nvv OFCALIFOfi 7 c> CAllFOff v i 3 ,^0 ^ -T< JJ>o T \ s> IJU % Yi 5pfi I & ^ U I 1 ,-| //> \MIUJ 'V>UUCJ.,. > a & j^-. ,^r Jr ^y^ ri ? x g ^(oCLi , ^-^ k *,. > *. I u MI - - z-.-js - ^: vl-^^S ., -- i i^> .<- ^. ^ \ / \'t- TCJ I in ? ,, j i 1 1 -ww-i.u C sj -=p } SC *N BRANCH, UNIVtRSITY OF CALIFORNIA- LIBRARY, CDS A^-si.U. .::'. CALIP. City of Decatur Written by Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Grade Pupils of the Decatur Public Schools 62656 DEDICATION We the pupils of the Decatur Public Schools dedicate this book to the patrons and citizens of Decatur, Illinois M INTRODUCTION . ~ (a) Asuncion (a) Caracas 6 Argentine 3 Brazil (a) Para (a) Buenos (b) Rosario (b) Pernambuco ; ' ., , ; ( ^ , . (c) Mendoza (c) Bahia ; ' TJ. , T . (d) La Plate (d) Rio.de Janeiro ) ' . } x c -r, , (e) Bahia Blanca (e) Sao Paulo (f) Santos 7 Chili (g) Porto Allegre (a) Santiago CITY OF DECATUR 109 (b) Valparaiso (c) Iquique (d) Valdivia (e) Concepcion (f) Temuco (g) Antafagosta 1 China (a) Shanghai 2 India (a) Bombay 8 Peru (a) Lima (b) Callao 9 Ecuador (a) Quayaquil (b) Quito III Asia Dutch East Indies, Java (a) Sourbaja IV Africa Union of South Africa (a) Johannesburg V Oceania New Zealand (a) Christchurch (b) Wellington (c) Auckland Australia (a) New South Wales (a 1 ) Sydney (b) Victoria (b 1 ) South Australia (c) Melbourne (c 1 ) Adelaide VI North America United States (a) All states and territories including Alaska, Porto Rico and Hawaiian Islands. Cuba (a) Havana (b) Santiago de Cuba Dominion of Canada, all provinces Newfoundland (a) St Johns Cuba (a) Havana (b) Santiago de Cuba Guatemala (a) Puerto Barrios Panama Canal Zone (a) Panama 110 CITY OF DECATUR Distribution of the products of the Faries Manufacturing Co. in the year 1919 outside of the United States. THE COMET AUTOMOBILE COMPANY The Comet Automobile Company was established in May, 1917. The officers of this company are: Geo. W. Jagers, president; G. W. Beck, sales manager and first vice-president ; R. H. Campbell, purchasing agent and sec- ond vice-president, and Mr. E. B. Madden, factory man- ager. The factory is a one-story structure 150 feet by 600 feet, located in the 800 block on Garfield Avenue, with the Illinois Central railroad on the east. The factory assembles the parts for the Comet auto- mobile and truck. There are two hundred and fifty dif- ferent parts of the car which have to be put together. These parts come from various places in the United States. The metal and wood parts come from Moline, Illinois ; the motors from Detroit, Michigan; small castings from CITY OF DECATUR 111 the Decatur Malleable Iron Works, Decatur, Illinois, and the upholstering, putting on top and curtains are done at the factory. The Comet Six is a car of unusual beauty, having a very long body made in green or maroon or blue. At the present time the car sells for $2150. As the company is only in its infancy, shipments are mainly made to the United States, altho cars have been shipped to Denmark and Belgium. Employees receive from forty-five to seventy cents an hour, work nine hours a day and six days a week. THE DUAL TRUCK-TRACTOR COMPANY "Modern science knows no stopping place." The Dual Truck-Tractor Factory, now in its infancy, is located at 901 East Eldorado Street, Decatur, Illinois. Wonderful progress has been made since entering this building as their factory, August 1, 1919. The Jefferson Machine and Tool Company of Chicago has been purchased and installed, for which they received stock in payment. They were also fortunate in obtaining the proprietors of this company to come into their factory and take an active part. Other additional heavy machinery has been installed, which will enable them to turn out each and every part of the Dual in their factory. This factory is not an assembling plant. Machines are manufactured in their entirety, with the exception of the motor and electric equipment. They have a complete en- gineering and drafting department with master drawings and blue prints as well as patterns, nearly all of which are metal, from which their parts are cast. To the visitor, marvelous efficiency and economy are in evidence throughout the factory. The Dual Truck and Tractor was organized March 5, 1918, and at a later meeting the following officers were elected : President and General Manager, John K. Gumpper ; Vice-President, James A. Vent, cashier Hammond State 112 CITY OF DECATUR Bank, Decatur, Illinois; Secretary and Treasurer, W. J. Woolums; and Director of Sales and Advertising, W. H. Woolums, Decatur, Illinois. The following are names of the Directors of the com- pany: John K. Gumpper, President; James A. Vent, Vice- President; W. J. Woolums, Secretary and Treasurer; R. W. Heady, proprietor of the Heady Restaurants, Decatur, Illinois; Fred Brenkman, farmer, Trenton, Illinois; J. F. Stutzman, farmer, Girard, Illinois; W. H. Garvey, farmer, Warrensburg, Illinois; Samuel J. Traxter, farmer, Ham- mond, Illinois; Jesse L. Hannabery, owner of Mt. Pulaski Oil Company, Mt. Pulaski, Illinois; L. C. Ellison, farmer, auto and tractor dealer, Mattoon, Illinois; and C. M. Ulrick, banker, Springfield, Illinois. There are also nineteen Advisory Directors. The Dual Truck-Tractor, Trailer and Air Washer, the products of this factory, are fully protected by United States patents, giving the company monopoly for the life of the patents. They are of universal use both on and off the farm. Every moving part of the Truck-Tractor is pro- tected from dirt, dust, and grit. It is built for long service and is self-oiling, one oiling lasting six months, thus sav- ing two hours each day heretofore used in filling the grease cups on the ordinary machine. This machine also has the powerful Buda Y. T. U. motor four and one-half by six. The Dual Truck-Tractor is built on Firestone solid rub- ber tires. The rear tractor wheels are a cast shell with steel tires, held in place by only four bolts, which can be quickly and easily removed, changing the tractor into a truck within fifteen minutes time. As a truck it runs fifteen miles an hour and will pull three fourteen inch bottom plows on high, plowing nine acres per day. It is equipped with electric starter, generator and lights, and can be used for plowing and pulling a binder all night, should the sea- son demand it. It has a rear axle very unlike other axles in the world, which makes it outstanding in comparison with other machines. CITY OF DECATUR 113 It is twenty horsepower at drawbar and thirty-five horsepower at belt, which is reversible, also removable. It has power which can be used for all hoisting purposes, pulling stamps, removing houses or barns and pulling hedge. The Dual Truck-Tractor as a runabout operates the same as an automobile, has a speed of twenty-two miles an hour and has the expanding brakes which enables it to stop on steep hills when pulling a load. This factory also manufactures a complete line of Dual four-wheel steer trailers, three-fourths ton to five tons, and an Air Washer which gives to their machines alone out- standing distinction. The Air Washer is situated directly back of the radiator head and is a series of water and air chambers, performing their work as component parts of the radiator. The water from the radiator, which passes around the jacket of the engine to keep it cool, automatically dumps into the Air Washer. The air is taken into the Air Washer through an opening just back of the radiator cap, and passes twice through the water before it reaches the combustion cham- bers of the engine, and at the same time takes the steam off of the radiator. This is the only Air Washer situated where the least dirt is encountered. It prevents dirt, dust and grit from getting to the engine, saves the motor, pre- vents the formation of carbon and keeps the radiator cool. The Dual which means two in one both Truck and Tractor having so many uses on the farm and off, is truly a universal machine. The company is preparing to be able to manufacture on an average, one tractor and five trailers per day before the end of the ensuing year. Judging from the demand, at the present time, for Dual Truck-Tractors, Trailers and Air Washers, Mr. J. A. Scribbins, the company's architect, will be called upon to carry out his plans for their proposed plant in the near iuture. 114 CITY OF DECATUR THE HOME MANUFACTURING COMPANY The Home Manufacturing Company was established twenty-five years ago in the old Arcade Building where the Lincoln Square Theater now occupies the same site. This industry was organized by Mr. Charles M. Allison. A few years after, this plant was moved to 701 East El- dorado Street for there was need of more room to con- duct the business of this firm more efficiently and success- fully. Then it was moved seven years ago to its present location, 741 East Eldorado Street. The dimensions of the Home Manufacturing Building are 180 feet by 150 feet. This building is two stories high with a full sized basement. All the different kinds of machinery in this plant are operated by electricity. Due to the recency in improvements of machinery, the Home Manufacturing Company at the present time has for its employees the latest labor-saving devices that can be purchased in any market, whether in home or foreign. The causes of the improvements in this factory were not due to enforced legislation, but were due to competition, a desire to please its employees, to create public sentiment, to economize time, labor, and health of employees, and to accomplish a larger output, that is, to satisfy the increas- ing demands of the public. The results of the improve- ments on the production have more than doubled, lessened the cost of production, lessened the number of employees, but have required more skilled laborers. This plant now employs one hundred forty employees; namely, pattern de- signers, spreaders, cutters, assorters, machine operators, finisher, inspectors, machine and hand pressers, folders, markers, shipping clerks, salesmen, bookkeepers, superin- tendent and assistant superintendent. Thus, specialization of labor is due to the kinds of labor and the method of organization already established in the industry, also the competition of this industry with other industries of the same class. CITY OF DECATUR 115 Physical conditions of the plant visited : good sanita- tion, private steam heating plant, city furnishes the electric lighting and electric machine power, ample ventilation which is due to plenty of windows and outside entrances. This firm has no rest rooms nor lunch rooms for its em- ployees which is due to lack of room, but the manager expressed his hopes for having them soon. The cloak rooms are individual lockers, the same as found in other public buildings; namely, school buildings, stores, Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. Buildings, etc. The continued labor in the factories has had no bad effects upon the people engaged; that is, the liability to general fatigue or physical strain is not due to influence caused by the factory work, but by outside influence when not employed by the firm. For fifty hours is the required amount of labor to be expected from each employee per week. This company carries a liability insurance on each employee. Employment in this factory renders excellent educa- tive effects upon employees; such as caution, accurateness, skillfulness, blending of colors, preferences and dislikes of the public gives experience, thriftiness, quality, honesty. Qualifications of employees : no emphasis up to the present time has been placed upon the educational need of the laborers for the performance of the work required. Any person seeking employment in this factory must be "moral, neat, polite, accurate, honest, punctual, in good health, broad enough to take criticism, whether constructive or destructive, thoughtful of their co-workers and can furnish good reference if necessary." There is no opportunity af- forded by this firm for its employees for rest and social intercourse during luncheon time. The Home Manufacturing Company has been of great value to the city of Decatur, Illinois. It has not only furnished employment to hundreds of people in the last twenty-five years, but has improved living conditions. It has aided all of its recent employees to meet the many unexpected emergencies due to the high cost of living 116 CITY OF DECATUR which is the lesson that any war teaches. Many families during the last twenty-five years could not have enjoyed the luxuries and comforts in their homes which they have enjoyed, had it not been for the many opportunities this company has generously given to the members whom it has employed. All the products from this company ad- minister to all people alike. The annual salary budget for this factory amounts to one hundred thousand dollars. At the present time, the officers of this firm have no in- tention of moving the factory elsewhere. The Home Manufacturing Company obtains all its ma- terials from eastern cotton mills. From these materials are made children's and women's dresses, aprons, petti- coats, also children's bloomers. As soon as the "finished articles just named are ready for the market, they are sold to local dry goods retailers and to individual citizens of Decatur, or shipped to all parts of United States. No finished products are sent out of the boundary of our own home country. THE OSGOOD MANUFACTURING COMPANY The firm known as The Osgood-Heiner Manufacturing Company was organized by Messrs. Osgood and Heiner in a small room in the old Powers building in 1901, with ten sewing machines and twelve employees. This firm continued in business at this location for five years, then moved to the top floor of the Akers- Wilson Building, 432 North Water Street, and continued to remain there for fourteen years, then in 1919, the industry was moved to its new and present site, 349 East North Street. On entering this clean, new, roomy, magnificent build- ing, it is necessary to ascend a short flight of stairs. On the right, is the main office, which is finished in mahogany and fitted up with mahogany office furniture to match. The floors of all of the offices are of tile with cork cen- ters. After passing through the main office westward, Mr. CITY OF DECATUR 117 Osgood's, the general manager's office is located. The fire-proof vault, in an adjacent room, just south of Mr. Osgood's office, is so thoroughly constructed that to be ruined by fire would be impossible. The size of this vault is 8'xlO'x8.5' with walls 2' thick. The walls are not solid but hollow in order to prevent danger from fire. The pur- pose of this vault is to keep all the individual files which include the names of all the firms that this company has previously conducted any business with, and the names of the towns and states from which this company has ever received any orders. The door on the west of Mr. Osgood's office is the entrance to the room containing the sample case or refer- ence line. On display in the sample case can be seen any day all the pattern dresses that the company uses as its models to make its raw materials into. West of the sam- ple case room is an additional office which is the designer's office. On the designer's desk were seen two fashion mag- azines, namely, "The Fashion Guide," for which the com- pany pays the subscription price of $100 per annum, also the "Fashion," $60 per year, and "The Fashion Review," $4.00 per year. The large cutting room which is to the left and south of the designer's office, contains two 100' tables, also the designer's pattern table, 18'x54". This room is also known as the "piece-goods stock-room." On the day when the Ullrich School Committee visited this room, there was in stock over six thousand dollars worth of piece-goods which were used in one cutting, and the general manager on this same day had bought by wire twenty-two thousand dollars of more piece-goods. The reason for buying by wire instead of by letter, the supply of this kind of ma- terial is scarce, and the demand so pressing, that in order to obtain enough goods to keep the factory going time could not be lost. The cutting tables in the cutting room are used to spread the piece-goods upon, and upon the piece-goods are placed the patterns. Very often at one cutting, one hundred dozens of dresses are cut. In order 118 CITY OF DECATUR to make so large a cutting the goods are laid thirty dozens or three hundred sixty thicknesses. The cutting is done by a $350 electrical cutting machine that has a five-inch blade. This machine requires sixty volts of electricity to give it enough power to cause its motor to make thirty-six hundred revolutions per minute. On this same floor, which is the first floor, is the stock room. The stock room is arranged in twenty-one cab- inets. Each cabinet contains eight sections and each sec- tion holds thirty dozens of ready-made dresses for children and women. Any section at any time includes four styles each. On the first floor in the rear part of the building is the shipping room. This room's dimensions are 20'x38', has raised floors, which are of great assistance to the draymen when either importing or exporting goods to the factory. The doors of the elevator in this room are automatic ; that is, they close at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahren- heit, to prevent further spread of fire to the second floor. All over the building there are numbers of automatic sprinklers. The pressure of the water in the sprinklers is one hundred pounds to the square inch. This pressure is furnished by the company. The pressure in the city pipes is only fifty pounds per square inch. The second floor includes the large sewing room, lunch room and rest room (combined), one cloak room. In the sewing room there are two rows of the most modern machines that can be purchased in any market. The latest addition to the Osgood Manufactory is a ma- chine for sewing on snaps. In all, there are eighty(?) machines, forty, in each