REVISED AND ENLARGED HISTORY OF HENRIETTA

REVISED AND ENLARGEDHISTORY

OF HENRIETTA

B y D. N

I

I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I

1. ADAMS

F159.H37

A331945

i

:z

.i

JaEPENNSYLVA"NIA $TAIT'hUNIVERSITY LIBRAES

* { , s +~~~op

*1 r = tI [ Af , , .

I ?. : t -' "I4 -'., -. ...1 .~ , ,

vi W I v , Ir A

-,- 1 i 1 Jt ¢f~

� -1 Ic , -

'I,' � 11 -�* It, f

Th9E PIth4PiJ LVACNIA STATEUNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

I

I

I

I

Henrietta Grammar School Group-1897-98

Top row-Ella Byers (Hanks), Flora Daugherty (Kensinger', MissElizabeth Gates, Daniel Morrell, Nancy Baker (Stcner), MayArthur, Elvin Burket, Garfield Arthur.

Second row-Harry Stoudnour, Maud Nicodemus, Blanche Bowser(Beach), Dora Burket (Hariman), Miss Kensinger, D. K. Loose,teacher.

Third row-Dora Mcrgan, Ida Bowser (Brumbaugh), Susan Stoudnour(Mock), Ella Burket (Seedenberg), Walter Simons, Eddie Weyant.

Fourth row-Vern Bowser (Camerer), Katie Nicodemus (Steward),Flora Burket, Mildred Adams, Edward Kensinger, John Morgan,Robert Hoover.

REVISED AND ENLARGED

HISTORY

OF HENRIETTA(Compiled 1945)

By D. M. ADAMS

Author Of

"How Men Rule Us From Their Graves,"

"Arrows From An Editor's Quiver,"

"Making Haste Slowly,"

"Semi-Centennial History of Roaring Spring," Etc.

oOo

History is but the unrolled scroll of prophecy.-James A. Garfield.

DEDICATION

TO THE MEMORY OF MY FATHER, HENRY M.

ADAMS, FOR MANY YEARS AN INDUSTRIOUS

CITIZEN OF THE TOWN OF WHICH THIS VOLUME

IS A BRIEF HISTORY, AND WHOSE LIFE OF HONEST,

INCESSANT TOIL EXEMPLIFIED THE TRUTH OF THE

WORDS OF HORACE MANN: "GENIUS MAY CON-

CEIVE, BUT PATIENT LABOR MUST CONSUMMATE."

-THE AUTHOR.

TME PENNSYLVANIA STATSUNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Bancroft, the renowned historian, one time said: "It is whenthe hour of conflict is over that history comes to a right under-standing of the strife, and is ready to exclaim, 'Lo, God is here andwe knew Him not!'"

To these words of Bancroft the mind of the author reverted anumber of times while engaged in writing this brief historicalsketch of the town in which he grew to manhood, that of Henrietta.Viewing in retrospect the place of his youth and childhood,recalling the scenes of rapturous joy and plaintive sorrow whichhe experienced in bygone days, recounting as he approaches theevening of life the many golden opportunities for self-improvementwhich in his boyhood days he failed to recognize or properlyappraise, he is led to exclaim, Lo, God was in Henrietta and I knewHim not as He stood ready to succor me in time of trouble and leadme forward into fields of honest and more useful endeavor! Multi-tudinous and diversified are these opportunities of early life as inone grand panorama they now pass before me. I carefully reviewand contemplate them in retrospect. I appraise and value them inthe light of what is now history. Sad, indeed, that they are gone toreturn no more forever.

Yes; the opportunities that presented themselves to the authorin early life to promote and advance the interests of his native townare now in the irretrievable past. But there is nothing to be gainedby unduly entertaining regrets. He should seek to atone, at least ina measure, for this unimproved past. Therefore, this little historyis humbly sent forth as a belated, but none the less sincere, efforton his part to express, in a somewhat durable form, his attachmentto and respects for the little village in which he spent the days ofhis youth. May the reader accept it in the spirit in which it iswritten, and be profited thereby.

THE AUTHOR.September 1, 1945.

