Logan's Indianapolis directory, 1868, Part 52

Author:
Publication date: 1868
Publisher: Logan
Number of Pages: 416

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The first wholesale dry goods house in the place was started in 1847 by J. Little & Co., at 28 west Washington street. It was burned May 14, 1848, when owned by Little, Drum & Andersons.

1848. It was announced about the middle of December, 1847, that Andrew Kennedy, an ex-member of Congress from Indiana, was ill of small-pox at the Palmer House, and he died in January, 1848. Many members of the legislature having visited him before the disease was known, a panic ensued and the assembly adjourn- ed. This act excited much ridicule at the time, b t as a number of other cases occur. red in January and February, the mirth soon ceased, and panic seized the citizens. The council ordered a general vaccination, estab- lished a board of health, and authorized the construction of a hospital. A lot was accordingly bought, material collected and a contract made with Seth Bardwell for a frame house, but before its erection the disease and panic subsided, and a citizens' meeting protested against further taxes for hospital purposes. The council in April gave the contractor $225 with the mate- rial, to give up the contract; the lots were sold, and Bardwell built the Indiana House, on west Market street out of the material. A citizens' meeting in the summer of 1847, had recommended the building of a hospi- tal, and parties had then offered to advance the necessary funds. In July, 1849, anoth- er case of small-pox ocurred, and as the cholera was prevailing severely on the river, another first class panic ensued. A citizens' meeting recommended the cutting of the dog fennel in the streets, and ap- pointed a committee to quarantine the cars, several miles south of town, and remove the cholera and small-pox patients who might be on board. The plan was very brilliant, but failed for the want of a suf- ficiently self-sacrificing committee. The board of health also recommended dog fen- nel mowing, general sanitary precautions, and the erection of a hospital. The mow . ing was accordingly done, but the dog fen- .nel was found to be worse when cut than when standing. This recommendation hav- ing failed, no hospital was erected, and but few sanitary measures taken. Many German emigrants were arriving at that time, and the first fatal case of cholera hap- pened among them, July 18, 1849, and sev- eral of them subsequently died. The Pres- ident appointed the first Friday of August,

1849, as a fast day, on account of the cholera. It was generally observed as such throughout the country.

On the 14th of February, 1848, the as- sembly passed an act chartering telegraph companies, and on the 26th, Henry O'Reilly advertised for subscriptions to build a line from here to Dayton. It was constructed immediately afterward, and the first dis- patches sent to Richmond, May 12th. The first published dispatches appeared in the Sentinel May twenty-fourth. The of- fice in the second story of Norris', now Hubbard's block, was crowded by excited natives, who doubted the genuineness of the invention; and the first operator, Isaac H. Kiersted, was greatly worried in ex- plaining it. In 1850, Wade & Co. built a second line, which was consolidated with the first in April, 1853, and since that date other lines have been built by companies and railways, till twenty-nine wires now centre at the office in the third story of Blackford's block, all under one corpora- tion, with Jno. F. Wallack as superintend- ent. Isaac H. Kiersted, J. W. Chapin, An- ton Schneider, Sidney B. Morris, J. F. Wil- son and J. F. Wallack, have been chief op- erators and superintendents at this point.

A merchants' exchange was formed in June, for the reception of dispatches and the transaction of business. C. W. Cady being secretary, K. Homburgh, treasurer. It failed in a few weeks for lack of money. A citizens' meeting was called at College Hall in August, 1853, to revive it, and af- ter discussion it was resolved to form a board of trade. N. McCarty, J. D. Defrees, Ignatius Brown, R. J. Gatling, A. H. Brown and J. T. Cox, were appointed to prepare a constitution, circular and map, and solicit funds. D. Maguire was elected president, J. L. Ketcham, secretary, R. B. Duncan, treasurer. Funds were subscribed and a circular and map, prepared by Mr. Brown, were published and sent over the country, calling attention to the advanta- ges held by the city for manufacturing and wholesaling. Active efforts continued for about two years, and did much good, but the interest died out, and the effort was suspended. The board was again revived in 1856, and for two years actively dissem- inated information concerning the city .- The establishment of the rolling mill here was owing to its efforts. It again sus- pended for want of funds. In 1864, the chamber of commerce was formed. T. B. Elliott, (succeeded in 1865 by W. S. Pierce,) president, Jehiel Barnard, secretary, and has since continued operations at its office in Vinton's block, though not supported as it should be. The merchants and manu- facturers' association was formed in the

HISTORY OF

spring of 1868, with objects substantially similar to the old board of trade, and open- ed an office at 16'south Meridian street.

