Logan County, Illinois - City of Lincoln, 1911

City of Lincoln

The genesis of the city of Lincoln, the present county seat of Logan County, was the old time town of Postville. The former now includes what remains of the latter, but as Postville antedates Lincoln some eighteen years, the history of the latter cannot be written without a sketch of the former.

Town Of Postville

There was a time when Postville was not, but at that time there was very little of Logan County that was. The only town in the county which antedates it is Middletown and that only in the formal date of its laying out, for in the second year of Postville's career it was larger than Middletown. Postville, like Middletown, is older than Chicago, dates back to a time when Logan County was part of Sangamon and it was laid out for a town while John Reynolds was governor of Illinois and Andrew Jackson was president of the United States. Moreover much of the history of Postville has already been told, for the history of the county, from its establishment to 1848, was largely the history of Postville, then its county seat.

Reference has already been made to the fact that in 1812, as somewhat of a side issue of the war of that year, Governor Edwards, governor of the Territory of Illinois, sent a military expedition against the Indians around Fort Clark, now Peoria. This expedition came from Camp Russell, near Edwardsville, marched through timber and prairie up through the present counties of Macoupin and Sangamon, past Elkhart Grove, crossed Salt Creek west of the present Lincoln Chautauqua grounds, crossed Sugar Creek in the northeastern part of what is now West Lincoln township and from thence moved to the Illinois River to Fort Clark. The road thus blazed by Gov. Edwards' small army was known as the "old Edwards' trace,' and it is queer how this "trace" is ever the beginning place of Logan County history, for when made there was not a white settlement in what is now Logan County, and when settlement did come, seven years after, it first came along this "trace," at "Elkhart Grove" and "Robert Musick's on Sugar Creek." In 1825, a county road was established by the commissioners of Sangamon County from Springfield to Fort Clark (Peoria), and it followed the "old Edwards' trace," past Elkhart Grove, McClure's F erry on Salt Creek, and Musick's on Sugar Creek. Later, in 1834, McClure's Ferry was abandoned and the road crossed Salt Creek at Evans' F erry at the foot of the hill where Union Cemetery is now located.

In 1835, a ship chandler from Baltimore came to the Mississippi Valley and landed at Waynesville, then a promising new town, in search of his fortune. He was a heavy-set, rough, uncouth and resolute kind of man, of a roving disposition, a speculator by nature and always looking for an opportunity to drive a sharp bargain, a habit he had formed at the seaboard. If this were fiction, instead of history, a great story could be woven about the character of Russell Post, for such was the ship chandler's name, and still the writer need not draw on imagination to make the character interesting. Post became interested in Waynesville, opened up a store and real estate office in the new town and started to build a hotel but never completed it. He took occasion to inspect the country about him. Pleasantly rolling, with excellent drainage, surrounded by fertile prairies, the present location of Postville attracted him as a model town site. Railroads he did not dream of, but the site was rendered more ideal by the fact that it was near the stage road from Springfield to Fort Clark, the main highway of travel - the "old Edwards' trace.'' Here he entered eighty acres of land and received title from the government, and here in 1835 he had John B. Watson, deputy surveyor of Sangamon County and co-laborer with Abraham Lincoln, survey and plat a town and he named it for himself and called it Postville. He also entered land in Kickapoo creek and spent considerable money on a water mill. He also bought hogs and packed pork. It was in the days of the town lot booms and he expected that Postville would make him a fortune and become a populous city, so ideal was its situation. Finally, the financial crash of 1837 came and Post found himself financially embarrassed. His numerous ventures all failed. He owed many of the farmers for hogs but could not pay them and got a bad name as one who would not pay his debts - an unenviable reputation in those days. He disposed of substantially all his Postville lots at a tithe of what he had expected to receive. Afterwards he made plows and wagons at Waynesville and opened another store there. He still dabbled in town lots and tried hard to get the capitol of Illinois located at Waynesville. He went to Vandalia during the last session of the Legislature held in that town and lobbied energetically for Waynesville but with poor success, as Abraham Lincoln and the rest of "the Long Nine" were "pulling for" Springfield. Post managed to get one vote for Waynesville and that was the vote of Lieutenant Governor Moore of McLean County. Soon after this Post went to New Orleans, spent a couple of months there, returned and then went to St. Paul, Minn., where he became quite well known as a faith healer and where he died. He had been unsuccessful in all his ventures, but that of faith healing, and even in that he failed to have faith enough to heal himself. But whether as ship chandler, adventurer, speculator, town site boomer, merchant, real estate dealer, hotel builder, mill-wright, farmer, stock buyer, pork packer, wagon maker, lobbyist or faith healer, he was always and at all times a novel character.

Postville, as Russell Post laid it out, contained 4o blocks. The street names were Washington, Main, Evans and McGraw in one direction and from First to Ninth streets in the other direction. It contained a public square which was donated to the public. This square is still reserved as a public park, being the only park really owned by the city. The original Postville was built on the south and west sides of this square and extended south to what is now the Illinois Central right of way and west to the present city limits of Lincoln. The common impression that the original Postville centered about the old court house building is erroneous. The court house section constituted a later Postville. The original business section of Postville was two blocks west and one south of the old court house and was in every respect an excellent site. The portion of Postville upon which the court house was later erected was known as Knapp, Bird and Tinsley's add to Postville. This was platted July 20, 1836. The proprietors were Moses L. Knapp and Seth M. Tinsley, of Springfield and one Henry Bird, who resided in Philadelphia and furnished the finances. When Russell Post failed in 1837, it was to this firm that he sold most of his holdings in original Postville. This first addition to Postville was laid out on land entered from the government by Moses L. Knapp, Feb. 27, 1836, contained 80 acres, continued the original town from Ninth to Sixteenth streets and added the streets of Jackson, Adams, Monroe, Madison and Jefferson. Later in 1840, Knapp sold out his interest to Tinsley and Bird. A second addition was made to Postville, Aug. 8, 1836, by Richard Ackman and Wm. Rankin, on the theory that Postville was to be a great city. This addition included 64 blocks. Substantially all of this addition has been vacated and is now farm lands. Kasebier's blacksmith shop occupied the northeastern extremity of this addition for many years. The plat of this addition contained a public square and a market range and the north and south streets, now no longer in existence, were named Center, Market, Columbia, Chester and York.

The first house built in Postville and hence the first house built in Lincoln was probably built by John Sutton. This was a log structure, about 14 by 16 feet in size and afterwards formed a part of John Melton's house. Samuel Martin, a Methodist preacher, helped hew the logs in constructing this house and after helping construct it, held meetings therein. In this crude structure, which faced the old park northward, John Sutton served pioneer meals to travelers and when not too numerous housed them over night. His house was both the first house and the first ""hotel'' in Postville. The first store in the town was also a primitive structure and was erected in 1836 by Richard Ackman and William Rankin and was known far and wide as "Ackman & Rankin's store." Hiram Edwards constructed the building, which was a hewn log structure, and received $70 for his services. The logs were hewn to a thickness of six inches and as wide as the log would cut. The roof was of clapboards. The store was erected on the southwest corner of the park square on the corner of Fourth and Main streets. Soon after Seth M. Tinsley erected a store on the corner of Fifth and Main streets, on the site later occupied by J. F. Boy. James Primm conducted the store for Mr. Tinsley. Mr, Sutton's house being too small for the entertainment of travelers who began to be more numerous in 1836, a more commodious "hotel" was constructed by William McGraw. This was located about where Mrs. Bowman now resides, in the middle of the block, facing the park northward. The difficulty in securing merchandise for the early Postville stores can be realized when it is considered that the goods were purchased principally in Alton and boated up the Illinois river to Pekin and then teamed across the country to Postville. One of the oldest residence houses in the town still remains, fronting the park northward and known as the Melton house. This rude structure is constructed of riven timber. It was occupied in the earlier days by William Russell, a veteran of the War of 1812 and father of John J. Russell.

