Wabash County, Indiana - Chapter 14: ^ileans of Transportation, 1914

Fixe Waterways of AVabasii Couxty - The Oed-Time Keel-Boat - IxDiAx Trails I'tilized - Xeigiiburiiood axd Towxpiiip Roads - Highways to the Treaty Grouxds - First Pfj^maxext Public Road - State Road (Mariox to Elkhart) - Shackle.max Describes State-Pioad lUiLDixG - Era of Plank Roads - Fir-t ix Wabash Cocx-i-v - pLAXi-: Road Pliwelx Ea Cro axd North ^[axchester - Plaxks ("oxxect Wabash axd Oraxt Couxties - Liberty ^^Iills axd IIrxTiX(iTox Joined - Good Roads ]\[ovemext Always With I's - The Tlrni'Ike Era - Connecting Link: Wabash & Erie Canal - (Jrvnd System of Lnternal Imlroyemexts - Small Parts of the Scheme Comfleted - Aftermath: Wide Distress axd I^efulmation

1-'l<hi.i: Ai'i'EAR - First Caxal Coxtracts ix the County - Irish War <if Acgust, PSii") - The Charge at the Ford - Declixe axd Death of the Caxal - First Railroad (the Wabash) in 1856 - The Vaxdalia Route - The Pig Four - Union Traction Company of Lndiana - Fort Wayne & Northern Indiana Traction System - Telegrafh Lines - The First Telephone Line - First Telephone

-Natiuv has been crood to man in manifold ways, and none of her ^'ifts to him liave been greater than th.at of free waterways by whieli lie may penetrate forests, cii-eumvent mountains, make discoveries of strange hinds and communicate with liis kindred, as well as cooperate with his associates in distant countries. In many ways this is Nature's first and greatest gift to man, although, compared to later and more developed means of transportation and communication, the primitive waterway coursed by primitive craft is crude and cumliersome.

its centi'al section flows tlie broad Wabasli, tlie Eel Ixivt-r favors its northern i)ortions, and the ^lississinewa, the southern, with smaller streams making a fine network of all the intervening- lands. With sueh l)rodigality of waterways, there has never been any excuse for man or beast becoming really lonesome or dry within the limits of AVat)asli County.

It was the Wabash, tiie great central waterway, \\\\u:h drew the French discoverers of the country into tiiis interior country, and for a century the long ])oats of adventu.rers, jn'iests and voyagers from both New France and old, plowed its waters. Tlie INlianns and Pottawatomies, with their weaker kindred, also shared the nol)le waterway, sometimes j)eaceal)ly in tlieir small, light canoes ; at other times in long wai--boats, gaudy with blood-like trappings.

Englisii and American traders came next, and finally the settled populace. To the American pioneers the streams were surely a godsend. The tide toward Wabash County set in with some strength in 1835, and uj) to that year the land surface showed virtually no ways of travel except Indian trails and a few neighborhood roads cut through the woods.

When it became necessary for the first settlers to start for the Lower Wabash for provisions, the outlook was not of the most cheerful. To go down with a team of oxen and bring home staple products from LaFayette or below, over almost bottondess I'oads at some seasons of the year, the journey usually consuming two weeks, was certainly not a liright prospect. Often these inconveniences of transportation were overcome by the use of the keel-boat.

Tile old-fashioned keel-boat, in such conunon use on the Wabasli and otiier large streams in the county was from 40 to 50 feet long and from 8 to 12 feet wide. It had a fiat bottom ami l)road keel, witli wide gangways on either side, along wiiich the jjoleman walked to keel) the boat in motion, especially in going up-streanu The space I)etween the gangways was usually covered to protect the cargo. There were from two to six polemen on a side, according to the weight of the cargo and the strength of the current. The polemen took their position at the foi-wai'd eiul of the boat, with theii- backs to the bow, set their piked poles in the bottom of the stivam, braced themselves, and as the boat moved forward they walked along the gangways in the opposite direction. Fpon reaching the end of Ihe gangway they drew their poles from the river bottom and retui'iied to their first position,

Hefore the government and township roads connneneed to be surveyed, the old Indian trails, which usually kept pretty close to tlie course of the streams, were largely utilized by white ti'avelers and tlie scatlei'cd settlers. The princii)al trail in the Wahash country was between Ked<i-onga-a, the pi'incii)al town of the .Aliamis at the juncture of the St. -Mary's ancl tin- St. .Joseph's rivers (Fort Wayne) and ()-sah"s \'illage, at the mouth of the Missi.ssinewa.

This leading Indian trail was generally used by the early settlers for siiigle-hor.se or foot travel, but as settlers connneneed to locate in neighborhoods they got together and agrceil upon certain roads which woidd be to the mutual advantage and social)ility. First, the proposed line of road would l)e "Idazed o\it'" along tlie tree trunks, and then cut out sul'lieie)dl\- so as to allow wagons and other vehicles to pass. Such avenues of communication were called -'neighborhood roads."

