USA > Indiana > Cass County > History of Cass County, Indiana, from its earliest settlement to the present time; with Biographical Sketches and Reference to Biographies, Volume I > Part 28
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dated March 12, 1853, the name of that company was changed to the Logansport & Chicago Railway Company. It was several years later, however, before the work of construction began. The road between Logansport and Chicago was opened to traffic in 1861.
STATE LINE DIVISION OF THE PANHANDLE
Extending from Logansport to Peoria, Illinois, was begun soon after the completion of the Wabash as a feeder to that road, under the name of the "Toledo, Peoria & Burlington," and was completed about 1860. Since then it fell into the hands of the Pennsylvania system and is now designated by the above title.
BRADFORD DIVISION OF THE PANHANDLE
This railroad was completed in the later sixties, and runs from Logansport to Bradford, Ohio, where it connects directly with Colum- bus and the east over the Pennsylvania lines.
VANDALIA RAILROAD COMPANY
This company now own and operate three lines out of Logansport, to-wit: To Terre Haute, South Bend and Butler and Toledo. The road from here to Terre Haute was begun as far back as 1853 when the Logansport, Crawfordsville Railroad Company was organized, and graded part of the roadway, but the company failed. Many years later the Logansport, Crawfordsville & Southwestern R. R. Company was incorporated and completed, the road from Terre Haute to Logans- port, in February, 1875. The road was finished to Clymers in 1872 and trains run over the Wabash R. R. from there to Logansport until its own line was constructed into the city in the former year. To aid the construction of this road and on condition that the company's shops would be located here, the city of Logansport made a donation of $75,000 towards its construction. The road was unable to meet its obligations and was afterwards sold to the Vandalia Railroad Company at receiver's sale, about 1879. The South Bend division of the Vandalia was built in the early eighties and trains run to South Bend and St. Joseph in 1883.
EEL RIVER DIVISION OF VANDALIA
The first attempt to construct this road was made in 1855 by a company known as the Logansport & Northern Indiana Railroad Com- pany. Considerable grading was done but the company failed in 1856. The Detroit, Eel River & Illinois Railroad Company was organized in 1869 and succeeded to the right of way of the old company. This com- pany also failed and in the fall of 1870 was succeeded by Boston cap- italists who completed the road from Auburn, Indiana, to Logansport in the fall of 1872, when through trains were run from Logansport to Detroit by way of Hillsdale and Ypsilanti. In 1881 the road was leased to the Wabash R. R., but later the lease was annulled by suits brought by. Logansport people and the road was sold to the Terre Haute & Logans- port (Vandalia) Railroad, June 10, 1901, since which time the latter company has successfully operated the road, which extends to Butler and there connects with the Lake Shore road for Toledo and the east.
As Logansport is the city of bridges, we give in this connection the length of some of the railroad bridges which span the rivers.
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Wabash bridge, over the Wabash river, across Biddle Island :
Length of west span onto the Island. 459 feet
Length of east span onto the island 490 feet
Length of overhead bridge on the island. 60 feet
Length of overhead bridge on Elm street 55 feet
Total length 1,144 feet
Length of Panhandle bridge over Eel river. 375 feet
Length of Panhandle bridge over Wabash river 750 feet
Length of Vandalia bridge over Wabash river
550 feet
The Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Pan- handle) Company, a part of the Pennsylvania system, now own and operate five lines out of Logansport, all of which were originally built by different companies but finally taken over by the present owner- ship. These five lines extend to Chicago, State Line and Peoria, Indi- anapolis and Louisville, Cincinnati and Columbus, and all eastern points. THE WABASH runs west to St. Louis and east to Detroit, Buffalo and Toledo.
THE VANDALIA has three lines out of Logansport : southwest to Terre Haute, north to South Bend, and east to Butler and Toledo.
