USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A twentieth century history of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 25
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There is still a large amount of oil produced in Delaware county, but compared with the amount in 1904 it seems insignificant. A good many more wells were pulled out during the last summer ( 1907) than were sunk. Salt water has seriously interfered with the production and made the sink- ing of wells too hazardous to be undertaken by conservative investors.
Rural Free Delivery.
The building of interurban railroads, the establishment of rural free delivery and the consolidation of district schools have been, it is safe to
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assert, the three most important events in the recent history of Delaware county, when the number of people affected and the benefits conferred are considered. The advantages of rural free delivery are too well understood at this time to need restatement, although the system is only ten years old, and in that time has passed through the experimental stage and become one of the most beneficial of all the undertakings' of the federal government. At the present time there are about thirty routes in the county, twelve of which lead out from Muncie.
Concerning the first routes established in the county, some interesting information is contained in a report from Perry Heath while he was first assistant postmaster general. It should be remarked that this county owes the carly establishment of rural free delivery mainly to Mr. Heath's interest and recommendations in behalf of his home county. This report, issued in November, 1899, while the service was still in its infancy, gives the follow- ing statistics about the routes :
Albany, established Nov. 8, 1897; one carrier ; population served, 500; length of route, 20 miles.
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Daleville, established Nov. 8, 1897 ; one carrier ; population served, 275; length, 16 miles.
Eaton, established Nov. 8, 1897; one carrier ; population served, 250; length. IS12 miles.
Muncie, established Feb. 1, 1898; one carrier ; population served, 500; length. 2.4 miles. Muncie extension route, established Aug. 15, 1898, serving 350 people.
Selma, established Nov. 8, 1897; one carrier ; population, 500; length, 16 miles.
Muncie Postoffice.
It is nearly eighty years since William Van Matre became the first postmaster of old Muncietown. In that time there have been nineteen dif- ferent incumbents of the office. It was a position that required only inci- dental attention to its duties during the terms of the first postmasters, and in the names of the first incumbents will be recognized some of the business and professional men of that time, who sold goods and took law cases while managing the simple responsibilities of sorting and delivering the small bulk of daily mail. Van Matre or any of his early successors would be amazed and confounded if they were confronted with the task of managing the pres- ent Muncie postoffice. It is probable that outside of the three or four largest cities of the cast, there was not a postoffice in America in 1828 that did su much business as the Muncie postoffice in 1906. In point of receipts alone, to say nothing of the value of its services to the business and general public, this postoffice is one of the leading institutions of Muncie. As told on a previous page, the receipts increased from about $6,600 in 1885 to $19,000
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Federal Building, Muncie.
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in 1892. Since then rural free delivery has thrown out lines in all directions from Muncie as a center, and with the steady growth of the city's postal business the receipts passed the $40,000 mark some years ago, and during the past ten years fully half a million dollars represents the amounts taken in through the various departments of the office. Receipts are now about $75,000 annually ; money order department about $60,000 annually.
As told in the chapter of chronology, an appropriation was finally secured for the federal building at Muncie, and in the spring of 1907 the handsome structure, illustrated on another page, was dedicated. Including the cost of the site, the Muncie potsoffice cost about $90,000, and is the last and in some respects the best of the additions to the public and business architecture of Muncie.
The successive postmasters of Muncie since 1828 are given in the following table, showing name and date of appointment :
ESTABLISHED AS MUNCIETOWN.
William Van Matre Apr. 10, 1828
Dickinson Burt Aug. 29, 1829
Chas. F. Willard. May 6, 1835
Samuel W. Harlan. . Apr. 6, 1837
Amariah Cubberly June 2, 1837
Edward S. Keasbey . Oet. 20, 1837
John Ethel . Apr. 28, 1847
John Brady
May 14, 1847
NAME OF P. O. CHANGED TO MUNCIE.
John Brady . Dee. 29, 1857
Robert Richey
Mar. 30, 1861
Samuel J. Watson Jan. 12, 1865
Henry C. Marsh Aug. 10, 1866
John C. Eiler. Feb. 3, 1875
Robert I. Patterson Feb. 7, 1883
John E. Banta Feb. 14, 1887
Frank Ellis Feb. 9, 1591
Edward Tuhey Jan. 15, 1895
David Cammack Mar. 3, 199
David A. Lambert Mar. 10, 1903
Robe Carl White.
