Bloomington City Township (part 4 of 5)

Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed, whose duty it shall be - having previouslyassociated with them one or more persons of practical skill in hydraulics and civil engineering - to institute an examination on the following propositions, to wit: 1st. The practicability of obtaining at Sugar Creek, or at any other point or points, in or near the city, an adequate supply of pure water at all seasons of the year, and for all wants of the community. 2d. The best method of elevating the same (should a supply be deemed advisable) to a reservoir of sufiicient capacity to be located on the public square, or at some other suitable point in the central part of the city, whence it may be drawn off to meet the wants of the community. 3d. The probable expense attending the execution of such a system of hydraulics ; and lastly, the best mothod of defraying the expenses incident to such an undertaking ; and the probable length of time for its accomplishment.

Resolved, That in the execution of the duties intrusted to said committee, they be authorized to make whatever surveys and examinations may be necessary ; and that the Mayor and City Council be respectfully requested to co-operate with them and provide the necessary means to defray the expense attending the same.

Resolved, That said committee be requested to proceed with all practicable dispatch in the execution of the aforesaid duties ; and that they report the result of their examinations to the

Resolved, That we recommend our City Council to build six or more cisterns at suitable points in Bloomington, to hold 200 or 250 barrels each : provided, the city does not adopt the hydraulic system of obtaining water.

It will thus be seen that the question of proper water supply has long been before the public. In the twenty years intervening between this public meeting and the final solution of the problem, a great variety of projects have been discussed.

It appears that in digging the coal-shaft which was first sunk, the one northwest of the city, a vein of water was encountered of great volume - so powerful that the first attempt was abandoned - and a success only made after moving a few rods and procuring very heavy pumping machinery. This discovery led the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company, in 1869, to dig in the vicinity a well which struck the same vein, and proved sufficient to supply the immense amount of water needed for that large corporation. Fron» this time the attention of our citizens generally was turned to that point, and public opinion finally settled on the advisability of attempting to obtain the city supply by digging a well, and experimenting still further with that wonderful underground reservoir.

In the summer and fall of 1874, at the end of a series of four very dry seasons, the City Council made the attempt. It proved remarkably successful. The water, found at a depth of only forty feet, was sufficient to keep three powerful engines busy, whose united efibrts threw a solid six-inch stream, which' removed the water as fast as it flowed into the well. On Christmas Day, 1874, the whole population that wished, examined the fountain - the well having been finished the day before. As a sample of what had been discovered, the engines were kept at work, throwing the water in a stream which, as it flowed off, was equal to a good-sized brook. There was but one opinion, and that was that the fountain was large enough to justify the erection of a system of water works; and in the summer of 1875, the stand-pipe was erected, 200 feet high, an engine and pump placed in position at the well, two miles and a half of pipe laid in the streets, and a full sytcm of water works inaugurated, which has since been enlarged by additional pipes and more machinery. The total cost of the whole, up to April 30, 1878, has been 880,944.83. This includes about eight miles of water-mains, the engines and machinery, the stand-pipe, four drinking-fountains, seventy hydrants and everything connected with the Water Department.

The water is of a medicinal nature, rather heavily charged with mineral deposits, but is very healthy and much liked by those who have been using it for any length of time. Its value to the city can only be reckoned by millions.

The present city well is on the same tract where the first coal-shaft was attempted, which enterprise in reality demonstrated the existence of our valuable supply of water.

In tracing the early history of manufacturing, we shall be quite brief We will mention that the first machinery of which wo read, appears to have been a " dog power," used by Henry Miller, the first wheelwright, in the manufacture of spinning wheels. He was here in 1831, and probably used this machinery near that date. He owned the first turning-lathe in Bloomington, about the year 1835. Seth Baker owned the first saw-mill. His machinery was propelled by oxen in a tread-mill. This must have been about 1832 or 1833. Solomon Dodge ran the first corn-mill about this time, also impelled by the patient ox. Perhaps we should except the " corn-cracker," erected by Dr. Baker in the winter of 1830 and 1831, at the time of the Deep Snow. This mill was on his farm in Blooming Grove, and was in running order at a very late date. There were also other "hand" corn-mills, as well as horse-mills in Blooming G-rove at a very early date, earlier than either of the above-mentioned. Rev. E. Rhodes is said to have had a " hand corn-mill " as early as 1824, and, by the winter of 1831 and 1832 - the year after the Deep Snow - there were several " horse-mills " at the Grove. It would be pleasant if we were able to follow the improvements that have taken place in the last fifcy years, to return to the spinning-wheels of Blooming Grove and exhibit them with the finest machinery in our modern looms ; to compare the homemade hoe and wooden plow of the pioneer with the polished implements turned out to-day by Brokaw and Walton, or to bring the old ox-cart and rude wagon into comparison with Ferre's phaetons and Matern's buggies. But we must pass to a hasty examination of what we find, leaving comparisons to the reader.

The Chicago & Alton Railroad Company's shops are our most worthy manufactories, and shall be first examined. But for these, one-fifth of Bloomington's population would be out of business to-day. The company generally pays out each month the T- sum of !1JS^O0O to about ?*Q-men. No wonder that Springfield offered to exchange

^ ^ the State Capitol for this single manufactory ! The establishment is full and complete - will turn out everything needed, from a locomotive of the heaviest class to a finelyfinished and elegantly-upholstered sleeping-car, while anything in use by the company, be it a pump, an engine, a car or a wind-mill, can be repaired by the ingenious workmen with the fine machinery of the different departments. When, in the autumn of 1853, the first train of cars on this road entered Bloomington from the South, the enterprise was in its infancy. There had been no less than four separate companies owning the line from Chicago to St. Louis, and there was little to indicate the future enormous proportions of the Chicago & St. Louis Railroad. The Illinois Central, which had been the topic of conversation in Illinois for more than fifteen years, was looked upon as the only railroad of importance. Bloomington had made an eff"ort to secure what were regarded as the remarkably valuable machine and repair shops of that company, and had seen itself, in 1852, beaten by the insignificant town of Wapella. The attentention of men like James Allin, Jesse W. Fell, A. Gridley, W. H. Allin and David Davis - men of eagle eye and sound judgment - was at once turned to the little " Alton & Sangamon Company," as the new line was at first called, then the " Chicago & Mississippi Railroad," and they determined to secure here the railroad-shops, hoping that in the future it might grow into a large establishment. They took steps to this end early m 1853, each of them making a donation to the company for this purpose, and they stimulated others to do the same. These efforts were successful and a tract of land of over six acres was donated to the railroad company for railroad purposes. This land was bounded on the east by the track, on the north by the township line, on the west by the section line, being triangular in shape. It is on this spot that the original shops were built, but it has been greatly enlarged. On the east side of the track, the piece of land bounded on the west by the track, on .the east by Catharine street, and south by Chestnut street, the site of the old passenger depot, was also donated, the whole having been paid for by the gentlemen named above, with others, and deeded to the company by W. H. Alliu with full warrantee deeds, for the sum of S3. In all there wore over seven acres.

During the years 1853 and 1854, the shops needed for the little railroad company were built, and a beginning made in the great enterprise of which we are now so proud. These were added to from time to time, so that, in the year 1858, nearly two hundred men were employed in the different departments. As the business of the road increased - the different pieces of the road being consolidated into one corporation - the shops were enlarged four times, until at the time of the fire, November 2, 1867, nearly as many men were employed as there are now. These buildings were not well arranged, however, and that event compelled the company to face the problem of permanent construction. Plans were prepared carefully during the winter following the fire, for the best system that could be devised, taking into account what was then needed, and considering the probable increase of business of the present road and the possible growth from future consolidations with other railroads, and the result is seen in the splendid shops now finished.

At the time of their construction, there were no railroad shops west of Altootia, Penn., that surpassed these in Bloomington ; but in the last few years it is possible they may have been equaled. The ground upon which the old shops stood at the time of the fire was not large enough for the needs of the present establishment, and before the new works were commenced the company obtained quite an addition, and secured from the city the closing of streets and alleys that were in the way. The conditions of rebuilding here in Bloomington, in preference to removing the shops to Springfield, Joliet or Chicago, were, that the additional ground should be furnished and those streets and alleys vacated by the city. This was agreed to by the City Council ; but before the matter could be consummated legally, considerable time must elapse, and hence there was doubt whether the city might be able to accomplish all that was desired. In order to insure this, a guarantee was signed by nearly all the leading citizens ot Bloomington, agreeing that all should be done as desired.

The space occupied by the company for shops and tracks is equal to forty acres. Here we find more than a dozen very large buildings, in which are carried on the immense operations of the company. Among the principal shops we will mention :

All these buildings, except the rolling-mill and the old machine-shops, are built of Joliet stone, have iron-trussed roofs covered with slate, and several of the largest are two-stories high. Beside the above, there are several smaller buildings, the. pattern-shop, brass-foundry and several others. Taken all in all, it is seldom we find such a magnificent collection of manufacturing establishments as are here grouped together upon the forty acres and more of land belonging to the company. These shops are filled with the finest and most substantial machinery that can be found. One can form some idea of this from the simple statement that in the blacksmith-shop there are fifty forges, and eight steam trip-hammers, the latter weighing eight to fifteen hundred pounds. Several of the largest and most powerful steam-engines in the West are in constant use to propel the ponderous machinery of the difi"erent departments. Even the pumping-engine, which forces water from the company's magnificent well, is a large engine. These different structures were over two years in building, having been finished nearly as they now stand, about the beginning of the year 1870. When the machine-shop is rebuilt to correspond with those now in use, the appearance of the whole will be superior to anything of the kind in the State.

