Area History: History of Schuylkill County, Pa: W. W. Munsell, 1881 History of Schuylkill County, PA: Chapter VI - X Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by R. Steffey. Typing and editing by Jo Garzelloni and Carole Carr. USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ___________________________________________________________ HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. New York: W. W. Munsell & Co., 36 Vesey Street, 1881 Press of George Macnamara, 36 Vesey Street, N.Y. ____________________________________________________________ ___________ CHAPTER VI. ___________ LAND TITLES IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY THE FIRST SETTLERS AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS. __________________ The title to the soil in Schuylkill county cannot be traced farther back than to the time when Hudson first entered the Delaware bay, or to the time when, seven years later, skipper Cornelius Hendricksen ascended the Delaware river as far as the mouth of the Schuylkill. By reason of priority of discovery the Dutch claimed both political jurisdiction and the title to the soil, and the English set up a counter claim of priority because the first discoverer, Hudson, though in the service of the Dutch, was born in England. Both acted under the assumption that the heathen who possessed the country had no rights which Christians were bound to respect. In 1681, King Charles the Second of England, for a considera- tion of f16,000, granted to William Penn by charter the title to what is now the state of Philadelphia. It is recorded of the devil that he once proposed on certain conditions to grant a title to the kingdoms of the earth, when his right to do so was considered quite as questionable as was that of King Charles afterward to sell this region. William Penn and his successors in their dealings with the natives treated the charter which he had received from the king of England as a grant of the right of pre-emption only, and by treaties and purchases at different times extinguished the Indian title to such portions of the province as were required for settlement by reason of the influx of immigrants. In 1732, by a deed to John, Thomas and Richard Penn, the title was acquired to all the lands "lying on or near the river Schuyl- kill or any of the branches, streams, fountains, or springs thereof," between the "Lechaig hills" and the "Keekachtanemin hills" (Blue or Kittatinny mountains), and between the branches of the Delaware on the eastern and those of the western side; and in 1736 a deed was executed to the same proprietaries of the Sus- quehanna river and all lands on both sides of it "eastward as far as the heads of the branches or springs which run into the Susqu- ehanna, and all the lands lying on the west side of the said riv- er to the setting of the sun, and to extend from the mouth of said river northward up the same to the hills or mountains called in the language of the said (Six) nations Tyannuntasacha or End- less hills, and by the Delaware Indians the Kekkachtananin hills." These deeds included the territory between the affluents of the Delaware and the Susquehanna rivers below the blue or Kitta- tinny mountains, which form the southern boundary of Schuylkill county. By a deed executed August 22nd, 1749, by representatives of the six nations and the Delaware, Shamokin and Shawnee Indians of Pennsylvania, the territory which includes Schuylkill county (excepting the northern part of Union township, which was includ- ed in the purchase of 1768) was conveyed to the Pennsylvania proprietaries for f500 "lawful money of Pennsylvania." the trace was thus described: "Beginning at the hills or mountains called in the language of the five nation Indians the Tyannuntasachta or Endless Hills, and by the Delaware Indians the Keckachtany Hills, on the east side of the river Susquehannah, being in the northwest line or bound- ary of the land formerly purchased by the said proprietaries from the said Indian nations by their deed of the eleventh day of Oct- ober, Anno Dom, one thousand seven hundred and thirty-six; and from thence running up the said river by the several courses thereof to the first or nearest mountain to the north side of the mouth of the creek called in the language of the said five nation Indians Cantagny, and in the language of the Delaware Indians Maghonioy; and from thence extending by a direct or straight line to be run from the said mountain on the north side of the said creek to the main branch of Delaware river at the north side of the mouth of the creek Sechawchsin; and from thence to return across Sechawachsin creek aforesaid, down the river Delaware by the several courses thereof to the Kekachtam hills afore- _____________end page 72._______________ page 73 LAND TITLES-FIRST SETTLERS IN THE COUNTY. _______________________________________________________________ said; and from thence by the range of the said hills to the place of beginning. In 1776 the people of the province of Pennsylvania threw off the proprietary government and adopted a state constitution; then, by a series of acts the last of which was passed January 28th, 1779, the estates of the proprietaries under the charter were vested in the commonwealth, and the feudal relation which the charter created was entirely sundered. This act was similar in its character to the Declaration of Independence, and like that declaration its force depended on the success of the Revolu- tion. It appears that manorial lands had been held and sold in this county prior to the Revolution, and that individuals had acquired titles to other lands from the proprietaries; but the titles to most of the lands in the county were obtained from the State by procuring warrants directed to the surveyor general and by him transmitted to the deputy surveyor of the district, au- thorizing a survey of the lands described in the applications for the warrants. On the return of these warrants and compliance with all the prescribed conditions patents or letters patent (open letters) were granted, conveying the title in fee simple to the patentee. This has been the usual method of acquiring titles from the State. It is hardly necessary to speak of titles ac- quired by location, by settlement or by improvement. Warrants were not granted to one person at the same time for larger tracts than four hundred acres, but to evade this regulation, specula- tors often made applications for lands in different names and made the necessary transfers afterward, thus acquiring titles to large tracts. Before the mineral wealth that lies beneath the surface here was known many lands were sold for arrears of taxes. Of these some that were purchased at two or three cents per acre have now a value per acre of $1,000 or more. When the first settlers penetrated the region north from the Blue mountain, or who those settlers were, is not known. It has always been true that the pioneers of civilization have pushed forward in advance of treaties, and located at their own peril where advantages of soil, climate, or other circumstances served to invite. The region south from Blue mountain, now Berks coun- ty, had many settlers previous to the extinguishment of the Indian title in 1736, and that portion of Schuylkill between Blue and Second mountains is known to have been settled by many whites before its purchase in 1749. Early in that year a grand council of the Six Nations at Onondaga had a deputation of chiefs from each of these nations go to Philadelphia and represent, among other things, that settlements had been made by the whites on this side of the Blue mountain. They said: "As our boundaries are so well known and so remarkably distinguished by a high range of mountains we could not suppose this could be done by mistake; but either it must be done wickedly, by bad people, without the knowledge of the governor, or the new governor has brought some instructions from the king or the proprietaries relating to this affair whereby we are to be much hurt. The governor will be pleased to tell us whether he has brought any orders from the king or proprietaries for these people to settle our lands; and if not we earnestly desire that they be made to remove instantly, with all their effects, to prevent the sad consequences which will otherwise ensue." North from Second mountain there was nothing then to invite settlement. The existence of coal was not known. No demand had arisen for the lumber which that region was capable of affording, and the surface was too rugged and mountainous for successful agriculture. Here and there might be found the solitary cabin of an adventurous hunter, whom the abundance of game had attracted hither, but nothing more. Of the early settlers in that part of