A standard history of Lake County, Indiana, and the Calumet region, Volume I, Part 14

Author: Howat, William Frederick, b. 1869, ed
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 532


USA > Indiana > Lake County > A standard history of Lake County, Indiana, and the Calumet region, Volume I > Part 14


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


The biggest item of revenue was derived from the sale of bonds for construction purposes, which amounted to $1,250,657.68. The so-called county revenue realized $651,581.29, largely derived from taxes and the sale of bridge bonds. Next in order of importance as revenue producers were the special school tax, which brought in $475,920.53; corporation and school, $394,945.62; taxation for redemption of bonds, $329,960.42;


117


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


local tuition tax, $227,333.69 ; bond or sinking fund, $205,381.62; liquid licenses, $195,400; gravel road repairs, $111,275.05; common school rev- enue, $104,328.12, and state school tax, $100,770.03.


The largest items among the "disbursements" on account of county revenue were those which covered bridge construction and repairs, amounting to $169,274.99, and for the poor farm (including new build- ing), $97,102.22.


A large percentage of the bonded indebtedness of the county has been incurred in the building of bridges, in which branch of public work this section of Northwestern Indiana is eminent. The bonds now out- standing are for these structures: Dickey Place bridge, $80,000; Chicago Avenue bridge, $67,500; Hohman Street bridge, $56,000; Forsyth Ave- nue bridge, $71,000; South Hohman Street bridge, $45,000; Hobart bridge, $22,500 ; Gary bridge, $16,500.


The bonds issued in the course of the construction of the new alms- house amounted to $127,500.


VALUE OF REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY


The abstract made by the auditor from the figures returned by the tax collectors is a direct exhibit of the county's wealth and its capacity to raise revenue by taxation. The first column of the table presented indicates the value of lands, lots and improvements throughout the county, given by townships and corporations; the second column, the deductions on account of mortgage exemptions ; the third, the net value of real estate, and the fourth, the value of personal and corporation property :


Total


De-


Divisions-


real estate. ductions.


Net value.


Personal property.


1. North $ 365,640


$ 362,755


$ 549,825


2. Calumet


684,550


$ 2,885 6,675


677,875


705,715


3. Ross


1,001,900


20,025


981,875


1,089,820


4. St. John Township.


407,520


5,345


402,175


577,795


5. Center


770,220


10,870


759,350


696,165


6. Crown Point


536,820


18,045


518,775


619,770


7. West Creek.


1,053,335


8,310


1,045,025


805,770


8. Cedar Creek


941,060


16,880


924,180


611,945


9. Lowell


238,540


6,845


231,695


215,500


10. Eagle Creek


867,880


14,430


853,450


304,620


11. Winfield


476,565


17,015


459,550


666,645


12. Hobart


576,385


19,90


556,445


1,140,015


118


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


Divisions.


Total real estate.


Deduc- tions. 5,510


Net value.


Personal property.


13. Hanover


$ 636,025


$


$ 630,515


$ 508,525


14. Hammond


6,411,965


284,215


6,127,750


4,697,770


15. East Chicago


4,830,940


169,870


4,661,070


3,949,965


16. Whiting


3,834,690


50,190


3,784,500


4,455,600


17. Griffith


150,950


805


150,145


489,055


18. Gary


12,440,065


66,825


12,373,240


9,090,015


19. Dyer


190,265


100


190,165


323,830


20. Miller


505,250


1,345


503,905


697,670


21. Munster


231,260


6,600


224,660


491,170


22. Aetna


29,000


29,000


47,710


23. East Gary


291,525


2,560


288,965


553,175


24. New Chicago


68,090


15


68,075


9,140


25. Highland


179,510


3,290


176,220


379,110


26. St. John Crp


106,395


1,100


105,295


171,370


27. Schererville


178,615


1,700


176,915


703,170


Total


$38,004,960


$741,390


$37,263,570


$34,550,910


TAXABLE CAPACITY


The table which follows relates especially to the taxable capacity of Lake County. The first column indicates the total net value of taxables ; the second, the number of polls, and the third, the total amount of tax, including delinquencies :


Net value.


