History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 22

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 22

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).

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

ther said that he had known Fisher for several years, and that he was subject to fits of tempo- rary derangement of mind, in consequence of an injury to his head, received in early life. The doctor still further stated that Fisher told him that the first he knew after visiting Spring- field, he found himself in the vicinity of Peoria. Being nearer to his home than to Springfield, he proceeded at once to Warren county, without the slightest thought of his acts leading to the injury of any other person.

On their arrival at Springfield, Dr. Gilmore's statement was made public, and at first the peo- ple seemed to be struck dumb with astonish- ment. When the news was communicated to Henry Trayler, in the jail, he, without faltering, re-affirmed his own story about the murder of Fisher. The idea was at once taken up by the crowd that Dr. Gilmore was in collusion with the murderers, and that he had invented that story as a ruse to secure their release and escape. While the doctor was permitted to remain at liberty, he was regarded with strong suspicion. About 3 o'clock that afternoon, Mr. Myers, the partner of Archibald Trayler, started with a two-horse carriage, accompanied by Egbert M. Mallory, to ascertain whether Fisher was alive or not, and if so, to bring him back to Spring- field.

Without waiting for the return of Myers and Mallory, the Traylers were brought before the proper officers for preliminary examination, on the charge of the murder of Archibald Fisher. Henry Trayler was introduced on the part of the State, and on oath testified that his brothers, William and Arichibald, had murdered Archi- bald Fisher, re-affirming all the minntia of his former statements, and at the close bore a rigid cross-examination without faltering or exposure. It was also proven by a respectable lady, who was well acquainted with Archibald, that on the Monday afternoon of Fisher's disappear- ance, she saw Archibald Trayler and another man, who she identified as William Trayler,- then present-and still another, answering the description of Fisher, all enter the timber at the northwest of town, and an hour or two later, saw the two former return alone. Many other witnesses were examined, giving a combination of testimony that seemed to weave a net-work of circumstances about the prisoners, from which it would appear to any other than a legal mind, to be utterly impossible to extricate them. It was also proven that Archibald Trayler had passed an unusual number of pieces of gold coin. The buggy tracks in the mill pond were

unexplained, as the prisoners were the only per- sons who could give any light upon that subject. The evidence of a struggle in the thicket, under the bending tree, where the hanging was sup- posed to have taken place, was unexplained, although it was afterwards proven that school children had been using the tree as a support to a swing. These and many other points of evi- dence, the intricacies of which space forbids that I should follow out, were before the courts.

When the prosecution had introduced all their evidence and rested the case, one of the attorneys for the defense, Hon. Stephen T. Logan, arose, and with every eye turned toward him, said that on the part of the defendants, he would introduce a single witness only.

Archibald Fisher, in full life and proper per- son, was then conducted slowly into the presence of the court. Messrs. Myers and Mallory had returned late in the evening before-June 21st -with Fisher, and the friends of the prisoners kept him secreted until the proper time. The effect may be imagined, but can not be describ- ed. A gentleman who was cognizant of the proceedings from beginning to end, and who is now a Judge of one of the courts of Illinois, de- scribing the appearance of one of the prisoners in the court room, says: "Archibald Trayler was as fine looking a man as I ever saw. When his own brother was testifying that he was a murderer, he stared at him with a look of aston- ishment, settling into an appearance of stoical indifference, that seemed to say, 'there is no hope of relief, therefore I must calmly endure the worst;' but when the man he was accused of hav- ing murdered, was lead into his presence, he broke down and gave vent to his feelings in a flood of tears, followed by uncontrollable fits of sobbing and moaning."

By this time it began to dawn on the minds of the people that the threats of death to all three of the brothers had so wrought on the mind of Henry Trayler as to destroy his competency as a witness. A feeling of indignation immediately sprang up against May and Lamborn, who had led in the prosecution, and it only lacked a bold leader to mob and hang them. The feeling was so intense that Judge Logan, who had defended the prisoners, telt it his duty to come to the res- cue of their prosecutors. He made a pacific speech, in which he exhorted all to abide by the laws. It had the desired effect, and all dispersed without violence.

