O l d N e w s Scrapbook
- Page 2 Frogtown Response
To say that a person lived in Frogtown in 1896 meant that he lived south of South Street, now Winona avenue, and between Buffalo and Washington Streets. The north part of this area south of the Negro church was a vast marsh covered with water during the winter and spring of the year. It afforded the children of the vicinity a safe place to skate. This was called Bitner's marsh. Dr. Bash used to rent the field as a place to pasture his cow "Daisy" and we were in charge of taking Daisy to pasture. Bitner's red barn stood in the middle of Lake Street and there was no street through the marsh. A gate was just west of the barn and a very hugh oak tree was just west of the gate. People living in this part of town always knew when spring was approaching for the frogs would begin to holler about the time the ice was all melted. In later years bout 1901 the big sewer went east on South street and this dried the marsh. Bitner's barn was torn down and George Polk built a large livery barn just west of the site of the barn. This livery barn used to furnish horses for the surveyor's office when the surveyor had to go to the country. It flourished for perhaps 25 years and then was torn down. On the west side of Washington street in the 1870's there used to be a bung factory. The sawdust from this place was spread out along the street so that the South end of Washington street was called Sawdust Street. by 1896 this factory had disappeared except for one red two story building in which Dennis May had a cooper shop. Dennis was a good natured Irishman who lived on Irish Row on West Jefferson street. Here lived the Scollards, Johnny Dineen and the O'Conners. Some of the people who lived in Frogtown in 1896 were about as follows. Posey Krutcher lived opposite the site of the old Bung Factory and Tommy Jenkins lived across from her with his parents. George was his brother. On the northeast corner of Prairie and South Washington lived a Negro family by the name of Allen. Hannah and Lizzie were the two daughters. Jim Allen was a good citizen and used to be porter around the old State Bank. Two houses east of Allens lived Charlie Palmer with his wife and five children. Charlie lived to be over 90 years of age. East of Palmers lived Pat Wattleworth, a mender of shoes. He was quite a character. Opposite from Pat lived Marsh Parks. Parks and Asbury Cook used to view ditches for George McCarter. South of Parks lived Ed Lloyd and his family and the Hublers. Across the street lived Ed Nye and Joe Garner and Eff Sharp. West of Parks lived Sappy Shreeves with his parents Dick Shreeves and his wife. West of them in a six sided house lived Mordecai Davis. South of Davis lived the Sellers family. Bert was a small boy. On to the west of Davis lived Lew Breading, Kelly Drake and Amy Collins. Frogtown was a clean respectable place in the 1890's, the home of some of our best citizens. There were no junk yards such as one sees now on South Lake street. A big storm sewer was built about 35 years ago by Walter Kline and his men and this helped to drain the water into Eagle Creek off some distance to the south. It is likely that ten thousand years ago Winona Lake and Center Lake were connected to each other through Frogtown. --This was submitted by George A. Nye ******** Yes, I remember -- Frogtown, for I lived there. It was South Buffalo street from the Dodge home to the bridge south, which was a lot of marsh. So called because of the many frogs that could be heard anytime in the evening. I also remember when "Nobe" Wolford drove a horse drawn cab. Made all trains, both Pennsy and big 4 and took salesmen to Bill Reeds Hotel Hays. --Eiadna Denny. ******** The following report was sent in by Mrs. Ethel (Risser) Overhiser. Frogtown as I recall it was named so because of its low marshy condition and one could certainly hear the frogs in early spring. The so-called Frogtown began near where the Kincaid home on South Buffalo street is now situated. It was the "Moon" place, home of Fred and Charley Moon. Fred owned a grocery store on Buffalo street, just one door south of the present Judd drug store. Charley Moon was town marshall, elected after the death of Bill Garner. Frogtown extended about one and one-half miles south and less than a mile west. Between Moon's place and Frogtown, was over one-half mile of vacant land. My family came to Warsaw in 1886 and until we moved to Chicago in 1902, the name Frogtown still held. There were many fine families living here, I recall. Mrs. Mary Parks and her two daughters, Buelah, a teacher in old Center Ward, and Elsie; Mrs. Robbins, and her daughter, Mrs. John Sleighter; Charlie Hines and grandmother and many others. My father was Henry M. Risser, engineer at the power plant, (water works) we called it, under Frank Porter and later Frank Sutton. My father left the power plant in 1897. I am the mother of Mrs. William A. Nice, of North Parker street, and Mrs. Arthur Scholl, of West Market street. ******** Remember With
