1910-1919 Life In Columbus/Bartholomew County

[richard]

Brown Family taken approximately 1910.

Back Row L - R: Nellie, Carl (Grandpa Brown), Martha, George, Ollie, Jesse and Mary

Front Row L - R: Blanche, Nathan, Elizabeth, Edna, Jr. Hillicord’s mother), Lena

Photo Courtesy of Linda Brown

[RER]

Milton Reeves In His "Reeves Sexto-Octo Car Around 1911-1912
Vehicle parked at front of his home at 5th Street
Columbus, Indiana



Comment: I remember walking on this house's porch during the later part of the 1940s. My brother has stated that there was a basketball goal behind the house and he played on it during the late 1940s. I don't believe the Reeves house is still standing, but not sure. We lived one block from the home on 5th Street until 1950. The Reeves home was within walking distance of the Reeves Pulley Plant next to Cummins.


Source: Indiana History Library and website of Royal Feltner's World of Automobiles. Go here: www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/

[RER]

Haw Creek Leather Company
Corner of Washington & 1st Street
Columbus, Indiana

Comment: This building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The building was built in 1914.




Source: The picture is available in the Public Domain. A release was granted for anyone the right to use without conditions per Wikimedia information.

[David Sechrest]

I went to the Library yesterday afternoon and spent a couple of hours in 1915. Several stories grabbed my interest. This is one:

In August, 1915, the trustees of the Masonic lodge formed a building committee for a new Masonic lodge to be built in Columbus. Several architects drew up plans which were displayed inside the offices at 305-307 Washington Street. By the 25th of August, the committee was in the process of selecting an architect. They selected an architectural firm on August 28th. The site where the new Masonic Lodge would be built was the southwest corner of Seventh and Franklin Streets.

And that is as far as I've gotten thus far.

What I find so interesting about this is, the location where they intended to build is/was the location of the National Guard Armory. I know the Armory was at that location as early as 1929, as in March of that year, a three-day automobile show was held there.

So. What happened with regards to the Masonic Lodge? I'll be heading back to the Library this afternoon to see if I can put the rest of the pieces together.

Other 1915 items I made note of:

In August, 1915, the trustees of the Knights of Pythias Lodge awarded Hege and Company the contract to renovate the Crystal Theatre (416-420 Fifth Street). The Crystal originally started out as the Orpheum Theater (Columbus' first vaudeville house), and opened roughly nine months after the dedication of the building (known at the time as Castle Hall) in 1906. At some point between 1909 and 1915, the Orpheum changed hands and also changed names, becoming the Crystal. Then, sometime between 1918 to 1920, Frank Rembusch came to Columbus, bought the Crystal, and changed its name to the American. In later years, it would become the Rio Theater.
The 1915 renovation of the Crystal was quite an undertaking. Before the renovation, the theater floor was sunken and below street grade. With their bid of $4,301.84, Hege and Company tore out everything, poured concrete, and raised the ground floor to street level. Also, certain retail businesses were relocated and a balcony was added. It took two months to finish the project, and by October, the Crystal was once again open for business. Seating capacity after the renovation was stated as 800. I believe that number might have been somewhat on the high side, as with the outbreak of World War II, all movie theaters were taxed one or two cents per seat. As of 1941, The Rio (Crystal) tax was based on 550 seats (the Rio was about half the size of the Crump Theatre).

In August, 1915, James Whitcomb Riley made an appearance at the Bartholomew County Fair.

Also, the ever popular Stink Well, on north Jackson Street, which had provided residents with "healthy, cure-all ailments" water for 30 some-odd years, was accidentally tapped in to when the Sanitary Ice Company at Seventh & Jackson drilled a 200 foot well. The Sanitary Ice Company had a faucet attached to the exterior of their building for the purpose of providing stink water to the residents of Columbus at no charge.

On August 20, 1915, John E. Summa resigned as Principal of the East Columbus School. By the 1920s, Summa would become Prosecutor for the city of Columbus. Of note, he was involved in the arrests and trials of Frank Rembusch for his desecration of the Sabbath by showing movies at the Crump Theatre on Sundays.

