White County, Illinois - Chapter 10: Material Progress, 1883

Chapter 10: Material Progress

In thia chapter we propose to give a brief account of the progress which the county of White has made with reference to internal improvements, railroads, agriculture, etc., with so much of the cen¬ sus as is necessary for intelligent comparison. The most striking feature in the career of this county is the exemplification of two principles of the influence of railroads; namely, first, that they more rapidly develop a country than any other agency; and, sec¬ ondly, a 8 a result, they absorb enterprise from those sections more remote from them. Had it not been, therefore, for railroads a short distance from this region of the State, the people here would have been further advanced in 1870 than they actually were. Busi¬ ness gets as near to railroads as possible.

These principles are strikingly illustrated in the history of nearly all villages. Those that are passed by and left "out in the cold" by the railroads decline, while the railroad towns get ahead. Before the day of railroads transportation had mainly to be carried on by navigation. Hence we naturally open this chapter with an account of the several attempts to improve navigable streams ef¬ fecting the interests of this section.

The Great Wabash

In 1825 the Harmony cut-off was so narrow that one could dam off the water with aboard; but by 1834 it had become so large as to threaten the navigability of the main channel, and the General Government stopped it up and deepened the main channel. The Government also dammed the Turkey Island chute near the mouth of Fox River.

The act of Jan. 13, 1825, incorporating the Wabash Navigation Company, was amended Feb. 12, 1835, prohibiting any change in the river, except between Mount Carmel and the head of the Little Rock Rapids, and permitting the company to construct mill races or water-powers along the aforesaid route, but not obstructing nav¬ igation. The mendatory act also compelled the company to pay for their right of way such amounts as may be assessed by a committee. Work might be commenced as soon as fifty shares of $25 each were taken, and must be commenced within four years from June 1 following.

On page 95 of this volume is given an account of the great inter¬ nal improvement scheme adopted by the State of Illinois in 1836. Here we recite that portion of the act of the Legislature establish¬ ing it which relates to White County.

" The improvement of the navigation of the Great Wabash River in that part of the same over which the States of Indiana and Il¬ linois have concurrent jurisdictions, for which improvement the sum of $100,000 is hereby appropriated; which appropriation the Board of Public Works are hereby authorized and required to ex¬ pend in said improvements, in conjunction with the State of In¬ diana, in equal amounts and for like objects. And the said Board of Commissioners of Public Works are hereby authorized and em¬ powered to co-operate with the Board of Internal Improvement of Indiana, or with such other authority or authorities of said State as are or may be put in charge of the expenditure of appropriations made by the State of Indiana for the improvement of said river in the survey and examinations of the obstructions to the navigation, and in the location, construction, completion and management of all works, at the joint and equal expense of both States, which by the joint boards or other authorities aforesaid may be deemed of the greatest utility, to render said river navigable to all stages of wa¬ ter, for steam and other boats, in that part of said river above specified; and also in the disposition, use and management of the water-powers created or rendered available by the construction of said works of improvements.

"And the said Board of Commissioners of Public Works are hereby authorized and empowered to enter into agreement and compact on the part of the State of Illinois, with the Board of Internal Improvement of the State of Indiana, or such other author¬ ity as said State has authorized or may authorize and empower to enter into such agreement and compact on the part of said State of Indiana, for the joint and mutual co-operation of the two States, in the said survey, location, construction, completion and manage¬ ment of the improvements and works hereby contemplated; and for the joint and mutual use and management of, and jurisdiction over, all hydraulic power created or made available thereby; which agreement and compact, when ratified by the Governor of the State of Indiana, shall be valid and binding on the State of Illi¬ nois. "

The above regulations were to be carried out according to the laws of the State of Indiana wherever the latter may be in con¬ flict with these provisions, until the discrepancies should be remedied by Legislative enactments.

