Clearfield County PA Archives - Area History: City of DuBois

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OCR transcribed from my personal copy of the book

This page was last updated:
02 Jan 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER     TITLE                            PAGE
1           LOCATION OF DUBOIS                 11
2           GEORGE SHAFFER                     13
3           EARLY ROADS                        18
4           CLEARING THE LAND                  22
5           EARLY MERCHANTS                    28
6           PIONEERING HARDSHIPS               30
7           EARLY SUPERSTITIONS                39
8           EARLY ARCHITECTURE                 42
9           EARLY INDUSTRIES                   47
10          FIRST LUMBERING                    53
11          POST OFFICES                       55
12          CHURCHES                           56
13          EARLY SCHOOLS                      58
14          EARLY TAVERNS                      63
15          TRAGEDIES OF THE FOREST            65
16          PHYSICIANS                         68
17          JOHN DUBOIS                        70
18          FIRST RAILROAD                     94
19          JOHN RUMBARGER                     97
20          HENRY SHAFFER                     105 
21          COAL MINING                       110
22          NEWSPAPERS                        113
23          BEGINNING OF ORGANIZED GOVERNMENT 116
24          FORMATION OF SANDY TOWNSHIP       118
25          EARLY SOCIAL CONDITIONS           122
26          ORGANIZATION OF THE BOROUGH       126
27          ORGANIZATION OF COUNCIL           128
28          FIRST SCHOOL BOARD                134
29          THE POOR DISTRICT                 141
30          EARLY BUSINESS AND BUILDING       145
31          MAJOR FIRES IN DUBOIS             149
32          TAVERNS AND HOTELS                153
33          TRANSPORTATION                    161
34          TRANSPORTATION IN DUBOIS          164
35          STREET PAVING                     166
36          WATER SYSTEM                      168
37          BANKING                           179
38          TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH           183
39          STREET NUMBERING                  186
40          PUBLIC LIBRARIES                  187
APPENDIX    STAGE COACHES                     193
APPENDIX    FORESTS OF BRADY TOWNSHIP         194
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[image] John DuBois
image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/004.jpg

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THE CITY OF DUBOIS
by William C. Pentz

[image] DuBois Coat of Arms
image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/005.jpg

This book is privately Printed and limited to an edition 300 copies, of which
this is No. 32
DUBOIS
Press of Gray Printing Co.
1932

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COPYRIGHT 1932, BY WILLIAM C. PENTZ

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To
JOHN DUBOIS
THE FOUNDER OF THE CITY

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PREFACE
     Since the opening of the Public Library in the City I have urged persons
who were early residents of the City, to write their recollections at length,
to file in the Public Library as an archive from which to gather data for
future historians. I was not successful in this and as a number of these
parties have passed on and their knowledge with them, I concluded that
something ought to be done.

     Mr. John E. DuBois kindly offered to publish a book I might write
containing such matters as I could obtain.

     Fortunately, several persons connected with the past history of Brady
Township, as well as DuBois, are living and were of great assistance in
securing data. I refer to John R. Shaffer, of Reynoldsville, Pa., the only
living grandchild of George Shaffer I, the first pioneer settler in 1812;
George C. Kirk, of Luthersburg, now at the age of 94 years, and author of
"Pioneer History of Brady Township"; Lucy Ashenfelter, daughter of Jacob and
Sarah Pentz, pioneers, who has a remarkable memory, and is now at the age of 88
years. I was also able to get considerable data from Aldriche's "History of
Clearfield County," published in 1887.

     I have been materially assisted by Hon. J. Mitchell Chase, Member of
Congress from this district, who has secured valuable data from the Government
records for me. Mr. L. Steinberg, Photographer, has made several pictures of
old buildings; Fred A. Lane kindly loaned me his father's store books for
ascertaining prices of merchandise; Mr. John E. DuBois who likewise loaned me
the store books of his uncle's store kept at Tioga Center, N. Y., and secured
for me a Post Office record kept by John DuBois when Postmaster at Beaver
Creek, Tioga County, New York, back in 1832, before the days of postage stamps,
in which each person was charged with the postage and credited with it when he
paid it. Mr. G. L. Reed and Mr. John Reed were among the persons living in the
vicinity when John DuBois started his improvements in this locality, who gave
me considerable information. Mr. B. B. McCreight kindly loaned me a number of
cuts belonging to the Deposit National Bank showing various buildings in the
pioneer days of the City.

     I have not written any biographical sketches or mentioned names of
persons engaged in business enterprises except that of John DuBois, who was the
founder of the City, and have given only such other biographies as I thought
would be of interest in connection with the early development of the City.

     There were a great many persons who came to DuBois to take advantage of
the opportunity to make money, but who did not contribute any more to the
growth of the City than the man who worked in the woods, in the mines, or on
the mills.

     No doubt there are many imperfections in this book, and I shall
appreciate it very much if the local critics will place in the hands of the
Public Library, for future historians, such matter as they have, or what would
be still better, if these critics were to prepare a history of DuBois and
publish it.

     It was my good fortune to be born of pioneer parents, viz: Jacob and
Sarah Rishell Pentz, who settled in the virgin forests in Brady Township, about
1839, to wrest a home and farm from the dense growth of timber on their land. I
have also been fortunate enough to have lived in two centuries and in two
historical epochs. Having been born in 1858, just past the turn of the middle
of the Nineteenth Century, I found the pioneer still developing the country by
the old manual processes. Each farm was a small manufacturing institution in
itself. Iron was scarce and whatever
     
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implements were in use were made of wood in so far as possible. Each
prosperous farm had its blacksmith shop, with a set of tools for doing such
iron work as the "handy man" could do. A carpenter shop, with a foot power
turning lathe, and carpenter and other mechanical tools sufficient to out
anything that was needed on the farm from a shaved shingle, a barrel, up to a
barn or dwelling house. The house was stocked with two or three varieties of
spinning wheels, several hechles, reels, swift and sometimes a hand loom for
weaving clothing and carpets.

     Soon after the pioneer settled in Brady Township the reaping of grain
with a sickle was superseded by the grain cradle. The wooden fork and the scoop
shovel were succeeded by the steel fork and steel shovel. Shortly before 1860,
the horse power threshing machine was invented and threshing grain with a flail
and tramping out process gave way to the new imvention. The stump machine came
in by which the land was cleared of stumps, and which permitted the mowing
machine, hay rake and binder to succeed the old process of mowing and raking
hay by hand, etc. The hand card for carding wool was superceded by the
"fulling" mill where the wool was carded into rolls for spinning purposes and
the coarser wool into "batting" for filling "haps , quilts, etc. Thus man
gradually drifted from the laborious work of "eating his bread in the sweat of
his brow" to the more lazy method of machinery.

     The pioneer's earlier method of disposing of his commodities was by
barter. The miller took toll from his grain, the owner of the threshing machine
took toll for his labor. The woolen mill took toll from the wool, and the
weaver took toll from the cloth. It was a cooperative process that they
followed, until about 1860 when lumber commenced to be salable and money -
flowed into the country. However, the raising of flax and wool for the making
of home made clothing continued up until the seventies, when the woolen mills
started their wagons on the road to trade manufactured cloth for wool.

     When DuBois was started it furnished a market for the surplus products of
the community, and the people drifted more and more from the pioneer to the
more modern methods.

     The first sewing machine came in about 1860, and was a chain stitch
affair operated by hand and sold for $200.00. If one wanted a stand and pedal
$50.00 was added for these luxuries. Of course there were none sold. The first
washing machine was composed of three corrugated rollers, two of which were
about 1½ inches in diameter, and the third one 3 inches, set in a frame like
the modern wringer. The two small rollers were set parallel, with the large one
on top, and this machine was fastened on the side of a tub and the clothing was
rolled back and forth through this affair in the same manner as a modern
wringer. The housewife soon tired of this and threw it on the scrap heap.

     To the disgrace of man he permitted his women folk to labor over the old
corrugated washboard for many years, and I know how hard it was for I helped my
mother do the washing.

     From 1860 the world has seen more progress in the way of labor saving
devices and methods of taking the drudgery out of work, and in discoveries for
the prolonging of human life than were witnessed in a thousand years prior to
that time. I am glad that I have been able to live in this period.
William C. Pentz.
DuBois, Pa. December 1, 1931

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[image] Six of the nine tracts of land on which DuBois stands.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/010.jpg

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Page 11

LOCATION OF DUBOIS
CHAPTER I

     THE City of DuBois is located on nine warrants or tracts of land in the
Indian Purchase of 1783. Eight of these warrants were laid in the month of May,
1795 and surveyed in July of that year. The Samuel Zortman Warrant was laid on
the 14th of August, 1837 and surveyed on the 8th of September, 1841. Patents or
deeds by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the various tracts were made to
the following persons, viz : Warrants Nos. 521 and 524 to Jared Ingersoll,
Esq., Warrant 155 to Casper Stiver, Warrant 27 to Benjamin Harvey, and Warrant
2009 to Roberts Jr., Fox. The warrant of the 15th of October, 1785 was conveyed
to Charles Biddle and Isaac Meeson, known as Warrant No. 71.

     In addition to warrant numbers, several of the parties gave names to
their land, viz : Warrant 521 was called "Jericho," of the other warrants one
was named "China," one "Mount Holly," and one "Crabapple."

     Nothing is known locally of the purchasers of these tracts, except Jared
Ingersoll, Esq., who was one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania.

     These persons resided in or around Philadelphia, and it is not likely
they saw the lands they purchased from the Commonwealth or knew anything of the
location, except as they got their maps and titles from the Commonwealth. They
did not hold them long, and the transfers show that these lands were sold at a
considerable profit over the original purchase.

     The present generation has no monopoly in speculation. When one examines
the records of the Land Office of Pennsylvania, he finds the people of that
generation were given more largely to speculation in public lands than the
present one. Considering the population of the State at that time, there was
ample land to satisfy the demand without the Indian Purchase of 1783. One is
led to the conclusion that this purchase was made more largely for speculation
rather than necessity. Nearly all the land of this purchase was disposed of by
the State prior to 1800, and a few individuals and corporations were the
purchasers.

     The lands upon which DuBois stands had one of the finest growths of
timber of any territory in the United States east of the Pacific Coast. This
same description may well apply to the last Indian Purchase. Persons who have
been engaged in lumbering between the Atlantic and Pacific are of the opinion
that there was no timber growth so dense and so prolific as that of the last
Indian Purchase in Pennsylvania, east of the coast range of the Pacific. The
white pine stood thick. Plenty of trees were more than one hundred
     
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Page 12	LOCATION OF DUBOIS

feet from the stump (about 3 feet above the ground) to the first limbs, and
having a length of twenty-five to forty feet of top above the limbs.

     These pine trees would measure from eighteen inches to six feet in
diameter at the stump; mostly from twenty inches to forty-eight inches.
Interspersed with the pine was a large growth of hemlock, ranging one hundred
feet to the top, and some of the trees being four or five feet in diameter, as
well as oak, ash, maple, cherry, poplar, cucumber, beech and a large number of
other varieties of woods. The timber stood so thick that the sun did not
penetrate to the ground at high noon in mid-summer.

     In Brady Township but two bare spots were found, viz: the Big Beaver
Meadow, just east of Liberty Boulevard, and the small Beaver Meadow above Shaft
Number T.

     The pine timber on an average would cut from twenty thousand feet to
thirty thousand feet per acre, and the hemlock cut fifteen thousand feet to
twenty-five thousand feet per acre, besides the hardwoods One lumberman claimed
that some acres of the white pine produced as much as one hundred thousand feet
per acre. (James Mitchell, Rafting on the Susquehanna.)

     Records were kept of the quantity of white pine timber cut from several
acres on the Blanchard Lumber operation on Anderson Creek, showing the white
pine scaled 115,000 feet per acre. (See letter of George C. Kirk in Appendix.)

     In less than a century and a quarter after this Indian purchase, this
amazing growth of timber had passed into history, and the people residing on
the lands denuded of this forest are now shipping their supplies of lumber from
other states and bringing it largely across the continent from the Pacific
Coast, where the same destructive methods of lumbering are being carried on, as
was practiced in Pennsylvania.

     It is estimated that probably thirty per cent. of this timber was cut and
burned in log heaps by the pioneers, to clear the land for agricultural
purposes. A large amount of the hardwoods and hemlock was destroyed when the
white pine was cut, and a great deal of hemlock was destroyed by cutting it for
the bark for tanning purposes. On traveling along the Buffalo, Rochester &
Pittsburgh Railroad from Rockton to Curwensville, one can see the waste of
timber by the large quantities of trees left lying on the ground to rot. If
this is a fair sample of the destruction prevailing throughout the territory,
it is probable that more than thirty per cent. of the timber was wasted and
left lying in the woods. During the period of making of square timber at least
ten per cent. of the white pine, hemlock, and oak floated to market through the
creeks and rivers of the state was destroyed by hewing the timbers for rafting
purposes. This part of the lumber was the choice timber, as it was taken off of
the outer part of the tree.

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Page 13

GEORGE SHAFFER
CHAPTER II

     INTO this wilderness, about the 12th of May, 1812, George Shaffer I, and
his three sons, viz: George Shaffer II, Michael Shaffer and Frederick Shaffer
came. The history of a community, state, or neighborhood is found in the
biography of the lives of those who entered into it. Thus, we must look into
the life of George Shaffer I.
Who was George Shaffer? He is like the heroes of the Old Testament. At a
certain period these heroes appeared, and they may have been referred to as the
son of someone. However, in the case of George Shaffer I, we do not even have
that reference. We know that he lived in Dauphin County prior to his migration
to tract 521. Who his father or mother were is not known. From what location he
moved is in the hazy past, and not even a reference to that location can be
found. When George Shaffer I. was born is just as clear as his location in
Dauphin County. There is no record of it. His wife's name was Catherine
Shaffer, nee Catherine Strubel. Her ancestors were as well known as those of
George Shaffer I. All that can be learned is the fact that George Shaffer I.
had four sons, viz: John Shaffer, George Shaffer II, Michael Shaffer and
Frederick Shaffer. How many other children there were in the family is not known.

     George Shaffer I. appears to have been a man of means and standing in his
community, and this is known because his name was taken as a guarantor or
surety for his son John Shaffer. The son John Shaffer conducted a wagon train,
hauling merchandise from Philadelphia west, probably as far as Pittsburgh, but
when the iron industry of Bellefonte arose about 1785, John Shaffer was
supposed to have wagoned between Bellefonte and Philadelphia. This did not
prove a profitable enterprise, and by reason of George Shaffer guaranteeing his
paper, said George Shaffer lost his property in Dauphin County.

     Prior to this incident of his life, George Shaffer I. had accompanied a
corps of surveyors into what was then Lycoming County prior to 1785, and on the
17th day of May, 1785, he laid a warrant on tract No. 92, now at the location
of Shaft No. 1, and where Morningside Cemetery is located. This warrant was
surveyed on the first of August, 1785, and the land was patented to George
Shaffer on August 17, 1796.

     So far as can be learned, about all that George Shaffer had left when his
son's debts were settled was this piece of land of 320 acres, two team of oxen,
maybe two Conestoga wagons, a cow, and some household goods. The household
goods were loaded into the wagons, and together with his wife, Catherine, and
his sons, George Shaffer II,

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Page 14	GEORGE SHAFFER

Michael Shaffer and Frederick Shaffer, he started over the old State Road from
Dauphin County to the then Clearfield County to locate on his land. How long
the journey took is not known. Judging from previous records, as published in
the Raftsman's Journal, it required some time for Mr. Shaffer and his family to
travel from Dauphin County to Jacob Ogdens. "In 1803 Bell sold the upper
portion of his place to Benjamin Fenton****, who that year cleared about three
acres, and sowed wheat, building a small log house, and returned to Centre
County. In the winter he brought out the heavy portion of his household goods
on sleds, that being the only means of transportation the miserable condition
of the state roads would then allow. In the spring of 1804, Mr. Fenton,
accompanied by his family, brought the remainder of their goods on pack
horses,****. After many hardships and mishaps the Fentons arrived at their new
home April 24th. They were compelled to ferry their goods in canoes across
swollen Clearfield Creek and the river, which were then swollen by the melted
snows of the mountains."

     A moving at that time was very similar to the caravans which crossed the
Rocky Mountains in 1849. They had to carry their provisions and feed for their
animals with them, camped out nights, and the progress would be very slow. The
Susquehanna River had to be crossed at Harrisburg, and then the Juniata, the
Moshannon, Clearfield Creek, the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, and
Anderson Creek. None of these streams had any bridges. It is well known that
this would be the period of high water in all of these streams, and no doubt
George Shaffer and his family suffered the hardships that Mr. Fenton suffered,
with the exception that Fentons moved in the winter time, and George Shaffer
brought all of his belongings with him at a later period of the year.

     Tradition tells us that the Shaffers arrived at their destination on the
12th of May 1812. It is not known if this date is accurate, but for the
purposes of this history, it will serve as well as any other day in the month
of May 1812. It is known, however, that before locating on tract 521, they
stopped and rested with Jacob Ogden, who lived near the Stanley Station on the
B. R. & P. Railroad. At that time there were only two settlers in Brady
Township, viz : George Woodside, and Jacob Ogden. It is known that George
Woodside located on his land just above Stanley Station in 1785. George C.
Kirk, Esq. tells us that in his surveying he found a location made prior to
1785 for what would be known as a "Squatter," and it is well known that title
to the Ogden tract was held by the Statute of Limitations.

     George Shaffer and family started from Jacob Ogden's north to find his
location. The only thing he had to guide him was the map of his survey, which
showed that his land was located where two streams came together. Traveling
north he finally found a location which seemed to correspond with his map, viz
two streams. One
     
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[image] "Aunt Katy" Shaffer, nee Bloom, wife of Frederick Shaffer. The first
female white child born in Clearfield County. She resided on the farm where
Morningside Cemetery is now located.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/015.jpg

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[image] John R. Shaffer, the only living grandchild
of George Shaffer I.


[image] "Aunt" Katy Reasinger, daughter of George Shaffer, II.
Born May 3, 1829, died June 27, 1931.

images may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/016.jpg

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CITY OF DUBOIS	Page 17

of these streams on the map of Warrant No. 521 is called Sandy Creek, and the
other Beaver Run (now known as Pentz Run). These two streams seem to have
settled his location, and finding a good spring of water about where the old
Rumbarger House now stands, like the Ancients of old, he "pitched his tent" and
started to make a home for himself and his family in this wilderness.

     Some kind of a dwelling house was erected. Some say that it was made by
peeling hemlock trees, (this would be the peeling season for hemlock) and
setting the bark up in form of a tent as the Indians would have done in making
a Tepee, or lodge. But it is likely that a cabin was erected from the timbers
of the forest before fall came.

     George Shaffer was located on this tract for two years before he
discovered that he did not own the land upon which he had settled. His death
can be fixed by two events, viz: in 1816, on the first day of April, he made a
contract with his sons Michael and Frederick for their purchase of Tract No.
92, purchased from the State in 1786. In the year 1819 his widow, Catherine,
presented her petition to the Orphans' Court of Centre County, (which court had
jurisdiction of the affairs of Clearfield County at that time), for specific
performance of this contract, and the Court ordered a deed to be made to the
purchasers. It is likely that George Shaffer had been dead at least one, or
maybe two years, before this was done. If he was dead two years, then George
Shaffer may have died in 1817. It is also known that he was the first person
buried at Morningside Cemetery, which no doubt at that time was a forest. The
grave is located on the east side of tract No. 92.

     We have no record or information of how the Shaffers' got through the
first year. Coming here in May 1812, they had no cleared land upon which to
plant any crop that would mature in the summer. The best they could do, after
erecting their cabin and stable for their live-stock, would be to get a small
clearing to be sowed to wheat, which would not mature until the following July
or August. In addition to this, they had the problem of feeding whatever
livestock they possessed. The Beaver Meadow would furnish hay for the stock.
They could rely upon their rifle to furnish meat, but cereals and vegetables
were a problem.

     Shaffer and his family had brought wheat, corn and garden seeds with
them, for planting. One of the descendants tells us they found a vegetable
growing in the woods called "Indian Potato" which was quite palatable, and good
for food, and which they used to help out their meat diet.
     
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Page 18

EARLY ROADS
CHAPTER III
     At the time of the Indian Purchase of 1783 there were no roads, except
Indian trails, through the woods of Clearfield County. But the Indians, not
having horses, oxen, mules, or wagons, paid little attention to making roads
that could be traveled by the white man. The Indians had villages scattered
along the West Branch of the Susquehanna, one of which was at Clearfield,
bearing the Indian name of Chinchaclamoose, which was reached by a trail from
Big Island below Lock Haven. From Chinchaclamoose the trail extended over the
divide to Punxsutawney, and thence to Kittanning on the Allegheny River.
However, when this Indian purchase was made, something more than an Indian
trail through the forest was needed to induce the white man to emigrate into
this wilderness, and the purchasers of the land prevailed on the State to
construct a highway or road at State expense, known as the "Old State Road."
This road entered Clearfield County near Philipsburg and proceeded westerly
near Curwensville, crossing Anderson Creek at about Bridgeport. The route of
this road was south of what is known as the present pike. It left the county
north of Eriton or West Liberty. Traces of this road have been found by George
C. Kirk, Esq., from near Curwensville west. This is set forth in Mr. Kirk's
"Pioneer History of Brady Township." Although other pseudo authors have given a
different location, their information seems to have been obtained by hearsay
from data given by person or persons, who thought they knew. Mr. Kirk's data is
from his surveys made over this section of the county during a period of more
that fifty years, and he had obtained his information from marks he has found
on the ground, which should be conclusive.

     This old State Road was used during the war of 1812 to transport troops
from the eastern part of the state through to Erie to assist Commodore Perry,
who was then in charge of military operations on that lake. (Pioneer History of
Brady Township).

     This State Road was like other state institutions. There being very few
votes in the locality, this road was allowed to care for itself. The purchasers
of the land had disposed of their holdings, and there seemed to be no interest
taken in it to keep it in repair, as will be noticed in a prior chapter as to
the condition of this road.

     Prior to 182o a charter was obtained from the Legislature of Pennsylvania
to build a pike, which afterwards became known as "The Erie & Waterford
Turnpike", but which evidently extended from the Susquehanna River west through
Waterford to Erie.
Who the corporators were, or what their intentions were, is of little
interest, except as to what this Pike did for Clearfield County in

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[image]
Stage coach on the stage line between Franklin and Clearfield, Pennsylvania.
As we watched
"Dick" swing around the turn in front of the Salem school house, in his
"Rock-a-Way" Coach, we boys had but one ambition.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/019.jpg

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CITY OF DUBOIS	Page 21

opening a highway between the East and the West. This Pike was a toll road,
and construction commenced about 1820. Lebbeus Luther, who was the founder of
Luthersburg, had a contract for constructing a part of the road.

     Mr. Luther subsequently located at Luthersburg, and built a tavern on the
point below the John Hayes house.

     This Pike became a very popular highway between the eastern part of
Pennsylvania and the northwestern part of the State and eastern Ohio. Persons
who were living at the time say that numerous emigrants in Conestoga wagons
traveled west over this road from eastern Pennsylvania. It was also a line for
driving great droves of cattle and sheep from eastern Ohio and western
Pennsylvania through to the eastern markets.

     The dealers in cattle collected several hundred head of cattle, and the
owner traveled horseback ahead of his herd, to make arrangements for pasture
and feeding and watering at night, also picking up any local cattle that might
be for sale in the community. These cattle and sheep were taken through to
Philadelphia for that city.
     
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Page 22

CLEARING THE LAND
CHAPTER IV

     CLEARING the land was hard work. There was no demand for lumber,
therefore the forests had to be disposed of by burning the trees, on the
ground. When the pioneer selected
the part of his land which he wished to clear (usually three to five acres),
he went through the forests and girdled the oak trees standing on the selected
land which he did not wish to use for rails or fences. The purpose of this was
to be relieved of chopping down the trees, and eventually getting rid of the
stumps. The trees girdled would die the following spring, and in four or five
years the wind blew them down. The other trees were cut down, and chopped into
log heap lengths, of about fourteen feet. this cutting into logs was done with
an ax, as few settlers could afford a cross-cut saw.

     After the trees had been chopped down, trimmed and cut into logs, the
brush was pitched into heaps. 'In the month of June or July, when the dry
season had set in, the brush was burned. This was called "firing the clearing".
This burning usually occured in the evening after the wind had gone down and
the dew had fallen, which prevented the fire from spreading.

     After these preliminary preparations for clearing purposes, it was
necessary to pile the logs into heaps for burning. It was not possible for one
man to pile up his logs, and therefore the "rolling" was a co-operative
process. The one clearing the land would set a day for rolling, and invite his
neighbors to help him. One neighbor would bring a team of horses or oxen.
Others would come with hand spikes, cant hooks, axes or any apparatus they
might have that would be useful for the day's work. The neighbors were divided
into crews consisting of a team with a driver, and two men to do the rolling.
These crews commenced on one side of the clearing, and each crew selected the
part of the clearing, about one hundred and fifty feet wide, in which they
proceeded to pile the logs in the middle of this path or road way. The
frequency of the log heaps depended on the quanity of logs on the ground
cleared, and some times they were not over ten or fifteen feet apart, The log
heaps were from eight to ten feet high, and probably spreading out at the base
to fourteen or sixteen feet.

     After the rolling, a party was usually held in the evening, for the women
of the neighborhood had come to help their neighbor out in preparing food for
the noon and evening meals. The local fiddler appeared and they would have a
barn dance, if the pioneer were fortunate enough to have a barn at the time.

     After the rolling, the log heaps were permitted to stand for a week to
dry out, and then the process of burning commenced. If the

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[image]
Stump Fence erected from stumps pulled by Stump Machine.

[image]
Stump Field

images may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/023.jpg

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[image]
Booth Stump Machine, patented in 1867.
First patent granted to a citizen of Brady Township

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/024.jpg

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CITY OF DUBOIS	Page 25

weather were good these log heaps could be reduced to ashes in a week's time.
It required the daily attention of the owner to shove the logs together to keep
them burning.
After the log heaps were burned, the clearing had to be raked, to gather up
the small material such as chips, small limbs and rotten wood that had not been
previously consumed, and this material was piled up into small heaps and burned.

     After the clearing was thoroughly prepared, the wheat was sowed
broadcast, and the process of the shovel plow commenced. This plow was an
awkward arrangement having a beam, an upright piece attached upon the
underside, upon which an iron shovel was placed at the base, and two handles
fastened to the beam and extending back of the plow about two feet. It dug a
furrow from two to three inches deep, throwing the ground out and covering the
wheat. If the horse or ox hitched to the plow walked too fast the plow jumped
from root to root and sideswiped the operator, hitting him any place from the
hips to the shoulders. The operator was rarely a profane man, but if there had
been any one near who was a mechanical swearer, he would try to get as close to
him as possible during this operation.

     It will be remembered that this land was covered with a very dense growth
of timber, and after all of the labor of pulling the logs out from between the
stumps and piling them into heaps, it is possible that one third of the ground
was covered with stumps and dead trees.

     The next process was that of fencing. The Legislature of Pennsylvania, so
far back as 170o, passed a law requiring the farmer to fence his land with a
rail or log fence at least five feet high set close to the ground. If he did
not build a fence, he could not recover damages from his neighbors for their
cattle, hogs or sheep trespassing on his fields.

     This law remained in force until some time in 188o, and probably would
still be the law if the railroads had not been given the right of eminent
domain to pass through peoples' lands.

     The railroad was compelled to pay the owner of the lands for the damage
done to him. For a long time the railroads were able to persuade the jurors of
the community that they were a blessing to the country and that the man whose
land was invaded by them was so profited that he should be willing to give up
his property to these benevolent concerns free of charge. Of course the time
came when the average juror commenced to discover that a railroad station might
be five or six miles from the farm residence, and this plea failed. Finally
some foolish lawyer discovered that fencing would be an element of damage. The
railroad, not being able to deny that land had to be fenced, discovered that
the farmer was having more money invested in fences than his land was worth and
they promptly went to the Legislature of the State of Pennsylvania, presented
their bill and the law went through with a whoop. It is to be noted that

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Page 26	CLEARING THE LAND

every member of the Legislature carried a free pass to ride on the railroad
during his term of office, and if he had some influence he could get a pass for
his friends. The farmer not having the advantage of a pass to go to the
capital, and having to pay his own fare, to defend his own rights, soon
discovered that he was relieved of fencing his land. Of course if he had wanted
to appear he had no notice of the introduction of the Act. However, the farmer
soon found that he had to fence his own cattle in to keep them from trespassing
on his neighbor. But the members of the Legislature retained their passes.

     The making of rails was a hard job. The tools used were two or three iron
wedges, some wooden wedges, an ax and a maul. The farmer had to work days
getting his rails split, distributed around the sides of the fields and laid up
in a worm fence.

     All of the stumps except the pine soon rotted and could be removed with a
team of horses or oxen. The pine stumps, however, were a different matter. This
kind of stump required a very strong machine.

     In 1867 Thomas J. Booth, a resident of what was afterwards DuBois,
invented a stump pulling machine for which he procured a patent. A picture of
this machine is inserted herein. This picture has been shown to a number of the
younger generation, and none of them have had the slighest idea of what it
might be used for, but to the farmer of that time it was a very valuable
acquisition.

     In clayey ground the stump was rooted very deep. The writer has knowledge
of one stump he helped to pull, which required all the power of the machine to
extract it. The machine spread twenty-two feet between the runners. The longer
roots of this stump had been cut off to permit the machine to straddle it. When
this stump was lifted it pulled up clay with the roots, leaving a hole 8 feet
deep. The clay had to be dug off the roots and of course fell back into the
hole. However, many of the stumps were on shale ground and did not make a hole
over three or four feet deep.

     Of course the stumps had to be disposed of, and the farmer used them for
fences. These fences have become relics, and it was advisable to insert a
picture of one fence in fair condition.

     Although the farmer had a hard time wrestling the land from the forests,
yet in a way this was only an incident in his life. In addition to having to
fight the forests and get rid of the trees and stumps in order to get a living
from the soil, he had to fight the animal life of the period. If any one had
suggested conservation of wild life to the pioneer, he would have had a fight
on his hands, for he had to destroy these creatures as a matter of self
preservation. The deer pastured on his wheat, and rye in the spring and on his
clover fields. When the grain ripened the squirrels were so plentiful that they
destroyed acres of grain. Col. Robert Smiley, an early pioneer, in one day
killed one hundred squirrels with his rifle. Foxes, hawks, skunks and weasels
preyed on chickens. Foxes and hawks, by
     
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CITY OF DUBOIS	Page 27

day, and skunks and weasels by night. Crows pulled out the young corn and
coons ate it when in roasting ears. Wolves killed his sheep. Bears loved pork
and killed his pigs. One incident is given of a pioneer wife, who, upon hearing
a commotion among the pigs went to see what the trouble was. She found a bear
in the pen, and although she had but one hand she siezed an axe and killed the
bear.

     Trapping bears was one of the methods of destroying that animal. A pen
was built of round logs, about three feet wide in the clear, and six feet long.
On this was erected a heavy deadfall of logs. The trap was baited with meat and
when the bear entered it sprung the trap and the lid fell down and held it a
prisoner until the owner of the pen came along and killed it.

     As late as the winter of 1868 a trapper by the name of Robert Taylor set
his traps in the fall in that little valley known as "Benson's Run", to the
left of the B. R. & P. Railroad, going east at Salem station. In the early fall
Mr. Taylor constructed his "fox beds", which were made by collecting from the
farmers buckwheat chaff or chaff from clover, in which was placed cracklings
from rendered lard and other offals. When the snow came foxes learned there was
food in these places. Mr. Taylor then carefully set his traps in these beds,
carefully covering them with chaff. During the winter of 1868 and 1869 he
caught fifty-two foxes and two wolves in two fox beds, about one quarter mile
apart, in this location.
     
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Page 28

EARLY MERCHANTS
CHAPTER V

     WHENEVER a few people settle in a new country and show evidence of
prosperity, their pioneer efforts are rewarded by being followed by the
"butcher, the baker and candestick
maker," and Brady Township was no exception. The first census of Clearfield
County shows but 845 people in 1810, and 2,342 people in 1820. Of course a
certain number of these people settled in Brady Township, which then covered
what is now at least part of Bloom Township and Union Township, as well as
Brady Township and Sandy Township.

     In 1824, Mathew Irvin came to Luthersburg and opened a store. He built a
store house in 1827.

     The records show that Lebbeus Luther had purchased some land by deed of
the 7th of November, 1831. However, the date of a deed does not indicate the
time at which the land was conveyed, for the reason that the early settlers
purchased their lands on articles of agreement and a deed would not be executed
until the purchase money was paid in full. Lebbeus Luther in 1833 conveyed this
land to Conrad Best. Whether Mr. Luther laid out a plan of lots prior to his
sale to Best or whether Best laid out the plan of lots is not known. However,
the records do set forth the fact that Mathew Irvin purchased two lots, No. 2
and No. 3 from Conrad Best by deed dated the l0th of May, 1835.

     Tradition tells us that Mathew Irvin was the first merchant locating in
Luthersburg and that as early as 1828 he built a frame barn about where the
Jerusha Porter dwelling house now stands. This was the first frame barn in
Brady Township. By starting a store in Luthersburg, Mathew Irvin established
the first trade center in Brady Township on the western slope of the Allegheny
Mountains. The first evidence on record of Mr. Irvin being in Luthersburg is by
the seated assessment for taxes for Brady Township for 1831, in which Mr. Irvin
is assessed with two lots. This being the first assessment for taxes, evidently
people did not pay taxes in Brady Township prior to that date.

     Mathew Irvin sold his property to David Irvin on the 9th of August, 1836
and he became the second merchant in Brady Township. Mathew Irvin then moved to
what was afterwards Burnside Township.

     On the 8th of December, 1836, Conrad Best sold to David Irvin seventy-four
acres of land, which covers the present site of Luthersburg. It is stated that
David Irvin would not sell a lot to anybody who would start a store, but some
time after, this wall of exclusion was broken down.

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CITY OF DUBOIS	Page 29

     A merchant of the early period of merchandising in Luthersburg, being
asked what his profits were, replied, "We always double it and then sometimes
add a little."

     The way of the proletariat of this early period was surely hard and no
wonder the "middleman" has been "cussed" from the earliest period down to the
present day.

     However, terms of credit were long. The people were honest and paid to
the best of their ability. One merchant had carried his debtor until he was in
danger of losing his account by the Statute of Limitations and he secured a
note from his debtor for the amount standing on his books. Fourteen years after
the date of the note he met the debtor and said to him, "Could you let me have
some money on that note?", the debtor turned around and said "I think you are
getting in one damn hell of a hurry for that note," and he turned and walked
away.

     Along in the Fifties itinerant merchants of Irish extraction began to
travel through the country, carrying large packs of goods on their backs. This
merchandise was generally finery which the women desired and was not carried in
the local stores. One of the early Irish merchants was a man by the name of
Buckley, who was known to every family of any means in Brady Township.
These Irish peddlers were soon superseded by the Hebrew. These peddlers soon
acquired a horse and wagon and could accomodate their trade with a larger
variety of goods.

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Page 30

PIONEER HARDSHIPS
CHAPTER VI

     THE pioneer had a hard life. There was no worry about not having plenty
of work. His day began at dawn and closed with twilight, and sometimes he had a
few hours additional work.

     The pioneer had a couplet, "A man's work is from sun to sun; a woman's
work is never done", and it very aptly described the life of both.

     No one advocated an eight-hour day, or five days a week. There was no
Union to tell him how many feet of mud and brick chimney he should build in
eight hours, or how many clapboards he should lay on his cabin roof in a
working day. His wife was equally busy, and did not have bridge clubs to occupy
the vacancy in her mind. If she had no work of her own, she helped some
neighbor and she was not troubled with gossip, or scrapping about the
possession of a cheap prize for which she had wasted an afternoon at her club.

     When the pioneer came into the forest he brought with him the few simple
tools necessary for the construction of his cabin, to clear his land, and to
plow his fields for planting his crops. Of course he carried a rifle with which
he furnished the meat for his table. He was a "Jack of all Trades." He had no
money with which to employ carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers, or tailors, and
if he had had money, there were no tradesmen in the community to be hired. He
started his fire by striking the flint of his gunlock on a steel, conveying the
spark to a piece of punk which he fanned into a flame with his breath. He was
careful to "keep his home fire burning," so that the operations of lighting
fires were few and far between. If he happened to be away and the fire on the
hearth went out, his wife, or some one of the family, would be compelled to
walk miles to the nearest neighbor to "borrow fire." His mode of conveyance was
a rough sled constructed from the timbers of the forest. His principal beast of
burden was the ox. The ox was much more useful than the horse. It could travel
through the swamps and among logs where a horse could not go. When the ox was
worn out, he could be turned into beef. It did not occur to the early settler
to use horse meat. In fact the horse was looked upon as "unclean", and only
starvation would have compelled the pioneer to eat horse beef. If he needed a
barrel, hogshead, or cask, he split his staves from white oak or pine,
fashioned them with his coopering tools, and hooped them with small hickories
split in two, to the end of which he fashioned a "hooplock".

     He made his own shoes from the hides of his own cattle, or the wild
animals he killed. His shoe last was whittled from the white

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CITY OF DUBOIS	Page 31

pine or maple. Thread was made from the flax raised on his own land, and shoe
wax was obtained from the pitch of the white pine mixed with tallow and
beeswax. The bristles he used on his shoe thread for a needle came from the
back of his hog at butchering time. He procured shoe pegs by cutting a cross
section from a piece of dry maple of the required length of the shoe peg, and
splitting them and sharpening them with his own knife. The shoes thus made were
not very elegant, but they served the purpose. The pioneer was not troubled
with corns, bunions, broken arches, ingrown nails. His shoes were made to fit
the feet and not, as in more modern days, the feet to fit the shoes.

PRODUCTION OF LINEN CLOTH

     The pioneer knew but two kinds of cloth; one was linen which he made from
the flax grown on his land, and the other was wool obtained from the fleece of
the sheep kept on his farm.

     The production of linen was a very laborious process. The flax was sown
in the early spring, and one of the beautiful sights of the summer was to see a
field of flax in bloom. The flower was a delicate sky blue, and when waved by
the wind in the sunlight, looked like an ocean billow. When the flax was ripe
in the fall, it was not cut by cradle, but was pulled out of the ground by
hand, tied into small bundles shocked in the same manner as grain, and was left
standing in the field until it was thoroughly dry. It was then taken to the
barn for threshing, and the flax seed was threshed out with a flail. After the
threshing the flax was again taken into a field of grass, and spread on the
ground until the rain and sunlight had thoroughly rotted the woody fibre. It
was again gathered up and tied into bundles, and stored in a dry place until
flax breaking time. The period of flax breaking usually came after the first of
the year.

     The flax brake was an unwieldy instrument, built of white oak and
consisting of eighteen pieces of wood. Four of these pieces were about two feet
long and used for legs. Two pieces were twenty-four inches by eight inches in
size, used for the main heads, and in these two heads the legs were inserted
and four jaws which were one and a half inches by eight inches wide and four
feet long, with one edge planed down until it was sharp. These jaws were
inserted in the heads by dovetails, with the sharp side up, extending about an
inch or an inch and a half above the head, and were placed far enough apart so
that the upper jaw blades would mesh between the lower blades. The upper jaw
was constructed of two heads shorter than the lower heads. The rear head was
held in place by wooden hinges, made from two pieces of white oak inserted in
holes in the lower head, and the rear upper head had a pin on each end which
went through a hole in the two hinges. The movable head was at the other end.
These jaws were inserted in the upper heads in the same manner as the lower
jaws, with the sharp edge extending an inch or more below the heads.

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Page 32	PIONEER HARDSHIPS

     When this upper head was completed, it would weigh possibly twenty
pounds. The operator took hold of the pin in the loose head, raised the upper
jaws to a perpendicular position, grasped all the flax he could span in his
left hand, laid it at right angles across the lower jaws of the brake, as near
the rear head as possible, and then brought the head down with a crushing blow.
The effect of this was to break the woody fibre of the flax, leaving the lint
in the hands of the operator. The process of manipulating the jaws was repeated
until the operator believed that that end of the flax was thoroughly broken,
when he reversed the flax in his hand and broke the other end.

     Before proceeding to break the flax a rude platform was erected four or
five feet from the ground by placing lath, eight or ten feet in length and
eight or ten inches apart, on trestles or standards erected for that purpose
and laying the flax upon it. Under this a wood fire was built, the heat of
which dried the flax thoroughly so it would break more easily.

     After the flax was broken, the process of scutching was used for
separating the shoves from the lint which had not been taken out by the process
of breaking. The scutching block was a piece of white oak about two feet long
and 8" x 12". About the middle of this block was inserted in a perpendicular
position a white oak board eighteen inches long and a foot wide, and planed to
a sharp edge at the top. A scutching knife was made of white oak thirty inches
long, x 4", planed to a sharp edge, with a handle on one end for a hand hold.
The scutcher took the broken flax in his hand, laid it across the top of the
board and brought his knife down on the opposite side from his hand, thus
separating the rest of the shoves from the lint. This process was used many
years until some lazy genius invented the scutching mill, which was made of a
wheel two feet in diameter resting upon a shaft with a crank on one end and
four blades two feet long were inserted on the periphery of the wheel, and the
wheel set on a frame upon which the scutching block, as before described, was
put on the front end of the platform. This machine was worked with a pedal,
operated by the scutcher who held the flax over the scutching board while the
wheel revolved, bringing the knives down over the flax. After the scutching,
the flax was turned over to the wife to heckle. The heckle was made of a piece
of white oak fourteen inches long, eight inches wide, one inch thick, through
which rows of sharp nails of about four inches in length were driven, and the
nails were about one-half inch apart. This was a very formidable instrument and
not a thing upon which any one would wish to sit. When not in use, it was
protected by a wooden cap laid over it to keep people from beng scratched with
the sharp nails. The flax was drawn through the heckle by hand and the coarse
tow was worked out. When the wife wanted to make fine linen, she had a finer
heckle which took out more of the tow, leaving a very fine lint. This finer
lint was used for making thread.

