USA > Illinois > Mason County > Centennial history of Mason County, including a sketch of the early history of Illinois, its physical peculiarities, soils, climate, production, etc. > Part 8
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In the streets processions were formed by the benevolent orders of the city, and others, who marched to the already well filled park.
To omit a reference to the decorations of the engines and the passenger coaches would be unjust. The employees of the P., P. & J. road took especial pains to make their display of evergreens, wreaths and bouquets tasteful, while hundreds of banners were at- tached to all trains. A passenger coach on the fast express, Mr. McSherry, conductor, was especially tasteful. The inside of the coach was a profusion of wreaths, bouquets, evergreens, flags, etc., etc., commendable alike to the taste and patriotism of this gentle- manly conductor, who spared no expense to make it attractive.
The proceedings at the speakers' stand were opened by the president of the day, in a few introductory remarks, followed by a brief prayer by the chaplain. The reading of the Declaration of Independence, by Judge J. A. Mallory, was preceded by a few well timed remarks by the Judge that were as happily conceived as they were beautiful in their expression.
The reading was followed by an oration by Prof. Williams, of Wabash College, Indiana. For conception, delivery, matter, lan- guage, intonation, etc., we have heard few to excel it. Space for- bids even a synopsis.
Atter the speaking, ample justice was done to the large supply of viands. All had plenty. The five thousand were fed, not with five loaves and two fishes, but with five hundred loaves, eight hun-
S6
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
dred pounds of dressed fish and four fatted cattle. All were well done and in every way satisfactory.
The old squatter sovereignty doctrine was amply illustrated during the afternoon, to-wit: that every body should enjoy themselves as their taste and inclinations dictated, and most thoroughly and effect- ually was that done.
It is with pleasure that we are enabled to add that the day passed without accident or hurt to any.
In the evening came the display of fire-works, but these were superceded and displaced by a most magnificent display of the pyrotechnics of the heavens, and the booming of the artillery of the skies. The vivid lightning blaze, and the reverbration of na- ture's heaviest ordnance continued most of the night, accompanied by the extraordinary rainfall of three and one-half inches of water.
We hazard the opinion. that the 4th will be long remembered by those who partook in these centennial festivities, and as time rolls on into the second century of our National existence, ushered in this day, it will be with gratification and great satisfaction, that we can all look back on our participation in the celebration of July 4th, 1876.
METEOROLOGICAL.
I append an abstract of Meteorological observations, taken in Havana, on latitude forty, longitude ninety, above the sea level four hundred and seventy-five feet, by the author of this work, who is observer for the Signal Service of the United States Army:
The annexed table exhibits the annual aqueous precipitation at the several points named, from observations taken during the vari- ous lengths of time, ranging from one to eighteen years. By com- paring the amount of actual rainfall, the latitude, the elevation, the proximity to lakes and rivers, or the per cent. of timber in the vicinity of the point of observation, we have been unable to fix any rule or cause for the variableness of amounts.
There may, however, be a slight observance of increased pre- cipitation in the line of extended river bottoms covered with tim- ber. From our own point of observation we have abundant reason for arriving at this conclusion. Havana is situated on a high, sandy bluff, on the east bank of the Illinois river, averaging about seventy feet above the river. The west bank of the river is low bottom
S7
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
lands, covered with timber, and about an average of four miles wide, and they are bounded on the west by the wooded bluffs of Fulton county.
About twenty miles south of this point the Illinois river receives the Sangamon river from the northeast, forming the southeastern boundary of Mason county. The bluffs and bottoms of the San- gamon are similar in structure and extent to those of the Illinois. After a residence of eighteen years at this point, and noting the rainfall carefully on my meteorological record, I am fully convinced that our summer rains, usually from the southwest, divide at the confluence of these rivers, and timber belts that fringe their shores, leaving the central portion of the county with much less rainfall than would be shown by observations taken in a central line of the timber belts:
INCHES.
