Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County, Part 134

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950

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the date of her discharge by the Superinten- dent.

The Home was first opened November 17, 1893, in rented quarters at 3,111 Indiana Avenue, Chicago. Subsequently, and largely at the instance of Mrs. Julia Plato Harvey, fifty- one acres of land lying on the north half of Sections 10 and 11, just southeast of the city of Geneva, were purchased for $7,000 and, later forty acres additional were purchased at a cost of $4,000. Three buildings costing $127,850 have been erected thereon, designated as the Administration Building, and the "Wallace" and the "Harvey Cottages." Two additional cottages are now in course of construction. A fine school building, a heat and power house, and a suitable barn have been provided. The residence buildings are beautiful and very sub- stantial structures of rock-faced and pressed brick, with cut-stone trimmings, carefully pro- tected against fire and, of course, fully equipped with every appliance for comfort, security and convenience. They front toward the west and command a magnificent view of the wooded play-ground and park, sloping quite sharply down to the river, the fine city with its stately county buildings and elegant homes, and the many fertile, highly cultivated and improved farms, stretching away to the western horizon. It is a lofty, commanding situation.

The grounds about the buildings are neatly cultivated in gardens, flower-beds and lawns, and are kept in complete order by the girls under the supervision of a woman gardener. Within, the scrupulous neatness and quiet comfort of a refined private home seems to prevail. The entire absence of walls, guards and barred doors, and of apparent forced re- straint or confinement the inmates astonishes the visitor. Alternating each mid- day, one-half the girls are at school and the other half at work throughout the buildings and grounds, under firm, yet kind and com- petent instructors, acquiring by practice the varied habits and information essential to good womanhood. Save in the uniformity of neat dress, there is no visible indication among these bright girls of their being in public custody; and everything, from kitchen to parlor, is sweet, clean and tasteful enough to suit the most fastidious housekeeper. There are now 226 girls in the Home and 100 on parole in private families. It certainly must require the most firm and vigilant discipline to

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so excellently control this large number of wayward young girls. Those in the Home are arranged in separate families, as nearly as practicable, of about twenty-seven each, thus giving the matrons and housekeepers far better opportunities to discover and cultivate the in- dividual necessities of each girl.

All the officers and assistants are women ex- cept the engineer and fireman, the farmer and his hired man. Mrs. Ophelia L. Amigh is the Superintendent and, in the Home and at Geneva, she is held in the very highest esteem. The deepest actuating sentiment of this lady and her excellent assistants is indicated in their expressed gratitude to the last Legislature for eliminating the term, "juvenile female of- fenders," and substituting the more kindly name, "State Training School for Girls." For, as they remove every garment from each girl upon her entrance and clothe her in new, clean and neat apparel, so at once they seek to re- move every stain, habit and memory of her former life, and to awaken better aspirations and higher ideals, and to kindly place, guide and strengthen her in the way of a future life of intelligent usefulness, purity and happiness. Surely, in the list of beneficial institutions, there is not one more worthy the active en- couragement and support of all the people, than the "State Training School for Girls."

ST. CHARLES BOYS' HOME.

Continuing the enlightened policy of saving the young from conditions tending toward law- lessness and criminality, the people and the State Legislature are providing a similar Home for Dependent and Delinquent Boys at St. Charles. Philanthropic and patriotic citizens of that city, and more largely of Chi- cago, having voluntarily raised a fund of over $100,000, purchased 901 acres of the finest farm lands in the county, which they have presented to the State as a site for the Home. These lands, lying in the three southwest sections of St. Charles, the southeast section of Campton and southwest section of Geneva, are un- surpassed for fertility and beauty of location. In May, 1901, the Legislature appropriated $25,000 for building purposes, $5,000 for books, tools and apparatus, and $5,000 for main- tenance of inmates. In May, 1903, a further appropriation of $300,000 was made for build- ing purposes and equipment, and $25,000 for ordinary expenses for the year ending June 30,

1904, with a like amount for 1904-5, The act states that the intent is to give all delinquent boys "a good common school education, and the learning and practice of such trades and employments, including agriculture and horti- culture, as shall fit them for the ordinary em- ployments of life." Delinquent boys who may be committed to the Home are defined as any boy under sixteen years of age who violates any law of this State, or any city or village or- dinance; and none can be committed beyond their majority. The act provides that not more than forty boys shall be housed in one building, together with the manager, or teacher, and family. Two of the six cottages that are now (1903) being constructed, are so near com- pletion that workmen are putting in the heat- ing apparatus, and the other four will soon be under roof.

