Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 94

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 94

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Hopkins, while occupying the property, had built what was then considered a good dwelling house. For the door he carried pine boards on a horse from Stony Creek valley, east of Laurel Hill, it being the first pine door within the bounds of the county. From this house John Allison selected twelve of the house in 1818. This house was on the farm occupied by Samuel Shearer. It was used by him for a kitchen. Twelve of the logs had been cut and hewed 141 years ago. Andrew Allison was the grandfather of James Allison, of Homer City, Pennsylvania.

The Allison blockhouse, or old McCon- aughey Fort, was erected by the Allisons and other settlers about 1788. It was a round log, two story (20 by 24) structure, and was sit- nated very nearly on the site of the R. J. MeConaughey house.

Indiana Coal & Coke Company .- In the spring of 1890, a company composed of Indiana and Blairsville citizens called the Indiana Coal & Coke Company, purchased the farm on which the present Coral plant is located and built twenty-four coke ovens. They shipped both coal and coke for several years, but as they had no method of washing the coal the found it difficult to market. Harry McCreary leased the property and continued operating it until March 1, 1902, at which time he sold it to Joseph Wharton, of Philadelphia, and remained in charge until

The first improvement made on the Me- Conaughey farm was made by James Me- the plant was fully developed. It is one of Conaughey about the commencement of the Revolutionary war. He was driven off by the Indians and subsequently entered the Revolutionary army for a number of years. The tract in the patent was called "Nazareth" and was surveyed on an application dated April 3, 1769. It was sold to Charles Camp- bell by the commissioners of Westmoreland county. In 1788 Campbell deeded the tract to Robert Allison, who obtained the patent in 1789.

the very best constructed plants in the coke region, consisting of 300 ovens, together with the necessary houses to accommodate 400 em- ployees. The houses are of the single type, being the first of this kind in the county where such a large number was required. Mr. John Fulton, of Johnstown, formerly general manager of the Cambria Steel Com- pany, and acknowledged one of the leading authorities on coke, in his last edition of his book on that subject illustrates this plant and describes it as a model of its kind. R. M. Mullen, of Indiana, was the engineer. The mine produees easily 1,000 tons per day, most of which has of late years been shipped as run-of-mine coal. Coke is manufactured when the price is high and consumed in Mr. Wharton's own furnaces. Mr. Ramsay is the present superintendent. He has had a large experience both in the Connellsville region and in prominent Southern mining States.

The Graceton Coke Company .- The first coke manufactured in Indiana eounty from the Lower Coal Measures was produced in the late eighties by George Mikesell, at what is now the No. 1 plant of the Graceton Coke Company. He built and operated ten ovens. In the spring of 1890, a firm composed of J. W. Moore, John MeCreary and Harry Mc- Creary, all of Greensburg, Pa .. bought this plant and also a large tract just north of it. The above plant was at once increased by the building of thirty-nine more ovens, and The Lucerne Mine of the Rochester & during this same summer of 1890 the Grace- Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company .- The de-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

velopment of large areas of coal, with the & Clearfield Coal & Iron Company, Pittsburg modern methods of mining necessary for Gas Coal Company and Cowanshannock Coal large constant tonnage production, economical & Coke Company, have a combined annual results with proper preparation of coal, re- producing capacity of 10,000,000 tous. The quires in this day of advancement and im- Lucerne operation, as herein described, is de- proved methods very large expenditures for signed for an output of 6,000 tons a day of eight hours, having ample facilities, both as to power plants and large steel tipple, for these results. Lucerne is situated about one mile from the town of Homer, on the Indiana branch of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad. The coal is the Freeport seam, of high steaming value, and well known to the trade where a high grade of steam coal is desired. The mine openings consist of two drifts, located on opposite sides of the valley of Yellow creek, which have been driven on the outerop of coal, and a shaft opening to the dip of the coal used for ventilation, drain- age and hoisting of coal, the combined output of the three openings centering onto one large steel tipple situated about half way between the different openings by a four-track system of electric haulage. power plants and coal handling facilities, which until comparatively recent times, were not considered. The problem often involves the working of very large areas of several thousand acres from one initial plant, due to the coal lying deep and being accessible for development at but one favorable point. It therefore becomes necessary to develop such properties with a large central power plant, where an ample supply of good water for boil- ers and condensing purposes is available, which is a necessity for operating the class of machinery best adapted to such operations, to get the lowest possible power costs, and from such central power station transmit power long distances to operate the necessary ma- chinery, both in the mines and in connection with outside improvements and facilities.

