USA > Indiana > Vigo County > Terre Haute > The history of early Terre Haute from 1816 to 1840 > Part 12
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To go back to village days in 1839, John H. Watson estab- lished the first private bank in Terre Haute. The issues of this bank were known as " Watson's notes." In the great scarcity of a circulating medium, these notes were highly ap- preciated. Mr. Watson's honesty and credit were unques- tioned ; and hence his notes passed current in the community. Judge Watson provided in his will for the redemption of all his outstanding paper. After his death the bank was con- ducted on the same foundation, and commanded the same confidence as in the days of Judge Watson, by Mr. Patrick Shannon. This copartnership was entered into in 1856, and continued till 1860, when Mr. Watson retired.
The Old State bank building, which for so many years housed our Branch bank, served its day, and served it well; and now stands as a venerable landmark of early village days. For some years it was occupied as a family residence, then as a piano store ; but later it was transformed into a ver- itable Museum, or Old Curiosity shop. Mr. Zebulon Heaber- lin is the proprietor. His ideal is that his collection shall con- prise anything and everything that bears the mark of age. An old musket is the more highly valued for its broken fire lock ; and a primitive spinning wheel, if by age it has lost its power to spin is thereby the more highly prized. No matter
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how common an article, and rude its make, as a relic it has a story to tell, and in this lies its charm. Incidentally however, the junk-shop element, that is the possibility of the useful- ness of an article, though discarded by its owner, is not lost sight of. Therefore, whatsoever things are useful, though discarded by their owners, or whatsoever things bear the marks of age, or emit the delicate smell of antiquity, find a welcome place in this collection.
A single word in regard to money. In pioneer days where did our money come from ? I answer first, much was brought by permanent settlers for the purpose of purchasing lands. Then the paying off the soldiers of 1812 by the Government distributed no little money through the country. Again in prosecuting the river trade with New Orleans, our merchant shippers brought home literally bags of Spanish gold and silver ; and not infrequently these bags were the long woolen stockings of the merchant such as were commonly worn in those days. Then in the flourishing days of the pork trade, Eastern capitalists were quite willing to advance money for investment. Notwithstanding all these sources, money was scarce and as a resort Bank notes and State scrip were used as substitutes. Naturally enough these substitutes drove into hiding whatever of gold and silver there was in the banks. or in the hands of the people ; but still our trade demanded, and our banks on demand paid out, specie. Every business house had its cash drawer, and every man provided his pocket with a strong and long leathern purse to hold his cash.
In these latter days we speak of dollars, dimes, and nickels ; but in village days we talked dollars, bits, fippenny bits, and for short, bits and fips. The bit was equal to twelve and half cents, or a Spanish real ; and the fippenny bit was worth six and a fourth cents. Many not liking the trade lingo, spoke of shillings one, two, three, and so up to eight, which constituted a dollar ; or reckoned their change as 123, 374, 623 and 873 cents ; but for short on the street it was a bit, two bits, three bits, five and so on to eight bits. There were big copper cents in circulation, but they were not much in demand.
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Their value was so small, that the small boy even refused to load his pocket with them. The fip he did not despise as he could buy a dozen black marbles with it; but at best it was only a trifling picayune, and he cared little for it; but with two bits in his pocket, he was ready to take in the glories of the Fourth of July, or go with his father or big brother for a day, at the Fall or Spring races.
It is here that our broad acres with their generous yield of fruits and grain exerted a broadening influence upon the minds and characters of men. In dealing, they never stood upon five cents in change. In early days picayunish men were scarce. No man cared to have his character estimated by so small a standard of value.
