Month: December 2017

Christmas in Dayton, 1931

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Christmas greetings

Program Given at Community Party at Dayton

Decorated Christmas trees and red and green streamers formed an attractive setting in the Dayton Community hall, Saturday evening for the annual Christmas party sponsored by the Dayton Woman’s club.

One hundred and seventy-five guests were served cafeteria style at the community supper at 7:30 o’clock.

An interesting program of vocal, piano and dance numbers was presented by a group from the vicinity of Dayton. The program consisted of the following numbers: piano solo, Dorothy Mitchell; song, Mrs. T. J. Cruise, Miss Anna Cruise and Will Breese; solo, Will Breese; duet, Mrs. T. J. Cruise and Miss Cruise; reading, Zelda Garrow; solo, Billy Gardner; solo dance, Dorothy Mitchell; acrobatic dance, Della Tohella; Christmas song, Mrs. Benson Chamberlin; cornet solo, Walter Anderson; solo, Alden Garrow; solo, Earl Gardner; solo, Nicholas Parr.

An orchestra furnished tunes for old time and modern dances at the conclusion of the program.

The committee in charge was comprised of Mrs. Arthur Retz, Mrs. Thomas Waldron, Mrs. Alvin Hepner and Miss Emma Fraine.1

  1. Ottawa [Illinois] Republican-Times, December 28, 1931

Christmas in Dayton, 1888

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Dayton Doings

Dayton, Ill., Dec. 27. – King Winter visited us last night and we find a good covering of snow on the ground this morning. A little more and we will hear the sleigh bells jungle.

Christmas day has passed and everyone has recovered his usual equilibrium – at least we should suppose so.

The Sunday school gave a very pleasant Christmas entertainment, at the school house, Monday evening. A good program was rendered, after which the children were made happy by receiving many toys, candy, as well as useful and pretty presents.

Our worthy P. M. gave a family dinner at his residence on Christmas day, which done up the post office for that day, at least.

A large family dinner was also held at the residence of Mrs. David Green in which about 35 persons happily participated.

In fact the day passed very pleasantly in our little village, although the young folks were pining for the beautiful snow, and its accompanying sleigh rides.

Frank Green came down from Chicago to spend the holidays.

W. J. Burke has gone to Penryn, Placer county, California, where he has hired out for a year to work on Mr. P. W. Butler’s large fruit farm. He writes back that he is delighted with the country.

The Brick Works have had fine weather for rebuilding, and have got a new roof on their building, new floors, &c., and will soon have it in good shape again. We understand a new company has been organized with about $30,000 capital stock, Messrs R. C. Hitt and Ed. C. Alen Jr., of Ottawa being members of the new company; also Messrs. Soule and Williams. We wish success to the new company, and see no reason why the property should not be a paying institution, if properly managed.

The Tile Works, Paper Mill and Collar Factory are running right along and doing a good business.

The Roller Mills have had a good big trade and been quite busy. The farmers are learning where to take their grists of wheat and corn to have good work done, and will patronize home industries.1

  1. Ottawa [Illinois] Free Trader, December 29, 1888, p. 5, col. 2

The First Dayton Bridge

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John Green owned the west bank of the Fox river in 1837 and William Stadden owned the east bank. The following act of the General Assembly authorized them to build and operate a toll bridge.

 

AN ACT to authorize John Green and William Stadden, to build a Toll Bridge across Fox River.
In force 20th July, 1837

Sec. 1.             Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That John Green and William Stadden, their heirs and assigns, be and they are hereby authorized to build a toll bridge across Fox River; in township number thirty-four, north of range number four east, on section number twenty-nine at the town of Dayton, in La Salle county, State of Illinois.

Sec. 2.             The said John Green and William Stadden, their heirs or assigns shall commence the building of said bridge within two years, and complete said bridge within five years from and after the passage of this act; said bridge shall be built in a good and workmanlike manner, so as to give a safe and easy passage to all persons and their property wishing to cross said bridge.

