The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-07-04
SPRING VALLEY.

| 49,"
sprung up almost by magic in the southeast
ern portion of Bureau county, IN the township
OF Hall, four miles west Of Peru. One after
noon this week the FREE TRADER was repre-
sented there by member Of its staff, and he
found the new town in state Of business ac-
tivty almost incredible except from person
al visit. Dwelling houses were being rushed
| up, boarding houses built, miners busily en-
ployed and large force OF railroad laborers
were at work on the new road, which will
Eventually make this large city. Spring
Valley is at the southern terminus Of the new
road, which is a branch OF the great North
western railway. This road will be completed
by Sept. 18th next, and will run from that
point to Belydere, little east of north, dis
lance of some 50 miles, tapping some OF the
most fertile agricultural sections in the state
At Spring Valley No. shaft is but a short
distance from the town site, being located
near the Rock Island, where the new branch
intersects that road. Shaft No. is two
miles up the valley, and No. shaft is located
three miles west. Each mine has capacity
of $4,000 tons daily, and will be equipped with
the most substantial hosting machinery of
any mine in the West. Each shaft will have
four 5O-ton scales, in fact, all that the inyen-
tive genius of modern enginery can do to-
wards rendering these shafts rs nearly perfect
as possible will be called into requlstion.
There are at present about 800 miners en-
ploycd in these shafts, but this number WILL
of course, be largely increased as soon us the
new road is in running order. The coal field
embraces an area of territory double that OF
any mine in the state, being $1,000 acres III
extent. The coal is of excellent quality and
well adapted for domestic and steam purposes.
The town site of Spring Valley is one of the
most beautifully located in the Northwest.
1t slopes towards the north bank of the Him
ols. and commands a fine view of the opposite
wooded bluffs in all their rugged grandeur.
1t will unQucstionably be n healthy location,
rs its sanitary condition can always be in
GOOD condition on account of the slope and
elevation Of the town. On this hillside .hc
town site has been laid out, and the streets,
running in one direction, all have been named
Ill INC lOlONlu3 bINtl, W. Ililh- Nlbll III
wards, Guedry, Miller, Terry, IIcnncssey,
Spaulding, Power, Richards, Taylor, Barton,
Gallagher and Devlin. The principal one is
named St. Paul street, is 100 feet in width and
runs east and west. The names of the other
streets have not yet been determined upon,
but will doubtless be called after the states.
Prominent citizens of Streator, Braidwood,
Coal City, Lostant, Peru and La Sale have al
ready purchased business property IN the
new town. Lots have been sold for dry goods
stores, grocery stores, hardware stores, and
nearly $4,000 worth of such property has
been disposed of during the past two weeks.
There are nearly 100 residences for the miners
being put up already, and there are two large
boarding houses, one finished and the other
nearly so. Father Power, of Peru, has pur
chased site for Catholic church, which will
be built inside of few months, and in short
time thereafter a school building Will be con
structed. The Illinois river at that point will
be bridged, to give Putnam county farmers
Grain outlet to the two roads-the Northwest
ern and Rock Island-thc former route being
only 9S miles from Chicago, and the latter lO4.
At the terminus of the Northwestern at Spring
Valley union depot will be built in few
months by both roads, which will give
strong impetus to the new town, which will
then be easy of access north or south. The
company that will operate this new branch
of the Northwestern beginning at Spring Val
lev own and control 5000 miles of railway in
the West. When the road is finished, which
will be in about ten weeks, it is expected that
not less t&an from 800 to 1000 people will
were, of the new town.
Nature has indeed done all that could be
asked of her in making this site rich in all
that is needed to start a tlourshng place.
Below there are countless millions of tons of
coal, and in the surface in the immediate vi
cinity may be found an ineXhaustible supply
of gravel, building stone, sand and also clay
for manufacturing brick. which is already in
operation there, furnishing all the brick for
building purposes required.
Early in "a the Spring Valley Coal Co. was
with E. n Saunders, of st. Paul, as
pTcslucuJ, anu NldS. e DCNllll, Vi ItTl, VICE |
president and general manager. Associated
with these gentlemen in this huge enterprise
is the famous w. L. Scott, of Eric, Pa, gen
tleman of almost unlimited resources. With !
the names of these gentlemen as the lever
which will remove all obstacles in the path, |
bright future awaits the pleasant and picture
csque site on which Spring Valley is located.
1t is now only awaiting the completion Of the |
road to spread itself and at once become a
town of many inhabitants, and its success and
are already assured. The prime |
mover and guiding spirit in this enterprise is
Chas. j Devlin, of Peru, who conceived and |
is now busily engaged in carrying forward to |
success this building up of Spring Valley, and
the development of the huge coal fields Of |
that vicinity. The general management of
this undertaking, weighty and responsible |
though it is, has been placed in his hands,
and every detail Of the vast interests at stake |
here receives his careful personal supervision.
Mr. Devln is possessed Of rare business fore
sight, with all the requisite executive quail |
hat ,pil1 In, bn f,t,, a. 1