USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River, Vol. I > Part 39
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The second year of operation, 1838, showed the total receipts to be $1,398.37, which, although scarcely sufficient to pay the salary of one member of the canal commission, was accepted as an indication of a vast income from transportation tolls and the provision of water-power, when the entire line should have come into use.
In the village of Fort Wayne, all lines of enterprise took on new life, and mills, factories and workshops of many descriptions were established. Not the least of these were the yards of the canal boat builders. Although F. P. Tinkham was the pioneer boat builder, the first boat yard was owned by Barthold and Sons, located on the feeder canal in Bloomingdale. Here were constructed the first three boats to do regular service on the canal. The "Indiana" was the first to be launched. It was built for Captain Asa Fairfield. The four Mahon brothers, Samuel, Archie, William and Monroe, were later the principal owners of an important line of packets which included the "Indiana," the "Clyde," the "Wabash" and the "Chief Richardville." The last named boat was built by Francis Comparet. By the year 1849, Ellsworth and Rippe's boat yard enjoyed a rushing business in the building of packets and freight boats.
Fortunate it was for the people of Fort Wayne that the canal was in operation even in part, during the summer and fall of 1838, for a drought prevailed from the 3d of July until Christmas. The amount of precipitation during these months was insufficient to sustain growing things, and the crops were nearly a total loss. The rivers were so low that flat-boats could not be operated, thus pre- venting the transportation of supplies from many sources. All of
341
PIONEER ENTERPRISES-EARLY HOTELS
1838 1839
the smaller creeks became dry. The water supply for the canal was sufficient, however, to allow of the free passing of boats, and this condition saved much suffering and loss.
The educational needs of the town were not allowed to suffer from neglect at this time. In 1838, Alexander McJunkin, one of the best-remembered of the early instructors, built a frame house on the east side of Lafayette street, between Main and Berry streets, where he taught until 1852. when he became the treasurer of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago railroad. This original school house is still standing (1917) and in use as a residence. It is located on the rear of the residence property of C. C. Schlatter.
Mr. McJunkin was "a fine scholar, a strong, judicious instructor and a stern, rigidly strict disciplinarian, he most forcibly impressed his ideas and teachings upon the minds of his scholars, and not in- frequently with equal force upon their bodies," says Dr. John S. Irwin, former superintendent, in an official report. Rev. W. W. Stevens subsequently established a school on West Berry street, where he and his wife taught for a number of years.
HOTELS OF THE THIRTIES.
With a broad vision of the future-so broad, in truth, that his fellow citizens failed to grasp its scope-William Rockhill com-
JUDGE JAMES W. BORDEN.
James W. Borden had been admitted to the practice of the law before the supreme court of New York previous to the time he was assigned to the charge of the United States land office in Fort Wayne in 1839. In 1841 he was elected president judge of the Twelfth judicial district of nine counties. He prepared the legislative bill providing for the re- vision of the state constitution in 1850, and was an influential participant in the proceedings of the constitutional conven- tion. In 1852 he was elected judge of the court of common pleas and served until his appointment as resident minis- ter at Honolulu in 1857. Upon his return he was again elected, in 1864, to the judgeship of the common pleas court. At the time of his death, in 1882, he was the judge of the criminal court, to which position he had been elected in 1867.
JOHN W. DAWSON.
John W. Dawson, lawyer, editor and territorial governor of Utah, came to Fort Wayne in 1838. In 1854 Mr. Daw- son, after a course in Wabash college. became the owner of the Fort Wayne Times, and, through his vigorous meth- ods of presenting his views of public questions not only exerted a wide influ- ence, but incurred the bitter antagonism of his opponents, who on several occa- sions, "thrashed the editor" or sought to do him injury in other ways. As a leader of the anti-Nebraska party, he was nominated for secretary of state, but met defeat. Shortly after Lincoln's inauguration Mr. Dawson was appointed governor of Utah. His vigorous admin- istration so aroused antagonism and Hatred of the Mormons that on his return from Salt Lake he was waylaid and maltreated so that he never recovered from the outrage. He died in 1877.
