The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29

7HE beautiful city of Madison, Ind,
with it's purple cloak of encircling
= 4 hills, is situated on the north
EEMtlI bank of the Ohio river. in the
- county of jefferson. about fifty
miles above Louisville and 100 miles below
Cincinnati, and is the county seat.
The city extends in length from east to
west two and one-half miles, and from
north to south one mile. The ground is
slightly rolling toward the river on the
south and Crooked creek on the north;
therefore. the city is naturally drained. and
is very dry and healthy.
It's early history is somewhat shrouded,
but it is known that in 1905 James Vawter
and six or eight companions landed on the
present site and founded a settlement. In
1909 John Paul, Lewis Davis and Jonathan
Lyons purchased the ground and laid out
the town, which embraced the territory be-
tween what is now called Jefferson street
to West, and from First or High to Back
or Fourth street. 1t rapidly grew into
prominence and at once became the me-
tropolis of the State, and gathered into
its fold many men and women who after
ward became eminent in the affairs OF the
State and Nation in its executive offices,
upon the bench and in the field of battle
In fact, from its infancy TO the present day
it can boast of numerous citizens who have
achieved distinction in all the walks of
life. such as Governor Hendricks, Jere-
miah Sullivan, Joseph Marshall. Jesse ID.
Bright. ]. F. d. Lainer, William Mckee
Dunn, Nathan Powell, Arthur Orr, Howard
Watts Col NJ c. CARRIER. DR.. William
Davidson, sr., Dr. Schussler. Edward Egg
gIeston. John r. Cravens. Ephriam Phillips.
NJ A Marks, Ellsworth Flora and many
others The population is about 10000, with
an extra 1000 in the four suburbs OF West
Madison, North Madison, Georgetown and
Fulton. 1t has many large industries. en-
ploying perhaps 1,5O0 to 1000 hands. 1t has
three daily newspapers.
bodybuilding is one Of its profitable in
dustries 1t is also the principal lumber
shipping point in the Ohio valley. logs be-
ing foated here from all the tributaries Of
the Ohio river, making it splendid place
for the manufacturing of wooden wares.
Madison is built in a great crescent. An
encirclng rise of hills looks down upon
this semi-circle from the north, east and
west.
Through these gently sloping knobs, not
unlike the high rows of seats in Roman
amphitheater, nine huge asles or roads are
cut. One of these is the p, c., c. & St.
l.. Railroad, the terminus of the old j., NJ.
& l. road, which now belongs to the Penn
sylvania system. In March, 1886. this road
from here to North Vernon, a distance of
twenty miles, was commenced. Work on
the grade, between Madison and North
Madison proving the most difficult portion
of the line. The plane is nearly one and
walton of 413 feet.
portion. of the plane is cut through
solid rock over one hundred feet in depth,
leaving two embankments over one hun
dred feet high. After many obstacles had
been removed the road was finished in 1S41
1t is a remarkable piece of engineering and
is a cause for much wonder and admira-
ton. New York raves about the Riverside
drive; all Italy sings the praises of the Cor
nice road. All nature and art has been
crowded into both of these but Madison's
drives are not limited to one She can
point out to the lover of nature two whose
features of grandeur and sublime repose
are not due to human handiwork. These
are the Brooksburg pike and the Hanover
road. From both. the Ohio, christened by
La Sale, La Belle Riviere in the musical
pathos of his own native land can be seen
looking like some, great silver serpent. Be