USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > History of the city of Quincy, Illinois > Part 33
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Under this agreement there was sold by the railroad company to the city. the river frac-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
tions of lots 3. 4 and 5. of block 16; 3, 5 and 6. of block 25: the north 56 feet of river fraction of lot 3. block 26. being 650 feet. and all the private ground west of Front street, from the publie landing to 56 feet south of York street, except river fractions of lot 6. in block 16. and 4 in 25. The railroad company released their former right to ereet buildings on Front street. south of Broadway, or to occupy the public land south of halfway between Vermont and Hampshire, releasing also all their right to Broadway. east of Twelfth street, unless they hereafter had use for the same for a railroad : and further releasing to the city the right to volleet city wharfage from their grounds, such as is collectible from the public landings, and further obligated themselves to furnish a good road below Olive street, past their ground. fronting thereon, till that street was opened. and to pay all damages, which might be as- sessed for rights conveyed to the company.
On the other hand the city sold to the rail- road company all of the public landing. north of a line extending west from the center of block 6: all of Front street north of a line 50 feet south of Oak street and sonth of a line 660 feet north of Pease's addition, all of Oak and Green. now Vine. streets west of Olive street, giving also the privilege of using Broad- way and Spring streets west of west line of Front street, but without the right to erect buildings thereon : of Front street south from 50 feet south of Oak street to Broadway, except sidewalks, and of making two railroad tracks in and along that portion of Front street south of the north line of Broadway to center of said block 6. with some conditions as to the line of said tracks, ete. And the city further agreed not to condemn any portion of the railroad property for a publie landing.
The property and franchises conveyed by these agreements thus vested severally in the city and the Northern Cross R. R. Co., and later on the absorption of this company in the Chi- rago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. all of these rights and obligations were transferred to this last named corporation.
A city directory was published this year by J. T. Everhart, which was quite a comprehen- sive and complete work. really the first of the kind. There had been heretofore some small issues of this character, but they were very in- complete and meager, hardly worthy of the name.
The second annual meeting of the Adams County Agricultural Fair Association was held on the 26th of October and the two following days. It was a great advance on that of the preceding year. being a success, to which the
city and county industrial interests of all kinds alike contributed. and it attracted attention and attendance from all the surrounding see- tion, both on this and the other side of the iriver. Afterward for a number of years the Adams County Fair, with Quincy as its natural location, maintained this favorable prestige, each exposition. in its extensive and varied display, surpassing that of the year before. It soon ranked among the best of the Ilinois county fairs. Largely was this owing at first to the judicious interest bestowed upon it by the manufacturing, mercantile and other active enterprises of the city. With the weakening of this support and the introduction of other less legitimate features for a fair, its location was subsequently changed.
There were the customary changes among the newspapers during this year. These. though often of but passing importance. are links in the chain of local record: since the newspaper history of a place is an essential portion of its complete history. It is curious to note the checkered career of journalism in Quiney, and its many changes, almost as fre- yment and periodical as the return of the sea- sons.
Of the two oldest and permanent journals the Herald. to the present date of writing, dur- ing a life of over fifty years, has passed through abont thirty changes of partners and owner- ship, and the Whig, three years its junior. has had during nearly the same length of time. about half as many. while among the many smaller journals, that is, such of them as lived long enough to undergo a change of parents. the same conditions were common.
The Herald had its partial change in owner- ship. though its management remained the same. The Patriot and Republican. established as a weekly in 1854, came ont on January 1st as the Daily Republican. published by Thos. Gibson and D. S. Morrison. The latter as edi- tor soon became engaged in a political and per- sonal wrangle with Brooks of the Herald, from which grew a street fight and a law suit. the whole productive of nothing but publie annoy- ance and fees for lawyers. Quiney was made notorious for many years by its own newspaper serrility. much to its dissatisfaction at home and discredit abroad. The death of Mr. A. Roesler, a very highly informed man, editor of the Tribune. a German weekly, caused a change in the management and character of this jour- nal. It had been started in 1853 by an asso- viation of whigs as a political paper. but had not met with much pecuniary fortune. It now passed into the possession of Winters & Phief- for, and subsequently through other hands, he-
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coming the present Germania. In later years the political character of the paper has been changed. In the Whig, the death in June of Mr. Henry Young, one of its publishers, brought about a change there also. The interest owned by Mr. Young was purchased by V. Y. Ralston. Morton & Ralston who now for sometime pub- lished the paper. a weekly and daily. Mr. Ral- ston was a young man of much energetic talent and possessed a special aptitude for journal- ism, in which he might have become distin- gnished had he continued in the profession. lle abandoned it after a brief trial, began the practice of law with good success, removed to Macomb, Ill., went into the army as a captain in the 16th Ilinois Infantry, and died during the war.