Henrietta Store, Postoffice and Warehouse

Store, postoffice and warehouse at Henrietta, built in 1872, at a timewhen ore was being extensively mined at that place. This building

was totally destroyed by fire, March 19, 1932

HISTORY OF HENRIETTALOCATION

The southern division of Blair county is known as North Woodburytownship, which was part of Cumberland county before Bedford was formedin 1771. From 1771 to 1846 when Blair county was formed, North Woodburyremained a part of Bedford county. Some of its territory was detached toform Taylor township in 1855. It forms an interesting part of MorrisonsCove, and Tussey mountain extends into its eastern section. It was un-settled before Penn made the new and final purchase from the Indians in1754.

Henrietta lies in the southeastern part of this township in a region richin iron ore at the base of Tussey mountain, near the headwaters of CloverCreek, and at the terminus of the Morrisons Cove branch of the Pennsyl-vania railroad.

HOW NAMED

Henrietta derived its name under somewhat peculiar circumstances.During a conference between Mr. C. Y. Townsend, president of the CambriaIron Company, and Mr. Archibald McAllister, the question arose as to anappropriate name for the southern terminal of the Morrisons Cove branchof the P. R. R. After considerable deliberation Mr. Townsend suggested toMr. McAllister that they name it after his (Mr. McAllister's) wife.

"Why not," asked Mr. McAllister, name it after your wife?""Kindly tell me what the name of your wife is," requested Mr. Town-

send."The name of my wife is Henrietta," answered Mr. McAllister. "Now

in return tell me what the name of your wife is." With an expression ofamusement Mr. Townsend replied, "Henrietta."

"Then Henrietta it shall be," ejaculated Mr. McAllister.Some recent historians state that Henrietta was formerly known as

Leather Cracker. This is a mistake. Henrietta was never known as LeatherCracker. Leather Cracker still exists and is located approximately two milessouth of Henrietta at the foot of the mountain along the road leading toStonerstown, and it still retains the name of Leather Cracker.

EARLY HISTORY

In the late sixties, a civil engineer by the name of Peeler, of Johnstown,employed by the Cambria Iron Company, came to what was later known asHenrietta, made the necessary draft and took charge in the erection of thetown. One of the first buildings erected was the long dwelling which standsout by itself, the width of a street, to the west of what is ever since referredto as the "red row," due to the uniform red color in which the houses werepainted. This house was built for a boarding house of which Mr. and Mrs.David Wineland were the first proprietor and hostess. Mr. Wineland was

Page One

HISTORY OF HENRIETTA

a skilled blacksmith and tool maker, and was known in later years as the"axe man," because of the quality of his hand-made axes and hatchets. Inthe writer's boyhood days, this old boarding house was occupied by Mr.Daniel Hoover and family, Mr. Hoover being at the time baggagemaster onthe Henrietta train.

MORRISONS COVE BRANCH OF THEPENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD

In 1750-56 a Swede by the name of Acrelius visited in this country andwrote a book on his return to his home in Sweden in which he describesthe early industry of iron manufacturing in Pennsylvania. In rapid suc-cession forges and furnaces were erected within the borders of the state.The earliest furnace within the present limits of Blair county to be put inoperation was built in Catherine township and was known as Mt. EtnaFurnace. This furnace was put in operation one year after Messrs. Canan,Stewart and Moore purchased the land in 1808. Dr. Peter Shoenberger builtRebecca Furnace in 1817, Upper Maria Forge in 1828, Middle Maria Forgein 1830, Lower Maria Forge in 1832, Martha Furnace (McKee) in 1838,Sarah Furnace near Claysburg in 1831. The first Rodman furnace was builtin 1862, the second in 1871.

The ofitimes snowbound "172,"' a locomotive used for years dur-ing the early history of Morrisons Cove branch of P. R. R. This isthe engine on which David Arthurs met his death in the fog at29th Street, Altoona. Reading from left to right: Edward Snyder,hostler; Carlos. brakeman; Daniel Hoover, baggagemaster; Calvin

Rickle, fireman: James Davis, conductor, andDavid Arthurs, engineer.

