St. Clair County, Illinois - Biographical sketches, 1881 (part 7 of 13)

O.VE of the enterprising physicians of St. Clair county, is a native of Belleville, and was born April, 1844. His father, Henry Bates, was a native of Pennsylvania. When a boy he went to Ohio, and, after reaching manhood, to Mobile, Ala., and from that place, about the year 1835, came to Belleville. He bought land and settled east of the town, where Jacob Brosius now lives. He secured considerable property and laid out an addition to Belleville, which bears his name. He was a carpenter by trade, and assisted in the erection of many buildings in Belleville, among which was the First Presbyterian church. He was married about the year 1840 to Catharine Heckber, daughter of John Heckber, of Dayton, Ohio. Her mother was connected with a family by the name of Young, who resided in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Henry Bates was among the active business men of Belleville till 1849, when his death occurred from the cholera, which that year carried off many of the inhabitants. During its prevalence he had been very energetic in caring for the sick, and was much exposed to the disease. After its ravages were nearly spent, he was seized with the epidemic, and his weakened constitution rendered him an easy victim. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and at the time of his death was a deacon in the church at Belleville. He started the first nursery in Belleville, the cuttings for which he brought from New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Ohio. From this nursery many of the orchards of the county had their origin. His widow resided in Belleville till 1856, and then removed to Dayton, Ohio, where she died in October, 1862.

The subject of this sketch was the second of three children. He has one older brother and a sister now living in Ohio. He was five years old at the time of his father's death. The first twelve years of his life were spent in Belleville, during which time he attended the public schools. After the removal of the family to Ohio he went to school at Dayton, and was a student at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio. He began the study of medicine at Dayton, Ohio, and after some experience in the army during the war, he entered the St. Louis Medical College, from which he graduated in 1864. In 1865 he began practice at O'Fallon. He was married in October, 1867, to Anna Stuart, daughter of William H. Stuart, an old resident of Belleville. By this marriage he lias five children. He is a democrat, and has taken an active part in the local politics of St. Clair county. He has achieved much success as a physician. He was one of the organizers of the St. Clair County Medical Society, founded in 1866, is a member of the Illinois Southern Medical Association, and an associate member of the St. Louis Academy of Science. He opened the first prescription drug store in O'Fallon ; he is a physician of liberal ideas, and has been among the first to take advantage of the latest developments of medical science. Although his time has been closely taken up by his professional labors, he has given his attention to scientific research and outside study, and has collected a fine archaeological cabinet from the mounds of St. Clair and Madison counties. He has given much attention to surgical operations, and is recognized as the foremost physician in this department of medicine in that portion of St. Clair county.

James Ward

James Ward, who is now filling the office of inspector of coal mines for St. Clair county, was born at Poynton, near Stockport, in Cheshire, England, on the 20th of October, 1848. His parents were James Ward and Margaret Swan. His father was brought up as a miner, and followed that occupation for a period of fifty years. The subject of this sketch was the fourteenth of a family of seventeen children, of whom twelve were sons and five daughters. Of these, thirteen grew to manhood and womanhood. The others died in infancy. When Mr. Ward was seven years old, the family removed to the neighborhood of Barnsley in Yorkshire. He went to school there three years, and then, at the age of ten, began working in the mines. He never went to school subsequently except to night school. When he was fifteen, his father emigrated with the family to America. After living a year at Washington, Indiana, the family came to St. Clair county, and the father and all the sons entered the employment of the Gartside Coal Company, with which Mr. Ward was connected up to the time he was appointed coal inspector.

From the time he came to the county in 1866, he has been living near Alma. He procured books on the subject of coal mining, and acquired a thorough knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of the business. He was appointed by the county commissioners inspector of coal mines for St. Clair county, March, 1880. He was married in August, 1873, to Jane Hunter. His residence is Alma. He has had five children, of whom two are now living. He is connected with the order of Odd Fellows, and was a charter member of the first lodge of Knights of Pythias in St. Clair county.

Dr. B. Kbause, now one of the oldest physicians at O'Fallon, was born in Wuertemberg, Germany, August 29th, 1834. His parents were Joseph and Mary (Maurer) Krause. After attending the public schools he was a student in the gymnasium of Gmuend, from 1847 to 1851. From 1851 to 1854, he was an apprentice in the pharmacie at Lorch. He passed an examination as druggist, and was subsequently assistant in drug stores at Eeuthingen, Geislingen, Threngen and Freiburg. He studied medicine and phar_ macy in the University of Tuebingen, and graduated in August^ 1859. He came to this country in October, 1859, and in 1860, located at Lebanon, where, on the 20th of April, 1861, he married Henrietta Blank. He moved to Centerville in 1862, and from there to O'Fallon, in May, 1863. In these places he followed hig profession as a physician. When the Dr. came to O'Fallon, he had to keep a supply of medicines on hand to make his own prescriptions. The town was growing fast, a drug store soon became a necessity, and he accordingly started one, increasing his stock as circumstances demanded. Till 1878 he practiced medicine in town and country. That year he visited Europe, and after his return quit country practice, and now spends most of his time in tiis large drug store, which is as well stocked with first-class drugs, medicines, and chemicals as any drug store of any town of the same size. He was admitted a member of the St. Clair County Medical Society in 1867, and of the Pharmaceutical Association, of Illinois, in 1880. He is P. G. of O'Fallon Lodge, I. O. 0. F., and P. C. P. of the Encampment. His first wife having died, he was married to Miss Mary Henkel, of St. Louis, on the 20th of April, 1880. He has a son aged twelve years, and a daughter six, by his first wife.

Who is now serving his second term as county commissioner, is - although born in Germany - partly of French descent. His greatgrandfather, Iguatz Poignee, was a native of France, and a soldier in the French army. During one of the wars waged by France he was stationed at Oggersheim, in Bavaria, and, while there - being a landscape gardener by occupation - had charge of a fine garden at that place. After the war he returned to Bavaria, settled at Oggersheim, married, and died there. Both the father and grandfather of Mr. Poignee were born at Oggersheim. His grandfather was named Ignatz Poignee, and his father Frank Poignee. His mother's name before marriage was Anna Maria Kempf. The subject of this sketch was the oldest of a family of seven children. He was born at Oggersheim, Bavaria, on the 27th of March, 1831. He was raised in his native town, where he lived till sixteen, when his father emigrated with the family to America. After the age of thirteen he had no opportunity to attend school. He, however, made the best use of his opportunities ; obtained a good German education, and, after coming to this country, became well acquainted with the English. The family left Germany in April, 1847, and, landing at New Orleans, came up the Mississippi to St. Louis, and, after remaining in that city about a week, came to the neighborhood of O'Fallon, where his father purchased a small farm, on which he died in February, 1855. Mr. Poignee's mother died in April, 1868 After coming to St. Clair county, Mr. Poignee was employed by the month on a farm. Part of his earnings were applied to the support of the family, who had settled on a farm, of which only five or six acres were under cultivation. His father afterward bought more land, and, when twenty-one, Mr. PoigneS went home and assisted in improving it. He lived at home till his marriage, which occurred on the 14th of August, 1854, to Salome Daehn, who was born of French descent, at Hattmatt, in Alsace, then in France, now a part of the German empire. Her father, Jacob Daehn, still resides at Alsace. Her mother having died, she came to America with her grandmother when she was nine years old. After his marriage Mr. Poignee went to farming for himself three miles north-east of O'Fallon. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits till 1869, and then became a resident of O'Fallon, where he has since lived. He has had eight children, of whom four are now living. The names of those living are John C. Poigne^, Mary Poio'ne^, George Poigne6, and Frank P. Poigne6. In his political views Mr. PoigneS has always been a member of the democratic party, which he has supported with consistency ever since he was capable of exercising the right of sufirage. He cast his first vote for president for Franklin Pierce in 1852, and has voted for every democratic candidate for president since. He has enjoyed the confidence of the people of his part of the county, and has creditably filled several public positions. In 1865 he was appointed deputy assessor, and re-appointed every year, until elected county commisfioner. On his removal to O'Fallon he was elected constable. In 1871 he was chosen justice of the peace, and in February, 1874, was elected one of the trustees of the village of O'Fallon, and made president of the board. In April, 1874, he was elected to the office of police magistrate. In 1878 he was again elected village trustee of O'Fallon and served as president of the board. In 1875 he was elected county commissioner, and was re-elected to this position in 1879. At his first election he ran as an independent candidate, obtaining a thousand majority. At his second election, in 1879, he vras made the democratic nominee, but, receiving a number of republican votes, was elected by a majority of seventeen hundred. This record abundantly testifies to his popularity among the citizens of St. Clair county.

A. J. Wastfield, whose death occurred on the 15th of November, 1866, was one of the representative men in the neighborhood of O'Fallon. His father, Walter "Wastfield, was born in the city of Bath, England. Part of his early life was spent in Ireland and he was married at Fermoy, to Mary Ann Shannon, a young lady of much intelligence, who belonged to an Irish family. Walter Wastfield emigrated to America in the year 1819, and, after spending a few weeks in the city of Baltimore, came to St. Clair county and settled in section thirty-three of township two north, range seven, about two miles south-east of O'Fallon. The journey from Baltimore to St. Louis was made by wagon. He was in comfortable circumstances, and he and his wife brought with them to this country ample supplies of money, and every con. venience that could make their life in the new country comfortable. Walter Wastfield died on the 26th of November, 1866. His wife died four days afterwards, on the 30th of November, Their deaths undoubtedly resulted from the shock occasioned by the sudden death of their son, A. J. Wastfield. They were advanced in years, and after the sad accident they sank into a nervous fever, from which they never recovered.

