USA > Indiana > Adams County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 26
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 26
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
ARTIFICAL DRAINAGE IN WELLS COUNTY By Thomas C. Guldin
The early settlers that came to Wells County made their homes along the natural water courses and on the more undulating portions of the county because of the natural drainage. Much of this land in the county is too level, and the soil too heavy and compact, to be sue- cessfully farmed without some artificial drainage. Even the more rolling land which sheds the surface water quite readily is improved by subdrainage.
In the earliest efforts at artificial drainage the farmers either in- dividually or by agreement eut shallow open channels to drain the
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surface water more readily. These channels were extended farther and farther back from the natural streams and deepened from time to time, as the increase in population demanded.
FIRST OPEN DITCHES
The first drainage ditch established by law was the Burns Ditch, which is located in Chester Township. Joseph Burns et al. were the petitioners. The petition was presented to the Board of County Com- missioners in March, 1876. Henry Oman, Jacob Stahl and James Crosbie were appointed as viewers and they were ordered to report their proceedings at the September, 1876, session of the County Com missioners.
The viewers reported favorably and the ditch was ordered con- structed. The ditch was 24,700 feet in length and the estimated cost of construction was $1,789.60, the excavating being estimated at 121% cents per cubic yard. The ditch was constructed by allotting to cach interested party whose lands were benefited, a certain portion of said ditch for construction.
DRAINAGE COMMISSIONERS UNDER STATE LAWS
Until 1881, all public ditches were constructed by petition in the Commissioners Court. In 1881 a law was passed by the General As- sembly of Indiana whereby ditches could be established through Cir- cuit Court. William Kirkwood of Nottingham Township was the first man to serve as drainage commissioner as provided in that act. W. H. Gregg of Rock Creek Township, W. A. Popejoy of Poneto, and R. C. Stewart of Lancaster Township have served as drainage commissioners. John F. Stine of Jefferson Township is the present incumbent. The first ditch established under the law was petitioned for by Jonathan A. Markley of Lancaster Township.
FIRST PUBLIC DITCHES PARTIALLY TILED
A few public ditches were partially tiled as early as 1886, but only a few were thus established before 1903. In the year 1903 William J. Smith et al. of Jefferson Township petitioned for an open drain, known as the Parkison Ditch and a portion of the Ballinger Ditch to be reconstructed by tiling the same. The viewers reported favorably and said drain was tiled to the center of section 27, in Jefferson Township. By subsequent petition another tile ditch parallel with the former
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diteh was established and the tile was extended more than a mile, the terminus now being at the Fort Wayne Road one mile south of Ossian. Since 1903 many open ditehes have been tiled and are at the present time being thus improved.
THE LAKE ERIE BASIN AND WABASH RIVER VALLEY
A very small portion of the eastern part of Laneaster Township and about one-third of Jefferson Township drain into Adams and Allen
THE WABASH AT HIGH WATER
counties, and the water goes through the Saint Mary's and Maumee rivers to Lake Erie. The Wabash River enters Wells County near the eenter along the east line of Harrison Township and flows north- westerly through the county, leaving it near the northwest corner of Rock Creek Township. The Salamonie River enters Wells County near the center of the south line of Chester Township, flows north- westerly and leaves Wells County about two miles east of the north- west corner of Jackson Township.
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DITCHES PARALLELING MAIN STREAMS
Eight Mile Ditch and Rock Creek Ditch are two channels which parallel the main rivers, both draining large portions of the county and both having been enlarged by dredge construction, whereby many acres of land have been reclaimed and now constitute the very best farm lands within the bounds of Wells County.
THE GREAT NORTHEASTERN DITCH
In 1888 the Eight Mile No. 2 Ditch was petitioned to be recon- structed. Several interested parties remonstrated, reviewers were appointed and the ditch was ordered established and reconstructed in 1891 at a cost of a little more than $25,000. The main ditch com- mences on the Wells-Adams County line at the northeast corner of Lancaster Township. Wells County, Indiana, runs thence in a north- westerly direction across Jefferson and Union townships to a point about sixty rods north of the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of section 12 in Union Township. At the present time there is a peti- tion on file to widen and deepen this drain and to extend it to a point about sixty rods west of the northeast corner of section 6 in Union Township where said ditch crosses into Allen County. The viewer's report has not yet been filed, but enough work has been done on the same to give an approximate estimate of its cost which will be more than $150,000 and will affect and benefit approximately 40,000 to 45,000 acres of land ; about 10,000 acres in Lancaster Township, 20,000 in Jefferson Township, 9,000 in Union Township and about 4,000 in LaFayette Township in Allen County.
