DOCSLIB.ORG

June 1935 Volume Xviii Published Quarterly Bythe State Historical Society of Wisconsin

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
June 1935 Volume Xviii Published Quarterly Bythe State Historical Society of Wisconsin JUNE 1935 VOLUME XVIII NUMBER 4 PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BYTHE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN •"""""""" " •""" """"" -......••-" »••• • "I THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN is a state- aided corporation whose function is the cultivation and en- couragement of the historical interests of the State. To this end it invites your cooperation; membership is open to all, whether residents of Wisconsin or elsewhere. The dues of annual mem- bers are three dollars, payable in advance; of life members, thirty dollars, payable once only. Subject to certain exceptions, mem- bers receive the publications of the Society, the cost of producing which far exceeds the membership fee. This is rendered possible I by reason of the aid accorded the Society by the State. Of the | I work and ideals of the Society this magazine affords, it is be- » lieved, a fair example. With limited means, much has already been accomplished; with ampler funds more might be achieved. So far as is known, not a penny entrusted to the Society has ever | been lost or misapplied. Property may be willed to the Society in entire confidence that any trust it assumes will be scrupulously § executed. riiiifiiiimt THE WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY is published quarterly by the Society, at 116 E. Main St., Evansville, Wisconsin, in September, Decem- ber, March, and June, and is distributed to its members and exchanges; others who so desire may receive it for the annual subscription of three dollars, payable in advance; single numbers may be had for seventy-five cents. All correspondence concerning the magazine should be addressed to 116 E. Main St., Evansville, Wisconsin, or the office of the State His- torical Society, Madison, Wisconsin. Entered as second-class matter, January 1, 1927, at the post office at Evans- ville, Wisconsin, under the act of August 24, 1912. VOL. XVIII, No. 4 June, 1935 THE WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY PUBLICATIONS OF THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCON- SIN. JOSEPH SCHAFER, Superintendent and Editor CONTENTS THE BEGINNINGS OF A GREAT INDUSTRY AT LA CROSSE Albert H. Sanford 375 HOP CULTURE IN EARLY SAUK COUNTY Mrs. Belle Cnshman Bohn 389 SOME PIONEER SETTLERS OF KENOSHA COUNTY Mrs. Helen McVicar 395 REMINISCENCES OF MY SAILOR DAYS. L. W. Burch 403 DOCUMENTS : Excerpts from a Whaler's Diary 422 EDITORIAL COMMENT: Sectional and Personal Politics in Early Wisconsin . 442 BOOK NOTES 466 THE SOCIETY AND THE STATE Louise Phelps Kellogg 469 The Society as a body is not responsible for statements or opinions advanced in the following pages by contributors. COPYRIGHT, 1935, BY THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN Paid for out of the Maria L. and Simeon Mills Editorial Fund Income Previous numbers of the Wisconsin Magazine of History are indexed in the International Index to Periodical Literature to be found in many public libraries. CHARLES LANE COLMAN THE BEGINNINGS OF A GREAT INDUSTRY AT LA CROSSE1 ALBERT H. SANFORD N the year 1854 Charles Lane Colman, son of Henry R. I Colman,2 then twenty-eight years of age, lived at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He had married, in 1850, Miss Laura Place, and their two children were Julia Livia, then in her fourth year, and Lucius Charles, born in 1853. Mr. Colman was evidently ambitious to find a new location where he might improve his business prospects, for we find him, on May 29, 1854, setting out on the overland journey to La Crosse. He was accompanied by his partner, M. L. Noble, and their means of travel was a team of horses and wagon. The wagon was loaded with a machine for cutting shingles and a horse-power machine with which to operate it. It is our purpose to follow in detail the fortunes of this new venture as pictured in the diary which Mr. Colman kept for the greater part of four years. His financial accounts and the correspondence that passed between him and his near relatives will also furnish some details.3 There is no evidence in Mr. Colman's diary or letters that he had determined upon La Crosse as a permanent site for his business. Neither is there any indication as to the origin of his intention to seek a location in this vicinity. Within the 1 Drawn from the diary and accounts of Charles Lane Colman, 1854-58. 3 See Wisconsin Historical Society Proceedings, 1911, 152-159. 'These documents form a part of a much larger mass of materials that were recently placed in charge of the La Crosse County Historical Society by Mr. Charles Colman of La Crosse. In these materials are found records and correspondence of the Colman family that had accumulated for nearly one hundred years. A considerable portion of the collection has been passed on to the Wisconsin State Historical Society. 