McDonough County IL Archives History - Books .....A Newspaper And A Railroad, Chapter X 1878 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 1, 2007, 1:02 am Book Title: History Of McDonough County CHAPTER X. A NEWSPAPER AND A RAILROAD. In the spring of 1844, occurred the greatest fall of water ever known in the western country. The Mississippi river was higher than ever known before or since. All the streams in the county were over their banks; but little planting was done and not a half crop raised. B. R. Hampton, Esq., before the rains began to fall went to Ohio on a visit. Returning, he left the boat at Frederick, but could secure no conveyance to this county, and was therefore compelled to return on foot. The few bridges in the county were all washed away or covered with water; even small streams like Kill Jordan were too high to ford. Mr. H. was compelled to strap his clothes upon his back and swim across each. In 1847, a State election was held for members of the Constitutional Convention, which convention prepared and submitted to the people a new constitution which was adopted by a large majority. By this constitution, in place of the County Commissioners' Court, a County Court was organized in each county. This court consisted of a County Judge, and if the legislature saw proper to so order it, two Associate Justices. This the legislature favorably acted upon. The last meeting of the County Commissioners' Court was held September 3—8, 1849, Joel Pennington, C. C. Hungate, and Samuel Calvin being members, all of whom were present. After the transaction of such business as properly came before them, they adjourned "until court in course," but never re-assembled. On the third day of December, of the same year, the first regular term of the County Court was held. The duties of this court in a legislative capacity, were precisely the same as those of the County Commissioners' Court. The court itself consisted of a County Judge and two Associate Justices. In addition to the legislative powers, the members of this court were permitted to exercise judicial authority, having all the rights and privileges of Justices of the Peace, together with all probate business. Hon. James Clarke was elected the first County Judge to serve four years. The first Associate Justices were Charles R. Hume and C. C. Hungate, Blandinsville. No business was transacted at this first term, save the allowance of a few bills and the appointment of viewers to view and locate certain roads. The court was in session three days. In 1851 the subject of a railroad was extensively agitated in this county. A charter had been granted by the State for the building of the Northern Cross Railroad, running from Meredosia to Springfield. It was proposed, under the provisions of this charter, to build a branch of this road through McDonough County, having its terminus at Clayton, in Adams county. The terminus was afterwards changed to Quincy. In the fall of this year George W. Smith and Theodore L. Terry started a paper in Macomb called the McDonough Independent. This sheet proposed to be "independent in all things; neutral in nothing," and was edited with considerable ability by George W. Smith, the senior proprietor. Mr. Smith was a whole-souled, jovial fellow, and withal a talented man—himself his worst enemy. In the files of this paper, now in possession of J. M. Campbell, Esq., to which we had access, there are flashes of wit equal to any "take off" of George D. Prentice, the Danbury man, or other wit of modern times. Mr. Smith came to an untimely end by a fall from the fourth story window of a hotel in Hannibal, Missouri, about the year 1864 or 1865. The paper had an existence of about four years and a half. The last year it renounced "independency" and became a firm supporter of the Democratic party; but, in consequence of a disagreement between Mr. S. and some of the leaders of that party in the county, patronage was withdrawn from him and the paper ceased to exist. During the days of railroad excitement it was a consistent and earnest advocate of the road, and did much in influencing the people in its favor. The following we copy from it under date of October 10, 1851: "Railroads.—Reader, steam is up! The people of the county of McDonough want and will have a railroad. The age is progressive, and they must keep up. Our neighbors all around us are 'ridin' on a rail,' and we must enjoy the same means of locomotion. The prairies have been trackless, but they shall remain so no longer, come what may we are bound to have a railroad. A railroad! what an invention! what a blessing! See yon 'iron horse,' with his nostrils breathing fire, his long and shaggy mane, in the shape of smoke, streaming far behind, while in his might and strength, with his 'train' in the rear, he comes careering through yon 'neck of timber,' now over that creek, now across the prairie, now again in timber, until in half the time it has taken us to write it, here he is in Macomb, brought up 'all standing,' with his freight of bachelors and babies, married men and mules, ladies and live stock, dry goods and Dutch! Oh, what a rumpus, what a din! But still what a thing a railroad is. "But to be serious. What is to be done in regard to the proposed road from Quincy to Macomb, and from here to Galesburg? The time for stopping to consider the policy of such an enterprise has passed away; and the benefits to be derived from such a means of communication are held to be too self-evident to need any additional argument advanced in their favor, for who, say we, cannot see in the advanced price of land, in the advantage of a ready market, in the increased facilities of communication, in the spread of general intelligence, in the cheapened and quickened mode of transportation, a sufficient inducement to wish such an undertaking success, and say that its benefits are beyond dispute? Perhaps the facts of these truths being so plain and undeniable, has led to the