THE ROCK CREEK DRAIN
Rock Creek, another drain which has been enlarged by dredge, commences near the southwest corner of section 28 in range 12 east in Nottingham Township and flows in a northwesterly direction through Nottingham, Harrison, Liberty and Rock Creek townships and crosses the county line on the west about one-half mile north of the southwest corner of section 18 in Rock Creek Township, Wells County, and affects about 300 acres in Jay County, 8,000 acres in Nottingham Township, 4,000 acres in Harrison Township, 7,000 acres in Chester Township, 19,000 acres in Liberty Township, 4,000 acres in Rock Creek Township, besides 6,000 or 8,000 aeres in Huntington County. The portion of the ditch in Harrison and Liberty townships was con-
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structed and enlarged by dredging in 1893-97, and about two miles in Rock Creek Township was made deeper through solid rock. The estimated cost of this reconstruction was $59,971.64. At the present time the portion of the diteh in Nottingham and Harrison townships. is being reconstructed with a dry land dredge. It was petitioned for by Abraham Haines et al. and the estimated cost is nearly $17,000. A petition is on file and viewers have been appointed for the recon- struction and extension by widening and deepening that portion of the ditch located in Liberty and Rock Creek townships. The viewers have done no work on this project and it is impossible to give an estimate of the extent, cost and number of acres that will be affected.
BIG THREE MILE DITCH
The Daniel C. Shoemaker et al. Ditch, more commonly known as Big Three Mile, is a ditch now under construction. This drain is a joint drain with Adams County and affects about 5,000 acres in east Nottingham Township. It commences near the center of section 32, township 25, north range 13 east, runs northerly and empties into the Wabash River near Linn Grove. To give proper drainage to much of the land affected at the upper end of this drain it is necessary to exca- vate through solid rock for a distance of over a mile. The estimated cost of the ditch is nearly $15,000.
ELICK-MICHAELS DITCHES
The A. J. Elick and Harvey Michaels ditches in Union Township, are among the largest tile drains in the county. The A. J. Eliek et al. Ditch affects about 1,500 acres of land. The main ditch with its lat- erals constitutes a system of drainage of about 6 miles in length, includ- ing 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 22, 24 and 30-inch cement tile. This ditch was constructed in 1915 and 1916. The estimated cost was $9,501.43. The Harvey Michaels et al. Ditch is now under construction. It is a system of drainage made up of two main lines, one terminating with 27-inch tile and the other with 24-ineh tile. The whole system affects about 1,600 aeres of land; main and laterals is about 7 miles in length in- cluding 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 27-inch cement tile. The estimated cost of said ditch is $13,075.77.
LARGE TILE DRAINS
In Rock Creek Township several open ditches have been tiled since 1908. John Raber No. 1 estimated cost $2,701.24, John Raber
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No. 2 estimated cost $6,667.95, Peter McAfee No. 1 estimated cost $4,281.42, Peter McAfee No. 2 estimated cost $5,129.20, John Falk estimated cost $3,992.37 and D. W. Lesh estimated cost $3,596.08. All have been constructed since 1900. A petition is now on file to tile an open drain commencing near the center of section 34 in Rock Creek Township and running thence in a general northerly direction about three miles. This petition was filed by Simon Houtz et al., and it will affect about 2,300 acres of land. It probably will require from 18 to 36-inch tile if the viewers grant the ditch, as prayed for.
In Liberty Township, the Peter Gaskill and I. N. Roush ditches are among the largest tile drains. The Peter Gaskill drain includes about three miles of tile ranging from 12 to 24-inch cement tile. This drain was constructed in 1913-14 at a cost of $7,648.39. The I. N. Roush Ditch is now under construction. There are about five miles of tile ranging from 6 to 30-inch, and three miles of open drain. The entire drain was estimated at $8,128.58. This ditch is located in the south- west part of the township and runs in an easterly direction.
