Preview of "The Ol' Hook & Eye: A History of the Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad"

1

BLANK

This book is dedicated to the memory of my parents,HELEN & JOHN M . HARTZLER

My father originally told me of the old KV, and when I was a child, the three of us walked the deserted roadbed in search of rusty railroad spikes .

Copyright © 1988, 2008 John G . HartzlerAll Rights Reserved

This, the second edition of The Ol’ Hook & Eye, was written, illustrated, designed and self-published by:

John G . Hartzler520 Markel Rd .

Conshohocken, PA 19428http://www .kvrr .net

Printed and bound in the United States of AmericaFirst Edition, First Printing, 1988

Second Edition, First Printing, 2008ISBN Number: 978-0-9620642-1-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008900687

Cover: The KV Picnic train proudly posed for a photograph at Gibboney Park. (Mifflin County Historical Society collection)Title Page: The evening eastbound train running beside Apple House Road after leaving Union Mills Station, circa 1938. (Author's collection)

TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Area Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 . Beautiful Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Valley history, Belleville & early railroad attempts2 . A Dream Come True . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Building the railroad (1892-1893)3 . The Old Home Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 KV Picnics at Gibboney Park4 . A Day in Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Attemps to take over the railroad (1893-1917)5 . Simon Pure Grit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Industries served by rail6 . Boom Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Dividend years (1917-1930)7 . KV Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Recollections8 . The Last Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Abandonment (1930-1942)Epilogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325Appendices A . History in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 B . Roll Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332 C . Roster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334 D . Track Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 E . Passenger Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346 F . Freight Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350 G . Financial Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356 H . A Collection of Poems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360 I . Past & Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378 J . Area Railroads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396

The author, in engineman garb, stands on the abutment of KV bridge No .2 on December 24, 2007 .

1

PrefaceBut though we rave and rantAbout our famous “Hook & Eye,”I like her cars and steam and smokeAnd will until I die. Albert G . Gibboney

The Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad—after you learn to pronounce its name (Kish-e-kō -kwil-lis), the sound will be like music to

your ears . The railroad was built over a century ago, and like most shortlines—the KV was only nine miles long—it overflowed with character and charm, from its second hand equipment to its colorful old-time employees .

I was raised in Belleville (current population 1,386) terminus for the KV, and my first recollection of the “Ol’ Hook & Eye” was of taking Sunday walks with my family along the deserted right-of-way when I was only five years old . You see, I was born about 20 years after the railroad went out of existence . During my college years I became interested in model railroading, and it soon became obvious that the KV would be the perfect shortline to model . I began to do extensive research for that project, and before I knew it, I wrote the first edition of this book . Two thousand copies were printed in 1988 and within a couple of years, all were sold .

The catalyst that started this second edition was the discovery of the first minute book of the KV Railroad’s board of directors . An interesting story of how this book came into my hands follows .

It began in March of 1942, when Anne Bonson of Reedsville was working on a High School report on the KV Railroad . During her research, she went directly to the source—Dr . John P . Getter, the man who started and nurtured the railroad throughout its 47-year lifespan . During an interview, Getter loaned her the old KV minute book . Less than a week later Getter died and Anne was left with the

e

)

2

book . It was packed away and forgotten until 58 years later when Steve Dunkle, a member of the Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society, gave Anne (now married with children, but still living in Reedsville) a society calendar filled with old photographs of the region . This reminded her of her attic treasure and she said, “You know, I have something that your society might like to have .”

I shudder to think the fate of the minute book had Getter not given it to Anne!

A second source of inspiration came when lost issues of Belleville’s first newspaper, The Belleville Times, were found and copied onto microfilm, providing me with additional new information . With this and the minute book in hand, I found the incentive to amend and revise this history of the Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad .

The outline of The Ol’ Hook & Eye is more or less chronological . It begins with the early settlement of the Kishacoquillas Valley and the town of Belleville, long before the railroad was built . From there you follow the course of the KV, from its birth to its eventual demise . Along the way you will encounter, as I did, many colorful stories, and meet the people who ran the line .

The project started with the love I have for a local backwoods railroad, long forgotten . The book before you is the result of my wish to share with others the fascination I have found along the way .

Happy KV Railroading!

John G. “Jerry” Hartzler

meet the people who ran the line .The project started with the love I

have for a local backwoods

with others the fascination I have found along the

The author is not the only one who thinks the KV

would be fun to model. Above is a live steam 1:12

scale replica of KV engine No.6, that Richard J.

Stokes spent three years fabricating in the 1950’s

using a homemade lathe. (Jim S. Keith collection)

3

AcknowledgmentsAnd since my thoughts would backward turn,In retrospect I see,Familiar faces that have meant,So very much to me. C .R . Klepfer

I first got the idea for writing my book on the KV while listening to the fascinating, late Harvey Kanagy, reminisce about his job with

the railroad . Other interesting people with colorful stories began to surface, among them; John W . Dalby, Arthur W . Kauffman, John A . Hostetler, Mildred Zook, Archie Stuck, Dr . Marlin Helfrick, Bruce Kauffman, Christian L . Siebert Jr ., Joe Campbell, Dorothy G . Snook, John Haughwout, David E . Yoder, Betty M . Myers, Jim Dahl and Stanley Omwake . Although, many of you have passed away to the Great Roundhouse in the sky, I thank you all .

One individual I’m especially indebted to is Robert G . Lewis, who allowed me to borrow many of his KV photographs and personal letters from Dr . John P . Getter . Also of great value was the information concerning Mr . Lewis’ unsuccessful purchase of the railroad . I often wonder what would have happened if you ever got your hands on the KV, Bob . Thank you for everything .

I also wish to thank Robert B . Maclay Jr ., whose grandfather and father were secretaries of the KV Railroad . Through Mr . Maclay Jr ., I got my hands on the KV 1915-1940 directors’ minute book . Other folks who have either helped track down or given me valuable information were; Betty Wilson, Mary Himes, Mary Ann Stratton, Jean Suloff, John B . Hartzler, S . Duane Kauffman, Christopher D . Coleman, Ann Thompson, Abram Burnett, Barry Narehood, Eric J . Bickleman and Michael Bezilla . Thank you .

During my initial research of the KV, I spent countless enjoyable hours researching in Lewistown . Most of my time was spent poring over microfilm of old newspapers at The Sentinel archives, thanks to James McClure . If not there, you would find me at the Mifflin County Historical Society in the old Lewistown courthouse . I am very grateful to all past and present volunteers of the society who have helped me in my research . In particular, Paul Fagley, who got

4

permission for me to scan photographs from the historical society’s collection . Being the cultural educator of Greenwood Furnace State park, he was also indispensable to my research of that industry . Thank you, Paul .

I owe a debt of gratitude to Molly Bourg, Forrest Kauffman and other volunteers of the Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society in Allensville . It is they who notified me of their acquisition of the first KV minute book (1892-1914), which provided me the inspiration to write this second edition . I can’t begin to list all of the things Molly has done for me . She was my lifeline to the valley and would promptly answer my many genealogical questions . She also allowed me sole access to the society’s microfilm archive of The Belleville Times during the winter, when the museum was normally closed .¹ Thank you, Molly . Belleville historian, Forrest Kauffman, was just as helpful . He was happy to have me photocopy the first KV minute book and to scan photographs from his vast Kishacoquillas Valley collection . Thank you, Forrest .

A wealth of material was found at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), in Strasburg, Pa., especially photographs of the KV. I met some wonderful people there who helped me in my research, including; Kurt Bell, David Dunn and Benjamin F .G . Kline Jr . Thank you .

Other institutions I wish to acknowledge include; Chuck Blardone and the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society, Nancy S . Shedd and the Huntingdon Historical Society, E . Hostetler and the old Interstate Commerce Commission, John F . Chester and the Belleville Historical Society (now a part of the Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society), Ron Carson and Belleville Fire Company No.1, the Pennsylvania State Archives, the State Library of Pennsylvania, the Cape May Historical Society Library and the Mifflin County Mennonite Historical Society . Thank you all .

1 The society has practically every issue of The Belleville Times from 1909 to its last edition in 1973 . Although the newspaper started in 1894, many of its earlier issues were destroyed when the Times building was bombed in the early hours of April 25, 1926 . Charles E . Allison, editor of the then Republican newspaper, blamed the explosion, caused by one or two sticks of dynomite, on “political enemies .” He had to travel to Lewistown to call authorities since the local Belleville telephone exchange was closed nights .

5

Many readers have told me that the photographs are what “make” my book . The people who have helped me accomplish this by permitting me to scan their photo collections were John H . Harlacher, Gwin W . Ault, Elwood C . Harman, Mary Hoxie, Roy C . Hunt, Roy E . Hunt, Robert Young, Al Baker, Barbara Harmon, Connie Bridgens, Forest Fisher, A . Frank Gibboney IV, William P . Hayes, Jim S . Keith, Mary McNabb Laughlin, Sally Hursh, Maureen Stell, Daryl K . Heasley & Deborah B . Preston, Jon Zimmerman, Fred Lerch and Dorothy Yoder . Some of the photos used in the first book were old and needed some touchup work and I had Jesse Hornyak, John P . Mertz and the Penn State University Photo/Graphics Department to thank for that . I want to thank you all for making this history come alive .

Last, but certainly not least were my editors . Helen F . Hartzler, Allen J . Levin and Dan Cupper helped with the first edition, and Gene Poppel and Peg Miceli with the second . Thank you for proofreading my manuscript and for your many insightful suggestions . Needless to say, any factual errors are mine alone .

There are some contributors that I may have forgotten to mention here . If so, I sincerely apologize for that . You are my unsung heroes and I extend a heartfelt thank you .

Without the cooperation and generosity of all of these people and institutions, this book and its predecessor never would have gotten beyond my desk . My hat’s off to you all!

KV brakeman's cap. (Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society)

Burnham

Yeagertown

LEWISTOWN

Reedsville

Milroy

Belleville

GreenwoodFurnace

Lumber City

Union

Mill

sGi

bbon

ey

Inwo

od Kish

acoq

uilla

sTa

ylor

Mou

nt H

ope

Hoo

ley

Cold

Wat

er Ceda

r

Hill

KISHACOQUILL AS

VALLEY

R AILROAD

M

IFFLIN

&

C

EN

TR

E

C

OU

NTY

R

AILROAD ( PRR

M

I LROY

BRAN

CH

)

PRR SUNBURY & LEWISTOWN BR ANCH

PENNSYLVANIA R AILROAD (MAIN L INE)

LEWISTOWN

&

RE EDSVIL

LE

EL

EC

TR

IC

RA

ILW

AY

PROPOSED INTER- MOUNTAIN RA

ILROAD

GOTSHALL / WR AY LOGGING R .R .

KULP-THOMAS / REICHLEY LOGGING R AILROAD

PROPOSED BIG

VALLEY STREET

R AILWAY

LewistownJunction

BurnhamPark

Kishacoquillas Park

K I S H A C O Q U I L L A S V A L L E Y

J A C K ’ S M O U N TA I N

S T O N E M O U N TA I N

JUNIATA

RIVER

Kishacoquillas

Creek

M A N N ’ S

N A R R O W S

L E W I S T O W N N A R R O W SS H A D E M O U N TA I N

B I G R I D G E

N

0 ½ 1 2 Miles

CoffeeRun

Alexander

Springs

Honey Creek

Tea C reek

Laurel Creek

Jack’sCreek

Buck Run

Allensville 7 miles

McAlevy’s Fort 5 Miles

Burnham

Yeagertown

LEWISTOWN

Reedsville

Milroy

Belleville

GreenwoodFurnace

Lumber City

Union

Mill

sGi

bbon

ey

Inwo

od Kish

acoq

uilla

sTa

ylor

Mou

nt H

ope

Hoo

ley

Cold

Wat

er Ceda

r

Hill

KISHACOQUILL AS

VALLEY

R AILROAD

M

IFFLIN

&

C

EN

TR

E

C

OU

NTY

R

AILROAD ( PRR

M

I LROY

BRAN

CH

)

PRR SUNBURY & LEWISTOWN BR ANCH

PENNSYLVANIA R AILROAD (MAIN L INE)

LEWISTOWN

&

RE EDSVIL

LE

EL

EC

TR

IC

RA

ILW

AY

PROPOSED INTER- MOUNTAIN RA

ILROAD

GOTSHALL / WR AY LOGGING R .R .

KULP-THOMAS / REICHLEY LOGGING R AILROAD

PROPOSED BIG

VALLEY STREET

R AILWAY

LewistownJunction

BurnhamPark

Kishacoquillas Park

K I S H A C O Q U I L L A S V A L L E Y

J A C K ’ S M O U N TA I N

S T O N E M O U N TA I N

JUNIATA

RIVER

Kishacoquillas

Creek

M A N N ’ S

N A R R O W S

L E W I S T O W N N A R R O W SS H A D E M O U N TA I N

B I G R I D G E

N

0 ½ 1 2 Miles

CoffeeRun

Alexander

Springs

Honey Creek

Tea C reek

Laurel Creek

Jack’sCreek

Buck Run

Allensville 7 miles

McAlevy’s Fort 5 Miles

PAGES 8–28NOT INCLUDED

IN PREVIEW

29

A Dream Come TrueSoon we hope to hear the whistleOf the engine on the way;To the little town of BellevilleIn the evening of the day.

The Lewistown GazetteAuthor Unknown

In 1891, Belleville looked like a town that time had forgotten . A few fortunate natives who made it “out into the world” returned to tell of great advancements

made by other communities, and to complain of Belleville’s backward ways . One such person was Dr . John P . Getter, but rather than complain, he did what people thought was an “impossible dream”—he built a railroad that would become the opening wedge in the development of a new Belleville .