For the Little Wabash, $50,000 was appropriated, " to render the navigation thereof safe and practicable for stream, keel and flat boats; and the said board shall have due regard to the great¬ est and most useful amount of water-power to be created by the works they may erect for the improvement of the said river for the use of the State. And the said Board of Commissioners of Pub¬ lic Works, in the construction of dams across any of the rivers aforesaid, are hereby authorized to construct and keep in repair suitable chutes in the said dams, for the accommodation of the ordi¬ nary flat-boats, and others descending navigation in the rivers, when - soever in their opinion the costs and practicability of construction, and the interests of the State, will justify the construction and maintenance thereof.

Among the numerous railroads projected by the great internal improvement system of 1836, none were proposed to run through White County. One was ordered from Shawneetown northwesterly through Equality, Frankfort, etc., and one from Vincennes west¬ ward. And on account of this county being omitted from the list of the favored, it was said to be one of the " unfortunate " counties. As a placebo the Legislature subsequently made sundry appropri¬ ations from the saline fund for the benefit of White County.

The following joint resolution in relation to the improvement of the Wabash River, and to accept the terms of a compact between this State and the State of Indiana, offered by the said State of Indiana, was approved March 2, 1873.

"Whereas it has been certified to the Governor of this State that the Legislature of the State of Indiana has passed and adopted a joint resolution in relation to the improvement of the Wabash River, and to authorize a compact with the State of Illinois, approved the sixth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven, which said joint resolution in the words following, to wit:

" '' W here as, the Legislature of this State at its last session appro¬ priated the sum of $50,000 for the purpose of improving the navigation of the Wabash River between its mouth and the town of Vincennes; and whereas it is believed that the construcion and use of the mechanical structures necessary to this object will require the occupancy of both banks of the river, thereby creating a necessity for mutual and concurred jurisdiction and con¬ trol between the two States. And whereas, the legislation here¬ tofore had on this subject by the State of Illinois affords ground for the belief that that State will co-operate with Indiana in making the necessary improvement on this portion of the river. Therefore,

" ' Resolved , By the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That, for the purpose of accomplishing the object herein set forth, and of securing to the citizens of both States mutual and equal participation in the benefits resulting therefrom, it be and is hereby proposed to the Legislature of the State of Illinois, that an argument or compact be entered into between the two States, the terms of which shall be as follows :

" 4 First, The States of Indiana and Illinois to have perpetual, equal, and concurrent control of whatever improvements may be made by them on that portion of the Wabash River which forms the boundary line between these States, to be exercised through such agents as may be appointed by the States respectively.

"'Second, To contribute equally in defraying the expense of constructing and keeping in repair such improvements, and the various works connected therewith.

" 'Third, The States to share alike in the profits of said im¬ provements, derived from the collection of tolls, water rents, or other charges.

"'Fourth, The tolls or other charges levied on said improve¬ ments shall be equal and uniform upon the citizens of both States, and upon the citizens of the United States.

" 4 Fifth, The improvements to commence at such points as in the present condition of the river presents the most serious ob¬ struction to the navigation.

" 'Resolved, Further, that the acceptance of these terms by the State of Illinois, or by any agent of that State, duly authorized to act in the premises, shall be considered as a consummation of the compact without any further action on the part of this State.

proposed improvements, on the part of this State, and that thej be hereby authorized in conjunction with such agents as may be appointed on the part of Illinois, to adopt such plans for the over¬ coming of the several obstructions as to them may appear most conducive to public interest, having regard to the amount of the appropriations which have been or may hereafter be made by the State.

" ' Resolved , Further, that as soon as the Board of Internal Im¬ provements may be officially advised of the acceptance of the terms herein proposed, by the State of Illinois, and of the appropriation by the State, of a sura for the improvement of the river, equal to that heretofore appropriated by Indiana, and also of the appointment of an agent or agents on the part of Illinois to act with them in carrying on the work, they shall thereupon be authorized, in con¬ junction with such agents of the State of Illinois, to commence the improvement of the river at such point or points where they may think the improvement most requisite.

