La Salle County
News
Transcribed by Nancy Piper
Taken From theAlton Telegraph And Democratic Review (Alton, Illinois)
August 5, 1843
It is said in the Ottawa paper that the small pox had made its appearance in the Southern part of Lasalle county, and also in Putnam county. Vaccination is the only mode of preventing its extension.
Taken From Alton Telegraph And Democratic Review (Alton, Illinois)
September 27, 1845
At Oswego last week, the machine shop of Messrs, Chapin and Metzker was struck by lightning during a heavy shower, and completed turned inside out. There were five persons in the building at that time, and not one of them killed, though all were knocked down and stunned for a time. One of the workmen had in his hand at the time of the shock, a screw plate, with which he was at work, which was struck by the fluid, and melted in two places, and wonderful to tell, he escaped and is now perfectly well. The chimneys were all torn down, and amidst lightning and falling brick they escaped truly miraculously. - Ottawa Trader
Taken From the Alton Daily Telegraph (Alton, Illinois)
June 10, 1853
The trial of George Gates for the murder of Daniel Liley, in Lasalle county last November came off at Ottawa last week, and resulted in the conviction of the accused. The case involved many circumstances of peculiar hardship and atrocity and elicited a very general interest during the nine days of its continuance. The proof of the prisoner's guilt, from the testimony published in the Ottawa Free Trader seemed to be overwhelming. That paper described Gates as a young man, not more than 25 years old, handsome and of very gentlemanly address and appearance. His hands are small and soft, his complexion fair, and his hair glossy; and in every respect looks like a most harmless man. He bore himself however, throughout the whole of his trial, with the utmost unconcern and indifference, and manifested the appearance of a most hardened wretch. But upon being taken back to his prison, his spirit seemed to sink within in, and he wept like a child.
Alton Daily Telegraph (Alton, Illinois)
July 4, 1853
A fracas occurred at the bridge building for the Illinois Central Railroad opposite Lasalle, on the 28th, between a party of laborers. During the Melee, a man named John Thorn drew a pistol and shot a fellow laborer named Michael Considine, killing him almost instantly. Nine of them were arrested soon after by Sheriff Thorne, and lodged in jail at Ottawa.
TAKEN FROM THE COURIER NEWSPAPER, HENRY, IL
January 23, 1857
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD
Until further notice, trains on the Illinois Central Railroad will run as
follows:
TRAINS SOUTH TRAINS NORTH Pass Lasalle at 2:10 p.m. Pass Decatur 7:00 a.m. "" "" 1:35 a.m. "" "" 5:15 p.m. Bloomington at 5:10 p.m. Bloomington 9:10 a.m. "" "" 4:40 p.m. "" "" 8:12 p.m. Decatur 7:20 p.m. Lasalle 12:12 p.m. "" "" 6:50 a.m. "" "" 11:15 p.m. Mendota 12:25 p.m. Mendota 1:15 p.m. "" "" 12:35 a.m. "" "" 12:35 a.m. Amboy 2:20 p.m. "" "" 1:25 a.m. Freeport 5:00 p.m. "" "" 3:40 a.m.
Trains going south connect at Decatur for Springfield, Jacksonville and Naples; and at Pana for all parts of Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, for Balt., Wash. City, Philadelphia, Pittsburg.
Trains going north connect at Mendota with the C.B. & Q. R.R. for Burlington, Quincy, and all towns west on that road; and for New York, Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago, and all towns east on that road. At Dixon with Dixon Air Line Road for Sterling, Fulton City, and for Genevia. At Freeport with the G. and C.U. R.R. for Madison, Jonesville, Beloit and Rockford, and all towns in Wisconsin: at Dunleith with the Minneso. Packet Co's. 1st class steamers for St. Paul, Winona, La Crosse, and all towns on the Upper Mississippi river.
Aug. 15, 1856.
JAS. C. CLARK, Sup't
Alton Daily Telegraph (Alton, Illinois)
June 22, 1868
Hon. Franklin Corwin, of Peru, late Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives and George M. Radcliffe, Esq., of Tonica have purchased the Ottawa Republican, and will be hereafter conducted by them. Both gentleman are eminently fitted for the positions they have assumed. They both have ripe experience in the politics of the State, and possess scholarly Attainments.
