Newton County, Indiana - The whole text, 1911 (part 3 of 3)

existing at Vicksburg. Next to the river was a very high bluff. In order to transport freight to and from the river, roads had been cut through the bluff, leaving a perpendicular bank on each side of a street. During the siege citizens had dug out tunnels into these banks. On each side of these hallways they had ex¬ cavated rooms in which hundreds of families lived, so as to be out of danger during the long siege, which ended by the surrender of the city to the forces under General Grant, on July 4, 1863.

Thomas Moore, being a member of the 99th Regiment, had been home on a furlough and was now returning to his regiment. We took a freight train out to the Black river bridge, the end of the railroad. We then had about six miles to walk. On arriving at the camp I found that Mr. Thompson had been sent up the river on a hospital boat to the general hos¬ pital at St. Louis.

A Trip To Vicksburg 243

home illustrated the condition of things then existing. About 100 miles above Vicksburg the boat stopped at a landing to take on wood. While the wood was being put aboard, a great many of the passengers went ashore and walked around, not suspecting any danger. After the boat had gone on for two or three hundred yards and we were passing some tim¬ ber, we were fired on by a large band of guer¬ rillas. The most of the firing was directed against the pilot house, but as this was pro¬ tected by boiler iron, the pilot was not hurt. Many bullets passed through the cabin but no one was struck. There were a few guns on board and the firing was returned, but the enemy were hidden in the bushes so closely that we could not see them so we did not know that our fire had done any damage.

For the protection of the river, the govern¬ ment had gunboats stationed at points to patrol it. It also had boats, each with a company of cavalry on board, and when such boats were attacked they would run to the nearest landing point, where the cavalry would land and make an effort, at least, to destroy the attacking force. Usually by the time they got to the place from which the attack had been made, they would find only peaceable citizens.

Upon my arrival home I notified Mrs. Thompson of the movements of her husband and she immediately went to St. Louis, where she found him. He was too ill to be brought home, and died a few days after her arrival.

Young Thompson was a good man, re¬ spected by all who knew him. He went to the army for no other reason than because he felt an obligation, as a loyal citizen, to risk his life for the preservation of his country.

Something happened about this time which had no relation to the war, but which came as a great hardship in a time of general distress. In the latter part of August, 1863, a heavy frost killed all the corn in the middle west, as far south as Cairo, Illinois.

A Trip To Chattanooga

A BOUT the 20th of December, 1863, Wil- ^ liam Graves and I left home to go to Chattanooga, he to look up his son, Lawrence, and I to look after George W. Deardufl. Both were members of Company H, 15th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, and both had been se¬ verely wounded at the charge up Missionary Ridge.

Mr. Graves and I first went to Indianapolis and procured passes for the trip, crossing the Ohio river at Louisville. From there we took a train for Nashville, where we remained over¬ night. Next day we rode on a freight train. Arriving at Stevenson, Alabama, we tried to get accommodations at the hotel for the night, but the best we could get was the use of a couple of chairs in the hotel office. Sometime the next day we got another freight train and rode as far as Bridgeport, where the railroad ended. We started from there to walk to Chattanooga, crossing the Tennessee river on a pontoon bridge. Night overtook us at Whiteside Station, near what was known as the High Bridge, which had been burned sometime be¬ fore. Learning that the 9th Indiana Regi¬ ment was in camp on top of a hill nearby, known as Raccoon Mountain, and having sev¬ eral acquaintances in that regiment, we made a call and were heartily welcomed. We spent the night there in camp. The next morning we came down off the mountain and took the railroad track toward Chattanooga. We had gone but a short distance on our way when we met General Sherman's men on the march back from Knoxville, and then on their way to Huntsville, Alabama, to go into winter quarters. Their clothes were in rags and many of them were barefooted, but the men them¬ selves were all right, except to look at. They had been ordered up from Vicksburg, taking part at once in the battle of Lookout Moun¬ tain and also the battle of Missionary Ridge, and after that, had been sent on the march to Knoxville to relieve General Burnside. Now, on their long march back, they were a sorrylooking lot, although they told us the worst cases had been sent down the Tennessee river on boats. Their clothes were mostly in tatters and they would not have made a very fine ap¬ pearance on dress parade. However, they would have been the equals in fighting qual¬ ities of any other like number of soldiers on earth. As we passed them on the railroad the continuous inquiry was, "How far is it to Bridgeport?"

Nothing eventful happened after passing these soldiers until about the middle of the afternoon, when we were stopped by a squad on a picket line, who demanded our passes. I had no trouble in showing mine, but William Graves, after a long search, finally concluded that his pass was lost. They, were about ready to start with him for headquarters when, after another search, he succeeded in finding the pass. We had a very pleasant visit with these soldiers before again starting. We divided our crackers with them, for we were carrying our own provisions. Toward night we reached Chattanooga. As early as possible the next morning we hunted up the parties we had come to see. We found Lawrence Graves badly wounded in the arm, although getting along very nicely. George Dearduff was in the hospital, wounded in three different places, two wounds in the shoulder and one just below the knee. The leg wound was so bad that the surgeons decided to amputate; but George, who was a Dearduff, fought against it so hard that they changed their minds. He said that if he had to die, it would be as the owner of two legs. He was then lying on his back, with his leg in a swing. He remained there for about four months before he could be moved or allowed to go home.

We remained at Chattanooga about a week. I had to leave George Dearduff, but Lawrence Graves secured a furlough and went back home with us. We left there the last day of December, 1863. We walked the railroad track to Bridgeport, stopping for the night in a big tent in which were stored supplies for the army. About three o'clock the next morn¬ ing we caught a freight train and rode to Stevenson, arriving there on the morning of that memorably cold day, January 1, 1864. About daylight we boarded a train going to Nashville and rode all day in a freight car, the coldest day I ever passed through. Wil¬ liam Graves used to say that all that kept us from freezing was the fact that a bunch of darkies occupied the same car and passed the day dancing and "patting Juber."

We reached Nashville, where we stayed all night, taking a train the next morning for Louisville. This was a passenger train, and we got along very comfortably that day. We were detained in Louisville two days, owing to the floating ice in the river, the ferry boats being unable to cross. We finally crossed and reached home on the first train into Kentland for four days.

forty-four years, dying October 29, 1907. Wil¬ liam Graves died December 15, 1908, in the ninety-third year of his age. Lawrence Graves is now living in Oklahoma.