A new engine was demanded by the Relief Company, and subscriptions being scanty, the Council ordered an election in June, for a special tax to buy one. The decision was against it, as also at another election in July, ordered for the same ob- ject. The first foreign paper published here, the Indiana Volksblatt, a democratic weekly journal, edited and published by Julius Boetticher, appeared from an office at Temperance Hall, in September, and has since been regularly issued under the control of Mr. Boetticher. It is now pub- lished at 166 east Washington street.

The companies commanded by Captains Lander and McDougall having returned from Mexico, a procession and barbecue in their honor took place, October 4th, in the woods where the Soldiers' Home was afterwards located. Senator Hannegan, Thomas J. Henley and others, were the speakers.

The Central Plank Road Company was formed in November, contracts let May, 1849, and the road finished from Plainfield to Greenfield, in April, 1851, on the old National road, which, with its bridges, was taken by the company. Gates were located at the east and west ends of Wash- ington street, and tolls charged on the bridge. Citizens' meetings were held, de- nouncing this action on the part of the Company, and the Council finally procured the removal of the eastern gate, by releas- ing the Company from all liability for improving Washington street.

The railroads being desirous to connect their several depots by rail, the Council, on the 20th of December, prescribed by ordinance the conditions on which they might lay the present Union track, and in the following August the Companies formed the Union Railroad Company, and laid the track in 1850.

1849. The street improvement or- dered in 1847-8, had caused a debt of about $6,000, and William Eckert, Presi- deut of the Council, ordered an election June 9th, to authorize a special tax of ten cents to pay it. Two hundred and fifty- eight votes were cast, and the tax carried by eleven majority. The people grumbled greatly that the tax was now forty-five cents on the one hundred dollars. H. C. Newcomb was elected Mayor at the April election, succeeding Samuel Henderson, the first incumbent of that office. The. population this year was found to be 6,500.

Much improvement was taking place, three hundred houses were supposed to have been built, shops and factories were

started, and steam engines were at last made here.

The Central Medical College, a depart- ment of the Indiana Asbury University, was organized during the summer, with J. S. Bobbs, Richard Curran, J. S. Harrison, George W. Mears, C. G. Downey, L. Dun- lap, A. H. Baker and D. Funkhouser as Professors, and began its first session, November 1st, (lasting four months,) in Matthew Little's two-story brick dwelling, south-east corner East and Washington streets, which had been fitted up as the College Buildings. Twenty or thirty stu- dents were in attendance the first session, and several were graduated in March, 1850, President Simpson delivering the diplomas. Annual sessions were held for two or three years, when the institution was discontinued. The Assembly, Janu- ary 21, 1850, authorized the sale of one acre of University Square, at its appraised price, to Asbury University, for the build- ings of the Central Medical College, but the selected acre being appraised in April at $3,566, the price was thought to be too high, and opposition arising to the sale, it was abandoned.

The Court of Common Pleas of Marion county was organized, and began its first session, on the second Monday of July, 1849, under a special act of the preceding session, Abram A. Hammond being first judge and ex-officio clerk. He was after- wards succeeded by Edward Lander, who served till the Court was abolished, in 1851-2. About fifty cases were on the docket at the first term. The present Court of Common Pleas was established by the revised laws of 1852, Levi L. Todd being elected by the people first Judge, in August, 1852. His successors since have been Sam'l Corey, David Wallace, Jno. Co- burn, Charles A. Ray and Solomon Blair.

The Widows and Orphans Society was organized early in December, 1849. The receipts for the first year were $113.16, expenses $98.30. It has been mainly sustained by private contributions, and by fairs and exhibitions held for its bene- fit, and has steadily grown in usefulness and importance. Two lots in Drake's ad- dition were donated to the Society by Allen May, and a third bought in 1852. A neat brick building was erected on the property in 1855, at a cost of about $3,000, and the affairs of the society have been successfully administered to the present date. The thanks of the community are due to the noble women who struggled against every disadvantage in the incep- tion of this great charity, and direct and sufficient aid should be annually given them by the city government. For the last

INDIANAPOLIS FROM 1818.

two or three years small appropriations have been annually voted to the Society by the City Council.

