When Montandon Was, Briefly, Cameronia

The town that is now known as Montandon began as Lewisburg Junction, little more than a train station, in 1825.  It was, and still is,  frequently referred to as "East Lewisburg".  In 1861 the town was named Cameronia, and in 1867 that name was changed to Montandon.

In a list of how local towns got their names, I found this note that Montandon was named for a watch found in a well.  That's not what the Keystone marker above says..but we'd need to find the whole story about the watch to know what the connection may be.

Undated Photo of Main Street Montandon

Named Cameronia, in 1861

The Sunbury Gazette, July 1861

Cameronia  was named Cameronia in honor of the Cameron family

William Cameron was responsible, for among other public works, the contract for the cross-cut canal at Lewisburg.  Opened in October 1833, the cross cut connected Lewisburg to the canal along the east side of the Susquhanna River.  

In 1867, the local papers were full of an animated debate about the pursuit of an independent school for the town of "Cameronia"  (The article above is merely facts, not the editorial debate that ensued)

Undated photo, Main Street Montandon Pa

Why The Change To Montandon?

In April of  1867, the Northumberland Democrat reported that the citizens of Cameronia were discussing changing the name of the town, because their mail was consistently, accidentally,  being sent to a post office in Cameron County with the similar name of Cameron.

The only history I have found on Peter Montandon is listed on the sign as you enter the town.  "Named for Peter Montandon, famous Huguenot leader."  I can find no evidence that the Huguenot leader had any ties to the area.

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https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html

Read More About The History Of Montandon:

"Between the years 1828 and 1834 the ground upon which the town stands was used for a race course by the Foresman brothers, who were great horsemen. Horses were brought from adjoining counties, and the inhabitants from far and near would congregate at this place to witness the races.

In 1840, Peter Waldron, a blacksmith from Lancaster County, located a short distance to the south of the Foresman building on the Sunbury and Milton road. The next improvement was a shoemaker shop, which was established by a Mr. Colby in 1848. The first justice of the peace in the community was Thomas Pardee, who filled that office for many years.
The first effort to establish a town was made by Francis and Jeremiah Church about the time the Pennsylvania canal was completed. The plan, which is on record in the county archives at Sunbury, exhibits a town plat between the canal and river, south of the Lewisburg crosscut, with Front street, Cherry alley, Jackson street, Montgomery, Church, Sarah's, Locust, and Dusty alleys and Wilson street parallel with the canal and river, intersected by Market and Green streets. The width of market is given as seventy-five feet, of Front and Jackson as sixty feet, and of Green, fifty-five feet. One hundred sixty lots are represented as having been laid out. This effort to establish a town no doubt indicated considerable enterprise on the part of the projectors, but the place failed to materialize. Owing in all probability to the fact that the country was not so thickly settled at that time as to require an intermediate trading point between Milton and Northumberland.
Upon the completion of the Philadelphia and Erie and the Lewisburg and Tyrone railroads the attempt to found a town was repeated under more favorable auspices. Up to this time the country was a farming district exclusively, with no other industries than the blacksmith and shoemaker shops mentioned in connection with the early settlement. In l861 P. Hackenberg bought of Cameron & Wall a lot lying to the east of the railroad and south of the Lewisburg and Danville road, upon which he erected a house and established therein the first store of the place in connection with the hotel business. In the same year, through the influence of Mr. Hackenberg, the first postoffice of the town was established with himself as postmaster. It was named Cameronia in honor of the Cameron family.