Resolved , That the Governor be requested to transmit a copy of the above joint resol ution to the Executive of the Stateof Illinois, with a request that it be laid before the Legislature of said State.'

"And, Wherka8, The Legislature of this State is desirous of co-operating with the State of Indiana, in effecting the improve¬ ment of the navigation of that portion of the said Wabash River which forms the line between the two States, and for that purpose, has, at the present session, appropriated the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ; Now therefore,

"Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, repre¬ sented in the General Assembly, That the State of Illinois hereby accept of the terms of the compact proposed by and set forth in the above recited joint resolution of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, in relation to the improvement of that portion of the Wabash River which forms the boundary line between the two States; and the said compact and terms are hereby declared to be binding on the State of Illinois.

" Resolved , Further, that the Board of Commissioners of Public Works are hereby authorized and required to take charge of the proposed improvements on the part of this State; and that they be authorized, in conjunction with the State Board of Internal Improvement of the State of Indiana, or such other agent or agents as the State may appoint, to adopt and execute such plans for the overcoming of the several obstructions in the said river as to them may appear most conducive to the public interest; having due regard to an equal expenditure of funds on said improvements, by both States; and also to the amount of the appropriations which have been or may hereafter be made by this State.

"Resolved, Further, that the Governor be requested to transmit a copy of the above preamble and joint resolutions to the Execu¬ tive of the State of Indiana, with a request to advise the Board of Internal Improvement of that State of the acceptance of the terms aforesaid, by the State of Illinois ; and with the further request to lay this joint resolution before the General Assembly of Indiana."

The joint operations between Indiana and Illinois on the Grand Chain were commenced in 1834 and abandoned in 1836, without accomplishing any good. The " Grand Chain " is a rapids two miles down the river and due east from Wabash Station. It is 650 feet long, in which there was, and indeed still is, a fall of about three and a half feet. The companies, instead of deepening the main channel, worked only on the highest rocks in the bed of the stream, either widening the old channel or making a new one, which only tended to distribute the water over a greater surface. They prepared for their operations by damming off the water above, and carried them on by blasting and picking the rocks. These they removed to a total depth of about eighteen inches.

The next work on the Grand Chain was done in 1876-'7 by the United States Government, which expended about $90,000 upon it, but with no better results, committing the same error as was formerly made by the State Governments. It distributed the water over a greater surface instead of deepening the main channel. It is believed by parties in the vicinity that a few hundred dollars only expended in cutting a new channel through the sandy earth and damming up the old channel would have been sufficient to create a good navigable stream. To this day, during the month of September, only those boats which draw fourteen inches or less can passover these rapids.

The " Little Chain " is another rapids further down the river, in which there is a fall of eighteen inches in 350 feet. Some work has been done by the General Government at this point, and it is supposed to be in progress now; but the improvement of nav¬ igation is still very doubtful.

"Warrick's Ripples " is a small rapids just below the uew cutoff and three miles below New Harmony. Here is a fall of about twenty inches in 200 yards. The Government commenced work at this point also in 1880, but as yet have not accomplished much.

The Little Wabash

Feb. 15, 1827, an act was passed bv the Legislature devoting a portion of the proceeds of the sale of certain saline reserve lands to the improvement of the navigation of the Little Wabash River; and George R. Logan, William Nevitt, Samuel Dagley, William McHenry and James Gray, some of whom were residents of this county, were appointed Commissioners to disburse the funds for the purposes mentioned. John Marshall, of Shawneetown, was appointed a receiver of a portion of the moneys, and William Wil¬ son another portion.

The act from which we glean the above items was a kind of " omnibus " act, treating of the unlike subjects of the saline re¬ serves, a penitentiary and the improvement of certain navigable streams in a scattering manner. On the subject of Wabash navi¬ gation we quote the two following sections:

" Section 28. All the net proceeds arising from the sales of land in the Vermillion saline reserve, under this act, are hereby appro¬ priated to improve the navigation of the Great Wabash River, to be disbursed in conjunction with the State of Indiana, when she shall set apart and appropriate funds for that purpose, in such manner as the States of Illinois and Indiana shall, by mutual laws, direct; and which money is hereby solemnly appropriated or set apart for that object, and to be applied to none other.