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CITY OF DUBOIS	Page 33

     After the heckling, the process of spinning on the old fashioned wheel
took place. A reel was then used to reel it off the spool of the wheel into
skeins of one hundred threads each, and when the one hundred threads was
arrived at, a string was tied around the one hundred threads and the reeling
continued until four of these skeins had been tied. This was called a hank.
After the spinning, the thread was then ready for coloring, if it was desired
to be colored.

     The tow remaining after the scutching was not wasted. It was spun into a
coarse thread from which bed ticks, bolsters, sheets, shirts, trousers, etc.,
were made. If a rope were needed for a bed cord, or a clothes line, it was made
of tow. It must be remembered that at this time, manila rope was not known.
     
ROPE MAKING

     The process of making rope was one of considerable labor. A local genius
made a machine for making ropes. This machine stood on two stationary posts
inserted in the ground and the machine itself was composed of four gear wheels,
one of which was about twelve inches in diameter, and three smaller wheels not
exceeding two inches in diameter. A crank was on the back side, and on the
front side the axle of the small gear wheels extended through a two inch plank
head. Short cranks on the axles with pins in the one end around which was
wrapped the tow yarn for making the rope. Another frame resting on wheels upon
which the other end of the rope was fastened could be carried out twenty-five
feet, fifty feet, or one hundred feet, to suit the length of the rope to be
made. In the making of the rope, there were three strands made up by taking the
tow thread and starting at the small crank and going out to where the movable
head was located, and there wrapped around a pin and carried back and forth
until the thickness of one strand was completed. The other two strands were
constructed in the same manner. On the movable head was a block of wood about
four inches long tapered at one end, in which three grooves were made to hold
the strands of the rope apart. After the strands were built up, this was
inserted and then one man stood at the movable head and the other turned the
crank of the gear wheels, and kept these moving until the rope was thoroughly
twisted. Of course in the twisting process the rope would shorten up and
probably the loose head would be moved eight or ten feet nearer the machine
where the twisting was done. When the rope was sufficiently twisted, the
operator at the movable head commenced to move the block of wood between the
strands toward the operator who had done the twisting, the operator still kept
on twisting until the rope was thoroughly twisted and it was then ready for use.

PRODUCTION OF WOOL

     Each pioneer kept a flock of sheep, corresponding in number to the needs
of his family. Some of these flocks were as large as Too. However, the ordinary
flock was about 50 sheep. In summer the care of

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Page 34	PIONEER HARDSHIPS

the sheep was simple, for they ran in the forests and secured their own
living, coming in to the home place once or twice a week for salt.

     Sheep shearing was an annual event taking place about the first of May. A
long table was erected of planks sixteen feet in length, placed on trestles
about two feet high and the table would be four feet to five feet in width. The
sheep were herded in a pen or maybe in the stable which they had occupied in
the winter. When the operator, armed with a pair of sheep shears and a rope was
ready to go to work, he grabbed a sheep by the wool, threw it on the table,
tied its legs below the knees with the rope, and proceeded to relieve the sheep
of its fleece. The unskilled usually relieved the sheep of a good part of its
skin by snipping out spots during the shearing. A good operator could clip a
sheep in about ten minutes. When the sheep was sheared, the initials of the
owner were placed on its side with tar. A tarbucket with a paddle in it was
kept on hand and when the operator was through, he placed the initials of the
owner on its side in rude characters. It was then turned loose and supposed to
look out for itself until the pasture would be frozen in the fall.

     Before the flock of sheep was turned into the woods, a leader would be
selected, upon which a bell was tied. From this we get the expression
"bellwether." Gray in his ELEGY refers to the sheep bell in the third verse, as
follows:

   "Now, fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, 
   And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
   Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
   Or drowsy tinkling lulls the distant fold."

     The fleece of the sheep was turned over to the wife who washed it and
scoured it until the grease was removed. With a pair of hand cards, she made
her rolls which she spun on her wheel. The process of hand carding continued
until woolen mills were erected in the community.
     
DYEING CLOTH

     After spinning either flax or wool, a coloring process took place.
Pioneers could not walk out to a neighboring store and buy coloring matter.
They relied on the barks of the trees, onion skins and such little coloring
matter as might be brought to the stores, known as madder and indigo. The barks
used were that of the alder, maple, walnut, oak, and any other bark they might
find producing a color or part of the color they wished to use. Coloring blue
was a rather offensive process. The blue had to be set and for the setting
process a lye pot was placed in some secluded place to which the family
contributed daily until sufficient lye was obtained for setting the blue. This
pot smelled to the heavens and was very offensive. The indigo was then
dissolved in the lye and the yarns dipped in until the color suited the
operator. If one takes what was known as the old coverlets or bedspreads, they
find this blue has come down through years and years without fading. Likewise
the mineral colors of red and other

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CITY OF DUBOIS	Page 35

shades were fast colors. After the yarn was thus prepared, it was taken to the
weaver who wove such patterns as the owner would direct. The cloth was then
brought home and the good wife laid on her patterns and cut out coats, vests
and trousers for her men folk and made dresses and skirts for herself and
daughter. However, before making this into clothing, the woolen cloth had to be
shrunk or "fulled" as they called it. Very frequently a party was made of this
fulling process. The young men of the community came to the house of an
evening, the floor of the kitchen was cleared and chairs placed in a circle
around the room. The chairs were fastened together with a rope so that they did
not get too far back. The woolen cloth was thrown in a heap and hot water was
poured over the cloth which was thoroughly soaked. These young men then took
off their shoes and stockings, rolled up their trouser legs, seated themselves
in the chairs and commenced to kick the webb of goods back and forth for a
period of an hour, or more, which gave it the shrinking desired for making
clothing.

     Sewing machines had not been invented at that time and all clothing was
sewed by hand.

     After the clothing had been worn out, the parts not too much worn were
cut into patches and sewed together by hand until a sufficient number had been
made to make a hap for bed covering. This hap was filled with a coarse grade of
wool known as "hiplocks" cut from the sheep and washed and carded into a felt
like cotton batting now in the stores, and after this was done a quilting was
held at which the neighbor women came and helped the housewife get the hap
ready for her bed. The stockings and mittens were knit by hand from the wool
spun as before stated.

     Another grade of cloth was made, known as "linsey-woolsey", which was a
woof of flax and a warp of wool. Thus was the pioneer occupied in providing
himself a home and the means of living.

THRESHING

     In the winter time the farmer threshed his grain, either with a flail, or
by having it tramped out by his horses or oxen on the barn floor.

     The tramping out process had come down from ages. The grain was laid,
with the heads in, in rows around the barn floor and the horses or cattle were
caused to walk over it in a circle until the grain was thoroughly threshed out.
The straw was then rolled in bundles and stored back in the mow or bay. Fanning
mills were of home construction, not very efficient, but they beat the old
process of throwing the grain up in the air and letting the wind blow the chaff
out of the grain.

HOUSEKEEPING

     Of course the housewife had to keep her house clean. Carpets to gather
the dust and dirt were not known for many years. The floors were scrubbed once
or twice a week with soap suds and fine sand. The result of the scrubbing was
that in a few years the boards of the floor would be worn through, and the
floor would have to be replaced.

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Page 36 PIONEER HARDSHIPS
     The pioneer had to make his own brooms. The first brooms were made by
taking a small piece of hickory tree a little longer than the ordinary broom
handle. This piece of hickory was usually four inches to six inches at the butt
end. The broom was made by carefully raising slivers about ten inches in
length, passing them down over the butt end, and when the broom was completed,
these slivers were tied below the butt with a strong cord, making a round brush
six or eight inches in diameter. This broom would have been useless to sweep a
carpet, but answered for a wood floor. The balance of the stick was shaved away
with a drawknife until it was the thickness of an ordinary broom handle. Soon
the pioneer commenced the planting of broom corn and each person made his own
brooms. These brooms were much lighter than the hickory style, but did not last
so long as the one made of splints.

     As the family increased, the old bake kettle ceased to be used for baking
bread, as it held but one loaf. It became necessary to erect what was called a
"Dutch" oven. There being no brick in the community, this was built of clay
blocks. The hearth was usually flat stones secured from the fields, laid and
leveled down upon a bed of mortar, and the oven was built up over it of clay
bricks eight to ten inches square and twelve to sixteen inches long. The
interior of these ovens was about four feet square. The providing of wood for
the oven was a chore. It was usually white pine, split into small sticks of not
to exceed an inch thick and four feet long. When baking day came, the oven was
filled with the dry pine sticks, burned out, and then the ashes were raked out,
and the bread laid on the hearth to bake. Thermometers did not exist. The
housewife could tell the temperature of the oven by placing her hand for a
moment inside to determine if she should close the mouth of the oven or leave a
small space for the hot air to escape, so her bread did not burn. When the
bread was taken out, pies and cakes were placed in the oven, to bake in the
heat left from the bread baking. A large family would require a baking from two
to three times a week.

SOAP MAKING

     The fuel at the time was hard wood, and all the hard wood ashes from the
hearth or stove were carefully saved for soap making. Soap making occurred
usually twice a year, fall and spring. An ash hopper was constructed from
boards, standing upright on a plank with gutters cut in the plank around it to
direct the lye to the tub or other receptacle. This hopper was about three feet
square at the top and constructed of boards about four feet long, brought to a
point of six inches on the base. The hopper was constructed of two courses of
boards to keep the lye from running through the cracks. These ashes were then
lightly tamped into the hopper and water poured on the ashes, and as the water
trickled through the ashes it leached out the potash, making a weak lye, which
was subsequently boiled until it became of the proper strength. To this was
added "soap fat", which was the

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 37
rinds off the meat, cracklings from lard rendering, and grease that might have
accumulated up to the time of the soap making. This produced a soft soap, and a
barrel of it would be made. Hard soap was produced by adding salt, which caused
the soft soap to congeal. This was cut into cakes and let dry until needed for
use.

     The washing first was done by a paddle, by which the soap and water were
forced through the clothing. Subsequently, some person invented a corrugated
wash board, which was used until some genius invented a washing machine.

FOOD

     The whole summer was spent preparing food and clothing for the winter.
Wild berries were gathered and dried. When orchards had grown, the apples were
cut and dried in the fall of the year, by either hanging them on strings above
the cook stove, or in the ovens of the stove. Cider and apple butter were made.
This work lasted a week or two. Finally, the process of canning was discovered,
and a pottery at Luthersburg made fruit jars. The only use of these jars at the
present time is for relics, or probably used as a base for an electric lamp.

     We hear a great deal about girls and women smoking in the present day,
but this was not a strange custom to the pioneer. Each pioneer raised his own
tobacco. The tobacco plant raised in the early clearings grew very rank, and
the gathering of the tobacco for use during the year was one of the occupations
of the fall. Each woman had her pipe, and smoked after meals as regularly as
men now smoke. If two or three women were gathered together, they were usually
found smoking.

     Butchering day was an event of the year. While the early pioneer killed
his meat in the forest, yet after becoming established, the wild game became
more scarce, and each farmer fattened and killed a large number of hogs and
probably a beef or two in the fall. "Butchering day" was along the last of
November. Thanksgiving Day was not celebrated or thought of by the pioneer, but
about this time he would do his butchering. Preparations for this were made for
nearly a week. Wood was gathered, kettles borrowed, scalding table erected,
scaffold to hang the hogs was provided, and on the day fixed, one or two
neighbors came in to assist the family in this work. About four o'clock in the
morning fires were started under the kettles of water for scalding purposes,
and as soon as it was light enough to sight a gun, a couple hogs were killed
and placed on the platform for cleaning, after beng scalded. As soon as these
hogs were hanged up, the entrails were removed, and the small intestines and
stomach were taken to the house, where the women proceeded to clean them for
sausage casings. Four men could kill and hang up and dress six or eight hogs by
two o'clock in the afternoon. As soon as the hogs had cooled, the process of
cutting them up for curing purposes began, and about four o'cock in the
afternoon the

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Page 38  PIONEER HARDSHIPS

kettles that had been used for making hot water were turned into cooking
vessels for cooking that part of the hog and beef that could not be turned into
hams, side meat sausages, dried and pickled beef, for making of Liverwurst and
Ponhaus.

     As soon as the hogs were butchered, if there were a beef, it was killed,
skinned and treated in the same manner as the hogs. The women had very hard
work on butchering day, in preparing the sausage casings and getting ready for
the making of sausage and rendering of lard. That part of the meat that was
trimmed off the side meat, the shoulders and hams went into sausage meat and
often some of the beef was mixed with it. After supper the process of cutting
the sausage meat started. Each family had a sausage block made from a section
of an elm or cucumber tree. This block was about two feet thick and probably
thirty inches to three feet across the top, and stood on legs raising the top a
little over two feet from the ground. On this the sausage meat was spread, and
a man with a cleaver in each hand commenced to chop the meat. Finally, someone
constructed a rude sausage grinder, worked with a crank. When this came in,
butchering days had to be arranged so that the sausage grinder could be loaned
from one family to the other. After the sausage was cut and mixed and seasoned,
it was stuffed in the casings that had been prepared during the day. Butchering
lasted from four a. m. to one a. m. the next morning. After all this work, it
became necessary for the owner of the meat to pickle it and preserve it for
smoking. When the process of salting the meat and changng the pickle from time
to time was completed, it was finally ready to hang up in the smokehouse, which
was a small structure about ten feet square and eight feet high, in the center
of which was built a fire of green hickory or maple wood. The fire had to be
kept burning for as much as two months before the meat was thoroughly smoked,
but it must be remembered that there were no butchers in the community who
hauled meat from door to door, and that the meat might last through the summer,
it had to be carefully preserved in the manner indicated. Fresh meat came in
the spring after the sheep shearing time when the sheep had run in the woods
sufficient length of time to become fat, or probably a calf not wanted to be
raised for beef would be killed, which would be divided up amongst the
neighbors, to be returned in kind when the neighbor killed either a sheep or a
calf.

     Another item that entered into the domestic economy of the home was
feathers. Each family kept a flock of geese, not for food purposes, but to
secure the feathers for feather beds, pillows, etc. A good house wife had a job
of picking the geese once a year, and this was not a matter of pleasure, but
rather a strenuous job. The goose had to be caught and held and the feathers
plucked.

     The feathers from the wings were used for making pens, and in the early
days, the lawyer, minister, doctor and farmer kept a small knife for the
shaping of a quill pen, hence we have the word "pen-knife."

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Page 39

EARLY SUPERSTITIONS
CHAPTER VII
     A GREAT many pioneers believed in "visions, dreams and queer feelings"
and to these beliefs were added certain signs. These traditions they brought
with them into the wilderness of Brady Township.

     The early settler did not worry about the fertility of the soil. The soil
had the humus of centuries, in addition to the potash produced by the burning
of the timber, and the fertility from the stumps left standing in the cleared
land, but the signs for planting were a worry.

     There were two signs, the "up-going" and the "down going." If the crop to
be planted were to root deep, it must be planted in the "down going" sign, so
that the roots would penetrate the soil. If the crop were one that required the
opposite, then it should be planted in the "up going" sign.

     Marriages were always consummated in the increase of the moon. The moon
largely controlled the signs of planting as well. If the new moon stood on its
end, the weather would be wet; if the new moon lay on its back it would be dry;
and if the new moon appeared far in the west or to the northwest, it would be
cold.

     One man stated that if there were three signs in the Fish, followed by
three in the Waterman and three in the Crab, if the wind then blew from the
south, it would rain. Others believed that if the wind was from the south on
the first day of September there would be a mild open winter.

     A wide belief in witch-craft existed. The community had a "hex doctor."
The hex doctor was a man about five feet five inches tall, probably weighing a
hundred and fifty pounds, and past middle life. He wore his shirt open to the
waist, exhibiting a breast covered with a heavy growth of hair. When called
upon, he exorcised the evil spirits, and prepared an amulet, which was tied in
a little bag worn over the heart. Curiosity led some one to examine one of
these amulets one day, and found a grasshopper and a couple of peculiarly
shaped stones in the bag.

     Of course there were witches. There would have been no use for a hex
doctor unless where were witches.

     One old settler relates that at his home in Dauphin County, before he
migrated to the wilds of Brady Township, he knew a man who was considered a
witch. One day this witch became very angry at one of his neighbors who lived
some three miles distant. He declared to his friends that he would kill him.
The witch entered his house, secured his rifle and brought it out in the
presence of the company and began to wipe the interior of the barrel with the
wiping rod. In a

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Page 40  SUPERSTITIONS

few minutes he pulled the rod out, which showed the color of blood on the
wiping material and said, "I have fixed him." It was noted afterward that the
neighbor died about this time.

     When anything happened to an animal, it was charged to the witches. In
one instance this Dauphin County emigrant, after he had arrived in Brady
Township, stated that he had a cow which gave bloody milk. Of course the cow
was "hexed" by a neighbor, and the remedy was to milk the cow and put the milk
on the stove, and after it evaporated the witch would be exorcised. He declared
in this instance that, while they were boiling the milk, they saw a headless
sheep coming out of the woods a few hundred feet northeast of the house. The
sheep seemed to be drawn toward the house where the milk was being boiled, and
when it came within a few rods of the house, the sheep became very ill and lay
down, and as the last of the milk evaporated the sheep died. Upon inquiry a few
days later, he discovered that the witch, who lived over a mile away, had
become very ill at about this time and the neighbors thought she would die.

     In the vicinity of DuBois an unfortunate woman lost her reason. When some
of her relatives claimed that she was "possessed." This was proven by the visit
of a young woman who lived some four miles distant. This young woman had a
young horse which she had taught a number of tricks, and likewise a dog which
she had taught to perform certain stunts. It was believed that this young woman
had a copy of what was known as the "Black Art," and the only reason that she
was able to teach her animals was through the reading of this book. The "Black
Art" was supposed to be a book written on a black page with the printing, or
writing in white, and for one to possess this book and do the tricks one had to
sell himself to Satan.

     When the young woman visited her neighbor, it was on a rather cold
November day, and she came on horse back. Other visitors declared that while
this young woman was in the house visiting with the sick woman, a very large
black dog peered into the window, and when the young woman mounted her horse to
leave, this dog jumped onto the back of the horse, back of the saddle, placed
his front feet on the shoulders of the young woman which caused the horse to
try to run away.

     At a later date the woman committed suicide in a piece of woods adjoining
the property, and from this time on her ghost walked in this woods. One woman
related that her father had frequently pointed out this woods and assured her
that at a certain hour in the night a light was seen at the point at which the
woman died.

     There is a tradition that a ghost "walks" in the forest west of the Paul
Bloom farm on the Lakes to Sea Highway in Bloom Township 
     
     It is believed that a peddler was killed and buried in this forest many
years ago. On certain nights in the year a headless man is seen in the vicinity
between Little Anderson Creek and the farm of Mr. Bloom. How true this story
may be, it is yet a fact that persons

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 41

have been known to be scared and run quite a distance to get out of these woods.

     As a rule, during the night there is generally a fog on this road and
being rather a lonely place, it would not require much to fire the imagination
of a nervous person seeing a headless man.

     On the Chestnut Ridge Hill stood a house in which an old woman died and
for several months the family refused to occupy the house on account of a ghost
walking and it required several of the neighbors to sleep in the house some
little time before any of the family would occupy it..

     The house has since been removed. No explanation was given of what caused
this ghost.

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Page 42

EARLY ARCHITECTURE
CHAPTER VIII

     THE Architecture of the Pioneers of Brady Township can be divided into
three parts : First, that of the round log cabin and round log barn, common
from the earliest settlement down to
about 1840; second, the hewed log houses and barns, running from 1833 to 1850;
third, after the second period nearly all dwellings were constructed of sawed
lumber.

     The usual size of the log cabin was sixteen by sixteen, and usually not
over eight feet to the square. The settler being alone, could not use the
larger timber, and he cut his logs from the smaller forest trees. When he came
to the square, he constructed the gables by making the last log of the square a
roof plate. The next gable log above the roof plate was slanted back about two
feet, and another log to support the clapboards was run across the cabin, and
this sloping back of the gable log was continued until the ridge of the roof
was reached. The log to support the clapboards extended beyond the end of the
gable about two feet. The clapboards were split from white pine, being about
four feet long, and were then laid on the roof logs, and a weight pole was laid
on top of each of the roof logs, which poles extended beyond the clapboards the
same distance as the roof logs. These large poles were held in place by hickory
withes, wrapped around the ends of both the pole and the logs beyond the
clapboards.

     The floor was made of puncheons, split from white pine, leveled off with
an adze. There was but one door, and it was likewise constructed of puncheons.
The puncheons were held together by wooden bars, one at the top and the bottom,
either dove-tailed into the puncheon or held in place by pins. This cross bar
usually extended three or four inches beyond the door. A hole was bored in it,
and a pin driven into the wall below the cross bar, the bar put on it with a
pin to hold it in place. The lock on the door was a short piece of wood, twelve
inches to eighteen inches in length, one end of which was fastened to the door
by a pin, and the other end held in place by a cleat, having a notch in it
three inches to four inches, permitting the latch to work up and down. A wooden
catch was placed on the inside of the door frame in which the wooden latch
caught. A leather thong or string was fastened to the latch close to the edge
of the door, and passed through a hole cut through the door and hung on the
outside, so that one wanting to enter pulled the string, thus raising the
latch. The door at night was locked by pulling the latch string in. From this
custom we get the expression, "You will find our latch string out."

     The windows of the cabin were few. There was no glass, and the rain, snow
and cold were kept out by a piece of paper, greased with tallow or lard, and
fastened into the opening. This greasing would permit the light to pass through
the paper. Or the stomach of some

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 43

animal would be taken and the inner lining scraped off, thus forming a
transparent material which was used for windows. A fire place would be
constructed at one end of the cabin. Where stone was plentiful it was usually
built of stone, but throughout Brady Township stone was rather scarce, and
chimneys were built of mud and sticks.

     The bed of the period was constructed on forked sticks, standing about
eighteen inches from the floor. A hole was bored in the wall and a pole four
feet long placed in the hole, and the other end across the fork. Another pole
six or eight feet long ended in the wall in the same way. This made the frame
work, and upon this other poles were rested, and the bedding was made of
hemlock boughs, laid on this frame.

     The cracks between the logs were chinked with clay in the same manner as
that mixed for the chimney, and sticks were put in to hold it in place. The
chimney kept the house fairly warm, but the pioneer was always in danger of
having the chimney become too hot, and the sticks in the mud catching fire and
burning the chimney down and probably the cabin also.

     The barn and stable for the cattle and horses was built in the same way,
except that the cracks were rarely chinked.

     In the second period of architecture, the settler hewed his logs from
white pine. For a barn the logs were flattened on two sides, but in the
construction of a house they were hewed on four sides so that they would fit
together as closely as possible. However, the cracks were chinked the same as
that of the round log.

     When the hewed log house came into use, saw mills had been constructed
and boards could be procured for doors, partitions and windows. Glass was being
brought into the country. The window was usually a six light size, later being
constructed of two sashes of six lights each. Second stories were added to
these houses, and rooms partitioned off with boards from the saw mill. The
settler had accumulated additional tools for the working of lumber. Iron had
become more plentiful, and the builder could have the use of nails. He made his
shingles by splitting the white pine, and shaping them with a draw knife.

     Houses were made much larger. The second house built in DuBois, erected
by George Shaffer II, was of hewed logs, and is still standing, now known as
the "Old Rumbarger House". However, to this house has been added some frame
additions, but the main building is the hewed log house erected by George
Shaffer, near the site of the first cabin built by his father.

     The third period of architecture was the frame house and the frame barn.
Construction of frame houses began about 1850.

     It usually required two years to complete a house. The first year the
owner cut his logs and stocked them to a saw mill. These mills did not cut much
over one thousand feet per day. In addition to this, the lumber had to be
cured, and usually was placed on sticks for a year until it was fairly dry. The
sills and the first floor joists for the houses were hewn out of pine timber.
Likewise a joist bearer,

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Page  44  EARLY ARCHITECTURE

and frequently the joists were hewn in the same way. One carpenter related
that when he was called in to construct a house, in measuring the joists hewn
out of trees, he discovered they were two feet too long. When he called the
attention of his employer to this matter the man replied, "That is too bad. I
will have to have new ones. If they had been too short, we might have spliced
them".

     Every foot of the lumber that went into these houses had to be worked by
hand, after being dried in a rude dry kiln erected for that purpose. Very few
houses were plastered, for the reason that it was too expensive. Sand had to be
hauled long distances, lime was a commodity that could scarcely be purchased
nearer than Bellefonte, but the white pine boards were at hand, and the
carpenter with his plane could smooth off the surface, plow and groove the
boards, and nail them on the wall much cheaper than lime and sand could be
obtained. Lath for plastering had to be split from the trees.

     Panel doors were all made by hand, as well as the window sash, and all of
the window frames. The flooring was all planed by hand, and likewise the
weatherboarding. The usual size of a house was eighteen by thirty feet, with a
kitchen probably sixteen by sixteen, or sixteen by eighteen feet, a story and a
half, or two stories high. To build a house required three or four carpenters
an entire season. Of course the shingles were all split and shaved. The inside
doors were usually what was called batten doors, made by planing the lumber and
fitting it together with cross bars. The hardware for a house of this kind
consisted of nails, window glass, and door locks, and this material was not
very expensive.

     Some of the earlier door locks were made by blacksmiths, and occasionally
one can be found in the country. If a chimney were erected, it was usually
built of sandstone, and the only part that would be of brick, if any, would be
that above the roof. Bricks were scarce and had to be hauled long distances,
and about all the bricks anyone could afford to place in a chimny or flue, was
from the attic floor up through the roof. From the stove up to the flue was a
stove pipe, extending through the second floor.

     Of course, there was a "raising" in the construction of a frame house. At
this age, it would be considered foolish, but in the early days when the
carpenter got the frame work of the house in shape, they then called in the
neighbors to raise it.

     A studding frame was rarely used. Nearly all the houses were built of two
thicknesses of two inch white pine plank, on the outside of which the
weatherboarding was nailed, and the lining was nailed on the inside. If a
studding frame were built, pine posts about eight inches square were used for
corners and then the studding strung along between, upon which to nail the
weatherboarding and the lining. A house constructed in this manner usually had
the spaces between the studding filled with sawdust, but some of them had short
pieces of white pine scantling laid one upon the other in the spaces between
the studding, the full height of the building.

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[image]
Old Log Barn—Photo by L. Steinberg.

[image]
First Hewed Log Barn—on the Eli Schuckers Farm.
About two hundred feet south of the Indian Spring.

images may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/045.jpg

**********************************************************

[image]
Saw Mill, Grist Mill and Planing Mill, south of Luthersburg, with all its
machinery in the mill,
and in which is used the first mill stones made by Jacob Ogden

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/046.jpg

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Page 47

EARLY INDUSTRIES
CHAPTER IX

     IN 1812, at the time George Shaffer settled, the nearest grist mill was
Bellefonte. If Mr. Shaffer wanted his grain ground, he either had to resort to
the process of the savage, viz: finding a flat stone and using a wooden mallet
to crush the grain, or travel almost eighty miles, fording creeks and rivers,
and over almost impassable roads, to Bellefonte, the nearest grist mill.

     Jacob Ogden, the first settler, was somewhat of a mechanical genius, and
from his necessities as well as his fertile brain, he constructed a grist mill
on Stump Creek, a little above Stanley Station. All of the gear wheels and
other machinery of this mill were made of wood. It is said that there was one
mill erected in Clearfield County, prior to this mill, which had but one piece
of iron in the whole structure. The mill stones for Ogden's mill were dressed
out of the sand stone of the region. After doing service in this mill until it
rotted down, this pair of mill stones was sold to various parties, and is in
existence at this date, doing service for grinding grain.

     It is related that John Carlisle, an early settler, carried his grist to
this mill on his back, and not finding the miller in, he poured his grain into
the hopper and succeeded in starting the mill; but when the grain was ground,
he was unable to stop the mill and had to wait until Mr. Ogden came in to help
him out. When he came to bolt his grist, he had to run the bolting machine by
hand.

     It is stated that John Brubaker erected a distillery near Rockton. What
year this distillery was erected no one seems to know, but it long since passed
out of existence, and it is doubtful if the location could now be found.

     "Pete" Seyler discovered a necessity for plows and other implements made
of cast iron. Mr. Seyler built a foundry in which was made what was known as
the "Seyler Plow", the only plow used in western Clearfield County for years.
This foundry also made wood heating stoves and cook stoves.

     The fan for the blast in this foundry was run by a horse power, used for
running threshing machines. The foundry was located on the William Brockbank
farm about one mile west of Luthersburg. Mr. Seyler sold his farm about 1864.
The foundry was sold to other parties and removed to West Liberty, where it was
subsequently abandoned.

     Of course tradesmen and mechanics of various kinds were necessary, and at
an early date John Carlisle, a blacksmith, came into the community, and settled
south of Luthersburg, where he opened a blacksmith shop.

     His iron came from Bellefonte, and was toted over the mountains

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Page 48  EARLY INDUSTRIES

on either horse back or wagons. Mr. Carlisle paid one cent a pound for his iron.

     A blacksmith at that time meant a Jack-of-all-Trades. He made butcher
knives from old files and horse shoe rasps. He forged his own horse shoes and
ox shoes, and made the nails for driving the shoes. He likewise made wagons.
The tires on the wheels of these wagons had to be bent from straight bars of
iron. If a man needed nails badly, the blacksmith could make them. In fact, the
blacksmith was the handy man and made anything, from a horse shoe to a wagon.

     It is said that John Carlisle not only exercised the trade of blacksmith,
but at odd times taught school.

     In 1824 Benjamin Bonsall emigrated from Juniata County. Mr. Bonsall was a
tanner, and he built the first tannery along the pike on the left side going
east, on the level ground below Taylortown. This tannery was not a financial
success.

     Some years after Mr. Bonsall's tannery was abandoned, another tannery was
erected on the right hand side of the road, but it is not known who operated
this institution.

     In 1837 Henry Goodlander, a shoemaker by trade, came from Lycoming County
and bought John Carlisle's farm, and opened a shoe making shop. He continued in
this location until 1857, when he bought the Joseph Fulton Tavern. This tavern
stood on the present site of the residence of C. H. Goodlander.

     Mr. Goodlander made shoes from the leather furnished by his patrons. It
is not known whether he went from house to house, as was the custom at that
time for tradesmen, or if he had his shop in his residence.

     Of course the settlers needed furniture, and some time after the Forties,
or in the Fifties, Enos Shaffer started to make furniture on his father's farm,
about the location of Shaft No. I, east of DuBois, where he lived and worked
until 1865, when he moved to West Liberty with his furniture factory.

     Mr. Shaffer split the lumber for his chair legs, backs, etc. from the
hickory that he cut in the woods. The bed-steads and bed rails were usually of
red cherry, cucumber, or poplar timber. They were all hand made. Mr. Shaffer
worked at this trade until his death, some time in 1860. Some of the furniture
made by Mr. Shaffer can be found at this date.

     Carpenters came drifting in from other places. The carpenter trade
covered various kinds of employment. When any one died, the carpenter made the
coffin. Some friend would cut a small sapling and measure the length of the
body and then across the chest. This measuring rod was taken to the carpenter,
who constructed the casket.

     The carpenter could as well make furniture if he so chose. In addition to
his carpentering, he usually owned a farm, and when not engaged in building a
house or a barn, he farmed.

     The first pottery was erected by Ira Fisher, and we will let Mr. George
C. Kirk describe the pottery industry of Brady township.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 49

     "The first pottery was built in Brady Township by Robert W. Moore and Ira
Fisher on a piece of land containing three acres, and located about one mile
east of the present location of Luthersburg, on what was then known as the Mill
Road, leading to the Moore Mills, and later known as the Snowshoe and
Packersville Turnpike, which was practically laid out on the old Mill road.

     "Moore and Fisher manufactured what was known as red ware, and the old
round log building stood on the lot now owned by Edward Caldwell. In the early
Thirties, Moore and Fisher sold this property to Robert C. Taylor and Lott
Teats, who continued to make red ware for several years, or about 1840, when
Mr. Taylor purchased his partners interests in the pottery, and moved it on to
a piece of ground purchased from William Woods, where he rebuilt the pottery
and made many improvements in the manufacturing of red ware. He owned and made
red ware at this place until 1853, when he sold the property to Moses and
William Porter, who lived at Pleasantville, in Venango County, Pennsylvania.
They remodeled the Taylor pottery, and commenced the making of stone ware that
same year.

     "In 1863 Wm. T. Hamilton and George C. Kirk built a pottery, and in 1865
the two potteries were merged under the firm name of Kirk, Porter and Seyler.
About the year 188o Kirk and Porter sold their respective interests in the
business to their partner Joseph Seyler, Jr., who for several years carried on
the business.

     "The material from which red ware was made was known as swamp clay, and
is found on low swampy land, and was dug in the fall so it would freeze during
the winter, and thus become pulverized, when it was placed in a tub made of
three inch thich oak plank, in which an upright shaft, with an arm, or sweep,
as it was called, placed in the shaft, about ten feet long, and a horse hitched
thereto would walk in a circle aroung the tub in which the clay was placed, and
there mixed until the clay became what we called tempered, when it was ready
for the turner, who if making one gallon vessels, would make it into balls
weighing seven pounds. He would then place the ball on a horizontal wheelhead,
making about fifty revolutions per minute, where he would make it into a crock,
jug or pitcher, or any other kind of a vessel that he wished to make. When the
vessel was finished it would be lifted off the wheelhead, and placed on a board
to dry. When throughly dry, it would be glazed inside with a slip made of red
lead mixed with water. When enough ware of the different sizes were made,
usually about one thousand gallons for a red ware kiln, the ware was placed in
the kiln, and burned to a body, that is, hard enough so that the clay would be
impervious to water, which usually took thirty-six hours.

     "The clay, from which this red ware was made, was got on lands now owned
by Mrs. Florence R. Kirk, and is still in abundance.

     "The clay, from which stoneware was made, is known as soft fire clay, and
is found in the hills throughout Brady Township in veins about six feet in
thickness.

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Page 50  EARLY INDUSTRIES

     "This clay, like the clay for red ware, was dug in the summer and fall,
so it would freeze, and become pulverized and thus make it easier to wash.

     "The washing of the clay was done in a large tub, about six feet in
diameter, made for the purpose, and driven by horse power. When the clay was
washed into a thin slip, it was run through a very fine sieve into a spout
which conveyed it into a large container or vat, which would hold about one
hundred tons, where it was left to settle, and when thus settled, the water
would be drawn off and the clay left to dry and mature, or as we called it
season. After the clay became throughly dry, the process in preparing it to be
made into ware by the turners, was about the same as for red ware."

     Brady Township and Sandy Township has some of the finest clay beds in
Pennsylvania, and it has the coal to develop them, but no one seems to have
taken interest enough in it to start the industry.

     Saw mills of course were an early necessity, and were of the old "up and
down variety". Someone expressed, "it went up yesterday and came down today".
They were a one-man institution. The operator was the log tender, the setter,
off bearer and general all around workman. His mill could cut about two
thousand feet of lumber a day.

     One of these mills was erected by David Heberling some time after 1856,
and prior to the advent of John Rumbarger, on Pentz Run just south of West Long
Avenue. The mill dam extended from near Jared Street across the flat westerly
to Peach Alley. The water of this dam backed up over Brady Street covering the
land in the vicinity of the DuBois Garage, and as far south as where Brady
Street intersects Dixon Avenue.

     There were four other saw mills within a radius of three miles of DuBois.
Sometime between 1840 and 1845, two men by the name of Boyer came from
Philadelphia, and erected a steam saw mill on the Reasinger Run, where Maple
Avenue crosses that Run. How long this mill remained is not known, but it is
supposed to be the first steam saw mill erected in Clearfield County. Later,
about 1865, a steam saw mill was erected on Pentz Run, south of DuBois, which
subsequently became known as the "Rocky Mill".

     All of these saw mills have long since disappeared.

     Some time early in 1860, J. C. Smith, of Taylortown, commenced to
manufacture matches. Mr. Smith subsequently sold his factory to Julius A. Terpe
at New Salem.

     Mr. Terpe moved all the machinery and equipment into a little building,
probably not over fifteen feet square, where he made matches.

     The match as now used, is different from the match of 1860-70.

     Mr. Terpe bought up all the buildings of hewed logs or round logs of
white pine. This timber he cut into match lengths of one and one-half to two
inches.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 51

     The best description of this factory is by a son of Julius Terpe, and
this is his story:

     "The Smiths of Taylortown, above Luthersburg, were the original owners of
the factory, and father bought them out. Mr. Smith had two boys, Harry, and I
can't recall the name of the other one. I remember father asking Dr. Spackman
about the boys, what they done, and he said they made fiddles all day and
played them all night.

     "Now about the match making. We made that old school house into matches.
You remember it was built of hewn pine logs. They seemed to be free of knots
and were very straight grained. They were sawed in match lengths, I presume
about two inches long. They were in blocks about six to ten inches square. Then
there was a machine to put them through to mash the ends, so they would not
split clean through when they were split for matches. They were run through
this machine twice, as they had to be split both ways, so as to make the match
size. Of course they were all square matches.

     "Then, when the blocks were prepared this way, the next thing was to
split them into matches. There was a machine with a knife to split them. It was
worked with a lever. When the lever was raised, it was fed by a spring to feed
the block in the machine. The lever was pressed down, and the little slab was
loosed from the block, but the first treatment kept it from splitting clear
through. This lever was worked until the whole block was split that way; then
the block was changed and split the other way.

     "Then we used a long slim knife, and these large blocks were counted one
hundred forty-four matches to a block. Counted twelve rows, then inserted the
knife and pressed them apart, but not hard enough to cut them loose from the
block. After the counting this way, they were counted the other way, and parted
so that the whole block still held together, but was in blocks of one hundred
forty-four matches, twelve by twelve.

     "Then there were shelves of rough boards in a frame, and then these were
put on these boards or frame with the base down. Then they were dipped in a
brimstone mixture. The brimstone, or sulphur, was heated and in a liquid form
and these blocks dipped, I think, about one fourth inch, as that was what held
the fire to start the wood to burn. After these were dipped, then they were put
back on the boards and left stand in these frames until thoroughly dry. Now the
next treatment was to mix the material for the heads, to cause them to ignite.
This was a dangerous part, as there were liable to be explosions, and the
phosphoric acid was sure to catch fire as soon as exposed to the air. So it was
necessary to keep it in liquid as you were mixing it, so as to have it
perfectly free from the air.

     "After mixing this matter, it was called the heads, then these blocks
were dipped again just merely touching the liquid, as a very little bit was
required.

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Page 52  EARLY INDUSTRIES

     "After this dipping, then they were put back on these racks and allowed
to dry. Many times they would catch fire in this drying process, and the only
way to put the fire out was to clap our bare hands on the fire.

     "Now the next process was to pack them ready for market.

     "We would take one of these blocks, and of course they were already
counted in blocks of one hundred forty-four, but still had to be pulled apart.
The next thing was to take a piece of paper, they were cut about four inches
long and about one inch wide, and we wrapped this around the heads and was
folded over the heads to keep them covered.

     "We called this the capping. And, I can assure you, I capped many a gross
of them.

     "After they were in this shape, then the next was to put them in packages
ready for market. There were twelve on these blocks, put in a package and
sealed shut with mucilage. Then it required twelve cents of internal revenue
stamps put on them, each one hundred forty-four matches required a cent revenue
paid. You could either put a one cent stamp on each block or else seal twelve
in one package and put twelve cents stamps on the wrapper."

     The manufacture of homemade clothing continued up to 1860, when William
F. Johnson built a woolen mill at his grist mill at Rockton. To this mill raw
wool was taken and carded into rolls for spinning, from which stockings and
mittens were knit. Mr. Johnson manufactured cloth which was traded for wool.

     At about this time the "wool peddler" commenced to roam through the
country. He carried woolen cloths and blankets made from wool, which he traded
for the raw wool of the farmers. The price per yard of the cloth was fixed in
pounds of wool. The wool peddler came in June and July with his wagon loaded
with piece goods.

     Modern invention thus destroyed the hand loom, and in a short time
machine knitting superseded the hand knit mittens, stockings and socks.

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Page 53

FIRST LUMBERING
CHAPTER X

     THE year in which the first lumbering was commenced in Brady Township is
not known. Welton Barrett seems to have been the pioneer lumberman. He
commenced his
operations by making a "long shaved shingle", conveying them to the
Susquehanna River where he constructed an "ark" upon which to load his shingles
to carry them down the river, on the spring floods, to the eastern markets.

     The making of "long" shingles was an arduous task. The machinery for this
operation was composed of a cross-cut saw, an axe, a froe, a wooden mallet,
shingle horse and a draw knife. This equipment could be carried by the operator.

     To do this work, the "Shingle Maker" had to locate a sound pine tree of
straight grain for splitting, and the first part of his manufacturing was
completed. The next thing was to cut down his tree, cut it into twenty-eight
inch blocks, and then split the blocks into quarters with his axe, and split
the shingles off the blocks with his froe and mallet, and then shave them on
his shingle horse A good shingle maker could split from the quartered blocks
and shave one thousand shingles in a day, which means between sun rise and sun
down.

