The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-14
Era of state Development Marked by
Capitol buildings, MiIestones ON
Road OF Progress
HUT AT vINcENNEs IN 1905
FIRST SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE
BUILT AT CORYDON IN 1911.
Old StatehOuse in indianapolis Conn
pIeted In 1885, Succeeded in 1855
by Present Building.

NOtlA d CABIN 10 a palace lnQ1anaS seat
OF government has Travelled in a hundred
years. Eras of state development are per-
haps shown as perfectly by capitols as by
dollars and cents. The tiny hut at Vim
cennes. barely cut of the range of Indian
tomahawks, the thick-walIed limestone
Statehouse at Corydon, then a most pre-
tentious structure in the belief OF HOLSTERS
flushed with the first pride of statehood,
the old Capitol at indianapolis, fresh In the
memory OF many to-day, and last and best
OF all the great-domed house of authority
where legislators sit now and where Gov
errors come fresh and vigorous TO bear the
burden of executive cares-aIl stand as
milestones on the road of Indana's prog
ress. From cabin to palace, cabin no
larger, not so well fitted as those of many
iron-bodied and iron-minded Hoosiers of the
babyhood days, a palace grander than
many In which royal puppets move in these
days and more splendid than many in
which In days Of old lettres de cachet were
signed by Valois and Bourbon.
Remarkably little is known automatically
OF what Is now the State of Indiana before
an act of Congress hewed the great North
west Territory into future States. Original
ly part of the possessions of the crown
of France, adventurous subjects of Louis
lie Grand having settled first at Ouiatenon,
situated on the north bank of the Wabash
river about eighteen miles below the mouth
OF the Tippecanoe river, Indiana passed as
a great unmarked tract of ground into the
possession OF the conquering English in
1865 when Louis was caught in the mill of
war and ground into doing an act always
distasteful. the giving I'D of territory.
ViDcennes, the very first seat of govern
ment, was probably established about the
year 1727.
BIRTH OF A STATE.
The States history really commenced in
veracious chronicles on May T. 1900 when
Congress decreed that the Northwest Terri
tory should be divided. William Henry
Harrison was named as the first Governor;
the seat of Indiana Territory was fixed at
Vincennes and territorial government be-
gan unassumingly and modestly Hoosiers
of those days. while having an eye to poll
tics became the progenitors of Hoosiers
of these days. were forced. necessarily, to
keep the other eye on the Indians; and to
be sure always at night-when they went
20 bed-and in the morning. when they
got up that their scalps were where scalps
were intended to be.
The first judges Of the new territory were
Henry Vanderburgh, John Griffin and Will
liam Clark. In 1901 General Harrison called
a meeting of these judges for the purpose
of framing laws necessary for the govern
ment of the Territory. These men met and
enacted number of laws and on March
8. 1901, the hrst general court of Indiana
held its session. An election was held on
Jan. 8, 1906, to seat members for the first
General Assembly, and on July 20. 1906 the
first meeting of representatives of the peo-
pie met at Vincennes.
These representatives sat in a little log
hewn house hardly big enough for fifty
men to get together without elbowing
Very little is known of the origin of the
first Statehouse. although 1t is still stand
ing with a few modern improvements at
Vincennes. Clapboards have been placed
upon ii, many new roofs have kept the
rains from the interior and it has been re-
built so many times that IL is practically
new. but in reality it is the first of all the
buildings where the seat of government
dwelt. There could be hardly comparison
stronger than that of the barn-like little
house of 1905 and the magnificent marble
building of 1902
TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE.
The session OF the territorial Legislature
which met then elected the first delegate
90 Congress. Benjamin Parker, afterward
attorney general OF the Territory. In 1909
Congress took a notion there was too much
ground In the then Indiana Territory and
it was again divided and Illinois Territory
created. At that time Indiana had a popu-
iation OF 1900. In 1910 the first census
taken showed the population of the State
20 be 24.52O a considerable increase. all
things considered. IN one year.
Then the second era began and the Legis-
laIure moved the seat of government 10
Corydon. In December OF that year the
General Assembly met at Corydon and
Governor Fcsey delivered his first message.
A Statehouse had already been erected in
preparation for the notable event. but 1t
was not entirely completed until 1915, two
years after ire change of CAPITALS
made. The Statehouse was begun in 1911,
and since a sold, durable building had been
contemplated Il took lot of time in those
days TO complete IL. The old building is
two stories high and forty feet square. L
IS still standing at Corydon, and many
plgrimages have been made by Hoosiers
filled with state pride. The material used
in its construction blue limestone OBJ
tanned from the hills in the vicinity of the
town. The walls of the first story are two
and hall ieet thick and those OF the sec
ond story are two feet thick. Strength was
not forgotten. The lower story was used
as hall for the House OF Representatives,
and the Senate occupied one of the two
rooms in the second story. AS there was
not much of House a Senate either in
those days the legislators were not badly
crowded. The Legislature met annually in
this building until ISIS.
BY this time the people Of Indiana Terri
tory were ciamoring for statehood, and
on Dec. IA. 1915. the Legislature adopted a
memorial asking Congress 10 admit Indiana
into the Union OF States. When the census
ordered was taken it was found that the
popula ton had increased TO 6. se7. and there
were objections on that score. An cleo
ton was held on the first Monday IN May.
1916. To eject delegates 70 convention for
thc purpose OF framing constitution The
delegates were duly elected and on June &c,