USA > Illinois > Cumberland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 14
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 14
USA > Illinois > Jasper County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 14
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But with all this multiplication of roads it was found difficult to reach a profitable market by means of wagons. St. Louis was the principal market for produce in this section, and the National road was a great advantage to this county, but even by this way the cost
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
of transportation nearly consumed the value of the load. Along the larger waterways large flat boats were constructed, laden with grain and pork, and then floated to New Orleans. The Embarrass River was available for this purpose along its lower length, and under the supposition that it could be used in Jasper, Cumberland and Coles counties, the legislature passed an act, in 1847, author- izing these counties to levy a tax for clearing out the drift-wood and other obstructions from the channel and banks. This county did levy one tax, and in 1848 Wiley Ross was appointed to superintend this work. Debris was removed, overhanging trees cut away at considerable expense, but the river was never found available here. Two flat-boats started down from Coles County, only one of which got into the Wabash River. The numerous streams in the county added a serious difficulty to the carly travel, and gave no little trouble to the County Court, which was embarrassed by a very lim- ited treasury. The only important bridge in the county, until about 1860, was the bridge on the National road, built across the Embarrass by the government. This was built about 1832, and was a good specimen of workmanlike skill and patience. It served the public well, but the constant wear of travel and weather reduced it to a wreck in about thirty years. Warped out of shape and in a dan- gerous condition, it was still usel until its final destruction, about 1865.
The destruction of this old bridge seems to have worked up a new era in the history of the Embarrass River, particularly in the locality of Greenup, for it seems the river had not been discovered to be navigable for boats, especially from bank to bank, until then. This is an epoch in the history of the Embarrass well remem- bered by some of the old Boards of Supervisors, who were so persist- ently assailed for ferry-boat licenses and charters, and price lists, along in 1866-67. After the destruction of the old bridge, Reuben Mattox established a ferry in 1856, at the point where the Cumber- land road crosses the river. The charter of this ferry was granted by the County Board to Mr. Mattox, who run the boat until it passed into the hands of Abe Parker. This boat was first built with the intention of being kept up and sustained by the town of Greenup, but for some reason the enterprise failed and Mr. Mattox took it up. Mr. Parker was succeeded by Samuel Cisna, and he by Henson Bright. In June, 1865, Chas. Conzet, Jr. and Wm. E. Workman established a ferry at the point where the Charleston and Greenup road crosses the river. They run this boat for some time and
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assigned it to Sam Cisna and Chas. Allen. The boat afterwards passed into the hands of Cisna alone, and afterwards back to Work- man, who owned the boat when he died, in 1871. R. M. G. Cleghorn run the boat for some time after the death of Workman. It then passed into the hands of John Hallett, whose almost superhuman appeals to the Great Boatman, who ferries people across the river Jordan, could almost make the boat glide without any other exer- cise or propellant power. It then came back into the hands of Sam Cisna, who succeeded Hallet. During the time Workman ran it, a small saloon was attached to the boat, the result of which was to make the head swim as well as the body, making a kind of double ferry and adding to the financial part of the arrangement. Although this saloon was a small affair, its liquors spoke as loudly in their workings as though drank in one of the dashing saloons of London, or New York. During Workman's last term (under a twenty years charter), he constructed a " pontoon bridge," which rendered cross- ing more safe and convenient. But Workman has crossed the big ferry, and the pontoon bridge is gone.
The business of conducting a ferry, even at that date, had its discouragements. This route was considerably traveled, and while the Board had granted a very liberal list of charges, especially in the case of foreign travel, it did not prove highly remunerative. People did not seem to appreciate the private character of the enterprise, and it is said the irritated proprietor rushed before the Board, at one of its sessions, threw his hat upon the table before them, exclaim- ing, " Gentlemen, I want you to do something to compel people to pay, when they cross on the ferry ; for, by G-d ! I have to keep a hired hand to run the boat for me, while I stand on the bank with my coat off and sleeves rolled up, ready to flog them if they don't pay, d-d if I don't, and I am getting tired of it, and want you to do something to make them pay, without my having to flog it out of them." It is not recorded how the Board satisfied the irate ferry- man, but as a memorial of Workman, and of the skill of James Eaton in the use of a broad axe, the boat remained for years, serv- ing a temporary substitute for the old bridge. A ferry is still used, about two months in the year, on the road leading from Toledo to Greenup.
