Madison County, Illinois - Chapter 3: Geography, Agiilcvltueal Resomces and Railroad Facilities, 1882

Packet Lines

of coDforma- Illinois, it is ^||^.l^l><^; hard to locate Madison county speci- '^r "-V' Jw ^j"^tl fically ; to speak of it as one of the south-western counties is eminently proper. Geographically it lies wholly within the degree belt lying south of the thirty-ninth parallel of latitude, whilst the thirteenth meridian of longitude west from Washington bisects it north and south. Its northern boundary is 39° north latitude; its southtrn 38° 33'norlh ; whilst its eastern is 12° 36' 30" west longitude, and its most western point 13° 16' west. Its greatest length east and west is thirty-four miles. It? width twenty-four miles. It contains 72008 square miles or 461,315.86 acres. It is bounded on the north by Jersey, Macoupin and Montgomery counties; on the east by Bond and Clinton, on the south by Clinton and St. Clair, west by the Mississippi river and Jersey county. The Mississippi river washes its western boundary for a distance of over twenty miles. The county derives its name from James Madison, the fourth President of the United States, during whose administration it was organized. The geographical situation of the county is unsurpassed It embraces sixteen full and eight fractional parts of congressional townships and is divided for political purposes into twenty-three townships as follows: Helvetia, Saline, Leef, New Douglas, St. Jacobs, Marine, Alhambra, Olive, Jarvi«, Pin Oak, Hamel, Omph, Ghent, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Fort Russell, Moro, Nameoki, Chouteau, Wood River, Fosterburg, Venice, Alton and Godfrey.

Edwardsville, situated a little southwest of the geographical and almost exactly upon the population centre of the county, is its capital. It is eighteen miles distant from St. Louis and ninety miles from Springfield, the capital of the State.

The first surveys of land under the government of the United States were made in January, 1808, in what is now Collinsville township by John Messenger. During the same year J. Milton Moore, and J. Messenger, a subcontractor under William Rector, ran several township lines. The entire work of setting forth the metes and bounds of such townships was not completed until some time in January, 1819. At various times between the dates above given lines were run by J. Messenger, J. M. Moore,

Thomas W. Thurston, Enoch Moore, J. S. Conway, Charles Powell, H. Morley, E Barcroft, George Frazer, G. Marshall, C. Lockhart, J. Judy and Joseph Borough. Prior to any entries of these lands were claims located in accordance with various provisions for such, which were set forth in a report made by ISIessrs Michael Jones and E. Bockus, commissioners to sit in judgment upon the various claims brought under the provisions of various acts of Congress. Their first reports bear date December 31st, 1809. '' There are," say the commissioners, "four species of claims upon which, as commissioners for this district, we have had to act. 1st. Those founded on ancient grants or allotments derived from former government or from the Indians. 2d. Those founded on the grant of a donation of four hundred acres to ea(.h of those who were heads of famiies in the county at or before the treaty with England in 1783. 3d. Those founded on having actually improved and cultivated land in the country, under a supposed grant of the same by court commandant. 4th. Those founded on their having been enrolled on the 1st of August, 1790, and done duty in the militia." The first and second of these classes were under the act of June 20, 1778, and third and fourth under that of March 3d, 1791. To the second of these belong the first confirmations of lands within the limits of Madison County. To the third were several, whilst to the fourth were more than half the whole number. These claims will be presented properly elsewhere in this work.

Population

Discrepancies in this table are partially accounted for by changes in territory. Madison county at one time reached to the north line of the United States and embraced a territory now divided not alone into counties but states as well.

The surface of the country presents a pleasing variety, gently rolling prairies predominating. The majestic bluff's of the Mis.sispippi present a rocky wall along its shore from the mouth of the Illinois to Alton and then tending inland around the great American bottom, round their fronts into grassy sloped hills that go down more gently to the fertile fields of the garden spot of Illinois. These bluifij, like adamantine walls checking the course of destruction of raging floods, are from eighty to one hundred and fi'ty feet in height. From their crest a lovely panorama spreads out to view, comprehending as it does a view of the valley of the great Jilisscuri which commingles its muddy waters with those of the Mississippi in their onrushingto the sea, and the intervening landscape of cultivated fields, here and there marred by stretches of sand or slouyhs waiting to be made to bloom and blossom as the rose before the hand of industry when once redeemed by drainage- Eastward from the blufti are far-reaching prairies relieved by grove-crowned eminences, beautiful valleys and inviting hillsides. On many of the prairies are stretches of young and vigorous timber, where once was an open space consequent upon annual fires sweeping everything before them. The timber tracts, in the main, follow the meanderiugs of the various streams or crown the bluffs that hem in the valleys. The principal prairies are known as Ridge Prairie, Marine Prairie, Round Prairie, Liberty Prairie, Looking Glass Prairie, Six Mile Wet, or formerly Gillham's, Rattan's Prairie and Sand Prairie. All are fertile ; indeed are unsurpassed in the great Mississippi valley.

Timber

The native kinds of timlier are fully set forth in the chapter on the Flora of the county, hence demand but brief mention here. The largest bodies of timber skirt the streams. Oak in great variety abounds, embracing black, white, overcup, post, &c. There are also white, black and shcllbark hickory, soft and sugar maple, ash, sassafras, black and white, or English walnut, wild cherry, elm, pecan, sycamore, honey locust, box alder, paw-paw, buckeye, redbird, persimmon, hackberry and other woods indigenous to south and central Illinois. Of shade trees there are black locust, elm, maple, and representatives of the numerous family of evergreens. The preservation of the forest growth is a matter of vital importance. When it is remembered that wood is an article of constant daily consumption, positively indispensable to nearly every use and appliance of modern civilization ; that railroads require millions of ties annually for purposes of construction as well as reparation, it becomes a que.stion of moment when will the supply be exhausted? The cessation of prairie fires, with their besom of destruction, admits a growth not enjoyed before the occupation of the land in the interests of agriculture. This is but an aid. Will nature's work be supplemented by intelligent action ?

