Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-12-20
BYC.L. sHOLEs.
For the Kenosha Telegraph.
WAYSIpE GLEANINGS.

vidual as difficulties and dangers thicken around
him.
We are now at New Boston--some $50 miles
from home. and only about so miles from the N.
E. corner of the state Of Missouri. We are al
most startled at the distance which we have
wandered, and instinctively enquire how we are
ever to get back. And yet we suppose it will be
! just as the clocks ticks mlion--not by making
Hercuean effort to accomplish it at once, but
by a continued oscillation of the pendulum for
hour after hour until million has been counted.
So we suppose that if we keep our horses head
in the right direction, and let him place one foot
before another times enough he will eventually
bring us up on the shore of Lake Michigan
We now start thitherward uia Rock Island coun-
ty.
The shape Of this county defes description.
1t is neither a square, a paraelogram, TRAN
gle, or like anything else seen by mortal vision.
1t lies on the Mississippi for some so miles, and
as the mighty Father of Waters here travels
nightly out of his way you may judge-no you
cannot Judge, of the shape of the western line of
the county. The eastern is like untoit-only a
little more so-and on the north it terminates in
APPOINT.
Three miles south of Rock Island city we
struck Rock River, about league above It's juno
ton with the Mississppi--at this point there are
rapids which impede navigation, but furnish an
abundance of water power. An island divides
the rivera dam has been built across the cas-
tern division, and fourish,ng village called
Camden is the result Of this water power. A
large quantity of -four is manufactured here ev-
cry year and shipped at Rock Island. Camden
is the last of the Rock River villages as we de-
! scend the stream. Above it at unequal distan-
ces, but in quick succession, we pass other villa
ges--the pride of the west--until we arrive at
Horizon, far up in Wisconsin, where the river
issues from the great marsh in Dodge CO. We
have crossed this river at almost every village
from its mouth to its source, and more beau-
full country than lies along its banks have seldom
seen. In ascending the river we pass in the fol-
lowing order the villages of Camden, Prophets
town, Lyndon, Como, Sterling, Dixon, Grande
Detour, Daysville, Oregon, Byron, Rockford,
Roscoe. Rockton, Beloit, Janesvlle Fort Atllin-
son, Jefferson, Aztalan, Milford, WATERFOWL,
Huestisford, and finally arrive at Horizon
But we are still at Camden and do not cross this
river quite as easily as we have suffered our i'm
agination to carry us along its banks and among
its pretty villages. The east division of the riy-
er runs along a smooth rocky bottom, and al
though over quarter of a mile wide, is seldom
so deep but it may be forded. The dam across
the river can also generally be used for pas
sage way. But recently a rain of two days con-
tinua2ce had so sweled the stream that the wa
ter was pouring over the dam, and there was no
alternative but to cross below. We plunged in
to the deep and rapid current, and although there
was no danger, provided the holes in the river
were avoided, yet we confess we felt little sa-
fer when our horses feet again struck on terra
frrno that might be seen. After crossing the isl
and we arrived at the main channel of the river
which here flows in rapid current. and is cross
ed on a bridge, the first one below Rockford, a
distance of some so or 100 miles. A ship canal
has been commenced around the rapids at this
place, but like other public works commenced
by the Legislature of Illinois, has been abandon
ed--at least for the present, for want of funds.
And here is Rock Island--built on the bottom
land between the bluff and the Mississippi, and
containing some $500 or 5000 inhabitants-rath
er small number for a city, but the place is
growing and may one day be worthy of the name
1t is the shipping and landing point for the villa
ges of Camden and Moline, 6 miles above) as
well as for a considerable tract of country lying
back oft. Just opposite is the village of Da
venport, Iowa, aud as both these places are coun
ty seats the two court houses are full in view
! Lying almost between but little above these
places, in the river, is Rock Island, so named
from its being actually a rock rising out of the
water and covered to the depth ola few feet witt
SOIL On the south end of the island, and com
manding the passage of the river, is Fort Arm
t strong, now fast going to decay The island
contains about 1000 acres, and was the residence
!, of Col. Davenport, whose tragical end sent sucf
startling thrill Of horror through our country
few years since. While in the city the spot was
pointed out to us where three Of his murderers
met their fate-the rope breaking with one o
} them before he died and making it necessary t.
hang him again. On this murder and its results
d "there hangs tale" written by one who wa
principally instrumental in bringing several o
the murderers to punishment.
The facilities for intellectual and moral cult
walton in Rock Island are similar to those in Yves
; tern villages generally. Two public schools
and a number of private ones are sustained, bu
the Rock Island University which for severa
i. years past has had only a nominal existence, ha
at last been formally dissolved and the. medca
college once located here has been removed
Few men have done more for the moral cul
tivation Of Rock Island city and county than
It A. Spring, Esq, brother of Rev. Gardne
{ Spring, D. D., of New York city. For severa
:. years Mr.. Spring was an indefatigabe agent Q
the American Sunday School Union, and eve
when not in his agency, has been assiduous i
+ his efforts to Neso Englandize the county.
: In Rock Island city the old school Presbyteri