Madison County, Illinois - Chapter 9: Civil History, 1882 (part 4 of 4)

The files of criminal papers having been destroyed, as heretofore mentioned, the indictment itself cannot be reproduced. The circumstances of the case are known to many of the older residents of the county, and may be briefly stated. A certain man named Duncan had made his house iu T. 3, 8, near the blufts a rendezvous for people of lax morals, much to the annoyance and chagrin of the respectable people of the vicinity. It is said that Bob O'Blennis of St. Louis, together with other characters of his ilk, gamblers and worse than gamblers used to celebrate their orgies there in common with women of the town. In order to rid the county of this nuisance, a number of the best citizens concluded to buy Duncan's farm with a view oi making him leave. An obligationbinding on the subscribers, was drawn up in writing and communicated to Duncan, who was to have his property paid for, with the understanding, however, that he had to vacate the place and the vicinity at a stated day. Duncan refused the offer, and it is said had his place well supplied with arms and ammunition, and made preparation to have it thoroughly "garrisoned" on ^'moving" day. In order to avoid violence, the citizens on the other hand, sent a delegation to Duncan Fort on a prior day. The number of this delegation increased on the way to Duncan's by volunteers, falling in line along the road. Duncan was not found at home; he had gone fishing in company with one of his lady associates. The party found them near the lake, in the bottom, and surrounded them. During the parley the woman mentioned, drew a revolver and discharged it, however, without injuring any one. The fire was returned and Duncan was killed. It was never ascertained by whom. The case remained on the docket for several years. Many of the parties indicted were nol. pros, and remaining defendants applied for and obtained a change of venue to St. Clair county. They were ably defended by Hons. Lyman Trumbull and Joseph Gillespie, and finally acquited.

There were, of course courts held, and grand juries called to see that the laws -of the land were respected, and not being able to capture larger game, thegrand juries contented themselves with indicting people for selling liquor without license and for similar offenses.

In order to show that the memory of the patriots, who had taken the field against the foreign enemy was cherished at home we introduce here the proceedings of the circuit court of Madison county, had on August 16, 1838, at length. They are taken from the records verbatim ei literatim.

At this day the attorneys of the court, by E. Keating, Esq., presented and read to the court the proceedings of ameeting of the member of the bar of this court held to take proper'notice of the death of Franklin Miles and Lauristou Kobbins, late attorneys and councillors of this court, anil tlie court having been very feelingly and appropriately addressed upon the occasion by Messrs. Keating, Gillespie and Bissell, and joining in the sentiments expressed in the said proceedings, that the same be spread at length upon the recoril in words as follows :

'-Whereas the bar of the Madison County Circuit Court have received the painful information that two of their professional brethren have died while in the performance of the high and noble duty of volunteer citizen soldiers, the one. Captain Franklin Miles, of the Fifth Kjgiment of Illinois volunteer*, who w.is stricken down by disease on the 21th day of July, 1S47, upon his march with his company to Santa Fe ; the other, Lieutenant L. Kobbins, of the Second Kegiment of Illinois volunteers, who was slain while among the advance of his company, on the 23d day of February, 1847, upon the ever memorable field of Buena Vista, and feeling that a proper tribute of respect is due by the bar of Madison County to the memory of those who have been ornamen's to our profession, and who, in all their relations in life, have discharged their duties with promptness, Scrupulous fidelity and signal ability.

Therefore Resolved, Tivdl \n t\vd death of onr departed brethren, the profession of which they were members have lost those who in life well and truly aided to sustain its character and reputation, and in the circumstances attending their death, have merited for it a new source of honor and pride. As citizens we respected them, as friend we loved them, as members of our profession we were proud of them, and in their death we will ever cherish their memories.

That the duty in the |)erformance of which our brothers died, is so truly noble and worthy of the American citizens, that while we express our grief for riieir death, we cannot avoid giving utterance to our feelings in knowing that the character of our profession has been thus worthily sustained.

That we deeply sympiilhize with the bereaved friends and families of the departed, and truly tender them our condolence on account of their great and irreparable loss.

That we respectfully a.sk leave of the Honorable the Circuit Court of MadLson County, to have this testimonial ofourregard foi our deceased friends and brothers spread upon the records of said court.

(- That we respectfully reque.st of the Honorable Judge of the Madieon Circuit Court, as a further token of respect for our departed friends and brothers, that we adjourn said court until to morrow morning. And in further token of respect and regard for the deceased -

Guy Morrison, Charles Spangler, Luke Towusend, W. H. Edgar, Daniel Berkey, J P. Moore and John Ga.skill, indicted for murder (Duncan case) were nol. pros.

Pkobate Couet

The probate business of the county was during the first de cade transacted by the same authorities, to whom the government of the county affairs was entrusted. An act of the legislature, February 10th, 1821, created a probate court for each county of the state. The judges of these courts were chosen or appointed by the legislature of the state. The time had not arrived, when the masses were thought competent to elect their judicial officers. It was feared that the dignity of the judiciary might be lost in the vulgar practices of elections. .

Jacob W. AValker was the first probate judge of Madison county, and held his first term at the house of James Mason, in the town of E Iwardsvillc, on the 7th of May, 1821.

Judge Walker was his own clerk, and his records are models of accuracy and comprehensiveness. He resigned his oflSce in March, 1822, being succeeded by Judge John York. Sawyer, who held his first term on the 13th day of April, 1822, and his last on the 25th of November, 1824. He was succeeded, January 26th, 1825, by Hon. Abraham Prickett, who resigned in April, 1827, succeeded by William Gillham. Judge Gillham officiated from July 1827, to February 9th, 18Jy. Hon. David Prickett succeeded him, aud presided over the court until September 21st, 1835. His successor, Hon. John M. Krum, of Alton, held the position not quite four months. Hon. Joseph Gillespie was probate judge from January 4th, 1836, to August 31st, 1839. During his term, on the 25th of February, 1837, the office of probate judge was made elective by act of legislature, the tenure of office being four years. Hon. Matthew Gillespie, a brother of the former, was elected in August, 1839, and qualified on the 31st day of that month. He in turn was succeeded in August, 1843, by Hon. G. W. Prickett, a son of Hon. Abraham Prickett, frequently mentioned in this and other chapters. George W. Prickett resigned his office on the 2 1st of July, 1846, to take charge of a company of volunteers, ready to take the field in the war against the sister republic, Mf'xico. Hon. Henry K. Eaton succeeded Mr. Prickett, and continued in office until 1857. There were 1455 estates put under administration during this period; 1819 to 1849; 10 in 1819; 15 in 18^9; 40 in 1839, and 109 in 1849. The mortality in 1849 was uncommonly severe on account of the prevalence of the cholera in various parts of the county.

Retrospect

During the period, 1819 to 1849, the county had been reduced in area to its present size, about 760 square miles. The population of the county, in its present limits, may have been 4,000 in 1820; it iva.i 6,-221 in 1830, 14,433 in 184U, and 20,441 at the close of the period. All the public land, with the exception of a few straggling forty acre tracts that had been overlooked, had become the property of individuals, and been converted into thousands of productive farms. New towns and villages had sprung up on paper, and also in reality, while others mentioned in the preceding pages had ceased to be. Milton, for instance, a thriving and prosperous village, with mills, distilleries, shops, st'ires and manufactories, had gone out of existence, and its lots, valued at from three hundred to eight hundred dollars each in 1820, are not mentioned as lots any longer in the taxbooks of the county. The paper town, Madison (laid out by Allen in the Marine settlement), Augusta, (Parkinson's town in section 3, range 6), Fitz-James, in section 4, range 5, or section 5, range 5, Mount Auburn, Chippewa, Gibraltar, at or near the mouth of Wood river, had come and gone.

Other towns laid out during the period of the sjieculation in town property have remained, as for instance, Collins, ville. Highland Marine, Venice, Monticello and Troy. Troy, Alton, Venice and Edwardsville were prominent enough in 1832 to be mentioned by European tourists in prominent and standard works. We read, for instance, in Heinrich Christian

Collinsville is also meiitioneil by this author. " It consists," said he, 'of a uiill, a Methodist church, the dwellinghouse of Mr. Collins, a brother in-law of my son, and the farm house of Major Post, who has a most amiable family, and keeps tavern."

The work of H. C Gerke, from which these notes are taken, contains innumerable items of interest, and the reader will find many more interesting quotations from it in the chapter on European Immigration.

