Quincy Township (part 4 of 74)

At the following session, 1820-1, the Illinois State Bank was established with a charter to run ten years and a capital of $500,000 based upon the credit of the state alone. This bank was born Avith some most extraordinary features, which readily foreshadowed its fate. It was in violation of the United States constitution, its bills bearing two per cent annual interest, and being redeemable in ten year's. Three hundred thousand dollars in bills not above $20 were ordered to be issued, loaned out on personal security for amounts of $100, and security on real estate at doitble valuation for sums between $100 and $1,000. Of course everybody borrowed and nobody ever thotight of paying back the amount borrowed. This $300,- 000 was all that was issued, tlie notes falling in value almost immediately to tAventy-five cents on the dollar, and the bank became so discredited that the subsequent legislatures did not dare to order the full circulation authorized by the charter. With many other Aveakeuing elements in its organization, the bank staggered through its chartered existence of ten years, and Avhen in 1831, it Avas Avound up, it appeared that although only $300,000 had been issued, the loss to the state had been more than $500,000.

The Aviping out of this Avorthless circulation did not still the popular call for more money, and the legislature of 1834-5 took hold of the question Avith commendable zeal, but Avith .iudgment that slunved but little gain from late experience. That the state needed financial legislation Avas evident, for while the old bank issues had been cleared off by an increased debt (the famous Wiggins loan of $100,- 000, Avhieh made such bitter acrimony, though it saved the state's credit), yet foreign rag paper took the place of our own. In Februai-y, 1835, the Territorial Bank of ShaAvneetoAvn, AA'hich had been dead for tAvelve years, Avas exhumed and another State Bank was chartered, Avitli a capital of $1,500,000 and alloAved an increase of $1,000,000 more. Six branches of this were authorized to be located Avherever and Avhen as a requirement precedent, $250,000 had been locally subscribed. In April of that year some- Avhat more than half this sum Avas subscribed toAvards the establishment of a branch at Quincy. xVt the .special session of 1835-6 some changes in the laAV Avere made and there Avere more branch banks authorized. The pre-requisite conditions having been complied Avith, a branch bank Avas located in Quincy dui-ing the latter part of this current year, but it hardly Avas in complete operation until early in the succeeding season.

The life of this bank Avas A-ery brief, since it suispended specie payments, as did almost all the banks in the country under the financial crash of 1837. The suspensions were legalized by the legislature, and, Iavo years later, in 1839, .still farther extended in time, and the State Bank and its branches continued a feeble existence until their general dissolution in 1842. For the first year and a half of its existence before suspension this branch bank Avas a valuable aid to the business of the place, and was such also to a limited extent, hoAvever, after- Avard until it "avouucI up." The institution Avas located on the southAve.st corner of Fourth and Maine, in the tAvo-story frame building built by Peter Felt, and afterAvard oAvned and occupied by the Burns family. Joseph T. Holmes Avas its president, although as a branch bank its business Avas managed by the cashier, that prince of good felloAA's, most .jolly sportsman and finished gentlemen, Capt. E. J. Phillips. The clerks Avere, first. John ilartin Holmes, the Avittiest man in the West, Avho, everybody that used to laugh in Quincy yet reinembers, and Avhose brilliancies Avould fill volumes, after him C. B. Church, and later and lastly, Quincy 's late mayor, J. K. Webster, Avho came in 1840 from Galena, Avhere he had been similarly em- ])loyed, and clerked until the bank closed. The record of this bank, like that of its predecessors, AA'as a checkered one. Its stock at first .stood at thirteen per cent premium, but a rapid decline Avithin tAvo years found its notes at from fifteen to tAventy cents discount, and later scarcely quotable at all. Its business Avas broadly extencled, and it Avas not until about 1870, nearly thirty years after its failure, that the settlement of its affairs was conclitded.

The banking history of Illinois contains a most instructive and suggestiA'e lesson in its experiences from territorial times to the present, and its final record may be properly here given, since like the general financial situation of the state Avas necessarily that of Quincy. FolloAving the faihu'e, before mentioned, of the state bank of 1835, after its three or four year's of sickly existence, there came a dull decade of financial uncertainty and business depression. The poA'erty shifts of those days cannot be appreciated now, especially by the modern shod- dyite, but as everybody was poor, few felt the worse for it. Money, such as it was, was far from scarce. Therein, indeed lay a great trouble. Illinois was flooded with issues of banks from other states, many, indeed most of which, were of doubtful or unknown condition, and counterfeits were countless. So evident was the want for a steadier, safer money currency that the legislature in 1861 passed over the governor's veto, the "free banking law," Avhich, having been submitted to the people, was approved by a decided popular ma.jority. Experience had taught our legislative solous some wisdom, as was evidenced in this law, which was a step in the right direction; a movement nearly up to the present stable system of a reliable national circulation. Banks were legalized whose notes should be secured by the deposit of United States or state stocks. Had the former onh- been allowed as securities, the present well-recognized principles would have been reached ; that no lasting circulation can be created which will harmonize business, represent values, inspire national confidence in its current stability and future redemption except that which is based ou the national credit and to which the industry of the whole people stands pledged. Little matters it whether the paper so authorized and so secured floats under the name of "United States Bank Notes," "Sub-Treasury notes, ""National Bank notes," or "Greenbacks" - these all mean the same - a moneyed assurance guaranteed by the nation.

Naturally enough it happened that most of the one hundred and ten banks, organized under the law of 1851, fortified their circulation by the deposit of Southern State Stocks, these rating the lowest in the market and being the easiest procured. They were, however, but a straw dependence, and with the too certain foreshadowings of the civil war all such securities began to decline, and when finally twelve states see ceded, all these stocks waxed worthless and of course, the banks went down. The loss, however, compared with previous bank failures, was relatively light, and fell iipon individuals and not ou the state. The few banks that remained in 1863, those with their circulation based on United States or Illinois stocks, generally became national banks under the provisions of the law of Congress of that year. The preceding is a scant but correct sketch of early monetaiy conditions in Illinois and Quilicy as well.

Resuming the local banking record and bringing it down to the present, it appears that the death of the State Bank of 1835 suspended all banking operations in Quiney for ten or more years.

Subsequent business of this character has been conducted by jjrivate parties. Business here and generally in the state, for several succeeding years, was very light, especially such as would naturally depend upon banking conveniences. These were "hard times," dull, slow times, and yet endurable and not unenjoyable, perhaps the more enjoyable from the deprivations. Auditor's warrants, county orders, city scrip (almost the only moneyed material with which state, county or city could j^ay their way along, and the only paper that had a seemingly sure value) were at a vexatiously varying discount, passing at ten, twenty or thirty per cent below their face value and of course the public "paid the loss." People worked and lived, but all business beyond home living and labor was greatly cramped. The mercantile need for exchange with which to remit eastern payments was embarrassing, though this was largely relieved by the land agencies. Most (it might almost be said all) of the unsettled land in Illinois, not still held by the general government, belonged to non-residents who paid their annual taxes through these Quiney agencies, and their checks on eastern banks, or authoi'ity given the agents to draw upon them for the amount of their taxes afforded an exchange facility to Quiney merchants such as other sections of the state did not possess.

The later and continuous record of Quiney banking begins with 1850 when Plagg & Savage opened their banking house on the south side of Maine, about four buildings Avest of Fifth, removing in 1857 to the corner of Fifth and Maine. These two, Newton Flagg and Charles A. Savage, with whom was associated I. 0. Woodruff, who became a partner in 1857, Avere the pioneer bankers of Quiney. For some time previous Mr. Flagg and Lorenzo and Charles H. Bull had dealt in exchange, the former through Page & Bacon and the latter through Clarke & Brothers, bankers of St. Louis, but the above was the earliest regular banking house. Its business immediately became large and lucrative. It .suspended in the fall of 1857, reopened a few months after, and the next year finally failed. Later in this same year (1850) Jonathan H. Smith and A. C. Marsh started, under the Quiney house, a bank stjded the "Farmers and Merchants' Exchange Co." It discontinued within less than two years' time. About 1853 Ebenezer Moore, J. R. Hollowbush and E. F. IT-offman began business as Jiloore, Hollowbush & Co. Their location was on the north side of the public square, about midway in the block. This house, like that of P. & S., went down in 1857. both failures being mainly caused by the failure of S. & W. B. Thayer's distilleiy and mercantile business, whicli was then the most extensive business of the place. The "Bank of Quincy," owned by J. R. Matteson and D. Boon, opened in 1856, at the southwest corner of the square under the Quincy house, continuing- business there for four or five years.

