Past and present of Pike County, Illinois, Part 16

Author: Massie, Melville D; Clarke, (S.J.) Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 760

USA > Illinois > Pike County > Past and present of Pike County, Illinois > Part 16

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A list of the old-time boats and their very ca- pable, affable and courteous captains will interest many along the great Mississippi river, as well as those here, who will recall the names with pleas- urable recollections. The list will embrace about all the freight and passenger boats since the time of the organization of the St. Louis & Keokuk Packet Co., which was a power in its time, and

assisted in making the great river the commer- cial artery for all the vast valley of the Mississippi.

The Boreas, the boat "that will never be for- gotton, as it was the only one that had a high pressure engine that could be heard for five miles and was a fright to animals.

The low pressure boats were the Ocean Wave, Edward Bates, Kate Kearney, Die Vernon, Mary Stephens, Sheridan, New England, Regulator, Lucy Bertram, Golden Era, Jennie Deans, Han- nibal City, Quincy, Warsaw, Keokuk, City of Louisiana, Mollie McPike, Sam Gaty, Des Moines, Golden Eagle, Gray Eagle, Bon Accord, J. H. Johnson, Andy Johnson, Rob Roy, Min- nesota, St. Paul, Gem City, Tom Jasper, Denmark and Atlas. The two last named sank near Cincin- nati Landing and were never raised. The Atlas had 100 barrels of whisky in the hull, and after the upper works were removed, attempts were made to get the whisky but with no success. The knowing ones assert that the hull and contents were buried in the sand and could the whisky be be saved it would be worth more money than the article ever sold for. The island called Atlas and Denmark is now over the wrecks.

The old-time captains were Nieal Cameron, Chas. Dean, Rufus Ford, A. Berzie, J. H. John- son, Flem Calvert, John W. Malin, R. J. Whit- tedge, Frank Burnett, David Asbury, C. Alford, J. W. Gunn, H. W. Brolaski, I. Matson, Moses Hall, John Hamilton, and Lyman Scott. The latter was not in command very long, as he was a prohibitionist and removed the bar on his boat, and as the public would not stand for that he was soon removed.

All the boats had bars, and they were kept till the Diamond Jo line of boats superseded the old Keokuk line, when they were all removed. A few years later the railroads on both sides of the river captured the river business, and now, in- stead of seeing from five to ten boats every day plowing the old Father of Waters, laden with freight and passengers, two or three a week is all that is to be seen. All the glory and profit of the palmy days is only a memory.

In those days, especially in the pork packing seasons, from fifty to one hundred teams a day from Barry, Kinderhook and New Canton, would

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go to Cincinnati Landing, where the pork, lard and bulk meats, wheat and corn would be stored till the river opened. It was frequently the case that the bank of the river would have ricked up from 3,000 to 5,000 barrels of pork and lard, and as much as 50,000 pieces of bulk meat in the warehouses. Large quantities of hay were also shipped. It was ·baled in the old and slow way, pressing a bale at a time tying it with ropes of hickory withes.

The boats were so overloaded that many times freight would lie in the warehouses for a month or more, awaiting shipment. One man had 500 sacks of wheat that cost $1.00 per bushel and he was vexed that he could not ship it, but his worry turned to a great grin of satisfaction, for when it did go, wheat had advanced, and he sold it for $2.00 per bushel.

Another man had about 2,000 bushels of ear corn and was offered 75 cents for it, but held it for a rise. He afterwards had offers of. $1.00, $1.25, and the last offer included shelling, sacking and hauling to the river, which meant $1.25 net

for him. No sale; he was holding for $1.50. . on the line of the road $70,000, and individuals

Here's where he laughed out of the other corner of his mouth. Corn went down. He sent for sacks, shelled and shipped it to St. Louis, and it net him only 35 cents. One man bought a lot of wheat at $3.00 per bushel, sent it to the landing by flatboat, thence by the steamer to St. Louis, and sold it for $3.55 per bushel. He had a net profit of 20 cents a bushel.