A public meeting of the citizens of Springfield was held on the evening of June 22, 1841, to ex- press sympathy with the brothers, who had

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passed through that fiery ordeal, and particular- ly with their fellow citizen, Archibald Trayler, whose character had never been tarnished with the slightest shadow of reproach. That sympa- thy was of little avail. His fine, manly counte- nance was never again lighted up with a smile. He made some feeble attempt at business, but generally wandered about, avoiding all society, pined away, and died in less than two years. One who knew him well said: "If ever a man died of a broken heart it was Archibald Tray- ler." William Trayler died in less than a year after the trial. Henry Trayler lived several years after the death of his brother, but was never known to speak of the mournful event af- ter his departure from Springfield at the close of the trial. He died in Menard county. It is said that the three brothers never met after they passed out of the court room.

If the unhappy and afflicted being who was the innocent cause of all the trouble, had wan- dered away and died on the open prairie, much of which had not then been trod by the foot of man, William and Archibald Taylor would, be- yond a reasonable doubt, have been executed as his murderers, and that upon the force of sur- rounding circumstances and the testimony of their own brother, who would doubtlessly have become hopelessly insane, caused by threats to make him confess a crime never committed, and afterwards by the appalling effects of his own testimony. The world would probably have looked on and called it retributive justice. Such may, and doubtless has been, the effect of cir- cumstantial evidence in cases where the truth was never known.

Thus ended one of the most remarkable affairs of its kind on record.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

CHAPTER VIII

RAILROADS.

Sangamon county is traversed by one hundred and fifty-four miles of railroad, represented by six lines. The citizens of no county in the State have manifested more interest in the subject, from the beginning of the agitation to the pres- ent time. The news of a successful construction of a road in the East had no sooner become known in this section of country, before it was boldly advocated by Jonathan H. Pugh and others, as the only means of solving the trans- portation problem. Of course the advocates of such a scheme were regarded by some, as pos- sessing an unbalanced mind, still they did not waver, and as the opportunity presented itself, it was forced upon the attention of the people.

As early as 1833, the subject of railroad build- ing was introduced into the General Assembly, but no laws were enacted at that time. In the winter of 1835-6 acts were passed incorporating a large number of railroads, as well as for the building of canals and other internal improve- ments. Capital stock amounting to $12,450,000 was authorized, chiefly to railroad companies. The internal improvement act of 1837, appropri- ated $10,200,000 directly from the State Treas- ury. More than $9,000,000 of this sum was for railroads. At this same session, private laws were enacted, chartering joint stock companies with authorized capital stock to the amount of nearly $8,000,000, making an aggregate of about $30,000,000, involved in efforts to legislate rail- roads into existence in the State of Illinois at that early day. This gigantic system of inter- nal improvement was inaugurated when the country was but sparsely settled, and before it was in a condition to export anything that would command money. The people imagined them- selves rich, because the whole United States, east, west, north and south, was flooded with irre- deemable paper currency. It was thought there would be no difficulty in negotiating loans to carry forward the public works.

Soon after the law was enacted, certificates of internal improvement stock was readily taken, contracts let, and work commenced at various points in all parts of the State. Millions of dol- lars were squandered in this way before the au- tumn of 1837, when the great financial crash, which commenced in the eastern cities, swept over the whole United States, and the internal improvement system of Illinois went down, leav- ing the State in what was thought at the time, to be hopeless bankruptcy.

WABASH, ST. LOUIS & PACIFIC RAILROAD.

Among the first lines upon which work was commenced under the internal improvement system, was the Northern Cross Railroad. The first ground was broken between Jacksonville and Meredosia, on what was called Wolf Run. It was about six miles east of the Illinois river. This was early in the spring of 1837. James Dunlap and T. T. January were the contractors. In the spring of 1838, the first locomotive ever brought to the State, came up the Illinois river on a steamboat, and was landed at Meredosia. It was used for running construction trains from that time forward. This engine was built by Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor, of Patterson, New Jersey, and was called the "Superior." The road was so far advanced that the loco- motive run into Jacksonville in the latter part of 1838, or early in 1339.

The work on the Northern Cross Railroad struggled along, after the internal improvement system had ceased in nearly every other part of the State. After it was put in running order from Meredosia to Jacksonville, some work was done between the latter place and Springfield, but for a year or two it moved slowly. In some way the canal fund became indebted to the in- ternal improvement fund. On the 26th day of February, 1841, an act of the General Assembly was approved, providing for the completion of

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the Northern Cross Railroad from Springfield to Jacksonville. To liquidate the indebtedness of the canal fund to the internal improvement fund, $100,000 of canal bonds were appropriated to defray the expense of completing that part of the road. The Fund Commissioner was author- ized and instructed to enter into contracts for the work, to be paid for with the canal bonds, and to be completed in one year. On the day following-February 27, 1841-a law was enact- ed requiring the Fund Commissioner to advertise for proposals to do the work. He was, by the same law, directed to take charge of all the work between Springfield and the Illinois river.

FIRST LOCOMOTIVE IN SPRINGFIELD.

Before the road was completed to Springfield, another locomotive was brought on, from the works of M. W. Baldwin, of Philadelphia. It was called the "Illinois." The track was so far completed that on the 15th of February, 1842, it entered Springfield, being the first one to arrive in the city. George Gregory was the engineer, and T. M. Averitt the fireman. The track was laid along Tenth street to the crossing of Adams. The last half or three-fourths of a mile of the track was only the wooden stringers, the iron not yet having been spiked. The newspapers were not very enterprising, with reference to the latest news, especially when it is considered how wild they were on the subject of railroads only two or three years before.

Ten days after the event, February 25, the following item appeared in the Sangamo Jour- nal:

" The railroad is so far finished that the locomotive occasionally runs upon it, and has drawn at least one heavy load of produce to the river. Under the circum- stances of the times, the contractors, Messrs. Duff, Calhoun & Company have done well to complete it thus early. We anticipate that much business will be done on this road in the spring."

Again, from the Journal of March 11:

* " Northern Cross Railroad .- We have neglected to notice that the railroad from this place to Meredosia, on the Illinois river, has been completed for a couple of weeks so far as to permit the passage of trains of cars through the whole line. The locomotive has now commenced trips between this city and the Illinois river; and, for the present, we understand it is arranged that the locomotive will leave this city every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and Meredosia every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. We also learn that the steamer "Mungo Park" will run regularly between Meredosia and St. Louis, going and returning three times a week, so as to connect regularly with the train of cars. This arrangement will be of immense utility to our citizens and the traveling community, and will furnish the casy means of conveying to market the

17 --

produce of a large and most productive region of country ."

A contrast in the rate of speed then and now will be shown from the following item from Journal, March 18, 1842:

"On Saturday last, March 11, the cars ran from Jacksonville, thirty three and ahalf miles, in two hours and eight; minutes, including stoppages. It is believed that the distance can be passed over in one hour and a half. Trips continue to be made three times per week."

On the 25th of March, the following appeared in the Journal:

"Pleasure trip .- On Monday, March 21, a large party left this city for Jacksonville, filling two passenger cars and another fitted up temporarily for the band of music. They speak in high terms of the hospitality and kindness of the citizens of Jacksonville, of the party there, and the pleasure of the trip."

In that paper of the same date is found the following item:

" During the few days the Springfield and Meredosia railroad has been in operation, and before the public generally were aware of the running of the cars, the receipts from passengers alone have amounted to about seven hundred dollars."

This road was all made by laying long pieces of timber lengthwise with the track - cross pieces were placed six or eight feet apart, to keep the stringers from spreading-flat iron rails were spiked on to the pieces of timber, and then it was ready to receive the locomotive and cars.

After running awhile the engines needed re- pairing, and the track became uneven, so that the cars ceased to be run by steam. The road was then leased, and mule teams took the place of the locomotives. William D. Baxter & Co. were the lessees.

In May, 1844, in the Springfield papers ap- peared the following advertisement of the road: NORTHERN CROSS RAILROAD.

FROM MEREDOSIA TO JACKSONVILLE AND SPRINGFIELD.

The subscribers, having leased the Illinois Northern Cross Railway, are prepared to transport produce, mer- chandise, furniture, etc., to and from the above mentioned places, on terms as reasonable as can be desired, and by the employment of faithful and experienced agents, and the occupancy of safe and com- modious depots, can insure all requisite care and atten- tion to whatever may be entrusted to their commission.

WM. D. BAXTER & CO.,

Receiving, Forwarding and Commission Merchants. MEREDOSIA, May 10, 1844.

Refer to S. M. Tinsley & Co., Mr. J. Bunn, Spring- field ; Mr. J. G. Lamb, Alton : Collier & Morrison, Mr. J. Simonds, St. Louis, Mo : Small & McGill, New Orleans.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

After becoming quite dilapidated, a law was enacted authorizing the sale of the entire road. The sale was effected for a mere trifle, with the stipulation that the parties coming in possession of it, should put it in running. order, for the ac- commodation of the public. The road was sold in 1847, and was afterwards known as the San- gamon & Morgan Railroad. Other changes fol- lowed until it became part of the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad, and as such, many im- provements were made by the company in the operation of the road. In 1858 the company located their repair shops in Springfield, thus giving employment to a large number of em- ployes, who made here their home, and conse- quently added much to the trade of the city. In 1869 new buildings were erected for their rapidly increasing machine works, at a cost of $75,000.

In 1870 a fine passenger depot was erected in Springfield, at a cost of $36,000. In this build- ing are the offices of the Division Superintend- ent and other officers of the road located here. A freight house was also erected the same year.

In 1879, the Toledo, Wabash & Western, the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw and several other roads were consolidated under the name of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway Company. Although the details of the consolidation were agreed upon by the stockholders in November, 1879, the business of the new company did not begin until Jannary 1, 1880. The company now own, in 1881, 3,000 miles of railway, and expect to secure other roads, having entered into con- tracts by which they will soon come into their possession.

CHICAGO, ALTON & ST. LOUIS.

The present Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Rail- road was built from Alton to Springfield under an act of the legislature, passed in 1847. By this act, and an amendment to it, the line of the road was intended to run by way of Waverly, in Morgan county, and New Berlin, in Sanga- mon county. John T. Stuart, while a member of the State Senate, feeling it for the best in- terest of the road, as well as for the general public, introduced an amendment, which be- came a law January 29, 1851, by which the company was authorized to build direct from CarImville to Springfield.

During the session of the legislature in 1848 and 1849, Mr. Stuart introduced the first bill to build a road from Springfield to Chicago, and which passed the Senate and was then sent to the House. The morning after its passage, Mr. Smith, representing Macon in the Senate, moved

to recall the bill from the House, assigning as a reason that it was passed in his absence and was interfering with the building of the Great Western and the proposed Illinois Central Railroad. The motion of Mr Smith prevailed and the bill was recalled and laid upon the table.

At the next session of the Senate in 1850-51, it was thought prudent to pass the measure, not as a whole, but in sections, owing to the oppo- sition manifested the previous session; there- fore, Mr. Stuart introduced " An act to extend the Alton & Sangamon Railroad Company, in- corporated February 27, 1847, which was passed and became a law February 11, 1851, and by which, authority was given to extend the road from Springfield to Bloomington, and under which that part of the road was built.

At the session of the Senate in 1852, Mr. Gridley, representing McLean county in that body, introduced a bill, the object of which was to further extend the road from Bloomington to Joliet, and which became a law on the 19th of June, 1852, and under which that part of the road was built. By further legislation it was afterwards extended from Joliet to Chicago. By still another act, authority was given to extend the road from Alton to East St. Louis, which, in due time, was built, and which different sec- tions now compose the Chicago, Alton & St. Lonis Railroad.

The Chicago, Alton & St. Louis, or the Alton & Sangamon Railroad, by which it was then known, was completed to Springfield in 1853, and an entertainment was given in that city by the railroad company, to a party of excursionists from St. Louis and Alton. The steamboat Cor- nelia left St. Louis for Alton with the excur- sionists from that city, at six o'clock on the morning of Thursday, October 6, and being joined by the Alton people, proceeded by rail to Springfield, arriving at two o'clock P. M., where a sumptuous dinner awaited them, in a building erected for a machine shop. Benjamin Godfrey, of Alton, was introduced by Virgil Hickox, as one through whose exertions the road was chiefly built. After a brief address from Mr. Godfrey, and speeches from some others of the party, and dinner had been partaken of by all, the train moved away with its four hundred pas- sengers on the return trip. This was an import- ant event in the history of Springfield, as it opened direct communications with Springfield and the South.

On the 18th of October, 1853, the road was completed to Normal, forming a junction with

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

the Illinois Central, by which passengers could go to La Salle, and from there to Chicago by the Chicago & Rock Island Road. This opened up the first communication from New York city to the Mississippi river. On the 4th of August, 1854, the present road was completed through to Joliet.

By an act of the General Assembly, approved February 14, 1855, the name of the company was changed to Chicago, Alton & St. Louis, and on the 21st of Jannary, 1857, another act was passed, changing it to the St. Louis, Alton & Chicago Railroad Company. February 19, 1859, the name was changed from St. Louis, Alton & Chicago, to Alton, Chicago & St. Louis. On the 18th of February, 1861, it was again changed, making it the Chicago & Alton.

Coming from Chicago to St. Louis, the road enters Sangamon cuunty on section 34, township 18, range 4 west, Williams township, and taking nearly a southwestern course, passing through the townships of Williams, Springfield, Wood- side, Ball, Chatham, and Auburn, passes into Macoupin county from section 34, the latter township. The company have seven stations in this county-Williamsville, Sherman, Spring- field, Iles Junction, Woodside, Chatham, and Auburn.

OHIO & MISSISSIPPI.

A charter was granted to the Springfield and Pana Railroad Company, February 16, 1857, but no road was ever built under that charter. The hard times, beginning in 1857, followed closely by the war, prevented the prosecution of the work. On the 16th of February, 1865, another charter was granted to cover the same ground, but extending further, under the title of the Pana, Springfield and Northwestern Railroad Company. Forty miles of this road-from Springfield to Pana-was completed and opened for business in March, 1870. During the sum- mer of 1870, it was put under contract to Beards- town, with the intention of extending it to Keokuk, Iowa. The extension was never under- taken.

By an act of the General Assembly, approved March 5, 1867, a charter was granted to the Illi- nois and Southeastern Railroad Company. This company became possessed of the Pana, Spring- field and Northwestern Railroad, giving it a line from Shawneetown, on the Ohio, to Beardstown, on the Illinois river. On the 28th day of March, 1872, through trains commenced running from Shawneetown to Beardstown. Subsequently, the road came into possession of the Ohio and Miss-

issippi Railroad Company, as the Springfield, Division of the Ohio and Mississippi, by which it is now operated. The headquarters of the com- pany are at Cincinnati, but having a Division office at Springfield, with C. M. Stanton, Division Superintendent.

The Ohio and Mississippi enters Sangamon county on section 4, township 14, north of range 3 west, Cooper township, and passes through the townships of Cooper, Rochester, Springfield, Gardner and Cartwright, passing into Cass county from section 27, township 17, range 8 west, Cartwright township. The road has eight stations in the county-Breckenridge, Berry, Rochester, Springfield, Bradford, Farmingdale, Richland, and Pleasant Plains.

ILLINOIS CENTRAL.

The Gilman, Clinton & Springfield Railroad Company was incorporated by an act of the Gen- eral Assembly, March 4, 1867. An organization was effected at Clinton, April 21, 1869. Grad- ing was commenced near Clinton, July 4, 1870, and from that time until the close of the work- ing season, from fifteen to eighteen hundred men were employed along the line. Track lay- ing was commenced at Gilman, February 19, 1871. The entire line was completed, and an excursion train, extemporized at Springfield, vis- ited the ruins of Chicago, starting from Spring- field, Saturday evening, October 21, but the road was not regularly opened for business until De- cember 3, 1871. Subsequently the road passed into the hands of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and is now operated by them under the name of the Springfield Division of the Illi- nois Central.

Entering the county on section fifteen, Buffalo Hart township, the road runs southwest through the townships of Buffalo Hart, Williams, Clear Lake and Springfield. It has but two stations in the county outside of Springfield, in Buffalo Hart township and Barclay.

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History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 22

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084