USA > Illinois > McLean County > Normal > History of Bloomington and Normal, in McLean County, Illinois > Part 9
USA > Illinois > McLean County > Bloomington > History of Bloomington and Normal, in McLean County, Illinois > Part 9
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" April 8, 1832, I went to the schoolhouse (a log cabin) to attend Sabbath school, agreeable to an appointment made by Mr. Latta, a local preacher of the Methodist order. But few were present. A question arose as to the manner of conducting the school. Previous to this, for a short time, a gentleman of intelligence, but not a professor of religion, had met a few children on the Sabbath, and instructed them in reading and singing. Some desired a school of a more decided, religious character, while others pre- ferred the present arrangement. A meeting was appointed for Monday night to settle this question.
" April 9. Meeting was held, agreeable to notice, and, as a result, I was appointed Superintendent, and the entire management of the school placed in my hands.
" April 15. Commenced a Sabbath school upon strictly religious, but not secta- rian, principles. For some months I had no assistance, and the attendance of pupils was from twenty to thirty. At length, I obtained the assistance of two young ladies, Misses Durley and Kimler, who did efficient work in the school. To show the state of society at that time, permit me to say that the employment of these ladies in the school caused considerable low gossip in town, although they belonged to respectable families, and were of irreproachable character.
" I continued this school until the spring of 1833, when, about to visit the East, I left it in charge of Mr. McGeoh, a Presbyterian clergyman, who had recently located in Bloomington. I returned in the fall of the same year and found the school broken up, Mr. McGeoh having died in my absence. Very soon I made arrangements to revive the school, and have it meet at our residence, as the most convenient place for the win- ter. With the assistance of my wife, we had what was, to me, a very interesting school.
" When I returned from the East, I brought out a second-hand library, and the books were read with avidity. One bright-eyed little girl took a book, and, on return- ing it, was asked if she had read it through. She replied, ' O yes ; I read it through a heap of times.'
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" In the spring of 1934, the Rev. I. Foster and wife located in Bloomington, and I gave the school into their hands. During the summers of 1831 and 1535, Iwas away most of the time. In the spring of 1936, I was again chosen Superintendent, and had charge of the school for two years. During this time, the first colored family having children of suitable age to attend school, settled in town. I invited them into the school, which caused quite a little excitement. I could get no one to teach them. therefore I did it myself, giving all the time to them I could spare from other duties Prejudice against them was so high that some left the school, but I do not think it sus- tained any great loss.
" In the spring of 1835. a Mr. Barbour was chosen Superintendent. In 1939, the Methodists organized a denominational school, which drew large numbers from the other, which had up to this time been called a union school, although managed mostly by Presbyterians. From this time forward, the old organization took on a denomi- national character, and, with slight interruptions, has been continued to the present time-1979-so that the Sabbath school of the old First Presbyterian Church may right- fully claim direct lineal descent from the first Sabbath school organized in Bloomington. Thus, from a very small beginning it has grown, I trust, to a healthful, yet ever increas- ing, institution for the promotion of religious knowledge.
"A. C. WASHBURNE."
From and after this time, or from 1939, all the churches began to establish their own Sabbath schools, and the history of each individual church may be assumed to include the history of its own Sabbath school without doing much violence to his- tory ; hence we shall not pursue the subject.
CEMETERIES.
We have stated elsewhere that the first cemetery laid out in the township of Bloom- ington, is the one in the Orendorff neighborhood, started in the year 1825. This is oldest cemetery in the county.
Shortly after the town, now city, of Bloomington, was established, a cemetery was opened on the north side of the ample grounds now known as the Bloomington Com- etery. Here we find that the first burial was that of Mrs. Remington, about the year 1432. This tract is included within the same inclosure with the Bloomington Com- etery, and contains some land owned by the city and used as a public burying-ground. As the town grew and it became evident it would be a place of considerable size, efforts were made in 1856 to establish a cemetery on a larger and more appropriate scale, and the result proves the good taste, wisdom and judgment of those interested.