Getter was born on October 27, 1857, near Newville, in Cumberland County . After completing medical school in 1885, he started a practice in the small town of Allensville, where he met his future wife, Clare W . Webb . In April 1887, he and his wife moved to Belleville, where he continued his practice of medicine . To drum up business, Getter would ride his carriage from one end of town to the other, back and forth, making people think that he was a very busy and popular doctor . Shrewd business tactics and a special sense of humor made “Doc” Getter an instant success among the town folk . If a patient was strapped for cash, Getter would barter, accepting food or services . He was never too busy to listen to the troubles of his patients, and was bound to lift their spirits by kidding around a bit .

How this mild-mannered doctor became a railroad tycoon can be traced to the summer sands of Cape May, NJ, in 1891 . Here, Doc Getter was bitten by the railroad bug while vacationing with his wife . It all started when the two bought a ticket on the Delaware Bay & Cape May Railroad to see “Jumbo,” a

30 THE OL’ HOOK & EYE

rather unique 40-foot tall wood and tin structure resembling a large white elephant, which housed a bazaar .¹

The narrow-gauge train, with its little cars drawn by a “dinky” engine, carried the Getters and several hundred other passengers the three miles from Cape May out to Cape May Point . This line terminated at the pier of the steamship Republic, with service from Philadelphia, and the famous pachyderm that stood nearby . Apparently the railroad was of more interest to the doctor than either “Jumbo” or the steamboat, for he began to fantasize about building a similar kind of road between Reedsville and Belleville .

When the Getters returned home, the doctor got two of his friends in Belleville, William Maclay and William Gibboney, interested in his railroad dream . No doubt, Getter knew about the town's first attempt to build a rail line through the valley, since William Gibboney’s father had been secretary and treasurer of the first Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad . They continued to talk about the road to their friends and even held several small meetings, but they were not taken too seriously at that time .

1 Originally named “Light of Asia,” Jumbo was built as an advertising gimmick in 1884 by James V . Lafferty to sell beach property . A concession stand was in the elephant’s large “stomach,” reached by a spiral staircase through the hind legs, with refreshment stands in the front legs . Concession and admittance fees never covered the exorbitant construction costs and the oddity was torn down in 1900 . Jumbo’s older sister, “Lucy,” built by Lafferty in 1882, still stands in Margate, New Jersey, and is open to the public .

Wedding photos of Dr. John P. Getter and his wife taken in December of 1885. (Sally Hursh collection)

A DREAM COME TRUE 31

Of course, the problem was that Belleville still remembered the failed attempt of the previous valley railroad . In 1869, it had taken the original directors over a year just to raise $30,000 from the valley folk . Some residents even lost money when the first “paper” railroad folded and they thought it better to try, as was done many times before, to persuade outside investors to build through Kishacoquillas Valley .

Rumors began circulating that Huntingdon County was negotiating with a large carrier to build through the valley—notably the Philadelphia & Reading . In March 1892, at a meeting in Huntingdon, a grand 92-mile route was drawn up, connecting the Philadelphia-Williamsport main line of the Reading, at Winfield, Union County, to the Pittsburgh Division of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) at Hyndman, Bedford County. The route was a much shorter line to Pittsburgh from the Reading’s anthracite coal fields and naturally ran through Huntingdon via way of Kishacoquillas Valley . The effort was a waste of time and energy . When Huntingdon laid the matter before the Reading’s officers, the railroad made it clear that it had no intentions of expanding at that time . Very likely the reason was that three years earlier, the Reading and B&O entered an agreement with the Western Maryland Railroad to compete with the PRR and its subsidiary, the Cumberland Valley Railroad, via a southerly route—through Shippensburg, Cumberland County, and Hagerstown, Md .

While all of this Reading talk was going on, a few forward-looking men decided that the only way to get a railroad to Belleville was to build one themselves . They joined Getter’s group to form a board of directors . These included some of the more prominent people in Belleville: Samuel Watts, Andrew W . Campbell, Abner Y . Detweiler, Alexander C . Henderson, Jonas K . Renno, Jacob Y . Zook, Henry S . Wilson, John M . Fleming and the original three—William M . Gibboney, William B . Maclay and John P . Getter . This group of doctors, bankers, lawyers, merchants and farmers together pooled a total of $22,000 in subscriptions, of which 10 percent in cash was invested in the railroad, enough to secure a charter . As one Lewistown newspaper reported: “The valley people mean business when they undertake to build a railroad, and they are pushing things in a way that must make our electric railway heads swim .” The reporter’s exasperation is understandable—the Lewistown & Reedsville Electric Railway Company (L&R) was chartered three months before the KV, but would take seven long years to gain the approval and the support needed to begin construction .2

The KV stockholders elected Watts as president . This was the same Samuel Watts who was a stockholder and director of the first Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad back in 1868 . The founder of Watts’ Department Store in

2 For further reading on this trolley, try to find Lewistown & Reedsville Electric Railway Co.: The Life and Times of a Country Trolley Line (out of print) written by the late Gordon P. Frederick (Ben Rohrbeck Traction Publications, 1983). A condensed version of this book can be found in Lewistown and the Pennsylvania Railroad: From Moccasins to Steel Wheels .


Belleville and president of Reedsville National Bank, Watts was a wealthy man . He subscribed $10,000, almost half of the investment .

Zook was elected vice president and Gibboney, following in the footsteps of his father, became the railroad’s treasurer . Maclay filled the spot of secretary—a position he would hold for many years .

On June 11, 1892, Watts, Gibboney and Getter came before Justice of the Peace Miles Haffley in Mechanicsville, in order to draft the Charter . They chose the exact same name as its predecessor, since it most aptly described the route—The Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad Company (KVRR or simply KV). The capital stock was set at $100,000, at least $10,000 for every mile of track proposed .

Three days later, in Harrisburg, the charter was approved by the Department of State . Governor Robert E . Pattison applied the state seal to the charter, and the little railroad was in business .

The purpose of the railroad was strictly one of convenience . Although the Kishacoquillas Valley was rich in agriculture, lumber and minerals, there was not enough of any of these to really interest outside investors . Unlike many neighboring railroads, such as the East Broad Top in Huntingdon County, the Lewistown & Reedsville Railway and the Mifflin & Centre County Railroad, all of which relied on outside financing, the KV was to be built by means of local stock subscriptions only . In this way the road could be directly controlled by Big Valley people .

For advice, the directors contacted and received help from James Fulton, president of the Stewartstown Railroad in York County, which was completed in 1885, and financed in the same manner . Fulton’s railroad was built to connect his community with the Northern Central in New Freedom—a mere 7½ miles away . His first suggestion to the newly formed KV Railroad was to secure the desired stock before beginning any construction on the road . This the directors wisely took to heart, and passed a resolution that surveys and the building of the road would not start until $75,000 of stock was subscribed (this figure was not chiseled in stone and was adjusted when the estimated cost of the railroad changed). Furthermore, to entice subscribers, another resolution was passed that no stockholder needed to pay until the construction contract for the road was let, at which time only 10 percent would be required . The balance was then to be paid in installments as work on the road demanded . The directors divided the stock into 4,000 shares and began selling it to local investors at $25 each .

The directors first tried to solicit a large subscription from the Logan Iron & Steel Company (successor of Freedom Iron & Steel, which was to sponsor the first KV Railroad—see previous chapter), since it owned and operated Greenwood Furnace . As early as May, the directors appointed a committee composed of Getter and Gibboney to visit Burnham and try to sell stock to the steel company .

Dr . Getter was a people person, no doubt a trait he picked up from being a country doctor . This made him a perfect choice to be on the railroad’s

A DREAM COME TRUE 33

(Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society collection)


IN PREVIEW

55

The Old Home GatheringI’ve traveled round from coast to coast, but let me here remark, I’d give them all to ride again the train to Gibboney Park.

Albert G . Gibboney

B y the end of June, the new KV Railroad was in operation . Dr . Getter explains, “When I say WE WERE OPERATING I mean exactly that for

almost everyone who owned one share of stock thought he knew best how the road should be operated .”

One thing that everyone did agree upon was that they should take a day off to celebrate their “dream come true” with a grand picnic . The directors picked a date late in August so stockholders who were farmers could come after harvest . They then began to look for a suitable site along the line for a park in which to hold the festivities . They didn’t have to look far . A beautiful spot was located two miles outside of Belleville on a 15-acre plot of natural timberland directly at the foot of Jack’s Mountain, from which a picturesque view of the Kishacoquillas Valley, railroad bridge and creek could be seen . Situated on the sprawling farm of Adolphus Franklin Gibboney, and only three city blocks west of his woolen mill, the site had a picnic tradition years before the railroad existed . As early as 1884, the Union Sunday School Picnic of Schoolhouse No .5 was held in the woods near the mill . But it wasn’t until the railroad was interested in holding its picnic there that the site became known as Gibboney Park .

Hearing of the railroad’s intentions, Gibboney and E . Bruce Alexander got together to form the Gibboney Park Association . On July 22, 1893, Alexander met with the directors of the KV and a deal was struck whereby the association would prepare the grounds for picnic purposes for 10 percent of all passenger receipts to the park .

Even before the railroad’s opening jubilee, the Normal Students of Belleville became the first ones to use the new park . These were students studying to become schoolteachers, and rather than celebrating the beginning of the railroad, they held a picnic to celebrate the end of their classes . They left on the train from Belleville on Saturday afternoon, August 5, 1893, and were said to have had a grand time at the park .

They were soon followed, on Thursday, by the Presbyterians, Lutherans and Methodists of Reedsville, who, upon scheduling a special KV train, filled a boxcar “with the good things of life” and four coaches (three were rented from the PRR) “with comely wives and mothers, gray haired sires and sturdy men, beautiful maidens and fine looking young men and a host of young children,” and set off to Gibboney Park for a day of recreation . The picnic went off without a hitch and many thanks went to the railroad crew for handling the crowd carefully and expeditiously . This was the start of an annual event that became fondly remembered for many years as Reedsville’s Union Sunday School Picnic .

The Reedsville people certainly enjoyed their outing at the park for they were soon back, being a good part of the crowd that showed up to celebrate the KV’s grand opening . The big celebration was held on Wednesday, August 30, 1893, and was a rather simple affair, consisting of a business meeting followed by speeches and a basket picnic . Nevertheless, between 1,500 and 2,000 of the valley folk attended, traveling on the KV combine and two large

A scenic view of the railroad bridge crossing Kishacoquillas creek, as seen from Gibboney Park. Notice the cows grazing in the background-with no fence to keep them from wandering onto the tracks. (Mifflin County Historical Society) Stamp in lower right. (Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society collection)

coaches and an observation car rented from the PRR . The attendance would double, triple and even quadruple in later years as the KV Picnic became increasingly popular and people became less afraid of riding the crowded cars on the new road .

Undoubtedly, the best part of the day was the series of addresses given by 13 local speakers . Since this event formally opened the railroad, it was fitting that the subject of those addresses focused on the road .

More than a quarter of a century ago some of the citizens of the valley organized a movement to build a railroad from Belleville to Reedsville but unfortunately their plans were frustrated, although in June 1892 a similar organization formed with probably one or two of the former citizens, for the same purpose, and today you behold the success of the latter organization, a completed railroad from Belleville to Reedsville, successfully transporting passengers, freight and express… This railroad has aroused the people of Belleville and vicinity from their long Rip Van Winkle slumber, and suddenly brought them to the front of civilization by being connected to the long unending glistening lines of the Pennsylvania Railroad, a corporation which cannot be equaled, and now these citizens are accessible to all kinds of traffic from near as well as the distant Pacific states .

Engine No.1 pulling a crowded KV picnic train of three PRR rentals. Undoubtedly, this is the most publicized KV photograph. It is heralded as the “First KV Picnic,” but the coach on the end suspiciously resembles combine No.2, which the road didn’t purchase until 1895. (Mifflin County Historical Society collection)

passengers, freight and express… This railroad has aroused the people of Belleville and vicinity from their long Rip Van Winkle slumber, and suddenly brought them to the front of civilization by being connected to the long unending glistening lines of the

passengers, freight and express… This railroad has aroused the people of

the long unending glistening lines of the

passengers, freight and express… This railroad has aroused the people of Belleville and vicinity from their long Rip Van Winkle slumber, and suddenly brought them to the front of civilization by being connected to the long unending glistening lines of the


So spoke President Hugh Walters in his opening address . Between the speeches music was played by the Belleville and Yeagertown bands . Singers of the Belleville Glee Club added to the musical entertainment .

Dinner followed the morning speeches, and within a short time the park was converted into a vast dining hall . Families and friends mingled, chatting pleasantly as the picnic-basket goodies rapidly disappeared . “Verily, they all dined sumptuously,” reported The Lewistown Gazette. “This was a good picnic to attend and this was the best time to attend it .”

The program continued after dinner with even more speeches . E . Bruce Alexander, Belleville’s colorful attorney and soon to be treasurer of the KV, was so popular that he would become one of the regular speakers at the event . He had this to say about the valley’s new railroad:

This is the formal commencement day of the K .V .R .R . when trained and disciplined in the school of construction, decorated with wreath and garlands that fair hands have woven in its honor clothed with the color of its Alma Mater, it goes forth with the consciousness of being prepared to perform its duties and obligations and eager to assume its position as an agent of progress and civilization . It is a primary principle, a self-evident truth, that with new privileges come new responsibilities . Thus with the advent of this railroad within your midst, connecting you, not only with the great centers of trade and commerce, but also with the intelligence, the culture, the refinement and all that is best in our civilization—with these advantages, this community will measure up to a higher standard of progress and advancement… If there is anything that deserves sympathy it is those pessimistic individuals who predict misfortune for the future, who wage warfare against public enterprise and progress . God has no place in the economy of this universe for such men and the K .V .R .R . Co . that has been great enough to attain the object of its organization is magnanimous enough to forgive those who opposed it .

