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 9
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Inasmuch as this organ has to operate under so many different circumstances, with strong and weak degrees of light upon their objects near and remote, and these differences demanded, according to the laws by which the transmission of light is regulated, a corres- ponding diversity of structure through which the light passes, that they be larger or less, the lenses rounder or flatter, or that their
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distances from the tablet on which the picture is delineated should be shortened or lengthened. This being the case, and the difficulty to which the eye was adapted, we find its several parts capable of the most sudden changes, and mechanical and artificial apparatus provided to produce these changes. These changes are made, this complex machinery is operated on by the action of light itself, which is another of its wonderful properties and adaptations of means to ends. When light enters the eye it falls on a dark back- ground, and hence does not generate heat, as though reflected from a light surface in the air. The tropical sun shining on the dark colored races of the tropics is another illustration of the same thing. The negro will endure more heat than the light colored races, though physically less robust than the average inhabitant of the temperate zone. The eyes of birds possess the powers and pro- perties described in the human eye to a more marked degree, as their necessities require it to be so.
The eyes of fishes compared with terrestrial animals exhibit dis- tinctions of structure adapted to their state and element. The iris in the eyes of fishes do not admit of contraction or expansion. This is a great difference, and the reason is probably that the diminished light in the water is never too strong for the retina. Some inter- esting differences, also, in the eyes of the different varieties of fishes might be interesting, but enough has been said to illustrate this part of the subject.
CONCLUSION.
One of the difficulties with which the popular scientist has to contend with, is, that presenting his subject in such a form as to come home to his readers in its true relations, not liable to be mis- understood, and to avoid painting one side of the picture too forci- bly, and not losing the harmony of the whole. We would here remind the reader that much as science can do, it cannot explain everything; that although we may demonstrate that the body is built up by the solar rays, there are mysteries connected with life, animal and vegetable, towards the explanation of which science offers no clue whatever. It cannot explain the nature of that silent power that bids the mighty oak spring from an acorn, or builds from the simplest single cell the multiform differences of animal life. Could it do this it would give us truer views of nature's infinitude and man's littleness, expressed by Newton when
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he said: "To myself I seem to be as a child playing by the sea shore, while the great ocean of truth lies unexplored before me." On the agreement of science and revelation the asserted divinity of Christ itself is on trial. If the religion which he established falls short of universal acceptance; if it encounters civilization superior to it; if practical demonstrations of scientific facts that are incon- trovertible, be against it, then the prententions of its author are brought to naught.
" We will not here inquire if there be anything inherent in the system, or in its past history, prophetic of universal dominion," but so digress as to inquire if there are disagreements between science and revelation. The system of truth revealed to us in the book of nature and the book of revelation, both emanating from the same Great Author, cannot conflict and both be true, hence disagree- ment is rendered an impossibility. Empires like China and Japan, embracing more than one-third of the population of the globe, re- sist alike the advancement of science and christianity. Idolatry and stolid ignorance alike resist the march of truth. Millions of men are idolators, other millions followers of Mohammed, and still millions more the worshippers of Bramah and Budah; but a single christian nation outweighs them all. "Let there be light," was spoken by the Creator before the dawn of creation's morn, and science has continued to re-echo that grand acclaim to the teeming millions who people this vast globe. The lights of science are burning brightly on the broad domain of our own favored land, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Alaska to Panama; in the isles' of the ocean, and in the darkest regions of Paganism, doors have been opened to our science, our commerce and our lan- guage. About the time the reformation dawned on the darkness of Europe, the polarity of the compass was discovered, and spread the light with the expanding commerce of the nations. Then came the printing press, "every pull of which casts rays of light athwart the gloom," and the world is learning the sciences that speak just what the bible speaks. No fact recorded by the sacred historians has been so favorite a subject of cavil as the Mosaic ac- count of creation, before quoted. The objectors fail to remember that Moses described these things optically and not physically. Mod- ern science proves that the phenomena of the heavenly bodies are not at all contradictory to the Mosaic history. Modern opposers of revelation have objected that Moses talks of light before there was
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a sun, and calls the moon a great light, when every one knows it to be an opaque body. But Moses seems to have known what modern science did not until very lately discover, and therefore does not call either sun or moon a great light, but luminaries or light-bearers. Will the objectors look into their Greek, Hebrew or Latin bibles, and their faith will be increased in reference to Moses' attainments in science. Though the moon is not a light itself, yet is that planet a light in its effects, as it reflects the light of the sun to us.
