Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 41

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 41

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"And it is a source of satisfaction to per- ceive that there is plenty of room, and ad- mirably situated, for a large and flourishing town. The surrounding country, being the rich slope of the Allegheny, is highly culti- vable, and one needs the industrious farm- ing population to clothe it, in the lively colors of growing crops. Altoona contains the machine shops and engine-houses for the western section of the road, and the hands employed in them, together with the agents of the road stationed here, will be quite sufficient to people a village of more than ordinary pretentions. The railroad company has already erected several hand- some buildings, besides the machine shops referred to (which will soon be enlarged to twice their capacity) and after the piece of road overcoming the mountain is finished, a

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large and splendid hotel will be added, with numerous other buildings for private resi- dences. If lots can be purchased, we know of no place along the line where the money could be invested with safer prospects of fu- ture profit."

It was therefore the advent of the Penn- sylvania railroad that gave birth and in suc- ceeding years impetus to the growth of your prosperous city, which is today the largest railway equipment manufacturing and re- pair center in the world. It is unnecessary to indulge in figures to prove this statement, as it is generally conceded and undisputed.

If you will permit me, however, I should like to briefly refer to a few of the vicissi- tudes experienced by the builders of the railroad before Altoona was reached.

It seems almost incredible that railroads at the beginning were as unpopular or even more so than at the present time, although there is the distinction that in the early days it was an honest difference of opinion as to the practical utility of the enterprise; while today the experimental stage has been passed and the greatest emancipator of civilization has become the subject of at- tack for nothing more or less, in most in- stances than political aggrandizement.

It is true there may have been mistakes in the past, but is it not also a fact that other enterprises have been afflicted with the same or even put forth an honest effort to discard old and establish and strictly adhere to new and proper methods ?

But I am now getting beyond my subject and will return, except I should like to make a prediction that within the not distant fu- ture the public will realize the true state of affairs, namely, that they are being hum- bugged by this clamor for regulation and then the pendulum of public sentiment will begin to swing to the railroad side, as I be- lieve most honestly and sincerely it ought to do. Now to my theme, if such it is. The early means of transportation consisted of pack trains winding single file over the mountains between Philadelphia and Pitts-

burg in charge of men who carried a bag of parched corn and venison for food and slept under trees.

When turnpikes were proposed a vigor- ous protest was raised upon the theory that the packers and horse breeders would be ruined.

Finally the advocates of the turnpike had their way, and Conestoga wagons sup- planted the pack horse.

In 1786 a fortnightly stage coach service was established between Philadelphia and Pittsburg. In 1804 this was increased to a daily service. Just stop and think, this was only 106 years ago, and then reflect upon the overwhelming, marvelous change that has occurred.

Upon the advent of the daily service and the consequent growth of traffic there were taverns erected every few miles, thus giving employment to a large number of men and establishing what was firmly believed to be a permanent industry and indeed superior if not luxurious transportation service.

Then came along the agitation upon the part of a few radicals, the scheme of con- structing canals as superior to turnpikes, which was just as strongly opposed upon the part of the turnpike advocates as had been the opposition of the pack horse own- ers to turnpikes. Town meetings were held and the evolution of the canal continued un- til the improved system of transportation throughout the United States in 1811 cov- ered 37,000 miles of what was commonly known as post roads, including the great national turnpike from Cumberland, Md., to Stubenville, Ohio.

The magnitude of the turnpike enter- prise enables us to readily conceive some of the difficulties encountered by the canal projectors in moulding public opinion in fa- vor of canals vs. existing modes of transpor- tation, but it was ultimately accomplished, and in 1835 there were forty-eight canals aggregating 2,617 miles, in use. Please ob- serve we are now within seventy-five years of the present, and again reflect upon the

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overwhelming marvelous change that has occurred.

Next came the railroad, and because of the large expenditure for canals, aggregat- ing about $150,000,000, the opposition was more pronounced, if that were possible, than in the changes previously described. A story is told of an old farmer who was listening to General Simon Cameron mak- ing a speech at Elizabethtown in favor of a proposed railroad. When the general said he hoped to see the day when he could eat breakfast at Harrisburg, go to Philadelphia, transact business and return to Harrisburg for supper, the old farmer turned away in disgust, muttering to himself, "Simon, I al- ways knew you were a d- fool, but I never suspected you were such an ass as to talk that way."

