4^^ \f \/ 'o^*^^%.o'' **.-^?!TV %'i^"/ *^ ^.:ii»i;.V J>\ik'A:..^^ *^^.:rtjiL%V .4?*>!k*i:./ "-. a5<^^ <«• •. -^ '••• ^j»$- ■^ >*\'i^.V f.0*..^,% A*\-J^..\. c°' ' • • • «5^^ ^0* ... ^. ^:» .47 .«:^***^ /O^ ♦•*::.!♦ ^. 4.* oil.'* "^^ 0^ « • » * /> o ^^ :^:4,:^:%^^. ..,^\^:«i^.\. y.^ti'i:-/^. .^\^:;^*.% o a M O THE FIRST One Hundred Years —OF— McKEESPORT. AN HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY FROM ITS INCEPTION UNTIL ITS CENTENNIAL IN 1894. COMPILED AND PREPARED HV Walter S. Abbott and William E. Harris( -♦O"— ^ UNDER DIRECTION OF Centennial Historical Committee. )I1, McKEESPORT, PA. PRESS OF McKEESPORT TIMES i«94. F/6'^ NOTE. This history was prepared and issued by authority of the Historical Committee of the Centennial Celebration of McKeesport, celebrated on September 13th and 14th, 1894. The Committee was appointed by the General Committee of the McKeesport Board of Trade, controlling the celebration, and consisted of the following gentlemen: W. E. HARRISON, Chairman, JAMES EVANS, HENRY STEWART, ISAAC EDMUNDSON, W. S. ABBOTT. CARD OF THANKS. The authors return sincere thanks to James Evans, Henry Stewart, Isaac Edmundson, M. Wilson Stewart and W. E. Buehler, for special assistance in this work, and to many other friends here and abroad, for valuable ser- vices rendered. Without their aid, much of the data secured could not have been obtained, because many dates could not be procured except from private records. The assistance of these friends aided the authors very materially. PREFACE. In undertaking the task of preparing a history of McKeesport the authors were aware of having assumed something not easy of accomplish- ment. Much data necessary to a complete history is not procurable, because it does not exist. Other information sought was unobtainable. But the compilers have made an honest endeavor to gather and arrange the following history in its proper chronological order in as complete a form as it is possible at this time to prepare such a work. The history is the result of a laborious gathering of facts from every conceivable source of information, both at home and abroad. Data has been tested and subjected to proof wherever it has been possible and the work is offered to the public, though incomplete, and perhaps imperfect as to some of the facts presented, as the most comprehensive history of the "Metropolis of the Monongahela" that has yet been published. Whatever its imperfections may be, the authors have no apology to offer. As a souvenir of the first century of McKeesport it seeks recognition, and wonderful as the record of the past may seem, the century just dawning will far surpass it. The next century of McKeesport's existence will be far greater, grander and nobler, and the history of the second cycle of one hundred years will record a still greater development. The Authors. ONE HUNDRED YEARS.* We come, with clang of bells, with songs of praise, With waving banners, with electric blaze, With radient hopes, and with inspiring cheers, To crown the memories of a hundred years. * * * * -X- * Could we roll back a hundred cycling years. And photograph the early pioneers. How we should see in each bronzed, rugged face The native stamp of that ancestral race Who came to act as conscience should dictate, Far from the partnerships of Church and State. A hundred years! How long, or short, it seems, Depends on fruitful deeds, not idle dreams. To sanguine vision, with its rainbow light. Days shrink to hours in their rapid flight; While lagging weeks or lingering months may be To wrong and suffering an eternity. Sunshine and shadow, innocence and crime. With different standards weigh and measure time. Full twenty centuries the Pantheon's dome Has watched the ebbs and flows of life in Rome. Through forty centuries, survey the links Of past and present in the silent Sphynx, And in the stately Pyramids that rise Until their summits pierce Egyptian skies. Brief space compared with all this length of years, McKeesport's single century appears; And sharply drawn, the contrasts brought to view Between the records of the old and new. Scan transatlantic archives, and you find Their every page with blood-marks interlined. Traverse each foot of Europe's wide domain, The scars of battle are on every plain. Where'er you turn, amid the busy hive, "The dust 30U tread upon was once alive." *Adapl<'d from Cciileniiial Foeiii by Dr. Bo/n/xiitg//, //urrisbiiri^; Pa. McKeesport. HE first known permanent resident at the mouth of the Youghiogheny river was Queen Alhquippa, the queen of the friendly Delaware tribe of Indians, who selected the spot now known as McKeesport for her seat of government. She was a good queen, celebrated in history and tradition for many good qualities, and in its day her tribe ranked as one of importance among the red men who controlled this part of the country prior to, and after, 1750. A legend has it that when the doughty General Braddock marched through here in 1756 to the scene of his defeat, three miles below McKeesport, near the mouth of Turtle Creek, that Queen Alliquippa occupied a prominent posi- tion among a number of her braves on the hilltop above Riverton and gazed upon the British Army, as it passed down Crooked Run Hollow to the Monongahela river and forded that stream. She is supposed to have been struck with wonder when the red and gold uniforms and glistening accoutrements of the English soldiers .iSashed in the sunlight beneath her gaze; but she was a proud queen, and notwithstanding the fact that George Washing- ton, afterwards the "Father of his Countr}'," accompanied the soldiers, she insisted that because due homage had not been shown her by that august body, she had been slighted. The angry queen, through messengers, is said to have informed the army that it had given her offense; but the story goes that George Washington afterwards succeeded in smoothing and softening the ruffled feelings of the dusky queen by presenting her in person with a bottle of rum. 8 History of McKf.f.spor'I'. Exactly where Queen Alliquippa's lodge was located is not known. Probably it was on one of the hilltops, as the level ground about tlie rivers at that time was swampy. One of the hills mentioned as the site of her headquarters is that now covered b\" what is known as South Park. The McKecs of McKeesport. HBOUT the beginning of the eighteentli centur)' David McKee. with his famil}', moved from Scotland to the Protestant settlement in the north of Ireland, settling near Lon- donderry. Bnt persecution followed the Presbyterians and about the middle of the centur}' he was forced to seek a new home. He came to America in company with several brothers and found in the Province of Pennsylvania what he said he long had sought: "a church without a bishop; a state without a king." He settled near Philadelphia, but in the year 1755 ^^^ crossed the Allegheny mountains and under the protection of the once cele- brated Queen of the Delawares ( Alliquippa), he settled perma- nently in the wilderness he found at the confluence of the Monon- gahela and Youghioghen\' rivers. There he built himself a log cabin and became the first white resident of the localitw The territory now covered by a teeming, throbbing, pulsing city was at that time an extensive marsh or swamp, clogged with heav}- forest and a dense undergrowth — not a home site that would to-da}' be selected by seekers after health and longevity. The time, too, seemed not aptly chosen, for it was contempo- raneous wich the disastrous defeat of General Braddock at Braddock's Field. The country round about was quaking with the shock of warfare and the onl}' recognized law was that of might. The strong ruled the weak. Notwithstanding the unfavorable surroundings David McKee built and occupied his log house and established a home in spite of all difficulties. The seed thus planted, over a century ago, was the nucleus of what afterwards became McKeesport, to-da}' a prosperous cit\- whose railroads, manufactories, schools, churches, intelligence, refine- His'iORv OF McKeesport. ment and thrift, form a halo through which the past appears as a misty dream, the outHnes bemg dim and exceedingly hard to discern. It is difficult to believe that the present modern cit}' was erected wh.ere the first white settler found nothing but a swamp along the shores of two big rivers, the future value of which he had no conception whatever. He was simply an adventurous white man determined to carve a home out of the wilderness and to force the earth to render him and his famil\- a living, free from the restraints he found in the, to him. obno.xious land of his birth. He cleared out enough of the dense taugle of swamp}- forest to enable him to operate a farm, but did not confine himself strictl}' to farmiug for an indefinite period. He had tlie Scotch-Irish ideas of thrift about him and he soon established a skiff ferry connecting his place with the opposite sides of the Monongahela and Youghioghen}' rivers and in 1769 he obtained a charter for it. That charter is still iu force to-da}' and a steam-ferr}' service is maintained under it. David McKee died on October 11, 1795, aged eighty-five 3-ears and his property passed to his three sons, John, David and Robert. David left the settlement, removing across the river and occupying a tract of land in what is now Mifflin township. He was drowned some years afterward while fording the Monon- gahela river on horseback, at Braddock's upper riffle, opposite the mouth of Crooked Run, where Braddock's army crossed in 1756. Robert located on a tract of land in the neighborhood of Brad- dock's Field, which was at that time a respectable settlement. John retained the old homestead which had been deeded to him by his father some years before. John McKec. HS has been stated, John McKee succeeded his father as the possessor of tlie McKee land at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghioghen\' rivers some time previous to his father's death. John McKee was the owner of McKee's Ferry and tlie founder of McKee's Port — afterwards the Borough and now the City of McKeesport. The McKee liome- stead was located outside of what became the town of McKees- port. viz: On the East side of Walnut street near the spot now occupied by the new portion of the iron works of the W. Dewees Wood Compan\'. W. E. Harrison and probabl}' one or two fjtliers of our oldest citizens, remember playing about the old log pile, the remains of the McKee home, which marked its location in their boyhood days. All traces of it disappeared many years ago. John McKee was born in Ireland in 1746 and at the death of his father was fort3'-nine 3'ears of age. He was a man of fine presence, much energy and of infinite resources of mind and body. He had been very prosperous in his undertakings up to the date of the wdiiskey insurrection, ranking as one of the wealthiest men in Western Pennsylvania. Subsequent to the whiskey war his affairs became somewhat tangled and he suffered losses in large sums prior to the year 1795- During that year he laid out the plan of McKee's Port on the site formerly known as McKee's Ferry. McKee's Port as belaid it out was bounded by the Monongahela and Youghioghen}" rivers, Ninth street and Walnut street. The plan consisted of upwards of two hundred lots, sixty feet front and one hundred and History of McKhf.sport. forty feet deep, each fronting a street and running back to an alley. The two principal streets. Market and Fourth, were eighty feet wide, all the others being sixty feet wide. All the lines ran at right angles and the plan is to-da}- pronounced perfect, regret being ex- pressed that the original lines were not continued in subsequent additions to the work so well begun by John McKee. Near the cen- ter of the new town Mr. McKee '.eft a large area intended for market house purposes, which for many \ears has been known as the Diamond. Two lots each for church and school purposes were set aside and the remainder of the lots were offered for sale. Mr. McKee adopted a novel plan to dispose of his town lots. He put the price of the lots at twenty dollars each, and by way of satisfying purchasers as to the selection of lots, he arranged a lottery scheme. The purchaser paid him ten dollars for which he received a numbered ticket and when the lottery drawing occurred, each man was assigned the lot his ticket drew, when, if he paid ten dollars additional, he received a deed for the property. There seems to have been no blanks in John McKee's lottery but if a ticket holder did not like the location of the lot he drew, he forfeited the ten dollars he paid for the ticket. Even in that early day the value of advertising was recognized and appreciated and John McKee accordingly made his lottery and land booming scheme known to the world through the columns of the Pittsbur^:;h Gazette. W. E. Harrison has the advertisement clipped from that paper dated February 5. 1795, a valuable relic, a copy of which is herewith reproduced: A NEW' TOWN IS laid out by the fubfcriber on the fpot known for many years paft by the name of M'Kees ferr}-. The ground intended for the Town is de- lightfully htuated on a fine level point, at the junction of the Monongahela & John McKee. 13 Youghiogeny rivers about fixteen miles above Pittfburgh by water, and twelve only by land. The plan on which the Town is to be improved confifts of upwards of 200 lots of 60 feet front ; each lot having the advan- tage of a ftreet and an alley 20 feet wide, for the convenience of ftables etc. The principal ftreets are eighty feet wide the others fixty. Near the center of the Town is a large area or fquare intended for a market houfe. Forty eight of the lots front the two rivers Monongahela and Youghiogeny, Four lots will be given by the fub- fcriber, for the ufe of a place of wor- fhip and a feminary of learning. The fituation of this place is fo well known in the Weftern Country that it needs no enconium that can be given it but for the information of thofe perfons below the mountain who ma}' wifh to become purchafers it may be neceffary to premife, that its fituation is one of the beft in the wef- tern country for trade and commerce, having the advantage of the two ri- vers Monongahela and Youghiogeny flowing under its banks, being near feveral grift and faw mills, clofe to what is called the Forks of Yough fettlement which is indifputabl\' the richeft that we have it is at leaft 12 miles nearer to Philadelphia than Pittfburgh is, it has public roads laid out from it in different directions. The price of each lot is to be 20 dollars, and one dollar ground rent 14 History of McKeesport. to be paid annually. To avoid dif- putes the lot every purchafer, is to poffefs is to be decided b}' a Lottery, which will be held on the fpot on the iftday of April next. Each purchafer at the time of receiving liis ticket is to pay ten dollars, and the refidue when he draws his number and gets his deed. The majority of purchafers prefent at the drawing are to choofe the perfons who fhall draw the tickets, which perfons fhall point out the four lots to be appropriated to public ufes, prior to the drawing. Tickets to be had of John Hannah mercht. Pittfburgh ; Andrew Swear- ingen Efqr. Wafhington ; lohn Ta3'lor Efqr. Greenfburgh, lames Wallace Efqr. Carlifle, Peter Whitefide mercht. Mercerfburgh and of the fubfcriber on the premifes. lOHN M'KEE. N. B. A plan of the town with propofals annexed, ma}' be feen at any of the above places. February 5, 1795. [The advertisement as it appears above was clipped from the Gazette by the late Judge Veech of Pittsburgh, formerly of Uniontown. About thirty-five years ago he gave the clipping to C. C. Taylor, Esq., then an attorney-at-law here, who presented it to W. E. Harrison, who has it pre- served in a glass-covered frame]. The new town had not been formally christened and it was not imtil sometime in November 1795 that the name of McKees- port was finalh' determined upon. The lottery disposed of many of the lots, but we know little of the particulars of what modern land speculators would call a "boom," natural to follow the birth of a iiew town, clainied to possess many advantages John McKee. 15 over the village of Pittsburgh because it was "twelve miles nearer Philadelphia;" but we do know that many of the original purchasers abandoned their lots and refused to pay the taxes assessed against them. The omnipresent tax-gatherer kept charging up the taxes until the limits of patience had been exhausteei and in the year 1H34 a general clearing up of the tax muddle was inaugurated and about one half of the "lottery lots" were sold under the hammer for the delintjuent taxes against them, at an average of less than ten dollars a lot. Nevertheless, these apparent reverses did not prevent McKees- port from being something of a town. For instance it had, as a necessity, a graveyard outside the limits, just East of Walnut street and adjoining that portion of Ninth street which was afterwards laid out East of Walnut. This old graveyard was located by Davnd McKee, father of John, and was not finall)- abandoned until the year 1872, when all the bodies, or what could be found of them, were removed to Versailles Cemeter}-. As early as 1800, McKeesport attracted general attention. Among its possessions was a race track running nearly around the town as platted, and. judging from the number of races on this course, the people were by no means devoid of a love for outdoor sports. The track ran along Water to Eighth street, then around to near Market street and thence to Second street. That the races were patronized by people from the surrounding country is shown by the following notice which is a copv of one appearing in the Pittsburgh Gazette, dated August 27th, 1800: McKEESPORT RACES. McKeesport races will be sported for on the turf at McKeesport on the first Wednesday in October next. A purse of $40 for mile heats; free for all; any horse, mare or gelding. On Thursday a purse of S20, one and one-half mile heats, free as above. And on Friday a sweepstake, one mile heats, free as aforesaid, the winning horse of each day excepted. No respect paid to the weight of the rider. PiTT-sBURQH, Aug. 27, 1800. 1 6 History of McKf. i: sport John McKee died on January nth, 1807, aged sixty-one years. His remains were placed by the side of liis father in the old graveyard, previously described, where they rested quietly until the demands of later years made it necessary to abandon the old burying ground. Accordingly in 1872 the remains were removed by one of his relatives, the late William Whigham, to Versailles Cemetery where they are to-day, the location being marked by the original headstone erected by his family in the old graveyard. But a handsome granite monument to him as the " Founder of McKeesport " was erected over his remains (and those of hi^ wife and his father), in 1887 b}' David R. McKee, as executor of the will of Redick McKee (son of John McKee, and born in McKees- port, December 7, 1800), who occasionally visited the old Bor- ough and had many friends among its residents. John McKee married Sally Redick, sister of Judge David Redick, of Washington County, Pa., whose pedigree is traceable back through the Hoges or ''Hoags," Humes, Stewarts, " Red- dochs," and Douglasses to the dawn of Scottish history, about the year iioo. Two of her grandnieces, Mrs. Jacob Burket and Mrs. John Merrington are still living and were recently residents of this city. A grandnephew, R. F. Ramsey, Esq., is living in Pittsburgh. Redick Mc|\ee, after a long life of great activit\' and useful- ness (largely passed in Wheeling, Va.. where in its early days he was prominent alike in establishing manufactories and other business enterprises and in founding religious and educa- tional institutions,, died at the home of his son, David R. McKee, in Washington Citv, September 13th, 1SS6. The latter is now the onl\' survivor of Redick McKee's family; and his sons are the last-born lineal descendants of the first settler of McKeesport. REDICK McKEE, Son of John McKee, the Founder o" McKeesport. Old Time Residents. HE residents of McKeesport prior to tlie year 1830, when the town eonsisted of but eighteen houses, one church and one small steam grist and saw mill, were of course limited in numbers, and the following list comprises substantially the names that would have appeared in a directory of the town, had such a book been compiled at that time: Alexander, James, saddler and tavern. Water street, bet. 2d and 3d. Located here in 181 1. Baker, John, tavern, northwest cor. 2d and Walnut. Baker, Jacob, blacksmith, 3d near Walnut. Behan, John, English pensioner, member of King's Life Guards, southeast cor. W^ater and Third. Boughman, John H., surveyor, bricklayer, stonemason, 2d near Mulberry allev. Dickey, Samuel, carpenter, southwest cor. 3d and Blackberry alle\'. Evans, James, hatter and Justice of the Peace, east of Walnut, oppo. 2d. Harrison, John, blacksmith and farmer, near head of Ninth st. Hirst, Emanuel, gardener. Market street south of 3d. Hunter, Samuel, coal merchant, east side Market bet. 2d and 3d. Huey, George E., physician, southwest cor, 2d and Walnut. Jamison, Henry, cooper, south of gth near Market. Longhead, Col. Wm., soldier in the war of 1812, general store, 3d near Walnut. Lowry, Robert, general store, southeast cor. Market and 3d. McVay, James, tailor, east Market bet. ist and 2d. Pennev, James, cooper, south west cor. 3d and Walnut. Rose, Samuel I\L, ta\ern, 2d and Mulberry alley. Rowland, Hugh, general store and carding and fulling mill, west side Market bet. ist and 2d. Soles, Andrew, general store, north side jd bet. Mulberry and Strawberry alleys. Stone, Daniel, laborer, east side Market, bet. 2d and 3d. Yoving, John, wheelwright, spiitji si^^ 2(3j cof, .p)acl§}-ry ^Uey, HisroRV OK McKi:i:si'()R'i-. W. E. Harrison remembers all the foregoing persons dis- tinctly and although the list is not considered accurate it substantially covers the names of the people here prior to the date, 1830. The grist mill spoken of was on the lot northwest of Second street, corner of Blackberry alley, now covered by part of Wootl's mills. A church stootl upon the lot now occupied by the First l'resb\terian church and parsonage at Sixth and Market streets. The only brick dwelling in town then was owned b\- Dr. Huey and the single frame dwelling was occupied bv Andrew Soles. All the other buildings were of logs. The grist mill was a frame structure, but the little church was constructed with brick. Five of these buildings remain and are still occupied, viz: Rose's and Soles' on Second street; Huey's at Second and Walnut streets: Penney's on Third street antl Lowrv's at Thirtl and Market streets. There are eight persons living in the cit}' to-day who were residents in 1830, as follows: W. E. Harrison. W. B. Harrison, Mrs. Ann Fields, sons and daughters of John Harrison; Mrs. E. E. Tassey, daughter of Hugh Rowland; Miss Nancy Boughman. ]\frs. INIary Harper and IMrs. Elizabeth Fisher, daughters of John Baker: and Mrs. Rebecca Gilky. W. E. Harrison has resided here over si.xty-eight years, being the oldest continuous resident in the cit}\ R. S. McInt}Te came here in 1831 and is believed to l)e the oldest man iri the citv, being in his eighty-fitth year. Mrs. Rebecca Gilky is in her eight\--ninth \ear and is regarded as the oldest woman in the cit\' and has been here the longest — seventN'-eight \ears. Mrs. Mar} Harper came here when fotir years old and is now in her eightieth }ear, and has resided in and close b}' the city for seventv-six vears. For many years r.fter the town was laid out the township road entering from the south came along the hillside nearly on the Old Timp: Rksidents. 