The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-03-03
OLD NEWSPAPERS.
Some Extracts That May be Interest
ing, With Comments by a
Correspondent.
EnITOR HERALD:-

the writer's hands sundry numbers OF
the Somerset Whig," which, so far as
is now known, was probably the first
English newspaper TO be published in
the town of Somerset. These ancient
new spapers date back to the years ISIS,
10 and 30, and were presented by the
late Adam Lepley, of Southampton
township, who was a subscriber to the
paper in those early days.
In those days but little attention was
paid TO local news, and we venture to
say that many single issues of our
present country papers contain more
items Of local happenings than are TO
be found in a dozen of these early num-
bers of the "Whig;;" yet a perusal OF
these old papers shows that they make
mention of a good many things and
events that are really part of our To-
cal history. In some instances a faint
recollection of them still fingers in the
memory of the Older people, who may
have heard them spoken of in the days
of their youth; the others have long
since been forgotten.
We herewith submit to you for pub
lication in the HERALD some of these
early happenings that are recorded in
these papers, believing that some Of
them, at least, will be read with inter
est by the present generations:
BY an advertisement we learn that
on Sd of February, 1918, His Excellen-
cy, the Governor of Pennsylvania, in
corporated the Somerset and Bedford
Turnpike Company, which company
was To construct turnpike road 10
lead from Somerset to point on the
Harrisburg aud Pittsburg road, and
notice was therefore given to the sub
scribers to the stock of the company to
meet at the house of Joseph Filson,
innkeeper, on the Glade road, in AL
legheny township, on the 10th of
March, 1918, for the purpose of organ
izing the said company. The Com
missioners giving the notice were:
Jacob Stoner, Vim. c. Dorsey, Jas. VI.
Russell, David Mann, Jacob Bennett,
Samuel Riddle, Robert Philson, Jacob
SCHNEIDER and Henry Ankeny.
Archibald Elliot, wayfaring man
IS years old, advertises for there turn Of
lost pocketbook containing $500.
Peter Rhoads offers for sale his home
farm Of 800 acres in Stonycreek town.
ship, on which is a grist mill with
three pairs of stones; and also saw
mill, said to be the best in the county.
Jonas Ebert and Michael Hay, ex-
ecutors Of Henry Shaver, deceased, Of
fer his tavern stand and farm on the
Great Road, miles west of Somerset;
there being also grist mill and saw
mill on the premises. This must be
where Bakersville now is.
Another grist mill and saw mill, on
the waters of Middlecreek, is offered
for sale by Jacob Crigley. This mill
in earlier days was known as Kings
MIL.
Benjamin Landis offers for sale l5S
acres of land in Quemahoning, which
is in such a high state of cultivation
that there were raised the past season
from 10 acres of land - bushels of
well cleaned clover seed.
John kurtZ announces that he has
bought Mr.. Goeb's medicine establish
ment, OF drug store.
The annual settlement of Somerset
county for 1917, also appears in this is
sIe. From it we learn that Abraham
Morrison was then Treasurer; Henry
Chorpenning, Tobias Musser and John
Mostoller were the Commissioners,
and Elias Stahl their clerk. The tax
duplicates for that year were as follows:
Somerset Boro., SlS7.9j; Somerset
Twp, S73963; Milford, SS79.l6; Tur-
keyfoot, S329.0S; Addison, s305. -; Elk
Lick, S4lS.4S; Greenville, S775.4 South
ampton, Sl47.66; Brothersvalley, $780,
-; Allegheny, SSl.6S; Stonycreek,
S362 sS; Shade, Sl7l.50, Conemaugh,
Sl05.6l; QIemahoning, S2S7.59; Jen-
ner, S35I.44. Unseated lands, S2lG7c.
The principal payments were: to
jurors, S6Il.00; assessors, S3750Si; cleo
tions, S:,34 73l; Jail expenses, s22S'32;
bridges, $50; John Tanttinger, in
part for building Jail wall, Sl0j0; wolf
and fox scalps, SllS.60; schooling poor
children, SS6.O2; County Commission
ers' salary, S23s.00; Auditors, Sl2.OO;
state prison, S250.7l.
In Congress Alexander Ogle reported
bill fyr payment of $500 TO General
Arthur St. Clair, of which the editor
says: "If that sum were doubled TO
him il could neither recall nor atone
for tHe sufferings and domestick in
commodation which the detention
from him of his just rights for so many
years has brought upon him and his
family" Elsewhere in the paper it is
stated that the House of Representa-
tives has passed a bill granting Gener-
al st. Clair pension of 20 dollars
year.
At Meadville, Pa, there has been
fall of six feet of snow.
The editors of this paper appear at
this time to have been engaged i'm the
publication of a Life of Christ, by Jere-
my Taylor, the price to be one dollar,
payable on delivery.
Robert Findley, an attorney, had
given some otfense TO the Court, and
was suspended from practicing as an
attorney for one year. This was on
the 10Th of November, 1917; at an ad-
journed court held on 29th of Decent
ber, 1877, on written application con-
tanning an ample apology for the inn
propriety of his language, the Court
raised the suspension.
Isaac King, late of New Jesey, adj
vertises his business Of whitesmith;
John L. Michael that of a watchmak-
er; James Boyle as copper and tin
smith; while Joseph Hollis is a maker
of saddle-trees.
VIM. Gore Elder is merchant at
Somerset; while John Brubaker has
opened hotel on the middle square at
Berlin.
In the issue of tie 5th of March,
1878, it is stated that IL inches of snow
had fallen, and that the Eastern mail
has not yet arrived; and that Philip