Valley Girl Views: Reminiscences of Milton by J.P. Kohler

In the 1920's, Attorney James Pollock Kohler wrote a series of letters about his early years as a boy in Milton Pa. The Miltonian published them under the heading "Reminiscences of Milton by J.P; Kohler".

This letter, published on July 14th 1921 talks about the Swimming Holes in Milton, in the 1860s. It mentions the Bijou movie theater, swimming at Bakers Meadow, the "waterfalls" created by the gristmill, swimming around the logs in the canal ponds, rumors of an alligator, eels, and sand on the island, and much detail about the canal. It's another completely charming read.

SWIMMING HOLES

Swimming Holes A popular "movie" actor has recently shown us "The Swimming Hole," which I have no doubt The Bijou has screened, as it seems to get everything a few days after we get it at "The Strand" on our Broadway.

Milton had its swimming holes in great abundance and they were all highly appreciated by the crowds of men and boys that frequented them. The girls could occasionally be seen wading in their calico dresses in the shallower parts of the Susquehanna, and I am sorry that their restrictions in those days made real participation in the pleasure of swimming impossible. In they: days there is greater freedom and less criticism and more health.

No cooler spot on a hot summer's day could be found then Baker's meadow. It was on Filbert street, below the gas house, between the railroad and the canal. After climbing a rail fence you crossed a patch of grass and came to Limestone Run, on the banks of which, at this time, were numerous large and shady trees and at their roots were deep holes, with cool eddies, that were the joy of boyish hearts. The "Run" at this place has almost entirely disappeared and its course has been changed materially. Besides the deep, cool water, for diving and swimming, there was a water fall that was a real treat. The old grist mill on the river bank got its power by diverting some of the water of Limestone Run. The "run" dammed at the meadow and part of the stream by an artificial gulch was carried under the canal over to the mill. The overflow at this dam made the waterfall, and boys could sit under it on hot days and get a shower bath that present Miltonians would pay money for. Where the "run" ran under the canal was another waterfall, caused by the overflow of the canal and it was only a short swim and wade to reach this delightful spot. A path ran closely by the mill race from Filbert to Back street and when I read George Eliot's "Mill on the Floss," I couldn't keep this little rural picture out of my mind.

The Log Ponds in Milton, as shown on the 1883 Fowler Map

The upper and lower pools now filled to make room for the car works, were popular swimming places. They were both deep enough for diving and the water in them, being practically still, was a bit warmer than the water elsewhere. These pools were nearly always filled with logs, as the saw mill was then in active operation and swimmers got considerable pleasure from the excitement of running over the logs. The pools then stood far hack from any houses as the upper end of town had few inhabitants and nudity was not banned.

At one time a report that an alligator was eating the ducks that frequented the pools kept the swimmers away; but the alligator was forgotten before it was caught.

The river of course was always a place of delight, but it had not many swimming places. From the foot of Broadway, boys could swim and wade to the lower end of the upper island, where there was an abundance of sand, in which they played and dug holes as bathers on our ocean beaches do today. Lamprey eels were plentiful in this sand and there were quantities of sawdust. Beyond the island were some deep pools, close to shore, that provided good bathing, and over in and across the main stream the water was deep enough for real swimming. At the river bridge piers, were other deep holes but the currents were swift and dangerous.

But the dear old canal was the place of places. Filled with fresh water at the Muncy Dam, the canal was at once the swimming pool and the community bath tub of thousands of Miltonians. Both banks were available and on a hot summer's night it was alive with bathers from Church Lane to the lock.

At Church Lane was the Harris ice house, a barn of a building which on hot days shaded the tow path and water. Here, toward dusk, came hundreds of the young men of the town, and as the Church Lane bridge was bulk headed, above and below the bridge, it made an ideal swimming place. The Mervine, the Gauger, the Wilhelm and other boys thought nothing of standing on the bridge rail and diving into the canal. Others, less daring, jumped. Still others played catcher and were chased out over the logs in the pool.

