Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Clearfield County

Clearfield County Pennsylvania

Present and Past

by

Thomas Lincoln Wall

Ex-Supervising Principal

Boggs Township Schools

Library Edition

Published by Author

Copyright 1925

by

T. L. Wall

Transcribed for the Clearfield County PAGenWeb Project by

Ellis Michaels

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CLEARFIELD COUNTY - PRESENT AND PAST

CHAPTER VIII

Highways and Means of Travel and Transportation

Roads of the County

     Roads of the County. There are said to be about 1900 miles of roads of all kinds in the county, (1925). Of this mileage the greater part are township dirt roads, many of them fair in summer or dry weather, but often exceedingly muddy and bad in spring, fall and winter.

     Paved and Improved Roads. The total mileage of concrete roads in the county is 61, of all types of Macadam 15.69, and of brick 10.29 miles. There were 45.25 miles of new construction that had been authorized, but not put under contract at the beginning of the year (1925).

     Of the whole state highway and state aid systems in Clearfield county, there are 172.15 miles of which 93.01 miles are paved with Macadam, brick or concrete, and 79.14 miles not yet paved.

     Of the paved roads 50.48 miles are embraced in the Lakes-to-Sea Highway, as it passes through the county, from Osceola in the east to the Jefferson county line in the north-west.

     When route 62 is completely paved it will connect with other paved roads outside of the county leading from the Lakes-to-Sea Highway, southwest through Mahaffey to Pittsburgh and other cities. It is now in process of construction.

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     The first pieces of paved road in the county were, one short piece near Morrisdale and a mile between Clearfield and Riverview bridge. These pieces were Macadam. There was four miles of Macadam road built in Bradford township in 1908-1909. This is now on the Lakes-to-Sea Highway.

     Concrete paved roads such as those being built cost $50,000.00 per mile and up. On through routes like the Lakes-to-Sea Highway, the state assumes all cost of construction except through cities or boroughs, where it is sometimes divided with the municipality. On what are called state aid roads, the state pays part, the county part, and the district through which the road passes pays part.

     Automobiles and Trucks in Clearfield County. The first automobiles seem to have been used in the county in 1902. Mr. G. W. Thom in DuBois had a Locomobile steamer in the summer or fall of that year, and came to Clearfield, where Harry Kennedy and others saw it. Mr. Thom's steamer seems to have been the first auto in the county. It was like a buggy without shafts

     Mr. Kennedy got interested, took a good team that he had to Pittsburgh and sold it, then bought an auto car made at Ardmore, Pa. This was the first car owned in Clearfield, and seems to have been the first gasoline auto in the county. Soon after Charlie Shaw, of Clearfield, bought a steamer. Now there are 12,086 passenger autos and 1356 trucks of all kinds licensed in Clearfield county. In that short space of time many improvements have been made and the prices have come within the reach of many people so that now about one person in seven has a car of some kind.

     Bus Lines. There are now eight Bus Lines operating in the county. Fullington Auto Bus Co., between Tyrone, Clearfield and intermediate places. The Philipsburg Motor Bus Co., between Philipsburg, Sandy Ridge, Osceola and

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Houtzdale. The Arcadia-Indiana Co., between Clymer and Burnside, via Rembrandt, Dixonville, Purchase Line, Hillsdale, Arcadia, Hooverhurst, Glen Campbell and Dowler Junction. Alexander Mullen, between Houtzdale and Smoke Run, via West Houtzdale, Amesville, Madera and Banion. Joseph E. Glusky between Mountain Grove School House and Janesville.

     Edwards Motor Transit Co., between Clearfield and Curwensville, DuBois and Sabula and between DuBois and Reynoldsville. John B. Eisenhauer & Son, between Winburne, Grass Flat, Lance and Drifting.

     The Fullington's started a bus line in Clearfield in 1915, and have kept it up ever since.

     The Philipsburg line was started August 11, 1921 with 4 trips a day, now 7. Extra trips are made on Saturdays.

