USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume II > Part 31
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BANKING HOUSES.
Samuel Stophlet. Several years later he became a bookkeeper in the branch of the State bank at Evansville, of which Mr. Rathbone was president, a position he held for about a year, when anxious to return home he secured a position in the Fort Wayne branch of the State bank, of which Hon. Hugh McCulloch was then cashier. He entered upon his duties as bookkeeper and assistant teller, succeeding his brother, Stephen B. Bond, who took the position of cashier with Allen Hamilton & Co. September 25, 1855, Mr. Bond was elected teller to succeed M. W. Hubble, and on October 26, 1856, he became cashier of the Bank of Indiana, which succeeded to the business of the branch of the State bank, and opened for business January 2, 1857. Of this, Mr. Bond became a director. In 1865 when the business was adapted to the national banking act, under the title of the Fort Wayne National bank, Mr. Bond was elected president, a place he held until his death. Thus, at the age of thirty-four he stood at the head of the financial interests of Fort Wayne. Many public and private enterprises also had his assistance, among which may be mentioned the Fort Wayne gas-light company, the Fort Wayne, Jackson & Saginaw and Grand Rapids & Indiana railroads, Fort Wayne organ company, Citizens' street railroad company, and others. He was one of the four partners of the banking house of Bonds, Hoagland & Co., of Peru, and of the Citizens' National bank of that place. Of the Lindenwood cemetery company he was one of the incorporators and foremost promoters. Mr. Bond was married March 27, 1854, to Lavinia Anna, daughter of the late Charles W. Ewing, and seven children were born to them. He was a man of deep religious convictions, and at an early age became a member of the Trin- ity Episcopal church. Of this he was for many years a member of the vestry, and also superintendent of the Sabbath-school. Mr. Bond died December 7, 1873, from the effects of an exposure to a rain storm in November preceding.
Isaac Lauferty, who has recently retired from an active business career of forty-five years' duration in the city of Fort Wayne, has been throughout that time intimately connected with its business history, and especially with the important financial operations during a large part of that extended period. He was born on the boundary line between France and Germany, August 2, 1820, of French parentage. His father, Lazarus Lauferty, was born in 1769, son of Frankel Lauferty, a native of France, born about 1730, who was a quarter-master in Napoleon's army, and a very wealthy man. He died on the Franco-German line, at one hundred and four years of age. Lazarus Lauferty was one of Napoleon's life guards, and was a man of imposing stature, six feet in height. He was a merchant, and in later life was a citizen of Philadelphia, whither he emigrated in 1846, until his death, which occurred while he was on a visit to this city. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Rothschild, was lost at sea while coming to this country, May 6, 1846, at the age of seventy-two. Of the seven children of these parents, Isaac Lauferty was the youngest, and is the only one now living. He came to the United States in 1839.
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He engaged in merchandise at Wilmington, N. C., in 1842, but in 1844, came to Fort Wayne, and here continued in mercantile pursuits at the corner of Columbia and Clinton streets, until 1871, when he established Lauferty's bank, with which he was actively connected, making it one of the prominent institutions of the city, until I889. Mr. Lauferty was married in 1848, to Betty Munchweiler, who was born at Frankfort-on- the-Main, December 11, 1824, and they have four children: Alexander S., Sarah, Blanche and. Agatha. The family are members of the Hebrew church. Mr. Lauferty has been a Mason since 1852, and in politics is a democrat, but before 1856 was an old line whig.
MUNICIPAL AND FEDERAL.
A land office was located in Fort Wayne in the summer of 1822, and the land immediately about the fort enclosure was sold by the agent to John T. Barr and John McConkle, the latter a wealthy citizen of Piqua, Ohio. The original plat of the town was surveyed by Robert Young of Piqua, in August, 1822. It is designated in the latter day maps as the " original plat," and was recorded in the office of the re- corder of Randolph county, at Winchester, and subsequently at Fort Wayne, in recorder's record A, page 316, of the records of Allen county. It contains 118 lots with three streets, running north and south on a va- riation of 3° 30' west of magnetic north, namely: Calhoun, Clinton and Barr, and five streets running at right angles to the same variation, namely: Wayne, Berry, Main, Columbia and Water streets. The pub- lic square was laid off on this plat with Court street on the east side of the same. The name of Water street has since been changed to Supe- rior street.
