytree to inter- sect the Waterford and Susquehanna turn- pike was surveyed by David Peelor in 1842, the distance being fifty-five and a half miles. The viewers were Robert Woodward, Henry Trease, Peter Clover, John Sloan, Jr .; John Decker and Heth F. Camp.


EARLY COUNTY ROADS AND ROAD VIEWERS


At March sessions, 1807, petitions were pre- sented for roads; from Clark's mill to Indi- ana, from Rodgers' mill to Indiana, from Cam- bria county line to Armstrong county line, from Ann Sharp's to the county line, from Elder's Ford at Conemaugh river to M'Kee's mill near McFarlan's mill. John Robinson, Wm. Cummins, Alex. Lyons, John Mitchell, Thomas Allison and Chr. Harrold, viewers.


At September sessions, John M'Cready. Michael Campbell, James Gordon, Samuel Dickson, Daniel Smith and James Caldwell were appointed to examine a route from New- port to Indiana and report at the ensuing session.


Thomas Sanderson, John M'Crea, Robert Kelly, Michael Campbell, Adam Altman and Francis Boals, were appointed to view and locate a road from Campbell's mill on Black- liek to Empfield's mill on Yellow creek.


Alex. Taylor, Alex. Lyons, Christian Roof. Daniel Smith, Samuel Dixon and George Ran- kin were appointed to make a view of a road from Barr's store on Chestnut Ridge to in- tersect the road from Gen. Campbell's mill to Sloan's Ferry.


Thomas Benson, Benjamin Walker, Joseph Moorhead, Samuel M'Nitt, David M'Cul- lough and Alex. Taylor were appointed to view a road from Indiana to the road from Woodward's to Bolar's.


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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


Wm. P. Brady, Joshua Pearce, John Thompson, Jr., John Parks, Wm. Work and Hugh Brady appointed to report on a road from Brady's mill on Little Mahoning to the contemplated West Branch road.


James M'Comb, Adam Thompson, Thomas Baird, James Matthews, Moses Thompson, Jr., and William Coleman appointed to report on a road from Conemaugh river opposite Port Johnston to Harden's branch, where it in- tersects the Indiana road.


REPORTS OF ROADS CONFIRMED .- From Isaac Rodger's mill to Indiana. From V William Clark's mill to Indiana. From Indiana to in- tersect at McFarlan's mill. From the Arm- strong county line to Brady's mill. From David Fulton's to Brady's mill. From New- port to intersect the Indiana road.


Thomas Allison, John Wilson, Thos. M'Cartney, David Cummins, Joseph Moor- head, and James Wilkins, Sr., were appointed to locate a road from Indiana to Allison's mill, on Yellow creek.


Wm. P. Brady, Thomas Lucas, Sam'l Scott, James M'Henry, Capt. Hugh Brady and James Johnston appointed to lay out a road from Joseph Barnett's on Redbank to Brady's mill.


Thomas Allison, Esq., Michael Hess, James M'Kee, Peter Sutton, Joseph Parker and James Moorhead appointed to report on a road from M'Kee's mill to Indiana.


PAY OF VIEWERS .- June 7, 1807, order is- sned to William Evans and Peter Gordon for assisting to view and lay out a road from David Fulton's to Brady's mill, $10. To liam Rankin and Robert Walker $1 each, for John Evans for services on same road, $6. To viewing and laying out road from Ann James Gordon, Samuel Dixon, Daniel Smith, Sharp's to Armstrong county line.


John M'Crady, and Michael Campbell, $2 each for viewing and laying out a road "from New- port to Indiana." To Matthew Wyncoop for


assisting in laying out the road from David Fulton's to Brady's mill, $5. To William Clark, Esq., William Parker, Moses Craw- ford and George Findley, for viewing and laying ont a road from Rodger's mill to In- diana, $3 each, and to William Lapsley and Thomas Sanderson, $1 each.


June 10th, 1807, To John Robertson, John Mitchell, and Alex. Lyons, for viewing and laying out road from McFarlan's mill to In- diana, $3 each. To John Work as one of the viewers of the road from David Fulton's to Brady's mill, $5. To Thomas Bracken, An- drew Wilkins, Sam'l Stevens, Benoni Wil- liams, $6 each, and to Joseph M'Cartney, Esq., $1, for viewing and laying out a road from William Clark's mill to Indiana. To Christopher Harrold for services on same road $2.


