The Reminiscences of Al Cuffel
Chapter 3
Written by Virginia Zuck
Al Cuffel's parents had moved to a house on the southwest corner
of Sherman in center streets when he was in his 20's. Just across
the way lived a pretty brunette with brown eyes whose name was
Mary Carolyn Ireland. Everyone called her Molly. She was the daughter
of Richard and Martha Ireland whose families had immigrated from
Ireland to Maryland many years previously.
Allen and Molly were married in 1888 and went to housekeeping
in a little home on South Scott street near the railroad track.
The house they lived in is still standing. Later, as their family
grew to two boys, Harry and Ray, and two daughters, Maye and Irene,
they move to another home on East Market street.
Meanwhile, more and more people were coming to spend their vacations
at Spring Fountain park. Some families, including many from Warsaw,
bought land and built their own summer homes.
A whole summer, even
Others from a distance camped out for a week or the whole summer.
They came in buggies and wagons, bringing the children and often
the family dog. All lived happily in tents pitched in the grove
near the auditorium not far from the base of the Indian mound.
In some of Al Cuffel's old pictures the women's skirts trail in
the grass, the men are wearing stiff high collars with their dark
suits and the children's shoes are the high-buttoned kind.
During the 1880s and 1890s the Beyers acquired from several people
tracts adjoining the original park area. One owner was Mrs. Furlong,
a lady doctor, who once told Cuffel she did not think he would
live very long. That was when he was about 22 years old, or 68
years ago. She was an excellent doctor, however, and had just
pulled him through a series of illnesses. Cuffel was wiry and
small and never particularly robust, but he managed to get in
a lot of living in spite of the doctor's gloomy prophecy.
John and Myrtle Kelly also sold land to the Beyers. Cuffel said
he could probably find the tree in which is embedded the hinge
of the pasture gate of one of the old Kelly Farms. At least it
used to be there.
Wilcox Tract Largest
The largest tract was the Wilcox farm originally. The Beyers bought
it from Aunt Rosie (Rosalie) Wilcox, a spinster, who lived on
the Wooster road, now Seventh street. The Wilcox barn was located
about where the back of the Westminister hotel is now and the
orchard was formerly where the Presbyterian Church stands. Many
grown-ups recall playing there after school and helping themselves
to the fine sheepnose apples.
Rosalie Wilcox's farmhouse was move to Tenth Street and is now
"The Homestead" where Rosalie's father, Alford Wilcox
had bought the farm in about 1852 from the estate of John Hamilton,
who died in 1839. He is the man who is buried on top of Indian
Mound.
Hamilton first
Cuffel talked at length about John Hamilton who was, apparently
one of the first white men to love the primitive stretch of land
beside Eagle lake. Cuffel says John Hamilton was crippled and
taught school during his short life here. Hamilton had come from
Wayne county Ohio to Indiana in 1837 and bought 280 acres from
Thomas and Jane Boydston, the original homesteaders. They had
paid the usual price of $1.25 per acre to the government. Hamilton
gave them $850, the price of one or two ordinary size lots in
the same tract today.
Hamilton's purchase included the island, the area where the Kosciusko
camp is, the Indian mound, and eastward up the hill. A good deal
of the lower land was worthless for farming. John Hamilton like
to climb the mound and sit and plan a happy future with his little
son, Henry, and daughter, Maria.
Vincent Gaddis, of Winona lake, who has written a fine history
of the town from its earliest days, knows a great deal about the
Indian tribes who roamed this part of Indiana. He does not believe
the Winona mound was built by the Indians, but is rather of glacier
origin. Gattis states the Indians did not particularly favor Winona
lake as a permanent campsite because so much of its surrounding
land was swampy. His research has led him to conclude, also, that
the real Indian mounds were always built beside rivers, not lakes.
Tippecanoe Dweller
We do know that John Hamilton lived at the home of Peter Warner,
Wayne Township's first settler, who built to mill on Tippecanoe
river and also served as a part-time preacher. In April, 1837,
when Hamilton bought his land, Warsaw's business district consisted
of the few crude buildings of frame, log, or tamarack poles. It
is said that Hamilton planned to construct a textile mill and
establish a home for his children, who were living than with his
parents in Ohio.
In October, 1839 two and one half years later, John Hamilton became
seriously ill. He requested that someone take down his will. After
the document was written and witnessed by the attending physician,
Dr. George Stacy, and a friend, John Rogers, Hamilton had it read
to him and seemed satisfied with the provisions he had made. Although
he kept hoping he would recover he died six days later, without
ever signing the paper.
