History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 26

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

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Mr. Shirts thus tells of the progress of the business of the county at the time of the construction of the railroad: "Prior to the organization of the railroad and subsequent to the general inflow of new settlers into the county, the price of grain had fallen to a very low figure. Corn sold as low as eighteen cents; wheat, as has already been shown, sold at the Ohio river as low as thirty-seven and one-half cents. The price of wheat and corn about the time this charter was granted began to go up. The price of wheat went up to one dollar, or nearly so, before the road was completed. Many of the friends of the road attributed the rise in price to the proposed rail- road. This was not true, for the reason that the price rose at the Ohio and Wabash rivers."

The Indianapolis and Peru road was the second railroad built in the state. It was extended to Peru in 1854 and later to Michigan City. The early name has been changed for many years and it is now known as the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. In Hamilton county the railroad has station stops at Fishers, Noblesville, Cicero, Arcadia and Atlanta.

The auditor's report for 1913 showed the following valuation of the Lake Erie & Western railroad: Main track, $310,900; side, $21,875; rolling stock, $41,460; improvements on right-of-way, $1,420. Total, $375,655.

CENTRAL INDIANA RAILROAD.

What was at first known as the Anderson, Lebanon & St. Louis railroad was the next project of the kind in the county. The road was projected early in 1869, and the various townships through which the proposed road was expected to run began to consider the propriety of granting appropria- tions for the proposed railroad. Jackson township took the initiative by ask-

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ing the board "to order an election to determine whether they are in favor of levying a two per cent. tax for building the Anderson, Lebanon & St. Louis railroad." At the June session, 1869, this step was taken, and the petition granted. Later, like requests from other townships were granted and elec- tions were held in compliance to the orders of the board. At these elections held August 23, 1871, there was a large majority in favor of appropriating two per cent. on the taxable value of the property in the several townships. Appropriations were accordingly made in June, 1872, and at a special session in August, 1874, "warrants were ordered to be issued on the treasurer, in exchange for the bonds of the said railroad, for the first installment, or fifty per cent. of the amount of subsidy voted by the townships respectively, to be taken in the stock of such road." The first spike was driven in the new road in Anderson in December, 1875. The road, as originally built, extended from Anderson to Montezuma, Parke county, distance of ninety-five and one-half miles. At first the entire distance was covered, but later the route was shortened and at present extends only from Anderson to Lebanon. Two passenger trains make the trip each way daily. The road has been known now for a number of years as the Midland, or the Central Indiana, and is owned by the New York Central Lines. It makes flag stops at Durbin, Eagletown and Jolietville and regular station stops at Noblesville and West- field, in Hamilton county. For many years this road was a "reproach and a by-word" to every one who traveled on its slow, uncertain cars. It was said to be so slow that passengers could alight and hunt game or gather wild flowers while enroute from one place to another. Many stories were told illustrating its proneness to be from one to twenty-four hours behind schedule time. The roadbed was in such bad condition that it made the journey a very rough one, almost like riding over rocks and rough roads in a springless big wagon. But the railroad company was financially embarrassed at that time and the owner, Harry Crawford, used to say, "Any fool can run a railroad with plenty of money, but it takes a smart man to run one without any cash." At this time the railroad hands would go on frequent strikes when their wages became long overdue. Many times when their demands for their pay was not complied with, they chained the engines and cars to the tracks and refused to let them be moved until their delinquent salaries were forthcoming. Upon payment of these wage claims the chains and locks would be removed and the trains run again till the "next time," which "time" came quite frequently. When the road changed hands, about ten years ago, the roadbed was regraded and improved until at the present time the Midland is no longer a reproach and a by-word, but a very accommodating and up-to-

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date little railroad which receives its share of the patronage in Hamilton and adjoining counties.

The valuation of the Central Indiana railroad, as shown by the auditor's report for 1914, is as follows: "Main track, $142,380; side track, $8,440; rolling stock, $10,170; improvements on right-of-way, $1,045; personal prop- erty, $120; total, $162,155.

