Part Eight

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Odell was a progressive community in its early days, as the village board and individual citizens spear-headed efforts to lead the community into the 20th Century. In fact, Odell was noted for being the first town in the United States to have a home-owned electric plant that gave 24-hour service. In the early days of Odell, all of the water used in homes was carried by buckets from local wells throughout the community. Another daily chore was the cleaning and filling of old kerosene lamps.

The modern conveniences of today are taken for granted. In the early days, there was no telephone or telegraph service. The only means of communication was by word of mouth from house to house. Mail service was poor; but people were still glad to get the news from the outside world even though it was seven or eight months old.

However, about 1894 to 1895, A. DesVoigne and son started the first telephone system in Odell. This being a popular idea among the town, the village granted them an immediate franchise to set up poles and string wires, first for business use and then the following year for home use. In 1896, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company was granted the privilege and authority to construct the necessary poles, wires and fixtures through the streets for the purpose of giving Odell an outlet for long distance calls.

In 1898, a water system was voted for Odell. During that year, a $6,000 bond issue was carried for the purpose of erecting an elevated reservoir with a cypress tank to hold 40,000 gallons of water. The water system included a pumping system, elevated reservoir, water mains, fire hydrants and everything required for a water system. The pumps were to be of sufficient capacity to pump 135,000 gallons of water in 24 hours.

Charles Finefield, Sr., was the president of the village board and did much toward the promotion of this water system that is still in use today.

One of the greatest assets to the water system occurred many years ago when, in 1951, village president Lawrence Ready and the board of trustees pushed through the drilling of a well at a depth of 1,943 feet. At the time, there was no place in the state that had any better water and found in more abundance. The project cost the village $91,000.

Will Buchanan bought an electric light plant in the east and had it brought to Odell in 1902. He brought several employees back with him to set up the machinery and get it in operation. Ive Jacobson worked with him and, in so doing, learned quite a bit about the operation.

An electric engineer from Indiana was hired to come here and run the plant for a number of years and after he left, Mr. Jacobson took over the job and carried on with the help of a fireman.

After the plant was installed, wires were strung to various parts of town and the first street light was turned on at the E.M. Vaughan corner.

A large crowd congregated to be on hand for the first lighted street in Odell. Many people were very critical and many very skeptical as to the practicability of such a venture. However, as soon as darkness had fallen on the village, the crowd was greatly thrilled as a small light flashed on and illuminated the crossing. And the amazing thing was to think that it was turned on by someone six or seven blocks away.

This was only an arc light and was lighted by means of a carbon stick. At this time, no street light bulbs were available, and every week or so these carbon sticks burnt out and had to be replaced.

Soon the entire town was given electric street lights that were left on until midnight. From then until morning the town was in darkness.

Mr. Buchanan sold his plant to Mr. Conrad Trecker and son, Theodore, in 1906, who, in turn, kept Odell people well cared for in the way of lights. In 1911, the Treckers sold to the Illinois Valley Gas and Electric Company who, a few years later, sold to the Public Service Company. All of the rural community in this area was soon electrified, thus making it possible for all country homes to be just as modern as any city dwelling.

The old wooden sidewalk were replaced with new cement walks between 1900 and 1902.  The property owner was required to pay two-fifths of the expense and the village stood the remaining three-fifths.

It wasn’t until 1912 that Odell got its first paved streets.  The downtown was paved first with block paved in each direction from the business section.  Mr. A. W. Joerndt was the village president at that time and John E. Higgins and W. E. Wykes the other members who constituted the Committee for Local Improvement.  Perhaps, in no time in the history of Odell was more opposition manifested than at this time over the the paving of the streets, but these men were far sighted enough to see that Odell should be taken out of the mud.

 

To be continued.

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