Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-05-18
In MoVeytown Saturday, May IA,

"Gertlemes, where shall land you 1'i
vas the inquiry put by the conductor Of the
McVeytown omnibus to two passengers that
be was conveying last Saturday morning
from the railroad station to the town acros,
the river. 40, well, said editor Shrom. OF
the Newport Neics, al guess you may take
Us to the Pilgrims Rest" The "buss man
looked over to the writer Of this article, and
we nodded assent, without ever having
heard of such place as I" Pilgrims Rest
in the Junista Valley. We had heard o.
the pilgrimages in Bible times, of the Pill.
grics' Rest at Jerusalem for the descend
ants of Isaac. We mad heard Of the Pill.
grins' Rest at Mecca for the descend ants OF
Ishmse, We had heard Of the pilgrimages
of the Spaniards to the North American
continent to find the Fountain of Youth, in
which to bathe and rejuvinate and live for
ever; but We had never heard of the Pill.
grims' Rest at
McVEYrowy.
McVeytown is located in the Juniata Val.
ley, about 81 miles from the mouth of the
JunIsts river. Forty years ago the place
became thriving town through the Indus
try of q furnace, forge, and a foundry,
and the mining of iron ore; and such ccn-
hdence was felt n its financial solidity that
the business men of the village had no
trouble in issuing, and circulating at par,
"shinplaster" currency during the financial
depression period OF ls4l and 1912. Com
modious and substantial brick and frame
houses were built then. But the business
Of that day and generation was overdone,
and the bright prospects of McVeytown
we're stricken with financial blight. The
men that were rushing the thing and driving
,'four-in-hand" failed, and their failure so
Frustrated the whole community that it did
not recover from the effect within genera
lion of time. Now, however, everything is
changed. The large brick and frame houses
that were built long ago, and which had
gone, to certain degree, into decay, have
been repaired, and the place looks fresh and
substantial. The revival of business is
owing TO a new ind ustry that has recently
been developed, or rather. which is in the
course of development. The new industry is
the mining Of white silicious sandstone that
is used as The material out of which to make
glass. The population OF the town is about
sc, en- hundred. The religion Of the peo-
pie is Presbyterian and Methodist. The
McVeys, when they surveyed the place,
'slaid out diamond - in the center of the
village. On one of the eight corners of the
Diamond is
PILGRIMS Resi-.
II was at that particular corner of the
Diamond that the :" buss man let US out"
Or. Swartz, local celebrity, stood, as God
Father, one night, al the christening of the
corner, for Cooney, as be is famiiiariy called,
or for Mr.. T.. Conrad, editor of the McVey-
town Journal, as he is properly called.
Pilgrims Rest is editor Conrad's public
Office. 1t is large square room on the
ground door of the house, that, during
many long years Was known as the " Davis
Hotel" A large table in the room is kept
constantly supplied with newspapers and
other periodicals BY Conrad, for the accom-
mediation Of people that desire to read, or
desire to buy cigar, piece of tobacco, or
have glass or soda water, all of which are
except for sale" by a youth connected with
the concern If Pilgrims Rest were loca-
ted in a city or large town it would be an
exclusive place, such a place as all club
rooms are, but being in village it must
needs be place Where all such may go as
can properly conduct themselves. Pill
grims' Rest is veritahle public club room
for McVeytown. 1t was about seven and a
half O'Clock in the morning when We en-
tered Pilgrims Rest. A youth was in
charge of it. The local editor of the Nc
yeytown Journal, Z. J, StackpOle, tall,
slim, beardless young man, was present, ac-
companicd by NJ. z. Mccarthy, also tall,
slender young man with moustache. Nc
Carthy is editor of the Mt Union Tunes.
But Conrad had not yet put in an appear
snce. Shrom made himself at home, as if
he had been there often, but the truth is
he was not. He was born in Carlise, Cum
berland county, about 40 years ago, learned
the art of printing in the town just named.
In complexion he is nearer brunette than
a blonde, is about feet inches tall, wears
a full beard and moustache, aud has solid,
serious-looking face, the regularity OF which
is broken by the loss of an eye. He is a
good business man, and member Of the
church. Citizens soon began TO pass that
way and drop in minute or two. Among
the number, the names of whom we remcm-
ber, were Mr.. Grimm, S amuel McWilliams,
banker; ex-Assemblyman Stackpole, Cap
tain Mcclellan, Rev. Mr.. Moore, DR.. Swartz,
Mr.. Ross, Mr.. Keim and Mr.. Mccarthy.
After a while Conrad came and had with
him II. A. McPike, of the Cambria Freeman.
McPike had come in on a midnight train
and lodged with Conrad. The two men are
as unlike in appearance as they can well be.
McPike is blonde, of full figure, in height
about 5 feet or inches, and weighs, prob
ably, l7O pounds; he wears a full beard
without moustache; has a pleasant face !;
he wa. born in Blair county nearly so years
ago, but looks to be not past 40 years de
is quite a wit, and, like Shrom, he too "oe-
longs to the church" he is practlcal
printer, and is editor and proprietor Of the
Cambria Freeman. Conrad was born IN
Lebanon county about 40 years ago, and In
height is not over feet inches, is OF
spare figure, and weighs 100 pounds. he is
a brunette, wears full beard and NOUS
tache. When Jay Gould wears his beard In
the same fashion, which he does most OF
the time, the one man might be taken for the
other. Conrad has been in McVeytown
about 25 years. He learned the timing