During my stay in Chattanooga a circum¬ stance happened that seemed a little strange. Before going there, I learned that the 6th Ohio, in which my brother, Joseph, was serv¬ ing, was stationed there, so I had hoped to have a visit with him. Shortly after my ar¬ rival, I made inquiry as to the location of that regiment and was informed that the 6th Ohio, with other regiments, had been sent to Knoxville to relieve General Burnside. I then gave up all thought of seeing him, but a day or so afterward, in talking to a soldier, he told me there was a Joseph Ade, of the 6th Ohio, still in Chattanooga. Although his regiment had been sent away, he had been left in charge of the baggage belonging to the regi¬ ment and not taken on its march. He told me where this camp was, and upon going there I found it was indeed my brother Joseph, the only member of the 6th Ohio Regiment left

It was my good fortune, about forty-five years after, to re-visit Vicksburg and Chatta¬ nooga and note the changes that had taken place - from a condition of war to that of peace. In the first place, we needed no pass from a provost-marshal before we could go where we pleased all over that southern coun¬ try. Everywhere we went we were welcomed, and it may be truthfully said, "The swords have been beaten into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks."

On March 1 1, 1908, C. C. Kent, W. H. Rob¬ erts and myself took an auto ride around Vicks¬ burg. We visited the National Cemetery in which are 18,000 graves, 12,000 of which are unknown. These grounds are beautifully kept, and it is a great credit to the nation that the graves of its brave defenders are so faithfully cared for. From there we rode around the lines of the contending armies in 1863, along which are monuments and tablets showing the position of the different divisions of the two armies. The government has also constructed a fine macadamized road all along these lines, so that where, in 1863, this part of the country was torn up with zigzag trenches and lines of forts and breastworks, swiftly running autos now glide along smooth roads, and we enjoy the scenes stretched out before us in perfect peace, trusting that the scenes of carnage of that earlier period may never be repeated in our nation.

Vicksburg has not increased much in pop¬ ulation since the war. Although at that time it was located on the Mississippi river, it is now some five miles from that stream, the river having cut a new channel in its course, leaving Vicksburg that distance inland. To remedy this condition, the Yazoo river, which for¬ merly emptied into the Mississippi a few miles above Vicksburg, was turned into the old chan¬ nel of that river, in front of the city, so that at this time Vicksburg is not located on the Mississippi but on the Yazoo river.

A Trip To Chattanooga 253

Palm Beach, Miami, and then to the end of the Flagler railroad at Knight's Keys. We re¬ turned over the same route to Jacksonville and from there to Chattanooga, where we spent two days, arriving there March 25, 1908.

On Friday, March -27, we first went on Cameron Hill, then around the city, and from there we went through the National Cemetery. We rode out to the Chickamauga battlefield, one of the bloodiest of the war. This battle took place September 19 and 20, 1863. The men on each side numbered about 60,000; the loss on each side was about 16,000, or about twenty-five per cent, of the combined army. Running all through the old battlefields are good roads, along which are monuments, markers and tablets, showing the positions of the different divisions of the two armies dur¬ ing the two days' battle.

Near Crawfish Springs there is now a large hotel, where we took dinner. In the afternoon we went the length of Missionary Ridge, along which also are monuments and tablets, show¬ ing where the several regiments of the Union army made their famous charge up the steep side of the ridge. We found markers for sev¬ eral Indiana regiments, among which were the 9th, 1 5th and 87th, all from our part of the state.

Chattanooga has improved very much since our previous visit in December, 1863. At that time the settled population was about 1,300, and now they claim 73,000.

A S a fitting conclusion to the record of our patriotic soldiers, I will quote the won¬ derful address made by Robert G. Ingersoll, at Indianapolis, September 20, 1876:

"The past rises before me like a dream. Again we are in the great struggle for national life. We hear the sounds of preparation, the music of the boisterous drums, the silver voice of heroic bugles. We see thousands of assem¬ blages, and hear the appeals of orators. We see the pale cheeks of women and the flushed faces of men. In these assemblages we see all the dead whose dust we have covered with flowers. We lose sight of them no more. We are with them when they enlist in the great Army of Freedom. We see them part from those they love. Some are walking for the last time in quiet, woody places with the maid- ens they adore. We hear the whisperings and the sweet vows of eternal love as they lingeringly part for ever. Others are bending over cradles, kissing babes that are asleep. Some are receiving the blessings of old men. Some are parting with those who hold them and press them to their hearts again and again, and say nothing. Some are talking with wives, en¬ deavoring with brave words, spoken in the old tones, to drive from their hearts the awful fear. We see them part. We see the wife standing in the door, with the babe in her arms, stand¬ ing in the sunlight sobbing. At the turn of the road a hand waves. She answers by holding high in her loving hands the child. He is gone and for ever!

"We see them all as they march proudly away, under the flaunting flags, keeping time to the wild, grand music of war, marching down the streets of the great cities, out through the towns and across the prairies down to the field of glory, to do and die for the eternal right!

their side on all the gory fields, in all the hos¬ pitals of pain, on all the weary marches. We stand guard with them in the wild storm and under the quiet stars. We are with them in ravines running with blood, in the furrows of old fields. We are with them between con¬ tending hosts, unable to move, wild with thirst, the life slowly ebbing away among the with¬ ered leaves. We see them pierced by balls and torn with shells in the trenches by forts and in the whirlwind of the charge, where men be¬ come iron with nerves of steel !

"We are at home when the news comes that they are dead! We see the maiden in the shadow of her first sorrow. We see the sil¬ vered head of the old man bowed with the last grief!

"The past rises before us, and we see four million of human beings governed by the lash! We see them bound, hand and foot. We hear the strokes of cruel whips. We see the hounds tracking women through tangled swamps. We see babes sold from the breasts of mothers. Cruelty unspeakable! Outrage infinite! Four million bodies in chains! Four million souls in fetters! All the sacred relations of wife, mother, father and child trampled beneath the brutal feet of Might! And all this was done under our own beautiful Banner of the Free!

"The past rises before us ! We hear the roar and shriek of the bursting shell. The broken fetters fall! These heroes died! We look. In¬ stead of slaves we see men and women and children! The wand of progress touches the auction block, the slave pen, the whipping¬ post, and we see homes and firesides and school houses and books! Where all was want and crime and cruelty and fetters we see the faces of the free!

