(Indian,
Edah hoe), one of the States of the northwestern division of the
Union.
Its name signifies “light on the mountains.”
It lies between lat. 42° and 49° N., and long.
111° and 117° W. The Dominion of
Canada bounds it on the north,
Montana and
Wyoming on the east,
Utah and
Nevada on the south, and
Oregon and
Washington on the west.
Area, 84,800 square miles, in eighteen counties;. population, 1890, 84,385; 1900, 161,772; capital,
Boise City.
First white men in
Idaho,
Lewis and
Clarke's exploring expedition......1805-6
First settlement at
Fort Hall, by
N. J. Wyeth......1834
[
320]
Coeur d'alene mission established......1842 Gold discovered on the
Oro Fino Creek, followed by a large immigration.
1858-60
Idaho created a Territory.......March 3, 1863 General school law passed......Jan. 12, 1877
Test-oaths abjuring polygamy and plural and celestial marriages required of all county and precinct officers......1884-85
New capitol completed at
Boise City......1887
Legislature unseats three members as ineligible under the anti-Mormon testoaths......1888
University at
Moscow authorized by the legislature......January, 1889
Convention frames a State constitution......July 4–Aug. 6, 1889
Constitution ratified and State officers elected......Nov. 5, 1889
Supreme Court sustains the
Idaho anti-Mormon test-oath law for voters......Feb. 3, 1890
Admitted as the forty-third State by proclamation of
President Harrison......July 3, 1890
Governor Shoup takes the oath of office, Nov. 3, and convenes the legislature at
Boise City......Dec. 8, 1890
Legislature elects
United States Senators;
Governor Shoup for term ending March 4, 1891 (also
F. T. Dubois to succeed him), and
W. J. McConnell......Dec. 18, 1890
Lieutenant-Governor Willey succeeds
Governor Shoup, resigned......Dec. 20, 1890
Election of
Dubois being deemed illegal,
William H. Claggett is chosen
Shoup's successor......Feb. 11, 1891
Law allowing verdict by three-fourths of a jury in a civil action, and an Australian ballot law enacted at session ending......March 14, 1891
United States Senate seats
Dubois (vote 55 to 5)......March 3, 1892
Lockout involving 3,000 striking miners begins in the Coeur d'alene mining district in
Shoshone county, April 1.
An attack on men employed in the Gem mines, made by union men, results in the killing of several miners......July 11, 1892
Martial law put in force in
Shoshone county......July 14, 1892
Proclamation of
President Harrison commanding all persons in insurrection in
Idaho to disperse......July 16, 1892
Two thousand United States troops, by order of
President Harrison, occupy
Wardner, July 14; suppress disturbance; withdraw......July 23, 1892
Trial of insurrectionary miners at Coeur d'alene city for conspiracy; four convicted, ten acquitted......Sept. 29, 1892
Riot at Coeur d'alene......April 29, 1899
Snake River irrigation enterprise affecting 250,000 acres of land, at a cost of $1,500,000 begun......1900
Illinois
One of the northern central States of the
United States, its western boundary the
Mississippi River, which separates it from
Iowa and
Missouri;
Wisconsin bounds it on the north,
Lake Michigan touching the northeastern corner;
Indiana on the east, and
Kentucky on the south.
It is limited in lat. by 36° 59′ to 42° 30′ N., and in long.
by 87° 35′ to 91° 40′
W. Area, 56,650 square miles, in 102 counties.
Population, 1890, 3,826,351; 1900, 4,821,550.
Capital,
Springfield.
Louis Joliet and
Jacques Marquette descend the
Mississippi River from the mouth of the
Wisconsin to the
Arkansas.
