Adams County, Indiana - The whole text, 1907 (part 4 of 16)

The farmer owns what he has and pays taxes on what he owns. It would appear that the farmer might be nearer a master of the situation than he now appears to be. Too often when he has a bounteous crop the prices are low. He is answered that, 'over production' is the cause of low prices. Is it not a truth that over production cannot exist when human beings, somewhere in the world, are starving and dying for food or clothing? A few years ago land was low in price. Was there an over production ? All sociologists will agree that when the farmer is the most prosperous then all the industries flourish most. When the farmer has an abundance to sell at good prices then he has means with which to buy lumber for his buildings; wire for his fences, and tiling. for his farm lands. The farmer of today is not exactly the farmer of twenty years ago. If he was lie would show no signs of advancement. The annual institutes furnish much available theory for experiment to the progressive element of farmers. An opportunity is given for the interchange of ideas as to the various methods of economy in expenditure of effort and of cash in the laborious work of farming. The farmer who would make the most of stock- and crops must be ever on the alert ; keep an eye to the markets as to where and when the highest prices are paid for what he lias for sale and where the lowest prices are asked for what he has to buy. A few dollars saved is justly earned. Note the profits on a single acre of the different varieties of grain, or the results of a certain strain of stock, for the money invested. Many points in farm industry are points of dispute, as men may honestly differ in opinion as to what breed of hogs will soonest turn the ready dollar ; or one woman may cling to her Plymouth Rock in a vain effort to have them outdo the Rhode Island Reds or the Leghorns of her neighbors. In the fanners' meetings various theories have been and will be discussed by the progressive fanner, much not only to his own advantage, but to the advantage of his less fortunate brother. In every craft and guild there are those who lead and those who follow by imitation. The practical application of theory is results. The follower of the successful workman will help make general a different system of farming and a better grade of stock on the farm lands. There are now a large number of the farming community who no longer are satisfied with a 'pretty good' breed of cattle, such as were bred some time ago throughout the west, but they are now determined to have the best breeds that any market can supply. Why, as the story goes, some large farmers a few years ago would have had the palpitation of the knees to think of paying two thousand dollars for a Belgian horse or fifty dollars for a blooded rooster. Such sales are an everyday occurrence now. The old 'apple tree' hens that could run like partridges and fly to the highest limb on the tree were a good chicken perhaps, but were not the very best chicken for the fanner to raise, for either the market or results to the crops over which they ranged. Now the poultry men or poultry women, perhaps one might say, wants the very best chicken that brains and money can procure. And they have them, too. We are told that the poultry farms today pay their owners a better per cent, on the cash and labor invested than the corn and hog farms of the central states. The egg crop of the United States, in a single year, amounts to more cash, when put upon the market, than the gold mined in the limits of this vast country within a like period of time. The Hoosier hens the past year have prepared over six hundred million of eggs for the market and sat around a good part of the time at that. This great agricultural district, between the lakes at the north and the Ohio river at the south, has undergone great development in the last quarter of a century. The question now is, 'What will the Hoosier do next' ? There can be but one solution of the question. He will go onward and forward in his each and ever}' line of development till this little state, that is but the oneseventh the size of Texas, or the one-third the age of Massachusetts, will be the Mecca of all that merits mention in effort or scientific development. For some time past the center of population has been in the Wabash valley. Today Indiana has nearly twothirds as many people as had the original 'Thirteen Colonies' when they won their independence; and now Indiana annually produces more grain than did all those colonies combined. She expends large sums annually for public improvements and is now becoming a network of electric roads and steam thoroughfares, carrying the products of all the west and east. To see a practical illustration of what progress has done for the farmer one has but to step upon the streets of one of our cities. The daily markets show the thrift and prosperity of the farming class of people. Every wagon brings something to market. The farmer himself shows indication of having spent some of the proceeds of his labors in farm products on his equipment. Has it ever occurred to you tint under the same Heaven's azure dome, under the same golden sunshine, not a thousand miles from here, are tillers of the soil who show no signs of thrift? Who are satisfied to let old Father Time push them along as necessity may demand from day to day? They are not Hoosiers, nor do they take any interest in the Hoosier state. Thrice abundantly blest is he who is in a land of plenty, with energy and industry humming on every side. Thrice is that family fortunate whose fireside is adorned with the conveniences and comforts of a civilized land; a home where art, literature and music may find a place. In some old noted records we are told that many years ago the children of Israel, while perhaps in bondage, built the Pyramids of Egypt. There, on the desert waste, those pyramids stand today, not as emblems, of thrift, freedom and perpetual prosperity of a people, but as an everlasting monument of tears, suffering and sorrow of what was once God's chosen people. They stand as an emblem of the forced labor of an enslaved people; a people debased in the sight of the world, as hewers of stone and drawers of water, without wages or hire. The monuments of American enterprises are not the enslavement of her people, but the subjugation of her natural forces, which contribute to the world's welfare, comfort and happiness. It was a Ben Franklin, on American soil, that drew the lightning from the clouds and harnessed it for the use of mankind. Today the electric spark does our bidding. The X-rays, the phonograph, the electric light, the telephone and a hundred other useful discoveries and inventions are the everlasting monuments of merit to the credit of America's Nature's noblemen. In the eastern world wealth like the pyramids of Egypt, in one continuous chain, goes from sire to son, always beyond dissemination or attack. The semblance of serfdom supply the revenues of government and continuous oppression is their dark future. The American pyramids of wealth look much more hopeful to the foe of aristocracy. In the American commonwealth each succeeding generation scatters the bricks placed in the great pyramids of millions ; thus the careful farmer's son becomes the successful merchant, or corporation magnate, and the son of the millionaire becomes the day laborer and leaves off where his father began in the struggle for wealth and power. After years of bondage and servitude the children of Israel sought the land of promise and marched out six hundred thousand strong to occupy their possessions. The American farmer has found the promised land, and in this, the year of 'jubilee,' is in possession and has freed himself of much of the wearing toil known to his ancestors of years ago. He no longer uses the flail to thresh his grain or the horse power to grind it. He need no longer drag and tramp the mud roads to the city. The telephone is in his house and the morning paper is on his doorstep. He lives in the country and enjoys the blessings of luxury and comfort not even known to potentates and kings, whose word was law. He is the American citizen and Nature's nobleman at home. A nation is not measured by the date of its government. This nation of ours is new in years and young in experience. The value of a discovery or an invention is not estimated by the wealth of the discoverer. The true Nature's nobleman is known by what he really is ; what he has done, and what he can do. The world cares little of what his ancestors have been. That was yesterday. The hustling, busy world is living the today. Now is the accepted time, and this is the place. What has he done and what can he do? are the only passwords to his acceptance. Little Switzerland, with small mountainous area, has stood as a beacon light of liberty in F.urope for ages past for what she has done for her citizen population. Bismarck, the 'Iron Chancellor,' with consummate skill, unified the states of Prussia and the German nation of today, has one of the best drilled military organizations on the continent of Europe. Yet that country contributes many thousands strong each year to the throng who choose the air of American freedom under the protection ol the stars and stripes rather than that military 'fatherland.' Here they are true Nature's noblemen at home. It was Frederick the Great, of Germany, who sent to Washington a sword bearing the inscription, 'From the oldest general in Europe to the greatest general in the world.' The American laborer is busy in his incessant etfort to provide for his home and family, yet the centers of commerce and trade have conspired to force him to pay undue tribute on the necessities he must use as a member of the highest stage of civilized community. That oppression should be the occasion of a declaration of rights in his own behalf. Past history, however, of other lands recites his similar oppression. The eventful December of

