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Full text of "A brief history of Peoria"

977,35-J 



[Democratic State Central Committee?] 
— A Brief History of Peoria. 
(1896) 



UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS f% 

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF PEORIA 

Peoria is the second city in the State of Illinois in point of pop- 
ulation, but in beauty and healthfulness of location, it is pre-emin- 
ently the first. The name is of Indian origin, the first being derived 
from one of the five tribes of Indians, who inhabited this locality at 
the time of its discovery by white people, and known as the lUini, 
signifying, "Man among men," or "a perfect and accomplished 
man." 

The river, which lends its name to the State, here broadens into 
a lake seven miles long-, from the narrows above the city to the 
wood-crowned height below, and along its margin lies the broad 
plateau backed up by high bluffs, evidently designed by nature as 
the seat of a great and prosperous city. There are few more charm- 
ing landscapes than that which greets the eye as one looks over the 
city from the brow of these high bluffs. 

Two and a quarter centuries ago, in September 1673, when the 
two first white men. Father Marquette and Louis Joliet, set foot 
upon this soil, the history of Peoria began. 

Who were these two remarkable men, for remarkable they were, 
and worthy of a better remembrance than we Peorians of today 
have ever given them? 

Jacques Marquette was born in 1637 of an old and honorable 
family, at Laon in the north of France. At the age of seventeen 
he joined the Jesuits, and in 1666 was sent to the missions of Can- 
ada. He was a devoutly religious man of pure life, and an enthusi- 
ast in his devotion to the one idea of carrying the Cross and preach- 
ing the faith to the Indians. 

Louis Joliet was the son of a wagon maker, born at Quebec in 
1645, educated by the Jesuits, and of unusually bright parts as a 
scholar, but abandoning his clerical vocation, he became a fur 
trader. He was intelligent, courageous and enterprising. These 
two men, with five other Frenchmen and two Algonquin Indians as 
guides, set out in the spring of 1673 to discover the great river, the 
Mississippi. 

Starting from Mackinaw in the North, they skirted along the 
Western shores of Lake Michigan in their bark canoes, passed into 
Green Bay, up Fo.x River, made the portage of a mile and a half 
across to the Wisconsin and slowly gliding down the stream, by is- 
lands, forests, groves and prairies, they at last beheld the wide and 
rapid torrent of the Mississippi -the fir.st discoverers of the Missis- 
sippi in the North, as DeSoto had been in the South, a hundred and 
twenty two years before. 

Descending the river as far as the mouth of the Arkansas and 
and becoming alarmed at the threatening attitute of the Indians, 
they turned back reluctantly, and slowly retraced their way against 
the rapid current, until they reached the mouth of the Illinois. 
They followed its course until the little band, wearied with their long 



g77,3^^ 



12. ..PEORIA 



journey, and Marquette already' stricken with the malarial disease 
that was to wear him out at last, early in September 1673, pushed 
their canoes across the surface of our lake, first of all white men to 
set fo t upon the shores where we now dwell. 

Tl, e following paragraph contains the only allusion to our Peo- 
ria in the pious father's narrative: "Had all this voyage caused 
but the salvation of a single soul, I should deem all my fatigue well 
repaid, and this I have reason to think, for when I was returning, I 
passed by the Indians of Peoria. I was there three days announc- 
ing the faith in all their cabins, after which, as we were embarkicg, 
they brought me on the waters edge a dying child, which I baptized 
a little before it expired, by an admirable Providence, for the salva- 
tion of that innocent soul." 

From Peoria the little band of explorers proceeded up the Illin- 
ois to the head of Lake Michigan and thence to Green Bay, whence 
Ihey had started in the spring, having made the journey of twenty- 
seven hundred miles by canoe in four months. 

Seven years later in 1680 the second visit of white men was made 
"by IvaSalle, Father Hennepin and Lieut. Tonti. 

Robert Cavalier de La Salle was born at Rouen, France in 1643, 
■of an old and wealthy family. He, too, received his education at the 
hands of the Jesuits, whose early instructions and training done 
much towards strengthening his steadiness of purpose and sustain- 
ing him through his many sufferings and hardships, while carving 
for himself undying fame in the annals of this great State. He had 
a reputation for excellent requirements, unimpeachable morals and 
■dauntless courage. 

Henry de Tonty, who wrote his name Tonti, was also among the 
followers of La Salle in the expedition and worth all the rest com- 
bined. He had been an Italian officer and had his hand blown off in 
the Sicilian wars, which he replaced with an iron one. He was 
brave, fertile in resources, and a faithful and reliable follower of 
La Salle, even until the later's untimely and cruel death. 

There were also in this expedition three Recollect friars of the 
order of St. Francis, Louis Hennepin, born about 1640 in Flanders; 
Zenobe Membre and Gabriel Ribourde, a hale and cheerful old man 
of sixt3--four, all of Flemish birth and zealous to preach the faith 
among the tribes of the West. 

The Illinois Indians were at this time an aggregation of dis- 
tinct though kindred tribes — the Kaskaskias, the Peorias, the Caho- 
kias, the Tamaroas and others. The Miamis and Pinkishaws were 
in close affinity of language and habits with the Illinois and all be- 
longed to the great Algonquin family. Their central gathering 
place was on the broad bottom lands between Ottawa and La Salle, 
where Utica now stands, with the historic Starved Rock in the dis- 
tance. Here they had a home with a population of six or seven 
thousand or, possibly, twenty thousand souls. 

It was late in the month of December, 1679, that La SiUe and- 
his party of thirty-three in eight canoes, impelled by three principal 
motives: the spirit of adventure, the spirit of trade, and the spirit of 
the missionary, descended the Illinois river. They passed the future 
sight of Ottawa, a few miles below the lofty cliff, to become famous 
later as Starved Rock, which rose at their left from the water's edge. 



PEORIA .13 

On their right lay the beautiful and fertile land where I'tica now 
stands, and the scene, a few years afterwards, of the massacre by 
the Iriquois, of the Illinois, a &mall remnant only escaping to 
Starved Kock, and perishing there, all but one soul, of famine. 

At nine o'clock in the morning of January 4th 1680, doubling a 
point just below the narrows, about where our wagon bridge now 
spans the river, La Salle saw about eighty Illinois wigwams on both 
sides of the river, which here broadens into a lake. He instantly 
ordered the eight canoes to be ranged in line abreast, across the 
stream. The men laid down their paddles and seized their weapons, 
while the current bore them along into the midst of the astonished 
savages. In this warlike array, the Indian camp in a panic, war- 
riors, squaws and children whooping and howling'. La Salle ard his 
little band of explorers came to Peoiia, two hundred and sixteen 
years ago. 

Here, on the high bluffs opposite. La Salle built a fort and gave 
it that sad name Creve C<t-ur, which, when we rememember all the 
hardships he endured, the disapointments an betrayal he suffered, 
and the final destruction and abondonment of the fort through 
treachery, sounds to our ears across the gulf of time, like the 
tolling of a funeral bell. This building of Fort Creve C<juur was the 
first civilized occupation of the region, which now forms the State 
of Illinois, and indeed, the first in this latitude west of the Alle- 
ganies. It was two years later, in 1682, that William Penn settled 
in Pennsylvania. 

In less than six months after the building of Fort Creve C<jeur, 
during the absence of La Salle, Tonti and the three friars, 'he little 
garrison of thirteen mutinied, destroyed the fort and deserted. This 
was the end of Fort Creve Cd-ur. Even its sight is not known now 
with positive certainty. For a time it was supposed to be at Wesley, 
threa miles below Peoria, but later and more thorough investigations 
would seem to locate it without much doubt, nearly opposite the old 
water works, a mile and a half below the narrows, and a like dis- 
tance above the center of the city. 

This expedition of La Salle, Tonti, Hennepin, Ribourde and 
Membre, was but one chapter in a story of almost superhuman 
labors and achievements, continued with undaunted courage in this 
Illinois valley and farther south and north, until death. 

Marquette, worn out with hardships and fevers, died May 1^» 
1675, and was buried in the solitude where he died, on the Eistern 
shores of Lake Michigan, a little south of the promontory called 
"The Sleeping Bear." 

Father Ribourde, the inoffensive old man, perished in his 6.5th 
year under the war clubs of the Kickapoos. also while at prayer in a 
little grove near Utica, during the retreat of Tonti from Fort Creve 
Caur. 

La Salle, that grand type of incarnate energy and will, was 
cruelly assassinated by his own followers seven years later, near the 
Brazos in Texas, and Membre was butchered by the savages shortly 
after, near Matagorda Bay. 

These, our earliest predecessors here, were all Frenchmen and 
Catholics. We may not all hold the same shade of faith as they 
possessed, but we cannot help admiring their heroic self-sacrifice 



1/0984 



I4...PE0RIA 

and devotion to a lofty purpose. Their memory is deserving of a 
better recognition than it has yet received at our hands. 

This was then the beginning of our Peoria, one of the oldest, 
and in the story of its discovery, one of the most interesting cities 
of our country. 

Compare the Peoria of today with that solitary grandeur of two 
and a quarter centuries ago and what do we find? 

A busy populous city, with its suburbs, of seventy thousand 
souls, extending far up an down between bluffs and lake and river; 
its shaded homes, its stores and shops and public buildings, its 
churches, school and charitable institutions, its broad and well paved 
streets, full of stirring life; its street cars, with all the latest im- 
provements of applied electricity as motive power, forming a net 
work of arteries throbbing with the ebb and flow of ceaseless indus- 
try; its mills and factories crowding the river bank, and already 
reaching out for greater space back of the bluffs; its steamboats at 
"the wharves, tell the story of a progressive and energetic people, 
appreciating the gifts that a bountiful Providence has set before 
them. 

We could elaborate much more fully on the early history of 
Peoria, but as its development has been practical and utilitarian, we 
will not tire our reader too much before he has perused facts and 
figures furnished by some of our leading citizens in the various in- 
dustries that strengthen the life blood of our city, and ask that they 
be examined carefully and full comparisons made, because it is only 
by such careful and analytical perusal that proper and full justice 
can be done. 

THE HEALTH OF PEORIA 

BY DK. EMMA LUCAS. 

The history of the founding of this city; the reason why this partic- 
ular site was selected— is not known to the writer. That it was a well 
chosen spot, time has proven. The commercial factor was doubt- 
less the primary cause of the growth and prosperity of the com- 
munity. In times past the comuiercial availability of a location has 
largely decided where cities should be built. In the future the san- 
itary po.ssibilities of the location will probably be equally studied, 
for prosperity and happiness go hand in hand with health. We are 
fortunate, however, in that this location combines with its com- 
mercial qualifications, great natural beauty and rare sanitary ad- 
vantages. Long before we aspired to a Commissioner of Health, 
Sanitary Inspectors, etc.. Nature had its unsalaried health bureau at 
work for us, sweeping away the. ever appearing wastes from above 
and from under ground. The city lies so that after every good rain 
the streets look as if they had come fresh from the hands of a tidy 
house- wife ; while underground we have a vast body of spring water 
moving southward and "riverward," serving continually to free our 
earth from the bane of the sanitarian— soil pollution. Those who 
have planned our city have /!>/rt;/«<?^ it well, too, in the interests of 
health. It covers a liberal extent of territory, we have no crowded 
districts. Our streets are broad and our buildings low, giving every 
opportunity for free ventilation and abundance of sunshine to all, 
and open spaces are covered with lawns, which add no less to the 



PEORIA, .15 

beauty than to the health of the city. Our streets are being rapidly 
paved with material impermeable to moisture, conducive to comfort 
and health. 

(Questions of sanitary imirortance have not been met with apathy 
or indifference by those in municipal control and in every instance 
the streets have been thoroug^hlj' supplied with water pipes and 
sewers befoic they have been paved. 

In reply to the newspaper reporter's query, the physician in\ar- 
iably answers: "The general health of the city is good." Our 
death rate is small. The very limited -number of infectious diseases 
•*hat occur are mild in type. 

While visiting in an eastern city recently, we were told that at 
times a considerable relief to the crowded schools was afforded by 
the long absences, of large numbers of children, because there was 
■"diptheria," or what not, in their homes. It was also learned that 
the proportion of fatal cases, at the above referred to place, was 
g-reatly in excess of the proportion of fatal cases from the same 
diseases in this city ; showing milder types of infection because of 
better sanitation. There they drink what is called by some "mistura 
Schuylkillii" — a mixture of many things in, the water of the Schuyl- 
kill. 

We have a water supply that may be proudly compared with 
that of any other city in the Union. We have repeatedly availed 
ourselves of the privilege offered to all places in the state, of sub- 
jecting our water to analj'sis at the laboratory of the State Univer- 
sity. It is found to be free from any trace of contamination, free 
from the presence of the evil missioned microbe. We take pleasure 
in recommending its free use to our visitors. 



CITY FINANCES 

BY J.\COB HEIM, CITY COMPTROLLER. 

The following is a statement of the bonded indebtedness of the 
City of Peoria, January 1st, 1896: 



TO WllO.M IS.SVKD 



Peoria & Rock Island Ry. 
Board of School Insp'i'rs 



Bearer 



KOK WHAT 
PURPOSE 



K ai 1 road 
School . 



Bounty . . . 
Waterwork.s 



K.\TK OF 

int'kest 



WHKN DVK AMOUNT 



45.2per ct.l July 1, 1908 S lOO.OOO (Xt 

|- Sepl.l, vm 

JMav 1, lOOS 
•June 1,1910 
iJunel, 189S 

Mar. 1,1902 
I Mar. 1,1903 
! May 15, Vm. 

MaylS, l.S9^ 



4 

4 
4 

4 
4« 

45^ 



4Vr 

5 
7 
4Ji 



$ lCO,tXX) oo 



39,000 00 

8,000 00 

10,500 00 

20.000 no 

21,LWl no 

21, mx) no 

50,000 001 J 
SO,(XXJ00 '-295,000 00 



77,500 00 
42,000 00 



" Ijiwel, 1908^ 195!00OO»|i 



Total Bonded Debt S514,£aJ.O0 

From this statement should be deducted the Waterworks bonds ;29S,O0O, leaving- 
the total ?219,50O, since the Peoria Water Co., (Private) by the terms of its contract 
for the purchase of the City water works, is under bond to pay as they fall due, 
said water works bonds. 



16. PEORIA 

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS 

BY \V. O. CLAKK, COM. OF PUBLIC WORKS. 

While many cities during the past few years have done but little^ 
if anything-, in the way of the making of public improvernents (ow- 
ing largeiy to the depressed condition of business throughout the 
country) Peoria has made rapid and substantial progress in that 
direction. 

Believing that in order for a city to be prosperous, the labor of 
that city must be employed, our city, by making these various im- 
provements, has given employment to thousands of our laboring 
people, that otherwise would have been unemployed and as a result 
we have today one of the best, if not the best paved and sewered 
cities in the country. 

Previous to the present year the city had some twenty-four 
miles of paved and several miles of finely graveled and macadam 
streets. This year contracts have been let and the work is now in 
progress, for the paving of six miles of additional streets, of which 
about four miles will be paved with brick, upon a six- inch concrete 
foundation, and the remainder with Pitch Lake asphalt. During 
the present year the city will also gravel some twelve miles of side 
or cross streets. When these improvements are completed this sum- 
mer, Peoria will have upwards of thirty miles of asphalt and brick 
paved streets and over twenty miles of finely graved roadways. 

In the matter of sewage our city is remarkably well provided 
for. Every street and alley in the city (with Ihe exception of those 
in the extreme Eastern and Western parts of the city, and which 
will be provided with proper sewer facilities next year, plans having 
already been drawn for the construction of these two systems.) is 
provided with both storm and sanitary sewers. Work will be com- 
pleted next month upon one sewer system alone (which has been in 
progress for over a year) thirty-three miles in length and costing 
$311,139.00. Few cities have the natural drainage that our city pos- 
sesses. Located as it is on a gentle slope beginning at the Illinois 
River and gradually rising towards the bluff^s, its drainage is per- 
fect, and by combining- what nature has given us in the way of 
drainage with the most modern systems of sewer building, is what 
makes our city today one of the very best sewered cities in the 
United States. 



CITY POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS 

The Fire and Police Departments in Peoria are thorou,(hly 
modern and most efficient. The value of city property in use by the 
Fire Department is over $100,000.00. In seven first class brick 
houses are stored hose wagons, carts, trucks, steamers, to the num- 
ber of fourteen, and are housed forty-seven paid firemen, who, with 
the Fire Marshall and Assistant Marshall make up the working 
force of the departtnent. 

The Police Department is composed of the Chief, Captain, Sar- 
geant, two detectives, fortv-aine patrolmen and the police matron. 
The city ambulance service is under control of this department- 
Cooperating with and forming part of both the Police and Fire 



PEORIA... I 7 

Departments, is the Electricians Department, which, with its elec 
trician, assistants and operators, one hundred miles of wire, its 190 
fire alarm and police signal stations, is a most important factor in 
maintaining the high standard of the other two departments. 



THE PEORIA PUBLIC LIBRARY 

HY K. S. WILLCOX, IJBK.VKIAN OF PUBLIC LIBKAKY. 

The history of this library' makes a not uninteresting chapter in 
the history of our city, and, in fact, in the history of the extraordi- 
nary development during the last twenty years of the Free Public 
Library idea throughout the country. 

For the Public Library law, which was passed by the legislature 
of Illinois in 1872, the first Free Public Library law to be placed on 
the statute book of any state in the Union, the pioneer and model of 
so many, if not all, adopted by other states since then, originated 
and was drafted in Peoria. 

It was the experience derived in the management of this library 
when it was still a small, struggling subscription library, that sug- 
gested the need of a state law authorizing cities and towns to tax 
themselves for the support of public libraries as they already did 
for public schools. 

This of itself establishes no small claim on public appreciation. 
Nor is it the only one. 

In the spring of 186.S a few friends of the library, hardly more 
than a handful, purchased for the library for the sum of 510,000, a 
small piece of property in the heart of the city. The money was 
raised by voluntary .subscription. 

This property they and their successors in office tended care- 
fully for thirty years, holding it in trust for library purposes, and 
at the end of that time sold it for the round sum of $65,000, net, 
with which they are now erecting, as a gift to the city, the new 
Library building on Monroe street, already nearing completion — a 
building large enough and commodious enough to serve the needs of 
our city for fifty or one hundred years more. 

Such a splendid result as this shows what the foresight and good 
management of a few public-spirited citizens may do for a city. 

In one other particular the Peoria Public Library occupies a 
unique place among libraries; it is the largest Free Public Library 
in the country west of New England, in proportion to the popula- 
tion of the city. 

By the census of 1890 the population of Peoria proper was 
41,C24. It may be .S0,O00 to-day, not connecting our rapidly growing 
suburbs. The Peoria Public Library now numbers 58,00u volumes, 
or more than one for each inhabitant. 

It will thus be seen that while the enterprising business men of 
our city have been building up her material interests until Peoria 
has become the acknowledged center and metropolis of the great 
corn-growing belt of the world, the largest manufacturer of dis- 
tilled spirits and glucose in the United States, the third, perhaps the 
second, largest manufacturer and distributor of agricultural imple- 
ments and also of cereals, she has not at the same time lacked good 



18. .PEORIA 

men of equal enterprise to watch over her nobler, more enduring 
library and educational interests. 

What is now the Peoria Public Library had its origin in the au- 
tumn of 1855 in two small rival libraries— the Peoria Mercantile 
Library, organized October 22, 1855, and the Peoria Library Asso- 
ciation, organized November 8, 1855, which, a year later, November 
22, 1856, were very sensibly consolidated into one, under the name 
of the Peoria City Library. 

