History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 96

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698

USA > Illinois > Madison County > History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches > Part 96

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The Congregational church was organized in 1870. The church edifice is on the corner of Sixth and Henry streets. The Rev. E G. Chaddock is pastor.

A large Union mission Sunday-school was organized in 1853, under the care of the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation. For several months its meetings were held in the upper story of a building known as Hunter's tavern ; after- wards in a vacant store owned by Major Charles W. Hunter. on Second street near Henry ; and then in Weigler's Hall, at the corner of Second and Henry streets. A large mission Sunday-school is now carried on in Hunterstown under the care of the Baptists and one on State street in charge of the Presbyterians.

There are two churches maintained by the colored popula- tion. The Union Baptist church was organized about 1840, and occupies a church edifice at the corner of Seventh and George streets. The Rev J. T. Pierman is pastor.

The African Methodist Episcopal is on Third street be- tween Henry and Ridge streets, and the pastor is the Rev. W. H. Beckley.

ALTON AND ST. LOUIS PACKETS.

The first stcamer to begin making regular trips as a packet between Alton and St. Louis, not the " Tiskilwa, " in the year 1833. This boat then carried the mail. She was named after an Indian chief, and after leaving the Alton and St. Louis trade was sunk in 1836, in collision with the steamer Wisconsin. The " Alpha" in 1837 was the next boat to begin running as a regular packet. She was suc- ceeded by the Eagle, commanded by captains Wilson, Recd, and Clay, of St. Louis. In 1843 this boat was bought by captain William P. Lamothe, of Alton. In January, 1844, captain Lamothe, in connection with Messrs. Starnes & Springer of St. Louis, built the "Luella." In 1845 Frink & Walker, of Chicago, proprietors of stage lines, placed in opposition to the " Luella, " the " Governor Briggs, " cap- tain James E. Starr, and the two boats soon came to be the property of one joint-stock company. In 1848 Messrs. S. & P. Wise with captain Thomas G. Starr and other citizens of Alton, bought the "Tempest, " with which an opposition line was started. At that time the fare between Alton and St. Louis was one dollar. The year 1849 witnessed a warm competition between the two lines. The old company de- termined to sharply oppose the " Tempest, " and captain George E. Hawley of the " Luella," cut down the fare to seventy-five cents, then to fifty, then to twenty-five, then to ten cents, and finally carried passengers without charge and freight for nearly nothing. The " Tempest" was prompt to meet these reductions, and lively times be

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

tween the two rival lines were experienced during the sum- mer of 1849. Each boat carried a band of music and left at the same hour. Each was anxious to make better time than its rival, and rosin and turpentine were burnt freely with the wood for fuel. At that time there was no law re- stricting engineers as to the amount of steam they should carry. After furnishing cheap transportation for several months, the owners of the boats came to the conclusion that a better way could be devised for the management of their business, and consolidated their interests. The "Luella" ran in the trade during the spring of 1850, and the " Tem- pest," the balance of the year, and the whole of the year 1851. Frink & Walker sold their interest in the company to captain Joseph Brown, who in partnership with S. & P. Wise and Gaty, McClune & Co., of St. Louis, bui't the " Altona, " which began running in December, 1851, and was then the fastest boat on the western waters. She made the run from St. Louis to Alton in one hour aud thirty- seven minutes, which for many years afterward stood as the fastest time ever made on the river from St. Louis to Alton.

In September, 1852, the Chicago & Mississippi railroad company, on the completion of their road from Springfield to Alton, purchased the Altona, Capt. D C. Adams, and the " Cornelia," Capt, Lamothe, for the accommodation of ' their freight and passenger traffic between Alton and St. Louis. Two trips were made each day. The Cornelia sank in December, 1853, and the Altona the first day of January, 1854. The "St. Paul," Capt. Lamothe, then did all the business till March, 1854, when the " Reindeer," Capt. Adams, and the " Winchester," Capt. John A Bruner, were added to the line. These boats did not prove profitable in- vestments, and were sold, J. J. & W. Mitchell, W. P. Lamothe, Joseph Brown, and Gaty, McCune & Co. becom- ing the purchasers and agreeing to do the business of the railroad between the two points. There were some changes of ownership in 1857, when we find the company with three boats, the Reindeer, Baltimore and York State. The Rein- deer sank November 10th, 1857; September 10th, 1859, the York State sank; in October of the same year the " David Tatum " was purchased, and the following Deceni- ber witnessed the end of Baltimore ; she sank like her com- panion boats. Several different boats were then chartered until the company built the famous ' City of Alton," Capt. George E Hawley, which went into service in the fall of 1860. About the time of the breaking out of the war the railroad company began sending their passer gers through by rail over the Alton & Terre Haute railroad (the present In- dianapolis & St. Louis) when the "City of Alton " was with- drawn, and ran South from St. Louis in command of Capt. William Barnes. In June, 1862, the company bought the "B. M. Runyan," Capt. James S. Bellas, which ran between Alton and St. Louis till 1864, when she also went South and sank on the 21st of July, proving a total loss. The '. David Tatum" was then brought into requisition. Mean- while, the Chicago & Alton railroad company (the old Chicago and Mississippi) had extended their road to St. Louis, and all the railroad freight was taken from the boat toward the close of the year 1864. The Tatum continued