1850. An earthquake, which was felt all through the west and south, occurred at -8 o'clock A. M. on the 4th of April, shaking the buildings.

The City Treasury receipts for the year ending April 25th, were $9,327, expendi- tures $7,554. The total taxables for 1850 amounted to $2,326,185. The school fund was slowly accumulating, amounting to $3,295, the receipts for the year being $2,385. Polls, 1,243, an increase of 400 over last year. The population, as shown by the census in October, was 8,097, an increase of 1,530 over 1849. The wealth had increased about $300,000. There were twenty-five physicians, thirty law- yers, and one hundred and twenty indus- trial establishments.

Governor Crittenden and suite arrived May 28th, on invitation of Gov. Wright, and a Union meeting was held in the State House yard on the 29th, when reso- lutions were passed, and speeches made `by the Governors and others.

A union funeral service was held July 27th, by all denominations and parties, for President Taylor, Rev. E. R. Ames deliv- ering an able eulogy on the deceased President.

Many German emigrants were arriving this year, and brought the cholera with them, nine or ten of them dying during the summer. There was no panic, how- ever, and the disease did not spread.

The Christian Church was built during this and the next year, on the south-west corner of Delaware and Ohio streets.

The Indiana Statesman, a weekly, demo- cratic paper, was first issued September 4th, by Ellis & Spann, from the old Sentinel office, on Illinois street. It was merged with the Sentinel in September, 1852.

The Indiana Female College was or- , ganized, and the house and lot on the south-east corner of Ohio and Meridian streets purchased during the summer, and the school opened there in the fall by Rev. T. A. Lynch. His successors in the Pres- idency of the institution have been Rev. Charles Adams, G. W. Hoss, B. H. Hoyt, O. M. Spencer and W. H. Demotte. The college was suspended in 1859, but in 1865 the old lot and buildings were sold, and the lot and buildings of the former Mc- Lean Female Seminary bought and used from that date by the institution. The school was well conducted and prosperous, but was closed with the June term, 1868, and in that month the house and lot was purchased by the trustees of Wesley

Chapel, for about $16,000, and a church will shortly be erected there by that con- gregation, at a cost of seventy-five or eighty thousand dollars.

1851. The Toledo Theatrical Com- pany, under Mr. Shires as manager, with H. A. Perry, Robert Buxton, Mrs. Coleman Pope and other good actors, gave a series of dramatic performances, January 7-26, in Masonic Hall, and though sadly embar- rassed by lack of scenery and stage room, did themselves credit, and drew large and enthusiastic audiences.

The Indianapolis Gas Light and Coke Co., (originated by John J. Lock wood, ) was incorporated by the assembly in February 1851, for thirty years, with $20,000 capi- tal. Stock books were opened March 6th, and on the 26th the Company organized with D. V. Culley, President; W. W. Wright, Secretary and H. V. Barringer, Superintendent. The City Council, by or- dinance, March 3d, gave the Company the exclusive right, for fifteen years, of sup- plying the city and its inhabitants with gas, prescribing the conditions on which pipes might be laid in the streets, and stipulating that gas should be furnished for the street lamps at the price then pre- vailing in Cincinnati. In July the Com- pany bought a lot on Pennsylvania street, south of Pogue's run, and built a retort house and gas-holder during the fall. Mains were also laid on Pennsylvania and Washington streets. The works were fin- ished in December, and gas was first fur- nished for consumption on the 10th of January, 1852. In the following April 7,700 feet of pipe had been laid. Thirty bushels of coal were daily consumed, 675 burners employed and 116 consumers using gas. Before the construction of the gas works, the only building in the city lighted by gas was the Masonic Hall, which was furnished with a gas-making apparatus, and the first street lamps in the city were the two in front of the hall, supplied from its apparatus. For two or three years the Company was unsuccess- ful, the machinery and works being de- fective in construction and the Superin- tendent inexperienced in the business. An additional sum was then expended in modifying the works. Christopher Brown was appointed Superintendent, an in- creased pressure was put on the mains, more gas was consumed, and the Company began to prosper. The mains were exten- ded on additional streets, and further im- provements were made in the works. But little gas was used by the city until within the last ten years. The first lamps were put up on Washington street, between Me- ridian and Pennsylvania streets, in the fall