* I iipent a most pleasant winter (1831-82) in E lward<ville. The town has but one street, and impaved at that! It is .situated on a ridge alongside the Caholiia river, has a castor oil mill, a woolcarding machine, a llonring and saw-mill, on theCahokia; four Attornies' ofliccs, - James Semple, Thomas, Prickett and Greathonse; one physician, - Dr. Edwards, brother of my friend, Ninian Edward.s, formerly governor of the state: a po.st-office, Prickett, postmaster; a real esiate broker's office, - Lusk, father and son ; a newspaper office, - Judge Sawyer, proprietor and editor; a United States land office; five stores of some rnagaitude and importance, and one tavern, with the sign, " Washington. During the winter of my stay we had si.x balls and two soirees, one at Judge Smith's and the other at Mrs. Prickett'.s, and every .Saturday a meeting of the literary and debating society. On tlie 22d of February the militia was out on parade, and inspected by the honorable and dignified Reynolds, governor of the ftate, who remained four days occupying ray room at the tavern. Thus I got acquainted with the American city or town life. I spent two months on ray son'.s farm in Marine settlement, making frequent visits among the neighbors, and thus posted mv.self also with rural life in this grand republic of .\merica. I have closely observed everything I have h;id occasion to see; I have studied the labors of the American mechanic and agriculturalist as diligently as po.ssible, and was favorably impressed with everything I saw. The most striking feature of this people in Illinois is their hospitality and their uniform kindness to one another, and to strangers and foreigners. I shall always remember with gratitude how I was treated by those people. lUinoistown (he calls) the worst thing contained in the state, and mentions it only because the .St. Louis ferries make their landing there. Alton (he says) is situated on the Mississippi river, some twelve miles north of Edwardsville. The town is growing wonderfully. During my stay (one year) it increased its number of dwelling-houses from five to fifty. Its future growth may be materially influenced by the location of the national road, the terminus of which is to be either Alton or St. Louis. Alton is situated on lirae-rock formation, sloping west towards the river. The town site belongs to Mayor Hunter and Mr. Russell, who at first gave lots away for forty or fifty dollars, but now they get two hundred dollars or more for e:ich lot. Most of the town is still a dense forest ; but if the national road is located to Alton, it will greatly enhance the values and open a fine field for speculation. The farms of Mayor Hunter, William Lowe, Widow Morri.s, William Montgomery and others, are for sale, and will soon become highpriced. Mr. Rus.=ell has lately bought some ci^hly quarter sectivns of woodland, near Alton, and these lands are also in the market. On the blufT, near Alton, at an elevation of two hundred feet above the river, stands the state penitentiary, and fron) this place one can s?e the Mississioi, the Mi.s.souri, and also the region of the mouth of the Illinois river. On the side of this blufi; painted on the rock, are found two figures, representing the Good and the Bad Alanitou, si.xty feet above the surface of the water. One seems to represent the body of a large goo>e, head turned b.ackward.s, and arranging feathers with beak, the other ha.s four dragon heads. Indians make their appearance here quite frequently, and in large numbers, to worship. It is remarkable that the red c"lor of the Manitou never fades.

The towns, described by Garke as he found them in 1831, were then the only towns in the county existing in reality, and they have remained the leading towns of the county to this day. At the close of the period 1840, tlie towns had of course grown and developed in keeping with the general progress. During this period - 1818 to 1840 - th3 county was represented in the state senate by George Cadwell, 1818 to 1822,Theophilus W. S Smith, 1822 to 1826, Jo.seph Conway, 1826 to 18;i4,Cyrt's Edwards 18,S4 to 1838,* George Churchill 1838 to 1842, George Smith 1842 to 1846,t and Joseph Gillespie from 184G to 1850. In the house of representatives we find John Howard, Abraham Prickett and Samuel Whiteside from 1818 to 1820 ; Joseph Borough, Nathaniel Buckmaster, William Ottwell, 1820 to 1822. Curtis Blakeman, George Churchill and E J. West, 1822 to 1824; Curtis Blakeman, George Ciiurchill and William Ottwell 1824 to 1826. George Church ill and David Prickett 1826 to 1828 ; George Chtirchill and William Jones 1828 to 1830 ; John B. E. Canal and George Churchill 1830 to 18)2 ; (part of Macoupin and Madison counties forming then one representative district) Cyrus Edwards and James Semple 1832 to 1834 ;*'\Nathaniel Buckmaster, James Semple and Jesse B. Thomas Jr. 1834 to 1836. John Hogan, James Scrapie and Robert Smith 1836 to 1838; Williatn Ottwell, George Smith and Robert Smith 1838 to 1840; Cyrus Edwards, Joseph Gillespie and James Reynolds 1840 to 1842. Robert Aldrich, John Bailhacheand Curtis Blakeman 1842 to 1844 ; George Barnsback, George Churchill and N. D. Strong 1844 to 1846; Curtis Blakeman, W. A. De Wolf and William Martin 1846 to 1848. Names of Senators and Representatives after the adoption of the constitution of 1848 will appear hereafter.

Madison county was represented in the constitutional conventions of 1818 by Benjamin Stephenson, Joseph Borough and Abraham Prickett, and in that of 1847, by Cyrus Edwards, E. M. West, Benaiah Robinson and George T. Brown.

1849 TO 1882. The year 1849 found the county subdivided into sixteen precincts to wit : Highland, W. W. Ramsey, Joseph Suppiger and Oliver Hoy t, judges of elections; Saline, John Giger, J. W. Coventry and Christian Waage ; Looking Glass, Wesley Dugger, Joseph Miller and John Lindley ; Murine, W. W. McLain, Lewis L. Judd and R. P. Allen ; Silver Creek, Lewis Ricks, J. R. Prickett and Abel Olive ; Troy, George Churchill, Jesse Reufro and Jubilee Posey; Omph Ghent, Samuel L. Miller, Samuel Sanner and Moses Barber; White Rock Henry H. Snell, Archibald Lamb and Ale.xander Fleck ; CoUinsville, Horace Look, J. J. -Fisher and George MofBt ; Edwardsville, Samuel Smith, G. N. Kerr and Joshua Dunnagan ; Bethel, Isaac Cox, Joel U. Sturkey and PZdward J. Dorsey ; Upper Alton, Isaac War-

* Madison, St. Clair and Monroe counties were entitled under the apportionment of 1,S36 to an additional senator. John D. Whiteside was elected in August 1.836, but resigned March 5, 1837, when James B. Moore was elected to fill vacancy to 1S3.8.

nock, John A. Maxey and George Smith ; Six Mile, Hiram Sippy, Hiram Arthur and J. W. Delaplain ; Maduon, P. S. Day, J- R- Gillham and Jesse Rhodes; Alto7i, William Hayden, John Chaney and ^lark Dixon; 3fonticello, Timothy Turner, Aaron P. Mason and Jusiah Randle.

The county was dfficered as follows : Henry K. Eaton, county judge, wilh I. B. Randle and Samuel Squire associates. Under the state constitution of 1848, the couutyjudge was ex-officio probate judge, and he, with the associates were entrusted with the civil government of the county.

John A. Prickett, was county clerk ; Andrew Miller, sheriH"; William Gill, coroner^ E. S. Brown, treasurer; E. / M. West, school commissioner j'^Benaiah Robinson, surveyor; and W. Brown, clerk of the circuit court and recorder. Hon. W. H. Underwood, of St. Clair, was judge of the second judicial circuit of which Madison formed a part.

One of the first measures of this court was to bring order into the financial chaos, mentioned on a former page in this chapter. The judge caused the following order to be entered, to wit: The subject of borrowing money or levying a special tax in view of the depressed state of the county finances, and the depreciated value of the county orders, having been frequently submitted to the consideration of the court by many of the tax paying citizens of the county, and the court being desirous to pursue such a course in the premises as a wise and prudent policy would dictate, have this day appointed Fred. T. KraSV, Esq., an agent to make inquiry and obtain information on the following points, to wit : From whom money can be borrowed, the amount from each individual, at what rate of interest from each, for what length of time the loan from each can be had, and to make his report at the March term, 1850. The report, if ever made, was not recorded and cannot be found among the files. It is to be presumed that Mr. KraflT; reported verbably that no money could be had except at ruinous rates of interest, for the court raised the tax rate to 75 cents on the assessed value. The appointment of a fiscal agent was of very questionable propriety at any rate, for it created a new office, for which no provision had been made by the fundamental law. The officers authorized by law should attend to the public affliirs and if the controlling officers attend strictly and diligently to their duties, confusion and financial misery need not be feared. The sj'stera of " financial agents " of the county has been the cause of great losses to the county. As long as the " fiscal agent " was an outsider, no harm came from the system, but in later years it became the practice that the controlling officer - the county judge - made himself the fiscal agent, to borrow money for county purposes and disburse it together with the revenue raised by taxation. The system, with some interruptions, existed for 24 years.

The court, in 1849, aided the construction of a plank-road from Edwardsville to Venice by granting to the plank-road company the right of way, 22 feet ofi" of the right hand side of the county road, free from charge and al>o the use of the embankment across Wet Prairie, and of the county bridges, on the condition that the company keep the bridges across Cahokia and Long Lake in repair. In case that new bridges became necessary, the company were to pay each one half of the costs.

At the March term, 1850, large claims for taking care of paupers were presented, and Judge Eaton caused the following to be spread on the record : The court do conclude and adjudge that these claims cannot be allowed, for the reason, that the county finances are not in condition to warrant it, that the allowance of them and many others of the kind, which have been presented to the court, would open the door for such a flood of claims for pauper services, as if paid would nearly, if not entirely, exhaust the whole revenue of the county. The court have furnished a Poor House for such paupers with a view of lessening the county expenses for taking care of them, and if persons will make heavy bills on account of paupers apart from the Poor House, they must do it at their own risk.

W. W. Jones, who had contracted with the county for keeping the Poor House, was released and a new contract entered into with Robert Stewart, who was to have $624 per annum, for keeping, feeding, clothing and nursing the inmates, i)rovided their average number was not more than six. For every additional one, Stewart was to be paid $2 00 per week.

At a special term of the county court of Madison county, held on the 18th of July, 1850, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted :

" Where.\s since the last adjournment of this court, it has pleased the all wise and merciful Creator of the universe to remove from our midst our esteemed associate, Edward S. Brown, late treasurer and assessor of Madison county ; and Whereas we are desirous of rendering a tribute of respect to the memory of our deceased friend who has endeared himself to us by his many virtues and manly deportment, therefore be it

Ee-iolved, That while we humbly submit to the decrees of God, we deeply deplore the untimely death of our friend and fellow citizpn Edward S. Brown ; that in his death the county of Madison has lost an able, impartial and faithful officer, and the community a valuable and worthy citizen ; That we deeply sympathize with the bereaved family and friends of the deceased in their sad affliction ; and That the clerk of this court present to the family of the deceased a copy of these resolutions and also cause the same to be published in all the public newspapers of the county.