to run during January and February, 1865, but not prov- ing protitable, she was withdrawn, and the Alton trade abandoned to the through line packets.

After a month or more Capt. John A. Bruner, in connec- tion with Tunstall & Holmes and others of St. Louis, began running the " May A. Bruner." In the summer of 1865 the "South Wester " was purchased, and ran between Alton and St. Louis, till the winter of 1868-9, when the company built the Belle of Alton which was in service between Alton and St. Louis, in the fall of 1871, when she was sent South, and was burned at New Orleans, on the 28th of March, 1872. The Schuyler, in the fall of 1871, supplied the place of the Belle of Alton, and ran till the next year. In 1872, the Illinois River Packet Company placed the Illinois in the Alton and St. Louis trade, and she ran about two years and a half. In March, 1874, Capt. John A. Bruner, pur- chased the De Smet and started her in opposition to the Illinois, which was now taken off. In the summer of 1874 the Eagle Packet company began business, and shortly afterward Capt. Bruner and this company consolidated their interests, and have since at different times ran the " De Smet," the " Bald Eagle," and the "Spread Eagle," be- tween St. Louis, Alton, and Grafton.

THIE ALTON CEMETERY.

The grounds now embraced in the Alton Cemetery, in the eastern part of the city, were formerly the property of Major Charles W. Hunter, and had been used for burial purposes from a date early in the history of Alton. In March, 1845, the mayor and common council of the city of Alton, and their successors in office, were incorporated as the " Alton Cemetery," and the grounds remained under their control till 1875, when they were transferred to an asso- ciation, incorporated under the name and title of the " Alton Cemetery," of which all the lot owners were made members. The present officers of the association are: Charles A. Caldwell, president, and H. J. Crane, secretary and treasurer. This association agreed to assume the old indebtedness and enlarge the grounds, which now comprise about twenty acres. Here is the grave of Elijah P. Love- joy. In laying out an avenue the removal of his remains was made necessary, and they now lie about one hundred feet from the place of their original interment. A lot has been set apart for a monument which the Lovejoy Monument Association design erecting to his memory, and to this part of the cemetery it is intended to remove his ashes when the monument shall have been built. The cemetery contains the graves of one hundred and sixty-four United States soldiers who died at Alton during the war of the Rebellion. They belonged to the Seventy-seventh Ohio, the Tenth Kansas and the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Illinois, and the Thirty-seventh Iowa infantry regiments, and the Fifteenth regiment United States regulars.

* * *

There are two Catholic cemeteries, with commodious and handsomely arranged grounds, in which numerous inter- ments have been made.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

NEWSPAPERS.

Four newspapers are published in Alton. The Alton Telegraph is a daily and weekly paper, W. T. Norton, editor and proprietor. Perrin & Smith are editors and proprietors of the Alton Democrat, published daily and weekly. The Alton Banner is a weekly German paper. The Madison County Sentinel is issued weekly by J. J. Mc- Inerney.

PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The Alton Library Association was organized in 1852. Among the members were: P. W. Randle, Norton Johnson, W. T. Miller, A. S. Barry, Harvey Barnett, Isaac Scarritt, W. H. Turner, A. G. Walford, L. S. Metcalf and S. W. Robbins. A small collection of books was made, which, in February, 1866, was sold at public auction and purchased by a number of the ladics of Alton for the sum of one hundred and sixty-five dollars. In 1869, the constitution of the association was amended, and twelve ladies elected to manage the library. In April, 1871, the room in the City Hall, now used for the post-office, was obtained for the library and fitted up at the expense of the association, In February, 1876, the library was moved into the rooms now occupied, and the following April a free reading-room was established. There are about five thousand volumes in the library. The library rooms are open on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons of each week. Books may be taken out on the payment of an annual subscription fee of two dollars and a half. The present officers are: Mrs. R. G Perley, president ; Mrs. J. P. Laird, vice-president ; Mrs. C. L. Wright, corresponding secretary ; Mrs. M. F. Topping, recording secretary. Miss Florence Dolbee is the librarian, and Mrs. C. M. Crandell at the head of the book committee.

SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.

Masonic .- The history of Free Masonry in Alton began, with the organization of the Franklin Lodge, No. 25, in 1837, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. There was at that time no Grand Lodge in the State of Illi- nois. The charter members in Franklin Lodge were Jacob C. Bruner, Samuel C. Price, Jabez Carter, J. A. Langdon, John A. Maxey, H. S. Summers, J. D. Combs, A. Hart, Charles Howard, and R. McFarland ; Charles Howard was the first Master. This was the first Masonic Lodge insti- tuted in Madison county. It remained under the Missouri Grand Lodge till 1844, when the Grand Lodge of Illinois was formed. It was removed to Upper Alton in 1843, where it has since maintained a useful and active existence. Piasa Lodge, No. 27, was granted a charter in October, 1844. Among those interested in its establishment were John Bailhache, Samuel G. Bailey, and David Allen. The last named was the first Master. Altou Lodge, No. 281, was chartered in October, 1858, and is not now in operation. In October, 1859, Erwin Lodge, No. 315, was instituted, composed largely of Masons of German nationality.

Howard Chapter, No. S, Royal Arch Masons, was char- tered in Upper Alton, where it met till November, 1851, when it was removed to Alton. The name was changed to Alton chapter in 1852 Alton Council, No. 3, of Royal and

Select Masters was established in Feb. 1853, by charter from the Grand Council of Kentucky. Belvidere Comman- dery, No. 2, Knights Templar, was instituted in September, 1853. The charter members were Josiah Hunt, B. J. Kirk- ham, J. W. Schweppe, and William II. Tarner. Constan- tine Conclave, No. 10. Red Cross Knights of Rome and Constantine meet at Alton.

Independent Order of Odd Fellows .- Alton was the carly home of Odd-Fellowship in Illinois. The first Lodge of Odd Fellows in the State was organized here about the year 1837, and was known as Western Star Lodge, No. 1. Past Grand Sire-Wildey, the founder of this order in the United States, visited Alton, and to his labors is largely due the in- troduction of Odd Fellowship in Illinois. Shortly afterward Alton Lodge, No. 2, was formed. The third Lodge in the State was Clark Lodge, No. 3, in Greenville, in Bond county. The Grand Lodge of Illinois held its first session at Alton in August, 1838. Among those connected with the carly history of the order in Alton, were John R. Woods, James E. Starr, John R. Batterton, John P. Ash, and John M. Krum. The Lodge of Odd Fellows in Alton, chiefly ou ac- count of extravagant expenditures became embarrassed, and censed work in October, 1839, and with them the Grand Lodge of the State. The Grand Lodge was reorganized in March, 1842. Western Star Lodge, No. 1, was never re- vived, but Alton Lodge, No. 2, resumed work, and is now in active existence. The Encampment was instituted at Alton in July, 1838. It soon afterward suspended operations, and was re-opened in June, 1850. The bodies of Odd Fellows now in existence in Alton, are Alton Lodge, No. 2, Germa- nia Lodge, No. 299, and Wildey Encampment, No. 1.

The Knights of Pythias are represented by Fleur de Lys Lodge, No. 68 ; the Knights of Honor by Alton Lodge, No. 920. There are also lodges of the Independent Order of Mutual Aid and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Other organizations are Alton Turn Verein, the German Benevolent Society, Lodge of Hope and Alton lodges of the Order of Harugari, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the Catholic Total Abstinence Society.

STREET CAR AND OMNIBUS LINES.

A street car line, making hourly trips between Alton and Upper Alton, has been in operation since December, 1868. A line of omnibuses furnishes communication between Alton and North Alton. The city is supplied with gas, the works for the manufacture of which were erected in 1855.

ALTON WATER WORKS COMPANY.