Here the company are able to build locomotives and cars, or to repair the same - doing all portions of the complicated work, and they employ some of the most ingenious and skillful mechanics that can be found. The presence here, in Bloomington, of the large number of intelligent mechanics, foremen and superintendents required, has a very elevating and beneficial efiect upon the city. Bloomington can boast of these shops and of their occupants, they being the most important and valuable of anything in the place. Their size and industry entitles the city to be classed as a manufacturing center. Here are employed from six hundred to nine hundred men, the number varying with the condition of the company's business.

Among the company's officers who have been prominently identified with the material development of Bloomington in the past, we may mention Hon. Hamilton Spencer, Lessee, 1860; Charles Roadnight, Treasurer in 1858; Mr. R. Parke, Agent in 1864 ; Asa H. Moore, Superintendent for several years ; J. A. Jackman, Superintendent of Machinery from 1864 to 1879 ; Rufus ReniflF, Superintendent of Car-shops from 1861 to 1879; Matthew L. Steele, Train-Dispatcher ; William Hughes and A. Moulton, of the Iron Departments ; 0. Vaughan, present Assistant Superintendent, and there are many others equally deserving of mention.

It has always been the policy of the company to retain good men in any position they are fitted for, and there are a large number of the officers and employes who have been in service nearly twenty years. Taken as a class, the railroad employes are much superior to the average mechanics of the country, and their presence in Bloomington in such large numbers adds largely to the character of our population.

The Railroad Company pays out monthly a very large sum of money, which enters at once into circulation, giving life and reliable activity to the retail trade of Bloomington and furnishing constant proof of the value of this immense establishment. The policy of the company toward our city is quite liberal, its managers realizing that their interests here are large enough to make the public good a matter of self-interest to the corporation. Several illustrations of this good-will have been given in the past, one of the most important being its liberality in assisting in macadamizing the street from the

The whole policy of the company, under the management of President Blackstoue and Manager McMuUin, has been liberal, one evidence of which is seen in the share the company is taking in the great work of underdraining the farms of Central Illinois. This tile-drainage improvement marks a new era in the development of this country almost equal to the invention of the harvester, and this railroad has been carrying tile for farmers' drains at the simple cost of carriage, or at less than cost, thus being willing to perform its share in one of the most important of our modern agricultural improvements.

The Chicago & Alton Railroad Company ranks among the foremost corporations in the country in its care of its rolling-stock, and has been one of the readiest to adopt new improvements. Could the full history of these shops be written, as at some future time we hope it will be, we should all be astonished at the record of valuable inventions that would be ])resented. We might mention Reniff & Buttolph's Patent Ventilator, President Blackstone's Car-coupler, and many others, but must leave this subject with one more reference - that of the Pullman Palace-Car. In 1859, George M. Pullman arranged berths in two cars for the use of this company, and, in 1863, he manufactured here the first two palace cars ever made. They cost $18,000 each. It is said that the frame-work of the first sleeping-car Pullman ever made is now lying by the side of the railroad in Bloomington.

We might add that the total cost of these magnificent shops is in the neighborhood of $1,000,000, and that they are owned by one of the wealthiest corporations in the Northwest. The Chicago, Alton &St. Louis Railroad now owns or leases 876 miles of road, having built, in the year 1878, 162 iuiles, giving it a completed line from Chicago to Kansas City. The repairs of this immense road, with its several branches, being mostly concentrated at this one point, demand an amount of labor that will be more likely to increase than diminish.

The agricultural development of this region has received great benefit from the railroad, the reaper and the plow - the last being an implement of more importance than the present generation can realize possible. The railroad and the reaper are understood by all, but the advantages of our modern self-polishing plows are imperfectly realized, except by our old settlers. The new-comers, down to about 18-45, brought plows with them, and various styles were in use, but none of them would work well in our fine prairie soil, and the cultivation of the land was toilsome and imperfect. It was impo.ssible to plow but a few rods without a stop for the jjurpose of clearing the imj)lement fmm the accumulation of toil. Cast iron, wrought iron or wood were almost alike - worthless - and for many years our farmers despaired of ever seeing the right plow for this .soil.

Lewiii Bunn was one of the first blacksmiths here, and made plows as early as the year 1833. He tried to make the best plow that could be devised. In the year 1838, he made a lot of tlie ''Sprouse " pattern, which had a boiler-iron mold-board, placed at such an angle, -that the heavy friction of the soil would "scour" them better than any previou.sly in use. These plows had the handles and wood-work much like a " shovijl " plow, and did not run steady - were "jerky " and severe on a team. The next year they were improved by a different attachment of the beam. Mr. Abraham Brokaw made the wood-wr)rk (»f these plows for several years. In 1840, Mr. Bunn

the " Rathbone " plow - an improvement - the mold-board was still boiler-iron, but the implement was more steady. The mold-board was ground smooth, and in some soils these would scour well. Oliver Ellsworth was Mr. Bunn's partner at this time, and together they made 300 of these Rathbone plows - quite a manufacturing business for the times.

In 1842, the firm made the " Tobey & Anderson," or "Peoria," plow, of which the mold-board was common steel, ground, but not polished. This gave great satisfaction - was further improved - and by the year 1844 and 1845 they were in great demand. Farmers came long distances for these celebrated plows, and at one time the firm rented a large pasture in which teams were kept while waiting their turns. At this time, it was fully demonstrated that plows could be made that would work freely in any soil, and the result was a very decided improvement in the cultivation of prairies. Bloomington's mechanics - Bunn, Ellsworth and Brokaw - contributed largely to the result. About the year 1859, these three men went into partnership together, and continued several years.

It was not till 1857 that these steel mold-boards were polished perfectly, and since that date the improvements in plows have been of comparatively little importance. About the year 1845, is the date when practicable plows first came into general use, so as to be found upon all our farms, as near as we have been able to ascertain.

The plow-shops of Abraham Brokaw, at the corner of Main and Market, are among the oldest in Central Illinois. Mr. B. has been in the business nearly forty years, and has acquired a splendid reputation. He employs from twenty to forty men. John T. Walton, who started in business in 1857, employs over twenty men in the busy season, and makes a large variety of the difierent plows and cultivators required by the Western and Southern trade. His business is carried on in the fine block fronting on Washington street, just west of the People's Bank.

There are smaller plow-shops in the city, the several repair and general shops to be found in a town like Bloomington, with machinists, boiler-makers and other iron-workers, who employ a large number of men.

There are several large wood-working establishments, of which some of the most important are those of J. W. Evans, and the wagon and carriage factories of L. Ferre, L. Matern, S. Hayes, and others.

One of the most important manufactories in Bloomington is Dr. C. Wakefield & Co.'s medicine factory, as well as one of the most interesting. Dr. Wakefield spent two years in this place as early as 1837, having been a school-teacher in the Orendorif district. He then lived in De Witt County until 1850, when he made his home here. His brother, Dr. Zera Wakefield, who died in 1848, had remarkable success in treating the malarial diseases of this country, having been in demand over a large territory radiating from his home in De Witt County. His remedies were so good that before his death, in 1848, many packages were sold, and a demand grew up, to supply which, in 1850, Dr. C. Wakefield moved from De Witt County and started a factory in Bloomington.

His business was pushed with great energy, and soon became well established and profitable. Dr. W. built the first three-story brick store in Bloomington, which, with his factory and drug store, was burned in the great fire of October 16, 1855. His large factory on East Washington street, built about the year 1856, has grown with his business, until it is now a large and very convenient establishment. Here he manufactures a variety of medicines, mostly fever and ague specifics, balsams, cough-sirups, pills, etc., in all, about ten different remedies, and a number of essences and other preparations. In their preparation, great care is taken to secure the purest and best ingredients, and the result is that his medicines rank with the best that are offered to the public. They are sold largely in the States of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas. Nebraska and Iowa, while there is a good demand in all the Western and Southwestern States. He has a team, with a fine wagon, in six of these States, and thus keeps a watch over the territory through salaried agents, while he has over six thousand local agents, mostly druggists and dealers, who sell his medicines on eommi.ssion. He employs from twenty-five to fifty hands, according to the season. He has four printing-presses, run by steampower, by which he prepares his advertising matter. In 1860, he got up 100,000 almanacs for his agents to circulate, and he now sends out 1,500,000 annually. He consumes nearly fifty tons of printing-paper each year.

" Wakefield's Almanac " is thus one of the best known of any of Bloomington's publications. At the present time, this carries the name and fame of Bloomington over a wider area than any other medium. It is printed in the English, German, Norwegian and Swedish languages.

This business is conducted in a straightforward, honorable manner, and is one of the instrumentalities by which our city is always favorably spoken of abroad. Such men as Dr. Wakefield are the ones who have built up the reputation of Bloomington -, and we are glad to see they are honored at home. He has always been one of our most liberal citizens, being among the foremost in all public enterprises. The amount of capital employed in the business, including the building, presses, engine, the stock of medicines on hand here, and the very large amount in the stores of his 6,000 agents is over SI 50,000.

There are several manufactures of light articles such as brushes and overalls, and there are the usual variety of miscellaneous artificers to be found in our best Western. cities. It is probable that, in the line of these light manufactures, Bloomington will in time become (juite an important point.

