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 60
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It was on the 22d of October, 1894, exactly one hundred years from the time of the dedication of Wayne's fort, that the commit- tee composed of Mayor Chauncey B. Oakley, Colonel R. S. Robert- son, Charles McCulloch, Captain James B. White, J. F. W. Meyer and Charles F. Muhler was selected to present its wishes before the Indiana legislature. This body authorized Allen county to appro- priate $2,000 for the celebration, to which amount the city of Fort Wayne was enabled to add $3,000. In August, 1895, Mr. Randall was made general chairman of arrangements.
On the morning of October 16, 1895, the celebration was opened by the firing of one hundred guns by the Zollinger battery, and this salute opened a week of festivities in which many other cities par- ticipated. The decorations of the streets included the erection of several arches spanning the principal downtown thoroughfares, the main arch extending across Calhoun street at Wayne street. One unique arch, constructed of gas pipe and covered with burners, was brilliantly illuminated at night.
Thousands of citizens and visitors crowded Princess rink to listen to addresses by Colonel R. S. Robertson and others dealing with the early history of Fort Wayne, and here, also, was held a great campfire.
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A monster parade, five miles in length, requiring one hour and fifteen minutes to pass the reviewing stand, was a feature of the week.
Military prize drills, held at the Driving park, which drew com- peting companies from other cities, were witnessed by Governor Claude Matthews and staff. A band contest and an illuminated bicycle parade were also features of the event.
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Ammunition to the value of $1,500 was consumed during the progress of the sham battle scenes which opened with a reproduc- tion of the attack of Indians on a stage coach. A second scene illustrated the attack of the savages on a cabin, the capture of the settlers, the attempted burning at the stake, and the rescue of the captives by the United States troops. The closing scenes illustrated a battle between the savages and the whites.
A large exhibit of historic mementos, including the camp bed of General Wayne, was shown, and a model of the old fort, made under the direction of Isaac Bush, was a center of interest.
The celebration closed with a brilliant display of fireworks which included the following "set" pieces: "Fort Wayne Wel- comes All," "George Washington," "General Anthony Wayne," "The Old Fort," "P. A. Randall," "Spirit of '76," "The Bicycle Rider," "Niagara Falls," and "Good Night."
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1896.
The Bryan-Mckinley campaign for the presidency aroused great activity among the members of the contending factions in Allen county as did also the congressional, state and local contests.
The county gave William Jennings Bryan 9,909 votes, with 8,467 for William McKinley. In October, a delegation of republicans from Allen county to the number of six hundred visited Major Mckinley at his home, Canton, Ohio. In August, and again in October, Mr. Bryan visited Fort Wayne and addressed immense audiences at Princess rink and Saengerbund hall.
JAMES M. ROBINSON CONGRESSMAN.
The congressional contest resulted in the choice of James M. Robinson, by a vote in Allen county of 10,212 over 8,271 for J. D. Leighty. Mr. Robinson's plurality in the entire Twelfth district was 564. He was re-elected in 1898, 1900 and 1902.
Louis J. Bobilya was elected joint state senator, and George V. Kell, H. I. Smith and William C. Ryan, state representatives.
HENRY P. SCHERER MAYOR.
The municipal campaign of 1896 resulted in the choice of Henry P. Scherer for mayor, by a vote of 5,221 against 3,885 for Chauncey B. Oakley. Mr. Scherer had already served as mayor for a short period, by appointment, following the death of Colonel Charles A. Zollinger.1
ROBISON PARK.
Originally called "Swift" park, because the property formerly belonged to a Mr. Swift, the present Robison park, seven miles north of the city of Fort Wayne and considered the leading pleasure park in Indiana, was formally opened June 28, 1896. R. C. Bell officiated as toastmaster of the dedication banquet. The park is named in honor of M. Stanley Robison, then general manager of the traction company, owner of the property, and a leader in the movement to establish the park. On July 4, 1896, thirty thousand persons visited the park. Mr. Robison later was one of the best known promoters of the national game of baseball.
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JUSTIN N. STUDY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
On August 1, 1896, Justin N. Study succeeded John S. Irwin as the superintendent of the public schools of Fort Wayne. Under his supervision, the advancement of the schools has been such as to place them among the model institutions of America.
BUILDING OF THE PRESENT (FIFTH) COURTHOUSE.
The builders of Allen county's fourth courthouse declared in 1861, at the time of its dedication, that the structure was designed to last a century. Only one-third of this period had passed when the county found the old building inadequate to meet the needs of the times. The board of county commissioners advertised in 1895 for bids on a new courthouse, but it was two years before satis- factory plans-those of Brentwood C. Tolan-were finally accepted.
