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 35
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in and the floor was raised. The name of the Academy of Music was bestowed upon the property. For a time it was used as a roller skating rink, but is now devoted to general theatrical purposes. The present owner is Mrs. Charles Fletcher, and the lessee is Fred C. Baltz.
The Olympic Theater was built by the executors of the Washington Erving estate, at the southeast corner of Clinton and Columbia streets, in 1868. It had a seating capacity of 1,300. One year later it was leased by Robert L. Smith, who changed the name to the Bijou. On February Ist, it was partially destroyed by fire, and was rebuilt. On May 17, 188I, it was again gutted, and after a number of months was rebuilt for business purposes. The Bijou was a first class variety theater.
The Princess rink is a creature of the roller skating craze of three years ago. It was opened in April, 1876. It is the largest place for holding popular meetings in northern Indiana, has a seating capacity of 2,800, and covers a plat of ground 100x150 feet, at the southeast corner of Main and Fulton streets. It was erected by B. S. O'Connor, John C. Eckart, and W. A. Foote, the former gentleman owns a half-interest. The Princess is lighted with electricity and heated with natural gas.
By far the handsomest theater ever built in Fort Wayne is that erected by the Masonic temple association at the northeast corner of East Wayne and Clinton streets. The building cost $75,000, and besides its splendid opera-house provides on its three upper floors accommoda- tions for Fort Wayne commandery, No. 4, K. T., the most elaborate in the state, with rooms for the occupancy of the four blue lodges.
The Masonic temple association was formed in the winter of 1877-78 and included in its membership many prominent citizens who were not Masons. A subscription amounting in round numbers to $30,000 was raised, and in June, 1879, the contract for enclosing the building, accord- ing to the plans of Architect Thomas J. Tolan, was let to Hueston & Co., of Dunkirk, Ohio. This firm put in the foundation and had made some progress in erecting the walls when they failed, and on February 25, 1880, abandoned the contract. The unfinished walls were boxed up and not until 1882 was work resumed by the association, issuing bonds to the amount of $30,000 and running twenty years. - A majority of these bonds were taken by Hon. James Cheney of this city, who became trustee of the bond holders. The contract for the completion of the building was let to Christian Boseker. Material changes were made in the plans in the way of cheapening the construction of the upper stories.
On November 6, 1884, the Masonic temple, as the theater is called, was opened to the public with a series of brilliant concerts by the Emma Abbott grand opera company. The actual number of seats is 846, but with the four beautiful boxes and with other accommodations that can be made available, seats may be provided for 1,000 people. On June 18th last, at a meeting of the Masonic temple association, the sum of $1,000 was appropriated for new scenery, new carpets and the intro-
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duction of natural gas. Masonic temple has a Clinton street frontage of seventy feet and a depth of 120 feet on Wayne street.
The Catholic library hall is a handsome contribution to the city from the efforts of Very Rev. J. H. Brammer, vicar general of the diocese of Fort Wayne. It stands on Calhoun street at the southwest corner of Cathedral square, and is of noble and commanding appearance. The corner-stone was laid June 3, 1881, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Spaulding, of Peoria, Ill., who delivered an eloquent address. The hall is of mag- nificent proportions and has a well appointed stage, two galleries, etc. The building cost $65,000.
Natural Gas .- The important matter of how best to secure a supply of natural gas for Fort Wayne first took definite shape at a meeting held in the circuit court room in 1886. Robertson J. Fisher was chosen president and C. B. Woodworth secretary. Earnest speeches were made and under the belief that boring at Fort Wayne would be at- tended with the same success as at Findlay, Ohio, and places in Indiana to the south, a company was organized and called the Fort Wayne natural gas and fuel mining company. Four wells were sunk to the average depth of 1,400 feet, one near the Berghoff brewery, one near the Gay street over-head bridge, one near White's wheel works and one near the Centlivre brewery. In all of these wells gas was "struck," but in an insufficient quantity to reward the projectors of the scheme. The first well, however, that near Berghoff's brewery, has not been unprofitable. It was sold to the brewery company and continued for two years to supply a constant and considerable supply of gas to the boilers. After expending $12,000 this company abandoned further effort, and a new company, organized by J. C. Peltier, E. L. Craw and others, to make further search for gas. A well was bored in the east end of the city and another on the Peltier farm, three miles west of the city. These efforts were no more successful than those of the first company. Gas in small volume was invariably found but with it came a strong flow of water that choked the wells.
