USA > Indiana > Miami County > History of Miami County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 28
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A company was then incorporated under the name of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Company and such encouragement was given to the undertaking by the people living along the route that the road was completed in 1856. When this company leased the Lake Erie & Western the headquarters of the western division were removed from Fort Wayne to Peru and the office of the chief train despatcher was also located there. This action on the part of the Wabash added to the importance of Peru as a railroad center.
THE PAN HANDLE
This road, which belongs to the system known as the Pennsylvania Lines west of Pittsburgh, has been an important factor in the develop- ment of the southern part of Miami county. It enters the county near the southeast corner and follows a northwesterly course, through the towns of Converse, Amboy, North Grove, Loree and Bunker Hill, and crosses the western boundary about two miles north of the southwest corner of Pipe Creek township. It was built through the county imme- diately after the close of the Civil war, having been completed about 1867. It gives the southern part of the county a direct line to Chicago and all the great eastern commercial centers.
When this road was securing and surveying its right of way through Miami county it proposed to come to Peru and make this its shop head- quarters. All the company asked of the Peru people was a bridge to span the Wabash river. In this day of subsidies and bonuses it is scarcely conceivable that so liberal a proposition should meet with oppo- sition, but a sufficient number of influential people arrayed themselves
257
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
against the proposal to defeat it. The road then went to Logansport and practically made that city. The people of Peru have never ceased to regret, even to this day, their short-sightedness. Many who actively opposed the proposition lived to regret their action.
THE EEL RIVER ROAD
What is known as the Eel River Railroad was constructed through Miami county in 1871 and 1872. It runs from Logansport to Butler. Indiana, and from the latter point its trains run to Detroit over the tracks of another company. The Miami county stations on this line are Mexico, Denver, Chili and Pettysville. Some years ago the line was leased by the Wabash for a period of ninety-nine years at an annual rental of $90,000. This lease was made the subject of litigation and was finally set aside by the court, on the grounds that the Wabash could not lease or otherwise control a parallel or competing line. On June 10, 1901, the road was sold by the receiver to Elijah Smith, who rep- resented the original stockholders, for $1,000,000. Not long after that it was leased by the Vandalia Railroad Company, which still operates it. Under the present management the character of the service has been improved and the volume of business has been increased.
THE PERU & DETROIT
In 1889 some of the capitalists and manufactures of Peru, desiring some other outlet to the north other than that afforded by the Lake Erie & Western, organized a company to build a line from Peru to Chili, where it would connect with the Eel River road. On May 28, . 1889, the people of Peru township voted an appropriation of $40,000 and the county commissioners ordered a tax levy of one dollar on each $100 worth of property in the township for the years 1889 and 1890 for the construction of the road. This tax yielded a fund of nearly $44,000 and after paying the subsidy of $40,000 the balance was turned into the county treasury. The road was completed the same year (1889) and was leased to the Wabash for ninety-nine years.
When the organization was perfected C. H. Brownell was chosen president of the company. Mr. Brownell had long been identified with railroad interests as director and otherwise and he was regarded as the logical Peruvian to occupy that position with the new enterprise, which was regarded locally as a remarkable achievement and a harbinger of city expansion and prosperity. It was proposed on the part of the Wabash Railroad Company to build extensive shops at Peru and it began to fulfill its part of the contract, building a round-house and shops Vol. 1-17
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
which are still in use north of the railroad and west of Miami street, but they never grew to the proportions contemplated owing to subse- quent litigation and the enforced abandonment by the Wabash of the Peru & Detroit and Eel river lines. Citizens of Logansport, which city had been deprived of the terminal benefits which now naturally accrued to Peru, began a suit to set aside the lease on the ground that the law did not countenance a lease to a competing line. After long litigation this view was upheld by the courts and the well laid plans of the Peru citizens came to naught. For years right of way and tracks of the Peru & Detroit lay idle and went into a state of decay. Finally the road was purchased and rehabilitated by the Winona Traction Company.