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CHAPTER XXVII
FIRES AND FIRE COMPANIES
IN the early history of our village, the first organization of a fire company was in a sense no organization, that is, the Village Bucket-line brigade was a voluntary affair. By com- mion consent every villager. old and young, was a member. Next to the ringing of the bell of the public crier, and his loud cry ; a child lost ! nothing appealed to the sympathies of the community so strongly, as the midnight cry of, fire! fire ! fire! The words were taken up by every villager as he issued from his gate, bucket in hand, on the run, guided by the light of the blazing building. At the fire every man was his own! chief, and with a quick eye was called to see, and to do, the most needful thing. So each one quietly found his place either in rescuing the sick and helpless ; in carrying out furni- ture : in manning the pumps or wells ; in falling into lines for passing the full buckets of water and returning the empty ones, to be again refilled ; or it may be in standing upon the roof and fighting the flames with the buckets of water as they were passed up to him. The fiercer the fire the harder the fight, in which every volunteer was enthusiastic; knowing that his work was important though his place was only in the bucket line. This Village Bucket-line brigade hield sway till 1838; when by action of the Common council the first hand engine was purchased. This was a real live engine; and was named the Hoosier. Though but a hand engine, to be worked and pulled by hand, yet it was worthy of having a house and a special keeper in the person of Thomas Hough- ton. The same year the Common council appointed the following fire wardens ; " First ward, John Crawford; Second ward, Zenas Smith ; Third ward, Thomas Houghton ; Fourth
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ward, John S. Burget; Fifth ward, Thomas C. Clayton. These gentlemen were appointed to hold office for five years."
In 1839, the Council ordered the following premiums to be awarded; For the first hogshead of water delivered at the fire, three dollars; for the second, two dollars; and for the third, one dollar ; and after that, for every hogshead, till the fire was extinguished, twenty-five cents. Mr. H. C. Bradsby, to whom we are largely indebted for the leading facts re- specting the village fire department, says in his History of Vigo county : " When a fire alarm came every drayman in town started on a mad race to the fire ; but first it was helter skelter for the river, where his hogshead was quickly filled. It was a wild and exciting scramble of odd looking men, and old drays, and spavined horses." He describes a drawing by John B. Hager made over sixty years ago, in which drayman Foreman is in the lead, with his dray tipping, and his hogs- head spilling its water. He is closely followed by Sam Earle. Old Lot, the colored drayman, is hard after them with mule and whip. Altogether it is an animated scene.
The Council is now more than persuaded, that the time has come to spend some money for protection against fires; and so following up the purchase of an engine, they ordered in Jan. 1840, an appropriation of three hundred dollars for the construction of a public cistern in each ward. A full outfit for a hook and ladder company was purchased, and the fol- lowing gentlemen organized themselves into such a con- pany ; T. A. Madison, foreman; John Crawford and A. L. Chamberlain, laddermen ; F. McGrew and James Hook, ax- men ; John Warner and P. H. Hardy, hookmen ; Zenas Smith and R. Miner, ropemen ; John O'Brien and Mahlon Newman, pikemen ; William Ramage, steward; William Porterfield, secretary ; and John Crawford, treasurer.
The first engine company was organized with Samuel Crawford, captain ; Jonas Seely, first lieutenant ; Noah Bey- mer, second lieutenant; Rufus St. John, third lieutenant ; Samuel Musselman, fourth lieutenant ; Stephen Stratton, en-
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gineer ; and H. Fairbanks, treasurer. "On the rolls of the company appeared the names of such men as Messrs. Jacob D. Early, John Dowling, Wait Williams, George C. Warren, Joseph Graff, Z. C. Hovey, Thomas Parsons, J. O. Jones, Richard Blake, H. Fairbanks, D. S. Danaldson, Alexander McGregor, L. G. Warren, James Farrington. Tom Dowling, Rufus St. John, H. Westfall, Curtis Gilbert, L. Surrell, and Robert Wharry."
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OLD VIGO FIRE ENGINE
"In February, 1840, fire guards were appointed and in pursuance of the order regulating the same, organ- ized themselves into a company, with Demas Dem- ing, captain : James Wasson, first assistant; Thomas H. Blake, second assistant; Joseph Cooper, third assistant; and
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Chauncey Rose, fourth assistant." All the above rosters de- serve special mention as showing that the town was wide awake in the way of fire organizations, and that our most in- fluential citizens stood ready to take an active part. It will be noted that these companies were made up of volunteers, and that these organizations were the foundations of the Old Volunteer Fire Department.
The first hand engine, as intimated above, was purchased by order of the Common council in 1838. It was manufac- tured by Messrs. Merrick and Agnew, of Philadelphia. The price paid was $511. It was named the Old Hoosier. It did good service for a number of years, till it was literally worn out, when it was taken to the Wallace foundry on First and Wabash streets to be remodelled. When repaired, the name was changed to the Deluge. After the purchase of Vigo No. 2, and the Mohawk, this engine was stationed at the engine house on North Lafayette street, and renamed the Northern Liberty. This our first engine was sold by Fire Chief J. D. Bell to parties in Litchfield, Illinois. As yet its whereabouts is unknown, although the newly organized Old Volunteer Firemen's Association have made diligent inquiries for it.
