125 years ago: An arched bridge to carry the railroad over Silver Creek
Looking back at stories that appeared in the O’Fallon Progress 125, 100, 75, and 50 years ago:
125 years ago, June 23, 1899
“The change in the line of road between O’Fallon and Lebanon, which has been arranged for by the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern Railroad to straighten curves and reduce grades will amount to the building of an entirely new road for almost the entire distance and will involve the excavation of 227,200 cubic yards and a fill of 209,400 cubic yards.
“A steel bridge will be erected over Silver Creek, and a 20-foot masonry arch over the Rock Springs branch.
“The new line will necessitate the demolition or removal of the farm residences of Mrs. A. Runkwitz and P. Munier, in consideration of which they receive $1750 and $2300 respectively. It will also pass directly over the air shaft at the Darrow mine, and the railroad company will fill it and sink a new shaft.
“A saving of only about a quarter of a mile will be effected, the main object being the elimination of a bad reverse curve and the reduction of all heavy grades. The cost will exceed $200,000. Work will begin in a week.”
(This is the present-day CSX Railroad line that is currently no longer in service.)
100 years ago, June 19, 1924
“Every house in O’Fallon has been numbered and every street is now designated by name with the installation of handsome signs at the intersections in an effort to have free city mail delivery inaugurated here.
“The work has been going on for the past week under the supervision of the city council which secured the services of an expert who has been on the job since.
“With the completion of this work, Postmaster Lawrence applied to the post office department to have the mail service installed here. An inspector is to be sent here and after going over the city will in all probability recommend the system as all postal requirements have been met, so far as is known.
“It is believed that the system will be installed within the next few months.
“O’Fallon has been entitled to free city mail delivery for several years. The receipts at the post office have been in excess of the required yearly amount and the city has more than the sufficient number of feet of good sidewalks.
“All that remained to be done was the renaming of certain streets and the numbering of houses.
“The project had its inception about a year ago when the Progress reminded the citizens and council that the service could be inaugurated and all that was necessary was the proper cooperation on the part of our citizens. The council took up the matter at the time but was delayed by getting figures from various firms on the placing of house numbers.
“Recently Postmaster Lawrence became an ardent supporter of the project and with the cooperation of the city council the project was gone into thoroughly with the result that a committee, composed of Aldermen Philip Poser, Thos. M. Meehan and Fred Gill was appointed by Mayor Kampmeyer.
“The committee got busy immediately with the result that O’Fallon’s application is now in the hands of the postal authorities, where it will in all probability be acted upon shortly. Should the service be inaugurated here the work will require the services of two letter carriers, who will receive their appointment through the regular channels of the civil service.
“Two mail deliveries to homes and business places will be made daily, this being the custom in cities the size of O’Fallon.”
(Free mail delivery in the city started the next year on Saturday morning, August 1, 1925. The first two mail carriers were Julius Schalter, Jr. and Wilbur Scott.)
75 years ago, June 23, 1949
“O’Fallon’s latest addition—a city parking lot for the use of auto owners without a fee, is now open to the general public on West First Street from Lincoln Avenue to Cherry Street.
“The parking area was covered with chipped rock, work of which was completed by the city Friday. The plot, formerly known as Woman’s Club Park is being utilized for parking by the city to alleviate traffic congestion on First and State Streets.”
(The parking lot, though now paved, still exists on both sides of the Downtown Caboose.)
50 years ago, June 20, 1974
“Over 85 percent of the mall tenant space at St. Clair Square, Fairview Heights, is now leased or committed, according to William Harding, executive vice-president of the May Stores Shopping Centers, Inc., developer of the center.
“A partial listing of tenants scheduled for the center, which opens this fall, includes: Garlands, Boyds, Worths, Jeans West, Libson Shops, Bakers Shoes, Ludwig Music House, Motherhood Maternity, Kinney Shoes, Hess-Culbertson Jewelers, B. Dalton Bookstore, Foxmoor Casuals, S. G. Adams, Claire’s Boutique, Arthur’s Fashions, and Jaccards.”
