USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois, Volume One > Part 28
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"A total of two thousand one hundred and seventeen men were accepted at camp from this county through the three draft boards, located at Danville, Hoopeston, and Georgetown; Danville sending nine hundred and four; Hoopeston five hundred and ninety-one, and Georgetown six hundred and twenty-two. Three draft registrations were made during the war, Danville registering a total of seven thousand five hundred and one, Hoopeston five thou- sand four hundred and sixty-eight, and Georgetown five thousand five hundred and seventy-seven. The Hoopeston district extended down to Danville and the Georgetown
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district consisted of the rest of the county, the Danville district being composed of the city of Danville alone.
"Various patriotic organizations began early to assist in winning shortly after the war was declared. In fact, two of these organizations in Danville got to work before the various military organizations left the city. Camp Egbert, United Spanish War Veterans, composed of ex- service men who served during the Spanish-American War, undertook the task of furnishing the three organizations with a mess fund, knowing more than the civilians did just what the soldiers would need. Other organizations assisted, and by means of tag days the mess funds were secured. Battery A was given its money, four hundred and sixty-five dollars, at Fort Sheridan on the eve of leav- ing for France; Company I received its fund, three hun- dred and forty-five dollars, at East Alton before going to the Texas training camp, and Company L was taken care of before it left Danville, receiving three hundred and forty-five dollars.
"The Woman's Military Auxiliary, composed for the most part of mothers and sisters of the soldiers, was organized early in April, 1917, and was functioning as an organized body when the boot fund was raised, to furnish hip boots for the Vermilion county soldiers going to France. This fund was started after a story appeared in a Chicago newspaper to the effect that Chicago citizens would equip their soldiers in the One hundred Forty-ninth Artillery, to which the Danville battery belonged, with rubber boots. It was taken up by the newspapers of Dan- ville and subscriptions were received at their offices. The auxiliary also saw to it that each soldier who went from Danville was furnished with a kit consisting of brushes, towels, soap, etc.
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"Hip boots were furnished Battery A soldiers before they left New York for France, and they were of great benefit to the Danville boys that first winter in France, and probably a number of them now living owe their lives to the thoughtfulness of the citizens of their home town, for the mud was deep and the rainy season was on when they arrived in France.
"The Danville battery received one thousand one hun- dred and sixty dollars for hip trench boots and they took the boots with them when they went overseas. Shortly after the boots were purchased, the government purchased the entire output from the various boot factories and assumed the task of equipping the American soldiers with trench boots. Danville citizens could purchase no more, so the money left in the fund was divided between the other two companies and distributed upon their return to Danville at the close of the war.
"The war had not progressed far until Red Cross organizations were formed in every city, town and com- munity. Various other organizations, every one bent on backing up the soldiers to the fullest extent, were also formed. Food was conserved that the soldiers might have the very best while winning the war.
"The state council of defense, with its county organiza- tions, the neighborhood committees, the High Twelve Club, Rotary Club, various lodge organizations,-all combined their efforts towards the one object-to win the war in the quickest possible time. Through the efforts of the neighborhood committee, loyalty pledges were sent to every person in the county above the age of eighteen. Out of a population of approximately seventy-six thousand, pledges were received from forty-four thousand one hundred and
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twenty-nine. Only two thousand two hundred and three refused to sign. A little more than one-half, or twenty- three thousand three hundred and eighty-four persons, in Danville signed, while in Danville township, outside the city, there were two thousand five hundred and thirteen. Grant township came next, with four thousand and twenty-six, and the Soldiers Home furnished one thousand five hundred and fifty-six more. These pledges showed beyond a doubt that the people of Vermilion county were backing their soldiers.
"Patriotic demonstrations were held in almost every community, flag raisings were popular everywhere and the Stars and Stripes floated from almost every public build- ing and business house and from thousands of residences.
"This sort of patriotism is a tradition with Vermilion County. It did not begin with the World War. It dates back to the early Indian Wars, including the Black Hawk affair, down through the Mexican, Civil and Spanish-Amer- ican Wars. Vermilion County has always been considered a patriotic county, furnishing its full quota of soldiers in every conflict in which the United States has been engaged, so it was but natural that Danville and Vermilion County should be in the forefront when the United States entered the great world conflict.
