USA > Illinois > Pike County > Past and present of Pike County, Illinois > Part 15
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Twenty-eight in all, twenty of whom I knew.
All but six have joined the silent majority. The first treasurer received $765, and the others have handled from $5,000 to $50,000 a year. One of the first probate judges received only $16.60 as salary. Money was scarce and doubtless court business was light.
"My Lord Coke" was the money maker in 1822. He received $50 as sheriff, $30 for circuit clerk, $30 for clerk of the commissioner's court, and $50 as probate judge, $160 in all. David Dutton, one of the first commissioners of Pike county, received a small compensation, and was a resident here for nearly forty years. He died in New Canton in 1854, perhaps the richest man on the west side.
Pike county has had the following sheriffs : Rigdon C. Fenton, 1821; Leonard Ross, 1822 to 1829; Levi Huntley, 1827; Nathaniel Hinckley, 1832 ;. J. W. Seeley, whig, 1831 to 1838; Alfred Grubb, democrat, 1840; Ephraim Cannon, demo- crat, 1842, 1844; D. D. Hicks, democrat, 1846; S. R. Gray, ind. democrat, 1850; Elisha Hurt, whig, 1852; G. T. Edwards, whig, 1854; W. S. Dennis, democrat, 1856; John Hous- ton, democrat, 1858; Joshua Woosley, dem- ocrat, 1860; P. H. Davis, democrat, 1862; J. B. Landrum, democrat, 1864; W. G. Hubbard, dem- ocrat, 1866; J. J. Manker, democrat, 1868; Joseph McFarland, democrat, 1870, 1872; A. Simpkins, democrat, 1874, 1882; E. W. Blades, democrat, 1876, 1884 ; Theo. Kellogg, republican, 1878; J. Windmiller, democrat, 1886; M. H. Darrah, democrat, 1890; Sam Knox, democrat, 1892; P. P. Johnson, democrat, 1896; G. W. Smith, present incumbent.
· Just half of the number named are living. I personally knew all but five. All were compe- tent and able officials, and laid down their offices at the expiration of their terms with general sat- isfaction to the public.
Pike county has had two members of congress : Scott Wike, three terms and W. E. Williams, one term. The county has had the following presidential electors: William A. Grimshaw. Thomas Worthington, jr., and A. C. Matthews. Mr. Grimshaw was the messenger to take the state vote to Washington.
Alex. Starn and O. M. Hatch were secretaries
COUNTY JAIL
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.
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of state. W. R. Archer, Harvey Dunn, W. A. Grimshaw and Montgomery Blair were members of the constitutional convention of 1847. Alex. Starn of 1862 and W. R. Archer of 1870.
The state senators from Pike county were Henry J. Ross, William Ross, Thomas Worthington, Sr., Hugh L. Sutphin, Solomon Parsons, J. M. Bush, W. R. Archer, J. W. Johnson and Harry Higbee. The fol- lowing were members of the Illinois house of representatives : N. Hanson, John Shaw, Leo Roberts, H. J. Ross, John Turney, Joel Wright, William Ross, Solomon Parsons, Parvin Paulen, William Blair, Adolph Wheeler, B. D. Brown, Richard Kerr, Oscar Long, Alfred Grubb, James McWilliams, Alex. Starn, William P. Harpole, James M. Higgins, Tyre Jennings, O. M. Hatch, Hugh L. Sutphin, C. L. Higbee, J. L. Grimes, ". Gilbert J. Shaw, W. R. Archer, Scott Wike, J. H. Dennis, A. Mittower, Charles Kenney, Albert Landrum, M. D. Massie, A. C. Matthews, J. L. Underwood, Thos, Worthington, jr., H. D. L. Griggsby, A. Dow, W. I. Klein, F. L. Hall, T. A. Retallic, A. G. Crawford, I. D. Webster. Out of forty-two only ten are living who were in the general assembly from 1820 to 1905.
The county has had the following circuit judges : C. L. Higbee, A. C. Matthews, Jeffer- son Orr, Harry Higbee; and the following pro- bate or county judges : James Ward, Charles Harrington, Alfred Grubb, John W. Allen, R. M. Atkinson, Strother Griggsby, Edward Doocy, William B. Grimes, B. F. Bradburn. Judges of the appellate court: C. L. Higbee and Harry Higbee.
THE PIKE COUNTY BAR.
