HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 3

THE SPRINGS

As soon as the foregoing memorial from the General Assembly to Congress as the machinery of Government could be brought around to that point, these lands of the French Lick Reserve was disposed of at public sale. As before stated, this was sometime in the forepart of the thirties, probably about 1832. At this sale, Dr. William A. Bowles, a man of large notoriety ere his death, either by himself or agent, succeeded in obtaining a considerable tract of this land upon which were situated the principal of these mineral springs now so widely known as the French Lick Springs. Soon after this, in partnership with John Hungate, he began a mercantile trade there and sometime prior to 1840 he had erected at the springs a building for the accommodation of guests, for by this time people had already begun to resort hither for the recovery of their health. Probably the first mention by white man of this important place is that of Gen. George R. Clark, who in his memoirs of his famed expedition to Kaskaskia and Vincennes, speaks of it as a great resort for deer and buffaloes, and that their unusual tameness was strong indication that they had been but little hunted here. The intelligence and quick perception of Dr. Bowles at once marked this spot as a desirable one to possess.

Another man of equal foresight was Dr. John A. Lane, who in traveling through this country as an agent for the celebrated Brandreth patent medicines was attracted to this place. About the year 1840 he leased these springs of Dr. Bowles for a period of five years. During this time he is said to have made enough money to purchase 770 acres of land near there, and which embraced what was then known as Mile Lick, from the fact of it being one mile from French Lick. This he afterward named West Baden. During the term of this lease everything had not gone smoothly between the landlord and the tenant. Both men are said to have been aggressive, stubborn and unyielding, and Lane held pessession of the premises as long as possible, counting even to the minutes when the time would expire. He then paid the last installment of rent, which was considerable, in silver coin previously blackened in the strong sulphur water of the springs. He immediately borrowed $1,800 in addition to what he already had, and in nine months from that time he built a sawmill, sawed and seasoned the lumber, and built a good frame hotel and a bridge across French Lick Creek. Thus began the rivalry between the French Lick and the West Baden Mineral Springs, which has ever since continued without abatement.

In 1864 Dr. Samuel Ryan rented the springs of Dr. Bowles for a term of fifteen years, and under his management a new impulse was given to the business here, and much improvement was made. At the end of this time it was managed by the Bowles estate for one year, and in 1880 Dr. Ryan, J. M. Andrews and H. E. Wells purchased the property, including 320 acres of land around the springs, but Dr. Ryan afterward sold his interest to the other two, who are the present owners. They have done most of the building and improving, having spent about $20,000 for that purpose in the last three years. There are thirteen of these springs in all, six of which are used in treating invalids. About 7,000 persons visit this place annually, most of whom are from Indiana. Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri.

Hugh Wilkins secured the control of West Baden Springs in 1864 for a period of ten years, but his death occurred two years before the expiration of this time. For about six years William F. Osborn had been managing the affairs for Mr. Wilkins, and after the death of that gentleman he continued in partnership with Mrs. Wilkins one year. Dr. Lane again secured tbe control of this place in 1873, which he maintained until 1883, when the present owners bought it. These are Dr. James Braden, George W. Campbell, John T. Stout, Elvert B. Rhodes and Amos Stout. There are five of these springs, the waters of which are similar in composition to those of French Lick, and an analysis will be found elsewhere in this volume. The large hotel here is supplied with water from a spring in one of the high cliffs near it at an elevation of about 100 feet. The improvements during the past year are valued at $11,000. A daily mail is received here, and Lydia E. Braden is Postmistress. While Mr. Wilkins was engaged in the carriage and wagon manufacture, and in connection with Mr. Osborn carried on general merchandise business. The present proprietors have a good store here, and Moses F. Ham is doing a trade in harness and saddles. Dr. John A. Bitter has done a drug trade here for six years. He was formerly connected with the springs as physician.

On the farm where Arthur Atkisson now lives, John Moore had a water-mill in early times that did a considerable business in both grinding and sawing for ten or twelve years. Col. John Pinnick has a sawmill on French Lick Creek, about a mile farther down, where James Pinnick now lives. Nelson Spaulding and John Moore had horse-mills, and Abraham Osborn had a tread-mill about 1830, but he soon after moved it to Lost River, and operated it by water-power. His successors have been Gen. Clendenin, Rigney Brothers, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Dougherty and Thomas and Peter Grigsby who now own it. This is the best mill in the township, and has two sets of buhr-stones. J. T. Bundy has a No. 1 saw-mill at French Lick and is doing a good business.

THE MANUFACTURE OF WHETSTONES

The whetstone business in French Lick Township is the largest in the county, and probably in the State. From Mr. T. N. Braxtan, who is extensively engaged in the business, most of the facts concerning this article of commerce was obtained. The quarries here were first worked about the year 1825, by some Eastern people named Prentiss, who had settled at a town in Martin County named Hindostan, at one time the county seat. They had learned of the quality of this stone from the Government Surveyor. The first stones were boated to New Orleans by Lost, White, Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. From there it was shipped to New York and England. In the latter country it was condemned as a fraud, because it bore the name of Hindostan, supposing it to be represented as coming from the country of that name. This for a time nearly caused the abandonment of the quarries, although not entirely so. They were worked in a small way by persons at Hindostan, and by a few living near the quarries. The principal of this quality of stone is on what was formerly the French Lick Reserve, and when the State sold that land William Cathcart and Col. John Pinnick bought most of the best quarries. These men worked them for some time. The Charles family purchased from them and operated for some time. Mr. Braxtan bought in 1860 for $6,000, and has been engaged in that business ever since. His mills are run by steam power, and he employs a large number of hands. The annual yield is about 4,000 cases, nearly one-half of Which goes to Europe, and some to South America. The present value of these quarries is about $10,000. Besides this there is a quality of shoe-knife sandstone in the northeast part of Jackson Township, said to be the finest in the United States. This is owned by Mr. Braxtan and L. A. Bledsoe. Mr. William F. Osborn is also engaged in this same business, his quarries being on Section 32, Township 2 north, Range 2 west, and on Section 24, Township 1 north, Range 2 west. In all he produces about 3,000 cases a year, employing a number of hands. This is the most profitable and largest commercial enterprise in the county, and one that is yet capable of large development, as the supply of this stone is nearly inexhaustable.

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