A. J. Wastfield was born on the old place, north-east of O'Fallon, where his father settled on coming to the county, on the 6th of September, 1829. He was the youngest son, and the next to the youngest child, of a family of nine children, composed of five daughters and four sons. He was raised in the same part of the county. He attended the public schools at Belleville, and also for a time was a student at the old Bock Spring Seminary. He was married on the 12th of June, 1860, to Miss Elisie Osburn, who was born at Lebanon. Her father, Daniel S. Osburn, was of Scotch descent, and was born and raised in Fredericktown, Frederick county, Maryland. He came to St. Clair county, and settled at Lebanon in 1833 or 1834. He married Emily J. Pierce, daughter of Daniel Pierce, one of the earliest settlers of the county in the neighborhood of Shiloh, a sketch of whose history is given in another part of this work. Mrs. Wastfield's parents, alter their marriage, (which took place on the 8th of October, 1835;) took up their residence at Lebanon, in a house in which they lived till their deaths, and in which also their nine children were born. Mr. Osburn died on the 24th of December, 1864, and his wife on the 26th of March, 1857.

Previous to his marriage, Mr. Wastfield had been engaged for some time in dealing in wheat in O'Fallon, and subsequently he followed farming. His , death was caused by an accident in a threshing machine. He was then thirty-seven years of age, and in the prime of life. He was a man of many strong traits of character. He was energetic and ambitious, and possessed good business capacity. He had been a strong and active republican in politics from the first organization of that party. He was a member of the Shiloh Methodist Episcopal church. Had he lived he would doubtless have reached a position of prominence and influence in the community. He left two children, Walter Daniel and Julia Emily Wastfield. Mrs. Wastfield has since resided on the farm south-east of O'Fallon, in the -house which her husband built just previous to their marriage, and in which they began their wedded life.

Charles F. Fischer

Charles F. Fischer, proprietor of the hotel at O'Fallon, is a native of Holstein am Loerrach, B«den, Germany, and was born March 20th, 1824. He was raised in that part of Germany. He attended the ordinary schools and was then a student at a college at Dawance, in French Switzerland. After leaving school he was apprenticed to the mercantile business, at Steinau, Baden, and followed that occupation as long as he lived in Germany. He was married in Germany to Maria Magdalena Gutmuller. She died in Germany in 1865. He had by her five children. In 1865 became to America, and from New York city came at once to Belleville, where he had some friends living. For two years he was a clerk in a store at that place. December, 1867, he came to O'Fallon, of which place he has since been a resident. He was clerk in Mr. Tiedemann's store, at OTallon, for two years, and in December,

1869, he engaged in the hotel business. In 1870 he purchased the hotel property. He is also the proprietor of a livery stable, and a dealer in lime, cement and sand, and is well-known as an active and energetic business man. His present wife, whom he married in 1871, was Ernestine Hirschfeld, who was born at BoUstadt, Prussia, and came to America in 1845, when twelve years of age. He has two children by hia second marriage. The oldest of his children is Mrs. Luia Kraft, of Columbus, Ohio. Mary is the wife of B. W. Muehlhausen, who is a merchant and postmaster at O'Fallon. The other children are Mrs. Emilie Schmitt, of Columbus, Ohio ; Mrs. Rosalie Ruester, of O'Fallon ; Otto Fischer and Carolina Ch lotte Fischer. Another son, Charles Fischer, died in Belleville __

1870, at the age of twenty-two. In politics Mr. Fischer has al ways been a republican. He was in favor of free institutions in Germany, and coming to this country, joined the party which he thought best represented his views.

Charle3 A. Tiedemann

Charles A. Tiedemann was born at Bremervoerde, Hanover, Geroiany, on the 8th of D.ceinbsr, 1833. His parents were Henry Tiedemann and Louisa Von Hartz. His grandfather, Dietrich liedemann, was professor of philosophy at Marburg in Hessen. Of his three sons, one, Dr. Frederick D. Tiedemann. became professor of anatomy and physiology in the Heidelberg Medical College. Another, Justus Tiedemann, was a wholesale merchant and importer in the free city of Bremen. The remaining son, Henry Tiedemann, father of Charles A., whose name heads this sketch, was au officer in the array of Jerome Bonaparte, King of West- phalia, in the war against Russia, in 1812, and received from Napoleon I, the cross of the legion of honor. At the battle of Leipzig, in 1813, he fought against Napoleon. He held a financial office in the town of Bremervoerde for fifty years in succession. In 1860 he came- to America, settled at O'Fallon, and died September 5th, 1875, at the age of eighty-eight. Charles A. Tiedemann, when fifteen, came to America in company with his cousin, Frederick Tiedemann. He reached Belleville in October, 1849. He was employed in farming one year, and then apprenticed himself to Capt. Julius Raith, then a wheelwright in Belleville. After serving an apprenticeship of three years he went into partnership with his employer. They erected a number of mills, breweries, and distilleries in St. Louis and vicinity.

In 1859 Mr. Tiedemann visited his native country, and travelled through Switzerland, France, and England, studying the latest improvements in mills and manufacturing establishments of a similar character. Returning to America he resumed his business with his partner, and in 1860 they began the erection at O'Fallon of the mill at present owned by Mr. Tiedemann. This mill was finished in 1861, about the time of the commencement of the war of the rebellion. His partner was commissioned colonel of the 43d Illinois regiment, and died in 1862, from wounds received at the battle of Pittsburg Landing. After his death Mr. Tiedemann settled the affairs of the firm, and in 1863 associated with himself Philip Postel, of Mascoutah. In 1873 the mill was remodeled and enlarged. Since 1876 the business has been in his own hands. A large addition to the mill was made in 1881, and machinery procured of the latest and most improved description. Flour is now manufactured by the roller process, and the products of the mill, the Richland Mills and Shiloh Valley Mills brands, have a deserved reputation for excellence, and are well-known in Glasgow and Liverpool. -The mill turns out about sixty thousand barrels each year, and is run by a Wheelock engine of two hundred horse power.

Mr. Tiedemann commenced his career in this county without means. The mill at O'Fallon was built under considerable difficulties, and after Capt. Raith 's death he was obliged to see it sold. He bought it back again, and by successful business management was soon out of debt and established on a sound financial basis. He has been closely identified with the prosperity and growth of the town of O'Fallon. In 1860, when he began building the mill, there were only a few houses in the place. He is independent in his political views.

Ernst J. Tiedemann

This gentleman who has been a resident of O'Fallon since 1865, is a native of Bremervoerde, Hanover, and was born September 7th, 1831. He was the sixth of a family of eight children. 'His father was Henry Tiedemann, and his mother's maiden name Louisa von Hortz. In the biographical sketch of Charles A. Tiedemann will be found an account of the early history of the family in Germany. The first twenty-one years of Mr. Tiedemann's life were spent in Germany. He went to school till fifteen years of age, and then served an apprenticeship of three years in the mercantile business at Bremen. He then went to Hamburg, where he attended a commercial institute, and thoroughly prepared himself for a business career. He came to America in the spring of 1852, landing at New Orleans. He came at once to St. Louis and St. Clair county. He made his home in Belleville, and in 1853, was appointed by William L. Deneen, then surveyor of the county, deputy surveyor, in which capacity he served about two years. He was subsequently employed by the government in subdividing townships of land in Nebraska. He settled on a tract of land in Nebraska, and was farming there till 1859, when gold having been discovered at Pike's Peak, he went to Colorado. He traveled over all the then explored parts of Colorado, and for some years lived at a ranch on the Platte river, twenty miles below Denver. He was engaged in the stock business, which proved profitable. He came back to Illinois in 1865, and engaged in the mercantile business at O'Fallon. He was married at Belle vue, Nebraska, in 1863, to Mary Baumann. He has five children . He has been a republican from the first organization of that party. He has served several times as president of the Board of Trustees of the town qf O'Fallon, and is a business man of enterprise and liberality.

Prairie Du Pont Precinct

^RAIEIE DU PONT was, untU 1871, a part of Caliokia, but at that time the county commissioners cut it off into a separate precinct. It is nearly enclosed the boundaries of Cahokia outlined on the east, and the Mississippi on the west. Monroe county and Centerville pre. cinct bound a small portion of the southern border. It is the extreme western point of St. Clair county, and contains about 15,000 acres. It is wholly situated in the Bottom, extending from the river to the bluff. It received its name from the ancient village which is situated in this precinct. The soil is the same as the rest of the American Bottom, unexcelled for fertility and productiveness. It is drained- by Prairie du Pont creek, which, enters the extreme eastern portion of the precinct, and flows west and south, when it empties into the Mississippi a little south and west of East Carondelet. The southern portion of the precinct is drained by the " big ditch," or canal, that extends from Bluff and Fish lakes to the river.

The East St. Louis & East Carondelet, or, what is better known, as the Conlogue Railway, and the Narrow Gauge road, pass through the precinct on the west side from north to south. The Conlogue has a branch track extending south-east across the precinct to the quarries, situated at Falling Spring.