At this time the north side of the Lewisburg and Danville road belonged to the John Caul estate, and that to the south to Edward and Benjamin Hummel. In 1865 Lewis O. Hunner purchased a portion of the John Caul estate lying on tire east side of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad. In the same year the land belonging to Edward and Benjamin Hummel was purchased by John A. J. and Robert M. Cummings. Under the joint auspices of Messrs. Cummings and Hunner a town plat was surveyed in March, 1866, by David Rockefeller. The streets running east and west beginning at the northern extremity of the plat are Center, Main, the Lewisburg and Danville road, Cummings, and Chillisquaque. Those intersecting these and running north and south are Railroad and Northumberland, Railroad being the farther west. There were two houses here at that time. The first, built by Edward and Benjamin Hummel for use as a farm house, was purchased by John A. J. and Robert M. Cummings with the land they bought in 1865, and stands in relation to the above mentioned plan on the south side of Main near Railroad street. The second house erected is the hotel built by P. Hackenberg in 1861 on the southeast corner of Main and Railroad streets. In 1865 this building came into the possession of C. E. Hartman, who extended it to its present size and continued the hotel business for some time. This house has been used for the accommodation of the public since 1861, and is the only hotel in the town. The first house built after the survey of the town plat was that erected by Dr. N. C. Purdy, on the north side of Main street mid-way between Railroad and Northumberland streets.
Owing to the inconvenience caused by mail and express matter addressed to Cameronia going to Cameron county, the postoffice designation was changed to Montandon in 1867 through the influence of John A. J. and Robert M. Cummings, the name being suggested by the former. Circumstances have not favored the rapid expansion of the town, but by gradual growth it has attained a population of three hundred fifty, with three stores, one hotel, two churches, and shops of the various mechanics. " Bells History Of Northumberland County

Lewisburg Junction - The Railroad Stop That Became Montandon Pa

In 1826, the town that is now Montandon was simply a stop on the railroad, known as Lewisburg Junction, with a few homes nearby.  (One of those homes became the Montandon Hotel. ) The area was often referred to as East Lewisburg, until  1861 when it was briefly named Cameronia, in honor of William Cameron, before being named Montandon in 1867.

But it began as a railroad station.

The Lewisburg Journal

January 21 1870

Passengers used to take a train to Lewisburg station, then disembark and take a stage coach across to the borough of Lewisburg.

In 1869, General Grant Passed Through Lewisburg Junction
"Gen. Grant passed Lewisburg junction southward bound, Tuesday evening.  The train was going at the General's favorite gait, about a mile a minute.  He was seen and recognized by some of our citizens. He held a watch in his hand and was evidently timing the train." Lewisburg Chronicle 20 Aug 1869

On Nov 3 1871 the Lewisburg Chronicle reported:
"The other day a 'safe family horse' belonging to Mr H. A. Koonce of East Buffalo ran away, and damaged a buggy.  He went through the bridge without stopping for such trifles as a toll, and was stopped at Lewisburg Junction.  He apparently wanted to make a certain train, but was ignominiously overtaken and returned."  

Wreck of the Buffalo Express, Montandon

January 3rd 1908

According to the Times Leader article, the Pennsylvania R.R. express headed from Buffalo to Philadelphia, wrecked at Montandon, with more than a dozen passengers being injured.

The express was approaching Montandon on time, when a light locomotive "crossed from a sidling to the main track".  The engineer of the Express was so close that he was unable to bring the heavy train to a stop, and it crashed into the shifting engine.

Both locomotives were completely disabled.  A combination car, day coach, and Pullman sleeper were also severely damaged.  The passengers from those cars were transferred to other coaches, and the wrecked cars were cut out.

The train was delayed for four hours. 

May 31 1915

The safe at the Pennsylvania Railroad station at Montandon was blown open by robbers.

Tickets & Stops:

In 1869 the ticket office was moved to Lewisburg

But the trains continued to stop at Lewisburg Junction (today, Montandon) as well.

The article notes that "Tickets to Lewisburg are good to the borough, not to the junction only as before."

July 15, 1899

The Daily Item 
February 13 1939

Train Service Ended in Montandon in 1939

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https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html

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January 3rd 1908

When Montandon Had A Hotel (And It May Have Been A Speakeasy too!)