Matters were in this shape when, in the spring of 1887, the Sala- monie mining and gas company was organized for the purpose of piping gas to this and other towns and cities from lands leased in Blackford county, Ind., forty to forty-five miles south of Fort Wayne, and near the line of the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville railway. Hon. R. C. Bell was elected president of the company and Superintendent W. W. Worthing- ton of the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville railway, was elected secretary and treasurer. The company first bored four wells near Montpelier and piped and supplied that town. The success of this under- taking straightway attracted attention from Fort Wayne capitalists, and the project of piping gas to this city was then given its first serious con- sideration. The capital stock of the company was $50,000, and of this amount, there was but $10,000 paid in. It was agreed that if a favor- able ordinance could be secured from the common council of Fort Wayne,
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that more capital could be enlisted and the work could be prosecuted to · success.
In the fall of 1888, after long and weighty deliberation and many annoying delays, the council passed such an ordinance as warranted the great undertaking. The company was at 'once re-organized and its capital stock was increased to $600,000. About $350,000 of this amount was subscribed in Fort Wayne, and $250,000 was taken in New York city. At an election of officers, Hon. William Fleming was made president, and Henry C. Paul, vice president, treasurer and general manager.
Contracts for pipe and pipe laying, aggregating $400,000, were let, and within ten days thereafter the pipe was being delivered at Millgrove, Blackford county, Fort Wayne and many points along the line of the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville railway.
The services of Max Hofman, an expert engineer, were secured, and an office was opened on Clinton street, in part of the same building long occupied by the postoffice. The work was carried to a successful com- pletion last fall, and at once prepared Fort Wayne for the greatest stride in her history. The company has long leases on 10,000 acres of gas- bearing land, and with its twenty wells, can furnish forty million cubic feet of gas in twenty-four hours, enough to supply many cities of the population of Fort Wayne.
The main pipe enters the city from the south, near the old Wabash gravel pit, and the gas is conducted at a high pressure through two prin- cipal east and west mains, laid along Creighton avenue and Washington street. From these mains it is supplied through specially constructed automatic valves to the other mains, the valves admitting only so much gas as will give to the consumers the small pressure at which it can be used to the most advantage. The entire plant from the wells to and through the city represents ninety-eight miles of pipe. The connection having been completed there was a display of natural gas at the reduc- ing station southwest of the city, witnessed by many people, on the evening of September 19, 1889. At that date the company had four- teen wells, with a capacity of fifty to sixty million feet per day, and intended to add sixteen wells during the season. A well known expert at that time declared that the Fort Wayne plant is the best in the United States.
The advantages of natural gas are so obvious that they need not here be recited. Among the chief points of excellence claimed for it over other fuels are cleanliness, no dust, no soiling of furniture, saving · in the wear and tear of removals, uniform temperature, and freedom of the consumer from colds, is noiseless, regular and convenient; there is no dusty cellar, no carrying up of wood and coal and down of ashes, no search for kindling, no change of price and as to cost, it is at least 30 per cent. cheaper than any other fuel. It is worthy of note that the best stores and private houses in Fort Wayne will be warmed this win-
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ter with natural gas and the fuel used in the increasing number of fac- tories comes from the same inexhaustible source.
Local Transportation .- During the era of stage lines, those convey- ances were numerous, for the city was the center of a large system of diverging routes, for the transportation of mail and passengers to all parts of northeastern Indiana. Many of these ran daily, and at the smaller towns they visited, at least, were the objects of much interest. The first omnibus line in Fort Wayne, was established by James Walker in February, 1857, and for a considerable period the local passenger traffic was performed by the omnibus and hack lines exclusively. Finally in 1871, the desire for a cheaper and more convenient mode of transporta- tion was so strongly felt that an association was formed, which filed its articles September 8, 1871, under the style of the Citizens' street rail- way company. Of this corporation John H. Bass was made president, Gilbert E. Bursley, secretary, and H. M. Williams, treasurer; directors, S. B. Bond, Samuel T. Hanna, John H. Bass, R. S. Taylor and H. M. Williams. On October 10, 1871, the city council passed an ordinance authorizing the company to lay lines of railway on Calhoun, Creighton, Wallace and Lafayette streets. The first superintendent of the system was Gilbert E. Bursley. This older corporation was succeeded in ISS7, by the Fort Wayne street railroad company, of which John H. Bass is president; S. B. Bond, vice president; James M. Barrett, secretary; A. S. Bond, treasurer, and L. B. McNutt, superintendent. Another street car line, running from the intersection of Calhoun and Superior streets, along Spy Run to the French brewery, was built by C. L. Centlivre, and was completed in I888.
