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In November, 1849, by an almost unanimous vote of the people, township organization was adopted. Col. Josiah Moulton, Michael Delanty and E. M. Haines were appointed Commissioners to divide the county into townships. The division then made, with the exception of Deerfield, has remained unchanged. On the first Tuesday in April, 1850, officers were elected, and April 22, 1850, the Board of Supervisors held their first meeting and assumed the management of county affairs. Through all of the years of its organization the county had been fortunate in securing excellent men as Commissioners, and their displacement was made without intending any reflection upon them, but rather because the Commissioners themselves advocated the change to what all deemed a better system. The early town meetings were interesting events. Every voter, especially if he was a tax payer, aimed to be present at the hour when the reports of Township officers were read. Each expenditure was carefully considered, and every vote deliberately taken. Many of the early settlers were educated men. They had opinions and were not afraid to express them. Not a few of them were fluent and forceful debaters. All of them knew the necessity of rigid economy in public matters, for their money came through severe toil and the most rigid saving, and was to be parted with only when the need was urgent and good value was to be secured for the expenditure proposed to be made. Often there were spirited contests for local offices, and while the candidate was not expected to manifest undue interest in his own behalf, his friends were vigilant and argued his claims and fitness for the place aspired to with each new comer at the polls.
These annual gatherings were looked forward to with interest because of the opportunity they afforded for becoming acquainted with the new people who had come within the year, or for renewing the acquaintance with some remote neighbor made in previous years. People were hungry for companionship and social intercourse, and these occasions were anticipated with zest, and remembered as pleasant breaks in the rather uneventful round of busy days that went to make up the year upon the farm.
Subscription schools were early started in many neighborhoods, privatehouses and even stables being utilized. The building of school houses was not long deferred. As soon as funds would permit, frame structures took the place of the rude log buildings first erected, and the work of education went on. Usually the school house was the recognized center of the neighborhood. In them were held religious meetings, lyceums or debating societies, singing schools, spelling schools, writing schools, magic lantern performances and school exhibitions. The evening gatherings were usually at "early candle light," and nine o'clock was a late hour at which to close. Friday afternoons, especially in the winter schools, were almost invariably set apart for rhetorical exercises, the girls "reading compositions" and the boys "speaking pieces." A "spelling down" performance usually followed and closed the afternoon program. Rivalry sprang up between neighboring schools, and spelling and declamatory contests occupied an occasional evening every winter. These gatherings served an admirable purpose, not only providing needed entertainment for the spectators, but stimulating participants to do their best, and not unfrequently developing latent talent of no mean order. Certain it is that in penmanship, orthography and rugged oratory the generation gone excelled.
By an Act approved August 30, 1852, there was an appropriation of $15,000 for the Improvement of the Harbor and Breakwater at Waukegan. The plans contemplated a series of cribs running north and south parallel with the shore to break the force of the waves directly in front of the piers. Work was begun with Reuben Emerson in charge, one or more cribs being constructed and filled with stone. These were subsequently partially washed out by storms. At the request of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, then Secretary of War, the Hon. Caleb Cushing, then Attorney General of the United States, under date of October 19, 1853, gave an opinion that the breakwater, then in the course of construction on the shore of Lake Michigan at Waukegan, in the State of Illinois, would constitute an obstruction to navigation and would be an act of purpresture, and that it would be lawful and proper for the United States to abate it as a nuisance. At this time Hon. John Wentworth, who had long represented the District in Congress, and who had been mainly instrumental in securing the appropriation, had retired, and as Waukegan had no advocate present, nothing was done in the way of securing further allowances, and the project for a harbor was unsuccessful. The matter was frequently discussed locally, but it was not until 1879 that it was successfully taken up. In that year the Secretary of War, through the efforts of Hon. Lorenzo Brentano, was authorized to cause an examination, survey and estimate, $5,000 being appropriated for this purpose. In 1881, Hon. Hiram Barber Jr., secured an appropriation of $15,000, and work was commenced. Each River and Harbor bill since has carried an appropriation, the smallest being $5,500 and the largest being $35,000. Up to 1902 about $225,000 has been appropriated for the Waukegan Harbor. In recent years the lake traffic has grown to an extent that has made it essential to materially change the plans of 1879 and the bill just passed Congress carries an appropriation of $345,000, and provides for vastly increasing the harbor facilities.