"These heroes are dead! They died for liberty! They died for us! They are at rest! They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the sol¬ emn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful wil¬ lows and the embracing vines! They sleep be- neath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of the sunshine or the storm, each in the win¬ dowless palace of rest! Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace! In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they have found the serenity of Death!

Kentland Fires

BEFORE the town of Kentland provided itself with the present admirable system of waterworks, it suffered from several severe fires. The first great calamity of that kind came on the night of December 13, 1870, when property to the value of over $100,000 was de¬ stroyed, without one cent of insurance. The fire originated in the Kent building, which stood on the east side of the present main street, or Third street, facing the railroad (the cor¬ ner now occupied by Mr. Rettinger's store building). It burned north to the corner now occupied by the Masonic building (corner Third and Graham), and also east along the railroad street, which was then the principal business thoroughfare. Kent's Hotel, which stood on about the present site of the large feed-barn, was one of the buildings destroyed.

It was a large and pretentious frame building (larger than any frame building in town at present) and shortly before the fire had been purchased by "Doctor" Nichols who was man¬ aging it at the time. Mr. Nichols is still living in Goodland. About fifteen buildings in all were destroyed.

On Thursday night, June 15, 1882, fire broke out in B. C. Kent's restaurant (which stood on about the present site of the Cum¬ mings law office), destroying that building and damaging several others. The sufferers were C. C. Brown, I. H. Coulter and Gilbert Goff. The total loss was about $5,000 with in¬ surance amounting to $3,000.

On Thursday morning, April 5, 1883, Kentland was again nearly blotted out of existence, twenty-one buildings being destroyed by fire. The loss was over $80,000. Those burned out were the Discount & Deposit Bank; Weedle & Coffman, restaurant; Gilbert Goff, dry goods; C. Rettinger, boots and shoes; D. P. Parks, harness; John Hubertz, residence and saloon; N. Kirsch, residence and saloon; H,

K. Warren, barn; Fred DeVoe, tinware; Chris. Arendt, boots and shoes ; People s Press , printing office; George Myers, barber shop; James Gauthier, groceries; Keefe Bros., gro¬ ceries and hardware; Mrs. Hull, millinery; A. C. Vanderwater, general merchandise; Mrs. J. D. Ganders, millinery; W. S. McCul¬ lough, drugs; Graham & Jones, law office; G. A. R. hall; Masonic hall; Newton County News, printing office; T. H. Harnish, pho¬ tographer; Poole Bros., hardware; John Pea¬ cock, real estate. There was partial insurance on most of this property.

On Sunday night, December 28, 1884, Kentland again suffered from a big fire, when the east side of Third street was once more wiped out, from S. M. Noble's store to the Perry cor¬ ner, north. Loss about $20,000.

On Thursday night, January 5, 1888, the dread visitor again spread ruin in Kentland. This time the west side of Third street suf¬ fered. The fire started in C. A. Wood's restau¬ rant, which stood on the present site of the brick building occupied by Judge Darroch and others, and spread south and across the al¬ ley to the north. Those sustaining losses were: T. Cunningham, building, $700; C. A. Wood, restaurant stock, $1,500; Gauthier & Son, building and furniture stock, $2,400. Other small losses aggregated $500.

On Wednesday morning, July 18, 1888, Kentland had another very destructive fire. The Brown elevator, the Bringham elevator, the Pennsylvania Railroad depot and eighteen freight cars were destroyed. The loss was over $40,000.

February 2, 1889, added another disastrous fire to the list. The Smith and Kent block (on the present post-office corner) was destroyed together with contents. The owners of the building, R. C. McCain, druggist, and Gilbert Goff, dry goods merchant, lost about $30,000.

Very early on the morning of February 20, 1890 (shortly after midnight), fire was dis¬ covered in the dry goods store of Florace Rosenthal, which was in a frame building that stood on the lot now occupied by the McCain drug store. The fire made rapid headway and destroyed the Rosenthal stock, also Willis Kirkpatrick's grocery store, Ephraim Sell's hardware store, George Arnout's dry goods store, L. M. Moulton's restaurant, and the I. O. O. F. lodge room. The buildings were owned by Mrs. Payne, John C. Williams and Charles Frankenberger, and the total loss was about $30,000, with $20,000 insurance.

On Sunday night, August 3, 1890, fire broke out in what was known as the Farmers' Alli¬ ance elevator, which stood south of the track and east of the present elevators. The building had been erected in 1886, and was purchased by Seneca Gilbert a few weeks before it was entirely destroyed. Loss, $27,000 with insur¬ ance of $1,600.

On November 15, 1893, the Williams Brothers & Company machine shop, west of the present opera house, was burned to the ground. The loss was $4,000 with $1,000 in¬ surance. A. Heilman's building, also the sta¬ bles of H. K. Warren and E. S. Steele were burned. The Williams property was shortly afterward rebuilt, and on June 1 1, 1895, it was

Kentland Fires 265

On Sunday, May 6, 1894, fire broke out in the rear upper floor of a building occupied by George F. Palmer and J. B. Dickson up-stairs, and by F. M. Oswalt's furniture store below. The building stood on the corner now occu¬ pied by Reed's furniture store. From that building the fire spread south to the L. W. Ross restaurant, the Harnish building (the up¬ per floor of which was the K. of P. lodge room) , the building occupied by T. H. Bergin and John Van Dyke, also the building next to the alley occupied by John Jackson as a meat market. Loss, $10,000; insurance, $6,000.

On January 15, 1902, fire was discovered in the upper story of the Kentland public school building. It soon gained such headway that nothing could be done to save the structure, which was entirely destroyed. It was a very good building, erected in 1871, at a cost of $23,000, on which there was insurance amount¬ ing to $8,500. A new school building, more

On Thursday night, April 14, 1910, about nine o'clock, an alarm of fire was sounded and it was soon discovered that the large transfer elevator, owned by McCray, Morrison and Company, and standing south of the Panhan¬ dle track and east of Third street, was wrapped in flames.