But the sun and the moon are with propriety called great, not as being absolutely greater than all other stars or planets, but because they appear greater to us, and are of greater consequence and use in the world. And now, after all the philosophy and improve- ments in astronomy, we still speak of the light of the moon, and the rising and setting of the sun. The man who in a moral, theo- logical or historical discourse should use any other language, would only render himself ridiculous. Hence we say that Moses' descrip- tion of creation in Genesis is not in conflict with science in its best discoveries, but confirms it; that he speaks optically and not physi- cally; and that we place implicit and impartially in detail, the ut- most reliance on the Mosaic record as a proof of our position on the origin of light, the generation of heat, cause of evaporation and its effect, the philosophy of vegetable life and plant growth, and the consequent assimilation of force in the animal kingdom.
Anciently the sciences were locked up in the hands of the priest- hood, and unknown to the masses, and hence not reduced to the practical wants of life.
To do so was spoken of as degrading science. Not so in mod- ern times; the masses are educated, and in advance of the priest- hood in all the literary, scientific and mechanical progress of the age. And I believe that to-day the heaviest drawbacks, the most ponderous dead weights that militate against the progress and ad- vancement of the light that blazes in all its effulgence with more than meridian splendor from the midday sky of the nineteenth century, is to be found in the bigotry and lack of education and of general intelligence of the priesthood. We do not assert this in the spirit of faultfinding opposition, but with regret that such a state of affairs should exist in our country; and the world hopes and expects their speedy removal, by a wider diffusion of the truths of science and the bible.
HISTORY OF MASON CITY.
2
To a resident of the slow moving, staid and close calculating Eastern States it is not easy to comprehend the springing into a healthful existence in the brief space of a few years, of an active, thriving, energetic business town of over two thousand inhabit- ants, with its tall church spires, its noble school building, its exten- sive and substantial business blocks, its banks, its printing offices, grain elevators and commodious warehouses, its long lines of rail- roads, the best in the State, in fact, all the elements and facilities of a first class business town, where but a few brief years ago the writer hereof has crossed those prairies on horseback, and fre- quently a house of the pioneer was not in sight, and when nearing the place where Mason City now stands, with her tall spires point- ing high and glistening in the sunshine, we have ridden four to six miles without seeing a human habitation. Yet, such has been the history of this pleasant city. Its past is not only thus pleasant to retrospect, but it needs no prophet's ken, to truthfully say that "it doth not yet appear what it shall be," in even the near future.
About twenty-four years ago, what is now the site of Mason City, was government land, and was entered in 1849 by James Maloney, who afterwards conveyed it to George Straut. Mr. Straut conveyed portions of the tract to various parties, who subsequently re-conveyed to him, and in the autumn of 1857 he employed E. Z. Hunt to survey the original plat of the
TOWN OF MASON CITY.
This plat was filed in the Recorder's office by Mr. Straut, Septem- ber 29, 1857. It includes a tract three-fourths of a mile long and one-half a mile wide-240 acres. It is bounded by Walnut, Jef- ferson, Division and Keefer streets. It consists of 37 full blocks (each 320 feet square), and 22 fractional blocks, which are divided
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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
into 623 full lots and 7S fractional lots. The streets are So feet wide, except Keefer street, which is 60 feet wide. Block 30 was reserved for public buildings, and block 36 for a park.
STRAWN'S ADDITION
Was surveyed by J. C. Warnock, and the plat was filed by Henry T. Strawn, the proprietor, August S, 1866. It consists of 6 blocks (each 320 feet square), of 14 lots each-S4 lots in all.
ELLIOTT'S ADDITION
Was surveyed by J. C. Warnock, and the plat was filed Sept. 25, 1866, by Collin J. Elliot, the proprietor. It is divided into 24 lots, the average size of each being about equal to the quarter of an ordinary block.
ROSEBROUGH'S ADDITION
Was surveyed by Bentley Buxton, and the plat was filed Oct. IS, 1867, by B. A. Rosebrough, the proprietor. This is the smallest of all the additions. It contains about S acres, and is laid out after the style of Elliott's Addition. It contains six full and seven frac- tional lots. Morgan and Main streets run south through this addi- tion, and Prairie street (50 feet wide) runs east and west through its center.
