South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-09-25
Greater Mishawaka With $4,000
Population Is Forecast by 1880
White Men Met Miami Indians Present Site of Mhawaka
PAP Years Ago-City Now Hive of Industry
Incorporated in 1890
BY HARVEY 6. HOWARD.

BY HARVEY s. HOWARD.
Two hundred and forty-two sum
mers have come and gone since Rene
Robert de La Sale. intrepid adven-
turer and his small band OF hardy
Frenchmen first met the chieftains
OF the Miami Indians on the site OF
what is now the busting and thriv-
ing city OF Mishawaka. Father
Time, smiling serenely, turns back
the pages OF Mishawaka's Book Of
Progress to the year 1879, and then
slowly, one by one. the pages are
turned, 242 Of them and presents TO
the Shades OF LaSalle and his follow
ers a wonderful picture of Mishawa-
ka, Magic City OF the Central
West" teeming with industry. manu-
facture and commerce, and well on
the road to $4,000 population by
193Ol
Great credit must be given the
merchants of Mishawaka for the
splendid spirit OF civic enterprise
which has made possible the phe-
nonenal growth OF Mishawaka. And
not a little credit accrues to the great
manufacturing industries which,
though national in scope, have been
consistent boosters for Mishawaka.
The official census OF 1920, gives
Mishawaka a population of 1915.
Local officials estimate that the pres
ent population is nearer SIT, 900 and
if plans now under way for a build
ing boom, are consummated, 1t will
roll up TO $4,000 and more by the
next decennial census.
Mishawaka was incorporated as a
city in May, 1899. It's corporate
area Is 4.S4 miles. or 2.S18.6 acres. It
has Il miles Of well paved streets,
% miles Of modern sewers and 70
miles Of broad streets with well
paved sidewalks, on which there are
seven miles Of electric railway track
age.
Few cities OF its size are so well
served in matters Of schools, santa
ton and public welfare. Mishawaka
has 80 miles of water mains and four
parks. one Of the most beautiful Of
which is Battel park. named after
| it's donor, Robbins Battel of Hart
ford, Conn. The city also has two
parks on the south side and one in
/ the west end. The four parks have
a total acreage Of more than 58
acres. Four municipal tennis courts
serve Mishawakians during the sum-
mer
The city has II splendid school
! buildings, an aggressive police force
and three modern fire stations.
Twelve police officers and II fire
men look after the public safety OF
| Mishawakians. Two hundred and six
teen fire hyrants are scattered
throughout the city, affording fire
| protection second to none. The mu-
nicipal pay roll is held down TO a
minimum, but 70 employees being
used TO administer the city.
The city boasts a splendid munich
pal water works, more than 10000
600 gallons of pure water beine
pumped during 1920. Mlshawaka
has an average daily water consump
ton Of 1.777,731 gallons. or about Il
gallons per capita. The city alsC
owns its own municipal electric
/ lighting plant and has 1S5 arc lamp:
on the city streets as well as 223 or
namental post lights.
\ The Citys tax duplicate for 1920
amounted to SSO,562,955 and the ta0
rate for all purposes is $2.09 pei
II 500. Local bank deposits are in ex.
cess of $6,O0O,0O0. There are J.
churches in Mishawaka, and the city
is we'll equipped with hospitals and
charitable institutions. Mishawaka il
on the main line OF the New Yorl
Central lines, and is also served bl
the Grand Trunk Railway system
several electric interurban lines, th'
Chicago, South Bend & Northern In
diana Railway Co.
For each 500 in taxes collected
from Mishawaka citizens. the stat
receives 1886; the county receive
$13.46; the township receives S1.92
the city receives $23.42; schools com,
in for $4S.5O and Ss.14 goes to goo
roads.
An aggressive Chamber Of Com
merce was recently organized, whic
is a development growing out Of tn
old Mishawaka Business Mems assO
citation.
AIishawaka has had a hard tim
keeping its name. Al&nson NJ. Hurd
a Detroit iron manufacturer and HI
associates, located in Mishawaka /
1888, and before the end Of the yea
a blast furnace was constructed an
| arrangements made for 100 workers
Hurd and his associates soon there
after laid out a town and named
after his factory. In 1884, when IN
| growth OF the town made It neces
sary for the government TO take
hand, the old Indian name was re
] vived.
IN 1885 James White, ]. ]. Dem
ing. Samuel Stancliff, Henry D
: Camp and Alexander Sandilanc
were elected village trustees, the fir
/ organization of its kind in St. JOSEF
county. Then came William Barbe
4 / from Ohio and laid out a town @