Polls. 122


Amount of tax.


1. North


$ 912,580


$ 25,014.34


2. Calumet


1,383,590


80


35,325.22


3. Ross


2,071,695


207


53,440.03


4. St. John Township


979,970


95


22,426.29


5. Center


1,455,515


162


34,887.83


6. Crown Point


1,138,545


369


49,942.46


7. West Creek


1,850,795


246


50,567.67


8. Cedar Creek


1,536,125


207


45,249.24


9. Lowell


147,245


152


20,224.27


10. Eagle Creek


1,158,070


106


28,215.73


11. Winfield


1,126,195


121


24,341.30


12. Hobart


1,696,460


368


64,898.04


13. Hanover


1,139,040


165


28,392.79


14. Hammond


10,825,520


2,614


328,724.05


119


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


Net


Amount of


value.


Polls.


tax.


15. East Chicago


$ 8,611,035


2,163


$ 269,064.49


16. Whiting


8,240,100


950


181,916.94


17. Griffith


639,200


83


18,905.07


18. Gary


21,463,255


2,671


629,970.61


19. Dyer


513,995


87


11,335.54


20. Miller


1,201,575


101


46,502.47


21. Munster


715,830


69


16,702.66


22. Aetna


76,710


47


2,691.22


23. East Gary


842,140


64


25,924.70


24. New Chicago


77,215


28


4,007.81


25. Highland


555,330


58


14,974.29


26. St. John Township


276,665


50


6,716.56


27. Schererville


880,085


71


20,006.27


Total


$71,814,480


11,456


$2,060,367.89


THE ROADS OF LAKE COUNTY


Lake County is one of the most active counties in the state in the matter of the improvement of its roads-its gravel roads, or turnpikes, as they used to be generally called. The importance of the good roads movement in that section of the state is told in part by the facts culled from the auditor's report. In the following table is a statement of the tax receipts, by townships, which were received in 1913 to be applied on that work, the amounts including the balances which went over from the previous year; also the expenditures, and the balances on hand at the beginning of 1914:


Townships-


Receipts. Disbursements. Balance.


North


$113,387.47


$ 90,701.90


$22,685.57


Calumet


90,902.39


77,262.25


13,640.14


Ross


15,353.51


10,291.36


5,062.15


St. John


19,257.31


15,381.40


3,875.91


Center


14,978.06


14,215.33


762.73


West Creek


10,306.64


7,071.25


3,235.39


Cedar Creek


15,968.80


11,462.85


4,505.95


Eagle Creek


7,168.72


5,575.00


1,593.72


Winfield


7,560.48


4,829.50


2,730.98


Hobart


30,855.68


22,069.04


8,786.64


Hanover


4,221.36


2,913.75


1,307.61


Total


$329,960.42


$261,773.63


$68,186.79


120


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


BONDED INDEBTEDNESS


On January 1, 1914, the bonded indebtedness incurred by the various townships for the construction and maintenance of its gravel roads was as follows :


Townships-


Bonds outstanding.


Bonds maturing. $ 78,008.00


Calumet


$ 737,002.00


Cedar Creek


74,019.23


9,411.98


Center


94,059.87


11,422.26


Hanover


23,400.00


1,800.00


Hobart


135,653.35


15,698.80


Eagle Creek


32,000.00


4,000.00


North


999,820.00


105,770.00


Ross


70,085.79


8,863.86


St. John


88,245.18


10,844.96


West Creek


71,234.19


6,609.94


Winfield


32,350.00


3,230.00


Totals


$2,287,869.61


$255,659.80


FINANCIAL STATUS OF DIFFERENT ROADS


This road matter is of so much interest to the entire rural population, and to a large extent concerns those of the cities, that we here present the details as to the financial status of the different turnpikes in the various townships :


NORTH TOWNSHIP


1. North Township valuation, including town and cities


$29,860,395.00


Four per centum limit allowed by law. . Bonds Outstand-


1,194,415.80


Name of Road-


ing.


