Manchester Borough Beginnings
North Eastern York County History In Preservation                          NeyChip
    "On August 26, 1869 the Court approved the finding of the Grand Jury and agreed that the Town of Liverpool be incorporated into a Borough in conformity with the prayers of the petitioners that Style and Title therefore shall be the Borough of Manchester. Objections against the incorporation were filed July 31st, 1869, however the objections were later withdrawn. The boundaries of the borough were laid out at this time.
       The first meeting of the newly elected council was held October 26, 1869…There were twenty-five ordinances written and adopted on the 30th day of October 1869.…On October 13, 1871 the Borough treasurer, Jacob Ramer, reported that there was a balance of $48.08 in the Borough treasury.
      At the March 7, 1877 Council meeting was decided that the Supervisor shall have a $0.50 a day for shoveling off all snow four inches deep and over off all crossings, public walks and the school house walk… By February 19, 1878, the daily wages for hands working for the Borough shall be $1.00…and Borough’s Attorney's fee was $5.00 per year… By 1887 things in the Borough must have been begun to look up because the Borough Secretary's salary was raised to $10.00 a year.  Mr. John Yinger and Mr. Adam Kohler refused to accept their orders for work done at a rate of $1.75 per day and they demanded $1.95 per day. 
      It wasn’t until December 1900 that an ordinance was adopted granting York Haven Water and Power Company its successors permission to construct and maintain poles, wire lines and fixtures for the transmission and distribution of electric power and current for electrical purposes over and above the streets. alleys and highways of the Borough of Manchester..They shall pay an annual tax of fifty cents for all the poles erected within the Borough… By an ordinance enacted on August 6, 1904, the Edison Light and Power Company was authorized to provide electricity to the Borough.  (A March 6, 1911 electric bill for the Borough was $1.10.) The York Telephone Company was granted permission to construct a telephone line on the public ways of the Borough of Manchester at the Aril 1906 Council meeting.
     The town as growing every day and the need for a new fire engine was a real necessity.  [In 1858, Union Fire Company #1 was organized. Their first piece of fire equipment dubbed the "Always Ready" was a hand operated pump cart which required a bucket brigade to keep the 100 gallon tank supplied.]  The council approved the purchase of a new engine on January 2, 1905. The cost of the new engine was $645.00 plus $70 for 200’ of extra hose… On May 2, 1910 the approval was given to the Fire Company to purchase the first bell and build a cubulew on the engine house to house the bell. On September 5, 1921, the Union Fire Company of Manchester took delivery of their new Belmont Motor Company chemical truck. The eighth annual convention of the Firemen’s Association of York County was hosted by the Union Fire Company of Manchester on Labor Day, Monday September 5th. The business session opened promptly at 10:00 a.m., and a parade through Manchester was the highlight of the afternoon. Nine county fire companies and all of the city fire companies participated in the parade, along with ten bands. That evening a reception was held at Cold Springs Park, which included a corn soup dinner and dancing. About 1,000 firemen participated in the parade.  [In February 1912, the fire company officially was titled Union Fire Company.  A large fire on February 18, 1963 destroyed Foam Products, Inc., located in the Fraternity Hall built in 1912, on South Main Street. The Community Hall next to it also burned.  The Manchester Ambulance Club started in 1968. It is now called Northeastern Area EMS.  In 1983, the Northeastern Regional Police Department was formed by the merger of the East Manchester Township, Mount Wolf Borough and Manchester Borough police departments.] 

     [There are four Northeastern School buildings in the Borough. There are two cemeteries.  Public lands in the Borough approximately comprise one-third of the 0.78 square mile municipality. There is both a Chevrolet and Ford dealer just blocks from each other. There are several small business in the Borough. Katharine Beecher Candies was started in Manchester.  In 1931, the Central Baseball League was organized and the Manchester Indians are still very active today.  In 2000, the lot, where Stough's General Store once stood, was transformed into "The Park at the Square" where many community events are now held. The Borough was grown largely in population exceeding 2,300 persons in a short time. There are several parades and special events for those to enjoy. ]
     "Much was accomplished in the ensuing years to provide for services, schools, fire protection, utilities and ordinances for the betterment of the community. In 1902, York Haven Street Railway Company ran a trolley through Manchester Borough.  A focal point was the Cold Springs Park , the current location of Cold Springs Apartments. The Park was a place for relaxation which attracted people from York who rode the trolley to the country to enjoy picnicking, baseball, and entertainment provided at the park pavilion. Those were the good old days!"

Excerpts from:

"Manchester
Then and Now"
Mary Elllen Snell
1989
Some pics are from Larry Good.
EUB Sunday School High St.
Read: Tiny Manchester Borough has long history.
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