USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Peoria > Peoria city and county, Illinois; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 54
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Germania Fire Company No. 3 came into existence in 1853, having been chartered by the legislature and received a charter from the legislature February 4. 1855. Their first engine was a "Kufferle," made in St. Louis, and the second, secured in 1860, was used until 1867, when the company donated it to the city and purchased a steam fire engine, part of which was paid for by the city. This company kept their first engine in an old blacksmith shop on Washington street until 1854, when they moved into an engine house built by the city on the south corner of the alley on Liberty street, between Adams and Washington streets. The upper floor of this building was used for a long time by the Germans as a public meeting place. August Schultz taught a school in this upper room in the day time, while German singing societies held forth there at night. The Germania also won a number of prizes in tournaments.
The Phoenix Hook & Ladder Company No. I was organized February 10, 1856, and had its headquarters in a house on the alley between Washington and Adams streets, near Main.
New Peoria Fire Company No. 4 was organized October 26, 1858, with seventeen members, of which James Shock was the foreman. Until 1865 they used old engine No. 1 and then came into possession of the engine used by Young America No. 2. This company was chartered February 18, 1861. The company
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still survives and still has the old hand engine which on occasion is shown to the public in parades.
By 1867 steam fire engines came into general use, when Joseph J. Thomas was made chief of the fire department. The steamer Central City was placed in the service May 21st of that year and by 1874 the department was pretty well established. At that time the department was using the fire alarm telegraph and was composed of Central City Hose Company, organized in 1870; the Holly Hose Company, organized in 1872; a hook and ladder company; and the Germania Company No. 4. That year a new building was erected in block 9, North Adams street, which with the lot cost $3.490. There was also a new hose house on the bluff, which with the lot cost $2,432.
On March 9, 1875, the paid fire department came into existence under an ordinance which had been adopted and O. H. Norton was elected chief. Under nis administration a chemical engine was added to the department at a cost of $2,600. The Bluff Hose Company was organized and equipped with hose car- riages, horses and harness at a cost of about $1,000. Another chemical engine was purchased in 1876, costing $2,000, and in 1877 Chemical Engine Company No. 2 was formed. A building was erected for its use on a lot which cost $1,000 and the building cost $2,162. Horses and harness brought the expense up to $387 more.
The first members of Central City llose Company were Jesse Hammett, James Smith and Adam Schneider ; Holly Hose Company, Maurice Lynch, Xavier Stultzman and Henry Schearer; Bluff Hose Company, H. J. Clauson, H. F. Johnson and James Wasson; Chemical Engine Company No. 1, David Dick, John Waugh, F. M. Phillips; Engine Company No. 2, Maurice Lynch, Charles Upton and Adam Schneider.
The headquarters of Central City Company was in a two-story brick on the north side of Adams, between Hamilton and Fayette streets; Holly Hose Com- pany in a two-story brick, west side of Sanford, between South Jefferson and First streets; Bluff Hose Company in a two-story brick, south side of Main, between Elizabeth and Douglas streets; Chemical No. 1 in the same building with Central City; Chemical No. 2 in a two-story brick, north side of Adams, between Lindell street and Plank road; Germania No. 4, in a two-story brick on Gallatin, between Cedar and Pecan streets.
In 1881 a new hose house was built and horses, truck and harness purchased at an aggregate cost of over $3,000. A new hook and ladder truck was added to the outfit. In 1883 a lot was purchased near South street, upon which a two- story brick building was erected and an Ahrend's steam fire engine with horses was installed. Another two-story engine house was erected on North Adams street, and a four-wheeled hose carriage installed. The cost of the new engine, hose carriage, houses and lots was $10,000.
There was added to the department in 1884, a second size Clapp & Jones' fire engine, horses and harness, costing $4,975. There was also erected at this time a two-story brick building adjoining the hook and ladder house, costing $2,000. In 1886 a new fire engine house was constructed at the corner of San- ford and West Jefferson streets. As a large part of the work on this building was done by mechanics of the department, the city saved some money and for that reason the amount paid in cash was only $4,120.
In 1888 the city completed what at the time was considered one of the best fire stations in the country. It was erected on Jackson street, between Adams and Jefferson streets, at a cost of $12,000, and was intended to accommodate a steam fire engine, chemical engine and hose cart. At about this time also a first class Button steam fire engine was placed in the hose house on Jefferson street.