The grand jury of the county memorialized the court on the subject of dramshop licenses in the fall of 1850 as follows; That they (the grand jury) find a number of those who become inmates of the jail and the poor house addicted to the use of ardeut spirits, and in consequence become charges to the county, they believe the granting of license to keep groceries at the usual low rates is the cause of much intemperance and crime, and recommend to the court that hereafter no grocery licenses be granted for less than §100, believing that if the rates shall be materially raised, there will be fewer groceries and less intemperance, poverty and crime in our county. The court acted promptly on this suggestion by raising the license to SI 00.

The autumn election of 1850 resulted in the election of Andrew Miller and N. G. Edwards, as members of the House of Representatives, Fred. T. Krafft, Sheriff, William Gill. Coroner, and Thomas W. Yates, Treasurer, in place ofE. S. Brown, deceased.

At the close of the yesrr the court caused the clerk to prepare a statement of the outstanding county orders, from which statement it appears that this floating debt amounted to about $35,078.17 ; "about" because a large number of county orders, supposed by W. T. Brown, former clerk, to have amounted to S1700, were paid and destroyed in 1843 without being canceled on the books. Mr. Prickett had reported $30,778.17 as unpaid, and then the court deducted the above amount of §1700, leaving an apparent debt of S35.- 078-17.

The county revenue of 1850 was $17,550.44, and the expenditures - Roads and bridges. §6.987.79; Courts and officers 84..599.71 ; Paupens, 82.797 15; Jail, 8439.11 ; Election, $12740. Interest, 81868.86, amounting to 816820 02; leaving a surplus of $730.42. The court had trouble with the deputy assessors on account of their " unheard of" charges, and ordered that hereafter their officers should i)resent itemized accounts, duly authenticated and certified by the county assessor. The clerk was instructed to make settle- i inents and report what he had done Mr. Prickett reporied in March 1851 that he had paid 87.38.00 for the assessment of 1850, which report was sanctioned by the court.

A ludicrous error occurred about the Alton assessment. Lewis Kellenberger, appointed deputy county assessor for Alton, was at the same time the assessor of the city, and had, as such to make two assessments, one for city, and the other for state purposes. As city assessor he found the Alton taxable property to be worth $1,082,549, while as deputy county assessor he found the same property to be worth only $771.5.56, a diflerence of 8310.993. He, however, made by mistake, return of the city assessment to the clerk, who proceeded to extend state taxes on city valuations, and in this manner the state tax of Alton was about 30 per. ct. higher than Kellenberger had intended it to be. Doctors are said | to dislike taking their own medicine, but, nevertheless, it 1 may sometimes be well to do so.

The first report of the county school commission was filed in the court on the 5th of March, 1851, from which it appeared that there were then 65 school-houses in the county, that 2753 children had attended the schools during the year, that the township school funds amounted to §4000, - and that there were four school-libraries in existence, at Alton, Upper Alton, Edwardsville and Colliusville. The tax levy for the year was again 75 cts. per $100, of Which 4-15 was appropriated towards reducing the county debt. The assessed value, Alton property excluded, amounted to 82 784.- 775. A subsequent report of the county debts shows an actual reiluction of $5,765 02. The measures of economy of this court were in many cases too rigorous and at times unjust. As an instance it may be related that the treasurer of the county in 1851 was allowed a compensation of $10.00 only, because the collector had made his returns to the county court direct, instead of through the t rea.su rer, who ought to have known that the law gave him 1 per. cent, both on receipts and disbursements. Mr. Yates should have received 8356.40 instead of $10. A grand jury report in reference to the poor house was submitted to the court, in which the examining committee recommended to the court, that more attention be bestowed upon this institution (poorhouse) by their honorable bodj' (meaning the court) by visiting frequently the institution and seeing that the persons employed perform their duties and secure a little more comfort to the unfortunates confined there.

The county bought 100 acres of land in section 4, township four, range eight, of B. J. Head, two miles west of the court-house, intending it for a poor-farm, and ordered the forty acres heretofore bought for that purpose to be sold at public sale ; Mr. KraflPt became the owner of that tract and paid for it in jNIarch, 1853. The poor house expen.'ies, with an average number of thirteen inmates, amounted to 82 074, or about $160 per capita. This is a great deal of money, much greater than it should have been, and it is not to be wondered at that the county authorities contemplated a change in the system. Many claims presented to the court for allowances, bear evidence of the court's displeasure; we will here introduce a few marginal remarks in the unmistakable handwriting of Judge Eaton. A county printing office had presented a bill of $50 for two plain record books- The following sentence is endorsed on this bill : " The court allows this claim, although it looks upon it as an extortion.' A store account of $41.25 is endorsed by Eaton as follows; "$41.25 allowed, but members of the court do complain of the excessive amounts for medicines, an unheard of charge until last year, also of whisky for the poor house at 82 per gallon ! of brooms, what can the county want with a dozen of brooms at one time ? Some of the articles of stationery for the court-house, such as blotting-paper at 40 cents a quire, and so many quires (10) at once, etc."

At the June term, 1852 Joseph Suppiger, F. Ryhiner, Garritt Crownover, Christian Kuhnen and W. Fisher, all citizens of Highland, presented the following memorial to the court :

'' The untler.'iigned, a committee .ippointed at a meeting of the citizens of Highland, held on the 11th of June, for the purpose of making fiome regulations for the purpose of nursing and attending the sick and burying the dead, in case our place should again be visited, as in 1849, by cholera, respectfully urge the Hon. County Court to appoint an overseer of the poor for (he Highland district. Some symptoms of this dreadful scourge have made their appearance amongst us, and can.sed us to hold the meeting mentioned above. Generally, in the spring, and until the latter part of July, the greatest number of immigrants arrive ; and those coming in June and July are more apt to carry the seed of sickness in their system. The influx of immigration cannot be stopped ; there are no laws proliibiting strangers to settle among us, nor Jo we wish for any siicli laws ; but, of course, we have to take the bad consequences together with the good, and a wise community ought to prepare in time to avoid the worst, and to alleviate the sufferings of our fellow beings. It is not only these new comers, but very often poor, single individuals, who have been living for some ! time among ns, that are taken suddenly, and, having no relatives or friends to lake proper care of tiiem, are sent adrift, and for want of care sufiTer often dreadfully, even beyond description, and if they have the good luck to die, there is nobody to have them deceatly buried. In such emergencies it is absolutely necessary to have an overseer of the poor ready to attend to the business. There were cases here where fuch duties were denied for some lime. And it is another important requirement, besides the appointment of such over.«eer, that such overseer be not restricted in the manner in which the order of the County Court of the 27th of December, 1850, did restrict all former overseers. There is no possibility in most of the cases to make timely application, and if it should be in time, and the paiients could be brought to the poor liouse, we presume that llie citizens of Edwardsville would object to such importations, and more so for dead bodies than only sick persons. Whenever it comes to such a pass, even the most benevolent families will refuse to receive the victims into their houses. And if there is no overseer of the poor to act in such cases, whose duty is it to act? Several applications have been made these last three or four weeks to the former overseer, who does not consider himself empowered to give any orders, and made only arrangements with the provisi , that the agent, hereafter to be appointed by your honors, would ratify the measures taken. It is impossible to apply to the County Court in such emergencies, - the distance forbids any such attempts and principally in cases of death, where putrefaction sets in quicker than in all other di.«eases. The committee would respectfully recommend Doctor Theophilus Bruckner, as a fit and proper subject for such an overseer, he being a young physician, and able to make the necessary discrimination ; and, as neither sickness nor death waits for convenience, and as there is at no other .season of the year the same necessity as at present, they would urge to the Hon. Court the absolute needfulness of immediate action, and to send out the appointment of such an overseer, - and, further, to make such orders and not restrictions as would directly annul all the benefits intended by the framers of the .statute of our state. All of which is respectfully submitted to your Hon. body."

The court appointed Dr. Bruckner at once, as Joseph Sup. piger had peremptorily refused to act The fears of the citizens of Highland were too well founded. The plague made its appearance, and a dreadful mortality ensued.

The county revenue of 1851 was larger than ever before, amounting to $23,342.93, and quite an amount was appropriated in the support of the dying and friendless immigrants at Highland.

In 1852, Joseph Gillespie was re-elected to the state senate, S. A. Buckmaster and Thomas J udy became members of the lower house, C A. Murray sheriff, and S- W. Eobbins coroner. Hon. W. H. Bissell, of St. Clair, was re-elected representative of the first congressional district of Illinois.

re-elected county clerk, J. W. Terry was elected school commissioner, T. W. Yates treasurer and W. E. Wheeler county surveyor, with Joseph Burnap as surveyor of the western district of the county.

The building of the present courthouse was the principal public work done during this administration. The people of the county were greai ly agitated about it, a large number making strenuous efforts in opposition. The question of dividing the county was again mooted, and this very agitation nerved the court in its proceeding to build, in order to put a quietus on the opposing element. Petitions pro and con. poured in from every part of the county, and we shall here introduce two samples, to wit : " The petition of the voters of Madison county respectfully sheweth : That they regard with feelings of lively emotion, all measures which have for their object the advancement of the welfare of the community of which they form a part ; while, on the other hand they deprecate, as injurious, all schemes that tend, by undue agitation, to di.<turb public tranquillity, or on slight pretences, to destroy the order of long established institutions. Of this latter character they deem all attempts to dismember the old and respectable county of Madison. They have learned with regret, that it is in the contemplation of some, to divide and form a new county by cutting off a large portion of Madison. They believe that such a measure would be injurious to all concerned; it would destroy the political importance of both the counties, while, as a matter of expenditure, it would increase the cost to the whole people. Two sets of buildings would have to be erected in the first instance, and in all future time there would be rendered necessary an increased taxation for county purposes.

