The News-Herald from Franklin, Pennsylvania • Page 114

George Power's Brother Was Killed by Indian George Power, the first white Mayor Bohlender Served City for 20 Years, With An Outstanding Record Lumbering Operations Today Recall Exciting Days of Yesteryear in Area man to make a permanent homrj in Franklin, had a brother who met a disastrous fate at the hands of a ruthless Indian in the early pioneering days. En route to Pitts burgh, Mr. Power was 13 miles from Franklin when he was attacked. The crafty redman cut a tree on one side of the road, lodging it across the road against another tree, the Indian then climbed the tree and waylaid him. The Indian was seen afterwards with the victim's gun.

Mr. Power's body was brought to Franklin and buried near the fort. FRANKLIN FIRE POLICE ORGANIZED IN 1869 The Franklin Fire Policp wpre organized in 1869 for the purpose a I Rafting on River Lends Glamour To Early Mills Samuel B. Myers 1873. Thomas Hoge 1874.

J. Wilson Lee 1875. Dr. W. S.

Welsh 1876. William R. Crawford 1877-8 and 1880. Joseph C. Sibley 1879.

George Maloney 1881 and 1884 George Allen 1882-3. Charles Miller 1885-6. W. J. Bleakley 1887 and 1889 S.

C. Lewis 1888. R. W. Dunn 1890-1.

C. A. Myers 1892-3. Gen. John A.

Wiley 1894. William H. Forbes 1895. B. H.

Osborne 1896. Dr. George B. Jobson 1897. James W.

Rowland 1898. Thomas Algeo 1899. C. J. S.

Miller 1900-1. Dr. S. G. Foster 1902.

Dr. Fred W. Brown 1903-0i mil on the west branch of Sugar Creek was built by Martin Lubolt at its headwaters, referred to in the. early days as "pine swamp" In Cherry tree Township, aisc on a branch of Sugar Creek, formerly known as Coover's Run, the first mill was erected by Ninian Irwin, about 1823 or '24. The first sawing was reported in 1825.

The second mill in the township was built by Samuel Alcorn in 1838 and there is also a report of James irwin and two other men putting up 8 sawmill on a branch of Sugar firm of Ramsdale and Son was formed. Today the city has excellent lumber mills, including H. T. Os-burn and Co. at 631 Twelfth Street; the James Lumber 1035 Buffalo Street; Howard Nicklin Lumber 125 North Thirteenth Street, and Austin Lumber with' headquarters in the Miller Apartments.

Other concerns particularly notable in this area are Liotta Hardwood Lumber, Mercer Road, Franklin. R. D. Hilhard Lumber Harrisville, and D. L.

Rankin, of Clintonville. United States today do not permit logs to be floated in the water, but it is said that a good lumberman in the early days and in some parts of Canada today) could walk on the logs as easily a-sauntering down the sidewalk. George W. Brown, who speui more than 50 years in the oil and lumber regions, stated in one iti his recollections that the wages io: the hands on a raft from Warren County to Pittsburgh were $10 per trip, and each one paid his own way back. Stage rates were high and, needless to say, many walked and slept along the roadside.

Sawmill Our First Industry Actually a sawmill was the firsi industry started by the white man on the site of Franklin, dating back many years before the permanent oi roping on a lire area and me ivu war. Mayor James G. Bohlender, who has held the office of mayor for the longest period of any of Frank lin chief executives, is rounding out his 20th year as head of the third class city government. Only the terms of Dr. Frederick W.

Brown, now deceased, came any where close to the record of Mayor Bohlender, Dr. Brown serving for ten years altogether. Dr. Brown was the first mayor under the third class city charter. The first charter to the city was issued more than 85 years ago and T.

Anderson Dodd became the first mayor three years after the close AI r' TTT During Mayor Bohlender's service in office, a number of accomplishments took place. The boulevard lighting system was effected, the new Chess Lamberton airport was planned and constructed, and air service is now accepted as a regular part of our transportation picture. The sewage disposal plant was built, all of this being paid for in a period of ten years. The tax rate was kept moderate land Mayor Bohlender's administration became widely known for its pay as you go characteristics. There was no increase in property valuations during the two decades, and while other taxes i skyrocketed, those of the city of forward position which Franklin; assumed won recognition through- de 's voice farther South on the Ohio to Cincinnati and sometimes down to New Orleans.