1799 caused the world to grieve and mourn the deatli of the patriot President of the United States. But amid mourning those patriots were caused to rejoice that their comrades in arms at Yorktown were now directed by the peasants' friend and protector, Napoleon Bonaparte. It was for him to overthrow the feudal servitude that nearlycrushed the honest toilers of the vine-clad hills of France. He gave his nation the 'Code Napoleon' and placed it on a footing that commanded and received the respect of the whole of Europe. For a decade and a half an ever-grateful people followed him through his various fortunes. The coming nobleman should respect and revere the price of liberty. It is the record of nations that avarice, greed and oppression have robbed the freemen of their liberties and the laborers of their farms. Fathers and mothers today should remember that these are times of exacting competition, days when efficient efforts must be used to bring effective results. Aside from the duty which they owe to the state of giving to its sons and daughters that assistance which will best fit them for the battle that must be waged in the world's great arena before them, they owe the future noblemen that parental care which points out to them their obligations to others in the task of living. That the family circle, though favored it be, that the day must come when your children will leave your fireside for one of their own. That then their efforts will be guided by past habits and customs; then honesty and energy will direct them. A parent's best wishes will follow and applaud their successful efforts. They are your constant care and concern. Tn times past you have known little of leisure and less of luxury. Was it that you might have a farm and home free from debt ? That your sons and daughters might meet the world better equipped for the requirements than you have been? You know that deep down in your hearts there is a well of tenderness and love for your children. You know, as the world knows, that the success of your child is Heaven to you. and that his failure is heartaches keener and deeper than can be told. Then teach that child by word, by precept and by example that the earnest, careful toiler in the line his hands and might findeth to follow is always worthy of his hire. That the ultimate reward for all well directed effort is that merited success which crowns a nation with civilization and its people with justice and honor. Along down the vista of ages we see the laborers returning from the temple with ruins for inspection. There is a Calvin, a Wesley and a Cromwell ; a Burke, an Emmett and a Gladstone. There is a Henry, a Jefferson and a Madison ; and in our own Hoosier state a Mills, a Morton and a Hendricks; all reared and bred under country influences. 'The stone that the builders rejected became the head of the corner.' In ages past there was a carpenter's son who was scourged, spat upon and slain. The world knows His history. Churches in all civilized lands tell His story. The stone that the builders rejected shall ever stand as the head of the corner. Can you see a tall, spare lad of fourteen years in the dusk of the evening on the Alleghany slope gathering pine knots to warm the cheerless home of his widowed mother? He was a farmer's son, and General Andrew Jackson, the patron saint of the Democratic party. Again, can you see an indescribably awkward barefoot boy poling a flatboat of hoop poles and pork down the

The New Court .House

Ohio river? That boy's fame grew to the length and breadth of the nation. By a stroke of his pen the southern slaves breathed an air of freedom. That was Abraham Lincoln, the idol of the American people. The stone that the 'mushroom' aristocracy rejected became the head of the comer. It may be truly stated that :

Early Schools And Teachers

Is there a resident who can draw a mental picture of the educational advantages of Adams county in 1840? At that time the county was four years old. Then schoolhouses could be built only with the consent of a majority of the legal voters of that particular school district. When a vote was taken and it was decided to build a schoolhouse the voters assembled and divided themselves into choppers, haulers, hewers, etc. If for any reason a resident wished to pay the money instead of work - which was estimated at thirty-seven and a half cents a day - an assessment of seventy-five cents was usually the full requirement of the law. Section 6 of the school law provided that: "The said trustees shall always be bound to receive at cash price in lieu of any such labor or money, as aforesaid, any plank, nails, glass or other material which may be needed about said building." The next section provided that : "In all cases such schoolhouse shall be eight feet between the floors and at least one foot from the surface of the ground to the floor and furnished in a manner calculated to render comfortable the teacher and pupils." The teacher and pupils were "rendered comfortable" also by a huge fireplace, usually built of clay mortar mixed in chaff or of "niggerhead" stones. The seats were of two kinds, the high and the low. They were simply the one-half part of logs a foot or more thick split into two parts and hewed on the upper side, with ironwood poles put in for bench legs. There were no backs to these seats. Those who wrote on paper would sit on the high benches next to the wall. These faced puncheon desks, constructed of smooth-faced puncheons resting on stout pins driven into the wall. There was but little system of gradation in seating the pupils. The boys were all on the one side of the room and the girls on the other. When recitation time cairtc they were all called out upon the floor and required to "toe the line" as indicated by the puncheons touching each other in the floor. In winter time the seats near the fire were exchanged as soon as one side of the pupil was "baked" or unendurably hot. The idea that a schoiar could learn his lesson without whispering it nearly aloud to himself had, at that time, not gotten this far west. Scholars were permitted to use such school books as they might happen to have, with the exception of the New Testament as a reading" book and one of the approved spelling books. Webster's and McGuffy's were among the earliest used. As soon as the schoolhouse was ready for use the trustees called a school meeting to determine what amount of cash and what amount of produce were agreed upon as the teacher's pay. Not infrequently the teacher would change his boarding place once a week, and as it was called, "board around among the scholars." The pioneer settlers were subjected to many privations at first, but in the main were a moral and religious people. Whatever might have been their religious or political differences, they commonly agreed that to "spare the rod" was to "spoil the boy," and gave the teacher ample authority for its application. As a result many an idler received a stinging reward that headed him toward successful manhood. It was of common occurrence for teachers to read their rules at the beginning of the term of school. Woe to the scholar who wilfully stepped beyond the bounds of "rectitude."

In 1852 were enacted new school laws that gave trustees power to locate and build such number of schoolhouses as in their judgment the educational interests of the communities demanded. This same law required teachers to make reports to their successors and to the school trustees as to the attendance, interest, etc., manifested by the pupils and patrons of the school district. The following may, or may not, have been a correct report of one of the early pedafosrues to his successor and to the board of township trustees. There were three trustees from 1852 to 1862.

Report To The Trustees

"I will begin with the trustees. You know what a bad examination I had to pass. You know that no living mortal could give correct answers to all them questions. You had never ought to put a teacher in a school where the scholars s:et so smart as to be shooting puzzling questions at him every day. I ain't no dictionary; air you? You should note this when you hire the next teachers." "To my successor in this school :

"This is a good school, but it needs watching. They can knock an eye out of any school round here on spelling. A little memorandum of the winter's work is sticking just behind the teacher's platform. If you don't find it and a little red-headed boy that lisps comes to school, he will set you right, and give you all the information that you need, and help you run the school. Don't let your ink freeze up, for it spiled this way last winter and raised a rookery all over the deestrick. If you want a good view of your work, compare what people tell you with what they tell others. Yours, etc.,

No doubt that Mr. C. J. B.'s report was fully satisfactory to the trustees and that he received his full pay. However, the report is silent on the number of dnys taught, the number of pupils in attendance, the days of absence, tardiness, etc. The early public school terms were but ten or twelve weeks in length. It was the custom for the "schoolmaster," as he was commonly called, for there were few women teachers, to teach a "select" school, that was paid for by subscription from those who sent their children to the school. The rate of tuition varied, as the "schoolmaster" frequently gave instruc- # tion in vocal music and held singing schools at night in several districts at the same term. Others taught only the day schools at a rate of from one dollar to two dollars a month of twenty teaching days. The rate of tuition also varied somewhat with the provisions of boarding the teacher while teaching. Some of the first teachers in the county, who were paid public money for their services were:

-Some teachers of vocal music who were not school teachers were: Peter Moneysmith, Ben McLaughlin, James H. Smith, Simon Good, A. J. Hoskinson, Charles. Zwick, David Long, Joseph Sparks, Ark Baughman, John Coots, Thomas J. Archbold.

Before there were any school houses erected resident cabins were frequently used for school purposes. It is said that a subscription school was taught in Monmouth about 1840 by Sarah McKisic in a building of round logs, with only the ground for a floor. This, however, was a summer and fall term of school. George Ames's residence, in Root township, and Stephen Armstrong's cabin, in Wabash township, were each used for school purposes before school houses were built in those districts. The greater number of the school buildings erected before 1854 were log structures. Wabash and Root townships each claim the distinction of the first public school house in the county. The Gorsline school house, in "section 17, in Root township, and the Mc- Hugh school house, in section 20, in Wabash township, were each built about 1S3O or 1S40. These houses were built under the statutory provisions, provided with puncheon floors, clapboard roofs, held in place by weight poles; large fireplaces and paper windows, well greased with 'coon oil. As early as 1840 the village of Decatur secured her first school house, which, was a round log structure and was located near the cast end of inlot No. 270, in the original town plat.

The "Noah's Ark" building is now standing on this lot on the east side of North Second street. The last log school house used for school purposes in Adams county was located at the southeast corner of section 2, in Kirkland township. In 1874 Trustee Daniel Weldy built a brick building just east of this across the road that was the first brick school house in Kirkland township and the second one in the county. In 1S52, as shown by the school commissioner's report to the state superintendent, Larrabee, there were but seven public school buildings within the county. Wabash township had three and Root township had two of them ; Saint Mary's and French townships the others. After the new constitution of 1S52 went into effect the trustees were empowered to build school houses without securing an expression of the residents through school meetings. From that time on frame buildings were erected in many districts instead of log structures. Wabash township never had but three log school buildings. Before i860 there were nine frame school buildings in the township and but one of them, the Ford school house, was lathed and plastered. This was built in 1856 and was the first lath and plastered school house in the south part of the county. Before i860 Root township had eight frame school houses and had at least four log school houses previous to that time. Nearly all of the other township school houses were built of logs. These frame buildings had hewed rafters, studding and joists and were weatherboarded with unplaned boards, and commonly ceiled with undressed green inch lumber. When this became seasoned large cracks were left in the walls and ceiling. Within the summer and fall terms the mud wasps and lizards shared the occupancy with pupils and teacher. The furniture was a shade better in these than in the original log school houses. Instead of the puncheon seats, high and low, they were the low and high, made of two-inch planks, simply large backless benches. A huge box stove was in the center of the room instead of the fireplace at one end of the house. The greased paper windows gave place to a few two-sash eight by ten glass windows - commonly five windows, two at each side and one at the end opposite the door. The door locks were iron, with large brass keys, heavy enough for tack hammers. A bent wire or a big nail would unlock nearly any of them. The first brick school house in Adams county was built by Trustee John Christen in thrr northwest comer of section 36, in Root township, in 1873, and is known as the "Dent school." In 1S92 this building was removed and a modern school house put in its place by Trustee Isaac Brown. At this time nearly all of the school buildings in the county - ninety-nine in number of public schools and two Catholic and five Lutheran - are brick, most of them of modern construction. The second brick school house was known as the "Hartman school" and was built in 1874 and was torn down and a modern graded school house of two rooms built by Trustee Joshua Bright in its stead at what is now Peterson in 1895. The principle of the free school system is that "the property of the state shall educatac the children of the state regardless of religious beliefs or political affiliations." When the trustees began to build brick school houses the hue and cry went up long and loud that the taxpayers were being robbed for unnecessary expenditures of the people's money.

