HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.
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1870, Thomas Alexander, P. M.; discontinued July 9, 1873.
Holstein (in Hampshire)-July G, 1876, Lucy J. Whiting, P. M.; discontinued July 7, 1884.
South Elgin (from Clintonville)-December 22, 1876, Mary O. Farrell, P. M.
Plato Center-May 18, 1877, Louisa J. Hanson, P. M.
Maple Park (from Lodi Station)-February 18, 1880, Norton Snow, P. M.
Padel (in Elgin Township)-September 28, 1881, Albert Gilbert, P. M.; changed to Spring Valley.
Spring Valley (from Padel)-Albert Gilbert, P. M.; changed to Almora.
Almora (from Spring Valley)-December 16, 1885, Albert Gilbert, P. M.
Sunset (in Rutland)-April 30, 1883, Philip .Hemrick, P. M.
McQueen-March 9, 1885, John A. McQueen, P. M.
Elburn (from Blackberry)-February 26, 188(5, Milton S. Cline, P. M.
Lily Lake (from Campton)-June 6, 1887, Morton J. Springer, P. M.
Wasco-September 1, 1887, George Bergland, P. M.
Richardson-February 11, 1888, E. C. Connor, P. M.
East Plato-1889, A. H. Fairchild, P. M.
Youngsdale-1889, Smith Young, P. M.
The Presidential and money-order offices in the county, with salaries of incumbents, are: Aurora, $3,100; Batavia, $2,500; Dundee. $1,-600; Elgin, $3,200; Geneva, $1,800; St. Charles,
$2,100; and Hampshire, $ . The next class,
also including money-order offices, are: Big Rock, Burlington, Carpentersville, Elburn, Lily Lake, Maple Park, Montgomery, North Aurora, Pingree Grove, South Elgin, Sugar Grove and Wasco. The offices not authorized to issue money orders are: Almora, Bald Mound, East Plato, Gilbert's, Kaneville, McQueen, Plato Center, Richardson, Sunset, Virgil and Youngsdale. Each of the thirty offices transmits registered mail. The cash receipts of the Elgin Office for the year ending March 31, 1903, were $113,774.54, the third largest in the State, as the receipts of the Chicago and Peoria offices alone exceeded that amount.
THE PRESS.-Not only do the number of churches, schools and libraries indicate the mental activity of the people of Kane County, but the numerous newspapers that have been, and are now, being issued within its borders, further demonstrates it. We cannot be assured that we have discovered all of them, but we find eighteen journals to have begun their more or less extended career at Aurora; seven at Batavia; seven at Geneva; twenty-one at St. Charles; forty-seven at Elgin; six at Dundee; two at Hampshire, and two at Elburn-a total of 110. The number now published in different cities and villages are as follows: Aurora, nine; Batavia, two; Geneva, two; St. Charles, two; Elgin, twenty-six; Dundee, two; Hampshire, one; Elburn, one-in all forty-five.
The David C. Cook Publishing Company alone issues 1,060,000 weekly copies, and its list of monthly and quarterly periodicals brings the number of regular issues to the immense aggregate of 2,500,000. Beside this vast work, it is constantly sending forth tons, and scores of tons of leaflets, cards and printed sheets of various kinds. In intellectual matter, material, arrangement, illustrations and mechanical execution, these are, each and all, of the highest character, and most perfect type known to the editor's desk and the printer's art. Some of the immense and complicated presses seem almost endowed with human capacities. The daily and less frequent issues of other publications in the county approximate 50,000 copies.
Who will attempt to portray the brain work -the life force-expended upon publications that have been in advance of the public needs, and have thus failed to receive material support; the high hopes and fine aspirations that have withered and died; the sad disappointments and keen anguish involved? Their projectors were persons of unusual mental endowment and sensibility, and their sufferings at the failure of their earnest endeavors were correspondingly keen. All through the early years in the history of Kane County, we had pioneer editors and printers well worthy of long and grateful remembrance. Midway down the line of the vanished years stands the pathetic form of Dudley Randall-familiar in every river town-a genial, talented, generous man, who saw fair visions and dreamed bright dreams that were never to be attained or realized. Poor "Dud" Randall! fine type of a class of brainy men who did much to advance the intellectual life of the people, and who passed from sight in poverty and public neglect, amid the ruins of his unattained ideals. Others there were, some of whom are still with us,
