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HISTORY
OF
INDIANAPOLIS
AND
MARION COUNTY,
INDIANA.
BY
B. R. SULGROVE. 11
.. IFORNIA
ILLUSTRATED.
PHILADELPHIA:
L. H. EVERTS & CO. 1884.
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PREFACE.
IN a history mainly composed of the incidents that indicate the growth of a community, and the direction and character of it, where few are important enough to require an extended narration, and the remainder afford little material, it is not easy to construct a continuous narra- tive, or to so connect the unrelated points as to prevent the work taking on the aspect of a pre- tentious directory. To collect in each year the notable events of it is to make an excellent ware- house of historical material ; but, however authentic, it would hardly be interesting. Like the country boy's objection to a dictionary, "the subject would change too often." To combine, as far as practicable, the authenticity of an annuary like that of Mr. Ignatius Brown in 1868, which has been freely used, or the compilation of statistical and historical material made by Mr. Joseph T. Long for Holloway's History in 1870, which has furnished valuable help in this work, with some approach to the interest of a connected narrative, it has been thought best to preseut, first, a general history of the city and the county up to the outbreak of the civil war, throwing together in it all incidents which have a natural association with each other or with some central incident or locality, so as to make a kind of complete affair of that class of incidents. For instance, the first jail is used to gather a group of the conspicuous crimes in the history of the county, the old court-house to note the various uses to which it was put during the city's progress through the nonage of a country town to the matnrity of a municipal government. Since the war the history was thought more likely to be made intelligible and capable of reten- tion and reference by abandoning the form of a continuous narrative interjeeted with groups of related incidents or events, and divide it into departments, and treat each fully enough to cover all the points related to it that could be found in an annuary, or a separation of the events of each year to itself. Thus it has been the purpose to throw into the chapter on schools all that is worth telling of what is known of the early schools, besides what is related of them in the gen- eral history, with no special reference to the date of any school, while the history of the public schools is traced almost exclusively by official reports and documents. In manufactures it would have been impossible to present a consecutive account if a chronological order had been followed, for the facts are scattered through fifty years, from 1832 to 1882. By taking the whole subject
M196978
iii
iv
PREFACE.
apart from the events with which its various parts are associated by date, it is possible to group them so as to present a tolerably complete view of the origin and progress of each part and of the whole. The military rosters contain all the names of Marion County soldiers in the civil war who enlisted for three years. The list of civil officers of the county is complete and accu- rate, and was compiled for this work. It is the first ever published, as is that of the townsbip and city. The entries of land from 1821 to 1825 will be found an interesting feature of the work, and will recall the name of many an old settler who is almost forgotten now. Mr. Now- land's interesting reminiscences and those of the late Hon. O. H. Smith have been freely used, as well as the memories of some old settlers, as Mr. Robert B. Duncan, Gen. Coburn, William H. Jones, Daniel Noe, and the writer's own occasionally. The histories of the townships have been compiled substantially from the accounts of the oldest and best-known settlers in each.
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 14, 1884.
B. R. S.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAOE Location of Marion County-Topographical and General Description-Geology of the County-Tha Indian Oc- cupation 1
CHAPTER II.
Special Features of the City of Indianapolis-Area and Present Condition-General View and Historical Outline 10
CHAPTER III.
First Period-Early Settlements-Organization of Marion County and Erection of Townships-Erection of Public Buildinga-Notabla Events and Incidents of the Early Settlement and of Later Years-Opening of Roads -- Original Entries of Lands in tha County. 21
CHAPTER IV.
Social Condition of the Early Settlers-Amusements-Ra- ligious Worship-Music-General Description of Pio- neer Life in Marion County-Diseases once Prevalent -Causes of Diminution 68
CHAPTER V.
Second Period-The Capital in the Woods ..................... 96
CHAPTER VI.
CITY OP INDIANAPOLIS.
132
CHAPTER VII.
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS ( Continued).
Commercial and Marcantila Interests of tha City .. ........ 151
CHAPTER VIII.
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS ( Continued).
The Banch and Bar ...
169
CHAPTER IX.
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS (Continued).
Banks, Bankers, and Insurance.
215
CHAPTER X.
PAOE
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS (Continued).
The Presa.
232
CHAPTER XI.
