Original
                                                 Settled        Erected

Brecknock.................................. 1729 ............1741
Caernarvon................................   1700 ............1729
Cumru......................................   1732 ............1737
Robeson...................................   1720 ............1729
Union........................................  1705 .............1752

                                 Additional
                                  Taken from                   Erected
Spring........................... Cumru    ....................1850

Boroughs.-The following boroughs were established in this section:
Birdsboro, in 1872.
Wyomissing, in 1906.
West Reading, in 1907.
Mohnton, in 1907.
Shillington, in 1908.

Waterworks have been established at the boroughs named, excepting the last, which is supplied from Mohnton.
Towns.-The following towns are situated in this section:

Name                                 Houses     Narne                         Houses
Allegbenyville (1870)     .....    20         Monocacy (1852)    .........  44 
Beckersville (1852)      .......    8          Montello (1890)        ......... 18
Browerville (1820)       ........    8          Morgantown (1770)     ....... 48
Geigertown (1828)     ........ .  32         Oakbrook (1885)      ........  115
Gibralter(1836)        .........     75          Seyfert (1881)        ...........  40
Gouglersville (1855)       ....    20          Sinking Spring (1831)     .... 230 
Hendeleton (1880)      .......    24          Springmont (1895)      ........ 23 
Milmont (1885)   ..............     65          Weitzelville     ................   18 

Railroads.-The Reading & Columbia Railroad was constructed in 1864, extending from Reading westwardly through Spring township to Sinking Spring, and southwardly to the Lancaster county line, a distance of eight miles.

The Lebanon Valley Railroad was extended through Spring township in 1857.

The Wilmington and Northern Railroad, in 1870, extending from Birdsboro southwardly to Chester county line, a distance of ten miles; and in 1874 to "Poplar Neck" on the High farm northwestwardly,a distance of six miles.

Trolley Lines.-The Reading and Southwestern Street Railway was constructed in 1890, in Cumru township, from Reading to Mohnton, a distance of five miles; and in 1894 exteqded to Adamstown, a distance of five miles.

The Black Bear line extended in 1904 to Birdsboro, via.Seyfert, in Robeson township, a distance of four miles.

Canal.-The Schuylkill canal was constructed in 1828, in Robeson and Union townships along the river to the Chester county line, a distance of nine miles; one level of six miles from the Big Dam to Birdsboro; and another level of eight miles to Laurel Hill, some distance beyond the county line.

Early Industries.-Three iron works were establisbed in Robeson, and one in Union, before 1800, as follows: Bird's Forge, 1740; Gibraltar Forge, 1770; Joanna Furnace, 1790; Hopewell Furnace, 1765.

Establishments at the first two places have continued in operation until the present time, but the furnaces were abandoned and dismantled many years ago. Numerous grist-mills were put in operation by the early settlers along the Wyomissing creek for a distance of seven miles, which evidences their appreciation of the stream for its valuable water-power.

Suburban Towns.-The first attempt at establishing suburban towns in this section was made bv George Frill, about 1870, he having purchased the Leinbach (formerly Bell) farm, situated along the Schuylkill river, to the west of Reading, which came to be called West Reading, and as such it was established as a borough in 1907. Shortly afterward (1874) a number of capitalists at Reading purchased the Muhlenberg farm along the Schuylkill river, to the south of Reading, which they laid off into building lots (about 500) and called Millmont (translation of the name Muhlenberg, mill-at-the-mountain). Some lots were sold, but the county authorities then refusing to erect a bridge across the river at the foot of South Sixth street, the establishment of a town there was not a success. and their continued refusal has kept the place backward. The construction of the Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley railroad through the proposed town in 1884 encouraged the erection of industries and a large natural ice plant. there. The railroad company named the station "Orrton" after Jesse Orr, one of the founders of Orr, Painter & Co. The city "Disposal Plant" is near by along the river.

While this was going on.at Millmont, Henry T. Kendall and George Brooke laid off about seventy acres along the Lancaster road, two miles from Reading, into lots, which they named Brookside; the George Bechtel Estate laid off about forty acres, and named it Oakbrook, where a post-office was established in 1897 but discontinued in 1906 on account of the rural route; and Mrs. Mary A. Boyer laid off about fifty-five acres (234 lots) which came to be called "Boyer Heights." Along the river, George A. Boyer established in 1898 a bathing place with 100 booths for bathers, which came to be very popular. It was washed away by a freshet in 1902, and rebuilt. For several years past efforts have been made to annex the land embracing these suburban improvements to Reading.

Springmont, in Spring township, along the turnpike near Sinking Spring, was laid out by Benjamin Knowles in 1895. and embraced 950 lots.

Arlington Place was laid out in Union township, along Schuylkill road, near Monocacy, in 1895.

West Lawn, in Spring township, along the turnpike beyond Wyomissing, was laid out by Irwin B. Dill, Warren H. and Frank H. Fenstermacher in October, 1907, and embraced 567 lots.

HE.NDEL HAT FACTORY was established in Cumru near Mohnsville, in 1878, and has been operated by George Hendel and sons since then. Hands employed, 250.

MILLMONT WORKS.-Orr & Sembower erected a plant in Cumru in 1884, for the manufacture of engines, and have been very successful. The firm was incorporated in 1890. They employ from 220 to 250 hands.

