USA > Indiana > Lawrence County > History of Lawrence and Monroe counties, Indiana : their people, industries, and institutions > Part 19
USA > Indiana > Monroe County > History of Lawrence and Monroe counties, Indiana : their people, industries, and institutions > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75
If, then, the geologist has hit upon the true scientific theory and oolitic limestone owes its fine and even grain to a deep sea, still teeming with minute shell-bearing animal forms, whence came the carbonate of lime that bound together this innumerable multitude of shells? It seems reasonable to suppose that the shores of the then prevailing sea were surrounded by the deposits and rocks of a still older sea of the sub-carboniferous age, and from these more ancient rocks the water took up in the solution or suspension the carbonate of lime, which when precipitated along with the animal re- mains served as a cement to bind together the shells that form the body of this building stone.
The strata in which oolitic stone is found are homeogenous, equally strong in vertical, diagonal or horizontal sections. The stone comes from the quarry so soft as to be readily worked by saw and chisel or planing ma- chines, while on exposure it hardens to a strength of from ten to twelve thousand pounds to the square inch, a strength sufficient to sustain the weight of the largest structure in the world. Its tone, when struck, is a clear, musical bell-note, indicative of thorough metallic sympathy throughout the mass. The elasticity of this stone enables it to adapt itself without cleavage to our changeable climate, where material will be subjected to a change of from twenty to sixty degrees in a few hours' time.
197
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
PROGRESS AND PRESENT DEVELOPMENT.
It has been the aim of the writer of this chapter to give as clear and full an account of this Bedford stone industry as the data that is obtainable by a writer of local history can secure. It is not given to build up one sec- tion of the state or to tear down any other section dealing in the same com- modity, though perhaps under another, or even the same name. But be- fore entering into a description of the present, with a mention, too, of some of the older quarries of the past decades, it may be well to inform the reader as to the true chemical analysis of this stone with such a remarkable reputation.
THE ANALYSIS.
When the state house was built in Georgia the committee in charge had the state chemist make a test of the quality of this, with other stone, and the result shows the Bedford oolitic stone in the following constituent parts :
Carbonate of lime
96.04 per cent.
Carbonate of magnesia
.72 per cent.
Oxides of iron and alumnia 1.06 per cent. 1 Insoluble silicates 1.13 per cent 1
Chlorides of soda and potash .15 per cent.
Water expelled at 212 degrees F. .IO per cent.
Combined water, etc. .80 per cent.
Total elements
100.00 per cent.
It is possible that with the passing of years the names of some of the stone operators have been overlooked, though not intentionally, but it is certain that the following constitutes a large majority of the captains in this noted industry. Indeed to be connected with so laudable a work as the furnishing of building material for great structures is an honor not to be overlooked. "Limestone," one writer has said, "has been the material out of which many of the greatest and most magnificent structures of the world have been constructed, both in ancient and modern times. The old Egyp- tian builders used it in the construction of the pyramids, and they have stood for centuries as monuments to the enduring qualities of limestone. The English House of Parliament, in which the British lawmakers have met for more than two hundred years, is constructed of oolitic limestone from the Portland quarries, whose product, though perhaps the best to be
198
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIAN.1.
found in England, does not compare with that taken from the Indiana quarries in point of strength and durability."
Among the important companies operating in this county in 1895,- eighteen years ago,-as we learn from a publication known as Stone, pub- published in Chicago, were these :
The Dark Hollow Quarry Company, in 1877, was composed of Col. A. C. Voris, S. B. Voris, Davis Harrison and R. Rogers. All but one of these men were new at the stone business and little dreamed of its possibilities. Their first large contract was to furnish the stone for the Indianapolis state house. At the end of nine years they had distributed $146,400 among the stockholders, and purchased much new, improved machinery for their quar- ries. It was first styled the Dark Hollow Stone Company, and in 1890 it was sold and went under the name above given.
Hollowell Stone Company .-- This was organized in 1878, in the vicin- ity of Bedford. and ranked first in importance twenty years ago. It had a name from the ocean on the east to that on the west and from lake to gulf. They were among the first to employ improved and superior machinery in their extensive quarries. They began on a small way, with few men, but the virtues of their stone made them forefront and famous. Its first great contract was furnishing the stone for the Chicago city hall building in 1882, when it came into the possession of the Hinsdale-Doyle Granite Company. Four steam channeling machines and four steam derricks were employed in 1895. Another great contract by this company was furnishing stone for the immense Mutual Life Insurance Building, the Farmers Trust Company, Bank of America and Merchants Bank, all of New York City; also the Cot- ton Exchange of New Orleans, and still later the Vanderbilt mansion of North Carolina. In the eighties they put in planing and sawing machinery, then little known to this industry. This mill was located a half mile north of Bedford, and was driven by a hundred-horse-power engine.