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS (Continued).
Publio Buildings-Publio Halls-Theatres -. Lectures- Concerts - Musical and Art Societies - Literary and other Clubs-Hotels. 249
CHAPTER XII.
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS (Continued).
Medical Practica and Practitionera.
274
CHAPTER XIII. MILITARY MATTERS.
Military Organizations in Indianapolis-Marion County in the War of the Rebellion 300
CHAPTER XIV.
MARION COUNTY IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. Sketches of tha Services of Regiments-Roster of Officers and Enlisted Man from Marion County serving in tha Several Regiments. 322
CHAPTER XV.
ORDERS, SOCIETIES, AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS OF IN-
DIANAPOLIS
366
CHAPTER XVI.
CHURCHES OF INDIANAPOLIS ..
387
CHAPTER XVII.
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES OF INDIANAPOLIS.
417
CHAPTER XVIII.
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS OF TRE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS 440
Y
vi
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XIX.
PAGE
CIVIL LIST OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY. ... 486
PERRY TOWNSHIP
575
CHAPTER XXV.
CENTRE TOWNSHIP
501
PIKE TOWNSHIP.
...
596
CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXVI.
DECATUR TOWNSHIP 506
WARREN TOWNSHIP ..
613
CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXVII.
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
519
WASHINOTON TOWNSHIP ... ...
623
CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP
534
WAYNE TOWNSHIP.
647
1
1
CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XXIV.
PAGE
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
PAGE
Aston, George W
facing
603
Hannah, Samuel facing
216
Atkins, E. C ...
470
Hannaman, William
163
Atkins, E. C. & Co., Works of.
66
469
Harvey, T. .
282
Ayres, Levi.
506
Hanghey, Theo. P
227
Bank of Commerce.
218
Ilaymond, W. S. facing
290
Bates, Hervey .. facing
35
Ilenderson, William
205
Beaty, David Sanford.
154
Hendricks, Thomas A
200
Bell, W. A.
426
Hetherington, B. F.
466
Bessonies, J. F. A
410
Ilolland, J. W. 154
Bird, Abram facing
155
Holliday, William A. facing
392
Blake, James
86
Holmes, W. C ..
226
Bobbs, John S. €€
281
Howard, Edward
291
Brown, Hiram
171
Howland, E. J.
=
505
Brown, S. M. facing
296
Ilowland, Morris,
595
Butler, John M 66
204
llyde, N. A
414
Butler, Ovid
=
176
Indianapolis in 1820 facing
30
Canby, Samuel. 66
502
Johnson, James.
665
Carey, Jason S.
461
Johnson, Oliver.
646
Carey, Simeon B
159
Johnson, William
158
Caven, John
209
Jones, Aquilla
facing 474
Chamber of Commerce.
167
Kingan & between 444, 445
Comingor, J. A. .facing
284
Lilly, J. O. D
facing 480
Compton, J. A.
288
Macy, David
229
Cooper, John J.
218
Malott, V. T
224
Dean Brothers, Works of 467
Mansur, Isaiah
225
Defrees, John D
240
Marion County Court-House.
250
Douglass, John
235
Marion County Court-Ilonse in 1823.
251
Dumont, Ebenczer
308
McCarty, Nicholas,
facing
99
Duncan, Robert B 174
McDonald, J. E
202
Edson, H. A. facing
398
McGanghey, Samuel.
297
Emigrant Scene.
73
McKernan, J. H. 166
MeLaughlin, G. H. 400
160
Fletcher, M. J.
440
Merritt, George.
478
Fletcher, S. A., Jr
468
Moore, John
503
Fletcher, S. A., Sr
219
Moore, Thomas 504
Morris, Morris 217
Funkhouser, David.
279
Morris, T. A.
301
Gall, Alois D.
293
Morton, Olivor P 186
Gordon, J. W.
180
Mothershead, John L.
278
Griffith, Ilumphrey.
161
National Road Bridge over White River.
108
vii
Evans, I. P. & Co., Mannfactory of. facing
482
Fletcher, Calvin, Sr.
169
McOuat, R. L
Fletcher, W. B 285
viii
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAOE
New, George W
facing
292
Streight, A. D
.facing
314
Norwood, George
442
Sullivan, Wm
178
Palmer, N. B.
