USA > Indiana > Allen County > History of Allen County, Indiana, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 22
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At a special session on the 28th day of July, further proccedings were had concerning the matters under consideration, as follows: "The Board, after having examined the plans and specifications for the building of a Court House submitted to them for their inspection, and having rcecived a report from the Advisory Committee, heretofore appointed at the request of some of the citizens, upon the same subject, was of opinion that no one of the plans examined was satisfactory to them to adopt ; but, in the plans of Edwin May, Esq., and Samuel McElfatrick, Esq., are points desirable for the purpose of forming a plan differing from cither, the Board hereby agree to purchase ench of said plans and the specifications accompanying each, for the sum of $100 euch. And the County
COUNTY ASYLUM, ALLEN CO.(WAYNE)TP. IND.
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
Auditor is hereby authorized to issue sajd May a county order for $100 for his plans and specifications ; and, also, to said MeElfatrick the sum of $100 for his plans and specifications."
Again, on the 12th of August following, at a special session, " the Board of Commissioners now resume the examination of new plans for the erection of a Court House, and, after mature deliberation and examination, a majority of the Board (T. M. Andrews dissenting) do approve and adopt the plan having a central tower, presented by Edwin May, Esq .; provided that, upon examination of the detailed drawings and specific estimates of the same, hereafter to he made by said May, the whole cost of said building does not exceed $65,000."
At a subsequent special session, on the 25th of August, the aforesaid plan and specifications having been adopted, it was " Ordered by the Board that the Auditor he and he is hereby authorized and required to give public notice by pub- lication in the Fort Wayne papers and the State Sentinel, that sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Commissioners, at the Auditor's office, until the 12th day of January, 1860, for the building of a Court House in Fort Wayne, Allen County, according to the plans and specifications furnished hy Edwin May, Esq., and heretofore accepted and adopted by the Board, payment to he made quarterly upon the estimate.
" Ordered by the Board that Edwin May, Esq., he and he is hereby appointed architect to superintend the crection of the Court House, to be built after the plans and specifications which he has this day furnished the Board."
The Board not being unanimous on the question of appointing Mr. May, the dissenting member, Mr. Andrews, filed the following protest :
" I protest to the appointment of Mr. May as architect, for the reason that it is contrary to the agreement made between the Board at the August special session for 1859. Signed, THOMAS M. ANDREWS."
On the 12th of January, 1860, the Board met in special session to open the bids that had been received in answer to their advertisements. Previous to the consideration of the bids, the Board propounded the following interrogatories to cach of the huilders, to he answered in writing:
" 1st. "Are you a mechanic, and, if so, what kiud ? "
" 2d. Do you follow your profession for a livelihood ?"
"3d. Have you a partner in this hid; if so, who? "
" 4th. Do you intend to build the Court House under your supervision; or do you intend to suh-let it out ? "
These requisitious having been complied with, the Board, on the following day, opened the bids in the presence of the hidders, but, not arriving at a conclu- sion, they adjourned until the day following, at which time the several hids were read in the presence of the bidders and ordered spread on the minutes. There were thirteen of them. The highest was 894,000 ; the lowest was for $62,700, which was evidently not considered a responsible hid.
The contract was awarded to Samuel Edsall & Co. (Samuel Edsall, Virgil M. Kimhall, Ochmig Bird and Lewis Walkie), at their hid of $63,613, and they gave hond in the sum of $100,000 for its fulfillment.
For all serviecs rendered by him, Edwin May was allowed 8875, including plans, specifications and estimates. and the $100 hefore allowed him. He was then employed as Superintending Architect, at the rate of 3} per ecnt on the entire cost of the building. He was, however, discharged from that position. by order of the Board, on the 15th of March, 1861. On the 22d, Samuel McEl- fhtrick was appointed Superintending Architect, for the consideration of 3 per cent on the estimate cost of the building.
Finally, at a meeting of the Board on the 23d of July, 1862, the building having been completed in accordance with the contract, the announcement was officially made by the Superintending Architect in the following :
FORT WAYNE, July 23, 1862. To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of Allen County :
GENTLEMEN-I do bereby certify that the Court House built by S. Edsall & Co. is completed according to the plans and specifications, except such alterations as were acknowledged by your Honorable Board and indorsed on the contract for building said Court House.
(Signed)
SAMUEL MCELPATRICK, Superintendent.
