Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 19

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036

USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Altoona > Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 19

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TYRONE DIVISION.

Tyrone, situated at the confluence of the Little Bald Eagle creek with the Little Juniata river, is the junction point of the Tyrone divi- sion with the main line of the Pennsylvania railroad, and is the only flourishing town be- tween Harrisburg and Altoona which grew out of the construction of the latter. It has

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grown into importance by being the outlet of the region traversed by the former.

The division is made up of the Tyrone branch, Bald Eagle Valley railroad, Lewisburg and Tyrone railroad, and the Tyrone and Clearfield railway, with their many branches, and his 340.50 miles of track.

The Bald Eagle Valley railroad company was organized March 25, 1861, under an act of Assembly of the Pennsylvania legislature, approved March 25, 1861. It is a consolidated company, and formed of the Bellefonte and Snow Shoe railroad company, which was in- corporated under the name of the Allegheny, Bald Eagle Railroad, Coal and Iron company, June 12, 1839. This name was changed to Bellefonte and Snow Shoe railroad company, March 24, 1859, the Moshannon railroad com- pany, incorporated April 11, 1863, and the Bellefonte, Nittany and Lemont railroad com- pany, organized September II, 1883, under an act approved April 4, 1865. The consoli- dated company is leased to the Pennsylvania railroad company under a lease dated Decem- ber 7, 1864, for ninety-nine years.

The Lewisburg and Tyrone railroad com- pany was organized December 31, 1879, under the terms of an act of assembly approved April 8, 1861, and is leased to the Pennsyl- vania railroad company for a term of ninety- nine years from the first day of January, 1880.

The Tyrone and Clearfield railway company was organized April 1, 1867, under the au- thority of an act of assembly of April 8, 1861. The Moshannon and Clearfield railroad com- pany was consolidated with it on May 23, 1884. This latter company was organized June 8, 1880. The consolidated companies are leased to the Pennsylvania railroad company for fifty years, from January 1, 1882.

The Bald Eagle Valley and the Tyrone and Clearfield roads were known as "commuted roads," having been aided in their construction by the Pennsylvania railroad company, under the provisions of the act of assembly, approved March 7, 1861, for the commutation of ton- nage duties. The lease of the Bald Eagle Val- ley was made during the war of the rebellion,

and hastened no doubt by the weakness of the P. R. R. from a military standpoint. At any minute the line of communication was likely to be cut by a confederate dash, and the burn- ing of any one or more of the many bridges on which the road crosses the Juniata between Tyrone and Duncannon. The lease of the Bald Eagle Valley gave an eastern connection at Lock Haven and a line too far north to be imperilled.

The region from Tyrone to Bellefonte is one of great interest and beauty. Between rugged mountains of imposing grandeur lie charming valleys of exceptional luxuriance, ir- rigated by many springs of rare purity, which, gushing forth from the base of the hills, feed the Bald Eagle creek. Being rich in its de- posits or iron-ore, and having a boundless wealth in lumber, stone, bituminous coal and fertile fields brought to high state of cultiva- tion by its thrifty farmers, it presents a pic- ture of prosperity seldom equaled.

The Pennsylvania railroad company began operating the Bald Eagle Valley railroad from Tyrone to Milesburg and Bellefonte January I, 1863. The road was completed and put in operation from Milesburg to Howard in August, 1864. From Howard to Lock Haven it was turned over to the company on Decem- ber 1, 1864; but, not being in condition, was not put in operation until May 1, 1865. The Tyrone and Clearfield road was extended to Clearfield in 1868, but not opened for use until February 1, 1869. It was opened to Curwens- ville, December 24, 1874. The first superin- tendent of the division was James Lewis; he was succeeded on April 1, 1867, by George C. Wilkins, who, in turn, was succeeded on November 1, 1873, by S. S. Blair, whose successor is J. K. Johnston.

ALTOONA DIVISION.

The Altoona division, no longer in existence, was composed of the Altoona yard, and a line from Altoona to Henrietta, with branches to Newry, Ore Hill and Mt. Etna, the whole comprising 64.64 miles of railroad. It had formerly been operated as part of the Pitts-

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burg division, but on June 1, 1881, it was formed into a separate division, and placed in charge of William J. Latta as superintendent. Mr. Latta's successors were: James Reed, October 1, 1882; J. B. Hutchinson, December 8, 1884; A. C. Hippey, January 1, 1890; L. K. Lodge, June 1, 1890; W. N. Bannard, Feb- ruary 1, 1891 ; R. E. Marshall, June 17, 1895; Almet E. Reed, December 10, 1896, and A. C. Shand, 1897 to 1904, when the division was abolished and made a part of the Middle division.

