USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume I > Part 79
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the third village of that name located in Madi- son county. The first was laid out in 1820 in Marine settlement by Curtis Blakeman, R. P. Allen, George C. Allen and others. A sale of 100 lots was advertised to take place there on November 20, of that year, but the new town either died of inanition or was ab- sorbed by Marine. The second Madison was located on the Mississippi in Chouteau town- ship. For a time it was a flourishing village. Steamboats landed there to receive and dis- charge freight, and it did a thriving business. Hon. Z. B. Job once conducted a store there and carried a thirty thousand dollar stock of goods. But the remorseless encroachments of the river long since swept it away and the land where it stood now reposes in the Gulf of Mexico.
The third Madison is the outgrowth of in- dustrial advantages and rare transportation facilities and is therefore founded on a solid basis. The beginning of Madison as a manu- facturing center dates back to the establish- ment there of the Missouri Car and Foundry Company, followed by the Helmbacher Forge and Rolling Mill Company. These two gi- gantic plants employ an immense force, of workmen and disburse a pay roll of $2,500,000 annually. The incorporation of the village having been completed the election of a vil- lage board of trustees followed in November, 1891, and Charles C. Skeen was elected the first president. He was followed by Charles F. Youree, Patrick Coyle and Warren Cham- pion. The records of the village from 1891 to 1903 were lost in the flood of the last named year, when the water rose to the height of the ceiling of the office in which they were kept. Patrick Coyle was president at the time of the flood and also in 1904 and 1905. He was followed by F. A. Garesche, who filled out Coyle's unexpired term and has been regularly re-elected ever since and now holds the position. He is an enterprising citizen and is one of the Democratic nominees
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
for the legislature at the coming election in November, 1912.
Madison has made rapid strides in mu- nicipal improvement of late years. Its main streets are paved with brick and it has some ten miles of granitoid sidewalks. It has a complete water and fire protection system, sewerage, electric lights, street car service and all the public utilities of a modern city. It has many handsome business blocks and fine private residences. The city hall is an impos- ing structure erected at a cost of $35,000. It
facilities afforded by the trunk lines passing through the place and direct connection with all lines centering in East St. Louis cannot be excelled. It is linked with St. Louis by the Merchants' bridge and also by the new bridge of the Mckinley electric lines. The street car service rendered by the latter com- pany and the East St. Louis & Suburban brings all parts of the city in close contact.
Madison is well provided with churches and has two modern public school buildings, thus adding the advantages of religious culture
HIGH SCHOOL, MADISON
contains the village offices and also the head- quarters of the police and fire departments. An illuminating fact in connection with it is that it was built without special taxation out of the surplus funds of the village, a fact which speaks highly of the efficient financial administration of the municipality. .
Madison is not only a busy industrial city but does a thriving mercantile business and has a flourishing trade with the fertile sur- rounding country. It boasts many fine busi- ness blocks built by men who have faith in the future of the city. The transportation
and education to the material attractions of the village as a place of residence.
There is a large foreign element in Madi- son drawn there by the Car Works and the Forge and Rolling Mill Company, and the citizens have serious social and civic prob- lems to solve in the way of amalgamating the heterogeneous population. It is an alembic of nations and the outcome will be watched with interest by sociologists.
Madison has fine banking facilities afforded by two reliable financial institutions, the First National Bank of which Fred Troecklen is
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
president, and L. A. Cook, cashier ; and The Tri-City Bank, with Charles R. Kiser as pres- ident and R. B. Studebaker, cashier
The two papers of Madison have lately combined their establishments and are now laboring for the upbuilding of Madison under a hyphenated head.
GRANITE CITY ("PITTSBURGH OF THE WEST")
By J. W. Cassidy
Granite City, which is rightly termed the "Pittsburg of the West" and whose marvelous growth has amazed the country, did not go through the preliminary organization of a vil- lage, but was born a city full fledged. It was incorporated March 9, 1896, and its charter issued by the Secretary of State June 8th of the same year. The city lies partly in Venice and partly in Nameoki townships. Its first Mayor was John G. Roberts, 1896-7; its sec- ond, Mark Henson, 1897-8; Julius Rosenberg, 1899-1902; John Edwards was elected in 1903. After serving a few weeks he met death in an accident. John B. Judd succeeded to vacan- cy, 1903-4; Morgan LeMasters, 1905-8; Char- les A. Uzzell, 1909-10; Geo. W. Kennedy, elected by council to fill vacancy ; Marshall E. Kirkpatrick, 191I-12.
