Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 24

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 24

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As stated by the bank officials on the day the assignment was made the work of liquida- tion started at once and it has been going on ever since, with the likelihood that it will be some years yet before the last chapter will have been written. The Gardner estate contested the claims of the depositors and litigation which extended over a period of a number of years followed, the depositors finally winning their contentions in the highest courts. At various times distributions of funds realized have been made among the creditors, who to date have received about 50 cents on the dollar.

In connection with the failure of this bank an interesting episode occurred during the year 1908, twelve years afterwards. One of the

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depositors was a miner named Morrissey, who lived in a mining town in Cambria county. One day during 1908 he came to Hollidaysburg for the purpose of drawing out some of his money, having several thousand dollars on de- posit. He had never heard that the bank had failed, although he did not live over twenty- five miles away.

= The first establishment to conduct a bank- ing business in Altoona was the firm of Messrs. Bell, Johnston, Jack & Co., of which William M. Lloyd was a member. About 1857-58 the first three named retired, and the firm name was changed to that of William M. Lloyd & Co. It continued to do a large business until overtaken by the panic of 1873, and subse- quently closed and wound up its affairs. In 1882 the bank was reorganized under the name of the Second National bank, which for many years had been one of the leading financial in- stitutions. The capital stock is $100,000, with surplus and undivided profits amounting to $100,000. The present officers are as follows : President, John P. Levan; cashier, Frank Hastings; directors, John P. Levan, George H. Adams, Jacob C. Stineman, H. S. Prutz- man, and Frank Hastings. The late J. S. Leisenring and the late Dr. Charles B. Dudley were long identified with this bank as directors.

The First National bank of Altoona was or- ganized in 1864, and has occupied its present location at the corner of Eleventh avenue and Twelfth street ever since. It is capitalized at $250,000 and is the local depository of the Pennsylvania railroad company. A. M. Lloyd was its first president, he being succeeded at his death by his son, John Lloyd, who has held the position ever since. J. B. Skyles is the present cashier and Robert C. Wilson the assist- ant cashier. Directors are John Lloyd, John Lloyd, Jr., M. H. Canan, Harry E. Ferguson and M. Lloyd. This bank has the confidence of the entire community and is listed as one of the best institutions of the kind in the banking business. Mr. Lloyd has other extensive busi- ness interests and is a busines man of ripe ex- perience, good judgment and conservative methods.

The Altoona bank was organized in July, 1872, with a capital of $100,000. Its officers at organization were E. B. Isett, president ; R. P. Morrow, cashier, and the board of di- rectors was composed of Martin Bell, John B. Westley, William Murray, Matthew Mor- row and Samuel Wigton. Upon the death of R. P. Morrow, in 1873, Theodore H. Wigton was appointed cashier, serving until 1898, when he was succeeded by J. Gemmill Davis, the present incumbent. The bank was estab- lished in a building on Eleventh avenue, above Confer's store, and was there located until the erection, in 1875, of the substantial building on Eleventh avenue between Twelfth and Thir- teenth street, which was replaced in 1902 by the present magnificent structure. The Al- toona bank was established as a private insti- tution and thus continued until 1902, when it was reorganized and took the name of the Central Trust company. It is capitalized at $240,500, and the present roster of officers is as follows: President, M. H. Canan; vice president, Milton Alexander; secretary and treasurer, J. G. Davis; trust officer, William B. Reed; directors, M. H. Canan, M. Alex- ander, J. G. Davis, D. E. Biddle, George C. Kelcher, H. E. Ferguson, John P. Levan, John Kazmaier, Oliver Rothert, John P. Lafferty, W. L. Woodcock, Warren S. Lee, James C. Hughes, I. C. Mishler and H. P. Wilson. The institution is very carefully managed and has always enjoyed the confidence of the com- munity.

The Altoona Trust company was organized in 1901 by Altoona and Hollidaysburg busi- ness men, and the same year a beautiful five- story modern bank and business block was erected at the corner of Twelfth avenue and Twelfth street. The banking rooms are on the first floor and are magnificently fitted up. J. A. B. Melvin was the first president of the institution and he continues to serve in that capacity. The capital, surplus and undivided profits amount to $375,645.63 and three per cent interest is paid on savings accounts and certificates of deposit. Always reliable and careful, the Altoona Trust company has the

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entire confidence of a large and steadily in- creasing clientele. The present officers are : President, J. A. B. Melvin; vice president, William V. Hughes; secretary-treasurer and trust officer, William H. Weber; assistant treasurer, Samuel Wilson ; solicitor, Samuel E. Morrow ; directors, A. C. Shand, D. M. Clem- son, W. V. Hughes, W. W. Blackburn, H. K. McCauley, Robert J. Fay, J. R. Bingaman, C. A. Wood and J. A. B. Melvin.

