Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Kendall County, Volume I, Part 39

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 702

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TWENTY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 8, 1873. It was composed of fifty-one Sena- tors and 153 Representatives; the upper house standing thirty-three Republicans to eighteen Democrats, and the lower, eighty-six Republicans to sixty-seven Democrats. The Senate chose John Early, of Winnebago, President pro tempore, and Shelby M. Cullom was elected Speaker of the House. Governor Oglesby was inaugurated Jan. 13, but, eight days later, was elected to the United States Senate, being succeeded in the Governor- ship by Lieut .- Gov. John L. Beveridge. An

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appropriation of $1,000,000 was made for carrying on the work on the new capitol and various other acts of a public character passed, the most impor- tant being an amendment of the railroad law of the previous session. On May 6, the Legislature adjourned until Jan. 8, 1874. The purpose of the recess was to enable a Commission on the Revision of the Laws to complete a report. The work was duly completed and nearly all the titles reported by the Commissioners were adopted at the adjourned session. An adjournment, sine die, was taken March 31, 1874-the two sessions having lasted, respectively, 119 and 83 days- total 202.

TWENTY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan 6, 1875. While the Republicans had a plu- rality in both houses, they were defeated in an effort to secure their organization through a fusion of Democrats and Independents. A. A. Glenn (Democrat) was elected President pro tem- pore of the Senate (becoming acting Lieutenant- Governor), and Elijah M. Haines was chosen presiding officer of the lower house. The leaders on both sides of the Chamber were aggressive, and the session, as a whole, was one of the most turbulent and disorderly in the history of the State. Little legislation of vital importance (outside of regular appropriation bills) was enacted. This Legislature adjourned, April 15, having been in session 100 days.

THIRTIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 3; 1877, and adjourned, sine die, on May 24. The Democrats and Independents in the Senate united in securing control of that body, although the House was Republican. Fawcett Plumb, of La Salle County, was chosen President pro tempore of the upper, and James Shaw Speaker of the lower, house. The inauguration of State officers took place Jan. 8, Shelby M. Cullom becoming Governor and Andrew Shuman, Lieutenant-Gov- ernor. This was one of the most exciting years in American political history Both of the domi- nant parties claimed to have elected the President, and the respective votes in the Electoral College were so close as to excite grave apprehension in many minds. It was also the year for the choice of a Senator by the Illinois Legislature, and the attention of the entire country was directed toward this State. Gen. John M. Palmer was the nominee of the Democratic caucus and John A. Logan of the Republicans. On the twenty- fourth ballot the name of General Logan was withdrawn, most of the Republican vote going to Charles B. Lawrence, and the Democrats going over to David Davis, who, although an original

. Republican and friend of Lincoln, and Justice of the Supreme Court by appointment of Mr. Lin- coln, had become an Independent Democrat. On the fortieth ballot (taken Jan. 25), Judge Davis received 101 votes, to 94 for Judge Lawrence (Republican) and five scattering, thus securing Davis' election. Not many acts of vital impor- tance were passed by this Legislature. Appellate Courts were established and new judicial districts created; the original jurisdiction of county courts was enlarged: better safeguards were thrown about miners; measures looking at once to the supervision and protection of railroads were passed, as well as various laws relating chiefly to the police administration of the State and of municipalities. The length of the session was 142 days.

THIRTY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 8, 1879, with a Republican majority in each house. Andrew Shuman, the newly elected Lieu- tenant-Governor, presided in the Senate, and William A. James of Lake County was chosen Speaker of the House. John M. Hamilton of McLean County (afterwards Governor), was chosen President pro tempore of the Senate. John A. Logan was elected United States Senator on Jan. 21, the complimentary Democratic vote being given to Gen. John C. Black. Various laws of public importance were enacted by this Legislature, among them being one creating the Bureau of Labor Statistics; the first oleomargar- ine law; a drainage and levee act; a law for the reorganization of the militia; an act for the regulation of pawnbrokers; a law limiting the pardoning power, and various laws looking toward the supervision and control of railways. The session lasted 144 days, and the Assembly adjourned, sine die, May 31, 1879.