During the period of the demolition of the old courthouse by C. E. Moellering and Company, the court sessions were held in the Saengerbund building, corner of West Main street and Maiden Lane. The temporary courthouse was rented for county purposes at the rate of $300 per month. The first session of court to be held in the unfinished new building was opened in September, 1900.
The contract for the erection of the courthouse was let in May, 1897, to James Stewart and Company, of St. Louis, Missouri, for the sum of $479,336. This contract did not include the building of the heating and power station and the connecting subway. The total cost of the building and equipment was $817,533. The com- missioners who made the contract for the county were Matthew A. Ferguson, John H. Stellhorn and Sylvanus F. Baker.
The ceremony of the laying of the cornerstone was the occasion of a notable morning pageant composed of military, fraternal and civic bodies, viewed by Governor James A. Mount and staff from a position of honor at the corner of Main and Clinton streets. In the afternoon, the services of the laying of the stone, conducted at the northeast corner of the building site, were the occasion of addresses by Rev. Samuel Wagenhals, Charles McCulloch, Judge John Morris, Colonel R. S. Robertson and William P. Breen. The committee selected to place the mementos in the copper box enclosed in the stone was composed of Colonel D. N. Foster, J. F. W. Meyer, A. F. Glutting and Matthew A. Ferguson. A chorus of school chil- dren sang "America" as a closing feature of the day.
The Allen county courthouse has few equals in architectural beauty and service among the similar buildings of the cities of America.
Its completion was the occasion of a second and larger demon- stration which attracted visitors from many sections in September, 1902. Charles McCulloch officiated as chairman of the day. The presentation address was delivered by James M. Barrett. W. Bourke Cockran, of New York, and Governor W. T. Durbin were guests of honor. Others who participated in the service of dedication were Bishop H. J. Alerding, Rev. Dr. D. W. Moffat, S. M. Foster, Judge John H. Aiken, Judge Allen Zollars, Mayor Henry C. Berghoff, James B. Harper, Henry Beadell, Theodore Frank, and James M. Robinson.
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The building is constructed of Bedford stone. The heroic statue of Liberty surmounting the dome is fourteen feet in height. The facades present the busts of General Anthony Wayne, Colonel John Allen, George Washington, Chief Little Turtle and Chief Te- cumseh, and full figure bas reliefs of the nation's great men in many lines of endeavor. The interior is truly a "dream in marble." Its many rare mural decorations and bronzes are the admiration of all art lovers.
The dimensions of the structure are 134 by 270 feet. The distance from the street level to the top of the statue of Liberty is 225 feet. The clock dials of the dome are thirteen feet in diameter.
THE FIRST AUTOMOBILE.
H. W. Meyer brought the first automobile to the city of Fort Wayne in 1897. Others who appeared with "horseless carriages," as they were called in the earlier years of their use, were W. H. W. Peltier, E. B. Kunkle and Dr. G. A. Ross.
TROOPS FOR THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
With the outbreak of hostilities between the United States and Spain, in the spring of 1898, Allen county came forth with many willing volunteers to serve their country. On April 6, the Hibernian Rifles, J. E. Ford, captain, offered their services to Gov- ernor Mount, but the only troops mustered in were those of Com- pany B (Captain Charles E. Reese), and Company D (Captain O. C. Meyers, Jr.), of the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Indiana volun- teer infantry, and the Twenty-eighth Indiana battery (Captain Wil- liam F. Ranke).
From Indianapolis, both of the former Allen county com- panies were transferred to Chickamauga Park, then to Port Tampa, Florida, and later to Fernandina, in the same state; here they remained until the cessation of hostilities. The battery, with its equipment, was transferred to Chickamauga Park, and here it remained in camp to the close of the war.
THE MEMORIAL TO HENRY W. LAWTON.
While Fort Wayne was fortunate in that none of her volunteer soldiers died in battle during the Spanish-American war, it was called upon to suffer deeply the sorrow which came with the news of the tragic death of their former townsman, Major General Henry W. Lawton, who was shot down by a Filipino sharpshooter in the Philippines, on December 19, 1899. When the body of General Lawton reached Fort Wayne, on the way to Washington, where it was interred in the National Cemetery, the flag-draped casket was conveyed from the railway station to the rotunda of the Allen county courthouse by an escort consisting of several bands of music and many military and other societies, but the most impressive portion of the procession was that in which appeared the men who were his comrades in arms during the civil war. The tattered battle- flag of Lawton's Thirtieth Indiana regiment was carried by Thomas Toomey, who had borne it through the period of the rebellion. Sixteen other survivors of the same regiment were also in line.