Bonds Maturing 1914.


Ruff No. 1.


$


5,550.00


$ 370.00


Ruff No. 2.


5,550.00


370.00


Becker, L.


14,720.00


920.00


Higgins


4,800.00


300.00


Kennedy


24,000.00


1,500.00


Summers


5,120.00


320.00


121


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


Bonds Outstand-


Bonds Maturing 1914.


Name of Road-


ing.


Szudzinski


3,720.00


$ 620.00


Gavit


10,880.00


680.00


Davidson


1,680.00


280.00


Hilliard


3,000.00


500.00


Cohn


12,040.00


1,720.00


Atchison


6,020.00


860.00


Ottenheimer


3,080.00


440.00


Beaubien


3,360.00


480.00


Spencer


12,600.00


1,800.00


Krost


8,960.00


1.280.00


Millies


10,500.00


1,500.00


Riley


3,780.00


540.00


Van Horn


11,200.00


1,400.00


· Parks


2,880.00


360.00


Paskwietz


4,000.00


500.00


Vater


4,800.00


600.00


Schreiber


5,600.00


700.00


Wirth


2,400.00


300.00


Schaaf


12,800.00


1,600.00


Pearson


16,320.00


2,040.00


Jansen


10,800.00


1,350.00


Sutherland


2,880.00


320.00


Gorman


12,600.00


1,400.00


MeLaughlin, Ph.


37,800.00


4,200.00


Rohde


12,600.00


1,400.00


Meyer


40,500.00


4,500.00


Becker, L. No. 2.


9,000.00


1,000.00


Drackert


37,800.00


4,200.00


C. C. Smith


12,600.00


1,400.00


Krooswyck


68,400.00


7,600.00


Humpfer, M.


5,400.00


600.00


Jabaay


13,680.00


1,520.00


MeLaughlin, F. C.


7,920.00


880.00


Schrage


7,200.00


800.00


Hook


6,480.00


720.00


Trinen


1,800.00


200.00


Hess


16,200.00


1,800.00


Gehrke


3,600.00


400.00


Mott


16,200.00


1,800.00


122


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


Bonds


Outstand-


Bonds Maturing 1914.


Name of Road-


ing.


Potter


$ 28,000.00


$ 2,800.00


Duelke


124,000.00


12,400.00


Klein


4,800.00


480.00


Becker, J. C


60,000.00


6,000.00


Reiner


40,000.00


4,000.00


Sheerer


37,600.00


3,760.00


Schlieker


30,000.00


3,000.00


Weis


24.000.00


2,400.00


Dreesen


4,000.00


440.00


Schutz


5,600.00


560.00


Lentz


7,600.00


760.00


Humpfer, Jos


4,600.00


460.00


Jones


60,000.00


6,000.00


Hopp


6,400.00


640.00


Senzig


20,000.00


2,000.00


Hammond


16,000.00


1,600.00


Martz


4,000.00


400.00


Total


$999,820.00


$105,770.00


HANOVER TOWNSHIP


11. Hanover Township valuation.


$1,139,040.00


Four per centum limit allowed by law


45,561.60


Bonds


Bonds


Outstand-


Maturing


Name of Road


ing


1914


Mandernach


$ 23,400.00


$ 1,800.00


CALUMET TOWNSHIP


2. Calumet Township valuation including towns


and cities


$23,486,045.00


Four per centum limit allowed by law .


939,441.80


Bonds


Bon Is


Outstand-


Maturing


Name of Road


ing


1914


Bormann, O.


$ 22,400.00


$ 1,400.00


Weil


65,500.00


4,100.00


123


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


Bonds Outstand- ing.


Bonds Maturing 1914.


Name of Road-


Williams


$ 10,850.00


$ 1,550.00


Knotts


18,900.00


2,700.00


Rhodes No. 1


21,000.00


3,000.00


Beiriger


2,912.00


208.00


Triplett


4,200.00


300.00


Wildermuth


9,600.00


1,200.00


Kunert


24,000.00


3,000.00


Hirsch


16,000.00


2,000.00


Castleman


11,520.00


1,440.00


Kesler


20,800.00


2,600.00


Englehart No. 1.