The county addition was laid out by the commissioners and recorded in recorder's record A, page 315. It contained seventy lots and frac- tional lots. Its position is immediately east of and adjoining the orig- inal plat; the lots were laid off on either side of Lafayette street between Berry street and the St. Mary's river, continuing Water, Columbia, Main and Berry streets from the original plat.
Next, Cyrus Taber laid off an addition of forty lots including all of the military tract lying between the south boundary of said tract and the canal. Main and Berry streets were continued through the county addi- tion. The remains of the fort reservation, by an act of congress, had been set apart for the benefit of the canal and with other lands at Logansport and subsequently sold at public auction.
Ewing's addition was laid off by G. W. and W. G. Ewing. It con- tains thirty-four blocks or fractional blocks of 278 lots, including all fractional lots. Cass, Ewing and Fulton streets were laid out to run north on a magnetic bearing of 15° 30' west. Jefferson, Washington, Wayne, Berry, Main and Pearl streets, continued west from the original plat. Lewis street was laid out south of Jefferson street and was the first street to be established running due east and west.
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MUNICIPAL AND FEDERAL.
Judge Samuel Hanna, platted and recorded Hanna's first addition, containing 299 lots and fractional lots. Clinton, Barr, Clay, Monroe and Hanna streets were laid out on a magnetic bearing of north 15° 30' west. Wayne, Washington and Jefferson streets were continued west from the original plat. Madison street was laid out north of, and parallel with, Jefferson street, and running from Barr street east.
Rockhill's addition, which includes a principal portion of the city lying west of Broadway, was the next large addition. It contained 182 lots and fractional lots. This addition extended north to the canal and on either side of Market street, now Broadway; between Main and Berry streets, a space was left for market purposes. The original plat and the additions named comprise the first five wards of the city. The number of wards is now ten.
The incorporation of Fort Wayne as a town, dates from September 7, 1829, when an election'was held and it was certified to the board of county commissioners, by William N. Hood, president of the meeting, and John P Hedges, clerk, that a majority of two-thirds of the persons present favored the plan.
Accordingly, on the 14th of the same month, at the house of Abner Gerard, esq., the first town election was held, which Benjamin Archer, president of said election, and John P. Hedges, clerk, certified as result- ing in the choice of Hugh Hanna, John S. Archer, William G. Ewing, Lewis G. Thompson and John P. Hedges, as trustees for one year.
The town government differed little from that of other young places. The town funds were meager; of public buildings none warranting the name. The streets were not improved and were of the muddy and impassable character of the ordinary country road. The needs of the thrifty town soon outgrew the usefulness of this primitive manner of government and the subject of a city charter and the corporate powers it should contain were matters of frequent and earnest discussion.
The original city charter was written by Hon. Franklin P. Randall and was carefully compiled to meet the requirements of a better government. It was submitted to the legislature of Indiana at its session of 1839-40, and was passed on February 22, 1840. It provided for the incorporation of the city of Fort Wayne, and for the election by the people of a president, or mayor, and six members of the board of trustees (or com- mon council), and the election of general officers by said board or council.
City Officers .- The first officers were: mayor, George W. Wood; recorder, F. P. Randall; attorney, F. P. Randall; treasurer, George F. Wright; high constable, Samuel S. Morss; collector, Samuel S. Morss; assessor, Robert E. Fleming; market master, James Post; street com- missioner, Joseph H. McMaken; chief engineer, Samuel Edsall, and lumber measurer, John B. Coconour.
The first common council consisted of William Rockhill, Samuel Edsall, Thomas Hanneton, William S. Edsall, Madison Smiltser and William M. Moon. Of all these gentlemen there now survives but one,
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Hon. F. P. Randall. He is actively engaged in the insurance business, and his enjoyment of his green old age is shared by his fellow citizens, who have learned to respect and love him.
Hon. George W. Wood was twice elected mayor, and resigned on July 5, 1841. Subsequent mayors were: Joseph Morgan, Henry Lotz (two terms), John M. Wallace, M. W. Hurford (three terms), William Stewart (five terms), P. G. Jones, Charles Whitmore (two terms), Sam- uel S. Morss (two terms), Franklin P. Randall (five terms), James L. Worden, Henry Sharp, C. A. Zollinger (five terms), Charles F. Muhler ( two terms) and Daniel L. Harding, the present incumbent.
The first board of health was in 1842, and consisted of Dr. John Evans, Dr. William H. Brooks and Dr. Bernard Sevenick.