19 present line of Jenn\' Lind street to abont the head of Ninth street, thence to the western line of the old grave \'ard; from thence to Market street near the jnnction of Sixth. We can get no record of the time the present road connecting with Walnut street was opened. The road from the East was about on the line of the present Fifth avenue to Hue}' street from which point it ran due North to a point near the National Rolling Mills, thence West to Walnut street near Second. In 1846 it was abandoned and changed to the present Fifth avenue. In passing it may be noted that in early days each resident kept a cow, raised hogs and sheep and usually had a flock of geese to lock after. £/'6saci/fAitcst.S'!^^P^Sr^ First Schoolhouse erected in McKeesport and first voting- place in the Boroug'h. Old Time Voting. IT was not so simple nor so convenient a matter for the earlier voters of McKeesport to cast their ballots on election days as it is now. Up to the year 1S42 they were required to go to what was known as the '"White House" on the Pittsburgh and Greensbiu'g pike, four miles from town, to exercise the right of suffrage. In those days conve3'ances were luxuries enjoyed by few but, notwithstanding the long tramp necessary, it is recorded to the credit of the townsmen, that very few neglected to vote at elections. The town was at that, time a portion of Versailles township. In 1842 McKeesport was incorporated and the elections were held for a number of 3'ears in the school house which stood on the Diamond, but which was afterwards, in 1849, removed to the rear of the lot adjoining the Presb3'terian parsonage, where they were continued until the first brick school house was erected on the site of the present First Ward building. Elections were held there until the borough was divided into wards, when polling places were provided for each division. WM MM Topography. C^^HE topograplu" of the ground forming the original phui of \Z/ AIcKeesport had to be changed considerably before all the ground was made available. As late as 1846 there was no wharf at the foot of Market street. A bluff at Second street cut the river off from the present Market street wharf. The shipping of the town was handled, in and out. at the ferry landing at the foot of Second street. Three large ponds of water stood North of Second street and extended from East of Market street towards the ferry landing. They covered the ground now occupied b\- the brick houses of Major Ryan's heirs and that of Mrs. Emil}- Tassey and reached Southward nearly up to Third street. After heavy rains it was almost impossible for teams to cross Second street. Between Seventh and Eighth streets a deep gully extended from a point between ]\Iarket and Walnut streets to the Yougli- ioghen\- river. It was about twenty feet deep across Market street and probably fifty feet deep at Mulberry alley. The land along the banks of both rivers was so low that at the time of freshets and floods much of it was imder water. It was not uncommon to see all of Water street covered 1\\' water, as well as parts of Second, Third, Market and Walnut streets. Old residents know what a wonderful amount of filling was necessar\' to raise the grade of the lowdying part of the town to its present elevation above high water. Occupations. PROFESSIONAL AND OTHERWISE. IT is worth while to glance briefly at some of the men who were pioneers in their different trades and professions, prior to the year 1830. James Evans, grandfather of James Evans, of the National Bank of INIcKeesport, was the first Justice of the Peace. He was appointed hv the Governor of the State. Back about 1820 he operated a distillery on a small scale, on Strawberry alle\-, and at one time he manufactured hats. Samuel Dickey was the first coal merchant to locate here. The first school teacher was "And}'" Hendrickson and he is said to have wielded the rod with remarkable de.xteritv. The first clerg\inan, or preacher as he was called, was Rev. Boyd Mercer. After the McKees, the first ferryman there is an}- record of was Samuel Elliott, who took charge of the business in 1820. The first coalboat pilot was Samuel klunter, who came here in 1 83 1. Many others followed him. The first tanner}- was operated by Samuel Culbertson, who came here in 1802. The first postmaster was James Evans, who was commis- sioned in 1827. Subsequent to 1830 the following persons were prominent in their various avocations: The original sawyer vvas Joseph Wampler, father of W. P. Wampler, now in the lumber business. He came here in 1831. He was a capable man and in addition to the above occupation he HisroRV OF jMcKkkspori made telescopes, microscopes and barometers, numbers of which are in use to-dav. He was Justice of the Peace for many years, being the first one elected under the borough charter. The first wagonmaker was Henry Myers, who came liere in 1839. He had a contract with the government to furnish wagons during the Mexican war. The first butcher was Joseph Garbr\-. who came about 1834. The original barber shop was opened b\' Joseph Newell, a white man, about 1845. The first colored barber was Jesse Allen, who came in 1850. James F. R\'an was the first tinner. He came here about 1848 and continued actively in business until his death. The first teamster to do general liauling was ''Old Bill}-" Castner, who began in 1850. The first shoe store was establislied by W. E. Harrison in 1858, who continued the l)usiness thirt\'-five years. James B. Mitchell, known as '-Dr." Mitchell, opened the first drug store in 1850. Some Early Incidents. HE first suicide was Dr. Henderson, who hanged himself to a bedpost in Rose's tavern in 1832. Robert Ha\ s. the ferrxnian, was the first person drowned here. This was in 1H33. The next violent death recorded, was that of John Gallagher, found dead on Walnut street in 1837. The cause is not known. The first colored man in town was known as "Black Alex," and the first colored girl was called "Black Han." They came here in 1830. The first brick house in town was built by Dr. Hue}', corner of Walnut and Third streets in 1820. The next was the Rowland mansion corner of Market and Tliird, erected in 1837. (W. E. Harrison helped to carr}' the brick to build itj. The first house built for tavern use was bv Sterling Johnson, on Water street, between Second and Third, in 1800, afterwards occupied by the Alexanders. As was the custom then a sign post stood on the sidewalk and the swinging board above it carried the picture of a black horse. The first Sunday school was organized in the Presbvterian church in 1825, b\- Rev. Alex. McCandless. The original temperance society was organized under his direction in the same })lace in 1829 and was said to have been the only organiza- tion of the kind in Western Pennsylvania at that time. The first signers to the pledge were Wm. Penne\', John Gray and Hamilton Stewart, and, be it said to their credit, they never broke it. 26 History of McKeesport. The only Revolutionary soldier buried here with the honors of war was Thomas Clark, on the 5th day of September 1S42. A military company from Turtle Creek had charge of the funeral. The onh' account we have of a slave being owned in ]\IcKees- port was one sold by James Evans to Col. Fauntle\- Muse and b\' him to Henry Clialfant, of Turtle Creek. The date is not known. The first steam ferr}' boat was named the '-Yough'" and was put into service in 1846. The first fire in town was in 1H36. \vhen Kirkpatrick's cabinet shop was burned. It stood near the site of the present liglit station, on Third street. The first murder committed here was bv Win. I)icke\' wlio shot Dr. h'orsha, at the corner of Market street and the Diamond. Dicke}' was defended in Court b\' Col. Sam. Black who secured a verdict of acquittal. The first person convicted of stealing and who was sent to the penitentiary was Adam Passmore, about 1S30. The first circus to spread its canvass here was Stickne\''s, about 1838. Secret societies were introduced in 1845 1)\" a temperance organization. The first persons executed on the gallows, who resided here, were James Fife and Charlotte Jones for the murder of Mr. Wilson and sister in Lincoln townshij) now Port \'iew borough. The\' were arrested and confined in the old Market House jail Ma\- I, 1857. Monroe Stewart, co-murtlerer, also arrested, died of smallpox in a hospital at Pittsburgh. The first livery stable was opened by Adam Gould, on Blackberry alley between Third and Fourth streets in 1848. A great hail storm is recorded in September 1850 when liad- rc / First National Bank Building, (see pag-e 57) Naoigation. RIOR to the erection of locks and dams on the Mononga- hehi river in 1841 creating' the present shickwater system, tlie river was navigable onl}' a portion of the year. Neigh- boring farmers took produce to the Pittsburgh markets in skiffs, rowing them down and back. Axhich meant a trip of about two days. Their ha\' was sent to market in flat-boats. To get home the\' hitclied horses to the boats b}' a long rope and dro\'e the animals largel\- in the river bed. The practice was known as •'cordelling." The horse rode down stream but he had to pull the load up stream. Steamboats began making occasional trips in i*^ The People's Bank, (see pag-e 58). McKeesport's Smaller Industries. ME first industry we liave any knowledge of was a tan3ard established by Samuel Culbertson, in 1802, on the rear of the lot on Shaw avenue now owned b}' James S. Kuhn. A resi- dence belonging to it stood on what is now the corner of Huey and Olive streets. About 1820, or verv soon thereafter, James Evans manu- factured wool hats and operated a small distiller}-. Hugh Rowland erected and operated a carding and fulling mill in 1826. It was situated below Second street between Market street and Strawberry alley. The power to operate the mill was a tramp-wheel rotated by two old horses. It was the custom for women from the country districts to ride into town, with a slieet or blanket wrapped around a crop of wool, attached to the horn of their saddles. They had it carded at Rowland's mill to make it read}' for the spinning wheel, which was in those days an indispensable implement in every well regulated home. Mr. Rowland sold out in 1838 to Robert McMillen, who sub- stituted steam as the motive power to take the place of the old horses. He added to the industry the weaving of cloth, such as boys' trousers were made of in those days. He made another addition in the shape of a turning lathe and quite a business was done in turning chair stuff, etc. In 1829 John Behan erected a grist and saw mill on the Northeast corner of Second street and Blackberry alley. In 1832 John Gray and Isaac Snodgrass built a saw mill near the Monongahela river, west of Walnut street, and Joseph Wampler 38 History of McKeesport. was tlie first saw\'er emplo^•ed. The logs used in tlie mill were all hauled in from the country on l)ig -'timber wheels." It was several years before logs were transported here by river. A saw mill was erected b\' Ward c\: Wilson on the Youghiogheny river front in 1845. John Bridenthal built a mill near the same place about 1(855. Edward Fisher established a mill near the mouth of Crooked Run in 1866. It is now the property of John Shoup l\: Co., and eniplo}s a large force of men in connection with the business of barge l)uilding. A saw mill built by Kinzenbaugh & Co. in 1868 on the Monon- gahela, below Martin street, was sold to Ta\lor and Shoup in 1888. It was burned in 1889. The firm erected a new mill near the site of the old one but it shared the same fate on August 8th. 1893. A grist mill, erected by Coon Ludwick. in 1856, stood at the foot of Mulberry alley. It burned down in 1869. Drew iSc Davis built a grist mill in 1883 near the Baltimore S: Ohio R. R. depot, which was sold to James Evans and known by the title "City Milling Company." It burned down December 9th, 1887. A grist mill was erected by Noah Hamilton about 1872 at the corner of Second street and Blackberry alley, but soon after it shared the fate of the others at the hands of the fire fiend. The first planing mill here antl known as the Original McKeesport Planing Mill, was erected by Neei and Wampler on the corner of Third and Walnut streets in. 1867-8. On October nth. 1891, the mill burned down. In 1892 the firm purchased the Youghioghen}- Mills from Daniel Stratton. which it operates to-dav with a force of fift\' men and four teams, and it has not missed a pa)-day in t\vent\-five years. Rankin & Kline built a planing mill nearly opposite the Balti- more & Ohio tlepot on Jerome street, Init a fire wiped it out m 1874. Rankin, Wampler & Gemmill established a planing mill on the Monongahela at the foot of Martin street in 1872. It McKeesport's Smaller Industries. 39 changed owners several times and in April, i88g, was purchased by the Diamond Lumber Compan}', which has operated it ever since, furnishing employment to a large force of men. J. B. Shale erected a planing mill in 1885, close to the Balti- more & Ohio R. R., near Twelfth street, which he sold to Patter- son & Morgan, and the}' in turn to Daniel Stratton. He sold the mill to Neel & Wampler. Daniel Stratton erected a new planing mill near the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. and Tenth street in 1892, which is still in operation. After establishing the first tannery here in 1802, Samuel Cul- bertson operated it until about 1826 when he sold it to Robert Shaw, who continued its operation for many years. Samuel C". Hue}' built a tannery near the corner of what is now Fifth avenue and Huey street, about 1836, and he success- fully operated it for several }'ears. He leased the establishment to W. B. Junker & Co. in 1850. This firm abandoned it, pur- chasing what was known as the old foundry property on Brick alley, in 1856. The firm continued in business for quite a long time but finalh' closed it up and the tanning industry here became a lost art. Brickmaking was somewhat of an industry in the early days of McKeesport. The brick for the Rowland mansion were made at a yard between Walnut street and the "old graveyard." The brick for the Soles' house on Second street were made in 1839, on the lot now occupied by the First Baptist Church. East of Market and between Eighth and Ninth streets was another brickyard, ow^ned by John Baker. Another yard was established on Brick alley. From this beginning the business increased until at the present time it is quite an important industry. The building of windmills was an early industry here. About 1832 John Stillwell carried on the business in a shop, corner of Third street and Blackberry alley. He had a peculiar wagon built for the purpose and with it he peddled the "wind catchers" 40 History of McKkesport. through the countrx'. In 1H50 the business was carried on more extensi\'eK b\' George Goewe}', whose shop was in tht; old grist mill on Second street. The industry is now extinct. Noble D. Lovel}' established a band box factory about 1S46, at the foot of Strawberr\- allew He emjiloyed considerable help and drove quite an extensive trade, shipping boxes in (piantities East and West. In connection with his band box tactorN' lie opened a tenpin allew which was successful for a time, but it was sliortdixc'l. He abandoned the bo.x making business about i860. About 1S47 John Trich erected a l-.rick building near Tenth street on the Yonghiogheny river in which he established McKeesport's first foundr}-. It was operated in 1S50, b}- Wilkin- son, Gray & Co. The jilace Vxas remodeled in 1856 and became a tannerw Shankland & Stevenson established the Enterprise Foundry on the corner of Fifth S: Walnut streets, where White's Opera House now stands, in 1849. Some }'ears later additions were made to the plant, and the construction of coal wagons, freiglit cars and small locon:Oli\es was added. A few passenger cars were also built there. The concern emplo}'ed about seventv-five hands and ra.nked as a big industry. On the morning of October 3rd, 1877, the wliole establishment burned down. In 1878, a foundrN" was built at the corner of Walnut street and Shaw avenue b\' K. [. I\Ia\' v!v Co. It continued in operation until i8gi, when it was moved to the corner of \\'alnut and Twelfth streets. Idie foundry at the corner of Fourth and Alar- tin streets, was erected by Peiine\- & iMilholland in 1885, who were succeeded in- John T. Penney & Compain, and tlie_\' in turn were follov ed b\ the present owners, tlie McKecsport Machine Company, whiih is a successful firm. It operates under a capi- tal of $25,000. McKeesport tried to dabble in the oil business once. A refinery McKeesport's Smaller Industries. 41 was located on Crooked Run, a short distance above the first bridge in 1867, but it proved a faihire and was abandoned in al)out a \('ar. Another unfortunate project was a soap factory, near the pres- ent site of the National RoUiny" MiU. It was built in i86g, but proved a failure. McKeesport's onl\- glass works was built in 186S, North of the Baltimore ev Ohio R. R. and West of Martin street. b\- a co-operative company of practical workmen. It continued in business with varying success for several }ears, but failure followed its efforts, the sheriff sold the plant arid it stood idle for some time. In 1S72. Chambers & Co. purchased the works, operating it for several years, but with the advent of the ^ear 1884, giassmaking here was entirely abandoned. The Russell Manufacturing Company was organized in 1886, with W. E. Harrison, president; James S. Kidm, secretary and treasurer, and George Russell, general manager. It did quite a large business manufacturing brass goods, plates for tintypes, etc. The concern ceased operation in i8gi, and the works remained idle for some time. The plant is now occupied b}' the Pittsburgh Heating and Supply Companw The McKeesport Gas Companx' was organized August nth. 1870. The warehouse of Fulton, Bollman & Co. was purchased and converted into a gas works. It was near the Baltimore and Ohio R. R. between Sinclair and Sheridan streets. It made the first illuminating gas in December, 1870. Street lamps were lighted on the night of December 12th and the populace went wild over the innovation, (jas was sold at S2. 50 per thousand feet. There were but twent\' street lamps required and tlie agreement with the Borough was tliat the lamps should not burn after midnight. The present works were erected in Ma}', 1873. The jilant was partialh' destroyed b_\' fire on June loth. 1893, but it was immedi- ateh' rebuilt. The company now uses the Miller "zigzag" process 42 History of McKf.e sport. of making gas and tlie works has a capacity of 300,000 cubic feet of gas per day. Tlie capital stock is S50.000. The ofificers are W. Dewees Wood, president; W. F. Knox, vice president; J. F. Davitt, secretar\- and treasurer. Directors are W. E. Harrison, S. S Crump. R. L. Riggs and R. G. Wood. The McKeesport Light Company's works was erected in 1885 by Reiber Brothers. The contract for hgl.ting the streets of the Borough was made on August 23rd, l^SS9. The Company was reorganized about tliat time, afterwards going into the hands of a receiver. This l)rouglit about a second reorganization which holds together to-daw The number of arc lamps first put in service to light the streets, was thirty. At present there are one hundred and fort\-seven lamps burning and the number is steadily increasing. The Company also supplies an incandescent system which numbers twent\'-seven hundred lamps, and it furnishes motive power for an electric street railway. The cap- ital of the Company is $150,000. antl the officers are Horace Crosby, president; Homer C. Stewart, secretary. The works was partialh' destroyed by fire in Alarch, 1893. but was immedi- atel}' rebuilt. Natural gas, the most wonderful fuel known to man, was intro- duced in 181S5. It was used in all the manufacturing establish- nients and in nearh all the business houses and dwellings. The communit\- for a time lived, moved and had its being in natural gas. The Union Gas Company organized in 1885, with W. S. Bissell as president and E. F. Woods, secretar}-. It supplies gas for domestic use and has the town thoroughly piped in every direc- tion. Gas came in unlimited quantities until 1891, when the suppl}' failed perceptably and many people reluctantl}' returned to the use of coal. Connections have been made with new wells from time to time and the Compan}' still has a fair supph which hnds a ready market. The manufactories secured their supply McKeesport's Smaller Industries. 43 of gas from tha Versailles Gas Compaii}', tlie National Trans- portation Company and the Philadelphia Compan}'. It was and is piped from fields ontside of the city. A number of wells were put down in and around the cit}', notabh' on Ninth street, in 1892, where a temporary flow was secured; hut the local supply never cut nnich of a figure. The Grapeville district was perhaps the greatest source of suppl\'. The McKeesport & Youghiogheny Ice Company w^as organized Ma}' 13th, 1886, with a capital of $15,000. It erected a plant to make artificial ice, with a capacity of eighty tons per day. At present the capital is $100,000., the plant has been doubled and the capacit}- is not equal to the demand. E. C. Converse is president; K. G. Wood, vice president and J. F. Davitt, secretary and treasurer. Rhodes' or Reed's brewery was a three-story stone building on the present line of Jenny Lind street near Tenth street. No data is available indicating the year it was built, but, in 1830, the structure had parth' fallen down. Watson Mains operated a small distiller)' at the East end of the present Fifth avenue, from 1857 to 1867-69. Fry's distillery was erected near Riverton in i860, but it con- tinued in operation but a short time. Thomas Moore erected a distiller}' on the Youghiogheny river at the foot of Thirteenth street, in 1878, and has since enlarged it considerably. He operates it with a capital of $60,000, and emplo\s twent}' hands in all. An "old time" industry was a shovel factory, established in 1852, by "Uncle Ned" Dewees, but it was abandoned in about two years. W. Dewees Wood was interested in a patent sheet iron oil barrel, and, in 1861. a factor}' was established here. The following }ear it was sold to a Pittsburgh firm which intended to erect a big factor}' there, but square tin cans and the subsequent tank cars and ships did away with the business entirely. 44 History ok McKeesport. This substantially completes a history of what might be termed the '' smaller industries," from the earl}- days of the little village down to the cit\" of to-da\". It is true that there are quite a num- ber of other establishments not named, each of which furnishes work and wages to workingmen and whose business goes to swell the sum total of the extensive trade of the ]M'esent city of McKeesport. A glance at the leading industries is reserved for the next chapter. I s ^ ^ McKeesport's Great Industries. 