USA > Indiana > Allen County > History of Allen County, Indiana, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 23
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" The soil of the county is composed principally of drift of the glacial period, and consists of vegetable matter and black loamy muck soil, the surface being sprinkled with bowlders deposited during that period. It varies as to pro- ductiveness. In the western portion, along the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad. there is a large amount of wet prairie land, which can only be eulti- vated at great expense, hut when once put in order, it is inexbaustible. The uplands are rather unproductive, while the bottom lands and a greater portion of the remainder of the county yield immense crops of all the cereals and other staples common to this climate. The county is abundantly supplied with water by the Maumee River, which is formed by the conjunction of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph's Rivers, at the city of Fort Wayne. The area of the county is 670 square miles, with a population of 50,000. Fort Wayne, the county seat, does an extensive manufacturing and wholesale business, and contains a popula- tion of 30,000 "-in 1876.
In September, 1877, the Association held its fourth annual fair, which is represented as having been a very fine one, notwithstanding the weather was very unfavorable. The report says : " We had a very fine show of everything that goes toward making up an agricultural fair. Gov. Williams honored us with his presence, and gave some excellent advice, especially to the young, which was well received. * *
* This is the fourth annual fair under the auspices of the new organization, which, in consequence of extensive and costly improve- ments, had beeome seriously embarrassed. The Association, however, is now out of debt, and has a small surplus in the hands of the Treasurer. It is hoped and believed that the experience of the past will enable the managers to steer the ship so as to avoid similar breakers in the future."
From the tabulated statements accompanying the Annual Report of the State and County Fairs for 1877, we gather the following interesting and valua- ble statisties : The number of acres of improved land in Allen County, reported. was 155,211, and the total acreage given was 507,441 ;. the acreage of wheat, 27,636; of corn, 37,274; of oats, 16,543; of meadow land, 29,150 ; of pasture land, 95,702. There were 194,821 bushels of wheat; 807,946 of corn; 376,615 of oats; 87,269 of potatoes ; 277,371 of fruit, and 25,391 tons of bay."
From the report of 1878 we glean the following facts of value in determin- ing the true status of agricultural affairs in this county during that year. The Secretary of the Association, Mr. I. D. G. Nelson, furnishes the following state- ment :
" The Northern Indiana Agricultural and Horticultural Association held their annual fair at Fort Wayne for 1878 during the second week of September. The show, in every department, was very full. The receipts at the gate amounted to $4,896.91. The weather was favorable, and the exhibition highly favorable to the county. For, although the name indicates a great deal more, still it is under the auspices and in the main an Allen County show.
" The show of stock was about as follows: Number of entries-horses, 60 ; cattle, 113; sheep, 54; poultry, 106; agricultural, 110; horticultural, 268; mechanical, 308; textile fabrics, 419; fine arts, 175; educational (Normal School) 21.
" The improvements in Allen County, during the past few years, in agricult- ure has been very great, and it is increasing with wonderful rapidity. Its horti- cultural produets have been well understood for many years. Horses, cattle, sheep and hogs of the best breeds are now raised in all parts of the county, whereas, a few years ago, but few farmers gave special attention to stock-raising. The stoek exhibited at our last fair was nearly all raised and owned in Allen County, and would go very far toward making up a ereditable State fair. Total receipts for the year, about $8,000, and expenditures about the same." In the statistics of that year, Allen County stands as follows : Bushels of wheat, 549,- 838; of corn, 942,224; of oats, 611,540; of potatoes, 167,970 ; grass-seed, 16,151; flaxseed, 24,996; tons of hay, 23,346 ; pounds of bacon, 161,875 ; of bulk pork, 1,663,937 ; of lard, 180,340 ; of wool, 41,431.
On the 8th of November, 1879, the annual election of the Association took place, resulting in the election of William A. Kelsey, President : Wright Rock hill, Secretary.