The Bloomington Cemetery AAssociation was organized April 1, 1857. David Brier, Esq., was elected President, and I. Graves, Secretary and Treasurer, which posi- tion the latter gentleman has ably filled and is filling to the entire satisfaction of all ; while the former gentleman held the presidency until he removed from the city, when Judge O. T. Reeves was elect to that position. The Cemetery grounds are located at the east end of Fremont street, and contain forty aeres, and are sufficiently remote from the business center and every-day life as to render the place a fitting abode of the dead. The site chosen is a beautiful one. Its rolling ground is pleasing and is interspersed with a natural growth of trees and shrubs, making its landscape beauty unsurpassed for the purpose designed. It is a beautiful, secluded retreat, well adapted as a sacred spot
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for the reception of the dead, where monuments to their memory are preserved and cherished as a solace to the living. Many monuments and other valuable improvements are being made, which add beanty to and adorn the grounds, making it really a city of the dead.
The Catholic Cemetery is under the care of the Church. It is situated on West Washington street, near the city limits. This Cemetery, like the other, is fast filling up with tasteful monuments, which indicate a degree of civilization and culture greatly to be commended.
The Jewish Cemetery was laid out in 1874. It contains one acre of gronnd, near city limits, on the Springfield road. The President of the Association is M. Heilbrun, who first proposed the idea of a cemetery.
FRANKLIN PARK.
Bloomington has reason to be proud of the beautiful square called Franklin Park, which is in the northern part of the city. It was donated in 1856, by David Davis, W. T. Flagg and William H. Allin, who were owners of the land included in the Dur- ley Addition. They presented it to the city to be perpetually used as a public park. At that time, there were no residences in its vicinity, and the idea of the public ever obtaining any benefit from a park in that desolate region was the theme of much ridi- cule on the part of the wits of the time. The rapid growth of the city in its northern portion has proved the wisdom and far-sightedness of the donors of Franklin Park. In the spring of 1858, the City Council appropriated money for planting trees, and the work was mostly superintended by Milo Chatfield, then Alderman. The trees were mere poles, and their wretched appearance again started the flood-gates of ridicule. These trees have now become a beautiful forest, and the place begins to be prized by our citizens, and will, no doubt, soon be improved with walks, drives, seats, iron fences, . statues and fountains.
It can already boast of one of the noblest ornaments of McLean County, the Sol- diers' Monument, which was erected by vote of the people of the entire county. The vote was taken in 1866, and the monument was dedicated June 17, 1869. In some parts of the county, votes were cast against the proposition, on the ground that it was supposed the monument was to be placed in the Bloomington Cemetery, but there never was any intention of such a location.
The monument was designed and built by J. S. Haldeman, of this city. The following is a detailed sketch of its size and general appearance : The lower base is built of Lemont limestone, thirteen feet in diameter; the marble base on the top of this is finished with a heavy carved molding, on which stand four octagonal disks, in the shape of a cross. On these disks are the names of about seven hundred soldiers that died in the service. On the top of these disks is an elaborately molded cap, with the inscription, " McLean County's Honored Sons; Fallen, But Not Forgotten," engraved in large letters. On this cap, and directly over each of the four disks, stands a statue of a soldier, representing first, Infantry, second, Cavalry, third, Zonave, fourth, Marine. These statues surround a large octagonal disk, with heavy relief covering. On the four corners there are flags, accoutrements, etc. Above this disk is a second disk surrounded with a finely-carved festoon of laurel. From this disk starts the main shaft, which is eighteen feet high, tapering gradually to the top, and surmounted with a
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SOLDIERS MONUMENT BLOOMINGTON
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cap and a life-size figure of a colonel resting on his sword, holding in his right hand a field-glass, and facing the south. The whole height of the monument is forty-nine fort from the ground to the top of the colonel's head, It cost $15,000.
We have already alluded to the fact, that Bloomington was a center of the pro jected railroad system of the Internal Improvement scheme of 1836. The Illinois Con- tral, as then proposed, might pass a good way to the east, or a long distance to the west of ont eity, but men like A. Gridley, Jesse W. Fell, David Davis, J. E. McClun, and others were watching the project, determined that the line should touch Bloomington. if they could have influence. Circumstances favored Gien Gridley, who was in the State Senate in 1-51, and he secured the line where Bloomington most wished it to be located.
