USA > Indiana > Cass County > Pastime sketches : scenes and events at "The Mouth of Eel" on the historic Wabash with papers read before the Cass County Indiana, Historical Society at its spring meetings, 1907 > Part 11
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The next period of especial importance as to traffic was in the year of Dec. 6, 1882, when the street cars propelled by mule power was established by F. G. Jaques, and operated by him until the year 1891, when his barns and car house, located north- east corner Eighteenth and Broadway, together with nearly all of his mules were destroyed by fire. The franchise then changed hands, and the system was changed from mule to electricity, and has ex- tended all over city and hooked on to the interurban and today we can get out of the city at any hour of the day or night and go north, south, east and west and our brainy men have nearly completed a ship to travel in the yet unoccupied space above the earth, and we need not be surprised some morning to find a bill under our door announcing a cheap excursion next Sunday to the north pole.
SECOND PUBLIC MEETING OF THE CASS COUNTY, INDI - ANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, JUNE 28, 1907.
The second public meeting of the Historical so- ciety at the Library June 28th was a success. Every chair was occupied and standing room was in de- mand. Judge D. P. Baldwin, president, called the
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meeting to order and made a short address. He said that history can only be written one hundred years after the event, biography fifty years after the death of the subject. He thought that the present was productive of greater men than the past but that the fields of usefulness were changed ; that ge- nius was rather developed in finance, not so much in war or politics. He spoke of great men of finance who had startled the world by their genius in or- ganization.
Vice President Powell took the chair, and an- nounced the regular program of the evening, also calling attention to the fact that the society would join with the Old Settlers in the picnic at Spencer Park, August 10th. He invited the public generally to become charter members, handing names to B. F. Sharts of the Logansport State Bank. He spoke of the appreciation of the music rendered at pre- vious meetings by the G. A. R. Glee club, and called upon the club for the first number.
The first paper was by Mrs. Minnie York Bu- chanan, subject "Old Time Schools." She said she could hardly tell anything of the schools of the early days but would give her observations in 1865 when she came to Logansport as a school teacher after teaching in New York.
Wils Berry followed with a chalk talk on the costumes of 1864 illustrating with twenty or more rapidly drawn sketches. Mr. Berry exhibited a ver- satility surprising to many who were not familiar with his talent. There was a rush for his drawings after adjournment and all were carried away to be preserved as souvenirs.
After music by the Glee club W. T. Giffe fol-
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lowed with the last paper of the evening, subject "Early Music."
PAPER READ BY MRS. MINNIE YORK BUCHANAN BEFORE THE CASS COUNTY, INDIANAHISTORICAL, SOCIETY, JUNE 28, 1907.
"The schools of the olden time had the same common branches that we have today, but they had schoolmasters and schoolmarms, and the penknife was very essential to their equipment, not only to make and mend the goose-quill pens with which to write the copy 'Be good if you would be happy,' but also to point up and down the black ladder of the alphabet, as they listened to the prolonged sound of a-b-c and the promise from the pretty pink aproned schoolma-m, 'you may take your knife a little while if you will remember that letter has charmed it,' and many of its neighbors into mem- ory.
"They did not remain seated during recitations in the olden times, but came to the class and stood in a line facing the teacher and 'toed the mark.' At 10:30 the teacher would say 'now the girls may go out.' In five minutes she would rap on the window (and those windows rattle) and call them in, then the boys could go out. This was recess.
"In the old olden time many of the school houses were built of logs with planks around the sides of the wall for desks and long benches for seats, with- out backs. And those desks and seats were often deeply furrowed with the sharp blade handled by some sharper 'Yankee blade.'
"But this olden time was long before 1865. Lo- gansport then was a busy, energetic, enterprising
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place. In my memory are three events that will ever remain vivid, my arrival in Logansport, a drive in the country a day of two after, and in connection with the city schools, the superintendency of T. B. Helms. During the year mentioned I was engaged in teaching in western New York, but anticipated a visit to Logansport in the early fall, as my friends had written me of the excellent wages paid teachers here. I had considered remaining a year at least. I had many discouraging statements from others who thought it a wild idea, and some of the older teachers had been in Indiana and visited the schools and reported them way below par compared with ours, said that they used different words to express things ; that I would have to learn why they call a pail a bucket, a tin pail with handle, a bucket, and they would conclude with 'You'll be home in three weeks.' They failed to tell me, if they knew, that they had the fever and ague. New Yorkers had a dread of that, as I had seen some who had returned from Michigan and was shocked at their ghastly appearance and slow recovery. "I surely would not have come to Indiana had I known it was sub- ject to it. But I arrived one evening in September in a pouring rain. I think I was the only one to leave the train of two coaches. I could see no one, no conveyance. I concluded I must be a way out of the city. Just as I was wondering where the people were, a man came in from somewhere and asked: 'Do you want the bus?' I certainly did. Those were my instructions, to take the bus. When I arrived at my destination they came from the door to the bus with umbrellas, to meet me. I was feeling somewhat depressed. When I retired to my room it was warm and the window was lowered. I
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could hear the people passing and it was soon evi- dent I was near a physician's office from the re- peated calls for the doctor and the conversations. This continued so late I thought, is every one sick? In the morning I found I was next door to Drs. Taylor & Shultz's office. I stepped out to look over the city-was not disappointed in anything, but the size, a city, and not as large as our village of Canan- daigua, N. Y., then I remembered that it required 10,000 for a city charter in New York and only I think 3,000 in Indiana, at that time.