HISTORY OF

of 1853, and were supplied with gas at the expense of the property-holders on that square, the tax for gas lighting having been defeated at the elections in 1851-2. The first contract for supplying street lamps was made by the Council and Com- pany in December, 1854, and portions of Washington and some of the adjacent streets were lit in 1855. In 1858-9, a large increase was made in the length of streets lighted and number of lamps, and the increase has been steady since that date. In May, 1860, there were eight and one-half miles of street lit, two hundred and sixty-five lamps were used and eighty- five more were being erected. At present twenty-one miles of streets are lit and nearly nine hundred lamps have been erected, only seven hundred and fifty of which are used, the Council having re- cently decided to light only those at the street corners. The lamp posts and lamps are put up at the expense of the property- holders and kept in repair by the city. Twenty-three miles of mains and nearly seventy-five miles of service pipe are now in use. There are one thousand five hun- dred and fifty consumers. Extensive changes, additions and repairs have been made to the works, and they have also been largely extended. In 1863, the Company built, on Delaware street, a new receiving reservoir, or gas-holder, of about 300,000 cubic feet capacity, at a cost of about $120,000. The retort house, which originally held six retorts, now has fifty - five. The average daily production of gas at present is about 175,000 feet.

No rule was at first adopted as to the number and position of street lamps on each square, and some trouble and irregu- larity resulted from it, but on the 12th of February, 1859, the Council fixed the number at four to each square, placed at equal diagonal distances, and so arranged that the opposite street corners should be lit.

As the charter granted, March 3, 1851, for fifteen years, by the city, would ex- pire March 4, 1866, the Council, in May, 1865, ordered the clerk to advertise for proposals to light the city for twenty years with gas. It was done, and on the 4th of September the Gas Company submitted the ouly proposition that, was received. They had been charging private comsumers $4.50 per 1,000 feet, and the city $20.00 per lamp, with $8.44 per annum for light- ing and cleaning. They now offered to supply the city and citizens, for the en- suing twenty years, at $3.48 per thousand feet, light. and clean the lamps at $5.40 each per annum, all payments to be in currency at par, free of Government tax,

which was to be paid by consumers. They also claimed the exclusive right, under Legislative charter, to supply the citizens for five years longer with gas. The com- mittee on gas made long reports in July and October on the subject, setting forth that eighteen miles of mains had been laid, five hundred and thirty three lamp posts erected and one hundred more being erected : that the gas used by private par- ties in 1864 amounted to about 17,000,000 feet, and by the city to 4,500,000: that one thousand two hundred meters were in use, and 90,000 bushels of coal consumed. They considered the question of cost and price here and elsewhere, and submitted a proposition that the Company be given the contract for fifteen years at $3.00 per one thousand feet, and the lamps at $28.80 per year, consumers to pay tax, and the city to light and clean the lamps-a gas inspector was recommended. They also denied the Company's asserted right to continue for five years longer than the pe- riod fixed by the original contract with the city. It was afterward proposed to capi- talize the property of the Company at $350,000, the city to divide profits above 15 per cent., and on the 22d of January, 1866, a gas ordinance was passed granting the company the right for twenty years on a capital of $350,000. The Company, on the 31st of January, declined to accept it, and said they would continue to furnish gas to all consumers at $3.75 per thousand by actual measurement, consumers to pay tax. Matters remained in this state till the 5th of March, when R. B. Catherwood & Co., offered to take the charter for thirty years, with the exclusive privilege, and furnish gas at $3.00 per thousand feet, the city to contest the claim of the old Company. In response to this offer the Gas Committee, on the 12th of March, re- ported an ordinance giving Catherwood & Co., or " the Citizens' Gas Light and Coke Co.," the exclusive right for twenty years, reserving the right of the city to buy the works after ten years, and all profits over 15 per cent. on the capital were to be di- vided equally between the Company and city. The new Company was to test the claim of the old Company by suit. The capital was to be appraised every five years, and the Company was to fix the rate on the first of March annually for gas, at not over $3.00 per thousand feet.

They were to extend mains whenever. fifteen burners were promised to the square, and lay them and repair streets at their own cost. The company were to insure the works against fire, and forfeit their charter if the conditions were not fulfilled. While this ordinance was pending, the old

INDIANAPOLIS FROM 1818.

company got alarmed, and came forward with another proposition, offering to fur- nish gas for twenty years at $3 per 1,000 feet, to make no charge for meters, to charge only actual cost of pipe connections, to extend mains whenever fifteen burners to the square were promised, &c. This offer was accepted, and on the 19th of March the council passed an ordinance rechartering the old company for twenty years from March 4, 1866. Good gas was to be furnished at $3 per 1,000 feet, with no charge for meters, the company to lay mains when fifteen burners to the square were promised, and make all pipe connec- tions at actual cost. The price of gas was to be reduced if improvements in its man- ufacture were adopted; all streets to be repaired when torn up to lay pipes, and damages paid by the company in case of injury to any party. The city was to light and clean the lamps, and have the quantity and quality of the gas tested. The company accepted this charter on the 21st of March, and has since been acting under it.

