Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 44

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 44

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

1898-99

North, D. E. 1907 -

Nugent, G. H. . 1899-1901

*O'Toole, John 1869-70, 1876-77

*Olmes, F. W. 1874-76

*Owers, D. G. 1878-79

(Resigned September 20, 1869.)

*Stewart, G. W.

1869-70

(Unexpired term of Jacob Snyder.)

*Sprankle, Samuel 1871-72

*Smith, G. C.

. 1873

(Resigned October 2, 1873.)

*Swartz, John 1873-74

1885-87 Sink, A. G. 1874-77

*Snyder, H. W.

. 1876-77, 1880-01

McDowell, Robert

McAleer, Peter

1899-1901

Manlove, C. H.

(Re-elected February, 1904, from Eighth ward, but not seated on account of division of ward making him resident of Tenth ward.)

McAleer, Charles A.

. 1901-07

Michaels, J. E. . 1903-05

Mccullough, F. M. 1904-06

Manley, W. B. 1907 -

McGowan, J. B. 1907- Neylon, M. T.

1898-99, 1900

(Unexpired term of T. W. Cole. Re-elected Febru- ary 20, 1900; resigned December 28, 1900.) *Noffsker, Jacob 1884-85

Stouch, John P. 1899-1903

Shute, J. E. 1899-1901

Spahr, J. I. . 1900-02

Schmitt, Henry C. 1902-04

Reigh, M. S. 1889

Rosensteel, M. S. . 1880

*Roush, J. K. 1891-92

(Unexpired term of Albert Elway.) Roberts, H. J. . 1893-94 and 1907 --

(Resigned September 24, 1894.)

*Reifsneider, J. L. .1877-78

Reese, E. C. 1890-91

Riley, T. J. 1899-1901

Rogers, J. B. . 1905 --

Rhodes, D. F. 1906-08

Root, J. H.

1908-

Smith, James 1868-69

*Snyder, Jacob H. 1869

*Rickabaugh, J. L. 1885-85, 1888

Reighard, S. S. 1885-86

Rively, 1887

Rush, G. W. 1888

*Ramey, D. K.

1868, 1871-72, 1888-89

Robeson, John W. 1868-70, 1890

Rhine, George W. 1881-84

Robertson, James 1883-84

Parker, H. H.

1900-02

Line, Rhinehart 1800-84

*Rockett, John 1868-69, 1873-74

Keefer, J. H. . 1906 -

Long, Joseph 1870-71

Lloyd, John 1871-74

Kelly, W. M. . 1901-1905

Mccullough, D. G.

Rickabaugh, A. C. 1888

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HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

Seasoltz, E. E.

. 1904-08

*Young, Frank M.

1898-99

Stewart, J. E.

1906-08

Sell, J. C.

1908 -

Schofield, William

. 1908 -

Snyder, S. R.

1908-

*Taylor, Sampson

1877-82

*Turner, James

1883-84

1880-United States Decennial Census

. 19,710

Taylor, H. S. ... 1907 -

1890-United States Decennial Census

30,260

*Tompkins, W. B. . 1887

Thompson, J. D. 1896-97

Walker, David

1873-74

*Work, L. P. 1884-85

*Wagner, Jacob 1885-86

*White, James H.

1885-88

Wolff, W. H.

.1888

Ward, W. B.

1892-95

Will, Jacob A.

1895-96

Wilson, H. L.

1896-97

Walker, S. H.

899-1905

Wilson, R. C.

1905 -

Westfall, J. V.

1905-07

57,916

Winn, Thomas . 1905-07

Weidley, George 1907-08

Yon, W. W.

882-83

1900-First Ward 3,575

Second Ward

5,285

Third Ward

. 3,296

Fourth Ward

. 3,716

Fifth Ward

· 3,954

Sixth Ward .6,625

Seventh Ward

2,778

Eighth Ward

.7,278

Ninth Ward

.2,466

38,973

Polk's Directory, census I902, Altoona and

suburbs

Estimated Population 1908, within City limits. 55,000 - Population of Blair County, 1900 ... 85,099

Estimated Population of Blair County, 1908. 1 10,000

Zeek, E. A. 1889

ALTOONA'S POPULATION.

1860-United States Decennial Census 3,591

1870-United States Decennial Census. 10,610

CHAPTER XXI.

ALTOONA-PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENTS.

The Police, Fire and Water Departments-Street Railways-Post Office-Cemeteries.

ALTOONA'S POLICE DEPARTMENT.

