USA > Illinois > Williamson County > Historical souvenir of Williamson County, Illinois : being a brief review of the county from date of founding to the present > Part 6
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HENRY BROWN'S RESIDENCE.
57
SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
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THE GREENHOUSES OF J. P. COPELAND Florist and Gardener.
too many. Both Robert C. Noll and Ed Gill are men of recognized merit and both wanted the job. Both have warm friends on the Board, which was about equally di- vided on their respective claims. The contention was so sharp that the candidates themselves recom- mended a third man, and Mr. Ash- by got the appointment. No one regrets the selection, as the work has been well done and gives nni- versal satisfaction.
Utility, convenience, health and safety have never heen lost sight of from start to finish, and the re- sult is a handsome and up-to-date structure which does honor to all concerned.
The following data was furnished by Mr. O. M. Williams, of Noll & Williams, contractors, and taken di- rectly from the blue-print plans of the architect. They are given for preservation and reference, and may be considered reliable: Size, over all, 59 feet 7 inches by 81 feet 2 inches; height over all to comb of roof, 45 feet; central hall, from door to door, 17 by 59 feet. The school rooms open out of the cen- tral hall, and there is a main stair- case running down to the exits east and west, having solid oak doors with plate glass in the upper half and having double action hinges for safety in case of panic or fire. All rooms are 27 feet by 30 feet, and 13 feet 9 inches high. The lower rooms are 10 feet in the clear. Each room is provided with a glass-front bookcase, two pro- gram boards and ample blackboard finish on the walls, done in green to protect the eye and of the latest and best material, practically im- perishable. The floors are laid double, with deadening felt be- tween to secure warmth and quiet,
. and the rooms ceiled up to the win- dows, except the stairways. The
entire building is finished in
Georgia yellow pine, and highly polished; the stairs are of curled maple; the plastering is of three- coats of alibaster, and sand-finished to relieve the eye. The building is well lighted, thoroughly ventilated, both direct and indirect, and is drained by tiling laid in cement. The cross-walls are all of hrick, as a fire protection.
The Professor's room is at the south end of the hall, over the stairway and between the cloak-
rooms. The building is heated by steam, furnished by a boiler in the basement. The total cost will be about $10,000. The lumber, lath, inside finish, doors and windows were all furnished by the Stotlar- Herrin Lumber Company, whose Marion representative, Mr. Ed Stot- lar, the President of the Board of Education, was also Chairman of the building committee. His as- sociates on the committee were: Dr. A. M. Edwards, J. M. Burkhart, William J. Aikman and Lawyer E. E. Denison. Griggs Bros, and the Marion pressed-brick company fur-
RESIDENCE OF J. P. COPELAND.
This delightful and inviting home consists of five acres of rich bottom land, lying towards the south end of S. Court St., parallel to and south of the C. & E. I. Railroad. The house was built in 1901 by W. L. Gill at a cost of $1200, Mrs. M. L. Copeland furnishing the plan.
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SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
WHISTLE, JOHNNIE!
Whistle Johnnie while I'm spattin, Whistle sumfin awful cute.
Watch my fingers, and den toot. Now's de time to have de singin, While de birds are singin too, While de vineses are a clingin,
An de posies wet wif dew.
Hark! de funder. Whistle Johnnie!
Don't you never mind de rain. Look at me. here on the mattin, When it comes, just whistle sumfin.
An I'll spat wif might and main. Don't fraid for boo-boos when it tunders, Whistle, Johnnie, while I play. Keep up courage, make no blunders,
An de boo-boos go away. J. F. WILCOX
nished all the brick except the fac- ing conrse, which were of Belle- ville re-pressed dark red brick.
The slating was done by a St. Louis firm. The lime for the brick laying was from St. Genevieve, and the sand from Spiller's bank, de- livered by Laue Brothers transfer company. The plastering sand was river sand from St. Louis, shipped over the Illinois Central Railway. The stone was procured at Bedford, Ind., and the slating from Pennsyl- vania. L. J. Pergan, of Marion, did the plumbing and Frank Bock the painting. Albert Sumner had the contract for lathing.
The following Marion boys worked on the job:
Carpenters-James Felts, Chas. Calvert. John Jolly, Geo. Vick, Chas. Williams, Roy Felts, Chas, and Wal- lace Peebles, D. K. Noll, Isaac Hess, Ed Campbell, Geo. Miller and Mr. Goodman.
