USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Jacksonville > Historic Morgan and classic Jacksonville > Part 35
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The Phi Nu and Belles-Lettres Societies are an important feature of the college. They are sustained with great vigor and usefulness.
The reading room receives a large number of the best American and foreign weekly, monthly and quarterly publications, and furnishes an agreeable recreation from the routine of study.
To meet the demand for competent and trained teachers, as also, the necessities of young ladies whose circumstances will not allow them to complete the collegiate or English course, a normal course has been arranged, which includes such branches as will prepare them for teaching in the public schools of the State. Multitudes of stu- dents, who received their education in this institution, rank among the best educators in the country. Provision has been made for lectures and attendance at teachers' insti tutes, for the benefit of those in this department.
The Young Ladies' Athenaeum continued under the charge of Prof. Elmore Chase from Sept. 1880 until Dec. 1884, when its care was transferred to three lady teachers owing to the superintendent's financial inability to further continue the management. During the school year 1883-'84, a large brick addition was made to the building for an art studio, this department of the school, under the accomplished artist, Prof. A. T. VanLaer, being in a flourishing condition. The lady teachers having charge of it at present and since Prof. Chase's retirement, are Misses Merrill, Stickney and Fairbank.
The Illinois Conservatory of Music continued under the care of its founder from its opening in September, 1872, as already noted, until June, 1883, when Prof. Sanders had it incorporated with a board of directors, which board was duly organized by the election of Hon. Edward P. Kirby as president, and Rev. J. D. Easter, D. D. and Ph. D. as secretary, and Mr. B. F. Beesley as treasurer. The board elected Prof. Elmore Chase as superintendent, and Prof. J. S. Barlow as musical director. This management con- tinned for the one school year that is until June, 1884, when Prof. Chase retired. The Conservatory is now under the sole business management as well as musical direction of Prof. Barlow with Professors Nutting and Rivaz, Mrs. Annie Smith and Misses Stella Prince and Kate Sawyer as the faculty. Among the many graduates of the Con- servatory we might mention: Mrs. Marian Phillips Wimmerstedt, Mrs. Mary Berdan Tiffany, Mrs. Jennie Marsh Dunlap, Mrs. Annie Thompson Brown, Mrs. Ida Alexander Capps, Mrs. Virginia Rutledge Warren, Mrs. Virgie Gordon Vasey, Mrs. Kate Detrich Sterrett, Miss May Beesley, Miss Allie Thompson, Miss Mabelle Ewing, Miss Emma Meek, Miss Ellen Billings, Miss Carrie Whittlesey, Mrs. Fanny Rees Pierce, Mrs. Lil- lie Tipton Coffin, Mrs. Effie DonCarlos Thompson, Miss Annie Tarbell, Miss Kate Saw- yer, Miss Emma Rider, Miss Stella Prince, Miss Kate Rider, Mrs. Nellie Loar Pendle- ton, Mrs. Fanny McCoy Brown, Mrs. Constance Barlow Smith, Miss Jennie Nutting and Mrs. Hattie Nutting Burnham.
The coming to this country in 1846 of a band of Portuguese colonists has already been noticed in Chapter VII. They have increased quite rapidly, so that there are now about 5,000 in Morgan, Sangamon, Cass, Menard and adjoining counties. We are unable to ascertain the number of families in this county who were of the original col- ony. The number is, however, very small. Among them are the Vasconcellos, Vieria and DeFrates families. The number of families sprung from them is very large. Many have removed here from other points where they first located. The total Portuguese population in this immediate vicinity is almost 1,200. The first
215
THE PORTUGUESE -- ICE AND WIND STORMS.
ship load from Madeira comprised 200 souls and the second 500. From this mere hand- ful of exiles has grown the important and extensive element of our population which our Portuguese citizens comprise to-day.
They have a secret organization of a benevolent character which has a system of sick and death benefits, similar to those of most secret benevolent societies. 'It was or- ganized in Springfield as the Grande Sociedade Lusitania. This organization became the parent lodge of the order and established another lodge in Jacksonville, August 2d, 1880, which became known as the Grande Sociedade Philanthropica. The two lodges have held a celebration each year since those in 1881 and '83 being in Spring- field, in 1882 and '84 in Jacksonville. The order is made up of good, sound, reliable and industrious men-the very flower of the Portuguese manhood of the two commu- nities and is in a prosperous condition. Its membership is not large but its influence is great and its charitable acts are many. The order is very popular and its celebrations are always well attended and very successful. The imposing appearance made by their processions each year, as with music sounding and banners waving, the members of the order, clothed in suitable regalia, march steadily onward is noticeable. Two magnifi- cent banners are carried in the processions, one by each society.