The writer personally knew all the old-time boatmen named in this article, and with possibly two exceptions all have joined the silent major- ity on the other shore. The principal shippers here and at Barry and at Kinderhook have all passed away with possibly four exceptions. Among the warehouse men at Cincinnati Land- ing not one is left.

RAILROADS.

In reference to means of transportation this county is greatly favored by nature. Indeed, there is no county in the State to which nature gave such abundant and convenient channels of transportation as to Pike. Here are two of the

finest water courses in America washing its shores, and no portion of the county over half a day's drive from one of them. Without a rail- road many of the northern counties of the State would yet be in their native condition. Yet Pike county could, and did, get along very conven- iently without a railroad.

As early as May, 1860, a railroad was pro- jected, principally by Messrs. Starne and Hatch. This road was known as the Pike County Road, and later as the Hannibal & Naples Road. Some grading was done, but the county, at a general election, refused aid, and the project was abandoned until after the war, when through the efforts of Judge Higbee, Scott Wike, James S. Irwin, Hon. William A. Grimshaw, W. Steers, of Pittsfield, Messrs. Brown and Wike, of Barry, and Messrs. McWilliams, Ward, Philbrick and others of Griggsville, the enterprise was revived and pushed to completion.

Originally about $350,000 were expended on old Pike road ; and of this sum the city of Hanni -. bal furnished as a city $200,000, the townships in Hannibal and Pike county the balance. The money subscribed was faithfully expended under the direction of Mr. Starne, the president of the road, and a competent engineer; the war com- menced and the road failed, as did most of the public enterprises of the country. It was at that time in debt to Mr. Clough, one of the engineers, about $1,000, and upon a suit commenced by him a judgment was rendered against the road for his debt. The friends of the road were anxious that it should not be sacrificed, and when it was sold, bid it in in the name of Scott Wike, for $1,039, who transferred the certificate of purchase to the directors of the old road, Messrs. A. Starne, B. D. Brown, O. M. Hatch, George Wike, George W. Shields, J. G. Helme, James McWilliams and Scott Wike; and the sheriff made them a deed February 12, 1863. They were then incorpo- rated as the Hannibal & Naples Railroad Com- pany. Mr. Shields was the mayor of the city of Hannibal, and Mr. Helme a large property holder there. They were directors of the old road, and were appointed by the city council to look after the interests of the city. The other

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gentlemen were directors in the old road and large property holders in Pike county.

When the agitation incident to the Rebellion had subsided and the people again turned to the improvement of their homes and the carrying out of home enterprises, the completion of this road was urged.

Enthusiastic meetings were held throughout the county in December, 1867. The proposition by the supervisors to bond the county was de- feated by a popular vote December 24-2,777 for, to 2,841 against, one of the largest votes ever cast in the county. .

At a railroad meeting held at the courthouse in Pittsfield December 30, 1868, resolutions for pushing the railroad interests of the county were passed, and a committee appointed, headed by William A. Grimshaw, to "take the requisite steps to carry out the project of railroad con- nections for Pittsfield and Pike county with the Chicago & Alton, or the Pennsylvania Central, or any other roads interested and willing to co- operate with Pittsfield and Pike county."

At the same time there was a project of a rail- road from Louisiana, Missouri, to run west to the Missouri river, headed by Thomas L. Price, then a railroad king of the West.

Ten miles of the Hannibal & Naples road were completed February 18, 1869, namely, to Kinder- hook, and a banquet and great rejoicing were had on the occasion, in a car at Kinderhook.

In pursuance of an official call a railroad meeting was held at Pittsfield, March 8, 1869, with R. A. McClintock, chairman, and J. M. Bush, secretary, when Col. A. C. Matthews ex- plained the object of the meeting. A committee was appointed, one from each township repre- sented, to assess the sum of $150,000 among the various townships embraced in the call. The meeting passed a resolution indorsing the act of the Legislature providing for the refunding to the several townships and counties, the con- tracting debts for railroads, the entire taxes on such railroad property, and the excess of all State taxes over the assessment of 1868.

