Delaware County, Indiana - Chapter 14: Muncie and Vicinity at the Beginning of the Last Quak I Er Century, 1908

In 1880 Muncie city had a population of 5,219; all of Center township had 6,681. Muncie was a city in civil status, but still had the population of a quiet town. South of the Big Four Railroad track were a few scattering houses. The town had made no growth west of the river, and in fact hardly extended west of Council street. None of the half dozen suburbs and additions that now border the north bank of the river had been planned. Taking the court house as a center and striking a circle with a radius of half a mile, the area thus limited would have included, in 1880, nine-tenths of the population and commercial and manufacturing resources of Muncic city. At the present time, to include a proportionate amount of the city, it would be necessary to lengthen the radius nearly four times, or nearly two miles.

In 1890 Muncie city had a population of 11,345, having doubled in ten years. In the same period Center township had increased to 12,879. ^ >s interesting to note that the entire county had a population, in 1880, of 22,926; in 1890, of 30,131. The increase in the county was, in round numbers, seven thousand; in Muncie city it was six thousand, showing that the increase in population during this decade was confined almost entirely to Muncie.

This is one way to tell the story, a graphic way - of Munice's growth from a town to a city. It is a favorite method of computing the growth of cities, but is misleading so far as a proper estimate of the city's resources and improvement are concerned. Population may remain almost stationary, yet a community may advance in material development, in public spirit and civic improvement, in education and general culture and morality t" a degree that the general census tables would never indicate.

For citizens of Delaware county, the story of progress during the last twenty-five years should have never-failing interest. The city was merely the center to which were turned the resources of the entire surrounding district, and for that reason the history of the surrounding country is told together with the story of Muncie's progress from a town of five thousand people to a city of thirty thousand. Before beginning a chronological narrative of the history of the city and vicinity during the past quarter century, it will be well to take a brief resume of Muncie at the beginning of that period.

Muncie lias long outgrown the institutions and improvements which she possessed in 1880 - save one, the city hall at the corner of Jackson and Mulhcrry streets. This old building, now headquarters of the fire department, seems to demand some mention at the outset. The land on which it stands was bought in 1872 from Kirby brothers, but it was two years before the brick building was completed, in which were quarters for the fire department, council room, and city calaboose. The cost, up to May, 1874. was $5,402.64, but by 1878 nearly fourteen thousand dollars had been expended on land and improvements for the city at that corner. In the meantime, the original building having been found to be inadequate, several thousand dollars were expended in additions, after which the building appeared practically as at the present time. The city hall as thus completed became and remained for some years an important center of city affairs. The public library and reading room were located there until their removal to the present library building. The fire department, the police department, the mayor's and clerk's office and all departments of the city government had their quarters there.

The following sentences from the mayor's report of May, 1878, are a general description of Muncie's status at that time: "The fire department . . . is in a sufficient and satisfactory condition, and is believed to be acceptable to the city and public. From the report of the city board of education it is proper to say that the whole system of our common schools, embracing the academy, appears to have been well and safely controlled. All our school property ... is free from debts of any kind, and the treasury with means to further provide educational facilities. ... In this connection I desire to call your attention to the public library as one of the departments of general education ... In the past, some efforts have been made to establish a board of health. . . . But thus far without success. Many fears are entertained that our sanitary condition as a city is not what prudence would dictate nor safety require. . . . Necessity makes it a duty that your attention should be called to the city prison. Decency and common humanity requires that persons of both sexes should not be confined in the same room. Our present situation is such that a temporary separation only can be maintained. . . ."

These reports are chiefly noteworthy as indicating what Muncie city did not have in 1880. There was a fire department, but it was a volunteer service, and while a Babcock fire extinguisher, a steam fire engine, a team of fire horses, fire cisterns, etc., were among the equipment, the department had little of the efficiency and completeness that are now demanded. The schools and the public library were sufficient for the time. However, of the improvements and conveniences that arc none the less prized because so generally supplied, Muncie had only a beginning in 1880. The streets in the business portion were graded and graveled, but were uneven and covered with ruts, muddy and sometimes hardly passable in bad weather. There was considerable flag-stone sidewalk, but at the sides as well as in the center the streets were unattractive in appearance and many of them inconvenient as thoroughfares. Though much money was expended each year for drainage, nothing approaching a sewerage system had been begun. Cesspools and underground vaults were in common use, the rains passed off by surface drainage, and, as the mayor pointed out, the sanitary condition of the city called for serious consideration and action on the part of the authorities.

