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255
almost absolute immunity from serious accident. During the World’s Fair at Chicago, from May to October, 1893, 3142 pasÂsenger trains, made up of 23,947 cars and containing 603,103 passengers, were run over this main line to and from Chicago, without injury to a single passenger or train man.
CLEVELAND & PITTSBURG
The next railroad to be built through Beaver County was the Cleveland & Pittsburg. Its history is as follows. By a special Act of the Ohio Legislature on March 14, 1836, a charter was granted to the Cleveland, Warren & Pittsburg Railroad Company, permitting it to construct a railroad from Cleveland to the eastern Ohio line, there to connect with any road to be built under the laws of Pennsylvania. A curious illustration is found in the provisions of the second section of this Act of the very experimental nature of railroading even at that comparatively recent period. This section authorized the corporation to transÂfer” property and persons upon their road by the power and force of steam, of animals, or of any mechanical or other power or any combination of them,” and permitted all other comÂpanies and persons to transfer property and passengers upon the said road in their own vehicles and with their power, subject to the rules and regulations of the company, upon the payment of tolls, after the manner of canal navigation. Hard times folÂlowing a period of inflation prevented the building of the road. An Act of revival and amendment was passed on March 11, 1845, and the route was changed to “the most direct, practicÂable and least expensive route to the Ohio River, at the most suitable point.” The company was organized at Ravenna, Ohio, in October of 1845. James Stewart of Wellsville was elected President; A. G. Cattell, Secretary; and Cyrus Prentiss, TreasÂurer. In July, 1847. the first con tracts were let from Wellsville northward, and the actual work was commenced. The connecÂtion through to Pittsburg was finally arranged for in 1852. On April 8, 1850,1 the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed a law incorporating the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad Company and giving full assent to all the provisions of the Ohio charter. Under this and later legislation the company completed its
1P. L., 417.
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History of Beaver County
road to Rochester, Fa. In December, 1862, a contract was entered into with the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago RailÂway Company for a division of gross earnings of the two comÂpanies upon a specified basis, and for the joint use of the track of the latter from Rochester to Pittsburg. a monthly rental of $7083.33 being paid therefor, in addition to one half the cost of repairs. In October, 1871. the road was leased to the PennsylÂvania Company for nine hundred and ninety-nine years from December 1, 1871. Beaver County invested $100,000 in this enÂterprise. This road enters the county at Glasgow, runs along the north bank of the Ohio River and crosses the Big Beaver at its mouth to Rochester, which is, properly speaking, the terminus of the road, although, as stated above, its traffic is carried on from that point to Pittsburg over the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago track.
ERIE & PITTSBURG RAILROAD
For several years prior to 1856 various attempts were made to build a road from Erie to Pittsburg, and a company was incorporated under the name of the Pittsburg & Erie Railroad. principally by citizens along the line. Little actual work was done, however, outside of the embankment built from below Transfer to the Shenango River.
The corporate history of the Erie & Pittsburg Railroad ComÂpany begins with the incorporation of the Pittsburg & Erie Railroad Company, which was incorporated under various Acts of the Pennsylvania Legislature, as follows, viz.:
The Act of April 24. 1846,1 authorizing the construction of a railroad from the western terminus of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, if that road should be constructed in Allegheny County, -and if it should not terminate there, then the road was to begin at Pittsburg and extend to Erie.
The Act of May 4, 1852 2 authorizing subscription to the capital stock in Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford, and Erie counties.
The Act of May 4. 1854,3 reviving and renewing the charter of the company.
The Act of April 5, 1855,4 authorized further subscription to
3P. L 441. 3P. L- 605. 3P. L., 592. 3P. L., 188.
History of Beaver County
257
the capital stock, and subsequent Acts up to 1859 revived and renewed the charter and extended the time for the completion of the road.
The company, after passing through various vicissitudes, failed, and when it failed the portion of the road extending between the points before mentioned was sold at sheriff’s sale to private parties, from whom the Erie & Pittsburg Railroad ComÂpany afterwards purchased it.
The Erie & Pittsburg Railroad Company was incorporated under the following special laws:
April 1st, 1858.1 An Act of incorporation subject to the provisions of the general law of February 19, 1849 2 regulating railroad companies and the Acts supplemental thereto. It authorized the completion of the road between Girard Junction and Jamestown, :Mercer County, then being built by the Erie & North East R. R. Company, it being necessary accordÂing to the language of the Act to have it constructed under separate organization.
The Erie & North East Railroad Company were by this Act required to continue the work on the line under the Act of April 22, 1856,3 and were given further time of two years to complete it, and after $400,000 were expended they were to transfer their right, title, and interest in the right-of-way, conÂtracts, stock, and railroad to the Erie & Pittsburg Railroad Company, and receive $400,000 of the capital stock of that company. The road was built for the most part on a route different from the one located by the Pittsburg & Erie Railroad Company, the only part of that road that was used being from Greenville to the Shenango River, between Clarksville and Sharpsville, as will be seen by the history of the Pittsburg & Erie Company.
A contract was entered into early in 1862 with the late W. L. Scott for the construction of the road from Jamestown to New Castle. The road was opened August I, 1864, for operation from Girard Junction to New Castle, at which latter point it made connection with the New Castle & Beaver Valley Railroad.
The road has never been extended beyond Girard Junction or New Castle, entrance to Erie being obtained over the lines of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad.