The year 1883 was marked by two storms that will be long remembered. The ice storm of Feb. 5th and the tornado of May 18th.
On the 3d of February a storm of unusual severity was noted approaching from the northwest. It swept down the water shed of the Missouri river spreading from the mountains to the great lakes, increasing in intensity as ic came-blocking all the north- western railroads with snow, causing great delay of trains. The cold was intense. When the storm center had reached the region of Omaha, with its southern wing stretching far down toward the Gulf of Mexico, it made the usual curve to the east and northeast. The great whirl of winds being from right to left (against the hands of the watch) the warmer air from the region of the Gulf was drawn into the storm area, and great modification of the character of the storm resulted. Very soon after reaching this point on the 5th of the February, the snow, which prevailed in the regions west and north ceased, giving place to, first a kind of hard balled snow gradually changing to fine dry sleet and then to a mixture of sleet and rain which froze solid as fast as it fell. It froze fast to everything. Every tree became a mass of ice, every twig an iciele, Many fine trees were broken down by the mass of ice.
As the storm swept on eastward it continued to be modified by the whirl of the south winds until it become a driving rain which melted down the ten or twelve inches of snow which then covered the ground in Indiana, Ohio, and Western Pennsylvania, producing the greatest floods ever known in the Ohio river. The details of this terri- ble flood, however, are still fresh in the mind of the reader.
Ilere in Jacksonville and vicinity, the storm, though damaging trees, telephone and telegraph wires, was a thing of beauty. Every tree and shrub was brilliant with ice hanging in every conceivable form. No description can do justice to the seene. This continued for nearly a week before there was sufficient thaw or wind to make the ice drop from the trees. The telephone wires of the city were nearly all broken down by the weight of the ice and that means of communication almost entirely destroyed for the time. The telegraph was in but little better condition and the railroads were blocked by the ice on the track. We are told that an engineer on the O. & M. road found his engine blocked in Cass county. Gathering the train men to clear the rails in front of him, he found, after digging awhile, that the wheels were several feet to one side of the rails. His locomotive had actually been running on top of the crust of ice. This field of ice, however, was not of very great extent-it seems not to have been more than 100 miles across it in any direction. Jacksonville was very near its center.
In April, May and June of that year there were a number of lines of tornadoes de- veloped in different parts of the west. Two of these passed over this region.
On the 17th of May, a storm center passed down the eastern slope of the Rocky
216
GREASY PRAIRIE AND LITER TORNADOES.
Mountains and spread out into a long belt of low barometer extending from Yankton to the Gulf of Mexico. On the morning of the 18th the center of this long belt of low barometer changed its movement to the northeast passing to the north of an area of high barometer which lay over the Gulf and Middle States During the day this entire belt of low barometer passed around to the northeast and in this rapid movement a line of tornadoes was developed extending from Springfield, Missouri, almost to Chicago. Almost directly in this line then occurred no less than fifteen distinct tornadoes within a space of about five hours. Jacksonville lay directly in the line, and two of the tornado tracks passed near by. One about eight miles to the southeast, the other about five miles to the northwest. These are now known as the Greasy Prairie and the Literberry tornadoes, and will be long remembered by our citizens. They were each first-class specimens of the western tornado.
The Greasy Prairie tornado first touched the ground in Greene county, a few miles east of Roodhouse, in section 21, township 12 north, range 11 west, and swept in a great curve to the northeast, the concavity of the curve being to the northwest, and left the ground in section 21, township 14 north, range 9 west, in Morgan county, forming a path 19 miles in length through a region of country most of which was thickly settled. Al- though no village was struck, the destruction of property was very great, and how the people escaped with so little loss of life seems quite mysterious, when looking over the ruins of their dwellings. There were 41 dwellings destroyed or badly wrecked, and about the same number of barns and outhouses. Five persons were killed and fifteen seriously hurt. A considerable number of families found shelter in out door cellars, and we may say in passing, the out door cellar has proved to be a perfectly safe retreat. A number of families who were not provided with such cellars resorted to thickets of underbrush. All of these came out safely. In this tornado all injuries happened to those who remained indoors. In some places this tornado spread out about one mile wide ; in other parts it was much narrower but not often less than one-fourth of a mile. It was very irregular in outline and in its effects. It sometimes happened that a part of a house would be left standing while everything else about was torn to fragments for a quarter of a mile on either side, and occasionally there was a point of destruction that seemed to be to one side of the storm's track-out of its course This tornado, al- though much larger, and, on the whole, doing much more damage to property, seemed to lack the compactness, certainty of movement and terrific force of the Literberry tornado. The cloud accompanying it seems to have been continually changing its form, so much so that no two observers of it give the same description of what they saw. The time of the tornado was definitely fixed as it entered Greasy Prairie. Mr. A. S. Gunn had very carefully corrected his clock the same day at noon. The part of the house in which this clock sat was thrown out of plumb so that the clock stopped. This showed the time to be 6:15 p. m.
