USA > Illinois > Edwards County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 11
USA > Illinois > Wabash County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 11
USA > Illinois > Lawrence County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 11
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6, 1841
14 Abel P. Upshur ..... ... Sept. 13, 1841
15 David Henshaw .. July 24, 1843
15, 1844
17 John Y. Mason .. .. Mar. 14, 1844
18 Geo ge Bancroft ........ .. Mar. 10, 1845
John Y. Mason .... Sept. 19 William B. Preston ...... Mnr.
8,1849
20 William A. Graham ...... July 22, 1850 21 John P. Kenne ly ......... July . 22, 1852
22 James C. Dobbin ... .. Mar.
7,1853
23 Isaac Toncey ...... ..... ... Mar.
G, 1857
24 Gideon Wellas ........ „.Mar.
... Mar.
6,1861
=
4, 1865
... April 15, 1865 6, 1869
25 Adolph E. Borie .... ........ Mar.
= 44.April 15, 1865
7 James Harlan .May
.Jan. 13, 1813
.Mar.
4, 1813
8, 1817
5, 1821
7, 1825
15 John H. Eaton ... .Mar.
9,1820 1, 1831
64
38 Beni. Harris Brewster. Den
.. Mar.
4, 1873
34 Edward Pierrepont ...... April 26, 1875 35 Alphonso Taft May 22,1876
4, 1797 37 Wayne MacVeagh ..... .. Mar. 4 1881
1, 1843
22, 1850
7, 1833
6, 1857 Dec. 20, 1860
4 1873 12 John M. Berrien .. Mar 13 Roger B. Taney. .July
Mar. 4. 1833
15, 1833
9, 1846 6 Levi Lincoln ..... ... Mar.
.. Mar.
Mar.
4, 1865
19 Horatio King.
20 Montgomery Blair .. Mar.
36 Alexander Ramsey ... . Dec.
37 Robert T. Liacoin ..... Mar.
15, 1862 4, 1865
5, 1821
6 John Quincy Adams .... Mar. 4, 1825 4, 1829
9 Wm. Henry Harii-on .... Mar. 4, 1841
6, 1841
17 John C. Calhoun .. Mar. 6, 1814
.. Mnr.
.Jan,
27, 1796
13,1800 3, 1801 5,1801
25, 1838
16 John C. Spencer .. April
17 George M. Bibb
19 Wm. M. Meredith. July 23, 1850
16 Thomas W. Gi mer ..... Feb.
10,1814
11 William J. Duane .. ... .May 29, 1833
4,1815 5, 1849
... Mar. 17, 1814
... .. April
.. Dec.
18 John Bell. 44 April
SPEAKERS' OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Name.
State.
Congress. Term of Service.
Born
Died.
F. A. Muhlenberg
Peonsylvania
Ist Congress.
April 1, 1789, to March 4, 1791.
1750
1801 1809
F. A. Muhlenberg.
Pennsylvania
3d Coogresa.
December 2, 1793, to March 4, 1795.
.....
Jonathan Dayton
New Jersey.
4th Congress,
December 7, 1796, to March 4, 1797.
1760
1828
Theodore Sedgwick
Massachusetts ..
6th Congress
December 2, 1799, to March 4, 1801.
1746
1813
Nathaniel Macon 44
F
64
8th Congress.
October 17, 1803, to March 4, 1805
......
...
44
44 44
9th Congress
December 2. 1805, to March 4, 1807 ..
.....
......
Joseph B. Varnum ..
Massachusetts ..
10th Congress
October 26, 1807, to March 4, 1809
1750
1821
Henry Clay
Kentucky. 44
12th Congress
November 4, 1811, to March 4, 1813
13th Congress
Langdon Cheves.
South Carolina, 2d Seasion ..
13th Congress
January 19, 1814, to March 4, 1815.
1776
...... 1857
Henry Clay.
Kentucky ...
11th Congress
December 4, 1815, to March 4, 1815.
15th Congress.
December 1, 1817, to March 4, 1819
......
John W. Taylor.
New York, 2d Session. Virginia
17th Congres
December 4, 1821, to March 4, 1823.
1783
1841
Henry Clay.
Kentucky.
18th Congress
19th Congress
December 5, 1825, to March 4, 1827 ..
...
Andrew Stevenaon.
