USA > Indiana > Shelby County > Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana, Vol. 1 > Part 30
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The rural free devilery service commenced in Shelby county in 1896, and there are now ( 1909) twenty-six country routes, averaging twenty-four
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miles each. or a total mileage of six hundred and twenty-four. The carriers receive nine hundred dollars per year. They carried ( collected and distributed) one hundred and ten thousand pieces of mail each month in 19OS. The Shel- byville office has thirteen rural routes going out from it daily and these average twenty-six miles each.
The present efficient and obliging postmaster. A. V. Randall. was ap- pointed March 11. 1906, and is filling all the rigid requirements of postmaster in an office of this class.
CITY ILLUMINATED BY GAS.
Shelbyville was first lighted by gas on the evening of April 26. 1874. The original gas plant having been constructed in the spring of that year by Messrs. Luce & Brother, of Ashtabula, Ohio. the works passed int > the hands of another gas company July 1. 1874. The amount of capital stock in 1876 was twenty thousand dollars, which was held at par value. Officers of such company were : John H. Leefers. president : G. W. F. Kirk. secretary. In 1907 the company was reorganized and called the "Shelbyville Gas Company" -- special- ty light and cooking gas. The present officers are: E. 1. Potter ( Chicago) president : John H. Leefers, vice-president : G. H. Dunn, treasurer : Albert D. Ogborn, secretary, lives at New Castle, Indian.
LIGIITED BY ELECTRICITY.
It was in the year 1887 that Shelbyville was first lighted by electricity. The city ordinance was passed granting the franchise for setting poles and otherwise using the streets and alleys of the city by the Electric Light and Power Company. The franchise was to continue for twenty years and has been renewed since the date of its termination in 1907. Light by this company is furnished to individuals and to the city for illuminating purposes. With it is also connected the water-works system now in use in the city.
STREETS FIRST PAVED.
At an early day, owing to the general lay of the land in and about the city of Shelbyville, the public roads and streets were in a deplorable condition -- next to impassable. As the country developed, the water was taken away by drainage and natural causes. The streets were then better cared for and fairly good streets were provided for the use of the traveling public, but not until 1906 did the city attempt to do very much at paving its streets. Since then several of the principal streets have been substantially paved. From 1904 on, the city took more advanced views on its internal improvements and money was spent
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in large sums, but all to a good purpose. Among the improvements made since that year may be named the putting in of much needed gutters, eurbing and sewers : the paving in a most highly satisfactory manner, and the public square and streets erossing the same for a great distance out. It is estimated that at this date ( April. 1909) there are about twenty-four miles of cement. or con- crete side-walks within Shelbyville. These walks, though costing inch money to lot owners, have given the place'a decided city-like appearance and will doubtless remain intact for many years to come, even be walked upon and duly appreciated by a generation yet unborn. From the fact that these walks were all put down under the direction of a competent city engineer, and at about the same period. they are more uniform in grade and width, than if they had been the work of various engineers and continuing through a longer num- ber of years, as has been the case in many of the older cities within the state. In faet there are few cities of Indiana. of the population of Shelbyville. that have anywhere near as good streets and walks as this city.
CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
In order to preserve the peace and general dignity of any municipality it is necessary to have a well regulated police force. as a distinct department of such city. There was a time in the history of Shelbyville when the baser ele- ment ran high-handed and uncontrolled by proper peace officers. But as the place grew in industry and general prosperity. its better citizens set abont cor- recting a long existing evil. For many years after the place had been ineor- porated as a town its chief peace officer was the Town Marshal, who had a few assistants, but when the city really began to know the real importance of such officers, and the place with a majority of its tax payers and worthy citizens, so elected. a new order of things prevailed. The present system of police was instituted in 1902. the first police going on duty in . August of that year. The first police were James M. Meloy, City Marshal: John Evans, deputy : John J. Marsh. Lincoln Radican. patrolmen.
The present police department is made up as follows: Chief. John J. Marsh : policemen. James Jackson. Andrew J. Starkey. Benjamin F. Whaley and George W. Glass. These men have been in office since May 2. 1906. The city has not yet added the modern call box system, but employ the excellent telephone system for transacting their business throughout the city. Two men are on duty at daytime and four at night.