1 P. L.. SU.
VOL. I.-I7.
:: P. L.. 79.
S P. L.. 565.
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History of Beaver County
The Erie & Pittsburg Railroad Company are the owners of various tracks and terminal facilities at Erie, Pa. The conÂstruction of the dock branch, extending from Dock Junction to the Erie docks, three and a half miles, was begun in 1863 and completed in 1865.
The capital stock of the company is $2,000,000.
Under date of March 24, 1870, taking effect March 1, 1870,
the company leased its entire railroad and property to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for 999 years, the lease being assigned to the Pennsylvania: Company, April 1, 1871.
In order to protect the interests of the company, the lessee in 1870 secured the control of the Erie Canal by the purchase of stock and bonds of that company. The canal was operated for about one year under arrangement with the Erie & PittsÂburg Railroad Company, when executions were issued and the canal sold. The canal property was subsequently sold to parties living along the line of the canal, and the canal Company was dissolved.
Prominent among the first officers of the company are menÂtioned John A. Tracy, John H. Walker, D. W. Fitch, Milton Courtwright, Prescott Metcalf, and John Brawley, all of whom are now dead. The late W. L. Scott secured control of the road in 1865, and continued in the management of it until its lease to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
The present officers of the company are: C. H. Strong, PresiÂdent; M. H. Taylor, Vice-President; J. P. Smart, Secretary and Treasurer; Directors: C. H. Strong, Erie, Pa.; M. H. Taylor, Erie, Pa.; J. P. Green, Philadelphia; C. H. Fairchild, New York City; James McCrea, Pittsburg; J. J. Spearman, Sharon, Pa.; G. R. Metcalf, Erie, Pa.
The Darlington Cannel Coal Railroad Company was among the early railroads of the county. It was incorporated March 3,
1852,1 by an Act of Assembly of that date. Its incorporators were John White, John McCowin, William Sterling, AtkinÂson Martin, and Matthew Elder. John White was elected president.
The road remained under this management for about three years, when it got into difficulties which led to the foreclosing
P. L., 103.
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259
of a mortgage and its public sale by N. P. Fetterman, Esq., then of Beaver, later of Pittsburg. It was bid in by the Harmony Society and operated under the management of Henrici and Lenz, trustees for the Society. In 1880 the railroad was bought by Gen. James S. Negley and Captain Ira F. Mansfield for the sum of $40,000. A new company was organized, and the road was extended from the mines at Cannel ton to New Lisbon, Ohio.
The present officers are: N. R. Billingsley, President; George W. Dixon, Superintendent; K. E. Barringer, General Freight and Passenger Agent.
THE PITTSBURG & LAKE ERIE RAIL WAY
Before the construction of the Pittsburg & Lake Erie RailÂway, the South Side, Pittsburg, had no railroad facilities, but depended almost entirely upon the river transportation for the movement of its immense freightage. With the annexation of its boroughs to the city, the need of a railroad became still more apparent, and the question of building one began to be strongly agitated. In the spring of 1874 a meeting was held in the office of Mr. Bennett, of Graff, Bennett & Co., to consider the advisability of building a road from the South Side, through Beaver, to Youngstown, Ohio. The meeting was attended by representatives of all the industrial plants on the South Side. Among the firms represented were Jones & Laughlins; Singer, Nimick & Co.; Whartons; Oliver, Phillips & Co.; and Painter & Sons. It was decided at this meeting to attempt the project.
The public was not informed that the road was contemÂplated, but nevertheless the promoters had great difficulty in securing the right-of-way. Surveyors were put to work and a route secured from the Ohio River at Beaver to Youngstown, Ohio, but the effort to get one from Pittsburg to Beaver was not successful. The projectors of the road became very much discouraged, and some of them were ready to abandon the enterÂprise altogether, when the Harmony Society, which had large interests at Beaver Falls that would be benefited by the road, and which also owned a large amount of property along the proposed route, offered its assistance for the construction of the road. On the reception of this offer the officials of the company
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History of Beaver County
decided to issue $2,000,000 in bonds. The Harmony Society took $250,000 of this amount, and in addition granted free right-of-way through all its land between Beaver and the South Side, amounting to over three fourths of the distance; and Dr. David Hostetter subscribed for $750,000 of the bonds.
May 11, 1875, articles of association were filed, styled PittsÂburg & Lake Erie Railroad Company.
President and directors named were as follows: William McCreery, President; William McCreery, Joshua Rhodes, James Westerman, George C. Reis, John F. Dravo, P. W. KelÂler, John Bissell, William M. Short, A. J. McKinley.
John Bissell was Secretary and William M. Short, Treasurer.
The principal office was located at Pittsburg, Fa. May 18,
1875, a charter was issued by the State of Pennsylvania. May 12, 1876, all the old officers were re-elected. December 19, 1876, John D. Scully was elected a director in place of A. J. McKinley, resigned.
January 29. 1877, it was voted to increase the number of directors to twelve, exclusive of the president, and new directors were elected as follows: David Hostetter, James M. Bailey, M. W. Watson, James M. Schoonmaker, and James I. Bennett was elected in place of William M. Short, resigned.
April 25. 1877, articles of association were filed in Ohio for that portion of the road from the Pennsylvania line to YoungsÂtown, Ohio.
Ap J 26, 1877, an executive committee was appointed, conÂsistingof James 1. Bennett, James M. Bailey, and John F. Dravo.
