Wasting The Wabash Wasting The Wabash by Charles Timothy Jewett of the Terre Haute Daily Star Printed by authority of the Board of School Trustees Terre Haute, Indiana Press of The Vocational School for Men and Boys 705 Lafayette Avenue, Terre Haute, Indiana December 22, 1916 Copyright, 1916 by CHARLES TIMOTHY JEWETT A453522 JAN -4 1917 :^^^te<3 U-v-i.a.^^tri>U^ WASTING THE WABASH rfTttt'OST of us have a more or less definite idea of the Wabash River. 2HII We are pretty weH satisfied that it is a considerable stream which comes from somewhere in Ohio and traverses the pro- ductive and intellectual section of Indiana. Its length and physical condition do not concern us. We merely accept the fact that it exists for convenience in determining certain boundaries, providing suita- ble sites for ambitious cities and villages, presenting puzzling prob- lems for solemn state and county officials, who must decide about bridges and levees. Further we might be reminded that it is an exellent excuse for the chronic angler and provides a livlihood for mussel diggers and frequent- ly gets public attention through periodic floods, ice gorges and low stages. It is a stream of extremes. Sometimes a river frequenter finds a pearl for which he refuses two or three thousand dollars and later swaps the bauble for some delicate trinket or leaves it with friend publican to establish further credit for bait. Now that we are really interested and persuaded of our lack of in- formation we will refer to our Britannica. Search through one big vol- ume will reveal this: — WABASH (river) see Indiana, vol ; page . Reference to another volume wiH give the illuminating informaton that Indiana is a well watered state as a result of being in contact with Lake Michigan and furnishing scenery for the banks of numerous rivers. We are advised that the largest of these is the Wabash, which flows across the state from North-east to South-west. Some of the other rivers are named. Anyway the Wabash is given special mention. Of course it is a matter of little note that these Britannica devote large attention to hundreds of insignificent streams just because some pagan bandit waded their waters. But such discussion and investigation is wasting time. We are to consider Wasting the Wabash. This may be viewed from many angles or bends. Historically the river has a permanent place. Commer- cially and industrially it is a big asset. There is along its banks and in its tremenduous flow or rippling rapids inspiration for the artist or poet. History tells of discovery and exploration of many rivers— the Mississippi, the Hudson, the River of Doubt. But the Wabash! Well, apparently it was here before it was discovered. The Indian just accepted it as a fact, as we must. The French traders worried about leaving information of the discovery of the Kankakee, the LaSalle and other small streams. They boated up and down the Wabash before the Kaskaskia was known but it was not necessary to advise the Red Men of the Wabash. Even Indian traditions apparently gave only incidental attention to the Wabash. The Red Men knew it as a big river and their ancestors had watched the seasons to avoid overflows which also were considered necessary and to be expected each spring. None could recall when time and distance were not measured from the stream we now know as the Wabash. For generations the bluffs along the stream had been agreed as the proper places for their council fires. The mighty timber was their best hunting ground and the fertile prairies that streched back from the bluffs grew their maize. It was not necessary to mark with mounds of earth the location of the stream that v/atered the roots of the stately sycamore sentinels.* The Wabash actually played a big part in the pacification of the Red Men of the Northwest Territory. General Harrison found the river convenient in boating supphes while moving his army from Vincennes to Tippecanoe. The trip that then occupied more than three months now is a good day's motor drive. So what is the use of boats for haul- ing equipment or supplies. t Our most highly prized heirlooms were brought to Terre Haute in its early days on flat boats by way of the Wabash. It is a certificate of genuineness to show antiques that survived the strong armed rousta- bouts of Wabash river craft when the stream was the chief channel of commerce of early Indiana. But the Wabash no longer can compete wath trolley hues and trans-continental railways.! Yet there are some who would insist that the \Vabash still is a navigable stream and that the federal government should clear the channel and do something to restore the commercial prestige of *The earliest French name given the river was Ouabache, which was the way the traders caught the pronunciation of the Indians. The French later called it the Blanch river, and the English called it White river. Finally early Ameriaan set- tlers restored the Indian name and gave the English spelling of Wabash. tGaneral Harrison and his army lest Vincennes Sept. 28, 1811. Began erection of Fort Harrison Oct. 3, and completed it Oct. 28. Next day the army proceeded north, using the river to transdort supplies. Battle of Tippecanoe Nov. 7, 1811. tFirst recorded boating on the V/abash, aside from Indian birch canoes, was in 1757 when a French and Indian army recruited in Illinois, boated up the Ohio and Wabash on the way to Quebec. The first published mention of commercial naviga- tion was the arrival in Terre Haute in 1822, of the Florence, a small steamer. The Plow Boy came in 1823, and there was considerable rivec traffic until railroads were built. 