The county was originally in the first judicial circuit and has ever been prominent in this great state. Some of the greatest and most famous men of the state and nation have practiced at this bar. namely : Abraham Lincoln, "the greatest man who ever came in the tide of time ;" Stephen A. Douglas, "the little giant of Illinois ;" General E. D. Baker, "the superb orator ;" General John J. Hardin, a martyr of the Mexican war; Milton Hay, Pike county's steadfast friend; O. H.
Browning, a member of Lincoln's cabinet ; Ne- hemiah Bushnell, a great United States court lawyer; Governor Richard Yates, the war gov- ernor ; Samuel D. Lockwood; Lyman Trumbull ; W. A. Richardson; Calvin A. Warren; Murray McConnell; Arch Williams ; Jackson Grimshaw ; Daniel H. Gilmer; I. N. Morris ; Z. N. Garbutt ; Alfred Grubb; Joseph Kline ; William R. Archer ; - William A. Grimshaw; R. M. Atkinson; J. L. Dobbin; James S. Irwin; James F. Greathouse ; H. D. L. Griggsby ; Thomas Worthington ; J. L. Underwood; S. V. Hayden ; J. M. Bush ; Chaun- cey L. Higbee ; Scott Wike; and D. B. Bush, who was a member of the bar in Massachusetts in 1814 and came here in 1836. All of the above have passed away save J. M. Bush, Thomas Worthing- ton and S. V. Hayden.
The present Pike county bar is as follows : Judge. Harry Higbee, Joseph M. Bush, A. C. Matthews, ' Jefferson Orr, A. G. Crawford, Ed- ward Doocy, William Mumford, W. E. Williams, A. Clay Williams, B. T. Bradburn, Paul F. Grote, Ray N. Anderson, A. C. Bentley, H. T. Bush, Edward Yates, W. H. Crow, J. W. Stauf- fer, L. T. Graham, George C. Weaver, Edwin Johnson, Mark Bradburn, J. D. Hess, Frank Du- lany, W. I. Klein and George Hinman. A little of the prominence of some of these disciples of Blackstone is interesting now and will be more so as time wings its flight. Harry Higbee was several times state senator and twice elected circuit judge. J. M. Bush was United States commissioner, state senator, and for a quarter of a century was mas- ter in chancery. A. C. Matthews was a colonel in the Civil war, collector internal revenue, for six years supervisor of internal revenue for the states of Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan, from 1875 until the office was abolished, three times a member of the Illinois legislature and was speaker of the thirty-sixth general assembly, was circuit judge and comptroller of the United States treas- ury under President Harrison. Jefferson Orr has been state's attorney and circuit judge; Edward Doocy has been county judge and master in chan- cery. W. E. Williams, state's attorney and a member of congress; A. Clay Williams, state's attorney; B. T. Bradburn, county judge ; A. C. Bentley, master in chancery; Mark Bradburn,
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state's attorney; W. I. Klein, a member of the Illinois legislature; W. H. Crow, master in chan- cery, the other gentlemen have fame before them, and Richelieu said: "In the bright lexicon of youth there is no such word as fail," and an old lawyer once said : "Use what talent you possess. The woods would be very silent if no bird sung there but those which can sing best."
Pike county's first "circuit court was held at Cole's Grove; October 1, 1821, and the following have been the judges in the eighty-five years that have passed : Hon. John Reynolds was a supreme judge when he held court at Atlas about 1822; Hon. John Y. Sawyer was the first circuit judge to hold court in this county in 1825; Hon. Rich- ard M. Young was judge till 1837, when he re- signed to accept a seat in the United States senate ; Hon. James H. Ralston served in 1837, but in August of the same year he resigned on account of ill health; Hon. Peter Lott was in office till 1841 ; Hon. S. A. Douglas was elected by the legislature in 1841, and served until he was elected to congress in 1843; Hon. Jesse B. Thomas -was appointed in 1843; Hon. Norman H. Purple was elected in 1845 and held until 1849; Hon. W. A. Minshall was elected in May, 1849, and held till his death, October, 1851 ; Hon. O. C. Skinner succeeded Judge Minshall and held the office until May, 1853; Hon. Pinckney H. Walker was in office until 1858, when he was ap- pointed to fill a vacancy on the supreme bench ; Hon. John S. Bailey served three years ;" Hon. Chauncey L. Higbee was elected in 1861 for a term of six years and was three times re-elected, making nearly twenty-four years of consecutive service therein. He departed this life December 7, 1884. He was one of the purest and most learned of jurists, was wise in counsel, learned and upright in decision. on. A. C. Matthews was appointed in 1885 to fill out the unexpired term of the late Judge Higbee. Hon. S. P. Shope . was elected judge of this district in 1877. Hon. Charles J. Schofield was judge for six years. Hon. Jefferson Orr served from 1889 to 1895. Hons. J. C. Broady, John H. Williams and Oscar Bonney held court here frequently. The present incumbents are Hon. Harry Higbee, resident judge, who is on his second term, Hon. Albert
Akers and T. N. Mehan. All have been able and of great legal ability, and have added much to the jurisprudence of the old first judicial circuit.
