Source:Bellevue-35th/content
BELLEVUE is going to have a celebration. The town will be 35 years old Sunday, September 5, but the citizens of that pretty little suburb will celebrate the event on the preceding Saturday. Thousands of dollars have been raised to defray the expenses, and those taking an active part in the success of the event promise the public a good time. There will be a parade, red fire and fireworks in addition to sports galore. Every street piano man in Pittsburgh has been engaged to play in Bellevue that day and the town will be wide open, except for crooks. Detectives will be on hand to arrest the latter, and in addition to the regular police force the members of the volunteer fire department will be sworn in as special officers. There will be a policeman in every square in the borough. The celebration was planned by the citizens for the purpose of showing the residents of Allegheny county what a fine place Bellevue is. The town has good schools. A new school is now being erected in the Third ward at a cost of $50,000. Bellevue also has several miles of paved streets and many in process of construction, a complete sewer system, one of the best volunteer fire companies in the state, an active board of health, water the equal of any in the state, and that life-giving property, good air and plenty of it. The town is supposed to have three constables, but it has not. They were elected at the last election, but in each ward the constable refused to qualify because there is no livelihood for a constable in Bellevue. The people are good and don't need constables.
Bellevue was incorporated September 7, 1867. It might have been instituted sooner, but those anxious to cut Bellevue away from Ross township were compelled to wait until Frank T. East was born. When he came to Bellevue, then the town had the required number of inhabitants to apply for a charter. It was granted to the borough on the date stated, and by its charter no saloon is allowed within its limits. The place has always been local option and the citizens have always largely voted to keep it so.
It is about 100 years since the commonwealth of Pennsylvania granted a tract of land to James Robinson called "Sandy Bottom," and out of this tract Bellevue has grown, until today it has a population of close to 5,000. Its sister borough, Avalon, has about 3,500, making quite a community, which is exclusively a residence district. Shortly after the grant to Robinson he disposed of a portion of his holdings to what can be called the first settlers. The tract included 640 acres within the borough limits, and the purchasers were Samuel Dilworth, Andrew Jack, Zachariah Blackburn, Erasmus Cooper and William Whitesides. Capt. Jack owned all that portion of Bellevue lying south of Lincoln avenue between Fremont street and the Allegheny city line, and at the mouth of the run named in honor of the owner, Capt. Jack kept a tavern and operated a ferry and grist mill. The farm of Dilworth adjoined him on the west, extending from Fremont street to the Ohio river and the western boundary of the borough, which is Avalon. This section was known as Dilworthville. The old homestead was only razed a few months ago, having stood for almost 100 years. Erasmus Cooper was the owner of the district extending north from Lincoln avenue from the western borough line to Sprague avenue. East of Sprague avenue, Mr. Blackburn owned all that portion to the eastern boundary line of the borough, situated north of Lincoln avenue. A burying ground was located on Baynes hill in this part of the borough in 1810 and the First Methodist Episcopal church was built there.
Some of the foundation stones are still visible. In later years the farms were subdivided and about 1852 the locality began to attract attention as a quiet residence section, a diversion from the busy life of the noisy cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny. Hugh Forrester was among the first to erect a home there, followed by Richard Stra, W. A. Rodgers, J. J. Gillespie, William Roseburg, J. J. East, Samuel Claney, Hugh Claney, William Claney, Alexander Claney, C. Preston, John Kenning, William Bakewell and others.
Soon its citizens became dissatisfied, for the borough was then a portion of Ross township and the only railroad in the township was at Jacks Run and the township people would not build a board walk, so it was decided to break away from the township and form a town of their own. Many meetings were held and on June 8, 1867, a petition signed by 33 property holders of the borough went into court and asked for a charter. It was then discovered that the borough did not have the required number of inhabitants, so when Frank T. East arrived, the town was incorporated, the charter being granted September 7. The original petitioners were J. J. East, Hugh Forrester, Alex. W. Claney, R. Straw, W. A. Rodgers, R. C. Rodgers, E. Gleason, Samuel Claney, Marsh Hunnings, William Claney, D. T. Dilworth, Hugh Claney, G. Wells, William J. Tuttle, Henry Williams, John Snodgrass, Jonathan Gallagher, George W. Smith, William Roseburg, Andrew Bayne, Robert Means, Jane Hershberger, C. Preston, Robert Davis, John Kenning, Alex Rockert, James Sterrett, E. F. Leightener, R. B. Megrew, Thomas Megrew, John W. Pittock, James Old and Thomas Bakewell. The late Col. Thomas M. Bayne, member of congress, who resided in Bellevue, presented the petition to court. Felix R. Brunot, who figured in the early history of Allegheny county, was the foreman of the grand jury which recommended the petition favorably. The court ordered an election which was held in the store of Henry Williams. Of the 33 original petitioners only four now reside in Bellevue and with few exceptions, the others are dead.