"I soon began to meet people and I was so pleased with them, and they were all so interested in the schools and the normal that had been hold- ing four weeks, I think this was the closing week, and they all seemed to regret that if I thought of teaching I had not been able to attend. But I
felt confident if I could pass the examination and teach in New York, I surely could here. I was en- joying myself and feeling it would be just the thing to remain, when I got a shock. I said to one of the young ladies, 'Is there much sickness?' There was an incessant going and coming from that doctor's office last night.' 'Yes,' she said, 'it has been a very rainy season and many are having the chills." I did know what that was but when she described it I was terrified, why that is the fever and ague, I thought. I would not have that wretched disease for all the schools. I would make my stay short in Logansport. But I did not see any one who was afflicted and it passed my mind, meeting so many more pleasant and intelligent people.
"I was told we would take a drive in the country the next morning. Of course I was delighted. It seemed it was on business and the roads would be
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bad, but we would go prepared with two horses. I expected mud, but a mile or so from the city we went into the roads. I never dreamed that people ever attempted to drive through such places. We did not see any road, nothing but water and holes, and the horses lunging and plunging. I expected every moment they would break loose from the ve- hicle, and leave us sitting there, and perhaps not in the vehicle. However, we returned without any accident. I shall never forget it. I met more de- lightful people, and said I would like to attend the normal. I had not met any one who was attending and I had not been brave enough to go alone. Some of them called for me in the morning, and I must say I was surprised at the work being done. It was in every way up to the standard I had been accus- tomed to, if not more thorough and systematic. They had fine instructors from other cities, who were advising and testing the applicants. I soon found it was a special drill for teachers and decided that every teacher could not teach school in Lo- gansport. I began to think of the examination to be held the next day and said to one of my friends, 'I wish I knew how it is to be held, written or oral. I feel so strange. I may get nervous and fail.' If that's what you wish to know ask Mr. Helms; he will tell you.' I thought that would be presuming and expected a cool reception, but if you will permit the expression I was never so pleasantly disap- pointed. I met such an affable, courteous, kind gentleman, willing and frank in telling me how the examination would be conducted. I shall never forget him. But I had not allowed my name to go before the board until I was sure of my license and I was too late. The board was very considerate and
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kind but I did not expect any farther recognition from it. Yet in a day or two they called and told me that Prof. Brophy has been employed as principal in the seminary and they would give him my name as assistant. So I was employed as Prof. Brophy's assistant. The board at that time was D. D. Pratt, Charles Knowlton, Joseph McCaughey.
"At the seminary there were three departments- primary, intermediate and the sixth reader grade. Prof. Brophy's room. There was no 7a or 8a, very few manuscript questions were asked and answered and the pupils in the intermediate rooms were just as anxious to get to the sixth reader grade, as I presume they are now to reach the high school. I am sure the schools of Logansport in 1865 were much in advance of many older towns."
PAPER READ BY MR. W. T. GIEFE BEFORE THE CASS COUNTY, INDIANA, HISTORICAL SOCIETY JUNE 28, 1907.
It seems to me that the task of writing a paper on the old-time singing school of Cass county should have been assigned to an older head, one having a personal knowledge of the local history of this one time popular institution for vocal cultivation and social gatherings.
When the pioneer singing school was in flower its scepter was a steel tuning-fork and its preceptor a peripatetic singing master upon whom Polyhym- nia, the Muse of Singing Harmony, was supposed to have bestowed her rarest gift.
The pioneer singing school followed closely upon the march of the pioneer citizen and helped to imbue the sparse population with the spirit of both material and spiritual progress.