THIRTY SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 5, 1881, the Republicans having a majority in both branches. Lieutenant-Governor Hamil- ton presided in the Senate, William J. Campbell of Cook County being elected President pro tem- pore. Horace H. Thomas, also of Cook, was chosen Speaker of the House. Besides the rou- tine legislation, tlie most important measures enacted by this Assembly were laws to prevent the spread of pleuro-pneumonia among cattle; regulating the sale of firearms; providing more stringent penalties for the adulteration of food, drink or medicine; regulating the practice of pharmacy and dentistry : amending the revenue and school laws ; and requiring annual statements from official custodians of public moneys. The Legislature adjourned May 30, after having been

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in session 146 days, but was called together again . unsuccessful effort was made to depose him. in special session by the Governor on March 23, 1882, to pass new Legislative and Congressional Apportionment Laws, and for the consideration of other subjects. The special session lasted forty-four days, adjourning May 5-both sessions occupying a total of 190 days.

THIRTY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 2, 1883, with the Republicans again in the majority in both houses. William J. Campbell was re-elected President pro tempore of the Senate, but not until the sixty-first ballot, six Republicans refusing to be bound by the nomina- tion of a caucus held prior to their arrival at Springfield. Loren C. Collins, also of Cook, was elected Speaker of the House. The compliment- ary Democratic vote was given to Thomas M. Shaw in the Senate, and to Austin O. Sexton in the House. Governor Cullom, the Republican caucus nominee, was elected United States Senator, Jan. 16, receiving a majority in each branch of the General Assembly. The celebrated "Harper High-License Bill," and the first "Compulsory School Law" were passed at this session, the other acts being of ordinary character. The Legislature adjourned June 18, having been in session 168 days.

THIRTY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 7, 1885. The Senate was Republican by a majority of one, there being twenty-six members of that party, twenty-four Democrats and one greenback Democrat. William J. Campbell, of Cook County, was for the third time chosen President pro tempore. The House stood seventy- six Republicans and seventy-six Democrats, with one member-Elijah M. Haines of Lake County- calling himself an "Independent." The contest for the Speakership continued until Jan. 29, when, neither party being able to elect its nomi- nee, the Democrats took up Haines as a candidate and placed him in the chair, with Haines' assist- ance, filling the minor offices with their own men. After the inauguration of Governor Oglesby, Jan. 30, the first business was the elec- tion of a United States Senator. The balloting proceeded until May 18, when John A. Logan re- ceived 103 votes to ninety-six for Lambert Tree and five scattering. Three members-one Republican and two Democrats-had died since the opening of the session ; and it was through the election of a Republican in place of one of the deceased Democrats, that the Republicans succeeded in electing their candidate. The session was a stormy one throughout, the Speaker being, much of the time, at odds with the House, and an

Charges of bribery against certain members were preferred and investigated, but no definite result was reached. Among the important measures passed by this Legislature were the following: A joint resolution providing for submission of an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting con- tract labor in penal institutions; providing by resolution for the appointment of a non-partisan Commission of twelve to draft a new revenue code; the Crawford primary election law; an act amending the code of criminal procedure; estab- lishing a Soldiers' and Sailors' Home, subse- quently located at Quincy; creating a Live-Stock Commission and appropriating $531,712 for the completion of the State House. The Assembly adjourned, sine die, June 26, 1885, after a session of 171 days.

THIRTY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 5, 1887. The Republicans had a majority of twelve in the Senate and three in the House. For President pro tempore of the Senate, August W. Berggren was chosen; for Speaker of the House, Dr. William F. Calhoun, of De Witt County. The death of General Logan, which had occurred Dec. 26, 1886, was officially an- nounced by Governor Oglesby, and, on Jan. 18, Charles B. Farwell was elected to succeed him as United States Senator. William R. Morrison and Benjamin W. Goodhue were the candidates of the Democratic and Labor parties, respectively. Some of the most important laws passed by this General Assenibly were the following: Amend- ing the law relating to the spread of contagious diseases among cattle, etc .; the Chase bill to prohibit book-making and pool-selling; regulat- ing trust companies; making the Trustees of the University of Illinois elective; inhibiting aliens from holding real estate, and forbidding the marriage of first cousins. An act virtually creating a new State banking system was also passed, subject to ratification by popular vote. Other acts, having more particular reference to Chicago and Cook County, were: a law making cities and counties responsible for three-fourths of the damage resulting from mobs and riots; the Merritt conspiracy law ; the Gibbs Jury Commis- sion law, and an act for the suppression of bucket-shop gambling. The session ended June 15, 1887, having continued 162 days.