row. Each row of machines, in order to be kept running, requires 500 volts of water power. The second floor is amply lighted by the indirect light- ing system. The windows can be so adjusted to obtain the restful, soft, grey light from the north, and to furnish plenty of fresh air for the employees. CITY OF DECATUR 119 In the store room can be found a year's stock of but- tons, braid, binding, snaps, hooks and eyes, and countless numbers of spools of thread, needles, etc. Many of the spools of thread contained a yardage of 12,000 yards, about 7 miles. This company uses annually enough thread to equal the circumference of the earth. . Labor in the factories : the educative effects upon the employees are as follows: all employees who ever have or will work in this factory have and will learn many values of many virtues; such as, punctuality, alertness, honesty, courtesy, results obtained through measuring one's ability with another person in the same field of labor, initiative- ness, skillfulness to produce satisfaction to employer and to self, thriftiness, obedience, accurateness, self-control, cleanliness, experience, promptness, modesty, criticism, either constructive or destructive, and personal address. So far, this company has never required any references from its employees concerning educational qualifications, but the general manager expressed his preference in em- ploying high school graduates to non-high school grad- uates, for high school graduates who had been taught domestic art through the elementary and secondary schools were much more efficient employees than the undergrad- uates. Within a few months this factory will be prepared to throw open to its employees ample sized lunch room and rest rooms with complete furnishings. This will afford for all those who participate in the comforts such oppor- tunities as only a modern industry can extend to its em- ployees. This means more rest and time for social inter- course among its employees. This industry has and will continue to mean much to the city of Decatur, for it has given employment the last nineteen years to many of our residents, it has affected living conditions ; it has aided many a person to meet the high cost of living; it has brought comforts to many homes, sometimes luxuries ; it has been the means of helping many a person to be able to furnish the necessaries of life for 120 CITY OF DECATUR his or her dependents; and its products administer to all classes alike. This industry at present has in its employ- ment seventy-five employees ; namely, bookkeepers, sten- ographers, designers, cutters, inspectors, hand pressers, machine operators, shipping and billing clerks, engineers, salesmen, and custodians, etc. Any person seeking employment in this industry must possess both a good character and reputation. The materials which are shipped to this factory, arrive in large quantities, called piece-goods, sometimes as many as sixty to eighty yards in a bolt. This firm purchases nearly all its materials through the aid of a New York agency which sells for the best eastern cotton mills. The same materials that sold for 6^4 cents per yard in large quantities less than five years ago can not be bought for less than 36 cents per yard by the case and in small quan- tities. A very little amount only 3 per cent of the finished products are sold to local merchants ; the remainder of output is shipped to all parts of the United States. This company is well represented by efficient traveling salesmen who through competent management keep the amount of ready stock in the stock room low ; that is, the orders come in so rapidly, the company with its full force of em- ployees working forty-four hours per week can not supply the heavy demands. The Osgood Manufacturing indus- try will continue in business at the present location, unless through the growing demands of the public it will be necessary to move to other quarters for the needs of more space to compete with other industries of the same class. LUMBERING INDUSTRY THE BUILDERS' LUMBER COMPANY Most woods used in The Builders' Lumber Company are yellow pine, oak, fir, red gum, hard maple, cypress, and red wood. The fir comes from Washington and Ore- gon. A great deal of the wood comes from the Western CITY OF DECATUR 121 and Southern States. The most valuable wood in this lumber yard is the golden oak, which is used for furniture. There are sixty-five different kinds of oak. The best hard woods are from the Northern States. The lumber men have a great deal of work in the office. In the lumber yard, men make w.indow frames and after- wards put glass in them. They make doors and orna- mental work, as porch steps and porch pillars. The men in the office keep a record of all sales and the buying of lumber. Workmen make the window cases, porch steps, cabinets, and do all kinds of work except sawing the wood. Machinery is used to saw the wood. The busy season is during the spring, summer, and autumn. The number of men employed by The Builders Lum- ber Company is twenty-three or twenty-four. The annual sales amount to three hundred thousand dollars and the annual pay roll amounts to thirty thousand dollars. Each man gets twelve or fifteen hundred dollars a year. They send very little lumber out of Decatur, but when they do, any route is used, according to the direction in which it is sent. When the rough wood is sent away it is just stacked in the car loose, but when finished wood is sent it is either crated or tied. They employ Americans, as there are many agitators among foreigners. They do not have difficulty in getting men but it is hard to get trained men that know the bus- iness. The inexperienced men are difficult to train. The lumber business has increased in the last year. The em- ployees in the lumber yard were each given a goose at Thanksgiving and at Christmas. The company is consid- ering a plan to allow employees, at some future time, a certain per cent of the profits. DECATUR LUMBER AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY Soft woods are used principally by the Decatur Lumber and Manufacturing Company. The most expensive wood they have is the mahogany, but the most valuable kind is 122 CITY OF DECATUR the quarter-sawed white oak. Other woods are the birch (which is used for ivory furniture), yellow pine, red wood, spruce, and gum. They get their wood from the North and the West. The gum is plentiful and cheap. East India mahogany and walnut wood is very scarce. A great deal of wood comes to this company from Tacoma, Wash- ington. A Tacoma picture was sent to this company showing some logs cut by the Tacoma Fir Door Company. One log cut was 28 feet long 8*/2 feet in diameter at top, 10^2 feet in diameter at butt. The log contained 12,600 feet of lumber. There is a great deal of office and yard work to be done, because people are constantly building. The busy season is from the first of March until the latter part of November. All kinds of furniture such as chairs, cabinets, chests and cupboards, is manufactured. Doors are made and ornamental work is done. They have two heavy trucks, and two light trucks and one team of mules for use in delivery. They use two tons of coal a day with the shavings. City electricity is used in the office, but they make their own electricity to run the machinery. When the men are putting the putty on the windows they use Spanish whitening to keep it from sticking to their hands and it also makes the putty thicker. They use the first floor for the glueing and storage, the second floor for the cutting, the third floor for machinery, and the fourth floor for finishing articles. The Decatur Lumber Company employs from seventy to eighty men. The company's annual sales amount to three hundred eighty-five thousand dollars a year and they pay out eighty thousand dollars to the employees. They do not have any foreign trade. Not much shipping is done from Illinois. But some shipments are made to Missouri. They use any of the railroads running through Decatur for shipping their lumber. Most of the employees are Americans. About one-tenth of the men they employ are Germans. Very few are of other nationalities. They have great difficulty in getting 123 skilled men, and when they get untrained men it is hard to instruct them. The lumber business has increased greatly in the last year. On Christmas they gave each of their employees two dollars and they carry insurance for protection against sickness and injuries of their men. The company was incorporated in 1887 with a capital stock of about $30,000. The incorporating members were F. M. Gaddis, James Wiswell, W. J. Huff, H. M. Prescott, T. V. Jones, and W. H. Acuff. The present members are T. V. Jones, J. L. Kitchen, A. S. Knouff, W. L. Hull, L. C. Gaddis, and H. U. Jones. The capital stock now is $100,- 000.00 with a surplus of $130,000.00. L. SWISHER LUMBER COMPANY The L. Swisher Lumber Company was organized in 1906, by Mr. L. Swisher, who is the present owner. The different kinds of woods used are yellow pine, oak, poplar, birch, gum, and fir. The most valuable kinds are oak and birch. Oak is obtained from Missouri and birch from Wisconsin. There is a good deal of work to be done in the yard and in the office. In the yard, eight men, who are me- chanics and bench men, work with the saws. Much built- in furniture, such as bookcases, china closets, and cup- boards, is made. Windows and doors are constructed. All the machinery is well guarded to prevent accidents. Eight men deliver material, and four men attend to the work in the office. There are twenty employees. The first floor is used for glueing and cutting, the second, for the storage of finished articles. The power used is elec- trical. A furnace and stoves provide heat. The ventila- tion is good. A small room is used by the employees for a lunch room. Recent improvements include a mill and office building. The annual sales at this lumber yard amount to $120,- 000. The amount paid to workmen annually is $20,000. All employees are Americans. It is difficult to get trained workmen. Machine men and bench men are always in demand. The business has increased greatly the last year. 124 CITY OF DECATUR G. S. LYON AND SONS LUMBER AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY The G. S. Lyon and Sons Lumber and Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1878 by William Gepson, G. S. Lyon, and John Armstrong. The firm was then known as Lyon, Gepson and Company. In 1888 Mr. Gep- son sold out to Lyon and Armstrong and this name was given to the company. In 1894 Mr. Armstrong sold out to Lyon and Sons, the present owners. The material used by this company is all kinds of wood. But the most valu- able woods are the red oak and the quarter-sawe,d white oak. Most wood comes from the South or West. Cypress, red gum, and yellow pine come from the South, and the giant redwood from the West. This company employs sixty men. The employees are all Americans or naturalized citizens. In the yard, the men unload lumber, stack lumber, and load it onto wagons. There are from twelve to fourteen wagons and five teams. They have. more wagons than teams so that the teams are never kept waiting. When a load of lumber is brought in they unhitch the horses, then hitch them to a loaded wagon ready for another trip. They also use two auto- mobile trucks. In January there is a great deal of work to be done in the office. At this time of the year inventories are made to show what material is on hand and what ma- terial must be ordered, that they may prepare for the sum- mer rush. Much built-in furniture, such as cupboards, china clos- ets, and bookcases, is manufactured. In making cabinets and china closets, no nails are used. Glue is used for the construction of these articles. Glue is obtained in flakes and heated in a big iron kettle. When the glue is heated to 150 degrees it is removed, placed in small kettles and kept to use as needed. The building is protected against fires by steel doors. All doors are kept closed. A sprinkler system is em- ployed, run by their own water supply. CITY OF DECATUR 125 The first floor is used for a workshop in getting the lumber sawed up. Glueing of cabinets and construction of all kinds of doors, window sashes, and screen doors, are all attended to on the second floor. The company makes electricity for its own use. There is a large fan on the first floor which is used to take shav- ings from all machines to the furnace. Steam heat is used all over the building. THE DECATUR MALLEABLE IRON COMPANY There is no metal known to man more useful than iron. The fundamental principles of all industries are founded on iron, and hardly a day passes that we do not use it in some form. There are different kinds of iron ; in this story we are interested in malleable iron. There is every reason to be- lieve that this particular kind of iron was used among the early Greeks and Romans. The early process must have been very crude as compared to the modern methods. Malleable iron foundries are located in England and United States. The largest foundries are located around the Great Lakes, because of great commerce for castings in that region. The Decatur Malleable Iron Company is located north- east of Decatur, Illinois, and faces Curtis Street. The men who established this plant, were interested by the Cham- ber of Commerce in the plant of the Curtis Motor Truck Company and took over the idle plant in June, 1916. They have more than doubled the buildings and doubled their output in the last two years and expect to again double their plant in the next few years. Their property consists of ten acres, four of which are covered by buildings. The two main buildings con- tain the core room, cleaning, grinding, annealing, and ship- ping rooms. There are several other buildings, the main office, pattern and pattern storage sheds. It is a cor- 126 CITY OF DECATUR poration with a capital of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000). This industry employs over two hundred people, of which fifty per cent are foreigners and fifteen per cent are women. The women do special work, such as making and cleaning cores. The raw materials used to make malleable castings are pig iron produced by blast furnaces, scraps of malleable iron, and silica sand, moulding sand, and fire brick and fire clay. Pig iron comes from Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Moulding sand comes from Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Silica sand comes from Central Illi- nois, lake sand from Indiana, fire brick from Ohio, Penn- sylvania, Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois, and fire clay comes from Missouri. Pig iron with iron spruce and scraps are trucked from the storage yard, weighed and put into large buckets which are lifted by air hoists and dumped into a melting furnace. The iron is heated by the use of coal until it reaches its proper mixture and temperature, when it is tapped from the furnace into ladles on trucks or carried by molders to sand moulds. These molds are made by pressing metal patterns into the sand and ramming the sand about it, then removing the pattern and putting sand cores where you do not wish the melted iron to flow. When the metal has cooled, the moulds are dumped on the floor and the castings are then taken into the hard iron room where they are cleaned in tumbling mills and inspected. The castings are ground in the grinding room and then taken into the annealing room, and packed into large stands or pots and surrounded by dead iron and slag and placed in annealing ovens. Here they are slowly heated and cooled for seven days and nights, the iron undergoing a change from hard iron to malleable or iron that will bend a certain amount without breaking. The castings are then taken out of these pots and again cleaned in tumbling mills and sand blast machines, and CITY OF DECATUR 127 they are again inspected to make sure they are in good condition before they are sorted. The castings are then placed into bags and weighed and sent to different customers in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, and New York. The castings are used in the manufacture of automo- biles, in agricultural implements, railroad equipments, and different industrial uses. The transportation of raw materials and finished pro- ducts is taken care of by the Illinois Traction System, the Wabash, the Pennsylvania, the Illinois Central, and the C. I. & W. DANZEISENS PACKING HOUSE Decatur's largest packing house, Danzeisen's, is located in the south part of the city near the Illinois Central Rail- road. The nearness of the railroad makes shipping very convenient. Before the year 1909 Danzeisen's was just a retail house. In that year the building was destroyed by fire. When it was rebuilt it was made larger and became a packing house The average work per week is as follows : eight hun- dred hogs, eighty to one hundred cattle, twenty sheep and twenty calves. The reason they do not kill more animals is that this is enough to meet the demands of the people. About forty-five men are employed daily. In tracing a pig through the packing house we see it go in alive and come out as sausage, hams, bacon, shoul- ders, and lard. In going on this journey it passes through the killing room, coolers, cutting, curing, smoking, and packing rooms. Danzeisen's have their own dynamo which furnishes all the power for their light, cooling, and for running machinery. Animals are secured daily from farmers around De- catur, cities nearby, and from places as far away as Omaha, Nebraska. No meat is shipped outside of Illinois, for this packing house does not have government inspection. 