Page Two


As a result of the erection of the furnaces and forges named and theconsequent mining of ore in the vicinity of Ore Hill and Henrietta, railroadtransportation was given serious consideration, which finally consummatedin the building of the branch named in the caption of this article, on thedate stated. The completion of this branch from the Gap to Martinsburgwas duly and fittingly celebrated, May 6, 1872, by an excursion on the partof the citizens from Martinsburg, Hollidaysburg and a few invited guestsfrom Altoona.

At 8 o'clock a. m. a train of ten cars left Martinsburg and arrived atHollidaysburg one hour later, well filled with jubilant excursionists. Theday was bright and cheerful; everything, seemingly, conspired to make theoccasion grand and glorious and one long to be remembered. After remain-ing at Hollidaysburg for a short time the train proceeded to Altoona, return-ing to the former place at 11 o'clock. At 11:30 it pulled away from the depotat Hollidaysburg headed for Martinsburg on the return trip where theywere met by scores of enthusiastic citizens. Headed by the Social band fromHollidaysburg, the crowd formed into a procession and marched to thepublic square, where speeches were made by Prof. Lucian Cort of the Mar-tinsburg Seminary, A. S. Landis, Hon. S. Calvin of Hollidaysburg, and S.B. Lysinger, esq., who was master of ceremonies. The speakers laudedMessrs. Thomas and Philip Collins, well known contractors, and ColonelJohn A. Lemon, builders of the road, and chief engineer James McCrea ofPhiladelphia.

At 3:40 p. m. the train returned to Hollidaysburg and a little later toAltoona, having made to the people of Martinsburg and vicinity one of themost distinguished and historic trips ever made by any train in the historyof railroad transportation in Morrisons Cove.

In a large measure the success of the celebration was credited to com-mitteemen Major Theophilis Snyder, Colonel J. C. Everhart, Jacob S. Nico-demus, A. J. Anderson, Dr. Bloom, H. S. Crawford, Frederick Hile and Pro-fessor Cort.

This road was extended to Henrietta on December 25, 1872.The citizens of Henrietta celebrated by having a grand ball in the new

store building as soon as it was under roof and the floors laid. The firstpassenger train that ever arrived in Henrietta carried guests to and decora-tions for this ball. James Stewart was the engineer and William Dent theconductor.

William Giltron was the first telegraph operator at Henrietta, and JamesReed the first track foreman. The heavy sawed timber with which thetrestle work near the town was constructed was procured at what is knownas Jack's Corner. This trestle was filled up during the years 1881-82. Thework was in charge of Mr. George Beegle and Frank Garber. The latter wasa brother of John Garber, for many years foreman at the Roaring Springpaper mill.

With the exception of the one belonging to the Cambria works at Holli-daysburg, short, one-truck dumps formed the trains which hauled the ore

Page Three


to HQllidaysburg and Johnstown. The one belonging to the Hollidaysburgplant was constructed with two trucks.

On account of the heavy grade it was necessary to double trip from theore works to a point on the road known as Matthew's Summit, hauling from20 to 30 dumps (or cars, as they called them, at that time) on a trip. Athrough train from the Summit comprised the cars represented in the twotrips from the large ore washer located on the north bank of what is nowcalled the Ore Hole.

On November 22, 1871, Daniel Dighton Morrell moved to Henriettafrom Hudson, O., and was made postmaster at the former place in January,1872. At the same time he was employed as ticket agent by the railroadcompany.

The early branch train was known as "The Leather Cracker."Time passed and the era of the passenger automobile and the bus en-

croached on the time-honored preserves of the old branch line. In an effortto make the service more modern, the first great change was installation ofgas-electric cars in April, 1929.

Passenger service continued to fall off over the years, however, and in1934 a combination passenger and freight service was installed, eliminatingmore frequent service and bringing the schedule to one train each way daily.

Cove residents will remember, with a touch of nostalgia, the days whenthere were four trains daily, all long strings of cars, carrying shopmen toand from their work in Altoona. The "Henrietta whistle," blown to wakenthe train crew each morning at Henrietta, became a Cove alarm clock formany.

For several years, passenger service extended only to Roaring Spring,although the empty passenger car was carried on to the present terminusat Curry.