"When the World War came there were four military organizations in the county ; Battery A, First Illinois Field Artillery; Danville; Company I, Fifth Illinois Infantry, Danville; Company L, Eighth Illinois Infantry, colored, Danville; and Company B, Third Illinois Infantry, Hoopes- ton. All these organizations were immediately called into active service, Company I going to East Alton even before war was declared. All saw service overseas.
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"Vermilion County, Illinois, has just cause to be proud of her record in all matters that call for patriotic sacrifice in behalf of the country."
Division One, Hoopeston, draft board, had jurisdiction over ten townships-Grant, Butler, Middlefork, Ross, Pilot, Blount, Newell, Oakwood, Vance and Jamaica. Divi- sion Two, Georgetown, had the balance of the townships, while the Danville draft board, as Mr. Harrison explained, had charge in the city of Danville.
From the official report of the Provost Marshal General, the following statistics regarding Vermilion County have been taken on the draft:
Danville: Registration-June 5, 1917, two thousand seven hundred and ninety-six; June and August, 1918, two hundred and fifty-eight; September 12, 1918, four thou- sand four hundred and forty-seven; total, seven thousand five hundred and one; accepted at camp, nine hundred and four; general service, eight hundred and ninety-one; remediables, sixteen; limited service, one hundred; dis- qualified, twenty-eight; deferment-dependency, one thou- sand two hundred and thirty-nine; agricultural, none; industrial, none.
Hoopeston : Registration-June 5, 1917, two thousand two hundred and fifty-five; June and August, 1918, two hundred and eleven; September 12, 1918, two thousand nine hundred and ninety-one; total, five thousand four hundred and sixty-eight; accepted at camp, five hundred and ninety-one; general service, six hundred and ten; remediables, eleven; limited service, forty-eight; disquali- fied, one hundred and six; deferment-dependency, one thousand and sixty-six; agricultural, twenty-six; indus- trial, ten.
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Georgetown: Registration-June 5, 1917, two thou- sand and ninety-four; June and August, 1918, two hundred and eleven; September 12, 1918, three thousand two hun- dred and seventy-two; total, five thousand five hundred and seventy-seven; accepted at camp, six hundred and twenty-two; general service, five hundred and seventy-five ; remediables, thirteen; limited service, fourteen; disquali- fid, one hundred and forty-nine; deferment-dependency, one thousand and nine; agricultural, twenty; industrial, twenty-eight.
With the close of the World War Battery A, famous over a long period of years, has become a memory, but there have been developed in Danville two strong units of the Illinois National Guards, Companies A and D, both companies being housed in the well equipped new State Armory, which is one of the show places of the city.
In the years to come these two companies will accumu- late traditions that will be as dear to the hearts of Danville as those that linger long after the passing of Battery B.
In the years that have passed since the close of the World War, Danville has played an important part in the rehabilitation of the ex-service men through the location here for several years of a subdistrict office of the United States Veterans Bureau, much of this work still being car- ried on by the Vermilion County Chapter of the American Red Cross, through its Home Service Section, located in the Chamber of Commerce Building.
The complete story of Vermilion County in the World War could not be told in a whole volume, and in this short chapter, only the more important details can be given, so that future generations may know that Vermilion County's record in the World War was on a par with its showing in all the wars of its country.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE PRESS
AMOS WILLIAMS AND R. H. BRYANT ESTABLISH THE FIRST NEWSPAPER IN 1832-THE DANVILLE PATRIOT-EARLY DAY NEWSPAPERMEN- SLOGANS-VERMILION COUNTY PRESS-NEWSPAPERS AS MOLDERS OF PUBLIC OPINION-EARLY MARKET QUOTATIONS-THE DANVILLE TIMES-CLINTON CLAY TILTON-CAREER OF JOHN H. HARRISON- THE COMMERCIAL-NEWS OF TODAY-OTHER LEADING PUBLICATIONS OF VERMILION COUNTY.
The first newspaper in Vermilion County was a weekly Democratic publication established in Danville in 1832 by Amos Williams and R. H. Bryant. A few years later Mr. Bryant bought full control and he then took in Mr. Love- less as a partner. Later Mr. Bryant sold out to Mr. Delay, but afterward bought the paper back, later suspending publication and removing the plant to Milwaukee, Wiscon- sin. No known copies of this pioneer paper are in existence.
Copies of a number of Danville publications, dating as far back as 1846 are in possession of Clinton Clay Tilton and these will probably eventually find their way into the county historical museum maintained at the Public Library by the Governor Bradford Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, who have done a great deal to preserve relics of the early days of the county.