     For these shingles, he received the large sum of four dollars per
thousand, delivered at Luthersburg. It must be remembered that after his
shingles were made in the woods, a road had to be cut through the forest to the
public road to get these shingles out.

     The overhead labor, from the time of the cutting the tree to the delivery
of the shingles at Luthersburg, meant much more than the shaving of one
thousand shingles per day. For this thousand shingles the merchant traded to
the operator his merchandise at one hundred per cent or more profit, and when
we realize that a great many of the early settlers paid for their land by
making shingles, we can understand what a struggle they had.

     Shortly after 1840 David Irvin had erected a water power saw mill on Rock
Run, just above the intersection of Little Anderson Creek below Rockton
Station, on which he sawed boards, which he hauled to the Susquehanna River to
raft on the spring floods to the eastern market.

     Lumbering on Sandy in the vicinity of DuBois, as near as can be
ascertained, commenced in 1859, when Mr. Andrew Liddle made the first square
timber on his land, and rafted it in on the Luthersburg Branch, more than three
miles above DuBois. A raft of timber at that time consisted of about twelve
sticks of timber, ranging from twenty-four feet to fifty feet in length. The
stream, at the point

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Page 54  FIRST LUMBERING

at which Mr. Liddle rafted, was so narrow that only six timber sticks could be
placed side by side These were then rafted down below where the Luthersburg and
Sabula branches come together, and they were then rafted together, making what
was called a "platform", not to exceed fifty feet in length. The stream, at
this point, was so narrow and crooked that a raft of more than fifty feet in
length would not go around the bends of the stream.

     It took not less than two days from daylight to dark, with good luck, to
run a raft the eight miles from DuBois to Reynoldsville. The usual time,
however, was a week.

     The making and rafting of square timber in the vicinity of DuBois was
abandoned after Mr. John DuBois had located and started to operate his mills in
1873. Outside of one or two firms who owned timber above DuBois, Mr. DuBois
purchased all of the local timber.

     Of course this did not prevent the various saw mills, scattered
throughout Brady Township, from cutting their timber and selling in DuBois for
building purposes, or shipping it by rail.

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Page 55

POST OFFICES
CHAPTER XI

     THE first Post Office in this section was established on the 10th day of
July, 1830, at Luthersburg, and George Hoover was appointed Postmaster. It is
said that Caleb Bailey was the first
mail carrier who traveled between Lewistown by way of Bellefonte, Philipsburg,
Curwensville, west to Erie. The mail was carried on horseback. It required two
weeks to go from Lewistown to Erie, and two weeks to return. In the summer
time, the mail carrier often slept in the woods.

     Later a stage line, which carried the mail, was established by Joseph
Evans. His son, Richard Evans, drove the stage. Mrs. Clara Evans, wife of Mr.
Evans, has given a very vivid recollection of this stage line in a letter,
inserted in the appendix.

     After the Erie Pike was opened, emigration started from the eastern part
of the State. Most of these emigrants settled along this Pike. Some located at
Luthersburg, some at Taylortown, and some at New Salem, West Liberty and other
villages, but prior to 1850 none seemed to have come as far north as the George
Shaffer plantation.

     Clearfield County was organized by Act of Legislature, March 20, 1804. At
that time Fox Township and part of Horton Township, Elk County, as well as a
considerable part of Cameron County, were in the limits of Clearfield County.

     The first census of the County, taken in 1810, showed a population of
875; in 1820 the population was 2,342 ; and in 1830 it was 4,803, Brady
Township, in this census, having a little more than one seventh of the
population of the entire county. In the census of 1840 Clearfield County had a
population of 9,834, and Brady Townshp had a little over one-eighteenth of the
population of the County. From 1840 the County settled rapidly and the census
shows that in 1850 the population had almost doubled, being 12,586, in 1860 it
was 18,759, in 1870 it was 25,741, in 1880 it was 43,408, in 1890 it was
69,565. In 1900 the population was 80,614, in 1910 it was 93,236, in 1920 it
was 103,236, being the high water mark in population of the County, and the
population of DuBois had increased in accordance with the population of the
County.

     Brady Township was organized in 1826, and the population of Brady
Township in 1830 was 692, in 1840 the population had fallen to 431. It again
increased in 1850 to 1083, in 1860 it was 1687, and in 1870 it was 2009. This
was ten years before Sandy Township was struck off. The census of 1880 shows
that DuBois, Sandy Township, Clearfield County had 2,718 people. It is listed
with the unincorporated places in Pennsylvania, and evidently the city at that
time had within its limits that number of people.

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Page 56

CHURCHES
CHAPTER XII

     THE first known religious services held in Brady Township took place in
the bar room of the tavern of Lebbeus Luther, at Luthersburg, probably about
1825. To now speak of a
religious meeting being held in a bar room is somewhat shocking, but it must
be remembered at that time the manufacturing and dealing in liquor had not
become an unethical occupation. Beer in this locality was not known, and the
sale of hard liquor was limited. It was a great disgrace to become drunk, and
throughout Brady Township there were but two known "topers", who were looked
upon with contempt and pity in not being able to control their appetite. Again,
the bar room was a public institution for all kinds of meetings.

     At this time, hymn books were unknown, and Bibles were very scarce. The
minister had to be able to lead the singing, and he used the "lining system"
for hymns, that is, he would read two lines, or maybe a verse of four lines of
the hymn, which would be sung by the congregation, and then another "lining"
until the hymn was completed.
This was before the age of clocks and lights. All evening meetings were
announced for "early candlelight", and when a meeting was held in the evening,
the patrons usually carried tallow candles with them for lighting purposes.

     As before stated, the first building for public purposes was a log
building erected in the cemetery at Luthersburg.

     The Sunday School is usually the forerunner of churches. The first Sunday
School held in the Beightol School House, or "sheep pen", was organized in the
spring or summer of about 1860, and Samuel Postlethwait was the superintendent.
A Sunday School did not exist in winter. The school building would be cold, and
it required the wading through the snow long distances for the children to get
there.

     After John Rumbarger became the purchaser of the David Heberling farm, in
1865, a Sunday School was opened in the old school house at the south side of
the city.

     It was related that in the whole neighborhood, no one was found capable
of making an audible prayer. The people of the time were deeply religious, and
a leader of a Sunday School must be able to pray. They searched the community,
and finally discovered Mr. A. J. King, a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church at Luthersburg, who lived about three miles from the school house, who
was interviewed, and agreed to take charge of the Sunday School. Mr. King could
neither read nor write, but he was a fervent member of the church, and all he
was asked to do was to do the praying. This Sun-

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 57

day School was organized and carried on in the summer time for several years.

     The first church building was erected in 1874 or 1875 at the corner of
East Long Avenue and Church Street. Reverend Dunlap, of Brookville, a minister
of the Evangelical Church, held meetings, and out of those meetings came the
church. This building was a one-story structure probably twenty feet wide by
thirty feet long, set on posts for a foundation, the lower side of which was
over two feet from the ground. It is related that in the summertime the sheep
from the neighborhood, in the heat of the day, to avoid flies, gathered under
the church, and these sheep in shaking their heads and bumping around to get
rid of flies, bumped the floor of the church and greatly interfered with the
services. This church acquired two lots, one on the east side of Church Street,
upon which a parsonage was built, and one upon the west side, upon which the
church stood.

     This church was turned into a dwelling house, and thus remained for years
after it was abandoned as a church.

     Later the Evangelical Church acquired its present location on East Long
Avenue. Mr. John Rumbarger donated two lots at the corner of West Long Avenue
and Franklin Street, upon which a Methodist Episcopal Church was erected
between 1870 and 1880. This building was destroyed by the fire of 1888. The
First Presbyterian Church was organized on the 9th of May 1876 in a barn
standing at the rear of the Rumbarger house. From that time on, various other
religious denominations entered the city and erected their church buildings
until, at this date, there are more than seventeen denominations represented
within the city limits.

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Page 58

EARLY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER XIII

     THE first school, of which we have any knowledge in Brady Township, was
held in the bar room of the tavern of Lebbeus Grath, Luthersburg, about 1827.
Amos Bonsall, the son of Benjamin Bonsall who moved to Brady Township in 1824,
stated that he had attended this school when he was a small boy. During one of
the sessions of this school, an Indian and his squaw were passing through
Luthersburg, and Mr. Luther thought it would be an educational feature for the
school to demonstrate an Indian war dance. Accordingly the dance was put on, in
which Mr. Luther took a part. The entertainment didn't have the effect intended
by Mr. Luther, for the children were scared of the Indians, and were much
alarmed for fear they would be scalped.

     About 1832 a hewed log building was erected near the middle of the
cemetery at Luthersburg for a Union Church, which was used for school purposes.

     At New Salem, two miles east of Luthersburg, a Mr. Carson, the owner of
the land, donated two acres for a church, a school, and cemetery, one acre of
which was for a cemetery, and the other acre to be used for the church and
school. A hewed log school house was erected on this lot, replaced some years
afterwards by a frame school building. No church was ever erected on the land.
When the school board of Brady Township erected a brick building, which now
stands in Salem, the acre, donated by Mr. Carson for church and school, was put
into the cemetery. Another hewed log school house was erected in the Union
Cemetery, near Troutville, for church and school purposes.

     Up to 1848 there were five hewn log school houses erected in Brady
township, for church and school purposes

     The first school house built in the township by public money was known as
the Beightol school house, located about one mile south of the city limits, at
the intersection of south Main Street, extending to the road that leads from
the George Sloppy farm, west past the John Hand and William Wayne farms. This
school house stood on the south side of the road, and was said to be about
twenty-four feet square. The interior of the building was furnished with slab
seats. The slabs were obtained from a neighboring saw mill, and the flat side
turned up, in which were inserted hard wood legs, usually two at each end, and
one at the center for support. The desk was a board, smoothed off with a plane,
and rested on supports against the wall. On these benches the pupils sat with
their faces to the center of the room, and when the pupil wanted to use the
desk he had to turn his back to the center, and face the wall. This build-

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[image]
Evangelical Church. The first Church erected in DuBois. On rear of
lot at the corner of South Church Street and East Long Avenue.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/059.jpg

**********************************************************

[image]
Frame school building to take the place of the log school house called
the Beightol School House, and erected in the vicinity of DuBois, now
standing beyond the city limits and used as a tenant house.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/060.jpg

**********************************************************

CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 61

ing was heated by a wood burning stove placed in the center of the room, and
the fuel was obtained from the forest adjoining. Likewise, the hickory rod the
teacher used in controlling the school was a product of the adjoining forest.
At that time they did not believe in "sparing the rod", and one is lead to
believe that a little "hickory oil", well laid on in the present age, might
have a good effect on the rising generation.

     This school house served two purposes. The school term did not exceed
three months, In the spring, after sheep shearing, some kindhearted person
would open the door of the school house and the sheep soon discovered a nice
shady place in which to rest, either day or night. From this use this school
house came to be known as the "Sheep Pen".

     Some time in the early 1860's the school board of Brady Township, erected
a new frame school house, located along South Main Street just, outside the
city limits. The location of this building did not seem to coincide with the
better thought (?) of the community, and after the carpenter had removed his
tools, the school building, in some mysterious way, caught fire and was
completely destroyed. The school board of Brady Township was rather hard
headed, and concluded that education was not appreciated in that locality, and
they did not erect a new building until the following year. The "Sheep Pen" had
previously been sold to Julius Terpe for match wood, and had been removed and
cut into match sticks, and there was no other building to be used. The
following year a new school house was erected on the same foundation, and this
building is still standing. It was used for school purposes until the Borough
of DuBois was organized. A number of citizens still living in DuBois attended
school in this building.

     Of course, this building was not large enough to accommodate all of the
pupils in DuBois after 1876, and a two room building was erected where the
Central School building now stands. A hall on North Main. Street, over Glasgow
and Ellis's store, was used for school purposes as well as a public hall for
other meetings.

     It was related that a teacher's institute was held in this building one
night during the school term. An enthusiastic citizen, who had imbibed in
something stronger than grape juice, considered himself insulted by some person
on the street. The first opening he found was the door leading to this hall,
where the teachers institute was in session. During the speech of some
educator, the insulted gentleman stepped into the hall and made the
announcement that he was ready to lick anybody in the town, and especially any
one in that building, and he commenced to disrobe, first removing his coat and
vest, then commencing to take off his trousers. At this point several men
concluded that the disrobing had gone far enough, and they took the man out and
started him on his way to hunt some other person to thrash.

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Page 62  EARLY SCHOOLS

     The curriculum of these early schools was very limited and usually
confined to the three R's. The pupil in arithmetic did not go much beyond
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The pupil who could solve
problems in fractions was considered brilliant, and one who could work all the
problems in the arithmetic was very highly educated.

     If you were to ask a modern pupil what was meant by "The Rule of Three",
or "Tare and Tret", he would stare at you and wonder if you were mentally
balanced, but these terms were familiar at the time.

     Arithmetic was divided into two classes, written and mental. The mental
exercises were very elaborate, and commenced with simple addition, running
through the four principles of arithmetic, and then took up fractions and
problems of great length, which the pupil, standing in his place in the class,
was compelled to solve without the aid of pencil or blackboard.

     As an example of the problems that were to be solved by the process of
mental arithmetic, we give the following;

     "If the head of a fish is ten inches long, and the tail is as long as the
head plus one-half the body and the body is as long as the head and tail both;
Required, the length of the fish."

     "A person has two silver cups and only one cover for both. The first cup
weighs twelve ounces. If the first cup be covered, it will weigh twice as much
as the second, but if the second cup be covered, it will weigh three times as
much as the first; Required, the weight of the second cup and cover."

     The early school term was only three months; finally increased to four,
and then to five months, where it remained for many years. If any one wanted
additional education, he was compelled to earn money enough to take him to some
of the academies scattered, through the state, and he might finally land in
college. Of course, if the young man went to college, he then would become a
minister lawyer or doctor. Girls as a rule did not go beyond the common schools.

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Page 63
EARLY TAVERNS
CHAPTER XIV

     ONE TRAVELING now thinks that the road houses are very numerous. However,
the old "tavern" was more numerous in proportion to the population than the
present road house. In Brady Township the first tavern was at the Jefferson
County line, and called "Jefferson Line", two miles east of the Jefferson line,
at the location of Mr. C. H. Goodlander's home. Here was a tavern that had been
opened as early as 1835. Luthersburg had two taverns. Two miles farther east,
over the hills toward Curwensville, Isaac Draucker had a tavern where P. W.
Draucker now lives. Two miles beyond this was what was known as the "Forest
House." Beyond the Brady Township line, and beyond the Forest House was what
was known as the "Bloom Stand," and then one could not get any refreshments
until he reached the "Wild Goose," two miles east of that. From there to
Curwensville was five miles, and how the traveler could get over that distance
without refreshments was not explained. Curwensville, of course, had three or
four taverns.

     An advertisement of these early taverns may be interesting:—
   "FLEMING HOTEL, (Formerly known as the Good Intent) Curwensville,
Clearfield County, Pa.—The subscriber begs leave to inform his old customers
and the public generally that he has recently taken the above well known stand,
and that he has entirely refitted and refurnished it in a style adapted to the
age, and the wants of the entire traveling community. HIS TABLE will always be
provided with every luxury the markets and surrounding country will afford. HIS
BAR will be supplied with the choicest wines and liquors. HIS STABLES, which
are the best and most commodious on the road within a day's travel, will always
be in charge of careful and attentive hostlers. In short, every department of
his establishment will be supplied with all the comforts and conveniences the
weary traveler could desire.
Curwensville, June 2, 1858.	Wm. A. MASON"
(From Raftman's Journal, 1860. This ad had not been changed in two years.)

     Of course these houses were all licensed by the Court of Quarter
Sessions. There were five taverns within the limits of Brady Township in 1860,
and the population at that time was 1,687, or one tavern for 337 plus
inhabitants.

     One must not conclude that the number of taverns had anything to do with
the consumption of liquor. Of course there was no beer at that date, there
being no brewery nearer than Pittsburgh.

     However, the drunkard was called a "toper" and was looked

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Page 64  EARLY TAVERNS

down upon by the community, and in fact there were but two such men known in
Brady Township at that time.

     Each tavern keeper owned a farm or store or probably a mill, and he did
not depend on his barroom for his livelihood or the upkeep of his house.

     Whisky sold for five cents a glass. Even at that price, the economic
condition of the community did not warrant the expenditure of sufficient money
to get on a drunk.

     Liquor was not only sold in the taverns, but stores also retailed alcohol
as well as concoctions called "bitters." What was known as "bitters" was
nothing but whisky of a poor grade, with cinchona bark or some other ingredient
that gave it a bitter taste.

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Page 65

TRAGEDIES OF THE FOREST
CHAPTER XV

     EVERY COUNTRY has its unexplained tragedies, and Brady Township was no
exception. How and when these tragedies occurred was never explained, and they
were only known when the skeletons were found.

     Some time after 187o, a human skeleton was found buried in the woods on
Luthersburg branch near the Thomas Keene farm, by men building a log road. The
only answer was, "he must have been a peddler murdered for his pack." Another
skeleton was found up Pentz Run at the root of a stump, about three and a half
miles from DuBois. Of course this was an unsolved mystery. Later, in the
vicinity of Troutville, the bones of a human being were found.

     A Coroner had been elected from DuBois, and he did not propose being in
the same class with the man who had been elected many years before, who wrote a
lawyer in Clearfield as follows "Dear Sir: I have been elected Coroner of
Clearfield County and I wish to know what the emoluments and honors of the
office are." The lawyer wrote below "emoluments nothing, honors a damned sight
less." The. Coroner immediately got some of his friends from DuBois for a jury,
and called them into the woods below Troutville to view the skeleton. Of course
the only verdict of the jury could be that it was the remains of an unknown
human being, and no way to account for the death. But the poor Coroner, when he
tried to collect his costs for himself and his jury from Clearfield County,
bumped up against a set of hard headed County Commissioners who refused to pay,
and he likewise found "the emoluments of the office as nothing."

     The greatest cyclone that ever visited the country passed over on the 4th
day of July, 1860, and it is best described by George C. Kirk as follows :—
   "I have your letter of the 18th instant, making inquiry about the cyclone
that passed north of where the City of DuBois is now located. I remember this
storm very well, being a little more than twenty three years old, when this
great storm passed through what was then known as the northwestern part of
Brady Township, crossing Narrows Creek, about one-half mile above the present
location of the park on said creek.

     "This cyclone passed through the townships named on July 4th, 1860, and
started in Armstrong County, where it had done an immense amount of damage to
property. In the eastern part of Jefferson, and the northern part of Clearfield
Counties, the course of the storm was through a vast forest of virgin timber,
and everything in the path of the storm was leveled to the ground.

     "This storm crossed the Erie Pike, at the top of the hill west of what
is now known as Reynoldsville. From thence it dropped down

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Page 66  TRAGEDIES OF THE FOREST

into the Sandy Lick Valley, passing up the same to where the Borough of Falls
Creek is now located; thence across what is now known as the Hopkins lands, and
from thence onto the lands of John DuBois, where it blew down a valuable lot of
timber of all kinds.

     "The path of the storm varied in width from one-fourth to three eighths
of a mile wide, and in some places it would separate into two parts, and at
some distance further on would come together again, forming, like in a river,
an island of several acres in extent, wherein but very few, if any, of the
trees would be blown down.

     "In other places the storm would rise into the air, for some distance,
leaving in its track a batch of timber undisturbed, before coming down to earth
again.

     "Much, if not all, of the fallen pine was made into square timber, and
run to the Pittsburgh market, during the spring of 1861 and 1862. The Civil War
coming on, the market for timber was very dull, and the price low, and much of
the square timber was disposed of at a loss.

     "This fourth day of July was a very hot sultry day with the air humid and
close, with a weird darkness that came from the storm, and the feeling that it
engendered can only be realized by those who have witnessed a total eclipse of
the sun, at the time of its totality.

     From our vantage point on the Lines hill, we could see the black storm
cloud off to the southwest and west, from about ten o'clock A.M., until about
three P. M., at which time it passed to the north of where DuBois is now located.

     "For some time previous to the arrival of the storm at the above named
place, the air seemed overcharged with electricity and was filled with vast
quantities of floating leaves, and small twigs off of oak trees, that had been
borne from trees many miles away. Frequently for some time thereafter, white
oak shingles, and pieces of oak clap-boards, with six penny iron nails in them,
were found in the fields in the vicinity of Luthersburg, and were supposed to
have been carried by the wind from Armstrong County.

     "My brother, Boyd Kirk, was driving the stage during the summer of 1860,
and was on his way from Brookville to Luthersburg, with five men and two women
in the coach. At the Baum Hotel, they could hear the roar of the oncoming
storm. Not long after passing this hotel, he soon saw that unless he made
haste, the storm would overtake him in the timber at the top of the hill west
of Reynoldsville. Realizing his danger he started the horses on the run, and
when they reached the top of the hill, the timber was falling a short distance
behind them. With the horses on a dead run down the hill, the roar of the
storm, and the men urging him to drive faster, the women screaming, and the
darkness so dense that only when a flash of lightning came, he could see the
horses and the road. When he had reached the Reynolds Hotel, the women had
fainted, and the men were so

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 67

nervous that they could not continue their journey until the next day."
The country visited by this storm in 1860, has not, up to the present time had
another cyclone, although an occasional cyclone has occurred at some places in
the Beechwoods, west of DuBois.

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Page 68

PHYSICIANS
CHAPTER XVI

     SOME YEARS ago a country newspaper had the following item: "............
died without the assistance of a doctor, and the matter should be looked into."
Many pioneers died
without the "assistance" of a doctor.

     The late Dr. J. P. Hoyt, who lived in Curwensville, Pennsylvania, stated
that his practice took him as far north as St. Marys, now in Elk County. Of
course his road was through the forests and little more than a bridle path. One
physician traveling through this northern route came to the Bennetts Branch
when it had a very high flood. Fearing that his saddle bags, with his medicines
and what instruments he had, would become wet when he forded the stream, he
hung the saddle bags on the limb of a tree and went on to see his patient. On
his return the saddle bags had disappeared. A rather prominent citizen had
confiscated the outfit, but got a remorse of conscience after consulting a
Justice of the Peace, and learning that he might get into prison for the theft,
returned the saddle bags.

     Brady Township had no physician until 1846. Prior to that time, and for
many years after, each family had its own "materia medica," and each garden had
a corner for raising sage, thyme, wormwood, tansy and other medicinal plants.
Pennyroyal grew wild along the roads and in the fence corners, and boneset was
a wild herb. Pipsisewa was gathered in the woods, and "blood root" was likewise
found in the forests.

     When any member of the family became ill, the mother did the doctoring.
If it were a cold, they got pennyroyal tea or sage. If they could not eat, they
received either wormwood or boneset tea. Hop tea, made from hops grown on hop
vines raised on the farm, was also a remedy. "Tansy bitters," made by soaking
green tansy leaves in whisky, was used in the spring for a tonic. In fact,
whisky was a common remedy and used quite generally.

     Measles was considered a child's disease and was rather looked upon as
being a necessity, and no effort was made to quarantine against them. The
common remedy was a good dose of whisky. If that did not "bring out" the
measles, and the child became very sick ,"sheep saffron tea" was given. Severe
colds might develop and the child would get croup. One of the remedies for this
was goose oil and urine, about equal parts. However, this was the final remedy
and was not adminstered until hope for the patient was exhausted. Poultices
were made from poke root, which was considered quite a remedy. Frozen feet were
treated by wrapping the feet with sauer kraut on going to bed at night. Frozen
feet was very prevalent in the early days, and this remedy was quite effective.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 69

     A medical book called "Dr. Gunn" was very widely circulated. It contained
diagnosis of various diseases and simple remedies made from herbs.

     Another book circulated was "Dr. Chase' Recipe Book," which contained one
thousand recipes, covering household matters of all kinds, as well as medical
remedies.

     One of the early treatments was that of "bleeding." Someone in the
community would have a small lance. When any one concluded he had more blood
than was necessary, he woud visit the neighbor who owned the lance. He bared
his arm above the elbow, a cord was tied tightly around it, and when the veins
were swollen to sufficient size, the lance was struck and the subject allowed
to bleed until he thought he had shed enough of his blood to get well.

     Teeth were pulled with a turnkey, and if no turnkey were on hand, someone
would set a nail on the aching tooth, and hit it with a hammer. There was no
question about the extraction of the tooth.

     Pow-wowing was a favorite remedy, for burns, bleeding noses, and bleeding
wounds, erysipelas and kindred complaints.

     The secret was transferred from one to another, and consisted of some
words which were said by the person having the secret and sometimes blowing on
the diseased part. However, a good powwower could stop nose bleeding or burn if
he knew who the subject was. This is looked upon as a superstition, but strange
to say, there is some belief in it this Twentieth Century. It is claimed by
this cult that a child born after the death of the father is one who is best
fitted for this class of cures.

     The first physician to locate in Brady Township was Dr. George Wilson who
came to Luthersburg in 1846, and practiced his profession for a number of
years, later going to Big Run, Jefferson County.

     The first physician to locate in DuBois was Dr. W. J. Smathers who came
to the then town of Rumbarger on the 20th of June, 1873, and opened an office
on South Main Street.

     In an address made by Dr. Smathers to the Medical Society some years ago,
he stated that at the time he located on Main Street there were sixteen
families in the entire community. There was one blacksmith shop, one small
store, one shoemaker, a peanut stand, but no hotel. John Rumbarger opened his
residence, which is located on North Main Street and is now known as the "Old
Rumbarger House," to the traveling public.

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Page 70

JOHN DU BOIS
CHAPTER XVII

     ONE EVENING early in June, 1842, a man in a light wagon drawn by one
horse, accompanied by a dog, drove into Luthersburg from the east, and stopped
at the tavern of William C. Foley.  His baggage consisted of a gun, an axe and
a pack. He asked for lodging for the night.

     This man was tall, of rather commanding appearance, and a man whom one
would turn to look at the second time.

     During the evening the stranger inquired about wild game and stated that
he was on a hunting trip. Mr. Foley told him that if he wanted to hunt, he
should go back on Sandy and see George Shaffer, who was familiar with the woods.

     This was a period when hotel registers were not known, and tavern keepers
were not inquisitive, and Mr. Foley did not learn the name of his guest of the
night. In the morning the stranger told Mr. Foley to take care of his horse,
and after breakfast he secured directions about the road to Shaffers,
shouldered his pack and gun, and with his dog started for George Shaffers. Two
months or more elapsed without hearing from his guest, and Mr. Foley concluded
he had acquired a horse and wagon. However, the stranger returned and after
paying his bill, left for the east as unostentatiously as he had come. Several
months after this event one of the Shaffers came to Luthersburg, of whom Mr.
Foley inquired about the hunter, and was told the stranger was John DuBois from
Williamsport. About two years after, Mr. DuBois again returned and stopped with
Mr. Foley a short time. After the second visit it became rumored that Mr.
DuBois was buying land.*

     Thus did the founder of the City of DuBois make his advent into the
wilderness penetrated by George Shaffer twenty years before.

     Fortunately we are not in the dark as to the ancestors of John DuBois. He
descended from a family of empire builders. The house of du Bois was
established in France prior to 1066 and they are the oldest nobility of the
French Empire. A duBois accompanied William I. from Normandy into England and
helped to conquer the English nation. French heraldry starts the family with
Macquaire duBois, Count de Roussy in 1110, whose ancestors built the Castle of
Roussy in 948. According to M. de Saint Allais, in his "Nobilaire de France,"
the name is that of one of the most ancient of noble families of the French
Empire. This author traces the duBois family from 1066 (at which time it was an
old family) down to the 19th Century, by regular descent from father to son,
the original patronymic being unchanged throughout.
     
*(The above facts were given to the writer by Mr. Foley during his lifetime.)

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 71

     The family of DuBois in the United States (from which John DuBois
descended) starts with Louis duBois, one of this house, who was born October
27, 1626, at Wicres, in the Township of Artois, Northern France. From here
Louis duBois moved to the City of Manheim, in the Palatinate of the Rhine,
Germany, where he married Catherine Blanchau, of Blanjean, the daughter of a
Burger, October 10, 1655. Two sons, viz: Abraham and Isaac were born to them at
this place. This little family, with other French Huguenots, embarked for
America in 1660; seeking in the new world freedom from the religious
persecution which was then at its heighth in that part of France. The family
was stripped of all its possessions before they left Europe for America.

     Professor Ross tells us that if the bed of the Atlantic Ocean should
become dry, the path of the ships conveying the Huguenots sailing to America
during the periods of persecution, could be traced across the Atlantic Ocean by
the bones of those dying on shipboard at sea. He states that more than half the
Huguenot emigrants died on the way across.

     This is probably best described in a poem read at the DuBois Reunion at
New Paltz August 25, 1875:
   "Nor sword, nor fire, nor mortal pain 
   Could their undaunted courage move:
   The word of God sustained them then; 
   Such cruel deaths their faith did prove.
   * * * *
   "Let earthly kings and worldly men
   Acknowledge Thee a god on earth; 
   Thy ghostly might o'er them extend,
   But we have rights of heavenly birth.
   * * * *
   "A right to read God's holy word,
   To guide our conscience by the light 
   It sheds upon the path of all
   Who would the flesh and devil fight.
   * * * *
   "And we are told, and know it true,
   There is a land beyond the sea; 
   And God hath bid us seek a home
   Where we may worship and be free.
   * * * *
   "Farewell to France! Our native land
   And all we have we leave behind—
   Our arms are strong, our hearts are brave; 
   There peace and plenty we will find."

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Page 72  JOHN DUBOIS

   Within three years after Louis duBois located with other Huguenots on the
banks of the Hudson, an Indian raid was made, while most of the men were away
from home, and large numbers of women and children were taken by the Indians
and carried into captivity, among whom was the wife and children of Louis
duBois. These persons were held in captivity for three months, or more, before
a sufficient force could be organized to recapture them. When the settlers,
accompanied by the Government troops approached the Indian stockade, Mrs.
duBois had been placed on a pile of fagots with the intention of burning her
alive. She commenced to sing some of the old Psalms, which attracted the
attention of the Indians and they became so interested that they did not notice
the approach of the whites until they were on them, and succeeded in scattering
the Indians and recapturing the prisoners. After this Indian attack, Louis
duBois engineered a treaty with the Indians by which a very large territory,
consisting of more than 36,000 acres, was purchased from the Indians, from
which the Township of New Paltz was taken and upon which the towns of Kingston,
New Paltz and Aesopus now stand.

   Louis duBois could not remain long in this wilderness without establishing
a French Reformed Church, and on the 22nd day of January, 1683, Pierre Daillie,
a minister, arrived in New Paltz, and preached twice on a Sunday and a church
was organized, of which Louis duBois was elected the Elder. The minutes of this
meeting are in the handwriting of Louis duBois, written in the French of that
time:

   "Le 22 de Jan. 1683, monsieur Peirre Daillie ministre de la parole de dieu
est arrive au nouveau palatinat et presca deus fois de dimanche suivant et
proposa au ceef des famille de coisir a plus de vois par les peres de famille
un ancien et un diake de qu'il firt et coisirt Louys duBois pour ancien et
Hughe Frere pour diake pur ayker le ministre a conduire les membres de l'eglise
qu'il assemble au nouveau palatinat lequel furt confirme ensuite dans l'adiot
charge d'ancien et diake. Le present liuur a est fait pur mestre les chores
qu'il apatien a la diet eglise."

     The following is a translation:—
   "The 22nd of January, 1683, Mr. Pierre Daillie, minister of the Word of
God, arrived at New Paltz, and preached twice on the following Sunday, and
proposed to the heads of the families that they should choose by majority of
votes, by the fathers of families, one elder and one deacon, which they did,
and chose Louis du Bois for elder and Hugh Frere for deacon, to assist the
minister in guiding the members of the church that meets in New Paltz; who were
subsequently confirmed in the said charge of elder and deacon. This minute has
been made to put in order the matters which pertain to the said church."

   Because Louis du Bois was an ardent Protestant and Huguenot,

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 73

he became known as "Louis the Walloon," being the nearest to a title in the
New World that could possibly be given at that time.

     About ten years after Louis DuBois arrived in America, his brother, James
duBois also came to America and joined his brother Louis. From these two
brothers have descended the principal part of the duBois family in the United
States. Among them are eminent ministers, doctors, lawyers and merchants. Many
of them served in the Revolutionary War.

   However, we are interested in the life of John DuBois, the founder of the
City of DuBois.

   The family of Louis duBois consisted of ten children, viz: Abraham, Isaac,
(born in Manheim, Germany,) Jacob, Sarah, Solomon, Rebecca, Rachel, Louis and
Matthew (born in America.) Louis duBois II was the ancestor of the family of
which John DuBois descended. His father's name was John DuBois and he was two
generations removed from Louis duBois II.

     John DuBois Sr., married Lucy Crocker and settled near Owego, New York.

     Lucy Crocker was the daughter of Ezekial Crocker, who emigrated from
Connecticut when his daughter Lucy was of the age of eleven years. Mr. Crocker
settled near Binghamton, New York. At the time of his emigration he brought
with him his daughter Lucy and two sons. Lucy Crocker at this early age kept
house for her father and two brothers and two hired men for eighteen months
until her mother and the rest of the family came from Connecticut.

     There were very few white settlers in the neighborhood, but plenty of
Indians. Miss Crocker was at the housewarming of the first residence built in
the City of Binghampton, New York.

     Lucy Crocker is described as "a woman of indefatigable energy and
decision of character". We can well believe this description and this mother's
character was impressed upon a family of ten children born to her after her
marriage with John DuBois, Sr. The oldest of the family was Ezekial DuBois, the
father of John E. DuBois, and the second son was John DuBois, afterwards known
as John DuBois, Jr.

     John DuBois, Jr. was born on his father's farm near Owego, Tioga County,
New York, on the 3rd day of March 1809.

     In John DuBois, Jr. the character of Louis DuBois, 'The Walloon' crops
out as an empire builder.

     The life of John DuBois, Jr. was that of the ordinary boy in the
community. "He was subject to his parents," and in the earlier part of his life
he attended the district schools, rounding out his education by one winter's
attendance at an academy in Owego, the county seat of his native county. At the
age of twelve years, after helping to produce the crops through the summer, his
principal occupation in the winter was the driving of oxen and horses for the

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Page 74  JOHN DUBOIS

tramping out of wheat on the barn floor. At the age of fifteen John DuBois
commenced to take the place of a man in the lumber woods of the time. Outside
of farming, lumbering was the chief occupation of the community, and the father
had purchased a large tract of land near Owego, consisting of a farm, upon
which he erected a saw mill and a store building and he, with his sons,
operated this property. The principal lumbering was done by rafting on the
north branch of the Susquehanna River, carrying the lumber as far south as
Columbia.

     At nineteen years of age, John DuBois Jr., took charge of his father's
fleet of rafts, selling it to two merchants at Columbia by the name of Cooper,
receiving seventy-five cents per thousand feet above the market price. It is
said that from this time on he continued to have charge of the rafting and
selling of his father's lumber. Thus early in life the education of John
DuBois, Jr., began in the practical school of experience. A little later he
purchased a tract of land of one thousand acres, which he and several of his
brothers proceeded to operate and from which they made a very large amount of
money. Prior to this, however, Mr. DuBois decided to enter into the mercantile
business and he went to New York with a man by the name of Light, who was to
take a half interest in the store, but when he got to New York, Light suddenly
disappeared with most of the money. However Light had introduced Mr. DuBois to
merchants who seemed willing to stock his store. What the results of this
venture were is now unknown, but it evidently was abandoned for the more active
business of lumbering.

     At that period, lumbering depended very largely upon the snows of the
winter, and if the winter happened to be open and not much snow, it was
difficult to get the lumber into the streams. John DuBois, however, was not to
be handicapped by open winters and to overcome this delinquency of nature to
furnish him a means of getting his lumber to market, he invented the "log
slide", said to be the first slide used in the United States. People came for
miles to see this new system of transporting timber to the stream.

     Mr. DuBois entered into a partnership with his two brothers, Ezekial and
David, who carried on a lumber business in his own county, and as the timber
became scarcer, they drifted farther south into the woods of Pennsylvania. The
brother, David DuBois died about 1848, dissolving the firm. At a previous date
the older brother, Ezekial DuBois, had retired from the firm, taking largely
the real estate situated at Tioga Center, in the State of New York, and a
certain amount of money for his share in the firm. This property is still owned
by the descendants of Ezekial DuBois. At the time David DuBois died, a
settlement was made with the family and the interest of David became invested
in John DuBois, Jr., and his brother, Mattias DuBois. This firm started in
lumbering about twenty miles north of Williamsport. They discovered they should
have some property on the Susquehanna River, at Williamsport,

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CITY OF DuBois  Page 75

and they bought real estate in that city, which they subsequently laid out in
town lots and sold at considerable profit.

     In 1849 John DuBois was the principal organizer of what was known as the
"Susquehanna Boom Company", which was created for the purpose of constructing
booms in the Susquehanna River at Williamsport and Lock Haven. The two brothers
took half the stock and secured friends who carried sufficient to give them
majority of the stock. John DuBois became president of this corporation. Boom
piers were constructed on the Susquehanna River from Williamsport west a
distance of more than four miles and likewise piers were constructed in the
Susquehanna River at Lock Haven. The construction of these booms and the
building of saw mills created a market for saw logs on the Susquehanna River.

     The lumbering on the Susquehanna and the upper streams flowing into the
river was carried on by rafting of square timber. Every farmer having a piece
of land made considerable money by making square timber in the winter and
rafting it down the river on the spring floods to market. The best description
of this method of lumbering is given in a little booklet by James Mitchell of
Clearfield, Pa., entitled "Rafting and Lumbering."

     The floating of logs interfered very materially with rafting. The logs
were landed in winter time on the banks of the creeks flowing into the
Susquehanna as well as along the river itself. These logs ran wild in the early
spring freshets, sometimes covering the river from shore to shore, forcing
rafts out of the channel. This made the raftsmen angry and they started a
system of sabotage by driving iron spikes and files and any other iron material
they could find, into the logs which floated into the boom. The result of this
was to destroy a great many saws and close down the operation of the mills. Mr.
DuBois suffered along with his fellow lumbermen and finally by threats
succeeded in scaring the raftsmen out. However lumbering soon fell into the
hands of large operators and logs were handled more cheaply than square timber,
thus the fight between square timber operators and logmen adjusted itself.

     The Boom Company was looked upon as a serious monopoly and a great deal
of dissatisfaction arose. Mr. DuBois sold a controlling interest in this
corporation. When the new owners got hold of it, they became avaricious and by
manipulating the legislature of the state, succeeded in getting the boom tolls
raised to such an extent that it became burdensome. The lumbermen were like the
children of Israel in the Wilderness, they longed for the rule of John DuBois
who had been fair with them before, but on account of their complaints Mr.
DuBois was now out of control of the company.

     One of the menaces of the lumber business on the Susquehanna was the
spring floods. Logs would be banked along the creeks and river in the fall and
winter. Logs that did not get to the boom in the spring and summer floods were
hauled to the banks of the streams.

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Page 76  JOHN DuBois

A heavy ice flood would pick up these logs and carry them into the streams
before the boom was hung, in the spring of the year. and they passed on down
the river. Likewise, occasionally an enormous flood would come down the river
and take all of the logs out of the boom at Williamsport. These floods would
carry the logs down the river, landing them sometimes on farms and long
distances past the saw mills. For meeting this emergency Mr. DuBois secured
land at Havre de Grace and erected mills at that point for the manufacturing of
his runaway logs. These logs would frequently get far down the bay and have to
be gathered up by boat and brought back to the mill. This system of taking care
of the logs arose after one of the first heavy floods that carried the logs
past the boom, at which time Mr. DuBois tried to organize the lumbermen for the
gathering up of their logs and saving what they could, but as usual every one
thought he had a different remedy than that of Mr. DuBois and the result was,
Mr. DuBois bought the logs of the other lumbermen, erected his mills and from
that time on played a lone hand in this lumber business.

     It was while Mr. DuBois was operating this mill that he conceived the
invention of erecting bridge piers under water. Prior to that time the
Pennsylvania Railroad had crossed the Susquehanna River at Havre de Grace on a
Ferry. This method of transporting cars became burdensome and they decided to
construct a bridge. Mr. DuBois got an interwiew with the railroad officials and
wanted to build these piers. However, through the treachery of a friend in whom
he had confided his method for the construction of the piers, (although
offering to take this man along with him in this enterprise), the railroad
became advised of the system intended to be used by Mr. DuBois. When Mr. DuBois
discovered this treachery, he immediately made an application for a patent,
which he succeeded in getting. The Railroad Company having become familiar with
his plans, used them. Mr. DuBois promptly brought a suit against the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The influence of the Pennsylvania Railroad at
that time with the government was much stronger than that of Mr. DuBois, but
the case finally got into the Supreme Court of the United States, which stood,
as it has always, free and clear of petty politics, and Mr. DuBois became the
victor, compelling the railroad company to pay large sums of money for the use
of his invention. This invention was the most notable of any that Mr. DuBois
made during his lifetime. The system was afterwards used in the construction of
the first bridge between New York City and Brooklyn and is now universally used
wherever it is necessary to put in a pier or an abutment under water. The
patent has long since expired and it is now free to the use of engineers.

     Mr. DuBois was of a naturally inventive turn of mind. It may be said that
he was the father of "mass production". His mills were so constructed that when
a log started in at one end,

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[image]
Diagram for building bridge piers. Copied from the patent
of John DuBois, United States Patent Office.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/077.jpg

**********************************************************

[image]
John DuBois' first store and office. The DuBois House
to the East. This building became the P. R. R. Station.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/078.jpg

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 79

of the mill none of the lumber ever took a backward step, but kept going
forward and forward until it landed, graded for shipping, in the yard for
curing purposes. In his mills he always used the most up to date machinery,
including other inventions as well as his own.

