Excerpts From 1853-1873 Quincy Newspapers
Quincy Daily Whig, May 5, 1853, p. 2
The Facts in the Case
We notice in one of the recent editorials of the Herald, a statement of the comparative distance and expense between the road from the Illinois river to Hannibal, and from the same river to Quincy. Now this statement may mislead, and it is important that the Herald should not be allowed to remain uncontradicted upon this point, as it might be relied on as true, because not denied. The motives for making the statement seems to us to be not friendly to Quincy, though the Herald editor is one of our citizens, for he is Postmaster. It is charged that there is some twenty odd miles difference in the length of the roads. That the road from Naples to Hannibal is some twenty odd miles shorter than the road from Naples to Quincy, &c., &c., that there will be several hundred thousand dollars difference in the cost of these two roads in favor of Hannibal. Any one who has access to a map of the Military Tract can demonstrate for themselves -- the truth is, that from Naples to Hannibal, in an air line, the distance is 37 1/2 miles -- the distance from Naples to Quincy, in an air line, 43 1/2 miles -- difference in an air line, 6 miles, instead of twenty odd miles. Now we should like to know the motive of a citizen of Quincy for such a misrepresentation as that of the Herald. But is is a well know fact that the western end of the Morgan & Sangamon road, terminating at Naples, is made without authority and in violation of the charter. -- That this fact has been recognized by our legislature -- that they intend that the town of Meredsia shall be the western terminus of that road where it will connect with our end of the road, as originally designed under the old internal improvement system of the State. And it is a new feature in generosity and friendliness for the Morgan & Sangamon road, manifested in the Herald, by the Postmaster of our young city; for him to pretend, in this indirect way, that the road to Naples is to be the permanent western terminus on the Illinois river, of that road. . . . Indeed, a road from Naples to Hannibal would necessarily have to run so crooked, if it benefitted Pike county to any degree, and avoided the hill and banks of the creeks west of Barry, that it would be as long or nearly as long as our road from Meredosia to Quincy; besides the expense of bridging the Snycarty, or Lost river, and besides the difficulties of the wide bottom of its sloughs innumerable, this side of the river.
According to the report of Mr. Whittle, the whole length of our road to Meredosia, is 54 1/3 miles -- showing that we have to travel to get a suitable tract, about 10 miles out of an air line. Does any one, at all acquainted with the proposed route from Meredosia to Hannibal, or from Naples to Hannibal, entertain any doubt that the lower [latter] route will have to pass over at least as many extra miles as the northern route? . . . .
Quincy Daily Herald, February 15, 1854, p. 3, col 1
Private Dispatch from Springfield! – The Pike County Charter in Motion! –
The following dispatch was received in this city yesterday: Springfield, 14th Feb. To CAPT. JAT. M. PITMAN -- Pike county charter passed the Senate yesterday by a vote of seventeen to one. Rest of Senators absent, but would have voted for it if present. Internal Improvement committee of House agreed unanimously last night to report in favor of its passage. It will pass the house to-day or to-morrow without much opposition. ROBERT VOETH.
Still Later! – The Pike Bill Passed the House!
Springfield, Feb. 14. To Capt. J. M. Pitman: -- Pike County Railroad Bill just passed the House by a vote of sixty-three to three.
Query -- How much did Gen. Singleton oppose it?
Quincy Daily Herald, April 8, 1854, p. 2, col 2
Pike County Rail-Road
The Pike County Rail-Road Company was lately organized by electing Col. S. Parsens, President, O. M. Hatch, Secretary, and H. T. Mudd, Treasurer.
The business interests of the Road could not have been confided to better hands. -- Pittsfield Union.
Quincy Herald, May 25, 1857, p. 2, col 2
Pike County Railroad
The city council of Hannibal have ordered an election to be held in that city on Thursday, 28th inst., on the proposition to take stock to the amount of One Hundred Thousand Dollars in the Pike County Railroad. The Hannibal Messenger calls upon "every voter in the city" to go to the polls and "vote unanimously for the subscription." That's the way to do it. If there is a "voter" in Hannibal who refuses to "vote unanimously" for the subscription, he ought to be kicked out of the place. That's so.
