Class 
 Book- 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 
 
iOJlo 
 
 ^emi-(^enter 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 BLAIR COUN' 
 1896. 
 
 
 For Visitors ^¥ 
 4* ^^ and Citi/ 
 
 PREPARED ESPECIALLY FOR TH 
 
 Celebration of the First Fift 
 
 OF THE 
 
 County's Growth. 
 
 Held June 11 and 12, 1896, at HolliJaj 
 
 A SOUVENIR. ' 
 
 IMIICK. r>0 CKNTS. 
 
^•^^ 
 
 DER THE CLEAR DAYLIGHT. | 
 
 ig Blair County 
 
 Dry Goods. ^ ^^ 
 
 aod day out we're improving this store for you. 
 giving our best thought and effort toward making 
 are's service perfect in every detail. 
 
 no better goods can be found. 
 
 no greater variety Is shown. 
 
 no lower prices are quoted. 
 
 oven all through this store's pblicv is the constant 
 
 y to have you pleased with the shopping you do 
 
 to have you perfectly satisfied with every purchase 
 
 made. That's why we buy so carefully. That's why we 
 
 That's why we employ only pleasant 
 
 •eople to serve you. We want it done 
 
 to know it if anything goes wrong. 
 
 r/i our newspaper announcements and 
 i>ings of the sCuiv. We keep our ads 
 •ggerations, no misrepresentations are 
 ppear. We want you to tell us if you 
 
 i 
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 unty s One Great JSC 
 5ods Supply House* 
 
 do not live in Altoona, see our ad. on the inside 
 back cover of this book. .■ .■ .• .• •' ^ 
 
 I 
 .LIAM F. GABLE & CO. ^' 
 
 rhi jDepartment Store, I 
 
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^/«./^ cM. ^/ai^. 
 
'•^.'^^»»»'.'»'.'SS* 
 
 A HISTORY 
 °^ BLAIR 
 COUNTY. 
 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 Froni its Earliest Settlement, and more parti- 
 cularly from its Organization, in 1846 
 to June 1896. 
 
 FIFTY YEARS. 
 
 CoiilaininjT, also, a map of the City of Altoona, the metropolis of the 
 county, and a description of all the other iJoroiiijiis and smaller 
 Towns, giving population and present condition. Also, a general 
 resume of the various business enterprises, and a directory of the 
 places of interest and natural curiosities which strangers should 
 see. 
 
 Prepared especially for the Patriotic 
 Citizens of the County and Visitors to the 
 
 smi-cEHTEnninL - cELEDmiion. 
 
 JUME 1 1 ANb 12, 1896. 
 
 A SOUVENIR OF THAT IMPORTANT EVENT. 
 
 CHARLKS H. CLARK, F.s<,)., I |UJ|18l896 
 
 OF TIIK III. AIR COINTY IIAR, AUTHOR ANII Pl'ril.lSIIF.R . V''.. \ \ 
 
 > 
 
 Ai.TooNA. Pa.. \s>/>. 
 
 '^ly)!-^'^ 
 
Pi^efqcG. 
 
 iHIVERY one of the 100,000 visitors to Blair County during the 
 ^■^ Semi-Centennial Celebration will want to know something 
 about this favored county, and every one of the 80,000 inhabitants 
 should be able to tell them about it ; to give facts and figures re- 
 garding the past and present, to tell other parts of our history which 
 to a certain extent is legendary, and to show on what substantial 
 foundations our hopes for continued prosperity and future greatness 
 are based. 
 
 It was to supply this desideratum that the present work was 
 undertaken by the author at a very late date, after learning that the 
 committee of arrangements had failed to get it done as they had 
 contemplated. On account of the very limited time for preparation 
 and research the subject has not been as exhaustively treated as 
 could be wished and some errors may be found resulting from the 
 lack of time necessary to properly verify all data, but it is confidently 
 believed that it is accurate enough for all practical purposes, and 
 complete enough to fill the minds of the visitors with admiration and 
 cause the heart of the citizen to swell with pardonable pride at the 
 growth already achieved and the glowing future lying so bright be- 
 fore us. To meet the very considerable expense involved it was 
 necessary to insert some advertising matter, and to the business men 
 who have thus assisted, sincere thanks are due and are hereby pub- 
 licly expressed by the author, 
 
 C. B. CLARK. 
 Altoona, Pa., June loth, 1896. 
 
Blqii^ Coiirily. 
 
 r> LAIR COUNTY is now fifty years old, having fully completed a 
 **^ half century of separate existence as one of the sixty-seven 
 counties of the great State of Pennsylvania, the second State in the 
 Union in population and wealth, and to-day, in a grand demonstration, 
 with pomp and ceremony befitting the occasion, she celebrates her 
 semi-centennial ; proud of her achievements in the past, glorying in 
 her present greatness and confident of continued and increasing pros- 
 perity for the future. 
 
 In June, 1846, she began her independent career with a pojiu- 
 lation of about 16.000, with eleven townships and three small l)or- 
 oughs. Hollidaysburg, Gaysport and Martinsburg, 594 square miles 
 of surface and a total assessed valuation of $4,200,000. And now. 
 while her bounds have not been enlarged she has sub-divided some 
 of her townships so that the number is at present fifteen, one large 
 city has grown up during this period within her limits and there are 
 ten independent boroughs and numerous small villages. The poj)- 
 ulation of the county exceeds 80,000 and the assessed valuation is 
 $32,000,000. 
 
 Blair County has within its bounds some of the loftiest moun- 
 tains, the most beautifully picturesque scenery and the greatest 
 natural curiosities in the State. It has considerable mineral wc-alth 
 and many fertile and well watered valleys. 
 
 In it are the head waters of the Blue Juniata ri\er, and passing 
 through, from east to west, is the main line of the richest railroad in 
 the United States, perhaps the richest in the world, the P. R. R. 
 Here has been the birthplace or early home of some of the most 
 noted people of the State, some whose name and fame are world 
 wide, not as leaders of great armies but as financial giants, origi- 
 nators of great enterprises, directors and managers of colossal indus- 
 tries : eminently successful business men. 
 
 The territory now included in Blair County was a part of Cum- 
 berland County from July 6. 1754, to March 9th. 1771. when Bed- 
 ford Countv was erected and it became a part of that. It was in- 
 cluded within the limits of Bedford from March 9th. 1771, to Sept. 
 20th, 1787. when Huntingdon County was formed and all except 
 North Woodbury and Greenfield townshi])S were included in that 
 County. It remained a part of Huntingdon from Sept. 20th, 1787, 
 
Semi=-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 to Feb. 26th, 1846, or, perhaps more properly, till about June ist, 
 1846, when it became a separate county, being formed from a part 
 of Huntingdon County and the two townships of Bedford before 
 named. No further division or change is probable for many years 
 as the present constitution of the State prohibits the erection of any 
 new county, the boundary lines of which will pass within ten miles of 
 any existing county seat. 
 
 The organization of *the new County began to be agitated in 
 1838 and on January 2ist, 1839, a public meeting was held in the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, of Hollidaysburg, to take action in the 
 matter. Christian Garber was chosen president of this meeting and 
 a committee consisting of William Williams, Peter Cassiday, Dr. 
 James Coffey, Peter Hewit, John Walker, Samuel Calvin, Esq., 
 and Edward McGraw was appointed to define the boundaries of the 
 proposed new county, draft petitions, procure the necessary signa- 
 tures thereto and present them to the State legislature. This work 
 was performed by the committee but the matter w-as held in abey- 
 ance for several years, on various accounts, before its final consum- 
 mation. A bill offered in 1843 failed to go through and it was not 
 until the session of 1845-6 that the necessary Act of Assembly was 
 passed and approved by the governor, Francis R. Shunk, whose 
 approval thereof is dated February 26, 1846, but the formation of 
 the county cannot properly be said to have been completed until 
 June following. 
 
 Hon. John Blair, from whom Blair County received it name, 
 was born at Blair's Gap, now in Allegheny township, in the 
 year 17 . 
 
 His father. Captain Thomas Blair, a native of Scotland, was a 
 soldier in the Revolutionary Army and after the independence of the 
 colonies had been achieved he came, probably about 1785, to what 
 is now Blair County, then part of Bedford, and established a home 
 in the Gap which has since borne his name. The stream that comes 
 through this gap was also called Blair's Run after he settled here. 
 Whether it had an earlier name is not known. Captain Blair, in 
 1794, owned four hundred acres of land, two saw mills, two distill- 
 eries, several slaves and considerable other personal property. He 
 died at the home he had established here, September 10, 1808. 
 
 His son John was born at the old homestead and passed nearly 
 the whole of his active life in this part of the State. Being an enter- 
 prising and sagacious business man as well as a public spirited citi- 
 zen he devoted much of his energies to the public improvements of 
 the State, the pike in 1818 to 1820, (being president of the com- 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 pany, ) and tlu- canal in 1S2S to 1S32, and when the new county was 
 formed it was but natural that it should he named after him althoutjh 
 he had been dead for a number of years. His death occurred Jan- 
 uary 1st, 1.S32, in the same neig^hborhood as his birth, and his re- 
 mains were laid to rest in the burying plot at 
 
 The only lineal descendants of Captain Thomas Blair and Hon. 
 John Blair, known to be livinji,^ in this part of the State are Thomas 
 S. Blair, a great-grandson of the Captain, now jiast f>o years of age 
 who lives retired in Tyrone, and George D. Blair, of Tyrone, banker, 
 a son of Thomas S. and therefore a great-great-grandson of the 
 founder of the family here. 
 
 The following is the material part of the act establishing Blair 
 County as approved by the governor Feb. 26, 1846 : 
 
 Sec. I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 
 tives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly 
 met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same. That the 
 territory within the townships of North Woodbury and Greenfield, 
 in the county of Bedford, and the territory within the townships of 
 Allegheny, Antes, Snyder, Tyrone, Frankstown, Blair, Huston and 
 Woodbury, and within that part of Morris township lying west of 
 the line lately run by William Reed and other viewers, under an 
 order of court, for the purpose ol dividing the same, in the county 
 of Huntingdon, are hereby erected according to said boundaries into 
 a new and separate county, to be called Blair : and the inhabitants 
 thereof shall, from the fourth Monday of July ne.xt, have all such 
 courts, jurisdictions, ofifices, rights and prixileges as the inhabitants 
 of the other counties of this Commonwealth are or may by entitled 
 to. * =^ =5= 
 
 Sec. 2. That each of the portions of said Morris township, ac- 
 cording to the said division line made by William Reed and others, 
 shall hereafter be separate and distinct townships for all purposes ; 
 the portion lying westward of said line to be called Catherine town- 
 ship, and shall hold its general and township elections at the house 
 now occupied by Walter Graham. * jjc * 
 
 Sec. 3. That the ipialified electors of said new county shall, 
 at their ne.xt general election, elect three citizens thereof as commis- 
 sioners for said county, one of whom shall serve t)ne year, one for 
 two years, and one for three years, and to be accordingly designated 
 on the ticket of the electors, and the said commissioners, together 
 witii their successors in ofhce, shall i)e (lualititil anil elected accord- 
 ing to existing laws respecting such officers ; and at the same time 
 said electors shall also elect three citizens to serve as county auditors, 
 
SemUCentennial History of Blair County. 
 
 to be designated as to their term of service as aforesaid, one thereof 
 to serve for one year, one for two years and one for three years, 
 who, together with their successors in office, shall be qualified and 
 elected in the same manner as the auditors of other counties. 
 
 Sec. 4. That said commissioners shall have full power to take 
 to themselves and their successors in office sufficient deeds and as- 
 surances in law for such lots or pieces of ground as shall have been 
 selected for sites for the public buildings of said county under the 
 provisions of the thirteenth section of this Act. 
 
 Sec. 5. That the return judges of elections in said county of 
 Blair shall meet at the place where the courts may be held in said 
 county, and having received the returns shall dispose of the same 
 as is directed by law with respect to other counties. 
 
 Sec. 6. That one person shall fill the offices of Prothonotary, 
 Clerk of the Courts of General Quarter Sessions of Oyer and Ter- 
 miner, and of the Orphans' Court in said county of Blair, and one 
 person shall fill the office of Register of Wills and of Recorder of 
 Deeds in said county. 
 
 Sec. 7. That until the court house shall be erected, as here- 
 after authorized, the several courts of said county of Blair shall be 
 held in such house, within said county, as shall be designated by the 
 commissioners thereof, elected at the next general election. 
 
 Sec. 8. The county of Blair shall be annexed to and compose 
 part of the Sixteenth Judicial District of this Commonw^ealth, and 
 the courts shall be held and commence as follow, to wit : On the 
 fourth Monday of March, July, October and December in each year 
 and the first court shall be held in said county of Blair on the fourth 
 Monday of October next. -^ -js^ -jf. 
 
 Sec. 12. That the said county of Blair shall be attached to 
 and connected with the Seventeenth Congressional District, and the 
 qualified electors of- the county of Blair, together with the counties 
 of Huntingdon, Centre, Mifflin and Juniata, shall continue to elect a 
 member of Congress, and the qualified electors of the counties of 
 Blair, Huntingdon and Bedford shall continue to elect a Senator of 
 the State Legislature; and the said counties of Blair and Hunting- 
 don shall each elect one member of the House of Representatives 
 of this Commonwealth. 
 
 Sec. 13. That the Governor be and he is hereby authorized 
 and required, on c>r before the first day of May, next ensuing, to 
 appoint three judicious and disinterested persons, not residents in the 
 counties of Huntingdon, Bedford, or Blair, as Commissioners, 
 whose duty it shall be, after being duly sworn, to perform their du- 
 ties with fidelity, to run correctly, ascertain, and mark the boundary 
 lines of said county of Blair and to fix upon a proper and conven- 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 7 
 
 icnt site or location for the scat ol" justice of said county of Blair, 
 and for a court house, i)rison, and county offices within and for the 
 said county of Blair; and that the said Commissioners, or a majority 
 of them, having run, ascertained and marked the boundary lines 
 aforesaid or caused the same to be done and fixed the site or lo- 
 cation which they shall have chosen for the purpose or purj)oses 
 aforesaid, shall, on or before the first day of Aug^ust next, by a 
 written report under their hands and seals, oi a majority of them, 
 certify, describe and limit the site of location which they shall have 
 chosen for the purpose or purposes aforesaid ; and make out a cor- 
 rect plot or draft of the said county of Blair, and shall transmit the 
 said report and draft to the Secretary of the Commonwealth; and 
 the said Commissioners shall each receive two dollars per day for 
 their services, together with their reasonable expenses in running, or 
 causing to be run, the said boundary lines, and in doing what is re- 
 (juircd to be done by them, out of the moneys to be raised in pur- 
 suance of this Act, Provided, that the said Commissioners, in and 
 on or before fixing the site and location of the seat of justice, court 
 house, prison and county ofifices for the use and benefit of said 
 County of Blair, shall and are hereby authorized and required to 
 receive propositions and agreements from any and all persons willing 
 and desirous to make the same for the building of said court house, 
 prison and county ofifices, or any of them, at their own expense, free 
 of charge to said county, or for the giving of money, land or other 
 valuable things for, towards, or in part of the expense of building 
 the same, or any of them, by which propositions and agreements 
 the person or persons making the same shall be bound to and for 
 the use of the said County of Blair, if the terms and conditions of 
 the same, or any of them, are acceded to and concurred in by the 
 said Commissioners; and the said Commissioners shall take into con- 
 sideration and be influenced by said propositions and agreements in 
 fixing and determining upon the site or location of the seat of justice, 
 court house, prison or jail and county ofifices of and for the said 
 County of Blair; And provided further, that in case the seat of jus- 
 tice, court house, prison or jail, and county offices of and for said 
 County of Blair should be located by the said Commissioners at or 
 within the limits of Hollidaysburg or Gays^iort, in said County of 
 Blair, the bond bearing the date the twenty-ninth day of August, 
 Anno Domini eighteen hunilred and forty-five, in the penal sum of 
 twenty thousand dollars, conditioned to indemnify and secure the 
 inhabitants of the said county, created or to be created by this Act 
 against any increase of county taxes by reason of or for the erection 
 of the said court house, public offices antl jail of said county, created 
 
Semi=Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 or to be created by this Act, signed by James Gardner, Samuel 
 Calvin and others, and deposited in the office of the branch of the 
 Exchange Bank of Pittsburgh at HoUidaysburg, on said day shall 
 be binding on the obligors therein and thereto according to the 
 terms and conditions thereof and other like or similar bond or in- 
 strunitnts of writing which may be given by other persons in rela- 
 tion to the location of the seat of justice of said County of Blair at 
 any other point, town or place, within the limits of the said County 
 of Blair, shall in like manner be binding on the obligers or signers 
 therein and thereto * * * * 
 
 A supplement to the foregoing Act was passed during the same 
 session of the Legislature and approved April 20th, 1846, which 
 provided that the October term of court should begin the third 
 Monday of the month, the July term was changed to the second 
 Monday in June and it also provided that "the Governor shall, on 
 or before the second Monday of June next, appoint three judicious 
 persons as Commissioners ot said county, to serve until their succes- 
 sors shall be duly elected and qualified, who shall perform the usual 
 duties of County Commissioners, together with such duties in relation 
 to jurors and a place for holding the courts as by said Act were 
 imposed on the Commissioners to be elected at the next general 
 election." 
 
 From the text of the foregoing Acts it is apparent that the 
 county of Blair could not have a complete and separate existence 
 until its boundaries were definitely ascertained and fixed by a Com- 
 mission to be appointed later. It is also apparent that the Act was 
 framed with great care and with the view of outlining a complete 
 modus operandi for consummating the wishes of the people resident 
 in the territory embraced. It is evident also that some over con- 
 servative people, fearing that taxes might be increased to provide 
 for the new county buildings, had interposed such objections to the 
 project that it became necessary for others more broad-minded and 
 liberal to step into the breach and give their personal obligations, to 
 the extent of a twenty-thousand dollar bond, that this would not 
 occur. The names of James Gardner and Samuel Calvin were con- 
 sequently incorporated in the Act, and for the deep devotion to the 
 public welfare, denoted* by their generous deed, have been thus im- 
 mortalized, while the names of the petty objectors to a grand object 
 are now buried in deserved oblivion. All honor, then, to those 
 noble spirits who have been found in every age and every clime 
 ready to lay both life and fortune on their country's altar when oc- 
 casion demands the sacrifice. 
 
5emi=Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 Under the Act just recited the Ciovernor appointed on the 
 Coniniission to run the county lines and determine the location of 
 the seat of justice, Henry McBride, of Westmoreland County: Gen- 
 eral (3rr. of ArmstroniL,^ Countv; and ludi^e Christy, of Juniata 
 County, who acted promptly, established the county lines as they 
 now are and ciiose Hollidayshvuii as the county seat. The choice 
 of Hollida\-sbur!4 was a foregone conclusion, it being then the largest 
 town in this part of the State and the residence of most of the actiye 
 workers lor the new county ; the only other towns of importance in 
 this yicinity were Frankstown, Martin^burg, Williamsburg and Gays- 
 port. Altoona and Tyrone, now so greatly e.xceeding it in popula- 
 tion and im|)ortance, were undreamed of The number of town- 
 ships in the county at its formation was eleyeii. since then four 
 more haye been added by dixiding the original ones. The town- 
 ships are now Allegheny, Antes, Hlair, Catharine, Frankstown, 
 Freedom, Greenfiekl, Hustcjn, Juniata, Logan. North Woodbury, 
 Snyder, Taylor, Tyrone and Woodbury, of which the following 
 haye l)een formed since 1846, yiz : Juniata in 1S47, Logan in 1850. 
 Taylor in 1855, Freedom in 1857. 
 
 The territory thus segregated, separaletl from the other civil 
 divisions of the Commonwealth and established as an independent 
 county by the highest aiuhority in the State, is well defmed by nat- 
 ural boundary lines most of which are tops of mountain ranges, ami 
 Blair County is in fact a little empire by itself though by no means 
 a little county, surrounded on all sides by mountains of consideraljle 
 elevation; ingress and egress being had only through a few gaps or 
 breaks in these ranges. Dry Gap, Kittanning Gap and Blair's Gap 
 on the west, to Cambria Count\-, the eastern limit ot" the Mississippi 
 Valley; a narrow ga]) north of Tyrone u]) the Bald Eagle creek to 
 Center County, and another east of the same town and down the 
 Juniata ri\er to Huntmgdon County; still another from Williams- 
 burg eastward along the valley of the 1-Vankstown branch of the Ju- 
 niata to Petersburg, in Huntingdon Ct)unty — the route of the old 
 canal — and two or ihri'e wagon roads south trom NLirlinsburg and 
 Claysburg into Bedford County. Its e.xtreme width from east to 
 west is about twenty miles and its length north and south thirty 
 miles; area, 594 scpiare miles or 380,160 acres. The entire county 
 may be regarded as one great valley containing numerous detached 
 mountains and large hills, inter.>|)ersed with many smaller fertile val- 
 leys and little streams, besides the larger \alliy and threi- branches 
 of the Juniata river. ■^- Its geographical jjosition is about thirty miles 
 *Tlif Imjiuu iiaji|c for ijjis river wa.s Scokoouludy. 
 
10 SemUCentennial History of Biair County. 
 
 southwest of the center of the State, and it Ues between the 40th and 
 41st degrees of North Latitude and between the 78th and 79th de- 
 grees of Longitude west of Greenwich. 
 
 The geographical center of the county is in Frankstown town- 
 ship about three miles northeast of Hollidaysburg. The center of 
 population , which at the formation of the county was not far from 
 Hollidaysburg, is now within the limits of Altoona City and firmly 
 anchored there. 
 
 The principal mountains within the county, aside from the Alle- 
 ghenies on the western boundary and Tussey's Mountains'and Bald 
 Eagle Ridge on the east are Brush Mountain, Canoe, Dunning' s, 
 Short, Cove and Lock Mountains. 
 
 Of the valleys, Logan is the largest, extending from Altoona to 
 Tyrone, the western portion of this, in earlier years, was known as 
 "Tuckahoe;" Sinking Valley, in Tyrone Township, in which sink- 
 ing Run, after a course of several miles, disappears in the earth; 
 Scotch Valley, extending from Frankstown north-eastwardly and 
 Morrison's Cove in the southern part of the county; Canoe Valley 
 along Canoe Creek; and many others not dignified with a name. 
 
 The streams of the county are Frankstown branch of the Juniata, 
 which is the largest and flows north-cast from Greenfield Township 
 through Freedom, Blair and Frankstown townships and between 
 Catharine and Woodbury, to Porter Township, in Huntingdon Coun- 
 ty, where it empties into the main stream near Petersburg, on the 
 Penn'a R. R. Beaver Dam branch of the Juniata, which flows 
 through Allegheny and Blair townships, separates Hollidaysburg 
 from Gaysport, and empties into the Frankstown branch near the 
 village of Frankstown; and the Little Juniata, the true stream, which 
 rises in the Allegheny Mountains, in Logan Township and flows 
 south to Juniata Borough, near Altoona, thence north-eastward to 
 Tyrone, thence south-eastward through Huntingdon County and 
 after being joined at Petersburg by the Frankstown branch 
 and at Huntingdon by the Raystown branch, it flows on as a noble 
 river to its confluence with the Susquehana, fifteen miles west of 
 Harrisburg. The other streams are Bald Eagle Creek, coming in 
 from Center County on the north, and emptying into the Juniata 
 near Tyrone, Moore's Run, Sinking Run, Hutchison's Run, Elk 
 Run and Three Springs Run all in Snyder Township; Taylor, Bells 
 Gap, Laurel and Beaver Dam Runs in Antes Township; Elk, Arch 
 Spring and Sinking Runs in Tyrone Township; Homers, Mill, Kit- 
 tanning, Burgoons and Brush Runs in Logan Township; Blair 
 Creek, Sugar and Brush Runs in Allegheny Township; Ol^j town 
 
SemUCentcnniai History of Blair County. !! 
 
 and Robinson's Runs and Canoo Creek in Franksiown Township; 
 Canoe Creek, Fox, Roaring and \'elIo\v Springs Runs in Catharine 
 Township; Clover and Piney Creeks in North Woodbury, Huston 
 and Woodbury Townshij)s; Haltar and Plum Creeks in Taylor 
 Township; Poplar and Roarin^j Runs in Hlair Township; P(>])lar, 
 McDonald and Donaldson's, South Dry and Paw Paw Runs in 
 Freedom Township; Bobb's Creek, Blair Creek, Blue Knob, Pojilar 
 and Dry Runs in Juniata Township: Beaver Creek, Pole Cat, South 
 Poplar, Amelia's, Bobbs, Diamond, Queen Esther's, Pine, Smoky 
 and RoarinjT Sprinu;^ Runs in Creenfield Townshi]). The water of 
 all these numerous streams is diseharged into one or the other 
 branches of the Juniata. 
 
 Retr(jspectively we note the development and growth of this 
 territory. As a part of the great pro\ince given to William Penn in 
 1681 by King Charles the Second of England, it remained an nne.x- 
 plored forest inhabited only by roving Indian tribes, until about 1750. 
 If any white man visited it prior to that date he left no i)ermanent 
 record of the fact and our earliest knowledge of it begins with the 
 brief mention bv Conrad Weiser, Aug. 20, 1748, that he passed up 
 the Juniata river and stojiped at Frankstown.^- 
 
 In 1750 it formed part of Cumberland to which it belonged until 
 the formation of Bedford County in 1771. During this period it was 
 opened up for settlement and clearings were made and settlers located 
 in Morrison's Cove (about 1760) and at Hollidaysburg and vicinity 
 (in 1768.) Some of the early settlers were massacred by the In- 
 dians. In 1 77 1 Bedford Countv was formed and included all of 
 Blair until 1787, during which period occurred the Revolutionary 
 war, the colonists gained their independence and began to be gov- 
 erned to some extent by laws of their own framing yet the great 
 body of English law, as applicable to the business and social relations 
 of the community, were retained and enforced until specially repealed 
 by legislation that conflicted therewith, and to this day some English 
 statutes, enacted prior to the Rexolution, are held to Ik- in force in 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 Some considerable impro\ements was made during this period, 
 especially the cutting of a wagon road through the forest on the old 
 Indian trail over the mountains, and some other local roads, but 
 nothing like a town or village with shops and stores was founded in 
 this region until a later ])eriod. 
 
 In 1787 Huntingdon County was erecteil and included all of 
 
 *Ki:iiikst(i\vn l)«ln« no donlit thi- Um hut i>f Knink sti iilun.'* (i)istti>lirii I'nuik hk 
 some lilstoriaiis t'lvc It. while olhcrs say old Frank iin Indliiiii niul i><-rlmps <>n«- or 
 two oilier I til II all traders and the win wan is of some Indians who <-anie with furs to 
 trade for the white iiiairs I Insel and toys or )ierha|>s a ni'.isket and a nun unit Ion. It 
 Is said that .•in Indian vUhmc was known here as early as IT.Ki and that Its Inilian 
 name was ".Vssunnepai-hla." ineanlnu ineetinK of many waters. How ninrh of fact 
 tK rontiiliifd In tblH tU'tlon no one now knowtt. 
 
12 Senii=CentenniaI History of Blair County. 
 
 Blair except North Woodbury and Greenfield townships, continuing 
 thus until 1846. During this period Frankstown, Hollidaysburg, 
 Gaysport, Williamsburg, Martinsburg and several other small places 
 were laid out, and some ol them incorporated as boroughs, the pike 
 road, from Huntingdon to Blairsville, passing through the county on 
 the line of the old state road, was constructed and a few years later 
 the canal and Allegheny Portage Railroad, and Hollidaysburg be- 
 came a place of considerable importance, so much so. in fact, that 
 the people were averse to paying tribute to Huntingdon by taking 
 their suits there for trial and aspired to become independent of the 
 mother county. The formation of the new county of Blair was agi- 
 tated and having been successfully achieved in 1846, the next great 
 improvement was the building of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the 
 founding of a great city — Altoona. 
 
 OFFICERS AND FIRST OFFICIAL ACTS. 
 
 The Commissioners appointed by the Governor, to run the 
 boundary lines, performed the duties imposed on them so expediti- 
 ously that by the first of June, 1846, all had been concluded and 
 the Governor appomted county officers as follows, to serve until 
 their successors should be duly elected and qualified, viz : Valentine 
 Lingenfelter, William Bell and William C. McCormick, County 
 Commissioners; Benjamin Betts, Sherifii; George R McP'arlane and 
 Daniel McConnell, Associate Judges; Jeremiah Cunningham, Pro- 
 thonotary and Clerk of the Courts; John M. Gibboney, Register 
 and Recorder and John Cresswell, District Attorney. 
 
 On the eighth day of June, 1846, the County Commissioners 
 were sworn into office by Ephriam Galbraith, a Justice of the Peace, 
 and held their first session. The next day they agreed on a plan 
 for a court house and put up notices to contractors to bid for its 
 construction. H. A. Caldwell was employed as clerk to the com- 
 missioners at a salary of $150. per year, and Robert H. McCor- 
 mick was appointed County Treasurer, to serve until the next elec- 
 tion. Rooms were also rented to use for county offices until the 
 court house should be erected. On the fourth day of July, 1846, 
 the contract for the first court house was let to Daniel K. Ramey, 
 and the stone house ot John Mahoney was leased for a temporary 
 jail. On Monday, the 27th day of July. 1846, the first court in the 
 county was held in the Methodiit Episcopal Church of Hollidays- 
 burg; Hon. Jeremiah Black presiding. Judge Black held twelve 
 terms of court in the county, when the judicial districts of the state 
 were reorganized, and Blair County, with Huntingdon and Cambria 
 was made the twenty-fourth district and Governor Johnston ap- 
 pointed George Taylor, of Huntingdon, President Judge. 
 
Semi-Centcnnial History of Blair County. 13 
 
 The first suit brought originally in the Common Pleas Court of 
 Blair County was for divorce, Mary Armstrong vs. John Armstrong, 
 subpoena issued June 23, 1S46. 
 
 Perhaps the most remarkable thing in connection with the first 
 court in the county was the number of lawyers admitted to practice 
 therein. On the first day of the term, July 27, 1S46, no less than 
 forty-nine attorneys were sworn in and the following day three more. 
 Evidently it was thought that Blair County was destined to be one 
 of the most important in the state. 
 
 The county oficers, appointed by the Governor, only held their 
 offices until the end of that year as their successors were elected at 
 the first general election after the formation of the county, and this 
 occurred October 13th, 1846, resulting in the election of Samuel J. 
 Royer for High Sheriff; Joseph Smith, Prothonotary and Clerk of 
 the Courts; Louis H. Williams, Register and Recorder; John K. 
 Neff, Edward McGraw and William Bell, Countv Commissioners; 
 Charles E. Kinkead, Wm. P. Dysart and James Wilson, Auditors; 
 Joseph Morrow, Treasurer and Capt. Joseph C. Morgan, Coroner. 
 
Eqi^ly Jridiisji^ies. 
 
 AGRICULTURE, SAW AND GRIST MILLS AND DISTILLERIES. 
 
 The iirst settlers of Blair County were in search of farming land 
 and agriculture engaged their attention entirely for many years. 
 The coal in the mountains, the iron ore in the valleys were unknown 
 or unsought, until the beginning of the present century and the tim- 
 ber, from which fortunes were made in after years, was only desir- 
 able for fuel and the few logs necessary to construct their humble 
 habitations, or make rails to enclose the fields cleared by dint of 
 much hard labor. To them the big trees of the forest were a hind- 
 rance requiring days of toil to cut down and burn up. Millions of 
 feet of logs were rolled together in heaps and burned to make the 
 cleared fields in which to plant corn, grow wheat, oats and other 
 grains. 
 
 The first manufactories established in the new county were saw 
 and grist mills, but these were very small and insignificant in com- 
 parison with those of a later day and were invariably run by water 
 power. A saw mill that would cut 2000 feet of boards in a day was 
 a good one for those times, and the grist mills ground from morning 
 till night to make three to four barrels of flour. The earliest mills 
 that we have a record of were those of Jacob Neff at Roaring Spring, 
 erected sometime between the years 1763 and 1770 and that of Thos. 
 Blair at the eastern end of Blair's Gap about 17S5. A saw mill was 
 usually found near a grist mill, and the same dam supplied the water 
 power for both. 
 
 Following close on the erection of grist mills came the estab- 
 lishment of distilleries. Our forefathers were not intemperate neither 
 were they tetotallers. whiskey was a necessity as well as flour and 
 tobacco, nearly all kept it in the house and used it freely on various 
 occasions, especially log rollings and house raisings. These early 
 ' 'stills' ' which are evidenced by the assessor's lists were probably very 
 small afiairs capable of producing but a few gallons of spirits per day, 
 but the product was undoubtedly perfectly pure, it was made only 
 for home and neighborhood consumption, no evidence being discov- 
 erable that any was sent away for sale until after the completion of 
 the canal in 1832-3. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 15 
 
 [RON WORKS. 
 
 Prior to the year 1800 our researches have discovered nothing 
 in the hne of manufacturers except the few grist and saw mills and 
 stills, but soon after the beginning of the present century the erec- 
 tion of iron works was commenced and some tanneries and woolen 
 mills were built, as well as more distilleries; Ktna P'urnace and Forge 
 built in 1805-6 by Canan, Stewart tS: Moore, was located in Catharine 
 Township, near the Juniata and was the first iron works within the 
 present limits of Blair County; Tyrone Forge, built by Jf)hn Glon- 
 inger ^ Co., in 1805; Cove F"orge was built next by John Royer 
 in Woodbury Township in 18 10 — was operated continuously for 
 more than seventy years; Allegheny Furnace, near the present site 
 of Altoona, was the third and was built in 1811 by Allison and 
 Henderson, and later was owned and rebuilt by Elias Baker; Spring- 
 field Furnace, in Woodbury Township, was built by John and 
 Daniel Royer in 1S15; Rebecca Furnace, by Dr. Peter Shoenberger 
 in 1817, on Clover Creek; Mary Ann Forge built about 1830 by 
 Edward Bell & Son, and Elizabeth Furnace in 1832; Antes Forge 
 at Tipton, 1828, by Dysart tS: Lloyd — three fires operated until 
 1855 and discontinued ; the upper, lower and middle Maria 
 Forges in Freedom in 1828 to 1S32 and Sarah Furnace in Green- 
 field Township in 1832, built l)y Peter Shoenberger, (the latter was 
 demolished in the winter of 18S1-2); Elizabeth Furnace and Mary 
 Ann Forge in Antes Township about 1835 by Edward Bell. Harris' 
 Pittsburgh Directory, for the year 1837, gave a list of the iron 
 works in the Juniata Valley and those in the present limits of Blair 
 Countv were, Elizabeth Furnace and Mary Ann Forge, owned by 
 Edward Bell; Antes Forge, by Graham 6t McCamant; Tyrone 
 Forges, William Lyon cSi Co. ; Allegheny Furnace, E. Baker & Co ; 
 Etna Furnace and Forge, H. S. Spang; Co\ e I-Orge, Royer & 
 Schmucker. All these were run with charcoal for fuel. 
 
 Strange as it may ap|)car, the market for the first iron produced 
 in the Juniata \'alley was found in Pittsburgh, and it was transported 
 at a great expense, first on the backs of horses and mules across the 
 Alleghenies to Johnstown, and from there floated in flat bottomed 
 boats down the Concmaugh to the Alle.gheny and on that stream 
 to its destination. Later, when the pike h.ul been constructed, it 
 was hauled on wagons until the th<' canal was built. The value of 
 a ton of iron then was several times over that of to-day. 
 
 Later iron workers were, the Duncansville Rolling Mill. 1833-4; 
 the Bellrough I-"oundry at (iayspori, buill in 1837-8; the Hollidays- 
 burg Furnace in Gaysport, in 1855, and Chimney Rock Furnace in 
 
16 Semi=Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 Hollidaysburg later in the same year. These two were much larger 
 than any former furnaces built in the valley and cost about $60,000 
 each and used bituminous coal and coke. In 1857 the Juniata 
 Furnaces were built at Williamsburo- and in i860 the Hollidaysburg 
 Iron and Nail Company's Rolling Mill was erected although that 
 name was not adopted until 1866. The McKees Gap or Rodman 
 Furnace was built in 1862. In 1855 there were thirty-two iron and 
 steel working establishments in Blair County including the Pennsylva- 
 nia Railroad Co.'s Foundry and the Ax and Pick works of J. Col- 
 clesser at Eldorado, but before the year 1870 the iron industry in 
 Blair County, as well as the other parts of the Juniata Valley, began 
 to languish on account of the cost of production and the fact that 
 cheaper ore and improved methods at Pittsburg and other large iron 
 centers had reduced the market price below a profitable point for 
 these manufacturers. 
 
 * In 1882 there were ten furnaces in blast, in Blair County, 
 with a total capacity of 1000 tons of iron per week when running 
 full time. There were also four rolling mills and two two nail mills. 
 The furnaces were Allegheny, in Logan Township; Bennington, in 
 Allegheny Township; Number One furnace, in Gaysport and Num- 
 ber Two furnace, in Hollidaysburg; Springfield furnace, in Wood- 
 bury Township; Gap furnace, in Freedom Township; Rodman fur- 
 nace, in Taylor Township; Frankstown, in Frankstown Township; 
 EHzabeth, in Antes Township; Rebecca furnace, Huston Township. 
 Of these, the Bennington, Frankstown and Numbers One and Two 
 were ow^ned by the Cambria Iron Company of Johnstown; Allegheny 
 by S. C. Baker; Springfield by John Royer, Gap by Hollidaysburg 
 and Gap Iron Works Co., Rodman by John and Peter Duncan; 
 Elizabeth by heirs of Martin Bell and Rebecca by heirs of Edward 
 H. Lytle. The Rolling Mills were, those of Altoona Iron Co., at' 
 Altoona, Portage Iron Co. at Duncansville, Hollidaysburg Iron and 
 Nail Co. at Hollidaysburg. In addition to which was a large Foun- 
 dry and Machine Shop in Gaysport. 
 
 To the rising generation the term forge as applied to iron works 
 has but a vague meaning and an explanation will be necessary. The 
 product of the iron furnace is pig iron and is in too crude a state to 
 use without further reduction, this work is now performed in rolling 
 mills, with costly machinery, but the rolling mill is a comparatively 
 recent institution and in the earlier years the pig iron from the fur- 
 nace was worked into bars in merchantable shape at forges, wherein 
 the pig metal was heated to a pliable state and hammered into shapes, 
 
 *Africas History of Blair and Huntingdon Counties. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Biair County. 
 
 more of the dross removed, and made into bars that ordinary Mack- 
 smiths could use by l)einj; hammered with trip hammers on a large 
 anvil. Nails were also made at these early forges by the slow pro- 
 cesss of hammering each one out singly, this was before the inven- 
 tion of nail cutting machines and nails then cost much more than 
 they do now; 8 to 20 penny nails were (juoted in 18 19 at $12.50 per 
 hundred weight at the forge. 
 
 OTHER MANUFACTURES OF EARLY DAYS. 
 
 Soon alter the beginning of the jiresent century some other lines 
 of manufacture than those abo\e mentioned were begun. In 1806 
 or 1808 Willis Gibboney built fulling and wool carding works on 
 Burgoon Run just above the present site of Eldorado, which he op- 
 erated until 1828 when he mo\ed to Uuncansville and built a similar 
 establishment there. 
 
 Robert Gardner erected a wool carding and fulling works at 
 the eastern end of Blair's Gap near the old grist mill, about 1832 
 which he operated successfully for many years. In 1834 there was 
 quite a large woolen mill at Williamsburg, j^erhaps the most exten- 
 sive one ever in the county. There was a fulling mill owned and 
 operated here in 1820 by John Smith. In 1832 or thereabouts 
 Daniel Colclesser established an ax and pick factory where the Gib- 
 boney woolen mill had previously been and it was run with 5 to 6 
 men for many years, has not been totally abandoned yet. In 1821 
 Wm. McFarland hatl a cabinet shop in Frankstown and in 1830 a 
 bucket tactory was in operation at Williamsburg, and in a hat 
 
 factory at Newry. 
 
 As early as 1800 Christian Hoover was assessed as owner of an 
 oil mill and so continued until 1830 or later, but we have no ])artic- 
 ulars as to what kind of oil was made, doubtless it was but a small 
 quantity of lin.seed oil. Michael Sellers, of Woodbury Townshij), 
 was assessed with one tannery in 1800, and Joseph Patton had one 
 at Frankstown in 1810, Francis Smith built a small tannery a Dun- 
 cansville about 18 10 which was afterwards enlarged so as to be (juite 
 a pretensions establishment, remains of which are still standing. 
 David Caldwell owned a (juite extensive tannery at Gaysport before 
 the organization of Blair Countv. which he operated successfully for 
 many years. Numerous other small tanneries were built and oper- 
 ated in the territory between i8ioand i860. In 1862 Louis Plack 
 erected a large one at Altoona, the latter ceased operations about 
 1884 and was torn down in 1889-90, and now there is not a single 
 tannery operated within the county except the one at Tyrone. 
 
The following brief sketch, copied from a historical work written 
 by Sherman Day and published in 1843, covers the subject so com- 
 pletely and concisely that the present writer does not feel competent 
 to add a word or alter a syllable : 
 
 "The Indian tribes who dwelt among the primitive forests of 
 Pennsylvania — as well as those of Delaware, New Jersey and a part 
 of Maryland — called themselves the Lenni Lenape, or the original 
 people. This general name comprehended numerous distinct tribes, 
 all speaking dialects of a common language, (the Algonquin, ) and 
 uniting around the same great council-fires. Their grand council 
 house, to use their own expressive figure, extended from the eastern 
 banks ot the Hudson on the northeast to the Patomac on the south- 
 west. Many of the tribes were directly descended from the common 
 stock; others, having sought their sympathy and protection, had 
 been allotted a section of their territory. The surrounding tribes, 
 not of this confederacy, nor acknowledging allegiance to it, agreed 
 in awarding to them the honor of being the grandfathej'S — that is 
 the oldest residents in this region. There was a tradition among 
 the Lenni Lenape, that in ages past their ancestors had emigrated 
 eastward from the Missippi, conquering or expelling on their route 
 that grfrat and aparently more civilized nation, whose monuments, 
 in the shape of wounds, are so profusely scattered over the great 
 western valley, and of which several also remain in Pennsylvania 
 along the western slope of the Allegheny Mountains. 
 
 The Lenna Lenape nation was divided into these principal divi- 
 sions : The Unamis or Turtle tribes ; the Unalachtgos or Turkeys, and 
 the Monseys or Wolf tribes. The two former occupied the country 
 along the coast, between the sea and the Kittatinny or Blue Moun- 
 tain, their settlements extending as far east as the Hudson and as 
 far west as the Potomac. These were generally known among the 
 whites as the Delaware Indians. The Monseys or Wolf tribes, the 
 most active and warlike of the whole, occupied the mountainous 
 country between the Kittatinny Mountain and the sources of the 
 Susquehanna, and they had also a village, and a peach orchard in 
 the forks of the Del ware, where Nazareth is now situated. These 
 three principal divisions were divided into various subordinate clans, 
 who assumed names suited to their character or situation. 
 
Setni-Centennial History of Blair County. ID 
 
 The Shawanos, or Shawnees, a restless and ferocious tribe, 
 having been threatened with extermination by a more powerful tribe 
 at the south, sought jirotection among the friendly nations of the 
 north, whose language was observed to bear a remarkable affinity 
 with their own. A majcMity of them settled along the Ohio, from 
 the Wabash to near Pittsburgh. A portion was recei\ed under the 
 protection of tlie Lcnni Lenape's, and permitted to settle near the 
 forks of the Delaware, and on the flats below Philadel]ihia. But 
 they soon became troublesome neighbors and were removed by the 
 Delawares (or possibly by the six nations) to the Susquehanna 
 valley, where they had a village at the Shawnee Flats below 
 Wilkesbarre, on the west side of the river. During the revolution 
 and the war of 1812, their name became conspicuous in the history 
 of the northern frontier. 
 
 The Lenni Lenape tribes consisted, at the first settlement of 
 Pennsylvania of the Assunpink, or Stony Creek Indians: the Ran- 
 kokas, ( Lamikas or Chichequaas;) Andastakas at the Christina 
 Creek, near Wilmington; Neshaminies, in Bucks County; Shacka- 
 niaxons. about Kensington; Mantas or Frogs, near Burlington; the 
 Tuteloes and the Nanticokes, in Maryland and \'irginia, (the latter 
 afterwards removed up the Susquehanna); the Monsey or Mini- 
 sinks, near the fi')rks of the Delaware; the Maudes and the Xarriti- 
 congs near the Raritan; the Capitanasses, the (lacheos, the Monseys 
 and the Pomptons, in New Jersey. A few scattered clans, or warlike 
 hordes, of the Mingoes, were living here and there among the 
 Lenapes. 
 
 Another great Indian Confederacy claims attention, whose acts 
 have an important bearing upon the history of Pennsylvania. This 
 confederacy was originally known in the annals of Xew York as the 
 Five Nations, and subsequently, after they had been joined by the 
 Tuscaroras, as the Six Nations. As confederates, they called them- 
 selves Aquanuschioni, or United People; by the Lenapes they were 
 called Mengue, or Mingoes, and by the French the Irocjuois. The 
 original Five Nations were the Onondagas, the Cayugas, the Onei- 
 das, the Senecas, and the Mohawks. In 17 12 the Tuscaroras, be- 
 ing expelled from the interior of North Carolina and Virginia, were 
 adopted as a sixth tribe. The language of all the tribes of the con- 
 federacv, except the Tuscaroras, was radically the same, from the 
 borders of \'ermont to Lake Erie, and from Lake Ontario to the 
 headwaters of the Allegheny, Su.squehanna. and Delaware ri\ers. 
 This territory they called their Io7jq; /iousc\ The grand council-fire 
 wa.s held in the Ononodaga valleys. The Senecas guarded the west- 
 ern door of the house, the Mohawks the eastern, and the Cayugas 
 
20 Senii=Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 the southern or that which opened upon the Susquehanna. The 
 Mohawk nation was the first in rank, and to it appertained the of- 
 fice of principal war chief; to the Onondagas, who guarded the grand 
 council-fire, appertained in like manner the office of principal civil 
 chief, or chief sachem. The Senecas, in numbers and military ener- 
 gy, were the most powerful. 
 
 The peculiar location of the Iroquois gave them an immense 
 advantage. On the great channels of water conveyance to which 
 their territories were contiguous, they were enabled in all directions 
 to carry war and devastation to the neighboring or to the most dis- 
 tant nations. 
 
