The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-03-19
MADISON FROM 1914 TO 1852.
A Lecture Delivered at the High school
Building. I'm Madison, ON Thursday
Evening, March Is, 1879, by
William Wesley woollen.
THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
first knew Madison in lS4i. In October of |
that year landed one evening at the city |
wharf, and put up for the night at a hostelry |
known as the Light House. 1t stood on the
east side OF Mulberry street extended, between
Ohio street and low water mark. Itwas two
story brick and frame house of the ordinary
style, and was the only building then in the
city between Ohio street and the'river, and it
was the only one that ever stood within these
bounds since have known the city. 1t long
since passed away, but its location and
its appearance are indelibly written upon my
memory.
AT this time Madison was a well built city of
1000 or 5000 souls. Its streets were graded and
its sidewalks paved much as they are to-day
The exception, 1 now remember, is High
street, which then east of Main street was nei-
ther graded nor gravelied. The principal
hotels in the city at that time were the Madi-
son Hotel and the Washington House. The
former stood ON the site of the Academy of
Our Lady of the Angels, and was kept
by George ID. Fitzhugh, now OF Indianapolis,
and the latter, which was under the direction
of Enoch d. Withers, still stands as monu-
ment of hotel architecture of the olden time.
The Court House was 8 two-story brick build
ing of modest pretensions, standing on the
site of the present one. Southeast of the court
HOUSE Was tut jail, stu Olu Dululn2, Two
stories high fronting an alley, with cells in
either story, and rooms for the jailer on the
south. On the northeast corner of the Court
House lot was the clerks office,
squatty one-story brick house of two
rooms, fronting on Main Cross street
At the northwest corner of the lotion
the corner of Main Cross and Main streSts
stood two story building, having two rooms
in the first story and three in the second, with
a platform on a level with the latter, running
the entire length from east to west. The plat
form was reached from both Main Cross and
Main streets by wooden stairways, over which
people passed to reach the offices above. The
main room below was occupied by Bramwell
& Phillips as dry goods store, and The other
was the Office of DIR. Joseph II. ID. Rogers,
whose presence is not yet denied
you. The west room above was the recorders
office, the center one the auditors Office, and
Around the Court House lot was a brick wall
four feet high, capped with stone. Such were
The public buildings OF Madison 30 years ago.
THE CHURCHES.
Saint MichaeTs Catholic church then stood
and the priest who ministered to the spiritual
wants OF the parish was Maurice de st. Paiias,
afterwards the distinguished bishop of Vim
cenues. This preiate was succ seded by Father
Du Pontavis, who was Known to you all. Rev
Harvey Curtis was pastor of the Second Presby-
terrain church, Rev. Mr.. Leavenworth of the
First Presbyterian church and Rev. z. ID.
Owen of the Baptist church, on Vine street.
| The policy of the Methodist church is such
charge of a particular congregation, but re
member Rev. w. c.. Smith. and Rev
| Rev. John Keiger and Rev. DIR. Daily as pas
| tors OF Third street church. st. Johns church
| was not then in existence This church was
| leading members were the Taylors, Gamalial,
John H and William NJ, Caleb Sch midIapp
and Charles w. Basnett. The church building
was erected in 1919 or 1859, the site OF the
| first Methodist church built in Madison. Rev.
| Johns.
CHRIST Episcopal church and the United
| Presbyterian church were erected during this
| time. The former was built mainly By the
| exertions of Joseph NJ. Moore, then cashier of
! the Madison Branch bank, and of It's worthy
| gentleman of acknowledged ability, and was
esteemed outside OF his parish as well as within
it. He was probably, the most popular min-
Rev. James Browne, pastor OF the United
Presoyterian church, was a man OF earnest
sn Slavery 'c cause, and did much Ut to create afb
! human slavery. He used 70 declaim against
| this abominatfOn from his pulpit md was ever
ready to espouse the cause OF the oppressed
| that the world is indebted for that public
sentiment, which eventually strangled this
| THE NEWSPAPERS.
At this time there were two weekly news
papers published in Madison, the Banner and
the Courier. The first was edited by Daniel
D. Jones, known as Davy Jones, and the latter
by Roia Dooiittle. Mr.. Jones was dapper
little gentleman, a Welchman by birth, ami
in his DAY the foremost newspaper writer in
the State. His sentences were snort and terse
and their meaning always apparent. He sell
case, and composed them as he handled the
| type. He was genial, social man, deiighting
in fun and practical jokes: Twas once at q SO.
a most ludicrous incident occurred
He kissed young lady who turned upou
portly woman. was present, and to her Mr.
Jones ran for protection. She was seated, and
he cuddled by her side, sitting on the floor
with his head under her arm ana lookiog into
her face, his eyes sparkling with merriment
Of Mr. editor
Courier, as he is of and with you at the present
| time.
| KY, bought half interest in the Banner, anc
soon afterward it was converted into daily
! On Mr.. Jones death, in 1851, his late interes II
in the paper was purchased by Hon. John r
| Cravens, who. in March, 1852, sold it to Viii
liam w. Woollen. subsequent to this time
in 1858 sold the Banner to General Milton
Stapp, who soon afterward disposed of It t
Samuel F. and John B. Covinstor
bought the Courier in lS4S or thereaoout, anc
Mr NJ G. Garber now II its s's Senior soa Il
| Mr.. CARRIER Is the ranking newspaper pub
Usher in The State, having been continuousl,
|
In 1851 Milton Gregg and John q. Serin:
established the Madison Daily Tribune. Afte
publishing the Tribune for a short time, Nj
! Sering withdrew from the firm aud Mr.. Greg,
removed the paper to New albany, wher
it was published for several years under hi
direction.
In 1852 the Daily Madisonian was establishes
by company of Democratic politician.
Kolla Doolittle was its publisher and Robert s
Sprcule its editor. 1t lived daring the Scott an
Pierce campaign, ana soon thereafter
: yielded up the ghost.
3 daily paper was published a week or S
during this time by B. F. Foster and Ben
Reed but its life was too short for it to be proI
I | erly classed among the journals of MadissI
a A freesoil paper was established in 1915 to at
| vocate the election of Van Buren and Adam
:. Its editor was Riley Is SJratton, who ate
j wards went TO Oregon and became a leadin
:. iurist of that State. With the exceptions
two religious weeklies, one Baptist and III
. other Universalist, these are all the newsp
| pers published iu Madison during the tin
covered by this address
s THE BAR
: At this time the bar of Madison was eel