Chicago and Bedford Stone Company, known as the "Blue Hole," was the old Nathan Hall quarry of remote date, just east of the city of Bedford. It is the pioneer of all the quarries hereabouts. This is the original blue- stone quarry of Indiana, and today its stone is unsurpassed. W. K. Van- derbilt's Fifth avenue mansion in 'New York city was from this quarry. The main building of the Missouri University was from this quarry, also.
The Bedford Steam Stone Works, one of the busiest. most prosperous plants in the region of Bedford, began business in 1886. Here the finest of oolitic stone is found in immense ledges. Seven cuts of fine material are found here. The upper eighteen feet is the finest grade anywhere discov-
199
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ered. The stone for the old custom house at Louisville was shipped from this quarry. Also the large blue capitals for the Illinois state house.
The C. S. Norton Blue Stone Company was originally organized in 1888, and commenced operations a mile southwest of Bedford, where they owned a large tract of land underlaid with excellent blue oolitic limestone. The trade-mark adopted by the re-organized company, in 1895, was "Royal Blue Oolitic." This stone takes a polish equal to marble. It has long been used for ornamental work and monuments. In 1895 the capacity was only. three car loads per day, but it was soon increased materially. A portion of the great St. Louis union railway station was from this quarry. Also the front of the New York Commercial office.
Perry, Matthews & Buskirk Company took the highest rank in many particulars, in 1895, of any quarry in this wonderful stone belt. It was organized in 1889, when two hundred and forty acres were bought in the bluff ridge region, five miles to the north of Bedford. The company was not incorporated until 1893. W. N. Matthews was chosen president. The ledge is more than fifty feet in thickness; is slightly soft at first, but soon hardens. Ample capital always aided this concern to operate on an extensive plan. Eighteen years ago they were operating ten steam channel machines, six steam derricks, four steam drills, three steam pumps and sundry other machinery. Their annual capacity then was seven hundred thousand cubic feet. Eighty-five thousand feet were taken out in a single month. The Man- hattan Life Insurance Company's building of New York city, a splendid type of modern "sky-scraper." was from this quarry. Hundreds of other buildings scattered all over the Union attest the value of the product from this company's quarry.
The Peerless Stone Company was organized in April, 1890, with a capital of $100,000. The quarries are four miles north of Bedford, in about the center of the oolitic district. Here one sees forty feet of light bluff stone overlaying twelve feet of blue stone. This stone is within a few feet of the surface, making it easy of access. The residence of the late John Sherman, in Washington, D. C., was made from stone from this quarry. Scores, if not hundreds, of large structures in as many states and territories have been constructed from the stone here quarried by this company. The Peerless Stone Company was fitted up with the best of modern stone-work- ing machinery, propelled by a fifty-horse-power engine. This is another of the quarries that have made Bedford and Lawrence county famous the country over for its excellent grade of building stone.
The West Bedford Stone Company commenced its operations in the
200
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
early spring of 1892. It is located three-fourths of a mile west of the city of Bedford. Most of the output here is a dark gray limestone, suitable for the construction of massive structures. The residence of Mayor Roach, of Chicago, was erected from this stone here obtained. It has stood the test of many years.
The Standard Stone Company was organized in January, 1893, with a capital stock of $50,000, with A. B. Tressler as its president. The company purchased three hundred and twenty-five acres of land, about a half mile north of the city limits of Bedford. Modern appliances and machinery was employed from the beginning of their operations. The Bedford Belt rail- road passes through their lands and thus the product is the more easily and cheaply removed to main lines for the far distant markets where their stone is ever in excellent demand. Here both the buff and blue oolitic stone are found in immense quantities. Stone from these quarries were a part of the once famous Rawlins Mill and the abutments of the rather ancient bridge that crosses the river at that point. For nearly seventy-five years these stone have held the clear tool marks and are in an excellent state of preservation even at this late day.