Pekin
41.25
Warsaw
40.18
Batavia
Alton. 36.68
. 39. 14
Brighton · 30.00
Ottawa
. 37. 19
Riley
39.45
Aurora
36.61
Winnebago.
37.83
Evanston 24.78 Waynesville. .42.74 Lee Centre · 32.00 Jacksonville
.35.35
Elmira .36.87 Waynet 40.31 Dubois Athens
45.15
Yorkneck
44.40 .
Manchester
37.79 Augusta
.37.14
Marengo · 38.08
Peoria. . 35.83
Salem
.42.23
Urbana .34.89
Elgin. .
.37. 71
·39.62
88
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Sandwich 50.17
Lebanon . .37.93 Galesburg 35.04
Highland .
.35.67
Waverly
.35.67
Elmore.
37.07
Havana 33.30
Height above the sea of several localities in Illinois, taken by the writer at the solicitation of Prof. Henry, of the Smithsonian In- stitution, for that institution :
FEET.
Springfield 615
Petersburg
.510
Cuba
Havana. 678
.465
Highland .620
Elmore .612
Magnolia
500
Jacksonville. .676
.800
Chicago.
591
Batavia. 636
Marengo. . S24
Peoria bluffs. 512
Urbana. 550
Winnebago . 900
Evanston . .6.11
Keokuk, Iowa .444
Galesburg .740
Canton. 678
Lewistown .582
Lebanon .505
Waverly
6So
Murrayville. 633
Illinois river, at Peoria 420
Illinois river, at Havana 415 Pekin. 459 Warsaw
550
Alton. .650
Ottawa 500
Athens
89
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Aurora. 696
Wheaton .682
Elgin. 777
Sandwich 665
The greatest amount of rainfall during any one month was June, 1872, when the enormous amount of 9.83 inches fell, and nearly all of that excessive amount during the first six days of the month. The least amount was in October, 1872, and in August, 1873, when 0.84 and o.S9 of an inch respectively fell. The maximum temper- ature for August, 1873, was 103 deg., and the maximum for Octo- ber, 1872, was 86 deg. The mean temperature for August, 1873, was 751/2 deg., and for October, 1872, it was 50 deg. These tem- peratures, compared with the corresponding months of other years, show no excessive degrees of temperature over the same month, when the amount of rainfall was greater or of an average amount. [See table.]
My record shows, however, considerable cloudiness, and conse- quently an obstruction of sunlight, with the natural result, as a con- sequence, of a less generation of heat, as set forth and illustrated in a succeeding part of my subject. Thirty-eight and three-tenths inches is the average rainfall for a group of stations in this State, whose aggregate terms of observation amount to ninety-nine years. Every increase in the temperature of the atmosphere of 27 deg. doubles its capacity to hold moisture, consequently those localities most subject to frequent changes of temperature are liable to the most rainfall, more, also, in a southerly than in a northerly locality, because the high temperature makes the atmosphere capable of a larger amount of moisture, Temperatures are less changeable in the vicinities of the great lakes than farther inland, conse- quently the aqueous precipitation is more uniform in Northern than Central Illinois. I append, from reliable sources, some of the most remarkable temperatures of the earth, that the reader can compare his own locality with that of his more or less favored neighbor.
