For forty years the debt hung over Macoupin county like a financial pall. It was the favorite topic of conversation among the citizens of the county. At tax paying time it was bitterly denounced by most all people who had to make their annual contribution to the county treasurer. So far and wide had the story of the court house and its debt traveled, that it damaged the county as to land values. Prospective purchasers of land in Macoupin county and especially those not residents of the county, shook their heads after making inquiry as to the price per acre. "Your court house debt is a burden and must be taken into consideration if we buy land," was almost the invariable comment of those who actually considered buying a farm In the great "state of Macoupin."
But what strange tricks time and events play in the lives of men. The court house debt was a burden and no doubt did, to some extent, damage the land values in the county. But since the debt was lifted in 1910 slowly but surely through the intervening years following the burning of the last bond, taxes have risen steadily and are double what they were when the last bond was paid and the original debt wiped out. Macoupin county again has a bonded debt of considerable figures.
In the spring of 1910 the glad news spread over the county that there was enough money in the treasury to pay off the debt. The Board of Supervisors announced that the last bond would be paid and the debt cancelled. There was much rejoicing and a county wide celebration was proposed. This met with the unanimous approval of the people and plans for the event were begun. It was announced that the date for the celebration would be July 20 and 21. The Board of Supervisors appointed committees to proceed with the plans and appropriated $500.00 to help defray the expenses.
Not only did the Board sponsor officially the occasion but the people over the entire county joined heartily in the matter. The city council of Carlinville, with Hon. Jesse Peebles as Mayor, took notice of the affair and appointed committees to assist in the working out of the plans and preparing a program. The various committees worked steadily with the view to making the event the greatest in the history of the county. Merchants and citizens not officially on the committees put their shoulders to the wheel with an enthusiasm seldom manifested. The two county seat newspapers, The Carlinville Democrat and the Macoupin County Enquirer, gave generously of their columns for items that would assist in making the Jubilee the crowning event In the county's long and eventful history. They were cordially supported by all other papers of the county which did their part to help put the affair over in grand style.
Reproduction of Handbill Advertising the Jubilee
Gen. John I. Rinaker
Hon. C. A. Walker
Hon. W. E. P. Anderson
Wednesday, July 20th, was the opening day of the celebration and Jubilee. There was an elaborate program, with large crowds present to enjoy the proceedings. Outstanding on the day's program were the addresses by Gen. John I. Rinaker, Hon. C. A. Walker and Hon. W. E. P. Anderson. Each of these men had been active on the side of the people in the trying and thrilling years of the court house trouble. Each from his own personal experience and recollection gave first hand facts of importance that made local history. The big audience which surrounded the grandstand in the court house park heard them with the closest attention, interrupting each speaker with great outbursts of applause. A spirit of good will and gaiety prevailed in the crowds, a forerunner of greater things on the morrow.
Those living in Macoupin county or elsewhere today, who attended this debt paying Jubilee, and were old enough to know what it was all about, will never forget July 21st, 1910, at Carlinville. It was a joyful, happy throng. The people were in holiday mood. Speeches were made by Governor Deneen, Congressman Rodenberg and John Mitchell, former president of the United Mine Workers of America.
Early in the morning visitors began to arrive. Special trains were run on the McKinley (Traction) lines and over the Chicago & Alton railroad. All were crowded to standing room. Two trains from the branch line of the Chicago & Alton from the west, brought in ten coaches each, with one thousand passengers aboard. In addition to their regular service the Traction line ran special cars at only short distances apart, which were all filled. The assembled thousands filled the streets and sidewalks in almost a solid mass for blocks from the business section. The court house park was filled with its quota of visitors. The court house was the center of attraction for thousands who had a curiosity to see the famous structure.
The crowd was estimated at 20,000 people. Everything was orderly and there was but one accident. Miss Olive Bramley, of Hagaman, was slightly injured by an automobile. There were bands present from Brighton, Mt Olive, Virden, Benld and Dorchester. They were stationed at various points in the city and furnished music during the day. The chief event of the morning was the automobile parade under the direction of B. M. Burke. There were one hundred cars, all beautifully decorated. The parade formed on west Main street and was one-half mile in length. It traversed the main streets of the city, covering four miles. Prizes were awarded for the two most handsomely decorated machines. The first prize was won by A. Paul & Company and the second by Bruce H. Mounts, both of Carlinville. There were many beautiful cars and they were admired by thousands who lined the streets to see the display.
The following distinguished visitors and speakers arrived at 11:00 o'clock on a special car over the Traction line: Congressman W. A. Rodenberg; Postmaster J. D. Messick and party of friends from East St. Louis. A private car from the north at twelve o'clock brought Governor Charles S. Deneen; Adjutant General Frank S. Dickson, and H. Clay Wilson, candidate for congress from the twenty-first district; Congressman James M. Graham, of Springfield; former Congressman Ben F. Caldwell, Chatham; Auditor J. S. McCullough; Judge James A. Creighton, of Springfield. The car was under the personal supervision on the late Geo. W. Quackenbush, traffic manager of the Traction system.
