1 .!/oL'. - v-CT o > °o, >° ;•. >, .^ .ysesf. tc a^- .: Vv P ,r V '^mI?* A V ^ ^oV v oV T *°\ * ! 4^ C^ t 6 n ° * **b A^ . «■ ' * * <** 5^„ fir ^ v^^V *^ y *vF\ . l ' • * ^ ^°^ ROCK ISLAND M7o AND ITS SUEEOUNDINGS, IN 1853. 1o ^ v> I- o c ft' ■ > s -»p 3 -? CHICAGO:^/ DEMOCRATIC PRESS STEAM PRINT, 45 CLARK STREET. 1854. EXPLANATORY. Office of the Chicago Democratic Press, Chicago, III., January, 1854. In October last, one of the editors of tlie Chicago Democratic Press, for the purpose of recreation, spent a few days in the different towns which cluster around that gem of the Mississippi — Rock Island. While there, he wrote the following letters for his paper. They were prepared with strict regard to accuracy in the statement of facts. For the charm of romance he preferred the freshness of Nature, and for elegance of diction the simple utterance of whatever seemed most appropriate to daguerreo- type upon the minds of readers the many objects of interest which fell under his observation, the present appearance of the " Surroundings of Rock Island," and the commercial and manufacturing importance which he believes that whole region will ultimately attain. Had he suspected that the jwtiality of friends would place his humble letters in a shape to attract more closely the critic's eye than they would probably do in the columns of a newspaper, it is not unlikely that an excusable vanity would have induced more attention to literary polish. With this brief explanation of the circumstances under which this little pamphlet has been brought out, it is submitted to such as may peruse it with the reiterated assurance that the statements contained in it may be relied upon. ROCK ISLAND AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. NUMBER I. Occasion for this Series — The Course to be Pursued — Situation of Rock Island City — The Upper and Lower Rapids — Difficult Navigation — Change in the Course of Trade — Law regulating the Direction of Commerce — Goods from Chicago — Chicago Newspapers wanted. Rock Island, Oct. 22, 1853. Since the commencement of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad, tinder auspices which gave assurance of its early completion, the cities of Rock Island and Davenport have attracted very general attention, and the impression has become almost universal that here is to be the seat of a very large commercial and manufacturing interest. A knowledge of the general desire to obtain accurate information relative to this particular region of country — of the present condition and prospective growth of the cities and towns that cluster around the Island from which the city takes its name — of the manufacturing facilities afforded by the Falls of the Mis- sissippi — of the improvements projected by railroad companies, as well as those being prosecuted by individual enterprise and private capital — has in- duced me to spend a few days in this vicinity, to procure on the sjDot such information as will be acceptable to the public, and which, in the end, may conduce to the prosperity of a highly-favored and attractive portion of our own State, and of the neighboring State of Iowa. What I shall write, therefore, will be of a strictly practical character, didactic rather than speculative ; and, although the rare combination of land and water, of forest and prairie, of lowland and upland, which render the scenery here transcendency beautiful, added to the mellow dyes and softened hues of Autumn and the suhdued light of this glorious Indian-summer-time, might induce a more youthful pen to stray from those details with which the utilitarian spirit of the age is most delighted, yet I, strengthened in the power of resistance by the severe discipline of the " sanctum," will be in no danger of losing control of my judgment, or of forgetting the leading object which brought me hither. Others will come after me, to gather up this wealth of beauty which I now pass neglectingly over, and weave it into more graceful forms and lovelier pictures. The Artist for the Artist's work — for me, who follow a more humble vocation, more homely duties. Rock Island — I speak now of the city of that name, not the Island — is situated at the foot of the " upper rapids" of the Mississippi. These rapids consist of successive chains of rocks lying across the channel of the river, rising nearly to the surface in seasons of low water, and presenting very great obstruction to navigation. At the present time, none but the smallest class of boats are able to pass over them, and the passage of even these is attended with much difficulty and not a little risk. Between this place and St. Louis occur the " lower rapids," extending from Montrose to Keokuk, a distance of twelve miles. Navigation over the latter is quite as difficult as over the former. There is at present a small steamer run- ning between the upper and lower rapids, leaving each place every other day. Passengers going down or coming up on her, are taken around the lower rapids in carriages and wagons. Indeed, during seasons of extreme low water, almost all the merchandise brought up, and produce taken down, is either " lightered" over the rapids in scows and barges, or carted around by teams. I speak of these rapids for the purpose of showing readers, unacquainted with the facts, the difficulties which lie in the way of navigating the Upper Mississippi during the Summer months, and the peculiar necessities of this region of country for the advantages of railroad communication. The former have been a serious drawback to the coun- try's prosperity, and have very greatly retarded the development of its manifest resources. Nor is there any good reason for supposing these difficulties are likely to be removed, at least for many years to come. Congress has made appropriations from time to time for this purpose, but the sums voted have always been inadequate to an undertaking of so much magnitude : for when surveys have been completed and estimates made, the department to which the work was assigned has, without exception, found itself with scarcely funds sufficient for even procuring the machinery and other material requisite for a commencement of the work. Such is the nature of these obstructions, so difficult of removal, and being so situated as to be accessible to the operations of machinery for but a brief period of each year, it is not very probable that Congress will ever make au appropriation large enough to cover the cost of removal ; or, if it should do so, there is good ground for the presumption that it will be the work of several successive generations. I know this is not the generally received opinion relative to the matter, but after an acquaintance of many years with tin' rocks of the Mississippi, and after some considerable observation of the difficulties in the way of sub-marine operations for their removal, I • do not hesitate to put my conclusions, in the premises, upon record. The above facts exhibit, to some extent, the railroad wants of the whole region north of the lower rapids. It is sometimes said that a railroad outlet to Chicago will give to the country in question the choice between an Eastern and Southern market ; but this is only true for a part of the year. From December to April the Upper Mississippi is scarcely ever navigable, by reason of ice — from August to December, by reason of low water. Four months in the year the river may be relied upon ; for the rest, it is uncertain, full of danger, and always annoying and vexatious to men of business — so that, strictly speaking, the choice of markets is a mere fiction, except for the brief period above stated ; and it is likely so to remain, unless