History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, from the earliest times to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, etc., Part 7

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: [Madison, Wis.] : Brant & Fuller
Number of Pages: 714

USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, from the earliest times to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, etc. > Part 7

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COURT HOUSES.

style of architecture, so much admired in public edifices at the time when this build- ing was erected. On the second floor are the court-room, the commissioners' rooms, the jury-rooms and judge's office.

For more than fifteen years the inade- quacy of this court-house has been gener- ally recognized and efforts to have it replaced by a suitable edifice have been frequently made. In 1884, the need of better facilities for the transaction of the public business and greater security for the valuable county records, was so pressingly felt that an at- tempt to remodel and reconstruct the old court-house was determined upon, the com- missioners being unwilling at that time to incur the expense of a new building. This led to a general discussion among the people, a part of whom advocated the erection of an edifice that would be an honor to a com- munity whose prosperity was evidenced by an annual tax list of nearly half a million dollars. The contemplated reconstruction, however, was not undertaken, and two years elapsed before a final determination to abandon the old building and erect a new one was reached. Architects were invited to submit plans, which were examined by H. Mur- sinna, expert. From them the commissioners and a committee of citizens, consisting of Maj. Joseph B. Cox, Hon. William Heil- man and Dr. John Laval, selected as the most satisfactory and suitable, those pre- pared by Mr. H. Wolters, of Louisville, Ky., who fixed as the limit of its cost $400,000. In September, 1887, the following proposals for its construction were received; Charles Pearce & Co., $379,450; Jacob Meyer & Bro., $398,000; McCormack & Redman, $384,900. The first named bid being the lowest, was accepted, and contracts were en- tered into. The building is to stand on what is commonly called Union Block -the old site of the Wabash & Erie canal basin -

between Fourth and Fifth and Vine and Division streets. This block was purchased in 1873 as a site for a new court-house, for' about $54,000, upon the recommendation of a committee of citizens, consisting of such representative men as Judge Asa Iglehart, Gen. J. M. Shackleford, Hon. Thomas E. Garvin, Col. J. S. Buchanan and Hon. Charles Denby. These gentlemen had pre- viously been commissioned by the Evans- ville bar to wait upon and urge the commis- sioners to erect a new court house, such as- the public business of the county and the safety of its records required, and in turn delegated by the commissioners to select a suitable place for the purpose. Recently the title of the county to this property was attacked in the courts by assigns of the Wabash & Erie canal trustees, but with- out success.

Superior Court Room .- When by law new courts were established to aid the cir- cuit court in disposing of the annually in- creasing accumulation of cases on its docket, it became necessary to provide a place for the holding of such courts. For this pur- pose a brick building on Locust street, be- tween Second and Third streets, formerly known as the Locust Street Methodist Church, was purchased in April, 1870, for $8,000.00. The room was not especially designed for the purposes to which it has been put and lacks many conveniences which it is hoped the new court-house may supply.

fails .- The county had hardly been or- ganized before preparations were made for the building of a jail. In the early settle- ment of the county there were many crimi- nals in proportion to the population, and many inducements to the commission of crime. A place of imprisonment near at hand was a necessity. There were instances of criminals being taken from this locality to the town of Vin-

COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

cennes for confinement-when the Knox county courts had jurisdiction here. May IIth, ISIS, a plan for the first jail in this county was adopted. Standing on the north- east quarter of the public square back from the street, it was twelve feet square in the clear, with double walls of heavy oak set one foot apart, the intervening space being filled with heavy oak timbers set on end and extending three feet beneath the lower floor of this jail into the ground. The logs in the walls were so notched at the ends as to interlock and hold together firmly. The lower floor was double, the timbers crossing each other and passing through the inner wall so as to jut against the vertical pieces in the central space. The room between was eight feet high and was used for the deten- tion of ordinary law-breakers. The second floor was of oak timbers one foot square, and the third floor or ceiling of the upper room was six inches thick. A flight of stairs ran up on the outside of the building to a platform onto which two doors opened. These two doors admitted to entirely differ- ent apartments, and were opened for two widely different classes of offenders against the majesty of the law. One was a dungeon, 4x12 feet in size, with two very small and heavily ironed windows, in which the most conscienceless criminals were confined. The other room was but twice as large and had but one window and that only 12x15 inches. This was the debtor's room, where men were imprisoned because they were unfortunate enough to be in debt and unable to pay. Debtors were often arrested and thrown into jail and thus deprived of all means of pay- ing what they might owe. If one so im- prisoned was able to give a bond for twice the amount of his debt he was allowed to use the "prison bounds," which were fixed by the circuit court, at first to include the space between Locust and Sycamore from