The Literberry tornado is especially memorable from the fact that it struck and almost totally destroyed the village of Literberry. It first touched the ground in sec- tion 36, township 16 north, range 11 west, in Morgan county, at about 8 o'clock p. m. Passed into Cass county about the center of the south line of section 31, township 17 north, range 9 west. It left Cass county and entered Menard county from section 33, town- ship 18 north, range 8 west, having pursued almost a straight course a distance of twenty miles and how much farther we do not know. In its course it struck and de- stroyed nine dwellings, one church and one schoolhouse outside of Literberry, thirteen dwellings, two churches, eight business houses, one depot, five freight cars and several large corncribs, besides barns and out houses in Literberry. A few other buildings were injured but not seriously.
This tornado was very compact and perfect in outline throughout its course. Its power was irresistible ; everything that lay in its path was literally made into kindling wood. To say houses were destroyed but partially expresses it. They were torn to splinters. Even the fence posts were generally torn out of the ground or broken down.
217
TORNADOES .-- RAINFALL .- WIND .-- WEATHER.
The large grain scales at Literberry were not simply destroyed, but the heavy irons were taken out of the pit and carried away or broken up. The cloud accompanying it was always definite in outline, a cone with its apex on the ground and base upward during most of its course. Different observers agree substantially in their descriptions of it.
In all, four tornadoes have been known to touch Morgan county in former years. Two of these, which passed to the south of this city, are well remembered. One May 29th, 1859, and one May 7th, 1880. Another passed close to the site of Literberry, (about three-quarters of a mile northwest) and passed through Little Indian creek tim- ber, in May 1845. It destroyed a log stable in Morgan county, the old Walnut Grove schoolhouse and the cabin of Mr. Beard in Cass county. Its path through the timber could be seen for many years. Perhaps some of our older citizens may remember it. The fourth tornado was near the same region. It seems to have been a small affair, at least we have been unable to learn anything very definite about it. This makes six torna- does in, say, sixty years, an average of one in ten years.
January and February, 1883, were very cold; giving our ice men abundant oppor- tunity to harvest a crop of fine ice. The sleighing was good almost continuously up to the 15th of February, at which time a great thaw set in causing floods which did much damage to bridges and the like. At the beginning of tlie thaw there was about one foot of snow and ice on the ground. The spring was wet and cold, interfering with early planting so that as a rule our farmers were much belated with their farm work. The temperature mild. There were very few days uncomfortably warm. There was enough rain interspersed to prevent the drying up of the streams. The fall season was unusually wet, delaying the ripening of the late corn; at the same time the first frosts came early, doing great injury. There was more injury done in this county by frost that year than before for thirty years. The winter up to December 15th, 1883, was unusually mild: there was not enough ice to afford skating, even for the small boys.
TEMPERA- TURE.
RAIN FALL INCHES.
Mean number of times in three daily obser- vations, the wind is found blowing from the
North. ..
Northeast.
East.
Southeast
South ..
Southwest.
West ......
Northwest
Calm. ....
Jannary
27.3
6-4
-50
1 46
3.19
07
12.5
6.3
1.5
10 5
24.5
10.5
12.5
12.5
1.0
February ..
32 1
64
- 4
2,81
5.85
39
8.5
4.7
S 0
8.5
9.0
S.0
14 4
8 2
7.0
17.5
1.5
May.
68.3
89
35
3.91
5.92
1.35
7 5|
June
72.9
94
47
4.95
8.70
9.5, 8.0 11.0
7 0
5.2
17.5
20.5
9.4
10.0
3 0
July
79.9 -01
59
2 87
6.77
9 3
9.0
6.3
4.0
9 5
24 5
7.2
7 0
16 0
1.3
October
:6.5
89
23
2.16
5 22
2.7
11.0
25 6
13.0
8.5
13.5
5.2
November
40.7
6
2.79
6.12
1.13
6.0
1.5
4 3
8 5
25 4
13.0
10 0
18.0
8.0
December.
27
-14
1.6
2.88
1.10
7.5
5.0
S.0
8.0
17.0
5 5
16 0
22 0
3 0
Annual.