Altoona has had for a number of years a very efficient police department, but this was not always true. There are still a num- ber of people living in the city who can re- member when High Constable Joe Ely was the sole guardian of the peace in the bor- ough of Altoona. Joe was a little man, but a terror to law breakers for all that. In its. early days there was more of free and easy conduct permitted in the town than would be tolerated now, and the doughty constable had his hands full on pay days and holidays, especially in the vicinity of what was called "Whisky row" on Tenth avenue, while a number of resorts on Ninth avenue were also centers of more or less violent disturbances. Years ago the miners from Gallitzin, Lloydsville and other places on the mountain made Altoona their target every Saturday, while the Tuckahoe boys were in the habit of coming into the town with their trowsers stuffed into their boots, their hats cocked to one side and a general air of toughness and trouble hunting. These elements would come into the city in droves, fill up on bad whiskey and then raise regular riots on the streets, fighting, cutting and doing almost anything that was lawless. Their conduct would often try the grit and speed of the "force,". but Joe was always on the job and was usually able to suppress all riots without serious casualties.

When the borough was made a city in

1868, Ely still retained his badge of office, while Jacob Whitmer and Arthur Storm were made patrolmen. For the next dec- ade, they and their successors had some pretty rough sledding, but the citizens were not critical, and as long as the street brawls were not too frequent, the "cop" was thought to be doing his duty in preserving the peace.

Service on the police force has always been regarded as a political emolument pure and simple, and as a result the city has had many policemen, but few of the chiefs of the department ever serving more than one term, no matter how efficient they may have been. In 1870 Henry Foreman was on the job and there followed his succes- sors about as follows: G. W. Hazzard, William Robison, J. K. Ely, J. A. West- brook, Benjamin Burley, Theodore Doll, John J. Cooke, William T. Howard, J. M. Lantz, George D. Randolph, T. S. Riley, W. W. Smith, Jacob Holtzman, John Coho, Charles W. Whittle, Abraham Myers, H. E. Fettinger, James Allen, John Kimmel, C. A. Dotzler and Anton Schittlekoph. Not all of these men were appointed chief, but they were members of the force of two and acted in that capacity at one time or another when the head of the department was absent. Their chief province was to arrest drunken or disorderly . persons, and they were not expected to do much else, the apprehending of thieves or other felons not being recognized as an essen- tial part of their work.

315

316

HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

And indeed, for the next decade, but lit- tle more was expected and the burglar, safe blower, strong arm man and all around crook had a pretty easy time when he came to town, for the two or three men holding office for two year terms did not feel it incumbent upon them to take many risks in conserving the peace and protecting prop- erty. During the ten years following 1880 there were not so many changes, James Powell, Daniel B. Kinch, Silas A. McGough, William W. Cherry and George B. Daugh- erty filling the position of chief of police until 1890, when the new charter went into effect and the term of Mayor Theodore Burchfield was extended to three years. During his term, Thomas Weir and Silas McGough each served a portion of the time, the force under them having grown to sixteen men before the end of the term and some sort of systematic patrol work was established, the men being assigned to regular beats with a sergeant to see that they stuck to them with some sort of reg- ularity.

However, there was no telegraph system or patrol wagon provided and the man on the beat could do pretty much as he pleased, with but little check upon his movements, and. it was not until the term beginning in 1893, when Samuel M. Hoyer was mayor and John N. Tillard chief of police, that the present system was established, and the members of the department held responsible for the suppression of crime in all its branches. The high efficiency the depart- ment has attained dates from that time. Chief Tillard during his first year with the department was one of twenty-five or thirty similar officials in other cities who organ- ized the international association of chiefs of police, an organization through which the departments of the various cities are brought in touch with each other and are enabled to cooperate with each other in apprehending criminals who escape from one place to another. At the end of his sec- ond year in the position Chief Tillard was

appointed as the first chief of the paid fire department, and the position was held dur- ing the remainder of Mayor Hoyer's term by A. A. Cherry.

Mayor Barr, when he assumed office in 1896, appointed James Foust chief of police. As usual, this appointment was made purely on political grounds and Mr. Foust was without experience in the police business, but he was a man of great energy, ability and determination, and he maintained the standard that had been set by his immediate predecessors and increased the efficiency of the force. Mayor Barr was succeeded by Mayor Giles, and he appointed Emanuel B. Seedenberg, who held the office for three years, from 1899 to 1902. He, too, was without experience in the business, having been engaged in mercantile pursuits, but he gave painstaking and conscientious service to the city and the standard set by his pre- decessors was maintained.