the river to Fourth street, and in the fall of IS19 "to include the town of Evansville." This relic of barbarism which clung so ten- aciously to the law of the land has at last been shaken off, never, it is hoped, to regain its hold. This first jail was built by Hugh McGary for $875.00, was completed and received February 15th, 1819, and remained in use about ten years. In September, 1829, the county sheriff was directed to sell the jail to the highest bidder, who was to re- move it from the public square within one month from the date of purchase. The doors and hinges were reserved from sale; the remainder of the structure brought $19.371/2. For a brief period law-breakers were weighted with ball and chain, guarded by a deputy sheriff, and maintained at some of the public taverns. In May, 1832, Wm. Lewis, John Mitchell and Alanson Warner were appointed agents to contract for and superintend the building of a new jail on the site of the old jail, two stories high, 18x22 feet, with a stone foundation, floors of hewn timber covered with plank, and double walls of heavy timber for the lower story with a space between the walls as in the old jail, but filled with stone. Each story was to be eight feet high-the upper with single walls. A contract was made with Dr. Wm. Trafton, Joseph Butler and Wm. Butler, September 26th, 1832, for the building of this jail. It was completed within two months, and the contractors were paid $350.00.

In 1845 the sheriff, Wm. M. Walker, was authorized to build a residence adjoining the jail at his own expense, and if at the close of his official term he and the commissioners could not agree as to a price for the pur- chase of the same by the county, Mr. Walker was to be permitted to remove it from the public ground, but he did not take ad- vantage of this offer. In the previous year

FINANCES.

a considerable sum had been expended in repairing the jail and putting a fence around it, which work had been ordered by the cir- cuit court. Prior to this the grounds about the jail had become a favorite resort for the boys of the town for playing town ball and other like games. For a long time there was confined in this jail a crazy woman by the name of Ellen Riggs, who in some way learned the names of all the boys who con- gregated about the place, and was constantly calling to some of them in a wild sort of jargon from behind the bars. These facts probably led the court to direct the building of the fence.

Just twenty years after the building of this jail another was erected to replace it, the new one being still in use though now about thirty-five years old. It was built by James Roquet under the contract above mentioned in connection with the history of the court- house which was consumed by fire. It is constructed of stone, substantially built, two stories in height, with sixteen cells and a ca- pacity for forty inmates. A brick residence for the sheriff, plain but comfortable, stands immediately in front of the jail, facing on Third street. Lot No. 171 in the donation enlargement of Evansville-near the new court-house ground -was purchased in Au- gust, 1887, from W. C. Keller and Mrs. Kate Armstrong for $5,495.00, for the purpose of erecting a new jail thereon, the plans for which have not yet been adopted.

the county having begun nearly a dozen years prior to its official organization, some immediate revenue was afforded, and the distressing condition of affairs which pre- vailed in many new counties in the interior of the state were here avoided. In ISIS, the tax levied on each one hundred acres of land was for first rate 25 cents, for second rate 1834 cents, and for third rate 121/2 cents. Lots in Evansville were assessed ac- cording to their value; 50 cents per $100 valuation. Horses were assessed 37 12 cents, and taverns $15.00 each. In 1820, in addition to these subjects of taxation, four- wheeled pleasure carriages at $1.25 each, silver watches at 25 cents each, and gold watches at 50 cents each, were added to the list. In 1822, 1823 and 1824, the board of commissioners disposed of the subject of a tax levy by making this brief and perspicuous entry: " Ordered that a tax for county pur- poses be laid on all property subject to tax- ation as high as the law will allow." In the following year rates on lands were fixed at one-half the rates established by the legis- lature for state purposes; other levies were: 371/2 cents on horses and mules over three years old, 1834 cents on oxen over three years old, $1.00 on two-wheeled pleasure carriages, $1.50 on four-wheeled pleasure carriages, $1.00 on brass clocks, $1.00 on gold watches, 25 cents on silver or pinch- beck watches, from $5.00 to $25.00 for licenses to sell liquor, from $10.00 to $50.00 for licenses to vend foreign merchandise, and from $3.00 to $5.00 for ferry licenses. The system of levying taxes on lands and personal property according to their value continues to the present. For many years past the annual levy for state, county, and township purposes has amounted to about $1.25 on each $100 worth of property, which is comparatively small when looked at with