Blasted Dreams
Carl Kratzsch, head of a local abstract company, showed a copy
of the Hamilton will to the Times Union reporter. A poignant record
of the dead man's dreams, it directs that part of the property
be sold to pay for his children's education, and part be held
until they were of age. He hoped the land would bring a good price
and give them an excellent start in life.
He asked his friends to bury him "on the highest elevation
at the head of Eagle lake and that my funeral be conducted in
a manner corresponding with my estate and situation in life."
When Hamilton's personal belongings were sold to pay expenses
of his burial, it was found that the sum of 24 cents was still
due the administrator, Peter Warner.
The land that is now so valuable, did not seem to offer many inducements
to would-be purchasers. Although it had been hopefully appraised
at 4 dollars an acre, the records show that Alfred Wilcox bought
128 acres for about $340 in 1852.
Al Cuffel remembers being told that Hamilton's son Henry came
here as a young man to visit his father's grave. He found the
plain stone marker mutilated by souvenir hunters and ordered a
new one to take its place.
Pleasure of the Park
The Hamilton land near the lake became the site of a driving park,
a parade grounds and a baseball diamond. People came by the hundreds
to enjoy the pleasures that Spring Fountain Park offered.
Social, educational and religious organizations began to hold
picnics, assemblies and conventions every summer. Some of the
group's meeting regularly were the Grand Army of the Republic,
the Knights of Pythias and the National Guard.
Large parties arrived on excursion trains. They would be met by
the "Daisy," a little steamboat in charge of Capt. Baldwin,
who took the vessel through the canal, (now East Smith street)
nearly up to the Big Four depot. The Daisy was small, holding
only a dozen passengers. There are many who remember her fondly.
Later the Beyers had a boat built by Ed Heath who brought in four
men to help with the project. Cuffel says they were Danes, Swedes
or Norwegians, maybe. They couldn't speak English, but they knew
their trade well.
"Welcome" Launched
The large new boat was christened the "Welcome," by
Miss May Beyer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Beyer. Cuffel remembers
he wasn't present for the launching which took place at the boathouse
at the back of the present Winona post office. Cuffel was across
the lake that day, working at the Yarnelle place. He rode the
"Welcome" often, however, and when at last it was beached
and abandoned just off the shore from Camp Kosciusko, Cuffel took
one board from the boat he had helped to build. He keeps the wood
to this day. Fred Beyer had Cuffel and another man dispose of
the two big boilers of the "Welcome" which had gotten
rusty and grim looking. It was like burying two elephants, Cuffel
remembers. If someday a house foundation is dug not far from Kings
Highway to the right of the driveway approach to the old cement
block factory (where Jay Shue keeps his spraying equipment now)
the workers may find the remains of the Welcome's steam boilers.
Grander Yet
The "City of Warsaw", a double-decker, was the Welcome's
successor. Much grander than either of the previous boats,the
"Warsaw" could carry about 125 passengers. It left the
pier at regular times for a half hour or 45-minute cruise clear
around the lake. Some people remember that the "Warsaw"
would get stuck sometimes while maneuvering around Little Eagle.
Guy Reynolds was Captain and Bill Hunter was fireman for a number
of years, Cuffel said. Sometimes there were band concerts in the
afternoon or on moonlight cruises, with George Roscoe directing
the musicians.
Phil Laurien, who grew up in the town and has lived there most
of his life, remembers, remembers a business project of his youth.
Making a deal with Fred Heiny, the restaurant owner, for a tub
of ice cream and a dipper, Phil sold ice cream cones on the boat
at a profit of perhaps a half-cent each.
The "Warsaw" was finally beached off-shore from Camp
Kosciusko. There during the years, the boys of the town found
the old boat a wonderful place to play and fish. If anyone needed
a board or two for a repair job, the boat supplied it. Some people
claimed the wooden sidewalk fronting some of the cottages for
many years was built from lumber from the "Warsaw."
The First Assembly
Al Cuffel as a program of the very first Sring Fountain Park Asembly
among his keepsakes. The meetings were held in a building in the
south park July 16-28, 1890.
The auditorium, no longer in existence, was described as unique
in design, capable of seating 3000 people. An impressive list
of teachers included the following from Warsaw: Rev. D. C. Woolpert,
Rev. Brake, Prof. T. J. Sanders, Miss Ella Clark, Mary Cosgrove
and Miss Hattie Long.
They offered normal school classes, philosophy courses, pedogogy,
Bible, stenography and typewriting, crayon drawing, elocution
and voice culture. One could arrange for private lessons for a
nominal fee.
