USA > Indiana > Centennial history and handbook of Indiana : the story of the state from its beginning to the close of the civil war, and a general survey of progress to the present time > Part 55
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Southern Hospital for the Insane. - The Southern Hospital for the Insane, "Woodmere." was the only one of the three "additional hos- pitals" whose location was fixed by the Legisla- ture. The law approved March 7, 1883, stated that one of these should be located at or near Evansville. The site purchased on January 3, 1884, is four miles east of the city. The original building is an arrangement of wings radiating from the central block. Additional wings have been added from time to time. The first patients were admitted October 30, 1890. The hospital receives patients from what is known as the southern district for the insane, composed of the sixteen counties which form the southwestern part of the State.
Green River Island .- It is not generally known that Kentucky can be reached from hn-
diana without some means of crossing the Ohio River. To do so, however, requires but a few minutes' walk from Evansville.
Green River Island, a part of the State of Ken tucky, is taxed by Henderson county. It adjoins Vanderburg county and by reason of its being north of the Ohio river is generally credited with being Indiana territory. The island contains ap- proximately 2,800 acres of bottom land and is about seven miles long and a mile wide at the widest point.
It has an interesting history, in that it was cre- ated by a peculiar change in the course of the Ohio river and has been the subject of dispute between the States of Indiana and Kentucky.
Many years ago the Ohio, which, in the region of the mouth of Green river, has always had a
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Map of Green River Island, a Part of Kentucky Ad- joining Vanderburg County. Indiana. Arrow point- to Green River Island.
tendency to cut into the Kentucky shore during flood times, gradually wore a new channel for a distance of six or seven miles through the north- ern part of Henderson county, Ky., deserting the original bed along a part of the southern border of Vanderburg county. The new channel cut into the State of Kentucky at a point about a mile below the mouth of Green river and emerged again into the original bed about a mile above the Port of Evansville. The old bed became a slough and filled with water only at flood times.
After this change in the river channel a ques- tion arose as to whether Indiana or Kentucky should rule the island formed by the old and new beds. The contention grew. Indiana claim- ing, since the river was the dividing line between the two States that she had gained so much ter- ritory by the change in the stream's course. while the Blue Grass State was reluctant to give up the land, and insisted that it was hers originally. and should remain so.
The question dragged on for several years until
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the two States finally agreed that the original river bed was properly the dividing line and, in legal parlance, an "agreed" suit was filed in the federal courts to legally establish the boundary which had been in question.
The question dragged along for several years until a suit was commenced in the Supreme Court of the United States ( Indiana vs. Kentucky, 136 U. S. 479) to establish the boundary. At that time a commissioner came from Washington to Evansville to take testimony which in printed form is now part of the records in the case now on file in Washington .*
An old river pilot, who had steamboated on this part of the Ohio for years, was produced and testified that he had piloted boats on the river when it flowed in its old bed on the north side of the island. Ilis testimony satisfied the en- gineer that the slough was the original river bed and as such should remain the boundary between the two States.
This hearing was held about thirty years ago, in the office of United States Commissioner Wartmann, the present commissioner, who was then young in his career as clerk of the United States District Court at Evansville.
After the decision of the federal agent a new survey was run on the north side of the old bed and the line between the only part of the two States that join, is now fixed by small stone markers, on one side of which is chiseled the word Indiana and on the opposite side Kentucky.
Most of the island is owned by Henderson, Ky., people. Despite the officially established boundaries complications not infrequently arise. Recently what proved to be an accidental shoot- ing occurred on the island. The police of this city were notified and, for purposes of investiga- tion, took the man who did the shooting into custody. Not until after he had been held an hour or more did it develop that the shooting had taken place in Kentucky. The man arrested was about to be turned over to Henderson au- thorities when it was satisfactorily proved the shooting was accidental.
Henderson county seldom needs to give at- tention to the island and it has gradually taken on an atmosphere of being a little province of its own.