Then, as the necessities of enlarged travel demanded roads of greater width and better construction, other and additional improvements wiM-e made, e(iual to the reqinrenieiits of the times. Township roads weic blazed, cut out and iiiq)roved lor the accommodations of ii.'ighboi'hoods extended ovei' a larger area, along such routes as were best adapted to the wants of those resident thei-ein. At lirst these roads were kept ill ivpair by the mutually appropriated labor of the neighbors interested in keeping them in "passable condition."

At the later period the roads were kei^t in repair pursuant to regylations established l)y law, when tlie labor was distriliuted among all the male inhabitants of the district between the ages of twenty-one and tifty, who were able botlied. This labor was performed under the supervision of a man designated "supervisor of roads," the time required being two days in each year, unless additional road duty was imposed - when the impassa1)le condition of the roads made it obligatory. The regulations prescrilietl for opening and keeping in repair public roads and highways were especially strict in the details of their operation.

Perhaps the first permanent puhlie road was that built in 1828 from Logansport, along the ^''alley of the Wabash through what is. now Wabash County to Huntington. The territory through whieh it passed was then under the jurisdiction of Carroll County, and its board of connuissioners ordered that it run along the Wa])ash, "by way of John ]\Ie(iregor's to Champion Ilelvy's, at the point where the Salamoiue River enters the AVaI)ash.'' Daniel Bell, Samuel ^IcClure and Samuel Taber wei'e appointed tlie viewers of this forty-foot thoroughfare, and it was opened and improved as directed. Traces of this pioneer i)ul)lic road remained for years after the railroads were no longer new, one of its sections plaiidy traceable being in the northern portion of the Fair Groiuids, near the old ^Yal)ash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad west of the City of Wal)asli.

The next important road put through AYal)ash County was the state road from Clarion to Elkhart, a much-needed north and south highway. The legislative acts providing for it were passed in 1832, and befoi-e tlie end of tlu) following year a road twenty-five feet wide was cleai'ed for ti-avel. Samuel I\IcClure, of Grant County, had bt'en appointed official viewer, })ut there is a dispute among local historians, which is ratliei- innuaterial, as to whether the ^IcClures (father and son), or the Kellers, actually l)uilt the road. It is sufficient that it was well constructed, as roads went in tliose days, and proved itself useful.

In desci'il)ing his journey through this country in 1836, Mr. Shackleman says: "I will further say that a State road had also been recently surveyed, running from ^Mai'ion througli AVabash, and thence to the Chippewa Yillage on the Tippecanoe River. This road passed near the cabin of .Mr. Grant, and from the site of tlie *\voif trap' direct to ^Vabash, -with some slight cliang'-'S afterward made, down Treaty Creek, and is Jiow known as Asldaml J'ike. i''i'om Wabash northwest, it still retains tbc name of the Chipi)ewa Koad.

''The next year (1837 j another State road was surveyed from Clarion to La Gro, antl probably farther. After entering into the tlat lands at the south line of Wabash County, the surveyor was directed to run a straight air line from a ])oint in the county line to the mouth of the -Salamonie Jiiver, which he did, and it was recorded on the surve\or's jjlat ; but when the time came and tlie contracts were let and tile work bi'gun, it was found that the line of the road as surveyed ran at all points of the comi)ass. It was so crooked that Judge Jesse D. Scott and lion. William T. Ross volunteered their services, and after three of four days of hard labor in staking and blazing and straightening the road, it assumed its present bearings and was afterward known as the .Marion & La Gro Plank Koad.

"It was aftei'ward ascertained that a keg of whiskey coming into the hands of the survt^ving jiarty near Josina Creek, had so atfected the magnetic bearings of the compass as to rentier it almost useless the balance of the distance. The importance of this road to the neighborhood, i)assing rs it di([ right b}- the doors of Llihu Garrison and Jesse 1). Scott, \w.s thought to be of suflicient consequence to justify these pai'ties in laying out a new town. Accordingly, on the 21)th of Septeni])er, 1I);57, they surveyed the Town of America."

It is probable that these state roads, with the less-used treaty ground lines, were the only public highways in Wabash County, when it was organized civilly in 1885.

It was chiefly through the township authorities that the roads of the comity were extended, improved and maintained for the succeeding lifteen years, when the era of plank roads commenced. The movement siiread from New York all over tlie western country. A general state law was passed by the Indiana Legislature authorizing the construction of such roads and providing for the formation of promoting companies, in January, 1849.

a capital stock of $6,000. The proposed line coininenced at the north end of Cass Street, City of \Va!)asli, and extended in a nortliwesterly direction alonf,' tli(.' Ivochester Road tlirough tlic northern part of Nohle Township into Paw Paw, to tlie Town of Koann - ten tiiiles in all. iMost of the line was completed, and it was much better than the average dirt road of those days.

Not long after the survey and location of this iirst plank road iu Wabash County, the Wabash & Blount Vernon Plank Road was built from the City of Wabash directly south to ]\Iount Vernon, Waltz Township, a distance of Oy^ miles. It was used for s^'veral years and yielded a fair revenue to the owners of the ca})ital stock, suppl\'ing the means of easy transportation of farm products to the i)rincipal market in Wabash.

