100 years ago: Editorial comes out strong against ‘joy riding’ in O’Fallon
100 years ago, Nov. 26, 1925
O’Fallon Progress editorial titled “Perils of Joy Riding.”
Each Sunday as regularly as church bells ring automobiles collide on the highways near O’Fallon. Either speed, carelessness, liquor or just plain unadulterated cussedness is at the back of a majority of the wrecks.
The road hogs, those despicable bestial genera that command and take both sides of the road in utter contemptible heedlessness of others’ rights, should be subjected to the punishment commensurate with the high-handedness of their crime. This specie of the brute is probably the cause of a majority of the accidents. When people go out for pleasure rides they generally like to saunter along, travelling just fast enough to stir up a breeze.
The more intelligent keep to the right of the road, and when they meet the huffish autoist who autocratically forces them into ditches or strike them broad-side or head-on without fair warning, then you can’t blame the pleasure seekers for wanting to convert their motor vehicles into road arsenals.
Within the city limits of O’Fallon few automobile accidents occur. It’s on the open road where the hog, unrestrained, shows his porkish nature. But what’s the use to write vehemently of swine. Usurping space is the innermost desire of the calloused soul.
75 years ago, Nov. 23, 1950
Rounding out his 50th year as operator of a large clothing store here, Louis Allen expressed heartfelt thanks to the people of O’Fallon and is grateful for the trick of fate that first brought him to the city.
Allen, 78 years old and still active in the business, recalls with a twinkle in his eyes how he “chose” O’Fallon for a home and place of business. As a poor immigrant, Allen, in common with many in the 1890’s began his career as a peddler of household goods and wearing apparel.
On his first day, after stocking up in St. Louis wholesale houses and walking across the Eads bridge, Allen found himself at the Relay Depot in East St. Louis. His net cash on hand amounted to 50 cents.
Where the best market lay was a mystery to the newcomer to the arena of merchandising. Approaching the ticket window he laid the 50-cent piece on the counter and asked for half dollars’ worth of transportation. O’Fallon was exactly 50 cents away from East St. Louis so Allen arrived here by train and began what has been an unusually successful business career.
However, the start was not easy. For one thing Allen was met at the train by the village marshal who demanded that he buy a peddler’s license. The cost was $1.75 and could just as well have been $1,000 for the train ride had exhausted his resources.
The town clerk and the marshal knew that to put Allen in jail would not put money in the village treasury, so they released him to sell goods so that the license could be paid. The first day’s business was successful and Allen returned that night and bought a license for three months. He has been doing business in O’Fallon and surrounding territory ever since.
For the first four years he walked from farmhouse to farmhouse throughout the area, going to Shiloh, Lebanon, Summerfield and other places in the vicinity. However, after four years he was able to buy a horse and wagon and started his business career in earnest.
By 1901 Allen was able to make the plunge into a store of his own. Starting where Beckman’s barber shop is now located he opened a general store that stocked everything from stoves to beans. In the same year he moved to his present location, using only one-half the downstairs.
Now the business occupies the entire building with a complete line of clothing. With him in the store is his son Harry. Two other sons operate Allen Foods, Inc., in St. Louis. The wholesale food business was started in O’Fallon but moved to St. Louis last year.
Asked if he would do it over again, Allen said he would rather be in O’Fallon than anywhere else on earth.
Allen’s store was located next door to the east of Wood Bakery on West First Street. The building was destroyed by fire in 1953.
50 years ago, Nov. 27, 1975
I-64 to Open. Important sections of highway were scheduled for opening in this area during the week, bringing to a close years of construction and awaiting completion. Interstate 64 from Illinois 159 in Fairview Heights to U.S. 50 was scheduled for opening Wednesday. Final preparations for the opening were completed Tuesday.
The $4.3 million project was completed by S. J. Groves Inc. and Hoeffken Brothers Inc. The interstate now stretches from U.S. 50 to the west to Illinois 111.
Completion of the remainder of I-64 to the east to Illinois 158 is scheduled to be done within the next few weeks. In addition to the I-64 opening, the two lane section of U.S. 50 from Hartman lane to the O’Fallon Spur was opened late Friday afternoon. The overpass over I-64 runs into a third turning lane at the O’Fallon Spur for convenience of turners onto West State Street.
Spokesmen for the Illinois Department of Transportation said completion of I-64 in this area and the opening of U.S. 50 brings the department closer to completion of the overall highway project here.
The department must wait a few weeks for finishing touches to I-64 to the east at Illinois 158. Ramps to and from I-64 to Illinois 158 must be completed. Motorists must exit at U.S. 50 to get to Illinois 158 at the present time. When the junction with Illinois 158 is complete, motorists will be able to drive to Indiana on the interstate.