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The caisson, bearing the remains, was followed by a detachment of veterans of the Ninth Indiana regiment in which Lawton first enlisted. The casket, unopened, was viewed by saddened thousands. (See Chapter XXXVII).
THE CITIZENS TRUST COMPANY.
In 1898, the Citizens Trust Company was formed, with John Ferguson, president; F. L. Jones, first vice president; Herman Michael, second vice president; C. W. Newton, third vice president, and Ernest W. Cook, secretary.
FIRST FREE RURAL MAIL DELIVERY.
The present network of rural mail delivery routes throughout Allen county had its beginning in 1899, when, on the 16th of October, D. Lafayette Beaber commenced to serve a population of eight hundred people on a route twenty-five and one-half miles in length, extending to the southward from Fort Wayne.
ACTIVITIES OF 1895.
During the street parade of Ringling Brothers' circus in May, a frightened horse dashed into the crowd, causing the instant death of Mrs. Eliza LeMay and the fatal injury of several other persons. Damages to the amount of $1,433 were paid by the city of Fort Wayne to the families of the victims, to which amount Ringling Brothers added $600. The incident was the cause of the enactment of a drastic city ordinance governing the appearance of elephants and camels on the public streets. A crematory for the incineration of the bodies of the dead was established in 1895 in Lindenwood cemetery. It was the first of its kind in the state of Indiana. Shortly after 5 o'clock on Friday, November 1, three distinct earthquake shocks alarmed persons living in various sections of the city. An independent military company, known as the Hibernian Rifles, was organized in October with J. E. Ford, captain, and M. J. Cleary and F. J. Monahan, lieutenants. This company became prominent in military circles and continued in service until a recent period. Heidelberg Reformed church, which occupied the former synagogue, was organized; the church disbanded in 1900. The German Baptist (Dunkard) church was formed with Rev. Jacob Ahner, pastor. The Catholic Church of the Precious Blood was organized, with Rev. Francis Nigsch as the first pastor, succeeded by Rev. Chrisostom Hummer. General Lew Wallace acted as toastmaster on the occasion of the banquet of the Loyal Legion. The local members were Captain Allan H. Dougall, Colonel R. S. Robertson, Colonel D. N. Foster, Adjutant John I. White, Lieutenant Colonel Orrin D. Hurd, Lieutenant Henry M. Williams and Dr. E. L. Sivers, the latter by virtue of the rank of his father, which descends to the eldest son. The city garbage crematory was established at Clinton street and the St. Mary's river.
ACTIVITIES OF 1896.
For a period in 1896 "The Voice of the People," a paper edited by L. C. Kasten, was published in support of the populist party
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ticket. With the purchase of the business of McDonald and Wilt the wholesale grocery house of A. H. Perfect and Company was established. Sam Wolf and Myron E. Dessauer found- ed the Wolf and Dessauer department store. At a meeting held in May, the West Creighton Avenue Church of Christ was or- ganized with 114 members. Pastors of the church in order were J. V. Updike, P. O. Updike, John J. Higgs, Z. A. Harras, M. F. Rickoff, W. P. Shamhart, Henry W. Schwan, J. H. McCartney and M. L. Buckley.
ACTIVITIES OF 1897.
The school enumeration gave a total of 12,805 persons of school age within the city limits. . High water tore away the St. Joseph river dam at Rudisill mill. The First Church of Christ, Scientist, was founded in 1897, the original members being Mrs. M. L. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. I. N. Woods, Miss Ora Shaver and Miss Emma Rosenthal. For a considerable time the church occupied the smaller Jewish synagogue. The present building, formerly the Charles McCulloch home, has been occupied since 1913. . An iron bridge was built across the Maumee river at Anthony boulevard (Walton avenue). A footbridge was placed across the St. Mary's river to connect Swinney park with "Nebraska." Mrs. James B. Harper was appointed to a membership on the board of trustees of the Indiana School for Feeble Minded Youth. William J. Vesey was appointed judge of the superior court, to suc- ceed Charles M. Dawson, deceased. With the incoming of the republican administration of President William McKinley, Wil- liam D. Page was named as the postmaster of Fort Wayne.
ACTIVITIES OF 1898.