376 Albert H. Sanford [June two months following his arrival here, he and his partner made trips to several other places on the Mississippi and finally concluded that there was "no location better than this." Mr. Colman's first enterprise in La Crosse was that of manufacturing shingles. This was not a new occupation for him. Among his papers is found a partnership agreement between him and John Balch, dated at Fond du Lac, March 22, 1853. Their business was "making shingles and digging foundations." Again, in November, 1854, during a visit back to Fond du Lac, he entered into another partner- ship with M. L. Noble and W. H. Granger, the business this time being the making of shingles in Fond du Lac and teaming between that city and Sheboygan. Let us follow now the incidents of Mr. Colman's first journey to La Crosse. It lasted for eight days, and the route was via Waupun, Portage, Billings' Ferry on the Wisconsin River, and Sparta. Among its incidents are noted in one place "some good scenery," at another "plenty of bed bugs." In the course of the trip Mr. Colman had a hat stolen and his partner a great coat. On the last day of the trip they "passed through a delightful valley"—the valley of the La Crosse River. The date of the partners' arrival in La Crosse was June 5, at night. They stopped first at the Tallmadge House, but Mr. Colman was soon boarding at Colonel Childs's. It is the twenty-eighth of June, 1854, before there is indication in his diary of the setting up of the shingle machine brought from Fond du Lac. On that day he hires Israel Beaudreau at $12 a month. The Fourth of July is for him "a dull day— no excitement—wished I was at home a great many times." He has before noted in his diary that this is the first time that he has been parted from his family and it is not until 1935] The Beginnings of a Great Industry 377 July 7, after the passing of more than five weeks, that he first hears from home. On that date Noble returned from a trip to Fond du Lac and "brought me a letter from dear wife." Again, on August 12 he had been looking for a letter but "none came until to-day from dear wife." Evidently during July and August the installation of the shingle cutting machine was progressing. Other laborers were hired and logs were bought. On four days Mr. Colman records his working in the water "all day" or "half a day." I am assured by those who know that rubber boots were not available in the 1850's for such work. On August 26 the first log was drawn up and on the twenty-eighth the record says: "Put the horses on the ma- chine. Everything works well except the saw, which goes too fast and is not filed right." On the thirtieth the first log was sawed, and the next day the first shingles were cut and the saw pulley broke. It is desirable at this point to give some description of the shingle machine that Mr. Colman was using. Among the Colman papers is found, in typewritten form, an account covering five pages headed "Charles L. Colman," but lack- ing both date and name of author. It was probably based upon an interview with Mr. Colman and seems to have been intended for insertion in a volume of biographies or in a history of the lumber industry. It is not found in any volume that is available in La Crosse, nor does it seem to be repro- duced in any work in the library of the State Historical Society. I shall follow the description of Mr. Colman's shingle machine as given in this account, adapting the language somewhat so as to make it more intelligible to persons who, 378 Albert H. Sanford [June like myself, are not mechanical-minded.4 First, however, let us refer to the saw mentioned above. It was used to cut the logs into blocks or "bolts" the length desired for shingles. This was probably a "drag saw," that is, one with a large blade that moved back and forth, the teeth being filed so that it cut on both movements. It was, of course, driven by the horse power that has already been mentioned. The shingle machine was known by the trade name "The Fountain." According to this account it consisted of a large knife set in an upright frame, moving up and down and fall- ing at an angle upon the bolt. Such a machine must have looked very much like a guillotine,5 the slanting edge of the knife making possible a clean cut of the bolt below.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Important Resources Along the Corridor Include Not Only The
    2 The Canal and its Region he important resources along the Corridor include not only the remains of the Ohio & TErie Canal and buildings related to it, but also patterns of urban and rural development that were directly influenced by the opportunities and ini- tiatives that were prompted by its success. These cul- tural landscapes—ranging from canal villages to community-defining industries to important region- al parks and open spaces—incorporate hundreds of sites on the National Register of Historic Places, rep- resenting a rich tapestry of cultural, economic, and ethnic life that is characteristic of the region's history Casey Batule, Cleveland Metroparks and future. Implementation of the Plan can protect and enhance these resources, using them effectively to improve the quality of life across the region. 16 Background Photo: Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area/NPS Ohio's historic Canal system opened the state for interstate commerce in the early 1800s. The American Canal and Transportation Center The American Canal and Transportation 2.1 National Importance of the Canal and Corridor The Imprint of the Canal Transportation Corridors on the Economy and Structure of the Region Shortly after Ohio became a state in 1803, Lake Erie was the The advent of the Canal led to great prosperity in Ohio. central means of goods shipment, but access from the eastern Small towns and cities were developed along the waterway, part of the country and the Ohio River in the south was lim- with places like Peninsula and Zoar benefiting from their ited. New York’s Erie Canal connected Lake Erie to the proximity to the Canal.