In the spring of 1865 the library was incorporated by a special 
act of the Legislature as The Peoria Mercantile Library Associa- 
tion, and the very handsome sum, for those days, of $13,262.50 was 
raised in a few weeks by individual subscription for the purchase of 
the house and lot corner of Main and Jefferson streets, 54x171 feet, 
now known as the Mercantile Library property. This cost 510,000 
as it stood. The building, a dwelling house, was remodeled inside, 
and here on this corner the library has continued to remain until 
now. 

In 1878 the old building was torn down and the present three- 
story library building erected, at a cost of more than $32,000, with 
money borrowed on the property, provision being made to pay off 
the debt gradually from the rents of offices and stores in the build- 
ing. 

In 1880 the City Council passed an ordinance establishing a 
Free Public Library, to be supported by taxation, under the State 
Library law of 1872. 

April 19, 1881. the German Library gave its fine collection of 
1,900 volumes to the Public Library, and in the spring of 1882 the 
Mercantile Library Association turned over as a gift to the Public 
Library, its entire collection of some 12,000 volumes, and leased its 
rooms to the same for a term of years. 

Early in 1894 the overcrowded condition of the library had be- 
come so pressingly noticeable that an agitation was begun to pur- 
chase another site and erect a new building exclusively for library 
purposes. The conditions were favorable. The Mercantile Library 
Association owned valuable property, which, with the growth of 
the city and by careful management, had risen in value from 510,000 
to $75,000, less a debt of 811,000 to S12,000, which yet remained to be 
extinguished, and the Public Library owned 50,000 books. There 
was no good reason why the two should not now unite in the com- 
mon object of giving Peoria a great library to be proud of, provided 
some method could be devised for effecting the union satisfactorily 
to all parties. 

A proposition to this effect was made by the Directors of the 
Mercantile Library to the City Council, and was met with immedi- 
ate and hearty approval. 

In June, 1894, the Directors of the Public Library, supported by 
the action of the city council, purchased for $16,000, three lots on 
Monroe street, neatly opposite the Government Building, 108 feet 
front by 171 feet deep. 

December 24, 1894, the Directors of the Mercantile Library sold 
their property, corner of Main and, Jefferson stree^ts, and on July 
10, 1895, the contract for the erection of the new Library building 
was let. The work of excavating for the foundation walls begau 
.the folio Jving morning, July 11, 1895. 



PEORIA. .19 

The plans contemplate a three-story building. 78x135, the lower 
story front to be of Lake Superior red sandstone, the upper stories 
and the rear to be of red brick with red stone trimmings. The 
main delivery room and reading room will be on the second floor 
with the book or stack room of five stories, each lyi feet high from 
floor to floor, at the rear. 

The building will be ready for occupancy in September next. 

The number of volumes in the library Is 58,()()0, the number of 
memberships in force, May 1, 1895, 5,888. The circulation of books 
for the last year reported, 1894-95, was 136.083. The number of 
periodicals taken and always accessible in the reading room, i.s 250. 

The library service consists of a Librarian and seven assistants. 

A bindery with a complete outfit is carried on in the library, 
employing throughout the entire year, one head binder and three 
assistants. 

The annual income from the city is $15,000. 

Following are the names of the Board of Directors for 1895-96: 

R. C. Grier, President; H. W. Wells, Vice President; B. Cremer, 
Secretary; Henry UUman, C. R. Vanderoot, M. W. Goss; T. M. Mc- 
Ilvaine, Frank Meyer and L. F. Houghton. 



PEORIA'S SCHOOLS 

BY N. C. DOIGHERTV, SLPT. OF PIBI.IC SCHOOL.S. 

In the rapid material developement of the age, it is well for us 
to remember that knowledge is mightier and more productive than 
any other form of power. The dearest rights of man, civil and re- 
ligious liberty, can be possessed only through education, and their 
enjoyment is measured by the enlightenment of the intellect, the 
conscience and the aff'ectioos. Hence whilst there are many and 
varied interests involved in the growth of this city, the work done 
in her schools aff"ects for better, all other interests. Ever)' enter- 
prise that produces good of an)- sort is strengthened or assisted 
djrectlj' or indirectly, by influences emanating from the schools. 
Every enterprize that tends to degrade character or rob the people 
of material good and hapiness finds a powerful antagonist in popu- 
lar education. Every man should seek his own greatest success and 
happiness in the heritage of character secured by his own children. 
The future welfare of the city depends upon the training that the 
children of the city are receiving these present years. Peoria 
through her Board of Education withholds no appropriation, how- 
ever large, if it is manifest that the school children of the city need 
it She is always ready and eager to build school houses whenever 
and wherever they are needed within the city limits, only asking to 
have that need demonstrated. She has provided for the building of 
three such houses the present year, at a cost of sixty thousand dol- 
lars in order to accommodate her rapidly increasing population. 
She feels that everj' additional .school house and every additional 
teacher is only proof that our standing army of school children is 
increased. She knows that the best assets of a city or a family are 
its children. 

Peoria has now fourteen schools in operation and one hundred 



20. ..PEORIA 

and eig-hty-one teachers employed. There are more than seven 
thousand children receiving instruction in her public schools daily. 
On these schools she spends a quarter of a million dollars annually,, 
and she is proud of the fact that there is open to each child in her 
borders an education which is more than eqnal to the best given in 
our colleges half a century ago. The best advanced schools of the 
nation receive her graduates without conditions, thus enabling her 
children to build worthily upon the foundation laid in her own 
schools. 

Her private schools and her church schools are also of the best 
kind. Her system of kindergartens, supported by contributions, is 
one of which any city may be ju&tly proud. Her business college 
is one whose success is shown in the great number of pupils which 
fill many of the best offices in the city. The parochial schools are 
carefully graded, and give to the children committed to their care 
not only the elements of a religious abiding faith, but also a care 
ful intellectual training. In these schools thousands of dollars are 
invested and scores of teachers employed. 

It is the intention of .Mrs. Lydia Bradley, the woman to whom 
Peoria owes so much, to establish at no distant day a Polytecnic 
school which shall be in every way the equal of the best. It will af- 
ford a direct preparation for the active duties of life. It will be 
open to all the children of the city whose .preparation will enable 
them to pursue with success its course of study. 

This school will stand at the head of the schools of the city and 
be an honor to the people. It will crown the many noble works of 
this noble woman, and be for all time her lasting monument of faith 
in human nature and her love for the children of the city. 



POST OFFICE 

BY H. B. MORGAN, P. M. 

The following will show the growth of the business of the Peoria 
post otifice: 

For the year ending June 30th, 1879, the gross receipts from the 
sale of postage was S41,02:>.45; for the year ending June 30th, 1887, 
$70,520.66; for the year ending June 30th, 1896, (estimated for June 
on a basis of June, 1895,) S142,687.00. 

From this it will be seen that the office is doing more than 
double the business of nine years ago, and three and one-half times 
the business of seventeen years ago. In 1879 the office was run at 
an expense of 40 per cent of its gross receipts. It is now being run 
at an expense of less than 30 per cent, of its gross receipts, which is 
a much less percentage than any office of the first class in the United 
States, save one. 

During the calendar year of 1895, money orders issued amounted 
to $121,397.25; money orders paid, amounted to $406,945.26. Increase 
over 1894 in issued, $6,553.74; increase over 1894 in paid, $194,514.69. 

The office employes 22 clerks and messengers and 26 carriers. 

Mail is received by thirty trains and dispatched by thirty trains- 
daily, 13 of which carry railway postal cars, employing 44 postal 
clerks; 86 pouches and 60 tie sacks are dispatched daily and about 
the same number of each is received. 



PEORIA 21 

Letters dropped in any of the street letter boxes in the business 
portion of the city as late as (> p. tn., will be delivered the fcllowing 
morning in Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, 
Cincinnati, Louisville, Toledo or Milwaukee. 

Mails from Peoria reach Chicago in 5 hours; Indianapolis, 7 
hours; St. Louis, >< hours; Louisville, 12 hours; Cincinnati, 12 hours; 
Milwaukee, 12 hours; Kansas City, 12 hours; Omaha, 15 hours; St. 
Paul, 16 hours; Pittsburg, 19 hours; Washington, 30 hours; Philadel- 
phia, 30 hours: New York, 32 hours; Denver, 32 hours; New Orleans, 
38 hours; Dallas. Tex., 35 hours; Boston, 40 hours; San FVancisco, 
85 hours. 

BUSINESS HOURS. DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAV. 

Wholesale stamp department 8:00 A. M. to 5:.30 P. M. 

Retail stamp department 7:00 A. M. to 8:00 P. M. 

Money order department 9:00 A. M. to 5:00 P. M. 

Registry department 7:00 A. M. to 6:00 P. M. 

General delivery 7:00 A. M. to 8:00 P. M. 

Delivery b)' Carrier. — Leave the office for business district 6:30, 
7:30 and 9:30 A. M ; 1:00 and 3:45 P. M. For other inner districts, 
7:30 and 10:30 A. M. and 3:45 P. M. For remote districts, 7:30 A. M , 
and 1:00 P. M. For extra hotel delivery, 9 P. M. 

COLLECTIONS. 

From boxes in central business district, fourteen collections are 
mace, which arrive at post office from 7:00 A. M. to 10:10 P. M. 

SUNDAY HOURS 

The retail stamp department, general delivery and carriers' del- 
ivery from cases are open from 9:30 A. M. to 10:30 A. M. Three col- 
lections are made from boxes in the central business district, reach- 
ing the office at 10:00 A. M., and 9:00 and 5:00 P. M. The one collec- 
tion from other parts of the city reaches the office at 5:00 P. M. 

All out-going mails close at post office thirty minutes before de- 
parture of trains. 



INTERNAL REVENUE COLLECTIONS 

HV J. \V. HUNTER, COLLECTOR. 

Peoria is the hub of the internal revenue world. She produces 
more whiskey- than any other city in this or any other country. She 
contributes more internal revenue tax to the support of the federal 
government, than anj' other city in the United States. A few 
figures will prove this: 

The largest annual collection was that of 1890, $23,126,584.20. 

The largest collection in any one day was that of August 27th, 
1894, $928,830 16. 

The total collections at this point from 1863 to 1895, both years 
included, were S149,020,619.50. 

The revenue collections in Peoria are not so heavj' now as form- 
erly, because under a provision of the new law, fully one-third of 
the spirts are shipped in bond to the various cities and the tax is 
paid at those points. But even now the average dailj- collections 
are over S40,i>00. 

There are in bond now in Peoria over 10,000,000 gallons of manu- 
factured spirits. The tax upon this will amount to 511,000,000. 



22. ..PEORIA 

The distilleries now located in Peoria, if run at their full capa- 
city, would consume 35,170 bushels of grain and produce 167,000 
gallons of spirits per day. Compare these figures with those of 
any other revenue district in the United States and the leadership 
of Peoria will be conceded. 

The revenue bu&iness of this district is transacted in a fine 
$300,000 federal building on Main and Monroe streets in this city. 

The present local revenue force consists of a collector, 10 deputy 
collectors, 4 clerks, 31 gaugers, 39 storekeepers, and 1 stenographer, 
with a monthly pay roll of about S9,700. 



PEORIA PARK SYSTEM 

BY BEN F. CARTWRIGHT, SEC OF PARK BOARD. 

The system of Parks was inaugurated in the spring of 1894, by 
the organization of the Pleasure Driveway & Park District of 
Peoria, under the general law. 

The district is five sections wide and ten sections long, includ- 
ing the city of Peoria, villages of North Peoria, South Peoria and 
Averyville and also pari of Richwoods township. The assessed 
valuation of the property within the district for 1894 was something 
over $9,000,000. The law provides for a park tax of six mills on the 
$100 valuation, thus the revenue derived from taxation each year ts 
about $60,000, The Board of Trustees issued $200,000 of bonds due 
$50,000 in 5, 10, 15 and 20 years at 4}4 per cent, interest, this amount 
together with the taxes of 1895 and 1896 has furnished the means to 
carry on the work. 

At present there are four parks under the jurisdiction of the 
Board : 

Glen Oak Park, situated in the northern part of the district, 
contains 92 acres; most all the improvements made have been done 
at this park, as it is accessible to all. Cost of the land was $93,263.44, 
cost of improvements, tools and labor, $99,204.83. This park will be 
open to the public about the middle of July. A very hands :>me and 
commodious Park Pavillion is being erected for the benefit of the 
public and visitors, who will find there all kinds of light refresh- 
ments, mieals, etc. 

Laura Bradley Park is situated in the center of the district, 
and contains 135 acres. This was a gift from Mrs. Lydia Bradley to 
the Park District. No great amount of improvements has been 
made as yet, but during the coming summer some work will be done 
at this park and when finished as designed it will be one of the finest 
parks in the west. 

Madison Park is situated at the intersection of Seventh and 
Lincoln avenues, on the brow of the Bluffs overlooking the city. It 
contains about ninety acres, cost of same $45,000; this tract of land 
is a beautiful and romantic site and affords a very desirable place to 
establish a Zoological park ; its hills, valleys and ravines being all 
that could be desired for a display of this kind. No improvements 
of any kind have here been made as yet. 

South Park is located in the extreme southern portion of the 
Park District, in South Peoria. This park contains ten acres and 



PEORIA. .23 

cost $7,500. It is contemplated to improve this park as a family 
park, it not being large enough for dri7es. A Pavillion for refresh- 
ments anl shelter, swings and fountains will make it a very pretty 
little pleasure ground. 

BOULEVARDS. 

The matter of laying out boulevards has not been taken into 
consideration as yet, except as to a discussion as to what should be 
done and where they are most desirable. 

One plan is to start on Madison avenue in the city, continue out, 
through Averyville, skirting the brow of the Bluffs at the Narrows, 
following the windings of the river until Prospect Heights is 
reached. This affords an ever changing view of scenery to the sight 
seer, being about 2()0 to 300 feet above the river; this view is in sight 
for about two miles. From Prospect Heights a boulevard is very 
prominently spoken of to lead down on a line with Thompson avenue 
to McClure avenue to North street or Elizabeth street ; along either 
of these thoroughfares to Chambers avenue, thence along Chambers 
avenue to Laura Bradley Park; through Bradley Park along Western 
avenue to Aiken avenue to Madison Park ; through Madison Park 
to Laramie street, down Laramie street to South Park and from 
South Park back up to the city. By taking the route through Glen 
Oak one would reach F'erry avenue, which has a fine asphaltum pave- 
meilt to Seventh avenue, which is also to be paved with asphaltum 
up on to Moss avenue, thence to either Bradley or Madison Park. 

When these ideas are completed and carried out Peoria will have 
one of the finest as well as one of the most complete Park and Boule- 
vard systems in the west, if not in the United States. 



BANKING INSTITUTIONS 



Peoria boasts of the following banking institutions: 



Name 


Capital 


Surplus iod 

Undivided 

Profits, July 1, 

1895. 


The Bank of Commerce 

The Central National Rank . . . 




r 


S 200,000 
200,000 
200,000 
150,000 
30(^,000 
200,000 
200,000 
120,000 
200,000 
30O.0O0 


$ 


30,152 
40,000 
42,000 


The 


Commerrial National Rank 




The First National Bank 




300,000 


The German American National Bank 
The Merchants National Rank . . . 




115,000 
123,000 


The 
The 
The 
The 


Peoria National Bank . . 
Home Savings and State Bank . . 
i'eoria Savings, Loan & Trust Co. 
Savings B'k of Peoria, capital and 


SI1 


62,000 

12,000 

8,000 


7,p11 


Hotchkiss iS: Co. ] 
Peoples Savings Bank, V Private. 
Dime Savings Bank, ) 




The 






The 







All of which Banks are members of the Peoria Clearing House 
Association. 



24. ..PEORIA 

BOARD OF TRADE 

BY K. C. GRIER, SEC. 

The Peoria Board of Trade was org-anizid in 1870. As an asso- 
ciation having care, in a large degree, of Peoria's commercial inter- 
ests, it has been most successful. Daily sessions have been held 
from the beginning, and it has had an active existence. 

The departments of trade, more particularly under its care, 
have made rapid advancement. Its present standing as a primary 
grain receiving and distributing market is a just matter of pride, 
being by official reports of 1895, the fourth in rank, in the volume of 
receipts, excepted in order by Chicago, Minneapolis and Duluth. In 
coarse grains, corn, oats, rye and barley it stands second, Chicago be- 
ing first. Collateral and kindred interests also have received an im- 
petus, giving our city wide reputation and great importance, and 
adding much to the permanent manufacturing interests in which 
the use of grain is the basis of the finished product. 

This organization also has shown active care for and given sub- 
stantial aid in the development of the general business undertak- 
ings of the city, its membership aiding in a financial way the 
founding of large enterprises. 



THE WATER WORKS 

BY D. N. MAUREY. 

The Water Works system of Peoria is universally conceded to 
rank with the best of those in the United States and to surpass 
those of other cities of the same population. 

The pumping plant consists of three Worthington compound, 
duplex, vertical high-duty pumping engines, each of 7,200,000 
gallons capacity in twenty-four hours, or of a combined capacity of 
21,600,000. These pumps work against a pressure of nearlj' 14o 
pounds, and in their daily performance give a duty of 100,000,000 
foot pounds per 100 pounds of coal. 

Steam is supplied to the pumps from six "Heine water-tube boil- 
ers of 200 horse power each, making a total of 1,200 horse power. 
The pumping station is complete in every detail, and from an artis- 
tic standpoint, is, with its grounds, pleasing to the eye of all those 
who visit it. The water is drawn from wells, and is exceptionally 
clear and free from all mechanical and organic impurities. There 
is a reservoir of 19,000,000 gallons capacity at an elevation of 320 
feet above the city datum, into which, when the pumps are working 
faster than the consumers are taking the water, the surplus supply 
is delivered. When the pumps are shut down, the reservoir alone 
supplies the town. 

Ei.trhty-four miles of cast iron mains from four to thirty inches 
in diameter distribute to the citizens water for domestic use and for 
fire protection. There are l,ol2 fire hydrants, all of which are kept 
in excellent condition; and with a constant pressure, varying from 
fifty pounds on the Bluff to 125 pound.s in the lower portion of the 
city, steam fire engines are rendered unnecessary. The excellent 
record made by the Peoria Fire Department testifies more strongly 
than anything else could do to the efficiency of the water works 
plant. 

The rates enjoyed b}' Peoria are amongst the lowest in ihe 
United States. Below will be found a copy of a comparative table 
of rates compiled by the Indianapolis Water Company, with a view 
of showing how much below the average were the rates in Indidn- 
apolis. 



PEORIA. .25 

SCHEDLUK OF WATER KATES CHARGED PRIVATE CONSCMEKS IN THE 
LAKGER CITIES OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE KATES CHARGED 
TO PRIVATE CONSUMERS BV THE INDIANAPOLIS WATER COMPANY, 
OF INDIANAPOLIS. 



Tliosi marked with 
a * are private compa- 
nies: all others arc 
owned by the cities. 



Machesier. N. H. . 
Hrooklyii. X. V. . . 
*Pensacola. Tla. 
♦Portland. Me. . . 
Albany. N. V. 
*Council Bluffs, la. 
Baliittiore, Md. . . 
■*Chattanoof>-a, Tenn 
Worcester, Mass. . 
Boston. Mass. ... 
Newark, N. J. . . . 
Richmond, Va. . . 
*Xe\v Haven. Conn. 