July 6, 1877, the board was reorganized, James 1. Bennett being elected president; and John Reeves, Jacob Henrici, WilÂliam M. Lyon, and Jacob Painter, directors, to take the place of William McCreery, George C. Reis, P. W. Keller, and W. S. Bissell, resigning.
June 21, 1877, Samuel George was elected treasurer; and Samuel Rea secretary, in place of Bissell and Short, resigned.
September 26, 1871, the contract for the construction of the road was let to Bemard J. McGrann of Lancaster, Pa., for building the road complete, and a single line was completed the following year.
January 5, 1878, the Ohio organization was consolidated with that of Pennsylvania.
(Source: History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, It’s Centennial Celebration by Rev. Joseph H. Bausman, Vol. 1, The Knickerbock Express, New York, 1904.)
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261
January 14, 1878, the following officers were elected: PresiÂdent, James I. Bennett; Directors: Jacob Henrici, James M. Bailey, Jacob Painter, David Hostetter, Joshua Rhodes, John Newell, John Reeves, William M. Lyon, J. H. Devereux, M. W. Watson, John F. Dravo, and J. M. Schoonmaker. This board elected John Reeves Vice-President.
September 21, 1878, the first locomotive crossed the Ohio River bridge. October 15. 1878, A. D. Smith was elected audiÂtor and general passenger agent and John G. Robinson secretary and treasurer.
January II, 1879, all the directors and officers were reÂelected.
February 6. 1879, the road was taken oft the contractor’s hands.
February 10. 1879, freight was started over the road, and on the 24th of the same month regular passenger trains were running.
January 12, 1880, the annual meeting elected the old officers and directors, as follows: President, James I. Bennett; Directors: Jacob Henrici, James M. Bailey, James M. Schoonmaker, David Hostetter, Joshua Rhodes, J. H. Devereux, John Reeves, William M. Lyon, John Newell, M. W. Watson, John F. Dravo, and Jacob Painter. General Manager, W. C. Quincy; General Freight Agent, E.D. Nettleton; Auditor and General Passenger Agent. A. D. Smith; Secretary and Treasurer, John G. RobinÂson; Master of Transportation, R. W. Jones.
It is of interest to know that the promoters of this road wished to have it water grade, and that a bill was presented in Congress asking for permission to construct a drawbridge at Beaver, which would be almost below high-water mark. The rivermen were opposed to the building of such abridge, and secured the defeat of the bill. and the railroad people were compelled to erect a bridge ninety feet above the Water. In the end this effected a great saving to the company. since it gave them a practically level route from Pittsburg to YoungsÂtown, and consequently much less motive power was required in the moving of trainst with greater economy in the expenditure of fuel. In 1877 contracts were made between the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railway Company and the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and the Atlantic & Great Western Railway companies
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History of Beaver County
to accept freight originating with that road for all northern shipments, the delivery to be made at Youngstown.
The necessity for an eastern outlet to the coal and coke field of the Connellsville region was felt strongly in 1878, but the company was at this time too weak financially to make the extension without aid. Efforts were made to secure the cooperation of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company for the construction of such an extension, but they did not succeed. Finally, William H. Vanderbilt’s interest was enlisted in the matter, and the company was assisted by him to make this much-needed improvement. From this time on the road prosÂpered wonderfu1ly Reaching the coal and coke fields on both rivers, and touching all the important steel plants, it became at once a paying concern, and its stock was gradually bought up by the Vanderbilts, until now they own the majority. The road is now rapidly being four-tracked, and the management is in all respects one of the most enterprising and progressive in the country. One evidence of this is the character of the station buildings which they are erecting; the one at Beaver, as will be seen from the half-tone on the opposite page, being a perÂfectly ideal specimen of railway architecture.
The wisdom of placing this line where it now is, is amply shown in these later days, since direct connection is made with two of the greatest systems in America, viz., the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and Erie railroads. With through cars and Pullman accommodations to Chicago, Boston, Buffalo, CleveÂland, Jamestown, and various other traffic centres, the road to an intents and purposes fills exactly the same place in the public needs as does a great trunk line. The mileage of the PittsÂburg & Lake Erie and its operated lines is 185 miles.
The management at the present time is under the control of Col. J. M. Schoonmaker,Vice President and General Manager, one of the staunchest of the band of capitalists who first proÂmoted the enterprise.
The Pittsburg, Youngstown & Ashtabula Railroad was formed by a consolidation and merger of the Ashtabula, Niles & YoungsÂtown Railroad and the Lawrence & Pittsburg Railroad. the Lawrence & Pittsburg Railroad having been formed by a conÂsolidation and merger of the New Brighton & New Castle RailÂ
History of Beaver County 263
road Company and the Lawrence Railroad Company; the artiCles of consolidation in both cases being duly filed at HarrisÂburg. The New Brighton & New Castle Railroad was chartered on March 24, 1881, under the Act of April 14, 1868, and suppleÂments thereto, and authorized to construct, operate, and maintain a railroad between New Brighton, in Beaver County. PennsylÂvania. and New Castle, in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. The Pittsburg, Youngstown & Ashtabula Railroad leased its constructed railroad, which extends from Kenwood Station. to Ashtabula Harbor, a distance of one hundred six (106) miles, by article of agreement dated December 13, 1881, to the PennsylÂvania Company, and since that date has been operated by the Pennsylvania Company. On the 8th of August, 1898, a survey was made under the direction of the chief engineer of said comÂpany for an extension or branch line on the eastern shore of the Beaver River, from Kenwood southward through the towns of New Brighton, Bolesville, Rochester, and Freedom to a point in the main line of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago RailÂway, just east of Remington station, and this line is now being built.