 Nature had endowed them with a height, strength and sym- 
 metry of person which distinguished them, at a glance, among the 
 individuals of other tribes. They were as brave as they were strong; 
 but ferocious and cruel when excited in savage warfare; crafty, treach- 
 erous, and over-reaching, when these qualities best suited their pur- 
 poses. The proceedings of iheir grand council were marked with 
 great decorum and solemnity. In eloquence, in dignity, and pro- 
 found policy, their speakers well bear comparison with the states- 
 men of civilized assemblies. By an early alliance with the Dutch on 
 the Hudson, they secured the use of firearms, and were thus enabled, 
 not only to repel the encroachments of the French, but also to exter- 
 minate, or reduce to a state of vassalage, many Indian nations. 
 From these they exacted an annual tribute, or acknowledgment of 
 fealty; permitting them, however, on that condition, to occupy their 
 former hunting grounds. The humiliation of tributary nations was, 
 however, tempered with a paternal regard for their interests in all 
 negotiations with the whites, and care was taken that no trespasses 
 should be committed on their rights, and that they should be justly 
 dealt with. To this condition of vassalage the Lenni Lenape, or Del- 
 aware nation, had been reduced by the Iroquois, as the latter as- 
 serted, by conquest. The Lenapes, however, smarting under the 
 humiliation, invented for the whites a cunning tale in explanation, 
 which they succeeded in imposing upon the worthy and venerable 
 Mr. Heckewelder, the Moravian missionary. Their story was, 
 that by treaty, and by voluntary consent, they had agreed to act as 
 meditators and peacemakers among the other great nations, and to 
 this end they had consented to lay aside entirely the implements of 
 war, and to hold and keep bright the chain of peace. This, among 
 the individual tribes, was the usual province of women. The Dela- 
 wares, therefore, alleged that they were figuratively termed women 
 on this account; but the Iroquois evidently called them women in 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 21 
 
 quite another sense. 'They always alle^a-d that the Dehiwares were 
 conquered by their arms, and were compelled to this luiiniliatinij 
 concession as the only means of averting impending destruction.' 
 In the course of time, howe\er, the Delawares were enabled to throw 
 oti the galling yoke, and at Tioga, in the year 1756, Teedvuscung 
 extorted from the Iroquois an acknowledgment of their independence. 
 
 This peculiar relation between the Indian nation that occupied, 
 and that which claimed a paramount jurisdiction over, the soil of 
 Pennsylvania, tended greatly to embarrass and complicate the nego- 
 tiations of the proprietary goxernment for the purchase of lands; and 
 its influence was seen and felt both in the civil antl military history 
 of Pennsylvania until after the close of the revolution. 
 
 The term savage, as apjjlied to the aboriginese, is naturally as- 
 sociated with the idea of barbarism and cruelty — to some extent per- 
 haps justly; yet a closer acquaintance often discloses in them trails 
 that e.xalt the human character and claim the admiration or sympathy 
 of civilized man. The Indian considers himself created by an al- 
 mighty, wise, and benevolent spirit, to whom he looks for guidance 
 and protection; whom he believes it to be his duty to adore and 
 worship, and whose overruling providence he acknowledges in all 
 his actions. Man\- Indians were in the habit of seeking out some 
 high mountain from whose lonelv summit they might commune with 
 the Great Spirit, and pray to him. But while they worshipped the 
 Creator they were not unmindful of their duties to their fellow-creat- 
 ures. They looked upon the good things of the earth as a common 
 stock, bestowed by the Great Spirit for the benefit of all. They 
 held that the game of the forest, the fish of the ri\crs, and the grass 
 _Dr other articles of spontaneous growth, were free to all who chose 
 to take them. They ridiculed the idea of fencing in a meadow or a 
 pasture. This principle repressed selfishness and fostered generos- 
 ity. Their hospitality was proverbial. The Indian considers it a 
 duty to share his last morsel with a stranger. " 
 "CHIEF LOGAN." 
 
 The term Logan, as appeared to various sections of country, 
 public-houses, halls, etc.. in this region, was derived doubtless from 
 the Cayuga chieftain known to the first settlers in the Tuckahoe 
 Valley as Capt. Logan. He came here from the valley of the Sus- 
 quehanna prior to the year 176S, and settled at the spring, near 
 Davidsburg, now owned by David Htiislu-y, a locality still known 
 as Logan X'alle) . 
 
 On the Suscpiehanna it apjjcars he was the chief ol a band ol 
 wariors, but in an engagement with another \u\k \k lu^t an eye by 
 
22 Semicentennial History of Blair County. 
 
 an arrow from the enemy. This was considered by the indians a 
 mark of disgrace, and he was deposed. He abandoned his tribe 
 therefore, and took up his residence in the Juniata Valley. Capt. Lo- 
 gan, of course, was not his proper name, but a title bestowed upon 
 him by the whites. He was a man of medium height and heavy 
 frame, but was fleet of foot and always on the move. During the 
 revolutionary war he resided at the beautiful spring, now in the 
 heart of Tyrone City. A firm friend of the Americans during the 
 struggle for independence; he it was who discovered and disclosed 
 the diabolical plot of John Weston and his tories. 
 
 Although he had learned to read from the Moravian mission- 
 aries when a lad, he knew very little of the forms of land purchases; 
 so through his ignorance of the customs of civilized communities, he 
 failed to purchase the spot on which his cabin stood. As a conse- 
 sequence, after the war, some envious white man bought the land 
 and warned the friendly savage off. He was too proud and haughty 
 to contest the matter, or even bandy words with the intruder; so 
 about 1785 he left and located at Chickalamoose, where Clearfield 
 now stands, and there continued until the Great Spirit called him to 
 a happy hunting ground. 
 
l'iuli)iilnctlly there is some liction inixetl with the stories of the 
 Indian depredations and massacres in the early settlement of this 
 country and the narratives are often highly colored. This results 
 from the fact that they were not accurately recorded at the time, if 
 at all, antl are chiefly i)ersonal recollections of the witnesses thereof 
 after many years had elapsed. Some even being based on recollec- 
 tions of aged persons who heard it from the lips of parents or grand- 
 parents when they themsehes were young. Yet the actual facts 
 were certainlv bad enough and may have been even worse than the 
 story as we have it to-day although the particulars as to individual 
 action, dates, names, and locations are far from correct. One can 
 readily conceive the terror of women and children and even strong 
 men, situated in a \ast forest region, thinly populated with whites, 
 and infested by Indians whose numbers, though unknown, the imag- 
 ination would be sure to e.xagerate to myriads, when a rumor became 
 current that a massacre was contemplated or occasional lurking sav- 
 ages were seen, and it is certain that the early settlers of this region 
 did live in the constant and well grounded apprehension of harm 
 from this source for a period of twenty years, during which time au- 
 thentic records jjrove that within the limits of Blair a score or more 
 of men, women and children were slain Ijy the red men. 
 
 The state of mind of the colonists in this region in 1777 may be 
 seen by the following extract Irom a letter written to the i)resitlent 
 of the Council by George Woods and Thomas Smith, two justices- 
 of-the-peace, and dated at Bedford, Pa., Nov. 27th. 1777: " Gen- 
 tlemen: — The present situation of this country is so truly deplorable 
 that we should be inexcusal^le if we delayed a moment in acquaint- 
 ing you with it. An Indian war is now raging around us in its ut- 
 most furv. Before you went down they killed one man at Stony 
 Creek; since that time they have killed five on the mountain against 
 the head of Dunning' s Creek, killed or taken three at the Three 
 Springs, wounded one and killed some children at Frankstown, and 
 had they not providently been discovered in the night and a party 
 gone out and fired on them, they would in all probability have de- 
 stroyed a great jjart of that settlement in a tew hours. A small 
 party went out into Morrison's Cove .scouting, and unfortunately di- 
 vided; the Indkins discpvered one division, and out of eight killed 
 
24 Semi=Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 seven and wounded the other. In short, a day hardly passes with- 
 out our hearing of some new murder, and if the people continue only 
 a week longer to fly as they have done for a week past this county 
 will be a frontier. From Morrison's, Crayls and Friend's Coves, 
 Dunning' s Creek, and one-half of the Glades they are fled or forted, 
 and, for all the defense that can be made here the Indians may do 
 almost what they please. We keep out ranging parties, in which 
 we go out by turns, but all that we can do In that way is but weak 
 and ineffectual for our defense, because one-half our people are fled. 
 Those that remain are too busily employed in putting their families 
 and the little of their effects that they can save and take to some 
 place of safety. ' ' 
 
 What is known as the great Cove massacre occurred in 1762 
 (this is know known as Martin's Cove, in Blair County) and the 
 number of killed and captured is unknown now but of the captives 
 were the family of John Martin, consisting of his wife and several 
 children. In July, 1780, Captain Philips was surprised and over- 
 come by a hostile band of Indians in Woodcock Valley, and all his 
 men, ten in number, were killed, except his son Elijah. Captain 
 Philips and his son were held in captivity for some time, with the 
 expectation, no doubt, that they would be ransomed. They were 
 carried to Detroit and from there to Montreal, and finally made 
 their escape, or were liberated by the British to whom the Indians 
 had delivered them. 
 
 In the autumn of 1788 the wife and three of the children of 
 Matthew Dean, great grandfather of Justice John Dean of the Su- 
 preme Court, were slain by the Indians at their home in Canoe 
 Valley, Catharine Township, about three miles west of Waterstreet, 
 while Mr, Dean and the other children were at work in the fields 
 some distance away and a son of Captain Simonton who was at the 
 Dean residence, was carried away and never recovered. In 1781, 
 in Tyrone Township, Jacob Roller was shot and scalped by Indians 
 while out hunting and a man named Bebault, living alone, was killed 
 at his house nearby, by the same band. In the summer of 1777 or 
 78, a man named John Guilliford cleared a small patch near where 
 Blair Furnace Station, in Logan Township, now is and erected a 
 cabin near the present site of John Trout's house. The next spring 
 after putting out some crops he became alarmed for his safety and 
 fled to Fetters Fort but soon after believing the Indians to have 
 gone away he ventured back to see how his crops were coming on, 
 but they must have been lying in wait for him as he was found the 
 same day by two hunters, Coleman and Milligan, lying dead on the 
 
Semi=Centennial History of lilair County. 25 
 
 threshold of his caljin, having; evidently been shot by the Indians as 
 he was entering the door. He was buried near the spot by these 
 two men who then endeavored to follow the murders and avenge the 
 the death of their neii^hbor but in this were unsuccessful. About 
 this time Thorn is Coleman while huntinij alone came upon two un- 
 armed Indians who were carryini^Mjff two capti\e children: and level- 
 ing his ritle at them with a stern commaiul to halt I they (juickly 
 dropped the children and lied. 
 
 Coleman was a great Indian Ji^hter u (.•11 known anil feared by the 
 red men of the Juniata \alley. It is said that he killed a number 
 of them to avenge the death of a brother slain by the savages yetirs 
 before in the Susquehanna valley. 
 
 In August, 1781. Adam Hollidav with several of his children was 
 at work in a held iust al)o\e where Gaysport now stands when they 
 were attacked b\- Indians, Mr. llolliday seized the youngest child 
 and suceeded in making his escajjc with it but his daughter Janet 
 and a son Patrick, were captureil and killed. 
 
 SLAVERY IN BLAIR COUNTY. 
 
 In HIair Countv, since its organization, slavery never existed, 
 but in the terri»^^ory of which it is composed it was not unknown as 
 late as 1800, the as.sessment lists of the county disclose the fact that 
 a few negro slaves were held in l)i>ndage here. In 1794 there were 
 three slave owners in Allegheny township. 
 
 Date of Organization of the Different Townships and Chartering 
 of Boroughs and Cities. 
 
 AMet^heiiy Township, 1793. .Altoona Horoujjli Chartered. . .1854. 
 
 Amis " i8to. Altoona City " ....186R. 
 
 Blair " 1839. Bellwood . 
 
 Cathanne " 1846. Gaysport I?oroiii;li .. .1S41. 
 
 Frankstown " . prior to 1773. Holli(laysl)iiri; " ...1836. 
 
 Freedom " 1S57. Iiiniata ' " ...1893. 
 
 Greenfield " ..prior to iSuo. Martinsl)urK " ...1832. 
 
 Huston " 1842. Newry " " ...1876. 
 
 Juniata " 1847. RoaringSpring " ...1888. 
 
 Logan '■ 1S50. Tyrone " ...1857. 
 
 N. Woodbury* " . prior to 1800. East Tyrone " " • . 
 
 Snyder " 1841. Williamsburg " " .. ..1S28 
 
 Taylor " 1S55. to 1841 anil charter forfeited by 
 
 Tyrone " prior to 1800. failure to elect otVicers. 
 
 Woodbury " .. prior to 17S7. 
 
£)e\^Glopn^Gi|| 
 
 OF A GREAT THOROUGHFARE AND BLAIR COUNTY'S PART IN IT. 
 
 The growth and development of the cliannels of travel is an ex- 
 tremely interesting study. As early as 1740 and 1750 white men 
 traversed old Indian paths leading from Harrisburg up the Susque- 
 hanna to the Juniata; up the Juniata to its headwaters in the Alle- 
 gheny mountains and across these, through narrow gorges, whose 
 highest point was considerably less elevated than the main ridge. 
 These paths, or trails, were only passable for pedestrians and all 
 the rivers and smaller streams had to be forded. 
 
 After passing the Alleghenies the headwatersof the Conemaugh 
 river were reached and its course followed to the site of Johnstown, 
 thence on to the Allegheny ri\'er and down that stream to Pittsburg. 
 Occassional short cuts were made from one bend of the stream to 
 to another where the path would be a considerable distance from its 
 channel, but generally the streams were followed pretty closely. 
 This was the earliest thoroughfare between the east and the west in 
 this part of the wilderness. About the year 1788 a road was cut 
 through on nearly the same lines. It extended from Huntingdon 
 westward to Frankstown on the site of HoUidaysburg and Duncans- 
 ville, and up the Blair Creek and gap to near where Cresson has 
 since grown up and from thence to the confluence of the Conemaugh 
 and Stony Creek rivers. It was barely passable for wagons, and the 
 large streams were not bridged. 
 
 This road was paid for by the state was constructed by Robert 
 Galbraith, a resident of Blair County, and it served the purposes of a 
 highway for the early settlers, for 25 years. Soon after the begin- 
 ning of the present century the idea of a pike road along the same 
 route with bridges over all the streams was entertained and public 
 spirited citizens urged its construction, and aided to build it. By 
 1820 it had been accomplished, through private enterprise largely 
 and John Blair, a native and resident of this count v, was president 
 of the Huntingdon, Cambria and Indiana Turnpike Road Company. 
 
 No sooner was the pike completed than the project of a canal 
 between Philadelphia and Pittsburg was set on foot and although its 
 construction would be a detriment to the turnpike, yet John Blair, 
 president of the Turnpike Company, was so public spirited as to aid 
 and encourage it to his full ability, and he lived to see it completed 
 to HoUidaysburg. The canal was exclusively a state institution, the 
 cost being too great for private enterprise at that time, but Blair 
 County people were leaders in the movement and high iii the coun- 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 27 
 
 cils of control, Hollidaysburg was a port of entry and the location of 
 a great basin at the western terminus of the eastern division. The 
 canal, supj)leniented by the Allet^hcny Portage Railroad across the 
 mountains, was a wonderful thing in its day, but still the people were 
 not satisfied and the first boat had hardly traversed the full length 
 of the canal and passed over the mountains on the new railroad, 
 demonstrating the value of such a mode of travel and trans[jortation. 
 than the idea of an all rail route began to take definite shape and in 
 ten years time a company to build it was incorporated although it 
 would cost much more than the canal and must be done entirely by 
 private enterprise. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company had its 
 birth in 1846. Simultaneously with the beginning of this road in 
 whose construction and management Blair County and Blair County 
 people have had a most prominent place, the management of the 
 Pennsylvania canal tried to preserve their ascendency by doing away 
 with the inclined planes on the mountain road and the New Portage 
 was begun; thousands of dollars of the public moneys was spent and 
 a road without inclines was constructed almost parallel with the "Old 
 Portage." It was a useless effort, for the Pennsylvania Railroad 
 Company had their all rail route finished and public sentiment was 
 so strong against state management of the Public works, as the canal 
 and Portage railroad were called, that they were sold to the Penn- 
 sylvania Railroad Company, who, by the purchase, absorijed a par- 
 allel and competing line and became master of the situation. The 
 State received about one-fourth the cost of these works by the sale. 
 The Pennsvlvania railroad deviated a little from the route of the old 
 canal, pike and first public road, following the little Juniata almost 
 to its source, near the site of Altoona, and crossing the mountains 
 through the Kittanning Gap. This railroad company, which soon 
 forged ahead of all others and whose gross receipts per annum are 
 now more than twice that of any other railroad in America, hatl lor 
 its jiresident many years, Thomas A. .Scott, whose youth was largely 
 spent in Blair County, and who may with propriety Ijc called a Blair 
 County man. Blair County contains the principal shops of the com- 
 pany and is the headquarters of the General .Superintendent, and 
 Cieneral Superintendent of Motive Power. 
 
 Thus in less than 100 years an uninhabited forest has been 
 channed to a rich, populous and productive region, and a scarcely 
 distinguishable trail, passal>le only on foot, has been superseded by a 
 steel railroad over whose length, glide almost with the speed oflij^ht 
 pondrous trains of cars bearing thousands of t(jns of freight or hund- 
 reds of travelers. Blair County has taken a prominent part in this 
 progress and if any further improvement is ])ossible Blair County 
 people will be found leading the van. 
 
E(it:i cq|ioricil.— Scljools. 
 
 Beginning very early in the history of this region we find 
 schools were established by private enterprise of public spirited citi- 
 zens long before the enactment of our present wise and liberal school 
 laws. Subscription schools were quite common and the little log 
 school house, erected by the people of a district by mutual agree- 
 ment, and supported by their voluntary contributions, was found in 
 every community. 
 
 In 1834 the general common school law was enacted and since 
 then education has been as free as the air they breath to every child 
 of this favored state. Tution was free from 1834 to 1893; the text 
 books, however, had to be furnished by the parents or guardians, 
 but the legislature, in 1893, provided that the directors must furnish 
 pupils text books for use in the school room without charge. 
 
 The length of terms in the country districts are now six to 
 seven months and in the boroughs and City of Altoona, eight and 
 nine months. Altoona has twelve large school buildings, the aggre- 
 gate value of which is nearly half a million dollars. Over six thous- 
 and pupils are in attendance and one hundred and forty teachers are 
 employed at salaries ranging from $30.00 to $100.00 per month. 
 Prof D. S. Keith has been Superintendent of the city schools for 
 sixteen years. The borough public schools of Tyrone and Holli- 
 ckiysburg are in an equally flourishing condition. Prot. H. S. Wertz 
 is superintendent of the schools of the county, outside of Altoona City. 
 The higher education of the youth of the county has received some 
 attention; and the graduates of Altoona, Tyrone and HoUidaysburg 
 schools are well fitted for useful life or to enter college, if they so 
 desire. 
 
 In i860 a school of some considerable pretensions was estab- 
 lished at Martinsburg under the name of the Franklin High School 
 and Blair County Normal Institute. The name was afterward 
 changed to Juniata Collegiate Institute. It was erected by a joint 
 stock company at a cost $8,000.00 and was a chartered institution. 
 Some years later, not proving a financial success, it was sold to the 
 Lutheran Synod for $3,000.00. Later it was owned by J. G. 
 Herbst who sold it to Prof Lucian Cort for $5,000.00. Prof Cort, 
 in 1868, enlarged it at a cost of $8,000.00, to its present dimensions, 
 100 feet front and 75 feet deep. It is a brick building, four stories 
 
SemUCentennial History of Blair County. 2<) 
 
 in height and will accomodate ciijhty boardiiii; students. In 1S75 
 it was purchased by Prof. P. H. Bridenhauj^h for $10,700 who, for a 
 number of years carried on a very successful school. Later, while 
 still in the possession of Prof Bridcnbauj^h, it was used for several 
 months to shelter the inmates of the Blair County Alms House when 
 the old one burned down. At j^resent no re.^ular school is in opera- 
 tion there. 
 
 The HoUidaysburg Female Seminarv, at HoUidaysburg, is one 
 of the finest Iniildings in the county. It is constructed of stone and 
 is 150 feet in front, extends back 160 feet; four stories in height and 
 was erected in 1869 by a joint stock company at a cost of $75,000. 
 It is now owned by Major William Williams, one of HoUidaysburg' s 
 most prominent and wealthy citizens, and is conducted by Mrs. 
 Hitchcock and is a well managed and flourishing school with many 
 boarding scholars, and many others who live at home and attend 
 during the day. It contains a large and well appointed school hall, 
 laboratory, recitation, reading, music and art rooms as well as the 
 residence rooms of the principal and dormitories of the pupils. The 
 location is one of great beauty, on an eminence from which the view 
 of the surrounding country is superb. The campus consists of five 
 acres of ground. Rev. Joseph Waugh was the first principal, 
 serving from 1869 to 1877, ^ftcr which time Prof W. P. Husscy 
 held the position. The school, while not sectarian, is yet in control 
 of Presbyterians and may be cla.ssed as a Presbyterian institution. 
 All honor to this church, which in years gone by, has established 
 more seminaries in the United States, probably, than any other 
 protestant denomination. 
 
 In Altoona there are several business colleges, so-called, wherein 
 short-hand, typewriting and business and commercial forms are 
 taught, the leading one now being "Anderson's School of Business 
 and Shorthand" in the .Matcer building. 
 
 The Roman Catholic church, always solicitous to educate the 
 youth of her adherents in their own faith, have parochial schools in 
 connection with all their churches in Altoona, Hollidaysliurg and 
 Tyrone, where all branches of learning are taught in a systematic 
 and thorough manner, especial attention being paid to music in the 
 girls' school in the convent of St. John's church. Thirteenth street 
 and Thirteenth avenue. A large three-story brick building for a 
 boys school also belongs to St. John's church and stands on the op- 
 posite corner from the convent and church. 
 
 The school building attached to .St. Mary's Cierman Roman 
 Catholic church, situated on the corner of Fourteenth street and 
 Fourth avenue, is also a fine brick building and from its elevation is 
 a prominent landmark, seen from many parts of the city. 
 
I^Gligioii 
 
 i^. 
 
 CHURCHES OF THE COUNTY. 
 
 The first permanent white sellers of Blair County, coming into the 
 southern end of the Great Cove, or Morrisons Cove, as it is now 
 called about 1760 or earlier, were Dunkards, and that is probably 
 the first religious denomination to obtained a foothold in Blair 
 County territory, followed closely, however, by the Presbyterians 
 and Methodists. 
 
 We have not been able to discover any historical incident con- 
 cerning this sect that would prove of special interest to the readers 
 of this sketch, but it is a well attested fact that these people were 
 deeply pious, conscientious in their business relations with their fel- 
 lows and noncombatative. They were plain and unassuming, and 
 did not leave any monuments to their memory in the shape of large 
 and costly church edifices; Being content to worship their Creator 
 in plain, and what many would consider, insignificantly small and 
 poor buildings. Many of their descendants are still found in the 
 county and they have a few places of worship, one in Altoona, but 
 not being an aggressive people, their numbers do not keep pace 
 with the increasing population of the county. 
 
 That the Dunkards preceded the Presbyterians may be disputed 
 by some but the foregoing statement, we think, will be found correct. 
 It is however recorded in Africa's history of Blair County, published 
 in 1883 that in 1756 when John Armstrong marched to Kittanning, 
 in September of that year, that he was accompained by Rev. 
 Charles Beatty a Presbyterian minister, and that he preached a ser- 
 mon one Sunday morning to the little band of soldiers while en- 
 camped at Beaver Dams, the location of McCann's Mills, now in 
 Blair County. The truth of this assertion is not doubted or denied, 
 but it is likely that the Dunkards, who resided here, as above stated, 
 held religious services at a still earlier date, and that the congrega- 
 tion consisted of residents of territory now within the bounds of 
 Blair County. 
 
 In 1770 or 1772, however, there was a sufficient number of 
 people in the vicinity of Frankstown and Hollidaysburg to make a 
 small congregation and the Presbytery at Carlisle sent the Rev. Dr. 
 King, of Mercersburg, here, who preached the first Presbyterian 
 sermon to residents of Blair in that vear at the house of William 
 
5emi-Centennial History of Blair County. 31 
 
 Holliday. Re\-. Mr. McDouti^al, from Path \'allcy, also came here 
 at a very early day and preached occasionally. Alter the clf>se of 
 the Revolutionary war preachintj was quite frequent by Presbyterian 
 ministers who were stationed farther east, and who occasionally en- 
 dured the fatigue of a lontj ride throuij^h the forest to preach to the 
 early settlers at Hollidaysbur^. A tent or pavilion was erected at 
 Blue Sprint;^, where services were held about 1784 or 1785. This 
 was replaced or superseded in 1790 by a church buildin^- and it was 
 called Bard's Meeting House, from Rev. David Bard, a Presbyte- 
 rian minister, who located here in 1788. A cong^regation was regu- 
 larly organized at this time, and Captain Thomas Blair, father of 
 Hon. John Biair, Thomas McCune and James .Smith, Sr. , were the 
 first ruling elders. The stated salary of Rev. Bard was $100 per 
 annum. The Bard Meeting House stood on the present cemetery 
 site and was constructed of unhewn logs. It was occupied as a 
 church till iSiS when it was destroyed by tire. A hewed log build- 
 ing was immediately erected, and stood until 1837, when a brick 
 church was built, in its stead, on the corner of Walnut and Clark 
 streets, where the present elegant and commodious church — erected 
 in 1869-70 — now stands. Rev. Bard was retained as pastor until 
 his death in 18 16, during part of which time he was a member of 
 the House of Representatives in the Congress of the United States. 
 Rev. James Galbraith succeeded Re\'. Bard and ser\ed the congre- 
 gation here and at Williamsburg until 1835. For the following three 
 years the congregation was served by John A. Dunlap, a licentiate. 
 In 1S38 Rev. William J. Gibson, of Philadcl|)hia, was called and re- 
 mained until 1 84 1. Next came Rev. David McKinney. D. D., who 
 j)reached until 1852, being succeeded by Re\-. David X. Junkin, 
 from Washington, D. C. , who was installed January 7, 1854. 
 
 In i860, on account of ill health. Rev. Junkin was granted 
 leave of absence for si.\' months, during which time the pulpit was 
 filled by Rev. William Alexander, a licentiate of the Huntingdon 
 Presbyter)'. 
 
 December 11, i860. Dr. funkin se\eretl his connection with this 
 congregation and Rev. Da\id Sterritt supplied the jiulpit until Sep- 
 tember, 1 86 1. 
 
 Rev. David H. Barron, then pastor af the Mount Pleas.anl 
 Church, was called August 4. i86r, and preached his first sermon 
 here, as pastor elect, the second Sunday of .September, 1861. He 
 was formally installed November 12, following. The erection of a 
 new church edifice was agitated in 1S6S on account of the lack of 
 sufficient pew room in the old building anil the weakness of the 
 
32 Seini=CentenniaI History of Blair County. 
 
 walls, and on Sunday, the sixth day of December, of that year 
 there being a heavy snow on the roof, the assembled congregation 
 pronounced the building unsafe and it was abandoned. The fol- 
 lowing Sabbath services were held in the court house and so con- 
 tinued until the completion of the chapel of the new church. 
 
 The corner stone of this new church — the present one — was laid 
 September 9, i860, and services were held in the chapel, for the first 
 time, June 5, 1870; it cost $60,000.00. 
 
 In the corner stone were deposited sermons of Revs. W. J. 
 Gibson, David McKinney, David X. Junkin and D. H. Barron; 
 also photographs of each of these ministers, besides other appropri- 
 ate articles. 
 
 This building, which is the largest church in the county_^ 
 was completed and public services first held in the main or audience 
 room December 31, 1871. Rev. Barron is still pastor, now serving 
 his thirty-fifth year in that capacity. 
 
 The history of this church is given at greater length than can 
 be allotted to the others on account of its age and prominence in the 
 presbytery. 
 
 The Methodists made themselves known in Blair County about 
 1800, and their first church in its territory was erected in 18 16, at 
 Williamsburg. They now have twcntv-thrce churches in the county- 
 valued at $260,000.00; 6,195 members and 6,950 Sunday School 
 scholars. The Presiding Elder of the district, which includes other 
 counties than Blair, Rev. D. S. Monroe, D. D., resides in Altoona 
 He is also secretary of the Grand Conference of all the Methodist 
 Episcopal bodies in the world. 
 
 The Evangelical Lutheran Church is strong in the county, and 
 its history here dates back to 1820, or earlier, when their first con- 
 gregation was organized in Williamsburg. They have twenty 
 churches in the county, seven of which are in Altoona. 
 
 The First Baptist Congregation in Blair County was organized 
 at Williamsburg in 1829, and the next at Hollidaysburg in 1833. 
 They now have over 1,200 members in the county; twelve churches 
 and five preachers. This denomination numbers, among its mem- 
 bership, some of the most prominent familes in the county and the 
 number of regular attendants at the Baptist Churches is, doubtless, 
 5,000 to 6,000 persons. 
 
 The Roman Catholic Church is quite strong in the county, 
 having four large churches in Altoona City, with several thousand 
 adherents and church property valued at $350,000.00. They 
 built their first church in Altoona, the St. Johns, in 1852. They 
 also have churches and many members in Tyrone and Hollidaysburg. 
 
SAMUEL SHUFF & SONS, 
 
 Baroain Grocers and Dealers in General Merchandise. 
 
 1517 Fourth Avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Do you want a fine library free ? If so. read, reflect, act. We 
 give a librarv' away free every monlli. Wliy don't you get one 
 too ? Come to us and we will tell you how we do it and you will 
 enter heartily into the plan for we sell almost everything you need 
 and then the prices are always right. Do not delay but come to- 
 day for you might not .see this "ad" again and might forget it. 
 Our celebrated Creamery butter in one pound prints is extra fancy 
 and well known in our city as the very best butter that conies to 
 this morket. Bell Telephone 913. Pluenix Telephone 2S'j. 
 
 K. 7VY. LHV7VER 
 Dealer in GEN ER AL IVI ERCH AN DISE 
 
 A full line <)f Dry Goods and Notions. Fine Groceries and I'ro- 
 
 visions a specialty. Our line of Shoes you will find 
 
 complete and at right bottom prices: 
 
 2000 FIFTH A VKNUK, ALTOONA, PA. 
 
 IIIUAM Nl^^AFFKH, 
 
 \vnoi.i;,x.\LK .\Ni) hktaii, i»kai,kk in 
 
 VV)'^olen and G^tton Rags, Qld gcrap C^Pf^®''* 
 
 Brass. Lead. Zinc, Tin Foil. Rubber. Rojk- and Second-hand vSloves. 
 Offlce and Warehouse : No. 813 Seventeenth St.. Altoona. Pa. 
 
 FRED. QUARTIER, Jeweler^ 
 
 F'ull line of Clocks, Watches and Jewelry. Imuc and comi^licated 
 
 watch repiliring done promptly and at low ]>rices. Work 
 
 guaranteed. vSwi.ss Watches a vSpecialt>-. 
 
 715 SEVENTH STREET. 
 
 FRED. M. BALL, 
 
 floosG, Sion and dmmm PaiiitGr, 
 
 Office and Store, No. 800 Niniii Sii-...-t, 
 < Inly Fir.st-class Work Siilirilt (I. \: i.>>\\. \'\. 
 
 'A H. S. PINE, K- 
 
 Fresli Hre;i<l from the Ivishlh Ward liaki r\ (Ulixcv' '= ' ■ "n 
 part of the city. 
 
 H. S. PINE, Corner Fifth Avonue and SevontK Street. 
 
 -^ y\L. H. BROV\ZIN. •\<r 
 Dealer in General TVlerebandise, 
 
 P'ine Groceries, Dry Goods. Hoots. Shoes and Notion^ 
 
 2331 Broad Avenue. - - Altoona, Pa. 
 

 Ai.TooxA BrsiNKss Cards 
 
 ^' O. SHELOV7, ^^■- 
 
 Confections, Tobacco and Cigars. 
 
 Notions, Base Ball Gobds, Soft Drinks, 
 No. 312 Howard Avenue, - - Altoona, Pa. 
 
 We invite an inspection of our .stock ! 
 
 Dealers in General Mercliandi.se, -^Dry Goods, Notions, Shoes, 
 Rubbers and Rubber Boots, Oil Clotli, Groceries, Provisions, etc. 
 You will find ever)^ department in our store completely stocked 
 with sea.sonable Goods which we will be plea.sed to show vou. 
 2301 EiRhth Avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 
 gPif^JP^ 
 
 "M^i 
 
 
 II 
 
 7/ 
 
 JOHN SCHKNIC, - >*ioprietor. 
 
 Corner Tenth Avenue and Twelfth vStreet, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 ijriu^|)lllilt< Mil jL JJdlLi9 
 
 ID. T. CA'HILT., - I>ro]ni( tor. 
 
 Opposite Pa.s.senger Depot, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 HORKCE G. STOXZER. 
 
 Attorney ^^ At ^ Ivaw, 
 
 Rooms 6 and 7 Nicholson Block, Altoona, Pa, 
 
 V/ILLIAM -A. LYTLE, 
 
 Genefal Slore, Passenpf and Freight Agent and Postmasitef, 
 
 TIl'^I^ON, PKNXW. 
 
 Washington Ave. and i6th St. 
 
 Grant Yon, Prop. 
 
 Fir.st-class accommodations. 18 Room Hou.se. One of the 
 oldest .stands in the city. Good stabling attached. 
 
 WM. D. HALL, M. D., 
 
 1423 Eleventh Avenue, 
 Assistant, Dr. F. V. Horne. ALTOONA, PA. 
 
Al,TOONA BUSINKSs C\Kn 
 
 W. N. BOYLES, Hard and Soft Coals ; Office, Kourtli avenue and 
 William street, Juniata. I'a. 
 
 E. N. BULICK, Kresh and Sail M' iiv Fouitli avenue, Juniala. 
 
 Pa. 
 
 M. L. REIGH, H.-iUL- I)..^- •' ^■ 'i ' -i.!^ i--., ,, , !•, 
 
 J. F. WAHL, Staple and Fancy Grocer k- I'l Wa.sliinglun ave- 
 nue, Altoc^na. Pa. 
 
 M. L. EIVIFIELD, vShavinc: Parlor and Hair Cuttint^, F'ourth ave- 
 nue, Juniai 
 
 F. E. RICKARD &. CO., Ice and Groceries, KS04 Fumteenth ave- 
 
 nue, Altoona. P,i. 
 
 J. A. -KINTER, ju-U'X- of llie I'eaix-, Juniala, 1 ;l;in > ( aiiiU . I'a. 
 
 C. M. KEPHART, Groceries, Pnjvisions, Tobacco and Cigars. 
 
 Goods delivered prniii]')tly {<t :\]] ]>;trls of (^ii v fvi-f of clinri-c 
 
 F. N. OUNMIRE, Pool and Cigars, Ijourlh avenue, Juniata, Pa. 
 
 H. A. BOYLES, Groceries, Provisions and General Merchandise, 
 Kipple P. O , Pa. 
 
 PHEASANT & WAGNER, General Mcivliainlisc, Imuala, Kipi^le 
 P. O.) Pa. 
 
 F. J. RIG EL &. CO., Hardware, Stoves, Tinware, Roofing and 
 .Spouting, Fourtii avenue and William street, Juniata Pa. 
 
 JOHN A. CANAN &. CO.. American aad Foreign Cements, Terra 
 Gotxls, Builders' Supplies, etc., Marg. Ave. & iStluSt., Altoona. 
 
 CHAS. M. ROCKEY, Fish, Oy.sters and Produce, wholesale and 
 retail, 1609 Eleventh avenue, Altoona, P : 
 
 B. H. DeTURK, Hou.se Painter and Paper Haii-ei, m....- iMcvLiilli 
 a\enue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 P. M. MOLLOY & CO., Installment House, r6ooJ4 Eleventh ave- 
 nue, Alt(^Mia. Pi. IT T,. KrlTmi .\L;(.nl 
 
 J. I. FARBAUGH, Groceries and Maker ot Hannnock-. mi- m\ 
 teenth street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 L L BOOK, Market Gardener, Hot House L,ettuce a Specialty, 
 
 ICldorado, 1 t .Mto Mia ■ 
 
 JONAS WALTEN, Restaurant. 1314 Tenth avenue. Altoona, Pa. 
 
 H. JOHNSON, Boots and Shoes, Eleventh avenue, next to First 
 National Bank, Altoona, Pa. 
 
Altoona Business Cards. 
 
 CHAS. H. YON, Grocer, 17 Washingtotf avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 Fresh Vegetables always on hand. 
 
 SAMUEL PATTERSON, Wagons Built to Order, Repairing, Paint- 
 ing, General Blacksniithing, Green avenue and Seventli street. 
 
 W. A. FRAKER, Roofing, Spouting and Repairing. Hot Air Fur- 
 naces a Specialty. 1002 Cliestnut avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Dp. E. 0. M. HABERACKER, Office, No. 2220 Seventh avenue; 
 Residence, 2222 Seventh avenue, Altoona> Pa. 
 
 J. M. BLAIR, Contractor aiid-Builder, 1006 Finst avenue, Altoona, 
 Pa. 
 
 L. Z. REPLOGLE, Clothing,Gents' Furnishings and Gents'Shoes, 
 811 Twelfth street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 CHAS. WEISINGER, Merchant Tailor, S06 Kast Twelfth street, 
 Altoona, Pa. 
 
 T. M. POWELL, Tadie.s' and Gents' Furnishing Goods, 815 East 
 Twelfth .street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 H. O'BURN, 1024 Chestnut avenue, Altoona, Pa., Groceries and 
 Provisions. 
 
 J. J. GLEICHERT, Groceries, Flour Feed, etc , 501 Eighth ave- 
 nue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 JOHN GEIG, Merchant Tailor,8i3i< East Twelfth street, Altoona, 
 Pa. 
 
 - H. J. CORNMAN, - 
 
 TI16 oriflinai one-mce Giotnier 
 
 Of Altoona, Pa., has an entire new stock, of 
 
 [}liilili'en% lV|eii'^ and Boijg' dlotsfiing, 
 
 Suits, Hats and Shirts made to order. 
 \h\2 gleoentb 7\,\?enue, RltSona, pa. 
 
 Dr. H. L. HARTZELL, 
 
 1106 Eleventh Street, 
 
 <^^0 C XJ L I S X -^^ 
 
 Diseases of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat. 
 
 Office Hours — 8 to 10 a. m.; i to 3 and 8.30 p. m. 
 
At.toona Business CaSds. 
 
 M.J. Vaughn, W I". Vaughn 
 
 2012 Eightli Aveiiiu-. OFFICE AT WORKS ^"« »'<'«<• »"tt- 
 
 J. R. VAUGHN & 50N, 
 
 BRICK MANUFACTURERS. 
 
 Hest qualilv of liuildiug. Sewer and Taviiij^ Brick. 
 Works at Eldorado. 
 Bell Telephone No. 1562 at Works. 
 
 Bell Telephone No. 1563 at residence of W. F. Vaughn. 
 
 ^1- C. F. CARPENTER, -i^ 
 
 Imported Key West and Domestic Cigars, Cheriots, Stogies, 
 Cigarettes, Smoking and Chewing Tobaccos, Pipes and Smokers' 
 Articles, Canes, Playing Cards, etc. Finest Pool and Billiard 
 Tables in the city. . 
 Twelfth Street, next to Post Office, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Thos. Donahue, Proprietor. 
 
 Rates, $1.00 per day, $5.00 per week. First-class Bar attached. 
 
 1 1 10 Tenth Avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 W. B. TOMKINS, J- B. ROYER, 
 
 EXCHANGE HOTEL, 
 
 Rates, $1.00 per day, S4.50 per week. First-class Bar attached. 
 Tenth Avenue, bet. nth and 12th Sts., Altoona, Pa. 
 
 J. TO.. VTA-XSON, 
 
 1)p:.\i,hk IX 
 
 Guns, fishing Tackle, Bicycles 
 
 and other Sporting Good. Cruns and Bicycles repaired. 
 1113 Eleventh Avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 <»j,/E want ;;(Mitl a;,a'Mts for thi-.^e lloii.sfliolil iioocHsh it-s 
 W and will ^'ivc exi'lu.sive territory in tlio following 
 counties: Allegheny, Fayette, Washingt<»n, GreeMe, 
 Lawreneo, IJeaver, Mercer, Crawford, Krie. Warton, 
 Forest, JetVerson, Clarion, Armstrong, Indiana. IJutler, 
 Venango, Somerset, Huntingdon, Bedford. Fulfon, 
 Camhria, IJlair, York, Adams, Franklin. ( umlierland 
 and Perry. Write us al onre liclore all the territory is 
 taken up'. Robinsons & Co.. Ltd.. Factory, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 J. A. ROHRER & SON, 
 
 ■^1 DE-NT'ISTS. 1^ 
 
 1 107 Twelfth Avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 

 Altoona Business Cards. 
 
 F. L. AKERS, Manager, Druggist aiid Apothecary, xio6 Eleventh 
 street, Altoona, Pa. Soda Water always on draught. 
 
 C. BRESSLER, General Merchandise, Hats, Caps, Boots, Shoes, 
 etc., 57 Sixth avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 ALTOONA HOUSE, 1003 Bridge street, Jno. Garland, proprietor. 
 Meals at all hours. 
 
 BERMAN & BRETT, Wholesale Notions, 1025 Bridge street, 
 Altoona, Pa. 
 
 C. M. SMITH, Milk Depot and Confectionery, Wholesale and 
 Retail. Ice Cream. 1631 Eleventh avenue, Altoona", Pa 
 
 J. P. HARNEY, Fancy and Staple Groceries, 1905 Eleventh 
 avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 A. CLAYCOMB, Groceries, Boots, Shoes, etc.. 1800 Tenth avenue, 
 Altoona, Pa. 
 
 SMITH 6c BRADY, the Cash Grocers, fine Groceries, Flour, Feed, 
 604 Seventh avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 G. W. BURKET, Groceries and Provisions, Queensware and No- 
 tions, Wood and Willow Ware, 607 6th Ave., Altoona^ Pa. 
 
 E. B. SEEDENBURG, Groceries and Provisions, 423 Seventh 
 avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 H. E. CRUMRAKER, D. D. S. Nitrous Oxide Gas administered. 
 Corner Seventh avenue and Twelfth street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 COLCLESSER BROTHERS, Axes, Picks and Mattocks, El Dor 
 rado, Blair County. Pa. 
 
 A. L. HENCH, Salter. I^eather, Hides, Tallow and Salt, 1708 
 Ninth avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 J. W. BLACK, Justice of the Peace, El Dorado, Pa. 
 
 B. F. MYERS, Grocery, Provision, Flour and Feed Store, El 
 Dorado, Pa. - 
 
 H. R. MAUK, Barber and Hair Dresser, 2330 Broad street, Al- 
 toona, Pa. 
 
 E. M. CLABAUGH, Druggist and Apothecary, Corner Sixth ave. 
 and Fourth street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 M. GOLDSMITH, Artistic Tailor and Cutter, 1600 Eleventh ave., 
 Altoona, Pa. Latest styles and lowest prices 
 
 C. G. HAZIY, fine Cigars, Tobacco, Confectionery, etc., 1608 
 Eleventh avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 J. ROSS MATEER'S Branch Drug Store, O. E. Crissman, Man- 
 ager, Corner Fourth avenue and William- street, Juniata, Pa. 
 
Ar.TooNA Business Cards. 
 
 KERR &. BARCLAY, Insurance and vSteaniship Ap^cnts, Masonic 
 Temple, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 WESTFALL, Leading Hatter of Blair county, corner Eleventli 
 avenue and Thirteenth .street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 RUDISILL BROS., the Reliable Jewelers, Diamonds, Watches. 
 Clock-s, Jewelry and Silverware, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 COOPER'S Novelty Store, 1316 Eleventh avenue, AlttKma, Pa. 
 All goods sold at the lowest prices possible. 
 
 CHAS. RUNK, Barbershop. 819 Twelfth street, Altooni, I'.i. 
 LeVAN, The Tailor, Masonic Temple, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 E. GERST, Merchant Tailor, 1 1 12 Twelfth street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 M. V. BOYER, Groceries, Provisions. Confectionery, Tobacco, 
 Cigars and General Variety Store, Eighth avenue and Twen- 
 tieth street, Altoona. Pa. 
 
 T. C. McCartney, Wall Paper, Blank Books and Fine Station- 
 ery, 1307 Eleventh avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 N. H. DYER. Practical Tailor. 1128 '4 PCleventh aveuue. (over 
 Metzger's Store). Repairing and Scouring a Specialty. 
 
 G. HEMPERLY, 1323 Twelfth avenue. Altoona, Pa., manufacturer 
 of Show Ca.ses. Refrigerators and General Cabinet Making. 
 
 SPECTACLE BAZAAR, iii4>2 Eleventh avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 Glasses properly adjusted free of charge. 
 
 JACOB OSWALD, Blacksmith and Wagonmaker, mamifacturer of 
 Carriages, Wagons, Buggies, Sleiglis and Sleds. Repairing 
 a Specialty. 1528 Ninth street and Fairview avenue, Altoona. 
 
 CLIMAX CAFE, William I,. Johnson, Proprietor, late Steward of 
 the Lf)gan House, 11 17 Eleventh avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 SAML. SMITH, Agent, Practical Jeweler, Watches, Clocks, Jew 
 elry, Silverware, Silver- Plated Ware, 1305 Ivleventh avenue, 
 Altoona. Pa. 
 
 UNION HOTEL. C. B. Cris.sman, Proprietor. First Class Bar, 1313 
 Twelfth avenue. Good Stabling and Livery. 
 
 J. W. OLEWINE, Staple and Fancy Groceries, 1627 Eigiith ave- 
 nue, Altoona. Pa. 
 
 T. J. ARMSTRONG, all kinds of Groceries, Eighth avenue and 
 Twentieth street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 THOMAS N. BAIRD, Practical Plumber and G.is Fitter, No. u;o4 
 Eighth avenue. Altoona. Pa. Hot Water Heating a Specialty. 
 
 ALTOONA BREWING CO., George Wilhehn. George Schimminger 
 and W. R. Kain^i\ TIiirti-L-nth street antl Fifteenth avenue, 
 Altoona, Pa 
 
JOHN FULLERTON, 
 President. 
 
 H. K. McCAULEY, 
 
 Sec'y and Treas. 
 
 f\\tooT)2 lro9 <5ompa9y, 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 REFINED IRON 
 
 Bars, Bands, Hoops, Scrolls, Ovals, Half Ovals, 
 and Half Rounds. 
 
 Standard Quality to P. R. R. Specifications. 
 
 ALTOONA, PENN'A. 
 
 ARE GOING TO 
 
 SMARRIED 
 
 ^^m 
 
 ,Wi.ii»t1DuMK 
 
 • 1 1 • 1 I • I • 
 
 
 was not as elaborate as tliose of to-day, but it suited him. If you 
 you contemplate matrimony we would like to suit you. 
 
 We aim to do a large part of the tnerchant tailor business in 
 Blair County. Our stock is of the best. Our fits are guajanteed. 
 Our prices are right. Could you a.sk more ? Call and .see us. 
 
 Porter W.ShultZ, flerchant Tailor, 
 
 1327 Eleventh Avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
KOARIXQ rfPRINO.S AND MaRTINSBI R<i BlMINEHt* CaRDH. 
 