The seal of the city of Fort Wayne was designed by Hon. F. P. Randall about 1858. Upon its face are a pair of scales; under the scales are a sword and Mercury's wand inverted, crossed at their points. Above the scales is the word in a semi-circle, Ke-ki-on-ga, the Indian name of Fort Wayne, and around the outside edge are the words " City of Fort Wayne."
The present city officers are: Mayor, Daniel L. Harding; treasurer, Charles J. Sosenheimer; marshal, Henry C. Franke; assessor, Charles Reese; city attorney, Henry Colerick; civil engineer, Charles S. Brack- enridge; chief of police, Frank Wilkinson; chief of fire department, Henry Hilbrecht; street commissioner, Dennis O'Brien; weigh master, Patrick Ryan; market master, William Ropa; pound master, Fred Woehnker. Secretary board of health, Dr. S. C. Metcalf. Trustees of water works, Christian Boseker, J. Sion Smith, Charles McCulloch. Trustees of public schools, John M. Moritz, O. P. Morgan, E. A. Hoff- man. City commissioners, J. Dickerson, A. F. Glutting, U. Stotz, George Fox, P. H. Kane. Councilmen -First ward, William D. Meyer, John C. Kensill; second, Fred Schmueckle, Maurice Cody; third, H. A. Read, Joseph L. Gruber; fourth, George W. Ely, H. F. Hilgemann; fifth, Henry Hilbrecht, Louis P. Huser; sixth, F. W. Bandt, Robert Cran; seventh, Peter J. Scheid, George P. Morgan; eighth, John Smith, H. P. Vordermark; ninth, Louis Hazzard, Charles F. Haiber; tenth, V. Ofenloch, William Bruns.
The Police .- The city was without a police force until 1863, the people having no other protection than the sheriff and his deputies, the city marshal and his assistants and a few constables. In May of that year a police force was established, and consisted of a captain, a lieu- tenant and two patrolmen from each ward. Their hours of service were fixed at twilight to daylight.
The first chief was Conrad Pens, a German sailor. The others in their order of service were: William Ward, Fred Limecooley, Patrick McGee, Detrick Meyer, Michael Singleton, Hugh M. Deihl, Eugene B. Smith and Hugh M. Diehl, again. The latter resigned in June, 1889, and Lieutenant Frank Wilkinson was appointed by the police commis- sioners to fill the vacancy. Patrolman Leonard Fuchshuber was appointed
William Moelle 1)
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MUNICIPAL AND FEDERAL.
lieutenant. Within the last year the offices of deputy marshals have been abolished and the five officers who are subject to the directions of the marshal are known as day policemen. The present marshal is Henry Franke.
The first police station was established in a small brick building on the east side of Court street, opposite the court-house. An office occupied the front room communicating with a cell room in the rear fitted with three iron cages. Upon the upper floor were two rooms in which female prisoners, but oftener tramps, were confined. The station was removed two years since to better quarters in the Barr street market house.
The night force consists of the chief, lieutenant, eighteen patrolmen, two drivers of the patrol wagon with a day and a night clerk at head- quarters. The marshal and five patrolmen are on duty in the daytime. Important aids to the efficiency of the department is supplied by the new police patrol and telegraph system, which cost the city nearly $3,000. It consists of twelve sentry boxes, located in different portions of the city, each electrically connected with headquarters and each supplied with a telephone. The direction of the whole force from the central office is thus made easy, and the patrol wagon which supplements the system, is at the ready call of an officer who may need assistance or who may by this means, send his prisoners to the lockup without leaving his beat.
Fire Department .- The fire department of Fort Wayne, like that of all cities, had its origin in the volunteer companies. The depart- ment was organized in 1856. Prior to that time there were two inde- pendent companies, one called the Anthony Wayne, organized in 1841, and the other called the Hermans, organized in 1848. The Anthony Wayne company owned a Jeffries " gallery engine " and a two-wheel hose cart. The engine house was on the north side of Clinton street, north of Main street.
The Hermans' engine house was on the west side of Clinton street, north of Berry. It contained a side brake Button engine and a two- wheel hose cart. Each company had a fair supply of leather riveted hose.
The Hermans' was succceded by the Alert engine and hose com- pany, which used all of the Hermans' apparatus until January 13, 1868, when it was given back to the city and the company reorganized as an independent hook and ladder company known as the Alerts.
The Mechanics' engine and hose company was organized August 7th, 1856.