During the superintendency of Mr. Shand and under his personal direction the great classification and receiving yards at East Al- toona were constructed. In the Altoona yards there are 205 miles of track, including thirty-" nine miles of shop track, in which there are 1,050 switches. This trackage is divided into running tracks and yards. The capacity of each yard is as follows :

Cars

Westbound loaded receiving yard ... 592 Westbound loaded classification yard ... 1,032

Westbound empty receiving yard. . . 998

Westbound empty classification yard. 1,900 Eastbound receiving yard 1,48I Eastbound classification yard 2,453

Miscellaneous storage at odd points through yard 2,044

Total capacity of Altoona yards. . . . 10,500

Eastbound yards: Thirty-three classification tracks, upon which twenty-five classifications are made, using two tracks for each of several classifications. Eighteen receiving tracks.

Westbound empty yard: Twenty-two classi- fication tracks, upon which twenty-two classi- fications are made, six tracks for storage, and twelve receiving tracks.

Westbound loaded yards: Fifteen classifica- tion tracks, upon which fifteen classifications are made, and eleven receiving tracks.

PETERSBURG BRANCH.

The Petersburg branch, before extended as at present, was known as the Williams-

burg branch. It was built by the Pennsyl- vania railroad company in 1873, interesting with the Martinsburg branch at Williams- burg junction, near Hollidaysburg, and ex- tending to Williamsburg, fourteen miles from Hollidaysburg. At Franklin forge it intersected with the Springfield branch railroad, running via Wertz, Royer and Morrell, to iron ore mines, a distance of nine miles. In the days when the iron industry flourished in Blair county the road had a heavy traffic in hauling the products of the furnaces at Franklin forge, Frankstown, Springfield furnace, Cove forge and Wil- liamsburg, and later those of the extensive ganister and limestone quarries along the lines.

In 1905 the line was extended to Peters- burg on the main line of the Pennsylvania railroad between Tyrone and Huntingdon, and the Portage railroad between Duncans- ville and Gallitzin was rebuilt, the entire line being called the Petersburg branch, and giv- ing the company a line around Altoona. An immense classification yard was constructed east of Hollidaysburg and a roundhouse and repair shops built at that point. The object in building the line was to relieve the freight congestion at Altoona and passenger trains are not run over the Portage end of the road except in emergencies. Passenger trains are run from Altoona to Petersburg. In connection with the rebuilding of the Por- tage railroad, the company constructed a large reservoir at the Mule Shoe curve, from which an ample supply of water is stored for use on this line and also for the main line, to which it is piped.

An account of the Bellwood division rail- road may be found in the history of the borough of Bellwood. The Newry branch railroad, which is no longer in operation, is described in the history of the borough of Newry.

BEDFORD AND HOLLIDAYSBURG RAILROAD.

The most recent addition to the railroad facilities provided for Blair county is the

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Bedford and Hollidaysburg branch of the Pennsylvania, popularly known as the Mid- land, extending from Brookes Mills, on the Morrison's Cove branch, to Bedford, where it connects with the Bedford division and trains are run through to Cumberland, Md., giving direct connection with the south. The line was formally opened on May 29, 1910.

The idea of a road connecting Altoona and Hollidaysburg with Bedford was formed as early as the completion of the Morrison's Cove or Martinsburg branch in 1872, but it was not until 1889, when a pro- moter by the name of Dudley, then a pen- sion commissioner, with his son, who was a civil engineer, took up the project and sur- veyed a road from Cessna in Bedford county, to Leamersville, in Blair county, and after some preliminary work, some bonds were sold and money secured and ac- tive operations started in 1891; the work was given out in contracts and much of the grading done the whole length of the line. Then the funds gave out and the work was stopped for some time, but after being sold and passing into the hands of a receiver, work was again started and bonds were sold all over the United States, especially in New York and New England. John Rutherford took the contract from the receiver to com- plete the road and work was again started, and after several miles of grading was done, the work being completed to the Juniata river at Leamersville.