Dallas. Te.x 

'Cambridg-e. Mass. . 
•Charleston. S. C. . 
Philadelphia. Pa. . . 
fall River, Mass. . 
Denver. Col. . . 

*Omaha. Neb. . . . 
^Memphis. Tenn. . , 
Vicksburir, Miss. . , 
Toledo, Ohio . . 

Mobile, Ala, 

Newport. Ky 

Chicago. Ill 

*Topeka, Kan. . . . 
Dayton, Ohio . . . . 
"^Leavenworth, Kan. 
<;oving'ton, Ky. , . 
*Dubuque. la, . . . 
Nashville. Tenn. . . 
St. Louis, Mo, . . . 
Allet/'heny, Penn. . . 
-Pilt-^burg, Penn. . . 
Detroit, Mich. . 
Louisville, Ky. . . 
■Cincinnati, Ohio . . 
Milwaukee. Wis. . . 
*Syracuse, N. Y. . . 
Spring-field, Ohio . . 

Buffalo N. Y 

Grand Rapids. Mich, 
St. Paul, Minn. 
*Des Moines, Iowa . 
*New Orleans. La. . 
Sprinefield. Mass. . 
New York City . . 
♦Montt'omery, Ala. . 
*San Francii^co, Cal. 
♦Oakland, Cal. . . . 
Burlintflon, Vt. . , . 
*KaDsas City, Mo, 
*Peoria, 111. . . 

W^ilmint'lon, N. C. , 
*Ft. smith. Ark. . . 
Wkeeling-, W. Va. . , 

Total 

Average 

.Indianapolis, Ind. 



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The water .supplied by the Peoria Water Co. is exceeding-lj' 
clear, cool and sparkling-, and its healthfulnesi and piiri'i}- are 
untjucstioned. 



26...PE0RIA 

THE DAILY PRESS OF PEORIA 

Forty years ago Peoria was noted for the brilliancy of its bar 
and the force and enterprise of its press. The newspaper history of 
the city begins with March 10, 1834, when Abram Buxton issued the 
first copy of the Illinois Champion. Buxton was a clever man and 
had been a partner of George D. Prentice, who afterwards rose to 
fame as the editor of the Louisville Journal, so that the press of 
Peoria was blessed with an excellent sire. The Champion rapidly 
achieved a state-wide reputation which did not begin to fade until 
Buxton was seized with consumption and sank into the grave. The 
Champion outlived him three years and was at the end of that time 
displaced by the Peoria Register and Northwestern Gazette. The 
latter part of this lengthy title was subsequently dropped and the 
sheet became knDwn as the Peoria Register. It espoused the can- 
didacy of Henry Clay for the presidency in 1844 and achieved a wide 
reputation. The first daily paper in Peoria, was published in 
the following year, and like the first weekly published here, was 
called the Champion. The plant and ofifice of this sheet was de- 
stroyed by fire, in which the publisher and editor lost their lives. 

The Peoria Democratic Press was established in Febcuary, 1840, 
and with various changes of ownership it lived until 1857. The 
Peoria American was started July, 1845, and was the first paper in 
the state to place the name of " Rough and Ready " at the head of 
its editorial columns. The first number of the Peoria Daily Reg- 
ister was issued on June 23, 1848, but it lived only three months. In 
1850 the Peoria Republican was founded and in a short time achieved 
a moit satisfactory success. The Peoria Transcript, now the oldest 
paper in the city, was established in November, 1855, bj' N. C. Nason 
and had but an indifferent career until the late Enoch Emery 
mounted its editorial tripod in 1860. Emery was a trenchant writer, 
and for twenty years the Transcript was a power in Central Illinois 
politics. Since then it has seen various vicissitudes but is now on a 
sounder financial basis than it ever was. 

In 1865, W. T. Dowdall came to Peoria and established the Peoria 
National Democrat which, after a precarious existence, departed this 
life eight years ago, leaving the second city in the state without a 
Democratic paper. The field, however, was so inviting that it did 
not long lie follow. A little over seven years ago the Herald Pub 
lishing Company was organized and at once gave Peoria the best 
Democratic daily it ever had, which in a short time, in the way of ad- 
vertising patronage and circulation worked its way to the head of 
the newspaper business in this city and now ranks among the most 
enterprising and successful newspapers in the state. Other English 
dailies in Peoria are the Times and the Journal, both afternoon 
sheets. The Peoria Journal started as a daily in the fall of 1877, 
having been run as a weekly for about two years. It was printed in 
small quarters on Hamilton street below Adams for about seven 
years, when the office was moved into the Opera House building, its 
present home. The Journal is an eight paged, eight column quarto, 
the typesetting being done by six Mergenthaler machines owned by 
the paper, and the press-work is done by two large perfecting presses. 
The owner is now getting ready to discard the present mode of 
stereotyping and introduce a new process machine, the first to be put 



PEORIA. .27 

in operation west of the Alleghany Mountains. The Journal is Re- 
publican if. politics, like its afternoon contemporary The Times, 
which is issued from The Transcript office. Both papers have large 
circulations in Peoria and Central Illinois. 

The first German newspaper published in Peoria was the Illinois 
Banner, edited and published by A. Zotz, and of which the first num- 
ber was issued in 1852. The same man, in 1860, established the Daily 
and Weekly Demokrat, and these pipers, in 1864, passed into the 
hands of Bernard Cremer, their present owner, and who is at the 
present time possessed of more solid wealth than nearly all the other 
newspaper men in Peoria put together. Die Sonne was established 
fifteen years ago iby L. Ph. Wolf, who has made it one of the most 
successful publications in this section of the country. It is Repub- 
lican in politics and wields considerable influence in the councils of 
its party. 



THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION 

BY \V. H. KKUBAKER, SEC. 

The Young Men's Christian Association of the city of Peoria 
was organized seventeen years ago, and has constantly been a 
factor in the life of the young men of the city. At present it occu- 
pies a magnificent six story edifice opposite the Court House on 
Jefferson avenue, the property of the association. This building is 
the gift of the generous citizens of Peoria, the money therefor be- 
ing raised by popular subscription. 

The association occupies the basement, the rear of the first 
floor, all of the second floor and the rear of the third floor for its 
own work. The rest of the building is rented for office purposes. 

The association stands for the physical, intellectual and moral 
welfare of the young men. Its membership is open to young men 
of every class, nationality and creed. It offers to young men, for a 
nominal fee, a magnificent list of privileges. The present member- 
ship is over one thousand. 

The association extends to all delegates to the Democratio State 
Convention a most cordial invitation to make the rooms of the asso- 
ciation their headquarters during their stay in the city, and will be 
glad to extend to them every possible courtesy. 



YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION 

BY MISS PALMER, BEC 

Every city to-day tliat is a progressive and energetic one points 
with pride to a Young Womens Christian Association as one of its 
beneficient influences, first to young women, through them to the 
whole city. What is the aim of your work ? is the question repeat- 
edly asked by those who first come to know of us. 

Our aim as young women, members of this organization, is to 
help every young woman in every way. 

We are not a charitable nor a philanthropic organization in any 
possible way. The membership fees pay the salary of a General 



28. .PEORIA 

Secretary. The g-yinaasium fees meet the salary of a Physical 
Director, the Lunch Department not only pays for itself but is a 
scarce of revenue to the Association, hence we only call upon the 
business men of our city to furnish us funds sufficient to pay the 
rent of a building and its equipment, such a structure to stand for 
the highest and truest womanhood of this city. 

We truly believe that no organization in this city from a busi- 
ness standpoint accomplishes as much for the same amount of 
money expended, $2,000 per year. A careful and conscientious 
Board of Managers uses the funds placed in its hands in the most 
judicious way. 

Are you reaching the class of young women you desire to reach ? 
is another question often asked. Our answer is; just as long as one 
young woman in this city is receiving help from this Association, 
which she would not otherwise receive, whether she be rich or poor, 
learned or ignorant, Christian or non-Christian, just so far, are we 
reaching the class we desire to reach. We recognize the equality 
of young womanhood with character as a standard for each and all. 

Any young woman of the city of good moral character is privi- 
leged to become a member of this Association and enjoy the advan- 
tages offered to all. 

The aim of our work is four-fold. The symmetrical develop- 
ment of young womanhood through three channels, all of which 
converge to the one great source of all, the spiritual development of 
young womanhood. 

The first is the physical, that the young women may understand 
that this is a day when they must be strong in body to do the work 
assigned them in the world. A gymnasium is equipped, in order 
that we may have the apparatus needed for the best results, A 
Physical Directress, who thoroughly understands her work, stands 
at the head of this department and twice each week, the young 
women meet to expand their chests, straighten their backs, enlarge 
their muscles and redden their cheeks. 

The second department is the social, to provide a wholesome 
atmosphere in the rooms, where girls can meet as girls— having 
thrown about them all the influences that tend to culture and refine- 
ment. 

Socials are held twice each month, practical talks are given, 
many times we have interesting and instructive addresses upon 
subjects of travel, history, art and literature. 

The great social feature which may not at first thought, seem to 
come under this head is the Lunch Room, where many young 
women come each day to obtain in a quiet homelike place, a simple 
well cooked luncheon, daintily served for a reasonable price. 

The noon hour is then spent in the Rest Room, at the Reading 
Table, or chatting in the parlors, just as each one chooses. 

The third department is the Educational which aims to offer a 
systematic course of study with competent teachers, for 20 weeks of 
the year. During the past year classes have been maintained as 
follows : Arithmetic, reading circle, French, German, bookkeeping, 
shorthand, choral, instrumental, cooking, fancy work, mandolin and 
guitar. Any young woman who has little time to pursue the studies 
she desires, under the instruction of a teacher one hour each week, 
with some work at home, can secure lasting results. 



PEORIA. 29 

Not only do we seek to meet the present demand but we further 
desire to create the demand. We urg^e upon every young woman to 
hasten to "redeem the time" by making- the best use of her leisure 
moments. 

The department into which every other converges is the 
spiritual— here we aim to lift high the standard of Christianity, and 
to acquaint every young woman with the life of its founder, our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing Him they will know the secret of 
honest living and will become more like Him, who came not to be 
ministered unto but to minister, whose life was a living beatitude. 

The Young Womens Christian Association with its 625 members 
is endeavoring to spread its influence among the young women of 
this city. The growth in two years has been very rapid and our one 
desire at present is that we may have in this city a much larger 
home to meet the present needs, whose walls shall be dedicated to 
the physical, social, intellectual and spiritual development of the 
8000 young women of the city of Peoria. 



LABOR ORGANIZATIONS IN PEORIA 

BY W. S. BUSH. 

The labor organizations in Peoria are an important factor in the 
community — in both a business and a social capacity. It has taken 
years of toil and worry on the part of the leaders to establish 
them on the basis they now stand. To take away the labor unions 
of Peoria would be almost as great a calamity as to take away 
all of the churches. The union is the laboring man's church, social 
club and board of trade. Take them away and wages would drop — 
the masses would be without a guiding star. Those who belong to 
the labor unions can best tell of their benefits— yet the unorganized 
also are benefitted by the organized effort. 

The Trades and Labor Assembly of Peoria and vicinity was 
organized on March 21, 1885, and is affiliated with the Illinois State 
Federation of Labor. Since its organization it has held steadily to 
the course for which it was created, viz: to represent the different 
bodies affiliated and to look after the general welfare of the laboring 
classes. Almost every union in the city is represented in the assem- 
bly. Each organization is entitled to three delegates. Among the 
principal unions of the city we give a very short sketch. 

Peoria Typographical Union, No. 29, is the oldest union in the 
city. It has for its members all of the skilled printers in the job 
printing, magazine and newspaper work. They practically have 
every printer in town. 

The Tailors' Union, No. 19, is not as strong numerically as the 
Typographical Union, but it has some very able trades unionists in 
its ranks. 

The employes in the tin, sheet iron and cornice trade are well 
guided by Local No. 1, of the International Tinners' Union. They 
have a large membership. Mr. H. H. Branch, the vice-president of 
the International Union, is a member of No. 1. 

The Cigarmakers' Union, No. 118, is (as it is elsewhere) looking 



30...PE0RIA 

well after the interests of its hundred and some odd members, all of 
whom are working, with the exception of three or four. 

The Barbers' Union, No. 44, represents all of the first-class jour- 
neymen barbers in the city. The card of the union is displayed in 
almost every shop into which you may go. 

The Bricklayers' Union, No. 3, is composed of every competent 
brick mason in the city, and is a strictly business concern and the 
promptness with which the large number of its members attend 
every meeting attest its life and energy. 

The Retail Clerks' Associatisn, of Peoria, is composed of a very 
large number of clerks, both ladies and gentlemen, and j-ou may find 
them, by asking for their quarterly card, at almost any retail store 
in the city. 

The Musicians' Union, A. F. of L., was organized about a year 
ago and has grown 1o be one of the liveliest unions in the city. 

The Knights of Ivabor, Assembly No. 7662, meets in Trades As- 
sembly Hall, and takes in men of all crafts and callings. 

The Painters' Union was organized less than a year ago and is 
at this day a ver^' strong body. 

The Holders' Union, No. 178 is one of the oldest local unions 
and has a large membership. 

The rest of the unions in the city are doing equally well and are 
as follows: 

Hod Carriers' Union; Pressmen's Union; Stone Cutters' Union; 
National League of Musicians; Press Feeders' Union; Boiler Makers 
and Iron Ship Builders' Union, No. 60; Carpenters and Joiners' 
Union, Na. 245; Coopers' Association of Peoria; Electrical Workers 
(Brotherhood); Engireers' (Loco.) B. of L. E., Union No. 92; Engi- 
neers' (Loco.) B. of L- E., Union No. 417; Engineers' (Stationary); 
Firemen (Brotherhood of Loco.) Unicn No. 48; Horse Shoers' (Jour- 
neymen) Union, No. 54; Machinist,' International .\ss'n, No. 227; 
Mine Workers' Union, of BartonviUe; Plasterers' International 
Union, No. 12, Plumbers' Association of Peoria; Railway Tele- 
graphers; Trainmen (Brotherhood of RdilA^ay), No. 27. 

Besides this collection of local unions in Peoria, which we are 
free to say cannot be equalled outside of Chicago in the state, there 
are a large nuuiber of state and international organizations with 
headquarters located here. 

The headquarters of the Illinois State Federation of Labor is 
located in Peoria, Walter S. Bush, secretar3' and treasurer. The 
federation represents some 800 local unions and an estimated mem- 
bership of 145,000. 

The headquarters of the Illinois Typographical Union, John A, 
Onyun, secretary and treasurer, is also located in Peoria. 

RAILWAY ORGANIZATIONS IN PEORIA. 

The movement set on foot some two years ago, to bring in close 
association the railway trades unions of the country, has alreadj' 
resulted in the location of the general offices of three of the leading 
organizations in the city of Peoria, with favorable prospects of 
another in October of the present year, and j-et another the follow- 
ing May. 

The advantage of a concentration of interests of such organi- 
zations, their interests being so nearly identical, needs no demon- 



PEORIA. .31 

stration, and, as to an advaniag-e to the city in which they may be 
located, Peoria has already felt a great impetus in the publishing- 
business, and the postoftice authorities can vouch for an increased 
income for " Uncle Sam" at this point. 

The combined circulations of the official publications of the 
three organizations already located in Peoria exceed b(),00(i per 
month, and there are perhaps more than one hundred persons em- 
ployed in publishing these journals, with a wage list running up to 
several thousand dollars each month. In the general offices of the 
three organizations there are about thirty-five officers and clerks, 
who, with their families, have created no small addition to our pop- 
ulation, and that portion of their salaries expended for living ex- 
penses of course is appreciated by our merchants and owners of 
rent property. All told, their presence has added considerably to 
the volume of business. A few words concerning the work of these 
organizations will not be amiss. 

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, the first to locate in 
Peoria, has a membership of over 22,000, which members are now 
carrying $33,000,000 in life insurance in the Beneficiary Department 
of the organization. There has been paid in death and disability 
claims during the past fifteen years, S3, 835, 000. Of this amount, 
5315,000 has been paid during the past twelve months. This organi- 
zation has 506 local lodges in the United States, Canada and Mex- 
ico. Mr. W. S. Carter is the editor of the magazine and has suc- 
ceeJed in inaking it one of the leading periodicals of the country. 

The Order of Railroad Telegraphers were second to locate in 
Peoria. This organization has a membership of S14,0()0 telegraph- 
ers engaged in railway service in the TTnited States, Canada and 
Mexico, and was organized in 1886. Since then it has secured arti- 
cles of agreement with many of the railway companies of the 
country which has resulted in an increase in wages paid to tele- 
graphers and station agents of at least 5500,000 per annum. 

The Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen has recently established 
its headquarters in this city, having removed from Galesburg, 111., 
last December. This organization has a membership of over 21,000, 
composed of railway employes engaged in train and yard service. 
Their Beneficiary features are similar to those of the Brotherhood of 
Locomotive Firemen, and the trainmen have paid in death and dis- 
ability claims during the past eleven years S3, 423, 000, and during 
the last fiscal year there was paid S401,465, in death and disability 
claims. There are 518 local lodges of this organization located on 
the railway lines of the United States, Canada and Mexico. 

From the above it will be seen thBt the banks of Peoria have 
realized an increase of business in handling the funds of these or- 
g-anizations, and when others are located here, Peoria will be justly 
celebrated as the " Railway Employes City." 

Peoria, taken as a whole, is well organized and a good place for 
the location of labor headquarters. 

The local unions are active in their own interests and believe 
that a man's pay should depend on his life necessities and nat upon 
the business capacity of the emploj'er. They are well organized, 
and with the displacement of the countless thousand.s all over the 
country by improved machinery, it is well that they are. 

Prosperous, organized Peoria — Labor O mina Vincit. 



32. ..PEORIA 

LOAN AND HOMESTEAD ASSOCIATIONS 

BY JOSEPH MAPLE. 

Among- the important institutions of Peoria may be classed 
several thriving- Loan and Homestead Associations. Although many 
people do business -with the various associations, still the amount of 
business transacted by them is not generally known. 

The associations of this city have at least fifty thousand shares 
in force, distributed among from 4000 to 5000 persons, and which 
shares will be worth when matured five million dollars. The money 
borrowed from these associations represents about two thousand 
homes now being- paid for in easy monthly payments, and the loans 
therefor now aggregate more than one million five hundred thousand 
dollars. When it is remembered that nearly all of this vast sum is 
loaned and used in this way the importance and extent of the busi- 
ness become apparent. Besides the hundreds of people who are thus 
enabled to acquire homes upon easy monthly payments, amounting 
to but little more than the usual rental for such property, safe and 
profitable investments are at the same time provided for those who 
have small sums to invest from month to month. 

Most associations calculate that it will take about ten years to 
mature their stock. A person subscribing for ten shares thereby 
makes his required payments five dollars per month. In ten years 
he will have paid six hundred dollars, whereupon he will be entitled 
to withdraw the sum of one thousand dollars, accumulated from, 
these small monthly payments, therebj- making a net gain of four 
hundred dollars over and above the total amount paid in. 

In all cases the borrowers and non-borrowers share equa.ly ia 
the profits or earnings, and no preference or advantage whatever is 
given to either class of stockholders. It may be asked why such 
large profits can accrue to investors without visiting corresponding- 
burden on the borrowers. However, all installments of dues, inter- 
est and premium are payable monthly, and such monthly collections 
are immediately reloaned to other members, thereby enabling the 
associations to compound their profits twelve times a year, to the 
great advantage of borrowers and non-borrowers alike. 

