History of Springfield, Illinois, its attractions as a home and advantages for business, manufacturing, etc. Pub. under the auspices of the Springfield board of trade, by J. C. Power.

18 SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, AND
close of the war, the hotel accommoda- election, sent out private invitations, to
tions of Springfield were inadequate to some forty or fifty of the most prominent
the demands of the public. In order to business men, to meet him on a certain
supply the deficiency, a joint stock com- evening in a hall, named in the invitapany was organized, and in 1866 the tion. When they were assembled, Mayor
magnificent Leland Hotel was erected Bradford was called on to preside and
and furnished at a cost of $350,000. It state the object of the meeting. He inwas opened to the public, on the assem- formed them that it was to hold a conbling of the Legislature, Jan. 1, 1867. sultation with reference to bringing the
MOVEMEA vOnR A NEW STATE HOUSE. subject of building a new Capitol for the
~ov~.~EME FOR A NEW STATE HIOUSE.
State, before the General Assembly, for
For several years prior to this time, it its action at the prochin session
was apparent to all business men and
was apparent to all business men and After the delivery of a brief address by
politicians, who had occasion to visit
Sprinfield tt. tile Mayor, a general interchange of views
Springfield, that the butlding of a new llowed, when it was found that the
X followed, when it was found that the
State House could not be much longer feeling was almost unanimous in favor of
delayed. The State had outgrown its action. By subsequent meetings and
public buildings so much that its records consultations with the board of Superviwere unsafe, and many branches of its
sors for Sangaton county and the city
official business had to be transacted in authorities of Springfield, those two or-a.wuthorities of Springfield, those two orrented buildings, where much of its valu-
ganizations were ready to purchase the
able property was exposed at all times to old State House for the use of the county
the dangers of destruction by fire. There and city, in the event of the General Asand city, in the event of the General Asbegan to be intimations thrown out that
sembly deciding to erect a new one.
when the question did come up for legislation, other important towns would LA-W PROVIDING FOR BUILDING A NEW
endeavor to bring influences to bear irn CAPITOL.
favor of re-location and removal. Accordingly, when the Legislature asThese difficulties were foreseen and sembled, Mr. Conkling presented a bill
understood by the citizens of Springfield, providing for the erection of a new State
and although it was felt to be an obstacle Capitol at Springfield, and laid it before
to the growth of the city, yet all seemed the House of Representatives early in
disposed to put off the evil day as long the session. It was referred to the comas possible. During the summer of 1866, mittee on public buildings; and after reHon. J. C. Conkling became a candidate maining in their hands several weeks,
for a seat in the lower branch of the during which time some changes were
General Assembly, with the view of ma- made, the principal one being an increase
king the question of building a new of the amount to be paid for the old
State House a prominent subject before State House. It was reported back to the
the Legislature, if elected. Mr. Conkling House, with the unanimous recommenwent before the people upon this ques- dation that it be adopted. It passed
tion and the politics of the day, and was both Houses, and was approved by Gov.
elected, although his opponent was R. J. Oglesby, Feb. 25, 1867, with a supfriendly to the move for a new State plementary act two days later.
House also. The election was held in This law provided, first, for the conveyNovember, 1866. ance by the Governor, of the public
Hon. John S. Bradford was Mayor of square, containing two and a half acres
Springfield at the time, and in conse- of land, with the State House upon it, to
quence of the general feeling on the State Sangamon county and the city of SpringHouse question, he, soon after the State field, in consideration of $200,000, to be