     He loved to work at these inventions and usually kept a mechanic in his
employ to whom he would impart his ideas and the mechanic would work out the
details. One of his inventions was used in the manufacturing of shoes and is
still used for that purpose, the shoe factories having paid him considerable
royalty for the use of his patent while it was in existence. In the planing
mill business he made many useful inventions, and in fact it is alleged that he
originated the planing machine, the first one being a very crude structure,
having a wooden cylinder with steel knives fastened on it, revolving at a high
rate of speed planing the lumber.

     Mr. DuBois was always kind to his men and associated with them. He did
not hesitate to argue with them and quarrel with them, but when the argument
was over he was still John DuBois and his employee was still his friend.

     Mr. DuBois never had any labor trouble. If his superintendent (bosses, as
they were then called) became a little "hard boiled" it took Mr. DuBois but a
few minutes to remind the superior that the employee had rights, and that these
rights must be respected.

     He saw to it that his men were well cared for, encouraged them in buying
land and building houses, and helped them to build by giving them extended
credit for all kinds of material.

     Mr. DuBois had the happy faculty of being able to select men of ability
who assisted him in his many enterprises, he being the directing head, and they
working out the details.

     As before stated, he first came into the forests of Clearfield County
about 1842. From that time on he purchased large tracts of land in Brady and
Huston Townships, Clearfield County, as well as in Jay. Township, Elk County.
His lands extended from below the present city limits as far east as beyond
Tyler, and comprised the land on both sides of Sandy Lick Creek in Brady
Township, extending over the summit into Huston Township. His holdings east of
the summit were largely on the southern side of the Bennetts Branch of the
Sinnemahoning.

     Prior to Mr. DuBois' locating here a lot of timber on his Bennetts Branch
lands was cut and floated to his mills at Williamsport.
Mr. DuBois, finally tiring of his operations at Williamsport, about 1870
disposed of his mills at that point. At this time he had accumulated an
abundance of wealth, and many men would have retired to live in ease the
balance of their lives.

     However, the pioneer spirit of his ancestors rankled in his veins, and at
the age of sixty-three he came into the wilderness which he

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Page 80  JOHN DuBois

had visited forty years before and commenced an entirely new enterprise,
wherein he founded and became the father of the city of DuBois.

     From this time on the life of John DuBois up to the time of his death is
so interwoven with the history of the city.

ACTIVITIES OF JOHN DUBOIS

     When John DuBois decided to develop his property west of the summit in
1871, he found the same log house standing in which he had lived with George
Shaffer II on his first trip into the wilderness. However, George Shaffer had
"slept with his fathers" many years before this second advent of Mr. DuBois,
and he found the place occupied by John Rumbarger. Mr. DuBois took up his
residence with John Rumbarger while carrying on the early development of his
new industry. No doubt Mr. Rumbarger got some information from Mr. DuBois for
the advertisement of his lots in July, 1872, wherein he refers to improvements
started by John DuBois, as well as his advertisement in the papers in March,
1873.

     Comparatively, a small part of Brady Township, had been cleared and
reduced to agricultural purposes at this time. That was particularly true of
that section lying north of the pike. The nearest railroad for years had been
Tyrone, and the merchandise for the entire country west of Tyrone was hauled
overland in wagons, from that place, until the railroad was completed to
Philipsburg in 1862. From 1862 the merchandise was hauled from that point up
until February in 1869 when the railroad had been completed and put in
operation from Philipsburg to Clearfield. The nearest railroad station on the
north was Olean, New York until the P. & E. Railroad was built and then Ridgway
became the shipping point on the north.

     At the time of the building of the Low Grade Railroad, supplies for the
eastern contractors were hauled from Driftwood. For the western division from
Red Bank, and for the central division in which DuBois was located, the
supplies were hauled from Shawmut, a branch of the Pennsylvania.

     The Civil War had revolutionized the north, and the close of the war was
the beginning of a new era in the history of central Pennsylvania. More than
250,00o men of the north had been killed or crippled by this war, of which the
counties of Clearfield, Jefferson and Elk had contributed their quotas. And
from this section came the famous "Bucktail Regiment."

     As in all wars; there had been destruction of property. The south, prior
to the war, had been the producer of cotton and sugar, and after the war
started, cotton from the southern states became contraband, and of course the
sugar plantations were largely abandoned. In the course of the war the south
had been so destroyed that the agricultural productions from that section were
nil.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 81

     From the close of the war in 1865 up to 1873, wages and all commodities
were at a top price. Ordinary labor was worth $2.50 per day. Skilled labor
usually rated a little higher wage. Stone masons were paid $4.00 to $5.00 per
day. Calico and unbleached muslin sold from 50c to 60c per yard, ginghams were
of like price. The present classes of cotton goods were unknown. Molasses of
what was known as the "black strap" variety sold at a high price. A very black
brown sugar known as "molasses drips," and largely the candied sugar of the
molasses barrel sold for 14c to 16c per pound. Coal oil retailed for 75c per
gallon. An ordinary glass oil lamp that in later years was bought complete at
5c and me sold for $1.50. Coffee and tea were not used except in the families
of the very wealthy and they had to be rich to afford them. Browned rye, mixed
with chicory, browned wheat, or browned peas was the breakfast drink of the
day. One woman boasted that her husband had arrived at that state of wealth at
which her family could afford coffee. On showing her visitor around the place,
she opened the Dutch Oven where they had baked bread, and there was the
inevitable pan of rye browning for their breakfast drink in place of the coffee
of which she boasted. Of course, coffee was not browned. It sold in the raw
bean, and the purchaser had to do his own browning, and owned his own coffee
mill for the grinding. When one reads the advertisements of "Postum" and
kindred drinks, he is lead to smile at the care taken by the advertising to
show that browned wheat is a delicious and healthful substitute for coffee,
when many persons living today, who lived from 186o to 1885, had nothing else
for his breakfast drink, except browned rye or browned wheat or browned peas.
Tea was $2.00 per pound. Green coffee was $1.00 per pound. Coffee was so
expensive that the ordinary person could not even afford the odor of coffee for
his breakfast let alone have it to drink.

     The country was still in the "handmade" stage of production. Carpets were
homemade from rags, in which the chain used was spun from tow and the filling
of rags cut in strips from the worn out clothing and pieced together by hand
and woven on a hand loom. Boots and shoes were made by the local shoemaker and
every little village had its shoe-maker's shop, which, along with the country
store, was the gossip center of the community, and where the men gathered in
the evenings to keep the shoemaker company while he worked at night. There were
two kinds of leather, viz: "kip" and "calfskin." A pair of kip boots cost
$16.00 and a skillful shoemaker could make a pair of kip boots in one day. The
"dress" boots were made from calfskin and usually cost $20.00. However, the
wearing quality of these dress boots was wonderful. A few years ago a man
related that he had what he called a pair of "fine boots," made by a local
shoemaker, which he had worn for nine years. Of course .the wear was limited
practically to Sunday or when he went to parties. The women wore shoes. The
shoemaker commenced in early fall and was kept very busy making the boots and
shoes for his patrons throughout the

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Page 82  JOHN DUBOIS

community. After this rush was over he was kept busy repairing his product as
it became worn. Children's boots and shoes were the last to be made, and many a
child recalls his adventures on a cold, frosty morning in October or November
when he was compelled to go out into the frost covered fields in the early
morning to chase up the oxen to bring them in to be hitched up for the day, or
the cows to be brought in to be milked. On these occasions the youngster would
stand in the spot, where the animal had lain at night, to warm his feet for the
return trip. Children ran barefooted from early spring until very late fall.
Sunday morning the youngster washed his feet and put a clean rag on his sore
toe, and considered himself dressed for the day. Schools were of three months'
duration and usually did not commence until December.

     Wheat flour was worth $20.00 per barrel and wheat sold at $3.00 per
bushel on the barn floor. Fortunately the farmer did not need to buy flour for
he raised his own wheat. Other grains and hay were of like price.

     About 1859, the Blanchards located at "Home Camp" on Anderson Creek and
commenced lumbering. Other lumber operations had sprung up affording the farmer
a market for everything he could produce. This had been accentuated by the
Civil War and at the close of the war the white pine timber of central
Pennsylvania had become a valuable commodity. The man who had purchased his
land found that he could make square timber in the winter from the pine which
stood upon the land he intended to clear, and which he formerly burned in log
heaps. The result of this was that each owner of land became a lumberman in the
winter time. If he did not have enough money to finance his operation, he
applied to the local merchant who would be willing to purchase his timber
either on the banks of the stream or when rafted to market. A copy of the
following contract indicates how this matter was handled.

     "An Article of Agreement made and entered into this day of January, A.
D., 1871, between Andrew Spencer of the first part, and John Ferguson, of the
second part, all of Clearfield County, Pa.
     "Witnesseth, (whereof) that the party of the first part agrees to sell to
the party of the second part, what hemlock timber he has lying on the bank at
Lumber City, 3000 feet, more or less, at 4 cts. per cubic foot, and what he has
in the woods for 2 cents per cubic foot, and to haul it for 2 cts. per cubic
foot additional to where the other logs are and furnish everything except the
rope, and raft it all in and put it in good running order for one cent per
cubic foot, and the balance that is lying after what goods &c he gets and has
got to be paid when return is received from lumber."

     The country had not been accustomed to short credits. Sometimes accounts
ran for years, but when lumbering commenced there

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 83

was usually a settling day once a year, and that was after the timber had been
run to market, sold and the proceeds brought back.

     Banks were scarce, probably one or two banks in a county seat or a town
of some size. In Brady Township the nearest banking institution up until 1871
was Curwensville. F. K. Arnold & Co. established a bank at. Luthersburg. Later
Reynoldsville was the closest banking point. People kept their money at home.
This sometimes resulted in robberies and a case that received a great deal of
notoriety in the Jefferson County Court was the murder of Betty McDonald in the
Beechwoods section, who was killed for her money.

     The high wages and high price of lumber and long terms of credit rode
along until about September, 1873, when in that month J. Cook & Co., of
Philadelphia, failed, creating a very grave stringency in money matters. News
traveled very slowly and as now, the outlying sections were the last to feel
this money stringency. The timber cut of 1872 had been marketed in the spring
of 1873, and that money still remained in the community. Like all other panics,
everybody believed it would be of short duration and naturally the local
lumbermen continued to cut the timber on the basis of the prior year's prices
for delivery in the spring of '74. Some few lumber operators were wise enough
to quit, but others were not able to protect themselves, or did not do so. When
the lumber cut in the fall of '73, and the winter of '74 got to market in the
spring, there was an over production and prices fell, and the purchasers took
advantage of their opportunity. The owners of the timber were compelled to take
any price offered. It is related that one man said to his son that they must
"run a bluff." This son went along the Allegheny River and as each fleet went
by he hailed the owner to ascertain if it were sold, and if not he directed him
to land at a certain place at Pittsburgh. In this way he succeeded in tying up
a very large amount of the timber on the Allegheny River. He told his son that
he had no money, but if their method did not work out they would have less than
they had then. However, the persons who ran their lumber to market, finding the
offers so low, waited until they could consult with the would-be purchaser, and
when the buyers in Pittsburgh discovered the great quantity of lumber engaged
in this way, they became scared and gave a fair price for this man's stock.

     We therefore find that in the 70's there were bluffers as well as today.

     Of course, there was but one result of this drop in the lumber market,
and that was to cause the failure of a very large number of lumbermen and
merchants. One firm of lumbermen had three million feet of white pine logs
stocked to the stream or on skids, which in 1874 was sold by the sheriff at 75c
per thousand. Another contractor who lived at Osceola Mills could not pay his
men and they worked for him the following year for their board. Eastern
Clearfield County and western Jefferson County, as well as other lumber
sections outside of DuBois were very hard hit.

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Page 84  JOHN DUBOIS

     This condition caused a serious drop in wages. Labor went as low as 75c
per day and usually did not exceed $1.00 per day, and jobs were scarce at that
price. A stone mason who had been receiving from $4.00 to $5.00 per day in
lining the tunnel at Sabula, went to work as a moulder in John DuBois' Iron
Works at $1.12 per day. The day at that time was 6 A. M. to 6 P. M. On the farm
the farmer went out at daylight and mowed grass until six when he had
breakfast, and at 9 o'clock he had a lunch sent to his field. Then he commenced
to rake his hay, cut by hand. His day ended when he could not see in the
evening. In this day there were no charitable people to provide breadlines, nor
was there a benevolent government with offices filled with scared politicians
who went crazy and devised all methods and schemes, by levying excessive taxes
on the people, to start "public improvements" to take up the slack in labor,
the result of which increased taxes. The economists of that day had some sense
and did not advocate three days a week and short hours. They recognized the law
of economics and in place of the people crying and bemoaning their fate, they
took hold of what there was to do and did it with all their might, glad to have
an opportunity to earn their bread by honest work. True, they did not have
automobiles, radios, kitchen aides, movies, etc., and the country had risen
from the conditions prior to the Civil War, and what had been considered
luxuries prior to the war had become necessities by 1874, just as the people
now cry that what were luxuries prior to the World War are now necessities. The
difference is that the people of that time "did not have their wishbone where
their backbone ought to be."

     By 1876 one or two tanneries were built in the county and hemlock became
a commodity by which the owners of the despised hemlock could sell the bark
thereof. The owner of the land, therefore, ruthlessly cut his hemlock for the
bark. On an average it required 2000 feet of timber to produce a cord of bark.
This bark was hauled as far as twenty miles to Curwensville where the producer
received $4.00 per cord, and the seller took most of the price of this bark out
of the "tannery store" owned by the tanning company.

     One can realize what the wages were when it is known that a crew of 3 men
could cut about 6000 feet of hemlock timber and peel it in a day, which meant
three cords of bark. After the cutting, the bark had to be skidded to the road
and loaded on wagons and hauled the twenty miles. One wagon would haul probably
two tons of bark, receiving at the end of the trip the $8.00 per load as wages
of the team-driver and men producing it. This might work out about 75c per day
for the men, with a like amount for the team. The hemlock timber was left in
the woods to rot. The evidence of this can be seen in several localities of the
county where the hemlock trees have not all rotted up. Railroad ties had been
salable upon the advent of the railroad in 1869, and in Curwensville in 1875,
white oak railroad ties sold for 25c apiece. This same white oak timber on the
stump today would be worth more than five times what these

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 85

men received for their ties delivered to the railroad. These ties were usually
bought by some merchant who traded his goods at exorbitant profit. However,
there was not any murmur. The people knew that it was a condition they had to
confront and they were willing to work.

     The money lender was abroad in the land. During the panic of 1873 the
current rate of interest was 15%. It is stated that one man near Luthersburg
borrowed from a usurer $1000.00 and when he came to sign his note it was
$1500.00. However, he was informed that he was not charged interest. It is not
known what the time on this note was, but it is a fair illustration of the
character of the usurer who dealt with the unfortunate debtor. Several fortunes
were built up, but as usual, this class of fortune is built on sand, for the
descendants did not have the brains or conscience to carry on in the same
manner as their ancestors. From knowledge of the descendants, it cannot be
attributed to their liberality.

     One man in the Beechwoods section was so hard up that he could not get
trust at a store for a pair of boots. He would have had to go barefooted, but
they finally located an old store where some of the stock had been left and a
pair of boots was found, which saved the day. This man related to some friends
that his diet for a long time had been buttermilk and potatoes. This man did
not build on the sand and when he died he left a considerable fortune.

     Only persons having the best security could obtain loans. However,
throughout Brady Township a number of persons lost their homes to the greedy
money lenders.

     Fortunately for the community surrounding DuBois, Mr. DuBois had
commenced his operations in 1871. The development work had been pushed as
rapidly as possible. He brought with him from Williamsport a number of men
skilled in the class of work he was doing.

     In order to get the Little Mill in operation, he had to haul his
machinery overland from Clearfield, as well as all of his supplies for his
store and his employees.

     It is related that the supplies for the stone masons at Sabula tunnel
were hauled from Pittsburgh on hand cars, requring about a week for a trip.

     In developing his lumber operation Mr. DuBois placed the dam for his mill
on Sandy Lick Creek, about where Miles & Co.'s wholesale establishment now
stands. A glance at an old map will show the creek channel very crooked. For
the purpose of straightening the creek, Mr. DuBois purchased the land from John
Rumbarger and Henry Shaffer along the south side of the creek. He dug a channel
from near Highway Route 555, down to the breast of his dam. By damming the
water he created three islands in the vicinity of the old Fair Ground and the
B. & S. Railroad Station. What was below Liberty Boulevard was used for storing
logs.

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Page 86  JOHN DUBOIS

     Mr. DuBois did not own all of the timber on the streams above his
operation and therefore he had to provide a chute at his dam for the purpose of
passing through the logs of other operators. For this purpose he purchased a
strip of land beginning at his dam and going west to a point below the present
B. R. & P. Railroad, from John Rumbarger. For this strip of land he paid
$50.00, and it subsequently became known as "Shaffer Ditch." "Shaffer Ditch"
has been a thorn in the side of the municipal Council for many years. Mr.
George C. Kirk, who made the survey, stated that he located this ditch and he
saw Mr. DuBois pay Mr. Rumbarger the $50.00. The next morning after the
purchase, a crew of men with teams and scrapers started to dig the ditch.

     Mr. DuBois, having "put his hand to the plow" in 1871, could not turn
back. In order to help himself through, he issued a currency of his own, which
later became known as "DuBois Scrip." This scrip was an order on Mr. DuBois'
store, payable to bearer and was issued in denominations from 5 cents up to
$5.00. He established a bi-weekly pay day and Tuesday was known as "Scrip Day,"
at which time his employees would receive their previous week's wage in scrip,
which they dealt out at his store. At the end of the month, whatever was coming
was paid in legal currency. This is the first weekly pay day to be established
in this section of the State of Pennsylvania, and Mr. DuBois may have been the
pioneer of weekly pay days. This scrip bought as much at Mr. DuBois' store as a
gold dollar. His prices were no higher than the prices of other merchants in
the town for the same grade of goods.

     This development of Mr. DuBois' properties created a great influx of
labor from other territory and the new town that John Rumbarger mentioned in
his advertisements of 1872 and 1873 sprang up like a rocket, and by 1881 at the
time of the formation of the Borough, there was a young city in what had been a
dense wilderness. In 1887, what was known as "Mason's History of Clearfield
County" had the following sketch of Mr. DuBois' operation:
    "Manufacturing and Mining ---John DuBois commenced `little' mill in the
fall of 1872, and the large mill in 1873, completing the same in 1876, and put
in operation in May of that year, at which time the writer took up a permanent
residence here.
   "The large mill is two hundred and fifty feet long, eighty feet wide, and
fifty-five feet high, with a two hundred and fifty horsepower engine, and had a
capacity, in 1876, of 120,000 feet boards, 60,000 shingles, 40,000 lath, and
about 10,000 pickets per day. This mill has undergone several reconstructions,
always in the line of improvement. During the winter of 1886-7 it was again
entirely remodeled, by putting in a Sinker & Davis band saw, one large circular
saw, and one set Wicker's 'gang' saws. This change did not, however, increase
the capacity, but left it about the same as before; the great consideration being

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 87

the saving of lumber by decreasing the quantity of saw-dust, as well as
decreasing the number of men employed (in this mill) from one hundred to
seventy-five. The engines are now supplied with a double bell crank, made of
'crucible' steel by Herr Krupp, at Essen, Germany, weighing about two tons, and
costing $1,200. It is now one of the most improved mills in the country, being
fully abreast, if not ahead, in the employment of the most approved and
practical machinery known. The `bill' mill—sometimes known as the little
mill—was built in 1879, and totally destroyed by fire in June; 1879. It is 160
feet by 60 feet, employs two engines, one 160 horse-power, and the other sixty-
five horse-power. It manufactures bill timber, boards, shingles, and box
boards; capacity, per diem, 35,000 feet of boards, 55,000 shingles, box boards
30,000. It employs sixty-five men and boys, and runs the whole year round,
having never stopped longer than two weeks at a time for repairs. Daniel
Gilbert is the engineer, and Frank Patchel, foreman.
   "The box factory was built in 1881, size, 18o by 50 feet. It employs one
120 horse-power engine. It manufactures shook for oil cases, tobacco cases,
fruit cases, siding and flooring. Capacity, five to six thousand oil cases per
diem (the oil cases are used for packing refined oil—in tin cans—for shipment
to Europe), and three hundred tobacco cases per diem; employs about fifty men
and boys, and runs the year round. In close proximity and in connection with
the box factory is a large dry-house, Kerwin & Wolf's patent, containing four
kilns, each sixty feet long. These kilns receive the green lumber from the saw,
and dry it thoroughly in about three days. Frank W. Hetfield is its present
foreman.
   "The hemlock mill was built in the spring of 1884 ; size 128 by 4o feet. It
employs one 100 horse-power engine, and manufactures hemlock lumber, all sizes;
also hard wood lumber. Average capacity per day, 36,000 feet, board measure. It
employs twenty-one men. Ed. Benner, engineer; and G. W. Parker, foreman.
   "The lumber yard is an immense affair, and contains, on an average, twenty
million feet of manufactured lumber—forty men are employed all the year
round—and is equipped with all the latest labor-saving improvements; can ship
bill timber over eighty feet long. Everything manufactured in all the mills
passes through this yard. There are four mules employed on the trestle-tracks
regularly, three extra when all the mills are running at the same time, making
seven in all. John McGinnis is the efficient shipping 'boss'. The following
statement of the monthly shipment for 1886, in car loads, will afford a better
idea of the size of the lumber yard, and the immense capacity of these mills.

     It is doubtful if this aggregate was exceeded by any single lumber dealer
in the State, and probably not in the entire country:

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Page 88  JOHN DuBois

Month       Shook   Shingles   Lumber   Total
                     Lath
January     40         1         70      111
February    47         4         10      169
March       50        20        215      285
April       55        20        205      289
May         63        21        165      249
June        40        40        207      265
July        34        16        136      186
August      28        12        136      176
September   31        20        158      210
October     77        33        205      315
November    39        17        146      202
December    40         8          9      144
Totals     544       212      1,662    2,601

     "The DuBois Iron Works are the largest and most extensive in the county.
The works were originally started at DuBois Town, near Williamsport, and were
brought to DuBois in 1875. The works were built in 1875-6—size 160 by 60, and
employs five engines, two in the machine department, two for fanning hot air to
the new store and opera house building, and one in Edison incandescent electric
light plant, making an aggregate of one hundred and twenty-five horse power,
employs about twenty men regularly the year round, lighted with Edison's
electric light. The pattern shop, foundry, and blacksmith shop all belong and
are connected with the works. All kinds of saw and planing-mill machinery,
steam-engines, car wheels and castings of all descriptions are manufactured
here, also the 'DuBois Patent Lathe Tool,' which is sold in all parts of the
world, and the Cornelious Stump Machine is made on the premises; also the iron
work for the 'DuBois Patent Dam' is made here, and all kinds of repairs are
also done here. The electric light connected with the works was started in
1885, and first light furnished in January, 1886. It employs an engine of
thirty horse-power. The plant furnishes three hundred and fifty candle power
light, which is used in the iron works, the new store and opera house building,
in the hotel and in many residences in the Third Ward. Hart Fulmer is foreman
of the iron works, and ' Jerry' Haag engineer of the electric light engine. The
hotel was built in 1879, and is 100 by 50, three stories, and Mansard roof and
basement, has fifty-eight bedrooms, all elegantly furnished, and one sample
room, and bar and barber shop in the basement of the building. Part of the
building was formerly occupied as a store-room, which (after the removal of the
store to the new building) was converted into an excellent and pleasant dining-
room. The hotel is lighted throughout with the Edison electric light, and
heated by steam; A. A. Newell, manager.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 89

     "This immense business plant enjoys facilities second to none in the
county for 'stocking' the mills, first by Sandy Lick Creek with its patent
dams, then by 'Clear Run Railroad,' which is owned and controlled by this vast
enterprise, is three and a half miles long, employs two engines, fifteen log
cars and three coal cars; besides there is a projected log railroad known as
the Juniata Road, to be seven miles long, thus affording supplies of lots,
etc., through the entire year. In reverting to the lumber yard and mills, it is
not to be omitted that all are protected by an excellent system of water-works,
planned by the late John DuBois. The reservoir is located on the Third Ward,
near the Episcopal Church, with mains leading through the lumber yard and all
the mills, etc. This reservoir furnishes an ample supply of water at all times,
affording a most excellent fire protection, the purpose for which it was
established."

     Of course, there had to be a market for the hemlock bark and in 1883 Mr.
DuBois associated with him E. D. and A. R. VanTassel in a firm known as DuBois
& VanTassel Brothers, for the tanning of leather. They erected a large tannery
just north of DuBois Avenue. The present Third Ward Hose House stands on this
location. The land occupied by this tannery has been donated by Mr. John E.
DuBois to the City for a public park. This tannery had a capacity of 1400 sides
of leather per day and employed 500 people.

     In 1884 a concern by the name of Barber & Scully located a large sash and
door factory and constructed a building for this purpose. This enterprise
lasted for a number of years, when difficulty came up between Mr. DuBois and
this firm and the lumber contract was discontinued.

     By this time the foundation of the city was permanently laid. As soon as
Mr. DuBois could get to it, he built himself a residence of the architecture of
the period, in which residence he lived until his death on May 6, 1886. This
building is still standing. However, it has been greatly enlarged.
Mr. DuBois saw the necessity of a good hotel. The old office quarters soon
became crowded and he erected a four story building east of the present
Pennsylvania Railroad Station. The first floor on the west side of this
building was occupied by his store. The second floor was used for his offices.
The north side, including the first and part of the second and third and fourth
floors, were used for hotel purposes. The building has since been removed.

     The store quarters and office quarters having become crowded, about 1884,
Mr. DuBois erected a very large store and office building in the vicinity of
his present office. This building was about 61 feet wide by 140 feet long and
8o feet high. It was constructed of timber on the lines of the present
skyscraper. In place of steel being used, white pine posts 8o feet long for the
support of the building were erected. The entire building was cased with brick
and the third and fourth floors were used for an Opera House.

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Page 90  JOHN DUBOIS

     Mr. DuBois did not live to see his Opera House opened, but his successor,
Mr. John E. DuBois attended to this and the initial performance was by Lawrence
Barrett in "Richelieu." Mr. E. B. Nettleton was the manager of this enterprise
and he has preserved the first program which he has loaned the writer and is
here inserted.

GRAND OPENING
DUBOIS OPERA HOUSE
E. B. Nettleton, Manager.
SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 4TH, '86,
First appearance in DuBois of the Eminent Tragedian,
MR. LAWRENCE BARRETT
Supported by His Excellent Company
Under the direction of MR. ARTHUR B. CHASE.
Bulwer's Great Play, in Five Acts,
RICHELIEU

Cast of Characters
CARDINAL RICHELIEU	MR. LAWRENCE BARRETT
Louis XIII  .....  Mr. Frederick Vroom
Gaston, Duke of Orleans  .....  Mr. J. L. Finney
Count De Baradas  .....  Mr. S. L. Springer
Adrian De Mauprat  .....  Mr. Charles Welles
DeBeringhen  .....  Mr. Charles Keohler
Joseph, a Capuchin  .....  Mr. G. G. Rogers
Huguet, an Officer  .....  Mr. Chas. M. Collins
Francois  .....  Mr. J. M. Sturgeon
Clermont  .....  Mr. J. W. Albaugh, Jr.
Courtier  .....  Mr. Charles Forrest
Captain of Archers  .....  Mr. G. Davidson
First Secretary  .....  Mr. M. C. Stone
Second Secretary  .....  Mr. Charles Harris
Third Secretary  .....  Mr. Kendall Weston
Julie De Mortimer  .....  Miss Minna K. Gale
Marion De Lorme  .....  Miss Minnie Monk

Courtiers, Pages, Conspirators, Officers, Etc.
Stage Director, for Mr. Barrett  .....   Mr. Leon J. Vincent
Business Manager, for Mr. Barrett  .....  Mr. Theodore Bromley
General Business Agent, for Mr. Barrett  .....  Mr. Joseph Levy

     In a few years dry rot affected the timbers of the building and the Opera
House became unsafe and had to be abandoned. However, while this Opera House
was in use the plays were of the classic type and played by the highest class
artists. It was not a question of what it cost or whether there was a profit in
it, but it was intended as an educational feature, giving the number of
inhabitants of the City of

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[image]
The largest saw mill in Pennsylvania. From 1874, the time of the
starting of this mill until it closed in 1900, more than one billion feet
of lumber was cut on this mill. The largest daily cut was five hun-
dred thousand feet in a day of ten hours.

[image]
DuBois Scrip (about one-fourth size) used by John
DuBois on his semi-monthly pay clays during the
panic of 1873 and later.

images may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/091.jpg

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[image]
Log skidding crew, consisting of teamster, swamper and grab driver. Each
teamster prided himself on the gew-gaws he put on his harness.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/092.jpg

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 93

DuBois an opportunity to see the very best productions of the American stage
of the time, at a low price of admission. Among the artists presented were
Lawrence Barrett, Joe Jefferson in "Rip Van Winkle," Wilson in "The Mikado,"
"Lotta," and a great many others of the same character which cannot now be
recalled.

     In constructing this building Mr. DuBois had provided a hot air system
carried from the Iron Works through a large conduit into the building.
Unfortunately one evening fire got into this conduit and was blown through the
building, and in a very short time it was destroyed.

     This lumber and tannery operation continued until 1900 when all the
timber had been cut on the large holdings of Mr. DuBois.

     In the early stocking of this lumber to the mills, Mr. DuBois had
constructed dams on the various streams flowing into Sandy Lick Creek. The
first dam above DuBois was what was known as the "Joe Hand Dam." The present
generation is using the hole dug out by the overflow of this dam as a swimming
hole. On the opposite side of the valley the Low Grade had constructed a
culvert over McCracken Run. At this point Mr. DuBois built a spillway in the
culvert, using it for the floating of the logs. The railroad company, of
course, protested. Mr. DuBois' reply was "If you don't like that dam in there,
take your danged old railroad away." The railroad company didn't remove its
tracks. On Narrows Creek a series of dams were erected, but the largest dam was
at Sabula on the head waters of Sandy Lick Creek, which was constructed at the
time of the digging of the tunnel at that point. The contractor made the breast
of the dam from the waste rock and dirt from that tunnel. It remained intact
until the flood of 1889 when it overflowed. This break was repaired. John E.
DuBois subsequently took out all of the stumps and rubbish from this dam and
now it affords the only lake in Central Pennsylvania where the people can
relieve themselves from the hot weather in summer by swimming.

     As the country cleared up, the water supply in the streams was not
sufficient to float logs through the summer or in winter. It became necessary
to build railroads throughout the property for the conveying of logs to the
mills and hence a series of railroads throughout the entire property were
constructed.

     This lumber operation continued until 1900 when all of the timber of all
varieties had been cut on the large holdings of Mr. DuBois. A careful estimate
shows that more than one billion feet of lumber was cut on the DuBois mills
between 1872 and 1900. In 1900, this mill was removed to Hicks Run in Cameron
County, where it remained until that lumber operation was exhausted.

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Page 94

FIRST RAILROAD
CHAPTER XVIII

     AFTER the country evolved from the Conestoga wagon and the stage coach,
then the cry came, "give us railroads", and the Conestoga wagon and stage coach
were thrown into the discard. The present day is hard roads and railroads are
going into the discard.

     What was known as the valley of the Red Bank and Sandy Lick Creek from
the Allegheny River, eastward to the summit, and the valley of Bennetts Branch
of the Sinnemahoning to Driftwood, a distance of one hundred fifteen miles, or
more, was a region of vast natural resources of timber, coal, clay, some oil
and natural gas. The nearest railroad to the north was known as the
Philadelphia and Erie, and the nearest railroad on the south was the
Pennsylvania main line, with one or two branches touching the main line of the
Pennsylvania Railroad on the east. None of them, however, extended over the
divide.

     The only method of getting the lumber out of this region was that of
floating it down the small creeks, which had to be done on the spring freshets,
and it was a very slow process. There was no market for the coal, clays or
other natural resources.

     Reuben Winslow, a pioneer of Bennetts Branch Valley, had located at
Benezette, west of Driftwood on the Bennetts Branch of the Sinnemahoning Creek.

     Mr. Winslow had invested in a large amount of timber and coal lands.
Seeing the advantage his competitors had over him along the Philadelphia and
Erie Railroad, he decided to build a railroad of his own and in 1862 he secured
a special charter from the Legislature of Pennsylvania under the name of the
"Winslow Colliery", granting him the right to operate mines and build a
railroad from the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad into Elk County. In 1864 he
secured an amendment to his charter, permitting him to extend his railroad
through Clearfield County and Jefferson County.

     In pursuance of this charter Mr. Winslow laid out a railroad some
distance west of the summit of Sandy Lick Creek and Bennetts Branch and
commenced construction operations by grading part of his railroad line, as well
as commencing the tunnel at Sabula.
In 1869 the Allegheny Valley Railroad, by special act of legislature, secured
an amendment to its charter authorizing it to issue bonds to the extent of ten
millions of dollars to build a railroad through the same territory where Mr.
Winslow was constructing his road. The preamble to that Act is as follows:

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CITY OF DUBOIS Page 95

     "Whereas, it is a matter of much public importance to the state at large,
that a railway should be completed at an early date, connecting the valleys of
the Allegheny and the Ohio with the valleys of the East Branch of the
Susquehanna, by a system of low gradients, for the movement of heavy traffic,
thereby developing a valuable portion of this commonwealth and adding greatly
to taxable values for state purposes, as well as to provide, in connection
therewith, for the absolute security and final payment of the principal of
three and a half millions of dollars, originally owing from the Sunbury and
Erie Railroad Company, for the purchase of certain portions of the original
state canals, together with interest thereon from January first, one thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two.

     "And whereas, it is believed that these desirable objects may be
accomplished, and in order to grant sufficient authority for effective efforts
to be made to secure the same; Be it enacted, etc."

     This preamble recognizes the vast resources of these two valleys. Why the
Legislature of Pennsylvania should issue an apology for passing this act is not
apparent at this date; but evidently there was some objection to this amendment
and the opponents were consoled with the idea of the state securing three and a
half millions of dollars, which the state had invested and probably could not
get without some concern floating bonds to be sold to the public.

     In less than sixty years these two valleys became a great feeder to the
Pennsylvania Railroad lines and in less than three years after this charter was
granted the foundation for the City of DuBois was laid.

     This railroad crossed the Allegheny Mountains on the lowest pass in the
mountains. The elevation of the railroad at the summit, is about fourteen
hundred feet above sea level. The tunnel through the mountains is a little over
nineteen hundred feet in length.

     It is the only pass in these mountains in which two railroads, one
crossing diagonally above the other, cross through the mountain. Fom 1925 to
1931 the three largest railroad corporations in the east battled for exclusive
possession of this pass.

     A survey of this line of railroad was completed by the Allegheny Valley
Railroad and construction commenced some time in 187o or 1871.

     That one may have an idea of the condition of things in this locality,
when the first construction train came up over this road, and the natives heard
the whistle of the train, two experienced hunters gathered up their rifles and
started into the woods to shoot what they supposed was a panther, but was
nothing more than the whistle of the construction train laying track on the new
railroad.

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Page 96  FIRST RAILROADS

     Mr. G. L. Reed relates that when the construction train was operating
between Falls Creek and DuBois, he and another boy were gathering blackberries
some distance above the railroad. They had their buckets fairly well filled
when they heard the whistle of the construction train and they were sure that
it was a panther. The boys ran toward the railroad and on the way spilled most
of their berries. When they came to the construction crew and in their excited
condition related to the crew what they had heard, the men laughed at them and
told them that it was the whistle of the train. They then found the engineer
had placed a block in his whistle which made the singular sound that the boys
and the hunters had taken for the scream of a panther. Mr. Reed said they were
glad to give the remainder of their blackberries to the train crew and the boys
went home with empty buckets.

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Page 97

JOHN RUMBARGER
CHAPTER XIX

     JOHN RUMBARGER was born in Warriors Mark, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
on the 25th day of May 1811. He was named after his father and was one of a
family of 10 children.
Mr Rumbarger was married in 1834 to Elizabeth Leathers, who died several years
after, and in 1845 he again married Elizabeth Erhart. There seems to be no
previous history of Mr. Rumbarger other than above narrated. He left his native
county of Huntingdon in 1850, settling at Kittanning, Pennsylvania. He entered
into the lumber business and from time to time advanced up the Allegheny River,
finally getting as far north as Brookville. While living at Brookville he
purchased the Heberling farm in 1865, moving into the old homestead that had
been built of hewed logs, which residence is still standing.

     At the time Mr. Rumbarger purchased his lands from David Heberling it is
doubtful if he had any conception of the future of the territory into which he
moved. At that time he was engaged in cutting lumber for Alfred Bell, who later
became the promoter of the mining firm of Bell, Lewis & Yates.

     At the time Mr. Rumbarger located on the Heberling property his nearest
Post Office was Jefferson Line, which Post Office had been established by the
Government on the 3 1st of March 1854, and of which office William Chamberlain
was the first Postmaster. The other Post Office was at Luthersburg, six miles
away.

     At that time the people along the pike looked upon Mr. Rumbarger 's
location as being "backwoodsy". There was scarcely any settlement east of
DuBois until one got into the Penfield Valley about Penfield and very little
settlement west until Reynoldsville was reached.

     After the Low Grade Railroad began building, in 1870 to 1871, John DuBois
came in and located a site for his mills.

     On the 11th of July 1872 Mr. Rumbarger secured the services of George C.
Kirk, of Luthersburg, to lay out town lots on his farm.

     On the 19th of August, the same year, Mr. Kirk relocated his plan of
lots. This plan of lots seemed to commence west of Main Street, probably as far
up as State Street, and as far south as the first alley parallel with Long
Avenue, extending north to the creek and as far east as Franklin Street.

     Mr Rumbarger immediately advertised these lots for sale in the Clearfield
and Brookville papers. He named his town "Rumbarger" and the following is a
copy of an advertisement of July 17, 1872 :—
"One hundred lots for sale in the town of Rumbarger, in
Brady Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

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Page 98  JOHN RUMBARGER

     "The subscriber has laid off one hundred lots which he offers for sale at
reasonable rates to all those who feel disposed to move in that direction. The
town is beautifully situated on Sandy Creek within eighty rods of the Allegheny
Railroad now under completion. It is also situated on the public road leading
from Luthersburg to Brockwayville. In this town liberal inducements are offered
to mechanics and enterprising business men, being in a thickly settled farming
community. Those in want of lots should buy early, as they are being disposed
of very rapidly. He also offers for sale a lot of ten acres adjoining the town
with a stream of water running through it, sufficient to run a machine shop,
carding mill, etc. and excellent situation for a tannery. He will sell his
Tavern House and about one acre of land in said town well situated for a hotel,
being large and commodious, and having the necessary outbuildings and stabling
attached.

   "There is a large steam saw mill and general lumbering establishment now
under construction by John DuBois, adjoining the town, that will give
employment to not less than one hundred hands.

   "There are several springs of good water in the town, and those willing to
sink wells can obtain water in from ten to fifteen feet. The town is in a
healthy part of the country and easy of access from Luthersburg, Salem, West
Liberty, Reynoldsville, Rockdale and the Beechwoods Settlement.

   "Come and see the place before purchasing elsewhere.
John Rumbarger, Proprietor."

     It appears that Mr. P. S. Weber, after reading this glowing description
of the new town in the wilderness and the wonderful villages in the community
which might be reached from this center had implicit faith in what was to
happen, and on the 10th day of July 1872, purchased two lots located at the
intersection of North Main Street and East DuBois Street. However, Mr.
Rumbarger was not quite satisfied with the rapidity with which his property was
being absorbed. He changed his advertisement to the following:

     "One hundred town lots for sale in the town of Rumbarger, Clearfield
County, Pennsylvania. To those unacquainted with Rumbarger we should say that
it is a beautiful site for a town. Not too level or too hilly, but just right
for proper drainage and that it is situated in a healthy location. The soil is
rich and the country is fruitful, located on the banks of the Sandy Lick Creek.
A public road from Luthersburg to Brockwayville passes through it. The great
"Low Grade", or Bennetts' Branch Extension of the Allegheny Valley Railroad,
skirts the entire length of the town and we have assurances that first class
depot buildings will be constructed this summer for the accomodation of the
citizens. Further, it is confidently asserted that the Falls Creek Railroad

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[image]
JOHN RUMBARGER

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/099.jpg

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 101

will be commenced and probably completed this summer. In any event, whenever
completed, the road will cross the Great Low Grade at and pass through
Rumbarger. This, it will be observed, gives the town the advantage of two great
lines of railroad, a northern outlet as well as the main line. Rumbarger being
located in a rich mineral country, and surrounded by vast forests of the
choicest pine and other timbers, and supplied with such railroad facilities,
must of necessity become a great commercial centre and shopping point. The
country around it is good for agricultural purposes, much better than is
generally found in this western part of the state.