In 1931, the shop train was taken off the line; on August 25, 1934, theSunday passenger train was discontinued; traffic between Curry and Hen-rietta was discontinued some years ago and on February 27, 1941, the re-moval of the track between those points was authorized, and carried intoeffect in 1942.

POSTOFFICE

At the completion of Morrisons Cove branch of the Pennsylvania Rail-road of which Henrietta was the southern terminal, the postoffice wasestablished at that place April 4, 1872, with Daniel D. Morrell, managerof the Cambria Iron Company's interests, as the first postmaster.

Mr. Morrell served the people at Henrietta faithfully for a score ofyears or until he was succeeded by J. Elvin Hagey on the 16th day of Feb-ruary, 1898. The only compensation that he received was what he realizedfrom the cancellation of stamps.

Judging from the fact that his average salary amounted to three orfour dollars a month during the early years of his postmastership, it isreadily seen that the quantity of mail handled in Henrietta during thoseyears was comparatively light.

Page Four


As already stated, J. Elvin Hagey succeeded Mr. Morrell as postmasteron the 16th day of February, 1898. The following persons succeeded Mr.Hagey on the dates given and in the order stated:

Charles A. Brumbaugh, April 3, 1914.Seyphert F. Dunn, October 16, 1914.Frank H. Teeter, October 8, 1919.John H. Endsley (Acting), March 6, 1928.Miss Maud Nicodemus (Acting), June 14, 1934.This office was abandoned January 15, 1935.The first building in which this office was maintained was destroyed

by fire March 19, 1932.Railway Mail Service on the Morrisons Cove branch was established

September 5, 1893, Mr. M. Z. Bassler being the first clerk. On June 29, 1901,he was transferred to the departmental service in Washington, D. C.

STORE AND WAREHOUSE

The store building which was totally destroyed by fire, March 19, 1932,was built in 1872-73. Prior to the erection of this store, the people of Hen-rietta, while the town was in its incipient state, did their shopping in Mil-lerstown, a distance of one and one-half miles, in a little store conductedby a man named Singer. Daniel Morrell was the first proprietor of thisstore and John Merles the first clerk.

ENGINE HOUSE

The engine house which was also burned to the ground March 19, 1932,was not built in Henrietta. It was first located in Martinsburg, being builtat the time the railroad was completed that far. When the road was ex-tended to Henrietta, this enginehouse was moved to Henrietta, where itstood until destroyed by fire. Alexander Rhodes, hostler at Martinsburg,followed this enginehouse to Henrietta where he continued to hostle enginesat the final terminal of the road. He was succeeded in 1889 by EdwardSnyder, who later moved to Roaring Spring, and from whom the writerreceived much information incorporated in this brief historical sketch. Mr.Snyder figured prominently as a skillful iron worker in the early historyof Henrietta; a son of Christopher Snyder, first blacksmith at Henrietta,and for many years blacksmith for the D. M. Bare Paper company at Roar-ing Spring.

KING OF BARNS

The original Cambria Iron Company tract embraced five farms com-prising in all approximately 1,000 acres. Mr. Morrell at an early date con-ceived the idea of centralizing the livestock and equipment and the variousactivities of his vast farming interests. In harmony with this idea theCambria Iron Company in 1882 built a huge barn, 73 by 173 feet, contain-ing three stories, in all 92 feet from bottom of basement to top of center

Page Five


cupola. This barn as originally internally arranged contained 200 stanchionsfor cows, 10 stalls for horses, a feed mill, repair shop, harness room, hugegranary and an office equipped with one of the very few phones at thattime in Morrisons Cove.

King of Barns, Built in 1882This barn was built by the Martinsburg Planing Mill Company, composed

of Levi Bolger and Levi and Harry Burket. Mr. Shultz, of Church street,David Marker, of Water street, Roaring Spring; John Treese, of Henrietta,John Quarry and John Saird were among the carpenters who built it; whileDavid Stoner, Martin Bonar and Albert Rightnour were among the masonswho built the wall. Rodger Tredfall and his son Robert (Bob) supervisedand assisted in tending the masons. Mr. Shultz says he worked 87 daysand 7 hours, beginning the first of August, on its construction.