In 1900 a number of business men organized the Real Estate Title & Trust company and a four story building was erected as a home for the new institution on Fifteenth street, between Eleventh and Twelfth avenues. James H. Craig was the first president and George Harpham the secretary and treasurer. The in- stitution prospered and in 1908 the name was changed to the Blair County Title & Trust company and the capital stock greatly in- creased. The year before the company pur- chased the Schenk block at the corner of Eleventh avenue and Fourteenth street, and remodeled it, fitting up on the first floor one of the finest banking rooms to be found in the state. As its name indicates, the company abstracts titles for the public, this feature being a great convenience to the people of Altoona, as the county seat is located at Hollidaysburg. The Altoona Title company, which had been in existence for a number of years prior to the organization of the Real Estate Title & Trust company, was merged into the latter institu- tion when it was formed. The present officers of the Blair County Title & Trust company are: President, E. J. Lomnitz ; first vice presi- dent, John A. Schwab; second vice president, A. R. Wolf; treasurer, John D. Meyer; direc- tors, George W. Creighton, H. J. Culberson, P. W. Finn, W. F. Hill, E. J. Lomnitz, C. A. Preston, Joseph Savidge, John A. Schwab, J. W. Swartz and A. R. Wolf. Recently the word "title" was eliminated from the com- pany's name and it is now known as the Blair County Trust company.

Altoona's youngest financial institution is the Mountain City Trust company, organized in 1906. It is capitalized at $162,000 and its

resources amount to over $400,000. Upon its organization a property was purchased on Twelfth street between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, and a portion of the first floor of the building was fitted up for banking purposes. H. L. Nicholson, for many years the Penn- sylvania railroad ticket agent in Altoona, was its president from the organization until his death two years later, when he was succeded by Dr. James E. Smith. The other officers are as follows: Vice president, Oliver Rothert and L. Z. Replogle; secretary and treasurer, Samuel S. Metz; directors, W. L. Nicholson, Oliver Rothert, L. Z. Replogle, J. Banks Kurtz, L. F. Hinman, J. A. Kohler, W. W. Keagy, W. S. Aaron, W. H. McEldowney, Dr. J. E. Smith, V. A. Oswald, James S. Fleck, William H. Burgoon, L. L. Book and C. G. Mattas. The Mountain City Trust com- pany pays interest in time deposits, has safe deposit vaults, and there is a bright future be- fore this, the latest bank to be established in the city.

The Union bank, Altoona's popular east side financial institution, has existed under five dif- ferent names. It was opened for business Nov. 1, 1870, under the name of the Me- chanics' Savings bank, its officers for a num- ber of years being Maxwell Kinkead, president and E. K. Baldrige, cashier, the latter being succeeded later on by William M. Lloyd, Jr. In February, 1886, it was incorporated as the Fidelity Banking company, limited. A few years later the name was changed to the Fidel- ity bank. In 1903 it was organized into a trust company and called the Union Trust company. This organization lasted for but one year, and in November, 1904, it was reorganized for straight banking business and has since been called the Union bank. It is capitalized at $125,000 and the present officers are as fol- lows: President, W. J. Heinsling ; vice presi- dent, M. H. Mackey; cashier, A. P. Rupert; directors, John O'Neil, W. S. Lee, Dr. J. D. Findley, Lemuel Elway and D. S. Keith. James W. Findley was cashier of this bank for many years, until his death in 1908, when he

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was succeeded by Mr. Rupert, who had been the bookkeeper.

The Citizens' National bank of Hollidays- burg was organized in 1903, when the present fine bank building on Allegheny street was erected. It is capitalized at $50,000, and the roster of officers is as follows : President, Lynn A. Brua; vice president, J. King Mc- Lanahan, Jr .; cashier, H. D. Hewit; assistant cashier, H. S. Smith; directors, L. A. Brua, Oliver H. Hewit, Thomas J. Baldrige, J. K. McLanahan, Jr., Peter S. Duncan and H. C. Burger.

A bank was established in Williamsburg, September 15, 1873, as a branch of the First National bank of Hollidaysburg. William Jack of Hollidaysburg was the president and John Clark its cashier. Its affairs were wound up in 1896.

