USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > A history of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana : a complete and concise account from the earliest times to the present, embracing reminiscences of the pioneers and biographical sketches of the men who have been leaders in commercial and other enterprises > Part 21
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48
224
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
appeal was made to the legislature for a state hospital in the southern part of the commonwealth. Through the senators and representatives of this part of the country, the legislature made an appropriation for a brick asylum at or near Evansville. The old Howard farm, consist- ing of 160 acres, on the Newburgh road, three miles from the city, was secured as a location at a cost of about $20,000. A handsome building was begun in the year 1886. It was opened for occupancy by proclamation of Governor A. P. Hovey, on the first day of July, 1890. On April 16, 1890, the board of trustees chose A. J. Thomas, A. M., M. D., LL. D., as medical superintendent of this hospital and ex-officio secretary of the board of trustees. The medical director so chosen entered upon his duties July 7, 1890. He made his first biennial report to the governor October 31, 1890. According to that report the estimated value of the real estate and personal property of the hospital at that time was slightly over $457,000, and the maxi- mum capacity of the hospital was 400.
The building when first occupied had three extensive wings, radiat- ing from the central dome, and each one is three stories high, with a basement. Early in 1896, a new building was added to the original one, so as to accommodate the patients presenting themselves for admittance to the hospital. It is an oblong structure, three stories high, 54x158 feet; and its interior arrangement is a duplicate of the wings of the original building.
From the biennial report ending October 31, 1896, it is learned that there were 435 patients in the institution at that time. The total number of patients admitted since the opening of the hospital in 1890 is 936-490 men and 446 women More farmers and housekeepers enter the asylum than from any other occupation, and more married people than single. More cases of hereditary insanity are admitted than from any other canse. The expenditures for main- tenance and repairs for the year ending October 31, 1896, were nearly $76,500.
From the opening of the hospital to the present time, Dr. Thomas has conducted the institution on careful, economical principles and has surrounded himself with the best medical assistance. The patients have been treated along the highest humane methods. He has demon- strated his ability and efficiency for the place he occupies, and his faithfulness and carefulness cannot be questioned. In admitting pa- tients to the hospital he has exercised excellent judgment. It has been the rule of his administration that all be treated with kindness and consideration.
225
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
CUSTOM HOUSE.
The postoffice used to make regular moves from place to place with the advent of almost every new postmaster, until the erection of the present custom house gave it a permanent habitation. This building was completed in 1879, under the supervision of Mr. James H. McNeely, whom the government appointed superinten- dent of construction. The building is located on Second street and occupies the space between Sycamore and Vine streets. The govern- ment appropriated $350,000 for the work. In the custom house are located the postmaster, the surveyor of customs,deputy collector of inter- nal revenue, deputy clerk of the United States court, United States inspectors of steamboats, deputy United States marshal, assistant surgeon of Marine hospital, and all other government officers in this city.
-
RAILROADS.
It is so patent a fact as to be axiomatic that railroads are civilizers, great disseminators of cosmopolitan traits and promoters of material wealth. Progress is noted all along the lines of transportation, and the centers of activity quiver with a new impetus injected into them by steel rails. They, in a sense, build cities, improve farms, enlarge plans, facilitate exchanges of products, deliver at our doors our mail, whirl us from one end of the country to the other in an incredibly short time when compared with the stage-coach method of conveyance in olden times. They place the edible products of every land upon our tables and adorn our homes with the best made furnishings that the market affords. Indeed, they have revolutionized the whole system of transportation, and inaugurated the era of " quick sales and small profits." With their coming the ease of the " fine old English gentle- men" fled, and nervous haste, tripping up its heels, came to occupy a prominent place in the affairs of men. Railroads have had much to do with the culture, comfort and condition of man, and have no doubt changed in a measure the character and tenor of his ambitions and the promises he holds out to himself. The application of this general truth to particulars is not hard to make. The railroad brought with it a new order of things. The pursuits of men have multiplied, books and papers are more numerous than was ever before known in the world, comforts are secured with less money than ever before, and the young man just starting in life has been trained to indulge himself in
226
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
limitless ambitions and to multiply star-eyed promises in the firma- ment of his early morning of life. The advantages of railroads to Evansville and Vanderburgh county have been legion. Before the advent of railroads the Ohio river was the great thoroughfare from New Orleans through to Pittsburgh, and the river was almost con- stantly marked by a line of low-hanging. smoke that had been conghed from the tall smokestacks of the river packets. Indeed, the keels of every sort of craft vexed the surface of the Ohio-the beautiful.' But with the coming of railroads which traversed along its banks, so to speak, crossed it and penetrated into the very heart of the country, this great artery of commerce had to surrender a great part-the greater part in fact-of its carrying trade to its glittering railed rival.