The prosecuting attorneys have been as fol- lows: In the early days the attorney general of the state acted as prosecuting attorney and later each circuit was given an attorney, while in 1872 each county was given one. These were Thomas Ford, J. H. Ralston and J. J. Hardin from about 1826 to 1835; in 1837 W. A. Richardson, best known as old Dick, an old-time democratic war horse, six times a member of congress, and gov- ernor of Nebraska under President Buchanan ; Henry L. Bryant, in 1839; William Elliott till 1848; Robert S. Blackwell, 1848 to 1852; Mr. Blackwell was a great lawyer, an old-time spell- binder on the stump ; Harmon G. Reynolds, Wil- liam C. Goudy and Calvin A. Warren from 1852 to 1854; John S. Bailey till 1858; L. H. Waters in 1860, who entered the civil war and became colonel of the eighty-fourth Illinois, it being re- lated of him that when he came to Springfield in 1865 with his regiment for muster out, that the only citizen that met him at the depot was a butcher and the proprietor of a "hand me down," who wanted to sell "cheap cloding" and blue beef. The boys all say "Lew" was a good officer. Daniel H. Gilmer, Thomas E. Morgan and Wil- liam R. Archer served as attorneys pro tem from 1860 to 1862. Mr. Morgan and L. W. James were the last under the old law. When each county was given a prosecuting attorney, Jeffer- son Orr was elected in 1873 and 1876; J. W. Johnson in 1880, and H. C. Johnson in 1884. W. E. Williams served from 1887 to 1892 and was afterwards a member of congress from this coun- ty. A. Beavers served one term; A. Clay Wil- liams was elected in 1896 and 1900; M. S. Brad- burn in 1904 being the present incumbent.
The masters in chancery have been J. Merrick Bush from 1860 to 1885, and his successors have been W. H. Crow, A. C. Bentley and Edward Doocy.
CHURCH HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
The first sermon preached in Chambersburg township was at the house of Rachel Brown by
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Rev. John Medford, a Methodist, and the first Sunday-school was by the Methodists in the town of Chambersburg. The Christians and Baptists are also well represented by a host of good citi- zens. Flint has Methodist, Baptist and Christian churches, and the worshipers are devout and worthy citizens. Detroit has six churches : Christian, Methodist Episcopal South, Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist and Missionary Baptist. Montezuma township has the towns of Milton, Montezuma and Bedford, which each have Christian and Methodist houses of worship with good membership. Pearl has a Trinity Metho- dist Episcopal church and a Christian church. Both societies are in a flourishing condition. The first church was built in 1867. Perry has a Methodist church organized in 1832, with such noted old pioneers as B. L. Matthews and wife, G. W. Hinman and wife and ten others. The Christian church was organized in 1837. In 1879. a committee consisting of Jon Shastid, Alex Dorsey and seven others erected a gothic style church at a cost of about four thousand dol- lars. Zion church was erected in 1852. The Lutheran church was organized in 1859. Griggs- ville has six churches. . The Baptist church was organized in 1834, and their first house of wor- ship was finished in 1840. In 1873 the old church was torn down and a brick edifice costing about two thousand dollars was erected. The First Methodist society was called the Atlas mission in 1830, with the great Peter Cartright as presiding elder. The regular church was organized in 1835 by the Rev. William Hunter. The Congrega- tional church was organized February 16, 1837. Hinman Chapel Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1844; the United Brethren church in 1842, and the church of Christ in 1874. Newburg has a Bethel church built by the Methodists.