On December 3, 1848, the common council defined the fire limits as bounded on the east by Barr street, on the west by Harrison street, on the south by Main street and on the north by the canal.
The first steam fire engine was purchased from Pittsburgh, Penn. With a hose reel the expenditure was $3,000. The engine was of the Amoskeag manufacture, and was second-hand, but was in a very service- able condition. This was in the summer of 1867, and in September of XVII
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the same year, a company called the Vigilants was organized to operate the new purchase. This engine is still in 'service. Various purchases of hand-engines, pumps, etc., more experimental than satisfactory, were made from time to time. In the spring of 1872, the city purchased of George Hannis, Chicago, at a cost of $2,300, the hook and ladder truck which has been in active service ever since.
In the fall of 1872 a notable addition was made to the apparatus by the purchase of a fine rotary steamer from the Silsby manufacturing company. It was called the Anthony Wayne, and cost $4,800 .. It was originally designed as a reserve engine to be used only in case of large conflagrations.
In 1861 there was purchased from the Silsby company, a rotary steam fire engine which was named the Frank Randall, and later from the Clapp & Jones factory, was purchased another steamer, called the Charley Zollinger, both in honor of the mayors of the city at the times of purchase.
The second ward engine house, at the northeast corner of Court and Berry streets, was built in the summer of 1860, and shortly after- ward the old engine house which stood in the rear was demolished and the ground was partially occupied by an extension of the new structure to provide accommodations for the increasing amount of apparatus.
On August 15th, 1875, the national fire alarm telegraph service was introduced with fifteen boxes, eight miles of wire and other apparatus at a cost of $5,000, and nine years afterward, the Gamewell system was substituted, giving vastly greater satisfaction. The number of boxes were increased and keys were placed in the possession of responsible persons in various parts of the city. It is a peculiarity of the boxes that a key when once used cannot be released except by the use of the private key of the chief engineer. This effectually prevents the turning in of false alarms at least more than once by the same person.
In 1875, the present system of unhitching horses by electricity and the suspension of swinging harness in front of the apparatus was inaugurated. The men and horses were perfectly drilled and severe discipline was introduced in all branches of the service. Sleeping rooms were fiitted up in the second story of the engine house and the firemen, instead of tumbling down flights of stairs to answer a night ring, slid down brass rods to the lower floor and the well trained horses having been electrically released from their stalls, were found in their places. A few snaps of the swinging harness were made, and the department was off to the scene of the fire in an incredibly short time, the boiler containing water heated by a stationary lamp which warmed it while the engine stood in its accustomed place.
Two years ago a handsome hose wagon was added to the apparatus. It is a vast improvement over the old reel and can be worked with much less effort. From time to time liberal purchases of hose have been made until now there seems only to be lacking an extension ladder which will be of the greatest service should fires break out in the tall buildings.
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MUNICIPAL AND FEDERAL.
At first water was supplied to the department by laying long lines of hose to the canal, and later, the system of fire cisterns was inaugurated. These reached, in 1876, the number of thirty-four. All were abandoned and filled up upon the completion of the water-works system.
The names of the principal volunteer organizations which have done excellent service for the city are, the Alert engine company, the Torrent engine and hose 'company, the Eagle engine and hose company, whose hand engine was stored in the Broadway market house, the Vigilant engine and hose company, the Mechanics' engine and hose company, the Protection engine and hose company, which succeeded the old Wide-Awake engine and hose company, and the Hope hose company.
The various chief engineers of the fire department were: L. T. Bourie from 1856 to 1858; George Humphrey, 1858 to 1860; O. D. Hurd, 1860 to 1861; Joseph Stellwagon, 1861 to 1862; L. T. Bourie, 1862 to 1863; Munson Vangeison, 1863 to 1866; Henry Fry, 1866 to 1867; Hiram Poyser, 1867 to 1868; Thomas Mannix, 1868 to : 373; Frank B. Vogel, 1873 to 1874; Thomas Mannix, 1874 to 1875, and Frank Vogel, 1875 to 1879.
Mr. Vogel was the last of the chiefs under the volunteer system. It was succeeded in IS81 by the paid fire department, of which Henry Hilbrecht was appointed chief engineer. He has held the position ever since, and with such satisfaction to the people that his successive candi- dacy before the common council has met with no opposition. John Mc- Gowan is first assistant, and John Becker, second assistant.