Bill Osborn Have been reading all the columns in the paper and there are plenty more items of the past that some of the old folks would remember that the younger ones never knew. Remember when --Jim Cisney had the big ice house where the park swimming beach is now and the Bixler Memorial park. John Collins had one north of Cisneys where the Zimmer Splint factory now stands. The Marion Ice and Cold Storage company had a four room business where Petros is at now. I can also remember when John Stoneburner ran his traction engine across Center lake on the ice to run the elevators at the ice houses. Remember when Lakeside park had the big Tabernacle and all its beautiful fountains and flower gardens with the big toboggan slide into Pike lake, and the little steamer that made trips across Pike lake to Mineral beach. The Big Four had an engine house with a turn table at the north end of Detroit street where the Shell Bulk Oil tanks are now located. There is where they turned excursion engines around, of which there were so many to Winona. Remember when the dingy engine and one coach made trips back and forth to Winona, after the two little steamers which used to come up the canal from Winona Lake and turn around back of where Frauhiger's Coal yard is now. There used to be a railroad switch tracks from the Pennsylvania railroad station starting where the county highway garage now is and running south along the west side of the old canal to the Eagle Lake ice houses. There was a big hotel that stood west of the Big four Depot across the street from the old Center Ward school. At this time both depot and freight station ran north across the Pennsylvania tracks from the present tower. I also remember when we used to skate in the winter and row a boat in the summer from Pike to Center Lake on the canal. It went through where the junk yard is now, past Dark Koans old cabin and past Rigdon Row where the city park is now. Part of the old canal is still there. Wheeler had a flourishing brick yard north of town and the canning factory in lakeside park packed thousands of cans of peas. About this time Andy Palick (sic) had an arm shot off by an old cannon, on the court house lawn. Which was later thrown into Center lake. I can remember on clear days we could look down through the water and see it. Remember when Bill Osborn and his folks and Ted Williams and his folks were staying in Dr. A. C. Donald's cottages on Little Chapman lake. these were the only two cottages on Little Chapman lake, and they were on the east side. Remember when Oliver Mickey ran
a dairy route in Warsaw with 10 gallon cans. Housewives would
come out with their containers and Oliver would ladle out the
milk from the 10 gallon cans as much as they wanted. Paul Bilby
now lives where it used to be. --W. E. (Bill) Osborn ******** Recalls Accident
I was just reading in the paper
of the time Andrew Pollock got his arm blown off by the cannon
at the July 4th celebration at Lakeside park. The article said
it happened on July 4, 1886. Either Mr. Hapner was mistaken or
there was an error in printing. It happened on July 4th, 1897.
I remember it well for I was close by when it happened, and I
will never forget it. That summer I was working on a farm for
Henry Gray, about three miles northeast of Warsaw. His wife had
been dead for 12 years and he was left with two daughters, Anna
and May, to keep house for him. Anna passed away in 1895 leaving
May alone to keep the house. It was sad and lonely for her after
her sister Anna passed away, so her father hired a girl to help
her with the house work and be company for her. My sister was
working there at that time, and we had all planned to take our
dinner and horse feed and spend the day at Lakeside Park and
enjoy the programs that day. On the morning of the 4th Henry's
son Ed came over and wanted to get out the binder and start cutting
wheat, so Henry said to hitch up the carriage and you and the
girls go to the park and enjoy yourselves. I had fed the horses,
and we were eating our dinner, when we heard the cannon shot
and the screams. I said to the girls that someone had been hurt.
We hurried and finished our dinners and went over there. Pollock
was laying there groaning and the stump of his arm was covered
with blood. The officers were keeping the people back to give
him air, until the doctor got there and they took him to the
doctor's office. I don't know whether there was a hospital in
Warsaw at that time or not. the cannon was west of the large
pavilion, pointing to the southwest, and there were only a few
people in that direction. When the cannon went off it blew the
ram rod quite a distance, and it struck the leg of a young man.