Built before 1860, the hotel primarily served the railroad men and travelers, and was rumored to be a speakeasy during prohibition.  It had a vareity of owners over the years, and was sometimes known as Hotel Wenzel (for the Wenzels who owned it for more than 45 years) and  Pete & Rae's Iron Hat (When Pete and Rae Eisenworth owned it in the late 1950 50's and 60's).  In 1974 the owners at that time changed the name back to the Montandon Hotel.  The building was destroyed in fire that was determined to be arson in 1977, and stood as a fire damaged eyesore for two years before Mr. Sheets purchased the property and had it razed, making the area a parking lot.

The Hotel was one of the first buildings in Montandon, built when the town was known as Lewisburg Junction.  It was located right beside the railroad tracks, near the train station.  

The railroad transported good which were unloaded from canal boats in the cross-cut canal in Lewisburg.  It also transported passengers, who  took could take a stagecoach to Lewisburg once they disembarked here.

The hotel, which changed ownership numerous times over the years,  had  a bar and three dining rooms on the main floor.  The second floor originally had 12 rooms, but Eisenhuth converted those into two apartments in the late 1950s when he owned the establishment.   It was Eisenhuth who believed the hotel had been a speakeasy during prohibition.

In November of 1977, the hotel caught fire.  No one was inside at the time, the residents were on a hunting trip.  The cause of the fire was ruled as arson, but it does not appear anyone was ever arrested for the crime.

The fire damaged building stood empty for two years.  After the township filed a lawsuit against the owners, citing them for not razing the building, Dale Sheets, who owned the home on the other side of the tracks, purchased the structure. 

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https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html

When The Lewisburg Farmers Market Was The Auction

Located along fairground road, about two miles west of Lewisburg, is a weekly farmers market held on Wednesdays from 8am to 3pm.  With stands inside and out, you can find everything from shirts to freshly smoked bacon, from gourmet cupcakes to plants for your garden.   

The Valley's Early Newspapers

 
A rough index of which papers existed in the Susquehanna Valley, where to find them [when possible], followed by a timeline of notes on when they started, consolidated, gained new ownership , etc. This is another post that is mostly for my own research, and yet another that will be constantly updated.

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Local Newspapers By Town:

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Bloomsburg

• Columbia County Republican: 1857-1915 (complete 1875-94, 1901-02, 1914 - at Bloomsburg University)
• Bloomsburg Daily: 1892-1904, 1906-08 (complete February 1892 - February 1902 at Bloomsburg University)
• Daily Mail: August 1908 - January 1909
• Democrat 1866- 
• Democratic Sentinel: 1872-1912 (complete 1885, 1890-91, April 1901 - June 1910 at Bloomsburg University)

Danville

• Danville American
• Danville Democrat
• Danville Morning News

Lewisburg

• Saturday News
• The Woodpecker

McEwensville

• The Intelligencer 1851-1852

Middleburg

• Post

Mifflinburg

• Mifflinburg Telegraph 1862- Present
• Union County Press 1859- 

Milton

• The Milton Economist -1889
• The States Advocate "The Second Paper To Be Published In Milton"
• The Milton Argus
• The Miltonian 1816- Founded by Gen. Henry Frick [Newspapers.com]
• West Branch Farmer - Milton, before 1836.  Montgomery Sweeney editor.
• Milton Evening Standard - 1891
• Milton Morning Bulletin - 1914

Montgomery
Montoursville
Muncy

New Berlin

• Union County Sun 1857 -

Northumberland

Selinsgrove

• Post (Moved To Middleburg)
• Times
• Tribune

Sunbury

• American

Watsontown

• The Watsontown Record
• The Watsontown Star 
• The Watsontown Record & Star (Merged in 1884) [Microfiche is stored & accessible at the Milton Public Library]

Williamsport

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By Date:

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1826, Feb 23 - States Advocate, the second newspaper to be published at Milton, started by William Tween and Elin H. Kincaid

1852, Jan 29 - American Intelligencer of McEwensville and later of Milton, suspended publication

1853, Jan 6 - Robert M. & Henry Frick became editors of the Miltonian, founded by their father General Henry Frick in 1816