Schuylkill county south from Second mountain it is known that George Godfried Orwig and Glora, his wife, had come from Germany in 1747 and settled at Sculp Hill, a short distance south from Orwigsburg, which was founded by Peter Orwig, a son of this pioneer couple, in 1796. Some of the descendants of this family still reside in the re- gion. Of other early settlers it is known that Thomas Reed came as early as 1750, a family named Yeager about 1762, and that Martin Dreibelbis had erected a saw-mill and grist-mill at what is now Schuylkill Haven just before the Revolution. But one dwelling house is known to have been erected in the last century in what are now the coal districts of the county. This was the log house of a Mr. Neiman, whose family was massa- cred by the Indians about the close of the Revolution. A saw- mill was erected at Pottsville prior to 1800, and another near St. Clair by George Orwig. This was operated without the estab- lishment of a residence there. Provisions for a week were taken to the mill by the workmen, who were thus enabled to manufacture all the lumber which the exigencies of the times required. Probably other mills were built and operated in the same way. As before stated, the population north from Blue mountain was very sparse at the time of the Revolutionary war, and no revolu- tionary history of the region if preserved. There are traditions of a few Indian murders and massacres, which are noticed in the histories of the localities where they occurred; but aside from these the region which Schuylkill county includes was not the theatre of hostile operations. What was termed the "Tory path" traversed the county from southeast to northwest. Possibly it may have been an old Indian trail, but its name is suggestive of its use during the Revolution. In the war of 1812 Schuylkill was represented in the armies of the country by many recruits, but accurate lists of them cannot now be obtained. _______________end page 73.________________ page 74 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ____________________________________________________________ CHAPTER VII. _______________ ORGANIZATION AND GROWTH OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES. ________________ An act of erecting a part of the counties of Berks and North- ampton into a separate county was approved March 18th, 1811, by Governor Simon Snyder. The preamble to this act recites that "the inhabitants of the northern part of Berks and Northampton counties have, by their petitions, set forth to the General Assembly of this State the great hardships they labor under from being so remote from the present seat of justice and the public offices." The first section of the act reads: "Be it enacted * * * * that all that part of Berks county lying and being within the limits of the following townships, to wit: the townships of Brunswick, Schuylkill, Manheim, Norwegian, Upper Mahantongo, Lower Mahantongo, and Pine Grove, in Berks county, and the town- ships of West Penn and rush in Northampton county, be, and the same are, according to their present lines, declared to be erect- ed into a county, henceforth to be called Schuylkill." The townships of Brunswig, Manheim and Lower Mahantongo have been cut into other townships and boroughs, consequently their names do not now exist. The division lines and territories of North Manheim and Norwegian townships were changed and confirmed by the Court September 14th, 1861. By an act passed March 3d, 1818, the territory bounded as follows was annexed to Schuylkill county as Union township: "all that part of Columbia and Luzerne counties laying within the following lines, viz.: beginning at a corner in the line dividing the County of Columbia from the county of Schuylkill; thence, extending through the township of Catawissa, north ten degrees east, four miles and a half, to a pine tree on the little mount; thence, extending through the townships of Catawissa and Mifflin, north forty-five degrees east, five miles, to a stone on Bucks mount and in a line dividing the County of Columbia from the County of Luzerne; thence, through the township of Sugar Loaf, in the County of Luzerne, south seventy degrees east, eight miles, to the line between the County of Schuylkill and the county of Luzerne; thence along the said line and the line between the County of Columbia and the County of Schuylkill, to the place of beginning." As thus constituted, the county has a length of about 30 miles, an average breadth of 24 1/2, and an area of about 745 square miles. The act provided that until a court-house was erected the courts should be held at the house of Abraham Reiffsnyder, in the township of Brunswick. In accordance with this provision the first court was held in the east room in this house (then, as since, a tavern), on the third Monday of December in 1811. Judge Porter, of the third judicial district, which consisted of Wayne, Schuylkill, Berks and Northampton counties, presided at this court, and George Rausch and Daniel Yost sat as associate jus- tices. The constables in attendance were Christian Kaup, Brun- swig; Jacob Emrich, Manheim; Isaac Reed, Norwegian; Christopher Barnhard, Pine Grove; Peter Rahrl, Upper Mahantongo; Joseph Keffer, Lower Mahantongo, George Olinger, Schuylkill. William Green, then high sheriff, returned the precept duly executed, and the following persons were sworn as the first grand inquest: B. Kepner, George Body, Jacob Houser, A. Yost, P. Fegley, Tobias Wagner, Isaac Yarnell, P. Kaup, Con. Roeder, D. Fenstermacher, D. Bensinger, P. Albright, Joseph Hecke, Joseph Old, A. Hoffer, John Hock, D. Graeff, George Hillegas, A. Gilbert, P. Siedel, and Conrad Yeager. The following attorneys were admitted: George Wolf, Charles Evans, Fred. Smith, William Witman, James B. Hubley, John Spayd, John W. Collins, M.J. Biddle, Samuel Baird, and John Ewing. It is remembered that Frederick Hesser, father of Henry Hesser of Schuylkill Haven, was the crier of the court, which continued to be held at this house till the erection of a court- house. He had been a drummer boy in the Revolutionary was, and he was accustomed to announce the assembling of the court by beating his drum under the window of the court room. The act made Berks and Schuylkill a legislative district, and Berks, Chester, Lancaster and Schuylkill counties a Congressional district. It also provided for the appointment by the governor of three commissioners, not citizens of Berks or Northampton, to fix the location of the seat of justice. Governor Snyder ap- pointed as such commissioners J. Andrew Schultz, Daniel Montgom- ery, and Mr. Clark. McKeansburg, Schuylkill Haven, and Orwigsburg were rival candidates, with claims nearly equally balanced. It is said that Peter Frailey, Daniel Graeff, John Kobb, John Dreher, Phillip Hoy and others induced the owners of saw-mills on the Mahannan creek, which runs near the borough, to detain the water in their mill ponds for a time; and when the commissioners were at Orwigsburg, at a preconcerted signal (the blowing of a horn) they hoisted their flood gates, and the stream, swollen in consequence, so strongly impressed the commissioners with the manufacturing facilities of the place they they decided in its favor. The population of Schuylkill county when it was erected, in 1811, was between 6,000 and 7,000. In 1820 it was 11,311; in 1830, 20,744; in 1840, 29,053; in 1850, 60,713; in 1860, 89,510; in 1870, 116,428; and in 1880, 128,784. The increase by decades is thus seen to be: from 1811 to 1820, about 5,000; 1820-30, 9,433; 1830-40, 8,309; 1840-50, 31,660; 1850-60, 28,797; 1860-70, 26,918; 1870-80, 12,356. At the time of the incorporation of the county the only avenue of travel and transportation, except the old Sunbury road, was the Center turnpike, which was then little more than passa- ble. It was rapidly improved, and ____________end page 74._____________ page 75 OFFICERS OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. _______________________________________________________________ soon became an important thoroughfare. The river was utilized for the transportation of lumber. About the year 1825 the Schuylkill navigation was completed, and in 1842 the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad was extended to Pottsville, affording still greater facilities for the transportation of the rapidly increas- ing product of the coal mines. By reference to the foregoing statement of the increase of population, it will be seen that the greatest rate of increase was during the decade following 1840, in which the number was more than doubled. The influx of people during those years resembled that of adventurers to the oil regions of this State, or to the gold mines of the west. During this rapid increase of population the project was con- ceived of forming a new county. The Miners' Journal of January 30th, 1841, stated: "petitions have been presented to the legis- lature for the formation of a new county out of parts of Schuyl- kill, Dauphin, and Northumberland. The new county will embrace the two Mahantongos. We go in for the new county. The Mahanton- gos have always been an expense to Schuylkill, and the sooner they are cut off the better." In 1853 the project was agitated of forming a new county, to be called Anthracite, out of the eastern portion of Schuylkill and southern part of Luzerne. At a meeting held at Tamaqua a committee was appointed to circulate for signatures petitions for the erection of such a county. Judges.