By September, rumors were flying around town that the Liberty Bell would be passing through Columbus on its way back to Philadelphia.

In August, 1915, the land known as Perry's Park, was put up for sale. While this property (today) includes our Donner Park, I do not know how big Perry's Park was in 1915, or exactly the area it covered. In 1899, it was described as being north of 16th Street, and between Washington and Pearl Streets.

By October, 1915, Chestnut Street was officially opened from 19th to 22nd Street.

So, it's back to the Library this afternoon to explore 1915 in greater detail.

[David Sechrest]

Columbus Indiana and the Liberty Bell

On Wednesday, September 1, 1915, word began to circulate through the town of Columbus that the Liberty Bell might be brought through the city. School children of San Francisco had requested it be sent for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, and after much reluctance and 500,000 letters by San Francisco’s school children, the city of Philadelphia relented. The Relic was loaded on a Pennsylvania RR flat car, departing Philadelphia on July 6, 1915. Its journey to San Francisco followed somewhat of a northern route, passing through Ft. Wayne and Gary Indiana on its way west. This was the Relic’s first venture west of St. Louis. The route went as far west as Seattle, then due south to San Francisco. On its return, it took more of a southern route. By October, officials in Columbus were notified that it would, indeed, pass through Columbus, Indiana. Plans immediately were put in place to greet this historic relic.

The ongoing fiasco regarding the failure of getting George Caldwell to sell his property for a city park and hospital were put aside for the moment. Committees and subcommittees were formed. Mayor H. Karl Volland sent a telegram to Mayor Blankenberg of Philadelphia and arranged approval for a committee, consisting of himself, Charles S.Way, President of the Chamber of Commerce, and John Jewell, to travel to Indianapolis, then ride the Liberty Train from Indianapolis into Columbus. “Miss Vida Newsom was made chairmen of the program committee, Tom Elrod and Charles F. Mitchell were named as a publicity committee, Superintendent T. F. Fitzgibbons was appointed to arrange for the participation of the city schools in the affair and Samuel Sharp, county superintendent, was instructed to take up the same matter with the county schools.” (The Evening Republican, November 16, 1915, p.1) Church ministers throughout the county were encouraged to invite their congregations to attend this once in a lifetime event.

By Friday, November 19, all the arrangements and details were set.

Midnight, November 22, 1915, was freezing cold. But freezing temperatures were not enough to keep thousands from turning out to see the Liberty Bell. The school board suspended all classes later that morning. With the arrival of the Relic, the City Band would lead Columbus citizens from City Hall to the depot at Jackson and Seventh Street.

The evening’s patriotic program kicked off at City Hall beginning at midnight. The welcoming address was given by John L. Jones, followed by Arthur Mason leading the 8th grade boys and girls in a chorus of songs beginning with America. The introductory address was given by Reverend Z. T. Sweeney, followed by Louis J. Richard, who entertained the crowd with cartoons. Then, the children sang The Battle Hymn Of The Republic, followed by a talk about Paul Revere by James F. Cox. Upon the closing remarks by Cox, the reverend Alexander Sharp gave a patriotic address. The children then sang The Battle Cry of Freedom. Up next were Paris McCord and Yandell Cline, high school students, offering up more patriotic addresses, followed by Howard J. Tooley Jr., who did a monologue with accompaniment by the City Band. The children then sang The Song Of A Thousand Years. Finally, the closing speech, The Bell of Bells, was given by Lewis A. Harding, and the night ended with the singing of the Star Spangled Banner.

By this time, it was close to the time of arrival: 2:20 am. Time was allowed for getting the crowd to the depot in time to greet the Liberty Train. The City Band played, and marched the crowd to the Pennsylvania Railroad station, and all greeted the arrival of the Liberty Bell. Mayor Volland had hoped that the Liberty Train could be placed on the track east of the depot, but due to the very limited time the train would be here, that would not be possible. Instead, the train came into Columbus using the track on the west side of the depot. The rear car stopped at a spot almost directly across from the Sanitary Ice Company (Seventh and Jackson Streets). Extra lights were placed at the Jackson/Seventh Street depot.

