COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES now tlic Benton borough limits w as destined through its geographical position to be its prin cipal settlement. During the last year ot the eighteenth century two fam ilies had pene trated up the valley o f Fishing creek and had chosen sites in the vicinity. In the first sixty years of the nineteenth century the growth of the community was hardly perceptible to the passing generations. B y liSOB the settlement had grown into a considerable village. Some fifty houses clustered around a tavern* a church* a schoolhousc and a sawmill. The post office had been established in 1852* and Daniel Hartman* who had started the Qrst store, was appointed postmaster. From 1868 to i886 Benton grew* slowly. The number o f dwellings increased to sixt^* or more* two churches ministered to the religious needs of the community, entertainment and accom modations for the w ayfarer w*cre furnished by two hotels, and several stores supplied the re quirements o f residents. T he "Exchan ge Hotel,” which was destroyed in the great fire of 1910* w as built by Hiram Hess in 1872 and opcne<l to the public early in the following year* and for a long time was the most important hostelrj* tn upper Columbia county ana adja cent territory. The last owner o f this hotel was Daniel J . Dona van, who remodeled the structure and entered upon a career o f pros perity which was cut short by the fire. Since that event the hotel has never been rebuilt. Benton’s second hotel, the "M cH en ry House,” w as erected in 1886 by lames Boyd McHenry* much of the planning o f its interior being done by his w ife, a lovely and estimable woman, who still resides in Benton. T his hotel passed unscathed through the fires o f later years* and is now opera toil by F . V . Z willing, who caters to a large trade (rom all parts of this and surrounding counties. T he old "T ravelers Inn” stood on the west side o f Main street some distance above the other hotels, and w as in its day a famous meeting place fo r the residents o f this section. 'Pile Iniikling is now used fo r other purposes. ORNTON BOROrCtt
T h e Benton of the present day. despite the ravages o f several disastrous conflagrations, is a smiling little town, set in level swards of meadow land, and one in contemplating its Ie'cl and trcc-embowercd aspects, from the heights of the adjacent hills, is instinctively re minded o f O liver fJoldsmith’s "Sw eet Auburn, I.ovel 5 cst Village of the Plain.” Beautiful Fishing creek passes through the heart of the
211
place* sparkling down the gentle incline o f its course on the way to the broad Susquehanna. M one place the beautiful stream passes along the base o f a majestic and pine-clad slope* at another it dances through a verdant meadow* or jicrchance slips quietly and musically along beside a w'cll traveled thoroughfare. The phys ical environments o f Benton arc o f peculiar charm. N o craggy masses rear their lofty tops to the skies. T he scenery is unmarked by the grandeur o f sublime heights or the vaiy*ing contrasts o f sylvan dclls and bold prcciptccs. On the contrary* the surrounding hills are of gently undulating nature and the broad plateau o f its setting sweeps in straight lines to their bases. Wooded slopes climb to the top of the sun-ktssed hills and well tilled fields, particu larly during the days o f harvest, which ripen into colorful charm the varying hues of their fertile gam ienturc. and bring out the p ersp^ tivc o f a scenic picture* exquisite* which lingers long in the memory. The community of the present has probably suffered more, size and condition considered* than any other town o f its class in the Union. Numerous fires have robbed it o f many indus tries and a far reaching financial upheaval has visited many o f its principal business Interests and devastated many homes. Shock after shock has been bravely met. M isfortune u]K>n misfortune has swept the town, until the towns(iGopIe* looking around in temporary' despair* have asked one another, "what next?” Prior to the completion of the Bloomsburg & Sullivan railroad, in 1887. but few industries flourishc<l in the town. One of the first was the plant established by N . P. Moore in 1848 for the purpose o f manufacturing wagons. In these modern days the application o f that word to the industry then conducted by this wheel wright would undoubte<lly be a misnomer, as his business, the time and date considered* must have Iieen conducted under primitive condi tions which perhaps would hardly ju stify the name of "shop.” Tn any event, the work of producing wagons at the Moore place contin ued from 18 4 8 10 1862. F o r several years Benton liorough has heen in the public eye as a genuine, bona fide hardtiick town. Disaster after disaster has swept the community. Interwoven in the w arp and w oof o f its later days one man played a promi nent part, a man gifte<l with great personal charm, ambition and an intellect unusually acute. H e did more to hulld the community up than any other factor, and the unfortunate ending o f his rariotis enterprises did still more to pull it down—a condition which, happily,