The board of canal commissioners in sub- mitting a report, gave expression to their views as follows :

"While the board avow themselves favor- able to railroads where it is impracticable to construct canals, or under some peculiar cir- cumstances, yet they cannot forbear to ex- plain their opinion that the advocate of rail- roads generally have greatly overrated their commercial value. To counteract the wild speculations of visionary men and to allay the honest fears and prejudices of many of our best citizens, who have been induced to believe that railroads are better than canals, and consequently that for the last six years the efforts of our state to achieve a mighty improvement have been misdirected, the canal commission deem it to be their duty to state a few facts which will exhibit the comparative value of the two modes of improvement for the purpose of carrying heavy articles cheaply to market in a distinct point of view.

After giving estimates of both methods of transportation, in which the canal ap- peared to much greater advantage than the railroad, the report proceeds :

"The introduction of locomotives and Winans cars upon railroads where they can be used to advantage will diminish the dif-

ference between canals and railroads in the expense of transportation. But the board believes that notwithstanding all improve- ments which have been made in railroads and locomotives it will be found that canals are from two to two and a half times better than railroads for the purpose required of them by Pennsylvania.

"The board have been thus explicit with a view to vindicating the sound policy of the commonwealth in the construction of canals; yet they again repeat that their re- marks flow from no hostility to railroads, for next to canals they are the best means that have been devised to cheapen transpor- tation."

It can be thus seen there existed a marked lack of comity between the several interests, all of which rendered it difficult to raise money to proceed with the building of the railroad.

Besides, it required courage and indomit- able energy to succeed under such circum- stances. Do we fully appreciate our in- debtedness to those men that burnt mid- night oil unremittingly in solving these problems in interest to civilization and for the benefits that accrue to succeeding gen- erations ?

The organization of the Pennsylvania railroad only antedates by two years the commencement of operations at Altoona and by Dec. 10, 1852, service was established from Philadelphia to Pittsburg via the Phil- adelphia and Columbia railroad and the Allegheny and Portage railroad. It was not until February 2, 1854, that the line over the mountain to displace the Portage rail- road was completed.

The construction of the Logan house was commenced in 1853 and rushed to comple- tion for the opening of the through service early the following year. Needless to state, dining cars had not yet appeared on the scene, and it was imperative to provide so- called eating stations where passengers could secure meals en route.

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For a time the ticket office and station were also located in the Logan house.

Previous to this time the freight and pas- senger office was at the wood and water sta- tion on Branch street.

A minute description of the improve- ments each year, describing the growth of the shops, would doubtless prove interest- ing and could be readily furnished from the records of the company, but lack of time will not permit giving the detail here. Suffice it to say that in 1850 the small beginning con- sisted of a semi-circular roundhouse, a blacksmith shop, a foundry, a machine shop and a car shop. Without desiring to weary you, permit me to again ask you to compare

the present Altoona with the history of sixty years ago and believe you will agree the rapid growth fully confirms the predic- tion appearing in "Locomotive Sketches," 1853, which I read a few moments ago.

After this very brief and disconnected re- view a natural query seems to present itself as to the probable changes in the future, and while it could only be conjecture, it seems safe to forecast a continuance of the same progressive attitude at Altoona and by its people.

It is possible that electricity will claim no small share of attention in future develop- ment.

CHAPTER XX.

ALTOONA-ITS CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.

Incorporation of Altoona as a Borough-Burgesses-Early Lockup-Early Borough Officials- Incorporation as a City-Sketches of Altoona's Mayors with Their Political Records-Cen- tennial Celebration-Other Noted Events-Municipal Improvements-City Hall Remodeled and Streets Improved-Altoona's Finances-Some Important Dates- City Officials. :

Altoona was incorporated as a borough Feb. 6. 1854, and at the first borough election, held March 10, 1854, Herman J. Lombaert, John L. Piper, George R. Everson, Jacob Hesser and Thomas McCauley were elected town councilmen. They were sworn into of- fice on April 22, by P. M. McNally, justice of the peace. Mr. Everson was elected presi- dent and Mrs. Lombaert secretary at the first meeting of the body. Thomas McCauley was elected treasurer at the same meeting.

