Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.I, p.575

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History of Cambria County, V.1

HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. 575

seven dollars per acre. The road known as the original Ebensburg branch between Cresson and Ebensburg was opened in 1861. Its charter was issued May 5, 1859, as the "Ebensburg and Cresson R. R."
     In 1887 the late Governor Hastings, ex-Governor Beaver, J. L. Spangler and others began to develop the coal in the Hastings district along the Chest creek. The coal and the necessary mining rights were acquired at about the same prices. On January 13, 1887, the Cambria & Clearfield R. R. was chartered for the purpose of hauling this coal to market, and the first track completed from La Jose to Hastings on September 24, 1888. It joined the Pennsylvania & Northwestern R. R. at La Jose, and the Pennsylvania R. R. at Bells Mill. In 1889 the branch from McGees to Glen Campbell was opened for traffic. In order to have better facilities for taking the coal to the main line, the Pennsylvania R. R. built the main stem of the Cambria & Clearfield division from Garway to Kaylor station, including the Susquehanna extension from Bradley Junction to the Junction of the Walnut Run Branch, and put it into service on August 1, 1892. The extension from the Junction of the Walnut Run Branch to Cherry Tree was completed and ready for business May 22, 1893.
     The Blacklick district was opened about 1892, by ex-Judge Barker and associates. A large plant was erected at Vintondale, to which town the Blacklick Branch was extended on October 30, 1894, and to Wehrum, August 29, 1902. On June 1, 1904, Dilltown was connected with Blacklick on the Indiana Branch by a road following the Blacklick creek.
     All the railroads of the Pennsylvania R. T. in the county north of Cresson are operated as the Cambria & Clearfield railroad division, which extends into Indiana county. Its first superintendent was D. H. Lovell, from January 1, 1893, to October 8, 1894, when he was succeeded by Frank Firth Robb, who remained until January 1, 1899; F. P. Abercrombie till August 1, 1900; L. W. Allibone until May 1, 1902; J. M. Baker, till November 1, 1902, and who was succeeded by Ernest J. Cleave, the present superintendent.
     Coal has been shipped from South Fork since 1870, but the district between that coal town and Windber was not opened until July 31, 1891. The late James J. Fronheiser and Judge M. W. Keim, in 1887, were the pioneers in acquiring coal lands south of South Fork, which at that time were worth from seven

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	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.	575
seven dollars per acre. The road known as the original Ebensburg branch between Cresson and Ebensburg was opened in 1861. Its charter was issued May 5, 1859, as the "Ebensburg and Cresson R. R." In 1887 the late Governor Hastings, ex-Governor Beaver, J. L. Spangler and others began to develop the coal in the Hastings district along the Chest creek. The coal and the necessary mining rights were acquired at about the same prices. On January 13, 1887, the Cambria & Clearfield R. R. was chartered for the purpose of hauling this coal to market, and the first track completed from La Jose to Hastings on September 24, 1888. It joined the Pennsylvania & Northwestern R. R. at La Jose, and the Pennsylvania R. R. at Bells Mill. In 1889 the branch from McGees to Glen Campbell was opened for traffic. In order to have better facilities for taking the coal to the main line, the Pennsylvania R. R. built the main stem of the Cambria & Clearfield division from Garway to Kaylor station, including the Susquehanna extension from Bradley Junction to the Junction of the Walnut Run Branch, and put it into service on August 1, 1892. The extension from the Junction of the Walnut Run Branch to Cherry Tree was completed and ready for business May 22, 1893. The Blacklick district was opened about 1892, by ex-Judge Barker and associates. A large plant was erected at Vintondale, to which town the Blacklick Branch was extended on October 30, 1894, and to Wehrum, August 29, 1902. On June 1, 1904, Dilltown was connected with Blacklick on the Indiana Branch by a road following the Blacklick creek. All the railroads of the Pennsylvania R. T. in the county north of Cresson are operated as the Cambria & Clearfield railroad division, which extends into Indiana county. Its first superintendent was D. H. Lovell, from January 1, 1893, to October 8, 1894, when he was succeeded by Frank Firth Robb, who remained until January 1, 1899; F. P. Abercrombie till August 1, 1900; L. W. Allibone until May 1, 1902; J. M. Baker, till November 1, 1902, and who was succeeded by Ernest J. Cleave, the present superintendent. Coal has been shipped from South Fork since 1870, but the district between that coal town and Windber was not opened until July 31, 1891. The late James J. Fronheiser and Judge M. W. Keim, in 1887, were the pioneers in acquiring coal lands south of South Fork, which at that time were worth from seven