Our citizens began to feel, in 1850, when legislation and the progress of railroading made it probable the road might be built in a few years, that it was vitally important to obtain the line. The Senatorial contest in this district, in the fall of 1550, was hoth contested between A. Gridley and John W. Ewing-the former a Whig, and the latter a Democrat. Both men were in favor of Bloomington's becoming a point on the road. though the respective political parties affected to doubt the soundness of each other's candidates. Mr. firidley was elected from the counties of MeLean, Tazewell, Logan. Macon and De Witt, by 219 majority. During the session of the Legislature of 1850 and 1851, the Illinois Central charter was passed. The only points located in the charter are the termini, and a point not far from the southeast corner of Blooming- ton Township. After a severe contest with rival routes, Mr. Gridley secured the inser- tion of this one intermediate point, which gave Decatur, Clinton and Bloomington the road with little further trouble.
We copy from the Western Intelligencer a letter of great interest :
SINATE CHAMBER, February 6, 1551.
The Senate, this moment, by a vote of 28 10 2, has passed the Central Railroad bill. The only point made on the Central road, between the southern terminus of the canal and Cairo is. that the road shall be constructed within five miles of the northeast corner of Township 21 north, Range 2 east of the Third Principal Meridian. This provision seenres the road to Bloomington. Clinton and Decatur beyond all question, and secures the construction of the great Central roll through the three countries of Mclean, DeWitt and Macon. The great difficulty has been in determining the points to which the road should be constructed ; and inasmuch as there has been but one point fixed in the whole State (except the termini as fixed by the act of Congress. I think the citizens of said counties are fortunate that by the provisions of this bill this great rund is secured to them.
By reference to the map, as the rond will not go east of the northeist corner of Town 21. Range 2 cast, you will see that Bloomington is in a direct line from four miles west of chil northeast corner to In Salle, or the termination of the cand, which secures the road to Blow ington.
The Legislature will adjourn on Monday, the 17th. I am also of opinion that the bill which some days since passed the Senate r extending the charter of the Alton & Sangamon Hail- rond Company to Blo mington, will pass the House and become a law , in which event I am nurel by the agent of the Company, that the road will be constructed and completed in to Here I take this earliest opportunity to advise you, and through you to advise my fellow cit izens of Melean and other counties of the Eleventh Senttorial District of the progress of the Legislature upon the subject of railroads, well knowing their deep and abyling anxiety therein Trusting that my feeble efforts in their behalf aty meet their approbation, I am.
Very respectfully your obedient servant, A GRIDLEY.
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When the engineers came to locate the line of the Illinois Central, a public meet- ing was held, offering the right of way to the company providing a certain line was adopted, it being almost the exact route which was afterward followed. There was a plan to take the road about three miles east of Bloomington, but it was defeated. The line was located as it was built and its building commenced in 1851. During the year 1852, work was going on along in this portion of the State, and, it being the first rail- road ever built here, it of course attracted a great deal of attention. At one time, there was a scheme for locating the railroad-shops here, but for the reason that the company itself did not own land enough at this point to reap a harvest from the sale of town lots, it preferred to build a town of its own at Wapella. The cars ran from La Salle to Bloomington May 23, 1853. It is stated by those who were living at the time, that no event has ever created such profound excitement as did the arrival of the first rail- road train from La Salle on the Illinois Central Railroad. Bloomington and the sur- rounding country turned out en masse, waiting at the depot for the new-fangled machine that dispensed with the aid of horses. There were large numbers present who had never seen an engine before, and to all, even those to whom it was no novelty, the event was one of the deepest significance. Bloomington, after nearly twenty years of watch- ing, working and waiting, had now a railroad, and was about to enter upon an active career. To the minds of all who were present on that occasion, it was the dawning of a new era of prosperity for our city, and the result of twenty-six years of railroad advantages is sufficient proof that the spectators of that event were correet in their anticipations.