1854, Jan 6 - John Robbins purchased the Miltonian

1857, Feb 15 - Union County Sun started at New Berlin by F. Smith Esq

1859 - Union County Press started at Mifflinburg by F. Smith

1864, Jan 13 - The Danville American and Danville Democrat Consolidated

1866, Feb 24 - Bloomsburg Democrat began publication

1867, Jan 8 - Selinsgrove Post moved to Middleburg by Jerry Crouse, Editor

1868, Jan 23 - Northumberland County Herald, a temperance paper, established in Milton

1884, Jan 5 - The Record & Star of Watsontown merged into one paper

1889, Feb 24 - William P Hastings resigned editorship of the Milton Economist and moved back to his Virginia Plantation

1889, Mar 1 - Milton Argus Daily and Weekly first published in the plant of the Milton Economist by W.H. Smith

1891, Feb 7 - Milton Evening Standard started by Wm. Penn Hastings

1911, Jan 11 - J.A. Fegley, a Lewisburg Stationer, was found guilty of selling The Woodpecker, containing libel on Hon. B.K. Focht, of the Lewisburg Saturday News

1914, Feb 28 - The Milton Morning Bulletin Suspended Publication

Mentions Of Apprenticeships in The Central Susquehanna Valley

The system of Apprenticeships date to the middle ages.  By the early twentieth century, most apprentices were ten to fifteen years of age.  They would live in the master craftsmans household for the duration of their contract, which was commonly around seven years.  Most apprentices aspired to become master craftman themselves, owning their own shops in time.  Others  would go on so far as a journeymen.  Journeymen were skilled workers fully authorized to work in their field, but still working under the supervision of a master craftsman

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Escaped Shoemakers Apprentice, 

Milton 1825

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Six Cents Reward for Runaway Shoemakers Apprentice Tobias Remert, aged 15

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The Escaped Shoemakers Apprentices,

 Milton 1829

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In  February  of 1829, two shoemakers apprentices belonging to John Kauffman of Milton, escaped. William Welhaus & James Hetherington were described, including their clothing, both being around 17 years of age.  (Both would have been born about 1812) A reward was offered for their return..  

The Miltonian

February 8 1912

John Kauffman was born in Little York Pa, and move to Milton Pa with his widowed mother.

He learned the shoemakers trade, which he followed throughout his active years, and lived until the age of ninety, dying in 1895.He was in the service in the war of 1812-1815.  His wife died in 1892, at seventy eight years. - The History of Columbia & Montour Counties

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1831 Shoemakers Apprenticeship 

Between Kohler & Bright, Milton Pa

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"Last week in Philadelphia, I saw a paper drawn up in Milton in 1831, of which I had no previous knowledge, though it concerned by forebears. It was an indenture of apprenticeship between one John Bright, a Milton shoemaker, and Jacob Kohler, in which George Kohler, a veteran of the Mexican war, and the war of 1812, whose bones have recently been removed from the old Harmony cemetery to make way for the new creamery, apprenticed his son to learn the "trade of cord wainer, alias boot and shoe maker." The terms of the contract are in many ways amusing, as they include among other things, relating to schools and religious teaching, an examination of the apprentice by a minister at least once a year, during his apprenticeship.  Several years back, a New York paper printed a curious apprenticeship indenture, made in the Chesapeake bay region, a century ago, in which it was stipulated that the master would not feed the apprentice canvass-back duck more than three times a week, nor terrapin more than twice a week, so plentiful in those days were these modern luxuries. " - Reminisce of Milton by Kohler - https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/06/reminiscences-of-milton-by-jp-kohler.html

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Christopher Latham Sholes, Mooresburg

Inventor of the Typewriter

Printers Apprentice in 1833

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"When he was a boy of fourteen he was set to work in a printing office and became the proverbial printers devil. When he had passed his apprenticeship as devil, he went to work for his brother, a prosperous printer. From being a printer, Christopher Sholes naturally developed into an editor and writer, and then just as naturally into a politician. " 