For long hauls both logs and tin ished boards were formed into rafts. Small rafts were used on the creeks and when they reached eddies, just before setting ili down the river, they were coupied if to "river made up of about a dozen creek rafts. Often there wore as many as 50 different owners with material gathered in these eddies and separating the various small creek rafts often posed a major problem. There was no electricity or gas lights and was frequently necessary for tne men to work all night by the light of pitch pine knots. Each raft had a bumper and splash board, protecting it when and 1913-19.

W. J. McConnell 1906. John P. Emery 1907-09, a no 1919-21.

Robert F. Glenn 1910-13. Erskine Miller 1921-25, term completed Ly Frank Breakiron. Merle A. Drake 1926-30.

Harry C. Ferringer 1930 to Dec. 31, 1933. James G. Bohlender 1934 to Dec.

31. 1953. 1 1 pot Dollar Fai i 4 Site of 9th St. School 0n toe afternoon of Jlme 16 lg76 a number rf human discovered while excavating the at the corner of Elk and Ninth League of Qtta of tii 'aSi11" ni yjgjoueeib. uiie anuu was almost m-jtact and was undoubtedly that of met in central Pennsylvania that organization he is now vice president.

Of The mayors of Franklin, through the yeart. have been asiDeIleved t0 De 111086 01 Indians, regular police duty at the scene of a fire. They had a light carriage equipped with about 300 to 400 feet of rope, iron stakes about four feet long, pointed on one end and small iron stakes about 12 inches lone pointed and with a ring to drive into buildings or other structures to rope off the fire area. The larger stakes were driven in the ground and ropes stretched to keep eager spectators at a safe distance to the hard a house. work of building Reason For Frame Houses Another interesting tale which comes xo us irom tne pages ot tne past is the story of John Carner.

of Rockland Township, who in 1827 bought 79 acres it land for the Bingham heirs at S1.25 per acre. He cut cord wood for 31 cents per cord to pay for the tract and in 1871, the farm was sold for to an oil concern! Despite the changing times, the new metals, plastics and building materials, wood continues as a mainstay of Venango County homes, a great majority of the houses being erected entirely of wood, and the lumber business has continued prominence in the county's industry. Big Roomy Safe YOU white man. Other bones were (buried with beads and trinkets, the 'usual aboriginal honors. Tradition has recorded the existence of an old burying ground near that spot, (dating from the days of the En- iglish fort here.

By CAROLEE KINNEAR Many activities from the past spell romance in this modern turbulent world giving a feeling of excitement and adventure to all who turn their thoughts from present cares and problems to the days of the pioneers. Early lumbering and logging will go down in the annals of time as one of these important and romantic occupations, bringing prosperity and livelihood to many, along with the picturesque and colorful aspects which are seen today. Instead of bein? "exciting" to the settlers of Western Pennsylvania, the lumber business was no doubt one of day-in-day-out hard work, with the dangerous trips down the river providing the only diversification from daily toil. Today lumbering is still an important part of life in Franklin and Venango County logging and independent sawmills are oper-J atmg throughout the area and one needs only to pick up the telephone, call the nearest lumber yard and he will have his choice of a variety of materials, cut to apecifications. 13 Sawmills in Action During 1952, 13 sawmills were re-ported operating in Venango Coun- ty, having a total annual output of 6,708,000 board feet.

The stumpage value ranged from $9 to $32 per thousand board feet and most, of the cut was comprised of bass Wood, beech, birch, hard and soit maple, cherry, elm, hickory, oak, yellow poplar, hemlock and white pine. Approximately 400 persons re employed in the lumbering in dustry in Venango County today, both at the mills and in finishing plants. Lumbering can still be deemed hard work, but the woodsman's life today would seem one of ease to our ancestors a century ago. Today most of the mills operating in this area are portable, going in to cut a tract and then moving on to another spot. This is a sharp contrast to the "thunder-gust" mills In the county In the early 1800's, operating on small streams, all driven by flutter wheels and water power.