Quincy Herald, June 8, 1857, p. 2, col 3
Prospects of Hannibal
It would appear by the following from the Hannibal Tri-Weekly Messenger, of Saturday last, that the prospects of that flourishing little city are becoming more flattering than ever, -- at all events in the estimation of its enterprising citizens:
"Our city is continually crowded with strangers from all parts of the United States looking for locations for business. A large number are locating here, others are buying and locating on the farms in the vicinity, and on the line of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad. Now that the construction of the Hannibal and Naples Railroad is a fixed fact, and will be built immediately, we may look for an unprecedented increase in our population. – Hundreds of persons have been watching the progress of this great enterprise, with a view of locating in our city, provided we could secure the building of it. We say to all, come on, the road is bound to be built, and Hannibal is destined to be the greatest city on the Mississippi, north of St. Louis."
Quincy Herald, August 5, 1857, p. 4, col 5
Great Western and Pike Co. Railroads
A correspondent of the Republican writing from Springfield, Illinois, under date of the 23d, says the Great Western Railroad "has a brilliant future to hope for. Already is the Camp Point and Meredosia road in process of construction, which will form a connection with the city of Quincy, and thence on to Keokuk in Iowa. The Pike County road will certainly built before long which will form a connection with the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, making a direct line from St. Joseph to the Eastern cities. That the Pike County road will be built there can be no doubt. Anyone who will take the trouble to examine a map, will see that once that this forty miles of road will be necessarily be built. It has been proposed by responsible parties to built this road, providing the Great Western company would lease it for the sum of $86,000 per annum, being eight per cent upon the cost, but no arrangements of this kind has heretofore been effected on account of the embarrassments of the Great Western road." -- Hannibal Messenger
Quincy Herald, August 17, 1857, p. 1, col. 3.
"The Pike County Railroad Company advertises in today's paper for sealed proposals for grading and bridging this road . . . ." -- Hannibal Courier.
Quincy Herald, August 17, 1857, p. 2, col 5
Eight years ago the only railroad track laid down in Illinois ran from Naples, on the Illinois river, to Jacksonville, a distance of twenty-two miles. Now there is scarcely a county in the State which is not either traversed by or within a short distance of a railroad.
Quincy Herald, September 7, 1857, p. 1, col 6
Pike County Railroad
As our readers know, there has been two or three routs surveyed for this road, at great cost to the company, and the road would have been now completed by for the impression that the two great interests each side of us would built it without aid from the citizens of Pike County. This delay has well nigh defeated its construction for years, and other interests have been advancing steadily along, we mean the road from Camp Point to Meredosia, by the way of Mt.Sterling, and from Quincy to Palmyra -- thus cutting us off entirely. Recently however, a new impulse has been given to the Pike road, and a new route is spoken of down Keyser creek. The citizens along that route, we are informed, have become aroused to the importance of a rail road to themselves, and with an almost entire anonymity, they propose to subscribe to the road, much more liberally than any other route. -- This route will soon be surveyed and we hop that it may be adopted as it brings the road down near the center of the county, and we suggest that the citizens along the line of that route to continue their exertions -- let Derry come up to the aid of the Pleasant Vale friends liberally, and if there should be natural objections to the route it may be secured. -- Pike County Free Press
Quincy Herald, September 7, 1857, p. 2, col 8
Pike County Railroad
Geo. W. Shields, Esq., one of the most energetic friends and directors of the above road, left this city yesterday for Springfield, Ills., where the Directory and Engineers of the road meet to-day to close the contracts for building the entire road. We are informed that the work is to be let to three different parties, and that in a few days the world of grading will be commenced in earnest. This road is now a fixed fact, and will be build in a very short period of time. -- Hannibal Messenger, Sept. 1.