When Mayor Hoyer was called to the executive chair for the second term in 1902, he departed from the usual custom and ap- pointed his chief of police on the merits of the man, calling to the post for the second time John N. Tillard. During four or five years previous Mr. Tillard had been en- gaged in detective work for one of the larg- est agencies in the country and had acquired a knowledge and gained an experience, which, with his previous service as chief of police, fitted him exceptionally well for the post. He held the office for six consecutive years, Mayor Walker reappointing him at the expiration of Mayor Hoyer's term in 1905. During this period the department was raised to its present high standard of efficiency. The number of patrolmen was increased to thirty-six, photographs and records of criminals were kept and the Ber- tillon system of measuring them was adopted. Many criminals were appre- hended and brought to justice through the application of these methods and the force kept in excellent discipline.

Upon his assumption of the office of

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

mayor for the third time in 1908, Mayor Hoyer appointed Bernard J. Clark chief of police. While this appointment was doubt- less prompted by political reasons, Mr. Clark had had experience in a subordinate position and came to the post well equipped to discharge the duties. He has main- tained strict discipline among the officers, and it can be said without disparagement to his predecessors that the department has reached its highest state of efficiency during his term. Mayor Walker and Mayor Hoyer have retained in the service officers who have demonstrated their efficiency and this has given the heads of the department the services of experienced men. During his term Chief Clark has kept up a cease- less warfare against gambling joints and houses of ill-repute, with the result that these places have been practically eliminated.

Among the officers worthy of special mention by reason of their long and faith- ful service to the city are John M. Bradley, who has served as a plain clothes man dur- ing the past three administrations; W. W. Cherry, who has been on the force for twenty years, longer than any other man; A. A. Cherry, who has served for upwards of twenty years; Michael Morning, a typical Irish policeman of the old type; Peter Harlow, who served under four mayors and was never reprimanded or suspended; T. Lloyd Vaughn, who has slaughtered more mad dogs than all others combined; Charles M. Wertz, William Young, Thomas Story and Hezekiah Beard.

The department has made an average of a little more than 2,000 arrests per year during the past ten years, the record year being 1905, when 2,456 persons were taken in custody. The department is main- tained at a cost of a little over $6,000 per annum.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The question of protection from the all- devouring element, fire, is one that early engaged the attention of the residents of

Altoona. As early as 1854 the borough au- thorities took the subject into consideration. At a meeting of council, September 7, 1854, on motion, the chief burgess was requested to call a town-meeting to take into consid- eration the propriety of organizing a fire company, and securing the necessary sup- ply of water. In 1858 the burgess was in- structed to procure three sets of hooks and ladders for the use of the borough. Noth- ing definite was accomplished, however, until April, 1859, when a fire company was organized. The prime movers in this com- pany were A. H. Maxwell, Alexander A. Smyth and A. C. Vauclain. A subscription was circulated, and with the money raised a hand-engine was purchased of the Good Will fire company of Philadelphia, and the organization here adopted the same name. The engine arrived in Altoona October 22, 1859. At this time there was no water- supply for the place. Two months later water was introduced into the borough, and the people felt secure in their possession of a fire engine, water to supply it, and a com- pany to man it. On the eventful day that water and gas were first introduced into Altoona, December 15, 1859, celebrated by a grand parade, the Good Will made their first appearance in public, equipped in dark trousers, white shirts, black belts and glazed caps.

The original members of this pioneer fire company were as follows: A. A. Smyth, A. H. Maxwell, J. L. Ickes, William W. Smith, J. K. Russell, C. R. Hostetter, Andrew Kip- ple, William Renor, F. Shillinger, Jacob Szink, C. R. McCrea, William H. Nicholas, John Dasher, John Eirhart, William Boy- den, William Bartley, H. Oster, George Powell, James Maxwell, Joseph Noel and D. Travers. Several of the foregoing are still living and W. W. Smith is at present the secretary of the Volunteer Firemen's association, engrossed in the work of pre- paring for the annual state convention of the organization, which will be held in Altoona in the fall of 1910. The first officers were

318

HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

C. R. Hostetter, president; A. A. Smyth, vice-president; W. W. Smith, secretary ; J. K. Russell, assistant secretary ; Andrew Kipple, F. Shillinger, A. A. Smyth, J. K. Russell A. H. Maxwell, investigating com- mittee; Andrew Kipple, A. A. Smyth, J. K. Russell, A. H. Maxwell, C. R. McCrea, F. Shillinger, W. W. Smith, W. H. Nicholas and William Bartley, the board of directors.

The Good Will fire company was incor- porated in May, 1867. In 1868 its old en- gine was replaced by a steamer. When this company was organized, the Pennsyl- vania railroad company erected a building on their land, corner Ninth avenue and Twelfth street, for the occupancy of the Good Will until they could secure other quarters.