OPEN DRAIN THROUGH SOLID ROCK
The viewers' report on the Joseph Delong et al. Ditch is on file at this time and, if ordered established as reported on, will be one of the most expensive drainage systems ever established in this county for the number of acres affected. This ditch commences in section 18, township 26, north range 12 east, and runs thence easterly and north- erly about five miles to the Wabash River. The total length of that drain, main and laterals, being about 6 miles of tile and about 3 miles of open drain ; 1,200 feet of the open drain will be in solid rock from one to three feet deep. The estimated cost of the entire project is $36,000.
OTHER LEADING DITCHES
In Jefferson Township, the William J. Smith No. 2 Ditch referred to before, the Valentine, the Ira Beck, J. H. Zimmerman, James McNeal and Fred Lipp ditches are tile drains of recent construction.
The Valentine Ditch is a joint ditch with Allen County estimated cost $41,248.15. The Fred Lipp Ditch was tiled at a cost of $3,487.80. The MeNeal Ditch was tiled at a cost of $4,665.35. The William J. Smith No. 3 Ditch was. tiled at a cost of $11,000.00. The Ira Beck et al. Ditch was tiled at a cost of $6,704.00. All of these ditches were constructed with clay tile except the Smith Ditch. The J. H. Simmer- man petition calls for a tile drain to affect about 1,800 acres of land
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in Jefferson Township and for an open drain of about four miles into Allen County. The viewers have made no report on the petition, but will, no doubt, be the largest drainage project affecting Jefferson Township, except the Eight Mile No. 2.
The James T. Shady, the John Kehrn and the Peter Steffen ditches are the largest tile drains that have been constructed in Lancaster Township. The James T. Shady Ditch is a tile drain about 21/2 miles long and has tile ranging from 12 to 24-inch cement tile. Estimated cost was $5,210.95. The John Kehrn Ditch is about 31% miles in length and has tile ranging from 18 to 24-inch clay tile. The estimated cost was $6,998.09. The Peter Steffen Ditch is a joint ditch with Adams County and was constructed with cement tile ranging from 22 to 27- inch. The estimated cost was $5,772.59.
The largest tile drains constructed in Nottingham Township were petitioned for by Geo. B. Schott and P. B. Alberson. The Geo. B. Schott Ditch is about 21/2 miles in length, was constructed of cement tile ranging in size from 8-inch to 24-inch. The estimated cost was $4,222.92. The P. B. Alberson Ditch was constructed by using cement tile ranging from 8 inch to 22 inch tile and it is approximately 3 miles in length. The estimated cost was $4,608.39.
In Chester Township the largest tile drains constructed by petition are the Frank Mowery, and the John W. Gregg drains. The Frank Mowery Ditch is about one mile long and was constructed with tile ranging from 15 to 22-inch tile. The estimated cost was $2,658.51. The John W. Gregg Ditch is about one mile long and was constructed with 10-inch to 18-inch tile. The estimated cost was $1,241.71.
In Jackson Township the Davids Open Drain, the Clarinda Knott Ditch, the Arthur Kelley Ditch, and the Thomas Morris Ditch are the largest ditches constructed in recent years. The Davids is about 41% miles in length and was reconstructed as an open drain in 1910 at a cost of $3,344.40. The Clarinda Knott Ditch is a tile drain which was constructed in 1908-9 primarily to drain the swamps a mile east of the center of Jackson Township at a cost of $3,833.74. The Thomas Morris Tile Ditch is in the northeast part of the township and was a joint ditch with Huntington County. It was constructed in 1910 at a cost of $4,699.00. The Arthur Kelley Ditch is a joint ditch with Blackford County. It is partly tiled and partly open ditch. The estimated cost of construction was $6,602.95.
PROGRESS FROM 1908 TO 1917
Prior to 1908 there were very few public ditches tiled. Since 1908 many of our smaller open ditches have been and are being tiled. As
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the land is being thoroughly under-drained, thus forcing the water into our open ditches much quicker and faster, the open drains are in- sufficient to take care of the water and many of our open drains will have to be cut wider and deeper. Farmers are beginning to realize that thorough drainage is one of their biggest assets. Tile drains are being put in deeper and more systematically than ever before.