" Section 26. The commissioners for improving the navigation of the Little Wabash, or any person by them authorized, may enter upon and take possession of any land in or adjoining the said river, which may be necessary for improving the navigation thereof, and no more, which lands shall thereupon become a pub¬ lic highway; and the owner or owners of such land shall have the same remedy, and be entitled to the same compensation as is or may be allowed for opening public roads over improved land." tormation of a company who sent a sqnad of men up and down the Little Wabash to cut down some trees and really obstruct nav¬ igation more than help it. Frank E. Hay was President, and North Storms, Secretary, of this company.

The first mill at New Haven was a grist-mill, was built on the right bank of the river. Subsequently a saw-mill was erected on the opposite bank, using the same dam. Between 1860 and 1869 the works were neglected and the dam was washed away. Then a lock and dam were built, by an appropriation of $10,000 or $35,- 000 from the State, obtained by the intercession of R. S. Graham and James Fackney. C. S. Conger, now Circuit Judge, was the civil engineer who surveyed the level from New Haven to Carmi. This work has been a real improvement to the navigation of the Little Wabash, but lately it has been somewhat neglected; rubbish has collected at the upper end of the lock, rendering it of no use, but the dam is still good, furnishing a good water-power.

As the scheme for the improvement of the Little Wabash was made to cover the work of bridging the stream at Carmi, at this point we are naturally introduced to the general subject of bridges; but as these can be treated in the respective township histories, we place the matter there.

Jan. 27, 1887, the General Assembly of Illinois authorized "Charles J. Weed to build and continue a mill-dam on the Skillet Fork, at the mill shoals, on the west half of southwest quarter of section 20, in town 3 6outh, of range 8 east, at or near the place where the late mill-dam stood," provided it be built within three years, be not more than eight feet high, with an apron of twenty feet slope, etc.

March 4, 1837, the Little Wabash River was declared by the Legislature a navigable stream and public highway as far up as where it is crossed by the National Road (running from Terre Haute to St. Louis), and the Skillet Fork a similar stream up to Samuel Slocumb's mill, in Marion County.

Fox River

Feb. 21, 1839, the Legislature declared the Fox River, "from its confluence with the Great Wabash River up to the center line east and west of section 29, in township 4 south, of range 14 west," to be a " navigable stream aud public highway."

On the Big Wabash there are Ashworth's, Marshall's, Williams's, New Harmony and Grayville ferries. Most of these, of course, were established by the Legislature in early day, and the rates of ferriage also prescribed, or left by the Legislature with the County Courts. Webb's Ferry, formerly just below Gray ville, is abandoned.

On the Little Wabash there are ferries at New Haven and near Mr. Campbell's, between New Haven and Carmi. The other ferries on this river and all those on the Skillet Fork have long since been replaced by bridges.

The first road to become well traveled in White County was along the Big Wabash from New Haven to Village Prairie, Ed¬ wards County, where there had been an Indian trail. The next road was from Shawneetown to Carmi. From these branches were soon established to what are considered the oldest points in the county, and all these, of course, regardless of any survey.

Dec. 26, 1828, the Legislature enacted u that the road leading from Carmi, in White County, to Collins's Ferry, on the Big Wabash, is hereby declared a State road." Jan. 20, 1829, " that part of the county road from James Garrison's to John Baker's, in White County," was declared a State road, and the road that had been laid off between those places was vacated.

Feb. 9, 1831, an act of the General Assembly was approved ap¬ pointing as Commissioners Wm. McHenry and Philip Underwood, of this county, and Daniel Boltinghouse, of Edwards County, to lay out a road from Carmi to Albion, crossing Crooked Creek at or near Mitchell Stokes's.

