The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-08-10
BLOOMSBURY q
YEARS AGO.
AS John of Lancaster Saw 1t
in the Philadelphia
Press.
Many Changes Since Then,

The following article which ap-
peared in the Philadelphia Press .oi
September %, 1882, was written by
John F. Meginniss who was tor
many years editor of the Williams.
port Gazette and Bulletin. He was
a historian and a polite writer.
signing himself "John of I.ancast-
err" Many changes have taken
place in Bloomsbury since that time,
and nearly all of the men spoken of
have passed away. To the older
residents the article will recall many
scenes of the past, and will show
the younger ones how Bloomsbury
has progressed. We reprint it in
full.
BLooMsBURG, Sept. 25.-This
pretty little town, the county-seat
of Columbia, is built upon a bluff
of Fishing Creek, and about mile
from the North branch of the Sus-
quehanna River. There are many
beautiful valleys on this river, chief
among them being Wyoming, whose
bloody history is known to all.
Bloomsbury, from its perch on the
hills, overlooks grand sweep OF
country. The river is bounded on
the south side by tall mountain,
whilst in the rear of the town the
foot hills rise tier upon tier till they
fall back into the wilds of Sullivan
county. A more beautiful location
for town is hard to find. AS the
Lackawanna and Bloomsbury Rail-
road, running from Northumber-
land to Scranton, sweeps by the
town splendid view is afforded
from the car window. AS the
ground slopes toward the river the
sewerage is perfect. The streets
are unusually wide; the buildings
are generally brick, and, whilst
there are no costly structures, yet
there are many cosy private houses,
which show tha. the owners sought
comfort more than style. On the
high ground in the rear of the older
part of the town are many attract
i've dwellings, overlooking the mag
nifcent valley which stretches away
to the river affording a landscape OF
peculiar beauty. Still higher up
on a knoll stand the attractive
buildings of the Normal School,
which, from their conspicuous posi-.
tion are plainly seen from the car
window, and are always admired
by travellers.
A BIT OF HISTORY.
The town of Blcomsburg was laid
out and named as early as 1902 by
german settler named Ludwig
Eyer. In 1916 it became the county
seat Of Columbia, after a long and
bitter fight with Danville, which
had previously been the capital. In
order to decide the question the
Legislature passed an act authoriz'
ing a vote OH the question of re-
location of the county-seat, and it
was decided by popular vote tc
remove it to Bloomsbury. the latter
place furnishing the land and erect
ing the buildings, the money fol
that purpose having been raised by
public subscription. This was il
I845, and it was thought that peace
and u,lietness would now reign after
the county seat question was settled
But such was not the case. In I84e
another bitter fight arose about the
formation of a new county, out o.
parts of Columbia, to be called
Montour, with Danville as the
county seat. The latter place still
smaated over the victory of Colum
bia in taking the county-seat away
IRON her, and her people sought t'
have county of their own. Or
the ard of Nav. 1880. the new