Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-08-18
NO. 80.

keeper, and had his shop on High street
upon the lot now occupied by Mears.
Blanchard = law Office. A prominent ,ay.
ern keeper in his day wss Evan Miles
whose hostelrie stood rpon the First Ma
tional bank lot 1t was Il stone structure
and bore the sign General Washington
House" Opposite there, on the Brocker-
hof House rite, William Alexander kept
log tavern which was replaced with
framed tavern Of which Israel Penning-
waA for long time the landlord. Then
there was the Franklin House about where
the Garmsn House stands. Captain Will
liam Patton and Benjamin Bennett were
among it, earliest landlord. The house
was built By Judge Jonathan Walker, and
| occupied by him for Il time a. a residence.
One Of the pioneer traders in Belefonte
was Robert 7, Stewart who was admitted
10 the Centre county bar in 1900 He
soon engaged in bookkeeping At the corner
Of High and Spring streets where Jacob
Valentine now lives. Mr. Stewart mar
ried one Of james Dunlops daughters and
removed at an early date 70 Huntingdon
county. He died in October 1885, while
resident of Westmoreland county.
In 1900, when Centre county was Gre
Ated, Milesburg and Bellefontc competed
strongly for the honor Of becoming the
| county seat. Mllesburg appeared 70 pos
sess an advantage in the fac, that it stood
at the head Of navigation on Bald Eagle
creek, and 81 that circumstance seemed 10
operate materially In favor Of Milefhurg,
the proprietors Of Bellcfonte were spurred
TO a more than ordinary effort W overcome
it. In this emergency james Harris and
John Dunlop posted hurriedIy Of 70 Milos-
burg and attaching teams Of horses and
cattle 10 a fat.bos; having on board
10: Of second hand furniture, borrowed
from some NAM house dragged the boat
up Spring creek as far g. Belleiontc. That
done they hurried a messenger 90 Harris
! burg, armed with a properly a;tes.ed sfii-
dayit that the first boat OF the season, with
freight aboard, had arrived at Belcionte.
This statement Of facts appeared 10 indi-
cate that Bcllefon,e and not Milesburg WAS
a; the head Of navigation, and being cx-
pedi,iously pressed by parties in interest,
II resulted in the passsce Of the act max
/ ing Bellefonte the county scat The Miies-
burg people hsd been caught mapping sure
enough when they found how handsomely
/ they had been beaten So Bcllcfonte cap
tured the county scat and was happy.
With that Frightening Of fortune and
promise Of future prosperity, the town
grew 70 be an enlarged object Of interest
and welcomed swelling additions 20 its
population. Mcssrs. Dunlop and Harris
bad already donated literally Of lands
conditioned upon the location Of the coun-
/ ~ seat at Bellefonte Pending the erec-
ton OF a Court House, courts were held in
q building 81 the corner Of High and
Spring streets, where Jacob Valentine
now livct.
At council session in July 1912, the
following petition signed by majority of
the citizens Of the borough Of Bellefonte
was presented and read to-wit:
"To fhe torn council of BeiL,fonfe: The
undersigned citizens OF the borough Of
Bellefonte labor under the great inconven-
fence from the deranged state Of the cur
rency and the scarcity Of small change
and they respectfully request the council
To issue = sum Of money sufficient % REM
edy the evil in small notes. Whereupon,
on motion Of Nicholas Hillibish, the clerk
vas directed TO prepare an ordinance in ac-
cordsnce with the prayer OF the petition
and report the same TO the next meeting"
The ordinance was passed and the ireasur-
er directed to issue small bills a. follows
$500, In one dollar bills 5000, in hfly
cent bills; $500, in twenty-five cent bills
$500, In twelve and half cent bills"
Additional similar issues were made from
time 10 time, and by June !, lsi3, hSd
reached Sl0,GSsl2. In March ls44, the
stringency in small currency having been
removed by other means, the borough bills
we're called in and burned ~ fast "a re-
deemed
NoTE-From II. Eyerts forthcoming history 81
tro and Clinton oounise.
The Executive Committee Of the Gen.
ire County Agricultural Society, will meet
al the office Of $. d. Ray, Esq., secretary