In 1857 was started the Quincy Savings and Insurance Co., an incorporated institution, now the "First National Bank," which for three or four years was located at the northwest corner of Hampshire and Fifth, thence removed to its present place, on the northeast corner of Hampshire and Fourth. This is the oldest banking institution in the city. It became a National bank in 1865. This bank was consolidated with the State Savings Loan & Trust Company, which had been founded on the business of L. & C. H. Bull. Moore, Sherman & Co., - Ebcnezer and F. C. Moore and S. C. Sherman - revived the old bank of Moore, HoUowbush & Co., and for about two years transacted business at the same place in 1859- 60. H. F. J. Rieker began business in 1860 on the .south side of Hampshire near Fifth, removing aboTit six years since to his present place, one block west, where Moore, Hollowbush & Co., had foi-merly been. "John Wood & Son" commenced banking about 1862 at the southeast corner of Maine and Fiffji. Their business was transferred in 1864 to Flachs, Jausen & Co., who discontinued two years later. L. & C. H. Bull's bank was opened in 1861 at its present location on the corner of Maine and Fifth in the building first occupied by Flagg & Savage. E. J. Parker & Co., operated as bankers at the same corner from 1874 to 1879, when the firm merged with that of L. & C. H. Bull. Prom 1866 there was connected with and owned by this firm, the "Fai-mers and Merchants' (2nd National) Bank," which discontinued in 1872. T. T. Woodruff for some two years, about 1869-70. did a banking business on the west side of the public square, where also in 1875 the "German American Bank," an incorporated institution, opened and operated for about two years. In 1869 the Union Bank (chartered) commenced on the east side of Washington Squai-e. removing in 1875 to the corner of Fifth and Hampshire : the building which it had left, being again occupied as a bank from 1876 to 1879 by Henry Geise.

The foregoing list comprises all the banking institutions of Quincy throughout the past thirty-five years. The business of some of them has been very large. Of those that have gone out of existence but two can be said to have failed. The others were discontinued.

with their affairs evenly wound up. The average annual deposits in the four banking institutions in operation at this time (1883) is about $2,500,000, which will att'ord some idea of the general business of the city.

Chapter Xv

Abovit this period commences the religious denominational history of Quincy. The different elements of protestant belief which from numerical feebleness, had for the past five or six years united in the one church, "God's Barn," on Fourth street between Maine and Jersey, began gradually to separate and form the several societies whicli now represent their religious creeds.

This church, the Congregational, the first founded, was also for nearly a half a dozen years, the only place of regular worship, with a permanent pastorate and formal church organization. It was founded December 4th, 1830, by the Rev. Asa Turner, Jr., who continued its pastor for about eight years, with the exception of a year's intermission in 1832, when the Rev. Mr. Hardy, officiated. Its first organization was as a Presbyterian church, and as such it continued until October 10th, 1833, when it was reorganized under the Congregational system, the reason for this change probably having been the diversity of creed among its members who could more easily harmonize under the Congregational form of government than any other.

When founded in 1830 it had fifteen members, four of them Presbyterians, three Congregationali-sts, three Baptists, and five "from the world" which probably meant of miscellaneous beliefs. During the next eighteen months the membership ran up to thirty-nine. These figures declined in 1832 to thirty-three members. This was the most depressing year in every way that Quincy ever knew: the Indian war anxieties, the decimating diseases of fever and cholera having a prostrating eft'ect upon every interest and the church suffered as well as the rest. Out of a population of about 300 in 1833, 33 died of cholera alone, all within a few days after the first outbreak. During the latter part of 1833, and throughout 1834 and 1835, the membership steadily increased, aiaountiug' at the beginning of 1836 to one hundred and sixty-eight. These figures indicate the proportion of i-eligioiis sentiment and intluenee during the six years following after 1830, and some idea of what was the social condition of the place. It should be remembered, however, that quite a proportion of the church membership and attendance was from outside the town. In 1835 the Methodist church being the second in the place, was organized, in 1835, the Baptist ; followed in 1837 by the Episcopal, and by the Pnitarian and Presbyterian in 18J:0, all of them having had originally more or less of association with the early church in 1830,

An event occurred in the early part of this year, which, though entirely local in its personal relations, assumed, from the principle involved, a matter of national interest, and became historic. It was one of the incipient shadowings of that tierce war cloud which broke upon the nation, twenty-fi^ve years later, leaving it with human slavery swept away ; this being the one redeeming feature amidst the debt and death and desolation that its madness had made. The issues involved were freedom of speech, the sacredness of law and its protection to person ; rights which now stand supreme throughout the nation, and that then reigned undisputed in all cases except where slavery was concerned.

The state of JMissoiiri, opposite Quincy, was slaveholding, and had been settled, largely from Kentucky, much earlier than the laud on the Illinois side. Slaves could easily escape from Missouri, but the chief means of preventing them from doing so was the willingness of the population in Illinois to aid in returning those who were fugitive.

With the feeling on one side of the river that the slavery question must not be discussed, that whoever spoke of it condemningly was dangerous to society, and that the property rights which they held at home, should be eqiially respected everywhere ; and the feeling on the east side of the river that men might say what they pleased, that slavery was wrong and injurious, and must stay at home, and that whenever a black man got away from slave soil, and came under free laws, he became free, there had been gradually growing a distrust between the neighboring sections.

Some time in May of this year two persons resident in Marion county, a few miles west of Quincy, Garrett and "Williams, were found to have in their possession some anti-slavery papers, pamphlets and periodicals said to be of a very "inflammatory" character, though what they were was not stated. These papers were seized and burned and the parties with their families ordered out of the state. A few days later, on Sunday, the 22nd, at a camp meeting in the same county. Dr. David Nelson, a resident clergyman preached. Dr. Nelson was an exemplary and able man, has left an eminent name. He, though simple in many matters as a child, plain and undistinguished in appearance, was a strong and original thinker.

At the conclusion of his sermon a Mr. Muldrow handed him a paper with a request that it should be read. It was an article in advocacy of the colonization scheme. Dr. Nelson was a southern man and a colonizationist, and while thinking this to be injudicious and illtimed, yet at his friend's request, he commenced to read, when a Dr. Bosely rose and ordered him to stop. ]\Iuldrow interposed and an altercation rose, during which Dr. Bosely was severel.v, and it was at first thought, fatally stabbed. Intense excitement followed. Nelson was accused of the assault and his life threatened.

He escaped on foot to Quincy, where he arrived in the night, wet and wearied, followed and almost caught at the river side by some excited and lawless roughs, who doubtless would have given him harsh treatment had they captured him. On the following daj' a number of persons from Quincy, with some from Jlissouri, notified the friends of Dr. Nelson that he must be given up. This was refused. There had been no legal claim made for him that he had committed no offense and he was protected. The determination was shown that a demand for the surrender of a man innocent of any wrong should and would be, as it was, resisted. After a day or two of vaporing the excitement died away, and although feeling still existed and sentiment on the slavery isisne crystalized itself into opposition, no outbreak or violation of law occurred until the following year.

There is a mistaken iini)n'ssion tliat the "Nelson riots," as they were termed, occurred at the time of Dr. Nelson's exodus from Missouri. This is not so.

The first excitement, in 1836, was when Missourians and others strove to take Dr. Nelson prisoner. The second, 1837, was when a portion of the Quincy people tried to put down free discussion on the slavery question. These two events, though connected in sentiment, are distinct in point of time and in question at issue, and Dr. Nelson had no especial connection with the threatened lawlessness in 1837.

and gave a decided inHneuce iu shaping the future sentiments and character of the place and has since been looked back to as an epoch in its early histoi-y. It was what is often mistakenly spoken of as the Nelson riots, being erroneously associated in date with the flight of Dr. Nelson from Missouri and the attempts to kidnap him, which occurred during the preceding year.

The error is somewluit natural, since the same causes operated in both cases. It was the feeling in regard to slaveiy which was stirring the nation generally, and especially along the borders of the free and slave states, resulting in the killing of Love.joy at Alton, and the destruction of his newspaj^er and other lawless and violent acts.

Anti-slavery or abolition societies were organized in many of the northern cities, and their formation was almost invariably attended wtih excitement and often with violence. Such a society had been organized in Quincy. Several meetings had been held and a good deal of feeling aroused upon the subject.

The abolitionists here were few in number, biit a very decided class of men. A very large portion of the people were anti-slavery men, but who did not agree with the abolitionists as to their manner of action. When, however, another large element of the population, composed of men indifferent to or favorable towards .slavery, and strongly hostile to abolitionism and personally so to its advocates, and who regarded the discussion of the subject as hateful, gave out that there should be no meetings held and that these anti-slavery societies should be broken up, the better class of citizens united with the abolitionists in the determination to vindicate the freedom of speech at all hazards. Organization was completely made; arms of all kinds were procured, froiii the musket and shot gun to the hatchet and club. These were carefully stored Avhere they could be readily used, under the pulpit of the "God's Barn." Watch by day and night was constantly kept by botli parties. So closely were the chances counted that a committee from each of the opposing forces passed a night on the river bank, Avaiting, so as to first secure the services of one influential and very effective man who had been absent at Galena. It was Capt. N. Pease, a noted early settler, who died a year or two after. The free-speech men naturally got him.

The anti-abolitionists who had held several public meetings denouncing the formation of anti-slavery societies and the discussion of slavery as a "political and social firebrand," etc., finally gave out word that a meeting which had been called to be held in the Congregational church, the old "God's Barn," under the pulpit of which had been secreted a portion of the weapons prepared for defense - should not be held and that they would break it up. With this idea and its threatened intention circulars were sent out through the county to call in the attendance of their sympathizers to help clean out the abolitionists. At this meeting two clergymen, Mr. Fisher and Mr. Borien, men somewhat locally noted for ability and influence, were to speak, attracting of course a more than usual interest. It was for this reason that the meeting became the occasion of a struggle.

