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CITY OF DUBOIS Page 85
men received for their ties delivered to the railroad. These ties
were usually bought by some merchant who traded his goods at
exorbitant profit. However, there was not any murmur. The people
knew that it was a condition they had to confront and they were
willing to work.
The money lender was abroad in the land. During the panic of 1873
the current rate of interest was 15%. It is stated that one man near
Luthersburg borrowed from a usurer $1000.00 and when he came to sign
his note it was $1500.00. However, he was informed that he was not
charged interest. It is not known what the time on this note was,
but it is a fair illustration of the character of the usurer who
dealt with the unfortunate debtor. Several fortunes were built up,
but as usual, this class of fortune is built on sand, for the
descendants did not have the brains or conscience to carry on in the
same manner as their ancestors. From knowledge of the descendants,
it cannot be attributed to their liberality.
One man in the Beechwoods section was so hard up that he could not
get trust at a store for a pair of boots. He would have had to go
barefooted, but they finally located an old store where some of the
stock had been left and a pair of boots was found, which saved the
day. This man related to some friends that his diet for a long time
had been buttermilk and potatoes. This man did not build on the sand
and when he died he left a considerable fortune.
Only persons having the best security could obtain loans. However,
throughout Brady Township a number of persons lost their homes to
the greedy money lenders.
Fortunately for the community surrounding DuBois, Mr. DuBois had
commenced his operations in 1871. The development work had been
pushed as rapidly as possible. He brought with him from Williamsport
a number of men skilled in the class of work he was doing.
In order to get the Little Mill in operation, he had to haul his
machinery overland from Clearfield, as well as all of his supplies
for his store and his employees.
It is related that the supplies for the stone masons at Sabula
tunnel were hauled from Pittsburgh on hand cars, requring about a
week for a trip.
In developing his lumber operation Mr. DuBois placed the dam for his
mill on Sandy Lick Creek, about where Miles & Co.'s wholesale
establishment now stands. A glance at an old map will show the creek
channel very crooked. For the purpose of straightening the creek,
Mr. DuBois purchased the land from John Rumbarger and Henry Shaffer
along the south side of the creek. He dug a channel from near
Highway Route 555, down to the breast of his dam. By damming the
water he created three islands in the vicinity of the old Fair
Ground and the B. & S. Railroad Station. What was below Liberty
Boulevard was used for storing logs. |