     The Tyrone line was started February 26, 1924. Five round trips are now made on week days and four on Sundays.

     The Edwards Motor Company started to run between Curwensville and Clearfield in September 191$. This was extended to DuBois, December 1, 1923. Later a line was extended to Narrows Creek and Sabula. The line to Reynoldsville was started December 1, 1924, and is now extended to Brookville. The Edwards service in Clearfield county covers about 40 miles in all. Four round trips are now made per week day between Clearfield and DuBois. Twelve trips in all are made each way every week day between Curwensville and Clearfield, and seven on Sunday, besides extra trips on Saturday.

     Trolley Lines. There are but two trolley lines in the county, one of a few miles in DuBois and extending to outlying towns, and one extending from Philipsburg through Hawk Run, Morrisdale, Munson to Winburne.

     Railroads. There are now four principal railroads with

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lines in the county. The Pennsylvania, the Buffalo and Susquehanna, the New York Central Lines, and the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh.

     Of the Pennsylvania, its line from Tyrone in Blair county, enters Clearfield county near Philipsburg, and extends to Grampian, the end of the line. This is the Cambria and Clearfield Branch, formerly called the Tyrone and Clearfield. This line has a branch extending from Osceola through Houtzdale, Ramey, Madera and other towns to McCartney. On these lines there are many spurs going in to mines and works.

     The Bellwood Branch of the P. R. R. enters the county near Utahville, and extends west through Coalport, Irvona, Berwindale, LaJose, Mahaffey, McGees and smaller towns in the county, to Punxsutawney in Jefferson county. There is also a branch extending up Chest Creek from LaJose through Westover to Patton. The N. Y. C. takes care of the passenger service over this branch.

     The Low Grade Division of the P. R. R. from Renova to Red Bank, enters the county at Tyler and passes through Penfield, Sabula, DuBois and Falls Creek.

     The Buffalo and Susquehanna extends from Tyler to DuBois. This is mainly a freight and coal carrying road.

     The New York Central Lines are a combination of railroads built at different periods and under different names, but now all under the control and management of the N. Y. C. The Beech Creek extends from Keating and enters the county at Viaduct on the Moshannon, passing through Winburne and Munson, (with a branch through Hawk Run to Philipsburg) Morrisdale, Wallaceton, Bigler, Woodland into Clearfield. Then by way of Krebs, Dimeling, Mitchells, Olanta, New Millport, Kerrmoor, Bells Landing and Bower to Mahaffey.

     The River Line enters the county at Cataract passing up

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the river through Karthaus, Frenchville, Bald Hill, Surveyor, Shawsville to Clearfield. Then trains are run over the B. R. & P. Railroad to Curwensville, then through Lumber City, and Bells Run, to Curry Run, where it intersects with the Beech Creek to Mahaffey, then on up the river through McGees, Dowler Junction, other towns, and Burnside to and beyond Cherry Tree. Another branch extends from Dime- ling, on the Beech Creek, to Irvona, passing through Faunce, Boardman, Carnwath, Belsena, Madera, and Glen Hope, following Clearfield Creek.

     These roads have a number of spurs extending to mines and works near the lines.

     The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh main line extends from Falls Creek through DuBois, C. & M. Junction and Stanley in Clearfield county. It gives an outlet from the county to Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Rochester. A branch from C. & M. Junction extends through Salem, Luthersburg, Rock- ton, Bridgeport, Curwensville and Hyde to Clearfield, where it connects with the New York Central. The B. R. & P. has a number of spurs also.

     All these roads are extensively engaged in carrying coal, besides other freight.

     The N. Y. C. in connection with the B. R. & P. runs solid trains through the county every day, loaded with perishable and other freight between the east and the west.

     Railroad Building. There are people yet living, who can remember when there was not a mile of railroad in the county. Now, there is in all, nearly 400 miles. When we remember that Clearfield county is situated on the Allegheny plateau near its eastern edge, where the mountain is bold and steep, we can begin to realize what an engineering feat it was to enter the county with railroads and highways from the east.