After the transfer of the waterworks from the city to a private corporation, some changes took place in the fire department. The old mains of the com- pany had been discontinued and in 1912 the department consisted of the follow- ing : Hose Company No. 1, 203 Jackson street; Hose Company No. 2, 300
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Prairie avenue ; Hose Company No. 3, one combination automobile apparatus, and one combination automobile pump and hose apparatus, 1515 Main street ; Hose Company No. 4, 1521 South Adams street; Hose Company No. 5, 1324 North Adams street ; Hose Company No. 6, 2108 South Adams street ; Hose Company No. 7, 620 Knoxville avenue ; Hose Company No. 8, Smith and Webster streets ; Chemical Company No. 1, Wisconsin and Kansas avenues ; Combination Company No. 1, Starr and Chandler streets; Combination Company No. 2, Jackson street; Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, 205 Jackson street; Hook and Ladder Company No. 2, 300 Prairie avenue; Hook and Ladder Company No. 3, 1523 South Adams street ; Steamer Company No. 1, 620 Knoxville avenue ; Steamer Company No. 2, 300 Prairie avenue. There are at the present writing, in the service, two second size steam fire engines, two combination chemical and hose wagons, two city service hook and ladder trucks, one eighty-five foot aerial extension truck, one double eighty-gallon chemical engine, eight two-horse hose wagons, twelve portable hand chemicals and two portable hand pumps, com- bination hand engine, two-wheeled hand hose cart and four-wheeled hand hose carriage. In reserve the department has one first class Button steam fire engine, two two-horse hose carriages, one city service hook and ladder truck, one chief's wagon and buggies for the chief and his assistants. There are forty horses and two automobile fire apparatuses.
The fire marshal's salary is $1,800 per year ; first assistant, $1,440; second assistant, $1,350: secretary, $300; captains, $990; engineers, $1,080; pipemen, hosemen, tillermen, truckmen, $900; nine relief men, $900; four relief men, first year, $840. The force of the department at the present time numbers eighty-two men.
O. H. Lawton was the first chief of the fire department and the present one is Thomas N. Worm.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
In 1911, under the direction of the superintendent of police, William W. Rhoades, a beautifully illustrated history of the police department was published. Howard Bartling compiled the data and his work was well done, as is shown in his article, reproduced here by permission.
It has been almost impossible to obtain any record of the names of those brave and fearless men who enforced law and order in the days of the early settlement in Peoria, but there are numerous incidents handed down from father to son telling of the courageous deeds of our pioneer police in the days of old Fort Clark.
In those periods a jail for the incarceration of criminals was not thought of. In the first place the vengeance of the law was swift and sure. No tedious de- lays, such as are now afforded by our modern methods of law, then clogged the wheels of justice. The trials were short, for our forefathers were usually sure of their man before arresting him and he was not fed for months at the expense of the community, but was adjudged guilty, if so, and speedily punished. It must be conceded that criminals were not as numerous in those days as they are at the present time. This can be attributed to the fact that the settlements were not thickly populated and were composed of sturdy and honest men with their families.
The trials and tribulations of the settlers were Indians, and it was not until 1834 that the town marshal advised the people crime had increased to such an alarming extent that a jail was imperative. Peoria had been rapidly increasing in population and naturally the criminal was attracted.
The jail was built of squared logs and was situated in the alley between Hamilton, Perry, Monroe and Main streets. It was sixteen feet square, seven- teen feet high, with walls of three rows of logs, each twenty-four inches in diameter. There was a hole in the top, covered by a trap door. Ingress was Vol. I-22
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obtained by hoisting the criminal to the hole and gently dropping him to the bottom of the interior, where he usually remained, blinking in an alarming and surprising manner at the twenty-four inch thick layer of logs, vainly es- timating the time it would require to chew his way out and silently cursing his fate that he had not been born a "wood-pecker."
Only one man ever escaped from this oak bastile and he evidently was made of India rubber, for, by some elastic method he reached the sills of the chucking hole overhead and bounced joyously over terra firma to liberty. The peculiar circumstances attached to this affair was the fact that the jailer failed to buckle down the trap door over the hole, and the wise old citizens of those days silently rubbed their forefingers against the side of their noses, gravely figuring how big a majority they would pile up against the jailer providing he again ran for office. Many, however, took issue with the anti-jailer crowd, offering evidence of the escaped man's resourcefulness by pointing to his crime. It appears he was ar- rested for purloining an entire blacksmith shop-not exactly the entire shop, however, because he had carried away the hammers, anvils, and everything ex- cepting the forge, which was extremely unfortunate, for the reason that he was arrested when he had returned to make a clean sweep, preparatory to putting the place in shape for a "For Rent" placard.
