oil camps, business resumed, and to-day the visitor may converse with some persons who never heard of the destructive fires of 1879-84.

Babcock, a lumbering village, now known as Tuna Creek, is located north of Bradford, near the State line.

The villages of this township are Foster Brook, Babcock's Mills, Derrick City, Lafferty, Red Rock, Gillmor, Sawyer City, Hazelwood, Forest, Taylor, and Rew City. Throughout the valleys of the township are several argricultural settlements. At Derrick City is a Methodist church building; it is the circuit station and here Rev. William Magovern resides.

Foster Brook Lodge No. 11, Knights of Pythias, was organized some time ago, and in October, 1889, took an important place among the societies of the district.

The township officers elected in February, 1890, are as follows: Supervisors, Robert McMurray and J. L. Seager; town clerk, George Wannamaker; collector, T. F. Hungerville; school directors, H. T. Morian and S. A. Shannon; auditor, E. B. Sage; assessor, N. Snyder; judge of election, First District, H. B. Day; inspectors, T. W. Powers and M. M. McKay; judge of election, Second District, J. W. Gormley; inspectors, W. J. Boyd and S. M. Henderson.

TARPORT, OR BOROUGH OF KENDALL.

In

Tarport adjoins Bradford city on the north, and is connected therewith by railroad and street car lines. In 1880 it contained 2,689 inhabitants. 1888 there were 181 Republican, 139 Democratic, eleven Prohibitionist and three United Labor votes cast, or a total of 334. This number multiplied by six gives an approximate of the present population, about 2,004. Tarport was great when Bradford was a little hamlet. For years the trade of northwestern McKean centered here, and here many of the pioneers of Bradford's business entered on commercial life. Harvey D. Hicks was first postmaster at Tarport, keeping the office in the hotel. On entering the union service in 1862, his wife continued the office during the war. In 1872 Loyal Ward was appointed to the office, and served until William Beers succeeded him in 1873. The office has been filled by Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Butler in recent years until J. C. Brenneman was commissioned in July, 1889. The discovery of oil in the Tuna Valley changed the pleasant little village of olden days into a bustling oil camp. In 1876 the name was changed to Kendall Creek; the postoffice was then established under that name, with H. G. Mitchell postmaster.. In June of that year Mitchell & Sons opened a grocery store and Z. Fisher commenced building his three-story hotel. Later F. N. Taylor opened a store there and the Oil Exchange hall was erected.

In 1878 the village contained about 900 inhabitants. Here was the junction of the Peg-Leg Line and the Olean, Bradford & Warren Railroads; hundreds of derricks standing all around, and large tanks, telling at once that this was the great tank city of the period. In January, 1878, the Peg Leg Railroad was completed to Tarport, and the Narrow Gauge was opened February 11, 1878, between Bradford and Olean, the train climbing grades of 135 feet per mile.

In January and February, 1878, the Era was filled with accounts of atrocities at Tarport, in the low resort of Ben Hogan, since which time strange changes have taken place. The wicked village of 1878 was destroyed to give place to the new order of houses and inhabitants, and even the notorious Ben has become an evangelist, as elsewhere related. Contemporary with Ben's settlement at Tarport came the era of fires and explosions. Roberts' glycerine

factory, a mile from Tarport, exploded October 2, 1877, killing J. F. Smith and injuring Col. Roberts and his son. The fire of April 25, 1880, destroyed Schmultz's grocery, Kerns' saloon, Stine's Dew Drop Inn, Delmage's tank shop, and Mrs. Robinson's boarding house. William Houseler was arrested and charged with being the incendiary. The glycerine explosion of May 24, 1880, destroyed the Ernest Koester works below Tarport. It appears the forest fires communicated with the safes (then containing only 200 pounds of the explosive), which were lifted bodily upward and scattered over a wide area. In May, 1880, Book & Rhodes' No. 15 Tank, on Rutherford run, was struck by lightning and 600 barrels of oil burned, and Stettheimer's engine house, on East branch, destroyed. J. M. Tait lost the rigs and tanks at his wells on Foster brook. The Roger Sherman 10,000-barrel oil tank, near Tarport, was struck by lightning June 10, 1880, and set on fire. Superintendent Seymore turned steam on the burning oil, and this, aided by the application of wet blankets, subdued the flames--the first time an oil tank and contents were thus saved. The fire of June 25, 1880, destroyed thirty-two buildings in two hours. It originated in the Westcott House, which it destroyed as well as the following buildings: Mrs. Melhuish's boarding house, J. W. Winsor's dwelling, Heathcote's hotel, Riley & Evans' hotel, Wheaton's meat market. J. S. Fisher's saloon, Mackay & Benson's grocery, Phillips' Oil Exchange Hotel, the Dowdney House, Mulqueen's saloon, Ockerman building, L. R. Barnes' hotel, Flynn Bros.' grocery, Levi's clothing house, Kern's saloon, and another saloon, Calhoun's shoe store, Walsh's building, Hurd's harness shop, and the Fuller House barn. On the opposite side it destroyed the Walsh House, then operated by John Ingersoll; the double house owned by John Mitchell and Knox Brothers, in which was the postoffice, with H. G. Mitchell, master; his dwelling in the rear; E. R. Sherman's and George Smith's dwellings; the Oil Exchange building; Frank Taylor's building, Judge Craig's dwelling and Cadwallader's office. The total loss was estimated at $50,000. Mrs. Neff's boarding house, at head of Main street, was saved. The fire of May 5, 1883, destroyed six houses, and burned to death George O'Neil, a fireman.