Edwardsville Intelligencer (Edwardsville, Illinois)
December 29, 1870
An embankment in the deep cut on the Syracuse and Chenango Valley railroad, between Lebanon Hollow and Earlville caved in on the 19th. Fifteen or twenty men were buried in the ruins, several of whom were killed.
The Dixon Telegraph (Dixon, Illinois)
August 21, 1872
A wholesale marrying occurred at the German Catholic chruch in Peru, Ill., on Sunday, the 11th of August - ten couples, all Poles, from LaSalle, being united at the same time.
The Dixon Sun (Dixon, Illinois)
November 19, 1873
The following is from the Sandwich Ill. Free Press: Mr. George Wallace, of Earlville, informed us recently, that while he was on his way to Chicago, as a representative to the Farmer's Club, he overheard a conversation on the train between Mr. William Munson of Freedom and Mr. D. C. Maylor, a heavy coal merchant of LaSalle, who owns 2,000 acres of land, and employs 4,000 men. They had never met before, but commenced conversing about their family affairs. They both came to Illinois in 1828; both married the same year; both had thirteen children; both had seven now living; both had the same number married; both sent their youngest children to the same school, in South Bend, Ind. Mr. Taylor is 69 years of age, and Mr. Munson is sixty-seven - both stout healthy men "without an unsound tooth in their head." Mr. Munson's first wife was a member of the Hall family, who were captured by the Indians at Harding, when she was but sixteen years of age. Then again, each had four daughters married, and each had one son, neither belonged to a church, and both were Democrats; and both are known to be rich and talented men. Where is there such another couple?
TAKEN FROM THE HENRY REPUPLICAN
May 7, 1874
"Clipper" is the name of a new steamer belonging to Huse, Loomis & Co. It is in size between the Beaver and McCook, and is intended for general work between here and Henry. So says the Peru Herald.
TAKEN FROM THE HENRY REPUPLICAN
August 14, 1879
State News
Herman B. Chapman, the LaSalle express driver, has been rearrested, and the evidence is conclusive that he is the one who stole the $14,000 lost by the company some tiem ago. James W. Duncan of LaSalle, a young attorney has the credit of working up the case.
Taken From The Toluca Star Newspaper
March 21, 1902 - Around About Us
The entire county of LaSalle, by an order issued March 6, by Postmaster General is to have the free rural mail delivery as soon as practical. Several petitions for rural mail routes have been forwarded to Congressman Reeves recently and when the matter was taken up with the postal department it was decided to establish the rural mail service through the entire county.
Taken From The Toluca Star Newspaper
December 19, 1902
Spring Valley and LaSalle Interburan Completed
The steel bridge across the Illinois river at Spring Valley was completed at 10 o’clock last Friday night, and a short time thereafter the first car passed over. The interburan now connects Ladd, Spring Valley, Peru and LaSalle, and there is much rejoicing along the line.
LaSalle Country factory once turned out prized telegraph
(Donated by Charles Steck - Newspaper article date unknown.)
According to the article, the Civil War era had the equivilent of the cell phone. The device was a portable telegraph key called the Caton Pocket relay which was manufactured at a factory in Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois. The Caton Telegraph Instrument Shop was founded by Illinois Supreme Court Judge, John Dean Caton of Ottawa. He was born in New York in 1812. In 1833, John Caton moved to Chicago to study law and then in 1842 became a resident of Ottawa, Illinois where he had moved for health reasons. At the same time, he was appointed to the state Supreme Court.
In 1849, John Caton was asked to assist in bringing the first telegraph line into Illinois from St. Louis. The Mississippi Telegraph Company was formed with Caton as one of the directors. John Caton became as knowledgable as possible about telegraphy and even learning how to send and receive messages. When the company began to fail, he used his political clout to get helpful laws passed and took over as the company president. John Caton expanded the operation into Iowa and Minnesota and was contracted to install telegraph lines along railroad routes. He also worked on improving the reliability of the telegraph lines. To prevent the problem of rotting telegraph poles, John Caton explored swamps in Green Bay, Wisconsin by canoe with Chippewa Indian guides, where he selected Cedar trees for use as more durable poles. In order to have a reliable source of telegraphers and equipment, he founded the Caton Telegraph Shop in 1849.