lethargy and inaction of our people. But we must awake from our stupor; measures must be taken for the securing of stock, of having the county become a stockholder to a liberal amount; of getting individuals, who need only the solicitation of some active friend of the road, to become deeply interested in its completion. Then, friends of the road, be up and doing; farmers of McDonough, your interests are at stake, see that you neglect them not; merchant and mechanic, your welfare, too, is bound up in this scheme—with it will come your prosperity, without it you must lose immensely! Then, again say we, let us all at work! Let our untiring zeal and determined efforts show that we desire what we need, and must have A RAILROAD." Meetings were held for the purpose of creating an interest in the proposed railroad. On Wednesday evening, November 5th, 1857, Hon. Calvin A. Warren, of Quincy, and General Darnell, of Hancock county, addressed the citizens of Macomb upon this important subject. A committee was appointed to confer with the directors of the road, and at an adjourned meeting the next evening it was resolved to ask the County Court to appoint an election at some suitable time, at which the people could vote on the question of taking stock in the road to the amount of fifty thousand dollars. At another meeting held December 1, substantially the same proposition was adopted, and on the second day of December, Hon. B. R. Hampton appeared before the County Court and presented the following resolution: Resolved, That we respectfully request the Honorable County Court in and for the County of McDonough and State of Illinois, to submit to the people of said county a proposition to vote for or against the County of McDonough taking stock to the amount of fifty thousand dollars in the proposed railroad from Clayton to Galesburg, and that they be solicited to fix upon the third Monday in the month of March, A. D., 1852, for the purpose of taking said vote. The Court thereupon made the following order: Therefore it is ordered by the Court that the said proposition be submitted to the-citizens of McDonough as requested in said resolution, and that the Clerk of this Court order an election to be held at the several election precincts in said county, on the third Monday in the month of March next, to take the vote of the county for and against the county taking stock in said railroad to the amount of fifty thousand dollars; and that the Clerk issue the notices of said election in the time and manner required by law; and that said election be held and conducted in all respects as other general and special elections required by the statutes are held and conducted. It is further ordered that the resolutions and proceedings of said meetings be filed by the Clerk. The work now began in earnest. Hon. James M. Campbell, Dr. J. B. Kyle, B. R. Hampton, J. P. Updegratf, L. H. Waters, and others favorable to the road, at once began the canvass. Mr. Campbell and Dr. Kyle travelled together, making speeches in nearly every school house in the county. Being in the dead of winter, travel was almost impossible, and had to be done upon horseback. Still they were undaunted, and bound to secure the road, if possible. The opponents of the road were not idle in the meantime, but used every means in their power to influence the people against it. At a meeting held in Industry, addressed by Dr. Kyle and Mr. Campbell, an opportunity was given in which to hear objections, when the Hon. Cyrus Walker boldly took a stand against the road, and, not content with that, followed the gentleman to Pennington's Point, and in a speech of an hour's length, endeavored to show the fallacies of the arguments advanced in favor, and made many objections against the proposed improvement. The recollection of the gigantic failures of the State in its system of public improvement had not been forgotten, and Mr. Walker endeavored to show what might be the consequence should our county be so unwise as to vote the proposed aid. In answer to this plea, Dr. Kyle stated it reminded him of the story of the old woman who sent her little girl out to attend the fire in the old-fashioned brick oven, while she prepared the dough for baking. Not returning, the mother became alarmed and went out to look for her. The fire was burning brightly in the oven, but no child was to be seen. Hearing a cry of distress around the other side of the house, the alarmed mother hastened to the place, supposing her child to be in great danger. She found her weeping bitterly, and hastily inquired: "My daughter, what is the matter?" "O, mother," said she, "I was just thinking if I was a great big woman, just like you, and was married, and had a little girl, just like me, and while I was in the house making bread, I should send her out to fix the fire, and she should come out, with a smile upon her face, and crawl right into the fire, and get all burned up, what a terrible thing it would be!" At another meeting held in Industry, as an illustration showing the flimsiness of the opposition against railroads and other improvements, the doctor told how certain Germans and others living on the line of a proposed canal opposed it on the ground that they had a large amount of money invested in horses and wagons, and if the canal should be built, there would be no employment for them. The canal was built, and they found they could obtain just as much employment as before, and at better prices. Mr. Walker, in reply, spoke of the doctor taking to water, and boasted of driving him into the Miami canal, and stated that he would acknowledge that canals were a public benefit, but not so railroads. He was then asked why it was that no canals were now being built and railroads were being constructed throughout the whole land. This was not answered. At a public meeting in Macomb, held in the Court House, Mr. Walker remarked that he had been informed by a couple of prominent merchants in the town that