USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume I > Part 30
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The county delinquent list advertised in same paper December 21, 1837, by W. T. Brown, C. C., amounted to only two columns, or 316 acreage tracts, and appears to have been of lands outside of corporate limits of towns.
This review of the advertising columns of
a paper published seventy-five years ago gives a comprehensive idea of the enterprise of the business men of that day and of the lines of trade they were engaged in, and also indi- cates that the professional men of that day were not opposed to announcing their willing- ness to serve the public. Of course the list does not include all the business and profes- sional men then located in Alton. It only gives those who were advertisers.
The Spectator was the pioneer paper of Alton, established in 1832, as noted elsewhere, and was certainly enjoying a liberal advertis- ing at the period covered by the files of 1837- 8, and it is rather surprising that its publica- tion was discontinued early in 1839. The general slump in business following the pro- slavery riots and the panic of 1837 probably account for its untimely end.
SOME BUSINESS MEN AND FARMERS OF 1822
W. R. Crossman, of the Edwardsville Re- publican, has a copy of the Edwardsville Spec- tator of Tuesday, February 19, 1822. It is whole No. 141, edited by Hooper Warren. It is a five-column folio, yellow with age but still quite legible. Its terms to subscribers are two dollars per year, with twenty-five per cent added if payment is delayed. Its advertising rates are one dollar per square, first insertion ; fifty cents each subsequent insertion ; larger advertisements at proportionate rates.
The leading article on the first page is a report, three columns long, of the organiza- tion of the first agricultural society in the state, with rules and regulations. This or- ganization was effected February 9, 1822, at Edwardsville. Those persons signing the rules and regulations and thereby becoming members are: Micajah Cox, Edward Coles, Curtiss Blakeman, George C. Allen, James Canfield, Jarrot Dugger, Isaac Ferguson, John Murray, Paris Mason, Jordan Uzzell, Row- land P. Allen, Henry Kelly, Abraham Prickett, Justus D. Seelhurst, George Churchill, Rob-
195
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
ert Reynolds, Sr., William Otwell, Jacob Judy, Daniel Meeker, Robert G. Anderson, Robert Pogue, William G. (illegible), Robert Collet, John Todd, Charles W. Hunter and David Swett.
The editorial notes are few. The leading article is a criticism of the president for re- moving the postmaster at Albany and appoint- ing a congressman in his place. Another edi- torial paragraph admonishes administrators and judges of probate "who can read" to acquaint themselves with the provisions of the law as regards the publication of notices of settlements of estates "in the nearest news- paper." A correspondent indulges in a sar- castic communication criticising the campaign of Edward Coles for governor.
J. C. Bruner and David Stucky, partners in the hatting business, publish notice of firm dissolution. R. & J. Pogue advertise for rent "that large and elegant Mansion House in Lower Alton, lately occupied by Charles W. Hunter, containing eight rooms and other convenient outhouses attached to same."
Joseph Conway, county clerk, publishes a legal notice in which Theophilus W. Smith is complainant vs. Jacob C. Mott, et al. Thomas Smith publishes probate notice in settlement of estate of William Smith. William Wood publishes a similar notice in settlement of es- tate of Joanna Cox.
Two notices from E. C. Bery, state auditor, one to purchasers of lots in Vandalia and the other to officers of militia. Josias Randle gives notice that he has sued out writ of foreign attachment against the estate of Fran- cis Gantz.
Paul & Ingram offer to accept Illinois State Bank paper in exchange for goods at their St. Louis store.
Notice of suit for divorce by Louisa Valen- tine against John Valentine in St. Clair county circuit court.
Chancery case of Harvey Lane vs. William H. Harrison and Olin Ormsby, trustees of estate of John F. Hamtrach.
Professional card of Theophilus W. Smith, lawyer (later judge of supreme court).
Card from Congressman Daniel P. Cook, turning over law business to Samuel D. Lock- wood (also, later, judge of supreme court).
