USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Hyman's handbook of Indianapolis : an outline history and description of the capital of Indiana, with over three hundred illustrations from photographs made expressly for this work (1907) > Part 2
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OLD STATE-HOUSE, 1865. FROM PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN THE DAY LINCOLN'S BODY LAY IN STATE.
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sign, square in form, two stories high and a large attic. It had a semi base- ment. The building was completed far enough to be used for public offices, and was turned over for that purpose. In 1859 it was sold at auction and torn down.
The governors were still left to hunt homes for themselves, until 1839, when the legislature ordered the state officers to purchase a suitable building for such a residence. At that time the band- GOVERNOR'S MANSION IN CIRCLE, 1850. somest and largest dwelling in the city was on the northwest corner of Illinois and Market streets. It was owned by Dr. John H. Sanders, and the state officers decided upon it, and it was bought. Governor Wallace moved into it, and it was occupied in turn by Governors Bigger, Whitcomb. Wright, Willard and Morton. From some cause it had always been an unhealthy building. The wife of Governor Whitcomb was the first :o die there. Governor Wright, during his occupancy, löst two wives in the same building. The family of Governor Willard was sick during the whole time he occupied it, and Governor Morton suffered so much that he finally abandoned it. It was sold in 1865, and since then the State has owned no executive mansion.
By this time the educational demands of the people of the growing town induced the legislature to set apart a square of ground to be known as "University" square, upon which it was intended some time in the future to erect buildings for a university. No effort was made to utilize it for educational purposes until 1832. when a part of it was leased for a county seminary. It was afterward used by the city for a high-school for a number of years.
Early Navigation-The growth of the town was very slow for some years. The building of the National road gave it a slight impe'us and brought here the first and only steamboat that ever succeeded in navigating White river to this point. It rejoiced in the name of "Robe. t Hanna," and was owned by General Hanna, one of the contractors building the new road for the government. It was brought here to tow barges loaded with stone and timber for use in constructing the road and its bridges. It arrived here on the eleventh of April, 1831. The next day a free excursion was given to the citizens, but the over- hanging boughs of the trees lining the banks knocked down her chim- neys and pilot-house and smashed a wheel-house. The next day she ran aground and remained fast for several weeks. When the high
OLD NATIONAL BRIDGE AND PACKET GOVERNOR MORTON ON WHITE RIVER, 1865.
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water came in the fall she took her way down the river and was never seen again. Many years afterward a little steamer named after Gov- ernor Morton was built here to ply up and down for the amusement and entertainment of the people, but it had bad luck, and was soon destroyed. Even keel-boats and flat-boats early abandoned all efforts to navigate the stream which Mr. Ralston had declared to be navigable for at least four months in the year.
Governor Noble, however, would not give up his hopes that the river would prove navigable, and offered a reward of $200 for the first boat that would land at the town. Two efforts were made, and one steamer reached Spencer and another came a few miles further. A plan for slack water navigation was submitted to the legislature and pressed for several years, and in 1851 the White River Navigation Com- pany was chartered, but it accomplished nothing.
First Historical Society-About this time the town thought it was old enough to have a historical society, so one was formed, with Benjamin Parke for president, and B. F. Morris for secretary. It did not have many active members, but elected about all the distinguished men of the nation as honorary members. The organization of the so- ciety was preceded by the arrival of the first menagerie that ever ex- hibited its wild animals to the people of the Hoosier capital.
First Internal Improvements, Etc .- The craze for internal improve- ments, that had been sweeping over other parts of the country, struck Indianapolis early in 1831, and the legislature spent most of its session in granting charters to railroads. Six such roads were pro- jected, to center in Indianapolis. The roads were all to run to the south, as there was no population to the north. Some of the projected roads were partly surveyed and then the work was dropped. A few years later, however, the state entered upon a wholesale system of internal improvement, including railroads, canals and turnpikes. None of the projected works were ever fully completed by the state, but the state debt was increased enormously, and the state had to practically go into bankruptcy. The state sold out its interest in all the works, together with 2,000,000 acres of land, in discharge of half of the debt that had been contracted.