Litigation then followed and nothing fur- ther was done until in September, 1902, when the Pennsylvania railroad company bought the property at receiver's sale. On March 18, 1903, John G. McGraw, who was interested in the road, was called to Phila- delphia by the officials and while there a plan to complete the road was formulated Mr. McGraw came back and went to Bed- ford and organized the Bedford and Holli- daysburg railroad company. Hon. John M. Reynolds, member of congress, was chosen president, with William Louder of Middles-

burg, D. P. Reighard of Pittsburg, Mr. Mc- Graw and several Philadelphia men as di- rectors, and Mr. McGraw right of way agent. Much of the right of way had been bought by the Midland company, but changes made it necessary to buy many more small portions of land. By the close of 1904 the right of way was all secured, and in that year the line from Bedford to Imler was completed and train service estab- lished, it being known as the Dunning creek branch. Nothing further was done until 1909, when money was appropriated by the Pennsylvania to complete the road and form an intersection with the Morrison's cove branch at Brookes mills. Engineers were put to work and on August 9, the work was started, the contract having been awarded to A. L. Anderson & Brothers of Altoona.

It was an expensive road to build. There were twenty-three culverts and bridges, some being large structures. The largest bridge spans the Juniata river just north of East Freedom and is a concrete and steel structure, having two spans of sixty feet each. The overhead bridge crossing on the Freedom road has a span of thirty-three and one-half feet, while the overhead bridge on the pike leading from McKee to Leamers- ville has a span of fifty and five-tenths feet. These three large bridges, and the one across the Wineland mill dam and another below the dam, are all within a distance of 300 vards and form the most picturesque portion of the road.

The road passes through a beautiful sec- tion of country, which was never fully de- veloped owing to lack of transportation fa- cilities. The highest point on the line is at the summit at Queen, 1,264 feet above sea level, and drops with a ruling gradient of thirty-seven feet to the mile, or a total of 272 feet to the intersection at Brookes mills. The line is practically straight, the only curve of any moment being below East Freedom where the turn is made to cross the river and through Barney hill.

Samuel Rea, second vice president of the

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Pennsylvania railroad company, a native of Blair county, is the president of the Bed- ford & Hollidaysburg road. The work of building the road was in charge of Col. Joseph U. Crawford, engineer of branch lines, with headquarters in Philadelphia, with E. W. Clark as engineer in charge. The first car to make a run from Altoona to Cumberland was pay car No. 460, which made the run on April 17 and paid all the employes on the Bedford division. The next train to make the trip was one carrying offi- cials of the company, including General Superintendent George W. Creighton, who made an inspection of the road on May 13. Others in the party were the engineers who built the road, John G. McGraw, Congress- man John M. Reynolds, Colonel Jesse L. Hartman and Dr. J. W. Johnson.

No words can adequately describe the scenery of the beautiful valley through which the line passes. From the car win- dows may be seen the Blue Knob, 3,136 feet above sea level, the highest peak in Penn- sylvania, and the source of the Juniata river. The road has brought the county seat of Bedford county within forty miles of Al- toona, and Cumberland within eighty miles of Altoona, making an almost direct line to the capital of the nation.

On June 3, former residents of Bedford county, now residing in Blair, held a grand home-coming excursion, two special trains carrying several thousand people from points in Blair over the new road to Bed- ford, where a grand jollification was held. The old town of Bedford had made elabo- rate preparations for the event and was pro- fusely decorated in honor of the visitors. Upon the arrival of the trains a parade was formed, the line leading to the court house where an address of welcome was delivered by ex-Judge Jacob H. Longenecker, to which a response was made by Prof. John H. Cessna, principal of the Washington school, Altoona, former superintendent of the Bedford county schools. Addresses were then made by John L. Mclaughlin,

president of the Bedford board of trade, A. V. Dively, Esq., of Altoona, Q. W. Smith, editor of the Bedford Inquirer, and D. Lloyd Claycomb, Esq., of Altoona.

ALTOONA AND BEACH CREEK RAILROAD.