Finances .- The growth and development of a governmental institution are most clearly shown in its financial history. Figures are tedious but instructive. In this county they show the advance in yearly taxes contributed by the people from less than two hundred to more than half a million dollars. The sources of revenue were at first limited. Lands could not be assessed for taxation until five years after entry. Settlement in relation to the inestimable advantages its

COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

payment affords. It may be confidently stated that few communities that are favored with equal advantages have a smaller rate of taxation imposed upon them.

Julius Gibson was the first assessor of the county. After the assessment of prop- erty the tax levy was made by the commis- sioners. The tax books or duplicates were prepared by the clerk, and placed in the hands of the sheriff for collection. When the sheriff settled in November, ISIS, he was charged with $146.75, and in the next · year he collected $430.96. The sale of the lots donated by the proprietors of Evansville had in November, ISIS, amounted to $4,142.00. Of this amount ten per cent was by law set apart as a seminary fund, and the greater portion of the remainder was represented by promissory notes of purchasers. At his settlement in IS19, the treasurer reported that the county, after ex- hausting its own funds had drawn, on those set apart for seminaries to the amount of $132. From that time on for many years the county was never out of debt. The building of a court-house had been under- taken, and all moneys coming into the treas- ury were directed to be applied on this account as rapidly as received. Maj. Alan- son Warner, a man well and favorably known in every branch of the county's early history, advanced small amounts of cash for the county's use, once $28 and again $75. In May, 1824, the treasurer was settled with for the whole period of his service and there was due him $11.33. In 1824 the taxes collected amounted to $377.69; in 1825, $347.31; in 1827; $501.15; in 1828, $503.16; in 1829, $610.64. During this period the licenses issued to various business men added to the revenue, the receipts from this source in each of the latter years named amounting to a little more than $100.

Judge John Law, the first prosecuting

attorney of the county, and for many years an able and eminent lawyer, brought suit and recovered judgment against the county in 1822, and nine years later the county treasurer recovered a judgment against Daniel Miller, then collector and previously county agent. Credits on the former judg- ment and on the orders issued in building the court-house were received as the basis for equal credits on the judgment against Miller. In this manner many of the trans- actions in behalf of the county were effected without the exchange of money, which at that time began to be exceedingly scarce. During the first part of the decade com- mencing with 1820, hard times generally prevailed. Lands, town lots and produce rapidly decreased in price. Widespread and disastrous sickness checked and almost en- tirely stopped immigration. The suspension of specie payment by the government, the failure of western banks founded on a ficti- tious basis, and the circulation of a depreci- ated and often worthless currency, totally deranged all values. These were the prin- cipal causes conspiring to produce the greatest stagnation of business experienced in this locality up to that time. The county as well as individuals suffered. Tax gatherers were compelled to take coonskins or other articles of " trade " in satisfaction of the law's demands. Recovery from this condition was at first slow, but be- fore the end of the decade good health gen- erally prevailed, immigrants came in, and the settlers having learned to accommodate them- selves to the trying times, with energy and industry, brought back prosperity. Never- theless, in 1832 the receipts of taxes were only about $600, though from licenses and other sources the total amount realized was $1,006. The expenses of the county were in 1832, $983.81; in 1833, $1,402.80, and in 1834, $1,093.41. Soon after this com-

FINANCES.