When the present system went into effect in 1902-03 the city had an ele- ment within its borders that caused much trouble and disturbed the peace and quietude of the place. The first policeman, not having inteh experience in the handling of this bad element, soon resigned or were laid off by the authori- ties, and others took their places. But it was not long before the violators of
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law and wholesome city ordinances found they were to deal with men of courage and stability and since that date the city has been one of order and good conduct. for the most part. The present chief of police. Mr. Marsh, has long been connected with the force and handles his men with ability and is well liked by his fellow citizens whose interests and rights he is always ready to protect. In this city, as in most all cities of its size, politics enters into the selection of city officials largely, but perhaps not to the detriment of the masses.
THE WATERWORKS.
From the earliest day up to 1886 Shelbyville depended on river and well water. The supply of water in any given location, whether in country or city. has always had much to do with the health, convenience and comfort of the people in such community. Without pure water no people are at their best. However, the properties of the ordinary well water in this section of Indiana is excellent. For city water a greater supply was found necessary in 1885, when a stock company was formed by the following gentlemen, the same being capitalized for $75.000: John Blessing, president ; Henry S. Byers. secretary : Lyman B. Martindale, of Indianapolis, treasurer. These men represented the stock company that was granted the first waterworks street franchise. The ordinance was passed August 31. 1885. Five years later this corporation sold out to what was known as the Indiana Water and Light Com- pany, the most of the stock being held abroad. The electric light of the city was soon coupled with the waterworks under one company, as it stands today, and is known as the Citizens' Water and Light Company.
The supply of water is derived from an inexhaustible well situated near the banks of the Blue river in the city. It is a peculiar well. in that it is but twenty-two feet deep and twenty-five feet in diameter. It sinks into an under- ground current of living, pure water, coming from a strata below the river's bed. It boils up in the bottom like a great spring and has never failed. Its purity has been tested by scientific men and engineers and found to be the purest and most health-giving of any water supplying waterworks in the United States. A suitable pumping station was put in operation by the origi- nal company with two engines and pumps which originally forced the supply of water to the height of one hundred and twenty-five feet into a stand-pipe but latterly this is not employed, but a direct pressure from the pumps is used. In 1887 the record shows that there had been put in eight miles of mains or water pipes in the city; seventy-five hydrants. so as to insure plenty of accessable water in case of fires in any part of the city; there were then but one hundred and seventy-five private water consumers in the place. The daily capacity of the works at first was two million gallons.
At present the system has in operation eighteen miles of mains, one hun-
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dred twenty-seven hydrants, and supplies one thousand four hundred custom- ers with water.
NATURAL GAS USED IN SHELBYVILLE.
Natural gas was first used in the city of Shelbyville about 1881. Gas wells were provided about two and a half miles east of the city, on the Ten- ant farm. on the old Michigan road. A company was formed and operated about two years, then sold to an eastern syndicate, known as the "Southern Indiana Natural Gas Company." The gas failed in this section of the county and pipes were laid from Hancock county, a distance of about nineteen miles, and the natural gas conveyed to Shelbyville. The company raised the rate to consumers and the people of the city would not tolerate what they termed extortion in rates. Indignation meetings were frequently held in Shelbyville and finally what is now known as the "Citizen's Natural Gas Company." was formed by many share-holders of the city. The shares were held at twen- ty-five dollars and each share-holder was entitled to one fire the year round. It was a mutual affair and a profit was not looked for. In later years the meter system was put in operation. Both of the natural gas companies named are still operating plants at Shelbyville at this date. Two lines of piping come from the gas fields of Hancock county, some extending as far as twenty- six miles from the city of Shelbyville. This gas is used largely for cooking and heating purposes. The date of the organization of the Citizen's Natural Gas Company was December 17, 1890. and in 1909 this company sells gas at twenty-five cents per thousand cubic feet. in quantities less than ten thou- sand feet and at fifteen cents for all sums over that amount. used each month. This company has about two thousand four hundred share-holders. and is capitalized at sixty-five thousand five hundred dollars. Its officers are J. H. Deitzer, president : John H. Tindall, vice-president : A. J. Thurston. treasurer, and Cornelius Means, secretary. This plant is now known as the "Citizens' Natural Gas. Oil and Water Company."