Then the building was officially accepted hy the Board of County Commis- sioners, in the name of Allen County, Ind.
Some differences of opinion having arisen between the contractors for build- ing the Court House, Messrs. Edsall & Co., and the County Commissioners, Joseph K. Edgerton, E. R. Wilson, Jesse L. Williams, I. D. G. Nelson and Pliny Hoagland were selected as arbitrators, each party agreeing to ahide their decision. When the report of these gentlemen was submitted, a final settlement was made with S. Edsall & Co., showing that they had been paid the aggregate sum of 874,271.
The total cost of the Court House, including the amount paid the architects and Superintendents and for the hell, etc., was about the sum of $78,000.
On the 1st of August, the Board ordered the issue of Court House honds to the amount of $10,000, and sold to meet the indebtedness thus incurred, redeemable in 1867, with legal interest.
The following is inscrihed on the corner-stone :
CORNER-STONE Laid with Masonic Ceremonies, MAY IST, A. D. 1861-A. L. 6,861. By Sol. D. BAYLESS, P. G. M. MIenAEL CROW, JOHN SHAFFER, ISAAC IIALL,
County Commissioners.
Contractors :
S. EDSALI. and V. M. KIMBALL. Designed by EDWIN MAY. Superintendent-MICHAEL MCELFATRICK. Builder-D. I. SILVER.
COUNTY JAIL ..
Of the public buildings contemplated by law, and for the erection of which the funds placed in the hands and under the control of the County Agent, after the public " Pound," for the safe-keeping of estray animals ahove two years old, taken up within twenty miles of the Court House, the attention of our county legislators appears to have heen next directed to the building of a County Jail, for reasons hest known to themselves, having in view the well- being of society. The first action taken by the Board in reference thereto appears of record among their proceedings at the August term, 1824, where it is " Ordered by the Board of County Commissioners that the Agent for the county of Allen be authorized to have a jail erected, let out to the lowest bidder, on the public square in the town of Fort Wayne, at his discretion as to size and kind."
The contract for this building was let to David Irwin, Robert Douglass and Williamu N. Hood. The cost, as nearly as can now he ascertained from the data at command. was 8579, and was ready for oceupauey in the early summer of 1825. At the August term, 1826, of the Circuit Court, a little more than a year after, the grand jury, in their report of an examination made, find :
We, the Grand Jury empaneled for the county of Allen and State of Indiana, after examining the County Jail, are of the opinion that the criminals' rooms are not a place of safety for persons committed thereto : that the debtors' room, upper department of said Jail, is not in a suitable condition for the reception of debtors, from the want of locks, floor and bedding. JOHN P. HEDGES, Foreman.
Which shows very conclusively that the building was of very little consc- quence, considered as a place of confinement. This condition was almost unchanged two years afterward, for, on the 5th of July, 1828, the Board " Ordered that M. K. Taylor he and he is herchy authorized to contract with some person to put glass in the debtors' room of the County Jail, and to lath and plaster the same, and make any 'necessary repairs." This building stood on the southwest corner of the Publie Square. Having served its purpose for a period of twenty years, it was destroyed by fire in 1847.
About that time, Lot No. 518 had been purchased, with the design of erect- ing another jail building thereon, but at the June term, 1847, this lot was directed to he sold and another lot purchased in its stead. It was sold accord- ingly, and Lot No. 577 purchased, the consideration for which was $500 cash, and Lot 518, valued at $500-cqual to $1,000. ITpon this lot the new jail was built, the same upon which the present jail is located. At the same session, the Board ordered the levy of twenty cents on each $100 valuation of the real and personal property in the county, for the purpose of creating a fund to erect a County Jail, this levy to he made upon such property for the years 1848 and 1849.
Having taken these preliminary steps, the Board, being in regular session, on the 8th day of May, 1849, entered into a contract with Charles G. French John B. Coneannon and Aaron J. Mershon, for the crection of a Jail and Sher- iff's residence on Lot No. 577, for the sum of $4.955.34, the building to he com- pleted on or before the Ist day of May, 1850. The building was completed in substantial correspondence with the proposed plan.
COUNTY ASYLUM.
The first positive steps taken toward the erection of an asylum for the poor of Allen County, is shown in the purchase of the northeast quarter, and the west half of the southeast quarter, and the east half of the east half of the north- west quarter of Section twenty-nine (29), Township thirty (30) north, Range twelve (12) east, in the month of June, 1853. On the 24th of June, of the same year, a contract was entered into between the county and John A. Robin- son, to build a house suitable for present usc, for the sum of $750. Subsequently, on the 9th of December, George L. Parker was employed to keep the paupers at the Poor-Farm, one year from December 20, 1853, for the sum of $600.
