Wood River Newspaper Articles (includes Brushy Grove)
Wood River and Benbow City history | Benbow City Newspaper Articles
NEWS FROM BRUSHY GROVE
Source: Alton Daily Telegraph, April 19, 1888
Since the rain of Monday last, everything looks fresh and
spring-like. The wheat though somewhat winter-killed begins to look
green, and farmers are busy engaged in potato planting and preparing
ground for melons. Mr. John Henry has brought to his farm a fine
herd of cattle of the Brown Swiss breed.
The membership of Brushy Grove Church is steadily on the increase.
Three persons received into the church last month, and others
waiting for immersion. There will be a supper given at the church,
with the proceeds to go toward liquidating the expenses of the
church.
NEWS FROM BRUSHY GROVE
Source: Alton Daily Telegraph, May 17, 1888
A great amount of good has resulted to pasturage and crops from the
late rains. The wheat looks well, and farmers feel encouraged.
The Brushy Grove School, taught by Miss Alice McCarthy, closed
Tuesday with appropriate exercises, consisting of instrumental and
vocal music, recitations, declamations, and dialogues. The children
all performed their parts in a manner to reflect credit on
themselves and teacher. Miss McCarthy’s patrons have been highly
pleased with her efforts during the four years she has been with us,
and have engaged her services for another term.
FIVE MEN SHOOT OUT WINDOWS IN OFFICER’S HOME
Source: Belvidere Daily Republican, July 16, 1924
Courtesy of Pam Paladin, granddaughter of Chief Witherow
From Wood River, Illinois, July 16 – The home of Chief of Police J.
F. Witherow was bombarded by five men early today, several volleys
of bullets being fired through the house while Witherow, his wife,
and five children were sleeping inside. No one was injured.
Witherow saw five men deliberately directing their fire upon his
home, but the assailants escaped in a large touring car before he
could catch them. Witherow was at a loss to account for the assault.
Every pane of glass in the front of the house was broken by the
volleys.
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, July 16, 1924
The home of John Witherow, Chief of Police of Wood River, was the
scene of a murderous attack a few minutes after 2 o’clock this
morning, according to evidence given by bullet and shot holes, and
by members of the Witherow family. The belief of the Chief of Police
is that he was followed to his home by a gang in an automobile, and
that his house was shot up in an effort to get him. He attributes
the shooting to a desire on the part of some interested persons to
revenge themselves on him for trying to enforce the law in Wood
River.
According to Mr. Witherow’s statement this morning, he had been out
until a late hour attending to some special duties, the nature of
which he said he could not at present divulge. He had been home
earlier, and was called out. He went back home about 2 o’clock, and
stepped into the bathroom. While he was there, the room from which
he had just stepped was swept by a fusillade of bullets. They were
coming from revolvers of men in an automobile across the street,
described as a Hudson super six. Some of the bullets went through
the side of the house and through walls. Some went through windows
and screens. One bullet passed within a few feet of where Mrs.
Witherow was in her bed. Several bullets passed into the room where
four of Witherow’s sons were sleeping. Several bullets might have
been hit by one bullet, which seemed to be going on a line for him,
but it was interrupted by a stove. Mr. Witherow said that he had no
light in the house, which might have accounted for the confusion of
the aim of the shooters. He was of the opinion that the gang who did
the shooting thought he was in the bedroom or in the living room.
The bullets ranged through the rooms, making it extremely dangerous
for anyone who was in the house, except in the bathroom, where
Witherow was.
Mr. Witherow has been very active in Wood River in his efforts at
law enforcement, and he says that he undoubtedly has made some
enemies, but he is not at all frightened by the experience he had
last night.
Recently there was a similar occurrence reported at East Alton, when
the home of Constable Henry Lawrence was shot into at night, and at
that time the shooting was attributed to persons seeking revenge for
some of the activities of Lawrence against violators of the law.
A reward of $100 was offered today by the mayor of Wood River for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons who
fired upon the Chief’s home.
