Fwd: Historical Perspective: The Wabash Express was Unique News Source in 1851
Rob Robbins
From: Rob Robbins <cvm...@edge.net>
Date: Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Subject: Historical Perspective: The Wabash Express was Unique News Source in 1851
To: Rob Robbins <cvm...@edge.net>
Historical Perspective: The Wabash Express was Unique News Source in 1851
Mike McCormick Special to the Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE — Antique
newspapers, more than any other source, provide the foundation for most columns
published in this space.
Effort is always made to find original source
material to supplement news reports but often it is unavailable.
David S.
Danaldson, whose reminiscences provided material for last week’s column, was the
publisher and proprietor of the weekly Wabash Express from 1845 until 1853. He
also published the short-lived Daily Express in 1851 and re-established it in
1853.
Though most issues the Wabash Express consist of only four pages,
each page was 18” x 23” and embraced seven columns. Moreover, the type was much
smaller than the font common in modern newspapers.
Terre Haute newspapers
published before the Civil War are particularly helpful to historians because
they provide data not otherwise available in common sources such as a city
directory. The first Terre Haute city directory was published in
1858.
Like most editors, Danaldson subscribed to many periodicals, often
quoting other publications for their news or political stance, whether he agreed
or disagreed.
If an announcement seemed to warrant it, Danaldson would
repeat the news in two or three places in the newspaper, describing the news in
a slightly different ways.
A few items of local importance gleaned from
one issue of the Wabash Express (June 4, 1851), while the Terre Haute &
Richmond Railroad was being constructed, are delineated below. The railroad
between Terre Haute and Indianapolis was completed in February 1852. Each bullet
is a different story:
n The Terre Haute & Richmond Railroad bridge
over the White River in Indianapolis is now being used by “foot
passengers.”
n Danaldson dined June 3 at the Prairie House “with the
clever host” Touissant Buntin and enjoyed green peas for the first time in
twelve months. He looked forward to eating there again. Editor C.B. Bentley of
the Terre Haute Journal and Judge Jesse Conard, editor of the Wabash Courier,
were also Buntin’s guests that evening.
n Two Terre Haute & Richmond
Railroad locomotives heading for Terre Haute on the Wabash & Erie Canal
passed Logansport on May 23, 1851.
n Judge John Watson, esteemed private
banker, departed yesterday for his annual visit to Rhode Island, accompanied by
his close friend Henry H. Wooden. “We hope he returns with renewed health for
his pain and suffering has been great for a year or so past.”
n “Mr.
Howland is here with a copy of the COTTAGE BIBLE, in two volumes, and will call
upon those who wish to obtain an excellent edition of this admired
work.”
n “The locust trees of the public square and all about town are
now in full bloom and scenting the atmosphere with their fragrance.”
n
There were two stagecoach accidents on June 3. A southbound stage accidentally
hooked on to a buggy, “ran away with it and broke it up.” An eastern stage,
while “crossing a miserable gully at the lower end of 4th street, threw the
driver from the box, ran off eastward and stopped in a mud hole. Mud holes are
sometimes useful, after all.”
n “The railroad iron slowly wends its way,
day by day, along Ohio street from the river to the depot grounds. A two-horse
team generally carries five pieces.”
n “We were invited on Tuesday
evening to a Strawberry feast at Strawberry Hill, the residence of Judge S.B.
Gookins, just south of town, but business prevented our being present.”
Strawberries were abundant, more than could be eaten by those attending,
including nearly 200 juveniles from one Sabbath school.
n “By far the
largest and richest strawberries of the season were sent to Mrs. D. (Eveline
Danaldson) by Judge Samuel B. Gookins. The were ‘Hovey’s and Keen’s Seedlings’
raised in the garden of Judge S., just south of town.”
n “The steamboat
‘George Washington’ arrived yesterday with Railroad Iron directly from New
Orleans in ten days.” It will unload and take freight for New Orleans on Sunday
or Monday. “‘Hail Columbia’ is at the wharf now unloading Railroad
Iron.”
n On June 3, in the afternoon, the steamer “Visitor,” piloted by
Capt. Sutton, collided with the steamer “Hiram Powers” in the Wabash six miles
south of Terre Haute. The Visitor sank immediately with four feet of water on
the cabin floor. All passengers on the ship survived unhurt. The Hiram Powers,
laden with Railroad Iron, was headed north for delivery to Terre Haute and
passengers from the Visitor went with it.
n Two locomotives — the Putnam
and the Hendricks — arrived on Saturday, May 31, via and Wabash & Erie
Canal. Two Tenders were already here, besides a quantity of car wheels and
axles. “The river landing is pretty well filled up with heavy T iron for the
track and everything connected with prosecution of the road seems to be going
rapidly.”
n Davis Johnson of Prairieton advises us that Gabriel Ruby,
late of Kentucky, drowned on Tuesday, May 27, attempting to cross the Honey
Creek bayou on horseback His body was recovered the next day.
n On
Saturday last, young Mr. Richardson of York, Ill. and his sister, in a buggy,
driving two horses, came to a bluff near Macksville (West Terre Haute), wishing
to cross the river to this side. The river was high and ferry boats had been
used to transport passengers from the west end of the existing bridge to the
bluff. The river had receded a bit from its high mark so some suggested that a
buggy could make it.
Mr. Richardson was told he could take a ferry for
four dollars. And the ferry operator said he would direct him to the spot where
the buggy could cross safely for 50 cents. Richardson accepted the second
option.
The man took the Richardsons to the river, told them it was safe
to cross and left. A boy agreed to take the pair further for ten cents but,
after proceeding only a short distance, found water ten feet deep. One of the
Richardsons’ horses drowned. By standing up in the buggy Miss Richardson was
barely able to keep her head above the water. James Russell came upon the scene
and saved the lives of two people and one horse.
“We shall be delighted
when our people shall take it into their heads to make a bridge or embankment,
above high water, from the Wabash to the bluff for nothing is more
needed.”
~Catherine Pulsifer~