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In those days nearly every country neighbor- hood, village and small town had, at some time dur- ing the year (generally during the winter), a sing- ing school, at which a series or term of singing les- sons was taught in some local church or district school house.
These singings were usually held on Sunday aft- ernoon, or on one or two evenings during the week.
If I am correctly informed, the first singing book used in Cass county was the "Missouri harmony." In fact I believe it is a matter of history that this was the first singing book used in Indiana, and that its use was quite general. It was written in what was called "buckwheat" notes, the notes being named by the shape and not the position on the staff as now. The system of notation employed in this book had a tetrachord of four syllables-fa, so, la, mi-which was repeated to form the scale. It was called the system of the "Buckwheat Notes," be- cause, in their different shapes, some of the notes resembled grains of buckwheat.
After this book and its system had passed, the scale syllables running from Do to Do, as we now have them, were introduced along with the "round notes," which are now almost in exclusive use.
In the days of the pioneer singing school the lo- cal conditions were very primitive and crude, as we view them now. The farms of cultivated lands were as small and scattered as are the timber tracts of the present day in Indiana. Forests and wild game abounded in every direction. Preachers and coon dogs were in about equal demand and commanded about the same price.
Such was the environment of the old-time sing- ing school and it is no wonder that strange notions
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should find their way into the minds of the sing- ers. Some of the ladies in that day prided them- selves on their supposed ability to sing tenor, while others with a coarser voice-box would essay the roll of bass. In like manner there were gay Loth- arios who insisted on sitting with the sopranos and singing "air" with might and main.
In a recent article in the Indiana Magazine of History, Benjamin S. Parker, the poet sage of New Castle, in speaking of this subject, says :
"The singing schools of fifty and sixty years ago, in this state, were not confined to Sundays, as the master, in many cases, found it best to have two or three singing schools on hand at the same time. Several masters were often running schools in the same neighborhood, and between these schools there was considerable emulation, which sometimes led to a joint meeting where the rival classes, under the leadership of their respective teachers, contest- ed for superiority. The singers were chosen very much as the spellers at the spelling matches. Judges were selected who were to listen to all the contests and award the honors. The first class to sing stood and sang two selections, first the notes and then the words. The second class, in like man- ner, sang the same selections, and then two more. The first class then sang the latter airs and two new ones, and so on until the contests closed.
"In the midst of every afternoon school there was a recess, which was made good use of by old and young. For pure and wholesome social enjoy- ment few recreations surpassed the old country singing school, and there, at the same time, were trained many sweet singers for the local churches, as well as the homes.
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"In the older books the parts were arranged for treble, or air, answering to the modern soprano, and sung by men as well as women: tenor, or double air, for both men and women. and bass for men. Baritone and alto were not used. Among the books in use. other than the Missouri Har- mony,' were the 'Christian Psalmist.' the Sacred Melodeon,' two or three of Dr. Lowell Mason's books (which used the Guidonian system). several of A. D. Filmore's books, and a number of others. The usual charges in these schools were fifty to seventy-five cents per pupil for a term of twelve lessons, and at these rates the classes not infre- quently tested the holding capacities of the rooms where they met.
"So attractive were these singing school that a large percentage of the young Quakers of fifty years ago persisted in taking part in them. despite all the restraints imposed by their people. and to that fact is largely due the changed attitude of the second generation of Friends toward the study of music."
The popular instruments of those days were the violin. flute and melodeon. and in occasional in- stances some one of these was used in the singing school and glee club by the teacher. However. all these instruments were generally barred from the church buildings, and could only be used at the pri- vate homes and some of the school houses.
The limits of this paper preclude any disserta- tion on the great social and educational advantages which the old singing schools. in most instances. brought to the communities where they were taught.
The passing of the singing school is to be great-
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ly regretted. Its going has left a void in the musi- cal life of the country places that is not easy to fill. Perhaps the revolving cycle of our institutional life may yet return to the coming generations a modi- fied form of the old-time singing school. Let us hope that it will.
PAPER PREPARED BY MR. HARRY BRINGHURST FOR THE CASS COUNTY, INDIANA, HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The following fire department history was com- piled for the Cass County Historical Society by Harry W. Bringhurst, Chief of the Fire Depart- ment, Seattle, Washington, who was born in Lo- gansport, and was for many years a resident of the city. It covers the period of the Volunteers, up to the date of the paid department. Prominent citi- zens risked their lives for the good of the commun- ity and their deeds are worthy of preservation. While the paid department is equally worthy of mention no records are available.
Public meeting to organize fire company Jan. 11, 1836, in consequence of excitement over great fire in New York, Dec. 16, 1835. G. T. Bostwick, chair- man; J. B. Dillon, secretary. Nothing came of it.
