The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-26

Indiana Author Writes of Hoosier
Capital Under that Caption in
Atlantic Monthly.
GROWTH AND PROSPERITY


Mr.. Meredith Nicholson was recently
asked by the editor Of the Atlantic Month
~ to write for that magazine something
about the city of indianapolis. the fame
of the Hoosier capital having reached the
intellectual circles of Boston and aroused
interest there. Mr.. Nicholson complied
with the request and his article on The
City of Homes" appears in the June issue
of the periodical. He shows the wonderful
achievements of the city. describes its in
dustries. its domesticity. its perpetual at
traction for it's children, wherever they
may have wandered. and altogether makes
a story that will not only interest In
dianians, but will attract readers else
where. Some excerpts from the article are
here given:
"Indianapolis-like Jerusalem, a city at
unity with ITSELF, where the tribes assem-
BILE, and where the seat of judgment is es-
tablfshed-is in every sense the capital OF
all the Hoosiers," he says. with the ex-
ception of Boston and Providence. ii is the
largest state capital in the country, and no
other American city without water COM
munication Is as large 1t Is distinguished
primarily by the essentially American char
acter of its people The total foreign-born
population of Indianapolis at the last CEN
which is only half the size of Indianapolis,
returned 5000; Rochester. with seven thou
send fewer people, returned 10000. and
Worcester, in total of 1lS,0O0 reported 3d.
600 as foreign-born. A considerable body
of Germans and German-Americans have
contributed much TO the making of the
city; but the town has been passed over
By the Swedes, Poles and Bohemians that
are 10 be reckoned within many American
cities. There are, however, five thousand
negro voters in the city. Indianapolis is
al in Nv cfah Of
ton. large percentage of the house
holders own their homes; and a substantial
body of labor Is thus assured to the COM
OF the rapidity of the city's progress
Mr. Nicholson says:
"A man who left Indianapolis in 1850 re-
turned in 19I0-the 1ndianapolitan, like the
cat In the ballad, always goes back; he
cannot successfully be transplanted-to find
himself Q stranger in a strange city. Once
he knew all the people who rode in chaises;
but his return he found new people
abroad in smart vehicles; once he had been
able to converse on topics of the day with
a passing friend in the middle of Washing
ton street; now he must duck and dive,
and keep an eye on the policeman II he
would make a safe crossing. He was asked
to luncheon at a club; In the old days
there were no clubs, or they were looked
on as iniquitous things: he was taken to
look al factories which were the largest
of their kind in the world. At the railroad
yards he saw machinery being loaded for
that books published at Indianapolis were
sold on the counters in New York and
Boston. Toronto and London. and he was
driven over asphalt streets TO parks that
had not been dreamed of before his term
of exile"
ITS SOCIAL QUALITIES.
Indianapolis says Mr.. Nicholson. 'is a
place of industry, thrift and comfort and
not of luxury. It's social entertainments
were long of the simplest sort, and the
change in this respect has come only with
in a few years-witH the great wave OF
growth and prosperity that has wrought
a new Indianapolis from the old. If left to
itself the old indianapolis would never
have known horse show or a carnival
would never have strewn itself with con-
fetti; but the invading time spirit is fast
destroying the walls of the city of tradi-
ton. Business men no longer go home TO
dinner at II o'clock and take a nap before
returning to work: and the old amiable
habit of visiting for an hour in an office
where ten minutes OF business was to be
transacted has passed
Why the place gets its name as a city OF
homes is indicated in this paragraph indi-
eating the character of the people:
THE distinguishing quality of Indian
apolis is it's simple domesticity. The peo-
pie are home-loving and housekeeping. In
the early days, when the town was a rude
capital in the woods. the people stayed AT
home perforce, and when the railroad
reached them they did not take readily Il
travel a trip to New York is still much
more serious event considered from In
dianapolis, than from Denver or Kansas
City 1t Omaha young man who
was so little appalled, by distance that
having an express frank he formed the
habit of sending his laundry work TO New
York. TO assure certain finish 10 his liner
that was unattainable at home. The more
the Hoosier travels the more he likes his
own town. Only a little while ago an In
dianapoliS man who had been in New
York for a week went TO the theater and
saw there fellow townsman who had Just
arrived. He hurried around TO greet him
at the end of the first act Tell me-, ht
exclaimed, how is everything in old In
dianapolis "
Mr.. Nicholson pays this tribute to In
apolis have aided greatly in fashioning the
city into an enlightened community. The
wives and daughters Of the founders were
often women of cultivation, and much in
the character of the city to-day is plainly
traceable TO their work and example Dur
Ing the civil war they did valiant service
in caring for the Indiana soldier. The
Indiana Sanitary Commission was the frs
organization OF its kind In the United
States. The women of Indianapolis bull
for themselves in 1888 a building-the Prop
ylaeum-where many clubs meet: and the,
have been the mainstay of the indianapolis
Art Association, which, by a generous ant
| unexpected bequest few years ago. il
now able 10 build a permanent museum
and school on the charming site of an ole
homestead. Ii is worth remembering tina
the first women's club in the countr,
was organized on Hoosier soil-at Rober
dianapolis Women's Club is thirty year
old.