USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 7
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A. Soil Improvement.
(a) Locating and starting liming demonstra- tions.
(b) Locating and starting fertilizer demonstra- tions.
B. Crop Production.
(a) The establishment of a central seed corn testing plant to test seed corn for germina- tion and disease elimination.
(b) To conduct a number of ear-to-row seed corn plots.
(c) To enroll as many corn growers as possi- ble in the five acre corn growing contest.
(d) To establish a central treating plant for treating seed wheat by the hot water method.
C. Livestock Production.
(a) Two demonstrations of self-feeder method of feeding swine.
(b) Hogging-down demonstrations.
(c) Continuation of brood sow production records.
(d) Continuation of sheep production records,
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(e) Conduct poultry culling demonstrations where wanted.
D. Club Work.
(a) To promote a Boys' and Girls' Pig Feeding Club.
E. Farm Economics.
(a) To continue wheat cost account records.
(b) Farm record books.
REVIEW OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
It was not long before it was seen that it would be impossible to carry out the above program in full, as a number of projects had to give way to various activities which were not anticipated. Just what has been accom- plished in the various projects will be noted in the follow- ing pages.
Twelve liming demonstrations were started in six townships of the county. These were not checked up for results this year, because in every case the crop grown was either corn or wheat, and as it is the beneficial effect of lime on clover that it was wished to show, these demon- strations carry over into succeeding years, and will be checked up when the land is carrying a clover crop.
Two demonstrations on the use of fertilizer on wheat were located. Each of these was a comparison between 16 per cent acid phosphate and mixed fertilizer. Each fertilized plot showed an increase of three bushels per aero over the unfertilized portion of the field, but no appreciable difference between the two kinds of fertilizer.
The central seed corn testing plant established under the auspices of the County Farmers' Association was opened for business on March 10, 1920, and from that date until May 10th, 14,710 cars of seed corn were tested for disease and germination. Out of this number 2,955 cars were discarded on account of being diseased and 1,573 ears on account of imperfect germination. The
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modified rag doll tester was used in making the tests, and this method of testing proved very satisfactory.
Eight ear-to-row corn test plots were conducted during the year, four of which were checked up with sat- isfactory results. The fact that ears of seed corn vary greatly in producing power was brought out very plainly, the yielding power of the seed ranging from 98 bushels to the acre to as low as 34 bushels. The ears showing the greatest amount of starch in the kernel proved the poorest vielders.
Twenty-seven contestants were enrolled in the five acre corn growing contest in the spring of 1920, sixteen of them completing the project. In order to stimulate interest, the Peoples National Bank of Rushville fur- nished a silver loving cup in 1919 to be competed for annually. In 1920, Howard Ewbank was the winner with a yield of 98.2 bushels per acre.
As a result of the operation of a central hot water treating plant in the fall of 1919 and the fall of 1920, about 1,600 acres were sown to smut-free seed wheat in the fall of 1920. This project has proved one of the most profitable lines of work carried on in the county since extension work was introduced. The per cent of smut was reduced by the treatment from as high as 19 to a trace, with an average increase of crop value of $6.88 per acre, and an average increased vield of 2.5 bushels.
Only one hog feeding demonstration was completed this season, that of Ernest Stuckey, who demonstrated the feeding of corn, ground oats and rye, and tankage in a self-feeder.
RECORD OF FARM PRODUCTION
Seven farmers began to keep records of the produc- tion of their brood sows with the fall litter of 1919. The purpose of this project is to keep accurate production record of all brood sows in the herd for several litters, so that the poor producers can be eliminated.
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Five farmers are keeping records of all expenses and income from their flocks of sheep for the purpose of studying the factors which determine the profit or loss in sheep raising.
Rush county boasts of one of the livest swine breeders' organizations in Indiana. The Rush County Big Type Poland China Breeders' Association was organ- ized early in 1920 with A. Link Jinks as president, and (. H. Kirkham as secretary. Some very important activ- ities have been undertaken during its first year, the most far-reaching being a tour of the leading herds of the county, and an association sale held in the fall of 1920.