1
342
THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE
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INDIANA'S VAST PLAN OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
"Why was the Wabash and Erie canal allowed to pass Into disuse?" The often-asked question frequently meets with the response, "The railroads killed it." The accompanying map, with the explanatory note, will assist, however, in an understanding of a still more logical reason-the unwarranted appropriation of $10,000,000 by the state in 1835 for ill-advised public works which plunged the state into an indebtedness of $13,000,000 and prevented the success of the one meritorious work-the Wabash and Erie canal. The legislature, in one - session-that of 1835-made appropriations for the following enterprises, the numbers referring to the corresponding figures on the map:
1 .- Wabash and Erie canal, already under construction (459 miles in length when completed from Maumee bay to Evansville). Total cost, $6,437,809. 2 .- Cen- tral canal, 290 miles; $3,500,000 appropriated, of which $574,646 was consumed in the building of but a small section, between Indianapolis and Broadripple, after which the work was abandoned. 3 .- Crosscut canal, 42 miles; of the appropriation of $1,300,000, $436,189 was spent. 4 .- Whitewater canal, 76 miles. Amount of appropriation, $1,400,000; 31 miles completed at a cost of $1,090,867. 5 .- A railroad from Madison to Lafayette. Amount of appropriation, $1,300,000; after expending $73,142 on the line between Indianapolis and Lafayette, the work was abandoned and the lower portion passed into private control after the state had spent $1,624,603. 6 .- A macadamized road from New Albany to Vincennes. Amount of appropriation, $1,150,000. 7 .- Railroad, or turnpike from Jeffersonville to Crawfordsville. Amount of appropriation, $1,300,000; the project was abandoned after $339,183 had been spent. 8 .- Improvement of the Wabash river; amount of appropriation, $50,000. 9 .- Survey of the Erie and Michigan canal, connecting Chicago with the Wabash and Erie canal at Fort Wayne. No portion of the work was finished, excepting the creation of an artificial reservoir (Sylvan lake, Rome City, Noble county). The improvement, with a connecting feeder canal, cost the state $156,324. The latter project, if completed, would have given Fort Wayne a water connection with Chicago. Compared with the line of the newly-projected lake-to-lake canal, the survey presents a route similar to that of the proposed plan.
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343
PIONEER ENTERPRISES-EARLY HOTELS
1838 1839
menced, in 1838, the erection of the famous Rockhill house at the southwest corner of Broadway and West Main street. Mr. Rockhill believed that by erecting a hotel which should eclipse every other place of entertainment in the west, even though it were located half a mile away from the main settlement, the object would result in a marked change in the physical aspect of the town.
This building, which stands today as a portion of St. Joseph hospital, was not opened, however, as a hotel until 1854, when Philo Rumsey assumed charge as its landlord. The Rockhill house con- tained sixty-five guest rooms, and was properly considered the finest hotel in the region. During the period of its uncompleted condition, the Rockhill house, used for fairs and various sorts of public gatherings, was popularly known as "Rockhill's Folly."
The formal opening of the hotel, in 1854, was a gay event, which attracted the representative citizens of Fort Wayne as well as many from abroad. A banquet, followed by a ball, constituted the main features of the event.
The hotel maintained an omnibus line, connecting with the railway depot, and its almost rural surroundings provided many attractive features, but it proved to be a discouraging financial enter- prise. In 1868 it became the nucleus of the present St. Joseph hospital.
The rapid growth of the town is suggested by the establishment of other hotels and taverns of the period. One of the best known of these, the Palo Alto house (at first called the Lafayette), was erected by Frank Rohle, at the southeast corner of Wayne and Calhoun streets, the site later occupied by the White Fruit House and now by the Grand Leader department store. The building was a two- story frame structure. After the death of Mr. Rohle, the place passed into the hands of George J. E. Mayer, and it was thereafter known as the Mayer House. Subsequent landlords were H. B. Garten, Jacob Lessman, John Bull, W. H. Murtah, William Kirtley, Rhodes and Pierce, Dr. Pierce and William Reed. This building was destroyed by fire.
The Washington House, established shortly after the Palo Alto, was located at the southeast corner of Calhoun and Washington streets. This also was burned.
The Custer house stood on the north side of West Main street, between Calhoun and Harrison streets. It was built by Mr. Good- man and bore the name of the Goodman House for several years. Geison Scherzinger was its proprietor for twenty years.
The Franklin House, conducted by Mills and Taylor, flourished during the thirties. In 1835 Joseph H. McMaken sold Washington Hall to Samuel Sowers; two years later the tavern was purchased by P. Timmons. Mr. McMaken established the Mansion House at the northeast corner of Calhoun and Columbia streets, in 1835. In the same year, Samuel Lillie opened a tavern on Columbia street east of Calhoun street.