155,000 shingles were required to roof the structure. The foundationtimbers were cut in adjacent woods and trailed to the sawmill with a teamof oxen, Mike; Jim, Pete and Hans, driven by teamster Henry Stoudnour.The sawed and finished lumber was imported from Johnstown. The car-penters received $1.75 per day of 10 hours and the masons about the sameamount.

Edward Snyder, a skilled mechanic, and for years a resident of RoaringSpring, made a cable on which the hay fork was made to travel. This cablewas 173 feet long and was made by welding 16-foot lengths of one and one-half inch round iron rods together, a feat, considering the length of the cable.

Paul Law was the first stable boss and William Hart, who was laterkilled in the Pittsburgh Limestone Company's quarries, was the first night

Page Six


watchman, while Mrs. James McGraw and Mrs. Eli Burket were the firstmilk-maids that practiced the art of milking in that barn. Paul Law, JohnSmith, John Deihl and Moses Sotnerook served during different periodsas boss farmers. Moses Stonerook, Henry Stonerook, Isaac Benner andHenry Stoudnour at one time composed the regular force hired by the yearfor which they received $20 per month in addition to potatoes, firewood,house rent and cow pasture. This position was coveted by every laboringman in Henrietta at the time. Not one of these men survive.

This barn was razed in 1940 and a new one built on its site by Mr. JohnShirk, owner of the farm on which it was located. Under the employ ofMr. Shirk, Mr. Bruce Kauffman of Martinsburg, R. D., did the actual workin the razing of this structure frequently referred to as the "king of barns."

CREAMERY

Adjacent to the barn there was a stone creamery in which butter waschurned three times a week. An Englishman by the name of Nun hadcharge of the creamery during the first years it was operated. A largetrough, 3 by 6 by 12 feet, in which the cream was soured, was accessible toany and every employe of the firm; and with all due respect to our modernhygienic laws and requirement bearing on receptacles, cooling and storageplants for milk and cream, Henrietta cream was invigorating, a thing towhich the writer can personally testify, yes, even in the absence of individ-ual drinking cups.

The butter from this creamery was shipped to Johnstown. The butter-milk was free to all. However, barrels of it were fed to the hogs as reg-ularly as churning was done.

MINES

A large amount of the ore used in Blair county for the manufacture ofiron during its early history was taken from the mines of the Cambria IronCompany in North Woodbury township, near Henrietta.. Mining in this belton a small scale was inaugurated in the early sixties. In 1869, developmentsassumed fairly large proportions. After the completion of the MorrisonsCove branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1872, these mining operationsreached their zenith under the ownership and management of the afore-said company.. Michael Morris was the first manager and Frank Henry thefirst mine boss employed in the Henrietta mines by the Cambria Company.Samuel Burket was placed in charge of the washers.

Mine No. One-The main open cut, known as mine number one, is themost northern point from which ore has been taken. According to the geo-logical survey taken in 1877, this cut was originally 600 feet long, 200 feetwide, and at some points 100 feet deep. Its average depth was 60 feet. Thebottom level, the slopes being cut off, was 450 x 150 feet.

Nearly all the material taken from this large open pit was run throughthe washers, as it consisted almost entirely of rich, iron-laden clay. How-

Page Seven

0

0

'4

0

A

A

'U

0

0

Fe0

0

Sn14

.44

0

*t

C0U A

'U

'UZ

'4

'4

$

X)

0

to

* -ANpa

to)


ever, occasional boulders of limestone stand up irregularly on the bottom.It was from one of these submerged limestone projections John L. Hollo-peter slipped and was accidentally drowned July 13, 1936.

According to a report submitted by Mr. Morris, the ore taken from thispit aggregated 64,000 tons. This ore carried varied, and at many times con-siderable, percentages of manganese. There remain today' large quantitiesof this manganiferous ore in the bottom of the pit which since 1877 has beenfilled with water, in addition to the mud washed in from the ends and sides,to a depth of approximately 40 feet.

The material from this mine was raised by an incline plane and easilyshifted tram roads. Three Thomas washers were located on the surface atthe north end of the pit, the water for which was partly brought fromTussey mountain and partly from Clover Creek when a scarcity existed.

According to "The Geology of Blair County," by Franklin Platt, minenumber one was drained by a tunnel to a 40-foot level; below that bypumping.

