USA > Illinois > White County > History of White County Illinois > Part 28
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RAILROADS.
The Wabash Route .- The first movemement to run a railroad through White County was made in 1853, under the auspices of Judge Abner T. Ellis, Judge Joseph G. Bowman, and the late Gen- eral William Harrow, all of Vincennes, Ind. These gentlemen or- ganized a company under the name of " Vincennes & Paducah Railroad Company " and had a preliminary line run from Vin- cennes to Paducah, by way of Grayville, Carmi and Equality, and
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terminating at Brooklyn, on the Ohio River, just opposite Pa- ducah. Some money was expended on this enterprise, but before it was very far advanced it was dropped.
The next effort was made in 1857, when General Asa R. Butler, of Hillsboro, O., obtained a charter from the Illinois Legislature in- corporating the " Illinois Southern Railroad Company " to build a railroad whose southern terminus should be Mound City, and which should run northeasterly to Vincennes, or a little south of that point, where it should make connection with an Eastern line. The first Board of Directors consisted of General Asa R. Butler, Will- iam Burke, Andrew J. Kuykendall, Joseph Robinson, William Brown and two others. The company organized by electing Gen- eral Butler, President, and M. D. Gilbert, Mound City, Secretary. They ordered a survey, Cyrus Jennings being the chief engineer. During the summer of 1857 the survey was completed, and in Octo- ber following a contract was let for gradin the road between Grayville and Carmi, a distance of fifteen miles, and work was immediately commenced, but progressed slowly.
In February following a new election was held for directors, which resulted in placing on the board General Asa R. Butler, of Hillsboro, O .; Andrew J. Kuykendall, of Johnson County, Ill .; Jo- seph Robinson, of Saline County, Ill. ; James Fackney and Samuel H. Martin, of White County, Ill. ; and Isaac N. Jaquish, of Wabash County, Ill .; General Butler was re-elected President and John M. Crebs, of Carmi, Secretary of the company. Work on the grading continued to go on, but rather slowly, in all the counties along the line. In the meantime the following stock was subscribed: White County, $50,000 in swamp lands, and individuals $35,000 in cash; Wabash County, $100,000, and the city of Mount Carmel $25,000; in Saline, Johnson, and Pulaski counties the citizens subscribed considerable money and lands; and Vincennes and Lawrence County subscribed about $25,000. The total assets of the com- pany thus resulted in about $400,000 at face value.
At the annual election of directors in March, 1859, the old board was continued, and Judge Martin was elected President, and George Williams, of White County, Secretary. Immediately a contract was let to grade the road from Carmi to Vincennes, but during the next fall work was suspended, for want of funds. At the next annual election, March, 1860, the Directors elected were: Judge Wm. R. Wilkinson and Isaac N. Jaquish, of Wabash County; W. W. Gray and James Fackney, of White County; A.
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J. Kuykendall, of Johnson, and Joseph Robinson, of Saline; Judge Wilkinson was elected President of the board. From this time on the enterprise gradually died out. At the annual in 1861, Judge Robert Bell, of Mount Carmel, was made President, and the corporation continued an existence, but had no vitality. The great war then ensued, and for five years there was of course no thought of railroad building.
At the session of the Legislature in 1867, General Green B. Raum, of Harrisburg, Saline County, succeeded in obtaining a charter for building a road from Cairo to Vincennes, under the name of the "Cairo & Vincennes Railroad Company," which was organized with General Raum as its President. The following funds were obtained as assets: In bonds-Alexander, Pulaski, Johnson, Saline, and White counties, $100,000 each; Carmi, $15,000; Grayville, $15,000 and a considerable number of promissory notes. All these were to be paid after the road was built. This handsome subscription induced capitalists to put in their ready money and push the enterprise. A survey was accordingly made by Chief Engineer Harper, and a route was adopted on the old Illinois Southern, from Vincennes to Carmi, and thence to Cairo, some- times deviating, however, from the former survey. Soon General Raum transferred the road and its franchises to General A. E. Burn- side, of Rhode Island, who became President of the company, and in 1869 put the construction of the road under contract. A con- siderable amount of grading was done on the entire line, but in the fall General Burnside had to take his turn, too, at failure.
The enterprise then lay dormant until 1871, when Generals Wins- low and James H. Wilson made a contract with General Burnside, who was still President, to complete and equip the entire road; and Dec. 19, 1872, General Burnside, as President of the company, gave a grand free excursion from Vincennes to Cairo, and the road was formally opened for business.