On the 14th of June, 1854, William Rohinson was appointed agent to super- intend the building of an addition to the Poorhouse, and $300 was appropriated for that purpose.
J. B. Reinicke, on the 30th of December, 1854, was employed to keep the paupers on the Poor-Farm for a period of three years, for $400 per annum, with the use of the farm. He was re-employed in March, 1858, to keep them for an additional period of six months, for $1.75 per week, and to pay $250 for the nse of the grounds to put in a spring crop.
This method was continued with occasional changes until 1860, when the necessities of the situation required an enlargement of dimensions and increased facilities for taking care of the poor and infirm.
On the 5th of July, 1860, the Board made the following order in the prem- ises : The Board, after some consultation on the proposals for letting the County Asylum, do not accept any of the same, not deewing it prudent or advisable to continue the present system any longer. " The Board now appoints Jauics M. Read, Superintendent of the County Asylum, two years from the 2d day of Sep- temher next." Mr. Read to superintend the farm, to take care of the inmates, to furnish a team of horses, wagon and harness, lour eows, and farming utensils. sufficient to cultivate the farm, and receive $800 per annum. The county to . furnish provisions and clothing. This arrangement appears to have been quite satisfactory, for an examination of the record shows that on September 3, 1862, James M. Read re-appointed Superintendent for two years, from September 2; same terms as above. It was, however, soon demonstrated that the capacity of tbe buildings already erected were insufficient ; hence, on September 10, 1863, the Commissioners resolved to build a new building for an asylum or infirmary, and purchased a plan of Edward Burling, an architect of Chicago, Ill., for $100, when the plan and dimensions of the new asylumu were fully determined upon. The Board, in view of the fact that the farm belonging to the county (on which the asylum was situated) is distaut from Fort Wayne and not adapted to pauper
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
labor, purchased, on the 14th of Deeemher, 1863, n traet of land of Robert E. Fleming, on the west side of the St. Mary's River, near Beauer's Mill, for $50 per acre. on which to erect the new asylum, which was better adapted to the pres- ent wants of the county in quality as well as in arca.
Afterward, on December 14. 1863, the Anditor was ordered to advertise for proposals for the erection of a new asylum. Notice was accordingly given, and numerous plans were submitted for the consideration of the Board. laving agreed upon a plan March 16, 1864. a contract for the building of the new asy. lum was let to David J. Silvers, he to build and complete the same for $14.468. Mr. Silvers at once began to collect materials and prepare for the erection of the main building, on the grounds recently purchased for the purpose.
Subsequently, at the June term, 1864, the Board sold 140 acres of the old farm to William Craig, for the sum of 85,500. Afterward, at the September session of the Board, in 1864, Mr. James M. Read, formerly in charge of the Poor Farm, was nppointed Superintendent of the Asylum, for a term of' four years from September 2, of the same year, at a salary of $1,000 per annuus.
On the 8th of June, 1865, the new Asylum baving been fully and satisfac- torily completed, the Bonrd settled with Mr. Silvers and paid him in full for the work, the original coutraet price, $14,648, and the further suur of $1,028.12, for extra work occasioned by necessary changes of plan and structure, making the whole cost of the building at that date, $15,676 12.
The building thus constructed was sufficiently large for the immediat needs of the county, with arrangements and applianees equal to the most approved suggestions of the day. But, having taken the one step in advance of the old order of things, other additions and reformations became necessary, as new expe- rienees developed other elements of improvement. In the course of time, under the impulses of an enlarged domain of humanity, it was determined to coustruet additional wings to the main building, and notice of such determination was given accordingly, and on the 2Gth of June, 1871, a coutract was let for the erection of such wings, at the price of' $15,100. and. in due time, they were com- pleted and ready for occupancy.
Beside these wings, other buildings for the convenience and better manage- ment of the different classes of inmates, as well as for the comfort of all, have since been constructed, so that to-day. there are, probably, few buildings in the State better adapted to the purposes for which it was intended, than the new Asylum of Allen County.