About this time-1850 to 1853-several other railroad projects were before our people. One was the " Peoria, Bloomington & La Fayette " and another the " Bloom- ington & Wabash Valley." The former really became the Peoria & Logansport through El Paso and Chenoa, after Bloomington people had been rather tricked out of the line by the actions of Peoria. The names of the gentlemen who were mentioned in the act of incorporation of the " Bloomington & Wabash Valley " road are given below, and we insert as a remark of our own, that the most of these same men have been found aiding every road that Bloomington possesses to-day: David Davis, John Moore, Isaac Funk, John E. MeClun, James Miller, Jesse W. Fell, A. Gridley, K. II. Fell, E. H. Didlake, J. H. Robinson, R. O. Warriner, A. Withers, John W. Ewing, W. F. Flagg, W. H. Temple, W. H. Holmes and W. T. Major.
These two roads mentioned, however, have substantially been secured by the Indianapolis and La Fayette routes, which have lately been built on nearly the same lines as were projected in these early times. These years-1850 to 1853-were fruit- ful in "projects" for railroads, and, in fact, fruitful in results. October 15, 1853, by a vote of 340 to 5, the city of Bloomington voted to take stock to the amount of $50,000 in the " Bloomington & Wabash " road, but for some reason the project failed at that time, to be revived again under another charter at a later date. Its line has since been occupied substantially, by the present Indianapolis & Bloomington road, whose later history is given below.
The "Alton & Sangamon," or " Chicago & Mississippi " Railroad, alluded to by Gen. Gridley above, succeeded in getting its charter extended to Bloomington, and very soon our citizens began to hear of the location of the Springfield & Bloomington Railroad. Surveys were made, the line put under contract, and in due course of time
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-October 16, 1853-the cars were running from Springfield to Bloomington. For several months, trains connected with the Illinois Central at the Junction which is now Normal, and passengers from Springfield could reach Chicago via Bloomington and La Salle. At that time, the line which is now the Chicago & Alton, advertised in a Bloomington paper to take passengers to New York in "only sixty hours."
This new road came quietly, compared with the Illinois Central ; the latter had been talked of ever since 1836, and the former was comparatively unknown to the gen- eral public until its contractors were at work all along the line. When it arrived, it almost took the town by surprise. As the road reached Bloomington late in the fall, it was not able to finish its northern end until the following summer ; and the Joliet & Bloom- ington Extension-as it was called-was ready for use during the summer of 1854. The portion nearest Bloomington was built first, and was so far along that an excursion- train ran to Lexington on the 4th of July, 1854. The Joliet & Chicago Railroad had been built previously, and we believe the Chicago & Alton Railroad, from Chicago to East St. Louis, has been built under at least five different charters, each authorizing only a portion of the present line.
When the Illinois Central depot was located at the eastern side of town, the idea of locating the other at or outside of the western edge was advocated by Jesse Fell and others, and though not popular at first, it was soon thought that if the two depots were thus situated, the town would be spread out wide and in the end might be benefited.
By donations of land and assistance in other ways, these gentlemen also secured the building of the railroad machine-shops in 1852 and 1853, which, in the end, have become so highly important to the prosperity of Bloomington, which owes a debt of gratitude to these far-seeing gentlemen. The location of the shops made Bloomington a convenient point for the starting of the Jacksonville branch in 1867, and then the building of this branch made it comparatively easy for Bloomington to obtain the rebuilding of the machine-shops after the fire in 1867, when, but for the fact of the junction here, we should have been compelled to pay much more than $55,000 in com- petition with Chicago, Lincoln, Springfield and Joliet. When the Jacksonville branch was built in 1867, Bloomington was obliged to vote $75,000 in aid, which was given, half by the city and the balance by the township of Bloomington. Nearly three hun- dred votes were cast against this proposition, but the majority in its favor was several hundred, our voters sceing so plainly the advantages of the road that they did not dare risk its loss by an adverse vote. It is almost certain that the line would have run directly north from Delavan to Washington, had Bloomington and the towns interven- ing voted the project down.