The general history, customs, etc., of the people of Prairie du Pont, are similar to those of Cahokia. They have their common fields, containing their farms or arpents of land, and adjacent to these the open territory, called commons. The arpents, with few exceptions, extended from the river to the bluff. In early times, spring wheat was the principal product, but, for many years, fall or winter wheat has been the staple. The main history of this precinct lies in

The Village Of Prairie Du Pont

The village received its name from the following circumstance : The first settlement was made on the present site, which is on the south bank of the creek, and about one mile south of the village of Cahokia. At this point a rude bridge, constructed of logs, was built across the stream. An open prairie extended from the bridge south to the bluff. Pont is a French word, and means bridge in English. Hence the name, Prairie du Pont, or, Prairie Bridge. It was settled about 1750, by people from Cahokia. The origin. of its settlement is undoubtedly due to the inundations to which the bottom .was subject during high waters. Prairie du Pont is about ten or twelve feet higher than Cahokia, aud in the time of the floods, the people of the latter village were obliged to flee to the bluffs and higher grouads for sifety. Traditioa, itt Prairie du Poat, substantiates the above theory.

According to Reynolds, the village contained fourteen families in 1765. Among the early settlers was Jean Francois Perry, who was a native of France, and emigrated to this country in 1792. He was a classical scholar, and was a descendant of one of the first families in France. He and a Frenchman by the name of Claudius, first established themsalves as partners in a small store in Cahokia, but soon after removed to Prairie du Pont, where they continued in the mercantile business. Claudius was killed a few years afterwards by being thrown from a horse. Perry coi tinned the business, also purchased the old mill site oa the creek, where the Mission of St. Sulpice first erected a mill. Here he built a new mill of considerable pretensions for those days, and conducted it in conjunction with his store until his death, which occurred ia 1812. He amassed quite a fortune, and died regretted by all who knew him.

Philip Creamer, a native of Maryland, cime to the American Bottom in 1805, and settled a little east of the village. He was skilled in mechanics, but his special forte was the manufacture of fire-arms. He was employed by the government ia 1812, to make and repair the guns of the troops stationed on the frontier. He lived to an old age, and died about 1845. J. B. Chartrand, John Baptiste AUary and Joseph Deloge, were also pioneers of the village.

The First Water Mill erected in this part of the country, was built on the creek, close to the village, by the Mission of St. Sulpice, in the year 1754 or '55. This mill really formed the nucleus from which Prairie du Pout finally developed.

The oldest house now standing in the village, is owned by John B. Lapage, and is situated on lot No. 58. It is a small, one story log house, and was one of the first built in the village. A red cedar, two feet in diameter, and about thirty iu height, stands ia the rear of the house, and ante-dates the building. Locust trees, three feet in diameter, also adorn the premises.

The First School taught in Prairie du Pont was in 1861, by Wm. Williamson ; and the school-house was erected the same year, at a cost of 1500. It is a small frame building, 1 8x30 feet, and is supplied with the improved style of furniture. The village was incorporated for school purposes by an act of the legislature February 20, 1847 ; but no school was taught for twenty years, for the reason that the revenue from the leases of the commons was not able to support one. By an act of the legislature of 1875, the commissioner of the commons is authorized to convey the lands of the commons, in fee simple, and place the proceeds at interest. The principal is to be perpetual, while the interest is to be devoted entirely to a common school fund for the use of the villagers.

The first and only justice of the peace in the precinct, or village, was J. B. Vien, who at this writing is serving in the same office. He was elected in 1869, and has served now twelve years. Mr. Vien informed us that in all that time he had not issued to exceed half-a-dozen warrants against the native French citizens of Prairie du Pont.

There are standing in the village four pear-trees, the largest of which is upwards of three feet in diameter at the base. It is said that they are as old as the village, and are still in good bearing order. The largest has borne as high as sixty bushel of fruit in one year. Tiie casual observer, in passing Mr. Peter Coding's premises, where these trees are situated, would at once conclude they were forest trees. The writer was shown an elm that took root and grew under the following circumstances: On lot No. 14^ many years ago, a log house was built, which had for a chimney one of the old-fashioned mud and stick contrivances, which was constructed entirely on the exterior of the building. In order to keep this ungainly flue from toppling over, green elm poles were thrust into the ground at the corners of the chimney. One of these, from the fresh buds of the stick, took root, lived and grew, and is at this writing live feet in diameter. Esquire Vien has in his possession what is undoubtedly the stump of the flag-pole that floated to the breeze the French flag when Prairie du Pont was under the dominion of France. It was excavated on the ground where the old fort stood, on a rise overlooking the creek. The stump is of red cedar, about six inches in diameter, and in a good state of preservation.

In the south-western part of the precinct there are several Indian mounds. In 1874 John Eisentrout, when plowing over one of these, near Falling Spring, struck a pile of stones, and on excavating, came across a peculiar relic. It is constructed of a hard cement, and is about eighteen inches in height. The upper portion represents the head of a baboon, and the body or base is in the form of an ordinary bust. The vessel is hollow, with an aperture at the top the size of a silver dollar. It is supposed to have been constructed for a drinking jug in the days of of the mound-builders. A photograph of it was put on exhibition at the Centennial in Philadelphia in 1876. The relic is now in the possession of a party at Belleville.

Within the memory of the oldest inhabitant the village of Prairie du Pont never had a resident physician or lawyer, nor has it contained a post-office. It now comprises about fifty inhabitants - onefifth colored population. The present business - Groceries, Provisions and Saloon, Peter Godin; Justices of the Peace, J. B. Vien; Treasurer and ex-offido- Commissioner, Peter Godln; Trustees, J oha Touranjon, J. B. Lapage and Joseph Chartrand.

East Caeondelet

The first house was built by J. L. Strider in 1872. It was a frame building, story and a half, and used for a dwelling. The first store was kept by Messrs. Green & Jackson, and was situated on State Avenue, south-east of the Narrow Gauge railroad. L. G. Cross was the first to establish a wagon manufactory and blacksmith shop. It was built in 1873, and is situated on State street, near Prairie du Pont creek. Mr. Cross is still doing business on the old site. The first hotel was built by Volantine Eustch, in 1872, and was conducted by him with satisfaction to the public until 1875, when, it was destroyed by fire. F. S. Mack & Co. erected the first flouring mill in 1876. It was a steam mill, four story frame with stone foundation, and cost $10,000. It had three run of burrs, and a capacity for grinding seventy-five barrels per day. It was situated on State avenue, near the Narrow Gauge railroad depot, and was destroyed by fire in 1880. The first postoffice was kept by S. H. Parker, in the Narrow Gauge railroad depot. The first church was built by the Catholics in 1873. It was a frame building, 40x60, and cost $3000. It was completely destroyed by a wind storm, which occurred in 1876. The schoolhouse was built in 1876, at^ a cost of upwards of $1200. It is a frame house, and seated with the latest improved furniture. Prior to the building of this house, the school was taught in the colored log church, north of the creek, not far from the Conlogue railroad ; J. W. McCormic was the first teacher. James N. Carlton was elected first Justice of the Peace, and heard his first case in the de^jot of the Narrow Gauge railway.

Meier & Co.'S Blast Furnaces

The village of East Carondelet can boast of one of the largest and most complete Blast Furnaces in the West, and is owned by Meier & Co. of St. Louis. It is situated a little north of the village, and occupies one hundred acres of ground, including buildings, railway, and switches. The works contain three engiues of one hundred tons weight each ; two furnaces with four large Whitehall hot-air blasts to each furnace. The chimney is two hundred and three and a half feet high, and is said to be the tallest chimney in the United States. It is twenty-eight feet in diameter at the base, and octagonal in foim to the height of about twenty-five feet, where it assumes a rotund shape, and gently tapers to the summit. It took nearly one million bricks to complete it. The works cost upwards of two million dollars, and give employment to more than three hundred hands. Several car-loads of pigs are cast daily, and shipped to St. L mis and other cities. The company has constructed its own stock railroads to connect the works with the Mississippi river, on the one side, and the C. & St. L. Narrow Gauge, and the E. St. L. & E. Carondelet railways on the other.

These houses were constructed in 1880-1, and are situated on the river bank, about half a mile north-west of the village. The building is one hundred and sixty feet square, covered with a double roof, and is thirty-six feet in height. It cost $25,000, and will Jiold twenty-five thousand tons of ice.

Present Business

Besides the above, there is a boarding house and seven saloons. The village was incorporated in 1876, and the following are the first officers elected : - President - Walter Murray ; Trudees - J. C. Sinclair, S. H. Parker, E. D. Ankeny, J. J. Schumaker, and John Ortgier. Thomas Jamison was appointed clerk. The present officers are - L. G. Cross, pres. ; Fred Luce, John Simons, A. Murphy, B. H. Parker, and John Schumaker, trustees. J. W. McCormic, clerk and police magistrate, and Samuel McGregor, marshal.

The present population of the village is about 400, and bids fair some day to be one among the busy towns that shall dot the banks of the Misssissippi.

Falling Spring

This is one of the romantic spots in Illinois. It is situated at the bluff, one mile south-east of Prairie du Pont village. It derives its name from a spring that gushes out of a perpendicular rock of the bluif, with a fall of sixty or seventy feet. The bluif at this point is a solid wall of limestone, about one hundred and .thirty feet in height. The spring flows from an orifice situated midway between the top of the blufi" and the rocky bottom beneath. Many years ago a grist mill was constructed at this point, and the water utilized for a power, but no trace of it remains at this time to be seen. Several years ago a hotel was built near the spring, and the place was made a summer resort by the people of East St. Louis and other towns. The hotel is yet standing, and is now converted into a saloon. There are three fctone quariics in full blast not far from the spring, and owned by the following companies: - Otto & Parent, William Richards, and Henry Deering. They employ in all about seventy-five men, and load on an average twenty cars per day. A branch of the Conlogue railway runs to the quarries. A stone-crusher dump is in process of erection here by the Vandalia railroad company. We were informed by the foreman that it would take about 200,000 feet of lumber to construct it, and will cost, including machinery, upwards of $50,000. When in running order it will employ about fifty hands, and will have the capacity to crush fifty car-loads of stone per day. Although there is no town here - ^nothing but boarding houses for the men - yet it presents the appearance of life and business.