This was a great military year, the most warlike looking period that Quincy had ever vet known, or ever after knew. until the later well-remembered period when real war raged throughout the land. Two military companies. the Blues, Captain Prentiss, and the Yagers, Captain Delabar (the latter a German com- pany), had been in existence for some time. Three others now made their appearance. An artillery company was organized in June. of which Austin Brooks of the Herald was elected captain. He accepted the command. as he said. on the condition that the company would "turn out if required to enforce the fugitive slave law." A cadet company with M. V. D. Holmes as commander, composed of the students of Mr. Root's school, was formed about the same time : the two making their first parade on the 4th of July, and later, in the fall. was organized the City Guards, Capt. E. W. Godfrey, turning ont for the first time on the 19th of November. A batallion was formed from these companies. with Major J. R. Hollowbush as commander. Emmlation among these several organizations made them of much interest and produced a high degree of military proficiency. A very imposing display was made on the 4th of July. There was the usual ceremonial observance of the day, greatly aided in effect by the large military force of the four Quincy companies and a visiting company from Keoknk. Noth- ing like it had ever before shown up in Quincy. It altogether put out the memories of Mormon war glory.
There was a good deal of financial distrust and embarrassment prevalent at this time. ow- ing to excessive speenlation and the large issue of uncertain money by the numerous western banks. Quiney was but slightly affected there- by. The suspension of the banking house of Page & Bacon, of St. Louis, and their close connection with Flagg & Savage, then the lead- ing bank of Quiney, caused some local uneasi-
ness; not sufficient. however. to seriously dis- turb business. The firm in St. Louis soon re- sumed, but after a year or two went down finally, and the breaking of this great house had an influence in cansing the failure of the Quiney banking house. at a later day.
The general business of the city continued prosperous, and increased at home and abroad much more than it had in any previous period. The railroad, which in the latter part of the vear, was completed to Galesburg. making there a through connection to Chicago, had brought to Quiney from the counties north and east of Adams, associations and acquaintance which extended the trade of the city to a distance and into localities where it had heretofore been almost a stranger. And now commenced and has since continued. a diversion of business connection and travel. which for thirty years had entirely gone to. and eastward through. St. Louis, towards Chicago, drawn thither by the lessened distance from the eastern markets and the more rapid transit afforded by rail than by the river.
Substantial and tasteful improvement of every kind was unusually marked. The stone Episcopal church, now the Cathedral at the corner of Hampshire and Seventh streets, which had been several years in building, was com- pleted and occupied. Many of the best private residences of the city were erected at this time. It was what would have been called now a "boom year." One of the city papers publishes early in the year " as one of the evidences of the progress and prosperity of Quincy. that there are already contracts made for laying nearly ten million of briek in buildings to be erected in the city this season. The supply of brick is entirely inadequate to meet the demand. Good briek command a high price, say $5 to $6 per thousand. All now made or in the kiln are engaged.'
The gas company, during this year greatly extended its mains, and set up from twenty- five to thirty additional street lights. The coal trade brought to the city by the railroad having reached the coal fields of MeDonough county. now became almost at once an extensive line of business, cheapening the general price of fuel and affording coal to steamers, factories and private parties at rates greatly reduced from former figures.