This company was incorporated in 1875, with a capital stock of $150,000, and completed the present water works after the city had expended fifty thousand dollars in their construction. These works were placed in operation on the twenty-ninth of January, 1876, and have a capacity of four million gallons per day. Two powerful engines at the river pump the water to a reservoir, situated on one of the highest points in the city, at an elevation of two hundred and seventy-five feet above the Mississippi, whence the water is distributed. The completion of these works gave Alton

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

superior means of extinguishing fires. So strong is the pressure in the lower part of the city that ten streams of water have been thrown at one time to the height of one hundred and fifty feet. The use of steam fire engines has thus been made unnecessary. All the stock of this com- pany is now owned by Henry Watson.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT

Consists of a chief engineer, assistant, and a force of men strong enough to man the two hose carriages owned by the city. There are two engine-houses, one on Market street and the other on Second street.

THE PRINCIPAL MANUFACTURES OF ILTON.

Alton has many advantages as a manufacturing point, among which are excellent railroad and river facilities, cheap fuel, and a healthy and advantageous location in the midst of a rich and productive region of country.

THE ILLINOIS GLASS COMPANY

Is the largest and most important manufacturing establish- ment. Glass works were started on Belle street, of which in September, 1873, the Illinois Glass Company, William Eliot Smith, president, became the owner. In 1876 the works were removed to their present location, between the live of the Chicago and Alton railroad and the river, in the lower part of the city. At that date there was only one building. The second glass-house was erected in 1877, the third in 1880, and the fourth in 1882. Four hundred and fitty hands have been employed, and on the completion of the projected improvements this force will be increased to six hundred. The production has largely consisted of green and amber bottles, which have been sold extensively through- out the West. A larger amount of this class of goods has been made here than at any other factory in the United States. It is also proposed to begin the manufacture of flint-glassware. The sand used is brought from Pike county, forty miles up the Mississippi, opposite Cap-au-Gris, Mis- souri. The value of the production in 1881 was 8450,000, which will be increased to $650,000. William Eliot Smith is the owner. The works occupy three acres of ground.

HAPGOOD PLOW COMPANY.

This company has a large brick building on Front and Henry streets, and employ about one hundred hands. Riding plows, walking plows, and cultivators are manu- factured. The implements made have a just reputation for excellence, are sold everywhere throughout the West, and the manufacturers have been unable to supply the constantly increasing demand. Charles H. Hapgood previously car- ried on the business in Chicago and St. Louis, where. in each city. his works were destroyed by fire. The factory was established at Alton in 1974. The company was incor- porated in December, 1879, with a capital stock of $150.000. The president is Charles H. Hapgood ; the vice-president, J. P. Black ; the trea urer, F. H. Ferguson ; and the secre- tary, Thomas Bates.

THE ALTON AGRICULTURAL WORKS

Manufacture threshing machines, horse powers, and dif- ferent agricultural implements. With the machine shop a foundry is connected. When in active operation seventy- five or eighty men are employed. The works are now owned by Andrew T. Hawley. They were first started by N. Han- son about 1840.

ALTON CITY MILLS.

The Alton city mills came into the possession of E. O. Stanard & Co., in March, 1881. Since then important im- provements have been made, and the capacity enlarged, so that now the mill is the largest and most complete in Madi- son county. There are thirty-two sets of rolls, and flour is manufactured by the latest improved process. Among the well-known brands are "Stanard's Royal Patent," " Alton City Mill Roller Process," " Burbridge's Best," "Stanard's Best " and " Eagle Steam." The best grades of flour are shipped directly to the East, and shipments are also made to the European markets. The power is furnished by a new Corliss engine. The mill building is one hundred by one hundred and twenty feet in dimensions, with a warehouse fifty by one hundred feet. The shipping facilities are ex- cellent, cars of the Chicago and Alton, and Indianapolis and St. Louis railroads, running alongside the mill. The capacity is seven hundred barrels every twenty-four hours. Thirty-one hands are employed.

NATIONAL ROLLER MILLS .- D. R. SPARKS & CO.

These mills have a capacity of five hundred barrels a day. The new roller process was adopted in February, 1882, and superior grades of flour are now manufactured. The leading brands are the " Armadale " and " Roller C. A. Process." There are twenty three setts of rolls. Five run of burrs were retained, and are sometimes used. A Harriss Corliss engine of two hundred horse-power runs the machinery. Eighteen men are employed. The building is constructed of brick and stone, is ninety-five by one hundred feet in di- mensions, and four stories in height with a basement.

EMPIRE MILLS.

The Empire Mills, of which Matchew Wilkinson is pro- prietor, are run on the custom plan, and have a capacity of' fifty barrels of wheat flour per day. There are two run of burrs, one used for grinding wheat, and the other corn. Four men are employed.

MADISON MILLS.

