Many LaPorteans might remember two cannons displayed for decades on public properties. One stood on the courthouse lawn, and one was perched atop the hill near Stone Lake Beach until just recently being moved.

   But there was a third cannon of prominence in LaPorte — one that didn’t survive much beyond 1900.

   A clipping found in the museum files reports that in 1904, a cannon of political significance in LaPorte County was fired in celebration. However, when Gus Zahrt fired the “democratic” cannon, the gun burst and was blown into several pieces, wrecking its carriage and knocking Zahrt down but doing no other serious damage. It happened at Voegler’s Park, off what is now Pine Lake Avenue, about where El Bracero stands today. At the time that spot was Stop 8 for the Interurban rail car.

   The “democratic” cannon was made by private subscription of the Lake Shore Railroad shops in LaPorte during the Civil War and was used as a stimulant to the Union cause, being fired to call meetings and celebrate victories. It later fell into the hands of the republicans and became the signal to call the party forces together for meetings and events during the politically charged times that followed the war.

   The cannon became known throughout the area as the republican symbol for rallies and ovations, and did its work very effectively for several years — both as an irritant to democratic nerves and ambitions, and to buoy the hopes and aspirations of the republicans.

   The gun played a particularly conspicuous part in the remarkably hot presidential campaign of 1876, which resulted in the election of Samuel J. Tilden to the presidency, but ended in the seating of Rutherford B. Hayes through the action of the extra Judicial Electoral Commission. This memorable political battle was the last campaign work the gun performed for the republican party.

Perhaps the political cannon used by county party members at the turn of the century looked like this one, fired during the museum's Civil War re-enactment this summer. Photo by Dennis Proud. (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

   The Tilden-Hayes contest was the hottest ever known in the state and well nigh exhausted the energies and financial resources of both parties. It left the republican committee’s exchecquer depleted and the chairman was unable to pay many bills contracted during the campaign. Threats were freely made against the chairman personally; he countered that he would sell the accumulated campaign paraphernalia, including the cannon.

   Guess who bought the republican items — numerous torches, flags, transparencies, and the cannon? The democrats.

   The democrats then prepared to get as much fun out of the matter as they could, quietly securing every dray (cart) in the city and loading their purchase on the vehicles. They paraded the streets, calling public attention to their possession of the former republican pride and joy, carting the cannon to the democratic headquarters and storing it.

   Most of the republicans looked upon the matter as a good joke, but some took it to heart. The loss of the cannon was a serious thing for them, and they indulged in various threats and expressed determination to forcibly get it back. To prevent that from happening, whenever the democrats used the cannon, it was carefully guarded.

   Finally things calmed, and with less strenuous political campaigns it became known as the democratic cannon. That is, until its unfortunate demise in 1904.

FERN EDDY SCHULTZ is LaPorte County’s official Historian. Visit the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum, 2405 Indiana Ave., LaPorte, and its website, www.laportecountyhistory.org, to learn much more about LaPorte County’s history.