The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 46

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848

USA > Illinois > Mason County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 46
USA > Illinois > Menard County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 46

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The year of 1844 was a flood year. In the month of June, there was more water upon the face of the earth, in the Western country, than ever known since the days of Noah's flood. The seasons then ran along in their usual course until the year 1851, when much water fell. The next wet spell was in about seven, or possibly eight, years. The years 1867 and 1868, ending in the spring of 1869, were very wet years in this region of country, piling up the waters on the lowlands so that the muskrats had to build high houses to keep above water. The last wet spell began in July, 1876. Being the centennial year, there was a high old time, drowning out all the corn on the lowlands, and keeping up the spree for two long years ! The valleys and sand hills were all filled with water, and the seepage from the higher to the lower lands caused lakes of water to be formed, and whole neighborhoods to be inundated in some parts of the county where water was never seen before. The sand hills take in the water-unlike clay hills, that run it off-and when the water gets down to hard pan, or clay strata, it flows out to the lowest ground it can find.

Having said something in favor of the periodic theory, it has been further observed that when the dry periods occur in the Eastern Continent, we have our wet seasons in the Western Continent, and vice versa. During the past two years, when we were so flooded with water that we would have been glad to have given it away, there have been some fearful famines in Asia and other parts, produced by the want of rain, that fell where it was not wanted. The change has already set in that will probably reverse this order. England and the East- ern Continent have this year been deluged with water falling from the clouds. Thus it may be observed that Mother Earth, in taking her bath, washes but one side at a time, and it may be further observed that the law of compensation is ever asserting itself in the adjustment of Nature's divine order, by action and re-action, which is the safety-valve of the universe.

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

. Planets move in cycles, also, making revolutions in regular periods of time, as do the seasons, too. The tides are periodic, and many of the malarial dis- eases are periodic, as the doctors will tell you. There are numerous and gor- geously grand geysers in the Territory of Wyoming, spouting forth immense volumes of water-hot, cold and tepid-to the height of the tallest tree-tops, and all of them are perfectly periodic-some long and some short-but all prompt and regular in their own time, like the breathing of animals.

The earth has many of the characteristics of an animal. The rise and fall of the tide once every twelve hours is but the respiration of the huge animal upon which we live; the great rivers of water that have their internal pass way, as well as those that flow upon the surface, are only the arteries and the veins that supply the life-blood to the animal ; the great mountain range that extends the whole length of the globe from north to south is only the backbone of the animal ; the mountains that swell up from the body of the earth are but moles and warts on that body ; the great fountain of oil that lies in the bowels of the earth is what the plain-spoken butcher would call "gut-fat ;" the thunders that roll across the vaulted heavens are but the electric sparks that snap and fly from the Thomas-cat's back ; the shrubs and trees that grow upon the globe are but the hair and bristles that cover and clothe the body of the great animal ; the mutterings and rumblings of the earthquake are only the eructions and dis- turbances in poor Earth's bowels, and the opening of the huge crater, vomiting fortlı fire, ashes, stones and red-hot lava, what is that but the discharge of an overloaded and disordered stomach that may have taken in too much unwhole- some food, or, perhaps, too much strong drink? Now, who shall say that the earth is not as muchı an animal as it is a vegetable or mineral substance ? and who can maintain that the myriads of animals that creep, crawl, leap and fly over the earth's surface, and the millions of men who stand erect upon that same ground, are anything more than parasites that feed and fatten upon the body and blood of this same good old Mother Earth ? And where is the man of science who will undertake to controvert the theorem that this living, moving earth is the "connecting link " that unites man with beast, and feeds and nour- ishes all from the bountiful bosom of one common motherhood ?

GEOLOGICAL.

