USA > Indiana > Lawrence County > History of Lawrence and Monroe counties, Indiana : their people, industries, and institutions > Part 37
USA > Indiana > Monroe County > History of Lawrence and Monroe counties, Indiana : their people, industries, and institutions > Part 37
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The present water works system was installed in 1892, when the city purchased the large tract of land known as Weimer's springs, which probably has solved for many years to come the water problem of Bloomington. The water is now obtained from three large lakes, fed by springs, and capable of . furnishing sufficient water for a city twice as large as this. In 1911 the city expended ten thousand dollars for a new lake and an increased pump-
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ing capacity, with various other improvements. Water taken from these lakes, several miles from the city, passes through a large filter composed of one foot layer of broken rock, two feet of gravel and one foot of sharp sand. It is then pumped by three powerful engines to the city, at the rate of four million gallons per twenty-four hours. More than sixteen miles of eight and twelve-inch pipes traverse the streets, giving to all within the corporation, who desire it, a good quality of water, at fair rates.
POSTOFFICE AFFAIRS.
The Bloomington postoffice has been of the second class of offices since 1894, about which date it also became a free delivery office. It now has seven city carriers and ten rural route carriers. Its business for the last fiscal year (June 30, 1913) amounted to $37,427. Its departments are all com- plete and well up to the standard required by the postoffice department at Washington. It has the rural free delivery system, with its ten routes, averaging about twenty miles each, to the outlying districts of the county; its postal savings department, with deposits, on September 1, 1913, amount- ing to $13,500 ; its money order department, doing a large monthly business; its newly established parcel post department and all the modern appliances for handling the mails with certainty and dispatch. It is now located in the new federal building, completed June 7, 1913, at an expense to the govern- ment of $82,000. It is built of the celebrated oolitic stone that has made Monroe county famous. The interior walls are all faced with spotless marble, and the floors of fire-proof stone flooring, while the cases and general furniture are as magnificent as any bank building in the state.
The present efficient and accommodating postmaster. Oscar H. Cravens, was commissioned May 22, 1913. under President Woodrow Wilson. The office force of capable assistants are as follows: Walter Burke, assistant postmaster ; Milton L. Borden and Howard Farr, money order and register clerks; Lowell C. Day, delivery and stamp clerk; James Thrasher, A. H. Pering, David Houston, T. J. Adams, clerks; S. P. Cardwell and Homer Hinkle, janitors; H. A. Seward, W. L. Dowden, C. H. Alexander, S. C. Coffee, Hoy Baker, city carriers; Henry Munson, W. E. Buzzard, W. J. Koontz, R. A. Kilpatrick, A. P. Blewett, H. A. Sexton, Porter Hazel, Wil- burn Hunter, A. M. Hardy, rural free delivery carriers; Joseph Neill, Jesse Neill, John Payne, substitute carriers.
The postmasters at Bloomington since the establishment of the office, together with the date of their appointment, is as follows :
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David H. Maxwell ( established) February 15, 1825; William Lowe, June 6, 1829; John Bowland, March 9, 1833; Barton R. Byers, January 29, 1834; Abram Buskirk, April 16, 1839; Geo. H. Johnston, July 29, 1839; Abram Buskirk, September 7, 1839; David H. Maxwell, May 31, 1841; John M. Berry, December 30, 1845; David H. Maxwell, October 2, 1849; John M. Berry, December 2, 1852; Benjamin Wolfe, December 28, 1857 ; William M. Tate, March 15, 1861 ; J. G. McPheeters, March 14, 1865; Tilghman H. Gentry, May 2, 1867; J. G. McPheeters, May 26, 1869; Henry J. Feltus, July 20, 1885; Joseph G. McPheeters, July 20, 1889; Rufus H. East, April 20, 1893; Lawrence V. Buskirk, May 27, 1897; Walter Bradfute, January 23, 1907 ; Oscar H. Cravens, May 22, 1913.
In 1883-84 the city council appropriated $1,000 to sink an artesian well on the public square. At a depth of one hundred and twenty-five feet crude petroleum was found, and natural gas at a depth of seven hundred and seventy- five feet. But it did not appear that the products were found in sufficient quantities to work.
