Vill, No. 6 ",, Many Problems Faced in Resource Management Have No Simple "Black Or White" Answers

44,

: c i

!mo w J{ r F.

f f

i y

.. f

a f { l

m i wT4I ;,.:, ."r, qty -ABC" Y ' :i ,}",. F..y 73.: ,F a f, - o- z ,

r ,

' "i 'Yirr I C

¢y "4;A ? 3

e ", l r

Vol.- Vill, No. 6 ",, Many problems faced in resource management have no simple "black or white" answers. In the broad scope of these areas the real and often only practical answer is a "shade of grey." The conflict of preservation versus utilization and the means and consequences that follow methods of use or recovery are often areas of debate or disagreement. There are many areas of this type covered by the Department of Conservation responsibilities. One of these is the handling and utilization of coal, oil, stone, and in effect, nearly all our natural mineral resources. The one that is most in evidence to the general public is the recovery of coal by strip mining methods. Because the evidence of this utilization of a natural resource is widespread and relatively dramatic, it has been subject to, perhaps, more discussion than others to which I have referred. In an effort to explore this area objectively, we have under- taken in this issue of OUTDOOR INDIANA to point out the pros and cons of strip coal mining as they relate to Indiana in an effort to get them all expressed in one article at the same time and place. The discussion on strip mining is one that has interested me personally. I am a resident of Vermillion County. The county highway leading from the state highway to my home has been stripped and then releveled. Some of the original commercial stripping and experimental planting was done in my immediate neighborhood. Some land has been leveled as well. My experience in agriculture as a County Extension Agent and a farmer again has brought me closer to these activities and problems than might be the case otherwise. Also during my college years, I was a locomotive fireman for one of the local railroads that served some of the major coal fields in Indiana. So, in an effort to further greater understanding of the management and utilization of this natural resource we have given you the article on strip mining in this issue of OUTDOOR INDIANA. Although I am writing this quite some time before Christmas and the Holiday Season, I take this means of wishing all of you the best.

DONALD E. FOLTZ, Director Indiana Department of Conservation OUTDOOR INDIANA INDIANA DEPA RVATION

nTerreHaute

ette

ECTOR S

Administrative Assistant-Rober\ restry-4 bprt D. Raisch Accounting-Harold B. Smith Geologiedt avey-John B. Patton Comptroller-Wm. Dean Lacy Oil tid- Ga-cHomer R. Brown Enforcement-Harold D. Raisor Public In iiiation-Thomas B. March Engineering-Henry C. Prange Purchasing-Anthony E. Sheppard Entomology-John J. Favinger State Parks-Kenneth R. Cougill Fish and Game-Woodrow W. Fleming Water Resources-Charles H. Bechert

Vol. VIII, No. 6 December, 1964

CONTENTS

CHRISTMAS TREE FOR WILD BIRDS .

PIONEER MERCHANT . . . . 6

THE YELLOW JACKETS MARCH TO TIPPECANOE .

A VIEW FROM THE PIT 16

A CHRISTMAS TREE TAKES SHAPE . . . . . 31

Cover photo of Christmas Tree for Wild Birds by staff photographer Philip Van Blaricum.

THOMAS B. MARCH, Editor Published monthly by the Indiana Department of Conservation, 6th BETTY BENNETT, Associate Editor Floor, State Office Building, Indianapolis, Indiana-46209. Second class mail privileges authorized at Indianapolis, Indiana. Out-of-state MAC HEATON, Art Director subscription rate $2.00. Change of address should be reported promptly. PHILIP VAN BLARICUM, Photographer Permission to reprint any material in this publication may be granted GENEVA CAHILL, Circulation Manager to responsible parties upon written application to the editor. Christmas £ast for Wild birdss By BETTY BENNETT Associate Editor

GENERALLY, Christmas - at least day tradition of giving and of good the gift-exchanging aspect of it -is will and it can soften the hardships of considered a holiday for children . . . the winter months for birds who re- a time for happy laughter, good will main in this climate. And as a special toward men and, for adults, a time for bonus, a Christmas tree for birds, if religious reflection. located near a window, can supply For wildlife, however, Christmas is bird lovers with hours of enjoyment. a time for snow, cold and, possibly, Every year, Mrs. Geneva Cahill, a shortage of food. And that is where who has a log cabin near Needmore a Christmas tree for wild birds can in Brown County, spends many hours bridge a gap. It fits in with the holi- in the fall gathering seeds and berries

A convenient way of hanging peanut butter on a tree is by spreading it on pine cones which hold it firmly and allow the birds to feed in a natural manner. Page 2 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 This is Mrs. Geneva Cahill's work table where she prepares the Christmas feast for wild birds. Included in the "delicacies" are sumac, wild grapes, popcorn, commercial mixed seeds, cranberries, donuts, peanut butter, stale rolls, and suet wrapped in onion bags and also cut out with a cookie cutter for a Christmas effect. Handy containers to hold seeds are hollowed gourds and grapefruit. for winter feeding of wild birds. cones (they really relish the nut Among the most sought after deli- flavor and it supplies more fat), weed cacies are sumac, wild grapes, multi- seeds (which could be placed in hol- flora rose seeds, sunflower seeds, and lowed grapefruit or gourds), pumpkin an almost limitless variety of grains and melon seeds stored from the sum- and fruits from trees and shrubs. mer, stale donuts, bread crumbs, and Actually, a lot of these grains, seeds bacon drippings. and berries could be left in their Many people don't realize how im- natural habitat where the birds would portant sand is to the digestive proc- find them eventually, but a Christmas esses of birds. Because of their lack of tree for birds could supplement these teeth, the sand's abrasive quality helps natural foods with special delicacies to grind up the food; this, too, could such as suet (highly important for be placed in gourds, where it would be energy), popcorn (decorative on the protected from too much moisture. tree as well as loaded with food An important bonus for birds would value), peanut butter spread on pine be a method of keeping them sup- December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA * Page 3 Indiana Audubon Society, Inc. These two check lists are included here to Daily Field Check List watching birds add to your enjoyment of BIRDS - OF - INDIANA come to your Christmas tree feeding station. It is also a good idea to keep an identifica- tion book handy, since some of the birds Date ------.... Time-.....------...... ----Total...... might not be easily recognized. Since spe- Observer...... ------...... ------cies vary throughout the state, it is unlikely that all of these varieties would come to Locality.------...... ------any one feeding station; however, every once in a while a really rare specimen will ...... ------appear as a special bonus to the bird watcher. Weather ...... ------Habitat------...... ------Sequence from A. O. U., Fourth Edition 235 species most commonly observed in the state plied with water; however, this in- volves frequent attention since it Common Loon---..----....--- Green-winged Teal .....- Red-throated Loon ...... Blue-winged Teal --. .. freezes easily during the cold months. GREBES Shoveller...... _...... Wood------For those who want to go all out, spe- Horned ------Redhead ------Pied-billed__------Ring-necked------Double-created Cormorant... cial commercial water heating ele- Canvas-back ...... bird baths and HERONS Lesser Scaup...... ments are available for Great Blue------American Golden-eye ... drinking water. Egrets Buffle-head...------...... American ------Old-squaw-...... ------...... feeder Snowy------White-winged Scoter....-- The best location for a bird Little Blue__.------Ruddy...... would be near some form of cover Green...... Hooded Merganser. .... Black-crowned Night.-- American Merganser...... where they can perch and sing to call BITTERNS Red-breasted Merganser... their mates, but if a tree is used, it American------Turkey Vulture ...... Least------Black Vulture...... would serve a double purpose as GEESE HAWKS Canada------Sharp-shinned .------perch and "dinner table." If a tree is Snow------...... -- Cooper's--.------is Blue------Red-tailed---...... -- especially cut for this purpose, it DUCKS Red-shouldered--...... best to locate it on the southside of Mallard------Broad-winged...... ----- Black-...... -- Rough-legged..------...... -- the house where it receives the benefit Gadwall...... Bald Eagle...... Baldpate....------Marshe...------of the most sun and it should be an- Pintail-...... - Osprey------chored firmly to protect it from being blown over. Although I have been talking in terms of a Christmas tree for birds, this source of food should be main- tained consistently once the practice SOME WILD BIRDS MOST is started, because birds are creatures LIKELY TO USE FEEDER of habit and easily become dependent on handouts once they are accus- tomed to them. Bluebird, eastern ...... Adding to the interest of winter Blue Jay, northern ...... feeding of wild birds is the mainte- Cardinal, eastern ...... nance of a check list of species that Cedar W axwing ...... take advantage of this humane act, which not only benefits the birds but Chickadee, black-capped ...... also helps their benefactors by keep- Crow, eastern ...... year- ing them in the environment Dove, eastern-mourning ...... round too feed on insect pests during the summer. A