128 CITY OF DECATUR THE MACON COUNTY COAL COMPANY The Macon County Coal Company is located in the south part of the city, in the seven hundred block between South Franklin and Main Streets. It is about fourteen years old. Bituminous coal is mined. The mine is about six hundred feet deep and the vein is about four feet thick on the average. The coal is mined by hand. It is loosened in the vein by digging dirt out from beneath it and driving a bar in and pulling it down with a pick. The miners use explo- sives only when they come to a hard layer of rock. After the coal is loosened in the vein it is loaded onto cars. The slate is separated from the coal as it is loaded on the cars. Then it is hoisted to the tipple. When the coal is hoisted to the tipple it is dumped on an iron screen which sorts the coal into different sizes. There are about one hundred and eighty men employed in this mine. They mine an average of eight hundred and fifty tons per day. Most of the coal mined in De- catur is used in the city, the remainder being shipped away. There is also another mine in Decatur in the one hun- dred block North Broadway. It is called the Decatur Coal Company. DECATUR'S WATER SUPPLY When a family or factory chooses a new location, one of the most vital features of the place to be considered is its water supply. Water must be plentiful in case of drought or fire and adequate for the use of factories. It must be pure to prevent disease, and should be reasonably priced to keep down the high cost of living. The Sangamon River, Decatur's source of water sup- ply, drains a watershed covering 860 square miles. If its water were properly impounded it would supply all the families and factories which Decatur can hope to have in future years. CITY OF DECATUR 129 Decatur officials are planning the construction of a dam across the Sangamon River near the present site of the County Bridge. This dam will form a lake which will store up water for Decatur. It is expected that it will be completed before January 1st, 1921. It is to be about 1,500 feet long and wide enough for a wagon road. The lake which the dam will cause to be formed will cover about 3,000 acres and will be from eleven to fifteen miles in length and about one and one-half miles wide. It will impound about four billion gallons of water. The cost of this improvement will be about one and a quarter million dollars, including the actual cost of the dam, cost of the land covered by the lake and the necessary raising of roads and bridges, and will be raised by special taxation. These are some of the advantages and benefits which Decatur hopes to derive from the investment of this money in water compounding, It will make Decatur grow. Factories will recognize the advantages offered and will wish to locate here. Fac- tories bring families. It will make Decatur a better city by furnishing to her residents all the amusements which a large body of water affords. There will be an opportunity for skating, fishing, rowing and the use of motor boats. Swimming will be provided in properly constructed pools. It will improve our park system and add many delightful roads for motor- ing. Decatur will make the vicinity of the lake a play- ground for both old and young. Sangamon River water is unusually pure and free from harmful germs, but to make it doubly safe for her people Decatur provides a filter plant where water is clarified, purified and tested by chemical processes. No epidemic of a serious nature has ever been traced to the drinking of city water. Decatur's drinking water is pure. Decatur has the lowest water rate of any city of its size in the state of Illinois. 130 CITY OF DECATUR To families and small consumers of less than 5,000 gallons per quarter, water is furnished at $1.00 per 5,000 gallons. Consumers of from 5,000 to 10,000 gallons per quarter pay $1.50. When water is used in very large quantities, as by fac- tories, it costs 4 cents per 1,000 gallons. Upon Decatur's assured plentiful supply of pure, cheap water depends largely her hope for future growth and prosperity, and her promise of a better Decatur for both young and old. Watch Decatur grow! UNITED STATES WIRE MAT COMPANY The United States Wire Mat Company was established in 1901 on Industry Court, but owing to its growth the erection of a new building was necessary. The second building is now located on the corner of East Wood and Franklin Streets, which is the main office building. The first building is used now for packing and making of their own machinery. The main products of the factory are the Flexible Wire Mat and ten different makes of Fly Swatters, although many other products of less importance are made here. The Wire Mat is partly responsible for the growth and permanence of the United States Line. The original fly swatter was made by this company and their most widely distributed product. It is used as much in its home country as in foreign lands, being ex- ported to Europe, North and South Africa, Asia, Aus- tralia, South America, and Java. During the World War this fly swatter was known as a friend to every soldier, whether in the camps or hos- pitals. One reported he would just as soon die as be without his swatter. In fact almost every place you find flies you will find one of those United States death-dealing fly swatters made in Decatur. CITY OF DECATUR 131 THE DECATUR TENT & AWNING CO. The Decatur Tent & Awning Co., located at 140 North Franklin Street, was established in 1879. At the Tent & Awning Co. they make tents of all kinds, awnings, sleeping porch curtains, stack covers, and other canvas goods of all kinds. The tents and awnings are used in the warm weather, therefore the spring and sum- mer are the busy seasons. At that time they employ about six people, and at other times about three. The material is obtained from jobbing houses in Chi- cago, Boston, St. Louis, and sometimes New York. Their lactory has a great amount of business around central Illi- nois. Sometimes they get orders from Arkansas and other outside states. The gypsies like the style of tents that the Tent & Awning Co. makes, therefore they get many orders from them. THE DECATUR COFFIN COMPANY The Coffin Company of Decatur, which is located on the corner of North Morgan and East North Streets, was estab- lished in 1873 by T. T. Roberts, O. Z. Greene, and Captain R. P. Lytle. A few years later Captain Lytle retired from the firm, the business was continued by Mr. Roberts and Mr. Greene, and incorporated by them in 1882. Mr. Greene died several years ago and Mr. Roberts was president from this time until his death in November, 1919. No successor has yet been appointed. The factory is a five-story struc- ture occupying six city lots. Of the one hundred fifty large and small coffin factories in the United States, the Decatur plant ranks among the best and is about tenth in size. The employees of the plant number one hundred twenty-five, counting men and women. The hard wood products used are walnut, oak and mahogany, and come mostly from Ar- kansas, Tennessee, and West Virginia. The soft wood products come from Michigan, Wisconsin, and the Pacific Coast. California red wood is used for crating. Very ex- 132 CITY OF DECATUR pensive cloth such as silk, broadcloth, and lace, comes from France and Japan. Ninety-five percent of the trade is car- ried on outside of Macon County. The Union Iron Works was incorporated in 1882 and re- incorporated in 1913. The officers are: President, Porter J. Millikin ; Vice-President, H. C. Dempsey, the other offices unfilled being under advisement. This organization em- ployed between one hundred twenty-five and one hundred fifty persons. The trade of the organization extends throughout the United States and foreign countries. Every- thing in grain handling machinery is made at the plant of the Union Iron Works. The materials used are from Penn- sylvania, and hard oak from northern timbers, also sheet iron from various United States mills. The Union Iron Works has been in Decatur about forty years, and during that time it has proved very useful to the industrial power of this city. THE E-Z OPENER BAG COMPANY The E-Z Opener Bag Company has had its plant in De- catur for eight years. Mr. H. D. Warner is the manager of the Decatur plant. The company has five plants alto- gether. Three of the plants are engaged in making the paper bags, while the remaining two make the paper from the pulp sent to them from the pulp mills. The three plants that are engaged in making the bags are situated in Decatur, Illinois; New Orleans, Louisiana, and Orange, Texas. One paper mill is situated at Taylor- ville, Illinois, while the other is in Indiana. The pulp is sent to the mills from the yellow pine pulp mills in the South, and the spruce and hemlock mills in the North. Then the paper is sent to the three plants men- tioned above and the paper bags are made. The output of bags daily in the Decatur plant is two million five hundred thousand. They also use every day CITY OF DECATUR 133 twenty-five tons of paper in making the bags and one thou- sand pounds of flour in making the paste. They have fifty machines working all the time and employ two hundred men and women. At noon these people are furnished with coffee, which is a satisfactory convenience. The paper bags are sent to almost every state in the Union, but none are exported outside of the United States. These fifty machines are hard at work making various kinds of bags. They are made in different sizes and colors. The brown bags are made out of paper from the yellow pine and the white bags are made out of paper from the spruce and hemlock trees. The yellow bags are dyed. They make grocers' bags, milliners' bags and bags for the dry cleaners. The sugar bags are made extra heavy. If the buyer wishes to have an advertisement printed on the bags, the company will do it for him. The sacks are packed in packages of five hundred lots, and ten thousand of them make a bale. The E-Z Opener Bag Company's trade mark is just merely the words "Trade Mark." The plant is situated by the Wabash Railroad and Pine Street. THE FLINT, EATON & COMPANY This business was started in February, 1897. Its first home was in a small basement room in the Millikin Bank building, having a total floor space of 230 square feet. From there the business was taken to West Wood Street, to rooms of 700 square feet of floor space. After two years, it was again moved, this time to West Main and Church Streets, to two rooms of 1500 square feet of space. Here it remained for about five years, when it was located at the corner of East Main and Franklin Streets. Here 3600 square feet of floor space were occu- pied for twelve years, moving to its present quarters April 1, 1917, where they have 17,000 square feet of floor space. 134 CITY OF DECATUR They are occupying about eighty times as much room as they did in the beginning. They sell to physicians only. The first few years they supplied fluid goods only, but the line of goods made has gradually developed until now they make liquids, ointments, powders, tablets, and in fact about everything the dispensing physician needs in his practice. This is all sold in bulk packages at wholesale to them. The firm was incorporated under its present name fifteen years ago. They employ ten traveling sales- men and fifteen people are regularly employed at the lab- oratory. The capacity of the tablet department is 400,000 tablets per day. One machine makes about 400 per minute. To make these tablets the raw material is ground, mixed and put on shelves to dry. This is then put in a big kettle to be made into finer powder. Two five-pound balls are put in on top of the powder. This is rolled around until the powder is very fine. It is then put in the tablet machine to be made into tablets. It is a very simple way, as you only have to keep the machine in order and filled. Those tablets that are to be sugar coated are put in a syrup. These uncolored tablets are put in a big kettle with the color mixture in it. They also are rolled around until they are thoroughly coated. Next they are dried and put in bottles, sealed up, and sent to various physicians. The raw materials come from Egypt, Peru, South Sea Islands, Russia, United States, and practically from all over the world. HISTORY OF THE DECATUR DRUG STORE On April 1, 1897, Mr. H. C. Burks, who came here from Chicago, bought the drug store which was in the old Opera building where the Powers building and the Orlando Hotel now stand. Although others had failed in this same location, Mr. Burks was able to make it a paying business. CITY OF DECATUR 135 He called his place of business the Opera House Phar- macy, later changing it to the Decatur Drug Store. It was forty feet by fifty feet, and his stock was valued at twelve hundred dollars. Mr. Burks with the help of one boy ran this place for two years. They sold drugs, candies and ice cream. Also for three years they sold opera tickets. Mr. Frank A. McBride came in 1899 as clerk. Mr. H. L. Roth, who is now vice-presi- dent, came as errand boy in 1900, and in 1901 Mr. McBride went on the road selling drugs to doctors of small towns. Other clerks took his place. Mr. McBride resigned and Mr. Alfred Platt and Mr. Mallory took his place. Mr. McBride came back in 1908 and traveled for them until May 1, 1919. Now Mr. Robert Johnson, formerly of the Park Davis Co., Detroit, Mich., and Mr. Stevens, formerly of the J. T. Millikin Co., St. Louis, travel for them. Business increased until rooms were so crowded that in 1909 they moved to 331-333 North Water Street. This store is forty feet by one hundred fifty feet, and the shelves measure 5310 feet. They incorporated the business in 1915, with Mr. H. C. Burks as president, Mr. H. L. Roth as vice-president, and Mr. W. J. Dearth as secretary and treasurer. They have now bought a five-story building, 334-355 North Water Street, which they are remodeling. This is to be their permanent home. It will be sixty feet by one hundred fifty feet. They will be in the new store about February 1, 1920. When this store started Mr. Burks attended it with the help of an errand boy for two years. It now employs thirty-six people. It has grown to be the largest whole- sale drug store in Illinois outside of Chicago and Peoria. THE SUFFERN-HUNT MILLS The Suffern Hunt Mills are owned by the American Hominy Company, whose headquarters are in Indianapolis. There are seven branches, four of which are located in In- 136 CITY OF DECATUR diana, one in Terre Haute, one in Mount Vernon, and two in Indianapolis. There are also three mills in Decatur, Illinois. Mr. Bates is president of the company. Two of these mills, Plants E and G, having three private tracks, and employing one hundred men, are located on the Wabash Railroad, between Union and Church Streets. The height of the mill proper is one hundred ten feet, while that of the corn elevator, which has a capacity of three hundred thousand bushels, is one hundred twenty-five feet. The new wheat refinery will hold eighty thousand bushels, and is one hundred thirty-five feet high. Both the smokestack and water tower are one hundred fifty feet in height. There are four large boilers. The exhaust steam runs through a pipe to the cooling pond outside, which has a capacity of five hundred thousand gallons of water. Here it is sprayed into the air through thirty sprayers, this process converting it into water. It is then taken back to the boilers, where it is used again. There are also thirty-five motors, and a one- thousand horse power turbine. The new wheat mill will be operated by electricity. Mill C, also situated on the Wa- bash Railroad, is on the corner of Water and Cerro Gordo Streets. Feed is manufactured here. Corn is shipped in from Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Illinois. Only the white is used, as this contains two per cent more nourishment than yellow. The capacity of the cars vary from seven hundred fifty to twenty-two hundred bushels. The Chicago Board of Trade determines the price. The market opens at nine- thirty in the morning, and closes at one-fifteen in the after- noon, the bids usually being ready by two o'clock. This Board of Trade communicates the price to the mills. They then telephone to the elevators from which they wish to buy, stating the rate they are willing to pay. The corn is unloaded by a steam power weigher holding eight bushels. Next it is deposited in hoppers, and then into bins, where it is weighed. After this it is carried to the top of the elevator. It is then conveyed to the main mill, weighed again, and put into another bin having a capacity of five hundred bushels. CITY OF DECATUR 137 After being weighed, the corn goes through a trough containing magnets, which remove the nails, screws, and other bits of iron collected during the unloading. A pail of these a week is the average amount extracted. This hav- ing been done, the corn is put into another trough, inside of which is a conveyor, ninety feet in length. Boiling hot water is then turned on to loosen the hulls, after which it goes through a hulling machine, where the skins are com- pletely removed. These are afterwards pressed together, and used as a food for cattle. Next comes the extraction of the heart, or germ of the corn, which is done by a large ma- chine. About one carload of these a week is sent to Indian- apolis, Plant A, where the oil is taken out. Three pounds of this to every bushel is the average. The kernels are then broken into small particles. The corn is next ground, the average amount in tweni four hours being ten thousand bushels, although fiftee thousand has been the output. The speed of the process ot grinding is forty miles per hour. It is then sifted through different size silk meshes, the product gradually growing finer, until when finished it is scarcely distinguishable from wheat flour. The foods manufactured are as follows : Corn flour, called "Over the Top," grist, hominy, cream meal and feed. Two thirds of the corn ground is used for food purposes, and one third for feed. The sacks used come ready made from the Bemis Com- pany, St. Louis, Missouri. Hominy, grist and feed are sacked in burlap, and cream meal and corn flour in cotton sacks. Goods are packed in amounts weighing