USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > History of the city of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 16
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
133
134
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
the only living member of this family, which in its day was the most prom- inent in Evansville. It was in 1857 that Lamasco was annexed to Evans- ville. Up to that time they had existed as separate municipalities, but their business and social interests had long been as one and the union of the two and the doing away with any dividing line added materially to the prosperity of both. Some years after the annexation there was a move made on the part of quite a number of citizens, and vigorously endorsed by the Shanklin Brothers of the Courier to change the name of Evansville to Lamasco. The claim they made was in many respects a very just one, that is that the entire United States was filled with little villes and they quoted Stewartsville, Owensville, Spotsville, Boonville, Lynnville, Taylor- ville and other little places of like size, as indicating that the termination "ville" simply meant village and regarding Evansville, all who did not know her and her size, would class her, naturally, with the rest, as a sort of "Evans Village." Messrs. Geo. and Gilbert Shanklin wrote very many forcible editorials on this subject and they were convincing to the great majority of our people. The only argument against it was put forth by the merchants and manufacturers who claimed that this would cause them the outlay of an immense amount of money, as all their stationery would have to be changed and that people all over the country would not know what had become of the city of Evansville. In opposition to this the Shank- lin brothers stated and very justly, that there were at that time, five dif- ferent Evansvilles in the confines of the United States and that mail was continuously being sent to Evansville, Illinois, and Evansville in other states, which should come to Evansville, Indiana, and that when it became known that the very ordinary name of Evansville had become changed to such a striking name as Lamasco, which stood in a class by itself, other papers in the United States would make more or less mention of it and the fact that the increase in Evansville made it necessary to take off the vil- lage part, would be the greatest advertisement that any city could possibly get. With the business which would accrue from its free advertising, it would repay a thousand times over, any little loss in stationery, etc. Look- ing back now, it would seem that to simply change a few signs, print a few new books and after using up the stationery on hand, buy new stationery with the proper heading, was not such a terrible task after all. It is prob- ably a fact that the old fogy spirit, at one time such a marked part of Evans- ville, had a great deal to do in preventing the change. Most of the old fogies are dead and gone and the city has received such an infusion of new blood, that it has practically changed. As it is now, it is probably too late to ever take up this matter again. Evansville today is known north, east, west and south and her progress has made such strides that she will soon be numbered not only among the great cities of the west, but among the great cities of the United States. About the only consolation left to those who worked so hard and so conscientiously for this change of name is the fact that our sister cities of Louisville and Nashville still retain the ville
135
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
and will probably never attempt any change in name. This city was made a port of entry in 1856. At that time most of the stuff that came in was from other cities, but manufacturing soon took such rapid strides in the way of progress, that nearly everything neded in this line could bear the imprint, "Made in Evansville." In speaking of the various decades in the history of Evansville, it might be said that the second decade ended in 1867. The war which was so blighting to all her industries at first, proved after- wards to be of great good. A writer says, speaking of the situation, "The south found itself as the result of four years of civil war, entirely pros- trated, without industry, without tools, without money, credit or crops. Deprived of legal self-government and to a great extent, of political priv- ileges. The flowers of its youth were in hospitals or dead upon the bloody storm rent battlefields. With society disorganized and starvation immi- nent or actually present." The first efforts of these people to lift them- selves up from this gloomy condition were opposed by great obstacles. For two years the cotton and corn crops were almost failures and one great difficulty was experienced in making satisfactory arrangements for the employment of labor. The south had no manufacturing establishments and were therefore compelled to buy even its breadstuffs and clothing, and of course its mechanical and agricultural tools in northern America. This she had always been accustomed to do and while it is a fact afterwards demonstrated that the south, all this time, was one vast bed of mineral resources so needed, no attempt had ever been made to utilize this great source of wealth. The heavy duties placed on all imported articles during the war, forced home manufacturers to take advantage of the situation, for no foreign country could hope to compete with our home manufactures. Before leaving that great subject of the employment of labor, which worked such ruin to the south for two years, it is well for this work to take some note, based on facts that are absolutely known to the author. After the ne- groes were freed throughout the entire south, they seemed to think that free- dom meant no more work. Even the steadiest and best of them caught the fever and the south was literally alive with dissolute lazy and shiftless ne- groes, who finding that they could not go to old master or old mistress when they wanted something to eat, were forced to get it in any manner they could. I have every respect for an honest hard-working colored man and abso- lutely no respect for a worthless nigger. There were a few of the good ones, who, be it said, to their credit, staid on the old plantations and tried by every means in their power to help their really starving former owners. But unfortunately, of this class there were only a few and now for the worst blot of all. A blot which can never be erased from the history of American politics. The south was overrun with a horde of disreputable, lazy and trifling scoundrels picked up from the very dregs of political bum- mery and forced on these poor and already long-suffering people. They went under the name of carpet baggers. I saw men in the south holding positions who should have been in cells in jails. Their villainous counte-