A more important line was tlie La Gro & North jManchester Plank Road covering the twelve miles between these important points. In the early '50s, when it completed, La Gro was one of the busiest places on the Wabash & Erie Canal. It was recognized as a commercial center for the shipment of farm products and otfered, through the agency of the; plank i-oati, more than ordinary facilities to North IManchester, Liberty Mills and vicinity for safe and convenient trade exchanges. This was a great improvement over the old dirt road l)etween the two places. As stated years afterward by a North Manchester newspaper man: "It was a hard day's drive to take twenty bushels of wheat to La Gro; but the increasing demands of trade nnuh; better means of intercourse with commercial centers a prime necessity, and tlie consequence was a plank road built to La Gro, about the year 1850, which sft facilitated the transportation of connnercial products that one team could do the woi'k of four UJider tlie old state of affairs."

The La Gro, Marion & Jonesboro Plank Road w^as designed to connect these important trade centers of Wabash and Grant counties. It passed south through La Gro and Liberty townships, touching America on its way but running to the east of La Fontaine. The entire line to Jonesboro, in Grant County, was thirteen miles long, and, although not completed throughout, was sufficiently improved as to facilitate materially the exchange of farm products and merchandise.

Largely througli the enterprise of Judge Comstoek, a substantial plank road was built ])etween Liberty ]\Iills and Huntington in 1850-51. It was called the Huntington & Liberty Mills Plank Road and opened up quite a territory for tlie products of the Comstoek mills - flour, saw, woolen, etc. Tlie controlling company was capitalized at $25,000, most of the stock L'eing taken in Huntington County. The road continued in sueces.sful operation for many years, and the major portion of its bed was finally appropriated by the Huntington & Liberty IMills Gravel Road Company.

But dirt ways, plank roads and gravel roads, all eventually gave way. in tiie main, to railroads, although many square miles of Wabash County still depend upon the last named for social intercourse and the support of the household. The automo])ile is also to be taken into account in these days. Hence, the Good Roatl ^Movement, whicii has reiimined a vital issue up to this very day.

The tui-npike era may be said to have come in force during the early 'TOs, ami the roads were generally built southward from the Wabash River to Somerset, La Fontaine, Dora, New Holland and Linroliiville. Like the plank roads, tolls were (charged upon them, the money thus received going to tlie consti-uction and operating company as a return for the capital invested. Ta.xes were also assessed on the lands lying near the turnpikes to assist in i)aying the cost of const I'uction. Aside from the veiy iiuule(iuate .system of tui'npikes in operation within Wabash County, at this pei-iod, its principal avenues of transpoi'tation and communication were as follows: AVabash & Erie Caiud, seventeen miles; Toledo, Wabash & AVestern Railroad, seventeen miles; Cincinnati, Waba.sh & Alichigan Railroad, twenty-eight miles; Detroit, Eel River & Illinois Railroad, sixteen miles.

The earlier pikes, or gravel roads constructed in the county were those ])uilt wholly or in part upon the right-of-way granted to the l)lank road companies of 1850 and later. Perhaps the first of these was tlir; Wabash &, .Mount Vi-nion, wiiicli followed the old plunk road, and at a somewhat later date were built the AVal^ash & Asliland, from tile City of Wabash to La Fontaine, eaeh about ten miles in length. The New Ilolhind & AVal)asli was also an early turnpike, subject to tolls, as was the La (Jro, Dora & Township Ijine Road along the margin of Salamonie River.

Tlie pioneer turnpikes were eonstrueted and operated under the le<j;islativ(,' original act of .Mareli G, IHb."), wliidi authorized the board of eounty commissioiK-rs to "oi'ganize turnj)ike compani(iS when threeliftlis of the i)ersons rejiresenting the real estate witliin preseri])ed limits i)etition for the same, and levy a tax for its construction and provide for the same to Ix; free."

Other acts were passed within the succeeding decade, all of which were sul)stantially repealed ])y tliat of 1875, and the measure approved ]\[areh 24, 1879, with the foregoing, laid tlie foundation of the free turnpike, or gravel road system now in force. Under its provisions, the board of county commissioners was constituted a board of turnpike directors, directors, under whose management and control all the free turnpikes in the eounty sliould be exclusively vested; the county was divided into thi-ee districts, as nearly equal in the number of miles of free turnpikes and conveniently located as would he practieal)le. Each director had the personal supervision of one of such districts, subject to the rules of the board.

Among the best known toll roads was the Wabash & La Gro Pike which traversed the eastern portion of Noble Township, not far from the route of the Wabash River, and through La Gro Township, to its terminus; Treaty Creek & Wa-ca-co-nah Pike, the greater portion of which was in No])le Township near the stream from which it takes its name, 'and Wabash & ^lill Creek Pike, extending from AVabash in a southeasterly direction through Noble Township across I\Iill Creek.

Li the early '80s, after the inauguration of the free turnpike system, road construction in Wabash County became quite active. The following are the turnpikes built during this period : Chippewa Free, Roann & Chippewa, ]\Iinnick, Mount, Laketon, ^lanchester, Mail Trace, Walnut Tree, Dora, Huntington & County Line, Hanging Rock and La Fontaine & Range Line.