'HE first manufacturing industry of any great importance to seek out the unique advantages of McKeesport was the iron works known as Wood's mill, which was erected on the Northeast corner of Walnut and Water streets, in 185 1. It was built by W. Dewees Wood. He was succeeded in 1855, by Wood, Moorhead & Co. who were succeeded b}' Wood & Lid^ens in 1861. Ten years afterwards, in iSyi.the present owners secured possession of the plant, becoming an incorporated company in 1888, under the style of W. Dewees Wood Compan}'. Its capital is $1,500,000. and 'the company's officers are: W. Dewees W^ood, president; Richard G. Wood, vice president; Alan W. Wood, secretary and treasurer; Thomas D. Wood, superintendent. When first started, the mill was a small affair, covering about one acre of ground and emplo3'ing thirty-five men. Its output was limited accordingly but its projector had within him what is termed in trade "the right stuff," and tlie plant grew from that small beginning to its present proportions. The plant now covers nine acres of land anil furnishes emplo\ment to an average of one thousand men in its various departments. The product is sheet iron, a specialty being patent planished iron, which takes the place of Russia sheet iron for fine w^ork. The output is twent\' thousand tons of finished product per year. The Com- pany made it an invariable rule from the iirst to pav its employes each Saturday, regardless of dissimilar pay-days in other mills. The pay-roll now averages $10,000. per week, 46 History of McKeesport. In 1862, Fulton, Bollman & Company erected a "rope walk" fronting Walnnt street and running down Fourth to Huey street, the building, proper, being something like fifteen hundred feet Umg. The firm employed over three hundred hands, the product being rojies and twines — from the smallest cord to the heaviest and strongest cables. The venture was successful, but a fire destroyed the buildings on October 21st, 1S6S. The firm at once began the erection of new buildings, but after partially complet- ing them, suddenly changed its plans, bought a plant at Elizabeth, N. J. and removed the business to that city. The National Tube Works Company located here in 1S72, purchasing for the original plant the old rope walk property of Fulton. Bollman & Companw The mill was completed and put in operation promptl}', but the main portion of it was destro3-ed bv fire on April gth. 1H73. This was rebuilt and in operation again b_\- September ist, of the same year. The "butt- weld"' addition was added in 1S74, and it was destroyed by hre in June, 1876. The growth of this concern has been the wonder of Western Penns\lvania. It is to-day classed as the largest industrial establishment in the couutr\- and it is the largest tube works in the world. When running to its full capacity it employs nearly ten thousand hands and its product is shipped to all parts of the civilized world. The capital of the Company is $1 1,500,000. and it maintains branch offices in the principal cities throughout the country. The enormous proportions of this industry, its remark- able facilities for turning out tonnage, places it in a position to command an extensive trade, and the vast number of men necessary to operate the works, makes it largely the mainspring of the cit\'s prosperity. It is an establishment that any cit\' in the world would be proud to possess. The National pipe mill was erected in 1872; the National rolling mill, in 1879; National steel plant, in i892-'93_; Monongahela furnaces, in 1892; Bostpi] '4\ 48 History of McKeesport. Iron & Steel Works, in 1892-93. The Compan\- also owns the Republic Iron Works in Pittsburgh. The tonnage is divided as follows: pipe mills, 225,000; steel works, 145,000; Boston mill, 175,000; furnaces, 160,000; the total tonnage including the Republic iron works being 750,000 tons per annum, or 2.500 tons, daily. The plant covers an acreage of sixty-six acres, about fifty acres of which are under roof. Eighteen miles of railway are necessary to distribute material about the works and to remove the output for shipment. The Compan\- owns ten locomotives, which are necessar\- to move cars in the yards. The number of engines to drive the macliiner}' in the Tube Works proper is fort3'-two. and about fift}' stationarv engines are required in the various other mills. In the Tube W^orks are twentj'-four steam pumps and twenty-two steam boilers. The annual output of this immense j^lant amounts to some- thing between $15,000,000 and $20,000,000: and in good times, the mills running full, the average weekly pa\'ment of wages amounts to $130,000, or for one 3'ear (52 weeks) to the enormous sum of $6,760,000, nearly all of which is expended in this cit\'. The first officers of the National Tube Works Compan\' were J. C. Converse, president: \\\ S. Eaton, treasurer: J. H. Flagler, general manager; P. W. French, secretary. The present officers of the Compan\' are: D. W. Hitchcock, president; E. C. Converse, vice president and general manager: A. F. Luke, secretar\' and treasurer: Horace Crosbx' and J. H. Pierce, assistant managers. McKeesport prides itself for ha\ing within its boundaries the pioneer tinjilate works in the T'nitcd States. In i(S73-74, a little rolling mill was bu:lt for the purpose of manufacturing Tin and Terne Plates, on what was then known as the Mehaffy farm. About the same time the boundaries of JVIcKeesport, which was then a borough of about three thousanci McKeesport's Great Industries. 49 inhabitants, were extended, and the new northern boundaries were made nearly identical with the Northern border of the grounds of these works, that portion of the borough being known as the lower Third Ward, or Demmler Station. The distance from the center of the city to these works was considered quite a long one, and on this account the managers of the works succeeded in their effort to have a special Post Office established for their works, and in this way it came about that McKeesport enjoys to the present date the exclusive privi- lege of having two distinct Post Offices within its boundaries. -•-"^'^^v, -*'* 3^ ^^feg The United States Iron & Tin Plate Works. The Post Office was named "Demmler," after J. H. Demmler, then president of the Compan}-. The United States Iron & Tin Plate Company was chartered in March, 1873. In the month of April, following, W. C. Cronemeyer, the present president and general manager of the works, was appointed book-keeper. In the beginning the Company had very rough sailing, for before the works were completed the p McKcesport's Railroads. (D KEESPORT'S pioneer railroad was the Pittsl)urgh & Connellsville, which built its track through town in 1857, and passenger cars were put in service, connecting with the Penns3'lvania R. R. at Brinton, soon afterwards. Travel between here and Pittsburgh was continued in that manner until 1861, when the Pittsburgh & Connellsville line was completed to Pitts- burgh. To encourage the building of this railway the Borough of McKeesport subscribed for one hundred thousand dollars' worth of the company's bonds in 1854. Afterwards, the borough Council repudiated the subscription and the bonds were sold. Nobody heard anything about them for years but they finally floated to the surface and the holders secured judgments against the borough for upwards of one hundred thousand dollars; and the town was compelled to issue thirt}'-\ear bonds to pay them oft. The cit\' in turn assumed the bonds and the old part of the city pays taxes to this day on the bonds. The debt could have been wiped out, at one time, for $15,000. The Baltimore & Ohio R. R. absorbed the Pittsburgh lv: Connells- ville line some years ago, and to-day, McKeesport is on its trunk line from New York to Chicago. Thirtj^-six passenger trains stop at its depot daily, and its freight business is enormous. The Pittsburgh, \'irginia & Charleston, known as the INIonon- gahela Division of the Pennsylvania R. R., was put in operation in 1873. To-day that road furnishes McKeesport with the freight service of the entire system controlled by the Pennsyl- vania I^. R. Twenty-six passenger trains run daily and it enjoys a large freight business, 64 History of McKeesport. The Pittsburgh, McKeesport & Youghiogheny R. R. forms a division of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie R. R. (the Vanderbilt system). Its construction was completed in 1883, and the first passenger train passed over the road in November of that year. It now operates five daily trains each way, carrying an average of four thousand passengers monthly. It also handles an immense freight tonnage, which is constantly increasing. The McKeesport & Belle Vernon R. R. is another division of the Lake Erie, or Vanderbilt system. It was opened for passen- ger travel in tlie Fall of 1888, and now it operates three daily trains each wa}'. It also enjoys a big freiglit business, particu- larly in the transportation of coal. The total tonnage in McKeesport freights, in and out of the city, is difficult to ascertain, but a conservative estimate places it at 1,800,000 tons per annum, which is an indication of the volume of McKeesport's big trade. The raihvav freight and passenger facilities enjoyed by McKeesport. are second to no city in the country. In addition to the railway service, the city is on a waterwa}', connecting it with the entire Ohio and Mississippi valleys. City Passenger Raitoays. ai HAT is now called the McKeesport & Reynolclton Passen" ger Railway Company was originall}^ a horse-car line. It secured its first franchise in the year 1887 and built a single track road from the foot of Market street to Fifth avenue, and out that thoroughfare to Center street. With the development of the city, it became necessary to extend and improve the ser- vice. Horses were abandoned and electricity substituted, the new lines getting into operation in 1892. Its lines reach from the Dravosburg bridge, through Reynoldton and through the city to the Eastern end of Fifth avenue, with branch lines up Walnut street and Evans' avenue. It is a great convenience and enjo}s a growing and successful business. It has been of won- derful assistance in building up the city. J. C. Smith is president of the Company. The Citizens' Passenger Railway Company operates an electric line from Fifth avenue and Locust street, up through Riverview Park to the terminus of Jenny Lind street, and will be extended considerably in the near future. It began operations in May, 1893. The White Traction line is an electric road starting from the foot of Riverton street and, crossing the Duquesne bridge, extends to the lower end of the town of Duquesne. It began operations in 1 88 1 and it brings a good deal of trade into the cit}'. The McKeesport & W^ilmerding electric road was constructed in 1893. It connects McKeesport and Wilmerding and is devel- oping the new town of East McKeesport. It is a mail, express and 66 History of McKeesport. frenght route, connecting with the Pennsylvania R. R. The road is unicjue in its ability to overcome successfully a ver}- high hill between its termini. It is the highest hill in Allegheny county. The Versailles Traction Company has in operation part of a system, constructed last year, which is ultimately to extend from Fifth avenue to Boston, Pa. McKeesport's Bridges. IN 1865, a charter for a bridge over the Youghiogheny river at the foot of Third street, was obtained by B. B. Coursin and W. E. Harrison, but tlie river men opposed it vigorously and it never materiaHzed. The present bridge at that point was constructed by the McKeesport and Re3'noldton Bridge Com- pany, in 1884. The company was chartered with W. E. Harrison, president, and James S. Kuhn, secretary. The struc- ture cost about sevent}' thousand dollars. The Dravosburg Bridge across the Monongahela river, con- necting Dravosburg and Reynoldton, was built b}' a company in 1891, at a cost of one hundred and ten thousand dollars. John M. Risher is president of the compan}-. The Duquesne Bridge was erected in i8gi, b}' the Duquesne Bridge Company, at a cost of about two hundred thousand dol- lars. It is a long structure. T. L. White is president. The Port View Bridge spans the Youghiogheny and con- nects the city with Port View. It was opened for travel in 1892, and it cost about fift}' thousand dollars. W. P. Wampler is president. The Boston Bridge joins Boston and Versailles, suburbs of the city. It was completed in 1893 at a cost of about sixty thousand dollars. John W. Painter is president. The capital is eighty- thousand dollars. The above are all passenger and vehicle bridges and they join much suburban territory to the city, rendering travel and trade much easier and adding greatly to the prosperity of the city. 68 History of McKeesport. In addition to these bridges are two railroad bridges, one across the Youghiogheny river over which tlie Pittsburgh, McKeesport & Youghiogheny R. R. and the McKeesport & Belle Vernon R. R. pass; and the other spanning the Monon- gahela, b}' which the Penns} Ivania R. R. gains access to the city. These bridges are invaluable for the transportation of freight in and out of the city. Schools and School Houses. I IE earliest record obtainable of school teaching in McKeesport was the engagement in the profession by Andrew Hendrickson, in 1816, long before a school house had been erected here. The next pedagogue was Dr. McClelland, a brother-in-law of the late Oliver Evans, and father of the late Col. Wm. McClelland, who was Adjutant-General of Pennsyl- vania. He taught a school in a small frame addition to the East end of the old Evans' mansion, on the present site of Wood's mills, in 1831. Before the erection of a school building in town the old timers' ideas were generally taught to shoot in a country school house, about a quarter of a mile South of the present city limits, near where Christy Park begins. The house was built of logs, one log being left out of each side and the space thus formed being filled in with 8x10 glass to afford the necessary light. Asaph Atwater, afterward burgess of the town, was the schoolmaster and he ruled the }Oungsters with an iron hand; and be it said to his credit he taught them something. Among his scholars were the Hueys, Bakers, Harrisons, Stewarts, etc., some of whom are still living here. The first school house in town, an illustration of which appears on page 20, was built by private subscription in 1832. Hamilton Stewart, father of John W. Stewart, was the contractor who erected the structure. Joseph Wampler, father of W. P. Wampler, sawed the boards which went into the building for weatherboarding and flooring. It was situated on Fourth street 70 History of McKeesport. west of Market, on the Diamond, right in the middle cf the street Its dimensions were twenty by thirty-two feet, quite insignificant when compared with the present commodious school buildings, equipped with every modern convenience. The little school house was moved from the Diamond, in 1849, to the lot adjoining the parsonage of the First Presb}terian church, where it remains to-day, a reminder of the past. The first teacher to wield the birch in this little school was a Mr. Higl}'. He was followed in succession by Messrs. Pentecost, Hicks, Coulter, McGahan, Atwater. Jamison, Sloughfter, Carroll, Wampler, John F. Dravo and Wm. Colvin. The first public school house was a frame building, erected in 1841, East of Walnut and between Eighth and Ninth streets. After being used for several Nears it was converted into a dwellirg and is at the present time a part of the residence of Audle)' Calhoun. The first teacher in that building was Dr. James E. Huey, who was assisted during the first term b}' John Rowland. His assistant during the second term was W. E. Harrison. The next public school building was more pretentious. It was a three-story brick structure and stood on the corner of Market and Sixth streets, the site of the present First ward building. It was built in 1849 and after several }ears service it was torn down; and in 1863 the pi'esent Iniilding was constructed. R. L. Riggs was the first principal who had charge of the scliools in the latter building. The Second ward, or Walnut street buikling, was erected in 1880, at a cost of twenty-one thousand, four hundred dollars; Fifth avenue building in 1884, cost forty thousand, three hundred dollars; Ninth avenue in 1890, cost thirt\' thousand, two hundred and forty-eight dollars; South Park in 1890, cost thirt_\'-one thousand, five hundred and sixty dollars; East End followed and it was enlarged, in 1893, at a cost of eighteen thousand, eight hundred and sixt^-eight dollars. In addition to these buildings Schools and Sch-ool Houses. 71 the "Third ward frame" was built in 1870, but was abandoned soon afterward. At the present time a new sixteen-room build- ing is being erected in the Seventh \\'ard to cost thirty-five thousand dollars, to be called the Centennial School Build- ing. McKeesport's public schools are second to none in the state. The ta.x levy for 1893 was five mills for school, Centennial School House, Seventh Ward. and one mill for sinking fund, which produced seventy- seven thousand, one hundred and si.\t\'-one dollars; the state appropriation was seventeen thousand, nine hundred and seventy-nine dollars, making over ninety-five thousand dollars available for school use for one year. The bonded debt of tha school district is one hundred and four thousand dollars and it 72 History of McKeesport. has in the sinking fund the sum of twelve thousand, seven hun- dred and thirty-three dollars and fortN'-seven cents, leaving the net debt, in 1893. ninety-one thousand, two hundred and sixty-six dollars and fift\'-three cents. Prof. H. F. Brooks is City Superintendent, at a salary of eighteen hundred dollars per annum; E. S. Day, principal of the High school, salary fourteen hundred dollars: R. O. Waldron, supervisor of writing; F. W. Squibb, principal Mar- ket street building, salary twelve hundred dollars; M. H. Miller, principal Walnut street building, salary fourteen hundred dol- lars; H. P. McMichael, principal Fifth avenue building, salary fifteen hundred dollars; W. H. McMullen. principal South Park building, salarv twelve hundretl dollars; Prof. Silsby, principal East End building, salary twelve hundred dollars. The frame building is presided over by Mrs. Sadie A. Camp, at a salary of four hundred and ninety-five dollars. The entire number of teachers employed is seventv-eight and the total number of scholars enrolled is four thousand, two hundred and ninet}'-nine. The salaries for the school term aggregate forty-eight thousand, four hundred and sixty-two dollars. Free text books were introduced in the schools, February ist, 1892, and the number of books in use is ten thousand, eight hundred. The first City Superintendent was T. F. Newlin, elected in 1881. He established the high school. He was succeeded by Charles A. Dean, who was followed by P. A. Shanor; and he was succeeded by the present incumbent, H. F. Brooks. In addition to the public schools are the Roman Catholic schools. St. Peter's school building on Market street accom- modates seven hundred scholars, and is a fine structure, costing forty thousand dollars; and a convent building adjoins it which cost fifteen thousand dollars. St. Mary's church, on Olive street, conducts a large school, about tw'o hundred and fifty Schools and School Houses. 73 scholars being in attendance there. The German Lutheran congregation sustains a successful school in its own building, on Olive street. The McKeesport Military College is a flourishing institution. It recently increased its capital to one hundred thousand dollars and is about to erect a commodious college building. It suc- ceeded Gressly college. Its president is W. P. Wampler. H b^ Market Houses. HE first market house was erected in 1851 b}' Lewis Soles, a contractor, for one thousand, one hundred and forty dollars. It was situated on the Diamond, East of Market street. It was a two story brick building, the first floor being the market, the second floor divided to accommodate a town hall, council chamber and town jail. The structure was torn down in 1872. Incidents recalled in connection with the old jail are that James Fife, Monroe Stewart and Charlotte Jones, murderers of old Mr. Wilson and sister, were confined there on May ist, 1857. The borough constable in 1851 was Casper Walthour and while taking a prisoner up the stairs, he was interfere^ with by Wm. Kitchen. Walthour struck him on the head with a heavy cane, fractured his skull and Kitchen died in a few days. Walthour was arrested, tried, convicted and was sent to the penitentiary for five years. The town was without a market house for several years, prob- ably because there was too much jail mixed with the business of the original structure, but in 1884 the present market house was erected b}' a private company, of which W. E. Harrison was president and D. C Huffman secretary. The company effected an agreement with the borough, that it have the use of the build- ing for ten years and then to sell out to the municipality for ninety per cent, of its original cost, which was not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars. The venture proved a profitable invest- ment for the stockholders. ^^ ^.r QrosscvpAH^fsrfJf^^. UNION CHURCH. The first church edifice erected in McKeesport. McKeesport's Churches. HERE may liave been religious services held at an earlier period, and doubtless there were, but the first preaching in McKeesport that we can get any data for, was in the year 1801, by Rev. Boyd Mercer, a Presbyterian clerg3'man. There was no church building here at the time, and services were held in the homes of the inhabitants and, in fine weather, in the open air. The first church building was erected on the lots donated for the purpose by John McKee, at Market and Sixth streets. The church was built in i8ig. It was about forty feet square, was constructed of brick, and only a single story in height. The structure was never entirely finished. The inside walls were not plastered, and the ceiling was of boards, rather roughly put in place. It was a union church, but was occupied principally by Presbyterians, as that denomination included most of the inhabitants. In 1842, the building was razed and a larger one erected on the same site by the Presbs'terians. It was used for ten years, when it was torn down and the present building was dedicated in 1852, during the pastorate of Rev. Nathaniel West, D. D. The first regular pastor of the congregation was Rev. Alex. McCandless, who preached here but one-third of his time. He was called in 1824 and remained pastor until 1837. He received a salary of one hundred and fifty dollars per annum. In 1830, he organized and established the first Sunday School. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. Burton, who came here in 1839, and he was succeeded as follows, in the years given: William Eaton, 1841; Samuel Hill, 1845; P. H. Jacob, 1846; Nathaniel West, 1851- 78 History of McKeesport. R. F. Wilson, 1856; G. W. Hair, i86g; J. W. Wightman, 1872; Samuel McBride, 1877; George N. Johnson, 18S0; and J. J. McCarrell, 1884, who is pastor at the present time. In the first organization of the Presbyterian Church, which was effected in i8ig, William Penney, William Sill and James Evans were elected ekiers and were ordained in 1820. The present enrollment of members is five hundred and sixty-nine. The benevolent contributions last 3'ear amounted to four thousand, nine hundred and fifty dollars. The pastor's salary is two thou- sand dollars per annum and lie is provided with a parsonage worth a rental of five hundred dollars per annum. The number of scholars in the Sunday School is four hundred and sevent\'-two, per last report. The Presbyterians were the pioneers in establishing church-work here. An incident worthy of mention in this connection is, that in this church, to-day, are thirt}'-five persons belonging to one family, viz: the Edmundson's. From the most reliable, obtainable information, the first Methodist class was formed here about 1834. It was composed of R. S. McInt^Te, Mrs. Samuel Hunter. ]\Irs. John Lauder and Mrs. John Baker. Its first leader was a Mr. Cranling. This formed the nucleus of the Methodist church, but it was not until 1 84 1 -2, that the conference recognized it with an appointment, at which time the class consisted of twelve members, the leader of which was Michael Dravo, the father of John F. Dravo. The church was made a part of the Miller circuit, and the first pastors were Revs. Rich and Foster. The}- were followed by Revs. Jeremiah Knox and Johnathan Kramer. Before they had a church, the Methodists were permitted to hold services in the Baptist church, which stood on Blackberry alley below the Diamond. The pastors following those already named are appended: l^evs. W. H. Lynch, D. L. Dempsey, W. F. Louck, J. Gibson, William Cooper, H. D. Fisher, Josiah Mansell, Burkett, G. A. Lohman, John Coyle, L. McKeesport's Churches. 