Julius Falk

May 1, 1914--Julius Falk, pioneer merchant, and one of the most widely known citizens of this section of Indiana, died Saturday, at his home on South Fremont Street. (Julius lived prior to that on West Main where Eikenberry Edy is now.) A few years ago he was attacked by paralysis, but he fought a courageous fight. Julius Falk was one of the oldest business men of Peru, in point of years of service on Broadway, but was only sixty-two years of age, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Moses Falk. Falk was a native of Peru and spent his lifetime here, most of it in the clothing and furnishing business. His business was located in the Cole block, corner of Main and Broadway.

Frank Steinmetz Saloon

Frank Steinmetz, 56 North Grant. Mr. Steinmetz is our popular Grant street saloonist, having been established eighteen months. In the way of stock, the selection is calculated to meet the wants of the most critical tastes, including the finest imported wines, whiskies, brandies, cordials, etc.; also the leading brands of domestic made cigars, while all the noted brands of beer can be obtained here. Mr. Steinmetz is an affable gentleman and has a host of friends, and while in this part of the city do not fail to visit his place.

Cole Porter Birthplace Renovation

The Cole Porter Birthplace renovation is moving right along. If you like to paint or pick up a hammer they still could use volunteers even if only for an hour or two. You can find someone there on the weekends if you would like to be part of this renovation. Come --join in--as part of Peru history unfolds.

Frank Deibert, Groceries and Provisions

Frank Deibert, was among the earliest enterprises inagurated in the pioneer days of Peru. The grocery was located at 75 Broadway. This concern was established in the year 1855 by Henry Deibert, who was succeeded by his son, Frank Deibert, in 1872. Much of the gratifying increase of Peru's trade must be attributed to this house on account of its long identity with the trade. The building occupied is spacious and is completely stocked with groceries and provisions of all kinds, which are obtained from the most reliable sources of supply, being alway fresh and seasonable. Mr. Deibert gives his personal attention to every detail of the business , and has five competent assistants, neglecting no means to fully deserve the exceptional popularity his establishment has. This popularity is due to the courtesy extended to the customers and the prompt delivery service.

Marty Hess

Marty Hess is an elder at the First Presbyterian Church. Marty is a registered nurse and wife of Jack Hess at the Presbyterian Church in Peru. Marty is a breast cancer survivor. Marty is now fighting for her life with acute myelogenous leukemia. The chemo that put the breast cancer into remission has led to this. She is now scheduled for six weeks of intense chemotherapy. My wish is that the community will stand behind Mary and Pastor Jack in prayer. To follow her battle with her disease go to http://martysstruggle.blogspot.com. Please keep her in your prayers. Pictured is Marty Hess and Juanita Geberin.

Lentz Bros.

Have you looked at photos from the flood of 1913 and noticed the name of Lentz Bros. on the photo? This firm consists of gentlemen who are practical artists, and whose love for the picturesque and beautiful exhibits itself in every detail of their work. They excel as artists, and love detail and aim for excellence. Lentz Bros. have kept pace with all improvements in the art, introducing the new and beautiful effects and all advances made. Lentz Bros. were born and raised in Peru and they are the recipients of a liberal and influential patronage. They did an excellent job of capturing the history of our town. The old cliche--a picture is worth a thousand words.

American Sylvan Electric Bath No.2

1901--
The bath is a German discovery, protected by American patents, and was introduced into this country toward the close of the year 1899. This is the only one of its kind at present West of Brooklyn, New York. It has curative effects upon Gout in all stages; Muscular and articular Rheumatism in all forms. The bath has also proven itself very efficactous in treating Neuralgia: Nervousness; Muscular Atrophy; Stiffened Joints; Stagnations of the Blood; Asthmatic Complaints; Weakness of the Heart; Paralysis, Diabetes, and other diseases due to disturbed assimilation and circulation of the blood. The Electric Bath was located at 65 North Miami Street and was owned by A.H. Kalbfleisch, M.D. I wonder if this was like our modern day whirpools?
An antique store is open for business at the same address in 2006.