'J'he AVabash & Erie Canal was but a small part of the great scheme of intei-nal improvements i)ro,jeeted by the Indiana legislators in 1836. It \\as an intricate and ingenious combination of waterways and I'ailways, but about fifty yi-ars ahead of the financial abilities of the commonwealth. Out of the collapsed scheme about the only part to emerge in fair form was the Wabash & Erie Canal.

That the reader may realize its relation to the general plan, as conceived by the Indiana Legislature, the following is presentetl from Smith's "History of Indiana": "In the year 1827 the Federal Government gave to Indiana a large grant of land to aid in the construction of a canal to connect Lake Erie with the Wabash River. To build such a canal would necessitate an entry into the bordei-s of the State of Ohio, and a portion of the grant made by the General Government was surrendered to Ohio on the condition that she woidd construct the canal from the eastern boundary line of Indiana to the lake. This canal was to extend from the eastern State line to some point on the lower Waliash, where that stream might be navigable, or to Evansville, where the Ohio River might be reached.

"The State at once began work ujion the canal. It was commenced under the administration of Governor Noble. In 1832, thirty-two miles of this canal were placed under contract. Governor Noble addressed a communication to the governor of Ohio requesting him to call the attention of the legislature of that State to the subject of the extension of the canal from the Indiana line through the territory of Ohio to the lakes. The Ohio governor laid the matter before the legislature of his State, and resolutions were adopted by that body that if Ohio should ultimately decline to undertake the completion of the work in her borders, the land would be turned over to Indiana for the purpose of sale, that the work might be done under the supervision of Indiana.

"In 1834 Governor Noble, in urging the work of improvement, in one of Ids messages to the legislature said: 'With a view of engaging in the work of internal improvements the propriety of adopting a general plan or system having reference to the several portions of the State and the connection of one to the other, naturally suggests itself. No work should be commenced but such as would be of acknowledged

"During tlie years 18:]4 and 1835 work on the Wabash and Krie Canal was pushed forward with great energy. The middle division, extending from St. Joseph River to the forks of the Wabash was completed in 1835 at a cost of $230,000. This line was opened for navigation on the 4th of July, 1843, with great display.

"In 1836 the Legislature passed a law providing for a general system of improvements to be carried on under a board of internal improvements and surveys by competent engineers were begun on the various works i)rovided for. Tiie passage of this act caused great rejoicing thi'oughout tlie State and everywhere meetings were held to give expression to the general feeling of joy. At Indianapolis the citizens illuminated tlieir houses while bonfires blazed in all the streets. The people went wild: they saw an era of prosperity opening before them that would drive poverty from the land and make all men rich. It was expected aiul ])elieved that the revenues that the State would enjoy from the various v/orks would not only make taxation unnecessary, but till the State coffers to overflowing. A period of wild speculation ensued. Those who owned one farm bought others, and those who owned none went into del)t and purchased one. Ti'ading of all kiiuls became active. The illusion only lasted a few months and then the reverse side of the picture came, with bankruptcy, distress and ruin.

"The works jn-ovided for in the act of 1836 consisted of (a) the AVhitewatei' ("anal, from the west brancli of the AVhitewater Rivei* down the valley of tiiat river to the Ohio, at Lawreiiceburg; (1)) the Central Canal, a bi-anch of tlie Wabash and Erie, from some i)oint between Fort ^Vayne and Logansport, to ^Muncietown and Indianapolis, and thence to Evansville on the Ohio, via the White River valley - in other words, a waterway passing through the central sections of Indiana, from northeast to southwest, the route of which was to be south of the Wabash and Erie; (c) an extension of the Wabash and Erie, from the mouth of the Tippecanoe River down the valley of the AVabash to Terre Haute, and thence to some point on the Central Canal; (d) a railroad from IMadison, on the Ohio running noi'thwest tlirough Cohnnbus, liulianapolis and Crawfordsville to Eafayi'tte; (e) a iiuicadamized tui'iipike road from New Albany, on tlie Ohio, through the .southwestern part of the State, via Greenville, Paoli, Mount Pleasant and Wasliington, to Vincennes; (f) either a i-ailroad or a turnpike from JeftVrsonvilk' on tlu' Oliio River to Crawfordsville west of the central part of the State, hy way or Sah-m, Bedford, Blooinington and Greencastle; (g) improvement of the Wabash from Vineennes to its mouth; (hj eitlier a eanal or a railroad from the Wabash and Erie Canal near Foi't Wayne, by way of Goshen, South Bend and Laporte, to a point on Lake ^Michigan, at or near Michigan City, to be called the Erie and Michigan Canal or railroad.

