Will History Repeat Itself?

As the study process for an Eastern Bypass and an Illinois River bridge to connect with Route 6 on the Peoria County side of the River gets underway, many may be unaware that Woodford and Peoria County residents routinely commuted back and forth without great difficulty in days gone by.
According to researchers at the Woodford County Historical Society, it is not unusual for people searching for their ancestors in Woodford County to discover that numerous marriage licenses show one party living across the river from the other or for a relative to have been employed in one County, while living in the other.
A scan of old newspapers also reveals the sheriffs and detectives of that day making arrests or carrying out cross-river investigations back into the 1870s and 80s.
The two related articles included below were first published 87 years ago in the Chillicothe Bulletin and the Metamora Herald.

Directors of Levee Bridge Association Hold Meeting
[CHILLICOTHE] Another meeting of the Directors of the Chillicothe Levee Road and Bridge Permanent Improvement Association was held Tuesday night at the City Hall.
Although several of the directors were absent the meeting was none the less lacking in inthusiasm [sic], this in spite of the fact that much of the utopianism of previous meetings has been dampened by obstacles which the directors have come in contact with in their recent activities in trying to straighten out the muddle of the ownership of the ferry road in Woodford County.
Some time ago, Mr. Westerfelt, attorney for the Association, after a thorough search of all back records, came to the conclusion that the assessments of the drainage district and bond held against same would have to be paid before a clear title could be obtained to said road.
All of these bonds do not mature until 1930. They amount to some six or seven thousand dollars. This with the assessment of $10,000 against the road would amount to considerable, with attorneys fees, court costs, etc., which would probably be two or three thousand more, which would run the cost up quite high.
The Santa Fe proposition was then discussed. Mr. H. L. Hunter, chief engineer of this division was present to represent the railroad and to render any service possible. He furnished estimates of the cost of a fill along the Santa Fe and it was easily seen that this would not be feasible as the cost of building this road and the rip rap necessary to hold it would be too expensive as it would be necessary to move some two miles of the company’s telegraph poles on the south side of the embankment, besides considerable dredging would be necessary to clear the channel of the river at this point. The committee delegated as a previous meeting to confer with the officials of the
Santa Fe reported that, in an interview with chief engineer Robinson and other high officials, it was made plain to them that the company would not stand for any bridge being connected to their present bridge as it is holding up all it will stand. This would reduce the Santa Fe proposition to a ferry boat at best and the cost to build the road along the railroad tracks would be greater than building the one on the old road through the drainage district. Then to put the final knockout to the Santa Fe proposition, the law says that public money cannot be used to build on private property. The proposed road would be on private property.
With these facts before them the directors turned back to the original plan of building up the old ferry road to a sufficient height to withstand ordinary high water, the extreme high water marks of 1902 and 1846 excluded.
It is estimated that this could be done by raising the road about five feet and fixing up the small bridges and the approaches to the east river bridge at a nominal cost. A committee consisting of F. J. Rolan, C. H. Mead, L. A. Rider, H. V. Thomas and H. L. Hunter was appointed by chairman Truitt of the Association to investigate and ascertain from engineers and contractors the actual cost to make these improvements as described above and report as soon as their investigations are completed.
Should this plan materialize it is not unlikely that an election may be called to vote bonds for the financing of the project. Under this plan the question of a bridge will be dropped for the time being as will the question of title to the road. The ferry boat will be considered for the present as the means of crossing the main channel of the river.
–from the Chillicothe Bulletin, Nov. 18, 1921

Another Angle
[METAMORA] In the event the effort to reconstruct the old Chillicothe levee road and build a new bridge across the river fails, which seems quite probably in view of the many obstacles presented, another plan has been suggested to establish a river crossing which seems quite feasible.
The proposed new drainage district in the south part of Partridge township, which was being organized at the time of the outbreak of the war, may be put through next year. High, broad dikes are proposed in the building of this district, which can well be utilized as roadways and they will extend to what is known as the island which is part of the Snyder property, directly opposite Rome. The distance across the river from this island is not great and if someone can be induced to establish a ferry at this point the problem of an upper river crossing will be solved.
The plan is only suggestive and nothing definite in the matter has been worked out, but S. M. Snyder who is quite familiar with the lay of the land thinks it feasible. If public interest is taken in the suggestion it is quite probable that the new drainage district can easily be induced to build their dikes with the end in view of making a permanent driveway out to the river.
–Quoted by the Chillicothe Bulletin from the Metamora Herald