Among the other speakers were several directors, Engineer Frank Whittekin and President James Fulton of the Stewartstown Railroad, who said to the valley people, “you built [the KV] better and wiser than you knew .” One of the last speakers, G .W . Elder, with “wit, wisdom and prophecy,” closed his talk by calling “three cheers for the long haired hook and eye railroad,” which were freely given . The Lewistown Gazette was bold enough to print this, but the Democrat and Sentinel decided not to humiliate the railroad further and censored the closing remark to “three cheers for the …………… railroad .”

Although the end of the speeches formally closed the day’s picnic, many couples stayed after dark, “tripping the light fantastic,” or “spooning” in the many hidden recesses on the grounds, lingering until the final train left, at 10 o’clock that evening .

All in all, the first railroad sponsored picnic was a success “with the biggest kind of S” and the railroad was besieged with requests to make it an annual event . The railroad complied and the KV Picnic became an annual celebration for the next 23 years, a celebration which (it was said) could be compared only to Christmas Day .

THE OLD HOME GATHERING 59 THE OLD HOME GATHERING 59

(Mifflin County Historical Society collection)


IN PREVIEW

83

A Day In CourtShe’s been criticized, condemned, and cussedMore oft than I can tell.Yet three times every day you’ll hearHer whistle and her bell.

Albert G . Gibboney

The future looked bright for the 247 stockholders of the new railroad during the first KV Picnic in 1893 . During his speech, KV President Hugh Walters

announced that from its commencement on June 26 to August 19, 1893, the road had earned an average of $23 .65 a day . This exceeded daily operating costs by about nine dollars . Future receipts were also projected to rise from shipments of forest products and other commodities . Optimism showed through Walters’ speech as he went on to say, “If the future management is successful and free from great disasters, it is now thought that the outlook for the stockholders is quite promising .”

However, things were not as peachy as the management made them seem . The financial picture was not as solid as President Walters painted: there were personnel problems, the railroad had yet to settle land disputes with Samuel Watts and it appeared that some valley residents were trying to sabotage the little railroad .

Some people resented the railroad pestering them to pay off their stock subscriptions, or for disturbing their tranquil valley with its fire, soot and noise . A few fought back by literally placing obstacles in the railroad’s path . The train crew usually spotted the obstruction in time to avoid an upset, except once, resulting in the KV’s first known accident .

On the evening of October 11, 1893, after a day of hard work, the track hands were hastily returning home on a cart being pushed by the handcar . A


little below Gibboney Station both vehicles abruptly left the track and all 12 passengers were violently thrown down an embankment . Upon inspection it was found that someone, “either brainless or altogether devoid of principle,” bolted two pieces of iron angle bars to one of the rails . All of the workmen were injured, some quite seriously, and only five were able to report for work the next morning . Fortunately, after a week all were able to be out and about again. The railroad placed a $50 bounty on the person(s) who caused the derailment, but no one was reportedly apprehended .

In the fall of 1893, the entire railroad, including rolling stock and real estate, had cost $71,353, and the capital of the company at that time was only $68,500 . This was due to the fact that a few stockholders were delinquent in paying for their shares, giving the company a floating debt of several thousand dollars . Because they were unable to sell any more stock, the directors in November 1893 were forced to issue bonds to pay off their bills . One hundred five-year bonds were authorized at $100 each with John W . Wilson and Andrew W . Campbell trustees, payable to Reedsville National Bank (RNB). This was the last thing the railroad wanted to do, since it had to pay semi-annual interest rates to the bondholders . But as Getter later wrote, “If we did not use good judgment in everything in connection with the road you must give us credit for not going with the plan of ‘paying for it while you use it .’” Fortunately the company sold only $3,300 worth of bonds at five percent interest . However, when the bonds came due five years later, the KV had to extend some ($2,000 worth), and it was not until 1900 when all of the bondholders were paid and the unissued bonds canceled in 1907 .

One major buyer of bonds was to be the Reedsville National Bank (RNB), with whom the railroad did all of its business (Belleville didn’t have a bank until 1900). Before the bonds were issued, the railroad and the bank struck a deal whereby the RNB agreed to purchase $1,000 to $5,000 worth of bonds at six percent interest . Since the bonds were printed stating that the interest rate was to be five percent or less, a written guarantee of an additional one percent was endorsed . But when the railroad, with bonds in hand, met with the bank, the cashier unexpectedly refused to accept the written guarantee . Perhaps Samuel Watts, president of the RNB, had a hand in this . Negotiations quickly deteriorated to the point where the KV board of directors moved to sever ties with the Reedsville National and to transfer all of the railroad’s accounts to the Banking House of Russell & Son in Lewistown .

Although the contractor’s job was done and trains were moving, the road was still not completely finished . An eight-ton Fairbanks-Morse scale had to be placed in Belleville, several switch tracks to local industries had to be laid and several buildings still had to be erected . Once the Belleville Station was complete, work began in November on an engine house and the little station stops along the route . The stops were recognized for their comfort and beauty, especially Union Mills Station which had a stove and was said to have looked “nobby .” The Free Press would chastise the PRR by writing that

“the picturesque little stations, artistically painted with overhead protections,

A DAY IN COURT 85

strung along the [KV] line should put those old sheds on the M&C [sic] road to blush .”

On Monday, December 26, 1893, the day after Christmas, the KV began its anticipated three-round-trip schedule by adding a noontime train . The railroad also managed to shave five minutes off its runs making a trip to Reedsville in 40 minutes . The Lewistown Gazette explained that the road was “get-ting in good condition and better time can be made on it with per-fect safety .”

In May 1894, the first financial report was presented . Contrary to its good start, after the first nine months the company found itself in the red, with operating expenses being $335 greater than its earnings of $5,444 . The directors shrugged this off, urging stockholders not to be discouraged since the past year had been a bad one for all railroads . Indeed, the country was in one of its worst depressions in history . The Panic of 1893, resulting in over 150 railroads going bankrupt . Had the KV not been paid for, it too would more than likely have gone into receivership .

The directors explained that the expenses of their railroad were greater than the norm because of much unusual work being required in track repairs necessary to put the road in good running condition . For example, no ballast was used in the construction of the track; ties were laid directly on the ground, and the directors had no idea that a track required so much support . For the next several years the KV constantly struggled to keep its rail joints from sinking into the mud, and to keep its track in line . To cut costs, the railroad occasionally used inexpensive cinder shipped in from the Standard Steel Works in Burnham as ballast, although it didn’t hold up nearly as well as limestone . For a sturdier main line, the KV made its own ballast by having its track crew break up—by hand—large rocks found along the line or from a quarry it owned . This continued until 1899, when a stone crusher was reportedly being used along the track . By 1909, the general manager was ordering cars of crushed rock from the National Limestone Quarry near Shrader Station along the M&CC branch . Getter deemed it cheaper at 45¢ per ton F .O .B . than having it broken at “our home quarry .” Almost every year KV trackmen piled about 1,000 to 1,200 tons of ballast onto the roadbed . Not only that, but the road’s 21,000 untreated wood ties had to be replaced every four or five years . All in all, Getter roughly figured that maintaining the roadway cost the company about $6,400 annually including labor .

A revised schedule appeared in The Lewistown Gazette on January 4, 1894. Hopefully Hooley Station passengers no-ticed the typo for train No.101. (Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society collection)


Aside from keeping its rails “afloat” the railroad soon found that one combine car was wholly inadequate in transporting the road’s growing number of passengers . A committee was formed on February 2, 1895, to purchase another passenger coach . Two weeks later, the committee reported to the board that they examined several cars in the shops of E .H . Wilson & Co . and chose a second-hand combination car undergoing repairs . After some dickering, the dealer agreed to sell the car for $1,100, including delivery to Reedsville once it was finished . The treasurer cut a check and the KV added combine No .2 on its roster . Similar to combine No .1, the new car had a seating capacity for 40 people in addition to space for freight . This proved to be quite adequate for the railroad’s needs at that time and was a welcomed addition from a comfort point of view . Although the wooden slat bottomed seats were a novelty on combine No .1, they were hard on both the posterior and clothing, which got snagged . The Lewistown Gazette praised the railroad for getting new equipment and quipped that “the clothing dealers in Lewistown will no doubt mourn the departure of the slat seated car .” The dealers needn’t have worried . Within a month, a broken wheel truck under a freight car caused the new combine to be thrown off the track and damaged, so much so, that it had to be sent to Lewistown Junction for repairs . In the meantime, combine No .1 was pulled back into service and would continue to be on the roster as a back-up .

The new combine arrived near the end of February, possibly delayed by severe winter storms . Bad weather started a month earlier on January 16, when ice and snow on the rails of the Wilson & Maclay Roller Mill siding

The railroad station at Belleville in about 1895. The train consists of engine No.1 and coach No.2.

The old Wilson & Maclay Roller Mill is in the background. (Author’s collection)

Cars waiting to be loaded with stone at the quarry in Shrader along the M&CC branch. The KV often purchased ballast from here. (Forrest Kauffman collection)

The crossing at Hooley Station. Coach No.2 is shown in passing. (Doro thy Yoder collection)


IN PREVIEW

189

Boom Times

After 24 long years, the KV stockholders had yet to see any return from their investment . That is, until the evening of June 9, 1917, when the

directors gathered at the Belleville Station after their annual stockholders meeting . Getter, general manager of the road, gave the annual report on its financial condition . The outlook was indeed promising, for upon a motion by William B . Maclay, the company’s secretary, the board immediately authorized payment of a three percent dividend . This became the first of 12 dividends, ranging from two to four percent, which the company issued within a period of 14 years remembered fondly as the KV’s “Boom Times .”

Though the first dividend was small and temporarily put the KV in the red that year, management was optimistic . The books for 1916 showed the largest gross earnings to date, $19,003 . The past five years had been good ones for the railroad and averaged an annual profit of $1,436 . Passenger and freight receipts were on the rise .

Belleville had grown in population and industry, and although the KV was responsible for this growth, it, in itself, would never really attain financial success . Costs continued to plague the road and, despite the company’s permanent improvement policy, heavy right-of-way maintenance expenses were frequently incurred . Unlike other money-strapped railroads, the KV seldom practiced deferred maintenance and it was reported that few finer stretches of railway could have been found anywhere .

But with laughter and song they roll alongAs the cinders about them fly.And a noise is made like a real railroadWhen the KV train goes by.

Robert F . Lantz


The stockholders’ meeting of 1917 also saw the election of a new president . W . James Hayes, who held the post faithfully since 1897, died on December 27, 1916 . The stockholders chose as his successor, J . Milton Campbell, the KV’s vice president since 1899 .

With Campbell at the helm, the board’s first order of business was to set the salaries of its officers . Up to this point, the officers had enjoyed extravagant wages, set in 1908 during the Big Valley Street Railway’s attempt to seize control of the railroad (see Chapter 4). Since all of the officers were large stockholders (owning 69 percent of the stock) and receiving dividends, the board prudently decided that, for the best of the company, pay cuts were in order . During a special session held in July of 1917, Getter’s salary as general manager was reduced from $800 to $600 a year and the auditor’s (Stockton Bates & Sons) fee of $300 was cut to $200. It was also decided that the president, vice president and engineer would no longer be paid—a combined savings of $750 . Clare Getter’s annual salary of $350 for being treasurer remained the same . One new position was created, that of assistant general manager . Brown Wills fit the bill and was paid $100 a year on top of the $840 he was already receiving as conductor . Additionally, all directors who attended board meetings during the past year were paid $20 each .

A motion was also made to cut the secretary’s annual wage from $300 to $100 (the same as it was before 1908), but was not voted on. William Maclay, the secretary since the railroad’s beginning, didn’t like this at all and when the motion was adopted in October he tendered his resignation to take effect immediately . The meeting went downhill from there and Maclay’s last entry in the minute book was that the remaining directors left the room without taking any action nor to fix a time for the next meeting . This resulted in an eight-month gap in the minute book until the board met again after the stockholders’ meeting in 1918 . At that time Maclay’s resignation was accepted and his son, Robert, was elected secretary at $100 a year plus an additional $25 to close the books on the previous fiscal year . Robert B . Maclay would hold this post until the railroad’s abandonment 22 years later . His father, although no longer secretary, remained on the board until 1922 .

In 1918, the United States was in the middle of the Great War (WWI). In an effort to expedite the considerable amount of war supplies and troops, the US government assumed control of the Nation’s 260,000 miles of railroads on December 28, 1917 . Under the thumb of Uncle Sam, railroads were guaranteed a net operating income regardless of their actual income, but any amount above that had to go back to the government . Fortunitely, shortlines were released from government reign after only six months and the KV enjoyed prosperity, handing out dividends for the next seven years .

A week prior to the war’s ceasefire, President Campbell died in office after serving for only 17 months . As was usual, the directors waited until the next annual election to vote in a new president . Whenever an officer died or resigned during his/her term, the position usually remained vacant until the next stockholders’ meeting .

