USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Centennial history of Indianapolis : an outline history > Part 3
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After that military training lost interest and was little in evidence, except on (Fourth of July, until 1837. In that year a number of young men organ- ized the ¡Marion Guards, commonly knows as "the Grays," on account of their uniforms. Their imposing appearance aroused rivalry, and in 1842 the "Marion Riflemen" organized. They were not quite so aristocratic, wearing blue hunting shirts, and were popularly known as "The Arabs." Both or-
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS
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State Capitol Building.
ganizations had become decadent when the call came for volunteers in the spring of 1846; but Lew Wallace, who had belonged to the Rifles, decided to raise a company, and when he paraded the streets with fife and drum and a transparency inscribed "For Mexico. Fall in""' members of both the old organizations joined in, and in three days the company was full. James P. Drake was elected captain-later colonel of the First Indiana Regiment-and the company left amid public acclaim, after being presented a flag by Sarah T. Bolton on behalf of the ladies of the city. None of the Indiana troops saw a large amount of active service in the war, being assigned chiefly to guard duty. Half a dozen of the Indianapolis boys fell victims to disease; but the only body brought home for burial was that of Capt. Trustin B. Kinder, who fell at Buena Vista. He was buried with military honors, and the largest funeral known in Indianapolis up to that time.
State Institutions. In its earlier years the State did not provide for defec- tives. It was led to do so by the medical profession, learning that insanity was a curable disease in many cases. In 1842 Dr. John Evans and Dr. Isaac Fisher of Attica petitioned the legislature to establish an insane asylum. The legislature of 1843 took preliminary steps for caring for the insane and edu- cating the deaf and dumb, with supplementary legislation following. Square 22 of the original town plat, which had been reserved for a State hospital, was sold, and the proceeds used for the insane asylum, together with a special tax. The Bolton farm at Mt. Jackson was purchased and the first buildings of the Central Insane Hospital were completed in 184S. The deaf and dumb school was in rented quarters until 1850, when the building at Washington street and Arsenal avenue was occupied. The school was removed to its present site in 1907. Instruction for the blind was first given in a private school by William Willard. The State took up the work in 1845 and the building for the school was completed in 1853. This building, which still stands, was planned by John R. Elder, of Indianapolis; but his plans were revised by Francis Costi-
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS
Federal Building. U.S. Court House and Post Office.
gan, a Madison architect, who added the front steps and the cupola to the building.
City Government. Indianapolis became a city in 1847. This was chiefly the result of a law and order movement, caused by the element that was brought by the approaching railroad, and the desire for a stronger executive. The charter also corrected an injustice of taxation, which in some mysterious way had been restricted to the original mile square in the old charter. Incidentally it provided for free schools. Before that time the public provided only the school house and the pupils paid tuition. The charter was subject to the vote of the people, and at the special election on March 27 it was adopted by a vote of 449 to 19. The free school section, which was voted on separately, was adopted by 406 to 28.
Samuel Henderson was elected first Mayor of Indianapolis. The new Council on June 7, 1847, adopted tlfe city seal-an eagle perched on a globe with a scale in his beak-and then entered on a mild course of public improvement in the line of grading and graveling the principal streets. The city was con- ducted under this charter until 1853, when it went under the general State law, and so continued until 1891.
School Development. The only difference between public and private schools in the early days was that the private schools supplied their own school houses and were not supervised by officials. The central feature of the public school system was the county seminary. That for Marion county was built on .the southwest corner of University Square, which had been leased from the State, and the school was opened on September 1, 1834. The pupils paid tuition, and it was for boys only. Girls were admitted to district schools, and after that they attended "seminaries" or did without. There were very good schools for girls in Indianapolis-Mrs. Tichenor's in 1830, Miss Hooker's in 1834, and then the church schools. The Presbyterians began with one conducted by the Misses Axtell in 1837. The Episcopalians followed in 1839 with a school taught
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Public Library Building
by Rev. Samuel Johnson. The Methodists opened "McLean Seminary" in 1850 with Rev. Thos. Lynch in charge. The Baptists opened "The Indianapolis Fe- male Institute," where Shortridge High School now stands, in 1859.
