Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 83

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 83

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Mr. Sloan sold to Thomas Sutton and March 4. 1901, Edward Sutton and Mr. in a frame building on Sixth street in 1866. Steving formed a partnership known as Steving & Sutton, to do an undertaking. fur- niture, carpet and queensware business. On April 10, 1903, they dissolved partnership. and Mr. Steving continued the undertaking business.

On March 4, 1907, Silas Streams became a partner and the firm name was John F. Ste-

ving & Co. On July 10, 1907, they occupied the Young & Daugherty building. April 1, 1909, the firm name became Steving & Streams. In 1912 they built a three-story brick 26 by 110 feet at Nos. 721-723 Phila- delphia street. The building is up-to-date and is heated by the natural vapor heating system. They occupied the new building De- cember 10, 1912, and are engaged in the fur- niture and undertaking business.

II. H. Steving & Son .- H. H. Steving opened a furniture and undertaking store at No. 528 Water street in 1878. In 1890 he built the three-story frame on Sixth street, opposite the jail, and continued his business in this building until 1907. In 1888 he pur- chased the undertaking business of J. R. Daugherty, Sr. In 1906 Mr. Steving built a four-story brick building on Philadelphia street, where he has been located since 1907, engaged in the furniture and undertaking business and the sale of carpets, rugs and pianos. In 1914 he will add two stories to his new building.

Buchheit Brothers opened a furniture store in March, 1911, in the building for- merly occupied by L. Pattison, at No. 732 Philadelphia street. The firm is composed of E. C. Buchheit and H. J. Buchheit.

R. M. Smith conducts a wallpaper and art store at No. 561 Philadelphia street in the Weamer building. In 1888 Mr. Smith estab- lished a photograph gallery on the corner of Philadelphia and Ninth streets, and in 1893 moved to the Thomas building, where he had a photograph gallery and wallpaper store un- til 1908. Then he located in the Stadtmiller building. at No. 563 Philadelphia street, where he conducted a wallpaper store until 1912, at which time he came to his present location.

Job Met'reight in 1905 began to sell wall- paper on Sixth street, opposite the court- house, and in 1911 he purchased the wall- paper store of John A. Findley, on Philadel- phia street, in a one-story building just west of the Pennsylvania railroad. At present (1913) he conducts business at both places.

Godfrey Marshall opened a harness shop In 1870 he moved to his present location, No. 631 Philadelphia street. When purchased by Mr. Marshall the building was used as a hotel by Mr. McClain. It had a stone front. which Mr. Marshall replaced with a brick front when he remodeled the building, and there he still conducts his business. Mr. Marshall purchased the adjoining building on

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

the corner of Carpenter alley from the John Church and Ninth streets; George W. Plot- Sutton heirs. In the basement of this build- zer, Carpenter avenue. ing, known as the Marshall building, are a barber shop and a restaurant, and the first and second floors are occupied as office rooms by attorneys, insurance and real estate agents. In 1910 Mr. Marshall extended the building back to the alley, building a two-story brick which is fitted for storerooms on the first floor. The second floor is known as "Lyric Hall."

Cost Brothers .- Edward F. and William A. Cost are the successors of the Marshall Saddlery Company at No. 576 Philadelphia street, taking charge of the business Novem- ber 1, 1912. The Cost Brothers remodeled the building in 1913 by putting in a new front and adding a story. The Marshall Sad- dlery Company's business was started by Philip Marshall on the corner of Philadel- phia and Fifth streets, and in 1900 he located at No. 576 Philadelphia street, where he con- ducted his business until his death, in 1910. His son, Frank Marshall, took charge of the business in 1910, and conducted it until his death, in 1912.

John Barr has conducted a cigar store and pool room on Philadelphia street in the three-story brick building of J. T. Bell since the erection of the building in 1898.

W. S. Smathers, the florist, has been doing a good business since 1910 at No. 13 North Sixth street.

The Indiana Steam Laundry is located on Clymer avenue. Osman & McFarland are the proprietors at present, having succeeded M. Heddon, who formerly managed the business.

Isadore Fleegler, cleaning, dyeing and pressing, is located at No. 561 Philadelphia street in the building formerly occupied by Mr. Stadtmiller.