Virginia
20th Congress
December 3, 1827, to March 4, 1829
1784
1857
44
=
23d Congress
June 2, 1834, to March 4, 1835 ...
1797 1795
1869 1849
Robert M. T. Huoter
Virginia.
26th Congress
John Wuite ...
Kentucky
27th Congress
May 31, 1841, to March 4, 1843 ..
1805
1815
John W. Jones.
Virginia .....
28th Congress
December 4, 1843, to March 4. 1845
1805
1848
John W. Davis ..
Indiana.
29th Congress.
December 1, 1845, to March 4, 1847
1799
1850
Robert C. Winthrop.
Massachusetts
30th Congress
December 6, 1847, to March 4, 1849.
1809
Howell Cohb
Georgia ..
31-t Congress
December 22, 1849, to March 4, 1851.
1&15
1808 1859
Linn Boyd.
Kentucky.
32d Congress.
December 1, 1851, to March 4, 1853 ..
1800
...
Nathaniel P. Banks
Massachusetts
34th Congress
February 2 1856, to March 4, 1857
1822
1873
Wm. Pennington
New Jersey
36th Congress
July 4, 1861, to March 4, 1863 ..
1823
......
Schuyler Colfax =
Indiana.
38th Congress
December 7, 1863, to March 4, 1865.
1823
......
James G. Blaine.
16
Maine. 44
42d ,Congresa.
March 4, 1871, to March 4, 1873 ...
...
......
44
43d Congresa
December 1, 1873, to March 4, 1875
1827
1876
Samuel J. Randall
Pennaylvania, 2d Session ...
44th Congress
December 4, 1876, to March 4, 1877
1828
.....
46
45th Congress
October 15, 1877, to March 4, 1879 ..
...
44
46th Congress.
March 18, 1879, to ....
....
......
POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES AT EACH CENSUS, FROM 1790 TO 1880, FROM THE OFFICIAL CENSUS.
States and Territories.
1700.
1800.
1810.
1820.
1830.
1840.
1850.
1860.
1870.
1880.
Per cent, increase '70 to '80.
The States.
3929214 3929214
5308483 5294390
7239881 7215858
9633822 9600783
12866020 12820868
17069453 17019641
23191876 23067262
31443321 31183741
38558371 38115641
50152866 49369595
30.06 29.52
Alabama ..
Arkansas.
California
379994
560247
864686
54.34
Colorado.
34277
$9864
194649
388.28
Connecticut
237946 59096
251002 64273
261942 72674
275148 72749
309978 78085
370792 91532
460147 112216
537454 125015 187748
622683 146654 267351
17.30
Florida
140424
1184109
1539048
29.97
Indiana.
5611
24520
147178
343031
685866 43112
192214
674913
1194020
86.06
Kansns
107206
361399
995966
178.14
Kentucky
73677
220955
564135
637917 215739
779828
982405
115568
155684
1648708
24.80
Louisiana
90540
151719
228705
298269
399455
501793
583169
828279
626915
8.15
Maryland.
319798
341548
380546
447040
470019
583034
G87049
780894
934632
19.68
Massachusetts.
1231056
1457351
1783012
22.34
Michigan.
749113
1184059
1636331 780806
77 57
Missouri.
25.99
Nebraska
5867
42491
46.53
New Jersey.
194139 .
211149
215542
277426
320823
672035
1130892
24.80
New York
341020
579051
959049
1372111
1918608
284574 373306 2428921 753419
317976 489555 3097304 869039 1980329 13294 2311788
3880735 992622 2339511 52465 2906215
4382759 1071361 266526 90923 3521951
6083810 1400047 3198239 174767
19.99
Oregon .......
434373
602365
810001
1047507
1348233
1724033
Rhode Island ..
68825
69122
76931
83015
97199
147545
174620
217353
27.22
South Carolina
249073
345591
415115
502741
581185
594398
703708
705606 1258520
995622 1542463
22.56
Vermont.
85425
154465 880200
217895 974600
235966
280652 1211405
1239797
1421661
1596318
1226163
1512806 618443
39.91
Wisconsin ..
305391
775881
1054670
1315480
24.72
The States.
3929214
5924390
7215858
9600783
12820868
23067262
31183744
38115641
49369595
29.52
Arizona.
Dakota.