from three to two hundred three pounds, and some for export in two hundred twenty pound quantities. Much of the sewing is done by machinery, although some is done by hand. Hominy feed, for cattle, is sold all over Eastern United States. Coarse and medium grit, used for breakfast food, is furnished the Southern trade in carloads, and a large amount of hominy is sent to California for canning pur- poses. Very little exporting is done. 138 CITY OF DECATUR For the protection of the men, these plants are equipped according to government requirements. The sprinkler sys- tem is used in case of fire. Each floor is also provided with one barrel of water and two pails, to be used in an emer- gency. five ini it CITY OF DECATUR 139 CHAPTER V DECATUR'S TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES DECATUR AS A RAILROAD CENTER As a railroad center Decatur ranks second among all the cities of Illinois, Chicago, of course, being first. Of the various factors working together to establish this city thus high among the commercial cities of our state, the transportation facilities undoubtedly lead. It is true that the wonderful fertility of the surrounding area has caused rapid growth of many large cities which make a splendid market for our manufactured products. In this territory, surpassing any in the world in the value of its producing acres, agriculture is carried on extensively. This mea'e that manufacturers of farm implements will find a splen did market for their products. Valuable land tends to create a general prosperity among the people living on it. Prosperous people coming into the city to buy and sell aid materially in its commercial development. Noth- ing, probably, has helped more in getting these outside people interested than the business men who through their aggressiveness arouse the people and make them aware of their city's commercial standing. But these two factors are of minor importance when we consider what the trans- portation facilities have done in developing our city com- mercially. A glance at the map will show us why we should be so fortunate. Centrally located in a rich terri- tory, the city attracts builders of railroads. Lines crossing the state from north to south or from east to west pass through here. Not only is it centrally located in the state, but among the cities of the entire nation it stands almost in the center. As a result, traffic of all kinds must pass over these lines. In the early years of our history the obstacle that stood in the way of our advancement was the lack of these facili- ties. Our produce could find no market because of the 140 CITY OF DECATUR difficulty in shipping it. Wagons had to be used in hauling grain, and the cattle and hogs had to be driven to a mar- ket. Because the markets were few and necessarily near home, the prices were low. But with the coming of the first railroads into Decatur, a change came. Then the material advancement of the city began, settlement began in earnest. Agriculture in the surrounding country began to develop and the factories grew up. During the twenty years following the building of the first railroad, the popu- lation increased about twenty times what it did during the twenty years preceding. This increased population was a result of factories which had come to the city because of its easy means of transportation. At the present time there are running through Decatur four great railroad systems he Wabash began in 1850, Illinois Central in 1854, Van- la and C. I. & W. From these four main systems elve lines branch which connect us directly with all prin- :ipal cities, including Chicago, Peoria, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Memphis, New Orleans, Evansville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Toledo, Pittsburg, New York and Detroit. These can be reached without change of cars. This direct access to the key cities of our states puts us in touch with all points of the world, since several of them are coast cities, important as ports for ocean commerce. Due to the fact that so few raw materials are available in the vicinity, practically all our manufactured products are made of materials shipped here from outside points. Practically every material used in industry, arts, or com- merce finds its way in and out of Decatur over these twelve railroad lines. The raw materials imported in large quan- tities are, iron and steel from Pennsylvania, copper and brass from Chicago, corn, wheat, aluminum and dairy pro- ducts. Marble comes from New England, lumber, includ- ing, oak, hickory, hemlock, cedar, mahogany from the west ; leather from Chicago, silks from the Orient, sugar, mo- lasses, broom corn and tobacco from the south, paper, cot- ton goods, woolens, wire, sheet metals from the east. The mere handling of these articles creates extensive business. CITY OF DECATUR 141 The raw materials intended for manufacturing must be carted to factory or warehouse. This means the engage- ment of motor trucks and men to run them. Products manufactured from these materials are shipped to every part of the United States and to some foreign countries, including South America, Europe, Canada, and to a less extent Asia and Australia. The factories shipping most finished products to foreign nations are Staley's, Union Iron Works, Decatur Bridge Works, Muellers, Faries, Leader Iron Works. The foreign trade at present is in an un- certain state. The settlement of some important questions will decide its extents later. The value of the manufac- tures of Decatur is about $25,000,000, probably more. The greatest part of this is sent out to other cities and coun- tries. The freight trains bringing in raw stuffs and taking out finished products number about ninety-four daily. The freight charges collected here for 1919 amount to about $2,810,000. The railroad lines however are not used for shipping in of raw materials only and sending out Decatur products, but for passenger service as well. Decatur's business men have interested many people of surrounding country in their city. As a result we have many people coming in daily to do business here. Being so centrally located, it is also a place where traveling people make changes. The Illinois Central office sells on the average six hundred tickets per day. It is estimated one thousand two hundred to fifteen hundred passengers pass through Decatur daily. Passenger trains in and out daily number about forty- seven. About three thousand people are employed in rail- road work in Decatur, the pay-roll amounting to about $10,000,000 in 1919. The exceptionally good facilities are rapidly making of Decatur an industrial center. It is true that we have few raw materials near at hand grain, clay, and gravel being the only ones but our railroads make it possible to have things brought in for our factories. Since we are located in such wonderfully productive area where prosperity 142 CITY OF DECATUR reigns, our market is good. Fuel is cheap and our labor conditions unusually favorable. This attracts working classes, energetic, progressive people to work in the plants. And wha{ has the future in store for us? Our indus- trial supremacy will attract more factories, which in turn will call for more laborers and added railroads to take care of the products. In time paved highways will be built for the use of motor transports. The roads at the present time are not hard enough to bear the heavy hauling. This method of transportation will be used to carry things be- tween points seventy-five to one hundred miles apart, since it is much cheaper. With continued growth the plan of a water route direct to the south will also be projected. This would be possible by dredging the Sangamon and con- necting it with Illinois by means of a canal. Ships could then leave here, pass through the canal into the Illinois, then down to New Orleans on the Mississippi. This would put us into better touch with South America, one of our chief foreign markets. The lessening of the freight charges accomplished by this plan can hardly be estimated. THE ILLINOIS TRACTION SYSTEM The Illinois Traction System has grown in the past eighteen years from six miles of track lying between Dan- ville and Westville, built as an experiment by W. B. Mc- Kinley, to its present size of 550 miles. The road is now equipped with all modern equipment for the safety, con- venience and comfort of its patrons. Its road-bed com- pares favorably with that of steam roads and are so de- signed that the heaviest freight and passenger service may be handled economically. The main division of the Illinois Traction System ex- tends from Peoria on the north to St. Louis on the south, a distance of 174 miles. At Mackinaw Junction, about twenty miles south of Peoria, the Bloomington and De- catur Division branches off from the main division and extends as far east as Danville, a distance of about 125 miles, serving Decatur, Champaign and Urbana, and many CITY OF DECATUR 143 intermediate points. There are three lines which enter from the east, west and north, thereby giving Decatur access to the central and southern part of our state whose population is estimated to be about 3,000,000 people. The T. T. S. furnishes Decatur with street car service, gas, electricity, and steam heat, as well as the conveniences it furnishes in its own service, such as parlor and sleeping cars, fast merchants' dispatch freight service, general freight trains that transport heavy loads of coal and grain. The frequency of its service and access to the rural district being of prime importance, the Decatur freight office averages handling 12,000 tons of freight per month. It gives the housewives the same opportunity for sav- ing money and becoming posted on the season's fashions as her city sister and this feature has had the effect on the people who live in the country making as good an appearance and whose clothing is as up-to-date as a city woman. The children of the farmer can receive the advantages of the city and still remain at home, thereby working as a factor in keeping our boys on the farm. Visit our churches, theatres or good concerts or lec- tures, and we will find a good sprinkling of our farmer folk, who instead of going to bed with the chickens, may now come to the city for an evening's entertainment and be back home at a reasonable bedtime. The advantages are not all for the farmer, however. It brings the produce fresh from the farm every day and they do not grow stale in the transit before reaching the consumers. This means of transportation has bound the city and country in a union both pleasant and profitable to both. There are milk and produce trains in operation every day. These are a few items to describe the benefits which have come to Decatur by the use of the Illinois Traction System. With the growth of the Illinois Traction System De- catur has almost doubled in population. A great many 144 CITY OF DECATUR factories have been built. The mercantile business has increased many times. Frequency of service and access to the adjacent country are the most important advan- tages of service afforded this section by the Illinois Trac- tion System. The Illinois Traction System is a great help to Deca- tur and to the farmers that live around the city outside of a 10-mile radius by enabling them to bring their pro- duce to town. ,CITY OF DECATUR 145 Number of miles operated by the I. T. S 431.90 Miles of passing tracks, sideways, etc 32.54 Miles of industrial track 13.52 Miles of shop and yard track 13.15 Popluation served by the road 3,000,000 Number of passenger cars 150 Number of freight cars 722 Number of express cars- 177 Number electric locomotives 21 Number of sub-stations 40 Number central power stations 4 Number of belt lines 4 Number of miles protected by electric block signals 150 STREET CARS OF DECATUR Street cars were first used in Decatur on August 27, 1889. The first car line was owned by Frank Priest and ran from where the transfer house now stands to the depot. There are now twenty-three cars on regular schedule, which are as follows : Eldorado, four cars, which run every seven minutes ; Condit, three cars, running every twelve minutes ; Water Street, three cars, running every eight minutes ; Edward, four cars, running every seven minutes ; West Main, three cars, running every eight minutes ; De- pot, two cars, running every seven minutes; Pythian Home, one, running every fifteen minutes ; Fairview, one car, tunning every fifteen minutes ; and Riverside, two cars, running every fifteen minutes. The cars begin running at 5 :30 in the morning, and continue until 11:30 at night. Each car bears a large letter on the front of it, which makes it very convenient for the passengers. For instance, the Depot Street Car bears a large "D" on the front of it. There are fourteen miles of street car track, but sixteen miles, if the switches are included. 146 CITY OF DECATUR New cars are now used on the Eldorado and Edward routes. They are known as the "Safety" Car, and are- provided with two trolleys. The entrance and exits are at the front of these cars, only : This means : that should it ever be necessary, one man only could operate one of these cars alone. It is often necessary to use extra cars on the Eldorado line, which proves that the northeastern part of the city is growing very rapidly. Motormen and conductors work nine hours a day at the rate of forty-two cents per hour. The transfer house is located in the central part of the city at the intersection of North Main and West Main Streets. All street cars but the Fairview, transfer at this station. It is much better to wait for a car at the transfer house than at a street corner. The street car fare is but five cents, including a trans- ier. In most other cities it is seven cents or more. The citizens appreciate the fact that the fare has not been raised in Decatur. UILLIAIN COOf\ SB '20 SCOTT 7 A CITY OF DECATUR 147 CHAPTER VI PUBLIC BUILDINGS THE MACON COUNTY COURT HOUSE Wayne Parrish, 7 A, Lincoln School. The Macon County Court House of Decatur, Illinois, is situated on the southeast corner of East Wood and South Water Streets. It is divided into twenty-one offices and two courts the County Court and the Circuit Court. The County Court tries cases of common law where the amounts do not exceed one thousand dollars. They try cases known as criminal cases which are divided into two classes, the first, felony, in which the punishment is im- prisonment in the penitentiary; the second, misdemeanors, in which the punishment is by fine or by imprisonment in the county jail. This court also tries insane and tax cases. This court has three terms of court a year, the first begin- ning on the second Monday of April, the second on the second of August and the third on the second Monday of December. The judge is elected to his position by the peo- ple. There is a Probate Court which is a division of the County Court. This court tries juvenile cases. It may sentence a boy up to the age of seventeen to St. Charles, and a girl up to the age of eighteen to Geneva. It takes care of children whose parents neglect them. This court has twelve terms of court, therefore it is in session all the time. The first term begins on the first Monday of January and is in session until the first Monday of February, and so on for the rest of the year. The Circuit Court has the most power and is therefore the highest court in the county. This court may try any kind of case. The Circuit Judge has power in six counties, Macon, De Witt, Douglas, Moultrie, Piatt and Champaign. The judge for Macon County is Judge W. K. Whitfield ; tor Champaign County, Judge Franklin H. Boggs, and Judge G. A. Lentle for De Witt County. This court has 148 CITY OF DECATUR three terms of court, the first in Macon County beginning on the second Monday of January, the second on the second Monday of May, and the third on the first Monday of October. The Circuit Clerk's office keeps the record of real estate transactions. It is where foreigners get their naturalization papers. Suits are filed here so as to be heard before the Circuit Judge. One person holds the position of Circuit Clerk and Recorder. In the County Clerk's office marriage and hunting licenses are issued, and here is kept the record of all births and deaths. The Abstract Office is where the history of a title of land, beginning with the title in the United States of Amer- ica, is written and kept. Abstracts are ordered when any real estate changes hands. The abstractor writes down the record of the title and it is passed on by a lawyer usually. The City Clerk has his office in the Court House. The City Council, the Mayor and the Commissioners meet and have their office in the Court House, too. The Council meets every Monday and Thursday of each week. The Building Inspector issues permits for new buildings to comply with the city building ordinance. He sees that they put no shingles on houses and buildings in the fire district. He may condemn buildings if they are not safe and sanitary. The Police Office or Police Headquarters is also in the Court House. The Sheriff's office is also here. The Sheriff has power to arrest a man violating i state laws on a state warrant. He has charge of the prisoners, sends boys to St. Charles, girls to Geneva, and others to the penitentiary. He has power in many parts of the state. He enforces state laws and is elected by the people. The Overseer of the Poor has an office in the Court House. His duty is to look after the poor. He sends them to the county home and sends those who are sick to the hospital. He supplies coal to those who need it and see that the poor have plenty to eat. CITY OF DECATUR 149 In the Tax Collector's office the taxes are levied for the city, the township, the county and the state. The money is divided and used for improvements in different ways. The State's Attorney prosecutes all men and women and boys who violate laws. He helps the children whose par- ents neglect them. The Superintendent of County Schools has his office in the Court House also. He has charge of the schools out- side of the city limits and inside the county. The Board of Supervisors meets in the Court House. There are now thirty members from different parts of the county. The Parole Officer, at present Elsie Waggonseller, has an office with the Overseer of the Poor. She is elected by the Board of Supervisors. The County Surveyor has his office in the Court House. The Board of Farm Advisers has its headquarters in the Court House. DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY The Decatur Public Library is located on the south- west corner of Main and Eldorado Streets. It is a large rectangular concrete building. The building was begun March 27, 1902, and was ready for use July 1, 1903. Andrew Carnegie gave $60,000 for the building. The city gave $15,000 for the site. As you enter you find yourself in the vestibule from which you go through another door into the main room. On the south of this room are the reference or study rooms. There are about 2,000 volumes in this department. Behind these rooms are the two smaller rooms which are used for meetings of various kinds. North of the main room is the reading room which has about 250 magazines, books and papers. Back of the main desk are the stacks which contain be- tween 20,000 and 25,000 books for circulation. At the right and east of the reading room are the offices of the librarian. Below the stacks is the magazine room, where are found about 4,500 bound periodicals. 