RaILWAY CONTRASTS
One main object that is kept in view, both in the text and illustrations of this work, is to exhibit contrasts between the earlier and later times, showing the advancement made along all mechanical, industrial, and social lines. Nowhere, perhaps, is the contrast greater than in the direction of the subject which we are now considering. All of the roads first built were only slight modifications of the ordinary earth roadways. Wooden rails were laid to overcome friction and the inequalities of the surface of the ground. Then the rails of timber were covered with straps of iron, and nearly all of these roads were built for, and operated by, horse-power. I From these primitive
1 Peter Parle (Samuel Griswold Goodrich)t Writing nearly seventy years ago in
his first book of history:
“But the most curious thing at Baltimore is the railroad. I must tell you there is agreat trade between Baltimore and the states west of the A1legheny Mountains. The western people buy great quantities of goods at Baltimore and in return send large amounts of western produce. There is, therefore, a great deal of traveling back and forth and hundreds of teams are constantly transporting goods to and from market. Now in order to carry on this business more easily the people are building what are called a railroad. This consists of iron bands laid along the ground….
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History of Beaver County
constructions to the modern lines with their ponderous steel rails and bridges and solid roadbeds is a vast advance.
But the progress made in motive power is still more re markable. The illustrations which accompany this chapter will exhibit this in a striking manner. Look at the John Stevens locomotive–which was the first engine to draw passengers in the United States–and then at the great E2 Pennsylvania Rail road engine. We have not been able to secure a picture of the first type of locomotive in use on the lines in Beaver County, but the illustrations given are instructive, nevertheless. ComÂpare the pigmy and the monster in the small cut. The little engine was built in 1812, not so very long ago, and it was then considered a wonder in its way. But contrast the dimenÂsions of the two: the small engine has cylinders 4 x 16 inches. the modern one’s cylinders measure 22 x 28 inches; the driving-wheel base of the former is 6 feet 21- inches, that of the 1atter 14 feet 8 inches; the former has a boiler 34 and 1/2 inches in diameter, the latter has one 70 inches in diameter; and the tank of the small engine is a mere pail compared with that of the large one, for it holds 450 gallons, while the capacity of the. other is 6000 gallons. And the weight-the little fellow weighs only 12 and 1/2; tons, the big one 90 tons! A similar advance is noted in the locomotives of this date over those exhibited at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, which were supposed to be, par Excellence, the highest type possible to the science of engineÂbuilding. And every part of railroad construction has kept the same pace. The cars used fifty years ago held but ten tons, while those of to-day carry fifty five tons. Thirty years ago the maximum train capacity was about 300 tons, or 10,000 bushels of wheat, today, with improved roadbed, heavy steel rails, enlarged cars, and mogul engines, the maximum capacity is 2700 tons, or 90,000 bushels of wheat. In 1835 the maximum speed was about twelve miles an hour, to-day trains have maintained an average speed of forty-five miles an hour from New York to Chicago; and the Pennsylvania or Pittsburg & Lake Erie RailÂway trains, such as the “Limited” or the “Cleveland Flyer,” are often rushing through the Beaver valley at the rate of seventy-Âfive or eighty miles an hour. It would be an interesting sight if we could see that first train that went through in 1851 standÂing alongside of one of these trains de luxe.
History of Beaver County 265
In 1835 there were in the State of Pennsylvania only a few score miles of railway; to-day there are 10,000 miles, and along these 10,000 miles of railway are located the greatest interests that can be found anywhere in the commercial world. The closing year of the century we are commemorating showed in the United States a total of nearly 200,000 miles of railway, with 300,000 railway employees (an army equal to Lincoln’s call for volunteers in ’63), to whom was paid more than $116, 000,000. In the same year there were carried by these roads over 205,000,000 passengers, and their employees handled more than 600,000,000 tons of freight.
STREET RAIL W AYS
In the great modem development of “rapid transit” by street railways, and in the application of electricity as the motive power and for other uses, Beaver County has had her part. September 17, 1884, the Beaver Valley Street Railway Company was organized, and obtained its charter on the 23d of that month in the same year. Ground was broken for this road, May 6, 1885, and it was opened for travel, July 4th of that year, The capital stock of the company was $30,000. Horse cars were used which ran from the station of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway in New Brighton, through that town and Beaver Falls. to the foot of College Hill.
The first officers of this company were: M. L. Knight, PresiÂdent; Colonel Jacob Weyand, Vice-President; J. F. Merriman, Secretary and Treasurer; Ron. Henry Rice, John Reeves, Jacob Weyand, J. C. Whitla, W. Reeves, Joseph Snellenburg, and M. L. Knight, Directors; and Lycurgus Richardson, SuperinÂtendent. On the resignation of J. C. Whitla, and Joseph SnelÂlenburg their places were taken by George W. Coates and James M. May.
This road was sold to the Beaver Valley Traction Company in July, 1891. By them the line was extended and opened through for traffic to Beaver, December 5,1891, the motive power being changed to electricity.