In past times, our distilling interest was quite important, but the building, which stood on the bank of Sugar Creek, west of the fair ground, was destroyed by fire several years ago and has not been rebuilt.

The Bloomington Pork-Packing Company, now consisting of Van Schoick, Winslow A: Tryner. have been established since 1872. During the past season, they have packed over 13,0(»0 hogs, and given employment to over forty men. They have very materially advanced the interests of Bloomington. Tliis establishment is one of the most important in (Central Illinois.

We should also mention our breweries, which employ a large number of men. The tile-factory of N. B. Heafer k Co., situated in Bl<toiuington Township, a mile southeast of the city, i.s one of our most important manufactories, and is rapidly extending its business. It is one of the very few in the West with first-class facilities for drying tile in the winter.

Besides the establishments enumerated above, there are a large number equally deserving of mention, but space forbids. There are also a very large number of small shops and establishments that employ in the aggregate many men, including the usuaJ.

variety of industries to be found in any city situated like this in a fine agricultural district. Taken altogether, we have quite large manufacturing interests in Bloomington, which seem likely to grow with the growth of the West. Our coal is as cheap as can be found, water is easily obtained, and we possess an industrious and energetic people. Several of our manufacturing establishments are spoken of in our chapter entitled -

The first mills in this locality were the old horse-mills, " corn-crackers " as they were called, followed or accompanied by the " nigger-head " horse-mills, for grinding wheat coarsely, which, when sifted, made a kind of flour, the " best to be had," and accepted as cheerfully as possible. Grood flour was made only at distant water-mills, and Mr. James AUin and his associates in the new town of Bloomington, as late as 1832 and 1833, longed for a good steam flour-mill. A wind-mill, owned by Gridley & Covel, located near the corner of Oak and Market, is mentioned as among the early institution^ of Bloomington. Steam saw-mills were built here as early as 1835, several of which went the way of all saw-mills, upward in smoke. Steam grist-mills were not much more fortunate, several being burned from first to last. Among those burned, we will mention Myers' mill, on South Main street, and one owned by E. Rogers, which burned in 1864, situated just east of the Illinois Central Depot. Bloomington can now boast as fine mills as any in the West. The total capacity of all our fiour-mills is about three hundred and fifty barrels per day.

October 16, 1855, occurred a large fire, where Phoenix Block and other buildings now stand. It swept over nearly the whole square bounded by Front, Main, Washington and Center streets. The loss was estimated at from $80,000 to $120,000. The McLean County Bank and the building adjoining, subsequently used by Dietrich & Bradner as a hardware store, both nearly new buildings at that time, were the only ones of importance that escaped. The four-story building now called Phoenix Block arose from the ashes very speedily. September 8, 1856, a fire occurred on Front street, which destroyed property to the value of $50,000. In September, 1871, a large fire consumed buildings on the east side of Main street, north ot North street, destroying property to the value of S60,000. October 31, 1867, the Chicago & Alton Railroad Shops burned, a loss to ttie Company of at least $100,000. During the year 1877, the city's entire loss by fire was only $9,885 ; insured for $9,305.

Public Debt

From this there should be deducted a certain sum - whose value is unknown - being the amount of back taxes that will actually be paid, which will be large enough to justify the statement that the net debt of Bloomington, city, city school, and township, dues not much exceed $400,000, a sum that is large enough to be somewhat burdensome^

"but not 80 large as a " larger debt," to use Abraham Lincoln's homely illustration. May 1, 1867, the actual debt of Bloomington, exclusive of school debt, was only §6,497, but the votes for railroad aid taken in 1867, of themselves, added over $200,000 to the township and city debt in that year.

When Bloomington was laid out, the low ground now known as the North Slough was properly named, it being wet and marshy, as was also the South Slough, now called Pone Hollow ; but these were at the time, so far from the village plat as to be thought valuable for drainage, and were considered a long distance out of town. But the city spread itself in all directions, soon overleaped these obstacles, and then went back and occupied the low land, now become dry ground, through which meandered a little stream, with a deep bed and high banks. These water-courses have cut so deep that they have been sufficient to carry oflf the water without overflow, ever since the wet season of 1858. The land adjacent has been closely occupied by residences and manufactories for many years. The city has now commenced to build a sewer through each of these tracts. The northern one is now completed from Main street, nearly to its western outlet at the main branch, and the southern one ha.s been commenced. When these are finished, our -whole city will be of equal value for building purposes.

Public Buildings

PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The Court House will be spoken of in the history of the county, and we will merely mention here that it is one of the best in the State, was commenced in 1868, and cost entire, furniture, sewer, heating apparatus, iron- fence, sidewalk and all, in the neighborhood of $400,000. Prices were then very high, and it is probable the same would now cost about $250,000. The Jail is at the corner of Market and Center streets, and was erected in 1857. It should at once be replaced by a more suitable structure. The city owns two steam fire-engine houses, which answer all purposes, but are not particularly ornamental. During the year 1878, the new City Hall was erected at the corner of North and East streets ; total cost, building and lot, was about $14,000. It is a fine-looking structure, considering its small cost, and will be used as a City Hall and City Prison. The public school-buildings will be described elsewhere. They are the most important of the public buildings owned by the city. The Wesleyan University, which may be considered as a public building, is really the most beautiful structure in Bloomington.

Incorporated Companies

Bloomington has never organized as large a number of incorporated companies as many Western towns have done in the past. There have been several failures, and there are several companies now in existence ; but, ns a rule, our citizens have not depended on " by-laws " and " charters " for aid. There was a Bloomington Fire Insurance Company, which comprised our best citizens, and was honorably and fairly conducted ; but, after doing business from 1867 down to 1870, it honorably withdrew from the field. We ought to mention the Bloomington & Normal Railroad Company, which has been of great benefit to the two cities connected, but never a paying venture to the company. The line was built in 1867, and its total cost has been about $60,000.

The Bloomington Manufacturing Company, which purchased Flagg's factory in 1865, after a successful general business, was succeeded in August, 1873, by the

Bloomington Furniture Manufacturiag Compaay. This company has about sixty-five men in its shops, and furnishes employment to over one hundred men, women and children in this city who take materials to their homes ; while it sends abroad enough more to difi"erent reformatory institutions to keep busy about seventy-five persons. The work sent out of the factory is the caning of the seats and backs of chairs, of which this firm makes about fifty difi"erent patterns. It manufactures over thirty-five thousand chairs per annum, consuming about two hundred and fifty thousand feet of black walnut lumber, much of which comes from the groves of McLean County. Its capital is $60,000. This company is of great assistance to the laboring people of Bloomington, among whom it disburses about $100 per day. Though the wages paid for outside work seems small, it must be remembered that most of those employed have no other avenue of employment open, and would otherwise remain idle. The President of the company is Peter Whitmer ; Secretary and Manager, I. P. Fell, who has been in office ever since 1873. The Directors are P. Whitmer, K. H. Fell, E. B. Steere, B. F. Hoopes, P. Folsom, C. Wakefield and I. R. Krum. This company has been a success from the start, and appears to demonstrate Bloom ington's ability to carry on manufacturing at a profit.

The People's Bank is another successful company, which has built one of the finest buildings in the city. It has stood all the financial storms of the past ten years, and is strong in the confidence of the community. Peter Whitmer is the President, and William Ollis, Cashier.

The National Bank of Bloomington was organized soon after the passage of the national banking act, on the 23d of January, 1865, and has been in operation ever since. It is the successor of the Bank of Bloomington, which was organized in 1857, an institution with a proud record, having withstood the severe crash in 1861, and maintained its notes at par with gold. Its present President is D. M. Funk ; Cashier, E. Thorpe. Among the stockholders of this bank in the past we find the names of Isaac Funk, David Davis, J. H. Robinson, W. W. Orme and others well known in Bloomington history. Mr. Thorpe has been its Cashier ever since its organization as a national bank. Capital stock of the bank, $150,000 ; surplus and undivided profits, about $195,000, making the entire banking capital $345,000.

The National State Bank was started in the summer of 1878. Capital, $50,000. President, Frank Hoblitt ; Vice President, Jacob Funk ; Cashier, A. B. Hoblitt.

These three banks are incorporated, while the McLean County Bank, and that of T. J. Bunn & Co., are private banks or partnerships. The entire banking capital of the city is estimated at nearly $1,000,000.

We can add to these the Bloomington Stove Company, which was organized in 1870, and has been one of the most successful institutions of the place. Its President is Dwight Harwood ; Superintendent, W. P. Brophy. Its stoves are sold all over the West, being of the most approved patterns, of one hundred and fifteen difl'erent styles. The company has in its employ from thirty to sixty persons, according to the season. Its factory is located in the northwest part of the city, in the township of Normal. The Empire Machine Works are also within the limits of the town of Normal, though generally classed as belonging to Bloomington.

The Bloomington Gas-light and Coke Company was incorporated in 1855 ; works were soon erected, and by the year 1857, a street was lighted extending all the way from the Illinois Central to the Chicago & Alton Depot, the latter then being near the machine-shops, north of the crossing of Chestnut street. There were also a few lamp& around the public square. In 18G7, the gas works at the corner of Market and Oak streets were abandoned, and entirely new ones built at the present location. Gen. A. Gridley had then become sole owner. He constructed very permanent buildings, extended the gas mains in every direction, and used every honorable means to induce tlie City Council to establish lamps on all well-settled streets. There are now about t wenty miles of streets upon which there are gas-mains, and the city possesses about four hundred street lamps. Bloomington is a remarkably well lighted city.

