USA > Indiana > Allen County > History of Allen County, Indiana, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 45
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The class of lands subject to sale at that period, as provided by Section 3 of the aforesaid act, was that "to which the Indian title was extinguished, and which had not been granted to, or secured for, the use of any individual or indi- viduals, or appropriated and reserved for any other purpose by any existing treat- ies or laws, aud with the exception of section numbered sixteen in each township, which shall be reserved for the support of schools therein."
A further provision of said aet required that the lands should be sold in traets of the same size, on the same terms and conditions, and iu every respect, as provided by the act, entitled, " An Act making further provisions for the Sale of the Public Lands," approved April 24, 1820. The further provisions referred to were, that, " in every case of the division of a quarter-section, the line for the division thereof shall run north and south, and the corners and contents of half quarter-seetions which may thereafter be sold, shall be ascertained in the same manner and on the principles directed aud prescribed by the second section of the aet of February 11, 1805"-which are that the length of such lines as returned by the surveyor shall be held and considered as the true length thereof. " And the boundary lines which shall not have been actually run aud marked as afore- said, shall be ascertained by running straight lines from the established corners to the opposite corresponding corners; but in those portions of the fractional townships where no such opposite corresponding corners have been or ean be fixed. the said boundary line shall be established by running from the established coruers due north and south, or east and west, lines, as the case may be, to the water course, Indian boundary line, or other external boundary of such fractional township "-the minimum price being $1.25 per acre.
In view of the conditions nforesaid, and the further fact of the special notability of the place as etubracing the site of ancient Ke-ki-ong-a, of the French, English and Americau forts, where, from a period of a century and a half in the past to tbe present, the aborigines and their successors had met and couuseled for the perpetuity of their respective customs and the maintenance of their rights- it is not strange that there was a spirit of rivalry giving impulse and energy to the motives of purchasers. At this first sale, John T. Barr, of Baltimore, Md., and John Mc Corkle, of Piqua, Ohio, were the most extensive purchasers, the prin- cipal tract heing described as " the north fraction of the southeast quarter of Section 2, Township 30 north. of Range 12 east," upon which they subse- quently laid out the original town of Fort Wayne, embracing 118 lots. The " Old Fort " grounds were not theu subject to sale, having heen reserved for the use of the Indian Agency, including some forty acres.
Alexander Ewing was also a principal purchaser at this first sale, entering the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 2, which lies immediately west of the Barr and MeCorkle tract, and upou which Ewing's and Rock- bill's Additions were afterward laid out. The tract known as the " Well's Pre- 1 water is not obtained in that depth, and the material or rock is of no worse emption,“ lying in the forks of the St. Joseph's and St. Mary's rivers, having been by act of Congress, May 18, 1808, set apart as a pre-emption to Capt. Wells, who was authorized to enter it, when adjacent lands should be subject to sale, at $1.25 per acre-was purchased by his heirs, the Captain in the mean- time having lost his life at the massacre of Fort Dearborn, on the 15th of August, 1812. These constituted tbe principal first purchasers, and cover a large proportion of the territory now occupied by the city of Fort Wayne. The offiees continued to be located here during a period of twenty-one years.
The following persons filled the positions of Receivers and Registers in this office from its original opening until its final close and removal heuce :
RECEIVERS.
1823, Joseph Holman, of Wayne County ; 1829, Gen. Jonathan MeCarty, of Fayette C'ounty ; 1831, John Spencer, of Dearborn County ; 1837, Daniel Reid, of Wayne ; 1841, Samuel Lewis, of Allen ; 1841, I. D. G. Nelson, of Alleu.
REGISTERS.
1823, Samuel C. Vance, of Dearborn County ; 1829, Robert Brecknaridge, of Franklin County : 1837, James W. Borden, of Wayne County ; 1841, William Polke, La Porte Cuunty ; 1843, William S. Edsall, of Allen County.
ARTESIAN WELL.