Hardin has a Methodist and two Christian churches. Spring Creek has, in the town of Nebo, a Baptist church and the Regular Predestinarian Baptist. The societies were formed in 1862 and 1863. Fairmount has the United Brethren, Pres- byterian, Methodist and Christian churches. New Salem has a Universalist church and Methodist, also Methodist, Presbyterian and United Breth- ren churches in Baylis. Pittsfield has a Congre-
gational church. Its first house of worship was built in 1838 and its second in 1846. They now have one of the largest edifices, erected several years ago. The Christian church is one of mod- ern style and has, perhaps, the largest membership of any in the county. The Methodists also have a large and substantial church, erected in 1876. The Baptist church was organized in 1839. St. Stephen's Episcopal was built in 1852. The Roman Catholic church was built in 1869. There is also a Presbyterian church, a German Metho- dist and a church of the Latter Day Saints. Mar- tinsburg has a Methodist and a Christian church. Pleasant Hill has a Baptist, Methodist and Chris- tian church. Hadley has several church organ- izations and their meetings are held in some of the commodious school buildings of the township. Derry had a Methodist society in 1829, and in 1830 the renowned Lorenzo Dow preached there and baptized two persons. The town of Eldara has a Methodist and a Christian church. Atlas has a Congregational church at Summer Hill, also at Atlas ; a Methodist church at Rockport and Gilgal. Barry has a Methodist, Baptist and Christian church, and all three churches are large and com- modious edifices, each with large memberships. Pleasant Vale has at New Canton a Methodist and Union church, the latter occupied by the Christian society. Cincinnati has Wike chapel, a Methodist church. Kinderhook has a Baptist and Metho- dist church in the town and the Akers chapel, a Methodist Episcopal church, and a Methodist and Baptist church at Hull. Levee has a Metho- dist Episcopal church near Spencer Switch. The wonderful and famous Lorenzo Dow and Peter Cartright several times preached on the west side of the county, notably at Atlas, Derry and Pleas- ant Vale. This church history is not as complete as desired, but the cause is that so few of the church societies have kept records.
"By ourselves our lives are fed, With sweet or bitter daily bread."
CALIFORNIA.
Pike county men who went to California in 1849, 1850, 1851 and 1852 were as follows : From
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Detroit : John J. Mudd, John Haddican, Andy Work, Dr. George C. Harris, Wash Harris, Neal Peckenpaugh, J. K. Sitton, James Rush, James Dinsmore, James Stoner, John Marcus, William Meredith, Woodson Meredith, James Meredith, J. Brown, Ben Hayden, Elisha Hayden, Asa Hay- den, Jack Tucker, Alex Blake, William Stack- pole, Zack Ownby, Thomas Ownby, Sam Fry, Henry Ingils and wife, Henry Kiser and wife and Joseph W. Ingles; from Montezuma: B. F. Stewart, James Stewart, Burl McPherson, Joe McCrary, William Lester, John Nation, Dr. Clem- mons, Dan Crawford, Joel Mechan, James Het- terick and wife, W. Zumalt and W. B. Grimes, from Hardin : David Porter, Samuel G. Sitton, David Sitton, Ruben Hendricks, Marsh Dins- more, William Dinsmore, Johnson Brace, Lince Johnson, George Kent, Samuel Hendricks, Riley Johnson, Ben Barney and John Kiser ; from Pitts- field : Dewitt Castle, George Abbott, Alfred Mil- ler, William Thompson, Hamilton Wills, Norton Bates, Ervin Davis, Mr. McElroy, Marshall Dut- ton, Henry St. John, N. E. Quinby and Jones Clark; from Barry :. George Griffith, L. Brown, Barton Alkire, Josiah Alkire, William Israel, Grant Israel, Jack Brown, Henry Brown, William Hedger, John Brown, Elijah McAtee, Elisha Hurt, Major Donaldson and Jackson Jennings ; from Griggsville : James Elledge, Uriah Elledge, Dan Elledge, George Coss, William Jones, old Mr. Fessenden and son, Captain May, Enos Parks and John McWilliams; from Pearl : Wil- liam Wheeler, Peter Kessinger, William Winne- ger and William Leper; from Newburg: David Gibson, James Gibson, Holly Rose, Henry Rob- inson, Nathan Kelly, George Godwin, Abe Liv- ingston and Fred Stone; from New Canton : Amos Morey, J. H. Talbart, P. H. Davis, Wil- liam Weir, Harrison Brown, W. H. Uppinghouse, Henry Havens, Peter Bully, Aura Brown, Walk Neely, Joseph Mygatt, John Emerson, Samuel Taylor, L. G. Hosford, James Dutton, John H. Brammell, Orin Parkis, Frank Tittswirth, Clark Churchill, Ed Tryon, C. T. Brewster, Orin Shearer, Sam Dowden, Manly Barney, Henry Dobbins, George Stanley, James Speed, Jo Stan- ley, William Flippen, Horace Palmer, Jay Green, John Cartright, William Handlin, Moses Sam-