The first ordinance was passed by the bor- ough April 29, 1854. At the same session Thomas Burchinell was elected supervisor, and George R. Mowery, borough surveyor. July 13 an assessment one-half per cent on borough valuation was ordered. On July 20 P. M. McNally was appointed tax collector of the borough. On July 28 James Night- wine was directed to grade four squares of streets and report cost to council. August 3 H. J. Lombaert was requested to procure a seal for the use of the borough. On Septem- ber 7 Mr. Nightwine's bill of $559.90 was passed and "the chief burgess was requested to call a town meeting to take into considera- tion the propriety of organizing a fire com- pany, and securing a necessary supply of water." The foregoing were the principal items of business transacted during the first year of the borough's existence.

During the years which represent in Al-

toona its borough organization the following officers administered its government as chief burgess : George W. Patton, 1854-55; Thomas McMinn, 1856; James Lowther, 1857; Enos M. Jones, 1858-59; W. C. McCormick, 1860; John Allison, 1861-63; William K. Leonard, 1864-65; John A. Baer, three months of 1866; Henry C. Dern, acting, 1866; Henry Fettinger, Sr., 1867.

In the summer of 1855, under authority of an act of the assembly, the borough limits were extended so as to include the village of Greensburg. Up to this date there was no continuity of streets between Altoona and Greensburg, but when the latter place became a part of the borough, the authorities turned their attention to this subject. It became a part of the article of agreement between the town council of the borough of Altoona, and Alexander McCormick, Robert Green, Ezra Ale, Joseph Moist and Michael Calvert, com- mittee of Greensburg citizens. The borough paid one-third of the cost.

A pound was erected as early as 1854 for the incarceration of prisoners. The lockup was commenced in 1857 and finished in 1858. It was erected upon a lot procured of William Marriot, on what is now Twelfth street and Thirteenth avenue, and the second story of the building was the council chamber. In 1855 the matters of establishing a market and a cemetery were agitated; the latter did not

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attain fruition until 1857, when Fairview was opened. May 6, 1856, the name of Railroad street was changed to Main, and the name of Main street in Greensburg was at the same time changed to Virginia street, now Eleventh avenue. The high constable in 1856 was John Lias; J. Reifsnider and Joseph K. Eaby subsequently served in the same capacity. Under the borough government there were two constables, one for each side of town; there were no policemen prior to 1868. In 1859, L. W. Hall acted as borough counsel, and J. K. Eaby as the borough collector. In 1858 the assessors were directed to take a census of the borough, and were allowed $25 compensation therefor.

Among the justices who officiated prior to the organization of the city government were Jacob Good, Jacob Cherry, John W. Humes and Mr. Spielman. The last record of the borough is the proceedings of a special meet- ing held Saturday, Feb. 29, 1868, which closes with the words, "On motion, adjourned sine die."

During the last year of the borough organi- zation eight street lamps were maintained at an aggregate cost for gas consumed of about $17 per month. The population of Altoona upon its incorporation as a borough was 2,000; in 1860 the population was 3,591 and the official census of 1870 gave the newly formed city a population of 10,610. The for- mation of the water and fire departments and other matters that date back to the days of the borough, are treated under separate heads.

Altoona was incorporated as a city by act of assembly approved by Governor John W. Geary, April 3, 1867. The charter authorized the appointment of a special commission to secure the services of a competent engineer to execute a plan and survey of the land em- braced within the limits of the city and desig- nating the avenues, lands and alleys. The commission as first appointed was composed of William H. Wilson, R. A. O. Kerr, George W. Kessler, Thomas McCauley, Louis Plack, John Miller, C. C. Mason, E. P. Mc- Crum, B. F. Custer, John H. Roberts and

George Potts. A supplementary act approved by Governor Geary on Feb. 8, 1868, made some changes in the personnel of the com- mission and the names of James Kearney, John Reilly, Charles J. Mann and Matthew Black were substituted for those of Messrs. McCauley, Custer, Roberts and Wilson. These gentlemen carried out the work as- signed them and the engineer appointed by them completed the preparation of a map in January, 1871. Since then, at various times, contiguous territory has been annexed to the city limits, making its area larger by twenty- five per cent than it was originally.