Returning, they ascend the
Illinois, making their way to
Lake Michigan via the Desplaines and
Chicago rivers......1673
Marquette, purposing to establish a mission among the
Illinois Indians, makes a portage from the
Chicago to the
Desplaines, descends the
Illinois River nearly to
Utica, where he meets a large concourse of chiefs and warriors......April 8, 1675
Father Claude Allouez, successor to
Marquette, who died May 18, 1675, enters the
Chicago River on his way to the
Indian mission......April, 1676
Robert Cavalier
Sieur de la Salle, with
Henry Tonti,
Father Hennepin, and a party of thirty-three, descending the
Kankakee and
Illinois rivers, pass through
Peoria Lake, Jan. 3, 1680, and erect
Fort Crevecoeur on the east shore of the outlet......1680
Father Hennepin descends the
Illinois
[
321]
from the fort to explore the
upper Mississippi......Feb. 28, 1680
La Salle, returning from
Montreal with supplies for
Fort Crevecoeur, finds the town of the
Illinois Indians burned by the
Iroquois, the fort destroyed, and the garrison dispersed......1680
La Salle and
Tonti, seeking the mouth of the
Mississippi, descend the
Illinois, arriving at its mouth......Feb. 6, 1682
They build
Fort St. Louis on
Starved Rock on the
Illinois, near the site of
Utica......November, 1682
La Salle returns to
France, 1683; sails for the mouth of the
Mississippi in August, 1684.
Tonti, with twenty-five Frenchmen and five
Indians, intending to meet him at the mouth of the
Mississippi, leaves
Fort St. Louis......Feb. 13, 1686
Fort Chicago, probably built by
M. de la Durantaye in 1685, appears on a map of
Lake Michigan dated......1688
Mission established at the great town of the
Illinois is removed down the river to the present site of
Kaskaskia before......1690
Philip Renault, with 200 mechanics and laborers, and 500 negro slaves for working supposed mines in
Illinois, founds St. Philipps, a village a few miles above
Kaskaskia......1719
Pierre Duque Boisbriant, sent by the Western Company, builds Fort Chartres on the east side of the
Mississippi, 22 miles from
Kaskaskia......1720
Jesuits establish a monastery and college at
Kaskaskia......1721
Kaskaskia becomes an incorporated town......1725
Renault sells his slaves to the
French colonists in
Illinois......1744
Fort Massac, or Massacre, on the
Ohio, about 40 miles from its mouth, established by the
French about 1711, is enlarged and garrisoned......1756
British flag raised over Fort Chartres......Oct. 10, 1765
Colonel Wilkins, sent to Fort Chartres to govern the
Illinois country, assumes by proclamation the civil administration, appointing seven magistrates or judges......Nov. 21, 1768
First court held in
Illinois opens at Fort Chartres......Dec. 6, 1768
Land grant of 30,000 acres in the present county of
Randolph made by
Colonel Wilkins to
John Baynton,
Samuel Wharton, and
George Morgan, merchants of
Philadelphia......April 12, 1769
A freshet destroying a part of Fort Chartres, it is abandoned by the
British garrison, who occupy
Fort Gage, opposite
Kaskaskia, and fix the government there......1772
Deed to the Illinois Land Company from the chiefs of Indian tribes in
Illinois for two immense tracts of land in
southern Illinois, bought July 5, recorded at
Kaskaskia......Sept. 2, 1773
American expedition under
George Rogers Clarke conquers
Illinois without bloodshed, occupying
Kaskaskia......July 4, 1778
Territory conquered by
Colonel Clarke is made by the legislature of Virginia into Illinois county......October, 1778
Col. John Todd proclaims from
Kaskaskia a temporary government for
Illinois......June 15, 1779
Illinois included in the
Virginia act of cession to the
United States, Dec. 20, 1783, the deed of which is executed......March 1, 1784
Illinois included in
Northwest Territory, organized by act of Congress......July 13, 1787
Maj.-Gen. Arthur St. Clair, elected by Congress governor of the
Northwest Territory, arrives at
Kaskaskia February, 1790
By act of Congress 400 acres are granted to every head of family who had improved farms in
Illinois prior to 1788......1791
By the treaty of
Greenville, sixteen tracts 6 miles square in
Illinois are ceded by the Indians; one at the mouth of the
Chicago River, “where a fort formerly stood” ......Aug. 3, 1795
Site of
Peoria fixed by the abandonment of a settlement called La
Ville de Maillet, located farther up the lake in 1788......1796
Jean Baptiste Point de Saible, a negro who settled at
Chicago about 1779, sells his cabin to a French trader named Le Mai and moves to
Peoria......1796
Illinois part of
Indian Territory, created by act......May 7, 1800
Memorial to Congress by a committee called to
Vincennes by
Governor Harrison, requesting the repeal of the sixth article of the organic act prohibiting slavery......Dec. 20, 1802
[
322]
By treaty of
Fort Wayne, June 7, ratified at
Vincennes, Aug. 7, 1803, the Indians cede to the
United States 1,634,000 acres of land, 336,128 in
Illinois; and by treaty of
Vincennes, Aug. 13, the Kaskaskias cede most of
southern Illinois......1803
Fort Dearborn built on the south side of
Chicago River by the federal government and garrisoned.