Lorenzo D. McNutt, superintendent of the Fort Wayne street rail- road, has devoted his life to the thorough study of the methods of suc- cessful and proper management of city transit facilities, and his efficiency in his present position is evidence that his career has been and will be one valuable to the public. He was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, June 30, 1849. His father, Calvin P. McNutt, was born in New York in 1805, was a farmer by occupation, and married Jane Slults, who was born in New Jersey in IS06. Both died in Lucas county, Ohio, he in 1870, and she in 1880. They had eleven children, eight now living, of whom Lorenzo D. was the youngest. He was raised on the farm, receiving a common school education, and remained there until 1872, when he removed to Toledo, and entered the employment of the street railroad company. He remained with that company until 1878, making such rapid advancement that at the end of that time he was given the foremanship of the Minneapolis street railway company. He was after- ward for several years engaged in laying street railway track in various cities. In the spring of 1887 he went to Cleveland, and entered the employment of F. D. H. Robinson, as assistant superintendent of Supe- rior street railway, and in the fall of that year came to Fort Wayne and accepted the superintendency above mentioned. Mr. McNutt was mar- ried in 1368 to Emeline M. Barnes, who was born in Illinois in 1849, and
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they have four children: Willard C., Elizabeth J., Henry T. and Norian V. He is in politics a republican, and he is a member of the Masonic order.
Charles F. Myers, a worthy pioneer citizen of Fort Wayne, was born at Vintheim, Prussia, May 14, 1828. His parents, Frederick and Mary (Hansarms) Myers, coming to America in 1836, he was early introduced to the new world. Their voyage occupied nine weeks, and landing at New York, they came directly to Fort Wayne, arriving here Novem- ber II. Two or three years later the family settled on land in Preble township, Adams county, Ind., where the father was occupied at agri- culture until his death in 1860, his wife surviving him until October, 1865. Charles shared their pioneer toil until he was fifteen years old, when he started out for himself, and first found employment for three years at Fort Wayne, as chore boy at the home of Hon. F. P. Randall. Then he was engaged for a year on a farm near town. After that he was for six years chiefly employed driving team for William Ewing and Hugh McCulloch. Saving his earnings he bought a team, and about this time, November 21, 1851, was married to Sophia Caroline Hitzemann, who was born at Hobbenzen, Germany, September 28, 1831. She came to this country with her mother at the age of thirteen, her father, Christian Hitzemann, having emigrated six years previously. During 1853, Mr. Myers engaged in canal boating, and in 1854 he removed to Adams county, where he farmed until 1862, when he made his home perma- nently at Fort Wayne. In 1863 he became engaged in the business of street sprinkling, and for several years he, or the firm of which he was a member, did the entire sprinkling for the city, and during the twenty- six years he has been so engaged, he has done an extensive business. Much of his attention since 1862 has also been given to the purchase and sale of horses, and for several years he has conducted a livery stable at Nos. 112 and 114 Webster street. His long residence here has made him a host of friends, and his acquaintance is very extensive. By all he is highly esteemed. He has six children: Mary Sophia Susanna, Sophia Christina Mary, William Christian, Henry Frederick William, Carl Henry Ferdinand and William Frederick, of whom the second and third are dead. William Frederick is a veterinary surgeon and a graduate of the Chicao veterinary college. The family are members of the Eman- uel Lutheran church.