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Tbis well is one of the notable features of Fort Wayne, attracting the atteu- tion of all, inviting the multitude to partake freely of its waters, which are boun- tiful in their character, and possess medicinal virtues in high repute among the many who partake of them. With whom the enterprise originated does not now appear to us, but as early as 1869, the matter was agitated quite extensively among leading citizens. In the spring of 1870, the question was considered in the Common Council of the city, and subsequently referred. to the Board of County Commissioners, as shown by the following action had by the Board on the proposition, June 6, 1870 :
" In the matter of an artesian well, as presented to the Board by a com- mittee of the Common Council of the city of Fort Wayne, the Board authorize the boring of an artesian' well on the public square, and authorize the appropria- tion of one-half the cost of said well, payable out of the county treasury."
Notwithstanding the question continued to be agitated with considerable spirit, but little progress appears to have been made in boring the well, or even the location of it, during the succeeding two years. With a persistent determination, however, to make it a certainty, the County Board, on the 9th of September, 1872, took further and more definite action, and made the following order, which appears of record :
" Ordered by the Board of ('ommissioners of this county, that there be appro- priated out of the county treasury the sum of $1,000, for the payment for |
the digging or boring and tubing of an artesian well, on or near the southeast coruer of the public square, in the city of Fort Wayne, Iud., the salue to be paid to J. S Goshorn, when he shall dig or bore and tuhe a well at said point, of the dimensions of not less than seven inches in diameter, with a flow of water there. from that shall equal a height of not less than four feet above the surface of the ground at said point. Said well to be commenced within three months from date."
Again, on the Oth day of January, 1873, the following additional procced- ings were had, showing the carnest purpose of those interested to make the prob- lem a certainty. At that tique, it was " Ordered by the Board that the Auditor be and the same is hereby directed to advertise for scaled proposals for boring an artesian well upon the southeast corner of the public square, in the city of Fort Wayne. Said well to be at least four inches inside diameter, piped to the bed-rock with good wrought iron pipe, and to be sunk 500 feet below the surface of said square, unless a flowing well should be obtained before reaching that depth, aud provided, also, that the City Council shall agree to pay for one-third of said work as it progresses, the remainder to be paid by the county." Subse- quently, on the 5th of March, following, notice having been previously given, further proceedings were had, to wit: The Board opened the several bids for boring the well, and awarded the contract to Ackerly & Hopkins, and the Auditor was ordered to notify them, so that a contraet could be closed at onee. They accordingly appeared on the 10th of April, when a contraet was entered into pursuant to the aforesaid order, the terms of which were, that J. Hopkins and J. W. Ackerly agreed to bore a well five and one-half inches in diameter, five hundred feet in depth, and furnish everything, for $1,800. If water was not obtained in sufficient quantities for a flowing well at an elevation of four feet above the surface of the ground, they were to drill until they got it, providing it was not over 1,000 feet, for $2.50 for encb additional foot. Under that contraet, those gentlemen sunk it -to the depth of 1,000 feet without reaching water. Under this contract, the extreme depth contemplated being only 1,000 feet, another contract was necessary. Accordingly, on the 2d of May, the Board entered into an agreement with J. Hopkins and J. W. Ackerly, of Ashtabula. Ohio, for the drilling of the well, and ordered the agreement to be entered upon the miscellaneous record in the Auditor's office.
About this time, the location of the well was changed from the southeast corner of the public square, to the northeast corner, in consequence of the fol- lowing subscriptions, payable on condition that such change of location was made. Those subscribers were : Thomas W. Swinney, $500; Henry Burgess, $100 ; Ulrick Stots, $50 ; George Fox, $50; Henry Monning, $50.
The terms of the new agreement were entered into by James W. Ackerly, of the first part, and Messrs. Morgan & Meyers, ou behalf of the City Council, of Fort Wayne, and the Board of Counmissioners of Allen County, of the sec- ond part-to drill the well upon the public square, to the depth of 1,500 feet, 500 feet deeper than it is now, for $6 per foot for the 500 fect. If flowing character or harder to drill than the strata through which it has been drilled to this time, then he will sink an additional 500 feet for $6 per foot for the last 500 feet.