It was a glancing blow and tore the flesh pretty badly but did
not injure the bone as I remember. -- William A. Meck, Leesburg.
******** Roger Nusbaum Designs
Chicago Super Expressway Roger Nusbaum, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., a native Warsawan and son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Nusbaum, of Winona Lake, has played a leading role in designing the Congress street expressway in Chicago, probably one of the biggest superhighway jobs ever attempted. Four and one-half miles of the expressway are to be opened to traffic before Christmas, Nusbaum announced, but he said it would be 1958 before the super highway is completed from Michigan avenue to the DuPage-Cook county line. Nusbaum, a graduate of Warsaw high school, is expressway engineer for the Illinois highway department. He lives in Glen Ellyn, about 20 miles west of Chicago, with his wife, Marjorie, and their four young daughters, Sue, Randa, Donna and Peggy. They often stay at the summer cottage home of Roger's parents on Little Chapman lake. After graduating from Warsaw high school, Nusbaum attended engineering school at Purdue university for three years. Then World War II came along and Roger went to Panama as a civilian engineer with the war department. During that time he took part in the building of airports, roads, etc., in the Panama Canal Zone, Central and South America. Later he enlisted and entered the air force as an engineer. Goes to Night School The new Congress street expressway is being built right through the skyscraper area of Chicago. Miles of skyscrapers have been demolished to widen Congress street from Grant Park on the lake front for miles west to the Chicago city limits. One county constructed section has been completed and opened. Other sections are being constructed by the city of Chicago, Cook county, and by the state of Illinois. Nusbaum got his first practical training in planning and building roads while in Panama. He has served in his present capacity for the past two years, and prior to then was chief expressway design engineer for the state of Illinois. The Congress street expressway is only one of a number of expressway systems included in Nusbaum's department. Others are the Edens Expressway, running north; the Northwest Expressway, extending north from the loop to Chicago's new airport and the Calumet expressway, extending south from the Chicago business area. Work is in progress on all of these superhighway systems. Within the next few weeks, Nusbaum
will go to Detroit to attend a national highway convention, at
which he will present a paper on construction, operation and
maintenance of express highways. ******** Largest Fish In an effort to end the controversy over the largest fish ever caught of record in Kosciusko county waters, our good friend Garrett Osborn, of South Hickory street, kindly submits the following information. Garrett tells us that he gets his story from his 86-year-old mother, Mrs. Simon Osborn, widow of the fisherman, who dragged the giant, 109-pound spoonbill catfish from the waters of Winona lake back in October, 1893. His mother, living, urged Garrett to bring us this information because of the numerous conflicting accounts of the big fish submitted by readers of this column and published during the past several weeks. Garrett brought us a prized family photograph of the fish shortly after it was caught. The picture was taken by the late A. J. Milice, local commercial photographer at that time. Garrett told us that his father stuck a piece of cord wood in the fish's mouth to hold it open and show off its giant features, while the picture was being taken. The picture, though somewhat faded, is in remarkable shape, considering it was taken 60 years ago. Garrett says that his mother relates this story about the capture of the big spoonbill. It was an autumn night in October, 1893 on Winona Lake. Present were the three Osborn brothers, Ed, Tony and Simon, all since dead. They were in company with a fourth man, whose name Mrs. Osborn is unable to remember. The quartet was netting for fish with a large drag line in the early morning hours in the bay located between the present Kosciusko lodge and Boy's city on the southeast side of Winona lake. It was a common occupation in those days to seine for fish and sell them to the public. When the spoonbill was trapped in the seine it took several hours for the men to drag it to shore. It pulled so hard and was so heavy that they thought at the time that someone's stray hog had wandered into the watery bay and become lost. Little did they realize that they were to find a 109-pound fish in their net. When they pulled it ashore the spoonbill broke all records for length and weight. It was the largest fish of an species ever to be taken from county waters. It measured nearly six feet long from its spoon tip to tip of its giant tail. The Osborn brothers placed the fish in a wagon and brought him to the old Center lake ice house then operated by the late James Cisney, near the foot of North Buffalo street. The fish was preserved in ice and later cut up and sold. Garrett tells us that there are species of this fish now in the state hatcheries at Lake Wawasee. The giant spoonbill cat is a native