     "Among the improvements now under construction are two saw mills, one of
which will be the largest in the state.  These mills will contain all the
modern improvements, such as lath, sash and door and planing mills and other
improvements. It is enough to say that these mills are owned and will be
constructed by John DuBois, Esq., of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, who is also
erecting about thirty dwelling houses to accommodate his workmen. Other
mills and buildings are now under construction and from the way lots are
selling and present appearances, a great many dwellings and business houses
will be commenced as soon as the spring will permit. The lots we offer are 60
feet front and 180 feet deep. Good water can be had from springs, or by digging
wells, favorable time and reasonable terms will be given purchasers of lots.
Strangers visiting the town will find good hotel accomodations and persons to
show them the town and surroundings. The cars will be running as far as
Rumbarger on the Bennetts Branch Railroad by July and August next. I also offer
for sale one hundred and fifty acres of land adjoining the town, fifty acres
improved and the remainder well covered with pine, hemlock and oak timber. This
land is like all the surrounding lands, valuable for its minerals, containing
coal in large quantities, the veins being from seven to ten feet thick. For
particular information address John Rumbarger, Jefferson Line, Clearfield
County, Pennsylvania. March 12th, 1873."

     It is noted that Mr. Rumbarger gave Jefferson Line as his post office.

     George Shaffer II had built a hewed log dwelling house in the vicinity of
the first Shaffer cabin, which Mr. Rumbarger stated in his advertisement,
"would make a good tavern".
Shaffer had cleared his land west of his dwelling, along the public road south
to the present cemetery, west to almost the city line and north to the vicinity
of Grant Street. That part of the land  lying east of Main Street was low,
swampy and but a small part cleared. Henry Shaffer had cleared the higher land
of his property, beginning a short distance east of Brady Street, thence up
over the hill to his southern and eastern lines. That part of the land he had

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Page 102  JOHN RUMBARGER

bought from John DuBois, lying along what is now East Park Avenue, was not
cleared.
That part of the Henry Shaffer tract lying west of the cleared land down to
and adjoining the Rumbarger tract was low and swampy and covered with a
straggling forest from which the white pine timber had been removed.

     George Shaffer III on his part of the land had cleared some higher ground
east of South Brady Street.

     One may have an idea of the condition of the land on South Brady Street,
by the description of one of the viewers who subsequently laid out the public
road from the station south to the Erie Pike. He said "when we were surveying
the road through that swamp (meaning that part from the foot of the hill on
South Brady Street south) we had to wear high rubber boots and jump from one
log to the other to get through. I said to Mr. DuBois, who was along, `It would
take a very wide road through this locality and it could not be built on thirty-
three feet'. Mr. DuBois replied, `Make the road as wide as you want to and I'll
see that it is built.' " George Shaffer III had no road on his property. The
only means of access in the way of a road was over some timber roads or log
roads out to what was known as the "Hill Road". The highway from Salem, viz:
the Goodlander place, was over the hills and afterwards designated as the "Hill
Road."

     From the pike down through Pentz Run Valley to Main Street was a forest,
with the exception of a few small farms, viz: the first, J. A. Dixon, who had
built himself a hewed log house a little west of South Brady Street; a half a
mile above was William Beightol, who was shut off of the public road by the
land of Andrew Pentz, Sr. On the east was what was known as the "Rocky Mill",
having been practically a lumber camp started in the early Sixties by Smith,
Canfield & Co. Then, further south, came Simon Walburn that had formerly been
what was known as the "Duttry Improvement", and from there through to the pike
was a forest.

     Through the woods, starting a little north of the pike, timber roads had
been constructed for the hauling of square timber from the lands of the farmers
and afterwards saw logs, from this valley, to be landed on the banks of Sandy
Lick Creek. One of these timber roads extended through to South Main Street and
the other turned off to the north near the intersection of Brady Street with
Dixon Avenue and keeping on the east side of Pentz Run down to the bank of the
creek. A part of this road was later adopted as Jared Street. As before noted,
on the south side of West Long Avenue was the Heberling Saw Mill dam. The
spillway of this dam was on the west side of the Run, a little east of the
present location of Orange Alley. The saw mill stood on the east bank of the
dam, and the present Pentz Run contained the forebay through which
     
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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 103

the water was carried to turn the water wheel operating the saw mill and
extending as a mill race into the creek.

     The saw mill pond was constructed of cribbing built across the valley and
an embankment thrown up from the dirt either in the dam or on the banks. This
dam was probably 25 feet to 5o feet south of the road. The territory covered by
the water had not been cleared, and the dam had been in existence long enough
that all of the white and other timber left standing in the dam, had died, of
which a good part had rotted down, and was lying in this pond. Mr. Rumbarger
had not used the mill and the dam had largely disappeared at the time he laid
out his lots in '72. At a point near Orange Alley a boy who was fishing there
about 1872 caught a fish 16 inches long.

     The white pine timber in the territory just described had been cut off
and a great deal of the hemlock had been removed for one purpose or another. In
appearance a more forsaken piece of land could not be imagined.

     In the spring of 1879 a forest fire occurred along South Brady Street,
threatening the destruction of some houses located on that street.

     When Mr. Rumbarger laid out his plan of lots no attention was paid to
grading of streets or removing stumps, dead trees, brush or logs from either
the lots or the streets, and when one bought a lot, he bought it "as is". If
the land were not cleared the purchaser cleared it, took out his own stumps,
graded his own roads or alleys and got along the best he could.

     The township roads were 33 feet wide. Mr. Rumbarger was wise in laying
out his Main Street and Booth Street wider than the roads. He did not locate
lots east of Peach Alley. In that locality he laid out two large blocks,
extending east to Henry Shaffer's line. Nearly all of these two blocks later
were sold to Annie Evans and became known as the "Evans Addition".

     That part of the land of Henry Shaffer from Conwell Alley west was
spouty, full of springs and spring runs. South of East Long Avenue were large
springs coming out at the foot of the hill. Several of these springs cut across
the road about the middle of the Commercial Hotel and formed a strong spring
run. When that building was finally constructed as it now is, a tile sewer two
feet in diameter had to be carried through it to take care of the water. At
Brady Street the land has been raised fully 6 feet. On South Brady Street
numerous spring runs rising west of Stockdale Street formed a gulley more than
6 feet below the level of the present street running through to Pentz Run.

     In 1930, when the Highway Department was improving South Brady Street, a
pine stump more than two feet in diameter was taken out of the ground probably
five feet below the surface of the street. The logs composing the old bridge
were found in the bed of the spring run more than six feet below the surface of
the street.

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Page 104  JOHN RUMBARGER

     While these springs have disappeared on the surface, they are still in
existence, being covered by buildings and the water being carried off by
underground sewers. The land in the central part of the city has been raised
and filled. However, when Mr. Rumbarger invited the people to buy lots, this
was the character of the country and so existed for many years. Stumps stood in
streets and alleys and on the lots purchased.

     One can imagine what the roads passing through this territory were like
in wet weather, and that will be more fully described hereafter.

     The population of Brady Township in 1860 was 1687. In 1870, three years
after the Pomroy Map, the population of Brady Township was 2,009.
After the second advertisement, Dr. W. A. Smathers, a young physician of
twenty-two years of age, decided that Rumbarger was the place for him to locate
and on the loth of June 1873, purchasing a lot on South Main Street, he built
an office, still owned by his family, and commenced the practice of medicine.
Dr. Smathers tells us that at the time he came in 1873, there were sixteen
families within the present limits of the City of DuBois. The manufacturing
enterprises were a blacksmith shop and a shoe maker's shop. The merchandising
was confined to one general store and a peanut stand.

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Page 105

HENRY SHAFFER
CHAPTER XX

     IN 1872 while John Rumbarger was surveying his lots and beginning to
advertise the town of Rumbarger, Henry Shaffer, a son of George Shaffer II and
a grandson of George Shaffer I, was living in peace and quiet in his log 
residence, about the corner of Stockdale Street and East Long Avenue.

     Henry Shaffer was born in 1817 in the hewed log house erected by his
father, now known as the Rumbarger house.

     There were no public schools in the community, and whatever education
Henry Shaffer secured was that of the wilderness. He was a man of domestic
habits and did not travel much, and it is probable in 1872 he had not been
farther than Clearfield, or he might have gone down the creek on rafts in the
spring of the year as far as Red Bank, on the Allegheny River. His knowledge of
the values of land was not very great. He knew that pine timber was valuable,
but his pine timber, with the other timber on his land, had been either cut
down and burned in log heaps in clearing his land, or floated down the creek in
square timber. No doubt he smiled to himself when he learned that John
Rumbarger was asking $100.00 for a town lot on his new plan. It is very
doubtful if he ever saw Mr. Rumbarger's advertisement. His nearest Post Office
was four miles away, and it is not likely that he was a subscriber to a
Clearfield paper, and of course did not see the advertisement of the town of
Rumbarger.

     The line of the land he had acquired from his father's estate cut through
about the south wall of the Commercial Hotel. He had acquired from John DuBois
the land on the north side of his property as far as Sandy Lick Creek, and in
turn had reconveyed to Mr. DuBois what was west of North Brady Street and a
part of what was on the bank of the creek.

     Mr Shaffer had no conception for planning a town. He had got along with a
33 foot public road, with a traveled way of about 16 feet, and to him the land
between the traveled way and the outside of the road was waste territory upon
which weeds and brush grew.

     His land from his dwelling west to the Rumbarger line was, as heretofore
described, low, wet and swampy. Even the top of the hill, where the
Presbyterian Church now stands, had springs coming up and flowing off in
different directions, and only by deep drainage has that water been carried
away. This land, in the eyes of Mr. Shaffer, was something to be gotten rid of,
and the sooner he could sell it the better. These preliminary remarks are made
for the purpose of indicating to the present and future generations why the
central part of the city of DuBois is a jumbled mass, so far as streets and
alleys are concerned.

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Page 106     HENRY SHAFFER

     On the 26th of March 1872, Mr. Shaffer sold to Josephine Whitmer 3 acres
of land on the south side of West Long Avenue, abutting the John Rumbarger east
line and fronting on the public road. On the 6th of March 1873, Mr. Shaffer
sold to J. J. Overdorf, I acre and 135 perches; to J. A. Terpe, 4 acres; to H.
M Steele, I acre; and to Stewart Askey, 1 acre, or more. All of these pieces of
land were on the south side of the public road. These surveys extending east
disposed of all of Mr. Shaffer's lands on East and West Long Avenue from
Rumbarger's line to the Baptist Manse. These several pieces of land extended
some distance south without streets or alleys. On the 31st of July 1873, Mr.
Shaffer commenced to convey his lands on the east side of what is now North
Brady Street, known at the time as the Shaffer and DuBois land.

     These surveys are taken from the notebook of Mr. Kirk, and the first
survey was made for H. M. Harbaugh, the second for Mitchell Askey, the third
for W. A. Kearney, the fourth for R. H. Bloom. These several surveys reached to
the line of John DuBois on the north, and conveyed all the land fronting on
North Brady Street and from East Long Avenue north to the John DuBois line.
Later Mr. Shaffer conveyed a small piece of land to William Hoover, just east
of the Mitchell Askey land.

     Mr. Shaffer's grantees did not know any more about a town than he did.
However, these parties commenced to make subdivisions, and South Brady Street
is on the line between J. A. Terpe and J. J. Overdurf. These two parties laid
out a street 24 feet wide. Mr. Terpe surveyed what was later known as Spruce
Alley, 16 feet wide, and what is now East Washington Avenue from South Brady
Street, was an alley 16 feet wide south as far as the Long addition.

     What is known as Spruce Alley had four different widths, part of it was
20 feet, part 16 feet, part 14 feet and part 12 feet, as to the thought of the
person who owned it.

     The land on North Brady Street was not subdivided, but in turn was sold
in chunks as a purchaser might require.

     By 1875 Mr. Shaffer must have become tired of selling his land in blocks.
At that time J. E. Long, of Brookville, purchased the remainder of it,
consisting of about 50 acres, for $5,000.00, which he laid out in what was
afterwards called the "Long Addition", and the streets and alleys follow that
plan.

     Mr. Shaffer went over the hill and bought the land belonging to his
brother, George Shaffer III. On this land he erected a farm house and farm barn
about as far off the highway as he could get them, in what is now known as the
"Tozier Addition". It was not long until he was again annoyed by people wanting
to buy his land. He sold a block to George Schwem, a piece to Jack Foster for a
brick yard, and a piece of land to Nick Stone. He also had sold a part of his
older holdings to Annie Evans, and Annie Evans with what she bought from John
Rumbarger laid out what is now called the "Evans Ad-

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[image]
Rumbarger House, built of hewn logs by George Shaffer, II.
Photograph by L. L. Steinberg

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/107.jpg

**********************************************************

CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 109

dition". The part sold to Nick Stone eventually became vested in W. N.
Prothero, who plotted it in lots.

     Mr. Shaffer's peace and quiet being again disturbed by the growing
population, he evidently decided to get as far away from the growing city as he
could, and he then traded the balance of the land of George Shaffer III for a
farm in Lawrence Township, a short distance from Clearfield. Clearfield
respected Mr. Shaffer's wish for quietness, and on this farm he died in peace,
many years after he left the City of DuBois.

     After Mr. Shaffer had left the city, the title in a small piece of land
on East Long Avenue came in controversy on account of there being no deed out
of Mr. Shaffer. He was interviewed about this and he said, "Yes, I expected
someone would want this land some day. Bill Corley wanted the corner in there
to straighten out his lot he had bought off the Terpe property, and me and Bill
made a trade. I told Bill I would furnish the boards and posts and give him the
land if he would build a fence between us and Bill constructed the fence, but I
never gave him a deed". When asked if he would now make a deed he promptly
replied, "Yes, I'll make the deed, but I won't pay for it."

     At this time, this little piece of land had become very valuable, and Mr.
Shaffer could have exacted a price, but in line with his honesty he knew that
although he had parted with his title for a song, yet it would be unfair to ask
money for that which he had given away.

     George Shaffer II purchased from the legal owners the land upon which his
father, George Shaffer I had located in 1812, and received his deed on the 6th
of April 1838. George Shaffer II having died, his property was divided by the
Orphans' Court of Clearfield County, and what was purpart Number One became
vested in Michael Shaffer, a son of George Shaffer II, and other members of the
family, who held it until some time in 1850, when Jacob Heberling, with his
family, emigrated from Schuylkill County and purchased from Michael Shaffer and
the other heirs, this piece of land, receiving their deed on the 26th of August
1854. Jacob Heberling conveyed his title to his son David Heberling.

     In 1865 David Heberling, being lured by the then cheap land in the west,
and tiring of the wilderness, found a purchaser in John Rumbarger, a lumberman,
who had been drifting north from Kittanning, where he had removed from his
native county of Huntingdon.

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Page 110

COAL MINING
CHAPTER XXI

     WHEN the Legislature of Pennsylvania offered its apology for bringing a
new railroad up Redbank to Driftwood, the legislators may have had in mind the
bituminous coal, in the two valleys.

     Although the early geological surveys of Pennsylvania showed the coal
measures around DuBois to be barren, yet this territory was destined to develop
one of the large bituminous mining sections of Pennsylvania, and after the Low
Grade Railroad was built, it was not long until mining commenced.

     The first mining operation was started in 1875 or 1876 by William P.
Jones and Peter Jones, called the "Centennial Collieries."

     The next development was by what was known as the "Sandy Lick Gas, Coal
and Coke Company." This company obtained a lease for a mining operation from
Alfred Bell opposite a point where the "Rochester Mine" was later opened. A
dispute, however, arose and this concern gave up its lease and moved across the
railroad and opened what was known as the "Hilldrup Mine," subsequently
operated by the Hopkins Coal Co. This mining company did not last many years.

     Alfred Bell owned a large tract of land west of what was afterwards the
borough limits of DuBois. The timber on this property, with other lands Mr.
Bell succeeded in getting, made him quite wealthy.

     In 1876, a mining company was organized under the name of "Bell, Lewis &
Yates," which in the early part of the year of 1876 commenced to operate what
afterward was known as the "Rochester Mine" in the little valley from the Low
Grade road toward the Lithuanian Cemetery. In this firm was a son of Mr. Bell.
This firm leased from Mr. Bell the coal under his land.

     Of course, when a mining operation started, it was necessary to have a
miners' strike, and in 1877 this operation had its first strike. The history of
the strike is gathered from a note in the "Reynoldsville Herald and DuBois City
Star," in the issue of September 4, 1877. The following statement is taken from
that paper:

     "At last a change has occurred in the phase of affairs in at least one of
the DuBois City coal mines. After waiting for a considerable length of time
with the expectation that the strikers would return to the mines, the operators
of the Rochester Colliery have brought new men into their works. It was thought
necessary to have the sheriff on hand at the time the mines were reopened, and
Sheriff Pentz, of Clearfield, appeared upon the scene on Monday of last week.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 111

     "All went well enough until Wednesday, we believe, when the Sheriff
concluded there were a few too many of the strikers in town and arrested seven
of them, among whom was Mr. D. Buckley, the gentleman who led the strikers on
their visit to Reynoldsville. The next day three others were taken in charge
and one who was told that he was wanted took leg bail and has not been heard of
since. The Sheriff did not say what he had arrested the men for, and the miners
declare the prisoners did nothing but laugh at the officers, but the truth will
be developed at the trial."

     This description reads like a strike of the present day, with the
exception that at that time a sheriff was in office in Clearfield County who
knew what to do without having the mining company call in state police, as well
as coal and iron policemen and compelling the company to get an injunction to
keep order in the community.

     It will be noticed that the Sheriff appeared on Monday and on Wednesday
he arrested seven disorderly miners and the next day three others. One striker
decided that it was unhealthy to be in the vicinity of this Sheriff and decided
to leave the community. There was not only a strike in DuBois at this time, but
there was one in Houtzdale, in which this Sheriff proceeded in like manner and
the strike at Houtzdale soon stopped.

     The Bell, Lewis & Yates Company was afterwards absorbed by the Rochester
& Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company, which concern, with affiliated companies took
over the mining interests not only at DuBois but Reynoldsville, Helvetia and
the Punxsutawney region.

     About 1890 the Berwind-White Coal Company purchased more than 2000 acres
of coal lying south and east of DuBois. This company put down a shaft on the
Pennsylvania Railroad two miles east of DuBois known as Shaft No. 1, which it
operated until about 1900 when the Buffalo & Susquehanna Coal & Coke Company
was organized, which purchased the holdings of the Berwind-White Coal Mining
Company.

     This company built a railroad from Sinnemahoning to their new enterprise
and continued it south to Sagamore, Armstrong County, leasing trackage rights
on the B. R. & P. Railroad from Sykesville to a point beyond Punxsutawney. This
concern opened a second shaft, known as No. 2, south of DuBois, on its new road.

     The Northwest Mining & Exchange Company leased some coal rights south of
DuBois and put in a shaft four miles southwest of the city at a point called
Eriton.

     The old operation of Bell, Lewis & Yates was mined out many years ago.

     In the labor disturbances of 1929 the Buffalo & Susquehanna Coal & Coke
Company abandoned its operation in the vicinity of

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Page 112  COAL MINING

DuBois and the Northwest Mining and Exchange Company also abandoned its
operation.
From the opening of the first mine in 1875 or 1876 down to the time of the
closing of the mines in 1929 millions of tons of coal were taken out of the
country surrounding DuBois and thus was another natural resource of the
community removed which built up large fortunes in New York, Rochester and
Buffalo, with comparatively small benefit to the locality from which this
wealth was drawn.

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Page 113

NEWSPAPERS
CHAPTER XXII

     THERE is one line of business in which a certain amount of professional
work is done, that everyone thinks he can do better than the man or person who
has his money invested in the enterprise, and that is the publishing of a
newspaper.

     It has been demonstrated that it requires more than a "windjammer" to
succeed. The publishing business has an expensive equipment and if the
enterprise is financed by the individual who has the tenacity of purpose to
stick, he will probably succeed. If his friends finance it, the chances are
that they will learn something of interest before they are through with it.

     In the biography of the late Hon. William Bigler it is related that when
he first came to Clearfield to start a newspaper, he not only edited the paper,
but he set the type, printed it on an old hand press and then distributed it to
his patrons himself.

     Mr. Bigler was one man in a thousand, who was afterwards rewarded by
being sent to the State Senate, becoming Governor of the State of Pennsylvania
and a Senator of the United States.

     The temptation of publishing a newspaper first made its advent into
DuBois in September 1876, when Mr. P. S. Weber, who at that time was doing some
real estate work, published a small monthly called "The Enterprise" which was
devoted to the promotion of his business. Later Mr. Weber decided to establish
a weekly paper called "The Weekly Enterprise" which was to be sold at $1.50 per
year. However, this paper died in 1877.

     In 1874 a paper was organized at Reynoldsville called the "Reynoldsville
Herald." This continued until 1877 when it was rechristened the "Reynoldsville
Herald and DuBois City Star." This paper was edited by John R. Bixler.

     On inquiry, there is no file of this paper in existence so far as can be
ascertained, but one copy, viz: the issue of February 4th, 1877, has been
preserved.

     This paper had part of one page devoted to DuBois City. In this column
appeared four or five advertisements. One of the values of this paper is the
train schedule of the Low Grade Railroad, which has given the passenger service
of its trains for DuBois. The trains left Pittsburgh at 8 A. M. for the east,
stopping at DuBois at 3:33 P. M., arriving at Driftwood at 5:45 P. M. Going
west the train left Driftwood at 12:15 P. M., stopping at DuBois at 2:17,
arriving at Pittsburgh at 9.10. From this we learn there were but two passenger
trains a day into DuBois. Another train left Pittsburgh at 5 :55 P. M.
terminating at Reynoldsville at 8:50 P. M. On inquiry of both the Pennsylvania
Railroad, now the owners of the Low Grade Division, as

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Page 114  NEWSPAPERS

well as the B. R. &. P. Railroad, no schedule of trains in the early inception
of these roads can be found.

     Two optimistic young men in 1879 conceived the idea of starting a weekly
newspaper and they called it the "DuBois City Courier." The firm was Butler and
Horton. Mr. B. H. Butler, of Southern Pines, was the senior member, and a Mr.
Horton the other. This paper was finally purchased by the late J. A. Johnston,
who in June, 1882, inserted the word "weekly" in the heading of the paper, thus
making it the "DuBois Weekly Courier."

     The first issue of the "DuBois Morning Courier" as a daily paper was made
on the first of January, 1888.

     Some time after that E. S. Gray and E. W. Gray purchased all the
outstanding interest and organized a corporation called the Gray Printing
Company, which has continued the publication of the DuBois Morning Courier.

     On the 12th of August, 1883, another firm by the name of Hoag, Wilson &
Co., started a weekly paper called the "DuBois Express." Hoag retired from the
firm and the paper was published by H. C. Wilson and Frank McMichael. These two
persons subsequently went to Clearfield and established a new weekly newspaper
called "The Public Spirit." These parties sold the Public Spirit and returned
to DuBois and organized a corporation entitled "Express Publishing Company" and
added to their firm, John P. Wilson and C. A. Reed. After a time the Express
was changed to the "Evening Express." The property became vested in David
Reams, who finally sold it to D. C. Whitehill, and Whitehill disposed of it to
E. A. Hasbrook, who continued to publish the paper until May 16, 1927, when it
was taken over by the Gray Printing Company and is now published as an evening
paper and still continues as the "Daily Express."

     One Charles J. Bangert became ambitious and published a little gossip
sheet called "The Minute." He had learned to set type and being averse to
working in his mother's store as a boy amused himself with "The Minute."
Finally, he went to the town of Falls Creek in its more prosperous days, and
published what was known as the "Falls Creek Herald." Subsequently, Bangert
concluded that he was entitled to a wider field and he associated with him V.
King Pifer. They moved their plant to DuBois and published a paper called "The
Morning Herald." Mr. Pifer sought a wider field and this paper died.

     Subsequently, W. J. Hines, who had published a newspaper in Corry, Pa.,
moved a part of his outfit to DuBois and opened up a job printing office. He,
too, became ambitious to educate the public and securing some backing from some
persons who seemed to have more money than judgment he was able to launch what
was known as the "Morning Journal," in opposition to the Morning Courier.
Fortunately for posterity the files of this paper burned in a fire in

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 115

the Journal office. It was given to the publishing of all the scandal and
abuse of people whom Hines didn't like, and praising those he did like, with
the ultimate result of a paper of this character, that it died.

     The authors of this paper paid no attention to orthography, rhetoric or
grammar and if it were in existence now, it would be a curiosity.

     Another ambitious man was Frank McMichaels who established the
"Searchlight" as an evening paper, which made four daily papers being published
each day in the week except Sunday. The Searchlight lasted a year and was the
first of the dailies to collapse on account of lack of financial backing. The
endorsers of McMichaels' note took over the junk and sold it as best they could.

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Page 116

BEGINNING OF ORGANIZED GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER XXIII

     THE history of the City of DuBois may be divided into three periods, viz:
First, the period from 1870 to the first Monday of March 1881, in which period
the city grew from a back-
woods settlement to a population of near five thousand ; second, from the
organization of the Borough of DuBois on the first Monday of March 1881, to the
third day of January, 1916, the organization of a government of a city of the
Third Class; third, from January 3, 1916, to the present date, in which the
city has operated under a city charter.

     The first period of this history is the development from a virgin forest
with a few small breaks for farms of pioneer settlers.

     The increase of population in Brady Township along the "Pike" had been of
sufficient importance that a new post office was established on March 31, 1854,
called "Jefferson Line," but located in West Liberty, four miles to the South,
of which William Chamberlin was the first Postmaster.

     Residents in the new town were compelled to go to Jefferson Line by a
circuitous route out South Main Street, and then to the left to the old
Beightol farm and then to the right to West Liberty. One can imagine what this
meant in the spring and fall during the muddy road period, or else they had to
go to Luthersburg, six miles for the mail. In this period it was customary for
the person who got to the post office to receive the mail for his entire
community and then to make distribution either on his way home, or the
neighbors came to his house to secure what little mail there was.

     One can imagine the situation existing after Mr. DuBois started his
industry and the population had increased from four families to a considerable
number. Mr. DuBois was no better than the other persons and had to receive his
mail through either of these offices.

     Passenger trains did not commence to run on the new railroad until 1873.
As soon as the passenger train schedule was inaugurated, although there was
only one train east and one train west each day, a post office named
"Rumbarger" was secured and George L. Glasgow, of the firm of Glasgow & Ellis
was appointed Postmaster and the post office was authorized to go into business
on the 16th of February, 1874. The store of Glasgow & Ellis was located at
about No. 8 on North Main Street and the office continued in that locality
until the name was changed to "DuBois" in 1876, when the office was moved to
the store of Mr. DuBois at the Pennsylvania Railroad Station and Charles E.
Fowler,one of his clerks, was appointed postmaster.

     A resident of that time, working for Mr. DuBois, stated that during the
period the post office was on North Main Street, he had

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 117

to walk from his side of town to that office. He was correponding with his
future wife and he said that in the spring and fall in crossing the flat from
Jared Street to Orange Alley, he was frequently compelled to pick his steps on
the board fence that at that time crossed that flat.

     On reading the chapter on Formation of Sandy Township, which covers the
period from 1870 to 1881 and the chapter on Early Social Conditions, which
covers the period from 1870 to probably 1885 or 1886, one can understand the
situation fully.

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Page 118

FORMATION OF SANDY TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XXIV

     IN 1872 the center of population of Brady Township was around
Luthersburg. All of the officials of the township, viz: justice of the Peace,
Tax Collector, School Directors, Overseer of the Poor, Constable and the
Election Board, resided either at Luthersburg or very close to it. Luthersburg
was the commercial center of the western end of Clearfield County, and the
merchants of Luthersburg looked upon that territory as their legitimate field
of trade. The people in this locality regarded the persons from the northern
end of the township, in and around DuBois, rather crude and not entitled to
anything except the few crumbs that they might let slip from their table. Not
even a member of the school board was elected from this section. Intermarriages
took place outside of what was known as the "north country." In fact, the
population around Luthersburg were rather snobbish, and gave the "backwoods"
the cold shoulder.

     In 1872, when this infant commenced to bawl for its rights, the other end
of the township looked upon them with contempt and decided they had no rights.
It did not occur to the inhabitants of DuBois that they could go to the
elections in a body and elect the officials, if they wished to do so. The old
settlers of Brady Township complained bitterly that to get more and better
schools would increase the tax rate. If there were any poor around DuBois they
were shunted off, if possible. The Supervisors likewise were from Luthersburg.
This was a time when people worked out their road tax. Of course, it did not
suit the working men of DuBois to leave their work for a day and work out their
taxes on the roads, and they paid the tax in cash. The result was that the
roads in the locality of the Supervisors and the "old timers" were well cared
for, and little attention paid to the roads in and around DuBois. This was a
tax that the older inhabitants expected to be very materially increased on
account of the muddy conditions of the DuBois roads. There was a great deal of
discontent in the vicinity of DuBois.

     The matter took shape about the last of August, 1877. From an old
newspaper published at Reynoldsville on the 4th. of September, 1877, under the
title "DuBois City Star," the following appeared:

     "There was a meeting of the citizens on last Tuesday evening for the
purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of incorporating our town.
There was quite a large attendance of the property owners, but not so large as
should have been, as it is a matter that they are directly interested in. We
hope all property holders will make it a point to be there on Thursday evening
as the committee will have their report ready,********

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 119

     "The meeting on Thursday evening last was organized by electing J. B.
Taylor, Esq., (probably J. P. Taylor) president, and Mr. W. H. Stanley
secretary. Upon taking the chair, Mr. Taylor stated the object of the meeting;
after which there was quite an interchange of views by the parties present. Mr.
Hiram Raught put an end to their sparring by inquiring the object of the making
a Borough and what benefit could be derived from it. He was answered in such an
able and convincing manner by Messrs. P. S. Weber and W. H. Stanley, that not
only Mr. Raught, but others present, were shown that the town needs city
government and needs it at once.

     "Committees were then appointed to make a survey of the boundary and also
a committee was appointed to secure a census, and then the meeting adjourned to
meet at the school house on Thursday evening, September 6."

     No record of the meeting of September 6 can be obtained. However, from a
person present at that meeting, it has been ascertained that it was the
concensus of opinion of that meeting that a town should be secured first, to
get as far away from Brady Township as possible. This opinion was sustained,
and an application was made to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Clearfield
County for the erection of a new township, principally from the north end of
Brady Township, a small section from Union Township and a part of Huston
Township. This move was successful, and the new town was organized in 1878.

     It will be noted that from 1867, the date of the Pomroy Map, to June 20,
1873, the population of DuBois had increased from 4 families to 16. Hence the
center of the population in Brady Township in 1870 was far south of DuBois.

     Prior to this date a public road had been obtained, extending from North
Main Street, northerly to the Low Grade Railroad, which road is now called
DuBois Street, and it was on the corner of the road leading to Beechwoods and
this road that Mr. Weber purchased his lots. The first railroad station was a
plank platform.

     No one seems to have any knowledge of a schedule of trains, either
passenger or freight, of that day, and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company seems
to have lost all trace of the train service. However there were two passenger
trains a day, one going east and the other west. Of course they carried mail
after the establishment of the Post Office.

     The mail contract for carrying mail between the Post Office and the
railroad station was let to William McIntosh, who, with his brother, owned a
livery stable. Mr. McIntosh employed "Billy" Rumbarger to drive the mail hack.
One day a stranger landed on this platform and inquired of Billy how to get to
Luthersburg. When he explained to him that Luthersburg was six miles away, the
gentle-

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Page 120  FORMATION OF SANDY TOWNSHIP

man handed him five dollars, and told him to get him there as quickly as
possible. Billy forgot about his mail bags and drove past the Post Office,
carrying the mail with him to Luthersburg, as the delivery of his passengers
seemed to be more important to Billy than the delivery of the mail.

     The Railroad Company was kind enough to name the new station "Swamp
Siding" and maintained the name for a number of years probably out of their
love (?) for Mr. DuBois, for whom the Pennsylvania Railroad did not have a very
friendly feeling at that time.

     As will be noted in the second advertisement of Mr. Rumbarger, Mr. DuBois
was erecting two saw mills, "one of which will be the largest of the state".

     There was no access to these mills by any public highway and Mr. DuBois
realizing this, arranged with Henry Shaffer, the owner of the land lying east
of the Rumbarger Tract, to open a road, now called North Brady Street.

     On the 2nd of July 1873 they called in George C. Kirk and we take the
following memorandum from his notes of surveys of that date:—
   " John DuBois and Henry Shaffer survey July 2, 1873, located road for said
parties as follows: Beginning at a post corner of said parties in northern line
of warrant 521; thence north 66½ east on lands of said Henry Shaffer, south 693
perches to Shaffer and DuBois line, 707.7 feet to post on land of John DuBois;
thence north 28½ east on land of said John DuBois 249½ feet to Sandy Lick
Creek, (said creek being 67 feet wide), 2831 feet to a post, A. V. Railroad,
said road to be forty (40) feet wide."

     It will be a little difficult to locate the point of beginning of this
road from the distances. However, after the first course and distance, to wit:
"thence 66½ east on lands of said Henry Shaffer, south 693 perches to Shaffer
and DuBois line," being eliminated, the next location is easily fixed, to wit:
"707.7 feet to post on land of John DuBois". That would carry the line from the
intersection of Brady Street with Long Avenue and it would go north to the line
of Mr. DuBois and from there to the creek and from the north side of the creek
east to the Allegheny Valley Railroad.

     Prior to the location of this road Mr. DuBois had purchased from John
Rumbarger and Henry Shaffer all of the land east of Pentz Run lying north of
the then public road, east to Brady Street and thence north to the creek. This
section of land was subsequently laid out in lots by Mr. DuBois.

     Mr. DuBois then constructed a road over the land dedicated by Mr. Shaffer
and himself. That part of this road from the south side of the creek north to
the railroad was known as the "Plank Road". This valley was subject to floods,
as it is now, and in order to keep the

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 121

road from floating away, a series of trestles from 6 to 8 feet high were
constructed, upon which stringers were laid, on which was laid plank three
inches thick by sixteen feet long, making a bridge across the valley. In times
of high water this road had to be anchored with ropes to the trees that
formerly stood in the valley east of this road.

     This road was continued until 1896 when the town council filled the road
with dirt and paved it. At the time of this filling Mr. John E. DuBois hauled
his logs from the woods on a railroad built for miles into the forest. The
borough rented the railroad and its equipment from Mr. DuBois at the enormous
(?) price of $10 00 per day, furnishing their own repairs, engineer, etc., Mr.
DuBois contributing the dirt from a borrow pit on his lands up on the mountain.
It required about two months to do the filling. The bridge across the creek was
a simple structure on trestle and in September 1888 the county was persuaded to
go along and furnish a steel bridge, contributing for that purpose $4000.00.
The street built by Mr. DuBois was called "Courtney Street" in honor of Mrs.
Courtney, who had purchased from Mr. DuBois the lot at the corner of Long
Avenue and Brady Street. This piece of ground was in a forest at that time.
Mrs. Courtney erected her house in the woods.

     Mr. DuBois maintained a toll gate at the intersection of Long Avenue.
Persons going to the railroad station paid toll. Tickets were sold for this
purpose, but at this date they have all disappeared. Persons dealing with Mr.
DuBois or his store, went toll free.

     The location of this road fixed the business center of the City of
DuBois. An application was made to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Clearfield
County for a road from the railroad station south to what was then called the
"Pike". This road was fought through the courts for three or four years. The
inhabitants of Brady Township contended that they ought not to be put to the
expense of building a road for the town and alleging that the road was on low
swampy ground and too expensive to keep up. However, the court finally
confirmed the road and thus North Brady Street and South Brady Street was
permanently fixed. That part of South Brady Street south of Long Avenue was 33
feet wide until it reached the line of the Long Addition, at which point the
street was then made 5o feet wide out to Weber Avenue and then there the road
curved off to the west, coming back on its present location at about Jared
Street.

     After Mr. DuBois had gotten his affairs rather consolidated, he erected a
two-story frame building where the Pennsylvania Railroad station now stands for
his store and offices. This was the first department store in this section. All
classes of merchandise, including drugs, hardware etc. were handled in this
store. In addition thereto the railroad station and telegraph offices were in
the store. A picture of this building is shown, taken from the west side of the
building. The brick building in the distance was the new store and offices of
Mr. DuBois, including the hotel which he erected a little later.
     
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Page 122

EARLY SOCIAL CONDITIONS
CHAPTER XXV

     ONE is led to wonder what the early social conditions of DuBois were when
in 1870 there were only four families living within the lines of the present
city and only a few scattered residents within an area of 2 or 3 miles, and
most of the country east of DuBois a dense wilderness.

     The rapid growth of the town from 1870 to 1881 with a new population
drawn from all sections of the State, made up of woodsmen, mill-men, miners,
adventurers from the old country and whatnot from other places with the nearest
Justice of the Peace and Constable in and beyond Luthersburg, would indicate
that there must have been some lively times in the old town.

     The population of Brady Township was an old, staid class of people whose
public forums were the various stores located in Luthersburg, Troutville, Salem
and West Liberty, where the men congregated of evenings to discuss politics and
local gossip. These people had no idea of the kind of population floating into
what they called the "North Country" or "Backwoods," of their prosperous
township.

     The Panic of 1873 brought in a large additional population. The industry
started by Mr. DuBois necessarily developed rapidly. His Big Mill employing one
hundred or more men, was ready for operation in 1874 and the woods surrounding
the town was full of woodsmen cutting the timber ready for manufacturing. By
1875 or 1876 the mining industry commenced to develop and this was at a time
when the Molly McGuires were being driven out of Schulkill, Luzerne, and
Lackawanna Counties, a number- of whom came to DuBois under changed names, and
of whom some were found here, and taken back to stand trial for felonies in
their own counties. With the large number of places in town selling liquor, it
does not take a vivid imagination to understand what went on:

     In 1880, just before the projection of the B. R. & P. Railroad, what was
known as the "lower oil country" was breaking up. The price of oil had gone as
low as ten cents per barrel. The producers started for other fields and the
camp followers were looking for new openings too. They concluded DuBois was
their Mecca. This element did not add anything to the morals or uplift of the
town.

     Along with the camp followers came many lewd women who located on Spruce
Alley, the eastern limits being about Conwell Alley, and from that west to
Jared Street. This alley got the pseudonym of "Hoodoo Alley." Some of this
element got into the hotel business, several opened drug stores and others took
up local politics.

     The early condition may be illustrated by the story told of

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 123

Paddy Burns. One day Jack Foster walking down the railroad, found Paddy
sitting on the end of a culvert, his hands between his knees, and his head bent
down looking very sad. Jack said, "Hey, Paddy, what's the matter?" Paddy looked
up and said, "Jack, this bloody town ish no good. Yuse ushed to go over town,
get three or four dhrinks, have four or foive foights and go home feeling like
a man. Now if yuse go over town and say foight, the bloody police put you in
the bloody lock-up. I tell you, Jack, them was the halcorn days." Paddy knew of
what he spoke. In one issue of "The Reynoldsville Herald and DuBois City Star,"
under the DuBois items, it was stated, it had been very quiet on a certain day
in DuBois as there had been only two fights on the streets during that day."

     The first homicide was committed on the tipple of the Centennial Mine.
The Jones brothers had leased the coal on some property claimed by A. F. Baum.
It seems that Baum concluded the best way to oust these parties was by a force.
A very large man by the name of Montgomery was brought in, and one day on the
tipple Peter Jones was attacked. Jones being a small man, Montgomery soon got
him down, and Montgomery's partisans were calling to him to kill Jones. Jones,
having a gun in his possession, pulled it and shot Montgomery. Of course there
was a great deal of excitement. Paddy Burns went to Luthersburg and made an
information before George C. Kirk, Esq., the nearest Justice of the Peace,
charging Peter Jones and three others with murder, riot and riotous assembly.
Mr. Kirk came to DuBois with Constable Jimeson, and summoned a coroner's jury,
the foreman of which was John DuBois. The mob was threatening to do violence to
Jones. Jones sent word in that he was ready to surrender if he could be
protected. The Constable, with a number of men, was sent out to protect Jones
and he came in and surrendered.

     The coroner's inquest showed that Jones had shot in self-defense and he
might have been discharged, but the information was made in such a way that the
participants had to be held for a riot.

     In 1879 Sandy Township was organized and two Justices of the Peace, viz:
W. N. Prothero and J. P. Taylor, both of whom resided within the limits of the
town, were elected. A constable was also elected.

     "Squire" Prothero related an incident that occurred shortly after his
election as Justice of the Peace. A man by the name of Jones came to town who
assumed the office of private detective. His first move was to arrest every
hotel keeper in the town for violation of the liquor law. At the hearing the
hotel men were represented by counsel. Jones stood alone and the Squire
promptly made a ruling that no lawyer should be heard. At the close of the
hearing all of the defendants were held for court, at which they became very
angry. Jones remained a few minutes to fix up his costs and the landlords
started over town. When Jones got to the corner of Long Avenue and Brady
Street, he found an organized mob waiting for him. The

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Page 124  EARLY SOCIAL CONDITIONS

landlords had secured a lawless citizen to whom they paid $10.00 and gave his
crowd all the whisky they wanted to drink to run Jones out of town. When Jones
was confronted with this mob he ran upstairs into Lawyer Magee's office.
Shortly after, Magee came down and told the mob that Jones must have an
opportunity to get away and it was agreed that he should have 200 feet of a
start. The distance was stepped off and when Magee called "go," the leader of
the mob commenced to howl more vociferously than an Indian war whoop. Jones
went, and up to date he has not returned.

     One afternoon two women went to a lawyer's office, now No. 5 North Brady
Street. Below the windows on the second floor of this building, where this
office was located, was a wood awning extending over the sidewalk. These women
engaged in a drunken orgy, and came out on this awning about two o'clock p. m.
dressed in their "September Morn" costumes, and gave a Can Can dance.

     Parties galore were held throughout the community, usually ending in a
drunken fight or brawl of some kind. On the corner of East Scribner Avenue and
North Brady Street a two story building had been erected and the second floor
was used for a dance hail. This dance hall was open every night except Sunday.
The St. Cloud Hotel was next door to this building. A stairway ran from the
dance hall down to the rear of the bar room where there were some private
drinking rooms, and doors opened into this dance hall from the bedrooms on the
second floor of the hotel.

