The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-03-09
AN INTERESTING RELIC.
Sfso First strong-Box Used by the stat,
of Illlnnis.

of Illinois.
| There Is to be seen In the vault oi
the State Treasury at the Capitol, a
most interesting memento of early
State history, being tho original
''strong-box" used by the treasur or
during the years of the existence OF
Illinois as Territory and for year
or so after its admission as n State. II
consists of a 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 and 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:
'BELLEv1LLE, ILL.,, Jan. 90. - Hon. Chdries
Becker State Treasurer, .Sprin7fcld, W.-DEAR
SIR: BY to-morrows express L 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,
1t is most meet and proper believe to offer it
TO the State at your hands.
'This chest was the treasure box of tho Ter.
ritory Of Illinois from 1912 until Illinois was adj
mitted into the Union, 1nd then it filled 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
ritoria 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 ONCE. The genuineness of this
relic is well authenticated by evidences that
have been in the possession of the writer S
family for seventy years,
ut is q plain, old-fashionod, modest little
box, quite in keeping with its day, and no doubt
ample enough for the demands upon it then as
receptacle for the States money. com.
parison oft with the State treasure vaults of to.
day will show dn one way the wonderful
growth in wealth and Importance OF the com
monweath in time within the memory of
many yet living.
"If you will permit me, I will ask of you the
service of presenting 1t TO the State. hoping
it will be acceptable as rominiscence Of early
times in the treasurers Office and prove of
some interest among the memorials in the
State house, should it be placed there. l re-
MAN, 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 S2,000,000 or 3d.
100000 of State funds, besides valuable
documents, a striking illustration of
the growth of Illinois in population and
wealth during the seventy years that
have elapsed since the time it was
used. 1t will probe one of the most
interesting mementoes in the State
capitol, intimately identified as it is
with early State history. Springfield
Ull J journal.