Louisville & Nashville Railroad .- The second road constructed through White County was the "St. Louis & Southeastern," which also was built under the auspices of Generals Winslow and James H. Wilson, by the way of Enfield, Trumbull, Carmi, Haw- thorne and Wabash Station. White County contributed, as a dona- tion for this road, $100,000 in twenty-year, eight per cent. bonds. The road was commenced in the fall of 1870, and the first train, from St. Louis to Evansville, was taken through October, 1871.
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Shawnsetown Branch of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad .- The first railroad put in operation through White County was the Springfield & Southeastern Illinois, which was built under the administration of Thomas S. Ridgeway, of Shawneetown, President. Chief Engineer Rice made the first survey in 1868, and the south- ern terminus was made to be at Shawneetown and the northern at Beardstown, on the Illinois River, the line to pass through Middle Point, Norris City, Enfield, Springerton and Mill Shoals. A second survey was made in the fall of 1870. White County sub- scribed $50,000 in eight per cent., twenty-year bonds, and the village of Enfield $7,000 in bonds, which she has since repudiated, and by a decree of court she has been released from their payment. The citizens also made large donations in money and lands. The bonds of both county and village were to be paid when the road was completed. This road was finished in December, 1879.
On all roads, White County bonds were negotiated at eighty- eight cents on the dollar; and now she has an impetus from rail- roads which shows a steady growth in wealth and immigration unparalleled in the whole State of Illinois.
Albion, Carmi & Shawnestoron Railroad .- This is the present name of a route proposed through White County east of the Little Wabash River. Meetings are held and the public pulse is felt, with a view to ascertain the practicability and wisdom of con- structing this road.
Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railroad .- This thoroughfare, so far as concerns its history in White County, was commenced in Feb- ruary, 1881, and soon was discontinued, but was re-commenced about the middle of April, and pushed on to completion. The bridge was built in the winter of 1880-'1, two miles below Gray- ville, and the road thus has two miles of track in this county.
Albion, Carmi & Shawneetown Railroad .- This is the name of the company organized in the autumn of 1882 to build a rail- road from Albion, via Carmi, to Shawneetown, running along the east side of the Little Wabash, and thus traversing the entire length of the county from north to south. The corporators are Charles Churchhill, Washington Painter and Francis Harris, of Albion; Frank E. Hay, North Storms, and C. E. McDowell, of Carmi, and John D. Richardson and James W. Millspaugh, of Shawnee- town. The officers are not yet elected.
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HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY.
There are now seventy-nine miles of railroad in operation in White County, and the A., C. & S. road, when completed, will add about thirty more.
AGRICULTURAL.
The many and great improvements that have been made in methods of agriculture and farming implements are often enough dwelt upon. There are many citizens now living in White County, who have seen the time when the old-fashioned sickle was the only reaping implement; when wheat was trodden out by horses or cattle, and fanned by two persons shaking a bed sheet or quilt; when the only kind of plow in use had a wooden mold-board; when corn was cultivated by a single diamond plow and the heavy hoe, etc. As late as 1833 or 1834, when Joel Absher, at the head of Clear Lake, had a reaping, and Warren Rippetoe brought a cradle to cut the grain, many of the neigbors gathered at the place to see the curiosity! What do we think of cradles now ?
The agricultural character of White County cannot fairly be shown by the statistical returns of any one year, or even of any number of years short of a score or more. Also the averages, a exhibited by the Government census, are an eye-sore to the intelli- gent farmer, who knows what can be produced; and it is humiliat- ing to him to see these averages paraded before the public, when he knows that they are obtained by throwing a little good farming into a great mass of slovenly farming, and mixing them together.
Every one knows that good farming " pays " in White County, and that the chief products-taking grain, fruit, live-stock and all together, in the order of their total value and reliability-are as follows: Winter wheat, corn. apples, hogs, cattle, peaches, oats, sheep, etc. Everything else that can be raised in the United States-except rice and oranges-can be raised here, most of them rofitably.
SOCIETIES.
About 1859 or 1860 a county agricultural society was formed, under whose auspices one or two fairs were held, on a ten-acre lot just west of the present fair ground; but the war soon came on and suspended the work of the association.