The Monon railroad passes through the western tier of townships of Hamilton county from Indianapolis to Chicago. Most of the trains stop at Carmel, Westfield and Sheridan. This road was laid through Hamilton county in September, 1882. The first train went through, laying the track as it went. The project for this road began as early as 1873 and was then called the Indianapolis, Delphi and Chicago railroad. The first purpose of the road was to connect Chicago with Delphi and later to connect Indian- apolis and the intermediate points, which would include points in Hamilton county. The township began to take an interest in the new road on the strength of the latter connecting link and a petition was sent from Adams township asking for an election to vote an appropriation of two per cent. which petition was granted. An election held pursuant to the request of the petitioner in July, 1875, gave a decided majority in favor of the appropriation. A similar election was held in Washington township in the September follow- ing, but with opposite results, there being an adverse majority of ninety-four votes. However, the road gradually progressed and in 1882 went through the county and has since been in continuous operation. The road carries many passengers and has been a great aid in the prosperity of the towns through which it passes. The Monon road is in excellent condition and runs trains commodious and up-to-date in every way. It is one of the shortest and quickest routes between Chicago and Indianapolis. The valuation of the Monon railroad as shown by the auditor's report for 1914 was: Main track, $404,800 ; side track, $7,175 ; rolling stock, $40,480; improvements on right of way, $2,005 : personal property, $240; total, $454,700.

The Pittsburgh, Chicago & St. Louis railroad which runs its trains over the Lake Erie & Western tracks through Hamilton county has a valuation in this county of $20,730 on the rolling stock belonging to that railroad.

THE CENTRAL CANAL.

About the year 1825 many of the states were building canals. These various artificial water ways were proposed so that in time there should be ·direct connection by water with the Erie canal in New York. The success of

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the Erie canal and the consequent growth of the western territory in con- nection with it, stimulated the desire for a great system of canals in the states farther west, including Indiana. As a part of a general system many canals were proposed and much money expended thereon. Some legislation passed congress relative to Indiana canals in 1827. The canal which directly affected Hamilton county was called the Central canal. This canal was to open up Central Indiana and was to be run from Wabash via Anderson and Indianapolis to Evansville. It was begun in 1837 and a great deal of work and vast sums of money were expended on it, but though the survey passed through Hamilton county, running across the county from the northeast to southwest, very little, if any digging was done here. The canal was com- pleted only to Broad Ripple, north of Indianapolis, and only sixteen miles south of Hamilton county's capital city. By order of the legislature the canal was later sold to some New York people and is now the property of the Indi- anapolis Water Company.

Thus ended in failure the grand canal project. Many people in Hamil- ton county invested heavily in the canal scheme, and, instead of becoming vastly wealthy, as they had hoped, lost their whole fortunes. Some investors eventually recovered from their losses but many were not so fortunate, and losing all they possessed lived the remainder of their lives in discomfort and died poor men.

INDIANA UNION TRACTION RAILROAD.

The building of the interurban electric railroad through Hamilton county marked a great advancement in the means of traveling in this county. A general system of interurban railroads had been the dream of many men but it seemed at times it always would exist only in the minds of some enter- prising dreamers. Years ago such a scheme was projected in Hamilton county and it went so far toward completion as to have a considerable amount of grading done in the county, but for lack of funds the great project came to naught. In the year 1901 it seemed that the plan of an electric road was about to materialize. The various towns through which the proposed road was to run granted the right of way through certain streets and farmers along proposed route sold the right of way through their land to the Union Trac- tion company. Gangs of foreigners, mostly Italians, were put to work on the roadbed for months and finally on the first of November, 1903, the first cars carrying passengers went through the county. Beside many country stops, for the local cars only, the cars all stop at Carmel, Noblesville, Cicero,

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Arcadia and Atlanta in Hamilton county. The cars run every hour in the day from five-thirty in the morning to twelve-thirty, midnight. This rail- road has proved a great advantage to Hamilton county, especially to the country people. Many citizens of Noblesville and vicinity opposed its con- struction, fearing it would distract from home industries. They seemed to forget that while it would carry some trade to the city it would also bring new business to Noblesville.