79 R. Beacom, H. L. Cliapman. Jolin J. Moffatt, D. A. McCready, W. B. Watkins, S. P. Wolf. C. W. Smith. H. L. Chapman, J. W. Baker, T. N. Boyle, R. B. Mansell and G. W. Terbush. The Methodists built their first house of worship in 1843, under the pastorates of Knox and Kramer. It was erected on a lot adjoining the corner of Market and Fifth streets, where it remains to-da)', forming the rear portion of a business house. In 1846, the congregation required a larger building, and a two-story brick structure was erected on the corner of Market and Fifth streets, where the People's Bank now stands. It was erected under the pastorate of Rev. W. H. Lynch. The third, or present large building, corner of Walnut and Penney streets followed, under the pastorate of Rev. W. B. Watkins. The present member- ship is seven hundred and sixt}. The benevolent contributions for 1893, were nine hundred and eight}'-three dollars. The pastor's salar\'. including rental of the parsonage, is twenty-two hundred dollars. The Sunday school was organized about 1843, and its present membership is seven hundred and fifty. Milo H. Miller is superintendent. The First Baptist Church, first chartered as the McKeesport Regular Baptist Church, originated through William Stone and Nathaniel Tibbets, who organized a congregation in June, 1820. with seven members, viz: James Penney and wife, Leonard Long and wife. Am. Watkins, Elizabeth Cairnes and her daugh- ter. The congregation worshipped for years in a frame building on Blackberry alley, below the Diamond, erected in 1838, on a lot donated by James Penney. The building cost about eight hun- dred dollars. Prior to the erection of this church the congrega- tion met in the Union church. In 1867, it moved to its present building at the corner of Walnut and Sixth streets. The par- sonage adjoining was erected in 1876. Present membership is five hundred and fort3'-one, and a Sunday school flourishes with three hundred and fifty members. 8o History of McKeesport. The church was first served by pastors from the Salem cliurch, in Westmoreland count}', but in i!^37 it became self-sustaining and Rev. Milton Sutton was installed as pastor in that year. His successors were as follows in the }ears named: J. C. Rockefellow in 1839; James Estep, 1845; A. G. Eberhart, 1847; S. D. Morris, 1851; Frederick Douglass, 1852; William Penney, 1853; J. F. Penney, 1855; C. H. Remington, 1856; Moses Heath, 1857; N. K. Hickman, 1861; William WHiitehead, 1S63; J. K. Cramer, 1867; G. A. Ames, 1868; W. H. McKinney, 1871; William Codville, 1876; and the present pastor, C. A. Hare, in 1891. The Fifth Avenue Baptist Church was originally a mission under the care of the First Baptist church. It was organized as an independent church, January 26th, 1893, taking out of the old church one hundred and nineteen members. A building was purchased from John Trich for five thousand dollars, which was converted into a church and Rev. William Ryan was called to the pastorate. It conducts a large Sunda}- school. The con- gregation has outgrown its present quarters, and arrangements are being completed to erect a modern church edifice. The First Reformed Church was organized in October, 1882, with eleven members. The church building, corner of Sinclair and Ringgold streets, was dedicated November loth, 1874. The present membership is one hundred and two, and the Sun- day school membership is eighty-nine. The pastor's salary is seven hundred dollars, and the church is free from debt. Rev. H. D. Darbaker is the pastor and has been since the organiza- tion of the congregation. The United Presbyterian Church, located on Sixth street, was organized October loth, 1851, with fifty-four members and five elders, the latter being Samuel Shaw, James Shaw, Samuel Foster, James B. Mitchell and John Pollock. Its first church edifice was erected that year. The present building was erected The National Bank of McKeesport. (see page 58) McKeesport's Churches. 8i in 1871. Rev. A. G. Wallace was the first pastor in 1854, suc- ceeded by Matthew McKinstry in 1857, A. H. Elder in 1863, James Kelso in 1877, and A. I. Young, the present pastor, in 1886. The present membership is two hundred and sixty and the Sabbath school has an enrollment of three hundred and fift}', with fort3-two officers and teachers. The church contri- butions for local and mission work last year was eighteen dollars and forty-two cents per member. The pastor's salary is fifteen hundred dollars. The Second Metliodist Church was organized in 1883. Prior to that time its members worshipped in a frame building erected on Fifth avenue in 1881, which they continued to occupy until i8go. On May 22nd, i88g, the congregation began the erection of a new church on Coursin street and on June 2gth, i8go, it was dedicated and named the Coursin Street M. E. Church. The ground and building cost twenty-seven thousand dollars. This structure was destroyed by fire on March 2gth, i8g2, but it was rebuilt and re-dedicated on December nth, i8g3. The present membership is five hundred and twenty-five. Its Sunday school was organized in March, i88g, by Thomas McGraw, with fifteen members. It now has an enrollment of three hundred and fifty- eight. The first pastor was Rev. J. B. Taylor, who served three years; Rev. S. W. Davis, five years; Rev. George Orbin, two years; and the present pastor. Rev. D. Flannigan, is in his second year. The Third M. E., or Sixth Avenue M. E. Church, held its first public service on December i8th, 1881, in Grand Army hall, and in March, 1882, rented a room in the Bowman building. In the summer of 1882 it bought a lot oil Shaw avenue and erected a building which was dedicated on October igth, of that year, by Rev. W. B. Watkins. Later, the building was removed to Locust street and Sixth avenue. Its first pastor was Rev. J. Dillen, who was appointed in November, 1882. He was succeeded by R. Morrow in 1883; H. Winnett and Wm. Long in 1884, G. Cable 82 History of McKeesport. and M. McCurdy in 1885; W. Silbaugh in 1886; H. Winnett and A. Cameron in 1887; J. F. Smith in 1888; M. D. Lichleiter in i8gi and Nelson Davis, the present pastor, in 1893. Under the pastorate of Rev. Lichleiter, in 1892, the present church edifice was erected on Sixth avenue, at a cost of twenty thousand dollars, and the name was changed to Sixth Avenue M. E. Church. The present membership is about two hundred, and the Sunday school has about that number of scholars. St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in Januar}', 1888, with twenty-eight members. At present there are over one hundred names on the membership roll. The congre- gation owns its church on the corner of Ninth avenue and Locust street. The building was dedicated Februar}' 21st, 1892. Last vear its benevolent contributions amounted to about one hun- dred dollars. The Sunday school has a membership of over one hundred scholars. The church building was erected under the pastorate of Rev. J. C. F. Rupp. The German Evangelical Protestant Church liad an organiza- tion here in 1S46. under a different name, but was organized under its present name in 1858. The congregation first wor- shipped in the little Methodist church on Market street, which it bought, in 1847, for six hundred dollars. The present brick building, on Walnut street, was dedicated on October 15th, 1871, Rev. Haddeus, a former pastor, preaching the sermon. Rev. D. Lehman was pastor at the time and continued to be until his death, in 1884. He was succeeded some time after h\ the present pastor. Rev. Gustave A. Schmidt. The church also owns a parochial school and a parsonage. A list of the pastors caring for the welfare of the church is as follows: Revs. Daniel Meier, J. T. Zoller, H. T. Freeman, G. Groff, Charles Haddeus, R. Mutchol and G. A. Schmidt. The present membership is three hundred families. George Kinzenbaugh, one of the charter members, still lives here. McKeesport's Churches. 83 The Central Presbyterian Church was formed by a committee of Redstone Presbytery, December 8th, 1871, with forty-nine members. The present membership is one hundred and eighty- one. Services were first held in a frame building on Union ave- nue. The present church edifice, corner of Versailles and Union avenues, was erected in 1892, at a cost of twenty-three thousand Croasa/PSi t*'e?i, f ^. Co ^-/^ CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. (Illustrating present cliiircli architecture). dollars. The benevolent contributions last year amounted to over four hundred and fifty dollars, beside which the congrega- tion contributed seven thousand, two hundred and seventy-one dollars for purposes directl}- connected with the church. The Sunday school enrollment is four hundred and forty-nine. Rev. C. B. Hatch is pastor, at a salary of fifteen hundred dollars. 84 History of McKeesport. The First German M. E. Church started as a mission in 1886, under the care of Rev. H. Barr, who, in 1888, was succeeded by Rev. D. A. Stohl. In the spring of i88g, with a membership of thirty, the congregation purchased the old Second M. E. church building, on Fifth avenue, for five thousand dollars. This property was sold in 1892, for eight thousand dollars. Tlie present site, at Fifth and Hazel streets, was bought for three thousand, five hundred dollars and the new church erected at a cost of five thousand dollars. In September, 1893, Rev. Bock- statler took charge. The membership is now forty and there are about that number of scholars in the Sunday school. The Covenanter, or First Reformed Presbyterian Church, erected its present building on Penney avenue in 1874. First it owned the old Baptist church on Blackberry alley, and it was organized as a McKeesix>rt church, April 27th, 1882. The first regular pastor was Rev. J. H. WN'lie, who resigned Jul} ist, 1887. The present membership is small and the church has had no regular pastor for some time. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized Novem- ber 19th, 1879, b\' one hundred and nine members, who with- drew from the First Presbyterian church. It was first known as an independent Presbyterian church, but on June 20th, 1880, it was taken into the Cumberland Presbytery. Its brick church, corner of Fifth avenue and Sheridan street, was dedicated in November, 1882, under the pastorate of Rev. Samuel McBride. He was succeeded by Revs. M. B. Dewitt, G. W. Willingham, G. W. Montgomery and the present pastor, U. W. MacMillan. Present membership, three hundred and twent\-five. St. Stephen's Episcopal church first organized as a mission in i86g. In 1872 a small frame chapel was erected. The present fine stone church was dedicated on Easter Sunday, 1888. The rectors in regular order follow: Revs. S. S. Bell, B. B. Killi- kelley, J. B. Norman, R. Beckett, E. W. Smith, Thomas White, McKeesport's Churches. 85 D. C. Peabod}-, H. G. Schorr, John Graham and J. W. Foster. At present the cluirch is without a rector. In the spring of 1885 a few colored people met in Odd Fellows' hall and organized the African Methodist Episcopal Church as a mission. In the following October the}' secured their first regu- lar pastor in the person of Rev. Sand}- Christian. Soon after- ward the members bought a lot on Locust street and erected the building they now occupy, the last payment on it being made on June gth, 1888. The pastors have been Revs. T. H. Cyrus, Sandy Christian, S. H. Lacy, A. E. Waldron, J. W. Riley, C. H. Brown and R. M. Henderson. The pastor's salary is two hundred and seventy-five dollars and there are t\vent}-eight members. The Swedish Evangelical Church was organized as the Evan- gelical Lutheran church,, in 1884. but reorganized in Februar}-, 1887, under its present title. The brick church building, corner of Locust and Thirteenth streets, was erected in 1888, at a cost of three thousand, five hundred dollars. Rev. C. A. Blomgren was the first pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. N. J. Fosberg and he by the present pastor, Rev. O. Strand. In the beginning of the present year there were one hundred and thirty communi- cants. The whole membership, including children, is two hun- dred and twenty-one. The First Swedish Evangelical Church was organized on June gth, 1882, with twenty members. Rev. F. Edquist was pastor. The congregation erected a frame building, in 1884, on Jenny Lind street between Penny and Ninth streets. Rev. A. W. Johnston was installed pastor in 1887, and served until the follow- ing 3'ear, when he was succeeded b}' Rev. C. F. Blonquist, who served until October, 1893. At the present time the congrega- tion has no regular pastor. The membership numbers one hundred and ten, and the Sunday school has one hundred scholars. The church property is worth about six thousand dollars. 86 History of McKeesport. The Swedish Baptist Church is located on Jenny Lind street near Whigham street. The Swedish Methodist Churcli holds its services at the corner of Locust and Fourteenth streets. The United Brethren occup\' the small frame church on Tin Plate hill. Membearship small. The First Christian Church was organized in icSyS. with four- teen members. Its church edifice was erected on the corner of Jenny Lind and Penn}' streets, in 1882, being dedicated on December 3rd, of that \ear. Rev. Geo. P. Slade was the first pastor and was followed by Revs. E. W. Gordon. T. C. Jackson, J. Cooper, W. H. Applegate and the present pastor. Rev. H. W. Talmadge. The membership numbers three hundred and fifteen persons and the Sunda}' school, which was organized in 1880, has one hundred and forty scholars. St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church was established in 1846, and erected its first buikling on the corner of Market street and Seventh avenue, the corner stone being laid in 1847, by Bishop O'Connor. The priests in charge up to August 7th, 1856, were as follows: Fathers Schock, Newman, Tschanhens, Muller and Salas. Father N. Haeress then had charge until Jul}' ist, 1862, and he died Julv i8th, following. Father James Caneder served until August 25th, 1862; Father Peter Schoeller to Januar}- i6th, 1863; Father Anton Rusch to March 27th, 1864; Father J. P. Schmidt to September 27th, 1868; Father D. A. Bush to March 13th, i86g and F"ather James Nolan from Ma}' ist, 1870, until the present day. The original church edifice became totally inadequate years ago, and in 1873 the corner stone of the present church building was laid. The building was completed in 1875 and cost seventy thousand dollars, beside which a parsonage was built costing seven thousand dollars. Adjoining the church is a large convent; and adjoining it, a very large parochial school building. McKeesport's Churches. 87 St. Mar3''s Roman Catholic Church was organized in the fall of 1886, b\ authorit}" of Bishop Phelan. A lot was purchased on Olive street for three thousand, six hundred dollars and the corner stone of the church building was laid on August 7th, 1887. The first pastor of the congregation was Father M. Holtopple who was succeeded by Father T. J. Kaib, who celebrated the first mass in the new building on April 15th, 1888. The church was formally dedicated, April 2gtb, 1888, and at that time the congre- gation numbered one hundred and seventy-five families. They bought the propert}' adjoining the church between that time and i88g. On March 3rd, i8gi, Father Kaib died, and was succeeded by Father Boell. That }ear the congregation bought some more adjacent ground, the total of these additional purchases amounting to thirty-three thousand, eight himdred dollars. It is the intention to erect a much larger church on the new ground. i\t the present time three hundred and fift}' families belong to the congregation. The Austrian Hungarian Hebrew Gemulas Chesed was organized in October, 1886. The present membership is one hundred and twent} -nine. The synagogue is on the corner of Third and Market streets and is valued at fourteen thousand dollars. Services are held every second Sunda}'. Samuel Firestone is president of the organization. Shaw Building-, home of the Citizens' Nationrl Bank, (see pag-e 59). McKeesport's Secret Societies. (D KEESPORT has loiia; had a pencliant for secret societies. [ It was once said that the town contained more brass bands and secret societies than any other of its size in the countr}'. Be that as it may, it is true that many secret societies flourish here. The first organization we have any information about, was the Sons of Temperance, instituted in 1844 or 1845. The lodge met on the second floor of a liouse on Second street, owned by Andrew Soles. Hon. John F. Dravo was one of the charter members. After a successful existence of a number of years the charter was surrendered. Youghiogheny Lodge No. 364, I. O. O. F., was instituted, June 8th, 1849. It first occupied a room in a frame building on Market street, where the South Side hotel now stands. Its present building was erected in 1853, which was the first public building erected in the town, apart from the churches. It con- tained a public hall where entertainments were held for many years. The membership is one hundred and sixtv-two. Gilbert Now is Noble Grand.' Blucher Lodge No. 506, I. O. O. F., was instituted on January 26th, 1854, in the Odd Fellows' building. The present member- ship is one hundred and sixty, and Phillip Rusler is Noble Grand. Youghioghen}- Encampment, No. 147, I. O. O. F., was insti- tuted in Odd Fellows' hall in December, 1S66. The membership is fifty, and D. E. Collins is the C. P. go History of McKeesport. Zuriel Lodge, No. 3157, G. U. O., of Odd Fellows (colored) was instituted October 22nd, i88g, with Boston Laney, P. N. F. ; Samuel Spriggs, N. F. ; James D. Dickerson, N. G.; Wm. C. Walker, V. G. Tube City Lodge, No. 571, I. O. O. F., was instituted January 14th, iSyo. The present membership is ninety. It meets in Boss' Hall, Fifth avenue. T. H. Demoss is Noble Grand. Alli(piippa Lodge, No. 375, Free and Accepted Masons, was instituted on November 22nd, 1866, with fifteen charter members. The first officers were E. A. Wood, W. M.; W. E. Harrison, S. W.; J. I^. Ta3ior, J. W. ; W. B. Jimker, treasurer and J. A. Mehaffe}-, secretar}-. The present membership is one hundred and fifty and the present officers are: Wni. Nagel, W. M. ; Harry Gibson, S. W. ; George Mars, Jr., J. W.: Isaac West, treasurer antl W. B. Clasper, secretar}-. Youghiogheny Lodge, No. 5S3, Free and Accepted Masons, was instituted on December 15th, i8go, with eleven charter members. The first officers were P. A. Shanor, W. M.; S. P. Waugaman, S. W. ; T. C. Jones, J. W.; J. D. Cowan, treasurer and W. S. Abbott, secretary'. At present the lodge has about sixty members. The present officers are: W. S. Abbott, W. M.; Ferd. Englert. S. W.; Orin A. Rodgers, J. W. ; Max Bachman, treasurer and F. J. Chester, secretary. McKeesport Conclave, No. 81, Improved order of Heptasophs, was instituted March 6th, 1884. with twenty-six charter mem- bers. The first officers were: Past Archon, J. F. Davitt; Archon, S. L. Goldman; Provost, A. J. Carver; Prelate, J. D. Evans; Inspector, Adolph Schmidt; Secretar}', E. B. Clark; Financier, N. H. Van Fossen; treasurer, E. C. Eaglen. Tlie present membership is five hundred and seventy-three and the present officers in the order named above are: Joseph A. Skelley, Louis Donaldson, D. George Beckett, John Small, James F. Kane, George H. Hofman and N. H. Van Fossen. Secret Societies. 91 McKee Lodge, No. 43, A. O. U. W., was instituted January 24th, 1873, with twent\'-five charter members. First officers were J. F. Davitt, P. M. W., and George Lawton, M. W. Present mem- bership, eighty. Present officers are: C. H. Hitzrot, P. M. W. ; Henry Hartman M. W. and John M. Jeffers, financier. Welcome Stranger Lodge, No. 52, Sons of St. George, was instituted Marcli 13th, iSScSo. Tlie present membership is one hundred and tliirt\-two. George H. West is the presiding officer and E. W. Hobbs, secretary. The McKeesport Turn and Gesang Verein was instituted October 15th, 1880, with nineteen charter members. Present membersliip is two hundred and eight}-six. Officers are Carl Unglaub, president; George Speidler, financial secretary; Carl G. Hofman, treasurer; A. Doehla, instructor. U. S. Grant Council, No. 132, O. U. A. M., was instituted Januar\' 20th, i8gi, and has at present fort3'-three members. H. B. Pitzer is secretar}'. Fidelity Lodge, No. 1005, Knights of Honor, was instituted March 20th, 1878, and has at present seventy-nine members. Thomas WMiiflen is Cistator and Samuel McCleary', secretary'. Court Gustaf I, Wassa of Sweden, No. 6682, Ancient Order of Foresters, was instituted September i8th, 1880. The present membership is one hundred and thirt}'-five. The presiding officer is Gust. Tapgreen and S. Johnson is secretar\'. Court Equality Lodge, No. 6459, Ancient Order of Foresters, was instituted, Jul}- 30th, 1874, with Arthur Thompson presiding officer and George Taylor, secretary. The present officers are Harry Lill}' and Charles Parker. Membership one hundred and fifty-three. McKeesport Lodge, No. 130, B. P. O. E., was instituted on September 26th, i88g, with fifteen charter members. At present the membership numbers forty-four. George Brinker is exalted ruler and George J. F. Falkenstein, secretary. 92 History of McKeesport. Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, Branch No. 26, was instituted on December 6th, 1883, with nineteen charter members. It has a present membership of ninet\-t\vo. Present officers are Rev. James Nolan, spiritual advisor: chancellor, J. T. McClos- ke\-; president, Neil McGettigan; recording secretary, Thomas J. FuUard. Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, Branch No. 57, was organized with twenty-six charter members, on March ist, i88g. The membership numbers forty and the present officers are Jacob Altme3er, president; Peter Koch, secretar}'. Division No. 16, Ancient Order of Plibernians, Board of America, was organized in May, 1872. The division has at present ninet\'-tvvo members, with the following officers: M. J. Mahonex', president; Thomas Cooke, vice president; Michael Beane, recording secretary and \\'m. Sullivan, treasurer. McKeesport Lodge, No. 149, I. O. S. B., was instituted on June igth, 1892. Present membership is sixt3'-seven. S. J. Blattner is president and Samuel Reiter, secretar\'. The Hebrew Political Club was organized on December 12th, 1893, and it has one hundred and twelve members. Joseph Roth is president; Samuel Reiter, secretary. The Svea Beneficial Society, of McKeesport, was organized in 1888 by Rev. C. A. Blomgren, Oscar E. Lindbom and Henry Nystrohm under the name of the Swedish Lutheran Beneficiary Association, but it was changed to its present name on April 19th, 1890, and was incorporated in October of the same 3'ear with Henry Nystrohm, president and J. E. Westerland, secretar3\ The membership numbers over two hundred. Present officers are Luther Friberg, president; Charles Swensen, secretar}-. Col. Samuel W. Black Post, No. 59, Department of Pennsyl- vania, Grand Arm\' of the Republic, was organized on July 3rd, 1877, with thirty members. The Post now has a roll of ninet)-- three members. Henr}- Stewart is quartermaster. Secret Societies. 