The city was laid out by two industrial mag- nates of St. Louis, Messrs. F. G. and Wm. F. Neidringhaus. These far-sighted gentlemen, recognizing the advantages of the location for manufacturing purposes, established thereon two of the largest plants of their specialties in the world, the National Enameling and Stamp -. ing Co. and the Granite City Steel Works, which employ an army of nearly 3,000 men and they were instrumental in building the large casting plants of the American Steel Fdys. Co. and Commonwealth Steel Co. In the management of their large properties they were aided by their sons Thos. K. and George W. Neidringhaus who were associated with them in the trusteeship by which the land is
held and managed. Where only a decade ago was heard only the rustling of the wind through the corn blades now resounds the clangor of steel manipulated by the sons of Vulcan. Where lately were fields of grain and green pastures are now well-paved streets and boulevards, public buildings, schools and churches ; a tribute to the wonderful executive genius of the founders.
Among the railroads entering Granite City are the Wabash, Chicago & Alton, Big Four, Illinois Central, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Clover Leaf, St. Louis, Troy and Eastern, Chi- cago, Peoria & St. Louis, St. Louis Merchants Bridge Terminal Ry. and Terminal Railway Association. In addition to the above the Granite City Belt R. R. or St. Louis Bridge Terminal Ry. and Terminal Railroad Associa- tion connect with the railroad systems of St. Louis via the Merchants' and Eads bridges. In addition the electric lines of the Illinois Traction Co. and the East St. Louis & Subur- ban systems connect the city not only with St. Louis and East St. Louis, but with Collinsville, Edwardsville, and Alton within the county. In addition to these splendid transportation facili- ties Granite City is in close proximity to the coal fields and, consequently, secures low rates of fuel. In addition it has a complete water works . and sewerage system, electric lights and power and a reasonable rate of taxation. The electric light is furnished by the huge plant of the Mckinley Syndicate at Venice and the gas from a local company, whose plant has a capacity of 75,000,000 cubic feet a year. The municipal water supply is derived from the Mississippi river which runs just west of the city, and aggregates 10,000,000 gallons a day. Granite City has more than five miles of brick paving, four miles of macadam streets and ten miles of granitoid sidewalks, and its avenues are well shaded or will be, as 14,000 young trees have been planted along its sidewalks. One of the main thoroughfares is Neidringhaus Boulevard so-named in honor of
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL, GRANITE CITY
GRANITE CITY POST OFFICE
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
the founders of the city. As an illustration of the city's marvelous growth we have but to compare the present population of 14,000 with that of 1900 when it was only 3,122. There is not a negro on the census roll. Other mem- bers of the Neidringhaus connection, other than those named above, are Albert \V. Neid- ringhaus, Superintendent of the Granite City Steel Works; Oliver B. Neidringhaus, Asst. Superintendent of the National Enameling and Stamping Co., and Lee I. Neidringhaus, Asst. Superintendent of the Steel Works. This family certainly presents a remarkable galaxy of captains of industry.
To give an adequate idea of the extent of the industrial establishments of Granite City is difficult in our limited space, and the following condensed enumeration must suffice : National Enameling and Stamping Co., 25 acres ; Ameri- can Steel Foundries Co., 20 acres; Granite City Steel Works, 40 acres; Commonwealth Steel Co., 20 acres ; Hoyt Metal Co., 31 acres ; The Corn Products Refining Co., 32 acres. To this establishment the company has recently added a can factory. Another new enterprise is the Metal Keg Factory, a branch of the Hoyt Metal Co. Other leading industries are the Wagner Brewing Co., the Granite City Grain Elevator; Granite City Box Co .; the Morris- Halton Building Block Co .; the Western Fire Brick Co .; the Granite City Lime and Cement Co.
The value of the product of these immense industrial enterprises runs far into the mil- lions annually. That such great plants have been located in Granite City, by far-sighted men, at an expense of many millions, is all the recommendation Granite City needs as an in- ducement for other industries to follow.
Among the prominent business buildings may be noted the Neidringhaus block; the Priest block, the Henson block and others. The Priest building was erected by Mrs. Lucia I. Priest of Alton, at an expense of $50,000. She also built a row of six modern flats which are
an ornament to the city. Her brother, H. S. Bishop, is also largely interested in Granite City real estate. The Neidringhaus family have also shown their confidence in the city's future by the erection of hundreds of modern dwellings.
Granite City's banking facilities are ample. She has three substantial financial institutions, as below: The First National Bank, M. Hen- son, president; W. J. Biel, cashier ; paid up capital, $60,000.