Jan. 24, 1835, a Legislative act was approved authorizing the County Commissioners of White to review and re-locate any State road in the county, in the same manner and under the same re¬ strictions as other roads in said county may be reviewed and re¬ located, provided no State road shall be altered at the point where the same may cross the county line.

July 20, 1837, George R. Logan, John Shipley and Reuben Long were appointed by act of the Legislature Commissioners to lay out a State road " from or near the house of George R. Logan, in White County, to Tecumseh, on the Great Wabash River," dur¬ ing the following autumn.

As the county became more densely populated and the roads more numerous, they were placed in charge of the county - firs the commissioners and then the supervisors.

Miscellaneous Remarks

The year 1838, throughout the State of Illinois, was all life and business, caused by the gigantic scheme of internal improvements inaugurated by the State to build several thousand .miles of rail roads, canals, stage-roads, bridges, and other public institutions. Another cause was, the State had chartered a bank with the mother located at Springfield, with branches at various points in the State for the convenience of the people. Every person could borrow money, and nearly every sharp Alick quit work and took a con¬ tract on the public works, or went into business in same capacity* It was delightful to see those new business men put on airs. Many an old hard-fisted, horny-handed farmer who, by close living and hard work had laid up some money, took it into his head that his son William or John was well adapted to the mercantile busi¬ ness, and straightway went to the bank and " soaked " his home¬ stead for money, to enable him to set up his promising son in a store. The jeans were hung up in the loft, store clothes were put on, and a stock of goods purchased and put on the shelves. The young merchant would open out with fine prospects, but in nine cases out of ten, in less than three years the store was closed, and dad's farm sold under a foreclosure of mortgage to the bank, or creditors who had furnished goods. Then the old man would be¬ come a tenaut of some of his former neighbors, or light out for Texas or Arkansas, with less wealth but much more wisdom. This picture was plainly in view in 1841 and 1842 throughout all " Egypt. "

July 1, 1838, Amos Kendall, Postmaster General, had let a con¬ tract to Daniel Hay, of Carmi, to carry the United States mail from Shawneetown, III., to Vincennes, Ind. Four horse coaches were to be used in transporting the mails. Powhattan H. Bagwell, of Mt. Carmel, sub-contracted with Hay, in taking the line from Grayville north fifty miles, while Hay retained that part of the line from Grayville south fifty miles. Says Samuel Martin : 11 1 well remember that eventful day. I was then the hostler for the only hotel in Grayville - a log structure on the corner of Main and North streets, Mrs. Susan St. Aubin, proprietress. At five o'clock p. m. I heard the horn of the approaching coach from the south, and immediately a response rang out from the north. It was all excitement in and about the hotel. The two coaches met at the front of the house, each crowded with distinguished men connected with the line. When old Daniel Hay stepped from the coach my very heart swelled within me, knowing he was the great man that caused this grand enterprise to be put in operation. If Martin Yan Buren, then President of the United States, had called to me to put up his horse, I should have turned upon my heel with proud disdain to receive that tall gray-haired man, Daniel Hay. " These coaches were retained on the line till July 1, 1842.

September, 1838, brought to a close the brilliant career of the cele¬ brated race mare " Dove" on the tracks near the present town of Hawthorne. For five years she had met the fleetest horses of Ken¬ tucky, Tennessee and Indiana, and in every contest showed them her heels for large stakes in money, horses, etc., but finally " Snowball" met the little lady upon her own heath and carried away her lau¬ rels and almost bankrupted her backers. On that disastrous con¬ test with the " Snowball" many were the admirers of the " Dove," who left the race- course at Big Prairie without a stake in money, and not a few could be seen returning homeward, packing thei saddles upon their backs, their last and only horse passed into the handsof the backers of "Snowball." It was a regular sedan for he sportingmen of Southern Illinois, as many thousand dollars were lost upon that race. It was not uncommon at one of these races to see several thousand people assembled, and great crowds would camp on the grounds for days, engaged in gambling in various games. It was a good thing for White County that " Snowball " came and broke up that gambling camp-ground. William Will¬ iams, her owner, sold the " Dove" to the owner of " Snowball " andshe was taken South.