93 In addition to tlie above named societies and organizations there are others from whom no returns were received, viz: Sovereigns of Industr}'; McKeesport, Tube City and Versailles Councils, Jr. O. U. A. M.; Knights of the Golden Eagle; Lieder- kranz: North Star Lodge, K. of P.; Order of the Golden Chain; Patriotic Order Sons of America; Rising Sun Conclave, No. 121, I. O. H.; Royal Arcanum; Sr. O. U. A. M., West End and McClelland councils; St. Mary's First Hungarian Beneficial Society; Titus Lodge, K. of P.; Union Veteran's Union, Ord Command; Union Veteran's Union, Logan Command, and others. M' ^^^m^. , ■ -iiiiir s ^ Y. M. (J. A. Building-. Erected, loU-l. Young Men's Christian Association. HE Young Men's Christian Association was organized, Julv 1 6th, 1888, and was incorporated June gth, i8go. It occupied rented quarters at No. 513 Wahiut street and was retarded much by want of space and proper faciHties for its work. Nevertheless it grew and prospered and a fine home of its own became a necessit\'. Accordingly a site was purchased on the corner of Locust street and Shaw avenue and on Ma}^ loth, 1894, a new and handsome building was dedicated, which cost, completed, about forty-five thousand dollars, contributed b}^ the public. Its present membership is three hundred and thirt3'-six, and its prospects are bright. The officers are: President, James Evans; first vice president, James S. Kuhn; second vice president, John T. Woods; recording secretary, Charles A. Tawney; treasurer. E. H. Leizure; general secretary, W. T. Forrester. The receipts of the treasurer of the associa- tion last year were three thousand, four hundred and thirty-eight dollars, and the receipts of the treasurer of the Board of Trustees were eleven thousand, and three dollars. McKecsport Library Association. HE McKeesport Library Association was organized on February 17th, 1875, and was chartered in the following April. The first officers were Jesse Sill, president; T. R. \'ankirk, vice president; John F. Davitt, treasurer and H. R. Tassey, secretary. The Library was not as successful as its projectors had hoped it would be, and after continuing until 1881, its finances became so low that a committee was appoined to sell the books and furniture. A constable afterward levied upon the effects, when W. D. Wood & Co. came to the rescue, purchased the library entire, paid off its debts and put it into good con- dition. In June, 1883, at the suggestion of R. G. Wood, a pub- lic meeting w-as called and a proposition was made to turn it over to a new organization as a gift to the people. An organization was formed, on June 26th, and elected the following officers: R. G. Wood, president; J. R. Gemmill, vice president; W. A. lies, treasurer and M. F. Ryan, secretary. The library has been open continually since that time and it is visited daily by many people. Its rooms are in the the National lUmk of McKeesport building. Upwards of two thousand vol- are on the shelves. Of late years the library has been sustained largely through the liberality of Richard G. Wood and James Evans, they taking much interest in its general welfare and being desirous of perpetuating the institution. The present president is Theodore Tonneld, who is also mucli interested in the work. The rooms are open daily. The Board of Trade. 'HE McKeesport Board of Trade was formed in November) 1 8S7. for the purpose of fostering the commercial interests of the cit)-, and assisting, by concerted action, the building up of the city. Its first president was J. W. Bailie and its first secretary was A. B. Campbell. At the present time the board consists of sixty-four active members, business men engaged in various lines of trade. The president is W. P. Wampler and the secretary is E. W. Pitts. The idea of taking up the city hospital project and putting it upon a substantial basis originated with the Board of Trade, and the scheme was successfully carried out. The Board has also been active in securing a proper recognition of the cit\' by the various railways. It has kept a watchful eye on local legislation and the force of the organization is felt in the business life of the city. A regular meeting place is established in Masonic hall building. The idea of celebrating the Centennial of McKeesport orig- inated with the Board, in the winter of 1893, by the introduction, by W. E. Harrison, of a resolution appointing a committee of five members to suggest a plan to properly carry out a formal celebration. This committee reported a resolution, naming W. E. Harrison, John W. Stewart, Robert Ta\lor, W. J. Sharpies, John K. Skelley, James L. Devenney, J. D. O'Neil, W. P. Wampler and A. B. Campbell, as a committee representing the Board, and to take entire charge of arranging the details of a proper public celebration, reporting to the Board at its stated meetings. The resolution was adopted, the committee 98 The Board of Trade. formed, and it organized by electing W. E. Harrison, chairman; Jolin W. Stewart, secretary; W. P. Wampler, treasurer. Its labors resulted in the formation and the superintendence of the proper carrying out of all the details of the celebration, of which this history forms such an interesting part. Following is a full list of the members of the Board of Trade: A. B. Campbell, James L. Devenney, J. W. Bailie, W. P. Wampler, W. G. Gleason, Joseph A. Skelle}% R. L. Riggs, S. O. Lowr}', John W. Stewart, W. J. Sharpies, Donald Chisholm, Jacob B. Shale, A. W. Smith, M. F. Ryan, F. H. Coursin, J. B. Arnold, S. F. Finley, W. E. Harrison, Robert Ta\ior, Joseph Linger, W. C. Cronemeyer, for United States Iron and Tin Plate company; R. E. Stone, J. N. Hartman, Max Bachman, D. B. Brown, W. N. Bobbins. J. J. McGirr, J. D. O'Neil, T. L. White, L. C. Haler, J. F. Davitt. J. K. Skelley. H. W. Hitzrot, E. C. Converse, J. H. Pierce, J. D. Evans, T. F. Newlin, J. W. Downer, W. D. W^ood Co., H. McKay. W. J. Miller, R. W. Gor- don, W. J. Kirk, R. B. Beane, Oscar E. Krueger, J. R. Wylie, P. A. Shanor, E. W. Pitts, George J. F. Falkenstein, E. C. Kear- ney, Jacob Bestwick, E. H. Leizure, James Evans, G. F. Myer, E. P. Douglass, Adolph Schmidt, Francis Gannon, George H. Lysle, T. C. Jones, R. C. Rankin, O. E. Lindbom, Vine. Wnss. [Further details of the celebration will be found in the appen- dixj. McKeesport's "Silent Cities." 'HE first burial ground, graveyard or cemetery established here was on a high mound of sand}- soil, about one acre in extent, situateti between Ninth street and School alle}', just East of Walnut street. The ground was set apart for burial purposes by David McKee, father of John McKee, back in the last cen- tury, and it was used for that purpose until it became entirely filled with the remains of former residents of the town and neighborhood. In 1874 the authorities deemed it essential to remove the old landmark. The bodies were carefully removed to other cemeteries which had already been established and the borough authorities leveled the sand bank, laid the land out in lots and sold it. McKeesport's first cit}' of the dead is now completel}' obliterated, the site being covered by dwellings, a church, a livers' stable, etc., and what was once a quiet, country graveyard, sheltered by forest trees and dotted with grassy mounds above the remains of people once the pride of the town, has been transformed for other uses, made necessary by the march of progress. The McKeesport and Versailles Cemetery Company was char- tered at the June term of Court in 1856. It purchased twenty- six acres of land from the Huey heirs on June 30th, 1856, and the cemetery was formally dedicated on November 6th, 1856. On that day forty-five lots were sold for two thousand, four hun- dred dollars. The first election for a board of directors was held on August 5th, 1856, resulting as follows: James R. Hendrick- son, John A. Miller, Hamilton Stewart, Andrew Christy, John H O o a m McKeesport's "Silent Cities." loi Penney, George M. Boughman, Hugh Rowland and Samuel Foster. James R. Hendrickson was elected president; Alex. Miller, secretar}- and James B. Mitchell, treasurer. On Decem- ber and Robert Da}- was elected superintendent. On November ist, 1^57, the company transferred to the German Lutheran church one-half an acre of ground for one hundred dollars, and six dollars annual ground rent. At the present time the company owns about sixty-five acres of land, having purchased twenty-six acres from the Huey estate on June 30th, 1856, for two thousand, six hundred dollars; two acres from N. H. Clark, November ist, 1858, for one hundred and eighteen dollars; twelve acres from Wm. George for three thousand dollars; twelve acres from R. L. Riggs and Mrs. M. Whigham, August ist, 1882, for twelve thou- sand, five hvmdred dollars; six acres from John W. Stewart, October 12th, 1886, for six thousand, two hundred and thirty- four dollars; lot from James Evans, for three thousand dollars and two lots from A. E. Hall, September loth, i8go, for four thousand, seven hundred dollars. The total cost of the land was thirt}'-two thousand, one hundred fift\-two dollars, but it is worth a great deal more to-da}'. In 1892 the compan}' erected a commodious residence for the superintendent, together with business offices and an entrance to the grounds, at a cost of about ten thousand dollars. The prices of lots vary from fifty cents to one dollar per square foot. The first interment was the remains of Jordon, son of Samuel and Eliza Blair, on November 15th, 1856. Up to the 26th day of June, 1894, the interments numbered five thousand, eight hundred and fifty-seven. The present officers are S. O. Lowry, president; S. E. Carothers, secretary; J. B. Shale, treasurer. Oliver Black is superintendent. The cemetery is finely improved and it is one of the points of interest about the city. Fairview Cemetery, on Versailles avenue, east of Huey street. I02 History of McKeesport. containing six acres of land, was laid out by Samuel Clark and Wm. McMasters in the year 1858. The ground cost six hun- dred dollars. It was opened in the spring of 1861. After selling enough lots to refund the purchase price, the cemetery was transferred to a chartered company, which still controls it. The officers are James Biddle, president; George L. Brisbin, secretar}'; Ruel Smith, sexton. The Catholics, in 1849, purchased one acre of land from Oliver Evans, at the head of Huey street, which was consecrated as a burial place for the people of that faith, and was used until it was filled. A larger tract, containing about six acres, was secured on Versailles avenue in 1872. and St. Joseph's Cemetery was established. It is still in use and contains some fine monu- ments. St. Mary's Cemetery is east of Cherry Lane in Versailles township. The ground was purchased in 1888, the six and three-fourths acres costing four thousand, five hundred dollars. It was formally dedicated on October 14th, i88g, and on that day the remains of Father D. N. Harris, the first German Catholic priest in McKeesport, were removed from the old grave}ard on Hue}' street to St. Mary's. Father Harris' remains were first interred in July, 1862. >p v; ' THE McKEE MONUMENT. McKeesport & Versailles Cemetery, (see page 16) McKeesport's Military Record. IN early years the state law required all able-bodied men between the ages of twenty-one and forty-five years, to assemble once a year for military parade, inspection and instruc- tion; and this law continued in force until about the year 1845. An event of no little importance each spring was the '-Militia muster" and the populace generally turned out to witness the awkward evolutions of the citizen soldiery. All that portion of old McKeesport, above Fifth street, was an open common and it afforded a splendid field for these annual drills and inspections, the date of which was always looked upon as a general holiday for the people. Everybody turned out to see or to take part in the "round up," which was always followed by a series of amuse- ments, joined in by 30ung and old, and where the soldier boy played havoc with the heart of the simple maiden. McKeesport and the township of Versailles furnished a show- ing for the war of 181 2. Among those taking part in the conflict were Col. Wm. Longhead, Fauntley Muse, Maj. Wm. Caven and Jesse Sill. At the present time there are two veterans of the Mexican war residing in the city, viz: Major John W. McCully and Wm. Sharp. In the war of the Rebellion the call of Abraham Lincoln for three months men was the signal for the formation of a company of seventy-eight men, who left town under command of the following officers: Christopher Sn3'der, Captain; Fred Schaum, First Lieutenant: Geiorge Hart, Second Lieutenant. Among the I04 His'iORv OK McKeesport. members of that company yet livinsj; here are Wm. Carr, James Gilchrist, Henry Hensel, George F. Lndwick, W. C. Means, Wm. Sloan, F. J. Tish and M. Ullmer. Later in the Rebellion Co. I, Pennsylvania Reserves, and Co. I, Sixtv-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, were recruited here. Tbe first named company was commanded by Capt. W. Lynch, First Lieutenant. J. C. Walkinshaw and Second Lieutenant. Gus. A. Wenke. It consisted of one hundred and three members, who served with much credit, and the company was mustered out of service at Pittsburgh on May 13th, 1S64. The second company named consisted of one hundred and thirty-one men, commanded by Capt. James F. Ryan; First Lieutenant George W. Gray and Second Lieutenant James F. McMullen. Capt. R)an was promoted to Major on December 19th, 1863. Lieut. Gra}' was promoted to Captain of Co. C on July 26th. 1862. Lieut. McMullen was discharged July 24th, 1862. The company was mustered out on September gth, 1864. Many other citizens of McKeesport fought for the Union in companies and regiments from other localities, the details of which are not obtainable. Altogether it is estimated that McKeesport furnished Uncle Sam over five hundred good, true soldiers, who did their full share of the fighting to hold these United States together. The old soldiers at present residing here, who served in the companies recruited here are, in part, as follows: In Co. I, Ninth Regiment, W. H. H. Lynch, Andrew Robinson, Robert Robinson, W. F. Young, John Tawney, Joseph Dougherty, Henry Stewart, Oliver Mains, Jacob Campbell, John Hurrell, Fred Schoeller and George Soles. In Co. I, Sixty-third Regiment, Thomas Hunter, Jacob Mains, Joel T. Painter, Alex D. Foster, Thaddeus Clymer, W. P. Wampler, Samuel Fields, W. P. Gilbert, Daniel P. Mclntyre, Wm. Packer, S. G. Penney, Randolph Reynolds, F. M. Taylor and Archie Watson. The town furnished two field McKeesport's Military Record. 105 officers in Major J. McK. Snodgrass and Major James F. R5'an. A complete history of the part McKeesport took in help- ing to put down the Rebellion would of itself form material for a large book. For the small town it was at the breaking out of the war, it sent to the front its full share of true men, who risked their all to save the Union. Since the war there flourished for a time two companies of the State National Guard. Co. I. of the Eighteen Regiment was mus- tered in on March 15th, 1884, with John E. Speer, Captain; O. C. Coon, First Lieutenant and Thos. F. Wylie, Second Lieuten- ant. Co. K, of the same regiment, was mustered in on March 18th, 1884. Win. Adams, Captain; John M. Jaycox, First Lieu- tenant, and Edward Runk, Second Lieutenant. These companies remained intact for several years but were finally disbanded. The Grand Army of the Republic is represented here by Col. Samuel W. Black Post, No. 59, which is mentioned elsewhere amoner secret societies. Soldiers' Monument. The Soldiers' Monument. fflcKEESPORT always had a warm love for the Union soldier. It jiarticularh' reveres the memory of those who gave up their dearest possession, life, as a sacrifice upon the altar of their country. Man}- grass}' mounds in the cemeteries of the city are surmounted I:)}- shafts of simple marble, whereon is inscribed a hint, or a suggestion, of how much they loved their country; and the quietude of their present resting places beneath the sod, are in violent contrast to the battlefield where the shot and shell carried death to so many of the brave. In their last, long sleep these soldiers are not forgotten. Their graves are watched over by loved ones and many a tear drops silently upon the mounds above them, as those who are left behind pause in kindh' remembrance of the time when the now dead were liv- ing. Each Memorial Day a tiny flag — that emblem around which "the boys" always rallied, and which cheered them on the march and in the battle, — waves above these graves in the soft, summer breeze; and with muftfed drums, as if not to disturb the slumber of the soldier, old comrades gather and scatter sweet flowers above the dust of those who have answered the bugle-call for- the last time, but who await the trump of Gabriel to summon all mankind for a last inspection and for a final distribution of the medals of award to all who have done their dut}' in this life. Deeming it proper to erect a monument to the memory of the soldiers and sailors whose lives were sacrificed by the necessities of grim war, the soldier organizations and the citizens contribu- ted to a fund for the purpose, and to-da}' there stands in a com- io8 History of McKeesport. manding position in Versailles Cemetery, a handsome shaft, of of graceful proportions, an everlasting memorial to patriotism and heroism. In i88g, the Cemetery Compan}- donated the ground necessar}' for the site; and on Jul\- 4th, 1892, the monument was unveiled. It was erected at a cost of three thousand, three hundred and fortN-three dollars. The ground around the monument is reserved for soldiers' graves. Public Offices and Officers. OUR records of municipal affairs date back to the time when McKeesport was a part of \'ersailles township. The government was crude in many respects, but it fitted the require- ments of the times. Old McKeesporters figured quite prominently in politics. Indeed, John McKee is believed to have been quite a shrewd politician. He was a smart man, and smart men in those days usually had something to say in politics. In 1828, Maj. William Caven was elected sheriff of Allegheny county, and in the absence of any scandal being handed down he must have been a good officer. In 1840, Fauntley Muse was elected a member of the state legislature. John Caven, son of Maj. William Caven, struck out for the W^est, and he became mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana, serving several terms, and was afterward made a state senator. John P. Penney, a McKeesport boy, was elected to the Pennsylvania state senate, serving several terms and was speaker of the House for one term. He was a strong competitor of Andrew G. Curtin, for the nomination for governor of Pennsyl- vania, in 1863. McKeesport has sent four of its citizens to the state legislature, viz: Thomas Penney and Alex. Millar, deceased, A. B. Camp- bell and Joseph A. Stone. John F. Dravo, a former McKees- porter, has served in the same body and has been collector of customs and has held other high political positions. no History of McKeesport, Perry Baker, a McKeesporter, was appointed by the governor, about 1H54, as collector on the Pennsylvania canal, when it was a great highway of commerce. Isaac N. Coursin was the first assistant assessor appointed under the internal revenue laws, and W. E. Harrison was the first deputy collector of the Twenty-second district. He was appointed under Lincoln's administration and he held commission under nine different presidents. Gen. John A. Wiley, of the National Guard of Pennsylvania, one of the most noted of Pennsylvania's military men, spent a portion of his boyhood da}'s in McKeesport. Samuel E. Penney was appointed second lieutenant in the reg- ular army, in the year 1862. Coming down to later days, many McKeesporters have taken a greater or less interest in the political movements of the nation state, county and cit\', and among them are some men of note. McKeesport Professional Men. /|\cKEESPORT has furnished, from among its own boys, a ]n1^, fair share of professional men. As tlie clerg\men prob- abl\' stand first in the requirements of mankind, the\' will be mentioned first. McKeesport boys who became ministers of the Gospel are Revs. John M. Smith, John F. Dravo, William Penney, John Phniimer, William Collier, Thomas J. Collier, Henry Heckman, Alex. Millar and Charles Millar — a total of nine. The total number of resident ministers in the cit\ is twenty-seven. In addition to these protestant clergymen, Fathers Wertenbach, Romelfanger, Beane and others, of the catholic faith, lived their boyhood days in McKeesport. Physicians: Drs. James E. Huey, William Penne\-, Jesse Penney, David Penney, James L. Penney, James W. Ta\'lor, Hugh Brady, John R. Moore, Cadwallader Evans, T. L. W^hite, H. W. Hitzrot, C. H. Hitzrot and others. The city now sup- ports thirty-nine physicians. Attorne3's-at-law: Messrs. James Evans, W. A. Dunshee, T. F. Newlin, W^ E. Newlin, T. C. Jones, Lincoln Jones, John P. Penney, John Caven, J. W. Bailie, John Edmundson, J. Douthett Gamble and J. D. Douglass. The total number of resident attorneys, is eighteen. Editors: W^illiam King, a cousin of James Evans, was editor of the Neiv Orleans Times during the rebellion. David G. Fickes edited the McKeesport Standard. John W' . Pritchard, the Paragon; B. B. Coursin, J. V. Carothers and W. S. Abbott, The 112 History of McKeesport. Times; James L. Devenney and J. B. Shale, the Neivs; W. H. and E. E. Hamilton, the Sim: John B. Scott, the Record, etc. Bankers: James S. Kuhn. president of the First National Bank; James Evans, president of the National Bank of McKees- port: Samuel W. Shaw, president of the Citizens' National Bank, and others. The above were all boys raised in McKeesport. There are others represented in different professions, but a complete list of the names is not obtainable. v^ m fo a O McKeesport's Notable Public Buildings. HE first public building erected in McKeesport. other than places of worship, was Odd Fellows' Hall, on Market street, erected in 1853. b}' a chartered company. It was regarded as a mammoth structure when built, antl for a long time it was the only place in town available for entertainments. Now it is used for Lodge purposes onh'. W. E. Harrison is president and James L. DeLong is secretary of the compan}'. Masonic Hall building once contained an amusement hall but it is now devoted to Lodge purposes, Board of Trade rooms, etc. The building is quite imposing and is worth probabl}' one hun- dred thousand dollars. Franklin Hall building formerly stood at the corner of Fifth and Walnut streets, but it burned down several 3'ears ago and no public hall succeeded it. White's Opera House was erected by the late James P. White. It is now the property of his son T. L. White. The building cost, originally, sixty-five thousand dollars, but recent expensive additions have increased its value to one hundred and twent}'- five thousand dollars. The auditorium seats tweLve hundred people and it ranks as one of the cosiest theaters on an)' of the circuits in the country. The theater was opened to the public, June 4th, 1883. Altmeyer's Theater was erected in 1892, b}- George Altme\er, but in 1893, he sold it to the Altme3'er Theater Co. It is a hand- some structure and the only "ground floor" theater in the city. Its seating capacity is eighteen hundred, its cost was one huri' •d McKeesport's Notable Public Buildings. 115 dred and fifty thousand dollars and it is claimed to be one of the handsomest theaters in the country. The Oppenheimer block, at Fifth avenue and Market street, is the largest business block in the city, It was erected in 1892, and represents an expenditure of over one hundred thousand dollars. The National Bank of McKeesport building is a fine structure, equipped with every modern convenience. The cit\' offices occupy several of the floors. The building cost about one hun- dred thousand dollars. The City Hospital was built in 1893, and was dedicated to public use, April loth. 1894. It was undertaken through a resolution introduced to the Board of Trade, by Magnr.s Pflaum. It is a splendid building, pronounced to be one of the best in the state, for the purpose, and when finally completed will represent a value of upwards of one hundred thousand dollars. Three fine new fire stations were completed bv the city this year, all of which are modern in ever}' respect. The central station includes the central police station. The Young Men's Christian Association building is a note- worthy structure, and it is a fine expression of the liberalit\' of the citizens who have the welfare of the young men at heart. It was dedicated on Ma}' loth, 1894. The building and site are worth, at least, fifty thousand tloUars. The Shaw building is a fine office block, corner of Fifth avenue and Coursin street. It is the home of the Citizens' National bank. The structure cost about seventy-five thousand dollars. The Normandie block, owned by the White estate, is a fine structure which cost about eighty thousand dollars. Among the notable church edifices are the First M. E., St. Peter's, St. Stephen's, Central Presb} terian, etc. All the city churches are of modern architecture and are up to the times in their general equipment. ii6 History of McKeesport. Besides the buildings mentioned above, man}' others of a good character and of costl\- construction, grace the different tliorough- fares, the whole forming a galaxy of modern architecture pleasing to the e^-e, indicative of enterprise, wealth and prosperity. > ^^^^5^^^ Altmeyer's Theater, Fifth Avenue. Notable Fires. 