Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-12-23
MOSCOW.
Old To>vn-Its History,
Location, business
Prospects, Wa
ter Power,
etc. etc.
CnEYESHnGAr.


Prospects, Wa
ter Power,
ETC., etc.
On the ssst bank Of the Cedar River.
some seventy mi'ss from its mouth, Is
located the liuls village Of Moscow. The
shore at this point 10 high and bluny. The
towns, therefore. always exempt from those
semi annual bathiogs with which that cassic
stream 10 wont to favor the country situated
along its course. The river hero runs very
rapidly and has . very heavy fal, a fact
which :he Moscow ties lave taken advantage
Of. for the purpose Of securing fine water
power, OF which more amen.
Concerning the early history Of Moscow
aud the adjacent country, there 10 probably
no man living that is fully informed. Long
before Muscatine had house, and while the
$40 Of Dsv.np IT wha Atill a buffalo pasture
the bottoms Of tho Cedar, in the nsighborA
hood o. Moscow were settled here and there
with Glass Of eople who lived by counter
letting, horse stealing, ard all manner Of
crime. In fact, it was the hesdo nartsrs of
Noiihwest-A society OF outlaws and des-
perAdocs who Acknowledged no laws bu,
heir own fierce tules-an organization Of
bad men driven from society fer their many
~ - 4
the Arkansas hass since been, was tho vi.
cinty Of which We write, in those early
days, before the government surveys had
crossed the Mississippi, and whisthe coun-
Try was suil in the hands Of the Red man
and the wild beast.
A civilization began to cut tho ioists
and erect its rude frontier cabins on the
west bank Of the Mississippi, this band Of
villains began to lose lie power, but did not
surrender II, how ever, without a struggle ;
and tile first attempt to establish = court in
the county (Muscaiine) under the old terri
,orial government Of Wisconsin was = fail
ure, a,d the Judge, Hon. David IRWIN. was
compelled to vscats the bench and leave
tho country. A similar attempt was made
ayear or tw0 later, TO frighten away Judge
jos, Williams, who, IN the meantime, had
Z me 10 Z ooInipgicD tnow Nuscatlne) for
the purpose OF ORGANIZING a court. In this
instance tie villains had reckon. without
der host for the first movement towards
hat end sas promptly met by the officers
OF the court. A Tee fight ensued, which
| finally resulted IN lie weuld-be -disturbt r.
oetng pitched, body and boots, out Of the
shadows Of The court room. Before another
. k.
| oi oxen, ard lie members had either moved
away or settled down into quiet and order
| IS members Of society.
The uext year, DR.. Eli Reynolds and DR.
| Chss. Drurv came up the Cedar IN 4 keel
boat 90 far rs Moscow, and selecting il a.
/ an eligible site Tor . trading house, lsnded
| with their families and erected two or three
| leg houses on the ground where the tswn
now SANDS. Other settlers came in shert
| ~ after~ards, and quite flourishing little
village sprung up in the Wilderness
For ssms time the town grew finely, bu,
| the Cedar having been found impracticabls
fer stsam navigation, and Nuscat,ne having
grown up 10 the dignity Of city, times
grew duh in Moscow. and instead Of going
| forwsro, il began - sscsds, and came near
running cut altogether.
| Latterly, however, . more enterprising
| class Of people have moved int the place
| and again the stock Of Moscow 10 approach.
| ing par. Determined to turn the river,
whose shallow waters had departed the
commercial prosperity Of the town 10 some
account, company was formed for the
purpose 81 building . dam across the river
aud compelling the idle waters to make
| themselves useful in turning the wheels Of
sundry milo and manufactures which they
propose 70 erect. In spite Of almost insur>
mountabls obstacles and in the face Of the
nest determined sppcsi ion the company
have at lasl succeeded in putting in . fine
stone dam which raises the water to the
desired heighth. An excellent Touring
mill with . capacity Of three or four run Of
bu,rs. has bssp built by Peter Bigelow and
he expects in few days to hav. the ma
ehinery ready 10 let in the water and com
mencs operations. With such magniti
cent water power 40 this enterprise givei
Moscow We are unable to see any resser
Why in ysar Or tive the little villae,
should not begin to don the appearance Q
. busy manufacturing town that in tim
may arrive 81 tho importance ofa city Q
soms note.
RAiGsoAns.
Should the above hope be verified Mos
COW will soon possess unrivalled shippin.
advantages. The Chicago, Rsek Island 4
Pacific Railroad already crosses the Ceda
at THE psist, aud the Muscatius, Upton 4
Auamssa road alss runs through the place
The latter road Is Already graded sleng III
most Of the line, and has been for year @
more. Its directors. however, have 20 ia
been unable to secure the means to iron An,
stock the read. II the advantages Of Mos
COW are developed, and it grows into
thriving inanu'ac curing city in time, .
course il viii REQUIRE ready access to til
Mississippi river, and, no doubt, the necss
ssry money 10 complste the undsrtskin
will b speedily for,hcsoing.
InE rowE.
as W have bsfors remarked, is . plsasan
little village Of three or four hundred in
hab,.ants. II hos gssd substantial sshss
building. two churches. public hall, t~
dry goods s,orss, fosr grocery stores. tw
hstss, three s.lscns, four blacksmith shops
TIVE wagon shops and a su.ky plcw manu-
factory. The latter is owned by Ms. Gee
Hunt. The piewx made at his establish
ment have taken the premium at svers
State Fairs, ans are said TO lie very eupe
, rior farming imp.snsnt. Mr.. Hunt is
man Of business, ard is just now filhn
semc large contracts for wood, ties, fenc
. posts, &c. lie is opening large WOOL yaf
: for boats at Port Louisa, at the junction 9
the Is~s, Cedar and Mississippi rivers. II
4 10 also shipping fsnce posts to Wsleott m
: Durant. where he is opening yards Il
: their disposal.
D THE BuSIxEss
0! the pace 10 good. @. 7. Cefssy has
large ana well filled dry goods store, an
q enjoys a. large and ilourlsbieg business. Il
: stock eampares very favorably with that ,
the atersa il Wilton and Wet Liberty.
VIM. Baker, few blocks below, also hi