NORTHEAST ADDITION
Was surveyed by Bentley Buxton, in Sept., 1867. The plat was filed 'February 29, 1868, by William G. Green, Richard Yates and John Mathers, the proprietors. This addition embraces So acres. It contains twenty-eight blocks, which are divided into two hundred and eighty lots.
WEST ADDITION.
Was surveyed by J. R. Falkner. The plat was filed September 29, 1868, by George Straut, the proprictor. There are fifteen blocks, and two hundred and six lots. This completes the list of additions.
From an examination of the figures given above, I find that the whole number of lots in this city, as shown by the recorded plats, is 1,30S. The sub-division of business lots would of course
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increase this number. Within our corporate limits there are now about 480 acres laid out in lots, very few of which remain unim- proved.
And now, having disposed of these, perhaps, somewhat uninter- esting details concerning the several recorded plats, I desire to turn the attention of the reader back to the condition of this locality eighteen or twenty years ago. In an interesting editorial, entitled "Mason City Then and Now," from the pen of Mr. Warnock, which appeared in the Independent, December 22, 1871, I find the following :
"Fifteen years ago the present site of Mason City was, in autumn, a waving, and, apparently boundless, sea of blue stem prairie grass, so high that, in many places, a man on horseback could not be seen one hundred yards distant. Wolves had their dens in the ridge where High street now runs, and night was made hideous by their howls. Deer, in great herds, might be started up at any time, but their course could only be known by the parting of the tall grass. Every fall the whole face of the country was swept over by fire, the flames of which would reach high up towards the heavens, then swoop down, reaching a hundred feet ahead, and taking into their grasp the tinder-like material. None but those who have seen our prairie fires of fifteen or twenty years ago can comprehend their magnificent grandeur.
"About a year before Mason City was laid out, a man with a team was so nearly overtaken by a prairie fire, a couple of miles west of this place, that he was compelled to cut his team loose from the wagon, jump upon one of the horses, and 'lay whip' for his life. He succeeded in finding the irons of his wagon after- wards. But such scenes, in this country, are now numbered among the things that were. The tall prairie grass has been made to give way to wheat, corn and oats. The once broad expanse of open prairie is now divided into fields in cultivation. Land that was then for sale at $1.25 per acre, is now worth from $50 to $100. In the summer of 1856, in July, the engineers of the Tonica and Petersburg Railroad ran a random line about a mile west of this place, crossing Salt creek near the then little and now defunct vil- lane of Hiawatha, vulgarly called Slabtown. A short time after, another line was run further east, which forever blasted the hopes of Hiawatha as a railroad town.
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"On this second line a town was laid out about a mile and a half west of this place, by Wm. Young, on a forty acre tract, which he bought of John Y. Lane, for that purpose."
But Mr. Young's hopes were blasted, too, for a third line was afterwards run, which is the present line of what is commonly known as the Jacksonville Branch of the Chicago and Alton Railroad.
I remember that this road was completed to the south line of our corporation on the Fourth of July, 1867, and on that day the first train made its appearance, bearing about two hundred excursionists from Petersburg and other points along the route. That was a happy day in this community. The locomotive was the most wel- come new-comer we had ever seen. Scores of staring, wondering children gathered about the strange visitor. Our women were never more amiable and pleasing. Our business men smiled con- tentedly, held their heads higher, and walked with a firmer step; and that evening, when they retired to their homes, many of them who had never been known to possess any musical talent, astonished their families greatly by singing with exceeding gusto, "Ain't we glad to get out of the wilderness," or "We'll have no trouble any more!" That day was the beginning of the season of our city's greatest prosperity.