The commodious brick building owned and occupied since 1914 by the Fort Wayne Rescue Home and Mission on the north side of East Columbia street, at the head of Clay street, was for many years a prosperous hotel. In 1858, with Fred Volkert as proprietor, it was called the City House ; at that time it was a two-story building.
344
THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE
1
George Phillips, who became the owner in 1859, remodeled the building and called it the Phillips House. Latterly, the place was known as the Arlington.
The Old Fort House, at the corner of Main and Lafayette streets, managed by George Phillips, was a busy hotel of the canal days. The National Hotel, of which Prof. Joseph Leiffels was the pro- prietor, was destroyed by fire in 1870; the building stood at the northeast corner of Barr and Holman streets.
Colonel John Spencer built the well-known Spencer house, in 1836. It was located on the west side of Calhoun street, facing the courthouse square. Early landlords were Amos Compton, George Wilson and E. Palmer.
The American House, erected on Columbia street by Josephi Morgan, in 1836, later was conducted by Francis Comparet.
The Dayton (Kime) House was opened in 1836 by John Trent- man. It was located at the corner of East Wayne and Clay streets.
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The thirties were years remarkable for the establishment of churches of various denominations. The present Trinity Episcopal -
THE ROCKHILL HOUSE.
William Rockhill, in 1838, commenced the building of the celebrated Rockhill house, at the southwest corner of Main street and Broadway. The work was delayed, and in 1840 only the walls and roof were finished. For thirteen years the building remained in an incompleted condition, during which time it was used for fairs, exhibitions, entertainments and various kinds of public assem- blages. Under the management of Philo Rumsey, the place was opened as a first-class hotel in 1854. It was closed in 1867 and remained unused until May 20, 1878, when the St. Joseph Benevolent association purchased the property. This original building, with one story added, still remains as a portion of the present St. Joseph hospital. The illustration is from a woodcut printed in 1858.
345
PIONEER ENTERPRISES-EARLY HOTELS
1838 1839
church had its beginning in 1839, with the coming of Rev. Benjamin Hutchins, a missionary. At a meeting held in May, over which Allen Hamilton presided and Robert E. Fleming acted as secretary, Christ church was organized. In 1844, the name was changed to Trinity. Rectors following Rev. Mr. Hutchins were Benjamin Halstead, H. P. Powers, Joseph S. Large, E. C. Pattison, Caleb A. Bruce, Stephen A. Battin, Colin C. Tate, William N. Webbe, A. W. Seabrease and E. W. Averill.
ACTIVITIES OF 1838.
Many public-spirited men came to Fort Wayne in 1838. Frank- lin P. Randall (born in Madison county, New York, in 1812) served as mayor of Fort Wayne for many years; Dr. Charles E. Sturgis (born in Queen Anne county, Maryland, in 1815) became a prominent member of the medical profession; Madison Sweetser (born in Win- dom, Vermont, in 1809), identified himself with municipal and mer- cantile affairs; Christian F. Pfeiffer (born in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1824) was active in many lines of endeavor; Killian Baker (born in Hesse-Darmstadt, in 1830) established the first wagon shop; John W. Dawson (born at Cambridge, Indiana, in 1820) served as a clerk in the office of his brother-in-law, Colonel John Spencer, and later became widely known as a newspaper editor and territorial governor of Utah; Charles Frederick Myers (born in Windheim, Germany, in 1828); John Baker (born in Germany, in 1817) operated the first plow factory and steam sawmill in company with his father, George Baker, and his brother, Jacob; Louis Griebel born in Germany) became an active business man. Mar- shall S. Wines established the Woodlawn, or Wines, flouring mill on the Maumee, near the present Hanover street, where a dam was built across the stream. Subsequent owners were Samuel Hanna and Ochmig Bird, Bostick and Fronefield, Fronefield and Volland, Trentman and Volland, Orff and Volland, Comparet and Haskell, and finally E. A. Orff. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1879. Mr. Wines purchased the Cole sawmill in 1838. William G.