13,600.00


1,700.00


Englehart No. 2


25,600.00


3,200.00


Englehart No. 3


14,400.00


1,800.00


· Brennan No. 1.


11,200.00


1,400.00


Brennan No. 2.


5,400.00


600.00


Wirth


2,400.00


300.00


Patterson


12,600.00


1,400.00


Shaw


21,600.00


2,400.00


Euler


16,560.00


1,840.00


Kelley


25,200.00


2,800.00


Kirk


18,000.00


2,000.00


Pennington


21,600.00


2,400.00


Keller


14,400.00


1,600.00


Borman, F.


23,760.00


2,640.00


Rhodes No. 2


12,600.00


1,400.00


Wright


52,000.00


5,200.00


Scheidt, F. B


37,600.00


3,760.00


Davis


23,200.00


2,320.00


Rundell


26,400.00


2,640.00


Maas No. 1


22,400.00


2,240.00


Maas No. 2.


21,600.00


2,160.00


Caldwell


28,800.00


2,880.00


Carnduff


10,800.00


1,080.00


Hall


8,000.00


800.00


Renollet


7,500.00


750.00


Holmes


14,000.00


1,400.00


Cole


8,000.00


800.00


Williams No. 2


10,000.00


1,000.00


Total


$737,002.00


$ 78,008.00


124


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


Ross TOWNSHIP


3. Ross Township valuation.


Four per centum limit allowed by law.


Bonds


Bonds


Outstand-


Maturing


Name of Road


ing


1914


Ross No. 1


$ 21,488.56


$ 3,574.76


Hurlburt


7,560.00


540.00


Phillips


5,180.00


370.00


Krieter


1,500.00


300.00


Halfman


1,920.00


320.00


Peterson


7,350.00


1,050.00


Smith


9,600.00


1,200.00


Triplett


1,527.23


109.10


Nicholson


14,000.00


1,400.00


Total


$ 70,085.79


$ 8,863.86


ST. JOHN TOWNSHIP


4. St. John Township valuation including towns. $2,650,715.00 Four per centum limit allowed by law. . ...


Bonds


Outstand-


106,028.60 Bonds


Name of Road


ing


Maturing 1914


Schubert


$


6,714.62


$ 610.42


Stommel


6,414.54


583.14


Schiessle


5,600.00


400.00


Schaefer


8,400.00


525.00


Keilman


14,700.00


2,100.00


Scholl


4,480.00


560.00


St. John and Center


23,031.25


4,187.50


Beiriger


2,912.00


208.00


Triplett


2,672.77


190.90


Trinen


1,800.00


200.00


Backe


11,520.00


1,280.00


Total


$ 88,245.18


. $2,071,695.00


82,867.80


$ 10,844.96


.


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


125


CENTER TOWNSHIP


5. Center Township valuation including towns. . Four per centum limit allowed by law ..


$2,594,060.00


Bonds


103,762.40 Bonds


Outstand-


Maturing


Name of Road


ing


1914


St. John and Center


$ 23,031.25


$ 4,187.50


Jenkins


3,547.50


6,450.00


Wheeler


7,485.12


623.76


Sherman


4,550.00


350.00


Bieker


3,500.00


250.00


Lehman


6,300.00


450.00


Meeker


8,100.00


540.00


Hoffman


2,976.00


496.00


Farley


5,950.00


850.00


Gard


15,120.00


1,680.00


Randolph


13,500.00


1,350.00


Total


$ 94,059.87


$ 11,422.26


WEST CREEK TOWNSHIP


6. West Creek Township valuation.


Four per centum limit allowed by law.


74,031.80


Bonds


Bonds


Outstand-


Maturing


Name of Road


ing


1914


Bailey


$ 30,306.96


$ 2,244.96


Black


16,000.00


2,000.00


Hayden


4,927.23


364.98


Koplin


20,000.00


2,000.00


Total


$ 71,234.19


$ 6,609.94


$1,850,795.50


126


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


CEDAR CREEK TOWNSHIP


7. Cedar Creek Township valuation including towns


Four per centum limit allowed by law.