California Emigrants

Few of the rising generation have any idea of the excitement that ran through the country at the time of the "gold fever" of 18-4!) and 1850. For a long series of years - more than twelve - the nation had been passing through a period of the most terrible financial depression. Money had become almost an unknown (juantity, and people had about settled into despondency, when suddenly the wonderful stories of the gold discoveries in California flashed through the land. As soon as the truth was ascertained, and it was known that immense quantities of gold had been found, and it was seen that a new empire was to be founded on the Pacific Coast, the rush of adventureous spirits was sudden and enormous. Bloomington - always ready to make a move as quick as any other part of the world - sent a large company in the summer of 1849, who, with teams and outfits mostly gathered here, went the whole distance overland - a toilsome, tedious journey of several months duration.

Among those who went in 1849, we have the names of Col. J. H. Wickizer, Levi Hite, Asa Lillie, Solomon D. Baker, Joseph Duncan, Hiram Baker, Samuel Ashton, J. Jackson, John M. Loving, Daniel B. Robinson, John Greenman, S. A. Adams and John Walker. Out of this number there are now living here in Bloomington, Col. J. H. Wickizer, John M. Loving and John Walker. S. A. Adams lives in Missouri ; S. D. Baker in Virginia City, and Joseph Duncan in San Francisco; Jobn Greenman, Capt. D. B. Robinson, Hiram Baker and Levi Hite are dead.

On the first of March, 1850, a very large company left Bloomington for California, made up in part from the adjoining towns. At St. Joseph, Mo., they organized in military shape for protection against Indians ; there were about twenty-five wagons, and nearly one hundred men. Hugh Taylor was cho.sen Captain. The company had tolerably good luck until they nearly reached the gold-fields, when some of them were destitute, and their teams were badly worn down ; but on the whole it was a successful journey.

From Bloomington there were John D. Clark, Green H. Jiarrison, Jjyman Ferre, Carey Barney, M. W. Packard, Hugh Taylor, William Hodge, J. R. Murphy, E. Parke, Robert Barnctt, Robert L. Baker, John Owen, Isaac Strain, Dr. G. Elkins, William Elkins, W. P. Withers, T. S. Howard, Jes.s(( Isgrig, W. I.><grig, Elijah Ellis, Lee Allin, F. >L Rockhold, E. Henry. Of these, there arc now living in Bloomington or vicinity, (i. B. Larrison, Lyman Ferre, M. VV. Packard, Isiuic Strain, J. R. Murphy, Lee Allin and Robert Barnctt. Capt. W. P. Withers lives in Mis.souri ; T. S. Howard in Iowa, and Carey Barney in California. It is a remarkable fact that but two or three of the whole number made even a moderate fortune in California ; but the most of those who

Remarkable Weather

Those who find enough of interest in the state of the weather to furnish daily themes for conversation as they meet casual acquaintances, will do well to read this chapter, and forever after refrain from the common unmeaning remarks they so often drop in regard to the "remarkable weather we are now enjoying." The " Deep Snow," the "Sudden Freeze," and the "Great Hurricane" which the early settlers witnessed stand out in bold relief as the most wonderful phenomena of the times.

The great hurricane came on the 27th day of June, 1827, or, as given by several authorities, on the 19th of June. It struck Old Town Timber with fearful severity, and leveled large tracts of heavy timber. There were then no settlers on the prairie, no villages or cities to be leveled, no church-spires to be demolished, or the record of loss and damage would be larger. Some injury is recorded in Blooming Grrove, where small tracts of timber were leveled.

The fall of 1830 or 1831, was remarkably mild. Tobacco sprouts are said not to have been killed until December 2, which, if correct, indicates a wonderful state of afi"airs, as this plant is one of the most tender raised in this latitude.

December 29, 1830, occurred the heaviest fall of snow ever known in the West The first snow was nearly three feet deep, and there were more than a dozen storms subsequently. The full depth appears to have been about forty inches on a level, and this when several snows had fallen and become so compacted that in many places the crust would bear a man. The deer broke through, and wolves chased and caught them frequently, a very unusual circumstance. It was impossible for the pioneers to travel, and families caught without provisions suffered severely. In some settlements the supply of corn and hay was so small that cattle starved, it being impossible to move food any distance. Much of the stock was kept alive by felling trees, and the stock subsisted on the branches. Most families lived on meal obtained by pounding corn by hand. There were a few of the settlers who were caught away from home, and who nearly lost their lives in the toilsome homeward journeys.

The pioneers in Blooming Grove did not sufi'er much, but were compelled to keep indoors most of the time. Blooming Grove was then old enough to furnish plenty of provisions for such a siege, but those living in detached settlements, particularly new comers in small communities, sufiered severely. When the snow went ofi", after about six weeks of intense cold, the streams were remarkably high, considerably higher, in all probability, than they have ever been since that event. It is probable that a similar winter now would cause immense suffering. Our prairie towns could not obtain coal, or even flour and groceries, as in such a case the railroads would be totally unable to keep open for business.

A few extracts from experiences related in Prof. Duis' " Good Old Times in McLean County " will illustrate the hardships caused by the " Deep Snow." From Robert Guthrie's statement, page 192, we quote the following:

The winter of 1830-31 is remembered as the winter of the deep snow. Three days before the snow began falling, Mr. Guthrie and Frederick Trimmer started for St. Louis with teams and wagons to haul goods for James Allin, who had opened a small store where Bloomington now is. 'ihey intended to be gone only ten days or two weeks, but they did not see their families again for five weeks. They were obliged to leave their goods, wagons and Mr. Guthrie s - o.\en about fifteen miles the other side of Sprinjjfield, and came through with Mr. Trimmer's horses to break the way. During this time, their families were in a state of anxious suspense, and were obliged to live on boiled corn ; indeed, during the whole winter, they had very little to eat except pounded meal. During that winter, Mr. Guthrie sent his children to school, though they had to work their way for a mile through snow that reached nearly to their necks ; but when it became packed, they walked over the crust.

Jonathan Maxson states that during the winter of the deep snow (1830), he and his brother went out where it did not drift nor blow away and took a careful measurement of the depth of the snow with a stick and found it four feet deep. During the early part of that terrible winter, deer were very numerous, but when the deep snow came they were starved and were hunted by famished wolves and by settlers with snow-shoes until they were almost exterminated. Shortly after the snow fell, Mr. Jesse Hiatt killed a very large deer, which he was unable to carry home. He buried it in the snow and covered it with his coat to keep the wolves away. But the snow afterward fell so deep that he was unable to visit the spot for two weeks. At last, he put a harness on one of his horses and went to drag it home. On his return with the deer, he killed three others and attached them also to his horse ; but the load was so hard to drag that he did not return until late at night, when he found the frightened neighbors collected at his house, about to start on a search for him. Tiiey had collected on horseback with trumpets and horns and various things with which to make unearthly noises, and were, no doubt, disappointed to find that there was no occasion for their fearful shrieks. The remainder of the night was spent in dressing the deer.

Some of their neighbors caught deer alive by putting on snow-shoes and running thenr down; but, toward the latter part of the winter, they were so poor and emaciated that they were hardly worth catching.

The fall of meteors November 14, 1836, though not exactly coming under this head, will be mentioned here. It was a wonderful sight. The heavens were full of shooting stars and meteoric phenomena, which, when witnessed by people living in scattered settlements, may well have caused a feeling of awe, wonder and astonishment.

December 14, 183G, occurred a very sudden change of weather. From a mild, thawy condition of the atmosphere, with the thermometer standing about forty degrees above, the change was almost instantaneous to twenty degrees below zero. The wind came from the northwest, with a howl and a roar, a perfect moving wall ijf cold, with its edges apparently square and perpendicular. It traveled at the rate of about thirty miles per hour. People were caught on the prairies at various distances from shelter, and quite a number of persons perished, some of them but a short distance from home. Cattle, hogs, and even wild animals were frozen to death. It is evident, from the accounts we have of the effects of the cold, that the thcrmometor fell much more than twenty degrees below zero, but we have no records of the degree of cold experienced. In modern times, we have read of changes almost as remarkable, in Iowa and Minnesota, but none that will compare with this for suddenness. The people living in those States call these storms " blizzards," a term not invtnted in 1836. Our sudden freeze must have thrown a chill over the frontier such as we can hardly imagine.

June 23, 1837, a fall of snow surprised our pioneers. It was heavy enough to make the green-leaved trees look white, but no damage resulted.

November 7, 1842, there was another remarkable, sudden freeze, but, while startling in itself, it was not to be compared with its predecessor in 1836.

The year 1844 is known to Western history as the wet season. It rained nearlj all summer, only ceasing late in August, and crops were very light indeed. Traveling was a constant succession of wading and swimming, as most of the streams were destitute of bridges. This was the year when the river was so high at St. Louis, and when the old town of Kaskaskia was nearly ruined by the overflow. Those of our pioneers who remained at home did not suffer particularly, except from the annoyances incident to constant mud and moisture.

The summer of 1854 will long be remembered as the " dry season," almost as long as that of 1844 will be spoken of for its opposite characteristic. Sugar Creek went entirely dry ; wells dried up all over the city ; water was purchased by many people, and at one time it began to be feared that Bloomington would not be able to obtain a supply. People traveling through the country often suiFered with their teams before they could obtain water, and cattle ran wild with thirst, rushing to the Mackinaw and streams that were not exhausted, like droves of demons. Some of our citizens conceived the idea of artesian wells, and eiforts were made in that direction, but none of them gave any encouragement.