150 CITY OF DECATUR The children's department occupies the large room on the north of the second floor. There are between 5,000 and 6,000 books in this. room. Just across the hall is the cata- loging room where the cards and books are prepared for publication. At the end of the hall is another room where the direc- tors hold their meetings. Public documents are in two rooms of basement. The furnace and work rooms are also in this part of the build- ing. The library employs twelve people. DECATUR POST OFFICE The Post Office is located on the southeast corner of North Main and Eldorado streets. It is a large square concrete structure consisting of two stories and basement. It was built in the year 1909 and the money was furnished by the Federal Government. The main entrance to the building is on North Main Street. The departments on the main floor are : Mail, Parcel Post, Money Order and War Savings, Lock Boxes and General Delivery. Besides these departments the Post- master and Assistant Postmaster have their offices on this floor. On the second floor are other rooms occupied at va- rious times by federal officers. The Mail Department consists of two divisions, which are Mailing and City Distribution. Fifty-four pouches are received by this department daily for distribution to the city and rural districts. The letters are placed on a large table for sorting. The special delivery letters are sep- arated from the others for immediate delivery. Each car- rier has a pigeon hole in which the letters for his route are placed. Twenty-nine city carriers and nine rural carriers are employed in distributing the letters and packages. The Parcel Post department is growing more important each year. The amount of business during the past year exceeded all previous years. At the present time twenty-seven clerks are employed to carry on the work of the various departments. FER.N NEIN 8B'0 CITY OF DECATUR 151 CHAPTER VII CHURCHES AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS CHURCHES There are forty churches in Decatur, ranging in mem- bership from twelve to two thousand. The churches are as follows : Baptist First, southeast corner Water and North. East Park, northwest corner Third and Prairie. Riverside, corner Traver and Cleveland. Antioch (colored), 610 Greenwood Ave. Catholic St. James (German), corner Webster and Clay. St. Patrick's, 425 East Eldorado St. Christian First, 441 North Church St. Central Church of Christ, southeast corner William and Edward Sts. Church of God Bethel, southwest corner Main and Packard Sts. Church of God, 412 South Broadway. Church of the Brethren First, 404 East Grand Ave. Progressive, 804 East Orchard St. Church of the Living God (colored), 325 East Macon St. Congregational First, northwest corner Church and Eldorado Sts. Episcopal St. John's, northeast corner Church and Eldorado Sts. Evangelical First German, 1020 North Woodford St. 152 CITY OF DECATUR Jewish Congregation of Abraham, over 254 North Park. Evangelical Lutheran First English, 303 North Main. St. Paul's German, 376 West Wood St. St. Johannes' German, 1104 East Orchard St. Methodist Episcopal First M. E., southwest corner Church and North. Grace, northwest corner Main and King Sts. St. Paul's, 1600 East North St. Trinity, southwest corner North and Jackson Sts. Sargent, 954 South Broadway. St. Peter's A. M. E. (colored), 530 Greenwood Ave. Methodist Episcopal Mission, corner Marietta and Cal- houn Sts. Free Methodist 224 East King; Branch, 2338 East Sangamon St. Presbyterian i r irst, northwest corner Church and Prairie. Second, northeast corner Eldorado and Monroe. Westminster, West Main, northeast corner Park PI. United Brethren First, southeast corner Eldorado and Union Sts. Second, northwest corner Walnut Grove and Olive. Third, southwest corner Division and Lowber Sts. THE ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE The Association of Commerce consists of about nine hundred members. It is governed by a body of fifteen people elected by the members. This association was or- ganized about twenty years ago. The only paid member of this association is the secretary. It was first called the Chamber of Commerce and later changed to the Associa- tion of Commerce. CITY OF DECATUR 153 The interests of this association are not only industrial but cover every phase of life that affects the welfare of the people of Decatur. This association has brought many factories to the city. It has given us better train service and freight rates. The Macon County Hospital was brought here by its in- fluence. They have been a big help in making Decatur the Biggest Little City on Earth. The Social Service Bureau was organized in the year 1917. It is governed by a board of fifteen people. They make large drives to get the money needed to carry on the work. The purpose of the Social Service Bureau is to help the poor people who cannot earn a living by themselves. There are five different institutions helped by the So- cial Service Bureau : General, Welfare Home, Free Clinic, Salvation Army, and the Day Nursery. The General fund is to help the poor buy coal, groceries, pay rent and other things needed. The Woman's Club was organized in 1887. Its mem- bership now is 250. It is governed by officers elected by the members. The purpose of this club is to help the women of De- catur bring themselves up to a higher class in life. The club is divided into four different study divisions. They are the Civic, Art and Literature, Shakespeare, and Psalemas. The Art and Literature division studies those subjects. . The Psalemas division consists mostly of business wo- men who can not study in the day time. They study dif- ferent things that will help them in their business career. The Shakespeare division studies about our great poet. The people recite poems and read about Bible women. 154 CITY OF DECATUR The Civic division studies about the welfare of the city. They try to find the things that will help to make our city a better one. i The Rotary Club has about one hundred and twenty- five members. There is one man from every line of bus- iness. The purpose is to promote better acquaintance and fellowship among the men of Decatur. The St. John's Day Nursery cares for small children whose mothers must work by the day. A fee of five cents is charged. The purpose of the Boy Scout Association is best told in its laws : A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Other civic organizations are as follows: City Club, American Red Cross Society, Macon County Home Bu- reau, Municipal Art League, Decatur Institution Civic Arts, and Visiting Nurses' Association. Y. M. C. A. The Y. M. C. A. is a Christian organization for men and boys. It was organized by Sir George Williams in London, England, in 1770; in United States in 1844; and in Decatur in 1907. The Y. M. C. A. was named Young Men's Christian Association by C. W. Smith. It had only twelve original members and Edward Rogers was one of them. Any boy who wishes may join by paying the required fee, which ranges from $2.50 for boys of nine years of age, to $10 for boys twenty-one years of age. These fees help support the organization. CITY OF DECATUR 155 Each year a drive is put on to cover other expenses. Members of the association are allowed to take part n certain activities suited to their ages and ability. The emblem of the Y. M. C. A. is the red triangle with the horizontal bar bearing the letters Y. M. C. A. The sides of this triangle stand for strong minds, strong bodies, and religious development. The Educational classes are conducted afternoons and evenings. Such subjects as music, shorthand, mechanical drawing, business English, French and Spanish are taught. Any subject asked for can be taken, provided there are enough persons to make up a class. The Y. M. C. A. is a meeting place for many outside organizations. It has many Christian meetings of its own such as : classes, lectures, and entertainments. It has a library, reading room, gymnasium, billiard tables, and mov- ing pictures once or more each week. The Y. M. C. A. allows travelers to rest and read, even if they are not members of the organization. There are Y. M. C. A. lunch rooms at railway stations and in their own buildings. The money taken in at these cafeterias helps to support the work. In Decatur the Y. M. C. A. has outgrown its building. When it was organized it had only a small membership, but now it is so large that we are in need of a new build- ing large enough to accommodate all the present members and the new ones who will join within the next few years. We hope to see a large, commodious building for Decatur in process of construction soon. Y. W. C. A. The Y. W. C. A. is the Young Women's Christian Association. It is the largest Christian organization for women and girls in the world. About sixty-four years ago, just after the Crimean War, in the little town of Barnet, 156 CITY OF DECATUR England, Miss Emily Roberts asked several of her friends to band themselves together to pray for young women. Three years later a Ladies' Christian Association was or- ganized in New York City, and in 1866 followed the Young Woman's Christian Association of Boston, the first to bear the name as it now stands. From these beginnings the work developed leaders all through the country. Any girl, who wishes to do so, may join the association by paying a dollar a year if she is over sixteen. Girls under sixteen pay only fifty cents. The workers of the Y. W. C. A. have a money campaign nearly every year and the money that is collected and membership fees are used to help support it. The cafeteria supports itself. The Y. W. C. A. does many kinds of work in Decatur. It decides upon its activities according to the community needs. The emblem of the Y. W. C. A. which is recognized all over the world stands for service. It is the blue tri- angle and horizontal bar bearing the letters Y. W. C. A. The upper left point of the triangle represents "others," the upper right point represents "self" or in other words a real Y. W. C. A. girl has a two-fold responsibility "self" to "others" and "self" to "God." The Y. W. C. A. has many educational classes and we hope in the very near future to have a boarding home where girls away from home may live. In Decatur we have the religious work department, girls' work department, emphasizing Girl Reserve Work. The physical department is where girls get health, grace, poise, and beauty. In this department swimming is taught. We have an Industrial Extension department. The first thing emphasized is the boarding home; first, to develop physically; second, mentally; third, socially; fourth, spiritually. CITY OF DECATUR 157 The Y. W. C. A. is much used as a community center. Many outside organizations meet here for work or recrea- tion. It has many parties for its members and friends. And, too, sometimes lectures and demonstrations are given there. The Y. W. C. A. has a very nice rest room and a reading table, and it has many good books. CITY OF DECATUR 159 CHAPTER VIII DEPARTMENT STORES LINN AND SCRUGGS CO. The Linn and Scruggs' store was established by W. H. Linn and W. R. Scruggs in October, 1869, just fifty years ago. The growth of the store has been remarkable. It had its beginning in an old-fashioned three-story building on Merchant Street. Here merchandise only was sold, which was a new idea, as people were used to the old-time general store. From th'is small store has developed the Linn and Scruggs of which the people of Decatur are justly proud. The store today is under the management of Mr. T. J. Prentice and Mr. J. R. Holt. The building is a beautiful, seven-story structure, lo- cated at the corner of South Water and East Main Street, and covering half a city block. It is thoroughly modern and fireproof. It has a floor space of 67,147 square feet. Linn and Scruggs employ almost two hundred persons during an ordinary season and an extra force of fifty are added for the holidays. There seems always to be an ideal "atmosphere" in the store : the clerks are neatly dressed, very willing to display their merchandise, and at all times decidedly courteous to customers. The store is divided into forty-two departments. The most important departments on the first floor are dry goods, gloves, hosiery, perfumery and toilet goods, and notions. The second floor is devoted to millinery, shoes, waists, silk and cotton underwear, furs, suits and coats, besides a beauty parlor and a very comfortable waiting room. The third floor holds the house furnishings, such as rugs, draperies, curtains, linoleums, wall paper, etc., and in the basement may be found the china, cut glass, cutlery and toys. The music department occupies a separate building. 160 CITY OF DECATUR It is interesting to know from what places these well- furnished departments are supplied. Some of the facts are as follows: "If one were shopping on the first floor, she could buy dress goods from England, France, Switzerland and Japan, as well as domestic goods. The trimmings such as laces come from Switzerland, England, France and the Philippines ; the embroideries from St. Gaul, Switzerland ; also silk embroideries, vesting, banding, etc., come from Japan and China, and the bead trimmings from Holland. The housekeeping linens are domestic and foreign, the lat- ter are bot in New York from agents representing manu- lacturers in Ireland and Scotland. Madeira embroidered linens come from the Madeira Islands. Kid gloves are made in France and England as well as New York city, Gloversville, New York, and North Tonawanda, New York. The knit underwear conies from Minneapolis, Grand Rap- ids, Michigan, and New York city; the best foreign knit underwear is made in Switzerland. The toilet goods and druggists' sundries come from New York city and Chicago, as well as from France and England. If one were shopping on the second floor at the Linn and Scruggs store she could buy shoes made by the best manufacturers in the world : The Hannan & Son shoe, made at Brooklyn, New York; the Lownsbury & Mathewson, made at South Norwalk, Connecticut; the Charles K. Fox shoe, made at Haverhill, Massachusetts, and the Williams Hoyt shoe, made in Chicago, Illinois, and many other makes of quality. New York furnishes the greater number of suits, coats, dresses, and furs, which may be bought on this same floor, while Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia and St. Louis add their best to this department. The hats, which are not hand-made, have come from New York, Chicago and Paris. If one were shopping on the third floor of the Linn and Scruggs store, she could buy wonderful Oriental rugs which have been made in Turkey, Russia, Persia and India ; ihe curtains and draperies in the finest grade have all come from Switzerland; the best linoleums from England and CITY OF DECATUR 161 Scotland and wall paper from New York and England, be- sides many other domestic-made house furnishings. The basement of the Linn and Scruggs store holds sev- eral very well-furnished departments. The more impor- tant ones are : the cut glass, which comes from New York and Toledo, Ohio ; the china, which is made in several Ohio cities and also in Syracuse, New York, and in England ; the aluminum ware made in Cleveland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and the toys which, since the war, are principally domestic made, except a few from Japan. Now we should like you to know who, besides the resi- dents of Decatur, reap the benefits of this up-to-date store of quality. Linn and Scruggs have a mail order depart- ment and send merchandise to all towns within a fifty- mile radius, also to Wyoming, to Montana, to Porto Rico, i>.nd to China. Just recently a shipment of china was sent to Corea and to Penang, Malay Archipelago. They do an unusually big business with Springfield, Illinois ; many per- sons from that city are regular customers and come here to trade in preference to buying from their home stores or those of surrounding cities. The new music store of the Linn and Scruggs Com- pany has been established on account of the unusual growth of that department. Originally the music department occu- pied a small space on the third floor of the main store, now it occupies the entire three-story building at 129 North Water Street ; originally there were two persons employed in the department, now there are fourteen. The original stock consisted of three pianos ; the stock at the present time consists of sixty-five pianos and piano-players, besides many Victrolas, 8,000 Victrola records, 1,500 player rolls, cabinets, benches, etc. The music store uses seven service automobile trucks. This fact gives one an idea of the unusual amount of business which is done. Linn and Scruggs do a million dollars' worth of busi- ness in a year. This seems an unusually large amount for a city of Decatur's size, but it is not to be wondered at when one realizes that this is Decatur's store of quality. 