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The Danville Patriot is the oldest publication of which a copy is in existence today. It was founded in 1843, prob- ably succeeding the first weekly mentioned above. Daniel Clapp was the publisher and editor. Mr. Clapp made money in the newspaper field and in 1855 bought the stock security bank which was being operated in Danville at that time, but he found banking much different from pub- lishing a newspaper and the bank's failure followed soon afterward.
The Illinois Citizen was established in 1849 by J. Hol- lingsworth, and this was followed in 1855 by the Inde- pendent and in 1856 by the Prairie State, "A Family Paper Devoted to Politics, News, Agriculture, Mechanics, Science, Literature, Foreign Intelligence, the Markets, etc., etc.," and which was published by A. Y. Harrison.
All early newspapers carried elaborate statements of their reasons for publication, the Illinois Citizen stating that it was "A Weekly Newspaper Devoted to Politics, Lit- erature, Agriculture and General Intelligence." The slogan of the Danville Patriot was "Eternal Vigilance Is the Price of Liberty."
These pioneer newspapers did fill a widely felt need of a growing city and county, for in addition to the local news and news of a national and world interest mostly secured from the columns of New York, Boston, and other eastern newspapers after they were received in Danville, they provided the community with the greater part of its literature, for the Bible and the newspaper were the two chief sources of reading material in the pioneer homes.
The Independent, published by Mckinley & Blackford, had for its slogan, "Hew to the Line, Let the Chips Fall Where They May." The copy of May 21, 1857, which is in possession of Mr. Tilton, carries the advertisement of
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the first cut rate store in Vermilion County, the grocery store of Henry Church, of Catlin, who heralded the advent of the first railroad by heading his advertisement "The Railroad Cars Have Come."
This merchant evidently realized what railroad trans- portation was going to do to the cost of merchandise, for he boldly advertised to sell groceries seven per cent cheaper than the merchants of Danville and Georgetown.
The Vermilion County Press was established in 1860 by James D. Kilpatrick, and this was followed in 1860 by the founding by G. Price Smith of the Danville Republican, the slogan of which was "Free Soil, Free Men, and Free Speech."
This newspaper was also the first to cut the subscrip- tion rate to one dollar a year, advertising itself as "The Cheapest and Best Paper in Vermilion County."
This paper in its March 9, 1860, issue carried the fol- lowing interesting resume of the amount of business trans- acted in the city of Danville in 1859: Carriage and wagon makers: William Giddings, ten thousand dollars; Layton & Norton, nine thousand dollars; Jeremiah Pate, three thousand five hundred dollars. Furniture: J. S. Screder, ten thousand dollars; Waple & Davis, three thousand five hundred dollars. Marble Shop: H. M. Kimball, one thou- sand five hundred dollars. Jewelry: S. N. Monroe, three thousand dollars. Groceries: Myers & Company, twenty thousand dollars; E. Bateman & Company, eighteen thou- sand dollars; A. G. Webster, ten thousand dollars; Wright & French, twelve thousand dollars. Lumber: C. Ralston, seventeen thousand dollars; J. W. & J. M. Lamm, eight thousand dollars. Hardware: William Bandy, eight thousand dollars. Tailors: James Palmer, five thousand dollars; Robbins & Raines, five thousand dollars; H. H.
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Loutzenheiser, eight hundred dollars. Shoes : Peter Beyer, ten thousand dollars: Dry Goods: E. P. Martin, thirty-five thousand dollars; Samuel Frazier, thirty thou- sand dollars; Lowry & Woods, thirty-six thousand dollars; S. T. Moore, twenty-five thousand dollars; N. R. Gessie, ten thousand dollars; V. P. Leseure, twenty thousand dollars; J. Bailey, fifteen thousand dollars; Lamm, Partlow & Com- pany, twenty-two thousand dollars; R. V. Leverich, ten thousand dollars. Drugs and Books: W. S. Woodbury, ten thousand dollars; Partlow & Short, eight thousand dol- lars. Commission Houses: C. Ralston, twenty-two thou- sand dollars, in addition to his lumber business. Saddlery and Harness: R. V. Chesley, five thousand dollars; Wil- liam Myers, eight thousand dollars. Livery Stables: W. S. Sherman, two thousand dollars. Stoves, etc .: William Brown, eight thousand dollars; J. F. Miller, six thousand dollars. Hotels: McCormack House, thirty thousand dol- lars; Danville Hotel, ten thousand dollars. Bakeries: B. Lamcool, five thousand dollars; J. Briner, one thousand dollars. Mills: Henderson, Kyger & Company, forty-five thousand dollars. Agricultural Machinery: L. Guinup, six thousand five hundred and eighty-three dollars.