The Altoona & Beech Creek railroad, popularly known as the Wopsononock rail- road, is a narrow-gauge road, extending from Juniata to Daugherty, a distance of fourteen and one-half miles. It was built in 1891 by a company of Altoona capitalists, including W. S. Lee, F. G. Patterson, John A. Canan, Thomas Bell, W. J. Heinsling, S. J. Westley and John and William Loudon, and was then called the Altoona, Clearfield & Northern railroad. A few years later the road was purchased by Samuel P. Langdon, but the sale precipitated litigation which ex- tended over a period of many years, until finally the road was purchased early in 1910 at foreclosure proceedings by C. W. Moore, Andrew Kipple, W. J. Heinsling and War- ren S. Lee. During the Langdon ownership the road was called the Pittsburg, Johns- town, Ebensburg & Eastern railroad, but when it was acquired by the present owners the name was changed to the Altoona & Beech Creek.

Coincident with the construction of the railroad a hotel and summer resort was con- structed at Wopsononock, on the top of the Allegheny mountain by the Wopsononock Resort and Improvement company, which was composed of the following Altoona gentlemen: A. C. Shand, C. A. Wood, Frank McClain, William F. Gable, W. J. Heinsling and W. S. Lee. On the summit of the mountain, overlooking the surround- ing country, a lofty lookout was erected, giv- ing a magnificent view of the country. Many cottages were erected, passenger service was installed on the railroad and the place became a popular resort in the summer time. After a few years the company sold out to Thomas H. Greevy, an Altoona lawyer, who contin- ued to conduct it until 1902, when the hotel

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was destroyed by a mountain fire, most of the cottages also falling prey to the flames, and no effort has since been made to restore it.

The railroad is built through a mountain- ous country and for the most part the grades are very heavy. The scenery is unsurpassed

anywhere, and Wopsononock is destined eventually to become a noted summer re- sort. The road taps a rich bituminous coal region. W. L. Shellenberger has been the president and general manager of the road for a number of years.

CHAPTER VI.

AGRICULTURE AND STOCK RAISING.

Farming the Only Occupation of the Pioneer Settlers-Accessibility of Markets-Growth of the Fruit and Dairy Interests-The Grange-Chief Agricultural Regions of the County-Cul- tivation of "The Barrens"-Hours and Wages of Farm Laborers in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century-Rough Amusements-Increase of Wages After the Civil War- Agricultural Societies and Fairs-High Cost of Living and the Remedy-Abandoned Farms -The Pennsylvania Railroad Company's Special Farmers' Instruction Train.

The early settlers of Blair county were tillers of the soil and agriculture engaged their attention entirely for many years. The later development of the mineral resources and the rapid increase in the population soon made a demand for the products of the soil which was always greater than the supply, which condi- tion has continued to this day. This home demand which saved the expense of transporta- tion and largely the middlemen's profits, made farming a profitable business. The marts of trade and location of towns were so easily ac- cessible from all the fertile valleys that farmers could deliver their produce to the consumers in their off time. So farming has kept its place and advanced to the adoption of the most modern methods of retaining the fertility of the soil and reaping the crops. The farmers are mostly men of thrift and rank among the best in the country. As the continued cropping of the land made it more expensive to keep it in a fertile condition, it made the raising of grain less profitable when they were met in the market by the cheaper grain from the west. To meet this condition the land owners took to raising fruit and vegetables and the dairy interests became large and flourishing. This can be successfully carried on where the farms are much smaller than formerly. Some of the larger farms are now divided into three or

four parts, and each one operated in a way to make a lucrative business. The farmers have no protection through organization, but are governed by the market price in their buy- ing and selling. The grange has flourishing branches throughout the country, but it has made no effort to regulate prices, the chief benefit being in the realm of the social and in discussing methods at the meetings. Institutes have been held regularly by the state board of agriculture sending out specialists to lecture on the various phases of farm work. The farmers did not take very kindly to them at first. This was due largely, no doubt, to preju- dice and in many instances the lecturers seemed to enjoy their excursion better than their work, and sometimes disgusted those whom they were sent to instruct.

The four chief natural agricultural regions of Blair county are Morrison's cove, Sinking, Canoe and Bald Eagle valleys. From these extend smaller valleys or ravines. This is es- pecially true of the Bald Eagle valley, as in it are included all the divides, sub-divides and smaller valleys along the foot of the Alle- ghenies, stretching out to the mountain east, including the Juniata valley. The Bald Eagle valley embraces a great variety of soil, from the rich river bottom sand loam to the light slate on the steep hill sides. Much of this

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land is under cultivation. Some of it is in a high state of cultivation, while at other places it is not so productive. It is easily affected by drouth, and cropping is attended with much uncertainty. The lands in Morrison's cove, Sinking valley and Canoe valley are limestone and much of their area is cleared and culti- vated, making valuable and productive farms.