 NATIONAL HOTEL. $1.00 per day. D. K. Barley, propri.-- 
 tcn". Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 \. F. ACKERS. (l«'al«M- in Salt and Frrsli M«'ats. Hearing 
 Springs. Pa. 
 
 K. KING & WON, Fine Custom Taihjrs, Roaring S])rings. Pa. 
 
 i:. M. DOUGHERTY. (Jraduate Oiitician and Prarfical Watdi- 
 maker, Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 K. Z. KA(i ARISE, dealer in General Hai-dware. Tin and Sheet 
 Iron Worker. Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 F. B, NOWLEN, Livery, Sales and Boarding StabU'. Roaring 
 Springs, Pa. 
 
 ('. E. YINGLING, Manufacturer of Fancy RoIUm- Flouis. Grain. 
 Fei'd. (Slc.. Roaiing Si)rings. Pa. 
 
 W. M. ELDO.N, Ph. (i.. M. I)., Roaring Springs. Pa. 
 
 THF: planing mill CO. , Mannfaeturers of Sash Doci s. All 
 Kinds of Buihling Material. Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 A. SNOWBERGER, Barl)er Shop and Cigars, St. Luke's Hot«>l. 
 Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 ROARING SPRIN(tS BLANK BOOK CO. Blank P.<M.ks and 
 Tablets. Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 .J. (I ADAMS. Tin and Slu'ct Iron Worker. Rooting and Spout- 
 ing a Speeialty. Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 BARE MILLING CO. Bare's Best Flour, Blair County Pic- 
 dnct. Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 D. B. KYLER. dealer in Fresh and Salt Meats, (ianu* in Sea- 
 son. Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 .J. P. MARTIN, dealer in General Mereliandise, Roaring Springs, 
 Pa. 
 
 CHAS. W. FOX. Physician and Surgeon, Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 (i. M. (lARNER, dealer in Diy (Joods, Notions, Hn-adandCtm- 
 feetionery, Roaiing Spiings. Pa. 
 
 1). S. BRUMBAUGH. Attorney-at-Law. R.Kiring Springs, Pa. 
 
 J.BROWN&BLOOM,nianufactun'rsofSolcs. Cppt'is. Kip Leath- 
 er, &c., S. Market street, Martinshurg. Pa. 
 
 ( ;RAFFI US & BLOOM, dealers in General Hardware. Punip.^. 
 Pious ,111(1 St<»ves. Allegheny street. Martinshurg. Pa. 
 
., . /i^^^f^i^'^W^^''^^'^''^^i^^. 
 
 Roaring Springs and Martinsburg Business Cards. 
 
 F. A. WILKI/SSO/N, 
 
 ^^S^ General Hardware, 
 
 stoves, Roofing, Spouting, Agricultuml Implements. Estimates Fur- 
 nished. 
 
 Cor. Allegheny and South Market Sts., Martinsburg Pa. 
 
 We are the People !, 
 
 Hoenstine & Hite, 
 
 Practical Painters and Paper Hangers. Decorating and Graining. 
 Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 J. B. MILI^KR, 
 
 Manufacturer of 
 
 BOOTS, SHOES, I3:.AJK3>TESS, ETO. 
 'Cycles Repaired. Parts furnished for any make of machine. 
 
 Agent for Morgan & Wright Lines. F'ine Repairing a Specialty. 
 
 e. E. wii.soyN, 
 
 LIVERY, BOARDING AND SALE STABLE. 
 
 First-Class Rigs. 
 First-Class Sample Wagons for Traveling Men a Special t}'. 
 
 Rear of I. O. O. F. Block, ..... Roaring SpringK, Pa. 
 
 J. L. Crawford, Book^andjob^^ 
 
 Office Note Heads, Envelopes, Bill Heads, Letter Heads, State- 
 ments, Receipts. Book Binding in all its Bi-anches. 
 Roaring Springs, Pa. 
 
 C. TXT. ZOOir, 
 
 JEWELE-R and OPTICIA/N, 
 
 Dealer in 
 
 WQtciies, Clocks, Jewelry qdiI speclQcies. Fine RepQirlno q Specloity. 
 
 Kewing Machine Attachments Furnished. KOAKING SPRINGS, PA. 
 
 J. M. HITTE, 
 Undertaking ^!li Ktirnitnre. 
 
 Fine Repairing. Roaring Springs Pa. 
 
 B. M. Bare 3c Co., 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 Rag Super Book, M. F. Book and Antique Papers. 
 
 Engine and Tub Sized White Flats. 
 
Martinsbuku Business Cards. 
 
 D. M. KLEPSER, dealer in Coal, Fertilizer, Feed and Afnitnl- 
 
 tural Implements, Martinsbing, Pa. 
 
 CLAPPER BR08., manufaeturers of Piiiv Roller Flour, and 
 de^ilers in Grain and Feed. Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 E. H. LYTLE, breeder of Standard Breed Trotting and Racing 
 
 Horses, Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 AV. J. SHIFFLER, Watdies, Clocks and JrwelrN . , Kcp'*i''"K -^ 
 Specialty. Allegheny street, Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 R. T. ELDON, M. D. , Physician and Surgeon, Allegheny street, 
 Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 SKYLES MILLER & CO., dealers in Coal, Gi-ain. Flour an.l 
 Feed, West Allegheny street, Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 MENTZER BROS., dealers in Fresh and Salt Meats, St)uth 
 Market street, Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 A. O. DILLON, dealer in General Merchandise, &c.. South 
 Market and Locust streets, Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 J. O. SHUBERT, Ice Cream, Confectionery. Oysters in season. 
 Allegheny street, Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 F. W. KEAGY, dealer in General Merchandise, corner Market 
 
 and Allegheny streets, Martinsburg, Pa, 
 
 C. SKYLES, manufacturer of Saddles and Hai-ncss. L<kmis1 
 street, Marti n.sl)urg. Pa. 
 
 J. A. SKYLES, manufacturer of Saddles and Harness, North 
 Market street, Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 WM. ROBERTS, dealer in General Merchandise, North Market 
 street, Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 R. 0. CLABArGH, Merchant Tailor, Allegheny street, Mar- 
 tinsburg, Pa. 
 
 A. H. STONER, Groceries, Provisions and Confectionery, Alle- 
 
 gheny street, Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 B. F. GORStlCH, Livery, Feed and Sjilc Stal>lc, Martinsl)ing. 
 
 Pa. 
 
 W. M. GHAPLIN, Barber Shop, Allegheny street, Martinsbui-g, 
 
 Pa- 
 lm. S! M. ROYER, PhystciMM :n.<l Sni-.n-nn. Allegheny street. 
 
 Martinsburg, Pa. 
 
 DR. WILLIAM M. BOLGER, Dentist. 
 
 J. C. SANDERS, dealer in Drugs, Medicines and Chemicals, 
 Marti Jisburg, Pa. 
 
"yc^f^^^ 
 
 DlNCANSVILLE BUSINESS CaRDS 
 
 H. L. STULTZ, largest exclusive dealer in the count}' in Buggies, 
 Wagons, Agricultural Implements, etc., Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 W. R. WERTZ, dealer in Dry Goods, Groceries, Notions, etc.. 
 Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 LAW & McMASTER, dea.ler8 in General Merchandise, Groceries, 
 Hardware, etc. Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 J. E. WAL'PERS, Ice Cream Parlor, Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 H. F. PECK, dealer in General Merchandise, Market street, 
 Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 VAUGHN & SHAFFER, Funeral Directors and Furniture Deal- 
 ers, Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 HOTEL NORMAN, G. W. Bossier, proprietor. Good Stabling. 
 Hack to Hollidaysburg. Rat'sfl per day. Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 ISAAC C. HESS, Druggist, and dealer in Drugs, Medicines, 
 Paints, Stationery, Cigars, Tobacco, etc. Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 C. LIEBEGOTT, Funeral Director, Furniture, Stoves, Carpets, 
 Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 J. M. DELOZIER, dealer in Fresh and Salt Meats, Duncans- 
 ville, Pa. 
 
 DUNCANSVILLE BAKERY, Frederick Geyer, Duncansville, 
 Pa. Fresh Bread and Cakes always on hand. 
 
 GEORGE P. WILT, Miller. Flour and Feed, Grains of all 
 kinds. Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 LLQYD M. HAMEL, dealer in Confections and Green Fruit, 
 Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 GEORGE W. EVANS, Butcher. Fresh and Salt Meats always 
 on hand. Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 JOSEPH A. VAUGHN, Postmaster. Clara B. Vaughn, assistant. 
 Duncansville, Pa, 
 
 MRS. DELLA HITE, Groceries, Cigars, Tobacco, Vegetables and 
 Produce. Specialty of Butter and Eggs. Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 JESS H. JONES, Barber, Main street, Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 MRS. M, E. GLEASON, General Merchandise, corner Market 
 and Bank streets, Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 JOHN W. CONFER, General Merchandise, S. W. coiiur of 
 Diamond, Duncansville, Pa. 
 
 SAMUEL LEIGHTY, Ice Cream and Confectionery. r)ountry 
 Produce, Duncansville, Pa. 
 
HoLLIDAVSliURC; AND VVlLLIAMSBURG BUS1^E^^ CaKU^. 
 
 G, B. COOPER, A fine line of Confectionery, Ci^^ars and To- 
 baccos, Gaysport, opposite depot. 
 
 G. M. BUOYMASTER,, Fresh and Salt Meats kept constantly on 
 hand, .M(^ntL;. )niciy street, llollidaysbmg. 
 
 J. M. ROBISON di Co., Dealers in Dry GoodsrOroceries, et^c^, 
 
 Montgomery street, Hollidaysburg. 
 
 W. E. LINDSAY, General Merchand^isc, Hollidaysb'g. You ca"n 
 buy more for cash at this store than at any other in Blair Co. 
 
 W. E. STEWART & Co., General^ Merchandise, Hollidaysburg, 
 Peniia. ((')ppositc Depot, Gaysport.) 
 
 Mrs. E. C. METZ, Dealer in Gent-ral Merchandise. Proprietor 
 of the Meiz Hotel, Williamsburg. 
 
 JAMES PATTERSON, Dealer in Dr)' Goods^G^ceries, Boots, 
 
 SIv>es, Lumber, Coal, Salt, etc., Williamsburg. 
 
 C. A. PATTERSON, Postmaster, a's:.. T.)h;irrTT~c'iTrars and Sta- 
 lioncry, Williamsburg. 
 
 . J. D. ESTEP, i^arburand Hair Dresser, WiUiamsburg. 
 
 Miss JENNIE SHIPTGN, Millii.er, Williamsburg. 
 
 Mrs. JAMES PATTERSON, l>^cstaui-ant, Ice Cream and Confec- 
 tioncr\', Williamsbup^. 
 
 W. E. DEAN, Dry Goods, Clothing, Notions, Hats and Caps, 
 Boots and Shoes, Carpets, Oilcloths, etc., Williamsburg. 
 
 METZ^ROS., Hardware, Cutlery, Paints, ( )ils, etc.. Agent fnr 
 Bic\"cles and Washing Machines, W^illiainsburg. 
 
 D. T. KETRING, Druggist, Manufacturer of Peruvian JOnic, 
 
 reiver Regulator, Bechtei's Fxcelsior Liniment, etc., Wil- 
 liamsburg. 
 
 JOHN H. LAW, Dealer in Cicncral .Merchandise ; als<^ haril and 
 soft coal, Williamsburg. Wm. T. Mitchell, Manager. 
 
 JOHN KRELL, Fine TLirness, Saddlery, and ILirdware, Williams- 
 burg. 
 
 E. THOMPSON CLARK, Manufacturer of the Pear Rol'er Fl-ur. 
 
 Chop, Bran, etc. Dealer in (irain, Williamsburg. 
 
 R. S. FLUKE, Hardware, I'in and Sheet Iron Ware. Oueens- 
 w.ire. Wall I'aper, etc,, Williamsburg. 
 
 Dr. D. J. LEATHERMAN, Corner of High and Second streets, 
 
 Williamsburg. 
 
 J. F. ARNOLD, M. D., Secnd street near High street, Williams- 
 buiLT. 
 
HOLLIDAYSBURC; AND VVlLLI AMSBURc; BUSINESS CaRDS. 
 
 r>r a W ^niTH special attention paid to Orphans' 
 
 Ut . VJ. TV. Oilllii, Court Practice, Abstracting Qf 
 
 Titles and Collections, 
 
 PmtiGiBg pijvsiGiaB.^ j_ |_gg piummer, 
 
 <i^ and SuPgeOR. , Attorneij-at-Law, 
 
 Hollidaysljurg, J\i 
 No. 44 Allegheny Street. (Woodcock Block.) 
 
 1866. Henry L. Bunker, I896. 
 
 Wholesale and retail dealer in 
 
 FRESH « AND * SALT « MEATS. 
 
 82 Allegheny Street, Hollidaysburg, Pa 
 
 ']^QmocT(xtic Standard f '^he 'Register. 
 
 A. R. Traugh, = Prop'r, 
 
 Issued Weekly. .A^ot (i Re- 
 puhlican Organ. 
 
 Terms $1. 50 per year. 
 
 Oldest paper in Blair Coutttij 
 Established 1836. 
 
 Republican in politics. Job Work a 
 Specialt}-. 
 
 D. cj- F. J. Over. 
 
 Hollidajsburg. Editors & Prop'rs. 
 
 T. H. 5UCKUNQ, 
 
 Clothier and Gents' Furnisher. 
 
 A full line of Trunks, Valises 
 
 Hollidaysburg. Pa. • — Shoos. Hats, UiTibrellas, Etc. 
 
 New Wastjinglon Rotel, 1 wm. jack, johnclark, 
 
 '' I s i y President. Cashier. 
 
 W.W.Smith, = Prop'r. DEAN CLARK. Asst. Cashier. 
 
 Lately Re-opened, Re painted, and 
 
 Thoroughly Renovated and Iin- <^<»-''^^ 
 
 proved. First-class ac- ' . . , p> 
 
 Good stabling and livery connected TT 1 1 1 Idl I loUU I ^ DdllKi 
 
 Rates reasonable. 
 Williamsburg. Penn'a , Wllliainshiirg, Pa. 
 
 J. W. GOODFELLOW'S 
 
 Js where you will always find a 
 
 Full liiRQ 0! Ppesl^ &P0S8PiQS. 
 
Soldiers' and Siulors' Mouumenl. Erected by Hie Commissioners 
 
 ot Blair County, in front of the Court House, Hollidiiysburg 
 
 Height, 33 ft. 6 inches. Cost, complete. $10,000. To be 
 
 Unveiled. Thursday. June 11, 1890. 
 
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High School Building, Seventh Avenue between Fourteenth and Fifteenth Streets. Altoona. Pa. 
 
 ■Wopsononock Resort Hotel, on the Summit of Wopsononock Mountain, Six Miles iioni Ailoona, 
 on the Altoona, Clearfield and Northern Railroad. 
 
Blair Coimty Court House, 
 
 Cor. Allegheny and Union Streets, 
 
 Hollidaysburg, Pa. 
 
 Erected at a Cost of $110,000. 
 
 Dedicated July 2d, 1877. 
 
 
 Electric Light. Hot Water Heat. 
 
 Modern Conveniences. Reasonable Rates. 
 
 M 
 
 S. \i\L. GR07VIILLER 
 
 mYK 
 
 '^ii: 
 
 PROl^'RIETOR, 
 
 ^i^i 
 
 Wayne and Juniata Streets, Hollidaysburg, Fa. 
 
 'f 
 
Scenes at Horse Shoe Bend, on Pennsylvania Railroad at Kittanning Point, 
 Six Miles "West of Altoona. 
 
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General George Potts, First Mayor of Altoona. 
 
 One of Beezer Bros ' Cottages, Llyswen. on A. & L. V. R. R. 
 One and a Half Miles from Altoona. 
 
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 Tyrone and Altoona Busine.ss Cards. 
 
 Farm right for best ad- 
 justable Farm Gate and pat- 
 ent Spiral Spring Fence. 
 Gates and Fence material 
 for Sale Agents wanted. 
 
 E. R. BRINDLE, 130 Fourteenth Street, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 G. H. BuRLEY, Pres. 
 
 Joshua Burley, Sec'y. 
 
 Tf one piumbinij, Heatinji and Sopplji Gompaqji. 
 
 Steam and Hot Water Heating a Specialty'. Estimates on 
 Steam and Water Heating given on short notice. Our new pat- 
 ent Heater ready for the market. 2123 West Eleventh Street. 
 
 O, say ! Do you think we can hold it 
 down ? We are going to try. Our goods 
 are first-class and we sell cheaper than an}' 
 store in the city. All we ask is an investi- 
 gation. 
 
 Store Box 4x() Grocery. 
 
 TYRONE, PA. 
 
 n. M. STV^ITH St SON 
 
 Established in 1S72. 
 
 The oifl Reilawe Grocery. 
 
 22 West Tenth Street, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 CONTRACTOR and CONSULTING ENGINEER. 
 
 Office, Room No. 15- Masonic Temple, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Automatic Engines, Boilers, Heaters, Complete P^lectric and Power 
 
 Plants, Mine Supplies, Haulage and Hoisting P^ngines, 
 
 Wire Rope, Sheaves, Pumps, etc. ^ 
 
 EIGHTH WARD HOTEL, 
 
 Geo. B. McMahan, Proprietor, 
 
 600, 602 and 604 Seventh Avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 G. C. ROBB, 
 
 SQHGEOn e DEDTIST. 
 
 Rooms No. 214-215 Mateer Building, 
 Eleventh Avenue, - - - Altoona, Pa. 
 
Altoona Business (^ards. 
 
 A. yi. liriclt. Manufacturer and Wholesale and Retail Dealer^ 
 in Confections and Ice Cream, 1 1 18 Twelfth street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 A. A. Joliiisoii, Tin Roofing, Spouting, Heavy Sheet Iron 
 Work and Hot Air Furnaces, 1218 Eighth avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 K. D. Boate. East Side Tailor, 12 16>2 Eighth avenue, Altoona, 
 Pa. 
 
 Myers Bros., Florists, Growers of Fir.st Class Flowers, Altoo- 
 na and Eldorado, Pa. 
 
 J. L<. Exliiie, Fancy Wall Paper, Paper Hanging and House 
 Painting, 1202 Eighth avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 J. E. Walla«'C, Cash Grocer, liberal discount on orders of $2.50 
 and upward, Corner Eighth avenue and Fourteenth street, 
 Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Troy Eauiidry, Thomas Scrnuger, Proprietor, 13 14 Eighth 
 avenue, also Green avenue and Eleventh street. Telephone 
 Connections. Work done on short notice. 
 
 II. C\ Myers, 12 18 Eleventh street, Altoona, Pa. Plumbing, 
 Gas and Steam Fitting. 
 
 Philadelphia jfledieiiie Co., 121 1 Eleventh street. The 
 original cut rate medicine store, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 I>r. tl. W. Carter, Dentist. 17 Masonic Temple, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Sheriuaii House, 1406 Tenth avenue, Altoona, Pa. 5S1.25 to 
 
 2.00 per day. Thomas J. Burke, Proprietor. 
 
 I>, W. Aiken, Agent for Gottschall Remedies, 704 First ave., 
 Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Model I^auiKlry, 14 12 Tenth avenue, Altoona, Pa. Harry 
 Otto,, Proprietor. Branch, 1024 Green avenue. 
 
 J. A. Brown, News Dealer, Tobacco and Cigars. 
 
 806 Seventeenth street, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 M. A. lieougli. dealer in Groceries and Provisions, Notions, 
 Wood and Willowware. 1310 Thirteenth st., Altoona, Pa. 
 
 E, E. Walls, 1008 Eighth avenue, Altoona, Pa. Fine Groce- 
 ries, fre.sh. Butter and Eggs always on hand. 
 
 II. B. Mauk, 2920 Broad street. Shaving and Hair Dressing, 
 Ambidextrously done. 
 
 Cjt. \¥. ^tifHer, Vegetable Gardens, home grown Vegetables in 
 season, Lettuce a specialty, Eldorado, Pa. 
 
\ i.TooNA Business Cards. 
 
 K. S. Westbrooli. .Manufacturer and vShipper of Ice Cream. 
 No. 1601 Eleventh avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 •Iac4»b J. Soliell. Manager of Schell Transfer, niovint; ol Safes 
 and Pianos a Specialty, 126 Third avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 J. W. Bloom, Shaving and Hair Dressing Parlor Sixth 
 
 avenue, Altoolia, Pa. 
 
 Williiiiii lirleiiiit'y. Plumber, Steam and Cias Filter. Rejiair- 
 iiig Promptly Attended to, 1407 Tenth street, Altoona. Pa. 
 
 K. R. C'. Bla<'kl»iirii, Dentist, 131')'.- Eleventh avenu' 
 idence, 1404 Eighteenth street. Altoona, Pa. 
 
 S. €*. Ilcvei'l;^', Blacksmith, Horse Shoeing a Specialty. 2320 
 ICighth avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 T. IV. Otto, 924 Seventeenth street , .Miooi 1 ' ,,,>■,, 
 
 All goods at rock -bottom prices. 
 
 J. I>. Fay, Fancy and Imported Groceries. Calvert Block. Elev 
 enth street, Altoona. Pa. 
 
 Ilarr,y RaiikN, Barber, 1022 Chestnut avetuie, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 C'. H. Taylor, Druggist of 30 Years' Experience, 1000 Lexington 
 avenue, Altoona, Pa. 
 
 Altoona Rair.y €0., the Butter Market of Altoonr, 
 Green avenue, Altoona. Pa. 
 
 Cir. W. BeiiNOii, Barber. 1414 Tenth avenue. Altonnn. Pa. 
 
 SliieldM^ Bottlill^ Co.. ; 1 .^<\<ii n 1 n i 
 Julius Burke, Proprietor. 
 
 W. H, IjlviiigNtou. No. 202 Chestnut avenue, Altoona. Pa. 
 Butcher. 
 
 John ^l4*AI}iriii\v. Shoemaker, SoS Seventeenth avenue, Al- 
 toona, Pa. 
 
 II. W. Ifflll^'r. BnrlxM- ^' -'•''> ^-''---I'tli -.^-.-n.,,. \1toot, 
 
 11. It. Vaii^iin, 2028 Eighth avenue, Altoona, Pa., General 
 
 Merchandise. 
 
 Cacorge Brei>*aflier, 908 Eleventh avenue. Alloon 
 White Star Grocer>' and Produce Co 
 
 Rnke A' .irtlinr. Liverymen, H14 Green avenue,Altoona, Pa.. 
 Bell Telephone 1252, Ph<enix Telephone i^' . 
 
 Altoona ^attre!4.«i Mannt*a«*turln}>; i **■■ 
 
 nue, Altoona, Pa., Phtenix Telephone 5<r 
 
^IMHSTOmHSS^^^^ART)^ 
 
 J. H. Reader. J. T. Reader. A. E. Hopf.man 
 
 Reader Bros. & Hoffman, 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 ' lUm Boilers, Eeiipse Hot ftir Furnaoe. 
 
 Works adjoining the A. G. Morris (.*l^ Son's Foundry and"^ 
 Machine Shop. Telephone 103. We are prepared to build Boilers. 
 Steam and Hot Water House Heating, Boilers, Stacks and all 
 kinds of Tanks. The Reader Spark Arrester, Chutes for convey- 
 ing coal and stone, etc. Barrow Hopper and Sheet Metal work 
 in general. Repairing a specialty and at .short notice. We guar- 
 antee .satisfaction. J. H. Reader, Mgr., Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 The Typone Times. 
 
 VOLUME XVll. 
 
 TYRONE, PA. 
 
 $1.00 PER YEAR. 
 
 HARRY A. THOnPSON, Editor and Publisher. 
 
 Newstai-kr and |oi! PiMxriNi; E-;i aulishmknt. 
 
 PhOU.NIX 'riilKPHONE. ' 
 
 TyroneBrewing^ 
 
 TYRONE, PA. 
 
 pype laijep im ami xxxx poptef. 
 
 CHAS. WOODIN, Prop. 
 First-class Livery and liar Attached. 
 
 &OT}tpal Hotel, 
 
 G. M. WflPUE,, Prop. 
 
 Tyrone, Pa. 
 
AlTMMX 
 
 F. A. WINTER, 
 
 Largest Music House. Kvery- 
 
 tliing known in Music. 
 1425 ICleventh a\e., Altoona. 
 
 1>. h. ( ■:■ :. .1. . 1. Allo<l (;olcin;i:i, , , . , .,, .,, 
 
 . *» '' I' ' "I'''";!!!. I . Allen I iilriiiaii 
 
 Odorless Excavating Co. -, , „ 
 
 <!uaniiit(.H" 50 oalloiis to evory (jOleman I^POS., 
 
 barrul in reiuovinjj; contciits of piivy (iKnwcrt^ m 
 
 vaults Call at McGiatlTs coal of- ^,~ -^^ , 
 
 li.-e 1(104 (Jroim ave.. or a<ld.v.ss Box J^rnall FrUIIS, 
 
 .>s, Altooua. t/orri'spondoiice prompt- v_y 1 \ ' 
 
 1 y .iiisw ri((l, Ciik'nian Bros. BoxH- 
 
 GASH GHOGEH, 
 
 Ivighth Avenue ami Fourteenth Sited, Altoona, Pa. 
 Liberal discount on orders of $2.50 and upwards. 
 
 Good Sample Rooms. All modern Conveniences im the Travel 
 
 ing Public. 
 
 M. CARROLL, Pi"]' Hellwood, Pa. 
 
 BEL-L- HOUSE, 
 
 Bdlwood, Pa. 
 LAWRENCE LEHRSCH, Proprietor. 
 First Class Accommodations at Moderate Rates. 
 
 KoiH'king A ]?Iere«lit1i, Druggists. Soda Bicarb, Bell wood, Pa. 
 
 Iiiiics*.«i Drug Store, one of Bellwood's Pioneer Plstablishments. 
 Main Street, corner Cambria. Buy your Druus here. 
 
 J. W. HoiK'k. Furniture and Hard\v:i! Mini -I lull 
 
 wood, Pa. 
 
 THE MORNING TRIBUNE, published every day i-x(e|»t Suii<l:iy, al.s.. weik. 
 ly. Latest Icleprapliie rei)ort.s. Bot»k and .lol) ( Mli. i' r<.im.l. jr. !"»(iii 
 & Pitcairn, Twelfth street, bet. Uth and 12 1 ' 
 
 THE ALTOONA TIMES, m.niiiTi(]r dcniofr.ilic- nuWN|)rt|»fi. daily e.\« opl Sun 
 day— all liiL- laws. Also, Book and .lob Print in;,'. P<»tl«T. (Jm-r, KM 
 ley & Co., 1226 Eleventh avciuie, Altoona, I' > 
 
 ALTOONA GAZETTE, |>nblishcd every eveninji'. e.\<-»p( >unday. daily ami 
 weekly, by llic (iazette Co.. KK") JCkventh avenue, .\ltooua. Pa. Book 
 and .Job I'rintin};;. 
 
 THE MIRROR, an evoiiiu- ^ i , ... ^. ,.... 
 
 hibli' style. H. & W. H. Sloi», publi.sliers, 1014 11th Ave., Altoona, Pa. 
 
^YRONR BUSINESS CARDS. 
 
 IT. O. <)i*aiii|»toii. Barber Shop, 1119 Pennsylvania avenue, 
 Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Oeorg'e A. Walker, vStaple and Fancy Groceries, and Fruit 
 in Season, Pennsylvania avenue, between Twelfth and Thir- 
 teenth streets, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Fried ly A: liaiip. Fresh and Cured Meats, Pennsylvania 
 avenue, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Ke>'»«toiie IffoteK F. J. Miller, Proprietor, First Class P)ar 
 Attached, Pennsylvania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Kiiipire lloiiKe, C. A. Baumgrirdner, Proprietor, First Class 
 Bar Attached, Pennsylvania avenue and Kleventh street, Ty- 
 rone, Pa. 5§ 1. 00 to $1.50 per day. 
 
 John W. If II liter. Barber Shop, West Tenth street, Tyrone, 
 Pa. 
 
 4iJeorg-e V. I>avis, Manufacturer of Brick, Tyrone. Pa. 
 
 The J. H. Oillaiii C'o., Wholesale Groceries, Tyrone, Pa 
 
 •I. •!. M'lliiiore. Manufacturer Carriages, Wagons and Cien- 
 eral Blacksniithing. South Logan avenue. Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Stevens, OM-eii.s & Paseoe, Attorneys-at-Law, Tyrone, 
 Pa. A. A. Stevens, G. L. Owens, W. L. Paseoe. 
 
 .1. li. ISottorf & <.'o.. Staple and Fancy Groceries, Notions, 
 etc. Corner Washington avenue and Tenth street, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 H. ll^ Cutler, Plumber, iii West Tenth .street, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 WilliK, the Barber. First National Bank Building, East Tenth 
 street. Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 I>r. Jaiiie.s A. IVitteii, Dentist, Study Block, Corner Penn- 
 .sylvania avenue and Tenth street, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 A. K, iflarkel, D. D. S., 11 14 Pennsylv^ania avenue, 
 
 Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 ^latt. Jj, Alli»iOii, only exclusive Job Printer. Commercial 
 work a specialty. Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Iflieliael IiOii<l, Black.smithing in all its branches. Hor.se 
 vShoeing a specialty, Blair avenue, between Tenth and Herald 
 streets, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 A. 1*. I.iaiiea!<iter, Barber Shop, 1346 Logan avenue, 
 
 Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 If. C Spraiiltle. dealer in Staple and Fancy Groceries, Coun- 
 try Produce. Cor. Penn.sylvania ave. and 14th St., Tyrone. 
 
'V\ I'.LTSiNEss Cards. 
 
 T.vroiie Herald, Daily and Weekly, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 J. IE. lloltKinger Ua . ■,.,„,.^, ,..,... ....v. , 
 
 and 1237 Pennsylvania avenne, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 A. F. ]flartiii. Merchant Tailor, 1044 Pennsylvania avenue, 
 Tyrone, Pa, Clothing made at popular prices. 
 
 Prof. H". L.. IJp^lit.r, Sixteenth street and Columl.i.v .,>....... 
 
 Tyrone, Pa., Composer and Arranger of Music for Bands, etc. 
 
 I>r. I>. J. Appleby, Phy.sician and Surgeon, 1251 Penn.syl- 
 vania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 lliek.S & Troiltwiiie. Fresh vShad antl Meats, comei i.wi^.ui 
 
 avenue and P\^urteenth .street, and Washington avenue and 
 Tenth street, Tyrone, P.t. 
 
 Ifloek A: Biiek, Staple and Fancy Groceries, 29\\\-i icnih 
 street, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 W. E. Hoffman, manufacturer of Ice Cream. Water Ic. 
 Bakery Goods, 1342 Logan avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Frank Ci}ar«lner, Staple and Fancy Groceries, West Fifteenlli 
 .street and Adams avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 J. T. Plumnier, Staple and Fancy Groceries, corner Twenty- 
 first street and Columbia avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Pennsylvania Honse, Troutwine Bros., Proprietors, Peiu)- 
 sylvania avenue, between Tenth and Eleventh titreets, Tyrone. 
 
 William ISofTey, Tailor, Cleaning and Repairing in tliemo.-t 
 artistic style, 1226 Pennsylvania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 H. H. Straf iff'. Guns and Sporting Goods, Bicycles and Bic> 
 cle Repairing. 121 2 Pennsylvania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 John Ijonj>;enl»aelicr ,& Son, Fresh :in<l Sinokcd Meals. 
 1 1 16 Pennsylvania avenue, Tyrone, P:! 
 
 William Vogt, Clothier and Furni.sher, vSouthea.st Corner 
 Pennsylvania avenue and Eleventh street, Tyrone, T^ > 
 
 John rH. KienKle, Bakery o- »•*'''•' •''■■>"^"-^- ii'-i Hn.. , 
 and Tobacco, Tyrone, Pa 
 
 Nprankle ISro.s., Fresh and Salt Meals, West Tenth .streel, 
 Tyrone, Pa 
 
 •lOlin MWm ^OX. V iLiii.s .tini v~>j'wi 1.111^ ' 
 
 Repairing, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 J. v. ^eConaliy, Boots and Shoes, Fine Repairing a Spe- 
 cialty, Tyrone, P.i 
 
 J. Mel'. Davis, I,i\ei_\ :iii' 
 
 (,in alley) Tyrone, Pa. 
 
Tyrone Business Card.'- 
 
 p*^^^. Sliellcnberger, Livery and Boarding Stable, Alley F, 
 5. between Tenth and Eleventh streets, T}rone, Pa. 
 
 Ward House Barber Nliop, George W.Bryant, Proprietor, 
 
 Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 I>r. Tlia€l«1eii.s Ntiiie. Dentist, Blair County Bank Building, 
 Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Andrew H. iTIeUaiiiaiit, Attorney-at-Law, Blair Count}' 
 Bank Building, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 W. <M. Seott, House P\irnishing (loods, Flynn Block, Penn- 
 sylvania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 CiJeorji^e II Oariier, Prescription Druggist, P'lynn Block, 
 Pennsylvania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 I>. i.i, Owens, General Merchandise, Penns\'l\ania a\cnue, 
 Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 I^aiiiiiel Cosel, Clothier and P\irnisher, Flynn Block, Penn.sjl- 
 vania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 C. It. Til o III !>«$<» II, Barber Shoj), Blair County Bank Building, 
 Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 W. II. Agiiew, High Grade Photography, Pennsylvania avt- 
 inie, near Depot, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 I>r. Kliiier Crawford, Dentist, Walsh Building, 977 Penn- 
 sylvania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 J. A. Ilolfiiiaii, Builder of Wagons and Vehicles. Repairing 
 a vSpecialty. Ea,st Tenth street, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Martin, the Tailor, Fine Tailoring a Specialty, 1044 Pennsyl- 
 vania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Captain I>. R. Miller, Pension and Claim Agency and Notary 
 Public, Herald Building, (.second floor) Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 J. linden Heiir^', Engineer and Surveyor, Herald Building, 
 (.second floor) Penn.sylvania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 *f' W. Fislier, Stoves and Tinware. loio Pennsylvania a\'e- 
 nue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Ilieks & Templeton, Attorneys-at-Law, 984 Pennsylvania 
 
 avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 Ciray's Tailoring £stablls]iineiit, 1113 Penn.svlvania 
 
 avenue, C. G. Gray, Agent, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 ISriiKlle 4& Moore, Groceries, Provisions and Country Pro- 
 duce, Penn.sylvania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
 I>r. B. J. Fiilkerson, Physician and Surgeon, 11 17 Penn- 
 sylvania avenue, Tyrone, Pa. 
 
Cities and Towns of the County. 
 
 Altoona — Location and Description. 
 
 Altoona is situated about thirty miles southwest of the geo- 
 graphical center of the great state of Pennsylvania, just at the 
 eastern base of the Allegheny mountains; near the headwaters of 
 the Juniata river; the " Blue Juniata" of Indian song and legend, 
 and on the Pennsylvania railroad. It lies in the upper or western 
 end of Logan vallej', or "Tuckahoe" as this vicinity was called in 
 early daN'S, in the central part of Logan Township, in Blair County. 
 By rail it is 117 miles east of Pittsburgh and 235 west of Phila- 
 delphia, although an air line would be one-fourth to one-third 
 less. Baltimore and Washington are 150 miles southeast and 
 Buffalo 200 miles directly north, but by rail the distance to these 
 points is nearly twice as great. 
 
 Originally laid out in a narrow valley, it has filled this and 
 climbed the hills on either side and grown in all directions, so that 
 a large part of it is built on hills of moderate elevation. The 
 city lines as now established embrace a territory two and one- 
 fourth miles long and one and one-fourth miles wide ; but it is 
 built up as a city a distance of four miles long and two miles 
 wide. Less than fifty years old, it has grown with such surpris- 
 ing rapidity that it is now the eighth city in the state, in popula- 
 tion, and second to none in material prosperity. 
 
 The lowest ground in the city is 11 20 feet above the level of 
 the ocean and the hills rise 100 to 150 feet higher, making the 
 site and surroundings picturesque in the extreme and furnishing 
 innumerable points of observation, from which nearly the entire 
 city may be taken in at one view; yet in few places are the ascents 
 so abrupt as to interfere with the laying out and grading of streets 
 and avenues. The railroad passes through the heart of the city 
 from northeast to southwest and the avenues are laid out parallel 
 with the tracks. Crossing these at right angles are thoroughfares 
 of equal width denominated streets; and both streets and avenues 
 are given numerical names, beginning at a base line and number- 
 ing in regular order from that. First avenue is near the south- 
 eastern boundary' of the city and First street near the northeastern 
 limit. To this general rule there are some exceptions, but on the 
 whole the city may be said to be regularly laid out. 
 
62 Semi- Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 In the centr.il part ot the city, on the lower ground are lo- 
 cated the railroad company's machine and locomotive shops, 
 freight warehouse, passenger station and an immense hotel, 
 around which the business of the city clusters, this being the 
 "hub;" although the ever increasing business of the road has 
 necessitated the building of additional shops at two places in the 
 eastern suburbs. 
 
 Altoona is unique in having its site away from any consider- 
 able stream of water, but to the northeast a short distance is the 
 Little Juniata, and to the southwest Mill Run, both of which 
 furnish a considerable quantit}^ of pvire mountain spring water, 
 while still farther to the west and south are Kittanning and Su- 
 gar Run streams, the former being the source of supply for the 
 city water system. 
 
 The character of the buildings of Altoona is very creditable; 
 considering her youth. There are 7,000 to 8,000 dwellings with- 
 in city limits, inhabited by 36,000 industrious, frugal, well-in- 
 formed, cheerful and happy people, while 2,000 more houses and 
 8 ,000 more people are just without the corporate lines. All taken 
 together make one thriving city of 44,000 inhabitants; and the 
 time is not far distant when its boundary lines will be extended 
 to include them all. 
 
 Aside from the business blocks, which are nearly all brick, 
 about three-fourths of the buildings are frame, a few are stone, 
 and the remainder brick or brick cased; nearly all are neat and 
 comfortable; many are more than this; while not a few are pala- 
 tial in architectural design and finish, the home of wealth and re- 
 finement. Eleventh avenue, on the northwest side of the rail- 
 road, from Eleventh street to Seventeenth street, is the great com- 
 mercial and mercantile center, where real estate and rents are 
 highest. Here are the banks, newspapers, postoffice, the great 
 dry goods stores and hotels, with the passenger station but one 
 square distant. The wholesale establishments are principally on 
 Eleventh street between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, and Green 
 and Eleventh avenues between Seventh and Ninth streets. The 
 manufacturing district, aside from the railroad shops, is on Ninth 
 and Margaret avenues, west of Seventeenth street; and this is also 
 the location of the retail coal trade and dealers in builders sup- 
 plies, lime, sand, brick, terra cotta pipe, etc. Other business 
 centers of considerable importance are Twelfth street and Eighth 
 avenue, Eighth aveiiua and Ninth street and Fourth street and 
 Sixth avenue. The most desirable residence locations are on 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. (>^> 
 
 Twelfth avenue between Rleventh and Sixteenth streets, and 
 Inroad avenue, tornitrly Broad street, between Nineteenth and 
 Twenty-seventh streets, and h'ourteenth avenut- near Ivkvcnlh 
 street. 
 
 Tlie street car lines. City Passen<^er and Logan \'alley, motive 
 l)Ower electricity since 1891. traverse Ivleventh aveiuic from Ninth 
 to Ivigliteenth streets, Seventeenth and Bridge streets from Klev- 
 enth to Kighth avenues, down the later to Fourth street, thence 
 to Sixth avenue and out Sixth to First street and Ijeyond to Bell- 
 wood junction; the entire length of Chestnut avenue from FUev- 
 enth street to First street, and beyond to Juniata borough one 
 mile, and Bellwood seven miles northeastward; on Union and 
 Broad avenues, from Eleventh avenue to Thirty-first street, near 
 tlie new suburb Westmont; trom the corner of Seventeenth street 
 and F.ighth avenue to Seventh avenue, out Seventh avenue to 
 Twenty-sixth street, and along the street to Fifth avenue ; from 
 the corner of Twelfth street and Ninth avenue along the avenue 
 to Thirteenth street, along the street to Fifth aveiuie and along 
 this avenue to Thirty-first street, and southeastward to Lakemont 
 Park three miles, and Hollidaysburg, the county seat, six miles. 
 
 There are now over eight miles of finely paved streets in the 
 city, including the three kinds most popular, asphaltum. concrete 
 block and vitrified brick, extending over a large part of the best 
 ])usiness and residence portions of the town, and the coming sea- 
 son will see this largely augmented. Altoona is well sewered; 
 having a sewer system, recently completed, capable of meeting 
 the requirements of a city of 100,000 inhabitants. 
 
 Altoona is supplied with water from two mountain streams 
 which empty into the gathering and storing reservoirs at Kittan- 
 ning Point, a picturesque spot six miles west ot the city, witliin 
 the circle cf the famous "Horse-shoe" bend of the Pennsylvania 
 railroad and under the very shadow of the Alleghenies' crest. 
 The drainage area is wood covered mountain sides and the water 
 consccjuently pure and cold and sweet. It is bronght to Altoona 
 through large iron pipes by force of gravity which is suflicient to 
 carry it to all residences in the city. The waterworks are owned 
 and managed by the municipality. 
 
 The city building is situated on the corner of Twelfth street 
 and Thirteenth avenue. Here the mayor has his office, the police 
 head(iuarters and city prison are here, and the office of water su- 
 perintendent and street conunissioner as well as the council 
 chambers, where common and select councils meet regularly twice 
 
64 Setni-Cententiial History of Blair County. 
 
 a month. The other cit}^ officials have their offices in rented 
 rooms pending the erection of a magnificent new City Hall to 
 cost $100,000. 
 
 Altoona, although the metropolis of the county, containing 
 more than half the total population, is not the county seat, not 
 having been in existence when that was established at Hollidays- 
 burg, then a thriving borough. The court house and county 
 offices are easily accessible, however, by electric cars which arrive 
 and depart every quarter hour between six o'clock in the morn- 
 ing and ten o'clock at night, 
 
 The society of Altoona is excellent, and the people are of 
 more than average intelligence; the undesirable foreign element, 
 so predominant in some cities, is almost entirel 3' absent here. The 
 citizens of foreign birth are mostly German and English, of the 
 educated class, and are among the most respected. There is a 
 church building to every eight hundred of population, nearly all 
 denominations being represented, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish, 
 all well attended. The public schools are of the best and there 
 are beside, a number of parochial and private schools, kinder- 
 gardens and commercial schools. 
 
 Every citizen of Altoona has a business, profession, or trade, 
 and works at it; few drones or idle people are found in this busy 
 hive ot industry. As might be expected where industry reigns, 
 the people are law abiding, peaceful, moral; criminals are few, 
 crimes rare, litigation not popular. While there are a number 
 of legal gentlemen resident here it is a noticeable fact that most 
 of them depend more upon the results of successful business ven- 
 tures for their income, than on fees received from legitimate law 
 practice. 
 
 While from its elevation, it might be inferred that the climate 
 would be severe, the facts are otherwise; the mountains break the 
 force of the north and west winds and the winters are seldom more 
 rigorous than on lower levels in the same latitude elsewhere, and 
 the usually prevailing weather of spring and fall is marvelously 
 delightful. The air is so pure and stimulating, so full ot ozone, 
 that to those in good health mere existence is a delicious luxury 
 and even the invalid enjoys living until the last. 
 
 On the whole Altoona is a veritable "gem of the mountain," 
 beautiful to view and pleasant to live in; its excellent qualities 
 are only beginning to be appreciated and understood. As time 
 passes it will continue to grow in size and in the affections of 
 those who have their homes here, or who for limited periods visit 
 the place, to feast their eyes on the beauties of nature so lavishly 
 displayed, and breathe the pure invigorating air. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 65 
 
 Suburbs and Surroundings. 
 
 Millville, which, as the term is used, comprises Allegheny 
 and part of Westmont and is all that suburb lying southwest of 
 the city line at Twenty-seventh Street and northwest of Ninth 
 Avenue and the Hollidaysburg Branch Railroad. The greater 
 part of this suburb, as well as part of the cit}^ now within the 
 Fifth Ward, was plotted and laid out b}^ Dr. S. C. Baker and 
 called Allegheny about the year 1870; but a smaller plot adjoin- 
 ing Allegheny on the west was called Millville, and as Millville, 
 the town on the two plots, has been known for twenty years. 
 However, the railroad station on the branch at this point, about 
 one and one-fourth miles from the Altoona Station, is called 
 Allegheny Furnace. Millville is quite level and is building up 
 rapidly, being a very pleasant residence place. It is not incor- 
 porated . 
 
 Westmont, just west of Millville, is growing up very rapidly 
 and seems destined to become the most popular suburb of Altoo- 
 na. This resvilts largely from the enterprise and liberality of its 
 projector, E. H. Flick, Esq., who sells the lots for a very low 
 price and on easy- terms, and who has not only set shade trees 
 along the streets and avenues, but has built a large number of 
 fine houses there. The City Passenger Railway extends from 
 the heart of the city, along Broad Avenue, through Millville and 
 to within a few squares of Westmont, while the main line of the 
 Pennsylvania Railroad skirts it on the northwest, and a station 
 will doubtless be located there at an early day. It will be about 
 two miles west of the Altoona Depot. 
 
 Northeast of Eighteenth Avenue and east of Eleventh Street 
 is a populous district, outside the city line, known as Fairview. 
 It is situated on ground considerably elevated above the central 
 parts of Altoona, is a pleasant place to live and is the home of a 
 great man}' emploj'es of the Pennsylvania Railroad Car Shops. 
 
 Oakton lies on high ground west of Fvleventh Street and north- 
 west of Twenty-fourth Avenue. .". Millcrtown is just north- 
 west of the Fifth Ward beyond Eighteenth Ax-enue and west of 
 Washington Avenue and Eighteenth Street. It has about 500 
 inhabitants and is soon to be incorporated with some of the sur- 
 rounding territory as a Borough by the name "Logan." .'. New- 
 burg is northwest of Millertown, along the Dry Gap Road, which 
 is a continuation of Washington Avenue over the mountains to 
 Ashville, Cambria Countv. 
 
66 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 CoUinsville is the oldest town in Logan Township and was 
 the location of the Postofficefrom i8 17 until Altoona was founded. 
 It lies southeast ot the Sixth Ward of Altoona, in Pleasant Val- 
 ley, and is reached by an extension of Sixteenth Street from First 
 avenue, the distance being but one-half mile. Only about 200 
 people live here and it presents a decayed and ancient appearance, 
 but in the immediate vicinity are several fine farms with good 
 farm buildings and large thrifty orchards, and Pleasant Valley is 
 not a misnomer. 
 