The Peop1e’s Electric Street Railway Company.–Qn August 13, 1891, a charter for this company was applied for by the
266
History of Beaver County
following gentlemen: Dan H. Stone. J. C.Whita, H. W. Reeves. J. P. Stone, C. H. Bentel, John Conway, T. P. Simpson, and Hon. H. P. Brown, all of Beaver County. ‘The incorporators were elected directors, who in turn elected Hon. H. P. Brown, PresiÂdent; H. W. Reeves, Vice-President; C. H. Bentel, Treasurer and J. P. Stone, Secretary. John M. Buchanan, Esq., was the solicitor for the company, and procured for it its charter and right of way. Before the complete organization of the company, John Conway withdrew from the Board of Directors and was Succeeded by Henry M. Camp. The capital stock of the comÂpany was $150,000.
The first survey was made in September of the same year, and was from the Bridgewater end of the Big Beaver bridge, following the present location through Rochester borough, Rochester township, Freedom borough, St. Clair borough, and New Sewickley township to Crow’s Run. This location was afterwards changed by terminating the road in St. Clair borÂough and extending the western terminus to a point in Rochester township, at the intersection of the Beaver Valley Traction Company’s tracks, at what is now called Junction Park.
The contract for the building and equipping of the road was awarded to Joseph Cross of Rochester, Pa., who sublet the same to Simon Harrold of Beaver Falls, Pa.
Work was begun May 15, 1892, and the road was completed
and opened for Tavel, August 13, 1892.
The road was equipped with 45 lb. girder and T rail. The rolling stock consisted of four Laclede 16-foot closed cars, each having two W. P. 30 general electric motors.
The power-house was located on Railroad Street, Rochester, Pa., being built in a substantial manner of stone and brick; the offices and car barn were located on the same lot adjoining the power-house.The rolling stock and general equipment were added to each year to care for the increasing business of the company.
The company was always free from strikes and disagreeÂments among its employees. Cyrus A. Danalsof Rochester was the first superintendent, occupying the position for two years. Philip Bentel was superintendent for two years, and was succeeded in 1895 by James G. Mitchell whom that year was elected a director and general manager, and remained in charge
History of Beaver County 266
of the company until it was leased to the Beaver Valley TracÂtion Company for 999 years.Â
On August 13, 1892, one year from the date of the first meeting, a jollification meeting was held by the citizens of the valley on the public square of Rochester, when Hon. H. P. Brown, the president of the company, formally declared the road open to public travel. These pub1ic exercises were parÂticipated in by prominent members of the various professions and business men, and occupied the entire afternoon and evening.
The Beaver Valley Traction Company was organized in the spring of 1891 by a number of prominent citizens of the Beaver Valley; and on June 29, 1891, a charter was issued under the provisions of the Act of March 22, 1887. In July, 1891, the Traction Company absorbed by contract and purchase of stock, the Central Electric Street Railway Company; and in August, 1891, the Beaver Valley Street Railway Company was absorbed by similar process. Later the College & Grandview Electric Street Railway Company became a part of the B. V. T. Co. system. and a working agreement was established about 1898 with the Beaver & Vanport Electric Street Railway Co.
The property in the spring of 1900 was thus represented by tracks extending from Morado Park on the Beaver River, through College Hill, Beaver Falls, New Brighton, Rochester townÂship to the Junction, across the Sharon Bridge through BridgeÂwater to and through Beaver and part of Borough township to the top of the bluff just east of Two Mile Run. The total mileÂage, counted as single track, was about seventeen miles. Most of the construction was very light and poor, being either T rails or 46 pound girder rails set on chairs; the joints of the rails were in bad shape, the ties were old and spaced too far apart, and the overhead work was light and inefficient. The car equipment was antiquated and of several patterns and styles.
There was another system, about three and three quarter miles in length, called the People’s Electric Street Railway ComÂpany, which extended from St. C1air, through Rochester townÂship, Rochester, and Bolesville to the Junction, where it stopped a few feet short of connecting with the B. V. T. Co.’s tracks. The fares charged from Morado or from St. Clair to yanport were 15? cents.
History of Beaver County 267
Several attempts had been made to unite the People’s ElecÂtric Street Railway Company with the Beaver Valley Traction Company under one management but without success prior to 1900, in which year fresh capital was interested, all the stock of the People’s Electric Street Railway Company was purchased, and the property absorbed by the Beaver Valley Traction Company. The capital stock of the Beaver Valley Traction Company was increased from $300.000 to $1,000.000, plans were immeÂdiately prepared to connect at the Junction and over the Big Beaver bridge. and to replace the old construction with new, up-to-date construction and equipment, and to double track the system wherever possible. A new park was planned and ground purchased at the Junction, where all the buildings of the comÂpany should be concentrated for economy of power and superÂvision. These plans have been carried out to a large extent, and are still being carried out as fast as local legislation has been obtained, and it is confidently believed by the management that when completed, they will both deserve and receive from the public a measure of patronage that will return to those who have invested their money in these public improvements a fair dividend upon their investment.
Officers: President, John M.Buchanan; Vice”,President. Sydney L. Wright; Secretary and Treasurer, Walter T. Bilyou.: Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer. J. C. Lightfoot, Jr.: General Manager, Henry S. Newton; Consulting Engineer, A. H. Engstrom. Directors: John M:. Buchanan, Theodore P. SimpÂson, Sydney L. Wright, W. Fred’k Snyder, Howard S. Graham, Wm. Henry Snyder, Harry W. Reeves,Wm. Redwood Wright, James P. Stone.
For Patterson Heights Street Railway, see chapter on Beaver Falls borough.