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-inventor-of-typewriter-was-born.html

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Eli Slifer, Lewisburg

Apprentice Hat Maker 1834

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" Slifer returned to Lewisburg in 1834, served as an apprentice hat maker and then entered the canal cargo business." https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/03/billmeyer-boat-yard-lewisburg-pa.html

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Frederick H Knight

Runaway Boatmakers Apprentice

Late Wrote Early History Of Watsontown

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Frederick H. Knight was born at Liverpool, Perry County on November 27, 1837 to Richard Knight who had fought in the Revolutionary War. His father died while he was quite young and he was forced to apprentice with Mr. Ira Sears who was a boatman and a hard task master. He ran away from this servitude and signed on to help build part of the Reading Railroad form Herndon to Shamokin. He then became employed for four years by Amos Kapp of Northumberland saving enough money to send himself to school at Freeburg, Snyder County and then the State Normal School at Millersville, Lancaster County.

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/11/watsontown-historically-by-major-fred-h.html

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Alem Mauser, McEwensville

Apprentice Carriage Maker, 1863

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In 1863, Alem Mauser, at  the age of seventeen years came to McEwensville and was engaged in William Hood's carriage shop as an apprentice, remaining there six years, when  he purchased the business from his employer. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-carriage-works-in-mcewensville.html

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Joseph Lumbard

Printers Apprentice in Selinsgrove

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My great, great, great grandfather, Joseph Lumbard, was the editor of the Selinsgrove Tribune. He began, however, as an apprentice for the Selinsgrove Times, which was at that time printed in the first floor of the "Pepper Box".

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-pepper-box-school-in-selinsgrove.html

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1876

 A Law for the Protection 

of Apprentices and their Employers.

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 The anti-monopoly convention, which met at Harrisburg last week, prepared the" following bill, relating to apprentices, which will be presented to the State Legislature : 

First. : The apprentice to be bound, if under sixteen years of age not more than five years and not less than three ; if over sixteen years of age, then to be bound until twenty-one years of age ; if over eighteen years of age, then to be bound for not less than three years : and providing for young men under twenty-five years of age being bound apprentices for the space of three years.

Second.  Specifying the duties of an  apprentice. He shall be honest, diligent, obedient and faithful. Should he leave the employ of his master he may be returned thereto under a penalty ; and should he depart the jurisdiction of the court or state in which his master's place of business is located, he shall be subject to recovery for damages for the space of ten years after his majority. 

Third. A master taking an apprentice shall be bound by an agreement in writing in which it shall be-clearly stated that the said master shall teach or cause to be taught to said apprentice all the arts and mysteries of his calling: ; shall Staring- his said apprenticeship provide him with good and comfortable food, clothing and lodging; if not lodging with parents or with the master, then the master shall furnish him a home where his moral character may not suffer by the change. Should the said apprentice s education De deficient when bound then it shall be specified that said employer shall give him such opportunities (either by attendance upon day or night school) which improperly profited by, will qualify him to rise to the head of his calling. At the end of his servitude the employer shall furnish the apprentice with a certificate in writing setting forth that be has complied with the law.

 Fourth. Employers are restrained from employing other young persons or persons over twenty-one years of age, and teaching them the art and mystery of their calling, unless bound as' here before mentioned, under penalty of $100 to $1,000 for each offence, said fine to be paid to the poor director of the city, township or borough, as the case may be. 

Fifth. A bound apprentice may be corn- under the penalty of punishment by confinement in a house of correction or a county jail ; and should he depart the jurisdiction he shall be" liable for recovery of damages until ten years after the expiration of the term of his apprenticeship. 

Sixth. Employers failing to give apprentices such opportunities as will enable them to learn their trade will bs subject to recovery for damages by the apprentice either before expiration of the term of apprenticeship or for three years after the expiration thereof ; providing that if it shall appear that said apprentice is incapable of being taught the art and mystery of the calling to which he had been bound, then the said indenture may be annulled by any court of competent jurisdiction ; provided further, that application for nullification be made within two years after executing the indenture. 