The representative men among the abolitionists were some still well remembered parties. Willard Keyes, Rufus Brown, Deacon Kimball, Dr. Eels, and a few others not needful to name. Siistaining them in the determination that freedom of speech should be protected were John Wood, N. Pease, Lloyd Morton, J. T. Holmes, H. Snow, Dr. Ralston and scores of others who were not abolitionists, but were rock-based friends of free discussion.

On the other side it is needless to name those who, from jjolitical prejudice, or love of rowdyism, sought to lead on the bad elements of lawlessness. They are now mostly dead, and those who live are ashamed of, and disapprove,the actions of that time. The moral force of the community was gathei'ed in for the protection of "God's Barn." In niunbers they may have been inferior. Parties from Missouri and the county came in. The meeting was held at the church, well protected. Some brick-bats were thrown, a few yells lieard, a demonstration was made by the church guardians, there was a scattering of the attacking crowd, and a not small and anmsing number of notables were foinid hiding in alle.ys and fence corners, all of them ne.xt day hoping that nothing would be known about the aft'air.

Granted. Mormons. Politics

PROGRESS. L.4ST YEAR OF TOWN GOVERNMENT. HAMPSHIRE MADE PASSABLE FROM STH TO a2TH STREET. FIRE ENGINE PURCHASED AND CISTERNS BUILT. THE LICENSE QUESTION. THE FIRST MACAD.A.M. THE CITY CHARTER GRANTED. MORMONS. POLITICS.

I'Ast A.Nd Present Op Adams Coumty

obtained, and even when seenred, at a shyloek shave - all the banks of the eountiy, except some half-dozen, having "suspended specie payments," and their paper, of course, a discountable cpiantity in trade: business necessarily running light, values low and uncertain ; producers finding it to be safer to try and consume, thus utilizing their staples, than to sell off at skeleton figures - with all these drawbacks Quincy steadily progressed in population and improved in appearance, OAving infinitely less to its people than it did to its natural situation and advantages. The winter of 1838-9 had been unusually mild, and the health of the place in consequence during these two years was exceptionally good. The number of deaths in 1838 was. according to an estimate made with probable correctness, one hundred, and during the fii-st eight mouths of 1839, counted from the same estimate, forty-eight. This, nearly correct schedule, while not so favorable a record as compared with the mortality tables of later times, was a decided improvement on the showing of the five or six years preceding. With assured health bu.siness prospered in a corresponding degi'ee and all the interests of the town surely and regularly rose.

Weather also favored. The river opened as early as January 17th and though iced up for a few daj-s about the 17th of February, continued open until its final closing on the 21st of December. This was the longest term of navigation known for many years before or since, embarrassed only by a most unprecedented low stage of water through the summer months.

This was a verj- busy year Avith the town authorities, and it is clue to say, as reference to records will prove, that this was. nevertheless, a time when thei'e fell upon the public guardians a grave weight of labor and responsibility, and which Avas by them faithfully and .judiciously attended to. It was IcnoAvn to be the last year of the town existence. A city was soon to be made, and the preparations to be made for improA'ements of A-arious kinds. To meet the rising needs, grades, culverts opening streets, ferry and fire questions Avere Avith their future importance most earnestly met and provided for. There is no city council for the AA'hole forty-four years of city life, which could not take A'ahiable lessons from the action of the last board of trustees of the Toavu of Quincy, Avho Avere neither influenced by political, selfish, sectarian, nor any personal iutei'- est in their actions for the general interests. The responsibilities resting upon these oiBcials wei'e greatly more comprehensiA^e than CA'er before, deuumding important attention, labor and time. As an eviclence of this, the board at its first meeting in January, 1839, fixed the pay of the secretary at $150. For the several first years the services of the secretary had been gratuitous, and only in the year preceding (1838) had there been made any alloAvance. Then $50 AA-as granted, but noAv the greatly increasing duties and Avork of the board which called upon the secretary for so large a poi"- tion of his time made this remuneration proper, and a feAV months after this salary Avas advanced by resolution of the board to $250. still a light pay for the services of such officers and of such clerical experts, as Avere I. 0. Woodruff and S. P. Church. A report demanded by the board in the early part of the year, evidenced that the finances of the town were in sound condition, there being a balance of .$2,580.29 in the toAvn treasury.

The gz'ading of Hampshire street to the river having been noAv done and paid for, moA'ements were made for opening "either Elaine or Hampshire east from the square." ilaine .street then, at the intersection of Sixth. Avas cro.ssed bj- a gully some tAventy feet in depth Avhich made it practically impassable, and farther east from Eighth to TAvelfth it was cut across by similar ravines and i-idges. Hampshire street east of Ninth Avas similarly broken and all of this ground Avas open. There Avas really no good fixed outlet from the square toAvards the east and north.

The settled section of the toAvn, considering its population, Avas not extensiA'e. most of the improA'ements being along the river bank, or around the square and the streets nearly ad- .joining thereto. The greater part of travel passed in and out on the level ridge of Hampshire street. diA-erging near Seventh street by a road running northeastei-ly across vacant ground to about the corner of BroadAvay and TAvelfth. It appeared necessary, as one of the trufstees expressed it. that, "as Ave now have a street made for the people to get to tlie toAAm from the riA-er, Ave ought to giA-e them a way to get out to or in from the country." It was ordered that a Hampshire street should be made passable from Eighth to TAvelfth, and seA'eral hundred dollars Avere appropriated from time to time for that purpose, but it Avas long before the full benefit accrued from this Avork. The improvement of Maine street east was ignored for the present, but later in the year it Avas pai-fially graded as far as Eighth .street. ]Mr. Redmond. Avhose name for the following forty years appears prominent in Qiiincy history, was the contractor. This was his first piiblie connection Avith the affairs of the city.

From that time he probably superintended more work aud had a more ready familiarity with the city grades aud streets than any other man. Beyond this line the street long lay unimproved. Prom this it may be seen that east of Seventh and Eighth scarce anything that could be called settlement existed. It was a stretch of open, broken land, seamed by ravines and mostly covered with hazel bushes, having on it a few cabins and large corn fields.

Much interest and action was taken about this time in regard to protection from tire. A purchase had been made the year before of ladders, buckets, etc., Avhich lecl to the foi'mation of a hook and ladder company. An ordinance was passed requiring the removal of all piles of hay, straw, etc., from within tifty feet of any house, store or shop, and prohibiting the stacking of any such material within the limits of the town, except in "extraordinary eases and by special permission." Later in the year a fire engine was purchased at a cost of $l,12-4.58 ; an engine house built adjoining the courthouse on the noi-th side, and a cistern consti-ncted in front of the same - the latter costing $546 and having a capacity of 300 hogsheads of water. Some of those improvements were not completed until early in the following year.

This i^urchase of the engine was an event, and the company formed for it became an institution. It was composed of most of the young men of that day. Wells, Bull, Morgan, Stone, McDade and other now (1886) "gray and reverend seniors," whose veteran muscles would scarce qualify them to make a creditable run with the machine as they did forty years ago to the town's admiration, were among its members. A tire engine then was as great a curiosity to the i-ura.l people of the west, as the first steamboat was to the Indians, and we believe that this engine was the first one brought into the state, unless Chicago was so provided earlier.

The expense attending all this fell heavily upon the resources of the town, but it was a good investment. One hundred dollars of it was contributed by the Quincy Insurance company, a home institution that went into operation during this year. Its stockholders were all local men - D. G. Whitney was president and S. P. Church secretary. Its business was never large and its existence of but few years' duration.

Previous to this year the government of the town had been through its organization under the general incorporation laws of the state, but the act for a special charter, prepared by the trustees in November, 1838, passed the legislature, and was approved February 21, 1839.

This was a much needed and well devised change ; the new charter vesting in the authorities much more ample power than they had heretofore possessed.

Pursuant to this law an election for seven trustees was held April 17, 1839, when E. Conyers, Samuel Holmes, Robert Tillson, Samuel Leech and I. 0. Woodruff, and at a second election a few days later, John B. Young, were chosen.

An excellent and conqirehensive series of ordinances was passed M'hich with some slight subseipient revision, continued in operation until the next year, when almo.st unaltered, they were adopted as the ordinances of the new city. The tax on real estate was fixed at one and a half jier cent, and a street tax of three dollars (])ei- cajjita) or in lieu thereof three days' work on the streets, was imposed upon "every citizen entitled to vote for trustees," an obligation that promised a handsome addition to the ikmmIciI revenue, but which Ihen and since, has lieeii rai-ely enforced.

The public mind aud the policies of the board were greatly exercised for many weeks by the apjiearance for the first time in Quincy history of the prohibition "Banquo" in a shape similar to that which it now presents, and with the same zealous faculty for exciting public passion and smashing political slates. Heretofore the liquor trad(> had been only regarded in legislation as a proper and accustomed source of revenue, and as such, subject to special tavern or grocery taxation. The moral or expedient features of the matter had never yet been ofticially considered. These now came before the board with the question of issuing grocery licenses for the year, and the record is amusing, both as being the first contest of the kind, antl the prototype ;ilso of many subsequent efforts on the part of oui' authorities upon the same subject, in socking the best way "how not to do it."

