Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 48

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 48

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).

When the company was first formed it was for the double purpose of supplying water and gas to the people of the city, and it was known as the Altoona Gas and Water company. It was incorporated April 9, 1859. Its first officers were W. H. Wil- son, president; William M. Lloyd, treas- urer; B. F. Rose, secretary; John Shoe- maker, Enos M. Jones, Charles J. Mann, Rev. A. B. Clarke, and George D. Cramer, managers, and Thomas S. Francis superin- tendent. On May 9, 1871, the name was changed to Altoona Gas company, and Sept. 10, 1872, the water-pipes were sold to the city authorities. Gas was first intro- duced into the pipes on Dec. 15, 1859. The capacity of the gas works when first started was 30,000 feet per day, and the first price. of gas was $3 per thousand feet.

The local stockholders of the Altoona Gas company have long since disposed of their interests in the company, which is controlled by an eastern syndicate. George H. Harper was the superintendent for many years, and was succeeded in 1906 by D. W. Perkins, who was succeeded in 1910 by E. L. Dustin. As this work is written legisla- tion is being enacted by the city councils granting a franchise to the People's Natural Gas company of Pittsburg, and the present plan is to have the Altoona Gas company become the distributor of natural gas brought from the West Virginia fields by the People's company. The announcement is made that the city will be furnished with natural gas before the end of the year.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

The Edison Electric Illuminating com- pany was organized in 1887, by John Lou- don, A. J. Anderson and others, who estab- lished a plant on Tenth avenue between

341

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Tenth and Eleventh streets, which was oc- cupied until April, 1896, when the large and thoroughly equipped plant at Union avenue and Nineteenth street was completed and put in operation. The capital stock, at first held largely by local business men, was later largely held by eastern capitalists. E. B. Greene was the superintendent of the plant throughout the existence of the company.

The Citizens' Electric Light, Heat and Power company was formed by Altoona business men in 1901, and a plant estab- lished at Ninth avenue and Twentieth street. S. S. Reighard was the first presi- dent of the company, a position later held by Karl Olmes, and still later by W. S. Aaron. On Feb. 22, 1910, the Edison and Citizens' companies were consolidated, the Edison company being absorbed by the Citizens,' since when they have been con- ducted under one management under the name of the Penn Central Electric Light and Power company. The officers chosen at the consolidation were as follows: Pres- ident, Richard Wain Meirs ; vice president, D. A. Pearson; secretary and treasurer, John E. Zimmerman; directors, Messrs. Meirs, Pearson and Zimmerman and George C. Kelchner, Dr. John M. Sheedy, H. Laussat Ceyelin, G. W. Tidd and J. B. Mayer. E. T. Penrose is superintendent and local manager, and E. B. Greene chief of plant and technical manager.

Altoona has been singularly unfortunate with its thespian temples. Four times it has been called upon to mourn over the ashes of beautiful and costly structures, ruthlessly destroyed by the fire fiend, but in spite of all this the city today has two of the most beautiful temples of amusement in the state, and several smaller ones which are a credit to the city. The first one destroyed was the Mountain City theatre, which was burned March 5, 1889. On Oct. 19, 1906, the Mishler theatre, which had been dedi- icated less than a year before, was destroyed by the fire which also laid low the Rothert building and the Elks' home. On Feb. 24,

1907, the Lyric theatre, which stood on the site of the old Mountain City theatre, was burned, and on June 14, 1907, the Eleventh Avenue opera house was destroyed.

It was not until 1887 that Altoona had a theatre worthy of the name, and the people of the city were given the privilege of see- ing high class attractions. The first theatre of which there is any account, was opened up about the close of the Civil war, in a building on Tenth avenue, near Fourteenth street. It was conducted by William A. Rouse and his wife, both of whom were ac- tors of some ability, and assumed the chief roles in the plays that were presented. The theatre was little more than an auxiliary to a saloon, through which the patrons were obliged to pass to get to the rooms where the plays were presented.

In the building which stood on the site of the present Morrow block at the corner of Eleventh avenue and Twelfth street, there was a hall on the second floor, which was frequently engaged for presenting theatrical performances. It was conducted by Lowther & Bare. Performances were also given on the second floor of the fire station at the eastern end of the Twelfth street bridge. As there was but one en- trance to the hall, and as the actors did not wish to enter in view of the audience, lad- ders were provided for them and they en- tered through the windows behind the cur- tain. This was used for a number of years for various entertainments.