One of the most popular and at the same time most profitable projects carried on in 1920 was the series of poultry culling demonstrations. Thirteen enlling demon- strations were held, and thirty per cent of the hens handled were shown to be poor producers and were clim- inated from the flocks without materially decreasing the number of eggs produced.
Miss Annette Wissing. ten-year-old daughter of John M. Wissing, of Walker township, was winner in the boys' and girls' pig feeding contest of Walker and Orange townships. The Manilla Bank co-operated with the county agent in conducting this contest, and offered $125 in prizes.
Forty-eight farmers are now keeping a record of their farm business, using the record books published by the farm management division of the Purdue agricultural extension department. Twenty of them have agreed to submit their books at the end of the year in order that they can be summarized and a study made of the farming business of the county.
Blanks for keeping cost account records in conec- tion with the 1920 wheat crop were distributed to nine- teen farmers, eight of whom returned reports for sum- marization. On the eight farms covered by these reports.
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the average cost of producing a bushel of wheat was shown to be $3.13 per bushel.
The daily livestock marketing service established by the county farmers organization has proved of extreme value to the livestock feeders and shippers. Each morn- ing the agent's office receives the market quotations on hogs and cattle from Indianapolis by telephone, and the report is phoned to a bank or store, or other point, in each township, and posted on a bulletin board in the office. The report includes market conditions at the Chicago, Buffalo, and Indianapolis markets.
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES FROM MARCH 1 TO NOVEMBER 30, 1920
Meetings at which agent took part 72
Total attendance 4,096
Miles traveled in discharge of duty 4,585
Office calls on business 2,162
Farm visits on business 228
Personal letters written 503
Circular letters written 8,601
The county agent has found the officers of the Rush County Farmers' Association ever ready to co-operate in the different lines of work undertaken, and, in fact, success in the work can be accredited to the moral and financial support of this association. This is especially true in connection with the corn improvement and loose- smut control work, which could not have been undertaken at all on the basis it was, had it not been for the backing of the farmers' organization.
WORKING ALONG CONSTRUCTIVE LINES
The farmers are attacking the various community and county problems in a very commendable spirit. The organization is absolutely free of any radicalism, and the association is conducting its work along constructive rather than destructive lines. It is the purpose of the
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officers of the association to overcome the various draw- backs to the farming industry through sound policies of co-operation and mutual helpfulness, rather than through the breaking down of other existing business.
The friendly feeling which exists between the Farmers' Association and the business interests in the towns of the county is a distinctive feature of Rush county organization activities. This spirit of neighbor- liness between the farmers and the town people was responsible for two large county gatherings which have already meant much, and promise to mean more in the future, toward the development of the spirit of co-opera- tion between town and country people.
The first of these county gatherings was the occasion of a county farmers and business men's dinner party, which was given in March, 1920, by the business men of Rushville to the members of the Farmers' Association and their families. Eighteen hundred free dinners were served by lodges and church organizations to the guests of the business men. Splendid programs and a large corn show were also arranged to make the day the greatest that Rush county ever had up to that time.
When the Farmers' Association returned the favor September 17, 1920, with a mammoth pienie dinner and program, all expectations were surpassed, and that will always be remembered as a "red letter day" for Rush county. The farmers extended invitations to the business and professional men in the whole county, and 12,000 people enjoyed the feast of country cooking, which was served in four great tents in the city park at Rushville. Indeed, the estimate of 12,000 in attendance on this occas- ion was declared by local newspaper accounts to be "too conservative." In conclusion it is not too much to say that Rush county is facing an era of unusual opportunity along agricultural lines. For some years past it has proudly claimed the distinction of being the "banner" hog county in the United States and a generally concerted
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movement even now (1921) is being worked out to make it also the banner corn county in the country. The "corn shows" which have been held each fall in Rushville during the past few years have attracted much attention, prizes having been put up by the business men of the city exceed- ing in attractiveness those offered by the state fair asso- ciation and some wonderful corn exhibits have been made. these exhibits serving as a stimulus to others to achieve like results.