     A man came to town stating that he had heard of this place and went to
visit it. He said that he had been in about fifteen minutes when two shots were
fired and four or five knives were drawn and a general brawl was started. He
concluded that he had no business there and left.

     This condition existed at the time of the organization of the Borough,
and the earlier borough officers had to struggle with this class of people. At
a council meeting a delegation of citizens came to ask the Council to prevent
the lewd women (the name used in the minutes of Council was more blunt) from
walking three abreast along the sidewalks, crowding the respectable people off
the walk. They also requested that these women be driven out of town. As a
result of this the Burgess had several of the houses "pulled." At the hearing
there were a number of women and some men present. At the close of the hearing
the "Madam" promptly paid all the fines, and then turned to the Burgess and
said, "Mr. Ross, the next time you need money, send us word and we will send it
down. It is unpleasant to have our gentlemen friends annoyed in this way." Then
she turned to the crowd and said "Gentlemen, come up to the house and help us
open a case of wine to help pay these fines." Liquor was sold in these places
as freely as in a bar room.

     One night a newly elected Justice of the Peace was going up West Long
Avenue, heard the noise from a dance going on in the bar room

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 125

of the Brunswick Hotel at the corner of West Long Avenue and Jared Street. He
went into the bar room and found the demi monde with their gentlemen friends
holding a dance. The appearance of the "Squire" was sufficient to stage a mild
riot for his benefit. The "Squire," believing the dignity of the law was being
insulted, climbed on a chair and shouted, "I command the peace." About that
time several able bodied men grabbed the "Squire," and tossed him over the bar
to the floor on the other side. This was more than he could stand and when he
got himself untangled from the mess, he rushed out to his office, which was a
few doors west on Long Avenue, to get his revolver to defend himself. When he
got in his office it occurred to him that he was Justice of the Peace and
should arrest the offenders. In writing the warrant, he found he did not know
the name of any one, and he hurried back to the bar room, but the lights were
all out, the crowd had melted into the night and the dignity of the law, as
well as that of the "Squire," could not be avenged.

     The constables were not very discriminating, and although it was their
duty to return these places to court, it was rarely done. On one occasion a
constable was notified of a disorderly house in a prominent part of town, and
was given a list of witnesses with the request to have it returned. The
constable said, "I did not know this house was so bad as that. I must see about
it." There was no return made, but the place quieted down.

     Gambling rooms were very numerous and not interfered with. However, when
Clearfield County became a separate judicial district, with a resident Judge,
the Court began to take an interest in DuBois, and in four or five years there
was a material difference in the law and order of the town.

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Page 126

ORGANIZATION OF THE BOROUGH
CHAPTER XXVI

     USING a modern expression, after Sandy Township had been "consolidated"
in 1878 and all of the offices of that Township filled, and with the two
Justices of the Peace residing in the town, as well as the Constable, the
question of a Borough was again raised and discussed and this discussion
resulted in the preparation of a petition to the Court of Quarter Sessions of
Clearfield County, asking that a Borough be created to be called the Borough of
DuBois. This petition was signed by more than 15o people and at this writing it
is known that the following named persons are still living, viz: Fred Tracy, W.
T. DeHaas, B. H. Butler, P. S. Weber, W. H. Sobers, and W. A. Engelman.

     This petition was presented to September Sessions of 1880 and represented
that the town had a plan and a large population, and was of sufficient size to
warrant the incorporation under the Borough Laws of the State of Pennsylvania.

     Upon this petition the Court appointed three Commissioners to lay out the
new town of DuBois. This Board of Commissioners after going over the territory,
made an outline map, paying no attention to streets or alleys, or anything
else, or any improvements in the Borough and made a return to the Court,
recommending that a territory about two miles square should be incorporated as
a borough.

     This report was submitted to the Grand Jury at January Sessions of 1881
and after the Grand Jury had reported favorably, on the 11th day of January,
1881, the Court made a decree granting a charter incorporating "The Borough of
DuBois" as a municipal corporation under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania,
incidentally the School District to be known as the School District of the
Borough of DuBois, and a Poor District. The decree provided that an election
should be held on the third Tuesday of February, 1881, at the public house of
W. L. Nicholson in said borough, and appointed Charlie Barrett, Judge of
Election; Frank Rumbarger and Edward Cotter as Inspectors. This election was
held, and the two clerks of the election, (the other members of the board have
long since passed away) state that the candidates were so numerous that they
did not get the vote counted to determine who had been elected to the office of
Burgess, Town Countil, School Directors, Constable, Overseer of the Poor and
other borough offices, until Friday.

     It is related that one candidate for School Director could not read or
write. When he was asked about this qualification, he promptly replied that his
inability to read and write was in his favor. If the question of adopting
school books came before the board, he not being able to read the books, could
vote unprejudiced.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 127

     At the election of the 15th of February, 1881, the following persons were
elected for the various offices in the Borough, viz: Burgess, Lewis A. Brady;
Town Council, John M. Raught, 2 years; E. F. McCall, 2 years; George R.
Vosburg, 2 years, Lewis Zeigler, I year, John Troxell, I year, and A. S. Knarr,
I year.

     The school directors elected were: T. G. Gormley, 3 years, William P.
Jones, 3 years, Hiram Clark, 2 years, J. B. Martin, 2 years, Charles Loring, 1
year, and J. F. Brady, 1 year. The Overseers of the Poor elected were: W. M.
McCullough and W. F. Hughes. The election officers were J. P. Vosburg, Judge of
Election; T. G. Simons and W. T. Ross, Inspectors. Fred Tracy was elected
Constable and Isaac Hindrix High Constable. J. B. Ellis was elected District
Treasurer; P. B. Weaver, Assessor; and the auditors were R. W. Williams, L.
Hydrick and J. C. Beard.
The Justices of the Peace, viz: W. N. Prothero and J. P. Taylor, who had been
elected for Sandy Township, resided within the limits of the new Borough, and
they automatically became Justices of the Peace of the Borough.

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Page 128

ORGANIZATION OF COUNCIL
CHAPTER XXVII

     THE first municipal body to organize was that of the town council. A
meeting was called for the 24th day of February, 1881, nine days afer the
election. This meeting was held in
the office of Bell, Lewis and Yates. This company had a store and office
building at the corner of Booth Street, now West Long Avenue and State Street.
Mr. McCall was a clerk in this office, and through his courtesy the Council met
there.

     The minutes of this meeting are rather unique, and as taken from the
minute book are as follows:

     "DuBois, Pa., February 24th, 1881. A meeting was called at the office of
Bell, Lewis & Yates, in the Borough of DuBois, on the evening of February 24th,
for the purpose of organizing the Council of said Borough.

     "The following persons present subscribed to the oath of office for
Council: L. A. Brady, Burgess; George R. Vosburg, H. S. Knarr, Louis Zeigler,
John M. Raught, and E. F. McCall as Council.

     "E. F. McCall elected to act as Secretary Pro Tern.

     "J. M. Troxall not present.

     "Motion made and carried that J. B. Ellis act as Treasurer for the
Borough of DuBois. The Burgess appointed L. Zeigler and John Raught a committee
to select a room for meetings of the board and to report at next meeting.
Adjourned to meet in same place on Friday Evening, March 4th. at 7 P. M."

     It would be interesting at this date to have the discussion of the
members of Council at this first meeting in February, 1881.

     From the minutes adopted, it would indicate that the Council knew little
of the needs of a new borough.

     The nearest borough in the County was that of Curwensville, with a
population of probably one thousand. To the west was the Borough of
Reynoldsville, not much, if any, larger.

     The various boroughs throughout central Pennsylvania had grown from small
villages of 100 or 200 population, and this growth through a period of from
ten, twenty, thirty or forty years. A number of them had been incorporated by a
special Act of Assembly prior to the General Borough Law of 1854, but none of
them were as large as DuBois. The ordinances and laws adopted for these
boroughs did not fit the young giant that had sprung up in the wilderness from
a population of four or five families in 1867 to that of 5000 population or
over by 1881.
DuBois, at the time of its organization, needed laws more in keeping with a
city of the third class. This was not recognized by the

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[image]
DuBois - 1895

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/129.jpg

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 131

Legislature of Pennsylvania until the Session of 1891, when municipal laws
were enacted authorizing boroughs, as well as cities to improve streets, curb,
grade and pave them, as well as construct sewers and charge the cost thereof to
the abutting property owners.

     The first meeting shows that the Council appointed J. B. Ellis as
Treasurer. The Council did not seem to know that Clearfield County had a
special law, and that Mr. Ellis had already been elected to the office of
Treasurer at the same time the members of Council were elected.

     After exhausting their thoughts, they came to the conclusion that it was
necessary to have a place to house, figuratively speaking, the Borough, and
accordingly appointed a committee of two to secure a home for the Town Council.
The meetings were held at weekly periods. Finally, James Hines was elected
Street Commissioner. Mr. Hines was rather of an erratic dispostion and trouble
commenced. Petitions were presented for borough policemen.

     While the Council had appointed, a Treasurer, there was no money for the
payment of current expenses and current expenses commenced to accumulate.
Although an assessor had been elected, there seemed to have been no effort made
to have an assessment of the taxable property within the limits of the Borough
made, nor did the Council levy any tax so far as the minutes of the various
meetings of the first year indicate.

     The meeting of the 25th of April indicates that the Council commenced to
realize that they were a legislative body and could pass laws for the
regulation of borough affairs. However, these laws indicate that they had
gotten copies from some of the smaller villages.

     One of these ordinances prohibited the feeding and milking of cows on
sidewalks or crossings. If the Council had passed an ordinance prohibiting the
tieing of a cow to a stump or a log in a street or alley for feeding and
milking, it would have had some reason, but at the time this ordinance was
adopted, there was no such thing as a sidewalk or street crossing.

     However, the Council did provide for the building of sidewalks about this
time, but no effort was made to enforce this ordinance until the following
October, except the School Board was requested to build a sidewalk in front of
the school house in the Second Ward. This fact is ascertained from the minutes
of the School Board and not from Council proceedings.

     Another ordinance passed related to the breeding of stallions within the
borough limits and provided that this process must be done under cover and away
from residences.

     Another ordinance provided that people must not deposit manure, coal,
ashes, dirt or anything else on public streets. Another ordinance related to
the construction of flues. This ordinance prohibited the running of a stove
pipe out of the side of a house or through the roof of any dwelling house,
shop, smokehouse, bake oven, or other build-

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Page 132  ORGANIZATION OF COUNCIL

ing, and prohibited the erection of tile flues on dwellings or other
buildings. This stove pipe and tile flue question seemed to be of a very
serious character and a committee of three citizens was appointed to
investigate and examine all the buildings in the borough and report to a
council meeting. This committee subsequently reported a number of violations of
this ordinance and they were then directed to see that the ordinance was
enforced.

     Another ordinance passed was that relating to the construction and
operation of slaughter houses. There were four or five buildings in the borough
limits used for this purpose and one or two very close to the center of the
town. The operators of slaughter houses seemed to be rather careless about the
odor that might arise from their property. When one knows that the butcher who
owned the slaughter house also kept a herd of pigs to eat up the offal from his
slaughter house, he will have an idea of why this ordinance was passed. At that
time meat markets did not exist as known in 1931. Nearly all the butchers
supplied their own meat markets with animals dressed in their own slaughter
houses and some of them peddled the meat from door to door. There were no
refrigerators and people had not become educated to the use of ice, so that it
was necessary to dispose of meat as rapidly as possible after it was
slaughtered. For many years complaints came to Council about the stench of
slaughter houses. They were finally banished from within the Borough.

     In July, the question of finances reached a climax. The Street
Commissioner had presented a payroll for $384.30 and David McIntosh had
presented a bill for $100.00 for "pulling stumps out of DuBois Street and
Garfield Avenue."

     On the 22nd. of July the Council discovered that money was very necessary
and a resolution was passed to borrow $2000.00. A financial statement appears
on the records of the Council showing the valuation of the properties within
the Borough at that time was $226,520.00. This would permit the raising of
$2265.00 by public taxes, as the rate of tax that could be levied at the time
was 10 mills for borough purposes. However, the minutes do not indicate that
any tax was levied. The resolution prevailing at the time was for the borrowing
of $2000.00, to be secured by bonds of the denomination of $100.00 each. The
first patriotic citizen to come to the front was William Allen, who bought the
first bond. However, this bond issue did not relieve the stringency of
financial affairs. The Council had gone on the principle that a borough order
was good and therefore they issued orders, which did not have the value of the
scrip issued by Mr. DuBois, for the reason that there was no store behind them
in which merchandise could be purchased and therefore the holders of these
orders were compelled to dispose of them at whatever discount a merchant might
wish to take from the holder. The merchants cannot be blamed, because a number
of these orders floated around for several years before a system of finance was
worked out by which

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 133

each month the current bills of the Borough were paid by the Borough Treasurer.

     By the first of the year the Council seemed to be running smoothly.

     J. M. Corbett had been elected Secretary of Council, but he became weary
of his job and on the 19th of October he resigned and John M. Raught, one of
the Council, was elected Secretary pro tern, serving until January 2, 1882, and
Truman Ames, Esq., one of the first lawyers to located in DuBois, was elected
Secretary of Council. George D. Hamor, another lawyer, was elected to the
office in March, 1883, serving until March, 1884.

     One remark may be pertinent here and that is that the Borough and City of
DuBois evidently regarded a "public debt" as a "public blessing," for from the
time of the first bond issue in July, 1881, the Borough and City has paid
interest on borrowed money.

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Page 134

THE FIRST SCHOOL BOARD
CHAPTER XXVIII

     THE School Board elected in February, 1881 did not get together so
promptly as the town council. The school term at that time was five months and
had been provided for by Sandy Township and the schools probably were closed
about the first of March or very early in that month.

     The first meeting of the School Board is as follows:

     "DuBois School District, Clearfield County, Pa., March 22, 1881. At the
inaugural meeting of the Board of Directors of DuBois organization was obtained
by the unanimous election of T. G. Gormley, President; J. F. Brady, Secretary,
and John Ellis, Treasurer.

     "On motion of William T. Jones, the secretary was instructed to notify
Mr. Ellis of his election to the office of Treasurer.

     "An informal talk as to what was desirable for the best interests of the
schools resulted in a resolution offered by Mr. Jones—it is the sentiment of
the Board that if the financial condition of the district will warrant it, it
is desirable that the schools be kept open for a summer term—and that a high
school is essential to the interests of the borough.

     "The Board then adjourned, meeting the first Monday of April. J. F.
Brady, Secretary."

     In April, 1881, another meeting was held and Mr. Jones again came forth
with a resolution "that the schools of the Borough be kept open for a term of
eight months, opening on the first Monday of September and closing on the
second week of May next following, with an interval of two weeks holiday
commencing one week prior to Christmas and continuing until January 1st.,
inclusive."

     It is noticed that at the first Board meeting on the 22nd. of March,
1881, Mr. Jones became quite ambitious and moved that "if the financial
condition of the district will warrant, it is desirable that the schools be
kept open for a summer term." On the 12th. day of July, 1881, this resolution
was followed by one, "that there shall be eight schools for a period of eight
months."
It seems the School Board acted upon the several resolutions to have an eight
month term of school and the contracts with the teachers after that date
provided for an eight month term of school.
While the law required but a five month term, the new city took a step forward
on the school question and gave the children the benefit of eight months
school. In this early time applications were made each year for the use of the
several school houses for summer schools, by the teacher who taught during the
winter term, and this

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 135

permission was granted, thus giving the advantage of an additional two or
three months of school.

     The school buildings at this time consisted of a one-story two roomed
house located on the lot adjoining the Presbyterian Church and the one-story
school building at the edge of the Borough, a two-roomed two-story house in
Third Ward, and a two-roomed two-story house in the First Ward.

     On May 17th, the Board commenced to look for a location for a High School
building.

     The Board concluded that the fixing of salaries for teachers was
important and on the 12th of July a resolution was passed that the salaries for
the teachers should average $33.00 per month.

     This resolution is very interesting at this time. At this meeting in July
the Board appropriated $800.00 for a High School lot.

     The School Board at this time directed a school tax to be levied
according to law, but no amount was fixed.

     In July the Board decided to elect teachers and on the 26th the following
election took place and the first corps of teachers were:
     
East DuBois Primary - Maggie Sweeney - Salary - $30.00
East DuBois - 2nd. Grade Rosa Butler - Salary - $35.00
Central DuBois Primary - Effie Butler - Salary - $32.00
Central DuBois - 2nd. Grade John T. Liddle - Salary - $37.50
West DuBois Primary - Barbara Pifer - Salary - $30.00
West DuBois - 2nd. Grade G. W. W. Nelson - Salary - $35.00
White School House - Thomas Eagan - Salary - $37.50
Central Mixed School - Alice M. Weaver - Salary - $30.00

     At this meeting there was some talk of grading the schools but nothing
was done.

     In this meeting the Board was somewhat perturbed about coal houses and
other outbuildings and commenced to look out for repairs. The School Board also
decided that the "White" school house on the edge of the Borough should be sold
and finally accepted the bid of John Rumbarger for the sum of $200.00. John
Rumbarger, however, later rued his bargain and asked for a reduction in the
price, on account of the school children marring the building.

     This school house was moved outside the borough limits and is now used
for a tenant house.

     In August another school building was needed and the Board rented a house
from a Mr. Haas. At a later meeting it was discovered that Mr. Haas and his
family thought they should control the school and there was considerable
friction between Miss Weaver, the teacher, and the Haas father and mother,
which resulted in meeting with the School Board at which the differences were
settled.
     
     In 1882, the Board was still worrying about a High School and at a
meeting the entire board decided to visit Reynoldsville to look over the High
School building at that place.

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Page 136  THE FIRST SCHOOL BOARD

     Of course the patrons of the schools of the new Borough could not get
along with the teachers and we find on the 25th of November, 1881, a complaint
was made against one of the teachers on two grounds, viz: drunkenness and
cruelty to the children, but after investigation the Board decided that there
was no ground for these complaints.

     However, the teacher had apparently used rather a large rod and he was
cautioned "against the use of any instrument of punishment other than a
switch." A very interesting item happened on December 13, 1881. A contract for
furnishing coal and wood had been let to James Hine. Mr. Hine stated that he
couldn't fulfill his contract at the price bid and the Board let the contract
to Thomas J. Foster for coal at 9 cents per bushel and kindling wood at $1.00
per load. Coal at that time meant lump coal, not run-of-mine.

     In January 1882, apparently there was a smallpox scare and the Board
passed a resolution to notify all the pupils that they "must be vaccinated
within ten days of notice given them. On failure to comply with this order they
will be suspended from school for such time as the Board may determine, and the
public safety require." A resolution of this character at the present day would
send joy into the hearts of the pupils and no doubt there would be "nothing
doing" in the schools until the smallpox scare was over. In the same meeting
the Board purchased lot No. 47 of DuBois Plan from J. M. Raught for a High
School building. On the 17th of January some more trouble had arisen between
the teacher of school No. 8 and the owner of the building. Evidently Mr. Haas
still thought he had a right to run the school.

     In March, 1882, the School Board had secured a plan for a central school
building from John Burling, a local architect, who was to receive $35.00 for
the plans when the work was completed. On March 14th the Board met to
investigate these plans, but neglected to have fire in the school room and had
to adjourn. However, this did not deter either the architect or the School
Board, for on the 25th of March they again met. At this meeting the Board
decided to erect a new school house and asked for bids.

     On the 23rd. of March, 1882, bids were offered as follows: John Burling,
$10,800; Walter Hatten, $11,400 ; and John DuBois, $11,175. Mr. DuBois stated
in his bid that lumber of a grade cheaper than No. I could be used for sheeting
purposes and which would materially reduce his bid. The result of this was that
no bids were accepted and owing to the fact that the building had to be
completed by October, 1882, the time was too short.

     On the 5th of June, 1882, the Secretary offered a report showing that the
taxes collected for the year were $2,602.83 and there was still uncollected
$1,142 and at this time all bills against the School District had been paid.
The present School Board might take notice.

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CITY OF DUBOIS	137

     On the 25th of August, 1882, a corps of teachers was elected and two new
teachers were substituted for two old teachers, viz W. S. Luther and L. S.
Wright. Mr. Luther was assigned the fourth room in the Central building and L.
S. Wright No. 5 in the West DuBois building.

     The School Board at this time commenced to talk about grading the schools
and on the 12th of September, 1882, the grading was started.

     The citizens of the Borough had not become sufficiently acclimated to not
having a School Board at Luthersburg and thought they ought to annoy the School
Board by preferring charges against the teachers for cruelty.

      Be it said that these charges were promptly investigated, and evidence
was taken on both sides. The cause of the whipping was a note written by a boy
to one of the larger girls in the school. The boy refused to disclose the
contents of the note and therefore Dr. W. J. Smathers was appointed a committee
to take the boy out and find out what was in the note. His report was that the
admissions of the boy with reference to the contents of the note was of such
character that it should not be disclosed in an open meeting. It would seem
that the language was fit for a doctor's ear, but not for public consumption
generally. The result of this investigation was that the teacher was cleared
from the charge of cruelty, but was again admonished to use a rod not over
three-eights of an inch thick at the butt. The School Board again had trouble
in the month of March in the Third Ward where charges were preferred against
one of the women teachers for cruelty. This resulted in another trial and it
seems the President of the Board got into a discussion with one of the persons
supporting the charges and the secretary in recording the proceedings says,
"the president and  -------------- went to the mat. The president won out." The
result of this trial was that the teacher was acquitted of cruel and barbarous
treatment, but the teachers were again admonished as to the size of the rod to
be used in punishing the children.

     The School Board evidently approved of the proverb, "Spare the rod and
spoil the child."

     In 1882, the Legislature passed an Act enabling boroughs with a
population of 5000 to elect their own superintendent. Prior to that the
population requirement for a local superintendent was 10,000.

     An agitation was started to have a borough superintendent of public
instruction elected for the Borough of DuBois. While the minutes of the School
Board do not show that a census was ordered, however, a census was taken in
order to establish the fact that the Borough had the requisite population. Mr.
Thomas Eagan, one of the teachers, took this census. While there is no report
filed with the School Board yet the Directors of that time stated that such had
been the case and it is the foundation of the allegations heretofore made

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Page 138  THE FIRST SCHOOL BOARD

that at the time of the incorporation of the Borough of DuBois it had a
population of 5000 people.

     It was represented to the Board that if the Borough elected its own
superintendent, the superintendent's salary would be paid from State funds and
the Borough would be free from paying its proportionate tax to the county for
institute purposes, and its superintendent could teach in the schools, thus
saving the salary of a teacher.

     The proceedings prior to the election, and after the election, were
related to the writer by a member of the School Board and is somewhat confirmed
by the minutes of the School District.

     On January 8, 1883, the minutes show that:
   "A special meeting was held, stating the object of the meeting to be
investigation State appropriation and electing a Borough Superintendent. On
motion the salary of the Superintendent was fixed at $900.00.
   "On motion W. S. Luther's proposition was accepted and filed. W. S. Luther
was then elected Superintendent.
   "On motion the meeting adjourned."

     Mr. Luther was the first Superintendent at a salary of $900.00 per year.
This was about one-half the salary paid the County Superintendent.

     Apparently this election was not certified to the Superintendent of
Public Instruction of the State of Pennsylvania. On inquiry as late as July 17,
1931, after a thorough investigation of the records, nothing could be found
that a Borough Superintendent had been elected at this time.

     A little later Mr. Luther asked that his salary be paid. The School Board
were rather skeptical as to their right to pay the salary of their
Superintendent, and on the 13th of March, 1883, is the following:

     "The following resolution was made:
   "Superintendent Luther being present, stated in reference to his trip to
Harrisburg, that the Borough would receive one-half the annual appropriation
from the State this year and that the $200.00 they were compelled to pay into
the County Treasury annually from the school fund, would cease, and that the
appropriation we would get this year would be $1150.00.
   "On motion of Dr. Smathers, resolution that the Board sustain themselves in
their former action in reference to Borough Superintendent W. S. Luther.
   "The motion prevailed amid thunderous applause."

     At this meeting an order was issued on the Borough Treasurer for the City
Superintendent's salary, no doubt with the representation and expectation that
they would get this back out of money represented by Mr. Luther that would be
paid.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 139

     In relating this incident the member of the Board said that someone of
the Board said "Mr. Luther, did you get that in writing from Dr. Higby," and
Mr. Luther immediately replied, "Would you expect me to doubt Dr. Higby's word
and ask him to put it in writing?" That settled the question and was no doubt
the cause of the enthusiastic adoption of the resolution.

     Apparently the School Board started some kind of an investigation, for we
find this in the minutes of the 13th of August, 1883:
   "Mr. Luther being present, the President stated to him that the Board had
determined to abolish the office of Superintendent.
   "He refused to acquiesce, stating that he would test the matter.
   "On motion the secretary was instructed to communicate with State
Superintendent Higby, acquainting him of the fact that the Board proposed to
abolish the office named and requested him to revoke Luther's commission."

     When the School Board elected Mr. Luther the Board couldn't have
certified this election to the State Superintendent who would have issued to
Mr. Luther a commission for that office authorizing him to hold examinations
for teachers, etc., but no one seemed to know that this should be done and
therefore the resolution notifying the State Superintendent that the office of
Borough Superintendent was abolished received no reply. At a later date Dr.
Higby came to DuBois to assist in the dedication of the Reformed Church and
when approached about the matter he informed a member of the School Board that
his department had no knowledge of a Borough Superintendent being elected.

     On August 30, 1883, W. N. Bole was chosen Principal of the Schools for
one year, and on September 3, 1883, the following resolution with reference to
the City Superintendent was passed:
   "Resolved, that W. S. Luther shall no longer be recognized as official head
of the schools; that they be placed under the jurisdiction of the County
Superintendent and that a copy of this resolution be sent out to each, State
Superintendent Higby, County Superintendent McQuown, and W. S. Luther."

     Thus ended the first attempt to elect a Borough Superintendent of Public
Instruction in the Borough of DuBois.

     The Borough succeeded in getting along very well for several years. On
inquiry to the Department of Education that department states that the first
person who reported as Superintendent of Schools was Mr. C. P. Garrison in 1894-
1895 who "sent in an annual report of the several schools of DuBois and signed
his name as Superintendent." This was done on several successive years, and no
record is found of any commission issued to W. S. Luther.

     The building of the central High School was still in question and finally
the plans were worked out and bids were submitted for the

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Page 140  THE FIRST SCHOOL BOARD

building of the first school building to be known as the High School building.
This meeting was held on March 13, 1883, and the bids were as follows:
Owen Brothers    Bid for brick   $16,670.00
                     for wood     11,460.00
                    
Walter Hatten	 Bid for brick    17,200.00
                    for wood      11,800.00
                    
Owen Copeland    Bid for brick    14,986.54
                      for wood    11,783.22
                      
R. B. Taylor     Bid for brick    12,760.00
                      for wood     9,760.00
                      
Amos Goss        Bid for brick    25,525.00

     Accordingly R. B. Taylor was awarded the job for the construction of the
buildings.

     The building erected was a two-story eight room building without a
basement, and heated with stoves in each room. This building was ready for
occupancy the following fall.

     The old "White School House," as it was known, was moved on a lot
belonging to Mr. DuBois, where the present municipal building stands, and
although the number of schools had been increased from eight to fourteen, it
was not long until the School Board had to occupy the old White School House,
and continued to occupy it until the present Central School Building was
erected, which in turn became too small and an independent building was erected
for the High School on the Boulevard.

     For the erection of the first High School building a loan had to be made,
and bonds were issued to the amount of $14,000.00 Resolution for this issue of
bonds was on the 11th of May, 1883. There is no record of this bond issue in
the Court of Quarter Sessions of Clearfield County.

     Later, a member of the School Board was elected, who complained bitterly
that there was something materially wrong in the school finances and in proof
of it he said "there were cubebs on them bonds that did not come in until after
I was on the Board." He did not explain why he did not start an investigation.
This same School Director always spelled July with a little "g" as "guly."

     However, this man must not be taken as representative of the various
school directors of the City of DuBois. An examination of the records of the
men elected will show that very many eminent citizens have acted as School
Directors, and very few of them spelling July with a small "g."

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Page 141

THE POOR DISTRICT
CHAPTER XXIX

     THE reader will notice that in the order of Court creating the Borough of
DuBois a "poor district" was provided for as well as a School District, and at
the February election of 1881 two "Overseers of the Poor" were elected. In 1881
these officers were of considerable importance, and had power to levy taxes,
see that the taxes were collected and to spend the money at their discretion
for the maintenance of the poor.

     This system had originated in the State of Pennsylvania at a very early
date. Under the law each township and borough within the State was constituted
a poor district. Later a law was passed that if the electors of the County so
desired the poor district became a county affair, and the boroughs and
townships within its limits were merged into the larger unit. However, at the
time of the creation of the Borough of DuBois, Clearfield County had not voted
on the question and the Borough remained a separate poor district for many years.

     In the earlier, or pioneer days, there were few, if any paupers in Brady
Township. If a father or mother of a family died, leaving little children which
the survivor could not support, these children were usually provided for among
the relatives of the parents.

     What was known as the apprentice system existed in Pennsylvania from the
inception of the State in the colonial days. Under this system children could
be indentured as an "apprentice." This indenturing could be done by the parents
or by the Overseers of the Poor. It was a procedure that covered a multitude of
trades and occupations, and among others was that of binding little girls to
serve their master for a term of years, usually until they were 18. Under this
contract the master was supposed to teach the little girl in the art and
industry of keeping house, to sew, knit, spin, and the various other
occupations of the household of the time. In return for this service the master
was bound to provide meat, drink, clothing, bed, schooling and such medical
attendance in sickness as the community afforded. In other words, it was an
establishment of the relation of parent and child under a form of contract.

     Boys were sometimes apprenticed by their parents to a tradesman such as
carpenter, tanner, machinist, etc., for a period of three years, to learn the
trade of their master, but in the case of the dependent child the boy would be
apprenticed to the age of 21 years, or he might be emancipated at an earlier
date if the con tract so provided. It will be recalled that Kit Carson was so
indentured when he ran away and joined a caravan going to Sante Fe. His master
offered a reward of one cent for his return. The master was responsible for his
ward

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Page 142  THE POOR DISTRICT

during his servitude to the same extent that a parent is responsible for the
keep of his child.

     When the child so bound came to the age at which he, or she, was
emancipated from servitude, he was supposed to receive a gratuity from the
master in clothing—in the case of a boy, a horse, in the case of a girl, a cow.

     If a child should happen to fall into a family where a child was actually
wanted, the lot was not hard, but if, as frequently happened, the child was
secured as a servant, the treatment of such a child was very much like a slave
and would not be tolerated in this age.

     It is true that the County Commissioners still have a right to provide
for indigent children under this apprentice system.

     Under the poor law system the fate of adults was less fortunate. Of
course it was considered a disgrace for any one to permit any near relative to
become a charge on the poor district, but sometimes it happened that the
relative could not support the needy one, or there were no relatives. There
being no County Home, nor poor house, the paupers were "farmed out." That is,
under the early system, if a pauper had to be supported notice was given that
on a certain day bids would be received for his support, or in other words, an
auction held for the contracting for the support of these unfortunates. As a
rule at an auction the highest bidder gets the property, but in this case the
lowest bid for the support of the pauper secured the subject. If it were an old
woman who could work she was expected to earn part of her keep. Likewise a man,
and the contract was made for the care and maintenance of the pauper for a
definite period. One can readily imagine the treatment received by these
dependent people in the hands of strangers. They were rarely ever permitted so
forget their position in the family, and while they were supposed to receive
humane treatment it was usually the reverse.

     When the poor district of DuBois was organized, contemporaneously with
the Borough, the population of the town was made up of persons coming from
other sections, and not the pioneer element, therefore, a number of persons
coming into the district required assistance from the poor district, and the
office of Overseer of the Poor was one of considerable importance. The indigent
were helped by what was known as "out door relief." That is, he was assisted to
such extent as the Overseers of the Poor might deem necessary. If the pauper
should happen to be a favorite he did not fare so badly. If he were inclined to
be critical and complaining he got such treatment as the Overseers thought
adequate under the circumstances. Unless the pauper had some person who would
take up his cause he was helpless.

      Needless to say that the office of the Overseers of the Poor was not
filled by the most intelligent citizenry of the electorate, and many stories
are related of the malfeasance in office of this class of officer.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 143

     Finally the Legislature passed a law providing that a Township or Borough
could, at the discretion of the Overseers, maintain its own Poor House. The
poor rate of the Borough under the then system was not sufficient to maintain
the paupers, and the Overseers of the Poor decided to experiment with a Poor
House. They rented a farm four miles south of the Borough, employed the farmer
and his wife as Steward and Stewardess of the Poor House, and placed the
paupers therein. This poor farm was on what is now known as the Zack Marsh
farm. The result of the establishment of the Poor House was to reduce the
number of dependents by one half, saving to the tax payers a very large amount
of money.

     This Poor House was maintained until the County decided to establish a
County Home.

     As a rule the various poor districts of the County, as well as of the
State were in constant litigation with one another over the responsibility for
the support of the paupers. The law provided that the poor district in which a
pauper resided for one year and became a citizen by paying taxes therein, or
having taken a house and paid rent thereon, for a time, was responsible for the
support of the pauper. With a moving population like DuBois had, this question
was always to the front, and the Overseers of the Poor were almost constantly
in litigation moving paupers from the Borough to other poor districts in the
County, or throughout the State. The order for removal of a pauper was very
simple. The Overseers of the Poor would go to two Justices of the Peace, and
the Justices would give them an order to remove the pauper to such district as
the Overseers decided was responsible for the support of the pauper. Of course
to this order of removal the other district in the same informal way could
appeal to the Court of Quarter Sessions of the County, and then the fight
commenced, the support of the pauper being up in the air until the case was
called by the Court. In the case of the Borough of DuBois, paupers were removed
long distances, as a large number came from other counties. This litigation was
quite expensive. In the first place the Overseers of the Poor were paid a per
diem wage for their services, and in addition thereto their traveling expenses.
It became necessary for the Overseers to carefully investigate the place of
settlement before they took the order of removal, and likewise the other
Overseers would have to investigate before they took their appeal. Then came
the question of taking depositions to be read before the court for and against
the removal.

     Reference to the reported cases throughout the State of Pennsylvania will
indicate the extent to which this litigation was carried prior to the
establishment of the county unit, and it is more than likely that three fourths
of the cases disposed of by the lower courts were not reported for the reason
that the reporting system at that time was very inadequate.

     One can readily see that an Overseer of the Poor inclined to have

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Page 144  THE POOR DISTRICT

litigation for which he did not have to pay, could be very troublesome to his
poor district. The usual wage paid an Overseer was $2.50 per day, and of course
his traveling expenses. In this part of the country the usual wage was $1.50
per day and the man who could make $2.50 was the exception, and as a rule this
was the class of men who were elected Overseers of the Poor. It is recalled
that in one instance an Overseer from DuBois felt called upon to visit each
insane asylum where inmates dependent upon the Borough were kept, as well as
the various reformatories throughout the State where delinquent children were
sent, ostensibly to see that these institutions were run lawfully, and that his
people were being properly treated. This Overseer would buy as many as two
mileage books a year saying that it cost only 2 cents a mile in this way. Why
the auditors of the Borough never surcharged him for this traveling is an
enigma. In one instance this Overseer of the Poor decided to have a surgical
operation performed on a tramp who came into the Borough and fell exhausted on
the street. This man had no known residence in the State, neither had he
relatives, and under the law at that time the County was supposed to pay for
the care of this class of pauper. At this operation there were present three
physicians beside the one employed by the Borough. The one operating charged
$100.00 and each of the others charged $25.00 for witnessing the operation. It
cost the Borough $25.00 for his support for the week he lived in the Poor House
and burial at which the County did not demur, but they raised the question of
paying for the operation. A law suit resulted by the physicians sueing the
Borough for their services and the scandal was exposed. These instances are
given for the purpose of showing how indifferent tax payers are to the class of
public servants they elect to fill important offices.

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Page 145

EARLY BUSINESS AND BUILDING
CHAPTER XXX

     DOCTOR W. J. Smathers gives the population of DuBois in June 1873, at the
time he located, as sixteen families. There is no other method of fixing the
population except by the census periods. As before stated, the census of Brady
Township in 1870 was 2,009. Sandy Township had been separated from Brady
Township in 1878, and the census of 1880 gives the population of Sandy Township
3,84o. The census report makes this memorandum, "Part taken from Brady Township
in 1878." This census report also states, "DuBois, Sandy Township, Clearfield
County, 2817, listed with the unincorporated places in Pennsylvania." This
would indicate that the census of the balance of the township was 1162. In
other words, the population of DuBois had grown from 16 families in 1873 to
2718 at the time of the taking of the census in 1880.

     The advertisements of John Rumbarger as the central location between
Brockway and Luthersburg must have been attractive to cause such an influx of
people. However, it is more likely that the establishment of the industries by
John DuBois, commencing about 1871 or 1872, had more to do with it than this
advertisement. This matter will be dealt with in another chapter.

     One wonders how this influx of people was provided with homes in a
wilderness.

     However, the emigrants into DuBois were very much similar to the pioneer,
that is, they were not accustomed to luxuries. A great many of them came from
farms driven to hunt work by the panic of 1873 and were glad to get work. The
wife made her own clothing. A hat was good for five or six years and a coat
made in the house would be worn the same length of time. The houses were
lighted with coal oil lamps and the fuel was wood and coal. There were plenty
of cattle, hogs and sheep for the local butcher to provide meat. The farmer
raised grain and hay for feeding both the population and the horses and cattle
needed to supply the wants of the local people. There were no dairies to
furnish milk, but the well-to-do kept his own cow and sold milk to his neighbors.

     There were no silks or satins, and the clothing was all plainly made. If
one saw a woman on the street dressed in what was known as the "latest style"
she would not be rated with "Caesar's wife."

     Land was cheap. Mr. Rumbarger sold his lots as low as $100.00 each. The
subdivisions of the Henry Shaffer land were likewise sold for very low prices.
The lot at the corner of Brady Street and West Long Avenue, now occupied by the
Deposit National Bank, was sold for $150.00 about 1875; a two-story frame
dwelling house was built on it and was later sold for $1000.00 In 1893, after
the building had been destroyed by fire, the same lot sold for $10,000.00.

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Page 146  EARLY BUSINESS AND BUILDING

     After the owner had purchased his lot, if it happened to be in the woods,
he proceeded to clear it. If it were in the field, all he had to do was to
remove what stumps might be on the property. If the lot were not along a public
road the purchaser would likewise have to grade his own streets and alleys, if
he wanted them graded. He didn't bother about building sidewalks, as none were
needed.

     Houses were of three sizes, 16 by 24 feet and from 16 feet to 18 feet
high, which was usually called a four-room house, two rooms upstairs and two
rooms downstairs. Another style of house was 18 feet by 24 feet, and another
size 22 feet by 28 feet. When the house got to be 18 by 24 feet, a hallway was
constructed at one side of the house with a stair going to the second floor.
The foundations of these houses were wooden posts sunk in the ground to a depth
of 2 feet. If a stump were conveniently located, it would form a corner of a
house or probably support the center of the house, or maybe the middle of a
sill, thus saving a post. Two carpenters working from six to six would build a
house of this character in ten days or two weeks. Of course, it was not
weatherboarded and not plastered. The interior would have a heavy grade of
cheese cloth tacked on the walls, upon which paper was spread. The chimney
would be in the center of the house, set on a flue stand four feet from the
floor, and the flue was frequently made of a yellow tile, using a tee for the
pipe to enter. This flue was constructed in the center of the house, so that
the stove could be placed in the front part and the cooking stove in the rear.
The windows and doors were what was known as "stock" doors, that is, made by a
factory and shipped in. The actual cost of a two-story house 16 by 24 feet, and
15 feet high, completed, without weatherboarding, was from $450.00 to $500.00
Three carpenters could build the small house in ten days or less.

     Weatherboarding was done if the owner got sufficient money to help out in
the finishing of his house. Rents ranged from $4.00 per month for a four room
house, $6.00 for a house with a hall it it, and $10.00 was an extremely high
rental for a house 18 by 28 feet with six rooms in it. Of course, all the
houses were not finished in this way. Some of them were weatherboarded and
painted, but most of them were as above referred to.

     The business buildings were put up in the same manner, except that they
were not muslined and papered inside, but lined with either white pine or
hemlock lumber. One can get a very good idea of the interior of a store by
looking at the "Caldwell Atlas" of 1878, showing two prominent business places
on the corner of Long Avenue and Brady Street. One also gets an idea of how
people dressed at that time, for both of these pictures contain lady customers.
Shelves on the wall exhibit the class of merchandise handled in both drygoods
and hardware stores.

     The writer saw the following incident: One morning coming down he noticed
a load of lumber on East Long Avenue, piled on a

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 147

lot. At noon the posts were in the ground and the sills laid for the
superstructure. By evening a part of the building was up. The next day the
frame work had been completed and the rafters for the roof had been placed on
the building. The third day the roof was put on and some time during the fourth
day the family moved in. Of course, the building was not completed, but the
owner of this structure, who was an architect of the time, needed a place to
live, and he was willing to occupy the house while the carpenters were
finishing the balance of it. This house is still standing, although
considerably enlarged since that time and made a modern up-to-date building.