By subscribing for stock and paying a few dollars each month 
as an investment, people are enabled to accumulate in a short time 
a suflficient sum with which to make the first payment on a home. 
Here they can then obtain a loan for the balance needed, to be 
repaid in monthly installments, and in this way a home is finally 
acquired without great difficulty, and many thereby become their 
own landlords with no further rent to pay. Should one then desire 
to continue monthly savings, he can reinvest in stock whici will 
rapidly accumulate, as the profits derived therefrom are ii-iuch 
greater than can be obtained as interest from any other source. 



STREET RAILWAYS 

BY JOHN FIXI^EY, GEN. MGK. 

In 1869 the Central City Railway Company was organized and 
constructed the first street railway in Peoria, the same being a 
single track horse railway line, extending from Hamilton to South 



PEORIA . 33 

streets. In 1870 it was extended to Abingdon street. Soaie few 
years later its first competitor appeared in the Ft. Clark Horse Kail- 
way Company. Later on came the Knoxville Road line, the Main 
street line and the Rapid Transit line. In 1839 the Central City 
Conpanv was reorganized under the name of the Central Railway 
Company and adopted electricity as its motive power. The Ft. 
Clark line soon followed suit, as did the other lines. In 1S9.^ the 
Central Railway Company bought out all the other lines not con- 
trolled by it, including the Lake Side Road (which operates in 
Averyville) and to-day all street railways in the city areowtied, con- 
trolled and managed by one company. Mr. Walter Barker being its 
president and the writer hereof, its general manager. 

The company operates one hundred electric motor cars and 
more than that number of trailers and gives transfers without extra 
cost to any part of the city over its sixty odd miles of track. The 
company by the terms of its franchise sprinkles by means of two 
large electric sprinklers its right of way at least four times daily. 
A uniform fare of tive cents is charged where tickets are not bought. 
Twelve tickets are sold for fifty cents and one hundred for four 
dollars. Branches of the road lead to all parts of the city and 
suburbs, giving most excellent service to its patrons, thus doing 
much to build up and improve all parts of the city. The equipment 
of the system is thoroughly modern and of the first order, being 
constantly repaired, improved and extended. Peorians have no 
fear that the present high standard of the Central Railway Com- 
pany will be lowered in the future. 



STOCK YARDS, PACKING AND PROVISION HOUSES 

BY C. M. ALDRICH. 

The Union Stock Yards of this city iire far more important in 
their line than the size of our city would indicate. The yards have a 
daily capacity for 5,000 hogs, 3,000 cattle and 2,000 sheep. This is one 
of the recognized live stock markets of the country and its market 
quotations are posted daily in all the commercial center.s. The daily 
receipts of stock will average about 2,000 hogs, 500 cattle and 500 
sheep. Peoria is a good market for all shippers in Central Illinois 
and receives a large proportion of stock from Iowa. It is an import- 
ant distributing point on eastern business, all of the leading packers 
in the east have buyers located at the yards. 

An importont item in the cattle trade is the fact that about 
14,000 cattle are now being fed at the Peoria distillerie.s. but this is 
le.ss than the usual quantity. The usual number being about 22,000 
head fed and finished for market here. E. Godel «& Sons and The 
Peoria Packing eSc Provision Co. have their slaughter houses and 
packing houses located at the yards. Both of these firms do a large 
business in the dres.sed beef line and in pork packing. The houses are 
complete in every detail and fully up to the standard of any of the 
larger houses of the country and furnish employment for a large 
number of men. The provision business of the city is such that the 
larger hou.ses, such as Armour Packing Co , Swift iSc Co. and T. M. 
Sinclair & Co. of Cedar Rapids, la., all have branch houses located 



34 ..PEORIA 

here. The location of these branches bring^s many millions of dol- 
lars through the city banks that would otherwise go in other direc- 
tions. The provision trade has grown enormously in the last ten 
years and the territory within one hundred miles of Peoria is now 
almost entirely supplied from Peoria with all goods in this line. 
Ten years ago this trade was very largeh' supplied from Chicago. 

The packing houses and the branch houses located here all have 
men on the road working all of central and southern Illinois, west- 
ern Indiana, Kentucky, northern Missouri and eastern Iowa, and 
this trade alone will easily amount to about five miTion dollars 
annually. 



RAILROADS 

BV H. J. GRAHAM. 

Peoria is one of the g^reatest railroad centers in the United 
States, having thirteen roads centering here, thus establishing the 
greatest gateway between the East and the West, north of St. Louis 
and south of Chicago. 

The magnificent facilities ofi^ered by these lines assure to indus- 
tries located in and about Peoria all the facilities that come from 
sharp competition and first-class service, and the accommodations 
to the traveling public are not excelled at any point. 

CHICAGO & AIvTON. 

The Chicago & Alton, which has recently acquired an entrance 
into Pecria, is one of the strongest and best equipped railroads in 
the United States. It connects the three great cities of Chicago, St. 
Louis and Kansas City, and its advent to Peoria has marked a dis- 
tinct advancement for superior service. 

CHICAGO, BURUNGTON & QUINCY RAILROAD. 

Peoria is the central eastern gateway of this very extensive and 
important railway system. 

With its main lines and branches it reaches all the important 
commercial centers of the southwest, west and northwest. It pene- 
trates in every direction the most fertile territory of Iowa, northern 
Missouri, Nebr.'.ska, Colorado and northwestern Kansas, thus reach- 
ing the choicest agricultural region of the Mississippi Valley. At 
its important western terminals its through trains connect direct 
with the through trains to Manitoba, Utah, California and the 
Pacific Coast. 

THE CLEVELAND, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO ii ST. LOUIS RAILWAY. 

The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway ranks 
as one of the largest railway systems west of the trunk lines, and 
Peoria is one of its most important terminals. This division passes 
through the most populous and fertile counties of Illinois and from 
Indianapolis offers three great divisions for direct connection with 
the Central States and the seaboard. The relationship of this 
system is intimate with the New York Central, one of the greatest 
trunk lines of America. 

CHICAGO, PEORIA & .ST. LOUIS RAILWAY. 

This line extends from Peoria to St. Louis with a branch to 



PEORIA .35 

Jacksonville. It runs through the best and most productive portion 
ef Illinois, which yields annually immense amounts of live-stock, 
corn and wheat: and it taps the rich fruit growing regions of Cen- 
tral and Southern Illinois. 

IOWA CENTRAL RAILWAY. 

The Iowa Central Railway main line is from Peoria, III. to 
Mason City, Iowa, crossing the Mississippi River at Keithsburg, 
and traversing the best poriion of the great grain growing state of 
Iowa. This line has close traffic relations with all the western trunk 
lines, which do not reach Peoria directly, thus opening up to Peoria 
the best grain producing ter: itory of the West. 

LAKE KKIE & WESTERN KAILKOAD. 

The Lake Erie & Western Railroad unites Peoria with two of 
the great lakes. It traverses in almost a tangent, the rich agricul- 
tural districts of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, touching Lake Erie at 
Sandusky. It reaches north to Lake Michigan at Michigan City, 
opening the vast lumber regions of the northwest. It passes 
through the prosperous sections of Indiana and Ohio, where the 
recently developed natural gas and oil fields have invited the loca- 
tion of many industries. The owners of this property have recently 
gathered in other important lines through Indiana and Ohio and the 
combination known as the Brice system aggregates as large a mile- 
age as any other system west of the trunk lines. This line is par- 
ticularly interested in Peoria, as it is its only western terminal. 

PEORIA, DECATUR & EVANSVILLE RAILWAY. 

The Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railway connects Peoria 
with Lincoln, Decatur, Mattoon, Newton and Olney, 111., and Evans- 
"ville, Ind.; runs through the counties of Tazewell, Logan, Mason, 
Moultrie, Coles and Cumberland, which are some of the most pro- 
ductive of Illinois, taps the hard lumber district of Soutliern Illinois 
and Indiana, striking large coal beds and the cannel coal fields of 
Southern Indiana. This is an important link in connecting Peoria 
with the great States south of the Ohio River. 

PEORIA & PEKIN UNION RAILWAY. 

The Peoria A Fekin Union Railway controls all the terminal 
facilities at Peoria, excepting the C. B. & Q. and Rock Island lines. 
It has forty-two miles of siding in Peoria and does the terminal 
business for all other lines. It has a double track between Peoria 
and Pekin and gives unexcelled service in the handling of business 
to and from all industries. 

PEORIA TERMINAL COMPANY. 

The Peoria Terminal Companj' has a belt line reaching all the 
industries on the river bank and is engaged in doing a switching 
business for the different lines. It is one of the most important 
factors in insuring quick service for manufactories along the 
Illinois River. 

ROCK ISLAND Ai PEORIA RAILWAY. 

The Rock Island & Peoria Railway main line connects Peoria 
with Davenport, Rock Island and Moline, whose importance, though 
commercially svell known, maj- be estimated by their ag^gregate 
population of seventy thousand, so closely built together as to form 



36. PEORIA 

a single city. This railway forms a busy thoroughfare between the 
"Tri-cities" and Peoria, passing through the beautiful, thrifty agri- 
cultural section which ranks in wealth and prosperity with any in 
the great Mississippi Valley. 

TOI.EDO, PEORIA & WESTERN RAII^WAY. 

The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway runs from the Indiana 
State Line to the Mississippi River at Keokuk. Burlington and 
Warsaw. It is a part of the great Pennsylvania Railroad, possibly 
the greatest equipped system in the world, and has a close affiliation 
in its west end with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R. This 
road runs through the best grain and stock region in the West. Its 
general freight offices and main shops are located at Peoria- 

VANDAI,IA I^INE. 

The Vandalia Line is the Cora Belt Line and an important 
feeder to the Pennsylvania System of roads running between Peoria 
and Terre Haute. No counties in Illinois are so productive with 
corn as the district crossed by this line. It opens up the block coal 
fields of Indiana and the iron industries in that vicinity to Western 
markets. 

Thus it will be seen that Peoria with its many railroads and 
over one hundred well equipped passenger trains daily coudng and 
going, is well supplied with railroad facilities. 



TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE SERVICE 

Peoria is well supplied with both telegraph and telephone ser- 
vice. The Western Union and Postal Telegraph Companies both 
having large well equipped offices in various parts of the city. 

THE WESTERN UNION TEIvEGRAPH CO. 

employs a manager, chief operator, ten operators, five clerks and 
bookkeeper, eight messengers and two linemen. 

It has seventy wires connected with its office running on every 
railroad entering the city, 1575 cells of battery, three branch offices^ 
one at the National Hotel, one at 103 South Adams street and one at 
the stock yards. 

It has thirteen direct wires to Chicago and can switch through 
other offices enough to make the number twenty one. 

THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH CABLE CO. 

has twenty Chicago wires. Eight to St. Louis. Kansas City and 
Springfield, six to Davenport, Des Moines and Omaha. The com- 
pany has a full corps of assistants and nine sub-stations in difi'erent 
parts of the city. 

THE PEORIA TELEPHONE EXCHANGE 
is the second in size in the State of Illinois. The plant has been 
rebuilt throughout during the past two years, both as to line and 
machinery. There are 890 subscribers connected with this Ex- 
change and to acconmodate these patrons there are in use 31 miles 
of poles, 2-'4 miles of 200 wire cable, i'i miles of 100 wire cable and 
2}i miles of 50 wire cable, in addition to 500 miles of naked wire. 



PEORIA. 37 

The Exchange is at present connected with all cities, towns and 
villages of any importance within a radius of 75 miles and by Sept. 
1st will have connection made with the American Long Distance 
Company and their numerous offices. 



PEORIA AS A SHOPPING CENTER 

Peoria is situated with especial advantage to being the shopping 
center of a large area of country. Equally distant from Chicago 
and St. Louis, the two largest cities in this part of the country, and 
full}' 160 miles from each one. the largest city in Illinois outside of 
Cook county, and with the entire central part cf the state to draw 
from, it fully deserves the name often given it of "The Central 
City," and has easilj- the control of the trade of the heart of the 
Prairie State. Added to this are unusual railroad facilities, for a 
large number of lines radiate from the city in all directions, offer- 
ing quick and frequent transportation to buyers to and from the 
city, and also for freight and express facilities, insuring low prices 
in the transportation of goods, lessening the cost of buying, and 
making it possible to sell cheaper than would otherwise be the case. 
To this is added direct through lines to New York City, the great 
bu3'ing center, and water transportation to and from Chicago to St. 
Louis, both of which make advantage for the cheaper buying of 
goods. 

But it was not until during the last twenty years that Peoria 
came full}- into her heritage as the shopping place of Central Illi- 
nois, and that was not until she began to offer something correspond- 
ing to and competing with the big department stores of Chicago 
and St. Louis. A large factor in diverting the stream of retail 
trade to Peoria has been the growth and development of our retail 
stores. 



OUR BICYCLE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES 

KV H. G. ROUSE. 

From the earliest days of the sport. Peoria has occupied a prom- 
inent position in the history of cycling. Geo. W. Rouse ii Son (now 
Rouse, Hazard &Co.) were among the first firms in the United States 
with sufficient confidence in the future of the bicycle business to 
enter it, in^what was then considered an extensive manner. In '7'J 
this firm began the business which has since become so extensive. 
They were the first firm in the United States to sell bicycles upon 
easy payments without extra charge. So popular was this inovation 
that they soon found themselves shipping bicycles to all parts of the 
United States and Canada. By judicious advertising in nearly all 
the principal publications of lirge circulftion in the United States, 
they extended their business until they were known everywhere. 

As the business grew, increased facilities had to be provided. In 
the early dajs of bicycling the majority of the machines ridden in 
America were imported from England. Rouse, Hazard ».v Co. did a 
large export business, controlling then well-known English makes 
for the entire United States and Canada. As American bicycle man 



38 ..PEORIA 

ufacturiag- industries increased, Rouse, Hazard ik Co. made arrange- 
ments with some of the now leading- makers, whereby their wheels 
were built for thexn to their specifications, and under their name by 
contract. 

They were frequently urged to establish a factory of their own, 
but realizing that it would take a very large capital, and that it 
would very largely increase their already heavy responsibilities, 
they hesitated to put in their own plant for manufacturing, although 
their long experience in designing their bicycles, and inspecting 
their manufacture in other jactories rendered them eminently wel^ 
equipped to do so. 

In 1894, however, their business had increased to an extent such 
that although they were having three large factories build as many 
machines for them as they could procure, still they were far from 
able to supply their increasing trade. They, therefore, made ar- 
rangements whereby a complete factory with its superintendents' 
employes and machinery was removed to Peoria, and in 1895 some- 
thing more than 4,000 machines were turned out from this factory. 
In 1895 their present factory with a capacity of 20,000 machines per 
annum, equipped with the most modern and expensive machinery, 
was put into operation, and is now engaged night and day in supply- 
ing their rapidly increasing trade on Sylphs and Overland Cycles. 
This factory employs between 300 and 400 expert mechani:s, the 
majority of whom draw the highest salaries. 

In the meantime the F. F. Ide Mfg. Co., had taken the old Peo- 
ria Watch Factory, and had beg-un manufacturing bic^'cles in 1893 
under contract for Rouse, Hazard & Co. After the first year, how- 
ever, they began the manufacture of the now famous Ide high art 
bicycles, which are now known throughout the United States and in 
many foreign countries. This factory during the past year has 
doubled its capacity, and now employs 225 men. 

In 1895, through the efforts of -Mr. Chas. E- Duryea, the well, 
known inventor of the Duryea Motocycle, the Duryea tire, the Dur. 
yea bicycle saddle, etc., etc.. .Mr. Monroe Sieberling, then of Ko- 
komo, Ind., was interested in Peoria, and in that year built and 
equipped the Peoria Rubber & Manufacturing Company's plant, 
which, together with the Rouse, Hazard & Co. factories, now stand 
at Peoria Heights. This factory, which is making the Patee bicycle, 
has a capacity of 20,000 bicycles per annum, and in addition thereto, 
a capacity of 50,000 pairs of rubber tires. It employs between 400 
and 500 men, the majority of whom are expert mechanics drawing 
large wages. A large proportion of the employes in this, as in the 
other factories, were brought to Peoria with their families from 
other cities, and hence have very largely increased the population of 
our beautiful city. 

Early in the present year Messrs. Euthy & Co., for many years 
extensive jobbers of farm machinery and carriages, and jobbers in 
a small way of bicycles, became convinced of the permanency of the 
bicycle business, and established a factory which is now producing 
the " Euthy " bicycle. Their start was so late, however, that they 
are turning out but a limited number of machines this year, intend- 
ing to largely increase their plant for 1897. 

All four of the Peoria factories are turning out strictly first- 
class bicycles, and their fame and reputation are now world wide. 



PEORIA 39 

Rouse, Hazard & Co., have for several years past done a lare export 
business, sending,'- their goods regularly to South America, Europe. 
Asia and Australia. The Ide factory is, also, doing the same, and 
the two newer industries will, doubtless, develop along the same 
lines. 

The Pecria Rubber & Manufacturing Co., is already planning a 
large addition to its already extensive works. Rouse, Hazard iSj Co., 
are at present installing a large quantity of additional machinery of 
the finest make, and will be in position to largely increase their out. 
put for 1897. 



THE PEORIA BICYCLE CLUB 



BY J. L. MISNEK. 




The Peoria Bicycle Club was organized January 25, 1881, and 
joined the T eague of American Wheelmen October 9, 1881, and has 
continued its membership ever since, which makes it one of the 
oldest League clubs in the country, its present position being ninth. 

The headquarters of the club, at present, are located in the 
large and comfortable Club House, corner of Jefferson avenue and 
Fayette street. The membership, however, having more than 
doubled since the first of the year, even this place has become 
cramped, and plans and specifications have been secured for a fine 
new and modern brick Club House of ample proportions, which will 
436 as handsome in its outward appearance and as complete in its in- 
terior appointments as any similar edifice in the country, ground 
for which will be broken, probably, as early as Angu.><t next. 

The unequalled success of the tournaments given by the club in 
1889, l«9i) and 1S91 brought it at once into an enviable prominence. 
During those years Peoria in the West and Springfield, Mass., in 



40 PEORIA 

the East were looked to for all broken records and all cj'cliag sur- 
prises. On the Peoria Club's track Zimmerman first defeated 
Windle, then "King of the Path," and here the Englishman Laurie 
tirst showed the great west what a pneumatic tire could do. After 
resting on its laurels for a few years the Peoria Bicycle Club this 
year proposes to resume its proud position among the great race 
meet promoters, and on June 25. 26 and 27 (convention week) will 
give a series of bicycle races that will eclipse an5'thing ever seen 
in the West. 



DISTILLING INDUSTRY 

BY E. S. E ASTON. 

The manufacturing of distilled spirits is an industry that has 
reached its highest developement in Peoria, in several particulars. 
We name them in order as follows: Mechanical skill; scientific knowl- 
edge and application; investment of capital; capacity of production. 
For many years it has been in advance of all other cities in this 
country, if not in the world, in the quantity of spirits manufactured. 
It is a natural question: Why is this possible in Peoria? We men- 
tion some reasons as follows: Abundance of "raw material"; Peoria 
being- a large brewing market, enables the distillers to obtain a 
steady and uniform supply of such grains as are necessary, at as 
low an average of cost, as any grain center in the West. 

The water supply of just the right quality is found in inexhaust- 
ible quantities by mean.« of wells at a depth of 30 to 35 feet, the 
water being exceptionally pure and of most satisfactory tempera- 
ture. Pureness and temperature of the water being a most import- 
ant factor. 