Population of Vanderburg county in 1890
* Report W. A. Ketcham, Atty. Gen. Ind., 1897-98, page 23.
was 59,809 ; in 1900 was 71,769, and according to United States Census of 1910 was 77,438, of which 4,944 were of white foreign birth. There were 17,779 families in the county and 16,807 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are eight townships in Vanderburg county: Arm- strong, Center, German, Knight, Perry, Pigeon, Scott and Union. The incorporated cities and towns are Evansville and Howell. Evansville is the county seat.
Taxable Property and Polls .- According to the annual report of the Auditor of State from the abstract of the tax duplicate for 1913, the total value of lands and lots in Vanderburg county was $18.266,680, value of improvements was $17,909,230 and the total net value of taxa- bles was $50,740,190. There were 19.267 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 201 miles of improved roads in Vanderburg county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $345,180.
Railroads -- Steam and Electric .- There are 77.06 miles of steam railroad operated in Vander- burg county by the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans : Evansville division and Evansville belt of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois; Evansville & Indianapolis ; Evansville, Mt. Carmel and North- ern branch of the Big Four; Peoria division of the Illinois Central ; Louisville, Henderson & St. Louis over the Louisville & Nashville ; the Louis- ville & Nashville, and the Evansville branch of the Southern Railway Company. The Evansville Railways Company, the Evansville Suburban & Newburgh Railway Company and the Public Utilities Company operate 57.89 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of Floyd C. Ragland, the county superintendent. there were ninety-one schoolhonses, including two high schools, in the county in 1914, em- ploying 418 teachers. The average daily at- tendance by pupils was 10,401. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to superintendents, super- visors, principals and teachers was $318,611.40. Estimated value of school property in the county was $1,347,900, and the total amount of indebt- edness, including bonds, was $101,450.
Agriculture .- There were in Vanderburg
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county in 1910 over 1,700 farms, embraced in 132,000 acres. Average acres per farm. 74.6 acres. The value of all farm property was over $13,000,000, showing 54.9 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $68.02. The total value of domestic animals was over $1,000,000: Number of cattle 8,800, valued at $225,000; horses 3,900, valued at $404,000:
hogs 11.000, valued at $63,000 : sheep (Rm), Valued at $3,300. The value of poultry was $38,000.
Industrial .- According to the United States Census of 1910 there were 299 industries in Evansville, furnishing employment to 10,102 per sons. Total amount of capital employed. $20,- 092,572. Value of products. $22,929,024; value added by manufacture, $10.135.180.
VERMILION COUNTY
NEWPORT, SEAT OF JUSTICE
V ERMILION COUNTY, located west of the Wabash river in the central part of the western border of the State, bounded on the north by Warren, on the east by Fountain and Parke, on the south by Vigo county and on the west by the State of Illinois, is commonly known as the "Shoe String County." Its length is approximately thirty-seven miles, with an average width of six miles. It contains about 222 square miles. The surface is high and generally level, except near the streams. All of the soil is excellent for agricultural purposes, and the raising of Shetland ponies, as well as fruit rais- ing, in the county has been well developed. Un- derlying all the ridge or uplands, between High- land on the south and Newport on the north, are veins of "block coal." The same seam underlies the greater part of the county still farther south from the Indiana blast furnace to the Horse Shoe on the Little Vermilion river. The total thick- ness of the bed ranges from five to seven feet. and is separated into two or more seams of shale or fire clay. According to the State Mine In- spector's report for the year ending September 30, 1914, there were seventeen mines in opera- tion in the county under his jurisdiction, which produced 2,388,182 tons of coal.
Organization .- Vermilion county, named so from the color of the stream by that name which flows through it, was organized January 2, 1824. Newport has been the county seat since the or- ganization of the county. The court-house at Newport was destroyed by fire on two occasions, January 24, 1844, and on January 5. 1866. . At either time, fortunately, were the, county rec- rds lost.
Population of Vermilion county in 1890 was 13,154; in 1900 was 15.252, and according to United States Census in 1910 was 18,865, of which 2.334 were of white foreign birth. There were 4.544 families in the county and 4,347 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are five townships in Vermilion county : Chuter. Eugene, Helt. Highland and Vermilion, The i corporated cities and towns are Clinton, Cayuga. Dana, Fairview Park and Newport. The county seat is Newport.
