The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-12-20
FIFTY YEARS AGO.

1t
within the last fifty years.
Thinking tnat some olyour younee,
readers might be Interested in reading
OF some changes not mentioned in the
ABOVE named article, | have conclud
ea 10 point out few of them.
filty years ago there was not mile
of railroad in, operation within the
limits OF Columbia and Montour
counties. The Catawissa road had
been laid out and partially graded
somewhat earlier than that, but it was
not completed until several years later.
FIFTY years ago Columbia and Mon
tour counties constituted a single
county with Danvlle as the county
seat Bloomsburg contained no court
house, no jail and but one lawyer. It
was peaceable village at that time.
and one lawyer was sufficient to keep
matters straight. The population of
Bloomsburg at that time was not
much 1t any over six hundred. | find
by statistics that Bloom township
which then included the present limits
OF Scott township with the village of
Espytown and Light Street polled less
than four hundred votes on the ques
ton OF removing the court house TO
Bloomsburg. The probability is that
pretty full vote was polled.
The streets of Bloomsburg were not
named nor numbered as at present.
The different portions of the towu
were locally known as Boomsburg,
Morgantown and Smoketown. The
whole was by some of the older resi-.
dents of the county (who did not take
kindly to modern innovatons) called
Oyertown.
Scott town did not then have an
existence save the site upon which to
build. 1t was just fo-ty-nine years
ago this last summer, that l helped to
haul stone for the foundation of the
house that was afterward built by DR..
Scott, which gave the name to that
portion of the town. The same sum-
mer the court house was being built,
and as the citizens were getting little
proud Of their town, they Strengthened
Main street from the brow of the hill
down through Scott-town 1t had
formerly circled in toward the creek,
presume to secure an easier grade.
John X. Grotz and William Neal
were men doing business in the town
of Bloomsburg, when first knew the
place, which is somewhat over fifty
years. Just how much do not care
to state, as it might lead some of
your readers, to suppose, that / am get
ting old. If there are any others still
living who were doing business at that
time | am not aware of it.
About the bears and deer that lurk-
ed about the wilds of Bloomsbury
fifty years ago all that l have to say
is, did not see them. Being pretty
good boy and not prowliog around
onights may account for my not see
ing them.
| shall now leave Bloomsburg and
move up the creek.
Light Street comes next in order.
1t was formerly two hamlets known as
Sidel town and Light Street. By not
crowding their buildings too closely,
they have succeeded in getting the
two pretty well consolidated, and one
| name has been dispensed with.
Light Street has the advantage of
most towns in our county, from the
fact that it seems to be pretty nearly
| finished.
| When l get to Orangeville am
pretty nearly home. 1t has increased
, both in quality and quantity within
the last fifty years.
Fifty years ago it contained two
stores, two churches, four hotels and
one stillhouse. Whisky seems 70
have been the most prominent indus
try. The improvements in quality
consist in the demolshing of the still
house, the reduction of the number
of hotels, the increase Of churches and
the respectable schooihouse which has
taken the place of the dilapidated
one of former years.
The number of dwelling houses has
greatly increased, and their appear
ance betokens thrift and enterprise.
The dlminution of the whisky traffic
and the adoption of useful industries
has greatly helped to produce those
happy results.
! The change In some other localities
has been as great as those mentioned,
but they have not been so directly
within the scope of my observation,
c.
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