June 21, 1837, fire blacksmith shop of Hines & McElheny on Fourth, opposite present court house. Oct. 6, 1837, D. Patrick's cabinet shop burned. (North side Broadway between Second and Third.)
Feb. 12, 1838, fire in "Logansport Exchange," two-story saloon just south of Washington Hall (Barnett House) ; hard work to save latter.
Aug. 10, 1839, Jas. Storms' cabinet shop, Canal street, near Second.
Nov. 9, 1844, frame brewery building Curt Emer-
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son, on Berkley street, north of Canal, partially de- stroyed.
Nov. 27, 1846, fire in Washington Hall; hard work with line of buckets from Wabash river.
Dec. 5, 1846, ordinance appointed G. N. Fitch fire warden.
Feb. 17, 1849, Saddlery shop, Jas. Kintner, dam- aged dwelling of Chauncey Carter across alley, Market between Second and Third.
March 21, 1849, house of Samuel McElheny, Seventh between North and High.
June 13, 1853, S. B. Kendrick's slaughter house, $1,000.
Jan. 4, 1854, Klein's Brewery ; total loss $1,800.
First ordinance established fire department passed Feb. 1, 1854. T. H. Bringhurst, mayor.
First regular fire company Summit No. 1, or- ganized Feb. 4, 1854.
Election of officers above, Feb. 6, president, T. H. Bringhurst ; vice president, Jas. Rodgers ; secre- tary, S. L. McFadin; treasurer, H. Black. Direc- tors, David Johnson, Dan'l Mull, B. Z. Burch, Ed- gar Parsons, W. T. S. Manly, J. N. Tousley.
General Tipton fire company, No. 2, organized Feb. 6, 1854: President, J. B. Eldridge ; vice presi- dent, R. F. Groves ; secretary, J. G. Douglas ; treas- urer, Ed Fishel. Directors, N. G. Scott, W. D. Ran- dall, T. P. McCrea, Chas. Barrett, Judge Groves, J. B. Eldridge.
First engine (hand) came from Hunneman & Co., Boston, June, 1854. First fire on which it worked, June 23, 1854, across Sixth street bridge. This was "Summit."
Tipton hand engine arrived Aug. 25, 1854, on
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canal boat "Silver Bell." Tested Aug. 30, 1854. Sum- mit cost $700; Tipton $805.
First large fire Geo. Cecil's cooper shop at aque- duct, loss $3,200, Nov. 8, 1854. Engines worked 10 p. m. to 3 a. m.
Summit and Tipton engine houses built by July, 1855.
Jan. 5, 1856, great fire on Market street, from three-story brick at 308 Market street to alley on east. Very cold morning. Engines pumped from Wabash river. Shoe and hardware store and vari- ous buildings. One man (Dale) seriously hurt. Nick Smith's stove store, Dr. McCrea's office dam- aged. Jos. Dale hip dislocated and head injured.
July 4, 1856, Logansport engine went to Lafay- ette and beat the engine there.
July 4, 1857, hand engine "Kossuth" came up from Lafayette to the railroad celebration and beat the Tipton.
Dec. 25, 1858, fire burned roof off of Cecil's "Forest Mill" at 3 a. m. ; fine work by engines saved mill ; loss $3,028.
June, 1859, Summit and Tipton fire bells re- ceived from Cincinnati.
Dec. 20, 1859, fire at McElheny's tannery north of aqueduct, 6:30 p. m. Summit company worked six hours, thermometer at zero.
Feb. 16, 1860, fire at E. Walker's house on North street (Craig's) ; loss $500.
Aug. 6, 1861, fire at J. M. Keeps' lumber yard at 2:30 a. m., south of canal. Very hot fire. While firemen taking up hose fire broke out in Knowlton & Obenchain's foundry to the west. Catholic church endangered. Loss about $10,000.
July 14, 1862, fire on canal north of Broadway,
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burned McElheny carriage shop and Bevan's car- penter shop.
March 20, 1864, G. W. Scantling burned in his house on Berkley street.
Oct. 24, 1864, sash and door factory burned on canal between Broadway and North.
Aug. 8, 1865, fire burned A. M. Goodwin's gro- cery, also stores of Hicks & Connolly and E. T. Stevens.
Dec. 15, 1865, alarm for boiler explosion at Knowlton's foundry; four boys and a girl killed ; several injured.
Dec. 22, 1865, Dr. Farquhar's house burned at North and Ninth.
Jan. 16, 1866, fire Fourth between Market and Broadway, burned out Conrad's, Keeps' Rosenthal's and Frank's.