Grocers .- H. C. Snyder, W. C. Orr, George Walker & Co., J. J. Fiscus, Homer W. Koontz, and John Valaeti, all of West Philadelphia street; John Bath, Ira A. Myers, the Cun- ningham Company, John F. Clements, Sloan Brothers, H. H. Brilhart, W. H. Fenton, Hassinger Brothers, E. C. Clawson, John Zeman, Joseph Micciche and F. H. Learn, of Philadelphia street; Little Brothers, Oak street; William Ross, North Fifth street; Mc- Gregor Brothers, corner Sixth and Water streets; George Graff, Sixth street ; S. W. Gee- sey, South Sixth street ; A. C. Ferrier & Son, corner of Wayne and Seventh streets (Point Store) ; Shattack & McCoy, Wayne avenue; J. D. Hill, Oakland avenue; G. G. Compton & Son, Tenth street; A. W. Scott, corner

George T. Buchanan, Wholesale Grocer .- The wholesale grocery business owned and managed by George T. Buchanan is the largest commercial enterprise in Indiana county. The investment is considerably more than $100,000 and the annual sales a trifle less than a half million dollars. The mercantile tax paid for the privilege of doing business amounts to about two hundred dollars each year, and is by far the largest tax paid for this purpose in the county.

The wholesale grocery business is the out- come of the growing needs of our people, and is a matter of slow but sure development. Years ago, when the facilities for transpor- tation in the county were limited, a few large retail stores located in different parts of the county bought some lines of goods in large quantities, and divided their surplus with their neighboring merchants. This manner of handling merchandise was continued un- til 1902, when the time seemed ripe to estab- lish a strictly wholesale house. In this year a partnership was formed by Alexander Stewart, A. W. Mabon and John Bennett, who went into the wholesale grocery business under the name of Mabon, Bennett & Co., and conducted the same until the end of the year 1905, when the present owner formed a partnership with Mr. Bennett and bought the business of Mabon, Bennett & Co. The new firm under the name of Buchanan & Bennett then conducted the business until October, 1909, when Mr. Bennett retired.

From the beginning of the business its growth has been steady and sure, but it has been more rapid within recent years.

Mr. Buchanan is recognized by all familiar with the grocery trade as one of the most ca- pable grocers in western Pennsylvania. He has been connected with the trade in this line since 1887 and has mastered the business in all its details. He is a tireless worker, an en- thusiast, and at the same time a man of sound business judgment. He has the happy fac- ulty of recognizing ability in others and much of the success of his enterprise is due to the intelligent and loyal support of his coworkers. He never uses the word "em- ployee," but considers all actively connected with his organization as partners so far as their own department is concerned.

Following is the personnel of his force at this writing (September 3, 1913) : Office- Madge R. Lydick, credits and accounts, in present position since 1902; Mildred L. De-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Lancy, stenographer; wareroom-Frank B. floors, electric elevator and electric lights. McKee, manager, in present position since Three representatives soliciting from retail 1902; Earl L. Morton : Joseph Z. Corey; Wil- merchants cover Indiana county and part of liam Paul Buchanan ; trucking-Harvey S. Fails ; salesmen-James I. Henderson, in pres- ent position since 1908; Charles T. MeLaugh- lin, in present position since 1910; William N. Templeton, in present position since 1913.

In addition to the above a number of others have been connected with the business at various times, many of whom received such help and inspiration as to enable them to go into business for themselves and make a suc- cess.

The real estate is located on the corner of Church street and Railroad avenue, having a frontage on Church street of 100 feet and extending haek along the railroad 200 feet. A private railroad siding extends the entire length of the property.

The main building is 40 by 120 feet and three stories high. Three other buildings on the same lot are used for storage, and a ten- ant house nearby furnishes a home for the caretaker and watchman. All these buildings are kept well filled with merchandise and much is stored at times in public warehouses.

In addition to merchandise shipped from stock the house does a large business in "drop shipments," goods sold by the differ- ent salesmen and shipped direct from the manufacturer to the merchants, thus saving enormous expense in freight and extra labor.

Indiana is justly proud of this commercial enterprise and the merchants in the county have been loyal in their support. It is well for all that this spirit of mutual interest pre- vails, for it requires more than seventy dol- lars every business day for this house to pay salaries, expenses and dividends on the in- vestment.

The future of the business is bright and promising. The difficulties of establishing and promoting such an enterprise have been mostly overcome. and there seems to be no reason why this house should not only hold its present lead in Indiana county, but event- ually become one of the largest and strong- est commercial industries in western Penn- sylvania.

Jefferson, Armstrong, Cambria and West- moreland counties. The firm carries a full line of groceries, also dealing in produce. fruits, poultry, butter and eggs, selling about $1,000 worth per day. It opened for busi- ness January 13, 1913. There is a Pennsyl- vania railroad siding the full length of the west side of the building.

