History of Logan County, Illinois, Part 35

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co.
Publication date: 1886
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 989

USA > Illinois > Logan County > History of Logan County, Illinois > Part 35

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The display of horses, cattle, hogs and sheep is usually good. Liberal premiums are offered and are closely contended for. This annual display of fine stock has led to the constant improvement of the breeds and has earned for this section of the country an en- viable reputation in cattle, horses, hogs and sheep. Few finer rings of draft horses can be seen anywhere than at this fair, and the show of grade and thoroughbred cattle is superior.

In the halls the ladies vie with each other in canned fruits, bread, cakes, fancy and useful articles, and the farmers in all the varied productions of farm and garden.

It has been the intention of the managers to make this more es- pecially a stock and agricultural fair and they have offered little encouragement to racing. There is a good track where some trials of speed are made, but no large purses are offered or special efforts put forth to make this a leading feature. Gambling devices of every kind are frowned down. The sale of all kinds of liquors are strictly prohibited, and every effort put forth to maintain a high moral standard.

Its affairs are managed by a president, four vice-presidents, a secretary, treasurer and a board of seven directors chosen from and by the stockholders. The election of officers occurs annually on the first Saturday in November. The following named gentle- men have served the society as presidents for periods ranging from one to four years: 1860, A. W. Morgan; 1861-'62, A. N. Dills; 1863, A. C. Barnes; 1864, J. A. Mills; 1865-'6, David Kern; 1867, Alex. Downey; 1868, Joseph Bell; 1869-'70, Ang. Reise; 1871, Benj. Bean; 1872, W. H. Beverly; 1873, P. R. Marquart; 1874-'5, Aug. Reise; 1876, J. W. Yeazell; 1877, A. N. Dills; 1878, J. H. Bell; 1879, Aug. Reise; 1880-'1, Frank Hoblit; 1882-'6, Ed. Stubblefield. All of these are men who have had much to do with the progress and development of this community, and the history of the society shows the impress of their energy and judgment.

Only four gentlemen have held the position of secretary since the organization, each of them being well-fitted for the duties: S. D. Fisher, for many years secretary of the State Board of Agri- culture, served this society from 1860 to 1868 and from 1869 to 1874. Frank Hoblit held the position for the year 1868; C. L. Downey for the years 1875 to 1879, inclusive, when the present secretary, J.

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P. Hieronymus, was elected and has held the position ever since. On the secretary devolves the more arduous and routine duties, and the above gentlemen deserve much praise for the proficiency and care with which they have performed them.

The Board of Directors meet regularly on the last Saturday of each month for the transaction of the business of the society. They have uniformly been a conservative body of men, quick to see and grasp an opportunity for advancing the interests of the insti- tution over which they watched.

A list of the premiums offered is annually published and distrib- uted throughout the country. It is carefully revised each year and such changes made as experience and the times demand. The premiums are liberal and quite a large sum of money is annually distributed in this manner throughout the community. Since its organization there has been paid out through the various channels of the society $85,836.14.

The authorized capital stock is $20,000. The par value of each share of stock is $20. The number of shares issued is 296. The present cash value of the grounds and improvements is estimated at $7,500.

The corps of officers chosen for the ensuing year of 1886 are Ed. Stubblefield, President; Jesse Stubblefield, P. R. Marquart, George Robb and J. H. Burt, Vice- Presidents; J. P. Hieronymus, Secretary; C. H. Turner, Treasurer; J. L. Bevan, Attorney; A. L. Hoblit, Assistant Secretary; Jacob Funk, W. H. H. Ross, Silves- ter Hoblit, W. B. Stroud, Jr., Elias Harness, J. H. Bell and Joseph Garrett, Directors. Several of them have served the society for several years in various capacities.

Authority is granted by the constitution to establish an institu- tion of learning in connection with the society, the object of such institution being to introduce a course of more thorough instruc- tion in those branches of science that more directly concern an ag- ricultural community as well as the other arts and sciences, and in connection with it to conduct a farm for experimental purposes. Up to the present time the society has never followed out this pro- vision.

A feature which has received a good deal of attention of late years and added considerable interest has been the organization of the "Old Settlers' Union " and their meeting held in connection with the fair.

The first annual gathering was held by invitation with the Ag-

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ricultural Board at the fair grounds September 7, 1880. All resi- dents of the counties of Logan, McLean, Tazewell and De Witt who have lived in Illinois forty years are eligible to membership and were cordially invited to be present. Silk badges were provided to distinguish the old settlers, blue for those persons who had lived in Illinois fifty years and red for those who had been in the State forty years. A large number responded to the invitation and a permanent organization was effected. The society gave them the use of a pleasant grove, known as Old Settlers' Grove, for holding their annual meeting and accompanying exer- cises. They also present all members with a complimentary ticket of admission to the grounds on the day of this meeting-the first day of the fair each year.