" With a view to quiet this matter and secure the solid advantages of certainty and repose to every part of our county, they deem it politic and proper to erect, on a scale commensurate with the wants of the people, the convenient administration of justice, the safety of the public records, and the growth of a free and prosperous people, suitable public buildings at the present county seat. As yet, the people of this county have expended little or nothing for public buildings, the court-house now in use having been erected at the expense of the citizens of Edwardsville. These buildings are unsafe, inconvenient, uncomfortable and unworthv of the county ; and in our opinion, the period has arrived when they should be replaced with others of a more permanent, convenient and substantial character.

'The undersigned, therefore, pray the Honorable County Court to take such measures, as in its wisdom shall seem best, to cause the erection of suitable public buildings, on a scale calculated to serve the present and future wants of the people of this county." And now - audiatur et allera pars.

We, the undersigned tax-payers of Madison county, respectfully remonstrate against the recent order of the county court in relation to building a new court-house. Believing, as we do, that the building cannot be prosecuted as contemplated by the court without creating a large interest bearing debt, which will have to be met by an increased rate of taxation, and believing this to be bad policy at any time, and more especially in the present condition of the money matters of the county ; we, therefore, respectfully request your Hon. Body to suspend the execution of the orders referred to for the present season, etc., etc

This petition was presented by J. T. Debam, who added the following postscript : There have 32 tax-payers signed this remonstrance. Every man that saw it, signed it, and if any person could have had time to have gone around and presented it, every man that has to pay taxes would opi)Ose the building of a new court-house. In Montieello precinct, I have no fears of vouching for Josiah Raudle, etc , etc., mentioning every man in the towuship!

The court itself was not unanimous, as will be seen by the solemn protest of the member from the western part of the county, the Hon. Joseph Chapman, in words as follows:

Madison county court, March term 18.55; whereas, contrary to the wishes of a large majority of the people of this county, as the undersigned believes, the majority of this court at this term has passed an order to build a courthouse in the town of EJwardsville, and whereas, there is no recourse left to ihe undersigned but to protest against the said order, therefore the undersigned asts that his protest may be placed upon the record of this court.

The order against which Mr. Chapman protested was very brief: That the court appoint Joseph Gillespie, Michael G. Dale, Wm. T. Brown, Fred. T. KrafTc and Jno. A. Prickitt a committee to decide upon the best plan of a court-house suitable for the county, and that a new courthouse be built.

It is said that it took a great deal of argument and reasoning to get the Hon. D. D. Collins to vote " aye. " In fact, the members of the court were subjected to very bitter and venomous censure. The plans for the court-house were made by Charles H. Pond, who also became the contractor. The price agreed upon was §34,846.00, which amount was paid in 10 per. cent, interest bearing county bonds, the greater part of which was a portion of the interest bearing county debt, refunded in 1877.

The court-house was completed in September 18.57, and was placed in charge of the sheriff" with instructions to have the different rooms locked and to keep intruders out. Political conventions, agricultural and mechanical societies had standing permission to hold their meetings in the court room, others had to get special permission from the county court.

A new precinct, Alhambra, was established ]\Iarch 18-5.5, with poll at the house of W. J. Lowrey, and the precinct of Bethel, formerly Rattan's prairie, received the name Bethalto.

The poor farm bought in 1852, was sold to J. R. Meldrum and others in 1855. Whenever a county undertakes to raise corn or potatoes, it is sure to pay too much for the whistle, as the immortal Benjamin Franklin would say. During this term a substantial bridge across Cahokia creek on the Springfield road near Edwardsville was built under contract \\ith the county by D. P. Wentworth for $3,150. 00. The county revenue during these four years amounted

The fiscal statements made during those four years have not been preserved. The writer happened to find a statement of 1858, published in a Highland newspaper. The county debt was stated to have been as follows :

Of 1855. O. C. Drake, school commissioner and B. D. Berry, treasurer. Of 1856. Joseph Gillespie, senator, Lewis Ricks and Aaron P. Mason, representatives, Z. B. Job, sheriff, W. G. Pinckard coroner and T. O. Springer clerk of the circuit court. Of 1857. John Weaver school commissioner, B D. Berry treasurer, M. G Dale county judge, E. M. Morgan and George Stocker associates and John A. Prickett, county clerk.

The affairs of the county were conduc'ed with great prudence and rigid ceremony. The tax rates were not increased although there was an additional expenditure of over S'5,000 interest on court-house bonds. The court succeeded not alone to meet all current expenses of the county but even to materially reduce the interest bearing debt. The revenue of 18.58 was $32,623,37, of 1859 833,477.37, of 1860 $32,954.67, and of 1861 .§31,376. 12. Taxes were paid promptly and tax dodging was not allowed to cripple the administration.

The taxable property of the county in 1858 was assessed at $8,712,283, of which §2,182,208 worth of property within the corporate limits of Alton was exetnpt from paving a direct county tax. Alton took charge of the jiaupers in its corporation, and paid its proportional share of the other county expenses out of the city treasury, as agreed upon by the county court and city council. The total tax for the state, county and school purposes amounted in 1858 to $90,995,67. In 1859 these valuations amounted to $8,- 823,797, including railroad valuations, mentioned above for the first time, to wit : $272,137; lands were asses.sed at $3,- 998,085; city and village proi^orty, $2,128,809; and personal property, $2.433,766 ; the total taxes amounted to $94,- 152,72.

Results of election in 1858 : Sarauel A. Buck master ;>5 State Senator ; Z. B. Job and Joseph H. Sloss, members of the House; W. T Brown, sheriff; and James Hand, coroner. Philip B. Fouke, of St. Clair, was elected representative of the 8th congressional district, and re-elected in 1860.

A vote on the introduction of township organization, J ordered in consequence of the petition of V. P. Eichmond, ! resulted adversely to township organization.

coroner; and T. O. Springer, clerk of the Circuit court. 1861 : M. G. Dale, re-elected county Judge ; Constantine Rillietand W. B. Hundley, associate justices; Joseph Chapman, county clerk; Nelson D. Sweeny, surveyor; W. P. Eaton, school commissioner ; B. D. Berry, treasurer ; Solomon Koepfli and Samuel A. Buckmaster, delegates to the constitutional convention.

M. G. Dale, county judge; Constantine Rilliet and W. B. Hundley, associate justices. Mr. Rilliet died in 1862, and was succeeded by Xavier Sutter. He was held in high esteem, and his sudden death was deplored by all who knew him. He was a foreign born citizen of distinction. Mention is made of him in the chapter on European immigration. The records of the county, December term 1862, containing the following resolutions, spread upon the record of the county court by its order.

" Whereas, It has pleased the Allwise Ruler of the Universe to remove from our midst, since the last meeting of the court, our associate justice, Constantine Relliet,

Besolved, By the members of the court, that we have received with deep regret the intelligence of his death ; That we bear our heartfelt testimony to the strict integrity, gentlemanly demeanor and devotion to duty which marked his character ; That we tender to his family and friends the sincere tribute of our sympathy."

The civil war was now raging throughout the United States. Young men and men of families rushed to the field in defense of the integrity of the Union, and it became the duty of the court, to see that the families of our patriotic men were properly provided for. Money had to be raised at once, as the slow process of tax-collecting could not meet the emergency. The court called on E. M. West, G W. Phillips, Joseph Gillespie and John Suppiger as members of a committee to aid in providing funds and distributing the same judiciously and economically. Large and larger amounts were needed as time went on, bounties bad to be paid in order to fill the ranks thinned out by death on the field of battle, or in the dreaded hospital. Every order of the court to borrow money was immediatly succeeded by another order to levy a special tax in discharge of temporary debts .'lo created. While many other counties throughout this and other states loaded themselves down with permanent war debts, under which some are groaning to this day, Madison county had raised by taxation funds, amply sufficient to pay off every dollar of its war debt, even before the war had ended ! It was a difficult task, but prudent government and ready tax paying accomplished it. The war taxes collected in Madison county amounted to $108,292.-59. Hon. E. M. West managed the financial part of this work. The moneys were disbursed in support of families of volunteers, in payment of bounties, interest on moneys borrowed and other expenses.

Turning to the regular county expenses during the second term of Judge Dale's administration we find them to have been fully met leaving even a surplus, with revenues as follows : 1862, $32,981.18; 1863, $33,409.05; 1864, $35,. 098.22 ; and in 1865, $37,397 80. It should be borne in mind that the current money of the land had been greatly depreciated, the greenback dollar of 1863, 1834 and 1865 being at times scarcely worth 50 cents in coin. The credit of the county was good and the 8 per cent, county war loan mentioned above was readily taken at par.

The debt of the county was reduced to $3.5,066.50 in bonds and $10,421.71 in unpaid county orders, as per statement of June, 1864, the balance of revenue of 1863 then in process of collection was stated to have amounted to $25,- 871.43, amply sufficient to redeem the floating debt above mentioned.

Officers elected in 1862 : W. H. Underwood, Senator of the 5th district - Madison and St. Clair, Samuel A. Buck- / master and William Watkins, representatives of the 16th district (Madison and Bond), W. E. Wheeler, sheriff, and St. W. Gaskill, coroner. William R. Morrison, of Monroe county, was elected member of Congress for the 12th congressional district of Illinois.