Soon after the platting of Knapp, Bird and Tinsley's addition in 1836, Dr. John Deskins built a one story house on Fifth street, almost opposite the site where the first county court house was erected four years later, and in 1837 he added a second story. This was the recognized hostelry of the town during terms of court. Dr. Deskins was the first sheriff of the county and later a member of the State Legislature from this district. His "hotel," being substantially the first one of much consequence in Postville, is famous for the many happenings that there took place when the lawyers "traveling the circuit" and the court, jurors, witnesses and litigants made it their headquarters. It was conducted for a while by John Allison. It was the regular stopping place for Abraham Lincoln. For incidents associated with Abraham Lincoln and his temporary stay at the old Deskins' hotel, reference is made to the chapter on "Abraham Lincoln." Further references have also been made to this early hostelry in the chapters on "Bench and Bar" and "County Government." The doors, sashes and stairs of this hotel were made by George W. Edgar and it was weatherboarded with black walnut from Orendorff's mill. The old building was dismantled about ten years ago.

Logan County was established by act of the Legislature of date Feb. 15, 1839. The commissioners named in the act on June 3, 1839, located the seat of justice "at the town of Postville, in said county of Logan, on the public square and enclosed by blocks numbered 60, 62, 58 and 68." This was the public square of Knapp, Bird and Tinsley's addition to

Postville. The first election in the county occurred April 1, 1839. An account of this election is given elsewhere. The court house was built in 1841 and the first jail was built by Elisha Parks. Full descriptions of these' structures and the facts connected with the location of the county seat at Postville have also been given in former chapters. In 1841, the Legislature permanently located the county seat at Postville. The first person to hold religious services in the Postville court house was Rev. Samuel Martin and here the first church society was organized, known as the Postville Methodist church. The association of such names as Abraham Lincoln, David Davis, John T. Stuart, E. D. Baker, Judge Treat and Peter Cartwright with the Postville court house has been noted at length in former chapters.

The post office was established in Postville in 1840 and James Primm was the first postmaster. Mr. Primm continued as postmaster until 1848, when he was succeeded by Solomon Kahn, and the latter held this position until the postoffice was abolished upon the absorption of Postville into the city of Lincoln. Solomon Kahn opened up a store in Postville in 1842. His brother became associated with him in 1848 under the name of the Kahn Brothers. The road from Postville to Mt. Pulaski was established by the county commissioners in 1841. Prior to the Mexican war, the mail was carried on horse-back. After that war mail hacks were run between Springfield and Bloomington, and from Middletown through Postville to Mt. Pulaski. John L. Clough, afterwards county treasurer, drove the first hack. It was a two-horse affair. The first tavern kept at Postville was conducted by Elijah Lucas. Taverns in those days were considered necessary adjuncts to civilization. John and George Musick were early merchants in Postville. Capt. John Hurt conducted a harness shop. He afterwards raised a company around Postville for the Mexican war and on his return was elected sheriff. He died May 26, 1856. John D. Seick and David Smith were early Postville carpenters. Two young men by the name of Stone conducted a store during the thirties. The first. physician in the town was Dr. John Deskins and the first preacher, Rev. Samuel Martin. Samuel Briggs was likely the first school teacher. A shoemaker by the name of Christian was the perennial perpetrator of the joke that he was "the only Christian in Postville." By 1848 the business directory included Kahn Brothers, general store; John and George Musick, general store; John Allison, harness shop; George and Samuel Webb, blacksmiths; August Skelly, shoe shop; Mathew Smith, tavern; Conrad Miller, tannery ; Zadock Mundy, wagon shop; James McGraw, hotel; Doctors Peck, Kelso and Cody; Elijah Lucas, justice of the peace. Great public occasions in Postville in the forties were the militia musters twice a year. All able-bodied men in the county were required to answer to roll call for drill in May and September. These were gala occasions but eventually

In 1848, the county seat was voted to Mt. Pulaski and from that time on Postville began to wane, particulars of the removal of the county seat having been before noted. The county commissioners sold the court house to Solomon Kahn on July 1, 1848, for $300 and he moved a general stock of dry goods and groceries into the same, continuing business as a retailer in the old court house until 1856, when he went into business in Lincoln. The post office in Postville was in his store in the court house.

For some reason or other not apparent and seemingly unknown, as far as the writer can ascertain, on March 3, 1845, the name of the town of Postville was changed to that of Camden. Despite this new name, which is used in all official documents and deeds. from that date until 1861, every one still clung to the old name, which while perhaps not so elegant was historic and gave the auditor to understand what place was meant. Tiring of a name which few used, except in legal papers, by act of Feb. 21, 1861, the name of the town was changed back to that of Postville. By this act, John Russell, William Dornan, L. L. Andrews and John Hill constituted "the Town Council of Postville" and the boundaries of the town included territory a mile square. This was the first incorporation of Postville. By this time, the town of Lincoln, which had been platted in 1853, a mile distant from the Postville boundary, had grown until the boundaries of the two corporations in 1861 joined and by act of Feb. 16, 1865, the two towns were united under the name of the city of Lincoln.

Town Of Lincoln

The coming of the railroad to Logan County was the immediate cause of the platting of the city of Lincoln. The land upon which the original town of Lincoln was platted was entered by Isaac and Joseph B. Loose, who received a government patent for the same, May 21, 18309. This land constituted the northwest quarter of section thirty-one in what is now East Lincoln township. None of the original town of Lincoln was in what is now known as West Lincoln township. In 1847 the Legislature created "the Alton & Sangamon Railroad." The road was completed in 1852, the termini being Alton and Springfield. The same year a movement was set on foot to extend the road from Springfield through Logan County to Bloomington. The name of the road was thereupon changed to the Chicago & Mississippi Railroad and right to extend was granted by legislative act. At that time, through passengers from St. Louis would go from St. Louis to Alton by boat, from Alton to Springfield by the new railroad, then from Springfield to Bloomington, through Logan County by Frink & Company's stage, then by the Illinois

Central to LaSalle and by the Rock Island road to Chicago. This stage line through Logan County kept relays of horses at James Latham's, at Elkhart and at Timothy Hoblit's, east of what is now Atlanta.

A survey 'for the extension of the Chicago & Mississippi Railroad (now the Chicago & Alton) was made through Logan County in the summer of 1852, the first condemnation suit for right of way in the county being filed Dec. 1, 1852, against land owned by Silas H. Gard, a non-resident. Virgil Hickox, of Springfield, had been a director of the Alton & Sangamon road from its inception; John D. Gillett, of Elkhart, had been interested through Mr. Hickox, and Col. Robert B. Latham, then sheriff of Logan County, was the railroad company's agent in securing the right of way*through the county. These three gentlemen had inside information that a station of the road would be located near the center of Logan County on the northwest quarter of section thirty-one aforesaid. From the central location of this proposed station and the fact that it was to be on the new line of railroad it seemd to them an ideal site for a new county seat of Logan County.