Precinct And City Of East St. Louis

AST ST. LOUIS, precinct, formerly called Illiuoistown, occupies the extreme north-western corner of St. Clair county, and was organized as a township the 6th day of June, 1820, the boundaries being as follows : Beginning at the bluff on the Madison county line ; thence west on said line to the Mississippi river : thence with the Mississippi to the Cahokialineon the same ; thence with said line eastward to the bluff; thence along the bluff northward to the place of beginning. By order of the county commissioners' court, September 14th, 1821, Illinoistown and Cahokia were made one election precinct, with the voting place at Augustus Pensoneau's residence in Cahokia. In 1851, Illinoistown became a separate voting precinct, and French Village was named as the place of holding the election. Again, in 1857, it was divided into two separate parts, rtspectively called Illinoistown and French Village precincts, the division line running due west from south-west corner of section 15, in township No. 2, north range. No. 9 west, to the north-west corner of section 21, same township, thence south on the west line of section 21, to the south west corner thereof, thence west on the section line to the Mississippi through Cahokia precinct, from which a strip of about one-half a mile in breadth is taken from the northern part and annexed to Illinoistown precinct. The foregoing are the boundaries that the precinct embraces at this time. In 1866, the precinct appears under the name of East St. Louis, and that of Illinoistown dropped. This change of name is not made a matter of record, and the presumption is that by common consent, or usage, it assumed the name of its leading town, East St. Louis, which by a vote of the people of the corporation in 1861, gave it its present title At the time of its organization, a strip of heavy timber about half a mile wide, extended south from the present town of Brooklyn to the village of Cahokia. What is now the city of East St. Louis was mainly covered with heavy timbers of oak, walnut, elm, etc., and was a favorite stamping ground for the hunter and the trapper.

The first blow struck toward civilization in this vast solitude, was in the year 1770, by one Richard MuCarty, familiary known in those days as English McCarty. He obtained an improvement right or title, to four hundred acres of land, extending on both sides of Cahokia creek, and now included within the present limits of East St. Louis. Here he erected a grist mill on the bank of the creek, and for a time it did quite a fiourishing business, but on account of the banks being so easily washed away, a permanent dam could not be constructed. He left the country for Canada in 1787, where he died, leaving heirs to this property. The United States Commissioners appointed by Congress in 1805, to pass upon claims to ancient titles in Cahokia and other French villages, confirmed this tract to the hoirs of McCarty. No vestige of the old mill site exists at this time. Another mill was constructed in 1805, by Nicholas Jarrot on the creek not far from where McCarty'a mill was located. It has long since disappeared As late as

The oldest house, now standing in the precinct, was built by Nicholas Boismeuue in 1817, and is situated about one mile south of the city limits, on the road leading from what was formerly called Papstown, to the village of Cahokia. It is built after the old French style, with upright hewed walnut logs, and weatherboarded, with porch extending around the entire building. It is occupied by Joseph Boismenue, and is the oldest house in St. Clair county, outside the village of Cahokia and Prairie du Pont.

The founding of the present city of East St. Louis, is due to the foresight of the pioneer, Capt. James Piggott. He was an officer under General Clark, who had command of the Virginia militia stationed on the frontier. Capt. Piggott was one of those who remained after the treaty was made in 178.3, and cast his lot with the hardy pioneers of the west. At this time St. Louis was but a small trading port, and Cahokia the metropolis.

No doubt Capt. Piggott's keen business perceptions led him to believe, from the natural surroundings, and other advantages, that in future time the little village of St. Louis would some day take the lead among the few towns then settled along the Mississippi. Accordingly he located a militia claim of a hundred acres on the east sideof the river opposite the village of St. Louis, and by his own exertions succeeded in constructing a bridge across Cahokia creek, near the road leading to that village. This was in 1795. In 1797, he had erected two small log cabins near the shore, where he had established a rude ferry system across the river, by the consent of the Spanish Commandant at St. Louis. Thus the firot ferry was established, out of which grew one of the wealthiest monopolies of the west. Capt. Piggott died in 1799, scarcely dreaming of the magnitude his enterprise in after years would assume.

The first house of any pretensions built on the present site of East St. Liuis, was erected by Etienne Pensoneau, in the year 1810. It was a two-story brick building, and situated on what is now the corner of Main and Menard streets, in the first ward. It was constructed for a dwelling, but was afterwards utilized for a hotel, to afford accommodations to the immigrants, who were then rapidly pushing to the frontier. It has long since passed away with the things that were.

The oldest house now standing within the city limits is situated in the First ward, near the corner of Second and Market streets, and was built about 1818, by the " Old Man " Rail, for a dwelling, and is still used as such. Its structure is of the primitive style, with hewed logs placed upright a few inches apart, and filled between with cement or mortar. The outside is weather-boarded for the better protection from the winter blasts.

" In 1816, Etienne Pinconeau (now spelled Pensoneau), ventured to lay out a town on his adjoining land, with his brick tavern on the road to the ferry, thence occupied by one Simon Vanorsdal, as a nucleus. He called it 'Jacksonville.' The plat of the town cannot be found ; but there is a deed of record for a lot in it. It bears the date 17th of March, 1815. Etienne Pinconeau and Elizabeth, his wife, by it convey to Moses Scott, merchant of St. Louis, in the Missouri territory, for $150, 'all that certain tract, parcel, or lot of land, being, lying, and situated in the said county of St. Clair, at a place, or new town called Jacksonville, containing in depth one hundred feet, and in breadth sixty feet, joining northwardly to Carroll street, facing the public square, and southwardly to Coffee street.'

operators at that time in St. Louis, referring to this lot of Moses Scott, locate it as lot 5, in block 8, of the town of Illinois, at the south-east corner of Market and Main streets. Scott at once erected a store upon the lot, and at that corner conducted the first mercantile establishment in this city. This was the only sale made of lots in this ' Jacksonville.' On the 20th of January, 1816, Pinconeau sold the entire tract of land he had on Cahokia creek (including Jacksonville), extending in breadth from near Railroad street to Piggott street, to McKnight & Brady.

"The immediate result was the consummation, by McKnight & Brady, of Pinconeau's project of a new town. They platted the ' Town of Illinois' upon the site of Pinconeau' s Jacksonville. They re-located the public square, widened the streets and enlarged the lots, and put the plat on record. They advertised and held a great sale of lots in the town of Illinois. The sale took place at the auction-room of Thomas T. Reddick, in St. Louis, November 3d, 1817. Thus was made the first record evidence of a town-plat in East St. Louis."

The first railroad constructed in the state was built from Illinoistown to the bluff, a distance of about six miles. It was constructed in 1836, under the personal supervision and efforts of Governor Reynolds, Vital Jarrot and a few others. It was expressly built for the purpose of transporting coal from where it cropped out at the bluff (now Pittsburg) to the St. Louis market. This was an enterprise of no small dimensions at that day. They were obliged to bridge over two thousand feet across Big Lake, which was performed by driving down piles spliced together to the length of eighty feet, upon which the track rested. At times they employed one hundred hands, and so vigorously was the undertaking prosecuted that it was completed in one year. Thomas Winstanley was the first engineer and conductor of the road ; that is, he drove the mules that hauled the cars over the route. It proved a non-paying investment, and in 1841 they sold out the concern to the St. Clair Railroad Company.

Captain Trendley built the first school-house in 1840, and the cost was $240. It was a small frame building, 14x16, and was situated on the public square.' William Singleton established the first church in 1845. It was of the Methodist denomination, and located on Brundy street, between Second and Third. It is yet standing, and is owned by the colored Baptists. The first blacksmith-shop was built by Francis Delorem in 1826, and was situated on what is now known as the Rock road. It was a very meagre and unpretentious affair, but answered the wants of the people at that time.

Bloody Island

This island was made in about 1800. Its first appearance was a small sand-barj below Bissel's Point, near the Illinois shore. At this angle in the course of the Mississippi, the force of the current gradually wore into the mainland, and left a corresponding deposit upon the bar extending southward. In course of time this bar developed into a considerable island, with half the river flowing between it and the Illinois shore. The first to inhabit it was a man by the name of Duncan, who built a small log house within its solitude, and lived there for some time afterwards. The exact date of his location is not known. The next to settle here was a Mr. Lindsey, in 1842,- who built two or three little shanties, and kept a small dairy and garden. He named his place " Hoboken Garden." The island now constitutes the Third ward of the city. The early history of the island is stained with human blood ; hence the name. Bloody Island. I^or several years it was not definitely established to which shore the island belonged. It was therefore considered neutral gtoundj and was the favorite resort for settling differences by mortal combat, according to the then prevailing code of honor. The first duel fought here was in 1817, between Col. Thomas H. Benton and Judge Charles Lucas. Col. Benton was the challenging party. Their differences grew out of harsh invectives employed by them in the trial of a case in which they were opposing attorneys. This challenge Judge Lucas declined, on the plea that he would not respond in deadly combat for words uttered in a professional capacity. They, however, met afterwards, in the same year, when the duel was fought, and Lucas was the unfortunate victim.