In 1863 : K. G H. Knowles, surveyor, with D. A. Spaulding - who had been county surveyor in 1823 - as surveyor for the western district, and James B. McMichael, assessor and treasurer.

In 1864 : Julius A. Barnsback and Hiram Dresser, representatives ; George Ruegger, sheriff; Wm. T. Brown, clerk circuit court, and P. G. Regan, coroner; Jehu Baker, of St. Clair, was elected member of Congress and re-elected in 1866. ! In 1865: Thomas R.Wilson, surveyor; W. P. Eaton, school-commissioner,* and James B. McMichael, treasurer.

David Gillespie, ceunty judge, Edmond D. Keirsey and 1 Anthony Suppiger, associates; C. W. Dimmock, clerk. 1 The times succeeding the war have always been considered I very prosperous, the land was flooded with currency and j all expenditures, public and private, increased perceptibly.

] * Mr. Eaton resigned in 1S67, and was succeeded by \V. J. Roseberry. Ro.seberry died during his term, and Joseph W. Van Cleve was appointed to fill the vacancy.

These amounts did not suffice to meet the current expenses of the county. Temporary loans made at various times to save the county from losses apprehended by a depreciation of county orders, became a permanent debt. At the end of this administration, December 6, 1869, the interest-bearing debt of the county was as follows : Old interest bearing co. orders of 1843. ... $ 915 ."lO

*David Gillespie at various times pledged his personal credit to keep county orders at par, wliich they had never been before and maintained them at par during his administration. When settling hi.s fiscal agency in 1870, the county was found indebted to David Gillespie to the amount of over ^3,000 for moneys advanced by him. Upper Alton, Roelv Road purchase. . . . . § 4,-500 00 Jail bonds issued 33,000 00

The county had been at very great expense in building bridges and raadj. A new jail had to bs erected. The order in reference to the building of this jail is as follows : It is ordered by the county court that a new jail be erected at a cost not to exceed the sum of §30,000 on such lot of ground as may be determined by the agent appointed for that purpose, due regard being had to the best interest of the county. And it is further ordered by the court that David Gillespie, county judge, be and he is hereby appointed agent for the county to make contract for the purchase of ground to be selected by him for the location of said jail, and also to contract for plans, specifications and the building of said jail, and to have a general superintendence in the construction of the same, and have power and authority to mike all contracts in the building thereof Thesaid agent to determine thelocation of said jail and also the place and specification for the building and to make all necessary deeds to the county for the ground purchased and to make all necessary contracts and arrangements for raising the necessary funds under an act of the legislature ofthe state of Illinois, approved February 'l-d, 1867, authorizing the county court of JIadison county to issue $50,000 bonds for the erection of a jail for said county. During the preceding administration it had become necessary to erect proper buildings for the increasing number of helpless paupers. An order of court had, however, provided for the necessar}' funds for tiiis purpose, which were to be obtained from the sale of swamp lands belonging to Madison county. A few words in reference to these lands \\\\\ here be in proper place.

county had come in possession of 1480 acres of swamp and overflowed lands, situated in townships 3-9 and 4-9. M. G. Dale had been appointed agent to sell these lands. From his reports and the county treasurer's statements it appears that 840 acres of this land were sold in 1865 and that the county received a net income of $3498.30 from said i-ale. $2,040 of this money had been expended in the erection of the county poor house. The balance on hand December 5, to wit, $1458.30, were ordered by the county judge to be applied in the erection of an addition to the county-poorhouse. The balance of the swamp lands, to wit, 640 acres were sold by order of the court in 1873. The amount realized was $1920, vo that the whole amount received by the county for the lauds in question aggregates $5,418.30. It was thought at the time of this last sale that the county had a claim against the federal government for a larger quantity of land, and the authorities of the county entered into a contract with James A. Dickenson and others to prosecute the claims of the county. This contract, made and signed December 11th, 1873, was subsequently declared null and void by the board of county commissioners, and no steps were taken to investigate the merits of the claim.

This adrainistrati)n has frequently been critized for its measures of introducing a system of e.vpensive internal iiu. provements. The flush times induced the people at first not only to look upon lavish expenditures with indifference, but even to urge the court to make greater and more expensive improvements. Petitions, signed by the heaviest tax payers poured in, asking for the building of bridges, the purclia.sing of plank roads, the making of rock roads, etc, etc. Incorporated towns solicited and obtained aid in constructing expensive roads, planked and rocked, leading to and through their incorporated limits. When told by the authorities that there were no funds for such appropriations the ans«er was almost invariably: "Let future generations help to pay " - a cry so often h»ard when an incredibly huge na- tional debt was created in an incredibly brief space of time - there is a plenty of money to be had, go and " borrow! " The very first act of the court was to make a temporary loan.

The expenditures of the first year exceeded the revenue nearly S60,000, although the tax levy of the year 1870, to wit : $86,034.50, Wii over §4,000 higher than ever before. The people in the southeast part of the county, the frugal and vigilant natives of the Swiss Republic showed signs of uneasiness at this state of afl!liirs as early as December, 1870. They remonstrated in a respectful but decided manner against the system of creating a large and permanent debt. The signers of the remonstrance were invited to attend court^ and have an explanation. Louis Vnllirt, John Balsiger and C. P. Chipron were the only ones to answer this invitation, which had more the appearance of a summons. The re" cords of March 14th, 1871, contain the following entry: " Whereas, a remonstrance has been presented against the action of the county court, and said parties having been duly notified, that the same will be heard this day : L. Vullirt, John Balsiger and C. P. Chipron, three of the parties appeared in court, and said remonstrance was duly and fully considered, and the court having shown that there were no good reasons for complaint really existing, as said parties in person and by letter admitted, the said remonstrance is laid on the table indefinitely."

Petitions, numerously signed, praying for a vote on the adoption of township organization, were presented from year to year, but the measure was in each case defeated by large majorities, showing that the court enjoyed the confidence of the people, and that its actions were endorsed. Good roads and safe and substantial bridges were highly appreciated, and the more so, as there was no increase in the tax rate. The values of lands and other property were constantly increasing, and the higher prices obtained for all agricultural productions, led many tax payers to forget that those many so-called temporary loans would mature andhave to be met.

Speaking of the constant enhancement of values, it is proper to state that the taxable property of the county was assessed in 1873, as $24,981,571, nearly three times as much as in 186.3 - to wit: $^,390,41 1.00.

Lavish as were the expenditures in reference to the improvements, they might still be considered moderate in comparison with the extravagant pauper expenses, which in 1873, reached the enormous amount of $42,000 !

The oft repeated orders in reference to borrowing certain limited amounts of money, were now followed by a more dangerous and wholly arbitrary one of December 14, 1872: agent of the county in the premises, orders of Madison county, to the amount of five hundred dollars or upwards, the said county judge, as agent of the county, is authorized to issue to the holder of orders, county bonds in lieu thereof, with teii per cent, interest per annum, payable semiannually, and said bonds to run for such period of time not to exceed ten years, as may be deemed advisable by said agent."

This was a dangerous order. It opened the flood gates to financial ruin ; there was no limit any longer ; millions of dollars might have been borrowed under it. And yet, this '' order" was not original with the court. Turning back a few pages in this chapter, to 1843 and 1844, the reader will find a funding order, in substance and bearing the same as the one above. Judge Brown had been county clerk during that period, and some of these funded orders or bonds of 1843, made out by him when clerk, were presented for payment and paid during his administration as judge.

The tax levies during this period were as follows: in 1870, *86,034.50; in 1871, $10.5,0.57.00; in 1872, $130, 287.35 ; and in 1873, 162,380.20. The taxes were not as closely collected as in former years. Some taxpayers fell behind, and these delinquencies, amounting to only $2,302 32, in 1869, reached their height in 1876, when they amounted to $161,104.26; $54 691.75 of which, were due to Madison county, as part of the county levies of prior years. In speaking of the county debt and " bewailing" its magnitude, this item of delinquent taxes has never been mentioned.

The current expenditures of the county, together with accrued interest of county debt amounted in these four years to $776,447.58. The gross receipts from tax levies, grocery licenses, sale of .swamp-lands and all other sources amounted to $462,734.51 and $il4.23l.l07 were raised by loans. The interest bearing debt of Madison county, was now - 1874 $485,460.17 to wit:

It should here be stated that a large number of county orders and unadjusted claims amounting in the aggregate to nearly ."jO 000 formed a heavy floating debt - March 1, 1874. The tax levy for the current year, to wit: $148 280- 98 was then in process of collection, and as not a dollar of it had been expended or paid into the treasury at that date, the above mentioned floating debt of $50,003 is not, nor ought it to be made part of the exhibit of the county indebtedn ss, and further it should be stated here, that, on a later day, the administrators of the estate of Wm. T. Brown deceased, paid $19. 975.83 of the assets of his estate into the county treasury in payments of a judgment of nearly $49.- 000 obtained by the county against the late W. T. Brown. This amount was afterwards applied towards paying otf a part of the county debt.

The death of Judge Brown was one of the saddest events in the county history. In making himself the financial agent of the county, and, in a measure the superintendent of public improvements also, he added so many labors to his official duties as county Judge, that he broke down under the load. The very fact, that his financial agency was out of place and had forced him into a false position, weighed heavy on his mind, clouding an intellect as bright and brilliant as but few mortal are blessed with. Whoever has seen our lamented judge in the last days of his life, tottering under that load of fearful responsibility will ever remember with grief and sorrow that picture of hopelessness and despair. All know how he put an end to his troubles and sorrows. Judge J. G. Irwin, his successor in office, caused the following entry to be made in the records of the probate court of April 1874. As a token of respect to the memory to AViiliara Taylor Brown, late judge of this court who departed this life on the 2.1. of Jlarch 1874, his successor in office has caused to be spread upon the pages of ihU record, the following brief outline of the career of the deceased as a public man.