P. H. Winchester offers Land Office money, or State paper of Illinois, at small advance, for five hundred dollars in notes of State Bank of Tennessee.
Another advertiser announces that a moder- ate sum of Illinois State paper will purchase 160 acres of land in Marine Settlement. In- quire at Spectator office.
Land Office Money. The secretary of the treasury gives notice that only bills of follow- ing banks will be received at the Edwardsville Land Office: Bank of United States and branches; Bank of Illinois, Shawneetown; banks of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond and Baltimore, except City Bank ; banks of District of Columbia, except Mer- chants and Franklin banks.
The following advertisement tells its own story of old slavery days in Illinois. The re- markable thing is that it should appear in a strong anti-slavery paper, like the Spectator :
"Wanted-A young, active, indentured negro woman who can be well recommended for sobriety and honesty. A liberal price will be given for one of above description if appli- cation be made immediately. Inquire of the printer."
CHAPTER XXIII
THE CENSUS FIGURES
POPULATION 1820-1910-ANALYSIS BY DECADES-INDUSTRIAL GROWTH IN WESTERN MADISON COUNTY-POPULATION BY TOWNSHIPS-RACIAL TYPES.
The first census of the United States was taken in 1790 and the first in which Illinois figured was in 1810, eight years before the territory was admitted to the Union and two years before the organization of Madison county ; hence the first Federal enumeration in which Madison figured is the fourth cen- sus, taken in 1820. The county at the last date consisted of all that territory lying north of its present southern boundary and east of its present eastern boundary as extended to the north border of the state, which included . one-third of the whole area of Illinois. In 1821, by the organization of new counties to the northward, the county had been reduced to its present dimensions with the exception of eighteen sections in the northeast corner. These sections were taken from Madison and set off to Bond in 1843, thus reducing Madi- son to its present dimensions. This explana- tion will account for the apparent loss of population between 1820 and 1830, the cen- sus of the former year covering vastly more territory than that of 1830.
POPULATION 1820-1910
The following table shows the census re- turns from 1820 to 1910, inclusive :
1820
13,550
1830
6,22I
1840
14,433
1850
22,44I
1860
31,351
1870
. 44,13I
1880
. 50,14I
1890
. 51,535
1900
64,694
1910
. 90,747
ANALYSIS BY DECADES
According to this table the comparison of gains in population, in each decade, should begin with 1830, when the area of the county was the same as now with the exception of the eighteen sections set off from it in 1843. The increase between 1830 and 1840 was 8,- 212; from 1840 to 1850, 8,008; from 1850 to 1860, 8,910; 1860 to 1870, 12,780; 1870 to 1880, 6,010; 1880 to 1890, 1,394; 1890 to 1900, 13,559 ;- 1900 to 1910, 26,053.
The increase the first thirty years from 1830 to 1860, was very uniform, being between 8,- 000 and 9,000 in each decade. Between 1840 and 1850 the gain was less than the previous decade, owing to the setting off of the eigh- teen sections to Bond, as mentioned. Between 1860 and 1870, notwithstanding the losses caused by the Civil war and the restrictions of natural increase, there was a gain of 3,- 870 over the previous decade of peace. The next decade showed a gain of less than half as much, but the smallest increase in the county's history was between 1880 and 1890 when it only numbered 1,394. The slump in increase from 1870 to 1890, was due to the
196
197
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
depression following the war, to the decrease of European immigration and to the exodus of our farmers to the newer lands of the west. But the renaissance came with the next de- cade when the increase was nearly ten times that of the ten years previous. But the great- est increase in the county's history came in the last decade, when the revised census re- turns showed a population of 90,747, an in- crease of 26,053 or 40 per cent.
INDUSTRIAL GROWTH IN WESTERN MADISON
The remarkable gain of 39,612 in the last twenty years, is owing, mainly, to the wonder- ful growth of manufactures on the west side of the county, including Alton, Collinsville, Granite City, Madison, Wood River and Ven- ice, where vast industries have developed in the last twenty years and mainly in the last ten. The magic growth of Granite City and Madison is one of the wonders of the age. In 1890 their sites were corn fields-now they are large and flourishing cities. The west side of the county, from Alton to Venice, known as the American Bottom is the site of several of the greatest industries in the United States.
