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Jersey County Page     Jerseyville History

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Jerseyville To-day

Southern Hotel

Among the hotels in Jerseyville we may refer to the “Southern” kept by Mr. Charles M. BOYLE, a very popular and hospitable “mine host.” Mr. Boyle was born in Dunglow, County Donegal, Ireland in 1812. He came to Jerseyville in the fall of 1866, and soon embarked in the saloon and bottling business. In 1873 he built the substantial and ornamental building on the northeast corner of Arch and State streets, and carried on a general merchandizing business on the first floor, while the upper floors were devoted to offices. In 1885 he built an addition to his building on State street running north, and converted the upper stories of the two buildings into a hotel, having the office on the first floor of the new building. This building complete is one of the finest structures in the city, costing its owner $15,000. The hotel is supplied with all conveniences, has comfortable and airy sleeping apartments, neatly furnished and kept scrupulously clean. A restaurant in connection with the hotel furnishes the cuisine for the guests, where the best the market affords can be had, served in the best of style. Mr. Boyle is also one of the oldest ice merchants in the city, and has for many years supplied our people with the best of ice. He also continues to manufacture soda water, ginger ale, apple cider and other beverages, and cider vinegar. Mr. Boyle as will be noted from this brief record, is a man of business, and by attending strictly to business has acquired a comfortable competency.

Marston & Halliday

Among the veteran grocers in Jerseyville are the gentlemen composing the above firm, who joined their fortunes in the grocery business in 1875, at the old stand on north Main street now occupied by them. This firm has an established reputation for business integrity and reliability second to none in the city, and has a steady uniform and growing trade. Mr. MARSTON was born in Philadelphia, and came to Jerseyville in the spring of 1867, and entered into partnership with Mr. HAMILTON in the grocery business, which partnership continued six years, when Mr. Marston withdrew from the firm and took for a partner Mr. Henry T. NAIL, which new firm however lasted but one year, when in 1873 (?) Mr. Marston associated with him Mr. L. H. HALLIDAY, and established the present firm of Marston & Halliday. Mr. Halliday is a New Yorker, hailing from Ithica, N.Y., and for a number of years prior to the present partnership, held clerkships in the stores of J. E. SANFORD and J. C. DARBY in Jerseyville. His quiet demeanor and industrious habits made for him a large circle of friends and acquaintances whose trade he held largely when he embarked in business for himself. Marston & Halliday carry a full and complete stock of groceries, provisions, crockery, queensware, glassware, woodenware and fine shelf goods. They study closely the wants of their customers and endeavor to supply them, always keeping the freshest and best goods in their line. It is rumored that this firm will erect a new store building on their present site in the near future. They are both genial and accommodating gentlemen, and have the faculty of retaining their old friends and making new ones, which is a guarantee of continued success in business.

J. A. Shephard & Co. Bankers

The present banking house of J. A. Shephard and Co., was opened in November, 1883, in the Commercial Hotel building on west Pearl street. The firm consists of John A., A. M. and H. A. SHEPHARD – sons and widow of the Hon. Wm. SHEPHARD, who died in 1875. Like their father, the sons are active, capable and thorough going business men and enjoy the unmeasured confidence of the entire community. Hon. William Shephard was a man of tremendous energy and force, possessed of rare mental endowments and mature judgement which made him eminently successful in business. He started his business life as a shoemaker, but he ended his remarkably successful career as a banker and railroad contractor, having amassed a fortune. In 1866 he started a private bank in Jerseyville, which for a number of years was under the management of Mr. M. D. ROBBINS, who died in 1872, when the bank was continued under the firm name of W. Shephard & Son, and during the panic of 1873, and while Mr. Shephard was away from home there was, owing to the general financial disturbance in the country, danger of a run on the bank. Mr. Shephard was wired at once the state of things and came directly to St. Louis, where he obtained sufficient funds to meet the demands of his depositors, brought the same to Jerseyville, opened his doors and invited the “run” to come on. Mr. Shephard was a man of sterling honesty and unswerving integrity, and no man enjoyed a greater share of the confidence of his fellow citizens than he. His sons are bankers having had especial training for the business which has greatly increased since its doors were opened. The location was recently changed from Pearl street to Shephard’s block on south State street.