MAYORS OF ALTOONA.

The first mayor of Altoona was General George Potts. He was a Democrat in politics and served two terms of two years each. His opponent in 1868 was John Swartz and 1870 he defeated William Fox. Prior to becoming a citizen of Altoona, General Potts had lived in Hollidaysburg, where he was identified with the old Pennsylvania canal in a minor official position. When the canal was ac- quired by the Pennsylvania Railroad company and abandoned, he moved to Altoona and for a number of years held the position of weigh- master in the freight yard. He acquired his military title by reason of his identification with the militia prior to the Civil war. His salary was fixed at $400 per year, but the city's original charter conferred the same jurisdic- tion in criminal cases on the mayor as was ex- ercised by a justice of the peace, and thus our early mayors were enabled to add something to their incomes. Although well advanced in years when he assumed office, Mayor Potts administered the affairs of the city with en- ergy and carried out whatever measures he could in the line of civic improvements with the very limited resources at his command. He was a dignified old gentleman of the old school and established precedents in the ad- ministration of the office that survived him for many years. He lived but a few months after his retirement and lies buried in the Presby- terian cemetery at Hollidaysburg.

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The second mayor of Altoona was David Kinch. His opponent at the election was William Murray, Sr., for many years one of the leading dry goods merchants in the city, whom he defeated by a majority of IOI. votes. Mr. Kinch was a republican, and as the city was strongly democratic in those days, his election was a flattering personal tribute. He was a blacksmith by trade and the shopmen rallied to his support.

When Mr. Kinch came to the executive chair, the city was in a most deplorable con- dition. It was without a sewer system, most of the streets were impassable for many months of the year and every householder maintained a pig stye, constant sources of filth and breeders of nauseous odors. Mr. Kinch immediately upon assuming office, set himself to the task of improving condi- tions, and one of his first acts was the elimin- ation of the pig styes. He next turned his attention to the work of sewer building, there being but one short sewer in Eleventh avenue when he assumed office. Under the law then in force the property owners were obliged to pay for their construction and the work was necessarily slow, but a credit- able beginning was made before the close of his term and the work was continued by his successor.

Mayor Kinch's administration was also distinguished as the time when local option was in force. Early in his term the people of the city voted against license by a major- ity of over 1,100, and Mayor Kinch inter- preted this large majority as meaning that the people wanted the law enforced and he set himself to work vigorously at the task of enforcing it. Scores of persons were prosecuted, one man alone being enmeshed in the clutches of the law seven times. Be- fore the end of his term the law was re- pealed by the legislature. His activity in enforcing this law, although he was not per- sonally in sympathy with it, cost him his popularity to some extent, and at the elec- tion in 1874 he was defeated by his demo- cratic opponent, David A. Gillarnd, by a

majority of 147. Mr. Kinch is still living and in vigorous health at the age of eighty. Upon his retirement from the services of the Pennsylvania railroad company at the age of seventy, he was chosen alderman of the Second ward and served a term very ac- ceptably in that capacity.

David A. Galland, Altoona's third mayor, came to the office at the age of thirty-three, he having been born Dec. 16, 1841, and elected and inaugurated as the successor of Mayor Kinch in the spring of 1874. Mayor Gilland was a native of Huntingdon county, and was of Scotch-Irish stock. He served as a soldier in Company I, One Hun- dred and Thirty-seventh Pennsylvania vol- unteers during the Civil war, participating in some of the fiercest struggles of the war, including Antietam, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He served two terms of two years each in the mayor's chair, advocating and bringing to a fruition many measures tending to raise the civil standard and im- prove conditions in the city. During his term the sewer system was greatly extended and

the streets were much improved. Mayor Gilland was a staunch democrat and until his death, March 21, 1906, he always took an active part in the public affairs of the city. He was elected to represent Blair county in the state legislature in 1879, the year following his retirement from the mayoralty. Mayor Gilland never married.

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.