-From 1811 to 1851 the judges were appointed by the governor. Robert Porter, Samuel D. Franks, Calvin Blythe, James M. Porter, Anson V. Parsons, Nathaniel B. Eldred and Luther Kidder were appointed consecutively. Charles W. Hegins, elected in 1850, died, and Edward Owen Parry was appointed. During James Ryan's term the act providing for an additional law judge went into effect. Henry S. Souther filled that office by appointment until the election of Thomas H. Walker, 1871. An act of Assembly in 1867 established the first district of criminal jurisdiction, including Schuylkill, Dauphin and Lebanon counties, and Colonel D.B. Green was appointed to preside. In October, 1867, Judge Green was elected as his own successor, judge of the court. When this court was abolished by the constitution of 1871 Judge Green was made judge of common pleas of Schuylkill county for the remainder of his term. Cyrus L. Pershing was elected president judge in 1872; O.P. Bechtel second additional law judge in 1877. Other county officers and representatives have been elected as follows: Sheriffs.-William Green, 1811; Frederick Hesser, 1814; Benja- min Christ, 1817; George Rahn, 1820-1831; Matthias Dreher, 1823; John Rausch, 1823; Samuel Huntzinger, 1825; Charles Frailey, 1828; Henry Rausch, 1834; Peter F. Ludwig, 1837; J.T. Woolison, 1840; Jeremiah Reed, 1843; John T. Werner, 1846; Christian M. Straub, 1849; James Nagle, 1852; William Matz, 1855; John P. Hobart, 1858; John Rausch, 1861; Michael Horan, 1864; George C. Whykoop, 1867; Charles W. Pitman, 1870; James I. Pitman, 1871; J. Frank Werner, 1874; William J. Matz, 1877. Prothonotaries.-James McFarland, 1811; Philip Frailey, 1817; Jacob Dreibelbies, 1819; Henry W. Conrad, 1821; Peter Frailey, 1824; Jacob Hammer, 1827; Lewis Audenreid, 1836; George Rahn, 1839; Charles Frailey, 1842-1860; Christian M. Straub, 1845; Thomas Mills, 1848; John Harlan, 1851; Samuel Huntzinger, 1854; Daniel H. Shoener, 1857; Joseph M. Feger, 1863; Thomas J. McCa- mant, 1866; William J. Matz, 1869; Hiram Moyer, 1872; Thomas F. Kerns, 1875-1878. Treasurers.-Daniel Graeff, 1812; John Hammer, 1815; Jacob Huntzinger, 1818, 1822; John Schall, 1819, 1825, 1832; Joseph Hammer, 1828; Joseph Ottinger, 1834; John M. Brikel, 1838; Jacob Huntzinger, Jr., 1840; Henry Shoemaker, 1844; Henry Krebs, 1846; B.C. Christ, 1848; F.B. Haercher, 1850; George D. Boyer, 1852; Isaac Ward, 1854; Samuel K.M. Keepner, 1856; William Bickel, 1858; James R. Cleaver, 1860; Joseph H. Ruhards, 1862; Henry J. Hendler, 1864; William B. Rady, 1866; Conrad Seltzer, 1868; Edward Bradley, 1870; George A. Herring, 1872; Daniel Barlow, 1874; Cyrus Moore, 1876; Louis Stoffregen, 1879. Commissioners (term of office three years).-Abraham Angstadt, John Ruth, and John Zebner, elected in 1811; John Hammer, Conrad Kershner, George Kimmel, 1812; George Orwig, 1813; Benjamin Christ, 1814; Henry Straub, Christopher Boyer, 1815; Daniel Focht, 1816; Christian Brobst, 1817; Jacob Hehn, 1818; Philip Foegly, 1819; John Pott, Abraham Reifsnyder, 1820; John Seltzer, 1822; John Reed, Abraham Angstadt, 1823; John Gehner, 1824; Henry Shoemaker, 1825; Ludwig Berger, 1826; John Matz, 1824; Henry Ege, Samuel Haine, 1829; David Turner, 1831; George Reed, 1832; Wil- liam Mortimer, 1833; John Brans, 1834; John Shoener, 1835; Philip Osman, 1836; Adam Focht, 1837; Abraham Boughner, Benjamin Pott, 1838; Benjamin Lantzer, Edward O'Conner, 1839; George Seitzinger, George Boyer, 1841; Samuel R. Medlar, 1842; George Moser, 1843; Henry Zimmerman, 1844; Frederick Beck, William Wagner, 1845; George H. Stichter, 1846; Lewis Dreher, 1847; Isaac Betz, 1848; William Frailey, 1849; Michael Fritz, 1850; Thomas Foster, 1851; George Hartline, 1852; Jacob Kline, Isaac Straub, 1853; Andrew H. Wilson, 1855; David Lengle, 1856; Philip Boyer, 1857; Edward O'Conner, 1858; Samuel Kaufman, 1859; Evan J. Thomas, 1860; Daniel B. Althouse, 1861; Robert Wall, Edward O'Conner, 1862; David Foley, Charles Springer, 1863; Elijah Zeiglar, 1863; Benja- min Evart, George Wilson, 1866; Edward Kerns, 1867; Patrick Dormer, 1868; Peter Miller, 1870; Valentine Benner, 1872; Moses Hine, 1873; Patrick Conry, 1874; Morgan W. Fehr, Lewis Blass, Patrick Collins, 1875; Samuel Garret, Daniel Beyer, A.J. Shor- tull, 1878. Register of Wills, clerk of the Orphans' Court, and Recorder offices combined until 1857.-James McFarland, elected 1811; Philip Frailey, 1818; Jacob Drieblebies, 1819; Francis B. Nich- ols, 1821; Peter Frailey, 1824; Charles Frailey, 1831; Samuel Huntzinger, 1833; Joseph Morgan, 1836; Jacob Hammer, 1838; Jacob Krebs, 1840; John H. Downing, 1842; Samuel Guss, 1845; Daniel Kercher, 1848; Lewis Reeser, 1851; Joshua Boyer, 1854. Recorders.-Levi Huber, 1857; Dennis Maher, 1860; Benjamin F. Griffith, 1863; Martin Schaefer, 1866; Ernst F. Jungkurth, 1869; J. Webber, 1872; Adam Hartwig, 1875; John A. Reilly, 1878. Register of Wills and clerk of Orphans' Court.-Jacob ________________end of page 75.__________________ page 76 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. _______________________________________________________________ Feger, 1857; Joseph Bowen, 1860; Adolph Dohrmann, 1863; Charles McGee, 1869; Benjamin F. Cranshan, 1872; Richard Rahn, 1873, 1878. Clerk of the Courts.-This office was combined with that of prothonotary until 1857. Since 1857 Charles A. Rahn, James Glenn, Charles F. Rahn, and O.J. Aregood have served. State of Representatives (Schuylkill and Berks counties one district from 1812 to 1828, since then Schuylkill one district).-Jacob Krebs, 1812, 1813; Jacob Dreiblebis, 1814; Christian Haldeman, 1815; Michael Graeff, 1816, 1825; John W. Roseberry, 1819; Jacob Rhan, 1820; William Audenreid, 1822, 1823; George Rhan, 1824, 1826, 1829; Samuel Huntziner, 1830, 1831, 1832; Charles Frailey, 1833, 1855; Henry D. Conrad, 1834, 1835; Jacob Hammer, 1836, 1844, 1853; Daniel Krebs, 1834; William Mortimer, 1838; Augustus Holmes, 1840; John Deaver, 1841; Chris- tian N. Straub, 1842, 1844; Abraham Hubner, 1843; James Taggart, 1845, 1846; George Boyer, 1845, 1846, 1848; Samuel Kaufman, 1847; Alexander W. Leyburn, 1847, 1848; John A. Otto, John W. Roseberry, 1849; Nicholas Jones, 1850; William J. Dobbins, 1850, 1851; John S. Struthers, 1851; Stephen Ringer, Bernard Reiley, 1852; John Horn, jr., 1853, 1854; Samuel Hipple, 1854, 1856; Benjamin Christ, 1855; William R. Lebo, 1856, 1857; George Wagonseller, 1857; Charles D. Hipple, 1858; Michael Weaver, 1858, 1864, 1865; T.R. L. Ebur, 1858; Cyrus L. Pinkerton, 1859, 1860; John S. Boyer, 1859, 1860; P.R. Palm, 1859; Joseph R. Maurer, 1860; Henry Huhn, Daniel Koch, Lin Bartholomew, 1861; James Ryon, 1862; Lewis C. Dougherty, 1862; Adam Wolf, 1862, 1863; Edward Kerns, 1863, 1864; Conrad Graber, 1863, 1864; John Dormer, Joshua Boyer, 1865; Kennedy Robinson, 1866, 1867; John M. Crossland, 1866; P.F. Collins, 1866, 1867; Philip Breen, 1867, 1869; Edward Kearns, Michael Beard, 1868, 1869; D.E. Nice, 1868, 1869; James Ellis, 1870, 1871; J. Irvin Steele, 1870, 1871; F.W. Snyder, 1870; Francis McKeon, 1871; Wallace Guss, 1872; Charles F. King, 1872, 1873; W.H. Uhler, 1872; Thomas Egan, 1873, 1874; Benjamin Kauf- man, 1873; John W. Morgan, Frederick L. Foster, 1874. After 1874 the following members of the House of Representatives were elect- ed for two years, under the new constitution: 1875-1st district, John W. Morgan; 2nd, Charles J. Loudenslager; 3d, Joshua Bo?er; 4th, S.A. Losch, William J. Lewis, Frederick L. Foster; 1877-1st, John W. Morgan; 2nd, David J. McKibben; 3d, Willoughby C. Felth- off; 4th, John M. Kauffman, Decius H. Wilcok, W. Ramsay Potts; 1879-1st, Patrick Conry; 2nd, John F. Welsh; 3d, I.T. Shoener; 4th, S.C. Kirk, C. Palsgrave, Clay W. Evans. State Senators (Schuylkill and Berks one district 1812-35; Schuylkill and Columbia, 1836-43; Schuylkill, Carbon, Monroe and Pike, 1844-49; Schuylkill, 1850-74; and since then two distr- icts).