Jerseyville Artesian Well

For the past ten years the public spirited citizens of Jerseyville have been agitating a system of water-works for the city. Various estimates were made ranging form $32,000 to $60,000, and we are glad to state that the Democrat has ever been a warm advocate of this much needed improvement. At the city election held April 15, 1884, the question of voting bonds amounting to $32,000 for water-works was agitated. There was much opposition to this idea, especially in the third ward(?) where some of the political leaders, for some reason, were strongly against the proposition. After an exciting contest, at the closing of the polls the vote stood as follows: First Ward, for 90, against 46; Second Ward, for 100, against 64; Third Ward, for 51, against 90; Fourth Ward, for 93, against 49. Majority for 85. In March of that year Mr. W. R. Coats of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was sent for by the council, and arrived here the 13th of that month. Mr. Coats had been very successful in procuring water by what was known as the “well system,” that is either a large well from thirty to forty feet deep, or a series of smaller wells tributary to a large one. On the 18th of March a large and enthusiastic meeting was held at the court house, and was addressed by Mr. Coats, who explained his system. The plan seemed feasible and the next day a well at the residence of Mr. MALOTT was drained and a large drill run down to the depth of twelve feet through gravel. After thoroughly examining and boring in the different parts of the city, Mr. Coats decided that a sufficient quantity of water could not be obtained by the well system, and departed. The vote having been understood to be for this method the council did not feel authorized to try any other without again submitting the question and on May 12, 1884, another election was called to vote the $32,000 in bonds for water-works “by any system.” This time a vigorous effort was made to defeat the question, but a large vote was polled, 532 and again water-works carried, this time by 76 majority. After several experiments at boring and surveys being made of creeks and branches near this city, the project was abandoned till in January 1887, the great fire visited the city destroying half of the block between Pearl and Exchange streets, and at the meeting of the City Council Feb. 1, 1887, it was deemed advisable to buy some kind of fire apparatus, and at the special meeting held Feb. 7th, the committee advised buying an engine, hook and ladder truck and hose cart of Gleason & Bailey Mfg. Co., of Chicago and at the meeting held March 24, 1887, an order was drawn allowing the said company $1,325 for the above mentioned apparatus and 500 feet of hose. After the purchase of this outfit it became necessary to have a building to store it, and on the 19th of April of that year the question of voting $3,000 in bonds for a city hall and engine house was voted on and carried by 199 majority, and the present city hall erected.