The product of this mine was shipped to Johnstown and Hollidaysburg.Messrs. David Detwiler and John Shirk are the present owners of the

site of mine number one, which has become a popular swimming resort,widely known as the "Henrietta Ore Hole."

During the year 1888, D. D. Morrell opened a shallow pit adjacent tomine number one, operated a small washer and shipped the product toRiddlesburg, to be used in the Kemble Coal and Iron Company furnace.Harry Lykens of Martinsburg and John Smith of Millerstown supervisedthe work. They had under their employ the following men in addition toten miners: William Treese, washerman; Charles Mably, fireman, and An-drew Benner, mule driver. This was the last work done at mine number one.

The Falkner Shaft-Four hundred yards due south of mine number onethere is the Falkner shaft, 153 feet deep, with ore in the bottom. This shaftwas sunk in 1872. In it ore, which continued to the bottom, was struck ata distance of 40 feet from the surface. In the 113 feet, the depth the shaftwas dug after striking ore, three monkey drifts were driven to ascertainthe thickness of the ore bearing clay from 1%rall to wall.

According to a report made by Michael Morris, mine captain for theCambria Iron Company, 8,000 tons of various shades of brown-hematite orehave been mined from this shaft, which at this IAte date remains open. Themine proper, however, has caved in, enveloping track, cars, tools, etc., whichwere left in it when work abruptly ceased due to the large volume of water,the great amount of timber required, the high cost of operation, and theprevailing low price of iron ore in 1873-1879.

There was one Thomas washer capable of producing from 30 to 40tons of wash ore daily at the Falkner shaft. The ore was conveyed on atram road to the railroad wharf near mine number one where it was loadedon cars and shipped to Johnstown.

Page Nine

0

0

Eva0x

0-.OO

Ow

.0z

.~. .

.4-

00

14o

A

* -


The Righinour Cut-In the year 1890 Albert Rightnour supervised thedigging of a cut 150 feet long, 45 feet wide and 15 feet deep at the deepestpoint, just 60 feet west of this shaft. The ore, for which the miners received$1.00 per gross ton, was shipped by Mr. Morrell to Riddlesburg. Henry M.Adams, the author's father, with the assistance of Isaac Benner, in the year1892 dug a 30-foot shaft 75 feet south of this cut. The lump-ore extractedfrom this shaft was likewise shipped by Mr. Morrell to Riddlesburg. Thiswas the last ore raised at or near the Falkner shaft.

The McAllister Shaft-At a distance of 900 yards, south of the Falknershaft, on what was known as the Fred Hoover farm, later purchased by theCambria Iron Company, a shaft named after Archibald McAllister (afterwhose wife Henrietta was named), was sunk to the depth of 100 feet duringthe year 1873. In this shaft, the ore bearing clay was from 15 to 20 feetthick. The drift in the shaft was headed south.

The site of this shaft at present belongs to Floyd Bush.The Hoover Mine-The iron ore outcrop can be distinctly traced from

the McAllister shaft to the John Hoover mine and cut, a distance of 250yards. At the Hloover mine a shaft 120 feet deep, and which yielded onlya moderate amount of ore, was sunk.

The open cut was 200 feet long, 125 feet wide, and 30 feet deep. Atunnel drained it to the very bottom. The thickness of the ore bearing clayin this cut was, on the average, 18 feet.

Messrs. Isaac Burket and Ralph Weyant during the years 1889-90operated a small washer near this mine. This washer was "home made,"and was driven by horsepower. It had a capacity of several tons of washore per day, all of which was shipped by D. D. Morrell, lessee, to Riddl's-burg furnace. This was practically the last ore raised at the Hoover mine,the site of wvhich is now owned by Floyd Bush.

All these openings on the Henrietta ore originally belonged to theCambria Iron Company. They were connected by a tram road on whichthe ore was transported to a wharf and loaded on railroad cars at Henrietta.

Soheel HIonse Mine-On the west side of the Cove, due west of Hen-rietta, in North Woodbury townshp, near what was known as the Stonerookschool house, there is a strong outcrop of hematite ore. In addition to asmall open cut, three shafts were put down at this outcrop, one of whichwas 120 feet deep, according to the report submitted by Michael Morristo the Cambria Iron Company, by whom he was employed as superinten-dent at the time, 1873.