Iiydrogr.Vphv

The county is well supplied with natural water courses. Along a part of its western boundary roll the waters of tl e Mississippi, whose volume is here augmented by the addition of those of the Missouri. The eastern part of the county is drained by Sugar and Silver creeks together with their tributaries. Sugar Creek rises in Saline township, flows a southerly course, leaving the county at a point less than two miles distant from the south-eastern corner.

Silver Creek, (so named because of a belief by the early French settlers of the territory in the existence of silver along its course) rises in the northern part, ami flows a southerly course leaving the county south of the village of Troy. Both of these streams are affluents of the Kaskaskia River.

The west central \ya\-1 of the county is drained by Cahokia and its branches. The north-western by Wood river and Piasa Creek, and their tributaries. In addition to these natural means of drainage, tiling has been resorted to with excellent results. Wet, marshy lauds have, through its agency, been reclaimed and made to gladden the hearts of progressive husbandmen by the rich harvests of the cereals they have borne. This tiling, which is fast coming into general use, is made out of a species of fire-clay, of which extensive beds are found in the county. As the benefits of tile draining become more manifest it will be still more extensively used, and millions will be added to the wealth of the county.

Much speculation has been indulged in, respecting the group of mounds known as the Cahohia in the southwestern part of the county and of which "Monk's Mound" is the chief attraction. This matter is treated elsewhere in the chap'er on antiquities.

Soil. - This county contains nearly all the elemental classes of soil known to agricultural writers. Argillaceous, calcareous and silicious soils, vegetable and alluvial loams, are represented by turns in the different geological formations which abound, often blended with each other in such minute gradations as to make it a task of some difficulty to classify them without preceding analysis. Part of these soils are characterized by a spontaneous growth of natural grasses and forest trees. Cultivation of the soil has greatly diminished the former, so that where once a luxuriant growth of wild grasses furnished sustenance to herds of cattle and droves of hogs, cultivated fields more than compensate for their extinguishment. Here we find a stretch of the great sedimentary basin of the Mississippi valley, with its aggregations of centuries constituting a soil of inexhaustible fertility, and destined yet to be the great market garden whence will be supplied the wants of one of our nation's greatest cities. Hard by, frowning down upon this valley, save above Alton where, rock-ribbed in perpendicular walls, it overlooks the bright waters which reflect them back again, are the bluffs, whose heights are crowned with clay loam, or here and there but a thin covering of silicious soil, whose unfruitfulncss, by a wise dispensation of nature, is compensated for by the coal measure beneath.

Then again, farther to the oast aTid north are reached vast prairies with a wondrous wealth of black soil, from one to six feet in depth, and commonly termed vegetable mould, from the fact that for untold ages, extending back to the glacial period, immense accumulations of decayed vegetable matter have been successively adding their treasures, fertilizing these plains, fitting them to become the supply stations for a dense population. Imperceptibly do the different varieties of .soil blend and intermingle. There is, too, a cold yellowish clay protruding itself to the surface in places on the upland-', but its extent is limited. With proper appliances such as drainage, there is but little land in the county not susceptible of cultivation.

Agrmdture. - lu none of the arts has such progress been made during the past hundred years as in that of agriculture. The pioneers depended largely upon the chase, the stream, and a bountiful nature for the supply of their wants. Small patches were cultivated, after a fashion, immediately about their door yards, and if one essayed to grow a larger area of corn or wheat recourse was had to the old wooden mould board plow with which to put the ground in condition. The earliest records we have of any agricultural labor within the limits of Madison county was that put forth by Catholic Missionaries in what is now the northwestern part of Nanieoki township on land now occupied and owned by Samuel Squire. Here there were planted pear trees a hundred and forty years ago, here, too, on the then outskirts of civilization, was the first production of ct reals. It is a remarkable fact that from Green Bay in Wisconsin, to Kaskaskia, the route of these missionaries can be traced by pear trees now old and mostly decayed.

Among early farmers who were devoted to their calling and brought skill to the aid of agricultural art were such men as Col. Samuel Judy, who planted an apple orchard nearly eighty years ago, the first in the county ; the Whitesides, whose especial delight was the improvement of the stock of horses ; the Gillhams, the Pruitts and others whose descendents have contributed largely to Madison's agricultural wealth. On the 9th day of February 1822 a meeting of farmers was held in the Court House in Edwardsville, who organized the first Agricultural Society in the county. Micajah Cox, Esq., was elected to the chair and Geo. Churchill was chosen Secretary. Upon perfecting their organization the following resolutions were adopted.

Resolved. That a piece of plate of the value of five dollars be presented for the most approved essay on the best mode of pickling and preserving pork, and pointing out the cause of the difi'erence in value between New England and Western pork.

Resolved. That a premium of sirailar value shall be given to the person who shall make the best specimen of malt liquor, not less than thirty gallons.

Resolved. That a premium of similar value be presented to the person who shall present the greatest number of wolf scalps, not less than five, taken by himself within the limits of Madison county.

Resolved. That a premium of similar value be presented to the person who shall manufacture the best piece of linseywoolsey, not less than twenty yards.

Resolved. That a premium of similar value be given to the member who shall raise a year old lamb which shall produce the greatest quantity of wool.

Resolved. That a piece of plate of the value of three dollars be awarded to the person who shall make the greatest quantity of proof spirit, not less than thirty gallons, from a given quantity of grain.

This effjrt was not successful. Whether the premiums, or the matters selected on which to base them were the cause of abandonment does not appear.

choice nursery stock was advertised in its columns. As early as 1820 there appeared in the Edwirdsvil/e Spectator accounts of wonderful fields of various cereals, evidently intendel to attract the attention of immigrants. In 1822 Daniel A. Lauterman raised five hundred bushels of oats on ten acres of land. Solomon Truitt harvested fifty-two bushels of wheat from a single acre. One hundred and twenty bushels of corn were raised on an acre. Castor beans were quite extensively raised sixty years ago. John Adams commenced the manufacture of castor oil in Edwardsville in 1825, and in 1831 turned out 12,000 gallons.