Upon the removal of No. I company to another house, the railroad company occu- pied this building with one of their hose carriages. A building was then erected for the Good Will company at the corner of Sixth avenue and Thirteenth street at a cost of $8,000. This building is still standing, although it has been enlarged and im- proved, and is known as No. 2 station in the city paid fire department.

The second company organized was the Empire hook and ladder company, Septem- ber 14, 1866. Its outfit of truck, hooks, ladders, etc., were purchased from the Em- pire company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was incorporated in April, 1867. In 1871- 72 an engine house was erected at a cost of $10,500 on Tenth avenue, between Four- teenth and Fifteenth streets, the present site of the No. I company of the city de- partment.

In 1867 the borough council created the offices of a chief and assistant engineers ; Alexander A. Smyth was chosen to the former, and A. H. Maxwell and B. F. Rose to the latter positions. During the same year the Pennsylvania railroad company or- dered from the Amoskeag manufacturing company, of Manchester, N. H., a steamer, which arrived in Altoona June 4, and was

given in charge of W. A. Adams and A. Moss, members of the Altoona steam fire engine company. This steamer and a hose carriage, kept in a building at the lower car shops, were not connected with the city fire department, but during the volunteer days usually responded to alarms.

On the 12th of February, 1868, the legis- lature passed an act empowering the bur- gess and council of the borough of Altoona to levy and collect a special tax of 12 mills on the dollar for three years, for the purpose of purchasing steam fire engines. The council having decided to purchase two 'Amoskeag steamers, one for the Good Will company, on the east side, and the other for the west side of town, it was deemed necessary to organize another fire company. Accordingly a number of prominent young men formed themselves into a company, March 26, 1868, under the name of the Vigilant steam fire engine company. The two steamers were contracted for by A. H. Maxwell, chief engineer and chairman of the fire committee in council. On the 4th of July, 1868, the engines were placed in charge of the Good Will and Vigilant com- panies. These engines are still in the serv- ice of the city, being in good condition. In 1870-71 was erected the Vigilant building, corner of Thirteenth avenue and Twelfth street, at a cost of over $17,000, which was used for a number of years in connection with city hall. This building, remodeled and greatly enlarged, is to this day the city hall. At one time it was the finest struc- ture in Altoona.

In 1869 the Excelsior hose company was organized, and took the number three as a part of its distinctive appellation. This company was reorganized in 1879. In 1880 they put up a building for their use on Tenth street, between Chestnut and Lex- ington avenues, at a cost of $1,000. On February 15, 1891, a number of enterpris- ing citizens in the eastern section of the city organized the Hope fire company. It was incorporated on June 15, and a building was

319

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

sisted of a hand hose carriage, which was procured from the Phoenix company, which had a short lease of life some time prior to the organization of the Hope company. A pull to one fire sufficed with the hand car- riage and a horse was procured. After the company took possession of the new build- ing, a second hand Clapp & Jones engine was purchased in Philadelphia, the same engine that had won the medal at the Phil- adelphia centennial in 1876. This served until 1893, when the city purchased a mod- ern engine and hose carriage for the com- pany, which are now used at No. 3 station into which the Hope company was merged on the establishment of the paid depart- ment.

The Phoenix company, of which mention has already been made, was formed in 1882, its station being located at Seventh avenue and Fourth street. After a precarious ex- istence of about a year it gave up the strug- gle and the hose carriage was stored until the organization of the Hope company. Two other companies, the Friendship and the Logan, existed during the volunteer days. The Friendship was located in the Sixth ward and became No. 5 station of the paid department, while the Logan was in the Second ward, and went out of exist- ence with the formation of the paid depart- ment. There was also a company known as the Good Will Junior, in existence for several years.

The following persons served as chief en- gineers of the volunteer fire department ; A. A. Smyth, 1867; A. H. Maxwell, 1868; B. F. Rose, 1869-70; T. Blair Patton, 1871; E. Mountney, 1873; T. B. Patton, 1875; John R. Garden, 1877-79; B. F. Rose, 1880-81; John Schenk, 1882-83; Gus Klem- mert, 1884-85; W. S. Arble, 1886-87; Frank P. Molloy, 1888-89; Jacob Adams, 1890- 93; Frank P. Molloy, 1893-95.

The volunteer department was succeeded by a paid department on May 1, 1895. The

erected near the corner of Sixth avenue and agitation which resulted in the change was Fourth street. Its original equipment con- 'of brief duration and resulted from the re- fusal of the Logan hose company to attend a fire, this action being the result of some difficulty over the use of the horses for other purposes. The volunteers made a strenuous effort to defeat the legislation presented in councils for the creation of the paid department, but it was adopted by a large majority and signed by Mayor Hoyer, who appointed John N. Tillard, then chief of police, as the first chief of the paid de- partment. Mr. Tillard at once set himself to the task of organizing the department and soon had it on an excellent working basis.