Under the Constitution of 1851 free schools were provided and girls had the same privileges as boys. The Seminary building was used for a high school until 1858. The Indianapolis schools took on new life when A. C. Shortridge was made superintendent in 1863. The high school was then installed in the old Beecher church at the northwest corner of Circle and Market streets. It remained there until 1870, when it went to the old Baptist Seminary building.
Volunteer Fire Companies. The first fire company in Indianapolis was or- ganized in 1826. It had no apparatus but ladders and leather buckets. In 1835, as there were no ladders long enough to reach the roof of the new State House, the legislature provided that if the people of Indianapolis would sub- scribe half the cost of a fire engine the State would pay the other half, pur- chase twenty-five buckets and four long ladders and build a house for the engine. This was accepted and the engine house was built in the Governor's Circle, on the north side, just west of Meridian street. An engine was promptly purchased and named "The Marion." In 1840 a second engine was bought and christened "The Good Intent." The company then divided, part of them organizing the Independent Relief Company and taking the "Good Intent" to a house on Meridian street south of Washington. In 1843 a hook and ladder company was organized. In 1849 the Western Liberties Company was organized on the west side. In the same year a number of boys, who were too young to get into the regular companies, organized the "O. K. Bucket Company." In 1852 a number of Germans organized the Invincible Company and an engine called "The Vic- tory" was bought for them. In 1855 the Union Company was organized on the south side, and an engine called "The Spirit of Seventy-Six" was bought for them.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS
Coliseum Building at Fair Grounds.
The fire companies became very influential political organizations and were rather free and easy in their fire service. In 1859, steam fire engines having come into use, the city decided to have a paid fire company with steam fire engines, and the volunteer hand engine companies were disbanded. A num- ber of the members, however, went into the paid department.
The Civil War. The opening of the Civil War found Indiana as unprepared as the rest of the country. Governor Morton engaged in preparation with great energy. Anticipating war. he had obtained from the national govern- ment all the militia equipment coming to the State. He appointed Robert Dale Owen agent for the State to purchase arms and supplies, and he expended about $900,000 for these purposes. As ammunition could not be purchased in quantities an arsenal was started on the square north of the State House for its manufacture. This was so successful and of such value in supplying other troops, as well as those of Indiana, that in 1863 the United States bought the tract now occupied by the Technical High School and took over the arsenal work.
Naturally the war activities of the State centered at Indianapolis. The State fair grounds (now Morton Place) were taken for a camp for recruits-later for a prison for rebel prisoners. The unfinished City Hospital was taken for a military hospital. The Sanitary Fair, to raise funds for special supplies for the soldiers, took the place of ordinary social functions; but it was only .one of the activities of the Ladies' Protective Association. Camps Carrington, Sullivan and Burnside Barracks were occupied by coming and going troops. With all this, and the activities of the Sanitary Commission, the Soldiers' Home, the preparations to repulse Morgan's raid, and various other things, the city was almost on a military basis.
There were four militia companies in the city at the opening of the war- the "Grays," the "Arabs," the Independent Zouaves and the Zouave Guards. These went out with the Eleventh Indiana, a zouave regiment, under Col. Lew
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS
+
Lockerbie Street-Where the Hoosier Poet, James Whitcomb Riley, Lived and Died.
Wallace, in the three months' service. The Turners had a military company of their own, which enlisted en masse and went into camp two days after the President's call for troops. To Indianapolis the war began with Lincoln's speech from the Bates House balcony on February 12, 1861, and ended when his body lay in state in the corridor of the State House on April 30, 1865.
Business Development. The early business problem of Indianapolis was getting goods from the outside world into the town and getting the produce of this vicinity to the outside world. Most of the importing was by wagon over very bad roads; but part of it, and most of the exporting, were by flat- boats on White river. Flatboats not only went to New Orleans from this point but also went from points 130 miles above here. If White river were in Europe it would be navigated by steamboats today. From Indianapolis to its mouth is 285 miles, and the fall of the river in that distance is only 200 feet. If the gravel bars were dredged out and put on the roads a few dams would make the river practically navigable.