136
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
nances were enough to send them to any penitentiary in the country and why the great republican party, which has always held in its ranks so many great and good men, should ever make the mistake of selecting a gang of scoundrels such as these carpet baggers, and force them on the south to represent the republican party, is something I could never understand. If this very plain statement should hurt the sensitive feelings of any gentle- man, he has only to remember that the writer stands good for any remark that he makes in this work and further, the negroes, if let alone, would have done far better. The negro, taken as a race, is full of affection as a rule, and if let alone the affection for their old owners, who invariably treated them with kindness, would have caused them to have staid and worked, but these unscrupulous scoundrels, let loose by the north, seemed to imagine that a part of their political duties was not only to oppress the white as much as possible, insult them at every opportunity, but to also stir up the negroes into the most violent antipathy against their native south. The first years of the second depression which affected the city of Evansville was the year 1867, for it was during this year that the National Bankrupt act was put in force. This brought not only great financial embarrass- ment, but a wide-spread distress. People feared to trust each other, as all over the country men who really had no occasion to take up the bankrupt act and who, if they had put their shoulders to the wheel, could have re- trieved any business losses, took occasion of this very easy manner of pay- ing off all debts and bankrupted. While there were no large failures in this city, there was hardly a merchant or manufacturer who had been sending goods away from here, who did not suffer from bankruptcies of this kind by the merchants in the smaller towns. There were many well-known cases where unscrupulous dealers simply robbed the Evansville men of their goods. One fact is worthy of comment and that is that the credit of very few of our local men was at all impaired. Our business men, even in those days, were substantial men. They were liberal in their dealings with their customers and were enterprising, but none of them ever allowed their business to get beyond their capital or their ability to control it and it is also remarkable that there was no decline in real estate values. This has marked Evansville during all its history and while at times her people have grumbled at taxation on needed street improvements, there has never been a time when good real estate was thrown on the market at bargain counter prices and from now on it is safe to say that real estate prices will ever be on the increase. The rental value of buildings declined during this period of depression, as did wages and the prices of building materials. In fact, the improvements on property decreased in value but the real property itself, never. From time to time every one predicted a change for the better but their hopes were not realized. The greatest crash came in the year 1873, when there were failures on every side and a period of disaster began. It is unfortunate that just prior to this time, a large number of improve- ments had been put under way. A large rolling mill, which would have
137
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
given work to many hands, was allowed to go to decay almost before a single rail was made. The greatest hopes were based on the success of this enterprise, for it was hoped that constant work at this establishment, which was a huge one, would result in the bringing of thousands of tons of mag- nificent iron ore which was then along the Tennessee river. And when we look back and see the developments that have occurred in that region since that date and how such places as Birmingham and the great iron mines on Tennessee river have prospered, we can see what Evansville lost from the failure of this enterprise. The holders of stock in this rolling mill were among our most conservative citizens and they are not in any way to be blamed for the failure of this enterprise. It was the natural depression which caused it. It was at this time that congress appropriated the money for the beautiful postoffice and custom house which is on the square front- ing on Second, between Sycamore and Vine. Before the erection of this building, the lot was covered with small and unsightly cottages, while at the west was the remains of what was known as the Young America Engine house. Work did not begin on this building at once and when it was finally taken up, a wise move was made in the selection of the late Mr. James H. McNeeley, one of the proprietors of the Journal, as supervisor of con- struction. A strange feature is that, in nearly every case where a building is erected by the United States, there is always a shortage at the end. Whether this is probably due to graft or mistaken estimates, or other sources, it is not the province of this work to say, but the fact to which I refer, is that at the completion of the entire building, with every detail ac- cording to specifications, Mr. McNeeley was able to turn back to the treas- ury, a part of the money which was originally appropriated. At this same time the St. George hotel was built. Where it now stands was the large old mansion of John Shanklin, one of the pioneers of the city, who came here from Ireland and whose advent has been previously mentioned. The old house stood well back in the beautiful yard and for many years had been one of the landmarks. It also was one of the old homes where hos- pitality was one of the prime features, and some few still live, who can remember when Mr. and Mrs. Shanklin and their most talented daughter, now Mrs. Gen. John M. Harlan, entertained in this old house. Evansville had long felt the need of a first-class hotel, modern in all its appointments. In fact, for many years whenever there was a gathering of any kind, either political, civil or otherwise, it was found impossible to entertain all the city's guests and the private dwellings of our people were called into use to house these visitors. The largest hotel prior to that time, was the old Sherwood house which was torn down to make room for the magnificent building of the Elks' Home, which is admitted by all to be one of the most striking pieces of architecture in this country, and one of which any city might well be proud. The St. George was built by David J. Mackey and the late Gus Lemcke, who served here for several years and finally left this city for Indianapolis, where he died, leaving a large fortune. The hotel was