The other local men associated officially with Mr. Brownell on the Peru & Detroit board were Louis B. Fulwiler, secretary and director, and R. A. Edwards, treasurer. The other directors were St. Louis men affiliated with the Wabash system.
Besides the subsidy voted for the Peru & Detroit a considerable sub- scription, possibly $25,000, was raised among the citizens.
CHICAGO, INDIANA & EASTERN
A company was incorporated under this name in the spring of 1893 and came forward with a proposition to build a road through Miami county, provided encouragement was offered in the way of liberal appropriations. On June 2, 1893, an election was held in the townships of Jackson and Peru, at which the people of Jackson voted a subsidy of $15,000 and the people of Peru township, $50,000. To raise the money the commissioners ordered a levy of seventy-five cents on each $100 worth of taxable property in the two townships for the year 1893. Nothing was done by the company that year toward the construction of the road and the commissioners rescinded the order levying the tax. After building about ten miles of road-from Fairmount to Matthews, in Grant county-the company became involved in law suits with regard · to the right of way, and in November, 1895, was placed in the hands of receiver by the Grant county circuit court. It was finally enabled to complete the road from Muncie to Converse.
CHESAPEAKE & OHIO
When this road was projected in the year 1900 it was known as the Cincinnati, Richmond & Muncie. From Cincinnati to the suburb of Cottage Grove its trains were to run over the tracks of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railway, and the intention was to extend the line to North Judson, Indiana, whence trains would use the tracks of the
259
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
Erie railroad into Chicago. On March 1, 1901, an election was held in the city of Marion on the question of granting financial aid to the company and the proposition was defeated. Immediately after this the citizens of Peru started a movement to bring the road to that city. On Wednesday evening, March 13, 1901, a meeting was held at the circuit court room to ascertain the sentiment of the people on the sub- ject. Some of those present had been to Richmond to investigate the matter and they reported that the road was being constructed in a sub- stantial manner. A petition that had been prepared, asking the county commissioners to call a special election to vote on the question of grant- ing aid to the road, was read by H. P. Loveland, and speeches were made by N. N. Antrim, E. T. Reasoner, J. O. Cole, F. M. Stutesman, W. C. Bailey, C. A. Cole and a number of others, all of whom expressed themselves in favor of rendering assistance to the company.
The petition requested an election, at which the people could vote on the proposition for Peru township to appropriate $60,000 and Jack- son township $15,000, the money not to be paid until the road was completed to Peru and trains running between that city and the south- ern terminus, and it was further stipulated that the road was to be completed to Peru by January 1, 1902. In response to this petition the commissioners ordered an election in the two townships for April 23, 1901. When the subsidy for the C. R. & M. was about to be voted upon the advocates of the enterprise found that they had opposition, supposedly from the Pennsylvania Railroad, which would meet compe- tition from the new line. An exceedingly active and even bitter cam- paign followed, with a result probably of a larger majority for the measure than would otherwise have been accorded. The proposition was carried by handsome majorities in both townships, the terms were accepted by the company and work on the road was prosecuted with such vigor that the first passenger train arrived at Peru at 3:07 P. M., December 29, 1901. The next day the first passenger train left. Peru for Cincinnati.
The first train to arrive at Peru on December 29th was greeted by a large concourse of people, with a brass band, etc., to celebrate in a fit- ting manner the completion of the road to that city. A number of Peru people went out and met the train, just to have it said that they were among the passengers on the first train that came in over the C. R. & M. Railway.
On August 5, 1902, a petition was presented to the county commis- sioners asking for an additional appropriation of $24,450 to aid the road in establishing its round-house and machine shops at Peru, the money not to be paid until the company acquired at least thirty acres
260
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
of ground and permanently located the said round-house and shops. The petition was signed by sixty-one taxpayers and in response to this popular request the commissioners ordered an election for September 9, 1902, when the proposition was carried by a substantial majority of the voters of Peru township.