The corner of Michigan Avenue and River Street,
Chicago, marks the site......1803
Congress establishes land offices at
Kaskaskia,
Vincennes, and
Detroit......March 15, 1804
John Kinzie, of the American Fur Company, buys Le Mai's trading-house; is the first permanent settler at
Chicago......1804
By the treaty of
St. Louis, Nov. 3, 1804, the united Sac and
Fox Indians cede to the
United States land on both sides of the
Mississippi River, extending on the east from the mouth of the
Illinois to its head and thence to the
Wisconsin......Nov. 3, 1804
Piankeshaw Indians cede to the
United States 2,616,921 acres west of the
Wabash, opposite
Vincennes......Dec. 30, 1805
Territory of Illinois created with
Kaskaskia as the seat of government......Feb. 3, 1809
Ninian Edwards commissioned governor by
Madison......April 24, 1809
Mail route established by law from
Vincennes to
St. Louis, via
Kaskaskia,
Prairie du Rocher, and
Cahokia......1810
Illinois raised to second grade of territorial government......May 21, 1812
Owing to Indian murders and outrages a cordon of forts and block-houses is erected in
Illinois; the most noted is Fort Russel, near
Edwardsville......1812
Garrison of
Fort Dearborn, by order of
General Hull, Aug. 7, 1812, though reinforced by
Captain Wells and fifteen friendly
Miamis, evacuate the fort Aug. 15.
They are attacked and massacred by
Indians; thirty-nine killed, twenty-seven taken prisoners, and the fort burned......Aug. 15-16, 1812
Captain Craig, of
Shawneetown, under instructions from
Gen. Samuel Hopkins, burns
Peoria and removes the captured French inhabitants suspected of complicity with the Indians to
Alton......October, 1812
Legislature convenes at
Kaskaskia......Nov. 25, 1812
Laws of the
Territory revised by
Nathaniel Pope, and printed by
Matthew Duncan under date......June 2, 1815
Bank of Illinois incorporated at
Shawneetown......1816
Fort Dearborn rebuilt......1816
Charter for Cairo city granted by the legislature......1817-18
Enabling act for the
State of Illinois approved......April 18, 1818
Northern boundary of
Illinois extended 50 miles to lat. 42° 30′......1818
Convention at
Kaskaskia to frame a constitution adopts an ordinance accepting the enabling act......Aug. 26, 1818
First general assembly under the constitution meets at
Kaskaskia......Oct. 5, 1818
Illinois admitted into the
Union, approved......Dec. 3, 1818
State bank of
Illinois incorporated with four branches......March 22, 1819
Legislature re-enacts the “black laws” respecting free negroes, mulattoes, servants, and slaves......March 30, 1819
Ferdinand Ernst, from
Hanover, locates a colony of twenty-five or thirty families at
Vandalia......1819
John Kelly and family the first white settlers at
Springfield......1819
Seat of government removed to
Vandalia......1820
State-house at
Vandalia destroyed by fire......Dec. 9, 1823
General election, proposed convention to amend the constitution permitting slavery defeated by 4,972 to 6,640......August, 1824
Illinois and Michigan Canal Association incorporated......Jan. 19, 1825
Reception given
General Lafayette at
Kaskaskia......April 30, 1825
Congress grants 224,322 acres to the
State of Illinois to aid the
Illinois and Michigan Canal......March 2, 1827
Father of
Abraham Lincoln removes from
Indiana with his family to
Macon county, Ill......1830
Towns of
Chicago and
Ottawa surveyed and laid out by a board of canal commissioners, and maps prepared by James Thompson bearing date......Aug. 4, 1830
United States troops under
General Gaines, having burned the old Sac village on the
Mississippi deserted by Black Hawk and his warriors, encamp at Rock
[
323]
Island, where Black Hawk, summoned to a council, signs an agreement not to recross the
Mississippi to the
Illinois side without permission from the governor or the
President of the
United States......June 30, 1831
Black Hawk, with 150 warriors, unsuccessfully attacks
Apple River Fort, 12 miles from
Galena......June 6, 1832
Battle of Kellog's Grove, 50 miles from
Dixon;
Colonel Demont attacked by Indians under Black Hawk......June 26, 1832
Chicago incorporated as a town......August, 1833
New State bank with six branches incorporated......1834
Abraham Lincoln elected to the State legislature......1834
[Also 1836, 1838, 1840.]