The Eleventh Avenue opera house, for many years the leading playhouse of the city, was built in the early days of the city, in 1868, for a market house. Prior to the remodeling in 1888, when it was made into a modern theatre, the second floor was used for theatrical purposes. It was built by a stock company of Altoona business men, and in 1874 it was purchased by William T. Marriott, who retained possession until 1888, when he sold it to William W. Rouse. Mr. Marriott managed the market house hall during the entire period of his owner-

342

HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

ship, and frequently fairly good entertain- ments were provided. The room was a large one with cane-seated chairs, and a gallery. Upon acquiring the property Mr. Rouse on April 23, 1888, practically rebuilt the structure, making it four stories high, the upper portion being devoted to theat- rical purposes. Baltzell Bros., and later the Imperial dry goods company, occupied the lower floors. The latter company eventu- ally acquired the building. E. D. Griswold was the first manager of the Eleventh Ave- nue opera house, which was opened on Monday evening, Oct. 1, 1888, the attrac- tion being Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Florence in "The Almighty Dollar." The remodeling of the building was done at an expense of $35,000. Mr. Griswold was succeeded in the management of the theatre by Isaac C. Mishler and Charles S. Myers, under the firm name of Mishler & Myers. After two or three years Mr. Mishler assumed the management himself and thus continued un- til shortly before the destruction of the build- ing by fire on June 14, 1907. Many of the most noted actors in the country ap- peared in this house. A few months prior to its destruction a law was passed by the state legislature prohibiting the use of any part of a building for theatrical purposes ex- cept the ground floor. This necessitated the discontinuance of the use of the build- ing as a theatre.

The Mountain City theatre, which occu- pied the cite of the present Orpheum thea- tre, on Eleventh street, was erected by Louis Plack, one of the city's oldest and wealthiest residents, in 1887, and opened up in February, 1888, by the Emma Abbott opera company. Mr. Plack personally man- aged the theatre, which had a successful but brief career, being destroyed by fire on March 5, 1889. In rebuilding on the site, Mr. Plack erected a business building, which was known as the Phoenix block. In 1906 the Phoenix block was remodeled and converted into a theatre, being opened up in the fall as the Lyric theatre, and con-

ducted by the Keith vaudeville company. Its existence was brief, the building being destroyed by fire on Feb. 24, 1907. Out of the ruins of the Lyric grew the present beautiful Orpheum theatre, conducted by Wilmer & Vincent, and under the manage- ment of Harry B. Hearn. This house is de- voted exclusively to vaudeville performances.

The Eden musee, which included a me- nagerie, a curio hall and theatorium, lo- cated at Green avenue and Eleventh street, was opened up to the public on Sept. 5, 1892, by Harry Davis, manager of the Fifth avenue museum in Pittsburg. Edwin Young was the manager of the house and it continued in operation for about three years.

The home of the Frohsinn singing society is generally known as the East Side theatre, because it was formerly used for theatrical purposes. The building was erected in 1891, and the hall is on the second floor. It has a seating capacity of about 1,000 people, and during the first few years was regu- larly conducted as a theatre with Cloyd W. Kerlin as the manager and Fred Schneider as manager of home theatricals. The build- ing is located on Ninth avenue below Twelfth street, and it has not been used for theatrical purposes for fifteen years or more, the hall being used for dances and for holding public meetings.

The World's museum, located in the Woodcock arcade, was conducted for sev- eral years, beginning in 1891.

The name that will always stand out most conspicuous in the theatrical history of the city is that of I. C. Mishler, whose name is already mentioned in connection with the management of the Eleventh avenue opera house. Being identified with the business for a number of years in Altoona, Johns- town, Pa., and Trenton, N. J., he had an am- bition to provide the people of Altoona with a fine theatre, in which only high-class pro- ductions would be presented. He accord- ingly acquired ground on Twelfth avenue between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets,

343

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

and erected a building embodying all the latest ideas in modern theatre construction. It was formally opened on Feb. 15, 1906, by Miss Eleanor Robson in "Merely Mary Ann." Mayor S. H. Walker delivered the dedicatory address. On October 19 of the same year the building was destroyed by fire, which originated in the building of the Rothert furniture company adjoining. Mr. Mishler immediately begun the work of re- building, and in an incredibly short time a new theatre, finer and better than the one destroyed, stood in its place, the present Mishler theatre. It was dedicated on Jan. 21, 1907, at which time addresses were made by Judge Martin Bell and Mayor S. H. Walker, while Wright Lorimer presented "The Shepherd King." Mishler is one of the finest playhouses in the country, a mon- ument to the persevering energy of the owner and a credit to the city. It cost in the neighborhood of $150,000, and was built by P. W. Finn.