The eastern portion of Mason County lying east of Crane Creek and includ- ing the greater portions of Crane Creek, Salt Creek, Mason City, Allen's Grove and Pennsylvania' Townships, varies in its formation from the balance of the county. It is a high, undulating prairie, and the soil is generally a rich, brown mold, varying in quantity of clay mixed in the soil, but all containing much more than the balance of the county. There is a small body of timber on the east of Crane Creek, and also on the skirts of the Sangamon River and Salt Creek. There are small bodies of timber in Lease's Grove, and also in Allen's Grove, the balance of the territory being mostly high, rolling prairie. The

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

remainder of the county varies very materially in its formation and topography. The prairies are mostly low and flat, and in many places were originally over- flowed, and in places marshy during the wet season of the year. The soil of these prairies is a rich alluvium, generally more or less mixed with sand, which forms, when sufficiently elevated or drained, the best producing soil in the State. These prairies are interspersed with sand ridges-some of them quite high and some of them covered with an indifferent growth of timber. One of these timbered sand ridges extends from the Sangamon, north, to the Quiver- some fifteen miles-passing up on the east side of Kilbourne and Havana Town- ships, and varying from one to three miles in width. Another sand ridge passes- from the Sangamon to the north line of Bath, on the east side of Bath Town- ship. Another sand ridge, with timber on it, extends from the Quiver, near Forest City, to the north line of the county. These lands are considered of a poor quality by reason of the excessive quantity of sand mixed with the soil : but there are many things that they will produce, and in time they will be put in cultivation. Field's Prairic, about three miles wide and six long, lies between the first two ridges of timber above described, and is one of the richest and handsomest garden spots that a crow cver flew over. There are other localities where the land is equally good, but none where the locality is so picturesque and inviting to the farmer. The upper end of the prairie needs drainage to bring it to the highest state of perfection. Much remains to be done in the way of drainage in nearly all of the townships to bring the land into a high and safe state of cultivation, and when it is done, no other land will excel it in richness and productivencss.

Owing to this peculiar formation, soil and topography of a large portion of the county, the crop yield is dependent very much upon the condition of the weather, and will continue so until a more perfect system of drainage is adopted and carried out.

The richest and best lands of a portion of the county are so level that, in wet seasons, the natural drainage is not sufficient to carry off the surplus water ; consequently, in wet years these lands are more or less non-productive. In tlie dry years, the high, sandy lands, for want of moisture, dry out, parch up and destroy vegetation to a greater or less extent, so that, in the dry years, the full crops are on the flat lands and in the wet years upon the high lands, where there is so much sand that a stranger to the soil would think nothing could grow. Of course, the best lands are those sufficiently elevated for drainage and containing enough and not too much sand mixed in the loam. There is more or less of this kind of land in all the townships of the county. Without drainage, the eastern portion of the county is considered best on account of being high and undulating.

It is remarkable how much life and vigor is imparted to the soil by a plenti- ful supply of sand. If "heat is life and cold is death," we are certainly blessed with a lively life-giving soil. The sun's rays, striking upon the particles of sand,

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

produce a warmtlı that starts vegetation very early in the season and drives it on to maturity with great rapidity. In ordinary seasons, when the frost does not come too early, corn planted as late as July matures and produces well. There have been years when Mason County supplied the country round, in the State and out of it, with the seed which they could get nowhere else, because our corn always ripens and is always ready to grow in consequence of the life and vigor imparted to it by the fructifying influence of sun rays and sand.

Mason County is noted for the superior quality of its wheat, when in a wheat-growing period, which runs in cycles. For a series of years, all wheat sown does well because the elements that it requires in its growth are in the soil. When these elements become exhausted, wheat will not do well until a new sup- ply is accumulated. But in corn there is no failure or let-up; it is always up and a-coming; and melons, sweet potatoes and all kinds of products requiring much warmth in development find no rival in other soils. Watermelons are generally in market by the middle of July, and in virgin soil they grow to an enormous sizc. They are often seen as long as a barrel, and have sometimes kicked the beam at sixty pounds !

RAILROADS. ILLINOIS RIVER RAILROAD.

As early as the year 1850, J. M. Ruggles began the talk for this road, and, after the removal of the county seat from Bath, he become actively engaged in the enterprise, hoping thereby to make amends for what Bath had lost in the county seat. In the year 1852, Mr. Ruggles was elected to the State Senate from Sangamon, Menard and Mason, and at the first session in 1853, he prepared and secured the enactment of the charter under which the road was built. Under this charter, J. M. Ruggles was made the chief corporator, and immedi- ately went to work and procured subscriptions of over $100,000, unaided by a single individual, and organized a company under the charter. Almost every man on the line of the road in Mason County made liberal subscriptions, and among the subscriptions was one of $50,000 by the county, as will be seen in the county records, as follows : "December 5, 1853. This day came J. M. Ruggles and presented a petition for the court to order an election in the county for taking $50,000 stock in the Illinois River Railroad, bonds to run twenty years and draw 8 per cent interest. The court ordered an election to be held on the second Saturday in January, 1854." At this election, the vote for sub- scription was carried by a very decided majority, and the organization was com- pleted some time afterward.