Erection of First State=house-The state had been occupying the court-house for the use of the legislature, and in making its appro- priation to erect that building had reserved the right to so occupy it for fifty years, but it was deemed the time had come to erect a building for the use of the state. It still owned a considerable portion of the original donation by congress, and it was estimated that the lots would sell for $58,000, and this was estimated sufficient to erect a suitable building. Ithiel Town was the architect and contracted to build the
SOLDIERS' GRAVES, NATIONAL CEMETERY, CROWN HILL.
BURIAL OF GENERAL HARRISON AT CROWN HILL, MARCH 17, 1901.
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house for $58,- 000, and actual- ly did complete plete it for $60,- 000. It was be- gun in 1832 and finished in time for the meeting of the legisla- ture in 1836, an 1 it served the state for forty years.
Incorporation of the City-Up OLD STATE-HOUSE, 1832. to 1832 the city s business had been administered under the laws of the state, and on September 3, 1832, the citizens made the first formal effort toward incorporation. Five trustees were elected, and Samuel Henderson, who had been the first regularly appointed, postmaster of the town, was appointed presi- dent of the board, with J. P. Griffith clerk, and Samuel Jennison mar- shal.and collector. This municipal government lasted until 1836, when the legislature granted a special charter. About the only notable thing the old municipality did was to purchase the first fire engine for the town, the state giving one-half of the price. The organization had lasted four years, and the entire income of the fourth year was only $1.510.
State Bank of Indiana-In 1834 the legislature chartered the State Bank of Indiana, with a capital of $1,600,000. Up to that time Indianapolis had contained nothing but a small private bank. The charter of the state bank was to run twenty-five years. The state was to take one-half of the capital stock, and raised the money by the sale of bonds. Her share of the dividends, after paying the bonds, was to go to the establishment of a general school fund. This was the starting point of Indiana's splendid endowment of her public schools. The state's share of the proceeds was loaned out from time to time on real estate security, The final yield of this investment by the state was $3,700,000, after paying off the bank bonds. The main bank and one of its branches were located in Indianapolis. The bank began business on the 26th day of November, 1834, in the building on the Governor's Circle which had been intended as a residence for the governor. It was afterwards removed to Washington street. Samuel Merrill was
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the first president, and Calvin Fletcher, Seaton W. Norris, Robert Mor- rison and Thomas R. Scott were the directors. In 1840 the bank 10- moved to its new building at the corner of Kentucky avenue and Illinois street. The Indianapolis branch was organized by the appointment of Hervey Bates, president, and B. F. Morris, cashier. At the expirati n of the charter the Bank of the State of Indiana was started, with Hug 1 Mccullough as president. In this bank the state had no interest. 11 remained in business, with its seventeen branches, until wiped out 1 y the institution of the national banks.
Panic of 1837-The great financial panic of 1837 proved very disas- trous to Indianapolis. It stopped all work on the great enterprises un- dertaken by the state, leaving contractors and laborers. without their pay. The banks were compelled to suspend specie payments and pri- vate business was overwhelmed with the credit of the state. Large stocks of goods had been purchased by the merchants and remained unsold on their shelves, or had been disposed of on credit, and collec- tions were impossible. Nobody had any money. Eastern creditors were disposed to be very liberal and extend time of payments, trusting to a revival of business to relieve their debtors from their embarrassment. The legislature came to the help of the debtor by providing that prop- erty sold on execution should not be sold for less than two-thirds of its appraised value. It also exempted a certain amount of household prep- erty from execution. These two measures proved of great benefit, but did not relieve the distress altogether. There was a lack of currency, and the legislature issned bills secured by the credit of the state, and bearing six per cent. interest. This "scrip" was made receivable for taxes, but from the want of credit by the state abroad the scrip passed
Shinny on your own side "
COUNTY SEMINARY IN UNIVERSITY PARK, 1832.