The following report of the proceedings of that meeting, copied from the Fort Wayne Daily Gazette of November 10, 1879, gives a very complete detail of the transactions, as well as a full statement of the condition of the affairs of the Association :
" The annual meeting of the Northern Indiana Agricultural and Hortieult- ural Association was held in the Court House on Saturday morning, President
F. P. Randall in the chair. The only business transacted was the reception of officers' reports and the election of Trustees.
" The Seeretary's report ealled attention to the healthy financial condition of the Association. It goes on to state that the last exhibition was successful, all premiums having been paid and quite a number of old claims. The Treasurer's report will show a balance of $1,196.08. He called attention to the improve- ment of the stock of the county, as well as the agricultural and horticultural products, as shown at the late fair. He predicted that tbe impetus given to farm produets by the last fair would be productive of great good.
" The closing paragraph of the report was a sbort statement of the Associa- tion during the Secretary's official career. How it had scen dark days, but eventually cleared -- the difficulty, and was now in a prosperous condition. He nunounced that the document would be his last official act, but that he would have all the solicitude of past years for the greater success of the Associa- tion.
" The Treasurer's report was full and complete, dating from December 26,
1878 :
RECEIPTS. (From December 26, 1878, to July 17, 1879.)
From loan, track tickets, sale of lumber, license, gate receipts at concerts, etc ..
$779 46
DISKURSEMENTS. (From December 26, 1878, to July 18, 1779.)
Rent.
$500 00
Salaries, music, labor, etc.
140 29
Balance in treasury.
139 16
Total
$779 45
RECEIPTS. (From July 18, 1879, to August 9, 1879.)
Cash on hand.
$139 16
Gate money, etc.
81 17
Total
$220 38
DISNURSEMENTS. (From July 18, 1879, to August 9, 1879.)
Music, repairs and salaries.
$55 00
Balance in treasury ... 165 33
Total
$220 38
RECEIPTS.
(From August 9, 1879, to November 7, 1879.)
Balance on hand.
$ 165 93
Female Baseball Club.
34 57
County Treasurer, show license.
30 00
George S. Fowler, Assistant Secretary ..
1,691 25
17,126 admission tickets at 25 cents
4,281 50
2,099
15
314 85
699 grand stand
25 1.
174 75
Gate and grand stanu receipts, mustang race.
217 95
Dan Harmon, wheel privilege ...
10 00
E. Monock, beer privilege.
6 65
L. Hassard, "
6 65
G. Ortleib, “
10 00
P., Ft. W. & C. R. R., 1,613 admission coupons, at 25 cents.
403 25
Ft. W., M. & C. R. R., 266 = 25 "
66 50
G. R. & I. R. R., 762
25
190 50
L. Centliver, beer privilege ...
200 00
A. C. Perrin et al., use of track.
50 00
George S. Fowler, Assistant Secretary, entrance money for Es- tella ..
20 00
Total
.$7,873 75
DISBURSEMENTS. (From August 11, 1879, to November 8, 1979.)
R. J. Fisher, rebate on track tickets ..
.S 2 75
W. Saunders, sprinkling wagon.
11 00
T. Sargent, gate-keeper, salary 20 00
Q. G. Smith, repairs to pumps. 10 00
Fort Wayne Paint and Painting Co. 5 76
Col. Pettit, half proceeds of mustang race.
108 97
Ticket agents and police,
20 00
Tom Sargent, gate-keeper, salary in full.
140 00
04 revenue stamps, for bank checks.
198 00
20 per cent discount on 71 tickets sold M. E. College.
3 55
Amount paid on warrants for 1879 .. 1878 ..
6,104 16
=
" to County Treasurer, rebate on show license 1878 49 00
Balance in treasury.
1,196 08
Total.
$7,878 75
" The reports were reported to the proper committees, after which the elec- tion for Trustees was proceeded with. The following gentlemen were elected : W. A. Kelsey, M. E. Argo, F. H. Wolke, F. P. Randall, D. C. Fisher, O. P. Morgan, Matthias Glynn, William H. Myers and Edward Evans. The meeting then adjourned.
then adjourned.
209 50
" 'The Trustees will meet on the 22d inst. and elect officers."
