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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
of intersection of the Chicago & Alton, the Wabash and the Illinois Central Railroads. It is 33 miles north-northeast from Bloomington and 93 miles south-southwest of Chicago. The surrounding region is devoted to agriculture, stock-raising and coal-mining. Pontiac has four banks and four weekly newspapers (two issuing daily editions), numerous churches and good schools. Various kinds of manufacturing are conducted, among the principal establishments being flouring mills, three shoe factories, straw paper and candy factories and a foundry. The State Reformatory for Juvenile Offenders is located here. Pop. (1890), 2,784; (1900), 4,266.
POOL, Orral, merchant and banker, was born in Union County, Ky., near Shawneetown, Ill., Feb. 17,1809, but lived in Shawneetown from seven years of age; in boyhood learned the saddler's trade, but, in 1843, engaged in the dry-goods business, J. McKee Peeples and Thomas S. Ridgeway becoming his partners in 1846. In 1850 he retired from the dry-goods trade and became an extensive dealer in produce, pork and tobacco. In 1871 he established the Gallatin County National Bank, of which he was the first President. Died, June 30, 1871.
POOLE, William Frederick, bibliographer, librarian and historical writer, was born at Salem, Mass., Dec. 24, 1821, graduated from Yale College in 1849, and, at the close of his sophomore year, was appointed assistant librarian of his college society, which owned a library of 10,000 volumes. Here he prepared and published the first edition of his now famous "Index to Periodical Literature." A second and enlarged addition was published in 1853, and secured for its author wide fame, in both America and Europe. In 1852 he was made Librarian of the Boston Mercantile Library, and, from 1856 to 1869, had charge of the Boston Athenaeum, then one of the largest libraries in the United States, which he relinquished to engage in expert library work. He organized libraries in several New England cities and towns, at the United States Naval Academy, and the Cincinnati Public Library, finally becoming Librarian of the latter institution. In October, 1873, he assumed charge of the Chicago Public Library, then being organized, and, in 1887, became Librarian of the Newberry Library, organizing this institution and remaining at its head until his death, which occ