Valnes of real estate kept advancing both in and around the city. As a token of this. the Manzey storehouse on the north side of the square was purchased in October by the Budde Bros .. for $4.500. The ground being under lease. did not sell with the building. but the privilege passed of buying it. 25 feet, for $2,- 000. This same piece of ground sold some three
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PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
years before. For $1,000. In the suburbs of the city the advance in prices was vet more marked. What was known as the " Buena Vista" Farm. two and a half' miles east of the city, sold for $50.00 per acre. Forty acres of the "Fox Farm." now John Dick's, two miles north with no improvements on it. brought $100 an acre. The " Brewer Farm." one and a half' miles east on State street. sold for $100 per acre, and the "Pearson Farm." two and a half miles south- east of the square, was purchased for $125 per acre.
CHAPTER XXXIN.
EXCESSIVE COLD. COMPLETION OF RAILROAD
TO CHICAGO. QUINCY & PALMYRA ROAD. NEW BANK. WABASH FROM CAMP POINT TO ILLINOIS RIVER. VALUE OF PROPERTY. OR- GANIZATION OF POLICE. LARGE CISTERNS. POLITICAL CHANGES. RISE OF REPUBLICAN PARTY. FALL ELECTONS, GROWTH OF BUSI- NESS.
Navigation ended on December 24, 1855, and the river remained ice-locked until March 18. 1856, when it opened, closing again on Decem- ber 8. of this year. The winter of '55-56 was very severe, at times bitterly cold, with much snow. sleet storms and ice. The weather dur- ing the early part of January was particularly harsh. the mercury on the 7th falling to 28 degrees below zero, and the early weeks of February were equally cold. the thermometer showing 27 below on the 3d of the month, and the same again on the 9th and 10th. The stage driver came in on the evening of the 3d with his mail evach. so chilled as to be speechless, unable to handle his team, and had to be lifted down from his box. It was a season of much distress from this cause. but was, however. a very brisk period for business. Forty-five thousand was the number of hogs reported as being parked during the season.
The especial event of the time was the com- pletion of the railroad to Galesburg on the last day of January. This had been finished and was operated as far as Avon on the 1st of Jan- mary, and a short gap between this point and that portion of the road that was being built from Galesburg southward, was filled in on the above date, making the connection with Chi- cago complete. It was a jubilee time, and the satisfaction and anticipations of the people was told by the press as follows. with the Haring design of a locomotive and train and broad headlines of "Through to Chicago. A rail- road connection with the Atlantic cities. All aboard.'
"We have the high satisfaction of announe- ing the completion of the Northern Cross Rail- road. The last rail is upon the ties and the last
spike is driven, and another iron arm reaches from the great west unto the Atlantic !
"The event is an important one and in- augurates a new era in the history of Quincy. For years our citizens have been looking with an intense interest to the consummation of this enterprise which was to open, and which has opened. to Quiney, a Future radiant with every promise of prosperity. A new vitality and a new strength has been given to our city. ap- parent in the immense increase of business in all departments, transacted during the past season, and in the extensive preparations that are making for substantial improvements in the way of buildings that are to go up this year. We have every reason to congratulate our- selves upon the present and prospective pros- perity of our beautiful and flourishing city."
No event ever occurred in the history of the place that was hailed with more of universal satisfaction than the final construction of this road. It was felt to be the one needed resource to free traffic and travel from its winter thraldom when the river was closed by ice, and to establish the place on conditions of equality with the surrounding rival cities, and in it the citizens had freely embarked their means and their hopes.
Following shortly after the above mention of the gratification which greeted the completion of the road, and showing the results of this quiekened connection with the east, and how they were relished, appears a press notice again giving the "acknowledgements of the editor and of Mr. Sam'l Holmes to Major Holton for a fine, fresh codfish, right from Massachusetts Bay, the first arrival of the kind in Quincy. After partaking of the same we pronounce it a 'creature comfort of the first water.' and tender our thanks." All of these, Messrs. Holmes, Holton and the editor, were born Yan- kees of the most cerulean hue. possibly may have been (as has been said of Yankee chil- dren) weaned on the above aliment. One may imagine the gusto with which they and their brother Yankees greeted these "representatives of both hemispheres:" as Daniel Webster dubbed them, fresh from the ocean. after hav- ing been obliged for years of life in the west to eat their codfish-salt.
