“It doesn’t take a majority to win, just a tireless minority that will keep starting brush fires in the mind and hearts of their fellow men.”

Samuel Adams

Friday, December 11, 2015

Crews check ravine before cleanup of 1890s site - LaSalle News Tribune - LaSalle, IL

Crews check ravine before cleanup of 1890s site - LaSalle News Tribune - LaSalle, IL


This is interesting but I wonder what brought on the investigation of the property. The business being looked  into dates to the 1890's?? On the border of La Salle and Peru in a ravine area where the border between the 2 cities exists and adjacent to the former Westclox factory. i do remember the huge sign about a coal company being located near to Rte 6 Union 74 sign.


And see a new business locating in the strip mall on Peoria between 7th and 8th street next to Susy's. Groceries??

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, "Suzy's Grocery & Smokes". Now doesn't that sound inviting and delicious?
Speaking of develpoment in Peru, I particularly like the look of feel of the new gaming parlor on 4th Street called "Vickrey's Lady Luck Casino" located on the booming Peru Downtown Strip. Our illustrious Director of Gaming Development in Peru, Bob "Deep Pockets" Vickrey will soon rival Benny Binion as America's #1 Gaming Officinado. Thank you Bob for proving that you will use your Peru insider status to ruthlessly and carelessly capitalize on any situation to benefit yourself monetarily. The Lady Luck certainly is a downtown showplace thanks to Mr. Vickrey. Now, as soon as the city of Peru uses emminent domain to attain the old Marathon Gas Station in order to sell it Bob Vickrey for a song, there will be more parking for casino goers. Can't wait for the Vegas Style Shows that are in the planning stages for "The Peru Strip". Peru insiders will always find a way to capitalize. LOL.

Anonymous said...

OK Baby Boomers.... it is a bit foggy outside, that is not your cataracts acting up. Turn your car headlights ON. I do realize that this will not help you see anything. But at least the innocent will be able to see you! Oh... and that left and right turn signal thingy... you have permission to use that also. And the stop signs mean you actually must stop and wait for at least three seconds.

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:44 Am
I guarantee that the Marathon Gas Station will have many roadblocks created to cause Vickrey difficulties. Today it is not only the city position he is holding and the means by which it started as volunteer and than become a payed position. That he has done nothing for Peru in the number of years he has occupied this position is one reason to deny him a easy access to Marathon. The second and main reason to test Vickrey is that he is using his paid position in the city to obtain his desires.
To do nothing for Peru he is hurting the city because their are others who would benefit Peru in the same position. Some which would look you in the eye without the appearance that they just peed in their pants.

Anonymous said...


Are the current owners of the M&H Property going to be responsible for any of this clean up? From my understanding, it is not all due to the defunct M&H Zinc, which closed in 1961. Most of the arsenic is the result of stockpiling of toxic waste generated by the LaSalle Rolling Mill, Inc. that made blank pennies for the US treasury. The owners of LaSalle Rolling Mill, Inc. where to cheap to dispose of the toxic waste, so they stored it in 55 gallon drums placed in empty box cars. The Federal Government did not like that, so they revoked the contract causing LaSalle Rolling Mill, Inc. to declare bankruptcy, never cleaning up their mess. The owners of the defunct company are named *** *** and they have a famous local last name. The same name as the company that is located next to this mess.

This is another example of Cronyism. These people are known for getting other people to foot the bill. Just like the Hotel Crapkaskia and the "Mansion" - they don't want to put any of their "old money" on the line. They want the government to pay for their tourist traps and their environmental mistakes.

On a side note - please remember that M&H stands for Matthiessen & Hegeler. Another two names famous in this area.

The company on the East End of LaSalle is not a good Corporate Citizen. The family that owns it is not good for the community.

Anonymous said...

The penny blank factory caused almost all the environmental issues. The owners laughed all the way to the bank and are hiding behind a corporate veil. They made millions and didn't even pay the tax withholding for their employees. They where one of two companies that the US Treasury used to make blank pennies. They got greedy, did not pay to dispose of chemicals, took all the profits, didn't pay their taxes. Nothing but a bunch of bums if you ask me. Just Google LaSalle Rolling Mills, Inc. You will be surprised at what our paper does not publish.

Anonymous said...