March 3, 1847, Congress appropriated $4,000 for a light house at Little Fort. The light was established during that year. In 1854 there was appropriated for a temporary beacon light at or near the breakwater being constructed at "Waukegan, Little Fort," $1,000; also $10,500 for the foundation of a light house at the breakwater in course of construction at the harbor of Waukegan, and for a light when the foundation should be in a suitable condition to receive it. The same bill carried an appropriation of $5,000 for "a light at Port Clinton," just east of the Highwood of the present time.
The light house tower which stood for nearly fifty years upon the bluff a block south of the State Street, or Sheridan Road, Bridge in Waukegan, has been demolished, and in 1899 the light was removed to the end of the south pier at the harbor entrance.
The census returns of 1850 showed a population of 14,226 in Lake County. All of the land had been taken up and marked progress was being made in the building of homes. Frame buildings were taking the place of the pioneer's cabin and the settler's log house and the frail sheds constructed for the protection of stock were being displaced by barns. With many it was still a struggle with debt, but on the whole the people were prospering. Good land was worth five dollars an acre, stock was abundant, and it was possible to get cash instead of "barter" in exchange for farm products.
In October, 1850, the Waukegan Weekly Gazette began its publication, and early became so well established that in all of the years it has never failed to make its appearance with each succeeding Saturday.
In 1851 a call for a meeting to organize an agricultural society was circulated and received many signatures. The meeting was held at Waukegan October 15, and the Lake County Agricultural Society organized. The officers chosen were: John Gage, President; H. P. Nelson and John Easton, Vice-presidents; N. C. Geer, Secretary; S. M. Dowst, Treasurer; Hurlbut Swan, Nelson Landon, Thomas H. Payne, Elisha Gridley and Philemon Cadwell, Executive Committee.
The first county fair was held in the Court House Square at Waukegan September 22, 1852. Although the receipts were but $152.50, it was a beginning, and its projectors deemed it a success. With the exception of one year, during the great war, county fairs have been held annually, usually at Libertyville, where the Lake County Agricultural Society owns its own grounds and buildings and every year receives and expends much more than ten times the income of the year of its inception. For a few years just prior to the Civil War an agricultural fair was maintained at Millburn. For several years successful fairs were held at Waukegan under the auspices of the Lake County Agricultural and Horse Growers' Association. A township horse fair was held at Fairfield, in the township of Ela in April, 1859. A county Horticultural Society held exhibitions in the court house in Waukegan during the early 'Fifties. In 1859, after a six years' lapse, the society was revived and a creditable exhibit was made, but this venture was not financially successful, and no further exhibitions were undertaken. In recent years an annual equine exhibition is held at Lake Forest.
In 1854 a railroad was built across the southwestern corner of the county. It was first known as the Illinois & Wisconsin; a little latter as the Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac; and in recent years as the Wisconsin Division of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. The passenger station at Barrington is just outside the south line of the county.
As early as 1851 an act was passed to incorporate "The Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad Company," but it was not until 1853 that actual work began on what has since become the Milwaukee Division of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. By strenuous efforts the construction was so far advanced as to enable a train to reach Waukegan on New Year's Day, 1855. The coming of the railroad was a notable event, and called for a fitting celebration, which was held Thursday, January, 11, 1855. A special train composed of flat cars, and bearing a number of officials and guests, left Chicago at ten o'clock A. M. and reached Waukegan at twelve thirty P. M., the trip requiring two hours and thirty minutes. The day was an ideal one for midwinter. Col. Swift's artillery had been brought from Chicago the day before, in charge of Lieutenant Hadley. As the train drew near, the cannon boomed, the band played, and the people cheered. There was a vast crowd-much the largest Waukegan had ever entertained. To many this was their first sight of a locomotive and a train of cars, and their enthusiasm was genuine. There was no station and as the bridge was not completed the train halted at Belvidere Street. The visitors having alighted, Mr. J. C. Smith, then Mayor, delivered an address of welcome, which was responded to by Alderman Stickney and Hon. P. Maxwell, both of Chicago. These formalities through with, a procession was formed and the visitors escorted to Dickinson Hall, where a banquet was served to four hundred persons. Captain Hiram Hugunin acted as toast master and addresses were made by Hon. J. R. Doolittle, C. K. Watkins, Dr. Dyer, Hon. I. N. Arnold, Hon. J. F. Farnsworth, William Bross, Hon. H. W. Blodgett, S. F. Miller, William E. McMasters, Mr. Fitch of the Missouri Republican, Judge Wilson, Dr. Boone, Dr. Evans, James McKay, H. W. Dorsett and others.