‘WATER-WORKS
The first water-works of Beaver Falls was built in 1863. It consisted of a small impounding dam built in a ravine a. short distance north of the old Pittsburg. Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway station, and west of their tracks. This dam was fed by several small springs, and water from this dam was piped to the town by a two-inch wrought pipe, supplying only a few hundred people. This supply soon became too small, and, in 1865 a
History of Beaver County 269
pump of about 350,000 gallons capacity was erected in the Cutlery building. This served the people until 1873, when a Holly pump of 700,000 gallons capacity was erected in a stone building between the race and the river bank, a short distance east of the Cutlery works; and during this period a considerÂable amount of cast-iron pipe was laid through the town. In 1884 a reservoir of 4,000,000 gallons capacity was built on ColÂlege Hill, and a steam pumping plant of 3,500,000 gallons was added and was located on the west bank of the river, a short distance south of the College grounds.
In 1893 the present pumping station, with a capacity of about 6,000,000 gallons, was erected on the east bank of the Beaver River, opposite the old paper mill by the Union Water Company. The plant has been increased from time to time, until it has now (1903) a capacity of 10,000,000 gallons, and in addition thereto it has a 6,000,000 gallon filtration system. This plant delivers water to about 30,000 inhabitants and nearly sixty factories and works, through fifty-five miles of pipe, varying in sizes from four to sixteen inches diameter.
The People’s Water Company of Beaver Falls was incorÂporated December 17, 1896, and organized by a number of the citizens of Beaver Falls for the purpose of providing. a better water supply for the town, both in quality and quantity, than that furnished by the Union Water Company. It continued in existence until the spring of 1902, when its stock was all purÂchased by a syndicate, which had also arranged to purchase the Union Water Company plant, and the companies were, to all intents and purposes, merged in the company now known as the Beaver Valley Water Company.
During its existence the People’s Water Company put in a pumping station and filters, and a reservoir on the hill back of It. Washington, and a complete system of pipes throughout the borough. The water furnished was derived partly from wells sunk in a gravel deposit, known as the old “Buried River” channel. The water obtained was very pure and absolutely free from nitrogenous matter, but held in solution a great deal of lime and salt, so that it was very hard. A part of the water supply was drawn from the Beaver River, filtered and mixed with the well water.
The capital stock of the company, actually paid in, was
History of Beaver County 270
$95,000. The company had paid a six-per-cent dividend during its entire existence, and in the merger the stock sold for $125
for each share. The sale was not made until the Union Water Company had entered into a ten years’ contract with the borÂough, in which that company agreed to furnish filtered water to the citizens of the borough at rates not exceeding those charged by the People’s Water Company, and to furnish a definite presÂsure at all points in the borough for fire protection. This pracÂtically accomplished the purpose for which the People’s Water Company was organized, and it was therefore thought unwise to continue a useless competition longer.
The officers of the People’s Water Company during the whole term of its existence were Albert M. Jolly, President; John Warren, Secretary; Frank F. Brierly, Treasurer.
The Beaver Valley Water Company owns and operates the Union Water Company, College Hill Borough Water Company, New Brighton Water Company, Fallston Water Company, ValÂley Water Company, West Side Water Company, Freedom Water Company, North Rochester Water Company, and supÂplies the towns of College Hill, Beaver Falls, New Brighton, Rochester, West Bridgewater, Freedom, Conway, and North Rochester with filtered water. The Beaver Valley Water Company was incorporated in 1902, with.a capital of $I,000,Â000. The officers are J. F. Grimes, President; J. P. Moore, Secretary; and John T. Taylor, Treasurer and General ManÂager.
FUEL AND LIGHTING COMPANIES–NATURAL GAS
In the following chapter some account of the natural gas development is given. The pioneer company to supply this product for purposes of fuel and light in Beaver County was the Bridgewater Gas Company, which received letters patent from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Stephen P. Stone, Oscar Small, and others, November 19, 1883.
The Baden Gas Company received letters patent to J. Sharp
McDonald and others, dated January 25, 1886.
The Citizens’ Natural Gas Company received similar letters
to John Barton, W. A. Mellon, and others. March 9, I887.
The Rochester Heat & Light Company was chartered May
History of Beaver County
271
17, 1887, by Perry Brown, John Conway, H. M. Camp, and others, and was later absorbed by the Fort Pitt Gas Company, chartered in Allegheny County by J. J. Vandergrift, J. I. BuÂchanan and others, who, on the 19th of November, 1889, filed an extension of their pipe lines into the county of Beaver.
All the above-named companies have since been absorbed by the Manufacturers’ Light & Heat Company of Pittsburg, with a capital of $21,000,000.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING COMPANIES
The charter of the first company in the county organized to supply electric light was granted to H. W. Hartman, John Reeves, Henry C. Fry, Sherman D. Hubbard, John P. SherÂwood, and John M. Buchanan, each having twenty shares of stock in the Beaver Valley Electric Light and Power Company. The charter was granted by Governor Beaver the 19th day of November, 1888, under the Act of April 29, 1874, and the sevÂeral supplements thereto, for the purpose of supplying light, heat, and power by means of electricity to the public at the borough of Beaver Falls and the territory adjacent, to wit, the boroughs of New Brighton, Fallston, Rochester, Bridgewater, and Beaver, and was to exist perpetually. The capital stock was $12,000, the par value of each share being $100.