215
Thomas, John
471
Parry, Charles
276
Talbott, W. H.
162
Patterson, S. J
441
Todd, R. N.
"
283
Pattison, C. B
157
Tomlinson, Geo
596
Peck, E. J.
156
Toon, Martin S.
534
Perkins, S. E.
182
United States Arsenal
305
Piel, William F
452
Vance, L. M.
153
Porter, A. G
206
Wagon-Train on National Road.
95
Ramsay, John F
165
Walker, Isaao C.
facing
286
Ray, James M.
105
Walker, Jacob S
164
Ritzinger, Frederick
230
Walker, John C ..
facing
294
Rockwood, William O
472
Washington Street, Views of.
266 and 267
Root, Deloss.
465
Wood, John
152
Schoolcy, Thomas
533
Woodburn "Sarven Wheel" Co.
.facing
460
Sharpe, Thomas H.
220
Woollen, Wm. W.
«
214
Site of Union Passenger Depot in 1838
137
Wright, C. E.
287
Sinker, E. T.
.facing
464
Yandes, Daniel.
"
100
"
456
Spiegel, Augustus
PAOE
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PAOK
Atkins, E. C.
469
Griffith, Humphrey.
161
Ayres, Levi
506
Hannah, Samnel. 215
Barhonr, Lucian
214A
Hannaman, William 162
Bates, Hervey ..
35
Harrison, Gen. Benjamin. 214D
Beaty, David Sanford
153
Harvey, T. B.
282
Bell, W. A 426
Haughey, Theodore P.
226
Bessonies, J. F. A 409
Haymond, W. S.
290
Bird, Abram
155
Henderson, William
205
Blake, James
86
Hendricks, A. W.
214F
Bobbs, John S.
281
Hendricks, Thomas A
199
Bradley, John H. 214B
Hotherington, B. F
466
Brown. Hiram ..
171
Hines, Judge.
214K
Brown, John G
505
Holland, J. W.
154
Brown, S. M
296
Holman, John A 185
226
Butler, Ovid
175
Holliday, William A
392
Canby, Samuel. 503
Hord, Oscar B.
214F
Carey, H. G.
228
Howard, Edward.
291
Carey, Jason S
461
Ilowland, E. J. 505
Carey, Simeon B
159
Howland, Morris. 595
414
Coburn, John
2140
Jameson, Patrick H.
280
Comingor, J. A.
284
Johnson, James.
665
Compton, J. A.
288
Johnson, Oliver
646
Cooper, John J
217
Johnson, William
158
Culley, David V.
236
Jones, Aquilla
474
Defrees, John D
239
Knefler, Fred.
214E
Donglass, John ..
235
Lilly, J. O. D
480
Dumont, Ebenezer.
308
Macy, David 229
223
Edson, H. A. 397
Mansur, Isaiah.
225
Elliott, B. K.
214»
McDonald, J. E.
201
Finch, F. M. 214p
McCarty, Nicholas
99
Fletcher, Calvin, Sr. 169
McGaughey, Samuel,
297
Fletcher, M. J. 440
McKernan, J. H.
165
Fletcher, S. A., Sr .. 219
MoLaughlin, G. H
399
Fletcher, S. A., Jr. 468
Fletcher, W. B. 285
Merritt, George.
478
Funkhouser, David
279
Moore, John ...
503
Gall, Alois D 293
Moore, Thomas 504
Gordon, J. W. 180
Morris, Morris.
216
Butler, John M.
204
Holmes, W. C ..
Caven, Joh
209
Hyde, N. A
Duncan, Robert B. 174
Malott, V. T.
MoOuat, R. L. 160
ix
PAOE
X
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PAGE
Morton, Oliver P.
186
Sharpe, Thomas H.
220
Morris, T. A.
301
Sinkor, E. T.
464
Mothershead, John L.
278
Spiegel, Augustus
456
Newoomh, Horatio C.
214A
Streight, A. D.
314
New, George W.
292
Sullivan, William
178
New, John C ..
214F
Talbett, W. II.
162
Norwood, George.
442
Taylor, N. B.
214c
O'Neal, Hugh
214A
Thomas, John
471
Palmer, N. J
215
Todd, R. N
283
Parry, Charles.