District of Columbia.
14091
24023
33039
39834
43;12
51687
75080
131700 14999 20595
39157
90.12
New Mexico.
61547
93516
01874
118430
≥8.90
Utah
11380
40273
86786
143906
65.81
Washington
213.58
Wyoming.
9118
20788
127.98
The Territories
14003
24023
33039
39834
43712
124614
259577
442730
783271
Total Population.
3929/14
5308483
7239881
9633822
12866020
17069453
23191876
31443321
38568371
50152866
30.06
Increase per cent.
per cent.1 percent.
per cent.
per cent.
per cent.
per cent.
per cent
per cent.
......
2d Congress
December 5, 1831, to March 4, 1833.
......
John Bell
Tenneseee, 2d Session. 4
23d Congres
24th Congre88
25th Congress.
September 5, 1837. to March 4, 1839.
1800
....
James L. Orr ........
South Carolina.
35th Congress
December 7, 1857, to March 4, 1×59
1796
1862
Galusha A. Grow
Pennsylvania 37th C. ngress
39th Congress
December 4, 1865, to March 4, 1867
March 4, 1867, to March 4, 1869
....
......
March 4, 1869, to March 4, 1871.
1830
....
Michael C. Kerr
Indiana
14th Congress,
55162
157445
476183
1711951 1350428
2539891 1680637
3078769 1978362 1624620
17.76
Jowa.
82548
162686
252433
340985
297675 76748 34730 516823
54477
87445
Georgia
1057286
Illinois.
21.29
Maine
378787
422845
472010 4762
407350 523159 8765
010408 31639
212267
397654
38.19
Minnesota
172023
Mississippi
791305
439708 827922 1721295 122993
1331592 2168804 452433 62265 346984
267.83
New Hampshire.
141885
183858
214460
244022
260328
326073
318300 906096
15.99
North Carolina Ohio
393751
478103
555500
6388 9 581295
737987 937903
1519467
829210
1109801 C04215
818579
1592574 332286
.52
Virginia
23.42
West Virginia.
35691
10560%
261727
422771
681904
291918
314120
315098
330551
747610
8850
40352
75448
136621
375651
606526 6820-14
20845
66557
140155
383702
771623 209897 92597
964201 435450
996992 484471
1262794 802564
26.66
127901 14255
309527 30388
590746 97574
352411
517762
708002
726015
940103 648945
36.67
1182012 28841
45365
230760
92.21
Pennsylvania
428-786 276528
40 95
Tennessea .......
868507 1002717
Texas
212592
4837
14181
40441 135180 177638 32611
34.88
Idaho.
117.42
Montana.
11594
23055
75120
Increase
Increase
Increase Increase
Increase| Increase
Increase Increase
Jonathan Trumbull
Connecticut.
2d Congress ..
October 24, 1791, to March 4, 1793.
1740
5th Congress
May 15, 1797, to March 3, 1799 ...
...
North Carolina.
ith Congress
December 7, 1801, to March 4, 1803.
1757
1837
11th Congress
May 22, 1809, to March 4, 1811.
.... 1717
1852
May 24, 1813, lo January 19, 1814.
November 15, 1820, to March 4, 1821
1784
... .. 1854
Philip P. Barbour
December 1, 1823, to March 4, 1825.
......
John W. Taylor
New York
16th Congress
December 6, 1819, to May 15, 1820.
16th Congress
December 7, 1829, to March 4, 1831.
2Ist Congress
December 2, 1833, to June 2, 1834 ..
James K. Pol «
December 7, 1835, to March 4, 1837
December 5, 1853, to March 4, 1-55
1816
.. ...
40th Congress 41st Congress
December 8, 1875, to August 20, 1876
737699
994514
15.85
Delaware.
42.39
69139 3
90G185 851470 988416
406511 76556
152923
30945
17019641
9658
318.73
853.24
Nevada ..
9.01
30.67
21.60
108830
6077
The United States ...
33d Congresa.
December 16, 1838, to March 4, 1841
......
4
64
76.91
1065116
442014
94.55
12282
29.32
65.65
February 1, 1860, to March 4, 1861 ..
......
46
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
CHAPTER III.
GEOGRAPHY, AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES RAILROAD FACILITIES.
AND
EDWARDS COUNTY.
