The Times fell into foreclosure in 1861, but a year later, in 1862, was up and running again.
On August 20,1862, the 94th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, organized in McLean County (on what became Route 66) was at the Courthouse Square in downtown Bloomington. After celebration and a ceremony where nearly a thousand men took the Oath of Allegiance and became soldiers.
A squad of soldiers escorted the Snow brothers from their office and placed them on boxes in the square and administered a similar oath to them. As the Snows departed, one was reported to have said an oath given under duress was no oath.
This was a pretext for the soldiers along with their rowdy and inebriated friends to rush the Times office, throw the contents out in the street and set fire.
One source said everything was removed including the press and even a coal shovel. Not a single piece of property was left in the office.
The Snows were run out of town on a figurative rail, but soon set up another paper in Paris, Illinois. They soon found themselves forced out of that town as well.
Then, they moved to St. Louis where they got out of the newspaper business altogether and began careers as farmers and in real estate.
Some Little-Known History. Thanks Mr. Kemp. --Old B-Runner
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