On the 12th of August. 1874, 1,500 feet had been bored and yet no water had been found ; hence, further proccedings were necessary. At that time, the Board, reflecting public opinion upon the question, gave the project a further impulse. . The record discloses the following: Come now, " members of the Grand Jury and other tax-payers of the county, and present a memorial asking the Board to have the boring of the artesian well continued, if need be, to the deptb of 2,500 feet. And the Board, after having conferred with a committee appointed by the City Council, consent and permit that Messrs. Ackerly & Hop- kins may continue the boring of the artesian well for an additional 500 feet, at the price of $7 for the first 100 feet, at $8 per foot for the second 100 fect, at $9 per foot for the third 100 feet, at $10 per foot for the fourth 100 : feet and $11 per foot for the fifth 100 feet-the county to pay two-thirds of the above amount and the city one-third." When the full depth of 2,500 feet had been reached, there was yet no water, and some doubts were entertained in reference to the propriety of further appropriations for the purpose of reaching a greater depth.
Mr. Hopkins, on the 18th of June, 1873, submitted a proposition to drill the well 500 feet deeper, for $11.54 per foot, the city to pay $4.21; and the county, 87.33 per foot, which offer was accepted, and the work continued to pro- gress with all the rapidity practicable, for a considerable time without satisfactory result.
From all that appears to the contrary, this agreement was literally carried out; and yet the anticipations of the projectors were not fully realized, though the well had been sunk to the depth of more than three thousand feet. How- ever, on the 22d day of January, 1876, the following proprosition was submitted by Mr. Hopkins, for the consideration of the Board. The proposition is thus stated :
"Comes now J. Hopkins, and proposes to the Board that he will, at his own expense, tube the artesian well, for the purpose of ascertaining if the water will flow by so doing; and, if by tubing, he fails to get flowing water, he will then test the well for gas-provided, however, that, if he obtains gas in sufficient quantity to make it profitable for illuminating purposes, then the said Hopkins shall have one-half of the benefit arising from the use of said gas; but, if he obtains flowing water, he shall have no interest or benefit in it whatever." This proposition was accepted by the Board, on condition that the city of Fort Wayne would accede thereto.
FORT WAYNE GAS-LIGHT COMPANY
was organized in the summer of 1855, and commenced operations October 15 of that year. The original stockholders, as near as can be ascertained, at this time, were John Hough, Joseph Strattou, Comparet, Hubbelt & Co., Hill & Orbison,
1
RES. OF JUDGE J. MORRIS, FT. WAYNE IND.
SOUTH FRONT VIEW )
RES. OF KEIL BRO'S. FORT WAYNE, IND.
RES. OF THE LATE G. W. WOOD 50 WEST WATER ST FORT WAYNE.ALLEN CO. IND.
THE
SENTINEL
FINE
RAILROAD
WORK
PRINTING
ANDERS
LEGAL
HOUSE
P.T.B
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THE SENTINEL BUILDING 107 CALHOUN ST. FT WAYNE IND.
107
WAYNE TOWNSHIP.
John Brown and John Drake, of Fort Wayne; Elijah Barker, Barker & Noble, Mrs. H. M. Haskell, Harvey B. Spelman, Silas Merchant and J. L. B. Cohh, of Cleveland. The original capital was $225,000.
On Tuesday, May 4, 1858, an election was held to decide the question as to whether the streets should he lighted with gas, which was decided in the affirmative. In 1873, the contract terminated, and a contraet was entered into with the Glohe Gas-Light Company to light the streets with kerosene for two years. On the expiration of that contraet, a new one was made with the Gas-Light Com- pany for five years, which has not expired as yet.
The capacity of the works is 150,000 cubic feet per day. There are fifteen miles of pipe laid in the streets, and 230 street lamps in use.
The present officers are James Cheney, President and Treasurer ; A. C. Prohasco, Secretary; John M. Want, Treasurer.