    [Show full text]
  • Land Title Records in the New York State Archives New York State Archives Information Leaflet #11 [DRAFT] ______
    Land Title Records in the New York State Archives New York State Archives Information Leaflet #11 [DRAFT] __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction NEW YORK STATE ARCHIVES Cultural Education Center Room 11A42 The New York State Archives holds numerous records Albany, NY 12230 documenting title to real property in New York. The records range in date from the early seventeenth century to Phone 518-474-8955 the near present. Practically all of the records dating after FAX 518-408-1940 the early nineteenth century concern real property E-mail [email protected] acquired or disposed by the state. However, many of the Website www.archives.nysed.gov earlier records document conveyances of real property ______________________________________________ between private persons. The Archives holds records of grants by the colony and state for lands above and under Contents: water; deeds issued by various state officers; some private deeds and mortgages; deeds to the state for public A. Indian Deeds and Treaties [p. 2] buildings and facilities; deeds and cessions to the United B. Dutch Land Grants and Deeds [p. 2] States; land appropriations for canals and other public purposes; and permits, easements, etc., to and from the C. New York Patents for Uplands state. The Archives also holds numerous records relating and Lands Under Water [p. 3] to the survey and sale of lands of the colony and state. D. Applications for Patents for Uplands and Lands Under Water [p. 6] This publication contains brief descriptions of land title records and related records in the Archives. Each record E. Deeds by Commissioners of Forfeitures [p. 9] series is identified by series number (five-character F.
    [Show full text]
  • Economic Development, Land Use, and the System of Cities in Northwest Ohio During the Nineteenth Century
    CREATING CONNECTIONS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LAND USE, AND THE SYSTEM OF CITIES IN NORTHWEST OHIO DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY Matthew D. Bloom A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2009 Committee: Andrew M. Schocket, Advisor David Shoemaker Graduate Faculty Representative Edmund J. Danziger, Jr. Timothy F. Messer-Kruse © 2009 Matthew D. Bloom All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Andrew M. Schocket, Advisor Examining how economics, geography, and politics interacted in the expansion and economic changes within the United States, this dissertation investigated the symbiotic relationships and their qualities among the economic transformations of an urban area and its surrounding hinterland throughout the nineteenth century. Specifically, it investigated how the economic and population changes within Toledo, Ohio, molded the development of agricultural hinterlands and how the condition and settlement of the surrounding rural areas shaped the economic changes of Toledo. The quality of transportation connections among Toledo and other nascent towns, market interactions among residents, and the relationships between land quality and usage provided for symbiotic economic development of urban areas and rural hinterlands. The ability to use certain transportation infrastructures, the condition of land, and the availability of natural resources determined the type, quantity, and strength of market connections among people, which influenced the amount and forms of economic change for the area. Conclusions of this study were drawn from analyzing census records, newspaper advertisements and editorials, agricultural reports, and business records and literature. This research introduced a new paradigm of regional economic change named the “subregional model” which included a hub, local economic centers, small villages and farms, and links of various qualities.