From the condition of the streets our thoughts naturally pass to the methods of lighting them. Muncie has had a variety of experience with street lighting. The oldest resident can doubtless remember when the heavenly luminaries were the only sources of light by day or by night. The fitful rays of a tallow candle sometimes stole from the houses around the square and made more prominent the gloom of the streets, or a wandering lantern lighted the footsteps from store to home. Some years later came the kerosene oil lamp. These served as beacons to guide one from point to point rather than really to illuminate the streets. In 1S62 it was first proposed to light the streets with gas, inducements being offered by the town for the location of a plant for manufacturing gas. But the primitive methods of lighting continued for many years. Again and again the city council considered the matter, but not until 1874 was a definite course decided upon, and even then no gas works were built. Five years passed, and in July, 1879, the firm of Miller and Kuhn, from Pennsylvania, offered to build a coal gas plant, to erect cast-iron posts for street lights, and to furnish gas for city purposes at $1.65 a thousand feet. The city granted a franchise, and the company pushed the work with such energy that the plant was in operation before the contract time (Nov. 1, 1S79). The lighting of the gas was an important event to the little city, being described by the Muncie Times as follows: "Last Saturday evening, Oct. 18, 1879, at half past 6 o'clock, the illumination by the Muncie gas works took place. The 'gas tree' erected at the southeast comer of the public square consisted ci a gas P!PC standing perpendicular, to the height of about fifteen feet, 3M(1 from it protruded numerous prongs, arms, limbs and various unique contrivances. A large star adorned the top of the pipe, and immediately under it were the words 'Muncic Gas Company.' The evening being vcrv Mustcry, the wind blew out the lights occasionally, and while it was not the tucccss it might have been, it was a beautiful scene. The streets were crowded to witness tiie burning of the first gas from the new gas works, and Messrs. Miller and Kuhn start out under auspicious circumstances, there being sixty consumers on that evening." In 1882 the city was illuminated by eighty-three street lights, and gas was also used in the library and city building. Electric lighting was still in experimental stages, no one dreamed of natural gas, and so it was considered that Muncie had a modern and satisfactory system of public lighting.

The inestimable advantages of water works had not yet been afforded Muncic citizens. There was a well or cistern in every yard, and we have noted the fact that the fire department used fire cisterns located in various parts of the city.

One convenience had been just introduced into Muncie about 1880, and was an object of curiosity rather than practical use, when compared with its prevalence and efficiency at this day. Telephonic communication is now so familiar that it is rather difficult to appreciate the point of view from which the editor of the News regarded the introduction of telephones into Muncie, as described in the following extracts from that paper:

(Muncie Daily News, January 22, 18S0.) The telephone exchange that has been spoken of through the columns of the News at various times recently, is now a certainty, and at no distant day the people of Muncie can sit in their parlors or offices and converse with their friends in another portion of the city with almost as much satisfaction as if they were conversing face to face. As many are aware, the enterprise is being managed by Messrs. Wilcoxon & Son, J. M. and W. H. Long, and through their efforts the success of the undertaking is due. All the materials to be ii'-ed in the construction of the exchange have been ordered, and the work of erecting it will be commenced about the first of the month. The following are those who have already subscribed and will use it for at least one year:

Judge Buckles and Mr. D. Cammack have the matter under consider- | ation and if necessary arrangements can be made, will also have a line connecting with the exchange run, the former to his residence in the country and the latter to his mill five mills west of the city.

(Muncic Dailv News, March 8, 1S82.) It is two years this month since Muncic began enjoying the privileges and benefits of the system of j telephones, the wires of which span our streets at all points.

The companv owning and operating the Muncie Bell Telephone Company is composed of the same gentlemen originally introducing the enter- ; prise here, namely: Messrs. Lloyd Wilcoxon, J. M. Long, Charles Wilcoxon, ', manager, and Harrv Long, secretary.

The instrument's used arc the Bell Telephone and the Blake Transmitter. This is considered one of the most successful forms of the telephone for city exchange purposes and has proved highly satisfactory here, as a general thing. There are now in use sixty-two instruments, on_ forty-six lines, in this 'city, several instruments being in use on one circuit in a few instances. It is estimated that an average of five persons use each telephone. This gives us an aggregate of three hundred and ten people who are continually } accommodated by this convenience, whereby the calling of the Exchange places them in direct communication with any of this number, including public buildings, schools, stores, factories and residences.

Compared with many systems of city telephone lines and exchanges we may consider ourselves eminently well fitted and suited in the comfort, convenience and real reliability of our "Hello" contrivance, which is increasing 'ts ncw work °t wires almost every day.