St. Louis enterprise comes manfully up to the work of constructing a railroad parallel to the river, which project the people of that city are now considering. But notwithstanding this region of coun- try will not at all times be able to choose between Southern and Eastern markets, the disadvantage is rather imaginary than real. There is a law underlying commercial transactions which has, in all ages, given an east and west direction to the movements of commerce. By land and by sea, whether the vehicle of transportation be the stately ship, the homely wagon, the more imposing locomotive, or even the caravan of oriental regions, such has always been the general direction, unless when deflected by some natural obstacle too great to be removed or surmounted. I know of no reason why the country of which I am speaking should prove an exception to the general rule. Let the steam car traverse it, at proper distances, in the general east and west direction, and it at once enters into full commercial relations with the world — it stands beside the great com- mercial current, rolling ever with the sun and the tide — it enters upon a higher destiny, and it moves onward to a more certain and a more enviable prosperity. What need it care for the rocks which have shipwrecked so many of its previous efforts, or for the ice of winter which has sent its steamers into an inglorious repose ! It now enjoys the constant use of a river which rolls onward to the sounding main, free from rocks and sands, free from congelation, and over which its products may pass with the speed of the winds, without danger of being swallowed up by the waves, or consumed by fire. A choice of markets is not wanted — or rather, the most desirable market is the one to which access will be always easy and safe. I find the- business men here impressed with the belief that their com- mercial relations for the future will be with the East instead of the South. They may not, and most probably have not, arrived at such conclusion by a process of thought like the above, but they have arrived at it. It is one of the marks of a great natural law, that men yield obedience to it instinct- ively, and without that mental process which is customary in determining upon a course of conduct governed by arbitrary rather than fixed rules. The law was made for man and man for the law — there is harmony and rhyme in all of Nature's doings. More goods are coming here now from Chicago than from St. Louis, although those from the former place have to be carted a distance of fifty miles. When the railroad shall have been completed all the way, and goods may be purchased in Chicago one day and be on the shelves of the purchaser in this city the next, the difference \x\\\ be much more marked. In this connection it may not be amiss — and if it is I will say it anyhow — to revert to the fact that newspapers follow the lines of commerce. That I think is a natural law also. I could very clearly establish the connection between commerce and newspapers, if it were necessary, but it is not ; for when facts are proving a thing, argument may safely be dispensed with. Business men and farmers here are wanting to subscribe for Chicago papers instead of those of St. Louis ; and as the Democratic Press pays more attention to general news, gives fuller and more accurate commercial reports, takes more comprehensive views — ahem ! — of the great questions of the day, and labors more assiduously for whatever will promote the sum ot human happiness, than any of its cotemporaries — what wonder that it should be generally sought after by men of sensible views and a just discrimination ? But I grow too prolix, which fault I will try to amend in my next. NUMBER II. Chicago and Rock Island Railroad — Effects of Railroads upon Communities — Increased value of Property — Rates not Specu- lative — The Lumber Trade — A Competitor to Chicago for this Business — Manufactures in Rock Island. Rock Island, Oct. 24, 1853. It is expected that the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad will be com- pleted to this place by February of next year. So near a realization of an Eastern connection has given a new impetus to almost every branch of business. The views of citizens have become enlarged, and they are ex- tending, or making arrangements to extend, their operations in a corres- ponding ratio. It is astonishing how the opening of a railroad through a country arouses the energies and developes the faculties of the people. Contracted ideas take their departure with the " slow coaches." Great enterprises, sleepless activity and liberal views, follow in the wake of the Locomotive. The steam-whistle is the most inspiriting of all the voices of the day or night, and wherever its echoes wake the old solitudes, there stagnation, mental, moral and physical, is no longer possible. Men now begin to show of what stuff they are made. Individualities stand out in much bolder relief. The large faculties which their possessors had suf- fered to lie dormant, waked now to a new life, rise above the dead level of society into which they had supinely sunk, and enter upon a career of active enterprise and useful achievement. It is thus that the introduction of an important improvement creates great changes in society and moves the whole world forward — makes small men great and great men greater. Consequent upon the increased activity which the near approach and expected early completion of the railroad has produced here, is an en- hancement in the value of real estate. Property in all parts of the city has gone up in price from twenty-five to one hundred per cent., while in some particular localities the rate of increase has been greater. Never- theless, real estate here cannot be considered as having reached a merely speculative value. Investments made at present prices will not fail, I think, to make handsome returns at no distant day. I base this opinion upon the belief that here, at this crossing of the Mississippi river, is ultimately to concentrate a vast amount of business ; and whether that concentration be mainly on the Illinois side, as many think, or on the Iowa side, as others believe, property on both sides must always bear an equalized value. Except for mere business purposes, it is folly to suppose that men will pay a much higher rate for property on the one side or the other, 8 when the steam ferry boat reduces the distance between to five minutes. Nor is the enhanced value of real estate, of which I have spoken, con- fined to the city. The price at which both improved and wild lands, contiguous to the city, and along the line of the railroad, is held, is a large advance upon what were the asking rates one year ago. I hear of some instances in which lands entered less than eighteen months since with warrants, costing the purchaser from 8*7-^ cents to $1.1 2^- per acre, have recently been disposed of at from five to ten dollars per acre. They are richly worth the money now paid, and the present possessors, if they retain them a few years, will be able to sell them at quite as large an advance as the preceding owners realized. The lumber used in this city and surrounding country is brought down the Mississippi from Wisconsin and Minnesota, in the log, and sawed here and at Moline, of which latter place more hereafter. The supply is, in ordinary parlance, inexhaustible, and Chicago lumber dealers will find it competing with them in all that portion of the State within easy distance of the Mississippi. Present prices in Rock Island and Moline are some- what lower than in Chicago. I am not judge enough of the article to determine which market has the advantage as respects