Improved varieties of apples were planted by John Collet, E. J. West, Gershom Flagg and D. A. Lautermau as early as 1820. The trees planted by Messrs. Collet & West were procured from New York, those of Flagg from Greenville, Bond county. Among the varieties were Kirkbridge, White, Rambo, Pryor's Red, Penuock, Pennsylvania, Red Streak, Newtown Pippin, Rawle's Janet. The first established nursery was that of Collet & Masson Mr. Collet was an Englishraau, and Mr. Masson a French-Swiss. Their stock of fruit trees ivas largely of foreign origin. The nursery was on section 22, Tp 5, R 8, from whence it was moved in 18:!2 to section 8.

In 1829 or 30, Mr. Charles Howard obtained some poach pits from a Mr. Fitchenal, which he planted within the present limits of Alton. Of the trees which grew from them he transplanted one to his farm near Greenwood. From records kept by the Alton Horticultural Society, from which much of the above is gleaned, we learn that a s-iugle peach from one of these trees sold in St. Louis fir two dollars.

The Agricultural Society formed in Edwardsville on the 31st of October, 1854, also the Alton Horticultural Society organized November 12th, 1853, receive elsewhere in this work full attention.

The Madison County Farmers' Club holds monthly meetings from house to house Its deliberations have resulted in great good Its contributions to agricultural literature have been of practical value.

To show the progress of agriculture in Madison county the following tables compiled from the Census of 1850 are placed in contrast with those of 1860 and 1870.

In 1860 there were eight manuflicturiug establishments divided between agricultural implements, plows and threshers and horse powers which gave employment to sixty-one men ; employed an aggregate capital of 853,450, and turned out manufactured articles to the value of §63,525.

t'e«.«i(.« of 1880: Inasmuch as elsewhere in this work will be found complete returns Census of 1880, for the present purpose we insert only statistics of cereals, as follows : Barley 5 acres, 54 bushels ; buckwheat 9 acres, 80 bushels ; corn 98, 780 acres, 4,058,15-5 bushels; oats 13,905 acres, 351,505 bushels; rye 161 acres, 2,299 bushels; wheat 129,861 acres, 2,607,969 bushels.

By comparison with other counties of Illinois, Madison stands first in production of wheat. In orchard products, striking an average of all varieties of fruit she stands second. Several counties produce more peaches, others again more apples or pears as the case may be, but when great variety coupled with production is jiresentcd Madisou county takes her rank among the foremost of the iStatc

In production of wheat she stands fourth in the Uniied States. Her product is greater than either of the following States, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, all the New Eugland States combined, Delaware, Florida, ]Missis.-ippi, New Jersey, South Carolina and Te.xas.

Transportation Facilities

In 1805 feeble eiforts were put forth by farmers living in the American bottom to ship their produce to market directly upon their own account, thus exhibiting considerable enterprise. They constructed several rude rafts on Grand Isle, now Chouteau, which thty loaded with corn, cattle, hrgs, chickens, Ac, and went do«n the Mississippi to New Orleans. Some reached their destined port in safety, others were wrecked on the voyage for want of proper skill in the navigation of the river. These trips consumed much time, as they were carried forward by the force of the current and were compelled to return by laud. In a few years rumors of successful steamboat navigation of the Hudson reached these pioneers, but they shook their heads and gravely said the current of the Mississippi would never admit of such navigation here Their doubts were however dispelled on the 2d of August 1817 when the " General Pike " commanded by Capt. James Reed landed at St. Louis.

In 1818 continuing until 1S20 boats under charge of Col. James Johnson i brother to Richard M.) shipped supplies for Fort Osage - far up the Missouri - under contract with the United States Goverument, from Alton. This was the time of the origin of the expression ''St. Louis is a village twenty miles below Alton " And in 1834 when the "Piskilwa," Captain Chambers commanding, commenced making regular daily trips between Alton and St. Louis, letters directed "St. Louis, twenty miles from Alton, III." were not uncommon. At the time Arthur Phillips was contractor for carrying the mail and Bruner was postmaster at Alton.

lu 1837 the "Alpha" was put into the trade. She was succeeded by the ''Eagle,' owned and run by Captains Wilsou, Reed and Clay, of St Louis. In 1843 Captain William P. Lamothe, of Alton, bought her, and the Altou and St. Louis Packet became an Alton institution. From Hair's Gazetteer are gathered the following facts relative to this trade. In January 1844 Lamothe in connection with Starnes and Springer of St Louis, built the Suella. In 1845 Frink and Walker, the old Stage proprietors of Chicago, put the steamer "Geo Briggs," Captain James E. Starr, in opposition to her. This competition was, however, soon checked by the proprietors joining hands and forming a joint stock company. In 1848 Messrs. S. and P. Wise in connection with Captain Thomas C. Starr and other citizens of Alton bought the " Tempest," and started opposition to the old line ; at the time the fare to and from St. Louis was one dollar. In 1849 the old company gave the 'Tempest," a hot opposition ; the "Suella," Captain. George E. Hawley; Jno. A. Bruner, Pilot. Bruner and Hawley had chartered the boat, put the fare to seventy-five cents, then to fifty, then to twenty-five, then to ten and finally carried passengers free, and freight for nearly nothing Both boats carried bands of music, leaving as they did at the .same hour; racing was regularly in order and great quantities of rosin and turpentine were used in connection with their wood for fuel. Parenthetically it may be remarked that this was before law restricted engineers in amount of steam to be employed. The result of this ruinous p ilicy was a compromise effected in 1849, when consolidation of interests took effect. The Suella ran in the trade during the spring of 1850, and the Tempest the balance of the year and the whole of li^51. Frink and Walker sold out to Captain Joseph Brown, who in connection with S. and P. Wise, and Gaty, McCune & Co., of St. Louis, built the " Altona," which commenced running in December 1851, and was the fastest boat on the western waters. She made the run from St. Louis to Alton in one hour and thirty-seven minutes; the fastest time ever made to Alton from that city. In September 1852 the Chicago and Mississippi railroad company bought the Altona, D. C. Adams, Captain.