houses only began in earnest and to con- by himself or deputy, of whom he is authortinue. The average school building then ized to appoint one in each county, examine cost from fourteen to sixteen hundred dol- all applicants for license and if found qualilars; at this time an average country school fled license them as common school teachers hundred to three thousand dollars and no subsequent to 1852 the deputy state superinquestions asked. The -earliest school teach- tendents looked after the school revenues become a teacher. There was little effort were appointed by the county board of comtoward a uniformity of school text-books missioners. The first election of county much later date. The school term was short June, 1873. In 1865 the state board of eduand the mud and water deep. There were cation was clothed with additional powers tionaries, and seldom any blackboards. The use of county school examiners in the selecprinted copybook had not yet found its way tion of teachers. These lists have been preinto these backwoods. The teacher was ex- pared and forwarded to the various counpected to write the copies, repair the crippled ties and since used in all teachers' examinaquill pens, act as his own janitor in certain tions. The various school commissioners, instances, cut the logs into lengths to burn, school examiners and deputy state superintreat the school at Christmas, and all for tendents that have served in Adams county the magnificent wages of one dollar and until the election of the first county superintwenty-five cents a day for three months in tendent are: the year. His pay was small, drawbacks School commissioners elected by the peonumerous and future prospects uncertain. pie and date of election :

Public Utilities

Under this class of industries may be mentioned banks, telephones, electric lights, gas plants and water works. In years gone by cash was paid and received ten times as often as at the present time. The check and the draft has taken its place. This condition could not exist were it not for banks. Banking is not only a business for those engaged in it, but it provides a very convenient means of handling large or small sums of money with but slight risk of loss. Its checks are usually a safe means of conveying payment from buyer to seller. The first attempt at anything in the line of banking in Adams county was begun about 1S50 by J. D. Nutman, who at that time and previous thereto had operated a general store at Decatur, and in partnership with another had a branch establishment at Pleasant Mills known as Nutman & Smith. In the seventies, near the latter part of his life. Mr. Nutman is said to have resembled the noted journalist, Horace Greeley, and that his picture has been frequently mistaken for that of Mr. Greeley. We are told that Decatur had hardly been located as a county seat when a round log cabin was built at the comer of Monroe and First streets on Iol No. 274, where the mitten factory is now situated, and a small general store started by Henry Reichard. who came from Willshire. Ohio. Mr. Nutman bought out Reichard's interest and at once started his career as a merchant and financier. He was soon appointed postmaster of Decatur, and is said to have been without a predecessor. The mail was then carried on horseback from Richmond to Fort Wayne - the carrier making the trip and return in four days. In the store business he was quite successful, and finally drifted into the banking business on a small scale. Along about 1845 he built a twostory frame store building at the corner of Monroe and Second streets on lot No. 57, where the Holthouse, Schulte & Co. clothing store is now located. Within the next few years he built a two-room single-story brick building to the south of his store room on Second street that he called his office, but others knew it as "Nutman's Shaving Office." It perhaps took its name from the custom of buying notes at a discount or reduction from their face value. This was called "shaving notes." This side industry proved a profitable investment and about 1S62 he disposed of his store interests as an active partner or owner and sought a larger field of action at Fort Wayne. In 1866 he sold his Decatur residence property to Jesse Niblick and about 1S70 he with others organized a private bank at Decatur and began operations under a firm name. At that time the population of Decatur and of Adams county was comparatively small. The fob lowing will give some idea of the general -development of the county, and it will be seen that until in 1872, when the first railroad was completed, that the county's growth was somewhat slow. In 1830 Allen county included what is now Adams county, and at that time had a population of 996 ; in 1S40 Adams county as it is now bounded had a population of 2,264 ! in 1850, 5,774 ; in 1S60, 9.252; in 1870*, 11,382; in 1S80, 15,385; in 1890, 20,181 ; in 1900, 22,232.

Mr. Nutman was married while a merhant in Decatur, and as his first residence built a two-story frame house on lot 294, on Front street, now the property of Edward A. Phillips. This building has two porches on the first story, a second-story porch, a cellar and nine rooms. In 1843 stoves were a luxury and their places were supplied by five fireplaces in this house. In a few years - perhaps in 1856 - Mr. Nutman built the massive old residence back from Marshall and Second streets on lots 259, 260 and 261, now known as the "old Niblick homestead." This was bought by Jesse Niblick and has for more than forty years been the home of the Niblick family. This is a tall, large thirteen-room house, with a porch on the second story and cellar and several porches on the first story. This residence has arrangements for as much fire as nine ordinary cabins would need. It has five fireplaces downstairs and four on the second floor. In 1863 Mr. Nutman became interested in the banking business at Fort Wayne and moved. to that citty.

Adams county at Decatur, which subsequently developed into the present "Old Adams County Bank." This was a private banking institution under the firm name of Niblick & Nutman. In November of the same year Robert Allison, who was then a merchant at Buena Vista, in the south part of the county, and David Studabaker, an attorney-at-law in Decatur, were admitted into the partnership and the firm name was changed to Niblick, Nutman & Co. In 1872 Mr. Nutman retired from the active membership in the firm and its name was changed to Niblick, Studabaker & Co. In August, 1874, the Adams County Bank was organized with a capital of fifty thousand dollars. In 1882 its capital was increased to seventyfive thousand dollars. After twenty years' existence as a state bank it was reorganized in 1894 under the name of the "Old Adams County Bank"; its capital was increased to one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. In 1907 its banking rooms were completely remodeled, a large number of private safety deposit drawers were put in the vault and modem bank furniture of quartered oak, with frosted glass, granite and copper trimmings, took the place of the grained poplar desks and tables in use for years. The present bank officers are:

President, Charles S. Niblick; first vice president, Mathias Kirsch ; second vice president, John Niblick; cashier, Ed X. Ehinger; first assistant cashier. Frank J. YYemhoff; principal bookkeeper, Emma Gillig; first assistant bookkeeper, Fannie Hite: second assistant bookkeeper, B. F. Tervere; third assistant bookkeeper, Jesse Niblick. The president of this bank. Charles S. Niblick, has been connected with the bank for more than twenty-five years; first as book-

The Niblick & Nutman Bank started in 1870 in the old Closs tavern building, at the corner of Monroe and Second streets. The old tavern house now stands on the north side of Monroe street near the river. In 1875 the bank was moved to the corner of Madison and Second streets, just across from the court house, until the present quarters - a two-story brick building - was put up on the site of the first bank on Monroe and Second streets. The management of this, the oldest banking corporation in the county, has always been careful and conservative. The bank has not only grown in wealth and influence, but has proven a source of great convenience to the city and the surrounding country. Its present directors are : Charles S. Niblick, Ed X. Ehinger, Mathias Kirsch, W. J. Vesey, John Niblick, Henry Hite and John S. Bowers.