Logansport thus has railroads leading out in nine different direc- tions, with three interurban lines, and has transportation facilities equal to or greater than any city in the state, outside of Indianapolis. These roads traverse different sections of Cass county, where towns have grown up, with local merchants, grain elevators, stock yards, etc., so that not only Logansport and its immediate surroundings have convenient ship- ping facilities, but nearly every township in the county has its railroad stations, where farmers can ship all kinds of freight, as well as take passage to any part of the world, on modern railroad passenger trains with sleeping and dining cars attached, where you can take your meals, recline in smoking and parlor cars, and retire at night to a comfortable sleeper. You can take the train, almost at your very door, in any part of Cass county, travel from ocean to ocean, in luxury and ease, with every want provided for with as much prodigality as in our best city hotels.
Contrast these conditions with those of the pioneer of eighty years ago, following an Indian trail afoot or on horseback; by pirogue down the river, or by slow ox team over mud and corduroy roads into the impenetrable forest that covered the Wabash valley; and then say we are not progressing !
The immense business of our railroads is shown by the fact that the past year 216 trains are daily registered in Logansport, and 812,714 cars have been handled.
LOGANSPORT STREET RAILWAY
About 1881 there was some agitation in our city as to the desirability of street car service, but no one was ready to put up the money to build it. We had, however, some enterprising livery and transfer hack- men and as a result of the agitation, A. E. Taylor (commonly called "Fatty Taylor," owing to his corpulency), and Howard Smith, at that time in partnership in the livery business on Third street and Eel river, started a bus line, and later procured two "herdics," and it was known as the "herdic" line, which was to perform the same service as street cars. The herdics were low and as easily entered as a street
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car, and were very comfortable. There was a regular route established over which the herdics traveled, to-wit: Started at Dolan's opera house, Third and Broadway, west to Second street, south to Market street, east to Fourth street, north to Broadway, east to Twelfth street, south to Smead street, east to Fifteenth street, north to Broadway and west to Third street, the starting point. Walter Kendall, who now runs the livery stable near the Panhandle depot, on Fourth street, was the first driver. When this herdie line first started, it was well patronized. It was a novelty and everyone had to take a ride in this new vehicle. but after the novelty wore off, the patronage fell off, and the first effort to establish a semblance of a street car service was a failure and after six or eight months the herdic disappeared from off our streets.
The Logansport Street Railway Company was incorporated in 1882, with Frank G. Jaques, of Illinois, the chief stockholder. Through the influence of J. T. McNary, $5,000 worth of tickets were sold to aid and encourage the company to proceed with the construction of the road and the work was promptly begun. The original line extended from Eighteenth street down Broadway to Second street, south to Mar- ket street, east to Fourth street and north to Broadway, with a spur to the Panhandle depot. The cars were run by mule power, and the barns were located on the northeast corner of Eighteenth and Broadway. The work was completed and the first street car in Logansport was started May 20, 1883, propelled by two mules.
The estimated cost of the original lines and equipment was $40,000. Later the lines were extended to the west side on Market street to Wilkinson, Bates, Miami, Sycamore and back over the Third street bridge, forming what was termed the west side loop. In the spring of 1886, Mr. Jaques sold out to a Mr. Christian, and J. T. McNary became local manager. On May 20, 1891, the car barns were completely con- sumed by fire, and nearly all the mules perished. Mr. McNary sold $2,500 worth of tickets and induced the owners to install electricity. The brick power house at Eighteenth and Broadway was at once erected and electrical machinery installed. The first car to be operated by electricity on our street railway was on October 1, 1891. Later Samuel Spencer of New York gained a controlling interest in the company and became its president, purchased the old fair grounds, now known as Spencer Park, and the driving park. . Mr. McNary being instru- mental in making this deal the park was originally named McNary Park, but the latter changed the name to Spencer Park in honor of Mr. Spencer, who gave it to the city in 1892. About this time the lines were extended to Spencer Park. The lines on High street, Erie avenue and north side were built by the Logansport & Rochester Traction Company and the Indianapolis & Northern Traction Company in 1905, under the management of J. T. McNary. The Burlington ave- nue line was opened to traffic in 1910.
The street car system has been owned by several different companies but now is owned and operated by one company, the Ft. Wayne & Wabash Valley Traction Company. When the present company gained control about 1905 they abandoned the local power plant on Eighteenth street and the entire system is operated by a central power plant at Ft. Wayne and Lafayette, and the old power house is now occupied as a grocery. The present street railway system includes lines on Broadway, High street, West Market, Miami, Erie avenue, Bur- lington avenue, Clifton and Michigan avenues, so that nearly every section of the city can be easily reached by the car line, and with our increasing population spreading out over such a wide territory has now become a necessity to the convenience and welfare of our people.
