The Irish standard., 1898-09-03
RELATED BY COUNT VIM. J. oRAHAR
SOME INTERESTING ANECDOTES OF
DIR. WILLIAM II. EGAN.
AN FRESHMAN WHO RAN FOR CONGRESS
GEN. JAMES SHIELDS SENT TO TIE
UNITED STATES SENATE.

Hon. William j. Onahan recently
contributed the following interesting ar
ticle about the early Irish settlers in
Illinois to the Chicago Times Herald:
The line of the Illinois and Michigan
canal, extending from Chicago to La
Sale, is marked by farms and settle
ments showing unmistakabIe tokens of
thrift and prosperity. The land is in a
high state of cultivation; the number
and variety of the "stock" in sight; the
ample barns, bursting corn cribs and,
conspicuously, the comfortable and elc-
giant farm houses to be seen within the
range of country contiguous to this once
great internal channel, makes it plain
That the farmers in this region have at
tanned to notable measure of prosper
ity and comfort. ii Is a curious and
suggestive fact that the farms and settle
ments alluded to were first settled, for
the most part, by Irish laborers and con-
tractors, who had sought and found en-
ployment on the works of the Illinois
and Michigan canal from 1880 to 1850.
reference to the circumstances at
tending the construction of this i'm
portant work will be necessary in order
to explain the occasion of the inyol,n-
tary settlements made by the Irish in
this part of Illinois.
1t will be worthy of remark that at
the public celebration held in Chicago to
commemorate the "brcaking of the
ground for the canal, July 4, 1886, the
orator for the occasion was Dr. William
b. Egan, young Irishman, who had
already achieved a leading position in
Illinois. DR.. Egan was one of the pio-
neers of Chicago, and possessed that va
riety and versatility of parts which often
characterize those of his race thrown
into new country. He was doctor, law
yer, politician and real estate oncrator
In this latter role the doctor had no
superior No Chicago enthusiast co,ld
compare with him in the b,,oyant csti.
mate he held and constantly put forth
as to the wonderful future of the embrv-
on1c city; none could picture in more
glowing colors the wonderful destiny in
store for city and state.
The proverbs and stories told by DR.,
Egan in the early days, and still re-
lated of him by the old settlers. thouph
laughed at and derided, serve to dem
onstrate the marvellous and keen sagac-
lty OF the man who could thus early dis
tlnguish the future prominence of this
wonderful city. AS Illustrative of his
twin devotion to Acscuapius and corner
lots, 1t is told of the doctor that once
when asked by a lady patient to whom
he handed a potion which he had lust
prescribed: How shall l take this
doctor?' he absently replied: "Tako n
quarter down, madam the boloncn co-
nal time, one, two and three years."
The doctors stories and bon mots
would abnndantly Justify repetition, but
we have already digressed from tho main
purpose of this sketch.
Inc work on the canal invited large
bodies Of laborers, and naturally Irish
men In considerable numbers modo
their way to Illinois, induced by thc
prospect Of good wages and abundant
employment. The work, however, pro-
grcssed slowly The route through
which the canal was marked Law throuph
marshy grounds, and part Of the line
involved heavy and costly rock-cu,ti,,
and excavations.
considerable quantities of the canal
scrip had been paid to the contractors
and laPorcrs for the work on the canal
but when, in 1S4l, the state was un,hIo
10 Pay 'he interest on It's own and the
canal bonds, and the banks unjvcrsoIlv
failed, the succeeding year there fol-
lowed period of general panic and
stagnation. Contractors and l,horor.
clamorcd for money" in exchange for
lhclr scrip, but no money was to be had
There was then only one alternative
Inc canal scrip could be exchanged for
land-thc lands and lots given and dcdi-
Gated by the government and STATE in
aid Of the work.
Great numbers of the Irish contracts
ors and laborcrs, unable to disposc of
the canal paper, accepted the option ana
bought with their inconvertiblo canal
scrip sections Of land along the line and
within the boundaries of the grant
Many of them employed il for the same
purpose IN more distant parts of the
state, wherever 1t was found available
Hcncc Irish settlements were formed
along the canal from Chicago TO La
Sale. and the canal laborcr cychanocd
his spade and pick for a pow and bar-
row. with result which furnishes tbo
best practical illustration of Western
colonization. The Involuntary Jrjsh
coloh'zers OF Illinois, growing out of
the circumstances detailed herein. and
their descendants, are now among the