During the present year (1913) the city school board is erecting an $80,000 high school building, on the old college campus in the southern part of the city. The $80,000 federal building, built of solid stone, is the attraction of resident and stranger, alike.
THE COMMERCIAL CLUB.
The Bloomington Commercial Club, organized a few years since, has been the means of bringing the city to the notice of the outside world as nothing has ever been able to do before. This organization is made up of the best, most active men in the city and is ever alert to the interests of all that tends to upbuild and make better the city and county. Its present officers and directors are : James Karsell, president ; C. H. Springer, secretary ; G. C. Davis, treasurer. The board of directors are: Oscar H. Cravens, T. J. Sare, Alex. Hirsh, W. A. Fulwider, S. C. Freese, G. C. Davis, S. C. Dodds, L. S. Field, George H. Talbott, E. H. Lindley, W. H. Worley, A. C. Coyle, E. M. C. Hobbs. E. R. Fletcher and Charles B. Waldron.
OTHER CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
In the summer of 1913 the following clubs and organizations had a healthy existence in Bloomington : The Boys Club, the Delphian Club, the Indiana Club and the Indiana University Club ; also the military organizations
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of Company H, First Regiment Infantry, Indiana National Guard; Company H, Hospital Corps, Indiana National Guard; Bloomington Band : Indiana Uni- versity Band, and places of amusement as follows: The Crescent, Harris Grand, Princess and Rex theaters.
The state statistical reports for 1909 gave the following concerning the city of Bloomington :
Its population in 1910 was 8,838, an increase of 2,378 since the census of 1900. It is located on the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville and the Indianapolis & Southern railways; has ten free rural routes; the American Express company ; the Western Union telegraph; Bell and Independent tele- phone companies ; two daily and one weekly newspapers ; eleven miles of sewer ; one mile of improved streets ; five public school buildings ; two national banks, state bank, trust and savings bank, three building and loan associations; a commercial club ; the Young Men's Christian Association and Young Women's Christian Association ; brick and tile mill; wagon factory ; cigar factory ; two flourishing mills ; a basket factory ; one glove and mitten factory ; one broom factory ; five stone saw mills ; two other saw mills; twenty-two physicians; twenty-five lawyers: six dentists; two veterinary surgeons; two dry goods stores ; eight drug stores ; two department stores ; four hardware stores; four jewelry stores ; three shoe stores; two book stores; six millinery stores; three furniture stores ; two music houses ; three wall paper and paint stores ; three harness shops; four undertaking establishments ; six clothing stores ; five con- fectionaries . four building material houses; two machine shops; six livery stables ; two garages: three hotels; six restaurants: ten barber shops ; three hair dressing rooms; five meat markets; two moving picture shows; three tailor shops : three second-hand stores ; two produce stores ; estimated number of employes engaged in the manufacturing plants of the city. 650: weekly pay-roll, $12,000. No saloons.
PHENOMENAL DEVELOPMENT IN FIVE YEARS.
No other half decade in the history of any Indiana city has shown the marked growth in population and real substantial improvement exhibited by Bloomington from 1907 to 1912. It has witnessed the change from a con- servative and slowly developed town into a completely equipped and pro- gressive modern city. New transportation facilities, new court house, new buildings, both public and private, have marked this five-year period in the city's history. Now the city is known for its beautiful homes and contented populace. Here one finds the homes of men from almost every calling in
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life-homes for the great army of workers in shop, mill and factory, for the instructors of Indiana University,-and for the workers and owners and operators of the great oolitic stone industry of the community. These homes, neatly and well built, are an ornament to the city and the talk of the "stranger within the gates." The business section of the place has been doing its full share in these eventful five years. Handsome new structures have been reared in place of old, time-honored, but worn-out buildings. The ancient court house has been torn away and the half-million-dollar temple of justice adorns the spot about which clusters so much of ancient town history and tradition. This building stands a monument to the thrift, enterprise and good taste of a prosperous city and county.
As one writer puts it: "Five years have brought Bloomington many new people. Men and women of rare refinement have been attracted to the city by its delightful location and its exceptional educational advantages. Business men of keen ability and foresight have been induced to cast their lot among us, attracted by the rare business advantages here found in every hand. The population has almost doubled in five years ; the character of the many new structures indicate what type of people are in charge of affairs here now."