The First National Bank

Another financial institution of much power and usefulness is the First National Bank of Decatur. This bank is located in the center of the business part of the city, on Second street, and now is twenty-four years old. It was incorporated on the 16th day of July, 1883, by the following named residents of Decatur and some others from Delphos, Ohio. Its stockholders at its beginning'were: Dr. T. T. Dorwin, J. D. Hale, Godfry Christen, B. W. Shclty, Henry H. Myers, Daniel Weldy, R. S. Peterson, J. H. Hobrock, Henderich Chrishanei, Henry Dirks, L. C. Miller, John Dirkson, A. R. Pierce and J. B. Holthouse. And on the 15th day of August, 1SS3, its charter was granted and the bank opened for business with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, with the following named officers : T. T. Dorwin, president; Henry Dirks, vice president; Gus A. Kolbe, cashier, and R. P. Dorwin, bookkeeper. From the first it has been conservative, never changing location, and making few changes in officers ; has had but two bank presidents, Dr. Dorwin and P. W. Smith. For the last thirteen years Ed X. Ehinger has served as assistant cashier and C. A. Dugan as cashier of the First National. In 1907 Mr. Ehinger retired from the assistant cashier's position for a cashier's position in another bank. In 1S94 Mr. Dugan resigned the chair of professor of mathematics in Blackburn University, at Carlonville, Illinois, and accepted his present position. Dr. Dorwin, who for many years was engaged in the practice of medicine, and of later years operated a drug store in Decatur, was one of the principal organizers of the Decatur National Bank. On the 1st day of January, 1895, the capital stock was increased to one hundred thousand dollars and the name of the bank was subsequently changed from the Decatur National Bank /to the "First National Bank." It is amply provided with individual lock drawers in its large steel vaults, protected by time locks and other safeguards, for such of its patrons and customers as care to avail themselves of these conveniences. It is closely connected with several other monied interests, such as the Berne State Bank, the Willshire Bank and the Paulding (Ohio) Bank and others. Though more than a decade the junior of the oldest banking institution in the county, it merits and holds the entire confidence of its large and varied patronage. It is now in its twenty-fifth year and has steadily grown in the volume of its business. It has never experienced any serious reverses and is one of the permanent financial institutions of the county. Its present officers and directors are:

P. W. Smith, president; W. A. Kuebler, vice president; Charles A. Dugan, cashier; Thomas J. Dirkin, assistant cashier; F. W. Jaebker, teller; Rose Christen, bookkeeper; Frank Bremerkamp, assistant bookkeeper. Its board of directors is composed of the following named stockholders: P. W. Smith, W. A. Kuebler, Daniel Sprang, D. Schmitt, M. F. Rice, C. A. Dugan and E. C. Bleeke.

The Bank Of Geneva

For years before Geneva had a bank it was conceded that a bank in Geneva would be a great convenience to merchants, stockmen, farmers and timber dealers in the territory between Portland and Decatur, and Bluffton and Celina, Ohio. As early as 1SS5 Charles D. Porter put a large burglarproof safe in his drug store and rendered what accommodation he could to those whose business required them to handle large sums of money. In 1889 Mr. Porter started the Geneva Bank, which he successfully operated until 1S93, at which time he built the Shamrock block, which contained the hotel and the present banking rooms occupied by the Bank of Geneva. When this building was completed the Bank of Geneva was orgapized, which was in 1893. The names of the organizers are: Charles D. Porter, David Studabaker, W. H. Niblick, R. B. Allison, A. G Briggs, S. W. Hale, George Hartman and some others. Its original capital stock was forty-five thousand dollars. The preseat officers of this bank are: A. G.

Briggs, president; S. W. Hale, vice president ; Charles D. Porter, cashier, and W. B. Hale, assistant cashier. For its age this bank has perhaps handled more cash than any other bank in the county, as during the great oil boom in the southern part of the county the Bank of Geneva seemed to be right in the center of the pool. The managers of this financial enterprise are all conservative men, and there is no doubt that this is one of the permanent financial institutions of the town.

The Bank Of Berne

The Bank of Berne was organized in October, 1 89 1, and is now in its sixteenth year. Its first officers were: A. A. Sprunger, president ; Joseph Rich, vice president ; R. K. Allison, cashier, and Rudolph Lehman, assistant cashier. After operating four years it built the present bank building at a cost of about fifteen thousand dollars, with an office equipment of about five thousand dollars more. The outward walls of the bank building are made of Zanesville pressed brick, which make a very tasty appearance. The bank ' furniture is quarter-sawed oak, properly trimmed in bronze, granite and marble. This bank was opened for business with a capital of forty thousand dollars. The present capitalization is fifty-two thousand dollars, with a surplus of thirty-five thousand dollars. The present officers are: C. A. Neuenschwander, president ; J. F. Lehman, vice president; Jesse Rupp, cashier. This bank is situated at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets and within the last decade and a half has gained a large patron-

The People S State Bank

The People's State Bank is now a little over four years old, but is one of the robust youngsters that cannot only stand alone, but can render aid and assistance to others on the road it travels. This bank was organized in April, 1903, with a capital stock of forty thousand dollars. It subsequently increased its capital stock to fifty thousand dollars, which is largely distributed among the merchants and farming interests in and near Berne. The present officers are: J. C. Schug, president; J. P. interests in and near Berne. Its present officers are: J. C. Schug, president; J. P. Habegger, vice president ; Rudolph Schug, cashier, and E. D. Engler, assistant cashier. Its deposits are in the neighborhood of one hundred and fifty-five thousand dollars. The People's State Bank occupies its own bank building, which is a two-story brick, on the south side of Main street, east of Jefferson street, and is amply protected by a triple time lock, burglar-proof screw-door Mosler safe and other appliances connected with modern safety vault security. The permanence of this bank as one of the substantial financial institutions of Berne is assured by the steadily increasing volume of its- business.

The Monroe State Bank

For several years private individuals have supplied the commercial members of the neighborhood of Monroe with banking advantages. This fact is apparent when it is known that Monroe is one of greatest grain markets between Richmond and Fort Wayne. Every enterprise must have an advocate and a beginning. J. F. Hocker and

M. S. Liechty are for Monroe first and last and for the Monroe State Bank all the time. Late in 1906 J. F. Hocker, M. S. Liechty, W. S. Smith, William Scherer, W. L. Keller and some others concluded that Monroe must have a bank. They succeeded in convincing about forty or fifty others that a bank was a necessity at Monroe and as a result early in 1907 an organization was effected and the proper bank officers chosen for the ensuing year. The present officers are: W. S. Smith, president; J. F. Hocker, vice president; M. S. Liechty, cashier, and C. E. Bolinger, assistant cashier. This bank opened its doors for a regular banking business the first week in September, 1907. The bank building, which is a modern, tasty brick, and which is about twenty by sixty feet in size, was completed in August, 1907, and the funds of this bank will be protected by a safety time lock, screwdoor Victor safety vault of the most modern pattern. The town of Monroe is situated in the geographical center of the county from north to south and at one time contested for the county seat. Within the last ten years the surrounding country has been greatly improved by roads and drainage, and within the last year the town was incorporated and now possesses some additional privileges and advantages. Located six miles from any other town and in the heart of a good grain and stock region, the Monroe State Bank will doubtless be a successful enterprise.

The Citizens' Bank

John W. Rout, a timber dealer and mill operator in Decatur and Monroeville, Indiana. This bank began business in Decatur about the first of the year 1873 in a brick building on lot 61, where the Blackburn drug store is situated. The panic of 1876-7 was more than it could stand ; it closed its doors and discontinued business in February, 1878, after about -five years of varied experiences. Its failure was hastened, it is stated, by over-investments of some stock dealers at Willshire, Ohio, and losses by some lumber dealers, the securities of whom were insufficient.

The Farmers' And Merchants' Bank

The Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Geneva was organized in 1892 and continued in business about a year. This was one of a series of banks that had their origin in a Chicago banker by the name of Starbuck. In this bank were a number of resident share-holders, who suffered considerable loss, though the bank in the course of settlement with its creditors paid a certain per cent, of its obligations. It has been said that over-investment in certain business enterprises without adequate sureties caused the Chicago banker to draw too heavily on the branch banks, of which the Farmers and Merchants was one, and they were forced to close their doors. A John Craft was the cashier of the bank at the time of its suspension. It has been stated that he among others was a heavy loser. The affairs of this bank were closed up by the receiver, Amos Gillig, of Decatur, about 1895.

Building And Loan Associations

building up of homes for many laboring people throughout the county, principally in the cities and smaller towns, are the building and loan associations. These are operated upon an entirely different basis from banking, yet without them there are people who would never have made it convenient to save sufficient money to buy a home of their own. The German Building, Loan Fund and Savings Association of Decatur, Indiana, was organized under the Indiana state laws in April, 1S90, and was incorporated in May of the same year with the following named officers : John Schurger, president ; Norval Blackburn, vice president; Dallas G. M. Trout, treasurer ; Paul G. Hooper, secretary, and John Blakeslee, solicitor.

The directors were D. G. M. Trout, Paul G. Hooper, John Blakeslee, Anson Van- Camp, Amos Foreman, Rufus K. Allison, Silas W. Hale, Frank M. Schermyer, C. T. Dorwin, John Schurger and Norval Blackburn. The capital stock of the association was limited to five hundred thousand dollars in shares of fifty dollars each. No person was allowed to own more than one hundred shares. There has been a number of other building- and loan associations organized in the county, but about all of them have expired by limitation or have paid out their stock. In 1S73 the Decatur Loan Association was organized with William G. Spencer as president and D. G. M. Trout as treasurer and secretary. In 1876 the Centennial Building and Loan Association was organized. In 1882 a second Decatur Building and Loan Association was organized, in which John Blakeslee had extensive interests. In 1895 a third Decatur Building and Loan Association was organized. Paul G. Hooper and D. G. M. Trout were leading members of this association. At the present time about all of the stock in this association is paid up. Dr. Trout holds the largest interest in this association. At the present time the German Building, Loan Fund and Savings Association of Decatur is perhaps the only building association that is attempting to do much business in the county.