-Peter Frailey, 1812, 1816; James B. Hubley, 1820; William Audenreid, 1823; Jacob Krebs, 1828; Charles Frailey, 1836, 1850; Francis W. Hughes, 1844; George Rahn (to fill vacancy occasioned by the resignation of F.W. Hughes), 1845; John Hendricks, 1853; Christian Straub, 1856; Robert M. Palmer, 1859; Richard Reilly, 1862; William M. Randall, 1865, 1868, 1871; Oliver P. Bechtel, 1874; John P. Cobhan, 1875; Luther R. Keefer, 1877; William L. Torbett, 1877; John Parker, 1879. In 1812, Schuylkill and Berks constituted a Congressional district; in 1822, Schuylkill, Berks and Lehight; in 1832, Schuy- kill and Lehigh; in 1842, Schuylkill, Dauphin and Lebanon; in 1852, Schuylkill and Northumberland; in 1862, Schuylkill and Lebanon; and in 1874, Schuylkill alone. From this county the following congressmen have been elected; Edward B. Hubley, 1834, 1836; George N. Eckert, 1846; Charles D. Pitman, 1848; Christian M. Straub, 1852; James H. Campbell, 1854; Myer Strouse, 1858, 1860; Henry L. Cake, 1863, 1868; James B. Reilly, 1874, 1876; John W. Ryon, 1878. _______________ CHAPTER VIII. _______________ PUBLIC BUILDINGS-REMOVAL OF THE SEAT OF JUSTICE THE COUNTY LAW LIBRARY. ____________ As elsewhere stated the first courts in Schuylkill county were held at the tavern of Abraham Reiffschneider, in Orwigsburg. The first court-house was erected in that borough, in 1815. It was of brick, two stories high, about 40 by 50. The court room was on the first floor, and the jury rooms and public offices in the second story. The mason work was done by John Kreter, the joiner work and painting by William Wildermuth and the plastering by John Downing. The cost of the building was $5,000. The first court was held in it in the spring of 1816. A bell was presented by Samuel Bell, of Reading, and it still swings "in its ancient turret high," where it does duty by calling the hands in a shoe manufactory to their work and announcing the hours to the people of the borough. It bears the inscription "Thomas W. Levering, founder, Philadelphia, 1817." In 1827 a building for the public offices was erected. It was of brick, about thirty feet in the rear of the court-house and it had about the same dimensions. It contained two fire-proof vaults. In 1846 an extension was added to the court-house, filling the space between it and the public offices. Thus cover- ing the whole into one building. By the terms of the act of removal the public buildings in Or- wigsburg were to be held by the borough for school purposes. In 1854 an academy called the Arcadian Institute was established, and the court-house was used for this school. The institute having failed, an act was passed by the Legislature in 1870 appointing S.R. Midlar, Christian Berger and S.H. Madden commis- sioners to sell or lease the old court-house and public offices. In accordance with the provisions of this act these commissioners in 1873 leased this building for the term of 99 years to the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company. According to the terms of the act of removal the citizens of Pottsville were to erect or cause to be erected a court-house and public offices within three years from the passage of the act. On the first of February, 1848, a meeting of the citizens was held, and Solomon Foster, Samuel Sillyman, Samuel Thompson, William Major and Abraham Meisse were appointed a committee to superin- ______________end page 76.______________ page 77 THE COURT-HOUSE AND LAW LIBRARY. ________________________________________________________________ tend the erection of the court-house and to give to the county the security required by law. At a subsequent meeting the pro- ject was discussed of purchasing the Methodist church for a court-house, but this was abandoned, and it was resolved to build on the site selected by the commissioners named in the act. A lot was purchased in the north part of the borough, between Sec- ond and Third streets, from the estate of George Farquar; and the work of demolishing the buildings thereon and making the neces- sary excavations was entered on in October, 1849. Contributions in work and materials, as well as money, were received, and all the work was done under the superintendence of Isaac Severn. The total cost of the structure, including a bell of 1,623 pounds and a town clock, was about $30,000. The building is 123 by 37 feet; two stories in height. The second story is divided into a court room 87 1/2 by 54, and 21 feet in height, and four jury rooms, a consultation room and a library. The judges of the court in May, 1851, certified to the commissioners the satisfac- tory condition of the court-house, and in December, 1851, the grand inquest reported the new court-house built by the citizens, every way satisfactory. They particularly commended the court room for its neatness of finish and workmanship, and suggested some important additions to the plan of the room and the arrange- ment of the grounds. The removal of the public records from Orwigsburg to this house was completed December 12, 1851. The project of removing the seat of justice to Pottsville was agitated as early as 1831. At a meeting held at the Exchange Hotel, November 19th of that year, it was set forth in a preamble that the location of the county seat at Orwigsburg subjected the people in some parts of the county to inconveniences, and that a majority would be accommodated by its removal to Pottsville. It was therefore "resolved that it is expedient to take measures immediately to effect the removal of the seat of justice to Pottsville." another resolution appointed Benjamin Pott, Burd Patterson, Thomas Sillyman, Jacob Seitzinger and John C. Offerman a committee to solicit subscriptions to defray the expense of erecting public buildings. At another meeting, December 3d, this committee reported that a sufficient sum was ready. At a meeting held in the court-house in Orwigsburg January 21st, 1832, resolutions were adopted opposing and denouncing this project of removal by the "the Idlers" and "lot holders" of Pottsville. No definite action was taken and the project slum- bered during ten years. It was revived in 1842, after the estab- lishment of railroad communication between Pottsville and Phila- delphia, but no definite action was then taken. Early in 1847, in compliance with the prayer of many petition- ers, the Legislature passed an "act concerning the removal of the set of justice of the county of Schuylkill from Orwigsburg to the borough of Pottsville," and the act was approved March 13th, 1847. It provided for submitting the question of removal to the qualified voters of the county who had resided therein during six months next preceding the election in 1847. It also provided that unless the citizens of Pottsville should within three years erector cause to be erected suitable buildings of brick or stone, for a court-house and public offices, no removal should take place. It directed that a new jail should be erected at the public expense, the old one having become insufficient for the increasing wants of the county. It provided for the disposition of the public buildings at Orwigsburg when those at Pottsville should be occupied. William F. Sanders, Augustus Holmes, Joseph F. Taylor, James B. Levan and Joseph Fertig were named in the act commissioners to "select and procure a suitable lot or lots in the borough of Pottsville" on which to erect the court-house and public offices. As the time for the election in 1847 approached the advocates and opponents of removal put forth Herculean efforts, the former to accomplish and the latter to prevent such removal. Meetings were held in various parts of the county, addresses were made, resolutions were adopted, local prejudice, pride and interest were appealed to, and all the means that could influence voters either way were used. The result of the vote on the question at the election was 3,551 for removal and 3,092 against it. In accordance with the wish of a majority of the voters of the county, as expressed at this election, a bill to remove the seat of justice from Orwigsburg to Pottsville was enacted. This act was deemed proper because, although the former law provided for such removal, doubts as to its constitutionality were enter- tained. In 1855-6 a conditional contribution was made by the county, in addition to a private subscription by members of the bar, for the establishment of a law library. The nucleus of the present collection was formed in the spring of 1856, when a committee of attorneys purchased some four hundred dollars' worth of books. Acts of Assembly in 1861 and 1867 directed the appropriation of portions of fines and forfei- tures for the purchase of books for this library, under the direction of the judges. In 1871 an act was passed appointing "the law judges of the courts and three members of the bar, appointed by them, a board of trustees, with authority to purchase books each year to the