The early day newspapers were the molders of public opinion and the faithful recorders of history as it was being made.
The Prairie State was perhaps the most caustic of them all, an early issue taking this fling at the fact that Danville had but two churches in 1856. "Leavenworth City, Kan- sas Territory, less than eighteen months old, has four churches, while in Danville, Illinois, a town now thirty years old, and which contains within its corporate limits more wealth than all the towns in Kansas, has but two and they would disgrace an Indian vallage."
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In another column the same editor scores the gossipers of Danville, the writer probably having been the victim of Dame Gossip, his editorial reading: "A writer truthfully remarks that 'it is not crimes, such as robbery and murder, which destroy the peace of society, so much as village gos- sip, family quarrels, jealousies and bickerings between neighbors, meddlesomeness and tattling, which are the canker which eats into all social happiness.' There is more 'truth than poetry' in the above and we commend the especial perusal of same to the ladies (?) and gentle- men ( ?) of Danville."
Market quotations for 1860 as shown by the copies of some of these early papers were as follows: Eggs, eight cents ; butter, twelve cents to fifteen cents; potatoes, forty cents; wheat, ninety cents; corn, twenty-six cents to twenty-eight cents ; sugar, ten cents to eleven cents ; coffee, eighteen cents; lard, twelve cents.
The one copy of the Illinois Citizen, November 7, 1849, carried the following interesting market quotations, which deserve to be preserved for future comparisons: Perrys- ville, Indiana .- Wheat, sixty to seventy cents; corn, twenty cents to twenty-five cents; oats, twelve and one- half cents. Covington, Indiana .- Wheat, seventy-two cents to seventy-five cents; corn, twenty cents to twenty- four cents; flour, four dollars and fifty cents barrel.
The Commercial-News of today represents the sur- vival of the best in Danville's newspapers, the consolida- tions and mergers during the past sixty odd years of the leaders in training public opinion. The Danville Commer- cial-established April 5, 1866, by the banking and real estate firm of Short & Wright, its first editor being P. D. Hammond. This newspaper, during the 64 years of its ex- istence, has exerted a tremendous influence upon the
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growth and development of Danville and Vermilion county through its public policy.
December 12, 1867, the owners of the Commercial bought the Danville Plaindealer, merging the two papers under the name of the Danville Commercial and Plain- dealer, but on May 14, 1868, the name "Plaindealer" was dropped from the title. September 10, 1878, it became the Daily Danville Commercial, that being the date of the first daily edition.
On October 10, 1867, J. G. Kingsbury became the edi- torial associate of Mr. Hammond on the Commercial and on the same date John C. Short retired from the firm of Short & Wright, being succeeded by Abraham Sandusky and Andrew Gundy, old residents of the county, the new firm being known as John C. Short & Company.
Upon the merger with the Plaindealer, Col. R. H. John- son, editor of the Plaindealer, became associate editor with Mr. Hammond and Mr. Kingsbury. Mr. Hammond re- tired as managing editor September 17, 1868, to assume editorial charge of the Lafayette, Indiana, Journal. Mr. Kingsbury became managing editor, Colonel Johnson re- maining as associate editor until March 25, 1869.
August 5, 1869, Jesse Harper, of Williamsport, Indi- ana, purchased an interest in the paper. July 14, 1873, he retired from editorial connection with the paper, selling his interest to A. Harper, a nephew, who with his brother, O. E. Harper, became the publishers under the firm name of Harper Brothers.
From that date until November 20 of the same year, O. E. Harper and Maj. E. A. Routhe were the editors. On the latter date Park T. Martin, of Shelbyville, Illinois, purchased the sole remaining interest of John C. Short & Company and assumed the editorship, the publishers being
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known as Harpers & Martin and Major Routhe continu- ing as associate editor.
