USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Centennial history of Indianapolis : an outline history > Part 2
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The commissioners also fixed the ferry rates for crossing White River, at Washington street, ranging from 623 cents for a four-horse wagon, to 2 cents for each head of hogs or sheep, and 6} cents for a person. They fixed tavern rates at 123 cents for a half pint of whisky, a quart of cider or beer, a night's lodging, or a gallon of corn or oats, and 25 cents for a meal, a half pint of imported rum, brandy, gin or wine, a quart of porter or cider wine, or. a feed of hay for a horse.
First Tax Rate. On May 13, 1822, the commissioners met again and their first work was fixing the tax rates. At that time State taxes were im- posed only on farm lands and bank stock, and these could not be taxed by the counties. The commissioners levied a tax of 10 cents on $100 of appraised value of town lots, and a poll tax of 50 cents. The personal property taxes were 374 cents for a horse, 25 cents for an ox, $1 for a two-wheeled "pleasure carriage," $1.25 for a four-wheeled carriage, 25 cents for a silver watch, 50 cents for a gold watch, $6 for a ferry and $10 for a tavern. The last two were license taxes, and the tavern tax was a liquor license, nobody being authorized to sell intoxicating liquors except tavern keepers.
First Court House and Jail. On the same day the sheriff was directed to let the "clearing" of the Court House square to the lowest bidder, in prepara- tion for the Court House. Four months later Earl Pearce and Samuel Hyde were paid $59 for cutting and removing the trees on the square, al- though they left two hundred sugar trees remaining for a "grove." The Legislature had appropriated $8,000 for building the Court House, to be suitable for a State House until the State House was built. Plans were prepared by John E. Baker and James Paxton and on September 3 the con- tract was awarded to them for $13,996. It was a two-story building, forty- five feet front, facing Washington street, and sixty feet deep. On the lower floor, at the rear, was the courtroom, or hall of representatives, 40} feet square. Above it on the second floor, was the senate chamber, or second court-room, 41} by 25 feet. The contract also covered the furnishing. It was completed and accepted January 7, 1825, the Legislature having appropri- ated the additional $5,996. It also served for sessions of the federal courts and Supreme court, and for public meetings of various kinds. After nearly half-a-century of service it was torn down to make place for the present Court House.
The first jail was built on the northwest corner of the Court House square, in 1822, pursuant to directions of the commissioners at this same session. It was a two-story structure, built of logs twelve inches square. The only opening in the sides of the lower story was a window one foot square, with iron bars. The upper story was reached by a ladder, and in its floor was a trap door, through which the prisoners passed down another ladder to the "dungeon." This jail Jasted until 1833, when it was burned down by a negro who was stopping there, and who narrowly escaped incinerating him- self. The county then built a brick jail east of the Court House on Alabama street. It was 46 by 20 feet in size, and very strongly built. The criminals were kept on the lower floor and the upper floor was divided between the jailer's family and the debtor's prison. At that time the law allowed im- prisonment for debt, but prior to the building of this jail, as there was
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South Side of Washington Street, looking East from Illinois to Meridian Street, 1854.
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no satisfactory place of imprisonment, debtors had been kept "on the hounds," i. e. debtors were not allowed to go east of East street, or north of New York street-from the corner of New York and Meridian the "bounds" line ran south to Ohio, west to Illinois, south to Washington, east to Meridian, south to Georgia, east to North Carolina, and northeast to East. The prisoner had to give bond that he would remain "a true prisoner" to be confined in this way.
The second jail was out of date in 1853, and a new stone jail was built on the northeast corner of the Court House square. This was used until 1891, and was the scene of the only executions that ever occurred in Marion County-William Merrick and John Achey on January 29, 1879; Louis Guetig on September 29, 1879, and Robert Phillips on April 8, 1886. In 1891 the present jail was decided on, and it was built at a cost of $150,000.
The First School. In 1821 the settlers got together and built a log school house on the point between Kentucky avenue and Illinois street. Joseph C. Reed was the first teacher. He was elected county recorder in April, 1822, and there is no record of any other school until April, 1824, when Rice B. Lawrence and his wife opened a school in the new Presbyterian church. Mr. Lawrence died four months later, but his wife continued the school for about a year. In November, 1826, Ebenezer Sharpe opened the Indianapolis Academy; which was the principal school of the town until the establishment of the county seminary in 1834.