The exports were chiefly agricultural products, and their manufactures. Hay was baled in large quantities for the New Orleans trade. Pork packing began in 1834 for the same purpose and later developed into one of the city's most important industries. It is not generally known that summer pork pack- ing originated here. The Kingans in 1863 built here what was then the largest pork house in the world. At that time pork could be packed only in freezing weather. One of their employes, George W. Stockman, of an old Lawrenceburg family, conceived the idea of artificial freezing, based on the fact that cold air is heavier than warm air; and by a series of vats filled with ice and salt. through which tubes passed, the first on the top floor and ranging to the base- ment, succeeded in cooling the air so that it would freeze the meat when blown on it by a rotary blower. By this system Kingan's packed 09,000 hogs in the summer of 1871. The system was introduced elsewhere and the ammonia
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS
Marion County Seminary in University Park, 1834.
process of freezing was invented. A revolution was made in the industry and it was one of the most important industrial revolutions in the history of the world.
The first extensive attempt at manufacturing was "the Steam Mill," opened in 1832, which failed chiefly because there was no market for its product. There was a second advance in manufacture after the coming of the canal, as stated above. The permanent growth of manufactures and of wholesale trade began after the coming of the railroad in 1847. The first business organiza- tion was a Merchants' Exchange in 1848, which was reorganized as the Board of Trade in 1853. The first State Fair was held in 1852 in what is now Military Park. In 1872, after the fair grounds had been moved to what is now Morton Place, an exposition was held in a building on Nineteenth street erected for that purpose, and this was repeated for the three years succeeding.
The City Charter. Early in 1890 the Commercial Club was organized, and in the summer it held a paving exposition. Interest in better streets was general. In March the Board of Trade adopted a resolution for a joint com- mittee to secure a law for a Board of Public Works and other needed legisla- tion. It appointed Jas. A. Wildman and S. T. Bowen in addition to its presi- dent, Geo. G. Tanner. The Commercial Club appointed A. L. Mason, Samuel E. Morss and Granville S. Wright. The city's committee was Mayor Thos. L. Sullivan, Isaac J. Thalman and William Wesley Woollen. This committee recommended a new city charter; and it prepared one which was adopted with slight change and is still in effect, with some amendments that do not affect its general principles.
There may be flaws in the city charter, but it is unquestionable that the efficient government made possible by it is the cause of the rapid improvement of the city under its provisions. The improved streets, the sewers, the parks, and other things that make Indianapolis a modern city, simply did not exist before the city charter was adopted. The present generation has been edu- cated to a higher standard of municipal living, and it is a certainty that the future of the city will be one of progress in those things that make a city desirable for residence and business.
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INDIANAPOLIS AT PRESENT
NDIANAPOLIS is the largest inland city on the American continent and one of the most important railroad centers in this country. It is, too, one of the handsomest cities, and one of the most prosperous and progressive. It is the commercial, industrial, social, religious, educational, political and govern- mental center of Indiana-rich in natural resources and one (! the most progressive States in the Union. It is more typically a capital of a State than any other city in the country and is recognized as such in all parts of the United States.
It is situated sixty miles from the center of population of the United States. within the geographical center of manufacturing of the country, and with un- equaled facilities for distribution.
The Area within the city is 42 square miles.
The Population, according to the United States census for 1920, was 314,194, and more than 2,000,000 people live within two hours' ride of the city.
Streets, Sewers, Water, Lighting, Etc. There are more than 690 miles of streets and alleys, of which 364 miles are permanently improved and the rest graveled. The sewer system embraces over 500 miles of sewers. There are 450 miles of water mains supplying 28,000,000 gallons every day. The city is supplied with artificial gas at 60 cents a thousand feet. It has an unrivaled street lighting system.
Tax Rate, Debt and Valuation. The total tax rate, in 1920, for State, county, city, school and all other purposes, is $1.60 on each $100 of assessed value. The total assessed value of property in the city is $593,512,550. The bonded in- debtedness of the city is $4,843,960.