The Indiana Union Traction Company has the following valuation on its property through the county ; Main track, $219,780; side track, fifteen miles, $1,500; rolling stock, $19,535 ; personal property, $3,390; total, $244,205.

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CHAPTER XVII.

AGRICULTURE.

HAMILTON COUNTY'S MAIN SOURCE OF WEALTH.

In the early pioneer days those residing on lands entered by them did not largely rely on the products of the soil for anything more than food for them- selves and their stock. The ground which had been "cleared" was covered with stumps which nothing but the hand of Father Time could remove. The process of clearing the land was slow and laborious. Wheat was sown in the clearings in the fall as it is now. In the spring these same clearings were prepared and planted to corn and then cultivated to the best of the pioneer's ability. Corn bread in that time was the "staff of life," corn being the staple production, but when wheat was cultivated, the harvesting was done with a reap-hook, a wheat cradle and a hand-rake. The farmer first used the cradle, cutting the wheat as closely around the stumps as possible, the reap-hook com- pleting the work next to the stumps, while the hand-rake was used to gather it into bundles which were bound and put into barns or stacks, after which followed the threshing and cleaning.

After wheat harvest came hay harvest. Usually two men worked to- gether leveling the fragrant meadow with a mowing scythe. An acre of grass was considered a day's work. The men usually cut till noon, then they would scatter the hay with wooden forks so it would dry more readily. When sufficiently "cured" it was raked into rows called windrows. Late in the evening the hay was ready to stack.

About 1840 the first threshing machines were introduced. These were called "chaff-pilers," and only threshed the wheat from the straw, the machine not then having been perfected to the point of removing the chaff. Wind- mills also were first brought into use about that date. These separated the wheat from the chaff. Usually only one such mill was found in a whole neighborhood.

From 1830 to 1842 corn sold for about eighteen cents a bushel; wheat

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from thirty-seven and one-half cents to forty cents. From 1850 to 1855 wheat sold at from fifty to sixty cents and corn at twenty-five cents. In 1856-7-8, wheat sold at one dollar and corn at fifty cents.

In the early fifties farming conditions improved materially. The stumps had disappeared from the early clearings, farm implements multiplied and farming became profitable. Domestic improvements, however, were not so rapid or as general. It was ever so-improvements come outside and on the farms before the conveniences obtain in the houses and homes. But even here there were some improvements. The old cards and spinning wheels and hand looms were superceded by carding machines, spinning and the patent looms. The sewing machines saved the busy house wife yards and yards of tedious hand-stitching, while the more modern cooking stoves replaced the old crane and pot-hooks that used to stand in the old fashioned fire places.

STRUGGLES OF EARLY FARMERS.

Hamilton county has been from the first largely an agricultural county. Its main sources of wealth do not consist in natural gas, gravel beds, or the factories developed in this county although these are valuable assets of any community. The main wealth of the county consists of its broad acres of cultivated, level land. The land in some sections is more fertile than at other places and some farms are more valuable than others, but there are no rocky hillsides or barren lands in this county. All the land is under cultivation and brings in good return.

For many years after the settlement of Hamilton county the products of the farm were not cultivated for the market but rather to supply the immediate needs of the settler and his family. In the pioneer days, if the farm products were sold it was to some neighbor who was lacking in that particular commodity and the payment was usually "in kind" when the next season's crop was harvested. Payment was not usually made in money. Gradually, however, as the lands were cleared and more and more grain and stock could be raised, the farmers began to sell their surplus at whatever price they could get for it. Prior to the coming of the railroad in 1851 all pro- ducts for sale had to be hauled to Cincinnati, Lawrenceburg or Lafayette. By the time the farmers made this arduous trip with their wheat or hogs, they were not very much better off financially than when they left home. In those early days they received from thirty-seven and one-half cents to forty cents a bushel for wheat. A load of wheat at forty cents brought eight dollars.

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COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATIONS.