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only at a heavy discount. After awhile, when confidence was restored again, the "scrip" commanded a large premium, and before it was all finally redeemed it was worth about two dollars for one. It was not until 1843, when the Madison railroad was approaching completion, that an upward tendency in business occurred.
The city has suffered from several panics since, the worst in the carlier years being in 1840, '41 and '42. The State Bank resumed specie payment in June, 1842, but it was a year or more before business gen- erally revived. These were the famous "hard times" following the elec- tion of William Henry Harrison. So grievous were the times that an effort was made, in 1842, to abolish the town government on account of its expense, although the entire cost of operating the municipal govern- ment was a little less than $3,000. It might be well to note at this point the salaries paid to the municipal officers in those early days, Members of the council received $12 each a year, the secretary $200. the treasurer and marshal each $100, and the assessors $75. The other salaries were in a like proportion.
First Militia Organized-For some years after the organization of the state, a militia was maintained by requiring all the able-bodied men between certain ages to be enrolled and report at stated periods for muster. When the danger from Indian wars ceased these musters ended. The military spirit of the people, however, did not die out, and in February, 1837, the first company of militia was organized, with Colonel Russell as captain. It was called the "Marion Guards." Their uniform was of gray cloth with patent leather shakoes. They were armed with the old-fashioned flint-lock muskets, and drilled according to the Prussian tactics. Thomas A. Morris, a graduate of West Point, succeeded Captain Russell. In 1838 Captain Thomas MeBaker organ- ized the "Marion Rifles." The uniform of the Rifles was a blue fringed hunting shirt, blue pantaloons and caps. In 1842 the two companies organized into a battalion under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Harvey Brown and Major George Drum.
First Female Academy-In 1837 was opened the first female school of the city. It was called the "Indianapolis Female Institute." and was chartered by the legislature. It was opened by two sisters, Mary J. and Harriet Axtell. It flourished for several years, and its reputation was so high that quite a number of pupils from other towns and states attended it. The same year a neat frame school-house was erected on Circle street, adjoining what was so long known as Henry Ward Beecher's church. The school was opened by Mr. Gilman Mars- ton, afterwards a member of congress from New Hampshire, and a dis- tinguished general during the late war. It was called the "Franklin Institute."
FUNERAL OF GENERAL BENJAMIN HARRISON, MARCH 17, 1901.
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Building State Institutions - In 1839 the subject of erecting a hospital for the insane of the state had been broached, but nothing defi- nite was done, owing to the financial embarrassment of the state and people, but as soon as business began to exhibit signs of recovery the matter was again taken up. Dr. John Evans, of Chicago, who had made a study of mental diseases, delivered a lecture before the mem- bers of the legislature of 1842-3, and the governor was directed to ob- tain plans for the erection of suitable buildings. At the next session of the legislature plans were approved and a tax of one cent on each one hundred dollars' worth of property was levied to provide the means for erecting the buildings. All this was but carrying out a direction in the constitution adopted at the organization of the state, one of the cares of the framers of that document being to provide for the unfortunate. Dr. John Evans, Dr. L. Dunlap and James Blake were appointed a com- mission to obtain a site for the proposed buildings. They selected Mount Jackson, where the hospital now stands. In 1846 the legislature ordered the sale of "hospital" square, a plat of ground that had been reserved for hospital purposes, the proceeds to be applied to the work, and an additional sum of $15,000 was appropriated.
The work of construction was begun at once, and the main building was completed the next year, at a cost of $75,000. Since then several additions have been made to the building, and others erected, until now Indianapolis can boast of one of the most substantial, convenient and imposing structures of the kind in the United States. The grounds are handsomely laid out, and every convenience and comfort for this class of unfortunates have been provided. The legislature of 1843 also began the work of caring for the deaf mutes, by levying a tax of one-fifth of a cent on each one hundred dollars of property. The first work of this kind in the state, however, was done by William Willard, a mute who had been a teacher of mutes in Ohio. He came to Indianapolis in the spring of 1843 and opened a school on his own account. In 1844 the state adopted his school and appointed a board of trustees, con- sisting of the governor, treasurer of state, Henry Ward Beecher, Phin- eas D. Gurley, L. H. Jameson, Dr. Dunlap, James Morrison and Matthew Simpson, afterwards a distinguished bishop of the Methodist church. They rented a building at the corner of Maryland and Illinois streets, and opened the first asylum in October, 1844. In January, 1846, a site for a permanent building was selected just east of the town, The permanent building was completed in 1850, at a cost of $30,000.