For an hour or two this fire threatened to be the most disastrous in the history of the town, as a gale of wind was blowing from the south¬ east and large, blazing firebrands fell over the entire business and residence district to the north, but owing to a plentiful supply of water and the energetic efforts of the fire company, assisted by volunteers, who worked on the roofs of threatened buildings, the fire was con¬ fined to the original building, which was to¬ tally destroyed, with all its contents. There were about 57,000 bushels of grain in the house, valued at $25,000. The property was valued at about $50,000. The insurance on the building and contents was $55,000.

A RECITAL of the following tragic occur- ^ rences may not belong to the formal history of this community, but I have ventured to insert them because of the local interest in the sad events.

Lulu Rider And Mabel Ross

On Monday, July 8, 1901, two young ladies left Kentland and started on what promised to be a most enjoyable trip to the golden west. They were happy and exhilarated, for they had looked forward through many months to this journey to San Francisco, to attend the international convention of the Epworth League. One of these young ladies was Miss Lulu Rider, the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George D. Rider. The other was Miss Mabel Ross, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs.

Levi W. Ross. Both were graduates of the Kentland High School, and both left home with the best wishes, not only of their parents, but of the whole community in which they lived.

All went along well on the trip until Wednesday morning at seven o'clock, when their train collided with a freight train on the Chicago & Alton railroad, two miles west of Norton, Missouri. It was a head-on collision, caused, it was stated, by a misunderstanding of orders. The trains met on a curve on a high embankment, while going at high speed. The engines were demolished and the forward cars telescoped, while the foremost Pullman and sleeping cars were burned. The greatest loss of life was in the sleeping cars, among the vic¬ tims being the two girls from Kentland, also M rs. F. D. Gilman and Miss Dora Wickwire, of Goodland.

A relief train conveyed the injured to Kan¬ sas City, where they were cared for at the St. Joseph's and University hospitals. On the journey from Slater four of the injured died,

Wednesday morning Kentland was plunged into intense excitement, and the families of the two girls almost prostrated, when indefinite news of the wreck was received over the wires. Soon there came a telegram from Dr. Spotts, of Blackburn, Missouri, stating that Mabel Ross had been burned in a train wreck and was in St. Joseph's Hospital at Kansas City. Shortly afterward came a telegram from Agent Cable, of Blackburn, advising that Lulu Rider was severely scalded and had been removed to University Hospital, Kansas City. Meanwhile the two fathers were on their way to the scene of the disaster.

At four o'clock A. M., Thursday, Agent Smith, at Kentland, who had been at the key¬ board all night, with friends and relatives of the two girls, received a telegram from George Ade, of Chicago, conveying the sad news that Lulu Rider had died at seven o'clock Wednes¬ day night at University Llospital, Kansas City. Mabel Ross was not mentioned in the dispatch,

At half-past eight o'clock, Harry Davis wired from Chicago that Lulu Rider and Mrs. Gilman were dead and Dora Wickwire had a hip dislocated. ;

Was this young lady Mabel Ross? This was the unanswered question that caused a feeling of dread and despondency among all who tried to answer it. There was no break in the silence until after one o'clock, when the last, lingering hope was destroyed by the fol¬ lowing brief telegram :

Friday, July 12, 1901, was a mournful day for Kentland, as it witnessed a double funeral. At eleven o'clock A. M., the train bearing the remains of Mabel Ross and Lulu Rider ar¬ rived here. The bodies were taken at once to the respective homes, accompanied by a large number of sympathizing friends. In the after¬ noon preliminary funeral services were held in both the Rider and Ross homes. These serv¬ ices were simple but pathetic. The caskets were then removed to the Methodist church, which was overflowing with mourners and friends, and surrounded by crowds who could not get inside. The Sheldon, Illinois, choir sang several hymns. H. A. Wingard read part of the 23d Psalm. J. Cooper, the Pres¬ byterian minister, led in prayer, and J. C. Martin, pastor of the Methodist church, preached from the text, "But we sorrow not as those who have no hope."

It was nearly six o'clock when the separate processions left the church, going in nearly op¬ posite directions to the cemeteries. Lulu Rider was buried in Mount Zion cemetery, while Mabel Ross was laid away in the cemetery south of Kentland.

Patrick Keefe And James B. Roberts

On the morning of July 4, 1904, a party of us started from Kentland to spend the day at "Hazelden," near Brook. With little thought that anything could happen to mar the fes¬ tivities of the day, we drove into the farm from the south. On reaching the Joseph Ade farm¬ house, Mr. and Mrs. Talbott came running out to meet us and brought the terrible news, re¬ ceived over the telephone, concerning Patrick Iveefe and James B. Roberts. The news referred to had been received at Kentland after we left there, and had reached the town through the medium, first, of an early edition of the Indianapolis Star , which gave an ac¬ count of a wreck on the Wabash railroad be¬ tween Forest and St. Louis. As it was known that Mr. Keefe and Mr. Roberts were on that train, some uneasiness was felt in regard to their safety, and inquiries were started to ascer¬ tain the facts in the case. The first move made in that direction was to telephone William Keefe, of Raub, Indiana, as to whether there was anything in the Chicago papers regarding the wreck, as the town of Raub received Chicago papers on the Big Four route earlier than we did.

About nine o'clock Mr. Keefe answered back that the Chicago papers gave a list of the killed and wounded, but none was named as being from Kentland. However, he stated, there was a James B. Roberts, of "Catlin, In¬ diana," reported internally injured. The gen¬ eral impression at once was that a mistake had been made in the name of the town, and it seemed probable that the address of a passen-

Fifteen hours had elapsed since the accident, and those who knew him felt sure that he would, if able to do so, communicate with his friends to assure them of the safety of himself and his friend. Was Mr. Keefe also injured, or killed?

Dispatches of inquiry were sent, first to the Associated Press, of Chicago, then to the hos- i pital and to private parties at Litchfield, Illi¬ nois, at which point the accident occurred. At 10:10 o'clock, not a word had been received in answer to the several telegrams sent, and at that time the west-bound train arrived in Kentland. Will H. Ade, James Chancellor, George D. Rider and Bernard Roberts, a son of James B. Roberts, boarded this train and started for the scene of the disaster.

Will H. Ade and James Chancellor reached Litchfield at 5 130 that evening and half an hour later at the morgue they found the bodies of both Mr. Keefe and Mr. Roberts. They im¬ mediately made preparations for returning home with the bodies, and telegraphed to Kentland that they would reach there at 1 1 :io A. M., Tuesday, July 3, which they did.