Source: Source: Edwardsville Intelligencer, July 16, 1924
The front of the home of Chief of Police J. F. Witherow of Wood
River was shot full of holes in a regular Jesse James scene, staged
this morning at 2:20 o’clock. The several windows are shattered, one
being broken out for the entire length. Others are so badly cracked
that they must be replaced. The front of the home is peppered with
scores of pellets fired from several shotgun shells.
Patrolman Elmer Miller was standing within less than three blocks of
Chief Witherow’s home. He counted five reports from shotgun shells,
and believes there were a number of revolver shots which failed to
hit the dwelling. Chief Witherow lives at the corner of Condit and
Chessen Avenues.
Chief Witherow did not sleep soundly last night, and a few moments
before the attack upon his home got up to get a drink of water. He
was about ready to return to bed, when startled by the first shot.
He rushed to a window and saw the flashes of the firearms as the
shots were being fired with deliberate aim at his residence. He
hurriedly dressed to join in a pursuit. From the place occupied by
Chief Witherow, he was able to see the outlines of a big Hudson
touring car, parked in the street. He could also see the forms of at
least five men in the automobile.
Patrolman Miller organized a posse and chased the auto for several
miles. He said there were five men in the car, and identified it as
a Hudson. The officer was so near at one time that he observed the
machine was without a license.
Patrolman Miller jumped into an automobile as the party fled from
Wood River. He observed the men took a course toward Roxana.
Hurriedly assembling several men, the party followed. The Hudson
went as far south as Roxana, and turned west over the cinder road to
Hartford. At Hartford, the driver turned south. The roads were clear
at the time, and both cars made high speeds. The posse lost traces
of the Hudson in the vicinity of Chouteau Slough.
Chief of Police Witherow, his wife, and five children live in the
home. On one in the family was hurt. With high-powered revolver
shells, the bullets will easily pierce the wall and endanger the
occupants of the residence.
The affair at Wood River is causing considerable feeling among
residents today, following upon a similar one at East Alton less
than two weeks ago, in which an attack was made upon the home of
Constable Henry Lawrence. A shotgun and revolvers were used in the
attack at the Lawrence home. Three shotgun shells and nine bullets
from revolvers were fired. The aim was low, most of the damage being
done below the line of the window sills. The revolver bullets passed
into the house.
According to reports, Mrs. Lawrence has been near a nervous collapse
since the attack. She and the two small children have been with
relatives at Moro since the affair.
Constable Lawrence was active in liquor raids during the past
several months, and the Wood River police department has been called
upon to make a number of investigations. It was believed today that
the work of the officers prompted the night raiders, and the same
men may have figured in both jobs. Plans used were very much the
same.
Chief Witherow took charge of the investigation at Wood River early
this morning. He and other officers are working on a number of
clues.
NOTES:
According to Pam Paladin, granddaughter of Chief Witherow, her
father, nine years of age, was in the home at the time of the
shooting. Chief Witherow’s wife was pregnant at the time. After the
shooting, the children were driven to and from school for a while.
In 1926, Chief Witherow ran for sheriff, and again in 1930 and 1934.
He lost the elections. This time period was during prohibition, and
may have been caused by efforts to stop gang violence, bootlegging,
and “speakeasies” (illegal drinking establishments).
TOWN OF WOOD RIVER BORN YESTERDAY
Fred Penning Divides Farm into Town Site
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, May 2, 1907
The town of Wood River was born yesterday and christened the same day. It is located south of East Alton in Wood River Township, and consists of 80 acres of high, floodless land lying just north of the Standard Oil tract, and is what is left of the Penning farm, the remainder being sold to the oil company. Mr. Penning was in Alton Thursday and said that County Surveyor, W. H. Morgan, completed the work of surveying and subdividing into lots and acre tracts yesterday. The plat will be made as soon as possible and after that the building of the town will begin. Mr. Penning will sell in lots or in tracts, and some lot purchasers have already appeared.