First number of the
Alton observer, an anti-slavery newspaper, published by
Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy......Sept. 8, 1836
Abraham Lincoln admitted to practise law......1836
Act to establish and maintain a general system of internal improvement appropriates $10,230,000......Feb. 27, 1837
Chicago chartered as a city......March 4, 1837
Corner-stone of State capitol at
Springfield laid......July 4, 1837
Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy, publisher of the Alton
Observer, shot dead by a mob at his office......Nov. 7, 1837
First rail on Northern Cross Railroad laid at
Meredosia, May 9, and first locomotive in Mississippi Valley put on the track......Nov. 8, 1837
Legislature first meets at
Springfield, the new capital: Assembly in the Second
Presbyterian Church, Senate in First Methodist, and the Superior Court in the
Episcopal......Dec. 9, 1839
Mormons locate on the east bank of the
Mississippi, in
Hancock county, and found
Nauvoo......1840
Laws passed, “to diminish the
State debt and put the State bank into liquidation.”
Jan. 24, 1843, and “to reduce the public debt $1,000,000 and put the Bank of Illinois into liquidation” ......1843
Mormon leaders Joe and
Hyrum Smith, the former mayor of
Nauvoo, imprisoned for treason in levying war against the
State by declaring martial law in
Nauvoo.
and by ordering out the
Nauvoo Legion to resist a posse comitatus, assassinated in jail at
Carthage by conspirators......June 27, 1844
Two thousand Mormons, the van of the general exodus, cross the
Mississippi on the ice......Feb. 15, 1846
Abraham Lincoln elected to Congress......1846
Convention meets at
Springfield, June 7, 1847, and completes a constitution, Aug. 31, which is adopted by the people, 59,887 to 15,859, and takes effect......April 1, 1848
Illinois and
Michigan Canal, begun in 1836, opened......April 16, 1848
Bloody Island dike built at
East St. Louis......1848
Jefferson Davis challenges
Col. W. H. Bissell, afterwards governor, to a duel; he accepts the challenge, but the matter is amicably settled......February, 1850
Geological survey authorized by act of......Feb. 17, 1851
Law providing that any negro or mulatto, bond or free, who comes into the
State and remains ten days may be fined $50 or sold into slavery until the fine is worked out......Feb. 12, 1853
Act passed incorporating the State Agricultural Society......1853
Illinois Wesleyan University, at
Bloomington, chartered and opened......1853
Hon. N. W. Edwards appointed State superintendent of common schools......March 15, 1854
Attempt of
Senator Stephen A. Douglas to address the people of
Chicago from an open balcony in defence of the
Kansas-
Nebraska bill is met with hisses, groans, and continued noise for four hours, when
Douglas retires......Sept. 1, 1854
Law for a system of free schools in the
State......Feb. 15, 1855
Trial of some thirty German saloonkeepers in
Chicago for violating the prohibitory liquor law just passed leads to a riot, April 21; city placed under martial law......April 22, 1855
Northwestern University, at
Evanston, chartered in 1851, is opened......1855
Illinois State University at Normal opened......1857
Many prisoners from the old penitentiary at
Alton removed to the new penitentiary at
Joliet......May 22, 1858
[
324]
Debate between
Lincoln and
Douglas throughout the
State on slavery
Summer and
autumn, 1858
Governor Bissell dies;
Lieut.-Gov. John Wood succeeds......March 18, 1860
Abraham Lincoln nominated for
President by the Republican National Convention at
Chicago......May 16, 1860
Abraham Lincoln inaugurated
President......March 4, 1861
General Swift, with six companies and four cannon, leaves
Chicago to occupy
Cairo, under telegraphic order from the
Secretary of War to
Governor Yates, of April 19......April 21, 1861
Twenty-one thousand stands of arms seized at the St. Louis arsenal by forces under