“On July 4, 1776, a bell, hanging in the state house in Philadelphia, proclaimed throughout this land the birth of liberty. This morning the same bell proclaimed throughout Bartholomew County that liberty still lives—yes, liberty and curiosity. For a crowd, estimated at from three to five thousand people, left warm beds and went to the Pennsylvania Lines station here to demonstrate that patriotism is not confined to any one section of this country. The crowd waited patiently and good humoredly on a night that was biting cold to see the Liberty Bell and to show its Philadelphia chaperones that Columbus and Bartholomew County fully appreciated the honor of being placed on the itinerary. The scheduled 10 minute stop here was stretched to 20 minutes before the special train got away and when it pulled out of the station, people still were passing the car on which the Liberty Bell was mounted. The crowd had been marching past this car for 20 minutes, about four abreast on the east side and in larger numbers on the west side. Only those who passed on the west side of the car got to see the famous crack in the bell and the still more famous “proclaim liberty throughout the land” inscription.” (The Evening Republican, November 22, 1915)

Before the festivities kicked off at City Hall, at 10pm, Crump’s Theatre showed a movie to a packed house, which the following day would be condemned by the clergy (because of showing a movie on Sunday). Both the Crystal and Lyric theaters also showed movies, but began their showings at midnight, thus avoiding any condemnation from the pulpits around town. By midnight, it was standing room only inside City Hall. As the courthouse clock struck midnight, so did the bell at Fire Station #1, which sat just west of the City Hall building. Both rung in the beginning of the patriotic gala.

The spirit of patriotism was more than alive and well in downtown Columbus, Indiana that early morning of November 22, 1915.

[David Sechrest]

1915 is proving to be a pretty interesting year in Columbus history. I'm still going through my notes, getting things (slowly) typed up and in the computer.

One of the news items I'm finding extremely interesting has to do with our hospital. In 1915, the hospital was situated on Franklin Street. The hospital trustees were trying to find a site on which to build a new hospital. The trials and tribulations the trustees were going through is a very interesting story. It's a story you won't find in our local history books.

Here is my rough draft, Part One, surrounding the background of how our hospital and Lincoln Park wound up where it is today.


Sanborm Insurance Map, 1912, showing the northern city limits of Columbus, from Washington Street (west) to Hawcreek Avenue (east). 17th Street dead-ended at Hawcreek Avenue.

You who live or lived in Columbus know where the hospital is. What you may not know, is how close the city came to building what today we call Columbus Regional Hospital inside the following area: Washington St. to Chestnut, and 17th St. to 25th. As late as 1915, this area was known as Perry's Grove.

November, 1915. The property was described as “a little distance across Haw Creek, on a bluegrass knoll, where there is considerable black walnut timber.” It would be the perfect seven acres on which to build a new hospital for the city of Columbus. When William G. Irwin, one of the Bartholomew County hospital trustees, took the architect out to see the proposed site for a hospital, "[the architect] threw up his hands and said the place must have been made purposely for our institution.” The property that "must have been made" for the hospital was located east of the Haw Creek, and just north of 17th Street, upon its extension on east of Hawcreek Avenue.

That summer, and leading into the fall of 1915, William Irwin, John Thompson, and other hospital trustees, spent a considerable amount of time trying to purchase the ground for the hospital. William was also busy, trying to buy an additional sixty to seventy acres adjacent to the proposed hospital site for the location of a park.

The park idea was not William’s. It originated from his father, Joseph I. Irwin, shortly before he died. Joseph Irwin believed this particular undeveloped piece of property along the Haw Creek to be a perfect location for a park and it was William’s intent to stay true to his father’s wishes. The hospital/park plan was solid, and would go hand in hand. One would not be considered without the other.

The park would be William’s gift to the city of Columbus; a tract of land on both sides of the Haw Creek, situated west of the hospital and running from Tenth Street to Twenty-Fifth Street. William envisioned damming up a part of the Haw Creek and having a lake constructed, large enough for boating. A boulevard would also be provided by William, west of the Haw Creek, from Tenth Street to Twenty-Fifth Street.