The officers of the "Southern Indiana Natural Gas Company" at this date are: Crawford Fairbanks. Terre Haute, president: B. F. Failey, Terre Haute, secretary and treasurer : P. G. Kemp, Shelbyville, general manager. The head office, are located at Terre Haute, and they operate plants at Greensburg and Shelbyville. This pipe line is thirty-five miles in length. The chief gas territory now used is within Hancock county.
SHELBY COUNTY CHILDREN'S HOME. 1
That the true spirit of Christian charity and love has been manifested by the people of Shelbyville and the county at large. the case of the founding of the County Children's Home need only here be cited as one of the many strik-
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ing illustrations. It was by the noble generosity of Leodonis Gordon, who in about 1900, donated a fine tract of land, valued at two thousand dollars, lying just to the east of the principal part of the city of Shelbyville, on the Michigan road, for the purpose of founding an orphans' home. The county erected a four-story building, which institution was opened for service January II, 1902. the same being built at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. It is a red brick structure, faultless in architecture. save for the fact that it was built more than two stories in height. Public buildings for such purposes should never be higher than two stories, and this for many reasons, two of which may be named the difficulty in getting to and from the various floors and the liability to conflagrations. Within recent years this institution is lighted by electricity and seam heated. In this humane institution are taken and reared, educated and cared for until twenty-one years of age, both boys and girls, living within Shelby county, who have no suitable homes of their own, be they orphans or even with parents living, but who are unable to rear their offspring or have by hard-heartedness abandoned their children. Here the children are proper- ly cared for, some taken in mere infancy, and when old enough to attend school are kept in the district school for the regular school year period. They are taught to work and are trained in religious matters. They attend Sunday school regularly, being accompanied to services by the faithful. self-sacrificing matron. When old enough and proper families can be procured, these chil- dren are placed by adoption, or otherwise, in such homes and kept until of age. when they are well fitted to go forth into the busy world and live to honor the institution where they spent their earlier years. The home is, as is every such institution, under the direct inspectorship of the Board of State Charities, whose duty it is to inspect the place frequently.
There are now nineteen boys and eight girls at this home. During the last four years there have been placed in good homes sixty of the inmates of the place. Since it was founded three hundred homeless children have been thus cared for and started in life and are now excellent citizens of this and other states.
There is a hospital building connected with the home --- this is situated four blocks from the main building and has eight rooms, while the main building contains thirty-two rooms.
This institution is under the management of a board and full set of offi- cers. The first board was made up of the following persons : Mrs. Jane Day. Mrs. Helen Major, Mrs. John DePrez. Mrs. Lizzie Weist, Mrs. Clara Pat- terson, Mrs. F. D. Blanchard, Mrs. John Messick, Mrs. Haymond, Mrs. James Parrish, Mrs. S. B. Morris, Mrs. Crist Huston.
Up to the date of his death in 1902. John Blessing was the superintendent. having faithfully served for sixteen years. The first president was Mrs. George Dunn, who served five years. Mrs. Bettie Williams was the original secretary ;
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K. M. Hord, treasurer, and Cyrenis Bishop, corresponding secretary. The present president of the board is Mrs. John DePrez and Mrs. Mimi Dodd is the worthy and faithful matron, who has had her heart on the work of the home for nine years and been its matron for five years. Just preceding her was Mrs. Crowley and just before her was Emma L. Morrow.
The cost to the tax payers for each child per day is at present thirty-five cents-a sum well and wisely expended for so humane a cause.
A glance at letters and reports from the many children who have gone out from this home, to live honorable, virtuous and useful lives, reveals the fact that this has indeed been a work well calling for the amount expended on the part of the people and has long since repaid the founder. Mr. Gordon. for his noble forethought in donating property for such a purpose. Significant. indeed. is the beautiful oil painting of a widow holding her little fatherless child, which picture was the production of Mrs. Fleming, of Shelbyville, and presented to the home. It is life size, and adorns the wall of one of the reception rooms at the home.