March 20, 1867, two fires in night one on "Point," one in "Browntown."
June 20, 1868, house burned by owner on what is now Heath street.
Oct. 8, 1868, fire burned large double house on Fitch, between George and Canal.
Feb. 3, 1869, fire Mrs. Courtney's house, West Logan.
Oct. 27, 1869, B. H. Smith building, Hicks, El- liott & Shroyer; loss several hundred. Building saved. Good work.
Jan. 5, 1870, Silsby rotary steamer "Chauncey Carter" bought. Arrived Feb. 3, 1870.
Officers fire companies January, 1870 :
Tipton-President, C. B. Knowlton; vice presi- dent, Geo. Bevan ; secretary, S. B. Boyer ; treasurer, G. J. Groves. Directors, G. W. Brown, J. F. Carney,
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Jas. Foley, H. G. Fetter, M. Schneeberger, Jno. Murphy.
Summit-Foreman, S. T. Weirick; assistant foreman, D. H. Mull; secretary, D. Comingore ; treasurer, D. Redd.
Feb. 10, 1870, big fire, engine saved town; 11:30 p. m. Fourth, south of Market, back of "round cor- ner" grocery, two saloons, barber shop, doctor's office, stables, etc. ; loss $9,000.
March 18, 1870, Krug & Russell's tin store, Guthrie's clothing store Fourth street.
July 8, 1870, Messinger & Bevan's dry kiln early morning; loss $1,500.
Tipton hand engine turned over to the Cham- pion company in spring.
Jan. 1, 1871, John Gallagher's house burned in Browntown; Reuben Gharis badly injured.
Feb. 28, 1871. Three fires in one night, last one 2:30 a. m. Paul Taber's stable, rear of Pennsylvania house.
April 10, 1871, Independent Hose organized. J. H. Ivens, foreman ; H. J. Larimer and W. Reed, as- sistants.
April 20, 1871, fire at Lock Foundry. (This was night of Slater murder.)
May 9, 1871, F. D. paraded laying corner stone Smithson College.
May 23, 1871, large fire 1 p. m., back of Judge Stuart's house, Broadway, several stables and houses.
Rev. Post distinguished himself saving horses, etc.
July 29, 1871, Kahlo Von Behren & Co., spoke factory, Toledo street ; loss $1,200 ; factory saved.
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Sept. 13, 1871, first report council favoring water works.
Oct. 22, 1871, fire at gas works on Sunday morn- ing ; great excitement over fires all the month.
Chicago fire Oct. . 9.
May 2, 1872, R. S. Miller stone works on Duret & Messinger, Brosius' pump factory burned; loss $7,000. Jas. Viney and other firemen nearly killed by falling floor. Good work.
May 16, 1872, freight cars burned in Panhandle yard, nearly a panic in Forepaugh's show on "Dam fields."
Aug. 9, 1872, "Carter" sent to a $15,000 fire at New Waverly.
Chiefs of fire department: 1856-58, Thos. H. Bringhurst. 1859-1868, Geo. Bevan. 1869, Jos. Green. 1870, Zophar Hunt. 1871, Allen Richardson. 1872-73, Jos. Green, 1874, Geo. Bevan. 1875, Geo. Bevan and J. F. Long. Geo. Bevan died in 1875 and T. H. Bringhurst elected to fill vacancy and reor- ganize department, retiring in favor of Carney, 1876, Jas. F. Carney. 1877, Jas. F. Carney. 1878, Jas. F. Carney. 1879, H. J. Larimer. 1880, H. J. Larimer.
First mention of H. & L. Company, election of officers Jan. 5, 1869. Geo. Kuns, president; J. H. Ivens, vice president.
Champion Fire Company organized at Seminary Oct. 13, 1869.
H. & L. No. 2 (Browntown) organized Jan. 14 and 19, 1871. Dennis Uhl foreman; D. R. Miller, vice foreman.
Jan. 31, 1865, "Grand supper" given at court house by the firemen, also "Grand Ball" at Part- ridge Hall. Proceeds $346.75 turned over by fire-
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men to J. C. Merriam, treasurer Relief Society, for the benefit of soldiers' families.
The volunteers were at their best 1871 and 1875. The star year was 1873.
Oct. 17, 1872, 9 a. m., large fire burned stables of A. J. Murdock. Sisters' Academy, Dr. Mat- thews' and other buildings. Lively fight between Tiptons and Independents for "first water." Many residences endangered.
Nov. 17, 1872, 9 p. m., fire at Layton House also Panhandle depot. Very cold.
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