The Prizer-Painter Stove Company started the manufacture of stoves, ranges and heaters at Millmont in 1899 in a large building previously occupied-by Orr, Painter & Co., in the same business. They employ 300 hands.

The Chatttrell Tool Company was first started in 1888, at Reading, and after carrying on business there for four years, removed to Millmont. They manufacture household specialties, and builders hardware. Hands employed, 160.

BELT LINE. extended through Spring and Cumru towmships, along and crossing the Schuylkill, in 1901, and opened for traffic in 1902, for the purpose of relieving the great congestion of traffic on the main line of the P. & R. R. The length through this section is five miles.

ICE PLANTS.-The Angelica Ice Company was organized in 1886 and then established its first plant at Millmont for storing natural ice. Subsequently it secured additional plants along the Angelica creek; total storage capacity, 60,000 tons.

Mt. Penn Ice Company established a plant on the farm of William J. Shalter in Cumru, on Flying Hill creek, in 1902, and enlarged it in 1904. Total storage capacity, 7,000 tons.

GIBRALTAR IRON WORKS, established about 1770 in Robeson and maintained ever since. The Seyfert family became connected with the plant in 1835, and has operated it with the rolling-mill at Seyfert on the W. & N. railroad since 1882.

TRAP ROCK.-A large quarry was opened a mile south of Birdsboro in 1893 by Dyer & Company, of Norristown, on property of the E. & G. Brooke Iron Company, and has been carried on. very extensively ever since. They operate four crusher plants and produce daily from 2,000 to 2,500 tons of crushed material, of various sizes, which is shipped to all parts of the country. They employ from 120 to 150 hands.

The Schuylkill Valley Stone Company was organized in 1907, by capitalists of Birdsboro, Norristown and Philadelphia, who established a large crusher. plant in Union township, one mile south oi Monocacy, with a complete equipment for supply- ing crushed stone and Belgian blocks in great quantities. A railroad siding has been extended from the Pennsylvania railroad to the plant. Over half a million dollars has been expended thus far in this enterprise.

MONTELLO BRICK WORKS was started by A. A. Gery in 1891 at Montello, in Spring township, a mile south of Sinking Spring, for the manufacture of vitrified brick. In 1899, a second plant was established at Wyomissing; and in 1905 the adjoining plant of the Reading Shale Brick Company was purchased.

GARBAGE PLANT.-In 1902, a plant was established in Cumru, a mile south of Grill village, to dispose of the garbage collected at Reading, which is delivered there by teams.

ELECTRIC PLANT.--The Metropolitan Electric Company has secured property at the mouth of the Wyomissing creek and has arranged to establish a large and powerful plant on this side, opposite Reading in this section, for supplying power and light.

POORHOUSE, established in Cumru in 1825, by the county of Berks, for the poor people of the county. Various improvements were made until 1874. The farm contains over 400 acres. It has been maintained there ever since by county appro- priations.

READING DISPOSAL PLANT, established in Cumru along the river below the city, in 1894, at a cost of $130,000, for the purpose of disposing of the sewage by a process of filtration, pumped there fron! the foot of Sixth street.

FERTILTZER WORKS, erected in Cumru township near the "Big Darn" in 1905. A phosphate works had been carried on previously for several vears at Wyomissing, which was discontinued on account of adverse litigation.

GLOBE RENDERING COMPANY -In January, 1909, Dr. M. R. Adam, Dr. G. S. Rothermel, John G. Rhoads and Wilson Rotherrnel organized this company, for manufacturing various oils, fertilizer products and poultry food out of slaughter-house offals and the carcasses of dead animals. They established their plant in the Angelica barn at Millmont, adjoining the "Disposal Plant," one mile South of Reading. They employ four hands and ship their productions to all parts of the country.

COUNTRY HOMES -Costly country homes of Josiah Dives, Richmond L. Jones, Mrs. Catherine Archer, Herbert M. Sternbergh, George Horst and Jacob Nolde, in Cumru township, are worthy of special mention.

POLISH CONVENT -A large institution was founded in Cumru township, beyond Millmont, by the "Bernardine Sisters of The Third Order of St. Francis, of Reading, Pa.," in 1905, for the purpose of educating teachers for Polish parochial schools, in different parts of the United States, being a continuation of the Convent which had been carried on several years on "Flying Hill." An orphanage is included, which had fifty girls in 1909. Sixty-five teachers are connected with this worthy institution, who are sent to all parts of the United States where needed to carry on Polish schools. This is the "Mother House" of the Order in the United States. The property embraces twenty acres of land, and the value is about $65,000.

STOCK FARMS -The Hillside Stock Farm of W. Harry Orr, of Reading, was established in Spring township in 1893, for the purpose of raising high-bred horses, breeding from the Ashland- Wilkes stallion particularly, whose colts have developed remarkable speed on the track. The farm embraces 160 acres, situated along the Cacoosing creek, two miles south of Sinking Spring. The Spring Valley Stock Farm of Abner S. Deysher, of Reading, was established in 1902, in the southern portion of Spring township, a mile west of Gouglersville, along the head waters of the Little Muddy creek. The farm comprises nearly 200 acres.

STATE POLICE.-A "Barracks" was established in Cumru in 1905 by the State Police for Troop C, but was removed to Pottsville May 31, 1909.

STATE ROAD.-A section of State Road, three miles in length, was constructed, in 1906, in Cumru on the road from Reading to Shillington. It was the first public improvement of this kind in Berks county.