HE county of Edwards was erected in 1814, and was the sixth county formed in what is now the State of Illinois. At its organi- zation it embraced nearly all the eastern portion of the territory of Illinois, and a part of the territories of Wisconsin and Michigan, its northern boundary extending to Upper Canada. It is now one of the smallest counties in the State, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Richland, east by Wabash, south by White and west by Wayne county. It is about twenty-one miles from north to south, and is eleven miles in width, and contains 141,280 acres of land, about five-eighths of which is under cultivation.
Population .- The population of the county is com- posed mainly of people of English descent, and according to the census of 1880, numbered as follows :
PRECINCTA.
Albion,
. 3,301
West Salem,
1,857
Shelby, . .
. 1,521
French Creek and Dixon,
. 1,926
8,605
Albion, the capital of the county, is situated a little south of the centre, on the Louisville, Evansville, and St. Louis railway, and about four miles west of the line of the Peoria, Decatur, and Evansville road. It is nicely located on high rolling ground, and the surrounding country is among the best in southern Illinois. At this writing, it contains a population of about one thousand inhabitants.
Topography .- The surface of the uplands is quite rolling, but there are some limited areas of rather flat timbered lands above the level of the creek bottoms, forming what is known as terrace lands. Originally the main surface was covered with heavy timber, but interspersed here and there with prairie patches, ranging in area from one section to four or five square miles in surface. The largest of these is the Boltinghouse Prairie, situated a little south and west from Albion. A peculi- arity of some of these prairies is, that the soil is cold and somewhat unproductive. The principal kind of timber on the uplands is the white oak, but when once cleared from the land the black oak takes its place. On the low grounds, near the streams, may be found in large abundance the water-oak, sweet gum, ash, soft maple, and other varieties. There is but one point in the county where the surface rises to anything like high bluffs, and this is on the Little Wabash in Shelby pre- - cinct. Here the banks are quite steep and rise to the height of about sixty feet. This is underlaid with sand-
stone, as may be seen from the outcroppings along the banks. Between two seams of sandstone shale low vein of coal appears, and in an early day was taken out in small quantities by the blacksmiths for their forges at Albion.
Soil and Agriculture .- The soil on the rolling upland is a chocolate-colored clay loam, well charged with humus from decomposed vegetable matter, and is very productive, being specially adapted to the culture of the best quality of wheat, of oats, and the grasses. The bottom lands along Bonpas creek are heavily timbered, but when cleared and brought into cultivation are very productive, and constitute the best corn lands in the southern part of the State. At this time wheat is the staple product of the county. In an early day, corn stood at the head of the list in acreage. A little later, pork became the leading product, and furnished the greater revenue to the farming community. It should be noticed here that horticulture is among the leading industries. Both the soil and climate are admirably adapted to the culture of all kinds of fruit.
Hydrography -On account of most of the surface being more or less undulating, the natural drainage of the county is necessarily good. The main water course is the Bonpas, extending along the entire eastern boundary. In au early day, it formed a means of transit for many of the products of Edwards and Wabash counties. Flat boats have been floated down this creek from as far north. as west Salem; and in about 1840, as many as twenty boats, within a year, have passed through the Bonpas, and thence down the Wabash and other rivers to the southern markets. The other streams of lesser note are the little Wabash in the northwest, Big creek in the southwest, French creek in the south, and Bear creek in Shelby precinct. The latter discharges its waters into the little Wabash. Sugar creek, and the head waters of Fox river are also important factors of the drainage system in the northwest part of the county. One point that the farmers of Edwards have .. not fully realized the value of, is that of surface drain- age by tiling. Experience has taught those who have tried it, that it matters not how much nature may have done in the way of draining the soil, if one would reap the greatest benefits from the farm, he must have it well underlayed with tile, which has the effect of keeping the surface porous, warm, and alive. There is but little if any land in the county not susceptible of improvement, and fine farms and farm buildings are seen on every hand, forming a picture pleasant to bebold.
LAWRENCE COUNTY
was organized in 1821, and was originally a part of Edwards. It embraces an area of upwards of 280 square miles, or 183,526 acres. The following is taken from the assessor's report for 1882. Acres of wheat, 40,413 ; corn, 36,046 ; oats, 5,903 ; meadow, 10,596; other prod- ucts, 2,443. Acres inclosed in pasture, 24,076; in or-
47
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
chard, 2,516; of woodland, 61,533, showing a total of 183,526 acres.