Kendall Borough elections were held February 15, 1881, when Eugene Buck received 208 votes and C. E. Everson 103, for burgess. M. A. Haggerty, O. L. Lathrop, Denis Lundergan, C. Benson, Philo Ackley and Joseph Nye were elected members of council; E. F. Converse, constable; A. J. Evans, high constable; A. M. Kleckner, C. D. Longfellow and Robert Pilkington, school directors; Joe Bensinger, assessor; C. D. Longfellow and W. B. Clark, auditors; S. B. Shaffer and E. W. Baker, inspectors, and John Todd, judge of elections. J. H. Butler was elected burgess in 1882, receiving the total vote, 216; Philo Ackley, in 1883; L. D. Langmade, in 1884, with W. W. Penhollow, justice; E. J. Fitzsimmons, in 1885-86; Philo Ackley, in 1887, with A. M. Kleckner, justice, and T. T. Mapes, in 1888-89. The officers elected in February, 1890, are as follows: Burgess, W. K. Urquhart; councilmen, J. G. Fisher, S. W. Stilling, P. Mallory; school directors, A. V. Field, J. C. Smith; justice of the peace, Philo Ackley; collector, W. W. Peuhollow; constable, M. B. Delmage; auditor, Wilson Rice; judges of election, First District, Philo Ackley; Second District, C. D. Gilbert; inspectors, William Heaps, James Flynn, Wilson Rice, E. H. Parish.

The early schools of Tarport are noticed in the history of Bradford township, where many of the pioneers of this section are also referred to. So also with the religious organizations.

The first Presbyterian Church of Kendall was incorporated in June, 1881, with T. W. Williamson, F. S. Reynolds, J. W. Sherman, G. Buchanan, C.

D. Longfellow, C. B. Seymour, Dr. McCarthy, J. Hockley, D. L. Skinner, J. Odell and G. W. Newman, members.

The first Free Methodist Society of Tuna Creek was organized in 1883, with O. Dodge, A. D. Gaines, Sam. Henderson, L. Sager, Harriet E. Jones, Mrs. M. J. Zeliff, Phil. and Mrs. M. V. Hooker, Mrs. M. G. Beardsley husband and William, A. G. McCoy, H. G. Crawford, G. Brightonberger, C. B. Stoddard, William Cornelius, I. Walker, George Hasson, H. Hare and George G. Sandford. Rev. John H. Stoody is pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church here, the beginnings of which are told in the history of Bradford. The Kendall Creek Cemetery Association was incorporated March 3, 1871, with C. C. Melvin, C. H. Foster, A. W. and James Buchanan and F. A. Moore, trustees.

Kendall Lodge No. 133, A. O. U. W., is one of the oldest benefit organizations of the borough. Among its officers may be named J. S. Fisher, V. K. Boyer, L. Reed, A. M. Kleckner and D. Huntley. This lodge built a hall some years ago near the railroad, which hall is still standing. The officers for 1890 are F. O. Hane, C. Crary, A. Cole, T. J. Buchanan, James Moseley, G. W. Mitchell, L. S. Reed, F. H. Burr, James Hood and A. M. Kleckner. Present membership, 97.

Washington Legion, S. K. of A. O. U. W., was organized April 8, 1884. Among its members are those named in connection with the lodge, R. B. Gillespie, A. J. Martin, O. L. Lathrop, H. H. Berringer, A. J. Cole, T. B. Humes and others. The officers of the legion in 1890 are H. R. Winger, C. S. Crarey, James Hood, D. Huntley, D. J. Stewart, A. M. Kleckner, R. B. Gillespie, J. G. Fisher and G. E. Benninghoff. There are twenty-one members.

Kendall Tent No. 5, K. O. T. M., was organized July 8, 1884. Among its members are T. M. Olmsted, Col. D. Gardner, H. C. Jones, H. K. Boyer, M. P. Wooley and F. M. Bickford. The tent elected the following named officers in December, 1889, in order of tent rank: Moses P. Wooley, James L. Fleming, W. K. Urquhart, H. C. Jones, H. Boyer, M. B. Delmage, D. E. Ash and J. M. Shaw. The membership on March 10 was 136.

Tuna Lodge No. 1122, Knights and Ladies of Honor, was instituted January 20, 1886, by D. G. P., A. N. Heard. Among its members are E. M. McElhaney, J. Q. Field, Mrs. Kate Walter, E. R. Sherman, Frank G. Bemis, E. R. Sherman, C. F. Jewell, E. J. Fitzsimmons. The officers for 1890 are L. R. Shaw, Mrs. M. P. Hennage, E. R. Sherman, Rachel Troup, Ella Smiley, Mrs. Retta Phillips, Mrs. Sarah Artley, J. W. Stephens and M. E. Smiley. Medical examiner, D. E. Ash. There are eighty members.

Local Branch No. 389 of the Order of the Iron Hall was organized September 17, 1886; among the official members are H. G. Vankenren, J. Manly, J. R. McCarthy and T. B. Humes.

Break of Day Division No. 170, Sons of Temperance, was organized September, 1886. Its members were William Dobin, Rev. J. G. Hann, Mrs. W. Harris, P. Whittlesey, Mrs. H. Wardell.

Kendall Section Cadets of Temperance, organized March, 1887; Mrs. M. A. Thomas, Mrs. L. Hann; D. G., William Dobie; W. A., Grace Sandburn; V. A., Annie Greer; P. W. A., Ella Dobie; R. S., Arch Worton; T., George Dobie.

In 1889 the Kendall Loan and Savings Association was organized with the following officers: President, George W. Mitchell; secretary, E. R. Sherman; treasurer, T. T. Mapes; appraising committee, T. T. Mapes, A. V. Field and J. M. Nye. The board of directors consists of A. V. Field, T. T. Mapes, J.