Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 28

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472

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Texas,

Maryland,

Vormont,

Massachusetts,

2,210,864 09

Virginia,

Michigun,

2,500,214 9I

West Virginia,

216,761 06

Minnesota,

2,471,199 81

Wisconsin,

2,237, 414 $7

Mississippi,

Nebraska,

Arkansas,

New Hampshire, 336,145 45

Connecticut,

New York,

2,880,017 01

Florida,

Ohio, 6,614,816 50

Congressional fornsbip Funil,

85,000.00

Congressional Township Fund,

$=,441,593 41

The above tablo reveals the pleasing fact Ihal Indiana has n Inrger school fund, by two millions of dollars, than any other Siale in the Union. This lins, in a degree, the burden of taxation from the shoulders of our people. Iu the ratio of the increase of a permuteut funil for tho ednestion of our children is the diminution of the burdens of tuxation for the same purpose. All the reasons thut prompted to the oreation of this funil in the early his- tory of our State now point to its continued inorensr.

213

For 1869,

214

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF INDIANA .- CONTINUED.

STATE INSTITUTIONS

THE STATE DOTEU DE IHALEULTURF.

The history of the geological survey, tho farmation of the Sinte Board of Agriculture, nad the development of the manufacturing resources of the Stale, hare been ubly preseuled by Mr. Henry C Guffin, in the following paper, read before the Mnuufacturers' owl Real Estate Exchange, of Indinu- apolls, luue 23, 1874. We ghwilly avail ourselves of Mr. Guffin's history of Ilie subject, as publishedl in The Twenty-fourth Antial Report of the Sinte Board of Agriculture,

So far as the record goes, the history of the develofunent of the manu- facturing nud agricultural resources of the Sinte begins trith the passage of nn nel, hy tho Legislature, approved February 6, 1837. It was entitled " An net to prorule fer n Geological Surrey of Indiana." In pursuance of the nct, Dr. David Dale Owven ivas appointed State Geologist. Ile made a report, published in iwo paris, in the years 1837 and 1888, under the title of o " Geologien] Reconquissance of the State of Indiana." Near the close of his report he makes use of the following language :

" Locking to the sources of wealth, nud the stimulants to industry u hich lio hurieil in the simin of our cool formation, we may confidleully anticipate Ilint onr young onl growing State will not only continue lo rival her sister States as an agricultural people, but that she will also, ere long, be able lo enjoy au equat share in all their commercial and uinoufueturing adroutages." lle concluiles his report wilb a recojuwendation for a minuto topographi- enl and geological surrey.

And Then the subject slepi for elerou years! It was revived ugain in 18-4! by no less a personago iluin Gov. Joseph A. Wright, in his inaugural nildress, ilelirered on the 5th day of December, of that year. Ho usel the following Inngunge:

"A Ilinrough geologieul examination of our Stalo is alike demanded by the interesty of agriculture, manufactures and commerce We learn frotu the hurried atul incomplete reconnoissanco made by Dr. Darid Dule Owen, many years since, thal ire are rich in mineral os well as agricultural resoltrees, thal about soren thousand square miles of the ' Illinois così field' are embraced within the limits of Iniliano, li is to be regretted that he irns not permitted to completo hid survoy, which premised such rich results. Thal ire have cual, irou anil other minerals itt abuudanco is already uell known, for we haro caterprises in different parts of the State loying hold of theso elements of power oud irenlth. A full omul practical report from an able und seiontifo sourco would disclose fully our vast agricultural and manufacturing resources, and truuld dlouhtless facilitate the companies of the Stato in procuring nul la carry on tho wark thoy ure so energetically pre-s- ing forward, 1 esnuot forbear to any that it would gratify me to see this subject attracting your early and furorabto attention."

In his annual message, delivered ou the 31st day of December, 1850, he used Ibe following language :

" Y'nur attention is again earliestly invited to the importance of providing for a thorough geological aud topographical surrey of tho State. The inter- oats of agriculture, manufactures oud emuuierco olike demand it.