It had now become the ambition of Bloomington to be a great railroad center, and it needed no argument to convince the public in 1867, that our interests would be sub- served by building any road that might be projected. The plan for a railroad from Pekin through Bloomington, Le Roy, Urbana and Danville, had been proposed as early as 1836, and at about that time twelve miles were graded east from Pekin. This was a failure, owing to the crash that involved all these enterprises before 1840, and the pro- ject was nearly dormant until 1866, though it was revived in 1854, and again in 1856, a meeting having been held January 24, 1856, at Mackinaw, to aid the matter, and another a little later, on the east end of the line, which was then called the Danville &
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Bloomington Railroad. A charter in aid of the east and west line was obtained Feb- ruary 11, 1857, and during the year, meetings were held at various places between Pekin and Danville. A proposition to grant $100,000 from the proceeds of alternate sections of McLean County's swamp-land, was voted down in this county November 5, 1857, the vote standing 1,570 opposed and 1,166 in favor. The crisis of 1857, no doubt affected the whole project unfavorably, as we find nothing definite was accomplished until after the beginning of 1866. During that year, a meet- ing was held at Urbana, another, a little later, in Bloomington, and others at Le Roy, where, August 27, 1866, an organization was effected, and the work was pushed ahead, though Bloomington did not vote in aid of the plan until the spring of 1867, when, at a special election, a vote was taken on the question of giving $100,000 in township bonds to this line and as much to the La Fayette, Bloomington & Missis- sippi Kailroad. Both propositions were carried with less than a dozen votes opposed. There never was any opposition to this road, or to the other. Every one saw plainly the value of both lines ; but while it was doubtful which line might be first voted upon, there was a little danger that the jealousy existing between the special friends of each might endanger both. Dr. E. Conkling is entitled to a good deal of credit for assisting this enterprise, aided by such men as Judge McClun, J. W. Fell, A. Gridley and others, who have always favored every railroad. The vote to issue bonds to the amount of $100,000 in aid of the La Fayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railroad, and an equal amount to the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western, then called the Danville, Urbana, Pekin & Bloomington Railroad, was taken at a special town meeting, June 3, 1867, and resulted in a vote of 904 for and 6 against the former road, and 913 for and 6 against the last-named route.
The unanimity of this vote is sufficient proof of the state of public sentiment at that time ; though now we are paying the cost of these improvements, some feel as if they are too expensive. Still, were the vote taken over again to-day, there is no doubt a good majority would favor the same projects that were voted on June 3, 1867.
The La Fayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railroad, running directly east is a favorite line. It was built between 1869 and 1872, and is the result of the energy and " push" of A. Gridley, A. B. Ives, J. H. Cheney, J. E. McClun, O. T. Reeves, Charles M. Holder, and a few others. These gentlemen labored incessantly to secure the road, and at one time its success was so doubtful that probably had either one of them ceased his efforts, the road would not have been finished. It runs from Bloomington to La Fayette, Ind., where it connects with the La Fayette, Muncie & Bloomington Railroad, and affords the shortest line from Bloomington to Buffalo and Eastern points. Its grades are easy, and it is rarely obstructed by snow. The original company is now dissolved, and the line is operated by a Receiver. Its Treasurer is Mr. J. H. Cheney, of this city, who represents Bloomington's interests in this line, or, rather, is the only official of the road who is a Bloomingtonian.
The Indianapolis & Bloomington road was finished May 1, 1870, and the La Fayette road in 1872; giving our city railroad routes diverging in eight different directions, like the spokes of a wheel from the hub, and enabling our merchants to ship goods at as favorable rates as competing cities. A retrospective story of what has been accomplished since just after the "deep snow " in 1831-the Commissioners located a county seat at "the north end of the Blooming Grove "-would read like a fable, did we
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not have the evidence of men still living who have seen all these wonderful changes as they have occurred from year to year. Blooming Grove-from having been a desolate wilderness in 1821, unknown save to bands of predatory Indians, whose trails crossed each other at this point, has become an educational, a moral and religious, a commercial and a great railroad center. In the natural course of events, more schools and colleges will center here ; more commercial and manufacturing enterprises will have their head- quarters at this city, and other railroads will center here or connect with our prosent roads in such a manner as to become practically Bloomington roads. During the year 1878, the Chicago & Alton Railroad has buih an extension from Mexico, Mo., 162 miles, to Kansas City, which will add immensely to the business of the line, of which Bloomington will reap many solid advantages through its machine-shops, whose capacity will thereby be still further developed.
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