Bearss Hotel

Visitors and a vast number of travelers renders first class hotels an absolute necessity, and by general consent the Bearss Hotel is ranked as the best in the country. The hotel has sixty well furnished rooms available for guests. It is supplied with all modern appliances, electric lights, heated by gas, ladies and gentlemen's parlors elegantly furnished, complete sanitary arrangements, and is fitted in the most modern style of art. The cuisine has a high reputation for excellence. It is so sad this building is no longer in existance. It is nothing more than a pile of rubble hauled off somewhere.. Famous visitors, many memories, and numerous events were all part of the Bearss Hotel. If we could go to the pile of rubble and it could talk --what a tale it would tell.

Five Corners

Five Corners was a straggling village in the western part of Allen Township, so named on account of its location at the intersection of several roads, and at one time achieved considerable reputation as a trading point. The place was never platted, being merely a thickly settled locality to which the term village can scarcely be applied, but it early on became the chief source of supplies for a large area of territory in Miami and Fulton Counties. About the year 1857, or perhaps earlier, a stock of goods was brought to the place by Moses & Williams, who carried on a very successful business for a period of six or seven years. The business went through a few more owners when L. Carl began merchandising, and continued with fair success for over a year, when he moved his stock of goods to Macy, his store being the last business venture at the Corners. A postoffice was established in 1859, with Nathaniel Bryant as postmaster. The last postmaster was L. Carl, who had charge of the office when it was moved to Macy. The only remnants of the village is Five Corners Cemetery., where lie many of the first settlers of the county.

The Color of Fall

Killed by a Locomotive

1885--John Daily, a laborer for some years on the Joseph Hiner farm, north-east of the city, was struck by the switch engine not far from the crossing of the two roads and fatally injured. It seems he had been to Peru and started home, carrying a sufficient amount of intoxicating liquor to make him sleepy, and had sat down on a tie to rest. The whistle of the locomotive failed to arouse him from the stupor, and the engineer discovering the danger reversed his engine too late to avoid striking the unfortunate man with the pilot beam. Some of his ribs were crushed in and death ensued before he reached the county infirmary to which he was carried. Sunday his remains were buried in the Tillett graveyard.
Only one of the quartette that used to walk to town with Joseph Tillett is now living. The other three were killed on the railroad not far from the same spot where Daily was struck.

The Bagging Factory

1890--The owners of the Peru Bagging Mill which has been lying idle for two years, have announced their intention of starting up at once, and have already ordered the material. When this arrives, and it is now on the way, the gas will be turned on in the boilers of the big mill, and 100 hands will be set to work. This is a big boom for Flax Hill, which had become the deadest part of the town. Peru is walking right out of the reach of her neighbors and nothing can hold her down. She has taken the tide that leads on to fortune. During the last three weeks we have located the Peru Twine Cordage Factory, employing 100 hands, the Eel River shops, employing 500 or 600 men, The Bagging Mill, which is, as far as its effects are concerned, a new factory, employing 100 hands, while the assurance has been given that 5,000 acres of the city will soon be opened to the culture of celery.
Is it true--there is more than corn in Indiana? CELERY
Wonder if they were going to plant it in the black muck in Oakdale?

Toll Gate

1885--One night Dr. Pence drove home from Bunker Hill over the Strawtown turnpike. He had seen it stated in the newspapers that the county had bought the turnpike and supposed the transfer had already been made. The night was exceedingly dark and the doctor jogged along without accident or incident, to mar his meditations until his horse stopped in front of the toll gate this side of Cole's Brewery. Thinking the horse had merely stopped from force of habit, he applied the whip to urge him on when the animal, after trying to jump over the pole across the road suddenly squatted and ran under it. The first warning the doctor had of his danger, the pole struck him amid ships and knocked him back on his beams end and the top of his buggy was raked off as the horse pulled it under the horizontal pole. Only those who are acquainted with the doctor can form the faintest idea of the horrid imprecations that rolled from his lips for the next half hour.
Wander how the drivers of today would like to pay a toll for using Strawtown Pike--golfers would have some" horrid imprecations roll from their lips."

