Reminiscences: Chapter 4

Reminiscences of Early Peoria
by Odillon B. Slane

Chapter 4
page 16

A PROPHECY

IN the spring of 1832, a group of pioneers were sitting on a log, whittling and speculating on the future of the country. They included John Hamlin, Seth Fulton, Alexander Colwell, John Colwell, his brother, and Benjamin Slane. They were looking off across the Illinois river and my grandfather remarked idly, "Some day there'll be a bridge across the river."

There was much laughter and probably some jesting at the expense of my grandfather. "Well," he said defensively, "of course it won't come in my day. None of us will live to see it, but eventually there will be such a bridge." And strange to say, all of these men lived to see just such a bridge across the Illinois river and John Hamlin owned stock in the first one built. I relate this story to show how little those villagers dreamed of the great city that was to grow up here.

Chapter 3 Chapter 5

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