In Morrison's cove there is a scope of land called the "barrens." This land has recently, however, been brought under cultivation, hav- ing long lain in an uncultivated state, because the owners wished to retain it in its wooded state- to supply charcoal for furnaces. Then, too, there are no springs or running water on the land and the farmers have been obliged to use rain water, or drill to a depth of 100 feet or more to secure a supply of water. The reclamation of these lands is progressing and Morrison's cove will, in time, be under cultiva- tion from end to end. The land in the cove yields on an average twenty-five bushels of wheat and fifty of corn per acre; and when in a high state of cultivation it will produce double that amount.

Fruits of all kinds that abound in the temperate zone find a soil and climate here favorable to their growth, and all farms and rural homes are set with trees, the shelter of the mountains and hills affording sufficient pro- tection against the rigors of the winter seasons to insure at least a partial crop every season. The seasons of entire failure are very excep- tional. Thus the home demand is usually sup- plied and in seasons of full crops there is often a handsome surplus. As a side line in farm- ing fruit growing has been very profitable. But there are only a few instances where it has been made a specialty. Encouraged by the demand for fruit, and the success attending the growth of the trees, the planting of orchards was wonderfully promoted in the last decade, but the coming of the insect pests and disease peculiar to this species of trees, resulted in the industry receiving a set back.

The raising of peaches went along with the growing of other fruit from the beginning and with high hopes, came and went. Labor and

small orchards were set which made fairly good returns. But a time of decline set in, and gradually the trees without any seeming cause died. The planting did not keep pace with the death rate, and the fruit culture was subsequently almost entirely neglected. In 1886 James A. Sell in Freedom township commenced planting peach trees in a small way. The growth was so thrifty and the pros- pects so encouraging that he continued the planting until he had 2,000 trees. This was beyond all doubt the largest orchard ever . planted in the county up to that time. The trees yielded well in fruit of a superior quality.

A peculiarity of this orchard worthy of notice is that it was. located on abandoned farm land. It had been cropped with cereals until their culture ceased to be profitable. It was then neglected and was overgrown with lo- custs and briars, having lain in that condition for at least twenty years. This long rest added very little fertility to the soil underlaid with a depth of one and one-half feet of clay. This seemed to be the home of the peach and it turned the poorest land in the neighborhood into the most valuable. Acre for acre, the most fertile land in the county could not in cereals produce in dollar values one-fourth of what this land yielded in the culture of peaches. As soon as this orchard began to throw its fruit into the market, and the industry was proving itself to be profitable, the planting of orchards commenced on every hand. Within a few years thousands of trees were set. Very few, however, were given the attention that the shy and sensitive nature of budded trees re- quire. Under favorable conditions a good bearing orchard can be developed in four years. The inducements to men of limited means possessing but a few acres of cheap land were quite flattering. But the unexpected happened. A disease known as "yellows" at- tacked the trees and in the course of two years would sweep over an entire orchard, and de- stroy it. Like the leprosy of old there was no cure. The industry that was so very prom- ising and into which so many people entered with a fair degree of success. Here and there

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money were spent and very little realized, and the business is now a thing of the past.

When science provides a remedy for the disease it has been demonstrated that the peach will grow here.

From 1830 to 1840 and in places up to 1850 farmers worked from sunrise to sunset. The winter breakfast would be eaten by candle light and the work started by the dawn of day. The usual wages of a good hand for this kind of service was from $5 to $7 per month with boarding and lodging. If by the day, 31 to 371/2 cents. A cradler in harvest would get from 75 to 80 cents or a bushel of wheat. A mower with a scythe about 50 cents per day. The entire family with all the hired help ate at the same table and part of the same food. The fare was plain, substantial and abundant. Part of the work on the farm in those days was clearing land. The smaller growth that could be shaken in the roots when bending it from side to side would be taken out with the grubbing hoe. The heavier tim- ber was cut into firewood, sawlogs, or split into rails. Thus the work on the farm was of the most laborious kind. It must be re- membered that the only implements used on the farm were a plow and pin harrow, for putting out the crops, and the cradle, or sickle and hand rake for cutting the crop. The gen- eral price for clearing land was $5 per acre.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 19

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Number of Pages: 1036

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036