Patrick Keefe and James B. Roberts started from Kentland Sunday morning, July 3, 1904, to attend the national democratic convention at St. Louis. Patrick Keefe was one of the democratic nominees for elector in Indiana, and James B. Roberts held the credentials of an alternate delegate. They drove to Effner, and at 1 1 130 A. M., took a train for Forest, Illi¬ nois, where they connected with a train on the Wabash leaving Chicago at 11 :o8 A. M., and due in St. Louis at 7:03 the same evening. At Litchfield, Illinois, a little after five o'clock, their train crashed through an open switch at the coal mines, within the city limits. The train consisted of nine coaches, seven of them being destroyed by fire. Eighteen lives were lost and thirty-five persons hurt, many of them seriously. Keefe and Roberts were both in the fourth car and were frightfully scalded by the steam and hot water escaping from the boiler of the engine. However, they were able to make their escape from the car before the flames overtook them, and were, by their own efforts, able to reach St. Francis Hospital be¬ fore the attendants at that institution had heard of the accident. On arriving at the hospital in a carriage which had been kindly furnished them, they were at once cared for by the doc¬ tors and nurses. They were placed on cots in

The attending physicians informed Ade and Chancellor that both men remained conscious to the last, Mr. Keefe dying about two o'clock Monday morning and Mr. Roberts about two hours later.

When Ade and Chancellor arrived at Kentland on Tuesday, July 5, 1904, with all that re¬ mained mortal of Patrick Keefe and James B. Roberts, a vast concourse of citizens was at the depot awaiting the arrival of the train. The body of Mr. Keefe was taken to the new and commodious home which he had just finished and furnished. The body of Mr. Roberts was taken to his late happy and comfortable home, from whence, but two days before, he had gone forth in the full strength of manhood, and with the prospect of a long life before him.

On Thursday, July 7, 1904, the funeral serv¬ ices of Patrick Keefe were held at the Catholic church in Kentland, and he was afterward laid to rest in the St. Anthony cemetery, seven miles southeast of Kentland, by the side of his wife, who had died twenty-seven years before. It was estimated that fully one thousand attended the funeral, and not less than one hundred and fifty conveyances followed the remains from the church to the cemetery. Patrick Keefe was born March 23, 1845. He died July 4, 1904.

The remains of James B. Roberts were laid to rest in the family burial lot at Pleasant Grove cemetery, about three miles north of Kentland, on Wednesday afternoon, July 6, 1904.

A short prayer and song service was held at the home at one o'clock. The funeral cortege was preceded by the Kentland Band and the Masonic order, in carriages, followed by a procession over a mile long, which nearly doubled in size before reaching the church. It was estimated that fully three hundred con¬ veyances and twelve hundred people drove up to the little country church door. Not onethird of those present could possibly gain ac¬ cess and were forced to remain outside in a drenching rain. All Newton county contrib- uted to this sorrowing throng, and business was entirely suspended in Kentland as a mark of respect to the deceased. Mr. Rogers, of Rem¬ ington, minister of the Christian church at that place, and a personal friend of the deceased, preached the funeral sermon. His eulogy of Mr. Roberts deeply affected the hearers.

Mr. Roberts was a member of the Masonic lodge, also a Royal Arch Mason. Owing to the heavy rain the ritualistic services of the order were held in the church, after which the remains were deposited in its last resting place. James B. Roberts was born in Washington township, Newton county, Indiana, on No¬ vember 25, 1856. He died at Litchfield, Illi¬ nois, July 4, 1904.

A Mill Accident

A terrible accident, by which two lives were lost, occurred at the Brook flouring mill on February 21, 1864* This mill stood on the south bank of the Iroquois, near the point now crossed by the Eastern Illinois railway.

Edgar Hawkins was father of Barnet, George, Frank and William Hawkins, all of whom became well-known citizens of the county. Mrs. Personett was a sister of Henry and David Jones, both remembered as resi¬ dents of Kentland.

Mr. Hawkins was one of the proprietors of the mill, and lived near it. Mr. and Mrs. Personett were visiting at the Hawkins home. During the evening, Mrs. Personett and Mrs. Hawkins went over to the mill and Mr. Haw¬ kins, carrying a light, started to show them the working machinery. Mrs. Personett's clothes were caught in a revolving shaft and in an in¬ stant she was drawn into the machinery and so mangled that she died within an hour. Mr. Hawkins tried to rescue her and was caught and drawn in, his arm being literally torn from

Mrs. Hawkins narrowly escaped death in her efforts to help the other two. Her clothes were torn from her body but she was saved by Morris Lyons, who succeeded in stopping the machinery.

WITHOUT attempting to enumerate all of the notable gatherings that have marked the history of the county, I wish to call attention to some recent public assem¬ blages that seem to me to have been of unusual interest.

Judge Taft At Hazelden

On September 23, 1908, there was held at the country residence of George Ade, two miles east of the town of Brook, what was un¬ doubtedly the largest and most interesting pub¬ lic meeting in the history of the county. Fully 25,000 people, coming from Newton and ad¬ joining counties, from Indiana and other states, met to take part in what was not only a political demonstration, but also a tribute by men of all parties to a distinguished American.

Special trains were run from all directions, and 200 automobiles, with hundreds of car¬ riages, brought the multitude together from every direction.

The Taft special left Cincinnati at eight o'clock in the morning, over the Big Four, was transferred to the C. I. & S. railroad at Sheff, and passed through Kfentland at n 145, reaching the town of Ade at twelve o'clock noon. Six big automobiles were in waiting at Ade to convey Judge Taft and party to Hazelden, and they reached the farm about 12:45. Upon their arrival they were at once seated at tables in the dining-room, where they partook of a luncheon already prepared and awaiting them.

At 1:15, Judge Taft was introduced to the immense crowd that had assembled on the lawn, facing the front of the house. Two long sections of circus seats had been provided and the crowd was massed conveniently for all to hear the speaking. Judge Taft spoke for al¬ most an hour, and his presentation of the issues of the campaign was dignified, forceful and effective. He was frequently interrupted by outbursts of applause, and at the conclusion of his speech was given a magnificent ovation. Immediately following the speaking, Judge Taft and his party returned to Ade and re¬ sumed their journey to Chicago.