August, 1869, the Hannibal & Naples road reached a point within two and one-half miles of New Salem; reached Griggsville in September ;

railroad completed in October ; crossed the Illi- nois river January 20, 1870; February II, fin- ished to Pittsfield. At that time a grand free excursion was given, when the following inci- dent occurred : The train being gone about three hours longer than was expected, parties who had been left behind began to feel uneasy. One man, whose wife and son were with the excursionists, with his remaining son built a fire near the track ; and while waiting with great anxiety for the re- turn of the train, the little boy started toward the track. The father in his agony said, "Don't, my son; don't go near the track; I'm afraid some dreadful accident has happened and you and I will both be orphans." When the train at last arrived all safe and sound, there was great re- joicing. The contract for building the railroad from Pittsfield to the Hannibal & Naples road was let July 24, 1869, to Hon. A. Starne. ' Work was immediately begun and before a year had passed trains were running.

After the Hannibal & Naples road was com- pleted, it was changed soon after to the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railway, and in March, 1880, when the great Wabash line came in pos- session of the T., P. & W. Ry. and other lines, it was changed to the Wabash, St. Louis & Pa- cific Railway. About the time of the completion of the Hannibal & Naples road, other roads were projected. In May, 1869, a line was surveyed from Rushville, via. Mt. Sterling to Pittsfield.

In the summer of 1869 special efforts were made' by the citizens of the county to complete the projected railroads, and at a meeting of the citizens of Pittsfield and Newburg townships at Pittsfield, June 17, committees were appointed to devise ways and means to raise the amount re- quired of them, namely, $32,000. C. P. Chap- man was appointed chairman of said committee.

In the spring of 1871, everything pertaining to the railroad interests of the county seemed to be lying dead or asleep, and the suspicion of the people began to be aroused that the enterprise was abandoned, when General Singleton, presi- dent of the Quincy, Alton & St. Louis road, an- nounced that that company was waiting to obtain the righ of way through Quincy. This road was soon completed, following the line of the Mis-

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sissippi from the northern line of the county to the southern where it crosses the river at Louisiana.

In the spring of 1872 it was proposed to build a road to Perry Springs, connecting with the Bobtail to Pittsfield. At this time the county of Pike and the townships of Pittsfield and New- burg had invested $132,000 in the Pittsfield branch, with no prospect of dividends ; but it was proposed to issue county bonds of $10,000 to $12,000 per mile on the Pittsfield branch, on which the Wabash company should guaranty the interest, thus enabling them to negotiate the bonds at a fair rate.

The Quincy, Payson & Southeastern Railroad was projected to make a direct line to Pittsfield through Payson, thence nearly directly east to Effingham, to connect for Cincinnati and the East, but nothing definite has been done.

The Chicago, Alton & St. Louis ran the "Lou- isiana," of "Kansas City" branch through the southern townships of this county. This was done without local aid from this county, but re- ceived help from the city of Louisiana. This is a first-class road, and opened up a most pro- lific part of Pike county. At this time a railroad bridge was built across the Mississippi at Louisi- ana. August 1, 1871, a magnificent bridge was completed across the same river at Hannibal.

In the olden times, when Berry, New Canton and Kinderhook shipped all their produce and received their goods from Cincinnati Landing, the ways and means were confined to teams in midsummer and in spring to skiffs and flatboats, as it was almost certain that the Mississippi would overflow the low lands and sometimes re- main half of the year. After the Hannibal & Na- ples Railroad had been in operation a year or so, the Quincy, Alton & St. Louis was built from Quincy to Louisiana ; then the Chicago & Alton in the south part of the county, and soon the old ways were changed.

SNY ISLAND LEVEE.