Taxable Property and Polls .- According to the annual report of the Auditor of State from the abstract of the tax duplicate for 1913. the total value of lands and lots in Vermilion counts was $6.152,150, value of improvements was $2.555.295 and the total net value of taxables was $14.594.330. There were 4,150 polls in the county.
Improved Roads .- There were 407 miles of improved roads in Vermilion county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners
Pioneer Hoosier 1. 0g Cabin
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January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstanding, $416,724.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 72.41 miles of steam railroad operated in Ver- milion county by the Bunsen Coal Company ; Terre Haute division of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois ; Chicago, Lake Shore & Eastern over the C. & E. I .; Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western ; Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern ; Western division of the Peoria & Eastern, and the Toledo, St. Louis & Western railroads. Terre Haute, In- dianapolis & Eastern Traction Company operates 1.40 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of R. H. Valentine, county superintendent of Ver- milion county, there were sixty-one school- houses, including six high schools, in Vermilion county in 1914, employing 161 teachers. The
average daily attendance by pupils was 4,735. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to super- intendents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $92,801.92. The estimated value of school property in the county was $348,350, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $87,475.
Agriculture .- There were in Vermilion county in 1910 over 1,300 farms, embraced in 149,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 110.2 acres. The value of all farm property was over $13,000,000, showing 81.7 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $71.79. The total value of domestic animals was over $927,- 000: Number of cattle 7,600, valued at $216,000; horses 5,900, valued at $504,000; hogs 20,000, valued at $134,000; sheep 3,500, valued at $16,000. The total value of poultry was $45.000.
VIGO COUNTY
TERRE HAUTE, SEAT OF JUSTICE
V IGO COUNTY is situated in the western tier of counties near the center of the State. It is bounded on the north by Vermilion and Parke, on the east by Clay, on the south by Sullivan and on the west by the State of Illinois. It contains about 400 square miles, and the Wa- bash flows through the county in a southeasterly direction. The surface of the county is prac- tically level, there being no prominent hills or rugged scenery. Every acre of the county is underlaid with coal, in most places several veins, and all workable. On the west side of the river are four veins with an average thickness of twenty-one feet. According to the State Mine Inspector's report for the fiscal year ending Sep- tember 30, 1914, there were thirty-four mines in operation in the county, under his jurisdiction, with an output of 4,723,316 tons, leading all other counties in Indiana in the production of coal. It is estimated that there are over 3,000,000,000 tons of coal underlying the lands in Vigo county. The county is also rich in clay and shale of a superior quality, large deposits being available for manufacturing purposes in various localities. In places the shale ranges from fifteen to two hundred feet in thickness, under which are coal
deposits and under the coal there is more shale and clay.
Organization .- Vigo county was organized by an act of the Legislature January 21, 1818, which was made effective February 15, 1818. It was named in honor of Colonel Francis Vigo, who was a native of Sardinia, Italy, and came to Vincennes about 1777 as a Spanish merchant and died in Vincennes in March, 1836. In his will he bequeathed $500 to this county to buy a bell for the court-house, provided a certain claim was col- lected from the government for supplies fur- nished the destitute army of Colonel George Rogers Clark in 1778. This claim was paid to his heirs in 1884 and the amount was paid by the heirs to the county in 1887. This amount is a part of the expense of the bell now in the dome of the new court-house and has the name of Colonel Francis Vigo inscribed upon it.
The territory now comprising Vigo county was originally a part of Sullivan county, and was set off by an act of the Legislature at Corydon Jan- uary 1, 1818. In September, 1811, General Will- iam Henry Harrison advanced up the Wabash river with troops in his command, and selected the site of Fort Harrison on the east bank of the
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Wabash river, one mile above the present city of Terre Haute. About 1816 settlers began to come in and locate near the fort. Soon afterward the town of Terre Haute was laid off, and on March 21, 1818, the town was selected for the county seat by the commissioners appointed by the Leg- islature. The first steamboat that ever ascended the Wabash to this point was the "Florence," in the spring of 1822, and the captain was awarded a town lot as a premium. The first regular ferry
The Big Four and Vandalia lines reaching St. Louis to the west in about five hours and the same lines reaching Indianapolis to the cast in about two hours and a half. The Chicago & East- ern Illinois furnishes a service that places Chi- cago within five hours to the north and Evans- ville to the south in about three hours. The Van- dalia also operates lines northeast to South Bend and northwest to Peoria, and the Terre Haute & Southeastern operates to the southeast and north
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Terre Haute-1. Vigo County Court-House. 2. Rose Polytechnic Institute. 3. Emeline Fairbanks Memorial Library. 4. Wiley High School.
was established by Dr. Modesitt and James Far- rington in 1818.