Religious Beginnings. Most of the first settlers of Indianapolis were of a .sober-minded and generally religious class, probably for the reason that there was nothing here to attract any other class. There were religious meetings in their cabins before there were any church buildings, and itinerant preachers always had congregations with little reference to sectarian affilia- tions. Who preached the first sermon is not certain. Claim is made for Rev. Resin Hammond, a Methodist, who preached at Isaac Wilson's cabin in the spring of 1821. Rev. John McClung preached here at about the same time, and he returned in the early fall and became the first resident clergy - man, locating near the present fair grounds, where he died on August 18, 1823. Rev. Ludwell G. Haines held an open air meeting in August, 1821. The Baptists organized the first church on October 10, 1822. Mrs. Calvin Fletcher mentions several sermons that she heard in the fall of 1821, and states that the first sermon preached in the Governor's Circle was on May 12, 1822, by Rev. David C. Proctor, a Presbyterian.
In the fall of 1821, Rev. William Cravens was sent here by the Missouri Methodist Conference to organize a circuit, and in November, 1822, Rev. James Scott located at Indianapolis, in charge of the circuit. He was in charge of the first camp meeting in this neighborhood, which began on September 13, 1822, and lasted for four days. The first Presbyterian church was organized on July 5, 1823, at Caleb Scudder's cabinet shop, on Wash- ington street, opposite the State House. They built the first church, a small one-story building, on Pennsylvania street, opposite Keith's theater. The entrance was on the side away from the street. This building was also used for a school.
First Sunday School. Dr. Isaac Coe, an elder of the Presbyterian church, organized a Bible class in February, 1822, which met at his house, and was active in organizing a Sunday school, which held its first meeting on April 6, 1823. This was a union Sunday school, and several of the active workers were not church members. It was of great valne to Indianapolis in an educational way. The younger pupils were taught to read and spell, and the chief work of the pupils was memorizing verses from the Bible. To
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BATES HOUSE (NOW CLAYPOOL HOTEL)
North Side of Washington St., looking West from Illinois to Capitol Ave., 1854.
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stimulate the memorizing, books from the Sunday school library were loaned as rewards to the diligent. The Sunday school was one of the most popular institutions of the place, and there was but one in the town until 1828, when the Methodists organized a separate school. Outside of the town, however, Sunday schools had sprung up, until, in 1829, there were 18 of them in the county.
Fourth of July Celebrations. The first Fourth of July, 1821, was cele- brated by the young people of the place, who borrowed a keel boat that had come up the river, and went up to Anderson's spring for a picnic. Ander- son's spring, which still flows, is at the foot of the bluff on the west side of White River below Emmerich's grove. In 1822 there was a formal celebra- tion, opening with a sermon by Rev. John McClung, followed by the reading of the Declaration of Independence by Judge Wick; Washington's Inaugural Address, by Squire Obed Foote; Washington's Farewell Address by John Hawkins; prayer and benediction by Rev. Robert Brenton, and winding up with a dinner with numerous toasts. Thereafter the celebration was a cus- tom and it was usual to form a procession which marched to the place of celebration.
In 1828 the Sunday schools took part in the procession as organizations, and thereafter they were the chief factors in the celebration, as may be seen from the following formation of the procession in 1829:
"1. Artillery.
2. Ladies and Female Teachers.
3. Four Female Teachers and Banner.
4. Female Scholars,. Smallest in Front.
5. Music.
6. Four Male Teachers and Banner.
7. Male scholars, smallest in front.
8. Two Clergymen, Reader and Orator.
9. Superintendents, Teachers, etc.
10. Citizens, four abreast."
This custom was kept up until 1857, the procession usually breaking up at the State House square, where rusk and water were issued to the youthful wayfarers. The militia and the fire companies were also features of the parade.