In the course of time the state through legislative enactment, recom- mended the formation of societies as a means of enlarging the area of agri- cultural operations, and securing better modes of culture. On January 22, 1829, statutory regulation for the organization of agricultural societies re- ceived the approval of the government. But in spite of this legislation in the direction of better farming, nothing was done in this county for several years. In 1837 the board of commissioners ordered "that there be held, at the court house in the town of Noblesville, on the last Saturday in the present month (May) a meeting of the citizens of the county for the purpose of organizing a county agricultural society. And it is ordered that notice of the above meeting be given three successive publications in the newspapers published in this place." No records were left to tell the tale as to whether this pro- posed meeting was ever held or what was accomplished by reason of the above order of the county commissioners.

For some years nothing appears to have been done toward perfecting an organization until about the first of the year 1855. About that time some enterprising farmers organized the Hamilton County Agricultural Society. The report for the year 1856 shows that "at a regular meeting of the society, held on the 14th of April, 1856, the following persons were elected as officers : Dr. T. T. Butler, president; Samuel Colip and John Burk, vice-presidents ; D. C. Chipman, secretary ; H. W. Clark, treasurer; E. B. Cole, librarian, with nine directors one from each township. The outlay and expenditures for 1855 were so considerable that the society concluded to have no fair during 1856."

The society was somewhat discouraged for want of funds and a per- manent enclosed fair ground. But in 1858 the society was reorganized and new officers elected, but for lack of interest it was short lived. Nothing more seems to have been done until 1870, when a reorganization was effected under the name of the Hamilton County Agricultural, Mechanical and Horticul- tural Joint Stock Association. Following is a report made by the secretary of the organization to the state board for the year 1871 :

"The county fairs had been so managed at the county seat that they had come into disrepute and fairs had not been held for three or four years in our county, until the organization of this society on this society-stock plan. Such is not only the surroundings of this organization, but at this, their second annual exhibition, there appeared to be a fixed determination on the part of

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a very small portion of the citizens at and surrounding the county seat to so cripple this organization financially as to compel it to succumb. But, thanks to the liberal spirit of the citizens of this and adjoining counties, where hon- esty of purpose is manifested in agricultural matters, they will be patronized and sustained against all opposition." In this same report was given the description of the grounds leased for the purpose of holding county fairs thereon. The ground leased was situated at Cicero and contained fifteen acres, all fenced and having proper gates for entrances. The fixtures included two buildings, cattle, sheep and hog pens, three wells and a half-mile race track. This fair was held during four days commencing September 19, 1870, and seems to have been reasonably successful. Six annual fairs were held at that place. In 1875 Adams township organized a local agricultural society which held a fair in that year at "Teeters' Grove" near Boxley.

In December, 1875,, there was a meeting held by the representatives of the various townships. The Hamilton County Agricultural Association was organized January 5, 1876, upon the joint stock plan with a capital of ten thousand dollars, divided into one thousand shares of ten dollars each. This organization failing to materialize, the Hamilton County Agricultural. Horti- cultural and Mechanical Association was organized February 12, 1876, with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars. The directors, nine in number, were selected one from each township. These constituted the board. This society prospered for some years and held annual fairs, continuing for four days during the last week in August. In 1879 a joint stock company called the Hamilton County Agricultural and Fair Association was organized with a capital stock of five thousand dollars. The first fair under this new organ- ization was held in September, 1879, and continued for a number of years but these meetings finally were discontinued in 1889.

District fairs were held at Carmel, Arcadia and Sheridan. These fairs were modeled after the county fair and sometimes grew to large proportions. A creditable display of stock and agricultural products was made. A good race track was prepared and the afternoon of each day was spent in speeding horses, attractive premiums being offered to encourage competition. A cornet band was employed which discoursed music during the interims of the races. In fact, these fairs, both county and district, did much good by showing the best products of the farm and the latest improvements in agricultural ma- chinery and by bringing the people together in social intercourse. The gay scenes presented by the stands, where the fakirs cried their wares, the exhibits tastefully arranged, the cheering as some favorite horse won, and the strains

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of music by the brass band, provided an event long memorable in the lives of many a country boy and girl.