The Caton Telegraph Instrument Shop produced some of the finest telegraph instruments of the 1800's. The author of "Key and Telegraph" column for the quarterly journal of the Antique Wireless Association stated in the article that telegraph factories as large as the Caton Telegraph Shop were not very common - especially in the 1850's. There were a couple of big shops on the East Coast, mainly in New York, one in Kentucky and the Caton Telegraph Shop.
The article states that after the civil war, this factory in Ottawa was the second largest of those owned by Western Union, who was at that time an industry giant. In 1872 the business was sold to the Western Electric Manufacturing company and the shop equipment and employees were moved to Chicago. They became a part of Western Electric, which for decades was a huge supplier of equipment for the Bell Telephone Company.
The building that once housed the factory is no longer occupied by any business and is not recognized locally.
TAKEN FROM THE MARSHALL COUNTY REPUBLICAN, HENRY IL
March 5,1868
State Items
La Salle is to have a calaboose. The citizens voting, for it - 242, against
- 8. It is a wonderment that such a God forsaken place hadn’t some place
of confinement for criminals long before this.
TAKEN FROM THE HENRY REPUBLICAN, HENRY, IL
March 17, 1881
A fog caused one freight train to run into another at LaSalle on Thursday last on the C. R. I. & P. R. R. Engine No. 19 was badly wrecked and a caboose and one car split to kindling weed.
Taken From The Toluca Star Newspaper
Toluca, Marshall Co., Illinois, Friday, November 8, 1901 - PAGE
2
The blacksmiths of LaSalle and Peru have organized a union. The machinists have done the same thing.
Taken From the Henry Republican
August 1, 1878
Visit to Peru
Having occasion to visit Peru last Thursday we called, in company with Mr. Ellsworth, at the Peru Herald office, in charge of W. B. Tapley. The office occupies a room with high ceiling, and is roomy and airy. It is centrally located in the business portion of the place, and with presses and appliances is doing a good business.
Peru is one of the older towns of the state, and is substantially built up. The Peru plow factory occupies an entire square, and is the main manufacturing interest. Its grain market, coal mining and shipping interests are also important and in a measure extensive. The postmaster of the place, Capt. Smith, is a brother-in-law of Hon. Mark Bangs. We dined with Mr. Tapley and his pleasant family on the hill, who ware pleasantly located.
We shook hands with a former townsman, Louis Lichtenstien, who is doing a good local business here. C. J. Hanck is the leading merchant, and is noted for his energy and extensive business operations. Miss T. Hoyt of Henry is still one of his clerks. Charles Fulford, who formerly resided here, is now a resident of Dixon. We had but three hours in Peru, but remained long enough to notice that Peru was suffering like other places from the general dullness in business, but that in good times had her share of local traffic and prosperity.
Taken From the Henry Republican
May 18, 1879
Fire at Peru
A fire broke out on the nigh of April 24 in Pendergrast’s grocery store. It was not long before the flames burst through the roof, and with the darkness of night as a background, soon presented an frightful and threatening aspect. The inside of the building, with some of its contents, was almost totally consumed. Through the prompt exertions of the firemen of the place, with the river at hand to furnish water, the fire fiend was soon arrested and brought under complete control, so that no further damage was done. The origin of the fire seems to be a mystery, no dwelling being connected with the grocery, and no fire being had, during the day, in the building. It is suggested that oil of a low grade may have been at the bottom of the matter. The amount of damage sustained has not yet been estimated.
Taken From the Henry Republican
January 8, 1880 - State News
A fellow named Colton was arrested at Peru the other day as a horse thief, charged with stealing a fine span of horses from John Hoffman of Mendota. He plead guilty.
Taken From the Henry Republican
January 15, 1880 - State News
Peru has voted to refund her $16,900 bridge bonds. Total municipal indebtedness of the place $34,200.
S. G. Smith has been re-appointed postmaster at Peru.
Taken From the Henry Republican
February 19, 1880
W. B. Tapely has bought the Peru Herald, and will hereafter conduct that paper in his own interest. He has had charge of the paper for the past four years, and makes an acceptable journal. It is with pleasure that we chronicle his promotion and we wish him success.