At the present time there are several moving picture houses in the city, the chief of which, the Pastime theatre, is conducted by Silverman Bros. The others include the Grand theatre, Keith's theatre, and the Ca- sino. A summer theatre is conducted at Lakemont park by the Lakemont Park Amusement company, performances being given daily during the summer months.

ALTOONA HOTELS.

Altoona is well supplied with good hotels. During recent years many fine structures have been built, giving the city an ample number of commodious, well-appointed and well-con- ducted hostelries, where both those who so- journ here for a brief time and those who abide permanently, may be sheltered and sup- plied with the comforts of life. With the ex- ception of a brief period, in 1873, the hotels have been had the privilege of selling liquor, except at such times as some of them may have been refused a license by the court. In 1873, under the provisions of a local option

law, the town was voted "dry," and thus re- mained for a year.

The first tavern in this vicinity was located upon the site of the White Hall hotel, on the Dry Gap road, now Sixteenth street, and kept before the town was founded. It was built by George Huff. The Red Lion hotel was built about 1849 or 1850, and the Mansion House by Dougherty about the same time. James Kearney conducted the Red Lion hotel.

The Windsor .- The first hotel after Altoona became a country village was the Exchange, on Railroad street, now Tenth avenue, now the Windsor. It was built by John Stahl, and sold to Richard McClain. It was conducted by John F. Bowman. It was a frame building and was destroyed by fire in September, 1866. Upon the ruins was erected the present three- story brick building by Johnson & Gibbs, and after it was completed it was conducted for a number of years by Colonel John Woods. It has frequently changed hands and is now owned by the Second National bank. At the present time it is closed.

The Logan House .- The construction of the Logan House, for more than half a century the leading hotel of Altoona, was started by the Pennsylvania Railroad company in 1853 and rushed to completion for the opening of the through service on the railroad early the following year. Jacob Alleman quarried the stone used in its construction on Bell's farm, east of the city, William Bell having contracted to furnish the stone. A pond, where boys went swimming, occupied the site. When completed, the Logan House was a marvel in the wilderness, being out of all proportion to the size of the town. It was intended, how- ever, as a summer resort, and as the town grew rapidly use was found for its ample facilities, and it has long been recognized as one of the best hotels in the United States. Large and spacious, elegantly furnished throughout and occupying almost an entire square, it has al- ways been well conducted and patronized ex- tensively. It was here that the governors of the loyal northern states assembled in Septem- ber, 1862, to devise ways and means of co-

344

HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

operating with the national government to sup- press the rebellion, and from that day to this it has been the camp-ground of all those who wish to assemble at a central point from all parts of the commonwealth. J. D. McClelland, W. D. Tyler, W. R. Dunham and J. P. Mc- Williams have been the successive superin- tendents during the past forty years or more. The Mechanics' library was for many years located on the first floor of the east wing of the building, and this space, together with the second floor in the same wing, is now used for office purposes by the railroad company. Between the building and Twelfth street there is a spacious lawn, known as Logan House park.

The Colonial .- Recognizing the need of an- other first-class hotel, P. L. Morrison, who had successfully conducted the Aldine, pro- jected the Colonial, which was built and opened up on Oct. 6, 1906. The Colonial is a fine five-story structure, furnished through- out in fine style, and has helped very materially to give the city the reputation it enjoys of hav- ing fine hotel accommodations. It is located on Twelfth avenue, between Eleventh and Twelfth streets, two squares from the station.

The Altamont .- The Altamont is located at the corner of . Eleventh avenue and Eleventh street, occupying the site of the Central hotel, which was destroyed by fire on the night of Jan. 5, 1896, when Fireman B. F. Housum was killed by a falling wall. The Central was the property of A. G. Sink, who then built the Altamont as it now stands. The hotel has changed hands several times, being conducted successively by D. P. Ray, William C. Walters and the present owner, Thomas Weir, who purchased it in 1909.

The Brant House .- The Brant House is lo- cated at the corner of Tenth avenue and Twelfth street, being the first hotel east of the railroad station. It has been conducted for many years by John Schenk, than whom a more competent hotel manager is not to be found anywhere, and whose success in this calling has been uninterrupted. The Brant House was first opened May 1, 1868, and was

successfully conducted in the original house until 1888, when it became necessary to re- model and enlarge it, and in 1892 an addi- tional story was added to it, making it a hand- some four-story brick structure. On the first floor are located the officers of the Western Union Telegraph company, a cigar store and a barber shop.

