The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-06-08
N TnHeeli, If T.esdss.l
THE EXCURSION.

Yesterday at o'clk. two trains came in
TO Rock Island bearing with them the in
vi.cd guests to the excursion on their way
to the Falls Of St Anthony They were
welcomed by large concourse Of people,
the firing Of cannon and music from the sew
eral bands on board the Ave steamers. which
lay in readiness to conduct them on their
Journey. They immediately embarked, bu,
their numbers had so increased that il was
found necessary to charter the Mckee,
which lay j; the wharf.
!, was soon ascertained that Ex-Presi-
den, Fillmore was on board the Golden Era.
The crowd assembled in front Of it aud
called upon him, when he made his appear
ance-a fine looking. portly man with gray
hair-howing repeatedly to them, and 50
soon as the noise was stilled that he might
be heard, he made them short speech
lie said tina, he thanked his fellow citizens
for the cordial reception they had given him;
tina, this was the first time he had ever cross
ed the beautiful prairies Of the West. orhad
seen the Mississippi river before it was
ciouded by the waters of the Missouri
Though it had given him great pleasure to
see these things, yet !, was greater salts
faction to be thus warmly welcomed by tbs
people Of the West, As j, was impossible
for the human voice to contend with the
steam whistle. as he said he ceased speak
ing, after another allusion TO the people
present and again thanking them for their
cordial reception.
AS the SIX boats could 10. accommodate
all, large number crossed over and took
rooms al the LIE Claire House and our other
hotels until they were filed, when the BAL
ance were accommodated by oar citizens
until this morning when they left fer Chica-
90. The number present may be estima-
ted from the fact, that they filled seventeen
cars and tina, six large class steamboats,
could not accommodate them. There were
large proportion of ladies in company,
nearly third, We should presume, being Of
the gen.ier sex. Whether wealth, talent
or influence was the passport to favor We
know not, bu: certain il is, they all appear
ed as if few months grazing-residence
We mesn-on the western prairies would
imQalt ~ IN ffff boats crossed to the Dsv-
enport side, that the guests might have a
fsirer view OF the display Of fireworks, which
was TO be given from the point of Rock
Island, where stand the block houses and
barracks of old Fort Armstrong.
Soon after the arrival Of the Golden Era,
a crowd again assembled, when in answer
to their calls, Mr. Fillmore again appeared
and addressed them a, some length upon the
more important topics Of ihe day. When
we reached the ground he was speaking up
on internal improvements. When he re-
marked, in oppcs itiun to the tonnage sys-
tenn of Douglas, that he conceived !, the
duty of the General Government TO remove
all distractions from the navigation OF the
Mississippi river, cheers testified the appFo-
val Of the crowd. He was thus frequently
interrupted in his address He spoke /
from the hurricane deck OF the steamer al
the foot Of Iowa street, and Macy of the
words he uttered were distinguished at the I
corner of Fourth and Rock Island SITS, four
blocks distant. His voice is very loud and
remarkably distinct, Of which this fact is
sufficient proof. The fireworks, though
seen to great disadvantage, were very beau
tiful and served to beguile pleasantly the
time until after 10 o'clk.. when the boats .
left On their way TO the Falls.