Crawford County, Illinois - Chapter 5: Industrial Development, 1909

CRAWFORD COUNTY - TWO PRINCIPAL LINBS - AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT - EARLY WATERWAY TRANSPORTATION - HAVOC WROUGHT BY WABASH RIVER FLOODS - PIONEER FARMING METHODS - EARLY COTTON RAISING - CRAWFORD COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY AND FIRST OFFICERS - CLIMATE AND FRUIT GROWING.

The pioneer settlers of Crawford County early turned their attention to providing suitable ways of conveyance and travel, the first emigrant wagons finding no open paths but Indian trails. The laying out of two roads was ordered by the first county court, both leading from Edward N. Cullom's house, one to Jones! ferry and the other, to the head of Walnut Prairie. These were followed, in 1823, by a highway, established under legislative enactment from Palestine to Vandalia. The eourt records not long after this period show a small appropriation for securing a whipsaw for sawing lumber to construct a bridge, near Palestine, over Lamotte Creek. This bridge was built in rude style, and together with the roads above mentioned, constituted the first fmprovements of the kind in Crawford County.

This section was very slow to take an active interest in railroad construction, and it was not until early in the 'seventies that any important action was taken for the promotion of railway facilities within the county limits. Among the railroad projects which have since claimed attention are the "Wabash Valley" line, "Chicago, Danville & "Vincennes, "Paris & Danville," "Terre Haute & Southwestern," "Pana & Vincennes," "Cincinnati & St. Louis Straight Line," "Tuscola & Vincennes," "Indiana & Illinois Commercial," and "East & West Narrow-Gauge." Many of these schemes were abandoned and the routes of others diverted from those originally contemplated. The first road completed through Crawford County was the "Paris & Danville," which was finished to Robinson in August, 1875, connection being made during the fall of that year with the "Ohio & Mississippi" at Law- The Crawford County portion of the "Paris & Danville" (now a part of the "Big Four") was constructed on the old grade of the "Wabash Valley Railroad" until it reached a little beyond Hutsonville, when it veered westward to enter Robinson. After August, 1875, it was operated by a receiver until June, 1879, and, in October of that year, passed into the control of the "Danville & Southwestern," becoming a

An early railroad enterprise in Crawford County, which had its inception in the 'sixties, was organized as the "Indiana & Illinois Commercial Railroad," which was projected from Worthington, Ind., to Vandalia, Ill. In the fall of 1869 the county voted a subscription of $100,- 000 to this line, and a new corporation was formed to construct it under the title of the St. Louis & Cincinnati Railroad Company, to which the townships of Oblong, Robinson and Lamotte, by popular vote, made subscriptions of $20,000 each. After various changes the east and west line was completed through Crawford County as the Springfield, Efingham & Southeastern Narrow- Gauge Railroad, and put in operation in the middle of 1880. This road has been developed into a standard-gauge, and is now a part of the Illinois Central. The destruction, by flood, of its bridge over the Wabash in January, 1882, erippled the road for some time, necessitating the transfer of passengers and freight by boat to the Indiana division.

AGRICULTURE. - -In the early half of the nineteenth century much of the agricultural and other products of Crawford County found its way to market by way of the Wabash River, and flatboats carrying pork, grain and various articles of commerce, were commonly seen plying on that stream towards the Ohio and Mississippi, their destination being New Orleans, then the most profitable marketing place for this region. In time of high water, steamboats of considerable size also came up the Wabash to take cargos of farm produce destined for the gulf port, as well as for Cincinnati and Louisville. While the "Wabash River" was quite an artery of trade for the farmers and merchants convenient to its course. the seasons of its flooding were extremely destructive, sometimes sweeping away, in a single day, the results of many years of toil. During the summer seasons of 1875 and 1876, especially, the overflow covered all the lowlands along the river, causing loss amounting to a large sum, and nearly ruining scores of farmers in the bottoms. The construction of levees was attempted, but proved of little avail. Farming being the chief source of livelihood for a large portion of the people along the river, these periodical losses were a severe blow to this section of the county.

crude implements in the prosecution of their labors. The primitive "bar-share" plow, with its long beam and wooden mold board, and the axes and hoes made at the blacksmith shop, were the main reliance, but the Wabash valley soil was fertile, responding readily to cultivation and repaying the farmer with abundant crops. .

In 1815, laboring under all the disadvantages of pioneer conditions, Edward N. Cullom planted ninety acres of sod corn, and, out of the large yield therefrom, shipped a flatboat cargo to New Orleans, containing enough to meet his needs until the next harvest. A patch of potatoes, corn, beans and ordinary vegetables, was the limit of the first season's crop by the early settler. Oceasionally some crops of flax and tobaeco were planted and for some years many pioneers raised small erops of cotton, although the shortness of the seasons finally compelled the abandonment of cotton culture in this region. From small beginnings agricultural interests slowly developed into large proportions, which was much facilitated by the formation of agricultural societies and the holding of county fairs, marking an era of improvement. In 1856 was organized the first agricultural society of Crawford County, grounds being bought and improved for such use in the edge of Robinson. These grounds were sold in 1870 for $500, when the association purchased at $30 per acre a 20- acre tract a mile west of the town, on which all the necessary accommodations were provided, including convenient buildings, stalls, trees and wells. In 1871 the society was incorporated as the Crawford County Agricultural Board. The officers of the organization for 1872 were as foilows: President - Hickman Henderson; Vice- Presidents - A. J. Reavil, R. R. Lincoln and William Updyke; Recording Secretary - Guy $. Alexander; Corresponding Secretary - William C. Wilson; and Treasurer - William Parker.

CLIMATE - FRUIT CULTURE. - The climate of Crawford County is better adapted to fruit culture than that farther north, although subject to fluctuations of temperature making the hardy apple the most common and dependable fruit.

"The county has a greater number of apple orchards than of all other kinds of fruit combined. The first fruit trees grew from sprouts brought by the early settlers, the first apple sprouts having been planted in what is now Lawrence Township by a Mr. Howard.