Three petitions were presented to the board on Jlay 6th, against the issuing of any grocery license, one having 225 signers, who represented themselves as "legal voters," a second with 40 names signed as "residents, not voters," and a third with 146 signatures of "ladies," and tlie next week these Avere supplemented by a petition of 280 names asking for license. All these petitions were referred to a committee for report. This committee reported that there had Ijeen at the last election 4:27 votes recorded, that in comparing these petitions with the poll books, they found that of the 225 names signetl as being legal voters in opposition to license, only 145 of those names could be found on the poll books, that there were ninety-five names signed to the petition which were not on the poll books, and fifteen which could not be read ; that of the 280 names affixed to the petition for the granting of licenses, only 12(3 appeared on the ijool books, that about fifty names they could not read, and it was impossible to say positively which petition had the greater number of legal voters, and the committee's suggestion that all the petitions be laid upon the table, was agreed to. The board adopted a resolution that they could not find that a majoritj' of the legal voters of Quincy had opposed the issuance of grocery license, and licenses were thence issued without any more delay or question.

The grocery or liquor license was fixed at .^100 per annum, and the license for general merchandise at three-fourths of one per cent on the value of the stock. There were, according to an examination made October 9th, forty-five stores of all sorts transacting business in the town. ]\Ineli was done during this year in the matter of establishing the grades, with a regard to an extended and permanent system. In addition to the opening and grading of many of the central and most important streets, the first macadamizing work was now done, it being a .strip of twenty-five feet in width, down the centre of Hampshire street, from Third to Front, leaving the sides of the street so "that the wash from the rains might carry the dirt from the banks down to the river." Thi.s strip of macadam was for some time the only work of the kind in town.

]\Ir. Redmond again appears as the first contractor for macadamizing, the price given being $3,621/:; per running foot and .$1.00 extra for curbing. Still more careful legislation was had in reference to the prevention of fires, and the office of Fire Warden was created, Edward Wells being the fir.st appointee. This office Avas continued for a number of years.

Stringent ordinances were passed requiring groceries to be closed on Sunday and prohibiting "loud talking." etc., that might di.sturb religious congregations on that day, with severe penalties for their violation.

Looking with natural ambition and proper .iudgment to the necessity of soon becoming a city, the triTstees. late in November, appointed Sanniel Holmes, (ieneral Leech and J. E. Jones a committee to examine the city chartei's of Alton, Chicago and St. Louis, and to draft a city charter for Quincy, the same to be submitted to the board and if then approved, to be presented to a meeting of the citizens and if approved likewise bj* them a copy to be sent to the legislature at the .special session. A special session of the general assembly had been called to meet on the 9th of December. The charter as prepared was presented to the tru.stees and approved on the 30th of November, and on the following week was approved by the citizens, some slight alterations being made.

But although a city charter had been prepared and approved both by the board and the people, all was not yet smooth sailing. Faction had still its pai"t to play, and there were now stirred up the same elements which, existing then, today and forever, did, do and always will, thrust themselves into the van of every public movement, and either destroy the measure by reason of the disgust which their a.s.soeiation creates, or after being ignored in their wished for prominence, seek to annoy and embarrass its success.

The story is almost ludicrous. At a meeting held on the 13th of December, by the malcontents, it was resolved that the proposed charter was "anti-i'epublican in its features, oppressive in its tendencies and premature in its object and design." A protest was made to the legislature against its adoption, unless it should "be first shorn of its anti-republican features, to-wit - P'irst. a i)roperty (lualifieation to the right of holding office. Second, unconstitutional restricti(m on the right of suffrage. Third, exorbitant power in the council to control and affect (?) the interest of the peojile in relation to ferries," etc.

The tru.stees were greatly exercised by the rumored action of this meeting, and appointed a conunittee to call upon the secretary and obtain a copy of the resolutions. This committee, after much delay, reported that the secrctaiy liad twice refused to give them a copy, l)ut that after calling upon him a third time they obtained what they desired "by otter and l)ayment of two-bits." Thereupon the trustees resolved that "in the opinion of this board the proceedings of the meeting are disrespectful to this body, both in the getting up resolutions, as two previous meetings of the citizens had sanctioned the actions of the hoard (with some minor amendments) among whom were .some of the main leaders and officers of the last meeting. "

This amusing account of the struggle over the charter concludes the record of opposition to the city organization. The charter became a law during the current winter, without op-

A financial report covering the period from July 1. 1838, to April 15, 1839. the time when the second town charter went into operation, showed the expenses to have been .i;3,-460.38, and the receipts $4,338.76.

Thirty steamboats arrived during the last ten days of Ajiril. A inimber of new business enterprises wei-e begun. Whipple and Wyeke started a wodlcii mill, jiisl uoi-th of the town on what is now Cedar creek, anil Bond. Morgan & Co., a bakery, these two being the eai'liest to any extent in the town.

Several lai'gc iiiectiims were lield to consider the Mormon matter, at which strong sympathy was expressed for them, and a denunciation of the conduct of the Missonrians, a sentiment which, a few years later greatly changed.

This Mormon innnigration, which had so suddenly commenced in 1838, continued during the early part of this year, but later in the year it began to flow away towards their new purchase at Nanvoo. and before the next winter had set in most nf these strange people had left the cit.v. The story of their persecution had given an impetus tn tiuMr proselytism, and beside those who came from Missouri and the eastern states, there were large foreign accessions.

These last, like the others, naturally came to Quincy, where Joe Smith, their prophet, temporarily resided. Early in April, of this year. Smith (who was a sort of town not(n-iety), with four other Jlormons, fell into the hands of a party of ilissourians, who, under some form or pretext of legal process, were taking them to the Boone county jail, but, while on the route, Smith and his friends got away, leaving the guards all sound asleep. Smitli lici-alded it forth that the '-spirit of the Loi'd had put blindness over his captors' eyes," but the better believed story was tliat another sort of spirit had been temptingly applied to their lips. However this escape may have occurred, whether by a miracle or not, it was a most telling card to be thus played for the benefit of the sect. The condition of these people was very deplorable at this time. They crowded together in the barns, outhouses and sheds and many in huts and tents throughout the town. Some of them were almo.st entirely destitute. They kept up their religious seiwiees and observances, and

There were many varieties of religious organizations here, but as yet, very few church structures. Until this year the old Congregational "God's barn," on Fourth, was the only finished church. Diu-ing this year, however, the Baptist church iin Fourth also, north of Hampshire, and the old JMethodist church, on Vermont south of the courthouse, was nearly finished. Also the Episcopalians finished and occupied their first church, a little long frame building i)U Sixth, north of Hampshire, which they occul)ied for many years.

Kehitivc to tiiis, as showing how much it then cost both to build a church and to attend church, we learn that Bishop Chase, then the Bishop of Hlinois, wi'ites that he found in (Quincy a neat, small Episcopal church, erected at a cost of .')<40(). and that all the pews were taken at a total rental of >|^200. The good Bishop in the same letter says that he paissed through the lloui-ishing town of Columbus, where there was being liuilt <i railroad to each river, east and west. :nid being in the centre of Adams county, this place ^\-ould. from these causes, liecome the county scat, an opinion which leaves to us the conclusion that he was much more to be relied npon as a prelate than a prophet. In November the first German Protestant church was dedicated. This is the brick building still standing on Seventh street, between York and Kentucky. Avhich is at the present time the oldest church edifice in Quincy that is still used for religious purposes.

The election of Thomas Carlin in 1838 to the governorship of the state caused several changes among the political officials of Quincy and this section. Carlin. who had been receiver in the public land office, was succeeded on the 8th of January, 1839, by Samnel Leech, who had been Register, and on the same date. Win. G. Flood, then member of the legislature, was made Register. These were then here and eviM'vwhci'c in the west very important offices, and it is a fact that through all the changes of political interest in the coimtry, these land offices have been well filled, and especially were they so filled in this land district. The register had to record all applications for public lands, and the receiver to take and receipt for the money deposited to secure the a])plicaiit the patent and the future ownershi]i of the land which he desired.

It can be easily seen that with incomjietent officials in charge of such trusts, how nnu'h of vexatious trouble might ensne, and with dishonest and scheming men in control of these offices and acting together, liow pliniiitly they could pad tlieir own pockets and defraud the apjdicants for land, by knowing as they must and did know from having the surveys in their own possession, the character and estimate value of unentered lands.

It was fortunate that the holders of these offices in the bounty land district were men equally of capacity and integrity, and it is well known also that after this land district, which, for fifteen years from its establishment was the most imjiortaut one in the state, was abolished, because most of the public land within its limits had been sold or given to the state as "swamj) lands," the transferred records showed a clearer face and less has come np against them for re-examination than any other of the old land districts of the state. There was a notable line of trustworthy men who occupied these offices and faithfully filled their trusts - Carliu, Alexander, Leech, Flood, Sullivan, Asbury, Rogers, Holmes, iMarsh and Ilauser were successively in charge until about 1859 or 1860, when the offices were transferred to Springfield.

The vacancy in the legislature, caused by Flood's appointment as register, was filled at a special election in November by Richard W. Starr, whig, who was chosen over Jacob Smith, democrat, by a majority of 100 in the county. There were 646 votes cast in the town at this election, while at the regular election in August preceding, there were 671, from which some estimate may be made of the probable popidation.