Thibet, in Central Asia, has valleys between her snow-capped mountains where they endure a heat of 150 deg. Fahrenheit; Sen- egal, in South Africa, and Gaudaloupe, in the West Indies, 130 deg .; the Desert of Sahara, 130 deg. during the day and extremely cool nights; Persia, 126 deg .; Calcutta and the Delta of the Gan-
-12
90
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
ges and Central America, 120 deg. is the limit. In the jungles of Afghanistan and the deserts of Egypt, 110 deg .; Cape Colony, in Africa, Greece in Europe, Utah in America, 105 deg. is the maxi- mum; Arabia, 105 deg .; and Montreal and Quebec endure the same summer temperature. New York, Spain, Upper India, Can- ton in China, Island of Jamaica and the Southern United States, 100 deg .; Sierra Leone, in Africa, Guinea, in South America, and the Island of Ceylon, 93 deg .; France, St. Petersburg, Denmark, Belgium, Burmah, Shanghai, Sandwich Islands, Buenos Ayres and Trinidad, 90 deg .; Nova Scotia, S7 deg .; England, Ireland, Sicily, Siam and Peru, 85 deg .; Pekin, in China, and Portugal So deg .; Liberia, 77 deg .; Australia, Scotland, Italy, Venezuela, and Maderia, 74 deg .; Prussia and New Zealand, 70 deg .; Switzerland and Hungary, 67 deg .; Bavaria, Sweden, Northern Liberia, Tas- mania and Moscow, 65 deg .; Norway, Greenland and New Found- land, 60 deg .; Central Scotland, Orkney Isles, Patagonia and Falkland Islands, 50 deg .; Iceland, 45 deg .; Nova Zembla, the last we shall note, whose extreme summer heat rarely comes above freezing point, or 34 deg. maximum. In all this range of territory, climate and temperature, wherever the foot of man hath trod, or eye could reach, from the scorching vales of Thibet to the inhos- pitable regions of Nova Zembla, in the deserts of Sahara, or the perpetual snows of Greenland and Labrador, the scenery is reliev- ed and brightened by the growth of indigenous plants and flowers, cheering the wanderer in the desert, and the inhabitant of the snow hut, casting beauty and fragrance on the sand or on the snows, varying their form to suit their situation, from the fleshy prickly Cactii of Mexico, to the Algea tribe that redden the polar snows.
91
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Abstract of Meteorological Observations at Havana, Illinois, from September Ist, 1870, to August Ist, 1876.
Year and Months.
Maximum.
Minimum.
Range.
Mean ...
Mean, 7 a. m.
Mean, 2 p. m ....
Mean, 9 p. m ...
mean .
mean.
Lowest
Rain in inches ...
1870-September.
90
54
36
66 23
72 47
75 6216 50
64 50
67
39
3.95
November.
68
15
53
41%
341/2
391%
58
29
2.50
December.
56
-19
75
26
10
1.71
1871-January.
62
-02
64
25
57
06
4.20
..
February
60
06
66
31
58
11
1,60
March
78
28
50
46
66
33
4.25
April.
90
34
56
681/3
79
42
2.05
May.
98
38
60
58
81
44
1.00
June
98
56
42
75
85
62
3 00
July
98
60
38
77
89
67
5.25
66
August
98
54
44
76
83
60
2.15
66
September.
80
48
42
65
73
54
3.00
October
88
26
62
65
71
40
3 05
66
November
66
00
66
341/9
54
11
1.95
December
56
-07
63
23
-
1%
2.40
1872-January
50
1-11
61
22
..
February
54
-10
64
27
18
36
26
47
04
1 .. 60
March.
65
08
57
33
26
41
31
51
21
2.48
66
April
90
28
62
54
48
65
51
37
2.03
May.
73
50
23
64
59
74
61
73
50
2.13
June
98
58
40
72
69
8.5
77
86
66
9.83
July.
98
61
37
74
73
87
73
85
72
4 68
August
102
53
49
77
G5
88
72
87
61
1.03
،،
September.
96
32
64
65
57
78
60
83
50
4 35
October.
86
27
59
52
40
66
47
69
36
0,84
November
65
-05
70
32
40
31
52
06
2.02
December.
53
-23
76
19
12
26
19
42
-15
1.61
1873-January
49
-32
81
17
11 %
24
16
42
-141/2
5.00
February .
49
-13
62
25
18
3
25
39
02
1,83
March
66
-03
69
37
30
46
35
52
08
0,99
April.
87
32
55
47
42
55
46
74
49
5.58
June
100
56
44
75
70
90
73
86
68
1.74
July.