Along the whole of the west side of Pike county there runs a bayou of the Mississippi river, named by the early French Chenal Ecarte (crooked

channel) but in English generally called "Sny," for short, from the French pronunciation of Che- nal. This bayou commences in Adams county about twelve miles below Quincy, and runs south- easterly somewhat parallel with the river, until it ends in Calhoun county, its channel being gen- erally about midway between the river and the bluffs. The low land drained by this "bayou," "channel," "slough," "creek," etc., as it is vari- ously called, comprises about 110,000 acres. This was subject to overflow every spring, and being the most fertile ground in the West, it is very im- portant that it be reclaimed if possible. Without improvement it is entirely useless, and even a source of malaria and sickness.

Consequently, in the year 1870 a movement was set on foot to reclaim this vast tract of rich land by an embankment near the river. To aid in this great enterprise the Legislature passed an act, ap- proved April 24, 1871, authorizing the issue of bonds, to be paid by special assessments on the lands benefited. To carry out the provisions of this act "The Mississippi Levee Drainage Com- pany" was organized about the first of August, 1871, by a meeting of the citizens of Pike and Adams counties, electing a board of directors, with S. M. Spencer, president, other officers, and a board of commissioners. The citizens also drew up and signed a petition for the appointment of the commissioners according to law, whereupon the County Court (R. M. Atkinson, Judge) ap- pointed George W. Jones, William Dustin and John G. Wheelock, commissioners, Mr. Dustin's place, after his death, being filled by Benjamin F. Westlake. For the construction of the levee they issued bonds, bearing interest at 10 per cent, and they were sold mostly in the Eastern markets, some in Detroit, Michigan, the interest payable an- nually. Accordingly the levee was constructed in 1872-4, at a cost of about $650,000.

But the manner of collecting assessments au- thorized by this act was called in question by a case brought up to the Supreme Court from the Wabash river, where similar work was being done, and the court decided that feature of the act to be unconstitutional. A similar case went up to that tribunal from this county, and the Court re- affirmed its former decision. It was then thought

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expedient to procure an amendment to the State Constitution; the necessary resolution was sub- mitted to the people by the 30th General Assem- bly, and it was adopted by an overwhelming ma- jority. Thereupon another act was passed by the 3Ist General Assembly, to make the law conform to the constitution as amended, and under this act the owners of lands on the Sny bottom proposed to construct a drainage district to be known as "The Sny Island Drainage District."

The levee, as at first projected, was completed, as before stated, but it has proved wholly insuffi- cient, as the Mississippi flood, aided by high winds, in April, 1876, broke through the embank- ment, and all the low land was inundated, destroy- ing crops, carrying away fences, and driving out the inhabitants. No one, however, was drowned, but planting was retarded. The breaches were soon repaired, but more lately a new company has been organized to improve the levee and make it perfect, that is, capable of protecting the bottom land against such a high water as there was in 1851.

This levee is by far the largest above Vicksburg, being about fifty-two miles in length, commencing on a sand ridge in Adams county, and extending .into. Calhoun county. It is constructed of the sandy soil along its line, and readily becomes sod- ded and overgrown with willow and other small growth. The streams which formerly emptied into the Mississippi now find their way into Bay creek, and then into Hamburg bay, in Calhoun county. A few farms were opened in the bottom before the construction of the levee, but since that work was completed the land is becoming pretty well covered with farms, occupied by a good, in- dutrious class of citizens. The time may come when the dwellers in this land will become a power in the county.

We desire here to state to the public, with some emphasis, that neither the county nor any munici- pality in the same is in any manner liable for the bonds issued in aid of the construction of this -levee. Neither the State, county nor towns took any part in the issue of the bonds, or in the con- struction of the work. The enterprise was a pri- vate one, and the fact that the bonds are not paid reflects on no one. The law under which they

were issued was declared unconstitutional, and in such cases the bonds must fall with the law.

