Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 34

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 810

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In speaking of the old Pepper Mill and the distillery run by Mr. Woods, Henry Berry says: "The mill ground buckwheat and wheat as well as corn. Further, the distillery of Mr. Woods was a 'moonshine' one, hid in the brush near the grist-mill, and the smoke from this still was conducted into the chim- ney that was built in the Pepper Mill. 'Uncle' Joe Eccles was internal revenue collec-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

tor, and he, with the late Albert Brown and several other deputies 'raided' it and broke up the business. 'Uncle' Billy Woods owned the still but he didn't run it." In speaking of the "raid" "Uncle" Billy said: "They wouldn't have found the still if it hadn't been for that pesky Albert Brown. He could smell whiskey four miles." The officers in that raid found several kegs of whiskey that had been buried and they confiscated it. I remember well Jeff Yocum, spoken of in a late News, who traded the proprietor's axe for a quart of whis- key. He was a unique character and was the author of the expression: "As men gits older fun gits skeercer," which I heard him say. "The still had two big copper kettles that would each hold a barrel, which, together with the 'worm' were confiscated by the government and sold. 'Uncle' Bob Bryce of Butler got one of the kettles and installed it on his stock barn at Butler and used it for years to cook feed in for his stock. A Springfield man bought the other kettle and an Alton man got the worm. Those kettles would be worth hundreds of dollars today, especially if they were in Germany."

Mr. Kessinger adds this to the history as above related. "Fogelman sold out this mill to a man whose name I have forgotten and purchased a tract of land on the 'Peppermint' branch. He then began to excavate or dig out a raceway just as Mr. Strange described 1t. This race was a little over a half mile long and at the lower end of this race he excavated a place for a pond. It was about eighty feet wide and 200 feet long. There he erected the Pepper Mill. with a chute from the pond which brought the water down on over the water- wheel, which was thirty feet in diameter. The wheel was provided with watertight buckets, as we used to call them at that time. When these buckets or troughs were filled, they were unbalanced and caused the wheel to turn and by that means all of the machinery was thrown in motion. The first time I saw this mill was in 1856. It was then owned by John Berry, Sr., father of the late Newton Berry of South Litchfield Township. I understand that Mr. Berry purchased the mill from the John Kirk- patrick estate as Kirkpatrick bought the mill from the Fogelman heirs or at the Fogelman sale, for Mr. Fogelman died there. while he owned the mill. Walker Adkisson who lived on a farm that is now owned by the American Zinc Company, near Taylor Springs, bought

this mill from John Berry, Sr., in 1860, and his wife's father and the father of Eli Suits, operated it that year. At the death of Mr. Suits, Mr. Adkisson moved down to the mill and operated it himself. In the year 1864, Mr. Adkisson sold this mill to John and Dan Jack- son. They operated the mill for three or four years and then sold it to a journeyman by the name of Meyers. Previous to this he oper- ated the old brewery at Litchfield. Meyers moved down to the mill and operated it in the way of grinding for about eighteen months." Mr. Meyers never owned the mill but ran it for Mr. Woods .- Ed. "While the Jackson brothers owned this they put up in the mill a new dis- tillery, for the first one had been taken away years before."

MONTGOMERY COUNTY TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY.

We have this little history of the Montgomery County Telephone and Telegraph Company from A. M. Howell, manager.

"The incorporation papers of the Montgomery County Telephone Company were applied for on the 21 of October, 1895, the incorporators

. being George W. Huffer, Coffeen; W. S. Barry, Coffeen; Jacob J. Frey, Hillsboro; Chas. A. Ramsey, Hillsboro; the stock being subscribed for as follows: Chas. A. Ramsey, 200 shares, $2,000; W. A. Howett, 200 shares, $2,000; A. M. Howell, 200 shares, $2,000; and J. J. Frey, 200 shares, $2,000; total, $8,000. On the 29 of August of that year the first meeting of the subscribers was held and the following direc- tors elected : C. A. Ramsey, W. A. Howett, A. M. Howell and J. J. Frey. The following were elected as officers: J. J. Frey, president ; A. M. Howell, vice president ; C. A. Ramsey, secretary; and W. A. Howett, attorney. These directors served until the 31 of August, 1896, when the following directors were elected : C. A. Ramsey, Dr. W. H. Cook, A. M. Howell. J. J. Frey, W. A. Howett, Garrett Carstens, and B. F. Culp, and on the same day the following were elected officers : C. A. Ramsey. president ; W. H. Cook. vice president ; A. M. Howell. secre- tary: J. J. Frey. treasurer ; and W. A. Howett, attorney. On the 3 of December, 1895 the sec- retary of state authorized the company to do business under the charter granted at that time.