Page 4 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 Duck---...... Chuck-will's widow...... THRUSHES Louisiana Water Pigeon...... Whip-poor-will...... Robin...... thrush_------Sparrow - . Wood Kentucky_.. Bob-white_ Chimney Swift ------. Hermit ...... Connecticut_ Ring-necked Pheasant .... Ruby-throated Olive-backed_ - -....-. Mourning- .. - -- Sandhill Crane...... Hummingbird------Gray-cheeked ...... Yellow-throat ...... RAILS Belted Kingfisher...... Veery ...... Yellow-breasted Chat. King. ------WOODPECKERS Bluebird-f. ------Hooded ...... -- Virginia...... Flicker...... Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.._. Wilson's...... Sora...... Pileated-...... Golden-crowned Kinglet..... Canada...... --- Redstart...... Florida Gallinule Red-bellied------Ruby-crowned Kinglet ..... Coot- -' . --...... Red-headed------American Pipit ------...... English Sparrow...... Yellow-bellied Bobolink------PLOVERS Sapsucker.------Cedar Waxwing ----.---- Piping Hairy------Migrant Shrike...------E. Meadowlark-.,--- Semipalmated.______--. . Downy...... Starling ------W. Meadowlark ------.-- Killdeer------Red-wing.------Golden------...... FLYCATCHERS VIREOS Orchard Oriole , Kingbird...... _. White-eyed------...... Baltimore Black-bellied Bell's_ Oriole .....---.. Ruddy Turnstone ...... Crested-.. ------..... Phoebe ..... Yellow-throated .-----. Rusty Blackbord...... W oodcock ------Blue-headed.____-- Grackle...... Wilson's Snipe ..... ____ Acadian Alder.------... Red-eyed ------... ---- Cowbird------...... -- Upland Plover______- Philadelphia------Scarlet Tanager._------Spotted Sandpiper...-----.. Least------... Solitary Sandpiper----- Wood Pewee ...... ----- Warbling------.------Summer Tanager..------Greater Yellowlegs_ Olive-sided ...... WARBLERS Cardinal...... -- Lesser Yellowlegs-..--..-.. Horned Lark...... Black and White ...... -- Rose-breasted Pectoral Sandpiper...---.-- SWALLOWS Prothonotary___-_____- Grosbeak...... ------Least Sandpiper ..-----._- Tree...... Worm-eating- ---- Indigo Bunting...... ___ Red-backed Sandpiper_ Bank...... Golden-winged------Dickcissel...... Dowitcher .... Rough-winged...... Blue-winged------Purple Finch...... Stilt Sandpiper.__...... B arn ------Tennessee------Orange-crowned-.....-_- Pine Siskin ...... Semipalmated Sandpiper - Cliff______.. Goldfinch-...... Sanderling...... Purple Martin ------Nashville------...... -- Blue Jay-...... Parula------Towhee------...... GULLS Yellow-- - .------. SPARROWS Herring ------Crow --...... Black-capped Magnolia ...... Savannah...... ---- Ring-billed. _...... Chickadee-.. - May------Bonaparte's...... Carolina Chickadee. _...... Cape Grasshopper...... ------.... Tufted Titmouse ------Black-throated Blue..... Henslow's.------TERNS White-breasted Myrtle------__ . . Vesper...... Foster's------...... Nuthatch...... Black-throated Green .... Larkpn...... Common ---...... Red-breasted Nuthatch ..-- Cerulean Bachman's.______Caspian-...... Blackburnian ...... Slate-colored Junco------Black_...... Brown Creeper ------Yellow-throated Tree ------Mourning Dove ...... WRENS (Sycamore)------. Chipping ------..------Yellow-billed Cuckoo------House ------Chetnut-sided--.-----.. Field ...... Black-billed Cuckoo------Winter------Bay-breasted ------. . White-crowned ...... OWLS Bewick's------Black-poll______..... White-throated ...... Barn------Carolina_...... Pine-...... Fox m...... Screech------Long-billed Marsh------Prairie------Lincoln's...... Great Horned -_ _ Short-billed Marsh------Palm ------Swamp Barred...... --- Mockingbird ...... Oven-bird______Song------Long-eared ...... Catbird...... Northern Water Lapland Longspur...... Short-eared___ Brown Thrasher...... thrush...... Snow Bunting......

Flicker, northern ...... Starling ...... Goldfinch, eastern ...... Towhee, red-eyed ...... Crackle, bronze ...... Titmouse, tufted ...... Grouse, eastern ruffed ...... Woodpecker, northern downy ...... Mockingbird, eastern ...... Woodpecker, eastern hairy ...... Nuthatch, white-breasted ...... Woodpecker, northern pileated ...... Pheasant, ring-necked ...... Woodpecker, red-bellied ...... Quail, eastern bobwhite ...... Woodpecker, red-headed ...... Robin, eastern ...... Wren, Carolina ...... Sparrow, English ...... Purple Finch ...... Sparrow, eastern song ...... Slate-colored Junco ......

OUTDOOR INDIANA Page 5 December, 1964 December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA - Page 5 ------L ~-4 --

