Over Two Million Dollars in Improvements For Marion and Vicinity Planned For 1954
Over two million dollars will be spent in Marion and vicinity during this year on new construction and the purchase of right–of-way for relocating of State Highway 13, according to figures compiled this week by the Marion Daily Republican.
The above figures do not include the proposed construction of new buildings for the Sangamo Electric Company at Ordill. The extension of Sangamo will be located on Ordill property facing State highway 13. The new building as proposed will start with about 20,000 square feet of floor space and they will manufacture “power factor correction” instruments. The new plant with its equipment will be valued at several hundred thousand dollars and will start with approximately 200 people. When the plant reaches full production it is hoped that the employment will be over three thousand.
Seek Industry for Ordill
Southern Illinois Inc. is working hard through its executive secretary, Goffrey Hughes, to secure new industry for the Ordill area. With the large number of coal mines closing down in Southern Illinois thousands of workers are expected to be idle. To offset this surplus of labor, Southern Illinois Inc., is seeking to secure new industry for the entire area.
The Universal Match Corporation located at Ordill has already started increased production and last week added a second shift operation. The plant now employs over 150 people and when it reaches full production hopes to have approximately 400 working.
A large number of people in Marion will be employed during the summer on the various building projects on the various building projects scheduled for this year.
James W. Brigham, President of Diagraph-Bradley, whose firm moved here from St. Louis, has been trying to interest several business friends in the opportunities for locating branches or moving plants to this vicinity. Brigham states that they have been able to find a fine class of workmen here. (Note: Brigham lived in Marion at 420 Bainbridge Road, one of the early home built in the Bainbridge Square Addition.)
$350,000 for Schools
One of the largest construction items for the city for the coming year will be new buildings and improvements for Unit School District No. 2. The $350,000 bond issue voted by the school district in June 1953 will all be expended during this year. The largest single piece of construction will be the new elementary school building in West Marion. This new school will be located on West Hendrickson Street. Contracts have been let and work has started on this building. The new school will be the latest thing in educational construction, with nine large class rooms, a kindergarten and a multi-purpose room and will include an auditorium and cafeteria. (Note: This building was the Longfellow School and was occupied on January 10, 1955.)
The Junior High School building on East Main Street will also be improved with the addition of four class rooms at the north end of the west wing of the building. At the Jefferson School three additional class rooms and a clinic room will be added on the west front of the building.
In addition to the above work in Marion, additions will be added to the Pittsburg and Creal Springs schools.
State to Spend $361,000
While actual work will not start this year on improvements of State Highway 13, yet the State of Illinois has allotted District 9, of the Highway Department at Carbondale a total of $361,000 for the acquisition of right-of-way for highways in Williamson County. Of this amount $198,000 was allotted for the securing of right-of-way for Highway 13 through the city of Marion. This will start on West DeYoung Street at the intersection of State Highway 37 and will continue to the east Marion city limits on Fair Street the highway through the city will be 40 feet wide.
The sum of $50,000 has been allocated for the securing of right-of-way from Carterville crossroads to State Highway 148 south of Herrin. This will be a 32 foot pavement when laid.
Securing of right-of-way from State Highway 148 south of Herrin to State Highway 37 at Marion has been authorized in the amount of $70,000. This road, which will be approximately five mile long will be 22 feet wide.
Other right-of-way authorizations for Highway 13 near Marion will be $2,000 for two bridges east of Marion near the Delta Mine road and one bridge over Crab Orchard Creek for $1,000.
In addition to Highway 13, the state has allotted $25,000 for right-of-way south of Carrier Mills to the Williamson-Johnson county lines and $15,000 for right-of-way for Highway 148, south of Herrin to Highway 13, south of Energy.
New Telephone Building
The General Telephone Company will construct their new office building in Marion this year at a cost of over $100,000. The company is selling two houses now located on its property and when these buildings are removed will have an area one block long between Union and Jefferson Streets and one half a block long between North Liberty and North Van Buren Streets. The houses being removed include a five room frame building at 206 West Union Street and a six room house at 206 North Liberty Street.
The local manager of the General Telephone Company does not have the plans and specifications for the new office building at present, but it will be a brick structure valued at over $100,000.
Churches To Make Improvements
Marion churches also have a building program this year. The largest is the education building for the First Methodist Church. This building will be located on the east side of the present church building on West Main Street. The basement will include seven class rooms and an assembly; the first floor will have the church office, secretary’s office, reception room and four class rooms and the second floor will have four class rooms, two assembly rooms and a Boy Scout room.
Last year the church raised over $130,000 for their educational building. Work is expected to start on the building this summer.
The Assembly of God will have their new church building completed by this summer. The new building will be 100 feet long, the front facing the West Main Hard Road. It is 54 feet wide at the front and 70 feet wide at the rear. The additional footage on the rear of the church provides for six large Sunday School rooms. The auditorium will be 54 x 70 feet. The new church, when completed will cost over $50,000.
The First General Baptist Church is in the process of building a new church at their location on West Hendrickson and Midway Court. The new building will be of block construction and will cost over $5,000.
Work will be completed this summer on the West Boulevard Missionary Baptist Church, located at 806 West Boulevard. The church is being constructed out of concrete blocks, is modernistic in design and is 50 x 72 feet. When completed the church will cost over $25,000.
The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, located at 101 West DeYoung Street will be moved either the latter part of this year of the first of next. When construction work starts on State Highway 13, the church property will be used for the new highway. At the present time the church has not acquired a building site.
New Office Building Planned
Plans are underway for the erection of a new brick office building on West Main Street, on the site formerly occupied by the West Side Hotel. This property is owned by the estate of the late G.J. Frick. Present plans call for the erection of a two story brick building at a cost of over $100,000. (Note: This would turn out to be the Bank of Egypt building, now the court house annex in 2013.)
Tentative plans also call for the erection of an office building on the east side of the Public Square, on the location of the Goodall lot. Advance information indicates that this building will cost over $100,000. (Note: This is the future W.T. Grant building, site of the old Goodall Hotel, now the City Hall in 2013)
Oil Companies Expanding
This year the major oil companies will expand over $150,000 in Marion in the construction of new filling stations and two new bulk gasoline plants. Six new stations are scheduled to be built here this year. Bulk plants to be built here include a D-X plant and a Conoco plant. Service stations will be constructed by the Texas Company, Cities Service, Conoco and D-X.
To Build New Homes
Approximately 75 new homes are scheduled for construction in Marion this year. Two large building projects are now underway, the Shoot and Castellano additions. At least fifty homes are planned for these two additions. Additional building is also expected in the Bainbridge addition. These homes are the latest in residential construction and will be valued at from $8,000 to $25,000. The majority of the homes now being erected by Marion Castellano, are of brick or brick veneer construction. The Charles V. Shoot homes are located in the area of the new school building (Longfellow) and several have already been erected.
Swimming Pool Planned
The proposed swimming pool for the city of Marion is still being planned and there is a possibility that work will start on the pool this summer. At the present, time sufficient funds have not been raised for insuring the erection of this project, which is being sponsored by the Marion Kiwanis Club. The swimming pool project will cost approximately $125,000. The pool will be located west of the ball diamond at the Marion City Park.
(Marion Daily Republican, March 11, 1954)