The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-04-07
Letter from Illinois.
BLOOMINGTON. March 26, Isl

Letter from Illinois.
BLOOMINGTON. March 26, 1876.
EDITOR PREss:-PermIt me a small
space in your paper and will try to
give you a short sketch of this county,
lin which residel. Mclean county is
situated little TO the northeast of the
geographical center of Illinois, and in
extent Of territory j. the largest coun-
ty in the State. Ii was organized in
$780, and contained at that time about
/ 200 inhabitants, it now contains not
less than 10000 inhabitants, it is settled
largely by Ohioans-the native Ameri
cans from other States being abont even
ly divided between New York. Pennsyl-
vania, Indiana and Kentucky. OF the
foreign born population about 5000 en-
igrated from Germany, 5000 from Ire
land. 1000 from England and r few
hundred each from Scotland and France.
Tne county contains soil of unsur
passed fertility it-being located in the
finest portion of the best agricultural
State in the Union. The value of its
live stock exceeds that of any county in
the United States west of the Alleghe-
nies, whilst the leading pursuits of the
people. the manufacturing interests are
extensive and varied Though COM
paratively a new county, the improve
ments are good and there are many
handsome public and private buildir ga.
The number of miles of railroad ALREADY
completed in the county is 1S5. Bloom
ington is the largest town in the county;
contains 81 900 inhabitants and is grow
ing rapidly, it was laid out in 1881 by
James Allen. City organization was ef-
fected in 1850. The city is situated on
high rolling ground; is regularly laid
out with pleasantly shaded streets, and
contains many elegant private residences.
OF the public buildings the Court
House, which was erected in 1870 at
cost of 100000, is one Of the fines; in
the State. The style of its architecture
is. mixed the Grecian predominating
The Wesleyan University. one of the
oldest and best institutions of learning
in the west, was located here in 1S49.
The University building is fine struc-
tnre, erected at the cost of 5000, 900.
Directly opposite is a fine park. in the
center of which stands a beautiful mon
nment erected in memory of the Mclean
county soldiers who fell in the late
war. The city contains four good
school edihces, erected at the expense of
$4,000 each. There are also two female
Seminaries in Bloomington and the
"Sisters of St. Joseph" have large
Catholic school in connection with their
convent. There are eighteen churches.
viz. FOur Methodist, three Baptists,
two Catholic, two Presbyterian, one
Cumberland Presbyterian, one Old
School Presbyterian, one Episcopal, one
Free Congregational, one Christian, and
one Lutheran. There are two large
public halls, two Coal Shafts; the first
ton of coal sold brought $4,000; two
daily and six weekly papers are pub
lishsd; two of the weeklies are German,
eight railroad lines belonging to four
different companies center in the city.
These are the G. & A. r. R., the I. & c.
r. R., the I. B. & W. r. r., and the
l.. B. & NJ. r. r. The shops Of the G.
& A. r. r. are located here, and en-
plOy abont seven hundred men. A
horse railway two miles in length con-
meets Bloomington & Normal. Normal
is town Of about 2. 500 inhabitants and
like Bloomington, has finely shaded
streets and many handsome private resi-
dences. In conclusion, take the Jack
sonville Division r. R., and come ont on
the wide prairies; you will travel about
miles before you will strike the beau
tiful black soil where you will see
thousands and thousands of acres of corn
(or where there had been). The first
town you will strike after leaving B
will be a fourishing town which goes
by the name of Covell, it contains about
so inhabitants, one Store, one Ware
house, one Blacksmith shop, one Doc
tor, and the Grangers have a fine hall in
which they meet every End and 4th
Wednesdays of each month. 1t is coun-
ted the best regulated Grange in the
county. At the present the roads are
almost impassable. Some Of the farm
ers already have to burn their fences
and corn as the roads are too bad to
take a team on them to haul fnel. No
sickness except bad cold. Well as
you all adieu. G. B. T.