During the winter of 1844-5, through the efforts of James M. Ray, William H. Churchman, of the Kentucky Blind Asylum, was brought here with some of his pupils and gave au exhibition or two in Mr. Beecher's church. This had a decidedly good effect on the legislature, which was then in session, and a tax of one-fifth of a cent was levied.
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to provide support for the blind, James M. Ray, George W. Mears and the secretary, auditor and treasurer of state were appointed a commis- sion to carry out the work, either by the establishment of an asylum or Ly providing for the care and education of the blind at the institutio 1 in Ohio or that in Kentucky. In 1847 James M. Ray, George W. Mears and Seaton W. Norris were appointed to erect a suitable building, and $5,000 appropriated to purchase a site. They purchased the ground now occupied, and while waiting for the erection of a building opened a school in the building that had been used for the first deaf and dumb
VIEW WASHINGTON AND PENNSYLVANIA STREETS, 1891.
asylum. The present building was completed in 1851 at the cost of $50,000.
War with Mexico-The year 1846 brought some excitement, and for a while made things a little more lively. The war with Mexico was on, and troops called for. Indianapolis raised one company for the first regiment. It was officered by James P. Drake as captain and John A. McDougal and Lewis Wallace as lieutenants. Captain Drake was afterward made colonel of the regiment. The next year Indian- apolis furnished two additional companies, one each for the fourth and fifth regiments. Those two companies were with General Scott on his march to the capital of Mexico, and participated in some of the battles
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of that campaign. They were commanded by James McDougal and Edward Lauder.
The First Railroad-While the Mexican war was going on the railroad that was building to connect Indianapolis and the Ohio river . at Madison was slowly creeping along. It was finally completed to the city in 1847 amid great rejoicing. With the opening of the Madison railroad a change came, and the town put on a bustling air of activity. This furnished an opening to the Ohio river, and by that stream to Cincinnati and the south. Business at once revived and new stores were opened, and new factories started, while others were projected. Up to that time the stores kept a little of everything, but a railroad de- manded a division of trade, and stores for dry goods and stores for groceries were opened. The price of property advanced, and a new city goverment organized. At the first settlement of the town, lots along or near the river front were the favorites in the market. The sickly season soon drove business and the settlements further east. and the opening of the railroad attracted everything toward the south, so as to be near the depot.
First Mayor-In February, 1847, the legislature granted a city charter to Indianapolis, and on the 27th of March an election was held to determine whether the people would accept or not. It was approved by a vote of 449 to 19. An election for municipal officers was held on the 24th of April, and Samuel Henderson was elected the first mayor of the city. The population of the city was estimated at that time at 6.000. Practically there were no streets, except Washington, and it was still full of stumps. Some of the other streets had been partly cleared, but no attempt had been made to improve any of them. Here and there on Washington street were patches of sidewalks, some of brick and. some of plank. When it rained mud predominated on the only streets that had been opened and used, while in the summer the dust was thick enough to be almost. stifling.
First Street Improvements-The new city council at once deter- mined to enter upon a systematic and general system of street im- provements. Stumps were pulled out, the streets in the central portion of the city graded and graveled and sidewalks were made. This first effort at improvement caused a good deal of friction and litigation, the property owners objecting to the expense entailed upon them. Bowl- dering for streets was not introduced until 1850, when Washington was so paved from Illinois to Meridian. Free schools also made their appearance soon after the formation of the city government. The state had provided a small fund, but it was only large enough to keep the schools going for three or four months of the year. It was decided to levy a small tax on the citizens to provide funds for the erection of houses and to pay teachers, and by 1853 this tax furnished enough to make a more permanent organization of the schools necessary.