Commercial and Manufacturing-. Muncie had considerable prominence as a business and manufacturing center at the beginning of the eighties, though it was mainly such importance as belonged to a county-seat town of five thousand people. Boycc's bagging factory, employing about a hundred persons, was the leading manufacturing enterprise of the city at that time. There were flour mills and saw mills, planing mills, a foundry and machine shop, and several factories for making special implements. Two national banks and one private bank, besides the various mercantile stores, were the principal features of the commercial district.

The business district had few commendable buildings. On the public square stood the old court house. North of it, the building now used as the Muncie Trust Company's home was the most conspicuous, and nearby was the Times building, which had recently been rebuilt. Walling Hall stood oh the west side, and Masonic hall at the southwest corner. Where the modern Wysor block now stands was a three-story brick building, using the old Wysor opera house. The best block in the city at the time, and in fact the first modern business block, was the Boyce block on the north side of Main between Mulberry and Jefferson. This was built in 1880, and was a distinct improvement on all the business buildings of the city at the time; in fact, was so far in advance of the times that many prophesied that its owner could never make it profitable. Across from this block was the Kirby House, with its mansard roof, at that time the most conspicuous building in the city. South Walnut street contained no buildings of note, "Rat Row," at the corner of Jackson, already being in disgrace as a business block. The city hall on Jackson and the high school building on West Adams were then ncw, especially the latter, and were pointed out with considerable pride by citizens as examples of first-class public buildings. None of the modern churches that are now so conspicuous had then been built, the railroad depots were eyesores to the citizens, and architecturally Muncie was at the beginning of her career.

It is common to refer the beginning of Muncie's modern era as dating from the discovery of natural gas. This is true in general, but a study of the city and county's affairs during the three or four years preceding that discovery leads one to believe that an unusual era of prosperity had already begun, and would have resulted in a remarkable degree of development even without the aid of gas. It will be remembered that the Civil war was followed by several years when the entire country advanced under tremendous pressure of enterprise and confidence. Then in the seventies came a disastrous panic, affecting every section of the country and retarding improvement of every kind. Confidence was restored and business and industry revived from this condition about the close of the decade, so that at the time now under consideration Muncie and the surrounding country had joined in the general progress being made everywhere. Building improvements are a fair index of local prosperity, and a summary of the amount expended during the year 1883 in this respect indicated an unusual state of prosperity in the county. It was estimated that $118,000 was the amount expended for this class of improvements in Muncie during the year, consisting of 160 buildings and additions. And at the same time similar expenditures in the county outside of Muncie amounted to two hundred thousand dollars, Union, Monroe and Liberty townships and the town of Albany being credited with the largest amounts.

With regard to the distribution of the population of Muncie in 1884 much interest attaches to the figures obtained in the school enumeration made in April of that year. This showed a total population of 5,820, 1,788 of whom were of school age. For school purposes the city was divided into four districts. The first district, lying north of the Big Four tracks and east of the Ft. W., C. & L., contained 1,189 persons, or 178 families. Between the Fort Wayne tracks and Franklin street were 1,864 people, or 414 families. West of Franklin street to the limits were 1,340 people, or 31Z families. While south of the Big Four Railroad, which comprised the fourth district, was a population of 1,427. or 316 families.

Several large public enterprises were undertaken by city and county during the years preceding the discovery of gas, but to Muncie the matter of most vital interest was the building of water works. The issue of water works was raised early in the eighties, and has never ceased to be a live one in all the succeeding years. In the early years the people were by no means a unit as to the wisdom of building water works, and the discussion over the subject did not lack interest, nor was logic wanting to either side in advancing arguments for or against the movement. The plan to establish municipal water works, only a short time after it was broached, brought out a very spicy article from Mr. N". F. Ethell. While expressing his opposition to the movement, he adds some comments concerning the status of Muncie's development and his opinions concerning the future that are particularly interesting to the present-day reader, aside from the bearing they had on the question under consideration. His article follows :

(Muncie Daily Times, January 19, 1882.) If the citizens of Muncie want water works it is, right now, the easiest thing in' the world to take steps to have tlicm. Petitions for signatures arc placed in the advertised places and a hundred signatures, as \vc understand it, will be sufficient to authorize the council to call an election to decide the question. The votes cast, if there be a moderately full expression of opinion by ballot, will be the basis for the future action of the council, and if we may judge from their actions, they will plunge headlong into the work, if given the smallest encouragement. Not a long time will be required to have a vote taken, money l>orrowcd, the preliminaries arranged, and then a small army of men will be tearing up our strccls, laying mains, piping houses, putting in hydrants, erecting stand-pipes, placing engines in position, and arranging for the new order of things. In a year or two, if the people wish it, we can have it to say to strangers, with a smile, "We have water works." That, no doubt, will be a satisfaction, and we can put out our fires by the new system instead of the old (probably not so well) ; we can have hydrant water to drink instead of well; we can sprinkle our yards so easily in dry times; and we may save a few cents in the year on insurance, and so forth. All nice enough, but then come the long years of heavy taxation, and groans innumerable from every side wearing off the smile of satisfaction, and probably leaving us to say "We paid dearly for our whistle."