one train of cars could carry away all the surplus products of McDonongh County, raised in one year, or that David Rall and Harry Perry, two well known teamsters in the town, could likewise remove all its surplus produce, carry it forty miles to a market and return with all the merchandise required by the inhabitants. Such being the case, said Mr. W., what use have we for a railroad; of what benefit will it be? He further stated if the audience desired to know the names of the two merchants he could give them; they were Jonathan 11. Baker and John W. Westfall. Mr. Baker was a very strong opponent of the road, and in March 1852, contributed an article to the McDonough Independent relating a pretended conversation overheard in the Post Office between Farmer Bangs and one of the committee appointed to canvass the county in aid of the proposed road, in which the farmer has the best of the argument, of course. At Blandinsville one of the speakers compared this section of country, with its unsurpassed soil, its fine timber and abundance of coal, with the country between Chicago and Galena, the latter country having a railroad, the former none. In one year from the time the railroad was completed between Chicago and Galena the country lying along its route increased in population three hundred per cent., and in wealth four hundred per cent., and asked if it could be accounted for in any other way than on account of her railroads. Del. Martin, a prominent citizen of the place, suggested it might be on account of that country being settled by the Yankees. Ever afterward the speaker made good use of Mr. Martin's reply to his question. When in a neighborhood composed principally of those emigrating from the South, he would ask them if they would acknowledge such a conclusion was correct. "Have these Yankees," said he, "more enterprise than you? Is that the way you account for this prosperity? No, sir; it all results from their having the advantages afforded by a railroad." When in a Yankee settlement, he would ask them if they could not see the force of Mr. Martin's reply. "These Yankees," said he, "understand fully the laws of trade, and naturally go where they will be sure of a good market for their products. In this they show their shrewd, common sense. Will you not follow and profit by their example?" As the day of election drew near, those favoring the road were fearful of the result. The county had not been thoroughly canvassed, and the people were slow to vote aid for any purpose. If the question could be brought fairly and squarely before them in order that they might see the advantages to be derived in the building of the proposed road, there could be n doubt of securing a majority of votes in aid of its construction. It was therefore resolved by friends to secure, if possible, a postponement of the election. A petition to that effect was presented to the County Court, and that body, on the sixth day of March, 1852, revoked their former order for an election on the third Monday in that month, and made order for an election Saturday, May 22, for or against taking $50,000 stock in the Northern Cross Railroad. Renewed efforts were now made by the friends of the road, who worked day and night, for its success. As a result there were 817 votes cast for, and 644 against issuing the bonds, a majority in its favor of 173. The McDonough Independent, in speaking of this vote, says: "It may not be generally known that old McDonough polled 200 more votes than an at any former election. This vote should stimulate to action every citizen of McDonough, for it is a sure and certain index of the growing prosperity of our county. We venture the prediction that in ten years from this date we will, in number, almost double the vote just polled. 'So, look out for the cars when the bell rings.' " This prediction was more than fulfilled in eight years, viz: In 1860 the vote of the county was 4,638, or more than three times the number in 1852. This shows the value of the road. A year or more passed away, and still no road. Its friends I were almost in despair, and its enemies jubilant—the soothing I phrase, "I told you so," was repeated over and over again to the friends of the road until it became almost monotonous. The difficulty in securing eastern capital was the only impediment in the way—capitalists could not realize it would be for them a judicious investment. The President of the road, Hon. N. Bushnell, made repeated visits east to secure this aid, but without success. The first contract made by the road with this county was to the effect that, in its corporate capacity, it should subscribe $50,000 to its stock, issuing therefor its bonds, having thirty years to run, and bearing six per cent interest. We presume arrangements were made with ether counties on the proposed line of the road upon the same conditions. Mr. Bushnell found it utterly impossible to obtain money to complete the road upon such terms. The question now arose as to what should be done. Must the road be allowed to fail? Its friends said "No;" its enemies said. "How can you help it?" Individual subscriptions to the amount of $52,500 had been secured in this county for the building of the road, thus showing that our citizens felt a great interest in the success of the enterprise. It must be borne in mind that at this time there was not to exceed 8,000 inhabitants in the county, and they were of the poorer class, and to them this was a large sum. Arrangements were finally made with eastern capitalists upon conditions thought favorable by Mr. Bushnell, and upon the twenty-ninth day of June, 1853, at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the road, held in the city of Quincy, the following resolutions were passed and certified to the County Court of McDonough County, at a special session held in Macomb, July 6, 1853: Resolved, That in locating and constructing the Railroad from Quincy to Galesburg, the faith of the Company is hereby