The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-18
THE FIRST CITY DIRECTORY.
GIimpses of Indianapolis as 1T Was
in 1855.

A very interesting book to glance over is
the first indianapolis directory, issued by
Grooms & Smith, almost half century ago.
The "City Guide and Business Mirror; or
Indianapolis AS 1t Is In 1885, is the title of
it. 1t contains, all told, 264 small octave
pages, the major part of them filed up with
advertisements in ornamental old-fashioned
display types now obsolete and appearing
very quaint to the eye of the present
printer. Less than seventy-fve, of these
pages printed in loaded long primer type,
comprise the list of names and addresses,
making total of less than 1900 The 'col-
ored population We are told in the preface,
is not included. 3
Among these names are many which still
linger In the memories Of the middie-aged,
and few which, obscure then, are conspic-
uous since. For instance. r. j. Calling, Of
subsequent Calling gun fame, is put down
as agent for sale and location OF land war
rants" and brief line tells us of 'Harri-
son, BENZ, atty, off 3215 w Wash, up stairs"
The addresses given were what might be
called approximate addresses. That is,
man was not located by number. but lived
on a. certain street between certain other
streets, and the inference would be that few,
if any, of the streets except Washington
were yet numbereds
The city at this time had an estimated
population of $1,000 1t was divided into
seven wards, and extended, according TO the
street directory, some ten squares north
ward and six squares ssouthNW4 ware from
Washington street, and from Noble street
on the east to West street 'Sestward-a little
more than a mile.A Within this area just
fifty streets are given. -,
lives northeast of the city, NOT 1ar from the
fair grounds. George w. Pitts the marshal
also lives in the city. Napoleon d: Iaylor
was city attorney and DR.. T.. IL. jameson
was on the Board of Health. For the pro-
lection of the town there were a marshal
an assistant marshal, one Waterman Tor
each ward and two persons who are deslg-
rated as police" There were four ilre COM
panies, each with it's quartet of officers and
dependent Relief, No. j, the Marion; NO
l." the Western Liberties, NO. z, ana the
There were twenty-seven churches. repre-
sentinp twelve denominations, and seven
ward school buildings, besides hlgn scnooi
Toom under the management Of the Young
Mems Christian Association, OF Whlch Gran
Vile NJ Ballard, now living here. was se ST,-
tary It took twenty-one doctors 70 loon
after the ills of the flesh, and twenty-slX
LAWYERS to look after other kinds OF IFS.
AS evidence of the InaoequaiGGy o o1 MI
commercial houses to satisfactorily Supply
the same wants we find some tnirty-sea,eh
na ges filled up with advertisements or GIN
cinnati and Louisville mercnan egeod S,'u mere
liz
were eight railroads running INTO tne CITY
and nine others projected.
II Is a matter for curious note tnat at tne
time of this pioneer venture the InqlanapoiIS
nuhIic was not very hospitable to the IDEA OF
) direcforv and the preface to the WORK
anoIoqizes for it's incompleteness on Inat
ground "Our issue at this time. II SAYS s,
Twill not be so complete and dennlte as we
could wish in consequence or SO inanSy psI
sons being preiudiced against II ana con-
sidering 1t rather superhuous WoIh. nIens
actually refusing to give us their ua Il
MANY could not tell on what streSL lnes
lived and one individual--one OF Ine pr
prietors of an establishment WheIe IhsL 1919 81
some forty or fifty hands at WORK, rsiusssu
them time to give us their names aau . U.s.
dences Some persons refused 10 give eithes
their names or residences through leaI ol
having taxes to pay; while others woulo as
sign no reason. but steadily refused 70 give
MS any satisfaction. Because we nappeneu
TO inform some lady that she was mistaken
with regard to the nature OF her nusoano
once we were called on by her hus0ano ano
threatened to have dornic pounced on on
cur devoted head--an operation Wnich We py
no means relished and tried 70 paclfy the
gentleman. but could not. and had 70 allow
him 10 20 at large breathing vengeance on
~ il we ever did so again.
Despite these discouragements, however
the publishers are hopeful and look lorWafo
To issuing other directories when the prelu-
dice mentioned shall be disslpatSo, ana
.'courteously requesting. IN the meantir,ee,
1.-THE favorable consideration q an lnasAh-
gent public