The railroad, like a quick-moving, dapper little man, took the con- veyance of farm and manufactured products away from it and delivered them at their destination far in advance of the time in which the river would have been able to do it. It was speed and the modern spirit of rush that deprived the river of so much of its business. But still, the Ohio is an indispensable means of transportaion for all the river towns and for conveyance of the products of the broad, fertile farms in the bottoms. Therefore, the boat has not been hopelessly relegated to a past era. The whole of the business was not absorbed by this new common carrier-the railroad.
The old Wabash and Erie canal was opened for traffic in 1853, but its life was of short duration, for it was entirely abandoned in 1864, its business was killed by the swifter methods of the railroads. The first railroad into Evansville was mapped out iu 1849, and was called the Evansville & Indianapolis railroad. The next year its construction was begun, and later its name was changed to the Evansville & Craw- fordsville railroad. It was completed to Terre Haute in 1854. It is now known as the Evansville & Terre Haute railroad, and is a direct route to Chicago. The fortunate position of Evansville on the Ohio has made it a railroad center, and consequently a mart for a large por- tion of Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. It is a direct line from Chicago through to the South and Southwest. It is a great supply point in many lines af industry for the rapidly developing South. It is the largest hard-wood lumber market in the world. These and many other essential features have brought many lines of railroad to Evansville.
The "Straight Line" railroad, as it is commonly called, was the second line leading out of Evansville. It was designed to reach Indianapolis. Right of way was granted at points as early as 1854. It
227
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
met with difficulties in its construction. R. G. Hervey succeeded to the interests originally held by Willard Carpenter, but still the road was not completed, although its construction was well advanced. Mr. Hervey entirely disposed of his interests to Mr. D. J. Mackey. After many delays the road was at length completed on the bed of the old canal in 1886.
The Peoria, Decatur & Evansville road was undertaken in 1880. It ruus through a fertile country, and is a valuable line to the city.
The Evansville, Cincinnati & Paducah railroad company was pro- jected in 1870, and subsequently consolidated with the Evansville & Southern Illinois and the St. Louis and Southwestern railroad com- panies. These consolidated lines, in 1873, took the name of the St. Louis & Southwestern railroad company. The Evansville, Heuderson & Nashville railroad company was also merged into this combination. In 1872 the western and sonthern divisions of the line were consoli- dated, and at last tell into the possession of the Louisville & Nashville railroad company. In 1885 a great steel bridge was built across the Ohio river at Henderson, Ky. The Lake Erie, Evansville & South- western railroad finally became the property of the Louisville, Evans- ville & St. Louis railroad company (" The Air Line.")
The Ohio Valley road is a line traversing a fine agricultural country.
The Evansville & Newburg railroad is a sort of suburban line, but a very busy one. It is commonly called the "Dummy line."
Many other railroad plans have been projected in the past and dropped.
The many public highways leading into the city are macadamized and afford the farmers easy method of conveying their products to the city markets.
A branch line of the E. & T. H. extends from Fort Branch, passing through Owensville, New Harmony and Mt. Vernon, Indiana, and connecting with the western division of the L. & N. system.
TENNESSEE AND OHIO RIVER TRANSPORTATION COMPANY.
