The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-31
Members of an Athletic Club Ask Col.
Eli Lilly to Put IA Price on His
Lake-FrOnt Property.
DEED OF A JEALOUS FARMER
CUTS HIS WIFE'S THROAT WHILE
BIDDING HER GOODBYE.
Victory for Muncie Merchants Who
Refused to Close Their Places of
Business on Sunday.
pecial to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WAWASEE, Ind, July 30-Col. Eli Lilly
has been asked to name his price for his
interest here and by next year the sur
roundings at Wawasee may be entirely
changed A party of wealthy Chicago club
men are looking for location to build
complete gymnasium and summer athletic
headquarters, and Wawasee has been Sc
lected as an ideal resort. The contemplated
enterprise was conceived by Maj. Elliott
Durrand, who now owns Yumuri cottage
and l. 100 feet of high ground adjoining Wa
wasee Inn grounds on the east. Major
Durrand has been spending his summers at
the lake for seventeen years and was one
of the original members of the Cedar
Beach Association, which built the old club
house that burned down five years ago. He
is a life member of the Chicago Athletic
Club, which now has nearly three thousand
members, and is the leading organization
OF it's kind in Chicago. The major would
like to see the Chicago Athletic Club per-
manently located at Wawasee, but the club
is in no condition at present to assume the
obligation. The scheme is being pushed by
certain rich members of the Chicago Ath-
letic Club, together with other men from
the Kenwood and Hyde Park clubs Those
interested in the deal expect to organize
Wawasee athletic club, raising the neces-
sary stock by subscription.
Recently Maj. Durrand brought down mere
from Chicago in a private car seventeen
club men to inspect the place, ana ali were
greatly charmed with the location, pro-
nouncing it ideal. The high waters of the
lake, lying, as they do, within four miles
of the northern Indiana water shed, makes
WaWasee the best lake for sailing IN the
State. Should the deal go through in a
short time there would be hundred
yachts on the lake instead of the dozen or
so now here. But the great Improvement
would be in the grounds. 1t Is desired 10
purchase a forty-acre tract Of land back of
Wawasee Inn, on which would be built a
tive-lap bicycle track, together with base
ball and football grounds. Then there
would be a complete gymnasium put up ana
a clubhouse large enough to accommodate
possibly four hundred guests.
The lake is only three hours ride from
Chicago and the Chicago people have al
ways considered it more of a Chicago than
an Indiana lake. The committee having
the matter in hand has visited all the
desirable locations in Wisconsin and Mich
igan, and Major Durrand says none mas
started Major Durrand has received two
dozen letters from prominent and wealthy
club men asking to be let in on the ground
floor The deal is still in the embryonic
stage, but its success depends only on the
ability of the projectors to come to terms
with Colonel Lilly. The indianapolis man
has taken a prominent part in making the
lake a popular resort, and it is understood
he is perfectly willing to sell out II he can
years ago he was forced to step in and
save the lake from being drained by the
farmers, who threatened to ruin one of the
beauty spots in the State This he did by
purchasing, the Syracuse dam and IT, the out
let. In addition to this Colonel Lilly owns
1,400 feet of shore line, which, with Wawa-
see Inn the Lilly cottage lighthouses, ice
houses and other improvements represent
an outlay of good many thousand dollars.
Colonel Lilly's first price is said to be $780,
600, which was something of a staggerer TO
the would-be purchasers, and for the time
being has checked the negotiations. Farm
er Vawter, who owns Vawters Park on the
opposite bank of the lake. has learned Of
the deal. and last week offered to sell out
at much lower figure This offer the CLUB
men now have under consideration Their
first choice is Colonel Lilly's property, but
since they have set their hearts on Wa
wasee. it may be stated that they will not
give it up, and if they fail to secure the
inn site they will do the next best thing.
In either event WaWasee lake will be
greatly benefited, and where now possibly
five hundred people spend their summer
here, soon two or three thousand will be