This was done to give the road connection with St. Louis, and was in accord with the old internal improvement scheme of politicians of the day, who desired to concentrate everything within state boundaries as far as possible, and recognized Alton as the future great meiropolis. They also bought the steamer "Cornelia," commanded by Captain Lamothe, the same year, for the passenger busine-s, making two trips per day. The Cornelia sank in December 1853, when in charge of Captain Jno. A. Bruner, and the Altona January l>-t, 1854. The "St. Paul," commanded by Captain Lamothe then did all the business until March, when the " Winchester " ; was bought by Samuel J. Owens for the company, simultaneously with the purchase of the "Keiudeer" by Captain, ; Adams. These boats not proving to be profitable investments were sold. Jno. J. and Wra. H. Mitchell and Joseph Brown were the purchasers, they contracting to do the rail- '- road business between the two points. There were some changes in ownership to 1857, wllen the company had three boats, the "Reindeer," "Baltimore," and "York State." On November 10, the Reindeer sank. There were several different boats chartered to do the work until the company built the famous "City of Alton," commanded by Captain George E. Hawley, which came out in the fall of 1860. She ran in the trade until the war broke out, when on account of the railroad company seudiug their passengers through by rail over the Terre Haute and Alton railroad to St. Louis, she was withdrawn from the Alton trade, and ran from St. Louis south, in command of Captain Wm. Barnes. In June, 1862, the company bought the steamer "B.M. Runyan," Captain, Jas. S. Bellas. She ran in the trade until 1864, when she was sent south, and sunk July 21st, proving a total loss. The compauy then ran the "Tatum" in the Alton trade, until the Chicago and St. Louis company extended their road to St. Louis, taking all the railroad freight from the boat in the winter of 1864. The company ran the Tatum during January and February 1865, but not paying expenses she was withdrawn and sent elsewhere, thus abandoning the trade to the through packets. There was no packet for a month when Captain John A. Bruner in connection with Tunstal and Holmes and others of St. Louis, put in the steamer " May A. Bruner." She was withdrawn and the "South- Wester" took her place, the May A. Bruner being put on the Arkansas trade to ply between St. Louis and Little Rock. The South- Wester ran in the trade until 1868, and was succeeded by the Comet. In May 1869 the Belle of Alton came out and ran in the trade until 1871, when she was sent south. She was completely destroyed by fire at New Orleans, March 28th, 1871. In September same year the Schuyler took her place. In 1874 a rivalry was instituted between the Illinois, the successor of the Schuyler, owned by the Illinois River Packet Company, and the De Smet, purchased by Messrs. Bruner and Labarge. After two months and a half the Illinois was withdrawn. Soon after the Spread Easrle owned by the Eagle Packet Company entered into competition with the De Smet. This generous rivalry ended in consolidation of interests in 1874.

"Warsaw, many years ago by Hamilton Branum. Branum had the contract for carrying the U. S. Mail between these points, which he did for a time in a skiff, which was laid aside for the Eagle. Branum has been known to take a horse across the river at Keokuk in his skiff.

The Eagle Packet Company is officered as follows: J. R. Williams, of Warsaw, President. G. W. Hill, of Alton, Secretary and Treasurer. Henry Leyhe, " Superintendent.

The Alton packets commenced the extension of their run to Grafton in 1869. The " Jack Robinson," a propeller owned by Capt. Jno A. Bruner, made a trial trip up to that point, carrying many merchants and business men of Alton. Citizens of Grafton promised their trade, and from the start the trade proved lucrative. In 18T1 a daily line was commenced between Grafton and St. Louis, which arrangement has since been maintained.

In addition to the regular packet of the Northern Line Company, the " Diamond Joe," the Illinois River and Clarksville packets make regular trips, stopping at Alton, and competing with the local packets for a share of her trade.

j Railroading is comparatively a new industry. Six thousand years have added their contributions to science, yet during fifty years only have railroads been known. Seieu- ' tists of all ages have grappled with problems of government, social life, and questions of demand and supply, and 1 left the records of their efforts for our instruction. The I accumulated wisdom of centuries furnish store-houses from whence we can draw such instruction ; but railroads are J things of to-day Our fathers died after welcoming their i birth, and yet, brief as the span of time since their conception, what mighty levers they have become in the advancement of the world's material industries ! Archimedes said "Give me whereon to stand, and I will move the world." Railroads have found the standing-space, reached forth i their iron arms, and moved the world. All this, ton, within I the memory of living men. The locomotive steam engine was invented by George Stephenson, of England, and was first successfully used September 27, 1825, on a short road built from Stockton to Darlington. la 1830 there were only twenty-jhree miles of railroad in the United States. The road between Baltimore and Ellicott's Mills, Maryland, 11 J miles iu length, was the first regularly opened for passenger traffic, which was in July of that year. The train was termed a " Brigade of Cars." It was the first road to present a time-card. The "Brigade of Cars " was drawn by horses or mules. It had not then been demonstrated that locomotives could attain a speed of over six miles an hour, nor was it until later in the same sea.son, when George Stephenson's " Rocket " attained the then remarkable speed of fifteen miles an hour. In the Baltimore American of July, 1830, was the advertisement of this road, stating that a sufficient number of cars had been provided to accommodate the travelling public, and that a brigade would leave the depot on Pratt Street at 6 and 10 o'clock, a.m., and at 3 and 4 o'clock, p.^r; returning, would leave the depot at EUicott's Mills at 6 and 8,V o'clock, a.m., and 121 and 6 o'clock, P.M. This time-card was accompanied with positive orders prohibiting any passengers from entering the cars without tickets, also with a provision for engaging cars by the day, where parties were so disposed.

