Valley Girl Views: The Watsontown Steam Tannery Fire, 1881

The Watsontown Steam Tannery is #15 on the 1883 Map Of Watsontown

(Far left)

On July 28, 1881, a watchman was cleaning a flue when sparks ignited the tannery owned by the McKean Brothers in Watsontown, PA.The Fire Companies did their best, but they did not have enough hose to reach the river or canal for water. The steamer was "unable to render any assistance." A shed containing 700 cords of bark was saved by the hook and ladder company.

The Watsontown Tannery in 1901

The tannery building (in 1881) was 156 feet by 65 feet, three stories tall. It occupied two acres, at 9th street. 113 vats were used. Power for the operation was provided by steam from four boilers and a thirty horsepower engine.

Twenty to twenty five were employed at the tannery, which used 2,500 tons of bark a year.

The blanks were trimmed off, and rolled into sole leather for use exclusively in shoe factories.

In 1881, they tanned some walrus hides, one piece weighing more than 200lbs.

Harrisburg Telegraph, 1881

The Watsontown Steam Tannery was originally established in 1866 by Hollopeter & Wagner. The plant subsequently passed to Miller, Faust & Caldwell, who were succeeded in 1879 by W. T. and C. B. McKean. The works were destroyed by fire on the 28th of July, 1881, but have been rebuilt, and the present capacity is four hundred fifty hides per week. Cutler, Foster & Company are the present proprietors. - Bells History Of Northumberland County

The Tannery burnt down again in 1897

The Lewisburg Journal

November 1897

The Watsontown Boot and Shoe Company. — The factory of this company was originally established by Joseph Hollopeter, William Wagner, Samuel Caldwell, Frederick Heilman, D. C. Hogne, Samuel Miller, George Burns, and Silas Kirk in connection with the Watsontown Steam Tannery. The business of the tannery and shoe factory was jointly conducted by the same firm until 1872, when the present factory building, a three-story brick structure on the east side of Main street between Second and Third, was erected. After experiencing several changes of ownership it became the property of Ario Pardee, the present owner, who was also at one time individual pro- prietor of the factory. The Watsontown Boot and Shoe Company was formed in 1885, and is composed of H. F. Algert and Edward Waldschmidt. Eighty operatives are employed. - Bells History Of Northumberland County

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