THE WHITE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL BOARD
was organized May 4, 1879, by the election of eleven directors. J. R. Williams was chosen President; Elvis Stinnett, Vice-Presi-
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dent; R. L. Organ, Secretary, and J. I. McClintock, Treasurer. This board was organized under the special laws of the State, granting a small fund for the aid of fairs. The capital stock of this board was fixed at $4,000, in $10 shares, all of which was im- mediately taken. The association immediately purchased forty acres, from one-fourth to one-half of a mile west of the west line of Carmi, and on the north side of Main street. On this ground the necessary buildings were erected and a half-mile race-track made, at an aggregate expense of about $12,000.
Since the organization four annual fairs have been held, all of them with "fair" success. The obligations of the board are being paid off, and the total amount of outstanding debt is diminishing. It is now about $1,800. The receipts at the first fair were $4,464.20 ; in 1880, about $5,500; in 1881, about $4,350; and at the last (1882) about $5,600. Over $3,000 a year is paid in cash premiums. All departments of agriculture and horticulture and a good share of the domestic arts are well represented. For speed premiums $1,500 were paid this season. Trotting on these grounds has reached 2:26, and running mile heats 1:48.
Among the novelties in the premium list this season was the offer of a $45 baby carriage to the prettiest babe under one year old, born in the county. For this prize sixteen entries were made on the secretary's book. The lucky beanty turned out to be Simon T. Gary, of Carmi, which is only one of the sixteen ; consequently there are now fifteen mothers in White County who do not esteem the judgment of the committee on the case very highly
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
When, in 1872, this organization spread its operations like a deluge over the land, the wave struck this county at three points- Carmi, Liberty, and a place in Gray Township. The grange near Carmi was organized at the McHenry Chapel, two miles east of town, in November, 1872, with the following members : John Land and wife, J. W. McHenry, Arthur Harsha and wife, Elvis Stinnett, Theophilus Parker, Thomas Spilman, O. Pomeroy, J. R. Pomeroy, Orlando Burrell, James H. Fraser, R. S. Graham and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Hodkin, Miss Jane Craw and others. Meet- ings were held at the chapel every two weeks, for a time, and then once a month; but in about two years they ceased, for want of interest. During the career of this grange, Messrs. Burrell and Land were at one time delegates to the State organization.
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HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY.
About the same time a grange was also established at Liberty, near the north line of the county, and on the road between Carmi and Fairfield, which endured for a later period than the one already spoken of.
We have no particulars concerning the grange west of Gray- ville.
Since 1874 nothing has been done in this county by the Patrons of Husbandry.
CENSUS.
1870.
1860.
1850.
Total. . . . . .
Native .. . . .
Foreign .....
White .. . ..
Colored ...
White .....
Colored ....
White .. . ..
Colored ....
Burnt Prairie.
2186
2148
38
2185
1
Carmi.
3669
3377
292
3577
92
464
15
Enfield
2426
2395
31
2426
Fox River.
1867
1812
55
1817
50
Grayville
1925
1791
134
1918
7
792
2
315
19
Herald's Prairie.
1160
1149
11
1160
Indian Creek.
2010
1993
17
2010
2037
Prairie.
1603
1576
27
1580
23
1063
21
16846
16241
605
16673
173
The above table, clipped from the Ninth Census, shows how much "sense" there was in such returns as were made in 1850 and 1860. Just look at the wretched table !
The total population of White County in 1880 was 23,089. There is no census by townships yet issued by townships.
The total population in 1860 was 11,872, of which 531 were for- eign born, 7,523 in this State, 515 in Ohio, 61 in New York, 128 in Pennsylvania, 1,617 in Indiana, 896 in Kentucky, 18 in British America, 128 in England, 25 in Scotland, 77 in Ireland, 330 in Germany, 18 in France and 5 in Switzerland.
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CHAPTER XI.
THE PRESS.
Although this is not a very large chapter in this volume, it is one of the most important. Probably more than any other class of public men, do editors influence, lead, train and educate the popular mind. Their station covers a wider jurisdiction than does that of the minister, their power is greater, and their responsibilities, are commensurate. It is therefore necessary that their scholar- ship and integrity be very high. But we dare not, in this connec- tion, undertake to publish any class of facts tending to build up one newspaper at the expense of another, or even to flatter the press of White County. We will therefore not refer to quality, but to career only.
WEEKLY WHITE COUNTY ADVOCATE.
This was one of the pioneer papers in Southern Illinois, being started before the days of railroads or telegraphs, and when news necessarily traveled slowly, being brought by steamer or by irreg- ular post. The Advocate was started at Grayville, in this county, Sept. 24, 1858, by Henry Charles, of Grayville or vicinity. The materiel of the office came originally from Scotland, and was for a time used at New Harmony, Posey Co., Ind. Much of the type used in printing the Advocate, and some of the old type- stands, came from Scotland.
