Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-12-15
THIRTY YEARS AGO.

Before ~ ~ have map Of Iswa, pub
lishsd in ls36-that 10 to s,y, Iews - 1
was. thirty two years age, when il vas no
Iowa st oil, but Wisconsin Territory
Il Is . eurisus old relic. which. togstts
eth accompanying notes, in pa~phle
form. was the work Of Ii. Albert n. Lea
Of the U. s. DraGeons. Davenport hAd q
existence then, but Iowa vas unknswn
except - "Iewa District" which comprise,
the counties Of Dee koinss aud Dubuque
the beundry line between which,. com
msncsd At the mouth Of Duck Creek ,thsnc
. little North and West. 70 point on tb
Cedar river, where the reservati on lis'
crossed tbs. stream, probably in Ceda
county.
Iowa District besdered On the Missisip
pi river from Keokuk to Prairie du Chen
then wsst absut SO miles. thence South il
direction conforming somewhat 10 the bent
in the Mssissippi,to the Missouri State line
thence East 80 miles to the river. Il wa,
sbsut 40 miles wide in the centre fern
ing . para!lslegram Of about $50 BY 81
miles, equivalent to 8, 900 square milss, o.
$500 900 acres.
Such vas Iswa District thirty-six year,
ago. All West Of Il wss the huntiso
grounds Of the 6acs and Fsxss-s thss
powerful tribe. On tho North WAS . 40 mil,
strip sanning back to tas Dss Msiaes river
that 10 mapped dswn - neutral gr,und
between the Sioux and Sacs- whore
they esu!d meet aud behave themselves
and farther North was the then uninvadsd
lands Of the Sioux Or Daestahs.
The map and accompanying besk ar,
vesshsd for by Hon. Geo. W. Jsnes. thsr
Congressional delegate from wiseonsir
Territory - being faithfully cerrsc. Ii
that day. - We learn frsm the map, lows
had no interior ts~ns. Ksokuk he'd On
existence. Boats stopped here 70 ehasgs
freight. II was expected that large stsragss
would b made at this place for sll
poiats on that part Of the Mississippi y.
isg above the rapids but % the means si
sbeissing these difficulties .(rspidsD caused
BY them, are improved, the lsss will this
trade contribute to the growth Of this
town."
Fort Dee Meines 10 mentioned a. being
. small point, (new Msptross) at The head
ofths lower rapids. at is said 70 have
been the site Of an old French village, and
there are some ruins Of such . settlement.
At present it is occupied by . detachment
Of U. S. Dragons.
Madison (new For. Madison, says the
historian, "is the site Of old Fort Madison,
which was abs ndoned by its garrison, and
burnt during the last war with Great
Britain. Nature seems to have designed
this place for the trade Of an extensive
back country"
burlington has . good landing and .
tolsrAbls site for building; has 6ns sand
stone quarry. First settlement made here
in 1885, town laid out 10 1884 lad 400
inhabitants IN 1885, lots co feet front in
best situations tnen selling .las high a.
$1,000. The country back Of this town Of
yesterday has the appearance Of an old SET
tied region, Here are farms csntainipg 20
much ~ $50 acres in cultivation where the
plsw had rsver been year before. II 10
the seat Of Justice Cor Dss Moinss county" !"
"kAsEY's" (nou Muscatine.) "A gen.
tlsman ls .his name intends laying out =
towr nt the head .of Muscatins Slough
The place nre.sn,s he advantage sfa good
landing and foe back ceun,rr but the
blaf, probably 200 feet high. approaches
the river very abruptly, leaving but very
hltls room for building. The contiguity OF
swamps will have tendency to create
much disease ct this point. II must BE- .
place OF considerable trade"
'Iowa.' at the mouth Of Pine river,
(probably Fairport), is highly e1tslled BY
the writer - being possessed Of superior
advantages and destined to become place
Of great Importance. He says: "Tnis will
be the point Of deposit for the trade Of the
country inelnded between the Iowa, Wa.
besapiuica and Mississippi. and for the dis-
embarkation Of smigrasts for that region
Should the seat Of the future government
Of the State Of Iowa bs located On the Mis-
sissippi. il will probably b 6xed at Isws,
ewing to the central position and CONNER
cial advantages Of the place, and il il b
located in the intsrier it must bs near the
lswa river, - the weight Of pspulatiss will
ts there, ana then the town Of Iswa will b
the nearest port on the Mississippi to the
capital Of the State"
How shsrt sighted IL man. Fairpeft is
a'nest unknown - point 10 Iowa.
"Throekmsrton's Landing, about ak
niles above lsws, 10 the next landisg, q
very eeuvenisnt sns.'
"Clask's Ferry (nov Budsls) is The most
convenient plsss to eress the Mississippi
have sssa anywhere bstwesa the Balise and
Prairie du Chem. Nature seems 70 have
dssignsd il fer great crossing place by
arranging COED bssks opposite - sa spsn.
ing in the islasds st st psiot where gssd
ferry wsuld naturally bs much wanted. =
All persons esoinE freo the direction si
Illinois river to the great minise rseiss ol
the Iowa District, Or passing toward ths
Capitol Of the future state Of Iswa. would
naturally cross over 1t this ferry. Wsse
the landing - gssd on the west side. there
would certainly b large town there in
stead Of the site at the aeuth Of Pins
River.
"DAvsxrosr.-This 10 . town jest laid
out on reserve belonging t. Antoine Ia
Claire. ltis nearly opposite = sbs levss
end Of Rock Island shout $50 niles BY rivel
sbovs 81. Lsuis, and s;tsatsd % high
ground with . beautiful range sf slspino
hills runnisg in the rear II. Thstswn d
new (Reek lslsad) the meath
Of Reek River, the picssrssqss wsrks upsn
Rock Island, sad LsOlalrs's house and
are al within foil view sf this
psint. In situstion 10 osriainly dsliehtfal
% far - beauty and health are eencssned