56
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
COUNTY FINANCES, 1879.
RECAPITULATION.
$559,962 83
Total receipts.
434,116 67
Total disbursements.
$125,845 66
Namely, for-
$31,691 50
School and Township Trustors.
91,878 93
W. B. Payton and Bird & Bowser ...
238 11
Corporation of Monroeville.
628 34
Agricultural Society
10 00
School Fund, principal ..
939 97
School Fund, interest, redemption, liquor licenses, less
458 81
Refunders .
Total cash
.$125,845 GG
ABSTRACT OF ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY IN ALLEN COUNTY, IND., FOR THE YEAR 1879.
Towasmirs.
Value of Lands And Improvements
Value of Lots and Improvements.
Value of Porsimal Prop- erty.
Total Valne of Taxables,
Wayne
$1,204,845
$117,570
$357,170
$1,679,585
Washington
824,435
33,335
150,930
1,008,700
Springfield,
622,225
5,800
49,450
G77,475
Perry
497,605
6,885
141,740
646,230
Madison.
438,645
1,665
150,535
590,845
Monroeville
312,960
62
122,170
435,750
Marion
424,210
3,595
124,190
551,995
Maumee
227,735
560
89,680
317,975
Milan
424,810
815
80,280
505,405
Lake
461,850
11.335
157,400
630,585
Jeffersou
447,270
3,335
172,020
622,625
Eel River
421,675
76,680
498,355
Cedar Creek
457,310
18,920
91,710
164,375
Adams
968,490
228,835
361.020
1,558,345
Aboite ...
469.465
136,615
606,080
Pleasanl
451,075
10,210
102,610
563,795
Scipio ...
133,200
20,450
153,650
Lafayette
422,170
4,160
87,355
513,685
Jackson
100,805
6,615
113,420
Totals
$9,720,295
$658,070
$2,641,180
$13,019,545
City of Fort Wayne ..
9,081.070
3,094.575
12,175,645
Total of Townships.
9,720,295
G58,070
2,641,180
13,019,545
Grand total
$9,720,295
$9,739,140
$5,735,755
$25,195 190
OFFICIAL DIRECTORY.
Stafr Senators .- Adams and Allen Counties, Hon. John D. Sarnighausen ; Allen County, Hon. T. J. Foster.
Representatives .- Hon. Oliver E. Fleming, Hon. Elihu Reichelderfer.
Courts .- Circuit Judge, Hon. Edward O'Rourke; Cireuit Prosecutor, James F. Morrison ; Superior Judge, Hon. Robert Lowry ; Criminal Judge, Hon. James W. Borden ; Criminal Prosecutor, Samuel M. Hench.
County Officers .- Clerk Circuit Court, Martin V. B. Spencer; Auditor, Martin E. Argo; Recorder, Joseph Mommer, Jr. ; Treasurer, Michael F. Sehmetzer; Sheriff, Charles A. Munson ; Coroner, William Gaffney ; Surveyor, William H. Goshorn ; County Superintendent, Jerry Hillegass; County Attorney, Robert C. Bell.
County Commissioners .-- Jacob Geoglein, Francis Gladio, Harvey K. Turner. County Asylum .- Superintendent, John Spiee.
CHAPTER VII.
OLD SETTLERS' CELEBRATION.
