The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-08-10


There is considerable manufact.
uring at Bloomsbury, and the indi-
cations are that it will increase
rapidly. Among the oldest enter
priseS may be mentioned the
Bloomsbury Iron Company which
operates two furnaces, owned most
! ly by Eastern capitalists. Between
$50 and 200 men are employed
The furnaces were started i'll 1874
with a capital of S2oo,o ,ooo When
both stacks are in blast, about Ia
900 tons of iron are turned out per
annum. c. X. Paxton is president,
and L r. Drinker, superintendent.
Next in order comes the Bloom
furnace, the building of which COM
menced in 1858, and it was success
fully blown in" in 1854, under
the firm name of McKelvy & Neal,
and continued as such till January
I, 1875, when Mr.. McKelvy retired
and the business was continued by
William Neal & Sons. They em-
ployed from $50 to 200 men, and
the annual production is about 5000
tons of very superior forge and
foundry iron. The amount of cap
ital invested is from $3.50, 900 to
5000, 900. From the furnaces, one
turns to the car works o. G.. NJ. &
]. X. Lockard, which give employ
ment to $50 men. Heretofore they
have been averaging thirty six
eight-wheel cars per week, besides
mine cars. The firm has been en-
larging their works from time to
time and are still contemplating
further improvements. The cap
ital employed is fully S2co, 900.
TWO POPULAR INSTITUTIONS.
Bloomsbury possesses two popu-
lar institutions, which are the pride
of the town, The first is the State
Normal School, under the presi-
dency of Rev. d. J. Waller, Jr.,
the buildings of which occupy
conspicuous position overlooking
the town and surrounding country.
The original building, costing
SIS, 1000. was burned in 1878. 1t
was rebuilt at a cost of S4S, 900, and
is I62x1I5 feet deep. The school,
which was established in 1867, has
been very prosperous and enjoys
high reputation among the educa-
tional institutions of the State The
faculty is full and able, and the
management unexceptionabie. SO
highly pleased was Superintendent
Wickersham with the situation ard
building when he first examined
the place, when a normal school
was proposed, that he urged its oc-
ceptance at once. The school has
been supplied with every appliance
to facilitate the work of instruction,
and success has been the reward in
every sense. The location is un-
surpassed for beauty, healthfulness
and magnificent natural surround
ings. The school, too, is generally
full, numbering fully 800 pupils,
and the greatest care is exercised
by Mr.. Waller and his assistants
over the youth intrustod to their
charge. And in conjunction with
this popular institution, the town
has another which has become fam.
Gus throughout the country. Allu-
sion is made to the Sanitarium,
founded few years ago by DR.. A.
L. Turner. for the treatment of
those afflicted with epilepsy.
In passing up the main street Of
the borough which leads to the
Normal School, a peculiar little
white marble building in the form
of a Grecian temple, is observed in
the burial grounds of the Episco,
pal Church, few feet to the rear
of the sacred edifice. On close in
spection it is found to be tomb,
and plain inscription tells the
curious visitor that Wesley Rote
and wife are buried within. He was
an eccentric man, politician by
profession, and conceived the idea
of investing his means, some eight
or ten thousand dollars, in a tomb.
He purchased sufficient ground for
burial purposes of the church, which
was conveyed to him in regular
form by deed and duly recorded.
Now, since the church is desirous
of removing the cemetery, as the
town is encroaching upon it, a !
puzzle arises what to do with Wes.
ley Rote' marble tomb, as he holds,
although dead, deed in fee simple
for the ground in which his remains
repose, and the church has no
authority to take possession of the |
real estate and remove the dead. |
The problem is likely to remain for |
some time unsolved,