Mr. Morris also states in his report that they dug a monkey drift 20feet below the top of the 120-foot shaft. It was followed by several othersimilar drifts at various intervals from there on to the bottom. What wasrevealed was that the quantity and quality of the ore grew >ess and lessas thev proceeded downward with the shaft.

These mines were on what is now the property of Floyd BEush and havelong since fallen shut.

Page Elev1en


THE RED ORE BANKThe Red Ore Bank, known in later years as the Page Bank, located

one-half mile northeast of Millerstown, was at one time one of the Cove'sprincipal enterprises. It was originally owned and operated by Dr. PeterShoenberger, who used the entire output in his furnace at Rebecca.

In form, the red ore bank is a single open pit of no great depth. Thesides and ends of the bank are washed down and the exposure of ore veryindistinct. It is now being used as a dumping ground for the borough ofMartinsburg.

In the early sixties this bank was managed by one Mr. Carney; laterby Crawford and Hempfield, who were succeeded by John Dern. UnderMr. Dern's management, David Kensinger, a well and widely known citizenof Morrisons Cove, was foreman, a position he held in the year 1872.

In the year 1882, this bank was leased by John H. Page, who operatedit under the management of Messrs. Harry Lykens and John B. Smith. Theore mined under their management was shipped to Saxton and Riddlesburgfurnaces.

The washer used by Mr. Page was constructed by John Gingery of Hol-lidaysburg. John Smouse of Millerstown assisted in the construction of thiswasher, and served as engineer at the same until its final shutdown in 1883.

In the year 1888, Harry Lykens and John Johnson screened ore at thismine. John B. Smith and George Dilling were the teamsters who hauledthe screened product to the Page siding where it was loaded on cars andshipped by rail to Riddlesburg and Saxton furnaces.

Jacob Burket, brother of David Burket, widely known Morrisons Coveexpert mechanic, was watchman at the above washer for a number of years,and Tom Gorsuch the machinist.

The ore at this mine is a limonite, very hard and tough. Michael Morrisin one of his reports says that shafts were sunk 100 feet deep, all of whichhave fallen shut, and their site marked only by an unproductive red soilwhich can be seen from elevations in the distance.

GOLD AND SILVER MINE

At the Park hotel in Roaring Spring, Wednesday, October 17, 1894,a meeting was held for the purpose of effecting an organization to be knownas the Tussey Mountain Mining and Smelting Company, which hadfor its object the development of a gold and silver mine on Tussey moun-tain, south of Henrietta. The following officers were named:

President, Daniel D. Morrell of Henrietta; secretary and treasurer,W. S. Nicodemus of Martinsburg; manager, W. S. Taylor of Huntingdon.The chief promoters were Hollidaysburg and Huntingdon men.

Some years before, Christ Snyder of Henrietta, while prospecting onthe mountain, is said to have come across an outcropping of ore which itwas believed contained copper and lead. Headed by John Shirley of Hun-tingdon, a number of men put up money to extend a tunnel into the moun-tainside, Snyder having charge of the work.

Page Twelve


A mineralogist was brought here from Henrietta and it was said hewas astonished at the find. According to the report of the expert, rock wasfound which contained both gold and silver, and which was worth $4,527.45per ton of rock. Another vein was supposed to contain a large percentageof lead.

The account of that day offered this as an explanation of the presenceof such valuable minerals at a place where all geological theories insistedthey could not be:

"Of course, geologically speaking, there ought not to be any such min-erals on Tussey mountain, in Leather Cracker Cove, but there evidentlywas an upheaval by nature years ago, which threw up the strata bearingthem, as the strata run perpendicular. The carbonite veins are 20 feetacross, and the gold or slate vein, as Snyder called it, is 18 inches."

Articles of incorporation were recorded at Hollidaysburg on December20, 1894, for the above company. They planned to mine gold, silver, copperand lead in Blair, Bedford and Huntingdon counties. The main offices wereto be in Martinsburg. It was announced that mining operations would bestarted on Tussey mountain on Monday, December 31.