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First Public Hall-The year 1847 brought also the first ball erected for the use of the public. The Grand Lodge of Free Masons determined to erect a building that would contain rooms for lodge pur- poses and a large hall that could be used for entertainments, public meetings, etc. The location decided upon was the southeast corner of Washington and Tennessee streets, now known as Capitol avenue. The corner-stone was laid on the 25th of October, but the building was not finally completed until 1850. The convention to revise the con- stitution of the state held its sessions in the public hall in 1850.
First Wholesale House-Among other improvements in business was the opening of the first wholesale dry goods store in Indianapolis, by Joseph Little & Co. The three or four years following were un- eventful, in the main, the city showing slow but steady growth, and another railroad or two began to make pretentions to public utility, and the Union Railway Company was organized, with the idea of bring- ing all the railroads into one central station.
First Telegraph Line-In 1848 the first telegraph line to the city was constructel, reaching to Dayton, Ohio.
First Gas Lighting Company-In 1851 a company was chartered to furnish gas light to the citizens, but it was not until 1854 the city took any gas for the streets,, and then only for a few lamps. In 1852 the legislature granted a charter for the Northwestern Christian Uni- versity, and plans were adopted to raise funds for the construction of the necessary buildings. The same year the Grand Lodge of Odd Fel- lows began the erection of a building on the northeast corner of Wash- ington and Pennsylvania streets, and in the same year the city again changed its form of government, surrendering the special charter and accepting the general law. This change was mainly occasioned be- cause the special charter limited the power of taxation to fifteen cents on the one hundred dollars, and it had been found totally inade- quate to the needs of the city.
Building Permit Ordinance-Up to the close of the war there had been no steps taken by the city to mark the growth of the city in any way, but in 1864 the council passed an ordinance requiring those pro- posing to build to take out permits, and since then there has been a record by which the changes could be noted.
First Street Railway-In 1863 the first attempt was made to con- struct a street railroad. Two companies applied for a charter, and after a long delay and a bitter fight a charter was granted to the Citizens' Company, and by 1866 about seven miles of track was completed. The first line was that on Illinois street, and this was opened in June, 1864, the mayor of the city driving a car over it.
148:897
INDIANAPOLIS AT PRESENT
A COMPREHENSIVE OUTLINE DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE CITY-AREA, POPULATION, WEALTH, STATISTICS, ETC.
Indianapolis is today the largest inland city on the American conti- hent, and one of the most important railroad centers in this country. It is, too, one of the handsomest cities, and one of the most prosperous and progressive. Its growth has been practically that of only two dec- des. Within that time it has emerged from a rambling village-like own into a city of magnificent business blocks, public buildings and handsome residences. It is the commercial, industrial, social, religious, educational, political and governmental center of Indiana-rich in nat- ural resources and one of the most progressive states in the union. It is more typically a capital of a state than any other city in the coun- ry and is recognized as such in all parts of the United States.
The Area actually within the city is over thirty square miles. The original plat was one mile square, and for many years after the first laying off of the town it kept within those bounds.
The Population has grown in a wonderful manner during the last twenty years. In 1870 the population was 48,244; in 1880 it had grown to 75,056. In 1890 it showed another great advance, the returns show- ing 105,436, and, according to the United States census for 1900, the actual population was 170,963, including Irvington, a suburb, which has since been added to the city. Nearly every nationality on the globe is represented in this population. Of the foreign born the Germans predominate, closely followed by the Irish. The population is indus- trious and thrifty, there being fewer idle men in Indianapolis than in any other city of its size. Hundreds of workingmen own their own homes, and while there is not in the city any great aggregation of wealth, as is found in the other large cities of the country, there is not that depth of poverty to be found. The estimated population of Indianapolis for 1907 is 230,000.
The Municipal Administration is conducted by a mayor and the heads of the various departments. The mayor is elected by a popular vote for the term of four years, and he appoints the members of the various boards. Municipal legislation is in the hands of a council com- posed of twenty-one members, fifteen of whom are elected by wards and the other six by the city at large.
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