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,
point.
PAST AND PRESENT OF PIKE COUNTY.
incorporated. December 7. Special session
of the Legislature to provide for a
canal loan and to re-district the State.
1836 Old State house torn down and new one
erected. September 8. Elijah P. Lovejoy
issues the first number of "The Observer,"
at Alton.
1837 February. Bill passed making Springfield
future capital. Internal improvement
scheme. July 4. Corner stone of
State House at Springfield
laid. Panic
f
'37- Special session of the Legislature,
July 10-22. November 7. Lovejoy
killed by pro-slavery mob at Alton.
December 4. First Democratic convention
at Vandalia.
1838 Nov. 8. First locomotive in Illinois run
on the Northern Cross Railroad.
1839 Completion of the Northern Cross Railroad
by the State. The first line in Illinois.
Act creating Asylum for the
Deaf and Dumb at Jacksonville.
April
9. First daily paper in the State issued,
"The Daily American," of Chicago. October
7. First Whig convention in the
State. December 9. Special session of
the Legislature at Springfield, the capital
having been removed there during
the year.
1840 November. Special session of the Legislature
to provide money for interest on
State debt. Springfield incorporated as
a city.
1841 $46,289.00 received from Congress as the
share of Illinois from sale of public
lands. Knox college opens.
1842 Call for constitutional convention is defeated.
1843 Act of Legislature puts the State Bank
and the Bank of Illinois into liquidation.
State re-districted. Illinois gets
seven congressmen.
1844 Legislature votes to submit call for constitutional
convention. June 27. Joseph
Smith killed by a mob while in jail at
Carthage.
1846 Call for constitutional convention carried.
Expulsion of the Mormons. Troops
leave Alton for the Mexican war. Lincoln
elected to the Thirtieth Congress.
1847 J ulle 7- Second constitutional convention
met at Springfield. Founding of the Illinois
State Hospital for the Insane at
Jacksonville. First I'niversity of Chicago
chartered.
THE ERA OF SECTIONAL CONFLICT, 1848-1870.
1848 New constitution ratified by the people,
Wisconsin admitted as a state. In spite
of Wisconsin's opposition, Congress
confirmed the northern boundary of Illinois
as established by the enabling act
of 1818. Illinois-Michigan canal completed.
First boat, "General Thornton,"
passes the entire length
of the canal,
April 23.
1849 Special session of Legislature charters Institution
for the Blind at Jacksonville ;
passes resolutions in favor of the "Wilmot
Proviso enacts ;''
township organization
law.
1850 Congressional land grant for the Illinois
Central Railroad.
1851 Completion of the Bloody Island dike, op;
posite St. Louis. The Illinois Central
Railroad Company incorporated. First
geological survey provided for.
1852 June. Special session of Legislature enacted
laws relating to. swamp, seminary,
and canal lands. Congressional re-appointment.
Illinois gets nine congressmen.
1853 January
i. State debt reaches highest
$16,724,177. State Agricultural
Society incorporated. First state fair
held at Springfield. Act providing for
the erection of an executive mansion.
Sale of remaining lands of the State
1854 Special session of the Legislature re-appointed
the State for the General Assembly
and established the office of
State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Ninian W. Edwards appointed
first
superintendent.
1855 General education act; basis of the present
school system.