amount of $3,000. At the next session of the Legislature a supplementary law was enacted, on the recommendation of the bench and bar, limited the annual expenditures to $1,000. The present number of volumes is about 2,000. The board of trustees consists of Hon. Cyrus Pershing, president judge of the court; Hon. Thomas H. Walker, additional law judge; Hon. Oliver Bechtel, judge of common pleas; James Ellis, Esq., Guy E. Far- quar, Esq., and Christopher Little, Esq., the last being secre- tary of the board. Previous to the erection of a jail in Orwigsburg prisoners were kept in the cellar of Reiffschneider's tavern. This cellar was made in the side of a declivity, and a stump was left at one end. To this stump a ring was ____________end page 77._____________ page 78 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ________________________________________________________________ attached by a staple, and slippery prisoners were fastened to it. The stump, with the ring attached, remained till 1850. This cellar proving insufficient a portion of Judge Rausch's house was used for the same purpose, and there it is said prisoners were sometimes fastened to a ring in one of the apartments. The first jail was built in 1814, by Jacob George and Peter Kutz. It was of field stone, about 32 feet square, two stories in height. By a subsequent addition its length was made some 75 or 80 feet. Some years since, in accordance with the provisions of the act of removal, it was converted into a school-house, which it has since continued to be. The act for the removal of the seat of justice provided for the erection of a prison in Pottsville at the expense of the county. Early in the year 1850 the commissioners commenced preparations for carrying out this provision of the law. Four lots on Market street were purchased for a site, at a cost of $7,000, and a "water lot" was also purchased, at $500. Plans, specifications and estimates were made, and work was commenced on the building lot, and a reservoir was constructed on the water lot. In January, 1851, the site on market street was exchanged for that on which the prison stands, in the rear of the court-house, on Sanderson street. A new plan by Mr. N. LeBrun, the architect for the prison, was adopted, and the work was commenced in the spring of 1851. Isaac Severn was the superintendent of the work. The contractors for the mason work were Hotem & Schoenhar, of Reading; iron work, Thomas, Rorson & Johnson, of Norristown, and Linue Egoff, of Hamburg. The commissioners at the commencement of the work were William Frailey, Michael Fritz and Thomas Foster; while it was in progress Messrs. Hartline and Strauch. The total cost was about $70,000. In 1852 the court decreed that the prison was ready for the reception of prisoners, and the sheriff was ordered to remove hither such as were in the jail at Orwigsburg. Twenty-four years later, or in 1876, an extension was added to this prison which trebled its capacity. Mr. LeBrun was again the architect. The contractors were: Joseph Dolan for excava- tion, Samuel Anman for masonry, Fernster & Co., cast and wrought iron, and William Benchley, carpenter work. The extension was completed and occupied in the summer of 1877. The area of ground enclosed by the jail was is two acres and forty-eight perches. The prison and court-house were supplied with water from the reservoir which was built by the county till 1855, when the pipes and privileges were sold to the Pottsville Water Company, which has since supplied them. July 30th, 1870, the company purchased from the county the water lot, with the reservoir, for $600. In the eighth annual report of the Board of commissioners of Public Charities, August, 1877, it is said of the Schuylkill county jail: "This prison has been enlarged and greatly improved. To the 38 cells in the original jail, 86, exclusive of the 6 dun- geons in the basement, have been added in the extension built during the past year, making the present cell capacity 124. The new cell block, with the entire interior arrangement built under the direction of Mr. N. LeBrun, the architect of the original prison, surpasses anything I have yet seen in prison architecture in the State. Modeled after the style of the Eastern Peniten- tiary, the new cell block extends diagonally backwards a distance of 250 feet. The corridor is 15 1/2 feet wide and 10 feet high. The cells are 14 by 9 feet, with a height of 10 feet. Those on the second tier are somewhat higher. The length of the new and old building is nearly 500 feet. The corridors are well lighted by skylights from the top, and their floors are laid in concrete in particolors. The floors of concrete in the cells are covered with wooden floors. They have long horizontal windows, by which ample light is secured, and are arranged with corner movable shelf, a seat, registers for heat and ventilation, two doors (one barred one solid), gas lights, iron stairs to second tier and balustrades of the same. "A quarantine building or hospital has also been erected in the jail yard. It is securely built and is arranged in the best manner. It is two stories high, built of brick, the upper floors being divided into fourteen rooms or cells, the doors and windows of which are arranged in prison style and contain all the conven- iences usual in penal institutions. The basement is arranged for laundry work. "It may with truth be said that the elegant and commodious extension, including the hospital, now finished and occupied, will make this prison complete in every particular. "The cost for the eighty-six cells and the hospital, includ- ing accommodations for assistants, store rooms and steam heating, both for the old and new buildings, is stated to be $116,582, equal to an average cost of $1,618.50 per cell. "This jail has always been classed among those that are ar- ranged in the best manner. Separation to the largest extent has always been enforced. Cleanliness and good order are enforced. The financial condition is shown to be favorable. The average cost of maintenance per day for the year 1876 is reported to have been sixteen cents." There are in this prison twenty-two looms for weaving carpets, and from ten to fifteen convicts constantly employed in making shoes. Previous to the incorporation of Schuylkill county as a poor district the poor of each township or borough were let out to the lowest bidder to be cared for, as was the practice in many other counties. By an act of Assembly approved April 4th, 1831, the county of Schuylkill was made a poor district, and John C. Offerman, Mi- chael Graeff, Samuel R. Kepner, John Barr, John Hughes, Simon Marborger and William Griff were named in the act commissioners to select and purchase a site for a house of employment for the poor of the district. ____________end page 78._____________ page 79 THE COUNTY FARM-LUMBERING AND RAFTING _________________________________________________________________ On the 9th of April two hundred and twenty-six acres of land on the Center turnpike, in North Manheim township, about one mile north from Schuylkill Haven, were purchased from Charles Christ for $6,000. To this were added in 1835 forty-two acres purchased from Benjamin Pott at $1,000, and by subsequent purchases and transfers the farm has come to include about two hundred and eighty-three acres. When the farm was first purchased there stood on it a hotel or tavern house (still standing), which was used as an alms-house till the main building was erected in 1833. This was of brick, 90 by 48, three stories in height. In 1850 a wing used as a nursery, also of brick, three stories in height, 42 by 32, was built in the rear of the main building, and in 1873 another story was add- ed to the latter. A stone building two stories in height, 28 by 65, was erected in 1842. It was formerly used for the insane, but it is now a quarantine, or place for the care of contagious diseases. The infirmary, 80 by 40, of brick, three stories in height above the basement, was built in 1859. Its apartments are occupied as medical and surgical wards. It possesses the requisite conven- iences for institutions of this kind. The building for the insane was erected in 1869. It is of brick, three stories high, and covers an area of 82 by 42 feet, with a wing in the rear 25 by 20 feet. It has some 338 rooms, arranged with special reference to the care of insane cases, and the basement has rooms for lodging vagrants and tramps. The bakery and laundry, also of brick, two stories in heights, was erected in 1872. The estimated value of the farm is $34,270, of the main build- ing $50,000; insane department, $28,000; infirmary, $21,000; laundry and bakery, $5,100; quarantine, $1,200; out buildings, $4,600; total, $144,170. The barn was erected in 1874. It