" Thut ludiano is rich in mineral nealth is a fuet that each succeeding year more and more demonstrotes. fler position on the map at this great valley is commanding, and if, under a kind Providence, we escape the perils that threaten to separate us from the great sisterhood of States whose inler- ests are so blended by geological, geographical uwd commercial affinities, the next ten years will place hier ns nn agricultural aud n tannufacturing State by the side of Pennsylronin, + + Our strength and our independence lie in our greul agricultural and tuanufacturing resources.

" We wal muere knowledge-we want o map which will not only define our houudaries, aur oren, aur corporale subdiviaious, aud the course of our rivors; but we irnut a toop which shall tell us ibe depth of our coul scams, tho best location of our iron furnaces, the extent und value of our marble onil sloue quurries, the worth of our exhaustless quantities of timber, oud The true conmieter ef our soits.

" I submit to you whether, if ire regard the measure in the light of mere rerenue nloue, it is not worthy of your deliberate and tovorablo considera- tion.

",Aud irhilo looking at the cost of the work you will not fail to see that in a few years it would bring such nu increase of population ond capital as would reduce the general hurttens of the people fourfold the amount of the expenditure."

Bul the Legislature did uet see it andl failed to make any appropriation. of a State Board of Agriculture, which was actod upon hy the Legislature. A Sinte Beard was organized will Gor. Wright os its President, und the first State Fair hebil in this city (ludianapolis) in the mouth of October, 1852. In 1852, an effort way ngaiu tunde to liaro the Legislature make provision for a geological oud topographical munp of the State. On the 221 day of Jun- unry, of tlint seur, Dr. Ryland 'T. Broisu delivered an address bofore the Legislature ujau that subject. In the course of his remarks, he said :

" Imiliona occupies o position nearly central in the greut geological basin of the Mississippi Valley." Agoiu, "The western margin of the mountain limestone brings us to The cool measures-tho eastern verge of the great Illi. uois cool field. The boundaries of this immeuso così deposit hare not as yet been clearly defined. Its present ascortained length is about 600 miles, and its greatest width 200, und ils estimated aren about 60,000 square miles, em- bracing portions of Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and, perhaps, Minnesota, Of this great field about 8,000 square miles are iu indiana, Of the number and thickness of the cool seams iu our State ont little is known beyond a fel points on the thhio and Wabash Rivers, where coul hos heeu mined. And yet we havo no hesitaney iu pronouncing this cont noxt to her fertile soil the great element of treatth to Indiana."

Again, " Associated with the conl are deposits of iron oro of tiro or threo rorieties. I hare but littlo doubt that, if all the facts in relolion to irou ore iu Indiana irore carefully ascertained by a competeut miueralogist and published in n reliable form by the authorities of the State, we would, in & fou years, manufacture all the iron consumed ju the Stale, aud proba- bly furnish it os an article of commerce."

Ile then euters into an orgument, in detail, showing the practicability,' tbo noccasity, and tho adronlago of bringing these two great urms of pro- duciire industry, viz., the manufacturing and agricultural interests, inlo the closest practical proximily, showing also the folly of looking ubrend for everything beyond the mere growth of the soil, illustrating how our citizens sold Thoir bonds at a ruinous discount in n foreign market nud bought iron rails minde of sixteen per cent. ores in the mountains of Wales, ferried them across the Atlantic, transported them a thousand miles to the interior aud laid them on a track cut through forty per cent, ores, and closes with This striking language :

" This Irrelebed, this insane policy must be obandoned, The manufacturer must be invited to our Western coal fields, that ire moy feed bim with the aurplus products of our fertile soil and, in turu, consumo huis fabrics without this euermous transportation tax."