The county is bounded on the north by Crawford county, on the east.by the Wabash river, south by Wabash county, and west by Richland county. It lies nearly equidistant from St Louis and Indianapolis, the distance being about one hundred and twenty-five miles, and forms one of the eastern tier of the counties.
The Population is composed of various nationalities, and according to the census of 1880, was numbered 13,633. The county is divided into nine townships, viz., Christy, Lawrence, Allison, Denison, Lukin, Bridgeport, Petty, Bond, and Russell.
Lawrenceville, the county seat, is situated on or near the west shore of the Embarras river, and is centrally located. . The Wabash, St. Louis, and Pacific railway extends through its territory from north to south, and the Ohio and Mississippi road passes about three-fourths of a mile south of town.
Land Surface .- The greater portion of the county was originally covered with heavy timber, though there are a few small prairies in the south and northwest. The surface is generally rolling, but in no part is it sufficiently broken to be unfit for cultivation. The ele- vation above the water courses, is nowhere very great; on the uplands its altitude will range from fifty to one hundred feet. The most elevated lands are the Perkin's hills, situated in the north part of Christy's township.
Drainage and Climate .- The principal water courses, besides the Wabash, are the Embarras river, traversing the northeast with its affluents, Brushy Fork aud Indian creek, which drain the north and central portion, and Raccoon creek and the eastern fork of the Bonpas, which drain the south. East of Lawrenceville, and situated between the Embarras and Wabash rivers, there is an extensive marsh from to two to four miles in width, and about ten miles in length, called Purgatory swamp. On the east and north of this low belt, there is quite an area of bottom prairie; the northern or upper portion is known as Allison's prairie, and the lower por- tion as Russellville prairie. The climate is healthful and pleasant, being a happy medium between the extremes of heat and cold, and thus well adapted to the culture of fruits and the various kinds of cereals.
Soil and Timber .- The Wabash and Embarras rivers are skirted with broad alluvial bottoms and level table lands, ranging from two to four miles in extent. Some portions of the latter are quite sandy, and conști- tute the terrace prairies between the Wabash and Pur- gatory swamp. During the seasons of high water, this portion of the county is more or less inundated ; the cultivation of the land is thus impeded, and the farms are therefore of less value in the market. The uplands are generally rolling, and in a state of nature, were heavily timbered, though at this time much of the land has been brought under a good state of cultivation. 'The principal products are; wheat, barley, corn, oats, and the grasses.
Perennial Springs and artificial mounds are found in different parts of the county. At the foot of the Perkin's hills there are several of these springs, that furnish an abundance of excellent water. J. C. Foster, who resides in section 27, Petty township, utilizes them by convey- ing the water through pipes to his house and farm, situ- ated one-half mile away. One of these springs forms quite a branch, and when united with the wa er that flows from the surrounding springs, the discharge is borne away into Paul's creek. At what was known sev- eral years ago as the " clay-banks," east of the Embarras, in Lawrence township, there are also numerous springs, besides several Indian mounds, relics of a pre-historic race ; by excavating, it is found that the earth forming these mounds is of an entirely different composition to that of the land surrounding them, proving beyoud question that the mound-builders once inhabited this region.
WABASH COUNTY.
Was created in 1824, having formed a part of the great territory of Edwards county, and received its name from the river washing its eastern boundary. In area, number of population, and products, it closely re- sembles the present county of Edwards, being bounded as follows: on the north by Lawrence and Richland counties ; on the east and south by the Wabash river ; and west by Edwards county, Bon pas creek forming the boundary line between the two counties. It has an area of upwards of 140,000 acres of land, about half of which is under cultivation. The general outline of the county is in the form of a V; its greatest length from north to south is twenty-two miles, and from east to west, sixteen miles. It embraces two full, and thirteen fractional parts of congressional townships, and is divided for political purposes into seven voting precincts, known as Wabash, Friendsville, Lancaster, Lick Prairie, Bellmont, Mt. Carmel, and Coffee.
Population .- According to the census of 1880, the population of the county numbered 9,908, composed of persons of English, German, Irish, French, and African descent; the English element largely predominating. Mt. Carmel, the county seat, situated on the Wabash river, is the largest town, having a population of 2,040 in 1880. Bellmont, next in size, numbered 350; Allen- dale, 290.