covers an area of 65 by 120 feet, and has a height of 20 feet above a basement of ten feet. It was built as a cost of $23,000 plus the expense of boarding in the county prison the commissioners under whose superintendence it was erected. Shops of various kinds are standing on the grounds, and airing yards are enclosed for those who are liable to wander. All the buildings are supplied with water from a reservoir some two miles distant. The barnyard is surrounded by a substantial wall seven feet in height. The farm is in an excellent state of cultivation, and every- thing about the establishment gives evidence of the able and careful administration of all its affairs. The average number of inmates for 1879 was 614. The steward of the almshouse is Frederick Beck; matron, Mrs. Frederick Beck; clerk, Benneville Stauffer; physician, Daniel Decheil, M.D.; keeper of insane, James J. Grant; nurse, Edward Dolan; shoemaker, J.J. Shanbacher; baker, George Huntzicher; superintendent of farm, Uriah Walburn. A school is constantly taught, under the supervision of the county superintendent. In this school instruction is given to pauper children in the common branches. The average number of scholars is about thirty. The first directors of the district were John Snyder, Henry Shoemaker and John A. Offerman. The present directors are James Bellagher, James Grant and George Kauffman. ___________ CHAPTER IX. ___________ WATERWAYS OF THE COUNTY--LUMBERING AND RAFTING SCHUYLKILL NAVIGATION THE UNION CANAL. _______________________________ The timber which constituted the original forest south from Sharp mountain was principally chestnut and white oak. Beech, birch, maple, poplar and gum were also found, and occasionally a few acres were covered with white pine or hemlock. In the moun- tainous regions farther north the valleys were covered with spruce or hemlock, with a thick undergrowth of laurel; then the mountain sides for about one-third or one-half their height produced white pine. Farther up chestnut, white oak, beech, maple, birch, etc., were found, and on the very summits of the mountain ridges yellow or pitch pine was the prevalent timber. The pine and hemlock timber was valuable for lumber, and the first settlers of the region, except a few hunters, came hither to avail themselves of this source of wealth. Saw-mills were erected at convenient points on the streams; the pine timber was sawed into boards twelve or sixteen feet in length, and the hemlock mostly into what were termed rails. Fifty years since more than 100 saw-mills were known to be running in the county. This lumber was arranged in rafts on the sides of the streams, and allowed to lie there ready for a start when a "fresh" fa- vored. These rafts were made by laying the boards or other lumber in alternate layers crosswise, each joint or link in the raft having a length of twelve or sixteen feet, a width of twelve feet and a depth of from twelve to fifteen inches, securely fastened togeth- er. On the top of these links shingles and lath were frequently loaded. From ten to fifteen of these links, or more if they were no more than twelve feet in length, were fastened together with hickory withes, and the raft thus formed was furnished with a long oar at each end for guiding it through the windings of the stream. On the occurrence of a favorable freshet the raftsmen, usually two to a raft, hurriedly filled their wallets with provi- sions and started on their trip. The distance from the vicinity of Pottsville to Reading was frequently made in seven hours, and much skill and care was requisite in the management of the rafts. Accidents did not often occur. Below Reading the current was less rapid and slower progress was made. The rafts were usually sold to lumber merchants at various points between reading and Manayunk. The completion of the Schuylkill navigation put an end to rafting. The mountains and valleys were long __________end age 79__________ page 80 HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ________________________________________________________________ since denuded of their valuable timber, and nearly all the saw- mills have gone to decay. But for the existence of this timber the settlement of Schuylkill county would have been long delayed; for the mineral wealth of the region was not then known and the rocky, rugged mountains and narrow valleys certainly did not invite the labor of the agriculturist. A few hunters only would have been attracted by the abundance of game and fish. The Schuylkill Navigation Company was incorporated by an act of Assembly approved by Governor Simon Snyder March 8th, 1815. The purpose of the company was, by the combination of a system of canals and slack-water navigation, to utilize the water of the Schuylkill river between Philadelphia and this region for the transportation of lumber, merchandise, produce, etc., which passed over the Center turnpike, and the coal which some then though would become an important article of trade. In the act James McFarland, John Pott, Daniel Graeff, George Dreibelbis and John Mullowney, of the county of Schuylkill, were appointed members of the commission for opening books and receiv- ing subscriptions to the stock of the company. The act provided that books should be opened in Orwigsburg and kept open ten days, or till one thousand shares of fifty dollars each were sub- scribed. Work was commenced and the first dam built on this navigation at Mount Carbon, in the spring of 1817. Many of the first damn were built by Lewis Wernwag under contract. Some of the locks were constructed by employees of the company under its engineer and superintendents. The excavations for the sections of canal along the river were usually done by contract. During the summer of 1817 the canal and slackwater was made navigable between Mount Carbon and Schuylkill Haven. Niel Crosby, John Curry, ----- Crowley, James Lanigan and George Duncan are remembered as con- tractors on this portion of the work. In the spring of 1818 a freshet carried away the dams and des- troyed the inlet locks that had been built the previous season. The work of rebuilding these was done under an engineer named Cooley, who adopted a plan different from that of his predecessor; and though his damns were injured by the great freshet of 1850, they were not carried away. The locks were built under the super- intendence of Jacob Beck. During the spring and summer of 1818 work was commenced along the entire line through the county. Among the contractors who did work in this county are remembered. Ritter, Christian and Klein, who excavated a section below Auburn; Chope and the brothers Job, Sampson and Solomon Judge, who cut the tunnel near Auburn-a work that was said at the time to require patience, strength and wisdom; one Crowley, also below Auburn and several places above;-Lord, a dam and piece of canal near Port Clinton; and Archton and Peard, two damns above Port Clinton. The work was not completed so that navigation to any extent was practicable till 1821. During that season what were termed "flats" ran as far as Hamburg in the canal and river, and from there to Cooley's dam, five miles below Reading, they floated in the river, which was too shallow to carry canal boats. Below this damn, which was twenty-two feet in height, the river was used again to Phoenixville, below which the canal was completed to Philadelphia. It was not till 1824 that the work was completed so that boats ran the entire length. As late as 1826 no horse or mule power was used for towing boats. Through the canals boats were towed by men at the end of long lines. Sticks were fastened by the middle to the ends of the lines, and these were places by two men against their breasts or shoulders, and thus they towed the boats, in place of the teams that were afterwards used. In the river the boats were propelled by oars or setting poles, and a trip from Mount Carbon to Philadelphia and back often required six weeks for its accomplishment. It is a remarkable fact that in 1824 Abraham Pott took a load of coal-28 tons-to Philadelphia, and on offering to pay the toll at Reading it was found that, although rates were fixed on every other article, even to a bushel of hickory nuts, coal was not named in the list, and he paid no toll bill afterward. In 1827 the work of extending the navigation to the mouth of Mill creek was commenced, and it was completed in 1828. In a pamphlet published under the sanction of the managers in 1852 it was stated: "The works originally constructed were, of course, in accord- ance with the supposed wants of the trade. The whole line of navigation was completed of sufficient capacity to pass boats of 28 to 30 tons burden. "Increase of business obligated the managers afterwards to extend their plans. The