Titusville History 1885

TITUSVILLE was incorporated as a borough, by act of Assembly, which was approved by the Governor March 6, 1847. William Robinson, John M. Titus and Salmon S. Bates were by the act appointed Commissioners to define the boundaries of the proposed borough, and the electors were directed to meet and hold the first election for officers on the following third Friday of March. There is no record of an election in March, 1847, and it is probable that no officers were elected until March, 1848, when Joseph L. Chase was elected Burgess and S.S. Bates, William Barnsdall, James R. Kerr and G.C. Pettit, Council. The first meeting of the Council was held April 1, 1848, when Robert L. Robinson was appointed Clerk and E.H. Chase, Treasurer. There is no further record of officers elected until 1851, and since then the Burgesses elected have been as follows: Jonathan Titus, 1851; Samuel Silliman, 1852; A.B. Hubbard, 1853; J.M. Allen, 1854; James Parker, 1856; J.L. Chase, 1857-59; Z. Wade, 1860; John Moore, 1861; N. Kingsland, 1862; O.K. Howe, 1863; F.W. Ames, 1864-65; J.N. Angier, 1866.

The act to incorporate Titusville as a city was approved by Gov. Andrew G. Curtin, February 28, 1866, and in the spring of that year the city was organized by the election of Joel N. Angier, Mayor, and the following Council: First Ward, J.H. Bunting and George Custar; Second Ward, Thomas Goodwin and H.B. Ostrom; Third Ward, A.W. Coburn and R.D. Fletcher; Fourth Ward, W.W. Bloss and J.J. McCrum. Mr. Angier was re-elected Mayor in 1867; his successors have been Henry Hinkley, 1868-69; Frederick Bates, 1870-71; W.B. Roberts, 1872; John Fertig, 1873-74-75; David H. Mitchell, 1876, David Emery, 1877.

By ordinance of December 17, 1877, the Council accepted the new charter under the laws of the State. It went into effect in the spring of 1878, when the following Select Council was elected: First Ward, E.O. Emerson; Second Ward, G.C. Hyde; Third Ward, E.W. Watson; Fourth Ward, John Lee. The Common Council elected at the same time consisted of the following: First Ward, H.S. Bates, Junius Harris and E.C. Hoag; Second Ward, James H. Davis, N. Crossman, J.D. Angier and L.B. Silliman; Third Ward, John J. Carter and Thomas Goodwin; Fourth Ward, Joseph J. McCrum, Timothy Lynch and Joseph Hoenig. By this charter the term of the Mayoralty was made biennal. William Barnsdale was elected Mayor in 1878; A.N. Perrin in 1880, and James H. Caldwell in 1882.

The City Hall, located on the west side of Franklin between Pine and Main Streets, was erected for a private residence about 1862, by N. Kingsland. It changed ownership several times, was occupied for a time as a hotel, and was then purchased by the city. It is a large, substantial frame edifice, with massive Corinthian columns in the front, and on the first floor contains the Council room and the offices of the Comptroller and City Clerk; on the second floor the offices of the Mayor, Superintendent of Schools and Treasurer.

Water Works.— The city is provided with the Holly automatic system of water-works owned and maintained by the city. The work of their construction was commenced in 1872, but it was not until 1875 that they were wholly completed, at a cost of $141,000. The engines are located about one mile and a quarter west of the City Hall. The water is pure and clear, and pumped from two wells, twenty-two feet deep and eighteen feet in diameter, directly into the mains, where it is kept at a pressure of forty-five pounds, which can, if necessary, be increased to eighty pounds. The works are supplied with a rotary engine to increase the pressure in case of fire. The capacity of the pumps is 2,000,000 gallons daily. At the present time the department has nine miles of pipe, sixty-nine fire hydrants, and supplies 759 consumers at a cost considerably lower than in the majority of cities, but the income thereby derived is more than sufficient to meet the running expenses of the department.

The Titusville Gas & Water Company was chartered in 1865 with a capital stock of $75,000. Although "water" is included in its charter, the company has nothing to do with the water department. The construction of the gas works was at once commenced and completed in 1866. At present the works include a tank of 100,000 cubic feet capacity, ten retorts or two benches of five retorts each, and about seven miles of pipe. Three hundred consumers are supplied and seventy-nine street lamps lighted.

Fire Companies.— In 1865 a volunteer fire company was organized, which was speedily equipped with hand engine and hose cart. Barney Bosch was its Foreman. In 1866 a second-hand engine was purchased and a hook and ladder truck arrived about the same time, all paid for by private subscription. The Titusville Fire Department was organized under the control of the city May 13, 1867, with Thomas Goodwin, Chief Engineer; D. Reagan, First Assistant; W.J. Stevens, Second Assistant; B. Bosch, Foreman of Engine Company No. 1; James Reardon, Foreman of Engine Company No. 2, and J.W. Morrison, Foreman of the hook and ladder company. Within a few years three steamers were purchased, two of which, the "City of Titusville" and the "Amoskeag" are still owned by the city. The department was composed of volunteers until April, 1882, when it was made a paid department, the force consisting of three fully paid men, and nineteen "minute" men, who pursue their usual avocations during the day, but remain under the immediate control of the fire department. Augustus Castle, the present Chief Engineer, has occupied that position for six years. Besides, the two steam engines the department possesses two hose carriages and a fully equipped hook and ladder truck. One of the two engine houses is located on Franklin Street; the other on the corner of Pine and Monroe.