GLOBE OAS LIOHT COMPANY
was organized for the purpose of lighting the suburbs of the city, ontside of where tbe gas mains are laid, with kerosene. Under a contract with the city, which expires in May, 1880, they now light 260 lamps.
WATER-WORKS OF THE CITY OF FORT WAYNE.
On August 5, 1879, the citizens of Fort Wayne authorized, hy a majority vote, the construction of a system of Water-Works, and at the same time, the following gentlemen were chosen as Commissioners to execute their construction : Charles McCulloch, Henry Monning and Chris Boseker. Afterward, J D. Cook was employed as engineer, to superintend the construction, at a salary of $2,500 per annum. Subsequently a salary of $150 per annum was affixed for each of the Commissioners on October 21, 1879, the following contracts were let :
Two engines and four hoilers from Holly & Co., Lockport, N. Y., $30,500. Pipe and pipe laying, R. D. Wood & Co., Philadelphia, $126,380.70. Valves, Ludlow Valve Co., Troy, N. Y., $3,377.30.
Hydrants, Mathews' Hydrant Co., of Philadelphia, $8.490.
Reservoir, construction of building, ete., on the Olds property, John Langohr nnd M. Baltes, $59,627.36.
Engine-house, Moellering & Paul, $8,490.
The whole amount now foots up at $236,865.36. Mr. Cook's estimate was $270,000, and dedueting the aggregate contracts from the estimate of Mr. Cook, there is $33,134.36 to fall upon for contingencies.
This completes the work as far as the contracts are concerned.
At this time, October 22, the first ground is being broken and all necessary preparations are being made to proseeute the work on to completion.
CITY SCRIP.
On January 1, 1863, the city of Fort Wayne authorized the issue of a series of city scrip, of the following denominations : 50 eents, 25 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents. These were all on a white paper and were 6} hy 24 inches in size. They subse- quently changed the issue and put out a new one of the same denominations, hut reduced to 54 by 24 inches. This serip was finally redeemed, having heen eireu- lated only to meet the demands of a searcity of small change, occasioned hy the drawing out of silver during the rebellion.
CITY HOSPITAL.
This Hospital was established in the autumn of 1868; the first location was on the southwest corner of Main and Cass streets (old residence of William S. Edsall). They remained here, however, hut a very short time, when they removed to their present location, on the southeast corner of Hanna and Lewis streets, this, a very convenient two-story hriek building, commodious enough to meet the demands, has been secured for a number of years. We append helow the present Trustees : L. M. Winde, William Maier, Henry Tons, D. B. Strope, O. Hanna, A. F. Sieman, C. L. Smith, M. L. Albrecht, J. F. Thieme.
OFFICIAL LIST OF THE SALARIES AND NAMES OF CITY OFFICERS, POLICEMEN AND FIREMEN FOR 1879.
Mayor, Charles Zollinger, per annum.
$ 1,600 00
Clerk, John Trentman, per annum,.
2,000 00
Treasurer, C. M. Barton, per annum, 2,000 00
Assessor, John G. Maier, per day, 3 00
Assessors, Deputies, per day .. 2 00
Street Commissioner, Dennis O'Brien, per annum, 1,000 00
City Civil Engineer, Charles Breckenridge, per annum
1,500 00
Marshal, Hugh Deihl.
1,100 00
Marshals (Deputies), F. Falkner and B. Guttermuth, each .. 800 00
1,000 00
Chief of Police, E. B. Smith, per annum,
900 00
Lieutenant of Police, F. Wilkenson, per annum. 840 00
Policemen, nineteen in number, each, 700 00
Market Master, J. Schramb, per annum. ..
200 00
Board of Health, Dr. Brooks, Dr. Dills, Dr. Heuchling, each per year ...
75 00
Rodman, per month, ..
60 00
Chief of Fire Department, F. B. Vogel, per annum.
120 00
Second Assistant Chief, Clark Slocum, per annum,
120 00
Engineers, H. Hilbright and John Graff, per annum ..