quality. As the logs lie here in the water for several months before they are drawn out to be sawed, they become thoroughly saturated, which fact gives the freshly- sawed boards a quite unpromising appearance, though I do not know that their quality is in any respect deteriorated by this long hydropathic prac- tice. As the Mississippi is reached by railroads from the East, and as others are constructed from it toward the West, there must spring up a greatly increased demand for lumber, requiring a much larger investment of capital in the business than' is employed at present. The force in the pineries must be strengthened by large additions, and the number of saws along the river will require to be greatly increased. At this place there are but two saw mills. The one is owned by Messrs. J. A. & G. E. Bid- dison, the other by Bailey & Boyle. Of course lumber and lath do not accumulate upon the hands of either firm. Both these mills are driven by steam. The Messrs. Biddison have a planing mill in connection with their saw mill. I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the senior member of the firm, who is a fine specimen of the thorough-going, energetic business man. Their establishment is not very extensive, but they are making arrangements for enlarging it. They design substituting a sixty-horse-power engine for their present one, and will add shortly a door and sash manufactory. That these gentlemen will make an ample fortune here in their business, I have no doubt. They are workers, both of them, and who ever knew such men not to succeed in this country ? 9 Mr. D. Barnes, who superintends the sawing department, understands his business thoroughly. And now that I am upon the subject, I may as well notice the other manufacturing establishments of the city. In this respect Rock Island does not fully meet my expectations. There is less capital devoted to manufacturing than the wants of the city and country seem to require. All that she has to show for herself, in addition to the establishments just spoken of, are the following : Foundery and machine shop of C. C. Web- ber ; same of N. B. Buford & Co. ; boat-yard of Bailey & Boyle ; steam flouring mill of Lease & Son ; and the usual quantum of harness and saddle, boot and shoe, tinners', blacksmiths', and other shops. The foundries and machine shops of Webber and of Buford & Co., are very creditable establishments, working from twenty-five to forty hands each, and turning out a large amount of capital work. But they are totally inadequate to meet all the demands pressing upon them. At the boat yard of Bailey & Boyle I noticed a single barge upon the stocks nearly completed — nothing more. I learn, however, that during the year a large amount of repairing is done here, and that a heavy force of hands is con- stantly employed. The flouring mill of Messrs. Lease the construction of a water-tight dam, and the building of sea-walls, so as to confine the water to a narrow race on each side. ( hily think of six miles of water power — of six miles of manufactories! How the great " Father of Waters" mighl here he made to "grind in the mill," to saw and plane, and spin and weave ! A distinguished member of the Topo- graphical Corps some time since calculated the effective power which maj be obtained, and found it sufficient to drive four hundred run of bum! One cannot but regret to see the difference between what might be, and whal really is done here. Capital alone is wanting to render it the greatest, and most valuable water-power in the whole country. I understand some steps have been taken for the formation of a company with capital sufficient to make all desirable improvements, and rendei; the 17 entire power effective. The present proprietors, I am told, are willing to enter into an arrangement of that kind, and will put in the whole pro- perty, consisting of the power, some adjacent land and buildings, for a reasonable consideration. It is to be hoped this proposition will attract the attention of capitalists. Under existing arrangements there are some drawbacks to the use of this power. During periods of very high water, it is not always available, and sometimes, on the breaking up of winter, the river becomes gorged with ice below the Island, when the back-water stops the wheels. Another difficulty of occasional occurrence is this : when the river is very low in Winter, the pond above the dam freezes up so thoroughly as to prevent the passage of a sufficiency of water to turn the machinery. I have heard it conjectured, also, that in time the pond will fill up with sand, and thus the whole body of the river will be forced into the channel on the Iowa side ; and some again suppose that the channel on the Illinois side, at the lower point of the Island, will become filled in with sand so as to reduce the extent of the fall. But none of these difficulties, drawbacks and con- jectures are of a magnitude not to be overcome by a judicious use of capital, except one— the freezing up of the pond in low water. That objection I do not see any way of surmounting, though it is by no means certain that genius and enterprise may not yet discover some method for overcoming it. Those who use the power inform me they can very confidently reckon upon from two hundred and seventy-five to three hundred running days in the year. Last winter operations were not kfd at all by ice, and it is very seldom indeed that the machinery has to stand still from this cause.* I need not enlarge upon the profits which must flow from judiciously managed manufacturing establishments in this vicinity. All that I said of the city of Rock Island in a previous letter, in this regard, will apply quite as well to Moline. A large scope of country must concentrate its business at this crossing of the Mississippi, unless compelled to look else- where from the lack of proper exertions to secure it here. Good judg- ment, capital, skill and industry, to any extent, cannot tail of meeting an * Since the above was published in the Democratic Press, a Moline correspondent of the Mock Island Republican has furnished that paper with the following critique, which we very gladly append : "The editor of the Chicago Democratic Press made some misstatements (uninten- tionally, no doubt,) about our place. The water power is not affected, as he stated, by gorges, etc. ■ In fact the only drawback to the water power, and to the place, has been the insufficiency of the dam, and the inefficient control of the power. The first of these evils is now remedied, and we have a good substantial clam. The second is likely to be obviated bv a Joint Stock Company now forming." 