The next place below this was at the planing mill. Only a saw mill was opposite at this time, and where the Murray-Dougal car shops were later located, was a small pool that held logs. The lumber used in the planing mill was unloaded from the canal boats at a sort of lock or bulkhead, and large piles of rough and sawed boards stood just room for the mules to get by. It was so close to the tow path that it was an easy run and dive or jump from these lumber piles into the canal, and it was easy to pull boards out of the piles and make spring boards. High up in the piles, toward the top, boards would be pulled out to dive from into the canal. Some of the finest diving I have ever seen was done from these spring boards. Among the lumber piles were nice little nooks for dressing and undressing and for hanging the swimmers' clothes. At all the bridges could be seen swimmers after sundown. It was also common for naked boys at the Broadway bridge to dive from the piers and to chase one another across Broadway from Murray's to Nagel's Wharf, that the authorities at last demanded some clothing to be on the swimmers at this point.

Murray's wharf had a crane for lifting heavy stuff from boats to the warehouse and when this was idle the crane could be swung out over the water and it, with its chain, afforded much amusement.

Just below the warehouse was a coal yard and then Caldwell's lumber yard. In the older days an alley or lane, ran from the present high school right through to the canal. At the foot of this lane was, the Campbell property, a brick house on Filbert street and a small stable at the towpath. The stable was not used, but an incline from its doors was covered with soft, thick grass, which made it an attractive spot for swimmers. Below this was Frymire's wharf which had its devotees. At this point s high foot bridge crossed the canal. One windy day I was obliged to crawl across this bridge to keep from being blown into the canal. Shortly after a boat load of lumber came along and knocked it out.

When the swinging bridge at Center street was put in, it had so many protrusions above and below of heavy timbers, that swimming there became quite common. But just below this, and near the old boat yard, was the aqueduct, when! the top of the water , was near the planking and the water itself was deep, This spot was really like a large swimming pool arid it I shared in popularity with the other places.

Canal Boat and Tow Path at Milton, 1901

Down to the lock from here the canal at places was wider, to accommodate empty boats, and Swenk's warehouse at Mahoning street, had the only wharf, till the lock was reached. Above the lock on both sides were bulkheads that encouraged swimming.' 4 It was not uncommon for swimmers to I swim from the Church Lane to the lock. The many boats passing up and down added to the pleasure, as diving and jumping from them was tolerated by their captains. Only when one sat too long on the rudder did the captain protest, and then good naturedly. Along the banks, bathers with soap , and towel took their evening wash, and during the day, housewives, from boards extended out, washed and rinsed the linen. At many places cattle were brought to drink and ducks and geese were raised along its banks.

There were several row boats kept in the canal, and up by the present race track, I once saw a sail boat, but only once. The canal once saved the life of a very thoughtless kid. He was experimenting with a powder flask on the depot platform and the flash was full. He had not heard then of that king, who built a tower of stone, at the top of which he commanded the architect to carve his name. The architect first carved his own name and covered it over with plaster and in the plaster carved the name of the king. After the king died the elements destroyed his name and the architect's name remained. The boy, whose life was saved, conceived the plan of burning his initials into the planks of the depot platform. He thought a lighted match on the platform would start the powder and if he would grasp the flask by the neck, with its body under his arm, he could trace from the match by powder the letters of his name. He tried it and the fire ran up the stream of powder into the flask and nearly blew his arm off. His clothes were all on fire, He ran fast and jumped far into the canal, which thus saved his life. The good Doctor Davis was busy with that arm for many months, but the eyebrows, whiskers and hair soon recovered. I knew that boy very well and he learned to stay away from powder, and was ever after thankful that the canal was so near.

The canal is gone, never to return. In busy seasons the bridges were filled with talkers and often singers far into the night, and, up or down could be seen at all times a loaded or empty boat on the move. The horns above and below the lock could be heard signaling the lock tender to open.

But Milton still has the river, an invaluable asset for swimming purposes. A foot bridge to the island and a dock or two on the Western side, with bath houses and spring boards, would make a wonderful playground. And sand there could be made into a beach. Where is the good fairy that will do this much to party replace the old canal and give the town another swimming hole? JAMES P. KOHLER.

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