Sec. 3.             After said bridge shall be completed, the said John Green and William Stadden, their heirs or assigns, are hereby authorized to place a toll gate on either end of said bridge or elsewhere, where they may ask and receive of all and every person passing said bridge such toll as the county commissioners’ court shall fix from time to time.

Sec. 4.             If said bridge shall be out of repair for more than six months at any one time, said charter shall be forfeited; Provided, That destruction of said bridge by fire, high water, other casualty shall not work a forfeiture of the privileges hereby granted, but said Green and Stadden, their heirs or assigns, shall proceed immediately to repair the same.

Sec. 5.             If any person or persons shall wilfully do or cause to be done any injury to said bridge, the person or persons so offending shall forfeit and pay to the said Green and Stadden, their heirs or assigns, double the amount of such injury or damages, to be recovered before any court having jurisdiction of the same.

Sec. 6.             The said Green and Stadden, their heirs or assigns, shall be entitled to purchase, hold and convey, as much real estate as may be necessary to construct the aforesaid bridge, and erect a toll house or whatever may be necessary for the use and purposes of said bridge.

Sec. 7.             This act to be in force from and after its passage.

Approved, 20th July, 1837.

The Hazards of Winter Travel

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snowdrifts

After the Fox river bridge at Dayton was washed out in the 1870s, traffic between Dayton and Rutland was difficult. There were two places where the river could be forded during low water and there were times in the winter when the ice was firm enough to allow crossing. The ice was uncertain, however, and could not be counted upon. The only other option was to go around by Ottawa and cross on the bridge there.

Dayton was isolated even further when heavy snow made the roads impassable. To make matters worse, when the snow melted, the mud was an equal obstacle to travel.

The Ottawa [Illinois] Free Trader, January 8, 1881, p. 8, col. 3
Dayton, Jan. 5. – The river is now being crossed at this place on the ice.

The Ottawa [Illinois] Free Trader, February 19, 1881, p. 8, col. 1
Dayton, Feb. 16. – The “thaw” of last week was unable to start the ice at this place, with the exception of that on the rapids above the woolen factory, which moved down and broke up our ice bridge. We are thus left without any means of communication with the other shore. The great snow storm on last Friday and Saturday has given a new impulse to sleighing and the “merry sleigh bells” are again heard all over the land. East and west lanes and the roads are, however, most of them, impassable on account of deep snow drifts. The thermometer at this place last Monday morning recorded 14 degrees below zero.

The Ottawa [Illinois] Free Trader, March 19, 1881, pp. 4-5, cols. 6 & 1
The “beautiful snow,” as far as sleighing is concerned, has departed for the last time this winter we trust. The streets and roads are left in a terrible condition, being in places almost impassable on account of the water, slush, snow and mud. The lane from Dayton to the main road to Ottawa has been blocked with snow for about five weeks, so that all travel is by the way of Mr. Olmstead’s. The thaw and light showers have not raised the water in Fox river at this place to a very noticeable degree. The ice is still in the river, and has probably become so softened that it will do no serious damage to dams or bridges.

The Ottawa [Illinois] Free Trader, June 4, 1881, p. 8, col. 2
Dayton, June 2d, 1881
The river is falling slowly, and is now being crossed at both fords. Fishermen and sportsmen are here in great numbers. The Earlville people seem to have struck a “boom” and are turning out en masse for a good time fishing and camping out.

The Ottawa [Illinois] Free Trader, February 6, 1886, p. 7, cols. 3-4
The river is all frozen over solid and teams are crossing below the paper mill.

The Dayton bridge had been out since the early 1870s and not until 1885 was a plan for its replacement finally put into action. It still took two years before it opened. (For the story of the Great Dayton Bridge Affair, click here.)

The Ottawa [Illinois] Free Trader, April 2, 1887, p. 4, col. 6
From Dayton
Dayton, Ill, April 1st, 1887. – Our bridge is finished at last and open for public travel. It is a very fine three span iron bridge, the neatest one on the river, and is a fine addition to our village. Of course every one will use it now that it is constructed, and it was noticed that about one of the first to use it was one who had fought the hardest.