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History of Cambria County, V.1

24 HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
foot square, with a height of four and a half feet, and the weight of each was five hundred pounds.
     In 1901 and 1903 the two states had the line re-surveyed, and finding many of the stone markers missing, a search was made. One was discovered doing duty as a door step; another in a bake oven, and two in the foundation for a church. Wherever it was possible the old markers were put back, even if broken, and, laid in cement, were made as permanent as possible. The new monuments are of marble.
     There have been two or three re-surveys of this famous line, but notwithstanding the great improvements in instruments and the progress of civilization from Indian warfare to peace, the line as originally run was found practically true at every point.

THE "WHISKEY REBELLION" OF 1794.

     The contention which caused this outbreak of the people of Washington county, and even extended mildly into Quemahoning township, was the excise tax on whiskey.
     The great Alexander Hamilton had suggested to congress the wisdom and justice of making a levy of four pence per gallon on all distilled liquors manufactured in the country, and on March 3, 1791, such an act was adopted. This tax was properly acknowledged as a just law everywhere except in southern Pennsylvania, where all distillers became violent and refused to pay it. Their neighbors seem to have sympathized with them, and to some extent joined the force of resistance.
     At that time there were several distilleries in Quemahoning township, of which the owners were: Christian Hipple, Philip Kimmel, Sr., Christian Levenstone, William McDermott and Michael Mowry.
     The government and state administration used all the conciliatory efforts which were possible to prevent an outbreak; and were very lenient with the offenders permitting the time to pass until 1794, when an army was sent to put it down. The resisting parties hoisted flags with such inscriptions as, "Death to Traitors," "Liberty and No Excise," "Equal Taxation and No Excise," and "No Asylum for Traitors and Cowards."
     President Washington and Governor Mifflin directed the enrollment of 5,200 soldiers from Pennsylvania, and 7,750 from New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. Washington appointed General Henry Lee, then governor of Virginia, commander-in-


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Created: 29 Jan 2006, Last Updated:
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Lynne Canterbury, Diann Olsen and contributors