James W. Pearse, formerly superintendent of the Citizens' street railroad, has had a varied and successful business career. On first leaving his Fairfield county, Ohio, home, he served one year in the quartermaster's department during the civil war; then became engaged in the dry goods business at Newark, Ohio, where he remained until 1869. After that date he traveled for the Ohio Valley glass works, of Wheeling, W. Va., until 1872, then beginning an engagement of one year as traveling salesman for E. R. Taggart & Co., of Philadelphia. For five years up to 1878 he engaged in agriculture in Adams town- ship, Allen county, removing in February of that year to Lancaster, XIX
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Ohio, where he was proprietor of the Mithoff house, the leading hotel of that city, for two years. In ISSI, having returned to this city in the previous year, he was appointed superintendent of the street railway, which responsible position he held for about six years. At the time of his resignation, January 1, 1887, to take effect in March, he had already engaged in the dairy business, and to this he gave his attention until the next fall, when he was for a short time engaged in buying and selling horses. In February, 1888, he became the proprietor of a livery barn at No. 263 Calhoun street, which he has since conducted. Mr. Pearse was born near Lancaster, Ohio, March 24, 1844, son of James W. and Hannah D. (Ward) Pearse, natives respectively of Fairfield county, Ohio, and Syracuse, N. Y. He was married February 16, 1871, to Frances M. Bowser, daughter of Jacob C. and Delilah (Click ) Bowser, both of Fairfield county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Pearse have had four children: Fannie, Charles J., Harry W. and Bessie C., the first two of whom are deceased. Mr. Pearse is a member of the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is a prominent worker on the side of the repub- lican party. During the campaign of 1888 he served as chairman of the political committee of the Morton club, doing effective service. . He is an honorable and upright citizen.
Emmet W. Powers, a prominent business man of Fort Wayne, was born in Wayne township, Allen county, April 7, 1848, the son of John A. and Margaret (Parrent) Powers, the former of whom, a native of New York, became a pioneer of this county. The parents removed to this city when Emmet was a small child, and this has ever since been his residence. He received his education in the city schools, and in 1858 became engaged in the manufacture of handles with his father. In 1870 he became a partner of C. P. Fletcher, in the baggage and transfer business. In 1878 Mr. Fletcher sold his interest to Messrs. Angell & Barnett, and the firm was then known as Powers & Barnett until October 1, 1879, when Mr. Powers retired and removed to a large farm which he had purchased in Huntington county. This property, which contained 615 acres of good land, he cultivated until the spring of 1881, when he sold it, and in September following, returned to Fort Wayne. From the fall of 1880, he was engaged in the purchase and sale of horses and cattle until the spring of 1882, when he re-purchased an interest in the transfer, and the firm of Powers & Barnett has since done an extensive business. They are the proprietors of the immense establishment on East Wayne street, and conduct the only exclusive baggage and transfer business in the city. Mr. Powers for several years past has also given much attention to the breeding and training of fast horses, and owns a stock farm four miles south of the city. In 1887 he became a member of the Fort Wayne importing and breeding company, of which he is now a prominent member. Mr. Powers is active and successful in businiss life, and in all relations has a high standing. He is an Odd Fellow, and a republican.
Asahel Jackson Read, an old and respected citizen, is one of the
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worthy pioneers. " He was born in New Hampshire, March 27, 1815, the son of Asahel and Esther Read, natives of that state. When he was four years old his parents removed to Syracuse, N. Y., where he grew to manhood, receiving a common school education. In 1844 he accompanied his parents to Allen county, and they settled in Cedar Creek township, removing two years later to Wayne township, where Mr. Read was engaged at farming until 1852, when he came to the city and entered the livery business, in which he has now had thirty-seven years" experience in this city. In 1868 he built his large barn on West Wayne street. He was married in April, 1837, to Fannie Aiken, who died in 1847, leaving one son, Henry A. In April, 1849, he was married again to Maria Patterson, his present wife, by whom he has a son, Charles Read, one of the proprietors of the Pixley clothing house, of Fort Wayne, and a daughter, Esther, the wife of George Brown, of Lafay- ette, Ind. Mr. Read is one of the city's worthiest citizens, and his life of industry permits him to spend his declining years in comfortable cir- cumstances. Dr. Henry A. Read, eldest son of the above named, was born near Salina, Onondaga county, N. Y., December 21, 1838. After his father entered the livery business he assisted him until 1855, when he was employed as an express deliverer. He determined to devote himself to veterinary surgery, and in 1859 entered the school of veter- inary surgery and medicine of Boston, where he was graduated in 1860. He has ever since practiced his profession in this city, with the exception of a period in 1865-6 spent as agent for the Merchants' union express company. From that time up to 1870 he also was engaged in the livery with his father in addition to his practice. During a subsequent period, 1879 to 1885, he again resumed that business. He has attained a high rank in his profession, and is highly esteemed by the community. In his practice he has made a specialty of the application to the treatment of animals of the principles of neurotomy, and his success in this specialty has made him a reputation throughout the United States. Dr. Read was elected to the city council in 1885, from the third ward, and re-elected in 1886 and 1888. He was married February 25, 1863, to Mary E., daughter of Owen Owens, formerly of Marion township.