While other public institutions have much difficulty in securing proper ma- trons and wardens, and are constantly making changes in these officers, this institution has been quite fortunate in having proper ones in charge. That Mrs. Dodd. the present matron, is the right person in the place of great responsibil- ity, goes almost without saying with the people of the county, who take pains to visit the home and know of her thoroughness, as well as her Christian train- ing of those in her immediate keeping. She is a mother to them all. and is proud of her well-behaved family of unfortunates. Her life seems wrapped up in this work of love, which, however, is not without much care and labor.
FIRST SETTLEKS.
As a record for future generations to read. the names of the first to make settlement in Shelbyville will here be inserted, as they cover the chief num- ber of pioneers here, who set the first wheels of business industry revolving by their labor and intellect :
Joseph Campbell. James Davison, Henry Gatewood. William Good- rich. Nathan Goodrich. George Goodrich, William Hawkins, John Hendricks. James Lee, William Little, Ezra McCabe. Elisha Mayhew. Sr .. Elisha Mayhew, Jr .. Sylvan B. Morris, John Walker. Francis Walker, Isaac H. Wilson, Smith Wingate. Benjamin Williams and John MI. Young.
The banking business has been treated under the head of Banks and Bank- ing in Shelby county.
LODGES, ASSOCIATIONS AND UNIONS.
Shelbyville has long been headquarters in this section of the state for civic orders, the chief of which fraternities is mentioned at length under their
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name and proper heading, but in this connection let it be stated that in April, 1909. there were the following flourishing in Shelbyville :
Masonic and Odd Fellows in all their various degrees of work: Ancient Order of United Workmen; Grand Army of the Republic, and Sons of Veterans; Woman's Relief Corps: colored lodges of the Masonic. Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias orders ; Knights of Colum- bus, instituted in 1903 : Fraternal Order of Eagles, organized 1904 : Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks, instituted in 1898; Knights of St. John, in- stituted in 1891: Independent Order of Red Men: Woodmen of America, instituted in 1895: Royal Neighbors, instituted in the nineties: United Broth- ers (colored ) : Protected Home Circle, instituted in 1901: Ben Hur, insti- tuted 1897: Shelby County Bar Association: Shelby County Medical Society; Shelby County Joint Stock Agricultural Association (incorporated ).
In 1877 Fulton Lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen ( fra- ternal insurance and social order ) was organized at Shelbyville with charter members in the person of : Solomon Auerbach, Francis Flaitz. D. B. Wilson. J. B. Springer. Robert Montgomery. John C. Edwards, Frederick Stephen, W. H. Colescott. John T. Grier. A. V. Robbins, Royal Jennings and A. A. Louch. In 1886 the record shows the lodge had forty-five members, but in Indiana. be it stated with deep regret. the order did not prosper, and other fraternal insurance life companies took the field, hence the lodge here went down, while it is the oldest of all such orders in the country, and nearly every other state has its many thousands of members. Indiana has not succeeded in keeping up.
Another society was that known as the Harrugari. It was a German society and in Shelbyville was known as Hertha Lodge, No. So. Daughters of Harrugari, and was formed in 1860 and for twenty-six years was fairly successful, but finally suspended operations.
There are no cities of the size of Shelbyville, where the idea of fraternal and civic society relations obtain to that degree found here. even throughout all Indiana. For example the Improved Order of Red Men, which now numbers over four hundred members, and includes the most prominent busi - ness men of the city. The Masonic. Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias are very strong orders at Shelbyville and truly exemplify the teachings of their orders. Of benevolent fraternal orders there is almost no end, but the more important have been named. -
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF SHELBYVILLE.
Few, if any, cities within the commonwealth of Indiana have better pub- lic school facilities than Shelbyville. The teacher here is an important factor in the unbuilding of the community. Daniel Webster once said: "If we
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work upon marble. it will perish: if we work upon brass, time will efface it; if we rear temples, they will crumble to dust ; but if we work upon immortal minds, if we imbue them with principles, with the just fear of God and love of our fellowmen, we engrave on those tablets something which will brighten to all eternity."
