raised. The borough council decided it had no authority to raise money by general taxation for that purpose. On Wednesday morning the news was confirmed that instead of Imboden having driven our men from Bloody Run, Milroy's forces had driven the enemy out of McConnellsburg. The general reports were now favorable; the mill started and business was renewed. All this taking place during the first day's battle at Gettysburg. The second and third days were passed in trepidation. On Saturday morning, a telegram was received announcing the great success of Gen. Meade on the previous day. A public meeting was then and there held on the Square; Burgess George S. King presided and Samuel Douglass was secretary. The Rev. Schwartz offered the acknowledgments of a grateful people to their Creator and Preserver. Cyrus Elder read the Declaration of Independence; “The Star Spangled Banner” and other patriotic songs were sung, and addresses were made by Chaplain A. J. Hartsock, Prof. Haefner and T. L. Heyer.
On Thursday, August 20, 1863, the conscription under the second draft for this district commenced, the drawing taking place at Huntingdon. A. A. Barker and William Kittell, of Ebensburg, and C. L. Pershing and John M. Bowman, of Johnstown, were present. Seven hundred and ninety-nine names of citizens from Johnstown and adjoining boroughs were placed in the wheel, 259 of whom were drafted. For physical defects or upon the payment of $300, the party drafted could be excused from active service.
Under the call for 500,000 another draft was authorized by the federal government, the quota for Johnstown being fifty-six. Whereupon a meeting was held in the council chamber to adopt measures to meet it. Daniel McLaughlin presided, William R. Jones was secretary and Howard J. Roberts was treasurer. It was decided to pay volunteers the sum of $200 each, and a committee of two from each ward was appointed to solicit subscriptions; First Ward-C. T. Frazer and A. J. Haws; Second Ward-William McKee and I. E. Chandler; Third Ward-Lewis Plitt and R. P. Linton; Fourth Ward - Dr. William Caldwell and Webster B. Lowman; Fifth Ward - Alexander Kennedy and James A. Lane. The committee reported to an adjourned meeting the sum of $1, 838 in voluntary subscriptions. The question of raising money by taxation was then considered and favorably adopted. On February 8, 1864 an ordinance was passed under the authority of a special Act
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