Besides these officers two full paid men are attached to each piece of apparatus, as follows: two steamers, three hose carriage and one ladder truck. Then there six "minute men" on half-pay attached to each of the three hose carriages. They are expected to respond to every alarm and to carry the hose under the direction of the chief engineer and his assistants. These men are really subjected to the greatest danger of any of the firemen.
The growth of the city has for many years made it apparent that the fire department could not be handled with advantage from a single sta- tion, and after repeated recommendations by the chief engineer the city in 1885 built at a cost of $3,000, a handsome engine house in the seventh ward, from which the great manufactories of that district may be easily reached. With a perfect system of water-works and a well-trained de- partment, the city now has good fire protection.
Water-works .- As early as 1875 the necessity of a system of water supply was thoroughly canvassed, and in the spring of 1876 the common council decided to establish water works in Fort Wayne. Moses Lane, an hydraulic engineer, was engaged to prepare and submit plans and specifications. These were submitted by him, and referred to the proper committee. Before this committee reported the canal owners presented a proposition, in the form of a carefully written contract, to construct water-works under the Lane plan, using the canal feeder as a source. This proposition required the expenditure of $380,000 for the construc-
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tion of 21.IS miles of pipe and the erection of a stand-pipe five feet in diameter and 200 feet in height. The majority of the common council as then constituted, was in favor of this proposition, but certain citizens obtained a temporary restraining order, and before the final adjudication an election was held, and the issue presented in the several wards of the city being as to the adoption or rejection of the Lane plan, not one can- didate who favored that plan was elected.
On the 15th day of May, 1879, the common council authorized the trustees of the water-works to employ any competent hydraulic engineer whom they might select. They employed J. D. Cook, of Toledo, who, on the 5th day of July, 1879, submitted plans and specifications. The water-works committee and a majority of the council opposed the Cook plan because it contemplated the construction of a reservoir, and the question as to the adoption of the plan was, on the 5th day of August, submitted to a popular vote. In order that the people might vote intel- ligently, the plan was printed and published in pamphlet form in the German and English languages, and a copy given to every voter in the city. The Cook plan was adopted, by a majority of 2,533, the total vote being 3,094 for, and 561 against, it.
The common council ratified the decision of the people and ordered the construction of the water-works as they are now, except as to reser- voir and supply. There were in 1888, 29.9 miles of pipe, two engines and 239 fire hydrants, of which twenty-four are Lowry hydrants, at a total cost of $262,930.
Mr. Cook's salary was fixed at $2,500 a year, and the trustees were to receive $150 a year.
On October 21, 1879, the following contracts were let: Two engines and four boilers from Holly & Co., Lockport, N. Y., $30,500. Pipe and pipe laying, R. D. Wood & Co., Philadelphia, $126,380.17. Valves, Ludlow Valve Co., Troy, N. Y., $3,377.30. Hydrants, Mat- thews Hydrant Co., of Philadelphia, $8,490. Reservoir construction of building, etc., on the Olds' property, John Langohr and M. Baltes, $59,627.36. Engine house, Moellering & Paul, $8,490.
The whole footed up $236,865.36. Mr. Cook's estimate was $270,000, and after deducting the aggregate contracts from the estimate of Mr. Cook, there was $33,134.36 left for contingencies. Ground was broken in the fall of 1880, and the construction of the works, as originally planned, was carried forward and completed with the exception that the elevated reservoir, in the seventh ward, has not yet been finished, although such a course is strongly recommended by the commissioners, the work to be resumed in the spring, the same to cost not to exceed $20,000.
A source of supply that should be adequate in quantity and of wholesome quality was a subject of contention that was warmly fought over in the city council, in the room of the water-works commissioners and in the columns of the public press. Many favored pumping water from the St. Joseph river. The owners of the feeder canal sought to
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MUNICIPAL AND FEDERAL.
sell that property to the city, and it was urged that the canal being - some twenty-five feet higher than the St. Joseph river, would not only furnish the needed water, but would supply the power to force it through the mains. A third source of supply and the one which was finally adopted, was Spy Run, a brook which enters the city from the north and falls into the St. Mary's river a short distance east of the Clinton street bridge. The water of the run was said to be superior in quality to that of the other sources under consideration, but of the sufficiency of the supply there were grave doubts. Nevertheless by the side of this brook, at a point just east of North Clinton street, the city erected its pumping house, equipped it with a costly low pressure engine, capable of pumping three millions of gallons in twenty-four hours, a fine high- pressure engine, a battery of boilers, etc.
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