The weeks and months spent trying to buy the property had been in vain. The hospital trustees, collectively, and William Irwin, individually, could not reach an agreement with the man who owned the property: George W. Caldwell. On Tuesday, November 9, 1915, they publicly acknowledged that all attempts to reach any agreement with Caldwell had fallen through. There was no hope of securing the property.

The hospital trustees, however, had a back-up location for the hospital/park: Perry’s Grove.

In 1899, John Perry arranged with city leaders that his property be used as a city park. At the time, Perry’s Grove consisted of a tract of land north of Sixteenth Street, bordered by Washington Street on the west and Chestnut Street at the east (I am uncertain as to what the northern boundary of Perry’s Grove was). The city’s lease on Perry’s Grove was set to expire at midnight, December 31, 1915.

The men shifted their attention to acquiring Perry’s Grove for the new hospital/park.

[jdhinkle]

Nov 15, 2013 14:02:43 GMT -5 David Sechrest said:

1915 is proving to be a pretty interesting year in Columbus history. I'm still going through my notes, getting things (slowly) typed up and in the computer.

One of the news items I'm finding extremely interesting has to do with our hospital. In 1915, the hospital was situated on Franklin Street. The hospital trustees were trying to find a site on which to build a new hospital. The trials and tribulations the trustees were going through is a very interesting story. It's a story you won't find in our local history books.

Here is my rough draft, Part One, surrounding the background of how our hospital and Lincoln Park wound up where it is today.


Sanborm Insurance Map, 1912, showing the northern city limits of Columbus, from Washington Street (west) to Hawcreek Avenue (east). 17th Street dead-ended at Hawcreek Avenue.

You who live or lived in Columbus know where the hospital is. What you may not know, is how close the city came to building what today we call Columbus Regional Hospital inside the following area: Washington St. to Chestnut, and 17th St. to 25th. As late as 1915, this area was known as Perry's Grove.

November, 1915. The property was described as “a little distance across Haw Creek, on a bluegrass knoll, where there is considerable black walnut timber.” It would be the perfect seven acres on which to build a new hospital for the city of Columbus. When William G. Irwin, one of the Bartholomew County hospital trustees, took the architect out to see the proposed site for a hospital, "[the architect] threw up his hands and said the place must have been made purposely for our institution.” The property that "must have been made" for the hospital was located east of the Haw Creek, and just north of 17th Street, upon its extension on east of Hawcreek Avenue.

That summer, and leading into the fall of 1915, William Irwin, John Thompson, and other hospital trustees, spent a considerable amount of time trying to purchase the ground for the hospital. William was also busy, trying to buy an additional sixty to seventy acres adjacent to the proposed hospital site for the location of a park.

The park idea was not William’s. It originated from his father, Joseph I. Irwin, shortly before he died. Joseph Irwin believed this particular undeveloped piece of property along the Haw Creek to be a perfect location for a park and it was William’s intent to stay true to his father’s wishes. The hospital/park plan was solid, and would go hand in hand. One would not be considered without the other.

The park would be William’s gift to the city of Columbus; a tract of land on both sides of the Haw Creek, situated west of the hospital and running from Tenth Street to Twenty-Fifth Street. William envisioned damming up a part of the Haw Creek and having a lake constructed, large enough for boating. A boulevard would also be provided by William, west of the Haw Creek, from Tenth Street to Twenty-Fifth Street.

The weeks and months spent trying to buy the property had been in vain. The hospital trustees, collectively, and William Irwin, individually, could not reach an agreement with the man who owned the property: George W. Caldwell. On Tuesday, November 9, 1915, they publicly acknowledged that all attempts to reach any agreement with Caldwell had fallen through. There was no hope of securing the property.

The hospital trustees, however, had a back-up location for the hospital/park: Perry’s Grove.

In 1899, John Perry arranged with city leaders that his property be used as a city park. At the time, Perry’s Grove consisted of a tract of land north of Sixteenth Street, bordered by Washington Street on the west and Chestnut Street at the east (I am uncertain as to what the northern boundary of Perry’s Grove was). The city’s lease on Perry’s Grove was set to expire at midnight, December 31, 1915.