In 1823, another duel occurred, between Thomas C. Rector and Joshua Barton, United States District Attorney. The trouble grew out of a newspaper attack made by Barton against Gen. Wm. E-ector, brother of Thomas C. Rector. They met June 30th, in the above-named year, when Barton fell and died shortly afterward. The most disastrous meeting was between Maj. Thomas Biddle and Hon. Spencer Pettis, both of St. Louis, and ^occurred the 27th of Aug., 1830. The trouble was engendered in the heated political canvass of that year. Maj. Biddle was the challenged party, and having the choice of distance, named five paces, on account of his being shortsighted. At the giving of the word, they wheeled and fired simultaneously. They both fell mortally wounded. Capt. Trendley was an eye-witness to this sad affair, and helped to convey the body of Pettis to St. Charles county. Mo., where it was buried. The name. Bloody Island, having many unpleasant recollections connected with its memory, has long since been dropped, and is now simply known as "The Island."

The Floods

No place in the United States has had more to contend with to prevent its growth and prosperity than the city of East St. Louis. Nothing but the natural advantages of being situated opposite the great city of St. Louis, and the indomitable perseverance of its inhabitants, have kept it from perishing from the earth long ago. What with numerous floods and the encroachment of the river upon the banks, it has nearly yielded up its existence several times to the fates that be. The first flood that did damage to the little hamlet of Illinoistown occurred in 1826. The town was inundated to the depth of several feet, and the malarial fevers that followed nearly depopulated the village. It, however, struggled ibr txisteiice, and up to 1844 had gradually increased to a town of cons'derable thrift and importance, when the most vital stroke it ever received almost blotted it from existence. The flood which occurred in June of that year inundated the American Bottoms so that large steamers plied from bluff to bluff. But few of the houses of Illinoistown were to be seen above the water, while no dry land was observable for miles toward the eastern bluff, except a few mounds and high knolls to the east and south of the village. So complete was the destruction that the town never recoverd from it until the general centralizing of the railroads at this point about fifteen years ago. It is said at the time of this flood that the fcteanier, called " Little Bee," plied between the city of St. Louis and the coal mines on the bluffs at Pittsburg, the captain of which, if living at this time, would be presented with a medal from the " Humane Society," for being the most tender-hearted man on the continent. When the rush of waters came, a sow and her brood took refuge on the top of a mound, situated not far from the farm now owned by Abraham Jones, south-east of the city. The captain of the Little Bee stopped his steamer at this point every day, and gave the refugees a bountiful supply of food for their wants. Thus were the lives of the porkers preserved until the flood receded. Mr Abraham Jones tells us of keeping a dairy at this time of eighty cows on Gov. Reynolds* farm, near the bluff, and marketing the milk in the city of

St. Louis. The flood came and he was cut off from his customers. He remedied this, however, by loading his cows on a flat boat, and conveying them to St. Louis, where he remained until the river was again witliin its banks. The floods of 1851-8, and 1862, did much demage to the town, and for a time nearly disheartened the people, the details of which would fill a volume. The erection of the dikes, which will be noticed in the proper place, have been auxiliary in protecting the city from subsequent overflows.

The outline of the city of East St. Louis is in the form of an irregular pentagon, and acquired its present limits in time and manner as follows : Illinoistown was laid out by McKnight and Brady, May 14, 1818. Rsavis, in his history of "The Future Great City," places the date as 1817 ; but the records at Belleville show that the former is the correct date. Illinois City was formerly a part of the Cahokia Commons, and was laid out by the Cahokians in the fall of 1818. John Hays, John Hay, and Francois Turcott were appointed commissioners to plat and name the new town by the inhabitants of Cahokia, which proceedings were legalized and confirmed by a special act of Congress in 1820. It became a part ofthecity in May, 1875. The towns of St. Clair and East St. Louis, the Ferry divisions, the Oebike and Kase addition, are also included within the city limits. The city obtained its charter by a special act of the Legislature in the spring of 1865. The charter was prepared by J. B. Bowman and S. M. Lount, under the direction of a committee of the town council. At the first election Hon. J. B. Bowman was elected Mayor. The following named officers were elected aldermen : First ward, Michael Murphy and John O'Connell ; Second ward, James S. Hazen and Henry Schall ; Third ward, Capt. John Trendley and J. B- Lovingston. Wm. G. Kase was elected City judge.

As will be seen from the above, the city was divided into three wards. It is now divided into four wards, bounded as follows : The first ward includes all the territory extending east from Cahokia creek to the city limits, and south of Broadway. TheSecf^nd ward lies between Broadway and Illinois avenue, and extends from Cahokia creek east to Tenth street. The Third ward includes all the territory lying between Cahokia creek and the middle of the Mississippi, and the city limits north and south. The Fourth ward embraces all the territory lying north of Illinois avenue and east of Cahokia creek to the city limits including Illinois City.

Maurice Joyce, mayor ; James Shanon, clerk ; John W. Renshaw, marshal. Aldermen : First Ward - John C. Prottsraan and Earnest W. Wider. Second Ward - Thomas Hanifan and John J. McLean. Third Ward - Patrick H. O'Brien and Henry Sackmann. Fourth Ward - Levi Baugh, Jr., and James J. Rafter. These constitute the officers and members of the sixteenth Board of Aldermen of the city since its incorporation.

There is no city of its size in the United States that has the railroad facilities of East St. Louis. No less than eleven roads, by the conditions of their charters, terminate here, which are as follows: The Chicago and Alton; Indianapolis and St. Louis; Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific ; Rockford, Rock Island and St. Louis, now known as the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy road: St. Louis. Vandalia and Terre Haute (Vandalia Line) ; Ohio and Mississippi; St. Louis, Alton and Terre Haute; (Cairo Short Line) ; Louisville and Nashville, f rmerly St. Louis and South Eastern railway; Cairo and St. Louis; East St. Louis and Carondelet; Illinois and St. Louis; Union Railway and Transit Company. The latter was organized in East St. Louis in 1874, and a like organization was also effected in St. Louis under the laws of Mis- souri. These, united, act as agents for the Illinois and St. Louis Bridge Company in transferring cars and merchandise from city to city. All of the above roads centre at the Relay depot, except the Cairo and St. Louis railway.

The city contains several miles of excellent paved streets; the following are macadamized entire: Dyke avenue, Front street, Broadway and Main streets, CoUinsville, Missouri and Illinois avenues, and Market street. Fourth and Summit streets and St. Clair avenue are partly graded and macadamized. There has been some agitation upon the question of adopting a high-grade system of building and paving the city. The cost would necessarily place a heavy indebtedness upon the people, but the reward would undoubtedly more than recompense them for the outlay. The health and future prosperity of the city hang upon this improvement. We predict that it is only a question of time when the people will with one accord act upon this line of policy.

Believing that no more complete history of the above could be given than that rendered by Dr. Isaac N. Piggott before the Literary and Historical Society of East St. Louis, in August, 1871, take the liberty to give our readers an extract :

" From the commencement of the ferry, it was carried on under the immediate supervision of Piggott, until the 20th of February, 1799, when he died, leaving his wife the executrix of his will. She first rented the ferry to Dr. Wallis for the year 1801-2 ; then to of the distinguished Sarah Adams, of Duncan's Island notoriety. About this time the widow of Piggott married Jacob Collard, and removed from Illinois to St. Louis. Before leaving she leased the ferry to John Campbell, for ten years. This Campbell proved treacherous, and procured a license for a ferry in his own name during the time of the lease ; and hence, for a short, time, it was called " Campbell's Ferry." But after a lawsuit, Campbell and confederates were beaten, and the ferry re-established to the Piggott heirs, one of whom, assisted by men named Solomon, Blundy and Porter, operated the ferry until part of the heirs sold out to McKnight & Brady. The other heirs of Piggott conveyed to Samuel Wiggins their share of the ferry. He soon succeeded in buying out his competitors, and thus obtained the whole ferry, which he afterwards superintended in person."

This was in 1818. The following spring Mr. Wiggins was authorized by an act of the legislature to establish a ferry on the Mississippi adjacent to his lands, near the town of Illinois. This act also provided that Samuel Wiggins should have the right to one mile of the shore extending along the river bank at this point. Capt. Piggott's means of transportation was a rude aifair, composed of canoes or " dug-outs," lashed together, over which was constructed a platform convenient for storage. The propelling power was by means of paddles or sweeps. Wiggins, however, soon improved upon this mode of conveyance, by building a fairsized ferry-boat, and propelling it by horse-power, until 1828, when the first steam terry-boat was launched upon the river, and called the "St. Clair." In 1832 another boat, the "Ibex," was put on the line," and on account of the increase of business, and therefore a demand for capital, Mr. Wiggins sold an interest in the ferry to several parties, thus forming a joint-stock company. In 1853 they obtained further privileges by an act of the legislature, and the business grew and prospered beyond the most sanguine expectation. To this enterprise is largely due the growth and prosperity of East St. Louis. Since the completion of the St. Louis and Illinois bridges the business of the ferry has necessarily diminished to some

The construction of the bridge was commenced in the spring of 1869, and was completed in June, 1874. It was formally dedicated to the public on the 4th of July following. Its total length, including arches and abutments, is 2,046 feet, and is connected with the Union depot in St. Louis by means of a tunnel, 4,866 feet in length. The cost of the bridge and tunnel was nearly $13,000,000. The sura total of the weight of metal in its construction is upwards of 5,000 tons. On the top of the arches is a roadway for the convenience of vehicles and foot-passengers, while underneath rolls the merchandise and human freight from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. For a more complete history of the bridge and the railroads see chapter on Internal improvements.