Is this a thing of chance? No, indeed. Here has been organized the Bloomington Commercial Club, an organization with no selfish, personal aims, but, on the contrary, the general up-building of a permanent and great com- mercial and home city, the future of which is now assured. The unique slogan of this Commercial Club is the key to what has been accomplished and what may be looked for in the near future, "Pride of Indiana and the Center of the Oolitic Stone Belt."
REMINISCENCES OF BLOOMINGTON AND HIER PEOPLE.
By Amzi Atwater.
It was in January, 1865, that 1 came to Bloomington to be pastor of the Christian church and study in the university. The church building stood where the parsonage now stands, the pulpit platform covering nearly the place where the east end of the front porch is now. The Methodist church was located on the west side of the railroad near the corner of Sixth and Madison streets. The Presbyterian church at that time was known as "Old School and New School." The Old School was located on the east side of the public square, the New School on Sixth street just west of the present site of the Bowles hotel. While the influential Ballentine and Foster families were in the New School, the greater numbers and wealth were with the older organiza-
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tion. A few years later the cause of their national separation having been removed, the two united on the east side. The Baptist, United Presbyterian and Catholic churches, when they built new and commodious houses later on, retained the same lots they had occupied before.
Among the men whom I found leading in the Christian church in 1865 were David Batterton, Johnson Mccullough, Barton W. Cole, Richard A. Fulk, Ellis Sluss (Captain John Sluss, being in poor health, could not take much part), William A. Clark, Joshua Hoover, Andrew Hoover, Henry Rhorer. Thomas Holtzman, Benjamin Smith and many others. All the officers of that day have died or became inactive. William A. Clark was the leader of the music, using a tuning-fork to get the key and had his singers gather about the great central pillar or a little in front of it. He probably held membership in the church longer than any other one of these officers, beginning in 1846 and ending with his death in June, 1911, making him about sixty-five years. At the age of eighty-five he could attend with us and enjoy the worship, his son. Rev. Thomas J. Clark, being the pastor.
Forty-eight years ago Bloomington had only a small population. In 1865 there may have been a little over two thousand people; now (1913) we have perhaps ten thousand. The census of 1910 gave 8,838. We had the one railroad then (not then called the "Monon," which is a later designation, but simply the "L. N. A. and C.," which some inventive genius translated the "Long, Narrow, Awkward and Crooked"). There had been no improvement of streets at that time, probably not even about the square, and after the rains, the freezing and thawing in February and March, the wagon-wheels sank in mud holes nearly to the hub.
The town in 1865 was contained in narrow limits. There was no South Park, Maple Heights, Fair View, Prospect Hill, Kenwood, Cottage Grove, University Park, University Heights, nor Allen's Addition. The ground of these additions was mostly farm land then. On none of the streets did the line of houses extend very far out.
The present Dunn street marked the eastern edge of the town at that day as far south as Third street. Beyond was Dunn's woods, the present site of the university. East of the present Grant street (all these names are com- paratively modern) and north of Kirkwood avenue what houses there were amounted to nothing more than mere cabins. East Fifth street (Kirkwood avenue) presented a sorry appearance. There were but few two-story dwell- ing houses in the whole town. I think I could go over the city now and point out the site of almost every two-story house that was then in existence in
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January, 1865. Let me try to mention a few prominent places and their occupants. If I should make any mistake old citizens are at liberty to cor- rect me. President Cyrus Nutt when he first came to take charge of the University in 1860 rented the house at the corner of Third and College ave- nue, once the Cornelius Perring house, later the house of Mrs. Nancy Alex- ander. As a prospective student, I called on him there in July, 1861. Presi- dent Nutt later on bought the property on North College avenue always known as the Dr. Nutt place, now owned by Mrs. Hill, widow of State Treasurer Hill.
In 1865 Judge Samuel Buskirk lived in the two-story house which was torn down in 1879 to make room for the College Avenue Methodist church. The large building at the corner of Seventh and College avenue was still counted the Ladies' Seminary, though some boys attended. The high school building was small and plain. It is now occupied by the colored school. The chief common school building of 1865 was the old tannery. The vats had been filled up, the children walked over them and climbed the stairs to school rooms which had been used for the manufacture of leather. The passers-by would sometimes banteringly call the children "tan-rats," which of course they resented.