January 9, 1856, was remarkably cold, the thermometer being twenty-eight degrees below zero. There were several intensely cold days during the winter, some of them having followed soon after warm weather, and thus causing the death of apple and peach trees all through this region. All the peach-trees were killed down to their roots, and many whole orchards of apple-trees were entirely, others partially, ruined.

The summer of 1858, was another wet season - nearly as bad as that of 1844. McLean County suffered very severely during that summer, as wheat and corn both were injured. Wheat was killed the winter previous, and as at this time, the whole county was raising winter wheat - induced by the high prices of the Crimea war - it happened that great financial distress was caused by the unfavorable yield of both wheat and corn.

June 7, 1859, a severe cold spell formed ice in Bloomington one-eighth of an inch thick. The frost cut all the corn to the ground and killed the young leaves on hickory and other forest trees. The corn crop was supposed to be ruined, but, fortunately, the weather was so favorable that late-planted corn matured finely. The largest and earliest of the crop was the most injured, that which had just come out of the ground at the time of the frost or that which was only two inches high, came up from the roots again and went forward at once. Some of the early corn was six inches high and was, of course ruined. Most of the youngest corn that was left to nature came on better than that which was replanted, and there was a fair crop.

The year 1863, is noted as the one in which there was frost every month in the summer. In August, a very heavy frost destroyed much of the corn, and in September^ another ruined most of that which had escaped in August. Owing to this cause and the war demand, the price of corn ran up to $1.15 a bushel in Bloomington before the next crop was harvested.

January 1, 1864, occurred a terrible snowstorm. The wind blew a perfect gale from the northwest, and at the same time a heavy fall of light snow filled the air and made travel almost impossible. The thermometer was twenty degrees below zero during the storm and it continued as cold for the next two days. Cattle and sheep gav&

Tip to the fury of the storm, drifted away before the wind and large numbers of sheep lost their lives. The railroads were blockaded, the Chicago & Alton trains not being able to pass from Springfield to Bloomington for three days, nor from Bloomington to Joliet for eight or nine days.

The great sleet of January 13, 1871, was an event that should be noted. The forest trees around Bloomington and the shrubbery in private yards were irreparably injured. The sleet was equivalent to more than an inch of rain. Telegraph poles were broken, and in many cases all the large limbs broke from trees. Nearly one-third of the foliage-bearing branches were thus crushed ; whole trees fell down and the damage to our fruit and shade trees is still plainly visible.

In the winter of 1873, during an intensely cold spell, when the thermometer had fallen about twenty degrees below zero, the wind changed in the night to the south, and, for a few hours, there was most a remarkably low temperature, with a high south wind. At one time, the thermometer was from twenty-six to thirty-two degrees below zero, according to the instrument and its exposure.

The winter of 1877 and 1878, will long be remembered on account of its extreme mildness. At no time was the ice in the vicinity of Bloomington over three inches in thickness. The entire winter was about as mild as average April weather. Kains were frequent, often very heavy, and, before the 1st of January, the roads were impassable, and remained so from about January 1 to the middle of March. Business of all kinds was nearly suspended, and a general gloom pervaded the community.

The following winter was just the reverse. Snow fell early in December, followed by fifteen inches of level snow on the 13th of December, which remained for nearly six weeks. The sleighing was the best ever known, and was enjoyed to the fullest extent. Washington street was, by general consent, given up to the fast-stepping horses for which Bloomington is so famous, and was crowded with gay and happy parties every afternoon - often as many as fifty-five teams being visible at one time. Near the close of the sleighing season, on the 11th of January, 1879, there was a grand sleighing carnival, or free ride, for all the children of the city, participated in by nearly three thousand. It was a sight long to be remembered. There were over two hundred sleighs, of all sorts and sizes, many of them gayly decorated with flags and streamers. Thousands of spectators lined the streets, and the excitement and enthusiasm were both novel and pleasant.

Our li.st will elo.se with the mention of the five cold mornings in January, 1879. January 2, the thermometer was twenty degrees below zero; on the 3d, twenty-eight ; on the 4th, seventeen ; on the 5th, twenty ; and on the 6th, ten degrees below - making, probably, five of the coldest days ever known in such close connection.

Bloomington is entitled to rank with the most patriotic cities in the land. It can show a proud record from the time when its citizens volunteered to aid the settlers of the exposed northern frontiers of Illinois to the last day of the civil war. Its list of heroes must be included in the county's record, as there is no way of fairly separating the city from the county ; but it is proper that we mention some of the stirring eventsthat took place in the city itself

When Fort Sumter was fired on, and the President's call for volunteers appeared, in April, 1801, our city wa.s not behind the rest of the land in its readiness to respond.

A public meeting was held at once, when speeches were made that gave evidence of the patriotic feelings of the people. The enthusiasm for the old flag was deep and earnest. Cheers, shouts and excitement abounded. Volunteers were called for, and in an incredibly short time, a company was raised for the three-months service called for, largely made up of energetic, enthusiastic young men from this city. In three or four 4ays, the company left for Springfield, under Capt. Harvey, and it served its time at Cairo.

As soon as this company was full, several other companies were at once organized, For a few days it seemed as if every able-bodied man would volunteer. Four or five companies were drilling daily, made up from all classes of citizens. Had the Government been able to take all the troops oflFered, there is no doubt that at least six hundred men would have enlisted at once, in the month of May, from Bloomington alone. The day that the first company, under Capt. Harvey, left town, and also the day of their return from Cairo, are memorable events. On both occasions, the streets were literally crowded with spectators. The first was a time of the deepest and most poignant affliction ; the last was a season of joy and gratitude. These two events were repeated over and over again during the next few years ; but never were equaled in intensity of feeling, except on the days of the leaving and returning of the entire McLean County regiment - the Ninety-fourth Illinois Volunteers - which left August 25, 1862, and returned August 9, 1865.

August 26, 1861, about three hundred of the men of the Thirty-third Illinois B,egiment left this city and county for Springfield, and again was there leave-taking and patriotic excitement in our streets. This regiment included one company (A) of students from Normal, and one company made up largely from Bloomington. The latter was Company C, of which E. R. Roe was Captain. Roe edited the Democratic Statesman at the time. He was soon promoted, and his place was filled by Capt. E. J. Lewis, who enlisted in the company as a private soldier. Lewis edited the Pantagraph at the time the war broke out, served with great credit until the close of the war, and again edited the same paper for five or six years after his return.

It was noticed, as the war became an old story, that the departure of troops grew to be more and more an individual matter, left by the public mainly to those interested - the departing soldier and his intimate friends and relatives ; but at the close, every detachment that returned was welcomed most enthusiastically.

The excitement caused by the destruction, in August, 1862, of the Bloomington Times, a sheet with Southern sympathies too strong for this latitude, was most intense. The soldiers of the Ninety -fourth Regiment performed this job, aided by uncontrollable spirits who were willing to assist when sure that the blame or praise would be awarded to the departing volunteers.

On the 2d of September, 1862, a dispatch was received from Springfield at about midnight, calling for 200 men, instantly, to guard a large detachment of rebels stationed at Camp Butler. The fire-bells were rung; the public responded; the state of the case explained ; the required number was enlisted in a few hours, and a little after daylight made their appearance at Springfield, creating the utmost astonishment at the patriotic promptitude with which our citizens volunteered. Old men, boys and cripples went on this expedition as readily as the able-bodied. It appeared some one at Springfield had an idea the rebel prisoners might make an attempt to escape, and relied on Bloomington's well-known habit of prompt and instantaneous action, to call together,

During the early part of the year 1862, several soldiers' funerals took place at Bloominglon, stirring the city to its very heart. Among the most noted, we may mention that of Lieut. Joseph G. Howell, who had enlisted at the first call in 1861, resigning his place as Principal of the Model School at Normal. He was a noble young man, with troops of warm friends. He was killed at Fort Donelson. Capt. Harvey, killed a little later, at Pittsburg Landing, was honored with a public funeral, and the city was plunged in grief once more. We should also mention Col. Hogg's and Col. William McCullough's funerals, and others.

Immense sums were given in aid of the families of soldiers in the early part of the war ; but later, the public sympathy was mainly directed through the Sanitary Commission, to the assistance of those in the field. In 186-4, as much as $10,000 was sent in money in one donation, of which Isaac Funk gave $5,000. There was a constant stream of charity pouring in this direction, whose dimensions in the aggregate must have been magnificent.

At the Presidential election, in 1864, there was tremendous excitement. Many of the soldiers were at home ; some discharged for disability, others by expiration of three years' enlistment, and many were at home on furlough. These were well aware that during the whole time of their absence there had been a "fire in the rear; " and from a variety of causes, great feeling was manifested. At that time, the whole township of Bloomington, polling 1,774 votes, had one voting place - the old jail-building, on the northwest corner of the Court House square. The election, after all, was one of the quietest on record, though probably one-third of (he voters carried pistols, ready for any outbreak that might occur. The Judges of the election were A. B. Ives, John Dawson and J. H. Burnham. In spite of the rapidity with which they were obliged to decide all cases of challenged votes, their decisions were acquiesced in by the leading men of both parties most cheerfully, and their feat of tjiking votes at the rate of three per minute, at a time of such a hot contest, can scarcely be paralleled. Mr. Lincoln had a majority of about six hundred in the township of Bloomington.