- As a first step in the laying of the new town, Col. Latham journeyed to Franklin County, Pennsylvania, where resided Isaac Loose, the owner of the fee to "the northwest quarter, of section thirty-one." Before leaving Pennsylvania, on Feb. 3, 1853, Col. Latham secured the signatures of Mr. Loose and his wife, Eliza, to a deed to the land, for the consideration of $1,350, although Col. Latham afterwards stated that before the signature of Mrs. Loose could be obtained, she exacted a pledge from her husband that she was to receive a silk dress as her portion of the consideration. Simultaneously with the effort to secure a deed, Colby Knapp, then a member of the Legislature from Illinois, introduced in that body a bill providing for a special election to be held in Logan County, at which the legal voters should "vote for or against the removal of the seat of justice from the town of Mt. Pulaski to the northwest quarter of section thirty-one, township twenty, range two west of the third principal meridian." The bill was passed and approved Feb. 14, 1853, and provided that the said election should be held at the regular election in November and that the owners of the said quarter section should convey to the county certain lots and grounds for public buildings, in the event the proposition to remove the county seat should carry.

On April 15, 1853, Col. Latham deeded a right of way through th quarter section to the Chicago & Mississippi Railroad, together with a strip of land adjacent to the right of way, 80 feet wide and 1,500 feet long, including what is now Elm park and the railroad property north and south of same, now enclosed between the railroad and Chicago street. On Aug. 24, 1853, Col. Latham also deeded a two-thirds interest in the northwest quarter of section thirty-one to Virgil Hickox and John D. Gillett, this being but the legal recognition of the joint ownership of the said track of land and proposed town site by Messrs. Latham, Hickox and Gillett. On the same day, there was drawn up a power of attorney to Col. Latham by Messrs. Hickox and Gillett, reciting their joint ownership of the land with Col. Latham and empowering Col. Latham "'to lay off a town' on the said tract '"'to be named Lincoln,' to have same surveyed and platted and to sell the said lots at public or private sale.

Named Lincoln

The document last above named is important in that it is the first one connected with the laying out of the proposed new town site, which contains the word "Lincoln" as the name of the town so proposed. Even the Legislative bill submitting the proposition of removal of county seat located the proposed new town by designating the section. Another important fact connected with this matter is that the attorney and legal adviser of Messrs. Latham, Hickox and Gillett, with reference to the laying out of the proposed town was Abraham Lincoln, of Springfield. Mr. Lincoln drew all the deeds and papers and the document of Aug. 24, 1853, which contained for the first time the word "Lincoln," was also drawn by Mr. Lincoln in Mr. Lincoln's office in Springfield. Mr. Lincoln was not only the attorney of Messrs. Latham, Hickox and Gillett in this matter, but had been their attorney for all other matters for years past. He was more than that; he was and had been their personal, confidential friend, visited their homes frequently and was their political as well as their legal adviser. Even in that early day, Abraham Lincoln was not unknown to fame. He was then the most conspicuous Whig leader in Illinois. He had been a leader in the General Assembly nearly ten years before, had served four terms in that body, being twice the Whig candidate for speaker. He had been the leader of "the Long Nine," who had landed the capitol at Springfield. He had represented the district, of which Logan County was a part, in Congress, seven years before, © being the only Whig in the Illinois delegation and had fought the Mexican war. He had been the candidate of the Whig party for the United States Senator in the Legislature, three years before. His coming greatness was being clearly foreshadowed in the growing anti-Nebraska movement, which was looking to him as a leader. Two years later he was again a candidate for senator, five years later accurred the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates and seven years later he became president of the United States. It is no wonder that being the friend and attorney of the proprietors of the proposed new town, drawing the preliminary papers which created it, that when created the town bore his name.

It is authoritatively stated that the town was named in Lincoln's office in Springfield at the time the power of attorney above referred to was drawn, that Messrs. Latham, Hickox and Gillett were present for the purpose of making arrangements for the contemplated sale of lots in the proposed new town, that Mr. Lincoln was drawing up the power of attorney in order that Mr. Latham could proceed to have the town surveyed, that Mr. Lincoln in drawing the document asked the three gentlemen what was to be the name of the new town, that they stated that a name had not been discussed, that Mr. Lincoln suggested that a name should be selected at once so that it could be incorporated in the power of attorney, that several names were suggested and that finally Col. Latham suggested that it be named for Mr. Lincoln, that Mr. Lincoln added, "You'd better not do that, for I never knew anything named Lincoln that amounted to much," that the name Lincoln was however agreed upon and was incorporated in the power of attorney. It is further stated that on the day of the sale of lots Mr. Lincoln was present and going to a temporary street stand that had been erected by a vendor of eatables, there being no eating house yet erected, Mr. Lincoln purchased two watermelons, at about the noon hour, brought them, one under each arm, to the new square, invited Messrs. Latham, Gillett and Hickox to help him dispose of them, with the remark "Now we'll christen the new town." This latter incident was told the writer by Col. Latham himself, in which conversation he also substantially corroborated the incident first mentioned with reference to the naming of the town.

In 1866, Col. Latham, as one of the trustees of Lincoln University, had published over his signature and that of the other trustees, an appeal to the public for endowment funds for that institution. This appeal, to which Col. Latham subscribed, appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Feb. 12, 1866, and among other things, contained the following: "The town of Lincoln was named after Abraham Lincoln, before presidential honors had any influence, by the proprietors, who were the personal and intimate friends of Mr. Lincoln." A sketch of Col. Latham, prepared for an old atlas of Logan County in 1870, by Prof. I. Wilkinson, then principal of the Lincoln High School, said article having been approved by Col. Latham before being printed, contained the following: "Col. Latham, in connection with John D. Gillett and Virgil Hickox, bought a tract of land, upon which they founded a town, and which Mr. Latham named Lincoln, in honor of his friend Abraham Lincoln." Abraham Lincoln had been known to Col. Latham from the time the latter had attended school in Springfield. Frequently as the boy Robert Latham passed by Lincoln's office on his way from school, Mr. Lincoln would call Robert into the office and go over his lessons with him. Mr. Lincoln's education was meager and he was glad to have opportunity of fortifying his own information this way, both being mutually helpful to the other. Mrs. R. B. Latham recently informed the writer that on one of Mr. Lincoln's visits to her husband at Lincoln, Mr. Lincoln said to her that her husband had been one of his (Mr. Lincoln's) instructors. Mrs. Latham is also authority for the statement that the town of Lincoln was named for Abraham Lincoln at her husband's suggestion, enthusiastically approved by Mr. Gillett and acquiesced in by Mr. Hickox, the latter not being

Sale Of Lots

The town was surveyed Aug. 26, 1853, by County Surveyor Conway Pence and the chain carriers were Leroy Brown, Silas Allison and Levi Lucas. The platted town was all in what is now East Lincoln township and contained 27 blocks. By this time the railroad had been substantially completed between Springfield and the new town site. The railroad company had erected a water tank and a large wood shed, opposite what is now Elm park, where soon afterwards they erected a depot. Pending the erection of the latter, the woodshed was used for a depot. Fink's stage line company built temporary stables near the depot. Construction trains only were run on the road for some time, passengers coming on the construction train from Springfield being carried by the stage to Bloomington where connection was made with the Illinois Central. As the road was built, a station was made every ten miles, when the stage company would remove its stables to that point and carry passengers therefrom.

