History of The Borough of
Aspinwall, Pennsylvania
The Early Years, 1893 - 1920

Following its early incorporation as a borough December 28, 1892, Aspinwall began to respond to a rapidly changing environment. It was quite evident from the beginning that pride in the community played an important role in decisions to be made.

The period between 1893 and the early 1920s proved to be a time of growth and development. Basically, Aspinwall developed in three phases from 1892 to 1905. Phase One, in 1892, involved the area bounded by Sixth Street to the north, Freeport Road to the south, Western Avenue and Eastern Avenue. Phase Two, the development of lots on the hill, was first mentioned at the Borough Council meeting of December 9, 1899. At that time a blueprint was presented for this section. Phase Three, the development of the Delafield Plan, took place during the years 1904 and 1905.

In 1904, several Aspinwall men purchased 200 acres from the Delafield Company and formed the Aspinwall-Delafield Company. Development was started in 1905 on this section at the eastern end of the Borough. By the end of the summer, sewers were in place and streets were paved. On September 25, 1905, the plan for annexation of this section to the Borough of Aspinwall was officially adopted.

As a result of this development, the population of the Borough grew from 1,231 residents in 1900 to 3,170 in 1920.

The first recorded meeting of the Borough Council took place February 27, 1893 in the office of the Aspinwall Land Company. John Lawrence was sworn in as the first burgess. Council members included John Cowan, Ezra Creese, C.H. Reach, president, W.C. Scott, W.R. Smith and F. Armstrong. These men then established the following committees, with three members on each: Ordinance, Streets, Finance, Fire, Light, and Health. At the same meeting, E.J. Alter was elected clerk at a salary of $50.00 per year. Thomas J. Ford, the solicitor, earned $75.00 per year, and Robert A. McDonald, elected treasurer, was paid one and one-half percent of all money disbursed by him. It was further decided that Council meetings were to be held on the second Monday night of each month at the Fifth Street School.

The first Borough Council quickly got down to business. On April 10,1893. Council Clerk Alter was instructed to buy a lamp, oil and oil can for Council meetings. June 26, 1893, a potential bridge across the Allegheny River at the Brilliant Cut was mentioned. This subject of a bridge occurred with regularity at Council meetings over the next few decades. Council also, in March 1894, purchased a safe from Rair and Gazzann at a cost of $44.00 for the storage of important papers. In 1894, Council authorized the preparation of a second Borough map, to be recorded at the County Court House, and in 1896 a committee of three men was appointed to prepare Council rules and to have all ordinances printed in a pamphlet.

In the 1890s, water and sewer lines had to be planned, constructed and laid in order to meet the needs of a growing population. At first, this was done by the Aspinwall Land Company. Later the Borough of Aspinwall took over the responsibility when it purchased the Aspinwall Water Company from the Aspinwall Land Company in 1898. One interesting historical note is that in the summer of 1895 a water main was being constructed from Montrose to Allegheny City (now the North Side of Pittsburgh). Part of the construction involved the setting of two sixty-inch valves under the ground at the alley between Second and Third Streets just off Eastern Avenue. Because the valves were so big and heavy, it took twelve teams of horses to pull one of them.

Possibly many of the early homes in Aspinwall were not numbered. With the continuing growth and expansion, it became quite apparent that this numbering was needed. At the January 5, 1914 Council meeting, members discussed whether home mailboxes should be put all over the town to replace the Post Office slots then in use. Council agreed that this action should be taken. In May, Council decided that numbers would be assigned to all homes.

As the Borough grew, streets had to be laid out. At first many of these streets were simply unpaved dirt roads. During periods of heavy rain there would be a problem as the roads would become quite muddy. Soon many of the streets in the Borough were paved, often with bricks.

At first there was minimal lighting in the Borough. As the population grew, the need for additional electricity became apparent. Much of the early Borough street lighting was done through the use of carbon arc lamps. Later on, tungsten lamps were used. April 9, 1898, Borough Council granted Central District and Printing Telegraph permission to erect telephone poles. This was believed to be the first phone company in the Borough.