During the winter of 1864, Company K of the Twenty -sixth Illinois Regiment of which Gen. I. J. Bloouifield was the Captain, returned to this county on "veteran furlough," and were kindly welcomed by the citizens of Bloomington.

On the 14th of March, 1864, the entire Thirty-third Regiment Illinois Volunteers arrived at Bloomington on their "veteran furlough," on their way from Texas to their difl'crtnt homes in Illinois.

There were over four hundred of these heroes, of whom (juitc a number were from Bloomington. The citizens gave them a warm-iiearted reception at lloyce Hall, which was unlookcd for by the veterans, and was a fitting tribute to the brave men who so nobly continued in the service of the country. This class of soldiers, entitled to more praise than any other, have generally been treated like ordinary volunteers. Now the fact is, they really stand the highest in the list of the nai ion's defenders. Their volunteering in the face of danger, after three years' service, w;i.s convincing proof to the rebels that they never could succeed in their undertaking.

The day before the Presidential election, in 1864, large bodies of suspicious looking men came from Southern Illinois to this city, and changed cars for Chicago. James

Allin, Jr., then Postmaster, telegraphed the circumstances to John Wentworth and others, and the result was, that the men were arrested before they reached the city. It afterward transpired that they were concerned in the famous plot to rescue the rebel prisoners at Camp Douglas, and the dispatch from Bloomington was one of the indications that proved something unusual was being attempted.

In the early part of the war, it seemed that the volunteers paid little attention to filling the muster-rolls correctly, and it often happened that nearly a whole company would be credited to Bloomington, when, in fact, it was raised in the county at large. Besides this, all who lived in three or four of the adjacent townships whose post-office addresses were at Bloomington, were generally credited as residents, and the result was that the city's quota was more than filled. When the first draft was threatened in McLean County, in 1864, it was discovered that Bloomington's quota was already made up, and a good deal of bad feeling resulted. By a liberal county bounty, and the general co-operation of the citizens of both city and county, the first draft was avoided. February or March, 1865, the last draft barely touched a few districts in McLean County. Most of the towns, as well as the wards in Bloomington raised liberal subscriptions, which, in addition to the county bounty, proved efiectual. In Bloomington, out of a good many thousand dollars raised, quite a large proportion, in some of the wards, was returned to the subscribers.

The news of peace, or rather the surrender of Gen. Lee, the capture of JeflF Davis and the surrender of Gen. Joe Johnston - the whole equivalent to a declaration of peace - caused intense satisfaction and extravagant rejoicing in the same manner as Union victories had done previously. The usual way was for a few men to run around the public square, call for a collection, buy some powder, which Pres. Butler would burn in his cannon, while the boys would join in a general rejoicing. Sometimes we fired a little too soon, or the news would turn out to be unimportant, but we kept up the practice till the news of the last surrender.

In those days, the Associated Press dispatches usually arrived at the Pantagraph office a little before noon, and any very special news was printed speedily on slips of paper and sold by boys as " extras." On the morning after the assassination of President Lincoln, J. H. Burnham, editor of the Bloomington Pantagraph, was at Chicago. He saw the news in the morning paper there, and knew at once that the Pantagraph could not possibly have the dispatch. He went to the telegraph office before it opened, and sent the first dispatch of the morning, telling his paper, over his own signature, in about sixty words, the terrible news. This was known on the streets of Bloomington at about 9 o'clock, and it caused intense grief and astonishment. Mr. Lincoln was known and loved in Bloomington as well as anywhere else in the world, and for several hours, grief, anger and revenge swayed the public, crowds of people being in the streets, discussing the sad event. A man of the name of John Hinzey, boarding at the Ashley, was heard to rejoice over Mr. Lincoln's death, and thoughtlessly applauded, or was understood to applaud the assassin. When this was reported on the streets, the whole mass seemed carried away by frenzy, aad at once moved toward the Ashley House to take out the offender to be hanged. His life was in such danger that it was only saved by the stratagem of a few of the cooler heads, who organized a committee to give him a trial, to which the crowd consented, and while this was going on, 3Ir. Hinzey was hustled into a carriage, several blocks west of the hotel, having been passed out in disguise at the rear, and he was driven rapidly toward Peoria. In a few hours after his escape, the crowd became glad it had not taken human life.

As it takes many people to make a world, so various methods for doing good have been organized, and will be carried on till the end of time. One of the oldest, and, perhaps, one of the most permanent, of the different orders or societies that we can mention, is that of Freemasonry. This Order was established in Bloomingtou at an early day. In 1847, Peoria Lodge recommended the application for a new lodge in Bloominglon. The first meeting of Bloomington Lodge, No. 43, was March 1, 1847. Its first Master was John Foster. The first member admitted was W. C. Hobbs, who became the second Master, and, afterward, was Master of the Grand Lodge, being the only member from Bloomington who has ever attained this distinction. Dr. Hobbs was one of the leading citizens of Bloomington from this time down to the time of his death, February 10, 1861. He was, perhaps, the most genial, the kindest-hearted, most generally useful man who has ever lived in Bloomington. The Masters of this Lodge who followed Dr. Hobbs were E. Thomas, M. C Baker, John M. Scott, Goodman Fcrre and others. The Masonic Order has always included a large proportion of leading citizens, making it one of our " institutions " of merit, and it has accomplished a vast amount of good. There are three lodges, all meeting dn different nights in 0!ie hall, which, since 1877, has been in the upper part of the fine building at the corner of Center and Front streets, where may be found one of the most completely fitted lodgerooms in the State. Besides the three lodges of inferior degrees, there are two or more of the higher, made up mostly of those who belong to the lower lodges, of which we will mention the Chapter of Rojal Arch Masons and the Commandery of Knights Templar. Bloomington Chapter, No. 26, Royal Arch March Masons, was organized March 19, 1855. Its leading officers are : High Priest, J. Brewster; Treasurer, Goodman Ferre, and its Secretary is John D. Fowle.

De Molay Commandery, No. 24, was constituted October 22, 1807. Its officers are Charles F. Webb, Eminent Commander; James Clark, Generalissimo; William M. Stevenson, Captain General; Jabez Brewster, Treasurer, and J. D. Fowle, Recorder. These Knights are well drilled, and make a fine appearance when seen in public.

Bloomington Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, held its first meeting, as we have stated above, March 1, 1847. Its present officers are W. R. Bascom, Master; Thomas W. Stevenson, Senior Warden; Michael Gee, Junior Warden; N. N. Wiiislow, Treasurer; Charles Strehorn, Secretary. The Lodge has about two hundred members.

Wade Barney Linlgo was organized August 8, 1800. and now contains 123 members. Its Master is L. L. Burr; Senior Warden, C. W. Kirk ; Junior Warden, A. M. Goodfellow; Trea-surer, J. E. Eastman; Secretary, C. J. Northrop.

Mozart Lodge, No. 056, is composed of Germans, and contains about forty members. It was organized in October, 1870. This Lodge transacts all business in the German language.

Clo.sely allied with Masonry is the Order of the E;Lstern Star, composed of Freemasons, their wives and daughters. Bloomingt<in Chapter, No. 4, was organized January 1, 1870. Worthy Patron, W. C. Stevenson; Worthy Matron, Mrs. A. Kettle; Treasurer, Mrs. W. Stevenson; Secretary, Mrs. E. C. Roberts. There are 1 10 members.

Independent Order Of Odd Fellows

There is perhaps no more systematic charity than is dispensed through the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. This society is peculiarly fortunate in Bloomington, having been established at an early day, and its first members being men of high moral aims ; their successors have followed in the way first marked out by the original members, have always kept the ancient landmarks well in sight, and have attained great proficiency in all the proper work of the Order.

Remembrance Lodge, No. 77, was organized October 20, 1851 . Among its charter members we find the names of H. S. Herr and William Nightwine. John M. Scott was initiated the same night the Lodge was instituted, and has with the above-named continued a member until the present time.

Several of those most prominent in the Grand Lodge of this jurisdiction have been members of Remembrance Lodge, among whom we will mention H. S. Herr and Thomas F. Mitchell, both of whom have been Grand Officers. Mr. Mitchell has been delegate to the National Grand Lodge, where he was one of the most active and efficient representatives. The present Noble Grand of Remembrance Lodge is C. S. Strayer ; Vice Grand,

C. M. Ross ; Recording Secretary, Amos Kemp ; Permanent Secretary, L. B. Elledge ; Robert Thompson, is Treasurer, a position he has filled for twenty years. Evergreen City Lodge, No. 265, was instituted September 30, 1858. Its present number of members is 100. Its Noble Grand is George T. Heritage; Vice Grand, E. Huhn; Recording Secretary, F. B. Augustus ; Permanent Secretary, H. J. Higgins ; Treasurer, Peter Rockwell.

Uhland Lodge, No. 305, was organized July 1, 1863. Its charter is in the German language, and its meetings are all conducted in German, and its membership made up of that nationality. A. Schlegel is Noble Grand ; Fred. Kersten, Vice Grand ; H. Moratz, Recording Secretary ; W.J). Penner, Financial Secretary and William A. Gerken, Treasurer ; Representative to Grand Lodge, Charles Lamp.