menced a period of prosperity that was un- ings, highways, bridges, charities, books, stationery, advertising,county officers, courts, interest on indebtedness and some miscellan- eous items. These expenses in 1870 were $169,284.90, from 1874 to 1878 inclusive, $1,377,480.69; and since 188o, foreich ear in the order named, $154,416.00, $189,- 145.00; $136,368.00, $193,932.00, $200,- 716.00, $215,405, $157,849.00, $113,076.00. The amount of taxes received at the treas- ury in 1862, was $74,505.00; in 1870, $199,- 521.00; and in 1879, $142,240.00. In the last three years the total receipts have been $1, 198,405.84, while in 1882 alone they were $521,993.48. These figures without com- ment attest the wonderful growth of the county. checked until the failure of the state's credit in the downfall of the internal improvement system elsewhere adverted to. Improve- ment was rapid notwithstanding a rather serious but temporary check in 1838. Set- tlers and speculators from the east and from beyond the ocean poured into the county in great numbers. The public lands were soon taken. Capital was freely in- vested in all sorts of enterprises. The country's natural resources, its unbounded wealth of coal and timber, its magnificent transportation facilities, its favorable loca- tion as the terminus of the Wabash & Erie canal, and near the mouths of several rivers whose improvement seemed only a question of a few years, gave unhesitating confidence In early days when the revenue was limited the receipts seldom equaled the expenses, and the incurrence of debt was a necessary sequence. In borrowing great caution was at first observed. In 1835 Nathan Rowley, who faithfully served the public in many po- sitions of trust, was appointed to negotiate a loan of $280.00 to be used in building a bridge across Pigeon creek near Negley's mill, and was authorized to borrow from the Evansville branch of the State Bank, the county solemnly pledging its faith for the payment of the loan when due. In 1841 Willard Carpenter, John Burbank and A. B. Carpenter held $2,068.92 of the county's orders issued in payment of its debts for the building of bridges, etc., which they had bought from various individuals, no doubt at a considerable discount, for the orders of the county have at times sold for less than one-half their face value. New orders were issued, to securet he payment of which the agent was instructed to mortgage a number of town lots and all personal property be- longing to the county. In 1858 the orders unpaid and drawing interest amounted to and faith in its future greatness. Investigating adventurers pushed on to Chicago and other localities, but returned to the land of greater promise. For a time, their expectations were realized. They knew little of the richness of the country beyond the Missis- sippi and the achievements of the railroads were then hardly matters of speculation. The flow of immigrants was not then in- fluenced by those potent factors of later years. By 1850, the annual exports from Evansville amounted in round numbers to 600,000 bushels corn, 100,000 bushels oats, 1,500 tons of hay and 1,500,000 pounds of pork and bacon -though all this was not produced by Vanderburgh county. In that year the expenses of the county were $18,785.34, and eight years later were $35,645.07. This was exclusive of rev- enues paid to the state, and to the townships for roads, schools and other local purposes. The total receipts at the treasury in round numbers were in 1850, $38,800; in 1853, $45,650; and in 1858, $57,900. The ex- penses here referred to include such items as the construction and repair of public build- $21,471.24; in 1871 the total indebtedness,

COUNTY ORGANIZATION

including bonds and outstanding orders was $128,799.67, and in 1875 was $197,683.75. At the present time, this entire debt having been paid, all orders issued by the county are paid upon presentation at the treasury. No bonds are outstanding except $220,000 of new-court house bonds recently issued. This splendid showing, considering the amount of its public works, the condition of its roads and public institutions, clearly and eloquently testifies to the wise management of the commissioners -the county's finan- ciers.

Civil Townships .- At its first meeting, March 9th, ISIS, the board of commissioners established Armstrong township with the following boundaries : beginning at the north- west corner of Vanderburgh county, at the range line dividing ranges II and 12, thence south with said line to the township line dividing townships 5 and 6, thence east with said line to the old Red- banks road, thence north with the meanders thereof to the line dividing Vanderburgh and Gibson counties, thence west with said line to the place of beginning. The board then ordered that the remainder of the county be known and designated as Pigeon town- ship. The house of Jadock McNew was designated as the polling place in Armstrong township, with Patrick Calvert as inspector, and that of Hugh McGary in Pigeon town- ship, with Julius Gibson as inspector. Union township, organized May 10, 1819, includes all of the southwest part of the county bounded on the north by the "big bayou," and on the other sides by the Ohio river. The house of Frederick Staser was named as the first polling place, with Joseph M. McDowell as inspector.

tersects the line dividing townships 5 and 6], running north as far as the latter county extends, thence west on the county line seven miles, thence south to the line dividing town- ships 5 and 6 in range II west, thence east on said line to place of beginning. The township was named in honor of Samuel Scott, at whose house the first election was held, Joseph Baldwin being the inspector.