The gain in population, in the last twenty years, has been almost wholly in the cities, adding Edwardsville to those named above. The rural townships have, as a rule, declined in population. This is due to several reasons, including the lure of the cities, the higher wages paid in factories and the fact that with the improvements in implements and machin- ery, constantly in progress, less labor is re- quired on farms to accomplish a given amount of work. For illustration the rural townships of Chouteau, Fort Russell, Foster, Godfrey, Hamel, Leef, Marine, Moro, Omphghent, Pin Oak and St. Jacob have less population now than they had in 1890, notwithstanding the great gain in the county as a whole.
POPULATION BY TOWNSHIPS
The following tables show the increase or decrease by townships, in the last twenty years according to the last census :
1910
1900
1890
Madison County.
.90,747
64,694
51,535
Alhambra townshlp, including Alhambra village. 1,216
433
368
Alton township, including Alton city.
17,828
15,241
11,057
Alton city.
17,528
14,210
10,294
Ward 1.
3,020
Ward 2.
2,566
...
Ward 3.
1,953
...
Ward 4.
2,865
.....
Ward 5.
2,187
..... .. ...
Ward 6.
2,581
....
Ward 7
2,356
.....
Chouteau township.
768
875
954
Collinsville townshlp, including Collinsville city and Maryville village.
10,607
5,812
5,224
Collinsville city.
7,478
4,021
3,498
Ward 1.
1.350
...
Ward 2.
1,198
Ward 3 ..
1,611
...
Ward 4.
1,439
...
Ward 5.
1,880
...
...
Maryville village. .
729
Edwardsville township, including Edwardsville
8,705
6,907
4,844
city and Glen Carbon village Edwardsville city.
5,014
4,157
3,561
Ward 1.
1,298
. . . ..
....
...
Ward 4.
1,220
Fort Russell townshlp, Including part of Beth- alto village ..
1,067
1,214
1,284
Bethalto village (part of)
113
126
468
Total for Bethalto village in Fort Russell and Wood River townships.
447
477
879
Fosterburg townshlp, including Fosterburg village 1,093
90
130
110
Fosterburg village ..
1,787
1,66€
2,040
Godfrey township, including Godfrey village. Godfrey village.
68
29
228
1,078
1.103
1.205
Hamel township ..
3,247
3,060
3.162
2.234
1,777
1,857
Total for Highland clty in Helvetia and Saline townships.
2.675
1,970
1,857
Ward 1.
874
.....
Ward 3 ..
2,828
2,298
2.196
Troy city ..
666
741
790
Leef township, including part of Saline village. Saline village (part of) .
61
91
Total for Sallne village in Leef and Sallne townships
112
151
:
Marlne township, including Marine village. Marine village ..
685
666
637
Moro township ..
Nameoki township, including parts of wards 2 and 3 of Granlte city and part of Madison village
6,050
2.834
1,558
Granlte clty (part of)
Total for Granite city
in Nameokl and
9.903
3,122
Ward 1.
3,160
.....
Ward 3.
2.031
Ward 4.
1.956
Ward 5
150
Total for Madison village in Nameoki and Venlee townships ...
5,046
1,979
New Douglas township, including New Douglas village
948
931
1,024
New Douglas village
499
469
555
Olive township, Including Livingston and Wil- liamson villages.
2.627
773
697
Livingston village.
648
Willlamson village.
2,062
1.499
1,472
Omphghent township. including Worden village. Worden village ..
1,082
544
522
933
1,026
1.119
Pin Oak township ..
St. Jacob township. including St. Jacob village. 1,428 St. Jacob village. 534
1.460
1.648
Saline township, including parts of wards 1 to 3
of Highland city and parts of Millersburg and Saline villages.