 Juniata is an incorporated Borough and lies about one-half 
 mile Northeast of the city line at North-Second Street and Chest- 
 nut Avenue, on the north siue of the railroad. It is the location 
 of the Juniata lyocomotive Shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad 
 Company. But the borough lines do not take in the works, as 
 the Company prefers being on the outside. There had been a 
 small village occupying part of the present site of Juniata for ten 
 or more years prior to the erection of the Locomotive Shops, 
 known as Belleview, but not incorporated. On the erection of 
 these shops, however, in 1889 buildings sprung up like magic 
 around them, and little Belleview had such a boom that she out- 
 grew herself and her name. "Juniata" was adopted as the most 
 appropriate name and a borough charter was obtained August 
 7th, 1893. The Logan Valley electric cars run here from Altoona 
 every few minutes and every half hour a car goes to Bell wood, 
 five miles northeastward. Juniata has in addition to the Loco- 
 motive Shops a large iceing station of Armour & Co. , several 
 stores, a fine brick school building and three churches, also a 
 postoffice, which, as there is another Juniata in the State, is called 
 Kipple. The southern terminus of the Altoona, Clearfield and 
 Northern Railroad is at Juniata, the passenger station being on 
 the line of the Electric Railway and near the entrance to the 
 ShoDS. 
 
 East End, Greenwood and Pottsgrove are all east of the 
 Eighth Ward of Altoona and on the south-eastern side of the 
 railroad. They have a combined population of nearly 1,000 and 
 will eventually all grow together and be taken into the city, as 
 the Twentieth Ward perhaps. One George Pottsgrove built a 
 dam on the little mountain stream here many 3-ears ago and oper- 
 ated a small saw and grist mill until his water right was purchased 
 by the Altoona Gas and Water Company and the water piped to 
 the new town of Altoona in 1859. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 67 
 
 Llyswen is the latest suburb to be added to Altoona and lies 
 farthest from the city, being on the Logan \'alley Electric Rail- 
 way, about one mile south of the city line at Fifth Avenue and 
 Twenty-seventh Street. This is intended to be the aristocratic 
 suburb, and lots are sold with some restrictions as to buildings 
 and use. A number of fine cottages have already been erected 
 there and a fine station and waiting room by the Logan Valley 
 people, whose cars pass in either direction every fifteen minutes. 
 
 All these suburbs are in Logan Township, and with the pos- 
 sible exception of Llyswen should be taken into the cit}^ 
 
 Eastward from Altoona two and one-half miles, on the Penn- 
 sylvania Railroad is Blair Furnace Station, a small village con- 
 taining no stores nor business places. It is the nearest station to 
 Juniata and but half a mile distant. .". The next station east- 
 ward is Elizabeth Furnace. There is no village at this station, 
 but nearby is the old "Sabbath Rest" Furnace and a postoffice 
 with that hallowed name, given to it in the earlj^ days because 
 the owner of the furnace banked the fires on Saturday night and 
 allowed his men to rest on Sunday, contrary to the custom of 
 most other iron manufacturers at that time. 
 
 Westward from Altoona on the Pennsylvania Railroad is 
 Kittanning Point, six miles distant. No town here nor stores, 
 but there are coal mines and villages a few miles up the gulch 
 and this is their nearest railroad station. The famous Horse 
 Shoe Bend is here and the reservoirs which contain Altoona's 
 water supply. The road begins to ascend the highest mountain 
 here and the grade is steep most of the way for seven miles to 
 Bennington just on the county line and only a small place. An 
 iron furnace used to stand here, but it has been recently torn 
 down. Leaving Bennington the read passes under the apex of 
 the mountain by a tunnel one mile long and the tovvn of Gallitzin 
 is reached, fourteen miles from Altoona, in Cambria County and 
 within the Mississippi Willey. C.allitzin has i,ooo to 1,200 
 inhabitants and is an important mining town. Three miles farth- 
 er west is Cresson, only a small place of 500 to 600 inhabitants, 
 but growing. It is the location of the Cresson Springs Hotel, an 
 immense hostelry owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad and popu- 
 lar as a summer resort. Two railroads branch off" from here to 
 the northward, to Coalport and Ebensburg. The next few 
 
 stopping places are small mining towns, and. the first place of 
 importance is Johnstown, famous the world over . for, its awful 
 floDzl liDrror, May 31st, rSSg. Also famous as the location of 
 
68 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 the Cambria Iron Conlpan3^ one of the largest iron and steel 
 manufacturers in the United States. Johnstown is thirty-nine 
 miles west of Altoona. .". The other places of importance be- 
 tvveen Altoona and Pittsburg are Blairsville Intersection, where 
 the West Penn and the Indiana Branches of the Pennsylvania 
 Railroad diverge from the main line, Latrobe, Greensburg, Jean- 
 nette, Irwin and Braddock. 
 
 Southward from Altoona the Hollidaysburg and Morrison's 
 Cove and Williamsburg Branches of the Pennsylvania Railroad 
 extends to Eldorado, three miles from Altoona, 200 to 300 in- 
 habitants. .". Duncansville, six miles, 1,000 inhabitants. 
 Hollidaysburg seven miles, the County seat and containing, with 
 its sister borough Gay sport, 4,000 people. .'. Roaring Spring 
 seventeen miles, where there are extensive paper mills and flouring 
 mills. .'. Martinsburg twenty-two miles, in the southern part 
 of the County and in a rich agricultural district. .'. Henrietta 
 a small place, formerly of some note as the location of some of 
 the Cambria Iron Company's mines and quarries. From here it 
 is but three miles across the mountain to the Huntingdon and 
 Broad Top Railroad in Bedford County. .". Eastward from 
 Hollidaysburg the Williamsburg Branch extends some fifteen 
 miles along the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata past Franks- 
 town, the oldest town in the County, but now half deserted and 
 lallen to deca3^ with but 100 to 200 inhabitants. .". Williams- 
 burg, a place of 1,000 inhabitants, noted as the birth place of a 
 number of prominent citizens now of Altoona. It was formerly 
 on the main line of travel between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, 
 The old Pennsylvania Canal passed that way, and before the 
 locomotive's whistle had been heard in a dozen Pennsylvania 
 towns, steam packets sailed past this then thriving burg at the 
 rapid rate of four to five miles per hour. 
 
 Northward from Altoona the Altoona, Clearfield and Northern 
 Railroad, starting from Juniata, climbs up the mountain twelve 
 hundred feet in a distance of six miles to Wopsononock, where 
 there is a good hotel and other features which make it a popular 
 summer resort. Excursion trains loaded with pleasure seekers 
 leave the Ju^niata Station hourly on Sundays, during the summer, 
 for this resort. A considerable amount of lumber and coal is 
 brought down the mountain in the winter over this road. It ex- 
 tends several miles beyond Wopsononock, but does not reach anj^ 
 town of importance, although the intention is to continue it to 
 Phillipsburg. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 69 
 
 Northwest from Altoona, starting from Sixteenth Street and 
 Eleventh Avenue, long before the city was laid out, a country 
 road extended up what is now called Washington Avenue, and 
 beyond to the foot of the mountain two miles and then obliquely 
 to the mountain top four miles, to the "Buckhorn," which is the 
 name applied to an old tavern at the summit of the mountain. 
 This was .the old Dry Gap Road and is still so called. From the 
 Buckhorn it begins to descend the mountain and four miles 
 farther Ashville in Cambria County is reached. The Blair County 
 line is at the summit of the Allegheny mountains, a few hundred 
 yards east of the Buckhorn. 
 
 History of Altoona. 
 
 An exposition of the present status of a city leads naturally to 
 inquiry regarding its history and growth. This inquiry we shall 
 meet and endeavor to satisfy in the following historical sketch: 
 
 The decade between 1850 and i860 was a most eventful one 
 in the history of the United States. It witnessed the opening era 
 ■ of successful and general railroad building and the culminination 
 of the causes which led up to the great civil war. At the com- 
 mencement of this ten year period Altoona had her birth, at its 
 close she was a flourishing Borough of 3,500 inhabitants, stand- 
 ing where before was only forest, sterile fields and one poor farm 
 house. The 224 acres of farm and woodland, on which the orig- 
 inal Altoona was built and which is now principally included 
 between Eleventh and Sixteenth Streets and Fourth and Four- 
 teenth Avenues, constituted the farm of David Robeson and was 
 not worth more than $2,500 for farming purposes at that time, 
 but the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, then pushing to com- 
 pletion their all-rail route from Philadelpliia to Pittsburg, and 
 looking for a site for their shops wanted it and therefore Mr. 
 Robeson, b}'' a fortunate early discovery of the fact, was able to 
 obtain his own price for it. 
 
 Archibald Wriglit, of Philadelphia, acting presumably for the 
 Pennsylvania Railroad Company, though just what relation he 
 sustained to it is not clear, purchased the Robeson farm of 223 
 acres and 123 perches for $11,000. The deed was dated April 
 24th, 1849, and is recorded at Hollidaysburg in Deed Book, Vol. 
 '■ B," page 441 . The boundaries of the farm were about on the 
 present lities of Eleventh street from Fourth to Fourteenth avenues 
 
70 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 on the northeast and Sixteenth street between same avenues on 
 the southwest, Fourth avenue from Eleventh to Sixteenth streets 
 on the southeast and Fourteenth avenue between the same streets 
 on the northwest. On this tract of land original Altoona was laid 
 out during the latter part of the year 1849, and the plot, as laid 
 out, was acknowledged by Archibald Wright, in Philadelphia, 
 February 6th, 1850, but was not recorded until February loth, 
 1854, at the time the young town was organized into a Borough. 
 This original plot is on record now in Hollidaysburg in Deed 
 Book, Vol. " E," page 167, It is on parchment and the original 
 is pasted into the book. At the same time another plot, almost 
 an exact counterpart, was recorded as the " official " plot of the 
 Borough. On these early plots the streets and avenues have 
 names instead of numbers. 
 
 Altoona in this plot is described as lying in ' ' Tuckahoe Val- 
 ley," that being the name applied to this upper end of Logan 
 Valley, which extends to Tyrone. Adjoining the Altoona plot at 
 that time was the John McCartney farm on the northwest, the 
 McCormick and Andrew Green farms on the northeast, the Wil- 
 liam Bell farm on the southeast and the William Louden farm on 
 the southwest. The Louden aud Green farms were soon after 
 plotted and offered for sale in building lots, and later all the Mc- 
 Cartney and most of the Bell farms have gone the same way. At 
 the time of the founding of Altoona the Pennsylvania Railroad 
 Company was a young corporation, their charter having only 
 been granted in 1846, and they had not yet completed their road 
 from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, although it was surveyed and in 
 process of construction. It was completed to Altoona from the 
 east, single track, on the same line as now in 1850 and extended 
 from here to Y Switches near Duncansville and one mile from 
 Hollidaysburg, and from there trains ran over the Allegheny 
 mountains on the old Portage Railroad, a state institution com- 
 pleted in 1833. The Altoona Passenger Station stood near the 
 corner of Ninth avenue and Twelfth street until 1S54, when the 
 Pittsburg Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad was completed 
 past Kittanniiig Point on its present line and a new depot was 
 built at the present location. The first depot on the corner of 
 Thirteenth street and Tenth avenue was a two-story brick build- 
 ing and was replaced by the present structure in 1887. The 
 Logan House was built in 1854 5 by the Railroad Company, but 
 did not extend back to Eleventh avenue as new although it was 
 an immense affair and. at that time, greatly out of proportion to 
 the little village in which it stood. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 71 
 
 The two lines of the railroad west from the cit}', the one com- 
 pleted and the other being graded, diverging as the}' did then is 
 accountable for the peculiar wedge shape of the site of the Com- 
 pany's first shops, and the fact that the avenues on the northwest 
 and southeast sides of the railroad are not parallel but diverge at 
 an angle of about thirty degrees irom Eleventh street westward. 
 
 No lots were sold in the new town until 1831, and the first 
 deed made, as the records at HoUidaysburg show, was February 
 nth, 1 85 1, for two lots on the corner of Twelfth avenue and 
 Thirteenth street to the First Presbyterian Church, price Si 00 for 
 the two. If an}^ earlier deeds were made they were not recorded. 
 
 The first residence in Altoona was of course the old Robeson 
 farm house which was of logs and stood within the square 
 bounded by Tenth and Eleventh avenues and Thirteenth and 
 Fourteenth streets. The first building erected after Altoona was 
 laid out was a rough board one to be used as an office for the 
 railroad contractor and a boarding house for the men; it also stood 
 in the square last mentioned, near the old farm house. 
 
 Beg"inning in 1851 lots sold rapidly and buildings went up 
 on every side; the new town grew so fast that early in 1854 
 when but little over three years old it was incorporated as a 
 borough with a population of about 2,0(i0 people. Churches 
 and schools were built, hotels, stores and a bank were opened, 
 a newspaper was started in 1855, and everything prospered 
 from the very start. A plot laid out by Andrew Green, 
 northeast of Eleventh street and called (rreonsburg, was 
 taken into the Borough in 1855. 
 
 In 1859 a Gas and Water Company was formed by private 
 parlies and they constructed a storage reservoir on the hill at 
 the corner of Twelfth street and Fifteenth Avenue and piped 
 water to it from Pottsgrove; laid mains in the principal 
 streets to carry water to the consumers. They also erected 
 gas works on Eleventh avenue below Ninth street. Water 
 and gas were supplied by this company first on December 
 15th of that year. Simullancousl}- with the water works 
 came the organization of fire companies and a fire engine 
 was purchased, the first being a hand engine. 
 
 The census of I8OO showed the borough's p()i)ulation to be 
 3,591. Then came the great Kebellion and Altoona was a 
 place of considerable importance, furnishing cars and engines 
 to transport soldiers and munitions of war, as well as her full 
 quota of men to defend the Union. All through that four 
 
72 Semi- Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 years' period Altoona grew and throve. After the war closed 
 the citizens erected a handsome monument in Fairview ceme- 
 tery to commemorate her fallen heroes. 
 
 The city charter was procured in February, 1868, the 
 bounds being- extended so as to take in the territory northeast 
 to First street, southeast to First avenue, southwest to Twen- 
 ty-seventh street and northwest to Eig-hteenth avenue, with a 
 population exceeding- 8,000. In 1870 the census takers found 
 10,610 people here. In 1870 a daily paper, the S7m, made its 
 appearance. In 1868 a market house was built at the corner 
 of Eleventh avenue and Eleventh street, later converted into 
 an opera house. By this time there were three newspapers 
 here, two banks, thirteen churches, a number of good hotels, 
 a large machine shop and car works, additional to the Penn- 
 sylvania Railroad Company's plant, and soon after (1872) a 
 rolling mill was erected. The Pennsylvania Railroad Com- 
 pany was also obliged to enlarge their works at this time 
 (1869-70), and, the original grounds reserved being complete- 
 ly occupied with shops, tracks, switches, etc., a larger tract 
 of land was purchased along Chestnut avenue below Seventh 
 street and the car shops were erected at First to Fourth 
 streets. In 1872 the city purchased from the Gas and Water 
 Company their water pipes and water franchise and preceded 
 to build a reservoir at Kittanning Point and lay a 12-inch 
 pipe from there to the storage reservoir constructed on First 
 avenue between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets. About the 
 same time Eleventh and Eighth avenues were macadamized, 
 some sewers constructed, and the city issued its first bonds, 
 $200,000 in 1871 and $150,000 in 1873, to meet the large ex- 
 penditures thus incurred. 
 
 The years 1870, 1871 and 1872 were fruitful of many new 
 enterprises in Altoona; new bvisinesses were established, new 
 churches built, several building and loan associations organ- 
 ized, two new banks opened, the rolling mill built, etc., but 
 the panic of 1873, together with the failure of the largest 
 banking firm of the city, in that year, put a damper on many 
 business ventures and retarded the city's growth somewhat, 
 as did also the great strike and railroad riots of 1877. Yet 
 in 1880 the ofiicial government census showed that the place 
 had nearly doubled in the preceding decade, 19,710 people 
 being found resident here. In 1878 a park and Fair ground 
 was enclosed at Broad and Twenty-seventh streets and the 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County, 73 
 
 Blair County Agricultural Society held a fair there which 
 was a g-reat success. But the next year failing- to g-et the 
 State Fair to exhibit here none whatever was held and in 
 1880, the weather being- unfavorable, the fair was a failure 
 and the Fair g-round was never used for such purposes ag-ain. 
 It has since been sold out in lots and thickly built upon and 
 the Ag-ricultural Society now hold their fairs at Hollidays- 
 burg-. This is the only enterprise that ever failed in Altoona 
 permanently. 
 
 In 1882 the first street railway was completed and opened for 
 traffic (July 4th j. In 1880 a telephone exchange was located 
 here, in 1886 an electric light company and Jul)^ 4th, 1891, elec- 
 tricity was made the propelling power for the street cars, so at 
 this date Altoona was fuU}^ abreast of the times in the use of elec- 
 tricity for all purposes. 
 
 In 1888 the need of a complete and comprehensive sewer sys- 
 tem was fully realized and the work of providing for it begun. 
 Since that time the four natural drainage areas of the city have 
 been supplied with large main sewers, and now it is believed no 
 better sewered city can be found in the state, although the work 
 of laying smaller branches and feeders has not yet been completed. 
 
 In 1888-9 a large silk mill was erected on Ninth avenue at 
 Twenty-fifth street along the Hollidaj^sburg Branch Railroad, and 
 during the same years several large business blocks were built in 
 the heart of the city, the Masonic Temple, Phoenix Block, etc. 
 
 In 1889, it having become apparent that the macadamized 
 streets were not suitable for a city of Altoona 's size and import- 
 ance, Eleventh avenue was finely paved with asphalt blocks be- 
 tween Eleventh and Seventeenth streets, and during the same and 
 following years many other avenues were paved, asphalt and 
 vitrified brick being used on some of them, so at this time the cit^' 
 streets are well paved in the best business sections and the work 
 of paving additional streets and avenues is going steadily on . 
 
 In 1889-90 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company was again 
 obliged to enlarge their plant and they purchased a large tract of 
 land at Juniata, below the car shops, on which they erected ex- 
 tensive locomotive works. About the same time a new railroad 
 was projected and completed to Wopsononock, a beautiful pleas- 
 ure resort, six miles north of Altoona, and later extended to the 
 coal fields of Cambria county; Clearfield and the north being its 
 ultimate destination. 
 
74 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 In 1893 a new Electric Passenger Railway Company was or- 
 ganized, "The Altoona and Logan Valley," and constructed 
 electric roads to HoUidaysburg six miles southeast and to Bell- 
 wood seven miles northeast, thus furnishing convenient and 
 cheap transportation to the county seat and other nearby towns. 
 At the same time the same companj^ constructed a beautiful park, 
 lake and picnic grounds at Lakemont, midway between Altoona 
 and HoUidaysburg, furnishing a place of recreation and amuse- 
 ment of incalculable benefit to the residents of the city and pro- 
 viding an additional source of profit to the road. May ist, 1895. 
 a paid Fire Department superseded the volunteers in the work of 
 protecting the city from the ravages of fire. 
 
 Population. 
 
 The population of Altoona has previously been referred 
 to and g"iven in round numbers as 44,000, which is believed to 
 be as nearly correct as it can be told without a new count, as 
 the number is increasing daily. This of course includes the 
 suburbs. A careful census taken by the directory canvassers 
 in May, 1895, made the population of the different wards and 
 suburbs as follows : 
 
 First Ward 3,806 
 
 Second Ward 4,978 
 
 Third Ward 3,346 
 
 Fourth Ward 3,557 
 
 Fifth Ward 5,400 
 
 Sixth Ward 5,638 
 
 Seventh Ward 2,685 
 
 Kig-hth Ward 6,186 
 
 Total within city limits 35,602 
 
 SUBURBS. 
 
 Fair view and adjacent to First Ward 928 
 
 Adjacent to Second Ward 183 
 
 Oakton and adjacent to Third Ward 467 
 
 CoUinsville and adjacent to Fourth Ward 193 
 
 Newburg, Millertown vicinity 923 
 
 Millville, Alleg-heny and Westmont 1,117 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 75 
 
 Rolling- Mill, Sixth Ward Suburbs and Alleghen}' 
 
 Furnace 507 
 
 Seventh Ward Suburbs to Juniata 30 
 
 Juniata from Wopsononock Depot to Blair Furnace.. . 1,418 
 Eighth Ward Suburbs, Pottsg-rove, East End, and 
 
 Greenwood 867 
 
 Total Suburban which oug-ht to be taken into the city. 6,633 
 
 Grand total, the real Altoona 42,235 
 
 Since the foreg-oing- census over 200 new houses have 
 been erected and occupied within the territory embraced. 
 The steady growth of Altoona within city limits is shown 
 from the Government Census as follows : 
 Population in 1860 (the first after it was founded) .... 3,591 
 
 Population in 1870 10,610 
 
 Population in 1880 19,710 
 
 Population in 1890 30,260 
 
 The total population of Blair county, 1890, was 70,866, 
 and now it cannot be less than 80,000. Population of the 
 State of Pennsylvania, 5,258,014. Only nineteen counties in 
 the State have a population equalling- or exceeding- that of 
 Blair. 
 
 Assessed Valuation of Altoona. 
 
 Valuation of any place, as shown by the roll, g-ives but 
 a very imperfect idea of its real wealth, yet it forms a basis 
 for fair estimates. One portion of our wealth is not taxed 
 and can therefore only be g-uessed at; this consists of the 
 stock of g-oods in shops and stores, furniture and fixtures 
 which do not g-o with the real estate ; this probably amounts 
 to more than $5,000,000 in Altoona. 
 
 The assessed valuation in Altoona, on which tax was 
 paid for State and County purposes, for six years past, was 
 
 In 1890 $12,276,777 
 
 1891 12,967,703 
 
 1892 13,881,309 
 
 1893 14,503,287 
 
 1894 14,909,415 
 
 1895 15,458,376 
 
76 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 The Relative Wealth of the Wards as Shown in 189S, 
 
 First Ward assessed at $ 2,343,2=10 
 
 Second Ward assessed at 1,720,585 
 
 Third Ward assessed at 2,468,291 
 
 Fourth Ward assessed at 2,261,485 
 
 Fifth Ward assessed at 2,026,005 
 
 Sixth Ward assessed at 1,742,065 
 
 Seventh Ward assessed at 1,127,130 
 
 Eighth Ward assessed at 1,769,575 
 
 Total $15,458,376 
 
 The valuation ol the entire county in 1895 was $31,252,- 
 097, from which it will be seen that Altoona City proper pays 
 almost one-half the county tax and if the city limits were 
 extended, so as to take in the suburbs which should be 
 included, her valuation would be considerably more than one- 
 half that of the entire county. 
 
 Dates of Important Events in Altoona. 
 
 The first permanent white settlements of any account in 
 the immediate vicinity of Altoona were made about the year 
 1810, althoug-h Thomas and Michael Coleman are said to 
 have settled in Log-an Township as early as 1775, and Hug-h 
 and John Long- to have resided in Pleasant Valley in 1788. 
 
 Altoona was projected in 1849 and laid out in town lots 
 by Archibald Wrig-ht of Philadelphia, the same year, but he 
 sold no lots until 1851. 
 
 The deed of the land from David Robeson to Archibald 
 Wrig-ht is dated April 24th, 1849. 
 
 The plot of Altoona was acknowledged by Mr. Wright, 
 before an alderman in Philadelphia, February 6th, 1850. 
 
 The Pennsylvania Railroad Company began building their 
 shops here in 1850 it is said, although the deed for the ground 
 on which they stood was not made by Mr. Wright until 
 August 6th, 1851. 
 
 The first lots sold by Archibald Wrigh t, after he had 
 plotted the town, were two on the corner of Twelfth avenue 
 and Thirteenth street to the trustees of the First Presbyterian 
 Church, for the price of one hundred dollars, the deed being 
 dated February 11th, 1851. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 The first house was erected in Altoona in 1851 on Te^th 
 jrvenue between Thirteenth and Fourteenth, street^ John R. 
 Westle_v, the carpenter and contractor, is still living- in the 
 city. 
 
 The first train of cars came into Altoona in 1850 from the 
 east, and September l7th, 1850, cars ran through to Duncans- 
 ville, and December 10th, 1850, to Pittsburg; crossing the 
 mountains over the Alllegheny Portage which belonged to 
 the State. The Hollidaysburg Branch was then the main 
 line. 
 
 The Mountain Division, from Altoona west, via Kittan- 
 ning Point, was not completed until 1854. The line was 
 originally a single track. 
 
 The first passenger station was a frame building and stood 
 on Ninth avenue between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets. It 
 was moved to the north corner of Twelfth street and used for 
 a fire engine house. The second floor is now Logan Hall. 
 
 The first president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, with 
 whom Altoona had any concern, was J. Edgar Thompson. 
 
 The first postoffice in this vicinity was at Collinsville, 
 from 1817 to 1851; during the latter year it was removed from 
 there and established under the new name at Altoona. 
 
 Altoona was organized as a borough in February, 1854. 
 
 The first Burgess of Altoona was George W. Patton. 
 
 Altoona became a city in February, 1868. 
 
 The first mayor of the city was General George Potts. 
 
 The first stores in Altoona were those of Bernard Kerr, 
 father of R. A. O. Kerr, Loudon & Feree and Adlum & Irwin. 
 Mr. Kerr kept the first one in the old log farm house of 
 David Robeson. 
 
 The first druggist was George W. Kessler ; he beg^an 
 business in Altoona in 1853. 
 
 The first doctor was Gabriel D. Thomas, who resided 
 in Pleasant Valle}- prior to the founding of Altoona, and 
 who built one among the first residences in the new town. 
 
 The first lawyer was William Stoke, it is said, but he 
 had no office here and only came to transact some business 
 for the Pennsylvania Railroad, whose attorney he was. L. 
 W. Hall, Esq., now of Harrisburg, was located here in 1855, 
 and Col. D. J. Neff in 1860. 
 
 The first preacher to reside in Altoona was Rev. Henry 
 Baker, who was pastor of the Lutheran church at Collinsville 
 
78 Semi- Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 prior to the beg-inning- of Altoona, and who came here with 
 his congreg-ation during the second year of its histor3\ 
 
 The first public house in the vicinity was a tavern, 
 where the White Hall Hotel now stands ; it was built by 
 George Huff about the year 1834. 
 
 The first hotel erected in Altoona was the Exchang^e, 
 which stood on Tenth avenue between Thirteenth and Four- 
 teenth streets, where the Arlington now stands. It was 
 kept by John Bowman. Among the earlier hotels was the 
 Altoona House, where the Globe now stands ; it was a frame 
 building and burned down about the year 1887. 
 
 The first school-house erected by the borough was built 
 in 1834 on the corner of Seventh avenue and Fifteenth street. 
 Prior to the founding of Altoona a union church and school- 
 house combined stood on the present corner of Sixteenth 
 street and Union avenue, just outside the early limits of 
 Altoona. It was built during the year 1838 by the school 
 directors of the township in conjunction with the Lutheran, 
 Presbyterian and Methodist -denominations and served the 
 double purpose of church and school-house until the erection 
 of churches and schools in Altoona. It is now used as a 
 church by the African Methodist Episcopal congregation. 
 
 The first city superintendent of schools was John Miller. 
 
 The first church building erected in the new town of 
 Altoona was the First Presbyterian, on the corner of Twelfth 
 avenue and Thirteenth street in 1851. A minister from Hol- 
 lidaysburg preached here every alternate Sunday beginning 
 in November, 1851. It was a fair-sized frame building and 
 was destroyed by fire in 1855. The trustees disposed of the 
 ground December 3, 1855, for $3,000, and it is now occupied by 
 the residence of the late William Murray. The congregation 
 built on their present location in 1854. 
 
 The first bank established in Altoona was that of Bell, 
 Johnson, Jack & Co. in 1853. It was later operated by 
 William M. Lloyd & Co. 
 
 The first newspaper here was the Altoona Rcohtcr, pub- 
 lished for a short time by William H. and J. A. Snyder, in 
 the spring of 1855. It did not survive the early frosts of that 
 year, and after its suspension was succeeded by the Tribune^ 
 January 1, 1856, McCrum & Allison, proprietors. 
 
 The daily edition of the Trihtinc was first issued Aprill 14, 
 1874. It was suspended April 14, 1875, and resumed January 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 79 
 
 28, 1878, since which lima it has appeared reg-ularly. The 
 weekly has been published continuously since its establish- 
 ment, January 11 1856. 
 
 The first daily newspaper published in Altoona was the 
 Smi, which beg-au a dail}^ issue May 2, 1870, and suspended 
 after seven months. 
 
 The Mirror was first issued June 13, 1874 ; the Times 
 May 21, 1884 and the Gazette April 8, 1892. 
 
 The first water works in Altoona were owned and 
 operated by the Altoona Gas and Water Company, a private 
 corporation, which beg-an to supply- the borough with water 
 December 15, 1859. 
 
 The first g"as for, illuminating- purposes, was furnished by 
 the same company, beginning- at the same time ; rate per 
 1.000 feet then $3.00, now $1.20. 
 
 The water-works were purchased by the city in 1872 and 
 the first reservoir at Kittaning- Point constructed soon after. 
 
 The first fire company, the Good Will, was org-ani/.ed in 
 1859, just prior to the completion of the water-works. 
 
 The first fire engine, a hand machine, was housed here 
 October 22, 1859. 
 
 The first steam fire eng-ine in Altoona was purchased by 
 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and broug-ht here in 
 1867. 
 
 A paid fire department superseded the volunteers May 
 1, 1895. 
 
 The soldiers' monument in Fairview cemetery was 
 erected July 4, 1867. 
 
 The first city directory of Altoona was issued in 1873 
 by Thomas H. Greevy, Esq. Since 1886 they have been pub- 
 lished biennially by Charles B. Clark, Esq. 
 
 A county directory was published in 1882. 
 
 The first street improvements were the macadamizing- of 
 Eleventh and Eighth avenues in 1871-2. 
 
 The first g-ood street paving- was laid on Eleventh avenue, 
 in 1889, asphalt block, between Eleventh and Bridge streets. 
 
 The first extensive and systematic sewer building was be- 
 g-un in 18S8; althoug-h the first sewer, Eleventh avenue be- 
 tween Thirteenth and Fifteenth streets, was constructed in 
 1870. D. K. Ramey, contractor. 
 
 The first street railway beg-an carrying- passeng-ers July 
 4, 1882 ; the line extending- from First street and Chestnut 
 
80 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 avenue to Eleventh street to Eleventh avenue, up Eleventh 
 avenue, to Bridge street and on Seventeenth street to Eighth 
 avenue to Fourth street. Motive power — horses and mules ; 
 equipment — six small cars. 
 
 Electricity was first used here to propel street cars July 4, 
 1891. The Logan Valley Electric Passenger Railway was 
 completed and passengers carried to Hollidaysburg, June 14, 
 1893 and to Bellwood, July 1, 1894. 
 
 Telephone service in Altoona began in March, 1880. 
 
 Electricity for illuminating in 1886. Streets lighted by 
 electricity in 1888. For five years prior to that they were 
 lighted by gasoline lamps, although gas had been used at a 
 still earlier period. 
 
 The first planing mill, except that of the Pennsylvania 
 Railroad, was built prior to 1860 by McCauley & Allison, on 
 the corner of Green avenue and Eighth street. 
 
 The most extensive fire which had occurred in Altoona 
 prior to 1896, was on April 16, 1869, burning about half the 
 square enclosed by Eleventh and Twelfth avenues and Thir- 
 teenth and Fourteenth streets. It began on the corner of 
 Eleventh avenue and Fourteenth street ; loss $60,000 to $70,- 
 000 ; but on January 6, 1896, a fire at the corner of Eleventh 
 avenue and Eleventh street destroyed the Central Hotel and 
 other property to the value of $100,000. 
 
 The Rolling Mill began operations in 1872. 
 
 The Silk Mill was built in 1888-9 and began operations in 
 the spring of 1889. 
 
 The Altoona, Clearfield and Northern Railroad, formerly 
 Altoona and Wopsononock was built in 1890-91. 
 
 Railroads of Altoona. 
 
 Being on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the 
 great double track trunk route between the East and West, Al- 
 toona enjoys superior advantages in the matter of transportation. 
 Cars from every part of the Union come to Altoona with their 
 original lading, and freight maybe billed through from here to the 
 Pacific or Gulf coast and the Dominion of Canada. Altoona be- 
 ing the terminus of a division, all trains stop here to change en- 
 gines and crews and take on through passengers for east or west . 
 A number of branch lines reach every corner of the county to the 
 
Setni-Centennial History of Blair County. 81 
 
 south and east: Williamsburg, Martiiisburg, Roaring Spring, 
 Henrietta, Newr}^; and the terminus of the Morrison's Cove 
 Branch at Henrietta is only about three miles from the Huntingdon 
 and Broad Top Railroad, extending from Huntingdon south to 
 Bedford and Hyndman, Pa., and Cumberland, Marjdand. 
 
 At Bell wood, seven miles eastward, connection is made with 
 the Pennsylvania and North Western, which SKtends northwest 
 through the rich coal regions of Cambria, Clearfield and Jefferson 
 Counties to Punxsutawney and there cotniects with the Rochester 
 and Pittsburg Railroad to DuBois, Bradford and Western New 
 York. 
 
 At Tyrone, fourteen miles northeast, three branches lead off to 
 the north and northeast; the Tyrone and Clearfield extending to 
 Clearfield, Curwensville and DuBois; the Bald Eagle Valley ex- 
 tending to Bellefonte and Lock Haven, connecting at the latter 
 point with the Philadelphia and Erie road for Williamsport on the 
 east and Renova, Emporium, Kane, Warren, Corry and Erie to 
 the west; and the Tyrone and Lewisburg branch extending north- 
 east to Pennsylvania Furnace in Centre County. 
 
 At Huntingdon, thirty-four miles east, connection is made 
 with the Huntingdon and Broad Top for Bedford and Cumberland, 
 the latter on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 
 
 At Cresson, fifteen miles westward, two branches lead off from 
 the main line, one extending to Ebensburg, Spangler and Carrol I - 
 town, and the other to Ashville, Frugalit}' and Coalport. 
 
 There is also another short road, the Altoona, Clearfield and 
 Northern, extending from the eastern suburb, Juniata, to Wopson- 
 Qnock mountain resort, and coal fields of Cambria County, which 
 bring considerable amount of coal and lumber to the city. An- 
 other railroad is likely soon to be constructed to Altoona, coming 
 in from Philipsburg on the north. Altoona, with her nearly 50,- 
 000 inhabitants, is too valuable a prize for railroad enterprise to 
 remain long with but a single through line. 
 
 The railroad traffic passing through Altoona is immense. The 
 tonnage of the Pennsylvania Railroad system for 1895 was about 
 one-seventeenth of the entire tonnage of the United States, and 
 probably one-halt of this passed through Altoona. 
 
 Twelve passenger trains leave Altoona daily for the west and 
 
 eleven for the east, and some of these trains are composed of two 
 
 or three sections, practically so many additional complete trains. 
 
 Six passenger trains depart each day for the southern part of the 
 
 county over t]ie brancjiefi previously mentioned. 
 
82 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 The number of freight trains leaving and arriving depends of 
 course on the condition of trade, crops, etc. 
 
 Altoona has one of the largest freight yards in the country, 
 being over five miles long and capable of holding thousands of 
 cars. 
 
 Statistical of the Pennsylvania Railroad. 
 
 Capital stock $139,301,550 
 
 Miles of railroad owned and operated east of Pittsburg and 
 
 Erie 4.490 
 
 Miles of railroad owned and operated west of Pittsburg and 
 
 Erie 4.326 
 
 Total mileage of owned, operated and leased lines- • 8,816 
 Number of tons of freight hauled on lines east of Pitts-. 
 
 burg and Erie, j^ear ending Dec. 31, 1895 78,259,526 
 
 Number of passengers carried in 1895 37,452,437 
 
 Value ot shops at Altooda, buildings and grounds, 
 
 not including machinery, about- - $2,000,000 
 
 Number of men employed in Altoona shops, December roll, 
 1895; Machine Shops 4,051, Car Shops 2,364, Juniata 
 
 Shops 789; Total. 7.204 
 
 Number of men employed on the three divisions entering 
 here, who reside in Altoona; estimated by taking % 
 Pittsburg and Yi of Middle Division i ,880 
 
 Total Pennsylvania Railroad employes in Altoona- . 9,084 
 
 Monthly pay roll for shops $325,000 
 
 Monthly pay roll for Division employes and trainmen re- 
 siding in Altoona. 75,000 
 
 Amount paid out montlily for material and supplies, 
 
 about • 100,000 
 
 Total amount of money put in circulation here monthly 
 
 by the Railroad Company, about 500,000 
 
 Altoona has two lines of electric cars ; both are under one 
 management and the service is very satisfactor}'. 
 
 The first road was built in 1882 by the City Passenger 
 Railway Company and was opened on the 4tli of July of that 
 year with a notable demonstration. Electricity was not then 
 in use aijd horses were the motive power. The line at that 
 time was about three miles long, extending from First street 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 83 
 
 to Eleventh avenue to Brido-e street, to Seventeenth street, 
 to Eig"hth avenue, to Fourth street where the cars were 
 turned on a turn-table and went back over the same route. 
 Soon afterward a branch was constructed from the corner of 
 Eig"hth avenue and Seventeenth street to Seventh avenue, to 
 Twenty-fifth street. 
 
 In 1889 and 1890 a line was constructed from the corner of 
 Eleventh avenue and Bridg-e street to Eig"hteenth street, to 
 Onion avenue, to Broad street and along- Broad street to city 
 line at Twenty-seventh street. The line was also extended 
 from Fourth street and Eig^hth avenue, to Sixth avenue, to 
 Lloyd street, below First street. 
 
 In 1891 electricity took the place of horses and a power 
 house was erected on Nineteenth street between Ninth and 
 Marg-aret avenues. 
 
 In 1892 the Altoona and Logan Valley Electric Passeng^er 
 Railway Company was formed and in 1893 they built a line 
 to Hollidaysburg-, six miles long-. 
 
 Early in 1894 they built a line to Bellwood, seven miles. 
 The Hollidaysburg- line begins at the corner of Twelth 
 street and Ninth avenue and extends along Ninth avenue to 
 Thirteenth street, along Thirteenth street to Fifth avenue, 
 along Fifth avenue south-eastward to city line and beyond 
 that to Hollidaysburg. 
 
 The Bellwood line extends from the corner of Eleventh 
 street and Eleventh avenue to Ninth street, to Howard 
 avenue, to Third street, to Lexington avenue, to First street, 
 to Chestnut avenue and north-jastward on the country road 
 to Juniata, and from there crossing the railroad, down the 
 valley of the Little Juniata— five miles farther to Bellwood. 
 
 The Logan Valley, soon after its completion, secured a 
 controlling interest in the City Passenger, and the two roads 
 are now operated practically as one, under the same Superin- 
 tendent. 
 
 In the city cars run six minutes apart, and on the Logan 
 Valley to and from Hollidaysburg, every fifteen minutes, and 
 to and from Bellwood every half hour during the day and 
 until a late hour at night. 
 
 Fares in the" city, including a transfer if desired, over any 
 of the City Passenger Lines are but five cents, and the same 
 charge is made to Lakcmont Park or Llyswcn. and ten cents 
 
84 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 to Hollidaysburg-. To Juniata, the fare is five cents and to 
 Bellwood ten cents additional. No transfers are g-iven be- 
 tween the City Passeng-er and the Logan Valley, 
 
 Lines have also been projected on other streets and avenues 
 in the city beside those already noted, and some of them are 
 likely to be built soon, especially one up the Dry Gap along- 
 Nineteenth street or on Washing-ton avenue. 
 
 The Log-an Valle}^ Company laid out and beautified a fine 
 park with a larg-e artificial lake at a point midway between 
 Altoona and Hollidaj^sburg which they called Lakemont, and 
 which has no equal for beauty in the state. It is visited daily 
 in summer time by hundreds and often by thousands of peo- 
 ple, and in winter time the lake affords excellent skating-, no 
 charg-e being made for admission at any time. 
 
 The rolling- stock of the two companies consists of twenty- 
 five closed cars and thirt3'-six open cars. 
 
 The number of employes is 175. 
 
 The capital stock of the City Passeng-er is $200,000 
 
 And of the Log-an Valley, authorized $500,000 issued. 375,000 
 
 Total stock outstanding $575,000 
 
 The number of passeng-ers carried in 1895 was 2,800,000, 
 The officers of both companies are : 
 
 JOHN LLOYD, President. 
 
 C. A. BUCH, Secretary and Treasurer. 
 
 S. S. CRAINE, Superintendent. 
 
 Business and Resources of Altoona. 
 
 In addition to being" the location of the principal shops of 
 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, the depot and base of 
 supplies for engines, cars and furnishing-s, and the head- 
 quarters of the General Superintendent, the Superintendent 
 of Motive Power and Superintendents of other lesser depart- 
 ments, employing-, in the ag-greg-ate, over 9,000 men, which 
 would suffice alone for the foundation of a larg-e city, Altoo- 
 na has other substantial advantag-es. 
 
 Situated on the main line of this g-reat trunk route be- 
 tween the Kast and West she is surrounded on all sides with, 
 the elements of wealth and prosperity. Larg-e deposits of 
 bituminous coal and beds of fire clay to th.Q north and west. 
 
Setni-Centennial History of Blair County. 85 
 
 Iron ore to the southeast; limestone in almost inexhaustible 
 supply on three sides and mountains of g-anister stone nearby, 
 indispensable in the manufacture of steel and formerly im- 
 ported from Kurope. Lumber reg-ions to the north, east and 
 west, and a rich ag-ricultural country south. All reached and 
 penetrated by the Pennsylvania Railroad and branches or 
 leased lines; with competing- lines contemplating an entrance, 
 her future stability is assured. Altoona is also the natural 
 distributing point for the territory within a radius of forty to 
 one hundred miles in ever}^ direction and is destined, at no 
 distant day, to become an important wholesaling city. 
 
 Manufacturing Interests. 
 
 The manufacturing interests of Altoona are now largely with 
 the Railroad Company, and include the production of engines, 
 cars, both freight and passenger, and all kinds of railroad supplies. 
 We have in addition to this mammoth industry: 
 
 One Rolling Mill employing 135 to 175 men, and producing 
 annually $250,000 to $300,000 worth of merchant bar iron. 
 
 Two Iron Foundries. 
 
 One Silk Mill, employing 250 women and boys preparing the 
 raw silk into yarn for the loom. 
 
 One Ice Plant, employing 30 men and manufacturing 50,000 
 pounds of ice per day from pure distilled water, by chemically 
 produced cold. 
 
 Twelve Planing Mills, employing in the aggregate 350 to 500 
 men in the mills, manufacturing rough lumber into doors, sash, 
 frames, etc., also several hundred carpenters outside. 
 
 One Brick Yard, employing 25 to 40 men and producing 
 3,000,000 building brick annually. 
 
 One Brush Factory. 
 
 One Broom Factory. 
 
 One Soap Factory. 
 
 One Washing Machine Factory. 
 
 One Mattress Factory. 
 
 Three Manufactories of Soft Drinks. 
 
 Three Marble and Granite Works. 
 
 One Steam Dye Works. 
 
 One Flouring Mill. 
 
 Two Chop and Feed Mills. 
 
 Four Breweries, employing 50 men in the aggregate. 
 
86 Semi- Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 One Candy Maniifactury. 
 
 Three Cabinet Shops. 
 
 Six Cigar Factories, employing 75 persons. 
 
 Four Ice Cream Manufactories. 
 
 Eleven Merchant Tailors, employing in the aggregate 150 to 
 200 persons. 
 
 Forty Shoemaker Shops, employing 75 to 100 men. 
 
 Five Wagon Shops, employing 20 to 30 men making and 
 repairing — principally the latter — wagons, carriages and sleds. 
 
 Eleven Watchmakers and Jewelers, employing in the aggre- 
 gate 25 men repairing watches and clocks used in Altoona and 
 vicinity. 
 
 Five Harness and Saddler Shops, employing 20 to 30 men 
 making and repairing harness for the local trade. 
 
 Eleven Bakeries, employing 50 to 60 men in the production 
 of bread, cakes, etc., mostly for home consumption. 
 
 Nine Printing Offices, printing four daily and four weekly 
 newspapers, besides irregular publications. 
 
 One Book Bindery, doing the local work of the city and vi- 
 cinity. 
 
 Mercantile. 
 
 In the mercantile line there are the following and plenty 
 of room for more : 
 
 Four Wholesale Grocery and Provision Houses. 
 
 One Wholesale Wood and Willow-ware House. 
 
 Three Wholesale Produce and Commission Houses. 
 
 Three Wholesale Confectioners. 
 
 Seven Wholesale Coal Dealers. 
 
 Four Wholesale Cigar and Tobacco Houses. 
 
 One Wholesale Dry Goods and Notion House. 
 
 Three Dry Goods Houses that sell wholesale and retail. 
 
 Six dealers in Builders Supplies, besides the planing 
 mills. 
 
 Four banks with an aggregate capital of $400,000. 
 
 In addition to the above are several wholesale agents who 
 carry only samples for firms in other cities. 
 
 In the retail trade there are : 
 
 Seven Dry Goods Stores. 
 
 Nine Book and Stationery Stores. 
 
 Three China, Glass and Crockery Stores, exclusively, 
 besides three Novelty Stores th^t handle large quantities of 
 of the same goods, 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 87 
 
 Fourteen Clothing- and Gents' Furnishing- Stores. 
 
 Three Hat and Gents' Furnishing Stores. 
 
 Twent3^-two Retail Coal Dealers. 
 
 Twentj-two Drug Stores. 
 
 Six Flour and Feed Stores. 
 
 Ten Furniture Stores, three of which carry other lines. 
 
 Forty-six General Stores. 
 
 One hundred and thirty Grocery and Provision Stores. 
 
 Two Butter Markets. 
 
 Seven Hardware Stores. 
 
 Six Installment and House-furnishing Stores. 
 
 Fifty-five Meat Markets. 
 
 Ten Milk Depots. 
 
 Six Millinery Stores. 
 
 Five Music Stores. 
 
 Five Novelty, Notion and 5 and 10c. Stores. 
 
 Eleven Shoe Stores, and twenty to thirty other dealers 
 that sell shoes. 
 
 Four Tea Stores. 
 
 Nine Jewelry Stores ; watches, silver, etc. 
 
 Three Department Stores, (these are enumerated also with 
 the dry goods.) 
 
 Pkopes-sional. 
 
 Eight Aldermen ; one for each ward. 
 
 Forty-seven Lawyers. 
 
 Sixty-two Doctors, including two ladies. 
 
 Thirteen Dentists' Offices. 
 
 Four Architect Firms. 
 
 MiSCKLLANEOUS. 
 Four Florists and Greenhouse proprietors. 
 Fifty-four Barber Shops. 
 Thirteen Blacksmith Shops. 
 Two Carpet-cleaning Establishments. 
 Twent}^ Master Painters and Paper-hangers. 
 Five Fruit Stores carrying fair stock, besides numerous 
 smaller ones. 
 
 Six Steam and Hand Laundries. 
 Five Livery Stables. 
 Six Photograph Galleries. 
 Twenty-four Plumbing Shops. 
 Six Sewing-machine Agencies. 
 
88 Semi-Cetttetmial History of Blair County. 
 
 Twelve Restaurants. 
 
 Eig-ht Tin Shops. 
 
 Twenty-seven Hotels, and twenty-two others with hotel 
 license. 
 
 Eleven Fire Insurance Ag-encies. 
 
 Five Life Insurance Ag-encies. 
 
