The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-10-25


insurance department of Union Title
Company, discloses that one lot,
measuring 33.9x170 feet, recently
sold for more than five hundred
times the cost of the entire city
block.
On Aug. 2, 1928, James Blake ac-
CURED title to the entire original
square SO, of the town, now city, Of
Indianapolis, which was laid out I'M
der the direction of commissioners
appointed to lay off the town on the
site selected for the permanent seat
Of government, as approved Jan. &,
1921.
The square occupies the territory
bounded by South St. on the south,
Meridian st. on the east, Illinois St.
on the west and Louisiana ST. on the
north, for which James Blake paid
the su moi SIS. The Union Station
now occupies the north half Of this
original square.
Blake was pioneer teacher and
taught the school first organized and
kept in Caleb Scudder's cabinet shop,
on the south side of the Statehouse
square, in 1923. He came here in
the year Of 1921. In the first year
of his residence nearly every inhabi-
tant was down with fever analogue
Blake, while likewise suffering, en-
ployed his we'll days in gathering
new corn and grating it on horse
radish crater into meal for the con-
valescent. He was one of the COM
pany that built the first steam mill
here. He brought the first piano
and the first pleasure carriage. It
was two-horse barouche, which he
drove through from Baltimore. He
was the president of the first State
board of agriculture, organized in
1885.
In the year that Blake bought the
square the first stage line from In
dianapolis to Madison was started
Blake held title to the original
square intact, until he sub-divided
the south half in February, 1852,
thereby making twelve lots, six Of
which front on the east side of Hi.
nois st. and six on the west side of
Meridian St., north of South St., each
respective tier of lots abutting an
alley on either side of Pogue's Run.
which was named for the traditional.
but disputed first settler on the city
site, George Pogue, who met death
at the hands of Indians. Until street
improvements turned a large part OF
the town drainage into the run, the
water was clear, well stocked with
fish and a favorite swimming resort
for school boys.
Records show that in December,
1859, the sheriff of Marion County
levied upon and sold lots Z, 8 9 and
10 in Blake's subdivision to Slough
ton A. Fletcher, Jr., for $500 cash.
These lots have a total frontage of
1876 feet on the east side of Illinois
ST., by ITO feet on South st. fetch
er was a partner Of F. NJ Church.
man, who conducted a banking bust
ness.
On June 4, 1850, John Stumph
bought lots T. 8 and in Blake's sub
division, having a frontage of 101
feet 3 inches on Illinois St., by 10
feet on South St., and lot 6, in the
same subdivision, fronting 33 feet 9
inches on the west side of Meridian
ST., by 10 feet on South ST., paying
$1,721.25 for the four lots.
In April, 1861, Stumph conveyed
lot 7, located on the northeast cor
ner Of Illinois and South SITS, TO
George Hoppe for $1,100.
Hoppe conducted a saloon and
boarding house on S. Meridian ST.
and the Illinois and South st. cor
ner was improved by the erection Of
two-story brick house, which he
owned until his death, May IL, 1868.
The entire corner remained in pos
session of the Hoppe heirs, until in
September, 1872, when sold to James
Monroe Crawford, by a commissioner
appointed by the court, for $1,000.
In the same month Crawford also