Judge John Morris was appointed to serve as the first referee in bankruptcy of the Fort Wayne district. The board of waterworks trustees consisted of Murray Hartnett, William Tagt- meyer and Philip Singleton. Members of the board of school trustees were William P. Cooper, Dr. A. J. Boswell and Sam- uel M. Foster. The Allen county board of children's guard- ians, appointed by Judge Edward O'Rourke to care for "abused, neglected, deserted or dependent children of Allen county," was officered as follows: President, Rev. H. P. Dannecker; treasurer, Alexander Johnson; secretary, Maria B. Gorsline; A. H. Bittenger, Helen F. Fleming and Helen F. Guild. A flowing well was drilled at Swinney park. A street fair of large proportions was held in October, 1898. With P. A. Randall as president and Allan H. Dougall secretary, an excellent exhibit of stock, poultry, fruit and the like was made. . Dr. George B. McGoogan was appointed United States deputy revenue collecter. Among the Fort Wayne men attracted to the Alaskan gold fields by the tales of good fortune which had come to many in the Klondike were S. S. McQuown, John Murphy, Clarence F. Cook, John Koehler, Henry Rinehart, Edward Ohneck and Dr. H. C. Nierman.
ACTIVITIES OF 1899.
Dr. L. Park Drayer was chosen to serve as the first city bacteri- ologist. . City pumping station No. 2 was established at
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THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE
Van Buren street and the St. Mary's river. The Fort Wayne Commercial club was organized July 8. Concordia Evangelical Lutheran church was organized, with Rev. A. H. Lange as the first pastor. B. Ruf became the superintendent of the
orphans' home of the Reformed church. St. Rochus's hos- pital for the treatment of tuberculosis was established with the pur- chase of the John Orff home on West Main street; it has been conduct- ed in connection with St. Joseph hospital. John W. Hayden was appointed to serve as deputy revenue collector, to succeed August E. Martin, resigned. The International and the Fort Wayne business colleges were consolidated under the management of T. L. Staples. . . The plant of the National Handle Company (north-
ern division) was established. The Fort Wayne Drug Com-
pany was founded. . William Geake was made grand master of the order of Masons in Indiana.
NOTE ON CHAPTER XLVI.
(1) With the re-election of Henry P. Scherer as mayor, in 1898, the follow- ing councilmen were selected: G. R. Hench, P. Poirson, John J. O'Ryan, J. J. Bauer, Charles Haag, S. McMahon, P. J. Scheid, C. H. Buhr, E. J. Ehrman, W. J. Hosey. D. C. Eckert J. J. Hayes, J. F. Zurbuch, H. F. Schwartz, W. J. Lennart, Dr. K. K. Wheelock, F. X. Schuhler, B. Borkenstein, A. W. Clark and W. E. Gerding. Board of public works; Peter Eggeman, P. H. Kane and J. H. McCracken. Board of public safety: C. H. Buck, L. C. Kasten and George H. Wilson.
County officers elected in 1898 were: State senator, George V. Kell; repre- sentatives, Robert B. Shirley, George W. Louttit, George B. Lawrence; judge of the superior court, C. M. Dawson (succeeded by W. J. Vesey) ; prosecut- ing attorney, E. V. Emrick; clerk, Frank J. Belot; auditor, William Meyer, Jr .; treasurer, John H. Rohan; recorder, C. M. Gillett; sheriff, A. E. Melching; coroner, Dr. W. W. Barnett; surveyor, John A. Bushman; commissioners, Syl_ vanus B. Baker and C. E. Orff; joint senator, William C. Ryan.
CHAPTER XLVII-1900-1908.
Interurban Railroads-Commercial Advancement.
The building of five electric lines gives Fort Wayne a place of prominence as an interurban center of the middle west-Henry C. Berghoff mayor- Police court-Newton W. Gilbert congressman-William J. Hosey mayor- German-American National Bank-Lincoln National Life Insurance Com- pany-Clarence C. Gilhams congressman-Municipal Electric Lighting and Power Plant-Anthony Hotel-Baltes Hotel-Loss of twelve lives in the burning of the Aveline Hotel-Scottish Rite Cathedral-Cyrus Cline congressman-Robert B. Hanna postmaster-Activities of nine years of progress.
T HE OPENING YEARS of the twentieth century in the devel- opment of Fort Wayne were distinguished by the coming of the electric interurban railway, which has made the Allen county capital an important center of passenger and freight traffic of the middle west.
The line of the present Fort Wayne and Northern Indiana Traction Company (originally the Fort Wayne and Southwestern, and later the Fort Wayne and Wabash Valley), extending from Fort Wayne to the southwest, was the earliest to be constructed. It is now known as the Logansport division of the system. The first car over the line was drawn by a steam locomotive. It carried a party of one hundred and twenty city officials, newspaper men and others from Fort Wayne to Huntington and return September 28, 1901. The first regular car from Huntington to the city limits of Fort Wayne came December 12, 1901. The service to the Pearl street station (the building now occupied by the Seavey Hardware Company, Pearl and Harrison streets) was formally opened March 30, 1902. The first car to make the complete trip was in charge of William McKinley, motorman, and O. F. Saylor, conductor.