"Mr. Howell continued secretary from the

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

time of his first election till November 1, 1915, when, it becoming necessary for the company to have more money for the improvements needed and the increasing business, it was de- cided to sell out the old company which was capitalized at only $8,000 to a new company just organized called the Montgomery County Telephone and Telegraph Company, with a capi- tal of $100,000. This company is virtually com- posed of the same stockholders as the old com- pany, and has been doing business since No- vember 1, 1915, with the following officers : A. M. Howell, president, J. W. Ward, vice president ; C. W. Bliss, J. W. Ward, J. J. Frey, directors ; and E. C. Constans, secretary and treasurer. This company has some 2,000 telephones, prac- tically reaching every important center of busi- ness in the county, and with long distance con- nections that makes its service indispensable, and is a valuable addition to the industries of the county."

PEOPLES MUTUAL TELEPHONE COMPANY.

The following history of the Peoples Mutual Telephone Company is from W. R. McLean, sec- retary, treasurer and general manager.

"The Peoples Mutual Telephone Company of Hillsboro, Ill., was incorporated July 10, 1902. The organizers of the company were, G. W. Rainey, J. R. Paisley, and Stephen D. Canaday. Its first board of directors were W. B. Potts, Honey Bend; G. W. Rainey, Hillsboro; A. G. Butler, Fillmore ; J. R. Paisley, Litchfield ; S. D. Canaday, Hillsboro ; P. C. Wood, Coffeen ; Abner Moore, Irving; A. K. Vandever, Nokomis; and J. W. Simpson, Walshville. Its purpose was to furnish to rural and local communities telephone service which heretofore had been denied be- cause of excessive cost and unsatisfactory con- nections. It grew rapidly and in a short space of time every town and village in the county was placed in direct communication with each other and neighboring territory.

"At present the company has over 700 miles of pole line in the counties of Montgomery, Macoupin, Madison, Bond, Fayette and Chris- tian. It gives service over nearly 3,000 tele- phones and has toll connections with numerous other companies. It operates exchanges at Hillsboro, Litchfield, Irving, Witt, Nokomis, Rosemond, Waggoner, Farmersville, Raymond, Harvel, New Douglas, Sorento, Coffeen, Fill- more, and Bingham. The present members of

the board of directors are Dr. V. A. Bost, Fill- more; Daniel Pope, Harvel; B. A. Stead, Farmersville; Charles Schwab, Litchfield; W. E. Morain, Irving; E. N. Pray, Pana; W. J. Evans, Sorento ; W. E. Kirk, Coffeen; and W. J. Bingham, Bingham. The officers are Dr. V. A. Bost, president; Daniel Pope, vice president ; and Walter R. McLean, secretary, treasurer and general manager."

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY.

Some years ago J. J. Frey, associated with a dozen or more Hillsboro capitalists, erected and put into operation an electric light and power company. This plant has been in many respects a model enterprise of the kind. The spirit to grow seemed to possess the officials, lience as time went by an ice plant was added, and this was followed by a hot water system for heating the business part of the city. To these plants in course of time was added the street railway, and a line was also built by the plant to Taylor Springs. Not satisfied with these accretions, the company began the pur- chase of struggling electric plants in other towns and cities, building lines for carrying the cur- rent from Hillsboro to those cities and towns when their own power was insufficient. This process has kept on, a plant being added from time to time, until the present the company is running and owning over fifty plants, and doing in the aggregate, an immense amount of business and employing in Hillsboro and in the various places where the company owns branches, quite a large force of skilled and unskilled men.

The management of tlie electric plant while under the immediate control of Mr. Frey, ran a brokerage business of no small proportions and, as the manufacturing business grew, . the brokerage business was reorganized into a bond and investment concern, the managers being largely the same as control the electric plants, and that company in its reorganized form is now doing a vast amount of business in making and selling loans to the larger loan buyers. These enterprises are very important industrial promoters and employers of laborers and have had a strong influence in building Hillsboro up to its present proportions.