The presence of Judge Taft, as well as his speech, had a magnetic effect on the vast throng, and the woods of Hazelden rang with enthusiasm during the remainder of the day. The Second Regiment Band, of Chicago, the Purdue Band, of fifty pieces, the Juvenile Band of Monticello, the Brook Band and the Harlequin Glee Club, of Purdue University, provided the music. There was good music all day, and plenty of it.

James E. Watson, republican candidate for governor, followed Mr. Taft on the program, and he was in turn followed by other speakers of note.

success. Everybody went home impressed with the fact that they had attended the great¬ est and most interesting political gathering ever held in this section of Indiana.

The new soldiers' monument at Brook was unveiled September 16, 1909. On the evening of the 15th the veterans and their friends as¬ sembled at Brook held an interesting "camp¬ fire," at which anecdotes were told and many war-time experiences related. Then came the speech of the evening, by Hon. E. D. Crumpacker, along patriotic lines. This speech was greatly praised and much appreciated by an audience of over 1,000 persons.

Thursday had been set apart especially for the unveiling and dedication of a monument to the deceased soldiers who had gone to the Civil War from Iroquois township. This mon¬ ument was erected in McKinley park, and is alike an honor to those whose names are in¬ scribed thereon and a credit to the patriotism

The morning opened bright and fair and visitors began pouring in from Kentland, Goodland, Morocco and surrounding country. When the first part of the program was called at io 130 A. M., fully 2,000 people had gathered, while half as many more were added in the afternoon.

The afternoon had one disappointment in store for those who came to hear Ex-Senator Mason. The band and entire delegation of old soldiers and citizens marched in a body to the depot to meet him, as the 1 \2 7 train pulled into the station, but he failed to arrive. The disap¬ pointed crowd marched back to the park, thrown entirely upon their own resources to carry out the program of the day. About two o'clock, J. B. Lyons called the people to order. After prayer by Rev. Snyder, music by the band and song by the school children, John Ade was called to the chair and he took up the task of directing the unveiling of the monu¬ ment dedicated to the living and dead soldiers

Recent Celebrations 287 Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration

Thursday, April 21, 1910, was a great day for Kentland and Newton county, for on that day was celebrated the golden anniversary of the organization of Newton county.

About a week previous to this time a public meeting had been called by the citizens for the purpose of making arrangements to celebrate the event. Committees were appointed to make the necessary arrangements, and well did the several committees perform their respec¬ tive duties.

remarkable from the fact that it was the only fine day we had for a long time, both before and after this date. There was nothing doing in the forenoon, except the meeting of old friends and acquaintances, the talking over of old-time incidents and the comparing of con¬ ditions existing fifty years before with those of the present day.

The afternoon program began with an auto¬ mobile parade of school children, each waving an American flag. There were about forty autos in the parade, conveying not less than 350 school children. All were singing songs and waving flags, showing that they were happy, and all who witnessed this unusual pa¬ rade were happy with them.

This parade was followed by a meeting in the court house, the courtroom being filled to the last inch, and scarcely one-third of those desiring admittance could get in.

John Ade, the only surviving member of the first roster of county officials, who were in¬ stalled fifty years before, on April 21, i860, called the meeting to order. He was im- mediately presented, by Sherman White, of Brook, with a gavel made from a part of the chinking between the logs of the building in which the first term of court was held, after the organization of Jasper county, in 1838.

The venerable C. McCain then offered up a prayer of thankfulness to the Author of all good for the many blessings enjoyed and asked that the same might long be continued to us.

This was followed by a short talk by the presiding officer. William Darroch then re¬ viewed the history of the courts of the county. He embellished his narrative with some good stories and also gave a history of some of the noted trials in the county. Fred H. Longwell then made a most interesting address, after which the meeting adjourned to the court house yard. Here the crowd was treated to a very fine display of Japanese day fireworks, something entirely new to many and a source of great pleasure to all. Then came a game of soft baseball between the business men of Brook and Kentland, followed by more fire¬ works and adjournment until 7 130 P. M.

At the night meeting, held in the court house, the presiding officer read letters from Judge S. P. Thompson, Judge Peter H. Ward, John B. Conner, J. C. Martin and Daniel Dearduff. He then introduced Judge U. Z. Wiley, of Indianapolis, formerly judge of Newton circuit court. Judge Wiley is a pleas¬ ing speaker upon any occasion, but especially so when the line of talk is reminiscent.

Judge Edwin P. Hammond was then in¬ troduced by the chair, and in his quiet, digni¬ fied manner talked for nearly an hour. His association with Newton county, he stated, ex¬ tended back to the days of the famous Bank of America, at Morocco, in the early fifties. Judge Hammond is a grand old man and Newton county is proud of the claim she has upon him.

Indiana Society At Hazelden Farm

invited to spend the day there and they ac¬ cepted the invitation. The make-up of the program for the day and the invitations to out¬ side guests was entirely under the control of the society, but the provision for feeding them had been assumed and arranged for by George Ade himself.

The day opened fine and the weather throughout the day was perfect, all that could be desired. The grounds had been beautifully decorated. Large flags had been unfurled and were gently waving in the breeze. About nine o'clock in the morning automobiles loaded with invited guests began to arrive from In¬ dianapolis, Lafayette, South Bend, Ham¬ mond, Rensselaer, Kentland and other points. By the time the special train from Chicago ar¬ rived at Brook, there were more than eighty automobiles on the ground ready to start for the station, some two miles distant, to convey the 500 members of the society to Hazelden. At 11 .*30 A. M., preceded by their own band, they formed a procession, marched in and took possession of the grounds for the day. By this

About 1 2 130 a procession was formed at the east end of the grounds, and, led by the band, it proudly marched to the west end, where am¬ ple preparation had been made for feeding the multitude. These preparations had been under the supervision of the ladies of the M. E. Church, of Kentland, Indiana. Fifty tables had been spread, seats arranged and waiters provided for each table. J udging by what took place in the next half-hour, the guests fully ap¬ preciated all that had been done for them. A partial list of the bill of fare was as follows : wife, Senator A. J. Beveridge, Ex-Governor Durbin and wife, Mayor Shank and wife, all of Indianapolis; John M. Studebaker and wife, and Joseph Oliver, of South Bend; to say nothing of the many well-known Hoosiers now living in Chicago.