INDIANA PIONEER MERCHANT

By RALPH W. STARK

FUR years after the founding in which trickled a small stream, located 1832 of Lebanon, Indiana, and its some three blocks west of the town selection as the governing seat of square, and on the south side of Boone County, the then tiny village present-day West Main Street. acquired its first sizeable industry, a Subsequently, Strong bought the tannery, which for some twenty-three spot of land, embracing four and a years was an important factor in the half acres, from Boone County burgeoning economy of the new com- through Elkanah Van Hook, who munity, and its surrounding trading acted as agent in the deal, for $50.00. area. The real estate was part of a 40- Samuel S. Strong, tanner, leather- acre tract which had been given to the worker, and storekeeper, at the age of county by Lebanon's founding fathers 31, came to Lebanon from his native as an inducement in naming the new state of Ohio in September, 1836. town as county seat. Shortly after his arrival, Strong chose In choosing the location, the pio- as the site for his tanyard, a low ly- neer industrialist's primary consider- ing, swampy piece of ground through ation was the availability of an ample, Page 6 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 Page out of merchant Samuel Strong's account book dated 1845, which shows entries, among other things, of "half bushel of hair, .041/4; half calf skin, .75; one hog skin, .25; and four sheep skins and one dog skin, $1.50." constant, and easily obtained supply dry-goods, and crockery, and, appar- of water for the operation of his tan- ently, he enjoyed a brisk trade in his ning vats, of which he ultimately had highly diversified enterprise. 14. In addition to his business activi- Some few years after establishing ties, Samuel Strong found time to his tannery, Strong built on the west serve as Lebanon's postmaster from side of the public square a mammoth March 20, 1850, to April 28, 1853, two-story frame business building, in maintainingthe office in his combina- one large room of which he ran a tion shop and store room. Also, he harness shop where he not only fabri- promoted Lebanon's first civic im- cated harness but made saddles, provement by laying a "sidewalk" of boots, and shoes as well. As a side- spent tanbark between his tanyard line, he carried a small stock of vari- and "uptown." ous items, including grocery staples, Strong closed out his tannery and December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA - Page 7 sold his real estate in February, 1859, That deer were yet plentiful in after having made, it is recorded, "a Boone County in the 1840's is evi- modest fortune," and in 1860, moved denced by numerous entries of the to Morris, Illinois, for residence. He purchase of deer skins at prices rang- paid a brief visit to Lebanon in Sep- ing from 37%'/ to $1.00, with the cus- tember, 1866, and after that disap- tomary payment being fifty cents. peared into obscurity where local an- The soft and pliable tanned deer hide nals are concerned. was an item eagerly sought by the Recently, this writer came into pos- local gentry for making buckskin session of two tattered and dog-eared breeches and jackets, and moccasins. daybooks in which the Lebanon tan- Writers of today's natural histories ner and storekeeper kept his accounts dismiss the economic value of the for a seven year period beginning lowly groundhog, but this was not early in 1845, and terminating in late true in pioneer Boone County. Strong 1851. Sometime in the 1870's, a former bought hundreds of woodchuck hides owner used the old volumes as scrap- for 8¢ each, with the price occasion- books, pasting in articles cut from ally going up to 15¢, and paid 62¢ newspapers and other periodicals with per gallon for the oil rendered from a stubborn, unyielding glue that now the carcasses. defies removal of the clippings. When tanned, groundhog hide was However, many of the pages are tough, flexible and somewhat elastic, whole and unmutilated, and from and, cut in a circular fashion into long these is obtained a fairly clear and narrow strips, provided the pioneer quite interesting picture of the busi- with thongs and shoelaces. Groundhog ness side of the operation of a back- oil was used as a harness and boot woods leather-making plant of a hun- dressing, and is said to have had ex- dred and twenty years ago, together cellent leather preserving and water- with the commodities and prices that proofing qualities. figured in the then greatly favored One supplier, who surely spent and almost universally employed most of his time hunting groundhogs, barter system of exchange. brought in from eight to ten wood- Strong tanned hides and skins from chuck hides at a time, with an accom- a variety of animals, including horses, panying half-gallon of oil, receiving cows and steers, calves, sheep, goats, 8¢ a hide, and 31¢ for the oil. One hogs, dogs, deer, and groundhogs. would gather that it required some Quite strangely, raccoon pelts are not eight or ten "whistle-pigs" to render mentioned although 'coon-skin caps out a half-gallon of oil. are known to have been the popular One very necessary item used in rustics in head gear of the Hoosier the tanning process, and probably pioneer times. the most important, was "tan bark," Cow and steer hides are entered in which supplied the tannic acid. Strong the old account books as "kips," and bought oak bark by the wagon-load, were bought by weight, generally for paying 1%'/ per board foot to farmers four cents per pound, with the price at cutters who stripped it from times going up to five cents. Horse and wood a special tool hides brought a dollar each; sheep the trees and logs with skins, 30¢ to 40¢; calf skins, 75¢ to called a "bark knife." Tan bark and 92¢; and hog hides, 12%'/ to 18%2'. A salt comprised the principal cost of goat skin was worth 50, and 20¢ materials for leather tanning, and bought a dog skin. since Strong paid his "hands" at the Page 8 - OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 tanyard from 50¢ to 62%'/ for a long and a thousand clapboards brought 12-hour day, it is little wonder that $2.50. For the home dressmaker and he could custom-tan a dog hide or a tailor, calico was 25¢ per yard, and calf skin for a quarter of a dollar, and jeans, 50¢ per yard. still make money. Miscellaneous items included to- Much of Strong's finished products bacco at 18¢ per pound; apples at - harness, saddles, and boots and 20¢ per bushel; peaches, 25¢ per shoes - as well as the tanned hides bushel; beets, 370 per bushel; dried and skins, were sold in Lebanon and hulled beans, 50¢ per bushel; and a surrounding areas. Tanned whole or quarter of mutton could be had for half hides were bought by many farm- 370. When he sold a pair of leather ers, who were "jacks of all trades" in boots, Strong got from $1.25 to $1.75, those days and could turn out a set and 50¢ to 75¢ for a pair of shoes. He of work harness, or make a pair of got his garden plowed for 25€, and boots, as well as those who were in the his wood cut for 23¢ a cord, and paid business. And a by-product of the 10¢ a load for having it delivered to tannery, the hair and bristles removed his woodshed. from the skins and hides, found a When Strong accumulated a sur- ready local market in the sale to plus of commodities, he hauled it by plasterers at 20¢ per bushel for mix- wagon to markets at Lafayette and ing with lime in the preparation of Indianapolis, where he sold the pro- rough-coat plaster. duce for the cash that went into his In the conduct of his business lo- strong-box back in Lebanon. On the cally, Strong handled very little "hard return trips from the markets, he cash;" most transactions were on transported merchandise and supplies a barter or exchange basis. He ac- for other Lebanon storekeepers. cepted as payment just about every The Strongs kept a "hired girl" for imaginable item that could be pro- 17 weeks in the spring of 1847, paying duced in the community. Items fig- her 75¢ a week for her services. How- uring in the exchange included corn ever, in that period of voluntary servi- at 17¢ to 25¢ per bushel; oats, 10¢ to tude, the girl bought so many items 124; wheat, 50¢; flax seed, 75¢; and from Strong, including a pair of shoes potatoes, 25¢. Beef was 2¢ to 4¢ per at $1.75; a pair of "pump" shoes at pound; veal, 3¢; bacon, 60; pork, 24 $1.25; 23 yards of calico at 25¢ per to 3¢; and a live hog could be bought yard; and a bridle and martingales for $4.00, and a cow for $8.00. at $2.50, that when she quit the job, Corn meal by the bushel ranged she owed Sam $2.42. To square the from 20¢ to 37%'; flour was 2%¢ per account, she wove a rag rug for the pound; cabbage sold at 2¢ per head; Strongs for $3.25, and in final settle- turnips at 12%'/ per bushel; eggs were ment, drew 78¢ in cash. 3¢ per dozen; and a dozen chickens Just as the cost of living in Sam could be bought for $1.00. A big fat Strong's day was minimal, the ex- turkey for Thanksgiving entailed an pense of dying was equally so. Death outlay of only 25¢. Salt was 1%'/ per came into the Strong household, per- pound; coffee, 10€ to 12%'/; and tal- haps it was a child that died, some- low for home-made candles was 6¢ to time in 1849, as evidenced by an entry 8¢ a pound. which tersely stated that the account In building materials, lime was 13€ of Aaron F. Chamness was credited per bushel; brick, $4.50 per thousand; "by making coffin" in the amount of sawed shingles, $2.00 per thousand; $2.50. p December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA * Page 9 THE YELL 0 JACKETS MARCH TO TIPPE CANOE

By ARVILLE L. FUNK

IN THE early days of September, uniform that separated it from the 1811, the militia of various settle- usual militia units. The members of ments in southern Indiana began to this company had dyed the cuffs and gather for a curious military expedi- fringes of their buckskins or home- tion. This expedition was to be formed made wool coats a bright yellow, at Vincennes by Gov. William Henry leading to their famous nick-name, Harrison and then to march against "The Yellow Jackets." the hostile Indian "capital" of The sixty-odd members of the Yel- Prophetstown that Tecumseh and the low Jackets were a curious collection. Prophet had founded just a few miles Their leader, Captain Spier Spencer, east of the present site of Lafayette. Typical of the settlements was the little village of Corydon in Harrison County. The militia company of that village was the pride of the county; it numbered approximately 60 officers and men and wore a distinctive

r ti ~"" i.... I ~-~LI_~~-1 lowi --.._--- .~, ~;I sr., c ~~;-~ .- 777

Page 10 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 Isham Stroud, a 15-year-old youth, as fifer. Among the 43 privates were rep- resentatives of some of the most prominent families in early Indiana. William Hurst, Sr. and his son, Wil- liam Jr., both marched with the company. James Harberson, the son of the founder of the Lanesville community joined the company when his father became too old to march against the Indians. William Davis had just arrived in the county a few weeks previous, but enlisted to serve under the well-known Spencer. Davis was one of the seven Yellow Jackets that were never to return to Harrison County. Ignitus Able and George Zenor had helped to lay out the first roads in the county, and Christopher Shucks and Samuel Pfrimmer were members of two famous Pensylvania German families that had settled in The route of the Yellow Jackets to the Battle of southern Indiana. Tippecanoe. George Spencer, the brother of the Harrison County sheriff, was a Spier had recently joined his brother veteran Indian fighter, having fought at Corydon and had left his family in over 40 engagements against the in Kentucky. He joined the expedi- savages. In addition to his position as tion as well as James Spencer, the son sheriff, he and his wife, Elizabeth, of Spier. James was only 14 and was ran a large log tavern known as the to be graduated second in his class Green Leaf Tavern on Oak Street in from West Point just five years later. Corydon. Serving as second in com- The most famous of the privates who mand of the company was 1st Lt. marched from Corydon was John Richard McMahan, a popular young Tipton, who was elected Ensign while man of the county who had settled enroute and later returned with the near Corydon in 1808. company as Captain after the cam- Among the four sergeants of the paign. Tipton went on to serve as a group was Pearse Chamberlain, the Major General U.S. Senator for two Harrison Township assessor, and terms. Tipton kept a daily account of Henry Batman the "top sergeant" the expedition and from his journal's who was to be one of the first to fall entries we know today of the route with a severe wound at the forthcom- and experiences of the Yellow Jackets ing Battle of Tippecanoe. Among the on the campaign. four corporals was William Penning- The Yellow Jackets, like the other ton, the brother of Dennis Penning- militiamen were paid the following ton who stayed at Corydon to finish monthly rates: Captain, $50; Lieu- the new courthouse that became the tenant, $33.33; Ensign, $26.66; Ser- first State Capitol. geant, $8. Corporals and Musicians, The company had enlisted two mu- $7.33; and Privates, $6.66. In addi- sicians, Daniel Cline as drummer and tion, since the Yellow Jackets were December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA * Page 11 mounted on their own horses, they next 12 days the company camped at each received an additional forty several sites near Shakerstown just cents a day for the services and main- north of Vincennes. The Yellow tenance of the animals. Jackets spent most of their time drill- On the twelfth of September, the ing, hunting, drinking, and gambling Yellow Jackets began their journey at shooting matches. from Corydon. They spent their first Finally they received their orders night at Harrison's Mill, which was to meet Harrison's army at Maria six miles west of town and located at Creek on September 30th. Harrison the large spring that still bears his had issued his marching order which name. During the next six days as formed the infantry units in two they traveled in a northwesterly di- parallel columns and placed the rection toward Vincennes, the com- mounted units in single ranks 150 pany camped at several famous rest- yards from and parallel to the regular ing sites along the Old Buffalo Trace. columns. Spencer's mounted company On the night of September 14th they was formed along the left flank of the camped at the historic Half Moon army and given special orders that Spring in southern Orange County. they would be under direct command On the 16th they crossed White River of Harrison and not answerable to and on the 18th they reached their other officers of the army. The entire destination and reported their pres- Harrison expedition numbered ap- ence to Governor Harrison. For the proximately nine hundred, including