NOTES:
Frederick “Fred” Penning was born in Germany on November 9, 1848. He was the son of Albert and Trientje (Jeuting) Penning. They came to America in 1857, setting in Moro. After the Civil War, Fred married Frances Hendricks on October 15, 1869. They lived in St. Louis, where he worked as a laborer. When they moved back to Illinois, Fred borrowed $500, and purchased 80 acres of timberland in Wood River Township, Madison County. He cleared the land and established a large watermelon farm. Over the years Fred continued to buy more land, until his holdings included the area from Sixth Street (in present-day Wood River) to as far south as Madison Avenue. He sold much of his land to Standard Oil at $400 an acre. Fred died in June 1927, and is buried in the Wanda Cemetery in South Roxana. His wife died in 1931, and is also buried there.
STANDARD OIL ERECTING LARGEST OIL REFINERY IN THE WORLD
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, June 15, 1907
From the East St. Louis Journal
At Benbow City, formerly Wood River, Illinois, just sixteen miles
from East St. Louis, and about seven miles from Alton, the Standard
Oil Company is now erecting the largest oil refinery plant in the
world, and a city of tents and frame shacks has sprung up as if by
magic out of the wheat fields, along the tracks of the East St.
Louis and Alton street railway company, the Chicago and Alton, the
Big Four, the C., P. and St. L., the C. B. and Q., and the Illinois
Terminal railway, all of which run parallel with the new town, while
the Illinois Terminal connects with the Illinois Central, Clover
Leaf Route, Wabash and the Litchfield and Madison, and will soon
connect with the B. and O. at Maryville.
The big plant, in course of construction, now employs 700 men, and
within a short time the construction force will be increased to
4,000 or 5,000 men, and the greatest need of the new city at present
is living accommodations for this army of workmen, as hundreds of
them are now obliged to sleep in tents and some of them at present
are even sleeping out by the side of campfires.
Amos E. Benbow, who originally owned all of the land on which the new
city now stands, has sold over fifty lots for business and residence
purposes in the past few days, and the business people are starting
the erection of business houses immediately, and there will be work
at Benbow City from now on for hundreds of men in the building
trades.
Another feature of this great Standard Oil plant will be that they
will not only refine oil, but they will manufacture their own cars
for shipping, also all their barrels will be made at the big
cooperage now being erected at Benbow City, while a large eastern
chemical concern will erect a plant adjoining the refinery to
utilize the waste product, making Vaseline, paraffin and wax, while
the Standard Oil company will erect a plant to manufacture candles
from the wax residue.
Four large cold storage plants will be erected at Benbow City, one
by the Anheuser-Busch Co., one by the East St. Louis and New Athens
Brewing Co., one by the Wagner Brewing Co., and the Columbia Brewing
Co. will also erect one, while the East St. Louis and New Athens Co.
are preparing to erect a large two-story hotel building.
From all indications, Benbow City will soon be a city in fact, as
well as in name, and Mr. Benbow in an interview yesterday stated
that the city would be incorporated within the next ninety days.
Real estate prices in the new city are advancing rapidly, and within
the next six months Benbow City will assuredly have a population of
over 5,000 people.
The magnitude of the plant being erected by the Standard Oil company
is so great, that words cannot describe it, and the visitor to
Benbow City, with its white tents and rude new buildings hastily
erected, its hundreds of workingmen pushing on the great plant, is
impressed by the spirit of hustle and energy, and the way the town
has sprung up in a night reminds one of a page from the Arabian
Nights, but the spirit of American energy displayed in this future
great city shows it is no dream, but a reality.
Anyone wishing to spend a profitable half-day can get on the Alton
car at Third and Broadway, and in less than an hour's time he can
alight in Benbow City and see a big manufacturing city budding from
out of the wheat fields. Many people think there are oil and gas in
Benbow City. We know there is ginger there.
WOOD RIVER DANCE
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, March 13, 1912
The dance given by John Carstens and Elbert Shepherd was well
attended last night, it was given in honor of the birthdays of
Carstens and Shepherd.
WOOD RIVER HISTORY
Source: Syracuse, New York Daily Journal, July 15, 1912
Alter three years of planning, the Standard Oil Company, which owns
the refinery at Wood River, Illinois, is ready to realize its dream
of a model city for employees. After the refinery was in operation,
the men who operate it began to settle near the works, and the
village of Wood River was founded. But another settlement beat the
village to the name, and it was necessary for it to be known as East
Wood River until it absorbed the other town. Then a fine school
building and model homes were erected. Next plans were made for
electric lighting. Sewer contracts will be let at once, and a water
system will be in operation by Christmas. This ends a struggle of
three years made by the Standard Oil Company to make its town
habitable.