In 1862, the Board of Supervisors contracted for a bridge across the Embarrass River at Nees' Ford, where the section-line crosses the river due cast of the courthouse, and for the repair of the old bridge on the Cumberland road. The first was built at a cost of some
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
$650, paid by the county, and a subscription of $380 by those inter- ested. The repairs on the old bridge were carried forward very slowly, and the structure was carried away before it was finished. In this year, also, bridges were constructed over Muddy Creek, on the road from Toledo to Neoga, and over the Cottonwood Creek, on the road from Toledo to Greenup. These are unimportant struct- ures, and were built at a cost of about $300 each. Under the town- ship organization, the county central authority has but a limited con- trol of the subject of bridge building, and in this county, the unusual fact was presented, of the Board of Supervisors willing to construct, and the township backward in building. The Board had made sev- eral attempts to secure a durable bridge over the Embarrass on the National road, but no practical result had followed when, in Decem- ber, 1875, the following " whereas " was passed: " Whereas, the county of Cumberland is greatly deficient in bridges, and that a bridge is needed across the Embarrass River, at the National road crossing in Greenup; also, one across Muddy Creek, at the crossing west of Prairie City, in Sumpter Township; also one across Muddy Creek, at the National road crossing in Woodbury Township; and also, one across the Embarrass River, at the Ryan Ford, in Union Township; and, whereas, our county is out of debt and amply able to build good and durable bridges on easy terms; now, therefore, we, the said Board, would respectfully recommend to the Commissioners of Highways, that they take the necessary legal steps to build bridges at the respective places above mentioned; that we recommend the building of good iron bridges at the said crossings, and that they be placed on good iron abutments," etc. The Board further recom- mended that contracts be made with the MeKay & Nelson Iron Bridge Company, of Fort Wayne, Ind. This action on the part of the Board developed some activity among the township authorities, and contracts were let for three of these bridges, which were erected in the following year. The bridge at the Woodbury Ford was car- ried out by high water in 1882. The repair of this bridge, including the cost of raising the grade, it is estimated will cost upwards of $4,000, and is now under consideration. The bridge at Ryan's Ford was contracted for in August, 1883, for $6,700. The three bridges con- structed in 1876, cost about $20,000, of which fell to the county some- thing over $17,000. There was some difficulty in settlement with the contractors, and the Board finally compromised on $16,087.95 as its share.
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
RAILROADS.
Illinois Central Railroad .- With the application of steam to locomotion a new era dawned, and all systems of internal improvement founded upon wagon-ways, or in constant streams, were revolutionized. With the building of the railroads the great advantage of the National road was lost, and the public clamored for this new power that was to revolutionize the age. Situated, as it is, remote from navigable streams, and from large centers of trade, Cumberland County for years seriously felt the need of railroad facilities, and as one part after another of the State felt the invigorating influence of this new agent of civil- ization, it receded by contrast until what was a leading, enterprising section, became an isolated, non-progressive community. In 1855, the Illinois Central Railroad crossed the northwestern corner. The projection of this great enterprise is a part of the history of the State. Constituting a part of the State internal improvement sys- tem of 1837, it was abandoned in the general collapse of the project after some work on the line had actually been done. A part of the line was subsequently revived by legislation, but the enterprise lacked vitality, until congress in 1850 granted to the State a tract of some three millions of acres, through the central part of the State, in aid of its construction. This act granted the right of way for the rail- road through the public lands, of the width of 200 feet, from the southern terminus of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, to a point at or near the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and for branches from the main line to Galena and Chicago. Privilege to take from them earth, stone and timber for its construction, was also granted, but the main grant consisted of alternate sections of land, designated by even numbers, for six sections deep on each side of its main line and branches. Land sold or pre-empted within this twelve- mile area, might be made good by selections of even sections of pub- lie land anywhere within fifteen miles of the line of road. The lands in this space were immediately taken out of the market, and when placed on the market two years later, the price of public lands was advanced to $2.50 per acre. The complete plan of the projectors of this bill in congress, was the continuance of this line of railroad direct to Mobile. In 1852 the road was begun and carried through without any great delay. The line through Cumberland was built in 1855, and a station made, called Neoga, which has given its name to the village and township. The effect of this road upon the devel- opment of the county was marked principally in the quickening of immigration to this point. A large proportion of the lands in
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
Cumberland County belonged to the general government in 1850. Some lands within the railroad grant had been purchased by settlers, and lands in lieu of these were selected by the railroad fully fifteen miles from its line in this county. By the time the railroad was actually built, there was scarcely a piece of public land in the county. The railroad lands were unsold until some years later.