98
62
36
73
67
85
74
87
65
5 50
66
Angust
103
57
46
751%
66
90
70
88
68
0.89
September
97
58
59
6-1
55
76
60
81
48
5.69
October
80
18
62
48
39
59
45
64
26
3.17
.6
November.
65
08
57
35
27
44
34
51
14
1 68
December
66
05
61
31
27
38
30
62
12
7.72
.
daily
daily
57
3,36
..
October
80
30
50
A dash (-) preceding a figure in the above table indicates below zero.
35
6 20
May
87
46
41
63
56
73
60
-
39
-03
0.50
47
47
Highest
92
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Abstract of Meteorological Observations .- Continued.
1874.
Maximum.
Minimum ..
Range.
Monthly mean.
snow
Rain and melt'd
mean
mean .
Lowest
Snow fall ..
January.
670
- 7
74
29
2.61
62
02
2.25
February .
560
06
51
31
1 87
51
7 00
March.
770
16
61
31
1 22
61
24
0.25
April
770
27
50
40
2 96
64
32
5.50
May.
9.5
44
51
66
2.42
81
47
0 00
June.
101
53
46
73
2.71
2.33
90
67
0.00
August.
103
59
41
75
6.48
86
64
0,00
September
93
41
49
67
2.42
54
0 00
October
82
24
55
54
7.27
68
38
0.00
November
78
OS
39
3 20
65
13
15.00
December
52
02
50
31
0.93
46
08
3 00
Sums
716
340
6-16
615
30.42
8-43
425
33.00
Means
59%
2513
54
5111
2.53
7014
351%
1
1875.
Maximum.
Minimum.
Range. ..
Mean ..
mean
Highest
mean. .
Lowest
Rain ..
Snow
Jannary.
51
-18
69
16
39
-1015
.37
0.35
February
50
-17
67
17
March.
84
-- 5
89)
31
67
13
4.14
20.10
April.
82
21
60
63
79
44
4.74
June.
95
52
13
79
89
62
8.57
August
90
47
43
78
56
1 30
September
94
35
59
62
84
54
5 84
October.
82
54
50
66
35
2.80
November
63
07
56
36
47
12
0.81
December.
70
- 5
75
38
60
02
2.08
2.25
Totals
40 86
36.45
1876.
January.
65
0
65
34
52
14
0 82
1 50
February.
73
- 4
77
34
62
1.41
1 .. 50
March.
80
1(
36
70
April.
84
33
57
54
79
45
4.35
June.
94
48
46
72
83
52
5.60
Ju.y.
97
63
34
89
63
9.61
20.50
May.
93
39
54
61
84
57
4.83
July
100
62
3S
49)
23
2.44
1 00
May
91
34
daily
daily
.
- 2
2.54
12 75
July
105
63
42
....
daily
daily
...
-1 - preceding a figure indicates below zero.
18
7.03
2.69
38
61
( (0
-
Highest
93
.
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY:
LIGHT AND HEAT.
In treating of this branch of the subject in connection with Meteorology, it will be our aim to give correct views of the nature of this all-prevailing and life-sustaining principle of light and heat, which leads, also, to the discovery of a wide and important set of truths, all tending to the conclusion that these great agencies, in connection with electricity and magnetism, " which uphold life and produce such collossal changes on our globe, are but expressions in different language of the One Great Power."
