history: December 2007 Archives

York County Prison, built 1853

The December 29, 1857 Gazette reported a Christmas night prison excape at the York County jail, which had been built only four years before. The escapees of 150 years ago used a method similar to that used just recently. The account follows below:

"PRISONERS ESCAPED AND RECAPTURED.

On the night of the 25th inst., two prisoners, names William Cook and James A. Quinland, made their escape from our new jail in a most adroit and skillful manner. They both, it appears, occupied the same cell on the second floor of the prison and were locked up, as usual, at about 5 o'clock in the evening.

Lewis Miller Drawing of a York County Pennsylvania German Christmas Tree

In December 1867, the Gazette reported:

"FESTIVAL-- The Moravians are now holding a festival at Washington Hall for the benefit of their new church. They have the largest and finest assortment of fancy articles and toys ever offered at any similar enterprise in this place. Among the attractions is a large Christmas tree, illuminated by hundreds of jets of light, which is well worthy of a visit. A trifling fee only is charged admittance--ten cents, we believe. Give them a call."

A related item reported progress on:

I guess it is human nature to want to have the biggest and the best. We are always impressed by the tallest buildings and the most gigantic pumpkins.

Our forebears were no different, as we can see by the Lewis Miller drawing above of a huge pumpkin. Miller captioned it: “1809. Christian Leaman, big and large pumpkin grown in his garden. It was as large as a barrel and more in circumference around. Old Dr. John Fisher bought it and sent it to Baltimore to let them see what old York can raise and examine it. No man could lift it from the ground.”

The citizens often made sure the local newspapers knew about their accomplishments. Short items from all over the county in the York Gazette in the autumn of 1877 list several examples:

One hundred and ten years ago, most folks, especially in rural areas didn't have telephones. That wonderous invention was only 21 years old in 1897. As far as other media, Heinrich Hertz has only discovered radio waves ten years before and television was way in the future.

The way to keep up with news of your neighbors was to read the newspaper. Each small community had a stringer, and no event was too small to report, especially since those free-lance reporters were reportedly paid according to the length of their column. This practice continued well into the mid-twentieth century. I remember, when I was a child, reading in the Gazette & Daily that my parents, grandparents, and I were entertained by my aunt and uncle for Christmas dinner. (My aunt happened to be the stringer for the New Bridgeville area.)

In early December, 1897 the special correnspondent of the Gazette "Jacobus Notes" column reported that:

McCall's Ferry (Holtwood) Power Plant Under Construction, ca.1907.

Electric power was on the front page 100 years ago. The Merchants Electric Light, Heat, and Power Company distributed hydroelectricity generated by the York Haven Water and Power Company, which utilized giant Kaplan turbines. These turbines were manufactured in York by the S. Morgan Smith Company.

When York Haven went on line in 1904, they were said to be one of the three largest water powered electric plants in the world. Just three years later, by the fall of 1907, there was a much larger hydro project underway. A 3,000 feet long high dam was being constructed at McCall's Ferry. A Gazette article of the time reported that it was believed that York, as well as Baltimore, would be receiving electric current from the McCall's Ferry Power Company by August of 1908.

Two days after the initial article another article appeared in the Gazette that raised doubts about the McCall's Ferry project: