USA > Illinois > McLean County > History of McLean County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 26
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
The final move, made in November, 1922, was to the present large and well appointed quarters in the B. S. Greeen Building. Here the Asso- ciation of Commerce occupies three-fourths of the first floor, and also a large assembly room with kitchen attached on the second floor. The lat- ter are used for meetings of various kinds, often in cases where groups of people gather at luncheon to discuss any given project. Since this building was occupied, the assembly rooms have been the scenes of many notable public gatherings. The lower floor is divided into compartments for the use of the general secretary, the credit bureau and its employes, the traffic bureau and its managers, and there is also a large committee room for smaller meetings than needed when the assembly room is not required.
The list of the presidents of the Association of Commerce and its predecessors, the Commercial Club and the Business Men's Association, have been the following from the time of its organization in the year 1900:
339
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
Benjamin F. Harber, 1901-2; John Eddy, 1903-4; Samuel R. White, 1905; John J. Pitts, 1906; Hamer H. Green, 1907; Paul F. Beich, 1908-9; Alonzo Dolan, 1910-11; G. Burt Read, 1912-13; George A. Washburn, 1914- 15; George C. Heberling, 1916; R. C. Baldwin, 1917-18; E. M. Evans, 1919-20; Leroy G. Whitner, 1921-22; Milton R. Livingston, 1923-24.
R. F. Berry was the first employed office secretary, and held the po- sition until his death, four or five years after the association was organ- ized. Then William Schmidt was placed in charge of the office work, de- voting what time it needed along with his own business. He was the secretary at the time of the great Chicago & Alton shop expansion cam- paign in 1910 as described in detail elsewhere. Mr. Schmidt was followed by Jos. Joplin, who had been traffic manager for Harber Bros. Mr. Jop- lin was an expert on the transportation question, and devoted most of his energies to that phase of the work. He finally went west, giving up his position here. In the year 1913, J. Heber Hudson was selected to the secretaryship, and he continues to this time. He had formerly been a traveling salesman for Seibel Bros., and it transpired that he was quali- fied in every way for the duties of secretary. Under his direction the Association has witnessed most of its growth and expansion.
Ever since Secretary Hudson assumed the office, he has issued each year a printed report of the Association's activities. Extracts from these reports indicate the many things done or planned. The first report, is- sued in January, 1915, for the year 1914 tells of the introduction of the semi-annual Style Shows by the Retail Interests committee. It tells of the formation of the Better Farming Association, which was the prede- cessor of the present McLean County Farm Bureau. A trade extension excursion was run, when 500 business men joined in a day's trip to visit a score of towns within a radius of fifty miles. A public time table of trains at all Bloomington stations was posted at the Corn Belt Bank cor- ner. The sum of $500 was donated toward building the gap in the Shir- ler hard road. A great public spectacle, called Venetian Night, was given at Miller park in July. The rebuilt Alton shops were dedicated. The offices were moved to the front of the Griesheim Building, and 4,000 peo- ple visited the office during the year. The membership for the year was 448, and a total of $12,507.19 was handled in the office.
In 1915 an effort for the construction of a Community Bulding was made, but for several reasons it was finally abandoned. D. O. Thompson
340
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
was hired as the first McLean County farm adviser to work with the Better Farming Association, which now numbered 350 members. The first Middle-West tractor demonstration was put on this year, the show being in fields adjoining Orendorff Springs. It was attended by 50,000 people during the week. In the fall a great corn show was given, and a great McLean County picnic was held at Funk's Grove in celebration of the first settlement of Isaac Funk in this county. The horse breeders' sales were promoted, and an agricultural short course was arranged. The collection and credit rating department was established in charge of Jesse B. Havens. The Corn Palace attracted 24,000 visitors, and cost $4,497 to put on. A great many conventions were entertained during the year. Another trade extension excursion was carried out. A lawn and garden contest with suitable prizes was planned and carried out. A Christmas charity fund of $1,666 was raised. The total amount of money handled during the year was $11,340, and the membership was 506.
A second and greater tractor demonstration was put on in August, 1916, when 75,000 people attended. It was held in fields east and south of the city, and cost the Commercial Club $4,714. The Corn Palace that year encountered terribly bad weather and came out with a deficit of $3,000. This was the year that saw the total motorizing of the fire de- partment of Bloomington, which was encouraged by the Commercial Club, the change costing $21,000. Many conventions were provided for that year, and E. M. Evans as chairman of the committee on city planning, outlined a comprehensive program. The membership that year was 538, and the money handled amounted to $9,292.
The year 1917 was also marked by the opening of war activities on the part of this association as well as in every other organization. The tractor demonstration, the K. of P. encampment and other enterprises of a civic character were abandoned on this account. The retailers organized a co-operative delivery company for more efficient handling of merchan- dise. Company M was formed for a home guard military organization in the absence of young men in draft bodies. Capt. C. B. Hamilton was in command. The Better Farming association expanded its membership and put on a colt show. The convention committee secured permanent street decorations which might be used for any public occasion. Busi- ness was good, there being no commercial failures, and the C. & A. paid out $3,500,000 in Bloomington. A city planning program was organized.
341
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
The membership for the year was 650, and the total amount of money handled was $10,508.
In 1918 the move to the large quarters in the Durley building was made. War activities continued to be the main interest. Capt. Hills as chairman of the committee secured a fund to erect memorial arches at the court house in honor of the McLean county soldiers who had died in the war. The A. of C. gave much assistance to the Wesleyan in its estab- lishment of the S. A. T. C. and erected barracks for the student soldiers. A great corn show dedicated this building, it being managed jointly by the Farm Bureau of the A. of C. The sum of $5,000 was realized, but soon afterward the Wesleyan abandoned its S. A. T. C. program owing to the close of the war, and the money was divided between the Farm Bureau and the A. of C. This year saw the organization of the McLean County Home Bureau and of the free employment bureau under the aus- pices of the government, for which the A. of C. contributed liberally for rent, etc. Several celebrations were held in honor of the centennial `anniversary of the admission of Illinois to the union. E. M. Evans donated a tract of eighty acres of land northeast of the city for a park, to be known as Centennial park. The A. of C. planned to erect a monument there. One of the organizations promoted this year was the Association of Commerce Glee Club, which was very successful. The A. of C. mem- bership was 646.
One of the achievements of the year 1919 was to settle forever the question of the proposed removal of the Wesleyan University, which had been strongly advocated in the Illinois Conference. The faith of Bloom- ington was so stoutly exemplified in the Wesleyan that the conference backed up the decision of the trustees that the institution should per- manently remain here. The same year witnessed the closing of a deal with the Meadows Manufacturing Company for the removal of its Pontiac plant to Bloomington and to erect new buildings costing $600,000 on a tract of fourteen acres secured by the A. of C. and given to the company as a site. The proposition was financed by the platting and selling lots in the Association of Commerce addition, adjoining the Meadows tract. Two other smaller factories were secured that year. The returning sol- diers from the world war were provided with public receptions whenever a contingent of any size arrived. The strip of three miles of concrete road east on Empire street was constructed by co-operation between county
-
342
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
and state road agencies. This same year witnessed the construction of the Lafayette Apartments, the largest family residence building ever erected in the city. O. D. Center became county farm adviser succeeding D. O. Thompson, called to the State Agricultural association.
In 1920, the traffic department, under charge of E. L. Henninger had expanded into one of the most important of the A. of C. subsidiary agen- cies. It audited 25,000 freight and express bills, quoted 3,836 rates to customers, and secured refunds of $8,482 overcharges. It issued a weekly bulletin of its activities, and traced 283 carloads or less than carload ship- ments. The year witnessed the consummation of the Meadows enter- prise. The Wesleyan Committee of the Association of Commerce bought properties near the Wesleyan which should be needed in its proposed expansion campaign. There were more than 1,000 members this year, and the total sum of money passing through the office was $129,991.
The outstanding achievement in the 1921 review was the successful completion of the Greater Wesleyan campaign, under the chairmanship of E. M. Evans, which was wound up on June 30 with a total of pledges $692,000 in a campaign which started out to raise $650,000. The report of Secretary Hudson characterized this as "the greatest single project ever undertaken by a group of citizens of McLean County." In further- ance of the program made possible by this accomplishment, there had already been $100,000 of real estate added to Wesleyan holdings near the campus, a dwelling had been acquired north of Kemp hall as further dor- mitory room for girls, the $170,000 gymnasium was already under con- struction, and plans made to start the Buck Memorial library in the spring. The A. of C. traffic bureau reported a busy year, having adjusted 1,331 overcharge cases and secured refund of $11,220 overcharges. The bureau had assisted the Ritter Motor Bus Company in starting its service to outside towns, and the company had carried 7,328 passengers between July and December. Further efforts to secure reduced rates on coal ship- ments to Normal and Bloomington were under way. The credit bureau under W. J. Tuohy had answered 2,719 calls. The road committee was busy with oiling projects and securing right of way for state paved roads. The Association had delivered deeds to $14,457 worth of property in the A. of C. addition, making a total delivered $108,525, with $21,000 yet to be sold or delivered. The Association had helped refinancing the Hamil- ton-Hayes Stove company, and had co-operated with the American Legion
343
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
in work for the McBarnes Memorial building. There had been 18 miles of road oiled out of Bloomington, the style shows and Dollar Days of the retail interests were great successes. A tourist bureau had been maintained, and boulevard lights for East Washington street arranged for. The amount of money handled by the A. of C. for the year was $84,775.
One of the outstanding features of Association of Commerce activity in 1922 was using its influence in bringing about a settlement of the shopmen's strike at the Chicago & Alton. A complete suspension of work at the great Alton plant had taken place July 1, the men acting in con- junction with their fellow craftsmen all over the country. After months of inactivity, the A. of C. through its president, L. G. Whitmer, brought the union officials and the company officials together in a series of con- ferences where the differences were threshed out and a basis of settle- ment arrived at. It was a matter of good news to all concerned when the 2,000 men went back to work. The A. of C. traffic bureau had another good year, auditing 100,000 freight bills and securing repayment of $8,873 overcharges. The Credit rating bureau answered 4,000 calls for infor- mation, being in charge of W. J. Tuohy and E. W. Moeller. A good start was made on the new building program of the Wesleyan, the gymnasium and library being under construction. Of the pledges made in the finan- cial campaign of the previous year, there had been $116,942 collected up to Jan. 1. The A. of C. erected a memorial gateway at the Main street entrance of the campus district.
The year saw the actual work begun in the betterment of the Bloom- ington and Normal Sanitary district, by the deepening and widening of Sugar Creek so that it could carry all flood waters. It has not since once overflowed. The A. of C. assisted in the celebration and setting of a stone marker at Randolph commemorating the 100th anniversary of the the settlement of Gardner Randolph there. The move into the large new quarters in the B. S. Green building was made on November 1 of this year. The project for the refinancing of the Meadows Manufacturing was set upon its feet. The general financial statement showed $70,132 passed through the hands of the treasurer.
For the year 1923, a budget system was prepared and followed. The membership was 824, and the sum of money passing through the Asso- ciation was $180,525. At the annual dinner and business meeting held
344
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
at the end of this year, when over 1,000 people were present, the work of the year was grouped under the headings of various committees, each of which reviewed the activities of 1923. These committees and their chairmen were as follows :
Membership, Roy E. Chew; legislative, Fred W. Wollrab; Wesleyan; E. M. Evans; retail interests, A. Schwarzman; roads, J. L. Murray; ad- vertising and promotion, John W. Rodgers, jr .; entertainment, C. H. Mar- quis ; conventions, George C .Heberling ; agriculture, R. C. Baldwin; audit, A. V. S. Lloyd; visiting and fellowship, W. W. Tilden; U. S. chamber of commerce, Paul F. Beich; music, C. E. Stewart; water, Sumner Good- fellow; trade extension, J. P. Klemm; sanitation and health, Ignatz Led- erer; retail grocers, Henry Nierstheimer; finance and audit, Charles F. Agle; public improvements, Harry K. Dick; jobbing interests, Charles A. Stephenson; industrial interests, James A. Gray; A. of C. addition to the city, Dan W. Snyder; railroads and transportation, R. O. Ahlenius; labor relations, Leroy G. Whitmer.
In 1923, because of the general depression in all agricultural lines, the Meadows Manufacturing Company had encountered financial diffi- culties. Through the A. of C., settlements were effected with all credit- ors and a special committee from the A. of C. sold $150,000 worth of bonds, the proceeds to be used as working capital by the Meadows Com- pany. This company is now on a sound financial basis and their product is being shipped throughout a large territory.
The Association of Commerce has been of great assistance in the matter of hard roads development, having secured many important sec- tions of right-of-way in cases where the lands could not be secured by the townships. Approximately $15,000 has been expended by the A. of C. for right-of-way on the hard roads thus far completed. There is also expended $7,500 per year for road oil, and $2,500 per year on roadside advertising. Large sign boards are maintained on all roads leading to Bloomington, some of these signs being placed as far as seventy-five miles from the city. Direction arrows point the way to Bloomington from every direction.
The affairs of the Association are guided by a board of 24 directors who serve two-year terms. Each director is chairman of a standing com- mittee. The board meets the first and third Monday of each month. The Credit Rating bureau, which is considered one of the most efficient in the
345
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
United States, is under the direct supervision of the Retail Credit Men's association. Accurate ledger information is furnished the merchants from files kept up to date. A daily reporter is issued by this department which contains copies of all court records, property transfers, business changes, removals and all information which is of value to members and credit men. The Traffic Bureau, under the management of E. L. Henninger, is supervised by the Transportation and Jobbing Interests committees. Twelve people comprise the office staff of the Association of Commerce, and it is the clearing house for all community activities.
CHAPTER XXIX.
FARMERS ORGANIZATIONS.
BETTER FARMING ASSOCIATION FORMED-D. O. THOMPSON'S WORK-NAME CHANGED TO FARM BUREAU-OFFICERS -- MEMBERSHHIP-POULTRY SHOW- SWINE BREEDERS' ASSOCIATIONS SHORTHORN CATTLE, JERSEY CATTLE AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS-FEDERAL LOANS-PRODUCER'S MARKET- FARMERS GRAIN DEALERS ASSOCIATION.
Learning a lesson from all the other forms of business activity, the agricultural interests began to discuss some form of permanent organiza- tion for mutual interests along in the years from about 1912 to 1914. More and more the idea of organization grew in the minds of the more wide-awake farmers of the county. Eventually, about the year 1914 or early in 1915, an organization to be known as the McLean County Better Farming Association was formed. The first list of officers included the following: President, G. C. (Lyle) Johnstone; vice president, C. L. Mays; secretary, Fred J. Blum; treasurer, W. E. Rayburn; and the directors were Allen Brown, Price N. Jones, Charles Yanney, F. J. Hanley and John Kinsinger.
Having perfected the organization, the services of a man who knew farm problems and could devote his time to helping the farmers solve them was given consideration. After casting about for available men, the association finally employed D. O. Thompson (known as Dave). He was a graduate of the agricultural college of Purdue, was young and full of enthusiasm, and came to the position with proper equipment and much energy. He began work in this county in 1916 and served through until 1919. This covered the period of the world war, during which time
346
347
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
the farmers of the country were called upon to make greater effort toward food production than at any other time in the history of the nation. McLean county farmers took their place alongside the best farming sec- tions of the country in advancing war time production and the scientific farming in general. Mr. Thompson's reputation had spread by his work here, and in 1919 he was called to higher responsibilities as secretary of the Illinois Agricultural Association. For several months in 1919 were was no official farm adviser, for the committee had difficulty in securing a man whom they felt could fit into the work that had been advanced by Mr. Thompson. In the latter part of that year, however, they employed O. D. Center, who was a man of more mature years and of much practical experience. He remained here until Sept., 1921. In that period the McLean County Farm Bureau (the name having been changed to that) employed R. L. Cuff as special livestock adviser, and he carried on that branch of the work until Dec., 1921. Harrison Fahrnkopf was employed by the Farm Bureau in the capacity of an assistant in 1920, and after the resignations of Mr. Center and Mr. Cuff he became the official farm adviser, which position he holds at this time (1923).
The name of the Better Farming Association was changed several years ago to the McLean County Farm Bureau. The officers of this asso- ciation are:
1923-Simon C. Moon, Towanda, president; Sam Elkins, Dry Grove, vice president; Vaughn Douglas, Shirley, secretary; Walter Tenney, McLean, treasurer. Directors-John Kinsinger, Clifford Brown, Dave Stutzman, H. A. Horney, Walter Nichols, Frank Moberly, Homer Caton.
1924-Officers the same as for 1923, except that Harry Dixon of Covell succeeds Frank Moberly as director.
The McLean County Farm Bureau began in April, 1923, its ninth consecutive year of existence. The organization justified its formation and continued existence many times over by the practical value it proved to its members and the farmers in general. It began with 300 members, and in the war times of 1917 to 1920 the membership ran up to the total of 3,100. In the slump of 1921 and 1922 the number dropped back to 2,000 and has been maintained about at that figure in the last year. The work of the organization took on a wide range.
For the past twenty years, the farmers of McLean county have maintained a winter indoor school, so to speak, known as the McLean
348
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
County Farmers' Institute. The institute held in this county is one of a series held throughout the state under the general auspices of the State Agricultural Society. Formerly the institute was held for four or five days in the winter, always in the county seat, and addressed by a series of eminent speakers along different lines. Of later years, the meetings have been divided up into smaller units, one meeting of two or three days' duration, or sometimes of a single day, being held in nearly every town- ship of the county. Of recent years, these have been under direction of the McLean County Farm Bureau. The officers of the Farmers' Institute elected in 1920 were: C. L. Mays, president; W. E. Rayburn, secretary. For the year 1921, the elected officers were: W. F. Coolidge, president; Ralph Benjamin, vice president; W. E. Rayburn, secretary; C. E. Hill, treasurer. This last list of officers was re-elected for the years 1922 and 1923. For several years past, S. B. Mason of this county has served as one of the directors of the State Farmers' Institute for this congressional district.
The threshermen of McLean county have maintained an organiza- tion known as the McLean County Threshermen's Association, with the following officers: C. F. Kauffman, Stanford, president; A. P. Tyner, Danvers, vice president; H. B. Noder, Normal, secretary.
Many years ago there used to be held an annual poultry show under management of a city poultry association. Of recent years this project has been taken over by the farmers and poultry raisers, who held a fine show in Dec., 1922, and another in the winter of 1923-24. The officers elected were: E. D. Lawrence, president ; C. L. Albee, vice president ; Mrs. F. J. Blum, Normal, secretary ; A. C. Lantz, Normal, treasurer. Directors, Lyle Funk, Chas. Stiger, C. E. Hill, B. Riseling, Mrs. Whitwood. A mar- keting auxiliary to the Poultry association was organized in March, 1923, to market full blood stock. Its officers were: I. N. Price of Ellsworth. chairman; Mrs. C. M. Fifer, Bloomington, and William Ertmoed of Lex- ington, directors. The board of supervisors appropriated $250 for the first poultry show under the auspices of this society.
A McLean County Beekeepers' association was formed in February, 1922, and at the first annual meeting in 1923 the following officers were elected : Dr. H. B. Henline, Bloomington, president ; W. L. Archer, McLean, vice president; W. B. Brigham, Bloomington, secretary-treasurer.
349
HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
The McLean County Swine Breeders' association is a live and pro- gressive organization. Its 1923 officers were: W. D. Brickey, Bloomington, president; Simon Moon, Towanda, vice president; F. J. Basting, Bloom- ington, secretary ; J. E. Donnelly, Lexington, treasurer. The association co-operated with the officials of the LeRoy Fair in holding the county Swine Show. This show was pronounced by authorities in touch with the different fairs of the state as ranking one of the very best held any- where. The large number of animals shown in the different breeds pos- sessed a type and quality which is the resultant only of constructive breeding. The members of the swine breeders association fostered the Boy and Girl Pig Club show. They helped make arrangements for the show, furnished the judges and also paid a goodly part of the prize money.
One of the organizations in the county which has been of the incal- culable value to its members is the McLean County Cow Testing associa- tion. This association was reorganized during the past year and very good reports have come from the various members. There are twenty-six herds containing approximately six hundred seventy cows in the associa- tion. For the year 1921-1922 approximately one hundred unprofitable cows were sold. The officers for 1923 were: President, C. M. Mounts, McLean; secretary, J. L. Withrow, McLean; treasurer, Pearl Mauny, Bloomington.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.