Granite City National Bank, G. W. Neid- ringhaus, president ; D. J. Murphy, cashier ; capital, $50,000.
Granite City Trust and Savings Bank, Fred. Kohl, president ; Chas. F. Stelzel, cashier ; capi- tal $100,000. Mr. Stelzel is also asst. manager of the Granite City Realty Co., of which Geo. W. Neidringhaus is manager ; and F. G., Geo. WV., W. F., and T. K. Neidringhaus, trustees. All these great financial institutions are located in spacious modern buildings provided with substantial equipments of steel and burglar proof vaults.
Granite has many handsome church build- ings among which the Neidringhaus Memorial Church is one of the most imposing. It also has a complete system of graded public schools. There are four spacious modern school build- ings with an enrollment of 2,000 pupils. When Granite City was incorporated, in 1896, it had one small school house with an attendance of 20 pupils. When the project of the town was under way Messrs. Neidringhaus were as quick to provide a school as other facilities. They had known Prof. L. P. Frohardt in Warrenton, Missouri, and deemed him the right man to organize the schools of the town. They sent for him, he took charge and has been head of the schools ever since, a period of eighteen years, a most remarkable record. The High School building is a splendid edifice, probably the largest in the county. The Cath- olics and Lutherans also maintain large schools located in spacious edifices.
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The Granite City Hospital is another public institution worthy of note. The building cost $60,000 and is finely equipped for the care and relief of suffering humanity. It was founded by the Lutherans but is now operated by Cath- olic Sisters under the management of Rev. Peter Kaenders of Venice. Of course in this review the writer has dwelt mainly on the public and industrial features of the city as they are what have made all other things possible, but its wide-awake enterprising mer- chants, doing business in spacious store build- ings, must not be overlooked as important fac- tors in the City's onward march.
Granite City's hotels and restaurants are ample to accommodate the traveling public. The city, although so young in years, has a corps of professional men unexcelled in their several callings. It has reason to be proud of its skilled physicians, its eloquent lawyers and its devoted and faithful educators and clergy-
men all of whom reflect honor on their pro- fessions. The marvelous advance of Granite City is well shown in the fact that its postal business has so increased that the government has found it necessary to erect a public build- ing for its accommodation, the building and grounds costing $93,000. Postmaster Thomp- son is in charge. Journalism in Granite City is most prominently represented by the Press and Record, a semi-weekly paper, which is profoundly influential in moulding public opinion. It is published by a stock company, of which W. J. Lynch is president, and is edited by J. W. Cassidy.
Granite City has no long record of history behind it. There is nothing mildewed or musty about it, but it is making history with won- derful rapidity which, perhaps, is more desir- able, as Tennyson says :
"Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay."
CHAPTER LXIX
NEW DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP
THE PIONEERS-THE TORNADO OF 1876-NEW DOUGLAS VILLAGE-OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIA- TION-A STOCK RAISING AND DAIRYING COUNTRY-NOTED NATIVES.
New Douglas, township 6, range 5, is one of the smallest townships in the county, Al- ton and Venice, only, having less territory. It was robbed of its heritage in 1843 when the legislature clipped twelve sections from its 1838; first marriage that of Aaron Voyles and Sarah Funderburk, 1834; the first ser- mon was preached in 1827 at the house of David Funderburk, by a Baptist missionary ; the first Methodist church was organized in eastern side and attached them to Bond ' 1832 at the house of John Carlock."
county, denuding Leef township, at the same time, of six sections. This left New Douglas with an area of only 15,967 acres. The to- pography of the township is a level plain, slightly undulating. New Douglas was settled a little later in the century than the majority of the townships and increased less rapidly in population, but it secured a sterling and up- right citizenship that any community might be proud of.
THE PIONEERS
Brink's History says: "The first settler of New Douglas was David Funderburk, who located in section 7 in 1819. He taught school there in 1823 the children coming from adja- cent townships. Other early settlers were Robert Greening, who came in 1839; Cornelius Wood, Amos Holbrook, John L. Carlock, 1831 ; Abram Allen, Samuel Sutton, Nelson Sparks, Jackson Allen, 1837; John P. Lindley, 1840; William Embrey, 1845; M. R. Early, 1848; John A. Early, 1854; John Kelly, 1856. The first birth was that of John Funderburk, son of David Funderburk, September 3, 1822; first death that of Mary Funderburk, May 7,
Oliver Foster and his son Alonzo came to the county in 1819. They settled in what is now Fosterburg township and the family gave it their name. In 1857 Alonzo Foster moved into township 6, range 5 and laid out the town of New Douglas in section 16. The settlement was not incorporated until Dec. 16, 1874, as recorded by the secretary of state, but the local record gives Jan 18, 1875, as the date. The charter was issued Septem- ber 18, 1901. The first store was erected in 1860 by Costen Sawyer and the second in 1863 by Dr. W. F. Rubottom. A post office was established in 1863. The village was named New Douglas by the founder, A. Foster, in honor of Senator S. A. Douglas, of whom he was a devoted adherent. The vil- lage is well provided with ecclesiastical priv- ileges having six churches: Methodist South, erected in 1867, Baptist in 1869, Catholic in 1870, Lutheran in 1874, Methodist North in 1877 and Christian in 1878.