Owing to the fact that the municipal indebtedness of the city of Peru was almost up to the constitutional limit, the matter of raising the money to secure the railroad shops was taken up by the Peru Improvement and Park Association, which was incorporated for that purpose. This association acquired a tract of land "north of and along the Wabash river and south of the Wabash & Erie canal, eastward from the wagon bridge near the west line of Richardville Reserve No. 5, on what is known as the Reyburn farm, the same to comprise and include the entire grove on said farm." By a special ordinance of the Peru city council, a contract was entered into between the city and the Improvement and Park Association, by which the city was to occupy a certain portion of this land as a public park for a period of ten years, upon payment of an annual rental of $3,200, and was given the option of purchase of said land "at any time within six months after the first day of January, 1913."' The association then made preparations for borrowing the necessary amount of money to secure the shops. In a circular issued at the time it is stated :
"The method of borrowing this money is as follows: The Peru Improvement and Park Association will issue $50,000 of bonds in denominations $100 to $1,000 with interest at 5 per cent payable semi- annually on January 1st and July 1st, and with the right to pay on those dates on the principal of each bond whatever amount the company is able to pay in addition to the interest due; payments to be made in proportion on all bonds, and no bond whatever to receive any pay- ment unless all other bonds have the same per cent paid. These bonds will be secured by a mortgage duly and legally executed by the company and covering all the assets of the company enumerated above, excepting the cash subscription, which it is necessary to use to pay the current expenses, and the excess of land and donation over $50,000."
The assets referred to in the preceding paragraph, as set forth in the circular, were: 1. The park contract with the city of Peru; 2. The donation voted by Peru township on September 9, 1902; 3. Certain real estate over and above that set apart for park purposes, which could · be platted into lots and sold. The trustees named in the mortgage were James O. Cole, Frank W. Bearss and Benjamin E. Wallace. The bonds were liberally subscribed for by the people of Peru and in this way was raised the money to secure the permanent location of the round- house and shops, making Peru a division point on the railroad.
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
The park scheme worked out admirably and in December, 1913, the city having paid the tenth annual rental, exercised its option and, upon payment of the agreed sum of one dollar, received a deed to the park grounds. In the meantime the park association had paid off its bonds and the whole plan, which was originally devised to enable the munici- pality to obligate itself for a large sum without hindrance by the two per cent debt limit, was carried successfully through. Thus the citi- zens raised a bonus for the city, which, together with that voted at the same time by the township, made an amount sufficient to secure the shops and a binding contract was entered into pledging the shops to be continued here through all subsequent ownerships. Thus, too, the city came into possession of a park without primarily designing that acquirement. Henry Meinhardt was secretary and treasurer and Louis' B. Fulwiler was president of the Improvement and Park Association and the former did most of the detail work throughout all the nego- tiations. For a short time, however, J. G. Breckenridge was secretary and Sig. Frank, treasurer.
In 1905, soon after the road was finished to North Judson, it became known as the Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville and was operated in con- nection with the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton System. Thus will be noticed the coincidence of two roads called the Chicago, Cincin- nati & Louisville running through Miami county, though they had no connection with each other whatever. Subsequently it was acquired by the Chesapeake & Ohio, thus giving Peru direct connection with Cincinnati, Washington, and all the principal cities of the East.
ELECTRIC LINES
At the May term of the county commissioners' court in 1900 a peti- tion of. the Wabash River Traction Company, asking for a right of way over certain highways, came up for consideration and was continued until the next term. On June 5, 1900, a petition of the citizens of Peru township asked the commissioners to order an election in said town- ship, "to vote on the question of appropriating $20,000 for the construc- tion of an electric railway through the township by the Wabash River Traction Company." At the same time a remonstrance was filed, but the board granted the petitioners the privilege of amending their peti- tion. When the amended petition came before the board on the 8th, arguments for and against it were heard, after which the commission- ers refused to order the election. Thus ended the first effort to secure an electric line to Peru.