Captain Stokes, and removed to
Alton by boat, thence to
Springfield by rail......April 26, 1861
U. S. Grant tenders his services to
Governor Yates, and is assigned to command of camps
Yates,
Grant, and
Douglas......April, 1861
Stephen A. Douglas dies at
Chicago, aged forty-eight......June 3, 1861
A convention chosen to form a new constitution meets Jan. 7, 1862; assumes legislative powers, ratifies the Thirteenth Amendment to the
Constitution, votes $500,000 of State money for the relief of sick and wounded
Illinois soldiers, and frames a constitution which was rejected by the people......June, 1862
Arsenal established by act of Congress on
Rock Island, where Fort Armstrong was erected in 1816......1863
Chicago
Times suppressed for one day by order from
General Burnside, No. 84, dated June 1, and revoked......June 4, 1863
Democratic mass convention, 40,000 delegates, held at
Springfield......June 17, 1863
Political disturbance at
Charleston, Coles county, between citizens attendant upon the circuit court and veterans of the 54th Illinois Regiment; seven lives are lost......March 22, 1864
Discovery of fraudulent reissue of $224,182.66 of ninety days redeemed canal scrip dating back some thirty years, by the use of checks signed in blank at that time.
Suspicion points to
ex-Governor Matteson, who offers to indemnify the
State against loss, Feb. 9, 1859.
Other evidences of fraud in office coming to light, under a decree rendered in the
Sangamon circuit court against
Matteson for $255,500, the
State secures $238,000 at a master's sale of the
ex-governor's property......April 27, 1864
Democratic National Convention meets at
Chicago......Aug. 29, 1864
Plot to liberate Confederate prisoners at
Camp Douglas,
Chicago, is exposed, and leaders, arrested November, 1864, are tried by court-martial and convicted at
Cincinnati......January, 1865
Legislature ratifies the Thirteenth Amendment to the
Constitution and repeals the “black laws” ......1865
Burial of
President Lincoln at
Springfield......May 4, 1865
Sanitary commission fair at
Chicago, $250,000 raised......May, 1865
First post of the Grand Army of the Republic mustered in at
Decatur......April 6, 1866
Orville H. Browning appointed
Secretary of the Interior......Sept. 1, 1866
Tunnel under
Lake Michigan to supply
Chicago with water completed; length 2 miles......December, 1866
Law passed abolishing capital punishment......1867
Horace Capron,
United States Commissioner of Agriculture......Dec. 4, 1867
University of
Illinois at
Urbana, chartered 1867, opened......March, 1868
U. S. Grant nominated for
President by the Republican National Convention at
Chicago......May 20, 1868
Corner-stone of the new capitol at
Springfield laid......Oct. 5, 1868
First river-tunnel in this country completed under the
Chicago River; 810 feet long......December, 1868
U. S. Grant inaugurated
President......March 4, 1869
Legislature ratifies the Fifteenth Amendment to the
Constitution; vote, in Senate 17 to 7; in House, 52 to 27......March 5, 1869
Elihu B. Washburne appointed
Secretary of the Treasury......March 5, 1869
John A. Rawlins appointed
Secretary of War......March 11, 1869
Appropriation made by legislature for the
Northern Illinois Hospital for the Insane at
Elgin......1869
Constitution framed by a convention at
Springfield, May, 1870, ratified by the people; 134,227 to 35,443......July 2, 1870
[
325]
Remains of
President Lincoln transferred from the temporary tomb to the crypt of the monument at Oak Ridge Cemetery......May, 1871
Deepening of the
Illinois and Michigan canal to create a current from
Lake Michigan to the
Illinois River, begun in 1865, is completed......July 18, 1871
Illinois and
Michigan Canal turned over to the
State......August, 1871
Chicago fire, which burns over 2,124 acres and destroys 17,500 buildings, begins......Oct. 8-9, 1871