City Grocery, at No. 732 Philadelphia street, has been conducted by Ira Myers since 1904. He makes a specialty of the Premier line of groceries, which he purchases in New York City. He began the grocery business in the Gessler building on Philadelphia street, on the Pennsylvania.railroad, March 14, 1900, where he continued until he moved to the present location.

E. C. Clawson conducts a grocery store on East Philadelphia street in what is known as the A. M. Stewart property. Mr. Clawson opened a restaurant in Indiana in 1904, and conducted a successful business until April, 1912, when he went into the grocery business.

John F. Clements conducts a grocery store at No. 628 Philadelphia street, where he has been located since 1907. He first opened a grocery store in 1886 and has continued in the business since that time.

Hassinger Brothers have conducted a gro- cery and bakery since 188- at No. 558 Phila- delphia street. Their father, Clement Hassin- ger, started a grocery and bakery on the cor- ner of Water and Fifth streets in 1858. In 1869 he traded properties with Fred Keifer. a shoemaker, who owned the property in which the Hassinger brothers now conduct their business.

Myers & Little have had charge of the restaurant formerly known as Patton's res- taurant since 1906, and make a specialty of ice cream. They have their own machinery and make all their own ice cream.

Frank H. Learn, leader in general merchan- dise, located at No. 366 East Philadelphia street, has been in business since August, 1910. The frame building there was erected by John Manner, who conducted a store for some years, when he sold the building to John A. Campbell, ex-commissioner, who afterward sold it to J. M. Glassford & Co., who con- ducted the store until it was purchased by Mr. Learn, in 1910.

Indiana Wholesale Company, incorporated May 29, 1912, under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania, authorized capital $100,000; R. N. Ray, president ; John Bennett, secre- tary and treasurer .- The warehouse at the corner of Eighth and Water streets is 50 by Little Brothers, consisting of Charles S. Little and Harry F. Little, started in the 200 feet, built of buff brick and hollow tile, with steel trussed roof, reinforced concrete grocery business on the corner of Fifth and

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Oak streets in 1907, and in January, 1909, erected a new building on Oak street, into which they moved, and have continued to do a successful business since that time.

Meat Markets .- J. J. Fiscus, Homer W. lays claim to this distinction because it is a

Koontz, John Bath, George W. Graff, G. G. Compton & Son, George W. Plotzer, W. H. Fenton, and Shattack & McCoy.

Plumbers .- E. R. Lumsden, No. 724 Phil- adelphia street; Joseph Welteroth, corner Philadelphia and Fifth streets; A. T. Taylor & Son, No. 21 North Sixth street; C. A. Bu- chanan, No. 1033 West Philadelphia street.

HOTELS

"The Moore," corner of Philadelphia and Eighth streets, is conducted by H. C. Moore. This hotel was formerly a private residence. In the summer of 1865 it was enlarged by Solomon Earhart, who added a story, and first opened it as a hotel, calling it the "Conti- nental." In 1876 Martin Earhart became the proprietor and owner. He added the rear wings, and changed the name to the "Amer- ican." After the death of Mr. Earhart the hotel was remodeled and is now a large five- story brick structure, owned by H. C. Moore.

The "Indiana House" on the southeast cor- ner of Philadelphia and Sixth streets is con- ducted by Edward Empfield, who made it a five-story brick structure. The hotel was first opened by Mrs. E. O. Clements in 1869.

The "Clawson House" on the corner of Water and Sixth streets is conducted by C. M. Wortman. For many years this house was conducted by W. H. Clawson.

"West Indiana House," on West Phila- delphia street, has been controlled by John Houk since April 3, 1898. He purchased the building in 1900 and remodeled it and built an addition 16 by 38 feet. He also built a three-story barn 60 by 90 feet, in which he can stable sixty-two horses.

The "Kinter House" on the corner of Phil- adelphia and Fifth streets is conducted by W. H. Clawson.

The "Central Hotel" on Philadelphia street is managed by C. J. T. Long, who was proprietor of the "West Indiana House" for a number of years.

The "Manner Hotel" on East Philadelphia street is owned and managed by Elmer Man- ner.

The "Barr House" on East Philadelphia street is conducted by F. S. Barr.