Quincy Herald, September 14, 1857, p. 1, col 3
The Great Western Railroad
We see it stated in the St. Louis papers, that the Illinois Great Western Railroad is advertised to be sold at auction at Springfield, on the 15th of October next. The assignees are J. N. A. Griswold and L. M. Wiley. The business of this road has increased considerably during the last five or six months, but it is said the energies of its directory have been seriously crippled by legislation. At least, this is the reason assigned for the selling that is to take place on the 15th of next month, and not, as many might suppose, on account of a falling off in its business.
Quincy Herald, September 21, 1857, p. 3, col 5
Pike County Railroad
The contracts for grading and bridging this road have been let on very reasonable terms. The engineers will commence surveying and locating the road to-day. They will commence operations on the eastern end of the present, and when the whole road is located, the different contractors will put hands on the entire work and push it through as fast as possible. The Chief Engineer, Samuel D. Barnes, Esq., informs us that in less than twelve months the iron horse will be running on the Pike County Road. The chief engineer's office is to be established in this city. -- Hannibal Messenger, Sept. 16th.
Quincy Herald, October 26, 1857, p. 2, col 2
The Springfield Register says that the Great Western Railroad was sold in that city last Saturday, for the sum of $1,100. It was knocked of to Mr. Cornean. Cheap railroad.
Daily Quincy Herald, January 7, 1858, p. 2, col 3
Pike County Railroad
This work is now progressing with great rapidity. Operations were commenced on the western division about two weeks ago. On Saturday last we paid a visit to Douglasville, opposite this city, and were really astonished when we beheld the amount of work that has been accomplished in this brief period. The road way has been opened through the heavy timber for about a mile, and fully half a mile of grading has been done. A considerable quantity of ties have been prepared and are now piled up along the road, ready for use. This timber will also furnish much fine material for bridges.
We understand that the grading from Naples to Griggsville, a distance of 18 miles has been completed, and that the ties are being laid. A large force is at work on the central division, and we understand that considerable grading has been done in the neighborhood of Barry, so that more than one half of the entire road is now ready for the ties. Should they continue to work with the same energy the road bed will be ready for the iron early in the spring. -- Hannibal Messenger
Daily Quincy Herald, May 19, 1858, p. 2, col 4
The Pike County Railroad
The prospects for an early completion of this road are brightening. Mr. Starne, its faithful and energetic President, who recently returned from the East, succeeded in negotiating several thousand dollars of the Hannibal bonds and there will little doubt that the entire $100,000 will soon be taken. With this funds and the prompt payment of their instalments, by the subscribers residing along the line, the road will be pushed steadily and rapidly along until it is entirely completed and equipped. A large force is now employed at various points on the line, and several patent excavators have recently been brought from the east, to be employed on the heavy grades west of New Salem. -- Pittsfield Democrat.
Quincy Herald, August 15, 1859, p. 1, col 4
Hannibal and Naples Railroad
Our Pike County Railroad Directors inform us that contracts are all made, signed, sealed and delivered, with persons of unquestionable and undisputed responsibility and character, to finalize and complete the Pike county railroad, on condition that the city of Hannibal vote additional subscriptions of one hundred thousand dollars of stock in the road. The balance is guaranteed in Pike county by the contracting parties. In this manner the question will be submitted to the voters of the city to say whether they will have the road or not. With them now rests the whole matter. Can our people hesitate for a moment, in so vital a project. -- Hannibal Messenger
All that remains to be done, then, is secure the completion of the Naples and Hannibal railroad, is to have the citizens of Hannibal vote an additional subscription of stock to the amount of $100,000, which they will probably do. The completion of that road will render Hannibal not only a formidable, by in all probability a successful rival of Quincy, particularly if we lose the Palmyra road. And how is it about this latter contingency? We understand that the parties who have contracted to finish everything, after the completion of the road bed, and go on and construct the Palmyra road, are ready to go on with the work, but will not do so until our citizens have compiled with the terms of the contract. It is said that the comparatively insignificant sum of fifteen thousand dollars is requested for that purpose. Can it not be raised? One thing, we are assured, is certain – that the road will not be finished unless it is forthcoming, and we are also assured that it is equally certain the road will be built and in successful operation in thirty days if that amount shall be raised at once. The matter is one of great importance to our citizens, and it surely becomes them to act promptly.
