(Preface: In the last installment we took a leisurely stroll, guided by the spirit of your beloved J.C. Moore, up Washington St. from the river bridge, across the "high bridge over the canal," then south to Point St. Back again to Washington St., and up to the corner where Joe McClaran, and his brother Rome, dispensed drugs for so many years. On the southwest corner of Washington and Salt Sts. - "Allison's corner" {now Robinson's furniture store} was the Redpath General Store. And so on south to the "little black school house," where Mr. Moore learned his three R's, and put them to good account in his own store on the same spot.) He continues:
"Next, the Carnahan property, used as a dwelling, tailor shop, and many years as post office; west on Point St., the John Kilpatrick dwelling and store. Next below was the Captain McIntyre house. Captain McIntyre was the captain of a Military Company called the "Black Hornets." To my mind this was the first military company I ever saw. West of the McIntyre property, the large brick, the Taylor property, occupied as dwelling and harness shop; below that an old tumbled-down and vacant house. Where the Taylor Bargain Store now stands (1916) was a dwelling, occupied by George Myers; east of that an old, vacant house, and next to that a very large building, the Gosser Tavern. Between that and Dr. W.B. Ansley's property was a lumber yard, the S.S. & William Moore property; then the large brick, the Earhart Tavern. I have seen Point St., from the Earhart Tavern, down past the Gosser Tavern, nearly to the Canal, loaded with lumber brought from the north and going to market, and many of these teams on their return, loaded up with salt at Saltsburg to be taken north. Going south on Salt St., the same old buildings are there that were there when I was a boy. Where Mrs. McFarland lives was a long, low house, property of David Henderson; from there to the large warehouse, at the spot where Joe Ferguson's house stands, the following new houses on the south side of the street: H.L. Weamer, R.V. McClaran, D.C. Whitesell, and Joe Ferguson's house, and am not sure, but that Albert Smith's house was built since. The balance of the houses on that side of the street have been greatly improved and very much changed.
Where Frank Fletcher lives was a house occupied by James Daugherty - a cooper by trade, and he was considered a great violinist in those days. This part of the town I was not familiar with. An old house stood where Sumner Stahl's building now stands. The Methodist Church is new; also the property just north of the church, occupied by H.F. Dixon. A little low house which stood where Hugh Gallagher's house now stands, was a cabinet maker's shop, and the power used for turning bed posts, etc., was dog power. On the ground occupied by R.A. Walker was the William Sample property; the house occupied as dwelling and tin shop. An old house stood where James W. Robinson's house now stands, with a carpenter shop on Market St., facing the Stahl property. The cornice of this old shop was bored full of holes by the bee borers. I remember we boys had an argument as to whether these borers could sting or not. F.M. Rombach was one of the boys on the negative side of the argument, and to convince the rest of us that he was right, and being venturesome, he knocked one down, and, placing his finger of the danger spot, settled the point of discussion by exclaiming, "By George, they can sting!" So, I would advise the boys of Saltburg to keep away from the business end of a borer. (To be continued.)
Sincerely,
Florence B. Taylor
2907 Hampshire Rd.,
Cleveland Hts. 18, Oh
P.S. I'm sorry I failed you last week. It was a case of trying to serve too many masters - and a 3-1/2-year-old mistress (Dianne), to whom I am a devoted slave (in my heart). Let me remind you that we are indebted to Howard Ansley for these typed copies, of Saltsburg history. I hope you "oldsters" are getting a big kick out of our ancient history.
Next - 2/9/50 - More of the History of Saltsburg, Groundhog Day, 1950
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