The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-19
HOOSIER STATE PROGRESS.
The Territorial Organization and the
immigration that Followed.
Admission into the Union-The States
Growth in Wealth and in Social and lit
erary Deyelopment-Future Prospects.

ne uat6 Oh the uTSL SeLtiCInenC fndue Dy white
men within the limits of Indiana is not certainly
known. In the closing years of the seventeenth
and the first of the eighteenth century the
French Jesuits traversed the country of the Wa
bash from its sources to the mouth. A trading
post was established at Vincennes in 1902 Other
settlements and mission houses were
planted at convenient stations along the river,
but little progress was made toward the coloni-
cation of the interior. The French domination
continued until 1763. when the territory
was surrendered to the English. In
1779 the successful expedition of
George Rogers Clarke against Vincennes
destroyed the British authority, and substituted
that of the United Colonies. Just before the
establishment of the American Union an Indian
war broke out, and brought much distress to
the few white men in the Wabash valley. The
conflict was continued by Generals Wilkinson
and ST. Clair until 1895, when Anthony Wayne
overthrow the red men, and exacted the treaty
of Greenville.
AS already stated, the Territory of Indiana
was organized in the first year of this century
William Henry Harrison was appointed terri
torial Governor. From this time forth imm
grafton set in. A house is still standing in Law
rencebnrg which was built in 1906. The terri
$50. The rapid spread of the white
settlers greatly exasperated the Indians and the
famous chieftain Tecumseh appeared as leader
of the confederated tribes against the pioneers.
In November of 1911 the conflict was decided at
the battle of Tippecanoe, by which the Shawnee
confederacy was broken up and the warriors
scattered. These events were the beginning of
the ascendency of Gen. William III. Harrison in
the West. and ultimately made him President of
the United States
In 1915 petition was presented to Congress
by the Territorial Legislature praying for the
admission of Indiana into the Union. In April
of the following year the prayer was granted.
and on the 18th of December, 1876 the State
was formally admitted. At this time the popu-
lation of Indiana was distributed on the White
water in the towns along the Ohio, and on both
banks of the Wabash as high up as La
fayette, and even to Logansport. few set
tiers had already established themselves on the
east and west forks of White river. The primi-
tive State capital was at Corydon. in Harrison
county. Indianapolis was founded in 1919 and
became the capital in 1925 AS soon as the State
was admitted into the Union immigration was
greatly increased The lands were surveyed and
taken up until about 1885, when the wave of
population swept over and out of the State to
the Northwest Towns grew and multiplied.
Henry Clay's great enterprise the national
road, was carried through the State between
1884 and 1887. The first railroad was built from
Madison to Indianapolis about 1845. The first
iron bars were laid west of the capital, on the
present Vandala line, which road was completed
to Terre Haute in January of 1852. Within the
next decade railways branched out in all direc-
tons. most of them radating from the capital,
which soon became Western center of travel,
and which, by the epoch of the war, had reached
a population of more than DO. O00
While the means of physical progress were
thus provided in Indiana her people and insti
tutions grew into strength and symmetry. She
became in population and general rank the fifth
State in the Union By some means, however.
the nature of which it is hard to discover, her
reputation as Commonwealth was not high.
AS far as any grounds really exist for the half
bad fame of the State, they seem to have been
certain prejudice of her people for the institu-
ton and manners of slavery the illiteracy which
prevailed, the poverty of most of her inhabit
ants, her comparatively small territory, and the
belief-not we'll founded-that the Wabash
valley was the native place of malaria and ignor-
ance. To this must be added that during the
Mexican war the Indiana soldiers. under weak
leadership and fa8e reports, gained a bad dis
tinction. None the less, there never was time
when the low estimate which was held
in the Middle States and New England
concerning Indiana and her people was at all
justified by the facts.
1t remained for the civil war; however, to wipe
away the stigma which had been fixed on our es
cutcheon. Never was a work more nobly per-
formed. More than hundred thousand of In
dianas sons bore honorable part in the struggle
for the preservation of the Union. better
soloiery never marched under the flags and ban
ners of war. Their bayonets flashed in the front
line of every campaign and on every battle field,
bursting through the smoke and fire of the fore
most charge, were seen the blue uniforms and
war bronzed faces of the soldier boys of Indiana.
Their sisters, their wives, and their babies were
at home in the loyal North. The distant APP
plause of great people sounded in their ears.
The tremendous form of Morton was seen be-
yond the horizon of BATTLE and the voice of com
ing generations, like the murmur of great
waters cheered them to the charge and called
them to victory
A volume would not suffice to give history
of the physical, commercial, and civil develop
ment of the State. In respect to intellectual
progress there was time when Indiana had
little eminence and not much prospect Educa-
ton Jagged. Until the adoption Of the new Con-
stitution, in 1852. no general system of free
schools was established The old method was
purely local. The quality and quantity of edu-
cation in each community were left to the caprice
of the neighbors In organizing schools the sub
scription plan was employed; and in the employ
ment of teachers respect was had to physical
force rather than to mental and moral qualities
About the time of the passage of our splendid
free school law. woman came into the Indiana
school-room and took her place at the desk. 1t
was regarded as daring and dangerous innova-
ton.
1t will be remembered that, in accordance
with our ordinance of 1857, section sixteen
of each township Of land reserved for
educational uses. Indiana has wisely hus-
banded ner means In this respect.
Our school fund is the largest in the United
States. We have at present an investment of
over So, 000, 900, the proceeds of which are dedi
Gated forever to the education of the children of
the people. And if we consider educational
progress, rather than actual attainment our
State may fairly be regarded as the first in the
Union.
While the cause of secular education Ian
guished in early Indiana. the work was taken up
and carried forward by the church. The pioneer
preachers seem to have had an abiding faith in
the virtue of mental enlightenment. Nearly all
the Protestant denominations We'd with each 9TH
er in the establishment of schools. The Methodist
Church, in particular, greatly promoted the
cause of public education. The zeal of her fore
runners in Indiana extraordinary. Ravens,
and Strange, and Enoch and Aaron Wood, and
Wiley, and Ruter, and Armstrong, and Smith,
and all that class of stalwart precursors Of the
day. labored fearlessly and successfully in the