Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-30
EAREfKN0CKED0UT.
" the County Court House Nearly
Went to Allegheny City.
MEOF THEUHWRITTEN HISTORY.
Great Fight Made by Colonel Carnahan
Sixty Years Ago.
CIDED' At LAST By THE GRAND JURY

Few people, apparently, know that Pitts
rg 56 wears ago came near occupying the
ne place in Western Pennsylvania that
leghenv CITY does now-that of being
into the position Of playing second
lie to Allegheny as it does to Pittsburg.
is side was saved by the exertions of one
\. Colonel Alexander Carnahan, then
of the County Commissioners. This
was a few davs ago established, to the
prise of Nessrs. Cyrus S. Gray, ex-
er;f Hunter and Clerk of Courts Nc
.nneale. bv Rev. D. I. Carnahap. Years
. Rev Mr. Carnahan was in charge of a
.gregation al Port Townsend, on Puget
und, Washington Territory, and when he
NJ the addresses of Judge White and
the- Lamb;ng on the occasion of the ded-
ton of the new Court House, he was as
lished that they made no reference to the
tivitv If his father. Colonel Carnahan, in
= and was further surprised when he
nd no reference TO it in any of the his
- aiducel on the occasion mentioned.
3lt q century ago the establishment of the
II of county government in any particu-
locality was much more important to
tJsburg than it would be to-day, and gave
. south side of the Allegheny river much
Dre impetus than it would at present,
ough it is sill a verv important adjunct.
In 1898 il was decided that new Court
ou=e was necessity, and there were some
ople who thought the structure should be
lit on or near the site Of the old one at
Diamond Market. The Commissioners,
wever, thought the location unsuitable
? various reasons, one being that the
ound there, not being severed as at pres
Z, was unsuitable and the location un-
althy. Accordingly fierce contest arose
long them as to site.
Almost Went to Allegheny.
Colonel Carnahan's colleagues were two
en- named Hilands and Matthew Hender-
n. hilands lived on the Perrvsville road,
anderson on the Neck. between where
omestead now stands and MeKeesport,
ale Carnahau lived at Banksville, on
wmin run. In ancient times it had been
.ciGed, according to some records found,
at the Court House should be built
Allegheny, and Hilands. citing these
cords, and, probably influenced more or
IS bv the tact OF his residence on the
1rthside, fought to have the new structure
aced over there, and succeeded in win-
nc Henderson to his assistance. After
-hausting his stock of argument in favor
a Pit;sburg site without avail, Carnahan
1pealed to court, Judge Charles Shaler
ea presiding. The matter was referred to
grand Jury, and of this there is record
Z nothing indicating what was done SUBJ
quentlv, and the action of that BODY can
lly be inferred from the location of the
Hiding burned ten years ago. 1t is sup
0seG that some record of the after action
as lost ct the time of the fire. No one
und could tell what was paid for the land,
1t Rev. AIE Carnahan remembers that it
as gotten from James Ross, and that his
JUse and grounds adjoined. The reference
the matter to the grand jury was in
arch, 1884, and the proceedings were Or
red by the court to be published in the
=wspapers OF the time. William Dilworth
nd the contract for the carpenter work,
d a Scotchman named Coltart that for the
asoLry.
Proud OF the Old Court House.
Allegheny county was as proud of that
ructure as we are of the present, and it
IS undoubtedly very fine building, con.
iering the resources of the county at that
ne, and its Corinthian architecture and
lnensi1y were long shown visitors with
pride. Even as late as 1860 the |
ne Of the old building was such that visit |
S from surrounding counties felt that they |
& missed something if they did not take
our through the Court House and look at
2 bell, which had history of its own,
ri OF which NAV have been fictitious.
Colonel Alexander Carnahan was born,
red and died on his ancestral acres. His
ath was in 1889, and he was 80 years old.
early and middle life he was an active
Isiness man, but he retired so long ago
at many people in the city at the time of
S death knew nothing of him. The Chin
" of the house in which he was born was
i'll standing few years ago. He laid out
e village of Banksville, naming it after
S wife, whose maiden name was Banks.
ie name was also appropos from the fact
al the industry of the settlement was coal
ming, and in olden times coal pits were