April 6, 1858, the first edition of the Tyrone Star Newspaper, Volume 1 Number 1, Tyrone City, Pennsylvania, was published. The terms of subscription were $1.50 per year. I have kept the language and grammar used in the original article.
The editor’s salutation
From the editor and owner, James Bell:
To the reading public, and especially to those to whom our sheet is sent — Our Compliments and respectful Salutations — We Bow Profoundly — May our acquaintance last long, and we trust it will conduce to our mutual Pleasure and Advantage. We commence the publication of this newspaper, with the determination to spare no pains or expense in our efforts to make this a welcome visitor at the fireside of our patrons.
The spirit and objects of the paper shall be to impart useful information, to aid the cause of human progress, to advance enlightened opinions, to encourage a hopeful, earnest and fraternal spirit in our countrymen, to promote reform in education, and to aid those who would live wisely, purely and for a worthy purpose.
“Our Town” — buffalo, deer, and dark columns of smoke
Casting the eyes northward, from where the Iron Horse enters from the Bald Eagle Gap, the traveler’s view pauses for a few moments, on the beautiful village of Tyrone.
Not half a score of years has yet passed away, since the spot where “Tyrone City” now spreads her squares and trails her streets, was a vast meadowage of vast grass — where roamed the shaggy Buffalo in his pride and danced the wild deer in his glee. But this is the age of Steam and lightning Progress, and amid the mighty whirl and the rush of events, what was then a lone forest waste, is now the busy mart of loudest industry and thriving enterprise.
The town is situate on a beautiful plain, in one of the most fertile picturesque and romantic localities in Pennsylvania. About 10 miles north-east of town, the west Bald Eagle Creek takes its rise and directly north, the Sinking Springs finds its head in the deep gorges of the Allegheny — both of which, pour their accumulated waters into the Little Juniata, (the one, on the south, and the other, on the east of the town) but a few yards apart. These streams are unfailing, and possessing the advantages of a heavy fall and abundance of water, and passing through the region abounding with minerals, coal, lumber. On the south, flow the waters of the blue Juniata, on the banks of which, just in sight of town, rises the dark columns of smoke from three extensive Iron Manufactories. The streams swarm with a large variety of the piscatory tribe, such a pike, trout, eel, red bass, with now and then a baby alligator. Our forests are rich in game of all kinds.
As a point of travel, few towns in the Union can boast of greater facilities. The Central Road forms the great line of communication, east and west. We are at present, connected with Erie, New Washington, Lock Haven and intermediate points of daily lines of stages, and in a short time, will reach the same points by railroad — the work of completion being in rapid progress. The Tyrone and Lock Haven road when connections are completed, will doubtless be the great thoroughfare, from New York to New Orleans, whilst that of Philipsburg will form the direct route to Erie and Canada. This latter will pass directly through the coal and timber region of Pennsylvania. The coal fields commence about ten miles from our town and are inexhaustible.
For businesses of all kinds, it is one of the best locations to be found, and men of capital cannot do better than to invest in this place. There are openings for all kinds of businesses. Nature and art having combined to make this a point of no ordinary importance, and it is distant day to make one of the most enterprising inland cities of the Key Stone State.
Borough ordinances and the National Hotel
From the local news section: The borough authorities have commenced the improvement of our place with a zeal which is commendable to every citizen who desires the prosperity of the place. Our streets are about being made equal to the streets of any other good town. A law has been passed requiring property holders to pave the sidewalks immediately.
Ordinances passed by the town council were reported in the paper:
That all assemblages of persons on the sidewalks, streets, or corners of the streets within said Borough, whereby persons passing or repassing may be obstructed, or whereby the good order and peace of the citizens may be disturbed, are declared to be unlawful; every person so offending, shall, after summary conviction, be fined by the Burgess, not less than One and not more than Five Dollars, or be confined in the lockup not exceeding forty eight hours.
Lastly, the council passed an ordinance on public intoxication: If any person is found to be intoxicated in any of the streets or highways of said Borough, every person so offending, shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not less than Two nor more than Ten Dollars; and, on failure to pay said fine, or give security to pay the same within ten days, he or she shall be committed to the lockup not less than twelve nor more than forty-eight hours — at the direction of the Burgess.
Maybe the following advertisement was the reason the Council had to pass the aforementioned ordinance. This is for the National Hotel, located on the site of the Municipal building today: The National Hotel is open for boarders, travelers, and all who favor him. The owner states that “his bar is always supplied with the choice liquors; and his table with all the luxuries which the market can afford.”
“War and Rumors of War”
At the time of this publication, the American Civil War was looming in the not too far distant future:
War and Rumors of War — It has been rumored about Tyrone, for a year or more back, that the young men of the place are determined to raise a volunteer company. This ought to be — there is plenty of good material — and if you will get together and put into execution the desires you have often expressed, we shall soon see as respectable a company as can be found anywhere. What say you?
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