Shafts were dug on the top of the mountain to the depth of 60 feet,one on the east and another on the west side of the road that leads fromHenrietta to Saxton. A drift was driven in for a number of rods near thefoot of the east side of the mountain, the work being done by Messrs.Abraham Kinny, Jacob Loose, Levi Rightnour and William Settle.

It is needless to say that this venture died with cholera infantum.

DOLOMITE QUARRY

A short distance north of Henrietta where the railroad curves aroundthe north end of what is now known as Hoover's ridge, will be found anold abandoned dolomite limestone quarry which was operated by theCambria Iron Company during the early seventies.

Stone from this quarry were analyzed by Mr. T. T. Morrell, Cambriachemist, and found to contain 50.36 carbonate of lime, 45.27 carbonate ofmagnesia and 4.75 insoluble matter.

SAND, BANK

Along the railroad, midway between Henrietta and the dolomite quarry,there is a large opening from which sand was taken first by the CambriaIron Company in the early seventies and later by D. D. Morrell, lessee ofthe above company's Henrietta property. For a long period of years con-siderable sand was also occasionally mined for domestic use. .

Due to there being no sidetrack into this bank, it was necessary, bothas to out-going and in-coming trains, to shift the cars which of a necessitystood on the main track while being loaded with sand.

Much of the work which was done in this bank was done by the sonsof William (Billy) Loose, a widely known and highly respected citizen ofHenrietta.

Page Thirteen


This bank, the site of which is now owned by Mr. Lester Hoover, haslong since been abandoned and is used today to some extent for a dumpingground.

WATER SY'STEM

Water is conveyed to the houses and barns in Henrietta, a-distance ofthree-quarters of a mile, from a concrete reservoir built in 1944 at the baseof Tussey mountain, near what is known as the Edward Lee place, on thesite of the one originally built by the Cambria Iron Company in 1871-72.

The property on which this reservoir is built comprises two acres oftimberland and was purchased by the above company August 14, 1871, fromJoseph Byers, according to a deed on record at Hollidaysburg.

September 7, 1894, the entire possessions of the Cambria Iron Companylocated at Henrietta and vicinity were sold to the late J. Elvin Hagey. Sincehis death the various farms and most of the private dwellings have beensold to private parties. These present owners, including Mrs. C. H. Endsley,heir to the Hagey estate, have formed an association known as the Hen-rietta Mutual Water Company; and it is under their auspices that the newreservoir has been built and new lines laid where found necessary. It isunderstood, however, and is so stated in their constitution, that water shallbe furnished only to those who are, or may become, bona fide members ofthe company.

The above company was organized on the 16th day of August, 1944, bythe election of the following officers: John Shirk, president; David Det-wiler, treasurer; J. H. Kauffman, secretary. Robert Houp, Raymond Ken-singer and Mrs. Margaret Detwiler were elected trustees. David M. Adamswho was prevailed upon to draft the constitution and by-laws was unani-mously elected an honorary member of the company.

A deed to the watershed, originally owned by the Cambria Iron Com-pany and later by J. Elvin Hagey, was conveyed April 18, 1945, to thiscompany by Mrs. C. H. Endsley, heir to the Hagey estate.

On January 19, 1945, the property of the Henrietta Water Companywas enlarged by the purchase from Rev. A. L. Simmons of a tract of landembraced in the watershed, consisting of approximately two acres, andlocated a short distance due east of the new reservoir. This tract comprisesthe homesteads of two of Henrietta's early settlers and their respectivefamilies, namely, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Grawl and Mr. and Mrs. WilliamKemp. It is gratifying to know that never since the water was first con-veyed to the town in 1872 (almost 75 years ago) has its purity and salubritybeen called in question.

On September 11, 1944, members of the above company met in theMrs. Martha Detwiler building and unanimously adopted the followingConstitution and By-Laws:

ARTICLE 1. The name of this organization shall be, "THE HENRI-ETTA MUTUAL WATER COMPANY," and its object is to mutually secureand provide water for the exclusive use of its members, and for them only.

Page Fourteen

REVISED AND ENLARGED HISTORY OF HENRIETTA

Documents