The mills were of necessity stationary and they were usually operated by one man, or possibly partners. The production ranged from one to two thousand board feet in 12 hours, with pine boards selling in Pittsburgh at $3 or $4 per thousand feet. Clear pine boards were in demand and their price was approximately $10 per thousand feet. Now more operations are figured on the basis of an eight hour day, with a crew averaging three to four thousand feet per dayt including cutting down the tree, preparing it for the mill and sawing it into boards. Rafts of Logs on River In the days before railroads, all the lumber in this area was floated down the cyeeks to the Allegheny River and thence to Pittsburgh, or Creek, making that stream one of the most highly commercialized spots of that period.

Irwin Township is also reported as a selected spot for sawmills, with several being erected in that area. One was near Walter's Mill on Wolf Creek, another on land owned at the time by John Lat-chaw and another was on the Mc- Murdy farm." Raymiiton Mill in 1841 A. W. Raymond, for whom Hamilton was named, built a sawmill there in 1844 and an early mill is also noted at Bradleytown. Ed ward E.

Clapp, of President Township, is reported to have had extensive sawmills in the county, employing about 30 men. In Oilcreek Township the first sawmill which we find on record was the one built in 1876 by J. Locke and Son. However, there jwere several mills in operation on 'the banks of Oil Creek in earlier periods and they came into unex-jpected prominence and revenue I during the first days of the oil i excitement. It has been reported that 17 mills and dams lined Oil Creek when the oil industry was I coming into prominence and the I owners were hired by well owners I to release the water from their jdams at a given signal, creating a pond freshet for the transportation oil to the Allegheny River.

This same procedure had been used by lumber rafts for years, but oil and the ever changing market price created new demands. "Freshets" were created frequently and as the necessity for prompt transportation increased, the sawmill operator could set his own prica for the task. Flour, Woolen, Wood Mills W. C. Cross and William Cross built sawmills in Clinton Township in 1840, and David Phipps, cf Ken-nerdell, ran a sawmill in connection with his flour and woollen mills.

The first power was from Scrubgrass Creek, but later the Phipps' mill was modernized and converted to steam. Lotus Jewel had a sawmill in Cranberry Township, selling it to William Cross in 1832. In Franklin the first sawmill was established by Alexander McCal-mont and in 1870 the Franklin Planing Mills, Eleventh and Elk was started by Howe Ramsdale. Four years later Hulin became the proprietor, continuing until 1883, when the firm became known as H. D.

Hulin Bros. In 1874, after the sale of their other mill, Howe Ramsdale erected the City Planing Mill on Thirteenth Street, and in 1887 the Advancements Noted The advancements which have been made in the lumber industry are numerous, they are in the times and here in jmost other fields of endeavor the i machine age can be definitely evidenced. Power saws are replacing the hand operated crosscuts, and i tractors are used almost exclusive ly in the woods, with horses being seen in only a few small miLs. Large trucks have solved the transportation problem, going right to the mills where they are loaded with logs or lumber, transporting it direct to the factory or lumber yard. Upon arrival at their destination, a huge crane is waitng ready to lift the entire load from the truck body in one iweep.

The native white pine 'which -was in such great demand in the early years of lumbering is becoming scarce throughout the county. A soft wood, it was easy to handle, light for floating and didn't rot easily an idea? wood for the pioneers. The price today has jumped to approximately $100 per thousand feet, about 30 times higher than the cost 125 to 150 years ago. Hemlock is State Tree Pennsylvania is one of the few states to have a state tree, ours being the hemlock. It, too, has grown scarce in this area, but in some untouched spots of the county the hemlock continues to grow along the streams in its native splendor.