1,487
1,348
1,142
..
Ward 2 ..
1,486
Ward 3.
1,342
...
Glen Carbon village ..
Helvetia township, including parts of wards 1 to 3 of Highland city .. Highland city (part of).
1,117
Ward 2 ..
684
Jarvls township, including Troy city.
1.447
1,080
826
1,515
1,653
1,650
907
1,068
1,107
4,255
1,315
Venice townships ...
554
Ward 2 ..
2,202
...
Madlson village (part of) .
1,092
464
475
1,203
1.318
888
1,245
1,122
Alhambra village ...
198
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
1910
1900 1890
Highland city (part of) ...
441
193
Millersburg village (part of) Pierron P .. O.)
81
[For total, see Burgess township, Bond County. ]
Saline village (part of)
51
60
Venice township, including Venice city, part of
6,335
1,463
Granite city, and part of Madison village ..... 14,421 Granite city (part of) 5,648
1.807
Madison village (part of)
4,896
1,979
Venice city.
3.718
2.450
932
Ward 1.
591
Ward 2 ..
597
...
Ward 3 ..
2,530
...
Wood River township, including Benbow City, East Alton, East Wood River, and Wood
River villages, Upper Alton city, and part of Bethalto village ...
6,579
4,402
3,459
Bendow City village
205
Bethalto village (part of)
334
351
411
East Alton village.
584
454
East Wood River village.
400
Upper Alton city ..
2,918
2.373
1,803
Wood River village
84
RACIAL TYPES
Referring to the above: Part of Alton township, including the village of North Al- ton, was annexed to Alton in 1907. In 1910, after the taking of the census, the village of Upper Alton was consolidated with Alton un- der the name of the latter, giving the munici- pality of Alton a total population, in the spring of 1910, of 20,446.
The character of the population has changed radically since the organization of the county in 1812, when the settlers were almost entirely Americans, but the large German immigration of later years and the removal of Americans westward, have caused a great change in the racial types in the county. The greatest trans- formation has occurred within the last twenty years with the influx of a large laboring pop- ulation to the industrial cities, mainly from southern Europe. The county is now a great
alembic of many nationalties which, in coming years, will blend into a new racial type, in which the characteristics of some nationalities will be lost and others assimilated. Whether the Madison county inhabitants, of the next century, will be an improvement on the origi- nal American type remains for future histo- rians to record.
The proportion of native and foreign born citizens of Madison county is not yet available from the census of 1910, nor the proportion of males to females. In lieu thereof the statis- tics for 1900, under these heads are given : Native born, 55,765; foreign born, 8,929; whites, 61,861 ; colored, 2,817. Native born males, 28,702; native born females, 27,063; foreign born males, 5,139; foreign born fe- males, 3,763. Native whites of native parents : Males, 15,187 ; females, 14,047. Native whites of foreign born parents : 12,041 males; 11,673 females. The native whites of native parents aggregated 29,234. The foreign born and the native whites of foreign born parents aggre- gated 32,627, showing that in 1900 the foreign born and the native born of foreign parents exceeded the native born of native parents by 3,393. This shows that the foreign born and their descendants were in the majority in 1900, and, owing to the great foreign immigration of the last ten years, are in still great preponder- ance today.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE COAL MINING INDUSTRY
FIRST DISCOVERIES OF COAL IN ILLINOIS-FIRST ILLINOIS RAILROAD-FIRST MINES IN MADI- SON COUNTY-RAILROAD BUILDING-PROGRESS OF THE INDUSTRY-WORKING AND SAFE- GUARDING THE MINES-SOME COAL MINING STATISTICS.
Father Louis Hennepin, a Recollet mission- ary, accompanied La Salle, the great explorer of the west, on his first expedition to the Illi- nois country from Canada and makes the first historical mention of coal in this state. Hav- ing reached the Miami country the explorers were seeking a portage by which they could reach the Illinois river.