At five o'clock the train returned to Chicago with a majority of the guests, but a number remained for the grand ball held in the evening, an event in which almost every person within a radius of many miles participated.
The stations along the route, mentioned in the Chicago Tribune's report of the opening of the road, were: Wrightwood, Andersonville, Chittenden, Evanston, Winnetka and Port Clinton.
Prior to the completion of the road to Waukegan, and during its construction, trains ran northward from Chicago daily for the accommodation of passengers, stages from Milwaukee and Waukegan meeting them, the route shortening as building progressed.
The first station at Waukegan was a small frame structure east of the track, midway between Washington and Water streets. A brick station was erected by R. A. Connelly in 1856-7, and in 1902 is still in use.
In June, 1855, the road was completed to Milwaukee. When opened, trains required about two hours to make the run from Chicago to Waukegan, and five hours to Milwaukee. For many years there were but two through passenger trains and one freight train each way, between the two great cities, daily, and a single accommodation train from Waukegan. The latter was for a number of years under the control of Conductor Charles B. George, who is still a resident of Waukegan. Gradually, as the track became solid and locomotives were improved, the speed was increased, but for a long period one hour and thirty minutes was the fastest time between Chicago and Waukegan. In recent years but one-half of this time is required by the trains really counted in the rapid transit list. A dozen trains pass daily between Chicago and Milwaukee, and a dozen others run out as far as Waukegan.
For several years all through trains stopped at Waukegan, long enough for passengers to obtain meals, and the depot lunch counter under the management of the George family was famous among travelers. Until 1873 wood was the fuel of the locomotives on this line, and at almost every station a wood yard was maintained.
Following the opening of the railroad to Waukegan there was earnestly started a project for a road to Antioch. A charter for a plank road had been obtained, and was changed by the Legislature to permit the construction of a railroad. Public meetings were held, an organization perfected, an engineer employed and a survey made. A proposition to bond the city of Waukegan for the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to aid in construction, had many advocates. For a year or more the agitation was kept up, but gradually interest subsided, and the project was abandoned.
Hon. Stephen A. Douglas was a visitor to the county several times. November 2, 1854, he addressed an audience estimated at 1,500 or 2,000 people at the court house square in Waukegan. Mr. H. P. Smith, a local attorney, presided. Mr. Douglas was entertained at the City Hotel, on County Street, of which Michael Delanty was then proprietor. At this time there was a division of sentiment in the ranks of the Democratic party regarding issues growing out of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and it is remembered that some of Mr. Douglas' former admirers were not hearty in their reception. His ready and fluent speech and his readiness to answer all question had a marked effect in closing up the lines again and producing harmony. At another time Mr. Douglas addressed a large meeting at Port Clinton, and at a later date he came to Waukegan by train and for a few moments addressed a large audience from an improvised platform near the railroad station.