INDIANA MILITIA U.5. RXqULAP25 INDIANA DRAGOONS A S' LEMTUCZLY MILITIA aka O IIDIAN4A CAVALRY 4 ( a W T PR AI ,.I t. CHASED ATTLL POITIOU 2 CAMP-MAI-50hI 5 HDQT. POINT WHEIE OrFICL TELL S so t0 o00 50( CONCENTRATED INDIA ATTACKL5 opEo°°°> o 3CAL E i INCK - 50 EE T 250 regulars of the 4th U.S. Infantry present city of Terre Haute. The Regiment, about 100 Kentucky vol- army remained at this site until Oc- unteers, and a little less than 600 tober 29th, building a strong log fort Indiana militia. which was 150 feet square with two- As the army moved north, the Yel- story blockhouses in each corner. low Jackets were detailed for scout- While at this fort, which was named ing duties and thus could ride wide of Fort Harrison in honor of the leader the main column and direct their at- of the expedition, the Yellow Jackets tention to other things, such as hunt- were sent on numerous scouting as- ing wild turkeys, pigeons and pheas- signments and engaged with the other ants, fishing in the many streams and militia companies in such recrea- even locating and cutting bee trees. tion as wrestling contests, shooting On one occasion, Tipton mentions matches, and drinking bouts. that they cut three bee trees in one On the fourth day at Fort Harrison day and received almost ten gallons the commander met his first crisis of of honey to help supplement their the journey. The Indiana militia be- army rations. came disgusted with the shortage of On Thursday, October 3rd, the rations and several of the members army reached the site of an old Indian decided to return home. The Yellow village and battleground, which Tip- Jackets discussed the proposal to re- ton called "tare hott" and which was turn to Corydon but decided to re- on the highlands just north of the main with the army. Also that same day, Lt. Thomas Berry who commanded a small mounted militia detachment, was officially attached with his men to Spencer's company fod the remainder of the mission. Berry was to be killed while fighting alongside the Yellow Jackets in the early morning hours at Tippecanoe. On October 10th a scouting party of the Yellow Jackets was startled by the firing on a sentry back at the fort. The sentry was badly wounded and the scouting party returned prepared to battle the savages, but the expected Indian attack never mate- rialized. Two days later the fort was visited by two friendly Delaware braves, and Tipton notes that the two traded and played cards with the scouts for most of that day. On October 16th, the shortage of rations caused several of the Indiana volunteers to desert. On the 19th the army was told that the contractor's boats which were bringing supplies up

Left: A diagram of Harrison's encampment at Tippecanoe.

OUTDOOR INDIANA . Page 13 On October 28th a detachment of the Yellow Jackets helped to bring up several boats loaded with much needed provisions and the entire army prepared to resume their march north. The army marched the next morning leaving Lt. Col. James Miller with a small force from the 4th Infantry behind to garrison Fort Harrison. Dur- ing the next three days the Yellow Jackets scouted for the army as it slowly moved along the east bank of the Wabash. After crossing Raccoon Creek on the 31st, the army crossed the Wabash to the western bank. Tip- ton recorded that it took over three hours to transport the army across and it was necessary to leave the Governor's personal wagon and equipment on the east shore because the oxen had strayed and there was no means of pulling the heavy wagon. The following day, Saturday, No- John Tipton started as private, was elected en- vember 2nd, the army built a small sign enroute, and assumed command of the blockhouse on the west bank of the company as captain after Captain Spencer was Wabash near a site that is now killed in battle. Porter's Eddy in Vermillion County. the river were being constantly fired Here were left the boats and the upon by the Indians. This made it heavy equipment of the army. A ser- necessary to again cut the ration of geant and eight men were left to pro- flour. The Yellow Jackets drew their tect the little fort. The blockhouse was customary rations of beef, salt and named Fort Boyd in honor of Col. whiskey but their flour ration was re- John P. Boyd, the commander of the duced to 3/4 pound per soldier. The 4th Infantry Regt. This same day the next day the winter weather began to entire army was ordered to parade set in on the expedition. Tipton for Governor Harrison and all units records that it snowed most of the day did except the Yellow Jackets who and many of the soldiers became ill were off hunting and scouting on their with colds and fever. He mentions it own. Harrison threatened to demote as the most disagreeable day of the all of the officers of the company but expedition. On the 22nd the Yellow did not carry out his threat, knowing Jackets held an election for additional full well that the Yellow Jackets officers and Sam Flanagan was would probably pack their belongings elected 2nd Lt. and Tipton was and return to Corydon. elected Ensign. On October 27th the On Sunday morning, the 3rd, the troops turned out for the special oc- army moved across the Big Vermil- casion of formally christening the lion River and continued on the jour- fort; extra whiskey rations were is- ney to Prophetstown. Captain Spen- sued and most of the men spent the cer became ill and the junior officers night celebrating. took over the command of the com- Page 14 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 pany. The next day Spencer recovered leave the battle line and in a few min- and his company was sent out with utes was wounded again, this time in Parke's company of dragoons to scout the head. As Fifer Stroud and another in advance of the main body. As the soldier attempted to carry him from army neared the enemy capital sev- the field, Captain Spencer was fatally eral small detachments were ordered wounded by a musket ball in the to scout on the flanks and front so chest. Stroud, who had also received that any enemy ambush could be a wound, returned to the firing line avoided. Ensign Tipton and 17 men and continued to play shrill martial were sent out on such a mission on music on his fife that could even be November 5th but reported back that heard above the roar of battle. no sign of the enemy could be found. During the first onslaught on the That night the expedition went into Spencer company, Lts. McMahan and camp only 11 miles from the Indian Berry had also been killed and the village. decimated company fought on under The following day, Wednesday the the leadership of Flanigan and Tip- 6th, the army marched through two ton. Just as it appeared that the Yel- miles of timber and then came out low Jackets' position would be en- into open prairie country where Har- tirely overrun, Harrison sent a com- rison ordered it to advance in battle pany of militia under Robb and a line formation. As they drew near the company of regulars under Captain Indian capital the advance guard Joel Cook to reinforce the weakened with interpreters was met by a large lines and finally the Indians were force of savages including several forced to retreat leaving several of chiefs who asked that Harrison halt their dead behind. his force and meet with them the next Almost three hours after the battle morning at a peace conference. Harri- started, the Prophet's followers began son agreed to the truce until the fol- to drift away from the battlefield and lowing day and the army went into peace settled over the bloody area camp in an area of timber between that had been the camp of the expedi- Burnett's Creek and a low marshy tion. Tipton, who had assumed com- prairie about a mile or so above mand of the company, began to take Prophetstown. The Yellow Jackets an account of the casualties of the with Berry's detachment were placed Yellow Jackets. He reported to Harri- on the right flank of the encampment son that three officers, Spencer, Mc- on the southwest side of the present Mahan and Berry along with three battlefield area. privates, Duncan, Davis and Sand At about 4:30 on the morning of had been killed. Also, 13 of the com- November 7th the left flank of the pany had been wounded, one of army was suddenly attacked by a which, George Spencer (brother of large number of howling savages. Spier) was to die before he reached Corporal Stephen Mars of Geigers Vincennes. George Spencer made an company fired the first shot in answer oral will as he lay dying that left his to the attack and within minutes the property to his relatives in Kentucky. right flank of the encampment also Spencer in Owen County was named came under heavy Indian fire. The in honor of this victim of Tippecanoe. Yellow Jackets' position was severely William Davis left a large family and attacked, and one of the first to fall widow at Corydon and after their re- was Captain Spencer who was shot turn the company held a shooting through both thighs. Spier refused to (Text continued on page 29) December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA - Page 15 I 1 i

i By DONALD E. FOLTZ

Director of Conservation 0 0 0 Department

throughout the state. For instance,

." Warrick County furnished 6 million

1 tons; Vigo County 2 million; Greene,

and Sullivan Counties 1 '/s mil- &ION ' Pike, lion each; Clay County 1 million;

Gibson County one-half million, and

Owen County one-third million.