That escape had an excellent effect on all "keepers of the oak bastile," for never again was it repeated.
The town was rapidly assuming dignity and the fact that it was the county seat of Peoria county made it necessary to have a more pretentious structure for housing criminals, so it was decided to build a commodious building which could be used by both the town and county and in 1849 they erected the building stand- ing on Eaton and Washington streets and now occupied by a pickle concern. A two-story brick dwelling was built in front of the jail and was known as the "Sheriff's Mansion" of Peoria county, which for style and elegance far surpassed any similar structure in the state. It stands today in the heart of the lurid hued district and is occupied by negroes.
The jail was used for many years until the city of Peoria built its first city hall on Fulton street, between Jefferson and Madison, on the corner of the alley where it now stands.
The jail then was immediately in the rear, just about where it is at the present time, and the police court in those days was located on the second floor of a build- ing across the alley. There was a bridge built across the alley on the second floor of the jail, connecting the city hall and the police court and every morning the prisoners were marched over this "bridge of sighs" to tremblingly face the honorable head of the police court. This building was used until 1897, when, during the administration of John Warner, the present city hall was crected. The present jail, police court headquarters, and, in fact, the entire department is practically under one cover, as is proper, and there is not another city the same size of Peoria, that can boast of a more modern jail.
The first murder trial which ever took place in Peoria, occurred on the 14th day of November, 1825. before the first circuit court ever held in the county. The accused was an Indian named Nomaque, who was tried for the murder of a Frenchman. He was found guilty and sentenced to suffer death but in some manner the supreme court reversed the finding of the lower court and granted him a new trial. At that time the Peorians had no jail and as the guarding and feeding of the murderer was too tiresome and expensive they held a consultation and decided that they would punish the fellow by forming a double line of the citizens and start the Indian "down the line." As he passed. each citizen was to have the privilege of bestowing an effectual "boot" upon that section of the Indian's anatomy which it seems was created for that particular purpose. Pointed toes were not then in vogue, but it is recorded that the highly incensed citizens took other measures which were as keenly felt. One remarkable feature of the Indian's trial was the fact that he was represented by a son of the celebrated Alexander Hamilton.
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The next murder which created a great deal of excitement was that of a drunken man who was shot by a sentinel employed by a citizen named Bogardus. Bogardus, when in his customary drunken condition, always labored under the hallucination that any one who approached his home, did so for the purpose of either killing or robbing him, therefore he employed an army deserter named Seeds, to act in the capacity of "sentinel" or "guard." Bogardus gave this man explicit instructions to shoot any person who approached his house and failed to give the necessary "countersign." The unfortunate man while under the influ- ence of early Peoria Rye, staggered in close proximity to the guard and in a condition which prevented him from being able to distinguish "countersigns" from any other particular signs, he maudlingly related his ignorance to the senti- nel, who promptly followed the instructions given by his lord and master, by neatly boring the unfortunate "trespasser." This occurred before the town pos- sessed a jail and again another murderer escaped paying the penalty of his act. Bogardus' reputation was unsavory, as he had a record for being somewhat of a fighter, troublemaker and inciter of wrangles.
There were numerous town marshals in Peoria, but it was in 1837 that we find the first record of a "town chief" being selected. This was John B. Lishk, who was appointed in that year by George F. Parker, who was president of the board of trustees of the town of Peoria. Chief Lishk's experience was for a brief duration of one year.
The following men afterwards served and were appointed by the mayors, whose names are also given :
1838-Edward F. Nowland, appointed by President Rudolphus Rouse.
1839-Edward F. Nowland, reappointed by President Rouse.
1840-Jacob Silzell, appointed by President Rouse.
1841-George Divelbiss, appointed by President Peter Sweat.
1842-George Divelbiss, reappointed by President Sweat.
1843-Thomas Bryant, appointed by President John King.
1844-John Brown appointed by President Halsey O. Merriman.
In 1845 Peoria selected its first mayor, who immediately appointed an official known as chief of police.
1845-Daniel E. Oakley, appointed by Mayor William Hale.
1846-Daniel E. Oakley, reappointed by Mayor Charles T. Stearns.