The Hillsboro Electric Light & Power Com- pany, was incorporated in April, 1893, succeed- ing tlie granting of an electric franchise in

. a. Syerla & Family

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

December, 1892. The company was incorporated by William Wurdack, H. H. Humphrey, Charles Lampel, J. J. Frey and William A. Howett; Mr. Frey serving as president during the organi- zation period and piloting the career of the company through its later period as its secre- tary and general manager. The plant at Hills -. boro was constructed by a St. Louis construc- tion company, the work being completed and accepted in June, 1894. Night service, only, was given at Hillsboro until 1903, when twenty- four hour service was established and an ex- haust steam heating system built for supplying the business district of the town.

In 1905 the electric light plant at Raymond was purchased and two years later a transmis- sion line was built to Witt, the plant being enlarged the same year. In 1909 the electric light properties at Coffeen and Witt were ac- quired. In 1913 the Southern Illinois Light and Power Company, came into existence as suc- cessors to the Hillsboro Electric Light & Power Company, which at that time was serving Hills- boro, Irving, Witt, Coffeen, Taylor' Springs, Schram City, Butler, Raymond and Harvel.

The Morrisonville Electric Company, and the United Electric Light & Power Company, serv- ing Gillespie, Benld, Sawyerville, and the Col- linsville Electric Company, serving Collinsville, Caseyville and Maryville; the Greenville Elec- tric, Gas and Power Company, serving Green- ville and the Hillsboro Railway Company, and the Sangamon Valley Railway Company, prop- erty were added and the O'Fallon Electric Light, Heat, Power and Water Company, the latter part of the same year; and the United Gas and Electric Company, of Litchfield in March, 1915. In 1916 the municipal plant at Troy was purchased as well as the Marine Elec- tric Service Company, serving Marine and St. Jacobs. Taking into consideration the pur- chases outlined above, and the fact that several towns have been added by building a transmis- sion line to them, the company now serves the following territory : Benld, Butler, Carbon, Caseyville, Coffeen, Collinsville, Donnellson, Fillmore, Gillespie, Greenville, Harvel, Hills- boro. Irving, Litchfield, Marine, Maryville, Morrisonville, Mt. Clair, O'Fallon, Palmer, Panama, Pierron, Pocahontas, Ramsey, Ray- mond. St. Jacobs, Sawyerville, Schram City, Taylor Springs, Troy, Witt.

AMERICAN ZINC COMPANY OF ILLINOIS.

This company was organized for the purpose of producing zinc spelter and sulphuric acid for the markets of the world. The management selected Hillsboro as a locating point for the reason that coal in abundance, and of fine qual- ity, for their purpose, could be had here without the expense of long hauling. The company began business in 1912 on a tract of fifty acres of land one mile south of Hillsboro, where their buildings practically cover twenty-five acres. A town is now built up around the plant, which from the numerous springs around in the vicinity is named Taylor Springs. The company now owns 650 acres of land in the vicinity of the plant. The plant has run every day since it was opened and now consumes 350 tons of coal, and produces 125 tons of spelter and 165 tons of sulphuric acid daily, taking 200 tons of zinc ore daily for this output. It employs at the present time 800 men. Its busi- ness is thoroughly organized along business lines and contentment exists among its ununionized employees. The plant employs at its own ex- pense a teacher for the older people who wish to receive instruction in the English language and the arts and sciences needed in their busi- ness. The superintendent, from whom we get this information, is F. H. Ives. The plant is so large that no adequate conception as to its business can be given in the limited space we have for this purpose.

LANYON ZINC COMPANY.

This plant was the first one to begin the pro- duction of zinc spelter and sulphuric acid in Hillsboro, which was in 1912. It opened with about 200 men, and has recently enlarged its plant till at the present some 300 men are em- ployed there, and after consuming 250 tons of coal daily the plant is able to put out forty tons of spelter and about seventy tons of sulphuric acid. These plants for producing zinc spelter and sulphuric acid are especially desirable as they run every day, and their pay rolls are met regularly as the days come and go.

SCHRAM AUTOMATIC SEALER COMPANY.