of the Mississippi valley. Garrett speculates that like the thousands
of eels that migrated to our waters from the gulf after spawning,
that also did the spoonbill catfish. Like the eels, the spoonbill
spawns in the salt waters of the gulf streams. Garrett also thinks
that there are likely many more such large spoonbills in our
waters that have never been seen or caught. Lie the well-known
carp, spoonbills must be netted, they can not be caught on a
hook and line or artificial bait. Fox Farm Road
The Fox Farm Road is familiar to many Kosciusko county residents. Possibly some of the newcomers would be interested in how a road came to be so named. About the middle of the "Roaring Twenties" some enterprising individuals started to raise Silver Foxes in scattered parts of the midwest. Some of the important sellers of breeding stock were located in Ohio. The farm that came to be known as the fox farm was owned by Logan Kimes. His son, Howard, ordered the first pair of silver foxes in 1925 from a breeder in Chillicothe, Ohio at a cost of $1,500. By the following year, this pair, with three new pups, was delivered to the Kimes farm. As the fox population grew the place became known as the fox farm. The first Silver Fox pelts were sold off the farm in 1928 when a buyer paid $1,000 for a lot of three. Only the males were sold. Speculators bought pairs of them as an investment and boarded them at the farm. William Abshire, of Goshen, bought five pairs in Ohio and boarded them there, as did several Warsaw investors. By 1936 the fox population was up to 435 and it required a horse per day to feed them. At that time tractors were becoming practical and extra farm horses were sold for $5 or less and the hide was often worth more than the horse. When the county roads were identified
a few years ago, those running straight East-West or North-South
were given numbers. The curving roads were given names. Long
known as the Fox Farm Road that road was officially named thus. Opera House History
Very Interesting Theatre Places Were
Community Centers in Early Days of Warsaw Empire Hall The Wigwam The result was the erection of a building which exceeded the expectations of the originators of the idea. Much of the labor was donated and the building was completed in ample time for the big meeting. In the months following, the structure, after undergoing some alternations and with the construction of a stage in the north end was arranged to answer the purpose of a theater, and many entertainments of genuine merit by both home talent and traveling companies took place in the "Old Wigwam." The structure was provided with no floor--just sawdust; the seats were wooden benches and the place was heated by large "cannon" stoves. The late John Eichar occupied the position of stage manager, machanician and scenic artist and also officiated as janitor. Colonel C. W. Chapman was owner of the ground upon which the Wigwam was built and in 1874, upon completion of the Opera House block, came into possession of the building and the place was transformed into a livery stable and continued to be operated as such until 1911, when it was torn down to make way for the modern Centennial theater edifice. The Opera House Block The opera house, 132 feet in length and 60 feet deep was built from plans drawn by the late Bradford G. Cosgrove, local architect. The structure contained six store rooms, five of which upon completion were occupied by N. D. Heiler with an up-to-date department store. The room at the extreme east end was occupied by Ruch & Sheffield as a paint and wall paper store. The lobby and auditorium were on the second floor. The seating capacity including the gallery was estimated at 1,500. Here many important gatherings and conventions were held as well as a multitude of dramatic and social events. With the advent of the Centennial theater in 1916 the Warsaw Opera House as a public hall and theater passed into history even though it was at one time rated as one of the best small-city playhouses in northern Indiana. The third story of the east room directly over the entrance and lobby was for a number of years used as the lodge rooms of the Knights of Pythias. Dunham Lake Tamarack
Swamp By Arthur Chaney, Guest Feature
Writer There are about 20 to 40 tamarack trees in this swamp. While most people want to drain the swamp land, this owner wants it to remain in its primeval state. As Mrs. Huish tells the story, "There is now evidence that the lake shore has never been dug into at all. The shore of the lake has all of the animal life that was ever there. Shells can be found to show what was in this lake from the beginning of time. Some college students, on a scuba diving experiment, located some sponges on the bottom of the lake which is about 40 feet deep in the deepest area. To say that the students were amazed would put it very mildly; and they were so delighted with their find that they told many biologists about it." "Biologists have also discovered different species of water lilies that are not found in northern America. A northern orchid plant was found one time, and a biology class from Earlham college hunted until another