Concerts were presented by the Linden quartet, the Whiteland band
and a mandolin orchestra. Miss Bertha Brown and Mrs. M. E. Moran,
of Warsaw, were accompanists.
Assembly visitors were awakened at 5:30 a.m. with the first devotional
service a half-hour later. In the evening a bell rang at 10 to
warn all persons not lodging on the grounds to leave. Lights were
out at 10:30.
Preachers Free
Complimentary tickets for admission to the two-week session were
issued preachers. Others paid $2.50. Adults' meals cost 50 cents
and children were fed for a quarter. One could rent a room for
50 cents per night or a tent for five dollars for the entire session.
Woolpert was president and superintendent for that first Assembly,
with the Honorable J. A. Funk, as vice president. Directors included:
S. W. Oldfather, P. L. Runyan, Silas Chipman, William B. Funk
and E. F. Yarnell. The three Beyer brothers were secretary, treasurer,
and superintendent of the grounds.
The boys and girls were not neglected. Their mornings included
calisthentics with wands and dumbells, "to develop easy manners
and graceful movements, both desirable accomplishments for young
people." Living pictures were also composed by the youngsters.
The adults heard Rev. C. H. Caton, billed as Colorado's greatest
orator, discuss the question, "Is the World Growing Better?"
Other lectures were on, "The Magic of Steam," "The
Fast Young Man," "Japan and the Japanese," "A
Model Husband," and "A Model Wife."
Probably Friday July 25, was the big day. Then just a little shaver,
Charlie Hapner, who works for the Times Union remembers seeing
the large convocation of Civil War veterans and the thrilling
fireworks that depicted the engagement between the Monitor and
the Merrimac.
Warsaw Times Union July 3, 1951
The Reminiscences of Al Cuffel
Chapter 4
Written by Virginia Zuck
When Al Cuffel began his tenth year in the park it had just changed
ownership. Rev. Solomon Dickey headed a group of Presbyterian
ministers who bought the whole lake resort for a religious chautauqua
grounds for the Presbyterian Church of Indiana. The name of Winona
was given to both the lake and the park.
In Cuffel's reminiscence there was no mention of a difference
in his duties. His employers, the Beyers, were greatly interested
in the success of the new project. They gave generously to the
Winona assembly and owned considerable stock in it. Since Fred
Beyer had as his special province, the maintenance of the grounds,
he continued planning new features to add to the beauty of the
site and to give pleasure to the summer visitors. Al Cuffel continued
to work under Beyer as usual in the park and elsewhere. One day
while perched on a rafter in the big horse barn under construction
at the Beyer home place on East Center Street, Cuffel carved his
name and the year, 1898.
Hocus pocus
Cuffel's eyes twinkled as he revealed a secret about the famous
tree spring, solemnly recorded in several historical accounts
as a marvel of nature. Cuffel said that in the original park area
there was only one sugar maple tree. Just above it on the hillside
emerged a fine spring. The idea was conceived of piping the water
from the spring down to the maple and up through a natural hollow
in the trunk so that the spring seemed to flow out of the maple
tree. Young and old were delighted with the novel fountain.
Cuffel was to wall in many springs during his years at Winona.
Although they have been sealed for many years there are still
a few places where Cuffel's masonry work identifies the site of
the old fountains.
Where ever there was excess water to dispose of from the springs,
Cuffel made ponds. The largest, of course, was the swan pond.
A story has it that at first the large pond held carp, imported
from Germany by Fred Beyer.
Those special carp are supposed to have been the ancestors of
the thousands seined out in later years from nearby Winona Lake.
The graceful swans are, too many visitors, the most memorable
of many pleasant features. Ben Philipson, Warsaw merchant, presented
the first pair of swans to the Assembly about 35 years ago. They
came from New Jersey and at first there was some difficulty getting
them settled happily. They have thrived since then however, and
through the years, many Winona swans have been sent to other parks
in the country.
Cuffel remembers when Alexander McDonald brought the big dredge
that dug the canal forming McDonald's Island. When the work was
completed, Cuffel was the first to row a boat through the new
passageway.
Advance warning
Dirt from the canal was scattered over the island where trees
were planted and homes were built. Cuffel helped with the construction
of Sol Dickey's Killarney castle. He says it was a custom of Dr.
Dickey to keep a telescope in his study high in the tower. Since
all visitors had to cross one of two bridges to the island, Dr.
Dickey would know who was approaching before the caller reached
the castle. If the party was someone he wished to see, Dr. Dickey
buzzed a signal to his wife downstairs.
One of Cuffel's pictures shows the wide boardwalk that extended
from the Inn as far as the grocery store. Underneath was the main
sewer. In recent years when new storm sewers were installed, the
workmen found many planks and piles of the old sewer system.
