The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-12


Prospects.
EDITOR Rock ISLAND ARGUS, Dear SIR
Finding statistical letters from several
towns in the county, Published in your pa
per, feel it my duty to my town that the
people should know something of the now
flourishing village of Andalusia, and what 1t
has been, what it is, and what it may PEI
with fair proportion of capital and enter
prize.
Samuel Kenworthy, without doubt, Is the
father of the town. In 1910 ne punt a log
cabin on the bank of the Mississippl river,
where he bought grain and sold groceries,
ond tbnS commenced commerce and trade in
Andalusia.
Tn 1855 the town contained ten inhabit-
ants and It's business houses consisted of a
warehouse for grain, one horse blacksmith
shop, and two horse ferry boat. 1t now
contains 400 inhabitants, who are alive to
the interests of the place. We have S. M.
Boney & Co., F. A. Cobb l. Bro, John
Heath, and Buffum Bro. & Walker, engaged
in the grain business, who, collectively,
shipped in 1866, about 100000 bushels of
grain. All these firms are engaged in other
business, excepting John Heath, and could
not give it their exclusive attention.
| In connection with these grain matters, /
WOutO Say tudt IL WSiC SCfCfdi HoIC
grain merchants, with plenty of capital, and
| lively competition, there might be shipped
from this place annually 2,O00, 1000 bushels of
grain. There is probably greater scope of
| farming community accessible to Andalusia
| than any other town in the county, taking
part of Bowling township, which is quite
farming district and Edgington and Buffa-
10 Prairie, two OF the largest and most ex-
| tensive farming communities in the county ;
and Drury, which cannot be surpassed IN
/ its productions of fruit, by any township in
1 the county. A large portion of Mercer coun-
ty is also of easy access to this place and finds
market here.
Our principal goods dealers are Messrs s.
NJ Boney l. Co., and Eby d Norton, who
keep all the articles usually kept in a coun-
| try store.
Messrs s. NJ. Boney Co. have a drug
| store attached to their establishment-andi it
is through the energy and perseverance of
Mr.. S. NJ. Boney that the title of the land
| where the town is situated was perfected and
procured.
Engaged in the lumber business, we have
! Messrs Bufum Bro. l. Walker, and Thomp-
son 4 Smith. These firms. l think, could
not have bought and sold less than $l75,ooo
| worth of lumber in 1866, though am not IN
| posssession of an accurate estimate.
We have a Touring and saw mill COM
| bined, owned and operated by Messrs Bur
ton and Bowman; one stove store-by c. l..
Mcconnell !; one shoe store by Messsrs Tur-
| ner j. McFarlin three blacksmith shops ;
one cooper shop one wagon shop; two ply
sicians; one butchers shop and last and
least of all three lager beer saloons.
Messrs William Jones & Bro. have very
convenient and commodious hall for concerts
lectures, &c.
OF churches there is numerically little if
any difference between the Methodist and
Baptist. The methodists have anew church
| edifce, and stated preaching by the Rev. G..
w. Martin. The baptists have comforta
| BILE house to worship in, presided over by the
| Rev. o. T. Conger.
The United Brethren REV NJ. Rose) have
| organized a class, and believe intend to
| build house to worship in.
! The masons have good working lodge,
and, for the present, are using Jones Hail.
| expecting, in the coming summer, to locate
| more permanently.
We have 225 children, under the age of
| q years very good school room, with all
arrangements made for building large two
story school house this coming summer.
| OF banks we cannot, with our neighbor of
Port Byron, boast of that branch of CONNER
| cal enterprise, stocked with greenbacks !;
neither do think it would pay, as yet.
| Neither can we boast of coal, with our
| neighbor of Coal Valley, but can say, how
| ever that there are beds under all the bluffs
| in this neigh borhood jacent to the Mississ-
ipp river. Two or three banks are now in
successful operation, which furnish, at pres
ent, sufficient for the consumption of the
place No doubt these viii be more extens-
lively worked the requirements may IN
crease. and the article may some day be
shipping commodity from our port.
S. NJ. Boney, ESQ.,, in addition to his con-
nection with the firm of S. B. 4 Co., owns
splendid farm Immediately adjoining the
town.
John Buffum, Esq, also, besides being IN
the firm of B. B. & w, has a fine farm,
three-fourthS of a mile from town, well stock
ed and beautifed by splendid family resi-
dence
r. Wells owns and resides on the "Sulph-
ur Spring" farm, Immediately adjoining
town-probably one of the best stock farms
in the county.
In addition to the present trades and pro-
LESSONS, the surrounding country would sup
port many others, at least two other good
stores. A hardware and iron store is also
very much needed One other wagon shop
could be proftably employed. One or two
wagon blacksmiths as journey workmen
could find employment,at the shop now IN
operation. Three or four good carpenters
and joiners could find employment for the
coming season. A good house and orna-
mental sign painter could not find better
place to locate.
In conclusion, our celebrities are only one
the man that was not elected sheriff OF ROCK
Island county lives here.
- RoCKPoRT.