The Schmitt House .- The Schmitt House is one of the old landmarks of the city, being lo- cated on Thirteenth street between Eleventh and Twelfth avenues. It was built about 1858 by John Schmitt, from whom it took the name which it still retains, and who conducted it very successfully for a number of years. He was succeeded by various other proprietors until 1889 when Emil Thieme secured the prop- erty and has since successfully conducted the hotel. Some years ago Mr. Thieme built a large five-story addition to the hotel, making it one of the largest in the city. Mr. Thieme as a landlord and citizen is recognized as among one of Altoona's best and the house which he has conducted so long has an en- viable popularity.

The Lafayette Hotel .- The Lafayette hotel, located at the corner of Eighth avenue and Ninth street, was opened by Clarence D. Beegle on April 30, 1893, and conducted by him, ex- cept for a period of three years when he was sheriff of Blair county, until his death, in 1908. Since then it has been in charge of his sons. It is one of the best hotels on the east side of the city, being carefully managed at all times.

The Hotel Royal .- This hotel was built by Richard McClain in 1867. It is located at the corner of Tenth avenue and Thirteenth street. opposite the station. The site had been occu- pied by a frame building which was destroyed by fire in 1866, and Mr. McClain erected the present large four-story brick building. It was at first known as the St. Charles hotel, then as the Globe and a few years ago was christened the Hotel Royal. Charles E. Wen- sel has conducted the Royal for a number of years.

The Leroy .- This hotel was built by D. B.

345

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Dougherty in 1907. It is located at Chestnut avenue and Eleventh street, opposite the federal building, and has been conducted since its es- tablishment by Walter B. Glenn. It is a fine-appearing building, well furnished and efficiently managed.

The Brunswick .- Believing that the east side of the city was entitled to and would sup- port a high-class hotel properly conducted, James Condrin, who had conducted the Schil- ling House for a number of years, projected and built the Brunswick at Eighth avenue and Tenth street, opening it up in June, 1906. It is a beautiful building, finely furnished and equipped, and the venture has proved a success to Mr. Condrin.

The Hotel Franklin .- This hotel occupies the site of one of the oldest hotels in the city at Ninth avenue and Seventeenth street. The old original Franklin was built back in the fifties and was conducted for many years by F. P. Molloy. It was a small frame building and was replaced by the present handsome structure in 1894. Mr. Molloy did not live long after its completion, and since his death it has been conducted by his son, Frank J. Molloy.

The Gilbert .- Louis Plack, one of the city pioneer business men, who amassed a fortune, built for himself a beautiful residence at 914 Chestnut avenue. Later on it became the home of the Juniata club and in 1906 a large addi- tion was built to it and it was converted into the Hotel Gilbert. It is now owned by Thomas Weir, and until recently was conducted by L. G. Clark.

Following is a list of the other hotels in the city : Aldine, 1202-04 Eleventh street; Al- toona House, 1001-03 Bridge street; Ameri- can, 907 Seventeenth street; Bavarian Hof, 1600 Second avenue; Behm, 1312 Tenth avenue ; Belmar, 1501 Fourth avenue; Blair, 1804 Fourth avenue; Bolton, 1000-04 Bridge street; Carlton, Eleventh avenue and Ninth street ; Christopher Columbus, 605-7 Ninth avenue; Columbia, 622-24 Eighth avenue; Columbian, 300-02 Fourth avenue; Commer- cial, 912 Eighth avenue ; Commonwealth, 1010-

12 Bridge street; Duquesne, 1316-18 Tenth avenue; East End, 601-3 Fourth avenue; Eighth Ward, 600-2 Seventh avenue; Euro- pean, 1408 Tenth avenue; Exchange, 2316 Union avenue; Fair City, east Altoona ; Fifth ward, IOII Bridges street; Jacob Fusco, 605-7 Ninth avenue; Grand, 228-30 Sixth avenue; Hotel Austria, south Altoona; Clarendon, 1628-30 Eleventh avenue; Elwood, 1118 Tenth avenue; Eureka, 1328-30 Tenth avenue; Bing- ham House, 1012 Twelfth street; Juniata, Juniata; Norman, 1719-21 Eleventh avenue; Rayburg, Tenth avenue and Fourteenth street ; Rome, 937 Ninth avenue; Savoy, Juniata ; Senate, Ninth street and Chestnut avenue; Walton, 1608-10 Eleventh avenue; Keystone, 2201 Eleventh avenue; LaPierre, 2515 Sixth avenue; Leonard, IIIO Tenth avenue; Mc- Clain, Ninth avenue and Ninth street; Magee's 1023-29 Green avenue; Marriott, 901 Ninth avenue; Merchants, 1322 Tenth avenue ; Mountain City, 1315 Sixteenth street; Na- tional, 2400 Eighth avenue ; Penn Traffic, 1903 Ninth avenue; Red Lion, 1126 Tenth avenue; Rising Sun, 1310 Tenth avenue; St. James, 925-27 Seventeenth street; St. Lawrence, 1012 Fourteenth street; Sixth ward, 714 Sev- enteenth street ; Union, 1313 Twelfth avenue; Valley Home, 601 Eighth avenue; Waldorf, 1119 Eighth avenue; West End, 1432 Tenth avenue; Wurttemberger Hof, 505-07 Fourth avenue.