From 1908 to 1917 inclusive the farmers of Wells County have been assessed for constructing publie drains the enormous sum of $523,474.11, most of which has been spent in tiling open drains. This does not include money and labor spent in the repair and maintenance of these drains.
The records in the county surveyor's office show that there are approximately 328 miles of open drain in Wells County, that have been constructed by petition. There are also several short open drains which were constructed by the interested parties without resorting to law. Approximately 244 miles of tile drain have been constructed by petition. Open drains not constructed by a dredge are repaired and maintained by the interested parties. The county surveyor allots to each tract of land affected a portion of said drain to keep in re- pair, in accordance with the original specifications. The township trustee of each towuship has supervision of the maintenance of all ditches that lie within the bounds of his township, except dredge ditches. Tile drains are repaired under the supervision of the town- ship trustee, and paid for by the lands affected by such drains in proportion to the assessments for the construction of said drains. Open drains constructed by dredging are repaired and maintained under the supervision of the county commissioners and the county surveyor.
Wells County contains 572 sections of land or approximately 366,- 000 acres, almost all of which is tillable when properly drained. The undulating land along the northeast bank of the natural streams, approximately 50,000 acres, may be farmed without artificial drain- age. However, proper subdrainage improves this land for farm crops.
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
Most of the really effective work which has resulted in the im- provement of the farmers and their properties in Wells County has been accomplished through the cooperation of the rural communities with various officials of the county and the national governments. In the former class may be placed the county drainage commissioners
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and surveyors (the duties of both officials usually being combined ), the county superintendents of schools and the county agents. The last named an official creation in Wells County only four years of age, represents the United States Department of Agriculture in coopera- tion with the Purdue University Agricultural Extention Department and the county board of education.
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
Wells County had an agricultural society as early as 1853, when Rev. D. H. Drummond was elected its president. The Civil war inter- rupted the holding of its annual fairs, and in 1867 the society was reorganized, John MeFadden being its president for some years there- after. The second organization went out of existence about 1882, and the old fair grounds were sold for a park, which, in turn, reverted to farm land. The Wells County Agricultural Association, which was incorporated in 1906, has held eleven exhibits and street fairs, and it has always been considered that its main object has been accom- plished when provision has been made for the recurrence of those affairs through the legal amount appropriated by the Board of County Commissioners and the funds raised by private subscription. Matters relating to the education and social uplift of the rural communities, in former years largely undertaken by the County Agricultural So- ciety, have been assumed by the county superintendent of schools in cooperative work with the county agent. The officers of the Wells County Agricultural Association, who managed the fair and exhibit of September 25-29. 1917, were: D. V. Lamm, president; A. R. Wil- liams, vice president ; George L. Saunders, manager; C. W. Decker, secretary-treasurer.
THE COUNTY AGENT'S WORK
The first and only county agricultural agent who has been as- signed to Wells County is Harry Gray, and the functions of his office are thus described in the section of the vocational educational law passed by the Legislature of 1913: "It shall be the duty of such agent, under the supervision of the Purdue University, to cooperate with farmers' institutes, farmers' clubs and other organizations, to conduct practical farm demonstrations, boys' and girls' clubs and contest work, and other movements for the advancement of agriculture and country life, and to give advice to farmers on practical farm problems, and aid the county superintendent of schools and teachers in giving practical education in agriculture and domestic science."
Vol. I-18
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INCREASING THE PRODUCTION OF CORN
As the corn crop is Wells County's prime source of wealth, steps taken in improving the production of that cereal logically take first place in the work of the county agent. As he himself says: "This has perhaps been our most important work, as Wells County is pri- marily a corn and hog county, and an increase of only one bushel per acre on our sixty thousand acres, in a single year would pay the salary of the county agent for twenty years. The work was com- menced in October of 1914 by holding seed corn selection meetings in each of the nine townships of the county, where the type of ear and stalk was studied and attention paid to methods of storing seed corn.
A SEED CORN SELECTIVE MEETING
Great stress was laid upon the importance of selecting seed from the fields before it was injured by killing frosts. The nine meetings were held upon farms where we could go into the corn fields and were at- tended by 167 men and 334 children. This was followed by putting cards into the schools for the purpose of getting reports of the probable corn acreage of 1915, the amount of seed corn selected from the field and when and how it was stored. Not a great number of these cards came back to me, but those that did showed that the farmers were depending too much on crib-selected corn.