McLean Encampment, No. 29, was organized April 11, 1855. It contains at present about seventy-five members. This Lodge is made up from members of the other lodges, being a higher degree of the same Order. William McComb is C. P.; George T. Heritage, H. P.; Charles Lamp, S. W.; A. C. Atkins, Scribe ; R. Thompson, Treasurer. Remembrance Lodge owns a business house, next to the northeast corner of Main and Washington streets. It was purchased in 1878, at a cost of nearly $10,000. This purchase was made from the permanent funds of the Lodge, and shows a financial standing that is to be commended. The amount of funds on hand in the different lodges of the Order amounts to about $14,000. This money is a revenue to be used in case the annual dues shall not be equal to the demands of its members who may happen to be sick or disabled, and indicates a flattering degree of prosperity.

Many of the wives of Odd Fellows, with their husbands, are members of the Order of the Degree of Rebecca. Bethlehem Lodge, No. 32, was incorporated November 11, 1870, though a lodge was in existence previously. Its Noble Grand is Oliver Beebe ; Vice Grand, Mrs. Nelson Taylor ; Mrs. E. R. Hallett is Recording Secretary ; Mr. W.

Abraham Lincoln Lodge, No. 85, of the Degree of Rebecca, meets at the hall in Liberty Block. These Rebecca Lodges are mainly for social purposes, though there are some obligations and duties imposed upon the members.

Various Secret Societies

One of the most important of our secret organizations is the Knights ot Pythias, which meets at 112 and 114 South Main street, in Liberty Block. It contains 100 members. Richard Osborne, P. C. ; M. B. Jeter, C. C ; J. E. Espey, V. C; CD. Myers, Prelate ; William Van Schoich, M. of E., and Frank Johnson, Jr., M. of F. Ita Trustees are J. W. Fifer, J. W. Trotter and Dr. C. R. Karr. Whenever this s«X!iety appears in public in uniform, it invariably attracts great attention, the appearance of its members being highly indicative of discipline and good fellowship.

The "Universal Brotherhood" organized Lodge No. 4 in Bloomington, February 3, 1878, about which time representatives from all over the United States met here to perfect their organization. This institution is of a fraternal nature, and its main feature is insurance, its policies being at the members' option, in sums varying from $500 to §5,000. The Order in this State has been incorporated as the "Grand Commandery of the Universal Brotherhood of the World." The officers of No. 4, are R. F. McCabe, Illustrious Commander ; W. Gr. Nichols, Captain General ; A. Q. Grigsby, Chief of Records ; W. H. Phillips, Registration Chief; H. N. Cutshaw, Chief of Exchequer; J. A. Reason, Master of Ceremonies.

The Knights of Honor organized in July, 1878, with fourteen charter members. It is mainly for mutual life insurance, though it has social features. The Grand Lodge of the State controls 110 subordinate lodges. Assessments are made so that upon the death of a brother, his heirs obtain $2,000. The Grand Lodge of Illinois, of which J. C S. Miller, a Bloomingtonian, is Grand Dictator, meets here in June, 1879. The Bloomington organization is known as Independent Lodge K. of H., No. 706. Ita officers are: Past Dictators, Frank White, I. N. Littel, E. D. Miller; Dictator, C. A. Brooks ; Vice Dictator, B. G. Cash ; Asst. Dictator, S. B. Cooper ; Treasurer, E. D. Miller ; Reporter, C. E. Baker ; Financial Reporter, C. L. Camp ; Medical Examiner, Dr. N. B. Cole; Chaplain, W. R. Bascom ; Guide, M. Plumley ; Guardian, George Harman ; Sentinel, Adam Fless.

The Ancient Order of United Workmen is a secret benevolent society with an insurance feature that highly commends itself Upon the death of any member anywhere in the State, the assessments realize enough to pay $2,0(10 to the family of the deceased. The Bloomington Lodge was organized April 17, 1877. Ita number is 63. Its officers for the past six months were J. D. Dodge, Past Master ; F. M. Fowler, Master Workman; T. W. Pelton, General Foreman; Julius Johnson, Overseer; J. L. Beath, Receiver ; James Lonney, Financier; F. W. Coe, Recorder; D. Hemmele, <juido ; G. B. Bossie, Inside Watchman ; J. S. Izaat, Outside Watchman. There arc about ninety members and the Order is in a flouri.sliing ccmdition.

The Independ(!nt Order B'nai B'rith has one Lodge, Abraham Lincoln, No. 190. E. Ganz, i.«i President; M. Lange, Vice President; W. Grei.shoim, Secretary; M. Heilbrun, Financial Secretary. This Order equals the Masons or Odd Fellows in the thoroughness and completene.ss of its organized charity. The Bloomington lodge was started October 27, 1872, with twenty-two members and now contains thrity-three.

The Ancient, Free and Accepted York Masons have a lodge - Evening Star Lodge, No. 4 - organized September 12, 1864. J. A. Hill, Master ; Z. T. Baker, Senior Warden ; J. Ward, Junior Warden ; R. Holley, Treasurer ; R. Allin, Secretary.

Benevolent Societies

Bloomington boasts of better organized charitable associations than almost any other place in this State. Besides those which have secret organizations, we have a number that work publicly, though in an organized form. Of these we might mention the German Benevolent Association, which was formed May 1 , 1857 ; has a present membership of seventy-four, and has become one of the oldest of its kind in tlie State. John Breckbeller is President; C Haker, Vice President, and William D. Pennen Treasurer.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians of Bloomington was chartered April 20, 1874, and contains at this time about sixty members. Michael Martin is President : James Costello, Vice President ; William Nihin, Treasurer, and Daniel Haggarty, Secretary. The Hibernian Benevolent Society was incorporated March, 1869. It has seventy members. George Burns is President; John Sullivan, Sr., Treasurer, and Dennis Mahoney, Secretary. These beneficial organizations have been supplemented by the Father Mathew Total Abstinence and Benevolent Society, and the St. Patrick Total Abstinence and Benevolent Society.

It is quite difficult, in a city like Bloomington, to learn of all the different societies and organizations. Our modern life seems to be adapted to all these various bodies ; they are readily formed, and often more easily dissolved. We know of the Conductors' and Engineers' Brotherhood, and of the Firemen's and Brakemen's Associations, as well as of several trades-unions and other societies, but our space will not allow us to publish all the particulars which we might easily obtain. There are other societies ; for instance, the German Free-School Society, with a good schoolhouse and lot at the corner of West and Front streets, well worthy of more particular mention ; but we have already exceeded the space allotted to these matters, and have, perhaps, even as it is, descended to more particulars than our readers will care to examine.

Important German Organizations

The first appearance of Germans in Bloomington in any considerable numbers, dates from 1854 to 1858, and we find that during these years some of our best German organizations had their origin. Among these, we will mention the Turners, who commenced August 20, 1858. They have become one of the most powerful societies in Bloomington. They now occupy the building which was, previous to 1856, the Baptist Church ; but this is too small and inconvenient for the Turners, who are forming their plans for the erection, as soon as possible, of a building that will be a credit to the society and an ornament to the city. Their ability to carry out the project has been but very slightly impaired by the hard times through which we are passing, and when the Society moves we may expect to see something accomplished. The present officers of the Bloomington Turnverein are as follows : President, William Gerken ; Vice President, C. Brohm ; Recording Secretary, P. Horermann ; Corresponding Secretary, E. Riebsame ; Treasurer, C. Trimpter.

October 12, 1874, saw the first organization of tlie Bloomington Maennerchor^ which now contains a membership of 120. This number includes several honorary members, the active, or singing members, being about one-half of the whole society. The success of the organization has been quite remarkable. It now contains some of the best voices in the West, well trained, and ready to take a high position in the musical world. This society contains a large proportion of the best educated of the Germans in Bloomington, and it represents the wealth, culture and refinement of the German nation as well as any single organization in Central Illinois. Its officers are : Peter Gratz, President ; Carl Wehrstedt, Vice President ; Henry Behr, Secretary ; George H. Mueller, Financial Secretary, and Jacob Jacoby, Treasurer ; H. P. Seibel is Musical Director, and Arnold Rigger is Librarian. Prof. H. Von Eisner, whO' died in July, 1878, was, for some time, musical director, and is spoken of by the members as having been a fine musician, to whom the society is under obligations for quite a large portion of its present efficiency.

Our Highest Officials

Bloominston was not very ambitious for high political honors in its younger days. It never a.spired to fill high offices in the State or nation ; was content to be well governed at home, and to take care of as many of the county and legislative offices as possibler ever ready to help elect good men from other portions of the State to its highest offices. Even when John Moore, of Randolph's Grove, was made Lieutenant Governor in 1840, it did not seem to rouse our other politicians to any degree of individual ambition. There was a spasm at the time Owen Lovejoy was nominated for Congress in 1856, McLean being then in the same district with Bureau County, but nothing came of it, and our voters swallowed their pride, and assisted Mr. Lovejoy to the position he desired. Up to 1870, no citizen of McLean County had ever been elected to Congress.

In 1856, James Miller, of Bloomington, was chosen State Treasurer, being the first Bloomingtonian to fill a high State office. Mr. Miller was one of our most respected citizens, and has left his mark upon our city, very particularly in the Methodist Church, of which he was a consistent, liberal and enthusiastic member. In 1874, Samuel M. Etter, who had for some time been City School Superintendent here, was elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

In 1872, Gen. John McNulta, whose brilliant record as Colonel of the Ninetyfourth Illinois Regiment is set forth in its proper place, was elected to Congress from the district compo.sed of the counties of McLean, DeWitt, Logan, Tazewell and M:»son, being the first of our citizens ever elected to Congress. He was followed in 1874 by A. E. St<?venson, who is our present member, having been again elected in November, 1878.

