Community News
Gillespie Police Report: July 30-August 5, 2023
SUNDAY, JULY 30, 2023
An officer was dispatched to a business in the 100 block of North Macoupin Street in reference to aggravated battery.
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of Springfield Road in East Gillespie in reference to criminal trespass to property.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of South 6th Street in Benld in reference to a theft.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Macoupin Street and Chestnut Street. David W. Burris, 64, of Spaulding was issued a citation for suspended registration.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of Broadway Street in reference to an alarm sounding.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of South Macoupin Street in reference to a well-being check.
An officer was dispatched to the 900 block of Springfield Road in East Gillespie in reference to an alarm sounding.
An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to hearing noises across the field from the 800 block of Harding Avenue in East Gillespie.
MONDAY, JULY 31, 2023
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Lincoln Street and Edgar Street in Eagarville. Kellen T. Kolesar, 38 of Benld was arrested for driving on a revoked driver’s license and operating a vehicle with a suspended registration.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of South 4th Street in Benld to assist Animal Control.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of North Lincoln in Eagarville to assist with a civil standby.
An officer was dispatched to Osie Street and Green Street in reference to a suspicious person.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of East Oak Street in reference to to a 911 hang up.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a dog at large in the 400 block of Burton Street.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a violation of an order of protection.
An officer was dispatched to the 900 block of North Hard Road in Mt. Clare in reference to a child custody exchange.
An officer was dispatched to the 400 block of East Elm Street in reference to a suspicious noise.
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of East Walnut in reference to a property dispute.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Berry Street in Mt. Clare in reference to property damage.
An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of Pine Street in reference to a suspicious person.
An officer was dispatched to the 2300 block of Staunton Road in reference to a suspicious noise.
An officer was dispatched to Broadway Street and LJ Avenue in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a suspicious vehicle.
An officer was dispatched to Route 4 and Central Avenue in Benld in reference to a suspicious person.
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of Dorsey Road in Mt. Clare in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of East Walnut Street in reference to a neighbor dispute.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2023
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Lynn Street in reference to criminal trespass. Jason M. Ray, 37, of Staunton was arrested for criminal trespass to state-supported property.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of North Illinois Street in Benld in reference to a domestic dispute.
An officer was dispatched to Benld City Hall in reference to a civil standby.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Springfield Road in East Gillespie in reference to a well-being check.
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of Abba Street in reference to a dog at large.
An officer was dispatched to Gillespie Police Department to speak with a male in reference to a theft in the 200 block of East Pine Street.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a possible burglary in the 800 block of East Chestnut Street in Benld.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Springfield Road and Illinois Avenue in East Gillespie. Jessica L. Fabian, 27, of Carlinville was issued a citation for speeding.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of North Main Street in Benld in reference to suspicious people.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of South Macoupin Street in reference to a suspicious circumstance.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Eagarville Road in Eagarville in reference to a residential security check.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of West Central in Benld in reference to an alarm sounding.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2023
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of South Lincoln Street in Eagarville in reference to a hit-and-run traffic crash.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of South 1st Street in Benld in reference to a violation of an order of protection.
An officer was dispatched to the 100 block of Fulton Street in reference to a dog at large. Melinda K. Roeske, 50, of Gillespie was issued a citation for dog at large.
An officer was dispatched to Spruce Street and Shelby Street in reference to reckless driving.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a civil standby in the 700 block of Abba.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a civil issue.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2023
An officer was dispatched to Route 16 and Tower Road in reference to criminal trespass to land.
An officer was dispatched to the 600 block of Burton Street in reference to a male discharging a BB gun in city limits.
An officer was dispatched to Gillespie Police Department to speak with a female in reference to a child custody issue.
An officer met with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to found property.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Park Street in Benld in reference to a mental health issue.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Edgar Street in reference to a well-being check.
An officer was dispatched to the business at Route 4 and West Central Avenue in Benld in reference to a suspicious person.
An officer was dispatched to the 900 block of Broadway Street in reference to a suspicious person.
An officer was out in the 300 block of Dorsey Road in Mt. Clare in reference to an open window on a house.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of North 4th Street in Benld in reference to an animal complaint.
An officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Henrietta Street in reference to a suspicious person
FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2023
An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to telephone harassment.
An officer was out at a business in the 200 block of East Central in Benld in reference to found property.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Park Avenue in reference to a theft.
An officer spoke with a male at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a theft in the 300 block of East Maple Street.
An officer was dispatched to Gillespie Lake in reference to domestic battery. Danny G. Kline, 39, of Gillespie was arrested for domestic battery.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a hit-and-run traffic crash in the 700 block of North Main Street in Benld.
An officer was dispatched to Lewis Lane and Southern View at Old Gillespie Lake in reference to an aggravated assault.