162 CITY OF DECATUR THE WM. GUSHARD DRY GOODS COMPANY One of Decatur's most prominent department stores is the William Gushard Dry Goods Company, founded by William Gushard in the year 1895. The store located at 735 North Water Street was moved to 207 North Water a year later, and in 1906 it was moved to its present loca- tion at the corner of North and. Water Streets, to accom- modate the growing trade. Gushards occupy the first three floors and basement of the Wait Building, which is a handsome structure of brick trimmed in gray stone. The store has a total floor space of 48,000 square feet, but recently the company has leased the fourth and fifth floors, which adds about 24,000 square feet. One hundred and sixty people are employed here, a bright, alert force, who give the place a comfortable atmosphere. Dry goods, laces, gloves, hosiery, shoes, toilet articles and perfumes, notions, and a very popular postal sub- station are the chief departments on the first floor. There are silks from Japan, China and France, linens from Ire- land, gloves of French kid from Paris and of other materials made in Gloversville, New York, shoes from factories in the eastern cities of our own country, beads, toilet goods and perfumes from France and the United States, laces from Germany, France, England and Switzerland. The imported laces are bought through foreign jobbers in New York and Philadelphia. They are becoming so expensive, however, that the United States is developing its own product. The hosiery comes principally from Germany and the United States. All the articles in the notion de- partment are from our country, except the needles, which are from England. The second floor is the most popular of all for there can be found anything from a lovely spangled evening dress and a wonderful velvet coat with a big fur collar down to very - CITY OF DECATUR 163 modest bedroom slippers for milady's boudoir, all ready to wear. This is not only the department which has the most customers but it is also the most profitable, for women must have pretty clothes. Rugs, cretonnes, wicker porch furniture, nifty little shirt-waist boxes and a pleasant rest-room are so arranged on the third floor that one feels warm and comfortable there even on the most blustery day. Some facts about the rugs are .very interesting ; the best Oriental ones represent in- finite pains. Sometimes the Turkish, Persian, Chinese, In- dian and Japanese people spend as long as from one to three years, getting the dyes just right and tying the knots so they will be beautiful and strong. The French Wilton rugs do not come from France but are made in Philadelphia. They get their name from a Frenchman who came to this country and invented the loom on which they are woven. Most of the domestic rugs are made in the New England States. The wool from which they are made is imported from northern China and Russia because it is cold there and the wool grows longer than in warmer countries. The basement is a popular and interesting place because it contains such a variety of pretty and useful things and all sorts of toys, too. There are American made toys, cut glass, silverware, pottery and tinware. There are also pretty baskets and hand-painted vases from Japan and dishes from China. Although Gushards still have some toys which were made in Germany, American made ones are much more substantial. The firm ships goods to all parts of Illinois, but to no other foreign country except China. It is a splendid store and people of Decatur always feel that anything bought at Gushard's is of the best quality. 164 CITY OF DECATUR THE H. S. GEBHART DRY GOODS COMPANY Junior High School, Room 10. In 1896 Mr. H. S. Gebhart founded the Gebhart Dry Goods Store on North Water Street in the eleven hundred block. In November, 1910, the store was moved to 259-261 North Water Street. Gebhart's occupy three floors and the basement, which covers a floor space of about twenty thousand square eet. The building is of brick trimmed in stone. The front of the store are show windows where up-to-date articles and ma- terials are displayed. The company employs one hundred and twenty-one clerks. I like to go in the store because all the clerks are mannerly and ready to wait on me. On going into the store I found the first floor divided into departments. The most popular is the notion depart- ment, except on Saturday nights, when hosiery and under- wear are in greatest demand. The silks come from Patterson, New Jersey, and silk mills in Philadelphia ; woolen goods are made in Philadel- phia and other eastern cities. Wash goods come from New York and Boston and southern ginghams from South Caro- lina. Gebhart's buy these materials through their jobbers or directly from the factories. I found that the laces are made in France, Switzerland and the United States; that most of the neckwear and finest linen handkerchiefs come from Ireland, but that Madeira linens and embroidered handkerchiefs are made in the Philippine and Madeira Islands. At the glove counter I found that the best grade of gloves is the French kid made in France. Kid gloves are made in Austria, Switzerland and cape-skin gloves come from Cape Colony, Africa, and are bought from foreign job- bers in New York. Some of the perfumes and toilet articles are made here in the United States, but some of the best ones come from France. Pictorial Review patterns, which are made in CITY OF DECATUR 165 New York, San Francisco and Chicago, are sold by the Geb- hart store. On the second floor I found the "ready-to-wear" cloth- ing for women and children. In the millinery department are the latest style hats which come trimmed and un- trimmed from eastern cities. The cloaks and suits are bought in New York, Cleveland, Chicago and Philadelphia. The women's waists and other ready-to-wear garments also come from eastern cities. I found Gebhart's had a large stock of shoes which are bought in St. Louis, Chicago and Boston. Some of the heavy soled ones are bought from Germany, but the best shoes in regard to style and workmanship are made in the United States. There are more shoe jobbing houses in St. Louis and Chicago than in any other city of the United States. On the third floor are the curtains, cretonnes and wall- paper. Brussels net is made in France, Belgium and Eng- land ; madras in Scotland and cretonnes in England, and are bought by Gebhart's in Boston. Filet nets come from Philadelphia. Rugs are made in the United States, England and France. Grass rugs are from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Inlaid linoleums come from England, while printed linoleums are made in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Shade cloths are made in St. Louis and Chicago. Wall papers come from New York, New Jersey and Boston. The firm, in general, receives its goods from all parts of the United States. Things that come from foreign coun- tries are bought from wholesalers in eastern cities. Geb- hart's send goods to all parts of the state, especially to places within a radius of one hundred miles. The honesty and energy of the company, linked to a de- sire to deal fairly with the public, have contributed to make the Gebhart Dry Goods Company the fastest growing store in Decatur. 166 CITY OF DECATUR THE STEWART DRY GOODS COMPANY The Stewart Dry Goods Company was established in March, 1897, by W. A. Stewart, J. J. Maloney, and E. A. Meeker. It was incorporated under the same men in May, 1897. The store is located at 227-235 North Water Street. The building which it occupies is a very good looking one, mod- ern in all respects. It has three floors and a basement, a total of 33,000 square feet of floor space. The Stewart Dry Goods Company employs about one hundred persons regularly and adds from fifteen to twenty extra clerks during the holidays. Their business is to give their best service to the public who patronize the store and they seem always to be ready to do just this thing. The store is divided into thirty departments. The most important departments on the first floor are : dry goods, gloves, hosiery, toilet goods and notions. The second floor holds the most important, as well as the most profitable department in the store the millinery. On this same floor may be found everything needed for the baby, as well as suits, coats, dresses, furs, waists, etc. The third floor is devoted to house furnishing such as rugs, curtains, and draperies, and in the basement may be found the toys, the china, and the kitchen furnishings. Many of the departments of the Stewart Dry Goods Company are supplied from the mills and factories in the United States, but one may find silks from Japan, gloves from France, linens from Ireland, and toilet preparations from France while shopping on the first floor. The milli- nery department is supplied indirectly from Paris and di- rectly from New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Cleveland. Some of the braids used in the making of their unusually pretty hats have come from Belgium, from Italy, or from Japan. The better velvets and the exquisite little velvet flowers have come from France. This department carries three of the best makes of hats: The Gage, The CITY OF DECATUR 167 Vogue, and The Phipps hats. They have found that their evening hats are the most popular, so their trimmers have become especially well qualified in the art of making the bright attractive evening hat, and as a result this depart- ment has become the most popular of its kind in Decatur. A stranger, shopping in our city, soon learns to go to Stew- art's for her hat, where quality and style are so successfully combined. The Stewart Dry Goods Company do considerably more than one half million dollars' worth of business during the year. They sell to all towns within a fifty-mile radius of Decatur, to western states such as Idaho, and have sent goods to missionaries of Japan and China, who are their regular customers and who buy enough muslin, sheeting, etc., to last them for at least seven years. To learn even as few facts as we have outlined here concerning the Stewart Dry Goods Company makes one realize why they have become one of the most popular de- partment stores in Decatur. CITY QF DECATUR 169 CHAPTER IX "EARLY HISTORY OF GOVERNMENT OF DECATUR" 1829 TO 1911 Taken from "Past and Present of Macon County. "- The town of Decatur was laid off in lots after the form of Shelbyville, as ordered by the court, by Benjamin R. Austin, county surveyor of Macon County. The old town of De- catur consisted of twenty acres bounded by Prairie Street on the north, Water Street on the east, Wood Street on the south and Church Street on the west. It was divided by a main street extending east and west known as East and West Main, and a main street extending north and south, known as North and South Main Street. The land upon which the commissioners located the seat of justice was, by the act creating the county, donated to the county. 170 CITY OF DECATUR The first court house was built of logs and the second was built of brick. West Drug Store at present inhabits the place. The stairs which were on the outside were removed. The same act ordered that a sale of lots take place in the town of Decatur, in this county, on the 10th day of July, 1829, on the following terms : A credit of twelve months will be given, and note with approved security will be re- quired, and that the clerk of this court will be required to advertise the sale in the paper printed in Vandalia until the day of the sale. The settlers built their cabins of logs; the size of these cabins was from fourteen to twenty feet. They were usually built in the following manner: First large logs were laid in position as sills ; on these were placed strong sleepers, and on the sleepers were laid rough-hewed puncheons which were to serve as floors. The logs were then built up until the proper height of the eaves was reached ; then on the ends of the buildings were placed poles, longer than the end logs which projected some eighteen inches over the side, and were called the butting-pole sleepers; on the projecting ends of these were placed the butting-poles, which served to give the lines to the first row of clapboards. These were, as a matter of course, split, and as the gables of the cabin were built up, were so laid as to lap a third of the length. They were often kept in place by the weight of a heavy osr The Log Schoolhouse. From a drawing by W. H. Tyler Co. CITY OF DECATUR 171 pole laid parallel with the ridge pole across the roof. The cracks in the cabin were filled with mud or a form of mortar. The little log schoolhouse was where the Millikin Bank now stands. Richard Oglesby, the President of Decatur in 1836, lived in a cabin and studied by the fireside. Taken from "City Code, Decatur, 1886." In 1836 the first officers were elected under a township government. 1836 ; Richard Oglesby became President under the new form of government ; William T. Crissey, G. R. White, Wil- liam Webb, Thomas Cowan, H. M. Gorin, Henry Butler, Landy Harrel ; Andrew Love, clerk ; James Carter and William Webb, constables. In 1838 the town of Decatur added a treasurer, an assessor and two supervisors. In 1856 Decatur changed the township government to a city government and adopted a charter which was approved of February 21, 1867. In 1856 John P. Post became mayor under the new gov- ernment. The aldermen which were elected from the dif- ferent wards of the city were: 1st ward, Frank Priest; 2nd ward, E. O. Smith ; 3rd ward, J. R. Gorin and S. P. Ohr ; 4th ward, J. J. Ballentine and H. Taylor; the clerk and at- torney was C. C. Post. This form of government lasted from 1856 till 1911, when it was changed to the commission form of govern- ment. There were many important improvements during this time, the new and up-to-date water works was built during this time ; many streets were paved which had been neg- lected for many years. THE COMMISSION FORM OF GOVERNMENT The commission form of government was a adopted in Decatur in April, 1911. To adopt such form of government it is necessary for the petitioners to present the petition to the judge of the county court of the county in which the city or village is located. It is the duty of the judge to submit the proposi- tion to a special city or village election. 172 CITY OF DECATUR After the petition for the adoption has been correctly filed the judge must give notice of the election at least ten days, posting at least five copies of such notice in each ward of the city. The election is held under the laws in force usually. If a majority of votes are cast in favor of the adoption, it is adopted. All proceedings of the election must be recorded. The commission form of government differs from the previous form used in Decatur, in having commissioners instead of aldermen. Under the commission form of gov- ernment the officers consists of the mayor and four com- missioners. The commissioners are not elected from wards but are elected at large. In the election there are no polit- ical parties. Officers are elected every four years. The election takes place on the third Tuesday of April and the successful candidates take up their duties on the first Mon- day of May. At their first regular meeting the commissioners of each separate department are elected to their particular depart- ment by a majority vote of the council. Some other officers elected by the council are : City clerk, corporation counsel, city attorney, assistant city attorney, city treasurer and library trustees. Before assuming their duties officers are required to take the oath of office and also to file bonds. The council has the right, power and authority to ap- point and discharge the heads of all principal departments subordinate to the departments. Three members of the council constitutes a quorum, and the affirmative vote of three members is necessary to adopt any motion, resolution or ordinance, or to pass any measure. Every "Yea" and "Nay" is called and recorded and every motion or ordinance is copied and read before voted upon. All commissioners and the mayor when pres- ent at any meeting vote. The mayor is the president and presides over the coun- cil. He is superintendent of all departments. He reports to the council for its actions matters requiring attention in any department. The commissioner of accounts and CITY OF DECATUR 173 finances is the vice-president of the council, and if the mayor is absent the vice-president takes the president's chair at the meeting and presides. The following are the rules for the government of the City Council of the City of Decatur: 1. Meetings 10:00 A. M. every Monday and Thurs- day. 2. The council shall convene promptly at the hours fixed for meetings, and during the session the members of the council must not be disturbed by calls over the tele- phone, or for private business conversations. 3. All petitions or communications addressed to the council shall as far as possible be reduced to writing and filed with the clerk of the council, who will report them to the next meeting of the council, when they will be referred to the proper department for investigation and report. 4. All bills and claims, including payrolls, should first be approved by the superintendent of the department orig- inating the item, and in addition thereto, shall be approved by the superintendent of accounts and finances before they are submitted to the council for allowance. 