Quincy Herald, May 17, 1869, p. 4, col 1
Important Railroad Law
We call attention to the very important law passed at the last session of the legislature, which we publish this morning, authorizing Adams county to vote the sum of $400,000 in aid of two projected railroads, extending north and south from this city, and also authorizing any township to vote an appropriation in aid of public improvements, to a limited amount. We publish this law at this time, that its provisions may be carefully considered by the people of the city and county, and especially in view of the public meeting called for Monday evening next at the Board of Trade Rooms which may deem it expedient to take some action upon it.
The projected railroad south through Fall Creek and Payson townships and through Pike county to the Illinois river, and thence to Pana, connecting with two different lines to St. Louis, and with the Terre Haute and Alton road, giving a new competing line, and a shorter and more direct route to the East, is one of the very important roads contemplated by the act, and which in view of the progress of the Pike County railroad from Hannibal to Naples, it is vital that we act upon it promptly. The last number of the Pike County Democrat makes the following encouraging reference to this route, and also speaks of the progress of the Hannibal and Naples road, and we comment its remarks to the public consideration:
A friend recently at Quincy informs us that among business men there the Quincy & St. Louis direct route is much discussed. Quincy has enjoyed for many years past a large trade from our county. That trade the competition of the Hannibal and Naples road threatens to wholly divert. Added therefore to the natural desire on the part of Quincyites to have the most direct and speediest communication by rail with St. Louis and Southern Illinois, the loss of a large and profitable trade from as wealthy a county as ours, and we find abundant reason why every effort should be made on her part to effect a connection with Southern railroads at Whitehall and the roads lying east thereof.
We hear good accounts of the progress on the Hannibal and Naples road. Another hundred thousand tons of iron has been landed, a large force is at work, and the iron will be laid down at the earliest possible moment. We doubted in our chat last week, that any such railroad interests were involved in the matter as to secure the building of a bridge at Hannibal. We have been since authoritively informed that such is really the case, and that the bridge will surely be built, either during this, or next year. The Hannibal and Moberly road is being pushed forward by the parties interested in its completion. When it, and the Hannibal and Naples road are done, there will be no more direct route from Kansas City to Boston or New York than through this county. Consequently it will be of the most importance to those owning these roads, that there shalt be no delay and transshipment at the Mississippi river. Aside from this, however, the financial arrangements are already made that will secure the bridge so soon as the exigencies of the road shall demand it.
Quincy Whig, July 30, 1870, p. 4
Pike County Items
New Postoffices have been established at Spring Creek and Pineville (Summit Station) on the Hannibal and Naples Railroad. W. B. Smith is the Postmaster at the former and Wm. Pine at the latter.
Quincy Whig, July 14, 1873, p. 4.
VICINITY ITEMS
It cost Galesburg $1,500 to celebrate the Fourth.
The assessment of Prairie-City is $891,-620.
Chillicothe, Mo. claims 6,000 inhabitants.
A man died at Meridosia on Wednesday of cholera.
The new Hedding College at Abingdon is rapidly going up.
The C. B. Q. R. R. Co., keep 110 locomotives in Galesburg.
The man who cuts off his head has turned up at Galesburg.
A German Lutheran church has been organizing at Jacksonville.
The public schools at Monmouth cost $10,828.28 for the past year.
The Congregational Church at Pittsfield is undergoing repairs.
Decatur is organizing a company to sing a shaft in search of coal.
Six marriage licenses were issued in Schuyler county during June.
Brookfield, Mo., has reduced its liquor licenses from $500 to $200 a year.
The Warsaw folks think they have a sure thing in the I. B. &W. R. R.
The Beardstown Opera House was demolished by the storm of the 4th.
Over five hundred hands are employed in the five tobacco factories at Louisiana, Mo.
Seventeen marriage licenses were issued in Pike county in the month of June.
The wheat crop in the vicinity of Jerseyville, is badly injured by the late storm.
