Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-06

ties, bu. really one community. Browns
vile and Bridgeport are on the left bank OF
the river in Fayette county, 200 bridge
connecting them.
MANY NOTABLE INCIDENTS.
Brownsville, as the theater of many incl
dents in the history of the Monongahela VAL
lev and the West, as well as from its early
settlement, is point Of much historical in
terest. Fort Burd was erected in 175S, by
Colonel Boquet, then in command at Car
Isle. Among the archives at Harrisburg,
in Colonel Burd's journal, is found the fol-
lowing record: "Ordered August, 1859, to
march with 200 men of nv battalion to the
mouth of Redstone creek, where 1t empties
itself into the river Monongahela, to cut a
road somewhere from General Braddock' 8
road to that place, ss shall judge best, and
on my arrival there to erect fort"
The fort erected by Colonel Burd contin-
ued long to be the favorite rendezvous for
those men who kept watch upon the move
ments OF the Indians lnhabiting the head
waters of the Ohio and its tributaries. In
1775 the town of Brownsville was laid out
upon the site of the old fortifcation, and the
place became one of much celebrity among
embarkation. This circumstance gave rise
to u lively trade in the construction of keel
boats Emigrants here embarked with their
families and their entire stock Of goods for
the long voyages down the Western river.
In 1889 the wagon load OF merchandise
was brought over the mountains on the
southern route, being nearly that now
traversed bv the national road. Browns
vile at once sprang into place OF great i'm
portance both in the manufacture of iron
and boat building. The steamer Enter
prise, the first boat that assembled the Mis-
sissippi and Ohio rivers from New Orleans
to Pittsburg, was built at Brownsville, and
ner engines were made in the Brownsville
shops. The building of the national road,
which was completed to Brownsville about
1917, gave a great impetus to all the busl-
ness interests of that section.
California, Pa, is pleasantly located
village, seven miles below Brownsville, on
the left bank of the river coming down. 1t
is in Washington county. The title to the
land on which this town stands traces back
to an Indian chief known in early days as
'Indian Peter" who sold it to Mr.. Young,
by whom the Indian title was trans erred to
Robert Jackman, who in 1884 took out q
patent Tor it under the laws of Pennsylva-
MIA. From Mr.. Jackman the title passed
through various hands until it became
vested in Job johnson, who associated with
him five partners and laid out the present
village, which was incorporated May 1,
1S49. The first permanent settlement on this
tract of land was made about ITS. The town
is neatly iaid1out on a gently sloping plain
and the broad streets, shaded by beautiful
trees. run at right angles. The population
of the place numbers about 1000, and the
buildings are principally brick. Cali ornIa
is noted for its normal schools, which, in
many respects, excel similar institutions.
Last year 642 students were enrolled.
SOME SMALLER TOWNS.
Coal Center, formerly called Greenfield,
was laid out in 1919 by Robert Jackman.
1t was incorporated under the title of Green
field in 1884 1t is situated at the mouth of
Pike run, on the left bank of the Monon-
gahela river in Washington county, 81
miles by river from Pittsburg. In its
early DAYS, the trade of the town consisted
in shipping, bv fiat boat, produce to New
Orleans and the Southwest.
Fayette City is thriving town on the
right bank of the Monongohela river, in
Fsyettee county, about IA miles below
Brownsville. The place was first settled in
1894, and was laid out by Colonel Edward
Cook. an active participant in the whisky
insurrection against the Government. The
town. when first laid out, was called by
Colonel Cook, Freeport. but its name was
afterward changed to Cookstown. 1t is now
incorporated under the title of Fayette
City.
Bellevernon was laid out in 1913 1t is
situated on the right bank of the Monon-
gahela river, about 40 miles above Pitts
burg. 1t contains about 1900 inhabitants,
and is place of much business with the
surrounding country. The town is beauti-
fully located. and is partly in Westmore-
land and Fayette counties. Bellevernon
proper is the old town, and the most of the
business il transacted in her limits, and is
located principally on the fat ground on the
river bottom.
The Magic City, Charleroi, a new and en-
ergetic town, incorporated in the autumn of
1889, occupies one of the most beautiful sites
on the river. A long stretch Of bottom land,
upon which gigantic manufacturing estab-
Iishmerts are being erected, gives promise
oil a large city in the near future. Lots are
selling rapidly, and building is going on
constantly. A mammoth plate glass plant
is locating here, as also a large shovel
factory. Charleroi is in the immediate
vicinity o: one of the richest gas territories
in the world. The future looks bright, and
nearly everybody has unbounded faith In
the Magic City,"
AN IMPORTANT PLACE.
Monongahela City is situated on the left
bank of the river. 80 miles from Pittsburg
aud 75 miles from Morgantown. 1t is one
of the most beautiful locations in this fertile
and picturesque valley. From an histori-
cal standpoint it occupies an important
place in the annals of the country. 1t was
the chief rendezvous during the whisky in
surrection of 1914. A meeting of 200 del
egates held August IA, 1894, was presided
over by Colonel Edward Cook, founder of
Cookstown, now Fayette City. The Secre-
tary Of the meeting was no less parsonage
than the celebrated Albert Gallatin, Secre-
tary of the Treasury under President
Jefferson.
The town of Elizabeth. % miles above
Pittsburg, on the right bank of the Monon-
gahela river. was laid out in 1857 by
Colonel Stephen Bayard, and called Eliza
bethtown, in honor of his wife, whose re-
mains repose in the burial ground within
the borough limits. The first settlers of the
township were William, Daniel, Rickard
and Samuel Applegate, four brothers, who
settled on the east bank of the Monongaheia
river, between the mouth of Mingo creek
and the Youghiogheny, previous to the
Declaration OF Independence
A sHIP-BUILDING POINT.
The title of the la nd on which a part of
the city now stands, was obtained by the is
sue of patent No. 1888, under the laws of
Pennsylvania in 1869. In 1869 the title
passed into the hands Of Joseph Parkinson,
who in that year laid out the town and gave
it the name of Williamsport. Previous to
that date it was known as Parkinson's
Ferry. The population in 1910 numbered
about 500. In 1888 the town was ipcorpor-