REGISTER OF FARM NAMES
The law of 1913 authorizing the registry of farm names, thus giving the owner of a farm a sort of a copy- right to the sole use in his county of any name he might select has been taken advantage of by quite a number of persons in Rush county. The first entry in the farm names record kept in the county recorder's office is that of "Spring Branch Stock and Poultry Farm," entered in the name of Ruth A. and John K. Henley, May 10, 1913. The last entry at the time of this writing is that of "Meadowbrook," entered in the name of Caroline Hodge, January 18, 1921. In between are many names. some romantic, some picturesque, but all graphic, such as Walnut Grove, Hillcrest. Speedway, Shankatank, Sunny Side, Willow Grove, Enterprise, Homeland, Home Place, Oldholme, Saint Vedas, Wayside, Pine Hill, Shadeland, Shady Nook, Beech Grove, Woodlawn, Burr Oak, Stockton, Brookside, Helendale, Branch Corner, River View, Rosemont, Shadow Lawn, Hopewell, Brook- land, Woodside, Eden Valley, Plain View, Hampden and Green Gable.
CHAPTER V
TRANSPORTATION
At the time of the organization of Rush county, there were no transportation facilities of any kind available to the settlers, no railroads, no pikes, no canals. As most of the citizens of the state lived in the southern portion, and along the Whitewater valley, and as the trend of settlement was toward the north, it became a matter of pressing importance to have avenues of travel opened up. When Indiana was admitted to the Union, Congress set aside 5 per cent of the net proceeds of all the land sold in the state for road building, 3 per cent of this being placed at the disposal of the General Assembly, and was always known as the 3 per cent fund. An agent of this fund was appointed, and he paid out. according to the appropriation by the Assembly, to the various county agents where roads were to be built. These state roads, as they were termed, were supposed to be 100 feet wide, but owing to the insufficiency of the fund which only served to have the timber cleared, and the extreme short- age of labor, the roads for many years were little more than bridle paths. Pioneers received $1.50 a day for working on the roads, but so sparsely was the country settled, that even this attraction did not serve to gain enongh men for the work. There were two main roads in the state leading to the capital : a stage line from Mad- ison to the East fork of the White river, crossing at the month of the Flat Rock, running ahnost due north through Jefferson and Ripley counties, thence to Greensburg, across Shelby county, and thence to Indianapolis. This was known as the Michigan road, and was continued through Logansport, and South Bend, to Michigan City. It was financed by the sale of lands, not under $1.25 per
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acre, for which scrip was accepted. Bridges were of wood, and while altogether it was for the times a decided improvement, it did not compare in its mechanical aspects with the National road. Most of the settlers from the East came in over the National road, while those from the Carolinas and other Southern states employed the Michigan road to strike into the interior of the state.
FIRST ROADS MERELY TRAILS
In Rush county, which was not traversed by one of the principal roads, the first roads were merely trails. These were followed slowly by ordinary dirt roads, which were bad enough at best, and in the bad weather, abso- lutely impassable. The pioneers, therefore, were practic- ally cut off from the outside world. Marketing crops in the great centers of trade was almost impossible, and when occasionally a man drove stock through the woods to Cin- cinnati he received a few dollars in cash, which generally lasted him for the year. Currency was but little used, labor and its fruits being the mediums of exchange in the business transacted. The dirt roads were followed by the corduroy roads, built by simply laying cross poles, and the corduroy by the plank road, and these in turn by the rock or hard surface roads-all of which were very far from satisfactory.
As soon as the roads were opened up, stage lines began to make their appearance. Several of these operated out of Indianapolis and the southern cities, and in 1831 A. L. and W. L. Ross put stages on the Brookville road, which connected at Brookville with A. McCarty's line for Cin- cinnati, and at Rushville with the Ohio stage. Travel in these stages was unpleasant, as the roads were so rough that there was imminent danger of the vehicle either turning over or becoming mired in the numerous mud- holes. The trip from Indianapolis to Cincinnati consumed two days and two nights, and the fare was $5.50 one way.