8 INDIANA -- 1811 Map showing the extent of the Wabash river— that it rises in Ohio, North-east of old Fort Recovery. Indian treaties are also shown. the river. Wabash river improvement booster meetings were popu- lar between Terre Haute and the mouth of the river not many years ago. There were lengthy petitions to the Congress. Mass meetings adopted resolutions and vote-seeking representatives in Congress ap- plauded the aroused public spirit and promised to give the matter early and earnest consideration. Everybody was enthusiastic. There was a general feeling that the river North of Terre Haute was of Httle value except as scenery. This naturally limited the en- thusiasm to the South Wabash valley. The Wabash river still flows conveniently through Terre Haute. It is navigable, just as it was in the early days of the state. Apparently no one cares. The govern- ment has a quicker route for parcels post. Packers, manufacturers and merchants require speed in delivering their wares. Of course the effort to induce the goverment to unload a few mil- lions of dollars in the Wabash valley was not altogether fruitless. It served through the instrumentality of public meetings and general dis- cussion to promote civic pride in a lot of communities. During the time some of the river enthusiasts were trying to convince themselves that all the valley needed was a few millions of federal funds for dredg- ing and deepening the channel of the Wabash. Perhaps some of the most rabid really expected that federal aid would make their dreams a reality. So we kidded ourselves into a state of excited happiness. We even hippodromed a boat launching. A large river survey craft was built in Terre Haute. Boat building yards noted a tremenduous interest and promised the revival of a big industry. Scores of bare- footed, dirty faced boys and an occasional business man watched the progress in constructing the flat, raft-like hull. The business men by their sacrifice of time to visit the scene of river bank trash piles testi- fied as to their interest in the enterprise. The boys pestered the workmen with innumerable questions and proudly packed away blocks, spikes and rope ends as souvenirs. Terre Haute made a regular circus day celebration of the launch- ing. There was a big civic parade with distinguished visitors and leading business men in carriages, afoot and otherwise trailing to the jumping off place of the east bluff. When time for the big event arrived most of the tall weeds of the river front had been pretty well trampeled down. It was a regular boat launching. There was a decorated stand for the speakers where some good friends of mine referred to the event as the day of achievement. They spoke eloquent addresses. I know they will pardon me now if this recounting does not appear to be as serious as the hopes and promises of the day suggested. But there was more to that regular launching. There was an at- tractive girl ready to crash a bottle of Champagne (Velvet) against the end of_the craft. Along about this stage it is necessary to bring on the breathless anxiety and nervous suspense of the assemblage. It was all there. The young woman did her part but the bottle bounded along the soft earth. Unseen except by a few of those honored with places inside the ropes, the hero saved the day. He dashed down the ways, seized the bottle which was dangling at the end of a ribbon attached to the boat and slammed the glass container against the planks. Rivermen employed in the construction of the boat confided to me that the usual plan was to build the raft, they called it, close to the bank and then dump it in the water. Out of deference to the river im- provement enthusiasts of the Wabash this boat was built so there could be a regular launching. When the time arrived to push the craft into the Wabash, some huskies were ready to knock away the blocks and chop a heavy rope. My recollection is that the fellow who operated on the rope had an extremely dull axe. This probably was one of the incidents that flustered the sponsor so she lost control of the beverage container. I remember it all was very serious. The pent-up enthusiasm finally broke. The mass of lumber crunched down the incline and displaced several tons of mud as it entered the water, then bobbed about and drifted out into the stream. Later it was rescued and made fast to another craft used by the surveying party. To the crowd the day was a great event that was to mean the restoration of the Wabash river as a great highway of traffic. I am sure some in the throng really believed that. To the rivermen and members of the government party it must also have been a happy in- cident. I recall hearing one of the members of the dredging crew say: "This is a swell party. Now as soon as those poor nuts get through with their glad stuff we will hitch up the old scow and beat it down the river. This kind of palaver gives me a ache." I think many of us will recall the incidents. It is all very vividly impressed on my memory. All except the name of the boat. That rather escaped me in the confusion, but of course the boat could not have been christened without a name. I do recall hearing one of the surveyors or dredgers refer to the craft as * 'Number Three" but sure- ly that was not the official name.* The boat that was to be instumental in restoring navigation of the Wabash was towed down the river in due time and never returned. The river we still have with us. The boat has passed— perhaps sub- marined by a hidden snag. More likely abandoned when its useful- ness was gone and probadly it has been salvaged by some river front squatter for a house boat. *River survey barge was launched at the foot of Crawford street June 29, 1911. Spencer F. Ball, George M. Crane and others spoke. 