Mar. 13, 1907
[Table furnished through courtesy of Hon. George W. Cromer.]
City of Muncie.
In 1891, when Muncie was only beginning the system of public int- provements, its general outstanding bond issue amounted to $44,000, in- cluding a bank loan of $6,000. About half of these bonds have since been paid off. but the issues in the meantime have increased the general bonded indebtedness to $93.000. In ISI the school bonds outstanding amounted to $8,000. At that time the building of the splendid school houses that are so creditable to the school city of Muncie, had only begun, and more than half a dozen elegant and well equipped schools have since been erected.
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Notwithstanding this heavy expenditure on the part of the school city, the outstanding school bonds at this writing are only $20,000, representing an issue of April, 1895. July 1, 1907, bonds to the amount of $20,000 were paid, leaving only one issue to be paid, some eight years hence.
Combining city and school bonds, the indebtedness of Muncie is now $113.000. Compared with other cities of Indiana, Muncie has less bonded indebtedness than any other city of its size.
At the close of the year 1906 Muncie had improvement bonds out- standing to the amount of $174,180.37. In 1891 the street improvement bonds outstanding were $67,795, and the sewer bonds, $50.000, making a total of $117,795. These improvement bonds are not obligations on the city, but are what are commonly known as Barrett law bonds, issued by the city under statutory authority as first liens against property for street and sewer improvement. All objections to their validity were waived by the property owners before they were issued.
Municipal Improvements.
The history of the important changes in the municipal affairs of Muncie has been followed in considerable detail through the preceding chapters. and it now remains to describe the present status of the city in its relation to the public.
In the past year the city has abandoned its municipal lighting plant, and the streets and public buildings are now lighted by the Muncie Electric Light Co., in accordance with a contract entered into July 2. 1906, for a period of ten years, the total number of lights to be not less than 260 and to be kept lighted from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sun- rise. For the arc lamp such as is in general use, the cost to the city is $57.50 per year for all night service for the first 260 lamps, and $45 per year for each additional lamp. For the 50-candlepower incandescent light, the cost per year is fixed at $24.50 each.
Judging from the experience of the past, the city will receive lighting service at a cost certainly not greater than under the municipal ownership regime. About 1900, when there was so much agitation for the improve- ment of the city plant, owing to the poor service that had been given the people during the past months, a table was compiled showing the average cost of cach light since the establishment of the plant. depreciation charges and expense of new equipment being combined with operating expenses in figuring this cost. According to this table, the cost per light in 1893. when there were 102 lights in use. was $65. For following years: 1894, $61; 1895. $57; 1896, S53; 1897. $49; 1898, $50.
Much has been said on previous pages about the water works and the water supply. The original franchise to the water company ran for twenty
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
years, and expired in 1906. When the time came to renew the contract, the subject at once became the foremost municipal question. It resolved itself into two main issues-quality and adequacy of the supply, and rates. The latter was, wisely, subordinated to the former, since the chief interest of the public is pure water. Pure water has always been more or less difficult to obtain, since it has been found that the deep wells of the water company have afforded an insufficient supply, especially during fires, when it was necessary to increase the pressure and introduce river water into the mains. The old criticism that the water from the hydrants "looks like cider" has an occasional application even at this time, despite many radical and expen- sive improvements in the equipment of the works. The last report from the department of public health says: "The city water has been analyzed at different times and the quality was much improved over 1905. There is still danger of its becoming polluted and causing disease."