The popular livery establishment of Ligget Brothers, was founded in 1873, the partnership then being formed between Robert A. and James Ligget. Their parents were John and Nancy (Young) Ligget, the father a native of Maryland, the mother of Jefferson county, Ohio. About a decade subsequent to their birth in 1852, the parents removed this county and settled in Lafayette township, where the youth of the brothers was spent on a farm. Robert A. Ligget, the elder, was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, May 10, 1842. At nineteen years of age he began to learn the trade of plow-maker, and spent an apprenticeship of three years in the works of A. D. Reid, of Fort Wayne. He then en- listed in Company A, Twelfth regiment Indiana infantry, November 17, 1864; was with Sherman from Savannah to Washington, and partici- pated in Bentonville, and several skirmishes. He was honorably dis-
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charged at Louisville, July 17, 1865, and then resumed work at his trade here, Ft. Wayne. In 1867, he and Charles Messing bought the factory in which he worked, but sold it at the end of a year and a half. He continued to work at his trade until 1873, the last two years of that period being occupied at Rock Island, Ill. He was married September 9, 1879, to Mrs. Rebecca Sorg, and they have one child: Roy, born May 9, ISSI. Mr. Ligget is a Mason, and in politics a republican. James Ligget was born in Carroll county, Ohio, August 26, 1843. He first worked at a trade as carriage maker at Zanesville, Ind., but this was interrupted by his enlistment August 8, 1862, in Company H, Seventy- fifth Indiana volunteers. He served until the close of the war, partici- pating in the battles of Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, the battles between Chattanooga and Atlanta, and the capture of that city, and the march to the sea. Upon his muster out, June 6, 1865, at Washington, he came to Fort Wayne, and for about seven years was engaged at his trade, leav- ing that in 1872, to embark in the livery business. Mr. Ligget was married June 18, 1873, to Fannie E., daughter of Amos and Eliza Davis. She is a native of Sulphur Springs, Ohio. They have six children, each alternate one being a son: Phraortes C., Grace B., James A., Blanche, John W., and Nellie. Mr. Ligget is a member of the G. A. R., and past grand of Harmony lodge, No. 19, I. O. O. F., and a member of the encampment.
Among the leading liverymen of the city is Josiah F. Fletcher, who was born in Nashua, Hillsboro county, N. H., September 27, 1833, the son of Loami and Mary Ann (Boutelle) Fletcher. His father is a na- tive of Massachusetts. Mr. Fletcher was reared in his native town, and was chiefly employed in a cotton mill in his youth, though he also learned the carpenter's trade and the making of whips. At about eighteen years of age he went to Boston, Mass., and worked at the whip trade three or four years. He then made his way to Chicago, and for several years engaged there in the manufacture of coffee and spices. Mr." Fletcher came to Fort Wayne in 1861, and has since lived here. For two years he conducted a hotel, and then turned his attention to the liv- ery business, at which he has since been successfully occupied. He was married April 19, 1862, to Margaret Fay, who was born in January, 1834. Mr. Fletcher's present place of business is at No. 32 Barr street.
In 1867, for the purpose of giving his children superior educational advantages, George W. Ames, who had since, 1838 been engaged in agriculture in Adams county, removed to Fort Wayne, where he still resides. During fifteen years of his residence he was proprietor of a truck line, and prospered in business. He is now retired, esteemed as an honorable and upright man and worthy citizen. Mr. Ames was born in Bradford county, Penn., December 12, 1822, the son of Rufus and Amy (Head) Ames, natives respectively of Massachusetts and New York. When he was three years old the family removed to Tioga county, Penn., and nine years later to Delaware county, Ohio, leaving . there in 1838, to settle in Adams county, Ind., where the father passed
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