A good system of water works will, some day, be a good thing for Muncie - if Mur.cie shall ever become a city of any size. But will that time ever come? Is there any prospect of our increasing in size - of growing large enough to justify the establishment of water works at enormous expense. Just now there is but little doubt that we are standing still, if not, in fact, retrograding. There are today a dozen empty yawning business houses on our two principal streets, and a number of dwelling houses in various parts of our city wanting tenants. Some of our citizens are leaving us for more energetic and thriving towns, and some of our manufacturers are "going west" to points where they can obtain assistance, and have a chance to grow.

Is it not well for our people to pause and ponder, before taking this momentous step - a step which they may always regret? If we must have water works, however, let due deliberation be had. Let the people see or know of some other plans than the one submitted for consideration. The only plan proposed is hardly understood and should be before them for many months. And while this consideration is being had let us hasten to get out of debt and accumulate some money in the treasury, so that we may not be compelled to borrow every cent required to place the works. It will be the easiest matter to get started into a lavish expenditure of money ; but who can tell where the end will be? It is certainly cruel to think of plunging into a vast debt when our treasury is empty and our city retrograding.

If Muncie were growing in population and business; if we had thriving manufactories in our midst and more coming in ; if our streets were thronged with vehicles conveying manufactured articles to the cars to be shipped to various parts of the country: if strangers were flocking in to become residents and to make investments of money; if the value of our real estate and other property were advancing; if the people could feel and know that there was a "boom" of some kind going on and that everybody was encouraged and happy and full of snap and energy; if all our workmen and mechanics were constantly at work as they would like to be; if our people were united as one mari in a full fixed determination to build up our industries; if all these things were so and visible, then it would be well. perchance, to plunge into the water works business with a grand halloo and whoop it up along with the balance of the good things going on. Or even if the great bulk of the gv-x\ people of Muncic were satisfied - thoroughly convinced - that water work:, were a full necessity and must be established, now and at once, why then, let the thing be done. Not otherwise.

It is plain to every passably observant person that the entire people aie not ready to plunge into this vortex of debt. It is doubtful if a bare majority are so ready. There does not seem to be a general uprising for water works. Some want them - as many don't want them. A few, for this or that reason - reasons personal to themselves - want them badly. For equally as good reasons as many do not want them. We arc not as yet a united people in this matter. The truth is plain to everyone that the time is not ripe for water works, at least not for the system arid plan now before the people - with no specimens of other systems or plans to choose from. And would it be right for a bare majority to force a large unwilling minority into a long course of taxation?

In the past, and not very far in the past, the people have been badly bored by hasty or thoughtless action, and have suffered for it, and are likely to so suffer for a long time to come. Too easy acquiescence in the acceptance of things as they drifted, or as they were quietly guided by scheming and unseen hands, has wrought mischief in the past, and the people have repented bitterly their good nature or carelessness. The revolution in the school board - a revolution brought about by two or three shrewd co-workers - is one example. It was done because the people were not watchful enough or careful enough of the first or initiatory steps. Of course the infernal hullabaloo set going by this event in our history should not be considered as a comparison with so good a thing as water works. But it is an example of what carelessness may do. The question is, are we ready to go to the expense of water works now, and just as we are commencing to build a $150,000 court house, $50,000 of which the citizens of Muncie will have to pay? It is a serious question, and should be so treated, and our worthy Counci'lmcn should be loath to ask or urge the people to do that which may bring upon themselves a load of trouble that the people will not forget or forgive.

A v ater works ordinance was passed by the city council April 14, 1884, but on January 19, 1S85, was repealed and a new ordinance passed, giving the mayor and clerk power to sign a contract for the erection of water works. The building of a municipal system was considered inadvisible or impracticable, and the contract was to be made with a private company. The contract was signed between the city and S. A. Wilson, A. L. Johnson,

X. F. Rose and S. M. Highlands, who were to organize the Muncic Water Works Company. The plant was to cost not less than $100,000, and water was to be furnished the city at $5,000 annually. A direct pressure system was to be built, capable of furnishing "an ample and constant supply of good, pure water for fire, domestic and manufacturing purposes." Equipment to be brick building, two pumps, etc., with capacity of at least two million gallons per day; at least seven miles of water pipes to be mainlined, with eighty-five hydrants for fire. At any time after twenty years from the completion of the works the city was to have the right of purchase, cither on terms of mutual agreement or as fixed by a board of three. The works were to be completed on or before January 1, 1887. The company, thus empowered, went to work at once, and by the following spring the streets were well torn up by the trenchers and pipe layers.

