USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > A standard history of Elkhart County, Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development, Volume I > Part 24
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THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL
In the fall of 1902 the movement for a new high school building began, and the work of construction was under way in the following
GOSHEN HIGH SCHOOL
Vol. 1-17
258
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
spring. Formal occupation of the fine structure, located at the cor- ner of Jefferson and Fifth streets, took place in the fall of 1904.
THE CITY SCHOOLS IN 1904-05
At that time the status of the city schools was indicated by the following table:
BUILDINGS
NO. PUPILS
NO. TEACHERS
High school.
.315
12
Madison Street school.
585
14
North Fifth Street school
324
8
South Fifth Street school.
199
6
Pike Street school.
123
4
West Side school
40
I
East Side school.
42
I
-
Total
1,608 45
Average attendance, 1,350.
There were also three supply teachers, making 48 in all.
VILLAGE PRINCIPALS AND CITY SUPERINTENDENTS
Previous to the incorporation of Goshen as a city, the public schools of the village were in charge of Messrs. McCloy and Curtis, W. H. Marsh, George Ager, J. J. Brown and George Ager (two terms). Mr. Ager was the last of the principals under village rule, and the first of the superintendents of schools, as they were known under the municipality. Mr. Gillis was employed to finish out the school year and set out to properly grade the pupils of the different departments, but owing to the difficulty of the task, the work was not completed until the following year under the direction of D. D. Luke, who became superintendent in the fall of 1870. Mr. Luke was a man of liberal education and fine training and under his direction the establishment of the city schools on a graded basis became a reality. Soon after his coming the high school was
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
259
MADISON STREET SCHOOL
260
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
established as a regular department of the schools. Mr. Luke acted as superintendent for six years, when he resigned.
Ambrose Blunt, a graduate of Wesleyan University of Middle- town, Connecticut, was elected to fill the vacancy and continued in the capacity of superintendent until June, 1885, a period of nine years. Mr. Blunt is well remembered by many people of the city today as a man of scholarly attainments and as one who did very much for the educational advancement of the community. Upon the resignation of Mr. Blunt, W. H. Sims was elected to the superin- tendency, and remained at the head of the schools for fourteen years, during which many improvements in material and methods were made. He was succeeded in 1899 by J. F. Rieman, to whom we are indebted for much of the data used in this article.
Previous to 1874 George T. Ager had charge of the schools in Goshen. The first city schools commencement was held in 1875. A complete list of superintendents is as follows : D. D. Luke, 1874- 76; Ambrose Blunt, 1876-84; W. H. Sims, 1844-99; J. F. Rieman, 1899-1901; V. W. B. Hedgepeth, 1901-06; Lillian E. Michael, 1906- II ; Edgar A. Mendenhall, 1911-16; James Wilkinson, 1916.
COMPARATIVE GROWTH FOR THIRTY-FIVE YEARS
The growth of the Goshen schools during the past thirty-five years is illustrated in the following table :
ITEMS
1880 1800
1900
School enumeration. .1,33I
1,818
1,985
Total number enrolled.
998
1,254 1,671
Average number belonging. . 738
1,009.2 1,416
Average daily attendance ... 700
906.5
1,336
INCREASE OF POPULATION IN THIRTY-FIVE YEARS
The expansion of all the public utilities and institutions of the city is generally explained by the steady increase of its population. From 1880 to 1890 this was indicated by 3,918 and 6,033, respec- tively ; in 1900 it was 7,810, in 1910, 8,514, and it is now estimated at 10,000.
261
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
THE GOSHEN CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
About 1895 the first steps were taken that resulted in the found- ing of Goshen's free public library. The idea was originated by the women of the city and actively promoted by the women's clubs, fore- most of which were the Beacon Light and Library clubs. Other clubs gave books and money toward the project.
The movement had a very modest beginning in a meeting held at the high school library room in 1897, at which the following were the officers elected: President, Mrs. E. C. Rogers; vice president, Mrs. J. H. Heatwole ; secretary, Miss Emma Chandler ; treasurer, Mr. C. G. Garvin. Board of directors: Messrs. E. D. Chipman, F. D. Finney, W. H. Sims; Mesdames W. J. Davis, H. J. Beyerle, Mary Roach, F. B. Defrees, D. A. Sanders, E. W. Walker, John Gortner, J. M. Latta, F. D. Silverman, W. O. Vallette, C. C. Spark- lin, Misses Mary Biggs, Mary Miller and Mary McVitty.
A few books were accumulated from a fund raised by the sale of library tickets, and were placed in the room over the W. H. Hawks & Company dry goods store, donated by that firm. In 1800 the library was moved to the second story of the German Block, over Kolb & Gross' grocery store on South Main Street, and thence taken to the high school building in the library room, to await the completion of the public library.