138
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
run by Mr. Lemcke for quite a number of years, as the many other plants in which Mr. Mackey was interested, took his entire time. Many will re- member the opening of this hotel, and as it occurred just at this time, it may be well to give a few matters of detail regarding its opening. The word had gone all over the little towns and the surrounding country, re- garding the great ball which was to be given to celebrate the inauguration of this new hotel and it is safe to say that there was not a belle within the radius of many miles, who was not busy upon her costume for many weeks prior to this occasion. The eventful night came and the new hotel which in those days was far ahead of anything that had been anticipated by the community, was ablaze with light. A committee of the best citizens, accom- panied by their wives, welcomed the people. The hotel was beautifully adorned with plants, etc., while in the large dining room the band of Henry Hart, a colored man who at that time was considered by our people to be the very king of music, was screened behind potted plants at the back end. The dance began at nine o'clock and lasted until daylight. Even to this day the remembrance of that eventful time still lingers in the hearts of many who are now content to sit quietly and watch the young people trip the light fantastic. The cost of the St. George was some $200,000. At this same time the street improvements, wharf improvements and some sidewalk improvements were taken up. This was far before the day of asphalt streets of artificial sidewalks. Prior to that time there had been very little done towards making better streets, save the tearing up of the planks on Main sreet, which gave it the name of Plank Road. Vitrified brick was also either unknown or an untried quantity here and to fill up the holes in the streets and produce a level surface which would not be af- fected by the rains or winter weather, contracts were made with a firm owning a large bank of gravel at Paducah, Kentucky. Main street was the first street improved and after being rolled, it certainly presented a beau- tiful appearance and our people thought that they had solved the matter of perfect streets for all time to come. But it was soon found that even this gravel, held as it was in place by a kind of clay, gave way during con- tinued bad weather and was soon full of the original ruts with which the people were trying to do away. They then tried filling these places with clear gravel but this also was a failure and for many years what might be called street improvements in Evansville, consisted in driving wagons around and putting loose gravel into these holes. About this time there seemed to be a change for the better in the affairs of the city. The de- pression had seemed to pass away and the desire to improve seemed to have taken possession of many of our people. Real estate still continued, as has been noted above, at a steady price, and always seemed to be based on actual value which improved gradually as the city grew. There has been little speculation, so to speak, in real estate in Evansville, since the early day, and by this is meant that there were few real estate boomers as the term goes, who were able to acquire a large holding of real estate at a
139
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
low price, from people who felt compelled to sell, and sell at a feverish price, which is generally the result of a well-handled boom. About the only large tract which passed into strange hands, was what is known still as the Heidlebach and Elsas enlargement. This tract of land lying southeast of Main street and extending from where the Southern road now runs, to a point some quarter of a mile this side of Garvin's park. When this place was bought by these two investors who lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, there was nothing on it except the large cornfield to which reference is made in the article regarding the first fairs of Evans- ville. This tract was quite large. In fact, the deal was so large that many conservative citizens predicted that it would be a great many years before anything would ever be realized by these men who had made the in- vestment. Yet it is a fact that many years ago, the last block was sold and for a good percentage of profit, and the confines of the city have ex- tended so far beyond it, that it cannot now be even called a suburban plat. Speaking further of real estate, the next attempt was to build a suburban addition between this Heidlebach and Elsas enlargement, and Garvin's park. This was a private affair gotten up by several of our citizens and they, Mr. Mackey and the late William Heilman, who was one of the most clear-headed citizens who ever resided in Evansville, used their efforts to push the sale. It was not a success and to this day there is quite a lot of vacant land on Main street, this side of the enlargement and the park. Why this should be it is impossible to understand and while this work is being written, negotiations are going on between the city and Mr. Thomas E. Garvin, owner of this park, by which the former may acquire this beau- tiful tract of land, and when once known that this consummation is reached, the park will be beautified and remain forever a public park free to all citizens. It will be only a short time until every lot in the vicinity will be built upon. The confidence of our people in the future of this city never was more stronger shown than by the fact that this depression, as above mentioned, was hardly over before an era of building began, which was enormous for those days. The building season of that year will never be forgotten. Before it was one-third over every contractor and architect had more than he could possibly do and building material could not be manufactured fast enough to supply the steady demands. While in these days the amount may not seem large, the fact that over $2,500,000 was spent during that one season, will give some idea of the extent of im- provement. Much of this success is due to the newspapers which at that time were of great assistance, not only in keeping up the courage of our citizens and by continually getting out special editions which they sent to every part of the country from which they thought manufacturers could be brought and it is due to the fact that they sent these out just at a time when so many people who had suffered from he depression of other cities, knew hardly what to do, that many factories, as well as business men and many artisans were brought to this city. It might also be said that the