    [Show full text]
  • I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor Interpretive Plan 2005
    I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor Interpretive Plan 2005 Prepared by: Canal Corridor Association Primary Author: Ron Vasile, Historian Contributors: Diane Banta Ana B. Koval Laurie Scott Acknowledgements Funding for this report has been provided by the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission through the Department of Interior. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U. S. Government. Mention of trade names and commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U. S. Government. The staff of the former I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission (Phyllis Ellin, Mary Tano, Roger Gasa, Connie Piazza) were helpful in gathering materials for this report. A draft of the corridor themes was produced by Canal Corridor Association and Barbara Levy and Associates. People throughout the corridor sent information on their sites and or programs as noted on the site inventory forms. These include: The Canallers in the Corridor; Lake Katherine Nature Preserve; Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie; Isle a la Cache Museum; Joliet Iron Works Historic Site; Hogan Grain Elevator; Illinois Waterway Visitor Center; Slovenian Heritage Museum; Worth Park District Historical Museum; Hegeler Carus Mansion; Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center and others. I&M Canal NHC Interpretive Plan, Canal Corridor Association, 2005 Table of Contents Part I: Status of Interpretation.........................................................................................1
    [Show full text]
  • An Interpretive Guide to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail
    Tuscarawas County Park Department An Interpretive Guide to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Phone: 330.365.3278 Email: [email protected] Fort Laurens to State Route 800 Fort Laurens How Old Is It? The Ohio & Erie Canal The Tuscarawas River Established in 1778, this was the only The Ohio & Erie Canal was completed in 1832. Ohio in the early 19th century experienced a great Native Americans called this river “Mooskingum,” meaning Continental Army Revolutionary War fort Some of the points of interest along the trail need for an effective system to transport the goods of a “elk’s eye.” Soon after settlement, that name was limited to the in the state of Ohio. The site is currently existed while the canal was in-use. Other sites growing population. In an era prior to railroads, the river below the junction of the Walhonding at Coshocton, and this operated by Zoar Community Association were established after the canal was abandon. canal was the answer. A series of canals were tributary was given its current name. The exact meaning of the on behalf of Ohio History Connection. For The following symbols on this guide will let authorized in 1822. Ten years later, the Ohio & Erie name Tuscarawas is unclear, but it came from the Tuscarora tribe, more information, visit FortLaurens.org you know how old each site is: Canal was completed. At the start, there was a flurry whose main camp was at the present site of Bolivar. of activity along the canal, which lasted for about Pre-canal (before 1822) twenty years.
    [Show full text]
  • Ohio Lands Book
    THE OFFICIAL OHIO LANDS BOOK Written by Dr. George W. Knepper THE OFFICIAL OHIO LANDS BOOK Written by Dr. George W. Knepper Cover art by Annette Salrin This book is a publication of The Auditor of State 88 East Broad Street Columbus, Ohio 43216-1140 www.auditor.state.oh.us First paperback edition 2002 Printed in the United States of America i Table of Contents Auditor’s Message . .v The First Arrivals on Ohio Land Prehistoric Indians . .1 Historic Indians of Ohio . .2 Congress Creates the Public Domain . .7 Land Ordinance of 1785 . .9 Seven Ranges . .10 Northwest Ordinance . .13 Statehood for Ohio . .14 Getting Started as a State Boundaries of the New State . .18 Privately Conducted Original Surveys Virginia Military District . .19 Connecticut Western Reserve . .23 Firelands (Sufferers’ Land) . .25 Land Sales to Private Groups Ohio Company of Associates . .26 Donation Tract . .29 Symmes Purchase (Miami Purchase) . .30 Federal Land Offices and Sales in Ohio Harrison Land Act, May 10, 1800 . .35 United States Military District (USMD) . .39 Congress Lands Lands East of the Scioto River . .43 Lands West of the Miami River . .43 North of the Seven Ranges . .44 Congress Lands in Northwest Ohio South and East of the First Principal Meridian and Base Line . .45 North and East of the First Principal Meridian and Base Line . .45 iii Table of Contents Michigan Survey . .46 Federal Land Grants for Specific Purposes. Moravian Indian Grants . .48 French Grants . .49 Refugee Tract . .50 Zane’s Tract . .52 Dohrman Grant . .53 Other Grants to Individuals . .53 Federal Military Reservations Fort Washington .