3 18 appropriate reward. Nature lias been unusually lavish of her bounties in this vicinity, and it is only necessary that these should be duly appreciated and employed, to render Rock Island and its surrounding towns one of the most important business centres west of Chicago. NUMBER VI. Country from Rock Island to Moline — Splendid Sites for Resi- dences — The Moline Manufactories in detail — Water and Steam Agencies — Recapitulation — Evidences of Thrift — Character of the People for Intelligence, Sobriety and Industry. Moline, III, Oct. 26, 1853. From the city of Rock Island to Moline, the road lies along the bank of the liver, in the plain below the bluffs. These bluffs rise to a consid- erable elevation, and from their summits are afforded fine views of the river, of the neighboring towns and of the country on either bank. Many charming building spots may be selected upon the slopes of these emi- nences, and I was not surprised to find that a high estimate is placed upon them, for that reason. Some very tasteful residences Lave already been erected between the two towns; and, unless I am very much mis- taken in my estimate of the future of this region, all those beautiful slopes will be thus occupied ere many years elapse. The Chicago and Rock bland road lies also at the foot of these bluffs, having descended from the tabic lands, some miles ab. >ve. As Moline is approached from the west, the hills to the right draw in towards the river, and at Moline they lie immediately in the rear of the town, which feature adds much to its picturesque appearance. The village is built upon the plain below; but by and by it will begin to climb the hill-sides, and take on airs, such as its most pretending citizens have hardly yet conceived of. Thus it is with both men and towns, when they "get up a little in the world." In my la>t I gave some general accounts of the remarkable water power of this plac< — the present letter 1 purpose devoting mainly to some accounl of its manufacturing establishments. The tirst wants of a new country are houses to live in, material to enclose farms, and mills for grinding breadstuffs. The reader, therefore, will not be surprised to learn thai most of tlie manufacturing establishments of Moline are designed to ' < these wants. Saws and burrs preponderate greatly over every other description of machinery. But 1 will come at once to detail. 19 On the northern side of the Island, near its head, is a small water power entirely independent of the one already described ; and I will commence with the establishment located there. This consists of a saw and planing mill, supplied with an engine, to be used when the water power, from any cause, is not available. It is owned by Sears, Wood & Huntoon ; four- teen men are employed in and about it ; and the average sales from the establishment amount to $80,000 per year. The landing for Moline is in the vicinity of these mills. Coming over to the south side of the Island, we find several establish- ments situated there in connection with the principal power. The first is the planing mill and shingle manufactory of W. H. Whitmore, in which are employed five men, and the average sales are $15,000. Next is the 'establishment of Messrs. Dimock & Gould, for the manufacture of wooden buckets (pails), tubs, bedsteads, chair and other turned stuff. Four hun- dred thousand feet of lumber is annually consumed by this establishment. It turns out 1,000 doz. buckets per week, which are sold at from $2.50 to $3 per dozen. A bucket is made " in almost no time," machinery being employed to do everything about it except fastening the rivets and paint- ing. The number of men employed is twenty-five, and the annual sales amount to $40,000. A little farther on is the establishment of Messrs. Stevens, Gault & Ruggles, for the manufacture of barrel staves, barrels, shingles, sash, doors and window blinds. The machinery turns out five thousand shingles and two thousand barrel staves per hour. Twenty men find employment here, and the sales amount to $23,000 per year. Lastly, on this side, is the saw and lath mill of S. H. White, which runs five saws, employs twenty hands, and does a business amounting to $39,000 per annum. Crossing over to the main shore, we come upon another group of man- ufactories, which I proceed to notice, without reference to any particular order : Saw and lath mill of Chamberlain & Dean, runs five saws, employs sixteen hands ; annual sales, $45,000. Saw and grist mill of Pitts, Gil- bert & Pitts — the grist mill being for custom work, exclusively — one run of burrs ; also, Merchant Flouring Mill, owned by same firm, four run of burrs, with capacity for turning out one thousand barrels of flour per week. The two establishments give employment to thirty men, and the joint annual sales amount to $175,000. Plow manufactory of John Deere, an extensive establishment of the kind — turns out all descriptions of steel plows — gives employment to twenty-two men; annual sales, $36,000. Lastly, the paper mill of Messrs. Wheelock & Fergus — works twelve men, and turns out paper worth $24,000 per annum. So much for the machinery driven by water power. Now let us see 20 what that more universally employed agency — steam — is doing in Moline. First, in point of importance, is the establishment of Alonzo Nourse, for the manufacture of almost everything wanted by the farmer — fanning mills, corn shellers, horse rakes, meat and milk safes, churns and chain pumps. This is an extensive establishment, and its proprietor is one of those drive-ahead, energetic men who is bound to succeed in whatever he undertakes. It furnishes constant employment for twenty-three men, and the value of its manufactured articles is $20,000 per year. The next establishment belongs to Mason & Osborne, and is for the manufacture of sash, doors, blinds and frames. It is unquestionably a well-conducted concern, gives work to twelve men, and turns out $15,000 worth of mate- rial annually. On the floor beneath is an establishment for irregular or eccentric turning, such as axe-handles, spokes, and any and everything of an irregular shape. It is owned by Sedgewicks & Barnard, furnishes employment to four men, and does business to the extent of $2,500 per annum. Lastly, immediately across the street from the foregoing, is the Windsor Chair Manufactory of J. Waggoner, working six men, and selling $6,000 worth of chairs per annum. [By the way, Mr. W. will give liberal wages and constant employment to two chairmakers and one finisher. If there be any such out of employment who may read this article, they will know how to profit by it.] To embrace this whole subject in shorter compass, I give the following recapitulation, showing the number of oper- atives and the extent of business done in the manufacturing establishments of Moline : OPERATIVES. YEARLY BUSINESS. Sears, Wood & Huntoon, 14 $80,000 W. C. Whitmore, 5 15,000 Dimock & Gould, 25 40,000 Stevens, Gault & Ruggles, .... 20 23,000 S. 11. White, 20 39,000 Chamberlain & Dean, 16 45,000 Pitts, Gilbert & Pitts, 30 175,000 John Deere, ' 22 36,000 Wheelock & Fergus, 12 24,000 Alonzo Nourse, 23 20,000 Mason & Osborne, 12 15,000 Sedgewicks & Barnard, 4 2,500 J. Waggoner, 6 6,000 *Total, 209 $520,500 * The same correspondent of the Rock Maud Republican, to whom reference was made in a previous note, says these iigures are not strictly correct — some of them being too high and some too low. The writer of the letters has only to say, that he gave the amounts as obtained from the proprietors of the different establishments. * 21 This is a snug little sum for a single town, and when we add there are several stores here which appear to he doing a thriving business, and all the smaller occupations common to country villages are conducted with more or less activity, is it a wonder that the gentleman alluded to in my previous letter was surprised to find a Water street merchant, in Chicago, totally ignorant of the whereabouts and whatabouts of Moline ? There are unmistakable evidences of thrift all about this interesting village. Everybody is driving ahead. During my stay I saw not a single homo of the genus Loafer. I think no such character would be tolerated in Moline. No liquor is sold in the place, and I saw no indications of any being consumed there. The operatives are an intelligent class of people. More papers are said to be taken at the Moline post office tban in many places of double its size. Everybody reads ; and when it is added that they will all read the Democratic Press hereafter, what more need be — what more could be said in their favor ? A higher eulogy need not be desired. Perhaps \\ would interest some readers to learn