Bonds


$1,983,370.00 79,334.80 Bonds


Name of Road


ing


Maturing 1914


Hayden


4,927.23


$ 364.98


Cedar Creek No. 1


14,262.00


2,377.00


Worley


4,600.00


1,150.00


Brown


10,222.00


730.00


Ebert


10,850.00


1,550.00


Dickey


9,600.00


1,200.00


Strickland


7,560.00


840.00


Driscoll


6,800.00


680.00


Palmer


5,200.00


520.00


Total


$ 74,019.23 $ 9,411.98


EAGLE CREEK TOWNSHIP


8. Eagle Creek Township valuation


Four per centum limit allowed by law.


46,322.80


Bonds


Bonds


Outstand-


Maturing


Name of Road


ing


1914


Cochran


$ 32,000.00


$ 4,000.00


WINFIELD TOWNSHIP


9. Winfield Township valuation.


Four per centum limit allowed by law.


Bonds


45,047.80 Bonds


Name of Road


ing


Maturing 1914


Beach


$ 5,590.00


$ 430.00


Stewart


16,640


1,280.00


Blakeman


4,080.00


680.00


Batterman


2,040.00


340.00


Fisher


4,000.00


500.00


Total


$ 32,350.00


$ 3,230.00


$1,126,195.00


Outstand-


$1,158,070.00


Outstand-


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


127


HOBART TOWNSHIP


10. Hobart Township valuation including towns


and cities


$3,894,100.00


Four per centum limit allowed by law.


Bonds


155,764.00 Bonds


Outstand-


Maturing


Name of Road


ing


1914


Hobart No. 3.


$ 12,021.75


$ 1,849.50


Swanson


36,400.00


2,800.00


County Line


3,951.60


329.30


Kreft


5,280.00


880.00


Smith No. 1.


3,240.00


540.00


Smith No. 2.


1,920.00


320.00


Smith No. 3.


3,000.00


500.00


Hillman


11,200.00


1,400.00


Roper


4,000.00


500.00


Scheidt, E. C.


24,000.00


3,000.00


Morton


15,200.00


1,900.00


Banks


8,280.00


920.00


Harrison


3,960.00


440.00


Barnes


3,200.00


320.00


Total


$135,653.35


$ 15,698.80


CHAPTER VII


CALUMET TOWNSHIP


EARLY INDUSTRY OF CALUMET TOWNSHIP-TOLLESTON, THE OLD PART OF GARY-WONDERFUL RISE OF GARY-GRIFFITH, GRAND RAILWAY CROSS- ING-CLARKE STATION-ROSS-THE HORNORS, DAVID AND AMOS- REV. GEORGE A. WOODBRIDGE.


Calumet Township embraces the central districts of the great Calu- met Region, and before the railroads came was a tract of marshes and sand ridges, banded east and west by the Grand and the Little Calumet rivers. It was a wonderful trapping ground for muskrats and a grand resort for water fowl, and for nearly twenty years after the steam engines had been claiming the right-of-way throughout the region, Tolles- ton and vicinity constituted headquarters for perhaps the most success- ful trapping and shooting in Northern Lake County.


EARLY INDUSTRY OF CALUMET TOWNSHIP


In the '80s the Tolleston Gun Club was at the height of its fame, and it is a matter of record that as the result of two days' shooting several of its members sent away 1,200 ducks. A single trapper has taken in the season about 3,000 muskrats and mink. As late as 1883, this same trapper and his son caught in the fall about 1,500 of these valuable fur bearing animals. Before the township was mostly given up to railroads and cities, therefore, such occupations furnished employ- ment to many residents. These splendid trapping, hunting and fishing grounds also drew many sportsmen to the locality, which added to the local trade. Consequently before the coming of the steel mills, Calumet Township was quite a busy section of the county.