On May 10, 1909, the Farmers' and Mer- chants' National bank was organized in Wil- liamsburg with a capital of $25,000. Its of- ficers are as follows: President, George M. Patterson; first vice president, John B. Stroup; second vice president, D. T. Ketring ; cashier, Jesse Nicodemus. C. R. Fluke was the cashier for a while after its organization.

Tyrone has three banks, viz., the First National, the Blair County National and the Farmers' and Merchants' National. The First Natonal was known as the Tyrone bank, which was opened for the transaction of business April Ist, 1871. At that time the company was composed of John Scott, William Dorris, William Orbison, George W. Garrettson, H. G. Fisher, George C. Wilkins, Caleb Guyer, G. W. Burkett, Israel Miller, A. B. Hoover and D. D. Wood. In 1874 the members of the firm residing at Huntingdon disposed of their interests to the Tyrone partners, and Col. D. M. Jones and P. Flynn were added to the firm. At the organization of the com- pany Caleb Guyer became cashier of the bank, a position he held until his death a few years ago. He was succeeded by D. S. Kloss. The banking office was first on the

corner of Main and Juniata streets, but in the fall of 1876 the bank was moved to the Caldwell building, remaining there until its destruction by fire July 8th, 1880. On its site the Flynn block was erected, and in it an elegant and complete office furnished for the use of the bank, which took possession of it in January, 1881. In recent years the bank has become a national bank, and it has always enjoyed a most excellent repu- tation among the business men in this part of the state.

The Blair County Banking company was organized Dec. 15th, 1874, with the following members : S. C. Stewart, S. S. Blair, Stewart Greek, E. L. Study, E. C. Humes, Andrew G. Curtin, William P. Humes, John P. Har -. ris and Robert A. McCoy. E. L. Study be- came president of the bank, and continued - until his death, Jan. 26th, 1880. At the same time Robert A. McCoy was elected cashier, and continued to serve in that ca- pacity until his death, about 1890. F. K. Lukenbach is the present cashier.

The Farmers' and Merchants' National bank is a growing institution with ample facilities and abundant resources, and does a large business in the community. It is a government depository. F. M. Waring is the cashier.

Bellwood has two banks, the Bellwood and the First National. Both are in a flour- ishing condition, and enjoy the confidence of the people of the community. J. W. Lother is the cashier of the Bellwood bank and R. L. Scott of the First National.

Martinsburg, located in the heart of the great Morrison's Cove, supports two banks, the Morrison's Cove and the First National. The Morrison's Cove bank was formerly conducted as a branch of the Gardner and Morrow bank of Hollidaysburg. It is capi- talized at $15,000, and the officers are as follows: President, John B. Skyles; vice president, H. S. Burket; cashier, W. U. Skyles ;; directors, J. B. Skyles, Jerre Mil- ler, H. S. Burket, S. B. Fluke, George B.

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Wineland, A. B. Mock and Ira E. Brum- baugh.

The First National bank was organized in ' 1905 with a capital stock of $25,000, and its officers are as follows: President, C. A. Patterson; vice president, J. C. Sanders ; cashier, S. S. Horton; directors, S. S. Hor- ton, J. C. Sanders, Jacob W. Galley, C. A. Patterson, George D. Paul, W. M. Bolger, E. H. Lytle and J. A. Wagner

The Roaring Spring bank is an unincor- porated private institution with a capital stock of $25,000. It was organized in Au- gust, 1902, at which time the present com- modious and attractive bank building was erected. The officers are as follows : Presi- dent, D. M. Bare; cashier, S. H. Cree; di- rectors, Ed. Hair, S. H. Cree, E. G. Bobb, Dr. William M. Eldon, Horace G. Hair, and E. C. Korb.

Juniata borough has one bank, called the First National bank. It was organized in 1907 by some of the business men of the town and capitalized at $25,000. The bank- ing rooms are located in the Hutchinson building. D. E. Parker, a prominent con- tractor, is the president of the institution, and David Meek is the cashier. It has pros-

pered since its establishment and has the confidence of the people of the town.

All the banking institutions of the county are conducted on a sound monetary basis, and are carefully and intelligently managed by those in charge. They all passed through the recent panic with its attendant depres- sion of business with confidence unim- paired.