'HE first fire in McKeesport to destro}' a building of any kind, was the burning of a cabinet sliop, which stood on the present site of the McKeesport Light Compan3''s power house. The exact year is not known. Several other small fires occurred at intervals, but the town sustained no serious loss until the rope walk, on Walnut street, burned on October 21st, 1868. Thomas H. Patton's general store, corner Second and Market streets, was burned out about 1854, and this is believed to have been the first store fire to occur in the town. Strange as it may seem every building erected on that site since, has burned down. In the spring of i86g a fire swept the South side of Fifth street from Blackberry alley to Walnut street. A large portion of the National Tube works was consumed by fire on April gth, 1873. The largest and most disastrous fire the town ever had, was on October 3rd, 1877, when the Enterprise Foundr}" & Car shops on the corner of Fifth and Walnut streets, were consumed. The fire spread and burned its way along the South side of Fifth street to the Baltimore & Ohio R. R., and crossing the street, burned off the buildings along the opposite side, from Walnut street to Isaac West's store; thirty-two buildings in all being destroyed. In November, 1886, an extensive fire burned out the Axle department of the National Tube works. The Patterson block, opposite the Baltimore & Ohio depot burned on December 31st, 1880. ii8 History of McKeesport. On Marcli loth, 1886, Tlic Times printing plant, tlien on Fifth street, opposite the Bahimore & Ohio R. R., was totahy con- sumed by fire. Since that date the fires have been of a rather small character, except that which burned up the Cit}- iNIills on Jerome street and the destruction of Neel & Wampler's planing mills. The cit}' is regarded as remarkably fortunate in escaping serious fires. In former }ears a citizens' bucket brigade was the onl}' pro- tection; later a volunteer fire department served the public; but now quite a metropolitan paid department guards the property of the people. Its record in conquering the fire demon is one to be proud of. Roads and Boardtoalks. SRIOR to 1842, McKeesport, as is known, formed a part of \'ersailles township, and the streets of the town in those days were called roads. The}' were of the primitive character usnally found in countr}' districts, often filled with ruts and chuck holes, muddy in winter and dust}- in summer. The town was subject to the laws governing the township. Tax pa3ers were assessed a road tax, which they paid or "worked out" on the roads. The first street, or road work, performed in McKeesport was b\' John Gregg, supervisor of the township, who, in 1835, plowed a furrow up each side of Market street to drain off the surface water. The first street improvement made, before anybod}' thought of pavements, was a board sidewalk laid on Market street from the river to Sixth street, about the year 1848. Short!} afterward it was extended to Ninth street, crossing a ravine near Eighth street on a trestle-work twenty feet high. This innovation was considered a great stride and it spurred the citizens to further efforts in the same line. Soon thereafter boardwalks were extended along Fifth and other streets, until the townspeople could get around in bad weather without much discomfort. When the town became larger and began to take on city airs, brick and stone were used to improve the streets, as well as the sidewalks; and boardwalks then became unlawful. James R. Hendrickson, first burgess of McKeesport. Our Municipal Life. m; HEN John McKee laid out tlie town, in 1795, he, no doubt' thought that some dav it might become incorporated, but wliether he had an)^ anticipation, or ev'en dreamed of the possibihties of his act after one hundred years had been unwound from tlie reel of the '-Thread of Time," the past does not disclose. Forty-seven years after the town was laid out, on September 3rd, 1842, McKeesport was formally chartered as a borough and on the 6th day of that month the first municipal election was held. As may be imagined that election was regarded as a most important event, for then was chosen the first rulers of the municipality. It is not recorded whether any political "bosses" lived here in those days of simplicity, but it is fair to presume that they were a later acquisition. The choice of the electors for the office of burgess was Capt. James R. Hendrickson, whose portrait appears on opposite page. The councilmen chosen were James W. Edgar, H. B. Sinclair, Hugh Rowland, Samuel C. Huey and Charles Fausold. (Of these councilmen but one is living, viz: Charles Fausold. who came here in 1836; and is still hale and heart}', at the age of eighty-three years). John Long was elected constable. Council was organized and elected Perry Baker, clerk, and James Penne}-, treasurer. These men shaped the course of the municipal bark which started out in life with considerable caution and for a time cruised ver}' close to shore, hesitating to risk the deeper waters through which it so majesti- cally sailed in later years. The elections were held in the school house on the Diamond (see page 2oj until it was moved to the rear of the lot adjoin- 122 History of McKeesport. ing the Presb3terian parsonage, where the}' continued until 1849. The poll was changed in 1850 to the new school house, corner of Sixth and Market streets, and remained there until the borough was divided into three wards, when each ward was provided witli a separate poll. The boundaries of the borough at the date of its charter were as follows: From the foot of Second street up the Youghio- ghen}' river to Ninth street: thence to Walnut street, thence to the Monongahela river and thence to place of beginning. The limits were extended February 13th, 1847, to Eleventh street on the Youghiogheu}' river, to Hue\' street and to the Monongahela river. In 1873 the lines were again extended to include the present city lines, viz: From the foot of Second street along the Youghiogheny river to a point above the waterworks; thence East to Cherry Lane; thence North through the Fawcett farm to the State road; thence b}' said road to Fifth street; thence to the Monongahela river below the Demmler mills; thence along the Monongahela river to the place of beginning. This territor}' was divided into three wards. It now consists of eight wards. The growth of the town has been steady ever since its incor- poration and in later years has been very rapid. In 1842, the inhabitants numbered about five hundred, which increased slowly until 1870, when the government census reported it to be two thousand, five hundred and twent)-three. In 1880, the same authority gave it eight thousand, two hundred and twelve and in i8go the government found twent\- thousand, seven hundred and eleven people within its borders. To-day the population is estimated as being close to thirty thousand, and the tributar}' pop- ulation is fifteen thousand more, making McKeesport substantially represent a population of about forty-five thousand persons. Prior to the year 1871, members of council were chosen annu- ally, but during that year the law was changed, which increased the membership to six, and required two members to be elected Our Municipal Life. 123 annuall}' for a term of three years each. In May, 1873, anotlier change was made in the law, authorizing the election of three members each by the three wards, and this law held good as long as the town remained a borough. In 1 87 1, the entire police force consisted of one man. in the person of George Smith, and right well did he perform his duties. Permanent street paving was introduced in 1867, b\' the letting of a contract on the i8th da}' of Jul\-, for the macadamizing of Fifth street from Market street to the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. The work was completed in that 3ear. On October i8th, 1867, the contract was let for the macadamizing of Market street from the river to Sixth street, which was completed the following year, and about two 3'ears afterward the improvement was extended to Ninth street. In 1877, the Fifth street improvement was extended to Center street. The first block-stone street paving was done on Fourth street, in 1883, by the Pittsburgh, McKeesport & Youghiogheny R. R. in exchange for the right-of-way along the street for its tracks. Walnut street followed with block-stone. The ordinance author- izing the paving to Eleventh street passed Council, July 2nd, 1883. Other street improvements followed in the order named: Shaw avenue, August 9th, 1884; Walnut street to Power's line, July 15th, 1884; Huey street, August 3rd, 1886; Jenny Find street from Shaw avenue to Spring alle}', July nth, 1887, and con- tinued to Fourteenth street June 13th, 1888; Fifth street, from Center street to the Iron bridge, May 7th, 1888. etc., etc. Huey street was the first to adopt fire brick for paving. Now it is used on nearly all side streets, Belgian block being pre- ferred on the main thoroughfares. Brick streets have been used for eight years and are satisfactory. Of the fifty miles or more of streets in the city, over twent}' miles are paved. Sewering was introduced in 1878 by the construction of a large brick sewer up Walnut street, and from this grew a com- 124 History of McKeesport. plete system of sewering which tlioroughh' drains the city streets and alleys. Public wharfs or boat landings became essential years ago. The was first constructed at the foot of Market street about 1S44. G. A. Forbes, an old riverman. was the contractor. The Third street wharf followed in 1852, and the Ninth street wharf in i860. About the year 1880, a vigorous movement was started to induce the borough to erect a water works. It was essential to the welfare of the people and to meet the demands of the rapidly growing community. Council undertook the construction under the superintendence of Hatch & Taylor, borough engineers, who designed the work; and on Septeml)er 13th, 1882, it accepted from the contractors the works in complete operation, at a cost of one hundred and four thousand, three hundred and ninety-one dollars. The w^orks have cost up to the date of the last report three hundred and seventeen thousand, nine hundred and ninety- seven dollars. They are operated on the reservoir plan, the basin having an elevation of three hundred and nine feet above low water mark. The higher elevations are supplied by what is known as the "high service system," the water being pumped b\' supplemental pumps, from the reservoir direct to the dis- tributing mains, the pressure being regulated according to the amount of water consumed. The distributing s}'stem comprises twenty-nine miles of street mains. Three thousand and twelve permits have been issued to consumers and l)esides supph'ing these customers two hundred and three fire hydrants are pro- vided for. The receipts by the department in 1893 were thirty- seven thousand, one hundred and thirty-nine dollars, and expen- ditures twent}-eight thousand, seven hundred and forty-two dollars. Tlie dail}' average consumption of water is three hun- dred and eighty-four thousand, six hundred and nineteen gallons. The reservoir has a capacity of five million gallons and the pumping capacity of the works largely exceeds that for each Our Municipal Life. 125 twenty-four hours service. Tlie pumps are operated about half- time. The first superintendent was Joseph Ecoff, wlio was suc- ceeded by John F. Nicoll. Council erected and had charge of the works until the borough was succeeded by the city. Under the cit}' charter the water works passed into the care of a water commission, elected in i8gi, and consisting of A. Inskeep, George Mars and C. A. Walker. Mr. Mars resigned and was succeeded by Charles Patterson, and he with Messrs. Inskeep and Walker, compose the present commission. The erection of the water works caused the abandonment of draw wells and pumps, did away with rain-water barrels at every home and knocked in the head a once flourishing industry, viz: the hauling of water from the river in wagons and its sale to the people. McKeesport was formally incorporated as a city of the third class, in i8go. In the administration of its municipal affairs McKeesport has made few mistakes and they were not of a serious character, being the fault of hasty action or the lack of good judgment. No scandal has ever disgraced the administration of its affairs at any period of its history. StDcdish NeiDspapers. fflcKEESPORT has a large Swedish population, and the necessity for a Swedish newspaper being apparent, the Sr'i-//sA'a W-ikobladct was established, in i8go, by Oscar E. Lind- bom. The first number was issued on January i8th. It is a seven-column, eight-page weekh'. devoted to Swedish news, pa}'- ing particular attention to the interests of Swedes in Pennsyl- vania, Ohio and Northern New York. A. J. Lannis is editor. The paper is successful and claims to circulate in every state in the Union. It has a complete outfit and employs Swedish printers. The Swcdis]i Mcssr>ii:;fi- was established, in 1892, by Rev. Kalberg. It was a weekly publication, but not proving success- ful it became defunct in 1894. ^..,. ^■^'^^f n "r^^^"^ o The Fire Department. OLDER citizens well remember the bucket brigade which did \eoman service whenever an alarm of fire called out the populace. Every citizen in town was expected to fall in line and pass along the buckets of water from the wells and rain- water barrels to the fire, and not infrequenth' from the rivers. For many years Samuel H. Hoffman was chief, or rather general director of the rabble that fought the fire fiend. It must be said, however, that the old bucket brigade did noble work and seldom did it fail to gain the master}' over a fire. Alarms of fire were given in those days by a general ringing of church and school bells, and the blowing of all the steam whistles in town. Upon hearing this signal, everybod}' in town considered it his duty to answer the alarm in person. In 1873, a step was taken to improve the character of fire fighting by the formation of a volunteer company, known as the Eagle fire company. The citizens purchased a hand hook-and- ladder truck and several two-wheeled hose-reels, to be drawn bv hand, and the bucket brigade was driven out of service. The Eagle company did good work for several years but the rapid growth of the town demanded a further step forward in the direc- tion of better protection against fire, and, in 1885, Councils estab- lished a ]-)aid department, furnished modern hose-reels, hook-and- ladder trucks, horses, and a sj'stem of fire alarm telegraph. At present the department consists of three companies, located in different districts, housed in modern brick and stone fire .stations, and supplied with the latest improved machinery for 128 History of McKf.esport. fighting fires, except steam engines which are not necessary in this city, the reservoir pressure in the street mains being strong enough to force water throngli hose to the top of the highest building. The paid department was organized Jul}- 8th, 18(85, and it con- sisted of one man, W'm. A. King, who had charge of a hook-and- ladder truck and depended upon volunteers helping him when he turned out. The department was increased to include four men, on January 3rd, 1887, with James McQuade as chief. James McAllister became chief on October 3rd, and he still holds the office. The department now consists of three fire stations, fully equipped, twentv-one men and eleven head of horses. Horses were introduced in 1886 and a fire alarm telegraph in 1887. The city now possesses facilities for fighting fires that are ample in scope and creditable in character. McKeesport s Burgesses. 'HE first burgess of the Borough of McKeesport was Capt. James R. Hendrickson, mentioned in another part of this history. He was elected in 1842. He was succeeded by Wm. Cook, in 1843; Thomas Penne}', 1844; Theodore MarHn, 1845; Thomas Penney, 1846; OHyer Eyans, 1847; John Trich, 1S48; Robert Shaw, 1849; John Wilkinson, 1850; J. B. Mitchell, 1851; Hugh Rowland, 1852; A. Atwater, 1853; T. M. Carroll, 1854 (the year during which the borough issued bonds to the Pittsburgh & Connellsville R. R. Company for one hundred thousand dollars); Thomas L)'nch, 1855; Hugh Rowland, 1856; W. H. Hill. 1857; Robert Shaw, 1858; Thomas Penney, 1859 and i860. Burgess Penne}' resigned his office on September 2nd, 1 86 1, and on the same day eyery member of Council resigned. There is no record of the election of either burgess or council- men to fill out that \'ear, and consequenth' no taxes were levied and McKeesport was a municipality without a head. James H. Berry was elected burgess in 1862: John W. Patterson, 1863; Lewis Haney, 1864; Wm. Atwater, 1865; James R. Hendrickson, i866-'67; A. W. Lukens, i868-'69-'7o-'7i ; W. P. Wampler (the boy burgess) 1872; James F. Ryan, i873-'74; W. P. Wampler, 1875; Frederick Houghton, i876-'77; John W. Scott, 1878-79; A. Inskeep, i88o-'8i-'82; Thomas Tilbrook, i883-'84; B. B. Coursin, 1885; W. W. Hunter, 1886; B. B. Coursin, 1887; James H. McLure, i888-'8g; Thomas Tilbrook, 1890, who was the last burgess to serve the borough and he became the first mayor of the city. 130 History of McKeesport. In earlier years the office of burgess was rather a sinecure, but during the last fifteen 3'ears of the borough's existence it became a very important office, its duties becoming more numerous each year and the responsibility heavier and heavier. The town had outgrown the scope of the laws governing boroughs. For years it was the largest borough in the state. The change from a borough to a city was necessary long before the change was made. At first the burgess drew no salary but afterward a small salary was attached to the office. Justices of the Peace and Aldermen. fiRIOR to the passage of a- law by the legishiture making Justices of the Peace elective, they were appointed b}' the Governor of the state, and their commissions thus granted held good for life, or during good behavior. The first Justice appointed in this part of Versailles township was James Evans, who received his commission in 1820. He held ofifice continu- ously until about 1840 when, on account of the disabilities of old age, he ceased to act. Robert Shaw was then appointed and he was in office when McKeesport received its charter of incorpor- ation as a borough. The first Justice elected by the borough was Joseph Wampler. He served several terms. He was one of the oldest citizens of the town when he died, and he was a man of considerable local celebrity on account of his inventive genius. His opportunities in earl}' life were ver}' limited, having attended school but three months' time. When a boy of sixteen 3'ears he manufactured a clock, his onl\' tools being a penknife, a gimlet and a knitting needle. The clock is said to have kept good time for a number of years. He became quite celebrated on account of his astronomical knowledge. He made barometers, microscopes, several large telescopes and a planet- arium which is in use to-day in the New York Observator}^ at Albany. Justice Wampler was succeeded by John Evans, Joshua Goff, A. J. Brown, Lewis Haney, John Nesbit, James H. Berry Robert Shaw, R. D. Jones, Wm. Munkittrick, A. Inskeep, Thomas Tilbrook, James L. Carroll, Robert Clark, J. B. McMarlin, D. C. Hughes, Thomas Daft, W. T- Dart, Joseph A. Skelley and Samuel Fields. JOSEPH WAMPLER, First Justice of the Peace of McKeesport. The City of McKcesport. ffl(;KEESPORT having outgrown the swaddHngs of a borough and discovering that a city, in all but the name, could not, without serious detriment to its prospects continue an)- longer, it took the necessar}- steps in the year i8go, to cast aside the old regime and it emerged, clothed as a third-class city. It was an important step, as it enlarged the scope of government and gave to the people rights and privileges, not obtainable under the borough charter. Thomas Tilbrook, who had been burgess, was elected ma3'or, George B. Herwick, controller and Jacob Everett, treasurer. Select Council chose R. J. Black for president, and the choice of Common Council for president of that branch was James Z. Andre. R. C. Rankin was elected city solicitor. The salary of the Mayor was fixed at fifteen hundred dollars per annum: controller, fifteen hundred dollars; treas- urer, fifteen hundred dollars and solicitor fifteen hundred dollars. The city officers in this Centennial year are James Z. Andre, mayor; George B. Herwick, contioller; Frank M. Everett, trea- surer; President of Select Council is James Campbell and of Common Council, John Gilchrist; Street Commissioner, Thomas McGraw; City Engineer, Fred W. Patterson; Health officer, Freeland Chester. The Police Department includes Chief Geo. M. Fehr, two lieutenants, a sergeant and a cit}' patrol numbering twenty-eight men. The Water and the Fire Departments are complete and McKeesporters are proud of their city government. The changing of the corporation from a borough to a city, was a wise step. It gave McKeesport a new dignity, enlarged the 34 HiS'i'ORY OF McKekspori'. form of its government, and introduced new methods in all its departments which acceptabh- fulfill the requirements of the communitx'. At once the cit_\' took upon itself metropolitan airs and it is advancing steadih' along tliose lines. To-dav it is a well governed cit}-, generalh' recognized as perhaps the most notable cit\' of its size in the commonwealth of Penns\ Ivania — certainh the most wide awake and successful cit\- in the West entl of the state, outside of Pittsburgh. Adjoining the cit\', and substantial!