10 The Wabash river is just as navigable now as it was one hundred years ago. If river transportation was practical and desired it would be possible for Terre Haute manufacturers to boat their product down the river. The fact that they do not is a matter of saving time and con- venience. The plea of economy does not count. While the manufac- turer or producer was carting his merchandise to the river and load- ing it on boats it could be put in freight cars and hauled to New York City. Before the crew of the river craft hailed the ferry-man at Mer- om the freight train would be delivered to the Pacific coast. We certainly are wasting the Wabash so far as neglecting the facilities for navigation are concerned. But it is just a matter of choice and of responding to the demands of modern day business. As a matter of fact the resources of the Wabash river must be exploited if they are not wasted. Actual wasting of the Wabash in Terre Haute might be limited to forgetting to shut off the garden hose. But the meter would remind us of the error. Even if we admit there is little practical reason or hope for restor- ing commercial navigation there is opportunity and invitation to use the river more extensively for pleasure craft. The day of the power boat is here and no stream of the country is more tempting to motor boat parties. Pleasure boating and associated sports and recreations invite use of the river that is neglected. But the all-year motor car weans many away from the river, so even power boats are neglected. It is not a matter for discussion as to why or wherefore. It is an actual condition. The invitation to pleasure and recreation is standing, but something else appears to be more appealing. The pleasure, healthy outing and comfort in summer offered by camps along the Wabash are being neglected. The productive forces of the river are not being utilized. Except as a source of water supply for cities the current flows on without an effort to harness the power. Frequently some promoter seeks to arouse interest of capital in pro- viding funds to establish a great power station. It all seems practical but probably will not be achieved until other sources of prodcction and power are exhausted, or at least limited. The matter of exploiting the Wabash river for summer recreation has been neglected as a matter of course. Perhaps we prefer to get farther from home on our vacations. That may be well for those who can afford to hie to the lakes and mountains. The Wabash river opens a field for the people who remain at home to get even greater summer pleasure and value than those who seek distant watering places. There are many reasons why the Wabash river in the immediate vicinity of Terre Haute is not lined with summer cottages and bathing beaches. The first reason is the commercial development. This has taken many desirable sites and the people are prone to avoid effort in 11 providing their own recreation places. They drift to established camps. The big trees and refreshing river front almost at their doors are wast- ed because some one has neglected to hang up a sign calling attention to "Sycamore Tree" of "Sandy Bar." Unfortunately for Terre Haute some river camp places close to the city have been exploited by unsavory resorts. It might be well for the people to take a lesson from these undesirable establishments. The promoters have recognized the appeal of the river that the good people of the city have neglected. But all the desirable camp sites have not been used for commercial establishments or unwholesome resorts. Within an hour by motor boat from the Wabash avenue bridge there are scores of beauty spots that need little more than a boat landing and tent to provide healthful and comfortable summer outing places. These sites invite more per- manent improvement and with the construction of substantial cottages or bungalows and even club houses the possibilities for outing pleasure are enhanced. Terre Haute appeared to be awakening last summer to its neglect of the Wabash. Large boating parties became popular. Picnic parties sought added pleasure of a trip on the river to one of the beauty spots. More than ever before did the water appeal as an important feature of large outings. And the people learned that the Wabash river affords more attractive bathing beaches than half the lakes of Northern states. Then the river offers to the youth the atmosphere of "The Old Swim- ming Hole." Organizations that look to summer outings caught the spirit last summer and the Wabash apparently returned to its own. Grounds of private clubs were opened for many large river parties. Just for proof of the appeal of the river it might be well to note that many of the outings also provided for conveyance by motor car to those who were unable to arrange their time to take the boat. The most of the people reported for the river trip. And they all were happy to escape dusty country roads. Of course the convenience and availability of the motor car appeal to many but there is something about the water that is restful far be- yond anything offered on the land highways. The further development of the large club cottages, houses and pleasure grounds along the Wabash will in time attract individual and family camps. Then we will realize how we have wasted the Wabash in the pleasure it offers. With little prospect of the development of freight navigation and the harnessing of the power in the current a dream of the distant future, it appears that the best opportunity is to utilize the river for our recreation. The Chamber of Commerce, Civic League and other bodies that look to the welfare of Terre Haute could do nothing better 12 than assist residents to locate agreeable summer camp