Today the cutting of timber with the careless abandon evidenced years ago is gone. More and more mill operators are practicing conservation in their work, cutting only the large trees and carefully leaving the small ones to grow to size. Years ago the forests were so thick in all of Western Pennsylvania that everything was cut to prepare clearings for homes, farms and cities. Today just the opposite is practiced and reforestation programs are under way in several areas, in many instances under the guidance of the State Department of Forests and Waters in Harris-burg, The days of "log goings" are long past, lumber is secured from a dealer and today trees are planted around a new home, in stead of. cut away.

It was accepted custom in pioneer times tor neigh bors within a radius eight io ten miles to congregate and help clear the land for a new family in the territory. The huge native trees were felled and the back-woodsmen pitted their strength in log-roiling contests adding fun and pleasure 4 going over dams and a halyard was made of hickory withes or water- beech to be used as a cable when tying up to shore. Awaited Spring Freshet There were generally three times a year when the timber could be moved spring, June and in the fall. Warren County was a major lumbering center in this area and from there down through Venango County, all along the Allegheny River, everyone looked forward to the "freshets" to take the lumber downstream. In many cases, it.

was an instance of everyone pitching in and helping. It was necessary that the wood be moved quickly, soon after the floods, while the river and other streams ran high. Records can be found stating that "everyone pitched in to help" boys left school, preachers left their pulpit and doctors left their practice to join in the adventure of taking the rafts down the river. Common talk was "running down the creek and gigging back." The "Allegheny fleets" were equipped with shanties, built of boards, a stove and bunks for sleeping. They had long heavy oars and the necessary cooking was done on the raft, but the common fare was salt pork, potatoes and bread.

Although the real excitement and adventure the chance to see Pittsburgh or maybe even New Orleans came with the freshets there was still plenty of work for the winter months. The woods rang with the sound of axes and oxen, horses and often manpower were used to transport the logs to a selected spot along the river. Pay Was $16 a Month Considering the scarcity of tools it is amazing the amount of lumber which was taken from the forests of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Woodsmen commonly received $16 a month and board, but their wages were generally paid in store orders or trade. Sometimes unsawed logs were taken down stream, being nauled by bobsled in the snow to the Banks of the river to await the spring floods.

Most major streams in the follows: T. Anderson Dodd, the first may- or 1868. Henry Dubbs, 1869. C. M.

Hoover 1870-1. C. W. Mackey 1872. Comfortable CHARTER settlement of the town.

It is ve-i corded that a sawmill was erected ihere by the French in 1753, wheh jthey came to 'mild Fort Machault. trees which once covered the site of the present city and to secure materials for their stockade -jnd boats. Both Franklin- and Oil City wup; important stops of lumbermen en via the river, to the southern markets. Sawmills have also been nn important factor in the settlement of many points in Venango County, the mills being erected at a suit able spot along the stream As the timber wds cut away from the surrounding lands, newcomers sought the clearings for their pros pective homes and used the lumber for their dwellings. No complete records of these early industries have been kept, but probably the first active mill following the settlement of the county was erected in Scrubgrass Township in 1795 by James Craig.

Upon his arrival in that he built a cabin, without a floor and with a covered bark room. He and his wife came to Scrubgrass in canoes from Westmoreland unty and in addition to being a forerunner in the lumber business, Mrs. Craig is reported to have brought the first geese into 'he township. One on Little Scrubgrass James Anderson also had a saw mill in that area, having purchased it in 1814 from David Irwin. The mill was originally built by Charles Campbell and was located on Little Scrubgrass Creek.

In Frenchcreek Township the first sawmill was built in 1804, near Utica, by John Lindsey, an early settler along Mill Creek. About a year later James Adams who constructed many mills and factories in Utica, took up the lumbering business. The mill was later operated by a son, James, until 1842, and for years it supplied building materials for persons living along French Creek. Canal Township, had its first sawmill at the falls on Spruce Run, built by Royal Brown. John Lindsey erected a sawmill on Mill Creek in 1800 and later two mills were built by John Lupher, one on McCune Run and the other where Spruce Run empties into the west branch of Sugar Creek.

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