" He was born April 26, 1817. The whole period of his manhood save an interim of seven years was spent in tiie public service of the people of Madison county, from 1837 to iSoC he held the office of clerk of the circuit court, and during the first ten years of that period als'i discharged the duties of clerk of the county court. In 1858 he was elected sheriff and filled this office for one term of two years. In 1864 he was again elected clerk of the circuit court in which position he served until autumn 1868. In November 1869 he was elected Judge of this court, and continued to serve the people in that capacity until his death, having been reelected in November 1873 for a second terra."

His has been a career of honor and success unparalleled in the lives of the public men of this county. Although possessed of many public and private virtues, the chief ornament of his character was his generosity and charity. He was incapable of saying " No " in the presence of want and misery and his charity regarded neither creed, race, nor color. If the earnest and sincere prayers of the poor of this earth may smooth the pathway of the traveler on his journey from this world to the bourne from whence no traveler returns, let us trust and believe that his has been a happy exit.

The authorities of the county being of the opinion that the large amounts of monej' borrowed by the late Judge Brown, had not all been satisfactorily accounted for, made a proposition to the administrators of his estate to effect a speedy and amicable settlement. They appointed a committee of investigation, composed of the Hon. A. W. Metcalf, and Jlessrs. Cyrus Leverett and Otto Brodtbeck, to act \\ith the administrators in examining persons and papers with a view of settling the atiliirs without going to court. The administrators declined to enter into the proposed arrangement, preferring to have the claim of the county, if one really existed, adjusted before the probate court. The county employed Hon. A. W. Metcalf, as attorney, while Messrs. Krome and Hadley appeared for the estate. The trial ended in a judgment against the estate, as mentioned above.

Election - 1869 to 1873. At a special election heM for the purpose of electing two delegates to the constitutional convention - 16th representative district - Madison and Bond counties; C. F. Springer, of Edwardsville, a republican, and H. W. Billings, of Alton, a democrat, were chosen.

The former system of county government, the so-called county court, was abolished by the new constitution, substituting a formerly tried system of county commissioners, with a three years' tenure of office for members elected after the year' 1873. Those elected in 1873 had to draw lots fir respective terms of one, two and three years. Owing to an imperfection in the law, introducing the system, the commissioners ciuld not take charge of public affairs until January 24th, 1874.

April, 1876

First Year. - W. E. Wheeler, chairman ; W. W. Jarvis and T. W. Kinder, members. This board took charge of the county affairs under very unfavorable circumstances. The finances of the county were in confusion, and a large interest bearing debt made the semi-annual payment of interest a heav}' burden. Besides, there were county orders and unadjusted claims amounting to nearly fifty thousand dollars to be met, with not a dollar of available funds in the treasury. The tax books for the year were in the hands of the collector, but no effort at collection had been made. The law provided for the c llection of the revenue in the first quarter of the year, but usage had made the third quarter of the year the tax gathering quarter for Madison county. The great commercial crisis of 1873 began to be severely felt in the west about this time, and at last, the railroad companies combined to have the tax collectors enjoined from collecting all taxes levied on railroad proj)erty. The prospect was gloomy, but the members of the board proved equal to the task allotted to them. Firmly resolved, not to allow the public debt to be increased another dollar; the board set to work to ascertain in the first place, what the net revenue for the year would amount to. All sanguine views were banished and stern reality bravely met. It was resolved that the expenditures of the county should be kept within the revenues derived from taxation, and this resolution was rigidly adhered to. A number of county bonds were maturing during the year, and of course, they could not be paid out of a crippled revenue. The board, however, succeeded in protecting the credit of the county by finding purchasers of the bonds, and at lower rates of iinterest at that.

The new order of things did by no means please all, and, in some instances, it became necessary that the firmness of mind was aided by strength of muscle and pluck.

The current expenses of the county, exclusive of interest, during the year, amounted to §89,088.45. The interest piid during the year amounted to $30,1)2.5.04.

The second county board, with T. W. Kinder as chairman, and R. W. Crawford as new member, conducted the affairs pretty much on the same plan and with similar success.

The current expenses of the county during the year 1875 amounted to §90,987.62. The tax levy of the year was $115,531.85. The voters of the county adopted township organization at the November election, 1875.

John Bardill, who had been elected member of the board as successor to W. W. .Tarvis, served from December 1, 1875, to April, 1876, when the county commissioners board was superseded by the board of supervisors.

The districting of the county under the new order of things, was an easy task, - the congressional townships in all but one instance, forming non-political corporations named as follows :

The first board was composed of John A. Prlckett, of Edwardsville, chairman, 1876 and 1877: H. M. Thorp, Helvetia ; Jones Tontz, Saline ; Daniel Ruedy, Leef; Andrew Jackson, New Douglas; F. S. Pike, St. Jacobs; J. L. Ferguson, Marine; R. D. Utiger, Alhambra; James Olive, Olive - chairman in 1879; Ignatius Riggin, Jarvis ; J. B. McKee, Fin Oak ; W. A. Mize, Hamel ; James Kell, Oraph Ghent ; B. R Hite, Collinsville (chairman 1880-82) ; J. B. Gibson, Fort Russell ; E. K Preuitt, Moro ; Philip Bradon, Nameoki (T. J. Irish, of Nameoki, was chairman in 1878); Amos Atkins, Chouteau ; S. B. Gillham, Wood river (chairman in 1'81); Edmund Dooling, Fosterburg ; R.J. Brown, Venice ; Henry C Sweetzer, Ed. Woodman, J. M. Tonsor, and C. A. Herb, Alton ; and John ]M. Pearson, of Godfrey.

This board found the financial affairs of the county in a lietter shape than the first board of county commissioners had found them in 1874. Other diflicuUie.«, however, had meanwhile arisen between the county commissioners and the collector, whose office had been declared " vacant " by a majority of the commissioners. This order had no other effect but to delay the collection of the much needed revenue, thus compelling the new board of supervisors to begin its official life with another " whereas," and an order to borrow $19,000 to meet the payment of interest of the county debt due June 10, 1876.

Before the expiration of the first year the board ordered to have a vote taken on the question : " Shall the present interest bearing debt be refunded, and will the people consent to the issuing of $400,000 of 6 per cent, interest bearing bonds to replace existing 10 per cent, and 8 per cent, bonds ?" The legality of the bonds issued by former authorities, was questionable and as the new or prosiiective bonds would be legalized beyond per adventure by an affirmative vote of the people, it was hoped that the county debt could be refunded at a much lower rate. The voters of Madison county bore witness by a decided majority, that they looked upon the county debt, as just and again endorsed by an affirmative vote, to approve the measures taken by their representatives in office. The board immediately resolved to have the financial transactions of the county authorities from December 6, 1869 to April 24, 1876 overhauled, and a committee of five members, to wit: John BGibson, chairman, B. R. Hite H. M. Thorp, S. B. Gillham and J. A. Prickett appointed, to investigate the matter. This committee called Hon. A. W. Metcalf and Hon. J. G. Irwiu to their assistance and after a laborous and searching investigation, lasting many days an! weeks reported in substance, that all outstanding bonds of the county were issued for a valuable consideration. That all moneys raided by taxation, by loans and from other sources during that period of time amounted to $1,18=!,512.12, and that the disbursements, properly authenticated, together with the amounts of judgments recovered against the financial agent and the county treasurer amounted to $1,188,512 14 or two cents more than the receipts. -

This report was published in phamphlet form and freely distributed over the county, as well as spread on the county records at length; - hence it is deemed superfluous to repeat said report in full.

The interest bearing debt of the county, subject to be called in and converted into 6 per cent, bonds, amounted, according to the report of the clerk, June 5, 1877 to $392,- 500.

The condition of the treasury was such, that the board felt justified in ordering the payment of §7,500 in money, leaving $385,000 to be refunded. This then was the debt of the county in 1877. The reduction $20,000 of interest bearing bonds, and $50,000 unpaid claims and county orders, $70,000 in the aggregate, had been efiected without resorting to special tax levies. The amount of money received from the estate of William T. Brown, to wit: $19,975.83 and §22,743.79, back taxes collected under the new system, making a snug total of $41,719.62, have materially aided in the reduction, but the prudent economy ot the board should be credited with the balance of said reduction.

The county debt at present, June 1, 1882, amounts to 8316,000, witii balance of 846,589.28 cash in the treasury. The present financial system of the county was inaugurated by the fir.-t board of County Commissioners, and it is but just to state that the presiding ofBcer of the board, with whom the plan of reform had matured before entering upon the duties of his oflSce, was ably and earnestly supported by his colleagues.

The current expenses of the county, including disbursements made by township officers on account of roads, bridges, assessments and elections, and exclusive of interests paid or bonds redeemed, appear to have been as follows :

Yag;pr, and coroner, C. S. Yourie A constitutional amendment adopted in 1880, changed the tenure of office of sheriff and treasurer, and also the years of holding elections for other county officers, hence no election took place in 1881, the judge, clerk and treasurer holding over one year, and the superintendent being reappointed by the board of supervisors.

Addenda

The census of 1880 fixes the population of the county at 50,141 ; and the agricultural statistics made by the township assessors for the same year give us the following reports.