June 12th. 1807, To Joseph Moorhead, Esq., Benjamin Walker and James M'Knight, $6 each, for assisting in laying out a road from Cambria county line to Armstrong county line. To Gawin Adams $4 and Phillip Rice $3 for services on same road. To James Brady for services in laying out a road from Armstrong county line to Wm. P. Brady's mill, $5. John Jamison, assisting to make State road, $8.


June 15th, 1807, To Thomas M'Cartney for assisting in laying out the road from Cambria county line to Armstrong county line, $4. To Alexander Taylor $2, and Jacob Anthony, David M'Cullough, William Calhoun, Wil-


The foregoing appear to have been the first public roads laid out after the organization of the county.


CHAPTER VI


THE PENNSYLVANIA CANAL


The location of the Pennsylvania Canal was It was believed that the commerce already begun April 20, 1825, by Nathan S. Roberts, existing was an object sufficient to justify an engineer, and was completed Dec. 6, 1826, and placed under contract the same year. In- structions were given to have particular re- gard to economy in all things. Mr. Roberts estimated that it would be necessary to have one engineer at $3,000 per year and reason- able expenses; two assistant engineers, one at $3 per day and expenses, and one at $2 per day and expenses; two target men at $1.50 per day each and find himself; and two axe men, at $1 per day each and find himself. the undertaking proposed. But when the immense quantity of mineral and agricultural products, comparatively worthless, which a safe communication with a steady market would raise at once to their proper value, was taken into the account, the aggregate as above stated sinks into insignificance. It was ex- pected that the iron and coal trade of the Juniata, and the supply of salt, coal and iron of the Kiskiminetas. would increase in the same ratio. These things alone would afford the State a handsome revenue.


The general dimensions of the canal were fixed as follows: Width at the water line. 40 feet ; width at bottom, 28 feet, and depth, 4 feet. The locks were 15 feet wide and 90 feet in length in the chamber.


Governor Schultze in his message of 1826 favored the Pennsylvania Canal. He stated that the transportation by land from Phila- delphia to Pittsburg would be reduced twenty miles. The object of the Pennsylvania Canal was to develop the natural resources, and cherish the industry of the Commonwealth by bringing all its important sections as near as possible to a sure and profitable market.


At that time it was estimated that 578,160 bushels of salt, and 17,440 tons of iron, ar- rived annually at Pittsburg by land and water from distriets bordering on the Conemaugh and Kiskiminetas. The Transportation of goods by land, from Philadelphia and Balti- more to Pittsburg, amounted to 9,300 tons a year, for which $465,000 was paid; and the return transportation to these places was 5,300 tons. for which $132,500 was paid. The ag- gregate of this land transportation on 14,600 tons may be added to the tonnage already stated as existing on the Juniata and Kiskim- inetas. Nor did this estimate include the flour, whiskey and other produce which arrived at Pittsburg by land, and was carried by land from the neighborhood of the Juniata. The trade on the Juniata amounted yearly to $1,188,000.


Wm. Darlington, president, and James Me- Ilvane, secretary, reported Feb. 27, 1827, as follows :


"One view of this subject remains to be suggested, which is entitled to great weight with the intelligent and patriotic. The State of Pennsylvania has advantages of the highest grade ; and sources of wealth almost without a limit. But while the bounties of nature have flowed so copiously, the great principle in the order of Providence which calls for hu- man effort, in exact proportion to natural capability has been indelibly written on her mountains and her torrents. For want of such exertion the prosperity of Pennsylvania has comparatively languished, while a more enterprising neighbor has advanced with un- paralleled rapidity. Without artificial navi- gation, the citizen of Pennsylvania has been limited in his commerce to the course of a stream or has found in his mountains an im- passable barrier to a profitable market. Hence each section of country has had a different outlet, most of it beyond the borders of the State ; hence that wealth has been dissipated among strangers, which ought to be accumu- lated in emporiums of our own; and worse perhaps than all, a disunion of interest and of feeling has been created which is dangerous or enfeebling.