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uels, Tom Cravens, William Redmond, Arnold Woodward, William Fugate, Hugh Barker, Isaac Williams, Horace Garrison, Hardin Havard, Ru- ben Griggsby and Moses Waggoner; from El- dara: In 1848, W. Isaiah Cooper, John Cooper and George Wood, in 1849, Sam Blackwood, Sam Watson, George Roberts, William Lippin- cott, Nathan Paulin, Ben Newnham and family, James Harris, Henry Hazelrigg, Sam Steele, H. R. Wood, Henry Taylor, J. L. Underwood, James Caldwell, Isaiah Cooper, William Crozier, Simon Crozier, William Crozier, Jr., William P., George W. and Pleasant M. Freeman, Charles Foreman, in 1850 William Chamberlin, Peter Carey, Carlisle Burbridge, Isaac Holman, George Hoover, Sam Hoover,, John Sigsworth, Ben Dolbow, Jake Swerengen, Nathan Kendall, in 1852, Joe Lip- pincott, David Lippincott, T. W. Martin, Oliver Martin, William Snyder, George W. Underwood, Jehu Wood, John Bowers, Ed Bowers, Phil Crowder and son, David Crowder, P. T. Dickin- son, Maybery Evans, William H. Johnson, in 1854 William Veal and family, William Gomer and family, John Keezee, John R. Newnham, Wil- liam Evans, Tilford B. Taylor, Thomas Taylor, L. N. Worsham and Robert Little; from Pleasant Hill: H. Weaver, George Roberts, James Goff, Ched B. Lewis, William Ward and Peter Carey.
The above list of the Pike county argonauts is not as complete as it should be, but upon reflec- tion, over a half century has passed since the trip was made overland, and it took long and tedious months crossing the plains, beset with many dan- gers and much suffering and loss of life. There is a new generation now and the old Californians are not in their thoughts. Many of the gold seek- ers left their bones to bleach on the then great American desert. The gold fever excitement and the Civil war were the most costly in lives and treasure of any thing in American history. Only about six of the returned Californians are living in 1906.
BANKS AND BANKERS.
In the old times banks were not known, as coon skins and beeswax were in many cases the medium of exchange, but later when the stage
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coach and the mail service were inaugurated money became a necessity, and the old picayune six and a quarter cents, and the old bit or twelve and one-half cents, and wild cat paper circulated and then the Spanish mill dollar, and occasionally some American silver. Then came a deluge of "shinplaster" paper, promises to pay, that in most instances were a delusion to the holder. This un- satisfactory condition of the "root of all evil" lasted until the Civil war, since which time the "money question" is one of entire satisfaction to all. Pike county has banks in many of the towns and they have been a great aid in all business transactions. The first bank in the county was at Pittsfield in an early day, established by Colo- nel Ross and others. The old-time note shavers and sidewalk brokers have come down through the ages and are still with us. The county in 1906 had fifteen banks as follows:
Barry, the First National, with T. A. Retallic president, and O. Williamson, cashier ; Baylis, the Farmers' Bank, with S. T. Grammar, presi- dent, and R. Y. Barnes, cashier ; Chambersburg, the Farmers' Exchange, J. M. Chenoweth presi- dent, and H. B. Dennis, cashier ; Griggsville, the Griggsville National, with- B. F. Newman presi- dent, and E. S. Hoyt, cashier ; and Illinois Val- ley Bank, with A. Dunham president, and F. H. Farrand, cashier ; Hull, the First International Bank, with J. W. Sperry president, and W. W. Somers, cashier; Milton, the Exchange Bank, with C. E. Bolin, president, and C. E. Bolin, cash- ier ; Nebo, the Minier Brothers, with T. L. Minier president, and C. Armentrout, cashier ; and the. Bank of Nebo, with R. R. Pollock president, and Roy Pollock, cashier; New Canton, Bank of New Canton, with H. B. Atkinson, and J. R. Easley, cashier; Pearl, the Bank of Pearl, with C. A. Manker president, and C. A. Manker, cashier; Perry, the Perry State Bank, with W. H. Wilson president, and Robert Greg- ory, cashier ; Pittsfield, the First National Bank, with Harry Higbee president, and R. T. Hicks, cashier ; and the Farmers' State Bank, with Lewis Dutton president, and Ross Matthews, cashier ; Pleasant Hill, the Citizens' Bank, with N. R. Shultz president, and C. C. Thomas, cashier.