The figures are, as a matter of course, not absolutely correct, but may safely be taken as a criterion of the rich agricultural resources of the county. According to reports we find :

Elections 1S74, State senator, W. H. Krome ; House of Representatives, F. S. Pike, G. H. Weigler and George A. Smith; Sherifl", J. T. Cooper, and coroner J. A. Miller, 1875. Hugh E. Bayle trea.surer and AValton Rutledge surveyor. 1876. House of Representatives, Samuel A. Buck-''''^ master, F. M. Pearce and John S. Dewey ; sheritf, James T. Cooper ; clerk of the circuit court, John D. Heisel ; states attorney, C L Cook, and coroner C S. Yourie. 1877 ^M. G. Dale, county judge, H. E. Bayle county clerk, Adolph Ruegger, treasurer, B. F. Sippy, school superintendent and W. Rutledge, surveyor. 1878. State senator, A. J. Parkinson; House of Representatives, W. R. Prickett, J. M. Pearson, and John S. Dewey ; sheriff, James T. Cooper and coroner, C. S. Yourie. 1879. A. Ruegger, treasurer. 1880. House of Representatives, Henry (). Billings, John M. Pearson and Jones Tontz ; sheriff, J. T. Fahnestock ; clerk of the circuit court, William Daech ; states attorney, J. H.

Statistics in reference to births and deaths in the county are omitted, because the reports are incomplete, and statistics based on such reports would, of course, be wholly worthless. The county records show that 13,040 marriages were solemnized in the county since 1812.

. The county of Madison was represented in the state senate after the adoption of Jie constitution of 1846, under the name of 6th senatorial district by Joseph Gillespie from 1848 to 1858. Under the apportionment of 1854 Madison, Bond and Montgomery counties formed the 21st senatorial district, and were represented by Samuel A. Buckma.ster fro.J 1858 to 1862. The apportionment of 1861 formed the 6th senatorial district out of Madison and St. Clair counties. This

Sth district was represented by W. H. Underwood of St. Clair from 1862 to 1864, by A. W. Metcalf of Madison, from 1864 to 1868, by Willard C. Flagg of Madison, from 1868 to 1872, and W. H. Underwood. Since 1872 Madison county has formed the 41st senatorial district, and was represented by Senators John H. Yager 1872 to 1874, W. H. Krome 1874 to 1878, and by A. J. Parkinson from 1878 to 1882.

The county being designated the 20th representative district, from 1848 to 1854, was represented by Edward Keating and Curtis Blakeman, 1850, by Andrew Miller and N. G Edwards; the latter resigned during his term, Samuel A. Buckniaster fil'ing vacancy 1850 to 1852; by Samuel A. Bui^kniaster and Thomas Judy 1852 to 1854; and £s the 14th representative district 1851 to 1862 by G.T.Allen and Henry T. Baker 1854 to 1856; Lewis Ricks and Aaron P.Mason 1856 to 1^58; Z B. Job and Joseph H. Sloss from 1858 to 1860; and Cyrus Edwards and Garrett Crownover 1860 to 1862. In 1862 Madison and Bond counties formed the 16th lepresentative district, and were represeiited in the 23d General Assembly by Samuel A. I'luckmaster and N. Watkins from 1862 to 1864; Buckmaster was elected speaker of the House of Representatives and became famous for his energetic administration. The civil war was raging and passions ran high. On one occasion Buckmaster cried out: "I'll have order in this hou.'^e, even if I should use a shot gun for a gavel ! " The very man, who caused Buckmaster to burst out in this exclamation of wrath, was Speaker of the house at a later period, and was then very much in need ot a Gatlin gun or " Mitrailleuse" to preserve order against the very element, which he represented in 1862. By Julius A. Barnsback and Ilirani Dresser from 1864 to 1866; by John H. Yager and Jediah F. Alexander from 1866 to 1868, and by Daniel Kerr and Samuel H. Challis from 1868 to 1870. From 1870 to 1872 Madison county formed the 26th representative district with Daniel B. Gillhara, A. F. Rodgers and Theodore Miller as members, and since 1872 the county has formed the 41st district, and was represented by Henry Weinheimer, B. R. Hite, and T. T. Ramey from 1872 to 1874 ; by Franklin S. Pike, George H "Weigler and George A. Smith, from 1874 to 1876; by Samuel A. Buckmaster, F. M. Pearce and J. S. Dewey from 1876 to 1878 ; by W. R. Prickett, J. M. Pearson and J. S. Dewey from 1878 to 1880; and by H. O. Billings, Jones Tontz and J. M. Pearson from 1880 to 1882.

In the constitutional convention of 1862 the county was represented by Samuel A. Buckmaster and Solomon Koepfli. The constitution proposed by this convention was rejected by the people at an election held June 17, 1862. The county was represented in the convention of 1870 by Charles F. Springer and Henry W. Billings.

I. B. Randle represented the county in the state board of equalization from 1868 to 1872; George Hunter of Macoupin, from 1872 to 1876; Frederick Sunckel of St. Clair, from 1876 to 1880, and John E. Coppinger of Alton, since 1880.

The county was represented as part of the Ist congressional district of Illinois from 1849 to 1855; by Hon. W. H. Bissell of St. Clair, as part of the 8th district by Lyman Trumbull, and after his election to the U. S. Senate, by J. L. D Morrison of Belleville from 1855 to 1857; by Hon. Robert Smith of Alton, from 1857 to 1859; by P. B. Fouke of Belleville, from 1859 to 1863; as part of the 12th district by W. R. Morrison of Monroe, from 1863 to 1865; by Jehu Baker of St. Clair, from 1865 to 1869 ; by J. B. Hay of Belleville, from 1869 to 1873, and as part ol the 17th congressional district by W. R. Morrison of Monroe, since 1873.

state legislature of 1882, rearranged the congressional districts of the state, and Madison county together with the counties of St Clair, Bond, Washington and Monroe forms now the 18th congressional district of the state of Illinois.

The Presidential Electors, chosen for the congressional district of which Madison county formed a part, were the following: Michael Jones, 1820; A. P. Field, 1824; John Taylor, 1828; Abner Black, 183- ; (Daniel Stookey seems to have cast the vote for Mr. Black) John Pearson, 1840 ; Willis Allen, 1844; William Martin, 1848; John A. Mc- Clernand, 1852; W. A. J. Sparks, 1856; Thomas G. Allen, 1860; H. S. Baker, 1864; Charles F. Springer, 1868; John I. Rinaker, 1872 ; Cyrus Happy, 1876 ; and W. T. Mortou, 1880.

Circuit Court Notes, 1 849 To 1855

Hon. W. H. Underwood, presiding - At this term 52 indictments for larceny were returned into court, resulting in 22 convictions, aggregating 77 years, 4 months penitentiary, 2 for arson, 1 conviction, John Sullivan, 2 years ; 3 fur forgery, no conviction ; 1 for bigamy, not convicted ; 2 for pasing counterfeit money, both James Ryan and Henry Hughes, convicted and sent to penitentiary 1 and 5 years respectively ; 1 for libel, no conviction ; 3 for murder, John Schnagler, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced for two years ; 5 for manslaughter, 1 conviction, pardoned by Governor ; and 1 for rape, not tried.

Hon. Sidney Breese, presiding, W. H.Snyder, prosecuting attorney. - Hon. S Breese presided over three terms, during which 32 cases of larceny, 3 of passing counterfeit money, 6 of illegal voting, 3 of murder and 1 of swindling were placed on the criminal docket. 11 persons were tried and found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to the state penitentiary for 24 years and 4 months in the aggregate. William Mitehen, indicted for murder, was convicted of manslaughter and sent to the penitentiary for one year.

The number of criminal cases placed on the docket during the eight terms presided over by Hon. W. H. Snyder was enormouly great. There were 77 cases of larceny, 5 of manslaughter, 1 of arson, 1 of rape and 11 of murder. 6 persons were convicted of larceny, and their penalty fixed at

90 years and 6 months penal servitude in the aggregate. A rapist was sent up for five years: Johann Ludwig Friister, Fred. Welner were sentenced three and five years respectively, for manslaughter ; E. Aldred, indicted for murder, obtained a change of venue to Bond county ; and Peter Hanson was found guilty of arson and sent up for seven years.

The trial of George Gibson, Edward Barber and Joseph Watson, for the murder of one Barth a peddler and resident of the county, created the most intense excitement throughout the county. These men were indicted on the IGth of May, 1857, by the following grand jurors, to wit: Fred. T Kraf}"(, foreman, James L. McLanahan, James Whiteside, Aaron Rule, Jacob Leder, William McCain, John J. Parker, James Kell, Josiah K. Gillhani, Benjamin L. Dorsey, L. S. Wells, Lancaster R. Weeks, John Mason, Collier Brown, John Cox, George Moifitt, G. W. Layman and Jacob B. Cox.

The trial commenced on the 21st of May, 1857. The parties were defended by S. T. Sawyer, F. S. Rutherford and John Trible, before the following jury : J. H. Williams, S. W. Tindall, George Hedges, William Sandbach, George G. Wilson, Jacob Preiiitt, Abram Preuitt, Benjamin Heustis, Ignatius Sweeriugen, I. B. Randle, William Keirsey and Francis Agnew, who found the defendant.s guilty of murder. One of the murderers, a mere youth, had his death sentence commuted by executive clemency, into penitentiary for life, and was pardoned out during the civil war. He enlisted in the service of the U. S. and served faithfully to the end of the war. It is said that he now resides in St. Louis, and is engaged in business there. The two others endtd their lives on the gallows, which had been erected on the grounds of the county poor farm, south of Edwardsville.