Evansville owes a great deal to her many river transportation com- panies. There is no doubt that these companies have been great factors in securing discriminating freight rates in favor of this city. The nation has recognized the importance of sustaining her water- ways by the expending of millions of dollars annually upon the im- provement of the same. The reputation of the Tennessee and Ohio
228
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
River Transportation company extends all over the south and its influence in securing just and equitable freight rates is felt by nearly every town in that broad land. Evansville, occupying as she does the position of gateway to this great southland, has by virtue of the equitable business method of this company, been able to control the rates charged on nearly all kinds of freight south of the Ohio river. This company is the successor to the old Evansville, Paducah and Cairo line, which operated boats on the Ohio river between this city and Cairo. The old company was organized early in the sixties with Capt. John Gilbert as president, and Capt. Joshua Throup as com- mander of the "Mayduke " and Capt. M. DeSouchet as clerk ; all of these gentlemen were stockholders. The boats operated were: the "Mayduke," "Armada," and "Charmer." A few years after organizing, a consolidation was made with the Dexter line, and the steamers "Charlie Bowen," "Courier," and "Superior," were added to the fleet. In 1870, the company divided up and the present company built the "Idlewild," placing Capt. Gus. Fowler in command. The success of this boat was phenomenal and had much to do with building the business of the company up to its present gigantic propor- tions. The boats have been operated at all times, according to regular scheduled time tables, high water or low water, and they have therefore built up an enviable reputation as carriers. The officers of the com- pany are: Capt. John Gilbert, president ; J. H. Fowler, superin- tendent ; R. K. Dunkerson, treasurer; Saunders Fowler, general freight agent. They operate the "John S. Hopkins," 500 tons ; "Joe Fowler," 450 tons ; "Gus Fowler," 350 tons, and "Dick Fowler," 350 tons. The boats make daily trips between Evansville, Paducah and Cairo. The "Dick Fowler," which was launched about four years ago, makes two trips daily from Paducah to Cairo, traveling a distance of about 200 miles a day. She is considered one of the fastest boats on the Ohio river.
This company has been of incalculable advantage to the people along the Ohio between here and Cairo, who up to a few years ago had no other means of reaching the market. During the low water they have chartered light draught boats to make the runs, considering neither trouble nor expense where the convenience of thier patrons was in the scale. No man is better known or more generally respected in Evansville than is Capt. John Gilbert, the president of the company. He has been connected with the river interests for nearly half a century, and while he has large mercantile and banking interests
229
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
besides his river business, yet it is to the river that he gives most of his time and energy, which is phenomenal in a man of his years.
For over forty years the people along the Ohio river have heard the whistles of his boats and his honesty and absolute integrity has endeared him to the thousands of people who have had business to do with his line, and now when the shadows have begun to fall toward the east John Gilbert can look back on a well spent life, studded with the jewels of friendship that his long and honorable career has called about him.
THE EVANSVILLE & TERRE HAUTE R R. SHOPS.
In 1854 these shops consisted of one frame building, used as a blacksmith and general workshop, with John Kerlin in charge. A year or so later two more frame buildings were put up. One of which had four stalls for engines and a division at one end for tools and work- men. The other was erected for car and coach work, with Mr. Jewett in charge. The water supply for these buildings was furnished by a pump and came from the Wabash and Erie canal on Fifth street. These frame buildings continued in service until 1864, when fine new brick buildings were erected adjacent to the old ones. They comprised a machiue shop 50x100 feet, car shop 50x100 feet, paint shop 30x150 feet, blacksmith shop 50x85 feet, a two-story office building and store-room 30x120 feet, and a round-house with sixteen stalls, and a turn-table. J. L. White was then master mechanic; A. Ancona, fore- man ; Joseph Stiker, car foreman ; John Howden, blacksmith fore- man ; Thomas Hopkins, boiler shop foreman.
The new buildings continued in use without additions until 1886, when a frame extension of 50x120 feet was made to the car-shop. In 1893 a two-story addition to the machine-shop was built, size 40x60 feet. It was used for au electric plant and pattern-room.
The present officers in charge of the shops are: John Torrance, superintendent of motive power and rolling stock ; W. J. McLeish, general foreman ; W. D. Andrews, foreman car department ; George Lindsay, foreman blacksmith shop ; B. F. Smith, foreman boiler shop; D. S. Cook, foreman round-house.
230
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
JOHN TORRANCE.
