A look at
Minonk's past

Big Bend Veteran Reunion - 1896 booklet

BUSINESSES

BRICKYARDS

In 1869 Ed. Goodwin started a brickyard and has continued the manufacture of brick ever since. He makes a splendid quality of brick, which meets with ready sale.

The Eagle brick works were established April 1, 1889, by Joseph Stonier and Thomas Willey. They employed sixteen men and made 1,500,000 brick the first year. In 1890 Mr. Stonier bought out the interest of Mr. Wiley; and in 1893 Mr. Stonier sold the yard to T. P. Clarke and Daniel Nellinger, who conducted the business until 1896 when Mr. Nellinger sold his interest to Joe Pickard. The new firm is doing a large business.

PRIEBE & SIMATER

Among other enterprises in Minonk that pay out a large amount of money every year to the farmers in this locality, is the produce firm of Priebe & Simater. Mr. Priebe started this business seventeen years ago. On January 30, 1885, he and F. J. Simater formed a partnership and increased the business. They afterward put up a large building. In 1892 they put in a cold storage plant, and built an addition to the building. In 1895 they put in the Ammonia system of cold storage, and added another room to their building. They are the heaviest shippers of poultry and eggs in the state of Illinois, and have branch houses in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, and sell poultry all through the east, and in Europe.

MINONK LIBRARY

The Minonk Library was established about 1881, by private parties paying $5 each into a fund. The membership fee was afterwards raised to $10. The books were kept in the Minonk bank until 1885, when they moved into the post office and John M. Golden appointed librarian. The library contains a large number of standard works and is a worthy enterprise.

OLDEST BUSINESS MEN

The men doing business in Minonk today that were here twenty-five or thirty years ago are easy to count. Dr. E. A. Wilcox came here in 1859 and opened up his office as physician. He is still in active practice.

B. M. Stoddard came in 1865 and engaged in the general merchandise business with G. R. Newton. For eleven years he sold goods, then went into the grain business and is so engaged at the present time.

Fred Holmes came in 1859 and worked at the carpenter trade, which business he still follows.

Philander Welch settled here in 1860 and worked at his trade of plasterer and bricklayer. While not actively engaged now he still does a little in that line.

James A. Simpson started in the general merchandise business in 1865, but afterwards went into the grain business, and is still engaged therein.

Tom Pickard started a blacksmith shop in 1867, and although his business has branched into other lines, he still runs a blacksmith shop.

J. M. Fort opened his law office in 1870, and is yet engaged in the practice of his profession. He is also our present city attorney.

Champ Newton opened up a lumberyard in 1861. In 1863 H. R. Kipp bought the business. After the close of the war in 1865, A. B. Kipp came to Minonk and entered into partnership with his brother, but has been sole proprietor of the business for many years.

C. W. Goodrich and Son bought the lumberyard owned by Revilo Newton in 1873 and Frank Goodrich now conducts the business.

In the hurry of getting up this sketch, we may have omitted mention of some deserving person, but from the information at hand this is as correct a possible to be obtained.

MINONK ELECTRIC LIGHT & POWER CO

The Minonk Electric Light and Power Co., was incorporated in February 1890, with a capital stock of $15,000, and has done a general lighting business. The plant consists of two boilers, two engines, two incandescent dynamos, one municipal dynamo and one arc machine, with several miles of pole line. It is a well built and equipped plant, with everything conveniently arranged, and the company is doing everything in its power to give their patrons a good and satisfactory light; and its constant increasing patronage is the best evidence they can present that their efforts are appreciated by citizens and businessmen of the city. The officers of the company are: President-A. B. Kipp; secretary-N. L. Davison, Jr.; treasurer and general manager-Josiah Kerrick. The stock-holders are the same as when first organized, with the exception of Hon. M. L. Newell and George W. Webber. Mr. Webber moved to California, and Mr. Newell to Springfield, Illinois. Their stock was purchased by B. M. Stoddard.

HOMESTEAD & LOAN ASSOCIATION

The Minonk Homestead & Loan Association was organized March 14, 1888. The association has prospered and has been the means of enabling many of our citizens to obtain homes on the payment plan. Following is a statement of the business on June 15, 1896: Loans in force $24,985.00; Shares in force, 646, Share-holders 81. DIRECTORS.

H. Hesse, H. A. Miller, J. Stonier, J. Erbland, Josiah Kerrick, Ed Jordan, C. M. Golden, W. F. Priebe, S. L. Zinser.
President-W. F. Priebe.
Secretary-C. M. Golden. The association has never had a foreclosure, and is in a most flourishing condition. The expenses have only been 2 percent per annum.

CHICAGO & MINONK COAL AND TILE WORKS

The Minonk Coal Company was incorporated in 1869. The project was originated by Dr. Samuel Ewers. The first board of directors were: Frank Burt, Horace R. Kipp, M. L. Newell, J. D. Webber, H. C. Dent, Charles Whitaker and Dr. Samuel Ewers. Dr. Ewers was president and manager. The stock was fixed at $6,000 at $25 per share. Coal was found at a depth of 314 feet, and was four foot thick. The quality was poor and it was not thought advisable to work it, so the stock was sold and the company reorganized with the following directors: H. R. Kipp, C. Sharp, Sr., Harrison Simpson, Samuel Work, Frank Burt, Rev. Thompson, Milton Davison and Charles Whitaker. The new company found a second vein of coal from two and a half to three feet in thickness at a depth of 553 feet. The company found themselves unable to proceed with the work, so a partnership was formed with Miner T. Ames of Chicago, who furnished enough capital to proceed with the work for a time. The old stockholders could not keep up their share of expenses so they sold out to a company known as the Chicago & Minonk Coal & Coke Company, with Miner T. Ames, as president and general manager in which capacity he continued up to the time of his death January 13, 1890.

After the death of Mr. Ames the property passed into the control of Irene C. Ames, who retained the management until June 25, 1892, at which time adult heirs, consisting of Knowlton L. Ames, Jane R. A. Ross and Harriet C. Ames took charge of the property with K. L. Ames as general manager, in which capacity he is acting at present time.

A new cable engine has been placed in the mines, and about three hundred men are employed in mining coal. The tile and brick works employ 100 men and turn out an immense quantity of vitrified drain tile, paving brick, sidewalk brick and hollow brick every year.

The big store at the mines was burned in 1889, and then the store was established uptown. During the present year Mr. Ames erected a handsome department store of three rooms on the corner west of Stoddard's elevator. The building is 80x100 feet and handsomely fitted-up with oak counters and fixtures and contains a $40,000 stock of merchandise and a refrigerating machine for meats, butter, eggs, etc.

WATERWORKS

In 1887 the question of putting in a system of waterworks was agitated. On July 6 of that year the city council took the matter up. M. Gulshen made a motion to bond the city in the sum of $10,000, (the bonds to draw 5 percent interest) for the purpose of erecting a system of water works. The motion carried, all the aldermen voting for it as follows: M. Gulshen, Joe Stoneman, J. E. Sangster, N. L. Davison, Jr., E. A. Ewen and D. W. Davison. Josiah Kerrick was mayor at the time. Appropriation Ordinance No. 172 was passed, and the contract for putting in the works let to Fairbanks, Morse & Co., of Chicago, for $9,825. The system was defective, and was not accepted and paid for until September 2, 1889. The old wooden mains have been mostly replaced since with iron pipes. The tower is also in bad shape and the city council now contemplate putting in a new modern style tower of brick and steel this fall. The waterworks have saved the town in several instances from disastrous fires, and are worth many times their cost.