Before the state organization of the farmers" institutes, farmers' clubs were organized in some parts of the county. At Carmel, during the year 1889, a prosperous farmers' club held meetings regularly once each month for the discussion of questions that related to farming. The farmers' wives took part in these meetings and discussed their household problems. Farm- ers' institutes under the supervision of Purdue University later took the place of these clubs.

SCHOOL FAIRS AND BOYS' CORN CLUBS.

In some of the townships agricultural fairs under the direction of the schools have been conducted. The first one of these, which was held at Dur- bin, in Wayne township, was a great success. Agricultural products, samples of cooking, needlework and school work were exhibited. The same year a very successful pupils' fair was held at Bethlehem school, in Fall Creek town- ship. During the past four years very successful school fairs have been held at Walnut Grove in White River township. In addition to the agricultural and school exhibits, large numbers of horses, hogs, and some cattle are ex- hibited. It has grown almost to the proportions of the old district fair. At the meeting in October, 1914, fully two thousand persons were present.

Jackson township has held two very successful school fairs. The one in 1913 was held at the school building at Arcadia. In addition to the ex- hibits made by the pupils, farm products and some stock were shown. The local merchants made very creditable displays.

In 1914 the fair was held at Atlanta. It was similar to the one held at Arcadia. Vast throngs of people attended these fairs and the exhibits made by the girls and women attracted a great deal of attention. In both the Jack- son and White River township fairs the ladies had splendid displays of needle- work, bread, cakes, jellies, fruit and butter. The domestic science depart- ments furnished lunch. These fairs are under the management of the school teachers.

The organization of Boys' Corn Clubs has done much to interest the boys in the farm. Hamilton county is the home of the Boys' Corn Club, the first one ever organized having had its inception April 9, 1904, at a meeting in the county superintendent's room.

The Horse Breeders' Association was organized in Hamilton county with T. E. Beals, president, and Thomas Lindley, Jr., secretary. This was

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the first organization of the kind in Indiana. Its object was to improve the breed of horses in the county. Afterwards the state took up the idea and organized a State Horse Breeders' Association, of which T. E. Beals was the first president. Hamilton county stands at the head in Indiana for number and quality of fine registered mares.

THE FIRST CORN CLUB IN THE WORLD. (By Mrs. John F. Haines.)

Several accounts of the first Corn Club have been written, but none just as this will be. The idea of a Corn Club originated with my husband and the idea, with its attendant results, brought him more fame than all the other acts of his whole life combined, hence I think it perfectly fitting that a personal account of this great idea should be included in this work. As he never would write this kind of an account of his own achievement, it de- volves upon me to give to the world this history of the Corn Club.

My husband was in office but a few months when the idea of a boys' corn-growing contest was born. The first intimation that he gave me of his intention was a remark which he made shortly before he sent his circular letters to each teacher of the county. He said to me, "I'm going to have a contest for the boys in corn growing. I'll furnish them with good seeds for a limited amount of hills of corn which each boy is to plant and tend him- self and next fall bring the results of his work to my office and have it graded." Accordingly, on February 20, 1904, a circular letter was sent to each teacher in the county asking that it be announced to the boys in the schools that "on Saturday, April 9, 1904, at the examination room, there will be held a meeting for boys who will agree to raise a patch of corn from seed furnished them." The announcement of the intended meeting went over the county. Most of the teachers announced the meeting as requested, but a few threw the circular into the waste basket and paid no further attention to it. The time intervening between the announcement and the meeting slowly rolled around. Though Mr. Haines was anxious and doubtful about the success of his plan, he said a few days prior to the appointed meeting: "If ten boys come and are willing to enter, we will have the contest." April came in cold and disagreeable that year. There was much sickness, especially la grippe and pneumonia. In the middle of the week of the meeting, my husband took a deep cold which developed into an attack of la grippe before the last of the week. April 8, the day before the long-anticipated meeting, he was unable to be up and we called a physician in the afternoon. After a

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History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 26

Author: John F. Haines Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051