Peoria being the center of one of the most productive coal fields 
in the country, the manufacturer is enabled to obtain fuel at less aver- 
age cost than at any other point at all suitable in other requisites. 

The unusual good railway facilities of Peoria are a great advan- 
tage; securing the shipment and distribution of the product in all 
directions with promptness, and at lowest competitive rates of 
freight. 

These foundation reasons are due to Peoria's geopraphical loca- 
tion and are a combination of advantages that challenge com- 
parison. 

There are reasons, also, that are a sequence of the foregoing. 
The demands of a large manufacturing center in any branch of in- 
dustry, will bring all the auxiliary necessities — whatever is needed 
of mechanical skill is fully supplied in time. Skilled labor rallies to 
where the need exists or developes quickly with enlarged demand 
and opportunity. The concentration of so much distilling capacity 
here, has caused a complete developement of machine shops and 
foundries, with special adaptions; millrights and workers in metals,* 
of special skill; supply-warehouses, answering to all wants on short- 
est notice and most reasonable terms. 

Centralization in any interest, is a means of education and de- 
velopement in that particular line, and in this instance has Resulted 
in great perfection of manufacture. 



PEORIA 41 

The workiug capacity of the dist Ueries located here is about 
40,000 bushels of grain per day. For the last year this capacity has 
Jbeen utilized to the extent of 25,000 bushels daily. 



BREWING 

BY MR. C. A. COCKLE. 

Among the man}' industries that go to make up our thriving 
•city, that of brewing is not the least, and the product from our local 
breweries is taking a front rank 1 here is perhaps no industry in 
the whole country that has developed faster and made more rapid 
improvement than this same industry of brewing'. It was only a 
comparatively few years ago that the process of brewing was qaite 
crude and the art was handel down from one generation to another; 
the beer being made bj* "rule of thumb ;" but of late years rapid 
advancement has been made in what is now the " science of brew- 
ing." Our brewmasters are now men of education-'and they are 
taught in brewing schools which have been established and are part 
of the development. The brewer of the present day does not do such 
and such things, because he was taught to do so and his father made 
beer in that way, but because he knows what results are to be 
obtained by so doing. All tirst-class breweries now either emploj' 
a chemist or else belong to what is called a " scientific station " by 
■which they are enabled to have all the materials used, analysed, and 
the best grades of materials are thus determined with certaintv and 
not by guess. We often hear the unthinking say that beer is so 
adulterated nowadays ; that substitutes are largelj" used for malt and 
hops. A little careful investigation would develop the fict that 
chere is no substitute that can supplant malt entirely, and hops are 
now grown so cheaply that even if there was a substitute to be 
obtained, there would be no profit in using it. The apparatus for 
the work has also kept pace with the art itself, so the beer of the 
present day is better, as a rule, than it was in former years. To 
show how the deiuand for this most healthful and nutritious bev- 
erage has increased, we cite the fact that in 1870 the sales of beer in 
the United States amounted to 6,574,618 barrels. In 1895 it reached 
33,469,661 barrels, an increase in twenty-five years of 26,895,043 
barrels. This increase is largely in excess of the percentage of 
increase in the population in that time, which tends to show that 
the American people are becoming a nation of beer drinkers. 

In the brewing industry in Peoria we have the Gipps Brewing 
•Co., located on the corner of Bridge and Water streets; the Leisy 
.Brewing Co , Water street, foot of Irving, and the Union Brewing 
Co., Nos. 1701 to 1709 South Washington street. These breweries 
supplj- the larger part of the local trade, and the two former ship 
largely through this State and Iowa. Their annual output is in the 
neighborhood of 75000 to HOOOO barrels. 

Of late years these breweries have turned their attention to 
bottling, and their product in this line is now the peer of anything 
produced. In addition tj the local breweries the following well 
known firms have branches at t.iis point, from which they supply 
local trade and ship to surrounding points, viz : Val Blatz Brewing 



42...PE0RIA 

Co., Henrj' Singer. Agt.; Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co., A. A. Godecke,. 
Agt.; Pabst Brewing Co. of Milwaukee, L. Holzapfel, Agt.; the 
the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association, of St. Louis, ^^ . Kohl,. 
Agt., and the Peter Schoenhofen Brewing Company, of Chicago. J. 
L. Wall, Agt. 

The industry is in a healthy stite in our city, and we venture to 
say that there is no other one industry in our midst that has the 
wellfare and progress of the city more at heart, or that does more 
towards promoting it. 



DRUG TRADE 

The wholesale drug business of Peoria may well be placed in 
the same class as its two other leading merchandise lines : groceries- 
and liquors. It is estimated by conservatiue merT that the volume 
of business in the drug and chemical line will amount to not less 
than three million dollars per year. This does not include retail 
druggists, who number about forty. The time has been when retail 
druggists of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri were obliged to 
look to Chicago or the East for their supplies, but that period has 
passed. Peoria, with its characteristic energy and push, has rap- 
idly come to the front as headquarters in this part of the 'Country 
for drugs and chemicals. 

It is not denied that Chicago and St Louis are great distributing- 
points for goods. Still, Peoria claims and holds a large share of 
the wholesale business in this line in the West, and disputes with 
success every inch of territory with the two former cities. And 
why not? Without the great expenses and taxes of the larger cit- 
ies; with equal access to eastern markets and other sources of sup- 
plies; with freight rates to points within her territory equal, and in 
many instances lower than from Chicago or St. Louis; houses doing 
business on their own capital, an advantage that some houses in 
other cities do not possess, and an advantage which cannot be over- 
come by others who do; it is therefore no wonder that Peoria has 
kept pace with the onward movement in wholesale drugs for the 
past thirty-odd years, and is now the largest distributing point for 
that line of goods of any city of its size in the United States. 

That the wholesale drug trade of Peoria is not of an ephemeral 
growth is shown by the fact that oue firm (Colburn, Birks & Co.) 
has been in business thirtj'-three consecutive years. 

As to pharmaceutical ar:d manufacturing chemists (whose inter- 
ests are so closely allied to the wholesale drug business), Peoria 
holds her own; and everyone who is conversant with this class of 
the drug business knows that the largest botanical laboratory in the 
United States, if not in the world, is that of Allaire, Woodward & 
Co.'s. 

SutlifF it Co.. dealers in drugs, and physician's supplies, do an 
extensive business in their line, as do Wm. Ohl & Co., manufactur- 
ing pharmacists and chemists. 



MILLING 

Three large flour mills are in operation here, thus furnishing a 



PE0.^IA...43 

ready market for the very tine quality of winter wheat raised in this 
portion of Central Illinois and giving labor to a large number of 
millwrights, millers, machinists and coopers. An Oat Meal mill of 
large capacity also flourishes here, sending its product to all parts 
of the world. 



BRICK MAKING AND STONE WORK 

Fifteen large brick 3'ards on the outskirts of the city furnish 
labor to a large number of hands and turn out over thirty million 
building brick yearly, while two very large plants are engaged in 
making annually over twenty million paving brick for street paving 
purposes. The Peoria Steam Marble Works, and the Central City 
Stone Co. are two large, thoroughly equipped plants, employing 
nearly five hundred skilled mechanics in the dressing and preparing 
of building stone, they also, in company with Triebel vt Son, and 
John Merkle cS: Sons, do a great amount of monument work in all 
portions of this State and neighboring States. 



IRON FOUNDRIES AND MACHINE SHOPS 

BY \VM. O'BRIEN. 

The iron foundry from the earliest history of Peoria has been 
prominent, as one of its principle industries. 

It will ever hold this position on account of the many advant- 
ages afforded it by the location of Peoria, and the rapid growth of 
our city as a manufacturing center. 

No other industry employs so much skilled labor, and none pay 
as high a scale of wages. 

Our foundries turn out every variety of work, and several of 
them are well and favorably known abroad for the excellence and 
finii^h of their products. 

The foundries are well equipped, and are managed by energetic 
and experienced men. 

With pleasure we mention the firm's who maintain the promi- 
nence of this industry, and who have assisted so much in the 
growth and prosperity of our city : 

Stove and Range Manufacturers — Coulter & Proctor, Western 
Stove Works. 

Agricultural Foundries — Avery & Co., Selby Star Co. 

Architectural Iron Works — O'Brien Bro's. 

Job Foundries— O'Brien Bros., Washington, Peoria, Central 
City, O'Rourke Stove Repair Co. 



COOPERAGE 



The many distilleries, rectifying houses, glucose factories, 
breweries and mills, create in Peoria a great demand for cooperage 
and as a result several very large cooperage plants flourish here, 
giving employment to about one thousand mechanics. It has been 
said that if the cooperage made in Peoria each day could be placed 
in a line that the same would be over one mile in length. 



44. ..PEORIA 



WHITE LEAD WORKS 



Not quite two years ago seme enlerprising citizens of Peoria 
erected a. large, substantial brick plant in the lower end of the city 
for the maEufacture of white lead and are now turning out a very 
fine product, and their business gives every indication of progress 
and success. 



GRAND OPERA HOUSE 

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CHAMBERUN, BARHYDT & CO. 

Poeria has always been considered a good amusement town. 

The Grand Opera House at present under the management of 
Chamberlin, Barhjdt & Co., has had a long and successful career. 
It was built in 1882, and has played the leading stars and attractions 
of the day. During the coming summer it will be greatly improved 
to keep pace with the rapid improvement and development in theat- 
ricals. 

The Auditorium built last year has enjoyed a very prosperous 
career since its opening, and caters to the popular class attractions, 
taking an entirely different field from the Grand. 

Rouses Hall is another popular amusement house and is devoted 
mostly to lectures and amateur entertainments. The Tabernacle 
accommodates five thousand and is used for large political gather- 
ings and revival meetings. 

The Women's Club, Music Hall, is also very popular. 

Peoria has always patronized base ball liberally, and is repre- 
sented in the Western lycague. The club is one of the strongest in 
the League. 

Bicycles comes in for their share of amusement, and the Peoria 
Bicycle Club is one of the largest and best in the West. The next 
L. A. W. meet occurs on June 25, 26, 27, and will be one of the great- 
est meets ever held. Taking it all in all Peoria is well represented 
in all branches of amusements. 



THE MANUFACTURE OF GLUCOSE 

Over forty thousand bushels of corn are each day used in the 
two mammoth glucose factories of Peoria to-wit: The plants of the 
Peoria Grape Sugar Co. and the American Glucose Co. These two 
immense factories run day and night, giving employment directly 
to over fifteen hundred hands in and about their premises, and are 
two of the prominent institutions of the citj- which go to a great 
extent to make for Peoria its fame as a manufacturing center. 
Visitors at either of these institutions will find much to interest 
them. 



AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS AND BINDER 

TWINE 

In the line of the manufacturing of agricultural implements 
Peoria is prominenth' in the front. Wagons, Plows, Threshers, 



PEORIA. .45 

Engines Corn Planters and Shellers, Mowers, Headers, are here 
made in large numbers, hundreds of skilled mechanics being given 
daily employment in these factories. Among the prominent firms 
in this line are Luthy & Co., Martin & Co., Rhea, Elton & Thielens, 
The Avery Planter Co., Rou.se. Hazard iSc Co.. James Seely & Co., 
Selby, Starr i^- Co., Kingman ».S: Co. 

BINDER TWINE. 

The Peoria Cordage Co., with its immense plant in block 15(J0, 
S. Washington St. is running day and night, giving employment to 
over five hundred hands, turning out thousands of tons of binder 
twine each year, and is one of Peoria's most valuable institutions. 



COAL 

There are coal veins from four to nine feet in thickness under- 
lying the entire area of Peoria county furnishing good and cheap 
fuel to the citizens of Peoria for both domestic and manufacturing 
purposes, and labor to thousands of coal miners, railroad employes, 
and helpers in and about coal yards. Every day in the year ten 
upon ton of coal is shipped from Peoria to the west and northwest, 
the wholesaling of coal being one of our most prosperous business 
undertakings. 



BOILER MAKING 

Another large interest in the make up of Peoria's industrial equip- 
ment is the manufacture of boilers, smoke stacks, etc. There are 
half a dozen large shops kept continually busy supplying the 
demand created by Peoria's activity among her large and varied 
manufacturing industries, and everything in this line can be sup- 
plied promptly and on short notice. Among the prominent boiler 
makers are Joseph Cody & Sons and McAleenan li Co. 



WHOLESALE GROCERS 

KV A. S. 0.\KFORU. 

The wholesale grocery trade is another and positive evidence of 
the position of Peoria as a distributing and commercial center of 
the West. From the time when, before the advent of the locomo- 
tive, all traffic was done by water, and the levee was the great noisy 
mart of trade, to the present time, Peoria has kept pace with the 
rapid developments of the century and today is the headquarters 
for everything;' in the grocery line for Central Illinois, maintaining 
her supremacy with Chicago and St. Louis. 

Seven well-known firms, represented by nearly one hundred 
traveling salesmen, sell annually about ten million dollars worth of 
groceries, the business extending throughout the greater part of 
Illinois, even to the doorway of St. Louis and Chicago, and west 
far into Iowa, and to a limited extent into Indiana. 

These Peoria grocery firms have been long established, have 



46..PE0RIA 

extensive warehouses and modern machinery for the roasting^ of 
coffees and grinding of spices on a large scale. 

Importation of teas come directly from Japan. 

Peoria's unsurpassed railway and water facilities for the dis- 
tribution of goods in a jobbing way are well illustrated by the 
wonderful growth of its wholesale grocery trade. 



PRODUCE AND COMMISSION BUSINESS 

No business has increased more rapidly in the past few years 
than the trade in fruits and produce. A few years ago it seemed as 
though all of nature's bounteous supply of tropical food was re- 
served only for the tables of the affluent and rich, and were classed 
as luxuries by the poor as well as necessities by the well-to do, but 
American enterprise and pluck which is a strong element in the 
make up of Peoria has brought these products within the reach of 
all. It is within the memory of most of our readers when it was 
considered the apex of the adornment of the dinner- table to have a 
few ruddy, healthy looking peaches that had been raised by careful 
cultivation against the south wall of some gentleman's carefully 
watched garden, but now Peoria is the central market for all such 
fruits and through the activity of its merchants, nature's bountiful 
products are placed within reach of poor and rich alike. The pine- 
apple, oranges, lemons, bananas and small fruits of the Southern 
states as well as of the Pacific coast are handled here direct from 
the grove. Mediterranean and other southern foreign fruits are 
bandied direct from the vessel's side. Bananas are brought almost 
without change from the plantations, and apples are bought and 
packed in the orchards in which they are grown, and shipped to all 
parts in the central west, besides the territory that would be seem- 
ingly tribntary to Peoria. By getting these goods in this way it 
has enabled Peoria to give all dealers in Peoria territory better 
prices than either Chicago or St. Louis, and all merchants dealing 
with Peoria realize this fact to such an extent that they do not think 
of looking elsewhere for their supplies. There |are eight or more 
lively and energetic merchants doing a business of half a million a 
year, engaged in this traflSc. They keep well informed as to the 
crop prospects and conditions, this being necessitated by the con- 
tinual changing of producing centers. They arc always read3' to 
furnish information to inquiring minds. As to equipments and 
storage for the rapid and economical handling of all these goods 
there are none better in the state of Illinois. 



CHURCHES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC 

INSTITUTIONS 

THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING. 

A magnificent $350,000 fire proof stone structure, sit lated on the 
corner of Main and Monroe streets, has been for the past four years 
or so the home of the postoffice, internal revenue otiice and U. S. 
Court of this District. 



PEORIA. .47 

THE COINTV COUKT HOl'SK, 

situated in the heart of the city, is a large, well constructed stone 
building- of imposing appearince, though built about eighteen years 
ago. 

THE CITY M.\LL, 

on Fulton street, has done service for these many years and is about 
to be torn down and give way to a modern '150,000 stone and brick 
structure, modern in every respect and worthy of the city. 

THE TlKNEK H.\LI., 

the home of the Peoria Turn Verein, is situated on Second avenue, 
and affords for that society' comfortable headquarters for its physi- 
cal and social work. 

THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 

situated on "Washington and Harrison street, is occupied by many 
railroad line agencies, the Board of Trade and the offices of grain 
and commission firms. 

THE WOMAN'S CLUH, 

with its magnificent Home and Club House, corner of Madison ave. 
and Hamilton street, is one of our most thriving institutions and 
one to which all Peorians refer with pardonable pride. 

THE STATE ASYLUM FOR INCl'R.\BI,E INSANE, 

for which the last legislature made an appropriation, is now iu 
course of construction on the Blufifs, about two and one half miles 
below the city. The corner stone of the institution was laid with 
appropriate ceremonies by Governor Altgeld on the fifth instant, 
(June 5th, 1896). When cempleted this will be one of the largest 
charitable institutions in the state. John Finley, of Peoria, James 
McAndrews, of Chicago, and Henry Alexander, of Joliet, are the 
Commissioners in charge of the work, which ii being done by 
Edward Malloy, of Chicago, under the supervision of Col. John 
Warner, of Peoria, and Mr. Lonsdale Green, of Chicago, who is the 
architect of the building. 

The Br.iil-'.v Ho^m fir A^^ei Wjni'n, The Gayer Hjme for A^ed 
People a'ld St. Joseph's Home for the Aged, supply good homes for the 
aged of both sexes, and what they do for the adult The Hjme of the 
Fricndtess is doing f jr the little ones- The Hum of Blessing and 
The Home of the (rjod Shephetd (bath State Industrial Schools under 
thi la.v) supply homes and training for way.varJ girls. 

The St. Fr.incis Hospital, in charge of the sisters of St. Frances, 
and the Cottage Hospital, in charge of Miss Eleanor Coolidge, with 
their large forces of trained nurses and staff of physicians, are model 
hospitals. 

The churches of Peoria may be put down as follows : 

Apostolic Christian, Green street, between Madison and Monroe. 
Ji ,ptist— 

First Church, Bluff street, corner of Hamilton; First German, 
Monson street, between 4th and Fifth avenues; Memorial. N. Madi- 
son street, corner of Hayward street; Mount Zion, Seventh street, 
corner of State street; Swedish, Fourth avenue, corner Fisher 
street. 

Christian Church, Fulton street, corner Monroe. 



48. ..PEORIA 

Congregational — 

First, Monroe street, corner Hamilton street; Plymouth, Fourth, 
corner Spencer; Union, Illinois avenue, corner Washington ave- 
nue. 
Episcopal — 

St. Paul's, Main street, corner Monroe; (Reformed), N. Madison, 
between Hamilton and Fayette street. 
Evangelical — 

German, First street, corner State street; Swedish, W. Jefferson 
corner Elm street; Lutheran, Malone avenue, cor Chandler street; 
St. Paul's, First street, corner Goodwin; Trinity, W. Jefferson, 
corner Maple street; Swedish, 210 Pennsylvania avenue. 
Hebrew — 

" Ahavas Achim," 122 W. Jefferson street; " Anshai Esueth," 
(lately destroyed by fire), Liberty, corner S. Jefferson, about to be 
rebuilt. 
Methodist Episcopal — 

A. M. E. Church, Fifth street, corner Monson; First M. E.^ 
Church, Sixth street, corner Franklin street; First M. E. Church 
(German), Fifth street, corner Sanford street; Hale M. E. Church, 
High street, corner Main street; Madison Avenue M. E. Church, 
Madison avenue, corner Morgan; Wesley M. E- Church, Ann street, 
corner Sumner street. 
Preshyierian— 

Arcadia Chapel, Arcadia avenue and Knoxville avenue; Bethel 
Mission, No. 400 Garden street; Calvary Mission, First and Fisher 
streets; First Church, Hamilton, corner Crescent avenue; First Ger- 
man, Pecan, corner New street; Grace Church, Madison avenue 
and Wayne street; Second Church, Madison avenue corner Jackson; 
German Reformed, Persimmon, corner W. Madison. 