276
Tomlinson, George.
596
Patterson, S. J.
441
Toon, Martin S
533
Pattison, C. B.
157
Vance, L. M
153
Perkins, S. E ..
182
Walkor, Isaac C.
286
Peck, E. J.
156
Walkor, Jacob S.
164
Porter, A. G.
206
Walker, John C.
294
Piel, William F.
453
Wallace, David.
203
Qnarles, William,
214A
Wallace, William.
214B
Ramsay, John F.
163
Wishard, William W.
594
Ray, James M.
105
Wood, John.
152
Ritzinger, Frederick
230
Wright, C. E
287
Root, Deloss.
465
Woollen, William W
213
Rockwood, William O
472
Yandes, Daniol
100
Schooley, Thomas
533
PAGE
HISTORY
OF
INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
Location of Marion County-Topographical and General De- scription-Geology of the County-The Indian Occupation.
MARION COUNTY, in which is the city of Indian- apolis, the capital of Indiana, occupies a central posi- tion in the State (as is mentioned more particularly hereafter), and is bounded on the north by the coun- ties of Boone and Hamilton, on the east by Hancock and Shelby, on the south by Morgan and Johnson, and on the west by Hendricks County. Its shape would be almost an exact square but for an inac- curacy in the government survey, which makes a pro- jection of four miles or sections in length by about three-fourths of a mile in width at the northeast corner into the adjoining county of Hancock, with a recess on the opposite side of equal length, and about one-fourth of the width, occupied by a similar pro- jection from Hendricks County. The civil townships of the county follow the lines of the Congressional townships in direction, except at the division of the townships of Decatur and Perry, which follows the line of White River, taking off a considerable area of the former and adding it to the latter township. The area of the county is about two hundred and sixty thousand acres.
Topography and General Features .- Indian- apolis, which is the county-seat of Marion as well as the State capital, lies in latitude 39º 55', longitude 86° 5', very nearly in the centre of the State and county. Mr. Samuel Merrill makes it two miles northwest of the centre of the State, and one mile
southwest of the centre of the county. Professor R. T. Brown's Official Survey, in the "State Geol- ogist's Report," regards the entire county as part of a great plain, nowhere, however, actually level over any considerable areas, with an average elevation above low water in the river of about one hundred and sev- enty-five feet, and of eight hundred and sixty above the sea-level. Occasional elevations run to more than two hundred feet above the river-level, and probably to nine hundred above the sea. The West Fork of White River, running for twenty-two miles in a very tortuous course twenty degrees east of north and west of south, divides the county unequally, the western fraction being little more than half as large as the eastern, or one-third of the whole area. The river valley varies from one to four miles in width, presenting a bluff on the west side of fifty to two hundred feet through most of its extent, and on the east side a gentle slope. Where the bluff comes up to the water on one side the " bottom" recedes on the other, sometimes swampy, and frequently cut up by "bayous" or supplementary outlets for freshets. The current is on the bluff side, usually deep, swift, and clear. Occasionally the low "bottom" land comes up to the water on both banks, but not frequently. There are many gentle slopes and small elevations in and around the city, but nothing that deserves the name of hill, except " Crown Hill," at the cemetery north of the city, and one or two smaller protuber- ances a mile or two south. All the streams that drain this undulating plain flow in a general southwesterly direction on the east side of the river, and south-
1
2
HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.
easterly on the west side, proving, as the first secre- tary of the State Board of Health says, that Indian- apolis lies in a basin, the grade higher on all sides than is the site of the city, except where the river makes its exit from the southwest.