An officer was dispatched to the 700 block of Gillespie Street in reference to a civil issue.
An officer was dispatched to the 800 block of Harding Avenue in East Gillespie in reference to a battery.
An officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Springfield Road in East Gillespie in reference to harassment by telephone.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a male giving her daughter marijuana. Gaberial A. DeSherlia, 22, of Gillespie was arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Park Avenue in reference to a suspicious noise.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 2023
An officer was dispatched to a business in the 100 block of North Macoupin Street in reference to an intoxicated male being unruly.
An officer assisted a deputy with the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department with a male driving under the influence of alcohol.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Springfield Road and Illinois Avenue in East Gillespie. Joyce A. Lane, 69, of Litchfield was issued citations for speeding and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
An officer initiated a traffic stop at Macoupin Street and Walnut Street. Derrick L. Emery, 37, of Gillespie was issued a citation for expired registration.
An officer spoke with a female at Gillespie Police Department in reference to a civil issue.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Cedar Street in reference to a blocked driveway.
An officer was dispatched to Henrietta Street and Burton Street in reference to an animal complaint.
An officer was dispatched to the 300 block of North 4th Street in Benld in reference to a medical call.
All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Dana Carr Skinner, 52, of Gillespie has announced her candidacy for Macoupin County Circuit Clerk. She will be on the November 5, 2024, General Election ballot.
Dana, a lifelong Macoupin County resident was born and raised in Wilsonville by her
parents, Barb and Van Baker. She graduated Gillespie High School in 1990 and attended SIUE
before starting her family. She has raised eight children all of whom graduated college or attended trade school. Dana is married to Todd Skinner.
Dana is currently a public servant, serving the people of Illinois as a paralegal. She has
over 25 years legal experience with 15 of those years being directly in the courtroom. She has
worked in law firms that practiced in all areas of the law from probate, family, civil, traffic,
criminal and real estate. After working several years in the legal field, Dana went back to college and obtained a paralegal degree.
Dana is running for Circuit Clerk because, “It is time for me give back to my community
and the residents of Macoupin County. Lee Byots Ross has done an amazing job as our current Circuit Clerk and I want to continue the work that she has accomplished. My adult life has been focused on my family and my children, and they are now grown. My focus now, would be to demonstrate to the residents of Macoupin County that I can and will do an excellent job as
Circuit Clerk,” Dana said.
The Circuit Clerk is responsible for establishing, maintaining and keeping all records of
the court, as well as several administrative, financial and public services.
“There are employees in the office now that have worked there a number of years, and I will be committed to them and their opinions, as well as the people the Macoupin County. I will learn from the current employees if I am elected in November and I believe that I have the experience, the knowledge and the work ethic that would make me an asset to the Circuit Clerks Office’s team,” Dana said.
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United Mineworkers of America President Cecil Roberts will commemorate the 125th anniversary of Union Miners’ Cemetery in Mt. Olive on October 13. Ceremonies begin at noon with a short historical parade, Roberts, IL AFL-CIO President Tim Drea, and frequent labor music.
Afterward, a meal will be provided as the labor music continues. The event is free and open to the public. A portable chair is recommended.
The cemetery is located on near 5536 Mt. Olive Road in Mt. Olive and can be found by following North Lake Street.
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Background of Union Miners Cemetery by the Mother Jones Museum:
The Union Miners Cemetery is in Mt. Olive, a small mining-town that was once the center of a rebellious group of miners who helped to secure Illinois as the solid rock for the United Mine Workers Union. Today thousands of visitors come each year to pay their respects to the memory to Mother Jones and the spirit that guided her and the founders of the labor movement in the United States. They reflect about the connections between the past and the present.
The cemetery was established in 1899, when commemorations of the miners killed in the 1898 “Virden riot” became controversial in the Mt. Olive cemetery where they were originally buried.
The bodies of the Virden “martyrs” were re-interred in a cemetery established as the Union Miners Cemetery by the Mt. Olive United Mine Workers local. Commemorations of these events in the following years contributed to a generation of activism in the Illinois coal fields.
They did this by claiming the kind of memorial space that was denied in other places, such as Haymarket, where police often disrupted commemorations. This built a sense of connection between past and present in the area, and made it clear that ordinary workers had changed the course of history. The role of the ordinary worker came into focus. Mt. Olive was one of the few places in the country where labor history was taught before the 1970s.
This is a unique place in the history of the labor movement; it was the only union-owned cemetery in the country. This is a place with a monument to Mother Jones, but it also evokes the power and potential of the labor movement. It is a place of reflection and remembering, of thinking of the labor movement’s roots. It is a shrine not only to Jones but to the sacrifices that connected human rights and labor rights, a place where people wonder when and why labor lost power.
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When I decided to write this article, my original intent was to find out when they removed the rails down the middle of Macoupin Street, but I thought I might research when the railroads came and went in Gillespie. So here is a brief history!