S. H. Huber bought an interest in this paper in the spring of 1874, more capital was secured, a stock com- pany was incorporated under the name of The Commer- cial Company and the capitalization fixed at fifteen thou- sand dollars, of which $11,200 was paid up, divided among the four incorporators : O. E. Harper, A. Harper, Park T. Martin and S. H. Huber. A. Harper was president and Park T. Martin, secretary and business manager, as well as managing editor.
O. E. Harper disposed of his stock in March, 1876, to R. C. Holton, the latter becoming superintendent of the mechanical department. In February, 1877, Huber and Martin disposed of their stock to their associates and Mr. Huber retired from all connection with the paper to enter the ministry. A. J. Adams, connected with the business management of the Danville Times, bought stock in the company and became business manager in August, 1878, the paper starting a daily edition less than a month later. The Danville News was started in October, 1873, and in July, 1874, passed into the control of the Illinois Printing Company, which was incorporated at that time for fifty thousand dollars. A daily edition of this paper was started October 13, 1876. One of the founders of the News and incorporators of the Illinois Printing Company was W. R. Jewell, who became vice president and editor in July, 1875. He wielded a strong editorial influence for many years in Danville and was editor of the News at the time it was con- solidated with the Evening Commercial in 1903 under the present name of The Commercial-News by John H. Har- rison and W. J. Parrett. George W. Flynn was president
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and manager of the Illinois Printing Company and Joseph H. Woodmansee was secretary and treasurer.
The Danville Times was established in February, 1868, by A. G. Smith. It later became a daily and for years Editor Smith published a paper noted for its freedom of thought and its discussions of secular subjects. Its edi- torials were widely copied and at times it enjoyed a greater patronage than was ever accorded any other paper.
The Danville Weekly Post was established here in June, 1878, by Jacobs & Thompson and at the time was the only Democratic paper in the county. The publishers of the Post were the founders and publishers of the Chrisman, Illinois, Leader.
The Press was established in 1887 and the Democrat was established in 1897, these two Democratic dailies con- solidating in 1908 under the name of the Press-Democrat, the title later being changed to the Danville Morning Press.
Clint Clay Tilton, referred to several times in this vol- ume as the county's greatest student of local history, was chief owner and editor of this paper for a time, but dis- posed of most of his holdings later to a stock company and retired from active business, although he still retained some stock at the time of the sale of the paper to The Commercial-News, with which it was merged in 1927, finally narrowing the newspaper field in Danville down to one daily, which has the distinction of having the largest circulation, twenty-nine thousand, of any daily newspaper in a city the size of Danville.
John H. Harrison, whose death occurred March 2, 1930, in Miami Beach, Florida, came to Danville in December, 1897, and bought the Commercial with his cousin, Robert P. Harrison, who had been with the Commercial as editor. Mr. Harrison became business manager.
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W. J. Parrett, present manager of The Commercial- News, came to the Commercial May 1, 1898, as advertising manager, a year later acquiring an interest, upon the re- tirement of Robert P. Harrison, who went to the Indian Territory as a federal court clerk, and becoming business manager, John H. Harrison changing to the position of editor, which he held until his death.
The North Vermilion Chronicle issued its first num- ber January 11, 1872, in Hoopeston, about six months after the birth of the city. This was published by Seavy & Wallace, young printers, who achieved the distinction of watching the copies of the first issue sold at auction at fancy prices. This issue contained a complete account of the "Early Days of Hoopeston," and the first copy off the press went at auction at the remarkable price of thirty- two dollars and fifty cents. It was only a seven-folio pub- lication with six columns of advertising, but the remaining copies were sold at prices that must have warmed the hearts of the young publishers. This paper has been pub- lished continuously since, later acquiring the Herald, a new publication, and now being known as the Hoopeston Chronicle-Herald, published and edited by Chester A. Aldrich.
In Rossville in 1873 the Observer, a weekly, was started by Mr. Moore. It was a Republican paper but in 1876 changed to the "greenback" party. It was discontinued shortly after the change and its publisher moved to Cham- paign, where he became connected with the Union. In 1876 J. Cromer started the Enterprise, which was pub- lished for two years, Mr. Cromer then going to Homer where he published a paper for many years. Rossville was without a paper for some years but today is represented by one of the liveliest weeklies in the state, the Rossville Press.
31-Vol. 1
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Besides The Commercial-News in Danville, and the Hoopeston Chronicle-Herald and the Rossville Press, which is owned and edited by F. S. Austin, Vermilion County is served by the following weekly newspapers :
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