Madison County, Indiana - Chapter 12, 1897

Chapter 12

Governors William Hendricks, James B. Ray, Noah Noble - in fact all the early Governors of Indiana, were very solicitous concerning the development of the State's resources, and conse(iuently were deeply interested in the public hisrhways, whether they were by land or water. In a message delivereil before the Legislature in December, 1820, Governor Ray said : " On the construction of roads and canals, then, we must rely as the safest and most certain State policy to relieve our situation, place us among the first States in the Union, and change of h.ard times into an open acknowledgment of our contentedness. We must strike at the internal improvement of the State, or form our minds to remain poor and unacquainted with each other ! " Governor Noah Noble, who succeeded Governor Ray, urged upon the Legislatures of 1831-4 the importance of a well-defined system of public improvements. The people had become aroused upon the subject and demanded the adoption of measures necessary to the development of the State's resources. At that time canals and railroads were being constructed in various parts of Indiana, and it became necessary that a general system of internal improvements should be adopted. Accordingly, the General Assembly of 1836 passed an act providing for the appointment of a Board of internal improvements. The Board consisted of six persons, appointed by the Governor, " by and with the ad\ice and consent of the Senate and the Canal Commissioners then in office." This Board had general supervision of all internal improvements in the State. Among the important works specified in the act was -' the Central canal, commencing at the most suitable point on the Wabash & Erie canal, between Fort Wayne and Logansport, running thence to Muncietown, thence to Indianapolis, thence down the valley of the West Fork of the W^hite river to its junction with the East Fork of said ri\er, and thence by the most practicable route to Evansville, on the Ohio river.'

The Legislature appropriated |3,5(>O.0(>0 for tlie construction of this canal and navigable feeder. Work was begun in 1838 on the division of the canal running through Madison county, but there came a revulsion of public sentiment in 1840 against any further appropriations for internal improvements, and work on the canal was abandoned never to be resumed. In this connection the following is given, principally for the reason that the circumstances, although familiar to all the old-timers of Anderson at that period, have never been related in any history or "musty chronicle" of Madison countv.

The men employed on the construction of the canal were like they are usually on all public works, very largely of foreign birth, and in this instance a majority of them, Irish. While the work was in progress in the vicinity of Anderson, they lived in huts or " shanties'" east of town and along the line of the improvement. At that time there was a public house, or "tavern ,"' built of logs and situated on the southeast corner of the thoroughfares now known as Ninth street and Central avenue. The proprietor was an Irishman of the name of Ferriter, who, besides furnishing forth to his guests a sumptuous board, boasted that he had the best "old rye'" on White river. Being Irish, he \vas of course patronized liberally by his countrj'inen employed on the canal, especially whenever they wanted a draught of anything to drive awav "malaria."" It so happened that a number of the Irishmen employed on the canal were Orangemen, and between them and the Catholic Irishmen there was, of course, a feeling of bitter hatred which needed but slight provocation to manifest it.self in acts of violence. One of the Orangemen had been caught and severely injured by a cave-in of the bank of the canal, and had been removed to the " tavern "" where lie could be better taken care of b)- his friends. Another Orangeman described as a bright, active young man, was taking care of his injured friend. One day a party of Catholic Irish came across the river to the " tavern'" and after imbibing freely of Ferriter's " malaria" cure, became involved in an altercation with the young Orangeman who, seeing that he would probably be killed, ran from the premises to the house of Willis G. Atherton, Escj.. where he unceremoniously took refuge in a bed room. He was pursued by the infuriated Irishmen to the house, where they demanded that the voiing man be delivered up to them. Mr. Atherton was a hiw-abiding citizen, and ' while somewhat disconcerted at the sudden and unexpected outburst of violence at his door, was brave enough to refuse the demands of the excited Irishmen, who at once began throwing stones at the house. In the meantime the news of the trouble had spread abroad through the village and every man that had a rifle or shotgun, seized it and ran to the scene of the riot. They closed in on the rioters and several of the most violent and obstinate among them were arrested and placed in the log jail. The friends of the imprisoned men were determined on liberating them by force, and it became necessary for the officers and a posse of citizens to guard the jail for several weeks after the disturbance. They sent wonl to the ot^cials and citizens that they intended to cross the river as soon as they could prepare themselves, and rescue their friends, regardless of the consequences. On several occasions they came as far as the river opposite the village and fired a fusilade with their guns in order to terrifv' the inhabitants, and one night, believing they had the officers and citizens properlv frightened, crossed the river for the purpose of attacking the jail and liberating the prisoners. The officers had been warned, and when the mob crossed the river they found themselves surrounded by as brave and determined a band of men as ever settled in a new countr)'. Their guns and ammunition were taken away from tiiem and they were told that any further demonstrations on their part woidd be received as the acts of outlaws and the authors of them treated as such. This had the desired effect. There was no more disturbance and the imprisoned men were finally released from custodv.

Mr. T^Iortimer Atherton, who lives on North Meridian street in Anderson, has a vivid recollection of all the details of this affair and says that the officers' posse captured about a half peck of bullets from the rescuing party, manv of which had been moulded to fit shotguns. The residence of Mr. Willis G. Atherton stood on part of the ground now occupied by the Bronnenberg block on Main street.

The Andekson Hydraulic. '

A number of years after work on the canal had been abandoned, certain individuals considered the feasibility of completing that portion of the work lying between Anderson and Daleville and using it for hydraulic purposes. Nothing came of the scheme, and it was hnally dropped. In 1868, however, a number of public-spirited citizens began agitating the question of utilizing the canal. Great interest was taken in the matter by the citizens of Anderson and vicinity as it was thought that the enterprise, when completed, would result in making Anderson a city of the first class. Public meetings were held at which the speakerslocated mills, factories and other enterprises without number along the hydraulic. Anderson was pictured in glowing colors as the '- coming city "" in the State. Finally on the 19th of December, 1868, " The Anderson Hvdraulic Company " was organzied with capital stock subscribed to the amount of .f64,C00. The city of Anderson subsequently subscribed .$20,0(X) and issued bonds for the amount. The board of directors chosen bv the stockholders was comprised of the following persons : Peter Human, William Crim. H. J. Blacklidge. X. C. AlcCullough, George Nichol, Samuel Hughel and James Hazlett. The board org;tnized by electing N. C. McCullough. president, William Crim. treasurer, and C. D. Thompson, secretary. The company proceeded to let contracts for reconstructing the canal and a large force of hands was soon employed on the work.

The canal extended from a point opposite the village of Dalevale in Delaware county to the city of Anderson, being about eight miles in length. To the disappointment of many the work did not progress as rapidly as had been anticipated and people generallv began to lose faith in the benefits that would accure after it had been completed. In the meantime the funds of the company had been gradually reduced and by the time the work had progressed far enough to turn in the water the announcement was made that they were practically exhausted. Water was turned into the canal from A\'hite river at Daleville on the 4th of July, 1874, but the banks gave way at several places and it became necessary to shut off the water. The places that had been washed out were repaired but again gave waj- to the pressure of the water when a second attempt was made to flood the canal. The stockholders had lost confidence in the practicability of the scheme and refusing the glory of Anderson was abandoned. Eighty thousand dollars were expended on this work. It was afterwards sold by the sheriff of Madison county to Edward H. Rogers to satisfy judgments held bv him against the companj' for labor and materials furnished for its construction.