The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-10-30

a. ar W1en the Winds OF a few
= m more storms shall have
= nm blown to the beach two
J(Sl( apple trees which have
but frail footing at the
embankment's edge the last reminders Of
once thriving and populous place will
have been swept away.
Almost seventy years ago the hamlet
OF St John was founded by man named N
Hetlinger and few OF his followers N
The site chosen q commanding one
on the bluff overlooking the lake and
oae-half mile east Of the point where the north
western depot at the Village of Hollywood nov
stands The great clay bank with the stretch O
sano peach which shelves away to the waters edge
at Its foot looks as II 1t were strong enough and
1ar enough removed from the breakers to be safe
against the angriest northeastern that ever blew
The men who built their houses upon the plain
surrounding the embankment thought their foun
cations were as sure as though founded on the
traditional rock. They did take the precaution
however, to limit their building operations on the
east by line drawn fifty yards from the edge Of
the blum That line has long since been buried In
s sne sano under the waves, and with 1t the
houses and the shops of the early settlers
In the year 1916 the Village of st. John was the
rival OF Waukegan which was then called Little
for1' Both were prosperous and both were grow.
ing H1ghwood tradition hath 1t that people pass
ing through the two places from Chicago declared
mat ST. John showed the ear marks of success and
tnat IL was destined to be big CITY, Other people
oesioe the Ch1cagoans thought So too. and they
nocked to the place and built substantial houses
and shops The two apple trees which alone re-
main of all that pertained to the Village Of ST.
Jonn grew In the yard OF Sebastian Richards
whose house was farther removed from, the
lake than any other in the village The apple
trees were back Of the residence. Not long ago
the foundation of bricks, which was all that
was lett OF Richards dwelling, slid down the
blum into the lake during the height of a win.
ter storm The roots of of the apple trees
are even now extending into the air through the
anil rnnn 0~@
would send 1t hurting to the beach 100 feet
below ~
Among the names Of the builders, of st. John
IN addition to those Of Hettinger and Sebastian
richards, tho only ones that the Oldest High
wood Inhabitants remember are Frank
Mitch, Peter Baker and George Shenard Mitch
was shoemaker and 1t is said that he is still
Following the trade in town in the far north.
AS far as is known he is the only survivor Of
the men who founded the Village of ST. John
In the year 1847 there were several stores
blacksmith shop, a tavern and postoface in the
village OF St. john which then held a popula
ton OF about 200 people. In that day there was
stage coach line between Chicago and NIL
"aukee The tavern at St. John was relay
station for the stage. Henry Mowers who re-
members the village in its latter days. saws
tnat the tavern was noted for its table, and it's
nquor, and that people frequently took the stage
Journey from Chicago for the sole purpose Of
gettng good dinner and good glass
IL was man who intended becoming a resi-
o oe.il OF st. John that afterward founded the
village OF Halt Day. He had looked over the
lakeside village. and then had declared that he
would establish that would last longer and
hao more people in it. The automobiles who
every sunday pass through Halt Day on their
'uns 10 Waukegan and return may look on the
nalaozen houses there assembled and know
that the man who turned his back on 81 Iohn
has kept his word NV '0""
Wnen the Chicago and Milwaukee railroad was
pa'4. the surveyed line ran onehalf mile west
OF the Village OF st. John. An adequate idea
OF the Importance Of place Of which now hara
ly vestige remains may be had whan - =.
known that the railroad authorities huff .n,r
line running to the south edge of tho town
some OF the practical residents of the place had
e us1o'erea tnat an excellent quality of brick
could be made from the clay which was fornd
IN pit short distance south of the hlacksmi+h
shop' AS matter Of fact, the presence of this
or1cKyard was one ct the chief reasons that tho
pranch line OF the railroad was built When %
ohcIe sam accepted from the Commercial CHM
OF chicago the land to the north of the citv 20
military reservation the soldiers drew HIM
ureas OF carloads Of both good brick and broken
of'ck from the site of the old brickyard and
useo the material for temporary road.mal,ng
and for the filling In of swamp snots Tba ,nra
.nougnt OF the st. John people In leaving he
nina them specimens of their handiwork saved
inc United States government great MANY
dollars. e~@> '"A'
1t Is possible to trace today with no difficulty
~ all the embankment upon which the branch
.,ne OF the railroad ran to the brlckyard and tn
tno now lost Village of St. John. In size and
outline 1T looks like a military redoubt, and It
"oulo perfectly answer the purpose of one The
empankment was leveed at Its western end
"nen stores were erected In the Village OF High
~, "ouu' STARTS now from point almost direct
" PACK OF the little Methodist church, and rms
s Gus. broken only by roads which have been
dug through it. " S0"
H was less than ten years after the fou,d,n
~ ~ -. 'ohn that the people awakened to a possi
p:e aaneer to their homes by the encroachment
"a '"e waves OF tho lake. 1t is true that they