Saint Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad .- The location of the "Central" road made it of little advantage to the general business of the county. It developed a thriving village about its depot in this county, but its long distance from the main business points rendered the desire for another railroad none the less keen. The region of the State between lines running east and west through Terre Haute and Vincennes, found its best market at Saint Louis and the East. For these markets the Central furnished no facilities for trans- portation, but on the contrary its friends were bitterly hostile to the construction of any road from either of the points mentioned to Saint Louis. The agitation for the building of the Ohio and Mississippi began in 1849, and it was not until 1851 that the legislature reluc- tantly granted it a charter. The Atlantic & Mississippi Railroad was projected at the same time. This proposed to reach Saint Louis via Vandalia, from Terre Haute, and was popularly known as the " Brough road. " This line was considered to be in direct conflict with the interests of Alton, which then posed as a rival of Saint Louis, and in ruinous competition with the Terre Haute & Alton Road, which was then being built. Col. John Brough, a leading public citizen of Indiana, was at the head of the enterprise. Refused a charter in 1851, he proceeded to organize a company under the gen- eral law of 1849, but after some $500,000 was subscribed it was found impracticable to proceed under that law, and in 1853 applica- tion was again made for a charter and promptly denied. The deter- mination of Col. Brough had brought out the full force of the oppo- sition, and every attempt to charter, by individual links, a line from Terre Haute to Saint Louis was met with defeat. The survey of this line of road passed through Cumberland County considerably north of the National road. and in 1854 the people voted to take $30,000 of stock. The Brough road, however, was relinquished. and a new organization took up the project. On November 25, 1853, the lead- ing men of Cumberland. Clark. Crawford, Jasper and other counties to be traversed by the proposed road. met at Salem. A vigorous address was adopted. and a committee of twenty men appointed to present it to the Governor. An extra session of the legislature was
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
called. and the " Mississippi & Atlantic" road was chartered. Its construction was greatly delayed. One line after another was run, and it was freely charged in many quarters that the engineers were advertising, by their actions, for bids to influence their final location of the line. In 1866. the people of Cumberland County voted to take $50,000 in stock of this company, upon the condition that the company should " locate, construct and equip a railroad" through the county in an east and west direction, and not south " of the line surveyed and adopted by the Mississippi & Atlantic Railroad Com- pany." A proposition was made in 1868, by the company, that the county should vote $100,000 in aid of the enterprise, provided that the road should be built within one and a half miles of Prairie City, otherwise to pay only $50,000. This seemed to be an effort to evade the conditions upon which the former subscription had been made, and when submitted to the people was defeated by an overwhelming majority. The road was finally constructed upon a line south of the one stipulated in the conditions upon which the subscription was based. and the county has not paid, nor in fact issued any bonds to this company.
This road, in 1869, secured an amendment to the original charter giving the company the usual privileges, immunities and benefits for branch lines from the main track to Marshall, Prairie City, and one or two other points in the State. Some agitation was set on foot to secure a branch to the county-seat. The aggregate cost of the proposed branch was placed at $9,000, and on April 5, 1873, a meeting of the citizens interested in the project was held, but the branch never made much progress in a practical way, and the other railroad projects drove it out of the public mind.