The indignation of the people in the eastern part of the county, where the murder was committed and where the poor victim was at home, was very great, and at times it was feared that the murderers would be mobbed. In fact, an organized body, composed of five hundred men, headed by Savage and Smiley - a strange combination of names - all mounted, appeared in the streets of Edwardsville a few days after the murderers had been jailed, with the avowed purpose of taking the prisoners from jail and hanging them at the very place where Barth had been so foully murdered.

Z. B. Job, then sherifi' of the county, aided by all the prominent men of Edwardsville, succeeded in quieting the mob The late John S. Wheeler, as plucky as strong, and Z B. Job, tore the leaders from their horses and secured their persons. Speeches were made by Hon. Joseph Gilles- ))ie, the late F. T. KrafJl and the late Solomon Koepfli, of Highland, to quiet the infuriated masses. The latter, having learned what was contemplated, hastened to Edwardsville to give the alarm. The authorities of the county sent to Alton, requiring the two Alton Guards to come to Edwardsville at once. This summons was promptly obeyed, and while they remained in charge of the prison for about 10 days, the citizens of Edwardsville organized a military company, officered by J. H. Sloss, captain, and J. G. Robinson, lieutenant. This company acted as guard and police on the day of the execution. The town was thronged with thousands of people from all parts of the county, who had como to attend the " hanging."

The sheriff, one of the most kind-hearted men of the day, performed the dreadful duty of an execution with firmness, but when he struck and cut the rope which held the platform in position, he sank to the ground from sheer emotion.

Hon Joseph Gillespie on the bench, J. B. Hay, Joseph D. Manners, R. A. Halbert and E. Breese Glass prosecuting attorneys. This period excelled all previous and all subsequent terms in the number of murder cases, some of which may be traced to the violent passions prevalent during the civil war, while a majority of them were the out-cropping of depravity. There were twentyfour murder cases and eight of manslaughter placed on the criminal docket of the circuit court; other crime.", principally against property, were also very numerous. Seventy five persons were sent to the penitentiary for larceny, burglary, and robbery, their penal servitude aggregating -ol years; two dealers in counterfeit money received four years each, one rapist ten years, one forger one year and one arson one year. Murder and manslaughter cases resulting in convictions. William Rounds, sentenced for life, October term, 1863. Albert Rose, convicted of manslaughter, sentenced for fifteen years. Rose had killed one Samuel Legett, November 28, 1864. George Harrison, manslaughter, six years Harrison had killed John Newton in a fight by stabbing him with a knife, Dtc. 2, 1866. Ht nry Margraf, murderer, life sentence. The murder committed by Margraf was one of the most atrocious crimes on record in the county. He lived as a farm hand with Christian Wrisse, enjoying the confidence of his employer to such a degree that he, in cases of absence of the family, was left in full control of the house and every thing in it. Once again left there, with no one except little Henry, a son of Mr. Wrisse, he robbed the house, choked the poor child to death in a horrible manner, secreted the body of his victim on the premises by covering it up with two bags of wheat, and fled. The terrible crime was soon discovered and Margraf arrested. He was put ujjon his trial in May, 1S69, and taking advantage of a statutory proviso - that the death penalty could not be V. sited on a murderer upon a plea of guilty - plead guilty. His Honor, in sentencing him for life, expressed his regrets, that he could not have sent the monster to the gallows, which he had deserved so much. Margraf is still in the penitentiary, but very recently had the audacity to ask residents of the county to sign a petition for his pardon. AVilliam Bell, accused of the murder of Hermann Wendell by shooting, Nov. 1, 1X68, was at the May term, 1869 indicted for murder by the following grand jury.

William Jagemau, William McNeilly, Thomas Hogg, A. Cowan, Jr., T. M. Tartt, Sidney Robinson, Samuel McKinny, James N. Sandbach, J. W. Scarborough, O. D. Oberlin. Jacob Deck and William E. Lehr, who gave the following verdict: " We the jury find the defendant guilty and recommend the death penalty" - Oetober 19, 1869. Bell was sentenced on the following day and executed on the r2lh of November A. P. 1869 at the old jail iu Edwardsviile

George Gropp was indicted at the same term, and tried in October 1872. He was found guilty of manslaughter, and sent to penitentiary for a term of six years. Gropp, who was keeping saloon, " had shot and killed a guest," jNIichael Loughliu, iu 1869. Executive clemency shortened his term of penal servitude.

William Hiigedick, indicted for an assault with intent to kill, was sentenced to 14 years penitentiary. He had clubbed his wife, and thinking her to be dead, threw her helpless body under the hoofs of his mules, so as to escape suspicion. AVhile iu jail awaiting trial, Hiigedick seemed as unconcerned as though he had not done any wrong. His ideas ou the question of woman's rights smacked of barbarian ages.

The assassination of President A. Lincoln - April 14, 1865 - caused the grand jury of Madison county to pass the following resolution which was spread on the records of the circuit court of the county, to wit :

The grand jury came into open court by Edward M. West, their foreman, and presented to the couit risoluticns on the death of Abraham Lincoln, late jiresident of the United States, as follows, to wit :

Whereas we have heard by official announcement of the Secretary of War, that Abraham Lincoln, pre.-ident of the United States, was assassinated in Washington City ou the 14th day of April last, therefore :

Resolved, by grand jury of Madison county, Illinois, at the ^lay term of the circuit court of said county - that we .deeply deplore the sad event which has has taken from our country iu the prime of life and in the midst of his usefulness Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States of America.

Resolved, that we cannot express with words our utter abhorrence of the dark and diabolical deed which has deprived the nation of its chief, and our detestation of the fiendith perpetrators of the crime.

Resolved, that while we bow to the mysterious providence of heaven in this national affliction, we feel an increased determination to aid in preserving the union of states and upholding the constitution and flag of our country.

The transactions of this court are of recent dates, and may be briefly stated as follows : There were fourteen murder cases placed on the criminal docket - James Egan was convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to one year ; George Bark, on plea of guilty of murder, sentenced for life; Geo. and Lawrence Peipert, indicted for murder obtained a change of venue to St. Clair county ; Walter Pierce, under similar indictment, obtained change of venue to Bond county, where he was sentenced to penitentiary for life ; Baptist Masa, indicted for fratricide, was tried and found insane. William White was sentenced to a 14-3'ears' term, October, 1879. Besides these there were seventy-eight persons tried and convicted of various felonies. These penalties aggregated 183 years in penitentiary. The severest sentence fell upon William Hasemann for incest, who received twenty years and one Charles Meyers, a burglar, who was sentenced for 14 years.

An act of the legislature in 1877 divided the state into 13 judicial circuits with three judges for each district. Madison county forms a part of the 3d district. The judges elected in June, 1879, are Hon. W. H. Snyder, of Belleville : Hon. Amos Watts, of Nashville; and Hon. G. W. Wall, of Du Quoin.

Hon. J. H. Yager, of Alton, is at present county attorney, having succeeded C. L. Cook in 1880. The proceeduigs of the court, during 1879, 80 and 'Si are of too late a date to be mentioned in these pages.

Probate Court, 1819 To 1882

The court was presided over by the late Hon. H. K. Eaton from 1849 to 1857 ; by Hon. M. G. Dale, 1851 to 1865 ; by the l^ite Hon. David Gillespie, from 1865 to 1869; by the late Hon. W. T. Brown, from 1869 to 1874. Browu died March 2d, 1874, in the first quarter of his second term. He was succeeded by Hon. J. G. Irwin, April 1874. Judge Irwin's seat was successfully contested by Hon. M. G. Dale, wl.o filled the rest of the oflicial term to which Brown had been elected. Hon. M. G- Dale was re-elected in 1877 and is still presiding The number of estates administered on since 1812 IS 4086. Assuming that one out of eyery 7 persons deceased was the head of the family, leaving an estate, we arrive aj the conclusion that about 30,000 weary heads have been laid to rest in this county since 1812.

Conclusion

The civil history of Madison county commences with the year 1812, and iucludes, therefore, the events of but 70 years. We have endeavored to give a succinct and accurate account of these events as they occurred from the day when John G. Loftou, Jacob Whiteside and Thomas Kirkpatrick, ihe pioneer county oflicers, assembled in the log cabin of Kirkpatrick's to "hold court" until to day when in 1882 men elected the representatives of 23 townships, each of them representing many times the wealth and population of the whole county in 1812, assembled in the stately court-house, to continue the work, bi^gun by the venerable men mentioned above. Madison county has prospered from the day the first white men built their huts in what they so aptly called " Goshen. " Fifty millions of dollars would not suffice to purchase the property owned today by the 50,000 inhabitants of the county. Seventy years is but a brief period in the life of nations, and yet how limited is the number of those who have seen the county in its infancy, and have watched its wonderful progress.

An Indian trail, here and there, in 1800, an only road from Ed wards ville to Cahokia in 1812, were the means by which the scattered settlements were kept in communication with one another. How great was tiie joy of the.se people, when some ten years later the fir.-<t stage coach carae thundering through the county. The days of the stage have passed by, and the cherry sounds of the driver's bugle are almost forgotten.

The county is dotted with prosperous and growing cities and towns. Stately school-houses are found everywhere throughout the countj', and numerous church spires, pointing upwards, seem to indicate that the thoughts of this people are not entirely bent on things that perish.

Railroads traverse the county in various directions, and telegraphs connect almost every town of the county with the remotest places on earth. Such is Madison county now. Specu'ations as to how it will be found 70 or 100 years hence, are idle. There is a limit to all things The builders of the tower at Babel learned this by their own sad experience, and the Titans, though powerful enough to pile mountains on mountains, could never reach the sacred heights of Olympus.