From the beginning, the question of adequate home lighting was a prime concern to both residents and Council. Soft coal, oil, or kerosene lights were used by early residents to light homes. At first the Aspinwall Land Company took care of the lighting requirements for the Borough. This was changed when the Borough of Aspinwall purchased the light plant from the Land Company in 1898. Later, in 1912, the Aspinwall Power Company agreed to furnish power to O'Hara Township.

An examination of old Council minutes indicated that it took a lot of money to run the light plant. Several times, bonds had to be sold to help pay for the upkeep and maintenance of the plant, causing concern among Borough officials.

At the beginning of the Borough's life, coal not gas was the main heating fuel for homes. The use of coal, however, led to a problem over how to dispose of the ash. The dumping of coal ash on vacant lots was a continuous problem for Borough officials in the early days. In time, however, the use of coal gave way to gas. After May 11. 1895, Aspinwall Borough Council allowed the Sharpsburg and Etna Gas Company to run gas lines into the young Borough. Two years later, permission was granted to Philadelphia Gas Company to do likewise.

To ensure that law and order would be present in the Borough, the Council began to pass numerous ordinances. Each ordinance was designed to meet a particular situation. The first Borough ordinance, enacted June 12, 1893, dealt with the election, appointment and duties of various Borough officers. Other early ordinances included a "peace and order" ordinance in 1898 dealing with high-wheel bicycles on the sidewalk interfering with walkers, a bike licensing ordinance in 1899, and an ordinance on the disposal of garbage in 1903.

Some Council affairs not requiring ordinances appear to have been more easily solved. In 1898, citizens complained of street lights not being on at night. They were given the explanation that in order to save money, the watchman was relieved of his duties on full-moon nights. On November 11, 1901, the school principal was asked to provide the names of boys throwing stones at arc lights. Other problems included boys throwing objects into the water reservoir, boys shooting craps, locomotives whistling too loudly, and unlicensed dogs running loose.

To safeguard the health of its citizens, the Aspinwall Council established a Health Committee and later on a Board of Health whose members were appointed by Council for staggered five-year terms. Old records indicate that scarlet fever, diphtheria, measles, smallpox and typhoid fever were typical diseases that affected residents. The Health Committee was also responsible for checking the water supply for purity. Monthly notations in the Council minutes indicated that the water supply was always pure and clean.

Interesting historical notes: At a special meeting held August 28, 1903, the Borough Council expressed concern over the smallpox epidemic currently present in Sharpsburg. In 1918, a major flu epidemic hit. The Council encouraged all citizens to get themselves immunized at the special center located at the Presbyterian Church on Center Avenue at Third Street. In addition, there were numerous problems with sewers and garbage collection. At first garbage was picked up by wagon, leading to a major problem with flies.

The Borough Council was also concerned with safety and with recreation. In June 1918, a Supreme Court case ruling made the property owner responsible for accidents resulting from a defective sidewalk. The condition of sidewalks within the Borough continues to be a topic of discussion today.

Tennis courts became a consideration at Borough Council meetings several times during the early years. Council minutes of July 1897, discuss a lawn tennis ground on the west end of Second Street. In the January 12, 1897 minutes, there is mention of a court on Fifth Street west of Western Avenue. Two years later, a tennis court is mentioned on First Street, and April minutes state that tennis court posts are to be installed along the curb on the north side of Second Street between Eastern and Center. Water fountains were located on strategic corners for the convenience of citizens. Markings can still be seen at the corner of Center Avenue and Second Street.

As the Borough grew, so did the need for dependable public transportation. On December 4, 1893, Council gave the Allegheny and Kiskimmines Railway a right-of-way through the Borough. This was followed in 1905 with the granting of permission to the O'Hara Street Railway Company to construct trolley tracks on Freeport Road. Streetcars became an important feature of the Borough.

The Pennsylvania Railroad began to purchase land between the Allegheny River and the railroad for the purpose of constructing a cut-off at Brilliant Avenue. Initially, the Railroad was able to obtain options from home owners but not from the Borough. Finally the Railroad attempted around midnight on May 2, 1903, to lay tracks across the desired streets. The Borough citizens were alerted to this event and quickly stopped it. Later on, the P.R.R and Council settled the dispute. According to the 1967 history, "The Borough got $40,000 in cash, a new siding for the Power Plant and three hundred feet of wharf space."