5. All recommendations, suggestions or other matter from the various city officials should first be submitted to the superintendent of the department of said official and receive his approval thereof before same is read to the council. 6. The hours 9:30 to 11:00 A. M. each day shall be observed by the commissioners as office hours, at which time the public generally will find the commissioners at headquarters and submit any matters to them, except such days as the council shall hold its regular meetings. The regular meetings are held on the first Monday after the mayor and commissioners have entered upon their respec- tive office and after that at least once a week. The council shall provide by ordinance for the holding of regular meet- ings, and special meetings may be called from time to time by the mayor or two commissioners upon giving not less than twenty-four hours notice of such a meeting. All meet- 174 CITY OF DECATUR ings of the council whether special or regular shall be open to the public. 7. The following shall be the order of business of coun- cil meetings: 1. Roll call. 2. Reading of the Journal. 3. Report from Department of Public Affairs. 4. Report from Department of Accounts and Fi- nances. 5. Report from Department of Public Health and Safety. 6. Report from Department of Streets and Public Improvements. 7. Report from Department of Public Property. . 8. Communications from Board of Local Improve- ments. 9. Petitions and Communications. 10. Unfinished business. 11. New business. 12. Adjournment. 8. Roberts' "Rules of Order," except when otherwise provided by law, shall govern on all questions of parlia- mentary law at the meetings of the council. 9. These rules may be altered, amended or temporarily suspended at any time by a vote of the council. 10. Whenever a regular meeting day of the city coun- cil falls upon a national or state holiday, the meeting shall be held the day following. The present commissioners are: CITY DEPARTMENT Charles M. Borchers Mayor (Department of Public Affairs) John F. Mattes Commissioner (Department of Public Health and Safety) James W. Montgomery Commissioner (Department of Accounts and Finances) CITY OF DECATUR 175 Harry Ruthrauff Commissioner (Department of Public Property) Alexander Van Praag Commissioner (Department of Streets and Public Improvements) Ralph J. Monroe ". Corporation Counsel THE MAYOR Commissioner of Public Affairs The mayor of the city, who is elected to a term of office of four years, is also the Commissioner of Public Affairs. Before entering upon his duties after his election to office the mayor is required to take the oath of office and to file a bond, as are all the commissioners. The mayor has his office at the municipal building, and devotes such time to the duties of his office as a faithful discharge of the same may require. The mayor presides at all meetings of the council. He has no power to veto any measure, ordinance, and measure passed by council must be signed by mayor, or by two com- missioners, and be recorded before the same is in force. The commissioner of accounts and finance is vice-president of the council, and in case of vacancy or inability of the mayor he performs the duties of mayor. The Department of Public Affairs is divided into two parts, the Police Department and the Parks Department. The officers of the Police Department are as follows : Chief, assistant chief, day desk sergeant, night desk ser- geant, clerk, driver, plain clothesman, weight and measures inspector and patrolmen. The Police Department has as its equipment one automobile, police patrol, one five-passen- ger automobile, two motor bicycles, six police call boxes, complete finger print outfit, police officer equipment, gar- age, city jail and one main police headquarters and one sub- station. The officers of the Parks Department are assistant su- perintendent of parks, four custodians, florist and workmen. 176 CITY OF DECATUR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY The Department of Public Health and Safety is the de- partment in which, through great efforts, many lives are saved. The council of the city determines the powers and duties of such department. The commissioner at the head of this department is vested with the right, power and authority to appoint and discharge the heads of all prin- cipal departments subordinate to the respective department of which he is commissioner. The commissioner of public health and safety is required to devote at least six hours daily to the performance of his official duties. Any cases reported to the Department of Public Health and Safety, endangering the health of the city, are attended to by the commissioner of that department. He also has the power to make all necessary examinations of any house, plant or building. He can perform all acts necessary to carry and give full force and effect to the Department of Public Health and Safety. The Department of Public Health and Safety is made up of a commissioner of that department, health officer, sanitary officer, milk inspector, superintendent child's wel- fare home, chief of Fire Department, building inspector, and the city scavenger. The visiting nurses' association consists of a president, vice-president, treasurer and secre- tary. The medical staff consists of three doctors. The nurses' staff is made up of one supervising nurse and three visiting nurses. In his report of last year Mr. Mattes says : "The position of the Department of Public Health and Safety is one which goes rapidly through all varieties of experiences that make life worth living. Each day has its joys, sorrows, praises, "kicks," hopes, despondencies, vic- tories, minor defeats and smiles; each one carying its own peculiar impetus for work, work, work." One of the helpful things achieved by this department in the year of 1919 was the establishment of a "Child's Wel- fare Department." At the head of this department a super- intendent was appointed. The commissioner assures us CITY OF DECATUR 177 that the success of this department cannot be measured. That all cases reported to him, regardless of color or creed, are carefully investigated and cared for or turned over to some proper agency or authority to be properly cared for. Mr. Mattes also says, "In my report I further suggest that to increase the efficiency of -the Department of Health, a full time physician should be appointed; a much larger ap- propriation for the city administration is needed. The sick of the city should be supplied with the following: A mod- ern contagious disease hospital, a municipal system of gar- bage collection and disposal, a full time physician, and a public comfort station. In this way we would be able to get rid of most of our 'catching diseases.' " Those whose duty is to look after the milk situation have been doing great work in securing proper milk for the sick and for the emergency hospital during the influ- enza epidemic. Milk Inspector Hugh S. Baker says, "Dur- ing the shortage of milk, we were instrumental in procur- ing the supply where shortage was most acute. We also made arrangements to have pure milk shipped in during hard times." It is the duty of the milk inspector to inspect dairies, herds, and make all necessary inspections of stores, restaurants and milk depots, and to test the milk. The Fire Department of the city has four engine houses ; engine house No. 1 is located at 156 W. Main Street, No. 2 at 1265 N. Main Street, No. 3 at 550 N. Morgan Street. No. 4 is located at 1154 E. Locust Street. The No. 1 house is going to be vacated and the Fire Department will move to a new and modern building to be erected on the lot owned by the city at the corner of Franklin and Wood streets. The Fire Department is made up of a chief, assistant chief, cap- tain, mechanic, lieutenant and sixteen hosemen. In the re- port of the Fire Department Chief Devore says : "The per- sonal character of the department is excellent and the dis- cipline is good. The superintendent of the water works and his assistants have been very prompt in furnishing fire pres- sure for the city ; they have cooperated beautifully with this department during this year." 12 178 CITY OF DECATUR It is the duty of the building inspector to issue permits to build houses, factories and the like. He is to inspect any things that are supposed to be in an unsanitary condition. He also inspects and condemns flues. Only twice during the year of 1919 were there penalties imposed. Once for the neglect to take out a permit and once for interference with the inspector in charge of his duties. The need for more dwellings is so urgent that we look for a large num- ber of dwellings to be built this year. There should be a deeper interest in getting an "own your home" movement started here, as too many who could buy a home live in rented houses. Mr. Cope, the building inspector, says, "We have only a small number of bad housings, but owing to the scarcity of dwellings we suffered these to go over until the close of the war; now these will be remedied." We all should consider the many benefits afforded the city by the efficient handling of work such as is assigned to the commissioner of the Department of Public Health and Safety. The Department of Accounts and Finances consists of the commissioner of this department and also city clerk, city comptroller, water rates clerk and city treasurer. It is the business of this department to keep a record of the city finances. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PROPERTY The Commissioner of the Department of Public Prop- erty has charge of the water and light department of the city. The Water Department There are 7,332 water meters to be read. The city is divided into three districts and each district is ready every three months. It is the duty of one man to read meters. There is also a man called the "roust- about" \vho r helps read the meters when it is impossible for CITY OF DECATUR 179 one man to do all of the work. There are 722 fire hydrants that have to be looked after and kept in good order. The pumping plant is located on the north bank of the Sanga- mon River. In this department there are four men, plumb- ing inspector, assistant water inspector, meter reader and a general utility man. Last year expenses for the water de- partment were $16,180. In the plumbing department there is one man whose duty it is to look after the plumbing in the city. Every piece of plumbing that is done in Decatur is inspected by the plumbing inspector to see that it is in a sanitary condition, and that no disease may occur from im- perfect plumbing. Inspection fees amount to about $100 a month, for every time a pipe is inspected a small fee is charged. The following men make up the plumbing, filter- ing and pumping deaprtments : 1 chief engineer, 3 assistants, 3 firemen, 3 wipers and 3 coalers, who have eight hour shifts. It now costs $56,870 to run the pumping and filter- ing plants because they pay the salaries of twenty-one men and other expenses also out of this amount. Decatur has seventy miles of cast iron water mains from four to twenty inch and 7,470 service meters installed and maintained by the consumers. Light Department In this department there are many street lamps that have to be taken care of. Besides these there are many ornamental lamps that are kept burning at night. This year the Department of Public Property was given $27,310 to run the light department. There are five men in this department who look after lights night and day. Fifteen years ago one man in this department did this work himself, but now it takes many men to do it. Certainly there is no department in our city government on which a greater responsibility rests than of the Depart- ment of Public Property. A careful supervision of the water system, plumbing, etc., is one of the most important factors in the preservation of the health of the city. 180 CITY OF DECATUR DEPARTMENT OF STREETS AND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS The Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvements has charge of streets, alleys, boulevards, trees, as well as the work on sewers. He has the appointment of the super- intendent of streets, sewer inspectors and city engineers. The Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvements must see that all streets that are to be paved, and are being paved, are up to specifications. The city yard offices are located in an immense concrete building on Broadway Street, which is shared by the De- partment of Public Property. Here are kept the city's flushers, sprinklers, scrapers, sweepers, graders, mowers, wagons, plows, drags, a brick testing machine, a fully equipped blacksmith shop, a sewer construction, repair out- fit, and all the necessary tools and accessories that are needed. All of these implements are kept under cover when not in use. The Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvements sees to and makes a report of the cleaning of paved streets, sidewalks and crossings, cleaning crossings, cleaning of streets and alleys, repairing of paved streets, and the main- taining of sewers and to the public improvements the cut- ting of dead and dangerous trees and repairing of side- walks, etc. To this department falls much of the responsibility of making "A Beautiful Decatur." Some of us were more fortunate in securing a greater amount of information on the topics assigned to us than were others, and for that reason some departments have a more complete account of the work done by their depart- ments than that done by other departments. A few topics which might have been given more in detail were given only briefly because they are taken up in other chapters of this book. 1MARION PIERCE- 88 CITY OF DECATUR 181 CHAPTER X DECATUR BEAUTIFUL Although Decatur is known as an industrial center it may be well to stop for a moment to consider some of its beauty spots. It is interesting to know that Decatur was one of the first cities to realize its short comings along the attractive lines and therefore set to work to plan some method of taxation which would enable it to establish and maintain such resorts. The comfort, health and happiness of the people of a city are advanced by some place of out- ing which is within easy reach of the people. Natural beauty as seen in the sky, clouds and streams is unseen by laboring classes who hurry back and forth to the shop day after day, therefore beauty must be brought to them through the medium of public attractions. Probably the parks deserve first attention. The well regulated city of today plans its parks as carefully and as systematically as it does its school houses, court houses, sidewalks and streets. The most popular park is Fairview. It consists of fifty acres of land, located one and one-half miles west of the transfer house, and received its name, "Fairview," from Mrs. E. J. Martin. The center of the park is a natural amphitheater of fifteen or twenty acres, bordered by thick well-shaped trees and hills. In the center of this space is a large handsome pavilion made of pressed brick. It is used for public gatherings such as dances, pic- nics, addresses, band concerts, church meetings, and com- munity sings. The beautiful smooth red shale drives which now surround the pavilion were at one time the old race tracks when the park was known as the State and County Fair Grounds. On either side of these drives are long rows of magnolia, elm, oak, poplar, sycamore, locust, mul- berry and willow trees. The trees are unusually beautiful, especially in autumn when their leaves turn to gold, red and yellow. Some of the flower beds are found out in the 182 CITY OF DECATUR open spaces. In early spring groups of children are seen picking wild flowers and admiring the gorgeous coloVed tulips. Later in summer geraniums, asters, tube roses, daffodils, take the place of the spring flowers. Last of all come the flowers of autumn which consist of salvia and hyacinths. Not far to the north of the flower beds are the bears, rabbits and fowls, while to the southeast are the deer. Many children stand around the bears' cage to feed them scraps, cracker-jacks and peanuts. The deer are so tame that they will eat from one's hand. The appar- atus which attracts large numbers of children is located in the northeastern part. Here we find swings, teeter- totters, slides, turning poles and merry-go-rounds. On the hills are tennis courts, while in the centef are the baseball diamonds. Lincoln's cabin which was Decatur's first court house, stands on a high hill in the southwestern part of the park. During the 'past year the cabin has been turned over to the Boy Scouts, who have remodeled it extensively. This historic spot is open to the public, who may stop and inspect the furnishing, which is very unique. There are three main entrances leading into the park which may be reached by street cars or interurbans. After consider- ing the most beautiful park we will now turn our atten- tion to the oldest, which is Central Park. Central Park is a track of one and three-fourths acres, commonly called a square. In 1837 this square was do- nated to Decatur for the location of a railroad depot, but later was made into a park. Well kept trees, abundant grass, refrigerated fountains and ornamented flower beds please the eye and attract large groups of people on hot summer days. A magnificent bronze monument has been erected in memory of the Civil War veterans and a large memorial tablet for our Macon County soldiers and nurses who served in the World War. Lincoln Park was formerly the city dump and gravel pit. As the town grew up around it so many complaints were heard that the city finally decided to convert it into a pleasure resort, which is much appreciated by the people CITY OF DECATUR 183 in the south. The park has been enlarged until it now contains twenty-two acres. Torrence Park is situated at the end of East Grand Ave- nue and was given its name in honor of Mr. Torrence, the