canals and the slackwater pools were deepened from time to time; the locks originally constructed were replaced by larger ones and an entire double set was made, so that boats of 80 tons could pass freely through the whole line. This was substantially the condition of the works as early as 1832. The single item of coal tonnage had then increased to over 200,000 tons, and the annual receipts of the company to over $280,000. "For the next ten years, from 1832 to 1842, the affairs of the institution were in the full tide of prosperity. The busi- ness gradually swelled to over 500,000 tons and receipts to four, five and six hundred thousand dollars. Ample dividends were made, and shares which cost originally $50 were sold as high as $175 and even $180. Another enlargement was made in 1846, under the belief that it cost just about as much to bring down a boat laden with 80 tons as it would to bring down one laden with 180 or even 200 tons." The two memorable floods of 1850 did such injury to this navigation that legislative action was deemed necessary, and on the 7th of April, 1852, an act was passed for the protection of the creditors of the Schuylkill Navigation Company. The preamble to the act set forth that "by reason of the devastations of floods the said company is unable to meet its liabilities, and the creditors thereof have petitioned for such legislation as will justly and equitable protect all the creditors for their respective claims," and the act appointed the president and managers trustees of the corporation. _____________end page 80.______________ SCHUYLKILL NAVIGATION-UNION CANAL. page 81 _________________________________________________________________ This navigation was during many years the only avenue of transportation between the anthracite coal fields and tide water; and within the limits of its corporate powers the company was able to control the transportation and influence the trade of the region. The original charter fixed such limits to these powers that the interests of the people were well guarded, but the company early sought to procure legislation that would extend and enlarge their corporate privileges and enable them more and more to control the increasing trade and industry of the region in their own interest. With a wise prevision of the evils that would result from granting the coveted extensions of the compa- ny's franchises the people for many years successfully resisted these efforts, although some of the original restrictions with reference to tolls and dividends were removed. By a supplement to their charter, passed February 1st, 1821, the company were prohibited from purchasing coal lands, entering into the coal trade, or engaging directly or indirectly in the transportation of merchandise, lumber, coal, grain, flour, or any other article, or creating any monopoly of such trade or trans- portation. It was not till 1845 that the persistent efforts of the compa- ny to obtain an extension of their chartered privileges were rewarded with partial success. By an act approved February 14th of that year, the company were empowered to "build, or procure to be built, and own boats for the transportation of freight upon their navigation, and to sell or rent such boats to individuals." They were by this act prohibited from owning boat-yards or work- shops or from becoming themselves transporters. Fourteen years later, or in 1859, another concession was made. A supplement, approved April 5th of that year, authorized the company "to contract for the transportation of anthracite coal and other articles upon their navigation, and to and from points beyond the same, and to include the charge for such transporta- tion in their charge for tolls." Finally it was enacted, March 21st, 1865, "that from and after the passage of this further supplement the president, managers and company of the Schuylkill Navigation Company shall have power to build in their own shops all such new railroad cars as may be needed for the transportation in their charge for tolls." So strong was the conservative sentiment of the people in Schuylkill county, and so carefully did they guard against the encroachments of the monopolies that have since absolved many important inter- est, that nearly half a century was required for the acquisition by this company of the powers which it finally came to possess. In 1870 the navigation was leased for the term of 99 years to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, and in 1878 that portion of it between the mouth of Mill creek and Schuylkill Haven was abandoned. The navigation has a capacity downward of 2,000,000 tons per year. The Union canal, which was designed to connect the waters of the Susquehanna and Schuylkill, and through the latter to make a connection with the Delaware, was one of the earliest chartered corporations in the State. In 1828 the project was conceived of constructing a dam across Swatara gap for the purpose of a reservoir for this canal. The citizens along the Swatara creek objected that this dam would destroy their facilities for rafting lumber to Jonestown, which was then their market. In order to obviate this objection it was proposed to make a slackwater navigation in the Swatara from Pine Grove and pass the dam by a series of locks. In attempting to execute this project it was found more practicable t construct a canal along the Swatara in Schuylkill county, and it was accord- ingly done, with the exception of about two miles of slackwater near the county line, in what was the little dam. Work was commenced on the dam in the gap in the fall of 1828, and during the year 1829 operations were prosecuted along the entire line. The canal was so far completed that boats passed through it to Pine Grove November 22nd, 1830, and on the 3d of December the same year the first boat left Pine Grove for Philadelphia. No dams, except for feeders, were built above the little dam spoken of. Between Pine Grove and the slackwater above the little dam there were four locks, with an aggregate fall of about thirty-two feet. Difficulty was experienced in obtaining possession of the stream to construct a dam for the upper feeder, and the citizens turned out with their teams on a Saturday night, and, out of straw, hemlock brush, stones and earth, made a dam, which they completed before midnight. It is a remarkable fact that, though floods have carried away the other damn on this stream, the remains of this are still to be found. This canal as first constructed was capable of bearing boats with a capacity of 28 tons, which was at first found to be suffi- cient for the trade of the region. As the coal production in- creased greater facilities for its transportation were required, and in 1851 the canal was enlarged so as to float boats of 80 tons burden. The year previous to this enlargement, or in 1850, another dam was built across the Little Swatara, to form an additional reser- voir for the Union canal. This was a high dam, and it flowed an area of several hundred acres. In June, 1862, a freshet carried away all the dams and greatly damaged the canal. The dams were never rebuilt, but by an act of the legislature the canal was afterward vacated and the right of way was sold to the Philadel- phia and Reading Railroad Company. ____________end page 81._____________ HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. page 82 _______________________________________________________________ CHAPTER X. ______ EARLY WAGON ROADS CONSTRUCTION OF THE CENTER TURNPIKE STAGE LINES. _________ The old Sunbury road, which was established in 1770, ran between Reading and Sunbury. It was the route over which people occasionally passed between Fort Augusta and Philadelphia. It could hardly be dignified by the name of a road, for it was scarcely passable except on horseback. From Port Clinton it ran to Schuylkill forge, some two miles; thence in a serpentine course to Orwigsburg; then to Schuylkill Haven; thence to Potts- ville over nearly the route of the Center turnpike, thought it crossed the river only seven times; then through Minersville to Deep Creek valley, about five miles west from Ashland; thence over Locust mountain toward Sunbury. The commissioners appointed by the council "to view and lay out this road" through Schuylkill (then Berks) county were "George Webb, Jonathan Lodge, Henry Miller, Henry Shoemaker, John Webb, Isaac Willets, and Job Hughes, or any four of them." It was never much improved or cared for beyond making it barely passable by voluntary labor. It is said that in very early times a curious plan was adopted for "braking" wagons in descending the sides of mountains or hills on this road. Brakes such as are now used were not then known, and the result of "chaining the wheel" was the speedy grinding