The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-09-08
THE RAILROAD JUBILEE.

| the first shovel fuli OF earth was thrown vi
on the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad
Or, it may be with propriety we can say, OF
the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad west 0
the Mississippi river. The act itself was
trivial, but in view Of the important results
| it heralded, twas thought best to accompa
ny it with some parade that would establish
the day as one to be commemorated. Anc
inasmuch as there was some honor attached
to the act of being the first man to throw
up shovel full Of earth in the great enter
prise, by common consent that privilege
was assigned our enterprising fellow citizen
Mons. Antoine LeClaire.
About loR o'clk. the citizens of Daven.
port, Rock Island and vicinities, assembled
in front of the LeClaire Buildings, formed 9
procession and proceeded to the corner oi
Fifth and Rock Island SITS. where the grea,
work was to be commenced. In the pro-
cession were included the two brass bands
of this city, the Odd Fellows in regalia, the
German Vercin Society and large vehicle
drawn by four horses containing Mr.. Burnel
and some thirtyfiye or forty men who are
employed at his saw-mill.
After assembling on the ground Rev. A.
Loudcrback, of the Episcopalian Church
offered up an excellent and appropriate pray,
er for the occasions in which he beseeched
the Most High to prosper the work and tc
protect in health those who gave THEN
time and services to the great undertaking
After prayer Hon. Jno =. Cook ascendee
the stand and entertained the audience
with an extempore address of about an hal
hours length, in which he spoke of the
wears of struggle that the citizens OF Daven,
port had experienced to bring about this
great work, how year after year they had
petitioned Congress in vain for grant OF
lands to aid them in constructing link in
the great national highway and that finally
despairing ofever accomplishing anything SC
long as they depended upon their paterna
parent for aid, they had thrown themselves
upon their own resources and now were
about to reap the reward of their enterprise
Still they were Indebted for their success tc
.hc fortuitous circumstance that placed III
their way and enlisted the hearty co-oPera
ton of the Railroad King in the West, Mr.
Farnam, and which had now given us 4
Contractor in Mr. Carmichael, who was ex.
perienced in Railroad building and able as
willing,o put the cars through to Iowa
City in the shortest given space OF time
Citizens of five or six years standing would
regard the present occasion as one OF deep
Interest, but to those who had passed the
last twelve or fifteen years of their lives in
Davenport; those who had pitched thei'
tents here when but few houses occupied
the site so recently reclaimed from the In
dians, the present must indeed be an occa'
sion of rejoicing, one fraught with the most
pleasing associations. Soon the locomotive
would leave our bustling city, bear on Its
burden to the Capital OF the State and ere
long lave itself in the waters fthe Missouri
Soon bridge would span the great Father
of Waters and a cont inuous line of Railroad
connect us with all the great marts of the
east. Our prospects are bright, the
gloomiest need not despond.
1t was expected that Jos. Knox, Esq, o
Rock Island, would also address the assem-
bly, on the occasion, but he not being pres
Ient/Mr Fulton. the Marshal Of the day
Iannounced the important crisis to have ar
rived when the soil was to be broken on tht
great Mississippi and Missouri Railroad
route. Whercupon Mr.. LeClaire descended
from the stand, pulled off his coat amid the
cheers of the crowd, and proceeded in
workmanlike manner to give the first touch
TO the great iron thoroughlare west OF tht
Mississippi river.
During the intervals while assembled
the bands enlivencd the scene by perform
inc some of the most appropriate airs ant
the members of the Vcrein Society sung
while a small company of artillery men from
the old country, having in charge the least
IRON" and stationed on neighboring emf
nence, made the welkin ring
Quite respectable number of the citi
zens of Rock Island, we were pleased to OBJ
serve, were on the ground, manifesting thai
interest which an enterprise of such grea
and mutual Importance to the two cities was
likely to beget in the minds of rght-thlnkins
men. We hope soon to reciprocate the'
visit and participate with them in the cele
braton of the first arrival Of the locomotive
through from Chicago, in their fiourishins
city. -
.Hc have heard the whole number of per
sons present estimated at two thousand.-
Harmoniously and quietly at the order o
the Marshal the citizens again formed II
PROCESSION and marched to the LeClairt
House where at o'clk. the Messrs. Lowry
served up an excellent dinner otwhch from
$50 to 200 persons partook./ ~ Thus tcrmln
ated peaceably, and so far as we know
without engcndering an unklnd Thought
the celebration Of an event, that regarded
with respect to the character and extent
the work it proclaimed, is the most momen
tous in the history of our youthful and pro