The organization has some energetic members who have been very successful in enlisting the old settlers in the effort to perpet- uate the memory of the struggles and pleasures of early life in Il- linois. Many curious relics of the pioneer are exhibited. In 1881 . they decided to erect a " Monumental Log Cabin " in their grove, each member being allowed to contribute one log or piece toward the building. The committee to solicit contributions were Ed. Stubblefield and Jacob Funk for McLean County; Sylvester Strong, David Bowles and E. S. Ewing for Logan County; E. Hieronymus and L. M. Stroud for Tazewell County; E. H. Robb and Wm. Teal for De Witt County. The material was on the ground by July 1 and ready for use. The interest shown will be seen when it is stated that some of the logs were hauled or shipped by rail a distance of twenty miles for the honor of being placed in the cabin. Enoch Hieronymus was appointed to superintend and the following persons selected as "Corner Men :" Northeast corner, McLean County, Rev. A. T. Orr and Jesse Stubblefield; Northwest corner, Tazewell County, Ellis Roberts and Oliver Mason; Southwest corner, Logan County, John A. Howser and G. I. Harry; Southeast corner, De Witt County, Samuel Huff and Jos. B. Garrett.

The building erected Aug 16, 1881, was a substantial log cabin, 18 x 20, common in the country forty years ago. The pioneers also in 1882 erected a small cabin of unhewn logs, using neither nail nor modern device in its construction. This is a monument to the " Snow Birds," or settlers previous to the deep snow of 1830-'31. Many of the members have planted trees around the cabins, adding much of personal interest to it.

Following is a list of the names of those who contributed ma-

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terial to its erection ; the names followed by the abbreviation, " Dec." have died since the erection of the building : Michael Albright, John F. Albright, James R. Adams, Ephraim G. Adams, Charles D. Allen (Dec.), J. T. Atchison, David Atchison, George Atchison, H. Armington, Jefferson Britt (Dec.), William S. Britt, R. M. Britt, John Buckles, William Burt (Dec.), Thomas Burt, Samuel Bevan (Dec.), David Bowles, P. T. Brooks, Elza M. Brooks (Dec.), James M. Brooks, Lewis Barr, John Barr, Hamil- ton Barr, Prettyman Barr, F. M. Brock, Mrs. P. M. Beverly, James Biggs, Levi Biggs, R. H. Baker, W. F. Baldwin, Alfred Bryan, J. G. Carlock, S. J. Chapin, Levi Cantrall, Hon. David Davis, Bundrant Darnall, John M. Darnall, Eber Davenport, Thos. H. Dills, C. C. Ewing, E. S. Ewing (Dec.), S. B. Evans, B. F. Funk, Jacob Funk, G. W. Funk, J. W. Funk, Mary A. Folts, Samuel P. Glenn (Dec.), John D. Gillett, Mary Groves, Alexander Groves, Michael Hittle, Caleb Hainline, Enoch Hieronymus, Will- iam Hieronymus, J. W. Hammitt, John A. Hoblit, Frank Hoblit, J. E. Hoblit, J. L. Hoblit, L. M. Hoblit, Abigail Hoblit, C. D. Hoblit (Dec.), C. C. Hoblit (Dec.), F. M. Hoblit (Dec.), Sylvester Hainline, Lorenzo Hainline, Green Hainline, Madison Howard, John Houghton, Lemuel Houghton (Dec.), S. P. Hough, G. I. Harry, John Harmon, Jacob Judy, D. H. Judy, R. M. Judy, Freeman Jones, William Jones, - - - Kitchell, Dennis Kenyon, Ezra Kenyon, R. B. Latham, Thomas J. Larison, Abel Larison, James M. Larison, William Lee, John Longworth (Dec.), J. J. McGraw, G. W. Minier, Oliver Mason, W. J. Murphy, J. Mer- riam, Marvell and Gambrel, F. M. Maddox, S. O. McCollough, W. W. Morgan, George Mountjoy, William Mountjoy, Abram Onstott (Dec.), C. R. Pierce, Albert Quisenberry, T. Q. Rutlege, E. H. Robb, George Robb, Wilson Richmond, J. C. Riley, Mrs. Smith Stroud, J. P. Strange, Sylvester Strong, John Strong, Jesse Stub- blefield, Ed. Stubblefield, John Stubblefield, Ab. Stubblefield, G. M. Stubblefield, C. W. Stubblefield, John Thomas (Dec.), William Teel, Thomas Taylor, Alfred Turner, Isaac Vanordstrand, W. A. Verry, J. and R. Warlow, Campbell Wakefield.