New building for the United States marine hospital, established at
Chicago, May, 1852, completed......1872
Governor Oglesby, elected
United States Senator;
Lieut.-Gov. John L. Beveridge succeeds him......March 4, 1873
Northwestern farmers' convention of 150 delegates from
Indiana,
Iowa,
Michigan, New York, and
Illinois meets at
Chicago......Oct. 22, 1873
Monument to
Abraham Lincoln at
Oak Ridge,
Springfield, dedicated......Oct. 15, 1874
National convention of the Grand Army of the Republic held at
Chicago......May 12, 1875
Chicago day-schools for the deaf opened......1875
Lake Forest University, at
Lake Forest, opened......1876
Parade of 1,500 armed communists carrying the red flag in
Chicago, winter of......1876
State board of health organized......1878
Militia law: entire male population to be enrolled and 8,000 organized and armed; no other military organizations to parade or drill unless licensed......May 28, 1879
Board of fish commissioners created by legislature......1879
Bureau of labor statistics established......1879
Republican National Convention meets at
Chicago......June 2, 1880
Greenback National Convention meets at
Chicago......June 2, 1880
Robert T. Lincoln,
Secretary of War......March 5, 1881
Aurora the first city in the world to light its streets with electricity......1881
Governor Cullom, elected
United States Senator, is succeeded by
John M. Hamilton......Feb. 7, 1883
Chicago voice and hearing school for the deaf opened at
Englewood......1883
Haymarket massacre by anarchists......May 4, 1886
Gen. John A. Logan,
United States Senator, dies at
Washington......Dec. 26, 1886
Chicago University endowed with $1,600,000 by
J. D. Rockefeller, and a gift of land by Marshall Field......1890
Chicago secures the
World's Fair, the vote on the site in the House of Representatives being:
Chicago, 157; New York, 107;
St. Louis, 26;
Washington, 18......Feb. 24, 1890
Panic in the
Chicago board of trade......April 12, 1890
Constitutional amendment, to permit the city of
Chicago to issue 5-per-cent.
bonds to $5,000,000 to aid the
World's Columbian Exposition, adopted by legislature......July 31, 1890
George R. Davis selected as directorgeneral of the
World's Columbian Exposition......Sept. 19, 1890
Gen. John M. Palmer, Democrat, elected
United States Senator on the 154th ballot......March 11, 1891
Laws reducing the legal rate of interest from 6 to 5 per cent., and making the first Monday in September (Labor Day) and Feb. 12 (
Abraham Lincoln's Birthday) legal holidays, passed at session ending......June 12, 1891
Governor Fifer signs the ballot reform bill......June 23, 1891
First reunion of survivors of the
Black Hawk War of 1832 held at
Lena; seventeen veterans present......Aug. 28, 1891
Equestrian statue of
General Grant unveiled at
Chicago......Oct. 7, 1891
World's Fair amendment to State constitution adopted by vote of 500,299 to 15,095......November, 1891
Alien land law pronounced unconstitutional......Dec. 23, 1891
Train of twenty-eight cars containing 12,000 bushels of shelled corn, the contribution of residents of
McLean county to the
Russian famine sufferers, is made up at
Bloomington......March 10, 1892
Eighty square miles of territory inundated by the breaking of a levee on the
Mississippi......1892
Democratic National Convention meets at
Chicago......June 21, 1892
[
326]
University of
Chicago opens, without formal ceremony, with 500 students......Oct. 1, 1892
World's Columbian Exposition, preliminary exercises at
Chicago; orations by
Chauncey M. Depew and
Henry Watterson......Oct. 21, 1892
United States Supreme Court affirms the judgment of the United States circuit court adverse to the claims of the Illinois Central Railroad Company to the submerged lands......Dec. 5, 1892
World's Columbian Exposition opened at
Chicago......May 1, 1893
A financial panic in
Chicago......June 5, 1893