At the same time a special car brought from St. Louis, John Mitchell former president of the United Mine Workers of America; Vice President Gross Lawrence, and Secretary Duncan McDonald, of the United Mine Workers. With them was a large committee of mine workers and municipal officials from cities of southeast Macoupin county. The distinguished visitors were accompanied by the Benld band. The speakers and guests were met at the station by a reception committee and automobiles. They were taken for luncheon in the parlors of the Methodist church. This was quite an elaborate affair and was given by the ladies of the church in honor of the guests. Following, the visitors were entertained for a time in the rooms of the Carlinville Library Association in the basement of the court house.
At two o'clock the speakers were escorted to the grand stand which had been erected on the east side of the court house. In a timely and appropriate address Mayor Jesse Peebles welcomed the visitors to Carlinville. He then introduced Governor Charles S. Deneen, who was the principal speaker. He was greeted with great applause when lie arose to speak. He spoke briefly but complimented in glowing terms the people of Macoupin county for their thrift and enterprise resulting as it did in the payment of the great debt which had hung over the county for so many years.
Caption:
View showing the scene at the burning of the last court house
bond, on the east side of the building, July 21st, 1910.
At the conclusion of the address Mayor Peebles lit the natural gas which had been piped into the court house park especially for the event. The gas had been brought right into the speakers' stand and the Mayor lit it with a match which had been sent for the event by Mrs. Ruth Kimball Gardner, who had made the story of the court house the subject of an interesting novel. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Kimball, her father being editor of the Carlinville Democrat during the strenuous days of the court house trouble.
County Clerk W. C. Seehausen and a committee of the Board of Supervisors were assembled on the platform. At that time bond No. 720 for $1000.00 was handed to Governor Deneen and while the immense throng stood, the last evidence of the indebtedness was destroyed. As the bond turned to ashes bombs were exploded, every bell rang and every whistle in Carlinville blew, while the thousands of persons joined in the singing of "America." By carefully made plans the whistle of every coal mine in the county blew at the time the bond was burned. The demonstration lasted ten minutes.
Others who spoke were John M. Mitchell, Congressman Wm. M. Rodenberg, a former resident of Carlinville; Congressman James M. Graham, of Springfleld.
John M. Woodson, of St. Louis, was the first mayor of Carlinville. He came to the county seat the morning of July 21 and was to have delivered an address. There was much disappointment when the crowd learned that he had been called home on account of urgent business.
The scene in the court house park where the speaking was held was an inspiring sight. Seats had been provided for 2000 but were sufficient only for a small portion of the throng which witnessed the exercises. Not only did the crowd fill the park and adjacent streets but it also filled the windows on the east side of the building. Never before had Carlinville witnessed such a throng as attended the burning of the last court house bond.
At the St. George hotel at 12:00 o'clock noon, Hon. W. E. P. Anderson entertained at dinner the eight surviving supervisors who were members of the Board when the bonds were refunded in 1877-1878, and the local press. Mr. Anderson was a member of the Board. A special guest of honor was Moses Eldred, who was a member of the first Board of Supervisors of the county. He was 86 years old at the time of the Jubilee.
Besides Mr. Anderson other members of the Board of 1877-78 who attended the dinner were: Rev. D. P. Deadrick, Brushy Mound; Rev. T. N. Marsh, Shipman; Geo. A. Brown, Brighton; W. A. Gardner, North Otter; George Etter, Western Mound; F. M. Henderson, Staunton.
During the two days' celebration Captain Geo. J. Castle was in charge of the arrangements for the big affair. He managed it with skill and fine judgment. Captain A. C. Hulse was chief marshal.
The festivities at night were brilliant and thrilling. In front of the court house on East Main street there was a beautiful display of fireworks. Carlinville never in its history witnessed such a display. The concluding piece was a replica of the last bond, which lighted up the street with an enchanting glare, while the thousands stood and watched. When it finally burned out the great Jubilee was officially ended.
There was a display of natural gas on West Main street, which was given with specially constructed burners. The gas was piped into Carlinville from wells about two miles south of the city.
And there was a flight by Joseph Gillett in his biplane. Compared with the improved machines of today it was a crude affair, but people watched the plane with breathless interest. There was to have been a balloon flight by Captain John Berry, of University City, Missouri, but when partially inflated the balloon broke from its moorings and this part of the program had to be abandoned.
The decorations were profuse and elaborate. Every business house and many private homes were decorated with the national colors and special designs. The court house was a riot of color with the special streamers and flags from the ground to the top of the lofty dome. A large American flag floated in the breeze near the tip of the spire.
Extracted 16 Dec 2018 by Norma Hass from The History of the Famous Court House Located at Carlinville, Illinois, by W. B. Brown, published in 1934, pages 17-22.
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