On the completion of the levee the source of water supply for the Rockport Mills, situated on the Sny, was of course mostly cut off. Conse- quently, about September 15, 1874, the proprie- tors of the mills, Messrs. Shaw & Rupert, hired parties in St. Louis to come up and cut the levee, having been advised that they had lawful authority to "abate the nuisance" by their own act. Great excitement was occasioned by this transaction, and during the ensuing litigation the mill proprietors obtained a mandamus for opening the Sny ; but a settlement was finally effected by a compromise with the drainage company, the latter paying the former $30,000. The mill, however, was subse- quently destroyed by fire.

The levee bond suit was in the courts for many years, when it was settled in favor of the land owners.

In 1870 the primary committee for putting the Sny Island levee on its way to reclaim 110,000 acres from annual overflow held its meetings here and was composed of the following citizens, resi- dents near the proposed levee: C. N. Clark, Charles T. Brewster, Samuel Spencer, Joseph Colvin and Richard Wells, with M. D. Massie as secretary and assistant treasurer. This committee met here and at the house of C. T. Brewster near here, and formulated plans for getting money and legislation, which resulted in the Levee and Drain- age law of 1871, and the appointment of the first levee commissioners, namely : George W. Jones, John G. Wheelock and William Dustin.

The levee was hurriedly and poorly constructed and was not protective, and in a suit testing the validity of the law the State Supreme Court de- clared the law void and unconstitutional as to the land assessments. The court also issued an inter- locutary order that the levee commissioners take charge of the works for the parties interested. Hence the great bond suit for about two millions of dollars, for old bonds and accrued interest. After years of delay the suit was tried, and re- sulted in a verdict for the land owners as against the bond holders. The defendants at a meeting at Hull chose the following five as an executive committee to employ attorneys and look after the

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the case : C. N. Clark, chairman; Thomas Worth- ington, secretary; M. D. Massie, treasurer ; Wil- liam Grammar and George Long.

After a trial in the various courts, ending in the United States Supreme Court and lasting twenty years, the case was decided in favor of the land owners. The executive committee, in con- junction with the levee commissioners: S. E. Hewes, Marcus Hardy and H. B. Atkinson, met at Hannibal, Missouri, in 1902 and settled up all the old business. The costs aggregated nearly $31,000, as follows :

Hay, Green & Company, attorneys first employed $ 8,000 Ex-President Harrison 7,750

Attorney General Miller 2,000 Home attorneys, printing, stenographers. . 11,800

Committee expenses

900

$30,450

William Grammar, one of the committee, died, and Joel Scarborough was chosen and did duty till the suit was ended.

The rebuilding of the levee, which broke at the following periods : April 17, 1876; June 30, 1880; April 25, 1881 ; October 20, 1881 ; May 14, 1888; June 5, 1903, was of an immense benefit, not only to the reclaimed lands but to the adjoining terri- tory. The sanitary benefits were perhaps greatest of all, as malaria, chills and fever, and other dis- eases incident to flooded lands had possession, and kept the doctors busy day and night. Now all is changed, and the entire 110,000 acres are dotted with homes, schools and churches, and are in a high state of cultivation, and the people en- joy as good health as anywhere in the county.

Now the lands that were slow sale at $2 to $10 per acre are held at from $40 to $100 an acre. Re- cent purchasers are loath to sell at current prices, as the yields of corn, wheat and hay are so satis- factory that it makes the land about the best investment that can be had. One illustration. A certain tract of land that formerly was almost worthless, now pays owner and tenant each from $7.50 to $10 per acre. The soil is apparently al- most inexhaustible, and will improve in quality

and productiveness as it is properly tilled and cared for.