The Fort Wayne and Northern Indiana Traction Company's second interurban line (Bluffton division) was put into operation in March, 1906. This company also owns the Fort Wayne city lines and the line to Robison park.
The Fort Wayne and Northwestern traction line (originally the Toledo and Chicago system) was opened in 1905, and on the 22d of September of the same year the Ohio Electric was put into service. On the 2d of January, 1907, the Fort Wayne and Decatur line was opened for the use of the public.
Union passenger and freight stations, conveniently located, ac- commodate an immense amount of patronage each year. 4
HENRY C. BERGHOFF MAYOR.
The city election of 1901 resulted in the choice of Henry C. Berghoff, democrat, for mayor, over Captain Charles E. Reese, Jr., republican. The vote stood 5,176 to 3,317. Martin H. Wefel, social- ist, polled 716 votes.1
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THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE
THE FIRST POLICE COURT.
In 1902 the supreme court of Indiana held as valid the appoint- ment by Governor Winfield T. Durbin of Robert B. Dreibelbiss, republican, to serve as the first judge of the municipal (police) court. George W. Louttit, democrat, who had held the office for a brief period, was removed from the bench on the ground that the newly created office did not come into existence until two days after Louttit's election. The case had been carried to the circuit court, after Mayor Berghoff had declined to approve the bond of Mr. Dreibelbiss, on the ground that the law was unconstitutional. Judge O'Rourke, of the circuit court, upheld the opinion of the mayor, and the case was taken to the supreme court.
NEWTON W. GILBERT CONGRESSMAN.
In 1904 Newton W. Gilbert, republican, of Allen county, was elected to congress over James M. Robinson, democrat, of Allen county. The county's vote in the presidential election gave Theo- dore Roosevelt, republican, 10,261 votes and Alton B. Parker, demo- crat, 9,250.
WILLIAM J. HOSEY MAYOR.
In 1905 William J. Hosey, democrat, was elected mayor over Edward White, republican, by a vote of 6,257 to 4,881. Mr. Hosey was a machinist employed in the Pennsylvania shops and had served as a councilman. Following the administration of Jesse Grice he was again elected mayor in 1913.
GERMAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK.
The German-American National bank, with Samuel M. Foster president, Theodore Wentz first vice-president, Charles F. Pfeiffer second vice-president and Henry C. Berghoff cashier, was organized in 1905. The institution has risen to a place of prominence among the financial institutions of the middle west.
LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY.
With its home office occupying the Lincoln Life building on East Berry street, the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company was organized in 1905, with Arthur F. Hall, of Indianapolis, and Daniel B. Ninde, of Fort Wayne, as the active promoters. The company has enjoyed a phenomenal growth, and has attained to a place of prominence among the insurance institutions of America. In 1913 the Lincoln Life absorbed the Michigan State Life Insurance Com- pany, and in 1917 the Pioneer Life Insurance Company of North Dakota. The officers of the company in 1917 were: President, Sam- uel M. Foster; first vice-president and general manager, Arthur F. Hall; second vice-president, B. Paul Mossman; third vice-president and manager of agencies, Walter T. Shepard; secretary and actuary, Franklin B. Mead; treasurer, H. C. Rockhill.
FORT WAYNE CLEARING HOUSE.
On the 8th of February, 1905, representatives of the financial institutions of the city organized the Fort Wayne Clearing House.
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These institutions pass their exchanges through the clearing house each business day. The original officers were: President, Charles McCulloch ; vice-president, John W. White; manager, Paul F. Kuhne.
C. C. GILHAMS CONGRESSMAN.
The Twelfth congressional district, in 1906, elected Clarence C. Gilhams, republican, of LaGrange county, to serve as its represent- ative in congress over Dr. John W. Morr, democrat, of Noble county, by a vote of 19,345 to 16,695.
MUNICIPAL LIGHTING AND POWER PLANT.
As the result of the accumulation of a fund for the purpose, a municipal lighting and power plant was established in 1908. On September 27, 1898, the city council had declared in favor of the establishment of the plant and placed a levy of two and one-half cents on each one hundred dollars' valuation of taxable property. On September 25, 1906, the construction of the plant was ordered, subject to the decision of the voters, who expressed themselves in favor of the move at a special election held November 6, 1906, by a vote of 8,996 to 2.175. Plans prepared by Owen Ford, engineer, were adopted, and construction work was begun in 1907. The first service meter was set December 24, 1908. The power plant, located on Clinton street, in the edge of Lawton park, is provided with equipment of the most modern type.
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