In 1837 the internal improvement scheme was in its heyday. Railroads were projected everywhere. The first road located in Madison county was the Alton and Mt. Carmel, via. Edwardsville, Carlyle, Salem, Fairfield and Albion to Mt. Carmel. Not only was the road located but contracts were entered into by the state for the grading and bridging of the road, and considerable work was done between Alton and Highland. About the same time branch roads were in contemplation from this " trunk " line as follows : one diverging from Edwardsville to Shawneetown, passing through Lebanon, Nashville, Pinckneyville, Frankfort and Equality: one from Lebanon to Bellville, for which $1,750,000 was appropriated. A railroad from Alton via Upper Alton, Hillsboro, Shelbyville, Charleston, Paris, and from thence to the state line in the direction of Terre Haute, Indiana, where it was to connect with the railroad and canal communications through that state both in an eastern and southern direction. For this road there was appropriated $1,250,000. Also a survey was made and stock taken for one from Alton to Springfield, seventy-five miles, which was designed to open au importau tline of communication with the interior, and eventually became connected with the great line of the Atlantic cities.

In November of 1837 the financial crash swept over the whole country. General bankruptcy followed, and all these railroad schemes yielded to the inevitable. The laurels of being first in the field with a railroad were wrested from Madison county in favor of her sister upon the south, St. Clair, where the Illinois and St. Louis railroad, the first in the Mississippi valley, was built. It was built independent of state aid by Governor Reynolds, Samuel B. Chandler, George Walker and Daniel Pierce.

This is one of the most important roads of the great system of railroads in the Mississippi Valley. The length of line within the limits of Madi.son county, including the "cut off" from near Alton Junction to a point above Godfrey, including switches and side tracks, is 48 miles, 2265 feet. The air-line between St. Louis and Chicago, the two most prominent cities of the Great West, and the most pronounced commercial rivals, occupies a prominent position among the Trans-Mississippi railroads. This maj' be attributed partly to the persistent manner in which the management has fostered and developed the local business along the line of the road, and partly to the fact that since its reor-

* For some of the data on C. and A. R. R. we are indebted to an article by Vernon, in a work entitled, " Railway and River System of St. Louis."

ganization in 1862 the company has, until recently, been the only one in the railroad system of St. Louis, east of the Mississippi river, which paid dividends to its stockholders. Little did they dream who obtained a charter, in or about 1S47, for the Alton and Sangamon Railroad, and who were indefatigable in securing subscriptions along the proposed lioe,(72 miles in length), for its construction and equipment, that they were laying the corner-stone of one of the most valuable railroad properties in the country, and that withiu the comparatively brief period of thirty j'ears, the line between Alton and Springfield would be merely a small link in an extended railroad system, under one comprehensive management, of more than 840.34 miles. The road between Alton and Springfield was commenced in 1846, and completed in 1852, with the proceeds of bona fide local subscriptions to .stock, under the management of a local board of directors.* After the completion of the road to Springfield, additional legislation was obtained for extending the line to Bloomington. Mr. Henry Dvvight conceived the idea of extending the road to Joliet, and making a connection at that point for Chicago and the East. In furtherance of this idea he obtained a charter for a company called the " Chicago and Mississippi Railroad Company," and having obtained a board of directors in his interest, issued bonds to the amount of $3,500,000 in 1856, with the proceeds of which the line was completed through to Joliet. Subsequently a lease of the road from Alton to Joliet was made. The road was sold at auction, and it was bid ofl' by Governor Mattison and one or two associates in December, 1857, for the paltry sum of $5,000. The road between Alton and Joliet, at the time of this sale, represented a cost for construction and equipment of $9,535,000, or about $46,640 per mile of road. The purchasers at this auction sale organized themselves into a company, called the "St. Louis, Alton and Chicago Railroad Company," and perhaps under ordinary circumstances might have made their venture a success ; but the business and general interests of the whole country were so crippled by the panic of 1857, that failure seems to have been accepted as a foregone conclusion, and after various struggles for existence, the property passed in 1860 under the hands of a receiver, Mr. James Robb, formerly a banker of New Orleans, and a gentleman of recognized executive and financial ability. Under Mr. Robb's management an era of prosperity was inaugurated, and the affairs of the company were so successfully managed that in 1862 measures were taken for reorganizing the company, and in October of that year the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company was formed, with the former receiver, as president of the new company. The attention of the management, after the reorganization, was directed to securing an independent line under their own control between Chicago and St. Louis, which were recognized as the future termini of the property. In furtherance of these

*No one was so persistent in ellbrt or so liberal in sacrifice in securing the construction of this part of the C. & A. as was the late Capt. Godfrey. Mr. Godfrey lived in a car as the work progressed, labored as a day laborer, and mortgaged everything in his possession to secure the building of the road.

It was at this juDCtiire that Mr. John J. Mitchell, a warm friend and supporter of the Chicago and Alton interests, offered to build an independent road from Alton to East St. Louis, provided that the Chicago aud Alton, on completion of the road, merge the franchises of the Alton and St. Louis charter, obtained in 1850, ihen owned and controlled by Mr. John J. Mitchell, with their own. The proposition was accepted, and during the winter of 1864 trains of the Chicago and Alton Railroad were running to East St Louis, and terminating on valuable depot grounds, obtained by Mr. Mitchell for the Chicago and Alton Railroad from the Wigging's Ferry Company. From this date forward this railroad company assumed an independent position in the metropolis of the Mississippi Valley, as the chief transportation line between St. Louis and Chicago. Four years later, viz : in 1868, the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company secured control of the line from Bloomington to Godfrey, a distance of 180 miles, built under the charter of the St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago Railroad Company. The lease of thJs valuable property covers a period of nine hundred and ninety years, and the rental paid is 40 per cent, of gross earnings with the understanding that such 40 per cent, shall in no case amount to a less sum annually than $240,000."