Referring to the fact that it would cest something to make a thorough geological survey of the State, ho said: "1 apeuk irbat I kuew when I say Ihnt our neglect of this matter is operating seriously to our disadvantage obroad. A fely toobilis ngo, 1 ivay among the manufacturers of the Easteru Stales. 1 spoko of our great manufacturing resources. The reply was: 'They cannol ho of much l'aluc, as your Stato refused last winter to make a surrey that we might he officially informed ou these subjects.' We hope,

gentlemen, you Ivill place this matter right before the publio nun ludinua right hofure the world. We must move in this matter if ire de not intend to he entirely behind the age.

" Ohio lias alrewly colupiloted a survey of her territory. Kentucky, Illi- uois anıl Michigan have each an efficient corps in the fichil, onil shall not Indiana gire to the world a true amil full statemoul of her resources ?"

Thoy answered the Doctor iu the negative. It must hare beon Lecause they hadn't time to pass the bill. They were very husy. They had to miss all sorts of regulations concerning the negro. They lind to protect a gond mouy white people from marrying negroes. Aud as they ilidn't ueel Quy labor in the Sinte, if it ivos colored, They had to make regulntious to suut oul all of that kind of labor, and to tako steps to pull out all that had itn- fortunately got in, oud they didn't hare time to consider the schemes pro. posed by the white people.

So the year 1868 enine and went. Not, horrorer, without n great deal of hopeful talk, and hard work in the interest of agriculture, By this tique a great many counties and districts, arailing themselves of the privileges of nu nel calitlei] " An act for the encouragemeul of agriculture" (approred February 17, 1852), had organised societies, and rery uumlny of them " bleu in" (as the miners say) with an address. The published transsetions of that year ure most interesting and ralunble. Thoy coutain, among other tuatters, an address by the Hon. Daniel Moce, an address by Dr. E. H. W. Ellis, two essays by Dr. Brown, one ou " Siv.imp Lands," the other " On the best tucthod of improring the soil;" one hy Hen. S B. Gookins, on " The culture of rural tasto ;"' au address by Dr. A. C. Storensou ; also, one by Ilon. lolin Dumont : one by Jonathnu W. Gordon, Esq. ; one by for. Wright, oud last, but not least, an address of the State Fuir, at Lafuyetto, by tho great and good Huraco Greeley.

But The Legislature still refusing to muy auy attention to the mutter, the State Board of Agriculture took it in hanl, aud in the minutes of tho incet- ing of the Executive Committee, January 7, 1854 ] find this entry . " On motion of Gor, Wright, Dr. R T. Brown uns employed to prosecute a partial geological examination of the State, at a salary of $500 n year."

The Doctor unde that examination aud reported it. You will find his report in the transactions of the Indiana Agricultural Society, for the year 1853, at page 200 lo the close.

In speaking of that repert, Gor. Wright, iu his message of 1855, says: " In that report, irlich has been placed on your tahles, you will find much valuoble information ou tho sulijeet of our underolopel agricultural and innnufueturing resources." In further discussion of the subiect, ho says : " With a coal field of seren thousand square tuilea iu extent, with inexhausti- ble beds of irun ore, with a soil of unfhiling fertility, with o central position between the East and West, ond writh railroads traversing the State in all directious, Indiana, if true to her own interests, inny, within the course of the uext ten years, double tho preseut nuount of her wealth Quil population. If tre desire to bring into our State a portion of the now hoarded capital of Europe and the East, ire must be able to point with certainty to the places at which it can be profitably invested. To euablo us to de this, iro irant reli- ahle fiets, such as the actual investigation of scientific ten only can furnish. The expenditure of n fer thousand dollars, if uuthorized hy the Legislature, will secure to us the adrantages of a thorough geological and topegraphical survey of the Store."