The first public sale of lots in Lincoln occurred August 29, 1853. The construction train from Springfield brought quite a number of people on the day of the sale, among whom, as has already been noted, was Abraham Lincoln. Ninety lots were sold, varying in price from $40 to $150. The lots fronting the railroad brought the highest price. The total proceeds of the sale was $6,000. The contracts for the sale had been prepared by Mr. Lincoln and they provided that payment was to be made for the lots in one year, conditioned on the location of the county seat in the new town. In case the county seat was not so located, the sale was null and void. Among those purchasing lots at the sale or soon after were John M. Handschey, Allen F. Peck, Charles Riley, Joseph Ream, Jonas Hoffman, Jefferson Britt, Richard Latham, James Nolan, Jefferson Bruner, George W. Webb, Isaac N. Buck, A. E. Constant, W. F. Ryan, Thomas Clarke, John G. Glenn, Lewis Eichberg, John S. Medcalf, S. R. Shull, M. M. Rawlings, George Musick, Andrew Bruner, W. H. Young, Leroy T. Brown, A. M. Doake, Martin Dozle, O. W. Barnett, S. A. Francis, Philip Klinck, James Fitzgerald, William Roach, John Offell, W. R. Robbins, M. W. Higgins, George F. Stillman, L. L. Leeds, James Ratekin, J. W. Ratekin, F. F. Fuller, John Snyder, Charles Fassett, Thomas Townsend, Leo W. Myers, J. T. Jenkins, S. C. Parks, J. H. Russell, Martin Spitly, Michael Baker, J. B. Sharp, J. T. Laird, J. E. Cummings, Joseph Jackson, Elisha Ray, A. C. McMahan, Henry Johnson, George Allis, H. C. Judy, Joseph Reed, Osbert Bigelow, J. B. Cowardin, H. L. Bennett and George Doolittle.

In a short time building began. John Allison erected the first building on the town site. It was a dwelling, was located on Chicago street, facing the railroad, about the middle of the block, fronting Elm park. The house had beaded weatherboarding and the lath had been "'split out." The first store building in the town was built by Ezra Boren and Jesse Forbis, and a general stock of goods installed. The store was opened in December of 1853 with M. L. Higgins as clerk. The building was located on Chicago street, north of Broadway, facing the railroad. It was afterwards occupied by George A. Brown and was burned Dec. 6, 1871. Soon after Samuel Long also built a small grocery store in 1853. The first railroad station agent was I. N. Buck and he built one of the first houses in town. It was located on the north side of Broadway.

In The Fifties

On Sept. 5, 1853, the proprietors of the town deeded to the county the present court house square, the jail lot and the north and south parks, and in the November election of 1853, the proposition to locate the county seat at Lincoln prevailed. Lincoln naturally then began to grow. Work was commenced on a court house early in 1854 and the building was ready for occupancy during that year' The structure was 70 by 55 feet in dimension and the yard was enclosed with a fence, having a single gate entrance on Kickapoo street. Following the erection of the court house came the erection of numerous other buildings. George W. Edgar and Henry Johnson put up a store building on the corner of Chicago and Pulaski streets and opened a general stock of goods. Dr. L. L. Leeds opened an office in the second story. George W. Webb opened a blacksmith shop. Michael Hinrichsen built a store on the north side of Broadway, on the opposite side of the alley from the present site of the Lincoln State Bank. Mr. Hinrichsen had a residence next door to the store. He was succeeded in business in 1857 by the Kahn Brothers. John Small opened up a hotel on ne Cuee street, on the site of the present Revere House.

In January of 1854, the proprietors of the town began the erection of a hotel on the south corner of Broadway and Chicago streets, now known as the Lincoln House corner. It was a two story frame structure and it was opened to the public as the Lincoln House, Jan. 1, 1855, by D. M. Jackson as manager. Mr. Jackson had been conducting a hotel in Postville. Mr. Jackson purchased the hotel in 1857, but sold it to Henry Palmer in 1859. It was leased during the early sixties to J. M. Floyd, Husbrook & Harlow and others, but in 1867, Mr. Palmer took charge again, changing the name of the hotel to the Eagle Hotel. It was destroyed by fire, April 19, 1870, and upon its site the present Lincoln House block was erected. The first school house was built in 1854 on Clinton street, facing the south park on the present site of the Washington school. Two additions to the town were laid out in 1854. One of these was known as the town of West Lincoln and the proprietors were James Primm and Erastus Wright, two well known early settlers. The addition included 10 blocks and extended from Union to Elm streets and from Third to Sixth streets. The other addition was Zadock Mundy's addition of 24 lots. These additions geographically connected the new Lincoln with the old Postville. The first hall in the town was Musick's Hall, built in 1855 by George Musick, on the corner of Pulaski and Kickapoo streets and for some time was used as a school room, as well as an entertainment hall and a place of meeting at times for church societies pending the erection of their churches. A number of secret societies also met in the hall. It was located on the present site of the German- American bank. The building was removed in 1873 to the corner of Pulaski and McLean streets and converted into a hotel conducted by John Small. It is now utilized as a grocery store.

Up to the year 1855 there had been no town government in Lincoln. In that year a town organization was effected under the state law by the election of the following town board: George W. Edgar, Ezra Boren, Hopkins C. Judy, Robert Leslie and John E. Cummings. These were sworn into office by David P. Lee and on Nov. 17, 1855, met for organization. George W. Edgar was thereupon elected first president of the first town board of Lincoln and J. E. Cummings was elected clerk. The board then appionted the following officers: George W. Stillman, street commissioner; J. W. Ratekin, assessor; Joseph F. Benner, treasurer; Leroy T. Brown, constable. The latter resigned soon after appointment and J. T. Rudolph was appointed in his stead. The board then adopted seven ordinances and adjourned. Subsequently on Jan. 19, 1856, the board adopted the first liquor ordinance, fixing the license fee at $300 per annum. It also defined the boundaries of Lincoln, which included the original town and the two additions already named. The town continued under the general law organization until Feb. 18, 1857, when the town was incorporated by special legislative act. In this act the boundaries of the town included territory one mile square, the center being the center of the west half of the northwest quarter of the original section thirty-one. The government of the town was vested in a president and four trustees to be elected annually. A justice of the peace and a constable were to be elected annually in April and the justice so elected was to be the president of the board. All "free white inhabitants" only were allowed to vote and every male inhabitant was required to work on the streets for three days or pay one dollar for each day omitted.

In addition to Musick's Hall, built in 1855, Logan, Cox & Company erected a hall in 1856 for the use of the Masonic fraternity. The Lincoln Mills were erected in 1856 by William Roach at a cost of $10,000. The property was purchased in 1859 by L. C. Richter who conducted it for over 25 years under the name of the Richter Mill. The property was located on Elm street. In later years the property was purchased by John A. Lutz and others and converted into a canning factory. In 1856 Solomon Rothschild and Lewis Rosenthal put up a two story brick building at the southeast corner of the square, which was probably the first brick building in the town. In the same year Martin Spitly started a stage line between Lincoln and Mt. Pulaski, the fare being one dollar a passenger round trip. In 1856 John Handschey and William Roach erected a large elevator on railroad property between Chicago, Broadway and Pekin streets. Later the property fell into the hands of C. H. Geer, then was sold to Martin Spitly and David T. Littler, who conducted it successfully for a number of years, but sold it to H. F. Lewis, who in turn disposed of it to Boyden & Barrett. It then passed into the hands of Aurelian Esten and Orrin A, Carpenter, was known as the Esten elevator and played a part in the Zura Burns' tragedy. It was burned to the ground in 1893, supposedly by an incendiary.