Among the notable events of his term was the centennial celebration and the strike of 1877, elsewhere referred to in this history. The centennial year was inaugu- rated in Altoona by a grand celebration on Dec. 31, 1875, held in the opera house. The exercises opened before an immense audi- ence by the city band playing "Yankee Doodle," the curtain then going up and re- vealing thirteen little girls representing the thirteen original states. They were dressed in white with blue sashes, bearing the names of the states represented by them.

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In the center of the stage stood a beautiful evergreen pine tree, representing the tree of liberty, decorated with thirty-seven small flags, representing the states then embrac- ing the union.

After a musical selection, his honor, Mayor Gilland, appeared and said: "We have assembled here tonight to celebrate the inauguration of the centennial year of our independence as a nation, to honor the memories of those who laid down their lives for the blessings of freedon which we, as a people, now enjoy. They freely poured out their blood to cement the Union, and we are here tonight to do them and their memories the honor which their deeds so justly merit. There are those here who will address you. With these remarks I wish you one and all a Happy New Year."

Rev. C. T. Steck then read "John Adams on the. Declaration;" Robert A. Clarke read the Declaration of Independence and P. S. Ake recited an original apostrophe to the American eagle. Addresses were made by William L. Woodcock, Esq., Rev. Henry Baker, and D. B. Williams. A grand street parade, in which the Latta Guards, the vol- unteer firemen, bands and various civic so- cieties participated, followed the exercises.

On the following Fourth of July every house in the city was decorated with flags. The procession, composed of military and civic organizations, the fire department, the employes of the great work shops, the tradesmen and artisans at work, each at his particular vocation, mounted on wagons drawn by richly caprisoned horses, and citi- zens in carriages and on foot, was one that was surpassed in few cities in the country. The procession, after moving through the principal thoroughfares, halted at a stand erected in a field belonging to the Pennsyl- vania railroad company, in the eastern part of the city, where the immense concourse of people were suitably and patriotically ad- dressed by Judge John P. Blair, of Indiana county. A violent storm at 3 o'clock p. m. put an end to the gorgeous spectacle.

NOTED EVENTS.

Thomas W. Hurd was the fourth mayor of Altoona. He was elected in February, 1878, as a democrat, defeating William T. Howard, republican, who in turn defeated him two years later. Among the noted events of his administration was the meet- ing in Altoona of the annual conclave of of the grand commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania, May 29 and 30, 1878, and the visit of Charles Stewart Par- nell, the noted Irish leader and member of the British parliament. A public meeting was held in the opera house, presided over by Mayor Hurd, Feb. 12, 1880, at which Mr. Parnell made an address. At the time this work is written Mayor Hurd is still living, at the advanced age of eighty-five.

The fifth mayor of Altoona was William T. Howard, who served two terms, from 1880 to 1884. Mr. Howard had been the nominee of his party in 1878, but was de- feated by Thomas Hurd, the democratic candidate. At the close of the latter's term he was again put forward as the choice of his party and was defated by Mr. Howard by a majority of nine votes. In 1882 Mr. Howard defeated William C. Galbraith, who had previously served a term as city treasurer. Mr. Howard was born in 1841, was a soldier in the Civil war, and came to the office of mayor at the age of thirty-nine.

WAR AGAINST CRIME.

Mayor Howard was a man of more than ordinary energy and determination, and his administration was noted for the inaugura- tion of a number of needed reforms. It was he who started the policy of punishing petty offenders in police court by the imposition of a fine of $2 or $5 with eighty cents addi- tional for costs, and this earned for him the sobriquet, "Two-eighty Bill Howard." When he assumed the mayoralty, Ninth and Tenth avenues, the thoroughfares which adjoin the Pennsylvania railroad yard, were lined with saloons and low dives

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and at night were frequented by low and vicious characters, a body of the most con- spicuous rounders being known as the "gut- gang." It was decidedly unsafe for repu- table people to walk along either of these thoroughfares during the night. Mayor Howard assumed the task of breaking up the "gut-gang," and closing up the worst resorts, and long before the close of his ad- ministration he succeeded in accomplishing his purpose. Seven of the worst characters were sent to the penitentiary for long terms, others were sent to jail, while many others left the city or mended their ways.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 41

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