Bituminous coal mining requires very large units of power for cutting the coal, either with compressed air puncher machines or the electric coal cutter, and often both types are used in the same mine, to meet varying con- ditions; also for the electric haulage of the coal cars, both in the mines and for outside hauls to the loading tipple; for operating ventilating fans, motor driven, where trans- mission of steam would involve long distances and be impracticable; for operating mine pumps and mechanical devices, such as trip- makers and feeders; also in connection with tipple machinery such as revolving screens, shaker screens, picking belts and tipple fa- cilities necessary for the best possible prepar- ation of the coal for market.

The new Lucerne mine of the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company, at Lucerne, Indiana Co., Pa., is such_a development, hav- ing been especially designed to work a very large area of coal below water level and to produce 6,000 tons per day, with thorough preparation for the market and at lowest pos- sible cost of production; also to transmit power to other large plants of this company and its numerous allied interests. Facilities for this operation, being the last one developed by the above company and just gotten under way, makes it the most thoroughly equipped bituminous coal mine in the State of Pennsyl- vania.

The Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company, and allied interests, the Jefferson

The boiler house is a substantial brick structure in which are twelve Sterling boilers having a combined capacity of 6,000 horse- power. These boilers are equipped with Jones underfeed stokers and consume only fine slack coal, requiring the services of but two men to do the stoking. The design of this building has in view the future addition of boilers of 4,000 horse-power, making the future boiler plant a total of 10,000 horse- power. An ash pit runs through the base- ment of this building in a separate tunnel, the entire length, where a train of railroad cars is placed for loading ashes, which drop from the firing floor through the ash hoppers to the railroad cars. The boilers are fed with slack coal from concrete bins elevated near the top of the boiler house building, and flow- ing by gravity through pipes to the stokers and into the fire box. This boiler house is completely lighted with electric lights and is of entire brick, steel and cement construc- tion and absolutely fireproof.

In connection with the boiler house is a large power house, a building of the same character, viz., brick, steel and cement, equipped with a powerful crane, and a base- ment in which all the feed water pumps and other minor machinery is located. On the first floor of this power house are two 3,000- kilowatt, 6,000-volt turbine sets, together with the exciter sets, steam and motor driven, switchboard apparatus, vacuum pumps for the barometric condensers, and one large air com-

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

pressor of 5,000 cubic feet per minute ca- plant strictly first-class, durable and fire- pacity. All the machinery is run condensing proof, and with a view to large capacity for many years. with barometric condensers, and in connec- tion with which the most economical result possible to obtain is secured. Air for the compressor is supplied from a stack which reaches above the roof of the building, and within which is a filter or purifier, which cleanses the air of any solid particles before it is permitted to enter the compressor. This

While the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company and allied companies have other large and complete plants, this one is especially referred to, it being the last one built and naturally embodying all the latest up-to-date improvements known to bitumi- nous coal mining, and one is especially im- power plant furnishes power for the Lucerne pressed with the thoroughness and character haulage, ventilating fans, and all other handling and careful preparation of the out-

operation required for coal cutting, electric machinery and equipment, including sub- stations located at various points in connec- tion with the operation.

Power for this operation is also transmitted to two other large operations, one a distance of nine miles, and the other a distance of tions allied to the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal twelve miles. The shaft is equipped with & Iron Company.

complete caging devices, both at the foot and top of shaft, together with tripmakers, which handle both loaded and empty cars through chain drivers, forming them in trips for the electric motors without handling by hand. The coal from the two drift openings and the shaft opening is centered on one large steel tipple, equipped with shaker and revolving screens, picking tables, conveyors and load- ing chutes. The tipple is a massive, thorough steel structure, having six loading trucks for railway cars. The mines are ventilated by a Clifford-Capell fan, 18 feet in diameter by 18 feet wide (motor driven, direct connected) and of a capacity of 300,000 cubic feet per minute at slow speed, and capable of very

This company has begun operations on both much larger capacity as occasion requires. branches of Tearing run. The Buffalo, The coal seam at this operation is very uni- form in thickness and quality, of high heat unit value, and is widely distributed in the markets of Canada via Lake Ontario, also through New England and at the seaboard markets, as well as in Buffalo and Rochester and all intermediate points.

