Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-08-28
rRIP 70 WALcorr.


day last q, 9 o'clk. A. n. to visit the hrst
station on the mississippi and Missouri Rail-
read and on the 6rst "Trip ever made By pas
senoes; cars on this Road. The evening
previous two passenger cars had been
transferred to shis siAs Of the Mississippi.
and Eve open cars ussd for transporting
iroa, had beca Aade 10 readiness for pas
seassrs By seating them with chairs and
sestees sad surroe adiag ..sAem with tenn
perasy railing. These. propelled By the
rood locomotives 10 Claire aud Iowa. with
,Aeir accompanying tenders. constituted
IN 6rst passenger train ever run over the
nississippi and Missouri Railroad. A baad
Of music added to the interest Of the oc-
casion, which waa heightened by the pres
ence Of some ffsy or seventy-hvs ladies'.
Very promptly At the specified time the
cass started on their first mission across the
prairies Of lows. The ascent Of $50 feet
below town was accomplished on the tenn
pcssry trsck with facility snd the cars
emerged on tho open prairie. giving to some
their FIRST view Of the country back Of Dav-
export. The most important fact connect
Cd eth The construction Of the Railroad
that struck the minds Of the passengers. was
the case with which the cal, passed over
the track. Customariiy on new Roads.
until the road-bed gets settled BY much
travelling, the iostling Of the cars, is exces-
sive, but - eompactly had the superstruc-
ture been made and. so firmly the iron
been spiked to the ties, that the cars gllded
over the rails Is smoothly as though the
Road had been in use many mon,hsS
Arriving q, their destination about 10
b'cik., the passengers were welcomed by
number Of persons, who either had proceed
ed them or were residents of Walco;t.-
Proceeding to the Walcott House. the la
dies there found ample accommodations,
while the gentlemen repaired TO eonve-
nieni spot to engage in the mission tina,
had brought them thi,her, which was to
purchase at public auction the lots yet re-
manning unsold on the town plat Of Walcott.
Mr.. H. Kilbourn. the popular auetioneer.
mounted q ostrum and with thu: happy fac
uIty he possesses of showing the good points
of anything he wishes to dispose of - the
highest bidder, soon had lots in Walcost
selling ., from $500 to ea5o each. These
were choice lots. however, and they soon
deprecated in price until from 800 to $50
wer. the ruling rates and outlots even went
% low a. from 80 to e75.
Leaving the scene Of the real estate OPP
erationa. in company with friend We as
cended TO the observatory Of the Walcott
House. From this elevated position we
had an extended view efthe prsiries around
for many miles. Away of in the distanc
could be seen groves Of trees. some Of which
were in Muscatine and others in Cedar coun-
". while here and there were farms under
cultivation, twenty-five of which could be
enumerated. There are many thousands
Of acres Of land within sight, - you stand
on the summit of the Wslcott House, that
are yet in the same condition Is when
roamed By the Indians in pursuit Of the buf.
fslo; but ere many year. rolr.away this land
will ell be brought in subsection to man
and be made to yield prolifealiy of the rich
fruits Of the earth. At one time this sea.
son eight breaking plows could be seen Al
work from this site.
At moor tiose who were fortunate enough
70 have the company Of ladies, or impudenl
enough TO crowd themselves in to the
exclusion Of the gentler sex, seated them
Ives at the first dinner table. So soon
- they had al supplied themselves plen.
tisully with the good things plsced before
them and made their egress from the dining
room, there was general move among the
outsiders towards the door, but it was clos
ed after the ladies. and the hungry expec
tants waited with much patience and man,
good humored. If not witty remark. for il
re-opening a signal for their entrance
Carried along BY the force of the outwar
pressure We found ou,self in . large room
with two tables it, entire length well load
ed with good substantial provisions, befor
which we were not slow to seat ourself an
prepare to do ample justice. But as eat
ing is rather commonplace affair anyhow
we shall barely allude to the circumstance
merely 70 say, that it seemed to be th
united opinion, 30 far IS we heard an ex
preston. that Mr. Myers, the proprietor O
the Wslcotl House, sustained the reputs
ton he had already acquired Of proYidin,
asood table.
Assuming the occasion to "sarn Ell hon
est penny. several Of our citizens had cor
veyed to the ground. melons. fruits. pies
etc. and erected booths where they dispos
ed Of their edibles to those who, tired Q
waiting or concluding their chances slende
for dinner at the Walcott House, wer
constrained to satisfy their hunger in thi
primitive style.
After dinner, while some proceeded t.
the spot chosen for the continuance Of th.
sale Of fse.aere out-lots, others Of the IN ORE
juvenile remained 70 oc cotnpany the isdie.