900 00
780 00 Ilook and Ladder Driver, George Swain, per annum.
780 00
Hose Carriage Drivers, F. Pohlmeyer, G. Smeders, each per annum
660 00
Ilose Cart Driver. John Downey, per annum.
600 00
Tillerman. Gus't Strodei, per annum ....
200 00
Minute Men, seventeen in number, per annum, each,
120 00
POLICE FORCE.
In May, 1873, the police force of the city of Fort Wayne was established, with a chief and three subordinates; a ation-house was fitted up on the cast side of Court street, south of Berry, Lot 100, original plat. This building con- tinues up to the present time as headquarters, is of brick, two stories high, and ahout twenty feet front ; has an offee in front about 18x20 fect, and cells in the rear, consisting of iron cages, two in numher. The following are the regular order of the chief's, with the names of the present force :
Conrad Pens. from May, 1863, to May, 1865; William Ward, from May. 1865, to May, 1869 ; Fred Limeeooley, from May, 1869, to May, 1870; Patrick McGee, from May, 1870, to May, 1871; Deitrick Myers, from May, 1871, to May, 1872 ; M. Singleton, from May, 1872, to May, 1876 ; Hugh Dehil, from May, 1876, to May. 1878; Eugene B. Smith, from May, 1878, to May, 1879.
E. B. Smith, Chief, terni expires in May, 1880; Frank Wilkenson, Lieu- tenant, term expires in May. 1880. The following embrace the police force : Patrick O'Ryan, John McCann, John O'Connell, Henry Schroeder, John Trautman, William Fahlsing, Fred Limecooley, Joseph Gusching, Thomas Doyle, Barney Roth, Patrick Connors, Peter Owens, M. Kelley, Frank Rhole, Fred Meyers, Fred Stahlhut, George Humbrecht, Heury Franke, Dennis Quillinan.
Assessor, John G. Maier; Appraisers, Isaac Campbell. Jolin Forbing; Clerk, John Curtis.
Deputies- First Ward, John Begue; Second Ward, Julius Manuel ; Third Ward, George Fisher; Fourth Ward, George Graham ; Fifth Ward, Louis ; Sixth Ward, S. C. Freeman ; Seventh Ward, William Foster; Eighth Ward, George Gochle; Ninth Ward, Charles Upleger.
NEWSPAPERS.
Fort Wayne Sentinel .- The Sentinel, which is, with one or two exceptions, the oldest paper in the State, and, in faet, one of the oldest in the West, made its first appearance on the 6th day of July, 1833. The publishers were Thomas Tigar and S. V. B. Noel, two men who did their full share toward laying the foundations of Fort Wayne's present greatness, and who were honored and respeeted hy all who knew them. Mr. l'igar was a Democrat and Mr. Noel a Whig; hence, the paper, when first issued, was neutral in politics. It was, of' course, small in size and very primitive in appearance, but its publication was an event of great importance and benefit to Fort Wayne, which then had a popula- tion of less than three hundred. The resources of the Sentinel were small, and, of course, it had a hard struggle to live, but it managed to survive, and has passed through many trials and vicissitudes, until now, at the age of nearly fifty, it is one of the most prominent and prosperous journals in the State. The first number of the Sentinel was issued from the old Masonie Hall building, which was then located on Lot 154, original plat, on the north side of Columbia street, cast of Harrison. Mr. Noel's connection with the paper was brief, and in a few months he retired, disposing of his interest to Mr. Tigar. Under this gentle- man's management, the Sentinel hecame an avowed Democratic organ, and it has ever since that time, with the exception of a very brief interval, heen a firm and steadfast supporter of the Democratic party.
Mr. Tigar lahored under the disadvantages which were inseparable from journalism in those days. He labored manfully and hopefully, however. and managed to issue the Sentinel, with considerable regularity, until 1837, when he disposed of it to the late Hon. George W. Wood, who made the paper a Whig organ.