At the first election, Judge William Thomas, of Morgan County, R. S. Thomas, of Cass County ; J. M. Ruggles and Francis Low, of Mason County, and Joshua Waggonseller, of Tazewell, were elected Directors, and R. S. Thomas was elected President; M. H. L. Schooley, Secretary, and Thomas Plasters, Treasurer. With some changes, not now remembered, this directory

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

continued until the road changed its name and ownership. Mr. Low was Pres- ident for a short time, and also Treasurer, and James H. Hole was also Treasurer. B. S. Prettyman was a Director in the later years of the Company, and H. O'Neal for one year.

On the 25th of December, 1856, the county of Mason took $50,000 addi- tional stock in the road. In July, 1857, the town of Havana took $15,000 stock in the road and the town of Bath took $10,000 stock about the same time. Cass County took $100,000 stock in the road, and Morgan County took $50,000 stock. The city of Pekin also took stock. The building of railroads in those days was hard work, and every body had to do their level best.

W. G. Wheaton, of Peoria, was the first engineer employed, and soon devel- oped a disposition to locate depots and speculate in town lots. He contracted for land a mile south of Manito and a mile south of Forest City, and proceeded to lay out towns of large proportions at these places, with a view to speculation. This led to a fierce conflict between him and J. M. Ruggles, as the newspapers of that time will show, and finally ended in the discharge of Wheaton and the employment of another engineer.

The selection of depot grounds and stations in Mason County was afterward put into the hands of J. M. Ruggles, who located the depot at Manito and gave the name to the town. He also located the depots at Forest City, Topeka, Havana and Bath, and the towns which Wheaton had laid out were obliterated and wiped out so effectually that their names are no more remembered.

The contract was let in May, 1857, for grading, bridging and furnishing cross-ties between Pekin and Jacksonville, a distance of about seventy miles. Allen & McGrady, of Indiana, became the contractors, and the work began at Bath in September, 1857, and was pushed forward rapidly until completed from Pekin to Virginia, in 1859. Te section from Pekin to Peoria was completed in 1864, and from Virginia to Jacksonville in 1869, since which time the road has done a heavy business.

The following extracts are taken from the Havana Herald of September 11, 1857, edited by W. W. Stout :

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS.

The election of Directors of the Illinois River Railroad took place at Chandlerville on Sat- urday of last week. A large number of persons were present on the occasion, and an amount of stock was represented equal to $350,000. Considerable interest was manifested among those present in regard to who should be elected to the directory, and as to how they should be appointed. But after the manifestation of considerable feeling in regard thereto, matters were finally arranged, as we presume, to the entire satisfaction of all parties. Judge Thomas was elected Director of Morgan County, R. S. Thomas for Cass, J. M. Ruggles for Bath, Frank Low for Havana and Joshua Waggonseller for Tazewell. The selection of a more efficient Board of Directors could not have been made. They are the very best men to be found along the line of the road, and their selection will meet the approbation of a large majority of the citizens of the different counties through which the road will pass, and give renewed confidence to the friends of this great improvement. After the election, the new Board hield a short session and chose James H. Hole, of Havana, to be the Treasurer of the Company, and M. H. L. Schooley,

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

Secretary. The Board then adjourned to meet again in Havana on the third Saturday of the present month.

THE RAILROAD.

It is with no small degree of satisfaction that we inform our readers that active operations have commenced on the Illinois River Railroad at this place. At the present time, between forty and fifty men and some dozen teams are busily at work in despoiling the enormous sand hill, which has so long been an eyesore to the citizens of this place, of its huge dimensions, and they are now hauling away the dirt and making fills therewith on other portions of the road. The citizens of our town seem to manifest an extraordinary interest in the work, judging from the fact that all the shady spots in near proximity to where the work is going on are constantly occu- pied all day long by persons who seem to contemplate, with immense satisfaction, its progress. The enormous sand-hill is rapidly giving way before the "Mickeys," and it is a great pity but the road had been located through the center of it, for the Railroad Company, in making exca- vations for the road, would have done more for the benefit of the town, more toward improving the appearance thereof, in three months' time than the town Council would be able to do in the next three years.