The Oolitic Stone Company of Indiana have great quarries fifteen miles north of Bedford, on the Monon railroad line, where the company in 1895 owned a quarter section of superior stone land. This is a part of the old David Reed estate and every stone operator knows what marked success attended this gentleman's efforts in years long since passed. Nearly a score of years ago the capital stock of this company was $100,000, and the equip- ments of the plants there operated were of the most improved type. Ten car loads of stone per day were easily taken out there as long ago as 1895. Stone from here went into the great Auditorium in Chicago, now so famous in national history. Other immense structures recalled now in which this stone figured largely were the Criminal Court building and the celebrated Chicago Public Library; the Coffee Exchange, New York, and the Temple Beth Synagogue, New York, with a number of buildings in Philadelphia, Boston and other eastern cities.
The Bedford Quarry Company, of which W. J. Tubman, of Chicago, was formerly president, was incorporated with a capital of $75.000, and at first they owned forty-eight acres a few miles to the north of Bedford. Dark blue stone was the specialty at these quarries. None but the best equipment was allowed place in the plant they installed. Five hundred thou- sand cubic feet of stone was their annual capacity, twenty years ago. It will be understood that this quarry is within the famous Dark Hollow district
201
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
where the stone crops out with bold perpendicular faces, which record plainly the stand points of streams through the long ages during which they have been engaged in hewing out of a solid rock their deep valleys. From ten to twenty-five feet thick, this stone ledge is of a workable grade of superior building stone. Among the buildings erected from this stone may be named those erected in the nineties and early in this century, the Catholic cathedral on Grand avenue, St. Louis, and the Brooks residence in Chicago.
The Bedford Quarries Company (not the same as above) is known wherever Bedford stone is known, and that is every part of this Union. The holdings of this giant concern in 1895 comprised nearly one thousand acres of choice stone land, with expensive, practical and up-to-date machin- ery to handle immense amounts of stone. They owned the "Hoosier," the "New Hoosier," "Buff Ridge," "Oolitic No. 1," "Oolitic No. 2," and the "Louisville and Bedford." So well and favorably is this company and their vast quarries known that it is idle to here enlarge upon their output of building material. They are situated in the Buff Ridge region, five miles northwest of Bedford, in a section about one mile wide and three in length. From forty to sixty feet of solid stone is here found waiting the future years, for after all the vast tonnage that has already come from these quar- ries. it seems as if it had not yet been touched by the puny hand of man.
Nearly twenty years ago the machinery required by this company em- braced twenty channeling machines, ten steam derricks, all driven by ponder- ous engines. Here one saw many gangs of saws cutting and shaping into even, artistic stones a wonderful output. Electricity was the illuminating agency for the entire works. The number of buildings and monuments, that have been erected from the product of these quarries is very large, and only a few can here be enumerated. They are the Emigrant Savings Bank, New York City; Algonquin Club, Boston : Manufacturers' Club building, Phila- delphia ; Louisville & Nashville railroad bridge at Henderson, Kentucky, over the Ohio river ; Illinois Central railroad bridge at Cairo; Merchants' bridge, over the Mississippi at St. Louis; Kansas City & Memphis railroad bridge, at Memphis : court house at Columbia City, Logansport, and hundreds of business houses of lesser magnitude.
One of the later additions to the machinery of this plant is the stone- crushing outfit for crushing stone for railroad and highway purposes. This was the first company to engage in this growing industry in the country, at Bedford.
The Achme-Bedford Stone Company, whose quarries are situated three miles west of Bedford, occupies the original site of one of the original quar-
202
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIAN.A.
ries in this famous section of limestone in Indiana. Several years after Nathan Hall opened his quarry to the east of Bedford and John Glover began his operations on the south, another quarry was opened in a small way at this point by Moses F. and George W. Dunn. Like Hall and Glover's quarry, this quarry was worked in the old-fashioned and crude manner, and opera- tions soon ceased without the owners having discovered what an abundance of excellent stone there existed. Lack of the proper facilities caused these pioneer operators to become discouraged. Most of the men connected with this enterprise had no previous experience and the old quarry was after a time abandoned. It was not until 1890 that the Achme-Bedford company was organized and secured control of a very large tract of land, including the site of the old original quarries. This company was formed with John Rawle as its president and general manager, who had been interested in and connected with the stone industry from young manhood's days and was very competent and practical in all of his methods. He had mastered his calling in England. He came to America in 1868, but it was not until 1871 that he first saw the Bedford stone region. Through his expertness he soon won his way into the management of a quarry here and soon after was made the Chicago agent, and there spent his time in developing the interests of stone from this Bedford district. He it was to whom the first car of Bedford stone was billed at Chicago.