WOOD RIVER FAMOUS FORTY BAND
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, June 01, 1914
The Wood River Famous Forty Band, which has been renamed the Stocker
Band, gave their excursion Saturday night on the steamer Sidney, and
there was a large attendance of Alton people. The boat stopped at
Wood River on the return from a day trip to Jefferson Barracks, and
at Alton the steamer was boarded by a large number of Alton people.
The excursion was well patronized. During the evening the Famous
Forty gave a good musical program, which was a very delightful
feature of the outing.
The Famous Forty has another reason for being famous aside from the
wonderful proficiency in music it has achieved in a short time under
the leadership of Dr. A. Don Stocker. It has enlisted in its numbers
the youngest drummer boy, it is claimed, in the country - six years
old *Paul S. Cousley, who drummed with the band Saturday night. He
wore the regular uniform of the band and played the drum through the
entire musical program the Famous Forty gave. The Wood River band
started a few years ago with only a few experienced musicians. Under
the direction of Dr. Stocker, they have arrived at a degree of
musicianship that is very gratifying to their leader and is the
wonder and admiration of all who hear them play. The band, in a few
years more, will become one of the really big musical organizations
in Madison County, a class that occasionally has a new recruit added
to it, and in which the Famous Forty will take a conspicuous place.
NOTES:
The popular Wood River Famous Forty Band (Standard Oil Company
band), was organized in about 1911, and was directed by Dr. A. Don
Stocker. The band was the forerunner of the Wood River Municipal
Band. Stocker was a local dentist, and his two sons, Raymond
(pianist who became a motion picture music consultant) and Leonard
(concert baritone who specialized in Gilbert and Sullivan works)
were in the band. His wife was also a musician. Dr. Stocker’s
brother, Robert, later directed the band.
In 1923, the band members included Tom Johnson, Frank Head, Ed
Berger, H. Schudt, T. Point, B. Hannoll, W. Elliott, E. Hartwig, C.
Berry, C. Vandusen, F. Diest, L. Stocker, William Woods, L. Dodd, W.
Crocker, and E. Boedecker.
The six-year-old boy who was the drummer in the band in 1914, Paul
S. Cousley, later became the third Cousley to serve as editor of the
Alton Telegraph. The first Cousley to serve as editor of the
Telegraph was John A., then Paul B. Cousley.
WOOD RIVER FLOOD
Source: New York Times, new York, NY, August 21, 1915
The storm that devastated the Texas Gulf Coast last Monday and
Tuesday, sweeping northward, struck St. Louis and surrounding
communities with diminished fury last night and today, bringing with
it the heaviest downpour in the history of the city, and causing a
flood that drove hundreds of city and suburban residents from their
homes. Up to 5 o'clock tonight the rainfall since the storm began
was 5.95 inches. The 500 residents of Benbow City and West Wood
River were warned of the oncoming flood by two men on horseback,
who, preceding the water by a few minutes, rode through the streets
calling, "Run for your lives!" The entire population of both towns
sought refuge in the city of Wood River. Four hundred employees of
the Western Cartridge Company and the Equitable Powder Company in
East Alton escaped the wall of rushing water. The property loss of
these two plants alone was estimated at more than $200,000. A
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis train, with seventy-five
passengers, was caught between two streams of flood water and was
stalled. Efforts to remove the passengers by boat were begun.
PLAN TO SAVE BRUSHY GROVE CHURCH AND SCHOOLHOUSE
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, May 4, 1916
Sentiment is going to figure largely in the effort of residents near
the Brushy Grove Church and school near Wood River, to save the
church and school from being torn down. The old residents who have
lived in that vicinity so long, and have attended school there as
early as the 1850, do not wish to see the schoolhouse or church done
away with, and they are going to make an attempt to resist the
purpose of landowners to swallow up the land occupied by the church
and school and the old road which leads there. The school is over
fifty-five years old. S. G. Cooper, Justice of the Peace of East
Alton, attended school there in 1859 and 1860. In 1887, additional
ground was given by the Hon. D. B. Gillham of Upper Alton for a
Baptist Church. The condition imposed on the grant was that
religious services should be held once a year. Of late, interest in
church work has died out at Brushy Grove, and it may be possible
that the will to the land now held by H. H. Stahlhut through
purchase from the Gillham heirs, may be good.