Terre Haute is the fourth largest city in the State, having a population in 1910, according to the United States Census, of more than 58,100. With the Indiana State Normal, the Rose Poly- technic Institute, the widely known St. Mary's- of-the-Woods Academy for Girls across the Wa- Dash, and with its numerous private, parochial, ind other technical, classical and business schools und colleges, it merits the reputation as one of he leading seats of learning in America. Its pub- ic schools vie with the best in the country. Terre Haute has exceptional transportation facilities.
into Chicago. In addition to the steam lines Terre Haute has an excellent hourly interurbain service to the north, east, south and west. It is the center of the greatest bituminous coal beds in the world. It has been estimated by the State geologist that there is enough coal under and m the vicinity of Terre Haute to last 250 years It has the largest distillery in the United States. with a daily capacity of 60,000 gallons and over 400,000 barrels of beer are made here annually. The Terre Haute United States revenue district collects over $21,000,000 annually for the gov- erment. Its glass factories make on an average over 500,000 bottles daily. It is the headquarters
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of the Vandalia-Pennsylvania railroad, whose new shops, when completed, will cost $2,000,000 and furnish employment to 4,500 men. There are over sixty churches and missions in the city and it's church edifices are among the most stately and beautiful houses of worship in Indiana.
Population of Vigo county in 1890 was 50,- 195; in 1900 was 62,035, and according to the United States Census of 1910 was 87,930, of which 5,574 were of white foreign birth. There were 21,148 families in the county and 20,164 dwellings.
Townships, Cities and Towns .- There are twelve townships in Vigo county : Fayette, Har- rison, Honey Creek, Linton, Lost Creek, Nevins, Otter Creek, Pierson, Prairie Creek, Prairieton, Riley and Sugar Creek. The incorporated cities and towns are Terre Haute, Seeleyville and West Terre Haute. Terre Haute is the county seat.
Taxable Property and Polls .- According to the annual report of the Auditor of State from the abstract of the tax duplicate for 1913, the to- tal value of lands and lots in Vigo county was $20,441,740; value of improvements was $18,- 486,510, and the total net value of taxables was $53,771,715. The county had 13,601 polls.
Improved Roads .- There were 402 miles of improved roads in Vigo county built and under jurisdiction of the county commissioners January 1, 1915. Amount of gravel road bonds outstand- ing, $536,555.68.
Railroads-Steam and Electric .- There are 127.66 miles of steam railroad operated in Vigo county by the Brazil, Terre Haute & Evansville divisions and the Brazil branch of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois; Terre Haute division of the C. & E. I. over the Vandalia ; St. Louis division of the Big Four; Chicago, Terre Haute & South- eastern ; Sullivan branch & Chicago extension of the Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern ; the Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern over the Vandalia; Evansville & Indianapolis, and the Michigan & St. Louis divisions of the Vandalia railroads. The Terre Haute, Indianapolis & Eastern Traction Company operates 65.10 miles of electric line in the county.
Educational .- According to the report of James M. Propst, county superintendent of Vigo county, there were 140 schoolhouses, including eight high schools, in the county in 1914, employ-
ing 566 teachers. The average daily attendance by pupils was 14,681. The aggregate amount paid in salaries to superintendents, supervisors, principals and teachers was $385,299.30. Esti- mated value of school property in the county was $1,756,545, and the total amount of indebtedness, including bonds, was $497,801.82.
