The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-11-05
ISLAND OF Es0Ck ISLAND.
Glance al the Government Improve
ments During the Season.

As general thing we bsieve it to be q
fact that the local press and the public gen
orally, do not take that active interest in the
improvements that sre being made bv the
government under the supervision of General
Rodmau, upon Rock Island, that their great
Importance demands, but with the desire of
mending our ways IN this respect. we paid
thRs place visit this morning, and through
the polltsness OF the commandment Just named,
obtained sufficient Der of facts and fig
ures relative 10 the operations of the past
Summer TO enabled US TO give the public e.
pretty general idea of what has been done,
and ls proposed to be done next year.
The largest number Of men that have been
employed at any enc time there, is about 400.
At the Last pay day there were about 300 still
employed, since which time 3 oonsidera Bile
number have been discharged and during the
winter months the number retained in SER
vice will probably not exceed one hundred
The amount CT funds expended there dur
Ing the season now coming to close, is not
fer from 9ZoO,V0o, or one quarter OF million
OF dollars. The pay roll OF yesterday for the
month Of October, was fully $50, 600.
10 describe in detail what that force of men
and the money Issued has accomplished
would occupy much space and take much
more time than We have to spare to-day, SO
we will only glance at the more important
Misunderstanding in advance that all that has
been done has been well dons-and princi-
pally as merely preliminary to the great work
that is to follow.
Let Us begin, then, with the ground work
the avenues and roads. On the south or
Illinois side of the Island, u beautiful road
thirty feet wide, christened very properly,
sylvan Drive, has been cleared, grubbed an d
graded tor the distance of two miles, which
gives one ofthe most picturesque and delight
1ui drive-ways along what has been known
as the slough but what will hereafter be
termed 81 Ivan water, THAT can be imagined
Inns driVe Affords an almost unbroken view
VI "ooos anu water winding along to con-
form to the contour of the Island-that can
be imagined, and will be favorite resort for
all time 10 come.
Main Avenue, go feet wide, has bsen work
ed about one and O half miles-n.rtly maoad
Rmized.
West Avenue has been cleared and worked
about one mile-partly maeadamized. East
Avenue has been worked one half mile.
Iowa Drive, 40 feet wide-which skirts the
Island on the Iowa side, has been worked.
mscadamized and guttered about one mile,
and along the south side handsome paline
fence with iron posts, has been built; and on
either side row of shade trees has been
pAahtou. L his Is d gu pcIAok AuP1oNoiuout,dnu
will last for ages.
Here, then, we show six miles of avenues
and drives constructed this season, with about
two miles OF matchmaking, under which
there are numerous permanent stone culverts
one of which, where West Avenue crosses
the slough. lie 800 feet long, and high enough
for q man to walk through, and is built Of
Joliet stone. ID is magnificent piece oil
work. ~
Two large cisterns have been built; one
for hard water, of 1000 gallons capacity
is located in the wet ground or slough near
the long culvert; the other ia a double els.
tern for soft water-each compartment lC
feet wide by Is, and 10 feet deep. The wa
ter is taken from the roofs of the adjacent
buildings, into one side, from which it is fiji
tered into the other. Its capacity is about
10000 gallons. The former cistern is con,
abundant supply for sxtingulshing fires; the
latter furnishes water for domestic purposes
for those residing on the Island, and is con-