The evening Argus., 1868-12-01

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RoCE RIVER VALLEY RArLHoAD.-On
Tuesday the oath ult., workmen commenced,
at Como, to lay the rails for the new railroad
down Rock river. Como is in Whitesido
county, and is the first station west Of Sterl.
ing, on the Northwestern raroad-4 miles
west of Sterling. From that point the new
road will run directly down Rock river to
Cleveland Ferry, where bridge is now be.
ing erected on which it will cross to the
coal fields Of Henry county. Where will
the road run to, from Cleveland2 viii it
stop at the Henry county coal fields No.
Which way will it go? That depends a
good deal on what the property. holders of
Moline, Davenport, Rock Island and Cam
den shall do. If proper effort shall be
made by the property. holders of these towns,
the main line of the road can be brought
| down from Cleveland to this place, and 90
on via. Camden to St. Louis. If not, it will
| continue on its course the other side Of
lNOCh ilNtIs II Is Iiut " uC ACACtl SOo4
road, but is to be chain in the great north
and south link, from Lake Superior to St.
Louis and Cairo. Take down your map
and look at the position. Shall Moline,
Davenport, Rock Island and Camden have
the benefit of the main line of this great
| north and south road Or shall it continue
down the other side of Rock river and
shun us all? That's the point. The road
will run south, probably by way of Gales.
burg or Monmouth, to Macomb thence to
Beardstown, on the Illinois river; thence
down the Illinois river to Alton and St.
Louis. Large purchases of iron, ties, roll
ing stock, etc, have been made, and the
track is being rapidly laid. 1t is expected
that the cars will be running from Como to
Cleveland and the Henry county coal re-
gon in few weeks. The question now is,
VIII Moline, Davenport, Rock Island and
Camden take any steps to bring the main
line of this long, direct and important route
this way--or let it 60 down the other side of
Rock river and miss US all? That's the
question, gentemen-and something will
have to be done Immediately, if we would
secure the line this way. 1t is hardly neces.
ssry to say that the road would give us live
ly and direct eastern competition, as it will
connect with the Northwestern at Como,
| and be some II or 10 miles nearer Chicago
than the c., r. !. and p. road. 1t will also
give us direct north and south competition,
and guarantee a considerable reduction to
| all our people, on transportation OF freight
and passengers. The property.holders and
business men should awake to its import
auce and act promptly and efficiently.
PoRT BYRON AGAIN.-We have received
confirmation Of the statements in reference
to things in Port Byron, which appeared in
Mondays issue Of the ARGUS, and an assur-
ance that We have not by any means des-
Cribed the reign Of rulfiansm there too
graphically. Our assertions are not only
true, every word of them, but half the story
| of rowdyism is not told. 1t seems that there
is q class of young men in that place who
live exclusively on their wits, and do not
care how they may procure money 50 they
get their fingers clutched around 1t. The
man whom we stated had been chizeled out
of $50 by these interesting youths, lost the
money by an "open and shut card game
which WAS played upon him, and "set up
to clean him out They induced him to bet,
and while he was getting his money out OF
his wallet one of the precOcious young
scound rels seized the mans watch, upon
which he drew his revolver, when the thief
let go his booty and took to bis heels They
are also up to the tobacco box dodge, and
pick up the various verdant and inexperi.
snced persons who visit Port Byron, and
'clean them out" by means oft
/ Chief among the young ruffians who are
making Port Byron uninbabitable are two
brothers, named George and James Bell
who seem to desire only to get money and
are entirely careless as TO the means OF oD'
tanning it. They are the sons of Roger Bell,
one of the most respected citizens of Port
Byron, aud we believe the sentiment Of the
community is one of sympathy that he has
such a pair of abandoned young villains tor
sons. They certainly de8erVet to be brought up
at round tnrn at the state boarding house
at Joliet, and when the citizens take it into
their own hands to rectify the abuses in that
town, they will probably get their deserts
with the balance of the thieves there.
There have been located at Port Byron
during the entire summer, ten or twelve pro
fessionsl gamblers and pickpockets, wh,
have instructed these young villains in tn
several ingenious dO<geS with which the,
are now levying contributions on the inex
perienced. If they fail to obtain victim