Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-08-18

uOI ceEtdiu. kney Wero diteTWaTuS nelu IN
| building on Market street in this Borough,
now occupied by the widow of Charles Plea
SAINTS, Esq, deceased, and continued. to
be held there until the erection of the Court
House we have just left, which was proba-
bly, about the year 1894. With the increase
of population, there was corresponding in
crease of judicial business Numbcrless dis
putes arose respecting the boundaries of
| lands within the county, which gave rise to
[ legal controversies. These disputes involved
titles to lands of great value, and principles
that were new and important. For many
years no serious Inconvenience was felt from
| the small size of the court house, and its in
ternal arrangement, and want of adaptation
to the pur poses for which it was intended
but within the last few years, the increase
of population and of business, and the conse-
quent rapid increase of our public recortsand
their insecurity, demanded a more extensive
and safer building for the transaction Of busi-
ness, and safe keeping of the records. Besides,
Northumberland county is one of the Oldest
and richest counties in the State; her citizens
are intelligent and enterprizing, and they
deserved building to which they could
point with pride, and in which they could
be comfortably accommodated. Such an
one they now have. 1t will probably stand
| for generations-long after we have ceased
to occupy .he places we now do. The build
ing is an expensive one materials and labor
were high, but our citizens have the means
with which to pay, and they will pay. The
development of our extensive and rich coal
fields has opened up rew channels for busi-
ness-invited capitalists into the county,
and greatly increased our wealth and popu-
lation. The amount OF wealth IL three Of
our townships, Coal, Mt. Carmel and Zerbe,
| 10 FTbou lorno mn fS,f
taxes, and contribute in that way to the
payment of our national and local taxes.--
Not many years since, the coal regions in
this county were almost without an inhsbi-
tant. In travelling through them very rude
dwelling would be occasionally met with.
No steam whistle disturbed the quiet of the
regions; no railroad penetrated the valleys.
Now the regions are alive with large, en-
lterprizing and Industrious population
Towns have sprung up, and wherever you
go through the entire regions, you meet with
IcviGences of wealth, industry and improve
ment. The coal business is just emerging
from its infant state. For several years the
development of coal was slow, discOuraging
and Improbable. Gradually, however, it
was made to assume more Importance, and
attract the attention of men OF capital. Per-
haps no two individuals In the Shamokin
SOhA hCkiOu uotC uOuC ulOAS w BiVC
acter to ;t, and invite men of capital and
enterprise there, than William and Reuben
Fagely. Without possessing at that time
much wealth, they had enterprise, perseve-
rance and forecast, and surrounded by diff
culties that would have deferred most other
men, they, with determination worthy of
all praise, continued to operate, take out
coal, and ship it, establishing its character,
and giving notoriety to the region.
The agricultural portions of our county
have also greatly improved in productiveness
and value, and contribute largely to swell
the county revenue. Our farmers are infe-
rior to none in the State, in every qualifica-
tion necessary to make their lands productive,
and increase their wealth. Some portions OF
our county are better adapted for agricultu-
raj purposes than others. Between the two
great branches of the Susquehanna there is
large body of valuable agricultural land
surpassed by none in the State-in higE
state of cultivation-more extensive, less
: broken, and of better quality than the land
! east of the river. But in most of the town
ships east of the river there are valleys Of
; excellent lands, many of them highly cult
vated and improved, as only men OF grea
,, industry, prudence and perseverance could
improve them. With such population az
we have-a county SO wealthy, in minera
and agricultural productions, the debt con
! tracted in the erection and fitting up of this
beautiful building, will not be oppressive
When all is dope that is necessary to b.
done, to inclose it, it will justly command
: the admiration of the people Of the county
: and each taxpayer will feel "a .gratihcatioI
: in saying, "my means contributed to tn
: erection of it."
The large and excellent bell that callet
US together this morning, Is the gift o
General SIMON CAMERON to the citizens o
: Sunbury, where, when youth, he lived TO
several years, but to be used in the cour
' house for tho benefit of the citizens of tn
' county. He is native Of Lancaster county
in March, 1908, where the father soon afte
# died. The General was then nine years o
age. After the death of his father he live,
4 in the family of Dr. Peter Grahl, of thi
4 place, who adopted him as his son aud he'll
|, The Doctor, at that time, was man OF COZ
!. siderable wealth, highly cultivated manners
, of varied and extensive learning-was
n foreigner by birth, and had Seen much Q
n the world. He died abou: the year 1915
n having before his death wasted all his pre-
a perty. The General was thus left to comba
"a with the world-a poor, orphan boy. a
r. the age of sixteen he left Sunbury, to whic
n he was much attached, and where he az
quired a taste for literature, to seek hi
d fortune among strangers. Then lie wa
v known but by few. Now, no one scarcel
e in his native State is ignorant of his histor
D for the last thirty years. He has occupie
a. some of the most important positions an
b offices in the government On some me
n fortune never smiles; their pathway throug
a. life is dark aud dreary, and If occasionally
"a raw of sunshine darts across their path, 1t
,f followed by dark clouds and gloomy pro
4 poets. Not so with General CAMERON
m Fortunes smiles have not often been wit
=. held from him. For the people of Sunbur
of the descendants of the friends Of his ear
m life, he cherishes o strong attachment, an
to for the last 40 years has not failed to pay {
of annual visit to bis old loved home, wher
be perhaps, he laid the foundation Of his futu
an prosperity and usefulness. He has presente
of the citizens of Sunbary with gift ths
to Hong after he, and him who now address
he you, have passed of the stage OF actio
as will awaken by its solemn pesls gratef
,e- memories of him who bestowed it. a
While, gentlemen, we can with pride al
ng satisfaction refer to our prosperity II
ler provements in agriculture, IN mechanics
"A Ia ;.n-aoea1 and 1aslu socraarinU vveait