140
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
population began to increase rapidly at that time, and not only the popula- tion but the wealth of the population. It is well known that a city may grow very fast in point of population, but that the new citizens who may enroll themselves among her people, may be the hand-to-mouth kind who fluctuate from one point of the country to another and whose advent to any city does not mean very much. In this case, however, the greater percentage, possibly eighty-five per cent of the people who came here, were thrifty Germans who knew what it was to live plainly, work hard and save up, always laying up something for a rainy day, and it is to this fact and this spirit among the people, so truly demonstrated by these Ger- mans, that Evansville today has, in proportion to her size, more first-class banks than any city in the United States. A still greater fact is, that never in the history of Evansville from the time of the starting of the old Canal bank on Water street, has there been a single bank failure. And it is ex- tremely pleasant to be able to chronicle such a striking fact as this. To give one example, the People's Savings Bank, which is now one of the strongest financial institutions in the country, which has unlimited capital behind it, started as a small bank, operated chiefly by Germans. In fact, there were only two foreign people in the directory. This bank was in- tended to meet the demands of the working men, the small merchants, women who were making their own livelihood and classes of that kind. It was the first bank in Evansville to receive small deposits and when its announcement was made, it was astonishing to note how quickly a large clientele of deposits was secured. Its business increased so rapidly that it became cramped for space and erected one of the most beautiful build- ings on Main street. The various banks of Evansville will be treated of elsewhere in this work but it is only right to give credit to this splendidly conducted bank, for its wonderful success. In 1880 the census takers gave this city a population of about 30,000, but it was always claimed by every one who was at all posted on the ratio of a census taken in connection with the number of children in the city schools and the names in the directory, should have made it 40,000. At that time the assessed valuation of prop- erty was about $20,000,000. It was also at this time that the stores were doing their great volume of business. It is estimated that wholesale gro- ceries sold nearly $4,000,000 per year, dry goods and notion houses, $3,000,000, hardware, $2,000,000, boots and shoes, $2,000,000, glass and queensware, $350,000. The great strides made by Evansville since that date have been in manufacturing, the work being done by utilizing the great wealth of forests and fields and the mines into implements and arti- cles of general use and it is a fact perhaps unknown to all that today Evansville has the reputation of having more different varieties of man- ufacturing industries than any city in America. In fact, there is hardly anything on which a stamp could not be put, "Made in Evansville." To- day its chief thing is manufacturing. Our manufacturers are sending their goods to all parts of the world. Even as far back as the date above
141
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
mentioned, it was estimated that $3,500,000 were invested in manufactur- ing plants. The most of these were small and such has been the wonderful growth since that time that the change is almost like a dream. Evansville is the largest hardwood lumber market in the world and will be for some time. Naturally the time will come when the vast forests which have con- tributed their wealth of timber, will all be gone. Even Green river, which for years was lined with dense forests which were supposed to be almost inexhaustible in the way of furnishing lumber, is beginning to show what the ruthless axe has done. But it must be remembered that science is con- tinually coming to the aid of nature and that it is also universally believed that concrete houses will soon take the place of those built of any other kind of material. When they come into general use, a part of the great demand on these forests will be withdrawn, so that no fear need be felt that there will be any great shortage in lumber supplies for a great many years to come. In one other respect Evansville, which seems to have been blessed in every way, was fortunate in having near it, the kind of material used in brick making and while all over the United States there are untold thousands of places that have been compelled to send away for their brick, and in some cases pay enormous freight rates, in Evansville it was only necessary to go almost anywhere on the outskirts of the city and start a brickyard. In fact, several years ago, it was almost impossible to drive out any country road for any distance without several of these yards being seen. Especially was this the case near the tri-state fair grounds. In any part of the land near there, the very best of brick clay could be found. At one time when the demand for paving bricks was so great in this country, a movement was started to manufacture them here on a large scale, but for some reason the Evansville brick did not compare as favorably with some others as was expected and this industry has never been considered one of the chief ones. Statistics given in 1885 showed that there were under the city two veins of coal which were reached by ten different shafts and that within a radius of 30 miles there were sixty shafts in operation. At that time Evansville began to advertise "The cheapest fuel on earth. Coal 50c. per ton." The fact that there was so much coal near here and the added fact that the cost of production was only what the labor cost, made our people content to accept what nature had provided and there never has been in this city that feverish anxiety regarding natural gas, which has permeated so many other portions of the state. As it is today, there are untold millions of feet of gas and untold thousands of gallons of oil that could be piped into this city at any time our people deem it necessary. Many years ago a little company of citizens determined to bore for gas or oil more as an exepriment than anything else and selected a spot near the bank of Pigeon creek. After many reverses, they struck, instead of gas or oil, a vast stream of salt water. This water was what formed what is known as the old Salt Pool. Finding it impossible to get through this vein, all attempt to bore through was given up. The machinery was sold and
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.