Decatur Trextox Rock Mixing Company

The Decatur Trenton Rock Mining Company was organized at Decatur on the 5th day of January, 1892, its purpose being to drill in or near Decatur for gas for illuminating and heating purposes. Stock at twenty-five dollars a share was placed upon the market and about four thousand five hundred dollars' worth sold. The test wells were sunk in the south part of the city, one near the Chicago & Erie Railroad bridge and the other west of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, south of the Cloverleaf tracks. In neither of these wells was gas found in paying quantities. In the fall of 1892 R. C. Kerlin & Bro., of Toledo, Ohio, bought in the stock of the company and secured the franchise to lay pipes and operate a gas plant at Decatur, Monroe., Berne and Geneva. The gas mains were then laid to what was later known as the "Camden field," about thirty-five miles southwest of Decatur. The name of the corporation was then changed to the "Logansport & Wabash Valley Gas Company," under which name it is still operating. For the first six years cf its operations there were no meters in use excepting where desired by consumers; flat rates were charged, or a certain price for each furnace or stove regardless of how much gas was used When the meter requirement was made a more economical use of gas was begun, and all those refusing to put in meters were disconnected from the service. In 1905 the supply had so much diminished that all furnaces and mills were disconnected and shut off. At this time it is sufficient only for light heating purposes, and at times is entirely out. The present gas rate as charged by the company is twentyfive cents a thousand cubic feet. The luxury of natural gas in Adams county will soon be among the things that were. At present the greater number of its former users lay in a supply of coal for winter use.

The Citizens' Telephone Company was organized in Decatur on the 20th day of August, 1894. with a capital stock of five thousand dollars. Its patronage has been one of steady growth, and from time to time it has been compelled to enlarge its general office rooms and increase its numbers of operators. It now owns its own office building on Monroe street near Third and has in operation about five hundred and seventyfive phones in Decatur and about three hundred throughout the fanning districts and in the town of Berne. After ten years of successful operation its capital stock was increased to fifty thousand dollars, a number of heavy copper cables were installed and the plant materially changed and the service improved. Its present officers are: John S. Eowers, president ; David D. Clark, vice president; Ed X. Ehinger, treasurer, and Frank M. Schermyer, secretary.

City Water Works And Elf.Ctric Lights

The city waterworks park is situated in north Decatur, west of Third street, east of Fifth street, Maple street at the north and Park street at the south. This is a part of the land donated to the county by Samuel L. Rugg as an inducement to secure the county 'seat's location at Decatur in 1S36. It contains several acres of land and is planted in some appropriate shade trees. Its buildings are of ample size and made of brick and stone. This property has the only brick smokestack that may be found as a part of any mill property in the county except at Preble. It may be a hundred and fifty feet in height, is about twelve feet square at the base and is imposing in appearance. The exhaust steam from the waterworks plant is utilized by the Umsberger Brothers in heating their extensive green house, which at the present time occupies five regular sized city lots on Fifth and Indiana streets. This plant has had much trouble in keeping its steam boilers in shape for duty; it has been said that the lime water of the wells is the source of the trouble. Be this as it may, the city has been called upon to put in a new set of boilers on an average about each past two years. To avert this expense a pipe has been recently laid and river water has taken the place of that from the wells. Late in 1892 the city council of Decatur began arrangements for building an electric light and waterworks plant. Contractors were notified of the purpose of the council and bids were submitted on the erection of the plant, furnishing the apparatus, labor and machinery. It was decided that the offers made by the Ker'in Brothers were the lowest and the

On waterworks with standpipe. .. .$55,375 On waterworks, with reservoir.... 51,625 On waterworks, without either. . . . 49,885 In 1892 J. D. Edwards put in the first electric light plant at Decatur. He secured his power from the J. W. Place ice cream factory engines. This plant was successfully operated for about five years. In the meantime, along about 1895, the city electric light plant was completed and ready for use. A controversy then arose as to whether or not the city could get peaceable possession of the streets and alleys for the location of their electric light poles. As in February, 1893, the city council of Decatur had entered into a contract with John D. Edwards to light the principal streets of Decatur with arc lights at the sum of eighty dollars each a year. The council made repeated efforts to have the poles removed, but all to no avail. Then on the night of the 29th day of September, 1897, by order of the council, the city marshal, with some workmen, cut down all of the electric light poles on the main streets of Decatur. As a result of this procedure Mr. Edwards sustained heavy loss and at once brought suit against the councilmen of the city of Decatur to recover damages. This case was venued twice and finally tried at Fort Wayne and resulted in a judgment of four thousand dollars against the councilmen named in the proceedings. By removing the Edwards property the city took possession of the streets and alleys for their light poles and fixtures. For five or six years the lights were furnished at "flat" rate, but later meters were installed and it is said that the plant is more than meeting its own expenses. When the waterworks and electric light propositions were before the city council and under consideration a number of the heavy taxpayers opposed the measure of incurring so much unnecessary expense upon the city.

On the 16th day of December, 1892, in a communication to the city council, through one of the city papers, David Studabaker said : "I estimate that there are more than a hundred houses south of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad that are mortgaged to loan associations. The owners are working very hard and their families economizing all 'they can to meet the monthly installments on these mortgages. Is it fair or just to put a tax on these people to build waterworks on a few streets in the city or to erect splendid, expensive electric lights in the old part of the city when they can receive no benefits from either? No. Gentlemen, the thing for you to do is to wait until you can treat the people alike. Waterworks on a few streets will only be waterworks in name. The majority of the people will not have it. So with electric lights. Unless you go to the enormous expense of lighting the whole city, which I have shown would plunge the city wonderfully in debt. The working people that work hard all day do not need a splendid electric light to sleep by, especially when the tax they would have to pay to support it would in many cases deprive their families of the real necessities of ilfe."

The waterworks plant has proven an expensive luxury and a bad investment for the city from a financial point of view. Through inferior machinery, or other causes - the latter the most probable - a new set of boilers have to be put in every few years. A large number of worthless water meters were also put in and removed at the property-owners' expense. Electric meters must now be used, and just at this time an entirely new set of water meters are demanded and must be put in by property-owners, which incurs another item of expense without any additional special benefits to the consumer.

The Newspaper Field

It was not until 1848 that Adams county had a local newspaper. Special advertisements and legal notices were published in the nearest adjoining county papers. Some of the earliest visitors to the homes of this county were the Richmond Intelligencer, started in i82i,.at Richmond, Wayne county, Indiana, by Elijah Lacy; and the Richmond Palladium, started in 1833 by Nelson Boon, and in July of the same year the Fort Wayne Sentinel began publication by

The Decatur Gazette

In the summer of 1848 Joshua Randal began the publication in Decatur of the Decatur Gazette. His printing office was located on inlot 61, on the west side of Second street, near where the Tague shoe store is situated. The building in which the office started was a plank room in front and a log cabin room in the rear, each a single story. The Gazette was a weekly folio, about ten by fifteen inches in size. It contained but little news matter, as there were few people in the town or in the county at that time. The copy of the paper that came to our notice was one issued in 1850 and a noticeable feature was the advertisement for runaway negro slaves. These were prefaced by a cut representing a negro carrying a small budget in what may have been intended to represent a handkerchief. A copy of one of these, minus the illustration, will suffice:

Two Hundred Dollars Reward

"Two hundred dollars Reward. Ran away from the subscriber (Levi Pumphry), two negro men, one named Hanson, about five feet four inches high, full, bushy beard and copper color, and Gustav, who is about twenty-one or twenty-two years of age, smooth faced and thick lips, and stoops in his walk ; is black in color and about five feet six inches in height. Took away sundry articles of clothing. I will give one hundred dollars for each of them if secui'ed in jail so that I can get them. Levi Pumphry, Falmouth, Kentucky." In the Gazette office Joshua Randal was proprietor and Alvin Randal was all-round job and. "makeup" man. The owners secured the services of one James Smith as editor. The paper received such encouragement as the new settlements could give it and gradually grew to several hundred subscribers. It was Whig in politics and at that time there was an election held each year. It has been stated that one of the county officer's stewardship in 1850 was one of the animated themes of discussion by the editor, as his political friend had been recently defeated in the election. This highly angered his political opposition and they treated him to a coat of tar and feathers and gave him the traveling password to skip. It is said that he "skidid." The publication was continued until 1851, when it was bought and operated for a year by John W. Peterson, who sold it to James B. Simcoke in 1852. Mr. Simcoke discontinued the publication of the Gazette and started the Adams County Democrat, which he continued to publish until 1863. The Decatur Gazette had several locations within its short existence of four years. Its original owners before its publication lived at Monmouth, which in 1852 had twice as many taverns and three times as many houses as Decatur.