the rate of water rents in Moline. The price, I believe, is the same for all kinds of business, viz : fifty cents per year per inch — that is so say, a flume admitting the passage of a stream equal to one thousand inches, would rent for 8500 per year. In conclusion, I wish to acknowledge my obligations for courtesies tendered me by the good people of Moline. Especially am I indebted to Messrs. J. M. Gould, Alonzo Nourse and James Fergus, for their aid in procuring the facts I have detailed above. I must also say a word at parting for John Lusk, a most estimable and accommodating man, who does good service to the people of Moline and Rock Island by running a hack regu- larly between the two places. I wish him success in his enterprise, because he is worthy of it. NUMBER VII. An Egotistical Paragraph — City of Davenport — Picturesque Lo- cation — A Reminiscence — Ride to the Country — Mississippi and Missouri Railroad — Prospective Trade between Iowa and Chi- cago. Davenport, Iowa, Oct. 27, 1853. I have a veneration for the mighty river which lies at the foot of this young city. Almost within sound of its rushing current, the light of day 22 first broke upon my vision. With it are connected all the associations of my earlier years. Often in childhood have I stood upon its shore, and watched the flow of its eddying tide, and wondered whence came the perpetual succession of its waves, and to what mighty reservoir they cease- lessly tended. And often, too, of long winter evenings, have I beguiled the passing hours in listening to the stirring stories of the " Old Boatmen" — a race no longer extant — of the perils they encountered in "the trip to New Orleans ;" of the sinking of " Broadhorns," of the swimming ashore of the crew ; of " sawyers" and sand-bars ; of life upon Louisiana planta- tions; and of fearful affrays with the desperadoes — half Spanish, half French — of the Southern cities. Away to the south of where I now call up these reminiscences, upon a bold headland which overlooks the river, reposes the sleeping dust of my ancestry. " Life's fitful fever over, they sleep well" by this mighty river, and in the midst of scenes which their own strong arms, their unconquerable will and undaunted resolution assisted in reclaiming from the dominion of Nature and the unprofitable sway of the Red Man's sceptre. A little farther south one of my name fell in a single-handed encounter with a band of the foe, who had tracked him through the wilderness, when passing from one settlement to another, surrounded his camp by night, overpowered him with numbers, and left his mutilated and lifeless body there for the not more savage monsters of the forest to feed upon. Never do I come within sight of this river that my mind is not overswept by a rushing flood of memories of the olden time, recalling my childhood's earliest hours, my family history, and all the fond and terrible recollections connected with a frontier residence, in the days when privation marked the daily life of the pioneer, and indom- itable courage and resolute endurance alone sustained it. What wonder, then, that 1 have a veneration for the Mississippi! But enough, perhaps too much, of this. Davenporl impresses a stranger favorably. At least such is my expe- rience ; and I find that, as my stay is protracted, the beauty of its location grows steadily upon me, while my intercourse with its citizens gives me a high opinion of their character for intelligence, enterprise, and courtesy to visitors. The blutls approach nearer the river on the west bank than on the opposite shore, so that a large part of the town is built upon their slopes, and many of the highest eminences are crowned by handsome residences. Business, of course, is confined to the plain below, and is gradually extending its area in a line parallel with the river. For facilities of drainage, no place that 1 have ever seen excels it. Indeed, the hand of Nature' has accomplished that work for most of the city. The original town is upon a plain which gradually slopes away from the river to the 23 foot of the bluffs, and the grading of the streets is all that is requisite to secure a perfect drainage in this section. As the city extends -westward, down the river, the plain approaches nearer a level, and here more labor will be necessary to construct the requisite drains. But this can be done easily and at a comparatively small cost. The city of Davenport was originally laid out in 1836, by Antoine Le Claike, Esq., and the first sale of lots took place the same year. As an illustration of the manner in which fortunes are sometimes made and lost, •i reminiscence of those days will prove interesting. After the purchase, by treaty with the Sac and Fox Indians, of the lands in this part of Iowa, and before they had been brought into market for entry, Dr. Spencer, now of Rock Island, and a Mr. McCloud, then in the employ of Mr. Le Claire, each laid " claim" to the quarter section upon which the original town of Davenport now stands. To prevent the unpleasant, and sometimes tragical, results growing out of difficulties originating in conflicting claims upon the frontier, the parties submitted the case to arbitration. After hearing testi- mony, it was decided that the contestants should each sell out to a third party ; and as Mr. Le Claire was the moneyed man of that region, in those days, he was selected to be the purchaser, and he paid Messrs. Spencer and McCloud $15 each for their claims — to their entire satisfaction, I presume. At the first sale of lots in 1836, very fair prices were paid — higher than could be obtained a little later, when the monetary revulsion had prostrated almost every interest of the country. Yesterday, in company with Col. Mix, of Dubuque, and S. R. Millar, Esq., editor of the Democratic Banner, I made an excursion to the country back of this city. We rode some ten or fifteen miles over the high rolling- prairies, and I can scarcely trust myself to speak of the extreme beauty and fertility of the region we traversed. Every foot of ground we passed over or saw is susceptible of profitable culture. Farms are being rapidly opened, and young orchards are beginning to demonstrate the adaptation of both soil and climate. to fruit-growing. Our road lay close by the route of the Mississippi and Missouri Rail- road, and we found a large amount of grading had been done, and some two or three hundred hands engaged upon the work. This road, as the continuation of the Chicago and Rock Island road, is one in which our citizens are greatly interested. It is opening up a country of unsurpassed natural resources to the trade of our city. Of the value and extent of its commerce, after it shall have been subjected to cultivation, I will not hazard an estimate, lest those who have not seen the country might sus- pect me of a design of over-stating the importance of the road to Chicago, and of the profitable character of the enterprise as an investment for 24 capital. But I would that every citizen who is skeptical in relation to the matter, could enjoy the same opportunity for thorough conviction which I have had for the past day or two. This letter is more discursive than I had designed making it; but I am so comfortably housed and cared for by the gentlemanly and accommo- dating hosts, Messrs. Lowry & Brother, of the Le Claire House, that I shall be in no hurry to depart ; and will, therefore, have further oppor- tunities of speaking more fully and to the point touching this city, the country about it, and the diversified interests which cluster here. This must do for the present. NUMBER VIII. Difficult Navigation — Delay of Travel and of Merchandise — The "Good Time" close at hand — First Impulse already felt — Growth of Davenport — Antoine Le Claire, Esq. — First Locomotive in Iowa. Davenport, Iowa, Oct. 28, 1853. This city, like its neighbor across the river, is suffering just now the annoyance of not having a reliable and Bpeedy means of communication with the outside world. The stage of water in the Mississippi is so low that but very few boats indeed attempt to ascend the lower rapids, and these carry but little freight, and are subjected to so many delays in making the passage, that but few travelers embark upon them. Passen- from this place to St. Louis prefer, in many instances, taking the stage to Keokuk, and some go across to Sheffield, and thence by railroad via Lasalle and Bloomington. 