Subsequently in 1870-71, arrangements were made with the St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago Railroad Company for building a branch road from Roodhouse to Louisiana, on the Mississippi river, a distance of 3S miles, under an agreement, whereby the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company guaranteed the annual interest on bonds issued on construction of such branch. At the same time control was obtained of the charter and franchises of the Louisiana and Missouri River Railroad Company, which has been incorporated by the legislature of the state of Missouri, to build a railroad from Louisiana to Kansas City, an estimated distance of 216 miles, together with a branch from Me.xico to Cedar City, opposite to Jefferson City, five miles in length. It is believed that in consideration of building this road in Missouri, the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company were to receive $80, 000 i)er mile, §15,000 mortgage bonds, $10,000 preferred, and $5,000 ordinary stock of the Louisiana and Missouri River Railroad Company, and in addition such county aud local aid, as has been donated in favor of the enterprise. The fifty miles of road from Louisiana to Mexico were opened for traffic in the winter of 1871-72, the line from Mexico to Fulton, 242 miles, March 6lh, 1872, and the line from Fulton to Cedar City, 25V miles, in July of the same year. At the time when the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company assumed control of the road in Missouri, it was intended to build an independent line from Louisiana to Kansas City, but when the road had reached Mexico, and when considerable grading had been done between that point aud Glasgow, legal questions were raised as to the legality of certain county and township aid which had been voted beyond the Missouri river at Glasgow, and the courts held that the charter only contemplated a line between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, and not crossing the river at various points, hence the subventions beyond Glasgow were illegal. The decision involved the susjjeusion of the through line project, and arrangements were made with the St. Louis, Kansas City aud Northern Railway Company for traffic arrangements, over its road from Mexico to Kansas City, and for running through passenger and sleeping cars on the line between Chicago and Kansas City, via Bloomington, Roodhouse, Louisiana and Mexico. It is almost needless to say that the advantages for through business thus obtained, have been abundantly utilized, to the pecuniary advantage of both railroad companies interested in the through line; also that the Chicago and Alton Kansas City line has been one of the most popular for passenger traffic between the east and west. The rapid, and it might be truly said unparalleled development of Kansas, Colorado and South-western Missouri, during the past six years, convinced the managers of the Chicago and Alton Railroad of the necessity for owning and controlling an independent line from Mexico to Kansas City, and the views thus entertained assumed a practical shape during 1878, by the formation of an independent company, to build what is known as the Missouri Extension, from Mexico to Kansas City, it being understood that the extension, when built, should be leased in perpetuity by the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company, and thus become an integral part of that extended railroad system. The through line from Chicago to Kansas City, via Mexico and Glasgow, will not exceed 4S5 miles iu length, and the distance will be about four miles shorter than that via Galesburg and the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad.

Characteristic'S Of The Koad

Number of counties in the state of Illinois traversed by Chicago & Alton Railroad sixteen, 15.68 per cent, of the whole number of counties in the state.

True value of real and personal estate in .said sixteen counties, 44.42 per cent, of the total value of real and personal estate in the state.

~ The contract was let for constructing the Upper Alton Division of the St. Louis, Jacksonville & Chicago R. R. (controlled by the C. & A. R. R. Co., February lst,1881. The object of constructing the same was to avoid the heavy grade through .\lton or from Godfrey to Alton, also making a saving in distance of nearly 2 V miles, tiit;il length of new road constructed 7 miles.

Number of counties in the state of Missouri traversed by Chicago & Alton Railroad, eight, 7 per cent, of the whole number of counties in the state.

As.*essed value of real and per.sonal estate in eight counties, about per cent, of the total assessed valu ) of real and personal estate in the state.

True value of real and personal estate in said eight counties, 981 per cent, of the total true value of real and personal estate in the state.

Number of acres of improved land in said eight counties, 15.92 per cent, of the whole improved property of the state. Value of farms in said eight counties, 14.88 per cent, of the total value of improved farms in the state.

In brief the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company has, by a judicious system of permanent improvement, and by the introduction of all the modern appliances which tend to the preservation of life and propert}', placed itself in such a condition, materially and physically, that its financial future cannot be affected by the contingencies which severally affect other roads. Its success as one of the great highways of the west is an assured reality. It might be appropriately noted here that while much of this road's past success may be attributed to its admirable geographical location, embracing a very rich section of the country for li)cal traffic, and with termini on Lake Michigan and the Missisjippi and Missouri rivers, equally as much is due to the stability and management during the past decade and a half, and to the fact that the property has never yet become the foot-ball of speculators Nothing, perhaps, has a greater tendency to demoralize the working force on any railroad, and, it might be said, impair its usefulness to the public, than the spasmodic changes in the control and managment, which have characterized the history of most western railroads, and from these vicissitudes the Chicago and Alton Railroad has been happily exempt. The executive management and the entire directors have been practically the same for the past fifteen years, and where to recognized skill in opsrating there has been added the financiering and engineering ability of the president, and the solid unanimous support of wealthy stockholders, and directors distinguished for business ability, it is not surprising that the Chicago and Alton Railroad has maintained a firm position as an investment in the moneyed centers of the world, and has acquired a well-merited popularity with the traveling and shipping public.

Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway - More widely and commonly known as the Watash, has a length of about forty-four miles in this county, including side tracts, running diagonally across from the south-west to a point ten miles west of the north-west corner. Through a system of consolidation, unparalleled iu American railways, it has become a giant among them. This consolidation it is estimated, has added 850,000,000 to the value of bonds and shares of the various companies now incorporated in the Wabash system. The road takes its title from the river of that name, a tributary of the Ohio, which in part separates the States of Indiana and Illinois. Twenty-nine years ago, in April 1853, the initial steps were taken in behalf of a line of road to extend from Toledo, Ohio, to the Mississippi river, such road to be subject to the direction and control of one official management. Upon examination of tht laws of the States through which it was to pa^s it was found impracticable to prosecute the enterprise under one corporate organization, and consequently distinct corporations were organized in each State. In April, 1853, the "Toledo and Illinois Railroad Company " was incorporated under the general railroad laws of Ohio, with power to build a railroad from Toledo to the western boundary of the State. The capital stock was originally fixed at S500,0'IO, but in 1855, was increased to 82.500,000. In August, 1853, the " Lake Erie, Wabash and St. Louis Railroad Campany" was incorporated in the State of Indiana, with power to construct a railroad from the east line of the State to a point on the western line in the direction of Danville, Illinois. The road was constructed in 1856 and the companies consolidated under the name " Toledo, Wabash and Western." Financial embarra-ssraents confronted the company during the panic of 1857. Various changes in management and name followed. St. Louis as an objective point - as indicated in the name of one of the corporations, was lost sight of - the road was built across Illinois, terminating at Meredosia with a branch from Bluffs to Naples. From Meredosia to Camp Point a road was owned by the " Quincy and Toledo," company. In conformity to laws of Ohio, Indiana and lUiouis, then but recently adopted, authorizing consolidation where the roads of various companies formed a continuous line, these roads were placed under one management, the "Toledo, Wabash and Western Railway Company." In August, 1870, arrangements were made with the " Decatur and East St. Louis Railroad Company, for the construction and equipment of a railroad between Decatur and East St. Louis, the understanding being that on completion thereof the bonded debt of the Decatur and .St. Louis Railroad Company to the extent of ?25,000 per mile should be assumed by the Tidedo, Wabash and Western, and that the capital stock of the Decatur and East St. Louis Railway Compmy to the amount of 815,000 per mile should be exchanged at par for the stock of the Toledo. Wabash and Western The road to St. Louis was completed and opened for business in 1871. During the two years following the Wabash acquired by lease the "Hannibal and Missouri Central," the " Pekin, Lincoln and Decatur," and the "Lafayette and Bloomington." In the early part of 1873 the "Toledo, Wabash and Western" controlled and operated 905 miles of road, with average gross earnings for the whole system of more than §6,000 per mile per annum, and it promised, although capitalized at a high figure, to realize the most sanguine expectations of its owners. The financial panic of 1873 seriously affected the road so that it failed to meet its obligations and in 1874 the property was placed in the hands of Hon. John D. Cox, as Receiver. The road remained in the receiver's hands and under control of the court until 1?77, when arrangements having been effected by the company, transfer of tlie property was made to the "Wabash Railroad Company."

Soon after it underwent a reorganization under the name of Wabash, St Louis and Pacific Railway Company. From the last annual report the following facts are gathered.

" During the past year there has been added to the Wabash St. Louis and Pacific system, the following roads, either by purchase or lease, viz :

On July 15, 1881, the Peoria, Pekin and Jacksonville, 72.9 miles in length, was acquired by purchase; on July 15, 1881, the Springfield and Northwestern R. R., 47.2 miles in length, was also acquired by purchase; on August 15, 1881, the Detroit and Butler Road, 112.6 miles in length, completing our line to Detroit, was acquired by purchase; on September 1, 1881, the Indianapolis, Peru and Chicago Road, running from Indianapolis to Michigan City, 161 miles, was acquired by purchase; on October 1, 1881, the Cairo and Vincennes, the Danville and Southwestern, and the St. Francisville and Lawrenceville Railroads, 267.3 miles in length, forming our "Cairo Division," were acquired by purcha.se.

The Quincy, Missouri and Pacific Road was extended from Milan to Trenton, a distance of 31 miles, and opened for business August 5, 1881. The Attica and Covington Branch, extending from Attica to Covington, 14 5 miles was built by this company and opened for business September 1, 1881. A branch road leading from our Chicago Division to the Braidwood Coalfields, a distance of 12 miles, was built by this company, but has not yet been opened for business. The Des Moines and Northwestern Railway (narrow gauge), leading from Des Moines, Iowa, to Jefferson, Iowa, a distance of 66 9 miles, was acquired by lease.

We have also under process of construction, a branch line from Champaign to Sydney, a distance of 10.5 miles, connecting our Champaign, Havana and Western Road with the main line, which will soon be completed and ready for use. The St. Louis, Jerseyville and Springfield Railroad, built under the auspices of this company, from Bates to Grafton, 111., a distance of 75 miles, is now nearly completed and will soon be opened for business. The Dts Moines and St. Louis R. R., from Albia to Des Moines, a distance of 69 miles, is being built under a lease to this company, and will probably be completed early in the coming summer. The Des Moines and Northwestern Road is being extended north of Jefferson, and will soon be opened for business to Eads station, 21 miles beyond Jefferson. This company is also building, in connection with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy R. R., the Humeston and Shenandoah Rjad, from Humeston to Shenandoah, for the purpose of forming a connection between our Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska Road and our Council Bluff's

Branch, which when completed, will reduce our distance between Omaha and Chicago nearly one hundred miles, and give us a short and direct line between Omaha and all points East. In connection with the Missouri Pacific Road, this company perfected a lease of the St. Louis Bridge, taking eflTect October 1, 1881. During the year 1881, we have laid 20.450 tons of steel rails (213 miles) in the track of our main lines, and 2,000 tons of iron on branch lines. The total number of miles of road in operation at the close of the year was 3.348 miles.

Indianapolis And St. Louis R. R.

Its general offices are located at Indianapolis, which point is its eastern and St. Louis its western terminus. The length of the line of this road in Madison county is 35 miles and 3.149 feet, and the entire length of the track from either terminus is 261 miles. The road-bed is of substantial build, and well ballasted, tied and ironed. In January, 1851, the " Terre Hnute and Alton Railroad Company," (now I. and St. L.) was incorporated by special act of the

Illinois legislature, with power to liuikl and operate a road between Terre Haute and Alton. Subsequently, in 18o2, the" Belleville and Illiiioistowu Railroad Company" was authorized by act of the Illinois legislature to construct a road from East St. Louis, or Illiuoistown, to Belleville, also to extend the same in the direction of Alton. In February, 1854, a special act was passed, authorizing the coiisolidatiou of the two roads. The two companies did not avail themselves of this act until October, 1856, at which time the whole line was put in operation and opened to traffic.