The Adams County Democrat began its publication with the first real public improvements that were to develop the resources of the county. In 1852 it was started at the discontinuance of the Gazette. About this time the For Wayne, Decatur & Piqua plank road question was under consideration. Also the location of the Ohio & Indiana Railroad, later consolidated with and now known as the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad. Its owner and publisher, Mr. Simcoke, was an ardent advocate of these enterprises and rendered what assistance he could through the columns of his paper toward their consummation. Another railroad enterprise on foot about that time was the Fort Wayne & Union City road, which in 1852-3 was located and cut out through the county. The Pittsburg- road was built, but it came to Fort Wayne. The plank road was completed through Decatur and gave it some new life. As the county was rapidly settling up, since the plank road was a new thoroughfare, a rival publication came into the field in 1857. It was the Decatur Eagle, under the management of H. L. Phillips. The Democrat struggled along with varying success until 1863, at which time it suspended. It is said that in its columns and upon the walls of the office might be read such announcements as : "Wood taken on subscription," "Read your home paper" and "Sale bills printed while you wait." As is frequently the case the publisher of the Democrat did not use the columns of his paper to the satisfaction of certain aspiring politicians - its owner at that time being the county clerk. The three parties then being the Douglas Democrats, the Breckenridge Democrats and the Whigs. The editor of the Democrat supported the Breckenridge wing of the Democratic party. In 1858 William G. Spencer and T. Adlespurger were owners of the opposing papers, and in 1862-3 the publishers of the two papers were candidates for county auditor. The Eagle's man won the race. W. G. Spencer was elected and the Adams County Democrat suspended publication, after holding the field for eleven years.

The Decatur Eagle

The Decatur Eagle came before the public and made its introductory bow from the front door of its office on inlot No. 54. on the east side of Second street, about where the First National Bank is located, on the 30th day of January, 1S57. Its office was a single-story building of two rooms, a log cabin with a plank addition, low ceilings and small windows. Its promoter and publisher was H. L. Phillips, who soon sold a part interest to William G. Spencer, then an aspiring young attomey-at-law in Decatur. In 1859 the paper went into the hands of A. J*. Hill, who continued its publication until 1863, at which time he enlisted as a volunteer soldier and went into the army. It had little machinery and small subscription list at first and had a struggle for its life for the first few years of its existence. Mr. Hill leased the plant to Charles Schermyer and William G. Spencer, who operated it until July, 1864, at which time the plant was leased to Callen S: Hudgel. The office was then removed to the rooms over Dr. T. T. Dorwin's drug store and some improvements added. Dan J. Callen was a fearless, aggressive writer, who soon crossed ideas with the federal authorities, and as this was right in the heat of war times, was placed under surveillance. His partner, R. D. Huge!, was more conservative. Trouble arose in November, 1864, and on the 19th of December Dan J. Callen was placed under arrest by the United States provost marshal and taken to Indianapolis for trial. The commission hearing the charges were military officers, presided over by Major Henry L. Burnett, judge advocate. Mr. Hudgel soon yielded his editorial position to James R. Bobo and T. Adlespurger, who conducted the paper until the 5th of May, 1865, on the return of A. J. Hill from the service. Mr. Hill continued to publish the Eagle until November, 1S74. at which time he sold out to Joseph McGonagle, who immediately discontinued the Eagle and started the Decatur Democrat, filling the Eagle subscriptions with the paper under the new name.

The Young American

The first newspaper published in the county was a Whig publication - the Gazette started in 1848. At that time the Whig party had control of part of the county offices. Isaac Wheeler, a Whig, received two hundred and eighty votes and Peter Kizer, a Democrat, received two hundred and seventy-eight votes for county commissioner. James Crabbs received two hundred and eighty-five votes and John Crawford received two hundred and eighty votes for county treasurer. Wheeler's majority - two votes - and Crabb's majority - six votes - were Whig victories. The Gazette was discontinued after about four years' publication and the first Democrat paper built upon its ruins. In 1858 the Whig party was shifting about and the Republican party was coming into prominence on the slavery question. The Young American was the first Republican newspaper published in the county. In the general election of i860, in Adams county, the returns show that there were five hundred and forty-nine Republican -and eight hundred and forty-two Democrat votes cast. A change from one side to the other of one hundred and fifty votes would have made the county Republican. The Young American was started by T. J. Tolan, who had plenty of energy as a citizen, but as a newspaper man was unsuccessful. The paper suspended in i860 when a little over a year old.

The Decatur Herald

The Decatur Herald was a weekly folio, started in May, 1873, as an opposition publication to the Decatur Eagle, then under the management of A. J. Hill. The Decatur Herald was a new outfit, bought and started by Semour Worden, then county auditor, and James R. Bobo, county attorney. It was published in the Bremerkamp building on lot 82, north of the court house, on Madison street. Charles Black was editor and manager. The publication continued until November, 1S74, at which time the Decatur Eagle was sold to Joseph McGonagle and its name dropped from the list of publications, that the Decatur Herald lowered its standard and the political battle ceased. Who was the aggressor in this newspaper battle we will not attempt to say. But accusations and counter-accusations and affidavits were published that were of themselves evidence that some one was fighting for life. The results of this battle of extermination nearly gave the Republican nominees the county offices. For representative A. N. Martin had a margin of one hundred and sixtyseven votes ; Joseph Spuller for commissioner had one hundred and thirty-six votes more than his opponent, and Godfry Christen for auditor had but sixty-nine votes of a majority. The Herald's subscription list ran up to perhaps five or six hundred, but by compromise the Eagle's name was dropped and the subscriptions filled out by the Democrat, just then started.

The Adams County Union was started in 1878 in the Barthel building on Second street, just east of the court house. It was Republican, with Greenback tendencies. Its editors and publishers were J. F. Snyder and Paul G. Hooper. Its chief promoters, it is said, were Byron H. Dent and William H. Walters, at that time county clerk and county superintendent. Its purpose seems to have been to revive an interest in the Republican party and to defeat certain of the county nominees on the Democratic ticket. The heaviest fight seems to have been directed towards the candidates for county treasurer and for county auditor. The Democratic ticket pulled through, but with greatly reduced majorities. This publication continued for about two years, suspended and the editor and machinery moved to Lagrange, Indiana,- where Mr. Snyder started the Lagrange Democrat in 1881.

The Adams County Times was a Democratic publication, started in the Bremerkamp building on Madison street in 1876, by W. W. Timmons, who used the machinery recently in use by the Adams County Herald office. After an experience of less than a year this paper was discontinued and the machinery removed to Portland, Indiana, and used in a new publication in that town in 1877. That Mr. Timmons was a good newspaper man was admitted generally, but the field had been so worked and reworked in Adams county, within the last four or five years that the newspaper public lost faith in even their own established party publications. The Portland Sun was successfully established and operated by him, and now is one of the leading newspapers of that city.'

The Decatur Free Press

The Decatur Free Press was started in January, 1S77, by Edward A. Phillips and Winfield S. Congleton in the Tervere building on the west side of Second street, over the present Decatur Hardware Company's store. Some of the machinery used in the Times office was brought into service, but the newspaper part was printed at Fort Wayne and distributed from the Decatur office. This was the second clearly Republican newspaper printed in the county; was a six-column folio and immediately followed the suspension of the Adams County Times, using its subscription list as a beginning. In 1878 W. S. Congleton became sole owner and continued the publication until the middle of September, 1879, when the mailing ist and plant were sold to Dr. D. G. M. Trout, who removed the plant to the Wei fry building east of the court house, put in new machinery anjl changed the name of the paper to the Decatur Journal. With George S. Stauntan in charge as publisher and D. G. M. Trout as editor, the first number of the Decatur Weekly Journal appeared on the 27th day of August, 1879. Thus the Decatur Free Press, after an existence of a little over two and a half years, was discontinued to give place to the Journal, which is still published today. Mr. Phillips is not now the owner, as the plant belongs to a stock company, but is foreman in the circulation and mechanical department of the office. The Journal is issued on every Thursday from its office at the corner of Monroe and Third streets, and is now nearly twenty-six years old.