Small amounts of coal came from

Knox, Daviess, Martin, Spencer,

,. Perry, Dubois, Parke, and Vermillion -WCounties. it '1W01 The largest quantity of coal pro-

duced in the state in a single year was

30,678,600 tons, mined in 1918 during o '.° °° World War I. Production has varied

, ° " greatly over the years, but the small-

was ,' rt est annual production since 1918 in 1954 when only 13,400,200 tons

1i;"I u - " was produced.

The largest single customer of our

Indiana coal are electrical generating .. power plants, which, in 1962, con-

' M °' , sumed 67 percent of our coal. Twenty

a:. w°""«=mix years ago the railroads burned coal

in their steam engines and consumed

mined in Indiana, i n . :" -4' one-half of the coal Z W I .mot i ~;,°«::m.Y... but now the use only 1 percent of it.

None of the coal mined in this state

is used to make coke because our coal

eK, is generally too high in sulfur and °V- because its coke is not strop enough.

The East Chicago-Gary area uses

more than 9 million tons of West Vir- ginia coal each year to make coke to be used in our steel mills. Paradoxi-

cally, much of our coal is used to

generate electrical power to operate

.. r the giant draglines that mine our coal.

e A huge shovel removes the overburden that has

x been blown from the wall by explosives.

December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA - Page 17 Indiana coal is found in the southwestern quarter of the state in an area H---- of 6,500 square miles, about one-sixth the size of the entire state. The coal I + beds were formed 270 to 310 million years ago during what is known as the Pennsylvanian time. The name L r "Pennsylvanian" also is applied to the coal-bearing rocks because similar ones have been studied for more than of Penn- OUTLINEMA P OF INDIANA vg a hundred years in the state SHOWINGLOCATE ONOF MAPAREA I sylvania, where they are considered to I I - be typical of rocks deposited during the Pennsylvanian time. In Indiana these rocks consist mostly of shale and sandstone and small amounts of O 5 0 I Q /: I ONO-- limestone, underclay, and coal. In , fact, coal beds make up less than 3 OHIO -. percent of all rocks formed during I: Pennsylvanian time. These coal beds .No,I' 1 MRI are nearly flat, blanketlike deposits that dip 20 to 30 feet per mile to the I_ southwest toward the center of the

N . Illinois basin. They are not entirely a I / 11 ,E continuous and are not of the same thickness. Even the thicker coals that Map of southwestern Indiana showing general- generally measure from 3 to 6 feet ized boundary lines of Pennsylvania rocks and may be less than a foot thick in some Coals III, V, VI, and VII. places or may be absent entirely. We still have a great amount of Some coal beds - deposited as lens- coal left, however, when you con- shaped bodies in small basins - do sider that during the past 100 years, not cover more than a few square only 1 1/5 billion tons has been mined miles and not more than a few acres in Indiana. If we can continue to in some places. mine 15/2 million tons a year, our re- Nearly 35 billion tons of coal is serves will last for approximately available for mining in Indiana, but 1,000 years. If we assume that pro- only slightly more than half of it duction will increase 10 percent each (about 18 billion tons) is recoverable year in keeping with the rising need by present mining methods, with for energy, then our coal will be about 2 billion tons recoverable by mined out by the year 2015. Based on assumption, our coal reserves ap- present strip mining methods. And so, this pear to be adequate for the next few some observers believe, unless there generations. increase in the amount is a continued This then, has been the surface view of overburden that can be removed, of the coal producing industry in In- strip mining in Indiana will gradu- diana. These are the facts that help ally diminish, and most of our coal us to gain a perspective on one of the will be mined by underground meth- most controversial subjects in Indiana ods. today. What we have not yet explored Page 18 • OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 are the human values affected by the ducers' making. We know that coal coal industry. This is quite another mining is here to stay. We know that story--in fact - two stories: the it has been a valuable economic asset opinion that all is well in the coal to Indiana. We know that Indiana fields . . . and the opinion that all is has one of the most effective reclama- NOT well in the coal fields. tion laws in the country and we know Since we have an editorial responsi- that the coal companies were active in bility to be objective, we have made reclamation long before Indiana had every effort to research both sides of such a law. Researching the subject the story with equal vigor. Certainly, in general has produced certain argu- being human, we are at one time sus- ments that are almost universally true ceptible to the arguments of the coal throughout our coal producing area producers and equally susceptible to . . . these arguments should be ex- the forelorn result of the coal pro- posed.

Proponents of strip mining say... n Coal mining makes use of land mined, the cost of removing a five- that is not of practical value for foot vein of coal from one acre of row-crop agriculture. Much of the ground would be $24,400. Of this, acreage in the coal producing re- about 60 % is paid out in salaries and gion of Indiana is marginal and wages, 331% is paid for services and unproductive. supplies and about 7 % is paid in One measure of the value of any local taxes. The yield per acre of coal land area is the dollars it produces - with a vein five feet thick - is over a given period of time. Whether about 6,961 tons with a value of $3.85 the dollars come from agriculture, per ton, for a total gross value of livestock, rent or coal makes little dif- $26,800. ference. Where coal is found near the At this rate of dollar productivity, surface in Indiana, that land is gen- it would take more than 296 years of erally marginal or sub-marginal for corn production to equal the dollars agriculture. Long term production produced in one year in coal and more studies show these 19 counties to be than 384 years of wheat production below average in wheat and corn to equal that of coal. In less than 15 production on a per acre basis and years after stripping, the land can be the large number of unfertile acres back in production growing timber, as bring the county average down still pasture or providing thousands of further. people with recreation. Even if these counties were to pro- the state average, the most in- duce * Coal mining contributes about could produce per acre come they $64 million annually - of this, would be $90.48 in corn and $69.70 in $38.7 million is paid in wages, 21.3 wheat, basing our computations on million is paid for associated serv- $1.04 per bushel of corn and $1.70 ices and 3.8 million is paid in state of wheat. These are gross income fig- and local taxes. ures. From these dollars must come wages, fertilizer, fencing, seed, sup- The average coal industry worker plies and profit. in Indiana enjoys a fairly high stand- If the same acreage were strip ard of living, is seldom affected by December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA * Page 19 labor-management problems and swinging it into position, dumping its spends his money in an average man- load and returning for another fill ner. Out of his 38.7 million dollar every forty-five seconds. Electrically paycheck, he spends 10.8 million for operated machinery costing millions food, 10.5 million for housing, 4.5 of dollars is provided with power by million for transportation, 3.1 million utility companies which produce elec- for apparel, 2.2 million for medical tricity from coal produced in local care and drugs and 2.1 million for mines. The most minute efficiency is recreation. This distribution would critically supervised and strip mines place him in an "average man" cate- are going deeper and deeper. With gory in relation to other industrial newer, bigger equipment, coal seams sections of the country. that bend down toward the center of His job is relatively secure, his the earth are no longer considered un- work is specialized and if he has the economical. Equipment used today desire and initiative, he can look for- will tear loose a three-foot coal seam ward to continued employment in- more than a hundred feet below the definitely. He and the coal producing surface. Until recent years strip mines companies have become an important were abandoned at forty, fifty or sixty part of the social and economic order feet because they were no longer of southwest Indiana; he numbers profitable. 5,652. * Coal companies recognized their * Labor obligations have had their reclamation responsibilities 25 effect on mining operations. years before the Indiana Reclama- tion Act was passed. Like any other industry, coal production is directly related to profit. In 1942 the Legislature of Indiana When operations cease to be profit- passed an Act that requires coal com- able, investors cease to be interested panies to make an effort to reclaim and new areas of production are the land. Since then, the law has been sought. While strip mining is the most amended several times. economical method of removing coal Although they are now legally obli- from the ground, there are limits to gated to reclaim lands stripped and which the companies can go and still scarred by mining through sound for- realize a profit. The labor relations estry planting projects and pasture problems of Pennsylvania, Kentucky land development, the coal companies and West Virginia have had their ef- worked in these areas long before the fect in Indiana. As the cost of man- law was passed. As early as 1917, power has risen, coal companies have they planted seedlings that are now had to seek new economies in other beautiful and abundant forests. They areas. Automation in the strip pits experimented with pasture develop- came in the form of monstrous earth ment that now provides for beef cattle movers. Huge investments (up to $5 herds in many areas. More than million) in machinery have been 67,000 acres - of the 72,057 stripped made to increase efficiency and re- -have been reclaimed in one form duce cost. Now the companies work or another and are in various stages draglines with buckets large enough of growth. With more than 9,000 acres to engulf a large truck. Their margin of lakes, only about 3,600 acres have of profit is so critical that a dragline yet to be reclaimed. operator is required to make one com- While outwardly it would appear plete cycle of filling the bucket, desirable for the harsh ridges to be Page 20 • OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 leveled, the practice is neither practical nor feasible. The cost of leveling the ridges would add appreciably to the cost of coal. The immature soils turned up by stripping can only ma- ture by being exposed to nature's ele- ments and leveling would only reduce the surface area of maturing soils. In addition, erosion would be a continuing problem. In place of leveling, coal companies purchase millions of seedlings from state nurseries every year and care- fully plant varieties that have proved themselves hardy and fast growing. In general terms, within 15 years after stripping, forest products have again put stripped land back in useful production. Well planned tree plantings not only provide a future money crop, but help to develop the immature soil on the spoil banks. Trees return much needed nitrogen to the soil . . . their leaves fall and rot and provide humus ... they hold the soil back from run- off and harmful erosion . . . and they provide cover for wildlife. When ground cover and trees reclaim the spoil Until now we have not discussed banks, wildlife and fish flourish in abundance. one of the more obvious and import- land game research and management ant human advantages of the area. studies help game management spe- Recreation. cialists provide ground cover that is Reclamation planning for recrea- both attractive to game and suitable tion lands is as important as refores- for natural procreation. tation . . . but different. Hundreds, Lakes are made when the last cut perhaps thousands, of lakes dot the of the coal removal operation is com- countryside, but lakes, in themselves, pleted and the excavation is left to offer limited recreational facilities. In- fill with water through underground telligent tree planting leaves room for seepage. Some of the lakes are over a open areas where the sun can pene- mile in length and several hundred trate and grasses are grown to pro- feet wide. Since lakes are rare in this vide food and produce seed for wild- part of Indiana, strip pit lakes have life for the coming winter. Aquatic become an attraction and are favorite studies of the lakes need to be made sites for summer cottages and year- to determine the type of aquatic vege- round homes. tation best adapted to local condi- Planned recreation development tions and those which are necessary has real meaning to the people of for fish. Other studies reveal the best southwestern Indiana. There is cer- species of fish for local conditions and tainly a value in recreation lands that stocking programs are conducted. Up- cannot be measured in dollars. Hunt- December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA - Page 21 ing, fishing, boating, swimming, hik- stone mining leaves a large open hole ing, riding and picnicking are popu- in the ground. lar with natives and offer a source of We must have sand for concrete new income to the business communi- . . . sand mining leaves a large open ties affected. In recent, months two hole in the ground. of the largest coal producers have We must have electricity ... leased land to the state for operation In addition to the income dollars as fish and game recreation areas. If, that coal production has consistently after operational experience and brought to Indiana since the turn of study, these areas prove feasible as the century, another important ad- state operated recreation areas, more vantage must not be overlooked. may follow. Approximately 35,000 Inexpensive electrical power has acres of once stripped land are now been made available to cities and sufficiently grown over to make them towns and has brought the advant- suitable for some public recreation. ages of electricity to the doorsteps of In view of public pressure for more thousands of farm families that other- public recreation areas, it is logical wise would have been hard-pressed to look to the strip pits for relief. At to compete with their urban counter- the same time, it is important to con- parts. Modern power generation has sider the people of the affected areas helped to contribute to our rural and their standard of living, their economy by making farms more hab- future potential and what opportuni- itable, more functional and more effi- ties they have of prospering as a cient. Cheap power has brought new result of recreation and tourist de- industry, made jobs and helped to velopment. Since the average tourist keep the coal producers going when spends about $22.00 per day and the economic conditions were less than number of tourists could reach hun- bright. Right now electrical power dreds of thousands, the tourist po- generators use the bulk of Indiana's tential to southwestern Indiana repre- coal production and new markets are sents more total income than several being sought every day. large manufacturing plants. The practical advantages of coal production are important and should U Coal production has made a sub- not be minimized. The coal industry stantial contribution to the eco- is here to stay and it is well that it nomic and physical well-being of should. Indiana. "He putteth forth his hand upon We must have limestone for soil the rock, he overturneth the conditioning and concrete . . . lime- mountain by the roots." (Job 28:9)