overseer of the parks. It contains a pavilion, a wading pond, a baseball diamond and apparatus, which is enjoyed by the east end children. East Park was laid out in 1888, that is the half of it included in East Boulevard. The park contains one and three-fourths acres. The largest park of all is Nelson. It extends over eighty-eight acres, situated not far from the city limits on the east, and reminds us of the "forest primeval." It is a common sight to see campers squatting about the fire pre- paring food or roasting weiners and marshmellows. The golf links, a comparatively new attraction, are located in this park. They are the property of the Country Club and are said by experts to be the finest in the state. Among the most attractive and inspiring places in De- catur are the crests. These are comparatively few, as it is a typical city on plains, broken now and then *by a few slight elevations. The two best known are Oak and Sun- set. These are really one, separated only by the railroad. One cannot gaze on the stately oak trees which make residential sections practically forest parks without being reminded of fairyland. Sunset Crest is a new addition and may in the future become as popular as Oak Crest. Three of the most beautiful cemeteries are Fairlawn, Greenwood and Calvary. Greenwood is a plot of ground containing forty acres, situated in the southern part of the city near the river. Its natural beauty and stillness make it a very desirable burial ground. Fairlawn has all the beauties of a well planned cemetery. One of the most noted things in the cemetery is the Sunken Garden. It is several feet deep and contains gorgeous flowers. One of the finest things which has been accomplished in this city is the boulevards in the east end. When the people return from work too tired to go to the parks they may sit 184 CITY OF DECATUR and admire the blooming flowers and grass which have been planted on the boulevards. There are so many attractive residences in Decatur that it is impossible to enumerate them ; however, we must men- tion those in Powers Lane, Lincoln Place, Park Place, Oak Crest and the Mound. Scattered here and there are enough homes of such extraordinary beauty that if placed together with sufficient space for lawns would form a spot unsur- passed in the middle west. For flowers that bloom about our feet For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet ; For song of bird and hum of bees ; For all things fair we hear or see ; Father in heaven, we thank Thee! For blue of stream and blue of sky ; For pleasant shades of branches high ; For fragrant air and cooling breeze ; For beauty of the blooming trees, Father in heaven, we thank Thee. R. W. E. LOUISE. bENZ 8 A '20 MAYNARD LJPE 8A -20 CITY OF DECATUR 185 CHAPTER XI THE FUTURE OF DECATUR Decatur of the future aims to become a city with an orderly form of government, a city with a low death rate, a city of comfort and educational advantages wherein chil- dren may be well reared, a city growing commercially to insure prosperity, and a city where the majority of citizens realize their debt to city, state and nation by being the best individuals they know how to be. The late census of 1919 shows Decatur's population to be 48,592. Because of the steady growth of the past we have reason to expect that her population will reach 150,000 within the next thirty years. Decatur's area at the close of 1919 was eight square miles and at her present rate of growth and with a popu- lation of 150,000 in 1950 we predict that it will be between hfteen and twenty square miles. A great per cent of the people of Decatur own their own homes and with the expansion in business and industry more people will own their homes in the future. The new residential districts will probably be in the southeastern part of the city, extending what is now known as Riverside addition. A second addition will be in the northwestern part near the Macon County Hospital. A third addition will be west of the city north and east of West Main Street following the Springfield road. The following paragraphs show the proposed future growth of the different business firms and factories. These mentioned stand as types of their kind and the data was secured from the various heads or owners of the concerns. The Decatur Drug Company, which is the largest of its kind in Illinois outside of the city of Chicago, will grow in the next five years. They will soon be having a larger and a better building. Their products will be increased as will the territory into which they send their supplies. 186 CITY OF DECATUR The lumber companies are expecting to increase greatly in the future. They also are turning out new products such as asphalt, roofing wood, finishing material, and will manu- facture the same goods in different styles. The demand for the goods is so great at home that very little is shipped to other states. They share their profit by increasing wages and giving bonuses. The Danzeisen Company is a large meat packing con- cern. The refrigerator will soon be enlarged on account of the growing business. For this same reason the slaughter- ing department will be added to. The Gushard Company have leased the Wait Building for a long term of years and are planning to use five floors for their store. This will make it one of the finest stores in the state outside of the city of Chicago. Linn & Scruggs, already a high class store, will improve their stock in the future. The Paries Manufacturing Company, which now has a capital stock of $500,000, will enlarge their plant by build- ing a $30,000 building, 150 by 132 feet, one story high. They ship goods to foreign countries. A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company in six months will consume 50,000 bushels of corn per day, which is twice the amount they were consuming in December, 1919. Now they employ 2,000 workmen and will increase the number to 4,000, paying them higher wages. Their manufactured products are syrups, glucose, sugar, fancy starches, a sub- stitute for lard, corn oil, and candy, all of which they ship to foreign countries. In ten years the Decatur Malleable Iron Works expect to increase its capital stock from $250,000 to $500,000, in- creasing wages of employes. They will not ship goods to toreign markets, but will ship more goods to the same mar- kets in the United States. The Leader Iron Works have let a contract for a new building costing $160,000, with equipment costing $40,000. The building will be two blocks long and eighty feet wide. CITY OF DECATUR 187 amd fireproof. It is nationally known for the water systems which it builds for farm and city homes, and for a number of specialties in heavy sheet steel made especially for oil producing territory. When the new tank shop is completed the plant will have a capacity for the employment of from 500 to 1,000 men and from present indications of business offered the company will run its maximum rate for some time. The Williams Sealing Corporation was incorporated with a capital stock of $150,000. North of their present site they own enough land on which to build five such buildings as their present factory. The daily output now is 144,000 sealing caps per day. Besides shipping to United States markets they ship to the following foreign markets : Ice- land, Greenland, India, Australia, Italy, Japan, Hawaii and Cuba. The Decatur Coffin Company's business will grow as the city grows. They will continue to turn out the same products they manufacture at the present and will not put any other products on the market. The Coffin Company does not have trade with foreign countries. It deals in business only with the many cities in the United States. This is quite large and offers all the business that they can handle at the present time. The capital stock is eighty thousand dollars, which will be increased in the next five or ten years. The Coffin Company has a bonus system unlike those of the other firms in the city. They offer insurance policies to their employes for continual service and in this way protect the men and reward them at the same time. If they were to increase their business to such an extent that they could they would reward their employes accordingly. The H. Mueller Manufacturing Company was originally incorporated for $68,000, but by reinvesting the earnings the value of the business has grown to be more than $2,- 000,000, no additional stock having been issued. They do not now have a plan for sharing profits, but are on the out- look for a satisfactory plan of doing so. They now have what is called a "Twenty Year Service Reward," whereby 188 CITY OF DECATUR an employe who has served faithfully and continually for twenty consecutive years receives the sum of $500. The Decatur Bridge Works has a large territory which it supplies with its products, but in the future it expects to have a larger territory. The capital stock will increase. Excess profits will be shared by increase of wages and by bonuses. The Flint Eaton and Chemical Company's business has doubled during the last five years and they expect it to do as well in the next five years. Their present factory site is already too small to take care of their business properly, and they are planning the erection of a new factory which they think will be built in the next five years. In their busi- ness they are always creating new products, adding a good many to their old line each year. While they will be open- ing up new territories, they will be adding new goods to their line. In all probability they will not ship to foreign countries, although their goods go into practically every state in the Union. Their present authorized capital is $35,000, of which $32,000 is outstanding, with $3,000 being carried as treasury stock. Their capital stock will probably be increased in the future. The bulk of their goods is sold through traveling salesmen who travel on a commission and bonus basis. Salaries in the factories are usually increased according to the length of service with the company. The Polar Ice Company is Decatur' s largest ice plant. When this plant was first established it only produced ice ; but today it produces ice, ice cream, distilled water, candies and handles fuel. In the future they expect to produce other products. The company now has one hundred thou- sand dollars appropriated for improvements on its plant. The concern ships its products to different states of the Union. They expect to have even a larger market in the future. The Decatur Brick Company is the only brick company in Decatur. Its earnings have been very slight on account of the war, but they have every reason to think it will grow m the next fifteen years. They will be turning out new CITY OF DECATUR 189 products and will ship old goods also to new places. They ship goods to Canada. The value of the capital stock now, 1920, is $80,000. Even when the earnings were low they gave a bonus and shared accordingly with their men. The U. S. Wire Mat Company, which started with a capital of $20,000, is now worth $100,000. This company has been producing wire mats, fly swatters and parts of ma- chinery. It is planning to build a new building and is making machinery which will be used in manufacturing new products. At present this company is producing an- nually 4,000,000 fly swatters, but expects to increase this output to 8,000,000 within the next five years. Ten models are being manufactured, with patents pending on several more. These products reach almost all countries of the world and soon will be sent to all. With the increase in the number of pieces of first and second class mail and of parcel post, the government will enlarge the post office and the number of carriers accord- ingly. Decatur's Public Library is growing in every depart- ment. It is so splendidly organized and equipped with ref- erence books that the University of Illinois sends her stu- dent library classes once each year to study the organiza- tion. Decatur has long felt the need of a Coliseum. A special committee of the Association of Commerce found and rec- ommended a location for this building. It is proposed to have it finished by 1921. The filter plant has a capacity of 9,000,000 gallons and it will be increased to 13,000,000 gallons. The new dam will be placed 300 feet west of the Macon County bridge and will cost about $300,000. Its purpose is to form a lake to increase Decatur's water supply. On account of the increasing number of manufactured products in Decatur, the means of transportation are grow- ing. The railroads have been advancing with the growth of the city. The street car service, also, is improving. Eleven new cars are ready for use. About five new cars 190 CITY OF DECATUR will be added each year. Probably two miles of track will be laid within the next five years. One new car barn is almost completed; two others will be built within a few years. A new power house will probably be placed along the river in the near future. Decatur's institutions will grow as well as its factories. The Macon County Hospital will increase its capacity, the nurses' home will be completed and in use, and a tubercular and a contagious ward will be added. The Pythian Home will extend its work. The Anna B. Millikin Home in the next few years expects to finish off the fourth floor of their building for boys. This will accommodate about twenty boys. The work of the City Health Department is steadily growing. Eight thousand three hundred forty-eight dollars and ninety-eight cents was put aside one year for the work, while the next year ten thousand dollars was appropriated. Within the past two years four new clinics have been established, one for tuberculosis, one for baby welfare, an- other for crippled children, and one for social hygiene. The latter has treated three thousand cases. Two years ago but one visiting nurse was employed, while at present there are lour; besides a child welfare nurse, a maternity nurse and a school nurse, in order to better care for the public health. This department is planning to have a medical examination of all school children, more school nurses, a special school for defectives, an open air school for tubercular children, and a pathological laboratory. Decatur seems destined to become a great city. The industrial future of the city is assured. Public school buildings are becoming more and more thought of as com- munity centers. Decatur is planning to improve her schools and school grounds. Roach School is to have a new addi- tion north of the present structure in 1920. As soon as this is finished, Jackson is to have a new twelve-room building with auditorium and gymnasium. Five properties west of Gastman School are being moved to give the needed relief in playground space. The acquisition of eight lots has been CITY OF DECATUR 191 recommended for the new Junior High School. This acquisi- tion for the new Junior High School will make possible the creation of the finest school plant in the city. Another new Junior High School is planned to be erected on the present French School site. A new eight-room building along with a new additional strip of ground giving the entire block for school purposes is planned for Jasper School. Additions are to be made to Warren, Dennis, Riverside, Ull- rich, Oakland and Oglesby school buildings and play- grounds. Improvements are to be made to the High School and new courses, including agriculture, are to be offered. The realization of all of these recommendations will give Decatur a beautifully balanced school system. James Millikin University now has an attendance of 548 students. In ten or fifteen years it expects to have 2,000 students. An endowment of two million dollars is being provided. This endowment fund is needed to pay the mem- bers of its faculty a better salary. The institution is plan- ning to build in the near future a dormitory for women, a dormitory for men, a science hall, a chapel and a library. The board are planning to enlarge and beautify the campus. No plans for increasing the course of study are being made, as it is considered the course satisfies the requests of the students. Decatur's two business colleges, Brown's and Lyon's, see a great future before them. The number of students has increased three hundred per cent in the last twenty years. It has increased twenty per cent. By no means does the supply equal the demand. As the number of students increases they are planning to improve their departments. New subjects are introduced as time changes. The col- leges are supplied with up-to-date machines. As a conclusion follows a quotation from Secretary R. J. Holmes. This prediction of Decatur's industrial growth was given to the Chamber of Commerce. The industrial growth of Decatur, during the year 1919, is a cause of satisfaction. A recent survey shows the esti- mated value of manufactured products, the approximate 192 CITY OF DECATUR amount of wages paid, and the number of persons employed, in 1919, compared with the same estimates for 1918, as fol- lows: 1918 1919 Value of manufactures $21,989,777.30 $34,229,258.51 Annual pay roll 7,643,486.44 11,827,081.67 Number of employes 8,358 10,291 Vol. of wholesale business... 8,129,432.50 12,313,867.20 Volume of retail business 6,100,000.00 9,250,000.00 This comparison indicates an increase over 1918, in the value of manufactured products of 62%, an increase of 55% in the amount of wages paid, and an increase of 23% in the number of persons employed. Because of the steady growth of established industries and because of the assur- ing prospects for a number of new industries who are now considering Decatur as a location, the industrial growth of Decatur may be expected to continue at a rate equal to any that has been reached in the past. *r S~> DIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. ' i fCgfi ym ^,-lOSACFlFj^ lu^l v j>o"i %J1M1^ ; fnPl i ;' t-JZf^S ; ' "~ "'"<" ! i 30m- 7,'70(N8475s8) 0-120 i i F I [ ^ '-- v L r-i jT ^UKlMtuJt |f , 10