"Tlie whole length of these roads and canals was more than 1,200 miles, and tlie total estimated cost aggregated nearly $20,000,000. To enter u])on these improvements the State issued aud sold bonds to the amount of $10,000,000. It was soon discovered that the State had entered u|)on a series of cnteriM'isi.-s which it could never carr\- out, and had burdened tlie people with a del)t amounting to more than $18,000,000. The Wabash and Erie Canal was comi)leted as far as Lafayette and was in constant use, furnisliiug trans])ortation for all tlie surplus product of that section of the state through which it run, but the receii)ts from tolls were not enough to maintain it and to pay the interest on the cost. 'J'lic i-ouutiy was too new for such an extensive work. A part of the woi-k was done ujion all the canals and roads i)rojected. The White AVatcr Canal was opened for navigation from Lawrenceburg to Coniirrsville. The ]Madi.son and Indianapolis Railroad was finally completed, and the State sold its stock foi" a great deal less money than it had exjx'uded on the work, which amounted to $1,4!J2,000.

','The finaiK'ial distress whicli swei)t over the country in 1837 finally compelled the abandoiuuent of all these w<u'ks. Contracts had been let for most of them, and much work had been done. Their abandonment caused widespread disaster, l)ankrupting most of the contractors and lea\ iiig hundreds and thousands of laborers without the pay for the work they had done. The State was unal)le to pay the interest on the debt it had iiicuired. Finally the State was forced to compromise with her creditors by surrendering to the ])ondholders some of the works that had been begun, together with large tracts of land, for one half the amount of the indebtedness, and issuing new ])onds for the remainder.

"The debt ci-eated by this attempt on the part of the Stat<^ to construct railroads and canals proved to ))e a long plague on tlie people. All the bonds and cei'tificates of stock that were required to be released to the State had not ln/cii suri'i'iHlerLMl ; the urfditoi's to whom liad hccti traiisl'i-n-fd the uiiCunshrd works iicvrr romiilctrd ihciii, and linally aliaiuhiiicd \vhat had hcrii t-oiiiph-ttHl. The bonds wi-rc a mortgage ni)0U these works and si'Wral attrni])ts were made to indiu-c the Lt'gishiture to ])a\' tile i'ull amount of the bonds wliieh had not been taken up by the creditors a.s provided for in the Compromise Aet. To prevent the Legislature at any future time from i)aying any part of the debt that was to have been assumed l)y the ei'editors the peo])K', in ]87;5, a(U)pted an amciKhiicnt to tlie constitution which read:

'No hiw or resolution shall ever l)e passed by tlie General Assembly of the State of Indiana that shall recognize any liability of this State to |>ay ()!- I'cdeem any certificate of stock issued in pursuance of an act entitled --An Act to provide for the funded debt of the State of Indiana and for the completion of the Wabash and l^^rie Canal to I'A'ansville," passed January 10, 1846 ; and an act supplementary to said act passed January 29, 18-47, which by the provisions of said act, or either of them, shall be payable exclusively from the proceeds of the canal lands and the tolls and revenues of the canal in said acts mentioned ; and no such certificate of stock shall ever be paid by the State. '

"This ended the agitation of tlu.' State's ever again assuming any part of this debt winch had been jniid and discharged by a surrender of the franchisi'S of the State."

By various congressional acts passed in 1827-34 the National Government granted the State of Indiana lands for canal purposes "equal to the alternate sections in a strip five miles in width," speoi(i(^d (in a separate act) at 29,528.78 acres. From the sale of these lands was raised the fund by which the AVabash & Erie Canal, was constructed. In the l&te '30s the body of land in AVabasli County thus made available was sold in parcels to suit purchasers, being mostly paid for by the various issues of state scrip. This was received at par for land, but bought by J^astern specidators at various rates of discount.

Speculation in "canal paper" ran high in 1835-36 in every portion of the country, and all the vacant lands were finally entered. Some of the purchasers were residents, others Eastern speculators, and, as stated by a participant of these transactions, not a few of the latter "sw^ept wdiole townships at a purchase." Shortly afterward came the reaction and hard times, and many who were obliged to pay both interest on the money invested, as well as the taxes on the land, went under; others, who were able to bear up under it until the coming of stability

Tlie sui'vcy of the line of the Wabash & Erie Canal through AVa))a.sli County Avas made in 1833 under the general supervision of Jesse L. AVillianis, of Fort AYa^'ne, eliirf engineer, assisted liy Stearns Fisher, Solonion Tlolnian and Charles Yoorheis. Col. David Burr w as a nieiuher of the fii'st Board of Coiiunissio!iei's. '^Fhus two men, who were afterward to become leadiiii;- eiti/.eiis of Wabash County \vere identified with this great ])uhlie iiiiiirovement.

]\Iajor Fislier \vas especially prominent in connection with the canal woi'k. Tt is said that dui'ing liis first connection with tiie enterprise he woi-ked Avitli the spade almost as much as witli tlie transit, Init soon Ix'came a full-fledgt'd assistant civil eiigiiu'er, holding that ])osition \uitil the canal was completed. The record thus made, brought liim tlie supt'rintendt'iiey and he continued as its chief executive until the e-anal passed into tile hands of the bondholders in 1847. But we are ahead of our story.

