SPRINGFIELD, Ill., city, county-seat of Sangamon County and capital of the State, is in the centre of the great corn-belt, on the Illinois Central, the Chicago and Alton, the Chicago, Peoria and Saint Louis, the Wabash, the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton and the Baltimore and Ohio railroads, 185 miles south of Chicago; 99 miles north of Saint Louis and near the Sangamon River. It is built on an undulating and well-wooded prairie and is beautifully laid out. The city is compactly built and has well paved and beautifully shaded streets. Springfield is the centre of the great coal mining industry of Sangamon County, whose product of coal in 1918 was 11,694,055 short tons, value $23,000,000, the largest of any county in the State. This industry in the same year employed 7,453 men and represents a population of fully 35,000. The Illinois State Fair is permanently located here. Large and expensive buildings have been erected at a cost of $1,650,000. The grounds are extensive and highly improved. The annual fairs have come to he little less than a liberal exposition.
The Capitol The most conspic uous public building is the State Capitol, which was completed in 1887. It stands in a park of eight acres, and cost over $4,500,000. The ground plan is in the form of a huge cross and the superstructure is of the modern classic style. The extreme length is 379 feet and the extreme width 286 feet. The exterior walls are of dressed Joliet limestone, the lofty porti coes of sandstone, supported by columns of polished gray granite. The edifice is three sto ries high and the massive symmetrical dome, the highest in the United States, is an object of great admiration.
The Lincoln Monument.— Among the historical attractions of Springfield are the Lincoln National Monument and the Lincoln residence. Both are owned by the State and are in charge of custodians. They are open daily to the The Lincoln National Monument stands in Oak Ridge cemetery, something over a mile north from the State House. The mausoleum contains the remains
of President Lincoln, his wife, two children and one grandchild. The monument and the four heroic bronze groups, three representing the infantry, artillery and cavalry branch of the army, and the fourth, the navy, were designed by the sculptor Larkin G. Meade. It was dedi cated 15 Oct. 1874 and cost about $350,000.
Public Buildings.— Among the prominent structures in Springfield are the United States Courthouse and Post Office, the County Court house, the Governor's Mansion, the State Ar senal and Armory, City Hallublic Library, T Reisch Building, Masonic Temple, Franklin Life Building, Ferguson Building, New Leland Hotel, Saint Nicholas Hotel, Sangamo Club, Illini Country Club, Springfield and Saint John's hospitals and David Prince Sanitarium.
Libraries.— In proportion to the size of the city the Springfield Lincoln Library, 185,000 vol umes, at one time claimed to be the largest in the United States. It then contained over 58,000 volumes. Here also is the State Li brary of 70,000 volumes; the State Historical Library of 3,500 volumes, and many rare his torical pamphlets, maps, etc., and the Supreme Court Law Library of 18,000 volumes.
Industries.— Springfield is the centre of an extensive coal mining, farming, horse and cat tle breeding section and has large manufactur ing interests. The invested capital in manu factures amounts to upward of $7,174,000, with an annual output of products valued at $11, 441,706.14. The Illinois Watch Company has an immense establishment here, employing about 2,000 operatives, also Sangamo Electric Com pany, manufacturers of electric meters, large implement factory of Montgomery Ward and Company, powder plant of Western Cartridge Company. There are several large printing and publishing houses, textile works, planing and wood working mills, machine shops, woolen mills, breweries, engine, boiler and car works and manufactories of flour, clothing, boots and shoes, saddlery, soap, etc.