the transportation facilities afforded by the Pennsylvania canal, were the primary causes of locating Rhey's Furnace there; and when the canal was abandoned and was succeeded by the Pennsylvania railroad, the Cambria Iron Works were located at the base of Prospect Hill for the reason that a superior quality of ore, in great abundance, was to be had in this hill. The ore therein mined ceased to be a factor, however, when the Bessemer process was introduced, as it did not possess the qualities necessary to make good steel. But it did make the best iron that was offered in the market.

The railroad rails made of iron by the Cambria Iron Company always had an advantage over all others in open competition, owing to their superior quality. They possessed an element of flexibility that other manufacturers could not obtain in their products, for which the ore in Prospect Hill was largely responsible.

Before the introduction of steel rails the great danger to the railroad traveler during the winter season was an accident caused by broken rails, which were, at that time, made of iron. Daniel J. Morrell frequently related, with profound satisfaction, an incident which occurred on a Western road, where the foundation of a small culvert was washed away by a flood and the tracks were suspended across it by the Cambria rails, over which an engine and train passed safely. This, he thought, was a sufficient recommendation for the Cambria rail.

The mineral right to all the ore, coal, and other deposits in the Thomas Afflin survey, which included the lower end of Prospect Hill, was sold by Eli Benshoff to George S. King & Company, on September 26, 1845. Benshoff had purchased the whole tract, consisting of 39034 acres, from Mark Graham, on the 18th of May, 1837.

Shortly after the purchase by King & Company four iron ore drifts were opened in Prospect Hill, on the easterly side of Hinckston's Run, and the ore was used in the Rhey & Mathews furnace, by King & Company and the Cambria Iron Company. Other ore mines were worked along the slope of the hill from that portion of Prospect Hill eastward to a point above the Woodvale factory.

Probably the richest piece of real estate ever known in this vicinity was the "Round Mound," as it was called, where the reservoir now stands. It is said that its yield of wealth was equal to that of any piece of land of similar size in the gold

fields of California. The vein of iron ore in the hill was from one to four feet in thickness, and under the "Round Mound," it was mostly from three to four feet. It was common wages for the ore miners to make $5 and $6 a day, and sometimes $8 to $10 when the four-foot lodgment was struck, as they were paid $2.70 per ton.

It is said the "Round Mound" was purchased for $800 and that the company declined $80,000 for it. This was the top vein above the cokeyard seam of coal. Under the coal was another vein of ore known as the "Kidney" seam, but it was not so valuable, nor was it worked to any great extent.

There are very few people who know that there is a tunnel from the lower end of Ihmsen avenue, through old Prospect Borough up to Woodvale, but such is a fact, although it has probably fallen in and would be difficult to find. It was made by the ore miners, and was used as a roadway for hauling the ore from the crop above Woodvale to the furnaces. The ore mines were worked to some extent until 1871.

In 1854 a stone quarry near the top of the hill, above the old blast furnaces of the Cambria Iron Company was operated, from which an inclined plane extended to the works.

At that time a spring of water was flowing from the hillside a short distance east of the stone quarry, and about midway up the hill, but it has long since ceased to flow as it did fifty years ago.

The ore beds are yet discernible in the opening made along the ridge of Prospect Hill above the Pennsylvania railroad, running through the Eleventh and Twelfth wards and the abandoned mines in the hill on the east side of Hinckston's Run, in the Fourteenth ward. Drifts were also made near the Ebensburg road, but not to a great extent. The coal in Prospect Hill that was convenient and could be economically mined was taken out many years ago, but, farther back, some yet remains in its natural seams.

The old' slope mine of the Cambria Iron Works operated by an incline near where the old blast furnaces are, brought the coal from the "B," or Miller, vein to the mills and to the coke yard, which at that time, so it was considered by furnace men, had to be on a level with the mouth of the furnace. It was abandoned in 1879. By the modern process the coke is made in the Connellsville district, and in the by-product plant at Franklin.