You will tell me, " Of courso they made the appropriution." Why no, they didn't. They spent the session iu resolutions requiring the Agent of the Indians Colonization Society to furnish theut o staletuent of the opera- tions of his agency ; iu resolutions appointing a Clerk for the Committee on Education : in discussing the question whether George II. Chapulan or Georgo McDowell should represent the counties of Iluntinglon and Wells in the Senole, in voting themselves and each other leaves of absence, and other matters of less importance ; drew their milenge and per diem, and irent home-leaving this great subject untouchedl.

In 1856, Dr. Brown prepared his exhaustive nod unanswerable article on "The Manufneturiug Capabilities of the Indiana Cool Field." It is pub- lished in tho Indiana agricultural reports of that year. In the same reports I find only three other essays from Dr Browu. I didn't look very close. There moy be others. There are also essays and addresses from various per- sony-two essays by Igontius Brown, Esq., oue " On Coru," the other " Oo Ditching auf Draining." An address by Ifou. Oliver I]. Smith, and o com- municaliou from him on the Railroads of lodiana, and a communication from Hon. Hamilton Smith, on " Coal Mining in Indiana."

And then, in 1867, the good Gorernor, determined not to be outdene, and recurring to the subject with a certainty only equalled by thal of death and taxes, speaks out in this fashion :

" Having on several former occasions urged upon the Legislature the duly of providing for a thorough scientifio surrey of the geological character of the State, I regret that my recommendations upon a subject of such vital importance to the prosperity of the people have failed to convince the proper authority of the propriety of making the necessary prorisions for such a surrey. I therefore earnestly renew the recommeulation."

Bul it ended just There. Gor. Wright, having serred beth State oud Hatien irith ereilit, hund goue to his honored grare, but the logie of erents has vindicated the wisdom of his riens, und demonstrated tho value of his suggestions. And this people, Hou in the purtial possession of the great blessings which he foresaw oud predicted, and irhom he would have crowned with these blessings, but could uot, by rensou of this absolute and uurelieved oud unmitigated and impenetrable ignorauce and indifference and folly, owo him a debt of gratitude for his labors in this behalf. As for his ossociale and colahorer, Dr. Brown, il is n matter of congratulation that he has liecu spared to see the beginning of the wouderful growth iwhich he predicted and labored to attain, and it is left us to hope that be may he long preserved in our midst, in the fullness of his years, and the ripeness of his powers, to losten and lo witness tho still greater growth that remains for our future.

Eu the early part of Gov. Willard's lerm you will find among the stand- ing committees one "Ou Manufactures," but there is no record of their ever haring done anything, and I think it foir to infer that tho committee was simply for ornotueni, and uot at all for nise.

It is but just, however, to say that on the 5th day of March, 1859, the Legislature did make an appropriation of $5,000 to be expended by the State Board of Agriculture iu making a partial survey, oud that Dr. David Dale Owen being appointed to the work, aud dylug soon after, it wos com- pleted by bis assistant and brother, Richard; and Lient. Gov. Hammond, in Lis address to the Legislature on the 9th day of January, 1861, used the follotring language :

"Our intuented miau of science, of world-wide reputation, und aa orna- ment to our State, our late State Geologist, Dr. David Dale Orven, is lost to science and to us by death, aud it will be, indeed, hord to fill the void thus occasioned. As, borrerer, he was occupied, pureriously to the call made on Lins by our State Board, in the survey of Kentucky ond Arkansas, he had not persoually taken the field. The work has hitherto been couducted and roported upon by his brother, Dr. Richard Quen, whose report is herewith submitted to you, with the necessary diagramis, tables of Quatysis, etc., con- uccted therewith."