The cottages that have been furnished show what kind of quarters the boys will have at this institution. Each building is about 60x100 feet, two stories and basement high. On the right of the hall are the quarters of the house-father, and house-mother; consisting of office, sitting room, and one chamber, bath and toilet room. On the left of the hall is a large sitting room for the boys and immediately in the rear, in what is known as the extension, is a large living room, and at the extreme end of the ex- tension are the pantry, kitchen and sinks. The rooms overhead are finished in mill con- struction work, the material being Georgia pine; the walls are of adamant plaster and the casings of red oak. On the second floor are two large dormitories lighted by nine large windows to each room-the whole set affording a magnificent view in three directions.

These rooms will be fitted with iron bed- steads, forty to each dormitory, each boy to have a bed to himself. Between the two dormi- tories is what is known as the locker room. In this room, to which access is had from each sleeping room, forty lockers are ranged around the walls. A boy on retiring for the night will place his clothes in one of the lockers. After all are in bed the night watchman will close and lock each of the lockers, so that any youngster who may be taken with a desire to sneak off in the night will have to get out into the world clad in nothing but his night robe, should he even succeed in getting outside the building. The upper floor of the extension is

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used for storage purposes, and the servants' rooms are in the extreme end of the extension. Each cottage is heated by steam and ventilated by the most improved system that engineering skill has devised. The boys will have break- fast and supper in the dining room of their own cottage, but the mid-day meal will be taken in one large dining room that will be connected with the central kitchen. The food will be placed on cars and pushed through the tunnel, which, in daytime, will be lighted from above by prisms set in concrete.

At the west end of the main street will be constructed the school building. This will be built entirely of stone and brick, and will be provided with ample lighting facilities. At the end of the street will be the power house. On the high knoll will eventually be constructed a gymnasium. No building at the home will be more than two stories high.

COUNTY BUILDING.

Geneva, the county-seat of Kane County, is located principally upon Section 3, Township 39, Range 8 East, and was largely covered by the original land claim of James Herrington, bought of the squatter, Daniel S. Haight. In 1836, at the first meeting of the County Com- missioners, negotiations were opened between the Commissioners, of the one part, and James Herrington and three men-Hamilton, Madden and Daniels-who had acquired squatter's rights by location or by purchase from Her- rington, of the other part, for the location of the county-seat. It was finally agreed, in sub- stance, that the county-seat should be at Geneva; that the above named four men should furnish the money to pay for the tract of land, which should be entered and purchased at the land sale, by the county; that the county should retain one village block for county uses, and convey the remainder of the land to said four men in such portions as they should agree among themselves, and the said four men should pay to the county the sum of $3,000, with which to erect a court-house. Richard J. Hamilton, the of men above named, contracted to build the court house for $3,000 and, in the spring of 1837, erected quite a pretentious looking wooden building upon the designated site,

which appears upon the original plat of Geneva as the public square, instead of a number being designated by a star. It lies on the north side of State, between Third and Fourth Streets. The Commissioners, how-

ever, refused to accept the building at $3,000 and Isaac Wilson, Gen. George McClure and Harry Boardman were selected by mutual agreement to arbitrate the question. They placed the value of the building at $2,300, awarding the county several village lots as a consideration for the remaining $700.

Mr. James Herrington, who was one of the most enterprising of the early settlers, died in 1839, but the money to pay for the land, and also for the court-house, was furnished as agreed, and the land was duly purchased in the name of the county. Mark W. Fletcher was selected to convey to the representatives of said four persons, in such proportions as were agreed upon by them, the lands not contracted for being reserved for the county-all of which was satisfactorily accomplished.