Ewing was elected state senator. In 1838 an Indian named
"Bob" stabbed "White Raccoon." "During his illness," wrote John W.' Dawson, "I frequently saw Raccoon, and witnessed a devotion on the part of his Miami squaw wife which Washington Irving could not sketch truer than he did the wife in his sketch book. It was an affecting sight. * * ** I saw 'Bob' several times thereafter, but always alone. At length the fatal period came, and somewhere down on the Miami Reservation, Bob was decoyed to a spring of water, and while lying down to quench his thirst, the friends of Raccoon, then with him, crushed his head with a stone."
In his "Charcoal Sketches," Mr. Dawson says of the elec- tions of the thirties and forties: "Our general elections were held on the first Monday of August, annually, and as every elector could vote anywhere in the county, nearly all came from the country to town to vote; and, strange as it may seem at this time, men who had quarrels to settle met at the elections and fought it out with fists and feet. I remember, on the first Monday in August, 1838, after nightfall, of seeing several hard personal battles fought at the crossing of Columbia and Calhoun streets. The blows given sounded
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THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE
like those a butcher fells an ox with." . The town trustees appointed Daniel McGinnis inspector of flour, and Jacob B. Davis- son inspector of pork, beef and bacon.
ACTIVITIES OF 1839.
Among the valued citizens who located in Fort Wayne in 1839 were Judge James W. Borden (born near Beaufort, South Carolina,
THE MAYER HOUSE.
Originally known as the Palo Alto house, the building here shown was erected by Frank Rohle in 1839, at the southeast corner of Wayne and Calhoun streets. In 1850 George J. E. Mayer purchased the property and built a two- story addition at the south. The name of the hotel was then changed to the Mayer house. At a later time a third floor was added to the corner building. This was remodeled and enlarged into the store rooms occupied by the White Fruit House (now by the Grand Leader department store). The south part was remodeled to form a portion of the Grand Central hotel, which is now the Alt Heidelberg hotel. The illustration is from a woodcut print loaned by Frank M. Randall. (See Chapter XXVII.)
FORT WAYNE'S FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING. In 1838, Alexander McJunkin erected a frame building on the east side of La-
fayette street, between Berry and Wayne streets, and there opened a private school which was continued until 1852, when Mr. McJunkin became the treasurer of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago railroad. In 1853, with the organization of the public school system, the first "free" school in Fort Wayne was opened in this building. The McJunkin school house is still standing, used as a resi- dence. It is located on the rear of the home lot of C. C. Schlatter, who now owns it.
FRANKLIN P. RANDALL.
Mr. Randall is remembered as Fort Wayne's "war" mayor, but his many years of devotion to the upbuilding of his home city have made his name an honored one in connection with many substantial affairs. Following his school- ing and law studies, Mr. Randall came to Fort Wayne in 1838. Two years later he was elected school commissioner of Allen county. In 1847 he was elected state senator, representing a district comprising four counties. He was com- missioned by Governor Wright as colo- nel of militia for Allen county, and in 1855 was promoted by Governor Ham- mond as brigadier general of the Tenth division. In 1856 Mr. Randall was ap- pointed a director of the state prison south, and in the same year was named as a presidential elector, voting for James Buchanan. He was the author of the city charter and designer of the city seal. He served as city recorder two terms, as city attorney three terms, and as councilman two terms. He was elected five times as mayor of Fort Wayne, serving ten years. He was actively interested in the construction of the railroads and in the promotion of horticultural and agricultural matters. His collection of historic mementos and books was far-famed.
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PIONEER ENTERPRISES-EARLY HOTELS
1838 1839
in 1813), who came to serve as the register of the land office; George De Wald, whose enterprise is evidenced today in the important whole- sale dry goods house of the George De Wald Company; Sylvanus F. Baker (born in Starke county. Ohio, in 1831), who served as county commissioner ; Jacob C. Bowser, from Lancaster, Ohio, who, with James Story, established at once the Bowser and Story foundry and machine shop at the southeast corner of Main and Clinton streets; Wade Shoaff, who became the pioneer tailor; Siegmund Redelsheimer (born in Wurtemburg, Germany, in 1811), who, with Abraham Oppenheimer, conducted a general store on Columbia street for many years; and John M. Miller (born near Sunbury, Pennsylvania, in 1817), who engaged in the furniture trade.
In 1839 the following county officers were elected: Auditor, Allen Hamilton; treasurer, Samuel Hanna; sheriff, Joseph Berkey ; clerk, Philip G. Jones ; recorder, Robert E. Fleming ; surveyor, S. M. Black; commissioners, David Archer, L. S. Bayless, Horace B. Taylor.