53.5
55
49
34 2
37.8
30.4
131
85
SG
111
250
129
112
166
REDUCED TO DAYS
43
2S
28
37
S3
43
37
55
9
1.2
March
42.3
76
7
2,93
4.45
1 83
12 0 9.5
12.0
5.5
5.7
6.0
24.7
3.0
April.
52 2
82
20
3.35
4.79
1.99
13 5 6.4
9.6|14.0
10 0
30.6 21.5
15.5|
12.5
3,5!
1.5
August
76.2
97
52
3 19
4 57
1.80
12.5.11.5
12.3
23.0
10.3
6 6
5.5
4.3
September
64.2
91
35
2 14
3 21
84
10 % 11 5
7.2
29
2.47 1.52
8.5
6.5
9 0
16.0
9 5
13 0
16 2
Mean ....
Maximum
Minimuni ..
Mean ..
Maximum ..
Minimum ..
...
11.0
3.0
6.5
1.0
We present above a tabulated report of the weather in this region taken from five years' observations. These observations were not all made in Jacksonville, but were near enough to represent quite perfectly the weather here. In the temperature columns we give first the mean temperature for five years as computed from the daily observa tions. Second the maximum temperature as ascertained by the self registering ther- mometer. Third the minimum temperature as ascertained by the self registering thermometer. These last show the highest temperature observed in the month in any one of the five years and the lowest observed in any one month. In the next column we give the rainfall in the same way. In the succeeding columns we give the direction of the wind, or rather the number of times it was observed blowing from the eight
218
WIND .- REAL ESTATE .- PROPERTY VALUATION.
principal points of the compass, or points nearest these in three observations daily. A study of this will show the great variability of our winds contrasting strongly with points north and south as may be seen by the following statement of the same class of observations.
Direction of wind-North. Northeast. East. Southeast South. Southwest. We.t. Northwest Calm.
Jacksonville, Fla .. 5S 342 105 156
93
176
39
87
42
Marquette, Mich ... 106 69 59
9] 110 168 178 271
25
During the year 1882, real estate transactions in Morgan county were quite brisk. The entry book in the county recorder's office shows that 2,061 instruments were filed for record, with 1,994 during 1881, and 1,805 during 1880. Those best posted in real estate matters, think the prices of city property were at the top, during that year. In farm lands the prices and number of transfers were in 1882 about as in 1881. The fair crops, with high prices of the last two years, gave a boom to farm lands, and they now reached the top value for some time to come. Fancy farm lands sold from $75 to $95 an acre; while the general price for the best farms ran from $60 to $75. The barren and bottom lands brought from $30 to $45. We think this showing cannot be beat in any county in the state. In fact, Morgan county is the garden spot of Illinois. In the county there are 353,352 acres of farm land, which is worth an average of at least $40 an acre, or $13,634,080. The amount of loans placed on the farm land of the county is much smaller than for many previous years. Most of the loans are those made in taking up and reducing former ones. The good crops have done much in the last few years in reducing the farm indebtedness of the county. The best informed place the amount of money now loaned on Morgan county farm land at $1,000,000.
In the city of Jacksonville, outside of the city school property and the state institu- tions, there is estimated to be $580,000 worth of church, school and charitable property that is exempt from taxation.
As an item of interest we will state that the railroads passing through this county paid taxes here in 1881, as follows :
Chicago & Alton Railroad.
$ 7.289.84
Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad.
5,355.70
Jacksonville Southeastern Railroad 2,341.45
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. 2,159.50
Peoria, Pekin & Jacksonville Railroad.
1,120.10
Total $17,266.59
The assessment of personal and real property, in the county in 1882, furnishes many interesting facts. In Morgan county there are said to be 6,657 horses, worth $311,015, an average of $46.72 a head. Of cattle there are 16,017 head, worth only $306,885 or $19.16 each. There are 1,015 mules, worth $50,932 or $50.18 each. Of sheep 12,650 are given, worth $1.94 each, or $24,541. Hogs appear 24,360 in number, worth $75,028 or $3.08 each. Only 13 steam engines are given, worth $5,330, an average of $410 each. Fire and burglar proof safes only count up 37 in number, averaging $180.16 each. There are only 12 billiard or pigeon hole tables, averaging $70 each. Of carriages and wagons 2,515 are listed, worth $22.18 each. Of watches and clocks 930 are given, worth on an average $6.15 each. Sewing machines are given as 1,260, valued at only $10 each. Our people not loving music, only gave in 256 pianos, worth on an average of $115. 30. There are also 102 organs, averaging $51.06 each.