The history of the county's banking insti- tutions is not, however, without a few dark pages. The failure of the Lloyd bank at Altoona in 1873 constitutes one of these pages and the failure of the Gardner, Mor- row & Co. bank of Hollidaysburg in 1896, is another. Still another was the defalcation of Harry Gardner, cashier of the Second National bank of Altoona, in 1894, tempo- rarily embarrassing the institution. Gard- ner's defalcations were estimated at $100,- 000. He disappeared and his whereabouts have since been unknown, except possibly to a few intimate friends. In spite of the heavy loss sustained, the bank was on a sound financial basis, and it was soon opened for business, never losing the confi- dence of the public and always enjoying a liberal share of the public patronage.

CHAPTER X.

THE PRESS.

Early Lack of Local Newspapers-Hollidaysburg Aurora the First Newspaper Published in the County-Hollidaysburg Sentinel-Canal and Portage Register-Hollidaysburg Register -Hollidaysburg Standard-Democratic Standard-Blair County Whig-The Shield- Leader-Temperance Vindicator-The Inadequacy of the Early Newspapers-The Old- Time Compositor-Introduction of the Linotype Machine-Altoona Publications-Sunday Newspapers-German and Other Foreign Papers-The Brown Booklet-Newspapers of Tyrone, Williamsburg, Bellwood, Martinsburg, Roaring Spring, etc .- Local Literature.

Prior to 1833 no newspaper was printed, in Blair county; mail facilities were poor; the mails were carried on horseback and by the time the few newspapers taken by the people reached their several destinations the news was stale. Philadelphia news- papers were about the only ones that en- tered the county, a few reading the Bedford and Huntingdon weeklies that had been es- tablished at an earlier date. These were filled with the doings of congress, the bick- erings of political parties and foreign affairs. Very few original communications appeared in the newspapers of that day. No local news of any kind appeared and the comings and goings of the people were not men- tioned.

The Hollidaysburg Aurora was the first newspaper published within the limits of Blair county. It was established by T. P. Campbell in 1833, the first number being issued August 9th of that year. It was a neutral five-column folio and bore the motto, "Truth incontestible in spite of all." The terms were "Two dollars per annum if paid within the year, otherwise $2.50 will be charged." Advertisements were in- serted at the rate of $1 per square. Notice was given that communications to receive

attention had to be sent prepaid, and that subscriptions would not be discontinued un- til arrearages were paid in full. Mr. Camp- bell continued the publication of the Aurora for one year when he sold out to H. and F. Semple. Their first issue was dated Sept. 4th, 1834, and contained Mr. Campbell's valedictory.

The new firm conducted the Aurora in the interests of the anti-Masonic party for a year or so, but the publication was not a ¡success and the business was at an end. The material of the office passed into the hands of Jacob Snyder and Peter Hewit. In 1837 they advertised for sale an "Imperial Clymer press" with the other material used in the publication of the Aurora.

The Hollidaysburg Sentinel and Hunting- don, Cambria and Bedford County Demo- crat was the next journalistic venture in the county. It does not appear just who launched the enterprise, but William R. Mc- Cay was the editor. The material was se- cured from a defunct Huntingdon paper. It was a five-column folio. The first issue was dated October 6th, 1835. It failed and ceased to be after a struggle of one year. It was succeeded by the Standard in 1838.

The Canal and Portage Register was es-

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tablished by John Scott and Henry C. Gray. It was a five-column folio and it seems to have been an exponent of the whig party, as it advocated the election of William Henry Harrison for president. The first number was dated July 2, 1836.

John Penn Jones, who only passed away in the early part of 1910, purchased Mr. Gray's interest October 26, 1836, and Messrs. Scott and Jones continued as partners until April IIth, 1838, when Mr. Jones became sole proprietor and enlarging the paper to a six-column folio, changed the name to Hollidaysburg Register and Hunt- ingdon County Inquirer. From May Ist, 1839, to February 24th, 1840, D. B. Wil- liams was associated with Mr. Jones. After the latter date Mr. Jones conducted the paper alone, and on the 4th of March, 1846, changed the name to Hollidaysburg Regis- ter and Blair County Inquirer, the county having been formed in that year. In 1855 the name was again changed to the Holli- daysburg Register and Blair County Weekly News.

On September 25th, 1861, H. A. Caldwell entered as a partner and the new firm con- tinued until October 21st, 1863, when John Dean, afterwards judge of the county court and justice of the state supreme court, be- came the owner. In 1866 he sold out to Samuel Hoover and son. They on the 16th of March, 1868, sold to David and Jacob Z. Over, and it has been in the hands of the Over family ever since. They changed the name to the Hollidaysburg Register, its present name, January 7th, 1870, and on the 27th day of November, 1872, Jacob Z. Over retired from the firm. The paper was en- larged from 24 to 36 columns on April 14th, 1880. Frank J. Over, who had been asso- ciated with his father, David Over, in con- ducting the paper, has been the editor and proprietor since the latter's death a number of years ago. Throughout all the years of its existence the Register has been a loyal supporter of the principles of the whig or

republican party. It is now issued semi- weekly.