BREWERIES.

Altoona has three breweries, the Germa- nia, at Ninth avenue and Nineteenth street, the American, at Fourth avenue and Thir- teenth street, and the Altoona, at Four- teenth avenue and Thirteenth street.

Shortly after the city of Altoona had its beginning, in the year 1852, George Enz- brenner came here from Hollidaysburg and securing a plot of ground on Thirteenth ave- nue, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, erected a building in which he en- gaged in the manufacture of beer in a small way. Upon the death of the founder of the business, the management was assumed by

346

HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY

his son, Conrad, who conducted it for about three years, and at his death the control passed into the hands of the remaining son, John M. Enzbrenner. In 1893 the site of the present Germania brewery was pur- chased for $16,000. A building was erected at a cost of $20,000, and machinery and fur- nishings installed, making the total cost about $50,000. After a few years the prop- erty was purchased by William Shultz, who in turn sold it out to John Kazmaier, the present owner, who has made many costly additions to the plant and trebled its original output of 20,000 barrels annually.

The American brewery was originally known as the Eagle brewery. Although es- tablished many years ago and long enjoy- ing a good custom, it was not until 1872 that the late Gust Klemmert became its owner and during his life time it was made one of the best properties of the kind in this section. Upon the death of Mr. Klemmert in July, 1891, his widow assumed charge and conducted it for a number of years, then sold out to George A. W. Arnholdt, who conducted it for a few years, when it was purchased by V. A. Oswald, the pres- ent owner. The entire plant occupies fully half a square of ground, which is well situ- ated for the purpose. Many additions have

been made to the plant by Mr. Oswald, and the latest and most approved makes of ma- chinery installed.

The Altoona brewery was started in 1857 by William Myers. Martin Hoelle came here in 1865 and took charge of the brewery, and then the capacity was from ten to twelve hundred barrels a year. Under the management of Mr. Hoelle, assisted by George Wilhelm, this brewery was a pro- nounced success. On Dec. 17, 1879, the plant was totally destroyed by fire. It was promptly rebuilt, however, and each year improvements and additions have been made until now it is one of the largest and finest in this section. The brewery is now conducted by Wilhelm, Schimminger & Ramsey, Mr. Hoelle having retired from business some time before his death a few years ago.

Several other breweries existed for a while in years long gone by. Charles Haid had a large plant on Fourth avenue be- tween Fourteenth and Fifteenth street, the buildings at the present time being used for a laundry. There were also several distiller- ies in the earlier days, one of which, con- ducted by Joseph Stehle, was located at Eighth avenue and Seventh street, the pres- ent site of the Columbia hotel.

CHAPTER XXIII.

ALTOONA-ITS LEADING SOCIAL IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS.

Mechanics' Library-Pennsylvania Railroad Young Men's Christian Association-Young Women's Christian Association of Altoona-Women's Christian Temperance Union.

MECHANICS' LIBRARY.

Blair county has but one public library, the Mechanics' library, in Altoona. But what it lacks in numbers, is made up in the superior excellence of the one existing. While not to be compared with many others in size, in some respects it is the superior of any other institution of the kind in the en- tire country, its shelves containing volumes of incomparable value not to be found any- where else, and frequently bringing to its treasures men engaged in researches of va- rious kinds from all sections of the country.

The year 1910 marks the fiftieth year of its existence. A half century ago, when Altoona was a very small place, there were not lacking residents who were as deeply in- terested in the intellectual development of the village as they were in its material ad- vancement. With the building of the Penn- sylvania railroad and the establishment of repair shops at this point, there came gen- tlemen of culture from larger centers, who were evidently desirous that the new and growing community with which they had cast their fortune should not be without the advantages that come from access to the world's literature. Some of these men afterwards achieved large places in the in- dustrial history of the country. Among them were Thomas A. Scott, Robert Pit- cairn and Andrew Carnegie.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 48

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