However, the discoloring of the water is claimed to be nothing more than rust and a salt of magnesium that separates out from the deep well water and does not unfit the water for domestic use. This history must be content to leave the subject with the statement that both the service and the quality of the water have been much improved during recent years. A report from an expert brought to Muncie to investigate the water supply contains some history of the plant that may be quoted :
"In 1885 the present water works company built works in accordance with a report made to the city by the late Mr. Cook. An intake a short dis- tance to the cast of the city was established, whereby water was taken from White river and pumped into the distributing system which comprised about seven miles of pipes. Muncie at that time had a population of some 5.000 or 6,000 people. Shortly afterwards the development in this locality of natural gas caused the city to grow rapidly. Manufacturing industries sprang up in and near the city and some objectionable local pollution from a small tributary entered the White river above the original intake. In 1889 the company abandoned this intake, and moved a considerable dis- tance up the river to the present White river pumping station, situated some 2.5 miles from the center of the city. At first the supply came from flowing wells, driven about 200 feet into the fissured limestone underlying this sec- tion of the country and from a filter gallery about 400 feet long on the bank of the White river. Additional wells were gradually driven. In all 18 wells have been sunk along the White river for a distance of some 7.000 feet. In round numbers they have a capacity of 2.000,000 gallons daily. An emer- gency intake in the White river was established at the new pumping station, and the growth of the town made it necessary for some years to secure a por- tion of the supply from the river at times of maximum rate of pumping. In 1900 the pumping station was enlarged and improved with the addition of new, triple-expansion pumping engines and there was erected a filter plant having a capacity of about 2,000,000 gallons per 24 hours. Developments in the local oil field in 1904 soon after caused the White river
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to become so impregnated with oil that it was not a suitable source of supply. Efforts were made by the company early in 1905 to increase materially its well water supply. Air compressors were established to increase the yield, but practically with no avail. In connection with the effort an unfortunate accident occurred in July, 1905, to the well pumping outfit, whereby it be- came necessary for some days to pump into the city the foul-smelling and bad-tasting White river water. This produced much indignation among some of the citizens whose general view since that time has been in opposi- tion to the public water supply coming from other than underground sources.
"Your board then took hold of the matter and arranged with the water company that immediately they should build an auxiliary pumping station upon Buck creek, a tributary of the White river, draining some 35 square miles or more of the area lying to the south of the city. In October, 1905, this pumping station and about three miles of force main were completed. Since that time the public water supply of Muncie has consisted of the deep well water of the water company to its full capacity, supplemented by such amounts of filtered Buck creek water as were necessary to maintain the supply."
The city entered into a new contract with the Muncie Water Works Company, August 17, 1906, by which a new schedule of prices for water for domestic uses was fixed, which schedule may be revised at the expiration of cach period of ten years ; for the sum of $10,000 annually the city ob- tains water for 300 fire hydrants, for flushing sewer tanks, and for all public buildings, schools, drinking fountains, cemeteries and parks.
The past ten years has seen many improvements in the fire department, both in size and equipment and in efficiency. According to a report men- tioned in a preceding chapter, the fire department had not been improved to keep pace with the growing city. In 1896 there were two stations, which, with apparatus, were valued at about twenty-five thousand dollars. The re- port of Chief H. R. Gallivan on Dec. 31, 1906, gives the valuation of the de- partments, excluding the buildings, as $27,289.75. The annual expenses for 1895 were about $8.750, while for 1906 the total expenditures were $18,590.35. The present equipment is reported as follows :
"Department consists of three houses, No. I house, corner Jackson and Jefferson streets ; No. 2 house, corner Willard and Ebright streets; No. 3, corner Willard and Council streets. Force consists of twenty men and sala- ries are as follows: Chief, $1,200; assistant chief, Sooo; two captains, $780 each, and sixteen firemen at $720 each; one substitute for five months to work vacations, $300. We now have ten head of horses, had two to die, turned two over to the cemetery and purchased four new head during :906. We have 6,500 feet of 21/2-inch hose, 4.500 feet good, 1,000 feet fair, 1,000 feet bad and have purchased 1,000 feet new hose; also recommend the pur- chase of 1,000 feet of new 21/2-inch cotton hose. Apparatus is in good state of repair and consists of one chief wagon, one combination chemical and hose wagon, one 75-foot aerial truck, two hose wagons, all in use; also one
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Beech Grove Cemetery Gate.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
extra hose wagon and one Clapp & Jones first size engine that we do not use, but is always in readiness in case it is needed."
Cemetery.