Late in the fall of '57 David Dare put up a blacksmith shop on the northeast corner of Chestnut and Menard streets. This was the first building erected in the original plat. It was torn down several years ago. The next building erected still stands upon its original site on the third lot north of Chestnut street, on the west side of Main street, and is now owned by Mrs. E. Bell. Mr. Straut gave this lot to William Hibberd, upon condition that the latter would erect a hotel thereon. Mr. Hibberd employed Henry How- ell, a builder, and a few Petersburg mechanics, and on the first day of December, 1857, the erection of the "Hibberd House " was commenced, and on the twenty-first day of the same month Mr. H. and his family moved into it, although it was unpainted and un- plastered till about the first of the succeeding month. The fram- ing timbers were hewn out in one of the nearest groves, and the lumber was hauled from Pekin. In the same month of December Henry Keefer put up a two-story frame building on the west side of Tonica street, where it still remains, just north of the lumber yard office of J. A. Clegg & Co. Soon after Mr. Hibberd com-
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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
menced building his hotel he caused a notice to be circulated, after the fashion of those days, that a " Grand Dedication Ball," as he called it, would be given at Mason City on Christmas night. Christ- mas came, and so did the ball. Mr. Hibberd says that fully three hun- dred guests were assembled. There were saints and sinners, old men and matrons, young men and maidens. They came from Peoria, Pekin, Havana, Delavan, Lincoln, Petersburg, and " all the region round about." The ball was held in both stories of the Keefer building, which had not yet been plastered. There was a " string band " in each room. About one hundred and fifty en- gaged in the dance, and about an equal number were mere specta- tors. The dancing commeneed about seven o'clock, P. M., and was continued, with but brief intermission, till daylight. No one re- tired at the Hibberd House that night. All night long the cooks and waiters were busy catering to the appetites of those who had come to the ball. For once, at least, "consumption" assumed an epidemic form. Says Mr. H .: " I had laid in a large supply of 'provender,' but those people ate me out so completely that I had to go to Delavan-the nearest town-the next day (Saturday) and buy provisions for Sunday."
In January, 1858, A. A. Cargill and W. L. Woodward opened a store of general merchandise, in the lower story of the Keefer building, and soon afterwards the first public school was commenced, in the second story of the same building, with Miss Rhoda Allen, (now Mrs. Loring Hastings) for teacher. In this school-room the first religious meetings were held.
Rev. Mr. Holdsclaw, a Baptist, who resided down on Crane Creek, was the first regularly employed minister. This room was used by all denominations, however, until the erection of a large two-story frame building by Joseph Elliott, in the fall and winter of '58, on the northwest corner of Tonica and Chestnut streets. Early in the spring of '59 the Presbyterians organized a church in the second story of Elliott's building, and employed Rev. John Andrews for pastor. The public school had been removed to this room, however, before the organization of this church. Cortes Hume purchased the Elliott building before it was completed. After its completion he opened a store in the lower story. This building now stands on the northwest corner of Tonica and Elm streets, having been removed from its old site by the present owner,
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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
G. M. LaForge, in order to make room for his commodious Opera House and mercantile rooms.
The third store was opened by A. & S. D. Swing, in the latter part of the winter of '5S and '59, in a large frame building, which still stands upon its former site, a short distance east of the C. & A. R. R., between Elm and Arch streets. R. A. Hurt came next in the mercantile line, then Hurt & Porter. But I have neither time nor space to make special mention of other merchants.
In those early days merchants necessarily had to deal in a little of everything. The stock in trade of nearly every house consisted of dry goods, groceries, hardware, farm machinery, boots and shoes, hats and caps, paints and oils, clothing, millinery (?), patent medicines, etc., etc., and in exchange for merchandise they received money, live stock, cord wood, furs, hides, poultry, butter, eggs, fruit, grain, and all manner of produce. .
A. A. Cargill was the first postmaster. He was commissioned in the spring of '58, and remained in office about eighteen months. For two or three years great difficulty was experienced in getting the mail. For about a year the mail for this point was sent to Petersburg, and the people in this vicinity employed Edgar Hunt, by private subscription, to carry mail to and from Petersburg, once a week, but in times of freshets the people had to wait from two to four weeks for mail matter. In order to avoid high water, ar- rangements were afterwards made for getting the mail at Delavan instead of Petersburg. Israel Hibberd was appointed postmaster in the fall of '59, and held his office till June, '61, when A. A. Car- gill was again appointed, and he retained the office till August, IS66, when he was succeeded by E. J. Mell. Mr. Mell was suc- ceeded by J. H. Cleveland, Mr. Cleveland by Sallie C. Sullivan, Miss Sullivan by Louise Hoyt, the present postmistress.