The Hollidaysburg Standard was started with the materials of the old Huntingdon Sentinel, by P. L. Joslin, with George R. McFarlane as editor, in the spring of 1838, and was originally owned by stockholders. On January Ist, 1841, A. O. Traugh and H. A. Boggs took charge and conducted the paper until January Ist, 1843, when differ- ences occurred between the editors and stock- holders in regard to the Portage railroad. Messrs. Traugh and Boggs withdrew, and purchasing new material, started a new paper called the Beacon Light, a six-column folio, which was regularly published until June, 1845.

Meanwhile John Dougherty purchased a lot of new material and began the publica- tion of the Democratic Standard October Ioth, 1844. Soon after that time Alonzo S. Dougherty purchased the Standard, while A. O. Traugh purchased the interests of Mr. Boggs in the Beacon Light. Messrs. Traugh and Dougherty then merged these papers into a new series of the Democratic standard, the event being consummated May Ist, 1845. One year later Mr. Traugh became sole proprietor and it has remained in the family until the present time. It has always been a loyal exponent of democratic principles. Among those who served on the editorial staff were W. U. Jones, author of the History of Juniata Valley, and W. H. Schwartz, the present editor of the Altoona Tribune.

The Blair County Whig was established by Jacob L. Slentz in 1846. After about three years it was purchased by George T. Raymond and William S. Wilson. Subse- quently Mr. Raymond conducted it alone. After a suspension of a month or more John Brotherlin purchased it and continued its publication for a number of years. In 1861 John H. Keatly was associated with Mr. Brotherlin and about 1866 the name was changed to that of the Radical and Blair County Whig. On the 18th of May, 1868, it

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was purchased by M. Edgar King and James H. Irwin and its name was changed to the Blair County Radical, and the office was soon after removed to Altoona. The interests of James H. Irwin were purchased by Samuel G. Irwin, May 6th, 1878, and by him leased to M. Edgar King. After that time James H. Irwin re-associated himself with Mr. King. Soon after another change took place and James H. Irwin became the editor and publisher. The paper ceased to exist in the early eighties.

The Shield, a paper in the interest of the Catholic church, was published in Holli- daysburg during the years 1849-50, by Hay- den Smith.

John H. Keatly commenced the publica- tion of the Leader in Holidaysburg in 1866. It was devoted to the temperance cause but it did not receive a paying support and after a little more than a year it was dis- continued and the material purchased by Dr. J. P. Thompson of Williamsburg, who at that place started the Temperance Vindi- cator in the spring of 1868. About 1870 the paper was sold to George F. McFarland who removed the office to Harrisburg, ex- cept the press and some office fixtures, which were taken to the Bedford Press office.

A glance over the files of the various pub- lications enumerated as they were published in the early days, shows the marvelous pro- gress that has been made in the newspaper- dom. There were few editorials those days ; the editor, if such he may be called, used the scissors and the paste-pot and never troubled himself about "leaders" and the like. It required half the week to print the meager edition on the miserable presses then in vogue, and the editor frequently took a turn at the press himself.

In those days the industrious reporter was unknown. There was no county cor- respondence, no recording of neighborhood doings, comparatively little localizing. The old newspapers just plodded along. The publishers took nearly everything in ex-

change for subscriptions, wood, flour, gar- den produce and even whiskey. There was no display in the few advertisements that found their way into the early newspapers of the county, and the knack of writing ad- vertisements had not been discovered. The newspapers of the past were probably as much read by their patrons as are those of the present day, because they had nothing else to read, if we except the few dry vol- umes that looked lonely on the bookshelf of th home. The papers then were read aloud at night to the household by the head of it, including the month-old news that filled the narrow columns.

The old-time compositor was a character. He tramped the country, remaining for a few weeks or months at a place. Some of these geniuses did not belong to the temper- ance societies, and now and then the non- appearance of the paper was owing to the chronic "indisposition," to use no harsher term. The "tramp printer" has about disappeared, though now and then one puts in an appearance, works for a few days and again becomes a wanderer on the face of the earth. The linotype ended his career.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 24

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