On January 25th, 1900, the enterprise was incorporated under the name of the Goshen Library Association, with the following officers : President, F. D. Finney, vice president, Mrs. E. C. Rogers ; secretary, Mrs. C. C. Sparklin ; treasurer, C. J. Garvin. Board of directors : Mesdames J. A. S. Mitchell, D. A. Sanders, C. C. Sparklin, W. J. Davis, F. B. Defrees, C. E. Rogers, E. W. Walker, F. B. Leaming, J. H. Gortner ; Miss Mary Biggs; Messrs. I. O. Wood, C. J. Garvin, D. W. Neidig, F. D. Finney and E. E. Mummert. Mr. Finney was president of the board of directors for several years before the incorporation, and is entitled to much credit for directing its affairs and promoting the growth of the organization, which finally resulted in the acquisition of the handsome public library building.
In the general assembly of the State of Indiana, session of 1901, Representative E. E. Mummert was successful in procuring the passage of a general library law that enabled the Goshen library to maintain and perpetuate a public library, for years to come. Under
262
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
the new law the following library board was appointed : I. O. Wood, E. E. Mummert and Mrs. J. A. S. Mitchell. The appointments were made by Judge J. D. Farrell of the Circuit Court. D. A. San- ders and Mrs. Amelia Thomas were appointed by the City Council ; George B. Slate and Mrs. F. P. Abbott by the School Board. Of this number I. O. Wood was elected president; E. E. Mummert, vice president ; G. B. Slate, secretary, and D. A. Sanders, treasurer. To the above board there was added the following building committee : H. H. Gortner, Joseph Smith and D. W. Neidig.
Through the courtesy of George H. Phillips of Pittsburgh, son- in-law of Commissioner C. A. Davis of this city, the board learned that Andrew Carnegie was beginning to make donations to various cities for the erection of library buildings. Upon the suggestion of Mr. Phillips the Board of Directors sent a committee in the persons of I. O. Wood and E. E. Mummert, December 20, 1900, to visit Mr. Carnegie and present their claims for consideration. The result of the visit was that upon certain conditions, which were easy to comply with, Mr. Carnegie agreed to donate $2,500 for the con- struction of a building ; this making Goshen the first city of its size in the United States to secure a donation from him for library pur- poses. The site for the library was procured through popular sub- scription. Citizens contributed freely and within a week $5,000 was subscribed under the direction of Hon. C. W. Miller, who was made chairman of the finance committee.
The Goshen Carnegie Public Library is located at the corner of Fifth and Washington streets. The building is of Bedford stone, in the French style of architecture, with the French Renaissance entrance. It is finished throughout with the exception of the office and the auditorium, in mahogany. Patton & Miller of Chicago were the architects, and W. T. Lockwood & Company of Lafayette were the decorators. The rotunda has a dome with art glass top, and in the dome the decorator did his most artistic work, the names of many noted men in literature appearing in the decorative plan.
The librarian's desk is directly in front of the entrance door, and between the rotunda and stack room, where the librarian has full view of both the general reading room on the north and the children's room on the south ; also the stack room, providing the best possible administrative arrangement. The auditorium, or assembly room, covers the main part of the basement floor.
Much interest has been manifested by all Goshen citizens since
263
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
the formal opening of the library, January 15, 1903, and many valuable donations have been made both in books and money. Presi- dent I. O. Wood of the first library board made the address of formal opening and gave an historical statement of the library move- ment from its inception to the realization of the present building.
Judge James S. Drake spoke for the professions; Mayor George F. Alderman made the response in behalf of the city; Edwin W. Hawks responded for the business men and maufacturers of Goshen ; and Superintendent W. B. Hedgepeth of the city schools spoke for the educational and literary interests, which have been and always
GOSHEN'S PUBLIC LIBRARY
will be most closely associated with the library movement and its growth.
In March, 1902, Mrs. Ella R. Heatwole was selected by the board of directors as librarian, in which capacity she served long and faithfully. Much credit is due Mrs. Heatwole for her ceaseless efforts in endeavoring to make the library a success. In September, 1913, Mrs. Heatwole asked for a four months' leave of absence, which time she spent in the East with her daughter. In January, 1914, much to the regret of all concerned in library work, Mrs. Heat- wole sent in her resignation.