During the war, the road changed hands by reason of a foreclosure of first mortgage, and the name was changed to that of the "Peoria, Pekin & Jackson- ville Railroad," and has for years been operated for that Company by John Allen and J. F. Kelsy, Vice President of the road, who have given general sat- isfaction in their management.

Something like a year ago, the road went into the hands of a receiver-Mr. John Allen-who continues to operate the road to this time. The controlling interest of the road has recently passed into the hands of the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Company. What that control may develop, when in possession, depends upon the hereafter.

The entire length of the road is eighty-three miles, mostly steel rails. The stations that have been located and built up on the line of the road are : Manito, Forest City, Bishop's, Topeka, Havana, Bath and Saidora. Length of road in Mason County, thirty-six miles ; length of side-track, three miles ; standard gauge.

CHICAGO & ALTON RAILROAD-JACKSONVILLE BRANCH.

This road was first projected as the Tonica & Petersburg Railroad, incorpo- rated in 1857, of which Richard Yates was President up to the date of his elec- tion as Governor, in 1860. In 1862, it was consolidated with the Jacksonville, Alton & St. Louis Railroad Company, and W. G. Green, of Menard, was the first President of the consolidated company. He was succeeded by George Straut, of Peoria. The road was leased to the C. & A. road, April 30, 1868, by whom it has been operated since that date. For several years, the line of road was operated from Jacksonville to Petersburg. In 1867, it was extended to Bloomington, reaching Mason City in June and Bloomington on the 23d of September, 1867. The length of road through Mason County is twelve miles ; standard gauge, and, in all respects, first-class.

SPRINGFIELD & NORTH-WESTERN RAILROAD.

The charter for this road is dated March 24, 1869. The route is from Springfield, via Petersburg, to Havana-forty-eight miles. The original

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

Directors were: John Williams and John T. Stuart, of Springfield; William G. Green and William Estel, of Menard, and Hugh Fullerton and R. S. Moore, of Havana. Mason County subscribed $50,000 to the capital stock, and the town- ship of Havana took $25,000, and the individuals along the line of the road subscribed liberally. The work on the road began in 1871 and the road was completed in 1873. Kilbourne, Bowers & Co., of Iowa, were the contractors. Col. John Williams, of Springfield, made heavy advances to the contractors, and, in the end, finished up the road, became the largest owner of stock, and has opera- ted the road since its completion. The road finally went-where most of the roads have gone in the past ten years-into the hands of a receiver-George N. Black, of Springfield-and in the spring of 1879 it was sold to a new company, by whom it is now operated and of whom Col. Williams is President and largest owner. It is a well-managed road and is kept in good condition, doing a fair business for a short road. The length of road in Mason County, from the San- · gamon River to Havana, is about thirteen miles ; standard gauge. W. M. Bacon and Mike Myers are the present popular conductors of the two trains that make daily trips over the road. The stations on the line of the road are : Sedan, Long Branchi, Conover and Kilbourne.

INDIANAPOLIS, BLOOMINGTON & WESTERN EXTENSION.

This road was chartered in 1867, and extends from the city of Urbana to the city of Havana-101 miles-and is designed to extend west to the Missis- sippi River. The original Directors for Mason County were : Judge Lyman Lacy and James H. Hole, of Havana. The county of Mason took $100,000 stock in the road; Havana, $40,000; Pennsylvania, $10,000, and Mason City, $25,000. The work of construction began in the year 1872 and the road was completed, in first-class manner, to Havana in 1873. This corporation traveled the usual road to bankruptcy, and, after remaining two or three years in the hands of a receiver, was sold in 1879 to a new company, who arc, at this date, preparing to complete the bridge at Havana and to extend the road to thic Mississippi. The road is an important one to Mason County, extending the entire length of the county from east to west, passing through Mason City, Teheran, Easton, Biggs, Poplar City, to Havana-twenty-six miles-crossing the C. & A. at Mason City and the S. & N .- W. and the P., P. & J. at Havana. Jack Caldwell is a well-known and popular conductor on the road, and it has generally been well managed.