Mr. and Mrs. E. Keener of Jacksonville, celebrate their Silver wedding on Wednesday next.
Decatur is rejoicing at the number of substantial and tasty buildings being erected in that city.
Pittsfield's display of fire works, cut short by the storm on the Fourth, will be completed on the 19th.
H. Watson, of Alton, has been awarded a $100,000 contract for building car shops for a Missouri railroad.
Nathaniel Minder of Jerseyville over 70 years [illegible] . . . . of age has just returned from Boston with a blooming bride.
It is reported that the grape crop at Herman Mo., the great wine growing district, will be an entire failure.
The successful candidate for principal of the Carlinville Schools, spelled the word "principle" in his application .
Wesley Young, of Carlinville, has just closed a contract with the I. B. & W. Railroad to hedge one hundred miles of their line.
The Knox County seat question is to be opened again. Knoxville having obtained the necessary number of petitioners to that effect.
A small frame dwelling at Pittsfield, occupied by two families was burned Sunday morning last. Loss $500-contents saved.
The house of Westly Jones, 10 miles southeast of Paris, Lincoln County, Mo., was burned a few days ago. Loss $3,000, insured for $1,500.
A subscription is being raised in Knox County Mo., for a survey of the proposed North and South Railroad, which is to pass through Edina.
The corn, wheat, and oats in this county have been badly damaged by the late storms. Farmers blue and prospects bluer -- Pittsfield Flag.
Henry Barclay of Hadley, while assisting in raising a barn on his farm, a few days ago, had his leg broken, by a falling [illegible] -- Pittsfield Flag.
The Toledo Blade says that Daniel M. Crabb of Macomb, who has heretofore acted with the Democratic party, will hereafter act with the Republicans.
President Blackstone of the C. & A. R. R. says that he will have cars running over the bridge across the Mississippi, at Louisiana, before December 25.
An "Anti-Monopoly Convention," for the nomination of candidates for county offices, "if the Convention so decide," is to be held at Princeton, the first Monday in August.
The Barry M. E. Sabbath School bore off the prize banner, offered by the citizens of Griggsville to the largest Sabbath school delegation present on the 4th -- Pittsfield Flag.
Rev. F. A. Conrad, pastor of the German Lutheran church at Beardstown has resigned the pastorate and will go to Syracuse, N. Y. to take charge of a congregation.
Prof. Bailey will ascend in his mammoth balloon on Saturday afternoon, from the Court House, at Aledo, and offers to present $25 to any lady who will accompany him.
A camp meeting is to be held at the grounds at Barclay, commencing on the 6th of the coming month, under the leadership of Rev. Mr. Inskip and his associate evangelists.
On Saturday night, on the south-bound express train on the Chicago and Alton Railroad, an addition to the caucus was made, in the shape of a bouncing boy of fifteen pounds.
Mrs. James Orr, living five miles north west of Pittsfield, was struck on top of the head the evening of the 4th by a descending rocket which produced a sever flesh wound. -- Pittsfield Flag
Madison S. D. White, an old citizen of Fabins township is undergoing an examination on a charge of having poisoned his wife, who died on the 17th May last under suspicious circumstances.
A Monmouth plasterer has received a note from a Pennsylvania man whose house he plastered and papered 33 years ago, containing $10, all because the work is as sound today as when put on a generation ago.
Mrs. Morehouse of Bernadotte township, one evening last week after putting her children to bed discovered some strange movements of the covering. Search revealed a huge snake, which was killed ad measured five feet in length-Macomb Journal.
Four young men who attended the same school at Pineville, Pike county, have met with fatal accidents in the past few years. Two were drowned, one was shot and the fourth, named Cummins, was killed a few days ago by the fall of a windlass by which he was being lowered into a well.
Quincy Whig, September 4, 1873, p. 3.
FOR RENT
At Bayles, Pike Count, Illinois, on the Hannibal and Naples Railroad, the store rooms formerly occupied by the late Lewis Angle of Barry in C. Holt's brick block. -- Inquire of C. Holt on premises.