Bricklayers-Doak Veach, Fore- man: Chas. Veach, Gern Blackbern, Sam and George Fuller, brothers; Fritz Norris, Bert Bobbett and Sam Scobey, of Carterville.
The following teachers take charge of the classes in the four rooms on the main floor:
Anna Thompson, Nellie Rich, Maud E. Roberts and Cynthia Tram- mel.
·1
REV. F. L. THOMPSON. Pastor of M. E. Church.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH BUILDING, West Main St., Marion, Illinois.
59
SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
O CEN .:
1900
BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF MARION LOOKING NORTH.
Railroads of William- son County.
T HIS County has at the present time four railroads doing bus- iness within its limits, besides the Electric Trolley line. The old Car- bondale & Shawneetown Ry., now forming a part of the Illinois Cen- tral; the Chicago & Eastern Illi- nois, now a part of the Rock Is- land, and included in the "Frisco System;" the Big Four or the Cleve- land, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis, and the Chicago and Texas now also a part of the Illinois Cen- tral. Being an inland county, with no river or lake traffic, it is entire- ly dependent upon its railroads for its immense business. Being the
center of the great coal field, of course, the heaviest item in its
transportation is coal. According to the Illinois coal report for 1902, for the seventh district, composed of the counties of Gallatin, Hamil- ton, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Perry, Randolph, Saline, Wabash, Washington and Williamson, all of which are reached by the roads en- umerated, the total number of tons of coal shipped was 3,439,364, while the total for Williamson County alone was 1,893,414, or 5538 per cent. of the whole amount.
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Rail- road Company.
The southern end of this road, from Altamont in Effingham County to Marion, was built under contract by Johnson Brothers & Faught, of St. Elmo, as the Chicago, Paducah and Memphis, in 1895. In 1899 the C. & E. I. bought it and pushed it on to Thebes, on the Mississippi,
as a terminus. During the past year the Rock Island secured it and made it a part of the Frisco Sys- tem. As a matter of special inter- est to Williamson County, and par- ticularly to Marion and West Frankfort, it may be said that the latter place has been selected as a division point, and the shops, tracks, engines, cars anì working force are soon to be removed from Ma- rion.
Resting a Bit on the North Side of the Square.
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SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
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BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF MARION LOOKING EAST.
Big four Railroad Company.
The Big Four road barely touch- es this county at Stone Fort, just crossing the southeast corner, where it joins Saline, Johnson and Pope. The system is too well known and plays a too important part in the commerce of this County to merit or require any further notice from this volume.
Chicago & Texas Railroad.
The Chicago & Texas Railway is a new coal feeder, which penetrates the coal field at Johnson City and runs southwest to Carbondale, Mur- physboro, Grand Tower, Cape Gi- rardean and Cairo.
In 1899 it became the property of the Illinois Central and is destined to become a very important coal
MME
Getting Ready for a "Spin." North Side of Public Square.
feeder. It shipped in 1903 1,116,- sso tons of coal and four new mines have been openel on it between Johnson City and Carterville. The new Burr Shaft, the Chicago & Johnson City, the Jeffrey and the Tom Johns at Lauder.
In addition to the above the Great Northern has lately bought 15,000 acres of coal land in this county, and are now surveying a line from Centralia to the Ohio River. Coal men are coming to know that we have an inexhaust- able supply of the best soft coal in the United States, and are scramb- ling for territory.
The following account of the origin and building of the first rail- road in the County is taken entire from the History of Williamson County by Milo Erwin, and is be- lieved to be reliable. The date of the book is given as 1876:
"During the summer months, from 1850 to 1872, there was a class of men in this county known as teamsters, who followed the bus- iness of hauling the products of the county to the railroads and river. In an early day nothing could be sent to market but such things as could walk. Ox teams were used up to 1866, when everybody com- menced to nse horses for teaming. This hauling got to be so extensive and costly that there was a general demand for a railroad. An act passed the legislature and was ap- proved March 7th, 1867, incorporat- ing the Murphysboro and Shawnee-
SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS
61
f
--
X
GEO W. YOUNG
NEW-YORK STORE.
BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF MARION LOOKING SOUTH.
town Railroad company, and in 1868 a petition signed by 100 voters as required by said act, was filed with the County Clerk, asking the court to submit a proposition of vot- ing a subscription of $100,000 to the capital stock of the said com- pany to the legal voters of the coun- ty. Speakers went out over the county during the canvass, and the people were led to believe that they were taking stock in a railroad com- pany on which they would annually draw a dividend more than suffi- cient to pay the interest on the honds of the county. On the 3rd day of November, 1868, the propo- sition was voted upon and resulted in 1779 votes for and 108 against the subscription. On the 12th day of December, 1860, the court made an order that the subscription should be paid in the bonds of the county running 20 years, bearing interest at the rate of & per cent. per annum, payable annually at the office of the County Treasurer. But said bonds were not to be issued, bear date, draw interest or be de- livered until the road was completed and the cars running on the same from Carbondale to Marion, pro- videl, if the road was not completed by the 1st day of January, 1870, this subscription was to be void. In the same order is found this lan- guage:
"Whereas the County of William- son has this day subscribed $100,- 000 to the capital stock of the Mur- physboro and Shawneetown Rail- road Company; Now, therefore, for the purpose of securing the con-
struction and early completion of said road, that said County enter into an agreement with the M. & S. R. R. Co., and that said County in and by said agreement, sell to said company the $100,000 stock. That the towns of said sale and agreement shall be in effect as fol- lows: That when the certificate of stock shall have been issued by said Company to said county, the said County, after the said road shall have been completed, and within ten days after said Railroad Com- pany shall have issued to said
county the certificates of stock for said $100,000, assign, transfer and set over to said Company the cer- tificate for said $100,000 stock so issued to said county for the con- sideration of $5,000, to be paid to said county at the time of said transfer and assignment in the hands of said county issued to said company, in payment of the sub- scription."
On the 12th day of December, 1868, Jesse Bishop and Addison Reece on behalf of the county, and Samuel Dunoway, as President of
"A Little Fun on the Fair Grounds."
62
SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
J
RIDGE &
BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF MARION LOOKING WEST.
the M. & S. R. R. Company, en- tered into a contract in pursuance of the above order, to sell the stock. It was recorded at the December Special Term of the County Court. This contract was drawn up hy Jesse Bishop. They did not claim to have any authority from the people for making this infamous contract, because they give as their reason for making it for securing the construction and early comple- tion of said road. They did not make it in compliance with any law
or vote of the people. It has since been urged as an excuse for the sale that it was hest for the county, that the Railroad Company would have closed out the stock by mort- gage bonds, and the county would have gotten nothing. That might he a good reason to give at this day, but I have copied the motives above, which actuated the Court in its ac- tion at the time.
An act passed the legislature and was approved March 10, 1869, to change the name of the Murphys-
Race Track on the Fair Grounds at Marion, 111.
Amphitheater and Judge's Stand.
boro and Shawneetown Railroad Co. to that of the Carbondale & Shaw- nee Railroad Co., and to make valid the subscription and contract of sale of the County Court. By this act it
was declared that the County Court should, on the completion of the road to Marion, set over and transfer the certificates of stock to the Railroad Company without the payment of the $5,000 or any sum. The act further provided that the interest on the bonds should he paid semi-annually in New York, in place of at the County Treasurer's office. It was contended in the Railroad suit described hereafter, that this act was unconstitutional, as being ex post facto and impairing the ob- ligation of contracts.
On the 24th day of December, 1870, there was an order made by the court, extending the time for the completion of the M. & S. R. R. to the first day of January, 1872, and also extending the time for the completion of a Railroad from Car- bondale to Marion to the same time. It was contracted in the snit that the County Court here recog- nized two railroad companies, and that the giving the bonds to the lat- ter that were voted for the former was not valid. It was also contend- ed by the counsel in said suit that if the act of March 1st, 1869, was constitutional, it limited the time of the completion of said road to the 1st day of January, 1871, and it being an amended charter could not be changed only by legislature. At the July special term, 1871, the
63
SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
ARTHUR A. ROBERTS, Editor of Leader.
court adopted the form of a bond to be issued to the company. At this same term, July 24, the court, with Spain as Judge, made an order, ať- ter reciting all the acts of the leg- islature and the previous orders of this court, and reaffirming the suh- scription, that the County Clerk should procure one hundred bonds of one thousand dollars each, and that on presentation of the certifi- cates of stock by the company, the bonds should be issued and placed in the hands of James W. Samuels, as trustee, to hold until the road was completed.