Roman Catholic — 

Diocese of Peoria, established 1877, comprises Illinois south of 
the counties of Whiteside, Lee, DeKalb, Grundy and Kankakee and 
north of Adams, Brown, Cass, Menard, Sangamon, Macon, Moul- 
trie, Douglas and Edg-ar. Bishop, Rt. Rev. John L. Spalding, D D. 

Church of the Sacred Heart, Madison avenue corner Fulton 
street; St. Boniface, Antionette and Louisa streets; St. John's, 
Antionette street, corner Peter street; St. Joseph, Spencer corner 
First street; St. Mark's, Hansel corner Underhill; St. Mary's Ca- 
thedral, N. Madison avenue, corner Green street; St. Patrick's, Sar- 
.atoga, corner McHean. 

Universalist, First Church, Main between Perry and Glendale. 

Miscellaneous — 

Church of Christ (Christian Science), Madison avenue, corner 
Fayette; First Free M. E. Church, S. Underhill, corner Floral; Peo- 
ple's Church, 416 Hamilton street; Bacon Memorial Mission, 31(> 
Chestnut street; Salvation Army, corner Madison and Liberty 
streets; American Volunteers, Fulton, between Jefferson and Madi- 
son. 

Many of the church edifices are most beautiful, and are worthy- 
of inspection. The attention of visitors being particularly called 
to the First and Second Presbyterian, the Roman Catholic Cathe- 



PEORIA. 49 

dral, the First Baptist, the First Congreg-ational, St. Paul's and the 
First M. E. Church. 

In social and military order.s Peoria boasts of her .share, and 
amongst these may be mentioned: Company L, Fifth Infantry, S. 
N. G.; G. A. R., Bryner Post, No. 67; Department of Illinois; 
the Peoria Hussars, the Knights of ot. George, the Knights of St. 
Nicholas, the Knights of Father Mathew, Woman's Relief Corps, 
No. 12, Col. W. A. Trush; S. of V. Camp No. 25;«the various Masonic 
orders comprising fifteen lodges; nine lodges of Odd Fello^ys, three 
lodges of Red Men, six of Knights of Pythias, two Courts of For- 
resters, four lodges of Knights and Ladies of Honor, three Tents of 
Maccabees of the World, nine Camps of Woodn.en, five Camps of 
Royal Neighbors of America, the Heptasophs, Royal Arcanum, Na- 
tional Union, Royal League, three lodges Order of Mutual Aid, nine 
of A. O. U. W., five camps of P. U. S. A. and P. O. D. of A., four 
Rulings of Mystic Circle, the American Sons of Columbus, several 
lodges of Good Templars, Hebrew societies, temperance societies, 
and Christian Endeavor Unions, as well as trades and labor unions, 
covering every branch of the labor world. 

The Elks have a large organization occupying with their club 
rooms the entire seventh floor of the Niagara Building, keeping 
open house at all times to members and visitors. 

The Peoria Press Club, which has just been organized, prom- 
ises to be of no small importance in our business and social world. 

The Creve Coeur Club, having its club house on South Jeffer- 
son avenue, is another, and an important social organisation of 
business and professional men. 

The Peoria Agricultural and Trotting Society, with its new 
mile track, one of the best in the state, and the Lake View Driving 
Association, keep alive with their well-managed race meetings, a 
deep interest in the trotting horse, with the Peoria Gun Club, the 
Peoria Yacht Club and the Sportsman's Club afford sources of en- 
joyment for those who take to the rod and gun. 



FINANCIAL PLANKS OF PARTY PLATFORMS 

KEPUBUC.\N PLATFORM — FIN.^NCE— 1888. 

The Republican party is in favor of the use of both gold and 
silver as money, and condemns the policy of the Democratic party 
in its efforts to demonetize silyer. 

KEPUBUCAN PLATFORM — FINANCE — 1892. 

The American people, from tradition and interest, favor bimet- 
alisin, and the Republican party demands, the use of both g'okl and 
silver as standard money, with such restrictions and under such 
provisions, to be determined by legislation, as will secure the main- 
tenance of the parity of values of the two metals, so that the pur" 
chasing and debt- paying power of the dollar, whether of silver, gold, 
or paper shall be at all times equal. The interest of the producers of 
the country, its farmers and its workingmen, demand that every 
dollar, paper or coin, issued by the government shall be a.s good as 
any other. 



50...PE0RIA 



DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM — FINANCE —1892. 



We denounce the Republican legislation knoivn as the Sherman 
act of 18yO as a cowardly makeshift fraught with possibilities of 
danger in the future, which should make all of its supporters, as- 
well as its author, anxious for its speedy' repeal. We hold to the use 
of both gold and silver as the standard money of the country, and 
to the coinage of both gold and silver without discriminating against 
either metal or charge for mintage, but the dollar unit of coinage 
of both metals must be of equal intrinsic and exchangeable value or 
be adjusted through international agreement or by such safeguards 
of legislation as shall insure the maintenance of the parity of the 
two metals, and the equal power of every dollar at all times La the 
markets and in the payment of debts; and we demand that all pa- 
per currency shall be kept at par with and redeemable in such coin. 
We insist upon this policy as especially necessary for the protection 
of the farmer and laboring classes, the first and most defenseless 
vict'.ms of unstable money and a fluctuating currency. 

REPUBLICAN PLATFORM — FINANCE -1896. 

The Republican party is unreservedly for sound money. It 
caused the enactment of the law providing for the resumption of 
specie payments in 1879; since then every dollar has been as good 
as gold. 

We are unalterably opposed to every measure calculated to de- 
base our currency or impair the credit of our country. We are 
therefore opposed to the free coinage of silver, except by interna- 
tional agreement with the leading commercial nations of the world, 
which we pledge ourselves to promote, and until such agreement 
can be obtained we believe the existiag gold standard must be pre- 
served. All our silver and paper currency now in circulation must 
be maintained at a parity with gold, and we favor all measures de- 
signed to maintain inviolably the obligations of the United States, 
and all our money, whether coin or paper, at the present standard, 
the standard of the most enlightened nations of the earth. 



TO THE PUBLIC 

The local Committee of Arrangements desires that any and all 
persons ha\ ing complaints to make in regard to any ill-treatment 
received at the hands of attendants or others be promptly reported 
to the undersigned. We have guarantees from all our hotels in re- 
gard to rates, and so there may be no misunderstanding, here pub- 
lish them, as well as cab and sti'eet car fares: 

National Hotel, $2.50 to S4.00 per day. 

Hotel Fey, $2.50 and $3.00 per day, $3.50 with bath. 

Hotel Brunswick, $2.per day. 

Fredenek Hotel, $2 per day. 

Peoria House, S2 per day. 

Hotel Prockazka, $2 per day. 

A fare of five cents is charged on all street car lines with the 
privilege of transfer to any part of the city requested. 



PEORIA .51 



CAB AND HACK FARE. 



For conveying- each person twelve blocks or less twenty five 
cents; and for conveying^ each child, between five and fourteen 
years of ag-e the same distance, the sum of fifteen cents. 

For conveying each person all distances over twelve blocks 
within the city, the sum of fifty cents; and for conveying each 
child, between five and fourteen years of age. the same distance, 
the sum of twenty-five cents; no charge shiill be made for a child 
under the age of five 3 ears. Each cab and liack bears its proper 
license number. While we anticipate no trouble we still trust if 
any should occur that a prompt report of the same be made.. 

CITIZENS' COMMITTEE ON CONVENTION. 

John W.\knkk, Chairman. 
Jo.SEi'H Mai'LK. Secretary. 
Office— In National Hotel. 



Production of the Precious Metals Since 1492 

The following table exhibits the j roduction of gold and silver 
for periods since the discovery of America and the commercial ratio 
of silver to g^old at the end of each period: 



Yk \ks. 


Gold. 


Silver. Coin- 
ing Value. 

? 54,703,000 
297,226.000 
597.244,000 
678,800.0 
584.691,000 
579.869,000 
801,712,000 
1,273.468.000 
371.677.(00 
22».7K6.0(X) 
191.444.0(H) 


Ratio 

10.75 
11.30 

11.80 
14.(K1 
15 00 
15 21 
14.75 
15.09 
15.01 
15 51 
15.80 


Years. 


Gold. 


Silver-Coin- 
ing Value. 

$ 247.930,000 
324.400." >C0 
372.261,0(0 
507.174.000 
918.578.000 
1,298,820,( 00 
177.352.000 
197,741.(00 
2(8,371,000 


Ratio 


1492 1520 
1521-1560 
1 5c 1 1600 
1601 1640 
1641 1080 
1681-1720 
1721 1760 
1761-1800 
1801-1810 
1811-lsiO 
I821-18-!0 


S107.931,OCO 
204,697,(JOO 
189,012,000 
223,572,000 
239,655.(00 
3 13.491, Of 
580,727.000 
511,675,000 
118,152.000 
7f..0t)3,000 
94.479,0(Xt 


1831 1840 
1841 1850 
1851 -'860 
1861-1870 
1871 1880 
1881 1S90 

189 

1892 

1893 


S 134,841,000 

363.928.61 

1,332,981,000 

1,260."15.00() 

1.150,814.0(0 

1,059.892.000 

l.?0.650.(M)0 

146,298,0K) 

155.522 (JOO 

SfS,397.395.CO0 


15.75 
15.83 
15.29 
15.56 
18.05 
19.76 
20.02 
23.73 
28.49 


Total. 


S9,'.»08 247.000 





The above table and the table following are from " Monetary 
Sy&te[ns of the World "' by Maurice L. Muhleman, Deputy Assistant 
United States Treasurer, New York, 189.S. 

PRECIOUS METALS CONSUMED IN THE ARTS. 

Average annual consumption, estimated by the Director of the 
Mint, 1895: 



COUNTKIKS. 


Year. 

1894 
1894 
1894 
1894 
1894 
1894 
1893 
1893 
189 1 
1890 
1885 
1885 


Authority. 


Silver. 


Gold. 


Weight. 

Kilo- 
gram?. 


Value. 


Weieht, 

KiU- 

grams. 


Value. 


United States 

France 


Official.... 

.... 

Haupt .... 
Soetbeer .. 


232.481) 

131,250 

2,5 

5.600 

S5,0C0 

40.0^0 

75,000 

23,00(1 

8«,000 

100,000 

17,400 

40.000 


$ 9.0C1 871 
5.454.750 

103 900 

232.736 
2,285.800 
1.662.4CO 
3,117,000 

955,880 1 
3,324.,SOO i 
4,156.0(X) 

723,144 
1,662,400 

$33,340,681 1 


12.750 

14,400 

272 

.•{.•6 

7,000 


$ 8,47.3,658 
9.570 240 


Sweden 


ISO. 77 1 


Netherlands 

Switzerland 

Austria . 


223.306 
4. 52,200 


Russia 


5.331 
1.960 
17.(K)0 
15.(KW 
2,070 
2.400 


3.542.98J 


Portugal 

England 


l..^)2.616 
-11.2')8.200 




9 909.1X10 


Heig iu m 


1 376.722 


Other countries 


1.595,040 


Total 






802,230 


' 78,519 


$52,183,736 









RATIO Ol-' SILVER TO GOLD. 



1492 10.75 

1687 14.94 

1700 14 81 

1750 14 55 

1800 15.68 

1825 15.17 

1850 1£.7(( 

1860 15.29 

1861 1550 



1862 15.35 



1863 .... 
1.S64 .... 
1865.... 
18(,6.... 
1V67.... 
1''68.... 

1869 15 60 

1870 155' 



15 37 
15 37 
15.44 
15.43 

15.57 
15.59 



1871 15.57 

1872 15.63 

1873 15.92 

1874 16.17 

1S75 16.59 ' 1,8.83 

1876 ■:788 1884 



1879 18.40 

1880 18.05 

18-11 18.16 

1882 18.19 

...18 64 
... 18 57 



1877 

1,878 .... 



.77.22 
. 17.94 



1885 19.41 

1886 20.78 



18.S7 21.13 

1888 2199 

18« 22.09 

1890 19.76 

1891 20.92 

1.892 23.72 

1.893 26.49 

1894 32.56 



52... PEORIA 



Popular and Electoral Vote for President in 1892 



States and 
Territories. 



Alabama . 
Arkansas . 
California 
Colorado . 
Connecticut 
Delaware 
Florida 
Georgia 
Idaho . . 
Illinois . . 
Indiana . . 
Iowa . . 
Kansas 1 . 
Kentucky 
Louisiana 
Maine . . . 
Mar.vland 
Massachusetts 
Michig-an 
Minnesota 
Mississippi . 
Missouri . . 
Montana . . 
Nebraska 
Nevada . . 
New Hampsh 
New Jersey . 
New York 
North Carolina 
North Dakota 

Ohio 

Oregon . . 
Pennsylvania 
Rhode Island 
South Carolina 
South Dakota 
Tennessee . . 
Texas . . . 
Vermont . . . 
Virginia . . . 
Washington . 
West Virginia 
Wisconsin . . 
Wyoming . . 



re 



Total 



Popular Vote 



Cleve- 
land. 
Dam. 



138,138 

87,83-J 

118,293 



82,395 

18,581 

30,143 

129,361 

426,281 
262,740 
196,367 



175,461 

87,922 

48,044 

113,866 

176,813 

202.296 

1(«,920 

40,237 

268,398 

17,581 

24.943 

714 

42,081 

171,042 

654,868 

132,951 



40»,115 
14,24 ! 

452,264 

24,335 

54,692 

9,081 

138,874 

239.148 
16,325 

163.977 
29.802 
84.467 

177,335 



5,5.56,918 



Harri- 
son. 
Rep. 



9.197 

46,884 
' 118,149 

38.620 
77.025 
18,083 

' 48.305 

8;599 

399,288 

255,615 

219,795 

157,237 

135.441 

13,282 

52,923 

92,736 

202,814 

222,708 

122,823 

1.4 6 

226,918 

18,851 

87,227 

2 811 

45,658 

156,068 

609,350 

100,342 

17,519 

405,187 

35,002 

516,011 

26,972 1 

13.3451 

34,8881 

100,331 ! 

81,444 

37,99' 

113,262 

36,460 

80,253 

170,791 

8,454 

5176,108 



Wea- 
ver. 
Pop. 



85.181 
11,831 
25.352 
£3^584 
806 
13 

4.843 
42.937 
10,520 
22,207 
22,208 
20,595 
163.111 
23.500 
13,281 

2.381 
796 

3.210 
19,892 
29.313 
10.2''6 
41,213 

7,334 
83,1.34 

7,264 
292 
969 
16,429 
44,736 
17,700 
14,8£0 
26,965 

8,714 
228 

2,407 
26,544 
23,447 
99,688 
43 
12,275 
19,165 

4.166 

9,009 



1041,028 



Bid- 
well. 
Pro. 



239 
113 

8,129 

1,638 

4,025 

565 

475 

988 

288 

25-,87o 

13,0.50 

6.40' 

4,539 

6,412 

3,062 

5,877 

7,530 

14,069 

12,182 

910 

4,331 

549 

4,902 

89 

1,297 

8,131 

38,190 

2,636 

899 

26,012 

2,281 

25,123 

1 6£4 






32 V 



4,851 
2,165 
1,415 
2,738 
2,542 
2.145 
13,132 
530 



264,133 



649 



1,337 
17,966 



898 



21,164 



Plurali- 
ties. 



52,957 C 

40,950 C 

144 C 

14.964 W 
5.370 C 

498 C 
25,3 C 
81,05& C 

1.921 W 
26,993 C 

"^,125 C 

22.965 H 
5,874 W 

40,020 C 

61,359 C 

14,979 H 

21.130 C 

26,001 H 

20,412 H 

21,903 H 

29,981 C 

41,480 C 

1,270 H 

4,0''3 H 

4,453 W 

3,547 H 

14,974 C 

45,518 C 

32,609 C 

181 W 

1,072 H 

811 F 

63,767 H 

2,637 H 

41,347 C 

8,344 H 

38,543 C 

139,460 C 

21,667 H 

50,715 C 

6,658 H 

4,174 C 

6 544C 

732 H 



Cleve 
land. 
Dem. 



Electoral 
Vote. 



4 
13 



24 
15 



13 



10 

36 

11 

1 

1 



12 
IS 

12 

6 
12 



Har- 
rison' 
Rep. 



Wea- 
ver. 
Pop. 



13 



22 
3 

32 
4 



145 



10- 



Popular Vote, Cleveland over Harrison 380,810 

Electoral Vote, Cleveland over Harrison 132 

Electoral Vote, Cleveland over Harrison and Weaver 110 

Total Popular Vote, 1892, including Scattering 12,110,636 

NUMBEK OF DEI^EG'>TES IN DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION IN 

CHlC.\GO, JUI.V 7, 1896. 



Alabama 22 

Arkansas 16 

California 18 

Colorado 8 

Connecticut . . • .... 12 

Delaware 6 

Florida 8 

Georgia 26 

Idaho 6 

Illinois 48 

Indiana 30 

Iowa 26 

Kansas 20 

Kentucky 26 

Louisiana 16 

Mai lie 12 

Maryland 16 

Massachusetts .... 30 



Michigan 28 

Minnesota . ... 18 

Mississippi 18 

Missouri 34 

Montana 6 

Nebraska 16 

Nevada 6 

New Hampshire . . .8 

New Jersey 20 

New York 72 

North Carolina 22 

North Dakota 6 

Ohio 46 

Oregon 8 

Pen svlvania .... 64 

Rhrde Island 8 

South Carolina 18 

South Dakota 



Tennessee 24 

Texas 30 

Utah 6 

Vermont 8 

Virginia 24 

Washington 8 

West Virginia 12 

Wisconsin 24 

Wyoming 6 

Territories — 

Alaska 2 

Arizona 2 

District of Columbia ... 2 
Indian Territory . . . 2 

New Mexico 2: 

Oklahoma 2 

Total 604 



PEORIA .53 



Ballots for Presidential Nominees in Democratic National 
Conventions J 876 to 1892. 



1876 



Demockatic National Convkntion, 
St. Louis, Junk 28. 



Candidates. 



Total vote . ... 

Necessary to choice * 



Tildea.N. Y. . 
Hendricks, Ind. 
Hancock, Pa. . . 
Allen, Ohio . . 
Bavard. Del. . . 
Parker, N J. . 
Hroadbead, Mo. 



1st 
Ballot 



738 
4')2 

77 
56 
56 
18 
l'> 



2nd 
Ballot. 



738 
492 

508 
85 
60 
£4 
11 
18 



1884 



Dkmocratic National Convention, 
Chicago, Jclv U. 



Candidates. 



Tilden nominated on 2nd ballot. 

* Two-thirds vote necessary to 
choice. 



1880 



Democratic National Convkntion, 
Cincinnati, Jcnh 23, 24. 



Candidates. 



Total vote 

Necessary to a choice 

Hancock, Pa 

Bayard, Del 

Payne, O 

Thurman. O 

Field, Cal 

Vorrison, III 

Hendricks, Ind. . . . 