Seventh. That employers, after the year 1880, shall not employ journeymen under the age of twenty-five years without first ascertaining by certificate or otherwise, that they have served a full term of apprenticeship under a penalty of $50 to $200. 

Eighth. Any persons forming combinations to thwart the provisions of this act, either by intimidating apprentices from applying for admission to any trade or by a compact entered into to refuse to receive any apprentices, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall severally and individually be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, or an imprisonment in the county jail for not less than one month nor more than one year for each offense.

The Parade Of The Apprentices

At Fort Freeland Heritage Days, Skilled tradesmen and heritage crafters are paired with student apprentices, demonstrating over fifty skills of the 18th and 19th centuries,

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-fort-freeland-heritage-days.html

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The Hetherington House In Milton Pa - Was It Part Of The Ungerground Railroad?

The Hetherington House In Milton PA Was built in 1804, and survived the Milton fire.

The limestone for the house came from Grove's Quarry, across the river near current day Central Oak Heights.  The stone was ferried across the river on flat boats at a cost of $40.

According to the Historic Milton Walking Tour, this house was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

From the Milton Walking Tour

 Documenting homes used in the Underground Railroad can be difficult, as it was something kept very secret for everyone's protection.  But also because years later, many wanted to be affiliated with the good cause, and wanted to believe their ancestors had played a part.  Without documented stories and history, it's too hard to know for certain.

In William Switala's Book, The Underground Railroad In Pennsylvania, Milton is shown as a stop on the central route. (My copy of this book has been misplaced, I will need to find another copy to see what the book specifically says about Milton)

 The cornice (above) and mantle (below) were both featured in the 

Architectural Record, Volumes 49-50, published in 1921

Was There More Than One Hetherington House Built in 1804 in Milton?

Interestingly, this article about the Kocher house in State College states that the fireplaces in their home were rescued from the demolished 1804 Hetherington House.  https://www.statecollegehighlands.org/our-fairy-tale-house-2/  The stone house in Milton is still very much standing today, I took the photo at the top of this post in January of 2020.  I do not know, however, how much had been done on the inside of the home.  

"The other two fireplaces were rescued by Kocher from the 1804 Hetherington house in Milton, PA." "The fireplace in the master bedroom was also restored. It features a wood mantle with no embellishments rescued from the demolished 1804 Hetherington house in Milton, PA. "

About The Owners:
The house was built in 1804 for John Hetherington.  John Hetherington died in 1830, when he fell off a boat and drowned in the dam.

John Hetherington Died in July of 1830, 

The Miltonian ran his obit under the title

"100 years Ago Today" in July of 1930

The Sunbury Gazette

April 6 1839

Robert Frick

The 1857 Map Of Milton Shows Robert Frick as the owner, making him the likely owner when the house would have been used in the Underground Railroad.

Robert M. Frick was born on December 25, 1820, the son of congressman Henry Frick and wife Catherine, attended common schools; apprenticed at his father’s newspaper, the Milton Miltonian, serving as managing editor from 1843 to 1852; elected to the state Senate, October 1848, served a three-year term through 1851; aligned with the Republican Party in 1856, supporting John C. Fremont; became an “intimate friend” of Simon Cameron; merchant and later cashier of the Milton National Bank, 1858, retaining the position for the rest of his life.  He was Treasurer of the Milton School Board, forty years; secretary and treasurer of the Milton Cemetery Company for fifty years.  He died on August 19, 1898, interred in Milton’s Upper Cemetery.

S. McMahon (?)

The 1870 Map Of Milton

I believe this reads S. McMahon?

The 1883 Relief Map of Milton Shows the house

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There is an article by Hilda Fairchild on this home, but I have not yet located  a readable copy.

