The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-03-30


nine months the balance When five
hundred lots were thus disposed of. the
Bank was to be established, and the lots
paid for were to be distributed by the
Banks President and Directors among
the purchasers by lottery. Fearing, as
the projectors did, that nonresident capt.
talists would rush in and capture their
prize, it was provided in the charter that
| no person could secure n title to more
| than ten lots. One third part OF the
monies arising from sales of lots was to
constitute a fund for the construction of
lcvecs, dykes. the building Of public cdi-
fees and for orhamenting parks and pub
| lie grounds. The balance was to form n
capital stock for the bank, which institu-
| ton was authorized to ISSUE currency. the
pleasure of the Directors being the only
limit as to the amount; and, if at any
| time the debts of the bank exceeded twice
the amount of the capital. he Directors
became Individually responsible! But, I'M
der such auspices, Cairo did not thrive.
The country had not become sufficiently
advanced to call for the proposed centre
pot and emporium or the public failed
to appreciate the wonderful "opcning"
the projectors had provided. Comegys,
the moving spirit of the enterprise died.;
his associates became discouraged. the
1900 acres of land reverted to the govern
ment. and thus, without leaving Il tam
gible trace of its operations, persisted the
first corporation that cssayed the build
ing of a city ut the junction of these
rivers.
| Subsequently William Bird entered The
extreme point, and. in the year ls2S. aid
ed by his sons John and Thomson. made
the first improvement at the mouth of
the Ohio. This improvement was
nothing more than log house
about % by 80 feet, erected upon mound
of earth thrown up by Birds negroes, at
point now embraced within the depot
grounds of the Cairo and st. Louis rail-
road. The locality took the name OF
"Bird's Point" AMI until the commence
ment of operations in 1887, by the Cairo
City and Canal company, retained that
designation.
Meanwhile Trinity, nj the mouth of Ca
che, grew into existence, aud until the
year 1910 was regarded rs n trading
point of no mean Importance and the best
ice-harbor for steamboats, on the Ohio
river. Eleven steamboats, were moorcd
there during the blockade of 1927, and
for period of ten years or more, the To-
cality at the mouth Of Cache river. and
not that at the mouth Of the Ohio. claimed
notice as the probable site of the future
great business emporium of Southern H.
hnois, and the Grand Commercial entire
pot of the Mississippi Valley" The only
billiard-tablc at that time, between Louis
vile and New Orleans, was to be found
in Berry's hotel, in-Trinity. Berthoud.
Bechtle, Rector and others. were the
owners of the land, and their wealth and
influence, which were considerable, were
directed to the up-building of the place
but CONFERENCE.-The gained footlold.
About 80 years ago, Trinity lost its pres
| tige-was ovcrshadowed by a second eff
fort to build up Cairo, and commenced n
decline which, twenty years ago, termina-
ted in the entire oblitcration of the town
from the face of the earth.
| Alexander county, which originally
embraced Pulaski, was organized Ia, ~,
Srrins of tho year 1919, the county sea
being ilAed nc America. The name wa,
given to the county rs compliment 70
Dr. William AlcNander-a reputable pIy-
sician and most estimable man. rhon
as now, BODYBUILDING mania prevailed
ana adventurcrs were not wanting TO es-
say the building up of America. Four
sections OF land were embraced within
the limits of this was-to-bc great CITY.
| and the first sale of lots. which tool,
place in the year 1920, augurcd well of
the city's future. The sale took placc
during flood, when the site selected
presented the first dry land above the
mouth of the Ohio. From this fact il
was argued that the great city demanded
by the growing wants OF commerce must
be built on that spot, and a. n consc-
q'ience, no less than SO, 900 worth of lots
were sold In a single day. Houses i'm
medlately commenced taking shape:
men eager to share in the grand destiny
OF the young city, came from all parts of
the country, and soon America boosted
of population of ! 200 souls.
A tumbling tenement or two, scattered
piles oil dirt-coyered brick and mortar.
are all that are now left TO tell of thc
town around which so many fond hopes
clustered, and in which so many san
grIinc souls invested their means. and ev.
pended their labor. Thus have we In
the downfall Of America (hastened some.
what by the formation of great bar in
the rlver) another proof of the folly Of
supplying towns iFAdvancc ofactual de.
mands. |N
Among the earliest settlers of Alexan- |
der county, was the now venerable Col |
Henry l.. Webb, who honors ~ with his |
presence this evening. lie came to
America in the year 1919, aud has there |
lore been looAer-On in Southern Illinois |
Tor more than half century. More no
ADie events crowd into his early life and
tmes than could refer to even by nono
should devote my whole time in tho, |
direction alone, He was, although oujto !
"a "a .Nsn