In addition to the above building, the pioneers,or those who were of the age of fifty years and upward, erected, the year following, another building of logs that were not hewn, such as the old pio- neers, or first settlers of this country, built upon their arrival here. These two buildings stand as a monument to the class of men and women who subdued and brought under cultivation the wild

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prairies of Illinois, and made it all that it is worth to-day. But the troubles and trials, and hardships, and privations, and dangers, none but those that fill similar places will ever know anything abont.

Frank Hoblit has probably been more instrumental than any other one person in organizing and perpetuating this pleasant feat- ure of "fair week."

Quite a number of men of national reputation have addressed the old settlers at their meetings. Among them are Hon. David Davis, Shelby M. Cullom, Richard J. Oglesby, Judge Jno. M. Scott and General Samuel Cary.

The fair grounds are a favorite resort for celebrating the Fourth of July, an event for which Atlanta has become quite famous throughout the surrounding country. The grounds are free to the public on that day, where shade or shelter are readily at hand.

Taken all together no agricultural society in the State has been better managed in the past or has brighter prospects for the future than the Atlanta Union Central Agricultural Society.

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CHAPTER XIII.

RAILROADS.

POWERFUL AGENCY IN DEVELOPING A NEW COUNTRY .- HISTORIES OF THE ROADS CROSSING THIS COUNTY .- CHICAGO & ALTON .- PEORIA, DECATUR & EVANSVILLE. - CHAMPAIGN & HAVANA .- ILLINOIS MIDLAND .- ILLINOIS CENTRAL. .

Rapid development of a new country is only possible through a system of railroads, affording speedy, regular, safe and economical _ transportation. To fully open up a district like Illinois, Indiana or Kentucky, a whole generation was required. Now, by the aid of railroads, the vast Territory of Dakota has within five years re- ceived a half million inhabitants, and is ready to be converted into two new States, Dakota and Pembina-stars Nos. 39 and 40 in our Federal constellation. By the same agency Asia, Australia, South America and Africa are being rapidly civilized and devel- oped. In short, the known world is being wonderfully enlarged. But for the iron horse, Africa must remain the "dark continent " for countless generations. In view of present developments, it is to be the land of promise for emigrants in the twentieth century.

CHICAGO & ALTON.

This was the first road through Logan County, and contributed largely to its rapid development. The original name of this com- pany was the " Alton & Sangamon Railroad Company," and the original charter was dated the 27th of February, 1847. In 1852 the name was changed to the " Chicago & Mississippi Railroad Com- pany." Three years later it became the " Chicago, Alton & St. Louis," and in 1862 the present name was adopted. The main line was built in 1853 and 1854. It crossed Logan County north- east and southwest, and passed through Atlanta, Eminence, East Lincoln, West Lincoln, Broadwell, Elkhart and Hurlbut townships. The stations in this county are Atlanta, Lawndale, Lincoln, Broad- well and Elkhart. The Chicago & Alton is one of the best man- aged roads in the State, and perhaps offers the best accommodation to passengers.

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PEORIA, DECATUR & EVANSVILLE.

The Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railroad Company was organized in 1867, and a preliminary survey at once made. The original charter of the company provided that the three counties of Taze- well, Logan and Macon might vote aid to the amount of $600,000- that is, take that amount of stock-and Logan County was asked to take as its share $300,000. The proposition was voted upon by the people the same year, and voted down by a substantial majority. Very soon after, at another county election, the scheme was given a similar answer. It was provided in the charter that the $300,000 might be called for at any time after the subscription was made, and might be used in the discretion of the directors in procuring the right of way, grading and bridging the road. etc., and such other purposes as they saw proper. It was deemed that this sum of money was too large to be invested in laying the foundation of an enterprise the completion and success of which was so uncertain.

To meet these objections, the charter was subsequently amended by the Legislature, so that no part of the stock that might be voted should be assessed until ten miles of the road should be actually completed and ready for the rolling stock-that is, tied, ironed and bridged, ready for the locomotives and cars; that one-third of the amount voted should then be due and payable in county bonds; and upon the similar completion of an additional fifteen miles, another one-third should be similarly payable; and upon the sim- ilar completion of the remainder of the road through this county, the whole distance being estimated at thirty-five miles, the remain- ing third should be payable in bonds in like manner.