Laying A Corner-Stone

At the time of the location of the county seat at Kentland, A. J. Kent donated to the county 160 acres of land, for the purpose of a poor farm, the same being the southeast quarter of section 23, town 28, range 8, west. This was never used for that purpose, and on the 17th day of August, 1872, John S. Veatch, then auditor of Newton county, by virtue of an order made by the county commissioners directing him to do so, offered the above de¬ scribed land for sale at public auction. The same was sold to Jonathan W. Stryker for the sum of $12.01 per acre.

1868, two hundred acres of land from Solomon and H. K. Warren, the same being the south¬ west quarter and a part of the northwest quar¬ ter of section 13, town 28, range 9, for the pur¬ pose of a poor farm. This land they held un¬ til June 6, 1872, when the above described land was sold to John Sell for $5,510. This land is now owned by Manro Sell and Fred Spangler.

In 1878 the commissioners purchased from W. H. H. Graham, trustee, 104 acres of land about four miles north of Kentland, to be used as a poor farm, to which has been added from time to time until now the farm contains a little over 300 acres. In 1891, George D. Rider took the contract and erected a large, commodious frame building, at a cost to the county of about $4,100. This building was used continuously until the night of January 18, 1910, when it was totally destroyed by fire. Afterward, on the 24th day of May, i9IO> commissioners made a contract with Fred Friedline and Company to erect a brick build¬ ing according to the plans and specifications furnished by John Bruck, architect, foi the sum of $22,985. When the walls were up to top of the basement story, the contractor and county commissioners requested the' Masonic lodge of Kentland to lay the corner-stone of said building, in accordance with the rules and usages of the Grand Lodge of Masonry of the State of Indiana.

We proceeded to the site of the building, and there, in the presence of a large delegation of Masons from adjoining lodges, and citizens of the county, proceeded to lay the corner¬ stone of the Newton County Infirmary in ac¬ cordance with the ritual and rules of the Grand Lodge of Masons of the State of In¬ diana.

IN noting the changes that have taken place in the last fifty or sixty years, we are very apt to record only the changes in what we call large things, such as the material development of the country, the building of railroads and the large expenditures for public improvej ments. But there have been marvelous changes in what we might term the little things which go to make up the comforts and pleasures of the house and home.

One of these changes, which I will first men¬ tion, concerns the use of artificial light. The majority of homes sixty years ago consisted of a single room, with a loft for the children above. The room below usually had a big fire¬ place in one end, generally five or six feet in length, and during the long, winter evenings the fire was kept brisk enough to furnish all the light needed about the room. When ad¬ ditional light was needed a saucer or small tin pan was partially filled with lard or some other kind of grease, then a strip of rag was in¬ serted in the grease and lighted, and this rude lamp was carried to any place where addi¬ tional light was needed. After this came can¬ dles, which were started by cutting strips of wick twice the length of the intended candle, then doubling the wicks and stringing them on sticks, the ends being tied. There would be ten or twelve wicks on each stick. Dipping these wicks in melted tallow and taking them out to let them drip was continued until enough tallow had gathered around the wick to form a candle. These were known as "dipped" candles, and the making of candles by this process was an important duty in all well-managed households.

Following this process came the candle made in molds. There were usually six made in each mold. The wicks were first inserted, then the melted grease was poured in. When cool enough the candles were removed from

About 1857 the first coal-oil lamp was intro¬ duced in Jasper county by LaRue & Brother, of Rensselaer. The oil at that time was in the crude state and sold for one dollar and fifty cents per gallon. Very few people at that time were brave enough to light one of these lamps in the house. It was several years before the oil lamp came into use, superseding candles for lighting purposes.

The next great advance came with the adop¬ tion of electricity for lighting purposes. The first use made of electricity for illuminating purposes in Newton county was at Kentland on Friday evening, April 20, 1894, when the town was first lighted by electricity. A. T Presson and Henry V. Templeton were the

There has been a wonderful improvement in the modes and methods of transportation. Fifty years ago the man who owned a Chicago made wagon stood at the top of the list and a spring seat for the wagon was entirely un¬ known. The nearest approach to providing a seat was to have iron hooks, two on each side of the wagon body, front and rear. A small, tough pole was hung on these hooks, one on each side of the wagon bed. Boards were placed on these poles, crosswise, to serve as seats. A little relief would thus be given to passengers in crossing the rough places in the road. Several years afterward spring seats were added, when specially ordered, by the makers of the best styles in wagons. It was not until after the war that carriages and buggies made their first appearance and it was several years later before they may be said to have come into general use. Later on, almost every farm hand was the owner of a horse and buggy. At one time the bicycle seemed to take the place of horse and buggy among the young men, but it soon lost out, and the buggy again came to the front. Now, within the past five years the automobile has taken the place of all other vehicles. Distance is almost eliminated, and the facilities for business or pleasure have

The changes in the manner of dress, both as regards male and female attire, are equally marked. In the early days the clothing was almost universally home-made. This included not only the garments themselves, but the ma¬ terial from which they were manufactured. Most of the farmers who were able to do so kept a few sheep. Once a year the wool would be loaded up and a trip made to Yountsville, a point near Crawfordsville, where there was a woolen mill. Here they would trade their wool for jeans and linsey - the jeans for the male members of the family and the linsey foi the female. Others spun the wool at home and did their own weaving. The women's bonnets were all home-made, and universally of a style known as "sun bonnets." The shoes were often home-made and had to last a year, or at least through that part of the year in which they were necessary. As a matter of fact, I have seen young women walk several miles to at¬ tend some public meeting, remaining bare- footed until they arrived in the neighborhood of the gathering. There they would put on their shoes, wear them during the services and when the meeting was over they would walk part of the way home, when they would remove their shoes and walk the balance of the way barefooted. Now, with the fashion hints received from The Ladies' Home Journal and like publications, both male and female resi¬ dents of the country and small towns demand the latest styles in footwear, and I don't know of any one who has a better right to them.

As this was a prairie country the early meth¬ ods of farming were somewhat different from the methods adopted in the older and more settled parts of the state. The plows were much larger, for one thing. In breaking the raw prairie, oxen were used exclusively. Gen¬ erally, there were four or five yoke of oxen attached to each plow. There were several reasons for using oxen. One was the scarcity of feed necessary for horses. Oxen could be worked all day and then be turned out on the prairie where they would get plenty of grass and be ready for work again the next morning. Another reason was, that the "green head flies" were so thick and such a torment that it was almost impossible to use horses. And still an¬ other reason was, a team of oxen could be rigged out more cheaply than a team of horses. The plows were much larger than the ordinary plow of to-day and turned over a furrow eighteen to twenty-four inches wide.