The company has looked well after the wel- fare of its employees in building a large town, consisting of single houses of seven rooms each, and of character far beyond the aver- age of usual mining towns.

of the equipment and facilities for economical put:

President Lucius W. Robinson has been connected with coal operations and develop- ment in Pennsylvania for thirty-five years, and is also the head of several other corpora-

The general manager of the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company, A. W. Callo- way, with headquarters at Indiana, Pa., is a man of large experience and has been as- sociated with this company for years, having grown up in the mining industry with the company. He is assisted by David Fleming, who has also been connected with the opera- tions of the above company since starting in the mining business, and with him is also a staff including various employees, who seem to be very proud of their several operations, and especially this one, which is the last de- velopment to be completed in this rapidly growing field.

Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad Company has run a branch from Lucerne, east of Homer City, up both branches of Tearing run, about seven miles on the "Ridge" between the waters of Tearing run and Brush creek. The coal company is called the Brush Creek Min- ing Company. There are seven openings and coal has been shipped from two openings since September 15, 1913.

Two towns, named in honor of Lucius Wa- terman Robinson, have been started. The one called Waterman contains eighty houses, and a postoffice named for the town has been estab- lished. The town will have passenger and freight service by January 1, 1914. The other

In connection with other surface improve- ments is a large brick repair building, where all the work necessary in caring for the machinery and equipment is handled, this town, Luciusboro, located on the Henry Fritz, shop embodying a large machine shop, thor- McFeaters and Duncan farms, will be a dupli- cate of Waterman. oughly equipped with tools required, motor driven, a blacksmith shop, carpenter shop The development of large coal interests in Center township has brought great accessions to its population and necessitated the build- and electric supply room; in fact, nothing seems to have been overlooked to make the

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ing of four-room school buildings at Grace- dozen, butter five to eight and ten cents per ton, at Risinger, at Lucerne, and at Ault- pound), which he wagoned to Pittsburg. man. The last two were built in 1912. This store was situated on Main street directly Twenty-two teachers have been employed to opposite J. H. Devers. After a continuance teach the schools of the township this year. of ten years he was succeeded by Devers &

The churches of the township are Bethel

Craig, then James & John H. Devers, who Presbyterian, Mount Pleasant, Lutheran, removed to the old storeroom of Mullen & Methodist, Episcopal and Catholic.

The first election in Center township was held March 20, 1807, when the following were elected: Constable, Robert Allison ; super- visor, James Dickson and Samuel Wiggins; overseers of the poor, David Sample and John Wilson; fence appraisers, Fergus Moorhead, Sr., and John Clyde; auditors, James Loughry, John Allison, Joseph White and Bleaney Adair; judges of election, Joseph Moorhead and Bleaney Adair. Twenty-four votes is the most that any candidate received.

The assessor's book for 1913 shows the fol- lowing : Number and value of horses assessed, 372-$19,930; number and value of cows assessed, 468-$6,805; taxables, 1,144; taxable real estate, $1,068,361; number of acres of cleared land, 24,331 ; number of acres of timber land, 1,667; money at interest, $80,336; cost of assessment, $87.80.

HOMER CITY BOROUGH

Homer City borough, Center township, is the village was Isaac Killen. The first and situated on a body of land formed of parts only tailor was Daniel Myers. The first shoe- maker was John Decker. The first physician was David Burrel, who only remained a brief time. Dr. John Evans was the first perma- nent physician. The first postmaster was Dr. David M. Marshall. The second was Mrs. Jane Philips, the third, George H. Ogden. The present postmaster is John M. Carson. On February 11, 1876, the office was changed from Phillip's Mills to Homer City. of two tracts, one patented in the name of John Allison, and the other to John and Wil- liam Cummins. About 1800 Mr. Allison had a mill on Yellow creek about fifteen rods be- low the present dam. The second mill was also erected by Mr. Allison. There was a sawmill and carding machine connected with it. This was erected several years prior to the founding of the village. The McCon- naugheys, who reside opposite the site of the village, for many years had a canoe ferry on Twolick. The second Allison mill passed suc- cessively to the following proprietors : Wil- liam Richards, Samuel Dixon, James Simp- son, Robert Craig, Armor Philips (from whom the post office received its name), Henry Ket- ler, George Christy and George R. Ellis.