The total valuation of agricultural implements is placed at $35,360. No gold and silver-plated ware or diamonds and jewelry appear, and it is therefore safe to presume there are none in the county. No bonds and stocks appear, while the money on hand is placed at $659,916. As a matter of praise to the county, we state that no saloon or eating-house property appears. Household and office property is given at $121,760; grain at $39,650; stock in national banks at $100,000.
Of improved lands there are 293,140 acres, valued at $6,273,196, or $21.40 an acre. Of unimproved there are 60,212 acres, valued at $307,809, or an average of $5.11. Of improved city lots there are 3,570, averaging $599.32 each, and 1,920 unimproved lots valued at $56.58 each. The total value of all property assessed in the county is given
219
JOURNALISTIC .- K. OF H .- I. O. O. F. CHARITIES.
at $11,007,592. Of course the valuation is placed low, one-third its real value, and the assessor probably failed to get or the taxpayer to give all the personal property.
H. H. Palmer, city editor of the daily Journal, retired in the summer of 1881, to take editorial charge of the Roodhouse Journal. Judge Moses had been succeeded as political writer by Captain N. C. A. Rayhouser, formerly of the Lafayette, Indiana, Journal. This department was next conducted by Mr. Eames in person. In the city editor's place was soon found Mr. Richard Yates, whose nose for news and swift pencil took in the daily situation. He was succeeded by Mr. Carl Black, and Mr. Eames as general editor by Prof. II. A. Allen. In September, 1884, Messrs. Eames and Yates did the editorial writing, and in November, 1884, Mr. Yates resumed his law practice, and Mr. H. HI. Palmer became "ye local," again to be succeeded after a few weeks by Samuel W. Nichols.
March 1st, 1883, the tri-weekly Courier became a daily again and has so continued to date, with Messrs. George L. Doying and William H. Hinrichsen as editors and pro- prietors. The Courier under their management is vastly superior as a newspaper to any of its predecessors.
In 1881, two new secret orders were established in the city. During the meeting of the Grand Lodge of Knights of Honor, in this city, on the 3d of September, 1881, many of our citizens had their attention called to this order for the first time. The more they learned about it the better pleased with its system they became. To accommodate these a new lodge was instituted here on November 10, 1881, called Lyceum Lodge, No. 2,602. The credit of working up and founding this new lodge is due mainly to Mr. II. L. Clay, now deceased. Twenty-two citizens of prominence composed the charter mem- bers of this lodge. Prof. E. F. Bullard was chosen past dictator ; Dr. W. F. Short, dic- tator, and E. M. Kinman reporter. Later it was consolidated with Royal Lodge.
Athens Chapter, No. 52, Order of the Eastern Star, was organized in the Masonic Temple, Jacksonville, on May 24, 1881, by Brother J. M. Burch and Sister Lina N. Young, officers of the Grand Chapter of Illinois. As a charter members we find Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Bronson, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Worrell, Mr. and Mrs. N. Matheson, Mr. and Mrs. E. Keemer, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Starr, Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Mayor, Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Hocking, W. N. Ross and Hiram Ennis. This society occupies the same re- lation to Masonry that the Rebekah Lodges do to Odd Fellowship. This lodge has now 24 members, and its meetings are made exceedingly pleasant.
There are now in full membership in Ridgely Encampment, No. 9, I. O. O. F., 165 members. Up to this date 27 deaths have occurred among members. The fees for mem- bership are $10 for initiation, yearly dues $4.00 and $1.00 assessments on the death of each member. As benefits, the sum of $2.50 per week sick benefits are paid, and $1.00 per member to the personal representatives of a deceased member.
There have been 439 persons initiated as members of Urania, who are now classified as follows :
Active members .. 220
Dropped (for non-payment of dues) 149
Withdrawn
Died
20
Expe led.
4
Total. 439
The active membership can be classified, as regards rank, in the order as follows : Past Grands 28
Degree of Faith 10%
Degree of Brotherly Love 8
Degree of Friendship. 27
Initiatory
50
Total. 2:20
From 1857 to 1881, this lodge has expended for charitable purposes the following amounts, and who can estimate the good done and suffering prevented thereby ? Funeral benefits.
$ 4,160 €0
Sick benefits.
7,140 00
Widows relief.
2,293.49
Orphans relief 514.08
Total.
$14,107.45
220
PROPERTY VALUES IN MORGAN IN 1881.
The assets on hand July 1, 1881, were $5,583.94, a sufficient guarantee that all bene- fits will be paid.
In 1881 the J. S. E. R. R. was extended 24 miles, from Virden to Litchfield. The next year it was continued on to Smithboro, 82 miles from Jacksonville, and in 1883 Centralia 29 miles further, was reached, and new territory opened up and railroad con- nections made south and east.
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