Subordinate Valleys .- Dr. Brown says that "the glacial action, which left a heavy deposit of transported material over the whole surface of the county, has at the same time plowed out several broad valleys of erosion, which appear to be tributary to the White River Valley." The most conspicuous of these comes down from the northeast, between Fall Creek and White River, is about a mile wide at the lower end, narrowing to the northeast for six or seven miles, and disappearing near the northern line of the county. The grinding force has cut away the surface clay, and in places filled the holes with gravel and coarse sand. South of the city and east of the river are two other valleys of the same kind. One, about a mile wide, extends from White River, a little north of Glenn's Valley, about five miles to the northeast, with well- defined margins composed of gravel terraces. The other lies chiefly in the county south of Marion, and between it and the first-mentioned is a ridge called Poplar Hill, composed of sand and gravel on a bed of blue clay. West of the river there is but one of these valleys. It begins in Morgan County, and running a little north of east enters Marion County, passing between West Newton and Valley Mills, and connect- ing with White River Valley near the mouth of Dollarhide Creek. A water-shed between the tribu- taries of the West Fork of White River and the East Fork, or Driftwood, enters the county two miles from the southeast corner, passing nearly north about twelve miles, makes an eastward bend and passes out of the county. Unlike water-sheds generally, this one is not a ridge or considerable elevation, but a marshy region overflowed in heavy rains, when it is likely enough the overflow runs into either river as chance or the wind directs it. These swampy sections lying high are readily drained, and make excellent farming land.
Streams .- Except Eagle Creek and its affluents, there are no considerable streams entering the river in the county on the west side. There are Crooked
Creek north of Eagle, and Dollarhide Creek south, and several still smaller and unnamed, except for neighborhood convenience, but they are little more than wet weather " branches," or drains of swampy sections. Dr. Brown explains this paucity of water- courses by the fact that a large stream called White Lick rises northwest, flows along, partly in Hendricks and partly in Marion Counties, parallel with the course of the river, and enters the latter in Morgan County, thus cutting off the eastward course of minor streams by receiving their waters itself. On the east side of the river, which contains nearly two-thirds of the area of the county, a considerable stream called Grass Creek runs almost directly south for a dozen or more miles very near the eastern border of the county, and finally finds its way into the East Fork. It has a half-dozen or more little tributaries, as Buck Creek, Panther Run, Indian Creek, Big Run, Wild Cat and Doe Creek. Of the east side streams tributary to the West Fork of White River-far better known as White River than the short course of the combined East and West Forks to the Wabash-Fall Creek is much the most considerable. Except it, but a single small stream called Dry Run enters the river north of the city. Fall Creek enters the county very near the northeast corner, and flowing almost southwest- erly enters the river now near the northwest corner of the city. It formerly entered west of the centre of the city, but a " cut-off" was made nearly a mile or more farther north for hygienic and economic reasons, and the mouth has thus been shifted con- siderably. The main tributaries of Fall Creek are Mud Creek on the north, and North Fork, Middle Fork, Dry Branch, and Indian Creek east and soutlı. The duplication of names of streams will be observed. There are two Buck Creeks, two Dry, two Lick (one White), two Indian, and two Eagle Creeks in the county. As few of these names are suggested by any special feature of the stream or country, except Fall Creek, which is named from the falls at Pendle- ton, and Mud and Dry Creeks, the duplication may be set down to the whims of the pioneers. South of the city, on the east side of the river, the streamis flowing directly into the river are Pogue's Creek, passing directly through the city ; Pleasant Run,
3
TOPOGRAPHY AND GENERAL FEATURES.
mainly east and south, but cutting into the southeast corner of the city (Bean Creek is tributary to the latter), Liek Creek, and Buck Creek.
Bottom Lands .- The valley of White River, says the Official Survey, is divided into alluvium or bottom land proper and the terrace or second bottom. In that portion of the valley that lies north of the mouth of Eagle Creek it consists chiefly of second bottom, while the first bottom largely predominates in the southern portion. Much of this latter is subject to overflow in times of freshets, so that while the soil is exceedingly fertile and easy of cultivation a crop is never safe. Levees have been made for considerable distances below the city, on the river and on some of the larger creeks, to remedy the mischief of overflows, but, the Survey says, with only partial success. The primary difficulty is the tortuous courses of the streams, and of the river particularly, that runs a distance of sixteen miles to the lower county line, which is but nine in a straight line. This not only diminishes the fall per mile, but the water, moving in curves and reversed curves, loses its momentum, the current becomes sluggish, and when freshets come the accumulation overflows the low banks, and covers large districts of cultivable and cultivated land, to the frequent serious injury of crops, and the occasional destruction of crops, fences, and stock. A straightened channel would increase the fall and the strength of the current, and in the sandy forma- tion of the beds of most of the streams would soon cut a way deep cnough to secure the larger part of the land against overflow. This would be cheaper than making levees along a crooked course that re- quired two miles of work to protect one of direct length, but it would have to be carried out by a con- cert of action on the part of riparian proprietors, which would be hard to effect, and it would also di- vide a good many farms that are now bounded by original lines of survey, terminatiog at the river, which was made a navigable stream by law but not by nature. Changing the bed would confuse the numbers of sections, and possibly disturb some land titles. This objection is presented to this policy in Professor Brown's Survey, but an act of the Legisla- ture might open a way for concerted action, and pro-
vide against the confusion of lines and disturbance of rights.