THE PRESS

The Indiana Progress is acknowledged to be the oldest paper in Indiana county. It continuation of the American, which was es- tablished in Indiana in 1814 by James Mc- Cahan, who, according to local history, was the pioneer newspaper publisher of the county. At that time, when the county seat was a mere village, the publication of a news- paper was wrought with great difficulty and labor. The office of the American was lo- cated on East Philadelphia street, on the A. W. Taylor property, and while the newspaper was less than two years old the plant was de- stroyed by fire, which was the first real con- flagration at the county seat. The public was not slow to appreciate the worth of a newspaper even in those early days of the county, and the liberal contributions that came promptly to the publisher made it pos- sible to re-establish the paper within a short time. In 1826 the American was purchased by A. T. Moorhead, Sr., and his father, James Moorhead, the great-grandfather of the pres- ent editors of the Progress, assumed charge of the paper. The office of the American was then located on Water street, on the property now occupied by the residence of Mrs. S. E. Jobe. In 1828 James Moorhead retired as edi- tor and the American was merged with the Whig, which was established in 1821 by Alex- ander Taylor and C. B. Wheelock. The plant again changed hands in 1832, when John Tay- lor became the editor and proprietor, and for two years he published the paper uuder the title of The Free Press.

The newspaper business passed again in the control of the Moorheads in 1834, when William Moorhead assumed the management, and in June of the same year issued the paper under the name of The Indiana Regis- ter. Later the paper passed into the hands of G. P. Row and James W. Hill, but in 1852 it again changed hands and for seven years was under the management of Jona- than Row. Although edited by the Rows, who were able newspaper men, Augustus and George Row assumed charge of the plant in 1859 and published the paper for a period of ten years.

James Moorhead. the veteran newspaper man, again entered the field in 1840, when he began the publication of The Clarion of Free- dom, and fearlessly championed the cause of antislavery until 1854, when the plant was purchased by G. P. Reed and Robert Henry,

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

who changed the name of the paper to The been installed that have contributed to the True American, which was merged in the Reg- ister in 1866.

Not content to remain out of the ranks, James Moorhead, now well advanced in years, organized The Independent, which was a pro- nounced antislavery paper, and after his death in 1857 his sons, James W. and William Moor- head, continued its publication until 1860, when the plant was moved to Blairsville. In 1866 Maj. R. M. Birkman assumed charge of the plant at Blairsville and began the publi- cation of the Press, but during the latter part of 1869 Major Birkman was induced to bring the plant to Indiana, and under his manage- ment the Press, American and Register were consolidated, and on January 21, 1870, the initial number of The Indiana Progress was issued. In politics the Progress has always been a distinctly Republican newspaper and has fearlessly supported the policies of the party since its birth.

Under the management of Major Birkman the Progress prospered and he continued to be its editor and publisher until March, 1880, when failing health compelled him to retire and William R. Black purchased the plant. Mr. Black conducted the paper until 1887, when it was purchased by the late A. T. Moor- head. At that time the plant was located in the Harry White building on Philadelphia street. In 1892 Mr. Moorhead associated with him in the business his son, A. S. Moorhead. True to its name, the paper continued to be progressive and the business expanded to such proportions that it was necessary to seek larger quarters. In 1896 the Progress moved to its present quarters on North Seventh street, where it occupies a three-story building designed and erected according to the require- ments of a modern newspaper plant. In 1903 another son, A. R. Moorhead, purchased an interest in the business and it was owned and conducted by A. T. Moorhead & Sons. Fol- lowing the death of the senior editor, the late A. T. Moorhead, on October 18, 1912, A. S. and A. R. Moorhead became the sole editors and proprietors.

growth and development of the paper. The management has endeavored to make the Progress a distinetly county newspaper, rep- resentative of every locality, and the reading public has not been slow to appreciate its worth. The best proof of this assertion is the splendid record that the Progress has made in circulation during the last year. It is the only newspaper in Indiana or adjoining counties that has a paid-in-advance subserip- tion list and its weekly circulation totals over 3,700 copies.

The Indiana County Gazette, now known as the Indiana Evening Gazette, was estab- lished in Indiana on Wednesday, August 13, 1890, with Warner H. Bell as editor and man- ager. As it now is, the Gazette was progressive in every sense of the word. The need of another paper in Indiana county at a popular price was imperative, and the Gazette entered the newspaper field with a subscription price of $1 a year. For many years the Gazette was published in the building now known as the "Montgomery Hotel." On April 20, 1892, Mr. Bell retired as editor of the Gazette and he was succeeded by Emery W. Bartlett, who himself retired March 8, 1893, when Mr. Walter H. Jackson was elected editor. From that time until this present year Mr. Jackson presided over the editorial department, and only recently severed his connection with the Gazette to go into other business in Pittsburg. Robert Hastie Ray is at present editor and manager and Frank M. Smith is city editor.

