The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-03-10
ROCK ISLAND AND CHICAGO
RAILROAD.

NUN ISiaaND AMI Ot1tIAUO
RAILROAD.
As few persons, especially those in the
distance, have an idea Q. The progress Of
the above work and OF the short period tina,
must e!apse before We, the people Of Dav-
export, are placed in Railroad connection
with the "rest Of mankind" we will eaaeav
or TO eniigh,en them. We have no hope,
however, Of shedding a single ray Of light
upon the bcnighted understandings of our
worthy co,emporares, who appear To have
conceived the idea, tha, ia order TO ad
vance the interests Of their particular To-,
calitiss, they must become oblivioas TO the
progress OF every public work no, directly
efecting them.
Rock Island aud Chicago Rsilroad con
meets on the east with the Michigan South
ern and Central Railroads, which unite
with other Railroads, forming aconiinuous
line with all the prominent cities Of the
interior and seaboard. On the ives, il is
to terminate at the city Of Rock Island,
which is directly opposite Davenport.
Here between the Two cities, is situated
Rock Island proper; the island known in
the history OF this western country from its
connection with the Black Hawk war, as
the site Of old Fort Armstrong and as the
basso reiicro of The most beautiful land.
scape on The picturesque Mississippi. On
The east side of this island the stream is
narrow and shallow, being merely The es
cape wafer which cone. down ever the
dam at the head Of the island, where is sit.
uated Moline, q town Of about one thousand
Inhabitants. who receive their support
mainly from the variou. manufactures To-
Gated a, this desirable point.
On the west side Of the island the Mis-
sissiPpi compressed within rocky banks &c
the width Of 400 feet, rushes down over
its stony bed, constituting the lower ter
minus Of the Rock River Rapids. Here il
the most feasible site On the Mississippi
river from its source to its issue for the
erection Of bridge Nature spparentl,
designed this fpoi for snch purpose and
years ago, ere Railroads were iaown 10
this western country, when the whole was
q boundiess waste, one far-seeing individu.
al, with ssgacity truly remarkable, prog.
nosticated the building Of Railroad from
the east, around the southern extremity oil
Lake Michigan, crossing the Mississippi al
Rock Island and extending to Council Bluffs
on the Missouri. Convinced Of The entire
prscticabiliiy ct no distant day Of the con-.
pletion Of this great work, Dir. Red6eld
though aware be should be considered a
visionary, did not hesitate TO give 10 the
world, in pamphlet form. his views upon
the subject. lie may We. live 10 see The
realization Of bis hopes 50 ardeutly express
ed--he has long since lived down The
charge Of being visionary.
The right of way has been secured snc
the individuals who gave vitality end in
fused the progressive spiri, iuto the ROCK
Island and Chicago Railroad Company
which has caused their Road to be built
faster than ever Railroad was constructed
in the U. States, have united with '.few
more of The same SORT" and are now ma
king their parsiions to erect bridge
across the Mississippi at this point. A
minute survey has been made, the exsct
spot determined and soon the laborers will
be at work. IN the meantime 4 survey is
now being made hence 10 Council Bluff.
the same Company including in their or
ganizaiion The const ruction Of Railroad
between these Two poiuts.
But We had intended 10 speak more par
ticularly Of the Railroad connecting Us
with The east This week the cars in ali
probability will reach Peru On their course
westward. Between Peru and this place
about IL miles from here, an immense
work has been under construction for some
months-itis bridge crossing Rock Risel
and the lowlands adjoining, being abou
400 feet long, or Of The same length re
quired TO span the Mississippi. Thi,
bridge is approaching completion; by mid
summer it 10 thought, il will be finished
From Peru westward the Road is slread,
graded TO the summit, or high lands sbou
As miles from this terminus. Here
town has been laid out and named Sheffield
in honor Of one Of the contractors Of ID
Road, and large hotel erected. Laborer
ere now at work grading this end Of th
route and soon the contractors will begii
to lay down The rails on the portion graded
al their usual unparalleled speed of op'
mile per day. Before the puff Of The steam
er dies away for the season upon The snow
covered bills Of Davenport, The WELDON,
sound Of the locomotives heavy breathing