The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-01-08
SOME ACCOUNT OF VIOLA.
CHAPTER I.

i CHATTER 1.
4 EprroR OF THE Rock ISLAND ARGUS
Dean SIR: Ihave noticed, for some month";
| past, that you were adding TO the usefulness
4 of your excellent paper by giving an accoun,
| of the rise and business of the towns of your
county. Lately your iberality has induced
you to give place to some account of Pre-
emption, in Mercer county. This has EN-.
boldened US here to offer some account OF
| the rise and business of Viola past, pres.
emit and prospective. We wish to have JUS
| tice done to our little town, BY setting her
up, square side by side, with the other aspi
ring towns in the vicinity. This is patriot
ism. and who don't praise patriotism?
The order of the commencement of Viola,
like that Of Babylon and Rome, runs back TO
| the era of myth and fable; and the absence
| OF authentic history must be supplied by
speculations, drawn from internal and ex-
| ternal evidences, furnished on the grounds.
There is yet extant a well preserved ruin,
| on the west side of Loyal Avenue, in the
shape of a wooden cabin. 1t is made of
logs, crossed oyer each other; and the spaces
between filed up with a substance, known
in modern architecture as "cat and clay.'
1t is well known now, by the Book of Nor
! mon and other equally good authority, that
| the lost tribes of Israel made their way to
America at an early day, and gradually
| transformed themselves into the present
Red Men of our forests. 1t is matter of
| undoubted supposition too, that the Tartars
in Asia. made their way across the ice, on
cheering Straights, at an equally early day;
and dispersed themselves over our country
broadcast.
Now it is well known of the In dams, that
in the absence of other substances, they al
ways build their cabins of wood. And it is
equally well known of the Tartars, that they
always, in their native state, built their cab
ms of mud. Now put that and that together
and you have the fact, that at some distant,
unknown day, some rowing band of Tartars,
coming down from Bheerings Straights, had
crossed the Edwards river on Boon's old
bridge, and in going south were met at the
present site of Viola, by an equally rowing
band of Indians, who had Just crossed Pope
Creek, in canoe, on their way north
Whether fierce battle ensued, and after
terrible depletion of ranks on both sides.
victor and vanquished had struck hands and
settled down together for mutual defence:
or, whether big pow WOW was peaceably
held on the banks of the Donahoo run, re.
sulsingin a treaty of amity and amalgama-
ton, is not quite clear. But the belligerent
tendency of the present inhabitants seems
topoint back to a state of war, at the found
ing OF the place. While their constant ia.
voring of the anal gamation of races, would
seem as clear Y to point back to a time when
their toretathers had peaceably amalgama
ted, on the present site of the town. And
now, having proved with equal clearness the
truth of each of these theories, II follows
that or the ntkar l.
Having then, as Indians and Tartars. set.
tied down amicsbly together at Viola THE
cross roads tavorlng the spot it was natural
ana necessary to tribal comfy, that the err
chrtecture of the two nationalities should be
blended, in the construction of their dwell
hngs. Accordingly we find the logs of the
Indian cabin, and the mud of the Tartar hut
harmoniously blended in that last relic of
ancient Viola. This cabin, the las, clear
evidence indicating the origin of the place.
ought to be fenced in By the city fathers. and
preserved from the Intrusion of cows and
pigs, which, anticipating a little, | will lust
stop to say, are staple productions of the
place, IN modern times.
Now while l think the foregoing a clear
proof of the Indian and Tartar origin of our |
town, yet If other proofs were wanted, there
might be almost demonstration drawn from
these facts, to wit: The IsraeIites. from
whom the Indians are derived, used to wor |
ship golden calf, and, true to their ancient |
instincts, the present inhabitants set calves |
over them to rule them. in every sphere of |
life. And as 1t takes the nations gold TO /
get them into ruling positions, and especially |
TO keep them there, they may literally be /
called Golden Calves; and Moses never, in |
AIS wrath, demolished a more veritable one
han Viola sent to the National Capital AS her
asst idol. Oh for another Moses!
The Tartars, on the other hand, are prone.
n their native country, to worship horses
md accordingly an outcropping of this an.
;ient national taste is seen in Viola in the
act that its present inhabitants intend to
,iect as Chief Magistrate of the Nation, a
yreat General, ofsuch exalted Craftsmanship
mo prohclency OF language, that ii is said
lie can talk horse
Other proofs might be added, and the par
.bie extended indefinitely. We might in
tance the great Israelitish leader, Sampson
how he made such terrible havoc with the
aw-bone of an ass; and how this weapon
lad been an heir loom in his tribe, and de-
cended through the Indians to the inhabit-
nts of Viola: who still WELD that deadly
Missile with such satisfactory success that
heir whole political armory consists in that
anne Jaw.
But enough has been said as to our origin;
nd If this little description of ancient Viola
ould be made public, without making some
f the towns you have done up, too Jealous.
may to venture forward with some account
f modern Viola
A DENIZEN OF THE SUBURBS.