     There was no water system. Mr. Rumbarger refers to springs and he was
right, so far as the low ground was concerned. On the south side of East Long
Avenue, from Conwell Alley down, was a series of springs that furnished water,
and likewise on South Brady Street in the flat portion of the ground, a well
sunk 8 or to feet had an abundance of water, but when it came to the higher
ground it was necessary to dig deep wells or secure water by boring. Some of
these bored wells were as much as 15o feet deep. Two, three or four people
would go together and dig one well, which would probably furnish the water for
a half a dozen or a dozen people. This condition existed until 1891.

     Stores carried nothing but the necessities required in the community.
Merchandise was hard to get. In 1871, there were no railroads nearer than
Clearfield or Ridgway, and all of the merchandise had to be hauled on wagons
from either of those places, until the railroad was completed in about 1873 or
1874.

     The writer recalls that at an early date Jared Evans opened a store on
the public road leading past the Nelson House to the Beech-woods. This building
was from five feet to six feet above the ground, and Mr. Evans obtained his
merchandise at Philipsburg prior to the extension of the railroad to
Clearfield, which was opened in 1869, and when a little boy he accompanied his
brother, who had hauled a load of goods from Philipsburg for Mr. Evans in his
store. However, at the time of the starting of DuBois, this store had been
abandoned, and was subsequently turned into a dwelling house and occupied about
1872, probably constituting one of the sixteen families mentioned by Dr.
Smathers, but the Pomeroy Map of 1867 gives no evidence of a building at that
point, and this structure may have been erected after that map was made.

     Lumber at this period was very cheap. So far as hemlock was concerned
there were two grades, viz: Number One and Culls. The Culls were conveyed to
slab piles in the mill yard and burned and the Number I was usually inch
boards, 2 inch planks and other building timber for building houses, which
would be delivered on the ground at as low as $7.50 per thousand. White pine
could be bought as low as $16.00 per thousand delivered on the ground. These
were not Mr. DuBois' prices, however, but the prices of the local mills.

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Page 148  EARLY BUSINESS AND BUILDING

     The local saw mills furnished the larger part of the lumber used in
constructing the greater part of the residences and business houses of the
city. This lumber was hauled as far as 8 miles to To miles on wagons. Hardware
was very reasonable, and in 1895 nails sold for $1.90 per hundred, and other
hardware was in proportion. In 1895 white oak flooring 1?" thick was laid down
at $20.00 per thousand and the purchaser paid floor count. At that time
hardwood floors had commenced to be used as well as the better grades of other
lumber. White pine shingles No. I sold for $3.50 delivered; No. 2 were $2.50;
and Culls or No. 3 ran about $1.25. In 1895 carpenters were paid at the rate of
$2.25 per day, and a foreman was paid $2.50, working from 7 A.M. to 6 P.M.,
with an hour off at noon. They furnished their own tools, and the tools were
sharpened before the carpenter came on the job in the morning. Ordinary labor
was worth $1.5o per day and if a man were a foreman or a little extra, he got
an additional 25 cents.

     Stores were opened at 6 o'clock in the morning and closed at night when
the last customer left, which sometime was as late as 12 o'clock.

     There were no catch-penny affairs in the town. The people furnished their
own amusements. The only luxury was candy, which was handled by the grocery
stores. There were no women clerks in any of the stores. At that time women got
married and raised families to help develop the country, in place of working to
get enough money to support a husband.

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Page 149

MAJOR FIRES IN DUBOIS
CHAPTER XXXI

     DuBois had four major fires. The first fire occurred in November, 1880.
An opera house had been built in the vicinity of 29 West Long Avenue. The first
performance occurred in November, and during the night, after the show had
closed, this house took fire and burned to the ground. At present it is
understood to have been a one story structure, and while some persons claim
that the loss was $25,000.00, yet at that time $25,000.00 would have built a
very large wooden building, and in addition thereto it is doubtful if the
owners of this property ever had $25,000.00.

     The second fire occurred in December, 1883, and originated in about the
same locality. This fire not only destroyed what was known as the American
House Restaurant, but it crossed the street and burned several buildings on the
north side of West Long Avenue. The estimated loss in this fire was as
extravagant at that of 1881.

     The third fire occurred in February, 1886, at the corner of Long Avenue
and Brady Street. At this point there was a two story frame building known as
the "City Hotel," having probably 10 to 15 bedrooms. The office, bar-room, and
lobby at first were in the corner room. Later, the bar-room was segregated to
the north side of the building. This fire spread north along Courtney Street,
and destroyed the Grier Brothers Hardware Store, and the building of H. S.
Knarr. This loss was considerable.

     After this fire the land on the corner was sold to John Bierley, who
started to erect a three story brick building. Bierley got as far as the first
floor and then ran out of money. He finished the store rooms and rented them.

     The room on the corner was rented for the DuBois Deposit Bank. Grier
Brothers bought a lot from Kuntz and erected a brick building on the property.
H. S. Knarr rebuilt on his land, erecting a three story brick building. The
first floor had three store rooms, as at present, and the second floor was used
for offices. The third floor was for lodge rooms.

     The next great fire occurred on the 18th of June, 1888. The entire area
of the central part of the town from Sugar Alley east to Stockdale Street was
built of wood, except four buildings.  One, a three story brick building,
located in the vicinity of 239 West Long Avenue, and used for hotel purposes at
the time of the fire; one on West Long Avenue in the vicinity of 25-27-29 was a
one story brick building used for store rooms; farther east at No. 7 West Long
Avenue was a two story brick building occupied by the First National Bank of
DuBois City. The fourth building was the Grier Hardware Store and the Knarr
building on North Brady Street.

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Page 150  MAJOR FIRES IN DUBOIS

     On North Brady Street, then Courtney Street, were the buildings already
mentioned.

     At 2 o'clock in the afternoon the fire alarm sounded. This time is fixed
by the fact that the mail coming from the east was distributed in the Post
Office at this time, which was then located in the vicinity of the old Y. M. C.
A. building. The writer had risen to go for his mail, and on hearing the fire
alarm looked out of his window and saw a column of smoke rising perpendicularly
to a height of one hundred feet, in the vicinity of the Baker House, a three
story wooden building on North Franklin Street and probably 150 or 200 feet
from the corner of Booth Street (now West Long Avenue). The B. R. & P.
passenger station stood north of this building.

     At that time there was no wind blowing, but by the time I arrived at the
scene of the fire a slight breeze had risen, blowing west. Between the Baker
House and West Long Avenue were three or four wooden buildings occupied as
residences. On the west side of Franklin Street, on the corner of West Long
Avenue, was a three story structure built for a hotel. On the opposite side of
Long Avenue was the M. E. Church, a wooden building two stories high, standing
fifty feet south of West Long Avenue. Persons on the ground began to remove the
property from the dwelling houses in the burning area, to the vacant ground of
the M. E. Church. By the time the household effects were removed, the wind was
blowing very strongly and it was but a few minutes until the church was on
fire. The wind veered to the west and it carried the flames up West Long Avenue
as far as Sugar Alley. The wind then again changed its course and commenced to
blow very strongly in a south-easterly direction. It was not long until a two
story frame building on the corner of West Long Avenue and Franklin Street was
on fire. In the locality of the present St. James Hotel was the W. T. Ross
grist mill, a four story building. It was felt that the flames could be stopped
at the Commercial Hotel, but it was not long until that building was on fire
and the fire was coming out the windows on the east side. When this occurred
everybody gave up the idea of saving the town. Persons occupying buildings and
houses along the street began to move out what goods they could get out. The
fire continued to burn easterly until it reached Stockdale Street. On East Long
Avenue an apple tree stood between the residence of Dr. W. A. Means and the
building next to it, and the Dr. Means residence was not burned. However, the
fire continued south-east and burned everything on Stockdale through to Weber
Avenue, there being no buildings on Weber Avenue at that time. But one
residence remained at the corner of East Washington Avenue and South Stockdale
Street, which still stands. The fire continued north on Brady Street until it
reached the corner of Scribner Avenue. Mr. John E. DuBois early discovered the
situation and telegraphed to Renova for a fire engine. By 6 o'clock the engine
had arrived, and was placed on the bridge on

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 151

North Brady Street across the creek, and a line of hose laid to the old Terpe
House at the corner of West Scribner Avenue and North Brady Street. The Terpe
house was saved by the fire engine, though it was badly wrecked. The buildings
on the opposite side of the street were also saved.

     When this fire started there were 166 business houses in the city. At 6
o'clock in the evening there were six left. These included the DuBois House,
John DuBois Store, the Bell, Lewis & Yates Store, the Alpine House and two
other Hotels.

     Probably five hundred people were homeless. This fire was so severe that
it partially burned the plank paving in the middle of West Long Avenue and
North Brady Street.

     The homeless went to the Driving Park where, through the efforts of Mr.
DuBois, provision was made to house the people for the time being. Other
localities commenced to send in supplies, but the story was told that someone
had given $500,000.00 to help the destitute and of course, this stopped
contributions.

      A committee from Philadelphia was sent up to look over the town to see
if assistance should be given for re-building. This committee went back and
reported that there was nothing here but a lumber town, of only a few years'
duration, and that any money advanced would be lost.

     The people recognized that something must be done to prevent another
fire. On the 20th of June the town Council got together and passed the
following resolution
   ORDINANCE OF DUBOIS BOROUGH
   Be it ordained by the Burgess and Town Council of the Borough of DuBois in
Council assembled, and it is hereby ordained by authority of the same:
   Section 1. That on and after the enacting of this ordinance it shall be
unlawful for any person or persons to erect any wooden dwelling house, store
house, stable, barn, or warehouse on Long Street, in DuBois Borough, beginning
at line of Lot No. 3 as per Long's addition to said Borough; thence to extend
to Pentz Run and on Booth Street to Main Street, and on Courtney Street
beginning at Plank Road and extending to Long Street, and for one hundred and
fifty feet on each side of said streets, nor shall any one erect any building
of any material other than stone, brick, iron or other non-combustible material
on said streets.
   Section 2. Any person violating the provisions of this ordinance shall pay
a fine of not less than one hundred dollars, nor more than five hundred
dollars, or undergo imprisonment in the Borough lock-up for a period of not
less than five days, or be compelled to work said fine out on the streets of said

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Page 152  MAJOR FIRES IN DUBOIS

Borough in accordance with Act of Assembly in such case made and provided.
   Passed this 20th day of June, A. D., 1888.
   Geo. D. Hamor, Burgess
   Attest : W. C. Pentz, Clerk.

     This was an heroic measure. Two members of the Council were interested in
the fire, having had their business buildings destroyed. The merchants losing
their stock of goods, as well as the owners of the buildings were greatly
discouraged. Insurance rates had been high, and the insurance carried probably
did not cover 20% of the loss.

     The Council, however, stood heroically behind the new ordinance and
refused to permit wooden buildings except some small one story structures
erected for temporary business quarters. To show how matters would have worked
out, there are two of these buildings standing at this date, viz: one on West
Long Avenue on the property of Charles Scalen, and the other at 105-107 West
Long Avenue. All other persons had enough patriotism to remove these wooden
structures.

     A few persons undertook to put up wooden buildings but were stopped by
Council.

     The second Opera House built in the City stood on North Brady Street,
then Courtney Street, and at once became the business center. The auditorium
was occupied by the Hibner-Hoover Hardware Company. The gallery was occupied by
D. L. Corbett Dry Goods. The offices on the left hand side of the door were
occupied by the DuBois Deposit Bank, and the right side was occupied by the
First National Bank of DuBois City. The law office of W. C. Pentz was in the
same room with the Deposit Bank.

     A relief committee was organized, of which Dr. J. Vernon Bell, Pastor of
the First Presbyterian Church, was made chairman. What supplies were received
were promptly disposed of through this committee. Dr. Bell was so fair in his
dealings that not a complaint was raised as to the work of this committee. Of
course, as in all other instances of this character, there were persons who had
not been burned out who applied for aid, but all these cases were personally
investigated and were turned down.

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Page 153

TAVERNS AND HOTELS
CHAPTER XXXII

     THE City of DuBois, having started in the woods and grown so rapidly, the
question of accomodations to the traveling public would be a serious one. In
John Rumbarger's advertisement of his land he stated that he would sell his
house for a tavern. His house did become the first tavern or hotel in the town,
but it was not long until other taverns were opened.

     It did not require much of a house to have a hotel or tavern license. If
one had four beds for the accomodation of the traveling public and a place
where he could keep horses, he could get a hotel license. Sanitary
arrangements, heating, lighting, etc., were not regarded with any degree of
importance, in fact, they were given no consideration.

     The day of screens on windows and doors had not arrived. The slops from
the kitchen were dumped out of the back door or into a swill barrel to feed the
pigs or cows and of course became a place for breeding flies. The manure piles
were likewise fly breeding sources. At noon flies transferred their patronage
from the cess pools to the dining room. If the landlord had some respect for
the comforts of his guests, some employee would stand at the side of the table
and keep the flies moving by a brush, cut from the limb of a tree, with the
leaves on, or one made of strips of paper fastened on a handle. Otherwise, it
would be a race between the guests and the flies as to which would get the
choicest part of the food.

     Before the County of Clearfield became a separate judicial district,
there was not much attention paid to the limiting of the number of liquor
licenses granted in DuBois. Any person presenting his petition with a bond in
the sum of $2000.00, signed by 12 citizens, could get a hotel or tavern license
and likewise he could get a restaurant or saloon license.

     If any one built a dwelling house or a store building which could not be
readily rented, it was easily turned into a hotel.

     Beginning at North Main Street at the intersection of DuBois Street, was
a hotel called the Nelson House ; proceeding south on North Main Street to the
first alley, was a two story building called the "Miners Home." The next place
on North Main Street was the Rumbarger House, and that completed the
accomodations for man and beast on that street.

     West of Main Street is State Street, and at the corner of State and Grant
Streets was the Nihil House, proceeding west on State Street at the corner of
Long Avenue, was the McNulty Hotel.

     Going east on West Long Avenue, there were no hotels until Sugar Alley
was reached. Here stood the "Boring House." Cunning-

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Page 154  TAVERNS AND HOTELS

ham McIntyre concluded that there were not sufficient hotels, and hence on the
corner of North Franklin Street and West Long Avenue, he built a three story
wooden building called the Commercial. John Baker, being of the opinion that
McIntyre had too much trade, secured a lot on North Franklin Street about the
corner of an alley, or 180 feet from West Long Avenue, and erected a three
story building which he called the Baker House. All this land is now occupied
by the B. R. & P. Railroad yards and freight offices.

     On North Franklin Street, between the Baker House and DuBois Street, was
a sidewalk erected on posts, and about four feet above the level of the street
along which Sidney Fuller had erected several tenement houses. The population
on North Franklin Street had become so congested that Pat McGraw decided
another hotel was needed in addition to the Baker House and Commercial Hotel,
and on North Franklin Street, near the Keystone building, he erected a two
story building which he called the "Ridell House," and for which he secured a
license.

     Proceeding on West Long Avenue easterly on the left side of the street
was the Ross Grist Mill, which occupied the land between Franklin Street to
Pentz Run. On the south side of the street were a few stores, and one could not
get any refreshment or entertainment until he got to the corner of North Jared
Street and West Long Avenue where the Gorton House stood. Diagonally across on
South Jared Street and West Long Avenue was another building known as the
"Brunswick Hotel." The north side of West Long Avenue, from Jared Street to
High Street, was largely residential. Tom Harliman erected a shoe shop near the
Dr. Maine residence which seemed to have created the necessity for a hotel
called the Central Hotel on that side of the street. Passing on up West Long
Avenue on the south side to near the location of the Woolworth Store, an
enterprising individual decided that a tavern was necessary at that point and
they called it the European Hotel. The north side of West Long Avenue, from
High Street to Brady Street was, in the early days principally occupied by
residences until one came to the corner of North Brady Street; on the south
side of West Long Avenue, other business enterprises were of such importance
that the properties were in demand without a saloon license, and hotels were
not needed, and there was no hotel until one came to the corner of North Brady
Street and East Long Avenue. Here a two story building had been erected for a
dwelling but was enlarged and drawn out in the same manner that bees make a
queen out of a worker, and it evoluted into a place with four rooms for guests
with a livery barn in the rear and it was called the City Hotel.

     On East Long Avenue, near the present Public Library, an enterprising
individual established a restaurant. He was sure that his place was a
necessity, but when a petition was presented to court some time later for the
granting of a promiscuous license at such a point

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 155
as a necessity might arise, between courts, Haas stated that he thought there
were enough licensed houses in DuBois, and that he could accommodate a great
many more drinkers if they would only come in. However, he agreed that from the
Alpine House north to the DuBois Hotel was a long time between drinks.

     On East Long Avenue, in the location of the present Baptist Church, was a
two story hotel originally called the McQuaide House, subsequently called the
McHenry House. This hotel had a barn on West Long Avenue at about No. 14. One
of the qualifications for this hotel was a very large spring on the rear of the
lot, by which guests who did not use beer, wine or whiskey, could receive pure
spring water. This was the eastern terminus of the liquor traffic.

     Starting on North Brady Street on the west side, about three doors north
of the corner was a wholesale liquor store. The proprietor each morning loaded
a buckboard with his wares. He would drive out into the country and when a man
ordered a quart, keg or barrel, he filled out a postal card addressed it to
himself and had the patron sign it, which he mailed at the nearest Post Office.
He delivered the goods from his wagon on the signing of the card. He believed
he was licensed to peddle liquor.

     In the locality of the J. C. Penney Store was the National Hotel. This
was a three story structure and it furnished hotel accommodations. Going on
north, to the corner of North Brady Street and West Scribner Avenue, on the
south side of Scribner Avenue was the Nicholson House, also a three story hotel
building. On the opposite corner was a two story building called the Terpe
House. From the Terpe House, north on that side of the street there were no
buildings except a dwelling house that subsequently burned down. Coming to the
south side of North Brady Street, in the locality of the Montgomery Ward Store
was what was known as the St. Cloud Hotel. This was a two-story ramshackle
hotel for which a license was granted. Proceeding further on North Brady Street
was what was known as the Alpine House. Between the Alpine House and Scribner
Avenue was the Smith Hotel, now called the Penn-Bois Hotel. Of course, there
were no buildings on Liberty Boulevard, except a few tenant houses on the left
hand side. On the east side of the valley was the DuBois House, a four story
brick building erected by John DuBois, for the purpose of conducting a good
hotel and which had the modern improvements of the time, steam heat and running
water.

     These were the houses of entertainment. Subsequently two breweries, viz :
the Iron City Brewing Co., and the Rochester Brewing Co., established
distributing stations.

     Later on several wholesale licenses were granted, and finally a
distillery was erected in the Second Ward east of Maple Avenue, but this plant
never received a license.

     One would think that there was no need of any one suffering

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Page 156  TAVERNS AND HOTELS

for want of a drink of liquor, but at that time the drug stores sold liquor
indiscriminately without the prescription of a physician. It was said that one
drug store in the town sold more whisky than two or three hotels. The facts are
that the country store carried raw alcohol and sold it to whoever wanted to buy.

     On one occasion a citizen of DuBois applied for a wholesale liquor
license, which was refused by the Court. He came home and opened a drug store
and stated afterwards that he had been very foolish for trying to get a
wholesale liquor license. In his drug store he had no restrictions. The
Internal Revenue Department arrested him for rectifying spirits. He complained
very bitterly about this and said he did not rectify, as all he did was to take
a gallon of alcohol, dilute it with water and put in some coloring matter and
out of one gallon of alcohol he got three of whisky.

     The "saloon" license was supposed to cover nothing but wine and beer, but
it was very apparent that people patronizing these saloons got just as drunk as
they did in the barroom that sold hard liquor, and it was a notorious fact that
these places sold hard liquor as readily as the light wines and beer.

     One woman peddled liquor from house to house. In the morning she filled
her market basket with half-pint and pint bottles of whisky and waited on her
regular customers. She finally accumulated sufficient money to buy a hotel in
which she lost her money more rapidly than she had acquired it.

     The illicit sale of liquor became so great that the license trade
employed a detective and a lawyer and at one September Term through the
evidence secured by the detective eight operators of speakeasies were convicted
and one or two carrying on a wholesale business were driven out of the State.

     About payday or at a christening or wedding, the salesmen of the liquor
interests were quite busy and usually there was enough "wet goods" supplied to
the different mining localities and throughout the town to furnish business for
the local Justice of the Peace in riots fights and stabbings to last a week.

     When one reviews the situation as it existed in the early history of the
sale of liquor he is amazed to see the change of sentiment and the drift of the
minds of the people on this question.

     As before stated, all that was needed was four beds for the entertainment
of guests and a stable in which to keep the horses of the travelers.

     To obtain this license the proprietor presented his petition to the Court
of Quarter Sessions, first certifying he was a man of "good moral character;"
and second, that he had a house sufficient to meet the requirements of the law;
third, that this house was necessary for the entertainment of the traveling
public, and then he filed a bond with surety in favor of the Commonwealth in
the sum of $2,000.00.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 157

He was then required to furnish the certificate of 12 electors of his district
that what he had set forth in his petition was true and that this house was
necessary.

     Some of these houses catered more largely to boarders than to the
traveling public. The number of bedrooms would probably be two with two beds in
each room.

     The writer has stopped in what was considered good hotels when he would
share his bed with some other traveler. This was not occasional, but was very
frequent and the landlord would sort out his guests to find congenial persons
to "double up" in the rooms.

     These old hostelries did not have running water and the outhouses were
usually kept in rather a disagreeable condition. As a rule there was no heating
apparatus in the building. The first floor would be heated with stoves, and
occasionally a hot air system would be established for heating the second
floor. In winter time in the morning one always bathed his face in ice water.
The windows of the bedroom would be coated with frost, and at night the
occupant was glad to crawl into bed in his underclothes.

     The hotel license was a monopoly. It was recognized as a necessity and if
the proprietor of a house became dissolute and disreputable the license would
not be taken away until the owner of the house had had an opportunity to
substitute a landlord who would be acceptable to the Court. On several
occasions in DuBois landlords were so obnoxious that they committed nuisances
in their own dining room and were found under the table stupidly drunk.
However, the Court said that this house was necessary and the license would not
be granted to the old proprietor, but it would be held up until a new one could
be substituted.

     The theory was that before a hotel proprietor could sell a meal he would
have to wait until somebody came in and got drunk to get enough profit to
furnish his table.

     Under the law the Judge of the Court of Quarter Sessions was required to
fix the annual date for the hearing of applications for license to sell liquor.
In Clearfield County this date usually was the first Monday of March.

     There were always a number of new applicants, and for some time prior to
the License Court there would be a rush of people from the larger places to
Clearfield to interview the local politicians at that place and to press the
application of the one who was supposed to be able to deliver the most votes.

     One person in high authority in politics in the County made the statement
that in his opinion it was wise to have a certain number in the opposite party
holding licenses.
Some of the hardest fights were made among the liquor men themselves. A lawyer
representing a license application would learn that his client had employed
some other lawyer to oppose the grant-

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Page 158  TAVERNS AND HOTELS

ing of another of his client's licenses who would come into competition with
him. Sometimes he would find that certain lawyers were receiving a more liberal
fee than he received from his client for the purpose of keeping that lawyer
from opposing the license.

     The barroom was usually the local club where political propaganda was
disseminated.

     Of course this led to scandals and the Court was compelled to
discriminate between applicants. This necessarily led to a great many enmities.
During a term of ten years on the Bench the ones who had been refused a license
were more numerous than the ones who had been granted licenses and at the
election it became a scramble between the "outs" and the "ins." In Clearfield
County the "outs" were always more numerous and usually had votes enough to
swing the tide, and so far, no Judge in Clearfield County has succeeded himself.

     Any one familiar with conditions at the time could fill a large volume
with matters as interesting as the history of Tammany.

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[image]
First jail, erected about 1881, on the rear of lot at No. 101 South Brady
Street,
owned by Geo. D. Hamer, Esq. Hamer house fronted on South Brady Street.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/159.jpg

**********************************************************

Page 161

TRANSPORTATION
CHAPTER XXXIII

     WHEN the foundation of DuBois was laid in 1871 in this wilderness, little
thought was given to connection with the outside world. The means of
communication up to that time was
by foot, horseback, wagons drawn by horses or oxen. It is related that one
citizen of near Luthersburg had been summoned for jury duty. He did not wish to
spend any of his wages as a juror and therefore he boarded at home. He left his
home in the morning and walked more than 16 miles in time to attend Court and
after Court adjourned in the evening, he walked back to his home for the night.

     Traveling was not done. A stage line had been established on the old pike
in an early day and in 1871 a daily mail route existed between Clearfield and
Franklin. The inhabitants in DuBois had to get their mail either at Luthersburg
or Jefferson Line and the people depended on the kindness of any neighbor who
might get to the Post Office, once a week, who would receive the mail and
distribute it on his way home.

     After the building of the railroad in 1871 a mail route was established
between Penfield and Clearfield. A stage line to carry passengers between those
two points had been in existence for some time. After a Post Office was
established in DuBois, mail to Clearfield went either west as far as
Reynoldsville or east as far as Penfield. It was then carried to Clearfield
over the stage lines. This condition as to mail existed for a number of years.
Finally, however, a mail route was established direct by stage to DuBois,
through to Luthersburg, and Curwensville to Clearfield as well as by Penfield.

     The only business connection between the two towns was that required by
attendance at Court. At these periods a number of people would hire a hack to
drive them to Clearfield.

     In 1881 the Brockway and Punxsutawney Railroad Company applied for a
charter for a right of way on Franklin Street and an ordinance was passed
granting this railroad company the right to lay tracks to the extent of 40 feet
on that street, leaving 20 feet for the people. This road was promptly built
and gave a northern outlet for the mines and lumber interests of DuBois. The
road was immediately built through to Punxsutawney where the terminus remained
for a number of years, and was finally extended to Butler, giving a Pittsburgh
connection.

     In 1891 the shipping interests of the B. R. & P. Railroad became eager to
have an eastern outlet and what was known as the Clearfield & Mahoning Railroad
Company obtained a charter from the State and it built a line from the C. & M.
Junction in Brady Township to Clearfield.

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Page 162  TRANSPORTATION

     The first construction work was started in June, 1892 and the first
passenger train over this road was run on the first day of June, 1893. This
line was very popular and it started with two passenger trains to the east and
two trains to the west every day, and so continued until several years ago when
the bus and automobile business had so interfered with the passenger business
that all passenger trains were taken off.

     In the early stage days the stage passenger route was from Penfield. If
one took the stage for Clearfield, he had to go through Curwensville and there
connect with the local railroad service to Clearfield, which meant an all day
drive. Sometime in 1880 George Gearhart, of Clearfield, conceived the idea of
putting on a stage line direct between Clearfield and DuBois, coming by Horn's
Shanty, Burns' Garden, Rockton and the old Dressler Saw Mill, a distance of 22
miles. James L. Levy, who conducted the line from Penfield to Clearfield
immediately put on a competing line. These stages left DuBois at seven o'clock
in the morning and returned by six in the evening. Of course, when the railroad
put on its passenger service in 1893 all of the stage lines across the mountain
disappeared.

     The principal business of the citizens of DuBois in Clearfield was
attending Court.

     Prior to 1883, Clearfield County was in a judicial district composed of
Clinton, Center and Clearfield Counties, with a President Judge and an
Assistant Law Judge. The President Judge lived at Lock Haven and the Assistant
Law Judge lived at Bellefonte.

     Neither of these men were very anxious to remain in Clearfield any longer
than he had to. It was an easy matter to get cases continued and in that way
the issue list had become very much congested.

     In the census of 1880 the population of Clearfield County had reached
over 40,000 and a special session of the Legislature of 1883 gave Clearfield
County a separate judicial district. The first election for a Judge was held in
November, 1883, at which time Honorable D. L. Krebs, of Clearfield, was elected
to the Bench. When Judge Krebs came to the Bench he found a trial list which
had accumulated for years. Judge Krebs immediately extended the terms of Court
to four weeks, which gave an annual term of 16 weeks. At no time had the
criminal business of the County come to such a point that it could not be
handled in one week, and the first week of Court was designated for that
purpose. In less than three years Judge Krebs had reduced his trial list so
that a case brought to September Term would be reached at least the following
February Term.

     The remarkable fact is that Judge Krebs did not bring in any assistant
judges except to try the cases in which his office had been interested prior to
his election.

     Attending Court, however, from DuBois, became quite a chore.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 163

Litigants would have to be in Court on Monday morning and remain until their
cases were reached. This required many persons having cases from DuBois (and
they were quite numerous) to remain in Clearfield from Monday morning until
Saturday night.

     However, when the railroad was built the trains left DuBois in such
manner that litigants could go home every night, much to the disgust of the
hotel keepers of Clearfield.

     Progress has moved on and now the litigant can reach the County Seat in
his own conveyance in one hour.

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Page 164

TRANSPORTATION IN DUBOIS
CHAPTER XXXIV

     WE have seen how the business location of DuBois was fixed. Naturally, at
this time, travel from a distance came by rail. It was necessary for that
traffic to get from the station to the
center of the town, as well as the persons leaving the center of town to get
to the train. As in all other progress, it soon became apparent to someone that
a bus service between the station and the business center would be profitable.
In view of that, Mr. Hollister conceived the idea, of operating a bus line to
meet each passenger train. At what period this first service took place seems
to have been lost in the past. In fact no one seems to know the given name or
initials of Mr. Hollister who originated the service.

     This bus service continued until the street railroad was built in 1891.
In 1891 or early 1892, some men from Kittanning and Ford City in connection
with local capital, organized a street railroad company. This concern was known
as the DuBois Traction Passenger Railway Company. The one terminus of this line
was the Pennsylvania Railroad Station and the other the cemetery on South Main
Street.

     An application was made by this corporation for a franchise on what was
then called the "plank road," Courtney Street, Long Street and Booth Street, to
the corner of Main Street and south on Main Street to the cemetery. The
construction of the road was held up a little while by opposition to crossing
the Plank Road. It was alleged that that road was only 16 feet wide. The street
car company dug up the old court record that showed that this street had been a
public road, and the viewers had recommended a 50 foot roadway. At this time no
one seemed to know that John DuBois and Henry Shaffer had laid out a road 40
feet wide as appears by the survey of George C. Kirk. The street car company
was then given the right to lay its tracks on the east side of the Plank Road.
The meadow was crossed by driving piles in the ground and building trestles
about 8 feet apart.

     The street car company built its independent power plant and car barn at
the corner of Spring Avenue and South Main Street.

     Like all new things, this railroad was busy for probably six months and
then patronage began to decrease.

     The stockholders of the street car company later conceived the idea of
purchasing the light plant and did so and operated the plants jointly, but the
street car company failed to purchase its power from the light plant until it
was too late, and both companies became insolvent. In 1897 the franchises of
the street car company were sold for State taxes for a nominal sum. At that
time it fell into the hands

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 165

of the persons who purchased the Electric Light, Power and Heat Company, and
was re-organized on a different basis. The service out Main Street was
discontinued until about 190o. A new company called the DuBois Electric and
Traction Company then got control of it and got the right to build a line
through to Falls Creek. It did not have money enough to go over the railroad at
Falls Creek, and after one got off the cars on the east bank of Falls Creek he
had to walk a half mile to get into the town. Subsequently the line on South
Main Street was restored and carried out South Main Street to Brady Street and
the B. & S. Railroad. Later on, another passenger railroad was chartered to
build a line from the B. & S. Crossing to Big Run. It secured the right to use
the tracks of the DuBois Traction Company to the corner of Brady Street.

     However, when automobiles came into use and good roads were built, street
railroads went into the discard in the same manner as the old bus line, and the
street railroad had to be given up. Within the last few years all of the street
cars operated by these concerns have been abandoned, and the tracks largely
torn up, and this mode of travel in the city has become a memory.

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Page 166

STREET PAVING
CHAPTER XXXV

     0NE of the annoyances to the residents of early DuBois was mud. It is
doubtful if the condition in DuBois was worse than any other town built on low
ground, but it is doubtful if few towns of the size of DuBois did not have some
system of paving.

     In the spring and fall South Brady Street was almost impassable, and West
Long Avenue might have been described as "a river of mud." At the corner of
Long Avenue and Brady Street the mud from the top of the hill floated to that
corner, raising it to a considerable height above its original location.
Likewise, from the top of the hill west the mud floated to the foot of the
hill, and from Pentz Run to Main Street was a bottomless mud hole.

     As soon as the wet season of the fall or the thawing of the spring
started, the crossing at the corner of Long Avenue and Brady Street became
impassable for foot traffic. The Street Commissioner would cut 2x4s about 2
feet long and spike them on this crossing at intervals of 16 inches to 18
inches, so that persons could cross without getting into the mud too deep. As
the mud floated from the top of the hill and filled in the two inches, another
piece was spiked on top of the first and as many as four pieces of scantling on
top of one another were spiked on this crossing. If the person crossing the
street misstepped, he sank into the mud. One day a little boy about six years
of age started over the crossing and about half way across missed his step. The
boy remained stationary until an adult came along and pulled him out.

     Up to this time there had been no system of paving invented other than
asphalt or Belgian Block. With the property valuations of the Borough of DuBois
as low as they were, the Borough was unable to raise sufficient funds, by
borrowing money to pave the streets. No legislation had been passed at that
early date to enable the paving of streets in boroughs and charging it to the
abutting property owner.

     In the early part of 1886 the Borough Council decided that something must
be done and they invented a system of wood paving of their own.

     They directed the Street Commissioner to grade the street, lay a flooring
of one inch boards on the dirt and on top of that to construct a paving of
hemlock planks 2 x 6 inches, set on edge, to a width of 20 feet, and to be
spiked at intervals of 4 feet.

     Hemlock lumber was comparatively cheap, being worth about $8.00 per
thousand feet delivered on the ground.

     The advantage of this paving was that it was constructed very rapidly.

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 167

     The paving was laid from the bridge at the creek on North Brady Street
and on Long Avenue west to Main Street. It was successful in lifting the
central part of the town out of the mud.

     The difficulty with this paving was that it wore out rapidly. In the fire
of 1888 the surface was considerably burned and when the street car line cut
the center out of it to lay its tracks, it shattered the paving considerably
and it became so worn that the spikes used in the construction work, were quite
annoying to horses.

     In 1891 the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed an Act authorizing all
municipalities, including boroughs, to pave streets, set curbs, construct
sewers and to do other public work of that character and charge the cost
thereof to the abutting properties. Meantime the manufacture of vitrified brick
for paving purposes had been started and brick plants sprang up in western
Pennsylvania.

     In 1896 it became apparent that wood pavement was no longer a success and
the Borough decided to re-lay this pavement with vitrified brick. However, the
municipality could not collect the cost of reconstructing this pavement from
the abutting property owner, for the reason that it had assumed the burden of
paving prior to the passing of the Act of 1891, but it could collect the cost
of setting the curb. The Borough Council then moved to repave these streets and
also to fill North Brady Street from the bridge to the Iron Works.

     North Brady street had become very expensive on account of the increase
of the cost of lumber. A bond issue was voted by the electors of the City to
pay for this work. Mr. John E. DuBois loaned his lumber railroad to the Borough
and gave them the dirt on his land to fill this street. The street car company
was induced to move its line into the center of the street and to pay for the
paving between the tracks. During the summer of 1896 this street was filled. It
was not intended to pave it until it had settled for a year. However, the
citizens, contemplating what they would have to do in getting to and from the
freight station, induced the Council to lay the pavement on the new fill. This
proved very successful and it was not re-laid until 1919.

     The Borough, once having started a system of paving, was soon induced to
extend the paving by petitions from other parts of the City. East Long Avenue
was paved to Stockdale Street; South Brady Street to Weber Avenue, and finally,
when the township road in Sandy Township was reconstructed the Borough
succeeded in getting the State to pave South Brady Street from Weber Avenue
south to the Borough limits, the Borough paying 25% and the State paying 75%.
Thus has the paving continued until DuBois is fairly out of the mud.

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Page 168

WATER SYSTEM
CHAPTER XXXVI

     ONE of the menaces of a town constructed of wood buildings is the danger
of fire. That section of the town on the south side of West Long Street and
west of Brady Street was soon built almost solid to the top of the hill. The
persons in that vicinity feared fire and after the burning of the Opera House
in 1881, four or five business concerns organized a temporary fire department.
The first thing they did was to dig a well 20 feet deep in the location of the
present Holland Building, and purchase a "double action force pump" with 200
feet of hose. This force pump was operated by hand and was of the type of pump
used by the large cities in early days.

     This pump afforded but slight protection. It reached the properties
within 200 feet of the pump, which properties were owned by the contributors to
this enterprise.

     This effort created sufficient interest to awaken the other inhabitants
of the town to the necessity of better fire protection.

     It was learned that an application was being made to the Governor of the
Commonwealth, under the laws controlling the supplying of water for a
corporation to supply water to the inhabitants of DuBois for fire and domestic
purposes. At this time there was considerable rivalry in several political
factions. It is probable that one faction became connected with non-residents
of the town, as "Mason's History" discloses the fact that the application was
made by foreign capital. Immediately an application was made for a charter to
the Secretary of the Commonwealth by local citizens, viz: P. S. Weber, D. J.
Crowell, Levi Hydrick, D. L. Corbett, W. T. Ross, James Hines, Emanuel Kuntz,
J. E. Dale, H. Loeb and George D. Hamor. After a contest at Harrisburg a
charter was granted on the 18th of May, 1881, to a corporation called "The
Citizens Water Company of DuBois."

     This new corporation did not seem to understand that it would have to
secure permission from the Borough Council to lay its pipe lines on the streets
of the Borough, as no ordinance seems to have been passed for that purpose.

     However, sufficient money had been raised to buy a large steam pump,
which was placed in the grist mill of W. T. Ross, then standing at the corner
of Franklin and Booth Streets in the location of the present St. James Hotel.
This pump was connected with Pentz Run. A four inch pipe line was then laid
along Booth Street, Long Avenue to Courtney Street and down Courtney Street as
far as the Alpine House and along which was constructed fire hydrants made of
wrought iron pipe large enough to attach a regulation fire hose. A larger
quantity of regulation fire hose was purchased, together with

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[image]
Building at the corner of Long Avenue and Brady Street erected after the fire
of 1886 and destroyed in the fire of 1888. This picture shows the Brady Street
front and the Long Avenue front. Notice the dip in the sidewalk to the crossing
on Brady Street.

[image]
Second Opera House built in DuBois shortly after the first one burned in 1880.
After the fire of June 18, 1888, this building was occupied by a hardware
store, dry goods store, two banks and a lawyers office.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/169.jpg

**********************************************************

CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 171

a hose cart. This cart is still in existence, it having escaped the fire of
1888, at which time the hose was burned.

     This fire protection was efficient and at the time of the burning of the
City Hotel at the corner of Long Street and Courtney Street, in March, 1886, it
did efficient service, preventing the spread of the fire at that time, beyond
two or three wooden buildings.

     A report of this company given in "Mason's History" of 1887 states, "The
Company is out of debt and has a small surplus in its treasury." Apparently the
persons who organized this water company did not realize the opportunity they
had for a profitable investment. They either lacked executive ability, or were
indifferent to the needs of the people. At this time a franchise of this
character was exclusive and it would have been no trouble for this company to
secure the right to lay water mains on any or all of the streets of the
Borough, as well as a tax to pay fire hydrant rental.

     But by 1887 this "small surplus" mentioned evidently had become
exhausted. James P. Roscoe purchased the water lines and the pump. He dug a
well on the banks of Sandy Creek, about where Rose Alley is now located and
built a reservoir on his lot on East Long Avenue, intending to pump water into
that reservoir to be used for domestic purposes. On the 18th of June, 1888,
when the fire came along this water plant was useless.

     Immediately after the fire of 1888 the Borough Council and the citizens
of the town were insistent upon something being done to protect property
against fires. The Borough Council submitted to the electors of the Borough the
proposition of levying a gas and water tax for furnishing water to the
inhabitants, and lighting of streets. This election carried by an almost
unanimous vote.

     As soon as it got abroad that, the Borough of DuBois had decided to levy
a tax for the payment of water for fire hydrants, several adventurers came to
town to see what they could get. Among these was a corporation known as the
"Michigan Pipe Company," of Bay City, Michigan, engaged in the manufacturing of
wood water pipe under the Wyckoff Patent. In an industrial edition of the
DuBois Courier, published in August, 1889, we gather these facts: "The great
question, the all important question in this age, is pure and sufficient water
supply." The writer of this editorial goes on to say,

     "Thanks to the energy and enterprise of the Michigan Pipe Company, DuBois
will soon be supplied with water as pure as nature can produce it, not from
polluted river or stagnant lake, but miles away from the haunts of men they are
constructing their reservoir, out of an inexhaustible mountain spring, that is
entirely free from any impurities, they are getting a supply of water which, in
volume, they can be able to furnish a city many times the size of DuBois, with
abundance of this necessary element.*********

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Page 172  WATER SYSTEM

     "No amount of expense is to be spared to make this water system as
complete as it can be made."

     As the editor progressed his enthusiasm increased and he makes these
remarkable statements:

     "The reservoir is located northeast of the city on lands of John E.
DuBois, Esq. It has an altitude of 200 feet above the Borough, creating a
pressure suitable for fire service direct from the hydrants located within the
city limits, at the highest point in the business portion of the town, corner
of Long and High Streets, at a pressure of eighty pounds. The capacity of the
reservoir is one million five hundred thousand gallons. It receives its water
supply through pipes from several mountain springs from three to five miles
beyond, at an elevation of two hundred and thirty feet higher than the
reservoir, so that there is nothing whatever to pollute and make it
impure.*******

     "The pipes used to convey the water will be the famous Wyckoff Patent,
considered the purest conductors of water extant. These are manufactured to
sustain an indefinite amount of pressure. The size of the pipes are twelve to
fourteen inches, internal diameter."