Tilden, N. Y 

Randall, Pa 

Scatterinj/- 



1st 2Hd 

Ballot. Ballot 



Total vote 

Necessary to a choice 



Cleveland, N. Y. 
Bayard. Del . . 
Thurman, O. . . 
Randall. Pa. 
McDonald, Ind. 
Carlisle, Ky. 
Flower, N. Y. . 
Hoadly, O. . . . 
Hendricks, Ind. 
Tilden. N. Y. . 



1st 
Ballot 



820 
.'>47 

392 

170 

88 

78 

.56 

27 

4 

3 

1 

1 



2nd 

Ballot 



820 
S47 

683 

4 
4 

4 



45^ 



Cleveland nominated 2d ballot. 



73.'S 
492 

171 

153M 
81 
68 H 
65 
62 
50 !4 
38 
6 



738 
492 

320 
113 

'se' 

6SM 

ii ' 

6 
128 i4 

t 



Hancock nominated by acclamation, 
after the second ballot. 

* Ewinsr. 10 

* Sevmour, N. Y 8 

* Lovel.-ind, Col 5 

* McDonald. Ind " 

* Parker, N. J 1 

* Black, Pa 1 

* Jewett, 1 

* English, Ind 1 

* Lathrop, Mich 1 

t EnplisU, Ind 19 

t Parker, N.J 2 

t Jewett, 1 



1888 



Democratic National Convention, 
St. Louis, Junk 6. 



Candidate. 



Cleveland, N. Y 



Nominated by 
acclamation 



Cleveland nominated by acclamation, 
without a ballot. 



1892 



Democratic National Convkntion, 
June 21, 22, 23. 



Candidates. 



Total vote 

Necessary to a choice 



Cleveland, N. Y. 
IHill. N. Y. . . . 
'Boies, Iowa . . 
'tiorman. Md. . 
Stevenson, 111. 
L■^catterinB•* . . 



1st 
Ballot. 



909H 
607 

617'/3 

114 

103 

36 J4 

16 yj 

23 



Cleveland nominated on the first bal- 
lot. *Carlise, Kv.. 14; Morrison, 111.. 3; 
[Campbell. O ,2; Russell, Mass., 2; Pai- 
tison, Pa , 1 : Whitney, N. Y., 1. 



54. ..PEORIA 



Standing Committees of Democratic State Central Committee^ 

(Illinois.) 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HEADQUARTERS PARLOR I, SHERMAN HOUSE, 

CHICAGO. 

W. H. Hinriclisen, Chairman. 

Thomas Gahan, Vice-Chairman. 

Theodore Nekon, Secretary. 

Win. B. Brinton, Treasurer. 

John P. Hopkins, William S. Fornian, Samuel B. Chase, Denis 
J. Hogan, W. O. Wright, Daniel Heenan, Walter Watson and Reed 
Green. 

COMMITTEE ON STATE ORGANIZATION. 

J. B. Ricks, Taylorville, 111., Chairman. 

George E. Brennan, Joliet, 111. 

Thomas Byrne, 4209 S. Halsted St., Chicago. 

Frank J. Quinn, Peoria, 111. 

S. S. Hallam, Monmouth, III. 

J. H. Baker, Sul'ivan, 111. 

J. D. Baker, Lebanon, 111. 

Ross R. Fuller, Charleston, 111. 

Arthur C. Bentley, Pittsfield, 111. 

COMMITTEE ON COOK COUNTY ORGANIZATION. 

Jo 5. P. Mahoney, Chairman, Ashland block, Chicago. 
John P. Leiendecker, 356 State St., Chicago. 
William Loeffler, 2 19th Place, Chicago. 
Rudolph Brand, 53 Cedar St., Chicago. 
Charles Williams, 85 Janssen Ave., Chicago. 

COMMITTEE ON CI.UB ORGANIZATION. 

J. W. Potter, Chairman, Rock Island, 111. 
R. E. Spangler, 858 Warren Ave., Chicago. 
Ben. T. Cable, Rock Island, 111. 
Adams A. Goodrich, The Rookery, Chicago. 
M. C. Conlom,349 W. Monroe St., Chicago. 

State Officers 

Governor, John P. Altgeld. 

Lieutenant Governor, Joseph B. Gill. 

Secretary of State, Wm. B. Hinrichsen. 

Auditor, David B. Gore. 

Treasurer, Henry WulfF. 

Attorney General, Maurice T. Maloney. 

Superintendent Public Instruction, Samuel M. Inglis. 



PE0RIA...55 



Votes of Counties in Democratic State Convention at Peoria, 

IlUJune 23d, 1896. 



County. 



Adams . . . . 
Alexander . . 
BoDil . . . . 
Boone . . . . 
Brown . . , 
Bureau. . . . 
Calhoun . . . 
Carroll . . 
Cass . . . . 
Champaign . 
Christian . . 
Clark . . . 

Clay 

Clinton . . . 
Coles . . . 
Cook .... 
Crawford . . 
Cumberland 
De Kalb 
Dewiti . . 
Doufflas . . 
DuPage . . 
Kdgar . . . 
Edwards . . 
Effingham . 
Fayette . . 
Ford . . . 
Franklin . . 
Fulton . . . 
Gallatin . . 
Greene . . . 
Gnmdy . . , 
Hamilton 
Hancock . . 
Hardin . 
Hender.son 
Henry 



Vote 
1892. 



7.74ii 
1 (>T4 
1. :{•.'« 
.lis 
1. .">•>" 

.•{,;-..->.-> 

840 

1.444 

;2.-,'0:! 

4..-,oe 

.■{,i).")."> 
1 .ti04 

:{.till 
144,ti04 
1.875 
1.78.-> 
1.9-27 
•2.08:{ 

1 999 
•i. l.'>4 
:5.1ti4 

<>77 
•i,744 

2 43H 
l.:l.")9 
1.782 
.5.2.">:} 
l.<)7.'i 
:{.14t> 
1 892 
2;0»il 

, 4.i:{2 

I 700 

921 

2.t>70 



Deljg'ts 



Iroquois :!.848 

JacKSon . . 
Jasper . . 
Jefferson . 
Jersey . . . 
Jo Davies 
Johnson . 
Kane 
Kankakee 
Kendall 



2.8.-.8 
2.217 
2..{:{2 
2.011 
2,79:{ 

854 
5.778 
2.703 

848 

Knox I ;i.07:{ 



Lake 
LaSalle . . 
LawTence 



1.904 
9.:505 
1.572 



19 

• 4 

:i 

1 

4 

9 
•> 

4 

(5 

11 

9 


4 

9 
.•502 
."» 
4 
.5 
.") 



♦5 

:{ 

4 

i:{ 

4 
8 
."> 
5 
10 



10 



14 



2:? 

4 



County. 



Lee 

Livingston . 
Logan . . . . 
Macn . . . . 
Macoupin . . 
Mad'son . . . 
Marion . . . 
Marshall . . . 
Mason . . . . 
Massac . . . 
McDonough . 
McHenry . . 
McLean . . . 
Menard . . . 
Mercer . . . . 
Monroe . . . 
Montgomery 
Morgan . . . 
Moultrie . . . 
Ogle . . . . 
Peoria . . . 
Perry .... 
Piatt . . . . 
Pike . . . . 

Pope 

Pulaski 
Putnam . . 
Kandolph . . 
Richland . . 
Rock I.sland . 
Saline 

<angamon . , 
Schuyler . . 

Scott 

Shelby ... 
Stark . . 
St. Clair . . 
•Stephenson . 
Tazewell . . 
Union . . . . 
i Vermillion . 
Wabash . . . 
Warren . . . 
Washington 
Wavne . 
White . . . . 
Whiteside . . 

Will 

Williamson . 
Winnebago . 
Woodford . . 



Vote 
1892. 



Deleg't.<j 



2,740 
.■{.900 
.•{.l.")0 

4,:}o:j 

5 051 
5,080 
2,709 

-i,8:u 

2.211 
799 
.•5,2:57 
2,:5U 
0,487 
1,748 
1,975 
1.011 
:5.707 
4,000 
1.070 
2.244 
8.0.-):5 
1.980 
1,890 
.'{.494 
810 
897 
514 
2.702 
1,542 
4.0:54 
1,828 
7.005 
1.880 
1,282 

:{.52:5 

824 
7. -20 7 
:5.717 
:5.052 
2.00:5 
5.001 
1.428 
2, •294 
1,808 
2,:i72 
2.9.54 
2,779 
0,4:54 
2,118 
2.0:54 
2,001 

420 281 



10 
8 
11 
l:{ 
14 



6 
o 

8 
(> 

16 
4 
.5 
4 
9 

10 
4 
6 

20 
5 
5 
9 



4 
10 

5 
19 

5 

:t 

9 

18 
9 

? 
7 

13 

4 





l(i 



1.009 



56 ..PEORIA 

Democratic National Committee 

Appointed bj- the Democratic National Convention at Chicago, 

June, 1892. 

Chairman Wm. F. Harrity Philadelphia, Pa. 

Secretary Simon P. Sheerin Logansport, Ind. 

Alabama Henry D. Clayton Eufaula. 

Alaska A. Iv. Delaney Jureau. 

Arizona C. M. Shannon Clifton. 

Arkansas U. M. Rose Little Rock. 

California M. F. Tarpey Alameda. 

Colorado Chas. S. Thomas Denver. 

Connecticut Carlos French Sej-mour. 

Delaware L. C. Vandegrift Wilmington. 

District of Columbia. . .James L. Norris Washington. 

Florida Samuel Pasco Monticello. 

Georgia Clark Howell, Jr Atlanta. 

Idaho Frank W. Beane Blackfoot. 

Illinois Ben. T. Cable Rock Island. 

Indiana Simon P. Sheerin IvOgansport- 

Indian Territory Robert L,. Owen Muscogee. 

Iowa J. J. Richardson Davenport. 

Kansas Charles W. Blair Leavenworth. 

Kentucky.. Thos. H. Sherley Louisville. 

Louisiana James Jeffries Rapides. 

Maine Arthur Sewall Bath. 

Maryland Arthur P. Gorman Laurel. 

Massachusetts Josiah Quincy Boston. 

Michigan Daniel J. Campau Detroit. 

Minnesota Michael Doran St. PauV 

Mississippi Chas. B. Howry Oxford. 

Missouri John G. Prather St. Louis. 

Montana A. J. Davidson Helena 

Nebraska Tobias Castor Lincoln. 

Nevada R. P. Keating Virginia City. 

New Hampshire A. W. Sulloway Franklin. 

New Jersey Miles Ross North Brunswick, 

New Mexico H. B. Ferguson Albuquerque. 

New York Wm. F. Sheehan New York. 

North Carolina M. W. Ransom Weldon. 

North Dakota Wm. C. Leistikow Grafton. 

Ohio Calvin S. Brice Lima. 

Oklahoma Territory. . .T. M. Richardson Oklahoma City. 

Oregon E. D. McKee Portland. 

Pennsylvania Wm. F. Harrity Philadelphia. 

Rhode Island Samuel R. Honey Newport. 

South Carolina M. L. Donaldson Greenville. 

South Dakota James M. Woods Rapid City. 

Tennessee H. Cummings Memphis. 

Texas O. T. Holt Houston. 

Utah Sam. A. Merritt Salt Lake City. 

Vermont Brad. B. Smalley Burlington. 

Virginia Basil B. Gordon Charlotteville. 



PEORIA. .57 



Wa^llinv;tun Hug^h C. Wallace Tacoitia. 

VCt St Virgin a John Sheridan Piedmont. 

Wisconsin E. C. Wall Milwaukee. 

Wyoming W. L. Kuykendall Saratoga. 



Democratic State Central Committee of Illinois. 
Selected at the State Convention in Springfield, 1894. 

DISTRICTS. 

1 — Adams A. Goodrich, Rookery Building, Chicago. 

2— Thos. Byrne, 4209 S Halsted street. Chicago. 

3— John P. Leindecker, 3.^6 State .street, Chicago. 

4-Wni. Loeffler, No. 2, 19th Place, Chicago. 

5 — M. C. Oonlon, 349 W. Monro* street. Chicago. 

■6 — Rudolph Brand, 53 Cedar street, Chicago. 

7 — Charles Williams, 85 Janssen avenue, Chicago. 

8 — D. J. Hogan, (Teneva. 

9— W. O. Wright, Freeport. 
10 -J. W. Potter, Rock Island. 
11 — Daniel.Heenan, Streator. 
12— George E Brennan, Braidwood. 
13 — Wm. B. Brinton, Tuscola. 
14 — Frank J. Quinn, Peoria. 
15— S. S. Hallatn, Monmouth. 
16— A. C. Bentley, Piltsfield. 

17— J. B. Ricks, Taylorville. 
18-J. H. Baker, Sullivan. 
19— Ross R. Fuller, Charleston. 
20 — Walter Watson, Jacksonville. 
21— James D Baker, Lebanon. 
-I) —Reed Green, Cairo. 

AT LARGE. 

John P. Hopkins, 2428 115th street. Chicago. 

Thomas Gahan, 4209 S. Halsted street, Chicago. 

Samuel B. Chase, 39() Garfield avenue, Chicago. 

Ben T. Cable. Rock Island. 

Joseph P. Mahoney, Ashland Block, Chicago. 

R E Spangler, 858 Warren avenue, Chicago. 

W. H. Hinrichsen, Jacksonville. 

Wm. S. Forman, East St. Louis 

Theo Nelson, 41 Palmer House, Chicago. 



PEORIA. 59 
CHAIRMAN STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE 

No. 1 
William H. Hinrichsen, of Jacksonville, was born in Morgan 
count}-. 111., May 27, 1.S5(I. Educated in the common schools of the 
county and at the State University of Champaign. As a boy and a 
young- man he clerked in the country store, worked on the farm and 
in railroad offices. Later he went into the newspaper business at 
Jacksonville as proprietor and editor of the Jacksonville Courier. 
Later he purchased the (Juincy Herald. He was elected Justice of 
the Peace in 1871, again in 1872, appointed deputy sheriff in 1874, 
elected sheriff in 1880, elected clerk of the House of Representa- 
tives of the Illinois General Assembly in 1891, elected Secretary of 
State in 1892. Served continuously on his county committee most 
of the time as secretary or chairman for fifteen years. Was elected 
a member of the State Central Committee in 1888, and is the pres- 
ent chairman of that committee. Was married in 1873 and has a 
family of three children. Mr. Hinrichsen is now the Democratic 
candidate for Congress in the Sixteenth Congressional District. 



COMMITTEEMAN AT LARGE 

No. 2. 
Theodore Nelson, Secretary of the State Central Committee, 
was born February 17. 1851, at Sparta, Tenn. Moved to Decatur in 
June. 1857. Attended common schools in Decatur, and closed his 
school days at Eureka, Illinois. In 1876 entered the service of 
Hayworth & Sons, one of the largest manufacturing concerns in 
Central Illinois: was with them fourteen years, the last ten of 
which was their cashier and confidential man: left the firm the first 
day of June, 1890, to accept the position of Secretary of the Demo- 
cratic State Executive Committee, with headquarters at Chicago. 
Elected member of the Democratic State Central Committee in the 
spring of 1888; was elected as a member of the Executive Commit- 
tee; has been elected Secretary to the State an 1 Executive Com- 
mittee each succeeding two years: present term will expire January, 
1897. As Secretary of the State Committee had charge of head- 
quarters at Leland Hotel, Springfield, through the Palmer sena- 
torial fight. Was appointed member of the sub committee of five 
to CO operate with the members of the legislative stearing commit- 
tee; object of formation of said committee-election of John M. Pal- 
mer to the United States Senate. Was Treasurer of the city of De- 
catur in 1878, '80, '81 and '82. In December, 1892, was appointed 
Chief Deputy Recorder of Cook County by Samuel B. Chase, Re- 
corder; term expires December 5, 1896. Resident of the Thirty- 
second ward, Chicago. 

SIXTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. .i. 
Arthur C. Bentley, of Pittsfield, III., the member of the Demo- 
cratic State Committee from the Sixteenth District, is 36 years old, 
and was born and reared in Pike County. Was admitted to the bar 
in 1882 and located at Baylis. In 1890 he established the Baylis 
Guide, a local newspaper, which he published until 1895. In Decem- 



60. ..PEORIA 

ber, 1893, he was appointed Master in Chancery of Pike County, 
which office he still holds. In April, 1895, he moved to Pittsfield 
and formed a partnership with Chas. W. Caughlan in the newspa- 
per business, and purchased the Pike County Banner and changed 
the name of the paper to the Pike County Times, and enlarged it to 
a seven column quarto. The Times from its first issue was a cham- 
pion of free coinage, and its circulation is rapidly and constantly 
increasing. Mr. Bentley has always been a working Democrat and 
has an extensive acquaintance with Democrats throughout the state. 
On the death of Col. E. F. Binns, he was tinanimously elected to fill 
the vacancy on the State Committee, and was made secretary of the 
sub-Committee on State Organization. 

COMMITTEEMAN AT LARGE 

No. 4. 

Ben T. Cable, of Rock Island, Committeeman-at-Large, was 
born in Kentucky. Aug. 17, 1853. Came to Illinois in 1856. Grad- 
uated at .Michigan University in 1876. Delegate to the National 
Democratic Conveation in 1834, again as Dele^ate-atLarge to the 
convention in 1892. Elected to Congress in 1890, and has since 1892 
been a member of the National Democratic Committee and chair- 
man of its western branch. 



EIGHTH GONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 5. 

Denis J. Hogau was born in the city of Chicago, December 
1856. After attending school there for two years he became a stu- 
dent of Notre Dame University in 1863 and graduated from there in 
1873 with the degree of A. B. After having spent two years 
at the Union College of Law in Chicago he received the de- 
gree of L.L. B., and was admitted to the Bar in June, 1875. 
He attended the Columbia Law School for a year and then entered 
on the practice of law in his native city. He was married in 1879, 
and two years later was compelled to give up his practice on ac- 
count of the death of his mother and brother, and to look after his 
personal affairs. Mr. Hogan has travelled extensively in Europe, 
having crossed the ocean twentj'-two times, and having spent a 
good deal of his time abroad. In 1888 he moved to Geneva, his 
present residence. He has served as mayor and alderman of that 
city and now holds the position of President of the Board of Trus- 
tees of the State Asylum at Elgin. 111. He was elected a member of 
the Democratic State Central Committee in 1890 to fill a vacancy, 
and has been a member ever since, having served continually on the 
Executive Committee. 

SEVENTH GONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 0. 

Charles Williams, 85 Janssen avenue, Chicago, was born on the 
22d day of July, 1862, at Whitewater, Wisconsin. When two years 
■of age his parents moved to Winona, County, in the State of Min- 
nesota. Until nineteen years of age he remained on a farm with 



PEORI/^ 61 

his parents and then be^-^an attendirj^ the State Normal School at 
Winona, Minn., completing a course in 1880, and then attended the 
State University of Wisconsin at Madison, Wis. Mr. Williams 
graduated from there in June, 1884, went to Chica^'^o in 1886, began 
to practice law and continued the same. Since coming to Chicago 
he has served three terms as a member of the Democratic County 
Committee and also as a member of the Executive Committe of that 
body, and is now serving as a member of the State Central Com- 
mittee for the Seventh Congressional District, having the honor to 
represent the district wherein the governor resided prior to his elec- 
tion. Was assistant attorney for the County of Cook in 1892 and 
1893. 



THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 7. 

John P. Leindecker, No. 356 State street, Chicago, was born in 
Chicago. February 2, 1854, was educated in the public schools an 1 
Beleke's .Academy. From 1875 to 1895, when he retired from busi- 
ness, Mr. Leindecker was engaged in the wholesaling of wines and 
liquors. He has at all times been a working Democrat whose time 
and money have been spent for the betterment of his party. 



