The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-05-09
AN INTERESTING RELIC.
The First strong-Box Used by the Sta
of Illinois.

of Illinois.
There is to be seen in the ault Of
the State Treasury at the Capitol,
most interesting memento of early
State history. being the original
''strong-box'' used by the treasur er
during the years of the existence of
Illinois as Territory and for year
or so after its admission as State. It
consists of plain cherry box of twelve
by eighteen inches and about eight
inches deep, divided into four compart-
ments. in which the funds of the Terri
tory aud of the infant State were de-
posted during the period mentioned.
The relic has been in the possession of
the family OF the Hon. John Thomas,
for considerable period Territorial
Treasurer before the admission of Illi-
nois as State and afterward the first
State Treasurer, and has just been pre-
sented to the State through State
Treasurer Becker, accompanied by the
following letter from James II. Thomas
of the Belleville Advocate, who is a
grandson of the first State Treasurer:
''BELLEvILLE, Ill, Jan. 90. = Hon. Charles
Becker, State Treasurer, 8prinlfeEd, IU.-DEAR
| SIR 1ly to-morrow's express I send you q
small chest that should from its historical asso-
citation be now the property Of the State Of
| Illinois; and you being the State Treasurer and
from this the home county of the first treasurer,
| it is most meet and proper, believe, to offer it
| to the State at your hands.
| This chest was the treasure-box Of the Ter
ritory of Illinois from 1912 until Illinois was adj
! mitted into the Union, and then it filed the
| same purpose for the new State for about one
| year. Your early predecessor, the Hon. John
| Thomas, was as you are well aware, the Ter
| ritorial Treasurer by appointment, and was
| afterward elected as the first State Treasurer,
and he used this chest as the deposit ory for the
| public moneys while in his hands during the
time he was in office. The genuineness of this
relic is we'll authenticated by evidences that
| have been in the possession of the writer s
family for seventy years.
TT is a plain, old-fashioned, modest little
box, quite in keeping with its day, and no doubt
| ample enough for the demands upon it then as
a receptacle for the States money. com
parson OF 1t with the State treasure vaults of to-
! day will show Gn one way) the wonderful
growth in wealth and Importance OF the COM
monwealth in a time within the memory OF
| many yet living.
IF you will permit me, will ask of you the
/
| it will be acceptable as a reminiscence of early
| times in the treasurer's office and prove OF
| some interest among the memorials in the
State house, should it be placed there. I re-
main, with high regard, your friend and fellow.
townsman, JAMES H THOMAS
This modest box presents, by con-
trast with the vault in which it is
stored, containing its 100000 or $3,.
100000 of State funds, besides valuable
documents, a striking illustration o.
the growth of Illinois in population and
wealth during the seventy years thai
have elapsed since the time it was
used 1t will probe one of the mos
interesting mementoes in the State
capitol, intimately identified as it i!
with early State history. Springfield
(nl } Journal.