was found near the first. Frequently during the summer season, many Canada Geese use this lake for nesting places and last summer (1983) at least 60 were observed flying out for the feeding ground at the nearby game preserve. Several different species of birds uncommon to this area are seen flying into this original setting." "The lake is 'spring fed' so it has no inlet; however," Mrs. Huish remarks, chucklingly, "There is a beaver colony that dams up the outlet of the lake which I must have removed to keep the lake from overflowing; but almost at once it is rebuilt. It is a continual battle between them and me!" "The tamarack tree is not indigenous to this area, and according to Webster, this is as far south as it has ever been known to grow. Many years ago, there were several tamarack growing in the Gary/Whiting area, but were all cut down to clear the swamps. The tamarack is also known as the American Larch, and its native habitat is cold and swampy land. It does grow as far as the 'tree line' into the north, but only extends south as far as the lower shores of the Great Lakes. The trees seldom grow past the 24-inch in diameter measurements; and the trees in the Dunham swamp appear to be at the best about 14 to 16 inches across. These trees are not very tall as 60 feet in height is the extreme growth. The wood is very hard and durable; and in the early days was used as utility poles and sailing ship spars. The trees grow very straight and are uniform in symmetrical growth; not with durability of the tamarack wood is that some cottages were built in 1948 with the logs and many are still in good condition these 35 years later." Mrs. Huish related, "There used to be an old time resident of this area who would come by and ask permission to go to the swamp and get some of the inner bark of the tamarack trees to make a remedy that was handed down from the Indians that was guaranteed to cure everything from ingrown toenails to bilious attacks. He gave me a bottle of this after he had made it; and from the smell, I don't doubt his word, but I never did try it to prove his statement!" This small area of original America can best be described as an almost 'forgotten' era. Mrs. Huish and her two sons who live with her are to be congratulated on the preservation of this area in Kosciusko County. This ground is not for visitors to trample and disarrange. Any visitors must have written permission to enter and study. Of course there are some who think the property should be destroyed and misused. Shame, shame, 'for only God can make a tree.' Impassable
Bog Near City in 1836 Government Surveyor Had Trying
Experience Near Warsaw This reservation, it is remembered comprised four sections of land adjoining Warsaw on the northwest, and was reserved for the Checase Indians, which tribe numbered perhaps seventy-five under Checase, an Indian chieftain who finally emigrated westward with the rest of the Pottowatomies that used to live in this vicinity. In referring to the earliest authentic records of the survey of this line the surveyor finds recorded in the original field note book some interesting facts which show that the trials and troubles of the early government surveyors who passed through here in 1834 to 1836 were difficult and exceedingly trying, for we read: "Survey of that part of Checase's reserve lying in T32N, R6E. Measured on south boundary for random line 35 chains 00 links, came to impassable bog and deep water; offset N 11 chains, came to river (Tippecanoe) spread over its banks and found it impossible to work without a canoe and went to Indian village and got one." The village was perhaps on the land owned by John Trish or on the high ground near the Wright farm. In running the random line between sections 6 and 7 T32N, R6E, which is the Atwood road today, he says: "East 26 chains came to Tippecanoe river 200 links wide, over its banks, course W of N; east 58 chains and 50 links came to river again and after indefatigable toil through grape vines and briars could find no vestige of line or corner, and night coming on went to camp. Oct. 3rd, 1836. Next morning came and brought our canoe up and crossed the river and found some small vestige of a line but no section corner. Recrossed the river and after strict search found the W. Oak bearing mentioned in the notes of corner on boundary. We then found that our random line run yesterday intersected thus 58 chains 50 links intersected 135 links S of post. Land some broken, second rate; timber, oak and hickory, some poplar, willow, aspen and maple, grape vines and briars in abundance. -----As we found the country covered with water and could find but little line and no section corners and more than all as the E 1/2 of sections 6 and 7 (Now Riverview Park and north) are but little account owning to wet prairies and a mill dam below spreading water all over it, we concluded to give over measuring any more and I concluded to put the quarter post on the line 40 chains from the range line and let the balance go into the fraction, 1 o'clock October 4, 1836, having spoilt two days and run but little over a half mile. Signed, Jere Smith, deputy surveyor; Murray Scruggs and Thos. Mitler, chainmen."
