Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-05
THE FOURTH IN 1889.
They Thought They Had Gold and
Silver Mines Hereabouts,
IN OUR GRANDFATHERS' DAYS.
Measured by Our Standards, the Sires of
rs We're Queer Old Ducks,
BUFTHEY BANKED ON GOOD CHARACTER

1t is known to comparatively few people
in this county and in several adjoining ones
that going back 10 the base of operation for
titles some of them do not own in fee simple.
The donation lands, some of which lie about
Sewickley and others about Tarentum,
we're given by the State to soldiers who
fought in the war of the Revolution. In the
books containing the first records of title in
the Court House, are found the names of
Nicholas BiddIee, Benjamin Franklin, John
Penn and Hon. John Penn, Jr., Peter Muh-
lenberg and others, who bossed the Common
wealth in those days. Mr.. John Gullett of the
Recorders office, exhibits copies OF signatures
of both VIM. Qenn and Benjamin Franklin.
In grants to soldiers of donation lands the
Commonwealth reserved one-ffth of the gold
and silver to be mined, stipulating that the
vendee was to deliver the metal at the pit
mouth. This reservation is what is supposed
TO have suggested to a genius up Montour run
some years ago to start the report Of having
found a silver mine. Had he studied the sub
jec. lightly he might have learn>d that
though the precious metals are widely dis
tributed, occurring in various strata, yet they
do not exist IN paying quantity in TINS secuon
above the metamorphic rocks. There may pe
gold and silver under Allegheny and West
moreland and Beaver counties. but IL there is
it isn't likely tina: any corporation will 60 down
four miles for it during this. and scarcely
during the next century, judging from what
science has disclosed on the subject.
WEALTH IN UNKNOWN SHAPE.
Had the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in
l7G known the value to which coal would
attain and of petroleum and natural gas. and
had reserved these instead of gold and silver,
there would be no State debt to talk of or sink
ing fund to excite invidious surmises But
then Governor Beaver would not have had an
opportunity TO show his ability a fnancier.
These OLD chestnuts, to be gathered in the
Court House, are interesting TO a student of
ethnology. They show changes both material
and moral, and suggest the possibilities of
environment as formative of morals. For in
stance, though the patriarchal institution of
slavery was then regarded in Westmoreland
county as legitimate as the marriage relation
moreland). and slaves were not only bought,
sold and assessed as property, but solemnly de- |
vised by people who testified to their belief in
q literal resurrection of the body every time
they made a will, yet good name in man or |
woman was, as the dTamatist phrased ii, the |
immediate jewel of the souls Of those sturdy |
pioneers. By damning the sins they were not |
inclined to, they gave themselves more liberty |
in another direction. The jealous care with |
down to a later date than 1857. In 1888 the fol- |
lowing was fled in the County Recorders |
office:
A TRUSTWORTHY ETHIOPIAN.
,o.nrH rnnn$IIA1r $n,r, cAsrrsrr Pa. Sept 1885,
The undersigned certify that Joseph Miller, the |
bearer of this mulatto man, % years of age, |
feet 81 inches in height raised in the borough
of Carlisle, Pa, and has behaved himself correctly
for the many yearo he has been known to He |
is in our opinion, trustworthy and honest.
VIM. X. Biddle, VIM. 5. Ramsey, j. r. Good |
man, rector of st. John's L. Langston. J. b. Par
ker, Edward NJ Biddle John Moore, Chas. Nc |
Clure, John j. Myers. NV. W.Woods, United States |
Of America, State of Pennsylvania, Cumberland |
county. |
John Creigh, Notary Public certified under |
seal that he was well acquainted with Miller's |
indorsers. and knew them to be men Of respect |
ability.
THEN A SLAVE STATE.
In partial explanation of Mllers case 1t |
might be stated that Pennsylvania was at that |
time still slave State, and, as Joseph was un- |
der q years of age, he may have been afraid |
that he might be apprehended as fugitive
from service and thereby given trouble.
This kind of certificate of character differs
somewhat from that given by kind-hearted |
man to a female friend once, which read as
follows: This is to certify that Mary jenkins /
had good character wh-n she left Buffalo, but /
lost it on the boat on the way to Cleveland"
By a figure of speech, il is quite common /
among profess onaI servitors to denominate a |
certificate of character character ITSELF and /
the blunder of Mary's friend did her prospects |
no harm.
How would it be now to require people who |
move into a new place nowadays to record an |
official certificate of good character in each |
county in which they may take residence, and /
have the same advertised briefly, but generally?
Probably experience has shown that 1t isn't |
good policy. but such restriction would surely |
be hard on swindlers of all kinds. strangers !
who did not comply or could refer to we'll |
known local authority, would be under sus-
plcion.