This is one of Hillsboro's great enterprises. · Alexander H. Schram, the manager, is the in-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ventor of the Schram automatic can sealer. Forming a company of capitalists, he came to Hillsboro in search of a suitable location for his plant. The company already had a plant at Waterloo, Canada, for the manufacture or the caps, and another plant in Eastern Canada for the manufacture of jars, if we are rightly informed. A plant somewhere near the center of the United States' trade was the thing de- sired. Hence, through the activity of the Hills- boro Commercial Club, Mr. Schram became con- vinced that there was no better place to locate, as here coal was abundant and cheap, and the railroad facilities were of the best, and the people themselves met the promoters with that spirit of progress which characterizes Hillsboro. The Schram Company is known as the largest ex- clusive fruit jar plant in the world. The plant was built in 1906, employing at first 125 people, gradually increasing its capacity till the pres- ent the plant has on its rolls 300 workmen and workwomen. It runs for about ten months in the year, usually shutting up during the ex- treme heat of summer, when all needed repairs are made.

The plant consumes about fifty tons of coal, about thirteen tons of soda ash, about forty tons of silica sand, and about five tons of sheet zinc per day, when running to its full capacity. It further takes about fourteen boxes of tin and about 1,000 gross of rubber jar rings per day. From this it will be seen that the plant is no small affair. In some departments quite a num- ber of women are employed, thus making it espe- cially desirable, as we have at Hillsboro a cer- tain percent of worthy and needy women and girls who are glad of this opportunity to aid the family needs and their own comfort.

MONTGOMERY COAL INTERESTS.

The mining of coal in this county has been, for quite a while, only second to farming in its industrial importance. Indeed, in a sense it is the most important, for without the coal de- velopment and the knowledge that there was vast quantities of it awaiting capital to open up the avenues to its accessibility, the smelters and other large plants. would not have considered our county when in search of the most accept- able locations. The old Litchfield mine, we be- lieve, was the first to demonstrate the value of the coal field. Unfortunately, however, that

shaft struck a rather limited vein, though of the best quality mined in the county, and after some years of successful mining, was abandoned because of local disadvantages.

But the failure of the Litchfield mine did not in any way discourage other developments. Ten other mines have been sunk and successfully mined, and, besides these, there have been dozens oť test holes bored, and the fact fully demon- strated, that paying coal underlies practically the whole of the county. Faults have been found, but not sufficient to discourage the min- ing interests.

During 1915 there were eight mines operated in the county, and two, the Taylor Springs and the West Litchfield, for local reasons have been idle. From the official reports we give a little information pertaining to these mines:

The North Peabody Mine No. 10, at Nokomis, was operated 184 days during the year, em- ployed 683 men, elevated 644,367 tons of coal, and has added materially to the growth of that city during the last two years. Recently the people living near the mine have organized as a separate village under the name of Wenonah. The village has a population of over 200 and the advantages of municipal organization are rapidly being made available.

The Peabody Coal Company's Mine No. 11, at Hillsboro, was operated 279 days with 401 men, and elevated 557,508 tons of coal. This is what is known as the Nortkamp Mine, around which there has grown up quite a little town, and which is now a part of Schram City. It is about two miles from the business part of Hillsboro.

The Shoal Creek Coal Company, at Panama, was operated 223 days during the year, em- ployed 594 men, and elevated 548,133 tons of dusky diamonds. This mine is two miles west of Donnellson and on the county line between Bond and Montgomery counties. The coal is fine and the mine equipment the best, and the moral atmosphere of the now organized village is continually improving.

The Hillsboro Coal Company's Mine, at Hills- boro, is a privately managed mine, and has scarcely an equal in the success with which it has been managed. During 1915 this mine em- ployed 250 men, was operated 236 days, and elevated 328.126 tons of coal. This is the sec- ond mine. we think, in the county to be sunk. and has been of more advantage to the city of .

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Hillsboro than any other promoting industry, because of its output and its influence on the locating here of other plants.

The Peabody Coal Company's Mine at Witt, was operated ninety-two days, employed 581 men, and elevated 265,342 tons of coal. This mine is a good one and was formerly known as the Paisley Mine. Since being sold to a large corporation with plenty of capital to manage successfully, it has shown its merits, and did much in bringing the community up from two small villages to one large city. Another mine will open at Witt in the near future.

The Nokomis Coal Company's Mine No. 1, at Nokomis, ran during the year 184 days, and with 274 men elevated 240,221 tons of coal. This is the West Nokomis Mine, at what is now called Coalton, a small village fully organized under the law as a village and is adding much to the importance of Nokomis as a city.

The Clover Mining Company have a mine at Coffeen, which during 1915 employed 200 men, ran 217 days, and raised 130,772 tons of coal. This mine has had its share of difficulties and during the past year was shut down, but, hap- pily, now has again been started with good pros- pects of being operated regularly. As Coffeen depends largely upon the mine for its business, it is hoped that its future wil be an active one.