This building was destroyed by fire-prob- ably in 1843-and in 1844 the second court- house, a substantial two-story stone structure, was erected on the southeast corner of Block 52. The lower floor of this building was used as the jail and jailer's residence. A small stone building, nearly fire-proof, was erected some twenty feet south of the court-house for the Clerk's office, and for the preservation of the county records. This court-house building is now used as the City Hall.

The third court-house was erected in 1856 on Block 57 of the Geneva plat, at a cost of about $125,000 and was a very handsome dressed stone structure, with buttressed chimneys, arched ornate windows and turret-like cupola. In style, arrangement and construction it was considered a model building. Its first story also was fitted up for the jail and jailer's resi- dence. It was destroyed by fire, March 13, 1890, and the present magnificent court-house and separate jail were built upon the same site. The corner-stone was laid April 9, 1891, and in it was deposited a list of the names of the county officers from 1835 to 1888; a copy of statistics of the building committee of the Board of Supervisors and of the Board of Equalization; abstracts of the assessment and of the taxes of 1890: copies of a $1,000 and a $500 court-house bond; a cut of the court- house and of the electric car, Aurora; a bible and a number of school-books now in use; the course of study in Illinois public schools, and samples of work done in the schools and kinder- gartens of the county; also various coins, with copies of The Aurora News, Post, Express,

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

Beacon, Democrat and

Volksfreund; The

Batavia News; The Dundee Courier and Hawk-

eye; The Elgin News, Courier and Volksfreund: The Geneva Republican and Patrol; The Hamp-

shire Register, and The St. Charles Chronicle;

also of The Chicago Inter Ocean, Trib- une, Herald, and The New York Herald. The completed building was dedicated by Board

direction of the of Supervisors, September 30, 1892, with quite elaborate exercises conducted by T. N. Holden Chairman of the Board, presiding, and Super- visor A. T. Lewis, acting master of ceremonies. Supervisor C. E. Mann, for the building com- mittee, architects and builders, reported the structure to be 210x110 feet in size, and 110 feet high, from foundation to dome, the ro- tunda forty-six feet square, and the base of dome fifty feet square. The court-house cost $194,000, the jail $33,000, and the furnishings $25,000. Mr. Mann briefly reviewed the labor of its erection and formally presented the com- pleted structure, to the Board of Supervisors and the citizens of the county, whom they represented. Chairman Holden, in behalf of the Board and the people, accepted the beautiful edifice, and gracefully thanked the persons represented by Supervisor Mann for the ef- ficient and highly satisfactory accomplishment of their various duties, and heartily congratu- lated them, and the citizens of the county generally, upon the successful completion, with- out an accident of any kind, or disturbing com- plication, of the noble structure before them. He then introduced the Hon. N. N. Ravlin, for many years Supervisor from Kaneville, and Chairman of the Board, who spoke in behalf of the old citizens, industrial interests, and people generally; Hon. Charles Wheaton, rep- resenting the Bar; Gen. John S. Wilcox, whose theme was the military and patriotic sentiment and record of the county; Hon. Albert J. Hop- kins, who spoke of its political action, and Hon. David B. Sherwood as the representative of the Judiciary. It was a large assembly of the leading people of the county, and there were the usual accompaniments of music, re- freshments and general congratulations. The building defies just adverse criticism, and com- petent judges declare that, for appropriate architectural appearance, substantial construc- tion, spacious and convenient arrangement and elegant finish, it is unsurpassed by any court- house in the State. About $25,000 has been

spent since its erection in more completely furnishing and elaborately decorating it. The very complete, and tasteful appearing Sheriff's residence and jail is constructed of red pressed brick with heavy red sandstone trimmings, uniform in material and style with the adjacent court-house, and is equipped with all modern conveniences. It is handsomely finished and is furnished with the most perfect appliances for the safety, and secure keeping of prisoners. The Court-House Square is kept a neat lawn, shaded with handsome trees; and the broad white cement curbs and walks that surround it and lead to the entrances of the building are of the best possible material and construction. ALMS-HOUSE.

