Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.djvu/61

32 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES was chartered Feb. i6, 1884, and held its first fair near Berwick in Septembre of that year. After five annual exhibitions the association dissolved and the grounds were sold, being now a part of West Berwick.

The "Benton Agricultural Association” received its charter on Oct. 3, 1885, held five annual fairs, and then closed for lack of financial support. Since 1886 the Columbia County Agricultural Association has added more land to its holdings, doubled the capacity of the grand stand, and developed its fair into one of the largest In the State. The association is conducted on strictly business principles. It neither pays dividends nor levies assessments, the surplus going to make improvements to the grounds and buildings, and to increase the premiums. The officers in 1886 were; Samuel Camp, president; William Shaffer, J. M. DcWitt, Baltis Sterling. Jere Kostenbauder, vice presidents; J. C. Brown, treasurer; H. V. White, secretary: Thomas Webb, librarian; James P. Freas, John Appleman. Dr. A. P. Heller, executive committee; K. C. Ent, J. P. Sands, George Conner, auditors: Capt. U. H. Ent. chief marshal.

The present officers are: D. Hagenbuch, president; A. N. Yost, secretary: Jacob H. Maust. treasurer; Harry S. Barton, librarian; Ellis Ringrose; A. R. Henrie, A. V. Kressler; H. J. Pursel; vice presidents; E. W. Hagenbueh; H. B. Correll; Elliott Adams, executive committee; Austin Ohl; J. C. Cryder, Guy Mensch, auditors.

MONTOUR'S FAIRS

The Montour County Agricultural Society was organizeed Feb. 18, 1856. with the following officers: Thomas R. Hull, president; Philip F. Maus. C. Garrettson, Robert Patterson, P. Wagner, D. Wilson, E. K. Haas, J. Sheep. G. Shick. William McNinch. Jacob Sechler, vice presidents; James McCormick, secretary: Dr. C. H. Frick, corresponding secretary: B. K. Rholes. librarian; and I. M. Boyle, treasurer. The board of managers were: John Best, George Smith, James G. McKee, James McMahan. Jr., A. B. Cummings. Jacob Sheen. A. F. Russell, Stephen Roberts. William McHenry. William Yorks, Jacob Cornelison, Edward Morrison, J. M. Rest, Mavberrv Gearhart, Joseph Levers, John Hibler, Samuel D. Alexander. Robert Blee, William Snyder, E. Wilson.

The fair of that year was held at the mouth of Mahoning creek and the annual fair was later held at Washingtonville. In the course of time a difference arose between the representatives from the town and country and the society divided, the Northern Montour Agricultural Society being organized. The headquarters of the latter are at Washingtonville. where the annual fairs were held. The Montour County Agricultural Society held annual fairs in Danville. At present there arc no fairs held in Montour county, most of the people attending the Bloomsburg fair.

STATISTICS

Working out the averages of the State, to Columbia county, it is ascertained that farm laborers in this section work nine hours and forty-five minutes each day. There are 148,000 farm laborers in the State and their average monthly compensation is $20.60 with board and $32 if the laborer boards himself. Forty-two out of every one thousand hogs die in this county, a decrease of one from the figures of 1913. There are 1,130,000 head of hogs in the State, and they arc valued at $15,594,000, or at the rate of $13.80 a head.

The Columbia county horse has an average value of $139. There are 584,000 horses doing work on the farms of the State, which are valued at over $81,000,000. Last year they were only worth an average of $133.

THE OLD GRISTMILLS

Grain feeds the world and in the history of any nation the grinding of it into flour is found to be the first industry to be established. Handmills were known to the Chinese, the Egyptians, the lesser civilized nomads of Asia, and to the barbarians of Europe. The development of the handmill into the mill driven by animal power, and the subsequent application of waterpower to this work, is a matter that has been treated by many writers of the past. We will describe only the advent of the pioneer millers into the valley of the North Branch of the Susquehanna.

When the Quakers and their immediate successors, the Germans, came to this section of the State they at once noted the ample waterpower of the streams, and set to work to harness it to the millstone. The early settlers in Columbia county had to ride to Sunbury to get their grist ground until the first mill in the county was built in 1774 on Catawissa creek. It was a crude affair, run by the only undershot wheel ever used in the county, and was so often out of repair that