The Dikes

from Reavis' History of East St. Louis : Before the advent of the great flood of 1844, the channel of the Mississippi opposite the city of St. Louis, though uncertain and troubled with shifting bars, was never seriously threatened with destruction. Thereafter bars formed from the head of Bloody Island, then a little further north than now, to the Missouri shore, almost entirely closing the channel washing the St. Louis shore. The whole current of the river, and the only available and safe channel betvveen St. Louis and the town of Illinois, was between the Island and the town of Illinois, Under the greatest of difficulties only, and by circuitous routes, could boats at all land at the St. Louis levee. Navigation then being the chief, if not the only means of communication between commercial points and from a common centre, as St. Louis then was growing to be, was the mainstay of the importance, present and prospective, of that city. Realizing this fact, public meetings were held, at which the terrible fate of St. Louis was the subject of consideration.

In 1847 ordinances were passed by the city council of St. Louis, appropriating money, and directing work to be undertaken on the Illinois shore, as the only means of salvation. Nothing less than a permanent dike across the then principal channel of the Mississippi to the east of Bloody Island, promised sure relief. This, of course, meant destruction to the harbor of the town of Illinois, and its ferry landings on the main shore. Alton, then a rival of St. Louis, calculated that what was to the disadvantage of St. Louis was ipso facto a benefit to Alton. The feeble complaints of the Town of Illinois were fanned into a flame of fearful excitemeut. The laborers upon the dike about being built by St. Louis across the eastern channel of the river, were driven away by force. Cannons were planted upon the banks, the state militia turued out, and thus state sovereignty and Alton policy were victorious, for a time, at least.

In 1848, an injunction was sworn out in the St. Clair Circuit Court, enjoining the authorities of St. Louis against any attempt to re-open like projects. Early in 1849, the legislature of Illinois was waited upon by a large delegation from St. Louis, and after due consideration, becoming a question of such magnitude and importance, by a joint resolution, it granted to the city of St. Louis for the fullest possible relief, all the authority necessary for the construction of cross and wing-dikes upon the Illinois shore opposite, so as to thoroughly protect and secure its harbor, with this provise, that St. Louis should construct upan some of these dikes, roadways, especially upon the main dike aero s to the to-be-closed channel of the Mississippi from the Illinois main shore to and across Bloody Island.

Under this enactmeat, the work pushed rapidly to completion, so that in the spring of 1851, the main dike was finished except the road upon the embankment. It was built of rock throughout, and for a large part of the way, in the channel to be closed, in more than forty feet of water ; but strong as it was, the fearful flood of that year swept the most of it away In the fall, however, another dike was projected which was situated a fourth of a mile north and nearly parallel with the former dike. This was finished in 1856, and cost $175,000. It is still standing as a monument to the perseverance and genius of its builders. Thus the channel on the east side of the river was diverted from it course, and the pier of St. Louis re-established. Other dikes have since been constructed, and the city is now comparatively safe from future inundations.

Fiee Department

The Ead St. Louis Fire Company, No. 1, was organized in December 1872. Its first oiBcers were as follows : William O'Neill, president ; Charles Hauss, vice-president ; James W. Kirk, secretary ; John V. Tefft, treasurer ; Benedict Franz, captain ; Adolphe Donard, first engineer ; John Easton, second engineer. The company was furnished with the largest kind of Babcock engine, on trucks, and was supplied with 500 feet of hose.

Island Fire Company, No. 1, was organized November 25th, 1874. The officers elected in 1875 were : Nicolas Colgan, president ; Wm. L. Johnson, vice-president ; Maurice F. Tissier, secretary ; Geo. W. Shields, assistant-secretary ; Adolphus Lovingston, treasurer ; Henry Sackmann, captain ; John Keiflin, lieutenant. We are informed that since 1878, these companies have partially disbanded.

Peize-Fighting

This was quelled in 1873, through the united efforts of the city and county authorities. Much is due to the prompt efforts of Captain Kenshaw, chief of police, Ex-Mayor Bowman, Michael Walsh, and the then sheriff of the county. The warrants were sworn out by Captain Renshaw, the ringleaders were arrested, and the whole gang bound over to await the action of the Grand Jury. This wholesale onslaught and determined action on the part of the authorities, had the effect of breaking up the clan, since which time there have been no attempts to revive the prize-ring once so formidable in this part of the West.

Street Railway

The permit for the construction of this railway was obtained by city ordinance in 1872. The company was duly organized with Harry Elliott as president, and Thomas AVinstanley, manager. By the conditions of the charter the company was authorized to build the road with single or double tracks, and all necessary switches for the convenience of the road. The first line of rail extended from Bowman's Dike, near the levee, to the corner of Missouri and Collinsville Avenues. Its terminus is now at the approach of the National Stock Yards on St. Clair Avenue. It contains upwards of two miles of track, and cost, including rolling stock, etc , about $20,000. It is at this writing under the special management of Mr. Winstanley, who, by giving the enterprise his main attention, is labouring to make it a convenience to the public and a profit to the company.

East St. Louis Public Library

This noble enterprise was created under a city ordinance. July 16, 1872. It was organized August 13, 1872, and opened to the public February 5, 1874.

R. Lee Barrowman in 1876: The total number of persons enrolled and furnished with cards is 495, which are in constant daily use. The total number of volumes on hands are 4,437 ; of this number 433 are in the German language, 3 in the French, 9 in the Spanish, and 1 in the Hebrew. The number purchased was 1,409. The number of books donated was 67, pamphlets, 37. The percentage of the circulation is as follows : Novels, 69 ; historical and miscellaneous, 20 ; juveniles, 11.

The library also contains eighty-nine American newspapers and periodicals, among which are (dailies) Philadelphia, Times, Baltimore Sun, [Boston Post, Chicago Times, St. Louis Globe-Democrat, New York Herald, Cincinnati Enquirer, etc. ; (weeklies) Appleton's Journal, Irish World, Danbury News, and many others ; (monthlies) Aldine, Atlantic Monthly, Harper's and Scribner's Magazines, and twenty-seven other first-class journals.

There are fourteen British publications, and nine German, among which we find the following : London Times (daily), Dublin Nation, Blackwood's Magazine, London Quarterly Review, Edinburgh Review, St. Louis Westliche Daily Post, Berliner Kladderadatsch, and the Ueber Land und Meer.

The whole number of visitors attending the rooms were 30,954, making an average daily attendance of 86. The attendance on Sunday was upon an average twenty-five per cent, more than upon other days of the week, although open only from 2 p.m. to 10 P.M. The number of books loaned out in the time was 12,924 volumes, making a daily average of 36 volumes.

Mr. Barrowman in the closing of his report gives the following gratifying information : " An extra and successful effort has been made to bring within the influence of the Library, the many boys and youth who stroll about our streets during evening hours. Let me here state the result. They were first kindly invited to come to the Library, and by supplying them with such books and papers as they took an interest in, they were thus induced to continue and renew their visits. There were some unruly ones among them, but by reproof, and expelling some of the worst, the others have remained, and at present are as well behaved as any that attend the library and give promise of becoming useful and bright members of society." And we will add, may the Reading Rooms of East St. Louis ever exist and grow in importance and influence to the last generation.

The first interment made within what is now the city limits, was on survey No. 116, in the First ward, where the Pittsburg railway crosses said survey. This was abandoned after the flood of 1844, on account of the liability to overflow. Many a ghastly skeleton, by that flood, was washed from its resting place, to meet the gaze, perhaps, of the friends that had but a short time ago followed it to its lonely abode. To make secure from further disasters of the kind the inhabitants selected for their burial place the old Indian mound, then situated between what is now Collinsville avenue and Fourth street, and at the foot of Ohio avenue. It is said that the Indians had used it for centuries, so far as any one knew to the contrary, for a place of burying their dead. The mound was about four hundred feet in diameter at the base, and forty feet in altitude from summit to base. At that time (1844) and for years afterward it was covered mostly with heavy oak timber. In 1871-2, it was removed and the earth utilized to fill up a slough in the Second ward, and to make the ground at the south-east round-house. Nothing but a vacant lot now marks the spot. When the earth was removed, human bones and many kinds of shells were found to the depth of thirty feet. These were no doubt the remains and trinkets ofapre-historic race, called mound builders. The most of the remains of those who had beeu buried in our own times, were cared for by their friends and conveyed to the new cemetery. For mouths, however, a grinning sliull might have been seen peering from the fresh cut bank of the mound at the passer-by, and so close to the street that the iiand of the pedestrian could touch it as he passed.

The city at this time contains two cemeteries, both situated in Fourth ward, not far from the National Stock Yards. These were laid off for grave-yard?, when the Cahokians first established Illinois city ; but were not used as such until about fifteen years ago.

The National Stock Yards

Prior to 1845, the live stock trade of St. Louis was carried on at what was formerly known as Papstown or New Brighton, and situated in the south-eastern portion of the present city of East St. Louis. About this time yards were established on the west bide of the river at St. Louis. Here the business was conducted until the opening of the National Stock Yards on the east side of the river in 1873. The subject of constructing these yards was mooted as early as 1871. The agitation of the question culminated by the united efiTorts of several prominent Eastern and Western capitalists, who proceeded at once to purchase six hundred and fifty acres of land on the east side of the river near the city limits of East St. Louis. In July, 1872, mutual covenants were entered into between the company and the city authorities. The former were to construct a hotel to cost not less than $100,000, and to contain commission offices, brokers' offices, telegraph and post-offices, with all modern conveniences for transacting business. The stock yards were to exceed in completeness and magnitude any institution of the kind in the United States.