The first canal contracts for work in Wabash County were let May 4, 1834, at the house of Colonel Burr in the new Town of Wabasli, which he had jdatted the month before, in association with Col. Hugh Hanna. It was surely a ])usy day for the two Colonels, as the first public sale of town lots and the letting of contracts for the building of the canal fell within the same twenty-four hours.

A large number of persons were present to bid for the construction of the various sections. The contract for building the section adjacent to Wabash, as well as for the construction of the lock, was awarded to Meyers (Lewis) & Jones (Lemuel G.)- The next section was eventually built by Benjamin Mariner, and contracts for adjoining sections w^ere given to Thomas ILiycs and William Tei-rell, both of Pennsylvania. Lewis ]\Ieyers, one of the contractors on the first section, died before the work was completed; the lock was built by the partner of the deceased, ]\Ir. Jones, assisted by David and Jacob D. Cassatt, father and son. Thus two other good citizens first came into prominence through their work on the Wabash & Erie Canal. From the lock to the stone bluff the canal was completed by Zera Sutherland.

In August, 1835, during the second year of eanul-building, occurred the famous Iiish war, which culminated about the middle of tliat month in a serious riot near La Gro. As is usual in sucli cases, historians of that conflict liave generally assumed that it was another case of Catholic against Protestant, or Orangeman. Hut the weight of evidence is that the Wabasli & Erie Canal laborers, at least in Wabash County, were all Catholics, and that the hostile forces were divided on other than religious lines. It is known that most of them were formerly employed on the Chesapeake Canal, where they had quarreled and formed into two factions. When they came to work on the canal west of the mountains they split into two gangs, their line of cleavage being the old fight (whatever that was), and the headquarters of the respective parties were La Gro antl Wabash Town. The one gang called themselves " Corkonians," the other, "Fardowns'" - why, is also a mystery. The one thing certain was tluit each i)arty to the dispute hated tlie other with the fierce hatred of the tv'pical Irishman.

Along toward tlu' midtlle of August, after several individual and factional rows had occurred, despite the efforts of the canal authorities to avert them, the two sides gathered near La Gro, to tlie number of several hundred, and, armed with spades, pick-axes, clubs, knives and pistols, i)roc('eded to engage in a pitched battle.

It is not known to this day \vhich ai'iny was victorious, or the exact loss in blood and limb. But tlie canal authorities induced the workmen to cease active warfare. The Irishmen were farther persuaded b}^ the state troops, which \vere sent fi-om Fort Wayne and Lafayette. Chief Godfrey, of the ^liamis, also oft'ered a large force of his warriors to crusli the Irislnnen.

. AVitli the state and the Indians behind tlie civil authorities, the rioters were arrested en masse. It is evident from the account written by Judge Cooml)s, who came to Wabash a few days aftt'i- the riot, that at least some of the prisoners were tried in the Circuit Court of Wabash County. He says about two hundred of them were locked up when he reached town, and that he "found so much criminal business here" he decided to remain. He adds that 200 were found guilty.

Although all were technically guilty, work upon the canal could not be entirely susjiended on account of a general melee, however furious. So most of tliem were released, on promises of future good behavior. It is jii'obable that the trials in AVabash County were undertaken more to weed out the I'ingleaders than for any other purpose; also perhaps to "teach the workmen a lesson" and give fhem to understand that the

The iH'al leaders - those who had been persistently fomenting trouble - were taki'n to Indianapolis for trial, under an escort of sixteen soldiers, with I']lias Murray as captain. "The only way to g(.d them there," says one account, "was on foot through the woods. They set forth, the soldiers well armed. Tlie route was down tlie Wabash to Logansport, and thence to Indiana})olis. At the mouth of the Ivd Kiver, the Wabash had to be waded, though I'ather deep. The pi-isoners refused to wade, dcclai-ing they would tlie first. The ca])tain simply told the boys to be 'rt-ady'; still tlie prisoners refuseil, when the captain, giving an order to lix bayonets, directed the soldiers to charge. The chai'ge was made and tlie i)risoners, with a howl, sprang for the ford and wailed through, with the bayonets at their liacks. Once safely across tlie I'iver, a rank was formed, and the 'boys' were required to walk in front; and thus the end of tlie j(uirney was safely reached and the prisoners were placed in limbo at the state capital." Several of them were .sent to the penitentiary for short terms; but the "charge at the foril" was the last military feature of the Irish war.

As stated, the canal was completed to Wabash Town on the 4th of July. 1837, and, in some unaccountable manner. Captain Fd Patchen broke into the prearranged programme of the celebration by forging the impudent beak of his little "Prairie Hen" ahead of the big canal boat "Indiana," counnanded by the jjopular Captain Dana Columbia, and tiius lilched the honor of being the tirst to navigate the canal. A large jiai-ty from Huntington and other points had come down on the "Indiana," and Cai)tain Patchen 's ambition so o'er-leaped itself as to get hfm in bad repute all around. The general celebration was held on the site t)f the old Ti'eaty (irounds, and its satisfactory conclusion was a grand ball in the evening given in the little room over ('olonel Ilanna's store.