In the 1850’s, railroads were becoming more important to the US for both transportation of people and goods. Chicago was the hub of railroad traffic in the west and cities throughout Illinois were vying to have railroads come through their section of the state. Having a railroad meant prosperity and growth. Towns would grow with increased population. The key question was where are the railroads going to go? Influence by key political people throughout the state was important.
Prominent people in the US and central Illinois like Judge Joseph Gillespie, William Mattoon, Electus B Litchfield and Robert Rantoul (Massachusetts senator) and others help bring the railroad south.
The move south was brought about by the chartering of the Terre-Haute & Alton Railroad in January 1851 out of Mattoon, Illinois. It was to extend south to Alton because legislators wanted Alton to compete with St. Louis in the growth of the area. The work was started in 1852 to originally go 172 miles. It was completed in March 1856. Extensions were created from Alton to Belleville and eventually to St. Louis. By 1857 the route was completed and a railroad went through Gillespie. The St. Louis connection was helped by the building of the Eads Bridge in 1874.
In June 1867, the Terre-Haute Alton Railroad was leased to the Indianapolis & St Louis Railroad but went into foreclosure in 1882 and sold to the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (known as the Big Four). This railroad came under control of Vanderbilt and the NY Central Railroad system.
The Terre-Haute Alton Railroad/Big Four Railroad came to Gillespie on an east west route. It passed through Gillespie today in the land next to the Civic Center, crossing Macoupin Street next to Subway. The Big Four Terminal was just off Macoupin Street where the Civic Center is located. There were additional terminals in Hornsby and Dorchester.
A 2nd railroad will add additional prosperity to Gillespie. The Illinois Traction System was a brainchild of William B. McKinley (not the president). He had a vision to create an electric railroad empire that covered at its peak 550 miles of rail.
The Traction system started in connecting Danville and Champaign in 1901-02, then to Decatur to Springfield in 1904. He also completed the route from Springfield to Granite City going through Gillespie and Benld in 1904. This Interurban as most people called it was a passenger service. It would eventually connect to Peoria by 1907 and St Louis by 1910. It was also possible to go to Chicago by connecting with other railroads. The Illinois Traction Terminal was on the corner of Macoupin and Spruce Streets where United Community Bank is located and at one time did have a small spur to the east.
Everyone associates the growth of Gillespie-Benld and the surrounding area to the coal mines, but the railroad also played a key part in the growth of the area.
You might wonder why main street is so wide compared to other towns’ business districts? Gillespie was unique by having the Interurban rail down the center of Macoupin Street but also the Big Four crisscrossed near Walnut Street. The town has to be one of the few towns in Illinois to have that unique situation.
In the early days, the crisscross intersection was controlled by only railroad signs. The “Stop, Look and Listen” slogan did not stop accidents at the crossing. Eventually, a crossing watchman was hired to control the car and pedestrian traffic at the intersection of the two railroad lines. It was also not unusual for a parked car to back into the Interurban in the business district.
These two railroads went north-south and east-west throughout town until the Interurban ceased to operate. The last Interurban use was on March 3, 1956. The rail line was eventually taken over by other railroads and would only be used for freight transportation, especially by Norfolk Western and other railroad lines. The rail line did have a brief arrangement to transport coal from Monterrey Coal Junction to Edwardsville in 1970, but the last use of the old Interurban Line for freight use occurred on August 20, 1970.
The eventual decline of the railroads in Gillespie coincides with the decline of the coal mines. Railroads were being transformed from coal to diesel and coal use immediately declined.
The Big Four stopped operating on December 17, 1964. Slowly they started to remove the tracks between Litchfield and Bethalto. Illinois maps show Big Four railroad tracks in 1965, but they are gone by 1967.
Now to the original premise of the article, when were the railroad tracks removed down the middle of Macoupin Street? My sources throughout town were varying, I got all kinds of guesses. I narrowed it down by my own memory. It was there in 1972 when I started teaching but then all of a sudden it was gone. I searched newspapers in the fall of 1972, then 1973 and I found it in 1974.
In January of 1974, the city decided to do something about the water lines in the business district. There was a conversation in late February to remove the tracks, but when will they do it? At the same time there was discussion about the sewer lines where the tracks are located. So, the city decided to it all at the same time, remove the tracks, and do water and sewer lines. By early April 1974, the tracks are gone and by early May, the downtown was a mess because of the water main project. After the downtown removal of tracks, the city eventually moved further north and south on Macoupin to remove the remaining tracks.
So, what proved to be a simple search gave you, the readers, a history of the railroads in Gillespie. Stop by the library and see the assorted railroad pictures and if you have anything railroad-related or an interesting picture involving the railroad such as an accident involving the railroads. I would like to see them.