THIRTY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 7, 1889, in its first (or regular) session, the Republicans being largely in the majority. The Senate elected Theodore S. Chapman of Jersey County, President pro tempore, and the House

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Asa C Matthews of Pike County, Speaker. Mr. Matthews was appointed First Comptroller of the Treasury by President Harrison, on May 9 (see Matthews, Asa C.), and resigned the Speakership on the following day. He was succeeded by James H. Miller of Stark County. Shelby M. Cullom was re-elected to the United States Senate on January 22, the Democrats again voting for ex-Gov. John M. Palmer. The "Sanitary Drain- age District Law," designed for the benefit of the city of Chicago, was enacted at this session; an asylum for insane criminals was established at Chester ; the annexation of cities, towns, villages, etc., under certain conditions, was authorized; more stringent legislation was enacted relative to the circulation of obscene literature; a new com- pulsory education law was passed, and the em- ployment on public works of aliens who had not declared their intention of becoming citizens was prohibited. This session ended, May 28. A special session was convened by Governor Fifer on July 24, 1890, to frame and adopt legislation rendered necessary by the Act of Congress locat- ing the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago. Mr. Miller having died in the interim, William G. Cochran, of Moultrie County, was chosen Speaker of the House. The special session concluded Aug. 1, 1890, having enacted the following meas- ures; An Act granting the use of all State lands, (submerged or other) in or adjacent to Chicago, to the World's Columbian Exposition for a period to extend one year after the closing of the Exposi- tion; authorizing the Chicago Boards of Park Commissioners to grant the use of the public parks, or any part thereof, to promote the objects of such Exposition; a joint resolution providing for the submission to the people of a Constitu- tional Amendment granting to the city of Chicago the power (provided a majority of the qualified voters desired it) to issue bonds to an amount not exceeding $5,000,000, the same to bear interest and the proceeds of their sale to be turned over to the Exposition Managers to be devoted to the use and for the benefit of the Exposition. (See also World's Columbian Exposition.) The total length of the two sessions was 150 days.

THIRTY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY convened Jan. 7, 1891, and adjourned June 12 following. Lieut .- Gov. Ray presided in the Senate, Milton W. Matthews (Republican), of Urbana, being elected President pro tem. The Democrats had control in the House and elected Clayton E. Crafts, of Cook County, Speaker. The most exciting feature of the session was the election of a United States Senator to succeed Charles B.

Farwell. Neither of the two leading parties had a majority on joint ballot, the balance of power being held by three "Independent" members of the House, who had been elected as represent- atives of the Farmers' Mutual Benevolent Alli- ance. Richard J. Oglesby was the caucus nominee of the Republicans and John M. Palmer of the Democrats. For a time the Independents stood as a unit for A. J. Streeter, but later two of the three voted for ex-Governor Palmer, finally, on March 11, securing his election on the 154th ballot in joint session. Meanwhile, the Repub- licans had cast tentative ballots for Alson J. Streeter and Cicero J. Lindley, in hope of draw- ing the Independents to their support, but without effective result. The final ballot stood-Palmer, 103; Lindley, 101, Streeter 1. Of 1,296 bills intro- duced in both Houses at this session, only 151 became laws, the most important being: The Australian ballot law, and acts regulating build- ing and loan associations ; prohibiting the employ- ment of children under thirteen at manual labor ; fixing the legal rate of interest at seven per cent; prohibiting the "truck system" of paying em- ployés, and granting the right of suffrage to women in the election of school officers. An amendment of the State Constitution permitting the submission of two Constitutional Amend- ments to the people at the same time, was sub- mitted by this Legislature and ratified at the election of 1892. The session covered a period of 157 days.

THIRTY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. This body convened Jan. 4, 1893. The Democrats were in the ascendency in both houses, having a majority of seven in the Senate and of three in the lower house. Joseph R. Gill, the Lieutenant- · Governor, was ex-officio President of the Senate, and John W. Coppinger, of Alton, was chosen President pro tem. Clayton E. Crafts of Cook County was again chosen Speaker of the House. The inauguration of the new State officers took place on the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 10. This Legislature was in session 164 days, adjourning June 16, 1893. Not very much legislation of a general character was enacted. New Congres- sional and Legislative apportionments were passed, the former dividing the State into twenty- two districts; an Insurance Department was created; a naval militia was established; the scope of the juvenile reformatory was enlarged and the compulsory education law was amended.