The Sny levee commissioners, since its organ- ization, have been George W. Jones, John G. Wheelock, William Dustin, B. F. Westlake, Al- fred Stebbins, J. Barnard, R. M. Murray, A. V. Wills, Henry C. Cupp, Marcus Hardy, J. G. Adams, Edward Prince, Samuel E. Hewes, H. B. Atkinson, H. E. Seehorn, A. J. Thomas. The treasurers were Philip Donahue, H. B. Atkin- son, Joseph Dober and J. R. Easly. The first attempt to construct a levee was made by Samuel Leonard, of Louisiana, Missouri, about 1858, and some work was done near Cincinnati Landing, and then abandoned. In 1870 Charles N. Clark, of Hannibal, Missouri, began the preliminary work, and lived to see it a grand success.

The present commissioners are about complet- ing a ditch fifty-three miles in length that is ex- pected when finished will thoroughly drain the entire one hundred and ten thousand acres in the Sny levee district. They have at work a large dredge boat and a suction boat, well manned, and the work is highly satisfactory. The entire cost will exceed one hundred thousand dollars. Pike county is not alone in the interest of this work, but Illinoisans, Missourians and Indianians are landowners and interested in the district.

RURAL MAIL ROUTES.

Pike county has the following rural mail routes : Pittsfield, seven; Barry four ; Griggs- ville, three; New Canton, three; Nebo, two; Hull, two; Rockport, two; Pleasant Hill, two; Baylis, two; Pearl, one; Strout, one; Kinder- hook, one; Hadley, one; New Salem, one ; Cham- bersburg, one; total, thirty-three routes. There are thirty-three postoffices, twenty-one of which are money order offices. Sixty years ago mail and postal facilities were very crude and limited. Now with fast mails and a generous Uncle Sam the great dailies with news of the world are now an additional breakfast food. The old-time post- masters, who kept postoffice in their hats, would be astonished could they return from the echoless shore and see the modern and up-to-date post- offices. In the old days envelopes and stamps

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PAST AND PRESENT OF PIKE COUNTY.

were unknown. Sheets were folded and mailed for a distant friend, who paid twenty-five cents for his letter. Now in 1906 a letter for from two to five cents will traverse the globe.

PIKE COUNTY'S ILLUSTRIOUS DEAD.

The early pioneers were not particularly noted for their legal acumen and statecraft but more for the eternal principles of right, and their en- ergy and endurance in the old and trying times when they started old Pike on the forward march of progress and civilization, and gave to us one of the gardens of the then new world. The first names on the roll of illustrious dead are Ebenezer Franklin and Daniel Shinn; and soon came William, Clarenden, Leonard and Henry Ross. The first named was the most distin- guished and was known as Col. William Ross, who is now held in everlasting esteem for what he did for posterity. John and Jeremiah Ross, Rufus Brown, John Wood, Willard Keyes, James M. Seely, John and Nathaniel Shaw, Al- fred Bissell, John Matthews, Nicholas Hansen and Benjamin Barney, all will live in history as our first and most illustrious pioneer citizens. In the list of pioneer business men the following left their impression on the times, and will be remembered for what they did for the advance- ment and development of affairs: Lyman Scott, John Webb, N. W. Jones, C. P. Chapman, Aus- tin Barber, B. D. Brown, M. Blair, Lombard & Ayres, D. D. Hicks, George Wike, Amos Morey, Lewis Angle, B. F. Westlake, John McTucker and Isaac A. Hatch. In the list of professional men occur the medical ; and they gave the best years of their lives to the public: Drs. W. A. Whiting, A. C. Baker, Thomas Worthington, O. C. Campbell, F. A. Landrum, John A. Thomas and J. H. Ledlie. The brilliant legal minds that now are still and pulseless, but are so well re- membered are: Chauncey L. Higbee, of whom Milton Haly said, "As great soldiers are said to learn the art of war upon the battlefield, so in the open field of practice, opposed with rivals and contestants, so Judge Higbee acquired, to a high degree of excellence, both the principles and art ·of his profession"; Scott Wike, William A. Grim-

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Past and present of Pike County, Illinois, Part 16

Author: Massie, Melville D; Clarke, (S.J.) Publishing Company, Chicago Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 760

Author: Massie, Melville D; Clarke, (S.J.) Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 760