 Three Money Loaning Agencies ; real estate security. 
 
 Two Pawn Shops. 
 
 Seven Real Estate Agencies. 
 
 Thirty-four Building and Loan Associations. 
 
 One Theatre or Opera House. 
 
 One Music Hall— East Side Theatre. 
 
 One Variety Theatre or Musee. 
 
 One Natatorium or Swimming- School. 
 
 Twelve Public Schools and Five Parochial Schools. 
 
 Three Business Colleges, or Commercial Schools. 
 
 Forty-two Churches, comprising sixteen denominations, 
 with church property valued at $1,200,000, 
 
 Transportation, Light, Etc. 
 
 Two Railroads in operation and others projected. 
 
 Two Electric Passenger Railways with twentj-five miles 
 of track; lines to Hollidaysburg- on the south and to Bellwood 
 on the northeast. 
 
 One Express Company. 
 
 Two Telegraph Companies. 
 
 Two Telephone Companies. 
 
 One larg-e Electric Light Plant, whose 200 two-thousand 
 candle power arc lights, supplemented by those of the Penn- 
 sylvania Railroad Company, make Altoona the best lighted 
 city in the country. 
 
 One Gas Company, with one of the finest plants in the 
 state, making both coal and water g-as. 
 
Semi-Centetinial History of Blair County. 89 
 
 Pennsylvania Railroad Shops at Altoona. 
 
 These are the largest railroad shops in the United States 
 and employ over seven thousand men. They consist of three 
 distinct plants in different parts of the city. 
 
 The original plant lies between Ninth and Tenth avenues, 
 between Eleventh and Sixteenth streets, and occupies twenty - 
 eight acres of ground, the buildings having an actual floor area 
 of over ten acres. Originally all the departments were located 
 here: locomotive, freight car and passenger car, and machinery 
 and supplies. This part is now called the "Machine Shops,,' and 
 includes the following shops and departments : 
 
 One iron foundry, size 100x250 feet, where all the iron cast- 
 ings used in the construction of cars are made, with the exception 
 of car wheels. 
 
 One brass foundry, size 60x80 feet, where car wheel bearings 
 and all brass castings are made. 
 
 One blacksmith shop, size 56x273 feet, with a wing 66x124 
 feet, containing thirty fires and three bolt furnaces. 
 
 One blacksmith shop, size 67x188 feet, containing twenty 
 fires. 
 
 One blacksmith shop in part of old No. 2 round house con- 
 taining twenty-six fires. 
 
 One wheel foundry, size 73x140 feet, and a wing, 56x94 feet, 
 with engine-house and boiler-house adjoining. The cupola cham- 
 ber of this foundry is 29x40 feet, and the ladle will hold 20,000 
 pounds of melted iron . 
 
 One new wheel foundry, size 66x160 feet, with cupola of forty 
 tons capacity. 
 
 One boiler shop, size 70x125 feet, with an addition or L, size 
 53x62 feet, and another building used for finishing which is 
 58x124 feet. Also about two-thirds of the old No. 2 round-house 
 is used as a boiler shop and devoted to repairs. 
 
 One flue shop, 45x126 feet, where the flues of the boilers are 
 made and repaired. 
 
 One lathe shop, 70x426 feet, two stories high, where castings 
 are planed and turned smooth, cylinders bored out, etc. 
 
 One vise shop, T-shaped, one part 60x250 feet, and the other 
 60x90; also a grinding room 60x120 feet. It this shop the differ- 
 ent pieces of steel used in the construction of engines are filed 
 and ground smooth, and fitted with great precision, so as to work 
 perfectly in the position for which they are designed. 
 
90 Semi-Centemiial History of Blair County. 
 
 One air-brake shop, size 60x75 feet, in which the air-brake 
 machinery and supplies are made; also steam guages, safety- 
 valves, etc. 
 
 Three erecting shops, two of which are 66x350 feet, and one 
 52x356 feet, in which the locomotive engines are put together and 
 made things of life, power and beauty. Traveling cranes, capable 
 of lifting twenty-five tons weight are used to handle the heavy 
 pieces of iron and steel used here. 
 
 One paint shop, 36x300 feet, in which the engines, tanks and 
 cabs are painted, ornamented and varnished. 
 
 One tin and sheet iron shop, size 67x150 feet, where all the 
 tin work and many articles in sheet iron and copper are made. 
 
 One telegraph machine shop, size 48x60 feet, in which much 
 fine work is done in the manufacture and repair of telegraphic 
 and electrical apparatus and supplies. 
 
 One pattern shop, size 70x140 feet, furnished with a 30-horse- 
 power engine, planers, saws and other wood- working machinery. 
 Here all the patterns for the various castings used in the shops 
 are made. A pattern storehouse, 50x100 feet, is connected with 
 this shop. 
 
 One cab and tank shop, size 42x105 feet, in which cabs and 
 tanks are repaired, wheelbarrows and cow-catchers made and other 
 work done. The new cabs are now made at the Car Shops. 
 
 One carpenter shop, 28x60 feet, with office attached. This is 
 the headquarters of the carpenters who repair roundhouses and 
 shops, build signal towers, repair bridges, etc. 
 
 One roundhouse for Middle Division engines, size 235 feet in 
 diameter, with turntable and thirty-one tracks. Here engines are 
 groomed, cleaned, examined and have slight repairs made to them 
 when required after each trip, and prepared for the next run. 
 
 One roundhouse for Pittsburg Division engines, size 300 feet 
 in diameter, with turntable and forty-four tracks. The men who 
 take charge of the engines when they come in and make them 
 ready for succeeding trips are commonly called engine hostlers. 
 
 One building, two stories high in part and three stories in part, 
 size 40x200 feet, used as storehouse and testing room on first floor, 
 and offices, testing department and chemical laboratory on second 
 and third floors. The store contains the various small tools and 
 supplies used about the shops and along the road between Pitts- 
 burg and Philadelphia; and the storekeeper keeps a record of all 
 material used in the construction ot everything made in the shops 
 or furnished to other shops along the road. Many thousands of 
 dollars worth of goods pass through the storehouse monthly . 
 
Setni-Centennial History of Blair County. 91 
 
 The testing department examines and tests all material bought 
 for use in the shops, before it is accepted; this being done by both 
 mechanical and chemical tests. 
 
 The clerical department, keeping a record of all the work 
 done, cost of the same and the time of the men, requires the assist- 
 ance of more than forty accountants. 
 
 The department of labor is also one of considerable im- 
 portance and requires over one hundred men loading, unload- 
 ing and shifting cars and keeping the shop yard in proper 
 shape. The foreman of this branch has a small office build- 
 ing for his use. 
 
 The watchmen form another part of the service, not less 
 important than the others, as it is their duty to guard against 
 fires and theft. Over forty of them keep watch of the build- 
 ings, grounds and merchandise; sixteen by day and twenty- 
 five by night. 
 
 The different kinds of work done here will be apparent 
 from the foregoing, and some conception of the amount from 
 the following figures : 
 
 Average amount of iron melted at the iron foundry for 
 the past ten years, 38,500,000 pounds, or 19,250 tons annually. 
 This does not include the wheel foundry. 
 
 In the car wheel foundry 100,000 to 110,000 wheels are 
 moulded annually, each wheel weighing 500 to 700 pounds. 
 
 In the boiler shop an average of two locomotive boilers per 
 week have been made for ten years past, besides many sta- 
 tionary boilers and repairs to to thousands of both kinds an- 
 nually. 
 
 The other departments are conducted on a scale of equal 
 magnitude. 
 
 G. W. Strattan is Master Mechanic of these shops. 
 The Car Shops, "Lower shops," as they are commonly 
 called, though not so appropriately since the erection of the 
 Juniata shops still farther eastward, were the first enlarge- 
 ment made by the company after the original site at Twefth 
 street became overcrowded. They were erected in 1869-70, 
 and are situated between the main line tracks and Chestnut 
 avenue, from Seventh street eastward to a point below First 
 street, the lumber yard extending still further eastward for a 
 distance of one-half mile to Juniata shops. Previous to the 
 building of these shops, the car work, both new and repair, 
 was done in the shops located near Twelfth street, but since 
 then all such work has been done here at these car shops. 
 
92 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 The cat shops occupy 91 6-10 acres, including yards, and con- 
 sist of the following buildings: No. i planing mill, in size 72X 
 355 feet, filled with all kinds of planers, mortising and boring 
 machines, and other wood-working machinery, driven by a 250- . 
 horse-power Corless engine, which is located in an adjoining build- 
 ing, 25x100 feet, and to which all shavings are carried through 
 large iron pipes by force of suction of large blowers. The various 
 pieces of wood used in the construction of cars are here made 
 ready to fit into their proper places without change. 
 
 No. 2 planing mill, 44x77 feet, with carpenter shop attached, 
 40x115, and engine room 16x38, and boiler room 25x39. This 
 planing-mill is engaged for the most part in getting out work for 
 the company's buildings, depots, telegraph towers, etc., but much 
 other work is done. There are machines for wood carving, and 
 for turning all kinds of handles for tools. 
 
 A blacksmith shop 80 feet wide and 493 feet long, in which 
 are fashioned all the various shapes of iron for use in carbuilding. 
 Here are steam-hammers of 1,200 to 5,000 pounds stroke, used in 
 forging heavy irons. A bolt machine weighing 60,000 pounds, 
 capable of making 1,000 two-inch draft pins in a day; another of 
 40,000 pounds weight, which makes 3,000 coupling pins in a 
 day. Immense iron shears, capable of cutting a bar of cold iron 
 3 inches thick and 6 inches wide in a second's time, or punch a 
 hole three inches in diameter through a plate of cold iron two and 
 one-half inches thick with the same facility. 
 
 A bolt and nut shop, 30x135 feet. 
 
 A truck shop, 75x85 feet, where car trucks are put together 
 
 ready to set the car body on. 
 
 A machine shop 70x130 feet. Here are two hydraulic presses 
 lor forcing wheels on the axles and taking them off when unfit for 
 further service. These presses can exert a power equal to the 
 weight of one hundred tons, and wheels must go on the axle with 
 a pressure of not less than twenty-five tons in order to be secure. 
 
 An upholstering shop, 70x200 feet, divided into several rooms . 
 
 A cabinet shop 70x167 feet, and another room 70x200 feet, 
 formerly the passenger car paint shop but now used by the cabinet- 
 makers; also a room on the second floor of this latter building 
 50x70 feet; also another room 12x25, used for steaming and bend- 
 ing wood into various shapes. 
 
 A passenger shop (132x211 feet), and connected with this 
 is a storage building for iron work 20x100 feet, and a shed for 
 dry and worked lumber, 70x75 feet. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 93 
 
 This department is capable of building twenty-five passenger 
 coaches per month, but as a great deal of repair work is done 
 they seldom make so many new cars in a month. The magnifi- 
 cently luxurious parlor cars of the company are all made here. 
 
 A paint shop, 135x420 feet, wherein all the passenger, parlor, 
 mail, express and baggage cars are painted, ornamented and var- 
 nished. It will hold forty of the largest. passenger cars, with 
 room for men to work on all at the same time. 
 
 Another paint shop, 100x400 feet, in which ireight cars are 
 painted. It is not large enough, however, to hold all the freight 
 cars usually in the process ot building, and many are painted while 
 standing on the tracks outside. Another paint shop, 53x54 feet, 
 is used by the house painters who paint depots, telegraph towers 
 and other company buildings. 
 
 An air-brake shop, 55x250 feet, with three tracks running the 
 entire length ot the building. Annexed to this building is a 
 storage building, 25x60 feet, and an ofiice for the foreman, 15x18 
 feet. Also a large covered platform, 20x90 feet, for storage pur- 
 poses . 
 
 A freight car shop which is circular, 433 feet in diameter, with 
 
 a turntable 100 feet in diameter in the open space, or court, in 
 the centre. Within the covered space of this shop seventy-five 
 freight cars can be built at once, and while numbers of others 
 receive repairs on the tracks within the circle. 
 
 A tin shop, 70x175 feet. 
 
 A buffing room, 37x100 feet, occupying the second floor of a 
 brick building near the tin shop. 
 
 A store house, one floor of which is 36x124 feet, and another 
 floor 36x87 feet, and an additional building, 30x50 feet, for storing 
 nails. 
 
 An oil house, 16x26 feet, containing oils and cotton waste, 
 used in the axle boxes of the cars. 
 
 A fire engine house, 30x50 feet, in which is kept a steam fire 
 engine and hose carriage as a protection against fires. 
 
 A lumber yard covering twenty-five acres of ground, included 
 in the 61 6-10 above, and in which are stored several million feet 
 of the best lumber. The lumber being constantly received, dried 
 and loaded for the shop, requires the assistance of seventy-five 
 men . 
 
 Thirty watchmen are employed in these shops. 
 
 The general foreman and the shop clerk's offices occupy a 
 large brick building adjoining the storehouse, and the force, 
 including ofl&cers and clerks, numbers twenty-three persons. 
 
 John P. Levan is the General Foreman of these shops. 
 
94 Semi- Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 The Juniata Locomotive Shops. 
 
 This latest addition to the works of the Pennsylvania Railroad 
 Company at Altoona were begun in September, 1888, and finished 
 In 1889-90. The first engine was turned out July 29th, 1891. 
 The buildings occupy a plot of ground 33 6-10 acres, lying just 
 east of the Car Shops' lumber yard, and between it and the Bor- 
 ough of Juniata, and comprise the following: 
 
 A machine shop, 75x258 feet, two stories high. 
 
 A boiler shop, 300x386 feet. 
 
 A blacksmith shop, 80x306 feet. 
 
 An erecting shop, 70x354 feet. 
 
 A boiler house, 451:78 feet. 
 
 An electricity and hydraulic building, 45x60 feet. 
 
 A paint shop, 67x147 feet. 
 
 A paint storehouse, 51-9x5-9 feet. 
 
 An office and storehouse, 52x71 feet, two stories high. 
 
 A gas house, 17x91 feet. 
 
 These shops furnish employment now to almost 800 men, and 
 have a capacity for building 150 new locomotive engines per year. 
 T. R. Brovv.i is Master Mechanic of Juniata shops. 
 
 In addition to these shop buildings there are two large 
 oSB.ce buildings standing on Twelfth street, one at the corner 
 of Eleventh avenue, a three-story brick, about 50x120 feet, and 
 one on the corner of Twelfth avenue, about 80x100 feet, 
 three stories high. The former is used as the offices of 
 General Superintendent of the road, the Superintendent of 
 Altoona Division, Superintendent of Motive Power, Principal 
 Assistant Engineer, Maintenance of Way Department and 
 Telegraph ^Department. The latter contains the offices of 
 General Superintendent of Motive Power, Motive Power 
 Clerk and Mechanical Engineer. Other departments of the 
 road, viz : Ticket Receivers and Relief Doctors have offices 
 in the second story of the Passenger Station. 
 
 The Railroad Company also own the Logan House build- 
 ing and grounds, and a large three-story brick double dwell- 
 ing on Eleventh avenue, just west of the Superintendent's 
 office, in which reside the General Superintendent of the 
 Road and the General Superintendent of Motive Power ; also 
 several other dwellings on Twelfth and Eighth avenues, 
 occupied by others of high rank . 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 95 
 
 Officers Pennsylvania Railroad Co., 1896 
 
 George B. Roberts, President. 
 
 S. M. Prevost, General Manager. 
 
 J. R. Wood, General Passenger Agent. 
 
 William H. Joyce, General Freight Agent. 
 
 A. W. Sumner, Purchasing Agent. 
 
 James A. Logan, (xeneral Solicitor. 
 
 The foregoing have their office in the City of Philadelphia, 
 in the magnificent building, erected for Passenger Station and 
 General Offices, on the corner of Broad and Market streets. 
 
 The following officers are located in Altoona: 
 F. L. Sheppard, General Superintendent Pennsylvania 
 Railroad Division. 
 
 C. A. Wood, Chief Clerk to F. L. Sheppard. 
 
 F. D. Casanave, (rcneral Superintendent of Motive Power. 
 W. H. Rohrer, Chief Clerk to F. D. Casanave 
 
 B. F. Custer, Chief Clerk of Motive Power. 
 
 J. M. Wallis, Superintendent of Motive Power Pennsyl- 
 vania Railroad Division. 
 
 W. E. Blanchard, Chief Clerk to J. M. Wallis. 
 
 C. T. Witherow, Motive Power Clerk. 
 
 H. M. Carson, Assistant Engineer Motive Power. 
 M. W. Thomson, Principal Assistant Engineer. 
 A. C. Shand, Assistant Principal Engineer. 
 
 D. J. Neff, J. D. Hicks and A. J. Riley, Solicitors, 
 John R. Bingaman, Chief Clerk Maintenance of Way. 
 W. S. Humes, Chief Clerk of Transportation. 
 
 A. S. Vogt, Mechanical Engineer. 
 Charles B. Dudley, Chemist. 
 
 R. E. Marshall, Superintendent Altoona Division. 
 O. F. Delo, Chief Clerk to R. E. Marshall. 
 W. F. Snyder, Train Master, Altoona Division. 
 W. F. Taylor, Chief Telegraph Operator, Altoona Divis- 
 ion. 
 
 Christ McGregor, Yard Master, Altoona Division. 
 
 G. H. Neilson, Supervisor, Altoona Division. 
 
 H. B. Weise, Assistant Supervisor, Altoona Division. 
 D. Steel, Assistant Train Master, Pittsburg Division. 
 William Herr, Assistant Train Master, Middle Division. 
 
96 Setni-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 G. W. Strattan, Master Mechanic, Middle Division. 
 A. W. Mechen, Chief Clerk to G. W. Strattan. 
 John P. Levan, General Foreman Altoona Car Shops. 
 L. B. Reifsneider, General Inspector Altoona Car Shops. 
 T. R, Browne, Master Mechanic, Juniata Locomotive 
 Shops. 
 
 Charles T. Wilson, Station Master at Altoona. 
 
 H. L. Nicholson, Ticket Ag^ent at Altoona. 
 
 A. T, Heintzelman, Freig-ht Ag-ent at Altoona. 
 
 Other Industries of Altoona. 
 
 The Altoona Iron Company is the next in importance 
 after the railroad shops. Their rolling- mill was erected in 
 1872-3 and has been in almost continuous operation since 
 April, 1873. Merchant bar iron of all kinds is manufactured 
 here and the annual product reaches into the hundred thou- 
 sands ; 150 men are employed. H. K. McCauley is Secretary 
 and Treasurer and Robert Smiley Manager of the mill. 
 
 A fine silk mill was erected in 1888-9 and has been in 
 continuous operation ever since. A larg-e annex was built a 
 few years later and a still more important addition is now 
 projected. About 300 employes find work here and the 
 amount of wag-es paid out annually is nearly $40,000. No 
 cloth is woven, but the yarn is prepared for weaving- in the 
 looms owned by the company in the East. Schwarzenbaug-h, 
 Huber & Co., of New York City, are owners of the new part 
 and lessees of the orig-inal plant. 
 
 Th« ice plant of the Pennsylvania Ice Company, limited, 
 located at Fifth avenue and Thirty-first street, is a larg-e con- 
 cern and supplies the g-reater part of the ice consumed in the 
 city. They have a capacity for manufacturing- 50,000 pounds 
 of artificial ice per day and in addition have immense ice 
 houses at Point View , between Hollidaysburg- and Williams- 
 burg-, where great quantities of natural ice are cut and 
 stored each winter. F. H. Seely is one of the heaviest stock- 
 holders and resident manag-er of the company. 
 
 Of the twelve planing- mills in the city, those of William 
 Stoke, M. H. Mackey & Sons, Orr, Blake & Co., Frank 
 Brandt, A. Bucher and the Parker Bros, are the largest. 
 
Semi- Centennial History of Blair County. 97 
 
 The four breweries of the city have an extensive trade, 
 that of the Altoona Brewing- Company on Thirteenth street 
 being- the oldest and largest. Wilhelm, Schimminger and 
 Ramsey operate it now. 
 
 The gas works of the Altoona Gas Company are the 
 largest between Philadelphia and Pittsburg. The company 
 was chartered in 1857 and for many years their plant was at 
 the corner of Eleventh avenue and Ninth street, but the 
 present plant at Seventh avenue and First street was put into 
 operation in February, 1892, shortly after which the old 
 works were demolished and the ground is now occupied by 
 track and a freight shed of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- 
 pany. John Lloyd is President of the Gas Company and 
 George H. Harper Superintendent. 
 
 The Edison Electric Illuminating Company was organized 
 in 1887, by John Loudon, A. J. Anderson and others and 
 established a plant on Tenth avenue between Tenth and 
 Eleventh streets, which was occupied until April, 1896, when 
 the present large and thoroughly equipped plant at Union 
 avenue and Nineteenth street was completed and put in oper- 
 ation. W. R. Dunham is President, having been elected 
 early in the present year, and A. J. Anderson Secretary and 
 Business Manag-er, E. B. Greene, Superintendent. 
 
 The city water system of Altoona is one of great magni- 
 tude, the plant having now cost over $1,000,000. The gather- 
 ing- and storage reservoirs at Kittanning Point, on the Penn- 
 sj'lvania Railroad at the Horse Shoe bend, about six miles 
 west of the city, are works of art as well as monuments of 
 engineering skill and well repay a visit and inspection. They 
 have a combined capacity of 430,000,000 gallons and over 45 
 miles of iron pipe, from 2 to 16 inches in diameter, convey 
 the water by force of g-ravity to the city and distribute it to 
 all residents. 
 
 The newspapers of Altoona city comprise four dailies and 
 five weeklies, including the weekly edition of two of the 
 dailies. Two of the dailies, the Ti'ibnuc and the Timcs^ 
 appear in the morning and tell of the various happenings of 
 the world during the preceding day and up until midnight, 
 while two others, the Mirror and Gazette, coming from the 
 press about 5 o'clock in the evening tell of the happenings, 
 local and general, during" the early part of the day. A num- 
 
98 Semi-Cetttennial History of Blair County. 
 
 ber of monthly publications are also issued in the interests of 
 
 various lodg-es and societies, but none of tj-eneral circulation. 
 
 These will be referred to again in the article on the press of 
 
 the county. 
 
 Altoona has a well organized paid Fire Department, 
 
 which superseded the volunteer firemen May 1, 1895. It con- 
 sists of a Chief Engineer and 35 men. Three steam fire 
 engines in service and two for emergencies ; five hose car- 
 riages in use and two extra ones, one hook and ladder truck, 
 7,000 feet of hose (l}( miles) and 14 horses for hauling 
 the engines, truck and hose carts. 
 
 There is in the city a library, the "Mechanics," which 
 while not being free is largely patronized by the best class of 
 citizens. It is fostered and materially assisted by the Penn- 
 sylvania Railroad Company. G. W. Stattan is President 
 Rev, Allan Sheldon Woodle Vice-President, W. C. Leet, Sec- 
 retary, Miss L. L. Snyder, Librarian and Dr. C. B. Dudley, 
 Chairman of the book committee. 
 
 Altoona has a public hospital. The building was first 
 erected in 1885 at a cost of $40,000 and was opened for the 
 reception of patients January 1, 1886. The building has 
 since been enlarged and now, with the grounds, represent a 
 value of about $60,000. John P. Levan is President, L. B. 
 Reifsneider, Secretary. The medical staff consists of Drs. 
 John Fry, Chief of Staff, F. N. Christy, W. S. Ross, J. N. 
 Blose and J. F. Arney, who serve without compensation. It 
 is supported by voluntaty contributions and State appropria- 
 tions. 
 
Setni-Cetitennial History of Blair County. 99 
 
 Big Things of Altoona. 
 
 The people of Altoona are not given to boasting; they are, 
 in fact, too modest in putting- forth the claims of their city 
 to prominence. If they had a city like Altoona in California, 
 Colorado or Kansas it would be advertised all over the world 
 and heralded as a marvel of the age, but when an Altoona 
 man goes away from home or speaks of the town he only ad- 
 raits that it is a pretty good place, business is good, the city 
 is growing rapidly, etc. Some evidently desire rather to 
 suppress than exagerate the facts, for fear too many people 
 will came here. 
 
 Among the very large things of which they could boast, 
 are: 
 
 The Pennsylvania Railroad passing through and giving 
 the best possible service in the matter of transportation. 
 
 The freight yard of the railroad here is nearly five miles 
 long and capable of holding half the cars in the United 
 States when the tracks are all laid. 
 
 The largest railroad shops in America, building the finest 
 cars and locomotive engines made and employing over 7,000 
 men. 
 
 A growth in the past forty-five years, unprecedented in the 
 history of this country, from a few scattered families to al- 
 most 50,000 people. 
 
 A future whose outlook is most promising. 
 
 A surrounding country unsurpassed in the world for beauty 
 of location and picturesque scenery. 
 
 A climate more favorable to health and longevity than 
 the boasted climate of California. 
 
 Water and air as pure as any nature has provided for man 
 in any place. 
 
 Of manufacturing establishments the largest, after the 
 railroad shops, are a rolling mill, employing 150 men, a silk 
 mill with 250 enjrployes, twelve planing mills, furbishing 
 employment to 300 to 5(iO men, an electric passenger railway 
 having 2S miles of track, employing 175 men and furnishing 
 rapid and cheap transportation in the city and suburbs and 
 to the county-seat and Bellw^od. » ;^, 
 
100 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 Hollidaysburg. 
 
 "Whoever is alive a hundred years after this will see a con- 
 siderable sized town here, and this will be near about the middle 
 of it." 
 
 Thus Adam Holliday is said to have spoken to his brother 
 William, as he drove a stake into the ground on the hill above 
 the Juniata river, in 1768, where Hollidaysburg now stands. 
 
 He was right; in 1868 the borough of Hollidaysburg occupied 
 the land which he chose for a farm in that early day and nearly 
 4,000 people claimed it as their home. It did not require one 
 hundred years to work the change; in 50 years a small village 
 had sprung up and Adam Holliday 's children were enjoying the 
 advantages of a civilized community and the results of their 
 father's labor — Adam was dead. In 75 j^ears from the date of 
 this remark Hollidaysburg was the largest and most important 
 town between Harrisburg and Pittsburg, having both a railroad 
 and a canal. At that time only a few cities in the United States 
 could boast of a railroad. The Allegheny Portage being one of 
 the ver}- early ones of this country. One hundred years after the 
 settlement of the place Hollidaysburg w^as a flourishing borough 
 containing, with its suburbs, and Gay.sport 4,000 inhabitants. 
 Having two large iron furnaces, two rolling mills and large ma- 
 chine shops and foundrys, and being the county seat of one of the 
 most important counties of the state. Thus was the prophecy 
 of Adam Holliday fulfilled. 
 
 The Holliday brothers, when the}^ started from their early 
 home in the Conococheague Valley, did not intend to locate here, 
 and clearing the ground for the seat of justice of a great county 
 was farthest from their thoughts. They had intended to go to 
 the Allegheny Valley near Kittanning, but could not get through 
 Blair County, the beauty of the situation appealed to them too 
 strongl}' to be resisted and they resolved to settle here. 
 
 Thousands of other people since that time have experienced 
 the same difficulty in passing through Blair County, if they 
 stopped long enough to take in all the advantages it offered, they 
 were sure to remain and thus it is that now more than 80,000 
 people have their homes here and the number is being rapidly 
 augmented. What another half century may bring to the Empire 
 of Blair man knoweth not, but in the innermost thoughts of her 
 friends are visions of future wealth, prosperity and greatness, so 
 vast that they hesitate to give expression to their imaginations, lest 
 they be laughed at as visionary and impossible. 
 
Setni-Centennial History of Blair County. 101 
 
 Adam Hollida}^ purchased i,ooo acress of land on the eastern 
 side oi the river including all of the site of Hollidaysburg and 
 William obtained a like amount on the western side where Gays- 
 port now stands. They bought from the Proprietaries — descend- 
 ants of William Penn, and the price paid was five pounds sterling 
 per hundred acres, equal to $220.20 for each thousand acre tracts. 
 Each built a log house on his tract, as both were men of families 
 and cleared and resided on their land for many years. William 
 is supposed to have kept his until his death but Adam was dis- 
 posessed of his on account of some imperfection in his title. He 
 was paid for it however, by the government some time after the 
 Rovolution, receiving $17,000 or $iS,ooo, which made him a very 
 rich man for this region and that time. 
 
 As to the location of the first houses erected, authorities differ 
 and the exact truth cannot now be determined. Mr. U. J.Jones, 
 writing a "History of the Juniata Valley" in 1855 saj^s AdamHol- 
 liday's house stood about where the American House now stands, 
 while H. H. Snyder, esq., writingsome 25 years later locates it on 
 the southwest corner of Allegheny and Montgomery streets. 
 Adam HoUiday died at or near Hollidaysburg in 1801 leaving but 
 two children, a son John and a daughter Jane. The latter married 
 William Reynolds, of Bedford county, proprietor of Bedford 
 Springs Hotel. John HoUiday lived the greater part of his life 
 here and here he died in 1843. He had a family of ten children, 
 vis: Adam, born Nov. 9, 1804, who went to Oil City, Pa. Mary 
 born April 25, 1S06, married Andrew Bratton and moved to 
 L,ewistown, Pa. Sarah, born Dec. 11, 1807, married Soloman 
 Filler and moved to Bedford, Pa. Lazarus L-, born Nov. 5, 1809, 
 died in Missouri, July 17, 1846. John, Jr., born Dec. 8, 1811 
 was a soldier in the Mexican war and died on ship board while 
 enroute from Vera Cruz to Galveston Aug. 2, 1842. Alexander 
 L. born May 7, 1814, resided in Hollidaysburg all his life. Jane 
 born Aug. 27, 1816, married J. L. Slentz and moved to Pittsburg, 
 where she died in 1869. Caroline, born July 12, 1818, married 
 D. McLeary and resided at Hollidaysburg all her life time. Will- 
 iam R., born Sept. 16, 1820, moved to Massachusetts. Fleming, 
 the youngest, born May 25, 1823, and moved to the west. The 
 names of children and grand-children of William HoUiday and 
 what became of them we have been unable to learn, in the short 
 time at our disposal. 
 
 The exact date at which Hollidaysburg was laid out, is in 
 some doubt, but it was prior to the beginning of the present cen- 
 
102 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 tury, probably about 1790; though H. H. Snyder in his historical 
 research came to the conclusion that it was at least ten years ear- 
 lier because a Janet HoUiday owned a lot, and a Janet Holliday 
 was killed by the Indians in 178 1. It is probable, however, that 
 it was Jane Holliday, daughter of Adam, and not Janet daughter 
 of William, who met so early and sad a death. Whatever may 
 have been the date, the original plot contained but 90 lots 60x180 
 feet in size and the streets were Allegheny, Walnut and Mont- 
 gomery a diamond was formed by taking 30 feet off the end of 
 each of the four lots cornering there. As Allegheny street was 
 60 feet wide and Montgomery street 50 feet, it follows that the 
 diamond was 120x170 feet, and so it has remained to the present 
 time. The original plot cannot now be found and the only copy 
 known is not dated. 
 
 The little town did not grow rapidly at first and in 18 14 there 
 were but three houses, a small store and a blacksmith shop. In 
 1830 it was not nearh^ so large or important a village as Franks- 
 town, but when the canal was finished and the great basin and 
 terminus located at Hollidaysburg the place immediately began to 
 grow and in 1835 it was a very important town, far exceeding 
 Frankstown. The Hollidaysburg; Sentinel and Huntingdon^ 
 Cambria and Bedford County Democrat, the first issue of which 
 was published Oct. 6, 1835, in a descriptive article said that the 
 population was i ,200 and that no town in the interior of the state 
 enjoyed more advantages than Hollidaysburg. This census in- 
 cluded Gaysport. In 1836, eight daily transportation lines oper- 
 ated on the canal and railroad and the tolls collected on the canal, 
 railroad, and for motive power that year amounted to $154, 2 8 2.74- 
 The borough was chartered in August that year and the council 
 held their first meeting at John Dougherty's house Sept. 20, 1836. 
 
 Higher vilization soon became apparent for the young bor- 
 ough went in debt in June 1837 for public improvements. One 
 of the bonds, or evidences of debt, reads as follows: 
 
 "Hollidaysburg Borough Loan. 
 
 "This is to certify that there is due to bearer from the Burgess, 
 Town Council, and citizens of the Borough of Hollidaysburg 
 ONE DOLLAR bearing an interest, redeemable in the payment of 
 taxes, by virtue of an ordinance passed by the Town Council 
 
 June 19, 1837." 
 
 "JAMES COFFEE, Burgess." 
 $5,342.69 of these "borough notes" were outstanding on the 
 6th of April 1844, at which time the total indebtedness of the 
 borough was $16,31 1.30. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 103 
 
 The "Huntingdon, Cambria and Indiana County Pike" was 
 completed from Huntingdon through Hollidaysburg to Blairsville 
 in 1 8 19 and the canal from Huntingdon to Hollida5^sburg in 1832; 
 the first boat coming from Huntingdon Nov. 28. The Alleghen^^ 
 Portage railroad was completed late in 1833 ^"*^ operated in 1834 
 making the line of transportation by boat and rail complete from 
 Philadelphia, through Hollidaysburg to Pittsburg, and Hollidays- 
 burg became one of the most important towns between the two points, 
 an extremel}' prosperous business place. When the new county 
 was formed and Hollidaysburg made the seat of justice, in 1846, it 
 added still more to her prestige and it seemed as if her cup of pros- 
 perity was full to the brim. A few years later, 1851, the Magnetic 
 telegraph as it vvas then styled, was extended from Bedford to 
 Hollidaysburg and during the following year 1852 the railroad 
 from Altoona was completed. 
 
 Until the construction of the canal, the business center of 
 Hollidaysburg was at the diamond but with the advent of the 
 canal it all gravitated to the basin at the foot of Montgomery 
 street. A town hall and market house was erected about 1835, 
 midway between the diamond and canal basin and many stirring 
 scenes have been witnessed where now oppressive quietness reigns 
 since the railroad superseded the canal and the latter was aband- 
 oned. The old market house was abandoned excepting a part 
 which was fitted up for the borough fire company, but later it was 
 entirely disused, and after standing tenantless for several years 
 was finally torn down, at a period still quite recent. 
 
 The large warehouses and store buildings which were erected 
 near the basin have been changed to dwellings and in seme cases 
 removed sirce the railroad superseded the caral, and the business 
 part of the town has gone tack to its old location arourd the dia- 
 mond and along Allegheny street. Many of these changes oc- 
 curred before the advent of any considerable manufactures. The 
 f urraces, rrd icllii g n ills aic c n cie ucei.t cr'gin Urn ihe lail- 
 road and even this industry seems to have reached its highest 
 point some years ago. 
 
 The canal began to fall into disuse scon after the ccnipletion 
 of the Pennsylvania railroad and in a few yeais more was entirely 
 abandoned as a chanrcl of c(irn:eice; Ihe waler slccd stagnant 
 within its banks a few years longer when it was drained off and 
 the embankments broken down, the stone in the locks taken away 
 for other uses ard row the line is cnly faintly traceable through 
 the county. The Allegheny Portage railroad began at the west" 
 
104 Semi-Centetinial History of Blair County. 
 
 ern end of the basin and continued thence across the Juniata and 
 through Gaysport to Duncansville and "Foot of Ten" where it 
 began its steep ascent of the mountain to another plane, along this 
 plane to another incline and so on to the mountain top, and down 
 on the other side to Johnstown, 39 miles from HoUidaysburg, the 
 beginning of the western division of the canal. 
 
 Iron manufacturers had been operating in the upper Juniata 
 Valley for 50 years before any furnaces were erected in HoUidays- 
 burg, but to compensate, in some degree, for this, those built at 
 HollidaA/sburg, in 1855, were much larger and more complete than 
 any others and used coke for fuel instead of charcoal as the earlier 
 and smaller ones in the county had done. The first of these fur- 
 naces called the HoUidaysburg furnace but later known as 
 No. I, was built by Watson, White & Co., at a cost of about 
 $60,000. It stood on the Gaysport side of the river. The prin- 
 cipal contributors to the enterprise were Col. William Jack, Mc- 
 L,anahan, Watson & Co., Robert and B. M. Johnston, David 
 Watson, William Jackson, A. M. White and Samuel S. Blair, 
 Esq. It was first put in blast Nov. 18, 1856, and had a capacity 
 of 120 tons per week. 
 
 Chimney Rocks Furnace, later known as No. 2, was built in 
 1855-6 by Gardner, Osterloh & Co. Although bugan later than 
 the other it was completed first, but was of less capacity. 
 A few years later, owing to financial difficulties, these two furnaces 
 came under one control. The Blair Iron & Coal Company com- 
 posed of Watson, Dennison & Co. and the Cambria Iron Co., of 
 Johnstown. They were thus operated tor many years. Quite 
 recently however, the old No. f furnace was abandoned and torn 
 torn down so that now there is but one furnace at HoUidaysburg. 
 
 The Hollidajsburg Iron and Nail Company is the name of 
 the corporation now owning and operating one of the rolling 
 mills at HoUidaysburg. The mill is located near the No. 2 
 furnace and was built in 1869 by B. M. Johnston. In 
 1866 some new members were taken in and the company char- 
 tered under the above name. The works have been operated 
 almost continuously for thirty-six years. 
 
 The other rolling mill was built later and is now operated 
 by the Kleanor Iron Company, R. C. McNeal Secretary and 
 Treasurer. These are both quite extensive works, the Iron 
 and Nail Company employing 150 men. Nails were made 
 here at one time, but the nail department has not been in 
 operation for some 3'ears. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 105 
 
 McLanahan, Smith & Co. have an extensive foundry and 
 machine shop in Gaysport, where they manufacture larg-e 
 quantities of machinery which is shipped to various parts of 
 the country, the Southern States especially. These works 
 were first started in 1857 as the Bellroug-h foundry and have 
 been enlarg^ed several times since by successive owners. 
 
 HOLLIDAYSBURG DaTES. 
 
 First settlement made in 1768 
 
 Janet Holliday and brother massacred by Indians 1790 
 
 Town laid out about 1790 
 
 Pike completed thoug-h 1819 
 
 Canal completed to here and first boat run 1832 
 
 Portag-e Railroad completed 1833 
 
 Population 1,200 in 1836 
 
 Incorporated as a boroug-h 1836 
 
 Great flood 1838 
 
 Made county-seat 1846 
 
 First court held in M. E. church, July 27 1846 
 
 Magnetic teleg-raph from Bedford A8'\ fr /^^ 
 
 Pennsylvania Central Railroad and first train 1852 
 
 First foundry 1837 
 
 First fire engine (hand engine) 1837 
 
 First iron furnace 1855 
 
 First rolling mill 1860 
 
 First water-works, from Brush Mountain.. . . 1867 
 
 Present countail jail completed 1869 
 
 Presbyterian church completed 1870 
 
 First steam fire engine 1871 
 
 Present Court House built 1877 
 
 Larg-est fire, Wayne and Allegheny streets ; loss, $2,000, -J^^,<^*^<^. 
 
 April, 14 1880 
 
 Telephone service from Altoona 1881 
 
 Memorable flood. May 31 1889 
 
 ;fclectric Passeng-er Railroad from Altoona 1893 
 
 Water broug-ht from Blair run 1895 
 
 Celebration of Semi-Centennial, June 11 and 12 1896 
 
106 Semi- Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 Tyrone. 
 
 If some adventurous person had followed the Juniata River to 
 near its headwaters any time between the years 1770 and 1785 he 
 might have seen, shortly after passing through the gap in the Bald 
 Eagle mountains, a level, triangular piece of ground, surrounded 
 on three sides by the mountain, and high hills and from the north 
 a stream of about the same size as the Juniata joining it here; also 
 a smaller stream flowing from a large spring and emptying into 
 the Juniata, and, in a small clearing near this spring, a hut or rude 
 dwelling inhabited by a half civilized Indian. This flat is where 
 Tyrone now stands and the Indian was Captain or Chief Logan, 
 an Indian differing little from others of the Cayugas, to which 
 tribe he belonged, except that he had laid aside the implements 
 of warfare and lived by hunting and fishing and bj^ cultivating 
 some of the land surrounding his cabin. He was not proud, but 
 had he known the post mortem honors that the future had in store 
 for him, that a rich and pleasant valley, a township, a borough, 
 an immense hotel and others of less size, beside numerous lodges, 
 societies, etc., and a great electric railway company would be 
 named after him, he might have been more dignified than he was. 
 Fortunately he never dreamed of these honors and when, in 1785, 
 a white man secured the legal title tonthe land that he had held 
 only by possessory right, and told him to mo.e off, he did so 
 without much objection and journeyed north to near the present 
 site of Clearfield, where he ended his days in peace. 
 
 The name of the white man who thus cruelly dispossessed the 
 peaceful old Indian has not been preserved, but he did not hold 
 the lands long. About the beginning of the present century they 
 formed part of a large mineral tract owned by John Glonninger & 
 Co., who in 1806 erected forges at the place now known as Ty- 
 rone Forges. A little village grew up around the Forges and a 
 farmer or two and a man with a saw-mill, Blisha Davis, occupied 
 the Indian's former land as tenants of, or purchasers from, Glon- 
 ninger 's. The Forges soon after became the propert}^ of Wm. M. 
 Lyon & Co. Jacob Burley was one of the very early settlers here 
 and built a log house in 1820 or perhaps earlier where the Central 
 Hotel now stands. 
 
 No town was projected until the Central Pennsylvania Rail- 
 road as the Pennsylvania Railroad was then called, was in 
 process of construction, then Tyrone sprung into being. The first 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 107 
 
 plot was surveyed in the spring of 185 1 by direction of \Vm. M. 
 Lyon & Co. It consisted of 75 lots only, lying north of Juniata 
 street and west of Main. During that season six or eight small 
 buildings were erected for stores and residences. A frame house 
 built by Jacob Burley in 1850 where the Study block now stands 
 was used as a store and dwelling that year and was the first store 
 in the new town. 
 
 No name was given the place by its proprietors at first but it 
 was called Eaglesville by some and Shorbsville by others for the 
 first year or tvvo, but when it became apparent that it would grow 
 into a village it was christened Tyrone City. The latter part of 
 the name to distinguish it from T5'rone Forges, less than a mile 
 distant. T3Tone City grew quite rapidl)^ and in a few years con- 
 tained enough people to entitle it to a postoffice, and F. M. Bell 
 was appointed first postmaster, which office he held until 1857, 
 keeping the ofiice in his store. There has been no halt in the 
 growth of Tyrone, although it has not increased as rapidly as 
 Altoona. In 1870 the population was 1,800, and now, with its 
 suburbs, it is fully 8,000. By an Act of Assembly, approved 
 Maj- 1874, it was divided into four wards, which is the present 
 number. 
 
 The completion of the Pennsylvania Railroad through Tyrone 
 from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, opened up a new outlet to market 
 for the products of Center count3^ and the people were not slow 
 to take advantage of it. A plank road was completed from Belle- 
 fonte to Tyrone in 1853 and in 1856 the project of a branch rail- 
 road to connect with the Pennsylvania Railroad was agitated , and 
 the Tyrone and Lock Haven Railroad Company was organized. 
 This company did not have sufficient capital to build the line and 
 it fell through, but in 1861 the Bald Eagle Valley Railroad Com- 
 pany was formed, and with some assistance from the Pennsylva- 
 nia Railroad Company, completed the railroad to Lock Haven. 
 Connecting also with Bellefonte by a branch from Milesburg. 
 
 A road to Clearfield, opening up the rich lumber and coal fields 
 of that county, was projected in 1856. The Tyrone and Clear- 
 field Company, organized to build it found the undertaking too 
 great and were also obliged to obtain assistance from the Penn- 
 sylvania. This road was also built in 1862, and the two branches 
 brought an immense amount of business to Tyrone. The Tyrone 
 Division of the Pennsj'lvania Railroad, to manage these two 
 branches, was established at this time, and the car repair shops at 
 Tyrone were built in 1868. The Tyrone and Lewisburg branch, 
 which also belongs to this division, was constructed in 1881-2. 
 
108 Setni-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 The Tyrone Gas and Water Co. was authorized by Act of As- 
 sembly March lo, 1865, but no organization was completed until 
 1869, at which time a company was formed with a capital of $20,- 
 000, and water works immediately constructed and pipes laid in 
 the principal streets. The Gas Works however, were not built 
 until 1873. Gas was expensive in those days, the rate to consum- 
 ers being $3.50 per thousand cubic feet. A Volunteer Fire de- 
 partment was organized in 1868 and Wm. Stoke, nowof Altoona, 
 was the first Fire Marshall of Tyrone. The first steam fire engine 
 and 200 feet of hose was purchased in 1873 and given in charge 
 of the Neptune Fire Co., which had been organized as a Hose Co. 
 in 1 87 1. 
 
 The Bald Eagle tannery, one of Tyrone's important industries 
 was erected and put in operation in 1870 by Daniel P. Ray and 
 after his death in 1881 operated by his sons John K. and Daniel 
 P. Ray. The tannery is located close to the passenger station. 
 
 The Tyrone Paper Mills, the largest industry in Tyrone and 
 one of the largest of its kind in the state, was built by Morrison, 
 Bare & Cass in 1880 and put in operation in October of that year, 
 and has been running successfully ever since. It is situated on 
 Bald Eagle Creek at the upper end of Pennsylvania avenue. Sev- 
 eral hundred men are employed and immense q uantities of wood 
 are used in the manufacture. They make manilla writing, book 
 and news paper, wood being the principal ingredient, being 
 chopped into small chips and reduced to pulp by chemical pro- 
 cesses. 
 
 The first Building and L,oan Association in Tyrone was or- 
 ganized March, 1870, and called the Tyrone Building and Loan 
 Association. Another, the Bald Eagle, was organized May, 1872. 
 The first hotel erected for the purpose in Tyrone was the Central, 
 built in 1852-3 by John Burley, it was afterward enlarged and is 
 now carried on by C. M. Waple. The Ward House, by the pas- 
 senger station was built in 1859 to 1862 by Mrs. Mary Ward. It 
 is now conducted on by J. T. Rowley. 
 
 The first bank in Tyrone was that of Eloyd, Caldwell & Co., 
 established in 1866 and went down with the other Eloyd banks in 
 the financial crash of 1873. 
 
 The Tyrone Bank was established April i, 1871, and the 
 Blair County Banking Co., organized Dec. 15, 1874. 
 
Semi-Cententiial History of Blair County. 109 
 
 Tyrone Newspapers. 
 
 Had there been some deadly miasma in the air as fatal to 
 human lile as the conditions seemed to be to the early newspaper 
 ventures, Tyrone would be an uninhabited spot to-day, but fortu- 
 nately there was not. 
 
 The first newspaper started in Tyrone was a weekly in 1856 by 
 D. A. McGeehan and called the Iron Ao-e politics, Demccratic. 
 It continued for a year or a little more when it failed and the pro- 
 prietor was sold out. 
 
 The American Era was commenced a little later the same 
 year, owned by a stock company and edited by W. S. H. Keys, 
 politics. Republican. The rival papers maintained a bitter war- 
 fare with each other and both failed about the same time, the 
 press and type of the Era being purchased by Robert Stodard. 
 The town was without a paper for a while and then the Tyrone 
 Herald was started with the same outfit formerly used by the Era. 
 