     The First Railroads. The first railroad to enter the county was the Tyrone and Clearfield. "The Sandy Lick

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Railroad Company was chartered and the road graded from Tyrone as far as Philipsburg by individual subscriptions along the line. Two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars was then borrowed from the Pennsylvania for the purpose of laying track, etc., the road being mortgaged for that amount. This mortgage was afterwards foreclosed and the road went into the hands of the Pennsylvania. This only brought the road to Philipsburg. The citizens of Clearfield and vicinity contributed $80,000.00 to get it to that place." (February 1869) On Christmas Day, 1874, it was opened to Curwensville, $60,000.00 having been raised by contributions of citizens of that place, and other interested people, as far away as Lumber City and The Grampian Hills.

     In 1891 it was extended to Pennville (Grampian).

     The Low Grade Division of the P. R. R. was put in operation about 1874. The Bellwood Branch of the P. R. R. was completed about 1887.

     "The Beech Creek Railroad was built in 1884. The Irvona Branch (up Clearfield Creek) was completed in 1908."

     The river line of the N. Y. C. was built between 1902 and 1904. "The Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad was built in 1904."

     "The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway was built through the northwestern section of the county in 1883. The Clearfield Branch, known as the Clearfield and Mahoning, was put in operation to Clearfield in 1893."

     The following quoted from an article in the Curwensville Review published in March, 1882, is worthy of consideration by every young person:

     The Vision of Hardman Philips. "As far back as 1829 or 30, Hardman Philips of Philipsburg conceived the idea of making a railroad from Petersburg on the line of the Pennsylvania Canal to the coal fields in the Moshannon coal basin, and at his own expense had a survey of the route made. It

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was to ascend the Allegheny Mountains by a number of inclined planes, it being understood at that early day that no motive power could work successfully on a grade of over 52 feet to the mile. To his neighbors, however, Mr. Philips' scheme of ascending a mountain, towering 2500 feet above tide water with a railroad, seemed preposterous.

     "Mr. Philips owned 73,000 acres of land on the Moshannon and its tributaries today worth millions of dollars, and he readily saw what the future of that immense estate would be, but it seemed so far distant and his ideas of developing the country were so discouraged by his neighbors, that (his time of life being past maturity) in 1843 he sold his entire estate including his elegant residence at Philipsburg for $260,000 to a firm of speculators, receiving only $20,000 down. Later, much to his regret, he was obliged to take it back. This however proved fortunate for him, because in the succeeding five years his agents affected a sale of the property for over $500,000. From that time forward such property rose in value, at first for the timber, the coal being valueless unless reached by a railroad."

     In 1851 at a meeting in Philipsburg a speaker declared his belief that a railroad would ascend the Allegheny Mountains in ten years. Intelligent business men ridiculed the idea.

     "In 1852 a charter was obtained for a railroad from Tyrone to Lake Erie by way of Clearfield, Brookville,Clarion, Franklin and Meadville to Erie."

     Many prominent men of this and other counties were interested, and the P. R. R. and other companies were appealed to though in vain, for one reason and another. "These efforts finally awakened the Pennsylvania to the vast importance of tapping the coal fields of Clearfield county."

     Many persons were sincere in believing that the building of the road would be an unprofitable undertaking. One old and (apparently) intelligent business man said when the

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struggle was going on,—"Only two trains a year will be required, one to bring in supplies, in the fall and one to bring the waterman home in the spring." But a truer prophet said: "Those who live to see it may be surprised in the next ten years by seeing a railroad traverse the course of the Susquehanna River from the mouth of the Sinnemahoning to its source at the Cherry Tree, tapping the large coal fields in Penn, Bell and Burnside townships. Another will go up the Moshannon, another up Clearfield Creek and still another up Anderson Creek." This has all come true years ago.

     Railroad Improvement. When the first railroad entered the county, the engines were small and not very powerful. There were only hand brakes on engine and cars, not air brakes as now, and when it was necessary to slow down or stop, the engineer whistled for brakes and the brakemen hurried out and twisted the brake wheel by hand.

