The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-07-19
Canbria County.
CHAPTER XIX
Cambria township.

ster on the East, Summerhil on the |
South, and jackson and Blacklick on the
West. The census Of 1850 gave Cambria
Township population Of 400, which Is
about the present population, as the IN
crease of The last ten years would be coun-
terbalanced by the loss she sustained III
the erection of Munster Township and
Bla:klck Township, each of which took
a portion Of her territory-the former
from her Eastern, the latter from her
Western boundary.
The Western portion Of the Township
is generally fiat, and rather swamPy
while the Eastern portion is hilly, and a
large proportion Of it it comparatively fer
tile.
The principal branch Of the North Fork
of Conemaugh rises about mile North
East of Ebensburg, passes along the Eas-
tern boundary Of the borough, winds round
immediately South of town, and taklng
its Southerly course, unites with Noun
tain Branch near Wilmore. The head
waters Of Blacklick also rise about two
miles North Of Ebensburg, flow Westward
| ly b. Beulah, and mingle with the Nor
thern branches a few miles farther Vest.
The Chest rises four miles North of Eb-
ensburg, flows in North Easterly direc-
ton until it meets the Loretto Branch,
when it pursues direction nearly due
North, until it empties into the Susque-
hanna Thus the head-waters of the
| Blacklick, the Conemaugh, and the Sus-
| quehanna have interlocking branches with
in three or four square miles, il this Town
ship
The banks of the Concmaugh, a few
miles South of Ebensburg, arc exceeding
ly steep and rugged; yet there is nothing
in this Township that can be dignifed
with the name of mountain. Perhaps,
| Mulea's Hill comes nearest that distnc-
ton 1t is two miles East of Ebensburg
Cambria Township has little pretension
to mineral wealth Bituminous coal, and
that of an inferior quality, is all she can
boast of.
The producers of this Township have
the advantage of an excellent market, Eb-
ensburg, which is centrally situated in the
Township, no portion thereof being at a
greater distance than six miles. Ebens
burg has population sufficient to consume
all the products of the Township, except
its butter. This is shipped East in very
large quantities by our merchants. Anoth-
cr source of revenue is her horses, large
number of which are sold annually, and
are highly priced on account Of their har-
dir ess.
The principal public roads are the
Huntingdon, Cambria, and Indiana Turn
pike Road, which runs nearly East and
West through the Township. This Is an
excellent road. The Ebensburg and In
dianna Turnpike, (familiarly known as
the "Clay Pike diverges from the for
mer immediately West of Ebensburg, and
reaches Indiana County at the distance of
10 miles a little North Of West. The
Jefferson and Ebensburg Plank Road run ,
from Ebensburg to Wilmore, a distance
of nine miles, and the Ebensburg and
Susquehanna Plank Road connects the
same town with Carroltown on the North.
at the same distance. The Old Loret.o
Road, though badly graded, is a very
smooth and pleasant road for light vehi-
cles.
The Ebensburg and Cresson Branch
Rail Road is in process Of construction
and it is thought will be in operation be-
fore the close Of the present year. Leaving
the Southern extremity of Ebensburg it
pursues a Northeasterly direction up
Evans Run, cuts through the Bradley
Summit, and leaves the Township near
the dividing line, between the Scanlau
and Glass Farms-a distance of about
four miles from Ebcnsburg.
Cambria Township was settled princi-
pally by natives of Wales, who. with their
descendants, constitute four-Gfths of its
present population. The Welsh is still
the prevailing dialect, in many portions
of the Township. The inhabitants pre-
serve the original simplicity, honesty, and
piety of their fatherland
In religion the tenets of the Welsh and
their descendants are Calvinistic-in form
Independent. Their principal place of
worship is in Ebensburg, but they have