HAVANA, RANTOUL & EASTERN NARROW-GAUGE RAILROAD.

This line of narrow gauge road was projected in the year 1873. It has been built and is now in successful operation from the east linc of the State to Leroy, in McLean County, a distance of sixty miles. A company has recently been organized in Mason County to build the road from Havana to San Jose, on the cast line of the county, and the greater part of the stock has been taken in order to secure this section of the road. Francis Low is President of the

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

Company ; W. H. Campbell, Vice President ; E. A. Wallace, Secretary, and Bentley Buxton, Treasurer.

This road is a part of a narrow-gauge line designed to extend east to Toledo, Ohio, and west through Iowa. So far as built, it has proved very popular and has made money for the stockholders. It is three-feet gauge.

FULTON COUNTY NARROW-GAUGE RAILROAD.

This road is designed as an extension of the Havana & Rantoul road, . through Fulton County. It is already graded and ready for the ties from Lew- istown to Havana, and will be in operation within the year 1879.

VERMONT & HAVANA NARROW-GAUGE ROAD.

This is a projected road, intended to connect with the narrow-gauge road at Havana, and will be built as soon as an eastern outlet is secured.

The number of miles of railroad already built in Mason County is eighty- seven, and the assessed value of the same is $317,965. The cost of building these roads was something over $1,000,000. The county debt incurred in the building of these roads is $153,500, and the value of the property in the county taxed to pay interest on this debt is $5,504,263. The township railroad debts are : Havana, $50,000; Mason City, $25,000; Pennsylvania, $10,000, and Sherman, $7,000, making the total railroad debt of the county and townships, $245,500.

The total number of miles of railroad in the State of Illinois built previous to the present year is : Of main line, 6,594 ; side track, 985, making a total of railroad track in the State, 7,579, the assessed value of which for 1878 (includ- ing all railroad property) was $40,641,865. The total amount of railroad indebtedness of all the counties, townships, cities and towns within the State on the 30th of September, 1878, was $13,782,168. The total value of the tax- able property of the State at the same date was assessed at $857,235,762.

NEWSPAPERS IN MASON COUNTY.

The newspaper has become one of the most potent institutions in modern civilized communities. The daily paper gives to the reader each morning all the important events occurring in every enlightened country on the globe, which are eagerly devoured and digested with the matutinal meal; and the reading person would about as soon dispense with the one as the other.

The first newspaper printed in Mason County was in 1851-the Mason County Herald-edited and published by Mckenzie & Roberts, in the town of Havana. In 1853, O. H. Wright became the editor and proprietor of this paper. He was succeeded by E. L. Grubb, who sold out to Stout & Weeden in 1853. W. W. Stout afterward became the sole editor and proprietor, and, under his management, the Herald became a well-conducted and influential paper.

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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.

We can only give the names of the papers and their proprietors that have followed each other in pretty rapid succession, without giving the dates or dura- tion of their several existences : The Squatter Sovereign, in Havana, by James M. Davidson, in 1859-61; the Havana Post, by John B. Wright, 1861 ; the Battle Axe, in Havana, by Robert L. Durdy, 1862; the Volunteer, in Havana, by W. W. Stout ; the True Unionist, in Havana, by S. Wheaden ;. the Havana Gazette, by R. L. Durdy ; the Havana Ledger, by William Humphreyville; the Journal, by J. J. Knapp. This paper was removed from Havana to Mason City and sold to W. S. Walker, who ran it awhile and sold out to Wells Cory. Mr. Cory has conducted the Mason City Journal for nine years with marked ability. The True Unionist and the Havana Ledger were consolidated into the- Democratic Clarion, and, after being conducted for a time by Wheaden & Hum- phreyville, passed into the hands of Mr. Wheaden, who ran it, with his son, for- a number of years, and sold out to J. C. Warnock, of Mason City, on the 10th of September, 1877, when the name was changed to the Mason County Demo- crat. On the 2d of August, 1878, Mr. Warnock sold out to Messrs. Mounts. & Murdock, who continue the paper in a way that indicates enterprise and ability.

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The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 46

Author: Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 848

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848