First Session of Court. The first session of the Circuit Court in Marion County began on September 26, 1822, before the Court House was built. The court opened at the cabin of John Carr, but, as it was too small, adjourned to that of Jacob Crumbaugh, justice of the peace, at Market and Missouri streets, after the lawyers present had been admitted to practice. Calvin Fletcher was appointed prosecuting attorney. A grand jury was im- panelled and returned twenty-two indictments, for selling liquor without license and other misdemeanors. There were no felony indictments in the first two years of the county.
The court next fixed the prison bounds for debtors as mentioned, and then proceeded to naturalize Richard Good, who was described as "lately from Cork, in the Kingdom of Ireland," which would indicate Sinn Fein affiliation. An interesting feature of the session was the indictment of Daniel Yandes, Andrew Wilson, John McCormick and William Foster, all millers, for obstructing navigation in White River. The defendants showed that their dams were only "wing dams," which left open channels for boats. Foster and McCormick were convicted and fined one cent each; then Yandes and Wilson were acquitted, after which the court suspended sentence as to the others. When the court adjourned it allowed Crumbaugh $7.50 for the use of his house, as he was not a profiteer.
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South Side of Washington St., looking West from Illinois to Capitol Ave., 1854.
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First Theater. The year 1823 came to a dramatic close with a theatrical performance at Carter's tavern on the evening of December 31. It was given by "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," whose identity is not fully established, although it has been thought that Smith may have been "Old Sol Smith," who was an uncle to Sol Smith Russell, and was the pioneer theatrical manager of the Ohio valley. They presented "The Jealous Lovers" and "Lord, What a Snow Storm in May and June." Nathaniel Bolton, who was present, says that Mrs. Smith also sang "The Star-Spangled Banner," and danced "a hornpipe blindfolded amongst eggs."
Indian Neighbors. There were no Indian troubles at Indianapolis or in the immediate vicinity. The Indian "town" nearest the place consisted of two or three cabins on White River at the line between Marion and Hamilton counties. This was sometimes called "the Lower Delaware town," and some- times "Bruettstown," from a French half-breed Indian doctor named Brouil- lette, who lived there. Under the treaty of St. Marys the Delaware Indians were given until 1821 to remove, and after their removal the Miamis and .stragglers from other tribes hunted in unsettled parts of the New Purchase and occasionally brought game to Indianapolis for sale. There was a worth- less fellow called Wyandotte John, who lived in a hollow log on the river bank at Indianapolis, but he made no trouble. One day a drunken Delaware Indian tried to frighten Mrs. John McCormick, but explained that he was joking when her husband appeared.
Trouble was threatened at one time, on account of the brutal murder of nine Indians, near Pendleton, by five white men. The crime was condemned by everybody, and the Indians were promised that justice should be done. The criminals were arrested, and three of them were hanged for their of- fense. Representatives of the Indians attended the execution, and were satisfied with the reparation. In fact they seemed more shocked by the hanging than by the murder of their kinsmen, and, according to tradition, one of them said: "Indian want no more white man weighed."
Moving the Capital. The Constitution of 1816 made Corydon the capital of the State until 1825 "and until removed by law." Naturally, the Corydon people wanted the capital as long as possible, and southwestern Indiana was with them. The "Whitewater" party favored speedy removal, but was not strong enough to control until legislators were elected from the New Purchase. By act of January 7, 1823, Marion County was included in new senatorial and representative districts, and at the August election James Paxton, colonel of the Fortieth regiment of militia, in which Marion County militia was included, was chosen representative, and James Gregory of Shelby County, senator. At the next session of the Legislature a law was passed requiring the State government to be in operation at Indianapolis on January 10, 1825, and this meant the meeting of the Legislature for that year, which began in January. The opposition, led by Dennis Pennington, tried to prevent removal until December, 1825, but lost by one vote. On February 20, 1825, the grateful people of Indianapolis gave a supper to Paxton and Gregory at Washington hall, which was a new tavern, where the New York Store now stands, belonging to James Blake and Samuel Henderson.
The actual moving of the State offices was entrusted to Samuel Merrill, treasurer of state. He disposed of the surplus furniture in November, 1824, and started to Indianapolis with four four-horse wagons, which carried all the papers and records, the money in the treasury, the press and "office" of the State printer, and the families of himself and John Douglass, the State printer. The journey of 160 miles over bad roads took two weeks, although
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Pennsylvania Street, Looking North from Washington Street, 1856.