BOOM TIMES 191

The KV president voted in on June 14, 1919, was none other than Dr . John P . Getter, the man who first envisioned the railroad . Getter had been the general manager of the KV since its beginning, and continued to hold this position, as well as that of president, until its end . Besides being one of the town’s leading physicians, Getter, always a booster of his community, was also active with and held offices in the Belleville Water Co ., the Farmers’ National Bank, the local Chamber of Commerce and the fire department . His influence earned him a place in the 1908 edition of Who’s Who in Pennsylvania . Getter’s position as railroad president was unpaid, but he still received an annual salary as the road’s general manager .

Getter was always pleased to report that no passengers on his railroad were ever seriously hurt . The only suffering the passengers experienced was an annoying inconvenience . In one incident in April 1918, Engineman Billy Patton had just gotten the afternoon homeward-bound train over a heavy grade near Hooley Station, when one of the axles on the tender snapped . He immediately slapped on the air brake and had visions of the old tender coming right up over his cab . Two freight cars were derailed but not the coach, and the only thing the passengers felt was an unusual jolt . Eight passengers, five men and three women, were aboard . The men continued their journey to Belleville on the tenderless locomotive, while the women set out and hiked to the nearby home of Kate Hooley . As was usually the case, the KV made quick repairs and the train resumed its regular schedule the next morning .

Accidents proved to be more painful for passengers when the railcar was involved . In 1918, the railroad still had on its roster railcar No .2 that it purchased seven years before . This car was involved in the KV’s first major mishap where paying customers were injured (see Chapter 4) and would be involved in a second, more serious, accident in 1918 . During a return trip to Belleville on the evening of December 11, the car collided

Dr. Getter was 61 when he was elected president, heading into his golden years. (Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society collection)

with a mule-drawn wagon on the crossing at Cold Water Station . It was dark and neither knew that the other was at the crossing (apparently the railcar was run without lights). Upon impact, bodies and machines were thrown every which way . Elmer Krebs, the wagon driver, was unhurt but his wife was considerably cut in the collision . One of the two mules had a leg broken and had to be put out of its misery . All of the six or seven passengers aboard the railcar including the two “drivers,” George Carson and Ralph Manbeck (according to PRR rules, a train crew of at least two was required if the car ventured onto the Milroy Branch), sustained some injuries although luckily no bones were broken . Manbeck was the worst hurt, being bedridden for a week after . The railcar faired much worse and was crushed in the accident—perhaps ending its jinxed career for good . This, in Getter’s eyes, was worse than the railcar’s previous accident . He would boast 10 years later, that after nearly 30 years and hauling “several million” (actually, less than a million) passengers, this one minor incident was the only blemish on an otherwise clean record, ignoring the earlier event .

Ralph B . Manbeck, known as “Collie,” began working for the KV in about 1911 as a substitute brakeman . By 1915, he was the full-time brakeman (replacing James Orr) and occasionally stepped in as a temporary conductor. He resigned his position in 1917 (replaced by Elmer Wyland), only to be rehired within a year and subsequently injured in the railcar accident just noted . Manbeck was said to have been an “industrious young man with sterling qualities”

A truck patiently waits as a KV railcar cautiously crosses a road near Union Mills in the late 1930’s. For railroads, any crossing poses a serious threat, especially if a lightweight railcar is involved. Unlike railcar No.2, the Studebaker shown here was not reported in any accidents. (Forrest Kauffman collection)

BOOM TIMES 193

and was also known to be a ladies’ man . When he quit once again in 1920, it was reported “that’s too bad—the ladies will miss him,” but to their delight, within a few years he was back in the employment of the railroad .

When Manbeck quit the second time, a man named Bruce C . Harshbarger took over the duties of brakeman for $65 a month . Bruce, a local boy, moved away from home after school and got a job as a messenger on the PRR between Harrisburg and Baltimore . Upon returning to Belleville, he moved his family and set up housekeeping in the rooms above the railroad station .

Railroading was a family affair in Belleville . Manbeck and Harshbarger were children who followed in their fathers’ footsteps . Harshbarger’s father, William C . Harshbarger, was the KV’s track foreman for 10 years, starting in 1905 . In fact, he had charge over Manbeck’s father, Hal H ., and Engineman Patton’s father, William J ., who were both trackmen at the time .

In 1919, Engineman Billy Patton quit railroading after almost 27 years with the KV to become a painter for Hertzler & Zook . In the eight years that he was engineman, Patton worked beside three or four firemen . Bruce Warner was hired the same time that Patton was promoted to engineman in 1911 and served as fireman until October of 1913 . He then tendered his resignation and was replaced by Robert Vaughn . Caring for the fire didn’t suit Vaughn and after a year he left the job of coal heaving to John Hackenburg . It is unknown when Hackenburg left, but shortly after Patton had quit, newspapers were reporting that a William Wilson was stoking the fire at $70 a month .

Usually when an engineman left, the job of running the train was passed on to the fireman, but after Patton, a new face appeared on the right side of the cab . The KV hired a colorful Irishman named Wilson I . McConnell in January . Engineman McConnell was paid the same as Patton, around $80 a month, and went by a variety of nicknames, but the one that stuck was

“Red”—named after his bright auburn hair . Another characteristic was that he had a heavy hand on the throttle . Whenever McConnell was at the controls, the train was usually on time and very often ahead of time . As one newspaper reported, McConnell “is now making as close time as the enginemen on the Milroy Branch dare to .” This was quite an accomplishment, considering the amount of freight the railroad was then hauling .

The increase of freight during the KV’s boom times kept the train crew busy . One day in particular was on Tuesday March 25, 1919 . Upon arriving in Reedsville at noon the KV crew was instructed to unhook and run the engine to the scene of a forest fire near Gibboney Park . When the engine returned, it was already too late for its 2:05 p .m . departure and had to wait for a Milroy train to get off the block . Once the right-of-way was clear, the train crew shifted out two freight cars for Belleville and so left Reedsville 40 minutes behind schedule . In Belleville, the baggage compartment of the combine was emptied of $5,000 worth of express packages and several freight cars were shifted . The day’s last train left late, but “Red” handled the train so well that he pulled up to the Reedsville Station near the same time that the PRR Lewistown-bound train arrived . A large consignment of express was


IN PREVIEW

233

KV Memories

Oh, to ride the train to Lewistown again! There are many today who remember that trip, but who can say that he has worked on the KV?

The late Harvey Kanagy, for one . For the first 20 years of his life he lived in Ohio along the “Big Four,” the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St . Louis Railroad . Later, he moved to Belleville and began work on the KV, part time, as a trackman . He gradually worked his way up and was promoted to fireman in 1937, and later, claimed to work as an unqualified engineman . John W . Dalby, another KV employee, insisted that Harvey never sat in the engineman’s seat . However, the PRR kept a loose leash on the shortline while on the Milroy Branch, and it would not be above the KV to use an inexperianced fireman to pilot the train to Lewistown when the chief engineman was either ill or on a hunting trip . Regardless, Harvey tells a good story .

He begins by telling about his first trip to Lewistown as engineman . It is interspersed with old newspaper articles and memories of the KV recalled by others . Many are from Albert G . Gibboney, one of Belleville’s best-known residents . While he was principally the town’s druggist, it was as a country style poet and humorist, going by the name “You Know Me Al,” that he became most widely known for . He wrote the column “Town Topics & Country Chat” for The Belleville Times and eventually became the paper’s publisher from 1936 to 1947 . He reported on the community and dispensed pungent bits of wisdom and homespun humor that attracted many readers .

So sit back, hand the conductor your ticket, and roll on down the tracks of KV memory road!

When mem’ry keeps me company,And I think about the yearsThat’s come and gone and just went on,It moves me most to tears.

Albert G . Gibboney


Harvey Kanagy

“In 1937 the conductor asked me at one time while I was free ridin’, ‘Wanta job?’ Point blank, ‘Wanta job?’ Well, I wasn’t expectin’ very much . I did have one job but it wouldn’t last . ‘Yes,’ I says, ‘I’ll take a job . What doin’?’ ‘Why, runnin’ the fire, of course, first thing .’ Well I says, ‘I’m not qualified .’ ‘We’ll get ya qualified .’ So it went from good to better .”John W. Dalby

“I started [working on the KV] when I was really young . I rode the train as a kid and helped whenever I could . Then they hired me . I took my tests in Harrisburg and I was qualified as an engineer, fireman, brakeman and conductor although fireman was my regular job toward the last .”Harvey Kanagy

“In September I was called out and I made a trip or two and was learnin’ my ropes with Bruce Harshbarger . He was my senior engineer . I went with him on experimental trips two days a week, Thursday and Friday . Bruce, he had his levers set, and so did I . I had my injector set and my shovel set! I set the injector and made it just so that it would dribble the water into the boiler, and I’d use the foot lever to crack the door open to see what the fire was doin’, ya know . Every once in a awhile, why, I’d take the hand lever and lock it open, and throw in just a skin full of coal on this side, and another skin full on that side, and back . I looked up at my gauge, and it was just playin’ around between 170-175, just like that . I said playin’ around and that’s all it was doin’! And that’s the way he wanted it the whole way up, and that’s the way he got it—the whole way up!”

I recall when we were living up on Gospel Hill that I could leave the house when the KV gave its long whistle for Belleville and be at the station before the train came in sight around the curve at the flour mills. Needless to say, I am not as fleet of foot now as I was then.

It was important that the morning train always be met because several traveling salesmen usually arrived at this

time and all of them were solicited by us boys hunting jobs carrying sample cases and traveling bags up town to various merchants. In the afternoon the local freight usually arrived and again we were on hand to haul merchandise up to the various stores. The pay for this ranged from one cent to a nickel which amount would be sneezed at by the average boy today.

—You Know Me Al

The Belleville TimesFebruary 22, 1940

Engineman Harshbarger inspecting No.6 as Track Foreman Hughes looks on. Notice on the far left a gondola on Yoder’s coal tipple. (Author’s collection)

Harshbarger would instruct his firemen how to operate No.6 with finesse. (Mifflin County Historical Society collection)


Arthur “Art” W. Kauff man

“I was friends with Bruce Harshbarger’s kids and I ran around with them all the time . Bruce had a camp down there beside Jo-Jo Yoder’s place that he built, and of course there was no road into it . So on Sundays he would hook up a flatcar and put the kids on it and fire up the engine—of course they kept the steam up all weekend anyhow—and we’d go down there and play while he worked on his camp . Then at the end of the day we’d back ‘er up to Belleville and park it .”

Passengers prepare to board the train from Belleville Station. A leg of the wye is in the foreground. (David Cope collection from the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania [PHMC])

Charlie Zook, ice cream magnate raised a rabbit hound. Old adage says a cat has nine lives but this pup of Zookie’s don’t regard any member of the feline species as a rival when it comes

down to longevity of life. Got hit by automobiles three times, last week three cars of the KV passed over him, but he had the presence of mind enough to lay down quietly between the rails and thus avoiding going to the factory where bologna is went to be made.

—You Know Me Al

The Belleville TimesOctober 31, 1928

KV MEMORIES 237

Harvey Kanagy

“One evening, I just finished supper . This dropped on a Saturday . They had Saturday evening trains that went in to the movies, and, for one thing or another, in Lewistown . Now, I wasn’t expectin’ this . One of my neighbors came up and gave me a telephone message . ‘Come down as soon as you can,’ he says, ‘and take the train into Lewistown and back .’ OH! That was a shock to me . I wasn’t expecting anything like that . I went down, the train was all ready at the engine house . I just got up on the platform and stood there a little bit . ‘Over there is your place, on the right-hand side [engineer’s position] .’ Oh . That was another shock! Because I wasn’t qualified in the first place, and, in the sec-ond place, I still had a few things to learn yet . Thinks I, if he [Bruce Harshbarger] done this thing or that thing or adjusted this or adjusted

somethin’ else—that’s the way I must do . I looked across the various gadgets and meters and so forth and so on and made them like he did when he was ready to run . Pretty soon I got to highballin’, you know, and—Wah, Wah—turned on the bell and off we went!

Uncle Jim [Young] was telling me just last week that when he used to haul meat down to the KV station for shipping, the old horse would never scare at anything about the locomotive except the hissing noise that was made when the air was released from the brakes.

One day, Uncle Jimmy was running a little late with his shipment of beef and after he had

it properly weighed and loaded in the express car, there was nobody near to watch the horse while he went into the station to get his shipping receipt. Hurriedly he tied the horse to the brace rod running beneath the car and then ran into the station to complete his business there. Before he had time to return, Uncle Tom hollered, “All aboard,” and the KV moved slowly out of the yards with the horse and wagon running along side trying to keep up.

—You Know Me Al

The Belleville TimesJaniary 4, 1940

James Orr, the K.V.R.R. “brakey” is receiving all kinds of congratulations for the performance of an errand which function he performed one day last week. He was instructed by the track foreman to stop up town and get 20c worth of “Tenpenny” [tobacco]. Mr. Orr in a rush to get the mail to the train got twisted and went to the hardware store and ask for 10c worth of 20 penny nails. Mr. Utts smiled but did as he was bade and looked wise. On Mr. Orr’s arrival at the station he was the center of attraction and has since been busy trying to commit to memory the different brands of tobacco.

—[Unknown Author]

The Belleville TimesJaniary 20, 1910


IN PREVIEW

265

The Last Train

Prosperity for the KV ended soon after 1930 . Receipts for the next two years took a dramatic nose-dive as area businesses became paralyzed

by the Great Depression, and the cheap, convenient gasoline engine began to siphon off what little business the KV had . However, due to its tenacity and some fancy footwork, the end was postponed for several years .

The KV jealously protected what business it had by keeping a diligent eye on its competitors . When news was heard that two trucking companies, Ira F . Stuck and Levi K . Yoder, were to apply for Belleville shipping rights from the Pa . State Public Service Commission, the directors dispatched their general manager to Harrisburg to attend the hearings . Getter’s presence must’ve had some influence because after the hearing Yoder withdrew his application and only Stuck was granted a certificate .