Governor Altgeld pardons the anarchists
Fielden,
Neebe, and
Schwab, serving sentence in the penitentiary for complicity in the Haymarket riot......July 26, 1893
The parliament of religions begins its session at
Chicago......Sept. 11, 1893
Chicago Day at the
World's Fair; 700,000 persons attend......Oct. 9, 1893
Carter H. Harrison, mayor of
Chicago, assassinated......Oct. 28, 1893
World's Columbian Exposition closed......Oct. 30, 1893
Prendergast, the murderer of the mayor of
Chicago, hanged......July 13, 1894
World's Columbian Exposition buildings burn; loss, $1,000,000. .Jan. 8, 1894
State fair located permanently at
Springfield......Jan. 11, 1894
Riots of striking coal-miners at many places suppressed by State troops, with loss of life......May and June, 1894
Strike of Pullman Palace Car Company's employes at
Pullman, near
Chicago......May 11, 1894
Democratic State Convention,
Springfield, nominates
Franklin MacVeagh for
United States Senator......June 26, 1894
American Railway Union, on account of
Pullman strike, declares boycott on principal railways......June 26, 1894
The
United States court issued an injunction to prevent interference with railroad trains by strikers......July 2, 1894
Federal troops ordered to
Chicago to execute process of
United States courts......July 3, 1894
Governor Altgeld telegraphs
President Cleveland protesting against presence of Federal troops in
Chicago, and demanding their removal......July 5, 1894
President Cleveland declines to remove troops, declaring “a conspiracy exists against the commerce between the States” ......July 5, 1894
Insurrection of railway strikers in
Chicago, 2,000 cars and other railway property being burned, and six persons killed, and
Governor Altgeld orders two brigades of State militia to scene of trouble......July 6, 1894
Conflict in
Chicago between militia and mob, one killed and forty-nine wounded......July 7, 1894
Martial law in
Chicago declared by
President Cleveland......July 8, 1894
President E. V. Debs and other officers of American Railway Union arrested for interfering with United States mail......July 10, 1894
Railway strike declared off by
President Debs......July 19, 1894
Fire in
Chicago, destroying property to the value of $3,000,000..Aug. 1, 1894
Work begins on
Hennepin Canal......Aug. 22, 1894
State election carried by Republicans......Nov. 6, 1894
S. M. Cullom re-elected
United States Senator......Jan. 22, 1895
Lincoln monument at
Springfield conveyed to State by
Lincoln Monument Association......May 18, 1895
Dedication of monument to Confederate dead at Oakwood Cemetery,
Chicago......May 30, 1895
Eugene V. Debs sentenced to six months imprisonment for rioting......June 2, 1895
Illinois Democrats, assembled in State convention for purpose of considering monetary question, addressed by ex
Congressman W. J. Bryan, of
Nebraska, and declare for free and unlimited coinage of silver at 16 to 1, thus starting free-silver movement......June 5, 1895
Legislature appropriates $25,000 for monument to
Elijah P. Lovejoy at
Alton......June 17, 1895
Special session of legislature, passing law creating State board of arbitration and other laws......June 25–Aug. 2, 1895
Death of John Dean Caton, justice of
Illinois Supreme Court, 1842 to 1864......July 30, 1895
Riot at
Spring Valley between
Italian and negro miners, with fatal results......Aug. 14, 1895
[
327]
First earthquake on record in
Chicago......Oct. 31, 1895
Death of Eugene Field, poet, lecturer, and journalist......Nov. 4, 1895
Republican State Convention at
Springfield nominates
John R. Tanner for governor, and instructs national convention delegates for
William McKinley for
President......April 29-30, 1896
Illinois State Convention at
Peoria renominates
John P. Altgeld for governor, and declares for free silver at 16 to 1......June 23, 1896
Death of
