The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-04-03
BY q. r. wIssLER.


Next to the National road. the 81
mons creek and Muncie turnpike was
the best constructed and most impor-
tant gravel road, viewed from a local
standpoint. built in Wayne county
prior to 1850. Cambridge City was
then at the head OF canal navigation,
and was the gateway Of entry and exit
for travel and commerce for the new
northwest country. now served by
New Castle, Muncie, Anderson, Green
field and Indianapolis.
Hundreds of wagons, drawn by two.
four and six horses. were frequently
corralled on the hills west and north
of Cambridge City, awaiting their turn
TO exchange their loads of produce,
wheat, corn, potatoes, pork, hoop-poles
and tan-bark, for domestic and manu-
featuring articles, as salt, sugar, cof-
fee, teas, spices. whisky, leather, hard
ware. iron. etc. These huge and heav-
lily laden wagons, making their slow
and laborious progress along this ST.
mons creek county road. through al
most botomless mud and mire, thor
oughly demonstrated to- the settlers
along that unimproved highway, that
for their own sake and for the good
OF their common country, a permanent
and efficient road bed had to be built
to accommodate this great stream of
travel and commerce.
Patriots Answer Appeal.
How nobly these pioneer patriots re-
sponded to the needs of the hour is
we'll attested by the meager means at
their command, and the magnificent
roadway they constructed. II was a
wide roadway of creek gravel. deeply
laid and well drained. We can never
do sufficient honor to these pioneer
benefactors OF our own country. They
we're newcomers, and many were in
debt for their lands, but they reasoned
that the easiest way out was not by
hugging the dollars, but to put them
where they would add to the actual
value of their lands. Thanks to their
wisdom. Lands all along the new
highway at once rose in value. giving
the whole community splendid re-
turn for the Investment. True, there
were selfish men in those day, too,
who reaped the benefits of the gener-
osity of their progressive neighbors.
But the example of these pioneer build
ers, who were poor In everything but
be great inspiration to this genera
ton, standing as it does on the thresh-
hold of this new era of civilization,
the automobile age Seeing that our
once magnificent and durable roads
are crumbling under the strain of this
new and rapid traffic, shall we sit and
wiring our hands in despair at the
appalling expense of few paltry
dollars that are taken from each of
us to put our roads in lasting. condition
to meet the needs of the times and Of
years to come? Are we less courag-
eous than they? They in their poverty
did infinitely more than is required of
us in our abundance of wealth and i'm
proved methods of road construction.
Proud of Ancestry.
Those of us in whose veins courses
the blood of some Of these worthy
pioneers, may we'll fell proud of such
! an ancestry. Others also of our read
ers will be interested in the list of ia
miliar names among the builders of
the Simon's creek and Muncie turn
pike. The charter of incorporation for
that road was obtained January 2,
1852. The capital stock was 100000,
and the shares were $25 each. On
Il
! commissioners granted the right OF
! way along the country road leading
: from the west side of Cambridge City
at the lanyard (now the old planning
MILD to Kiplinger's mill, thence north
westerly on county road up Simon's
creek to the county line, between the
lands of Abraham Heiney and Rudolph
Ellebarger, near Locust Grove church.
The names of the incorporators with
their respective subscriptions follow:
Morrison & Newly. 500; Henry Rel
man, 500, William Reiman, $50; Thos.
Bennett, $685.; John Rohrer, Henry
county, $50; Abraham Heiney, $3.50;
Jacob Shideler, 800; Aaron Brewer.
$500; John Crull 5000; David Shawhan
S25; Henry Ellebarger, $25; Jacob Ell
lebarger. $50; Rudolph Ellebarger,
Christian Glynden,. 500; John Dill,
IS; Simon l.. Clockner, $25; Martin
Hart. $25; Jacob Drischell, $3.50; Sam
uel Meyer, $25; Michael Williams. SIS;
Daniel Knause, $50; Jacob Reiman,
$50; J. l. Petty, 500; John Hosea.
800: John McAnerney. $4,000; Ray
mond & Co., 500; Conklin & Cannon,
$50; George Wallick. $50:R. w Crit