The man who has been longer connected with the machine shops of the Evansville & Terre Haute railroad company than any other one in his official capacity, is John Torrance, the present master mechanic. He was born January 28, 1836, near Glasgow, Scotland, at the village of the Monkland ironworks-which takes its name after the old castle located there. His first work as an apprentice was in the large machine-shops of that great ship-builder, Robert Napier, in Glasgow. An apprentice in those days had to work-was indentured to work- three years before he was entitled to a journeyman's wages. The road before young Torrance to anything like promotion was a long one, for his apprentice number was 133, that is to say, 132 young working lads were before him in the line and list of preferment In 1857 with a fleet of five steamships, to the Canadian government, he came to America as second engineer in the government inspection ship named Lady Head. He continued in this service two years, coming to the United States in 1859. For a short time he was employed in the shops of the New York Central railroad, Buffalo, New York. He came to Evansville in 1860, and engaged in the shops of the E. & T. H. R. R. The next year he went with Archie Thompson to Paducah, Ky., and began work in the shops of tho Memphis & Ohio railroad, now a part of the system of the Illinois Central. In the early spring of 1864, Gen. Forest, a Confederate cavalry raider, stirred up Paducah by a sud- den foray, and Mr. Torrance, disliking the unhappy warlike situation, returned at once to Evansville. He renewed his labors in the E. & T. H. shops without delay, and has been there ever since-during the entire span of a generation, thirty-three years. He worked first as machinist, then as general foreman, and now is master mechanic, a position he has occupied most efficiently for many years.
HOWELL.
On the 15th of August, 1885, the Henderson bridge was open for trains to pass over the Ohio river, and about that time there was a station located about one mile southwest from the corporate limits of Evansville, which had been named " Howell " by President M. H. Smith of the L. & N. R. R. Co., as a compliment to our worthy fellow citizen Capt Lee Howell, general freight agent of the Evans- ville & St. Louis, and Evansville, Henderson & Nashville divisions of the L. & N. R. R. Co.
231
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
February 13, 1889, the town of Howell was laid out by Capt. Lee Howell, Maj. J. B. Cox, Judge Wm. J. Wood, Jacob Eichel, and Mr. J. G. Metcalfe, composing the Howell Land Co. Its streets running north and south are named Barker avenue, Daisy avenne, Lilley avenue and Stinson street. Those running east and west are Engine, Electric, Signal and Vulcan streets. On the 9th day of February, 1891, Rose's addition to Howell was laid out by Conrad Rose, the Howell Land Co. and Maj. J. B. Cox. On the 22d day of December, 1894, Cox's first addition to Howell was laid out by Maj. J. B. Cox. On the 11th day of May, 1895, Thompson's addition to Howell was laid out by James Thompson and Conrad Rose. On July 2, 1896, Cox's second addition was laid out by Maj. J. B. Cox. On September 5, 1896, Niebuler's addition was laid out by Henry Niebuler. On November 14, 1896, Strieble's addition was laid out. At the time Howell was laid out in 1885, there were but two houses inside the ยท limits. The population now is about 1,300. The public buildings are two school houses, the General Baptist church, which was organ- ized by Rev. Benoni Stinson and George Parker on the 5th day of October, 1823, and the Methodist Episcopal church. Among the better class of residences are those owned and occupied by Thomas Walsh, master mechanic of the L. & N. R. R. shops, J. A. Messmer, Maj. J. B. Cox, Pat McCue, Mr. Murphy, E. J. Young, Pat J. Monighan, John Burns, Mrs. Rupert, and others. The town of Howell has grown very rapidly and bids fair to become a city in the near future.
HOWELL SHOPS.
In March, 1889, the Louisville & Nashville railroad company took charge of the Evansville & St. Louis and the Evansville & Nashville divisions, and at once secured a forty-five acre plat near what is now called Howell, and commenced to erect a round-house containing ten stalls and a large wrought iron turn-table of 100 tons capacity. Then the work of building shops was commenced. They erected a machine shop 125 feet wide and 133 feet long, and an engine and boiler house 72 feet long by 35 feet wide. The boiler shop and blacksmith shop, which is right opposite the machine shop, is 208 feet long by 92 feet wide. Between the two shops is a large transfer running 240 fect long and 60 feet wide for transferring engines, cars and coaches. The next building in line was the planing mill, which is 75 feet wide by 125 feet long, and two stories high, fully equipped with the latest im-
232
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
proved machinery. Adjacent to this building is an engine and boiler- room 82 feet long by 35 feet wide, supplied with a 125 horse-power Corliss engine. The next building is a car-shop 125 feet wide by 150 feet long This contains six tracks running from one end to the other for repairing and rebuilding cars.