It has been a matter of pride for a number of years that Muncie has one of the handsomest and best kept cemeteries in the state. It is a senti- ment commendable in every way that a community should desire the home of its dead to be made beautiful by the best methods of landscape gardening. Beech Grove is worthy of those who have passed away. Its stone gateway, its avenues, its park-like lawns, and the individual places of sepulture justify by their beauty and fitness all the care and expense bestowed upon them. During 1906 nearly fourteen thousand dollars were disbursed in the care and maintenance of this cemetery.
McCulloch Park.
McCulloch Park during the past five years has fully proved the wisdom of Mr. McCulloch in giving the city a recreation ground, and each summer finds its popularity increasing. Originally a part of the forest that covered the north banks of White river, it still retains many of the charms of the woods, especially in its native trees, which are the finest feature of the park. The park authorities have shown wisdom in leaving nature unadorned, and will do well to introduce a minimum of the artificial effects of landscape gardening. The principal facts concerning the history of the park are given in the report of the Board of Public Works, extracts from which are here given :
"On the 6th day of May, 1901, Mr. George F. McCulloch informed the Common Council of the City of Muncie by letter that he would make a gift of the grounds known as McCulloch Park to the City of Muncie, the only condition to said gift being that the City of Muncie hold the real estate in trust as a public park for the free use of all the inhabitants of the city. In his letter to the Council he further stated that he would give a further sum of $2,500, or any part thereof, the condition for said gift being that the people of the City of Muncie raise an equal amount. Said sums so given were to be used as a fund for the improvement and maintenance of said lands. The lands then conveyed to the City of Muncie consisted of about eighty-three acres. The Common Council on said date accepted the gift of the lands, subject to said trust. The offer of the trust fund was also ac- cepted and the Committee on Parks was directed to take action to procure the sum to be subscribed by the people of Muncie, and said committee, to- gether with the City Engineer, were ordered to prepare and report plans and specifications for the improvement of said land.
"Since the acceptance of said gift plans and specifications have been prepared which will require some time to perfect, looking forward to the beautifying and arrangement of all the lands and preparing it for the purpose for which it was intended.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
"Not much work was done on the lands until in the year 1903. :: June, 1903, the Common Council elected a superintendent. The Comma : Council of the City of Muncie had appointed a Park Commission, co ... sisting of E. B. Ball, president; J. R. Marsh, secretary, and F. D. Hass- baugh, to look after the improvement and maintenance of the public parx and co-operate with the superintendent thereof. About August 1, 1903. work of building roadways and thoroughfares through the park was beyza and from said date until the ist day of December, 1903, the sum of $4.795.5; was expended in the improvement and maintenance of the park. Duri; the year 1905 the sum of $2,442.71 was expended for maintenance of the park, and during the year 1906 the sum of $2, 183.99 was expended for its maintenance. During the year 1905 the sum of $4,350 and during the year 1906 the sum of $2,825 were expended for the purchase of lands adjacent to McCulloch Park, and upon the purchase thereof were added to sail park. The tax levy for 1904 and 1905 provided for a taxation of five centi upon cach Sioo of the taxable property of the City of Muncie to provide for the improvement and maintenance of the public parks. For the year 1906 the tax levy had no such provision and the improvement and main- tenance of the parks of the City of Muncie are now paid out of the general fund.
"By a reference to the total amount of taxes collected we find that the amount paid out for public parks during the years 1905 and 1906 was a little less than the amount collected as provided for in the tax levy.
"Since the original conveyance of the eighty-three-acre tract the city of Muncie has added thereto until McCulloch Park now consists of about ninety-five acres. McCulloch Park has been improved and beautified by building about 130,000 square feet of roadway and walks, tennis courts, baseball grounds, cement walks, planting of trees, shrubs and flowers, placing of swings and benches and the sodding and sloping of lands."
During the summer of 1907 a part of the high ground of the park has been inclosed as a deer and elk park, and now contains a herd of those animals.
With the intention of establishing several small parks or "squares" throughout the city, the Council appropriated $6,000 recently for the pur- chase of the northwest corner of Howard and High streets. Other plots will also be secured in carrying out this design.
Streets and Paving.