Navigation was soon afterward opened to Pei-u and Jul\' 4, 1843, its completion to Lafayetti' was celebrated with an enthusiasm which spread thi-ough the entire valley of the Wabash. The canal had the field for nearly a decade, and for some >'eai-s aftei-. as the tirst throiiuli train on the Toledo, Wabash & Western, was not in ojiei'ation until

The canal between Wabash and La (iro bciny out of repair, boats ceased to be operated on this section in 1S72. Todd & Wi-ight, merchants at La (Jro, received the last freight from the East, Ix'ing a load of blac-ksiuith coal of 2,5()(.) bushels fi'oui ("inciniiati. The freight, both east and west, was much cheaper than at the present time.

It was not until 185G that the Wal)ash & Erie Canal had any competitor of a general nature in Wabash County, and it was a competitor which eventually was to give it the death stroke.

In 1852 the Lake Erie, Wabash & St. Louis Railroad Company was organizeil ; in the following year a survey was made, passing through the Wabash \'alle}' north of the river, and by the close of 1853 construction was in iM'ogress within the limits of the county. Hands were at work in the vicinity of W' abash Town in the early spring of 1854, and within two \i'ars from that time the roadway was practically completed and the track laid.

On the 2()th of January, 1856, the first train arrived, at the Town of Wabash over the Lake Erie, Wabash & St. Louis line, and three days later trains commenced to run regularly between Toledo and Wal)ash. A few weeks later the road was comi)leted ami trains were running to Peru, and -March 17, 185(), found the line in operation fi'om Toledo to Logansport, early in June to l)eli)hi and two months later to Lafayette. Not long after it reached the state line.

Later, this line became the Toledo, Wabash & Western, and for many \-ears has been known as plain " Wabash." It runs from northeast *to southwest, the City of W'abash and the old town of La Gro being its principal stations.

Wabash (Joinity as a civil cor])oration gave no aid to the Toledo, Wabash *lsl: Western, l)ut meetings were held at various i)oints along the line and i)ri\'ate parties sul)scribed to the capital stock. How many shares were taken in this county catniot now ))e detinitely ascertained, tdthough estimates have been made of fi'om twenty thousand dollars to thirty tliousand dollars.

and suhscquL'Jitls- as tlu' Aiihui'ii & Hd Ivivcr Valley Raili-oad. These two eoipuratioiis had many iijts and downs - chicilN' downs - and when the Detroit, Jv'l Rivd' c^ llliiujis Railroad L'onijjany was I'orined, about hsTO, to take over the fragmentary enterprise the outlook was anything hut bright. But Chester and Pleasant townships levied a special tax of $30,000 for the eom{)letion of the road throngh Wabash County, and in 1872 the line was actually i)ut in operation. It cut through the northwestern eoiiier of Chester Township, by way of Libertv .Mills, and North .Manchester, intersecting the Cineinnati, AVabash & .Miehigan line (liig l^'oui') at the western boi-der of the latter town; passed through the southeastern coi'iier of Pleasant Township, with Tjamsville as its stalicui, and so on across the northwestern coi'Uer of Paw I'aw Township 1o till- Town of Roann, ami thence out of the county. Those of today know it as the A'andalia Routi'.

In 1872 ?kle.ssrs. (iai'dner and Wells built the Cincinnati, Wabash & ^liehigan Railroad through AVabash County. To encourage its eonstiuction a county ta.\ was levied, collected and applied, amounting to $(),000 i)er mile. The hn-ge machine shops of the comi)any were afterward (U'eeted near tlie eastern limits of tin' City of Wabash, the corporatiou paying a bonus of $25,000 as an inducement for the hjcation.

The road has long since l)een known as the Pig Four, or the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago &, St. Louis Kaili-oad, and it is the most important transportation route in AVabash County. It enters the county fi'om the south, about the middle of the south line of Liberty Township, its lirst station being fja Fontaine, that township. The road tlnui passes noithwest and north thi-ough Liberty and Noble to\vnships to the Cit\- of Wabash, runs in a generally northerly directicju near the line divitling .Xobly, La (iro. Paw Paw ami Chester to North Alanchester, whence it turns northwesterly toward and across the northern eouidy line. It crosses the Erie (the old Chicago & Atlaidic) at Polivar and the Vandalia line at Noi'th Manchester.

Thus AVabash (Jounty is favoi'cd with a noi'th and soidli line, and three railroads lainning east and west, as well as two well ec}uipped traction oi- interurban lines - the Fort AVayne & Northern Indiana and the Union Traction Company of liuliana. They are both electric lines.

a liiiL' di-awii hftweeii Lafayetti', Jjoyansport, Peru, Waljash aiul Furt Wayne, on the east by one conjieeting Fort Wayne, Blull'ton, i\luneie and New Castle, and on the south by the shortest line, bi.'tween New Castle and Indianapolis. The City of Wabash is nearly midway on the long northern line, the l)aekbone of the kite running south to Anderson ajid La Fontaine lieiiig the only regular station in Wabash (Jouiity.