The breaking of prairie would begin in the spring as soon as the grass would get big enough to furnish feed for the cattle. The early plowing would generally be planted in corn, by dropping the seed on the edge of every second or third furrow, depending on the size of the plow. The later breaking would be put into wheat in the fall. By this method they would usually get a fair crop of corn the first

As the land became older and the sod rotted away, the field was prepared for corn by first plowing it and then furrowing it, both ways, with a single shovel plow. The seed was dropped at the intersections of these furrows.

The planter usually consisted of a small boy, although frequently it was the wife or daugh¬ ter of the farmer. The man of the farm fol¬ lowed along and covered the seed with a hoe.

Afterward a machine was invented for planting corn. This dispensed with the mark¬ ing except in one direction. Under the new method a boy rode on the machine, ahead of the driver, and when the spouts containing the seed crossed the furrows, he pulled a lever and that dropped the corn, and the wheels of the machine did the covering. This was a very great advance and enabled the farmer to plant many more acres than by the old system.

The next improvement was the check-rower which dispensed with the marking out and did the work that the boy did in handling the lever. Now one man can plant as much corn in a day and do it better than eight or ten men could under the old system.

In the work of harvesting the grain there has been a series of improvements. The orig¬ inal method of cutting grain was with the sickle. This was a slow, back-aching process

The first improvement along this line was the "cradle." While it was a great improve¬ ment over the sickle, it is now a back number. Many of our young people would get a wrong idea were they to hear the l<cradle spoken of as an implement of husbandry.

Next came the old McCormick reaper. This at first was a crude, heavy, cumbersome implement. A man had to rake the grain off the machine before it was bound. Then the self-rake was attached, which dispensed with the services of the man. Later, a machine was used upon which men rode and tied the grain in bundles, after which it was thrown off the machine to the shocker. The next move was the self-binder, first using wire, but, as this proved objectionable, twine was finally adopted. The twine binder is still in use.

order is the separation of grain from the straw and chaff. In this part of the farmer's work the changes are as great as any that have been mentioned. The original way of making this separation was by the use of the flail, or by tramping out the grain with horses. This lat¬ ter method, when there was no barn floor to Operate on, was to clear a piece of ground as clean as possible, spread the grain down in a ! circle, and then put the boys on as many horses * as the owner of the grain could furnish. The boys would keep the horses going around and around until the grain was separated from the straw. The straw was then taken away and the grain run through the fanning-mill, if one was to be had. In the absence of the mill, the grain would be thrown up in the air and the wind would blow away the chaff, the grain falling down in a heap.

The first machine to do threshing, that I have any knowledge of, was by single horse¬ power - the horse on a tread-mill. The power so generated ran a small cylinder. Under this method, however, the grain had to be run

The next step in advance was the traveling threshing machine which got its power from gearing attached to the hind wheels of the ma¬ chine when in motion. When threshing from the shock, the driver would pass along by a row of shocks, and one or more men afoot would throw a sheaf from each shock as it passed. A man riding on a platform would feed the grain to the machine, the straw would be scattered behind the machine and the grain be caught in a large box under the cylinder. This machine was provided with a fan and the grain was made comparatively clean. There were generally four horses used on the ma¬ chine and sometimes six. When threshing from a stack, they would load some ten dozen sheaves on the platform, then drive around a circle large enough to thresh that amount of grain, and repeat the operation.

long levers attached to a central cog wheel, and the power was transferred to the separator by shafting. This machine continued in use for many years and the same principle still continues, except that steam has taken the place of horses as a source of power, and the separator is much larger. Improvements have been made from time to time, until now much of the hard work formerly done by hand is done by the machine, especially in disposing of the straw.

In Conclusion

AND now, having briefly described some of il-the conditions existing years ago in New¬ ton county, and having narrated some of the events that have come under my observation since 1853, I am compelled to say that the great changes I have witnessed and the facts of history that I have helped to accomplish, seem to me more like a dream than a collec¬ tion of realities.

When I came to Newton county in 1853, my family consisted of a wife and one child. Now, the wife has been taken and I am sur¬ rounded by grandchildren and great-grand¬ children. Then, this region was an unsettled waste; now nearly every remote corner is un-

Then four millions of human beings were held in slavery and bought and sold as other chattels; now our land is in reality "the land of the free and the home of the brave."

Then the north part of Lake county was an almost impassable swamp; now it is bristling with factories and contains a population of one hundred thousand.

Since that time we have passed from the slow plodding team of horses and oxen to the steam and electric trains running with almost lightning speed.

In Conclusion 313

Instead of the cradle for cutting the grain, we now have the self-binding reaper, while the separator measures the grain and stacks the straw.

Notwithstanding the many changes above I described, which would seem to cover nearly every phase of life, there is one thing, I am thankful to say, that has not changed in all these years. That is, the kindness and loving friendship of the citizens of Newton and adjoining counties. In return, I think I can truthfully say, there is not one that I can not

And now what of the future? To me it is a sealed book. I have called attention to some facts of our development. May we hope that future changes will be as startling as those wit¬ nessed during the last fifty years?

This much, I think, we can safely say. The men who have lived and worked in the past and up to the present have not exhausted the supply of improvements and discoveries to be made for the benefit of the human family. It seems to me, at this time, the changes and dis¬ coveries can not be as marked in the next sixty years as they have been in the past but the facts of life can not be revealed except as they come to us day after day. And as we are not in pos¬ session of the key which unlocks the future, we at this point close the book, o-

And now what of the future? To me it is a sealed book. I have called attention to some facts of our development. May we hope that future changes will be as startling as those wit¬ nessed during the last fifty years?

This much, I think, we can safely say. The men who have lived and worked in the past and up to the present have not exhausted the supply of improvements and discoveries to be made for the benefit of the human family. It seems to me, at this time, the changes and dis¬ coveries can not be as marked in the next sixty years as they have been in the past but the facts of life can not be revealed except as they come to us day after day. And as we are not in pos¬ session of the key which unlocks the future, we at this point close the book, o