1847-Daniel E. Oakley, again reappointed by Mayor William Mitchell.
1848-John E. Carter, appointed by Mayor William Mitchell.
1849-Henry Hahn, appointed by Mayor Jacob Gale.
1850-Henry Hahn, reappointed by Mayor Dennis Blakely.
1851-Wallace Law, appointed by Mayor George C. Bestor.
1852-Dennis Hays, appointed by Mayor Jonathan K. Cooper.
1853-Dennis Hays, reappointed by Mayor George C. Bestor, who was again elected.
1854-John C. Heyle, appointed by Mayor George C. Bestor.
1855-Alfred R. Kidwell, appointed by Mayor Charles Ballance.
1856-Andrew Bowman, appointed by Mayor Gardner T. Barker.
1857-Andrew Bowman, reappointed by Mayor Barker.
1858-Stephen W. Roszell, appointed by Mayor William R. Hamilton. 1859-John Wetzel, appointed by Mayor Hamilton.
1860-George W. Campbell, appointed by Mayor John D. Arnold.
1861-George W. Campbell, reappointed by Mayor William A. Willard.
1862-Hiram H. Pierce, appointed by Mayor Gardner T. Barker.
1863-Hiram H. Pierce, reappointed by Mayor Matthew W. McReynolds.
1865-Frank J. Vonachen, appointed by Mayor Henry T. Baldwin. 1866-Frank J. Vonachen, reappointed by Mayor Baldwin.
1867-Theopholus Schaerer, appointed by Mayor Philip Bender.
1868-Theopholus Schaerer, reappointed by Mayor Peter R. K. Brotherson. 1869-Thomas Lynch, appointed by Mayor Brotherson.
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In 1870, the first superintendent of police was created in the person of John M1. Guill. He was succeeded in 1873 by Samuel L. Gill.
Peoria had spread considerably in area in the direction of north and south by this period, and when John W. Kimsey was made superintendent of police in 1876, he caused the old No. 4 engine house on Meyer avenue to be converted into a sub-station to take care of the southern portion of the town. There were no telephones in use then, nor did the city possess a patrol wagon. If one of the officers was fortunate in making an arrest and the offender was in a condition which prevented him walking to the police station, the officer, under the law, had authority to press any convenient wagon into service for the purpose of hauling the prisoner to the nearest station. The city was required to pay the expressman fifty cents for each and every prisoner hauled. It is rumored that a certain expressman invariably drove behind one of the policemen whenever he walked his beat so that he would be pressed into service in the event an arrest was made. There is no record that the expressman ever became enormously wealthy from his efforts to always be on the "job."
Superintendent Kinsey officially named the engine house "Lower Station" and placed a night captain in charge from 6 P. M. until 6 A. M. and an assistant from 6 A. M. until 6 P. M. His captain in charge of the lower station was Charles Camp, and the night captain at police headquarters was H. C. Lincoln. Superintendent Kimsey also introduced crossing policemen in the persons of Ifenry Pringle, Leonard Sommers and James H. Murphy.
In 1878, Mayor John Warner appointed Martin C. Dailey superintendent of police and made Elijah C. MeWhirter night captain. These men continued to handle the department until 1882, when Mayor Frank Hitchcock was elected. He appointed John Minor ( the father of our present sheriff). superintendent. with John Hill night captain.
1884 and 1885 again saw John Warner at the head of the municipality and he immediately discharged Hitchcock's selections and reappointed his old friend Martin Dailey, with MeWhirter again as night captain.
During Mayor Kinsey's administration the horse patrol wagon was intro- (luced. It was drawn by one horse and was without a cover or screen to hide the occupant from the view of a curious public. Despite the criticisms, it con- tinued to be "an open affair" until John King's remonstrance was heeded in 1896, when a closed wagon was put into use.
Mayor Kinsey's election in 1886 caused new faces to adorn police headquarters and new rules and equipments. Ilis selection for superintendent of police was Henry C. Lincoln, who had served as night captain under former superintendent Kimsey in 1876. William F. Selby was appointed night captain.
The police patrol box was also introduced during that administration, which caused the good people to believe that the highest pinnacle of progress had been attained.
In 1888 the irrepressible John Warner again became mayor. Since it was out of his province to again appoint Martin Dailey superintendent of police, he selected in his stead, Thomas N. Gorman, with Andrew J. Mooney night captain. Gorman is now a member of the state legislature and a power in Illinois politics.