The Advocate was printed on very good paper, 22 x 32 inches in size, and was of course all printed at home, this being long before the days of "patent " ontsides and insides.
The paper was not a financial success under Mr. Charles's man- agement, though his literary ability was unquestioned. He re- tained control but a short time, when he sold at a sacrifice to Mr. R. F. Stewart, now of Carmi. Mr. Stewart in turn sold out to Mr. John Craig, a man well known in those times. Still the paper was not a paying investment, and in the fall of 1859 the office and business was purchased by Mr. George A. Malone, it having pre- viously been removed to Carmi. This gentleman was a Tennes- sean by birth, and learned the printer's trade in 1844. He came
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to White County in 1850, and for a while worked on his uncle's farm, eight miles from Carmi. After purchasing the paper, Mr. Malone went energetically to work with a determination to make it pay. By his own efforts the purchase price, $700, was entirely raised and paid in two years and a half. For many years the work was almost entirely done by Mr. Malone. He has in one week, unassisted, set up the type for the whole issue, printed the whole circulation of 500 copies, delivered the same to the sub- scribers in Carmi, and mailed the rest of the edition. He had the reputation of being one of the best editors in Southern Illinois. The Advocate became self-sustaining, and was liberally supported in the matter of advertisements by the merchants of Carmi.
Mr. Malone conducted the paper until August, 1869, when he sold to Charles Beck, of Olney, Richland Co., Ill. Mr. Beck continued the publication of the paper until March 20, 1873, when he sold to W. F. Palmer. Mr. Beck was naturally. an able man, and the paper was moderately successful under him, but he was afflicted with that terrible enemy, consumption, and was obliged to give up business. The name of the paper was changed by Mr. Beck to the
CARMI WEEKLY COURIER,
and it was started as a newspaper, numbered volume I, number 1. On Mr. Beck's retiring from the paper, the following announce- ment appeared in the Courier :
"Our connection with the Courier ceases with this number, hav- ing sold the office to Mr. W. F. Palmer, who will fill out our con- tracts for advertising and subscription the same as we were to have done. Our declining health made it necessary that we change our business, or otherwise we fear some friend would have been called upon to write our obituary. Our business relations with the peo- ple of White County have been very pleasant and satisfactory throughout, and we bespeak for our successor the same liberal pat- ronage bestowed on us. Of the political course to be pursued by the Courier in future, we feel warranted in saying that it will not be changed, except, perhaps, that it will be more intensely Demo- cratic. C. W. BECK. '
Mr. Beck went from Carmi to Hot Springs, Ark., where he died soon after. The following is Mr. Palmer's salutatory :
" It is the proper thing-proper merely because it is a time-hon- ored custom-in assuming the chair editorial of a public journal,
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HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY.
to launch forth in an elaborate article of considerable length, set- ting forth the views and intentions of the editor. Notwithstand- ing all this, and in view of the fact that promises are seldom lived up to, we have decided to make but few, and only such as will be fulfilled.
"Politically, the Courier will be in the future, as in the past, purely Democratic, and will labor incessantly for the prosperity of the Democracy and the right, advocating only that which it deems essential to the welfare of the people, and will expose fraud and corruption wherever found.
"As a local journal the Courier will contain each week all items of interest that may transpire in this vicinity, together with a care- ful selection of literature and general news. In short, it will be our aim to make the Courier a complete record of passing events, and a welcome visitor to every household.
" Respectfully,
" W. F. PALMER."
Mr. Palmer's energy has increased the subscription list of the Courier from 300 to 1,100. The paper has always been strictly Democratic in politics, and independent on other questions. The name of the paper was changed in February, 1881, to the Dollar Courier. The following is a brief biographical sketch of Mr. Palmer:
William Francis Palmer, the proprietor of the Dollar Courier, was born June 8, 1850, near Carlinville, Macoupin Co., Ill. His parents were Louis F. and Mary E. (Dalrymple) Palmer, the for- mer from Kentucky, and the latter from Massachusetts. Louis F. Palmer was a merchant by profession, and died in 1861. Mrs. Palmer is still living at Carlinville. The subject of this sketch at- tended school till he was sixteen years of age, most of the time at Litchfield. June 17, 1866, he entered the office of the Carlinville Democrat, where he was employed until Sept. 1, 1869. He then attended Blackburn University, a Presbyterian institution at Carlin- ville, for one year. From this place he went, in 1870, to St. Louis, where he was employed on the Missouri Republican, and in other offices for a few months. He then went to Dwight, and was in partnership with his brother, Charles L. Palmer, in the management of the Dwight Star a year or so. Returning to Carlinville, he re- mained there some months, and then visited a number of places, until March, 1873, on the 17th of which month he became proprie- tor of the Courier at Carmi. Mr. Palmer was married Sept. 2.