The Madison Mills, in Bozzatown, are owned by Oliver B. Ground. The mills have three run of burrs, two used for wheat, and one for corn, and can manufacture fifty or sixty barrels of flour every twenty-four hours, and about one hundred barrels of mal. Half-a-dozen men are employed. The best grades of flour find a market in Alton. On Tuesdays and Saturdays custom work is done, and the rest of the week is devoted to merchant milling.

DRUMMOND TOBACCO COMPANY.

This factory was established in 1862, by Myers & Pierce.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

The firm afterward became Myers & Drummond, and in 1873, Dausman & Drummond. In 1876, the company was incorporated as the Dausman & Drummond Tobacco Com- pany with a capital stock of $100,000. In 1879 the name was changed to the Drummond Tobacco Company. The officers are John N. Drummond, president, Charles H. Ran- dle, secretary and treasurer and J. T. Drummond, general superintendent. These gentlemen, with John E. Hayner, are the owners of the stock. The works occupy a three story brick building, eighty by one hundred feet, on the corner of Front and Alton streets, with a warehouse, forty-one by eighty feet, on the corner of Second and Alton streets. Three hundred and fifty hands are employed, and about three million pounds of plug tobacco, valued at $1,500,000, are manufactured annually. The same compauy also carry on a factory in St. Louis, started in 1880, which has a capacity of five million pounds each year ..

ALTON BOX MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

The box factory, now operated by this company on the Mississippi above Alton, was established by John E. Ilay- ner in 1872, and in 1877 the present company was formed, and in 1880 was incorporated with a capital stock of thirty thousand dollars. The president is G. R. Allen, the secre- tary, J. M. Ryrie, and the treasurer, John E. Hayner. The company also own a saw mill, which partly furnishes the lumber used in the manufacture of boxes. Forty-five hands are employed in the saw mill, and three million five hundred thousand feet of sycamore and cottonwood lumber are sawn annually. In the box factory from eighty to one hundred hands are kept at work. Boxes of sycamore for plug to. bacco, are the principal goods manufactured, though tobacco butts, cracker boxes and barrel headings are also turned out. This is one of the largest box factories in the West, and the boxes are shipped to towns along the Mississippi river from Burlington to New Orleans.

MACHINE SHOP-GEORGE D. HAYDEN.

The machine shop of George D. Hayden was established in 1872; it now employs thirteen men, and has the reputation of turning out work of a superior character. Repairs to stationary and portable steam engines are made a specialty, and attention is paid to plumbing, gas, steam and water fit- ting. The shop is on Second street, between Piasa and State.

THIE ANTON FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOP,

Is carried on by the firm of Brunner & Duncan. Orders are executed for engines, flouring mills, saw mills, pumps, pulleys, shafting, water pipes, brass work and fittings of all kinds. A specialty is made of coal-mining machinery.

ALTON PLANING MILL,

Was established by the firm of Martin & Boals, in 1864, and moved to the present location on Second street, between Spring and Walnut, in 1872. The building now occupied was erected by the Indianapolis and St. Louis railroad as a car factory. M. H. Boals is the present proprietor. Sash, doors, blinds, frames, mouldings and

brackets are made, principally for the home market. The mill furnishes work for twenty-five men.

WHEELOCK & GINTER,

Also carry on the manufacture of sash, doors, blinds, brackets, mouldings and stair rails at their planing mill on Front street, between George and Langdon. This establishment began operations in 1866 under the same management as now. Twelve hands are employed.

CARRIAGES AND WAGONS.

The wagon and carriage factory of Charles Rodemeyer was established by his father, Charles Rodemeyer, in 1854. Forty-five men are employed in the establishment, and all kinds of wagons, buggies and carriages are made. The annual sales amount to about $30,000. Daniel Miller manufactures carriages exclusively, and employs twenty- five hands. His factory is at the corner of Fifth and Belle streets, and began operations in 1869. William Rodemeyer is engaged in the manufacture of buggies and carriages at the corner of Fourth and State streets. Wagons are also made by Nick. Seibold, George Luft and J. II. Koehne, on Belle street, and Joseph Amman, in Hunters- town.

COOPERAGE.

Cooper establishments are carried on by William Arm- strong, Adam Gundall, Jacob & Thomas Jun, Fred Holfert, John Ubelhack and Ifenry Laux. The most of these are in the lower town. The largest shops are those of Armstrong and Gundall. Flour, apple and lime barrels comprise the principal articles made, for which a strong and constant home demand exists.

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 96

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co. Number of Pages: 698

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698