These conditions proved more satisfactory; and at a special elec- tion held April 27, 1869, the $300,000 aid was voted by a majority of 246, in a total vote of 4,019. The townships voting against the scheme and the votes cast in each were:

Etna, 37 votes for and 89 against, majority of 52; Atlanta, 519 votes against and none in favor; Broad well, 24 for and 117 against, majority of 93; Corwin, 11 for and 185 against, majority of 174; Elkhart, 49 for and 169 against, majority of 120; Eminence, 1 for and 232 against, majority of 231; Hurlbut, 4 for and 94 against, majority of 90; Oran, 1 for and 131 against, majority of 130; Orvil; 56 for and 62 against, majority of 6; Sheridan, 1 for and 122 against, majority of 121.

Those voting in favor of the county's taking the stock were: Chester, 161 for and 1 against, majority of 160; East Lincoln,

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673 for and 54 against, majority of 619; Laenna, 78 for and 21 against, majority of 57; Lake Fork, 44 for and 30 against, majority of 14; Mt. Pulaski, 457 for and 21 against, majority of 436; Prairie Creek, 81 for and 24 against, majority of 57; West Lincoln, 446 for and 7 against, majority of 439.

Thus it is seen that each township voted according to what it deemed its special interest, regardless of the value of the invest- ment to the county as a whole; and nearly every township was ranged on either one side or the other of the question by strong in- clination. Few towns were at all evenly divided, and Atlanta, out of over 500 votes, did not cast a single one in favor of the project. The reason in this particular case was that the Peoria, Atlanta & Decatur Road was then projecting, and the township of Atlanta voted $50,000 in aid of that line.

May 24 following the election the directors met at Lincoln and elected Colonel R. B. Latham, President; Teis Smith, Vice-Presi- dent; Dr. A. M. Miller, Secretary; and William M. Dustin, Treas- urer. An executive committee was appointed who were empowered to procure parties or companies willing to undertake the building of the road, and Colonel Latham at once devoted his time and en- ergy to making the necessary arrangements preliminary to begin- ning work. He succeeded in letting the contract for the road from Pekin to Decatur to a company of Pekin contractors, who at once organized the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railway Construction Company, with the following officers: C. R. Cummings, President; G. R. Cobleigh, Secretary and Superintendent; and Peter Weyrich, Treasurer.

The actual work of grading was at once begun, in November, 1869. The contracts for building the bridges along the line were let to Messrs. I. N. Mason and George W. Broughton. Work was suspended for the winter, and resumed leisurely in the spring of 1870. Four bridges were built at the Mackinaw, aggregating 1,800 feet in length.

Early in the summer of 1871 the road was completed to Lincoln, and the company called upon the Board of Supervisors for the first installment of the bonds. These were not delivered, however. Among the objections made were: Location of the road at an in- convenient distance from Lincoln, tardiness in building the road, and irregularity in the voting when the stock was voted to be taken. A number of law firms were asked for opinions as to the liability of the county, and though they were nearly unanimous in deciding

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that there was no escape from payment, the board decided to liti- gate, and appropriated $1,000 for that purpose. After all, where the shoe really pinched was in that the bonds were asked to bear 10 per cent. interest, according to the terms of the contract, while the supervisors deemed this rate of interest exorbitant. They could have compromised at this point, by issuing the bonds at 7 per . cent., as it was afterward learned that the company would accept this interest; but no attempt at compromise was attempted at this point.

Shortly after this, a mysterious coincidence occurred which aroused much indignation. The Board of Supervisors was to meet September 12, 1871, and it was expected that the proper officers of the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Company would at this meeting ask for the second and third installment of bonds, the road being now completed through the county. The portent of the incidents re- lated in the following resolutions adopted by the board is seen when it is understood that the four supervisors mentioned had at the July meeting voted against the interest of the railroad com- pany:

" WHEREAS, On the 9th day of September, 1871, four of the mem- bers of the Board of Supervisors of Logan County, viz., C. C. Burton, Sinnett Rankin, John Strong and A. C. Shields, were sub- ponaed to attend the Circuit Court of Tazewell County, on Mon- day, September 11, 1871, as witnesses; and, whereas, said super- visors did not attend said court on Monday the 11th inst., in con- sequence of the fact that the Board of Supervisors of Logan County was to convene on Tuesday, the 12th inst., for the transaction of business, and they deeming the interests of Logan County of para- mount importance to the cases in which they were subpoenaed, and having legal advice that there was no law to compel a supervisor in the time of the sitting of a Supervisors' Court to attend another county as a witness in a civil case; and, whereas said supervisors, in consequence of their non-attendance upon said court, were taken with an attachment from said court, and taken to Pekin, and by the Circuit Court aforesaid fined-the amount of said fine, cost and expense attending the same being for each supervisor as follows: C. C. Burton $19.85, S. Rankin $18.85, John Strong $19.30, and A. G. Shields $19.30, which amounts were severally paid by said supervisors; and, whereas, also, believing that the said supervisors, being held and kept in continued and unusually perplexing arrest by the sheriff, were greatly outraged, this court,