     At that time live stock of all kinds ran at large and were quite liable to wander onto the track, be struck by the train and possibly wreck it. In some localities cattle owners went together and formed local companies to insure their cows.

     Cars, both freight and passenger, were small and were coupled together with link and pin, instead of the automatic couplers as now. Passenger cars were heated with stoves, it being a part of the brakeman's business to see that the fire was kept up.

     When the railroad first came to Clearfield in 1869 and for quite a while after, there was only one passenger train a day each way, and it ran much slower than trains run now. Since the building of improved roads and the use of autos, trucks and busses, local traffic on the railroads has been somewhat curtailed.

     Building Railroad in the Night. When the Tyrone and Clearfield was about to be extended to Curwensville in 1874,

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the Clearfield borough authorities, for some reason, refused to allow the railroad to be built up Third Street through the borough, whereupon the company resorted to strategy in order to put the road through. The story as told by the conductor of a coal train that was pressed into service to help with the work is substantially as follows:

     One afternoon this conductor was called and told that the next evening he was to bring his engine, caboose and crew over to Philipsburg; which he did. Here he found a number of flat cars loaded with ties, rails and everything else necessary to build a railroad. A little later the regular work train and his train, with a big crew of men for work, pulled out for Clearfield, where they arrived quietly at about ten o'clock at night.

     In that day of "early to bed, etc.," and no electric lights, the people of the town were, by this time, practically all sleeping soundly, so that work could go on without interference, and the crews went immediately at it Ties were put down, rails laid and spiked and when the borough authorities awoke next morning, a train had been run through and was standing at the upper end of town, while the track laying was proceeding steadily towards Curwensville.

     Erie Turnpike. Before the Lakes-to-Sea Highway, and other state roads and railroads were built, the Erie Pike, or as it was often called, the Philadelphia and Erie Pike, was for many years the main thoroughfare through the county. It was originally built by companies chartered by the state. These companies had toll gates every four or five miles. At each gate or bridge, the traveler had to pay a toll depending upon the kind of rig he had. There were also taverns at frequent intervals for public entertainment. Liquor was almost always sold at these taverns. Goodlander's, Schems, The Wild Goose, The Stone Tavern, The Susquehanna House, Stone-

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ville, Albert's, Lumadue's, Blue Ball, were famous stopping places in their day.

     Before the advent of railroads, everything not produced in the county had to be brought in by team and wagon, and thus the Erie Pike was for years a great thoroughfare, not only for local travel and transportation, but for through stage and freight lines. The first stage line over the Pike from Bellefonte to Erie was established by Robert Clark in November 1824, when the road was finished. The line was extended to Harrisburg and Philadelphia the same year. This was a daily stage line. Joe Morrow had a freight line with six horses to each covered conestoga wagon. The through freight charge was $5.00 and $6.00 per cwt.

     The Erie Pike passed through the county from Jefferson Line, through Luthersburg, Curwensville and Blue Ball to Philipsburg. It did not go by way of Clearfield.

     There was also a toll pike leading from Tyrone up the mountain to Janesville then by way of Hagerty's Cross Roads, Glen Hope, Ansonville, Lumber City and Grampiah (then Pennville), and intersecting the Erie Pike at what is now the Sidney Smith place.

     The Caledonia Pike. The Milesbu.g and Smethport Turnpike Company was incorporated April 11, 1825. It has lately been re-opened and is kept up between Karthaus and Caledonia by the State. Peter Karthaus was one of the commissioners. The route lay from Milesburg to Karthaus where the river was crossed, thence in a northwesterly direction across the northern end of the county, thence north through Caledonia to Smethport and thence to New York state line. It was completed in 1835. This was called the Caledonia Pike. It was a toll road.