This report was published under the authority of the Indiana Legisla- ture. Then couro the war, and the subject dropped out of public attentiou. To be sure, Gor. Morton, with oll the mighty burdens of That war upon Lim, found time ani pluce fer the following remarks in his message of 1868 : " Tho mineral resourses of Indiana are hut imperfectly nuderslood. Nearly one-fourth of the whole aren of the Stato is a coal field, a largo part

of irbich is of the finest quality, Excellent iron ore is found in vast quan- tilies in many counties, and, ulthough hut littlo worked as yet, will be tho source of great wealth and prosperity in the futuro. Throughout the State, except in n feir small loenlities, the soil is rich and fertile, capable of pro- ducing all the grains and grasses in the, greatest abundance, The State nbounils in fine timber nud liring streams of water, nud in overy respect prescuts the facilities for an easy nod profilalle agriculture, while nn abundance of coal and water-power furnishes the meaus of ununfacturing out the largest scale and cheapest terius."

He followed this up in 1866, and again in 1867, reconttewiling the' establishment of a Bureau of Ewigtution, lutt nothing erer came of it.

In 1868, Dr. Brown, then Professor of Natural Sciences in the North- ivestern Christian University, at the request of Lieut. Gov. Baker, acting Goreroor, compiled a statement entitled " Indiana and her Resources," in which he sots forth, in tho olcarest, most definito and sutismetory mmaner, the position, oliquote, soil, timber, wator power, building tunterial, consisting of clity and the variotts qualities of stone, their location and character, the conl, irou and manufacturing facilities of the State, ten thousand copies of which were distributed ibreughout Pennsylvania and the Eastern States.

In Msrel, 1870, Dr. Brown contributed to the Indianapolis Daily Journal a series of singularly valuable articles, seven in nuuber, ou irhut was termed " The Indiana Cool Field," ircating it with u fulluess and accuracy of knowledge born anly of years af enthusiastic and intimate study of a subject.

I ought to have said, further haok, that tho Indiana Agricultural Roports for 1854-6 contaiu minutes of the proceedings of the Stato Four, tho various county oud district fairs, and much ralunble literatura on agricultural sub jeals. As usual, Dr. Brown comes in for three essays-one " On Grassos," que "Ou tho Dairy," and one ou " The Soil of Indiana."

Amoug other contributors are C. W. Walker, Ignatius Broirn and R. J. Gatling, of Morion County ; Wilhur F. Stone, of Putnam ; Oliver Albertson, of Washington ; John A. Burbank, of Wayne ; Lewis Bolliuan, of Monroe; Judge Cotton, of Dearborn : Dewitt Chipman, of Hamilton; W. W. Curry, of leudricks, W. M. Franklin, of Oweu ; S. S. Ilardiug, of Ripley ; James larlond, of Vandorburgh ; A. W. Leuion, of Fayette ; I. D. G. Nelson, of Allen ; Dr. A. C. Sterenson, of l'uitnom ; Dr. Ilaymond, of Franklin ; Thomns N. Stillwell, of Madison ; Judge Stewart, of Cass ; and Judge Samuel E. Porkins, of Marion. It presses yet to be said that the State Board of Agri- cultitre oud the various county and distriet socicties hare held their meet- ings from year to year, and by their exhibitions and premiums, essays and addresses, discussions oud publications, have disseminated ideas, engen- dered enthusiasm anil interest, and increased their influenco and porrer till their oxhibitions for the last six years have heeu uniformly and emincotly successful, und their offorts culminated last year in the Indiunu Stalo Fuir and Exposition, which, though not so successful as the Crystal Palace Ex- hibition in Loudout, in 186), or the similar exhibition in New York, in 1833, or in I'nris, in 1867, was, nevertheless, the rery respectable beginning of what is yot to become a great iustitutien.

To the great praise of the Board it must always be mentioned that they were chiefly instrumental iu procuring tho geologienl surrey of the State, Tho Hon. A. D. Hamrick callel special attention to the matter in his address as President to the members of the Board in the years 1868-9. Gov. Baker irent personally before the Board and urged the matter in 1869, nud in his message of that year, said :

"If we desire to compete with other States in attracting capital and inritiug immigratian, some means must be used to make known what we haro already accomplished, oud tho vost resources of our Sinte, which still reninit to be dereloped. As a means to this end, a thorough and scientific geological survey of the State would seem to be a necessity. Such a survey has been repeatedly recommended hy amy predecessers, ond I now repeat the recommendation, feoliug assurent that parsiniony in this respect is the very reverso of true econamy."