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INTERURBAN CAR LINES
This is not only an age of progress but also a restless, impatient and fast age. People must travel rapidly and quickly. They can no longer wait for daily or bi-daily trains, but must go the instant they are ready, hence the great demand for the interurban car service between our cities.
The first interurban cars to enter Logansport was in the year 1905. Fred Boyd, as the chief promoter, constructed the Ft. Wayne & Wabash Valley Line from Ft. Wayne to Logansport and in 1910 the line was completed through to Lafayette, and a company under the title of the Ft. Wayne & Wabash Valley Traction Company now own and operate the line together with the local street car lines. George Mccullough and Horace Stilwell, at the head of the Indiana Union Traction Company, built the line from Indianapolis to Logansport and began its operation about 1905.
The traction companies at first had offices and waiting rooms at 312-14 Broadway, but about 1910 purchased the property now occupied as a station on Third street.
The trolley cars now lead out from Logansport in three directions and traverse five townships, bringing the residents of those townships, and the little towns along the route, within a few minutes to Logansport and the price of farm lands has greatly increased along the interurban car lines since the advent of the trolley car. The electric lines running almost hourly is also a great convenience to business men and others who have business transactions in Indianapolis and surrounding cities, because they can go or return at any hour and are not delayed by waiting for the daily trains as of yore. Other interurban lines north and south are now in contemplation and ere many years pass by, our whole county will likely be traversed by trolley cars.
TELEGRAPH
The first telegraph line to Indianapolis was opened in 1848, and brought the election news of that year. Jerry Johnson, with an uncul- tivated but bright intellect, says John Nowland, remained at the tele- graph office to hear the election returns. He was greatly interested and watched every movement of the instrument and operator, and finally remarked: "Wall, John, has old 'Jerry' lived to see the day when a streak of lightnin' can be made to run along a clothes line, jist like some tarnal wild varmint 'long a worm fence, and carry news from one eend of the yearth to the tother."
The first telegraph line into Logansport was constructed along the old canal from Toledo, then down on the south bank of the Wabash river, about 1850-1. But few, if any, poles were used and the wire was attached to trees along the route. The telegraph office occupied a room in the second story, over Dr. R. Faber's office, a frame building located at 415 Market street, where Rice's hardware store now stands. John B. Durett, Jr., was the first operator and Judson O. Moore was the messenger boy and his brother, John R. Moore, now living at 220 West Broadway, was line repairer. Judson O. Moore, a few years later, became the operator. He afterwards became assistant manager of an office in Chicago, then at Springfield, Illinois, but in his old age re- turned to Logansport, where he died at his home, 218 West Broadway, April 23, 1912.
Joseph Patterson relates that he was in this first telegraph office and watched for hours to see a message slide down the wire, thinking that it would come over the wire in a bundle, as is now seen in our depart-
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ment stores, when a clerk sends a package to the cashier to be wrapped up. From this first telegraph line to Logansport attached to trees, with the old primitive Morse receiving instrument and its paper ribbon, in- struments have been perfected, a network of wires extended, not only to every part of Indiana, but over mountains and under seas, to the utter- most parts of the earth, bringing all peoples of every land into daily and hourly communication. Still more wonderful is the Marconi wire- less telegraphy, which, spirit-like, enables man to communicate his thoughts to his fellows thousands of miles away without any interven- ing wire.
BICYCLE AGE
About 1887 the first bicycle made its appearance in Logansport. The first wheels had a large front wheel with the pedals attached direct to the wheel requiring no chain, and a small rear wheel. They were easily tipped over and many were the sad experiences of the riders of those first high wheel bicycles. A number received cracked heads, broken noses and limbs, until the modern safety wheel came into use about 1892. A Mr. Edwards, Link Pilling and Frank Wipperman were among the first to ride wheels in Logansport and the tall form of the latter at- tracted general attention and is still remembered by many although over a quarter of a century has passed since this first bicycle exhibition. Ben Martin and Link Pilling were the first agents selling wheels, as at that time bicycles were sold only by agents and not by merchants. There were a number of bicycle societies or clubs, to-wit :
The Wabash Valley Wheelmen; organized June 9, 1892, with forty- five charter members and John Ferguson president.