One enterprise connected with this road open- ing. merits mention as being among Quiney's many "first things," the short-lived pioneer here in a line of business which though now co-extensive with the land. had at this time. but a limited and partial scope or operation. compared with what it has become. This was the establishment on the 1st of January. by some Quiney parties, of the "Godfrey and
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Snow's express" from Quiney to Chicago. These parties had originated this scheme with some success in running their express to St. Lonis by boat and for awhile made it profitable as well as also a convenience to the public when extended to Chicago, but the heavy hand of wealthier companies, controlling more ex- tended facilities, soon took possession of the business and forced them out of what had promised to be a herative enterprise.
The long desired railroad communication with Chicago being seeured to the great grati- fication and convenience of the people of Quiney. they at once in the flash of this satis- faction began immediately to look around for additional railroad advantages. Two projects were prominent and promising. One was the making of a direct eastern route by a road from Camp Point to the finois river, to link on to the connections of the great road that was pushing its construction westward from Toledo. This was already arranged for and the project was under way. The road that had been just finished to Galesburg (The Northern Cross R. R.) was intended to be the western portion of the Wabash, the road from Camp Point to Galesburg, being a branch engrafted on the original charter. It was deemed more imme- diately important to push the road northwards towards Chicago and this had now been effected. The other thought was of a western road into and across Missouri. This was finally done at an early after date, but at an unneces- sary and uncalled for cost. The Hannibal and St. Joseph R. R. commencing at the latter point on the Missouri river and crossing the northern portion of the state on a nearly direct east and west parallel to its eastern terminus at Hanni- bal on the Mississippi, twenty miles south of Quincy was constructed under the partial pre- text of making a military road, by the con- gressional grant of a large body of public lands. The system was the same that a few years be- fore had been adopted in the charter of the Illinois Central, and has since been the basis upon which nearly all the great railroads west of the Mississippi have been built. At the time of its projection it was intended and expected (and the alignment of the proposed road was favorable and proper therefor) that there would be two eastern termini, one at Hannibal and one at Quincy; but the latter point. for political reasons was dropped out of the bill and Quincy had to ultimately construct its con- nection from its own resources. Our people however were anxious for the road, knew its importance and felt very generous and for- giving at the time. A company was organized. late in the year known as the Quincy & Palmyra R. R. Co., with ex-Mayor Holmes as its presi-
dent, which proposed to construct a line of road from West Quincy to connect with the Hanni- bal & St. Joe track at Palmyra, and upon this scheme the city took decisive action early in 1857. securing its completion.
Among the new enterprises of this year was the establishment on the Ist of June of the "Bank of Quiney," by Boon and MeGinnis, with a capital stock of $200,000, this being the third institution of the kind in the city. Its location was at the corner of Maine and Fourth under the Quincy House. Its business was not large for awhile but a year or two later on the failure of the two older banks. that of Flagg & Savage and of Moore, Hollowbush & Co., leaving this bank the only financial institution in the city, it had the monopoly of sneh business and for a time was successful and prosperous. This career was but brief. The failure of ex- Governor Matteson, who was its chief owner, and other canses, brought about the winding up of its affairs after three or four years' ex- istence.
The third big hotel was commenced at this time. There had been the "Quiney House." in 1836, and the "City Hotel," afterwards the "Virginia," about the same time, and now came the "C'ather House." named for its proprietor, located on Hampshire between Fifth and Sixth streets on the site of the old Judge Young resi- dence. which since, much enlarged and with the name changed, has become the popular Tre- mont.