On August 8, 1900, the Wabash River Traction Company petitioned for a right of way over certain highways in Miami county, "Beginning
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
in the Peru and Paw Paw gravel road at a point where the said road is intersected by the east line of the corporate limits of the City of Peru; thence along the said Peru and Paw Paw gravel road in an eastwardly direction to a point where the same is intersected by the public high- way running in an eastwardly direction along the south side of the Wabash & Erie Canal; thence along the said highway on the south side of the Wabash & Erie Canal in an eastwardly direction to the county line between Miami county and Wabash county."
This petition was supplemented by one from some of the property holders along the proposed route, asking that the right of way be granted. Accordingly, the commissioners granted the company a franchise for fifty years, with the privilege of using the desired route, under certain conditions. About the same time the city authorities of Peru gave the company the privilege of laying its tracks and running cars upon certain streets in that city. The first car on this line came into Peru on July 1, 1901, drawn by three horses, laying out the cable for the trolley line. Six cars arrived on July 4, 1901, and four more came in on the 9th. These were taken to the power house and made ready for service and on the 27th regular car service was inaugurated.
On September 3, 1901, Fred C. Boyd, who had been interested in the Wabash River Traction Company from the beginning, as trustee, peti- tioned for a right of way and franchise over certain roads from the western limits of the city of Peru to the county line. His petition was granted the same day, but with the understanding that no special elec- tions should be asked for to vote aid in building the road, and that the company should keep in repair all ditches and bridges, building new bridges where the old ones were not sufficiently strong to support the weight of the cars. It was further stipulated that the franchise, with the conditions imposed, should be accepted by June 1, 1902, or the franchise would be forfeited. On May 7, 1902, Boyd accepted the terms · of the franchise and on the same day transferred it to the Wabash River Traction Company. In due time the line was completed to Fort Wayne on the east and to Lafayette on the west, and is now known as the Fort Wayne & Northern Indiana Traction Company.
Early in the year 1902 the Indianapolis Northern Traction Com- pany was given a right of way through the southern part of the county. On March 25, 1902, George F. Mccullough, Horace C. Stilwell, H. A. Richardson and other representatives of the Indiana Union Traction Company visited Peru looking for a franchise and terminal for an elec- tric line from Kokomo. Satisfactory arrangements were made and this company acquired the franchise of the Indianapolis Northern. On October 6, 1903, permission was asked by the company to build an abut-
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
ment on the north bank of the Wabash river for a bridge, at the foot of Broadway. The request was granted, the bridge was finished and early in 1904 Peru was connected with Indianapolis by an electric rail- way.
Late in the year 1904 a petition was presented to the board of county commissioners requesting a special election in Peru township for the purpose of voting on the question of an appropriation to the Winona Interurban Railway. The trustees of the Winona Assembly, who were among the projectors of the road, agreed to pay the expenses of holding the election and the board ordered that an election be held on Tues- day, February 14, 1905. On Friday evening before the election a meet- ing was held at the court-house in Peru, at which S. C. Dickey, one of the principal promoters of the road, was one of the speakers. He explained the aims and advantages of the road and though the 14th was a very cold day a fair vote was polled. The proposition was carried -1,288 to 776-and the subsidy of $25,000 was thus granted to aid in the construction of the line.
On March 20, 1905, Mr. Dickey met with a number of citizens of Perry township and urged them to petition the commissioners for an election, by which the people of that township might voice their senti- ments with regard to an appropiation of $15,000. In August, 1901, the voters of Perry had expressed themselves in favor of a subsidy of $10,000 for an electric line to run from Wabash to Rochester. That road was never built, but the order for the appropriation had not been rescinded and the people did not care to burden themselves with an additional subsidy. To obviate this difficulty, Mr. Dickey agreed that, if the electors of the township should vote $15,000 to his road, and the road from Wabash to Rochester should be built, he would accept $5,000 and allow the old subsidy of 1901 to stand in favor of the other company. With this understanding the board of commissioners ordered an elec- tion for May 16, 1905, when the proposition to give $15,000 to aid in the construction of the Winona line was carried by a majority of forty- nine votes in the township.