The KV’s mail consignment was also being threatened . For some reason, Yoder’s Bus Line was carrying some of Belleville’s outgoing morning mail . Getter made it clear to the bus line that it was the railroad’s responsibility and that all morning mail, from then on, would be delivered by train . Furthermore, a 5:00 p .m . evening mail run was established, but instead of a train, the KV relied on Station Agent Dyson Kline to deliver the consignment to Reedsville using an automobile .

Dyson F . Kline became the KV’s new station agent in September of 1931 . His predecessor, D .A . Hanawalt, was only 57 years old when he had a severe heart attack and died in Dr . Getter’s office on June 14, 1931 (Hanawalt was at

Still the morn, no KV whistle;Still is the morn, no KV bell;And with sorrow I rememberAnd with sorrow I recallThat its useful life is over,That its life of toil is done,Wrapped within the days gone by.

Lee Victor Alexander


one time president of the Belleville Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Mifflin County Welfare Society and a member of the KV board of directors in 1930 and 1931). Charles R. McColm came on board as a replacement for three months until Kline, who had experience working for the PRR at the Lewistown Junction Station, was hired full-time .

One of Kline’s jobs was to help Getter entertain railroad clients . In an effort to keep its patrons happy, the KVRR joined an organization called the Keystone Transportation Club, formed by a group of Lewistown railroad men to help resolve shipping problems . In November of 1931, Getter had the club hold its monthly meeting at the Belleville Station and invited a number of local businessmen to air their concerns . Benches were set up and as the people gathered, Paul Kline, of Logan Iron & Steel, provided musical entertainment on a piano .

Once the meeting came to order, several complaints were heard from the heavy shippers of Belleville . No explanation was reported when Walter Foltz of the local flour mill asked why it cost the same to ship a carload of flour to Harrisburg as it did to New York City . Next was Frank L . Campbell, the farming implements dealer and KV director, who was not pleased when it took three days for a manure spreader just to go from Lewistown to Belleville . A PRR official of the club tried to explain that this was due to a certain shifting crew that got the cars to Reedsville too late to catch the KV train and that it would be remedied in the future . “Joe” Young (J .M . Young & Co.) said he had no complaints, claiming he had nothing to ship and Isreal Z . Hertzler reportedly forgot his H&Z shipping data, but expressed sincere appreciation for the club visiting Belleville .

Perhaps the reason the businessmen showed up at all was the enticement of free food . Getter and Station Agent Kline did not disappoint . The door to the freight house was opened leading to a table filled with cheese, raw cabbage, ice cream, apple cider and coffee . After the meal Brown Wills, in his role of assistant general manager, “opened his guns” on the local merchants present by chastising them for shipping parcels via Post instead of the railroad’s express service . The merchants saw their actions as only a drop in a bucket of troubles belonging to the shortline, but the railroad’s view was that every little bit helped .

The KV was able to drum up some new business . In an effort to stimulate industrial recovery the federal government began pumping money into highways and other construction projects . During this time, the road from the Mifflin and Huntingdon County line to McAlevy’s Fort was to be rebuilt . Crushed stone from the Bethlehem Steel Quarry in Naginey was earmarked for this project and the KV wanted in on this lucrative trade . At the time, it was cheaper for the road contractor to ship the stone by truck, but the directors concluded that the railroad could compete if the PRR could be persuaded to lower its rates in shipping the material . Getter was able to do just that, and in May of 1932, an unloading pit had been built in town and 70-ton cars from Naginey, filled with top dressing stone, were being hauled

by the KV from Reedsville to be unloaded in Belleville . It’s ironic that in order to survive, the KV indirectly helped in its demise by supplying material for roads that motor vehicles would use to take away its business .

Try as it might, the railroad could not stop the downward spiral of freight . In 1931, the KV was living off of 12,152 tons of freight . Two years later this figure would plummet to 4,640 tons, the lowest the KV would ever have . The local condensery was shipping by truck, as was Yoder’s Coal Yard, and milk traffic on the Milroy Branch was evaporating . Milk revenue dropped from $10,444 in 1931, $5,625 in 1932, $1,422 in 1933 to less than $500 in 1934-35, before completely drying up . Although, tonnage would increase in following years, it would never again reach above 10,000 . Passenger patronage was suffering as well . In 1932, ridership was down to 21,921, less than half of what it was in 1928 when the KV first began running trains to Lewistown .

What looked like a brief reprieve occurred in 1931, when the American Shortline Railroad Association notified the KV that it had brokered a deal with the ICC, granting shortlines less than 10 miles in length, two days of free unloading time for all loaded freight cars received from connecting carriers . Unfortunately, the order was short-lived and was annulled by the US Supreme Court at the end of the year . Adding insult to injury, the ruling was made retroactive to January 30, 1931 .

Stern measures had to be taken to save the company . In 1932, expenses were cut by reducing the wages of salaried employees and officers by 15 percent . Trackmen’s hourly wages did not change, but they were authorized to work only a four-day (nine hours per day) week. The following year, Getter reported that an additional wage reduction of 10 percent was made

The dinner train leaving Union Mills heading towards Reedsville, circa 1939. Freight has slacked off with only one boxcar in the consist. (Author’s collection)


on all employees and officers . This caused dissatisfaction among some, but Getter settled it by using his usual forceful negotiating skills . He also persuaded the PRR’s Middle Division (Harrisburg-Altoona) superintendent to reduce the trackage rights charge between Reedsville and Lewistown, from 25¢ to 15¢ per train-mile .

After curtailing expenses, manage-ment tried several tactics to lure the pub-lic to travel again by train . Passenger fares were slashed by over 35 percent . A ticket that used to cost 55¢ from Belleville to Lewistown was reduced to only 35¢ . Roundtrip tickets were cut from 90¢ to 50¢ and a workman’s 10-trip book-let was half price at $1 .75 . A trip from

Below: The Saturday Night Special on the PRR Milroy Branch steaming into Lewistown Junction in the summer of 1938. (Roy C. Hunt collection) 10-trip ticket (Kishacoquillas Valley Historical Society collection)


on all employees and officers . This caused dissatisfaction among some, but it by using his usual forceful negotiating skills . He also persuaded the PRR’s Middle Division (Harrisburg-Altoona) superintendent to reduce the trackage rights charge between Reedsville and Lewistown, from 25¢ to 15¢ per train-mile .

After curtailing expenses, manage-ment tried several tactics to lure the pub-lic to travel again by train . Passenger fares were slashed by over 35 percent . A ticket that used to cost 55¢ from Belleville to Lewistown was reduced to only 35¢ . Roundtrip tickets were cut from 90¢ to 50¢ and a workman’s 10-trip book-let was half price at $1 .75 . A trip from

Below: The Saturday Night Special on the PRR Milroy Branch steaming into Lewistown Junction in the summer of 1938. ticket Society collection)

THE LAST TRAIN 269

Reedsville to Lewistown cost a dime . The new rates were about half the cost of traveling by either bus or trolley .

In all honesty, the railroad wasn’t concerned much about trolley competition anymore . By 1932, Lewistown & Reedsville Electric Railway buses had virtually replaced all of the trolley runs and the company no longer maintained a regular rail schedule . A year later the railway was abandoned . Although buses would lower their fares, the cost of traveling the KV train remained competitive .

Passenger receipts slowly began to rise . In 1933, the KV hauled what may have been its longest passenger train . The Sentinel reported that “Memories of happy days were recalled Saturday morning [May 6] when the Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad teemed once more with life and excitement”—no doubt referring to KV Picnic trains in bygone years—when a large contingent of 211 Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) boys from Philadelphia detrained in Belleville on their way to set up camp in Alan Seeger . These were young unmarried men who were hired to work in forest camps, planting trees, building roads and creating state parks, all part of President Franklin D . Roosevelt’s “New Deal” plan to help combat unemployment caused by the Great Depression . Not only did the KV have to transport the troop, but their 18-20 tons of equipment as well . So large was this haul, that the KV had to supplement its fleet of two passenger cars with an additional six cars borrowed from the PRR . It made quite a stir for people accustomed to seeing only one or two coaches passing at a time, to see the KV engine pulling a long string of eight passenger cars from Lewistown to Belleville .

After arriving in Belleville, the CCC troop was loaded on back of trucks for a 14-mile bone-jarring trip over the mountains . The jaunt was said to have “knocked the pep out of many recruits and made them sorry they had ever joined up .” Many wondered why the train didn’t travel to Milroy since the distance to Alan Seeger would’ve been half that from Belleville and the mountain roads were in much better shape there . The reason was probably because the KV only had trackage rights as far as Reedsville and not beyond . However, when the Penn-Roosevelt CCC camp was opened a month later, the PRR (no doubt to the chagrin of the KV) made up a special train of five coaches and two baggage cars and “without any ifs, ands [sic], or buts” took the boys to Milroy .

A year later, through a stroke of genius, the KV Railroad began experimenting with what was called “The Saturday Night Special .” With a reduced rate for trackage rights, the railroad could justify running a special passenger train from Belleville to Lewistown on Saturday evenings . The first run was made on February 10, 1934 . The train left Belleville at 6 p .m ., and about an hour down the tracks arrived in Lewistown, letting off people who wanted to catch Roy Rogers on the silver screen or go shopping . Meanwhile, the train continued to Lewistown Junction where the engine was refueled and turned around . The train then returned to Lewistown proper to wait at the Dorcus Street siding beside the freight station . Those who returned to the cars early,


IN PREVIEW

Appendices


HISTORY IN BRIEFFeb . 3, 1755 Land office opens, although settlers began moving

into Kishacoquillas Valley in late 1754 (page 12)May 26, 1755 Valley named after Chief Kishacoquillas (page 11)April 1, 1800 Greenwood is offered postal service and village name

is changed to Belleville (page 14)Sept . 1, 1849 Pennsylvania Railroad officially begins train operations

between Harrisburg and Lewistown . (page 21)May 1, 1865 Mifflin & Centre County Railroad (PRR Milroy Branch)

track reach Reedsville . (page 21–22)June 2, 1868 Charter granted to the first Kishacoquillas Valley

Railroad Co . (page 23)June 14, 1892 Second charter granted to the Kishacoquillas Valley

Railroad Co . (page 32)Oct . 24, 1892 Contractor Edgar A . Tennis begins construction of

the KV . (page 40–41)June 26, 1893 Regular train service begins . (page 52)Aug . 30, 1893 First KV Picnic at Gibboney Park . (page 56)Nov . 1, 1893 Bonds issued to liquidate floating debt. (page 84)June 22, 1895 Clare Getter elected treasurer, becoming possibly the

only member of her sex to achieve such a high rank in railroading . (page 88)

Aug . 18, 1900 In Watts vs. KVRR, Mifflin County Court rules in favor of KV in selling 870 shares of stock to F .F . Whittekin for permanent improvements . (page 99)

Aug . 22, 1901 KVRR’s first fatal accident. C.C. Bent fell between cars and killed . (page 76)

March - 1902 Turning wyes completed in Reedsville and Belleville . (page 103)

Aug . 4, 1902 Fire destroys much of downtown Belleville . Locomotive runs into drug store delivering fire engine from Lewistown . (page 104)

June 13, 1908 R .W . Jacobs, largest KV stockholder, becomes direc-tor in his quest to make the railroad part of his Big Valley Street Railway . (page 120)

Aug . 30, 1911 First accident where paying passengers are injured . (page 130)

Aug . 24, 1916 Last KV Picnic at Gibboney Park . (page 76)

APPENDIX A: HISTORY IN BRIEF 331

June 9, 1917 KV issues first dividend. (page 189)June 14, 1919 Dr . John P . Getter elected president of KV . (page

191)April 19, 1925 Tornado destroys engine house along with much of

eastern end of Belleville . (page 203)Jan . 20, 1928 KV assumes responsibility to operate passenger ser-

vice between Reedsville and Lewistown on the PRR Milroy Branch . (page 209)

Dec . 30, 1930 Last dividend issued . (page 231)Feb . 10, 1934 First run of the Saturday night movie train special .

(page 269)Dec . 5, 1935 Milton Henry Dean killed by KV train while walking

along the tracks near Yeagertown . (page 275)March 20, 1936 KV begins repairing PRR Milroy Branch after the St .