The political figures show that the whig ticket was successful in the town at this August election. Ebenezer Moore - who the next and the then following year was chosen as the first mayor of Quincy, a very excellent business man and a lawyer of moderate ability; Henry Asbury, now (1886) living and known to every one in Quincy: J. R. Randolph, an old-time lawyer of the town who might have been one of the first had he not been too lazy and who is now a judge in Rhode Island, and Charles Mc- Kee ('all M'higs) were elected as magistrates. This was the first real political issue that had been brought forward to test the relative strength of parties in the town, and it foreshadowed a decided predominance of jiower resting with the whigs, which they secured the next year at the first city election and for several years after, whenever they properly exerted themselves.

The entire vote of the county, including that of the town, was 1.742, a falling off of 300 from the vote given at the regular election the year before, and this year's vote was most curiously cut up and distributed. For instance. Wm.

Richards, democrat, was elected county commissioner by 398 majority, over J. H. Driskell, whig; while Andrew Miller, whig, beat J. D. Morgan, democrat, for county judge, 436 votes, and again J. H. Holton and Enoch Conyers, democratic candidates respectively, for recorder and treasurer, were elected, the first by 130 and the second by 269 majority over their whig opponents and again J. Williams, the whig candidate for county surveyor, ran in by a majority of 55, over a much more skilled man on the opposite ticket.

This was an evidence not infrequent in those days, but more rare in latter times, of indifference to partisan lines, and of hoAV much more personal merit or popularity than party domination controlled local elections.

J. H. Ralston, having resigned the office of circuit judge in August, the governor appointed Peter Lott as his successor, which appointment was ratified by the legislature in December. Lott made a most satisfactory judge during the short time that he was on the bench. While somewhat too indolent and pleasure loving to be a deeply learned lawyer, he had singularly strong common sense, a very ready and candid intellect and much dignity and courtesy of manner. He was legislated out of office in February, 1841, by the law which made five additional supreme judges, and imposed upon these nine judges circuit duty, and repealed out of office the then circuit judges. Judge Lott's place on the bench of this cii'cuit was taken by Stephen A. Douglas.

The immigration to Quincy was relatively not as large as during the few preceding yeai's, so far as it numbers the names of men who in the ])ast have been prominent and are now remembered. Among these were D. AV. Miller. E. K. Stone, Robert MeComb, C. A. Savage. N. Pinkham. A. Wheat, P. A. Goodwin, H. S. Cooley, all familiar names to Quincy history.

First Book Store. Private Schools

POLITICAL. THE TWO WELLS AND THE MARKET HGITSE. PURCHASE OF MADISON PARK. ESTABLISHMENT OF STREET GRADES. FIXING THE PUBLIC LIBRARY STARTED. ROLL CALL OF NEWCOMERS. FIRE DEPARTMENT. GRADING HAMPSHIRE STREET. COUNTY LAND REGISTER. QUINCY WHIG. QUINCY -GRAYS." RAILROAD AVORK. QUINCY FINANCES. FIRST BOOK STORE. PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

Few changes occurred during the year 1837 affecting the political representation of Quincy. The national, .state and local officials mostly re- mained in their places. The exeeptions being that Judge Richard M. Young, who had acceptably filled the position of circuit judge for many years, having been elected to the U. S. Senate. Avas succeecled by J. II. Ralston. Judge Young was the first Cjuincy man promoted to a place in the national councils. He was a conspicuous figure in our early local and state annals, having occupied more various important public trusts than any other Illinoisian. Like his two predecessors. Sawyer and Loekwood, he was a lawyer of ability and learning, which his successor lacked. He was a Kentuckian by birth, eai'ly known in piililic life - having been the first practicing lawyer in the state, a member of the legislature in 1S20, serving through several judicial terms, and always securing popular respect and confidence. Ilis mental qualities were solid, not bi'illiant, Init his judgment was especially regarded and his personal integrity never questioned. Removing to Washington he became clerk of the house of representatives and also commissioner of the general land office. Ilis later years were sadly clouded and finally closed in insanity. His election induced some other official changes. Ralston 's vacancy in the legislature was filled by the election of Archibald Williams, and C. M. Woods was appointed circuit clerk in the place of II. H. Snow, who had occupied that office from the foundation of the coiintx' in 1825. SnoAV also in February was suiqdanted as probate judge, Avhich he had been for the same length of time b.y Wm. (i. Elood, and at a later period Earl Pierce, having i)ersonal]y and financially disappeared in the supposed direction of Texas, was .succeeded as shei-itf by Wm. II. Tandy, elected in November, for the unexjiired term.

The town ])ro(M'e(lings gi'ow in interest and importance. (>ii tlie 2(l1h of Felnauiry the trustees adopted an elahoi'ate revision of the town ordinances, rearranging tin' snme and correcting former errors. Ochlly enough, they i)artially re|)ented a iirevions hlnnder liy omitting ill the first section (on limits) 1o give any bounibiry line on thi> Avest This, however, was not so had .-IS the lilnndei' in the ordinances of lSi'4, where the liouii<hiries were altogether omitted. It would ahnost appear that our old tOAvn Solons were either infected with the i)revalent pioneer prejudice against inelosures, or that they feared to confine the bursting aspirations of the budding young community. This error was corrected in a subsequent revision made in the following September, when a much broader and better revision of the ordinances Avas made, especially regarding taxation and revenue. Street improvements now began to be considered. Commercial alley was opened, this being the first C(n'poration movement, affecting permanently the original surveys. The smallpox being quite prevalent, a pest house was established and the necessary sanitary regulations ordered.

The tax assessment for this year was 4^,- 219.75, of which $475.11 was reported as collected by the middle of June. At the annual election in June, John Wood, W. P. Reeder, Joel Rice, J. T. Holmes and I. O. Woodrutf were chosen as trustees. Holmes became president. Woodruff secretary, W. Willi;iins trciisiircr, and John i\lcDade collector.

With this period began the trouble aliout the public wells and the location of the market, which were themes for town action and town talk for many an after month. The water question, which was comprehended in the project to have a couple of wells dug at the corners of the public square, is with its attendant strifes, an amusing affair to look back at now; but it Avas then a matter of as much relative importance and serious discord in public councils and private controversy as the water -works ipiestion is to our good people today. A well had been ordered to be sunk at the nortlnvest corner of the square and a party had contracted to dig it. He began to dig and all the thirsty souls adjacent with hopeful interest saw the well gradually sink, but the workmen also sank from sight ; work ceased, and water had not come. At the June meeting the board determined to cui'b the independence of this well digger if they couldn't curb the well, and appointed a committee to "ascertain whether he intended to finish it or not." The committee reported tliMt he said not. Another man Avas engaged, hut the result was the same. He proved to be, though a well digger, not a wi'll doer, The job A\;is again thrown up. Finally, ;ifter a year's trnvail, at the first meeting in -lanuary, ls:iS, it was ordered that the well be filled up and another dug at the southwest corner of the s((uare, which was done successfully. Other wells were made, which remained for several years, latterly used chiefiy as feline cemeteries.

The market house question was a much more serious source of strife. A part of the community Avished to have the market house built on the public square. An equal or larger portion objc'ted. After several meetings and much discussion it Avas ordered that Maine street should be the place in Avhich to erect a market house, that the street should be widened Avest of Sixth street, on the north side, as far as the alley, tAventy-five feet, and on the south side "as much as possible." This proposition, after several sessions of the board had acted and reacted, resulted in a report from the last

(committee appointed, at the meeting on December 30th, that they oould not buy the land wanted on ;\Iaine street, and so ended the market house war for this year, while another committee consisting of I. 0. Woodriiif and John Wood was appointed to wori-y over the question during the coming year.

The negotiations which had been long pending in regard to having a new burial ground were concluded at the -June meeting of the board b.y the purchase from E. B. Kimball, at the rate of $75 per acre, of the 8 56-100 acres, now known as JMadi.son Park, at the southeast corner of Maine and Twenty-fourth .streets. This ground was platted and laid off in lots, valued at $10 each. The first sale was made October 10th, and quite an amount was at once realized, nearly one himdred lots being bought. From this date the old burial ground on the south half of the block where the present courthouse .stands (Jefferson Park) which had been used since 1825. was abandoned, and the greatest portion of the bodies there interred were removed to the new cemetery. Much interest at first was taken in the new cemetery, partly from dissatisfaction with the old one ; but itsoon became evident that the new location was equally undesirable, the ground being too flat and wet. To remedy this, it was ordered that on three sides the cemetery should be surrounded by a ditch. Ten years later, when Woodland cemetery was laid out, on so much more beautiful and api)ropriate ground, interments ceased at this Elaine street cemetery, and most of the bodies buried there were gradually tran.sferred to the "Woodland" - it being in many cases the second removal. Still not a few lie on both of the old grounds.

(Contract was made by the board with the Quiney Argus during the latter part of this year to print their proceedings for five dollars a year. Considering the fact that the Argus was the only paper published in the place, and of course must have a monopoly of the prices, this arrangement indicated either a mai-velous streak of liberality on the printer's part - peculiarly difficult to appreciate nowadays - or showed that these proceedings were not considered as amounting to much. At the meeting on September -Ith, the board established the grade of Hampshire street fi"om the public square to the river, and therewith the grade of Front street.