Commercial and Industrial. The city has over 200 wholesale and jobbing houses, representing all lines of trade. It has more than 1,000 factories. It is the greatest center for the manufacture of quartered oak veneer in the country, and is the largest producer of hominy in America. In the output of automobiles it is second only to Detroit.
The Grain Market-Indianapolis is the fourth largest corn market in the world. The grain receipts for 1919 were: Corn, 19,148.000 bushels: oats, 11,- 775,000 bushels; wheat, 7,650,000 bushels; rye, 377,000 bushels. There were 1,636 cars of hay received in this market. The flour mills in Indianapolis pro- duced 537,841 barrels of flour.
Banking and Financial Institutions. The first chartered bank at Indian- apolis was the State Bank of Indiana, chartered in 1834. It had its banking house after 1840 in the point between Virginia avenue and Pennsylvania street, now occupied by the Indiana National Bank. The State Bank of Indiana and its successor, the Bank of the State of Indiana, continued until the Civil War, when they were forced out of business by the national banking system. The first national bank of this city was organized by W. H. English and established May 11, 1863. There are now six national banks in Indianapolis with total resources of $83,778.452.00; thirteen state banks, resources, $10,213,- 865.00 and eleven trust companies, resources, $41,977,359.00. The bank clear- ings for 1919 amounted to $$10,109,000.00. This does not include the business of the state banks not members of the Indianapolis clearing house.
Insurance Companies. There are eight Indiana stock and mutual fire in- surance companies with headquarters in Indianapolis with assets in excess of $5,000,000.00, and more than $222,000,000.00 of insurance in force; six Indiana
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS
stock and mutual life insurance companies with assets in excess of $34,000,000.00 and more than $230,000,000.00 of insurance in force, also fifteen Indiana com- panies engaged in the assessment life, accident, health and miscellaneous insurance business.
Building and Loan Associations. There are 62 associations of this character in operation in this city today with a capital of more than $81,000,000.00 and assets in excess of $25,000,000.00.
Railway Facilities. Indianapolis is the greatest Inland railway center in che world. Seventeen lines, radiating in all directions, furnish connections with every part of the country. By the process of consolidation, part of these lines, originally independent, have been taken into "systems". and are operated as "divisions." The Pennsylvania company operates 5 of them; the Big Four, 7; the C. I. & W., 2, and the Lake Erie & Western, the Illinois Central, and the Monon, one each. Over these lines 86 trains for passengers arrive daily, and an equal number depart. The record of tickets sold shows that more than 2,000,000 passengers come into and go out of Indianapolis by steam railroad each year. Most of the freight business is handled by the Belt. The present Union passenger station was constructed in 1888-9.
Indianapolis Union Railway Company. This company, controlled by the Pennsylvania and Big Four, but giving representation to all the other com- panies, operates the Union Station and one mile of tracks connecting with it. It also operates the Belt railroad, 14 miles in length, connecting all of the lines, outside of the city, under a lease from the Belt Railroad and Stock Yards Company. The Belt road is used for switching cars from the numer- ous manufactories along it to the several lines, moving about 450,000 cars. a year. It is also used for taking through freight around the city, instead of passing through it. In all, about 1,700,000 freight cars pass over the Belt each year.
Track Elevation. The elimination of grade crossings was begun by the elevation of the tracks over Massachusetts avenue in 1905-6; and has con- tinued under a law of 1905, which provides that the railroads shall pay 75 per cent of the cost, the remainder being borne by the city, county and the Street Railway company, if the latter uses the crossing. The work is done in sections to make the annual burden reasonable. The section now in con- struction is from Kentucky avenue to East Washington street. It is aimed to complete this section in 1920, and the total cost of it is estimated at $8,000,000.
Belt Railroad & Stock Yard Company. This company, organized in 1877, has one of the most important yards for unloading, resting, watering and re- shipping stock in the country, which is also an important marketing point. Last year the company handled live stock valued at $150,000,000, unloading 41,921 cars, and loading 24,410. The stock received at the yards last year Included 2,936,493 hogs, 356,266 cattle, 131,329 sheep, 159,081 calves, of which about one-half were reshipped.