THIRTY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. This Legislature held two sessions-a regular and a special. The former opened Jan. 9, 1895, and

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closed June 14, following. The political com- plexion of the Senate was-Republicans, thirty- three; Democrats, eighteen; of the House, ninety-two Republicans and sixty-one Democrats. John Meyer, of Cook County, was elected Speaker of the House, and Charles Bogardus of Piatt County, President pro tem. of the Senate. Acts were passed making appropriations for improve- ment of the State Fair Grounds at Springfield; authorizing the establishment of a Western Hos- pital for the Insane ($100,000); appropriating $100,000 for a Western Hospital for the Insane; $65,000 for an Asylum for Incurable Insane; $50,- 000, each, for two additional Normal Schools-one in Northern and the other in Eastern Illinois; $25,000 for a Soldiers' Widows' Home-all being new institutions-besides $15,000 for a State exhibition at the Atlanta Exposition ; $65,000 to mark, by monuments, the position of Illinois troops on the battlefields of Chickamauga, Look- out Mountain and Missionary Ridge. Other acts passed fixed the salaries of members of the Gen- eral Assembly at $1,000 each for each regular session; accepted the custody of the Lincoln monument at Springfield, authorized provision for the retirement and pensioning of teachers in public schools, and authorized the adoption of civil service rules for cities. The special session convened, pursuant to a call by the Governor, on June 25, 1895, took a recess, June 28 to July 9, re-assembled on the latter date, and adjourned, sine die, August 2. Outside of routine legisla- tion, no laws were passed except one providing additional necessary revenue for State purposes and one creating a State Board of Arbitration. The regular session continued 157 days and the special twenty-nine-total 186.

FORTIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY met in regular session at Springfield, Jan. 6, 1897, and adjourned, sine die, June 4. The Republicans had a major- ity in both branches, the House standing eighty- eight Republicans to sixty-three Democrats and two Populists, and the Senate, thirty-nine Repub- licans to eleven Democrats and one Populist, giving the Republicans a majority on joint ballot of fifty votes. Both houses were promptly organ- ized by the election of Republican officers, Edward C. Curtis of Kankakee County being chosen Speaker of the House, and Hendrick V. Fisher, of Henry County, President pro tem. of the Sen- ate. Governor Tanner and the other Republican State officers were formally inaugurated on Jan. 11, and, on Jan. 20, William E. Mason (Republican) was chosen United States Senator to succeed John M. Palmer, receiving in joint

session 125 votes to seventy-seven for John P. Altgeld (Democrat). Among thie principal laws enacted at this session were the following: An act concerning aliens and to regulate the right to hold real estate, and prescribing the terms and conditions for the conveyance of the same; empowering the Commissioners who were ap- pointed at the previous session to ascertain and mark the positions occupied by Illinois Volunteers in the battles of Chickamauga, Lookout Moun- tain and Missionary Ridge, to expend the remain- ing appropriations in their hands for the erection of monuments on the battle-grounds; authorizing the appointment of a similar Commission to ascertain and mark the positions held by Illinois troops in the battle of Shiloh; to reimburse the University of Illinois for the loss of funds result- ing from the Spaulding defalcation and affirming the liability of the State for "the endowment fund of the University, amounting to $456, 712.91, and for so much in addition as may be received in future from the sale of lands"; authorizing the adoption of the "Torrens land-title system" in the conveyance and registration of land titles by vote of the people in any county; the consolida- tion of the three Supreme Court Districts of the State into one and locating the Court at Spring- field; creating a State Board of Pardons, and prescribing the manner of applying for pardons and commutations. An act of this session, which produced much agitation and led to a great deal of discussion in the press and elsewhere, was the street railroad law empowering the City Council, or other corporate authority of any city, to grant franchises to street railway companies extending to fifty years. This act was repealed by the General Assembly of 1899 before any street rail- way corporation had secured a franchise under it. A special session was called by Governor Tanner to meet Dec. 7, 1897, the proclamation naming five topics for legislative action. The session continued to Feb. 24, 1898, only two of the meas- ures named by the Governor in his call being affirmatively acted. upon. These included: (1) an elaborate act prescribing the manner of conduct- ing primary elections of delegates to nominating conventions, and (2) a new revenue law regulat- ing the manner of assessing and collecting taxes. One provision of the latter law limits the valuation of property for assessment purposes to one-fifth its cash value. The length of the regular session was 150 days, and that of the special session eighty days-total, 230 days.