The first county fair of the Logan County Agricultural Society was held Oct. 9 and 10, 1856, and on January 1 of the same year the first issue of a newspaper appeared in Lincoln, namely, the Lincoln Herald, which was established by Moudy & Fuller. In a few months they sold the paper to Joseph Reed, who turned it over to O. C. Dake in 1857. Shortly after the first issue of the Herald in 1856, also appeared the first issue of the Logan County Democrat. In 1856, Latham's first addition to Lincoln and Wright's addition to West Lincoln were laid out. By the close of the year 1856 the following business concerns were operating in the new town: G. F. Stillman & Co., Howser, Metcalf & Co., Kahn Bros., James Coddington, J. W. Logan, William White, Edgar & Johnson, Crang & Co., S. F. Eager, L. Livingston, R. K. Webster, John Truby & Bro., Howser & Hukill, H. H. Simmons, O. J. Beymer, Marvin Brewer, J. F. Boy, W. F. Ryan, James Ratekin & Son, Becker & Keil, James Webb, D. W. Small, Leslie & Brady. To this list in 1857 were added Brainerd & Dustin, Howser & Higgins, Logan, Cox & Co., Rosenthal & Gaver, Smith & Hodgen, H. A. Mack, Miller & Metcalf, J. C. Hilton, Blain & Dickson, Rock & Eckert, Henrichsen & Rothschild, Fox & Wood and T. Blackburn. In 1856, Benjamin H. Brainerd and William M. Dustin, organized the first Lincoln bank in a wooden building on Chicago street.

The first church buildings were erected in 1857, the societies prior to that time worshiping in halls or in the old school house on Clinton street. Five church buildings were erected during the year as follows: - The Methodist Episcopal church, at the corner of Pekin and Mclean streets, the present library site; the Catholic church, at the corner of Broadway and Sherman streets, the present site of the A. M. E. church; the Baptist church, corner of Fourth and Maple streets, the present site of St. Mary's parochial school; the Cumberland Presbyterian church, corner McLean and Clinton streets, at the northeast corner of the South park; the Christian church, at the site of the present church on Pekin street facing Latham park. None of these churches remain intact today except the Methodist church, which, after having been sold to the Presbyterians, was later purchased by the Women's Christian Temperance Union and moved to Logan street. The old Catholic church was sold to the city in 1866 for a school house; the old Baptist church was sold to St. Mary's Catholic parish in 1866 and has since been torn down and the Christian and C. P. churches have also been dismantled. All of these church societies have new edifices, but on different sites, except the Christian church which occupies its original. site.

The first fire that occurred in the new town took place on the night of April 15, 1857, and consumed the most important edifice in the town, the county court house. The fire broke out at midnight and when discovered was so far advanced that the building burned to the foundation, including all the county records, except three or four books in the circuit clerk's office. So suddenly did the fire start and so rapidly did it progress that incendiarism was suspicioned. A more detailed account of the fire will be found in the chapter on "County Government." A new court house was soon erected on the foundations of the old one, at a cost of about $15,000, and was ready for occupancy in June of 1858. Separate offices for the county and circuit clerks were built to the north and south of the main building and these were ready for occupancy Oct. 1, 1857. (See chapter on "County Government.") An Odd Fellows' Hall was also erected by William Roach in 1857. In 1859 Martin Spitly purchased the property on the corner of Broadway and Sangamon streets and in 1860 opened the "Western House" to the traveling public. Subsequently in 1865, he erected a three-story frame hotel on the adjoining lot, and in 1867 he removed the front portion of the old "Western" to the corner of Sangamon and Pekin streets. He then built the present Spitly House on Broadway and Sangamon streets, fronting 80 feet on the latter street, four stories high and costing in all about $30,000. W. R. Sponsler was the first proprietor of the hotel. A brewery was also erected in the south part of town in the later fifties and its environments went by the name of "Limerick'' for many years. The brewery was burned in 1878. Wyatt & Latham's addition to Lincoln was laid out Feb. 25, 1859, and Wright's second addition to West Lincoln was laid out May 8, 1861.

The rapid growth of Lincoln in the later fifties and its importance as a shipping point in the early sixties, outrivaling at that time cities like Alton, Joliet and even Springfield, is evidenced by the following statement of the revenues from forwarded freights in cities and towns on the line of the then St. Louis, Alton & Chicago (now the Chicago & Alton) railroad for the year ending Dec. 31, 1861: Bloomington, $56,312; Lincoln, $52,314; Springfield, $40,885; Alton, $38,216; Joliet, $18,085; Pontiac, $17,627. In 1861 the Elliott Mills were built by J. F. D. Elliott at a cost of $40,000, being three stories high and having a capacity at that time of 165 barrels of flour per day. They were built on South Chicago street. In 1870 the mills passed into the hands of Elliott, Congdon & Co., and later were operated by Harts & Frorer and then by Gordon & Son. They were burned to the ground in 1910. Wm. P. Bates' addition to West Lincoln was laid out July 7, 1862; Bates' second addition on March 23, 1864, and Wyatt and Latham's second addition to Lincoln, containing 17 blocks, was platted Nov. 5, 1864. In 1864 a Congregational church building was erected at the corner of Kankakee and Pulaski streets, on the present site of the Zion Lutheran church.

While the town of Lincoln dates from 1855, the city of Lincoln began its municipal existence Feb. 16, 1865, being called into being by a legislative act of that date. Prior to that the old town of Postville and the new town of Lincoln had been separate and distinct towns, witha mere artificial boundary line between, the new town of Lincoln having grown until it had reached the Postville line. The rising generation of those days, perhaps more rigidly recognized this imaginary line than did their elders, for it was considered a "dead line" either way, over which the Lincoln or Postville boy passed at his peril and many a fistic encounter, in which at times even scores participated, occurred on this line in an effort to drive the enemy back into his own bailiwick. The act of Feb. 16, 1865, effaced this line and united the town of Lincoln and the town of Postville into "the city of Lincoln," the town of Postville becoming the fourth ward of Lincoln. The town board of one president and four trustees gave way to a mayor and a city council of eight aldermen. The presidents and members of the town board and officers of the town of Lincoln from its organization to the creation of the municipality of Lincoln were as follows:

View On Wyatt Avenue, Lincoln

An important matter was passed upon by the board at its session of April 8, 1862, which had to do with the present magnificent street shade trees in Lincoln, which distinguishes it from other cities in Illinois in the luxuriousness of its summer shade, many of the streets being completely arched over. Upon the date mentioned the proposition to plant and box trees on both sides of Kickapoo, McLean, Logan, Fourth and Broadway streets and "such other streets as thought best" was considered and there was a tie vote upon the motion, the president, Charles H. Geer, deciding the motion in favor of planting the trees. President Geer and members Truby and Hargadine were appointed to superintend the work, which a future generation can well testify was creditably and magnificently done. oo

The first election of officers in the city of Lincoln occurred March 13, 1865, and resulted as follows: Mayor, Joseph C. Webster; city justice, Joseph T. Benner; city treasurer, Solomon Kahn; aldermen first ward, Marvin Brewer and Franklin Fisk; aldermen second ward, F. F. Ladue, A. M. Fellows; aldermen third ward, Hiram Sherman, Lot H. Crawford; aldermen fourth ward, J. M. Shackelford, J. F. Boy. At the first meeting of the council, W. D. Wyatt was chosen city clerk and attorney, James Coddington as assessor and Charles C. Bracket as marshall. Following the organization of the city government in 1865, and during the same year, the following additions were platted and laid out: Keohnle's addition of 6 blocks, Latham's second addition of 14 blocks and Bernard Sigg's survey of 25 lots. Other additions during the sixties were Parks' addition of 7 blocks in 1866, Zadock Mundy's survey of 6 blocks on Delavan street in the same year, Latham and Gillett's addition in 1868 and Bates and Bates' addition of four blocks in 1869. To these was added John Wyatt's addition to Lincoln, containing 49 blocks, laid out Oct. 1, 1870.

