Metropolis High School - Illohmet Yearbook (Metropolis, IL)

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F.TROPOLIS, the county seat of Massac County, is located on the Ohio River, forty miles above its confluence with the Mississippi and fourteen miles below the mouth of the Tennessee River. The city and its suburbs occupy a table land beginning at the bank of the Ohio River running north about two miles and two miles east and west along the river. All of the city being many feet above the highest floods ever known. The city has excellent transportation facilities. Its three railroads being the 1. C., C. B. Q. and N. C. St. L. A double track bridge, having a larger span than any structure of its kind in the world, connects the Illinois and Kentucky shores at this point. I he Illinois Central Railroad Co. is making preparations now for the construction of a new line from Kdgewood, 111. to Metropolis. It is to be used for heavy freight traffic and fast passenger service. There is a very flourishing river traffic here, the nucleus of it being the transportation of pig-iron to northern points. Four steamboats are constantly employed to keep up connection with the Sheffield, Alabama iron mines. These facilities, combined with the proximity of the city to the great southern Illinois coal fields make Metropolis an ideal location for any sort of manufacturing business and is causing the city to be recognized more each day as the “Gateway to the South.” Manufacturing here is mostly confined to wood products. The principal manufacturing companies are the Bending Works, Artman Lumber Co., Liggett Box Factory, Leonard Lumber Co., Joyce-Watkins Tie Plant, Wilson Stove Mfg. C., and the Houghtcn Glove Factory. The city is the marketing center of a prosperous farming region, the Farm Bureau office located here, renders much aid to the farmers of Massac County. “Just without the confines of the city, on the banks of the Ohio, are the ruins of Fort Massac, the third important French fortification built in the Illinois country. Tradition marks the site as having been used by De Soto in 1542; and, whether this is true or not, French, English, Indians and Americans have in turn occupied this spot. Here Juchereau traded, and Father Merrnet preached; here the southern Indians came in their bark canoes to hear the story of the Christ; here the French, falling rapidly back from Fort du Quesne, halted, and St. Ange de Belle Rive stopped every pursuing expedition down the Wabash and Ohio. Here the flag of the newly united Colonics was first unfurled above Illinois Territory, and George Rogers Clark began his daring march of conquest. Here Tecumseh hunted; here Wilkinson, Sebastian, Powers and others, with Spanish, French and Creole women as companions, plotted to dismember the American Union; here Aaron Burr rested, and planned treason; here the beautiful wife of Blennerhassct first learned of her husband’s connection with the plot, and here Zebulon Pike once held command.” This old historic spot, through the efforts of the American Daughters of the Revolution, has been converted into a State Park. This park with its beautiful scenery, historic atmosphere and cool breezes affords a splendid recreational spot for thousands of people during the summer months. (5)

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 The Sphinx (4)

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CHARLES A. McGINNIS El). I!., S. I. N. U., GRADUATE STUDENT UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS City Superintendent of Schools 'Board of Education Chari.es C. Leonard, President A. Z. Bruner Dr. M. H. Trovii,lion as. Foreman Walter Love H. A. Evans Mabel Elliott, Secretary