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
In this county. the first road ordered to be viewed began at the east line of Rush county, at the corners of sections 21 and 28, town 12, range 11, one mile north of the southeast corner of the county, thence on a due west line to the western boundary of said township. The second one viewed commenced where Whetzel's "trace" crossed the west line of Fayette, running thence west, the nearest and best route to the house of Richard Thornbury, in Rushville township, and then on westward to the Shelby county line. The general plan followed in the construction of roads was to have them radiate from the county seat, with occasional cross roads.
GROWING DEMAND FOR BETTER ROADS
However, the dirt roads were so unsatisfactory as means of transportation, and their construction so hap- hazard, that the people were in crying need of an outlet for their products. The increasing size of the cities, and the consequent development of manufactures and the employment of labor, created a demand for the product of the rural districts which could be met only with difficulty. Progress and development were being retarded in all walks of life-the farmer had no ready market for his trade. the city man no means of disposing of his manufac- tures. In 1849, the General Assembly took steps to en- conrage the building of good (or better) roads, by the enactment of a law authorizing the incorporation of stock companies for the construction of plank roads, and the ready response on the part of nearly every county in the state reflected the wisdom of this bill.
Rush county was not slow to take advantage of the new law, and stock companies were formed to build pro- jected roads. One of the more important of these early roads was the Andersonville Plank Road Company, and in July, 1857, there was published in the Rushville Republican a notice of the coming election of seven direc- tors of the company, three in Rush county and four in
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
Franklin, to be held at the office of James H. Moore, Esq., August 10, 1857. Other road companies were formed, and the advantages arising from them were great. Superior facilities were given to the farmer for hauling his grain and stock, and increased value was given to the land which lay along the road routes. As business propo- sitions, the roads themselves were profitable, because when they were properly managed they paid the stock- holders a handsome profit on their investment. In 1865. although it was not yet completed, the Rushville and Vienna (now Glenwood) turnpike paid a six per cent. dividend to the stockholders. New roads were projected rapidly, and the sentiment of the people and the press was much in favor of them, money being freely subscribed.
In July, 1865, it was announced that the last legisla- ture of Indiana had passed a general road law which pro- vided for the piking of public highways where certain steps were taken. It was provided that where three- fifths of the landowners within three-fourths of a mile on each side of any public highway desired to convert the highway into a turnpike, they might make their petition to the board of county commissioners giving the length, beginning and terminus of such proposed road, the same not to be less than five miles in length. The land then lying within three-fourths of a mile on each side of the proposed road was taxed in proportion to its valuation to pay for the construction of the road.
Those who were required to pay the tax to build the road were allowed to form themselves into a corporation, elect directors, etc., and become a regular stock company, and when they had constructed four miles of their road, might erect toll-gates, toll-houses, and collect toll under a very liberal rate as authorized by the law. The tax was levied on the estimate of cost made by a competent com- missioner. The receipts went to keep up repairs, pay the officers and the balance was to be divided among the stockholders. The companies were allowed to collect toll
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for twenty years, and at the end of that period the road reverted to the public and became free. From time to time objections were raised to the provisions of this law on the ground that as the votes were proportioned to the number of acres owned. the rich had more influence in an election than the poor, but since the tax was also levied in proportion to the amount of land owned and the benefits were shared equally by all. there seems to have been but little logical excuse for this opposition.
In 1869 the legislature passed a law giving the board of trustees of incorporated towns in Indiana the exclusive power over the streets, highways, alleys and bridges within the corporate limits of such town : and the marshal. under the direction of the trustees, was empowered to perform the duties of a road supervisor, and exercise all the functions theretofore pertaining to that office. thus abolishing the office of road supervisor within the limits of incorporated towns.