Ground was first broken for the erection of Lincoln University, Feb. 12, 1865, that institution having been located in Lincoln that year. The corner stone was laid Sept. 14th, and the building was completed and ready for occupancy in November of 1866, when the university was formally opened. A strong effort was also made in 1866 to secure the location of the proposed Illinois State Agricultural and Industrial College, now the State University at Lincoln and committees were appointed to present the matter to the Legislature and devise ways and means. It was proposed that the county should vote a bonus of $300,000 for the school and the city of Lincoln $50,000 additional. A special county election was held Feb. 6, 1867, to vote upon the proposition of appropriating the former sum and it was carried by a vote of 1,340 to 140. The $50,000 proposition also carried in Lincoln at a city election held two days prior to the special county election. On Feb. 12, 1876, a legislative committee visited Lincoln and were banqueted and shown the city. It developed that Lincoln's bid was the largest, but the plum went to Urbana instead. In the committee, Lincoln received 7 out of 25 votes and on a roll call in the House of Representatives marshalled 21 votes. An effort was also made in 1867 to secure a proposed Catholic Educational Convent to be erected by the Catholic authorities.

In 1867 John D. Gillett began the erection of the Gillett Block on the corner of Broadway and Kickapoo streets. Prior to this date this corner had been occupied by corn cribs and in the winter of 1865, Palmer's circus wintered there. The corn cribs were removed from the corner in June of 1867 and work on the new block began. The block is three stories in height, built of brick and has a frontage of 80 feet. The first floor originally contained five store rooms, the second floor contained office rooms and the Masons occupied the third story. The contractor was T. F. Ladue and the building was completed in August of 1868. In 1866 buildings were erected on Pulaski street by John Evans and George Musick. In 1867 J. A. Niles built a brick building on Chicago street, next door to the Elliott bank building, which was erected the same year. J. F. D. Elliott also established a planing mill in 1866. The Lincoln Woolen Mills were built in 1866 by S. P. Hodgen and operated very successfully, manufacturing over twenty varieties of woolen goods. The mills were afterwards conducted by Tibbetts & Webster but were destroyed by fire in August of 1872. A number of church buildings were also erected in 1867. A Catholic church was built at the corner of Union and Eleventh streets by St. Patrick's parish, the Universalist church was erected on Kickapoo street facing Latham park and a new Cumberland Presbyterian church was erected at a cost of $16,000. The next year the Methodists erected their present church building on the corner of Broadway and Logan streets, at a cost of $22,000. Two other important events occurred in 1867. One was the surveying of the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville (now the Peoria branch of the Illinois Central) railroad, but the construction was not completed to Lincoln until 1871. The other event was the organization of the Lincoln Coal Company. Work on the shaft was begun Jan. 1, 1868, and a workable coal vein struck in September of 1869.

were leased by Vandevender & Clark, and later were purchased by Randolph & Co. In 1885 they were sold to Moloney, Spellman & Co. and burned to the ground in 1886. The present county jail on Broadway was erected in 1868 at a cost of $36,000. The Gillett building, on Broadway, the second story of which was known as Gillett's Hall was erected in 1868. The hall is 57 by 85 feet in dimensions, was the largest hall in the town until the opera house was built and for many years was not only the theater of the town but the place where dances, lectures and entertainments of various kinds were held. Other structures erected in 1868 were the Hungerford & Beach planing mill, Gerard's carriage factory, Rock's new block, and Latham's brick building on Kickapoo, opposite the court house. In 1869 Hiram Sherman also erected a brick building on Kickapoo street. In connection with the erection of Gillett's Hall, it may be noted that among the first entertainments given in the hall in 1868 was a lecture by a man whose name is now internationally immortal, Ralph Waldo Emerson. In a four line notice of his lecture, a local paper referred to the address as "quite interesting!"

Early Fires

A remarkable series of disastrous fires occurred in the early seventies which wiped out a large portion of the business section of the city, yet in the end paved the way for more substantial improvement. Prior to 1870 the court house had furnished the only fire of importance, but from April 7, 1870, to April 1, 1878, ten different fires occurred in the business district. On the night of April 14, 1870, the Eagle House burned to the ground including some smaller adjacent buildings. On May 13, 1871, the planing mill of Hungerford & Beach burned, with all machinery and stock, and with it were burned Haines' lumber yard, Eager's paint shop, two brick dwelling houses and five barns. The losses were as follows: Hungerford & Beach, $15,000; J. P. Haines, $6,000; S.: TW. Atkins, $1,500. About midnight of Dec. 6, 1871, fire was discovered in the rear of Pegram & Sons' warehouse on the north side of Broadway and in one hour all the buildings on the northwest half of block ten were laid in ashes, including all buildings from the site of the present Revere House to the corner of Broadway and Chicago streets and from said corner on Broadway to the present site of the Lincoln State bank on the alley. The larger buildings consumed were occupied by George A. Brown, McNeal & Jones, S. Kahn, and John Small. The Brewer block was burned on March 8, 1872, destroying four store buildings; loss, $25,000. The Lincoln Woolen Mills burned in August of 1872, at a loss of $30,000. A very disastrous fire occurred on the night of March, 1873. It originated in the second story of a building occupied by Hart & Eves as a bakery and the fire consumed all the buildings on the north side of Pulaski street from the alley to Kickapoo street and then around on Kick- apoo street to Latham's block, opposite the Kickapoo street entrance to the court house square. The loss was estimated at $30,000, 16 firms being burned out. The next fire occurred June 4, 1874, commencing at Keil's building on Chicago street and consuming all buildings to Pulaski street and on the north side of Pulaski street to the alley, thus connecting up with the fire of 1873; loss estimated at $15,000. Another fire, on July 14, 1874, originated in A. S. Guthrie's livery stable on Broadway on the north side of the square, destroying the buildings from that point east to the present site of the First National bank building and then north up Kickapoo street to the alley; loss about $10,000. On March 4, 1875, the Gessner building on Chicago street burned; in 1877, Lowrey & Johnson's machine shop was destroyed by fire at a loss of $5,000, and in 1878 the brewery of Peter Mueller & Son was consumed.