On June 21st of the same year, the council adopted plans and specifications drawn by Geo. C. Morgan of Chicago, for a system of water-works on the “well system,” and advertised for bids to complete the same. On July 8th, the Council allowed the bill of Mr. Morgan, $386.80 for the plans, etc., and ordered the Fire & Water committee to locate the well, if possible. After several attempts they concluded it was not safe to attempt to furnish an adequate supply by this system, and the scheme was abandoned. The people demanded water, however, and on Sept. 6th, the Council ordered the advertising for bids to dig an artesian well “2,000 feet deep if necessary to get sufficient water.” On Sept. 29th, four bids were received and opened, and the contract awarded to J. P. Miller of Chicago, upon the following bid “to 1,200 feet for $1.98 per foot; from 1,200 to 1,500 feet $2.82 per foot; from 1,500 to 2,00 feet $2.59 per foot,” this being much the lowest bid. On Nov. 15th, the Council bought of J. S. MALOTT the lot now occupied by the water-works for $250. Work of boring commenced at once, and continued through the winter and the following summer, and after many accidents to the machinery, the required depth was bored and a pure, healthful water obtained at a depth of 1,600 feet at the bottom of the stratum known as St. Peter’s Sandstone. This stratum is usually from 180 to 250 feet thick, but at this point the drill passed through 430 feet of this water bearing stratum, which assures a never failing supply of water. It was thought best to continue the boring to the required 2,000 feet as many believed a flowing well might be obtained, but the drill showed nothing but limestone for the next 400 feet and the work was stopped at the contracted depth 2,000 feet, without a larger supply being found. The cost of boring the well was $4,374.77, and Mr. Miller did not ask for a cent till the work was completed. On Sept. 11, 1888, the Council ordered the Fire & Water committee to go to St. Louis and buy an artesian well pump, which was done, and the well tested with the new pump. This demonstrated that there was sufficient water to supply the demand, and the Council at its meeting Feb. 5th, 1889, passed an ordinance ordering the advertising to bids to build the water-works. Five years had thus elapsed from the first vote till the letting of the contract, during which time, the friends and advocates of this enterprise never waivered or faltered, although many obstacles arose to combat them. On March 18, 1889, the bids were opened, 19 in all, and the contract awarded to the Rockford Construction Company of Rockford, Ill., for the sum of $21,875 they to turn the works over complete to the city, and on April 15th, ground was broken and pipe laying began. The work was pushed forward rapidly and is first-class in every particular, and at the October meeting of this year the works were ready to be turned over to the city. Over 1,000,000 gallons of water have been pumped from the well and the water still stands at the height it did when the men ceased boring, 94 feet from the surface. The supply is evidently inexhaustible and the water is purer than any in this section of the country. An analysis was made by Prof. Erastus Smith, of Beloit College, Wis., and it proved to be one of the most healthful waters in the United States. It is a soft as rain water, free from all organic matter and has no equal for steam purposes in this section as it does not scale the boilers and makes good steam. Hundreds are drinking it and finding relief, especially benefitting people troubled with kidney complaint. For preventing typhoid or typhus fevers or other bacteria diseases it has no equal, and the day is not far distant when Jerseyville will be one of the most noted health resorts in the country, not excepting Eureka Springs or Waukesha. Usually water from artesian wells is offensive in smell or taste, and for this reason the quacks claim it is beneficial. Such is not the case, but a pure, soft water is what the system needs and this is found in the artesian well at Jerseyville, Illinois.

Hon. J. M. Page, Mayor, Jerseyville, Ill.
From the analysis of the water of our artesian well you hand me, I should say it is one of the most happy combinations of Hematitics, restorative and Catalytics I have ever seen. Hematitics act upon the blood and on the system generally. They are therefore of use to prevent, control and cure diseases in which usually the system is at fault, and not a part of it only, but the restoratives and Catalytics act upon certain parts of the system and are directed against certain conditions of those parts. The medicinal action of Hematitics is chiefly shown in a morbid condition of the blood or system at large. It is not evinced upon a healthy man. Restoratives act by causing, or supplying to be supplied, the material wanting and may remain in the blood, as the iron in Anaemia supplies the Heametosine of the blood corpuscles and kills the disease. Catalytics act so as to counteract a morbid material or process and must pass out of the body, as in rheumatic fever and other diseases, such as scarlet fever, pimples, blotches and other troubles having their origin in an impoverished or unhealthy condition of the blood. Thus you readily see, having a remarkably happy combination of important salts to purify, restore and purge the blood, it cannot but be wholesome to the well, and beneficial to the sick. I think when its use in our city has become universal and a sewerage system has been established, zymatic diseases, scarlet fever, diptheria, etc., will be known no more among us. Respectfully, Albro B. ALLEN, M.D. Jerseyville, Ill. October 24, 1889.

J. M. Page, Editor Jersey County Democrat
Dear Sir: I have carefully examined the several ingredients mentioned in the analysis of the artesian well water in this city. From a therapeutic standpoint I consider the water highly valuable as an alterative, laxative and diuretic. I have the analysis of water taken from several artesian wells in California, all considered valuable, and must say they cannot compare with the water of the Jerseyville artesian well. The well water now in use in this city contains a large quantity of lime, that is highly injurious to the mucous structures of the stomach, bowels, kidneys and bladder. Gravel, stone in the bladder, chronic inflammation of the walls of the bladder and kidneys are attributed to the use of well water largely impregnated with lime. On the contrary, the Jerseyville Artesian Well water is soft as rain water and is very acceptable to the most delicate stomach. I consider the regular daily use of the artesian water a valuable change from the well water now in use, particularly to those who are suffering from any of the above mentioned diseases. Respectfully, E. L. H. BARRY, M.D.

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