Flora .- The central region of Indiana was a favor- ite hunting-ground of the Indian tribes that sold it in 1818. Its woods and waters were unusually full of game. There were no prairies of any extent and not many swamps. The entire surface was densely covered with trees. On the uplands, which were dry and rolling, the sugar, white and blue ash, black walnut, white walnut or butternut, white oak, red beech, poplar, wild cherry prevailed ; on the more level uplands were bur-oak, white elm, hickory, white beech, water ash, soft maple, and others ; on the first and second bottoms, sycamore, buckeye, black wal- nut, blue ash, hackberry, and mulberry. Grape- vines, bearing abundantly the small, pulpless acid fruit called " coon" grapes, grew profusely in the bottoms, covering the largest trees, and furnishing more than ample stores for the preserves and pies of the pioneer women. Under all these larger growths, especially in the bottoms, there were dense crops of weeds, among which grew equally dense thickets of spice-brush,-the backwoods substitute for tea,- papaw, wahoo, wild plum, hazel, sassafras, red and black haw, leatherwood, prickly ash, red-bud, dog- wood, and others. The chief weed growths, says Professor Brown, were nettles and pea-vines matted together, but with these were Indian turnip,-the most acrid vegetable on earth probably,-ginseng, cohosh, lobelia, and, in later days, perfect forests of iron-weeds. There are a good many small remains of these primeval forests scattered through the county, with here and there patches of the undergrowth, and not a few nut-trees, walnut, hickory, and butternut, but the hazel, the spicewood, the sassafras, the plum and black haw and papaw are never seen anywhere near the city, and not frequently anywhere in the county. The Indian turnip is occasionally found, but ginseng has disappeared as completely as the mound-builders, though iu the last generation it was an article of considerable commercial importance.
Fauna .- The principal animals in these primeval woods were the common black bear, the black and gray wolf, the buffalo, deer, raccoon, opossum, fox, gray and red squirrels, rabbits, mink, weasel, of land
4
HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.
quadrupeds; of the water, otter, beaver, muskrat ; of birds, the wild turkey, wild goose, wild duek, wild pigeon, pheasant, quail, dove, and all the train of wood birds which the English sparrow has so largely driven off,-the robin, bluebird, jaybird, woodpecker, tomtit, sap-sueker, snowbird, thrush. For twenty years or more laws have protected the game birds, and there is said to be a marked increase of quail in the last decade, but there is hardly any other kind of game bird, unless it be an occasional wild pigeon, snipe, or wild duck. Buzzards, hawks, crows, owls, blackbirds are not frequently seen now near the city, though they were all abundant once. Flocks of black- birds and wild pigeons occasionally pass along, but not numerously enough to attract the hunter. In fact, there is very little worth hunting in the county, except rabbits, quail, and remote squirrels. For fish the game varieties are almost wholly confined to the bass and red-eye. Water scavengers like the " cat" and " sueker" are thick and big in the off-flow of the city pork-houses, and in the season form Do inconsider- able portion of the flesh-food of the elass that will fish for them, but game fish must be sought for from five to ten miles from the city. In early days, and for the first twenty-five years of the existence of the city, the river and its larger affluents supplied ample provision of excellent fish,-bass, pike, buffalo, red- eye, salmon rarely, and the cleaner class of inferior fish, as " red-horse," suckers, cats, eels ; but the im- providence of pioneers, who never believed that any natural supply of food could fail, and the habits ae- quired from them, particularly the destructiveness of seining, has reduced the food population of streams till it needs stringent laws, and the vigilance of asso- ciations formed to enforce the laws, to prevent total extirpation. Even with these supports it will take careful and prolonged efforts at restocking to repro- duce anything like the former abundance.
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