Patrick’s Day Flood . (page 281)March 15, 1937 Thomas E . Zook, president of the Hertzler & Zook

Co . and a staunch supporter of railroad, killed in auto accident with KV train . (page 289)

Aug . 1, 1937 KV hosts excursion for the National Railway Historical Society . (page 293)

March - 1938 Afternoon train to Belleville replaced by Studebaker auto fixed to run on rails. (page 303)

Dec . 30, 1938 Directors unanimously decide to abandon the rail-road . (page 307)

April - 1839 PRR purchases pieces from a KV car to use in an old coach being renovated to show at the NY World’s Fair . (page 307)

Sept . 7, 1939 Application for abandonment filed with Interstate Commerce Commission and Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission . (page 311)

Feb . 15, 1940 Last scheduled run . Tribute meeting held afterward . (page 313)

March 18, 1940 KV sold for scrap to Rochester Iron & Metal Co . (page 316)

Oct . 14, 1941 Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad Co . dissolved . (page 323–324)

March 24, 1942 Dr . John P . Getter dies . (page 324)


ROLL CALL OF…OFFICERS: The first KV stockholders’ meeting was held on May 28, 1892 . All subsequent annual meetings were held on the second Saturday of June at the Belleville station, at which time a president and a board of directors were elected . The newly elected directors would then hold a meeting to elect the officers for the ensuing year . If an officer’s position was left empty by death (D) or resignation (R), the position usually remained vacant until the next stockholders’ meeting .President TermSamuel Watts 1892 – 1893Hugh M . Walters 1893 – 1894William M . Gibboney 1894 – 1895Henry S . Wilson 1895 – 1896 RW . James Hayes 1897 – 1916 DJ . Milton Campbell 1917 – 1918 DJohn P . Getter 1919 – 1940Secretary TermWilliam B . Maclay 1892 – 1917 RRobert B . Maclay 1918 – 1940Treasurer TermWilliam M . Gibboney 1892 – 1893 RE . Bruce Alexander 1893 – 1895Mrs . Clare W . Getter 1895 – 1896John M . Fleming 1896 – 1897Mrs . Clare W . Getter 1897 – 1937 DRobert B . Maclay 1937 – 1940General Manager TermJohn P . Getter 1893 – 1940

Vice President TermJacob Y . Zook 1892 – 1893Henry S . Wilson 1893 – 1895John M . Fleming 1895 – 1896W . James Hayes 1896 – 1897John M . Fleming 1897 – 1899J . Milton Campbell 1899 – 1907Frank F . Whittekin 1907 R

J . Milton Campbell 1907 – 1917John M . Fleming 1917 – 1923 DJeptha E . Hostetler 1923 – 1937Frank L . Campbell 1937 – 1940Auditor TermG . Fay Gracey 1893 – 1895 RW . James Hayes 1895 – 1896Jeptha H . Peachey 1896 – 1899Geo . E . Middlesworth 1899 – 1903William M . Gibboney 1903 – 1913Stockton Bates & Sons 1913 – 1923Mrs . Clare W . Getter & Robert B . Maclay 1923 – 1940

DIRECTORS: Below is a list of men who served on the KV board of directors at one time or another . The first board in 1892 consisted of 10 directors . After a change in the company’s by-laws in 1893 only eight directors were voted in yearly .

(F) Members of first board of directors in 1892.(L) Members of last board of directors in 1940.

E . Bruce AlexanderGilbert B . BrindleAndrew W . Campbell F

Frank L . Campbell L

J . Milton CampbellAbner Y . Detweiler F

Jacob K . DetweilerJohn M . Fleming F

Joseph M . FlemingJohn P . Getter F

A . Frank Gibboney Jr . L

William M . Gibboney F

Daniel A . HanawaltSolomon Z . HartzlerJohn F . Hayes L

W . James HayesAlexander C . Henderson F

Jonathan B . Hooley


IN PREVIEW


PAST & PRESENTAlthough, I have mainly concentrated on the past in The Ol’ Hook & Eye,

I believe it is important to give the reader a glimpse into the present with photographs . Not only is this a benefit to show landmarks for those of you who wish to explore the old KV yourself, but it’s entertaining to see how a scene has changed over time . Below are photos that I have taken in the last few years and the page numbers to the corresponding past photos . Enjoy!

Title Page

Page 37 Top

Page 37 Bottom

Page 102 Top Page 113


IN PREVIEW


Belleville, 12, 37, 180, 185 decline, 28, 326–327early history, 14–17, 28fire of 1902, 104, 105, 238growth, 139, 151, 188, 325map, 6, 21, 341tornado, 158, 171, 203, 204–205

Belleville & Reedsville RR, 120–121Belleville Carpet Factory, 154, 155, 156 Belleville Chamber of Commerce, 179,

183, 191, 266, 286, 314Belleville Community Hall, 184, 293,

294, 299, 314, 320Belleville Community Sale, 183, 184–185Belleville Condensed Milk Co ., 132, 147,

148 149, 150, 158–159, 174, 210, 303Belleville Dairymen’s League Co-Op .

Assoc ., 150Belleville Deposit Bank, 105, 121, 285Belleville Electric Co ., 73, 158Belleville Fire Co ., 79, 105, 148, 158, 160,

171, 191, 203, 286, 320Belleville Fireman’s Festival, 79Belleville Flour Mills, 136, 153–154, 162,

163, 169, 182, 183, 203, 204, 205, 206, 213, 323, 340–341

Belleville Foundry & Machine Shops, 44, 76, 158, See also Hertzler & Zook Machine Co .

Belleville Grain Elevator, 125, 132, 153, 168, 169, 170, 172, 205, 340–341

Belleville High School, 79, 149, 156, 165, 311, 314

Belleville Library, 275–276Belleville Livestock Market, 164, 183,

185, 326, 340–341Belleville National Bank, 133, 148, 285Belleville Post Office, 14, 52, 105Belleville Station, 51, 54, 86, 91, 101, 102,

113, 134, 203, 236, 266, 276, 298, 303, 317, 340–341

The Belleville Times, 4, 148, 167, 233Belleville Water Co ., 159, 191Belton & Temple Traction Co ., 119Berrier, Roy E ., 229Bessemer & Lake Erie RR (B&LE), 270–

272, See also KVRR coach No .6 & 7Bethlehem Steel Quarry, 266, 281, 294Big Four Implement Co ., 180, 181Big Valley, 9, 11, 285, 360

INDEXPhoto pages in bold

Abbotts Dairies Inc ., 151, 164Africa, J . Murray, 49, 123Ahrens Construction Co ., 113Alexander, James, 13Alexander, E . Bruce, 55, 58, 67–68, 73,

74, 88, 133, 147, 242, 244, 323, 332, 368Alexander, Lowell H ., 174, 176Allensville, 6, 14, 21, 23, 29, 36, 38, 46,

49, 50, 62, 64, 72, 116, 123, 155, 186, 207, 275

Allgyer, John, 180Allison, Charles E ., 4American Shortline Railroad Ass ., 267 American Telephone & Telegraph

(AT&T), 46, 262American Viscose, 162, 199, 211, 260Amish, 14, 45, 49, 60, 73, 134, 154, 167,

241–242, 294, 326Amtrak, 386Andrews, H .O ., 169Andrews, Walter, 169Apple House, 137, 177, 178, 179Arms, George H ., 24Armstrong, John, 11Armstrong, John “Jack”, 11–12G .W . Ault Gas & Oil, 102, 186–187, 188,

213, 340–341Aurand’s Bus Service, 196, 197Axe, Reuben, 45

Bailey, Carl C ., 220Bailey, J . Reed, 164Bailey, Jonathan M ., 91, 99Bald Eagle Valley RR, 22, 386Baldwin Locomotive Works, 24, 94,

100–101, 143, 162, 219, 220–221Baltimore & Ohio RR, 31, 384Barr, W .A ., 229Bateman, T .H ., 229Stockton Bates & Sons, 190, 332Beatty, Charles, 11Beaver, James A ., 60–61, 188Bebelheimer, Daniel, 390–391Bell, William, 14Belle Theatre, 148Bellefonte Central RR, 194, 245

INDEX 397

Cummings, John W ., 46Cummins, Samuel, 23Cupper, Homer B ., 107–108

Dahl, Jim, 137Dahlen, Fred, 69Dalby, John W ., 233, 234, 238, 271, 275,

282, 333Daylight Saving Time, 197Decker, Gertrude, 130Delaware Bay & Cape May RR, 29Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR

(DL&W), 41, 317PA Department. of Internal Affairs

(DIA), 52, 112, 130, 134, 275, 303, 356Detweiler, Abner Y ., 31, 146, 332Detweiler, David Z ., 146Detweiler, Jacob K ., 332Detweiler Creamery, 146

Eagle Hotel, 17, 23, 37, 69, 75, 104–105, 146, 184, 185, 293

Eagle Hotel Stable, 105, 183, 184, 185Ealy, Ezra, 136East Broad Top RR ., 32, 38, 321Elder, G .W ., 58Erie Canal, 17S .H . Esh & Co ., 146–147Esh, Samuel H ., 146, 317Everett RR ., 264

Fagley Paul, 144, 253Fairbanks-Morse & Co ., 52, 84, 127, 128,

159Fairmont Foods, 151Farmers’ Garage, 174Farmers’ National Bank, 180, 191, 285Farmers’ Telephone Co ., 46Fleming, John M ., 31, 88, 332Fleming, Joseph M ., 23, 332Floyd, John B ., 76, 121Focht, Benjamin K ., 60Folkhart, Bill, 262–263Foltz, Lawrence, 45Foltz, Walter, 153–154, 188, 203, 205,

266, 311Foltz, Warren, 188Foust’s Tavern, 121Freedom Forge, 15, 22Freedom Iron & Steel, 23–24, 25, 32Freedom Iron Co ., 22, 23, 24, 25

Big Valley Street RW (BVSR), 6, 116, 118–121, 123

Bigelow, Israel, 64Bontreger, John, 160Boston & Maine RR, 93, 310Bradley, Claire, 124–125, 333Brindle, George E ., 146, 184, 293Brindle, Gilbert B ., 98, 121, 332Brindle, John, 110, 333Brindle, Richard, 23Brindle, Richard E ., 180, 181Brown’s Mills, 13, 19, 21, 154Burke, Jane, 294Burke, Sam, 286–287Burnham, 7, 15, 22, 62, 71, 96, 127, 143,

157, 160, 256, 289, 313, 314, 387, 389Burnham Park, 71Burns, William J ., 194, 198Byler, A .D ., 172Byler, Menno Z ., 110, 131, 333Byler, Solomon, 39

Campbell, Andrew W ., 23, 31, 43, 84, 332

Campbell, Frank L ., 132, 181–183, 266, 311, 332

Campbell, J . Milton, 99, 112–113, 120, 131–132, 190, 244, 332

Campbell, Joe, 260Campbell, John A ., 98Campbell, Robert D ., 23Carnegie, Andrew, 24, 25Carothers, Newton, 110, 333Carson, George, 192, 369Cedar Hill, 141, 142Cedar Hill Station, 7, 90, 113, 141, 144,

195, 202, 211Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), 145,

269, 273Clark, David B ., 195, 196, 202, 224, 333Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St .

Louis RR: 233Coffee Run, 7, 141, 144Cold Water, 6, 45, 73, 90, 110, 137, 192,

197, 239, 240, 241Conrail, 386, 387Contner, Davis M ., 23Co-Operative Creamery Co ., 172–173,

174, 176Cumberland Valley RR, 31, 51


improvements, 73map, 60pavilions, 61, 63, 65, 73, 75, 77, 78, 79relations with KVRR, 55, 73

Gibboney, Penninah, 46Gibboney Station, 6, 53, 60, 84, 140, 319Gibboney, Thomas S ., 39, 42, 51, 52, 76,

89, 103, 107, 108, 115, 124, 131, 244, 333, 367, 369

Gibboney, William M ., 30, 31–32, 39, 46, 73, 88, 89, 90, 103, 120, 174–175, 244, 332, 333

Gibboney Woolen Mill, 55, 60, 140–141, 142, 202

Gibbons, Bill, 66Glasgow, Cyrus, 24Glass, William, 25Gotshall, Adam J ., 7, 390, 391Gottschalk, Hugo, 208Gracey, George Fay, 89, 323, 332Great Depression, 145, 150, 163, 178, 231,

257, 265, 269, 275, 291, 293, 325Greenwood, 14–15, 21Greenwood Furnace, 6, 15, 23–24, 28, 32,

39, 45, 137, 141, 142, 143–144, 145–146 Greenwood, Joseph, 14, 17Greenwood Ore Banks, 15, 23, 28Greybill & Sons, 151–152, 153, 202, 255Greybill, Harry, 153, 165Greybill, John D ., 153Greyhound Lines, 275

Hackenburg, John, 193, 333Haffley, Miles, 32Hanawalt, Dan A ., 103, 148, 194, 225,

265–266, 332, 333Harlan & Hollingsworth Co ., 111Harman, C . Elwood, 224, 226, 275, 276,

303, 304, 305, 317, 333Harrisburg Car Co ., 43, 46Harshbarger, Bruce C ., 159, 193, 199–

200, 226, 232, 234, 235, 236, 254, 259, 275, 282, 294, 296, 303, 312, 313, 317, 333, 373

Harshbarger, William C ., 110, 158, 193, 195, 333

Hartzler Anna M ., 176Hartzler, C .B ., 172Hartzler, “Jake,” 45

Freedom Iron Works, 22, 23, 142Fulton, James, 32, 36, 58Fultz, Allen, 28

Gardner, W .C ., 47, 205Geary, John W ., 23Gegenheimer, Edward C ., 282Gemmill, John B ., 49, 52, 89, 333Getter, Clare W ., 29, 30, 88–89, 98, 103,

120, 190, 206, 289–290, 307, 324, 332Getter, John P ., 30, 78, 80, 106, 123, 263,

288, 290, 310, 312accident, 224–225benevolence, 74, 102, 105, 108, 226,

272, 292, 307, 311, 320community booster, 191, 285death, 324doctor, 29, 76, 89, 206illness, 122–123KVRR founder, 29–31KVRR general manager, 35, 85, 91, 92,

96, 98, 100, 103, 111–112, 120, 126, 127, 133, 190, 265, 332

KVRR president, 191, 195–196, 274, 332KVRR stockholder, 131–132, 208, 323NRHS excursion, 292–294, 299, 303stories about, 252–253, 257, 262, 263,

361–364world cruise, 206–207writings, 55, 76, 84, 282, 290–292,

293, 308, 315, 316Gibboney, Adolphus F ., 23, 55, 140Gibboney Jr ., A .F ., 73, 177–179, 323, 332Gibboney, Albert G ., 23, 174Gibboney Jr ., Albert G ., 79, 175–176, 233

writings 73–74, 90, 92, 106–107, 135, 177, 200, 211, 219–220, 226–227, 234–246 passim., 287, 289, 307, 324, 366–367, 368–369, 371,