The city on its part covenanted to refrain from infringing, by constructing streets, or any city improvements whatsoever upon the survey, No. 627, and owned by said company. To all of which was attached the city seal and signature of A. M. Allerton, manager and attorney of the company. The yards were opened for business- in the fall of 1873. One hundred out of six hundred and fifty acres purchased, are enclosed and laid out with all the convenient appurtenances of a first-class live stock market. The form of the enclosure is a rectangle and describes nearly a square. It is laid by avenues which intersect each other at right angles. Four of these avenues extend entirely through the enclosure from east to west. The floors of the yard are paved with stone, and the sheds are comfortable and well arranged for the convenience of stock. The arrangements for receiving and shipping the same are complete. No less than seventy cars can be loaded and unloaded at the same time. It contains one mile of cattle pens, which can accommodate upwards of 10,000 head of cattle. The hog and sheep houses are models of convenience and cleanliness. Over the entrance to the hog-house is inscribed the words, " Hotel de Hog,'' and of the sheep house, " Hotel de Sheep." The hog-house is eleven hundred and twenty-two feet in length, and capable of accommodating upwards of 20,000 head. The sheep-house is upwards of five hundred feet in length, by a hundred in width, and has the capacity of holding, if necessary, 10,000 head. The stable is a fine building, two hundred and eighty-five feet long, by eighty wide, and fitted with stalls for the accommodation of three hundred head of horses. The racks and mangers are constructed of iron ; the former are supplied with hay by wooden cylinders, and the stalls are well arranged for drainage. There are two hog barns, and each has a capacity to hold eleven hundred tons of hay and fifteen thousand bushels of corn. At the approach of the yards from the south-east, on St. Clair avenue, is situated the " Allerton House," a magnificent building of brick with free-stone facings, and all the belongings of first-class material. It is two hundred and fifty feet in length, by one hundred and forty in breadth, and has one hundred rooms for the accommodation of guests. Tliere is a telegraph communication with the exchange building, and every other convenience to the drovers or traders. Itscost, including furniture, was upwards of $150,000.

The Exchange Building is centrally situated, and conveniently arranged for the transaction of all business connected with the yards. It is a large brick building, plain in architecture, and three stories in height, including basement. In the north wing of the latter are the offices of the railroad stock agents, and in the center and south wing are a bar, billiard hall and refreshment room. The first floor is occupied by the officers of the yard company, bank and commission firms. On the second floor is situated the telegraph office, printing office, etc.

The Stock Yards Bank, situated in this building, is one of the important features of the concern. It materially facilitates the business of all who have transactions at the yards, its daily business aggregating upwards of $300,000.

The water-works of the yards are situated on the east bank of Cahokia creek, near the packing houses. Along the avenues are placed watch-boxes, each containing a hydrant and fire-hose, and so arranged as to cover any fire with one or two hydrants. The tankhouse is a substantial building seventy feet in height, and contains three tubs, each thirty-two feet in diameter by thirty feet deep, and capable of holding 600,000 gallons of water. The total expenditure in establishing the yards, including lands, buildings, etc., is upwards of a million and a half dollars. They are complete in every arrangement, and the rapidity with which stock can be transferred from the Missouri side to the yards, or from point to point, is a matter that every shipper is interested in, as "time is money * to the live business men. Hon. Isaac H. Knox, vice-president and manager for the company, is the right man in the right place. He is a clear-headed business man, combined with affableness and rare executive ability. Under his management the business has materially increased, and become one of the most important stock markets in the country. The following is a table showing the receipts of the yards since their opening :

Other Business At The Yards

St. Louis Beef Canning Company. - Th\s company was organized in the fall of 1876, with a capital of $200,000, and promises to be in time the largest establishment of the kind on either continent. It is situated on St. Clair avenue, and occupies eight acres of ground. The main building is 324x100 feet, and four stories high. The slaughter house is 240x76 feet, two stories high, and is adjoined to the main building. The warehouse is also two stories in height, and 176x100 feet on the ground. In addition to these there is an engine room 60x61, tank-house 76x.30, and smoke-house 24x60. The establishment furnishes employment to nearly one thousand persons, two-fifths of whom are boys and girls. One thousand head of cattle are slaughtered daily, and the annual value of manufactured products is between four and five millions of dollars. Hon. Isaac H. Knox is president of the company, but the establishment

Eiist St. Louis Packing and Provigion Company. - This enterprise established in 1873, under the firm name of W. E. Richardson & Co , and merged into a stock company in 1875. The grounds, on which this packing house stands, contain ten acres, seven of which are covered with the buildings. They are mainly three stories in height, and all of them are constructed of brick. It is one of the most extensive packing houses in the West, and when worked to its full capacity, gives employment to seven hundred men. The nominal capacity of the works is 8,000 hogs per day, and the value of its annual shipments is from three to five millions of dollars. It is under the efficient management of D. L. Quirk, president, and VV. E. Richardson, vice-president.

FrawAs Whitaker & Sons. - This packing house was erected in 1877, at the expense of upwards of $100,000. The main building is 185x185 feet, and is three and a half stories high, with a cellar under the entire building. A tank-house 80x90 feet joins the main building, and adjacent to the former is the slaughter-house, 30x60 feet. Beijides these there are eight pen-houses, all under one roof, 120x120 feet, and a platform packing apartment 40x185 feet The average capacity of the house is 3,000 hogs per day, and employs about three hundred hands.

North- Western Fertilizing Company. - This is a branch establishment of a well-known Chicago firm. The works commenced operations here in the fall of 1877. The building is a frame structure, and covers one acre of ground. The machinery of the factory is run by a one hundred-horse power engine. Fifty hands are employed daily to conduct the works. It has the capacity of manuiacturing, annually, 15,000 tons of fertilizer, which, when thrown upon the market, will bring upwards of $400,000. Within the last year the company has added machinery for the purpose of manufacturing " Plant-Food," specially adapted for house plants and lawn use, on account of its being entirely odorless. Large quantities of both the Fertilizer and Plant- Food find a demand in the eastern markets-

McCarthy Live Stock and Packing Company, situated on the corner of Provision street and the plank road. The building was erected in 1877-8, by Arch. Allen, but is now owned by F. G. Rowe, and the business is conducted by John McCarthy. The building is a snug two-story brick, and with the attachments, covers nearly an acre of ground. It has the capacity of slaughtering and packing daily 1000 head of hogs and fifty head of cattle. It gives employment to twenty men.

St. Louis Carbon Works. - These works were established in 1875 at a cost of $40,000, and are situated on the National Stock Yards railroad. They were first known as the " Western Fertilizing and Chemical Works," and in 1878 again changed the name to " Keeler's Carbon Works." They afterwards assumed the former title, and are so-called at this time. The company owns three acres of ground, upon which the factory is situated. The building is a frame, 150 by 300 feet, the main portion of which is two stories high. The machinery consists of a fifty horse power engine, a bone mill and bone kiln. It manufactures from five to six thousand tons of bone yearly, and employs from thirty to forty hands. The annual manufactured product is upwards of $600,000. Max Dittrich is the superintendent of the works.

Carey's Beef and Pork Packing House is situated on Provision street, and north of McCarthy's packing house. It was established by Richard Carey, sole owner and proprietor, in the year 1880, at a cost of $10,000. The building is a snug two-story house, with stone basement, the upper portion being bailt of brick, and in size is 48 by 55 feet. There is also a boiler and tank-house, 30 by 40 feet, which is detached from the main building. This is also built of brick, and is two stories in height. When worked to its full capacity, it can pack 600 hogs and 100 beeves daily, and gives employment to forty persons.

St. Lo.is Rendering Works. Levi Baugh, jr., proprietor. These were established in 1872, and located on the east side of Provision street and the Stock Yards railway. The building is a frame twostory strucfure, 68 by 80 feet on the ground floor, with a side room for cooling purposes 16 by 30 feet. The engine-room, attached to the main building on the north, is 30 by 30 feet. The cost of the works was $2,500, and they give employment to about twelve men. The establishment, under the eflScient management of Mr. Baugh, is capable of rendering 150 hogs and 50 beeves per day.

George Mulrow & Company, Pork Packers. - This institution is situated between the East St. Louis Packing House and the National Stock Yards enclosure, and was established in 1880. The building is a frame, two stories, and 50 by 150 feet in size, and cost, including machinery, etc., $3,000. It has the capacity of slaughtering and packing 303 hogs per day, and employs on an average fourteen hands. James Lillay, foreman.

Baugh's Catch Basin, is situated just across Cahokia creek, outside of the limits of the Stock Yards. It was constructed in 1880, at an expense of about $600, and is utilized to catch the superfluous grease that escapes through the sewer from the packing houses. Formerly the sewer opened into Cahokia creek, but the city authorities made complaint ; hence at this point a flume was built across the creek, and Mr. Baugh erected this basin. It is 30 by 40 feet in size, and contains eight vats, four on each side. Here the water is retained and cooled, when the grease floats, it is skimmed from the surface and deposited in barrels arranged for that purpose. When the packing houses are all in full blast, from fifteen to twenty barrels of grease are caught daily.

