Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-10-15

ELsvsH YEAns OLD.-Spsaking after the
manner Of newspapers, ~ the DAILY DAv-
ssrosr DssocRAr, are this day eleven years
this day enter upou our twelfth
year. We we're born, - The record shows,
- the 1stA Il Ostebss. 1855 small 10 size
- BY s1-bst With great expectations. We
6fst nv the light Of day in . little room. in
the ssesnd story Of what is nov Ne. s, Net.
ropolitsn Building. then over the drug store
Of Chas. 7. Wsbb. The furniture Of the
room consisted Of one old haad press, few
sopssauosatsd Stands" several fonts ef
well-woen type, ricksty editorial chair, .
shattered dssk or an old:bsttered table. in
which there was drawer and in that drawer
nemoranda q mostgagss which really called
for more moosy Than The entire concern vas
worth. Ni is yet fresh in our memory that
our "dress' was neither well-eut ser wen
made. but shockingly oat o! iashion-p patch
ed with many sorts Of material that we're
terribly out Of sorts" in short, the entire
rig was out q the knees, and out ct the 81.
bows, out Of style-and worse yet out in the
pocketi But despite Of al this, " were
not dismayed, for ~ we're veil fortified
with any amount amount Of energy, and
hope In Tie future equsl TO the removal Of
mountains. Az we looked Davenport
IN the face for the 6rst time, We did
- with . bold face, with . 6rm belief
that though the commencement Was small.
thess was brilliant future ahead
for this town, in which We firmly determin-
cd TO participate. Our city had some elk or
seven thousand people them substantial bu
siness blocks we're few and much scattered,
her business nen not ovsrstocked with capi-
I'll, but for all that she had great promiss.-
For two or three years shs grew rapidly, and
" did the same. We we're 20 cordially nur-
tursd BY IN apprsciativs public that ws 5000
shed eur old ciothss-sxpandsd our chest. -
lsosthsned our lsgs, and developed most en-
eourag,ngly. We got to BE- - large asany Of
them, end hid On ides that our fortune was
made. So thought dry goods, elething. hard
ware, drugs, banks, and real estate conesrns.
Everybody and everything about Davenport
in the golden summer Of 1851, counted them
selves - either wealthy Or on the stssight
broad gauge. double track road that sudden.
y leads to fortune. Alas. how disappointed
Like raging bull entering china shop. we
cav the crisis advance upon Davenport. He
scattered d,y goods and groceries to the four
winds; be pitched hardware and stoves
higher than kite; he tore clothing and cure
sency in shreds and tsttsrs; 6eots and shoes,
hats, caps. crockery. drugs. notions, and
merchandise Of ell kinds, he pitched. tossed,
and tumbled in his mad sparing moth
ing. Business Of oil kinds seeled
and staggered men 10 all sorts Of
trades. professions and employments we're
either broken upon the wheel Of ruin, or 70
fully bent and those who were less scsthed.
staggered amid the confusion, - il
drunk. Newspapers were not exempt by
any means. Our thirty six heavy columns,
harrassed on oil sides BY the storm got re-
duced almost to half that number, and moth
ing to brag on at that. The storm, and it,
Immediate effects lasted over Ave years.
Some got through all right-many did not.
But all through we encouraged the despond-
iog, and used our columns-what there vas
LEFT. to make the people believe thst the day
Was dauning, even when the night vas
hardly commenced; We pointed to the
breaking Of the storm clouds, even when
tn at bre was less probable than the crack
Of doom and up stayed sinking spirits ~
hest we could, even when we were more
than dispirited-nsy bankrupt in every col
omn.
But The storm cleared away. Il lsfn ruins,
but upon the same site which il 20 terribly
devastated, has . moro substantial and
more imposing structure bses reared Our
business men are not SO fond Of fiction
Rhereon to base their business-it now
Dtasds en iast-sn actual cash capital. The
DssocaAr hes. alss, cuperated-ressmed
- old form Of 81 and more too. and Though
hopeful Of the future, is not unmindful Of
that day when in the drawer Of
The old rickety table, lurked the
evidence Of moro indebtedness than Il
Ind all its proprietors and employees. from
|he senior down to the "devil," could pay,
Nth bodies, souls and breeches. We % .
newspaper. havo seen Davenport triple
her population double ten timss over her
lctual wealth; seen her sturdy mechanics
pile up any millions Of bricks, and nail to-
ysthsr - many million feet sf lumber; put
n,lss Of iron pipe under be streets and Gov
n these streets for miles with rocky sur.
ses; vs 80 her trade extending into all
,asts Of The S.ats-hsr prodscs market the
most thriving, from The rivers source to st.
Ieuis-all this and more too have ws seen;
ND W night eulcgize her ~ The column.
Mt che is doing tAat tos hsgselG For thsse
ped thiass that our towa enjoys. ths Dsn-
csAr takes ito share u credit end trusts |
nasy more ysass b eoatsibsts IL u same |
vsy-as the same time hoping 70 nsks
Aisg mutually sdvantageous.
Or seaise claims 10 b ths oldsut daily |
'swspapsr aaa in the State, nv 10 tbs Aar-
sssvsd It Tie sans desk, ~
lie1 ~ saos quill slsvsa straight ysass
nd b Jet iaeide Il the ossidian sflife. Ho
1ains that he has had labeeious, yet . |
'appy jssrssy thus IL. While, editosially,
y may Mt have pleased svsrybody, he has
ried y plsass himself. and 70 Do q nssh
,sod at I'll times = possible never losing
light Of what he considered y - The hest iss
sessts Of the great whole.
wessnd greeting 70 our editorial bssthres
4 the thwsst-hoping they ars I'll happy
Ind prosperous; forgiving then 10 oil sins q
)missien q co0missiou, - ~ hone 90 b.