The men shifted their attention to acquiring Perry’s Grove for the new hospital/park.

[jdhinkle]

it was interesting to read daves item about the hospital
the area he refers to as 25th to 10th st coinsides with Lincoln park and the city golf course

on a post in the crump heritage shows a plat map of 1879 which shows a graves as owner
turns out graves is part of my heritage
I womder how George Caldwell got that property

history is fun

[David Sechrest]

Hi Jack! And hello and Happy New Year to you all!

My holidays were wonderful. In the early morning of Sunday, December 22, I departed Indianapolis for Fargo, North Dakota. We had a hard rain that Saturday, and it was still raining a little when I left Indy. Once I reached the other side of Lafayette, the rain stopped and it was clear driving until I reached Minneapolis. Blowing snow covered the interstate for the rest of my journey. I got in around 1am our time, Monday morning, December 23rd, and met my daughter at her place of work: The Forum, Fargo's newspaper.
The night I arrived in Fargo, the temperature was 26 below. Factor in the wind chill and the temp was in the minus 40s. It was painful just to get out of the car and pump gas!
I spent 11 days in Fargo. All but two of those days were 0 or below.
I got to tour the Fargo Theater. They went through something similar to our Crump Theatre situation in 1999. With private and public support, the theater was brought back to life. It's a beautiful place.
I couldn't believe all of the new construction going on south and west of Fargo. The area where my daughter lives is all new. Apartments, housing developments, strip malls, restaurants, and businesses. I saw on the local news where North Dakota was the fastest growing State, population wise, last year. Some of the money is because of oil discoveries in the western part of the State.
Did you see on the national news that oil tanker explosion in Casselton, North Dakota? Casselton is about 20 miles west of Fargo. The Forum newspaper office building is located right downtown with railroad tracks about a block away. The news guy reported that, at a minimum, 125 trains pass through downtown Fargo daily. Also, watching the local news was somewhat refreshing (as compared to here). In the 11 days I spent in Fargo, there were 2 house fires and 1 burglary. That's it.
Downtown Fargo is rather picturesque. It reminded me of the way Columbus was in the 50s and 60s with their neon signs. There is quite a variety of businesses downtown. Not just bars and restaurants.
I left Fargo January 2. When I left, the temperature there was minus 24. I think I brought some of that cold back to Columbus with me!

I still have to post the second part of the hospital story. I'm also writing up a biography on George Caldwell. I hope to be able to answer Jack's question ("I wonder how George Caldwell got that property?") through a little more research. What I know at the moment is, George Caldwell was in the insurance business when he first moved to Columbus (around 1881, I think, without digging out my notes). He relocated here from Logansport, Indiana. Right now, I do not know when Caldwell purchased that property.
In a nutshell, the City of Columbus wound up suing Caldwell to obtain the property for the hospital and the park (friendly proceedings). I believe that Caldwell did not want to sell the property because he could not provide a clear title to the land. As things turned out, not only did the city of Columbus sue Caldwell, but 24 other people, in order to get a clear title.
But there is more to the story that just that. Caldwell was also Mayor of Columbus during the early 1900s. At the time the hospital trustees were trying to buy his property, he stated that Columbus was a dying town. The story was printed in the Columbus Herald. Sadly, a copy of that paper does not exist here. Maybe there is a copy at the Indianapolis Library. I still need to see if they have it.
At the time the city was trying to obtain Caldwell's property, the city also sued John Perry in order to obtain a portion of Perry's Grove as a park. Proceedings in both cases began in early 1916.
Once I get the story typed up, I'll post it here.

I'm still recuperating from my trip back. It took a lot out of me. So, for now, Happy New Year to everybody!

[RER]

Newbern 104 Year Old Bridge Moving To Lincoln Park In Columbus

Today's Republic newspaper shows the bridge is being disassembled and moved to a new home. The Bartholomew County bridge which I have crossed many times is 104 years old. A picture of the bridge is below:

Click on picture to enlarge

[richard]

USPS Document From Farm to Table. Published in 1914. Page 1 & 2

[richard]

USPS Document From Farm to Table. Published in 1914. Page 3 & 4.