The order for the above is curiously worth publication, both because this was the first definite recorded movement towards a uniform system of grades, with an initial point, at the corner of Hampshire and Fourth, and also from the oddity of its language and provisions. If reads thus: "Ordered, that the grade of Hampshire street be fixed as follows: The summit at the corner of Hampshire and Fourth parallel with the top of the stone foundation at ^lessrs. Skinner and Berry's store, then descend on a grade of seven feet to Thii-d street, then, on leaving Third, to descend on a regular grade to Front street, and terminate with the doorsill of the Avarehouse of I\Ir. Holmes."

What "ilr. Holmes" is meant one cannot know, but as all the Mr. Holmes' of that day are dead (and Messrs. Skinner and Berry also) and their houses have long since been destroyed, one must search here or elsewhere for a Holmes doorsill and a Skinner and Berry foundation to ascertain the precise grade of Hampshire and Front. It is of coiu'se to be presumed that Mr. Holmes did not elevate or lower his doorsill while the grading was going on.

The population of the place was reported as 1.653 - a liberal estimate, not far out of the way, but from which ten per cent or more might safely be deducted. The courthouse on the east side of the square, midway between ilaine and Hampshire, was completed, but not fully occupied luitil the following year : the first court being held there in 1838. This was the brick building which was burned in 1875 - as was its log predecessor in 1836 - it being the second eoi^rthouse of the county: the present superb stone structure wherein "justice is dispensed with'" - as the wags express it - being the third. Talk was had about grading and enclosing the public square, but this was not done until three or four years later.

The fii'.st German Lutheran and the first Catholic (St. Boniface) churches were organized during this year, also the first Episcopal church (St. John's) which for many years was on the east side of Sixth, between Vermont and Hampshire, later removed to the corner of Hampshire and Seventh, now the Cathedral.

A public libi'ar,y was instituted about this time, based chiefly on individual contributions of books. Its career was short: the reading taste of the town being not yet sufficiently general to sustain it; and after it died, and the book.s - what were left of them - were returned to the original donors, no such permanent institution existed until the present Quiney Libi'ary was established in 1841.

A movement towards the formation of a military company was agitated, resulting as a success during this and the following year in the formation of the "Quiney Grays." a most model military organization, which in its drill, perfection and esprit de corps, and attractive associations, has never been excelled by any of the

During the winter of 1836-7 Anton Delabar built tlie first Quiney brewery on Fifth street, between York and Kentucky. It was destroyed by fire. It was for several years the only brewery in the place. The braucli bank of the State Bank of Illinois, was formally opened here on the -Ith of December, at the southwest corner of -Maine and Fourtli streets.

This year, like the two preceding and two following years, was an advent period for "old settlers." We take the arbitrary dictum of calling tliose old settlers who settled here before 1840, for tlie reason tliat of the living and remembered men tif (Quiney, who have seen and been part of its growth, an especially large proportion of them came here, young men, between 1885 and 1840 - a few earlier than the former date - and there are now, or until lately were living, .still vigorous after nearly half a century of active Quiucy life and laden with the weight of years over three score and ten. A temporary line must soniewliere be lain, and in ten or twenty years the chalk mark may loe moved forward to another decade.

Among the well known old settlers who came this year were Nehemiah Bushnell, from Connecticut, who steadily grew in legal recognition, to be considered at the time of his death in 1873, as the most erudite lawyer of the state, and Andrew Johnston, of Richmond, Va., where he now resides, long a leading lawyer here. These two, in the following year - 1838 - were the first editors of the Quiney Whig.

Capt. Joseph Artus, from Kentucky, an old time Ohio river steamboatman, came this year, to remain until his death, some forty years later. He was known and noticeable everywhere as a quaint, earnest man, with an about evenly balanced reputation for oddity and shrewdness. lie was a most inveterate "old line whig." tying his faith with unfaltering devotion to Henry Chiy. It must luive almost made the .jolly old iiimu's bones to have turned in their coffin when i)ublished as he was after his death, by ignorance, as a "lifelong abolitionist," a political distinction which he held in especial dislike, although a decided antislavery man, as were most of the whigs.

Capt. C. J. Swarthout, from New York, settled here this year, and was a marked and active character for some years. Who that once saw and knew can ever forget the form and features of that keen, shrewd, stern old cynic, his crushing comment and scathing satire on whatever aroused his merciless wit to seize and worry; also Thomas Jasper, from Kentucky, who became popular, prosperous and prominent as sheriff, mayor and representative in the legislature, his latter years being clouded by pecuniary troubles and mental decay; U. B. Dimoek, a nu)st thorough type of the unsmoothed practical j-ankee. for many years a prominent merchant and manufacturer : S. M. Bartlett, the well known cabinet maker, a Massachusetts man, associated with town and city matters almost throughout his life : Thomas Ifedmond, a mau of much native ability, who rapidly gi'cw into being the most powerful political factcu- in the city, filling with nuirked sagacity and success many municipal positions and also achieving legislative honors; Timothy Kelly, the earliest representative man of that li'isli clement which flowed so rapidly hither at this period, in coimection with the railroad then being built, a ]nuch respected man whose brave life ended in the ilexican war at the battle of Buena Vista.

Besides these, came Wm-. Shanahan, R. S. and T. C. Benneson, Edward Miller, C. M. Pomeroy, Allen Comstock, and to the county yet later associated and identified with the city the families of Clement Nance, T. H. Castle, T. Durant, Andrew Redmond, F. Collins, of Columbus ; Henry Kent. John Sharp, the Berrians aud Arrowsmitlis, of Ellington , Thomas Payne, of Marcelline. and others.

Tlie town board in 1838 at its first meeting in January appointed John Wood and Joel Rice a connnittee "to report the most beneficial and suitable places for improvements, as well as some ]ilan to protect the community against the ravages of fire." This connnittee recommended the purchase of four ladders of 15, 20, 25 and 30 feet in length ; .six fire hooks, and twelve buckets, "as the commencement of a system wliieh may be extended and improved with the groAvfh and experience of the place in connection Avith the increase of its resources, so as the more fully and pei-fectly to protect our citizens and their property against the ravages of fire." These purchases were made and became the initial of our present fire department. This committee also, in the matter of improvements, recommended "that $200 be appropriated for the improvement of Delaware street, whenever if!300 is fnrTii.shed by private donation." and that it;! ,000 be appropriated towards the grading of a street froju the public square to the river, this first to be offered to those who preferred the grading of Maine street, conditioned that they would give bonds to ensure the subscription and payment of Avhatever said grading would cost exceeding the $1,000 appropriation. Should, however, the Maine street people not accede to the proposition, it was to be offered to those who desired to have Hampshire street opened. The maine street people declining and tlie Hampshire street folks accepting and complying with the conditions, the grading of that street from Fourth to Front was ordered and begun in ]March.

This was the first important public improvemen that the town had undertaken. It was the first straight line communication between the village on the hill and the business on the river bank : the only route before this time having been by a devious road which cork screwed around among the hills and ravines from near the foot of Vermont street up to about where tlie market house now stands on Hampshire. The grade level at Ilampshire and Fourth had already been established. That on Front, which depended so much on where ]\Ir. Holmes' doorsill might happen to be was now definitely fixed by Mr. Parker and some civil engineers employed on the Northern Ci'oss railroad, the work on which had begun here a few months before.

At the June election, John Wood, I. O. Woodruff, Samuel C. Rogers, Samuel Holmes and J. B. ^Matthews were chosen as trustees : on organization John Wood Avas made president : I. 0. AVoodruff, secretary: Andrew Johnston, attorney, and Robert R. Williams, treasurer.

The market house strife, which had been vexing the community so long, came to a close during this year. The board endeavored to bay one hundred feet on the west side of Third, extending from ]Maine to Plampshire, for market uses, but could not get it, and then proposed to purchase lot 5, in block S, at the corner of Hampshire and Third, which trade being made at last, allayed this old fester. There had been an election held in June at which the people by a vote of 207 to 101 decided against building the market house on the public square.

The public wells bu.siness, which was an eciually vexing and deeper trouble, did not as yet dry iip. though one of them did, so it was ordered to be filled up and another one ordered to be dug at the northwest corner of the scjuare.

At the November meeting the board directed the attorney, Johnston, to draw up a petition to be circulated for signatures in the town, and presented to the legislature for incorporation as a city. This was completed, and on December 17th prepared by the trustees, to be oft'ered to the legislature, the boundaries being the same as those with which the city was incorporated a year later.

R. M. Young and J. M. Robinson were yet the U. S. Senators. Col. Wm. L. May, of Springfield, was the member of congress, but he was succeeded by John T. Stuai't, who was elected by 16 majority over Stephen A. DoiTglas, out of nearly 40,000 votes in a most closely canvassed district, which comprised all of the state north of the latitude of the mouth of the Illinois river. This was the first year when party lines between the whig and democratic parties were distinctively di-awn. Thomas Carlin, long a .state senator from this section, later and at this time receiver of the land office at Quincy, was elected governor on the democratic ticket by about 300 majority over his whig opponent. O. H. Browning held over as state senator. At the August election "Archy" Williams and Wm. G. Flood, the first a whig, and the other a democrat, were chosen to the legislature. Williams had been in the previous legislatures as successor to Galbraith who had died. Wm. H. Tandy was elected .sheriff over Tom King, in rather a singular conte.st. Tandy, a very superior man, had been elected sheriff to fill tlie vacancy made by the defalcation and exodus to Texas of Sheriff Pierce. Now when the regular election came up he was pitted against King, one of the most popular and well known men of the county. Then, and until 1848, voting could be made in any part of the county, and each party would secretly agree to mass their votes and take possession of certain precincts. King's friends had a most glorious jollification over the first election returns, but the next two or three days brought in the figures from the outside precincts, and Mr. Tandy was elected. J. M. Hatton was elected coroner; Ralston was yet judge : C. M. Woods, circuit clerk: Billington, recorder, and Frazier. school commissioner.