Interurban Railways. In addition to steam railways, fourteen lines of electric railways radiate from Indianapolis. Six of these are operated as "divisions" by the T. H., I. & E. Traction Co .; five by the Union Traction Co .; two by the I. & C. Traction Co., and one by the Interstate Public Service Co. These roads connect with the electric lines of the neighboring states, as well as outside Indiana lines., Over 200 cars go in and out of Indianapolis daily over these lines, carrying more than eight million people in and out annually, and 1,560,000 pounds of freight are carried daily out of the city by the in- terurban freight service. The first interurban lines were opened here in 1900-one 16 miles to Greenfield, and one 12 miles to Greenwood.
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Murat Temple.
Pythian Building.
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS
Indianapolis Terminal Station. For use of electric lines entering Indian- apolis, was an original idea of Hugh McGowan. It is the greatest station of its kind in the world, and was built at a cost of $1,000,000. It furnishes facilities for the freight and express traffic of the electric lines, as well as their passenger service.
Street Railway System. The street railways of the city are controlled by the Indianapolis Traction and Terminal Co. The lines are all electric, and over 170 miles of track are in operation, reaching all sections of the city and suburbs. The first street car line was built in 1864, and operated with horse cars. The present company took control in 1902, and put the system on its present basis.
Fire Protection. The primary fire protection is the Holly system of high pressure water mains, with 3,574 fire hydrants. In addition, the city main- tains 31 fire stations, equipped with 11 steam fire engines, 21 hose wagons, 13 ladder trucks, 2 chemical engines and a water tower. Of this apparatus 28 are motor vehicles, and 91 horses are used for the remainder. The city expends over $500,000 per year for fire protection. In addition there is a privately managed Salvage Corps, which gives its attention to saving per- sonal property from burning buildings.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Federal Building. The only United States building within the city limits is the U. S. Court House and Postoffice. The postoffice was in private build- ings until 1860, when the first building put up for that purpose, begun in 1857, was completed. It cost $165,000, and still stands, being occupied by the Fletcher American National Bank. In 1899 Congress appropriated $1,500,000 for a new building. The block on which it stands was acquired by the government in 1900, for $626,000. "The plans of the building were opened to competition and Rankin & Kellogg, of Philadelphia, were the successful archi- tects. The length of the building over all is 355 feet 5 inches, exclusive of steps and approaches. The depth over all is 172 feet 6 inches. The height over all from sidewalk, is 91 feet. The building was completed in 1904. With the exception of the United States weather bureau, the United States army recruiting office and the bureau of animal industries, all the offices of the government are located in this building.
The Custom House is a very important adjunct to the trade of the city. The value of the goods imported into the district of Indianapolis for the fiscal year ending 1919 was $868,559; total entries, 662; duties collected $423,380.39.
Internal Revenue Office .- Wm. L. Elder was appointed Collector of Internal Revenue for the Sixth Indiana District, at the time of the consolida- tion of the Sixth and Seventh Indiana Districts, on September 1, 1919. This district now comprises the entire State of Indiana, and employs 143 officials. Previous to the World War the combined collection of the Sixth and Seventh Indiana Districts ranged from $25,178,000 in 1902, to $30,321,000 in 1913. The chief source of revenue during that period was the tax imposed upon intoxi- cating liquor, cigars and tobacco. The receipts from intoxicating liquor during the last few years have been gradually decreasing, but the revenues from other sources, including income, excess profits taxes and special taxes, will swell the collections of the fiscal year closing June 30, 1920, to more than $70,000,000.
Fort Benjamin Harrison. This U. S. Army Post, some ten miles northcast of the city, was originally intended for a regiment of regulars. The barracks
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS
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L
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Board of Trade Building.
and other buildings were completed in 1907. During the war with Germany it was much enlarged, and was an important training camp.
The State-House is the largest and most imposing structure in the city. It is built of Indiana oolitic limestone, the interior being finished in marble. It was begun in 1878 and completed in 1SSS, at a cost of nearly $2,000.000. and is the only great public building in the country built within the original estimate of cost. It is located in the heart of the business section of the city. The grounds cover two full blocks, or more than S acres.
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