The Quiney House which had lately changed owners and been closed for a time for repairs and additions to be made, was re-opened by Floyd and Kidder from Chicago, and under their skillful management soon became as pop- ular and noted as in its earlier days. Another rity feature was the starting of a bus line run- ning to the boat landing and the depot and over the city, an enterprise rather ernde in its commencement, but one that lived and soon swelled into permanent existence. Improve- ments of all kinds continued. Many and more tasteful houses were erected than had ever been before, especially in the eastern part of the city. Property values kept on the rise, not at extrava- gant figures, but with a steady, healthy ad- vance. The corner of Hampshire and Sixth was sold for $125 per front foot, 100 feet in depth. A small lot 17 feet front on the south side of the public square between Fourth and Fifth streets brought $200 per foot. The corner of Jersey and Third streets. 75 feet front, im- proved. soll for $5,500. A large lot on Maine street at the corner of Thirteenth. 175 feet front running back 400 feet to Hampshire sold for $5,000. This was the largest price yet paid for property anywhere and was thought to be
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PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
extravagant figure but the purchaser divided the ground into smaller lots and soon realized a handsome profit from his investment. Busi- ness in all branches was active and satisfactory. A brief mention. of the transactions of some of the leading manufacturing industries will in- dieate this. The mills of Quincy have always had the highest reputation abroad for the su- perior quality of flour which they produced. their brands commanding the top figure in the eastern and southern markets, and when brought in competition with other brands they were in the habit of taking the premium. The business was a steadily growing one and below is given with the names of the six mills at this time running. a summary in round numbers of the amount of Hour manufactured, and the mmm- ber of bushels of wheat consumed for the year closing December 31st. 1856.
Bbls. Flour. 20,000
Bus'ls. Wheat.
Star Mills.
100,000
C'astle Mills.
20,000
100,000
Eagle Mills
20,000
100,000
City Mills
40,000
200.000
Alto Mills
10,000
50.000
Total
110,000 550,000
The average price of flour during the year was $5.50 per barrel, making the total value of the milling business to have been $715.000. The wagon and plow manufacture had become very important and extensive and there were about twenty establishments engaged in this business. One of these, that of Timothy Rogers, employ- ing from 35 to 40 hands all the year round. turned out 800 wagons valued at $60,000, and 1,200 plows worth $8,000. A notable and grow- ing business, then as now, was that of the stove Foundries. The Phoenix Stove Works, which was the most extensive in the city, reported the making of 9,445 stoves of various patterns, an employment of 58 hands and sales for the year of $199,128.42. This with the other like con- verns aggregated the value of store mannfar- ture at $175,128. The aggregate value of the humber handled by the five lumber yard firms Tooted up to $251,350, measuring 8,950,000 feet of lumber, shingles 3.950,000, lath and timber 1.910,000. In this is not included the home manfactured lumber. The pork packing was not as large as the year before. There was a small increase in the number of those engaged in the business, but a falling off in the number of hogs and valne. The result of the winter's work '56-57 was 38,306 hogs packed. valued at $986.492.
Several disastrons fires occurred in the early part of the year, some of them in business and
central sections of the city. one at the north- east corner of the public square, and one farther east on Hampshire street. The loss was severe to some of the occupants but the gain was great to the city. The same enterprising impulse which many years before, when the old log courthouse caught fire, induced the happy spec- tators to throw on more kindling, was gratified to see the "old rookeries " go with the prospect of their being replaced by better structures. Another result of these fortunate misfortunes was to increase precautions against lire.
The leading local events of the year was the building, or rather the initiation of the build- ing of the Wabash railway eastward from Mt. Sterling. This project which has been alluded to earlier in these sketches, as being under way at the commencement of the year, was put into active shape before summer. The proposition was made, advocated through the press and presented on the 17th of May to the council, that the city should subscribe $200,000 to the stock of the railroad projected from Camp Point eastward to the lllinois river known as the Quiney and Mt. Sterling R. R. The vouneil voted favorably and authorized the mayor to make subscription to the above amount. and ordered an election to be held on the 24th of May for authority to issue $200,- 000 twenty years' bonds, drawing eight per cent interest, to be applied to the construction of this road. The election was a one-sided af- fair. Fifteen hundred and sixty-two votes were east, which was a very large representation for that time at a special election, and all but twenty-one of these were east in favor of the subscription. Work was commenced imme- diately. Indeed it had been progressing to some extent before the city took action upon the mat- ter. The whole line was immediately put under contract with the condition and promise that it would be completed by December 1st. 1857. Its completion was not precisely on time, but came nearer thereto than most of the railroad constructions do. Before its final finish a speck of war arose on its line calling for the inter- position of muskets and bayonets. this being the fourth war in which Qniney was engaged. There had been the Black Hawk. the Mexican and Mormon wars and this next, the "Brown county war" had its fair share of heroic ad- venture of which hereafter, in its time and place.
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