Opponents of strip mining say... 0 As a result of wide areas being million County and east. This repre- stripped by open-cut coal mining sents 2 % of the land area in those process, the economic opportunities counties. After more than 60 years of of 19 south-western counties have strip mining in Indiana, no practical been seriously limited. method of land reclamation has been Strip mining has laid barren 72,057 developed that will return the land acres in nineteen counties bordering to its original state. Steep, sharp- the Wabash River south from Ver- crested spoil banks lie in wormlike Page 22 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 rows across the countryside as if a hunting. Steep banked strip pit lakes gigantic saw-blade had been cross- make it impossible to launch a boat ways drawn across the earth. Wher- and are dangerous for bank fishermen. ever haulage roads were left when the Campers are hard pressed to find a coal vein petered out, awesomely deep level spot to pitch a tent, or to find and sinister lakes have formed . . . firewood, locate shaded areas or to some a pure, cool blue and others a discover a spot that even faintly re- sickening, thick green . . . polluted sembles natural Indiana. Stripped by sulphuric acid from immature coal acres are costly to develop for recrea- formations. tion... major grading, planting, sod- The nature of strip mining almost ding and road building are required entirely precludes secondary land use. before that first tourist dollar drops As the unbelievably huge draglines into the cash register. scratch, rip and tear at the surface to If a beach is desired, half the lake remove the overburden and lay open may need to be filled before a suitable the coal vein, the earth is piled up in grade is reached. Sanitary facilities miniature mountain ranges dumped are costly and difficult to build . . . at the point nearest the excavation for sewage tends to run back into the economy's sake. The result . . . tons lake . . . and a hundred other prob- and tons of immature soil lacking in lems arise that complicate the main the nutrients and structure that pro- problem and discourage private rec- vide a healthy base for agricultural reation development in all but a few use are piled in ridges too steep to areas. climb - much less cultivate. Stripped areas have resulted in Spoil banks appear everywhere. slow development of towns and cities, They crop up around every bend in reduced populations and encouraged the road, perhaps creating the bend widespread, aimless housing. Without in the road. Over every ridge there is substantial tax base, people of the another ridge and beyond that a areas are hard-pressed for schools, treacherous strip pit lake. If the 72,- roads and utilities and live in sub- 057 stripped acres were grouped in standard human environment. one spot, it would be less of an eco- As coal mining operations began, nomic burden . . . but the fact that towns began to spring up bearing they are spread over 19 counties such unlikely names as Carbon, Coal makes them even more burdensome. Bluff, Hymera, Coalmont, Eureka, Stripped acres cannot be farmed . . . Enterprise, and others bearing the at least not productively. Stripped names of companies like Ayrshire and acres are not attractive for industry, Midland. For Indiana, the boom was especially since the land has not been on. The people began to come ... not productive enough to support popu- only from eastern Kentucky and West lation centers that provide labor sup- Virginia . . . for these were the days ply for industry. Stripped acres break of the great American industrial revo- up agricultural acreage and make it lution, but the call was heard all the expensive to till in small parcels. Stripped acres reduce the value of all way to Italy and Poland. acreage simply because of the ugliness They began in the old way . . . by of it all . . . aside from its infertility. digging deep shafts down into the The never-ending, unyielding ridges earth. With almost every shaft that defy the most heroic attempts at was sunk, a town sprang up, holding quail, pheasant, deer or waterfowl its own promise of greatness ... and December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA - Page 23 each prospering in direct relationship schools, poor roads, poor transporta- to the productivity of its individual tion, poor recreation and poor every- mine. Never lucrative, the marginal thing else reduces opportunities for deep shaft mines soon began to be new industry . . . the one thing that closed in favor of the newer, less could help to solve his economic prob- costly and more productive open-cut lem. process. Coal veins found close to the U Strip mines have reduced poten- surface could be mined with far less tial agricultural acreage while auto- labor, less risk to workers and none of mation in strip mining has resulted no longer the costly apparatus necessary to in fewer jobs; thus, those able to secure employment in mines keep the mines from caving in. are thrown into a shrinking agricul- into being and at Strip mines came tural economy and the job opportu- the same time removed the perma- nity cycle gets smaller and smaller. nence of work for thousands of coal miners. The draglines move in, scar PRELIMINARY STUDY OF STRIP MINE the surface as long as it is profitable LAND IN INDIANA and move to a new location. The old Acres To Be ways of mining a deep shaft into an County Acres Stripped Stripped inexhaustible source were past and Clay 12,640 6,165 the communities who looked to that Daviess 1,460 1,582 kind of continuing economy were dis- Dubois 70 Fountain 435 appointed. Fewer men found work in Gibson 520 8,232 the mines. Some left for northern in- Greene 6,090 5,455 dustrial communities and some stayed Knox 2,333 6,708 in the hope of getting work and in Martin 20 their desperation turned to agricul- Owen 1,525 Parke 100 ture on the unspoiled but marginal re- Pike 16,755 16,783 maining acres. Hundreds of villages Spencer 1,329 remain, inhabited by the few who can Sullivan 7,550 18,641 eke out an existence somehow. Their Vermillion 1,915 3,000 incomes are below average and taxes Vigo 4,205 9,973 Warren 50 are high ... their needs are basic but Warrick 15,060 40,065 the dollars do not go far enough. The TOTALS: 72,057 116,604 children are entitled to schools, schools need to be served by school Coal companies continue to buy busses, and school busses need roads. land for eventual stripping and in the When a man is so poor that his plan- next several years another 116,604 ning for the future is limited to this acres will have been stripped. When week or the next meal for a family of the land is sold, someone loses his six or seven, the security of a home - livelihood, in spite of a cash settle- regardless of condition - is his last ment for the acreage. Someone at the clinging hope. It is something rather marketing level, too, is affected by the than nothing . . . something real loss of the production from that land. rather than doubt. In the end his des- Telltale signs of imminent coal opera- peration leads to an acceptance for tions appear when harvestable timber substandard conditions. As the prob- is taken off the land . . . and the lems of the individual continue and scourge is on. So slowly that its are reflected in the geography of the motion is almost undetectable, the countryside, his larger problems con- cancers of strip mining gobble up tinue to grow even larger. Poor agricultural acreage. Families are up- Page 24 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964