Charles C. Clarke was elected mayor in 1891 and his choice for head of the department was Charles F. Flynn. Flynn's night captain was Charles A. W. Fash, who afterward became chief. Mrs. Albina Barrett is the first matron of whom we can find a record. She served under Chief Flynn.
When Mayor Clarke was reelected in 1892. he appointed Thomas P. Hawden superintendent ; John A. Arnold, night captain : Andrew J. Mooney. chief of de- tectives ; Charles P. Sloan, sergeant and Mrs. Emma P. Wonder, matron.
The next man to head the department was Charles Fash, who had served as captain under superintendent Flynn. He immediately appointed S. O. Tripp. captain, and made ex-superintendent of police, Charles Flynn, the chief of de- tectives. Sergeant Sloan still retained his position. as did Mrs. Wonder, the matron.
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A SUB-POLICE STATION USED IN 1878
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The force remained practically the same, with the exception of a few minor changes in the captaincies, until 1898, when John W. White was made superinten- dent, with Frank Kleinhenz captain. The sergeant was Charles Sloan.
In 1900 Charles F. Flynn was again appointed superintendent ; Joseph Amlong, sergeant ; D. A. McInnis, sergeant : Hommer Mahannah, sergeant; and Tom Doty, night sergeant. Doty is now on the force in the capacity of patrolman. Mrs. Emma P. Wonder was again appointed matron to succeed Mrs. Barrett.
In 1902 Edward M. Kennedy was appointed superintendent, assisted by Captain Michael D. Hurley. John J. Welsh was made lieutenant; Frank Bar- thell, sergeant; Thomas Powers, sergeant and Tom Doty again appointed night sergeant. Tom Powers remains on the force and is doing duty as crossing po- liceman at Jefferson and Main streets. The police matron was Mrs. Helen F. King.
1903 saw Mayor Woodruff's first term as mayor. He appointed William W. Rhoades superintendent. The present captain, Gustave Breymeier, held the same position then that he does now. The lieutenant was Frank Lichtweis. Barthell and Welsh were sergeants, with Charles Stevens, night sergeant, to succeed Doty. Mrs. Anna Stouffer was matron.
Edward M. Kennedy was again appointed superintendent in 1905. The present day detective, Charles Wilson, was the captain under Chief Kennedy ; Merritt B. Palmer, lieutenant ; sergeants were Welsh. Stephens and Lee Chase. Mrs. King was again appointed matron.
Kennedy served until 1906, when he resigned and Charles Wilson was ap- pointed superintendent of police. Sergeant Welsh was promoted to captain and James Halpin, the present secretary, to Superintendent Rhoades, was ap- pointed lieutenant. Charles Smith succeeded Welsh as sergeant.
In 1907 John F. Kiernan was appointed the head of the department ; Welsh continued as captain, as did James Halpin as lieutenant. Austin Kirby and Robert McConnell were made sergeants. Mrs. Mabel Wright was appointed matron.
When Mayor Woodruff was again selected to head the city administration. he appointed the men who now serve in their several capacities, and when the civil service law went into effect they were all selected and reappointed.
Vast improvements have taken place since the first patrol wagon was pur- chased. The telephone, police alarm boxes and other modern methods have been placed in use and recently the city installed the most complete police signal and alarm boxes which have ever been installed in any city. The operators at head- quarters can signal to any officer on any beat in the entire city, both by the auto- matic ringing of a gong and the automatic flash of a bull's-eye signal lamp which are attached to each box. At nights, in case of emergency, both the gong and lights are used simultaneously. This wonderful invention gives the chief or captain power to call a policeman on any beat within a few minutes after a rob- bery in his vicinity has been reported.
In 1912, a combination automobile patrol wagon and ambulance was added to the paraphernalia of the department and is meeting with all the requirements anticipated.
GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT
The Peoria Gas Light & Coke Company was organized early in 1853, and on February 12th of that year was granted a charter by the legislature. The incor- porators were Hugh J. Sweeney, Peter Sweat, George C. Bestor, Henry Grove and William S. Moss. The company at once erected a plant at the foot of Persimmon street, and on September 15. 1853, entered into a contract with the city for the lighting of the streets. This company had no opposition until the organization of the People's Gas & Electric Company. which was chartered March 21, 1899, with a capital stock of $500,000. Its franchise ran for ninety-nine years
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