Despite all the later-day improvements, a few muskrats yet remain, and very rarely is found a mink. Quails to some extent are also seen by sportsmen with keen eyes, with a few partridges. On well protected grounds, squirrels, rabbits, woodchucks and occasionally foxes are glimpsed and caught. But they are all of the past, rather than the present.


128


129


LAKE COUNTY AND THE CALUMET REGION


TOLLESTON, THE OLD PART OF GARY


Tolleston, which is now a corporate part of the City of Gary, owes its existence to a number of German Lutheran families, the heads of whom settled on its present site during the construction of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad through the county. The village, which lay between the Little and Grand Calumet rivers, was laid out in 1857 and in the following year the Fort Wayne was in operation. About


ONE OF TOLLESTON'S PIONEER HOUSES


1860 Charles Kunert opened the first grocery. He also served as post- master for many years and was probably the first to hold that office. As is customary in young American communities, this combined store and postoffice was social, political and business headquarters of Tolleston during the early years of its history. As late as 1872 the number of families in the Tolleston community had reached but eighty, and in 1900 an even hundred. Most of them were then employed at the New Stock Yards which then covered much of the present site of Gary.


WONDERFUL RISE OF GARY


Until 1906 Tolleston could not be called more than a little town of sturdy German Lutheran families, depending on the Stock Yards on the lakeshore for their livelihood, although some of the fairly well-to-do Vol. 1- 9


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were employed at Hammond further to the west. But in the year named Gary commenced to arise from the sand dunes and the ridges northeast of Tolleston, and three years afterward the following was being recorded : "A few months ago Gary was a series of sand dunes; to-day it is a camp of tents sheltering an army of busy workers. A few years hence it is destined to be a large, populous city clustered around the largest steel plant in the world. In five years, as the plans prophesy, the plant will cover five square miles or 3,000 acres already bought for it; it will have cost $75,000,000 and will employ 18,000 to 20,000 men, with a pay roll of $20,000,000 a year ; it will revolutionize the iron and steel market of this country and affect those of foreign lands.


"The history of Gary is brief. On May 4, 1906, Thomas E. Knotts, of Hammond, brother of Hon. A. F. Knotts, former mayor of Hammond and founder of Gary, came with his family in a furniture wagon across the plains of jackoaks, and, pitching his tent on the bank of the Grand Calumet River, became Gary's first settler. This was the material and geographical beginning of Gary. Since then over one thousand men and teams are grading the streets of the new city and building its sewers and 300 model dwellings are rising into line by the fiat of the corporation that orders things. Ere long it will have model churches, and school- houses with playgrounds. It will permit no crowded tenement quarter. It will require model homes to be erected and kept with sanitary fittings. It will permit no out-buildings to mar its beauty or endanger health. It will have wide, airy streets, promenading boulevards and esplanades along the river, paved with granitoid. It will have cheap gas for fuel, and electricity for light. It will be a city of good homes, clean streets, and business-like, twentieth century government."


The real Gary is more than the foregoing prophecy, as the world knows; for no municipality, young or old, has been more widely adver- tised than the City of Gary. No city was ever more quickly or more massively made to order than Gary, as no municipality in the world's history was ever able to draw upon such a capital to develop it. The details of its founding and growth form so unusual a chapter in the history of American municipalities that they are reserved for later chapters.


GRIFFITH, GRAND RAILWAY CROSSING


Griffith, in the extreme southwestern corner of Calumet Township, should be called the Grand Crossing of Lake County. Situated about midway between Crown Point and Hammond, the Joliet Cut Off, the Chicago & Erie, Grand Trunk and Elgin Belt Line, all cross at that


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point. The three lines last named were completed from 1880 to 1888, and shortly after the end of the latter year the great real estate "boom" commenced in the northern part of the county. It was during that lively period that Jay Dwiggins & Company, then of Chicago, founded the Town of Griffith.