Topography .- The surface of the country is somewhat varied, and for general description may be readily divi- ded into the uplands and the bottoms ; the former con- stitute about two-thirds of the area. By looking on the map of Wabash county, it will be seen that the territory is nearly included or surrounded by two considerable water courses, the Wabash river and Bonpas creek ; each of these streams are embraced by a large body of bottom land, including nearly one-third the area of the county. These uplands are more or less undulating, while there are small areas of rather flat timbered land above the level of the river bottoms, forming a second bottom or terrace land. At Mt. Carmel there are quite prominent
48
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
bluffs, the city being situated about one hundred and forty feet above the level of the river.
Hydrography .- The county is well supplied with water courses, the whole eastern and southern boundaries being washed by the Wabash, and the entire western portion drained by Bonpas creek and its tributaries. Raccoon creek empties into the Wabash from the northeast, and the Little Bonpas discharges its waters into the Bonpas from the northwest. Besides the foregoing, there are several smaller branches, the principal of which are: Coffee, Greathouse, Crawfish, and Jordan creeks.
Soil and Agriculture .- In the vicinity of the Wabash bluffs the clayey soil peculiar to the uplands is modified by the sandy marls of the Loess upon which it rests; yet these soils are quick and productive, yielding large crops of all the cereals cultivated in this climate. The soil of the uplands is of a chocolate-colored clay loam, similar in all respects to the upland soil of Edwards county, and it is upon this land that the best quality of wheat is produced. In a state of nature it was but meagerly covered with timber, and was therefore not considered valuable, but by good cultivation it has been found to be, for certain agricultural purposes, the best land in the county. The bottom lands along the Wabash and Bonpas are tracts of heavy timber, the land being a deep alluvial soil, with sandy subsoil; when cleared and placed under good cultivation, it is the most productive land in the county, yielding most bountiful crops of maize, oats, and gras:es.
Transportation Facilities .- The first means employed for transportation of the surplus products of this part of the country were rafts and rudely-constructed flat-boats, on the Wabash, along the eastern boundary of the then Edwards county. The first steamboat that navigated the Wabash as far north as Mt. Carmel was the " Commerce," in about 1819. It came from Cincinnati, and was comman- ded by Jacob Strader ; its farthest passage north w s to Terre Haute. Only now and then did steamers navigate the Wabash, until 1832, when steam-boating on the river was conducted with much regularity. Prior to this, one boat during the year was about the extent of steam navigation. From 1832 until 1856 the river traffic was quite active, but as soon as the railroads commenced op- erations, the business fell off, the railroads having almost the entire monopoly as common carriers.
Railroads .- Railroading is comparatively a new in- dustry ; many centuries have added their contributions to science, yet during only about fifty years have rail- roads been known. Scientists of all ages have grappled with the various problems of government and political economy, social life, and questions of demand and supply, and left the records of their labors for our instruction ; the accumulated wisdom of centuries furnishes much material from whence we can draw such knowledge, but railroads are institutions of tu-day-this is the "Iron Age," wherein distance is virtually wiped out and "push" has become the watch-word of the nineteenth century.
The first railway constructed in the Mississippi valley
was in 1837, and was known as the Illinois and St. Louis railroad; it was built by Governor Reynolds, Vital Jarrot and a few others, and extended from the Missis- sippi bluffs on the east, at the old town of Pittsburg, to East St. Louis-a distance of about six miles, It was constructed with a wooden rail, and the cars were moved by horse-power. It was only used for conveying coal from the mines at Pittsburg to the St. Louis markets.
In 1837, under the popularly so-called Internal Im- provement scheme of Illinois, grading was commenced from Mt. Carmel, in Wabash county, westward, 'simul- taneously with like work from Alton, eastward, along the proposed line of the Illinois Southern cross road, which recognized Alton and Mt. Carmel as its termini, by Messrs. Bonhamn, Shannon, and Goforth, who had the contract from Mt. Carmel to Albion. They subse- quently associated with themselves in this work. John Brisenden, Sr. They employed in all nearly four hundred hands. West from Albion, and in the limits of Edwards county, like work was done under a contract let to Messrs. Hall and Kiuner.
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