The stations along the line of this road in Madison county are Venice, Kinder, Xamooki, Long Lake, Edwardsville Crossing, Alton Junction, Bethalto, Moro and Dorsey stations. From Alton Junction a branch extends to Alton, originally the terminus of the road. The I. and St. L. is a link in what is known as the " Bee Line." For years its prosperity was problematical, but through the untiring l)erseverance of interested parties it is fast taking its place among the leading roads of the country.

Kock Island Division Of The Chic.Vgo, Burlington And

This line operates nine miles .3.149 feet of road in this count)', including side track entering on .section six in Fosterburg township and terminating on section sixteen in Wood river township where it forms a junction with the Indianapolis and St. Louis railroad, whose track it uses thence to St. Louis. Little did the farmers and tradesmen along the line of this road, whose money built it in 1869 and '70, suspect that it would ever become the property of one of the most influential and aggressive railroad corporations of the day. The beginnings of the Rockford (as it i.s familiarly called) were humble, its construction was slow and unpromising. Numerous changes took place until 1876, when it passed into the hands of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy by lease, the terms of which make it practically perpetual. The length of this division, in all, is 271 miles. As at present managed, it is proving a valuable acquisition to the C. B. and Q.

St. Louis, Vandalia And Terre Haute R. R.

The length of line of this road including side tracks in Madison county is about 27 miles and .351 feet, and in July 1868, trains were first run between East St. Louis and Highland, and in July of the following year the road was completed from East St. Louis to Effingham, ninety-eight miles, and a through service established between East St. Louis and Chicago in connection with the Illinois Central R. R. and in July 1870, the last rails were laid between Effingham and the Indiana state line. Immediately thereafter a through line of sleeping cars, was established between New York and St. Louis, and the "Vandalia route" at once became the popular route from St. Louis to the seaboard. The most important stations on the line of road in this county are ColliusviJle, Troy, St. Jacobs, Highland and Pierron. This road has contributed largely to the development of the agricultural and mineral resources of the southern part of the county.

Toledo, Cincinnati And St. Louis R. R.

This is a narrow-gauge road, the first survey was made in January, 1881, and a part of the line located in May following. AVork was begun in this county in June 1881. There are about forty-five miles of this road within the limits of Madison county. The principal stations in the county will be Edwardsville, Alhambra and New Douglass. The road is being constructed by a compan}' of Eastern capitalists. It is to be a link in a great chain of narrow-gauge roads uniting the east, west, and south, and when completed will be a valuable acquisition to the railroad system of Madison county.

As the railroads passing through Madison county all use the great bridge as a means of getting into the city of St. Louis, it is proper that we make a brief mention of the same.

St. Louis Bridge

Spanning the Mississippi from East St. Louis, 111., to St. Louis, Mo., is the great railway and roadway bridge. The initial step toward commencing this celebrated structure wa?, An act passed by the Missouri legislature in 1864, incorporating the " St. Louis and Illinois Bridge Company." This act was approved February 5, 1864. An amended act was passed and approved February 20, 1865. About the same time the legislature of Illinois passed an act authorizing the incorporators under the Missouri act, under certain stipulations, to build a bridge to the Illinois shore near the dyke. An act of Congress was also passed and approved July 25, 1866, authorizing the consiruction of certain bridges, one of which was to be built at St Louis. Having thus secured the necessary legislation, the projectors directed special attention to the work itself. Preliminary steps were taken, soundings made, plans proposed, and estimates considered. May 1st, 1867, the company was organized ; and contracts for the masonry were soon after let, and the first stone was laid on the western abutment pier, Jan. 2oth, 1868, and the pier had been built above the water-level by the spring of 1868. Captain James B Eads was chief engineer of the work.

In the construction of the masonry, 12,000 cubic yards of gray granite from Portland, INIaine, were used. 12,000 cubic yards of sandstone from the St. Genevieve quarries in Missi/uri are used in the approaches, and two thousand cubic yards of granite from the quarries at Pilot Knob, Mo., were used in the base course of the approaches.

Superdrudure - The superstructure is made of chrome steel, and every possible test was made long in advance of its use, so as to prove that its tensile strength corresponded with the general requirement of the whole structure. In placing the spans in position, Mr. Flad, the chief assistant of Captain Eads, introduced a system of hog-chains reaching over immense wooden structures on the top of the piers.

These were let down and made fast to the growing spans, and as each part grew from the pier towards the centre in open space, chains were applied from time to time to support the great weight of the growing arch. By the method of working with hog-chains, Mr. Flad was enabled to dispense with the old cumbsrsome way of scaffolding below to support the span, as it was being built out from the pier. The superstructure contains 2,200 tons of steel, and 3,400 tons of iron. The tons of metal aggregate 5,600 tons.

The bridge proper consists of three spans or arches; the center being 520 feet, and the others 502 feet each. The arches or spans and abutments, make 2,046 feet, including the approaches on each side of the river; the total length of the bridge is 6,220 feet, or more than one mile. The bridge is connected with the yard of the Union depot, St. Louis, by means of a tunnel 4,866 feet in length, and double tracked through the whole distance.

The cost of the bridge and tunnel, at the time of its being thrown open to the public in June, 1874, had been between $12,000,000 and §13,000,000. It was amid great parade dedicated to the traveling public, July 4th, 1874. It may be mentioned here, that on the top of the arches a road is constructed for vehicles, animals and streetcars; there are also suitable paths for pedestrians. Thus we have given a brief sketch of probably the greatest bridge in the world ; the building of which was one of the great engineering triumphs of the age.