GENESEO, a city in Henry County, about two miles south of the Green River. It is on the Chi-

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cago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, 23 miles east of Rock Island and 75 miles west of Ottawa. It is in the heart of a grain-growing region, and has two large grain elevators. Manufacturing is also carried on to a considerable extent here, furniture, wagons and farming implements con- stituting the chief output. Geneseo has eleven churches, a graded and a high school, a col- legiate institute, two banks, and two weekly news- papers. Population (1890), 3,182; (1900), 3,356; (1910), 3,199.

GENEVA, a city and railway junction on Fox River, and the county-seat of Kane County; 35 miles west of Chicago. It has a fine courthouse, completed in 1892 at a cost of $250,000, and numerous handsome churches and school build- ings. A State Reformatory for juvenile female offenders has been located here. There is an ex- Cellent water-power, operating six manufac- tories, including extensive glucose works. The town has a bank, creamery, water-works, gas and electric light plant, and two semi-weekly news- papers. The surrounding country is devoted to agriculture and dairy farming. Population (1890), 1,692; (1900), 2,446; (1910), 2,451.

GENOA, a village of De Kalb County, on Omaha . Division of the Chi., Mil. & St. Paul, the Ill. Cent. and Chi. & N. W. Railroads, 59 miles west of Chicago. Dairying is a leading industry; has two banks, shoe and telephone factories, and one weekly paper. Pop. (1900), 1,140; (1910), 1,257.

GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS. The geological structure of Illinois embraces a representation, more or less complete, of the whole paleonic series of formations, from the calciferous group of the Lower Silurian to the top of the coal meas- ures. In addition to these older rocks there is a limited area in the extreme southern end of the State covered with Tertiary deposits. Over- spreading these formations are beds of more recent age, comprising sands, clays and gravel, varying in thickness from ten to more than two hundred feet. These superficial deposits may be divided into Alluvium, Loess and Drift, and con- stitute the Quaternary system of modern geolo- gists.

LOWER SILURIAN SYSTEM .- Under this heading may be noted three distinct groups: the Calcifer- ous, the Trenton and the Cincinnati. The first mentioned group comprises the St. Peter's Sand- stone and the Lower Magnesian Limestone. The former outcrops only at a single locality, in La Salle County, extending about two miles along the valley of the Illinois River in the vicinity of Utica. The thickness of the strata appearing

above the surface is about 80 feet, thin bands of Magnesian limestone alternating with layers of Calciferous sandstone. Many of the layers con- tain good hydraulic rock, which is utilized in the manufacture of cement. The entire thickness of the rock below the surface has not been ascer- tained, but is estimated at about 400 feet. The St. Peter's Sandstone outcrops in the valley of the Illinois, constituting the main portion of the bluffs from Utica to a point beyond Ottawa, and forms the "bed rock" in most of the northern townships of La Salle County. It also outcrops on the Rock River in the vicinity of Oregon City, and forms a conspicuous bluff on the Mississippi in Calhoun County. Its maximum thickness in the State may be estimated at about 200 feet. It is too incoherent in its texture to be valuable as a building stone, though some of the upper strata in Lee County liave been utilized for caps and sills. It affords, however, a fine quality of sand for the manufacture of glass. The Trenton group, which immediately overlies the St. Peter's Sandstone, consists of three divisions. The low- est is a brown Magnesian Limestone, or Dolomite, usually found in regular beds, or strata, varying from four inches to two feet in thickness. The aggregate thickness varies from twenty feet, in the northern portion of the State, to sixty or seventy feet at the bluff in Calhoun County. At the quarries in La Salle County, it abounds in fossils, including a large Lituites and several specimens of Orthoceras, Maclurea, etc. The middle division of the Trenton group consists of light gray, compact limestones in the southern and western parts of the State, and of light blue, thin-bedded, shaly limestone in the northern por- tions. The upper division is the well-known Galena limestone, the lead-bearing rock of the Northwest. It is a buff colored, porous Dolomite, sometimes. arenaceous and unevenly textured, giving origin to a ferruginous, sandy clay when decomposed. The lead ores occur in crevices, caverns and horizontal seams. These crevices were probably formed by shrinkage of the strata from crystallization or by some disturbing force from beneath, and have been enlarged by decomposi- tion of the exposed surface. Fossils belonging to a lower order of marine animal than the coral are found in this rock, as are also marine shells, corals and crustaceans. Although this limestone crops out over a considerable portion of the terri- tory between the Mississippi and the Rock River, the productive lead mines are chiefly confined to Jo Daviess and Stephenson Counties. All the divisions of the Trenton group afford good build-

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Kendall County, Volume I, Part 39

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913 Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 702

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 702