Although Aspinwall was quite successful in matters concerning public transportation, they were not able to convince the United States Post Office to establish a full-service Post Office in Aspinwall instead of Sharpsburg. This was a major topic of discussion in 1913.

To ensure that the Borough was getting what it paid for, Council took action on August 14, 1893, to authorize the installation of weigh scales in front of the Borough Building. All coal purchases were weighed, and to expedite matters the position of weighmaster was created. The bricks on Commercial Avenue still give evidence of the scale's location.

Around town, wooden boardwalks provided the initial means for residents to walk around. These wooden walks began to give way to flagstone ones as Borough residents indicated their preference for this type of material.

Also during the early years of Aspinwall, national and international events impacted the lives of residents. For example, the Homestead Steel Strike of 1892 probably was a topic of discussion around many dinner tables. The strike took place at the Carnegie Steel Company mill in Homestead. It lasted five months and involved the deaths of eighteen people -- seven guards and eleven workers.

The Panic of 1893 affected Aspinwall as well as much of the rest of the nation. Nationally, many businesses went under, and thousands of workers lost their jobs. In response to this crisis, the Aspinwall Borough Council, at its December 18, 1893 meeting, took action to authorize the construction of a service way from the watering trough as far north as Fifth Street. Unemployed men of Aspinwall were used for its construction. Nearly ten thousand feet of lumber was necessary to complete this project.

World War I occupied the hearts and minds of Aspinwall residents during the years 1917-1918. As a response to this concern, the Patriots Committee of Aspinwall purchased wrist watches from a watch factory in Canton, Ohio, for presentation to all Aspinwall men who were about to go into the service. Approximately 164 watches were distributed.

Children of the Borough were also involved; they were encouraged to participate in a garden growing contest. Borough Council at its October 21, 1918 meeting asked residents to flash their lights on and off, beginning at 9:00 that evening. A Victory Parade in honor of the Aspinwall soldiers was held November 12, 1918, and a Memorial Service for all those who had died in the war was held at the Presbyterian Church, Center Avenue and Third Street, on May 25, 1919. Later, a bronze plaque honoring residents who served in World War I was placed in the high school building. Aspinwall residents also supported several Liberty Loan Drives which were designed to help pay for the war.

Two distinct features make Aspinwall the borough is today. One is its stately homes; the other is its trees. When in full leaf, they provide an archway over the Borough streets. From the time that Aspinwall was incorporated, its trees have played an important part in defining its special qualities. Like all other matters from the early years, the trees were a subject of importance to the members of the Borough Council. The following excerpts from the Council Minute attest to the visionary minds of early Council member.

May 26, 1893--Ordinance relating to trees, tree boxes, walks etc. proposed. This passed in June.

July 21, 1899--Shade trees on Western Avenue were causing trouble with the arc lighting.

April 13, 1913--Norway maple trees were ordered for the Borough.

July 6, 1914--A problem exists with low-hanging trees.

As is the case today, the weather at times also caused problems for the Borough. The following are notes taken from the Council minutes of the time.

June 12, 1893--Heavy rains caused flooding in homes located in the vicinity of Fifth Street and Western Avenue.

March 12,1904-- Heavy rains caused flooding in home cellars on Fifth Street.

September 9,1912 -- Heavy rain caused a lot of sewer problems.

October 22,1917--Severe cold spell caused a huge demand for coat, putting a real strain on available supplies.

Finally, during the early years, some mysteries occurred. The Council minutes from the early 1920s make reference to what is now an "unknown object." At one time there was an "island" in the center of Brilliant Avenue. Long-time residents remember this. It was approximately fifty feet long, six to eight feet wide, and three feet high. This island was filled with dirt and planted with flowers and bushes. Inside the perimeter was an object in a rather rectangular shape with a white base, a red section six inches from the top, and a red globe mounted on the base. The purpose of this object was not revealed in the minutes.

Certainly one could say that the years from 1893 to 1920 were an interesting time for the Borough of Aspinwall.

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