The first store was established by John Mul- len in 1832. It was located on the east side of Main street, near Twolick. Mr. Mullen erected three storehouses before the platting of the village. The second merchant was Hugh Devers, who, not long after the start- ing of the Mullen store, had removed to this locality and commenced to sell goods and buy country produce (eggs two to three cents per

Allison, afterwards Mullen & Philips.

The village was laid out in 1854 by William Wilson, who called it for the ancient poet, Homer. The Indiana Branch of the Penn- sylvania railroad was completed to the vil- lage in 1855. After the survey the first house was erected by Isaac Kilton, the second blacksmith; this stood below his residence on Main street. Mr. Wilson then erected a frame building used as a tavern by Matthew Kerr, the first carpenter. This house after- wards became the property of John Peddi- cord. In company with John Griffith, Mr. Wilson erected a storeroom in which they opened the first store after the founding of the town. This building was erected on the site of an old storeroom erected several years before John Mullen.

The first steam mill was erected by Mr. Wilson for a sawmill. It was afterwards changed into a gristmill. The first black- smith on the site of the village was Wilson McDonald. The first after the platting of

The first church after the town was started was the brick Methodist Episcopal, erected by Mr. Wilson at the contract price of $1,000. The first minister was Rev. Mr. Horner. The first preaching in the vicinity was by the Methodist Episcopals in a private house afterwards owned by the Misses Bonner. Thence the meetings were removed to the schoolhouse and then to a log church about thirty rods east of the brick church spoken of above. The successive churches were United Presbyterian, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist and Free Methodist.

The first justices of the peace after the act of incorporation as a borough in 1872 were R. E. Ellis and Daniel Weir. The tannery of Johnston & Stewart was built in 1861. The

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

first bridge over Yellow creek was built in by a large brick building, where he continues 1835. The "Homer City Hotel" was erected by John H. Devers in 1878-79.

The forks of Twoliek and Yellow creek were the most important streams of Indiana as an ideal site of the county seat. Had it is not been for the extraordinary overtures of Mr. Clymer, no doubt that situation would have been chosen.

Stone, coal and lumber are abundant and on Main street is the general merchandise and these advantages in connection with excellent water power and a railroad have made a rapid increase in population and wealth. In The firm of D. L. Snyder & Son are dealers in general merchandise, fresh and salt meats, flour and feed. This firm has conducted the business for ten years. 1880 the borough had a population of 380, in 1910 the population was 985. The palmy days of Homer City were in 1855, when the trade from the upper country centered there. For a number of years the borough had but few changes, but for the last ten years, on account of the coal development, it has had a steady growth.

The present stores are conducted as fol- lows :

Homer City Pharmacy, the only drug store in the town, is conducted by J. M. Fleming, who bought the store in 1910 from Samuel Siekenberger & Co., who had purchased it after the death of Mr. W. I. Moore in 1890. Mr. Moore had opened the place in 1890, and continued in business until his sudden death, which occurred in the store.

Harry Flickinger has a large store, in which he sells dry goods, groceries, furniture and The Indiana County American, published general merchandise, and also conducts the by Berry Brothers since 1910, is the news- business of undertaking and embalming. paper of the borough, and advocates the tem- This store was started in 1878 by his father, perance cause. James S. Flickinger, who continued in the business until 1908, when Mr. James S. Flick- inger retired and his son, Harry Flickinger, assumed entire charge. The business has in- creased from $2,000 per year, when first started, until the last year it amounted to $51,000.

Z. T. Kelly & Son conduet a hardware store in connection with the tinning and Steele, cashier of the Madera National Bank, plumbing business. Mr. Z. T. Kelly has been in business continuously for forty years. Prior to 1890 he conducted his business at Mechanicsburg. The present building has been enlarged several times to make room for increasing business and added stock, until they now have a complete line of hardware and plumbing supplies.

The meat market of E. J. Miller was es- tablished in 1891 on Main street near the bridge over Twolick creek. The first build- ing was burnt in 1907, and has been replaced hot water heating system.

to do business. One part of this building is occupied by A. La Mantia & Bros., who have a wholesale fruit and produce store.

Opposite the meat market of E. J. Miller the grocery and general merchandise store of J. D. George, who has been in business at this location for the last sixteen years.