For a number of years after the organization of Kane County the Commissioners' Court sup- ported the unfortunate poor separately, by pay- ing individuals a small compensation for their care in private homes. In the spring of 1852 the Board appointed M. Mallory, John S. Lee and Andrew Puigree a committee to select and recommend a suitable farm to be purchased for alms-house purposes. Upon the issue of their report a farm of 179 acres, lying in Sec- tions 11 and 14 in Geneva Township, was pur- chased of Elijah Lee at $16 per acre. Super- visor Mix of Aurora negotiated the purchase and made such changes in the building thereon as were deemed necessary, and, in June of that year, James Hotchkiss, its first Superintendent, began to receive inmates. There were, how- ever, many demands pressing upon the county; the tremendous strain of the great war came on, and the needs of the "poor farm" were doubtless neglected. In 1871 a large permanent stone structure was erected at a cost of about $18,000 and, later, an extensive addition to this building was put up. In 1887 the western portion of the building was destroyed by fire, and then the whole structure was remodeled, rebuilt and very greatly enlarged and improved. The next year Mr. S. E. Keyes was appointed Superintendent, and under his intelligent and energetic supervision, the Board systematized and perfected the equipment, and conduct of the institution, until it is conceded by all visit- ing officers and committees, that Kane County has as complete provison for the kindly care of its needy and afflicted people as can be de- manded by the most philanthropic sentiment.

There are now 245 acres of excellent farm- land most beautifully located, with three large

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

stone buildings of modern style and construc- tion, three stories high, with iron and slate roofs, equipped with standpipes, hose and all facilities for preventing and extinguishing fires. A large, deep well furnishes a copious supply of excellent water that, of course, is freely conducted throughout the buildings and grounds. Up-to-date steam and electric plants furnish power, heat and light for all the various uses about the place, and also for lighting the court-house and jail at Geneva. There are 92 male and 79 female inmates; more than half of them-viz .: 55 men and 50 women-are con- sidered mildly insane. Mrs. Eliza Smith Keyes is matron, and she has associated with her five assistants. Two of them attend the insane women; one cares for the old and feeble; another conducts the laundry, and the fifth is in the Superintendent's kitchen. The large and well-ventilated rooms are very comfortably furnished and scrupulously clean and sunny, and no prison or hospital odor whatever can be detected. The pantry, kitchen, and dining room are clean and wholesome, and an appear- ance of comfort and abundance prevails every- where. The cooling and cold-storage room for fresh meats is of the very best pattern, and the great quarters of meat upon its hooks are of the best quality. The matron's cold pantry for butter, eggs, fruits, etc., is a great economy and convenience. There is an excellent cattle and hay-barn, and fairly good stables for the horses, while the original dwelling shelters the swine. The horses upon the place are estimated to be worth about $1,200 and the cattle and hogs $4,000. To the latter such care has been given to selecting and properly rearing animals of the best strain of blood, that each year a number of choice breeding animals are sold at high prices. Much small fruits, and all the vegetables, meat, milk, eggs, etc., required for the tables, are produced upon the farm, and sufficient milk is sold to buy the needed butter. Every day the inmates are supplied with a generous portion of fruit. Of course all grain and hay for the stock is raised upon the farm. As much of the work as is proper, is done by the more healthy inmates. The Superintendent employs two assistant farmers, two attendants in charge of insane men, and one night watch- man and attendant; also one electrician, one engineer and one cook. The plant is estimated to be worth $100,000.

CHAPTER XIV.

HIGHWAYS-POSTOFFICES-THE PRESS.

TREND OF ROADS TO THE NORTHWEST-INDIAN TRAILS DEVELOP INTO STAGE LINES AND STATE ROADS-ROAD LAWS-ADVENT OF THE . RAILROAD -GALENA & CHICAGO UNION AND OTHER PIO- NEER LINES-POSTOFFICES AND POST ROUTES- INAUGURATION OF FREE DELIVERY SYSTEM- NEWSPAPER HISTORY.