Peoria, Decatur & Eransville Railroad .- The brilliant success of the " Central " gave rise to a general desire among certain capi- talists to try this sort of speculation, and, in 1855, a road was pro- jected from Mattoon to Grayville, on the Wabash River. A charter was finally secured February 6, 1857, but up to 1876 nothing had been accomplished in the way of grading. A part of the original plan was to find an outlet through Indiana, and the Mount Vernon & Grayville Railroad Company was the name of the Indiana division To the construction of this road the terminal county had voted a large subscription, which was subsequently diverted to the building of a new courthouse. The first spike had been driven on this division in the early part of 1871, and some five miles of the road graded and laid with rail, but the treacherous action of the people at the terminal
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point discouraged further work in that direction. In March, 1872, the two companies were consolidated under the name of the Chicago & Illinois Southern Railroad Company, and about the same time, this new organization was consolidated with the Decatur, Sullivan & Mat- toon Company, which had been formed under a charter granted in 1871. With all this activity in the transfer of franchises, and the utter absence of any apparent progress in the work, the people began to believe that the bonds voted at various points would be squan- dered and no railroad secured. In response to some of these com- plaints, the contractors of the time wrote to an influential friend of the enterprise, at Olney, Ill., as follows:
J. W. BECK, EsQ., Olney, III. NEW YORK, July 24, 1871.
DEAR SIR :- In answer to your favor of the 21st inst., asking information in reference to the construction of the Chicago & Illinois Southern Railroad, we would state that since we undertook the con- tract to build that road, our efforts have been applied to the work in Posey County, Ind .. in order to save the charter of the Mount Vernon & Grayville Railroad Company, now consolidated with, and formning a part of the C. & I. S. Railroad, and also to the work on the Deca- tur, Sullivan & Mattoon Railroad, from Mattoon north to Decatur and Springfield, in order to save some valuable subscriptions neces- sary to build that road, which, when completed, will be consolidated with and form a part of the C. & I. S. R. R., and give it two impor- tant outlets, one to Decatur, another to Springfield.
For the certainty of success in all great enterprises, it is best until everything is put upon a sure footing, to make haste slowly- and we do not doubt but our friends along the middle of the line of the C. & I. S. Railroad begin to think our progress very slow indeed. But they must be patient, and in good time they will see the road running through their country to their satisfaction. They must realize that to build a railroad, other and sometimes more labo- rious work has to be done besides shoveling dirt, building bridges and laying track. The work of negotiating the securities, getting the iron, fastenings, and rolling stock has to be done, and to that end all our energies, time and ability are now directed, with excellent pros- pects, we are happy to say, of early success. When this shall have been accomplished, your good people shall have no cause to complain of longer delay. We shall commence work from Mattoon south to Prairie City, and from Olney both north and south. We expect to have the D., S. & M. road finished to Decatur-40 miles-by the 1st
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of October. It is now nearly completed to Sullivan-13 miles-with iron laid, and the iron has been purchased for the whole road and is now being rapidly delivered.
Your people should understand that it is as important to them to have the D., S. & M. road built, as any portion of the C. & I. S. road, it being really a part of the latter road, extending it to Decatur and Springfield, where it will connect with other roads extending west and to the north. We are now in treaty with those connecting roads, so as to make the C. & I. S. Railroad a grand trunk line, connecting Chicago and the Northwest with the South by an almost air line.
Our engineers are now surveying the road from Mattoon to Prairie City, and as soon as it is finished we shall put it under con- tract for early completion.
At Olney we shall commence the work as soon as we have the line definitely located by Col. Andrews, the Chief Engineer of the road. At Mount Vernon we have five miles of iron laid and about five more graded. We propose to contract the balance of the work out to the Wabash River, and are now in treaty with a responsible contractor to do the work and finish it in a rapid manner.