THE TORNADO OF 1876
The most exciting and tragic incident in the history of New Douglas was the frightful
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
tornado of Feb. 27, 1876. It swept through the township from southwest to northeast. It passed through the west part of the village destroying eleven dwellings, two churches, a school house and Masonic hall. The churches destroyed were the M. E. church South and the Lutheran. Services were in progress when the M. E. church was demolished. Many persons were injured and a local preacher, Henry C. Young, was killed. Five persons in Masonic hall were injured, Robert Alsop most severely. The storm struck a funeral cortege overturning and scattering the' vehicles. Several women saw the storm ap- proaching and hastened into an adjacent house. The dwelling was blown down and all the inmates injured. One woman had a babe killed in her arms. In the spring of 1912 an- other tornado passed over New Douglas but did little damage except clipping the roof and part of the upper story from the flouring mill and demolishing a school house in Hickory Grove three miles south of the village.
The Toledo, St. L. & W. railroad traverses New Douglas township and the Illinois Cen- tral passes through Olive township within a mile of the western boundary of New Douglas. The population of the township in 1890 was 1,024; in 1900, 931; in 1910, 948.
NEW DOUGLAS VILLAGE
New Douglas village had 555 inhabitants in 1890; 469 in 1900 and 499 in 1910. It is now over 500. The village is pleasantly located in the midst of a broad prairie and is so em- bowered in trees that it appears like an oasis in a desert. The early settlers of New Douglas were tree planters and the fruitage of their labors is seen today in well-shaded streets, groves, parks and private grounds. The main street of the village is a broad boulevard, a mile or more long, shaded with giant maples. The avenue extends from the station to the northern limits of the village. A fine concrete sidewalk is laid the entire
length and the residence streets are also pro- vided with good pavements. The village has a beautiful park, equipped with a band stand, and there is another splendid grove of maple trees which was donated to the "Old Settlers' Picnic and Reunion Association," at a nom- inal price by the late John Voluntine, who set out the grove thirty years ago.
OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION
The Association is composed of old settlers, of Madison, Bond, Macoupin and Montgom- ery counties. It was organized some seven- teen years ago for the purpose of preserving the memories of old times. It was incor -. porated in 1900 and holds annual reunions in . its beautiful grove. The present president is Edward W. Jones who is the grandson of Rev. William Jones, who came to Madison county in 1806 and was a member of the first territorial legislature in 1812. The secretary and treasurer is Prof. L. T. Kennedy, a vet- eran educator, who taught school for forty years, thirty-four of them in Madison county. He taught five years in Olive, fourteen in New Douglas, one in Saline, one in Godfrey and thirteen in Venice, a longer period of ser- vice than that of any other teacher in the county unless, perhaps, that of Prof. R. A. Haight of Alton. Prof. Kennedy's record is that of a noble and useful life. The directors of the association for Madison county are E. W. Jones and J. T. Lowry. John Voluntine, a distinguished old resident, was the first president. He died in 1902. Others who have filled the chair since then are Dr. B. H. McKinney, Rodo Lotasky, John Gehrig and Abram Allen. Dr. Mckinney is an eminent physician, now retired from active practice. He is the oldest citizen, in continuous resi- dence, in the village. He was born in Ken- tucky in 1841. Among those from Madison county who were members of the association in 1900 were, W. R. Bunn, Wesley Reaves, Wm. McMullen, Franklin Jones, Aug. Over-
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
beck, Rudolph Kaufmann, George and Perry Baxter, W. P. Binney, Thos. Kelly, Katherine Bilyeu (who was then 93 years old), Jacob Gehrig, C. C. Buckley, and D. M. Bishop. Some of these have passed over; others are still living.