It was found, shortly after the new con- tract was made, that the city gas bills were rapidly increasing under the meter-meas- urment system; and on investigation, in the spring and summer of 1867, it was discovered that the city had been paying for sixteen or twenty lamps beyond the actual number, and for all of them whether lighted or not, and that by defective burn- ers and too heavy pressure, more gas was consumed than was necessary - nearly 6,000,000 feet having been burned in elev- en months in 1866-7. The committee recommended the election of a gas inspec- tor, and George H. Fleming was chosen to that office in the spring of 1868, and fur- nished with a set of instruments at a cost of $800. Rules were adopted for testing quantity, quality and pressure of the gas, and the number of hours the lamps were to be lighted. It was also resolved to light the lamps only on the street cor- ners, and to shut off the gas at midnight. By this action the cost to the city has been reduced from nearly $40,000 to little over $20,000 annually.

The original capital of the gas company was $20,000; but the works and mains, as first built, cost $27,000. They were rebuilt in 1856, at an additional expense of $30,- 000-making the total outlay, before the works proved profitable, about $57,000. From that time the enterprise has been successful. Few or no dividends have been declared, the profits all being devoted to the additions, repairs and extensions of the property ; the works being again en- tirely rebuilt in 1860, and an additional

gas-holder of 75,000 feet capacity built. Three reservoirs, one of 20,000, one of 75,- 000 and one of 300,000 cubic feet capacity are now in use; 700 bushels of coal are daily used in making gas, the average product being 175,000 feet. In the spring of 1868 the company built a three-story brick office on the north-east corner of Pennsylvania and Maryland streets, at a cost of about $12,000. The present value of the property and franchise of the com- pany is over $500,000. D. V. Culley, D. S. Beatty, E. J. Peck and S. A. Fletcher, Jr., have been the presidents, and H. V. Bar- ringer, Christopher Brown, E. Bailey and H. E. Stacey superintendents.

The State Board of Agriculture was char- tered by the Assembly, February 14th, 1851, and was organized May 27 with a board of directors, Gov. Wright being chosen president, John B. Dillon, secretary, and R. Mayhew, treasurer. The first fair was held here on the military grounds October 19-25, 1852-1,365 entries were made, a large crowd of visitors attended, many of whom experienced difficulty in procuring food and lodging, but the railways enabled most of them to come and return the same day. The citizens were then first aston- ished with the numberless side-shows, since so common, at such gatherings. The fair of 1853 was held October 11-13, at Lafayette; that of 1854 in October, at Madison. Those of 1855, '6, '7 and '8 at Indianapolis. Receipts, respectively, $11,- 000, $13,000, $14,600 and $11,000; that of 1859 at New Albany, receipts $8,000. Those of 1860, '2, '3 and '4, were held at Indianapolis, receipts $11,000, $4,200, $8,- 000, $10,000. That of 1865 at Ft. Wayne, receipts $10,500. That of 1866 at Indianap- olis, and of 1867 at Terre Haute. No fair was held in 1861. It will be seen that the most successful fairs have been held at this point, and the fact would be still more marked by the comparison of the entries made at each. The most successful fair was that of 1857, both in receipts and in number of entries. The fairs here until 1860, and during the war, were held on the military grounds, which were fitted up by the Board and citizens for the purpose. Those held elsewhere were on grounds fur- nished and fitted up by the citizens of the respective cities. In 1859 the Board de- termined to locate the fair permanently at this point and procure larger grounds. Proposals were invited, and during the winter and following spring much compe- tition arose between the partizans of dif- ferent sites adjoining the city, and some ill feeling was caused. The Otis grove, north of the city, was bought by the board and railway companies in 1860, and ex-

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Logan's Indianapolis directory, 1868, Part 52

Author: Publication date: 1868 Publisher: Logan Number of Pages: 416

Author:
Publication date: 1868
Publisher: Logan
Number of Pages: 416