Next door to the Homer City Pharmacy grocery store of H. R. Grumbling, who has been in business here for at least ten years.

S. L. Byers, on Main street, conducts a gen- eral merchandise store on a strictly cash basis. It is known as the New York Racket Store. Mr. Byers has been in business in his present location for the past nine years, having com- menced his business in 1899 in a store room west of the Pennsylvania railroad station.

On Main street is the clothing. boot and shoe store managed by Spector & Marks.

W. H. Long has a grocery store on East Main street, and has been in business there since 1912.

Since 1911 Abe Kriwawnik has had a ladies' and gents' furnishing store, which is known as The Fair.

The Homer City National Bank was or- ganized July 20, 1907, with a capital stock of $50,000. The first board of directors con- sisted of E. J. Miller, president; J. L. Nix, vice president ; C. M. Lingle ; F. C. Betts ; Joe J. Campbell ; J. A. Klingensmith, and W. P. Risinger. The bank was opened in a room of the "Arlington Hotel" and Mr. S. C.

was elected cashier of the new institution. In June, 1908, the building now occupied by the bank was contracted to be built, being completed in December of the same year. This building is a three-story brick. The first floor is used entirely for bank purposes, the second floor is for office purposes, and the third floor is used for lodge rooms. The base- ment is occupied by the barber shop of Henry Elden. The building is equipped with hot and cold water throughout, electric lights and The institution

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

has been prosperous; the deposits, according pletely destroyed the plant and lumber yards, sweeping everything before it, excepting the

to the statement of August 2, 1913, being $207,056.21, and the surplus and undivided office building. The loss amounted to over profits $9,544.00.

$100,000. Plans and work were well under

William Risinger, S. C. Steele and J. D. way for a new modern, fire-proof, concrete George were elected directors January 14, plant. The fire destroyed the concrete forms 1908; J. M. Risinger, July 6, 1908; T. J. that had been prepared for the building of Brandon, December 7, 1909; C. M. Lingle was elected president, May 9, 1911. The present officers are: J. M. Risinger, presi- dent; F. C. Betts, vice president ; S. C. Steele, cashier ; W. P. Risinger, assistant cashier.

The petition of the citizens of the village of Homer to incorporate as a borough under name and style of "Homer City" was laid before the grand jury June 13, 1872, and on September 26, 1872, the court confirmed the judgement of the grand jury and decreed that the town be incorporated as a borough and that the election be held in the school- house of said borough November 22, 1872. David Boyd was appointed by the court to give notice of said election. William Me- of the workmen. Kisson was judge and William Mullen and

the new factory, which is located a short dis- tance from the old one. But out of the ashes has arisen the largest, finest and best equipped incubator factory in the world. The new factory and yard covers seven and a half acres. The buildings are of reinforced con- crete, the sides of which are so full of glass, set in steel sash, as almost to resemble a green- house. The construction affords all the light necessary even on the darkest days, and gives fifty per cent ventilation, which makes the interior cool and comfortable, even on the warmest summer days. Sanitary precau- tions are perfect and everything possible has been done to insure the health and comfort

The main building contains sixty thousand departments, each separated by a fire wall

Benton Peddicord, inspectors of said election. square feet of floor space, divided into seven The election held in the schoolhouse on March 21, 1873, resulted as follows: Against license, and having its own individual fire protec- 30; for license, 24: burgess. David Boyd; tion. The main building is 487 feet long and 272 feet wide. The wings are all 60 feet wide and finished and protected in identically the same manner as the main building. A pri- vate railroad siding, one thousand feet in length, runs between the two main wings, thus facilitating the rapid delivery of all raw material and likewise the prompt loading of outgoing shipments. The building is heated throughout by hot water and lighted by Maz- town council, John H. Devers, William Mc- Kisson, J. P. Mikesell, Johu MeLain, William H. Douthitt and John Dodson ; high constable, R. P. Carson; school directors, John Evans, William Mullen, William Wilson, R. R. Ellis, R. Peddicord and James Flickinger ; assessor, John Mullen; assistant assessors, Abraham Flickinger and William Wilson : overseers of the poor, Jolin MeLain and Isaac Killen ; auditors, Simon Drenning, B. Peddicord and da incandescent lights from the companies L. P. Fliekinger; judge of election, John Griffith ; inspectors, John F. Bareley and James M. Watt; constable, Alex M. Lucas.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 94

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