FIRST DISCOVERIES OF COAL IN ILLINOIS
La Salle, while prospecting the country, be- came separated from the others and searching parties were sent out for him. "On the second day they found him," Father Hennepin says, "his face and hands all black with the coals and wood he had lighted during the night which was cold." This was a short distance from the headquarters of the Illinois. Father Hennepin further wrote: "There are mines of coal, slate and iron, and lumps of pure red copper which are found indicate that there are mines which will one day be discovered." Later writers made it possible to identify the locality with greater certainty. In 1720 Father Charlevoix arrived at the junction of the Kan- kakee and Illinois rivers. Lower down he speaks of a fall called la Charbonierre, "be- cause they find many coals in its environs." This was in what is now La Salle county. Later French explorers speak of coal along the Illinois river, especially on the northwest side
of the river near the site of the old Kaskaskia Indian town, now Utica. In his Gazetteer, in 1823, Beck says: "Coal is found in great abundance in different parts of the state."
In "Wild's Valley of the Mississippi Illus- trated," it is stated that "the first discovery of coal in the bluffs was made by the monks of La Trappe, who located on the great Cahokia Mound in Madison county in 1807. Their blacksmiths complained of a want of proper fuel, and on their being informed that the earth at the foot of a tree that had been struck by lightning was burning, they went to the spot and, on digging a little below the surface, discovered a vein of coal." The bluffs re- ferred to are about a mile northeast of the Cahokia mound.
FIRST ILLINOIS RAILROAD
The first railroad in Illinois was a coal road. It was built by Governor John Reynolds in 1837 and ran from what is now East St. Louis to the bluffs near the line of Madison and St. Clair, but lying within the latter county. The Governor owned a large tract of land on the bluffs in which coal had been discovered. He was anxious to get it to market and for that purpose built a crude railroad across the marsh to the river, six miles distant. Piles had to be driven on which the wooden rails were laid. For a while horse power was used. Later,
199
200
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
iron rails were obtained from Pittsburg. On their arrival holes were punched in them by blacksmiths and spikes made to fasten them to the ties. This was the pioneer railroad in the Mississippi valley. A number of years ago Walton Rutledge, of Alton, then county sur- veyor, was engaged in verifying the boundary line between Madison and St. Clair, in connec- tion with the surveyor of the latter county, and traced the old embankment on which the first railroad in Illinois was built.
FIRST MINES IN MADISON COUNTY
Walton Rutledge, the efficient state mine in- spector for the Eighth district, furnishes the editor with the following report of early coal mining in Madison county : In 1840 coal seam No. I was found to outcrop on Mill creek, one half mile north of the present limits of the city of Alton. Drift mines were opened by N. Scharf, Joseph Hall and Richard Why- ers. Coal was mined and hauled to the levee in Alton for use of steamboats and was burned by private consumers in the city. This was the first coal that was mined in the county. Land was bought and shafts sunk on the hills, later on, by Thomas Dunford and James Mitchell; also shafts were sunk in what was called Greenwood, or Buck Inn, by John Ap- plewhite, Thomas Hall, John Rutledge and others. These mines were the first of any ex- tent in the county and were known as Coal Branch.
In 1850 coal seam No. 6 was found crop- ping out on Wood river, three miles north of Fosterburg. Mines were opened there on Z. B. Job's land. Coal was hauled to what is now Godfrey, as the Alton & Sangamon road (now the Chicago & Alton) was just built out from Alton. It was supposed that this coal would supply the new road, but it could not compete with the Coal Branch product, which was nearer at hand, and the mines were abandoned. These mines were called the "new diggings,"
to distinguish them from the Coal Branch mines.