sites. Frater- nal orders should be encouraged to provide outing grounds. Social organizations could well transfer summer activities and gatherings to the shade of the big trees where there is a refreshing breeze from the broad river. In many cases the suggestion will be welcomed as a means of relief from city noise and summer discomfort. Anyway, it is worth undertaking, because we owe the river a lot of boosting. Terre Haute has been backward in taking its river recreation. The reason may be explained in the anxiety of the citizens to get away from noise and business and to escape formality. We get the back-to-nature hunch along about the time cherries are ripe, but we have not taken the trouble to look into the possibilities of the Wabash. Within ten miles of the city one may lose himself, apparently, from all the serious problems of life except living— and that living may be to the tune of nature's most inspiring music. There may be a suggestion from other cities along the Wabash to people of Terre Haute. During the last few years the Wabash river front from Lafayette more than ten miles north to the junction of the Tippecanoe and the Wabash rivers has been developed into a great summer camp. The river front in the vicinity of Terre Haute provides better water, more big trees, more attractive views, better bathing places, and the same wholesome, refreshing atmosphere. And of course there are fish for the taking. The extensive improvements of the site of Fort Harrison and the permanent establishment of the Apple Club may turn the tide to the sadly neglected Wabash. The City of Terre Haute owes it to the youngsters to provide a protected bathing beach. Boys, and girls too, insist on a chance to swim. This desire has brought an occasional river tragedy that might have been averted through the provision of a protected or mu- nicipal bathing beach. Of course bathing beaches at fashionable or exploided summer resorts are not without their tragedies. But there are no sharks in the Wabash, and the danger of drowning would be reduced to a minimum. If such provision is not made by the city or through some of the pubHc spirited organizations, it will be but a few years until the bath- ing facilities of the Wabash are exploited by private enterprise. But even that would be better than the present status of neglecting the opportunities presented by the best little river at our door. The revival of attention to the Wabash as a pleasure resort al- ready has tempted scores to the Second sand bar. Perhaps some day this may be connected with the city by an improved drive and pro- vided attractive conveniences. It might even become known as Taylor Beach, in honor of the former President of the United States, who, in his early military career, commanded the defenders of Fort 13 Harrison. Then we might perpetuate other honored names of early- settlers and heroes of the pioneer days, in establishing camps and recreation grounds. Such development along the river would mean in time, a river front drive that also could be given an appropriate name.* With the establishment of clean and wholesome camps, family cottages, tent grounds for Boy Scouts, Campfire Girls and other or- ganizations the unsavory resorts will pass. The troublesome "Blind Tigers" cannot exist if the attractive places along the river are used for family and society recreation. The problem that causes worry to authorities will be solved in the natural social rehabilitation of the river front. We will continue to waste a lot of the Wabash. There is so much of it and it is so close and common that it is not appreciated. But it is not to be presumed that the river that figured so prominently in making possible the civilization of the Northwest Territory will be al- together neglected. The Wabash will remain. The stage will continue to be influenced by varying rainfalls of the passing seasons. New levees will be con- structed to insure development of fertile valleys. More bridges will bring together the residents of cities and rural communities. Fisher- men will row their boats to fruitful bends. Cities will be watered and great manufacturing plants will line the banks. Sometime when we are far from home we may feel as Paul Dresser did even if we are not endowed to pay such tribute as did the song writer. The river is the biggest asset Terre Haute has because it embodies the tradition, history, utility and pleasure of the people of the valley. And we are neglecting it even though we frequently are reminded that "The moonlight's fair tonight along the Wabash." *Battle of Fort Harrison Sept. 3-4, 1812. 14 HENRY FAIRBANKS MEMORIAL PARK ^WO weeks following the reading of Mr. Jewett's paper before the ^ Terre Haute Literary Club the first riverside park became a re- ality through the gift to the city of Messrs Crawford and Edward P. Fairbanks. And it is to bear the name of one Terre Haute is proud to honor. The Henry Fairbanks Memorial Park comprises a tract of about twenty-four acres extending from First street to the Wabash river between Oak street and College avenue. The park was given as a memorial to the father of the doners, who was mayor of Terre Haute in 1878, and who died while in office. The gift was announced in a communication from Messrs Craw- ford and Eward P. Fairbanks to the City Council December 4, 1916. The tract was officially accepted for the city by the Board of Park Commissioners Decemper 6, 1916. This board immediately took steps to provide for the permanent and appropriate improvement of the park. The Henry Fairbanks Memorial Park includes the site of the River Survey boat launching of June 29, 1911. LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 014 753 281 7 H