The first plant belonging to this company was installed in the works of Mr. Hartman, located on the bank of the Beaver River; and the towns of Beaver Falls, New Brighton, and FallsÂton were shortly thereafter supplied with electric light furnished by them.
The Rochester Electric Company was chartered March 10,1890, with H. C. Fry, President; W. S. Shallenberger, Secretary and Treasurer; and O. B. Shallenberger, General Manager; and H. C. Fry, John J. Hoffman, John M. Buchanan, O. B. Shallenberger, and W. S. Shallenberger, Directors. Its capital stock was at the beginning $10,000, afterwards increased to $25,000. Its field was Rochester, Bridgewater, and Beaver.
The plant of this company at the out-start consisted of one 75-horse-power Westinghouse steam-engine and a 60-kilowatt dynamo, both of which were later duplicated. Afterwards an 80-kilowatt dynamo, a 150-horse-power engine, and four 100-Âhorse-power boilers were added. Its field was not extended.
272
History of Beaver County
The plant was installed on Delaware Avenue, near Madison Street, Rochester.
On the ninth day of December, 1897, Governor Hastings granted a charter to the Valley Electric Company, the capital stock thereof being the nominal sum of $1000, divided into ten shares of $100 each, and the directors thereof being Joseph F. Mitchell, John F. Miner, T. S. White, Samuel P. White, and George D. Douglass.
The capital stock was, on the 30th of December, 1897, inÂcreased to $300,000, and by purchase of the stock of the other two companies named above, it became the owner thereof and united the electric light interests of the county under one manÂagement. The company also bought eighty-four shares of water-power, and located its plant on the west bank of the Beaver River in the borough of Fallston, and shortly thereafter began the manufacture of electric light at that place. It extended its lines to the boroughs of Monaca, Freedom, and Conway.
The company also owns the stock of the Beaver River Power Company, which was chartered the 13th day of August, 1897.
The plant of the Valley Electric Company consists of one 1000-horse-powercompound condensing Corliss engine; one 375-Âhorse-power Buckeye; four turbine water-wheels; four BabÂcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers; four 120-kilowatt two phase A C dynamos; one 125 enclosed arc machine; one 100 open arc machine, and two 75-arc machines.
The present management consists of Samuel P. White, President; Joseph F. Mitchell, Vice-President; Agnew Hice, Secretary; John J. Hoffman, Treasurer and General Manager; and Samuel P. White, Joseph F. Mitchell, J. F. Miner, T. S. White, and John J. Hoffman, Directors.
BANKING INSTITUTIONS
The banks of Beaver County, prior to the Civil War, were few, and their history is very brief. In fact, no bank to do business exclusively in Beaver County was ever chartered until a special Act of the General Assembly, approved May 5, 1857, provided for the incorporation of the Bank of Beaver County, to be located at New Brighton. That bank was organized on Monday morning, November 23, 1857, and opened for business on Wednesday morning, Noyember 25, 1857.
History of Beaver County
273
Its first officers were: Silas Merrick, President; Edward Hoopes, Cashier; and Charles M. Merrick, Teller and bookÂkeeper. The incorporators were John L. Newbold, Edward Hoopes, James B. McCallan, Matthew H. Robertson, Archibald Robertson, Thomas Cunningham, Silas Merrick, William Henry, Thomas J. Power, Harrison Mendenhall, Joseph Dickson, WilÂliam L. Dickinson, William N. Sterling, Matthew T. Kennedy, William Kennedy, Walter Chester, S. H. Darragh, B. B. ChamÂberlin, Benj. R. Bradford, and Edward Stowe.
The authorized capital was $150,000. During its existence it did practically all the banking business of the county, and had the utmost confidence of the people. It continued in busiÂness with unimpaired credit, until our present national bankÂing system was created, when it surrendered its charter and was reorganized as the National Bank of New Brighton in 1864.Â
The first National Bank of Beaver Falls was organized in 1886, since which year others have been organized in Beaver, Rochester, and Freedom; and now, in this year, A.D. 1900, we have two in Beaver, two in Rochester, two in New Brighton, two in Beaver Falls, and one in Freedom-in all, nine national banks.1
. We give the appended statement showing the condition of the national banks of Beaver County at the close of business on February 5, 1901, as an interesting compiÂlation of valuable information. The statement also includes that of the bank of John T. Reeves & Co., of Beaver Falls.
UNDI- TIME LOANS & BOOK
NAME OF Bank: CAPITAl SUR- VlDED INDIVIDUALUAL DE- CERTIFI- CIRCULATIONS DI5- VALUE
PLUS PROFITS POSITS CATES COUNTS OF
SHARE
–
First National Bank of Beaver. 50.000 70.000 1.608 41 228.727 01 123.084 IS 30.000 4080945 921243 22
BEAVER Natiooal Bank……. 100.000 25.000 4,607 90 158.825 22 84.517 91 25,000 301.936 90 129 60
First National Bank of Roches-
ter………………….. 50.000 50.000 893 56 169.-’94 44 73.424 03 340500 30tt.264 20 201 79
Rochester National Bank. . . . . 50.000 4,000 664 II 91.730 47 37.40.3 40 12.500 157.097 97 10933
Freedom National Bank…… 50.000 1,.250 748 96 72.613 45 50.298 82 50.000 102.482 45 10390
Natioual Bank of New Brighton 100.000 25,000 7.133 II J 39.536 60 33.724 35 25.000 207.561 89 132 13
Union Natioual Bank, New Brighton
50.000 10.000 11.562 43 149.046 56 94,865 06 12.500 198.874 75 143 12
150.=0 17.500 ),906 60 ‘”.m 0, Farmers’ Bank, Beaver Falls. .. 100,000 16.000 406$2 30 253.399 30 190,003 87 25.000 398.493 16 12,000
John T. Reeves & Co……… 50.000 4.860 95 190.37866,””””” …… 202.611 28
The above statement includes only the more important items or features of the banks.