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the traveling was best at that time of year. Mr. Merrill's bill for the re- moval was $65.55, with $9.50 additional for moving the State library. The Legislature, however, very properly voted Mr. Merrill $100 for his services. On arrival at Indianapolis, part of the State offices were installed in the new Court House, and part in rented quarters. The Legislature of 1825, the first that met at Indianapolis, appropriated $1,000 to build an office for the anditor of State, and an office and residence for the treasurer of State, and this building was erected at the southwest corner of Washington and Capitol avenue. It was a two-story brick building, and was the first State building at Indianapolis.
Early State Buildings. The second State building was a ferry house at Washington street and the river, built in 1826 by Asahel Dunning, the lessee of the ferry, and paid for out of the rentals. In 1827 an appropriation of $500 was made for building an office for the clerk of the Supreme court, on the Court House square, and one of $4,000 for building the Governor's mansion in the Circle. In 1831 enough money was in the treasury to justify starting a State House, and provision was made for one, not to cost over $60,000. James Blake was made commissioner to advertise for plans, and to secure stone for the foundation. At the session of 1832 the plan submitted by Ithiel Town, the most notable American architect of the period, was adopted, and Gov. Noble, Morris Morris and Samuel Merrill were appointed commissioners to superintend the construction of the building.
The State House was completed in December, 1835, in time for the meeting of the Legislature in the following January. It was handsome in appear- ance, but not very substantial. The foundation was of rather soft limestone, and the superstructure was partly of brick and partly of lath-covered wood- work, all of which was coated with stucco.
This State House was about 200 feet in length and 100 feet in width, with halls for the Senate and House on the second floor, together with rooms
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Governor's Mansion that stood in the Circle.
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TIVE POLLAK & FINE WEP, CIFDINIHI
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Old National Road Bridge. (Over White River, Indianapolis.)
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City Hall.
for the Supreme Court. On the lower floor were the State library and other state offices, except those of the auditor and treasurer, which remained in their special building across Washington street until 1857, when it was abandoned. By 1867 the State House was so overcrowded and dilapidated that a new building was erected in place of the old Treasurer's building. It was a substantial brick building, into which moved. the Supreme Court and all the State offices except those of Governor and the State library. This ar- rangement continued until 1877, when provision was made for the present capitol.
Town Government. There was no town organization in Indianapolis until 1832. The general law of the State provided that the county commissioners could incorporate a town, and call an election for trustees. On September 9, 1832, the county commissioners declared the town incorporated, and ordered an election on September 29. John Wilkins, Henry P. Coburn, John G. Brown, Samuel Henderson and Samuel Merrill were elected trustees. They appointed Isaac N. Heylin, clerk; Obed Foote, treasurer; Josiah W. Davis, assessor, and Glidden True, marshal and tax collector. This form of government continued until 1836 when the town re-incorporated under a special charter, which differed from the general law chiefly in giving the trustees greater police powers. After two years' experience, still greater local powers were desired, and the town was granted a new charter, which continued in force until city government was adopted in 1847.
The National Road. The National Road had been slowly advancing to the west through Ohio. In 1827 it was definitely located through Indiana, and in 1828 contracts were let for cutting the roadway, grading and building bridges. The contract for the bridge over White River at Indianapolis was let in' 1831 and the bridge was finished in 1834. There was never enough money appropriated to macadamize the road through Indiana and what was available was used in macadamizing a few miles west from Richmond,
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First "Crazy" Asylum, Indianapolis
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Monument Place Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument.
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City Building.
and a few miles east and west from Indianapolis. The road ran through Washington street, and was the first real street improvement in the place. This occurred in 1837, and it started a movement for improvement which resulted in an ordinance for grading and graveling the street outside of the macadam roadway, and assessing the cost to the abutting property. It was at this time that the sidewalks on Washington street were made twenty feet in width.
