Return to "Background
of my Prussian Ancestors"
 |
Fig. P-3. I traced this map of former village of Peale from a draftsman's
plat which is in the hands of the owners of Charlemaine's restaurant on
Hwy 53 at Grassflats turnoff. The old graveyard is seen on right and below,
Morvian Run emptying into Red Moshannon Creek. "S" and "O" in middle of
town indicate respectively, the company Store and office. "sch" = school.
Moshannon creek flows to the right in northerly direction and empties into
West branch of Susuquehanna River.
OK, so I'm not an artist. |
" ... The town is built on a hill, at the base of which is Moravian Run, a branch of the Moshannon. It is divided into two parts by a small stream which runs into Moravian Run. The place is laid out with all the regularity of a city. Down in the ravine at the foot of the town are the slaughter houses, while all the stables in the place drain into the little steam which runs through the center. Far up above this on Moravian Run a dam has been built where ice is cut in the winter and stored in a house close by. A reservoir is on top of the hill back of town and distributing mains convey pure water into every street and from there to every house in the place."Return to "Background of my Prussian Ancestors""The houses are all two story frame buildings, painted brick red. They are wainscotted to a height of about four feet from the floor and are plastered throughout. They contain three rooms on the first floor and two or three on the second, with the necessary outbuildings. They are rented at from $4.25 to $6.25 per month, including water. Altogether they are the most comfortable miner's cabins seen throughout Clearfield County ... The rent is not high for a man earning $9 to $12 per week and is about what is charged for houses in other towns."
"The only store in the place is owned by the company. It is one long room, perhaps 100 by 400 feet, and everything is sold there that a man would likely to use. Liquor is the exception, as nothing intoxicating is sold in the place. An account is kept with each miner's family and once a month the books are balanced."
"There is an Episcopal church in the village and a town hall, which is used as a place of worship by the Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran societies. There is a chief of police but his duties are merely nominal, as no one is ever arrested. There is no jail. At present the town is without hotel accommodations, but the erection of a house of entertainment is contemplated. ..."