Sewers.— In 1871 the laying of an extensive system of sewerage was commenced and has since continued until now nearly three miles of sewer mains underlie the main streets. There are two large main sewers of brick and lateral sewers of the best vitrified pipe leading to the same, with catch-basins at necessary points for surface drainage. The system is extended as occasion requires.

Banking.— The monetary business of the city is great, as the five banking institutions, having a total capital of $1,150,000, will indicate. They are as follows: Second National Bank, established in 1865, capital $300,000, Charles Hyde, President; Roberts & Son, private bankers, established in 1872, $100,000 capital, W.D. and E.T. Roberts; Commercial Bank, capital $150,000, John L. McKinney, President; Hyde National Bank, established in 1880, capital $500,000, Charles Hyde, President; Roberts National Bank, established in January, 1883, capital $100,000, W.D. Roberts, President.

The Titusville Library Association was organized in 1876. Its first officers were: B.D. Benson, President; Roger Sherman, Secretary; J.A. Mill, Treasurer. The library fund was created and the first purchase of a library accomplished by the contribution of $100 each from thirty individuals. Current expenses have since been met and accessions to the library made through the generous subscriptions of its friends, and the purchase of annual library tickets at $2 each. The library now contains 4,200 volumes. A free-reading room, where the leading periodicals may be found, is a valuable adjunct to the library. Since its formation William J. Carpenter has been Librarian.

Oil Creek Valley Agricultural Association was organized and held its first fair in the autumn of 1875. The fairs have recurred annually ever since, with increasing attendance and success. The spacious grounds are situated just without the city limits on the northwest.

Press.— The first paper of the city was the one of which the present Herald is the direct successor. It was started by James B. Burchfield, who had been proprietor of the Pennsylvania Sentinel, published at Meadville. This latter paper expired in 1859, and Mr. Burchfield in the same year, directly after the oil excitement had been aroused, removed his printing supplies to Titusville, and launched into being the Petroleum Reporter and Oil Creek Gazette. It was continued as a weekly, somewhat irregularly issued, for several years, and came into possession of A.M. Fuller. In 1864 was purchased by Lake & Martin, who continued its publication until June, 1865, when they sold it to Bloss Brothers. These proprietors changed the name to the Herald, and at once commenced the publication of the daily Herald, the first daily issued in the oil regions, and which has been successfully continued since. In September, 1865, J.H. Cogswell was admitted a partner, the firm name becoming Bloss Brothers & Cogswell. In June, 1872, W.W. Bloss retired and Bloss & Cogswell continued the publication until July 1, 1883, when Mr. Cogswell also retired, leaving Henry C. Bloss sole publisher. The paper has since been conducted under his management. It is Republican in politics and an able exponent of the interests of Titusville.

The Sunday World began its career under that title March 1, 1882. Its origin was the Sunday Newsletter, which was started in 1880 by J.W. Graham and E.W. Hoag, and in 1881 purchased by the World Publishing Company. This latter company had, June 15, 1880, begun the publication of the Petroleum Daily World, under the management of J.M. Place and the editorship of R.W. Crisswell. It was designed to be published in the interests of the oil producers, as against the oil monopoly, and for that purpose the World Publishing Company had been organized. A large investment was made in the establishment. An able corps of editors were engaged at high salaries, and during its brief career of eighteen months an excellent newspaper was produced. The field, however, proved too limited to support a paper of this magnitude, and after its financial failure was no longer doubtful its publication ceased. Henry Byron had become manager in December, 1880, and S.L. Williams editor. About six months later George E. Mapes succeeded Mr. Byron, and continued in charge till the Daily World suspended, January 1, 1882. The Weekly World was continued until March 1, 1882, when it was purchased by Frank W. Truesdell & Co. Mr. Truesdell has since remained its editor. The Sunday World is independent in politics, and is an ably conducted and well supported paper.

Quite a number of other newspaper ventures have been made during the past twenty years, but all have in time met the fate of most similar enterprises. Probably the one of longest continuance was the Titusville Daily Courier. It was started by a stock company with a large capital in 1870, with J.T. Henry as editor. The paper afterward passed into the hands of M.N. Allen, who conducted it until 1876, when it was purchased by the Herald. Its politics were Democratic. The Star was a daily campaign sheet published in 1865 by J.B. Close and O.B. Lake. The Daily Journal was afterward published for a brief season by J.B. Close. The Morning Star, edited and published by W.C. Plummer; the Long Roll, edited by N.C. Allen; and the Daily Press, an evening paper started in 1872 by W.W. Bloss, were fitful gleams in the past, across the journalistic horizon of Titusville.

History of Crawford County 1885