COMMITTEEMAN AT LARGE 

No. 8. 

Samuel B. Chase, 396 Garfield avenue, Chicago, was born in 
Rochester, N. Y., in 1844. Came to Chicago in 1851. In 1862 he en- 
listed in the 105th 111. Vol. Infty.. and served until the close of the 
war. He has been a member of the State Central Committee since 
1880. Was elected assessor of North Chicago in 1879 and re elected 
thirteen times. Was elected recorder of Cook County in 1892. Has 
been a Democratic all his life. 



NINETEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

So. St. 

Ross R. Fuller, of Charleston, was born near H.i:nbDlt, i:i 
Coles County, 111.. February 6, 1861, and lived there until 1S84, then 
moved to Charleston, entering the office of County Treasurer as 
deputy. Mr. Fuller soon became an active factor in the politics of 
Coles County, and in 1886 was chairman of the Coles County dele- 
gation to the State convention. Was also elected chairman of the 
Coles County Democratic Central Committee in the same year, 
which position he held until 1894, at which time his staunch efforts 
for the cause of democracy were rewarded by being elected mem- 
ber of the State Central Committee of the Nineteenth Congres- 
sional District. Mr. Fuller was further honored by being ap- 
pointed a member of Gov. Altgeld's staff with the rank of colonel 
in September of 1H93. In political matters he has been one of 
Coles County's leaders, one whose counsel is always sought after. 
In the recent contest for locAting the Democratic State Convention 
Mr. Fuller was the tirst member of the subcommittee who favored 



62...PE0RIA 

Peoria, and proved himself a friend by voting that way from the 
first. He is a Democrat from choice and principle, and is always 
ready to spend time and money for the cause. 

FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 10. 

William Loeffler, No. 2 Nineteenth Place, Chicago, was born in 
Bohemia in 1857, January 1, educated in schools of his native coun.ry, 
came to Chicago in 1873, and here attended night school, working by 
day at the butcher's trade. In 1883 Mr. Loeffler established himself 
in the wholesale meat and provision business in Chicago, and has 
been very successful in the same. Mr. Loeffler served his ward in 
the Citj' Council, and at all times has taken a deep interest in the 
success of his party and its candidates. 

COMMITTEFMAN-AT-LARGE 

No. 11. 

John P. Hopkins, 2428 115th street, Chicago; born in Buffalo, N. 
y., October 23, 1858; moved to Chicago in 1880: educated in the pub- 
lic and private schools and St. Joseph's College of his native city. 
Learned the machinists trade. In 1881 he entered the services of 
the Pullman Company at Pullman, and rose rapidly in the esteem 
and confidence of his emplo^-es, with whom he remained till 1888 
when he engaged for himself in business. Eight large stores are 
now under the control of his firm. Mr. Hopkins has been no less 
successful in the political world, and his influence is and for years 
has been potent in Chicago, Illinois and National politics. He was 
elected Mayor of Chicago in the fall of 1893, after the dea- h of Hon. 
Carter Harrison. Mr. Hopkins is a popular member of several so- 
cial and political organizations and for years has represented his 
district in State and National gatherings. 

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No !■:. 

James B. Ricks, of Taylorville. was born December 23, 1852, in 
Christian county, 111., and has ever since re-ided there. Educated 
in common school with three years at Illinois Wesley an University. 
Married December 23, 1872. Admitted to the bar June, 1874. Prac- 
ticed continuously at Taylorsville since. Was in government ser- 
vice in Pension Bureau under Gen. Jno. C. Black, three years, 
1885-8. 

Mayor of Taylorville 1889 and 18>0. Delegate to National Con- 
vention, 1892. State Central Committeeman 1894 to present. All 
his people bearing his name are democrats. His father was John B. 
R^cks, who was a democrat and well known throughout the State. 
He is for 16 to 1 and was one of those who favored call of June Con- 
vention last 3'ear. 

THIRTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. l.*J. 
William B. Brinton, of Tuscola, who represents the Thirteenth 



PEORIA. .63 

Congressional District, was born near Greencastle, Ind., in 1854 ; 
moved to Tuscola in 1865. From 1S68 to June, 1893, when Mr. Brin- 
lon was appointed U. S. Marshall for the Southern District of Illi- 
nois, he was engagfed as salesman and manager for the Molina 
"Wagon Company. He has been a member of the State Central 
Committee for over 14 years and for the past twelve years has been 
its treasurer and a member of the executive committee. 

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 14. 

J. H. Baker, of Sullivan, the member of the Eigheeenth Dis- 
trict, is an attorneyatlaw. Was a member of the 33d, 34th and 35th 
General Assemblies of this state, and has been a member of this 
committee over ten years. 

ELEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 
No. 1."). 

Daniel J. Heenan, of Streator, who represents the Eleventh 
Congressional District, is a native of Canada, and has resided in 
Illinois for over thirty years. In 1866 he began merchandizint,'- in 
Ottawa, and in 1872 opened a branch stoie in Streator which is now 
the largest department store in the state outside of Chicago. Mr. 
Heenan is at pres€nt a member of Joliet Penitentiary Commission. 
He has never, though often solicit«.;d to do so, stood for an official 
position though his advice is potent in the counsels of his party — 
both in his own district and throughout the state 

FIFTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

Xo. It). 

Samuel S. Hallam. of Monmouth, who represents the Fifteenth 
District, was born in Warren County, this state, November 21, 1863, 
attended Abingdon College and in 1889 was admiteed to the bar in 
ISyi. Was elected city attorney of Monmouth, and for the past 
four years has been a member of the State Central Committee. Mr- 
Hillam is the present po.stmaster of Monmouth. 

COMMITTEEMAN AT LARGE. 

Xo. IT. 

Joseph P. Mahonej', Ashland block, Chicago, born in Oswego, 
Is'. Y.. November 1, 1864, has resided in Chicago since 1867. Gradu- 
ated from Chicago public schools, read law, was admitted to the bar 
when 21 vears of age. Represented for three terms the Fifth Sena- 
torial District in the House of Representatives, and is now a Senator 
from same district. Mr. Mahoney was appointed a member of the 
Board of Education of Chicago by Mayor Washburne and is now a 
Master in Chancery of Cook county. 

TENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

Xo. l.s. 
John W. Potter, member of the Democratic State Central Com- 



- i^s 




f 

'i 



PEORIA. .65 

mittee from; the Tenth- Cor gres&ional District, resides at Kock 
Island. He was first elected on the committee in 1888, and has 
served continuously since. Mr. Potter is proprietor of the Rock 
Island Ars^us. He came with his parents to Illinois from Missouri 
in 1872 at 11 years-of age, and resided at Freeport until 1882, when 
he came to Rock Island. 

NINTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 1!>. 

W. A. Wright, Freeport, since 1872, with the e.xception of two 
years, has represented his district on the State Central Committee 
and for the past fourteen years has been a member of the executive 
committee. Mr. Wright was born in Rockford in 1841 and for some 
years prior to 186S edited a Democratic paper in Rockford and since 
then has been engaged in mercantile and manufacturing business 
and in banking. 

FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 20. 

Michael C. Conlon, No. 349 W. Monroe St., Chicago, was born in 
Livingston county, N. Y., in 1855 ; removed to Chicago in 1867 and 
has resided there ever since, and for the past twenty years has been 
engaged in the hotel businsss. 

TWENTY-FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. -Jl 
James D. Baker, of Lebanon, was born in New York City March 
16, 1854. Came to Illinois in 1868; was Treasurer of St. Clair County 
1886-1890; Mayor of Lebanon 1887-1889; Warden Chester Penitentiary 
January, 1892, to December, 1894, and one of the Commissioners of 
same institution from December, 1894, to May, 1895, when he resigned 
Merchantile and manufacturing pursuits have engaged his atten- 
tion. 

TWELFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 22. 

George E. Brennan, of Braidwood, who represents the Twelfth 
Congressional District, is Chief Clerk Corporation Department, 
Secretary of State's office. Was born in Port Byron, N. Y., May 20, 
1865 and moved with his parents in 1869 to Braidwood, 111. He was 
educated in the public schools, and began active life as a school 
teacher, being emploj'ed in the Braidwood schools until 1882, when 
he accepted the position of Assistant County Superintendent of 
Schools of Will County, which he filled for four years. In 1886 he 
was made Principal of the Braidwood High School, and chosen 
member of the Democratic Congressional Committee of his county, 
In 1892 he was nominated by the Democrats for County Recorder, 
but was defeated with the rest of the ticke". In January, 1893, he 
was appointed to his present position. He headed the Will County 
delegation to the State convention in 1894, and was cho-sen member 
of the State Central Committee for the Twelfth District. 



«6...PE0RIA 

TWENTIETH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 2:!. 

Walter Watson, M. D., of Jacksonville, was born May 14. 1851, 
at Mt. Vernon, 111. Graduated at McKecdree Colleg-e, Lebanon. 111., 
1872. Received degree of M. D., from Medical College of Ohio. 1872. 
Was successful in competitive examination for position as interne 
in Good Samaritan Hospital, and served one year. Before the year 
had expired was appointed Demonstrator of Anatomy, in Medical 
College of Ohio, where he had graduated. This latter position he 
resigned for family reasons and returned to Mt. Vernon, 111., where 
he has practised medicine and surgery successfulU' ever since until 
selected as Superintenden': of the Illinois Central Hospital for In- 
sane at Jacksonville, 111., by the present state administration, which 
position he now holds. 

COMMITTEEM AN- AT-L ARGL 

No. 24. 

Thomas Gahan, 4914 Michigan avenue, Chicago, member of the 
State at-Large on the State Central Committee, was born in Chi:ago 
in 1849, and ^'as there educated. From early you'.h Mr. Gahan his 
been engaged in business and always been most successful. He was 
for 3'ears a member of the Chicago City Council, and in 1893 was 
Chairman of the World's Fair Committee. He is now a member of the 
Railroad and Warehouse Board of the Slate, and is also Chairman 
of the Cook Count)' Democratic Central Committee. Mr. Gahan. 
and Mr. Byrne, his partner under the firm name of Gahan & Bj^rne, 
are the largest contractors in the State, and are now at work con- 
structiag sections G and H of the drainage canal. As a Democratic 
leader Mr. Gahan has no superiors — his advice is always respected 
in Democratic meetings. 

FOURTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. er.. 

Frank J. Ouinn, of Peoria, attornej", present assistant states 
attorney of Peoria County. 

TWENTY-SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 

No. 20. 

Reed Green, of Cairo, lawyer, born in Mt. Vernon, 111., Sep. 22, 
1865, educated in Southern Illinois Normal L'niversity. Graduated 
Wesleyan Law School, Bloomington, 1884. Is at present a member 
of the firm of Green & Gilbert, of Cairo. Was a member of the 
House of Representatives in 1888-1892, and at present represents 
his district in the Senate. 

HON. DAVID GORE, STATE AUDITOR 

No. 27. 

Born in Trigg County, Kentucky-, April 5, 1827; emigrated to 

Illinois in 1835; enlisted in a Kentucky regiment and served through 

Ihe Mexican war; returned to Illinois at the close of the Mexican 

-war and became a farmer; held a number of small offices, including 



PE0RIA...67 

postmaster, justice of the peace, etc. Was married in 1853 to Cin- 
derella Keller; they were the parents of seven children, five of 
whom are living^. Was a candidate for sheriff of Macoupin county 
in 1870 and was defeated: was a candidate for State Treasurer on 
the Greenback ticket in 1874 and was defeated; was elected to the 
State Senate in 1884; became a member of the State Board of Agri- 
culture in 1880 and served as president of the same in 1893 and 1894; 
elected auditor of public accounts in 1892. 

HON. MAURICE T. MALONEY, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW 




Mr. Maloney was born in Ireland, July 26, 1849. Was educated 
in part in the schools of his native land. He came to America in 
18'')7. After preliminary study he entered the University of Virginia 
taking- a law course, graduating in 1871. Mr. Maloney moved to Ot- 
tawa, 111., of which city he was repeatedly elected city attorney. He 
was also states attorney of LaSalle County from 1884 to 1888. Mr. 
Maloney was elected attorney' general of this state in 1892, and has 
made a most creditable record for himself in this position, more than 
meeting- the very high expectations of his many friends and sup- 
porters. 



LIEUT. GOV. JOSEPH B. GILL 

Xo. -JM. 
Joseph B. Gill. Lieutenant Governor of the State, was born in 



68...PE0RIA 

Williamson county, 111., February 17, 1862 ; moved to Murphysboro 
where he has since resided ; was educated here in the public schools 
and at the Christian Brothers College, St. Louis, and at the Normal 
School at Carbondale, graduating- from here in June, 1884, After 
completing a law course at the Michigan Universit3% began an edi- 
torial career in connection with the Murphysboro Independent. 

Mr. Gill was elected to the House of Representatives in 1888 and 
1890, and in 1892 was nominated and elected Lieutenant Governor of 
the State. 

Mr. Gill has at all times in his life been the champion of the 
laboring masses and his eflforts in their behalf have won for him the 
love, honor and esteem of all thinking men and women. 

GOVERNOR JOHN P. ALTGELD 

No. 29. 

John P. Altgeld, Governor of Illinois, was born in Germany ia 
December, 1847. When he was three months old his parents settled 
near Mansfield, Ohio, where he was reared upon a farm. He was 
early trained to hard work and attended the public schools at inter- 
vals during the winter. When sixteen years of age he entered the 
Union army and carried a musket in the James River campaign, and 
at nineteen began to teach school. At twenty-one he went further 
west. The spring of 1869 found him working in St. Louis and 
studying law at night. After spending a few months there he went 
into Southern Kansas. In the fall of 1869 he settled at Savannah,. 
in Northwestern Missouri, and began reading law with Judge Wil- 
liam Herron and the Hon. David Ray, teaching school in the winter. 
He was admitted to the bar there and served as City Attorney. He 
drafted a new code of ordinances for the city, but before the expira- 
tion of two years resigned the office to attend to private practice. Ia 
1874 he was elected State's Attornej^ for Andrew County, Missouri. 
Having served about one year he resigned and moved to Chicago. 

After having gained a start, business came very rapidly and he 
was soon employed in some of the most difficult cases. 

In the fall of 1877 he was married to Miss Emma Ford, a woman 
of beauty, culture and refinement, who is now his constant cojn- 
panion. She was the daughter of John H. Ford, k prosperous farmer 
living near Mansfield, Ohio. 

For some years he eschewed politics, but in 1884 he ran for Con- 
gress in Chicago. Although he was defeated he made so vigorous 
and thorough a campaign that it attracted the attention of the 
politicians throughout the State. He was elected Judge of the Supe- 
rior Court of Chicago in 1886 and was for a time Chief Justice of that 
Court. After serving on the bench about five years, he resigned to 
devote himself to private interests. 

In 1884 he published a small volume entitled " Our Penal Ma- 
chinery and Its Victims," which is regarded as one of the best 
works ever published on the subject of our penal system. In 1890 
a volume entitled " Live (Questions " appeared from his pen, being a 
discussion of some of the problems of the day. In 1894 he published 
Volume II. of " Live Questions." 

He was nominated for Governor of Illinois on the Democratic 
ticket in the spring of 1892, and was elected by upwards of 25,000 
majority. 




William M. Allen. Mayor of Peoria. 



70...PE0RIA 



BALLOT FOR DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION 

AT PEORIA, 1896 



COUNTY. 



Adams . . 

Alexander 

Bond . . 

Boone 

Brown 

Bureau . 

Calhoun 

Carroll , 

Cass . . 

Champaign 

Christian 

Clark 

Clay 

Clinton 

Coles . 

Cook . 

Crawford 

Cumberlanc 

De Kalb 

Dewit . . 

Douglas 

DuPage 

Edgar 

Edwards 

Effingham 

Fayette 

Ford 

Franklin 

Fulton . 

Gallatin 

Green . . 

Grundy . 

Hamilton 

Hancock 

Harden . 

Henderson 

Henry . 

Iroquois 

Jackson . 

Jasper . 

Jefferson 

Jersey 

Jo Davies 

Johnson 

Kane . . 

Kankakee 

Kendall . 

Knox . , 

Lake 

LaSalle 

Lawrence 

Lee . . . 



No. 
Votes 



19 
4 
3 
1 
4 
9 
2 

4 
6 
11 
9 
6 
4 
6 
9 
362 
5 
4 
5 
5 
5 
5 
8 
2 

7 
6 
3 
4 
13 
4 
8 
5 
S 

10 

2 

2 
7 
10 
7 
6 
6 
5 
7 
2 

14 

7 

2 

8 

5 

23 

4 



CANDIDATES. 



PEORIA. .71 



BALLOT FOR DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION 

AT PEORIA, J896 





No. 
Votes 

1 

> 


CANDIDATES. 


COUNTY. 








1 






Livingston . 
Logan . . . 


10 

11 1 

13 
14 

5 

6 ! 

2 1 

8 : 

6 
16 

4 

5 

4 

9 
10 I 

4 ' 

6 

'? ' 
5 
9 

-> 

1 
7 

4 
10 






. . . . 


1 


















Macoupin . . 
Madison . . 


























Marion 






. . . . 


1 






Marshall 














Mason . . . 














Massac 














McDonough . 
MeHenry . . 


























\lenard 














Mercer 














Monroe 














Montgomery . 
Morgan . . . 

Moultrie 


























. . . 












Ogle ... 
Peoria 














.... 












Perry .... 

Piatt .... 


























Pike . . . 














Pope .... 
Pulaski 


























Putnam 














Randolph . . 
Richland 


























Rock Island . 
Saline 














Sangamon . 
Schuyler . . 
Scott . . . 


19 

5 

9 

2 

18 

9 
i 7 
13 
4 
6 
5 






































Shelby . . . 
Stark 


























St. Clair . . 
Stephenson . 
Tazewell 


























Union 














Vermillion 














Wabash 














Warren . . 














Washington . 














Wayne 


6 

7 
7 
16 
5 
7 
7 














White 














Whiteside . 














Will 














Williamson . 














Winnebagfo . 
Woodford 








































Total . . 


1,069 
















1 . . . . 













72. ..ADVERTISEMENTS 



Removal Notice 

We have moved our entire stock of Stationery, Books, 
Typewriters, Mimeographs .Bibles, Blank Books, etc., etc., to 
the large room known as 

325 Main Street 

Where we shall be pleased to meet all of our old customers — 
also many new ones. 

jQ(jquin=Oden StQtionep9 ^o. 

325 HAIN STREET 



Joseph Cody & Son 

W. H. CARROLL, SUPT. 

Practical Boiler flakers 

MANUFACTURERS OF 

BOILERS, TANKS, SMOKE STACKS, ETC. 
HOUSE HEATING BOILERS AND HIGH- 
WAY BRIDGES A SPECIALTY 

1014 S.WASHINGTON ST. .. PEORIA, ILL. 

WARREN SUTLIFF ...E. J CASE 

SutUtf Si Co., 



DEALERS IN 



Physician's Supplies, Surgical Instruments 

Phjsicians" Sundries, Braces, Supporters, Trusses, Elastic 

Hosier)', Surgical and Veterinary Instruments. Steam 

Atomizers, Air Condensers. Medicine Cases, Urine 

Test Cases, Crutches, Batteries, Op^rating 

Chairs, Human Osteology, Etc.. Etc. 

Potograpbic Supplies 

Cameras, Lenses, Plates. Papers, 

Cards. Chemicals, Etc, llO S. TRUaBbiiigton street 

Peoria, nil.