Diamond Cyclers; organized June 9, 1892, with N. W. Cady president.
Bicycle races and tournaments were common and parties of cyclers could be seen out on the streets or smooth macadamized country roads every pleasant evening, but the novelty wore off, the craze subsided and now the bicycle has taken its legitimate place as a convenient and rapid mode of necessary transportation.
AUTOMOBILES AND MOTORCYCLES
This new and advanced means of travel and transportation has aroused an interest among Cass county people even more than the bi- cycle. In the year 1901 the first automobile made its appearance on the streets of Logansport. A traveling minstrel show paraded the streets with a small automobile run by steam, had a steam whistle and went moving about blowing the whistle, the cynosure of all eyes. The whole town was aroused and turned out to see this wonderful machine that was navigating our streets so easily and rapidly without any visible propelling power.
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The first automobile purchased by a resident of Logansport was by Dr. Robert Hessler on May 17, 1902, for which he paid $1,400. The sec- ond machine was bought soon after by Dr. J. P. Hetherington. Wherever these machines would go, in town or country, you would see men, women and children at doors, at windows, on sidewalks or by the roadside gazing, awe-stricken, at this curious vehicle traveling at a twenty or thirty mile gait. The utility of the automobile was soon demonstrated, many made their appearance and today, twenty of the forty doctors in Logansport make their calls in automobiles and hundreds of others in town and country are now in use. Auto drays, trucks, delivery wagons and carriages are rapidly taking the place of vehicles drawn by horses
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and the livery business is suffering thereby. Logansport now supports six auto-inns or garages, where scores of machines are kept, beside many private and individual garages. All this change has taken place in the last ten years. Within this period the motorcycle has also come into quite general use, until today hundreds of these machines are owned and operated by our people as a rapid and convenient mode of travel.
FLYING MACHINES
The first exhibition of aeroplanes or flying machines occurred at Spencer Park, June 23-24-25, 1911. Several bi-planes of the Wright pattern exhibited their skill and ability to navigate the air and great crowds gathered to see the wonderful performance of navigating the air like a bird. The wings of our people, however, are not sufficiently developed to attempt aerial flights and are still content to remain on terra firma, although some of the radical progressives persuade them- selves that the time is here to leave the older methods, and seek castles in the air.
The review of the transportation methods of Cass county and means of communication are a striking picture of the wonderful progress made in the past eighty-five years from the Indian trail and ox team of 1824 to steam, and trolley cars, automobiles, telephone and telegraph, and last the flying machine of 1913.
To further show the progress and changed conditions in roads since the first settlement of the county, we give below the auditor's report of the number of miles of roads in the county in 1911: Number of miles of stone and gravel roads. 311
Number of miles of dirt or graded roads. 987
Total number of miles of roads .1,298
Since then many miles of stone and gravel roads have been con- structed. Stone roads cost from $4,000 to $6,000, gravel roads from $2,000 to $3,000 per mile, according to location and other conditions.
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CHAPTER XV
BRIDGES
Cass county being traversed by two rivers and numerous creeks, many bridges were required to span the streams when roads were constructed.
It is difficult for this generation to understand how the first settlers of the county managed to travel and get along without our numerous bridges of today. For twelve years after the first white man located in the county there was not a bridge within its limits. It was not until the year 1837-8 that the first bridge was built in Cass county; this was the Third street bridge over the Wabash river. It was a substantial wooden-covered bridge and was opened for traffic in the spring of 1838. It continued to be used until 1870 when the south span from Biddle's Island was replaced by the present "iron bridge," but not completed until the following year. The north span of this bridge, onto Biddle's Island, was replaced by the present "iron bridge" in 1876.
