The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-11-02
NEWS FROM INDIANA
EVENTS OF GREATEST INTEREST
THROUGHOUT THE STATE
LOST CITY OF SALISBURY
Wilderness Marks Site OF Former
Town-Mother's Curse Believed TO
Have Had Weird Influence
en- Place.

indlanapolis.-lOs as completely as
any city of prehistoric times. with no
sign. no mark. no hidden dungeons. no
crumhllng ruins 10 invite sDeculation
rs 10 what IL once was. Is the once
thriving city OF Salisbury. Ind. 4 III.
Tie less than century ago IL was the
leading town OF WAYNE county and
one OF the most prosperous of eastern
indiana. From 1910 until 1920 IL was
the seat OF justice OF WAYNE county
Now there is not even farmhouse
where the town stood Only a conn
Try road. once the main street OF the
town and a quiet creek mark the site
ii Salisbury.
salisbury was founded al the begin
ming of the nineteenth century and
Was the frs, settlement in WAYNE
county. Indiana territory. Romantic
tradition says that its location was
the irysting place Of Indian lovers
surprised by band OF pioneers and
both killed in an attempted capture
Although regretting the unnecessary
tragedy. the frontiersmon gazel with
admiration az the natural beauty OF
The scene and thereupon founded
village. with the curse OF the old In.
dian mother ringing in their ears. that
the town should not live. but would
disappear from the face of the earth
In 1911 a courthouse was built and
as necessary complement Jail.
Dwellings We're rapidly constructed.
stores were opened. churches built
and Salisbury became an important
trading ccnter. The pioneers believed
Salisbury was destined 10 become
city OF Importance I'm the new conn. !
try. Before indiana was admitted 10
the union in 1916 several hundred peo- /
pie were proud to call Salisbury |
home
II was about this time that the first
clerk and recorder OF Wayne county 4
wrote these words on the hack OF the (
original plot. The town of Sails
bury stands on beautiful site on the
west OF Clear creek. Wayne county.
Indiana territory in a fine neighbor-
hood, environed by rich land. no bet.
ter water in the world. the air saln-
brious. and its elevated station com
mands an extensive and beautiful pros
pect And we hatter ourselves that
in a few years art and her sister. in
dustry. will court it from forest 10
Z fourishing inland town"
For time II seemed that the dream
OF the court official would come true.
Brick buildings replaced frame ones
and log cabins. dressed lumber an
peared and all seemed to prosper But
he progress and growth were only for /
time In 1890 the county seat was
moved from Salisbury to Centeryille
!" there II remained until 1873. when IL |
was removed TO Richmond. The loss :
n tho county sea; was the beginning I
y the end The population began 20 r
iwindle. and. strange TO say. the town ,
tseH shrank In proportion. for with +
he removal Of "a family down came its I
labitation and piecemcal accompanied d
Is former occupants 10 their new .
ibote TO be erected again. i
Log by log, timber by timber and n
rick by brick Salisbury scattered TO
he four winds until in 1896 there re- #
f'+N a. '.t"NA AdllllAf+- anu in ] ID
few years these. too. departed and =
.ct a human being lived az the for n
ner county seat. ~
For several years some Of the old 4
ouses remained but slowly. IRE.
isiibly nature claimed her own and
o-day nothing remains but fertile
round on either size Of the road n
'hich was once the main street. No i,
isaster hurried the untmely end OF -
alisbury. 1t came and went by the !,
and Of man. =
About two and a half miles west Of IN
-ichmond road running north and ~
outh crosses the old National road. N
this crossroad about one-qnarter ~
a mile south Of the National road ~
as the northern boundary OF Sails ne
ury.
Salisbury was The birthplace OF i,
lumber OF men who in later years be Nj
anne prominent figures in the affairs
the county and state. The great w
u Of these was Oliver P. Morton. war
)vernor OF Indiana When the coun. 49,
seat was moved to Centervine Nor. ~