All the national banks own bonds amply securing their circulation. Besides the capital stock and undivided profits, John T. Reeves & Co., report $16,461.61 cash on hand, and $25,815.92 due from other banks. If the other banks in the county. organized under State laws have mde and pub1isbed repors, they have not been seen by the compiler of the above statement. These banks are only required to publish their condition every three months. The par value of a national bank share is $100.
VOL-1,–18.
HISTORY OF BEAVER COUNTY
Mail Facilities 274
The improvement in mail facilities is in keeping with the advance in other lines, and is a part of local as well as of genÂeral history. Previous to July 1,1845, envelopes were not in use, except in social notes conveyed by hand and not by mail, the sheet upon which the message was written being folded so that a space was left for the address, and the fold sealed with wax or a wafer. Under the postal regulations prior to the above date, postage was charged according to distance on a single letter, by which was meant a single sheet of paper, regardless of its size and weight so long as it was under one ounce; if above one ounce the rate was quadrupled. For each enclosure, no matter how small, the same rate was charged. After the change in the regulations by which weight and not the number of pieces determined the rate of postage, the use of envelopes became more frequent. The old single rates were as follows: For thirty miles or under, six and one fourth cents; over thirty and under eighty miles, ten cents; over eighty and under one hunÂdred and fifty miles, twelve and one half cents; over one hunÂdred and fifty and under four hundred miles, eighteen and three fourths cents; over four hundred miles, twenty-five cents. These rates are those charged before 1845. The use of fractions of cents resulted from the fact that there was current in the country at that time a large amount of Spanish silver coin, one piece of which was called a .. fippenny bit” and was worth six and a fourth cents of American money; and another, an .. elevenÂpenny bit,” worth twelve and a half cents. By the postal law of 1845 the rates of postage were reduced more than one half, and the charge was made according to weight, three cents for one half ounce or fraction thereof. It remained optional with the sender of a letter (as it had been) to pay in advance or leave payment to his correspondent. The use of postage stamps was adopted in the United States in 1847, prior to which date it was customary to mark the postage “paid,” cr, if not paid, the amount to be collected was written in red ink on the letter. In 1854 the registration of letters was introduced into the United States, the free-delivery system was begun in large cities in 1863, and extended in 1837 to all cities with a population of over ten thousand or a postal revenue of $10,000, and a rural free delivery is of very recent date. Beaver County had, in 1903,
HISTORY OF BEAVER COUNTY
275
forty-four post–offices 1; and in the towns of Beaver Falls and New Brighton there have recently been erected United States Government buildings of great architectural beauty. Beaver Falls, New Brighton, and Rochester now enjoy free delivery.
POPULATION
As indicating the development of the county, we give by decades its population from 1800, as follows:
The population in 1800 was 5776; in 1810, 12,168; in 1820, 15,340; in 1830, 24,183; 1840, 29,368; 1850, 26,689; 1860, 29,140; 1870, 36,148; 1880, 39,605; 1890, 50,077; 1900, 56,432.2
The loss of the county in population, as shown in the deÂcrease from the census of 1840 to that of 1850, is accounted for by the fact already stated, viz., that a large part of Beaver County went to help form Lawrence County.
2 It may be of present use, as well as of future interest, to give the list of the post ffices in the county. The following. taken from Smull’s Legislative Handbook for 1903, has been corrected to June 1, 1904. (Those prefixed with the* are money-order offices; the t inÂdicates international money order offices, and the: indicates those to which the rural free Âdelivery system has been extended.)
*Agnew (now Conway)
*AIiquippa.
*Baden.
Bakers Landing.
t BEAVER.
t Beaver Falls.
B1ackhawk.
Browns.
*Brushcreek,
*Cannelton.
Celia.
*Darlington.
t Economy.
*Esther.
*Ethel Landing,
*Fallston.Fombell.
tFreedom.
*Frisco,
* Georgetown.
*Homewood.
t Hookstown.
R. F. D. station: Georgetown.
2The courtesy of the Director of the United States Census, Mr. W. R. Merriam, enables
us to give here what probably no living Beaver Countian has ever before seen, viz- the
population of the county in the first census by townships, as follows:
TOWNSHIPS POPULATION
First Moon 527
Hanover 421
North Beaver 338
Second Moon 1,056
Sewick1ey 853
South Beaver 2.581
TotaL 5.776
*Hoytdale.
*Industry.
Kimberly,
Knob.
*Legionville.
Lillyville.
Lovi.
t Monaca.
t New Brighton.
t New Galilee.
New Sheffield.
North Sewickley.
Ohioville.Park Quarries.
t Rochester.
Shippingport.
Smiths Ferry.
Sunflower.
Vanport.
.*Wa11rose.
* West Bridgewater.
(Source: History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, It’s Centennial Celebration by Rev. Joseph H. Bausman, Vol. 1, The Knickerbocker Express, New York, 1904)
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