}' forming a part of it. is the borough of Reynoldtou. It was incorporated in 1S87, and Thomas Reynolds served as first burgess. The present burgess is John Wall. The borough contains about three thousand inhabitants. The borough of Duquesne was incorporated in iHgi, and the people elected John W. Crawford, burgess. James Crawford is the present burgess. It is a live, pushing, manufacturing town and the citizens claim a population of seven or eight thousand people. Christy Park was incorporated as a borough in 1^93. George Smith was first burgess and being re-elected is still in office. The population is about two thousand persons. Port View was incorporated in 1892. Robert Caughe\' was elected burgess and is still continued in office. The present population is about one thousand, but the opportunities for a large increase are very good. In point of territor\- covered it is said to be the largest borough in the United States. Prospec- tively it is a town of twent\' or twenty-five thousand persons. These boroughs and other contiguous settlements, not incor- porated, form a fringe around the city of McKeesport, but to all intents and purposes they are a substantial part of the city. ^ A Recapitulation. QcKEESPORT is a manufacturing cit3% ranking as the best in Western Pennsylvania, outside of Pittsburgh. Indicative of the city's importance as a manufacturing center the following data is offered. It is from the government bulletin of the census of i8go, which gave manufacturing statistics of one hundred and sixty-five principal cities in the United States having a population of upwards of twenty thousand: "The city reports in all one hundred and eighteen establish- ments coming under the head of manufactories. The totals are given under each head. "Under the head of capital the value of hired property is given at one hundred and sixty-six thousand, eight hundred and ninety- six dollars; direct investment, ten million, nine hundred and sevent3'-nine thousand, eight hundred and twelve dollars; land, six hundred and thirty-one thousand, and twenty dollars; build- ings, six hundred and ninety-six thousand, six hundred and twenty dollars; machinery, tools and implements, two million, nine hundred and fifteen thousand, two hundred and seventy- nine dollars. Live assets consisting of raw materials are reported at one million, two hundred and seven thousand, and ninety-six dollars; stock in process and finished products on hand, one million, nine hundred and fifteen thousand, three hun- dred and seventy-five dollars; cash, bills and accounts receivable and all sundries not elsewhere reported, three million, six hun- dred and fourteen thousand, four hundred and twenty-two dol- lars. 136 History of McKeesport. "Under the head of miscellaneous expenses the figures are: Total, seven hundred and thirt\-seven thousand, five hundred and sixtv-two dollars; rent paid for tenanc}', fifteen thousand, and ten dollars; taxes, one hundred and fifteen thousand, seven hundred and forty-six dollars; insurance, twelve thousand, nine hundred and sixty-one dollars; repairs, ordinary, of buildings and machiner}^ one hundred and fifty-six thousand, three hundred and forty dollars; amount paid to contractors, twentv-nine thou- sand, seven hundred and thirty-nine dollars; interest paid on cash used in the business, one hundred and twenty-two thou- sand, three hundred and fifteen dollars; all sundries not else- where reported, two hundred and eighty-five thousand, four hundred and fifty-one dollars. "Average number of employes and total wages are figured in aggregates: Average number, six thousand, two hundred and ninety-two; total wages, three million, four hundred and thirty- six thousand, five hundred and thirt}--nine dollars. Officers, firm members, and clerks, males above sixteen years number two hundred and three and wages paid, two himdred and forty- three thousand, six hundred and eight3'-five dollars. The females above fifteen years number eleven; wages, three thousand, two hundred and ninety-six dollars. Number of male operatives, skilled and unskilled above sixteen years, five thousand, five hundred and sixty-seven; wages, three million, seventeen thou- sand, three hundred and eleven dollars. Number of female operatives, skilled and unskilled, ninety-two; wages, twenty-four thousand, four hundred and ten dollars; number of children emplo\ed, one hundred and fifty-one; wages, twenty-four thou- sand, five hundred and sixt}'-two dollars. Piece-workers, males above sixteen years, two hundred and sixt3'-five; wages, one hundred and twenty-two thousand, three hundred and thirty- nine dollars; female piece-workers above fifteen years, three; wages, nine hundred and thirty-six dollars. A Recapitulation. 137 "Cost of materials used: Ten million, six hundred and seven- teen thousand, three hundred and thirt\'-eight dollars; principal materials, nine million, seven hundred and sixteen thousand, eight hundred and sixt3--five dollars; fuel, one hundred and seventy-six thousand, nine hundred and one dollars: renters of power and heat, one himdred and t\vent\'; mill supplies, tliree hundred and three thousand, one hundred anti fort\'-t\vo dollars; all other materials, four hundred and twentv thousand, three hundred and nineteen dollars. '•\"alue of product: Total, seventeen million, four hundred and thirt\ -two thousand, seven hundred and twentv-one dollars; principal products, seventeen million, one hundred and fift3'-one thousanti, one hundred and seventy-one dollars; all other pro- ducts including receipts from custom-work and repairing, two hundred and eightN'-one thousand, five hundred and fifty dollars." These figures were gathered by the Government in the early part of i8go, four years ago, at which time many new factories were projected and additions were being made to plants alread}^ in existence. These have since been completed and put into operation, and a similar condition applies to the sister town of Duquesne. The next Government census will show a wonder- ful increase over the figures given above. The financial, fol- lowed by the trade depression of '93-'94, has retarded, but has not stopped the growth of the city. Its past is a record of won- derful growth and prosperity and its future is surrounded by the halo of a golden bow of promise of a greater and grander growth, a more noble and more glorious existence. Last May the county canvassers prepared their annual report to the Secretar}' of Internal Affairs, showing the number of tax- ables, amount of real and personal property taxed, and the amount of taxes assessed for state purposes in the county of Allegheny for the year 1894, and in that report McKeesport made the following showine;: 138 History of McKeesport. Aindiiiit of inoiifv at interest, Ward. Viiliic »l rt'iil estiite. Aggrf'sratf iiiinMint ot comity tax iissfssed. in deeds and iiiortsruEres, jiid?- nients, bonds, notes, storks, etc. I $1,297,490 $2,752 27 $103,295 2 1,836,265 3.435 31 309,030 3 1,430,130 3.325 32 87,635 4 2.624,905 5.447 33 72,600 5 1,284,810 2,513 51 124,765 6 2,066,904 3,866 37 89,305 7 1,402,140 2,817 90 168,610 8 1,027,950 2,287 44 39.030 In the recapitulation at the close of the report this city appears as below: Number of taxables 8,343 Real estate $12,970,595 00 Real estate exempt 1,140,190 00 Real estate taxable 11, 830, 405 00 Horses, mares, geldings and mules 500 Value of horses, etc $ 36,990 7° Number of meat cattle 70 Value of meat cattle $ i,345 0° Salaries, emoluments of office, etc 1,349,300 00 All property taxable for county 13,222,725 00 Amount of county tax assessed 26,445 00 Money at interest, etc 994, 270 00 Value of stages, etc 4,685 00 All property taxable for state 998,955 00 Amount of state tax assessed 3.995 82 These figures represent the values placed upon property by the ward assessors and so far as the real estate is concerned, are much below its actual value, such valuations usually being from one-half to two-thirds the actual value, or, in other words, the amount that properties would sell for at forced sale, under any circumstances that might necessitate such sales. These figures indicate a strong and healthy community. In this, our Centennial year, we stand upon the pinnacle of a success well earned. We find ourselves an incorporated city of the third class, having within its corporate limits twenty-seven churches, eighty-two school-rooms, with sixteen more under con- A Recapitulation. 139 tract; fift\-two secret ami beneficial societies; three dail}' and one weekly newspapers; three national and one state banks with a combined capital of six hnndred thonsand dollars, and in fairly good times an average deposit of over two million dollars; one hnndred and eighteen mills and indnstries, emploj'ing over fifteen thonsand hands, which, when rnnning fnll, pa\- ont in wages over one hnndred thonsand dollars per week. We have over twent}' miles of finel)- paved thoronghfares out of a total of fift}- miles of streets; a complete system of sewers; about fifteen miles of electric street rail\va\'s; a fineh' equipped fire depart- ment; a complete water-works s\stem. capable of supphing a much larger population; four lines of steam railwa3's fiunishing competing "through freight rates" to an}- railway station in the country, and which transport one million, eight hundred thou- sand tons of city freight per annum; an electric light plant; natural and artificial gas plants; four passenger bridges; two railway bridges; three miles of water-front connecting the cit}' with all the navigation of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys and soon to be connected to the great lakes by a ship canal; two metropolitan theatres; a magnificent hospital; a board of trade; Young Men's Christian Association, etc. A fair, conservative valuation placed upon the city is twenty million dollars and the population, including the suburbs, closely approximates forty-five thousand. This is the city of which we have attempted an historical and statistical description, from its inception to its Centennial year. This is the cit_\- which stands out prominentl}' as the giant of the industrial communities surrounding it, the monarch of the valle}', the peerless princess of the Monongahela. It is the metropolis of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny valleys, at the confluence of the rivers, on the lines of the leading railwa}' systems of this great countr\', anchored to a prosperity thoroughly established upon a foundation financial!}' as secure as the rock ribbed 140 History of McKeesport. hills which surround antl guard the cit\-; and McKeesport cannot help increasing its prosperitw adding to its great industries, enlarging its territorial limits, increasing its popu- lation, gaining a far greater prestige and of finally reaching the summit of that measure of success which ever}' lo\al, energetic, progressive American cit}' seeks to attain. The past has already demonstrated the strength that this young city is capable of developing. The future is faced with confidence and the people enter upon the second centur\' of the life of McKeesport, strong in the conviction that the Great Ruler of the Universe regards the conimunit\ with especial favor. The suc- cesses of the past will be discounted by those of the future and the generations following the celebration of the city's Centennial, will say that their predecessors turned over to them a sulistantial foundation to build upon. McKeesport is proud of her success, her possessions, her past and the promises of the future. A spot in the tangle of the frontier forest one hundred years ago, surrounded by a wilder- ness — a locality where the sturd}' pioneer fought with the Indian for possession and won — has grown into the splendid city to-day, surrounded h\ an industrial activity and capable of industrial achievement, that is and will continue to be the wonder of the nations of the world. Officers of the City of McKeesport, 1894 MAYOR, James Z. Andre. CONTROLLER, George B. Herwick. 'I'RF.ASURER, Frank M. Everett. SOLICITOR, Robert C. Rankin. CITY ENGINEER, Fred W. Patterson. Members of the Select Council. First Ward, Thomas Farnan. Second Ward, James Campbell. Third Ward, John P. Allman. Fourth Ward, W. T. Miller. Fifth Ward, Robert Ta3lor. Sixth Ward, Oliver Black. Seventh Ward, Harry Myers. Eighth Ward, Oliver G. Jones. 142 History of ?\IcKi-:i:si'ori'. Members of the Common Council First Ward, James Y. Caughey, D. H. Powers. Sfx'ONI) Ward, Edwin Soles, Alfred B. O'Neil. Third Ward, A. N. Myers, W. H. West. Fourth Ward, James E. Patterson, George F. Graff. Fifth Ward, Daniel G. Donovan, George H. Lysle. Sixth Ward, James Stratton, Samuel O. Dowry. Seventh Ward, Peter Kenney, W. K. Herbert. Eighth Ward, John Gilchrist, J. C. O'Connor. School Controllers of McKccsport, 1894. PRESIDENT, F. W. Burlingame. SECRETARY, James D. Foster. TREASURER, Frank M. Everett. Members. First Ward, A. B. Fox, George Tate. Sec(_)ND Ward, L. P. Chester, Amzi Morgan. Third Ward, Randolph R. Reynolds, Joel T. Painter. Fourth Ward, F. W. Burlingame, John M. Kinkaid. Fifth Ward, Daniel S. Tobin, Edward M. Trich. Sixth Ward, J. W. Fawcett, J. L. Hammitt. Seventh Ward, James D. Foster, George Fehr. Eighth Ward, Alex. Lugner, George We^•er. 0^ e^^ji? -:;>•<-♦ - APPENDIX 1 " McKeesport's Centennial Celebration. HE project of glorioush' celebrating McKeesport's Cen- tennial was talked over informally for nian\' months before an_ything like a definite plan was formulated. Little knots of old-timers would find themselves in a reminiscential mood on the curb-stone or in offices. School days, and the times of coal- boat floating were lived over again; loquacious excursions were made in search of names carved on the old school house; dates and incidents were contradicted or assented to, and diaries and old records were unearthed for the next chance meeting. Thus the months passed, serving only to revive memories and create more enthusiasm for the general reception of the proposition to have a celebration that would be worthv of the worthy cause. But who should take the initiative? Who undertake the responsibilit}' of the Centennial? It was assuredly not in the province of the City Councils; no historical society existed or could be created in the now too brief time remaining, with necessary paraphernalia and equipment to push the project; nor was there any organized association of old residents to act as sponsors; nothing but the pervading idea that so/iicliody ought to Jo something. Finalh' it was determined to allow the Board of Trade to assume the responsibilit\- of the celebration, and at a meeting of that body on July 25th, 1893, W. E. Harrison offered a motion which is recorded in the Board of Trade proceedings as follows: ''On motion of j\Ir. Harrison a committee of five be appointed by the president, to suggest a general plan of conducting a Cep- 14S APPENDIX. tennial celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of McKeesport. The motion prevailed and the presi- dent [Magnus Pflaum] appointed the following committee: W. E. Harrison, J. D. O'Neil, Robert Ta3dor, Francis Gannon, J. 1). Evans." 7die deliberations and action of this committee are somewhat fully indicated by the report to the Board of Trade at the next meeting. To quote again from the minutes of that body under date of August 2gth, 1893: •■'The committee on Centennial Celebration submitted the fol- lowing report: "The committee appointed by the Board of Trade to suggest the most feasible manner of arranging for the one hundredth anniversary of the laying out of the "town'' (now city) of McKeesport, met and elected J. D. O'Neil secretary,', and after a full interchange of opinion, decided to rei)ort in favor of ajipoint- ing a general committee of nine members of the Board of Trade, consisting of the following persons: Capt. A. B. Campbell, W. J. Sharpies, Jno. K. Skelley, W. P. Wampler, J. D. O'Neil, Robt. Ta}lor, James. L. Devenn}', John W. Stewart and W. E. Harrison to ]ia\e full charge of all arrangements, designate the date, plan the details, decide and control all matters pertaining to the celebration, and to report progress at the regular meetings of the Board of Tratle. "On motion the report was received and the action of the committee ratified." Proceedings of the General Committee. Acting under the authorit\' of the resolution of the Board of Trade, of August 2gth, 1S93, the General Committee at once went to work. Although there would doubtless be a year elapse from their appointment until tiie celebration exercises were con- APPENDIX. 14Q sunimated, 110 time must be lost. An\- mistake or shortcoming in the detaiLs of the Centennial would be laid to their official incapacity, while their success would redound to the credit and glor}' of the whole community. On September 14th, 1S93, the committee formalh' organized tor work, by selecting W. E. Harrison, president; [ohn \\'. Stewart, secretar}- and W. P. Wampler, treasurer. Weekly, bi-weekly, daily meetings then followetl. Each mem- ber gave largeh', liberally, of his time to the work of the General Committee, to consultation with sub committees, to collection of historical data, to resurrecting and securing relics, to formulat- ing methods for enlisting the cooperation of all citizens, to raising funds to defray expenses in a time when funcis were very hard to secure, and to keeping steadily at work the au.xiliary committeemen. Ever}' available means of advertising was sought and embraced; the local newspapers were afforded full access to the records of the committee, as of each sub-committee, and nobly did the}^ handle all tips and items which might conduce to the ciissemina- tion of information as to the actions, desires and intentions of the managers; invitations and circulars were placed judiciously; former residents sought out in their widely separated haunts and urged to revive their memories of early years, and interest them- selves as of 3'ore in the cit}'. Merchants, attorne3s, physicians, business men, and all who have occasion for correspondence were urged to have placed on their stationery, either in printed or stamped form, some appro- priate inscription calling attention to the coming Centennial and requesting the attendance of all who might peruse the inscrip- tion. The General Committee adopted and recommended a stamp embracing the idea, and it was largely used. Much of the routine labor and worry of selecting committees was left to the respective chairmen, whom the General Com- I50 APPENDIX. mittee appointed earl}', with instructions to select and refer to them for re\ision, a list of at least ten colleagues. The only restrictions placed on these various sub-chairmen were that they should not select members of the General Committee nor chair- men of other committees, and that the\- should endeavor to per- form the duties assigned to tlicm b\' the General Committee. These duties in the main were outlined in the report of a special committee appointed for that purpose on January igth, 1894, consisting of W. J. Sharpies, W. P. Wampler and A. B. Campbell, with President W. E. Plarrison. That report as adopted and spread on the minutes of the General Committee is appended: History. To collect all data, arrange, prepare and publish the same in book form. Finance. To solicit and collect all mone3S necessary for carrying on the celebration, turn over the same to the general treasurer, receive voucher therefor, and appro\e all bills previous to pa}"ment. Inoitation. To prepare forms of and issue invitations to prominent persons whom it may be considered desirable to invite; also to ascertain the post-office address of former citizens and invite the same; also to meet them on their arrival and escort them to the Entertainment Committee. Speakers. To invite such speakers for the occasion as may be determined upon, to meet and take charge of them on arrival, and see that their entertainment is provided for. APPENDIX. 151 Procession. To arrange and take charge of all processions and parades; select routes and all other details pertaining to the same. Military. To arrange for such military displays as ma}' be decided upon; also see to having arrangements for firing salutes. Music. To arrange for both instrumental and vocal music, such as ma}- be found necessar}' for the occasion. Entertainment. To arrange for entertainment of all guests of the city; and, as far as practical, see that ample provision is made for entertain- ment of strangers. Press and Printing. To see to proper advertising of the Centennial and arrange for all printing that may be necessary. Churches and Sunday Schools. To aid the General Committee in such manner as may be decided upon in conference hereafter. Societies, Unions and Clubs. To invite and arrange with all societies for participation in the parades; to acknowledge acceptance of the same and report to chairman of committee on procession. Antiquarian. To arrange for a suitable place; collect and arrange for exhib- iting all relics, or pieces of antiquity, that would seem to be interesting for such an occasion; take charge of the exhibit and 152 APPENDIX. give vouchers for the safe return of any material loaned for the occasion. Fire Worhs. To purchase an}' fire works that ma}' be deemed necessary and take charge of the displa}'. Transportation. To arrange with the railroad companies for special rates of fare and provide carriages for the guests and distinguished persons in the processions. Decoration. To attend to such decorating as the General Committee may decide upon; urge all citizens in matter of decoration; to request whistles and bells of city and environs to blow and ring at noon, announcing dawn of Centennial. The above committees, in compliance with the action of the Board of Trade, are to confer with the General Committee; report all proceedings and be subject to the approval of General Committee. Among the more difficult (Questions to decide, aside from the all important one of finance, was that of date. At the very first session of the Committee that subject was thoroughly discussed and a time selected. Afterward contention was made and much pressure was brought to bear to have the festivities cover two days. The second day's program was accordingly added. Then the G. A. R. encampment ver}^ inauspiciously changed the date of its assembl3'ing, in the adjoining city of Pittsburgh, to exactly the same dass on which McKeesport desired to engage the undivided attention and admiration of the world. This clash of interests would prevent reciprocal participation, the undeniable desire of many, so in a spirit of generous forgiveness and veneration to the worthy veterans, our date was changed to APPENDIX. 153 August 2gtli aud 30II1. This date was soon found to be unsuit- able for mauv reasons, and another and the third date was selected, which now seems to be the one that should first have come to mind, after the determination to liave the celebration in the fall — tliat of September 13th and 14th. Just following the G. A. R. encampment in Pittsburgh, it will permit many per- sons from distant parts of tlic countr\- to participate in both demonstrations, who otherwise would be able to indulge in only one. Other and similar reasons seem to point to the perfect adaptabilit}- of the date finalh- fixed. Funds must be raised to carr}' out any project. The more general and public the object the more difficult}- there is in getting to the source of financial supph'. Owing to the forcible closing of our iron mills on account of laloor troubles, it was not apparent from whence a guarantee of expenses could be secured by the General Committee. On Ma}' 14th, 1894, John W. Stewart presented the following paper which was adopted: "Whereas, the proposed celebration of our Centennial year seems to meet with the universal approval of our citizens; and as we anticipate profitable returns in the future from this adver- tising of our city: and as it is no unusual thing for municipalities to contribute to public demonstrations, therefore "Be it resolved that the Mayor and Councils be requested to make an appropriation of one thousand dollars toward assisting to defrav the necessary expenses of the same." Councils, after due consideration, adopted a joint resolution making the appropriation petitioned for. This sum, with liberal subscriptions from citizens, it was thought would aggregate an amount sufficient to cover all expenses, although the expenses were necessarily large, including printing, rent, music, transportation, vehicles for distinguished speakers and guests, entertainment, and the hundreds of items involved in such an enterprise. 