NEWSPAPERS OF PIKE COUNTY.
The first newspaper was started in 1842 by Michael J. Noyes in Pittsfield and named The Sucker & Farmers Record, which was followed by the Free Press, Journal, Old Flag, Radical, Morning Star, Sentinel, Banner, People's Advo- cate and Herald, all at Pittsfield; at Barry, the Enterprise, Observer, Unicorn, Greenback and Breeze; at Perry, The News and Paragraph; at Hull, The Breeze; at Griggsville, The Reflector ; at Milton, The Beacon and Advocate; at New Canton, the Mail, News and Advance. They are papers of the past, gone but not forgotten. The publications in 1906 are in Pittsfield, the Pike County Democrat, started in 1857. In 1865, J. M. Bush became editor and owner, running the paper for nearly forty years. It is now managed by William and J. M. Bush, Jr. The Pike County Republican was started by S. T. Donahue about 1896, and is now edited and owned by Burr H. Swan. The Pike County Times, started in 1895, is owned and edited by A. C. Bentley and C. W. Caughlin. Griggsville has the Press, with E. E. Williamson, editor; the Herald, with Arden Northrup, editor. Perry has the Citizen, edited by Six & Bro. Milton has the Beacon, with H. T. Humm as editor ; Barry has the Adage, with A. E. Hess as editor and owner ; the Record, owned and edited by the Record Publishing Co. Pleasant Hill has the Messenger, with C. R. Barnes as ed- itor. Hull has the Enterprise, with H. C. Sperry as editor. Baylis has the Guide, with G. R. Haines as editor. Nebo · has the Banner, with Truman Dinsmore as editor. New Canton has the Press, with C. L. 'Hopkins as editor and owner. These papers are all well managed, have good patronage and are welcome weekly visitors to many homes. Their subscribers are very numer- ous all over the west as Pike county people are to be found in all the western states, and the old home papers are like a letter from home.
STEAMBOATING.
In the days of steamboating the Illinois river was a great outlet and inlet for the east side of the county and the river steamers that were so
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useful are now recalled : the Post Boy, Lady Lee, Calhoun, Time and Tide, North Star, Peoria, Belle of Pike, Regulator, Fanny Keener and many others. Captain Samuel Rider, Captain Abrams and Dan Bates are well remembered by passen- gers and shippers. Many times freight would be left at the various landings for several days, awaiting shipment because the steamers had not sufficient tonnage for the vast quantities that were offered. Pittsfield had a plank road to Florence and it made the latter place one of the large re- ceiving and shipping points, but when the rail- roads came they soon made the rosy, glorious days of river traffic vanish and now they are only a memory. On the Illinois river Griggs- ville Landing, Florence, Montezuma and Bedford were the principal shipping points, while on the Mississippi river the points were Douglasville, opposite Hannibal, Missouri, Cincinnati and Scott's Landings. The business of Pike county farmers and business men on the two rivers up to the time that railroads took the trade were im- mense as the crops were nearly always abundant, and our industrious and active citizens have ever been alert in grasping the opportunities that have made the county so great.
Like a pleasant dream the good old days of steamboating pass in review, and the realty of those halcyon times will appeal vividly to the older citizens who remember the floating palaces that were to be seen daily between St. Louis and Keokuk. Many were real palaces finished in white, blue and gold, with beautiful pictures on the stateroom doors, and fore and aft painting of some city or historical scene. The steamers those days cost from $60,000 to $80,000 and often more, and a trip on one of those commodious · and tastefully equipped steamers, either for busi- ness or pleasure, will never be forgotten by those who enjoyed it in the wonderful past.
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