But the chief tannery was run by John Waldron, near the corner of Fifth and Madison streets, where has ever since been located the family home.
Miss Mattie Cherry, Miss Margaret McCalla, later city superintendent, Miss Mary Henderson, later Mrs. Joseph Dinsmore, and Miss Belle Hainey, later Mrs. Dr. Foster, were the chief teachers. Some six or eight years later (I cannot be accurate on the date) Col. James Thompson, of the college faculty, lately from the United States army, being placed upon the school board, suggested to the authorities that the low and unsightly tannery lot should be filled up and be made the location of the new school building. This idea he carried out and the fine Central building was the result. The Maxwell family had lived for some years in their house on South College avenue, but a little previous to the time of which I speak had transferred the property to Joseph M. Howe, the dry goods merchant, who then occupied it. The Max- wells had moved to the farm for the benefit of the children. Some twenty years later they returned to town and still later they repurchased the beautiful old home. In 1865 William Stewart lived in his property at the west end of Third street. It had been known as the Governor Dunning place, after- ward it was called the Jacob Young place, later the Dillon House. Over on the hill to the south was one of the attractive and sightly places of town,
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though the house was simply a large cottage. It was the home of Judge James Hughes and was surrounded by evergreens.
The stumps of some of these trees may possibly be visible to this day on Prospect hill, but the rare old grounds, after falling into dilapidation, have been cut through and divided up, and are mostly now covered with pleasant homes. Over in the west part of town, between Fifth and Sixth streets, was the Tarkington place-the residence, for a time, of Banker Tarkington. Some of his evergreens, I think, can be seen there yet.
Out on Fair View (as now called) the front porch of Thomas Mulikin overlooked his cow pasture. The roomy house of Zimri Worley ( father of Craig Worley), also surrounded by pasture ground and presenting a mag- nificent view, could not have been far to the south of the present site of the Seventh school building. The house of Elias Able stood at the corner of Seventh and Rogers. That old man's memory was something remarkable and a main reliance in local history. The old yellow brick house you see on South Morton street, near Central school building, was the home of David Batterton. There was one of the most honest, most faithful, most worthy men in the town. His nearest neighbor was Milton McPhetridge.
Time and the noise of railroad and planing mill have made the old place almost untenable. Prof. James Woodburn lived in his substantial brick house on North College avenue, which his son. Prof. James \. Woodburn, now owns. When Professor Woodburn died suddenly in September. 1865. as college was about to open, I was unexpectedly called to take his place. Our most noted astronomer and college professor, Dr. Daniel Kirkwood, lived on the east side of the avenue by the side of President Nutt. The place is now the residence of Editor Walter Bradfute.
Gen. Morton C. Hunter was absent in the war in the early weeks of 1865. but his family remained in their beautiful home on the hill to the north, ever since known as the General Hunter place. He made a good record both in the army and in Congress, and if his health had not suddenly failed as it did, he would doubtless have been elected Governor of Indiana. The fine old Doctor Wylie place on Second street. for so many years the home of learning, refinement and old time hospitality, still stands, but slightly changed. Occu- pied by his worthy family, it is a reminder of the good man who was long among us. Among the excellent men whom I met when I came to Blooming- ton was the pastor of the New School Presbyterian church, Rev. Mr. Bishop. He lived on East Seventh street. Prof. Elisha Ballentine bought the place of him. When the house burned in the seventies, Professor Ballentine re-
.
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built it, and made it his residence till his death in 1886. The place was doubly honored by noble occupants. It is now the residence of Henry Woolery. I also liked Rev. Hopkins, pastor of the Old School Presbyterian church, and counted him a warm friend.
But time would fail me to mention all the residences worthy of note at that day. There was the fine house of Benjamin McGee on North College avenue, now owned by W. J. Allen. University Trustee Nat Browning had the corner of Tenth and Walnut, later held by J. B. Clark. Austin Seward (the builder of the foundry and a great mechanic ) was still living in his brick house at the corner of Walnut and Seventh streets, later transferred to John May. Merchant William O. Fee was in a frame house (on the opposite corner ), which he later replaced by his large mansion with the high ceilings.