Abraham Lincoln visited Waukegan April 2, 1860. He had been in Chicago for a few days, engaged in the trial of some case in court, and, upon the urgent invitation of prominent citizens, consented to deliver an evening address on the date named. His reputation as an orator was well established and the announcement of his coming was sufficient to draw out a large audience, Dickinson Hall being well filled. And yet there was no marked demonstration upon his arrival in the city or upon his appearance at the meeting. He was recognized as a very able man, and as a possible candidate for the presidency, although the old files of the Waukegan Weekly Gazette disclose the fact that its editor had insisted on naming him for second place on the ticket, giving Simon Cameron the preference as its candidate for president. Locally, sentiment among the Republicans was divided between Mr. Cameron and Mr. Seward. Looking back upon it, and remembering that this gathering was but six weeks prior to the date set for the convention in which Mr. Lincoln was finally named for the highest office in the gift of the American people, and that the very air was surcharged with political excitement and with forebodings of the great military struggle so soon to begin, it seems remarkable that all mention of the meeting in the local paper was confined to a brief paragraph. Mr. Lincoln having been introduced to the audience, began his address and had laid the foundation for an elaborate argument regarding popular sovereignty and the questions growing out of the discussions in Congress and throughout the country regarding the extension of slavery. His simple manner, his homely illustrations, and, above all, his evident sincerity and earnestness, had won the attention of his auditors, among whom were many not of his political faith. Suddenly the fire bell rang, and the audience became uneasy. Instantly Hon. E. P. Ferry, the presiding officer, sprang to his feet and declared it to be a false alarm, made by political opponents for the purpose of breaking up the meeting, and begged the audience to be seated and allow the speech to be resumed. Mr. Lincoln's eye caught the red glare through the windows and he quietly said: "I think there is a fire. You had better go and try to save the property. I can come some other time and speak to you." The audience quickly dispersed, Mr. Lincoln following in company with a few friends, and going to the beach where, as an interested spectator, he witnessed the rapid destruction of the warehouse of Messrs. Case & Bull, near the lake shore. Later in the evening he accompanied Mr. Ferry to his home at the northwest corner of Julian and County streets, spending his only night in Waukegan in what in recent times is known as the Prentice place.
One of the greatest and most memorable political gatherings ever held in the county occurred September 7, 1860. The day meeting was in a grove just west of Sheridan Road, near the north city limits of Waukegan. Hon. H. W. Blodgett presided and W. H. Hills was chief marshal. The evening gathering was in Dickinson hall with a large overflow meeting on the streets. Owen Lovejoy. a brilliant speaker, and a brother of Elijah P. Lovejoy, who had been killed because of his anti-slavery utterances, was the central figure, and with him were Hon. J. R. Doolittle, of Wisconsin, and numerous prominent and popular debaters. The questions at issue were of a character to appeal strongly to the people. Two Illinoisans were candidates for president, Douglas and Lincoln, and Lovejoy and his associates came to advocate the claims of the latter. In preparing for this mass meeting the county was organized as it had never been before. In every township a house-to-house canvas was made and in most of them preliminary meetings were held, marshals appointed and plans made by which the people could come together at some point along the roads leading to Waukegan and complete the journey in a body. Banners and transparencies were numerous and the mottoes they bore were often unique. Four-horse teams were common that day. From Warren came a vast multitude of mounted men, and following the cavalry a huge array of teams, many of them driven by women in order that the men folks might ride on horseback. It was said at the time that there was not a horse above the age of two years left in the township that day, and that in most neighborhoods all through the county cows had to be milked by the women that night, if milked at all. A prize banner, offered by the citizens of Waukegan to the township having the largest delegation, went to Wauconda. Several townships had pretty girls, dressed in white, representing the different States. Throughout the day interest and enthusiasm were at a high pitch. At night the Wide Awake Companies paraded the streets, each of the 1,500 men wearing a black glazed cap and cape and bearing a lighted torch. Even the occasional showers of the day did not drive the people to cover, and the grove and streets were thronged until a deluge of rain, late in the evening, compelled them to seek shelter. Every eating house found its supplies exhausted, and beds were at a premium. The storm of that night became historic because of the sinking of the "Lady Elgin" in Lake Michigan, about three hundred lives being lost. The disaster occurred off Waukegan, and the wreckage and bodies of the drowned strewed the beach next morning from Highland Park to Evanston.
Later in the campaign of 1860 all of the Wide Awakes in the county took part in the great Seward mass meeting in Chicago, Libertyville winning the beautiful silk banner offered to the company having the largest number of men in line in proportion to the vote cast for General John C. Fremont in 1856.
Other great meetings were held during the campaign of 1860, the Douglas Invincibles, representing the Democracy, vieing with the Lincoln Wide Awakes in brilliancy of equipment and in enthusiastic applause for favorite speakers and candidates, although inferior in numbers. The equipping and drilling of these semi-military organizations, and their participation in the frequent parades served an admirable purpose in arousing the martial spirit and gave to many a young man in the county the preliminary training that was in some degree, to fit him for the experiences of the great war. Few fully realized it then, but a mighty military struggle was but just ahead.
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