 It failed after a \ ear's strug-g"le ag^ainst adverse circum- 
 stances and was revived later under the name of the Star, by 
 James Bell, but the Star was not a fixed one and failed after 
 a short period. Ag^ain a newspaper was started under the 
 name of the Tyrone Herald, H. R. Holtzing-er, editor. It 
 survived six months. Holtzing-er being- a Brethren minister, 
 soon after started a denominational paper called the Christian 
 Family Companion, which succeeded quite well, but in a few 
 years was moved to Somerset county. Soon afterward the 
 Western Hemisphere was started by J. W. Scott and Cyrus 
 Jeffries, but eig-hteen months was as long- as their finances 
 would support it and it too was carried to the newspaper 
 cemetery of Tyrone and laid to rest sadly by the side of its 
 many equally unfortunate predecssors. 
 
 The Tyrone Herald, for the third time, made its appear- 
 ance on the newspaper horizon in Aug-ust, 1867, but it could 
 scarcely claim relationship to or descent from either of the 
 other two Heralds which preceded it. Holtzing-er and J. 
 L. Holmes were proprietors of the Herald this time and it 
 proved a success. In 1868 C. S. W. Jones became part owner 
 which was a guarantee of its stability and success, and it still 
 survives, occupying- a building of its own. In Jul}^ 1880, the 
 office was burned out but the paper did not lose an issue on 
 that account. It is now published daily and weekly, the daily 
 having- been beg-un in 1887, C. S. W. Jones still editor and 
 proprietor. 
 
 The Tyrone Bulletin, by Matthew H. Jolly, was issued 
 from April, 1867, for six months, when it collapsed. 
 
110 Semi- Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 The Tyrone Blade was established by J. L. Holmes after 
 his retirement from the Herald. He published it from June 
 1, 1870, to November 22, I872, when he sold it to George 
 Stroup who chang-ed the name to the Tyrone Democrat, which 
 was published until July 8, 1880, when the great fire destroyed 
 the office and the paper was never revived. 
 
 The Tj^rone Times was first beg-un as a semi-weekly paper 
 June 1, 1880, by John N. Holmes, son of J. L. Holmes and 
 A. M. Wooden, the office being- in a building of Mr. Wooden's 
 on lower Main street and the outfit a complete new one. 
 Aug-ust lOtli, the same year, it was changed to a weekl}-. 
 It passed throug"h several hands, being- owned and edited by 
 C. G. Nisselj' for a long- time, but is now published by Harry 
 A. Thompson, who became its owner February 1, 1896. 
 
 Bellwood. 
 
 This beautiful little town, formerly called Bells' Mills, is 
 noted for its picturesque mountain scenery. It is situated on the 
 main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, midway between Altoona 
 and Tyrone. It is also the southern terminus of the Pennsylva- 
 nia Northwestern Railroad, formerly the Bells' Gap, which was 
 constructed in 1872 and later extended to Punxsutawney in 
 Jefferson County and passes through a rich coal and lumber 
 region. The town first began to build up around the saw and 
 grist mill of Edward Bell about the year 1828, but only attained 
 a small size until the building of the Bells' Gap Railroad. It 
 was regularly laid out in 1877. The shops of this company are 
 located here and furnish employment to a large number of men. 
 There is also a foundry and machine shop doing an extensive 
 business. The place contains three hotels, several stores, a bank, 
 four churches, Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Eutheran and Pres- 
 byterian. In 18^4 the Eogan Valley Electric Passenger Rail- 
 way extended their tracks to Bellwood and that is now the east 
 ern terminus of the line, although it is likelj^ soon to be contin- 
 ued to Tyrone. The population of Bellwood is now 1,500. 
 
Setni-Centennial History of Blair County. Ill 
 
 Williamsburg. 
 
 When the first morning sun of the Nineteenth Century rose 
 it saw more evidences of civilization in Williamburg and vicinity 
 than any part of Blair county. The town plot had been laid out 
 in 1795 by Jacob Ake, who owned 600 acres of land including the 
 present village site and surroundings, and it is said he had a 
 school kept here about the year 1790 he furnishing the room and 
 paying the teacher and the settlers sending their children without 
 charge. If this be true it was the earliest free school in this re- 
 gion. The town plot contained 120 lots 50x175 feet in size. 
 The original streets wete Front and Second, each 60 feet wide, 
 Plum, 50 feet wide, High, 66 feet in width and Spring only 42, 
 eight feet being allowed tor the flow of the spring, The early 
 name of the town was Akestown, after its founder. It is said 
 that in 18 14 there were forty families here and that was equal to 
 the population of Frankstown at the time and far in excess of 
 Hollidaysburg. A saw and grist mill run by the water from the 
 big spring were built and operated as early as 1791 or '92. A 
 bucket factor}^ was established in 1830 by Hawley & Woodcock 
 and soon after a woolen factor}^ by David Bender. An oil mill 
 and tannery and several distilleries here, were among the very 
 earliest industries of the county. The canal passed through 
 in 1832 and the present Williamsburg branch of the Pennsylva- 
 nia Railroad was constructed about 1870. 
 
 An iron furnace was built in 1857, which was run for a num- 
 ber of years, but has now been removed and the only evidence of 
 its existence to-day is a large pile of furnace slag. Williamsburg is 
 beautifully situated on the Frankstown branch of the Juniata 
 river and under favorable conditions has the making of a large 
 city, and such it may ultimately become, but now its principal 
 claim to distinction is as the birthplace, or near it, of some of the 
 most prominent people Blair county has produced. One now oc- 
 cupies a seat in the Supreme Court of the State, another is a mem- 
 ber of Congress, another Mayor of the city of Harrisburg and 
 another will soon be elected to represent this county in the State 
 Legislature. The population is at present al)OUt 1,000. There 
 are a number of stores, four churches, a bank and several 
 smaller manufacturing establishments. The wonderful spring 
 still turns the wheels of a good-sized grist mill. 
 
112 Setni-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 Martinsburg. 
 
 The country in the vicinity of Martinburg was settled before 
 the Revolution, but Martinsburg town was not laid out until 1815. 
 The first plot was by Daniel Camerer and John Soyster built the 
 first house. Abraham Stoner laid out a plot adjoining Camerer 's 
 in 1820, and James McCra}^ plotted an extension to the borough 
 in 1871. 
 
 The growth of the town was slow ; in i860 the population 
 was 464 and in 1880 567. Now it is about 1,000. 
 
 The borough was incorporated in 1832 and in 1834 a second 
 Act of Assembly enlarged the bounds considerabl3^ 
 
 The surrounding country is a rich agricultural district, and 
 a very good trade is carried on here with the farmers of the 
 lower end of the county. 
 
 No iron works were ever built at Martinsburg and no large 
 industries of any kind established, but a big building, known 
 as the Juniata Institute stands on the outer edge of the town 
 and may be considered the most prominent feature. (See 
 schools). Besides a number of stores, a hotel, and several 
 churches there is a bank, the Martinsburg Deposit Bank 
 which was established in 1870. 
 
 A small newspaper, the Cove Echo, was published here in 
 1874-5 by Henry and John Brumbaugh. Unlike other towns 
 of the county Martinsburg is not surrounded by mountain 
 scenery, but occupies a comparatively level plain. 
 
 Roaring Spring. 
 
 This beautiful and flourishing borough contains about 
 1000 inhabitants, and is one of the newest towns of the county, 
 although it is the site of the first grist mill in all the region. 
 Jacob Neff, built a mill here, below the Springs, about the 
 year 1765, but it was not until quite recently that a town 
 grew up in the vicinit3\ The Spring is one of the natural 
 curiosities of Pennsylvania, bursting from the foot of a slight 
 elevation, it sends forth a stream of clear, pure and cold 
 water, of sufficient volume to turn an over-shot water wheel 
 and run a fair sized grist mill; to which use it was put for 
 many years, but now the large flouring mills of D. M. Bare 
 & Co., are driven by steam power, although the water for 
 the boilers comes from the spring. 
 
Semi-Centetmial History of Blair County. 113 
 
 As before stated, a grist mill was erected here at a very 
 early day, the exact date now unknown, by Jacob Neff; and 
 it was burned by the Indians and rebuilt by him prior to the 
 Revolution, Later, but still long-, long, ag-o, it was owned 
 by John Ullery, who was its next proprietor. It passed 
 throug-h various hands and finally came into the possession 
 of D. M. Bare who, in 1864, purchased the old mill, and in 
 1869 erected the present large one. Later, he associated others 
 with him and the firm was styled D. M. Bare & Co. "Bare's 
 Best," flour became a household word throug-hout a wide ter- 
 ritory. Mr. Bare, in partnership with Eby, Morrison & Co., 
 in 1866, built a paper mill just below the grist mill and these 
 two, tog-ether with a blank-book factory erected in 1886, are 
 the g-reat industries of the town; furnishing employment to a 
 larg-e number of persons. The first regularly laid out town 
 lots were those plotted for D. M. Bare, in 1865 — fifty in num- 
 ber. Hon. Georg-e H. Spang- also laid out a plot adjoining- 
 these in 1874 and in 1887 the borough was incorporated, and 
 in the spring- of 1888 the first boroug-h officers were elected. 
 
 A fire destoyed the paper mill in 1866 and another in 1887 
 the book factor}', but both were immediately rebuilt. A larg-e 
 hotel was erected in 1888, near the depot. The railroad was 
 extended from Hollidaysburg- to Roaring- Spring, Martinsburg- 
 and Henrietta, in 1871. It should be needless to add that the 
 town was named from the spring-, but it will surprise strang-- 
 ers to learn that no one now living", ever heard this spring- 
 roar. It is said, however, that in the early days of the coun- 
 try it did send forth a roaring- sound that, in the stillness of 
 the forest, could^be .heard for half a mile, and that chang-es 
 made at its mouth obliterated this feature but not the name. 
 
 Tipton, Fostoria and Grazierville. 
 
 These are small, very small villag-es, on the P. R. R. be- 
 tween Bellwood and Tyrone. The two former were started 
 about the same time as Altoona and Tyrone but did not thrive 
 as their projectors had hoped and both now present a some- 
 what forlorn and deserted appearance. Yet the time is not 
 far distant when the}' may put on new life and activity. The 
 entire valley from Bellwood to Tyrone is very attractive and 
 when the Log-an Valley Electric railway is completed to Ty- 
 rone, it will all be built up with residences and become one 
 continuous town. Grazierville was the location of Cold Spring- 
 forg-e long- before the railroad was built and it is but a small 
 hamlet now, the forge having- long- since ceased to burn and 
 its very site almost obliterated. Davidsburg- is a Fmall but 
 ancient village on the public road between Bellwood and Fos- 
 toria;, off from the railroad. It was laid out in 1827, by John 
 Henshey, and named in honor of his son David. Chief Logan, 
 the Indian, had his wigwam beside the spring- here before he 
 
114 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 located at the present site of T3'rone, Prior the construction 
 of the P. R. R. this place was on the public road leading- 
 from Bellefonte to the Portage railroad at Duncansville and 
 was quite a flourishing village, with three stores, two hotels, 
 a tannery, two blacksmith shops, etc. Dr. Crawford Irwin, 
 now of Hollida^'sburg-, located here in his younger days. 
 
 The Future of Blair County. 
 
 No man can see an inch beyond the present, but a careful 
 observation of the present, together with a thoughtful study oi the 
 past, often furnishes a basis for almost positive predictions for the 
 future. 
 
 Such observation and study has occupied much of the writer's 
 time and the result has been such as to fully satisfy him that 
 Blair county has before her a future of great brilliancy. The 
 situation is worthy of special consideration. The superficial area 
 of the county is large, 594 miles, half as much as the State of 
 Rhode Island and more than one- fourth the size of Delaware and 
 while surrounded on all sides by mountains, a large proportion of 
 the soil is tillable and most of it reasonably fertile. Well culti- 
 vated it would support a large population, though of course, not 
 nearly as large as many other parts of the State. Her ability to 
 maintain a population of 100,000 is easily demonstrable, and this 
 is one factor in the case. 
 
 That she already has so many inhabitants, and is so far ahead 
 of the surrounding counties in population and in the possession 
 of a large city, Altoona, is another important factor. It gives her 
 prestio:e, which is a drawing power, prven by the hundreds of 
 people from the immediately adjacent counties nowhere and daily 
 arriving. It is not reasonable to suppose that any other cit}^ 
 within a radius of 100 miles will ever surpass or even equal 
 Altoona in size. She is the metropolis of Central Pennsylvania 
 and will remain so without a rival. There are too many shrewd 
 and intelligent men here, with property interests at stake, for her 
 steady growth to be checked for an instant. 
 
 For Altoona to cease growing means bankruptcy for them and 
 they will keep enterprise on the move as a matter of selt-preser- 
 vation. With such men, so interested, and backed by a rich and 
 powerful railroad, like the Penns3'lvania. can anyone think ior an 
 instant that Altoona will cease growing before her population has 
 reached 100,000, or that it will be allowed to stop even there ? 
 
 The Pennsylvania Railroad is solidly buit, has possession of 
 the field and from the nature of the country it would be almost 
 impossible for a parallel and competing line to be profitably' con- 
 structed anywhere near Blair covmty. A north and south road is 
 feasible, would prove a benefit to the Pennsylvania Railroad and 
 will undobtedly be built; and Altoona, as the largest city of this 
 region, accessible by rail in every direction, will be the center of 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 115 
 
 trade and, of course, prosper greatly. Altoona being a great city 
 and also a part of Blair county, it follows, necessarily, that Blair 
 county will be great and everj^ part of the county be benefitted by 
 proximity to it. 
 
 Furthermore, Blair county has mineral wealth. Some of it 
 has been partially developed, but there is much reason to believe 
 that the vast body of her mineral deposits are yet untouched. 
 Some day a man with money to waste will erect a derrick in some 
 of the valleys, perhaps Logan, below Bellwood, and after spend- 
 ing a few thousands will find petroleum oil gushing out in such 
 quantities as to repay him in a week. Then others will do like- 
 wise while many will say, " I thought as much. Why was it 
 not done before ? ' ' 
 
 Some time shafts and slopes will be sunk in Blair count}^ 
 from vvhich vast quantities of coal will be taken, and fortunes will 
 be made by that industry. Manufactures will flourish here, too: 
 There is no reason wh)^ they should not. Artisans enjoy life 
 better and can do more work in a healthy climate, where air 
 and water is pure and the surroundings beautiful, than where the 
 contrary is true, therefore thousands of mechanics will, in the 
 early future, reside in Blair county and the products of their labor 
 will be sold all over the world. Will not Blair then be great? 
 Nearly everything that can be manufactured profitably in any 
 part of the United States may, under good management, be manu- 
 factured here with profit ; especially such articles as are in con- 
 stant and general use by us. A pound of raw cotton, worth 6 or 
 7 cents in the fields of South Carolina is shipped to Massachu- 
 setts and made into print cloth ; is sent to Blair county and we 
 pay 50 to 75 cents for it. A pound of wool in California, worth 20 to 
 25 cents, also goes east and after being made into cloth comes to 
 Blair county and we pay $1.50 to $2.00 for it. The difference 
 represents the labor of eastern mechanics and the profit of eastern 
 manufacturers and wholesalers. These and a hundred other 
 things might be made in Blair county, and the workmen engaged 
 at it live here and help to swell our aggregate of population and 
 wealth. Some day this will be done. 
 
 Places of Interest which Visitors to Blair 
 County should See. 
 
 First, the immense shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- 
 pany, in their three departments of Machine shops. Car shops and 
 Locomotive shops, where everything pertaining to cars and engines 
 is made ; where parlor cars of the most luxurious design and 
 finish costing $12,000 to $20,000 are constructed and locomo- 
 tive engines weighing a hundred tons are built, capable of rushing 
 
116 Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 through the country, on steel rails, at the rate of a mile a minute 
 and hauling freight trains of such enormous weight that i,ooo 
 teams of horses could not move them. 
 
 Second, the large freight j'ard extending from the eastern 
 limits of the city to Elizabeth furnace, nearly five miles ; not yet 
 completed but having miles upon mile of side tracks on which 
 may be seen thousands of cars. 
 
 The extensive paper mills of Morrison & Cass, at Tyrone, 
 where fine book paper is made from the thousands of cords of 
 wood piled up on all sides of the mill. A similar plant, though 
 not so large, at Roaring Springs. 
 
 The Logan House, at Altoona, which Bill Nye, when he 
 stopped here, said was as large as the State of Rhode Island ; 
 that he slept in the northeast corner of it, two miles from the 
 clerk's office. 
 
 \_) The stupendous reservor at Kittanning Point, where over 
 400,000,000 gallons of water is stored for the use of Altoona. 
 
 The ' ' Horse-shoe Bend ' ' of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Kit- 
 tanning Point, and the grand mountain scenery from there to 
 Bennington, which has been admired by thousands of people from 
 all parts of the world. 
 
 Roaring Spring and the big spring at Williamsburg, both of 
 which flow strong enough to run a griest mill. 
 
 ij Flowing spring near Williamsburg on the Pennsylvania Rail- 
 road branch which ebs and flows at irregular intervals. 
 
 Sinking run in Sinking Run Valley, Tyrone township, 
 which is quite a good sized creek and after a flow of several 
 miles is completely swallowed up and disappears in the earth. 
 
 Arch Spring in the same township near Water Street, 
 iwhich bursts from an arched formation in a hill side and pro- 
 duces a large stream which flows into the Juniata river. This 
 is supposed to be the same Sinking run which disappears 
 some miles to the west. 
 
 The large lime stone quaries and kilns at Frankstown, 
 Duncansville, Canan Station and other places. 
 
 The ruins of old iron furnaces, at Allegheny Furnace near 
 Altoona, others at Frankstown, Williamsburg, Elizabeth 
 Furnace, McKee's Gap and elsewhere. 
 
 The beautiful park and lake at Lakemont on the Logan 
 Valley Electric Railway, midwa}- between Altoona and Holli- 
 daysburg. 
 
 Wopsononock mountain and observatory, reached by the 
 Altoona, Clearfield and Northern railroad from Juniata. 
 
 The magnificent landscapes to be seen from elevated points 
 in and near Hollidaysburg, Altoona, Bellwood and Tyrone, 
 and the beautiful Logan Valley as it may be viewed from the 
 cars of the Pennsylvania Railroad in passing from Altoona to 
 Tyrone. Also hundreds of other beautiful and interesting 
 things and localities that will be pointed out by old residents 
 of the county. 
 
1846. 
 
 LITTLE BLAIR. 
 
 1896. 
 
 As from the rock that towers high, 
 The eagle gazes toward the sky, 
 Then spreads his wings and soars away. 
 To bathe his plumage in tlie ray 
 That falls in freshness from the sun; 
 So Blair from lofty Huntingdon, 
 Grazed upward toward Dominion's sky, 
 And quick to see and strong to fly, 
 Sprang upward in her liberty. 
 And rose to glorious destiny. 
 
 For fifty years her wings she's tried, 
 For fifty years her strength and pride 
 Have weakened not, but stronger grown, 
 ^Till through the land her power's known, 
 And Pennsylvania's counties fair, 
 Obeisance pay to Little Blaih. 
 
 Her rock-ribbed mountains, high and blue, 
 Are not more strong and not more true, 
 Than is her love for those who gave 
 Their strong, young life our Land to save, 
 Who heard great Lincoln's call for men. 
 And died in field and prison-pen. 
 Blair's heroes sleep far, far from home. 
 Their only epitapli, "Unknown!" 
 But angels bright are sent of G-od 
 To watch beside their beds of sod. 
 Long as our mountains pierce the skies — 
 Till God shall bid the dead arise- 
 Ne'er let the work ©ur heroes wrought, 
 By children's children be forgot. 
 
 Brave "Boys in Blue," when strife was o'er, 
 When cannon ceased to flame and roar; 
 When God's sweet angel whispered "Peace!" 
 And caused the noise of war to cease; 
 Witli sunburnt face and battle scars. 
 Beneath the dear old Stripes and Stars, 
 Marched homeward to the hills of Blair, 
 While shouts of welcome filled the air. 
 These "Boys in Blue," so brave and strong. 
 Are with us now, but not for long; 
 For one by one they pass within 
 The tent that has no "outward swing." 
 The debt we owe them never can 
 Be paid on earth by mortal man. 
 May He who died a world to save 
 Smile on our heroes, true and brave. 
 
 But Blair has other heroes true 
 As those who fought in lines of blue 
 For Freedom, and inscribed their name 
 High on the scroll of deathless Fame. 
 Who, in the time of testing, stood 
 Where duty called, and never would 
 Their post forsake, but did their part 
 in face of Death, like noble Sharp. 
 
 God's richest blessings on him rain 
 Who saved the wildly rusliing train; 
 Who bravely answered Duty's call 
 And gave the world a second Paul. 
 
 Where robed in ermine justice stands. 
 Her balanced scales witliin her hands, 
 Blair's sons now sit in court supreme 
 Impartially to judge between 
 The right and wrong of every cause — 
 Maintaining justice and her laws. 
 
 Where statesmen "clutcli the golden keys 
 To mould a mighty state's decrees—" 
 In congress halls her sons have gone 
 And lasting honors there have won. 
 
 In church at home and church abroad 
 Her sons proclaim the truth of God, 
 And heathen far beyond tlie sea 
 Point to the Christ of Calvary. 
 
 Her teachers, too, well "skilled to rule'' 
 In city or In village school. 
 Have learning's strong foundation laid 
 In mind of boy and mind of maid, 
 Till all her sons and daughters fair 
 Are now the pride of "Little Blair;'' 
 While some have climbed Parnassus' hill, 
 Whose name and fame the nations fill. 
 
 Her Press so strong, so true and free, 
 To plead for Right and Liberty; 
 All shams expose, all truth defend; 
 Has proved herself tlie People's friend. 
 As our own mountain air is free, 
 So let our Press forever be! 
 
 The peerless Corporation, too, 
 Known o'er the world, as strong and true 
 As Johnstown Bridge, well known to fame, 
 That stood so firm when torrents came; 
 To all her men both kind and fair, 
 Has brought large wealth to "Little Blair." 
 Ib busy shops, on flying trains. 
 With brawny arms and giant brains, 
 With courage true and matchless zeal, 
 Her sons promote the Nation's weal. 
 
 For fifty years she's done so well. 
 No mortal all her deeds may tell; 
 While mountains pierce the ambient air, 
 O live and flourish, glorious Blair! 
 
 Ida Clakkson Lewis 
 Altoona, Pa., April 13, 1896. 
 
A^I^PEISTDIX:. 
 
 HOW THE 5EMNCENTENNIAL WAS CELEBRATED. 
 
 The Program as It Was Carried Out, June lo, ii and 12, 1896, 
 
 The two old and true sayings that 
 "Man proposes but God disposes," and 
 "There's many a slip "twixt cup and the 
 lip, " did not receive much additional il- 
 lustration during the greatJubilee of Blair 
 County in commemoration of the comple- 
 tion of her first fifty years of independent 
 existence, as the pre-arranged program 
 was carried out with but little change. 
 Providence seemed to smile on the ettbrts 
 of the people of Blair to properly cele- 
 brate the occasion. The weather all that 
 could have been desired ; frequent show- 
 ers during the week preceding and on the 
 first two days of the week of festivities 
 led to some apjjrehension that it might be 
 a failure, but on Wednesday morning the 
 clouds were dissipated and not another 
 drop of rain fell until tlie last set piece of 
 the pyrotechnic display of Friday night 
 had enacted its part and the curtain 
 dropped on the scene. 
 
 Wednesday afternoon, June 10, 1896, 
 at 2:30 o'clock the first formal meeting- 
 took place. It was the bar of Blair Coun- 
 ty entertaining invited guests, disting- 
 uished jurists, and former members of 
 the county bar with reminiscent speech 
 at the Court House, and in the evening 
 a banquet at the Logan House, Altoona. 
 
 The afternoon meeting was called 
 to order at 2:30, and on motion of 
 A. A. Stevens, Esq., Hon. Martin 
 Bell, President Judge of the county, 
 was chosen chairman. Rev. D. H. 
 Barron, D. D., pastor of the First Pres- 
 byterian church of Hollidaysburg, ottered 
 a prayer, and a sextette under the leader- 
 ship of Charles Geesey, Esq., sang the 
 national anthem "America." The sing- 
 ers also rendered other appropriate selec- 
 tions, at intervals, during the afternoon. 
 Hon. D. J. Neft', the oldest active mem- 
 ber of the bar, delivered the address of 
 welcome. He was followed by Hon. Au- 
 gustus S. Landis with a historical ad- 
 dress, which occupied an hour in the de- 
 livery. Other short addresses were made 
 by Hon. William Dorris of Huntingdon, 
 one of the five surviving members of the 
 original bar, Hon. John Scott of Phila- 
 delphia, and Hon. John Fenlon of Ebens- 
 burg, also among the few survivors of 
 that first court in Blair County nearly 
 fifty years ago. Mr. Justice John Dean 
 of tlie Supreme Bench, was the last speak- 
 er, after which W. L. Pascoe, Esq., of 
 Tyrone, at 5 o'clock, moved the adjourn- j 
 ment of the meeting in a few well chosen | 
 sentences. i 
 
 Among the distinguished guests pres- j 
 ent were : Hon. John Dean of HoUidays- j 
 burg, Hon. A. V. Barker and Hon. John 
 Fenlon of Ebensburg, Hon. John M. Bail- 
 
 ey and Hon. William Dorris of Hunting- 
 don, Hon. John Scott and H. O. Kline of 
 Philadelphia, Hon. J. H. Longenecker of 
 Bedford, Hon. Scott Alexander of Fulton 
 County, and others. 
 
 The addresses of Col. Neft" and Judge 
 Landis are given in full on the following 
 pages. 
 
 In the evening the bar and invited 
 guests assembled at the Logan House, at 8 
 o'clock, for a reception and banquet. They 
 sat down to the banquet table at 9.45 and, 
 with the exception of some attorneys from 
 Hollidaysburg and Tyrone who were 
 I obliged to leave on the 12 o'clock train, 
 did not quit the banquet hall until/ o'clock 
 1 in the morning. No wines nor intoxicants 
 of any kind were served, and the last two 
 hours were spent in responding to the 
 toasts, J. S. Leisenring, Esq., toast-mas- 
 ter. 
 
 Hon. L. W. Hall, of Harrisburg, to 
 whom had been assigned the task of re- 
 sponding to "The Lawyer" was not pre- 
 sent and this toast was not offered. Mr. 
 Justice John Dean responded to the toast 
 "The Judiciary" and spoke feelingly. 
 Thos. H. Greevy, Esq., responded to the 
 toast "Our Clients'' in a humorous vein. 
 W. I. Woodcock, Esq., in the absence of 
 Judge Bell, who was luiable to remain to 
 the end of the banquet, responded to the 
 toast "Our Guests." Most of the guests 
 of the afternoon were present at the re- 
 ception and banquet at night, and the 
 Christian Endeavor Sextette led by Chas. 
 Geesey, Esq., rendered some pleasing- 
 music. The Committee on Arrangements 
 was composed of Hon. Martin Bell, Hon. 
 A. S. Landis, A. A. Stevens, Hon. D. J. 
 Nett", J. S. Leisenring, W. L. Hicks, W. 
 S. Hammond and H. A. McFadden. 
 
 Thursday morning's sun rose in a 
 cloudless sky and the temperature was 
 not much above 70 degrees Fahrenheit 
 at any time ; a gentle breeze making the 
 day a perfect one for marching, no dust 
 and no mud. This was Military Day and 
 shortly after 11 a. m. the columns of sol- 
 diers moved oft' over the route assigned 
 in the following order: 
 Chief Marshal Theodore Burchfield and 
 Staft", 
 Altoona City Band, 
 Fifth Regiment Drum Corps, 
 Fifth Regiment National Guards of Pa., 
 
 Battery "B'' of the Second Brigade, 
 Sheridan Troop, N. G. P., of Tyrone, 
 
 Capt. C. S. W. Jones, 
 
 Carriages containing members of the 
 
 General Committee and distinguished 
 
 Guests, 
 
 Second Division — Marshall and Staff, 
 Hollidaysburg Band, 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Klair County. 
 
 Post No. 39, Grand Army of the Eepublic, 
 
 Logan Band, 
 Post No. 62, Grand Army of the Republic, 
 
 Roaring Spring Drum Corps, 
 
 Post No.83, Grand Army of the Republic, 
 
 of Roaring Spring, 
 
 Continental Drum Corps, 
 
 Post No. 172,G rand Army of the Republic, 
 
 of Tyrone, 
 
 St. Patrick's Band of Gallitzin, 
 
 Post No.420,Grand Army of the Republic, 
 
 of Belhvood, 
 
 Reese's Cadet Drum Corps, 
 
 Post No.468, Grand Army of the Republic, 
 
 " 474 " " " " 
 
 " 574,' " " " 
 
 People's Band of South Fork, 
 
 Encampment No .17 and 37 Union Veteran 
 
 Legion, 
 Camps Nos, 13, 89 and 234, Union Vet- 
 eran Legion, 
 Carriage containing old Soldiers, 
 Bellwood Band, 
 German Veteran Association 
 of Altoona. 
 The route traversed was from the start- 
 ing point near the depot in Gaysport, 
 across the bridge into Hollidaysburg, 
 Allegheny street to Juniata street, to 
 Mulbury street, to Amelia street, to Al- 
 legheny street, to Jones street, to Wal- 
 nut street, to Juniata street, to Allegheny 
 street, to Union street. Distinguished 
 guests not in carriages reviewed the pro- 
 cession in front of the Court House. 
 
 The parade ended about noon and at 
 2.45 p. m. the ceremony of unveiling the 
 monument began in front of the Court 
 House. The Semi-Centennial Chorus of 
 200 voices, Charles Geesy, Esq., director, 
 sang "America" in a thrilling manner, 
 and ]{ev. D. S. Monroe, D. D., presiding 
 elder of the Altoona District, Central 
 Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, offered the invocation 
 and at its conclusion the choir sang "To 
 Thee, O Country," alter which Comrade 
 Henry L. Bunker unveiled tlie Soldiers' 
 Monument and Captain Robert Johnson 
 formally presented it to tlie County Com- 
 missioners. Hon. J. D. Hicks, member 
 of Congress from Blair County received 
 it in the name of the Commissioners and 
 made a brilliant ten minute speech in 
 which he said that 4,o00 soldiers from 
 Blair County fought for the preservation 
 of the Union and there was not a battle 
 fought during the war in which there 
 were not men engaged who were from 
 Blair County. 
 
 Thomas J. Stewart, Adjutant General 
 of Pennsylvania, followed in an able ora- 
 tion occupying half an hour, after which 
 the band played a patriotic air. The 
 assembled multitude then sang the doxo- 
 logy "Praise God From Whom All Bles- 
 sings Flow," and the meeting adjourned 
 at 4.06 p. m. In the evening the Giand 
 Army Posts held a Camp Fire in fiont of 
 the Court House and thus the exercises 
 of the second day closed. 
 
 Friday, the last day of the celebration, 
 dawned bright and clear, and was a most 
 perfect summer day, the temperature be- 
 ing most delightful, 70 to 78 degrees 
 Fahrenheit, and a pleasant air stirring. 
 By six o'clock in the morning the electric 
 cars to Hollidaysburg were crowded with 
 people enroute to the County seat. Most 
 of the stores and the P. R. R. shops in 
 Altoona were closed all day. Both elec- 
 tric cars and railroad were taxed to their 
 full capacity carrying passengers, and by 
 half past ten in the morning, when the 
 great civic or industrial parade started, 
 there were not less than 25,000 people in 
 Hollidaysburg and Gaysport, and the 
 total number of visitors during the day 
 was nearly 40,000; being about double 
 that of the preceding day. 
 
 The parade started at 10.30 from Gays- 
 port and marched across the Juniata river 
 to Hollidaysburg, to Montgomery street, 
 along Montgomery to Blair, along Blair 
 to Jones, along Jones to Walnut, along 
 Walnut to Juniata, along Juniuta to 
 Mulberry, along Mulberry to East Holli- 
 daysburg and Allegheny street, along 
 Allegheny street past the Court House, 
 where it was reviewed by Judge Dean, 
 the Mayor of Altoona and Burgesses of 
 the different Boroughs of the County, to 
 Gaysport where it disbanded. 
 
 It consisted of eleven divisions, led by 
 Chief Marshal W. C. Roller, Jesse L. 
 Hartman, Chief of Staff', and aides. 
 
 The first division comprised the Red 
 Men, I'epresenting the aboriginese, car- 
 riages with guests. Executive Committee, 
 the Altoona City Band, and the various 
 lodges of Odd Fellows of the County, 
 twenty or more, and the National Boys' 
 Brigade, of Altoona. 
 
 Second Division comprised the Patri- 
 otic Sons of America, nine camps. 
 
 Third Division — Uniformed Rank 
 Knights of Pythias and U. R. K. P. 
 Band of Pittsburgh. 
 
 Fourth Division — JuniorOrderUnited 
 American Mechanics, several councils 
 and numbering 1,000 men, the Oneida 
 Social Club of Altoona and the Tyrone 
 Division Brotherhood of Locomotive En- 
 gineers. 
 
 Fifth Division — Order of Artisans, 
 Reese's Cadet Corps, Assembly No. 29 of 
 Altoona and No. 11 of Hollidaysburg. 
 
 Sixth Division — Knights of the 
 Golden Eagle, Uniformed Rank, and 
 several subordinate castles, making a fine 
 display. 
 
 Seventh Division — Catholic Societies, 
 including Knigths of St. George, Emerald 
 Beneficial Association, St. Patrick's Band 
 and others. 
 
 Eighth Division. — Young Men's In- 
 stitute of Altoona, Councils INos. 120, 132 
 and 299. Logan Band and St. John's Tem- 
 perance Cadets. 
 
 Ninth Division. — Firemen : Volun- 
 teer Firemen's Association of Altoona, 
 Altoona P. R. R. Firemen, Tyrone Fire- 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 men, without eciuipment, and the Phoenix 
 Fire Company of Hollidaysburg with en- 
 gine and full equipment, Belhvood Fii-e- 
 nien, Belhvood Band, Duncansville Fire 
 Company and hose cart, South Fork Fire 
 Company and Band, and other visiting- 
 firemen. An old fashioned liand fire en- 
 gine brought up the lear. 
 
 Tenth Division. — Employes of Holli- 
 daysburg Rolling Mill, ITjO strong, in 
 W'orking fostunie and carrying some of 
 their work implements. 
 
 Eleventh Division.— Floats. — Mer- 
 chaiidise and machinei'y displays, ancient 
 relics, old canal boat, old stage coach, 
 etc., The float of William F. Gable & 
 Co. of Altoona, was the most artistic and 
 costly one in this division, representing 
 an immense urn entirely covered with ex- 
 pensive lace, "Justice" with her scales, 
 "Liberty" and "America ;" all draped in 
 white and drawn by eight gaily compari- 
 soned white horses, in tandem, with at- 
 tendants dressed in white. The Young 
 America Clothing Co. also had a beauti- 
 ful historical tableaux. 
 
 The procession was about one and one- 
 half miles in length and was three-quar- 
 ters of an hour passing a given point. Be- 
 tween five and six thousand persons took 
 part in it, while twenty-five to thirty 
 thousand spectators lined the streets 
 along Avhich they passed. 
 
 In the afternoon the Semi-Centennial 
 exercises were held in the Court House, 
 beginning at 2:40. The room was packed 
 long before the hour for beginning : the 
 crowd began to fill it soon after twelve 
 o'clock. As the Court room will only 
 contain about 1000 persons it follows that 
 not one-thirtieth part of the people in 
 town could gain admission. 
 
 At 3:40 the Altoona City Band played 
 a patriotic selection. 
 
 At 2:45 Judge Bell called the meeting 
 to order and made a few brief remarks in 
 which he illustrated the wonderful im- 
 provements in the past fifty years by com- 
 paring the old mail ^jackets, taking a 
 week to carry mail from Philadelphia to 
 Pittsburgh, while now we coidd flash our 
 words by telephone from New York to 
 Chicago almost instantaneously. He paid 
 a high tribute to the enterprise of Altoona 
 and her wonderful growth, and to the 
 broad and liberal policy of the Pennsyl- 
 vania Railroad Company, the I'ichest in 
 the word, probably. Rev. J. F. Hart- 
 man, pastor of the Second Lutheran 
 church of Altoona, offered a prayer, the 
 Semi-Centennial Chorus of two hundred 
 voices sang "Red, White and Blue," af- 
 ter whicli Hon. J. D. Hicks read the Prize 
 Poem, "Little Blair," written by Mrs. 
 Ida Clarkson Lewis. The Band and 
 Choir rendered some more music, and the 
 
 chairman introduced Hon. John Dean, 
 one of the Justices of the Supreme Court 
 of Pennsylvania, a native and life-long 
 resident of the county, who delivered the 
 historical address of the occasion; a mas- 
 terly ettbrt, dealing largely with the re- 
 ligious predilections of the first settlers 
 of the county. The paper is given in full 
 on the following pages. 
 
 The address was followed by more mu- 
 sic and then, aftei' a few preliminary re- 
 marks suitable to the occasion, the Rev. 
 Father Cornelius Sheehaii. pastor of St. 
 Mary's (latholic church, Ilollidaysburg, 
 pronounced the benediction, and the 
 meeting adjourned at 4:35 p. m. The 
 formal ceremonies of the celebration 
 closed with the adjournment of this meet- 
 ing, but one of the most entertaining feat- 
 ures was yet to come — the pyrotechnic 
 display on Campus Ridge, near Lakemont 
 Park. This began at 8:50 at night with 
 the ascension of a large paper balloon to 
 which explosives were attached. The air 
 being calm it went almost straight up- 
 ward till it was lost to view among the 
 stars. Fifteen hundred dollars worth of 
 fireworks were used in the entire display 
 of the evening, some of the set pieces be- 
 ing very fine, among them a full sized 
 locomotive engine and tender. The clos- 
 ing one, "Good Night," sent out its last 
 sparkling scintillation at 10:33 p. m., and 
 Blair County's Semi-Centennial passed 
 into history. 
 
 On the whole it was an immense suc- 
 cess from first to last. Not a hitch of any 
 kind occurred. The assembled crowd was 
 larger than any which Blair County had 
 ever seen and not an accident worth re- 
 cording happened during the entire time. 
 
 In Condron's Opera House, HoUidays- 
 burg, was maintained an exhibition of 
 relics worth many thousands of dollars, 
 as such, loaned by the individual owners 
 and free for the inspection of everybody. 
 They were surrounded at all times with 
 hundreds of appreciative visitors. 
 
 Among these relics and other exhibits 
 were old tomahawks, arrow heads, Indi- 
 an utensils, guns which had shot Indians, 
 guns, pistols and swords that had been 
 used in the revolution and earlier, guns 
 and swords of the war of 1812, the Mexi- 
 can war and the war of the Rebellion, 
 the first printing press used in Blair 
 County, copies of the first newspapers 
 printed here in 1834-5-6, old deeds one 
 hundred years old and more, the original 
 charter of the Portage Railroad, a clock 
 that kept the time in the Portage shops 
 in 1833, still in running order, a piano 
 made at Flowing Spring in 1837, and 
 hundreds of other equally intei-esting rel- 
 ics; pictures of all the Judges of the coun- 
 ty since its organization, etc. 
 
Semi-Centenntai. History op BT.AyI^ County. 
 
 The Address of Hon. Daniel J. Neff, Welcoming to the Celebration 
 the Quests of the Bar Association. 
 
 The people of this county, and others 
 from far and neai', who were at one time 
 resideu's thereof, or who are interested 
 in its history, will, dnrin<4- this week, 
 commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of 
 the or<ianization of the county. They 
 will review the progress that has been 
 made in art, sciences and invention, the 
 improvements in machinery, in the modes 
 of transportation and the growth and de- 
 velopment of the county in population 
 and wealth of the past 50 years. The 
 occasion will be most interesting and in- 
 structive to all the participants. The 
 judiciary and the bar of the county have 
 deemed it advisable and opportune, that 
 they also should observe the occasion 
 and commemorate it in a suitable manner. 
 The administration of the laws deeply 
 concerns all the inhabitants of the coun- 
 ty. In all enlightened commonwealths 
 the due administration of justice has been 
 esteemed as of great public interest, of 
 supreme importance, and an upright and 
 independent judiciary one of the safe- 
 guards of civil liberty. When we con- 
 sider the character and attainments, 
 learning and ability, of the judges, past 
 and piesent, who have occupied the 
 bench, we cannot doubt that this county 
 has been fortunate in its judiciary. 
 Judges have sat in our courts who have 
 shed a luster upon the jurisprudence of 
 the commonwealth, and who would com- 
 pare not unfavorably with John Marshall, 
 former Chief Justice of the Supreme 
 Court of the United States ; with Sir 
 Matthew Hale, Chief .lustice Mansfield, 
 or with Sir Edward Coke, the greatest 
 oracle of municipal jurisprudence in Eng- 
 land. 
 
 Speaking of the amenities of the bench, 
 I once heard Judge Taylor pay a high 
 compliment to the Supreme Court. A 
 gentlemen of the bar had been ai-guing 
 a question before him at considerable 
 length. The judge was againsr him, but 
 he persisted in his argument. The judge 
 finally told him it was useless to argue 
 the question further ; he had decided it. 
 But he said, "you liave your remedy ; 
 take an exception, and you can take the 
 case up and have my decision reviewed 
 by a court that cannot err." His honor 
 specially emphasized the last two words. 
 
 We can look back over 50 years of 
 eventful history and contemplate with 
 interest the many important issues that 
 have been tried, the important decisions 
 of our courts that have been rendered, 
 establishing tlie rights of person and 
 property and defining the landmarks of 
 the law. There is, at times, much in the 
 proceedings of courts to excite and at- 
 tract popular interest. There are wit- 
 nessed the tragic and the comic sides of 
 human life, its ups and downs ; life 
 
 histories and life tragedies are rehearsed 
 with more of passion and pathos than 
 upon the mimic stage, and the curtain 
 falls upon many a scene of human misery 
 and despair. The forensic displays of the 
 Roman Forum in the palmy days of the 
 republic and the empire, the great trials 
 of thrilling and historic interest in West- 
 minster hall, in its meridian glory, are 
 remembered with an absorbing and never 
 fading interest. There, within the old 
 walls of Westminster hall, "has stood 
 the Duke of Norfolk, to answer the 
 charge of asserting the right of Mary, 
 Queen of Scots, to the throne of Eng- 
 land ; and the Earl of Strafford, accused 
 of high treason against the sovereign 
 whom he served too faithfully, and War- 
 ren Hastings, around whose impeach- 
 ment was thrown the gorgeous splendor 
 of eastern imagery evoked by the spell of 
 eloquence from the lip of Sheridan and 
 Burke." 
 
 The gentlemen of the bar who attended 
 the first court held in this county in 1846, 
 and were then admitted to practice in the 
 several courts of this county, and who 
 are yet living will, no doubt, reflect upon 
 the many changes that have taken place 
 in the intervening years. They probably 
 journeyed to HoUidaysburg by canal boat 
 by stage coach, or perhaps partly by 
 canal and partly over the inclined planes 
 of the Portage Railroad. The Pennsyl- 
 vania canal, in connection with the Port- 
 age Railroad, constituting a great public 
 highway between the east and the west, 
 was regarded at that time, and in fact 
 was, a work of great magnitude, of su- 
 pi'eme importance. Time had been when 
 the mode of transportation, at least in 
 Central Pennsylvania, was principally by 
 broad wheeled Conestoga wagons lumber- 
 ing slowly along the pike between Phila- 
 delphia and Pittsburgh, or arks of rude 
 and primitive design, floating down oiir 
 rivers. The canal east and west of the 
 mountains, traversing in many places 
 dense forests, with the connecting links 
 of the rail and inclined plane, across the 
 AUeghenies, extending through a coun- 
 try abounding in mineral resources and 
 undeveloped wealth, constructed with 
 arduous labor and consummate engineer- 
 ing skill, was considered one of the great- 
 est achievements of the age. The Alle- 
 gheny Portage was pronounced by en- 
 lightened engineers in England and 
 France as one of the then wonders of the 
 world. The exalted purpose, the vast 
 imjiortance of these works, connecting 
 as they did with the Allegheny and Mon- 
 ongahela rivers at Pittsburgh, and with 
 the Ohio and Mississippi establishing a 
 great commercial waterway or highway 
 to the Gulf of Mexico, extending in their 
 beneficial effects to the utmost limits of 
 
Semi-Centhnnfal History of Blair County. 5 
 
 the national domain, and in their pro- 1848, 1887 and 1893. The act of April 11, 
 spective operation and effects into the far 1848, was the first great departure. It pro- 
 future Could not be overestimated. The vided that every species and description of 
 engineers and scientists of that day were property, whether real, personal or mixed, 
 men of high intelligence and varied which may be owned l)y or belong to any 
 knowledge, who had studied carefully single woman shall continue to be the 
 the most advanced systems of inland na- property of such woman as fully after her 
 vigation and railway construction in marriage as before, and all such property, 
 Europe and applied the knowleilge thus of whatever nature or kind, which shall 
 acquired to the advancement of great accrue to any married woman during cov- 
 enterprises at home. Standing in the van [ erture, by will, descent, deed of convey- 
 of civilization and human progress, they ance or otherwise, shall br^ owned and en- 
 helped to build up a great Common- joyed by such married woman as her own 
 wealth in enduring strength. The canal separate property, and such property shall 
 commissioner of that day was an imi)()rt- not be subject to levy and execution for 
 ant man, sometimes bigger than the Gov- the debts or liabilities of her husband, 
 ernor himself or the Legislature, the The acts of 1887 and 180," were still 
 power behind the throne greater than the greater departures in the same direction, 
 throne itself, making anil unmaking the tending to the protection of married 
 fortunes of men. The canal boat captain ' women in their right of isroperty. 
 
 also was a big man. He walked the deck 
 of his craft with as proud a step as the 
 commander of a man-of-war walks his 
 quarterdeck. These great public works, 
 it was supposed, would be enduring 
 would last for ages, like the Roman aque- 
 ducts or the Appian, over which, for cen- 
 turies, the legions of imperial Home 
 marched to their distant contiuests. But 
 the tireless energy and the inventive 
 genius of man have achieved conquests 
 
 In our grandmothers' days a married 
 woman could hardly be said to own her 
 spinning wheel in her own right. Now 
 the dashing femme covert can spin along 
 the public highway on her wheel and hold 
 and own her spinning wheel in defiance 
 of the world. 
 
 The Constitution of 1874 made great 
 ami radical changes in the fundamental 
 law. 
 
