Letters

More Lorimer

To the editor:

Your piece on Lorimer and the 17th Amendment was very much like a paper I did in school seven years ago. NO, I'm not threatening anything—your paper was better written!!! But, mine was much longer - -77 pages. Which means nothing except I got a good grade. However, at that time I did receive the manuscript memoirs of Albert J. Hopkins, which I used wantonly in my paper. If you are interested, I donated the two copies of the manuscript, one copy each, to the Illinois State Historical Society and the Aurora Historical Society. Hopkins goes into extensive detail regarding the 1909 'election.' You might seek this manuscript out if you are of a mind to. I have a photocopy should you fail to locate it. I would be honored to lend it to you.

Also of some interest are the books by and about Ira Copley. Hopkins was from Aurora (actually born in DeKalb County but he moved to Aurora) and he and Copley were fierce enemies. Copley used his paper (The Beacon) and books to blast Hopkins, and Hopkins used his paper (The News) to attack Copley. The books are worth getting and the papers are a wonder to read. In 1911, the papers merged to form The Aurora Beacon-News.

Lastly, from Hopkins grandson and wife, I was given the book-length manuscript that Hopkins wrote just before his death (1920) about Aaron Burr. Would you know of any societies that might appreciate getting this? It's really interestingly written.

Larry Hellyer
Oswego

Lost labor temple?

Greetings from southern Illinois. Always enjoy reading your publications. Please ask David Lasley where the Labor Temple is/was in Belleville and whether it is still standing. St. Clair County is a strong labor area as well as having wealthy labor lawyers, who have had considerably favorable litigation. This could be a project.

Roland Bauer
Collinsville

Editor's note: The curious history of Belleville's lost Labor Temple gets more interesting all the time. David Lasley, who wrote our article on Jacksonville's Labor Temple, says he is certain the Belleville Temple existed but doesn't know where it stood. Ms. Judy Belleville of the Belleville Visitor Center and Labor/Industry Museum, has blueprints for the Temple but doesn't believe it was ever actually built. How about it, history sleuths?

Illinois Heritage 4