Taken From The Toluca Star Newspaper
Toluca, Marshall Co., Illinois, Friday, November 8, 1901 - PAGE
2
The blacksmiths of LaSalle and Peru have organized a union. The machinists have done the same thing.
Taken from the Tonica News, Tonica, Illinois
October 2, 1875
Lowell Items
The good weather and roads are being improved by farmers in getting coal for winter, much to the delight on the miners who are very busy rolling out the "black diamonds" from the bowels of the earth.
J. Nickelson's house is progressing finely.
Farmers are improving the pleasant weather. The rain today made it rather moist for those who attended the fair.
Sabbath School was reorganized here last Sabbath. E. Taggart,Supt; A. S. Barr, Asst. Supt and Chorister; Emma Taggart, Secretary and Librarian. L. M. Dryer, Treasurer. S. S. every Sabbath afternoon at 3 p.m. All will be welcome.
Sept. 30th
Anon.
Taken From the Tonica News, Tonica, IL
October 16, 1875
Lowell, Oct. 14th
Mrs. R. Hurd, of Chicago, is visiting friends in town.
Digging potatoes is the order of the day now.
Good health prevails in town, except when children swallow hazelnuts.
Miss Emma Taggart started for the "bright golden west" today where she intends spending the winter.
Taken From the Tonica News, Tonica, IL
January 8, 1876
Lowell Items
Everybody is wishing it for a freeze and colder weather.
Mr. Nicholson killed a hog weighing 870 pounds.
Mr. Hurd's nephew from Nevada is visiting him this week.
There will be exercises in school again next Friday afternoon.
Lowell, Jan. 5, 1876 Anon.
Taken From the Henry New Republican
April 22, 1915
Oil is Discovered Near Lowell.
Due to the fact that oil was found seeping through the surface of the ground on the property of Wm. Boltomly across the rive from Lowell, the Golden Oil & Gas Co., have taken a ten year lease on said land. Last week these new oil enterprise promoters unloaded their machinery and now have it set up and at work. They are down only 40 feet, but that is due to the fact that the drill is now working in solid rock. When through that, the work will go faster. There is nothing new about the oil seeping through the ground in the vicinity of Lowell. Any one who has been along the Vermilion river near Lowell for a number of years has noticed the back oily stuff in the sand and clay. Whether it is in small pockets or in large quantities is yet to be found yet. The latest state geological survey shows this section to be on the north boundary of a large oil field or rather that the strata of earth is such that it indicates oil might be found. In a very short distance from Lowell the stratas of the earth have been upheaved in years gone by so that certain stratas that are cropping out on the riverbanks are several hundred feet deep three miles away. The Oglesby third vein coal (which is 300 or 400 feet below the surface at Oglesby) crops out on the banks of the Vermilion river at Lowell. This break in the earth's undersurface would give a chance for the oil to break through and no doubt make the drilling an easier job. The optioning of the land goes merrily on and if oil is found in paying quantities, it will mean some business for these parts. Here's hoping that this will be a land of gushers - Tonica News.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY NEWS
Taken From The Toluca Star Newspaper
June 6, 1902
New Church for Long Point
It is an assured fact that a new Christian church will be built in Long Point this summer, costing about $4,000; the money has been guaranteed up to within a few hundred dollars of the above amount and the plans and specifications are in the hands of the committee in charge of the arrangements. It is to be modern in style and will be a benefit to the community as well as an ornament to the village.
Taken From the Tonica News
December 12, 1874
The Mendota artesian well has already cost $11,000 and no water yet.
Taken From the Henry Republican
January 22, 1880 - State News
Mendota has been over run with petty thieves and housebreakers, for several months. Finally the services of a St. Louis detective was called into requisition and on Saturday last lightning struck in seven different places at the same time. Considerable stolen property was recovered, and seven of the gang were bound over to appear at Ottawa. Several of the prisoners, although hard cases, belong to respectable families.
July 1, 1880
Taken From the Henry Republican
R. H. Ruggles has leased the office of the Mendota Bulletin, and will retire for the present. He is one of the veterans of the service. He has been the proprietor of a newspaper over 30 years, first at Edwardsville, then at henry commencing in 1852, and thence to Mendota in 1862, where he has remained up to the present. We hope he retires with plenty of ducats to cheer his old age.
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