i When in 1963 the statewide unemployment average was 4.2 %, the average for the 19 southwestern counties was 5.5%, ranging from almost 10% in Vermillion County to 1.9 % in Du- Bois County. Welfare payments increased nearly a million dollars a year between the years 1959 and 1963 and average incomes were below $4000 in 14 of the 19 counties. Of the three major companies mining coal, none is considered a native Indiana company, because their headquarters and ownership are located in other states. U The cost of government per per- son is high because of widespread housing and few population centers. Schools, transportation to and from schools, roads and utilities are serious problems because of the limited tax base. Incomes are small and taxes are high as is so often true in economic This is the remains of once comparatively flat and social situations like this one and land after strip mining for coal. families are large. The fact that counties are sparsely populated and wide- rooted, the area is stripped and the spread at that, does not affect their coal company moves on to strip right to enjoy good schools, good again, leaving behind a useless wilder- roads and reasonable utilities. The ness and the job picture gets smaller children of these families are as en- and smaller. titled to a first-grade education as Although the coal industry pro- those in any urban area. duces some dollars, the number of The problem is distance since it is families directly benefiting is rela- more economical to provide govern- tively small. Far more families are de- ment services in a small geographic pendent upon agriculture, attempting area. The tax base of any given area to eke out their living on marginal has no meaning unless it is deter- lands wedged between mined areas. mined what government services are Less than 6000 men are employed needed by the people. If all the peo- in the entire strip mining industry in ple of any coal mining county were Indiana. The dollar volume of coal gathered into one central location, the approaches 62 million annually. The cost of government would be reduced industry, however, affects every family in all 19 counties. As has been said and the tax dollars would produce earlier, they are affected by a rela- more. Fewer miles of roads mean tively high tax rate because govern- fewer miles of maintenance. Central- ment services must be provided, they ization of schools would provide bet- are affected by land values, by ter facilities. Cost of utilities would shrinking agricultural acreage and by reduce if a smaller area were to be unemployment. serviced. Without increasing the tax

December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA • Page 25 base, county communities could en- town or property is cluttered because joy greater benefits by the wiser util- by comparison to a spoil bank it is ization of what dollars they have to hardly noticeable. When the average spend. citizen sees nature ravaged, it is rela- The presence of strip mining tively easy for him to litter garbage waste has still another negative effect. at the roadside. One beer can - more Spoil banks and gob piles contribute or less - makes little difference com- to the esthetic values of the people in pared to the real damage done by a very real way. Overwhelmed by the strip mines. And worse, children are awesome ugliness of strip mine scars, growing up accepting clutter, filth the people have little consideration for and substandard dwellings as nor- beauty. They feel little guilt if their mal. A

In Conclusion ...

Certainly there are points that im- however, that we need to ignore peo- press upon us the great values of ple with an obvious need of help. It strip mining in Indiana. Conversely, means that in some cases of unpro- there are equally impressive points ductive land we cannot and should that show us a seamy and degrading not expect to force the land to yield view of the business. In either case, it to our wishes, because we will only is important to recognize some sub- succeed in creating new problems for merged facts that are not touched on mankind. by pleas from either side. In the specific case of Indiana's Regardless of the impact of the strip pit region, the people need help. negative aspects of strip coal mining, They generally have below average those negatives are localized and con- incomes and a disproportionately high fined to a relatively small area of the tax rate . . . not because of strip min- state, while the positives of strip mining . . . but as a result of high popu- ing benefit all the people of the state. lation distribution. They live in a The years it takes for a spoil bank to kind of loose, disjointed way in hun- be covered over with vegetation are dreds of very small towns and vil- bad years for the local area, but the lages. Their local taxes are high be- coal taken from the ground has given cause government services are more the entire state increased revenue. The costly when they are spread out. If a recreation values of strip pits are a utility company strings a power line, benefit to the total population . . . power is cheaper if a hundred rather even at the cost to a few local people. than six or seven users can connect We should understand and appre- onto the line. It takes more school ciate that there are balances in nature busses to haul kids to 20 schools than that must be recognized. Not every it does to one or two. It takes more inch of our total land and water space money to maintain five hundred miles can be efficiently utilized. There will of roads than it does for one hundred always be mountains and deserts, just miles. as there will always be rolling, pro- In an analysis of the economics of ductive farmland. If we disturb the the 19 counties in the region, the av- total picture of nature's balances, we erage income in every case was much will only be disturbing our own popu- lower than the state average. When, lation balance. This does not mean, in 1960, the average income of the

Page 26 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 state was $4,811 for male workmen, portion to the reduced mine labor the range of personal income in the force. In the 19 counties, welfare pay- counties analyzed was $3,104 in Spen- ments increased from 9.7 million in cer County to $4,573 in Vanderburg 1959 to 10.6 million in 1963. County. Only five of the 19 were The strip pits and spoil banks offer above $4,000. For the same period of opportunity to the people in these time, the state unemployment aver- counties. How great that opportunity age was 4.2 %. In all but three cases, develops must be left to the people, the average unemployment was con- but as ownership now stands, there is siderably higher . . . ranging from little chance that these opportunities 9.7% in Vermillion County to 1.9% will be realized in the foreseeable fu- in DuBois County. The average for ture. the 19 counties was probably about There is a further question as to 5.5%. the real value of strip pits and spoil Mine employment records suggest banks because of the very nature of still another story. In five counties the terrain . . . but with the present employment in coal mines increased demand for water recreation areas, between the years 1957 and 1963. In hunting room and campsites, the cost one case it remained constant and in of development may be justified by nine cases it dropped substantially. the use. In any event, the land areas Mine employment records were not are not now being developed for their kept for four counties. In most cases, highest possible use for the benefit of with the exception of Greene and all of the people of the state. If the Vermillion Counties, welfare pay- Department of Conservation's three ments went up almost in direct pro- pilot programs prove feasible, provide

Shakamak Park established in 1929 comprises 1,016 acres of land and was once known as strip mining area. The park has national swimming meets each year and is one of the major recreation areas in the state.

December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA " Page 27 This is one of the 67 lakes in Greene-Sullivan forest located north of Pleasantville. The 4,139 acre forest is an example of reclaimed strip coal land. transient income, indicate growth in The problem complicates itself with associated business and industry, every generation. open new avenues for employment, The time is past when government then the Department should make administrators thought the only way efforts to increase the scale of strip the poor had to improve their status pit recreation development. If, by was at the expense of the rich. We no making an investment in the develop- longer take from the "haves" and ment of this real estate, it is possible give to the "have-nots". We have to decrease unemployment, increase learned that the "have nots" will suc- average incomes, increase land values ceed if they are given the opportunity and bring in tourist and sportsmen to succeed . . . they need to be given dollars, then the Department will ful- the physical chance to work out their fill its obligation of helping people to own problems at respectable and dig- help themselves. nified work. If, by blocking out large If blocking out large tracts of tracts of stripped acreage and de- stripped land and relocating families veloping public recreation sites the to an area where it is easier and more "have nots" will have their oppor- economical to provide the govern- tunity and simultanea~isfy eTij y mental services they require is the greater benefits from their tax dollar, answer, then we should proceed at then we will have initiated the kind once without further delay. If the of self-help program most Americans only solution to the problem of wide- appreciate and we will be providing spread want is to reduce its geo- the total population of Indiana with graphic size by grouping, then we sorely needed elbow room in the out- should begin: As long as this population remains fragmented, the needs of doors. A the people will continue to increase. Research material courtesy of The Indiana Geological The cost of providing government Survey; L. E. Sawyer, Indiana Coal Association; and Ralph C. Newman, director of the Bureau of Mines and services is increasing, not decreasing. Mining.