In July, 1902, three assistants, Mrs. Emma Dewey, Miss Caroline Thomas and Miss Elizabeth Rockwell were chosen by the board to
26-
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
act as apprentices, to help in the cataloguing of books under Miss Eleanor M. Edwards, the New York expert. Later one of the three was to be selected as permanent assistant. In August, 1902, Miss Elizabeth Rockwell was made assistant librarian and served thus until the resignation of Mrs. Heatwole. At that time Miss Rockwell was appointed librarian with Miss Mary Stemm as assistant. Miss Katherine Harper served as second assistant for one year, June, 1913-June, 1914. At the expiration of that time Miss Harper took a six months' leave of absence and did not return. Miss Grace Rockwell was chosen by the board to act in her place. For a num- ber of years Mrs. Emma Dewey served as substitute librarian.
When the library opened in January, 1903, it contained less than 3.000 volumes. According to the yearly report of 1915 it contained 14,000 volumes, not including 500 public documents not yet acces- sioned or catalogued. The total number of patrons registered to January 1, 1916, was 9,244. While the number of active patrons was 4.939. Over half the population of Goshen are library patrons. In June, 1909, library privileges were extended to Elkhart Township and greatly appreciated.
The circulation of books has more than doubled since the open- ing of the library. The first yearly circulation was 27,757 volumes, while in 1915 the number had increased to 58,521 volumes. The total increase for the years 1914 and 1915 has been 15,069 volumes, or 31 per cent. The classed circulation of books which includes all but fiction, showed an increase of 61 per cent during the cor- responding years, while the fiction in the same length of time has increased but 20 per cent. This speaks well of Goshen's read- ing public, showing that it is a real literary center and testifying to its culture.
THE GOSHEN COLLEGE
Although the Goshen College is controlled by the Mennonite Board of Education, it "is open on equal terms to all persons of good moral character who have an aim in life and who enter their work with seriousness." To the extent indicated, it is a public in- stitution of higher learning and is well patronized. The institution embraces a college of liberal arts, a normal school, an academy and schools of music, business, agriculture and theology. Summer courses are given in the normal department, in which are especially
265
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
taken up domestic science and agriculture for public school teaching.
Goshen College had its beginning in the Elkhart ( Indiana ) In- stitute, the first sessions of which were held in the Grand Army of the Republic Hall during 1895. Before the end of the first year the Elkhart Institute Association was organized and a building erected on Prairie Street, Elkhart. An incorporation was effected in 1898 and the management of the institute placed with nine directors. In 1901 the board was increased to twenty-five members, and in
GOSHEN COLLEGE
the same year ten acres of land was purchased south of Goshen, now known as the Goshen College Addition.
The first building of the structures now comprising the plant of Goshen College which was opened to the public was the woman's dormitory, first occupied in September, 1903. In 1904 the adminis- tration building, a four-story brick structure, was completed at a cost of $25,000. Science Hall was opened to students in 1915, its completion involving a cost of $40,000. The laboratories provide for scientific experiments and investigations, as well as for practical demonstrations in agriculture and home economics.
266
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
Kulp Hall, one of the four college buildings erected since 1904, is a three-story brick and stone structure, and contains dining and reception rooms, studio and women's dormitories. The old East Hall for men comprises the college library of 6,000 volumes, espe- cially rich in Mennonite historical literature.
In November, 1905, the Mennonite Church organized its board of education and since February, 1906, the college has been under its control, although from the first it has been under the management of the church itself.
Goshen College has a student body of 500, and is under the pres- idency of Rev. John E. Hartzler. He succeeded N. E. Byers, who
GOSHEN HOSPITAL
had been the president since the beginning. President Hartzler received his education in Elkhart Institute, Goshen College and Columbia University, and was pastor of the Prairie Street Men- nonite Church, of Elkhart, before he became its head. He has held the presidency since 1913.
THE GOSHEN HOSPITAL
The above named is an institution only three years old, but already recognized as of great public benefit. It was opened or the first of December, 1913, and has had for its model the Mayo
267
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
Hospital at Rochester, Minnesota. It supports no regular staff of physicians and surgeons; each patient has his own special attend- ant, professionally, the nursing being done by resident graduates of a standard training school. The hospital, entirely non-sectarian, is managed largely by women, as the following officers of the asso- ciation for 1916 will testify : Haines Egbert, president ; Mrs. I. O. Wood, vice president ; Mrs. J. S. Drake, treasurer ; Mrs. Dwight H. Hawks, secretary. Mrs. Laura Fell White is superintendent. Frank E. C. Hawks was the first president of the Goshen Hospital after its incorporation in December, 1909, and Mrs. Dwight W. Hawks, vice president. In January of the new year Mrs. George WV. Hay was chosen treasurer and E. E. Mummert secretary. Mr. Hawks remained president until 1913, when Mrs. H. W. Whitmer, who had been vice president since 1911, succeeded him, and con- tinued to thus serve until Mr. Egbert's election in 1916. Mrs. Dwight H. Hawks, the first vice president, has been secretary since 1912, her immediate predecessor in that office having been Mrs. W. L. Stonex. The treasurers have been : Mrs. George W. Hay, Charles J. Garvin, John W. Egbert and Mrs. J. S. Drake.