KISSES

1903-An Indiana judge has decided that a wife may kiss whoever she pleases and as often as she likes without violating her marriage vows. Kisses, the judge says, are a wife's personal property and may be distributed to her friends regardless of race, color, sex of previous condition of servitude. Fortunately this kind of personal property is exempt from taxation.
I wonder if this law is still in effect?

Borrow a Horse

1885--Jacob Hahn, of Butler, came to town and notified the sheriff that one of his horses had been stolen the night before. He telephoned the fact to all the adjoining towns and had bills printed and distributed offering a reward for the arrest of the thief. The same day the sheriff of Wabash telephoned to Peru that the horse was found in that city in the possession of Jim Brown and Frank Kelly. The facts since learned are that Frank Kelly, who is a minor, wanted to marry a sister of Brown's wife, who is a Miami squaw. Kelly's father notified the clerk of the court of this county that his son was a minor and forbid his issuiing license to him to marry the dusky maiden. It seems Brown and young Kelly borrowed Hahn's horse and a neighbor's buggy and drove to Wabash and procured a marriage license for Kelly, who at once skipped the town and left the horse and buggy in charge of his partner. Brown was held subject to the orders from the sheriff of Miami county. Jake Hahn got his horse, Kelly got his bride and Brown went to jail.

Driving the Backroads

Roann Festival

More on "Peg Leg" Helmig

While doing geneology research, I kept finding articles about "Peg Leg" Helmig. He was arrested several times for fighting and intoxication.
My grandmother's mother was a Helmig. I asked my grandma several times just who was this "Peg Leg". Her response was always "I don't know." My grandma was very young when "Peg Leg" was shot. Years ago the families did not talk about "black sheep" within their families. Very few Helmigs lived in Peru and I was sure there was some connection. When I found the article about John Henry's death the pieces of the puzzle fit together. John Henry Helmig was my great-grandmothers brother.When I told my grandma the events of the story she said,"you can't put that in the book". My mother said the same thing. I told them "It's part of the history of our family-good or bad".
He was portrayed in the newspaper as a worthless character always in trouble. Who knows what gave him the attitude he had-- Maybe losing his leg at the age ten--or alcohol could have been a contributing factor. It is very sad that he was only twenty-eight when he he met his fate from five bullets at an East eighth street saloon.

John Henry Helmig Shot

Jan. 12, 1902--John H. Helmig, who was in a partially intoxicated condition was in the saloon owned by Charles Neathery across the track from the depot on East Eighth Street. Helmig asked for a drink and his request was granted. He asked for another drink and upon being refused opened the beer faucet and let the liquor run onto the floor. He was then ejected from the saloon and this made him violent. He broke the back door glass with a cane, and walking around to the front of the building, commenced breaking the front door glass with the same instrument, demanding admittance. After Helmig had again walked back to the saloon front Neathery pulled a revolver and shot Helmig five times killing him instantly. He then went to the officers and surrendered himself.
J.H.Helmig had fallen under a freight train on which he was riding when he was about 10 years old. His left leg was cut off above the knee and had become known as "Peg Leg" Helmig. He would go on occasional sprees at which time he would grow sullen and vicious. His name appeared on court records a number of times. His attitude caused his death at an early age of twenty-seven. This story was of great interest to me-will explain more tomorrow---

Erie Township

Erie Twp. is the smallest township in the county. The first white man who trod her dense forests was Samuel McClure. He came in the fall of 1827, and established an Indian trading post on Abraham Dingman farm. His business was that of trader exclusively and consequently he made no attempt at improvements at any time. So far as can be ascertained no white man entered the township for the purpose of bringing the forests into a state of cultivation until 1835. In that year quite a number, being encouraged by the flattering prospects which were offered by the opening of the Wabash and Erie Canal, entered the township, purchasing land immediately adjoining thereto and known as "Canal Land."
My Grandpa had a farm in Erie Twp. when my mother was quite small. Very few remnants of the farm exist today but after some exploration I was amazed at how much wilderness still exists in certain areas of Erie Twp. My mother went to Erie Consolidated school and had to walk quite a distance to get to the unheated school bus to catch her ride. She told me that certain times of the year she had to be carried across a creek when the water was high so she could get to school. The kids of today would moan if they had to walk that far just to go to school.