Prior to 1838. the only newspajier in Quincy, or the section of county adjoining, was the Illinois Bounty Land Register, founded in 1835, with name changed in 1837 to the Quinc.y Argus, and a few years later rechristened as the existent Quincy Herald. The first paper of any place becomes prescriptively historic. The original title of this joui'ual, though now perhaps peculiar, had a then local significance. Congress had, as has been before told, devoted 3,500,000 acres of the public land, in that section of Illinois, lying between the Illinois and ^Mississippi rivers and extending northward 198 miles from their junction, to the payment of bounties (160 acres to each) to the soldiers of the war of 1812. This comprehended about three-fifths of the entire tract, and it also was l^rovided that no land should be sold by the government therein until all the bounties to the soldiers were piiid. Tluis tliis p;irt (if the state beeaiiu' everywhere known as the ' ' Bounty Lands." Later the government land office, and the private land agencies, representing together all the nnsold and unimproved hind in the tract, were located at Quincy.

This paper properly proposed to represent and to make known to the world the values of the fair region whose resources were as yet unregistered and undeveloped. [Mainly was it at first given to descriptions of the territory, its history, that of the several counties, notices of all kinds connected witli the lands and the land business, and its cirt'uhition became gi-eatly extended from this cause. The periodical advertisements of delin(pu^nt land sales in Knox, Fulton, Hancock and most of the counties of the tract were printed in its cohunns. Hence it was well entitled the Hcnmty Land Register. Later, of course, with more general settlements and the establishment of newspapers in the adjacent counties, the character of the Register became changed and its sphere contracted. During this and the immediately adjoining yeai-s, the Register and Argus underwent a kaleidoscopic change in its ownership and management. Young. Woods. AIdrich, Bassett, Bradley. ;\l(n'i-is. Pettitt. Karnes and Booth were off .-ind on its owners and editors. It had a feeble existence until about tlie time that it came under the editorial charge of Austin Brooks, whose powerful jiartisan ]:)en. aided as he was by some vigorous tinancial backing, invested the paper with an attractiveness and i)olitical power such as few joui'iuils have, and which \\\> to that time, it did not possess.

Thei-c caiiii' in now the serond paper of the I>lace. the (^uincy Whig, the first numl)er of A\lii.-li \v;is isstied May 5, 1838 - H. V. Sidlivan, proprietoi': N. Bushnell and A. John.son, two yoinig lawyers, as editors. A few months later. S. il. Bartlett, who had been previously editing a ]>aper ;it (laleiui. came in as a partner of llr. Sullivan, taking the editorial control, which association continvied Avith but a lirief interruption, until Mr. Bartlett 's death in 1852. :\Ir. Bartlett was a man of unusual ai)titude for his chosen pi-ofession, was everywhere recognized as one of the foreniosi journalists of the state, and under the prudent pilotage of himself and partiH:>i', the Whig rapidly rose to a position of influence and success which for many years it maintained. This mention of these pioneer j(Mirnals, and of their origin during the towTi's infancy; the one commencing as non-partisan but finally becoming a democratic organ ; the other, starting out as a representative of the whig beliefs, aiul the two traveling since for nearlv hall" a ceut>u-y on i)arallel lines, is essential because they mai'k an ei)och in (juincy history. It is from them that the annals of the place subsequent to the date of their establishment must be largely learned. There was no river nuiil as yet, aiul none for some years later. A weekly mail by land from St. Louis and one also from Springtield gave the ea.stern news twice a week. The earliest eastern news, however, "in advance of the mail," as they used to call it, was from eastern or St. Louis ])apers. which passengers and the steandioat officers wei'e expected to provide themselves with and for which they had calls at every landing. Many improvements of a substantial nature were now )nade: a special committee, informallj^ appointed by the town board to look after the l.iusiness transactions of the town, reported on December 1-. that there had been to that date, during the year. 33 brick, and 170 frame houses erected, at a cost of .$188,500; $425,000 worth of merchandise imported ; $200,000 worth of beef and pork exported ; $215,000 worth of flour and gi'ain exported. The repoi't was a fair estinuite except in i)lacing the cost of the buildings too low. A maj) of the town, the first one made, and a very good one. was gotten up by I. 0. Woodruff'. A military company, projected during the preceding year, now perfected its organization. This was the noted Quiney Greys, Captain E. J. Phillijis, which in all the elements that combine to nuike that most attractive of organizations, a volunteer militia company stood and stayed while it lasted. A No. 1, and has never been excelled liy any of the flue Quiney companies of lalci- times.

This railroad, projected by the state, as a member of its grand "international railroad system." intended to run from Quiney eastward thi'ough Springfield to the Indiana line, was. ()!- rather that portion of it between Quiney and Columbus was - placed under contract April 23. 1838 and active worlc upon it at once begun. .\s originally survey(Ml and ])artially graded it was to enter the town near what is now the corner of Broadway and Twenty-fourth street. Traces of this old track remain. From there the line ran on Broadway directly west to the river bank. The intention then was to ])lace a stationai-y power on the hill near Twelfth street, witli an "inclined plane" therefrom doM-n the I'iver. Some fifteen years later, when the i-oad had jtassed out of state possession, and work ui>on it was renewed, the line was changed by a cut being- made defleetiug northwest from Broadway near Fonrteenth, thence winding its way through tlie bhitt's and meeting- Front street aljout at its intersection with Cedar. Most of the grading on this absurd piece of work was done, but not all. Better judgment and more skillful engineering foresight foiind that this measure only about onehalf obviated the objections to the stationary power with its "incline." and it was wiselj' concluded that it would ultimately be more economical in every way to abandon a grade which demanded a double locomotive strength to drag from the river to Fourteenth street such a train as could be hauled by a single engine thenee through to Chicago, and, better to tap the original survey some five miles east, and reach that ijoint by a little longer line, bi;t a much easier ascending scale. This was done, but was quite generally thought then, as events have proven, that it would have been fai- Ijetter both for the road and the public if when the line was swung away from the old impracticable surveys, the company had adopted a southeasterly route and entered the city from the south. This would have not materially increased the distance, would have afforded an easy passage through the blutifs. secured more ample land room for future expansion ; shortened the length of the future bridge by onehalf, and avoided much of collision with corporation interests. The influences govei-ning at that time however decided differently and adopted the present northern route.

It had been provided in the general law that this road .should be specially pushed forward in advance of other public works. It was commenced in 1837, and by the time the international sy.stem collapsed, perhaps two-thirds of its grading had been completed, in the state. The first rail, and also the first in Illinois, was laid May 9th, 1838, and on the 8th of November of the same year the first locomotive in the state, and probably the first that ever traveled west of Pittsburg, ran over the eight miles of track, immediately east of Meredosia, which by that time had been piit in passable condition. Within a year and a half after the road was put in running order from Meredosia to Springfield at a cost of $1,000,000 it was run. or rather it crept, after a fashion for sevei'al years between these two points.

The track, though up to the standai'd, was clieai) i" contrast with Avhat is known nowadays. Instead of the chaired T rail there were wooden sti'ingers crossing the sleepers (or ties as they are now called) and spiked down iipon the stringers were flat bars of iron about .sixteen or eighteen feet long. These were then and are yet known as the "tlat rail." fit now only for light local use, but at that time generally used. The ends of the flat bars were constantly curling up and received the appropi'iate name of "snake heads" - looking like a prairie snake with the fore part of his body erect. The pressure and weight of the train on the central part of the rails bent them and forced the ends to fly up. loosening the spikes, and not a week, indeed hardly a trip passed, when the train was not snagged and stopped by the "snake heads" passing up between the wheels, or was cheeked lip while the engineer and firemen went ahead to spike down the rails. And the truth is. because we were there and know (boys were boys then as much as they are now), it was a very attractive occupation for youthful energy with its contempt for the whizzing "loco" - that consumed the entire day in its travel from Springfield to the river, and with the natural juvenile sympathy for what is pounded down as constantly as those flat bars w^ere, it was we say very attractive work for the boys all along the road, to rival each other in loosening those battered spikes and allowing the flattened snake heads to again assume an upright position. Such was the road, a mere fragment of the great "improvement" scheme. It was run by the state for some years at a constant loss.

In 1848-9 that portion of the road between Springfield and Quincy was sold by the state for $100,000 in state securities. The section lying east of the Illinois river was taken by the Springfield and Jacksonville company. Parties in Adams and Brown counties formed a company and were incorporated and organized as the Northern Cross Railroad company, being possessors of all the franchises covering that part of the old state road between Quincy and the Illinois river. They obtained with their charter the right to make a branch of their road northward under certain conditions. This company securing large local .subscriptions, diverting the line northward at Camp Point, completed it to Galesburg, where it met the Chicago-Burlington road, and was finally merged therewith, under the present name of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad. That portion of the original road east of Camp Point was at a later date constructed in similar manner, and by some of the same parties, and finally became part of what is now the Wabash railroad.