     The Snow Shoe and Packersville Turnpike. This was incorporated April 10, 1828. It started from the Black

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Moshannon, on Erie Pike extending through Kylertown, crossed Clearfield Creek where the Lakes-to-Sea Highway now crosses thence by way of what is now East End and Brewery Hill around the bluff into and through Clearfield down Market Street and across the river there, out through Paradise and across the mountain by way of Moore's Mill at Rockton, thence west to Luthersburg where it intersected the Erie Pike.

     The Wilderness or Kittanning Road.—In 1816 or 1817 there was a road made by the state from the mouth of Anderson Creek past the McClure Graveyard to the river, past the Squire Thomas McClure place and up to the old fording, but not crossing the river, past the Ferguson Graveyard, then up and over the ridges,back of Lumber City, thence by way of the present Beers farm and the present Philips crossroads by the Cochrane place, (now the Arthur Williams farm), over Spencer Hill and through the present village of Hepburnia by the present Ed. Spencer farm to Bells Run and across it by way of the William Wall place (now the Helper farm) through the Irish Settlement across Curry Run and on by the Rocky Spring through what used to be called the Wilderness, to Punxsutawney and Kittanning. A great deal of hauling of iron, salt, etc., was done over this road in an early day. Most of the later hauling seems to have been done by way of the river fording before spoken of below Lumber City, crossing there and going on toward and by way of Glen Hope, (where the old wooden bridge is still in use) Hagerty's Cross Roads and Janesville to Tyrone.

     This road can still be quite plainly traced over much of its course, much of it being in use locally.

     In wet, swampy places, or through deep wood where the road would not dry out, "corduroy" was used to keep the animals and vehicles out of the mud.

     A "corduroy" road was made by cutting poles as long as

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the road was wide and laying them down across the road, close together. Travel over this kind of road was not very smooth going, especially in a wagon with no springs, but it seemed better than sticking in the mud.

     The Old State Roads. The oldest white man's road passing through the county was surveyed by George Wilson and Joseph Elliott in 1799. From 1788 till the making of the road the Indian path was by some called the Mead Trail, and is said to have been surveyed by Gen. Mead.

     This State Road was ordered to be built "to protect the frontier from the British and the Indians." It was contracted for as noted, by Governor Mifflin to Samuel Miles and Rodger Allen on July 3rd, 1799. The contractors must have begun work in 1799 and were four years in opening the road to wagon traffic all the way through. Inspector Fleming made his reports in Dec. 1801, January 1803 and January 1804, following which last report the road was formally accepted in April 1804. The whole length contracted for, and finished in 1804, was from The Bald Eagle's Nest [ Milesburg] to Le Boeuf [Waterford ].

     From Inspector's Report. "Passing Philipsburg one mile is Moshannon Creek, it is not bridged nor is it fordable at the place where the road crosses, at any season. There is some timber prepared at the place for a bridge. There is a fording about one-half mile below. Thence to Clearfield Creek four miles, some digging done in two places and on the hill descending to Clearfield [ creek] 40 perches are well dug. [This part of the road may be easily found. ] The road is good. Thence to Susquehanna River five miles, the road is good, breadth of river 12 perches. [ The road crossed the river by a ford where the present Bloom's bridge now is on Erie Pike. A division of the Army crossed here in 1814.] Thence to Anderson Creek, [ where Curwensville now stands] nearly

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three miles, some digging done on Hogback Hill. The road in general is good.

     "Thence to a branch of Anderson Creek about 8 miles, road good, dug in several places and some bridges made [to near viaduct ]. Thence to waters of Stump Creek [the big spring one-fourth mile south of Luthersburg ] about three miles, several bridges and digging done in places and bridges made, road good. Thence 5 miles, crossing two bridges at each of which there is digging done and several runs, two of which are bridged. Thence to a branch of the Sandy Lick Creek, about 6 miles, in several places road is dug and several bridges made. Thence about three miles, several steep banks, runs and wet places; road not passable. Thence to end of Col. Miles opening, four miles [near Emerickville], road good. From Milesburg until the road crosses the Susquehanna, the road is opened from 16 to 20 feet wide and from thence to the end 12 to 16 feet. The whole length of the road opened by Col. Miles, 74 miles, 86 perch. [ Signed] Jno. Fleming. Dec. 16, 1801."

