The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-24
DEATH REMOVES GENERAL
THOS. ARMSTRONG MORRIS


printing shop. but at the age of sixteen he
was sent TO school lin earnest" as he called
1t, and three years afterward was appointed
TO cadetshp at West Point. He started
for the Military College horseback, rid
ing as far as Cincinnati, whence the route
East was by way of the Ohio river.
lie graduated from West Point in 1884,
standing fourth in class of thirty-siX, and
Immediately was breveted second lieutenant
of the First Artillery in the regular army.
roe Virginia, and Fort King, Florida, he
was detailed by the War Department to as
sist Major Ogden, of the engineer corps, in
constructing the National road to Indiana
and Illinois, and had charge of the division
between Richmond and Indianapolis, this
being the first turnpike road in the State.
lie resigned from the service after year
and was made resident engineer in the Indi-
ana state service, having charge of the con-
struction OF the Central canal during this
period. From lS41 until 1917 he was chief en-
gineer of the Madison & Indianapolis Rail-
road, and after il had been abandoned by
the State at Vernon, he built it from that
point on 10 indianapolis, this being the frSt
railroad in Indiana. He was the chief en-
gneer of the Terre Haute q Richmond Rail-
way from 1917 TO 1852. and he was also
| chief engineer of the Indianapolis * Belle
| fOntaine road during this time. From 1852
until 1884 he was the chief engineer of the
indianapolis q Cincinnati Railroad, and for
| the next three years acted as its president.
| The following two years he was the presi-
| dent of the Indianapolis & Bellefontaine
| Railroad, and then returned to the Indian
| gineer.
BUILT THE MORRIS HOMESTEAD.
General Morris was married in 1914 to
Miss Rachel Irwin of Madison, and soon
| after erected the mansion that now fronts
on New JERSEY street, between Twelfth and
| Thirteenth streets. AT the time the house
was built it was far from the Gown of In
dianapolis, and, save for the house put up
1 a mo inc nv
| there was no other dwelling for several
miles. For many years the famous old
| Morris homestead stood in the midst of a
great estate of twenty acres, surrounded by
| forest and fruit trees, presenting one of the
prettiest pictures of the od-fashioned
| homes to be found in this part of the coun-
| try. Only within the past few years has
/ the estate Succumbed to the attack of the
growing city and allowed its once sacred
| territory 10 be Overrun with modern asphalt
| streets and cement sidewalks.
THE WEST VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN.
Many of the old soldiers will say that
''Tem' Morris narrowly escaped being one
| of the great heroes of the rebellion. In
| fact, he was one of the great heroes, al
| though he never received the credit due
| him for his part in the great struggle.
Shortly before the war broke cut he be-
| came captain of n local military company
| that used the courthouse yard as a drill
1
| and thoroughly understood all the move
ments known to the military art. His COM
pany attained reputation as the finest
] Organiza ton of the kind in the State for
| its captain possessed all of the natural
| qualities of a military commander. So
| when the war broke out Governor Nor
| ton made General Norris chief of all the
| Indiana regiments in the three months
| service. and thus he in command of
the first West Virginia campaign, where all
| were sent.
This inonortant caponaion vas MANNED
| and won by General Morris even before
| General Mcclellan knew anything about it,
! but the latter, arriving on the scene of ac-
| ton when all OF the real f1ghting was over,
| took to himself all of the credit for the
| complete victory of the Northern soldiers.
General Morris returned to Indianapolis
| at the conclusion of his three months
| service with the assurance that he would
/ Immediately receive promotion to a major
| generals command This was delayed,
however, and when he was afterward Of
fered his choice of a brigadier generals
commission or a junior major general s
| commission he declined both, feeling that
| his services warranted more speedy recog-
milton.
| BUILDING THE STATE CAPITOL.
| In 1877 he was appointed a member of the
| commissioners to select plans and supern-
tend the construction of the new state Cap
itol, this being the position his father had
held many years before with reference to
/ the Oiu 0ldlciiOuSS, WHICH, WdS lOlll uOWH u
make room for the new building. The pres
! ent building is regarded as model of its
/ kind of structure, and the best and hand
| soonest building for the amount of money
! expended i'm it's erection-S2 600, 000-of all
| similar buildings in the United States.
In planning and building the old State
! ditch, General Morris was largely response
| BILE for the growth of Indianapolis from a
small village TO great city. In the old
| days before the ditch was made, the high
| waters from Fall creek in the rainy months
| of the year would rush in mad torrent
| across the town in southwestern direction,
| often at a depth of from three to five feet,
| compelling the early settlers to keep a
| boat OF some kind constantly on hand.
| The young engineer showed how 1t would
be possible at little expense 10 do away
entirely with this danger to life and homes,
and then went TO work TO carry out his
plans, with the result that in a short time
the town was as safe from high waters
as If il were built a hill.
TELEGRAM RECEIVED HERE.
General Norris has always been a lover
of hunting and fishing. He shot game and
caught fish throughout Indiana until there
was scarcely any game to shoot or fish to
catch, and then he moved on TO conquer
new woodlands and streams.
Admiral George Brown last night re-
ceived a telegram from Mrs. E. NJ. Cham
bers, or San deg. Cal, stating: Father
passed away last night at Midnight. The
remains Will be brought back TO lndianap-
11fr e. hrrri 81