This slice of old-time railroad history, well known to parties in the past, is not so generally known at present, and is told in connection with this joint railroad .story, although the story

As one enterprise suggests aiiotlici-. so did this i)r()jeet of a railroad, to run through the central and upper portion of the county, led to a rival movement whieh resulted in the incorporation and organization of the "Qnincy, Griggsville, Jacksonville and Springfield Turnpike company." i\Iore than this was not done, and it is to he regretted; for it was many a year before the i-ailroad communication was complete, and during the time of its uou-completion, for numy a year the "miid wagon" and the "bone breakei-, " held undisputed sway over the route.

The year 1838 was a steady progressive year despite the hard times. Considering the limited means that the town possessed, a great deal was effected, and was done with judgment and economy. The grade on several of the principal streets was established; Ilaniiishirc street was made passable from the public s(|niire to the river; a bi'idge was built over tiie creek on Delaware near Front ; a tire department wa-s organized ; the cemetery enclosed, and a systematic plan of action and improvement instituted, exceeding what had been done in any previcms year. A summary of the receipts and expenditures during' the yeai' ending June 1), 1838, exhibits as received, from taxes, $1,- 775.49 ; show license, .$25.00 : subscriptions to grade Hampshire street, $370 ; sale of cemetery lots, .$255, which with $206.49, on hand at the eonimencenient of the year, gave a revenue of $2,631.98. There was expended during this time, for tlu' cemetery, $956.11; public wells, $109; hooks and ladders, $56; streets arid bridges, $1,070; fees, commissions and suiuli-ics. $379.59. leaving a balance in the treasury of $61.28. The liabilities of the town were reported as amounting to about $2,700, much of which was on the Hampshire street improvement account, and was amply offset by notes given for the same, unpaid taxes, and amounts due on the cemetery lots which had been sold. The current expenses of the town were very light. Xo salary was given to any of the officers. The collector and treasurer were paid by commissions on what passed through their hands. Tliis year for the first time, an allowance of $50 was voted to the secretary. It was pi-oper. The board paid no ofifice rent. They met regularly at Mr. Woodruff's (the seci-etary) office, had his services, used his furniture, firewood and probably his stationery, and there was justice in their act of making this allowance. All the work of the town was done on the cheapest of systems. As an illustration : Jerome A. Swazey was appointed to take the census of the toAvn ; he was also directed to present the jietition for incorporation as a city, to all the voters. He was allowed $10 for liis quite lengthy and responsible work.

During this, or late in the preceding year, the fir.st regular book .store made its appearance. It was opened by Wm. D. Skillman, of Lexington, Kentucky. This business was purchased a few years after by Newton Flagg, who had been clerk with Skillman. Some ten or twelve years later, it was transferred to J. E. Dayton, and is now, (1883) with changed proprietors and name, probably the oldest continuous mercantile business of the city. An earnest meeting was held on the 13th of December, for the jiurpose of founding an academy or high school. A great deal of interest was manifested in this movement by all classes. Articles of incorporation had been previously obtained, but the ])roject moved no farther. The wrong parties sought to father it and it was a failure.

This failure was unfortunate and long regretted. Such an institution coTild have been had and was needed. This was long before the establishment of the present public school system. There were a number of private schools. Bradley, Ilollowbush, Sattord, Miss Katurah Wood, the Misses De Kratt't and others kept good schools, but like all individual enterprises of this nature, the facilities were not broad and the standai'd of scholarship not of the highest.

Political feeling during the sunnner canvass of 1838, swelled higher than it had ever ran before. It will be remembered that then, and until 1848, all elections, other than the presidential, came off' in August, and hence most of the political canvas.siug ran through, and ran oul during, the spring and sunnner months.

Presitlential strifes were not nearly so iml)ortant then as now, and occurring only once in four years, the November elections excited less interest and usually called out only about two-thirds of the vote.

The elections in 1836 had not definitely declared the i^olitical status of Illinois, while that of Adams county remained equally uncertain and did not become a fixed condition until 1844. The whig and democratic nominations at this time were made with the particular intent to develop the strength of their respective parties, and there appeared hut two candidates for the governoi'shi]!. This was unusual. In Adams county also a local l)itterness attached to the struggle IVom tlu^ fact that it was the residence of Thomas Carlin, the democratic candidate for governor, who had also been an extreme partisan, and as such roused much local opposition as well as support. He was elected over Cyrus Edwards by a majority in the state of r).9-U out of a total voti- of 6:_^,502, carrying the county also by 28-1: nuijority in a vote of 2.014. These figures, both in the .state and county more than doubled the aggregate vote cast at the governor's election in 1834, indicating a proportionate increase of population during this four years. At this same election, Stephen A. Douglas, candidate for congress, received 131 ma.iority in the county over John T. Stuart, 153 less than that given to Carliu, while Archibald Williams, whig, and Wm. G. Flood, democrat, were elected to the legislature, beating P. W. Martin and Jacob Smith, the other whig and democratic candidates, showing as before .stated that the political complexion of the county was as yet uncertain.

This, like the preceding and .several subsequent years, was a season of extreme financial depression. No one now, who was not conversant with that period, can realize the conditions of the "hard times" of 1836 and '37 and the few following years.

Among the eai'ly comers to the town and vicinity during this year wei'e Wm. B. Powers, Timothv Rotrers, Jared Blansett. John and Samuel Hutton. N. Flagg. U. S. Penfield. Dr. W. D. Rood. Paul Konantz, E. Littlefield, O. Walthouse, J. R. Hilborn, I. N. Morris, J. H. Best, F. W. Jansen, Oliver Gerry, George Baughman, Philip Sehwabel, Vandorn, ililler. ITiggins, Hazlewood. Abel, George Polkrod, O. H. Bishop, Jacob Wagner. Henry Kent, Byewater. Bradbury. W. II. Gather, J. Schinn. C. Powell and others.

PROSPEROtTS SEASON. DIVISION OF CITY INTO THREE "WARDS. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. FIRST CITY ELECTION. EBENEZER MOORE. FIRST MAYOR. THE OFFICL^L PAPER OF THE CITY. PUBLIC SCHOOL QUESTION. CORNER STONE OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH LAID BY DR. NELSON. FIRST MEDICAL SOCIETY. FIRST THEATRE. JOE JEFFERSON. BEAR KILLED AT LIM.A. LAKE.

Eighteen hundred and forty was an anil)itious year for Quincy. Fifteen years earlier, the place had been chosen and christened as the county seat of Adams county: having then a population of three families, comprising in all. perhaps fifteen residents of all ages.

Throughout the nine years following fiom 1825. its government had been in the hands of the county commissioners, and during this period, with all the drawbacks of isolation : a thin and poor country population to support it; little capital of it.s own ; notoriously and truly reputed as being "unhealthy," sadly scourged for several successive years by fever and cholera, and having a large, rough and reckless element in its scant population, it managed to struggle along to an incorporated existence as a town in 1834. with an estimated population of 700. It was less than that figure, however, since a somewhat carefully taken census in 1835, gave 735 as the correct number. Then, for the six succeeding years, it was controlled by its board of town trustees, with steadily increasing numbers and wealth in 1840, it outgrows its youthful character and becomes the third in the state in age and the second in population.

An estimate of its population at this period (1840) placed it at 1.850, but a statement published some years later by the Northern Cross Railroad Company, made it 2.310 in 1840. The first named figures, however, are probabl.v neai'- ly correct. The valuation of property in the city at this period was !}!912,823.

The winter of 1839-40 was short but severe. Navigation was completely suspended from December 21st, 1839, to February 20th, 1840, but during this period, the flow of ice was unusually heavy, and extended below the Ohio, much farther than usual, proportionately impeding navigation in the lower river. The prosperity of the town, however, considering the general hard times, was less affected by these ice blockades than formerly, for there had been gradually growing up winter business, which afforded employment for labor. The flouring mills and the provision packing houses had now assumed good and permanent standing, being the beginning of large local industries, which during twenty and thirt.v later years swelled into large proportions. The ice business, for which the location of Quincy is so excellently adapted and which has since become so exten- .sive. was not begun until some fifteen years after this date.

The town authorities were much busied by their increased duties and their preparation for the transfer of authority to the succeeding corporation.

In February a i)lan for a market house was prepared and its construction, at the corner of Hampshire and Third, ordered. At the same time, an election was oi'dered to be held on the third Wednesday of March, for a vote on the adoption of the city charter, which had passed the legislature this same month. The future city was divided into three wards : all north of Hampshire foruiing the first: all south of Ilanip.shire and between Hampshire, and IMaine from the river east to Fifth, then south of Fifth to York, thence north of York to the eastern boundary of the city being the second, and all south of the second making the third. These divisions continued for sixteen years, when Tliese reports are sn^yestive. since they conunder a new city charter, the number of wards trast the necessary expenses of the growing in 1857 was increased to six. At this election town with what they had been a few years held over the adoption of the city charter the earlier. Four years before, in June, 1836, the vote stood 228 for, to 12 against. second year of the town ineorpoi-ation, it ap-

20th of April, the three voting places being, ceived .$2;'i4.82, and had during that time exthe Baptist church on Fourth, the courthouse pended ^2')i^ - ijuite a contrast this with the