Down the Pipe
On the higher ground of what had been the Wilcox farm, were the
buildings of the various colleges established at Winona Lake.
The Academy, for students of about high school age, was quartered
in the Westminister hotel. Many students came from a distance
and there were even two from Cuba. Several local alumni like to
recall certain escapades that began with sliding down the water
pipe at the back of the building. When the evenings hi-jinks were
over, the boys had to climb the pipe to the third floor in order
to reach their rooms undetected. Probably most of them would shudder
at the idea of trying the same reckless feat today. The academy's
big football game was played on Thanksgiving day against Warsaw
high school. There were always crowds of interested spectators,
some of whom wagered substantial sums on the team they considered
the best.
The Winona Aggies, whose home is now the Free Methodist Publishing
House, had an even more illustrious record in sports, battling
against Chicago, Michigan State, Wabash and other large schools.
The Aggies athletic field has been converted into garden plots
near the publishing house.
About that highway
It is claimed that Kings Highway was named by the students in
jocular deference to the group of large homes built by several
faculty families at the edge of town.
Among the several schools in existence during the years was a
very strict one for girls. Their dormitory, Otterbein hall, was
at Ninth and Chestnut streets, where the Free Methodist church
stands today.
One of the important social events for the students was the Washington
Birthday banquet at the Westminister. A young lady, dating a collegiate,
would receive a bouquet of flowers, not a mere corsage, from her
escort. For such a formal event as the banquet it was customary
for him to engage a horse-drawn cab in which they arrived in style.
The feminine guests looked charming in pastel-colored chiffons
or crepe de chines. Fair elegant white kid gloves reached almost
to the shoulder.
During the summer normal school courses drew a large number of
teachers, eager to earn credits toward advanced degrees and certificates.
One of the favorite instructors was Arthur Konold, a Winona resident
for 41 years, who lives on Third and Chestnut streets.
In Ferment
All through the years the students kept things during in the town.
Everyone turned out to watch the annual tug-of-war between the
juniors and seniors of the Agricultural college. Each team was
supposed to match the other in weight.
The juniors would come down the hill toward the canal singing
a taunting challenge to the tune of "Casey Jones". The
words went something like this: "Come all you seniors, if
you want to swim. Here comes the juniors to pull you in. You can
wiggle and waggle as much as you please, but you're going through
that water, if you have to freeze." Spectators crowded the
canal banks and the bridges to cheer or groan as the contest ended
with one team floundering in the ice-cold-water.
Probably some of the same students participated also in the annual
tug-of-war staged every Fourth of July as part of the Assembly
program, packed with other contests and entertainment features.
J. W. Vandeventer, who had been an evangelistic singer in his
earlier years, directed the holiday celebration. After the water
battles, canoe races, bicycle races, parades and speeches came
the lavish fireworks display out over the Lake.
Venetian Night
Everybody looked forward to the Venetian night fete, held usually
late in July or August under the direction of Capt. Time who had
come from the Mardi Gras festival at New Orleans. During the summer
Pine operated the excursion boat, "The City of Warsaw".
During the winter and spring he was busy in a building near the
canal contriving the elaborate floats used for Venetian night.
Many men who spent their boyhood at Winona Lake remember Pine's
workshop. Out of papier mache he fashioned lions, elephants, pelicans,
eagles and butterflies, all realistically molded. When Pine was
ready to apply the gold leaf he rubbed a small brush in his hair
to create static electricity, then lifted the gold leaf from a
book and stuck it on the animal or bird he was decorating. It
is estimated that he used hundreds of dollars of gold each year
on the floats ordered by church groups and other organizations
competing in the fete.
There were three prizes for the most beautiful, the funniest,
and for the best commercial floats. In the third class might be
a huge bottle of catsup, a mammoth pickle, advertising for the
company of H. J. Heinz, who was active then in Winona affairs.
Most of the floats were truly beautiful. Each year the water pageant
was based on a historical theme like "The Discovery of America",
or some other great event. Costumes of the characters were elaborate
and colorful. Spectators filled the bleachers seats lined along
the lighted canal. The judges' stand at the west side, was about
where the P. D. Parks home is today.
Besides the Venetian fete, Capt. Pine is remembered for the lovely
music room he created for his daughter. In a tower of their house
on the hillside terrace, the walls were painted in pastel shades
with cherubim and floral garlands. People came from miles around
to see the room which was later destroyed in the fire.
Capt. Pine left Winona Lake to take charge of pageant and programs
at Culver Military Institute.
Warsaw Times Union July 12, 1951
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