BEGINNING OF HACK LINES
Communication between the towns of the county be- gan to increase with the improvement of the highways. and in 1870 Caleb Russell ran a daily hack between Rush- ville and Milroy, leaving Milroy at 7 a. m. and starting on the return journey from Rushville at 2 p. m., except on Sundays. There also were hack lines from Milroy to Greensburg, from Carthage to Knightstown, from Milroy to Richland, from Rushville to New Salem, one out of Raleigh, and others. The several "star route" mail lines, which were operated throughout this part of the state in those days, also ought to be recalled to mind in this connection, as there were a number of these which served the rural communities in Rush county. But the towns of adjacent counties seemed to be more aware of the neces- sity of good roads, and while the neighboring towns were pushing highways into the county to tap its trade, Rush- ville was apparently quietly slumbering. There was
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great need, if Rushville was to keep pace with the other county seats of the region, to have good turnpike roads centering here and stretching out through every section of the county. The lack of them would send trade abroad which should be retained at home. In the direction of Milroy there was a good gravel road with two branches, only partly completed, however, and that thriving little village could only be reached by traveling four or five miles of the most wretched mud road. In the meantime, parties at Milroy were using great energy in pushing ahead a project which promised to give them a good gravel road to Greensburg, and it became vital to the interest of Rushville that a good gravel road be completed to Milroy before the trade of that section was wholly diverted to another county.
Moscow had a good road to Shelbyville and a miser- able road to Rushville, and the citizens of Rush county in that vicinity were very well acquainted at Shelbyville. Manilla was also without good communication with Rush- ville, and there was a gravel road running from Knights- town through Carthage and on to Burlington (now Ar- lington), which at Carthage tapped the Big Blue river country, one of the richest portions of the county, and furnished a good highway to carry its trade to Knights- town.
Urged on by the local press and by the knowledge that Rushville trade was suffering by prevailing trans- portation difficulties, new life was instilled into the building of roads. The Hilligoss, Miller, Rushville and Moscow Gravel Road Company took up, in 1873, the construction of six miles of gravel road out of Rushville toward Moscow, but later amended their plans so as to construct only four miles, and in November of the same year the Rushville, Shelbyville and Mull Company's gravel road was completed. At the same time the town of Rushville itself took steps to further improve its streets, and the corporation trustees let a contract for $4,800 to Hugh Davis for grading and graveling the streets 7
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around the public square, the streets to be fifty-five feet wide with bowldered gutters.
EXTENSION OF GOOD ROADS
As fast as was then possible, good roads were ex- tended into all parts of the county, free pikes were con- structed as fast as money Could be devoted to this purpose, and many of the old toll-roads had reverted to the county and become free, their twenty years of grace having been passed, when, about ten years prior to the close of the century, Rushville was known throughout the entire region as a good place to trade. Farmers from other counties brought their products to Rushville, the free pikes making a material saving for them. They would come farther to Rushville in many instances than the distance to their own county seat, if they were from other counties. not only on account of the free roads, but also because the large volume of business handled by Rush- ville made it possible for the business men of the town to offer higher prices for grain at the elevator, and to give better bargains in the stores.
In 1893. the General Assembly passed a road law which was substantially this: Upon the petition of at least fifty voters in any township or townships contigu- ous to each other, including therein any incorporated town or city of less than 3,000 population. a vote could be taken on the construction of free gravel, stone or macad- amized roads at the next spring or fall elections called for that purpose. If a majority of the votes cast were in favor of the building of the road, the county commis- sioners were to proceed to do it, but not otherwise-con- struction to be awarded to the lowest bidder and bidders to file bond in twice the sum of their bids. For the pur- pose of raising the necessary funds the county comnis- sioners were to issue county bonds for the full amount of not less than $50 nor more than $500 each.
The voters in Ripley and Posey townships were the
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first to take advantage of this law. In April, 1893, an election was held in reference to the Arlington and Carth- age turnpike. Since the road was already built, it was only necessary for it to be bought, the construction having already been taken care of. The result was in favor of buying the road, the amount to be raised being $4,248.10, $800 to go to the owners as purchase price, while the re- mainder was to go for repairs. Later in the year the commissioners levied a special tax of about $9,500 to buy several gravel roads.
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