In ancient times it was said, boastingly, that "all roads led to Rome." It is certain that in the ages gone by, as well as now, all trails and paths from the Great West and Northwest con- verged toward the foot of the vast chain of the largest lakes in the world, and the short land- portage between them and the long water-route of the interior rivers to the gulf. The paths of the buffalo and trails of the Indian instinctively followed the lines of least obstruction; and, as naturally, the roads of the pioneers kept on the same track. The most casual observer of the map of Kane County will note the trend of all the main highways to be northwesterly from the river crossings at the cities, and more care- fully examination will show that these are usually located at the places where the animals and the Indians had discovered the fords most accessible and convenient. Along the river banks, and from those leading toward the northwest, the early settlers followed the trails, gradually by travel developing them into roads. By bridging small streams and draining and turn-piking sloughs, these have been straight- ened and constantly improved, and as necessity arose they have been connected by convenient cross-roads. Under progressive legislation all have been, legalized, and thus has been steadily evolved our present net-work of highways.

The incidents of the early efforts to improve these trails and incipient roads, and sufficiently divert them from their original line, to bring travel to the new taverns and projected villages, are numerous and full of interest. Two are given as typical of many others. In 1836 McCarty Mill (now Aurora) obtained its mail at Naperville, and Frink & Walker's stage line

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

from Chicago westward crossed the Fox at Gray's Ferry, now Montgomery. The McCartys cut and blazed the trees, staked the prairies and roughly corduroyed the worst sloughs, from Naperville through their prospective town to a crossing of the Big Rock Creek, and fur- nished the stage-drivers and their teams with board for a month in consideration of the change of the route to their place. And the Giffords at State Road (now Elgin), in the fall or winter of 1835, blazed and cleared a way through the timber eastward toward Meacham's Grove (Bloomingdale), and planned a novel celebration of the next Fourth of July, by ar- ranging to have the people at each end of the route turn out en masse, hitching teams to plows and to trees as large as could be drawn with the limbs still on, and to every available wagon, and with these mark the way, crush down the bushes and the grass, and trample the pathway from each end to the meeting place, where the first patriotic celebration in the county was held with much enthusiasm, and social refreshments of corn-bread, salt- pork and coffee were heartily enjoyed. The Giffords also marked a roadway in a somewhat similar manner westward across Coon Creek, and, it is said, to the ford of the Kishwaukee near Belvidere. Soon after, both they and the McCartys, with profound satisfaction, saw Frink & Walker's four-horse stage-coaches, with passengers and mails, passing daily over these new roadways through their prospective villages. The early securing of these stage- lines gave prominence and permanence to the locations of . Aurora and Elgin.

It is also interesting and suggestive to note the vague and broad authority conferred by the early Legislatures upon commissions appointed to locate highways. For instance, one legisla- tive act, in force April 13, 1849, appoints nine- teen separate commissions for such purpose. Paragraph 15 appoints "Elijah Wilcox, Augus- tus Adams and Luther Herrick, of Kane Coun- ty, commissioners to view and locate a State road, commencing at a point on the State road between Elgin and Sycamore, thence to the vil- lage of Clinton (now South Elgin), thence across Fox River to the State road between El- gin and the Des Plaines River." The compen- sation authorized for the persons engaged in this work was: "To a commissioner $1 per day; to a surveyor, $2; to chainmen, axemen and other hands, 75 cents, for each day neces-

sarily employed." The large latitude given as to terminals and the small pay allowed-espec- ially to the commissioners, as compared with present-day methods and compensation-are significant of the changed conditions.

In dry weather, if not sufficiently travelled to become very dusty, the "dirt roads" of the olden time were most delightful; but when softened by rain, they were quickly changed to a thick, pasty mud, and readily cut into deep uneven ruts. As these hardened-either baked by the summer sun or frozen by the winter winds-the track became most terribly rough and exceedingly trying to driver, team and ve- hicle. The old-time stories of prying the wag- ons and stage-coaches out of the mud and ruts are not exaggerations, but the actual realities of many severe experiences.

The improvement of the highways by the county was commenced at the first meeting of the County Commissioners in 1836. At that time there was not one legally established high- way in the county, and there was no individual ownership of land. The Commissioners divid- ed the county into road districts, and appointed "pathmasters," or supervisors, and they passed an order requiring every able-bodied man, be- tween the ages of twenty-one and fifty years, to work three days each year upon the public roads. Provision was made to accept substi- tutes, needful material, or cash, in lieu of in- dividual work, and for off-setting the use of teams and tools.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County, Part 134

Author: Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 950

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950