Lyman Trumbull, justice of the
Illinois Supreme Court, 1848-53;
United States Senator, 1855-73.......June 25, 1896
National Democratic Convention at
Chicago nominates
William J. Bryan, of
Nebraska, for
President......July 10, 1896
Election carried by Republicans by overwhelming majority......Nov. 3, 1896
John R. Tanner (Republican) inaugurated governor of
Illinois......Jan. 11, 1897
William E. Mason (Republican) elected
United States Senator......Jan. 20, 1897
Passage by legislature of “
Allen bill,” relating to street-railway franchises, which became a political issue the following year......June 9, 1897
Strike of coal-miners, affecting all mines in
Illinois and other States in bituminous coal region......July 4, 1897
Statue of
John A. Logan unveiled at
Chicago......July 22, 1897
Death of
George M. Pullman, president and founder of Pullman Palace Car Company......Oct. 19, 1897
Francis E. Willard, of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, dies at New York City......Feb. 17, 1898
Break in levee surrounding
Shawneetown, on
Ohio River, submerges entire city, drowning twenty-four;
Governor Tanner sends special train with tents and supplies......April 3, 1898
Body of
Miss Frances E. Willard, eminent social reformer and lecturer, cremated in
Chicago......April 9, 1898
Wheat speculation engineered by
Joseph Leiter collapsed......June 13, 1898
Death of
John Moses, historian......July 3, 1898
Chicago daily papers suspend publication on account of a strike......July 25, 1898
Attempt of coal company to land negro miners from Southern States to take the place of striking coal-miners causes bloody fight at
Virden; train bearing negroes riddled with bullets; eleven killed, over thirty wounded, several fatally......Oct. 12, 1898
Governor proclaims martial law at
Pana on account of disorder growing out of lockout of coal-miners......Nov. 21, 1898
Death of
Joseph Medill, distinguished journalist......March 16, 1899
Fight between
white and
colored miners at
Pana; six killed, nine wounded; martial law again declared......April 10, 1899
Death of
Richard J. Oglesby,
United States Senator, 1873-79, thrice elected governor, distinguished general in Civil War......April 24, 1899
Legislative act appropriating $100,000 to repair and rebuild
Lincoln monument approved by governor......April 24, 1899
Fight between
white and
colored miners at Carterville; six negroes killed......Sept. 17, 1899
President McKinley lays corner-stone of new post-office building,
Chicago......Oct. 9, 1899
Water from
Lake Michigan turned into
Chicago drainage canal......Jan. 2, 1900
Methodist general conference convenes at
Chicago......May 2, 1900
Richard Yates nominated for governor by Republican State convention at
Peoria, on fortieth anniversary of nomination of his father,
Richard Yates, Sr., for same office......May 9, 1900
Democratic State convention at
Springfield nominates
Samuel Alschuler for governor......June 26, 1900
Grand Army of the Republic meets at
Chicago......Aug. 25, 1900
Death of
John A. McClernand, of
Springfield, distinguished Union general in Civil War......Sept. 20, 1900
Death of
John M. Palmer, of
Springfield, distinguished general in Civil War, governor,
United States Senator, and candidate of National Democratic party in 1896 for
President......Sept. 25, 1900
Election carried by Republicans......Nov. 6, 1900
Richard Yates inaugurated governor on fortieth anniversary of inauguration of his father,
Richard Yates, Sr., in same office......Jan. 14, 1901
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328]
S. M. Cullom elected
United States Senator fourth time......Jan. 22, 1901
Removal of bodies of
Abraham Lincoln and members of his family from temporary vault into reconstructed monument at
Springfield......April 24, 1901
John R. Tanner, former governor, dies suddenly at
Springfield......May 23, 1901
Indian Territory 