The first wooden bridge across the Wabash at Third street was erected by a private company and toll was charged the patrons who crossed over it. The tollgate was located on the island and was a famil- iar object for more than a quarter of a century. When the county took over the control of the bridges from the corporation that originally built them, this little toll house, with its gate, in the form of a pole that was lowered at night, were relegated to the past and exist only in the memory of a few pioneers.
The second bridge to be erected was the one across Eel river at Third street, which was built in 1846, Willis & Graffis being the con- tractors, and the following year the Sixth street bridge over Eel river was erected. Both of these structures were covered bridges. The old wooden Sixth street bridge was carried out by an ice gorge in February, 1867, and the following summer an arched iron bridge was constructed. The latter became too light for heavy traffic and was moved to Adams- boro and Pipe creek and the present heavy iron bridge at Sixth street was built in 1876.
The old covered bridge across Eel river at Third street weathered the storms and carried its burdens for over forty years, when in 1889 it was replaced by the present iron bridge and the same year by the same company the Wabash bridge at Cicott street was built. The iron work on the two bridges amounted to the sum of $39,000. Together with the abutments, piers and extras, the two bridges cost the county over $50,000.
MARKET STREET BRIDGE
Many years ago there was quite a little island in the middle of Eel river at the foot of Market street. This island was covered with trees and was a resort for picnics, etc. After the laying out of Wm. L. Brown's addition, known as "Brown Town," on the west side, an open wooden bridge was built known as "Brown's bridge," which extended
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from the foot of Market street onto this island and from the island to the foot of west Broadway. This bridge was erected about 1853, and was used for about twenty years, when it was torn down, Market street straightened and improved and an arched iron bridge erected where the present bridge stands. In 1895, this bridge was thought to be too light for the heavy traffic of the street cars and was replaced by the substantial iron bridge now spanning Eel river at Market street.
Harry Coleman was the contractor and architect and received $22,000 for the iron superstructure.
In 1896 the old arch iron bridge from Market street was placed across Eel river at Broad Ripple ford. Prior to that time there was no bridge at this point.
LEWISBURG BRIDGE
About 1868, through the influence of Dr. J. A. Adrain, who owned a farm on the south bank of the Wabash river, the county built a
THIRD STREET COVERED BRIDGE OVER EEL RIVER. ERECTED IN 1846. REPLACED IN 1888
covered bridge across the Wabash at Lewisburg which stood substan- tially as constructed over forty years ago until it was washed out in the great flood of March 26, 1913.
EIGHTEENTH STREET BRIDGE
The bridge across the Wabash river at Eighteenth street was built in 1884 by Commissioners A. J. Sutton, James Buchanan and Henry Schwalm. It is a substantial iron bridge and a great convenience to the southeast section of the county.
DAVIS BRIDGE
. John Davis, who then lived a half mile north of the river, was the prime mover in having this bridge built. He raised quite a sum by subscriptions from those especially interested, and the county board proceeded to construct this bridge across Eel river, near the north end of Twenty-fourth street.
It was an open wooden bridge and was completed about the year. 1876, and was replaced about fifteen years later by the present iron bridge.
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HOOVER'S BRIDGE
Through the efforts of Thornton Tyson, the county commissioners were persuaded to build a bridge across Eel river, just south of Hoover's Crossing, thus connecting Adams and Miami townships, and opening direct communication between New Waverly and Hoover's and Twelve Mile. This is an iron bridge and was erected in 1883.
GEORGETOWN BRIDGE
The farmers in the western part of the county were for many years urging the necessity of a bridge across the Wabash near Georgetown, as in time of high water all travel and traffic between Clinton and Jefferson townships had to come to Logansport to cross the river. The board of commissioners finally granted the request of the people and built a covered wooden bridge across the Wabash river at Georgetown, eight miles west of Logansport, in 1883, which proved a great con- venience to not only the western sections of the county, but to the pub-
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GEORGETOWN CONCRETE BRIDGE
lic in general. This bridge was washed out by the unprecedented high water and ice gorges in the spring of 1912. The county board at once took measures to rebuild the bridge in the same location and in Decem- ber, 1912, a substantial cement arched bridge was completed at a cost of nearly $40,000. This is the only bridge in the county of any size constructed of concrete arches and is said to be both beautiful and substantial.
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