Despite this series of fires which had destroyed over one-half of the best business portion of the town, improvements were soon noticeable on every hand and new buildings were before long erected on the burned sites, the new buildings being more modern and substantial and all being constructed of brick and stone. In 1870 the new central school building was erected between Union, Maple, Seventh and Eighth streets at a cost of $50,000, including grounds. In 1870 William Hungerford rebuilt the planing mill, on the corner of Logan and Clinton streets, at a cost of $20,000. In the same year the Mayfield bank built a building on Kickapoo street on the site of the present Lincoln National bank building. In 1871 D. H. Harts constructed the building on the northwest corner of Broadway and Kickapoo streets. In 1872 J. P. Houser erected a two story structure on Pulaski street. In 1873 the following buildings were erected: The Gillett building on the south side of Broadway, adjoining the alley on the west, occupied by the First National bank; the Musick block, two stores, southwest corner of the square, on Kickapoo street; Latham's four buildings on Kickapoo street, the same being sold, when built, one to Frank Frorer, a second to Sims & Bros., and the other two to H. Sherman; the Dustin block on the north side of Pulaski street, beginning with what is now the German-American bank building and including buildings erected by James Coddington, S. A. Foley, George W. Edgar and John D. Evans; buildings on Broadway built by George W. Parker, W. H. Eves, E. Lloyd and Ream & Randolph; the Brewer building on Broadway built by S. T. Atkins as representative of the Brewer heirs; buildings erected by J. E. Dehner, H. F. Friend, H. Sherman, J. Eckert and H. Ahrens.

The Commercial hotel was constructed in 1874, by William Shea, who purchased the brick stores on Chicago street owned by J. F. D. Elliott and J. A. Niles, and these buildings were used as a nucleus for the new hotel. The hotel was opened June 8, 1875, by Sponsler & Lacey. Brick business buildings were erected in 1874, by D. H. Harts, E. W. Bates, A. Keil, Joseph Ream, J. T. Cadwallader and P. Obcamp. Trinity

Entrance To Union .Cemetery, Lincoln

Episcopal church was erected at the corner of Kankakee and Kickapoo streets in 1873 and in 1874 St. Patrick's Catholic church was moved to the site of the present church and rebuilt. What is probably the most extensive business block in Lincoln, the Lincoln House block, was erected in 1875, partly on the site of the old Eagle hotel, at the southeast corner of Broadway and Chicago streets. It is a four story structure, surmounted by a tower, the top of the tower being 80 feet from the ground and the main building is about 110 feet square. It was built by John D. Gillett and cost $50,000. Work began on the building in July, 1875, and it was completed in time for a formal opening as a hotel Oct..12, 1876, J. W. Hutchinson being the first manager. The building is now utilized entirely for business houses, offices and lodge halls and the like. Other business houses were built in 1875 by G. Gessner, D. H. Harts and F. Frorer, and a new Congregational church was constructed at the corner of Broadway and Ottowa streets in the same year. It was estimated that the entire cost of business block improvements in Lincoln from 1871 to 1876 aggregated a half million of dollars. In addition to this the State Asylum for Feeble Minded Children was located at Lincoln in 1875, work beginning on the main building Nov. 5, 1875, and being completed in June of 1877, at a cost of $155,000. The present church edifice of St. Mary's parish was erected in 1879. Jacob Mundy's addition to Lincoln was platted in 1872 and Littler's addition in 1879. The present Champaign and Havana branch of the Illinois Central railroad was completed to Lincoln in 1872, and the Lincoln Gas Works were constructed in 1873.

The Union Cemetery Association was organized in 1880 with F. C. W. Keohnle as president and L. C. Schwerdtfeger as secretary. The first telephone exchange was installed in 1881 with 50 subscribers. In his trip through the United States, after his trip around the world, Gen. U. S. Grant stopped at Lincoln on May 4, 1880. By somewhat of a coincidence just fifteen years previous to a day, the funeral car of Abraham Lincoln had been halted at the station at Lincoln, on its way from Washington to Springfield. Ayres' drug store was destroyed by fire, Dec. 5, 1882, and Gerard's Carriage factory was consumed June 3, 1883, at a loss of $8,000. The Citizens' Coal Mining Company was organized Feb. 20, 1882, and the last shaft sunk soon after. St. Clara's hospital was opened July 9, 1884, in two frame buildings on Third street. The present building on the present site was erected in 1886. The Washington school was erected in 1885, the Jefferson school in 1888, and St. Patrick's parochial school in 1887... St. John's Lutheran church was erected in 1884, on the corner of Fifth and Union streets, at a cost of $10,000: Mayfield's addition to Lincoln was platted May 21, 1884. The Moloney and Spellman elevator on the corner of Chicago and Clinton streets burned to the ground in 1886, at a loss of $8,000 and a new elevator was

Water Works And Fire Department

Up to the year 1886, Lincoln had operated under its special charter secured in 1865, when Lincoln and Postville were combined in the city of Lincoln. On March 8, 1886, a proposition was submitted to a vote of the people to abandon the special charter and organize under the general law. The proposition carried by a vote of 716 in favor and 344 against the proposition. In reorganizing under the general law the city was redistricted into five wards in place of four. Organization under the general law brought on an era of prosperity and growth for Lincoln. The first expression of this civic revival was the passage of an ordinance on Dec. 21, 1885, authorizing Frank A. Hinds, John F. Moffett, H. C. Hodgkins and J. V. Clarke, of Watertown, N. Y., to construct and operate a water works plant. These parties subsequently assigned their interests to the Lincoln Water Works Company. Work on the plant was begun in April of 1886. A parcel of land, 40 by 153 feet, on Sixth street was purchased, it being the highest point of land in the city, and work on the erection of a tower on that location began May 14, 1886. The first ground for the mains was broken on May 26, 1886, on Tremont street, a half block from Union street. Over 100 men were employed on the mains. The first supply well was located near the north bank of Salt Creek, about 300 feet east of the C. & A. bridge. A second well was connected with the first by a pipe. The tower is 100 feet high, 16 feet in diameter, is made of 25 rings of wrought iron, and has a capacity of 150,000 gallons of water. The pumping plant was located about 1,100 feet northwest of the wells, about two-thirds of a mile below the junction of the C. & A. and the Champaign and Havana branch of the Illinois Central railroads. About seven miles of mains were laid in 1886. Since that time there have been about thirteen miles more of wrought iron mains laid, but this does not include several miles of smaller piping connected with the mains. From time to time, the system has undergone repeated improvements and about twelve tubular wells have been driven, in addition to the regular wells. The installation of the water system was the occasion of a monster civic celebration held in Lincoln, Sept. 29, 1886, known as "water works' day" and it is estimated that the largest number of visitors were in the city that day than have ever been present before or since.

Preceding the completion of the water works, the Lincoln Fire Department was organized Aug. 13, 1886, on the volunteer plan, with 38 members. A hose company and a hook and ladder company was formed, Charles Laux being captain and Harry A. Houser secretary of the former organization, and J. H. Starkey, captain, and L. B. Stringer, sec- retary, of the latter organization. W. H. Stafford was the first chief of the new department. He was succeeded by Thomas L. Blackburn in 1887. State firemen's tournaments have been held in Lincoln in 1888 and again in 1908. The present chief of the Lincoln Fire department is Sol Rhodes. The department boasts of the possession of "Barney and Bill," the two famous fire horses, who hold the championship of the world as a fire team.