Page 28 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 (Text continued from page 15)

Roster of HARRISON COUNTY 'YELLOW JACKETS" AT BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE CAPTAIN -Spier Spencer (killed) 1ST LT. -Richard McMahan (killed) 2ND LT. -Thomas Berry - commanded attached riflemen (killed) 2ND LT. -Samuel Flanagan (promoted 1st Lt.) 2ND LT. -Jacob Zenor (promoted from private after the battle) ENSIGN -Phillip Bell (promoted from private after the battle) ENSIGN -John Tipton (promoted to Captain after the battle) SERGEANTS Henry Batman (wounded) Pearse Chamberlain Benjamin Bogard Elijah Hurst CORPORALS William Pennington Benjamin Shields Robert Biggs (wounded) John Taylor (wounded) MUSICIANS Daniel Cline Isham Stroud (wounded) PRIVATES John Arick James Kelley Ignitus Able Noah Mathena Enos Best Thomas McCauley Daniel Bell Peter McMickle Alpheus Branham William Nance Gaydon Branham (wounded) Thomas' Owen James Brown Samuel Pfrimmer Jesse Butler James Spencer (wounded) Mason Carter (wounded) Christoper Shucks John Cline Joshua Shield (wounded) Marshall Duncan (killed) Samuel Sand (killed) William Davis (killed) George Spencer (wounded and died) Thomas Davidson Jacob Snider James Dyer Edward Ransdell (wounded) Henry Enlow Sanford Ransdell (wounded) James Hubbord John Wright James Harberson James Watts William Hurst, Sr. John Wheeler (wounded) William Hurst, Jr. James Wilson (wounded) Beverly Hurst Isham Vest Levi Dunn (deserted) George Zenor Robert Jones 29 OUTDOOR INDIANA Page \ December,'~- December, 19641964 OUTDOOR INDIANA " Page 29 ,r F'w - -a

m a J r ' x

Conrad's Old Capital Tavern in Corydon, where the survivors of the Yellow Jackets were wel- comed home in style by Harrison County citizens. match to raise money to pay off the time and were dismissed from further Davis farm. The Yellow Jackets suf- service by Governor Harrison. Ser- fered over 30 percent casualties in the geant Batman, who had been battle, a higher percentage of loss wounded, was left in charge of the than any other single company that other wounded members of the com- was engaged in the action. pany who stayed at Vincennes to re- The day after the battle, a detach- cuperate from their injuries. Tipton ment from the army entered the and the other survivors of the com- abandoned Indian capital and burned pany departed for Corydon arriving the village. The next day, November there on Sunday, November 24th 9th, the army began its long trek back after a campaign of 74 days. The sur- to Vincennes. The wounded were vivors received a hero's welcome and placed on the rough wagons for a they all rode out to Conrads Old Cap- three day trip back to Fort Boyd ital Tavern which was the unofficial where they were placed on boats for "headquarters" of the Yellow Jackets the remainder of the journey to Vin- where they were wined and dined by cennes. At Fort Boyd the little block- the Harrison County citizens. house was abandoned and the army After many rounds of toasts, and took up the march along the banks expressions of sympathy to the fam- of the Wabash to protect the boats ilies of those who did not return from loaded with the wounded. Tippecanoe, the militia heroes re- On November 17th, the Yellow turned to their individual homes. Jackets arrived at Vincennes. They Thus, the story of the Yellow Jackets again went into camp near Shakers- passed into the pages of our Indiana town where they mustered for the last history. A Page 30 • OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 Located in Fulton County, this 80-acre field of Christmas trees is about ready to be harvested. A CHRISTMAS TREE TAKES SHAPE

By BETTY BENNETT Associate Editor

THE commercial growth of Christ- two years after competition in the mas trees in Indiana is a substantial Christmas tree industry began to industry, which, like all other big boom with the influx of many new business, requires thorough planning, investors who thought that the com- time and heavy investment. mercial growth of Christmas trees One of the biggest Christmas tree would eventually liquidate their orig- producers in this state is Bob Kern, inal investment in the land on which of the Bob Kern Christmas Tree the trees were planted. Farms in Fulton County, where he For many people who ventured into has approximately 400 acres planted this field realistically and who had predominantly in Scotch and white some knowledge about the type of pine, with other species including spruces and firs planted on a more soil best suited to pine growth, this experimental basis. plan is working out well. Others who Mr. Kern began planting his trees did not take the soil into considera- about 17 years ago and went into full- tion have been disappointed by the time operation in 1954. This was just size of their crops.

December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA * Page 31 According to Mr. Kern the in- devoted to the growth of high quality creased competition in the industry trees. has resulted in additional research For instance, while Scotch and and experiments by commercial white pines are considered to be fast Christmas tree producers; conse- growing, a six-foot tree still takes quently the quality and shape of the about six years to grow, since the trees is improving constantly, al- growth average is about a foot per though competition has been leveling year. This means that seedlings have off since 1958, because by then many to be planted as soon as trees are cut. people began to realize just how much Regardless of the "one-shot" late money and year-round hard work harvest of Christmas tree farms, they go into the production of the trees. are farms and as such their crops re- Aside from improving the shape quire as much care as those of other and quality of the trees, experiments farms. have been made with color condi- For instance, weeds must be kept tioners which ordinarily helped to down at all times, trees must be market off-color products. However, pruned for the desired taper, they are the treated trees have become so pop- inspected individually to determine ular that many dealers are now asking their quality and growth rate, and the for good natural colored trees to be experimental species sometimes need sprayed with the colorant. Counting special care. Then, in October, the labor and material, this operation trees are cut, baled and shipped to adds about 15 cents to the cost of retail lots, and replanting of seedlings each tree. is begun. Although the industry's entire ef- This entire operation, which like fort culminates in a few weeks' selling the Bob Kern Christmas Tree Farms, period and the product is in actual can be really big business, grew out of use only about a week, many years' a tradition that is said to have its be- planning and year-round work are ginnings in Germany at the end of the 15th century, when Martin Luther tried to recreate a snowy outdoor scene for his family by attaching lighted candles to a small evergreen tree to simulate the reflection of the starlit sky. This humble start of the Christmas tree tradition is a fitting reflection of the event on which Christmas is based and a tree created by nature is a symbol of all the wonders with which we are surrounded.

Pine cones are examined for seeds.

Page 32 * OUTDOOR INDIANA December, 1964 Photos courtesy of Vince Finnigan, Washington, D.C., and the American Forestry Association.

A two-year seedling when it was set out, this little tree has survived one growing season.

While trees are still small, a tractor mower is used to keep weeds and brush down.

December, 1964 OUTDOOR INDIANA • Page 33 When trees get too tall for the tractor, rows are cleared with a hand mower. At all times, weeds are kept down to improve the quality of the trees.

Preparatory to shearing trees, pro- cedures are ex- plained to a crew of college and high school students.

Knife pruning is fast replacing shears because it is speedier and, therefore, cheaper. Since it is more hazardous, leg and hand guards are used. The sharp knives usually have 12 to 14-inch blades.

December, 1964 Shearing a white pine for correct full- ness and taper.

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Kern in a field of Scotch pine that is ready for a harvest cut. All trees are not cut at the same time, since some grow slower than others even if they are of the same species.

Although these trees are the same age, the contrast between unsheared (right) and sheared trees is amazing.

December, 1964 Tagging a Norway pine for marketing. This specie is no longer planted for Christmas trees.

Oversized trees are harvested for boughs and are normally sold in 25-pound bundles at 5 cents per pound.

One per bale, trees are loaded into semi-trailers ready for shipping to retail markets. This one is destined for Phoenix, Arizona.

December, 1964 (tConerbation perpetuates Wibat 4Oob bjas brougbt tljrougbj thje majestp of 3bi bast creations, tbtelc ab~akeu in us thje beeper anb bibiner tbjings of our nature anb fill us Wb~freberent aie. Th~e ~department's perpetuation of tljis state's natural ijeritage is its most important function . ttjis is brought tiome to us especiallp at (Ctiristmas time because thje creation of thje bionberg of nature is just as miraculous as the creation of a neWx Wuap of life, biicb began Wuitb thje first (tbristmas almost 2000 pears ago. M~he tuisfj all of our reabers a jopous bjolibap. 0app acj in ,,bite "12e et, 5 timm'ta d in white face . a obl after nowt

PS a Eoatgiful e1ace. Blanch Moore Photo by George Randall McCormick Virginia