The second engine, the Old Vigo, was bought in 1855 from a manufacturing company in Boston, Massachusetts. The price paid was $701 and with other accessories the bill amounted to $1,100. It was stationed at the engine house on South Fourth street. The engine remained in Terre Haute till 1867, when it was sold to the town of Jasper, Indiana, where it remained till 1898, at which time it was repurchased by the firm of D. W. Watson Sons of our city, and brought back to Terre Haute.
The Terre Haute Evening Gazette had a photograph taken of this engine, and a copy of the same appeared in its issue of July 1, 1899, in an illustrated article on the history of the Old Volunteer Firemen's Association. To this article I am glad to acknowledge my indebtedness for some important facts rendered in this chapter. As a reminder of old times, and as a kindler of enthusiasm, this engine since its return,
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has been a success. Funds were raised by subscription among the members of the above association, and the engine was purchased from the Watson Sons. The members of the association are proud of their pet, and stand ready to fall into line with it, on all grand street parades. It is at present housed for safe keeping in the basement of the Court house.
The third engine was the Mohawk, purchased in 1857. It was a double decker. It was stationed at the engine house on South Fourth street. After years of service it was sold to the town of Litchfield, Illinois. All effort to learn of its whereabouts as yet have proved in vain.
The fourth engine owned by the city, the Northern Lib- erty, was bought in 1858, at a cost of $1,337. " This was the first of piano box engines and the most powerful water thrower of all the hand engines used in Terre Haute." It was sold to the town of Crawfordsville, Ind., where it re- mained for three or four years; when it was sold to some town in Illinois.
The fifth and sixth engines were ordered to be purchased in December, 1869. They were similar to the Northern Lib- erty. Each one cost $1,250. They were named respectively, Niagara No. I, and Vigo No. 2. The Niagara was sold to Crawfordsville and Vigo No. 2 to the town of Effingham, Illinois. These engines were all hand engines. The double deckers were worked by sixteen men, eight on top, and eight on the ground, that is at each end. The piano box style was fitted with side breaks, and worked by ten men on each side. For much of the above information I am indebted to Mr. F. H. Spicer, who was at one time a member of the Old Volunteer Firemen's Association.
Like all other great enterprises of our city, the real history of our present Terre Haute Fire Department, began after 1840 or 1850, and yet the Old Bucket-line brigade, that did such good service for so many years, and the Old Volunteer Fire Company, must lie at the foundation of this history, and will possess an element of interest that will grow with the city's growth.
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It would seem that the stick chimney and the great fire places of the early cabin would have been conducive to fre- quent fires ; also the tallow candle fixed in a socket composed of three nails in a board, for a holder, or in hot tallow dropped on the corner of the table, desk or sill of the window, which when cool held the candle firm, would have proved still more dangerous, as they were everywhere present in workshops, school-houses, and especially in the Old Court House.
It was an almost unheard of thing, however, for fires to originate under either of the above circumstances. And yet there were fires and fires from the first; and they became more frequent after the introduction of imperfect flues, stoves, and explosive lamps. The burning of Mr. Hager's distillery, south of the town, near the river, will not be for- gotten by those who witnessed the raging colored flames as they mounted up into the dark sky. There was another dis- tillery owned by John F. King, located northeast of the town, which was completely destroyed by fire. One of the first fires recalled by our early villagers was "the burning of the store of Stephen P. Cammack on the northwest corner of First and Walnut streets." Still another mentioned by the same person was, " a cooper shop on Cherry, between Third and Fourth streets, owned by Montgomery Francis."
The Old Bucket-line Brigade was not able, neither was the Old Volunteer Engine companies, to cope with the largest fires, but in their day, they were efficient, and for their suc- cess and good work let them ever be remembered.
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CHAPTER XXVIII
CANAL, NATIONAL ROAD AND RAILROAD
THE agitation in regard to internal improvements, began previous to 1825. The necessity for a market for the pro- ductions of the country, other than by our waterway, to the South was realized by the people, and pressed upon Congress as well as upon our State legislature. In 1824, Thomas H. Blake, our representative in the State legislature, introduced the first measure looking to the building of the Wabash and Erie canal. Congress, in 1827, made large grants of land to aid in the construction of this same canal.