The first li)ie whieh is now a ]K)rtion of the Foi't Wa\'iie & Northei'u Indiana Ti'fietion System within the linnts of Wabash County was that which runs from Wabash to Peiai. This was luiilt by the Wabash Ki^-er Traetion Comi)any, whieh started operating August 1, lOOI. l]i P)0;j Ihi' pi'opcrty was sold to the Foi't Wayne & Wab;ish Valley Traction Company, which shortened its line, thi'ee years afterwai-d, by extending it through the City of Wabash to Poyd Park. The old line skii-ted the eity along the highway. The Fort Wayne & Southwestern Traetion Company was comjileted bi'tween Fort Wayne and Wabash in li)Ul, and was sold to the Fort Wayne & Wal)ash Valley Traction Company on NovcMuber 1, 1004. In Alai-ch, lf)ll, the Fort Wayne & AVabash Valley Traetion Company was reorganized and the name changed to Fort Wayne & Northei'ii Indiana Ti-action Company.

Tlu^ company has a well-organized freight, as well as passenger servit-e, and opei-ates over twenty miles of track in Wabash County, substantially paralleling the AVabash Railroad line north of the river. Its regular stations in the county aiv La Gro, Wal)ash and Boyd l*ark.

toward North Maiu-hcster. When that is done, with tlie good system of free pike roads already in operation, Wabash County will enjoy fine facilities for the interehange of all the necessities anil many of the luxuries of life, as well as for free communication between all its peo])le.

Wabasli County has a record of which its people may justly be pi'oud in tlif i)ractical adoption of labor-saving, time-saving and con- .-enience-producing in\'entions. Emphatically falling within that class are telegraphs and telephones, which, with the ever-active nuul service, lend to bind togetlier tlie people of a thousand connuunities as one family.

The tii'st crude telegraph line in the world, founded on the ilorse system anil running l)etween Washington and New York, was put in opffation in ^So~. The great invention nuide slow progress and one of the lii-st lines \vest of the mountains was that which was strung along the Wal)ash & Krie Canal in the spring and sunnner of 184!). This contiinied to be oi^erated with little interruption for the next eight years or moi-e, until the Lake Erie, Wabash & St. Louis Railroad had been constructed and was in sueces^sful opei'ation as the established liue of commercial iidercourse along the valley of the Wal)ash, connecting the chief points of trade fornu'rly occupied exclusively by the canal. In October, 1S,")7, th.' telegraph line was transfei-red from the banks of tlie canal to the margin of the railroad - a formal numifestation of the transfer of sovereignty from the one to the other. Many of the telegra])h lines subse(iuently built were constructed Ixd'ore the railroads were surveyed, but the two lines were eventually nuide to substantially conform.

In 1878, oidy two yeai'S after the Bell telei)hones commenced to be introduced, such men as Elijah Ilackleman and John N. .Myers were testing the principles of the invention in Wabash. The fii'st line ever put in operation in the city is thus described: "On Saturday, the 1st of Ju]ie, 1878, John N. flyers, of Wabash, having previously read tin sonu' scientific paper, published in Washington, D. C, a carefulh' prepared account, giving in detail the method of constructing and operating telephones, conceived the idea of demonstrating the practical)ility of the recent discovery. Accordingly he prepared a line of twine thread sufficient to i-cadi across oik* square or more, and in conjunction with Hon. Elijah Hacklcnian, himself strongly addicted to the practice of investigating questions of science, stretched the line fi'oni ^Ir. Hackleman's residence across to Still Street on the north, using old tin cans for receivers, Mr. Hackleman holding the first end and Mr. ^Myers the other, who moved with it toward the opposite terminus. Just as j\Ir. Myers was on the point of getting over the fence with his charge at the north line of Mr. Hackleman 's premises, the sound of fife and drum was heard down town. Myers was observed to look down toward the can and bring it nearer his ear as if listening, which prompted Mr. Hackleman to say: 'Isn't that the band playing for the Democratic meeting?'

"This conversation was carried on through the improvised telephone line, and constituted the first which ever went over a telephone in Wabash.

"What has just been narrated took place in the forenoon of that day; so, after fastening the ends of the line temporarily, further proceedings were deferred until afternoon. At the appointed time, the experimenters again met and proceeded to fasten the line, with the necessary conveniences at either end to carry on conversation, one extremity being in Mr. Hackleman 's library and the other at his barn, 100 feet distant. During the next two or three weeks this primary telephone line was extensively used, neighbors, citizens of Wabash and visitors from abroad coming frequently to witness and test its wonderful power to communicate, as with the living voice, the verbal articulations of fhose who might consult it." There are few men of middle age, who were live-wire boys in those days, that have not talked across a street or vacant lot into old tin cans connected by strings. In fact, about the most wonderful thing about the Bell invention is its simplicity.

Within a few years after the Myers-IIackleraan demonstration in Wa])ash, the Central Union Telephone Company was organized and the towns of the county, as well as many farming communities, were able to foDu a speaking acquaintance with each other. In 1894 the Home Telephone Company, of Wabash, entered the field and the Central Union abandoned it. Sinee then otlier telephone companies liave been organized in difi'erent parts of the county, as will be evident by consulting the local and sectional histories published hereafter in this volume.