The Farmersville Mine. not producing a very large amount of coal, is not included by the state department in this list, therefore we haven't the data at hand to report upon it, although it was operated.

According to the report of the state mining board, these eight mines during 1915 employed 3,018 men, and elevated 2,719,13S tons of coal, which as compared with 1914 was a falling off of two mines and of 492 men, with a short- age of 144,45S tons of coal elevated. The coal mines of the state are divided into twelve dis- tricts, and those of this county are in the seventh district, which during 1915 had in op- eration twelve mines, eight of which were in our county. There was raised in this district during the year 13.45 percent of all -the coal produced in the state, and the quality of the coal is adequately shown in the following tab- ulation of percentages of the various grades of coal raised: Mine run, 10.16 percent ; lump, 44.57 percent: egg. 19.48 percent: nut. . 39 per- cent ; pea, 20.66 percent, and slack or waste, 4.74 percent.

Coal mining, like all other industries, de- velops the most competent men and recognizes their ability by rigid examinations, giving cer- tificates for service as mining examiners, hoist- ing engineers and as mine managers. Those who are elevated to the position of mine man- ager, or made eligible for such positions, are generally those who have been examined and passed through the two or three lower places.

Among those in our county who have passed the lower grades and been awarded certificates showing their competency to be mine managers, we may mention : Hillsboro, K. R. Hart, Theo- dore Helm, Peter Hill, Frank Huml, William Kidd, Louis Korthkamp, William Korthkamp, R. W. Sauerbier, W. H. Smith, Edward Taulbee and James Welsh; Coffeen, Henry Barlow and George Bird; Nokomis, George W. Chambers, John L. Crisswell, John J. Marland, Johni Mar- land, Sr., and J. E. Williamson ; Litchfield, Wil- liam Davis, William Izat, John J. Hughes, Bernard Kelley, Joseph Richardson and Charles Pullen ; Witt, Patrick O'Conner, Robert A. Merry, O. O. Larrick, Thomas A. Hunter, Wm. T. Haywood, Joseph F. Price, Fred Freeman, Sharp Hansom and James Dubois. Among these men several have and are filling the posi- tions that their examinations entitled them to, and the requirements are such that irresponsible men are in no wise likely to be elevated above their ability to make good. The miner who buys or makes a home amalgamates with the moving and uplifting forces of the community in which he lives, and is very apt to be a desir- able citizen.

KORTKAMP BRICK AND TILE COMPANY.

The Kortkamp Brick and Tile Company be- gan business some time ago. but, owing to the large cost of installing some electrical machinery and other financial complications, the plant, though having a capacity of 40,000 brick per day. has not yet been able to adjust matters and operate its machinery with satisfactory re- sults. As we are going to press the matters seem to be in a fair way of being satisfactorily adjusted and sufficient capital put into the busi- ness to insure success. As the material is avail- able and a ready market at hand for its output, there seems to be no doubt that if once fully started, under competent management, it will

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

be a valuable addition to the industries of Hillsboro.

FARMERS' MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANIES.

There are few business interests in this great country less talked about, and yet of greater importance, than that of cooperative insurance. We have in the United States about 2,500 of these associations, some of them the oldest in- surance companies in the country, and many of them doing business commensurate with the growing importance of the class of property they are organized to protect. In the state of Illinois at the close of business December 31, 1915, there were 232 mutual fire insurance com- panies and twelve county and district mutual wind storm companies, not including those or- ganized under the law requiring a paid-up cap- ital. These companies are what is known as purely assessment companies, having no paid-up capital and not organized for profit. Their im- portance as factors in the moving forces of this great commonwealth is briefly shown in the fol- lowing statement of their combined business :

Property insured in the mutual fire companies of the state, $315,549,673.00. Property insured in the mutual wind storm companies, $36,307,- 972.00.

Total, $351,857,645.00.

These companies are universally commended for their frugal management and freedom from the charges of nefarious crookedness so com- mon in this day when the possession of large funds seems to be an incentive to graft and corruption. For instance, Supt. Rufus M. Potts, of Illinois, says in his last report : "Under this system of insurance the members own and di- rectly control the organization. Hence these organizations are conducted honestly and eco- nomically, with the best interests of the mem- bers always given first consideration. There has not been, during my term of office, a single complaint filed with this department against any one of these companies for failure to properly adjust or pay its losses."

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 34

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 810

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 810