1 find that most of the travel from North- ern Iowa to the South goes by the way of Chicago, in preference to the river route. Freights to St. Louis are excessively dear; but the price would be submitted to cheerfully could there be any certainty as to the receipt of goods. I am told that all the warehouses at Keokuk are full of goods for the country above the rapids, and that large quantities are piled up under temporary sheds. Present prospects are that these goods will either lie over where they are, until Spring, or be wagoned from Keokuk to their destination. Whilesuch are the facts in regard to the receipt of merchandise, it is equally difficult to forward the surplus pro- ducts of the country to market. Freights eai up the principal value ; 25 besides which, when a shipment is made, there is no certainty that it will reach its destination before the setting in of winter. It is not wonderful, therefore, that Davenport, and indeed all that region of country north of the lower rapids, should watch the approach ot rail- roads from Chicago with deep solicitude. Henceforth, these are to be the chief dependence for travel and for commerce. In Summers heat, when the rocks of the Mississippi come to the surface, like so many huge mon- sters of the deep in search of prey — in Winter's snows, when the " Frost- King" has bridged the river, in defiance of the statute concerning navi- gable streams — under any and all vicissitudes of time and climate, the " iron river" and the " iron boat" will be to these people a sure reliance, an ever-present facility for travel and transportation of products, and a source of constantly-accumulating wealth. Already has the impulse of its earh- coming imparted new energy and enterprise throughout this whole region. In Davenport are its effects especially visible, in the rapid growth of the city, the activity of its citizens, and the improvements in progress in the country around. I am told that between three and four hundred buildings have been erected here during the present year. Some of these are tasteful and costly residences, that would be creditable to our largest cities. Some fine business houses are included in the number ; and last, though not least, I notice a stone edifice going up on a com- manding eminence, designed for a Free School. This building, I under- stand, will cost, when complete, some six or seven thousand dollars. I could not, while examining its plan, and standing upon the high ground which it occupies, but admire the good judgment and taste which deter- mined its location. From its windows, the eyes of the youth who obtain their early lessons within it will behold a picture of most enchanting loveliness. Davenport, Rock Island, Moline, the Old Fort, the Great River and its numerous islands, the high grounds on the opposite side, the passing steamer, the thundering train of cars — all these will be seen at a single glance. What associations of beauty, of Avealth and greatness, of the triumphs of genius over the elements of Nature, will connect with the school-boy recollections of those for whom this free school is building, when years shall have transferred them from its halls to the walks and duties of an active manhood ! Yesterday, in company with a friend, I paid my respects to Antoine Le Claire, Esq., the original proprietor of this city. We found him just recovering from a recent illness, but able to receive company and interest them with his stores of knowledge concerning the early history of the country. Mr. Le Claire's conversational faculties are of a high order — 4 26 bis recollection of past events vivid and accurate — and his hospitality and courtesy to strangers are such as to endear him to all who have the good fortune to make his acquaintance. He is, perhaps, the wealthiest man in the State, and, unlike too many in his position, he makes a good use of his riches. Davenport is largely indebted to him for her present pros- perity. The " Le Claire House," the best hotel I know of west of Chi- cago, and the remainder of the fine brick block of stores and offices, extending from street to street, is but one of the evidences of his enterprise and public spirit. When it was proposed to extend the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad across the State of Iowa, Mr. Le Claire subscribed twenty-five thousand dollars to the capital stock, and gave up his own homestead to accommodate the company with grounds for their depot near the bridge. This gentleman has been for a long while intimately identified with our Government in its intercourse with the Indians of the North- West. From 1816 to 1836, he was constantly in its employ; and during this time, in the capacity of Interpreter, he attended the officers of our Government in some ten or twelve important treaties. Speaking both English and French with fluency, familiar also with a dozen or more Indian dialects — his mother being the grand-daughter of a chief, and his wife the descendant of another — his influence with the Indians has been greater, perhaps, than that of any other man; and his services have, consequently, been of much value to the United States. His present residence stands upon the identical spot which was occupied by the marquee of (!en. Scott, during the treaty held here in 1832 with the Sac and Fox Indians. The cholera was prevailing at that time among the soldiers in the Fort, and the treaty, instead of being held on the Island, was, from prudential considerations, transferred to the main shore, though not outside of the range of the guns of the Fort. It was in this marquee that the chief of the Sacs made a present of a mile square of land to Mrs. Le Claire, and, striking his foot upon the turf, told Mr. Le Claire that the only condition he asked was, that he should build his house upon that spot — a condition that was speedily complied with. The. Potowatomies also gave to Mr. Le Claire a mile square of land where the town of Moline now stands, which he afterwards sold at one dollar and a quarter per af industry and business that will greet his ears will be such as goes up when a hundred thousand people are congregated together. That is my prediction — it is upon record. 