pledged that the location shall be so made as to make Macomb, in McDonough County, a point on the line. Resolved, That in case McDonough County will, in its corporate capacity, in lieu of the $50,000 already voted, subscribe $75,000 to the capital stock of the Company, payable in bonds bearing eight per cent interest, the Company will agree to pay until the road is put in operation the whole distance from Quincy to Galesburg, all the interest which may accrue on said bonds, over and above the $3000 annual interest which would accrue on the bonds already voted, so that no additional tax will be required in consequence of this increase of the County subscription. The interest thus advanced and paid by the Company to be hereafter refunded out of the surplus dividends which may be declared on the County stock, after providing for the interest thereafter accruing on the bonds. The Board thereupon passed the following order: WHEREAS, by an act of the Legislature of the State of Illinois entitled "An act supplemental to 'An act entitled an act, to provide for a general system of Railroad Incorporations,' approved November 6, 1849." The several counties in the State are authorized in the manner therein provided to subscribe to the capital stock of any railroad company then organized or thereafter to be organized under any law of this State, to an amount not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars; and whereas the Court has been requested by a large number of respectable citizens and voters of this county to take the necessary steps to procure the vote of this county, at the earliest practicable period for or against the subscription by the said county of seventy-five thousand dollars to the capital stock of the Northern Cross Railroad Company, for the purpose of aiding in the construction of the railroad of said company from the city of Quincy on the Mississippi river, to the town of Galesburg, in Knox county. AND WHEREAS, it is the opinion of this Court, and as they believe a large majority of the citizens and voters of the county, that the early completion of said railroad is of paramount importance for the future growth, improvement, and prosperity of the county; and that it is their interest and duty, to aid by all reasonable means and to the extent of their ability, in raising the means necessary to secure the success of this important enterprise. It is therefore by the Court ordered, unanimously, that Isaac Grantham, Esq., the clerk of this Court, be directed to give such notice as shall be lawful of an election, to be held in the usual place of voting in the several precincts of said county on Saturday the twentieth day of August, A. D. 1853, for the purpose of ascertaining the wishes of citizens, voters of said county, in reference to the subscription of said county of seventy-five thousand dollars, to the capital stock of the Northern Cross Railroad Company; for the purpose of aiding the construction of said railroad from Quincy to Galesburg; said subscription to be paid in the bonds of said county at their par value; and payable twenty years after their respective dates to the Northern Cross Railroad Company, or bearer, with interest at the rate of eight per cent per annum; payable semi-annually, according to interest coupons to be thereto annexed; both principal and interest being payable in the city of New York; and said bonds to be issued to the said railroad company from time to time in discharge of the regular assessments made on stock subscription, as they may fall due. Said election to conform to the provisions of the act mentioned in the foregoing preamble; and to be held and conducted in other respects, and the votes {counted and returns thereof made, by the judges and clerks of said election as in elections for State and County officers. And it is also further unanimously ordered, that in case the citizens and voters of the .county of said election, shall duly authorize a subscription by the county of the said seventy-five thousand dollars, to the capital stock of said railroad company, for the purposes aforesaid, that the former vote of the county to subscribe fifty thousand dollars to the stock of said company, shall thereby be revoked, cancelled, and annulled. The friends of the road went immediately to work, the result being, when the vote was counted upon the evening of August 20, there were eleven hundred and forty-five votes for and two hundred and eighty-five against the stock. The city of Quincy, but a few days before, by a vote of eleven hundred and thirty-two to three, voted an additional $100,000, making a total amount for that city of $200,000. In the fall of 1855 the iron horse made its first appearance in the county, and by January, 1856, the road was completed to Galesburg, where connections were made with the Central Military Tract Railroad to Chicago. From this date McDonough county has continued to make rapid progress, and we are fully convinced that no one regrets the aid rendered, though by the foreclosure of the mortgage on the road the entire amount of stock taken by the county, and by individual citizens, was lost. Property advanced rapidly in price, emigration poured in, new farms were opened, and a market was obtained for all surplus produce raised. Elsewhere we give a resume of the business of the road since 1871 up to January 1, 1876, the Chicago fire destroying the books of the company previous to that date. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY ILLINOIS, ITS CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES, EARLY REMINISCENCES, PERSONAL INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES, AND A COMPLETE BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF THE COUNTY. By S. J. CLARKE. SPRINGFIELD, ILL.: D. W. LUSK, STATE PRINTER AND BINDER. 1878. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/mcdonough/history/1878/historyo/anewspap165gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 24.1 Kb