Gibboney, Alexander, 140Gibboney Jr ., Alexander, 140, 174Gibboney Apple Orchard, 177, 178–179Gibboney, Betty & Jane, 294Gibboney Drug Store, 146–147, 174–175,

198, 340–341Gibboney, H .H ., 141Gibboney Park, See also KV Picnic

baseball fields, 62, 80carousel, 67–68, 74, 76, 79fountain, 73, 81

Gibboney Park continued,

INDEX 399

Inn the Pines, 207Inter-Mountain RR, 6–7, 143–145Interstate Commerce Commission

(ICC), 107, 134, 263, 267, 310Inwood Station, 6, 90, 133, 137, 245Iowa Central RW, 50Irvin, A .L ., 41Isenberg, F . Blair, 120, 124, 333

Jack’s Mountain, 6–7, 9, 11, 40, 210, 252Jacobs, Roy W ., 116, 118–121, 123–124, 132,

333Johnstown Flood, 126, 278Juniata, 9, 11Juniata Valley Electric Street RW

(JVESR), 116, 118, 123, 132–133Juniata Valley RR, 91, 387, 388Juniata Valley Street RW (JVSR), 116, 123

KV Junction, 53, 128, 250, 251, 304, 305–306, 342–343

KV Picnic, See also Gibboney Park alcohol, 75–76attendance, 56–57, 64, 72entertainment,

music, 58, 62speakers, 57–58, 60–62misc ., 62, 65–67

fatalities, 75, 76passenger service, 69–71, 131weather, 74–75wedding, 76–77

Kanagy, Harvey, 231, 232–263 passim., 264, 304, 308, 316, 321, 333

Kauffman, Alden, 153Kauffman, Arthur “Art” W., 236, 377Kauffman, Bruce, 137, 247, 256, 257Kauffman, Israel, 41, 50Ka-Vee Ice Cream Co ., 169, 175, 176, 177,

276, 340–341Kelley, Joseph, 164, 255Kennedy, Robert, 166Kennedy, William T ., 111, 166Kennedy Jr ., William, 167Kennedy’s Bakery, 166–167, 210Keystone State, 9Keystone Transportation Club, 266Kishacoquillas, 47, 60, 62Kishacoquillas, Chief, 11, 13Kishacoquillas Park, 7, 71, 72, 79, 273

Hartzler, John & Anne, 178Hartzler, John B ., 179Hartzler, John M ., 176Hartzler, John Y ., 41Hartzler, Joseph ., 41Hartzler, Nicholas, 23Hartzler, Solomon Z ., 99, 332Haughwout, John, 262–263Hayes, John, 23Hayes, John F ., 132, 332Hayes, W . James, 88, 93, 98, 99, 120,

131–132, 190, 244, 332Heasley, Daryl K ., 253Helfrick, Marlin W ., 245Helfrick, Rachel & Albert C ., 207Henderson, Alexander C ., 31, 40, 98,

332Hertzler & Zook Inc. (H&Z), 127, 153,

158–159, 160, 161–163, 193, 199, 203, 210, 220, 275, 289, 304, 317, 340–341

Hertzler, Israel Z ., 158, 162, 266, 311, Hill Store (Belleville), 16, 148Hooley, David K ., 41Hooley, Jonathan B ., 40, 332Hooley, Kate, 191Hooley Station, 7, 40, 53, 85, 87, 108, 113,

115, 191, 211, 218, 250Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington RR, 310,

316Horton, W . “Tommy,” 69, 244, 368Hostetler Coal Yard, 170Hostetler, Jacob A ., 146, 147, 150–151, 242Hostetler, Jeptha E ., 165, 323, 332, 333Hostetler, John A ., 241–242Hostetler, John P ., 42Hostetler, John Y ., 182Hostetler, Joseph H ., 106, 241–242, 370Hostetler, Josh, 180 Hostetler, Samuel A ., 170 Hughes, Charles, 218, 224, 226, 235, 239,

312, 333Hughes, Edward, 110, 333Huntingdon, 8, 19, 31, 116, 118, 123–124,

132–133, 143, 254–255, 278, 389Huntingdon & Broad Top Mountain RR,

93, 143Huntingdon, Lewistown & Juniata

Valley Traction Co. (HL&JVT), 123– 124, 132

Hurricane Agnes, 199, 387


No .4, 200–201, 202, 203, 219, 280, 282

No .5, 194, 195, 200, 202No .6, 2, 199, 207, 219, 220–223,

228, 229, 231, 232, 235, 246, 248, 258–259, 272, 274, 285, 288, 310, 313–314, 317–318, 319–320

No .1033, 102, 217, 229, 230–231, 240, 244, 282, 283–284, 288, 310, 318

No .2082, 217, 226, 251, 273, 282–285, 288, 291, 293, 299, 309, 310, 318

maintenance, 85, 97, 189, 359organization, 23, 30–32passenger service, 42, 52–53, 95,

97, 110–112, 127–128, 138, 145, 189, 207–209, 210–211, 267, 268–269, 273–275, 289, 304, 311, 346–349

passes, 48, 72, 88, 97, 107, 160, 219, 253, 291, 292

permanent improvements (roadbed), 98, 100, 103, 112–113, 130–131, 218, 224, 308, 359

railcars, 336No .1, 112, 128No .2, 127, 128, 129–130, 134, 191–192No .3, 220, 224, 225No .4, 102, 192, 251, 263, 303–306

relations with PRR, 53, 91, 95, 126–127, 209, 212, 214, 250, 252–253, 266, 268, 281–282, 292, 294

rolling stock, 337–339baggage No .5, 212, 213, 221, 239, 323coach No .4, 212–213, 221, 239, 274,

323coach No .6 & 7, 270–272, 290, 291,

293, 296, 309, 311, 322, 323combine No .1, 42, 51, 86, 130, 134,

207, 208combine No .2, 57, 86, 87, 111, 130,

211, 308, 309combine No .3, 111, 114, 115–116, 117,

130, 195, 203, 211–212, 274, 309, 323

flatcars, 46, 70, 95, 107–109, 111, 171, 205, 222, 236, 281

salaries/wages, 42, 52, 70, 88–90, 97, 103, 110, 113, 120, 190, 191, 267, 303

Saturday Night Special, 239, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272

Kishacoquillas Station, 6, 46, 47, 53, 131, 164

Kishacoquillas Valley Inn, 293Kishacoquillas Valley National Bank,

285Kishacoquillas Valley RR (KVRR, KV),

abandonment, 307–324accidents, 41, 76, 83–84, 86, 88, 104–

105, 106–109, 110, 122, 124, 128–130, 191–192, 195–197, 224–229, 238, 249, 275, 289, 290–291, 312, 313–314

alcohol policy, 97, 124, 128automobile (train replaced by), 274bonds, 23, 84, 202, 219bridges, 41, 50, 100, 281, 320, 323

Belleville, 44, 45, 50, 130Gibboney, 44, 50, 56, 100, 128, 129,

218, 244, 304H&Z, 160Union Mills, 44, 50, 129, 224, 329wye, 102, 103, 127, 278

KV Bus Line, 274–275carbarn, 113, 117, 186, 239, 285, 323,

340–341competition from autos & trucks, 198,

207, 210, 229, 265, 267, 275, 307, 310construction, 24, 40–50, 84court cases, 47–48, 49, 91, 99, 110–111,

119–120, 289dividends, 36, 97–98, 135, 189, 190,

203, 208, 224, 231, 291–292elections, 23, 31–32, 48–49, 88, 98–

100, 112–113, 120, 121, 124, 131, 190–191engine house, 84, 163, 171, 202, 203,

204–205, 206, 207, 208, 309, 322, 323, 340–341

excursions, 69, 80, 95–96, 135, 215, 273, 293–294, 295–302, 303, 311

expansion, 45, 143–144, 209, 308, 310freight service, 50, 97, 138–139, 189,

193–194, 207, 210, 212, 267, 307, 317, 350–355

“Hook & Eye” (nicknames), 49–50locomotives, 334–336

No .1, 41, 42–43, 44, 51, 57, 86, 92–93, 95, 98, 109, 194

No .2, 93, 95, 98, 109–110, 194, 202No .3, 61, 100–101, 109, 110, 114–115,

161, 194, 200, 203, 205, 219, 272, 280, 282, 321

KVRR locomotives continued,

INDEX 401

Lewistown & Reedsville Electric RW (L&R), 7, 31, 32, 60, 70–71, 96, 116, 119, 121, 122, 124, 198, 211, 229, 269, 342–343, 388–389

Lewistown Fairgrounds, 72, 96Lewistown Freight Station, 261, 269 Lewistown Junction, 7, 21, 95, 209,

214–215, 258–260, 269, 270, 272, 277, 293, 294, 296, 313, 344–345, 386–389,

Lewistown School Picnic, 273 Lewistown Station, 21, 216, 217, Lewistown Transportation Co ., 229, 389Lewistown Union Picnic, 72–73Locust Grove Mennonite Church, 272Logan, Chief, 13Logan Iron & Steel Works, 24, 25, 32, 35,

145, 389, 391Louisville & Nashville RR, 50Lumber City, 7, 127, 103, 133, 194, 227–

228, 250, 272, 278, 317, 322, 342–343

Maclay & Campbell, 181, 182, 183, 210, 286, 340–341

Maclay & Royer, 180, 181, 182Maclay & Son, 164, 183Maclay, Lizzie, 131Maclay, Ralph H ., 333Maclay, Robert B ., 74, 132, 180–182, 183,

190, 290, 311, 323, 332, 333Maclay Jr ., Robert B ., 183Maclay, William B ., 30, 31–32, 93, 99,

120, 131–132, 151, 153, 189, 190, 244, 290, 332, 333, 369

Main Line of Public Works, 17, 18, 25, 385

Manbeck, Frank, 110, 333Manbeck, Hal H ., 39, 193, 244, 323, 333Manbeck, Ralph M ., 107, 192–193, 197,

199–200, 225, 232, 239, 247–248, 250, 259, 275, 303, 312, 317, 333, 373

Mann, James, 23Mann’s Narrows, 7, 14, 19, 27, 40, 60, 95,

210–211, 217Marburger, A .S . “Ozzie,” 325, 327Matthews, Vincent, 110, 333McAlevy’s Fort, 6, 64, 132, 143, 144, 266McBurney, Robert, 23McClenahen Brothers, 46, 73McClintic, Joseph H ., 120, 333McClure, H .M ., 120

schedules, 52, 59, 85, 90, 103, 127–128, 197, 207, 211, 213, 217, 247, 256, 274, 306

stock, 23, 24, 32, 34, 35, 36, 39, 46, 49, 52, 84, 89, 98–99, 111, 118–120, 131–132, 208, 291–292, 308, 323

surveys, 24, 32, 39–40, 47, 113, 131, 144trestles, 51, 100, water tanks, 46, 262, 263, 375wyes, 52, 90–91, 98, 100, 101–102, 103,

127, 149–150, 165, 186, 202, 236, 250, 305, 314, 340–343

Klepfer, Clarence, 69Kline, Charles (Mrs.), 130Kline, Dyson F ., 265–266, 274, 275, 333Kline, Jimmie, 65Kline, Paul, 266H .E . Knepp Coal & Lumber Co ., 314Knepp, Harry, 67Knepp, John W ., 76Kovalchick Salvage Co ., 321Krentzman's salvage co ., 202, 318, 388Krepps, Bert, 224Krepps, Wesley, 224, 226Kulp-Thomas & Co . RR, 7, 389–390Kurts, Joseph Y ., 164Kyle, Frank “Teddy,” 39, 40Kyle, Charles Strode, 69

Lantz, Robert F ., 307, 363–364, 372–373

Lantz, Samuel, 27Lashell, R .C ., 49Laube, Amos, 242, 244Laughlin, Mary McNabb, 167Lee III, Richard H ., 23 Lehigh Valley RR, 26, 27, 384Leister, John, 148Lewis, Robert G ., 250, 257, 260, 292–

293, 294, 308, 310, 316Lewisburg & Tyrone RR, 390Lewistown, 7, 14, 17, 18, 21, 47, 60, 72,

79, 95–96, 104, 121, 122, 126, 157, 160, 197, 198, 203, 209, 211, 212, 225–226, 227, 229, 233, 253, 257, 266, 268–269, 273–274, 276, 277, 311, 317, 385–389

Lewistown & Kishacoquillas Turnpike Co ., 60, 388

KVRR, continued,


Nissley, Martin R ., 147Norfolk Southern RW, 386, 387, 388Northern Central RW, 32, 42, 339, 387

Ohesson, 10, 11, 14Omwake, Stanley, 308–310Orr, James L ., 108, 125, 126, 192, 237, 333

Panic of 1837, 19Panic of 1893, 85Patterson, S .M ., 121Pattison, Robert E ., 32Patton, John, 333Patton, William A ., 97, 108, 129, 130, 136,

191, 193, 194, 238, 323, 333, 367Patton, William J ., 70, 193Peachey Barn, 185Peachey, Dave, 180 Peachey, Ezra J ., 129 Peachey, Jeptha H ., 99, 120, 332, 333Peachey, John, 23Peachey, John S ., 172Peachey, Joseph H ., 333Peachey, Rufus, 41Peachey, Solomon D ., 36, 183–185, 333Penn Central Light & Power Co ., 73, 121,