The Wabash Route . - The first movemement to run a railroad through White County was made in 1853, under the auspices of Judge Abner T. Ellis, Judge Joseph G. Bowman, and the late Gen¬ eral William Harrow, all of Vincennes, Ind. These gentlemen or¬ ganized a company under the name of " Vincennes & Paducah Railroad Company " and had a preliminary line run from Vin¬ cennes to Paducah, by way of Grayvilie, Carmi and Equality, and terminating at Brooklyn, on the Ohio River, just opposite Pa¬ ducah. Some money was expended on this enterprise, but before it was very far advanced it was dropped.

The next effort was made in 1857, when General Asa R. Butler, of Hillsboro, O., obtained a charter from the Illinois Legislature in¬ corporating the "Illinois Southern Railroad Company " to build a railroad whose southern terminus should be Mound City, and which should run northeasterly to Vincennes, or a little south of that point, where it should make connection with an Eastern line. The first Board of Directors consisted of General Asa R. Butler, Will¬ iam Burke, Andrew J. Kuykendall, Joseph Robinson, William Brown and two others. The company organized by electing Gen¬ eral Butler, President, and M. D. Gilbert, Mound City, Secretary. They ordered a survey, Cyrus Jennings being the chief engineer. During the summer of 1857 the survey was completed, and in Octo¬ ber following a contract was let for gradin the road between Grayville and Carmi, a distance of fifteen miles, and work was immediately commenced, but progressed slowly.

In February following a new election was held for directors, which resulted in placing on the board General Asa R. Butler, of Hillsboro, O. ; Andrew J. Kuykendall, of Johnson County, Ill.; Jo¬ seph Robinson, of Saline County, Ill.; James Fackney and Samuel H. Martin, of White County, 111. ; and Isaac N. Jaquish, of Wabash County, 111.; General Butler was re-elected President and John M. Crebs, of Carmi, Secretary of the company. Work on the grading continued to go on, but rather slowly, in all the counties along the line. In the meantime the following stock was subscribed: White County, $50,000 in swamp lands, and individuals $35,000 in cash; Wabash County, $100,000, and the city of Mount Carmel $25,000; in Saline, Johnson, and Pulaski counties the citizens subscribed considerable money and lands; and Vincennes and Lawrence County subscribed about $25,000. The total assets of the com¬ pany thus resulted in about $400,000 at face value.

At the annual election of directors in March, 1859, the old board was continued, and Judge Martin was elected President, and George Williams, of White County, Secretary. Immediately a contract was let to grade the road from Carmi to Vincennes, but during the next fall work was suspended, for want of funds. At the next annual election, March, 1860, the Directors elected were: Judge Wm. R. Wilkinson and Isaac N. Jaquish, of Wabash County; W. W. Gray and Janies Fackney, of White Couuty; A.

J. Kuykendall, of Johnson, and Joseph Robinson, of Saline; Judge Wilkinson was elected President of the board. From this time on the enterprise gradually died out. At the annual in 1861, Judge Robert Bell, of Mount* Carmel, was made President, and the corporation continued an existence, but had no vitality. The great war then ensued, and for five years there was of course no thought of railroad building.

At the session of the Legislature in 1867, General Green B. Raum, of Harrisburg, Saline County, succeeded in obtaining a charter for building a road from Cairo to Yincennes, under the name of the "Cairo & Yincennes Railroad Company," which was organised with General Raum as its President. The following funds were obtained as assets: In bonds - Alexander, Pulaski, Johnson, Saline, and White counties, $100,000 each; Carmi, $15,000; Grayville, $15,000 and a considerable number of promissory notes. All these were to be paid after the road was built. This handsome subscription induced capitalists to put in their ready money and push the enterprise. A survey was accordingly made by Chief Engineer Harper, and a route was adopted on the old Illinois Southern, from Yincennes to Carmi, and thence to Cairo, some¬ times deviating, however, from the former survey. Soon General Raum transferred the road and its franchises to General A. E. Burn¬ side, of Rhode Island, who became President of the company, and in 1869 put the construction of the road under contract. A con¬ siderable amount of grading was done on the entire line, but in the fall General Burnside had to take his turn, too, at failure.