Further to the south was the Dr. McPheeters corner, now occupied by a grocery and other business. There was the large brick house of Johnson Mc- Collough on South Walnut street, later the home of J. C. Worley, and the homes of Mrs. Kelly, Rev. Levi Hughes and Mrs. Dunn of East Third street. WV. B. Seward lived till his death in the same house and on the same corner of Washington street he had forty years ago. Is there another instance among our business men of such continuous occupancy? William F. Brown- ing, one of our oldest residents, was living on North College avenue, opposite the Female Seminary and the residence of James Small.
The bank of Akin and Tarkington, having ceased in war times to do busi- ness, there was no bank in Bloomington forty years ago. People had to ob- tain and cash their drafts as best they could. A little later. Smith Hunter, brother of Gen. M. C. Smith, started a kind of banker's office in a building where Campbell's dry goods store is now. Through his hands the professors received their salaries and cash on their drafts. There has been a wonderful change among business men. So completely has this taken place, that there is not a single firm of forty years ago doing business on the public square. But this must be said by way of explanation. The Seward Foundry firm is no doubt the oldest business firm in the city and of course they were in business at the time I mention, but just off the square to the north. Rev. Charles Show- ers was running a small furniture factory at the time, with the assistance of his sons, James and William. John W. Davis was working at the tailoring trade down in the Orchard House at that time, and W. W. Wicks, now running his large dry goods establishment, was then, or a few months later, a clerk for C. P. Tuley in his store about where the Kahn clothing house is now; and Capt. W. J. Allen, having bought out David Batterton's tin and stove shop.
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began selling hardware soon after he returned from the war in the summer of 1865. Mr. Davis, at the age of eighty-four, held the record for sticking to his calling to extreme old age. Beginning in 1848, he kept on, with a brief interruption, to 1905, as he could and did make clothes to order at that very time, and kept it up to his eighty-eighth year. His ninety-fourth year (1913) finds him able to go about.
Here and there a big hole in the ground might be seen in the outskirts of the town ; here people got their building stone. These would not be called quarries now. Some say people hauled building stone from a distance, which they could easily have obtained by a few feet of digging, not realizing the wealth that was underneath them.
THE LINCOLN FUNERAL.
There being then no public hall in town other than the court house, on great occasions the college chapel was brought into requisition. Such an occasion was the funeral of President Lincoln. The universal outpouring of grief and horror over his assassination, April 15, 1865, was so great as to de- mand the tolling of bells and assembling of the people in churches and public halls in all the cities of the northern states. Each town, moved by a common and spontaneous excitement, held its own funeral for the President. Bloom- ington was forward in the patriotic movement. The feeling was so intense and the throng was so great as to fill not only every seat, but every foot of standing room in the big chapel, and crowded the doorways and all space back to the stairs. It was arranged for President Nutt to preside and the city pastors and leading citizens to speak. Among the latter was Governor Dunn- ing (ex-lieutenant-governor), whose home was then in Bloomington. I re- member well how he rose in the crowd near the west chapel door and with his stentorian voice said "Sinner as I am" (then he went on to claim some merit for his present deep emotion).
CHAPTER XVI.
BEAN BLOSSOM TOWNSHIP.
Bean Blossom township is the extreme northwestern sub-division of the county of Monroe, and is among the roughest parts of the county, topographi- cally speaking. Its chief stream is Bean Blossom creek, which enters the town- ship from the east side, two miles from the southeast corner, runs in a north- erly direction and empties into White river, which stream forms a portion of the northwestern boundary of the county. A stone deposit, known as Amer- ican marble, abounds in immense quantities and this is the chief resource of the township. No better stone is found in all Indiana. It is, geologically speaking, a part of the Warsaw division of the Lower St. Louis group. In color it is a light gray, with bluish streaks, susceptible of a high polish. Tens of thousands of tons of this and other grades of excellent limestone are quar- ried from this strata annually. Great blocks are taken out from these in- valuable quarries and shipped to distant parts of the country. Steam power and saws are usually employed in getting this stone out for commercial uses. Many local monuments have been made from this product. Perhaps the finest grade of this stone has been quarried at Big Creek quarry, one mile to the west of Stinesville. On section 3f the formation, as noted by state re- ports, is as follows: Soil, four feet ; sandstones and fossils, forty feet ; argillaceous layers, ten feet ; limestone, Upper St. Louis group, regularly bedded, forty feet, making a total of ninety-four feet.
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