From a speech delivered in Congress by John Test, of Indiana, printed in the Western Register, Terre Haute, under date of Feb. 18, 1830, we gather that our congressmen were urgent, that the interest of the West must not be overlooked in the matter of distributing money for internal improve- ments. The arguments of Mr. Test have a zealous ring. In 1832 contracts were let for the building of the canal, and till its completion the work was pushed. In 1843 it was finished in part and in 1850 it was completed and the water turned on.
It was a time of rejoicing, when the first canal boat arrived through the Wabash and Erie canal at our town. In 1852 the whole line to Evansville was opened up. The day how- ever for canals had passed. Railroads were uppermost in the minds of progressive citizens. The canal enterprise lasted but about ten years. During this period it brought pros- perity to the town if not to the stockholders. After it was abandoned some of our enterprising citizens made an effort to keep boats running to Worthington, for the sake of trade, but this was given up in about two years.
There were many engineers attracted to Indiana by the ex-
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tensive system of internal improvements upon which the State had entered. Therewas one who deserves special mention, who came to Terre Haute to found a permanent home, and this was Mr. William J. Ball, who came in 1833, and was soon en- gaged as the chief engineer in the building the Wabash and Erie canal. And in due time he earned " The high reputation as one of the most accomplished officers in the service of the State." On the transfer of the management of the canal from the State to trustees, Mr. Ball, in 1847, was appointed as resident engineer to the active duty of superintending the construction, from Coal Creek to Evansville. In 1850 he be- came chief engineer of the Evansville and Crawfordsville Railroad. For several years he was connected with Railroad enterprises ; and in all the responsible positions in which he was placed, he added to his reputation as a faithful public servant.
Mr. Ball was a native of Ohio. "In 1842 he was married to Miss Julia Creighton, daughter of Hon. William Creigh- ton, member of Congress from the Chillicothe district in Ohio." In the esteem of her friends she was possessed of superior qualities of mind and heart. Her memory is held very dear by her immediate friends and especially by her surviving children. Among these are Messrs. William C. and Spencer F. Ball, the successful editors of the Terre Haute Gazette. Mr. W. J. Ball, the subject of this short sketch, was of Quaker lineage, and "held always to that beautiful and simple faith." He was a man of culture and natural refine- ment. Mr. Ball was born at Waterford, Loudon county, Virginia, January Ist, 1814, and died at his home in Terre Haute April 20, 1874.
Prominent in the history of internal improvements, was the building of the National road. Early in the century the General government agitated the building of a grand thoroughfare connecting the city of Baltimore with the Mis- sissippi river. At that early day it was an enterprise worthy of the Government. Indiana was alert to the advantages that would accrue to her citizens; and Terre Haute as before in-
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timated, was inspired with new life and energy. In 1834, a force of workmen began the construction of the road through Vigo county. The roadbed was thrown up, stone culverts built, bridges erected, all of which meant much for our county and town as well as for the State. Heaps of stone were brought to the bank of our river, for the building of a bridge ; but the bridge was never built.
Enterprising men, not a few, flocked into Indiana by reason of the building of this road ; but we here point to a single individual in the person of Charles Wood as most worthy of mention. He came here in company with Major Ogden of the United States army, who was the Government superintendent. Mr. Wood was taken into his office, a posi- tion he held till the work on the road was abandoned. He afterwards became one among the first organizers of the Terre Haute and Richmond railroad. He was elected secre- tary of the first board of trustees and held his position till his death. Mr. Charles Wood was the son of an honored mother, Mrs. Charlotte Wood, who came with her family to Terre Haute in 1835. Mr. Wood was a gentleman of the old school, friendly but dignified. He was born in the city of Baltimore, in November. 1810, and died at his home in Terre Haute in June, 1866, leaving behind him a large circle of relatives and friends to mourn his loss.