Henry Chase, of Logansport, was elected judge of the cir- cuit court; the associate judges were Nathaniel Coleman and Mar- shall S. Wines, with John W. Wright, prosecuting attorney.
Franklin P. Randall was named as master in chancery for the circuit court. Reuben J. Dawson was elected judge of the probate court.
CHAPTER XXVIII-1840-1842.
Fort Wayne City Incorporated-The First Officials and Their Work.
The town votes to become a city-Franklin P. Randall prepares the charter- George W. Wood the first choice of the voters to serve as mayor-New city officials confronted by many vexatious problems-Rapid growth of the town-Canal troubles-Indiana's fatal misstep-The earliest bands of music-Building of the second courthouse-The organization of the Fort Wayne Guards-Establishment of the Fort Wayne Times-Joseph Morgan chosen to succeed Mayor Wood-The failure of the silk culture enterprise.
T HE TOWN of Fort Wayne, in the summer of 1839, awoke to a realization of the unfitness of its primitive form of govern- ment. For a period of eleven years the management of the business of the village corporation had been entirely in the hands of a board of trustees elected annually. Now it became ap- parent that a forward step should be taken by incorporating as a city to be governed by a charter which should provide for the elec- tion of a mayor and a board of aldermen.
As yet, the town owned no public buildings. The problem of public improvements had grown too large to be handled in a small way. The legality of many of the acts of the board of trustees had been questioned, and the usefulness of the board was weakened thereby.
Finally, Franklin P. Randall was asked to prepare a city charter for the government of the town and this was approved by the state legislature on Washington's birthday, 1840. The original document is preserved by Mrs. Clark Fairbank, among the effects of her father, Mr. Randall. The charter provided for the election of a president, or mayor, and a board of six aldermen (city council) who should select the minor officials of the city.
THE FIRST CITY OFFICIALS.
The vote on the question of the adoption of the charter stood 116 to 53, the citizens of the town so expressing themselves at an election held at the court house on the 1st of March. The election inspectors were Reuben J. Dawson, J. E. Hill and Thomas Hamilton.
The voters chose as their mayor George W. Wood. Of Mr. Wood and his activities in building up the city of Fort Wayne these page's will suggest an outline. The first board of aldermen was com- posed of Thomas Hamilton, William Rockhill, William S. Edsall, William L. Moon, Samuel Edsall and Madison Sweetser. There was a tie vote between Mr. Sweetser and Joseph Morgan which was decided by the vote of the inspectors. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Sweetser resigned in May and were succeeded by John E. Hill and -Joseph Morgan, selected at a special election held at the courthouse.
The council met in its initial session March 7, and selected the following city officers: Clerk or recorder, Franklin P. Randall. 348
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349
CITY INCORPORATED-FIRST OFFICIALS
1840 1842
(The mayor decided a tie vote between Mr. Randall and Addison Merrill.) Treasurer, George F. Wright. High constable, or mar- shal, Samuel S. Morss. Collector of Taxes, Samuel S. Morss, suc- ceeded by Joseph Berkey. Lumber measurer, John B. Cocanour. Attorney, Lucien P. Ferry. (The mayor, decided a tie vote between Mr. Ferry and Franklin P. Randall.) Assessor, Robert E. Fleming. Street commissioner, Joseph H. McMaken.
The new city officials found themselves confronted by many vexatious problems. When property owners along Calhoun street petitioned for wooden sidewalk curbings on account of "the low- ness of a considerable portion of the ground through which Calhoun street passes, south of the Wabash and Erie canal [now Nickel Plate railway]" and added that "the unimproved condition of the same renders it almost impassable for man or beast," they were asking for an improvement the like of which came from every section of the town. The records of the first year's activities are filled with orders similar to that which gave direction for the abolishment of "the slaughter house at the west end of Columbia street and the pond of water and the old warehouse opposite the mayor's house." As late as 1849, the council ordered the street commissioner to "drain the pond on each side of Clinton street near the Branch bank [Clinton and Berry streets]."
In 1840, the population of the town had grown from 300 in 1830 to nearly seven times that number; the official census places the number at 2,080. The development of the rural community is shown by the fact that in 1840 the taxable lands in Allen county amounted to 58,717 acres, while in 1841 the area increased to 202,709 acres.
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