The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-09-01

the leading city of central Illinois. II dill
not last long. however. and its site il now
covered 10y waving cornfields. Dontown,
Newburg, Murphysboro and entrevInr
also are numbered IN the ICs, towns OF
Macon county. Like Madison all startcl
prOmisingly, but Decatur was the ma gnet
that attracted the people away from all
rivals.
Bowling Green was the future great CITY
OF Noodford county, and in 1870 il was
looked upon as "a second Chicago. u at
tracted attention through "a revival move
ment in which everybody was converted.
This or some other factor was fatal to
its existence, as IL slowly AIDED away.
Kaskaskia is still heard from. for il has
n population Of about No. Yet IL was
founded in 1883 by the French. and by all
the rules Of expansion il should he ia til.
metropolis class II had a bright future.
/ but IL began TO die when all ordinance WAS
passed in 1857 forbidding slavery. A. ons
time il was the State capital and "a count.
seat, and "a Jesuit college there contained 1
large number of students. IL hada fair ..
become n famous educational centre. tn.
census OF 1900 gave kaskaskia just IL
population.
Old inhabitants az Clarksville solemn,
recite the vicious character of The plac~
and earnestly believe that. like Sodom AMI
Gomorrah of old. II was destroyed 10y a.
indignant God.
All instances Of the forgotten towns @.
Illinois are tame IN comparison with thCsp
or CIarksville. All that IL left of the town
are the recollectlons of the old inhabitants
and the records la the Mclean count,
court house. Not "A ves,ige Of the city ~
shown and even its site is in doubt. IA
was laid OUT in 1888 by Joseph RirtholL
new at 70 point three miles west Of Lea
ington. II was invested with all the at
tributes of u pioneer city, Gamblers are
thieves were numerous.
Horse racing was the principal sport ~
those days and horscmcn iron, all over the
State focked there. II was there that the
Freelands raced old clear the Kitchen"
the fastest horse in the West IN those thrill
ing days,
II was unsafe for a pious man Ia go I,
church, 50 numerous were the crooks. u
wa. finally decided 10y the godly To hold a
public prayer meeting and pray for the
death OF one johnson Stewards. WHO was
the leader of the gamblers and supposedly
the most wicked man in the community.
The prayer meeting was held aud PRAYERS
were offered asking for the death of Sow !,
ards. Remarkable to relate. he was stIiCkenE
with illness and came near dying. His
escape was ~ narrow that he packed M
and left and all his followers gradually
followed him. During The height of ,ha
excitement a hid WAS born in the family
of Joseph Bailey, ~ leading citizen. This
child is now leading resident of Livingston
and ~ said To bc the last survivor Of the
residents of tlarksville. With the de-
parture of the sporting element the town
languished and when the railroads were
constructed, going far To the East. Clarks
Vile quickly persisted while Lexington
prospered. There was never u repetition
of tlarksville wiCkedness and no other
city ~ Mclean county has ever approached
il in Criminalitv. The whole atmosphere OF
Mclean county was morally cleared when
gave m the ghost.