Opposition to the contract made with the company by the city was still apparent. Many citizens had doubts and misgivings similar to those expressed by Mr. Ethcll several years before. The council came in for a good share of criticism. In response to these objectors, Mr. T. F. Rose, a member of the water company, prepared a statement, in May, 1885, which is in effect a history of the water works up to that time, as also a defense of the action of the council and water company. Mr. Rose's article, in part, is as follows :

(Muncic Daily News, May 9, 1885.) The common council began to agitate earnestly the subject of water works as early as the summer of 1881, before any of the members of the late council were elected. That council employed a competent engineer, Frank Doran, of Richmond, Indiana, and mi the 6th day of December, 1881, he furnished a complete plan and specifications with costs for "water works amply sufficient to meet the requirements of the city until it has a population of 20,000." This was a plan for the works to be erected by the city and is substantially the same in size and capacity as the franchise granted to the company now erecting the works, except the pumping house will be located east instead of west of the citv.

The subject of water works was discussed from time to time, by the council and city papers, until the adoption of the constitutional amendment prohibiting cities from incurring indebtedness in excess of two per cent of the taxable property. Our city tax duplicate at that time showed a value of about $2,000,000, which made the plan impossible.

During the summer of 1883 J. D. Cook, of Toledo, Ohio, whose eminent qualifications and abilities as a water works engineer will not be questioned, was employed to prepare plans, specifications, estimates and costs of water works for our city. All who have taken the trouble to examine the information furnished by Mr. Cook will not say the common council acted unadvisedly. On the 17th day of January, 1884, the plans were submitted and shortly afterwards the council passed an ordinance establishing water works for the city of Muncie, to be erected by private parties and directed the city clerk to advertise for bidders. There were filed with the water works committee four propositions for the erection of the works.

The proposition finally accepted, after some changes, was presented some four or five months prior to its passage, and I can say in justification of the committee and council, a candid and careful consideration of the terms and requirements of the contract were discussed from time to time and fully understood by all. The proposition accepted was the best proposed, all who have examined will admit.

We learn from the records the expense of maintaining the present fire department will average over $5,000 per year, not including new fire cisterns every year or so, with the cost of an occasional fire engine thrown in. An estimate by the secretary of the Fire Insurance Board states that there is $2,500,000 worth of property insured annually in this city; with an efficient water works the rate of insurance will doubtless be reduced so as to save to the citizens from $3,000 to $4,000 annually. Then, as a financial problem, has not the city council acted for the best interest of the city, to say nothing about the free use of water for public buildings and schools, flushing of streets and sewers, the increased fire protection, sanitary facilities, encouragement to manufactories, and beautifying our city by clean streets, green lawns, graceful fountains and beautiful flowers, all of which have a money value in the sale of property and the comforts of homes.

The water works company prosecuted its work with such expedition that on July 31, 1S85, it notified the city council that the works were completed and ready for use. On October 19, following, the council directed the use of the water works according to contract.

At every council meeting during 1884 the improvement of streets and alleys was new and important business. The city was awake to the necessity of improving the streets and creating a more sanitary condition than had existed in previous years. The beginning of sewer building, the organization of a board of health, and many other public improvements had their origin in the years just before the "big boom." The Jackson street sewer, the first large sewer, which was built in the spring of 1884, did not prove very satisfactory to the people because of faulty construction. It was called "cloaca magna" and denounced as extremely unsanitary and no improvement on the old methods of surface drainage.

The year 1885 marks the beginning of electric lighting in Muncie. In February of that year Mr. J. H. Wysor, while building a skating rink on North Walnut street, negotiated for the use of "Brush's electric lights" to be placed in the building; whether they were installed and were the first used in the city is not known by the writer. October 19, 1885, the council granted James Boycc permission to erect poles for electric lights in his mills, residence and storerooms. Mr. Boycc soon had a dynamo in operation, and on December 19, 1885, the Boycc block and H. Klein's jewel ry store were illuminated by electricity, which was quite as much of an event as the first exhibition of gas lighting had been some six years before. Mr. Boycc soon extended wires to other business houses, and from this time the u5e of electricity for lighting made rapid progress.