The state reports for 1911-12 stated that there were twenty-one stone mills in operation in this county at that time. The products of these mills were then being shipped to various parts of this country and Canada. "This county is also," says the report, "the seat of great cement plants, two of which are located at Mitchell, and these give employment to several hundred workmen, in one way and another. In the summer season many car loads daily of this superior cement go to many parts of the country. The lime- stone used in the making of this cement is quarried at Mitchell, while the shale that goes into the cement is shipped from Jackson county, Indiana. Bedford has one cement mill and is doing an extensive business, so far as their capacity will admit of."
PRESENT STATUS OF THE INDUSTRY.
Through the courtesy of one of the Stone Club's secretaries, Roy C Sowder, we are permitted to insert the following telling figures recently com- piled by him for this special purpose :
Bedford Stone Company, one mill.
203
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
M. F. Brooks Cut Stone Company, one mill.
C. S. Norton Blue Stone Company, one quarry.
Consolidated Stone Company, two quarries, one mill.
J. P. Falt Company, one mill.
East Bedford Stone Company, one mill, one quarry.
Ingalls Stone Company, two mills, one quarry.
Indiana Quarries Company, three mills, three quarries.
Henry Struble Cut Stone Company, one mill.
Indiana Bedford Stone Company, one mill, one quarry. Stone City Cut Stone Company, one mill.
Bedford Steam Stone Works, one mill and one quarry.
Bedford Stone Construction Company, one mill and one quarry.
Climax Stone Company, one mill.
Furst-Kerber Stone Company, two mills, one quarry.
E. F. Gilberson & Company, one mill, one quarry.
W. McMillan & Son, one mill, two quarries.
Shea & Donnelly, one mill.
Reed Stone Company, two mills, two quarries.
John A. Rowe Cut Stone Company, one mill.
Bedford is strictly a stone city. Here are located twenty-five of the largest cut-stone mills in the United States, shipping their product into almost every state in the Union, besides Canada, Cuba and the West Indies. At least sixteen large quarries supply these mills, besides shipping large quantities in the rough blocks east to New York and west to San Francisco. During the summer months, when the stone can be safely quarried and shipped, at least four thousand men are employed in all the lines of busi- ness and on the railroad to handle the output, at wages ranging from two to eight dollars per day. Ten switching crews are needed by the various rail- roads to handle the shipments.
THE BEDFORD STONE CLUB.
This club was organized in about 1900 by the members of various stone mill and quarry operators, at Bedford, and in a few years were incorporated. They had their club room at the corner of H and Sixteenth streets until recently, when the property was sold and now is the home of the Moose society. The members of the Stone Club expect to build a substantial home of their own in the city, in the near future. There are more than fifteen companies represented in this club, and it has proved of great service, both in a social and business way.
CHAPTER XVIII.
MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
Under this caption will appear numerous events of interest, not treated in the special and general chapters :
POPULATION OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.
The several United States census enumerations give the following on the population of Lawrence county : In 1820, 4, 116; 1830, 9,334; 1840, 11,782; 1850, 12,097: 1860, 13.692; 1870, 14,628; 1880, 18,543; 1890, 19.792 ; 1900, 25.729 ; 1910, 30,625.
In the enumeration of 1900 and 1910 the figures, by townships and cor- porations, was as follows :
1900
1910
Bono township
1,060
1,095
Flinn township
880
823
Guthrie township
1,295
1,056
Indian Creek township
2,356
2,379
Marion township and Mitchell
3,869
6,482
Marshall township
1,854
2,125
Perry township
810
717
Pleasant Run township
2,004
1,769
Shawswick township and City
9.436
12,480
Bedford City
6,115
8,716
Oolitic (town of)
1,079
Spice Valley township and Huron
2,165
1,699
Huron township
197
Total
25,729
30,625
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
The last federal census gives these figures: Total population in Law- rence county, 1910, 30,625 : number of males, 15,681 ; females, 14,598; col- ored males, 197; colored females, 148; foreign born white, 813; number dwellings, 6,916; number families, 7.050.
205
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
VILLAGE PLATS OF THE COUNTY.