From the earliest date in the history of Shelbyville this principle has been carried out. Good schools have always been the rule. Ever since pio- neer James Wilson taught school at seventy-five cents a scholar in the first school-house in Shelby county, at the village of Marion, in the early twenties, the matter of educating the rising young has been almost a part of the religion of this people.
The first school building in this place was a log cabin on the southeast corner of the public square. William Hawkins was teacher.
Other school-house accommodations were provided, and finally the brick building known as the "Shelbyville Seminary." was constructed in the forties. the same costing thirty-five thousand dollars, and there the English and higher branches were taught. In 1852 the building was burned and in 1866 re-built. In 1876 there was an average attendance of eight hundred children in the Shelbyville schools. At that date there was a classical acad- emy for youths and misses, where the music of the great masters and ancient and modern languages were taught successfully. Prof. J. Martin was the proprietor and principal of this institution. With the coming and going of these years, other buildings were erected. Coming down to a more recent date, it should be said that the public school building in 1909 numbered six. These were built at the date and in the location indicated by the following :
No. One school building. located on Franklin and Pike streets. is what was earlier known as the "Seminary." It is a brick building- the first in the city for school uses, and was created in 18-, costing as indicated before -- thirty-five thousand dollars. It has been remodeled and still does good service in the cause of education.
No. Two. is the two-story brick building. located on South Harrison street, and this was built just at the close of the Civil war, and is now used by the colored people and known as the "Colored School."
No. Three, is a beautiful and massive structure, located on a sightly campus, on Taylor and Miller streets. It is two stories in height and cost twenty-one thousand dollars. This building was completed in 1882.
No. Four is situated on Colescott and Tompkins streets. This was erected with all modern-day improvements, in 1892, at a cost of eighteen thousand dollars. In many ways, including the architectural beauty of the structure. this surpasses any other in the city.
No. Five is located on the corner of Pennsylvania and Hamilton streets, was built in 1895. and cost eight thousand eight hundred and seventy-five
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dollars. It has four large school rooms. It is located in the "East End" of the city.
No. Six is what is known as the "Walkerville" building, and was built in 1900, at a cost of about three thousand dollars. It is a one-story structure, built of brick, roofed with slate. It is in what was District No. 9.
The high school building. located on the corner of Tompkins and Broad- way streets, in the central portion of the city, is truly a modern school. This is a fine, large brick structure, erected in 1895, at a cost of fourteen thousand one hundred seventy-five dollars. Even this large, well planned building is now being looked upon as too small for the purpose for which it was in- tended, and the school board is looking into the near future with the view of having to build larger buildings to accommodate the pupils of the advanced grades. This splendid house was erected at a time when material was low and cost much less than it could be constructed for now.
The schools have had a steady growth for many years. The report of 1906 shows: 1,09S boys and 1.o8o girls, making a total of 2.178 pupils. In 1894 there were only thirty-one teachers employed. as against about fifty at this date-1909. Then there were only sixty-eight students in the high school, whereas today there are over two hundred enrolled.
An account in detail will be given of the various churches and religions denominations of Shelbyville in the chapter on "Religion." or "Churches of Shelby County." Nearly every denomination is here found represented and the religious zeal and standing of the churches is especially good in this city. Really a city of beautiful homes and fine churches.
SHELBYVILLE CEMETERIES.
"The City of the Dead" has from the earliest day in the vicinity of Shelbyville been a subject that has been in the minds of all reflective and good citizens. Indeed the respect shown the departed in any community is but an index of the intelligence and refinement of the inhabitants. The two ceme- teries principally used by the people of this immediate neighborhood are the cld cemetery and "Forest Hill." both well kept burying places. Within these sacred enclosures lie buried the joys and sorrows of three generations. Here rest the remains of many of the old pioneers. Here the early settler has bent, ofttimes, over the coffined form of a darling child. who lived but to lisp per- haps a single word, then was plucked like a spring flower and transplanted into another sphere of existence. Others have grown to young manhood or young womanhood, and then by wasting disease been laid low and finally found rest from pain and suffering in this silent city. Funeral procession after funeral procession has wended its way slowly through these burying grounds and deposited the remains of their loved ones, while the years have
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