We have purchased four locomotives. Two we have now in use. one at Mattoon and one at Mount Vernon, and two ready for work upon the road as soon as needed. Indeed, everything on the whole line is progressing as well as we could expect, considering the diffi- culties we have had to encounter, and if we are slow in reaching your place, we are none the less sure -- and surety is what is most desirable in the success of any enterprise.
We have kept this enterprise intact through one of the most disastrous financial storms abroad we have ever known-occasioned by the French and German war, and which swept many other more promising railroad enterprises out of sight. From the effects of that storm, confidence in railway securities is just recovering, and we hope now to place the success of this undertaking on a permanent foundation.
As for the MeCabe claims we would add-we have assumed their payment and they will be paid. In a short time one of our firm will visit your city and arrange the matter satisfactorily to all parties concerned.
Very truly yours, J. EDWIN CONANT.
Notwithstanding this brave talk, the word of promise was spoken to the ear only to be broken to the heart. The consolidation was effected as noted above; one set of contractors after another failed
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
and the people of Cumberland County began to despair, and, in August, 1874, the Democrat, at Prairie City, declared that "several contractors have been awarded the contract to build the road, only to hold it as a matter of speculation, and allow it to expire by limi- tation. Such has been the history of the road until it was virtually killed, or thought to be killed, and buried under the act of the direct- ors consolidating the road with the Mattoon & Decatur road under the incorporate name of the Chicago & Illinois Southern Railroad Company. This act, so far as it was capable of doing so, assisted by the Cleveland Iron Company, gave the enterprise its quietus, and its enemies confidently congratulated themselves that this time, for a certainty, the road slept quietly, in the Tomb of Capulets, that sleep that knows no waking, and at once commenced administering upon its effects."
At this juncture, Messrs. McIntires & Chapin, of Mattoon, began proceedings to have the consolidation set aside or dissolved. A suit was brought in the Jasper County Court, and was finally adjudicated by the United States Court for the Southern District of Illinois, on May 5, 1876, which entered a decree dissolving the com- bination. Work was at once pushed upon the middle sections, and thirty of the ninety-three miles proposed were graded.
Cumberland County took by far the greater interest in this road than any other that has touched its limits. All others but touch the outer edges of its territory, and are really a detriment to the growth of the business here; drawing trade out of the county business houses elsewhere. The Board of Supervisors took stock to the amount of $250 for the purpose of making preliminary surveys in 1857. In 1866, a proposition to vote a subscription of $50,000 to the stock of the company was submitted to the people, and affirmed by the elec- tion of July 28, of that year. The condition of this subscription to the " Grayville & Mattoon Railroad Company " was, "that said company shall locate, construct and equip a railroad through said county, running on a line as nearly as practicable from Mattoon, in Coles County, to Prairie City, in Cumberland County, and thence to Grayville, in White County." For this subscription, on this condi- tion, there was a majority of 384 votes, and in September, 1866, the Board ordered " that as soon as either or both of said roads (Van- dalia and P., D. & E.,) shall in all things comply with their part of the obligations or contracts accepted by said Board at the May special term, 1866, then by these presents, the Clerk of this Board is hereby authorized to issue said bonds in strict compliance with the
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contract entered into by said Board with the railroads aforesaid, as is entered of record in this office." The county, through its represent- ative, assented to all the consolidations, but stoutly resisted the sug- gestion that the bonds should be deposited in Terre Haute, in trust with some person, to be turned over to the railroad authorities when the contract was satisfied. There was, however, a difference in judg- ment upon the subject among the members of the Board, and it is due to the stout resistance of H. B. Russell that the county did not commit this fallacy. In February, 1877, the Clerk was instructed to issue the bonds, but, inasmuch as they needed the signature of the President of the Board, who was at this time H. B. Russell, the whole matter was delayed by his refusal to sign them. He was finally deposed from his position, but the dilemma was only increased. There were just eight men, and they were evenly divided upon the subject; the candidate for the vacancy, too modest to vote for himself, was easily defeated by the deposed faction. Day after day the fight raged, until the Board gave up the struggle, restored Mr. Russell, and left the bonds unsigned. In July, the Board unam- mously reseinded the order directing the issue of the bonds.
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