 The act of May 35, 1887, known as the 
 
 over the forces of nature and the ele- civil procedure act, abolishing tlie distinc- 
 ^ments undreamed of in that earlier day. tions theretofore existing between the dif- 
 The continent is spanned by great rail- ferent forms of actions ex contractu and 
 ways, grai^pling the states together with actions ex delicto, and providing that the 
 hooks of steel and bands of iron. Queen I plaintifl's declaration shall consist of a 
 Victoria can say "good morning" to concise statement of his demand, wrought 
 Grover Cleveland through the submarine a great and needed reform, and greatly 
 cable. It is said that Chauncy M. De- simplified the pleadings and proceedings 
 pew recently sent a message around the in the tilal of causes. All these changes 
 world — 25,0U0 miles— in lour minutes, were made during the last 50 years. jNIuch 
 We have the inestimable advantages and of the old and curious learning of a for- 
 conveniences of the electric railway. The mer age contained in old and musty tomes 
 telephone is an accomplished fact and the Doonisday books has become obsolete. 
 Roentgen ray has been discovered. Dur- Much of what might be termed the rub- 
 ing the last 50 years dynasties have risen bish of the law has been swept away, 
 and fallen, thei-e have been social and At the time of the organization of the 
 political upheavals in various parts of the county and for many years afterwards, 
 world, and mighty blows have been the judge and the lawyers usually wrote 
 struck for civil itberty, the rights of men down all the testimony during the pro- 
 and the emancipation of the oppressed. gress of the trial. We are relieved of 
 
 The world muves andtlie young man that labor now, as the official reporter 
 of this age who would keep "up witli the and stenographer does that work. The 
 procession must step lively. jndge's charge and the testimony are all 
 
 The changes in our laws" have kept pace typewritten by the reporter, and tlie plead- 
 Avith the progress of the age in other re- ings filed are also usually typewritten, 
 spects. These changes and innovations In former times the Altoona lawyer 
 upon the common law have been in the di- would pack his grip on Monday morning 
 rection of reform and improvement tend- and engage lodging at a hotel at the 
 ing to the elevation of man and the county seat for a week or during the sit- 
 amelioration of the condition of woman, ting of the court. For many years during 
 
 Theactof April y, 1849, exempting prop- the terms of court I regularly occupied 
 erty of a debtor to the value of $300 from room 29, at the American House, then 
 levy and sale on execnticm or by distress keptby that jolly landlordand genial host, 
 for rent is a humane and beneficient law, Daniel K. Ramey. Now all that is chang- 
 as are also all the various laws protecting ed by the electric cars, which run every 
 and giving a preference to the wages of 15 minutes and land the Altoona lawyers 
 manual hal)or. at the steps of the court house. The Al- 
 
 The legal status of married women has toona lawyer can stand at the telephone 
 been entrrely changed, and sweeping mod- in his comfortable office and by issuing 
 ifications have been made by the acts of , his oral mandate through the 'phone can 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 put the whole clerical force of the pro- 
 thonotary's office in motion or he can be 
 treated to a learned dissertation on prac- 
 tice by Judge Bowers at long range. 
 
 Judges and lawyers have, from time im- 
 memorial, been inclined to polite, social 
 intercourse and rational enjoyment. They 
 have been disposed to reasonable relaxa- 
 tion after the labors of the bench and the 
 contests of the forum. 
 
 In England, in the olden time, the ser- 
 geants at law were inducted into their 
 office with great state and ceremony. It 
 was attended with feasting, which some- 
 times lasted for several days, and at these 
 feasts the lord chancellor and some of the 
 highest dignitaries of the realm, some- 
 times including the king himself, sat 
 down. On these festive occasions the 
 lord chancellor usually lieaded the pro- 
 cession to the ban(iueting hall, thereby 
 giving the sanction of his official approval 
 to this important function. The newly 
 created sergeants at law were allowed the 
 high privilege of paying the bills for these 
 banquets. Rich and fragrant are the 
 memories that cluster around the inns of 
 court and chancery, which Ben Johnson 
 characterizes as "the noblest nurseries of 
 humanity and liberty in the kingdom." 
 It is said that the inns of court and chan- 
 cery were celebrated for the magnificence 
 of theii' entertainments. True to those 
 honored and immemorial traditions, and i 
 cherishing the past associations of the 
 bench and bar of Blair county, the Blair 
 County Bar association have invited the 
 judges of adjoining and adjacent coun- 
 ties, and all the lawyers now living who 
 formerly were resident practitioners at 
 our Bar, and the judge of the Supreme 
 Court who sat for many years as president 
 judge in this county, and the only thiee 
 ex-associate judges of this county now 
 living, to participate in this semi-centen- 
 nial celebration. 
 
 It is gratifying to lis to meet hei'e so 
 many worthy representatives of the judi- 
 ciary and gentlemen of the bar from other 
 localities. 
 
 C^ambria County is hei-e represented by j 
 its learned President Judge. The rarified 
 atmosphere of that elevated plateau upon 
 which Ebensburg stands seems to have ; 
 quickened and sharpened the wits of its \ 
 Judges and lawyers, for they have always 
 been celebrated for their w\t. Michael j 
 Daniel Magehan, Michael Hasson and 
 Robert L. Johnson were all in tlieir day, 
 noted wits ; Frank P. Tierney, who many 
 years ago, I'emoved from Ebensburg to 
 Altoona and died some years ago, was a 
 genuine wit, and as a mimic he had few 
 equals. Although of Irish descent he ! 
 
 could delineate the German or Irish char- 
 acter with equal facility. His mantle has 
 fallen upon a gentleman who is now the 
 acknowledged wit of our bar. I forbear 
 to mention his name as he is present, and 
 I know he is averse to public notoriety. 
 ' It may not be said of him, perhaps, aa 
 was said of one of the characters in the 
 i "School for Scandal" that his wit costs 
 ; him nothing, as it is always as the ex- ! 
 ' pense of a friend. It might be said, how- 
 ever, that it costs him nothing in this 
 sense : It costs him no effort. It is spon- 
 taneous. It effervescences and bubbles 
 like champagne. But I fear I trespass on 
 Judge Landis" domain. He is expected 
 to give us the history of the Blair County 
 Bar. It is, I presume a clear case of tres- 
 pass (juai-e clausum fregit. 
 
 The Supreme Court of the State is rep- 
 resented here by one of its learned justices 
 who, on this anniversary, can look back 
 with satisfaction on the many years dur- 
 ing which he occupied the bench in this 
 county with credit and distinction. 
 
 There is a gentleman here who former- 
 ly practiced at this bar, although a resi- 
 dent of Huntingdon, now residing in Phil- 
 adeli^hia. He was admitted at the first 
 court held in 1846. Those who heard him 
 at the bar in days gone by will esteem 
 themselves I'ortunate in having the oppor- 
 tunity of seeing him and hearing him 
 again. 
 
 Thei'e is a gentleman from Hari'isburg 
 present who years ago enjoyed unbounded 
 popularity and was a power in law and 
 politics in this county. His numerous 
 friends will greet him with the coidiality 
 of the days of yore. 
 
 To the Judges of neighboring counties, 
 to the Judges of the Supreme Court, to. 
 the old-time members of the bar, to the 
 ex-Associate Judges of the county, the 
 only three now living, to all who have re- 
 sponded to our invitation and kindly fa- 
 vored us with their presence, the lilair 
 County Bar Association sends greeting 
 and extends a cordial welcome to a par- 
 ticipation in all there is of interest, of 
 cherished memories, and of enjoyment in 
 the celebrat'.on of our Semi-Centennial. 
 Few, if any of us, will see Blair's centen- 
 nial. 
 
 May we now hope that the centeiniial 
 of 11)4() will be the dawn for our county 
 and for our country of the millennial morn 
 of a yet grander and nobler destiny. But 
 as we may not be there to see it let us 
 thank God that we are living to see the 
 Semi-Centennial, and make the best of 
 this occasion, while the train stops at this 
 half-way station. 
 
Semi-Centenniai. History of Blair County. 7 
 
 Address of Hon. Aug. S. Landis, History of the Bar of Blair County. 
 
 It has been said that the history of a revolu- 
 tion is often but the liistory of one'man. Bv pro- 
 per autithesis, it is perhaps just as true tliat the 
 history of a legal bar is the history of many [ 
 men. " I 
 
 Wlien it is remembered tliat the component 
 parts are the judges, Invested with tlie delf ijiited 
 powers of tlielaw, the attorneys and barristers 
 who invite tlie application of tliese p'lwers to ob- 
 tain for suitors a resultantproduct called justice, 
 tlie (ifticer wlio records and perpetu 'tes tlie adju- 
 dications of the court, and thiit other executive 
 department, which relentlessly enforces ttie law 
 as crystalized into its peremptory mandate,many 
 menwitii diversified miniis i^ive it liody, etflcacy 
 and character. Wliat they thus have done during 
 fifty years constitutes its history for that period. 
 
 I'he bar of this county came into existence iu 
 the year 1846. It had been a long struggle 
 wliether there should be a Blair county. The 
 subject was first discussed alxiut the year 183J. 
 This town was tlien a prosi)erous, growing town. 
 It was at the head of canal navigation. It was 
 the point of transhipment from canal to railroad 
 transportation.lt was on the only traffic thorough- 
 fare in the state. Tliese conditions brouglit many 
 people liere. I'he state employed many men to 
 operate the public improvements. Large for- 
 warding houses were erected, and their owners 
 handled the ever-increasing freight tonnage pass- 
 ing east and west. Large capital was embarked 
 in tills business, and in mercantile and manu- 
 facturing enteiprises Bitumi ous coal found 
 upon the land of Samuel Lemon, near the Sum- 
 mit, became a leading article of trade for domes- 
 tic use and transportation. Whilst it was the 
 only great distributing point fir a neigliborhood 
 of large radius, it was also the entrepot for the 
 products of a rapidly developing territory. Its 
 promise of a future urban population and wealth 
 invited many frotji other jiarts, who came to 
 share its generous and flattering fortunes. 
 
 This increased population and business neces- 
 sarily gave rise to litigation, and applications 
 for various purposes to the public officers and 
 the courts. Huntingdon county, of which it 
 was part, had its county seat at Huntingdon, 
 which lay thirty miles away, to be reached by 
 laborious and wearisome driving over two 
 mountains. This inconvenience gave rise to 
 the effort to have erected a new county, of 
 which this busy and growing centre should be 
 the county seat. 
 
 During the six or seven years when the subject 
 was discussed, whilst all were f .vorable to the 
 project, many were active in the worK until it 
 was tina'lv accomplished. Among them should 
 be named William Williams, afterward presi- 
 dent of the Exchange bank at this place: Peier 
 Cassldy, a well-known surveyor; Peter Hewit, 
 Silas Moore, Ed. McGraw, John Walker, Dr. 
 Joseph A Landis, Dr. James Colfey, Samuel Cal- 
 vin, William McFarland, Joseph Dysart, G^eorge 
 K. McFarlane, William C. McCormick James 
 M. Bell and R. A. McMurtrie. 
 
 The necessary legislation to erect the county 
 having failed at the first se--slon of the legisla- 
 ture in which a bill was presented, it was finally 
 enacted at the se-sion of 1S46, and was approved 
 by Governor Francis R. Shunk on the 26th of 
 February, 1846. Wlien the news i auie to the 
 people of the new county there was great re- 
 joicing, and it was a day in this county capital 
 in wliich tlie people were buoyant with an expec- 
 tation they felt to be assured of great future de- 
 velopment and prosperity. 
 
 This only in a measure was realized, for in a 
 few years the colossus which reared itself but a 
 friw miles away cist Its shadow upon the new 
 plant and chilled and checked its young life. It 
 can, however, assume to itself one comfort — that 
 it lives to celebrate its survival of Its disap- 
 pjintment, and the prpsessionof many advan 
 tages, conveniences and benefits which others do 
 not have and which keep it abreast wi h 
 the day's civilization, socially; morally and in- 
 tellectually 
 
 The county, under the act, took from Hunt- 
 ingdon county the townships of Allegheny, Antis, 
 Snyder, Tyrone, Frankstown. Blair, Huston, 
 Woodbury," and part of Morris. Bedford was 
 compelled to give up North W<iodhury and 
 Greenfield townships. Since then, the townships 
 
 of Juniata, Freedom, Logan and Taylor have 
 been formed from other townships. The bor- 
 oughs of the county areHollidaysburg,Gaysport, 
 Mdrtinsburg, Duncansville, Roarlns Spring,Ty- 
 rone. East Tyrone, Wllllamsburg,|Bellwood arid 
 Juniata. Altoona is the only incorporated city. 
 
 Thus, in 1846, a new county was added to the 
 state's long list, with a population of some 17,000 
 and an area of 510 square miles. The population 
 in 1890 was over "o,OUO. 
 
 It was, by the sa me act, made part of the Six- 
 teenth judicial district. This district already 
 comprised the counties of Franklin, Bedford, 
 Somerset and Fulton. Judge Jeremiah S. Black 
 was the president judge, and thus, by the enact- 
 ment, lie became the first judge of this county. 
 
 It is well, also, to remark that Huntingdon 
 county formed part of one of the original dis- 
 tricts of the commonwealth — the E^ourth judicial 
 district — which embraced many of the original 
 counties, and whicli was justly noted for having 
 furnished so many able and eminentjudges and 
 lawyers in both the supreme and common pleas 
 courts 
 
 Until the new court bouse should be completed 
 court sat in tlie (d Methodist church building 
 on Walnut street west of Montgomery street 
 This was a one-story brick building perched upor 
 the brink of a hill, thirty feet from the street 
 Tlie approach to it was by a broad stairway, and 
 for the temporary purpose was convenient and 
 suitable. On the 'iTtn of July,1846, Judge Blick 
 witli his associates, George R. McFarlane anil 
 Daniel McConnell, at 10 a. m. ascended tiie plat 
 form, and the crier opened the court with the 
 usual formality. Colonel John Cresswell was the 
 district attorney, but there was but little to de 
 mand his official attention. 
 
 The following persons were sworn tc 
 the bar : 
 
 LIST OP ATTORNEYS COMPOSING THE ORIGINAl 
 BLAIR COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION. 
 
 (Members sworn in July 27, 1846.) 
 
 J. P. Anderson, 
 Thaddeus Banks, 
 Samuel S. Blair, 
 A. VV. Benedict, 
 David Blair, 
 Ephraim Banks, 
 Samuel M. Barkley, 
 John Brotherline, 
 J. M. Bell, 
 Moses Canan, 
 Samuel Calvin, 
 A. G. Curtin, 
 John Cresswell, 
 T. J. Coffey, 
 Joshua F. Cox, 
 A. J. Cline, 
 Theodore H. Cremer, 
 William Dorris, jr., 
 David Hurt, 
 John Fenlon, 
 James T. H.ll, 
 David H. Hofius, 
 Charles H. Heyer, 
 MIctiael Hasson, 
 Isaao Hughes 
 Making forty- nine 
 
 Robert L. Johnston, 
 William J. Jacobs, 
 Alexander King, 
 F. M. KImmell, 
 Joseph Kemp, 
 J. R. Lowrie, 
 William Lyon, 
 Job Mann, 
 John G. Miles, 
 M. D. Megehao, 
 R. A. McMurtrie, 
 John Mower, 
 H. N. McAllistar, 
 A. J. Ogle, 
 
 William P. Orblsonin. 
 James M. Russell, 
 Samuel L. Russell, 
 William M. Stewart, 
 .1. S. Stewart, 
 John Scott, jr., 
 Samuel H. Tate, 
 John Williamson, 
 A. P. Wilson, 
 S. S. Wharton, 
 
 n all. On Tuesday, the 
 2Sth, three more were added: George Taylor, af- 
 terwards president judge; Alex. Gwin and John 
 A. Blodget; making filty-two as the original 
 number of the membership. 
 
 No causes were tried and the traverse jury 
 was discharged, and the court adjourned on the 
 ■Z8th of July. 
 
 Of the court and bar as thus constituted, ex- 
 cept five, all are dead. The judges are all dead, 
 and of the bar ex-Senator ,tohn Scoit, Colonel 
 William fDorris, Hon. Titian .1. tJofley, ex-assist- 
 ant attorney general of the United States, Hon. 
 I John Fenlon, ex-member of the house of repre- 
 sentatives, and William P. Orblson, esq., alone 
 survive; but some of these survivors are liere to- 
 day, and wlillss I am silent as to them, they, 
 themselves, will tell us of the past. 
 
 A glance at the personnel ol this court and its 
 bar in the lijiht of their subsequent 
 history wlil disclose a remarkable iiody 
 of men. They were educitcd lawyers. 
 They were nearly all proficient in their 
 professional knowledge and experience. The 
 
Semi-Centennial History op Blair County. 
 
 same care, zeal, caution and research ■which the 
 lawyer of to-day exerts, was practiced then. He 
 strove to attain to the same acumen 
 and success then as now. The professional am- 
 bition and etliics of tliat day are indeed made 
 more conspicuous by tlie lower grade of pr nci- 
 ple and tarnislied acts, whicli too often offend 
 the hsnorable lawyer of the present. 
 
 We can recall the appearance of the president 
 iudse. His massive head and intellectual face 
 were '^impressive to both acquaintance and 
 stranger. He was the man of whom, under Dr. 
 Johnson's conditions, it would be asked, who is 
 he? He was learned, decided, courteous and 
 rtisinifled. He possessed the confidence of the j 
 bar, and duriiii? his remaining life he was the I 
 admiration of his many friends. He became a j 
 justice of the supreme court, attorney j;eneral of 
 tlie United States and a delegate to the consti- 
 tutional c'lnvention ori873. He continued, after 
 leaving office, to be one of the nusiest and most 
 eminent lawyers in the land. He was of counsel 
 in the argument before the presidential commis- 
 sion in 1877 and his eltbrt before that tribunal ex- 
 hibited many of his most conspicuous, as well as 
 fflost valued, characteristics. 
 
 Among those who were sworn to the bar before 
 nim on that day was one who subsequently be- 
 came as widely known as Judge Black. Andrew 
 G-. Curtin was then but a modest lawyer in 
 Bellefonte. His career instate politics as the 
 great war governor of Pennsylvania, minister 
 to KussiH, delegate to the constitutional conven- 
 tion of the state and member of congress with 
 nationa 1 fame, is now easily recalled. 
 
 These two men met during the year 1873 in 
 Philadeliihia on the floor of the convention. 
 With no p 'riisanship, they vied in the responsi- 
 ble task of perfecting tne fundamental law of 
 the state. Both had achieved fame, both had 
 the respect and afl^ection of their colleagues, and 
 both left their impress upon the instrument 
 which now constituit-s our organic law. Both 
 were often participants in many controversies on 
 that floor. The writer recalls a seene of pleasur- 
 able e.voitement and surprise wlien, in the dis- 
 cussion of the question of legislative apportion- 
 ment, the judge learned from his adversary that 
 his vast learning was of no value compared to 
 the governor's practical knowledge of men and 
 things. 
 
 A well known figure at the bar in those days, 
 an<l many years thereifter, was Mr. Miles. He 
 was very fair in complexion, large and hand- 
 some. His reticence gave him a dignity which 
 he never lost. He was laborious and indefatiga- 
 ble. His arguments were long and exhaustive. 
 He stood at the counsel table to ta'kto theco irt, 
 and sometimes stood at the witness box, requir- 
 ing the judge to turn in that direction to face 
 him. His voice was high and siiarp and uene- 
 trated every part of the room. His manner was 
 earnest and convincing, and to the boyish mind 
 the wonder was that anything more need be 
 said. He continued in active practice for many 
 years and died in Peoria, 111., in 1877. leaving an 
 lionorcd memory. 
 
 Mr. McAllister, of Bellefonte, was an able and 
 industrious lawyer. In professional zeal, energy 
 and prowess he was an Ajax Telamon. He was 
 a member of the constitutional convention of 
 1873, and brought with him for the fulfilment of 
 the duties of tiiat important office, a deej) sense 
 of his own responsUiility. Nothing seemed to 
 escape his attention, and no one dti|iartinent of 
 the fundamental law was less worthy of his 
 scrutiny than another. He w soften adnionisi ed 
 by his brethren that his zeal and labors must sap 
 even hi-i rugsred hea'th. He succumbed befoie 
 the close of the session, and was succeeded by 
 Samuel Ualvin, whose name is likewise in this 
 list of original attorneys. 
 
 Mr. Calvin, when elected to fill Mr. McAllister's 
 chair, had practically retired from professional 
 duties, and the call to him was oppor une, and 
 agree ible to his tastes. He had long been a 
 successful and able lawyer, and was a lawyer, in 
 its highest professional sense. His integrity and 
 htmor wire his most valued possessions. 'J'hey 
 weie never cheapened by being bartered nor 
 tarnished by his h<dding them. He tried his 
 cases in tiie'idd style. There were no steno- 
 graphers then and with scrupulous fullness, he 
 wrote down every wor I uttered by the witness. 
 He had no patience with the stupid witness. His 
 
 "Sir," "I don't hear you Sir," and "repeat it 
 Sir," uttered in intimidating tones to the aston- 
 ished witness, was the delight of the student and 
 young lawyer looking on somewhere in ttie bar. 
 Few of the" present bar know him and his pecu- 
 liarities; but some of us here to-day, remember 
 him as the learned lawyer, a ripe scholar in 
 literature and the classics, and the most warm 
 hearted and genial of gentlemen. It only re- 
 mains to be said of him, that he was a member 
 of the thirty-ftrst congress in 1851, and was a 
 follower of Henry Carey in his theories of social 
 science. He met Mr. Carey on the floor of the 
 convention, and a friendshi)') sprang up between 
 them that lasted during his remaining life. His 
 on, Matthew Calvin, succeeded him at the bar. 
 
 Colonel McMurtrie was in this list. He was a 
 close friend of Mr. Calvin. He was for many 
 years the c jmmander of the militia under the old 
 state system, and he mustered his undiscii lined 
 forces in the month of May for many years. He 
 was a member of the legislature in 18133. He was 
 long an active practitionerand stood in the bar 
 and community as a man and lawyer of great 
 probity and honor. 
 
 Robert L Johnsto -, after many years of most 
 active practice, became the president judge of 
 Cambria count J. Alex. King became judge of 
 the Bedford and Franklin district, as did al>o F. 
 M. Kimmell. .lob|Mannwas a member of the 
 Twenty-fonrth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first con- 
 gresses and state jtreasurer. Samuel L. Russell 
 was also in the Thirty third congressand amem 
 ber of tne constitutional convention of 1873. A. 
 W. Beoedict, of Huntingdon, was a member of 
 the legislature of lb63. John Cresswell 
 was a member of the state senate in 
 18J7, and was speaker of the house 
 in 1889, and Thaddeus Banks, a member 
 of the legislature with John Scott in 
 1862. Mr. Scott afterwards became a United 
 States senator, and at the close of his term be- 
 came the general solicitor of the Pennsylvania 
 Railroad company. 
 
 Ephraim Banks was the auditor general of the 
 state in 1851, and an associate judge of the court 
 of common pleas of Mifflin county. He was a 
 man of great decision of character and of great 
 dignity and worth. On one occasion, on the 
 bench in the trial of a case, he diflcred from the 
 president judge in his views, and, carrying his 
 associate with him, he charged a jury over the 
 bead of his chief. 
 
 Thaddeus Banks was long conspicuous at this 
 bar and, during his very active career, was prom- 
 inent in the most noteworthy ligitation. He was 
 a man of fine social qualitie-, and of a warm and 
 generous heart. He was the democratic candi- 
 date for judge against Dean and Taylor in 1871, 
 but was defeated. 
 
 Samuel S.Blair commenced a brilliant career a 
 few vears after his admission. His introduction 
 to public notice in the celebrated case of s^um- 
 merville vs. Jackson continued him in the pub- 
 lic eye and brought him to the front. He de- 
 veloped into a strong and learned lawyer, and in 
 all tliis pan of the Slate he was for many years 
 as an industrious aid able lawyer, facile prin- 
 ceps. He was elected to the Thirty-sixth and 
 Thirty-seventh congresses. He was succeededin 
 his office by his son, Mr. Joh.i D. Blair. 
 
 John Williamson lived to be an octogenarian. 
 Tnough he lived in Hnntingdon, it was his 
 lubit for many years to visit t is Cjurt and par- 
 ticipate in the trial of cases— mostly in tlie quar- 
 ter sessions. His arguments to the jury lumlsh- 
 ed the most delightlul entertainment to his 
 hearers. He was a nervous speaker, but as he 
 progressed he was fluent and accurate. He 
 abouniied in both humor and pathos, and won 
 for himself a popularity that loug survived his 
 retirement from our midst. 
 
 M. 'D. Magehaii, [familiarly known as 
 "Michael Dan," with his contemporary, Michael 
 ' Hasson, came to us from the Cambiia bar. Tlie 
 ! wit and fancy of those well known and exce'lent 
 Iri-h gentlemen were the admiration of many 
 indulgent friends in their day, and form the 
 (jfleivescen'. sparkle of many a story which sur- 
 vives to this hour. 
 I John A. Blodget was a frequent visitor from 
 ' Bedfonl, where "he practiced until he retired. He 
 I generally walked from Bedforo, and was in his 
 j place when court was called. He was a tall gen- 
 tleman, dignified yet free and social in his in- 
 
Semi-Centennial History op Blaiu Coin ty. 
 
 tercoursp. He was a man of fine literary taste 
 and attainments. He could write a legal opiii 
 ion, ur a poem, with equal ease. The ludiciou.s 
 inc dents of the bar were often rendered liy t his 
 versatile gentlema > in verse, and 1 kuow'of no 
 one in all this bar of fifty years of life who was 
 like him, and could make himselt so appreciable 
 to his fellows. 
 
 Not many years after the or^anizntion nf the 
 county, came from Bedfonl, Uavid H. Hoflns. 
 His father was a G-erman pliysician, and com- 
 ing to this country as a young miin, ne married, 
 andDaiidwas born and educated here, gradu- 
 ing at Franklin and Marshall college. He was, 
 during his short life, for he died in 1859, con- 
 cerned in nearly all the important litigation of 
 his time. His eiect and well apparelled form gave 
 him an imposing appearance. He was a bache- 
 lor, but most loyally recogni/.ed the claims of 
 society, which then "was conspiclous for its re- 
 finement and amenities. He was the hlolofthe 
 people and it was common to hear him e.xtoUed 
 as the "model lawyer." The moment of his pass- 
 ing came early in his career, and as blinaness 
 became from , day to day more imminent upon 
 the unhappy man, the writer willingly helped 
 him in his hist work till the end came. It was 
 my sad task to pen the sketch which told of his i 
 virtues and his frailties, to close his aflalrs, and i 
 place the stone that now marks his resting 
 place. ; 
 
 One more name of the fifty-two remains to be ' 
 noted, George W. Taylor. He was then 34 
 years of age and resident at Huntingdon. He 
 early gave promise of the future jurist. His 
 prosecution of the case of the Commonwealth 
 vs. McConauahy in 1840, and the Flanigans in 
 Cambria county in 184'-', on indictments for mur- ; 
 dtr it was customarily said, drew him from olv 
 scurity and established him permanently in the 
 public estimation as a great lawyer. He suc- 
 ceeded Judge Blick as president judge, April 5, j 
 1849 and reuiained upon the benoli till Novem- 
 ber 1S71. He tried many important cases and 
 was widely known in the state and recognized 
 by the supreme court as an able and learned 
 judge. His later years to some extent were given 
 to agriijultural puisuits and though of great 
 learning and judicial acumen, he was a man of 
 plain manners and practical sense and wisdom. 
 His prepared opinions disclosed no attempts at 
 useless embellishment, but were simple, plain 
 and strong. They thus furnished no rhetoiical 
 entertainment but they addressed theperieption 
 of the mind and lett it overwnelmed witli con- 
 viction. He was a man of very social haliit. In 
 the old court house it was his dally custom to 
 linger at tlie stove, or some other gathering 
 place with BIcMurirle, Calvin, Scott, Dean, 
 Hewitand others of us around him to listen to 
 his many stoiies of people and things, till, in 
 many instances, suitors, jurors, and counsel had 
 noted a lost half hour by the clock. But when 
 he ascended to the bench the familiarity of the, 
 social intercourse just related was left behind 
 and as Ins eye swept the bar and the crowded 
 spaces beyond, he was again the "judge"' and 
 the dignity and the power of the law seemed to 
 cover him as with a garment. 
 
 In closing these reminiscences of the first law- 
 yers, 1 c;;nnot omit mention of George A. Cottey, 
 though he was not one of the original memliers. 
 He came from the ministry to the bar about 18-50. 
 He was then in tne full possession of developed 
 mental power and le.irnlng. He was g.fied, 
 unique and brilliant. He was a scholar, an ora- 
 tor, a lawyer, though he had not the time to be- 
 come a great lawyer. He was cultured, social 
 and admired. His conversational p jwecs were a 
 delight to all who knew him and won him a wel- 
 come everywhere. This faculty, and it was the 
 chief of his gifts, never seemed to desert him. 
 His cordial reception of the wiiter at his heil- 
 slde, not many days before his death, and his 
 pleasant, cheerful conversation thougn under 
 the sad circumstances ofa'atal illness, seemed 
 to show it would ab de till the end. He died in 
 Philadelphia, wnitlier he went In 1861, to accept 
 the appointment of United States district at- 
 torney from President Lincoln. 
 
 Under the constitution of that date, laymen 
 were appointed, afterwards elected, associate 
 judges. They sat with the piesident judge and 
 formed an important adjunct of t e court. The 
 first of this class of judges were George K. Mc- 
 
 Farlane and Daniel McConnell. Th" latter was 
 a man of strong mind and great practical in- 
 telligence and enjoyed the contiden e of all who 
 knew him. Judge McFarlane was ihen, and 
 had been for years, a we 1-known man. He was 
 the proprietor or' a foundry and machine works 
 in this town, and evui ed great energy and up- 
 rightness in his business. He was eugagea In 
 many schemes of social reform and enjoyed a 
 notoriety ihrough alt the neighboring counties. 
 He wasgreatly loved liy niany^ and respected by 
 all who knew him. His untiinely death — the re- 
 sult of an accident In hiff lundry in ]85'2 — was 
 deply iiiourned by the entire community, and 
 inflicted upon It a loss felt for many years. 
 
 In all the county has had nineteen associate 
 judges. The constitution of 1873 dispensed with 
 theiii by making this county a single judicial 
 district. 
 
 Davis Brooke succeeded .fudge McConnell in 
 .lanuary 184i?: Judge Brooke was a man of fine 
 personal appearance and great dignity. His 
 snow white hair was in pleasing contrast with 
 his florid complexion. The conventional Idack 
 dress of that day, admirably supplemented those 
 evidences of his advanced age, and harmonious- 
 ly accompanied the striking appearance of his 
 chief. Judge Black. 
 
 In the second year of Judge Brooke's term, 
 there occurred a most interesting juilicial inci- 
 dent. It served to demonstrate the existence 
 then of a cerebral or psychical influence as 
 hypnotism is now. 
 
 There came to the county seat one day a man 
 of.thenameof Henry L.oomis, and his wife, 
 Sulimit C. Lojmis. They advertised to give lec- 
 tures on mesmerism, to be illustrated anu mani- 
 fested by exhibitions of its Influence upi n a sus- 
 ceptible subject. 'I'liis subject was their daugh- 
 ter, Martha. Whilst these exhitiitions were he 
 log nightly given with great success, one C.J. 
 Svkes appeared upon the scene and employed 
 Mr. Banks and Mr. Cresswell to take out upon 
 the allowance of Judge Brooke a writ of habeas 
 corpus, to take and restore to him his wife, 
 Marth.i, who was '21 years of age, and who, by 
 her father and mother, was deprived of her lib- 
 erty: he further alleged that she was, under the 
 spell of their mesmeric influence, deprived other 
 free will: her attections diverted from the relator, 
 her husband, her health, physicallv and men- 
 tally, being sapped, and she herself was being 
 saci'iticed to the greed of her parents, who could 
 not entertain their audiences without her. 
 
 I'o this the respondeuis replied that Martha 
 was married to Sykes in New York, but imme- 
 diatelv thereafter' he began to abuse her and 
 treated her with :;reat cruelty, so that she fled 
 to her parents for protection, and desired to re- 
 main with tiiem. 
 
 The relator denied the allegations, alleging 
 mercenary motives on thepirtofthe Lonmises 
 and jiraying to be allowed the companionship of 
 his wife. l\lr. Calvin and Mr. Hoflus repre- 
 sente i the parents, and during two or three days 
 eviuenee was taken before .T,.dge Brooke. Great 
 interest was manifested bv the nublii; not only 
 whether there was s-uch a thing as mesmerism, 
 but as to what would be done with Martha. The 
 court house was packed with peoi-le, and public 
 op nioii and .-ympathy were soar, ly divided. 
 Nearly a day was consume. i In the argument of 
 Counsel, and" during the entire progress of the 
 ease not a Word had lieen uttered byihejudge, 
 and speculation was rife as to when lie would he 
 prep ire to deside the case. As soon as the last 
 word was spoken by counsel the judge imme- 
 diatelv rose to his feet, and, bowing with great 
 dignity and with greater hrevity, said, "Let 
 Martha be di^chargeil. The house instantly 
 r ng With cheers, and amid the wildest excite- 
 ment Martha and her parents were fairly car- 
 ried from the court room, while the wifeless 
 Sykes was left to pursue his solitary way. It is 
 remarkable that the record shows no final dis- 
 position of this case and the writer recalls it 
 only from memory. 
 
 The business of the court giew slowly, though 
 thirty-four suits were iirought to tne first term. 
 The first suit brought was that of .losepli and 
 Daniel Hnllen vs. riiomas Ciissman. "Debt." 
 No. 11, .1 uly Term, 184(3; but there is no lecord of 
 any judgment. 
 
 The first record of a case tried was that of 
 Matthew Miller vs. Henry Burt, assumpsit; with 
 
10 
 
 Semi-Centennial History op Blair County. 
 
 a venlict October 2\ 1846, for jilaintifl of $139. -15. 
 
 The tirst recorel of an uction of ejectment was 
 that of JamesStevens vs. J. HeUiniiter, in which 
 there was on the 2uth October, 1846, a verdict for 
 pliiintiti. 
 
 Dining that same week five cases were tried, 
 and one non-suir. entered after the jury was 
 sworn. Names of counsel are not given. 
 
 The tirst divorce suit was brouglit by Mary 
 Armstrong against her erring and delinquent 
 husband, Joliu. Mr. Coffey conducted the case 
 and obtained for Mary the coveted decree. 
 
 The first e.\ecution was issued by James Murty 
 vs. Jolm Dougherty to obiain $23.75 and costs. 
 Tlie slieritt does not seem to have ever returned 
 his writ. 
 
 T)ie tirst case in which was made a motion for 
 a new trial was in Bride ic McKeehan vs. Zech- 
 ariah Gr. Brown. No. 23, August term, 1843, 
 lirou^ht from Huntingdon county. 'I he verdict 
 was for plaintifls for $3(53.53, and Mr. Biown's 
 dissatisfaction is e.xpressed ny his motion for a 
 newtiial. Judge B.ack was possibly no more 
 favorable to re-trials than modern judges, and 
 the motion was refused. Mr. Brown was in his 
 day a well known citizen and litigant. 
 
 The first auditor appointed was Titian J. 
 Cotley, on the 2d January, 1817. This method of 
 adjudicating many ([uestions arising in the set- 
 tlement of estates and distribution of moneys 
 has grown in favur and is employed with ire- 
 ([uency and with convenience to the court and 
 bar to this time. 
 
 In the criminal department of the court there 
 have been interesting cases, which, at the time 
 of their disposition, elicited great profess! jnal as 
 well as public attention. I recall some of them. 
 
 In June, 1855, a negro slave ran away from his 
 master in Virginia, Mr. James Parsons. He 
 reached this town on his way toUanada, hut was 
 closely fallowed by Parsons. As the negro en- 
 tered a car early one morning to cross the moun- 
 tain on the Old Portage railroad he was dis- 
 covered by Mr. Parsons, who entered the carat 
 the other end at tlie same time. Tlie negro in- 
 stantly tied, pursued by Mr. Parsons, whocaught 
 him in Gaysport and brought him down to a po'int 
 near tlie present Kellerman house. The occur- 
 rence |)rouucB(l great excitement. The entire 
 CO ored populatidn was aroused and those 
 staunch democrats, (jeueral George W. Potts, 
 Major J. K. Crawford and Coloner John Piper, 
 witn other prominent white citizens, at once 
 came to the aid ot tne slave, and under the 
 guidance of Snyder Carr, a colored barber, and 
 others of his race, the refugee was taken in 
 charge and sp rited away, so that he was seen no 
 more. Parsons, however, was arrested upon the 
 charges of kidnaping, a.-sauitand battery and 
 breach of the peace and bound over to appear at 
 the July sessions. Bills were found by the grand 
 jury, tint the trials were continued to the "Octo- 
 ber i-e-sions. At the ap|iointed time Par ons ap- 
 peired with his counsel, Ciiarle-i J. Faulkner an"d 
 J. K indolph Tucker, appointed by the governor 
 of Virginia. After the commonwealth had pro- 
 gressed in the trial Mr. Hammond, the district 
 attorney, by leave of court took non-suits and 
 the prisoner was released. 
 
 At ti is time, in view of the fugitive slave law, 
 public feeling ran very high and runaway sla\ es 
 all over the north were aided by the whites in 
 their attempted escapes. Besides, the appear- 
 ance o( such eminent counsel sent by the great 
 commonwealth of Virginia gave the occurrence 
 a significance and an eclat entirely exceptional 
 in the history of the bar. 
 
 Since the organi/, ition of this county there 
 have been found bv tlie grand jury forty-one in- 
 dictments for murder. Ot these lour were found 
 guilty if murder in the first dear e. Tne others 
 were either acquitt»d orconvicted of manslaugii- 
 teror murder in the second degree. The lour 
 who were convicted of murder in the tirst de- 
 gree Were: Alex Hutcliins >n, killing a negro; 
 James Shirley, killing his wife; David S. MoKim, 
 kiUiim- his young traveling companion, Samuel 
 Norcross, and Dr. Lewis IJ. Beach, killing his 
 wife. 
 
 Hutchinson'scase had a most unusual conelu- 
 son. He was convicted at the December ses- 
 sions, 18.50, near the close of Governor \V. P. 
 Johnston's ofticial term. For s ime reason not ex- 
 plained the wa'rant forthe p isoner'a e.xecutiOQ 
 was not issued by the governor before his term 
 
 expired. Governor William Bigler succeeded 
 him, and when his attention was called to the 
 case, either for supposed legal reasons or from 
 scruples of conscience, he declined to issue his 
 warrant of dc.ith. Hutchinson remained along 
 time about the prison, helping in the daily work 
 and going freely about the town, refusing ta 
 leave One day, however, he went quietly 
 away, no man pursuing, and he died some years 
 later in an eastern county. 
 
 Shirley was hanged in 1X53, and his was the 
 first capital execution. George A. Coffey was 
 the prosecuting attorney, having been deputized 
 by Joseph Kemp, who was the oistrict attorney. 
 
 McKim's case attracted a good deal of atten- 
 tion. He had traveled to Altoona with young 
 Norcross, a stranger here, won his confidence, be- 
 guiled him int 1 leaving the train and going a 
 short distance west of town, to obtain 
 the little money he learned from him he possessed, 
 he cruelly murdered him. The prosecution was 
 conducted by Mr. Hammond and William A. 
 Stoke, then an eminent and able lawyer, em- 
 ployed by the Pennsylvania Railroad company. 
 
 The defendant relied upon Mr. Hofius Mc- 
 Kim was a large, fine looking man, and seemed 
 incapable of committing such a crime. The j ury, 
 on tlie 7th of May, 1857, convicted him, and he 
 was executed on the2lst of August, following. 
 
 The most celebrated, however, of the homicide 
 cases of the county, was the Indictment and con- 
 viction of Dr. Beach. He was a ))ractlcing phy- 
 sician in Alto jna, where he live I with his wife, 
 but had no children. One morning at an early 
 hour in the winter of 1884, he called at the house 
 of Levi Knott, the brother of his wife, and in- 
 formed him that he had killed his wife, but pro- 
 tested he had done the deed without present 
 knowledge of the act. He was arrested and tried 
 during that year and was convicted. Mr. Spang, 
 Mr. Stevens and the writer defended him — the 
 latter two by direction of the couit. Hon. J. D. 
 Hicks was then district attorney. 
 
 The defense was insanity, and the proof showed 
 that twelve of his blood relatives were either Idi- 
 otic or insane, furnishing the argument that 
 there was a hereditary taint, or pre-disposition. 
 Counsel fur defense asked the court to rule that 
 if the jury had a dou' t as to his sanity, it should 
 operate to reduce the grade of the offense to mur- 
 der in the second degree. Judge Dean refused 
 the point. Counst-1 endeavored lo have the case 
 reviewed by the sujjreme court, but the prelim- 
 inary requisites could not be complied wit , and 
 the judifment of the court was carried into efiect 
 on the 12th of February, 1885. 
 
 We might add that there has been a fifth con- 
 viction of murder in the first degree, in the case 
 of Commonwealth vs. Frank Wilson. As the 
 case is still pending, we forbear to note it further. 
 
 Many otner criminal prosecutions have been 
 tried, which at the time engaged able counsel 
 and elicited more than ordinary attention, but 
 we do not find it necessary to particularize 
 
 In 1874, we had the railroad riots at Altoona- 
 and alonii the line of the railro td to Pittsburg. 
 Tnis gave rise to numerous prosecutions and the 
 c mviction of many persons engaged in those law- 
 less and turbulent acts. These prosecutions were 
 tried a* 'he first court held in the present court 
 house, which had just been completed and dedi- 
 cated with the formal ceremonies reported and 
 tiled among the records of the court. It was on 
 this occasion that Judge Dean delivered the ad- 
 dress referred to in this history and Judge Black 
 was present tor the last time in the county seat. 
 
 A great many civil cases have been tried, and 
 some of them conspicuously memorable, 'i he 
 case of Summerville vs. Jackson, tried in 1849, 
 was perhaps the tirst of that class. It was an ac- 
 tion of ejectment to recover the posession of 
 about 160 acres of land near Gaysport. The case 
 turned mainly upon the question of fraud in de- 
 fendant's acquisition of his title. And the jury 
 found with the plaintiff. The judgment whs af- 
 firmed in the supreme court in 1850. Mr. Miles 
 represented the defendant, and Mr. Blair and 
 Mr. Thaddeus Stevens the plaintifls. It is said 
 Mr. Bldir's triumph in this case secured liiin his 
 subsequent professional success and eminence as 
 a lawyer. Though Mr. Stevens has acquired his 
 greatest renown since that date, he was then 
 distinguished for great professional ability. The 
 wiiter. then a boy, remembers the peroration of 
 hisargumen. in "this case. As he stood before 
 
Semi-Centennial History op Blair County. 
 
 11 
 
 tlie jury he was tall and imiiosing in his appear- 
 ance, and his face, though white wiili impas- 
 sioned reeling, impressed the possession of great 
 intellect. He spoke in low;ind solemn tones, and 
 hedepicted so darkly wiintliedenominaied as the 
 fraud in thd rase ilia t he seemed to bring the 
 jury under tiie spell of an unnatural power and 
 left them lerritied and bound. 
 
 The case of Kaucli vs. Lloyd & Hill was long a 
 familiar case. Little Charley Kauch, a boy of 5 
 years of age, crawled under defendant's ear at 
 the crossing, Koing for shavings for his mother. 
 While just under the cars, defendant's servants 
 moved the train and his legs were cutoff. Mr. 
 BUiir and Mr. Banks were tiieir respective coun- 
 sel. There was long-protracted litigation, both 
 in this and the supreme court, but the case was 
 finally settled. 
 
 Farrell vs. Lloyd was also long a famous case. 
 It aro?e upon the question whether there was a 
 resulting trust in the purchase of land, and 
 knowledge by the vender. In the name of Far- 
 rell vs. Lloyd and Lloyd vs. Lyncli it was tried 
 several times in the court below, and was lour 
 times in the supreme court. Messrs. Hall and 
 Neti'appeared for Farrell and Lynch; and for 
 Lloyd, Mr. Blair. With the latter gentleman, 
 later, other counsel was associated. 
 
 Anotlier case was Li.uden et al. vs. Blair Iron 
 & Coal Co. It Was tried three times below, and 
 argued twice in the supreme court — the judgment 
 for plaintitt being there first reversed, and fin- 
 ally aftirmed. It was an action of tiespa>s for 
 removing ore from plaintitt's land. The verdict 
 was for about $14,000. 
 
 Tne case involving the largest amount of 
 money was the suit brought by James Gardnee 
 for use vs. John Lluyd. The defendant was onr 
 of a large number of persons, who hat ente ed 
 into a written guaranty that William M Lloyd, 
 a suspended banker, would comply with the 
 terms of a settlement by exiension of time, and 
 pay the ereaito s certain sums i)eriodKally as 
 therein stipulated. The aggregate of these 
 guaranties was $425,0.;o, and the suit against Mr. 
 Lloyd was a test suit. The defense wa--, true it 
 was, the signers of the paper had otter>:d lo guar- 
 antee the fiithful perfurmance of the terms of 
 extension entered into by W. M. Lloyd, but 
 there had been no formal acceptance of tne oiler 
 by tlie creditors, and lacking that element oi 
 completeness to give it binding efficacy, there 
 cjuld be no recovery. 
 
 About two weeks were consumed in the trial. 
 The pre|iaration of the case was one of unpar- 
 alled extent. There weie over twelve hunureit 
 creditors of L'oyd, and the notices, exhibits and 
 other papers in the case, many of which were 
 printed, numbered over a thous md; and all this 
 prodigious labor was performe 1 mainly by the 
 late tieorge M. Keade, of EDensbuig. It seemed 
 to suit h.s indefatigai l-j natuie. Mr. Blair, Mr. 
 Nefl'and iMr. Halilrige represented i he defendant 
 and with Mr. Head- for the iilaintill, were asso- 
 ciated the late Mr. Speer, of Huntingdon, Judge 
 Bell and mysell. It only lemains to be said 
 Judge Dean affirmed tlie "pr nciple invoked by 
 the defendant, and so instructed the jury. We 
 carried the case to the supreme court, but that 
 tribunal affirmed the judgment. 
 
 There have been other very important suits, 
 among which were actions attecting the interests 
 of the^Pennsylvania Railroad company.the Wop- 
 sononock Kailroad company, and the City of 
 Altoona. Among the latter was the case of The 
 City vs. Bowman, involving the legality of the 
 passage of an ordinance. It was finally decided 
 against the city, causing a municipal loss of 
 over $200,000. But we will not pursue this braacli 
 of our review further. 
 
 The legal business of the county has grown 
 with the increase of population, especially has 
 this tieen the case during the periud elapsing 
 since .ludge Dean's historical address in 1877. 
 Beginning with January ofth.it year and end- 
 ing with the January term of ihe current year, 
 (1*96) there have bejn entered suiis and judg- 
 ments 4^.oU. Of these the laigest number was 
 in i:;94— 3,816. The present praictice of monthly 
 return davs with the requirements of the new 
 procedure act has greatly f.icilitated the dis- 
 patch ofbusinefs. 
 
 Tnere was no equity pr ictice till 1865. Since 
 that time there have teen file i '256 bills, of which 
 the greatest number— 28— were filed in 1893. Tne 
 
 increased litigation h is cnmpelled longer ses- 
 sions of court and duri'g th'i last two years the 
 court has sat aliout 140 days in each year. 
 