160, 389Penn Central RR, 386, 387Penn-Reed Milk Co ., 150, 303, 307, 310,

325, 340–341Penn State University, 61, 178, 245Penn, William, 9, 11Pennsylvania Canal, See Main Line of

Public WorksPennsylvania Game Commision, 136Pennsylvania Public Utility Commision,

310–311Pennsylvania RR (PRR), 19–22, 24–26,

39, 57, 69, 70, 91, 95, 111, 116, 126, 127, 136, 143, 179, 196, 209, 212, 214–215, 217, 226, 229, 250, 252–253, 266, 268, 269, 278–279, 281–282, 292–293, 294, 307–308, 311, 313, 384, 385–388, See also Mifflin & Centre County RR (M&CC), Milroy Branch (PRR), and Sunbury & Lewistown RR (S&L)

Pennsylvania Turnpike, 26Peters, Edward, 126, 333Philadelphia & Columbia RR, 18, 326Philadelphia & Reading RR, 25, 26, 31,

162, 384

McClure, John A ., 16, 105McColm, Charles R ., 266, 333McConnell, Emma, 198–199McConnell, Wilson “Red” I ., 193, 195,

198–199, 246, 333McNabb, William J ., 16, 333, 360McVeytown, 8, 54, 62, 116Mechanicsville, 16Metz, Charles J ., 153, 205Metz, Jacob K ., 23Metz, Samuel, 72Middle Creek RR, 387Middlesworth, George E ., 42, 51, 89–90,

103, 108, 238, 332, 333, 366Mifflin & Centre County RR (M&CC), 7,

21–23, 32, 40, 53, 69, 72, 85 87, 91, 95, 96, 342–343, 386–387, 389

Mifflin County, 11, 13, 14, 153, 163, 182, 197, 276, 311, 391

Mifflin, Thomas, 14Mighty Haag Shows, 286Mill Creek, 14, 50, 116, 123, 278, 279Milroy, 7, 22, 62, 69, 91, 92, 127, 196,

197–198, 209, 269, 294, 308, 310, 342–343, 386, 387, 389–391

Milroy Branch (PRR), 7, 91, 92, 107, 127, 192, 197–198, 209, 210, 212, 214, 215, 218, 226, 251, 256, 267, 268, 278, 281–282, 294, 301–302, 310, 342–343, 387, 391

Moist, Bessie E ., 76Mont Alto RR, 51Moore, Luther W ., 289Morrison, Ephraim, 23Morrison, Joseph, 75Mount Hope Station, 6, 90, 203, 211,

247–248Myers, Betty M ., 80

Naginey quarries, 22, 209, 387, See also Bethlehem Steel Quarry

Narehood, Charles W ., 112Narrow-gauge, 30, 38, 39, 310, 321, 389National Limestone Quarry, 85National Railway Historical Society

(NRHS), 215, 223, 292–294, 295–302New Holland, 163, 170, 323, 325, 326–327New York Central (NYC), 384, 386New York Central & Hudson River RR

(NYC&HR), 24, 26

INDEX 403

E .G . Smith Colossal Shows, 287Smucker, B . Harry, 46South Georgia Railway, 318, 320South Pennsylvania RR, 24–27Southern Pacific RR, 200, 377Southern Railway, 200, 318Spangler, William H ., 174, 238, 244Spangler’s Drug Store, 37, 105Spanish-American War, 95–96Spicher, Aaron, 136Staley, Cyrus “Sike” E ., 39, 43, 51, 52, 54,

70, 96, 97, 104–105, 107, 108, 115, 128, 238, 307, 333, 366, 367, 369

Standard Steel, 24, 71, 79, 85, 91, 92, 94, 126, 127, 145, 219, 256, 317, 387, 389

Stauffer & Sons, 40Stevens, John, 385Stewartstown RR, 32, 36, 52, 89Stokes, Richard J ., 2Stone Mountain, 6–7, 9, 11, 12, 24, 45, 144 Stone Valley RR, 143, 145Strasburg RR, 230, 326Stroup, Charles, 52Stroup, David, 28Stroup, William, 107, 125, 333Stuck, Archie, 242Stuck, Ira F ., 265Studebaker, See (KVRR) Railcars, No.4Stuter, James D ., 107, 113, 159, 171Sunbury & Lewistown RR (S&L), 91, 127,

217, 386–388Swigart, Warren, 157Swigart’s Garage, 156

Taylor, Henry F ., 96Taylor, Joseph J ., 96Taylor, Robert, 333Taylor, Robert M ., 23Taylor Station, 6, 47, 53, 96, 131, 164, 211Taylor, William H ., 121Tennis, Edgar A ., 40, 42, 44, 45–46, 388Thomas, Chester B ., 389Thompson, William M ., 42, 51, 89, 333Thomson, John Edger, 19, 385Tuscarora Valley RR, 38

Unadilla Valley Railway, 317Union Mills, 6, 40, 53, 84, 137, 177, 192,

218, 242, 243, 267, 290, 327 Uttley, Thomas M ., 111Utts, Wilson S ., 16, 47, 360

Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore RR, 212, 339

Phillips, E . Gordon, 333Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean, 186Pinsly Railroad Co ., 316Pinsly, Samuel M ., 316Pittman, Charles, A ., 29–293Pittsburgh & Lake Erie RR, 25Pittsburgh & Western RR, 26, 27Plank, Sam, 180Poe, James, 16–17Pullman Car Co ., 111

Quigley, James I ., 71, 388, 389

Rager, John (Mrs.), 227–228Railroad Museum of PA, 230, 307Reading RR, See Philadelphia &

Reading RRReconstruction Finance Corp ., 308 Reedsville, 7, 14, 22, 23, 39, 30, 41, 49,

56, 60, 62, 64, 69, 73, 95–96, 116, 120–122, 124, 127, 142, 154, 182, 184, 193–194, 198, 209, 212, 229, 253, 254–255, 269, 275, 278, 311, 317, 342–343, 386–389

Reedsville Milling Co ., 154Reedsville National Bank, 32, 84Reedsville Station, 46, 53, 229 252, 314Reichley Brothers, 7, 390Renno, Jonas K ., 31, 333Rochester Iron & Metal Co ., 316, 323Rodgers, John, 177Rodgers, F .P ., 39, 41Rohrbasser, Alphonso, 172Ross, John C ., 42, 43, 49–50, 51, 52, 70,

96–97, 108, 333, 366Rowles, George, 226, 312Royer, Harry B ., 180–181Russler, Charles ., 150Russler, Paul ., 176

St . Patrick’s Day Flood, 276, 277–279Salzberg, Murray, 316, 317Schlatter, Charles L ., 18, 19, 20–21Scotch-Irish, 12, 14Seaboard, Pennsylvania & Western RR

(SP&W), 24, 26–27Shrader, 85, 87Siebert, Christian L ., 252, 272Siglerville, 14, 62, 64, 146Slear, G .C ., 69


World’s Fair (1939), 307, 309Wray, Billy, 69, 333Wray, C . Perry, 7, 391Wright, John A ., 23, 24Wyland, Elmer, 192, 333

Yeagertown, 7, 58, 62, 95, 96, 211, 229, 256, 275, 313, 369, 387, 391

Yoder, Amos, 168John D . Yoder & Co . Store, 276Yoder, Chester A ., 198Yoder, David E ., 154, Yoder, David I ., 135, 371Yoder, Irvin R ., 317Yoder, John H ., 41Yoder, Jonas, 23Yoder, Jonas D ., 176Yoder, Joseph K . “Jo-Jo,” 133–134, 262Yoder, Joseph W ., 121Yoder, Levi K ., 265Yoder, Levi M ., 121, 124, 154–157, 164, 224Yoder, Lois, 290Yoder, Moses P ., 333Yoder, Reuben K ., 170–171Yoder, Steven I ., 174Yoder’s Bus Line, 198, 211, 229, 265, 274Yoder’s Coal Yard, 170, 171, 203, 235, 267,

340–341J .M . Young & Co ., 164, 165, 186, 206, 210,

218, 326, 340–341Young, James, 237Young, John N ., 333Young, Joseph M ., 113, 165, 266Young, Rev . L .P ., 77

Zook, Amos, 155Zook, Charles R ., 175–176, 236Zook, David, 16Zook, David M ., 121Zook, Jacob Y ., 31–32, 44–45, 89, 98, 110,

172, 332, 333Zook, John F ., 172Zook, Jonas, 40Zook, Maurice “Moose” C ., 226, 239,

257, 275, 300, 303, 312, 317, 333Zook, Mildred, 118, 242Zook, Samuel B ., 249Zook, Thomas E ., 158–159, 220, 229,

289, 333Zook, Thomas K ., 121

Vallone, Frank P ., 123–124Vanderbilt, William H ., 24–26Vaughn, Robert, 193, 333

Walters, Hugh M ., 49, 58, 83, 88, 332, 333

Warner, Bruce, 129, 130, 193, 333Warner, Frank W ., 46, 121Warner, Roy A ., 125, 129, 137, 199, 200,

220, 224–225, 275, 303, 321, 333Watts’ Department Store, 31, 37, 61, 134,

168, 170, 276Watts, John, 100, 119, 124, 168, 238, 333Watts Memorial Methodist Episcopal

Church, 185Watts, Samuel, 16, 23, 31–32, 40, 46, 47,

49, 54, 84, 90–91, 98, 99, 100, 118–119, 120, 121, 124, 164, 185, 332, 333

Weibley, Roger, 129, 130Weiler, David, 23West Kishacoquillas Turnpike Road

Co ., 60West Shore RR, 24, 26Western Maryland RR, 31Whittekin, Frank F ., 39–40, 41, 47,

49, 58, 98, 100, 103, 111, 112–113, 120, 131–132, 144, 281, 332, 333

William Penn Highway, 186, 187, 286Willis, William, 23Wills, James F ., 314, 323, 333Wills Jr ., James H ., 176Wills, Thelma, 228Wills, W . Brown, 103, 107, 125, 126, 129,

131, 136, 137, 148, 161, 190, 194, 197, 200, 207, 212, 217, 219, 226, 229, 247–249, 251, 259, 260, 262, 264, 266, 276, 281, 303, 312, 317, 333, 373

E .H . Wilson & Co ., 41, 44, 86Wilson & Maclay Roller Mill, 86, 151, 158 Wilson, Henry S ., 31, 39, 46, 88, 99, 332,

333Wilson, John, 48, 100Wilson, John T ., 51–52, 89, 333Wilson, John W ., 84Wilson, William, 137, 150, 193, 199, 333Wilson, W . George, 151, 153, 311, 323, 333Withers, John, 23World War I, 76, 137, 156, 190, 197World War II, 163, 325World’s Columbian Exposition, 54

BLANK

― 406 ―

A charming backwoods railroad that ran in beautiful central Pennsylvania, the

Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad was known as “the short line with the long name,” and it’s no wonder that local residents cooked up their own nicknames – “the Lofty Van-derbilt,” the “Hair Line” or the “Ol’ Hook & Eye” – refl ecting its character and coun-try mystique. For 47 years (1893-1940) this standard-gauge railroad hauled passen-gers and freight between Belleville and Reedsville, a distance of only nine miles . For the last 12 of those years, KV passenger service extended an additional seven miles from Reedsville to the Pennsylvania main line at Lewistown Junction via trackage rights on the PRR’s Milroy Branch . Much of the railroad's enchantment comes from the fact that it was fi nanced through local stock subscriptions only, and was con-trolled its entire life by Belleville’s physi-cian, Dr . John P . Getter .

Between the covers of The Ol’ Hook & Eye lies the early history of Belleville and the eff ect the railroad had on its develop-ment: celebrating the annual KV Picnic at Gibboney Park, attempts by trolley inter-ests to take over the line, industries served by the railroad, its relationship with the PRR, an NRHS railfan trip, humorous and nostalgic recollections and the road’s near rescue and eventual demise .

This, the second edition of The Ol’ Hook & Eye, has been completely revised by the author with a wealth of new infor-mation and photographs . It is the most complete authoritative history of the KV railroad to date . A book you will read time and again, it is a perfect addition to the bookshelf of historians and railfans alike .

Double the content! (408 pages) Twice the photographs! (290) Complete Equipment Rosters

Maps & Track Plans Passenger & Freight Statistics

Financial Records Summary of Area Railroads

Index

Praise for the 1st edition:

This book is a fi rst-class job. The layout is

excellent, the photos numerous, and there

are all the maps, income charts, rosters

etc ., that one could desire .

George N. Pierson, The Scale Coupler

This book is a fi rst-class job. The layout is

A well written and carefully researched his-tory of a “backwoods” short line in the heart of Pennsylvania . One of the most enjoyable railroad histories that we have seen .Railroad Transportation

This could be one of the classic shortline his-tory sleepers of our time . It encapsulates all of the rich warmth of an old diary rescued from a musty trunk in the attic of an historic Victorian mansion, faithfully chronicled by an appreciative citizen of this sleepy old town in the Pennsylvania mountains . Yet it has been enhanced with excellent technical data, charts and fi ne hand turned graphics to delight even the most critical historian searching for a classic history of a rural shortline . When this delightful experience ended, I felt forced to make a whimsical decision as to whether to place it in the railroad section, or somewhere between “Our Town” and “Life On The Mississippi” with the true classics . For those who want a quintessential age-of-steam shortline his-tory, this book is a must!

H. Charles Yaeger, The Short Line

$32 .95

Date post:	11-Apr-2015
Category:	Documents
Upload:	kvrrdotnet
View:	801 times
Download:	0 times

Preview of "The Ol' Hook & Eye: A History of the Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad"

Documents