Since the creation of the paid department three additional stations have been erected, as follows: No. 4, on Eighth street, be- tween Green and Chestnut avenues, May, 1901, $6,403; No. 6, Fourteenth avenue and Twentieth street, September, 1901, $5,404, and No. 3, Fifth avenue and Third street, October, 1905, $13,256. Upon the annexation of the suburb of Fairview, mak- ing it the Eleventh ward of the city, the city acquired the fire station there, located at Ninth street and Twenty-third avenue, and it is now known as No. 9 company.

Much valuable apparatus has been added to the equipment since the establishment of the paid department, as the following resume of purchases will show: No. 5 hose wagon, January, 1900; No. 4 hose wagon, September, 1901; No. 3 hose wagon, Au- gust, 1904; No. I combination chemical en- gine and hose wagon, August, 1905; A truck, December, 1905; No. 2 combination chemical engine and hose wagon, Novem- ber, 1907; No. I steam fire engine, June, 1908; No. 6 hose wagon, October, 1908; Nos. 4 and 5 engines rebuilt and new boiler, 1906; No. 3 engine rebuilt, 1907.

Much of the efficiency to which the de- partment has attained has been due to the men who have served in the office of chief. Mr. Tillard served from May 1, 1895 to April 1, 1896, when he resigned and was

320

HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

succeeded by W. P. Pimlott, who served six years or until April 2, 1902. Theodore W. Allemann was then appointed and has served ever since. The efficient assistant chief for a number of years has been H. C. Graybill. Both Messrs. Allemann and Graybill have been identified with the de- partment for many years. The department is not legally under civil service regulations, but incoming mayors have never made any changes either in the heads or among the rank and file. The best of discipline has always been maintained, and the depart- ment is regarded as a model of efficiency throughout the state. There are at the present time seventy-three men connected with the department and thirty-two horses. The regular men receive from $55 to $79.20 per month and the call men receive $18.15 per month. The cost of maintaining the department is about $60,000 a year. Dur- ing the year 1909 the losses sustained by fires amounted to $19,509. The insurance carried on the property endangered was $180,350 and the amount paid was $18,383.

The Pennsylvania railroad company maintains two fire stations in its shop yards, both equipped with first class apparatus. William Irwin is the chief of this depart- ment. His predecessor for many years was Andrew Kipple, until his retirement general foreman of the car shops. The city and company departments help each other in cases of emergency.

The first fire of importance under the paid system was the Good building and sur- rounding property, on Eleventh avenue be- tween Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, which occurred May 17, 1895. Since then the most important fires have been the fol- lowing :

The Central hotel fire, January 5, 1896, at 3:45 a. m. Fireman B. F. Housum killed by falling wall.

The Morrow fire, which destroyed the Bowman & Morrow corner at Eleventh avenue and Twelfth street, together with surrounding property, December 14, 1896.

Stoke's planing-mill, March 30, 1897. Brandt's planing-mill, July 5, 1900.

The Imperial dry goods store was dam- aged to extent of $40,000, on August 10, 1902 and totally destroyed June 14, 1907. This was the Eleventh avenue opera house block.

The Altoona glass works totally de- stroyed, Sunday morning, January 14, 1906.

The most destructive fire in the history of the city was that which destroyed the Rothert furniture store, the Mishler theatre and the new Elks' home, October 19, 1906, entailing a loss of upwards of $500,000.

The Wold building, occupied by Whit- man & Artman, was burned January 20, 1907.

The Lyric theatre was burned February 24, 1907. This building stood on the site of the Mountain City theatre, which was burned March 5, 1889. It will be noticed that within a period of less than a year three theatres in the city were destroyed.

Prutzman's wholesale house was de- stroyed July 22, 1907.

THE ALTOONA WATER DEPARTMENT.

In the summer of 1859, a corporation was formed by William Wilson and others to fur- nish the borough of Altoona with gas and water. This company was known as The Altoona Gas and Water company. They procured water from Pottsgrove, where they and the Pennsylvania railroad company had two small reservoirs, the supply being brought to the borough through an eight-inch line to a distributing reservoir located on what is now known as Fifteenth avenue and Twelfth street. These reservoirs and pipe line were used in common by the railroad company and the Altoona Gas and Water company.

The distributing system of this company's plant consisted of mains from one to eight inches in size, through which water was dis- tributed to consumers along the various thor- oughfares. The system contained about eigh- teen fire hydrants of the Stillman pattern,

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 44

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