Mr. Cargill tells me that during his first administration a com- mon cigar box was amply sufficient to hold a week's mail. About ten years ago, I think, the government established mail routes through here from Delavan to Petersburg, and from Lincoln to Havana. This change in the manner of receiving and forwarding the mail was, of course, highly appreciated.
During the first two or three years of its existence, Mason City grew rapidly, but during the succeeding five years very few new buildings were erected. Soon after the close of the war the work of improvement was resumed, but not until '67 did the period of
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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Mason City's greatest prosperity begin, and that period still con- tinues.
Near the close of the session of the Legislature, held in the winter of 1868-69, an act was passed incorporating Mason City under a special city charter. It is certain that the passage of that act was not secured in a very honorable manner. A large majority of our citizens preferred to retain the old town organization, and were unaware of the fact that a charter had been applied for un- til after the announcement of its passage. But it soon became ap- parent that acquiescence in the new order of things was unavoida- ble. This charter divided the city into four wards, as follows: First ward lay west of Main street and north of Chestnut; the second, west of Main street and south of Chestnut; the third, east of Main street and south of Chestnut; and the fourth, east of Main street and north of Chestnut.
The first charter election was held, I think, on the first Tuesday in April, 1869. That election and the preceding campaign were very exciting, and hotly contested.
The license question was the issue in the selection of the Mayor and Aldermen-politics being ignored. Inasmuch as a full vote was polled at that election, it may not be uninteresting to insert the result of the
ELECTION IN IS69.
Mayor.
Votes. Majorities.
T. J. Watkins, anti-license 165. .61
George Young, license 104.
ALDERMEN.
Votes. Majorities.
Ist Ward-I. N. Ellsberry, anti-license .. ... 40.
H. T. Strawn, license .. .IO. 3ยบ
2d Ward-Jesse Montgomery, anti-license. 48. 29
Wm. Pollock, license. 19
3d Ward-S. D. Swing, anti-license 60. No opposition
4th Ward-J. A. W. Davis, anti-license .. . 59. 36
66 D. M. Childs, license. .23.
Thomas Lamoreux was elected City Judge, S. N. Hornbuckle, Marshal, and Wm. Warnock, Jr., Collector. The council elect
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JI1STORY OF MASON COUNTY.
appointed G. W. Ellsberry City Clerk, S. N. Hornbuckle, Asses- sor, and J. A. Walker, Treasurer.
ELECTION APRIL 4, 1870,
resulted as follows: H. T. Strawn, Mayor; Wellington House- worth, Marshal; D. M. Childs, Collector. The Alderman from the first ward was D. E. LeSourd; from the second, J. A. Phelps; from the third, John Prichet; from the fourth, George Young. R. C. Dement was appointed City Clerk, and R. W. Porter was appointed Treasurer.
In consequence of the resignations of Judge Lamoreux and Marshal Houseworth, a special election was held in December, IS70, which resulted in the choice of J. S. Shuck, for City Judge, and George Tippey, for Marshal.
ELECTION APRIL 5, 1871.
Luther Naylor was elected Mayor; M. C. Vanloon, Marshal; and F. N. Smith, Collector. The Alderman from the first ward was H. M. Anderson; from the second, Geo. A. Withers; from the third, N. Travis; from the fourth, J. S. Gates. J. F. Culp was appointed City Clerk, and John Lazelle, Treasurer.
In consequence of the resignation of Judge Shuck, and the fail- ure of F. N. Smith to qualify, a special election was held August 1, 1871, resulting in the election of J. H. Wandle for City Judge, and Jeremiah Riggins, for Collector.
ELECTION APRIL 1, 1872.
Luther Naylor was elected Mayor; A. S. Jackson, Marshal; S. S. Martin, Collector; Joseph Statler, City Judge. H. M. An- derson was elected Alderman from the first ward; Andrew Mc- Elheney, from the second; N. Travis, from the third; J. S. Gates, from the fourth. J. F. Culp was appointed City Clerk, and John Lazelle, Treasurer.
July 3, 1872, a petition, signed by fifty legal voters of the city, was presented to the City Council, asking that an election be called to vote for or against the adoption of "An act to provide for the incorporation of cities and villages." Approved April 10, 1872. In force July 1, 1872. The prayer of this petition was granted. An election was held August 5, 1872, which resulted in the adop-
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