The enterprise then lay dormant until 1871, when Generals Wins¬ low and James H. Wilson made a contract with General Burnside, who was still President, to complete and equip the entire road; and Dec. 19, 1872, General Burnside, as President of the company, gave a grand free excursion from Yincennes to Cairo, and the road was formally opened for business.

Louisville cfe Nashville Railroad . - The second road constructed through White County was the u St. Louis & Southeastern," which also was built under the auspices of Generals Winslow and Jame6 H. Wilson, by the way of Enfield, Trumbull, Carmi, Haw¬ thorne and Wabash Station. White County contributed, as a dona¬ tion for this road, $100,000 in twenty-year, eight per cent, bonds. The road was commenced in the fall of 1870, and the first train, from St. Louis to Evansville, was taken through October, 1871.

Shawneetown Branch of the Ohio db Mississippi Railroad . - The first railroad put in operation through White County was the Springfield & Southeastern Illinois, which was built under the administration of Thomas S. Ridgeway, of Shawneetown, President. Chief Engineer Rice made the first survey in 1868, and the south¬ ern terminus was made to be at Shawneetown and the northern at Beardstown, on the Illinois River, the line to pass through Middle Point, Norris City, Enfield, Springerton and Mill Shoals. A second survey was made in the fall of 1870. White County sub¬ scribed $50,000 in eight per cent., twenty-year bonds, and the village of Enfield $7,000 in bonds, which she has since repudiated, and by a decree of court she has been released from their payment. The citizens also made large donations in money and lands. The bonds of both county and village were to be paid when the road was completed. This road was finished in December, 1879.

On all roads, White County bonds were negotiated at eightyeight cents on the dollar; and now she has an impetus from rail¬ roads which shows a steady growth in wealth and immigration unparalleled in the whole State of Illinois.

Albion , Carmi db Shawneetown Railroad . - This is the present name of a route proposed through White County east of the Little Wabash River. Meetings are held and the public pulse is felt, with a view to ascertain the practicability and wisdom of con¬ structing this road.

Peoria , Decatur db Evansville Railroad . - This thoroughfare, so far as concerns its history in White County, was commenced in Feb¬ ruary, 1881, and soon was discontinued, but was re-commenced about the middle of April, and pushed on to completion. The bridge was built in the winter of 1880-,1, two miles below Grayville, and the road thus has two miles of track in this county.

Albion , Carmi & Shawneetown Railroad . - This is the name of the company organized in the autumn of 1882 to build a rail¬ road from Albion, via Carmi, to Shawneetown, running along the east side of the Little Wabash, and thus traversing the entire length of the county from north to south. The corporators are Charles Churchhill, Washington Painter and Francis Harris, of Albion; Frank E. Hay, North Storms, and C. E. McDowell, of Carmi, and John D. Richardson and James W. Millspaugh, of Shawnee¬ town. The officers are not yet elected.

There are now seventy-nine miles of railroad in operation in White County, and the A., C. & S. road, when completed, will add about thirty more.

Agricultural

The many and great improvements that have been made in methods of agriculture and farming implements are often enough dwelt upon. There are many citizens now living in White County, who have seen the time when the old-fashioned sickle was the only reaping implement; when wheat was trodden out by horses or cattle, and fanned by two persons shaking a bed sheet or quilt; when the only kind of plow in use had a wooden mold-board; when corn was cultivated by a single diamond plow and the heavy hoe, etc. As late as 1833 or 1834, when Joel Absher, at the head of Clear Lake, had a reaping, and Warren Rippetoe brought a cradle to cut the grain, many of the neigbors gathered at the place to see the curiosity! What do we think of cradles now?