From the recent report of the Superintendent, exhibiting the condition of tbe institution for the six monthis cuding September 1, 1879, we are permitted to make the following extracts : " Condition of inmates-idiots, D ; insane, 40 ; blind, 2; all other causes, 25; total, 76. Of these, there are males, 41; females, 35 ; total, 76. Average daily number, 81; number of days' relief furnished in six monthis, 14,672; average cost per day, 20 cents.
And finally, as a very appropriate addenda to the description and plau of the institution, it is proper here to state that, under the superintendence of Mr. John Spice, the present incumbent, tbe several departments are kept in remarkably good order, cleanly and economically, and, as such, is a credit to the county, and an excellent model from which other counties quay well copy.
CHAPTER VI.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The question of an organized movement on the part of the farmers of Allen County to secure to themselves the advantages to be derived from the combined experiences of others in the department of agriculture, was agitated for a consid- erable time in Allen County, as in most other eountics, before there was a suf- ficient unity of sentiment and action manifested to form the necessary nucleus for such a society. The first effective movement in this direction was in the spring of 1841. At that time, as a result of mueb canvassing, a meeting was called to take the matter into consideration. The following is a statement of the proceedings of that meeting :
At a public meeting of the farmers of Allen County, held at the Court House in Fort Wayne, on Saturday, May 29, 1841, in pursuance of public notice, Elias Waters, Esq., was called to the chair, and R. E. Fleming was appointed Secretary.
On motion of Col. Wines, the following resolution was passed :
Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to give the necessary notice of a meeting for the organization of an Agricultural Society, and to report a constitution, to be submitted to the meeting, for the government of said society.
The Chairman appointed the following persons : Marshall S. Wines, Henry Rudisell, Samuel Hanna, F. P. Randall and R. E. Fleming, as the committee. On motion, the fol- lowing were added lo the committee : Robert P. Brownwell and Jolin S. Archer.
On motion of Judge Hanna,
Resolved, That it be the duty of the committee heretofore appointed to request some individual to address a meeting of the citizens at such places as the said committee des- ignale, on the subject of agriculture.
On motion of Dr. Thompson.
Resolved, That the proceedings of the meeting be signed by the Chairman and Sec- retary, and published in the Sentinel and Times.
E. WATERS, Chairman.
R. S. FLEMING, Secretary.
The following editorial notice in the Sentinel of the Saturday preceding, was the first formal announcement of the intention to hold such a meeting :
"A meeting of the farmers and agriculturi-ts of Allen County will he held at the Court House, in Fort Wayne, on Saturday, the 29tb of May, at 1 o'clock P. M., for the purpose of forming an Agricultural Society. All wbo feel an interest in the advancement of that noble science are invited to come."
The result of the meeting thus held, was the publication of the fol- lowing :
"Notice to Farmers .- WHEREAS, The citizens of Fort Wayne, making a praetiec of monopolizing all the institutions of the county under their own especial supervision ; and, as another attempt is about to be made in the forma- tion of an Agricultural Society, it is proposed that the real farmers of Allen County meet at the American House, in Fort Wayne, Saturday, the 26th of June, at 11 o'clock A. M., to take sueli measures as may be thought necessary to secure their interests in the formation of a County Agricultural Society. Signed, William Hmuilton, L. S. Bayless, George Bullard. R. B. Clark, Thomas Griffith, N. A. Woodward. Junc 7, 1841."
The meeting was hield as proposed in the foregoing notice, of which the Sen- tinel, of July 3, makes the following mention :
" At the agricultural meeting, held in Fort Wayne City, on Saturday, the 26th of June, the following persons were elected offieers and Directors for the following year : Col. N. A. Woodward, President; Hon. Samuel Hanna, Vice President ; J. Barkey, Treasurer ; Henry Rudisell, Secretary. Directors-Joseph Morgan, William Hamilton, Elias Waters, L. G. Thompson, Marshall S. Wines, Rufus MeDonald, John Valentine, W. S. Reid. Adjourned to meet at the office of Daniel Reid, on Saturday, July 10, 1 P. M."
After this organization, meetings were held with considerable regularity for a few years, and occasional fairs were held, which had the effect to ereate an eniu- lation among the more enterprising of the Allen County farmers. The organi- zation and the meetings held under its auspices, had another effect, also, in the inducements offered, to cause the better class of farmers to examine and compare the experiences of others with their own, and to observe more carefully the con- sequences of improvident farming in contrast with the results obtained from cul- tivating the soil in the light of science, which imparts a knowledge not only of the properties of the soil, but of the processes of cultivation best adapted to the comumon products of the country.
