A new era in the city’s history began the evening of Monday, October 3 as the Citizens’ Street Railway Co. put the street car line in operation in time for the opening of the State Fair. A visitor arriving at the Union Depot could now be conveyed conveniently and cheaply the “eight squares northwest” of the depot to the fairgrounds (Military Park) for five cents (2013: $0.73) in one of the nine horse drawn cars. Before month’s end, ground was broken to extend the track north on Illinois Street to the city limits (10th Street). “A grand sight” was observed at the fairgrounds the afternoon prior to the fair’s opening at the military review of all the troops stationed in Indianapolis. Soldiers clad in “scrupulously neat and clean” uniforms carrying glistening muskets formed a battle line over a mile in length. At a command, the troops performed their “evolutions with such beautiful accuracy of movement – everyone confessed that there are no soldiers like the American soldiers.” Throughout the month large numbers of drafted men reported daily at Camp Carrington. A resolution was adopted at the Drafted Men’s Meeting to publish the names of drafted men “who are able, but refuse to pay anything” to the Drafted Men’s Fund.
The Treason Trial of Harrison H. Dodd, Indiana Grand Commander of the Sons of Liberty, charged with “Conspiracy Against the Government – Affording Aid and Comfort to the Rebels – Inciting Insurrection – Disloyal Practices, and Violation of the Laws of War,” continued before a military commission. Citizens followed the transcript of the proceedings published daily in the columns of the Journal with great interest. As the eleventh day of the trial was about to commence, Dodd escaped from his room on the third floor of the Post Office building; the Commission continued with its deliberations. Lambdin P. Milligan of Huntington, Horace Heffren of Salem, Stephen Horsey, Andrew Humphreys of Greene County, and William A. Bowles were arrested on charges similar to those under which Dodd was accused. Their trial before a military commission was covered in detail by the Journal during the last days of the month. Maj Gen Alvin P. Hovey, Commander of the District of Indiana, ordered the arrest of Joseph J. Bingham, editor of the Indiana State Sentinel, for “being a ‘Son of Liberty’ and inciting the people (through the paper) to acts of violence and resistance of the authority and laws of the Government.”
“Execrable mud and rain” kept people away from the twelfth Indiana State Agricultural Fair in the days following its opening, but attendance quickly improved with the return of autumn’s “full blaze of glory.” Immense crowds quickly filled the city as each train “puffing and panting into the depot disgorged a great mass of people” who then made their way to the fairgrounds. The large auditorium for the Great Sanitary Bazaar, “Trophy Hall,” provided entertainment every evening with the entire proceeds going “to the relief of the sick and wounded soldiers.” Pickpockets “industriously worked the crowd.” Sight seers in the city were also encouraged to spend 25 cents (2013: $3.67) and visit the Indiana State Museum in the Kinder Building, Washington Street between Pennsylvania and Delaware, to see the “almost endless specimens from all quarters of the globe…skillfully presented and beautifully arranged” under the direction of the proprietress Madam Mary A. English. At the Metropolitan Theatre, city visitors could take in the State Fair Week offering, Ingomar, The Barbarian, while at Masonic Hall “the Autocrat of Magic and greatest of all Prestidigitateurs” Prof. W. J. McAllister worked his spells. At the end of the month, the Metropolitan featured Laura Keene’s Combination Troupe in Our American Cousin.
Gov. Andrew Johnson, the nominee for Vice President of the United States, appeared at the Sanitary Fair and made a few remarks on Friday before Election Day. He then delivered a “very able and eloquent address” to an “immense assembly” at the Tabernacle on Circle Park that evening. Lincoln and Johnson medallions were on sale at Wholesale Jewelry Store, 8 N. Meridian St. On Tuesday, October 11 Hoosiers went to the polls and made a “grand Field Day for the Unionists;” Gov. Morton was elected with a majority of 20,000 along with the entire State ticket. The following Friday evening, 12,000 citizens gathered for a “Union Jollicication” in and around the spacious Tabernacle. Great bonfires blazed in the streets, fiery rockets rushed skyward bursting into colorful showers, thundering cannons, and rousing cheers from the crowd gave joyful recognition of victory. Speakers exhorted the gathering to “actively work to secure a still more splendid result in the Presidential election” in November.