On this same day the Carbondale & Shawneetown Railroad Company entered into contract with E. C. Dawes & Co., to build said road. On the 4th day of September, 1871, the Court, after reciting the order of July 24th, which stated that the bonds should bear date of January 1st, 1872, made an order that the bonds should be prepared in blank and bear date from the completion of the road, as they expected to have it completed before that date. Most people supposed that only $50,000 worth of stock would be taken when the road was completed to Marion, and but few of them
knew anything about the contract of sale, but it had leaked out by the 1st of November. 1871. There was considerable talk of an injunction
to keep the court from issuing the bonds. The work on the road was progressing rapidly, and Walter P. Hanchett, the agent of E. C. Dawes & Co., became very uneasy, and on Sunday, November 6, 1871, he sent out a special messenger to bring in the County Court. They came in the next morning and were set upon all that day by Hanchett and his friends to sign the bon is and place them in the hands of a trustee to avoid the intended in- junction from the citizens.
Judge Spain and Associate Justice Holland were opposed to issuing the bonds until the road was completed, but Manier was for signing them. About dark on Monday, the 7th, Hanchett and his friends got the court together in a room over Good- all and Campbell's store, and tried every way to get the bonds signed. About 12 o'clock in the night some one told Hanchett to send for R. M. Hundley, that he could get the court to act. Hundley was sent for and when he came up town he went to the Lancier Hotel where Han- chett met him and told him what was up, and that his assistance was urgently solicited. Hundley told him he would let him know in from thirty to sixty minutes. Hundley then went over and had a talk with the court, and then went back and asked Hanchett what it was worth to him to have those bonds signed that night. He said, one thousand dollars. He then drew a draft on the Carbondale bank and left Hund- ley, who immediately went home. The court signed the bonds that night and delivered them to W. N. Mitchell as trustee, the first giving $100,000 bond for their delivery when called for.
Encampment of Union Veterans Union at Grand Reunion at Marion August, 1904.
64
SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
S. K. CASEY, Editor and Publisher of Marion Evening Post and the Egyptian Press. Casey & Felts, Proprietors.
J. H. FELTS, Of the Egyptian Publishing Company.
These County Judges were not bribed, as would seem from this story, because they are honest, con- scientious men, neither did Hundley attempt to bribe them. He simply got $1,000 to use his influence. That they ought not to have signed the bonds when they did was plain, but it was an undue influence and not corruption. Mitchell deposited the bonds in the bank at Spring- field, and at the December ad-
journed term, 1871, the President and Directors of the Railroad re- ported to the court their acceptance of the road as complete from the contractors, E. C. Dawes & Co., and the court ordered the bonds to he delivered to the company, and re- ceived the certificates of stock of $100,000. On Sunday, January 14, 1872, five car loads of iron were brought to Marion, and on Monday, the 15th, the last rail was laid on
FISHERS OF FISH. (Not Men-fishers. )
the track, but the cars had been run- ning to Marion for some time be- fore.
At the special term, being the 24th day of January, 1872, the court made an order authorizing the County Clerk to assign and transfer the certificates of stock held by the county in the C. & S. Ry. Company to E. C. Dawes & Co., of Cincinnati, Ohio, excepting $10,- 000 of the stock, which was to be held by the clerk until the Rail- road Company should have the road completed to Crab Orchard, in this county, and by the contract the railroad company was to pay $5,- 000 for the certificates in the bonds issued by the county in payment of the subscription, and if they had done so there would have been only $95,000 in bonds outstanding. But they paid it in money, or at least settled $5,000 of interest on the $100,000 in bonds. The $10,000 of certificates are still in possession of the county clerk, and we pay an- nually $8,000 interest and another $1,000 for collecting and disbursing it. At the March term of the Cir- cuit Court, 1873, a bill for an in- junction and relief was filed by George Bulliner, W. M. Hindman, Henry Williams, George W. Sisney, Robert M. Allen and F. M. Maxey. The injunction was granted by the Master in Chancery and stopped the Sheriff from collecting the Railroad taxes and the State Treasurer from paying the interest on the bonds. This case created a great deal of
65
SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
EUGENE F. BONES, Managing Editor Egyptian Press.
anxiety. The case was decided hy Judge Crawfor' against the com- plainants, and a judgment of $1,000 given against them for Attorneys' fees. An appeal was taken to the Supreme court and the judgment below affirmed.
The Carbondale & Shawneetown Railroad is 17 miles, 2,560 feet long, from Carbondale to Marion, and cost $583,407.12, and has a funded and unfunded debt of $275,- 890.15. For the year ending June 30, 1875, it transportel 38,959 tons of freight. The road has been honestly and fairly operated and has been a great benefit to our
TEXAS AND PACIFIC EL PASO
PERCY
TEDDY FRANK
COAL BELT RAILWAY
O
THREE LITTLE DIAMONDS.