     "This road after coming up Anderson Creek and turning off by way of near Viaduct, crossed the present Lakes-to-Sea Highway at the foot of Coal Hill toward Troutville, whence it diverged to the west of the present state road and crossed near the present Shugart Mill and west of the Knarr stock farm over Limestone and thence across the E. H. Harmon farm and past Eriton, crossing the present turnpike at the west line of the George Heberling farm, from which point it is plainly visible, through the woods where the cut banks are in some places two feet high.

     "The Lakes-to-Sea Highway crosses the old state road at the junction of Soldier Run and Fauzy Run. Thence crossing the divide into Sawmill Run Valley and through the Henry De Larme and Fugate Farms the old road extends to a point below Sherwood station, thence northwesterly through the Waite Farm."

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     One of the three divisions of the Army which went to Erie to fight against the British, passed over this road, camping at the Big Spring Camp ground, near the present Luthersburg early in March,1814. John Kirk, (son of Thomas Kirk who was buried in the Ogden Graveyard, Clearfield, in 1815, and brother of Jason Kirk who settled on the river within the present borough of Lumber City) was a teamster hauling whiskey for the army on this trip, and has recounted the circumstances to his grand-son, George C. Kirk, still living and well at the age of 88.

     The Indian Path. The main Indian Path coming from the east crossed the river at Big Island, just below Lock Haven and went up Bald Eagle Creek to Beech Creek and up it a ways, then up and over the mountain by way of Moshannon Creek and Moravian Run and across through what is now Graham township to the river at the mouth of Clearfield Creek and on up the river to where Clearfield now stands (Chinklacamoose), then on up the river to the mouth of Anderson Creek, then up the creek about three miles, thence over the ridge four or five miles to the Big Spring where the paths divided, one branch going on north and a little west, finally reaching the Indian town of Buckaloons on the Broken Straw Creek, below Warren. The other branch of the path turned off to the left over the hills down Mahoning Creek, following it to Punxsutawney, and then went on to Kittanning. There were other branches of this path leading off in different directions and more or less traveled.

     This was the only semblance of a road the first hunters, surveyors and pioneers had to travel into or through the county, and no doubt it was often obstructed by fallen trees and roots. If they wished to go off the path, a road was "blazed" out with an axe.

     The River as a Highway. The Indians, no doubt, used

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the river as a means of travel. They had quite staunch canoes and must have often journeyed up and down it to and from Canoe Place (Cherry Tree), on the Kittanning Path, which was their main Indian Highway from the Juniata to the Alleghany.

     The early settlers used the river also a great deal, both for canoes, which they poled up the river against the current, after floating down, and also for floating "arks" down it, loaded with grain, potatoes, shingles, coal, etc.

     Building an ark. An "ark" was sheathed with two inch clear pine planks over ribs of solid timber. It was built in two sections of 40 to 50 feet each, the shape of a flat iron, sharp at one end, the other end square. These two complete sections usually had their sterns butted together and fastened by means of oak planks 16 feet long and 16 inches wide on the outside, fastened with large wooden pins, thus making a complete boat 80 to 100 feet long and 16 feet wide, with sides four to six feet high and capable of carrying quite a load.

     An oar, like a raft oar, was rigged on a post at each end, to steer the ark by. The current of the river furnished the motive power, as they were used for transporting loads down stream only.

     Sometimes single sections were used, pointed at the bow and square at the stern. A danger that was hard to avoid on a windy day was of being caught in the still water and blown broadside over a dam The ark was steered through the chute, with oars, in passing out of a dam. On reaching its destination and being unloaded the ark was sold for a good price, as the fine pine lumber of which it was made, was clear stuff. They were generally pinned together with wooden pins so the lumber was not damaged. Quite a few people are yet living who helped to build or run "arks."