On the 7th day of March, 1869, the Legislature passed on net prariding for a Department of Geology and Natural Science, in connection with the Stalo Board of Agriculture, oud on the 22d day of March, Gor. Baker appointed Prof. Edward T. Cox to the office of State Geologist. Ilo entered at once upon his duties, und the results of his labors aro knoirn.

It would be interesting to trace him through overy siop af his progressi his moving from his homo in Nen Harmony to Indianapolis, and bringing with him his private collection of geological specimens, and his assortment of chemical apparatus and re-agents ; to see him gathering what for geological specimens we bad out of the State House cellar and arranging them for dis- play ; to hear him beg for an appropriation for rooms in which to establish a laberators ; to tramp with him orer every county irliere he has made a surrey ; to stand by him os he has made his analysis of coul, iron and clay ; to sco hint luaugurate and arrange tho excursion to Cluy County ; to go with him through his rarious mops oud reports ; hut I forbear. Ile hus met with so much sympathy, and eucouragemont, and success; his name has been so constaully conspicuous ond honorably heforo tho puhlie, that I think I may assumne thot you horo modo yourselres thoroughly fotuiliar with luis labors. I bare chosen rather to recall and emphasize the names of those who, in years gone by, luboring for this enuse through storm ond darkness, without money and without price, wero rewarded only with indifference, contempt ond failure.

As for us, surrounded, as wo are, with the light and knowledge of this hour ; thirty-seven years after Darid Dale Owen's reconuoissanco ; [wooty- five years after Gov. Wright's first recommendation of a survoy ; twenty-two years after Dr. Brown's address to the Legislature, aud twenty years after his report ; fifteen years affor Richord Orven's report ; after theso facts hare Leen affirmed and illustrated from every choir of natural soience in the State ; discussed at the meetings of the State Board of Agriculture, at county fairs, in county school housea, in all mauuer of means und hy all classes ef people, gelting eron into the county papers, ond beiug occasionolly men- tioned iu the Legislature; and what is more to the point, fifteen years after John M. Lord and John Thomos, theu controlling the " Iudianopolis Rolling Mil)," modo their first experiment in the use of block coal in their fur- Doces, And demonstrated its complete adaptation to the rolling-mill ; cloren years after these same gentlemen conceired and executed the idea of using the block coal in the puddling furnaces for the conversion of pig iron into bors , sevon years after they compteuced the construction of tho Planel Furnace-the pioneer furnace of our great Indiano smelting entorprise -- thrus staking their money on their faith in the ralue of raw blook cool in smelt- ing iron, and haring their faith onswored with the most completo and triumphant success-lot us not toko to ourselves too great credit for wisdom and courage, when wo vonture to afhrm tho proposition " that Indiana is a grent mnuufacturing State." On the contrary, having our faith thus renowed, if there be any left to whom the knowledge of these great things hos nol como, or who are still skeptical in rogard to thom, we may point thom to the sources of information from which they will learn that the greatest and best of our history liare known them all along; and, olussing tho folly which overlooked them with the olil internal improvement folly of 1837, and tho still greater felly of the failure to pay the juterest on the publin debt, thus ruining the financial choructor of the Stute ohroad, and retarding her growth in wealth nud population, we may be able to show them that wo are a quarter of a century behind where wo ought to be, and that, studying the mistakes of our predecessors, ive may profit hy thelr example, and turn their defeat into victory; Ihat with higher ideos, grentor energies, priser policies and better men controlling our course in the future, wo may regaio what we huve lost, and thus give our beloved commonwealth her proper place in this great sisterhood of States.

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Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 28

Author: Publication date: 1876 Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co. Number of Pages: 472

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472