Avoca was platted in the south half of the northwest quarter of section 32, township 6, range I west, July, 1819, by Hayden Bridwell.
Bedford was originally platted on a two-hundred-acre tract in sections 14 and 23, township 5 north, range I west, by the county seat locating com- missioners, March 30, 1825.
Bono, platted April 4, 1816. 4
Bryantsville (first called Paris), platted May 28, 1835, by Dr. F. Crooke.
Bartlettsville, platted by Samuel J. Bartlett on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 8, township 6, range I east, January 19, 1860.
Dixonville, platted in the center of section 10, township 4, range 2 east, by Lucy and Sarah Dixon, April 8, 1853.
Erie, platted by Dr. Joseph Gardner, April 29, 1901, on the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section II, township 5, range I west.
East Oolitic, platted by James D. Farmer, in the west half of section 3, township 5, range I west, September 1, 1900.
Fort Ritner, platted by Michael Ritner, May 29, 1857.
Fayetteville, platted by Ezra Kern, February 6, 1838.
Georgia, platted February 14, 1853, by John and Alexander Case, on section 12. township 3, range 2 west.
Guthrie, platted January 3, 1866, on the northeast quarter of the north- west quarter of section 3, township 6, range I west, by Winthrop Rinser.
Heltonville, platted on the west half of the northeast quarter of sec- tion 26, township 6, range I east, by Andrew Helton and wife, September 18, 1845.
Hancock, platted by Mrs. Martha E. Hancock, on the southeast quarter of section II, township 5, range I west, April 18, 1893.
Huron, platted March 15, 1859, on the northeast quarter of sectioni 6, township 3, range 2 west, by John Tewell and others.
Leesville was platted February 27, 1840, by William Flinn. Sr., and William Flinn, Jr.
Liberty was platted May 25, 1829, by John Lackey and Silas Beezley. Lawrenceport was platted May 17, 1837.
Limestone was platted December 11, 1888, by Isaac H. Crim, on section 4, township 5, range I west.
Mitchell was platted September 29, 1853, on section 36, township 4,
206
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
range I west, and on the north half of section 1, township 3, range I west, by John Sheeks and George W. Cochran.
Moore's Hill was platted November 10, 1904, on section 10, township 5, range I west, by William N. Matthews.
Oolitic was platted by the Bedford Quarries Company, March 23, 1896, on section 4, township 5, range I west.
Pattonville, platted March 10, 1891, by Enoch Patton, on the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 5, town- ship 5, range I west.
Peerless was platted November 13, 1891, by John Williams, on section 27, township 6, range I west.
Redding was platted by Robert Porter and wife and John R. Nugent and wife, August 25, 1842, on the southeast of section 15, township 4, range I west.
Rawlins was platted April 20, 1893, by the Standard Stone Company, on sections 10 and II, township 5, range I west.
Springville was platted on section 22, township 6, range 2 west, by Samuel Owens, July 11, 1832.
Silverville was platted July 26, 1855. on sections 19 and 20, township 5, range 2 west, by Robert C. McAfee.
Sunset was platted June 27, 1905, on section 15, township 5, range I west, by Euphennia R. Dunn.
Tunnelton was platted by Isaac Newkirk, on section 19, township 4, range 2 east. August 28, 1859.
Woodville was platted on section 26, township 4, range I west, by Edwin Wood and wife. December 10, 1849.
Williams was platted May 20, 1889, by Henry Cox, on sections 4 and 9, township 4. range 2 west.
Zelma, platted May 23, 1890, by Stephen and James Fountain, on the southeast quarter of section 21, township 6, range 2 east.
STORY OF PALESTINE, THE FIRST COUNTY SEAT.
The following is the substance of an article published several years ago, in the Indianapolis News, written by Hon. James H. Willard, and may be relied upon as authentic :
The story of Palestine, the first county seat of Lawrence county, is romantic and mournful. Since the days when Oliver Goldsmith wrote "The Deserted Village," a tinge of melancholy reminiscence has surrounded those
207
LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA.
abodes where men had experienced the hope, the disappointments and vicissi- tudes of life, had made their homes for years and then relinquished them to silence and decay. The story of Palestine is indeed a strange one, for it is of a town that at one time promised to be a metropolitan city, but was abandoned by man and reclaimed by nature. Green meadows and forest trees now occupy its former site and not even a foundation stone tells of a vanished town.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.