"At the meetings we used charts showing the possible yields with given stands and weights or ears, and the per cent of stand and cost of production in the Five-acre Corn Contest in Indiana in 1914. We also
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showed the difference in vitality of different ears of corn by exhibiting the sprouted grains as taken from the germination box. As a result of these various efforts more farmers in this county this season tested their seed corn than in any previous seasons. This means better stands of corn and consequently increased yields. If we could get only one farmer in each four in the county to discard a single dead ear and plant a good one in its stead, we would secure the one bushel increase."
PROTECTING AND IMPROVING THE HOGS
In the line of "hog improvement" work, the county agent re- ported : "This has been along the line of HIog Cholera control and the feeding of better rations. A serum depot was maintained in Bluffton in 1915 and one Anti-Hog Cholera organization formed. The great difficulty in the control work is to get men to realize that cholera is a community problem, and there is an immense amount of work ahead along this line. A number of hog owners have been per- suaded to feed better rations to their sows and growing pigs."
THE BROAD, PROGRESSIVE FARMER OF TODAY
There have also been "wheat production" campaigns, horticultural and dairy extension work, horse improvement meetings, "drives" to control oat smut, potato seab and other fungus and insect threats, and farm surveys for the purpose of collecting data on management and business efficiency. Before the county agent commenced his work two farmers' clubs had been organized in his territory and since then many have been established. Under direction of the county superintendent of schools, he has met with teachers' institutes, visited schools and, in numerous instances, has listened to recitations, and examined the pupils themselves, on agricultural matters which came within the scope of his work. Each Saturday during the school terms it is the custom of some of the teachers to eall at his office in Bluffton, in order to consult and co-operate with him. Perhaps the most com- mon topic of consultation between the county agent and the teachers of the country schools relates to the contests in corn growing, poultry raising and sewing, which were inaugurated by the county superin- tendent several years ago. In this special work the county superin- tendent of schools is the leader and the county agent is directly under him. Their close and warm co-operation in Wells County has resulted in striking benefit to its boys and girls. These activities, coupled with the social and literary benefits enjoyed by the members of the
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farmers' institutes and elubs; the extended advantages of school and traveling libraries, telephone service, automobiles, traction machinery, improved roads, scientifie drainage, and a hundred other blessings of today (so widespread that they have become almost necessities), have made the typical agricultural life of Wells County not only one of independence, but of breadth, health and true development.
CHANGES IN CEREALS AND LIVE STOCK
As an agricultural and live stock county, Wells has witnessed a number of positive transformations within the past thirty years.
SEEN AT A LIVE STOCK IMPROVEMENT TOUR
Its wheat crop, which in the '80s was such a source of wealth and pride is now small, while its corn lands have almost doubled in area and much more than doubled in produetiveness. Both in the aereage sown and the yield, oats have increased more than threefold. Timothy has about held its own in acreage and quantity produced. In live stock the greatest gain has been in milch cows and the most pro- nounced loss in sheep. Thirty years ago Wells County was raising three times as many sheep as it is today. The actual number of its
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horses, cattle and hogs has not much increased, although all of them show a decided improvement in breeds.
COMPARATIVE SOIL AND ANIMAL WEALTH (1884-1917)
In 1884 the chief cercals of Wells County were the following, as indicated by the figures: Corn, 34,607 acres, with a production of 821,585 bushels; wheat, 28,272 acres, 370,507 bushels; oats, 7,727 acres, 253,921 bushels; timothy, 16,289 acres, 25,880 tons. The live stock : . Number of horses, 6,679; cattle, 13,149; hogs, 26,672; sheep, 12,045. Division of lands: Timber, 66,260; newly-cleared, 2,039; idle plowed, 8,144; grass lands, 5,741.
Accompanying these and other figures taken from the census of 1884 is the note: "But it must be borne in mind that the official census generally falls far short of giving the full amount." The same may be said of the statistics gleaned from the township as- sessors books which assume to bring these items up to January 1, 1917; in fact, some of these officials, such as those representing Lan- caster and Union, have the grace to admit that their returns are "in- complete." It is probable that from 25 to 30 per cent added to the total of any of these items would be much nearer correct than the figures as they stand ; but they are the best which are accessible.
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