Ten years ago the Indiana Publishing Com- pany, publishers of the County Gazette, in- augurated the first and at present still the only daily paper in Indiana county, namely, the Indiana Evening Gazette. On January 1. 1913, the two papers consolidated and the pub- lication is now known as the Indiana Evening Gazette, serving a subscription of some 3,000 daily. After leaving the Philadelphia street building, the Gazette was printed in the build- ing now occupied by the Huntingdon & Clear- field Company, and some years ago moved into its present home, corner of Carpenter alley and Gompers avenue.

The art of publishing and printing has kept pace with the rapid strides made in the de- The Gazette has made many long strides for- ward since its inception and now presents, through its modern equipment, a modern newspaper, complete in every detail. velopment of the county, and today the Prog- ress owns one of the most modern country newspaper plants in the State. The old-style hand composition has been supplanted by the The Indiana Times was established at Indi- ana by John Lowry and J. A. C. Rairigh. The first issue appeared on September 4, 1878. modern Mergenthaler linotype, and fast presses driven by modern power have short- ened the long-drawn-out "press days" to a Two months later John Lowry purchased the few hours. Many other modern methods have interest of Mr. Rairigh and successfully con-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ducted the paper until his death, April 23, the roll. The executive officers are: Mrs. 1886, shortly after which his son, Horace M. Linus Lewis, president; Mrs. Pauline Nichol, Lowry, became owner and publisher of the recording secretary; Mrs. J. S. Russell, cor- responding secretary ; and Miss Annie Given, treasurer. paper, continuing its publication. The Times has always been Republican in politics, not of the hide-bound kind that sees no virtue in The Century Club, the Shakespeare Club and the Inglesides are all literary in their na- ture and are supported by representative peo- ple of the town. Their meetings are intel- lectual feasts. its opponents, but liberal enough to criticize acts and measures advocated by its party lead- ers which it believed not to be best for the whole people, and commending some measures advocated by its political opponents : always endeavoring to support those policies which will yield equal justice to all.

Messenger .- In 1865 Mr. Westlake was suc- ceeded by ex-Sheriff Joseph R. Smith and his son Samuel A. Smith, under the firm name of J. R. Smith & Son. On the death of the sen- ior partner, in 1887, Frank M. Smith was admitted to the firm and the partnership of S. A. Smith & Bro. was formed, continuing until 1901 when Frank M. Smith died and S. A. Smith assumed charge. Since the death of the latter in 1904 the publication has been continued by his estate. The Messenger con- tinues Republican in politics and has a large circulation throughout the county.

The Indiana Democrat, the only Demo- cratic sheet in the county, is located on Church street. This paper was first issued on the 4th of May, 1862, by James B. Sansom, who for the preceding ten years had been the editor and publisher of the Fulton Democrat, of Mc- Connellsburg, Fulton county. The first press used in the Indiana Democrat office was for- merly in the Mountain Echo office of Johns- town, of which George Nelson Smith was the editor. On the first of November, 1869, John R. Donahue became the proprietor, and was succeeded on the 1st of May, 1871, by Mr. Sansom, who associated with him at that time his son Frank, the firm becoming J. B. San- som & Son. It is now J. B. Sansom.

SOCIETIES, CLUBS, LODGES

Indiana Lodge, No. 313, F. and A. M .- This lodge was chartered January 11, 1858, and constituted April 7, 1858. The charter members were: Robert Crawford, James Sloan, James G. Caldwell, James Johnston, John Eason, Harry White, James Bailey, W. B. Marshall, Robert Walkinshaw, Charles Swoyer, Thomas St. Clair, M. D., William Reed, M. D., William Crawford, George W. Sedgwick.

The first officers were: Worshipful mas- ter, Harry White; senior warden, W. B. Mar- shall ; junior warden, Robert Crawford; sec- retary, George W. Sedgwick; treasurer, James Bailey.

The worshipful masters since organization have been: Harry White, J. M. Getty, Wil- liam B. Marshall, Andrew McClusky, James Turner, Hannibal K. Sloan, Daniel S. Porter, Wellington B. Kline, James B. Sansom, Irwin McFarland, Joseph F. Barnes, William S. Daugherty, John B. Marshall, Matthew C. Watson, John W. Sutton, Albert C. Boyle, Henry Hall, Hugh M. Bell, John M. Leech, Franklin Sansom, Jonathan N. Langham, Al- exander T. Taylor, Steele G. Hartman, Au- brey M. Hammers, John Lisle Apple, McClel- land Gorden, Charles T. Lemmon, John A. Scott, John C. Patton, Tom E. Hildebrand, Harry H. Brilhart, Harry C. Christy, How- ard B. Buterbaugh, William Taylor, Joseph Elder Peelor, George J. Feit, Robert M. Mul- len, Richard W. Watson, J. Howard Houk, Harry Bell.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 83

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

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