When Lewisburg Had Standpipes - The Lewisburg Water Works

Looking East, down Market Street towards the river, the old Water Towers, or  'water stand pipes' can be seen standing.   A pump house pumped river water up into the pipes, and the force of gravity created 'running water' for the town.

[The bases of the standpipes are still visible beside the bridge today]

The Lewisburg Waterworks Company was formed in 1883, three years after Milton's Great Fire of 1880.  In the map of Lewisburg  in 1884, shown above, you can see there was just one tower.  It had been completed in December of 1883.  The second tower was not added until 1897.

In 2019, Looking west.

The round stone foundations at the southwest corner of Soldier’s Memorial Park were the bases of cylindrical water towers, which were torn town in 1923.
  The Miltonian newspaper, reporting on plans to tear down the towers, wrote:

 "Two of Lewisburg's landmarks are to be razed, and in their passing will go the means by which Bucknell University students for many years have risked their lives to achieve great victories in inter-class rivalry".  The tradition, for years, was to climb the towers and paint your class numbers on the towers - preferably painting over top the numbers of your sophomore or freshman class rivals.

The toll house sits beside the standpipes.

A Closer look at the water towers, and the toll house, in 1905.  The toll keepers house blocked the end of Market Street . It was was moved to the end of North Water Street, across from Wolfe Field, around 1907, when the iron bridge was built.  (The Lewisburg covered bridge was located where the train bridge is today - see the 1884 map earlier in this post )

The view from the canal on the east side of the river 

A water works had been discussed for years in Lewisburg, but it was the great fire in Milton in 1880 that spurred the discussion forward. In 1883 a company was organized and incorporated with a capital stock of $32,000.  Almost every person in town, with any money to spare, contributed towards the stock. The original works, completed in December of 1883, consisted of two compound duplex pumps of 40 horsepower each, and one tower.

The pumps were housed in a small brick pump house.  The water was taken from the river and pumped into a stand pipe (tower)  for distribution. The standpipe was 30 feet high, 12 feet in diameter, and could hold 110,000 gallons of water.

Five miles of pipes and forty five hydrants ran though the town.

In January of 1884, less than a month after the waterworks were completed, oil was sucked into the tower and distributed through the town.  An oil pipe had broken on the Milton side of the river, with 700 barrels of oil flooding the train track and prevented the passing of trains for nearly a day.  A portion of the oil made its way into the river, where it was sucked up in the Lewisburg waterworks and distributed throughout the town.

The Tower Was Empty When Needed For A Fire in 1884

Although the waterworks construction was perhaps spurred on by Milton's fire, it was not actually a great help when there was a fire in Lewisburg in 1884, because the tower was nearly empty. The Sunbury Daily News reported that a bucket brigade was called in, and that Sunbury would be better to follow Milton's example and construct a "reservoir on a neighboring hill.  Then you will always have sufficient pressure to fight the fire fiend when necessary."

The Sunbury Daily News

September 5 1884

View From the Cupola in the Union County Courthouse

Note the covered bridge in the background, along with the water towers.

A Second Stand Pipe, Or Tower, was added in 1898

The Lewisburg Journal

February 19 1897

Originally there was only one water tower, or standpipe, but in 1898, a second one was added, at a cost of $6,000.  The capacity of the second tower was 110,000 gallons, and with two standing pipes a uniform pressure would allow for enough water to be supplied for two days. This would allow for the town to be supplied with water even if the pump house was flooded during high waters.

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The Water Towers Were Removed in 1923

The Miltonian

February 15 1923

The Oil Spill of  January 1884:

The Lewisburg Chronicle

January 24, 1884

The Water Works Were Completed in December of 1883

The Northumberland County Democrat

December 7 1883

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MANY thanks to Paul Matrey, who has shared so much knowledge of  Lewisburg on facebook posts, including the fact that the towers were known as "standpipes".  That term helped me to track down much more information on the towers.

Read more about the Lewisburg Covered Bridge here:
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/05/when-lewisburg-river-bridge-was-covered.html

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https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html