"They look like three little diamonds," said a Jewish lady of Los Angeles when she saw the three bright boys shown in the accompanying cut. They are Percy, Teddy and Frank, the sons of E. F. Bones, managing editor of the Marion Evening Post, aged 6, 4 and 2 years, respectively. They are natural born artists, having inherited the talent from their papa. The drawings surrounding their picture were made by Percy, the oldest, who occupies the central position in the group. Teddy can draw almost equally as well, and even two-year-old Frank can outline a locomo- tive. Having lost their mamma, who died in Los Angeles last November, the little fellows are separated, Percy, the oldest being in Marion with Grandpa and Grandma Bones, Teddy, the second, with Grandpa and Grandma Tate in Tex- as, and Frank, the baby, having a good home with Mr. and Mrs. I. M. Walker, in Carterville. They learned to talk
"baby talk,"
early, and have never been afflicted with
having used good English from the beginning. They never fail to attract attention wherever they go by their bright ways and civil manners. "He talks like a man," is an ex- pression often made about each of them. This picture is a snapshot taken on the court house lawn at El Paso, Tex., and although it was in the winter time, the sun was a little too hright for the baby's eyes.
SCHY
MARION EGYPTIAN PRESS, OUTSIDE.
county, but it is not right in prin- ciple for a majority to force the unwilling minority to contribute to the building up of a private person or corporation. It is right in pub- lic matters, but in private concerns, their own consent ought to be ob- tained to make them partners or contributors.
The present status of the road and its history subsequent to the date of the above account seems to be about as follows:
The road was never completed by the company beyond Marion, but in 1888 the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroad Company bought it and completed it to Paducah, Ky.,
66
SOUVENIR OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
DICKSON B. WARD, Deceased.
and in 1898 the Illinois Central purchased it. So it has become a branch of that great system, and a very important feeder to its coal and general passenger and freight traffic. It has built a branch from Carterville to Herrin, with spurs to the principal mines, and has greatly improved its road bed the whole length of the line.
About eight years ago, by a vote of the county, the bonds were re- funded at 4 per cent., and payment was begun at the rate of $5,000 an- nually. The interest is kept up and $40,000 has been paid on the principal.
The Bench and Bar of Williamson County.
By Judge Geo. W. Young.
B Y act of the Legislature approved January 7, 1835, the State was divided into five (5) Judicial Circuits. Williamson (then Frank- lin) was in the first circuit, but we have no records of courts being held in this County prior to the estab- lishment of the County Seat, Ma- rion. August 20, 1839. The records
C. & E. 1. RAILROAD BRIDGE,
Eight miles south of Marion. Crossing the Saline Creek. Height
80 feet.
show that Samuel D. Lockwood, William Brown, Jeptha Hardin, held court in and for the County of Franklin prior to 1840. After the division (1840) Walter B. Scatese and Sidney Breese held the courts prior and up to September, IS48.
After the adoption of the consti- tution of 1848 the following judges held the circuit court while Wil- liamson County was in the third cir- cuit: Wm. A. Denning, Wm. K. Par- rish, Alexander M. Jenkins and Jno. H. Mulkey. By act of the Legisla- ture, approved January 15, 1859, the State was redistricted and Wil- liamson County was put in the 26th Judicial Circuit. From that time to 1873 the following named Judges held the Circuit Court of this Conn- ty: Willis Allen, William Joshua, Allen and Andrew D. Duff.
After the adoption of the consti- tution of 1870, and by act of the Legislature approved March 28, 1873. Williamson County was placed in the 25th Judicial Circuit, and Monroe C. Crawford was elected Judge June 2, 1873, for the term of six (6) years. But by the act of March 10, 1877, the State was di- vided into thirteen (13) circuits, and Williamson was placed in the first circuit, and this same art pro- vided for the election of three (3) Judges after the first Monday in June, 1879, and provided also for the election of one additional judge to hold until the regular election on the first Monday of June. 1879. Ac- cordingly John Dougherty, of Jones- boro, was elected August 20, 1877, to serve until June 2. 1879. Fol- lowing said election David J. Baker, Monroe C. Crawford and John Dougherty were the three (3) Judges for the tripple consolidated first circuit until the regular elec- tion, first Monday in June, 1879.
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