Cable, Illinois

The Village of Cable was esatblished to meet the coal conditions of the early times. There were two mines in that vicinity that had an annual output of about eighty thousand tons, and 400 men were kept constantly employed. They had eight mining machines, each of which performed the labor of about six men. This coal was transported over the new railroad to Rock Island and thence throughout the western country. Robert Lee was one of the first superintendents in charge of the mines here. The place started back in the '6os with a small store and a few shops, and became a village proper in 1879. The first trustees were Robert Haddick, M. L. Bell, C. E. Clark, W. R. Pelton, Chris Schwartz, and Alexander Clark. John M. Waugh was the first clerk. At the first town election a total of sixtv-three votes were cast. Bv March, 1880, the village had a population of about one thousand. Three years before, the town site was a rough, barren coal tract, with only a few small houses. Around were rugged hills and lovely valleys. Philander Cable of Rock Island had prospected here and had made the discoverv of easily workable coal banks in this vicinity. Accordingly he purchased 600 acres and built the railroad from the junction at Reynolds to this point. Immediately business of all sorts sprang into existence until Cable was one of the most active and prosperous villages in western Illinois. There were at one time over twentv business houses, shops, stores, saloons, etc. Coal mining was the principal occupation and was carried on by three companies - Cables, R. B. Ellis and Mr. Peterson. The Cables employed about one hundred and fiftv men and shipped from two to three hundred tons per day. They paid out to their workmen close to seven thousand dollars a month. In March, 1880, they sank two more large shafts and increased their operations until their pay roll amounted to about ten thousand dollars a month. At this time the saloons became so troublesome that a desperate effort was made for their removal, but the saloonkeepers were doing so well among the miners that they made a desperate resistance and in the end managed to remain. The

Passage source: Past and Present of Mercer County, Illinois, published 1914.

Congregationalists had an organization here in 1880, but no building as yet. Public schools sprang quickly into activity, with Pliny M. Pierce as teacher. Previous to that the schools here had been in name more than anything else. T. H. Groshel was the manager of P. L. Cable & Company's store. Dr. J. R. Roseberry was here at this time.

Passage source: Past and Present of Mercer County, Illinois, published 1914.

In 1890 Cable was still growing rapidly and during that year up till the last of December paid out on new buildings and building improvements a total of $28,000. During the year the city spent about fifteen hundred dollars on streets, sidewalks, city lights, etc. New buildings were erected by Henry Irwin, W. F. Schroeder, Frank Hauton, R. B. Edis, Julius Leidtke, August Wallgren, Aurelius Peterson, Theodore Blinkensop, Eric Enwall, James Reed, E. Topper, B. A. Johnson, William Powell, Charles Liljemann, Charles Samuelson, Alfred Swartz, Axtel Johnson, Frank Campbell. Gus Thor, Ludwic Sward, William Haddick, William Tomlinson, George Jacobson, Hubert Ford, John Verderber, H. Williams, Jacob Fruchtenich, John Lalstrom, Johnson Brothers, J. J. Williams, Albert Odeen, John Murling, William Henderson, W. L. Haddick and Peter Johnson. B. A. Johnson conducted a livery and feed stable; John Lawson was a blacksmith; John Sward kept a hotel; George Wagner opened and managed an opera house. The Catholic church was established before this date. F. Rathbun sold agricultural implements; Dunglegarth & Hebbeln were coopers; Hugh & Son had an implement store, as did R. R. Cable & Company. The town was very prosperous and promising at this date. It had its building boom at this time. There were two barbers, two milliners, many dressmakers, two confectionery shops, a restaurant, etc. Mr. Brown was justice of the peace.

Passage source: Past and Present of Mercer County, Illinois, published 1914.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Richland Grove Township - it names this place 3 more 3 times.