The management of the Goshen Hospital is public, its board of directors being elected by the people. The property which it repre- sents is valued at about $30,000.
CHAPTER XII
INDUSTRIES, NEWSPAPERS AND BANKS
MILLS AT AND NEAR GOSHEN-THE HAWKS' INTERESTS TRANS- FERRED TO GOSHEN-BUILDING OF THE HYDRAULIC CANAL-PRES- ENT HAWKS INDUSTRIES-THE I-X-L FURNITURE COMPANY- SANDERS & EGBERT PLANT-GOSHEN BUGGY TOP COMPANY- KELLY FOUNDRY AND MACHINE COMPANY-GOSHEN NOVELTY AND BRUSH COMPANY-THE SPOIIN MEDICAL COMPANY- "FAMOUS" CHURNS AND LADDERS-THE BANTA FURNITURE- WESTERN RUBBER COMPANY-CHICACO-DETROIT BAG COMPANY -OTHER PRESENT-DAY INDUSTRIES-SUBSTANTIAL NEWS- PAPERS-THE GOSHEN EXPRESS-CHARLES L. MURRAY-THE GOSHEN DEMOCRAT-THE GOSHEN TIMES-THE GOSHEN NEWS-TIMES-THE STARR BROTHERS-NEWS PRINTING COM- PANY INCORPORATED THE GOSHEN BANKS-THE SALEM BANK -CITY NATIONAL BANK-THE STATE BANK OF GOSHEN-ELK- HART COUNTY TRUST COMPANY.
The three items to be covered by this chapter are mentioned in their historic order. There were very few mills in the region when the first newspapers made their appearance at Goshen in 1837, and the pioneer local bank did not venture into the rawness of Northern Indiana until nearly twenty years after the press had valiantly planted itself. The railroads preceded the banks by a few years; but the newspapers were on the ground even before there was a fair chance for life. In bold venture and cool defiance of condi- tions which make for self-preservation the average newspaper man of the shifting western frontier always represented the best tradi- tions of American knight-errantry. The printer, not the railroad or bank, was the advance agent of western expansion.
MILLS AT AND NEAR GOSHEN
The first settlers at and near the present site of Goshen took their corn to Niles or White Pigeon, Michigan, to be ground. Then
268
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
John Carpenter, grandfather of George, John, and Isaac, hung one on the banks of Rock Run near what is now the northwest corner of Oak Ridge Cemetery. It was made of logs and covered with a clapboard roof, a very low two-story structure about 22 by 24 feet. The following year a man by the name of O'Connell constructed the second mill near the site of the Big Four railroad depot. Hewn logs and lap shingles were used in its construction. The same year Oliver Crane established a sawmill on the banks of Rock Run, which was fed and run by hand. Joel P. Hawks asserted that the fourth mill was built by Elias Baker at Waterford in 1834; then came the Bainter Mill and the one on Solomon's Creek. In the Carpenter Mill a row of stones was used for grinding corn; one of which was in use, at a comparatively recent time, as a horse-block in front of a farm house a short distance east of Goshen. The Baker Mill was the first frame building in the county. This was purchased, in 1835, by Cephas Hawks, father of Joel, and soon be- came famed for the fine quality of its flour. The farmers for miles around were attracted to it and the mill yard was always crowded with teams. Gradually the products of the farms increased and during the later '30s the mills began to export flour to quite distant territory.
THE HAWKS' INTERESTS TRANSFERRED TO GOSHEN
More than any other personal element, therefore, does the Hawks family represent the past, present and future of industrial Goshen. For thirty-two years Cephas Hawks and his sons, Cephas, Jr., Eleazer and Joel P., variously associated in business, conducted the old flouring mill at Waterford, as well as a large general store, sawmill, distillery and woolen mill, and the farmers came from a radius of forty miles to do their trading with this substantial family. But attention was gradually being centered on the commercial and industrial advantages of Goshen proper and, with a noteworthy im- provement in the water power at that point, the Hawks' interests were transferred from Waterford to the county seat.