On the 4th day of July, 1860, the following Old Settlers met at the Rock- hill House (south side of Main, west of Broadway, Lot 46. Rockhill's A. M. Addition), according to a previous call. The term " Old Settlers " was declared to mean all who had settled here, or within 100 miles around, and on or before 1840. Col. G. W. Ewing, having saved from the ruins of an old trading- house, located on or near the soulbeast corner of C'olumbia and Clinton streets, a small quantity of timber from the old Fort, had it made into a number of canes, and presented them to the following Old Settlers, or their friends present : William Roekbill, F. P. Randall, Samuel Hanna, John W. Dawson, D. H. Coleriek, Allen Hamilton, Samuel Edsall, R. E. Fleming, F. D. Laselle, Madison Sweetzer, John P. Hedges, William Hedges, C. E. Sturgis, W. A. Ewing, Jr., *Thomas Tigar, M. Jenkinson, *Joseph Breckenridge, Samuel Stophlet, Smallwood Noel, John B. Dubois, B. D. Miner, Hugb McCulloch, John Cochran, *Lott S. Bayless, *William S. Edsall, Oebmig Bird, Samuel Lillie, J. H. Klinger, S. C. Evans, Philo Rumsey, Fort Wayne; Gen. Grover, J. W. Wright, Israel Johnson, Logansport, Ind .; John Roach, James R. Slack, Huntington, Ind .; James T. Miller, James Aveline, Peru, Ind .; James S. Collins, Columbia City, Ind .; Rev. John Ross,
Kokomo, Ind .; A. M. Thompson, California, Ind .; Gen. Curtis, Antwerp, Ohio ; Col. Stephen Johnson, Piqua, Ohio; James Riley, Celina, Ohio; Capt. Dand, Columbia Junetion, Ohio; * John Jobnson, Cincinnati, Ohio; * Richard Chute, St. Anthony Falls, Minn .; Gabriel Franchere, New York City ; Jamues Ormiston. East Springfield, N. Y .; Hon. William Rockhill, Chairman ; Rev. John Ross, Chaplain.
CHAPTER VIII.
WABASH AND ERIE CANAL.
The ultimate practicability of a ennal along the Maumec Valley, through Fort Wayne to the Wabash River, thus creating a passage by water from Lake Erie to the Mississippi, was, perhaps, first suggested by the French voyageurs while they were traversing the portage from the waters of the Maumee and St. Mary's to Little River, to the Wabash, in the latter part of the seventeenth een- tury. However this may be, it is true that Capt. Riley appears to have been the first Surveyor that was sufficiently attracted by the surroundings to test the question.
After the treaty of St. Mary's in 1818, and its subsequent ratification, when the lands ceded by the Indians had come into the possession of the United States, and it was necessary to have them surveyed preliminary to settlement, Capt. James Riley, a Deputy United States Surveyor, having in contemplation a con- traet for surveying these lands, visited Fort Wayne for the purpose of reconnais- anee. From his impressions at the time, it would seeus that Gen. Wayne, also, must have considered the comucreial as well as the military value of the situa- tion, since " by occupying Fort Wayne, the communication between Lake Erie and the Ohio, through the channels of the Maumee and the Wabash (which is the shortest and most direet water route from Buffalo to the Mississippi River). was eut off, or completely commanded." He, at the same time, suggested the importance of a canal from St. Mary's to Little River, and that such a channel might very easily be eut six miles long, uniting the Wabash with the St. Mary's, a little above its junction, giving it as his opinion that the swamp night afford water sufficient for the purposes of navigation. So strongly was he impressed with the practicability of the matter that, when he was here the following season, for the purpose of surveying the public lands in the vicinity, he ran a line of levels across the portage, from the St. Mary's to Little River, the result of which was still favorable, and the information thus acquired, with the information accompanying, caque to he of mueh consequence in the subsequent surveys made for the location of the Wabash and Erie Canal.
From this standpoint, speaking of the probable future of Fort Wayne, he says : "The country around ** is very fertile. The situation is commanding and healthy, and here will arise a town of great importance, which must become a depot of immense trade. The fort is now only a small stockade : no troops are stationed here, and less than thirty dwelling houses, occupied by French and American families, form the settlement. But, soon as the land shall be surveyed and offered for sale, inhabitants will pour in from all quarters to this future thoroughfare between the East and the Mississippi River. * This is a central point, combining more natural advantages to build up and sup- port a town of importance, as a place of deposit and trade, and a thoroughfare, than any I have seen in the Western country."