The next building is the store-room and office, a building three stories high. The lower story is fire-proof for heavy storage. The second story contains three offices and a store-room. The upper story contains offices, drawing-room and store department This building is equipped with two large fire-proof vaults The grounds are all fenced in, graded up, well drained, and a great part of the yard is cultivated, having lawns and flower gardens, being supplied with a hothouse 75 feet long and 20 feet wide.
The water supply consists of a large well 75 fect deep and 40 feet in diameter supplied from the river. The water from this well is raised by a large duplex pump into a large tank 40 feet above the ground, and above this is a second tank sixty feet from the ground. This upper tank furnishes a good pressure for fire purposes, and is connected with all the hydrants throughout the yard. The large duplex pump is so arranged that it can be directly connected with the mains, giving on a few minutes notice 130 pounds pressure per square inch
All the buildings have stone foundations, and are of smooth pressed brick, with stone coping, and slate roofs. The very best workmanship and material were employed in their construction. These shops were completed and started up on the 24th day of December, 1889, with a working force of 240 men. Since then the force has been steadily increasing until at the present time there is a working force of over 600 men in the shops. The city adjoining the shops was laid out in 1885, and in 1889 when the shops first started, there were not over half a dozen houses in it. At present there are about 275 houses and fully 75 per cent. of this property is owned by the employes of the shops. The shops have never been closed down since they started and have always worked a force of from 500 to 700 men. The average pay-roll for the shops is $20,000 to $26,000 per month.
The following are the officers in charge of the shops: Thomas Walsh, master mechanic ; E. J. Young, foreman of machine shop; A. W. Patton, foreman of car department ; Moses Bagley, assistant fore- man car department ; F. M. Van Winkle, foreman of planing mill ; 1. E. Brown, foreman of boiler shop; Patrick McCue, foreman of blacksmith shop; Gus Carpenter, foreman of tin and coppersmith
233
HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
shop ; Charles Robinson, foreman coach-work ; A. J. Bruning, fore- man of paint department, and J. B. Huff, foreman of engines and round-house.
HISTORY OF THE B. M. A.
The Business Men's Association of Evansville effected its perma- nent organization April 15, 1887. Its object was to promote the welfare and advancement of the city, to collect and diffuse informa- tion as to its commercial and industrial advantages, developed and un- developed ; to invite and secure local and foreign capital and labor, and make known the opportunities for investment and employment.
The public spirited men of Evansville discovered the necessity for a commercial, or busness men's organization. All important cities have their organizations through which the business voice is expressed and understood in its own community, as well as in others with which it is thus brought in correspondence. This element is enabled to speak, deliberate, plan and carry out ideas for the promotion of the general welfare.
The existence of such an organization as the B. M. A. serves as a nucleus around which the community can rally during times of public apprehension or danger. It is an effective promoter of grand achievements for the upbuilding of the city and a potent factor in the development of its resources. It has a deterring influence on unfaith- ful officials, being to them a standing menace, while it is a tower of strength to faithful ones.
The B. M. A. is the only public body that has ever taken it upon itself to look after the welfare of the community, and assume im- portant undertakings for the business interests of the city. It has been instrumental in bringing numerous plants to Evansville and has rendered valuable aid in securing the Marine hospital and the hospital for the insane. It made a heroic fight for the improvement of the streets and alleys that the city might have clean substantial thoroughfares. After a prolonged struggle continued from the one session of the legislature to another, it succeeded in obtaining the machinery by which muncipal reform is possible. The new charter of Evansville which was thus secured is modeled after that of Brook- lyn. The efforts of the B. M. A. have frequently been resisted by those who misunderstood the motives of the association, and it has been assailed when doing work which was purely reformative of public abuses. It was never so severely criticised as it was during the fight 16
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.