Perry township was organized September 9th, 1840, out of the west end of Pigeon township, with bounds as follows: commenc- ing on the Ohio river at the line dividing fractional sections 25 and 26, in township 6 south, of range II west, running thence north to the line dividing townships 5 and 6, thence west to the Posey county line, thence south with said river to the Ohio river, thence up said river to the bayou, thence up said bayou to where it again intersects the Ohio river, thence up said river with the meanders thereof to the place of beginning. The residence of Lewis C. Stinson was desig- nated as the polling place, and David D. Grimes was appointed inspector. May 14, ISSS, a change was made in the township boundary lines by which the following de- scribed territory was taken from Perry and added to Pigeon township: commencing at the northeast corner of section 26, township 6 south, of range II west, and running thence due west along the line dividing sec- tions 26 and 23 in said township and range to the north and south half section line of said section 26; thence south along said half section line and the half section line of sec- tion 35 in said township and range, to the Ohio river; thence north and northeast up said river to a point where the east line of said section 26 strikes said river, and thence north along said east line of said section 26 to the place of beginning: the territory em- braced being the east fractional half sections

Scott township, organized August 13, IS21, was bounded as follows: beginning at the county line dividing the counties of War- rick and Vanderburgh [where the same in-| of sections 26 and 35, in township 6 south, of

CARE OF THE POOR.

range II west. On the question of making this change Commissioners Wunderlich and .King voted "aye," and Commissioner Bower voted " no."

Knight township was organized Septem- ber 9, 1840, out of the east end of Pigeon township, with bounds as follows: beginning on the Ohio river at the line dividing fractional sections 8 and 9, in township 7 south, range 10 west, and running north to the line dividing townships 5 and 6; thence east to the Warrick county line, thence south with said line to the Ohio river, thence down said river with the meanders thereof to the place of beginning. John S. Terry was ap- pointed inspector of elections, which were to be held at the school-house near the resi- dence of Mrs. Pauline McCollister. Sep- tember 7, 1846, the west one-half of section 21, township 6 south, of range 10 west, was taken from Knight and added to Pigeon township.

Center township was organized Septem- ber 6, 1843, with the following bounds: Be- ginning at the junction of Locust with Pigeon creek and running along said Pigeon creek to the Warrick county line; thence due north with said line to the northeast corner of section No. 24, township 5 south, of range IO west; thence due west to the east line of Armstrong township; thence due south to Locust creek; thence along Locust creek to the place of beginning. The residence of George L. Schnee was named as the polling place.

tion 19, same town and range; thence south to the southwest corner of section 7, in town- ship 6, range II west; thence east to the southeast corner of section II, town and range last named; thence north to the place of beginning. The residence of Michael Muentzer was fixed as the place of holding elections, and John Rettig was appointed inspector.

The Poor .- One of the chief objects of social organization is mutual protection. In- cident to this among civilized people is the care of those who, because of age, natural defect, disease or unavoidable misfortune, have become unable to support themselves. The relief of this dependent class, from a time long anterior to the period written of in these pages, has been recognized as a public duty worthy an honorable and conscientious performance. The means adopted in early times for giving such relief do not accord with the advanced ideas that now obtain among humanitarians, but they were the best permitted by the times and circum- stances. When this county was formed the laws of the state provided for the appoint- ment of overseers of the poor and defined their duties, the chief of which was to cause all public charges to be farmed out on con- tract annually in such manner as would best promote the public good. Minors were bound out as apprentices; males until twen- ty-one years of age, and females until eighteen years of age. The indentures of apprenticeship were entered of record, and the apprentice was provided with lawful means for the maintenance of his natural rights against the oppressions of the master. The farming out of these unhappy individ- uals was not a sale into involuntary servi- tude, though it partook much of that nature. The sale was public and to the lowest bidder without much regard to the character or fit-

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History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, from the earliest times to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, etc., Part 7

Author: Publication date: 1889 Publisher: [Madison, Wis.] : Brant & Fuller Number of Pages: 714

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: [Madison, Wis.] : Brant & Fuller
Number of Pages: 714