BUILDING OF THE HYDRAULIC CANAL
The water power developed from the Elkhart River that flows through the western part of the city has had a marked bearing on
270
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
the industrial development of Goshen, and a number of factories are still using this means as an auxiliary. The antique water wheel of the old mill on Rock Run turned the stones that ground the grist for the pioneers and later an expensive dam was constructed at Waterford. Special stimulus was given to the industries of Goshen in 1868, by the opening of the hydraulic canal. The project was started in 1866 by J. H. Defrees, Dr. E. W. H. Ellis, Dr. M. M. Latta, P. M. Henkel, Cephas Hawks, Milton Mercer, John Stauffer and Adam Yeakell. These men spent nearly $100,000 in the con- struction of the canal. A dam was built across the Elkhart at a point 11/2 miles south of the city and the water diverted into the canal that runs parallel with the river, through the factory district, and thence returning to the regular channel to the north of the city.
PRESENT HAWKS INDUSTRIES
The hydraulic dam was built by the Waterford firm of C. & E. Hawks, and during the year of its completion (1868) the old mill was moved to the present location of the combined plant of the Goshen Milling Company and the Hawks Electric Company. The old-fashioned burr mill was first placed in operation. Later an- other mill was built and the two, the Hawks and Thomas mills, were merged into one, and in 1883 came under the corporate manage- ment of the Goshen Milling Company. The Hawks family retained a controlling interest not only in the mills, but in the hardware store, the coal company and other auxiliary interests, which were expan- sions of the old-time Waterford enterprises.
Among the important industries founded in Goshen was the Hawks Furniture Factory, in 1873. It was the first manufactory of the kind in the city and was represented by a small building which stood at the foot of Jefferson Street on the hydraulic canal. The original proprietors were Cephas, Eleazer and Joel P. Hawks and D. M. Fravel. In 1884 the business was incorporated as the Hawks Furniture Company, and in the following year the frame factory buildings were burned. They were replaced by large and substantial brick structures, completed in 1886. At present F. E. C. Hawks, son of Cephas Hawks, Jr., is president of the Goshen Milling Company and Edwin W. Hawks president of the Hawks Furniture Company. The Hawks Electric Company supplies com- mercial light, heat and power to Goshen, Middlebury, Millersburg,
271
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
Benton, New Paris, Wakarusa and Bremen, and, through the Syra- cuse Power & Light Company, to Syracuse and Milford, Kosciusko County. The plant, which is operated in connection with the mills, has a total horse power of over 2,000. The company was incor- porated in 1898, and is really a wheel within the Goshen Milling Company.
THE I-X-L FURNITURE COMPANY
The oldest manufactory, which has been in continuous operation at Goshen, is represented by the I-X-L Furniture Company. The
VIEW ON MAIN STREET, GOSHEN
plant is located between the New York Central and Big Four tracks. The industry originated in 1854, when the Goshen Pump Com- pany was established by William D. Platter. In 1878, the factory was purchased by William L. Bivins, and in 1885 by the I-X-L Pump Company. The latter had been established in 1879 by James A. Arthur, Alfred Lowry and John Korrady, Jr., and in 1885 the two pump companies were consolidated. The business was reor- ganized under a state charter in 1895, and its manufactures have gradually centered in the production of kitchen furniture and desks, with side lines of screens, ladders, swings, tanks, etc. B. F. Deahl has long been president of the company.
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
The Goshen Sash and Door Company has been in continuous business since 1869, a new plant being completed in 1893. It has held to its original line of manufactures-sash, doors and interior finish, with the necessary improvements to meet increased demands in quality, variety and quantity. The company is incorporated under the presidency of H. R. Whitmer.
SANDERS & EGBERT PLANT
In the eastern part of the city and covering forty acres along the New York Central and Big Four tracks, are the hardwood lumber yards and factories of the Sanders & Egbert Company. The industry includes the manufacture of hardwood lumber and sawed veneers. The raw material for their manufactures comprises but- ternut, walnut, cherry, white and red oak, white wood, bass, elm, hickory and ash, and the supplies are drawn from the timber lands of Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. In 1880 the business and industry were established under the name of John H. Lesh & Company ; were continued under the Lesh, Sanders & Egbert Company and at the death of the senior member in 1898, the Sanders & Egbert Com- pany was incorporated, with Haines Egbert as president and H. M. Sanders as vice president.
GOSHEN BUGGY TOP COMPANY
The Goshen Buggy Top Company was organized in 1883 and incorporated in 1891, and is therefore one of the city's old indus- tries. It was originally located in the old woolen mill. The cor- porate name does not do full justice to the scope of the company's manufactures, which include automobile tops and trimmings, seats, cushions and backs, and an auto "trailer" or wagon for freight or baggage. The president of the Goshen Buggy Top Company is Mrs. J. H. Stametz.
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