From an old Comrade
Doubtless a large number of the citizens of Warsaw who lived here at the time of the breaking out of the war will remember the writer of the following - Alonzo H. Hubbard. At the very beginning of the war, and within a day or two after the calling out of the troops by President Lincoln to suppress the insurrection, as it was then called, Mr. Hubbard enlisted in the first company raised in this county. At that time he was engaged as an assistant on the building of the old Empire Block, destroyed by fire in 1870, if we remember correctly; but dropping his employment, he determined to obey the call. The company to which he was attached became E company of the Twelfth Indiana Infantry, and as there were thousands of more men offered themselves for the first six regiments that Indiana was required to raise as its quota in the call for the first 75, 000 men, the body of men alluded to either had to accept a longer term of service than they had enlisted for, or sneak back home. Almost to a man they resolved to stay and form a part of the State troops authorized by the Legislature of Indiana, then in session, to serve within the borders of Indiana, the term of enlistment being for one year. On the night of the first battle of Bull Run Governor Morton ordered the regiment to Indianapolis from Evansville, where it had taken the place of Gen. Lew Wallace's Eleventh Regiment, engaged in blockading the Ohio River at that point. On reaching Indianapolis, the Twelfth was at once mustered into and transferred to the United States service, and on Monday was on its way to Washington. It staid (sic) its year in the Army of the Potomac, and immediately after its muster out at the end of its term, reorganizing "for the war," Mr.Hubbard having been commissioned as a First Lieutenant of Company F, in which he served honorably, faithfully and bravely till the close of the war. We were reminded of these facts
on the reception of his letter, which is as follows: Dedicate Jade
Window Designed An ardent collector of jade, Kraft had long dreamed of a church window of the rare material. Ten years ago no one thought there was enough good jade in the whole continent for such a thing, but Kraft and an army of prospector friends proved them wrong. They found some bright green jade in pockets from Alaska to Wyoming, rare rose jade in a single small boulder in California, and the even rarer white jade in an Arizona canyon. The window, designed and put together like the great stained glass windows of the Middle Ages, is executed entirely in translucent jade of 20 subtly blended shades. The jewel surface is 6 1/2 feet high, 3 1/2 feet wide, and 446 leaded panes. In the center is a long white cross and rosette bearing the Christian insignia, "I.H.S." The plain background is done in soft rose, white and a dozen shades of cool green. 3 Trial Designs Value Unknown The use of jade in a modern Christian church is unique, but appropriate, Kraft believes. It has had religious usage from the dawn of civilization. In China, from the earliest days, jade pieces of varying colors represented heaven, earth and the four quarters. The sacred stone of the Orient has always symbolized truth, goodness and beauty, man's mystic relationship to his Creator and his pledge of good will toward his fellowman. For the dedication service the window was displayed in a temporary frame and lighted to show its delicate beauty. Since then it has been permanently installed with an exterior shield of plate glass in an east window of the Kraft chapel, erected as a new wing of the North Shore church to which Kraft belongs. Mrs. Dail (Marjorie) Buell, a daughter of Williams, saw the window at Elkhart. She and her sister, Frances, (Mrs. Carl Dobbins) of Warsaw, and their brother, Dick, who lives now in Elmhurst, Ill., expect to see it in the chapel soon. Among the locally known people who did attend the dedication were Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bates, Williams' brother-in-law and sister of Syracuse; Mrs. Clyde Delano, of Wawasee; Mr. and Mrs. Harman Nue, Mrs. Helen Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Don Hayes and Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Williams, of Elkhart; Mr. and Mrs. Lionel Bates and daughter, Janice, Miss Ruth Jane Arnold, Mr. and Mrs. O. E. (Theodosia Brenneman) Fisher, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Walters and daughter, Nancy and Mrs. May Frush, all of Chicago. Local Dairy Man Since that meeting Williams has worked mostly for Kraft, creating unusual designs for jade rings, tie clasps and cuff links which the executive liked to present as special awards to employees of his company. Mrs. Bates claims her brother had
always been the inventor in her family. She remembers the day
out west when he found a piece of petrified wood. Looking it
over closely he said: "I believe this could be cut and polished
into something very lovely." The find that day was the real
beginning of his work which culminated in the unique window of
jade. |