"The system proposed is deemed adequate to the remedy of all these evils. It will give


49


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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


scope to our natural resources, and to our modities from the Atlantic ports to the west- most valuable industry, and increased secur- ern waters. ity. It will unite all sections of the State by


the band of common interests and mutual de- pose of the committee to sustain, is that the pendence. It will insure our citizens the profits of our industry, and accumulate that wealth which industry and enterprise, com- bined with natural and artificial advantages, cannot fail to produce."


The committee appointed to make investi- gations regarding the advisability of making the Pennsylvania Canal reported as follows :


"The greatness of the commercial empo- rium, and the superiority of the market on the Delaware, contrasted with the seaport on the Chesapeake, or any of the seaports of the South, will always attract the western trade into the Pennsylvania Canals. This result cannot be prevented by New York, as our route will be shorter and less interrupted by ice. When besides this advantage we con- sider the superior productiveness of the coun- try through which the Pennsylvania Canal will flow; the fertile valleys of the Susque- hanna, in their present cultivation, sending annnally to the market products to the amount of nearly four millions of dollars; the ex- tent to which the manufacture of salt may be carried; the immense masses of coal; the beds of iron ore, the most precious of metals, and would be converted into all its ar- tificial forms; the new mineral wealth which would be discovered by means of the geological and mineralogical survey now contemplated; and when we further con- sider the numerous branch canals and auxil- iary railroads, which would soon be con- structed, it will be perceived that the tonnage on the Pennsylvania ronte will be of vast magnitude, and greater than that which will


"The next proposition which it is the pur-


contemplated improvements will enliven the great roads of the State, and render pro- ductive the vast amount of stock in turnpikes and bridges (which has been computed at ten millions of dollars), and of which the state owns more than two millions of dollars.


"A full development of our resources will give fertility and population to the barren dis- tricts, and spread agriculture, manufactures and commerce over the whole State, embrac- ing twenty-nine millions of acres. One of the results of this general prosperity will be an active intercourse between the various parts of our Commonwealth, and a vast increase upon the roads and bridges of those vehicles which pay toll without wearing out the road.


"In presenting general considerations in favor of the canal policy, the committee may be allowed to advert to the facilities it will hereafter afford for the construction of rail- ways. Many intelligent persons are of the opinion that from the immense field for pro- ductive industry and active labor presented by Pennsylvania and from the magnitude of future trade between the seaports of our State and the great growing country of the west, railroads will hereafter be constructed parallel to our canals."


The act to begin the Pennsylvania Canal at the expense of the State passed Feb. 25, 1826. In 1827 the State appropriated five millions of dollars for the Pennsylvania Canal. Jan. 30, 1827, George T. Olmstead, assistant en- gineer to Nathan S. Roberts, reported to the Legislature of the State as follows :


"The examination down the Conemaugh ever pass upon any other route between the and Kiskiminetas has been confined exclusively eastern and western waters. If then we as- sume that after the completion, the total of the tonnage of the descending trade will be 200,000 tons, which is but little more than the present tonnage of the Susquehanna; and if we compute the tolls at an average sum of one cent per ton a mile, for a mean distance of 300 miles, it will give an annual sum of $600,000. From which, if we make ample deductions of 20% for repairs and superin- tendency, say $120,000, there will be an an- nual revenne of $480,000. This sum will pay the interest on ten millions of dollars, for money can be secured from the banks at 41/2%. Besides it has been ascertained that more than one million of dollars have been paid for many years in succession, for carrying com- to the north bank of the river, and is com- paratively the best, particularly when taking into view the advantage of a southern expo- sure. The line has been located with a strict adherence to a canal navigation, and no in- surmountable obstacles have been found to prevent such location, notwithstanding im- provements by slackwater navigation would perhaps be advisable in some places. It has been suggested that an improvement of the river passing through Laurel Hill and Chest- nut Ridge would be the cheapest or best mode to pursue. There would be no serious ob- jection to a slackwater navigation past Laurel hill; the river has a descent of 32 feet to five miles, and could be overcome with two dams, while the Chestnut Ridge has a descent of 64




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