These opinions of a practical man were communicated to Hon. Edward Tiffin, Surveyor General, and through him, no doubt, to the attention of Con- gress, for, at the session of 1823-24, an aet was passed authorizing the State of Indiana to " survey and mark through the publie lands of the United States, the route of a canal by which to connect the navigation of the rivers Wabash and Miami and Lake Erie ; and ninety feet of land on each side of said canal shall be reserved from sale on the part of the United States, and the use thereof, for- ever, be vested in the State aforesaid, for a eanal, and for no other purpose what- ever." This, perhaps, was the first official action taken preliminary to the building of the canal, hy which the ideal of uniting the waters of Lake Erie with those of the Mississippi River was subsequently realized.
Further action was taken by Congress, at the session of 1826-27, in the passage of an act granting " to the State of Indiana, for the purpose of aiding the said State in opening a canal to unite, at navigable points, the waters of the Wabash River with those of Lake Erie, a quantity of land equal to one-half of five sections in width on each side of said eanal, and reserving each alternate sec- tion to the United States, to be selected by the Commissioner of the Land Office, under the direction of the President of the United States, from one side thereof to the other; and the said lands shall be subject to the disposal of the Legisla- ture of said State, for the purpose aforesaid and no other." This proposition was accepted by the State of Indiana, in the terms of an act of the Legislature, approved January 5, 1828, the second seetion of which provided "that a Board of Commissioners be organized, to be known and designated as the Board of Com- missioners of the Wabasb and Miami Canal, and to consist of three Commission- ers, who shall be elected by joint ballot of the Senate and House of Representa- tives, and shall serve two years, and until their successors shall be elected and qualified-unless superseded," etc., " any two of whom shall compose a Board of Commissioners, and have full power and authority to act as such."
The third section provided that: " Whenever the chief of the brigade of the United States Engineers, employed in making the survey of the line of the canal * *
* * shall make his report, it shall be the duty of the Governor of this State to furnish the Board of Commissioners with a copy of the report, and all the information in his possession on the subject." Then, " It shall *
he the duty of the Board of Commissioners, immediately *
to
# Alsent members.
* Absent members,
567,940
New Haven ..
78,405
39,310
117,715
Monroe ..
403,615
19,030
72.470
495,015
St. Joseph
Total cash in treasury
County purposes ..
113.495
50,880
57
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA
locate the canal upon such point ou the Wabash River, to such point on the Miami of Lake Erie, and within the State of Indiana, as may by them according to said report, be selected."
These provisions having been complied with, the aet provides that the other provisions supplemental tbcreto should then he carried out.
Meantime, a preliminary survey of the route by a corps of United States Topographical Engineers, under the command of Col. James Shriver, by order of the War Department, was made, commeneing about the 1st of June, 1826, at Fort Wayne. In this first attempt to make the survey, there was little progress hecause of the great amount of siekness prevailing at the time, from the effects of which nearly the whole corps was prostrated, and Col. Shriver died ; hence, the further survey was suspended for the season, having advanced no farther than to Little River. Early in June of the following year, the work was resumed under the direction of Col. Asa Moore, formerly the assistant of the Engineer-in-chief, the late Col. Shriver, eommeneing where the work of the year previous had terminated. Under the new eorps, the survey was continued down the Wabash to the mouth of the Tippecanoe River, to the head of steamboat navigation, as it was theu ealled. heeause steamboats eamue up frequently as far as La Fayette. The survey of the route from Fort Wayne, down the Maumee toward Lake Erie, was continued during the remainder of the year, 1827, and until the fall (October 4), of 1828, when Col. Moore, also, fell a vietim to the elimatie discase then prevalent. The remaining portion of the route was subsegently surveyed hy Col. Howard Stansbury, who, from the beginning, had been a member of the corps.
