The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-05-06

- Monday Ivsning, Hay 8, 1867. s.. 8
INV 1An ROUTE OF Rock RIVER VAL
We presume most Of our readers know
that last fall, this paper commenced the agi-
sation Of project for a mail route up the
Valley of Rock River, via ! Coaltown, Zuma,
Canoe Creek and Erie, to Sterling. The
origin ofthis agitation was in q question
propounded to US by Samuel Bewles Esq,
viz: Cant you do something to get us mail
and post Office at Coaltown?n MI .Bowlesstat,
ed that hehad resided at his present home
for 80 years; that they nsyefI had aa post
Office or a mail route there that the popu-
lation and business of that vicinity was con-
siderable, and he, thought they ought to have
a mail. We had a long conversation in re.
gard to the matter, in which the whole in
terests Of the valley, up through the eastern
part of Moline, Hampton, Yuma, Coe and
Canoe Creek were fully discussed. We
immediately commenced publishing articles
relative to mail route up that valley; we
wrote letters to many persons on the sub
Ject; got up petitions, and after much labor,
and the aid of Congressman Harding, a law
of congress was enacted establishing the
route. Ess
Some two weeks Or more ago Postmaster
Copp received the following circular:
g
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
s coNIRAcr OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, MARCH, 81, 1867.
SIR BY act of Congress approved March 2
1867, the following was established as post road
in the State of Illinois, viz - ~ -
"From Rock Island, via: Coaltown, Yuma, and
Canoe Greek, to Sterling. -. sz-,-s,.
The ,cerds of the la,c--the department has no
other knowledge of the route.)
The Postmaster General requests you to ascer-
tain, from the most authentic sources within your
reach, and ,oitost erpense to the department. the
length of this route, and such other facts in rela
tion to the country through which it passes it.
rivers, mountains, lif any, } as may be useful in
preparing the advertisement inviting proposal:
for mail service upon it and in locating it upon
the maps of the department, and for this latter
purpose diagram should be furnished, if practi.
cable. You are also At liberty to submit any sug
gestions which occur to you in relation to thu
kind of service required, number of trips pei
week, days and hours Of departure and arrival,
DO. The length of the route is quite important
please to give it as correctly as possible.
If the track of the route is by any existing of.
fees, you will give their official names. 81.
Make your answer on this sheet. and return il
without delay, under envelope addressed to thi.
Office. - H.. .a.-.. .z.-
Respectfully, &C., Co., f. e.. .-l. 90
Gro. w. Mcclellan,
~ Second Assistant Postmaster General.
Postmaster Rock Island, Rock Island Co., Hi
nois. -.s.s - --...s e-- -.-
Capt. Copp, handed this circular to us,
and asked us to furnish him the necessary
information. After waiting some days, hop
ing to see persons, from that region, who
could give us the facts desired, we suggest
ed to Capt. Copp that we make up party
and GO over the route as far as Erie, and
procure the necessary information. The
party was made up, consisting of Postmaste,
Copp, MIR. Bowles, Mr.. C. H. Tanner, and
the editor of this paper. Mr., Tanner is an
old stage man, who was acquainted with the
country, and who, some, Is OF ls years ago
drove a portion of the route, on Frink &
Walkers stage line. With Capt. Gopp's best
grey team, and covered hack, we started, on
Friday morning, the Sd, and drove up to Mr.
Bowles's hospitable mansion where his -ex.
cellent wife furnished us capital dinner
invitations had previously been extended
to US, by Charles B. Marshal, Esq, and Hem
~ 81. Hill, Esq, both of Canoe Greek, to
stop with them over night, on the trip.
In order to understand the day of the
land" it is proper to say, here, that from the
residence of Mr.. Ira Weatherhead fthe large
white house up Pleasant Valley, in sight
from the railroad depot, at Carbon Cliff to
the great Meredosia Slough, running
from the Mississippi River to Rock
River, about on a line between this
county and Whiteside, there are two roads
one turning from MI. w eatherhead's house to-
the left and hugging under the line ofblufs,
the whole distance the other following close
on the bank. of the river. The distance be-
tween these two roads averages from to 3
most of the way. Both are thickly settled,
and the distance is about the same, BY eth
er. Whichever way you 60, you travel
through splendid farms, and pass elegant,
eommodious, tasteful and comfortable farm
houses-the abodes of peace, plenty and hap
piness. All over that great country may be
seen herds of cattle, horses and sheep
handsomely fenced and finely cultivated
fields; fruit orchards, hedges, groves, pretty
houses, large barns, sheds &C., &C., school
houses in great numbers, and here and there
church; very few grave yards indeed, and
those few very thinly settled-a good evil
dence of a healthy country.
One of these roads is on high ground; the
other on the river bank, and, in spring, q
portion of it is generally overfowed for a
time.
Our readers can naturally see, by this
time, that there may be some anxiety among
the people on each of these roads as to which
will be the mail route. 1t is not for us to
decide this question, though it was for the
purpose of looking at and becoming acauaint.
ed with this region of country, as well as to
learn the distance &C., &C., that this party
tof which we were one) made the trip.
We 1aff NJ