 There have been but live j iidges since the or- 
 ganization of the eoiiniy. Judge .1. S. Black 
 was the first to occupy the bench. He was suc- 
 ceeded by G-eorge Taylor and he by John Dean 
 for two "consecutive terms, In March 1892 he 
 was elected a justice of the supreme court and 
 was succeeded in the leourt by the writer who 
 served till the election of the present incumbent, 
 Martin Bell. Mr. Bell was the district attorney 
 from January 1887 to January 1890. 
 
 Since Judge Dean's review of the membership 
 of the bar in 1877, there have been 62 admissions, 
 of which 34 were residents of the county. Since 
 1877, 18 members have died. 
 
 The question then with the judtre was, who 
 had the honor of being the fither of the bar? It 
 lay between Banks, Calvin and McMurtrie, but 
 these three prominent names have since disap- 
 peared from the roll. It is proper now to deter- 
 mine who is the lather of the bar; and by virtue 
 of my position as its latest historian, I may be 
 allowed the right of deci-ion and henceforth, my 
 brethren are lawfully authorized to award that 
 disMiiguished recognition to Brother Daniel J. 
 NefT. 
 
 Of the original members of the bar in this 
 county, not one survives, unless I except Mr. 
 Cottey, now resident in Wasnington, D. C. Of 
 the subsequent additions, many moved away. 
 Some never came into prominence, whilst others 
 became consiiiouous, either as practitioners or 
 as incumbents of public office. 
 
 In March, 1890, Mr. Calvin died, and he was 
 followed by IVIr. S. 1\I. Wooilcick in February, 
 Mr H. H. Herrin October, and Mr. S. 8. Blair 
 in December ot the same year. This was regard- 
 ed as an unusual mortality. Mr. Banks and 
 Mr. McMurtrie both died in 1880, whilst Mr. 
 Cresswell, their cuntempurary, died in 18S2, and 
 Mr. Brotherline in lb7y. 
 
 Mr. Hewit died alter a very short illness in 
 Maich, 1S94, and Mr. Bjldrige died suddenly in 
 Maich, 1895. 
 
 My predecessor has spnken of the older mem- 
 bers who have departed, and we can only make 
 reference to a few of ihosj who have since ap- 
 penred to take their p aces. 
 
 Both Mr Hewit an I Mr. Baldrige were promi- 
 nent member.-; of tne bar, and enjoyed the pub. 
 lie confidence to a lariie degree. 
 
 Mr. Hew. t was a gentleman of great political 
 ambition. He was disiriet attorney for two 
 terms, and was a member of the legislature in 
 1871, 1879. 1881 andl!-93, and spe iker i.f the house 
 in 18S1. He was succeeded in his office by his 
 son, Oliver H. Hewit. 
 
 L. W. Hall was for many years an active prar- 
 titioner at this bar, and whilst here was ele ted 
 to the s^-natf, of wh.cii body he was speaker in 
 1867. He sincj removed to Harrisburg. where 
 he now residis and practieei-". He is the resident 
 attorney of the Pennsylvania K.iilroad company 
 in Dauphin county. 
 
 J. F. Milliken was colonel of the Fifth regi- 
 ment and district attorney of the county from 
 1874 to 1877. It wag during his term that the ex- 
 traordinarily large number of prosecutions was 
 brought for violation of the liquor law. The 
 railroad rioters were prosecuted during the last 
 year of his term. He afi erwards went to Egypt, 
 but now resides in Ne* York. 
 
 Mr. Alexander was the district attorney who 
 preceded him. He was long known as the senior 
 partner in the law firm of Alexander & Herr. 
 Within the last year he removed to Lancaster. 
 
 Thomas McCamant became the auditor gen- 
 eral of the state in 1888 and now resides in Har- 
 risburg. 
 
 Edmund Shaw, a prominent member of the 
 bar, and a union sniilier in the late war, was a 
 member of the legislaiuie for the terms of IsSi 
 and 1N87. 
 
 Mr. (Jr. H. Spansr removed to this county from 
 Bedford in 1883. He was elected to the legisla- 
 ture Irnm that county in 1875 and 1877, 
 
 J. D. Hicks came to the bar in 1873, after the 
 close of the war, ill which he served as a uninn 
 soldier. He was district aitorney from 1880 till 
 1886. In the fall of 1892 he was elected a member 
 of congress from this coniiTossional district, and 
 re-elected in 1894 
 
13 
 
 Semi-Centennial Histoky of Blair Coi'nty. 
 
 J. K. Patterson was e ected to the legislature 
 in 1894. 
 
 W. S. Hammond is the present district attor- 
 ney, having just entered upiin his second teim. 
 
 The other older and Drominent members of the 
 bar are: Andrew J Rfley, one of the solicitors 
 of the Pennsylvania Kailroad company; Thomas 
 H. Greevy. N. P. Mervine, J. S. Leisenring, E. 
 H. Flick, W. L. Woodcock, W. I. Woodcock, A. 
 A. Stevens, A. V. Dively, W.L. Hicks and W, L. 
 Pascoe. 
 
 I could with pleasure name other briii'ht and 
 rising members of the bar, but time will hot per- 
 mit, and besides 1 will be pardoned for grouping 
 here a few only of those who are best known by 
 their long and active professional services and 
 residence in the county. 
 
 The present ptothonotary is Jesse L. Hart- 
 man, an urViane and eflioietit ofBcer. Two 
 deputy prothonotaries are worthy of special 
 notice. 
 
 Stephen Africa came here in 1850 and re- 
 mained till about 1870. He was a most com- 
 petent officer, understanding fully the intricate 
 method^' and details of theViffice. His prepara- 
 tion for the ijuarterly terms emiiraced, among 
 otlier things, the miking of a dozen or two quill 
 pens, whicii his .-ikiU alone could accomplish. 
 These were laid out for ti e judges, counsel and 
 juror.-i. A stee pen was not yet in favor though 
 now extremes have met in the stylus of the an- 
 cient and the steel of the modern. 
 
 The other uenuty letVrred to is Mr. Cornelius 
 D. Bowers. He came here from Philadelphia, 
 and is 58 years old. He lias been a printer by 
 profession and was an honorably discharged and 
 wounled soldier in the Eighty-fourth regiment 
 of tliis state He has sv>eiii twentj-elght years of 
 his life in. the recorder's and prothonotarys otfice. 
 He is fainili ir with all the duties of his jiresent 
 position, and by his courtesy and faithfalne.-^s he 
 haswnuthe confidence of the court and the biir 
 and the respect of the public. 
 
 Mr. .Tunes Rollins, now deceased, was for nine- 
 teen vears crier of the court and librarian. He 
 
 was a mo.«t intelligent and obliging officer and 
 gentleman. 
 
 The present recorder and regist r of wills is 
 Mr. Widiam H. Irwin. The slieriiT is G-. T. Bell 
 with his deputies I. N. Eby and W. A. Smith. 
 The county commissioners are James Punk, M. 
 H. Fagleyand John Hard. The county treasurer 
 is .Tohn T. Akers. 
 
 Thus I have endeavored to recall some of the 
 persons and incidents of the past. The retrospect 
 is a changeful one. The faces and voices which 
 make up one period, gi-adually pass to give way 
 to anotiier; and those everehanging series like a 
 relentless fute, destroy the familiar jjast, and re- 
 place it with the newand strange present. 
 
 But it must be so. This bar will grow with the 
 county's growth Increasing prosperity will be 
 accompanied by increasing population, "and the 
 public business will he manifested in the courts. 
 
 The younger members of the bar to day will 
 impose upon themselves the industry and zeal of 
 those who have preceded them. As there have 
 been lustrous names in the p ist, tlicre shall be 
 more in the future. If to any extent the bar of 
 the past lias sought to maintain the higliest 
 grade of learning and integrity; so the future bar 
 should jealously" refuse to lower that standard. 
 The entrance way to its privileges and powers is 
 contrcdied by the membership, and whdn the un- 
 worthy or the ignorant seek to set their feet 
 within those precincts— wliich are traditionally 
 sacred to those oidy who have education, mind 
 and learning, with high professional pride and 
 honor— both court and bar will interpose their 
 steadfast prohibition. 
 
 The perpetuation of a bar whicli is measured 
 by sucn a standard will not only add to its own 
 high character and adornment, but will win the 
 confidence of the srreat pubic, who intrust freely 
 to honest and capai le lawyers that va^t variety 
 of intricate questions which constantly arise to 
 aftect their live?, their lilierty and their prop- 
 erty. 
 
 Gentlemen of the present bar— animated by 
 sucli ennobling aims, what shall besai<lofus 
 and thos:j who follow us fifty years from to-day? 
 
 Historical Address, Delivered by Justice John Dean at Hollidaysburg, 
 June 12, 1896. Blair County and its People. 
 
 My friends: Accepting the as.<ignment of an 
 address on the history of our county, I have 
 endeavored to perform' that duty to 'he best of 
 my ability, in view of the circumstances. A 
 history of the county would invdlve a narrative 
 of the leading incidents of its gr.iwth from the 
 perio I of its first settlement, or its first settlers, 
 running hack to about 1768. A chronological 
 statement of important events during that 
 period, important not only because of import to 
 those who took part in thcin, but to us, because 
 of their ellect 011 our present condition, would 
 take, even in its most conci.-^e form, five or si.K 
 hours t'l deliver, instead of the less than one, 
 which from the nect-s.-iiy of the case the com- 
 mittee lias allotted me. Therefore, I have 
 eliminated from my subject all but one phase of 
 it; in s I doin4 1 have piit aside much that is of 
 histoiical inter<'St, siicii as the source of our land 
 titles in thediflerent townships; how the Penns 
 acquired them; how tiie first grantees under the 
 Peons tODk them: to what restrictions and 
 reservations some of them were subject. 'J'his is 
 an especi£.lly interesting topic, not only to the 
 1 iwyer, bui to the intelligent l.iy man. How Judge 
 Wilson, one of the first j udgeso." tliesupreinecourt 
 of the United States, couliV t ike up and liave pat- 
 entedlto him mure tirin 100,000 acres of land, a 
 large part of it within the boundaries of our 
 c lunty, when tho act of as.-embly forbade the 
 issue of n. warrant for more than 413 acres to one 
 individual, an 1 niadevoid tbet tie to all in excess 
 of that. H iw the HoUidays, who settled upon 
 and r ally obtained ttle to'2,00'J acres of theland 
 uponpiirt of whic ■ thiseourt House s-tands, after- 
 wards hst ihat title; how the original owners, 
 bringing with thein the custonn and legal no- 
 tions of England, Scotland and Ireland sought, in 
 some instances to impres-i upon their lands the 
 law, of primogeniture ind entail, and how their 
 purpose was defeated by the legislature and the 
 courts oi the commonwealth: how and why Ty- 
 
 rone township, that beautiful \ allev known fora 
 hundred ye, US as Sinking Valley, is one of the 
 Penn Manois. how it came to be such, and the 
 nature of the vexatious restricions upon its 
 titles came to exist. All th s, and much more, 
 would be a partof the,, roper history of ihe coun- 
 ty, and would be interest ng, but they must be 
 set aside. 
 
 Itake up and speak of that; part of the history 
 of our county which to ine is always the most in- 
 teresting. VVhctlicr I he people about whom I 
 speak or wish to learn be an ancient (uie, and 
 centuries ago disappeared from the earth, or be 
 a present dominant one. wno have for hun- 
 dreds of years been ><d\ ancing in civil zalion, I 
 want to know us much as possible • f their daily 
 lives, their customs, religion, manners: how they 
 acted in their douusiic relations; how tney 
 cooked, ate and drank, ami protected theuiselves 
 from the weather. S ■ in the lirief lime bef.i>e 
 me I shall endeavor to present to you the dnily 
 lives of our predecessors on tlie territory which 
 now foims our county. 
 
 The population in "the first thirty years of its 
 existence had reached about .3 00 >. Tliis popula- 
 tion consisied almost wholly of origin, il settltrs, 
 their wives and children: that is, those who had 
 purchased their lands IVom the Penns or the 
 c immonwealth. settled upon and imj)roved 
 them, and still occupied them, or having died, 
 they were occupied by their families. At the 
 dale l^enn obtaineil his charter f<)r his colony 
 from Charles 11, in England and on the conti- 
 nent, as the old hymn has it, 'Keligion was the 
 chief concern of mortals here below;'' not exact- 
 ly the mort,irs own religion, but chiefly that of 
 his neighbor's; no one had any doubt "as to his 
 own; he only doubted as to whether ids neigh- 
 bor's religious belief was orthodox; if it differed 
 from his, his neighbor, being wrong, must be 
 brought to his wuy of thinking, or ins neign- 
 bor's soul was in danger of everlasting perdition. 
 
Semi-Centennial History of Blair County. 
 
 IS 
 
 Hence it was an age of religious i)ersecution; of 
 inimical laws auainst heretK-s by those in power. 
 Anil it mattered very little, so far ^s tlie perse- 
 cuiioii was concer.jeil, wIiIlIi imrty w;is in power. 
 Uitholiis persecuted Protestants; Vr^ftestants 
 persei;uted Catliuliis. and eai-li other; in Eng- 
 liind. all sects detested and persecute 1 the 
 CiUiikers. When tliis spirit of leliitious (lersecu- 
 tion was rife, in the year 1681, Penn, who had 
 been persecuted and imprisoned for his leligion, 
 acc|Uired tlie patent to Pennsylvania, and eopi- 
 menced to ooionize it, liy inviting immigrants. ; 
 not Only members of his own sect, but of all 
 see's, promising to all freedom of consc ence in i 
 religion, wnicli promise he and his sons in the 
 pruprietorship faithfully kept. Penn, while in 
 prison for reusing to take an oath, ten years be- 
 tore tlie date of his charter, liad wiitten a I 
 pamphlet advocating the largest li'ierty of con- 
 science in reliaiuus bjlie'; from this position he 
 never swerved. 1 
 
 It is a remarkiible fict, that the Q.UEiker, 
 whose religious belief excludes all dugi a,'esting 
 wholly on m "inner light." and the Catholics 
 under Lord Baliimoie, who settled Maryland, 
 and whose religious Iteiief rests almost wholly on 
 authoritatively defined doctrine and dogma, i 
 should have give I to the worM within a few 
 ye.irs of each other, the first examples of com- 
 plete religious toler.ition in tne new world. Not 
 a single one of the other colonies did it. I use 
 tlie word "coiiiph te" religious toleration, as ap- 
 plied to the facts of that ag.;. 'the a-ctof t dera- 
 tion in Blaiylana dejiared that: 'Mo person or 
 persons whatsoever. profession to bcl.eve in Jesus 
 Chiist, shall from henceforth be m any wav 
 tioulded or molestel or discounten i need for and 
 in respect of his or her religion, nor in the free 
 e.xercise there if; nor in any way co npelle I to tne 
 belief Of exercise of any 01 her re.igion against 
 his or her consent. ' This would not toleiate the 
 Jew nor the Deist. Put t e numbers of these 
 were so insignificant at that day, that it is alto- 
 gether probable there «as nointenlioii to exclude 
 them: they were simply not thought of. 
 
 Under Penn's great, i.rinclple of reliaious toler- 
 ation, emigrants began to pour into Pennsylvii- 
 nia from almost all^Europjan race-. t4,uaker.-, 
 Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Tunk- 
 ers, Catholics and Moravians in relig.ous cret d; 
 Dutch, English, Irish, Scotcn, Sotchlris , 
 Swedes, Welsh and G^eraians. Such a conglom- 
 eration of races and religions settled no other of 
 the original colonies Within the next hundred 
 yeais, there reacned the territory n jw comi)Os- 
 ing our county, Presbyter. an-, Tunkers, Lu- 
 therans and Catholics in religion And in race 
 tiiere were Sc itcii, Scotch-Irish, Irish and Oer- 
 mans. The Cove, from North Woodbury town- 
 ship to Williamsburg, was mainlv originally 
 setiled by (jermui Tunkers; what; is now Cath- 
 arine township, Tyrone towuship, l^ogan town- 
 ship, Alleiilienv township, the land around Hol- 
 lidaysbnr^t and part of l''iankstown township, by 
 Scotch-Irish; that part of Fiankstown townshijf) 
 known as Scotch Valley, by Scotch In thcter- 
 ritory now known as Greenfield and Juniata 
 townshiis many Lutherans settled. Some of 
 them also settle! in Frankstown township and 
 Sinking Valley. HIair township was s ttled 
 principally by Irish Catholics in the latter part 
 of the last century and most ot the descendants 
 of the original settlers still resiile there. Besides 
 these, Irish Catholics appear early in this centu- 
 ry, fioin the old assessment books scattered all 
 over the county; especially at the laily iron 
 works, furnaces and forges. 
 
 As to the tj-erman element, most authorities 
 estimate that at the commencement of the revo- 
 lutionary war it constituted from a third to a 
 half of the population of the state. I nonlrl 
 judge, in louKing over the assessment of 1S47, the 
 first alter the organization of the c mnty, it num- 
 bered fully one-ihird of our population. At an 
 early day the Oermans sougni excliisiveness, 
 preserved their own language, and neither 
 sought nor desired interc .uisc with others; espe- 
 cially was this the case with the Tunkers; their 
 lirinciples were in one rc-^pc.-t not unlike those of 
 the Q,uakers; they were; opposed to war, but they 
 went further; tliey were non-rcsistants; whole 
 families of them were massacred and scalped by 
 the Indians in the Cove and they resisted not: a 
 dozen savages would devastate andilestroy a set- 
 tlement containing thirty men without a hand 
 
 being raised on their part. To every appeal to 
 their courage and manhood in the frontier days 
 the invariable answer was, ' trottes will sei 
 setlKui" (Qod's wiile be done). Wliilp,we cannot 
 but admire steadfas . adherence to principle, we 
 cannot f.iil to see they were utterly out of place 
 as frontier-men. These arc tiot the people who 
 conquer homes in a new territory with a savage 
 fie ficing them, and it they had not had for 
 neighbors men of a diflerent stamp the -ettle- 
 ment of this great commonwealth would have 
 been delayed hilf a century. 
 
 They are, however, the "very embodiment of 
 thrift and industry, and as cultivators of the 
 soil have hadnoeiiuils in the United States. 
 Travel tlirough the Cove, wh'-re their descend- 
 ants still live on the splendid liuustone fa'ms; 
 notice i he fences, ►traight, with no broken rails; 
 the large bank barns, generally painted red, a 
 touch of old country c Aur; houses often of a size, 
 that a half dozen would go inside the big barn, 
 but always neat and presenting an air of com- 
 fort; what sleek, contented cat le; heavy, fit 
 horses. And these honest, simple people are the 
 soul of hospitaiitv; enter the r houses, whether 
 for a meal or lodgini!;. without many words you 
 feel you are welcome- the lood. tiiough phnn, 
 always appetizing and well cooked: the liquid 
 beverages, cider and milk: the meals were not 
 French, principally napkins, cut-glass and 
 Howers; it was Jbe-f or pork, potatoes, dried ap- 
 ples or suits, the finest of bread in huge loaves, 
 and large wheat Hour cakes. Nearly all their 
 clothing was madeon the farm, from thewoolclip- 
 pedtiom their own shee,>, the.rshoes froinhides 
 taken fiom the catileon the farm, and then to 
 the nearest tannery to be nuide into leather. 
 Often— at least sucn was the ca-c thirty-five 
 years ago — the women of the house did not 
 speak English, and but poorly understood it; 
 Pennsylvania Dutch was the laiiiiuage of a cen- 
 tuiy; it is probably much the samcnow, for these 
 lieofde loathe change. In unny respects, they 
 excel in good citiz nshij); they are never found 
 in the couris, civil or criminal; their disputes 
 among themselves are settled by the congrega- 
 tion: often outsiders impose on them, feeling- 
 sure they will not seek rcdr> ss at law. They are 
 benevolent; thej would consider it disgraceful 
 for anv of their own poor to reach the almshouse; 
 but towards tho-e without the pale they are also 
 kind and charitable. 
 
 Their taxes are always piid promptly,notwith- 
 standing some grumbling at times at the 
 amount. They hate debt, and seldom buy what 
 they cannot pay for. Many years ago they did 
 not vote, but this rule of their church is gradu- 
 ally becoming obsolete. Tney are still averse to 
 serving on juries, and I'know of no instance in 
 this county where tney h rve accepted public 
 office, though in other portions of the state they 
 have done so. They were f'roui the beginning 
 oppnsed to public s/hools In lS57,when superin- 
 tendent of schools. I often vislied them in their 
 homes and conversed with them on the subject. 
 Always hospitable and kind, still I remember of 
 no iiistuice in which I succeeded in peisuading 
 the elder members of the faith to aid in promot- 
 ing the ciuse Of education. The fact i-, their 
 ancestors had i een persecuted bitterly in (Ger- 
 many bv both Catnolics and Lutheran.; in the 
 hancis of these reli'_nonists were the government 
 and -jU institutions f learnini;; by tradition, 
 the-/ associated much lemning with despotic 
 povrer and cruel persecution, and they abhorred 
 It. But in the last thiitv fivo years this hostility 
 has in a great pirt disa pear, d; t' e younger 
 Beiier.itioii,niore acute in its perceptions, is more 
 favorable to edu;ation: tliese citizens, before 
 lonsf, we may hope, will take their pioper place 
 in the government of a great commonwealth to 
 whose "material wealth thev have so largely con- 
 tributed. I yet expe -t to sec a Tunker she iti, or 
 at leist a county > ommissioncr; my children, 1 
 doubt not, will see Tunker governors, judges and 
 congressmen. 
 
 The other branch ot German religonists, the 
 Lutherans. hii<l no such notions as tne Tunkers. 
 Krom ti.c.r first coming into;the colonyithey took 
 an active fighting jiart in atlairs. In fact, when 
 Muhlenberg, their great preacher, arrived 
 among them in 1742, he called them a 'rough 
 set " He was a learned, able and pious man; it 
 was not lontf until his character was felt by his 
 coreligionists; he organized them into congrega- 
 
14 
 
 SKMI-C'KNTKNNrAI, HiSTOKV OK lJr,AIU CoiNTY. 
 
 tioii--, and s')Uglit to impress upon theui the wis- 
 dom iis well us duty of becoininir Americanized; 
 he oppused, with ii il his great iil)ility, tluit scgre 
 SfatiOii so dear to tlie I uiiker. He tauglit J:-ng- 
 iish himself, liad his children educated in it hy 
 an Ent;llsli governess. His sun Peter Wiis a 
 prominci.l ueiienil in the revolution. Ma y of 
 these Lancaster and B«rks (rerman Lutliefans 
 found their way into our valleys sjon after the 
 revolutionary war, and tlieir n imes can be 
 traued on ttie as-iessinents 'roni tliese counties. 
 They were a f.ir Ijetter class of citizens in one 
 partlculur than the Tunker.s; they touk jiart in 
 government, lottal, county ami .state; always 
 voted; were always ready to laKe up arms in of- 
 fense of tlieir homes and country. 
 
 Professor Wickcr.shain. in his 'History of Edu- 
 cation in Pennsylvania," says: "The (>ermaiis, 
 wlien they first came t Pennsylvaniii, were no 
 more opposed to education llian other races. 
 But, wlierever they refused to learn English, they 
 deteri 'rated and hecame obstruidionists of pro- 
 gress." I think tliis is applicable to Germans 
 otliers tliiin Tunkers; but the uppnsUion of the 
 latter, I know persona Uy, was often put upnn 
 the ground tliai education was huitlul.* Confin- 
 ing themselves to (rermmi certainly tended to 
 isolation "iid narrowness; they had not the En- 
 glitliman's or Irishman's instinct (or politics and 
 government, and, by self iso atioii, their chiMren 
 <lid not acquire it. Composing so large a part of 
 the population of the commonwealth almostfrom 
 its toundation, tliey have never taken that part 
 in its liovernincnt their numbers and wealth war- 
 ranted. Wherever iliey abandoned their e.\clu- 
 siveness, and l)y education, business associations 
 and inter-marriages, inixeil witli otiier races and 
 their desicendents, their iiiitural capacity for 
 science and aflairs becomes undeniable. Dr. Cas- 
 par Wistar, Ur. dross and Dr. Leidy were of tliis 
 irerman stock; G-overnorsSny<ler,Hiester,Shultz, 
 Wolf. Kitner, Shunk and Hartranft were also. 
 But all tliese escliewed German e.xclusiveness 
 an<l Tunker opposition to war and education; 
 they were of the iVIuhlenlierg party and ideiis. 
 Of t lie two classes of Germans, theTnnkers and the 
 Lutherans, with jthelrallied sects, theLutheriin 
 contributes most to the greatness of a, state, and 
 is therefore the better citizen In so far as great- 
 ness consists in well tilled land, large and well 
 tilled barns, the Tunker is super ior. But no free 
 commonwealth was ever built up norlong contin- 
 ued|free,whose citizens took impart in tliegovern- 
 ment; who would vote for no candidate, from the 
 governor to the tuwnslili) supervisor. The very 
 genius of our constitutions: state and nationa', 
 demands that all citizens who value life, litierty 
 •iind pruperty, should take an active aud intelli- 
 gent part in politics. 
 
 We ne.xt have the Scotch nnd Scotch-Irisn. 
 They, as noticed, settled a large )iiirt of the most 
 fertile part of the county They were all 
 Presbyterians. I never heard of a Scotch-Irish- 
 man in the first uenerution, being other than 
 Preshyterian, until 1 became ac(|uainted with 
 Mr. Thomas Kooney, late of this town, a most ex- 
 cellent man, now gone t.j his rest,. He was a most 
 exemplary Lutheran, and came to this country 
 from Ireland in his youtli. The Scotch-Irish 
 were not all ScDtch, although all who came from 
 the north of Ireland were so called. Many of 
 them had emii>rated to Ireland fioui England in 
 tlie reigns of Elizabeth and .Tames I., and were 
 correligiooists with those wh" emigrated from j 
 iic;)tlaut. Many of these Scotch emigrants j 
 were Celts of the same r.^ce as tlie native Irish; 
 the only dillerence was in religion. Large num- 
 bers of tnese Irish settlers, Scotch and English, 
 Icit Ireland in the reign of James II., and came 
 to Pennsylvania; this migration ol the Seotcli- 
 ■ Irish c'liiinued (or years down to the commence- 
 ment of the rei olutioiiary war. It is generally 
 .supposed they were all driven from Ireland by 
 Catliolic persecution, but this is not the truth in 
 all cases; many of them hiid taken long leases 
 from the English government of Irish lands in 
 the reigns of Q,ueeii Elizabeth and James I , and 
 these ledses were exjjiring in those of Ciiarles II. 
 anil James II.; the government would not renew 
 them, or demanded such exorbitant rents for the 
 future that they preferred to emigrate. And 
 this state of "affairs continued long after 
 Protestant ascendancy on the English" throne 
 under William and Anne. As I always under- 
 stood from the tradition in our family my 
 
 piterDal great-grandfather, Matthew Dean, 
 came to Pennsyl\ania about the year 17fiO, be- 
 cause he preferred to own land here rather than 
 lease it in Ireland. And I have no doubt this 
 was the case with many others of that stock. 
 
 The Scotch-Ir.sh were inten-e Presljyterian.s. 
 A copy of the Confession of Faith, with the 
 Larirer and Shorter Catechism, was in every 
 Presiiyterian family in my boyiiood. The copy 
 in our family was quite old; it bore a Ijondon 
 publish I's imprint, and was said to have l>een 
 brought from Ireland by my mother's ancestors. 
 1 ilon't remember that the doctrine was e.x|iress- 
 ly taught — rather think it was not— but I got 
 the impression somehow, from my drilling before 
 I was 12 yrars old, that while those outside of 
 the Presbyterian church might be saved, their 
 case was an exceedingly doubtful one. I pitied 
 my Methodist, Lutheran and Catholic boy com- 
 panions, because, not being Presbyterian boy.s, 
 they \iere in i)eril of everlasting punisiiment. 1 
 can realize now, from my own teaching.s, which 
 must have ijeen greatly moderated in their tone 
 by nearly a century ofNew World liberty, how 
 intoleran', cruel and biiioied must have been 
 the attitude of tlie religious sects of Europe in 
 the previous century. No one who has read liis- 
 tory doubts that, in the seventeenth and eigh- 
 teenth centuries, religious jiersecution was the 
 rule, toleration a rare exception: Catholics 
 killed Proleslants, Protestants or dissenters from 
 tlie Established Church killed C;.tholics; the 
 Cliur,;h of England killed both, and all because 
 of a dillerence of creed as to the authority of the 
 pope, the etticaiy of the sacraments, or the in- 
 terpretati<m of revelation. 
 
 And on their theory, logically, they were right. 
 They assumed their particular creel w.is un- 
 doulitedly orthodox; every one that differed from 
 it was raiik heresy; wliosoever believed in and 
 practiced the heresy would incur eternal damna- 
 tion; if no one but tlie then holder of the false re- 
 ligion should lielieve in it the effectwould be 
 limited, but if tlie heretic should go on propagat- 
 ing the heresy, and those iml)ibiDg it should so 
 continue, the' result would be millions of souls 
 would be destroyed. "It is my duty to God," 
 they reasoned, "to exterminate this souldestroy- 
 ing'heresy and thereby save millions of souls." 
 And they at once proceeded to perform their 
 duty by cutting oft the heads of the heretics. 
 And assuming their premises to be correct, they 
 were right, whether Catliolic or Protestant. It 
 took a long time, almost a century and a half of 
 religious civilization, before the large majority 
 of Christians ofall creeds fully comprehended 
 that there was no divine authority committed to 
 any man or iiody of men to determine that an- 
 other man would certainly be damned because 
 of his religious creed; that the Great Judge had 
 reserved that attritiute of sovereignty to himself, 
 and that the individual conscience was answer- 
 aide to him alone, for he alone can determine 
 ccrtanly the wickedness of the offense and 
 therefore can alone justly fix the punishment. 
 
 But out of these religious wars, persecutions 
 and cruelties, came the Scotch-Irishman into the 
 beautiful valleys of our county. They wanted 
 a fertile soil,and the.v got it; tliey warned to own 
 it; ill that their desire was accomplished. The 
 first settlers had to war with the Indians. There 
 was no "Gottes wille sei Getlian," with them, as 
 with their Tunker co-settlers. Their idea was, 
 "The Lord hath given to his saints the heiithen 
 for an inheritance" They had not a spark of 
 doubt who were the saints, nor who were the 
 heathen Their onl.v season of respite from war 
 ill the early years was in the winter; the Indians 
 seldom made a winter campaign; but in siwing 
 and reaping, their fields were guarded by the 
 txjys as sentinels. Many of them were killed by 
 the cunning and cruel foe. Not a half mile from 
 where we are now assembled, jiart of the Holli- 
 day family was massacred; in Dell Delight, one 
 oftheMoores; in Catharine township, half of 
 my great-grandfather's family was killed and 
 scalped, and his hous? burned. Peruiit me to 
 sliow how closely tradition connects events; the 
 massacre of the Dean family occurred in the 
 autumn of 1780, almost 116 years ago; my great- 
 grandmother and four of her children were in the 
 house, her husband and three childrt-n in the 
 cornfield; while they were in the corn field, the 
 Indians killed xnd scalped all in the house, and 
 set it on fire, without uiscovering those in the 
 
Sem[-Centennial History oi<' Blaik County. 
 
 15 
 
 •corn ti('l(l. One of tlic girls In the corn ftcld was 
 Polly, who marricMl Huwli Means, a f'.irmor in tlie 
 lower end of Sinking Valley. I visited her inore 
 tlian once from 1844 lo 184H, about which time slu^ 
 died, 1 l)eiiii4- tlien 10 to 12 yea s of aiie and she 
 probably KO; more tlian once, she narrated to me 
 all the sickeninu; details of the massacre, as f.ir 
 as she or any one l<new tlieni. So that tradition 
 in tliis instance, tlirough l)ut two persons, runs 
 back 116 years to a terrible event in a family. 1 
 now tell it to my children, and tliev vass it on, so 
 that three or four lives will jtossibly reach UM) 
 years. Some of tlie details of the story may be 
 lost, some possibly added, but the substance will 
 remain correct, i liave frequently, of late years, 
 thought of this, when 1 have heard scientists 
 hoot at the value of tradition as testimony to 
 historical facts, arguing that written evidence 
 alon ' can be elied on. Tra<lition, in the larger 
 number (d' instances, has the kernel (d' truth. 
 But this is a digression. 
 
 To hear the orators of the Sccdchlrish at 
 t'mesone would be led to think they were the 
 embodiment of all tlie virtues; that but for them 
 there would have been no Pennsylvania, and 
 possibly no nation. In these claims there is 
 much pardonable e.xagiieraiion. 
 
 In their domestic lives the Scotch-Iri.sh were 
 probably more considerate of the comfurl of the 
 women of ihe houseluild than the 'lunkers; they 
 were always mure litieral in e.x'penditure: they 
 generally a e the best of the product of their 
 farms and sold the poorest; whisky distilled on 
 the farm, or very near It, was used without stint; 
 they favored education. The schoolmaster was 
 installed as soon ;is liossible after a settlement 
 was maN^e, and there were t'Ut few of the secomi 
 generation who could not read, write and cipher. 
 They had one most erroneous idea lirought witli 
 them from the old countrj ; that is, that the girls 
 ■could marry and neede<l no estate; so in their 
 
 Mr. Sydney George Fisher, in his most valua- 
 ble b( ok, "The Making of Pennsylvania," says: 
 "There is no doubt the Scotch-Irish were rough, 
 but roughness is not always a serious vice, and 
 there aic various deureesof it. They liad. the 
 lands (d'the Irish rebels givi-n to them; tliey had 
 entere<l on tliem with a strong hand, and they 
 had grown accustomed to maintaining them- 
 selves among a hostile population fr mi whom 
 they e.\pected hut little consideration. They 
 were not much addicted to politeness or asking 
 leave for what they took, and they entereil Penn- 
 sylvania in a manner that was rather irritating 
 to the (iropiietors. I^argo numbers of them 
 marched to the York Barrens, in what was then 
 Ijuncaster county, near tlie Maiyland boundary 
 line, without fir.Tt ollering to buy the land from 
 Pcnn. When spoken to on the subject, they re- 
 plied that Penn had solicited colonists and they 
 iiad come accordingly. A more serious oliense 
 was their settling without purchase on the 
 lands <d' the Indians, an intr ision which is gen- 
 erally believed to havocaused several massacres." 
 
 Inihe.r merry-inakings tliey were rude; a rough 
 anil tumble tigut witii fists was not unusual; 
 whisky was among them a beverage partaken 
 of on all occasions, whether feist, wedding or 
 funeral; when a boy, within a. raiius of two miles 
 of wheie 1 went to" school, there were Hve distil- 
 leries, owned by Scotch-Irish Presbyterians and 
 Pennsylvania G-ermans. The VVashiiigtiniiaii 
 temperance reform in 1843 and 1844 closed all but 
 one of tlies(\ Hut without this, it is probable 
 they would have closed. New means of traiis- 
 pi'rtatioii enabled them to shi]) their rye to mar- 
 ket in bulk, instead of concentrating it into a 
 small package of whisky. 
 
 As noticed, the Tunkers would not vote or 
 lioltl office. No one ever said that of a Scotch- 
 Irishman; Ihave never known of his lefusal to 
 vote at least once, and iie was willing to hold as 
 
 wills in the early pare of the century you will many offices as he was eligible to. Ihe record.s 
 find they generaliv gave ahout nine-tenths of of this county since its organization wll', 1 
 
 think, t)ear me out in tiiisstatement. Although 
 many of them deny it, the Tunkers e.\cclled 
 them as farmers. As a rule, the Scotch-ltlsh 
 
 3y ge 
 their estate to the sons and divided the remaii 
 Ing tenth among the daughters. I can even sliow 
 you two or three wills of tliis kind probated after 
 Scotcli-lrishmen's decease subsequent to the or- 
 ganization of this county. 
 Sargent, in his "Introductory Memoir to the 
 
 larmers, after three general ioiii-', are giving way, 
 and their places are being taken by others. 
 The Catholic Irish settled what is now Blair 
 
 JournalofBraddock'sE.\pedition,"savs: 'They township about the close of the revolutionary 
 were a hardy, brave, hotheaded race,'e.\-citable war; tli= borough of Newry is, next to I-ranks- 
 in temper, unrestrainable in pa?sion, invincible town, the oldest village in the county. 1 have 
 in prejudice. Their hand oiiened as impetu- ' heard the late James M. Hewit say that when a 
 
 ously to a friend as it clinched against an en 
 emy. If often rude and lawless, it was pirtly 
 the fault of their position. They hated the In- 
 dian while they despised him, and it does not 
 seem, in their dealings with this race, as though 
 there were any sentiments of honor or magnani- 
 mity in their bosoms that could hold way against 
 their passionate, blind resentment. Imiiatient 
 of restraint, rebellious against everything that 
 in their eyes bore the semblance of injustice, we 
 find these men readiest among the re^dy on the 
 battleti 
 fault 
 amo 
 
 boy he went to Newry to see a circus; Ho lidays- 
 burg was then too insignificant to warrant the 
 showmen in stopping; Newry was tlie larger 
 town. I'his Irish settlement for a time throve 
 and was prosperou?, but tholocation of the canal 
 and the Portage road north of it, with their 
 junction at Hollidavshurg, arrested its growth 
 and Hollidaysburg forged ahead, .just as the lo- 
 cation of the main line of the Pennsylvania rail- 
 road si.\ miles north of Hollidaysburg created 
 Altoona, leaving Hollidaysburg standing still. 
 
 speaking, because of my own blood, being Scotch- 
 Irisii on both paternal and maternal sides of my 
 ancestry. While all the first settlers had passed 
 away before iny years of recollection, 1 saw and 
 knew some of their immediate children, and 
 many of their grand-children. My uncle, Sam- 
 uel i)ean. who lived to an advanced age, was 
 born in the year l^iOO. James M. Bell, my pre- 
 ceptor in the law, in the year 17'.i;». My fatlier 
 1808. Tobias l'"ureman, late of Huntingdon 
 county, lived with and was reared tiy my giand- 
 father; James Clark, grandfather of John Clark 
 
 but for many years Newry had the only Catliolic 
 church. There was, when I was a boy, a small 
 Catholic graveyard in Williamsburg, how old I 
 do not know; but here, every now and then, 
 some devout member of the church was laid to 
 rest in consecrated ground. A neat church has 
 been erected there within thirty years. 
 
 It is but a century ago that the two races, 
 liostile in religion, antl hating eacli other in Ire- 
 land, a^ain met. In Ireland they had been im- 
 placable foes, but when they reached this New 
 World of religious liberty, where everyone had 
 a right to pursue his own happine^p, their _re- 
 
 of Williamsburg, an ohl revolutionary soldier, a right to pursue Ins own llapplne^p, iiiur re- 
 
 an uncle of my father, was often at our house; sentments seem to Inive di.sappeareil, and liicy 
 
 he was vivacious, and a great inrrator of past labored together lor the common good. Up until 
 
 events;these all knew and mingled witli the orig- 1«54 I never heard of religions pro cripiu.n, or 
 
 sinkin- Vallev, Canoe Valley, religious antagonism in politics. I know I h,i\o 
 n township. Ihave heard them seen my father, at an early day, in consultation 
 
 with the [Catholic Mclvlernans and Harbisons 
 relative to tlie promotion of eilucdtion in the 
 common schools, and other public measures af- 
 fecting the townshli>. But in 1854 a wave of in- 
 
 inal settlers of r 
 and Frankstown townshii 
 
 tell of their domes ic life, of their political d 
 ferences. local feuds and church disputes. Sar 
 gent"s description, from my own opinion of ma- 
 ture years, approaches accuracy. 
 
16 
 
 o^ 
 
 Sp:mi-Centenniai^ History op Blaik County. 
 
 I lO fj -I f 
 
 H 
 
 1 
 
 tolerance, higutrv and proscription passed over 
 the stiite. Tiie Catholic whs persei-uted, just as 
 far as our constitution peruii'ted; lie was not 
 imprisoned, not killed on account of his reli!j;ion, 
 liut he was voted out of every office he could pos- 
 Hil)ly aspire to from state to townsliin. Itwasa 
 shameful persecution, and lasted about three 
 years: in less than five years thereafccr th' se 
 most active in tlie movement were busy denyinj; , 
 they had any coiine.;tion with it. In less than 
 ten years came the war for the preservation of 
 the "union. Our Catholic fellow citizens all 
 around us, tlien, by their patriotism at liome in 
 liromotina; enlistments, their c-ourago on many a 
 bl ody battlelield, gave the lie to all accusations 
 made asiainst tlieui in the kn iw nothinif cru- 
 sade. G-ood citizenship is not detern ined by 
 creed; conscience and c ii)afity fir puldi.- service 
 are nut measured by doctrine or dogma. All re- 
 ligio s ))io5cription is utterly at war wiili the 
 fLiiidamentiii principles of our'cnnstitution. And 
 whether onr remote ancestors cut each otliei's 
 lieads oH in Ire'and two hundrel years ago. 
 because one did not acknowledge the spiritual 
 authority of the pope, and tlie other refused to 
 acknowledge the spiritual authority of a presby- 
 tery, or their descendants figuratively a th's <lay 
 cut eaoli other's pulitieai hemls offat the polls, the 
 principle is precisely the same, religious bigotry 
 and proscription. I speak now as a citizen of 
 this growing county ano this grand old eoinmon- 
 wealtli in wiiicli 1 was born and bred. No one 
 doubts my religious creed: of a Scotch-Irish 
 Presbyterian aiicesfry, religious training and 
 education, I could not- be otiier and do not wish 
 to be other tlian Tresbyterian. At the same 
 time, with all my years of study, experience and 
 thought, I Icannot !)Ut tremble when 1 see the 
 least sign of a revival of that intolerant religi- 
 ous spirit whieii for centuries bathed Europe in 
 bloo'i. Lincoln said of slavery, "A house di- 
 vided against itself cannot stand." I do not be- 
 lieve a house divided against itself on a religi- 
 ous question can stand. Once religious belief is 
 made a political issue; once you determine a 
 man's fitness for office by liis opinion on tlie 
 doctrine of the ''real presence," — intercession of 
 the saints, of the Virgin Mary, the very founda- 
 tion of our free insiitulions disappears. Take 
 away that foumiation stone, laid in all its 
 breailth and beauty by Peiin, and on which the 
 great and glorious edifice of iliisfiet) common- 
 wealth has licen liuihb d, grand as is the super . 
 structure, it may fall: if it do not tall, it will 
 cease to grow: tliere will t>e 'no furtlier "addi- 
 tions, wherein may be sheltered and made happy 
 the sons of men. 
 
 Our Bill of Rights declares: "All men liavea 
 natural and iridefeasible right to worsi ip Al- 
 mighty G-od according to the dictates of their 
 own consciences. 
 
 "No person wtio acknowleiges the being of a 
 G-od and a future state of rewards and punish- 
 ments shal', on account of his religious senti- 
 ments, be disi|ualified for any office or place of 
 trust or profit under this commonwealth." 
 
 Under this beniticent declaration, or the sub- 
 stance of it, declared by the wise founder of our 
 state, the whole commonwealth has grown and 
 prospered. Any departure from it must be a 
 step backward into a dark age of persecution 
 and bloodslied, when ignorance undertook to 
 fashion men's consciences by cruelty and bar- 
 barity. 
 
 "Lord," said the woman of Sichem, "our 
 fathers worsiiipped in this mountain, and ye say 
 that Jerusalem is i he place wliere men ought to 
 worship." Jesus replied, "Woman, believe me, ! 
 the hour cometh, wlien ye shall worship neither | 
 
 in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem, but when 
 the true woi shippers shall worship the Father in 
 spirit and in truth." 
 
 It is almost nineteen centuries since the ^reat 
 Founder of Christianity proclaimed this sum of 
 all religion at Jacob's Well, yet, duiing all those 
 centuries, it is only an occasional glimpse we get 
 of it in practice. Tlie Tunkers, Lutherans, 
 Scotch-lrioh and Catiiolic Irish of this c-junty 
 lived up to it for almost seventy-five years, or 
 until lSo4. May we not hope, that since the 
 miserable failure then to adopt a religious test 
 in po itiis, none other will ever be attempted. 
 
 Such were the men, such their religion, such 
 the race of the hardy people who originally set- 
 tled the territory which now forms our county. 
 When the county was organized in lt>4t) many of 
 the descendants of the or ginal Germans and 
 Scotch-Irish lia I become Methodists, and some 
 of them Baptists. The Methodist was a mission- 
 ary church; its circuit riders had penetrat'd into 
 all corners of the county tiy that lime; tiieir con- 
 gregations were organizedin almost c\ ery school 
 district: they were^pecially effective at the iron 
 work-: two large setiled congiegations with com- 
 fortable churches existed at HoUidaysburg and 
 Williamsburg;but while strong in numbers, they 
 were generally of limited me ins; their influence 
 and wealth are mainly thegrowth of the last fifty 
 years, and the same may be said of the Baptists. 
 Many other religious sects have also in' that 
 jicriod grown in numbers and importance. What 
 1 have sjught siiecially to point rut.is the kind 
 and charrtCter ipf the peoi)le who, by more than 
 seventy years of struufgle, made ourcounty what 
 It was in 1S46, brought it to the point where its 
 people had a right to dcinand a separate county 
 organization and the legislature was warranted 
 in creating it. 
 
 When tne county was formed in 1846, in my 
 judgment the poiiulation was about 11, OHO. I 
 think fully four-fifths of this was made up of first 
 settlers and their immediate descendants. The 
 [lopulation rapidly increased; it certainly num- 
 bers now not far from 75,000. I dount if more 
 than one third of these can trace descent to the 
 Germans, Scoti-h-Irish and Insh of the first half 
 of the century; take away the population of 
 Altoona and "its immediate surroundings in 
 Logan township, of Tyrone and Bellwood, and 
 the last thirty years would show but little 
 change. The greater Blair county is made up 
 by these progressive railroad towns. True, many 
 of their citizens are descendants of the original 
 stock, hut the larger proportion is from other 
 counties and states, and many from beyond the 
 =eas. By their joining us they have raised our 
 noble old county from one of the smallest to one 
 of the greater coumies in wealth, population 
 and enterprise. In the not distant future we 
 shall seeit reach more than IdO.Oi'O in population. 
 Its past rapid growth has been due in great de- 
 gree to the growth and lilieral management of 
 that great corporation, the Pennsylvania Rail- 
 road. Our material prosperity and progress in 
 the future mustiiepend largely on the prosperity 
 of that enterj;rise. As it grows our county will 
 grow. 
 
 But I have already wearied you in endeavor- 
 ing to present in as "concise a "narrative as possi- 
 ble a glimpse of the early physical, intellectual 
 and religious growth of our beloved home. In 
 if I was born and reared; with it are associated 
 all my fondest rejullections; to its future cling 
 all my most fervent hopes; if any want to point 
 to some better, some gohlen age in some other 
 county or some other years, I have no sympathy 
 with them, for our county and our age, I feel 
 sure, are the best attainable.