away and destruction of the tire. To accomplish their purpose the teamsters adopted the plan of cutting trees of a suitable size at the tops of the mountains or hills and fastening them to the rear of their wagons, and by dragging them down not only relieving their teams from the labor of holding back the loads but preventing accidents. Large accumulations of these trees were often seen at the bases of mountains on this road. At Deep Creek valley a road branched from this and pursued a crooked course to Pine Grove and thence to Lebanon. Like the Sunbury road, it was barely passable except for horseback travel- ers. Except these there were at the time of the construction of the Center turnpike, and for many years afterward, scarcely any roads worthy of the name in the county. People went on horseback over bridle paths, or oftener on foot, always taking with them their rifles to be ready for any game they might encounter. It is remembered that when, in 1827, a party of men went from Potts- ville to Mauch Chunk to witness the operation of the railroad that had just been built there, they were obliged to thread their way over bridle paths on horseback, because there were no roads between the two places. In 1829 an act of Assembly authorized the construction of a state road between Mauch Chunk and Potts- ville, but it was never built. As late at 1830 or 1831 passen- gers could for the first time be conveyed between the two places, but nineteen of the thirty miles were traveled by railroad. Many state roads were about this time projected, but only a few were built. On the 21st of March, 1805, by an act of Assembly, a company was incorporated "for making an artificial road by the nearest and best route from the borough of Sunbury, in the county of Northumberland, to the borough of Reading, in the county of Berks." By another act, passed March 21st, 1809, the governor of the state was authorized to subscribe for six hundred shares of the stock. By an act March 30th, 1812, the governor was author- ized to subscribe for three hundred shares in addition to the six hundred subscribed before; and by an act march 26th, 1821, $35,000 was to be subscribed, provided $$30,000 should be applied to the payment of a judgment in favor of the Bank of Pennsylva- nia. In 1809 the road had been opened through, but its condition was very imperfect. The limit of four years prescribed in the original act for the completion of the road had not expired. Very much of the work of construction was done between 1807 and 1812. In the county of Schuylkill this road passes from Port Clinton through the townships of West Brunswig, North Manheim, Norwegian, New Castle and Butler; through the boroughs of Orwigsburg and Pottsville, in which last it constitutes Center street; through the towns of New Castle and Fountain Spring and the borough of Ashland, on the line between Columbia and Schuylkill. This road was an extension of the turnpike that had been constructed between Philadelphia and Reading, and constituted a portion of the great thoroughfare between Philadelphia and Sun- bury. It is remembered by Abraham Pott and Jeremiah Reed, both octogenarians, that in 1808 this turnpike, though open from Port Clinton, was hardly passable. Between Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville it had not long before crossed the river by fords nine times. Many hands were then engaged in the construction of this turnpike, and no toll was charged here till 1811. In 1811 or 1812 a weekly stage was run between Philadelphia and Sunbury by Robert Coleman. The driver brought the settlers' newspapers and left them at the houses along the road, but at that time all letters were received at the post-office in Orwigsburg. From the time of its construction to the establishment of navigation along the Schuylkill this road was the thoroughfare over which all the commerce between Sunbury and its vicinity and Philadelphia was carried on. Trade was then conducted on a plan quite different from the present. There was but little money in the country and every merchant was a dealer in produce of all kinds, which he received in exchange for his goods and sent over this road to Philadelphia in wagons, which brought back his merchandise; and of course, as the regions along the route and near the terminus of this turnpike became more thickly settled, this carriage of produce and goods increased. Houses of entertainment, or taverns, were kept along ____________end page 82._____________ page 83 ANCIENT TAVERNS AND STAGES THE RAILROAD SYSTEM _____________________________________________________________ this road. One of these was at the top of Broad mountain and another near the top of Mine hill. These were stopping places from teams as they came along from Sunbury, and it was often true that lines of these wagons two or three miles in length would be in the early part of the day be seen moving toward Philadelphia over this road. These wagons were mostly heavy vehicles, covered with canvas and drawn by four, five or six horses. From two to two and a-half tons was an ordinary load for a team of this kind. The wagoners or teamsters carried the grain for their horses, which were fed in feed boxes or troughs carried for the purpose. They also carried their own provisions, mattresses or beds on which to sleep, sometimes under the covers of their wagons while their teams rested and refreshed themselves at their feed-boxes, which were fastened on the tongues of their wagons. In that way they made the trip with their load of produce, and returned loaded with merchandise. The main business of the taverns along this turnpike was the sale of whiskey and entertainment of those who traveled on horse- back. Many of these carried their own provisions and grain for their horses in their capacious saddlebags. On the floors of the bar-rooms in these primitive hotels many teamsters would spread their mattresses and sleep, after having cared for their teams and spent a jolly evening. Sometimes the beds of these lodgers were spread so thickly that standing room could not be found among them. The first tavern of this kind on the top of Broad mountain was kept by Nicho Allen. He came here from Lake Champlain to work as a lumberman, and built his shanty at this point. When the turn- pike was commenced he built a log house and boarded the hands that worked on it, and afterward, when travel began on the road, he kept such a hotel as the customs of the people required. He and his wife were almost invariably known as Uncle and Aunt. He used to relate that the only time he ever fired a gun Aunt almost compelled him to do so at a flock of wild turkeys that were scratching for what the teamsters' horses had left. The recoil of the gun and his fright send him sprawling on the floor, while the turkeys cried Quit! Quit! and took flight. After a time he was succeeded in the tavern by Mr. Eckbrod and he by a Mr. Lumi- son. The tavern near the top of Mine hill was built by John Boyer and first kept by his son-in-law, William Yoe. After his death it was kept by John Fetterman, and afterward by Mr. Bachman, George Kauffman, Colonel Shoemaker and others. After the completion of the canal and slackwater navigation along the Shuylkill river this road below the head of that navi- gation was but little used for freighting, but between that point and the Susquehanna an active and increasing business was carried on till railroad communication was established. During the years 1828, 1829 and 1830 the road paid off a debt of about $15,000 and declared dividends equal to nine per cent. On its stock;--a degree of prosperity not then surpassed by any turnpike in the State. A portion of the road in this county is still kept up as a turnpike. As stated elsewhere, a stage ran between Philadelphia and Sunbury, passing through this county, as early as 1811 or 1812. It does not appear that travel by this method increased rapidly, for in 1826 only weekly trips were made by a stage which carried the mail. As travel increased after that time tri-weekly trips came to be made, and at length the experiment of a daily stage was tried but was soon abandoned. It was promptly resumed, however, and so rapidly did travel increase that in 1829 three daily lines ran through the county. Within two years from that time several new lines were estab- lished between this county and other points, and facilities for travel by stage were increased over the old routes. This contin- ued till the introduction of passenger cars on railroads and the rapid multiplication of these roads. The old stage coach, the arrival of which with its mail and eight or ten passengers was once watched with so much interest, is no longer seen, and is only remembered by a few who are rapidly passing away. End Chapter X