With the $40,000 voted by Peru and Perry townships, and the money derived from other sources, the road was completed about the close of the year 1905. This road uses the old tracks of the Peru & Detroit Railroad from Peru to Chili, that road having been abandoned when the Eel River Railroad was acquired by the Vandalia. The Winona Interurban cars run to Goshen, the county seat of Elkhart county, where they connect with the Chicago, South Bend & Northern Indiana Electric Railway.
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
DRAINAGE
It is certainly appropriate that the subject of drainage should come in this chapter on Internal Improvements, although the ditches for reclaiming swamp lands and improving the farms of the county have been constructed in a manner entirely different from that used in the building of railroads or the construction of public highways. Railroads are usually built by corporations with funds derived from the sale of stock or voted as subsidies by the people of the townships through which the line passes ; public highways are constructed and kept in repair by a general tax levy, but the cost of public ditches is assessed against the lands drained by them in proportion to the benefits received.
Old settlers can remember when practically the entire southern part of Miami county and some sections of the northern part were too wet for farming purposes, especially in the early spring, when the snow melted, to which were frequently added heavy spring rains. These low, wet lands were the last to be settled and in their natural state they were the source of much of the fever and ague with which the early settlers had to contend. Drainage has not only improved the land for agricultural purposes, but it has also improved the health of the county 's inhabitants.
Several years before any public drainage law was passed by the Indiana legislature, some of the Miami county farmers undertook the work of improving their farms by the introduction of tile drains. The first tile was used in the county in 1869. In 1875 the legislature passed a ditch law. The first ditch constructed in Miami county is what is . known as the Mud Creek Ditch, in Allen and Union townships. It was petitioned for in 1878 and was completed in the fall of 1879. In 1881 the act of 1875 and all supplementary acts were repealed by "An Act to enable the owners of lands to drain and reclaim them, when the same can not be done without affecting the lands of others, prescribing the powers and duties of county commissioners and other officers in the premises, and to provide for the repair and enlargement of such drains, and repealing certain acts therein specified, and declaring an emerg- ency."
Under the provisions of this law one or more land owners could pe- tition the board of county commissioners for a ditch, setting forth its general description, and they were required to furnish bond that they would pay the cost of the proceedings, in case the ditch was not estab- lished. If the three disinterested persons, appointed by the commis- sioners as viewers, reported favorable, and no remonstrance was offered, the board ordered the construction of the ditch. It was not long until
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
the law was found to be so intricate and the work of securing the construction of a ditch under its provisions was hampered by so much "red tape," that in 1881 it was superseded by what is known as the Circuit Court ditch law.
This law created the office of drainage commissioner, the incumbent of which was to be appointed by the county commissioners. William Zehring was the first drainage commissioner of Miami county. The entire proceedings under this act are in the circuit court. A petition is presented to the judge, who appoints a commissioner to act with the drainage commissioner and the county surveyor in viewing the pro- posed ditch. If they report in favor of its construction it is so ordered by the court.
On March 4, 1893, what is known as the Drainage District law went into effect. Under its provisions a drain may be constructed and kept in repair by mutual agreement of the owners of the lands affected. All ditches therefore come under three general heads, viz .: Commissioner ditch, Circuit Court ditch, or Drainage District ditch. The Commis- sioner and Circuit Court ditches are kept in repair by the township trustees.
The following table shows, in round figures, the approximate num- ber of miles of public ditch in each township of the county, with the cost of construction :
Township
Miles
Cost
Allen
28
$30,000
Butler
4
1,500
Clay
25
18,000
Deer Creek
22
20,000
Erie
3
1,600
Harrison
14
11,000
Jackson
20
15,000
Jefferson
3
1,800
Perry
40
33,000
Peru
7
20,000
Pipe Creek
9
7,500
Richland
5
2,000
Union
21
16,000
Washington
3
,2,000
Total
204
$179,400
These figures include only the main ditches and the original cost of construction. In many instances branches have been opened since the
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