Among the members in 1911 were: D. W. Ferris, Daniel Ferguson, B. H. Mckinney, Henry Ferguson, Dr. P. S. Weideman, J. F. Long, I. A. Olive, R. L. Lowry, M. B. Pearce, E. W. Jones, Henry Fangenroth, J. T. Lowry, J. W. Miller, Edwin Wood, James Pack, J. W. Rockwell, Henry Schraff, F. Oswald, Ben. Bassett, N. G. Flagg, Carol Coalson, R. P. Owens, T. W. Isaacs.
I. A. Olive, the leading hardware merchant and a most estimable citizen is a member of the prominent family of that name in Olive township from whence he removed to New Douglas. His grandfather Abel Olive, came to Madison county in 1818. Among Mr. I. A. Olive's family heirlooms is a copy of Cruden's Concordance, printed in London 130 years ago, which belonged to his great grand- father.
J. W. Foster, another valued citizen, still resides in the old homestead, erected by his father the founder of the village. His resi- dence is one of the finest in the town. Willis McGilvery a venerable gentleman, who has passed his four score years, is still living on the land he originally entered-perhaps the only such instance in the county. He holds what the old settlers called a "buckskin" title thereto (parchment) direct from the govern- ment.
A STOCK RAISING AND DAIRYING COUNTRY
Although New Douglas township raises all the leading agricultural staples it is essentially a stock raising and dairying country. An average of 500 cans, 4,000 gallons, of milk are shipped every morning from the, station. From six to ten o'clock the streets of New Douglas are crowded with teams from the
country bringing in the lacteal fluid. After shipping their milk the farmers do their trad- ing and that is when the merchants transact the bulk of their business. During the re- mainder of the day they can indulge in a siesta if they choose. New Douglas has a bank, several large stores and a flouring mill with a capacity of 300 barrels per day. New Douglas village is proud of its educational facilities. It has a handsome two-story brick school house employing four teachers.
E. W. Bunn, a native of the township, and a genial gentleman, is the present president of the village board. He conducts a drug store. He discharges the duties of his civic office with efficiency and to the best interests of the community. He is the son of W. R. Bunn, who came to New Douglas in 1856, and, at the age of 77, still conducts a mercantile business. The trustees of the village, in ad- dition to Mr. Bunn, are William Krah, E. A. Hoyer, John Trauernicht, Louis Shallenberg, Henry Rosenthal and V. Bassett. Henry Ull- rich is clerk. Robert Livingston is the pop- ular postmaster. His brother holds the cor- responding position at Livingston in Olive township.
NOTED NATIVES
Among the native born citizens of New Douglas, who have gone abroad and reflect fame on the township, is Hon. William P. Early, a leading lawyer of Edwardsville, who has served two terms as judge of the county court with eminent ability.
Following is the list of supervisors of the township from the establishment of township organization to the present time.
Andrew Jackson 1876-7; Abram Allen, 1878; Martin Jones, 1879; Jos. F. Long, 1880- 83; D. A. Quick, 1884; A. Trauernicht, 1885; Franklin Jones, 1886; A. J. Trauernicht, 1887; Jos. F. Long. 1888-91; James Mc- Mullen, 1892; Jos. F. Long, 1892-96; R. F. Livesey, 1896-7; Jos. F. Long, 1898-9; John
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
Camp, 1900-1904; R. W. Livingston, 1906- 08; H. E. Deck, 1910-12.
Supervisor Deck the present able incum- bent, is descended from one of the old and honored families of the township. The town- ship clerk is Harry McNeely.
John Camp, who served the township faith- fully in this capacity for three terms, was formerly the editor of the New Douglas
World. After doing good service for the vil- lage and township he removed his office to Staunton and has no successor in New Douglas. Jos. F. Long, it will be noticed by the above list, served longer as supervisor than any other citizen of the township. He also served as a member of the State Board of Equalization from 1892 to 1900.
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CHAPTER LXX
OLIVE TOWNSHIP
SOME OF THE EARLY SETTLERS-MINING DEVELOPMENT-LIVINGSTON-WILLIAMSON
Olive is one of the north tier of townships of the county. It is bounded on the north by Macoupin county, on the east by New Doug- las, on the south by Alhambra and west by Omph-Ghent. For three fourths of a century it was strictly an agricultural community with- out an incorporated village in the township. Its inhabitants led a simple pastoral exist- ence, content with raising bountiful crops of staple products unmindful of the fact that beneath their rich soil lay mines of limitless mineral wealth, far exceeding in value the returns awaiting the husbandman on the sur- face. But the era of mining operations, with- in the last decade, is a later story in the town- ship's development.
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