31 NUMBER X. Proceeding from the Circumference to the Centre — Rock Island — Fort Armstrong — Timber Destroyed by Fire — Island should pass into Private Ownership — Should be Sold in small lots — Summer Residences — Bridging the Mississippi — Old Precedents to give place to the Wants of the Age — Good Bye. Davenport, Iowa, Oct. 31, 1853. I come now to speak of the centre around which I have arranged my groupings of this region — Rock Island. Perhaps it would have been more artistic had I commenced with the central attraction, and thence proceeded to the striking points which lie around it, but circumstances were more favorable to a first survey of the " Surroundings ;" and as I make no pretension to the Artist's power, I thought it of but little conse- quence to inquire after the laws which govern him, and attempt their application to my unpretending, though certainly very truthful, burnings. Rock Island is about three miles in length, with an average breadth of half a mile, and contains, therefore, nearly one thousand acres. The rapids commence some twelve miles above it, and terminate at its foot. On the Illinois shore, Moline and the City of Rock Island are opposite its extreme endings ; and the City of Davenport and East Davenport occupy nearly the same relation to it on the Iowa side. At the foot of the Island stands old Fort Armstrong, built in 1816 by Col. Mason, U. S. A. Half a mile distant, on the north side of the Island, is the residence of the late Col. Davenport, of Avhose brutal murder, and the subsequent discovery, arrest aud execution of his murderers, the readers of the Press doubtless remember. These have constituted the only habitations upon the Island, until quite recently a number of small, though neat, tenements have been built upon the upper end of it, for the accommodation of operatives in the Moline manufactories. The Island is covered with a very dense growth of young timber — oak, hickory, ash, birch, etc. We learn from Mr. Le Claire that when he came to reside here, nearly forty years ago, the Island was covered with a forest of large trees. The soldiers stationed in the Fort, and the earlier settlers of the country, destroyed much of it for fuel and other purposes ; and finally fire was communicated to the deep bed of leaves which had accumulated there for ages, and swept the Island of its crowning glory. The present growth of timber dates its origin subse- quent to this fire. The Island, with the exception of a fractional quarter section of about 32 one hundred and fifty-five acres, which was given to Col. Davenport, belongs to the Government The motives which led to withholding it from sale, as long as Fort Armstrong was occupied and there remained a necessity for keeping an armed force in this vicinity, are evident enough. But the Fort was really abandoned in 1835, and the policy which has induced the Government to retain its hold upon this Island, since that period, is not so apparent. Numerous efforts have been made to obtain an order for its sale, and it is to be feared, in too many instances, with the view of securing the possession of it to a few favored individuals. Twice have such orders been issued by the proper department, but on both occasions the sale was not permitted to proceed. Under the circum- stances, it was well that it did not. This magnificent body of land, lying here in the midst of so much beauty, and surrounded by towns which bid fair to become the seat of an immense commerce, should not be permitted to fall into the hands of mere speculators. But the Island unquestionably should pass from public to private ownership. As it is, it answers no useful end to the Government or to individuals, and its being retained by (he former retards, in many ways, the prosperity of the neighboring towns and country. But how should it be sold ? In what subdivisions, and subject to what limitation of ownership? Certainly it ought not to be monopolized by soi no great money prince, who here might build his castle, and live in more than ancient Baronial splendor and isolation. The public sentiment here is decidedly averse, as it ought to be, to any arrangement that could lead to such a result. If the Government consults the wishes of the people who an- specially interested in the subject, these lands will be sold in small subdivisions. I have heard it suggested that the Island should be laid off into five or ten acre lots, with avenues and road-ways, and sold, after full and general notice, to the highest bidder. There are some eighl hundred acres, more or less, belonging to the Government. If the genera] wish, then 'fore, is complied with, and these lands l»e sold in quan- titiea as designated, or even in smaller lots, every foot of the Island would undoubtedly he occupied in a very short time. Citizens doing business in the surrounding towns would purchase here for private residences, and wealthy gentlemen from the South would be attracted hither with their families, by the matchless beauty of the scenery, and the salubrity of the climate, for Summer residence. Such a policy on the part of the Govern- ment would, I am convinced, soon cover this Island with charming villas, and render it a mosl delightful place of Summer resort. I have, in previous letters, made allusion to the railroad bridge that is to he thrown across the Mississippi here, connecting the Chicago and S3 Rock Island and the Mississippi and Missouri roads. The bridge crosses the south channel to the Island, by three spans, of 150 feet each, requring two abutments and two piers, and making 476 linear feet of bridge. The bridge over the north, or Iowa channel, springs from the Island at a point a short distance below the Davenport residence, and strikes the Iowa shore nearly opposite Le Claire's house. There are seven spans on this side, five of which are 250 feet each, in the clear, and two of 120 feet each, for the draw. This requires two abutments, one turn-table pier and five ordinary piers — making 1,295 linear feet of bridge superstructure, and 283 linear feet of drawbridge superstructure. Mr. "Warner, one of the company having the contract for the mason work, is now here, making arrangements for an early commencement of this stupendous undertaking. Stone & Boomer, of Chicago, have the contract for the superstructure, which is to be of Howe's patent truss. The whole is to be completed by December, 1854. As a connecting link between the railroads which lie on the east and west of this great river, and as being on one of the ultimate thoroughfares from the Atlantic to the Pacific, it is hardly possible to over-estimate the importance of this bridge to the whole country. Efforts will doubtless be made to prevent its construction, by parties who will not be accommo- dated by it, but I entertain no doubt as to the result. A thoroughfare quite as important, at any season of the year, as that of the Mississippi, and of a hundred-fold more importance for nine months out of twelve, must be supposed to have some rights, some immunities, as well as a navigable water-course. If old precedents, established long before the steam-car had been thought of, are adverse to the rights of those great highways of commerce which are fast superceding the rivers, then we must have independent decisions made in accordance with the manifest wants and the common sense of the times. There are many topics of interest which suggest themselves to my mind in connection with this Island, but I must close. Long enough, perhaps too long, have I been lured away from the duties of the sanctum, by this charming region, and by the many kind friends I have met, who have almost overwhelmed me with their courtesies. Gladly would I say a few words of that old Fort, standing there as it does a most eloquent memo- rial of the struggles and hardships of our fathers who reclaimed this Western world from" savage sway — pleased would I be to sketch the pic- ture of perfect beauty which passed under my eye at a single glance, while standing upon the extreme western verge of the Island. But all these and much more that crowd upon my recollection demanding 5 34 utterance, must be passed over for some future occasion, or, what is better, be left for the limning of some more skilful hand. My task is accomplished, and to-morrow I bid adieu to "Rock Island and its Surroundings." SHEFFIELD-BUREAU COUNTY. Sheffield — Sheffield Coal Company — Possessions of the Company and its Proposed Operations — Character of the Country — Cost of Lands — Immense Travel — Business of the Railroad — Shef- field House, etc. Sheffield, Oct. 20, 1853. Sheffield is situated upon the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad, one hundred and thirty-six miles from Chicago. It is the present Western _ terminus of that road, and the arrival and departure of trains from and to the East, and the coming and going of stages running Westward in con- nection with the road, give to the village an air of business and an amount of bustle that would do credit to a place of much greater pretension. At the hotel at which I am stopping, the number of guests averages from two hundred to four hundred per day. Twelve months ago there had not been a single board or stick of timber brought upon the site of Sheffield — now there are some fifteen or twenty buildings here, with others in process of erection. There are two hotels, four stores, blacksmith shops, carpenter shops, etc., etc. The village is situated upon a high eminence, in the prairie, about one fourth of a mile from " Coal Creek Timber," and commands a splendid view of the surrounding country. Coal Creek, as its name indicates, pusses through a coal field, the quality of which is said to be fully equal to any other in the State, and superior to most that has yet been discovered. A company has been organized for working it on an extensive scale, and it requires no prophet to foretell that Sheffield coal will shortly become a familiar term in Chicago coal yards. The following very responsible and enterprising gentlemen constitute the company: Henry Farnam, Chicago ; Joseph E. Sheffield, Hartford, Conn.; Wm. Jeivis, A. R. Gillmore and Isaac Cook, Chicago; Charles Atkinson, Moline ; James Grant, Geo. B. Sargent, E. Cook and J. 35 P. Cook, Davenport, Iowa ; Epes Sargent, James 0. Sargent and John O. Sargent, Roxbury, Mass. ; Ransom Gardner, Jonesville, Mich. ; and George Goss, Peru. Charles Atkinson is the resident Superintendent and Gen- eral Agent for the Company. In company with this gentleman, I made a hurried examination of the present mining operations of the Company. A drift has been made about one hundred yards into the bluff, on the west side of Coal Creek. The coal is overlaid with shale, wbich forms a very good roof for the drift. The vein is four and a half feet in thickness, dipping to the north and east sufficient to keep the drifts free from water. At present only a small force is employed in mining, but arrangements are being made by the Company to conduct the business on a large scale. The first coal from these mines for Chicago will leave here to-morrow, and will consist of three car loads — about thirty tons. The present mining operations are near half a mile from the railroad, and the coal is drawn that distance by teams. The Company design, however, to lay down a side track, by which means they will be able to run their coal cars to the very entrance of the pits.* The Company have purchased over 1,500 acres of land, the most of which is underlaid with coal, while the surface is unsurpassed for agricultural purposes. A portion of the land contains a valuable grove of timber, but the most of it is high rolling prairie. It has cost them from ten to fifteen dollars per acre, and beneath it there is coal enough to furnish one hundred tons per day for one hundred years. The village of Sheffield is situated upon the lands of the Coal Company, and they are at present selling lots at very low prices to those who will improve them. I learn they have disposed of some forty lots at prices ranging from $40 to Si 25 each. The country traversed by the Rock Island road from the point where it leaves the valley of Bureau Creek, until it approaches the town of Geneseo, in Henry county, is off the line of public roads, and consequently is but thinly settled. From the high ground on which Sheffield stands, only here and there can be seen a farm house to break the monotony of prairie scenery. But a few years will make great changes in this respect. The rich soil, the undulating character of the country, the contiguity of an inexhaustible supply of coal, and the facilities for market which the railroad furnishes, will cause this entire region to fill up rapidly with enterprising farmers. Many purchases have been made in this vicinity * Since the above was written, the Company have changed their plan of operations in regard to mining. Having discovered that the coal vein is at its lowest level near the railroad, they are now putting down a mine track on an inclined plane, so as to elevate the coal, by a steam engine, to a level fifteen feet above the railroad — by which means the coal cars will be dumped directly into the railroad cars, ready to be shipped to any point East or West 36 quite recently by those who design opening farms. Lands are held va- riously ;ii from $2.50 to $15 per acre. There is none left for entry at Congress prices. I have never witnessed a more striking exemplification of the fact that " railroads create business," than is presented by the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad. All the estimates that have been made, most of which were considered extravagant at the time, are found to be far short of the truth. This is true both as respects freights and passengers, but particu- larly of the latter. A weekly coach between Peru and Rock Island has sufficed to accommodate the travel heretofore. But now Mr. Frink is scarcely able to concentrate stock enough at this point to meet the de- mand. Yesterday evening, five large coaches were literally loaded down with passengers for Rock Island. The day before, five coaches and four hacks were filled. And this is but the repetition of what occurs every day. At Tiskilwa, yesterday, several coaches were filled from the cars with passengers for Henry, Peoria, Galesburg, and other points South. And so it goes, day after day, each making additions to the business of the preceding one. Last month, the business of the road was a little over $50,000 ; this month, I venture the prediction, it will fall but very little, if any, short of $75,000. There is scarcely running stock enough on it to accommodate the business which is pressing upon the Company at every station and depot. I learn that ample provision is being made for a large addition to present business when the cars shall have reached Rock Island. I cannot speak in too high terms of the Sheffield House, kept by E. D. Smith. Notwithstanding the house is crowded by day and by night, he continues to render the multitude much more comfortable than could be expected. His table is most bountifully provided at all times. A large addition to his house is now far advanced toward completion ; and, in a week or two more, will he ready for use. "When that is done, it will be a most delightful resort for those who may wish to escape from the din and dust of the city, to breathe tor a few days the fresh air of the country, and enjoy the scenery of Nature almost unmarred by the hand of improvement. ROCK ISLAND AND TS SURROUNDINGS, IN 18 53. CHICAGO: DEMOCRATIC PRESS STEAM PRINT, 45 CLARK STREET. 1854. H*l37 89 if* .« t * o, "V v v *i:Af* * v v .**' Neutralizing Agent: Magnesium Oxide otr 199o k BBKKEEPFR PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGIES. LP. i [ O ' 1 1 Thomson Park Drive f\j O Cranberry Township. PA 16066 ,v (724)779-2111 . 1 * A *«-** .* VV v *^ *^~ y£mza*\ *„£msr: '**»* G°V^% , >6 ,t ■o V ^cr W y"v^ *>6* *^ •***«• >* ♦ •••, *> r o ^ '.HP* .0 1 / ^^ ' o • » * A I E 00 UJ VO 1- (/) ^ I* z d > O << So < E z z5 is gi 1 ffl E m vs / * ^ "o^ ^ ^.