These various forms of energy are mutually convertible, and we can express the terms of each in the terms of any other. Dr. Tyndall, in considering the important influence exerted by solar radiation on the phenonema of life, says: "Each drop of rain or flake of snow, each mountain, streamlet or brimming river, owes its existence to the sun's rays. It is by the sun's rays that the waters of the ocean are lifted in the form of vapor in the air, and it is by the condensation of this atmospheric moisture that every drop of running water on the earth's surface is formed. The balmy breeze and the devastating tornado are alike the product of the changes of atmospheric temperature, while the gradual crumbling of the everlasting hills, and the consequent formation of stratified rocks are sublime illustrations of the might of the actions which, during geological ages, the sun has poured out on the earth. Nor is this influence confined to the inorganic world; no plant can grow, 110 animal exist, without the vivifying influence of the sun's rays. The animal derives his store of energy from the plant necessary for the maintenance of life, from the force locked up in the vegetable on which it feeds. The food of the animal undergoes combustion or oxydization in the body, and the heat thereby evolved is converted into mechanical energy, so that the same laws which regulate the labor of animals, regulate the work done by the steam engine sup- plied with fuel. The animal draws its stores of energy from the plant, and where does the plant obtain the supply necessary for its growth?" "The source of power in the plant is found in the sun's rays. It is the sun's rays that enables the plant to grow; for the growth of the plant consists, chemically, of a decomposition or splitting up of the carbonic acid gas which exists in the air, into its simplest constituents, the carbon assimilated for the building up of the vegetable tissues and the oxygen sent back into the air for the
94
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
subsequent use of animals. To effect this separation of carbon and oxygen, a very large expenditure of force is necessary, and this energy is supplied by the sunlight."
How beautifully harmonious the discoveries of modern science with the profound depths of revealed truth, and how obtuse is man's apprehension of these truths, till forced upon a slow-to-be- convinced judgment by the practical deductions of science. "And God said, let there be light, and there was light; and God saw the light that it was good, and God called the light day, and the dark- ness (or absence of light) He called night." "And God said, let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed and the fruit tree yielding fruit of its kind, whose seed is in itself." "And God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to, rule the night." "But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground." The at- mosphere surrounding the globe had been called into existence-its constituent elements as they now exist. Light was created to generate heat that vegetation might clothe the earth.
After vegetation, and next in order, there "went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground." The laws of nature, as constituted, made any other order of creation impos- sible. Light must combine with the elements of the atmosphere before the vegetable creation could exist. The vegetable, in con- nection with air, light and heat (heat being a result of air and light), must exist before vegetable growth could occur or animals inhabit the earth; and the consequent rainfall recorded in our last quotation is the inevitable result of the action of heat on the aqueous element. There seems to exist more largely those ele- ments of the atmosphere that combined with light to form heat in the lower stratas-more in the deep valleys than on higher table- lands, or on the hills, and not existing at all above the snow line; hence, snow does not melt in the full sunlight of meridian day, even under a tropical sun. On the Andes the snow line varies from 14,000 to 17,000 feet. On the mountains of Colorado, snow begins at 12,000 and increases in quantity to the extreme height of the tallest peaks, or 14,250 feet, though in August the extreme heat of the deep valleys rises up, when the light of the sun is with- drawn, and the snow is melted to nearly or quite the extreme height.
95
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
In the ocean, water and salt are mixed together most intimately, yet the heat raises the water through the atmosphere and leaves the salt. Every increase of twenty-seven degrees of temperature doubles the capacity of the atmosphere for holding moisture; con- sequently, the large amount of rain at the points of greatest heat and evaporation, and the distribution and precipitation of rain from greatly heated localities to colder ones by the action of the winds, and by other causes, and precipitated by counter-currents of cold air.
INFLUENCE OF VEGETATION.
By respiration, putrefaction, etc., air is rendered unfit to support animal life, and, in extreme cases, will not support it. By the con- stant operation of the corrupting influences, the whole atmosphere would become impure, were there no restoring causes, and would come at length to be deprived of the necessary degree of purity. Some of the restoring causes have been discovered, and their efficacy ascertained by experiment. So far as these discoveries have proceeded, they open up to us a beautiful and wonderful econ- omy. Vegetation proves to be the most efficient of these restoring influences. A branch of mint corked up in a small portion of foul air, and placed in the light, renders it soon capable of supporting life or flame.