About 1851 a coal shaft was sunk at Ed- wardsville by Richard Cartledge, on seam No. 6, near the old distillery in the lower part of town. This was the first coal mined at Ed- wardsville. In after years shafts were sunk by. Frank Shermack, John Gaffney, Wolf Brothers and Henry Voge. In about 1852 coal seam No. 6 was discovered cropping out on Wood river, two miles north of Bethalto. Two slopes were opened by a Boston com- pany. A large number of miners were em- ployed, a town was laid out and miners' houses built. This coal was brought into Bethalto by a spur track from the Alton & Terre Haute road ; thence by this road to what is now Hart- ford, thence by spur track to the Mississippi river and taken in barges to St. Louis. These mines were abandoned during the Civil war, owing to scarcity of miners and labor troubles. In 1862 a coal shaft was sunk near the north- ern limits of Collinsville. In 1863 the Van- dalia road was building through Collinsville and mines were sunk on its line first by John Maul and David Williams of Belleville. Other shafts were sunk, later on, by William Fletcher and others, followed by Dr. Lumaghi, Joseph Wickliffe and Andrew Delano; also by the Consolidated Coal Company of St. Louis. In 1872 a shaft was sunk at Troy.
In 1873 The Consolidated Coal Company sunk two shafts at Worden. Later on other shafts were sunk at Worden, De Camp and near Staunton, in Madison county, on what is now the Wabash railroad.
RAILROAD BUILDING
In 1885 a new railroad was built from Springfield to East St. Louis, which was after- wards acquired by the Illinois Central. A town site was located five miles south of Ed- wardsville, which was called Glen Carbon .. Two coal shafts were sunk on this line, about
201
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
500 miners were employed who lived in Ed- wardsville and Glen Carbon.
About 1900 the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad built a spur from the main line at Hillsboro to East St. Louis, passing through Madison county. A shaft was sunk on this line and a village site located called Livingston. About 500 miners live there. The town is two miles east of Worden.
In 1886 the Litchfield & Madison railroad was built through Madison county. Two large mines were opened on this line, near the county line and two miles from Staunton, and a village site located called Williamson. About 600 miners live there and are employed at the mines.
In 1888 the Donk Brothers of St. Louis, Missouri, built a railroad through the county from Madison to Troy, passing near Collins- ville. One mine was sunk at Marysville, one at Collinsville and another shaft at Troy. The road is called the St. Louis, Troy & Eastern. The Donk Brothers Company is the largest in the county, employing about 1,000 men in its three mines.
PROGRESS OF THE INDUSTRY
Coal mining has become one of the most im- portant industries of Madison county and has developed wonderfully in the last quarter of a century. There are fifty-five coal producing counties in Illinois and in 1910 Madison ranked fifth in output, which was 3,719,155 tons. It is surpassed in output only by Will- iamson, Sangamon, St. Clair and Macoupin counties. The greatest depth at which coal is mined in the county is three hundred feet at Williamson; the least depth is forty feet at North Alton. The thickness of the seams ranges from two feet at North Alton to seven feet at Worden, Prairietown, Glen Carbon, Cantine and Marysville. Williamson, Donk- ville, Edwardsville, Collinsville, New Douglas and Carpenter have six feet veins, Troy, five
feet, Bethalto and Moro four feet. The coal is all bituminous.
The immense growth of the mining industry is shown by comparison with the output in 1864, the earliest report available. In that year the output was 59,378 tons ; in 1911 it was 3,766,002 tons. The average value of the pro- duct at the mines was $3,968,784, dug out of the earth in a single year. The cost to the consumer delivered, was twice or more that amount on the average.
There are now twenty-nine mines in the county, sixteen shipping mines and thirteen lo- cal for home trade. Coal is shipped to St. Louis, East St. Louis, Alton and other points east and north on the Vandalia, T., St. L. & W. Railroad and Illinois Central, as well as over other lines west and south.
The seam of coal mined is the No. 6 of the geological formation of the state.
The first carload of coal ever received in Chicago over the Chicago & Alton, came from the mine of Thomas Dunford at North Alton. The road was completed from Joliet to Chi- cago in 1856-7 and Superintendent McMullin sent to the agent at Alton, R. P. Tansey, for a carload of coal. The agent had Mr. Dunford ship it at once. It was only ten tons, which is small compared to the loads transported today.
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