Judge Thomas F. Tipton, another Bloomingtonian, was chosen to Congress in 1H76. Our city is now rather noted for its willingness to furnish Congressmen, or, in fact, candidates for almo.st any position. We believe Bloomington has always had the Judge of this judicial district ever since it was first filled by David Davis in 1848. He was succeeded in 1862 by John M. Scott, who was promoted from the Circuit to the Supreme Bench in 1870. Thomas F. Tipton was our Judge from the latter date until he was sent to Washington, as noted before, and Owen T. Reeves waa then chosen to fill the vacancy. Our judges have been distinguished for their ability and impartiality.

Hon. John M. Scott was elected to the Supreme Bench of Illinois in June, 1870, He had been Circuit Judge here from 1862. He had also filled several offices in this city and county, having been, when a young man, City Clerk and City Attorney, and, previous to his election as Circuit Judge, he had, in 1852, filled the position of Judge of Probate, and had held other appointments. He never sought office, but has been one of those careful, competent, well-balanced men who are so rare that, when met with, the public insist upon elevating them to offices of honor and trust. Judge Scott is a native Illinoisan, having been born near Belleville, St. Clau: County, in 1823. He has been honored with the above-mentioned offices, while at the same time he has conferred dignity upon every one he has filled, being a cultured gentleman whom people have always been proud to refer to as a model official. For two years of the nine during which he has been upon the Supreme Bench, he was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois.

Judge David Davis, one of the oldest and foremost of Bloomington's pioneers, is a gentleman who has heeu highly promoted difi'erent at times, and we will refer to him by a quotation from the carefully-prepared article in " The Good Old Times in McLean County," by Prof. Duis, which does him justice in better terms than we can command.

The greatest legal light of Bloomington is Judge David Davis. He was born in Cecil County, Md., on the 9th of March, 1815. He graduated at Kenyon College, Ohio, on the 4th of September, 1832, and commenced the study of law at Lenox, Mass., in October following, in the office of Judge Henry W. Bishop. After studying there for two years, he went to the New Haven Law School, where he remained until the fall of 1835, when he removed to Pekin, Tazewell Co., 111. After practicing law for one year in Pekin, he removed to Bloomington, which has ever since been his home. Here he succeeded to the law business of Mr. Jesse W. Fell, who became much interested in operations in real estate. He took possession of Mr. Fell's old office, which was one door east of what is now Espey's drug store. Mr. Davis succeeded in the law at the rery outset. He was not a great orator, nor ever a very fluent talker, but he was a clear-minded man, and soon took a front rank in his chosen profession.

On the 13th of October, 1838, Judge Davis married Miss Sarah Walker, at Lenox, Mass. She is a daughter of Judge Walker, of that State. Judge Davis has two children living - a son and a daughter. The former is living with his family near Bloomington. In the year 1840^ Mr. Davis was the candidate of the Whigs for the office of State Senator against Gov. Moore, but the latter was successful. The Senatorial District then embraced the counties of Moultrie, Macon, Piatt, De Witt, McLean and Livingston. In 1844, Mr. Davis was elected to the lower house of the Assembly, but declined to be a candidate for re-election. In 1847, he was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention; and, in 1848, was chosen by the people, without opposition, to be Judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, embracing fourteen counties. This was a position for which Judge Davis was eminently fitted. It has been said of him, that his leading characteristic is love of equity, and this, combined with a strong will, quick perceptions and the very clearest judgment, made his decisions universally respected. His decisions were seldom appealed from, and more seldom reversed.

The Eighth Judicial Circuit, which embraced, at first, fourteen counties, contained an array of talent rarely equaled among the same number of lawyers. Judge Logan was the leader of the bar, but, following him closely, were Lincoln, Stuart, Baker, Linder, Gridley, Judge 0. L. Davis, Judge Thornton, Hon. 0. B. Ficklin, Judge Emerson, C. H. Moore, Judge Benedict, Judge Parks, Judge Edwards and others, some of whom have since become immortal in history. Lincoln was the constant companion of Judge Davis in their travels around the extensive circuit, and at the close of their journey each day, Lincoln related those humorous stories which have made him so famous. Mr. Davis traveled in a two-horse buggy, and Mr. Lincoln rode in his own conveyance, drawn by his celebrated horse " Buck." the one which followed the great martyr in the funeral procession to his final resting-place.

The year I860 was one of memorable interest in Illinois. Some years before this, many prominent citizens of the State resolved to press Abraham Lincoln as a candidate for President of the United States, and during this year the excitement was so intense that nearly all law business was at a standstill, because the lawyers and judges devoted all of their time to the campaign. Judge Davis was, by far, the most active and influential of Mr. Lincoln's supporters, and his labors were almost herculean. Perhaps some idea may be given of the labors of Judge Davis by giving an extract from a letter written by Mr. Jesse W. Fell to a late distinguished Senator of the United States, in regard to a question by the latter as to the part taken by Mr. Fell in the campaign of 1860. The question was suggested by an autobiography of Abraham Lincoln, of which Mr. Fell was the proprietor, recently published by Osgood & Co., of Boston. The following is the extract :

" Before responding to your inquiries, allow me to say, you give me much more credit than I am entitled to for the part I took in bringing before the American people the name of Abraham Lincoln as a candidate for the Presidency. Your original impressions were originally correct. To Judge Davis more than to any other man, living or dead, the American people are indebted for that extraoi-dinary piece of good-fortune - the nomination and consequent election of that man who combined in his person, in so high a degree, the elements necessary to a successful administration of the Government through the late most critical period in our national history. It is quite possible Mr. Lincoln's fitness, or, rather, availability, as a candidate for tliat position may have occurred to me before it did to the Judge ; but at an early date, as early, I think, as 1858, it bad his earnest approval; and, I need not say, his vastly superior influence gave to his opinion on this subject a weight and character which my private and humble opinion could not command. It is well known that Judge Davis, though not a delegate, was one of the leading men at the Decatur State Convention, in May, 1860, which elected delegates to the Chicago National Convention ; that he was there selected as one of the Senatorial delegates to the latter body; that, for more than a week prior to the nomination, he had, in connection with other friends of Mr. Lincoln, opened the ' Lincoln Headquarters,' at the Tremont House, Chicago, where, and throughout the city, wherever delegates were to be found, he labored day and night, almost sleeplessly, throughout that long and dramatically-interesting contest, working with a zeal, assiduity and skill never surpassed, if ever equaled ; and that when those herculean labors culminated in the choice of his trusted and most confidential friend, his feelings so overpowered him that, not only then but for hours after, in grasping the hands of congratulating friends, he wept like a child. Whilst it is undoubtedly true that without the hearty and vigorous co-operation of quite a number of equally eminent men, the prestige attached to the names of Seward and others could not have been broken and this nomination secured, no one as familiar as I was with what was then and there enacted, can doubt for a moment the pre-eminent i)arL there played by the Judge. Among Lincoln hosts he was emphatically the great central figure; the great motor of the hour. ' Render unto CtBsar the things that are Caesar's.' "

In 1861, Judge Davis, Judge Holt an<l Mr. Campbell were chosen by Lincoln to investigate the management of Quartermaster McKinstry, who held his office under Gen. Fremont. The investigation was thorough and laid bnre the corruption and mismanagement of affairs in St. Louis.

In 18()2, Judge Davis was appointed by Abraham Lincoln one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. This appointment was not made by any personal flolicitation of Judge Davis, but simply on account of Mr. Lincoln's knowledge of the man and by the effort of friends. At the time of his appointment, he was well known in Illinois as a man of great judicial learning and the best of judgment, but his re]>utation had not gone beyond his State, as he had never filled a po.sition where his decisions would be published. But, when he came to the Suj)reme Bench of the United States, his reputation as a jurist went beyond the most sanguine expectations of his friends. A writer in the Ami-rican Lair Times, in discussing the character of Judge Davis, says, " Judge Davis is a natural lawyer, a character so truly great that to doubt him would be impossible. His mind is all equity and as vigorous as it is kind. He is progressive, and yet cautious ; a people's judge, and yet a lawyer." His opinion in the

Milligan case has attracted more attention from the people at large than any decision since that of Judge Taney in the Dred Scott case. Judge Davis lays down some fundamental principles of constitutional law which will stand as landmarks for ages after he shall have been gathered to his fathers. Judge Davis has been remarkably successful as a dealer in real estate, and in all of his purchases and sales has shown the very best of judgment. His first purchase of real estate was made in Chicago ; but as he was associated with others and the disposition of the property was in a great measure beyond his control, the speculation was not fortunate. Nevertheless, he had great faith in the future of Chicago, although it then numbered but a few hundred inhabitants, and he purchased an eighty-acre tract of land about three miles from the harbor. It now sells by the foot, so far as it is offered for sale. It is to this fortunate investment that he is indebted in part for the ample fortune he possesses.

His policy in dealing in real estate has been to purchase property in the suburbs of a growing town in order that it might become valuable with the increase of the place in size and prosperity. He was always careful to buy land intrinsically valuable, considering what it would produce, so that in any event his speculation would be a safe one. As is well known. Judge Davis is a man of great public spirit, but thinks public matters should be managed as other business matters are, on a good financial basis. He has been charged with being indifferent in the matter of subscribing to build railroads. His theory with regard to railroads is that they should be built where it will pay to build them as an investment, and that the idea of voting aid from towns, counties and States, or donating lands along the line of the proposed road is wrong in principle.