Here, therefore, is a constant circulation of benefits between the two great provinces of organized nature. The plant purifies what the animal poisoned, and in return the poisoned or contaminated air is more than ordinarily nutritious to the plant; but it must be remem- bered that the renovating, purifying influence exerted by growing vegetation on the atmosphere, can only be done under the in- fluence of light, and ceases altogether in the night, or if the light of the sun be withdrawn. This is a general characteristic of all plants; for, with all their manifold diversities of form and appear- ance, they are all constructed on the same general plan, "and are living witnesses and illustrations of one and the same plan of crea- tive wisdom in the vegetable world." Plants work only under the influence of light. "There is conversion by the vegetable of foreign dead mineral matter into its own living substance, or, inor- ganic matter, capable of becoming living substance." To do this is the peculiar office of the plant, "and it is done by the plant by the action of its green parts only, and by them only under the in-
96
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
fluence of light of the sun. The sun in some way supplies a power which enables the living plant to originate these peculiar chemical combinations to organize matter into forms which alone are capable of being endued with life." The process is all the same, whether the plant is making a direct immediate growth or laying up material for future use. The principal ingredient laid up by plants is starch, in the form of minute grains in the cells of the plant. Some plants make these accumulations in the roots, as the parsnip and the carrot; some in shoots or underground growths. for instance, the potato, while the onion and lily deposit in the embryo leaves, and the cactus family generally in their fleshy leaves and stems with green coverings, and only under the influence of light.
ORIGIN OF HEAT.,
Heat is generated in various ways, by friction, combustion, oxydi- zation, concussion, etc .; but a combination of light with one or more of the constituents of the atmosphere is the grand source from which this indispensable combination is derived. An able scientist in Europe says, "If our entire system were pure coal, the combus- tion of the whole of it would furnish but one three thousand five hundredth part of the amount needed," consequently we see the utter impossibility of receiving the amount of heat necessary from the sun, as well as the impossibility of the sun furnishing us the adequate supply. As stated in another part of this essay, the snow on high mountains, even in the tropics, does not melt above a cer- tain line. The deep valleys become extremely hot, though receiv- ing less sunshine than the more elevated positions.
The valleys in Thibet, in Asia, endure a temperature of 150 deg. F. in the shade during the day, and as the sunlight is withdrawn the warm air rises up, and the cold, dense atmosphere from the mountains covered with snow, settles in its stead, the inhabitants, who were during the day almost in the condition of the Hebrew children, now find it necessary to retire to rest under thick cov- erings.
97
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Another proof that heat does not emanate from the sun is found in the experience of every green-house man and florist. The tem- perature is raised to a high degree under his glass, and there it seems to be imprisoned, being unable to return, although it appa- rently came in through that dense medium unobstructed. The facts of the case divest the subject of all mystery. These are, that the sunlight penetrates the glass, and the heat is formed beneath by a union of the light with some element or elements of the air, and instead of being a prisoner in confinement, it is simply an occupant of the place where it first had an existence in its present form. The eye in its complex and multifarious forms can only be the re- cipient of light, and cannot endure heat, hence it receives light only. The lenses of the telescope and the human eye bear a com- plete resemblance to each other in their figure, their position, and in their power over the rays of light, viz: in bringing each pencil of light to a point at the right distance from the lens, to-wit: in the eye at the exact place where the membrane is spread to receive it. Two things were wanted to the eye that were not to the telescope, at least to the same degree, and these were the adaptation of the organ to different degrees of light, and to the vast diversity of dis- tance at which objects are viewed with the naked eye, as from a few inches to many miles. These difficulties are not presented to the maker of the telescope. He wants all the light obtainable, and never directs his instrument to objects near at hand. In the eye both cases are provided for, and for the purpose of providing for it a subtle and appropriate mechanism is introduced to exclude the excess of light when it is excessive; and to render objects visible under obscurer degrees of it, the hole or aperture of the eye is so formed as to contract or dilate for the purpose of admitting a great- er or less number of rays at the same time. The chamber of the eye is a camera obscura which, when the light is small, can enlarge its opening, and when too strong can contract it without any other aid than its own machinery, which machinery is operated by the light itself and self-regulating.
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