Factories were erected, stores and residences arose, churches and Sun- day Schools were organized, and for a time in the early '90s it looked as if Griffith was to be a permanent city of some consequence. But as we all know who were in these parts during the World's Fair period, the "boom" was succeeded by a "slump;" and Griffith had a fall and a collapse. For some years the place was almost deserted, but those con- nected with the railroad work remained, and it afterward had a small share in the prosperity and growth of both Hammond and Gary, so that now it is a town of some five hundred people, containing the usual com- plement of stores and churches. It is largely a workmen's and a rail- road town, besides making some pretensions as a shipping center.


CLARKE STATION


Clarke is a station on the old Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, which dates from the completion of that line through the county in 1858. It is situated about two miles from Lake Michigan, one mile north and two miles west of Tolleston. It was named in honor of George W. Clarke, who was at one time a very large land owner in the Calumet region. For many years the main industry of Clarke Station was the harvesting, storage and shipping of ice, and before the days of the artificial product, when many thousands of tons were annually cut, from the Calumet rivers and lakes, Clarke was one of the leading ice centers in Indiana. In the early '80s the region was shipping more than 60,000 tons every season, and Clarke Station was paying to the Fort Wayne road freights which amounted to $3,600 per month. The settle- ment may now muster 150 people.


Ross


As has already been seen, Calumet Township did not assume its present form until 1883, when it was created from the western sections of old North Township and some northern sections of Ross and St. John townships. Thereby the old settlement of Ross, which was formerly in the township by that name, was included in the limits of Calumet Town- ship. Therefore it is that near its southern border in what is now a little station on the Joliet Cut Off is this pioneer landmark commemorat- ing the residence on Deep River, a few miles to the east, of the first sub- stantial settler in Lake County, William Ross.


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By Courtesy of Frank F. Heighway, County Superintendent of Schools


WALLACE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL, CALUMET TOWNSHIP


By Courtesy of Frank F. Hcignway, County Superintendent of Schools


PLAYGROUND AT WALLACE SCHOOL, CALUMET TOWNSHIP


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THE HORNORS-DAVID AND AMOS


Several years before the village was laid out (which was in 1857 ) that well known pioneer, Amos Hornor, resided on the site of Ross; so that he may be accounted its first resident. His father, David Hornor, is said to have made claims on the west side of Red Cedar Lake in the fall of 1834, and Amos, the son, who came in the following year, rather insisted that the elder man should have the honor of being the next set- tler in Lake County after Ross. In November, 1835, David Hornor brought his family to live on the beautiful shores of the lake where he had taken up land, but after a few years returned to his old home in the Wabash Valley.


After the return of his father's family to the Wabash, Amos Hornor resided for some time at Crown Point, and soon married Miss Mary White, one of the young belles of Crown Point, daughter of Mrs. Sally White, of Porter County. The marriage took place in that county on the Fourth of July, 1844. She lived less than a year, and in June, 1849, Mr. Hornor made Mrs. Sarah R. Brown his second wife, with whom he moved to Ross a few years afterward. In the meantime he had made a claim in the edge of the West Creek woodland. known for some years as the Amos Hornor Point. In 1892. his second wife having died, Mr. Hornor married Mrs. Amanda M. Coburn. the bridegroom having then reached the age of seventy-nine years. His death occurred August 25, 1895, at the Village of Ross, of which he had undoubtedly been the best known citizen for some forty years.


REV. GEORGE A. WOODBRIDGE


Rev. George A. Woodbridge, a pioneer minister, also resided at Ross for a number of years, from 1860 until his death at an advanced age. He was a native of Connecticut, a graduate of Yale College, the possessor of a large library and one of the most highly educated men who ever lived in Lake County. In 1839, when he first came to the county, he located near the present Village of Palmer.


A number of other citizens of note in the county have resided at or near Ross, but the place itself has never been more than a wayside sta- tion on the Joliet Cut Off, which was built into the township as early as 1854. In fact, that was the third railroad to enter the county, being preceded only by the Michigan Central and Michigan Southern. In 1857 forty acres of land on the south side of the railroad were laid out into town lots, as Ross, but even at this time the evidences of a settlement are virtually confined to a store, a schoolhouse. a church and a scattering of houses.




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