Previously, in the winter of 1827-28, under the provisions of the law of that session, a Board of Commissioners having been created, Samuel Hanna, of Fort Wayne, David Burr, of Jackson County, and Robert Johu, of Franklin County, were selected to constitute that Board. Among other things, they were to examine not only into the practicability of the route proposed, hut the proha- bility of obtaining the nceessary supply of water for the eanal, making it advisable to investigate the capacity of the St. Joseph's, St. Mary's, Wahash and Maumee, one or more of them, according to the quantity required. It appears to have been difficult to get the Board together at an early day. The first session of this Board at Fort Wayne was during the summer of 1828, when the question of sufficient and available " feeders " for the proposed canal was generally discussed, and it hecame apparent that there was no engineer present, and none of the nee- essary instruments to enable them to gauge with accuracy the relative or aggre- gate eapaeity of the several rivers named. As an ultimatum, Judge Hanna pro- posed and was nuthorized to proeure the requisite apparatus. Having procured these, with the assistance of John Smyth, of Miamisburg, Ohio, the Board, some- time in the early part of September, proceeded to examine and determine the capacity of St. Joseph's, which was found to he sufficient, and they so reported on the 26th of December. "This report was eoncurred in, and from that day," says the writer (Fort Wayne Times, of December 16, 1858), " went on a work which has proved so great a benefit to Indiana. In this capacity, Judge Hanna served three years. The canal lands were located hy commissioners, under act of January 25, 1829, and platted, and a sale opened at Logansport, after some delay, in October, 1830, and an office opened in the first week in October, 1832, at Fort Wayne."
By the aet of Congress of March 2, 1827, to which reference has already been made, granting 4 every alternate seetion of land, equal to five miles in width," on both sides of the line of the canal, it was further provided, as a condition of said grant, that the work of construction sbould commence within five years from that date, and to be completed within twenty years. To make the appropriations of land available, therefore, it was ossential that the work should he put under contraet and actually commeneed, prior to the 2d day of March, 1832. Accord- ingly, " the Commissioners of the Wahash and Erie Canal," says the Cuss County Times, of March 2, 1832, " met at Fort Wayne on the 22d ult., for the purpose of carrying into effect the requisition of the late law of the Legislature of the State, providing for the commenecment of said work, prior to the 2d day of March, 1832; whereupon, the Commissioners appointed the anniversary of the birth of the Father of his country, as the day on which the first excavation should be made on said canal, and, by an order of the Board, J. Vigus, Esq., was author- ized to procure the necessary tools and assistance, and repair to the most conven- ient poiut on the St. Joseph's feeder line, at 2 o'clock on said day, for the pur- pose aforesaid."
"The intention of the Commissioners having been made known, a large number of citizens of the town of Fort Wayne and its vieinity, together with a number of gentlemen from the valley of the Wabash, convened at the Masonie Hall, for the purpose of making arrangements for the celebration of this impor- tant undertaking ; whereupon, Henry Rudisell, Esq., was called to the Chair, and David H. Colerick, appointed Secretary.
" The procession, having then formed agreeably to order, proceeded across the St. Mary's River to the point selected, when a cirele was formed, in which the Commissioner und orator took their stand. Charles W. Ewing, Esq., then rose, and, in his usual happy, eloquent manner, delivered an appropriate address, which was received with acclamation. J. Vigus, Esq., one of the Canal Com- missioners, and the only one present, addressed the company ; explained the rea- son why his colleagues were absent; adverted to the difficulties and embarrass- ments which the friends of the canal had encountered and overcome ; noticed the importance of the work and the advantages which would ultimately he realized, and then concluded hy saying, 'I am now about to commence the Wabash and Erie Canal, in the name and by the authority of the State of Indiana.' Hav- ing thus said, he 'struck the long-suspended blow'-broke ground-while the company hailed tho ovent with three cheers. Judge HIanna and Capt. Murray, two of the ablo and consistent advocates of the eanal in the councils of the State, next approached and excavated the earth, and then commenced an indiscriminate
digging and cutting. The procession tben marched haek to town in the manner it went forth, and dispersed in good order."
That portion of the canal from Fort Wayne to the mouth of Little River, was first located and put under contraet. Under the first contracts for the con- struetion of this division, the work was not completed, and hence, was re let early in the spring of 1835, when it progressed with such active energy that it was completed about the 1st of July, wben, the water being let in on the 3d, the first hoats went through on the 4th.
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