The old road leading to the church and school is not used, and it is
understood that property owners along the old road are seeking to
reacquire the land which was used by the road. In that case, all
access to the Brushy Grove Church and school will be shut off.
SULLIVAN COAL AND ICE COMPANY WILL BUILD ICE PLANT
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, October 03, 1918
The Sullivan Coal and Ice Company this morning received priority
orders from Washington D. C. for the erection of an ice plant at
Wood River. The work of the erection will commence at once when
completed will be a big thing for both Wood River and Alton. The
news of the priority orders being received will be of great interest
in both Alton and Wood River, as up to this time the Alton plants
have been supplying Wood River. In the past, when an ice shortage
occurred in Alton, the Wood River people were unable to get any cold
comfort, as the Alton dealers were supplied first. When the large,
new plant is completed, the owners can assist in supplying Alton
after taking care of Wood River and vicinity. For some time, F. R.
Sullivan has been planning to build the plant, but the war [WWI]
interfered with his plans and he was uncertain whether or not the
building could be erected until Washington was consulted and the
priority order secured. The priority orders also give permission for
the obtaining of ammonia when the manufacturing of ice commences.
The permit received this morning authorizes the Henry Vogt Machine
Company of Louisville to use and assemble necessary materials for
the ice plant in preference to all lower building classifications.
R. W. May of the Vogt Company of Louisville was in Wood River this
morning in conference with the Sullivan Coal & Ice Company, relative
to the adopting of building plans.
FAMOUS HEAD TRACT IS SOLD TO SYNDICATE –
DEAL FOR ADDITION IN WOOD RIVER IS CLOSED
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, June 23, 1920
One of the biggest land deals in the Wood River district in recent
years came to a close early today, when a syndicate of men bought
the property south of and adjoining what is now known as Head's
addition in Wood River, from J. Augustine Head of Alton. According
to real estate authorities in Alton, the land is the best piece of
real estate left in the Wood River district, and brought the biggest
price ever paid in that district for acres. The purchase price was
$65,000 for 43 acres. The purchasers interested in the deal are the
Harnett-Eggman Realty Co., Oscar Sotier of Alton, Clarence Hale of
Alton, Frank Rippley of Grafton, Thomas M. Holdman of East St.
Louis, and I. C. Hatridge of Wood River. The transfer of this
property recalls its early history, when "Tiny" Head became famous
because of the muskmelons called "gems" which he raised on the land.
It also marks the remarkable enhancement of property value in the
Wood River district since fourteen years ago when Head sold the
present site of the Standard Oil Company to that firm for $60 an
acre. At that time, it was believed Head was making money on that
land. The property sold by Head today for $1,500 an acre is just
across the street from the Standard Oil site on the
Alton-Edwardsville Road, and reveals an obviously remarkable
enhancement in value. According to Mr. Harnett of the Harnett-Eggman
Realty Co., which originated and pushed the deal through, the 43
acres will be subdivided into lots for houses, and it is intended to
make it the finest residential district in Wood River.
WOOD RIVER ROBBERY
Source: Watertown, New York Daily Times, August 4, 1921
Three bandits today held up and slugged Tommy Felaido, a post office
messenger at Wood River, Illinois, and escaped with three mail pouches,
one of which was believed to have contained $60,000 in currency
consigned to the Standard Oil Refinery at Wood River. The robbery
occurred shortly after the pouches had been thrown from a train from
St. Louis. Felaido met the train, placed the pouches in a push cart
and started for the post office across the tracks, when the armed
trio stepped from an automobile, commanded him to throw up his
hands, threw up pouches in the automobile, and escaped. An hour
later an abandoned automobile was found in a corn field five miles
south of Edwardsville, Ill. A rifled mail pouch containing parcel
post matter addressed to Wood River residents was found nearby.