The Cyxdiax

Times. The Cyndian began publication at the village of Monmouth in 1870 in one of the upstairs rooms of one of the Ziba Dorwin taverns. It was a semi-weekly and gained quite a circulation for the advantages then presented. Three boys - Paul G. Hooper, Jacob and Samuel Magley, then ranging in ages from fifteen to seventeen years of age - were the owners, proprietors and genera! managers. They had a little money and secured what was required to get a few fonts of type and a hand-press and started the publication of a small folio, perhaps eight by twelve inches in size. Mr. Hooper and Jacob Magley were the office force and Samuel was solicitor for job work and subscriptions. In the course of a few months Charles M. Hill, a Monmouth lad of about sixteen years of age, bought the Magleys' interest and the firm name was changed to Hooper & Hill and the publication continued until about the latter part of 1872 and was discontinued, as the boys all became school teachers about that time, and could not successfully wield the birch and the quill at the same time. ' However, this experience was not lost, as later Mr. Hill and Mr. Hooper became owners or part owners of larger publications. The Cyndian, as we are told by one of its subscribers, was an interesting, non-political publication, directed rather toward general news and contained an original poem in almost even- issue. The poetical wing of the firm is said to have been Mr. Hooper.

The Star News

July, 1894. It was printed on a seven and a half by eleven Kelsey hand-press :or over two years. In November, 1896. the Weekly World presses and job office was purchased and the plant and paper enlarged. This paper was printed at the comer of Monroe' and Fifth streets until May, 1S97, al which time it was removed into an office elected for its use on North Second street, in which its joboffice is now operated. When this paper was started the eldest of the brothers - Earl - was thirteen and the younger - Horace - was but nine years old. These brothers continued the publication of the Star News for nearly ten years - the last number appearing as Volume X, No. 46, in May, 1904. After receiving a copy of one of the early issues of the paper a representative of "The Trade Press," a practical printers' magazine, published at Chicago, called at the Star News office to see the boys and their outfit. In the October issue of "The Trade Press," in 1895, appeared the following notice, as reported by the Press representative :

"The town of Decatur, Indiana, claims to have the youngest newspaper publishers in the country. They are the Snow Brothers - Earl, who is thirteen years of age, and Horace, who is but nine. They have published the Star News regularly every two weeks since July 14, 1894. These boys do all of the writing, composition and press work and are very successful in soliciting ads, which are set in the most original sort of ways. They are readers of the Trade Press and it is their ambition to some day be able to publish a trade paper, an 'awful big one,' like the referee." The Star News reached a subscription list of about four hundred and fifty and had subscribers in nine different states, and exchanges in Toronto, Canada, and Bombay, India. The purpose of the parents of these brothers was to encourage the boys in the habit of reading and mental improvement. Also to give them at first hand an opportunity to become practical printers and newspaper men. As a result the younger, Horace H., devotes his entire time to job printing, having recently greatly enlarged his facilities by adding new and modern machinery and equipment. His work favorably compares with the best seen in the city. The elder brother, Earl E., secured and accepted a position as reporter on the Evening Journal, a position in which he served successfully for several years. He is now local staff correspondent for the Indianapolis News, the Muncie Star and the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. The purpose for which the Star News was established having been fully accomplished, the paper was discontinued at about the tenth year of its existence without ever missing an issue on the day of publication.

The Daily Evening News

The Daily Evening News was the second daily newspaper of any continuance more than a few weeks published in the county. It was started June 3, 1891, by Patrick J. Bobo and Edward Martin in one of the upstairs back rooms over the present Democrat office, on east side of Second street. It was a sixcolumn folio, with patent inside printed from telegraphic plate. The local matter was printed on the Democrat press, then owned by Norval Blackburn. The partnership continued but a few months, when Mr. Bobo became proprietor and publisher. The office was then removed to the Wei fry building on the east side of Second street across from the court house, and new machinery and presses added to the equipment. The Daily Evening News was non-political, though it was not slow to express its ideas on any civic question under consideration by the city council or any constituted corporation or firm operating in the city. In May, 1893, it suspended publication as a daily. The same publisher at once started the Weekly World.

The Weekly World

The Weekly World was started on the 12th day of May, 1893, its publisher using the same machinery that had published the Daily Evening News. At first it was an eight-page, four-column folio, but was subsequently changed to a two-column pamphlet of from thirty to fifty pages as the advertising and the news matter from time to time demanded. This publication was continued until November, 1896, and suspended, the job office material and presses sold to the publishers of the Star News and the subscription list to the Decatur Democrat. The later issues of the Weekly World were very outspoken as to some of the existing conditions in Decatur. However, it may be said in all fairness that Mr. Bobo had few equals as a pointed descriptive writer and never for a moment countenanced some of the shades of immorality in certain classes of the community that have in many subsequent instances escaped the notice of more recent publishers of Decatur newspapers.

The Decatur News

building on East Monroe street by Nerval Blackburn. The circulation of this weekly publication reached near the thousand mark at the time of Mr. Blackburn's death on the 15th day of January, 1901. The paper was disposed of at administrator's sale and went to the control of B. F. Kizer, who conducted it for about a year and a half, to June, 1902, when it suspended publication. Mr. Blackburn, the former editor and owner of the Decatur Democrat, believing that he was advocating a just cause in opposing some irregularities in certain county offices, started the Decatur News and at once began the execution of his purpose of bringing the delinquents to an account of their stewardship as public officers. After much delay and a number of lawsuits being filed and judgments rendered against the delinquent defendants, the county board of commissioners appointed a committee of three - the county attorney, who was serving during part of the "sleightof-hand" performance; the then county auditor, in whose office there was a fire started in a bunch of road receipts, which afterwards proved to contain some receipts with numbers raised in many instances from cents to dollars, and the third member of the committee a conservative citizen of Decatur, whose integrity was unquestioned, who had served as a deputy county clerk and had a good general knowledge of public records. This committee made its report under oath which virtually substantiated all the allegations made by the publisher of- the Decatur News. Mr. Kizer, the second owner of the News, was a good scholar, a forceful writer, but was not a practical newspaper man, and let the patronage of the paper pass from its support without any apparent power to hold or increase its circulation or influence.

"To the Honorable Board of County Commissioners of Adams County, Indiana : "Gentlemen - We, the undersigned, your committee, appointed to investigate alleged irregularities in relation to road tax and road receipts of Adams county, Indiana, beg leave to report that we have investigated the matter as fully as possible and have made an examination and comparison of the following records of papers covering the years 1892, 1893, !^94 an(l ^95, namely: Tax duplicates, treasurer's register of road receipts, road lists issued by the auditor to various township trustees, and what road receipts were found on file in the auditor's office. We find discrepancies between the amounts of road tax charged on the tax duplicate and the receipts issued thereon; that some of the receipts show unmistakable evidence of having been altered, after having been issued, while others indicate that they have been issued for amounts in excess of taxes charged, and still others were issued to persons whose names we fail to find on the tax duplicate. A full memorandum of our investigation, which is made a part of this report, is herewith submitted in book form.

The Democratic Tress

removed to Decatur and placed in the Glass building, on North Second street, and a joint stock company formed of forty shares for the publication of a newspaper in Decatur. That paper was named the Democratic Press, with Lew G. Ellingham as owner of twenty-one shares and the other shares distributed among twelve others, among whom were six acting county officers, no one of whom. held more than three shares of stock. The ultimate purpose of this publication was to control the political field and secure the public patronage as offered by the county offices. This required but a little over a year and a half of the combined efforts of the Press management. In August, 1S96, the Press Company purchased the Decatur Democrat and transferred its subscription list to that paper and discontinued the publication of the Democratic Press with Volume II, No. 96, on the 13th day of August, 1896. With that date the Decatur Democrat ceased to exist. The new management changed the name of the paper to that of The Democrat, a name the weekly still retains. As to the immediate cause of the suspension of ownership of the Decatur Democrat by Mr. Blackburn there are several opinions, one of the most prevalent, perhaps, is that of over-confidence without the careful oversight of the minor details of the newspaper business.