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HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY.
1874, to Miss Florence Stewart, of Troy, Madison Co., Ill., a dangh- ter of Stephen D. Stewart, a dentist by profession. By this unio there are two daughters-Zoe M. and Ida E. Mr. Palmer is a member of Carmi Lodge, No. 121, A. O. U. W.
C. L. Hayes, editor of the Dollar Courier, is a native of Bel- mont County, O., and was born Aug. 24, 1835. When he was two years of age his father removed with the family to Coshocton County; and in his eighteenth year the subject of this sketch went to Fremont, Ohio. where he learned the printer's trade, in the Fre- mont Journal office. In 1856-'7 he spent a year at Anamosa, Ia .; then went to Delhi, Delaware County, that State, and published his first paper, the Delhi Democrat; returning to Anamosa, he pub- lished the Anamosa Gazette a year; went to Delhi again and pub- lished the Iowa News eighteen months. At this place, May 5, 1860, he married Miss E. D. Noble, daughter of Hon. J. M. Noble, who was once a member of the Iowa State Legislature. She was a native of Pittsfield, Mass., and a relative of the renowned Alice and Phoebe Cary. In September, 1862, Mr. Hayes enlisted in the Thirty- first Iowa Infantry; was Lieutenant of his company, and engaged with his regiment skirmishing around in Missouri for about six months, when, on account of ill health, he resigned, and soon after- ward settled in Dubuque. In the fall of 1865 he came to Mount Vernon, Ill., and established the Mount Vernon Free Press, which he conducted seven years; he then sold this paper and started an extensive book store in that place; sold his interest in this busi- ness; started a weekly paper, the Sucker State, which he published for nine months; then, in the spring of 1874, he purchased the Mount Vernon News, and conducted that periodical two years; in 1879 he obtained control of the Free Press and edited it for a time; in the spring of 1880 he started the Saline County Democrat, at Harrisburg, that county, and published it for eighteen months; in October, 1881, he sold it, and since Jan. 15, 1882, he has occupied his present position, of editor of the principal paper in White County. He is a member of Harrisburg Lodge, No. 87, A. O. U. W. Mrs. Hayes died Sept. 6, 1877, leaving the following children: Charley N., a machinist, in various localities; Mary (Mamie) L., residing at Mount Vernon; Robert Russell, with his father in Carmi; and Bessie D., now at Manchester, Ia.
G. A. Malone, formerly publisher of the White County Advo- cate, was born in Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 6, 1829. He was a son of George H. Malone, a native of Milledgeville, Ga. His mother,
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HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY.
Huldah (Brown) Malone, was a native of Huntsville, Ala. When Mr. Malone was about twelve years of age he commenced the printing business in Jackson, Tenn., with Thomas Acton, where he remained about two years.
From here he went to Memphis, Tenn., his old home, and en- gaged with Henry Van Pelt, the originator of the Memphis Ap- peal. With him he remained five years. The paper during this time grew from a weekly to a semi-weekly, then to a tri-weekly, and finally to a daily. After he finished his apprenticeship he left Memphis and came to Carmi, Ill. This was in 1850.
The first two years in this county he farmed, but in 1852 re- turned to Memphis and engaged in the printing business. Here he remained about two years. From there he went to Jackson Port, Ark., and engaged on the Jackson Port Union. Here he spent about one year, when he returned to Memphis, where he remained two or three years. In 1859 he returned to Carmi, at which time he bought out the White County Advocate. In 1869 he sold this paper and was disengaged about two years. In 1872 he bought a small stock of books and stationery, the rem- nants of what was known as the St. Louis Book Store. Since that time he has been in the book and stationery business, and keeps a regular news depot, the latest magazines and periodicals. The interesting story paper, as well as the daily news, finds a place upon his shelves. He keeps, in addition, a stock of musical in- struments. He has the confidence of the people, and his wide ex- perience in the world enables him to know and supply the wants of the people.
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