Agriculture .- There were in Vigo county in 1910 over 3,000 farms embraced in 230,000 acres. Average acres per farm, 76.1 acres. The value of all farm property was over $20,000,000, showing 74.8 per cent. increase over 1900. The average value of land per acre was $67.90. The total value of domestic animals was over $1,480,000: Number of cattle 12,000, valued at $339,000; horses 9,700, valued at $819,000; hogs 19,000, valued at $130,000; sheep 4,700, valued at $18,- 000. The total value of poultry was $64,000.
Industrial .- According to the U. S. Census of 1910 there were 170 industries in Terre Haute, furnishing employment to 5,159 persons. Total amount of capital employed, $10,371,261. Value of products, $21,793,446; value added by manufacture, $13,136,014.
Indiana State Normal School was organized under an act of the Legislature December 20,! 1865. This act defined the object of the school! to be "the preparation of teachers for teaching in the common schools of Indiana," provided for the appointment of a number of trustees, loca- tion of the buildings, the organization of a train- ing school and the adoption of courses of study, and created the normal school fund for the maintenance of the institution. The act further, required the trustees to locate the school at the; town or city of the State that would obligate it- self to give the largest amount in cash, or build- ings and grounds to secure the school. Terre Haute was the only place to offer any induce- ments whatever and secured the location of the institution. The first annual appropriation for maintenance was $15,000.
The school was opened January 6, 1870, thir- teen young women and eight young men pre- senting themselves as students. At the end of the first term of three months, the number had increased to fifty-one. It had meager attendance and little popular sympathy, and began its work under very discouraging conditions. It was really at work in an environment somewhat hos- tile to it, with a very small maintenance fund.
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SCIENCE BUILDING
THERAPY
INDIANA STATE NORMAL SCHOOL
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TERRE HAUTE INDIANA
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TRAINING SCHOOL -
Indiana State Normal School Buildings, Terre Haute.
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This, however, was increased from time to time by the Legislature, and appropriations were also made to complete the original building and to erect additional buildings. In 1888 the original building was destroyed by fire, together with all its contents, including a library that had been accumulating for eighteen years. Under its con- tract to meet half its expense for repairs, the city of Terre Haute gave $50,000 in cash, with which to begin the work of rebuilding and the next General Assembly appropriated $100,000. Since 1889, three large buildings have been added and one new building for manual training and do- mestic science has just been completed. The school now has a library of 65,000 volumes, one of the largest of any normal school in the coun- try, which has been collected since the fire of 1888. The books are selected with primary ref- erence to the needs of the various lines of work represented in the curriculum of the school.
At the beginning of the school, there was or- ganized an elementary course of two years, the instruction being limited to the common school branches, psychology, methods, observation and practise. The aim in reconsidering the common school branches was to master them more thor- oughly and to organize each branch from a peda- gogical viewpoint. Later, there was formed an advance course of study which required two ad- ditional years of work. This included the study of Latin, German, higher mathematics, science and advance work in history. After two years this advance course was temporarily discon- tinted and the elementary course changed to a course of three years. Later, this course of three years was based upon graduation from certified high schools or its equivalent. In the year 1907, a college course of four years was established. This included, along with branches belonging to a college curriculum, nine courses in professional work, consisting of gen- eral and educational psychology, history and philosophy of education, observation and prac- tise. In connection with the State Normal School, there has been maintained from the first a train- ing school for observation and practise. During the last year of the work, in the State Normal School, the student enters upon a period of ob- servation and practise so as to gain actual skill in managing a school and in instructing scien- tifically.
The schools for observation and practise con- sist at this time of the eight grades, a high school and a country training school. The eight grades and the high school are in a large training school building adjacent to the Normal school building. The country training school is situated several miles east of the city. William Woods Parsons is president and Howard Sandison is vice-presi- dent of the school.
Rose Polytechnic Institute, which was estab- lished in 1874 as the Terre Haute school of in- dustrial science, owes its existence as well as its name to Chauncey Rose, one of Indiana's great- est philanthropists, who came to Terre Haute as a young man and began his career contempo- raneously with the birth of the city in 1818. For sixty years he was closely identified with the town on the banks of the Wabash, during which time he rose from a poor boy to a millionaire. His fortune, in addition to $1,500,000, inherited from his brother, was practically all bestowed ultimately upon philanthropies during his life- time.
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