Samuel Claney, father of Mrs. William Jenkinson of Bellevue, was the first burgess of Bellevue, serving from 1867 until 1874. Those who have served as burgesses since the incorporation of the town are as follows: George Tomilson, W. R. Johnston, Alexander McIntosh, Richard Straw, John Semple, J. J. McCormick, William B. Kirker, Fred A. East, George Irwin, D. H. Martin, R. J. Miller and Fred W. Kiefer. Those still living and residing in Bellevue are Messrs. Johnston, McCormick, Kirker, East, Irwin, Martin, Miller and Kiefer. Mr. Kirker is at present a member of the legislature, representing the Seventh legislative district, of which Bellevue is a part. Those who have served as borough clerk are A. W. Claney, W. R. Johnston, J. J. McCormick, Thomas D. Williams, S. H. Daft, William H. McCullough, W. B. Kirker, George G. East and James M. Simeral. The latter is the present clerk of council.
Those who have served the borough in council follow: W. A. Rodgers, J. J. East, E. Gleason, H. Forrester, William Claney, Richard Straw, John Gregg, H. M. Bole, Col. T. M. Bayne, William Roseburg, William Whitehead, William Miller, W. J. Hammond, J. A. Torrence, William Davis, J. J. McCormick, M. Hunnings, M. J. Caughey, J. M. Balph, George F. Wright, W. H. Straw, Dr. E. S. Reynolds, [L.?] D. Watson, John I. Shaw, Henry A. Spangler, Nile R. Moore, Alfred McDonald, Fred Burki, R. C. Emery, Peter Stockhouse, George M. Paden, D. H. Martin, W. J. Longmore, John Johnston, Hugh Kennedy, E. G. Merriman, William Martin, A. E. Claney, Hon. W. B. Kirker, Elmer T. Graham. The present council comprises the following members: G. L. Hayes, president; Stephen Newburn, Capt. W. B. Rodgers, B. F. Mevay, Otto Kayser, Prof. Harry W. Golden, E. L. Kidney, Alexander Taylor, T. Lee Clark. Attorney David L. Starr is the borough solicitor and Ira C. Harper is the borough treasurer. The members of the borough school board are Andrew S. Miller, president; Truman S. Morgan, secretary; William Jenkinson, George Irwin, J. H. Herford and John Proven, Sr.
Bellevue probably has as many churches as any other town of its size in the state. The denominations represented are the Methodist Episcopal, Christian, Baptist, Methodist Protestant, Episcopal, United Presbyterian, Presbyterian and Reformed churches. It is also the home of numerous secret societies. Those represented are the Masons, Odd Fellows, Royal Arcanum, Heptasophs, A. O. U. W., Jr. O. U. A. M., Knights of the Golden Eagle. Company K of the Fourteenth regiment is also stationed at Bellevue. The W. C. T. U. is also represented and own their own property. There are numerous social clubs, most prominent among them being the Bellevue club, which is at present considering the erection of handsome quarters to cost $50,000. The club gives numerous social functions during the winter and has cozy quarters in Lincoln avenue, where its members can play billiards, enjoy reading in a library well stocked with books and indulge in other amusements. The town is lighted by electricity and the shaded streets and rolling hills afford delightful views of the surrounding country, making it one of the most desirable places adjacent to Pittsburgh and Allegheny. The festivities next Saturday will begin early in the morning and continue throughout the day. Three bands have been engaged and the sporting events and the speaking will take place in Roseburg's field, where stands will be erected. Sheridan avenue will be roped off and here booths will be erected, where the hungry can be fed. The various churches will also provide meals, the proceeds being devoted for church purposes. In the evening there will be a fireworks display, costing $1,000. The town will be beautifully decorated. The street car lines, which have largely contributed to Bellevue's growth, will run special cars to accommodate the crowd that certainly will go to Bellevue on that day, and the citizens not only expect to show visitors one of the prettiest residence towns in the state, but also make it a visit of social character, long to be remembered.