The agricultural character of White County cannot fairly be shown by the statistical returns of any one year, or even of any number of years short of a score or more. Also the averages, a exhibited by the Government census, are an eye-sore to the intelli¬ gent farmer, who knows what can be produced; and it is humiliat¬ ing to him to see these averages paraded before the public, when he knows that they are obtained by throwing a little good fanning into a great mass of slovenly farming, and mixing them together.

Every one knows that good farming u pays " in White County, and that the chief products - taking grain, fruit, live-stock and all together, in the order of their toial value and reliability - are as follows: Winter wheat, corn, apples, hogs, cattle, peaches, oats, sheep, etc. Everything else that can be raised in the United States - except rice and oranges - can be raised here, most of them

About 1859 or 1860 a county agricultural society was formed, under whose auspices one or two fairs were held, on a ten-acre lot just west of the present fair ground; but the war soon came on and suspended the work of the association.

dent; R. L. Organ, Secretary, and J. L McClintock, Treasurer. This board was organized under the special laws of the State, granting a small fund for the aid of fairs. The capital stock of this board was fixed at $4,000, in $10 shares, all of which was im¬ mediately taken. The association immediately purchased forty acres, from one-fourth to one-half of a mile west of the west line of Carmi, and on the north side of Main street. On this ground the necessary buildings were erected and a half-mile race-track made, at an aggregate expense of about $12,000.

Since the organization four annual fairs have been held, all of them with u fair" success. The obligations of the board are being paid off, and the total amount of outstanding debt is diminishing. It is now about $1,800. The receipts at the first fair were $4,464.20 ; in 1880, about $5,500 ; in 1881, about $4,350; and at the last (1882) about $5,600. Over $1,000 a year is paid in cash premiums. All departments of agriculture and horticulture and a good share of the domestic arts are well represented. For speed premiums $1,500 were paid this season. Trotting on these grounds has reached 2:26, and running mile heats 1:48.

Among the novelties in the premium list this season was the offer of a $45 baby carriage to the prettiest babe under one year old, born in the county. For this prize sixteen entries were made on the secretary's book. The lucky beauty turned out to be Simon T. Gary, of Carmi, which is only one of the sixteen ; consequently there are now fifteen mothers in White County who do not esteem the judgment of the committee on the case very highly

Patrons Of Husbandry

When, in 1872, this organization spread its operations like a deluge over the land, the wave struck this county at three points - Carmi, Liberty, and a place in Gray Township. The grange near Carmi was organized at the McHenry Chapel, two miles east of town, in November, 1872, with the following members : John Land and wife, J. W. McHenry, Arthur Harsha and wife, Elvi9 Stinnett, Theophilus Parker, Thomas Spilman, O. Pomeroy, J. R. Pomeroy, Orlando Burrell, James H. Fraser, R. S. Graham and wife, Mh and Mrs. Hodkin, Miss Jane Craw and others. Meet¬ ings were held at the chapel every two weeks, for a time, and then once a month; but in about two years they ceased, for want of interest. During the career of this grange, Messrs. Burrell and Land were at one time delegates to the State organization.

About the same time a grange was also established at Liberty, near the north line of the county, and on the road between Carmi and Fairfield, which endured for a later period than the one already spoken of.

The above table, clipped from the Ninth Census, shows how much "sense" there was in such returns as were made in 1850 and 1860. Just look at the wretched table !

The total population in 1860 was 11,872, of which 531 were for¬ eign bom, 7,523 in this State, 515 in Ohio, 61 in New York, 128 in Pennsylvania, 1,617 in Indiana, 896 in Kentucky, 18 in British America, 128 in England, 25 in Scotland, 77 in Ireland, 330 in Germany, 18 in France and 5 in Switzerland.