While, a few years subsequently, the interest waned, yet the good seed already sown had taken root so effectually that the early efforts to maintain a healthy society were not wholly lost. It was not, however, until after the legis- lative action of 1852, when the current of public opinion spread ahroad, that a healthy awakening was manifested among the farmers of Allen County.
On the 16th of August, 1852, an organization perfected and the following permanent officers elected - President, I. D. G. Nelson ; Treasurer, O. W. Jef- ferds ; Secretary, F. P. Randall.
From that time forward, more rapid advances were made in the practical application of new methods of culture, whereby better results were obtained in the increased productiveness of the soil. Four years after the organization of the Society, the staple productions were shown to be, for the year ending June 1, 1856, 110,333 bushels of wheat, worth an aggregate of $146,303; 408,913 hushels of corn, valued at $98.273; 12,080 pounds of wool, valued at $2,853; 193,285 bushels of oats, valued at $41,765 ; 38,975 bushels of potatoes, valued at $19,389; 11.055 tons of hay, valued at $59,352, and nearly all other farm products in like proportion.
During that year, the Allen County Horticultural Society was organized, with I. D. G. Nelson as President ; Dr. M. W. Huxford, Treasurer, and H. J. Rudisell, Secretary. For many years afterward, in this department, meetings were held weekly, at which times the discussion of horticultural and kindred subjects were quite animated, as they were found to he intrinsically profitable. The condition of the Society and its influence are thus spoken of in the report to the State Society in 1857 :
" Farming operations have been much improved in this county within the last five years. Many labor-saving implements and much improved stock have been introduced. This improvement is due in a great measure to the influence of the Society, and this is expected to increase until the Society occupies the high position its soil and elimate justify it in assuming-the equal to the best in the State."
'The following year, owing to an unusual amount of wet weather, the prod- ucts of principal erops were comparatively less than some others, yet, aside from this, the interest and competition in the county fair of' that season were greatly in advance of former experiences, the fair being " very well attended, and giving very general satisfaction." The aggregate value of farm products was estimated at $658,573 -- n fair showing.
In 1865, on invitation of this Society, the Indiana State Fair was held in this county, which, it is said, proved one of the most successful ever held in the State. These circumstances did much toward giving encouraging impulse to the movements promotive of agricultural economy. On the same day, the State Horticultural Society met here by special appointment of Mr. I. D. G. Nelson, the President. The occasion clicited much interest, many visitors from neighboring States being present, among these a large number of prominent horticulturists from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and other States. Newspaper reporters from Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, and other noted places, were also present, who, in their respective journals, gave a glowing account of the proceedings, discussions of the occasion, in addition to a very clever view of the people of the county and city, and of the business ns well.
The result of this joint meeting of these two State societies was a joint encouragement, also, of the kindred interests developed in these two departments of industry. In 1870, official reports show that there were in Allen County 4,916 farms regularly cultivated ; that the yield of whent was 432,752 bushels ; ol' butter there were 543,322 pounds. The appraised value of the real estate of the county was $9,930,000 ; of personal property was $3,133,500, nnd the total estimated value of all real and personal property was sbown to be for the year 1870, 839,135,500.
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
For greater efficiency in the management of the separate departments of agriculture and horticulture, in 1873 the Allen County Agricultural Society and the Horticultural Society were merged in one, under the corporate name of " The Northern Indiana Agricultural and Horticultural Association," with head- quarters at Fort Wayne. The officers were F. P. Randall, President ; Allen Link, Treasurer, and William Lyne, Secretary. This Association held its third annual fair in 1876, on their grounds within the corporate limits of the city of Fort Wayne. These grounds comprise about sixty acres of land, peculiarly adapted to the purpose. Though the season was especially unfavorable, the fair was successful beyond expectation. The report says : " Bad as the weather was, however, the receipts from all sources amounted to over $7.000; the pre- miums awarded, a little over $5,000. Our exhibition in every department was large and fine, and if the society is successful in getting its debts paid, it will doubtless be one of the most useful associations of the kind in the State, as the attendance is always large from neighboring counties, having all the railroad facilities required for such a purpose. Great improvements in stock of all kinds have been made in this county within the past year, as was evidenced at our last exhibition." In this connection, the following item, descriptive of the geological formations of the county, will be of special interest :
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