The Canal. The chief benefits that were expected to accrue to Indianapolis from the internal improvement system of 1836 were to come through the Central Canal and the Indianapolis and Madison railroad. The canal was planned to run from a point on the Wabash and Erie canal to Muncie, and thence down the valley of White River to its mouth, thence to Evans- ville. Work was begun in sections and the only part completed and put in operation was some seven miles, from Broad Ripple to Indianapolis. The line of the canal was as at present, except that at the bend above Market street there was a stone lock, below which the canal continued, on the line of Missouri street, to the river bottom at about Kansas street. At this point there were two wooden locks taking it to the level of the bottom lands.
"The arm of the canal extending west, below Military Park, was known as . "the hydraulic," and originally it had two extensions, one to the north and one to the south, on the line' of Bright street. From these "basins" water power was furnished to a number of mills as soon as the canal was opened in the summer of 1839. At the north end of the north basin was a grist mill operated by an overshot wheel. On the south basin and the lower level were the Caledonia paper mill, the Carlisle and Gibson flour mills, the Sheets paper mill, the Merritt woolen mill, and the Chandler & Taylor plant, which then used water power. The water power proved so unreliable on account of breaks in the canal that it was finally abandoned by the
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS
434494
Tomlinson Hall and Market House
mills. The State expended $1,600,000 on the Central Canal and when it was ordered sold to the highest bidder in 1850, all of it in Marion County brought $2,245. After that time it was little used except for bringing cord-wood from points north of the city, and flour from the mill at Broad Ripple. It was also used by picnic parties, who went to Golden Hill on the scows used for transportation. It was finally purchased by the Indianapolis Water Com- pany, and is now the chief source of the city's water supply, the water being purified in the filtration plant near Fall Creek. It may be noted that the somewhat boisterous class of workmen brought here in the construction of the National Road and the Canal were the cause of the demand for stronger town government in 1836 and 183S.
The First Railroads. The State began work on the Madison railroad in 1838, but had completed only 2S miles north from Madison when it'abandoned the enterprise and turned the property over to a company in February, IS43. It crept northward slowly, reaching Edinburg in 1846, and the first train entering Indianapolis on October 1, 1847. Spalding's North American Circus reached the city on the same day, and between the two Indianapolis had one of the most hilarious days in its history. The depot of this road was located on South street, between Delaware and Pennsylvania, which was then rather "out of town," and was reached by wagons and hacks which had to cross the broad and swampy valley of Pogue's Run. The railroad. however, made a revolution in conditions at Indianapolis, reducing the prices of all imported goods, and increasing the prices of all exported products. It was also of great importance because it made possible the construction of railroads from Indianapolis as an initial point.
Additional roads quickly followed under these conditions. The "Bee Line" was opened to Pendleton, 28 miles, in December, 1850, and in December, 1852, to Union City, where it joined the Bellefontaine road, with which it
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Marion County Court House.
was later consolidated. The Peru road was completed to Noblesville on March 11, 1851. The road to Terre Haute, 73 miles, was completed in May, 1852. The road to Lafayette was completed in December, 1852. The road to Richmond was completed in December, 1853. Meanwhile the road from Jeffersonville had been completed to Edinburg in 1852, from which point it used the Madison tracks; and the road from Lawrenceburg reached Indian- apolis in October, 1853. The union tracks, connecting these roads, were laid in 1850, and the Union Depot was opened for use on September 28, 1853. The Union Depot was planned by Gen. T. A. Morris, and was originally 420 feet long and 120 feet wide. In 1866 it was widened to 200 feet and a dining hall was added. It was used until 1887, when it was removed to make room for the new passenger station.
Mexican' War. Indianapolis had its first touch of real war in 1846. The State militia had been represented here from the first. In 1826 an artillery company was formed, with James Blake as captain, and obtained a small cannon from the government. This was thereafter known locally as "The Artillery.", In 1832 the militia were called out for the Black Hawk war, and some 300 gathered at Indianapolis, whence they left for the battle-field under the command of Col. Alexander W. Russell, and guided by Wm. Conner. They were mounted and armed in frontier fashion with rifles and tomahawks. 1.4 They got as far as Chicago and then marched back, the war being over. For the future they were known as "The Bloody Three Hundred."
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