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction
    IMCNHC ROADMAP PART 2: The Story Of The Illinois & Michigan Canal 2-1 Introduction At a stroke, the opening of the Illinois & Michigan Canal in 1848 made Chicago and northern Illinois the key crossroads of the American mid-continent. The dream of the canal had animated every vision and underlaid every plan for Illinois for over 200 years. As that vision was realized, the canal’s commissioners laid out a canal port that would grow into a great metropolis. Their fellow citizens patented agriculture and industrial innovations that would make this the richest economic zone the world had ever seen. That Illinois is now the most populous inland American state, and Chicago the greatest city of the American heartland, is directly traceable to the 96- mile canal that linked the Great Lakes to the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The Illinois and Michigan Canal is one of the best-kept secrets of American history. Though few know today how important it was, everyone here knew it a century and a half ago. We cannot know Illinois’ history without understanding how the Canal, as a symbol of the continent-straddling ambitions of America, made it possible for a great civilization to arise here.1 The Illinois & Michigan Canal stretches 96 miles, connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River via the Illinois River. When the I&M Canal opened in 1848, it was the final link in an all-water route connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River. The canal, designed to be 60 feet wide and 6 feet deep, drops 141.3 feet between Chicago and LaSalle and consists of 15 locks, 4 feeder canals (Calumet, DuPage, Kankakee, and Fox) and 4 aqueducts.
    [Show full text]
  • Disposal of Public Lands in Illinois
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship Repository Disposal of Public Lands in Illinois BY JESSE ERLE MEHARRV THESIS PRESENTED FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN THE POLITICAL SCIENCE GROUP OF TIIE COLLEGE OF LITERATURE AND ARTS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS JUNE, 1899 bibliography. Moses' History of Illinois. FOrd's History of Illinois. Reynold's History of Illinois. Davidson and stuve's History of Illinois. Chapman History of Fulton County. County Histories and Albums. Donalsonis Public Domain. Session Laws of Illinois. Revised Statutes. Johns Hopkins University study, Vol. VI. History of the Land Question in the United States. 44288 For some tine after the first settlements in the United states very hazy ideas were held as to the extent of America, consequent­ ly royal grants sometimes overlapped five deep. The title to these grants passed to the several states after the Revolution, and in course of time, when it was desired to more closely unite the sev­ eral states, the conflicting grants prevented accord. The smaller states which held no western land vigorously con­ tended that the states which held western lands should not hold them for their exclusive use, because, if the basis of represent­ ation were population, these exclusive land holding stated would have a disastrous influence in the council of the nation, a move­ ment was begun by Maryland for the cession of these disputed lands to the United States in order to remove the subject of dispute and facilitate the union of the states.
    [Show full text]
  • Acknowledgements GIS Data Sources
    Acknowledgements GIS Data Sources Principal Contributors, Thanks to: Introduction Fold-Out Map Public Access Site Maps in Alphabetical Order: Karen Adair, The Nature Conservancy County and Municipal Boundaries – Ohio De- Dams – ODNR Division of Water, 2005 Mike Angle, ODNR Division of Geological Survey partment of Transportation (ODOT), 2007 Shaun Casbarro, ODNR Office of Hydrography – ODNR Division of Real Estate Scott Butterworth, ODNR Division of Wildlife Communications – layout supervisor, design Hydrography – Ohio Department of Natural and Land Management, 2004; derived from the Nathan Eppink, Metro Parks, Serving specialist Resources (ODNR), Division of Real Estate and USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic map series Summit County Land Management, 2004; derived from the Brenda Culler, ODNR Office of Coastal Manage- Anthony Gareau, Cuyahoga Valley National Park Public Access Sites – ODNR Office of Coastal USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic map series ment – photography, webpage design and editor Dennis Garvin, City of Toledo Management, 2010-2012 Public Access Sites – ODNR Office of Coastal Brian D. George, ODNR Office of Coastal Man- Ann Marie Gorman, ODNR Division of Wildlife Trails – ODNR Division of Real Estate and Land Management, 2010-2012 agement – project manager, map production Paige Hosier, Geauga Park District Management, 2004; updates by ODNR Office of and GIS, fieldwork, photography, writer, editor Mark Jones, ODNR Division of Geological Survey Coastal Management, 2008-2012 James Kastelic, Cleveland Metroparks Chapter Introduction
    [Show full text]
  • 1 2016 Miami and Erie Canal Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan
    1 2016 Miami and Erie Canal Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan (CMP) Ohio Department of Transportation Submitted July, 2016 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page # INTRODUCTION A. Designation Summary 4 B. Byway Route Map 5 BYWAY STRATEGIC PLAN 6 A. Vision, Mission and Beliefs B. Accomplishments since last CMP C. Goals and Objectives D. Action Plan Priorities, Responsibilities, Timeline BYWAY ORGANIZATION 8 A. Structure and Organization B. Committees, Representatives, Partners, Stakeholders C. Leaders’ Contact Information D. Level of Participation in State/Regional Meetings and Trainings E. Byway Leadership Succession Plan F. Current and Future (5 Year) Funding Needs BYWAY CORRIDOR CONDITIONS 10 A. Road Conditions Including Safety B. Primary and Secondary Intrinsic Quality/Resources C. Changes in Intrinsic Quality/Resources since last CMP D. Accessibility to Intrinsic Quality/Resources 3 VISITOR EXPERIENCE 25 A. Interpretation since Designation B. Byway Story C. Future Interpretation D. Plans for Improving Visitor Experience E. Preservation F. Sign Inventory MARKETING AND PROMOTION 30 A. Current and Future Planned Marketing Activities B. Recommended Products or Attachments for Media and Public Relations PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 34 A. Ongoing Communication & Cooperation with Community Partners B. Public Meetings and Public Participation Opportunities C. Steps Taken to Update Byway Mission and Vision D. Narrative on Critical Issues and How They Will Be Addressed APPENDIX 35 A. Sign Inventory (Excel Spreadsheet of GIS data) B. Most Current Byway Map C. Maps Identifying Primary Intrinsic Quality/Resource Locations D. Seasonal Byway Photographs – 2 per season E. Marketing Materials 4 INTRODUCTION AND MAP A. Byway Introduction The Scenic Byway covered in this plan is The Miami and Erie Scenic Byway.
    [Show full text]
  • The Wabash and Erie Canal in Wabash County by Mrs
    The Wabash and Erie Canal in Wabash County By Mrs. LEOLA HOCKETT During the session of 1823-24, Congress passed an act authorizing the state of Indiana to “Survey and mark through the public lands of the United States, the route of a canal by which to connect the navigation of the Wabash and Miami rivers and Lake Erie.’’ The act provided that, “ninety feet of land on each side of the canal” should be “reserved for sale on the part of the United States,” and that the use thereof should “forever be vested in the state aforesaid, for a canal and for no other purpose whatever.” In 1827, another act was passed granting “to the State of Indiana for the purpose of aiding the said State in opening a canal to unite, at navigable points, the waters of the Wabash river with those of Lake Erie, a quantity of land equal to one half of five sections in width on each side of the canal, and re- serving each alternate section to the United States to be selected by the Commissioner of the Land Office, under the di- rection of the President of the United States, from one side thereof to the other,” the said lands to be “subject to the dis- posal of the Legislature of said state, for the purpose aforesaid and no other. “The work was to be commenced within five years and finished within twenty years. The action of Congress was approved by the Legislature of Indiana on January 5, 1828. A Board of Commissioners was appointed, composed of Samuel Hanna of Ft.
    [Show full text]
  • 02.1992.2 Wabash and Erie Canal Groundbreaking Allen Marker Text Review Report 06/28/2012
    02.1992.2 Wabash and Erie Canal Groundbreaking Allen Marker Text Review Report 06/28/2012 Marker Text On February 22, 1832, ground was broken two blocks north for the canal, which would link Lake Erie at Toledo with the Ohio River at Evansville. Jordan Vigus, Canal Commissioner, Charles W. Ewing, Samuel Hanna, and Elias Murray participated in the ceremony. Report The marker text lacks context, leaving the reader with a number of questions. However, this marker certainly meets the current guidelines for state and national significance due to the economic impact upon the state. As a result of the canals, thousands of jobs were provided, hundreds of businesses were created, and Hoosier products were sent beyond the borders of the state. The date, February 22, 1832 is correct, supported by a March 2, 1832, Cass County Times newspaper article.1 The location, “two blocks north,” is questionable. The same Cass County Times article simply states, [Vigus and others] “. repair to the most convenient point on the St. Joseph feeder line . .2 to ceremoniously break the ground.” The St. Joseph line is mentioned in the 1830 chief engineer’s report which states, “. it began necessary to ascertain at what point on the St. Joseph’s river a feeder could be taken out to the best advantage, for supplying the summit level with water. After a close examination of the river, for several miles above it confluence with the St. Mary’s, a point about six miles above Fort Wayne was selected, as being the most suitable for its commencement.”3 Without further research, the location given in the text cannot be determined as the actual location.
    [Show full text]