Much has already been said about the streets. A number of years ago it was decided to pave the streets with asphalt, and the citizens took much pride in their many blocks of asphalt pavement. However. a few years ago, when the streets began to wear out and repairs and re- surfacing became necessary, the city and the citizens were confronted with some problems only less troublesome than the original matter of paving. In a city the size of Muncie it is impracticable to maintain a repair plant for the asphalt streets, and no satisfactory method of repairing the breaks
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and holes in the pavement has been devised. Recently the asphalt com- panies have shown no eagerness to enter into contract with the city for repaving, failing to respond to the advertisements for sealed bids on the work. The subject is now the leading one before public consideration, and as the matter is as yet unsettled, this history can do no more than state the present indefiniteness with regard to paving, quoting as an example of current discussion the following editorial which contains some references to past and present conditions :
"One burning thought in connection with the warm discussion in Muncie over the kind of paving to be used in some of the streets soon to le improved is that cheap streets in the beginning are expensive in the long run. If substantial roadways, the kind that are durable under proper care, are laid, we will not hear constant complaints or protests against the cost of public works as regards these thoroughfares after the improve- ments are finished. The trouble with Muncie's experience in this direction has been that too much money has been sunk in temporary improvements and that, when first-class pavements have been constructed, the paving has been abused and neglected. Muncie's streets right now are in the worst condition in many years and the property owners and residents will sooner or later recognize of a necessity that they must improve and improve per- manently. The work must be done once for all time and, when done, prop- erly guarded and protected. The city officials will hear varied and divers recommendations as to the kind of paving to be put down, but it will be im- possible for them to please every one. Hence the best thing for them to do under the circumstances is to look as far ahead into the future as possible and have built the pavement or pavements that will be most satisfactory in the years to come regardless of individual disapproval or censure."
Some figures with regard to the streets, submitted by the engineering department in its report for year 1906, will be of interest. There are seven- ty-four miles of streets within the corporation. Of these nearly sixty miles are improved, 3.25 miles with asphalt pavement. It will be recalled that only a few years ago the City Council objected to the "new-fashioned" con- crete sidewalk. At the present time there are nearly fifty-five miles of cement sidewalk, while brick and sandstone walks total about sixteen miles in length. A feature that does much to add to the appearance of a city, not to mention its value from a sanitary standpoint, is paved alleys. Es- pecially in the business section Muncie has much to be proud of in this respect, there being about three miles of cement. stone or brick alleys. At the present time Muncie has nearly twenty-seven miles of sewers, all of which have been constructed during the past twenty-five years.
Architecture.
With regard to the architecture of Muncie, owing to the fact that the business section has been practically made over during the last ten years, it
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may be termed distinctively modern and even elegant so far as that quality consists with utility. The old and the new, permanence and progress are well illustrated in the building. On one hand are the high school and court house, dating back a quarter of a century. While the Wysor, the Johnson, the Vatet blocks are the best types of modern office and business blocks, all constructed within the last decade. The Anthony building, the first high- grade structure on Walnut street, though still an excellent building, has long yielded precedence. During the last three or four years, the first- class buildings that have been constructed would make a long list. Along Walnut street could be named the Wysor block, the McNaughton block and the Goddard wholesale building. A number of structures have been erected on or near Mulberry, including the traction terminal station on Charles (the finest terminal in Indiana outside of Indianapolis), the Building and Loan block and the Ware building, in the same locality, the Star build- ing on Adams street, the Delaware hotel. On East Main street are some noteworthy contrasts. The Kirby House on the corner of Jefferson was erected in IS71 and was the largest building in town at the time. Across the street from it stands the Boyce block, built in 1880, which was the first high-grade business block, and was built in advance of the business demands of the town, as was then believed. Opposite from these older structures is the elegant Commercial Club building, which cost about $55,000, and which is the best building for its purpose in Indiana outside of the capital. With the exception of the old city hall, the public architecture of Muncie is commendable. The school buildings, with one or two ex- ceptions, are particularly creditable as homes for the children during the most important period of life. The Jefferson building excels in a certain dignity and chaste beauty that are not inconsistent with its essential pur- poses, and the Mckinley and other buildings might be mentioned for special merits. The library and the federal buildings probably possess more in- dividuality in their architectural outlines than any other buildings, and yet each is well adapted to its purposes.
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