     Still not being content with these enthusiastic descriptions of this
proposed water system, the editor goes on in another editorial, as follows:

   "The United States Pipe Line Co. are owners of water works at different
places throughout the Co., States. They are recognized as having the most
approved water systems in this country today.*****The many extra and special
features that they are introducing in their plant at DuBois is an evidence that
our council did not err when they contracted with this company to supply DuBois
with water.*******

   "They are constructing this system with a view of furnishing increased
water facilities as the increase of population demands it. As this is the first
plant they have constructed in Pennsylvania they are making a model
system.*****Mr. C. J. Shuttle-worth, their capable and industrious
superintendent has a large force of men at work at the present time."

     Whether one of Mr. Shuttleworth's dinners, (in which the "Vol-stead Law"
did not figure), he had furnished on several occasions to a select few,
inspired the editor who wrote these editorials, or whether Mr. C. J.
Shuttleworth furnished the information himself, is not known. But alas, for all
of this bombastic talk, the unsophisticated Council of the City of DuBois, who
did not know enough to secure an hydraulic engineer to investigate the needs of
the Borough as well as the source of supply before they made their contract,
entered into an agreement with the United States Water Works Company, prepared
by it, and at the time this article ran, in the same issue of

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 173

this paper an ordinance known as No. 42, appeared, granting the right of way
to lay pipe lines on the highways of the Borough.

     It did not seem to occur to the legal department of the Borough at that
time that water could not be supplied by a foreign corporation, but somebody
did find out that such was the case and the new corporation was organized known
as the "DuBois City Water Works Company," of which George B. Smith and Henry
Smith were the principal stockholders, and the stockholders required under the
laws of the State of Pennsylvania were George B. Campbell, A. L. Cole and H. S.
Knarr. Mr. Cole's name appears as Secretary of Council. The date attached to
the ordinance is that of the Toth of August, 1889.

     Outside of the ordinance a special contract was entered into as follows:
   1. Source of supply shall be from springs on the lands now owned by John E.
DuBois, located about six miles northeast of the Borough, to be piped direct to
the reservoir and in no case will water be taken from open streams or
contaminated surface waters.
   2. The water from these hydrants was to be used for extinguishing fires,
flushing sewers when necessary and flushing streets. In addition, one public
watering trough could be erected in each ward, provided the Borough furnished
the watering trough with such control of water as not to waste it.
   3. For this purpose the Borough was to pay this water works $15.00 per
annum for each fire hydrant for a period of twenty years in semi-annual
installments.

     The most remarkable feature of this whole proposition was the "spring"
supply. How Mr. Shuttleworth found such wonderful springs on the lands of Mr.
DuBois flowing with pure mountain water sufficient to fill a reservoir of a
million and a half gallon, is more than anyone can now comprehend ; and
although several of the councilmen were in the employ of Mr. DuBois at the
time, they did not seem to make any investigation to see if this fairy tale
were true.

     In addition to that was the size of this great reservoir, for a town of
more than 10,000 people and a provision for a future supply. This contract was
signed on behalf of the United States Water Works Company by Edward A. Crown,
President and George P. Smith, Secretary, and by A. L. Tozier, Burgess and A.
L. Cole, Clerk of Council, on behalf of the Borough.

     The only place where a pressure was fixed was at the corner of High
Street and Long Street. No specifications for size of pipe to supply the fire
hydrants was made. One point was designated as a pressure point and the balance
of the contract was left up in the air.

     However, one thing was definitely fixed and that is the Borough had to
pay a rental on one fire hydrant for every 400 feet of pipe on the three miles
of water main laid in the Borough limits.

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Page 174  WATER SYSTEM

     This wood pipe came in sections of about six feet in length and when the
line was laid under the creek at the bridge on Courtney Street, it was not long
until the joints of pipe at that point buckled and to the amazement of the fish
in the stream, this wonderful supply of spring water flowed down the creek in
place of into the consumers' houses.

     However, it had not occurred to any of the parties to the contract that
during July and August and September there was not much rainfall in the
vicinity of the springs more than 400 feet above the level of the Borough.
During the first summer after the installation of the plant, these "large
springs," failed to function and the result was that the residents of the city
were without water, for both domestic and fire purposes; although the Borough
had 44 fire hydrants located on the three miles of main, yet had a fire
occurred, the experience of i888 would have been repeated.

     In 1892, the shortage of water became monotonous and even the Council
that had entered into this contract became restive and decided that something
must be done and they notified the Water Company that the Borough rescinded its
contract and it would refuse to pay any more hydrant rental.

     About that time the Berwind-White Coal Mining Company were sinking a
shaft (afterwards known as Shaft No. 1), two miles east of the Borough, and at
about 170 feet below the surface the contractors struck a supply of water that
drowned out operations and which became very troublesome to control.

     The Water Company immediately jumped at the conclusion that there was an
abundant supply of water under the ground. They secured a piece of land along
DuBois Avenue at the western Borough limit, upon which they sank a shaft 12
feet square to a depth of 90 feet and in the bottom of this shaft they bored
three holes to a considerable depth and installed a pump, operated from a steam
boiler on the surface, to help out the supply of water.

     This Water Company used the same wisdom it had employed in locating the
springs and it did not take into consideration the geology of the country. The
shaft sunk by the water company was three miles west of Shaft No. 1 and where
the coal formation came almost to the surface. When this shaft was sunk 90 feet
and the holes bored down quite a further distance, in place of finding the same
quality of water as at Shaft No. I, the water in this shaft was so full of
mineral salts of various kinds that when it stood a short time it smelled like
rotten eggs. When left in a receptacle for a little while the gases in the
water commenced to bubble through the water and the water became of a muddy
yellowish color, and finally the sediment would settle to the bottom of the
water, which however, did not remove the odor or improve the taste of the water.

     Even this supply was not sufficient. A pump was secured at the

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 175

box factory to help out, but the two sources did not furnish enough water to
supply the high places through the day and citizens living in those localities
were compelled to catch water at night for the next day's supply. Sometimes the
higher locations were out of water three or four days, or maybe a week at a time.

     In 1892 the dissatisfaction became so great that the Borough Council, on
the Toth of August, served a notice on the Water Company cancelling the
contract and refused to pay further hydrant rental. This fight kept up for
three years, and on the organization of the Council on the first Monday of
March, 1893, the election of a Borough attorney turned on the water question.

     The Councilmen at this time were as follows: First Ward, B. Burgoon, S.
M. Free and R. W. Taylor; Second Ward, R. V. Spackman, R. S. Potters and W. T.
Smith; Third Ward, W. A. Osborn F. W. Hetfield and William Menzie; Fourth Ward,
D. J. Carson, D. E. Smith and A. J. Booth.

     The Borough attorney at the time of entering into of the contract, had
ceased to be connected with the Borough as legal adviser and became the legal
adviser of the Water Company, as appears by all of the subsequent legal
proceedings had in the matter. However, the Water Company's attorney applied
for the position of Borough attorney and received four votes at the election.

     The Borough attorney, on assuming the duties of his office, found a bill
in equity had been filed to No. 5, September Term, i891, in the Court of Common
Pleas of Clearfield County, Sitting in Equity, for the cancellation of the
contract. Honorable George A. Jenks, ex-Solicitor General of the United States,
had been retained in this proceeding. This equity suit had gone through the
devious paths of demurrers, amendments and all other questions that could be
raised in an equity suit. However, on the 25th of May, 1895, the then Borough
attorney had an order made for a hearing to be fixed on the fourth Monday of
June, 1895, at which time the evidence in the case was heard. The argument of
the case was delayed for some time.

     While the litigation was pending the Water Company made a proposal to
sell the plant to the Borough for $75,000.00.

     The Borough had secured the Stanwyx Engineering Company to make a survey
of the Water Company's property and situation as it then existed. Finally, Mr.
C. W. Knight, of Rome, N. Y., was selected as consulting engineer, who took
charge of the work for securing a sufficient supply of water for the Borough of
DuBois.

     Upon the organization of the Borough Council, Mr. W. A. Osborn was
appointed chairman of the Water Committee. Mr. Osborn became very accurate in
the prosecution of the litigation connected with the water question. The
Borough attorney took up the matter with Mr. Osborn along the line of getting
rid of the Water Company and the Borough owning the franchise. After a number
of consul-

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Page 176  WATER SYSTEM

tations and considerable time spent in estimating the value of this plant to
the Borough, and what it meant as a saving proposition to the citizens of
DuBois, Mr. Osborn became thoroughly convinced that that was the proper
disposition of the question, and secured the co-operation of his committee, as
well as that of the Council for this purpose.

     Some time prior to this the Borough attorney had crossed Anderson Creek
at Rockton and had noticed the large quantity of water at that point, and had
suggested to Mr. Osborn the advisability of obtaining that supply. Mr. Osborn
had Mr. Knight investigate the matter and it was ascertained that a reservoir
could be built in the vicinity of the Bailey Splash Dam on Anderson Creek and a
tunnel through the mountain would give the Borough a gravity supply of water.

     An election was held then to submit to the electors of the Borough the
bonding of the town to put in its own water plant. This proposition carried by
a very large majority. Meantime, the proposition to sell the water works to the
Borough for $75,000.00 was refused and the litigation went on. This resulted in
a decree of the Court below cancelling the contract, from which the Water
Company took an appeal and which was argued the following April. At this time
the question of public utilities was occupying a very large position in the
minds of the people and the Supreme Court reversed the lower Court. However,
the effect of this was such that the Water Company seemed to be heartily tired
of their investment in Pennsylvania, and negotiations were again renewed for
the purchase of the plant. These negotiations culminated in a contract by which
the Borough purchased the plant and settled for all water rental for the sum of
$61,500.00, and possession was turned over on the 6th of March, 1897.

     Mr. Knight, the consulting engineer, immediately went to work and
completed the plans and surveys for the building of the reservoir on Anderson
Creek and digging of the tunnel under the mountain. Contracts were let for this
work and proceeded as rapidly as possible. However, the contractors having
miscalculated the quantity of work to be done, were much longer in completing
both the tunnel and the reservoir and it was some time before Anderson Creek
water was flowing into the City of DuBois.

     At the time of taking over the plant the number of consumers could not be
ascertained, but there were 46 fire hydrants and the hydrant rental to be paid
at that time would have been $1610.00 per year.

     Soon after it obtained the water plant, the Borough established a
bookkeeping department, and in 1902 employed Mr. J. C. Weaver, who, under the
instructions of the Borough Council, reorganized the Water Department, put in a
complete system of bookkeeping, and the Borough got down to a business basis
for the water plant.

     At the time the plant was taken over in March, 1897, but a small

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 177

section of the Borough was reached by water mains. The Borough immediately
commenced a system of expansion and continued to extend the mains until every
house in the city had water. In addition to this, extensions were made in Sandy
Township by which a very large number of inhabitants of the adjoining sections
of the City are supplied with water.

     It is interesting to note the progress in the water system. In the report
made by the City about the first of January, 1931, it is shown that the number
of fire hydrants in the City are 210. At $15.00 per hydrant this would mean an
annual outlay of $7150.00. If we took the average between 46 hydrants in 1897
and 210 in 1931, a period of 14 years, the Borough has saved its taxpayers
$128,450.00. In addition to that there has been no limit to the quantity of
water used for public purposes. It must be kept in mind that with a liberal
Public Service Commission in the State of Pennsylvania, the water rates would
now be very materially increased and it is very likely that the hydrants for
which the Borough contracted at $15.00 each would have been increased to at
least $50.00 by 1931.

     The records show that on the 31st. of January, 1931, the total investment
in the water plant is $560,724.14; deducting the $61,500 which the Borough paid
in the original investment, it leaves the investment made since that date of
$499,224.14. The sum of $61,500.00 can be counted as lost. Every foot of wood
pipe had to be replaced by cast iron pipe. It was found that the leakage from
the wood pipe had become so great that nearly half the water between the
reservoir and the consumer was lost. The boasted reservoir, holding a million
and a half gallons would have been of very little use. The facts are that a few
years ago the city put in a storage reservoir within the limits of the City,
holding four millions of gallons. The reservoir on Anderson Creek has been
raised and more than doubled the volume of water at the completion of the
original reservoir.

     The number of consumers in January, 1931, were 3,027, of which 2755 are
residences, 233 commercial, public 6 and 33 manufacturing. The total amount of
water consumed in 1930 was 223,584,300 or over 600,000 gallons per day.

     In addition to the above, there were used by the Fire Department, public
schools, swimming pool, for flushing streets and sewers and other donations,
approximately 24,000,000 gallons in 1930. Had this Water Company continued, the
city would have had to pay for the furnishing of the public schools and its own
consumption and probably would have been limited as to the flushing of sewers
and cleaning of streets.

     The gross revenues for the year 1930 was $44,809.68. If we were to add to
this revenue $7350.00 for hydrant rental, as well as a large amount of revenue
annually for the water to the schools and consumed by the City, it would have
probably run over $60,000.00.

     The water rate has been consistently maintained at a minimum

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Page 178  WATER SYSTEM

Cost to the consumer, viz: 25c per thousand, with a minimum charge of $1.50
per quarter. This rate, too, would have gone up. In addition thereto, the rates
to manufacturers have been placed as low as 2C per thousand gallons.

     The maximum revenue derived by the City at any one year was $49,831.91.
At that time the Buffalo & Susquehanna Coal & Coke Company was using water for
its operations at Shafts Nos. 1 and 2, and the B. R. & P. Railroad was using a
very large amount of water. Both Shafts No 1 and No. 2 were cut off in 1930 and
the B. R. & P. Railroad cut its supply down very materially.

     However, the city now had an abundant supply of pure, wholesome water,
owned by the taxpayers, coming from uncontaminated mountain streams without the
necessity of a filtering plant and according to the estimate of Mr. Knight, of
sufficient quantity to supply a city of 100,000 inhabitants with all its
industries.

     During the unprecedented drought of 1930, the consumers were not limited
in the amount of water they desired to use, although cities throughout the
state were compelled to curtail the use of water.

     The City of DuBois owes a debt of gratitude to the Council of the Borough
of DuBois of 1895 for securing to the people of the City this wonderful supply
of water, the equal of which is not exceeded in any other city of the state.

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Page 179

BANKING
CHAPTER XXXVII

     IT has not been many years since banking was rather a simple matter. Any
person who could gain the confidence of his neighbors could open a private
bank. The word "bank" seemed to be
attractive and not many people thought of investigating the responsibility of
the institution, relying upon their knowledge of the individual who opened the
bank. These bankers were not annoyed by government agents snooping into their
affairs by examining their bank, and many depositors suffered heavy losses
through this overconfidence.

     A large number of the early banks of Clearfield County were private
affairs. During and after the Civil War period the Federal government
authorized the establishment of National banks. The National bank was compelled
to buy government bonds in the amount of at least 25% of the capital stock and
against, which the .bank was authorized to issue national bank currency to the
amount of 90% of the bonds so held. Thus a bank with $100,000.00 capital could
buy government bonds, which during and after the close of the Civil War were
sold at an interest rate of 6% and 7% and the bank could issue $90,000.00 in
currency on which the Government would permit it to charge 6% interest on
loans. Thus the bank was making as much as 13% on its capital without risk or
effort. Interest rates were not carefully scrutinized and if the bank could get
a higher rate of interest, it made that much more.

     The first bank in Clearfield County west of Curwensville was opened in
the residence of F. K. Arnold at Luthersburg in 1871. The stockholders were F.
K. Arnold, of Luthersburg, Samuel Arnold and John Patton, of Curwensville, and
they did a banking business under the firm name of F. K. Arnold & Co.

     This bank continued in business about three years when it was dissolved
and F. K. Arnold sold his residence in Luthersburg and moved to Reynoldsville.

     The first bank in DuBois was a private affair and was opened September
21, 1880 under the name of "DuBois Deposit Bank," by W. C. Bovard, J. H.
Chambers of Apollo, Armstrong County, S. M . Jackson, of the A. V. Railroad,
Dr. William McBriar and Dr. McCartney, with W. C. Bovard as cashier.

     No one knows what the capital stock of this bank was at the time of its
opening. However, it is stated that on the day of the opening of this bank a
borrower applied to Mr. Bovard for a loan of $5000.00, with ample endorsers.
Mr. Bovard refused the loan. The applicant then went to Clearfield, secured the
money and came back and deposited his $5000.00 in this bank.

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Page 180  BANKING

     The building occupied by the bank was a small two-story frame structure
at No. 29 North Brady Street. The furnishings were a large iron safe in which
was a compartment supposed to be constructed of chilled steel and at that time
would be regarded as burglar proof. The safe was probably six feet high and of
a corresponding width. The counter was a plain board affair with a wire screen
on top three feet high in which was a small wicket, through which the cashier
transacted business. Two or three chairs and a desk were the additional
furniture. This whole equipment probably did not cost over $500.00. This bank
continued in that location until some time in i887 when the management rented
the corner room in the one-story building located at the corner of East Long
Avenue and North Brady Street. When this building was erected, a small brick
vault had been constructed in one corner of the room probably 25 feet from the
front of the building. The room had stood idle some little time when the bank
rented it.

     Mr. Bovard was growing old and wished to retire from the banking business
and on the 4th day of February, 1888, he gave to W. C. Pentz an option to
purchase his bank for the sum of $11,000.00. $10,000.00 was supposed to
represent the capital of the bank and $1000.00 was a bonus for the business.
$500.00 was paid down and the bank was to be delivered on the first of the
following June. This contract is still in existence.

     The persons who were behind this purchase were the directors of the First
National Bank of DuBois City. It was not the intention of the First National
Bank of DuBois City to merge the two banks, but to carry on the one as a
private affair and the other as a national bank. However, the banks were owned
by practically the same people, there being few stockholders in the First
National Bank outside of the Board of Directors.

     The new purchasers took possession of the bank on the 4th day of June,
1888, and on the i8th of June the great fire of DuBois destroyed all of the
furniture and fixtures of the bank, leaving only the currency, books and
probably some stationery. Of course the safe was not burned up, but it was so
destroyed that is was subsequently sold for junk.

     Two or three days after the fire, when the bank secured its books and
currency, it was moved to the Opera House and occupied the ticket office on the
left hand side of the entrance. Subsequently the bank purchased the lot at No.
29 North Brady Street, upon which the wooden building had stood, which had been
destroyed by fire, and a two-story building was erected with a banking roam on
one side and a store room on the other with an apartment overhead. In this bank
was placed the first security boxes brought to DuBois to rent to customers for
safe keeping of their papers.

     This bank was continued as a private affair until the 12th day of

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 181

July, 1892, when it secured a charter under the Banking Laws of the State of
Pennsylvania, under the title of "DuBois Deposit Bank," with a paid up capital
of $75,000.00.

     Some of the stockholders of the First National Bank of DuBois City
desired to control that institution. On the 8th of January, 1889, the
stockholders were induced to vote for the voluntary liquidation of that bank
and on the 8th of April, 1889, permission was granted by the Controller of
Currency to close up its affairs. Four of the stockholders of this bank then
organized a private bank which they called the "Bank of DuBois" and took over
the building of the old First National Bank of DuBois City. Nearly all the
remaining stockholders of the First National Bank of DuBois City remained with
the DuBois Deposit Bank.

     On the 14th of March, 1895, the Bank of DuBois closed its doors. It had
been in bad shape for several years and being unable to borrow any additional
funds, it had to close up.

     The Bank of DuBois had more deposits than the DuBois Deposit Bank and
although the deposits of the Bank of DuBois at that time were probably not much
over $100,000.00, yet it was part of the active capital of the community and by
the closing of this bank created grave hardships. There was a financial
depression on hand at the time and this did not improve the financial condition
of the community.

     Had there been a leader found to organize the discontented depositors,
there is no doubt but what some of the stockholders would have suffered
considerable inconvenience from the irate depositors.

     Unfortunately the President of this bank had been advised by the Cashier
to take a trip to Palestine, on an excursion that left New York some time in
January, and when his bank closed in March he was in the Holy Land.

     One depositor made the following statement, "Last week I went up to
DuBois one morning and nearly broke down the doors of the Bank of DuBois to get
in to deposit my money. I went up this week and I found a notice on the door
that the President had gone to the Holy Land and the bank had gone to Hell."

     Eventually a bill in equity was filed in the Court of Common Pleas of
Clearfield County, asking for a receivership and this was favorably acted upon
by the court and a receiver appointed who immediately took charge of the bank's
affairs.

     There were all kinds of committees appointed to look after the interests
of the depositors, but finally three men, viz : Austin Blakeslee, William
Osborn and W. H. Cannon were selected by the creditors to take charge of the
creditors' interests.

     To make matters more uncomfortable for everybody, nearly all the
stockholders commenced to duck by conveying their properties and having
amicable judgments entered against them.

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Page 182  BANKING

     A short time after the appointment of the creditors' committee the
President, who had been reached by cable, returned and with him and the
committee a plan was worked out by which it was believed that the creditors
could be paid a very substantial amount, if not all, of their claims. It is to
the credit of the President of this bank that he turned over all of his
property and before the creditors' committee got through they had received very
large contributions from the other stockholders. A large amount of real estate
was conveyed to the Receiver and on the final wind up, after paying expenses,
the creditors got 67% of their claims.

     The DuBois Deposit Bank did not have a run on it as might have been
expected. Shortly after the closing of the Bank of DuBois, the stockholders of
the DuBois Deposit Bank applied for a charter for a national bank, to be called
the "Deposit National Bank," with a capital of $100,000.00, which was fully
subscribed, and on the 20th day of September, 1895, this bank opened its doors
under the National Banking Laws and has so continued and is now the oldest bank
in western Clearfield County.

     The Deposit National Bank remained the only banking institution in the
city for five years.

     In 1899 some parties became interested in a Trust Company and the result
was the organization of the The Union Banking & Trust Company of DuBois,
Penna., with a capital stock of $125,000.00 and on the 9th of January, 1900,
this institution opened its doors as a banking and trust company.

     After the Spanish War of 1898 the country commenced to develop more
rapidly, and in 1904 some parties concluded there was a field for another bank
and the The DuBois National Bank was organized under the national banking laws
with capital stock of $100,000.00 and a surplus of $25,000.00, and this bank
opened its doors for business on the 2 1st of November, 1904.

     All of these banking institutions have been wisely managed and each one
has doubled its capital stock since its organization. An examination of the
reports show that all of them are in a very healthy prosperous condition.

     The bankers of DuBois have been foresighted and have encouraged local
industries by assisting wherever they can.

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Page 183

TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH
CHAPTER XXXVII

     Prior to January, 1885, the only telegraph office in the town  doing a
commercial business was in the Pennsylvania Railroad station. On the 19th of
January, 1885, the Western Union Telegraph Company obtained a right of way to
build a pole line from the Allegheny Valley Railroad along the "plank road,"
Courtney Street and Booth Street to Franklin Street. Franklin Street was the
location of the B. R. & P. Railroad Station. In a short time after this a
telegraph office was located on Long Street. Prior to that date any one sending
a telegram had to either walk a half mile or more to the Pennsylvania Station,
or send his telegram by messenger. In like manner the Telegraph Company had to
keep a messenger to carry its telegrams to the central part of town. One could
not pick up a telephone and call the telegraph office, for the reason that
there were no telephones in the town.

     The first telephone communication with the Borough was established in
August i885. The Central Pennsylvania Telephone Company, on the 3rd. of August
of that year, obtained an ordinance granting the right of way to build a pole
line on Conrad Street and Long Street to the corner of Courtney Street and Long
Street. This was a toll line built from Curwensville to DuBois by the Telephone
Company. One telephone served the whole town and the pay station was located in
a corner of Dr. S. H. Pettigrew's drug store on Long and Courtney Street. When
one wanted to telephone he went in and rang up whatever station he wanted and
if it were Curwensville he had to wait until they sent a messenger to call the
person with whom he wished to converse. Clearfield had a small exchange with
probably not to exceed 10 to 15 telephones, which had been installed some time
in 1882. At that time there were two law offices in Clearfield that had
telephones. One prominent lawyer in Clearfield said he "did not want to be
annoyed with a telephone. Persons from all over the county would be calling him
up and securing free advice."

     In Clearfield, if one wanted some person who did not have a telephone, he
had to wait until a messenger was sent out to secure the person with whom he
desired to talk. In like manner any one calling for any person in DuBois had to
wait until a messenger was sent out from the telephone exchange to secure the
person called for. The telephone was a luxury and used only in the most urgent
cases. There was no long distance service.

     It is related that one lawyer in Clearfield, who was quite an ardent
Methodist, was called on the telephone during a period of a protracted meeting
and when he went to the telephone exchange to answer the call and when the
conversation was ended, in place of saying "Goodbye," he said "Amen."

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Page 184  TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH

     DuBois was without a telephone exchange until 1891. On the 4th of
September that year the Central District Printing & Telegraph Company, of
Pittsburgh, obtained a franchise to build pole lines on the streets, alleys and
squares of the Borough. This concern then secured a number of subscribers and
put in an exchange.

     At that time the Telephone Company was very liberal, as it gave free
service as far west as Clarion, south to Punxsutawney and north to
Brockwayville. The line between Clearfield and DuBois remained a toll line.
There was no other telephone service until 1897. Prior to 1897 the C. D. & P.
Telephone Company concluded it was giving too much free service and commenced
to curtail the number of exchanges to which a free service was granted,
beginning with Clarion, then Brookville, Punxsutawney and other localities.
This company also tried to compel people who did not have a telephone to pay
toll for the use of some one else's telephone in the Borough. This produced a
revolution and in 1897 what was known as the Summerville Telephone Company was
organized, with headquarters at Brookville, Pa. The principal stockholders of
this concern were around Brookville, New Bethlehem and Clarion. A large number
of people in DuBois also subscribed for stock.

     On the 28th of December, 1897 a franchise was given to this company to
establish an exchange in DuBois. The free service was quite liberal, extending
to Punxsutawney, Falls Creek, Brockwayville, Reynoldsville and Brookville. This
company made a very liberal charge for its phone service, making a telephone
charge to business houses of $2.00 per month and to private residences of
$1.50, and placed this rate in the ordinance. It was not long until the
Summerville Telephone Company had about all the business there was in DuBois
and if it had had a long distance connection, the Bell Telephone would have
been out of existence, so far as DuBois was concerned.

     Some time after this a country line, called the S. U. B. Telephone.
Company was organized and located its exchange at Luthersburg. This Telephone
Company arranged with the Summerville Company to take care of its DuBois
patrons. This telephone company reached throughout Sandy, Brady, Union and
Bloom Townships. It was organized on up-to-date business principles and gave a
service at about $6.00 per year. This company made an arrangement with the
Summerville Company to build a toll line through to Curwensville to connect
with the Clearfield and Huntingdon Company, another independent concern. This
was a very profitable arrangement to both companies and continued until the
Bell Telephone Company finally absorbed the Summerville. However, the S. U. B.
Telephone Company maintains its own exchange at Luthersburg under the
arrangements made with the Summerville concern.
At this writing it seems strange that a town the size of DuBois had inadequate
means of communication with the outside world,

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 185

but when it is considered that the whole country was in the same condition it
is more remarkable that the town of DuBois forged itself to the front with its
methods of communication with the outside world. The mail service outside of
the connection with Clearfield was remarkably good and it must be remembered
that the period mentioned was what we would now call the "economic period" in
which people were very careful of the amount of money they spent.

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Page 186

STREET NUMBERING
CHAPTER XXXIX

     BY 1895 free mail delivery became popular and of course DuBois was always
clamoring for something it could get for nothing and the people believed they
ought to have free mail delivery.  Accordingly a petition was sent in to the
Post Office Department and the Department notified the Postmaster that free
mail delivery would be granted DuBois whenever the streets were properly
numbered. W. F. Daley was Postmaster at that time and he came to the Council
with this demand from the Government. The Council with its usual system of
putting things over on the Borough attorney, directed him to prepare a system
for naming the streets and numbering the houses.

     The plan submitted, was to divide the town into four sections. The hub
was to be at the intersection of Long Avenue and Brady Street. At that point
the borough streets were divided into four sections, East and West, and North
and South. The central division street was named, beginning at Brady Street,
East Long Avenue, and that west, West Long Avenue, and starting at the same
point, Brady Street was named North Brady Street and South Brady Street. All
streets parallel with Long Avenue were called avenues and all streets parallel
with Brady Street were called streets. One hundred numbers were assigned to
each block beginning at Long Avenue. The first building was No. I East Long
Avenue, etc., and No. 1 West Long Avenue, in the same manner as to Brady Street.

     The old street names were followed in so far as practical, but a very
large number of names were eliminated. Thus, what was known as "Long Street"
and "Booth Street," became "West Long Avenue." Summit Avenue from Brady Street
east took the name of East Washington Avenue, and from that point west, West
Washington Avenue, the name given by John Rumbarger. Some of the present
streets had as many as three names.

     This ordinance was adopted by the Council and then free mail delivery was
given. Mr. W. F. Daley then published a directory of the Borough, being the
first directory published and fortunately a copy of it has been donated to the
Public Library.

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Page 187

PUBLIC LIBRARIES
CHAPTER XL

     IN THE few pages that have been devoted to the history of DuBois, nothing
has been mentioned after the organization of the government of the City under
the City Charter in 1916. However, there is one outstanding incident that seems
to deserve mention and that is the Free, Non-Sectarian Public Library.

     The securing of a library was not a spontaneous movement. It had been in
contemplation for years.

     The first library, (a cooperative affair) was started in 1885. A
representative of a publishing house in the City of New York (the name of the
house is now forgotten,) came to DuBois with the expectation of starting a
library. The plan proposed, was the purchase of fifty volumes of standard
literature, made up of history, fiction and some scientific books, for which he
charged $50.00, and it was supposed that a like number would be purchased every
year thereafter. Fifty interested people each paid $1.00 and secured this
collection of books, which was kept in the office of one of the subscribers. It
was not an exclusive affair. Any person who would contribute a dollar a year
could become a member. However, at the end of the first year there was no
renewal and the second purchase was not made.

     The next move to establish a public library was made by the "Village
Improvement Association of DuBois." This Association was organized by a number
of patriotic women of the City and on the 6th day of May, 1901, a charter was
obtained from the Court of Common Pleas of Clearfield County, which stated the
purpose of the organization to be: "Maintenance of a society for the
improvements of streets and public places in the Borough of DuBois and to
promote neatness and order and whatever may tend to beautify and improve the
town as a place of residence and keep it in a beautiful condition." The names
of the parties applying for this charter were: Mrs. Eva K. Truxall, Ollie E.
Hibner, Alice H. VanTassel, Ellen Holland and Caroline M. Smith. The directors'
names for the first year were: Caroline M. Smith, Emma B. Spackman, Carrie
Cochran, Eva K. Truxall, Phebe J. Ruslander, Mary R. Schrecongost, Katherine S.
Kuntz and Frances S. Watkins.

     This organization was active for a number of years and did a great deal toward
the improvement of the City. Among other things this association started a
library. About five thousand volumes of standard literature were accumulated
during its activities. At the time the Borough owned the old school building
and the Council gave them a vacant room for their meetings, and in which they
kept their library. A librarian was appointed who waited upon the patrons
several days a week. However, this organization became apathetic and Council

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Page 188  PUBLIC LIBRARIES

needing the room for public purposes, the library was crowded out. The
Y.M.C.A. then asked them to place the library in the rooms of the Young Men's
Christian Association of DuBois. However, little interest was taken by the
Association toward the distribution of the books.

   In 1917 the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed an Act authorizing
municipalities in the State to establish non-sectarian free public libraries to
be supported by taxation. In order to secure a library it was necessary for 2%
of the electors of the City to present a petition to the municipal council, and
when that petition was presented the Council was required to hold a public
election at the next annual election to submit to the electors the adoption of
the plan and for the levying of a tax not exceeding two mills.

     The friends of the public library had kept the library spirit alive and
when this Act was passed in 1919 the required petition was presented to the
City Council and the election was held in November of that year.

     The vote showed an overwhelming majority in favor of the library. After
receiving the report of the election, the Council immediately passed an
ordinance establishing "a free non-sectarian public library" and levied a tax
for the coming year of two mills for its maintenance. The Council likewise
fixed the number of Directors at seven, which directorate was appointed by the
Council. The first Board of Directors appointed were: George A. Law, Fred Loeb,
T. T. Allen, J. R. Osborn, H. A. Vosburg, J. I. Brockbank and W. C. Pentz.

     This new toy was tossed into the laps of this Board of Directors who knew
nothing about a library or library work. Three problems confronted them. First,
there were no books; second, if there were books, there was no place to
house them; and third, even if they had a place and the books how should this
affair be managed.

     These gentlemen belonged to the class of people who never say fail, and
while they knew nothing about what should be done, they believed that there was
some source from which information could be obtained and they took the matter
up with the State Library at Harrisburg, who sent Miss Anna McDonald, the
Director of the Extension Work of the State Library, to DuBois to meet the
Board. Miss McDonald's first suggestion was the employment of a competent
librarian to take charge of the work. The question of furnishing a library
building and the books to be purchased were not within her sphere, but she
suggested that when the librarian was secured the selections of books should be
left to her. The Board of Directors desired to open a library as early as
possible. At this time all of the buildings in the city were rented and it
seemed impossible to get a room in a business location large enough to take
care of a library. Arrangements were made with Mrs. Sparks for the first floor
of her residence on East Long Avenue. Through Miss McDonald, the

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CITY OF DUBOIS  Page 189

Board got in touch with several persons and selected Miss Inez Crandall, who
had charge of the public library at Mauch Chunk, Pa., and who had been very
successful in that place. The next question was to get books and the Board
knowing that the Village Improvement Association had a fine collection, the
matter was pre- sented to this organization, who very kindly turned all their
books over to the free library. This collection of books saved the City several
thousand dollars and the selections the Village Improvement Association had
made would have been sufficient to start the Library. The Board then asked the
citizens to donate books and a large collection was received in this way.

     Miss Crandall came in the month of May. She devoted her time to securing
the necessary furnishings for the library and the cataloging of the books and
the securing of additional books she deemed expedient for the opening of the
library, which was fixed for the first of September, 1920.

     On the opening of the schools Miss Crandall immediately went to the
different schools, telling the children stories taken from the various books in
the library. This immediately started a thirst for reading in the public
schools, and there was a great rush of the pupils to the library and especially
among the juveniles.

     The first annual report on the first of September, 1921, gave circulation
for that year as 52,301. This turnover in circulation was based on 8,000
volumes, a large number of which were works of reference and which could not be
taken from the Library.

     In three years Mrs. Sparks' residence became so crowded that new quarters
had to be secured. The Deposit National Bank was prevailed upon to erect a
building on their vacant lot, of which building a part of the first floor to be
used for the library. In less than two years the part of this building
allocated to the Library was so crowded that when the Post Office moved out of
that building, additional room was secured.

     The report for 1930 shows a circulation of 103,000 volumes with about
13,000 volumes in the Library, of which probably more than 1000 volumes is made
up of books that do not go out of the Library.

     The City can be proud of the fact that persons who come here familiar
with Library work, state that DuBois has one of the finest public libraries in
the State of Pennsylvania in proportion to the population.
It seems that this Library was the first one to start in Pennsylvania wholly
supported by public taxation.

**********************************************************

[image]
George C. Kirk, Esq., Civil Engineer who surveyed the first town lots of
DuBois for John Rumbarger, July 11, 1872. This Photograph was taken at the age
of 94 years. Mr. Kirk is still active and when any one wants a lot located he
sends for "Squire" Kirk.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/191.jpg

**********************************************************

[image]
Picture of young boy taken by itinerant photographer
at Luthersburg in April, 1875.

image may be viewed at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/city-of-dubois/192.jpg

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Page 193

APPENDIX
STAGE COACHES

Oil City, Penna. April 23, 1930

     The first recollection I have of the old Stage Coach which ran between
Phillipsburg and Franklin was in about 1865 when I was a girl of 16 years of
age. This was when I first met Mr. Evans. My first ride was between
Curwensville and Clearfield. Mr. Evans and his father, Joseph Evans of
Cochranton, were in Clearfield attending the Fair and they had stopped on their
way to the Fair at my father's, Benjamin Bloom's hotel in Curwensville. My
father always collected the fares from the passengers for the Stage Coach. If
was customary wherever the stage stopped for the hotel proprietor to take
charge of the fares, etc. I remember once my father was robbed of $800.00 money
which belonged to the stage owners. This was considered a large amount of of
money in those days. This money was collected at intervals from the different
hotels. My father kept it in a chest in his bedroom and when it was stolen, it
was not missed for several days, so the robber had a chance for a good get-
away. The stage was then running between Phillipsburg and Franklin. Joseph
Evans had then been operating it for several years, the time that he became
known to me. The stage was a large coach driven by 4 horses, horses and drivers
changing at Luthersburg, Brookville and Clarion. The best stage drivers
received from $20.00 to $25.00 a month and board. Occasionally the stages upset
when they were top heavy from express and baggage on top. In December, 1869,
Mr. Evans and I were married. Of course after our marriage I rode more often
and saw more of the stages. Shortly after our marriage the stage had been
discontinued to Phillipsburg as the trains were then running between Tyrone and
Phillipsburg. The stage line was then between Clearfield and Franklin. Very
often I would get on the stage at Curwensville with my oldest child, a babe in
arms, and ride to Brookville, arriving there at 2 A. M. Would think nothing of
this and perhaps it would be 20 below zero. Once I remember going as far as
Franklin and when we arrived at the bridge over the Allegheny, the spring flood
had washed the bridge away and the passengers were taken across the river in
row boats. The roads in the Spring and Fall were a succession of mud holes,
with an occasional corduroy. Very often male passengers walked up the hills,
all this in the blackness of darkness with only two lanterns hanging from
either side of the coach. In 1872 we moved to Brookville as that was one of the
central points,—Clearfield was the eastern and Franklin the western. Bids were
always let for the mail and express, and the Evans sold out. The big stage
coaches were never used again as the new firm used large hacks.
(Mrs.) Clara Evans

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Page 194	APPENDIX—Continued

FORESTS OF BRADY TOWNSHIP

     Your letter of the 6th instant reminded me that I owed you some
information about the average amount of timber that grew on an acre of land in
Brady Township. I have mislaid that letter, but am inclined to think I missed
bringing it from York State.

     PINE. The popular name of trees known as the genus Pinus, of the order
Coniferae, of which there are many kinds of species.

     WHITE PINE. Pinus Strabus, the principal pine that grew in this region,
and furnished lumber of the most valuable kind. Its native "habitat" seemed to
be through central and northern Pennsylvania, and through southern and central
New York, to the Great Lakes. This species of Pine was a lofty tree, tall,
straight, and hardy, and was remarkable for its uniformity in size for nearly
its whole length, which rose to a height of one hundred and ten feet, or more.

     As to the average number of feet, board measure, that I grew on an acre
of land, I submit the following, to wit:

     I may say here, that in my experience as a scaler of saw logs, and
estimating of standing timber for more than forty years, the average number of
board feet that grew on lands in Brady and adjoining townships, as well as all
over this region, averaged for white pine, twenty thousand feet per acre,
straight and sound scale.

     This estimate of the number of board feet on a tract of land was made as
a whole while perhaps there would be seven acres on the tract, that would have
but very little, if any pine thereon.

     Phillip Swoope, who cut the pine timber on the lands of A.M. McClure, near
where Stanley Station is now, and I measured an acre on which I scaled ninety
thousand board feet. Yet, the average for the whole tract was 19,780 feet per
acre.

     George W. Nolder, who cut the pine timber on the Jacob Pentz farm, near
the C. & M. Junction, and I measured an acre a short distance north of the
Junction, on which I scaled 78,760. Yet the average for the estimated number of
acres, was 18,500 board feet. (Note)

     Not long after I began scaling logs I became interested in finding a Pine
tree that was here when Columbus discovered America. In the large number of
trees that I counted the growths, I never found one. When I would find an extra
large tree, the growths would be correspondingly large.

     The largest Pine tree, and the oldest one was on the waters of Stump.
Creek, on lands of L. B. Carlisle, in Brady Township. This tree had three forks
that started twenty-four feet from the stump. The diameter across stump, two
and a half feet above the ground, was seventy-two inches. The two logs below
the forks contained 2,578 and 2,383 feet respectively.

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APPENDIX—Continued  Page 195

   The first three logs from each of the forks scaled 26 inches respectively,
making 1,500 board feet. The whole tree, with the forks containing 9,443 board
feet. This tree had two hundred and ninety-seven rings or growths. This tree
was cut in December, 1879, showing that this tree started to grow about ninety
years before that event.
George C. Kirk

   Note :—The pine timber on the lands described in the above scale was on
land owned by my father and had been cut over for logs and square timber at
various times throughout the years previous to this scale. In fact, a raft or
two of square timber had been taken off a year or two previous to this scale.
Probably 30% or more of the pine timber had been removed before Mr. Kirk made
his scale.
William C. Pentz

WILL OF JOHN DUBOIS
     I, John DuBois, of DuBois, in the State of Pennsylvania, do hereby make
and publish this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking any and all
previous will or wills by me made. I hereby give, devise and bequeath to my
nephew, John E. DuBois, all my property, goods, chattels and Estate, Real,
personal or mixed, of every nature and kind wheresoever situated, to him, his
heirs and assigns forever. And I hereby appoint said John E. DuBois sole
executor of this my last will, as witness my hand and seal this 26th day of
January, A.D., 1885.
   JOHN DuBois (Seal)
     Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named John DuBois as
and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, who have hereunto
subscribed our names as witnesses thereto in his presence and in the presence
of each other.
Cadmus Z. Gordon
E. H. Clark
Recorded in the Orphan's Court of the County of Clearfield in Will Book C,
page 331.