The older citizens will remember the popular Murray's

Grove, in Woodvale, at the foot of Prospect Hill, on the north side of the Pennsylvania railroad, where picnics were held until 1871, when it was abandoned because of the progress of industries and the destruction of a portion of the trees therein. These picnics were popular resorts for the public, and much frequented by candidates for office and their friends.

Prospect Hill has lost all its foliage, therefore its beauty had been marred by the smoke and gas from the mills and furnaces at its base, but it has been one of the works of Nature most valuable to the prosperity of Johnstown.

THE CAMBRIA BRIDGE.

On April 2, 1860, P. L. 702, an Act of Assembly, was approved authorizing Wood, Morrell & Co. to construct a lateral railroad from the Cambria Iron Works across the Conemaugh river to connect with the Pennsylvania railroad, and furthermore, to connect with the abutments and piers of the Cambria Bridge Company, if it was deemed expedient. The Cambria Bridge Company was incorporated by an Act of Assembly dated April 18, 1853, P. L. 540, and its capital was not to exceed $10,000.

On July 20, 1863, Wood, Morrell & Co. purchased from Watson, Dennison & Co., of Hollidaysburg, three furnaces known as the "Chimney Rock," "Gaysport" and "Frankstown" furnaces, and formed the Blair Coal and Iron Company.

John Fritz came to Johnstown when Wood, Morrell & Company leased the works, and was the chief engineer until July 5, 1860, when he took his departure for Bethlehem, where he assumed the management of what is now known as the Bethlehem Steel Company. There he has made an international reputation as a steel expert and engineer. While in charge of the Cambria works he invented the three high roll mill, and received a patent for it dated October 5, 1858. It was a great success. On the two roll mill the rail bars could only be passed through the one way, but by placing a third roll above the two the bar could be passed back, which almost doubled the output, and it also prevented the bars from lapping around the rolls. In six days in May, '59, he rolled 722 tons of rails, which exceeded that of any other mill in the Union.

His pre-eminence has been recognized for many years, but to establish it the more firmly, and to perpetuate the memory of his achievements in industrial progress, at a banquet given by

six hundred of his associates, in the Waldorf-Astoria, New York, October 31, 1902, in honor of his eightieth birthday, there was founded the "John Fritz Gold Medal" award. The rules governing the awards are substantially as follows: 1. The medal shall be awarded for notable scientific or industrial achievement. There shall be no restriction on account of nationality or sex. 2. The medal shall be gold and shall be accompanied by an engraved certificate which shall recite the origin of the medal and the specific achievement for which it was made. 3. It may be awarded annually, but not oftener. 4. The awards shall be made by a board of sixteen members composed of an equal number from each of the four national societies of engineers, namely: The American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Institute of Mining Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. It was a pleasure to the leading steel engineers and manufacturers to acknowledge his pre-eminence. Irving M. Scott, the builder of the "Oregon," wired his congratulations, in which he said: "All hail, Unser Fritz, father of us all." Andrew Carnegie said: "All honor to John Fritz, rolling mill pioneer, friend and counsellor of us all." Charles M. Schwab admitted that he has done more for the steel industry than any man living, and we all acknowledge him as our master and prize him as our friend." Carl Lueg Schroedter cabled from Dusseldorf: "Happy salutation to the well-deserved chief of iron masters." Robert Hadfield, the inventor of manganese steel, also cabled from England: "Sheffield's heartiest greetings to John Fritz."

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Mr. Fritz gives his experience in building his new train of rolls: "I now prepared to suggest building a three-high mill, which I did, and the suggestion was met with a rebuff, which was not unexpected. *The officials called a meeting, and after consultation with some practical iron men, decided to put up a geared two-high mill, and, by greatly increasing the speed of the rolls, the rail would be finished in much less time, and consequently at a higher heat, which would prevent the serious trouble of rough and torn flanges. I was ordered to build a new mill, two-high, geared. I most emphatically said I would not do it, as two of the most objectionable features of the present system would still be retained. I consequently concluded that I would do as I had been compelled to do before. and many times since-assume authority and go ahead, which

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