Mr. Wood conducted the Sentinel three years, and, in 1840, it again changed hands, the Hon. I. D. G. Nelson, father of one of the present proprietors, hecoming its owner. Mr. Nelson made the Sentinel again a Democratic journal. hut he carried on the paper only until January, 1841, when he sold it to Mr. Tigar, one of its founders, who remained its sole proprietor for nearly a quarter of a century.
The struggles of Messrs. Tigar, Wood and Nelson to establish the Sentinel, are plainly indicated hy an examination of its early files. Its leading editorials were usually appeals for money from delinquent subscribers, or if money could not he given, then for wood, produce, provisions, etc. Mr. Nelson, in his valedic- tory, complained hitterly of the meager support the paper received. Mr. Tigar was endowed liberally with those desirable faculties -. patience, perseveranee and industry-and altough he found the road a long, weary one, he plodded faithfully along, and finally achieved success. Slowly hut surely, the Sentinel gained in eireulation, in influence, and in general business. It was, under his management, a reliable exponent of Democracy, and a faithful champion of the moral and material interests of Fort Wayne. It advocated every measure calculated to improve and henefit the eity, and its growth was inseparahly connected with the progress of Fort Wayne.
Under Mr. Tigar's management, the Sentinel gradually, but steadily, im- proved as a newspaper. From time to time, its size was enlarged, the amount of reading matter increased, the mechanical appearance of the paper improved, and its facilities expanded. On the 1st day of January, 1861, Mr. Tigar took a long step forward, by issuing the first number of the Daily Sentinel. He had seen the rise and fall of a number of opposition papers. In 1865, when he retired from journalism, the only other papers in the city were the Gazette and the Times. .
Mr. Tigar disposed of the paper to W. H. Dills and I. W. Campbell, who were the proprietors of the Times, which they had purchased a short time pre- viously from the late Hon. John W. Dawson. The two papers were merged under the name of the Fort Wayne Times and Sentinel.
On the 15th of January of the following year (1866), Messrs. Dills & Camphell sold the Times and. Sentinel to E. Zimmerman, now proprietor of the Valparaiso Messenger, and Eli W. Browu (now proprietor of the Columbia City
City Attorney, Henry Colerick, per annum. ...
700 00 First Assistant Chief, Robert Cran, per annum, ..
Engine Drivers, M. Conners and P. Bulger, per annum, each.
108
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
Post). Theso gentlomen dropped the name of Times and Sentinel, and substituted that of Democrat. Among other Improvements they introduced was steam power. Mr. Brown retained his pecjal ownership of the Democrat until the spring of 1868, when he disposed of his interest to Judge Robert Lowry. The firmu name then hecame Lowry & Zimmerman. In the fall of the same year, there was another change. Mr. Zimmerman retired, and the publishers were R. D. Dumm, L. A. Brunner and Judge Lowry, the firm beiug known as Dumm, Brunner & Co. Mr. Brunner withdrew from the firm early in 1870, his inter- est having been acquired by Hou. William Fleming, now Treasurer of State, who shortly afterward bought Judge Lowry's interest. The firmu was R. D. Dumm & Co.
Early in 1870, the Democrat was purchased by a firm known as Burt & Tucker, who, however, only published it for a few issues, when it reverted to R. D. Dumm & Co. John W. Henderson and Frank Finste held for a time an interest in the paper. R. D. Dumm & Co. issued the Daily Democrat for a brief period as a morning paper, but the experiment proving unsatisfactory, was soon abandoned, and publication iu the evening resumed.
On the 30th of January, 1873, there was another change. The time-hon- ored name of Sentinel was rostored, and Dumm & Fleming hecame the name of the firm. Under this proprictorship, the paper was published until the 1st of April, 1874, when it was purchased by the Sentinel Printing Company, a corpor- ation ineluding among its stockholders Hons. A. H. Hamilton, R. C. Bell, and William Fleming, S. B. Bond, M. Hamilton, F. H. Wolke, and other well-known eitizens.
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