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

iist CiTCtut HllOTlltN' Nun ~. os DdhtT,
father of Judge Baker OF Cairo, was
Breese's successor. ID. Spanhowcr was
the first pauper charged to the county,
and Richard l.. Jones was the first de-
PENDANT at a suit at law, Nicholas c. Will
liams being the plaintiff.
At the April term, 1921, of our Circuit
Court, ii cases were docketed; at the April
term, 1923, cases were docketed, and at
the April term. 1924, only @. The small
est docket was that of 1s2G-only four
cases being entered. The first applica-
ton for divorce was filed by Lucy
Turnstall, in the year 1927. She alleged
that her husband Thomas was decidedly
demonstrative, and given to the enforce
ment of his cdcts by blows. BE it said,
to the credit of our pioneers, however, or
TO "the patient suilcrance" of our early
wives and husbands 1--WE don't know
which, this was the only application for
divorce during period of 10 years.
From the year of 1919 to 1897 there is
no record evidence 81 crime in Alcxan-
der county, which called for the inflict-
ing OF any punishment beyond small
flne. In the last named year John
Wright and others were presented by the
Grand jury for "riot;' but the traverse
jury held that the riot went to the extent
OF rough joke, only. and trough jokes"
even to ridng-on-a rail- being considered
tolcrable, Wright and his companions
were sent adrift, with the thoughtful adj
monition that, If they had killed their
man, the line OF the liberation would
have been SO probably over-steppcd as to
have compelled u judicial recognition Of
the fact.
During the year 1922 the three offices
of Probate Judge, Circuit Clerk and
County Treasurer all centered in one
man, Alanson II. Powell.
About the year 1896 the county
seat was removed from America to
Unity, where, about four years afterwards
the court house and Jail, with large
portion of the public records. were de-
stroycd by fire. In the year 1871 the
county seat was removed to Sparhawk's
landing, or Thebes, where it remained
until the year 1850, when 1t was by vote
of the people brought to Cairo.
In dealing with my subject, my great
est difficulty Is not in deciding, what |
shall say, but what can afford to leave
unsald. The subject is too prolific to be
satisfactorily disposed of in single
hour. Indeed, il succeed in presenting
to You an intelligent view, though ever
so brief, Of the facts and occurrences that
crowd upon my notice, my success will
greatly exceed my present anticipations.
About the year 1884, Breese, Gilbert,
Swanwick and Baker re-entered the
lands that had reverted to the govern
ment from the Cairo City and Bank COM
pany, and subsequcntly-say about the
year 1896 sold them 10 the Cairo City
and Canal company, which had then as
sumed Il corporate form under special
charter from the Illinois General As
sembly.
In the month of February 1887 the
General Improvement law went into
force, and the State, having named an
appropriation of So, 100000 to aid in the
| construction Of tire Illinois Central rail-
| road, work upon that great undertaking
| was commenced before the close of the
year. The commencement of this work
encouraged active operations on the part
of the Cairo City and Canal company.
ID. ID. Holbrook, its president, effected n
loan, through the London house Of
Wright 81 Co. Of Sl,450,00O, and
in this way an English interest became
identified with the project, and unmeas-
urably controlled it. The prodigal use
of this money caused the speedy con-
struction of levecs; the uprise of saw
mills, planning mills; ma
chine shop and foundry, brick
machines and dry docks, and gave out an
intimation which everybody seemed
ready to accept, that Cairo despite its
previous failure, was destined to out
strip st. Louis in its march to greatness
and to speedily become what its project
ors aimed it should be, the grand business
mart and commercial center of the Mis-
sissippi valley. Mechanics and laborers
arrived on every steamer and found all
the work their hands could do. Ltho-
graphic prospective views of the city,
showing its solid blocks Of business
houses; hundred stacks that crowned n
factories; church and hall spires
that vexcd the very clouds; massive and
imposing Fulton monument, parks and
pleasure grounds and all the busy scenes
of a great and prosperous city-views of
this kind hung in the saloons of steamers
and in the offices of hotels; and the pub
lie concluded that, for fact, St. Louis
was "done for and that, in the West at
least, the star of Cairo was in the as
,endant.
But alas. for human hopes and |
The enthusiastic Hol- |
brook and his colleagues-the interested |
public were but reveling in the pleasures
II dream. Their castles were in the air,
ND adverse winds demolished them.
The massive block of business structures:
he tapering spires and gilt
eiing minerals; the inviting parks,
Gaping fountains; the canopy of smoke
Dove the city, and the clang
ma whrr of active machinery
hronghoutit-the din and hum of great