St. Clair Rendering Company. - This institution is owned and operated by M. E. Richardson and Capt. Clubb, and is situated on St. Clair avenue, between the National Stock Yards and the town of Brooklyn. It was established in the spring of 1880 by Rogers & MuUholl, and passed into the hands of the present proprietors the fall following. The main building is two stories high, frame, and in size 76 by 76 feet, and cost, including necessary machinery, $5,000. It has the capacity of pressing ten tons of tank stuflT, and drying one ton of blood daily, besides rendering three hundred and fifty hogs per week. It employs on an average fifteen hands, and manufactures $100,000 worth of products annually. Foreman, Wm. H. Courtney.

City Manufactures

St. Louis Bolt and Iron Company. - This is the largest manufacturing establishment in the city, and is situated near the Cairo Short Line railroad. The oflScers of the company are T. A. Mey.-enburg, president; O. W. Meysenburg, superintendent; Geo. S. Edgell, treasurer. The works contain six puddling furnaces, three heating, six spike, and two bolt furnaces. Besides all the necessary machinery peculiar to the works, such as planers, lathes, etc. Street rails, T rails, bolts and spikes are made a specialty of manufacture by the company. The works are in operation day and night, the laborers being divided into two sets or watches. These works employ about one hundred and fifty men, and have the capacity of manufacturing daily forty tons of finished iron, ten tons of railroad spikes, and several thousand strap or trace bolts. From three to four thousand dollars are paid to the employees every two weeks. The company own two and-a-half acres of ground and two railroad switches where the works are situated. The products are shipped to points both east and west.

Grape, Sugar, and Glucose Works, 0. W. Heyer & Co., proprietors. These works are situated in the Third ward, on the river front, and were erected in 1869 by Brotherton & Morse for milling purposes. The present company purchased the property and remodelled the building suitable to their wants. They commenced operations of manufacture in the spring of 1875. The present factory, as remodelled, is made up of three departments or buildings. The main building, or manufactory proper, is four stories high, and 45 feet square. The engine house is 20 by 36 feet, besides a starch room, used exclusively for the manufacture of starch. The whole structure on the ground covers 50,000 square feet. The cost of the building and appurtenances thereto was $150,000. It has the capacity of grinding 3,000 bushels of corn daily, and can manufacture in the same time one hundred and fifty barrels of syrup. From seventy-five to one hundred persons are constantly employed in the works. The approximate value of manufactured product is $100,000 annually. The business is under the immediate supervision of Louis Strehl.

Bailroad Frog Works. - This establishment dates from 1874, then under the sole supervision and management of George and Henry Elliot. In 1875, Mr. George Elliot died, and the institution passed into the hands of the present owners, H. & H. Elliot. The works were established for the purpose of manufacturing railway crossings, frogs, switches, and track tools, and are located on Main and Broad streets, near the East St. Louis and Carondelet railway. The main building, or machine shop, is '69 by 90 feet, with other convenient attachments. The works were constructed at a cost of $10,000, and give employment to about sixty men, who receive for their labor from $1.75 to $3 per day. The capacity of manufacture is about 4,500 frogs and 100 crossings per annum. Value of products, $150,000.

Heim's Brewing Company. - This is the only Brewing Company in East St. Louis. It was established by Nick Spannagel in 1856, and was afterwards purchased by the present company. It is situated on the corner of Tenth street and Belleville Turnpike. The buildings occupy the identical site of the old hotel, built and kept in an early day by Mr. Condit, and the place known as Papstown. The main building is a splendid three story brick structure, and with the attachments covers nearly an acre of ground. The coat of the building and machinery aggregates $150,000. Its capacity is from fifty to sixty thousand barrels annually, and gives employment to about forty persons. The annual value of manufactured goods is over $500,000. The company is attaching an ice machine for the purpose of cooling the cellars, which is an entirely new departure in the brewing business.

East St. Louis Gaslight Company was established in 1874, and situated at the junction of the Illinois and St. Louis railroad, near Cahokia creek. The size of the tank is sixty feet in diameter and twenty feet in depth. It has the capacity of supplying 58,000 feet of gas, and is supplied with seven-and a-half miles of pipe. The capital invested is about $125,000, and at present receives an income of upwards of $7,000 from the annual manufactured material. Wm. H. Watts is the efficient superintendent of the works, and has under his supervision the employment of eleven men.

East St. Louis Flouring Mills. - St. Louis has been one of the most unfortunate cities in the country with regard to the destruction by fire of her flouring mills. Many have been built, and but one is now standing. This was first constructed in 1855, by F. H. Krite and A. De Clansel for a saw-mill near the old Belleville depot. In 1861 it was sold to a company who transformed it into a grist-mill ; this was torn down in 1865, and a large four-story brick erected in its place. The latter was a first-class mill in every respect, and was built and operated by Notley, Krite & Co. In the fall of 1866, it was destroyed by fire, involving a heavy loss to the owners. The present building was erected in 1868-69, on the old site, and is the only flouring mill in the city. It is a four-story brick building with basement, and in size 40x80 feet. The cost of construction exceeded $80,000, having all the modern machinery and improvements for manufacturing flour. The mill has the capacity of making four hundred barrels of flour per day, containiug seven run of stones, three for meal and four for flour. It employs about twenty-five hands, and handles annually nearly $500,000 of manufactured material. Mr. F. H. Krite is the secretary of the firjn, and has the general supervision of the mill.

City Planing Mill. - This factory was originally located at Litchfield, 111., and was removed to this city in 1877. It is now owned by Theodore Wiegrefie, and situated on Fourth street, between Missouri and St. Louis avenues. It is a frame building, mainly two stories high, and 86x112 feet, on the ground. The cost of the factory, including all the appurtenances, was upwards of $6,000. From twelve to fifteen hands are constantly employed, and manufacture over 8,000 pork-packing boxes annually, beside making a large quantity of doors, sash, blinds, etc. The amount of manufactured goods is $15,000.

East St. Louis Elevator Company. - This institution is one of the leading industries of the city, and was established in 1867, by an act of the legislature, approved March 6th of that year. It is situated on the river front below the bridge, and occupies the ground on the line of the dike, which was built to improve the harbor in 1842, by Capt. Eobert E. Lee, then Chief Engineer of the United States army. The company owns five hundred feet front on the river, by four hundred feet deep, and by the conditions of the charter it may extend these boundaries to one thousand feet front by the same in depth, and occupy by purchase any other lands within three miles of Bloody Island. The capacity for storing grain is upwards of one million bushels. The cost of the grounds, building, machinery, etc., was nearly $1,000,000.

The Advance Elevator and Warehouse is situated on the island, near Front street, between the Chicago and Alton, and Ohio and Mississippi railways. It was established in 1872, by Messrs. Mc- Cormic, Adams and Armington, at a cost of $125,000. In 1880 it passed into the hands of the present company. The elevator and warerooms covered 20,400 square feet of ground. The elevator proper is 50x60 feet, 130 feet high, and has convenient connections with the river and all the roads leading into East St. Louis. It has an engine of eighty horse-power, and all necessary machinery for handling grain. From twelve to fifteen men are employed daily, and seventy car-loads of grain can be elevated in one day. Three tracks pass through the entire building. It has the capacity of storing 400,000 bushels of grain. The present company are R. S. McCormic, C. W. Isaacs, D. P. Slatery, Jno. Jackson, and H. Rogers.

Pioneer Warehouse. - This was established by Benj. F. Horn in the spring of 1880, and is situated east of the East St. Louis Flouring Mills, and south of the Illinois and St. Louis railway track. The building is a frame, one-story, and 20x60 feet. It has the capacity of manufacturing 270 flour barrels per day, and gives employment to twenty men. Richard Zimmerman, foreman.

Hall & Cos. Manujadmy was established in the spring of 1880, with the following officers represcntioo- the company : Giles Hall, President ; J. M. Macdonald, Vice-President; Ferdinand Helm, Treasurer; Wni. P. Launtz, Secretary. The machines manufiictured by this company are for the purpose of separating or extracting gold and other precious metal from auriferous deposits. This process is inceniously effected by means of corajiressed air in connection with chemicals (see cut above). It is entirely a new invention, and if it succeeds in perf)rming what the inventor claims for it, the company has certainly struck a bonanza. The capital stock is $12,000. The factory is situated on Collinsville avenue, between 15roadway and Missoui'i aveunes.

C. B. & Q Elevator Compaiuj. - Tins is a new enteri)rise, and the elevator is now in process of construction. It is owned by, and will be conducted in the interest of the Chicago, Burlington and Ciuiucy Kailway Company. It is situated at the terndnus of the road, and a little north of the company's freight-house. The foundation is composed of seventeen piers besides the outer walls, and the size of the main building is to be 87x177 feet, and 118 feet in height. The cost of its construction, machinery, etc., will exceed half a million dollars, and it will have the capacity of storing 750,000 bushels of grain. ' Four tracks are to be laid through the building.

Tiirning Factory, Henry Sternkopf, proprietor. This factory was established in 1876, and is located on Brady street, between Main street and Cairo Short Line railway track. The building is a frame structure 24x.']0 feet, and cost, including machinery, $1,500. Mr. Sternkopf has in his employ from four to six men, and manufactures all articles in wood work. Wooden faucets are made a specialty, turning out from fifteen to twenty gross per week. The annual sales of manufactured goods are from two to three thousand dollars.

Sola Factor I/. - This enterprise was established in 1870, by C. Lutt & Co. The business is carried on in a fine two-story brick building, 40x80 feet in diineniions, and it is located on Main street, between Broadway and Railroad street. The cost of construction, with the necessary appliances, was $4,500. The factory is capable of manufacturing three hundred boxes of soda-water per day. It gives employment to four persons, and handles a manufactured