You can bet that the owners of this property will never have to pay a dime to clean it up. That is how things work around here. Local officials have ignored it since the 1960's. Then some new owners started polluting it much worse than M&H ever did. The new owners ran that business into the ground, didn't pay their taxes, and they are still "upstanding citizens" even though they filled railroad cars full of poison to hide it from the government.

Anonymous said...

It's not just "around here" 3:49. That gets so old. It's everywhere. It was overlooked and now taxpayers are on the hook. But it is not unique to this area at all. What would be really refreshing is for someone to step up and take responsibility.

Anonymous said...

3:39 PM Yes the new owners did all you say including filling railroad cars full of poison to hide it from the government. I can remember a number of railroad cars being painted near or on this property by a independent group of young men who would never know they were doing wrong. I bring this up because I wonder if the scheming "upstanding citizens" were involved. Some of these young men mentioned that something was wrong but they didn't know what. It is not against the law for a railroad car to be painted but when it is to disguise it?
People such as this, members of the "outstanding citizens" of this area are reasons the U.S. should have had Homeland Security many years ago.If you had the money would you buy property before or after they have owned it?

Anonymous said...

I believe it was Teddy Roosevelt that said there should be criminal penalties for the officers of companies that break the law.

Anonymous said...

LaSalle, Illinois

LaSalle is a city on the Illinois Valley in Illinois. Located in LaSalle County, the city has a population of about 9,700 on a 12-square mile area. Originally platted as a canal town in 1838, LaSalle was not officially incorporated as a city until 1852. Although the city's retail sector has declined in recent years, LaSalle has been able to maintain its manufacturing and logistics base, with businesses such as the Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc. and American Bare Conductor, Inc.

Transportation and local mineral deposits shaped manufacturing in LaSalle from its early years. The Illinois & Michigan Canal, which opened in 1848, and later, the railroads, provided transport for people and materials to Chicago and Lake Michigan. Abundant supplies of coal, limestone and zinc formed the basis of industries such as portland cement and zinc sheet metal manufacturing. By the early 20th century, several cement kilns were operating in LaSalle and the nearby area, including the German-American Portland Cement Works (later LaSalle Portland Cement Company), the Marquette Cement Company, and the Chicago Portland Cement Company. In 1858, two young German mining engineers established the Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Company, a zinc smelter and rolling mill which became LaSalle's largest employer. A grandson of Hegeler went on to found Carus Corporation in 1915, a specialty chemical company which is still in operation today. When the M&H zinc mill closed in 1978, it was purchased by members of the Carus family, and operated as LaSalle Rolling Mill until 2001. The site is currently undergoing environmental remediation.

LaSalle's history of heavy industry makes asbestos exposure an ongoing concern. Asbestos-containing materials were widely used in manufacturing during the 2oth century, creating a risk to workers of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. If you were exposed to asbestos in LaSalle and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should also consider contacting a mesothelioma law firm.

Large Jobsites in LaSalle where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance has compiled information obtained from a number of sources to identify the following large job sites in LaSalle where asbestos exposure was known to have occurred. These sites are listed below. Click on them to get more detailed information.

LaSalle Generating Station
Other Jobsites in LaSalle where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

These additional jobsites in LaSalle, Illinois have been identified as harboring asbestos containing materials. These sites, at one point in their history, were known to have exposed a variety of tradesmen to asbestos. We will be documenting in more detail how asbestos exposure occurred at these sites in the future on this web site.

Carl Prussing Cement Works
Carus Chemical Company Inc
Carus Chemical Company Inc
Chicago Portland Cement Company
German America Port. Cement Company
German American Portland Cement Works
Illinois Cement Company
Lasalle Cement
Marquette Cement Manufacturing Company
Marquette Cement Manufacturing. Company
Mattiessen Hegeler Zinc Company
Northern Illinois Light and Tract Company
Northern Illinois Light and Traction
Utica Cement Company
Westclox Div. of Gen. Time Corporation
Western Clock Company
Filing an Asbestos Claim in Illinois

Don’t lose your rights! If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma and were exposed to asbestos in Illinois, you may be entitled to compensation. You may have limited time to file a claim. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and have a pathology report in hand to support that diagnosis, fill out the form below for immediate help.



Read more: http://www.mesothelioma.com/asbestos-exposure/states/illinois/lasalle/#ixzz3uQh5pI7c

Anonymous said...

10:40 AM I agree with Teddy.