Street paving was first inaugurated in Lincoln in 1886. The first paving ordinance was passed June 30, 1886, and provided for the paving of one block on Pulaski street, from Chicago street to Kickapoo street. During 1886, 1887 and 1888, substantially all the business portion of the city was paved. Since then, all the main streets of the city have been paved to the city limits. The pavement is all of brick, except College avenue, which is of asphalt. There having been surface indications of natural gas in Logan County, in 1887 a company was formed in Lincoln to prospect for gas, oil or minerals. Borings were made on the site of the present Latham mine to the depth of about 1,000 feet, when salt water was reached and the project abandoned without success. The Excelsior factory was organized in 1889, but after running a number of years was discontinued. The building burned in 1908. The Lincoln Electric Light and Power Co. was organized June 17, 1889.

The years of 1890 and 1891 were banner years in Lincoln's progress. In the former year, the Odd Fellows' Orphans' home was secured for Lincoln and the corner stone of the main building was formally laid May 21, 1891. The Cork-faced Collar Company was brought to Lincoln from Washington, Mo., in 1890, and a factory building erected south of the Havana branch of the Illinois Central railroad. The Lincoln Press Drill. factory was located in December of 1890, and a canning factory established in 1891 in the old Richter mill building. The Lincoln Street Car Company was incorporated Feb. 21, 1891, by E. D. Blinn, Arthur Quisenberry and John F. Mundy, and' the Woodlawn addition to Lincoln platted in connection therewith. A franchise was given the company by the City Council, March 19, 1891. Four and a half miles of track were laid by Dec. 1, 1891, a power house and car barn were erected west of the Washington school on Clinton street and the first car ran to Woodlawn, the asylum and the Illinois Central depot, on Christmas Day, 1891. In addition to the Woodlawn addition laid out in 1891, in the same year were platted Harts & Frorer's additions, Latham's North side addition and North Lincoln. Several new brick buildings were erected in 18g0, over 100 private residences built, a free postal delivery system installed, over two miles of sewer pipe laid and several blocks of walled sewer, four miles of brick sidewalk laid and a new custodial building erected at the asylum at a cost of $40,000. In 1892, the Immanuel Lutheran society erected their church on Logan street. In 1893, the Lincoln Furniture Company was organized and a factory built at the junction of the Peoria branch of the Illinois Central with the C. & A. railroad. This factory is now owned and operated as the Lincoln Mattress factory. Fire consumed the Esten elevator building and the Gerard carriage shops in 1893. In 1895, the City Hall was built on the corner of Broadway and McLean streets at a cost of $19,000. The building is a brick structure, modern Roman style of architecture, 52 by 116 feet in dimensions, two stories high, with tower, and was opened to the public March 2, 1896. In the same year, the "Broadway Theater" was erected at a cost of $18,000. The ground was staked off Aug. 6, 1895, on Broadway near the corner of Logan street, and the structure was 60 by IIo feet in dimensions. The theater was opened on the night of Noy. 27, 1895, with the Louis James Company in "Virginius."" The seats were sold at auction for this opening night and netted over $4,000. The Odd Fellows' Hall and the Atlas brick building were erected in 1895, as was also the new Madison school building. The present Presbyterian church building on Pekin and Ottawa streets was built in 1896 at a cost of $21,000. The hospital building and the school and chapel at the asylum were erected in 1897; also the Cellulose factory was established the same year. The Adams and Monroe school buildings were erected in 1898 and the magnificent new high school building on Broadway was built in 1899. (See:City Schools. ) The Lincoln Casket factory building was erected on Third street in 1898. The Canning factory, formerly the 'Richter mill, was destroyed by fire May 23, 1895, at a loss of $12,000.

The Latham Coal Company was incorporated Sept. 25, 1900, and work on the shaft began soon after. The shaft and workings of the company cost over $250,000. The Harts' Medicine:Company was organized in 1900 and a building subsequently erected near the right of way of the Havana branch of the Illinois Central railroad. The Lincoln Chautauqua Association was organized in 1902 and the auditorium erected in 1904 at a cost of $10,000. The new $25,000 college building was built in 1902. Construction of the present court house was begun June 15, 1903, and the structure was completed May 15, 1905, at a cost of $200,000. The new library building was also erected in 1903. Fire consumed the brick and tile works of the east shaft May 14, 1903. The Deaconess Hospital was constructed in 1900. The boys' and girls' cottages at the asylum were built in 1901 and 1902 at a cost of $200,000. Three handsome new churches were erected in 1904, St. Patrick's Catholic church at a cost of $25,000, dedicated Nov. 6; the Christian church at a cost of $17,000, dedicated Sept. 11, and the Zion Lutheran church, at a cost of $25,000, dedicated May 1. The Interurban line was completed to Lincoln in 1906, the first car making the trip from Springfield to Lincoln, Dec. 15, 1906. The Lincoln Automobile factory was built in 1907 and the Lincoln Sand and Gravel Company began to establish its plant and tracks during the same year. The new Lincoln Business College was erected on Logan street in 1910 and the Beth El synagogue was built the same year, at the northeast corner of Latham Park, at a cost of $7,000. A new Lincoln National Bank building and a government post office building are now in course of construction.

Post Office

The first postmaster in Lincoln was Michael Hinrichsen and the post office was kept in his 'place of business, cornering on the alley on the north side of Broadway, on the opposite side of the alley from the present site of the Lincoln State Bank. Mr. Hinrichsen;was succeeded as postmaster by Robert Leslie. The latter held the position until 1861, when he was succeeded by John S. Metcalf. In May of 1869, Albert D. Cadwallader was appointed postmaster and he served in that capacity until 1886. During his incumbency, the office was located three doors east of its original location. In 1886, A. M. Miller was appointed and the office was moved to the Lincoln House corner. In 1889 Jacob M. Morris became postmaster. He resigned in 1892, R. C. Maxwell being temporary postmaster for a portion of that year and Samuel L. Wallace holding the position temporarily in 1893. In 1894, Thomas H. Stokes was appointed and was succeeded in 1898 by the reappointment of Mr. Wallace. In 1903, L. B. Davis was appointed and the office was moved to the Edmonds building on the east side of the court house square. In 1907, Thomas H. Stokes, the present postmaster, was reappointed. Some time prior to 1906, Congressman John A. Sterling, of this district, introduced a bill in Congress for an appropriation for a government building in Lincoln and in the year mentioned the bill was finally passed. The measure carried with it an appropriation of $75,000. As a site for the new building, the government on Nov. 7, 1907, closed a deal for what was known as the Sheer corner, cornering on Broadway and McLean streets. The work of excavation for the building began in the spring of I9g10. The building is a one story structure with a large basement, fronts 65 feet on McLean street and 80 feet on Broadway.

Population

The census returns for Lincoln in the successive decades show a steady increase in population and a constant growth. The returns as to the population of the city have been as follows: 1860, 1,679; 1870, 4,850; 1880, 5,639; 1890, 6,743; 1900, 8,962. The Igro census has not been made public at the time of this writing, but the writer has it, upon

List Of City Officers

The town officials and town boards from 1855 to the organization of the city of Lincoln have already been named. The following is a list of the city officials from 1865 to the present: |

In the list of aldermen following, the date indicates the date of election, councilmen being elected for a two years' term. Where two are given, the latter name indicates an alderman elected to fill an unexpired term. As one alderman is elected each year for a two years' term, there are in the council each year two aldermen from each ward. At the first election, two aldermen were elected, one for one year and one for two years. The first one named held the one year term.