154 APPENDIX. The Antiquarian Committee exhibited its displa}' on three days, in CoHseum Hall, in the building bounded by Sixth avenue, Tube Works alle}', Shaw avenue and the Baltimore & Ohio R. K. The central and accessible location of this exhibit was of great advantage to visitors. The attendants and attachees appeared attired in characteristic costumes representative of dif- ferent st\'les of dress in vogue during the past centur}'. The antique articles and relics promised and secured for exhibition assured a displav of considerable extent, consisting of bronze, china and pewter ware and utensils, costumes and textile fabrics, implements of various trades, manuscripts and books, title papers and records, Indian relics and weapons of warfare, relics of Braddock's march through this cit}-, jewelr}-, coin, maps, newspapers, paintings and pictures, household furniture, McKeesport"s first postoffice, etc., most of which relics had a local signification, few exhibits having had a national character. The Invitation Committee distributed and mailed five thou- sand handsomely engraved invitations, which found their wa}- to all points of the countr}-. The object thereof was two-fold — to advertise the city and to enlist the assistance of former residents and insure their attendance. The records of this committee show that invitation was extended to President Cleveland and his cabinet and other heads of the Federal Government at Washington, to Governor Pattison. his advisors and staff and all heads of our State administration, to the Mayors and Councils of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and all or nearly all cities within the state, to each of the Burgesses and Town Coun- cils of the nearly fifty boroughs within Allegheny county, to the municipalities in adjoining and nearb}' counties, to U. S. Sen- ators and Representatives of this state, to State Senators and Representatives from this county, to each of our County Court Judges (eleven in number), to Ex-Judges of County Courts, to the officials of adjoining states and to hundreds of other repre- APPENDIX. 155 sentative officials and bodies, to secret societies and fraternities, lodges, organizations, clnbs. corporations, associations, not to mention individuals nationalh' or locally eminent either from political preferment or from financial, literar}' or professional attainment. Tdv the Committee on Press and Printing was prepared and sent out. in addition to the regular invitations, a special invita- tion to three thousand newspapers to send representatives to praise or criticise our cit\' and our celebration, to verify or disprove the claims set forth in an accompanying statement of McKeesport's superior advantages — advantages almost unex- celled. Headquarters and entertainment were provided for visiting newspaper men and journalists. The reception and grand Centennial ball was in charge of and under the management of the Entertainment Committee. Earl)' in the work of the General Committee a generous offer was made by S. S. Marvin, of Pittsburgh, to donate a large national flag to the celebration and a small flag to each pupil of the schools of the citw This donation was thankfully accepted, the large flag ordered to be turned over to the municipal author- ities after the celebration, and the small flags, to the number of five thousand. 'seven hundred, distributed among the school chil- dren to be carried in the second day's parade. The Music Committee afforded profitable entertainment and recreation by a large vocal and instrumental concert in White's Opera House, corner of Walnut street and Fifth avenue. The chorus comprised nearh'. if not quite all, the singing societies of the city and prominent vocalists of the communit}'. The pro- gramme very appropriately included popular and patriotic selec- tions. 156 APPENDIX. The TtDO Day's Programs. The programs, order of parade and routes of procession, as determined upon at tlie time when these paj^es were put in tvpe, are appended. Centennial Day. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13tli, 1894. Cliicf Marslial: Thomas Tii.p.rooi-: Twelve o'clock noon: Ringing of bells, blowing of steam whistles, booming of cannon, to announce the dawn of the Cen- tennial. Formation of Procession. 1.30 p. M.. cannon salute as signal for starting procession. First Division. — Form on Market street, right resting on South side of Fifth avenue. Second Division. — Form on Market street, right resting on North side of Fifth avenue. Tliird Division. — Form on Fifth avenue, right resting on West side of Market street. Route. Fifth avenue to Walnut street, to Si.xteenth avenue at city limits, countermarch to right on Walnut street to Ninth avenue, to Market street, to Second a^■tnue. to Walnut street, to Fifth avenue, to Riverton street, countermarch to right on Fifth ave- nue, to Coursin street, to Shaw avenue, to Huey street, to \'er- sailles avenue, to Evans' Commons, pass in review, and disperse. Four o'clock: Speeches by eminent men, on Evans' Com- APPENDIX. 157 mons, near Central Presbyterian Church, at corner of \'ersailles avenue and Union street. Presiding officer, Frederick Rhodes, who was born within a few hundred feet of the site of the speakers' stand, ninety-one years ago. Ox-Roast on Evans' Commons. Eight o'clock: Reception and Centennial ball. Antiquarian display in Coliseum all day and evening. Order of Procession. Sixteen Police, Mounted. "Old Guard" of Washington, D. C. Escort of Honor. Chief Marshal Thos. Tilhrook and Staff. Military. Secret Societies, Lodges, Unions, Cluhs and Associations. Civic Organizations. Mexican War Veterans, in Carriages. Board of Trade, in Carriages. Distinguished Speakers and Guests, in Carriages. Mayor, Select and Common Councils and City Officers, in Carriages. Visiting Municipal Officers, in Carriages. Board of Education, in Carriages. Citizens in Carriages. Interspersed with Bands of Music, Humorous and Fan- tastic Features, Etc., Etc. 158 APPENDIX. Industrial Day. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14th, 1894. Chief Marshal: J. D. O'Nkii.. One o'clock: Industrial and Civic parade. Balloon Ascension and other attractions on Evans' Commons. Eight o'clock: Centennial Concert, White's Opera ?Iouse. Antiquarian display in Coliseum all day and evening. Order of Procession. Industrial Display Consisting of Floats, Represf.ntations OF Ancient, Modern and Receni' Methods OF Production, Natural and Man- ufactured Products. Pupils of Public and Parochial Schools, in \^ehicles and ON Foot, each Carrvin(; a Flag. Representation of Old Log School House. Representation of Modern Brick and Stone School Building. Old-Time Pedagogues. Present Pedagogues. Humorous Features, Etc., Etc. APPENDIX. 159 The Standing Committees. Following is a complete list of the standing committees appointed to look after the details of the celebration, to appoint necessary sub-committees and to have the general supervision of the demonstration, under the general direction of the Board of Trade committee: Centennial Committee. Harrison, W. E., President, Campbell, Capt. A. B., Devenny, J. L., O'Neil, J. D., Sharpies, W. J., Skelley, J. K., Stewart, John W., Secretar)^, Taylor, Robert, Wampler, W. P., Treasurer. Finance. Bailie, J. W., Esq.. Chairman, Cronemeyer, W. C, Davitt, John F.. Finley, Samuel F., Pitts, E. W., Rhodes, D. H., Stewart, H. C, Volk, B. Jr., Williamson, A. K., Wood, T. D. i6o APPENDIX. Inoitation. Douglass, E. P., Esq., Chairman, Albig, J. W., Andre, James Z., Applegate, W. A., Campbell, James, Douglass, J. D., Gardner, T. D., Gilchrist, J. W., Myers, Harry, McCune, P. W., Pitts, E. W., Rhodes, D. H., Tawne}-, Chas. A., Volk. B. Jr. Procession. Tilbrook, Thos., E.\-J\Iayor, Chairman. Altme\'er, George, Boyd, A. S., Brooks. H. F., Brown, Chas. H., Campbell, Capt. A. B., Campbell, James, Crawford, Capt T. C, German, Wm., Hardy, D., Herwick, Geo. B.. Jones, O. G., Lynch, Capt. D. H., May, R. J , Patterson, F. W.. APPENDIX. i6i Shaw, A. Y. , Spangler, J. K., Stewart, Henry, Williamson, A. K., Wood, T. D. Military. Thompson, Capt. W. E., Chairman, Broberg, A., Coon, Capt. O. C, Durfee, Lieut. L. L., Jaycox, Lieut. J no. M., Mortimer, J. V., Skelle}', Jos. A., Speer, Capt. J. Ewing, Stewart, Lieut. H. C, Wiley, Lieut. Thos. F., Wood, John A. Music. Davis. D. H.. Chairman, Bell, W^ H. H., Brooks, H. E., Corl, Jerry W., Lindbom, O. E., Mills, Robt., Murphey, E. P., Schuetze, Fred, Taylor, C. W., Wampler, F. C, Wodka, Felix. i62 APPENDIX. Churches and Sunday Schools. Young, Rev. A. I., United Presb3'terian, Chairman. Bockstahler, Rev. J., German M. E. Darbaker, Rev. H. D., Reformed. Forrester, W. T., Y. M. C. A. McCarrell, Rev. J. J., Presbyterian. Nolan, Rev. Jas.. Roman CatlioHc. Risher, Rev. Levi, (Dravosburg) Presbyterian. Rupp, Rev. J. C. F., English Lutheran. Ryan, Rev. W. M., Baptist. Schmidt. Rev. Gustave, German. Strand, Rev. O., Swedish. Terbush, Rev. G. W., M. E. Societies, Unions and Clubs. Myer, G. P., Chairman. Blakely, J- F., Protected Home Circle. Broberg, August, North Star Lodge. No. 389, K. of P. Butler, Jas. J., St. Peter's L}ceum. Chester, Frank J., Versailles Council, Royal Arcanum. Clark, J. W., No. 16, A. B. A. O. Hibernians. Davis, F. v.. No. 6459. A. O. Foresters. Eastwood, ]. K.. \'ersailles Council, No. 691, Jr. O. U. A. M. Falkenstein, G. J. P., B. P. O. Elks. Farley, Owen, Emeralds. Farnan, Thos., A. O. Hibernians, No. 16. Finch, Major N.. Mexican Veterans. Gannon Francis, C. M. B. A., No. 26. Golden, Adam, Colored Odd Fellows. Grant, W. G., U. S. Grant Council, O. U. A. M. Haberman, Fred., Alliquippa Lodge, L O. O. F. APPENDIX. 163 Hamilton, E. E., Tube City Council, No. 378, Jr. O. U. A. M. Hampson, Robt., Knights of Honor. Heist, Killian, Blucher Lodge, I. O. O. F. Herwick, Geo. B., McKeesport Lodge, Order of Tonti. Herwig, W. K.. Solon Castle, No. 141 3, K. of Golden Eagle. Hofman. C. G., McKeesport Turners. James, Richard, No. 217. K. of P. Jeffers, J. M., McKeesport Lodge, No. 43, A. O. U. Workmen. Johnston, John, No. 312, K. of G. E. (Christy Park). Johnston, J. U.. Local Union, No. 177, C. and J. of A. Johnstin. U. G., Knights of Maccabees. Kuhl, Fred, No. 447, K. of G. E. Leppig, Geo. M., Branch No. 57, C. 'M. B. A., German Catholic. Lueckert, John, Liederkranz. Mulligan, Thos., St. Joseph Beneficial Society. McCleary, Samuel W. , Scotia Commandery, No. 116, K. of M. Oberlin, W. M., Ariel Commander}^, No. 105, Knights of Malta. Parke, J. M.. Woodmen of the World. Petty. Thos.. Catholic Knights of America, No. 468. Port. John, Order of Red Men. Pratt, Joseph, Welcome Stranger Lodge, Sons of St. George. Ragensberger, Frank J., St. Mary Beneficial x'Vssociation. Rankin, Oscar, Youghioghen}' Lodge, No. 147, I. O. O. F. Schoeller, E. A.. Union \'eterans' Union. Schreckengost, B. M. Sr., O. U. A. M. ( Re3'noldton ). Skelle}'. Jos. A.. INIcKeesport Conclave, No. 81, I. O. H. Stewart. Henry, Col. Sam ^^^ Black Post, No. 59, G. A. R. Swanson, C. E., No. 6682, A. O. Foresters. Thompson, Arthur. K. of P. ( Re\noldton ). Wallace, A. C, McKeesport Council, No. log, Jr. O. U. A. M. Wardell, Jackson, McKeesport Castle, No. 280, K. of G. E. Weatherspoon, Chas., Orangemen. Wolf, Emanuel, Youghiogheny Lodge, L O. O. F. i64 APPENDIX. Woman's and Antiquaries. Bailie, Mrs. Anna M., Chairman, Campbell, Mrs. A. B., Davitt, Mrs. J no. F., Demmler, Mrs. A. J., Evans, Mrs. James, Harrison, Mrs. F. G., Harrison, Mrs. W. E., Hunter, Mrs. W. W., Knox, Mrs. W. F., Kuhn, Mrs. Jas. S., Lang, Mrs. Anton, Lowry, Mrs. S. O., Millar, Mrs. Thos. A., Riggs, Mrs. R. L., R3'an, Mrs. M. F., Sec'y., Sharpies, Mrs. W. J., Skelley, Mrs. Jos. A., Smith, Mrs. Florian, Speer, Mrs. J. E.. Stewart, Mrs. John W., Tassey, Mrs. Emily E., TonneM, Mrs. Theo., Whigham, Mrs. Margaret W., White, Mrs. T. L., Wood, Mrs. T. D., W^oods, Mrs. E. F., Woods, Mrs. J no. T. Speakers. Rankin, R. C Esq., Chairman, Demmler, A. J., APPENDIX. 165 Dunshee, W. A., Esq., Ekin, Wm. M., German, Wm., Hartman, W. E., Means, N. A., Esq., McCune, Dr. John N., Patterson, F. W., Ryan, M. F., Shaw, S. W. Fire Works. Mars, George Jr.. Chairman, Bolji, Theo. , Campbell, Jacob, Canghe}', R. J., Dersam, J. N., Hartman, Geo. W., Kahl, C. W., Murphey, H. O., Wertenbach, J. H., West, Wm. E. Decorations. Bachman, Max, Chairman, Butler, L. A., Cox, Wm. J., Guiser, F. A., Hill, Knox C, Morgan, W. A., Nill, Chas., Sellers, P. J., Sims, F. E., Stone, R. E., i66 APPENDIX. Sword, J. A. C, Yester, Henry A. Specialties and Fantastics. Good, A. R., Chairman, Beam, John R., Hoffman, S. H., Mclntyre, J. P., Nill, Chas., O'Neil, Jas. D., (Elizabeth), Robinson, Andrew, Sims, Franlv E., Stone, Geo. A., Wadsworth, I. B., Wolf. Emannel. Transportation. Patterson, F. W'.. Chairman, Carothers, R. T., Devenny, J no. C, Hopkins, Gen. E., Hunter, O. M., Leezer, S. J., McGirr, J. J., " Means, N. A., Noble, C. L., O'Neil, Jno. A.. Peters, W. B., Ryan, Wm., Soles, W. C. , Woods, E. F. APPENDIX. 167 Colored People. Knox, Chas. A., Chairman, Bayless, Wm., Brown, Wm., Davis, W. E., Golden, Adam, Harris, Robt., McClure, J. E.. Parish, Daniel W.. Walker. Wm. C, West, W. B. Education. Brooks, Prof. H. F., Chairman, Boell, Rev. Lawrence, Burlingame, Dr. F. W., Foster, J. D., Gordon, Prof. E. W. , Nolan, Rev. Jas., Schmidt, Rev. Gustave. History. Harrison, W. E., Chairman, Abbott, W. S., Secretary, Edmnndson. Isaac, Evans, James, Esq.. Stewart, Henry. Press and Printing. Shale, J. B., Chairman. Abbott, W. S., Lindbom, Oscar E., Nill, Otto G. i68 APPENDIX. Reception. Kulm, Jas. S., Chairman, Coursin, F. H., Gemmill, J. R., Gleason, W. G., Haben, Dr. John F., Hall, Dr. A. E., Harrison, F. G., Knox, Dr. W. F., Moffatt, Geo. D., Murpliey, M. R., O'Neil, A. B.. Patterson, Peter. Soles, Edwin, Stuckslager, C. R., West, Isaac, Wood, R. G. APPENDIX. 169 S. Altmeyer, Geo., Bestwick, Jacob, Black, Dr. R. J., Brooks, Prof. H. F., Cairnes, Jas. H., Canfield, Jas. H., Clark, S. C, Corey, M. G., Curry, M. L., Demmler, W. A., Donovan, D. G., Edmundson, Jno. B. Evans, J. D., Fawcett, Dr. J. W., Gannon, Francis, German, Wm., Gibson, H. W., Ham mitt, J. L. , Hare, Rev. C. A., Hofman, Anton, Hunter, W. W., Junker, W. B., Knox, Chas. A., Lamp, Henry, Laney, Boston, Lowry, S. O., Lysle, Geo. H., Marx, Bernard, Entertainment. E. Carothers, Chairman, May, R. J., Moore, Morris R., McGirr, J. J., Newlin, T. F., Nill, J. P., Pitts, E. W., Porter, Dr. John, Power, Dr. H. J., Riggs, R. L., Robbins, W. N., Ryan, M. F., Scott, Vankirk Sellers, P. J., Shaw, A. Y., Shaw, John A., Smith, J. C, Speer, J. Ewing, Esq., Squibb, Prof. F. W., Stewart, H. C, Stone, Jos. A., Stuckslager, Dr. C. R., Taylor, Dr. W. B., VanKirk, Dr. T. R., Volk, R. J., West, W. E., White, Jas. E., White, Dr. T. L., Woods, Theo. APPENDIX. Chief Marshal Tilbrook and Staff. The selection of a Chief Marshal of the main Centennial parade was a matter of considerable quiet contention for some time. The responsibilit}- in the first instance seemed to devolve upon the Procession committee, by virtue of the full power con- ferred thereon by the provision designating powers and duties of sub-committees. The secret societies and clubs, as being the prospective source of the majorit\- of men in line, thought their wishes should be considered. P^inall}' without action or instiga- tion on the part of the General Committee, it was tacitly agreed that the two sub-committees meet together and reconcile their differences. Accordingly such a meeting was held on June 7th, at which Thomas Tilbrook was recommended as Chief Marshal. The minutes of the General Committee of the regular meeting held on the following evening, show this action: "Committee on Procession, Thomas Tilbrook, reported having held a meeting on Thursday evening, with the committee on Societies, at which Thomas Tilbrook was elected Chief Marshal of procession, subject to the approval of General Committee. On motion of W. J. Sharpies, report received and election of Marshal ratified." Acting under the foregoing selection in the execution of such authority as is customarily vested in the Commander-in-Chief, Mr. Tilbrook early announced his staff as follows: APPENDIX. 171 Chief Marshal, Thomas Tilbrouk. Adjutant General, Capt. W. E. Thompson. Chief of Staff, Capt. A. B. Campbell. Dioision Commanders. First Division, Capt. T. C. Crawford. Sccoiui Dij'ision. Prof. H. F. Brooks. Tliii d Division. Jas. Stratton. Abbott, W. S. , Altmeyer, Geo., Andre, Jas. Z., Arnold, Max, Arthurs, Chas., Auld, J. P., Bachman, Max, Baile}-, W. C, Bailie, J. W., Bailie, Robt., Beam, Capt. John R. Bestwick, Jacob, Black, Oliver, Black, Dr. R. J., Bligh, Patrick, Boax, J. J., Bohn, Jacob S., Aides. Bolji, Theo., Boyd, A. S., Brown, Chas. H., Campbell, Jas., Campbell, Dr. J. M., Campbell, J. Wesley Carothers, S. E., Carver, A. J., Caughey, Jas. Y., Caughey, Robt. H., Christy, John R., Clark, Robt., Conroy, Fred., Coon, Capt. O. C, Coursin, J. P., Crawford, R. C, Croneme3er, W. C. APPENDIX. Dart, W. T., Davis, M. E., Davitt, Jno. F., Deuimler, A. J., Dersam, J- N., Devenny, J as. L., Donovan, D. G., Douglass, E. P., Douglass, W. L., Dunshee, J. F., Edmundson, Wm. H., Ekin, R. W., Ekm, W. M., Erickson, John. Evans, Geo.. Everett, F. M., Falkenstein, Geo. J. F., Fehr, Geo,, Finley, S. F., Firestone, Samuel, Gannon, Francis, Gardner, T. D., German, Wm., Gleason, F. S., Golden, Adam, Graff, G. F., Hamilton, E. E., Hammitt, J. L., Hardy, David, Harrison, F. G., Henderson. J. R., Herwick, (j. B., Hitzrot, Dr. H. W., Hughes, T. D., Hunter, W. W., Jones, O. G., Jones, T. C. , Kearney, Dr. E. C, Kirkpatrick, Louis, Knox, Chas. A., Leppig, Geo. M., Long, Patrick, Lowry, S. O., Ludwick, G. F., Lugner, Alex., McCune, P. W., McGraw, Thos. , McKee, Dr. J. O., May, R. J., Mellinger, J. A., Millar, Thos. A., Miller, W. J., Miller, Dr. W. T., Mitchell, James, Moffatt, G. D., Moore, W. H., Morgan, Jos., Morris, Bernard, Murphey, M. R., Murphy, P. J., Myer, G. F., Myers, Harry, Nagel, Wm., Neel, J. M., Newlin, T. F., Nicol, J. F. APPENDIX. 173 Patterson, F. M., Patterson, F. W., Patterson, Jas. E., Penney, J. L., Penney, Saml. E., Plattenburg, Jos., Port, J. W., Rankin, R. C, Reynolds, Thos., Richardson, L3curgus, Ryan, A. M., Ryan, M. F., Scott, J. K, Shale, J. B., Shaw, John A., Shaw, Saml. W., Short, W. A., Skelley, J. A., Smith. Geo. F., Smith, J. C, Soles, C. E., Soles, Edwin, Spangler, J. K., Stewart, Henry, Stewart, M. Wilson, Stone, Geo. W., Stuckslager, H. R., Trich, E. M., Tyson, J. A., Unger, Jos., Volk, R. J., Wagoner, Robt., Walker, Wm., Wall, John, W^eddell, Dr. O. S., Weir, Robt., West, Wm., White, Dr. T. L., Wiley, T. F., Williamson, A. K., Wolf, Emanuel, Wolf, Max, Wood, T. D., Young, W. F. Adcnda. BREDERICK RHODES, of West Elizabeth, aged ninety- one years, was born in a log house on the Evans' farm, this citw He lived his early boyhood days here and has watched the growth of IMcKeesport from his infancy. The fact of his having been born here was called to the attention of the Centen- nial Committee and it was at once decided to ask him to preside at the mass-meeting called in connection with the celebration of the event. Mr. Rhodes is hale and hearty, despite his age. Since the chapter on Postoffice and Postmasters was printed, the changes in politics gave the city a new postmaster, the appointee being Gilbert F. Myer, a }'oung, active business man. He was appointed in August. Mr. Myer has the honor of being named the Centennial postmaster. Investigation as to who represents tlie oldest famil\- in this city, indicates that it is the Stewart descendents — Henry and John W. Stewart. They are sons of the late Hamilton Stewart, whose father, Samuel Stewart, came here prior to 1790. The exact date cannot be ascertained. Hamilton Stewart was born in a log house near what is now known as the corner of Fifth avenue and Huey street, in the \ear 1790. The descendents of Samuel Sinclair, who married a niece of John McKee, represent nearly, if not quite, as old stock. Each family doubtless claims precedence. There are four survivors of the Mexican war at present, living in the city — not two as previously stated. They are Major John W. McCully, William Sharp, Major N. Finch and Thomas Eastwood. Index to Illustrations. Altmeyer Theater, ------ opposite page ii6 Centennial Schoolhouse, _-__-- yj Central Fire and Police Station, - - - - opposite page 127 Central Presbyterian Church, illustrating present church architecture, 83 Citizens' National Bank, ----- opposite page 88 First National Bank, ----- opposite page 26 First Schoolhouse erected in McKeesport, - - - - 20 General View of McKeesport, . _ - . Frontispiece James R. Hendrickson, first Burgess of McKeesport, - - - 120 Joseph Wampler, first Justice-of-the-Peace of McKeesport, - 132 Market House (Original), ----- opposite page 7 Market House, erected in 1SS4, _ . _ - - y^ McKee Monument, _ _ _ - . opposite page 102 McKeesport Hospital Building, - - - - - 114 McKeesport & Versailles Cemetery Entrance, - - - - 100 National Bank of McKeesport, - - - opposite page 80 National Tube Works, ------- 47 People's Bank, ------ opposite page 36 Redick McKee, son of the founder of McKeesport, - opposite page 16 Soldier's Monument, ------- 106 The Three Great Trunk Lines, - - - - opposite page 63 Union Church, first church edifice erected in McKeesport, - 76 United States Iron & Tin Plate 'Works, - - - - 49 View on Fifth Avenue, _ - - - opposite page 70 View of McKeesport, showing manufacturing districts, opposite page 50 View on Walnut Street, _ . _ _ opposite page 54 W. Dewees Wood Company's Works, - - - opposite page 45 White's Opera House, ----- opposite page 113 Young Men's Christian Association Building, - - - - 94 General Index. Banks and Banking, - - - - - - - . 57 Board of Trade, --_...- gy Boat and Skiff Iiuilding, ------- 31 Bridges, --------- 67 Building and Loan Associations, - - - - - - 61 Burgesses, --.-...- 129 Card of Tiianks, - - - - - - - - 4 Churches, -------- -.7 City of McKeesport, - - - - - - - i33 City Passenger Railwa}s, ------ 65 Coal Business, -------- 29 Early Incidents, ------- 25 Fire Department, -------- 127 Great Industries, ------- ^5 John McKee, - - - - - - - - ir Justices-of-the-Peace and Aldermen, - - - - - 131 Library Association, ------- g6 Market Houses, ------- y^ McKeesport, (Its Origin) -------7 McKees of McKeesport, ------ g Military Record, -------- 103 Navigation, -------- 27 Newspapers, - - - - - - - "53 Newspapers (Swedish), - - - - - - 126 Notable Fires, - - - - - - - -117 Notable Public Buildings, - - - - - - 113 Occupations, -------- 23 Officers of the City of McKeesport, 1S94, - - - - i^i Old Time Residents, ------- 17 Old Time Voting, ------- 21 One Hundred Years, (A Poem) ------ 6 Our Municipal Life, ...-,., 121 GENERAL INDEX— Concluded. Post Office and Post Masters, - - - - - - 33 Preface, --------- 5 Professional Men, - - - - - - - -m Public Offices and Officers, ------ log Railroads, ---------63 Recapitulation, -------- 135 Roads and Boardwalks, - - - - - - -iig School Controllers of McKeesport, 1894, - - - - j^^ Schools and School Houses, - - - - - - 69 Secret Societies, .---.-. gg "Silent Cities," -------- gg Soldiers' Monument, ------- 107 Smaller Industries, --------37 Telegraph and Telephone Service, ----- 50 Topography, -------- iz Young Men's Christian Association, ----- 95 Index to Appendix. Centennial Celebration, ------ j^y Proceedings of General Committee, ----- j^g Centennial Day. Formation of Procession, Route, _ - - . j^5 Order of Procession, ------ 1^7 Industrial Day. Order of Procession, ------ i^g Standing Committees. Centennial Committee, ----- j^g Churches and Sunday Schools' Committee. - - 162 Colored People's Committee, _ _ - - j5y Decorations' Committee, ------ 155 Educational Committee, ----- j5y Entertainment Committee, _ - - - . j5g Finance Committee, ------ jgg Fire-works' Committee, ------ iQ^ Historical Committee, ----- jQj Invitation Committee, ------ j5o Military Committee, ----- - 161 Music Committee, --..-- j5j Press and Printing Committee, - - - - jQj Processions' Committee, ------ 160 Reception Committee, ----- 158 Societies, Unions and Clubs' Committee, - _ - J52 Speakers' Committee, ------ 164 Specialties and Fantastics' Committee, - - - - 166 Transportation Committee, ----- 166 Woman's and Antiquaries Committee, - - - - 164 Chief Marshal and Staff, ------ jyo Aides, -------- lyi Adenda. Frederick Rhodes, Gilbert F. Myer, Stewart Family, Samuel Sinclair, Mexican War Survivors, - - - 174 W 98 iT - * • « . *^ *^'^ . • • • » ^r%. <\V 1-^ :\ Z^'M^^y^ ^^<-»>-. .^'%fB>%"- .<^ v^\:ait.'\ • •o ^ V** ^•^"-s ^^ > ••««^-. %„,/ .:;s^\^i^>^ . 0N • . %ft ^ *•"• ^ .0' V *;^j^«* .y" % W y v^v \*^\/ v^-/ \ ■*-./ **'\