The Independent

The Independent was started in 1875 by A. J. Hill, the former editor of the Decatur Eagle. The editorials of the first issue of the Decatur Democrat were offensive to Mr. Hill, who started the Independent perhaps as much to be represented in his community as for any other motive. The paper had but a distributing office in Decatur, as its local news and advertising was sent to Fort Wayne for composition. It was a sevencolumn folio, the one side plate matter, the other such local news and editorials as were furnished by its editor. Mr. Hill, it will be remembered, was for a number of years the editor and owner of the Decatur Eagle, a weekly paper published in Decatur. When he went to the army in 1863 the plant was leased to other parties and last to Callen & Hudgel, who continued the publication until Mr. Hill's return in 1865. Not since the Eagle or its successors have been published have there been two more forceful writers connected with these papers than Dan J. Callen and A. J. Hill. They never feared to tell the truth, lest some "cheap sport" would expose some sneaking, immoral act of theirs. They could and did publish the news. In politics they never made "fish" of one man and "fowl" of another, or take his money with one hand and drive a political dirk into his heart with the other. Forbearance draws the curtain before the scene of some of those more recent in the editorial field. The editor of the Independent for many years resided in Decatur and was one of the local staff correspondents of several of the larger city papers. Mr. Callen, after leaving Decatur, returned to Celina, Ohio, and conducted one of the local papers for several years. The following descriptive article as regards "Grady's Great Shows" may give some idea of his style of writing: hibition of any kind. It was entirely too cool. We are in the habit of associating the appearance of shows with the good old summer time, when it is possible for a person to wear about twenty pounds less clothing than is deemed necessary for comfort during the winter months. However, I took this show in from 'a to izzard.' I stagged it. That is, I didn't take my girl, although she is very fond of strange animals, and used to think that I was 'it'. I asked her to marry me once. She said 'not on your tin-type, but I'll be your sister.' This is her exact and somewhat classical language, and I concluded it to be a refusal. So 1 told her I was slightly overstocked with sisters, but if it was all the same to her that she might be my grandmother. Since then I've been going to shows by myself and kindly permitting her to remain at home alone. Early in the afternoon a careful observer might have seen me slowly sauntering out to the show grounds by the Fornax mills. It was the coolest and rawest August day I ever saw. We have several of that kind every fall. I first arrived at what is technically known as the 'side show,' A large smooth-faced man stood on a box in front of the tent. Every once in a while and sometimes oftener he'd yell out: 'Here's the place to see the snake charmer, the dwarf and the great Russian giant. This brave battle-scarred veteran of a hundred fiercely contested actions owes his escape to a rapid application of the soles of his pedal extremities to a widely separated section of the Orient as the length of his legs would permit. Get your tickets and walk right in. Only a dime, one-tenth of a dollar, or ten cents.' I paid the price and went in out of the cool fierce wind. After I got in there I had that peculiar feeling of a man who has attended a sale of uncalled-for express matter and bought a large box labeled 'watches.' There was nothing there fit to look at. I saw several ugly old girls roosting around on boxes, offering indecent pictures for sale. I also saw the giant and the dwarf. Nearly everybody overlooked them. The giant was the smallest specimen of his kind in existence, while the dwarf has the unique distinction of being the biggest dwarf in the world. About the time everybody got disgusted and was preparing to sneak out a disreputable looking villain got upon a box and motioned the men to come near him. Then he said that just back of him there was a sort of private show designed for men only. That settled it for me. I didn't care to see anything that was not fit for a woman to look at. However, I did go in just to see what men were so lost to all sense of decency as to attend a performance of that description. Then I went over to the big show. There was a barker in front of the tent, who upon seeing me approach, bawled out : 'Here's the place to feast your learned optics on a mammoth combination of strange, unique, rare and curious birds, beasts and reptiles, gathered together at immense cost from the ice-bound shores of northern Greenland to the torrid swamps of equatorial Africa. Only fifty cents - children twenty-five.' Once more I dug up and entered. And once more I had that feeling of a man who has innocently married a woman with false teeth, false hair and a wooden leg. I saw a water buffalo, a sacred bull and three or four fat camels. I also saw a large elephant storing away new cut hay in an aperture in the lower part of his abundant face. For a while I was lost in admiration of his lovely complexion. An ordinary elephant has a complexion like a Mexican adobe - generally has about twenty-five square yards of it. In one of the cages I noticed a medium-sized baboon languishing in solitary confinement. He seemed unsocial and hard to approach as a telegraph operator. No smile of welcome illuminated his melancholy mug. He looked as though his parents might have come from Cork. He was engaged in an entomological research and was confining his field of activities to his own person. I then went into the circus department and bought a reserved seat and sat down on it. The circus was very ordinary. I saw several bareback riders. They were riding big fat stage horses which entered the ring in a lope but soon slowed down to a walk. The only redeeming feature of the entire circus was the introduction of the slack-wire performer, the Madamoiselle Bombooselle, and the Japanese specialties in juggling. Of course there were the usual spring-board exercises, in which four or five thinly clad individuals ran down a slanting plank and turned somersaults over an alligator and some other animals. When the circus came to an end every one who had a dime and felt like parting with it was permitted to stay for the concert. I borrowed a dime and stayed. I've been sorry of 'it ever since. A girl dressed in invisible silk came out and bowed to the intelligent audience, spit on her hands and jumped up on a platform. Then somebody started something that was intended for music. As soon as the girl noticed it she began to kick and grab at something up over her head. I asked the man from whom I had borrowed the dime if he knew what ailed her. He said that she was dancing the skirt dance. Then

The Democrat

About fifty years ago the Decatur Ea'gle began its existence in a small single-story, two-room building partly plank and partly logs. This house was located on inlot No. 54, on the east side of Second street, near where the First National Bank is situated. In November, 1874, its publication was suspended and the Decatur Democrat was issued in its stead. In August, 1896, the Decatur Democrat ceased publication and the Democrat appeared in its place, and is now an eight-page, six-column folio, with a good circulation. The trend of these publications has generally been Democratic, but at certain times theyr contain a sufficient number of Republican announcements to impress the reader with some doubt as to what the "Democrat" means. The Decatur Eagle, for the last nine or ten years of its publication, was owned and operated by Captain A. J. Hill, who sold it in November, 1874, to Joseph McGonagle, who by agreement with the Decatur Herald publishers, discontinued the Decatur Eagle and started the Decatur Democrat. The Herald at once suspended publication. In 1879 tue Decatur Democrat passed to the ownership of S. Ray Williams, who conducted its publication until August, 1 88 1, when A. J. Hill became its owner and editor for a short time, when it was sold to the firm of Roth & Cummons, of Bluffton, who operated the paper until the fall of 18S3. at which time Norval Blackburn became its editor and proprietor. As such he continued until August, 1S96, at which time the office and plant was sold to the Democratic Press Company, a rival publication, of which Lew G. Ellingham held a controlling interest. The Decatur Democrat office was rearranged, new and modern furniture was placed in the front office and the surroundings given a metropolitan appearance.

Its offices have been in a number of locations, but its present one is on the east side of Second street near Madison street. This location it has continuously occupied for more than twenty-five years. The office from time to time has undergone valuable improvements - the first that of setting type by machinery - a simplex machine being put in about 1900. Later a Merganthaler linotype, which makes the type as needed for use, and greatly facilitates the composition work of the office. In 1906, the motive power was changed from a gas engine to an electric motor, a hot air furnace was put in use as a heating plant and a new and improved Whitlock press was added to the mechanical department of the office. In connection with its weekly publication, The Democrat, a daily paper, is published, known as the Decatur Daily Democrat. The first issue of this daily paper was published on the 12th day of January, 1903, and is now in its fifth volume. In the spring of 1906 it encouraged a diamond ring contest which temporarily increased its subscription list. In the summer of 1906 its competitor, the Decatur Evening Journal, suspended publication and its subscription list was transferred to the Decatur Daily -Democrat, which has materially increased its circulation. The 1 it - . erary wants of the country people can no longer be satisfied by the weekly paper, as a

The Decatur Journal

The Decatur Journal made its appearance' on the 1 6th day of September, 1879, witn D. G. M. Trout as editor and George S. Staunton as publisher. The publication was a seven-column weekly folio, Republican in politics, and the second really Republican newspaper published in the county, the Young American being the first. The Journal office was located in the Welfry building on the east side of Second street, across from the public square. This publication has frequently changed location and managers. Mr. Trout sold his interest to E. A. Phillips, who sold to Shaffer Peterson, and he to E.

D. Moffett ; he to B. W. Sholty, and he to Kirby & Andrews; they to William E. Ashcraft, who put in the first steam motive power press used in Decatur ; this was done in the fall of 1892. He then sold the plant to Douglas & Poiter, of Plainfield, Indiana. They disposed of the plant to Frank E. Everetts in 1S97, wno so'd the property to C. M. Kenyon in February, 1898. Mr. Kenyon made several important improvements and changes in the office and sold the outfit to Harry Daniels in 1900, and in June, 1903, he again became the owner and editor of not only the Decatur Weekly Journal, but also the Decatur Evening Journal, which was started in the latter part of 1897 by Frank

E. Everetts. Mr. Daniels published the morning and evening editions of the Journal. The morning edition was intended in particular for the rural route delivery. In the fall of 1906 Mr. Kenyon discontinued the publication of the papers and the property went into the hands of a receiver, who eventually sold it to a joint stock company, which is now publishing the Decatur Weekly Journal. For the last several years the Journal has had a fight for its existence, perhaps for the reason that there has been some fierce fights within the ranks of the Republican party in the county over the federal appointments, and at times, at least, its columns have been adverse to the successful candidates for congressional honors. In some counties where the administration party is in the minority the postmasters have operated the party's political paper. Of late years that is the exception in Adams county. This paper has had a number of able writers and had not its party devoted its energies to sectional grievances its efforts would have produced effective results much greater than it has yet attained. At this time the Decatur Weekly Journal is under the control and ownership of a joint stock company, with P. L. Andrews as editor and general manager.