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as well as their constitueuts insulted-particularly so when they were never examined as witnesses, although present in the court- room when said cases were under consideration; and, whereas, we, in common with the community at large, believe that the object of such arrests was to prevent their attendance upon the Super- visors' Court aforesaid, for some sinister motive connected with the issue of certain bonds of Logan County to the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railroad Company; therefore, be it

" Resolved, That a committee of three, consisting of Thomas Wendell, Richard Ayers and A. R. Crihtield, be and are hereby ap- pointed to investigate the facts connected with the subpoenaed and arrest of said supervisors, and to report the names of any and all persons whom they may ascertain to have been directly or indi- rectly connected therewith, or in any way aiding or abetting in the same, and, also, what legal measures are available or advisable to bring said persons to justice, and to vindicate the rights and im- munities of the Board of Supervisors of this county; and that said committee report at the next session of this board, and that the sum of $100 is hereby appropriated to defray the expenses of said committee, which may arise by reason of their duties as such com- mittee, and that the clerk is hereby authorized to draw an order upon the treasurer for said amount when called upon by said com- mittee."

The committee made a trip to Pekin and investigated the case sufficiently to confirm the suspicion that the supervisors had been subpoenaed in the interest of the railroad company, but the respon- sibility was not centered upon any one party, and no further steps were taken.

The issue between the county, as represented by the Board of Supervisors, and the railroad company was made upon the regu- larity of the election at which the $300,000 was voted, and the legality of the votes cast thereat. The board found evidence of fraudulent votes for the bonds, and the company took some testi- mony showing illegal votes against the bonds. The board then offered the company to compromise by paying $150,000 in bonds at 10 per cent., each side to pay its own expenses to date. This proposition was not accepted, but in March, 1873, a compromise was effected on the basis of the county paying $160,000 and costs. The costs amounted to about $20,000. The debt incurred by the county at this time has been steadily reduced since, and will soon be entirely extinguished.

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As soon as completed, the line was leased to the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad Company, which operated it for some five years. August 1, 1876, the road was taken out of the hands of the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railway Company on account of de- fault in payment of interest, and the corporation name changed to Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railway Company. The road from Pekin to Decatur is 67.9 miles in length, but it was now practically lengthened 9.2 miles by a traffic arrangement with the receiver of the Peoria & Springfield Railroad for hauling trains between Peoria and Pekin. March 1, 1878, the company leased the Peoria & Springfield Railroad and equipment. This lease was terminated September 1, 1879, and arrangements were made to run into Peoria over the Peoria, Pekin & Jacksonville track.

November 17,1879, the company was consolidated with the De- catur, Mattoon & Southern Railroad Company, owning a line from Decatur to Mattoon, 42.7 miles. This made a line 119.8 miles in length. February 15, 1880, they leased the Grayville & Mattoon Railroad; and July 2, 1880, they purchased the same, and assumed their present name of Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railway Company. The line now extends from Peoria to Evansville, Indiana. The general offices are at Pekin.

The road crosses Logan County northwest and southeast, passing through Prairie Creek, Orvil, West Lincoln, East Lincoln, Chester, Mt. Pulaski and Laenna townships. The stations in this county are Emden, Hartsburg, Lincoln, Mt. Pulaski and Latham.

CHAMPAIGN & HAVANA LINE.

As early as 1869 a railroad was projected to begin at Havana and pass eastward through Mason City and Lincoln to Champaign. The following year a company was organized by the name of the Havana, Lincoln & Eastern, to build this line. Logan County was not asked to subscribe to its stock, but the townships of Lincoln and East Lincoln, which it was proposed to cross, did vote in the aggregate $110,000, and other townships contributed proportion- ally. When it came to the point of laying out the route, trouble was experienced in satisfying the people of Lincoln and the inter- ests of the projectors at the same time. The Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Road bad just been located northeast of the city, and it was feared that if a third road was run north of the city the in- evitable result would be a tendency to build up a new business center, to the detriment of the old one, and this virtual removal of

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History of Logan County, Illinois, Part 35

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co. Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Number of Pages: 989

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co.
Publication date: 1886
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 989