The prosperous outcome of Terre Haute as a village can scarcely be understood without some knowledge of the build- ing of the Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad. It was con- ceived in the mind of Chauncey Rose, and carried forward to completion by his indefatigable zeal. In this, as in his other enterprises, Mr. Rose associated with himself competent ad- visers and helpers. One such person was Mr. John Brough, who had been successful in the management of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad. Another, was Charles R. Peddle. Before coming to Indiana, Mr. Peddle held a responsible position in the Railroad shops at Reading, Pennsylvania ; and previous to his coming to Terre Haute, he had a similar position at Madison, Indiana. Mr. Peddle was a young man,
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and proved to have the knowledge and push that suited Mr. Rose. They went at once to Boston, to buy four engines. The responsibility of the purchase and transportation, was put upon Mr. Peddle. In that early day the matter of trans- portation, of such heavy freight, was no easy task. Sometimes the engines had to be pulled over bridges, through the streets of cities, and loaded into Lake vessels. " At Toledo two canal boats were brought into the service, and two engines put into each boat." One of the boats came directly through to Terre Haute, the other went by way of Cincinnati, and Madison, to Indianapolis.
The road was completed in 1852. Mr. Rose was its first president. William Baugh its first engineer ; Mr. John Scott was its first treasurer ; and Mr. Sylvester Huestis was its first superintendent. Mr. Huestis was the father of Mr. Ed. Huestis, who has held for years a responsible position on this road notwithstanding the many changes in its man- agement. Upon Mr. Rose's resignation, Samuel Crawford succeeded him as president till 1857, when he in turn, was succeeded by Mr. Edwin J. Peck.
Mr. Peddle was born in Philadelphia in 1819. He con- tinued in the service of the road in various capacities till his death, which occurred at his home in Terre Haute in 1893, leaving to his widow and surviving children, an honored and spotless name. Mr. Peddle was married to Miss Mary Ball, daughter of Dr. E. V. Ball, and granddaughter of Mr. Joseph Richardson, who with his family were among the earliest pioneers and occupants of Fort Harrison.
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CHAPTER XXIX
EARLY POETS AND POETRY
GEORGE WASHINGTON CUTTER came to Terre Haute while yet a young man. He was related to the family of our pioneer editor, John W. Osborn. Mr. Cutter studied law in the office of Judge Amory Kinney. He was elected as a member of our State legislature, before removing to Cov- ington, Kentucky; where he again took up the practice of law. He served in the war with Mexico; and afterwards became a Treasury clerk in Washington city. It is an un- pleasant task to record that the career of George W. Cutter was a sad one. Few young men start in life with such bright prospects. His memory is still cherished in Terre Haute, as he was while here, a young man of promise, of high ideals and of noble purposes. After he left us, however, " his pros- pects were blighted and his last years rendered miserable by intemperance." But we have learned to separate between the man and the drink ; to love the one and hate the other. We have but to read Mr. Cutter's poems to learn the nobility and generosity of the man ; and although his life was bitter, yet not a word of complaint escapes his pen.
George W. Cutter, by profession was a lawyer, by birth a poet. His poems were printed in book form under the title of Buena Vista and Other Poems, by Morgan and Overend, Cincinnati, 1848. In the preface, by the way of apology, for publishing his work, he says: "In the first place, my vanity was somewhat excited by the very favorable and flattering impression some of these poems have made, not only on the minds of my distinguished countrymen, but also in the very highest literary circles in Europe." Another consideration he says was this; " When about to leave the country for the
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seat of war, in Mexico, flattered by the kind expressions of my friends, I believed the publication might be of some pecuniary benefit to my wife during my absence." He further adds : " From various causes the publication was delayed till my return ; but this, however, enabled me to add the poem of Buena Vista, to the former collection."
Mr. Cutter was not a man of one poem, and so an apparent injustice may be done by offering but a single illustration of his work. The Song of Steam, however, which is inserted below, must ever form the key of the poetical arch that shall commemorate his memory as a poet. There is no need to speak of the poetic grasp of its conception, neither of its vigorous tone, and happy expression ; for left to itself it will speak for itself.
It may not be known to many of the old friends of Mr. Cutter, that he put forth a second edition of his book, en- larged by the addition of several new pieces, bearing the title of Poems National and Patriotic, Philadelphia, 1857. At which time a competent and appreciative critic wrote: "The finest of his compositions is The Song of Steam, which is worthy of the praise it has received, of being one of the best lyrics of the century. The Song of Lightning, written more recently, is perhaps next to it in merit." I give below The Song of Steam with only two or three stanzas omitted.
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