The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-11-16

1
financial matters has disappointed most
people who confidently counted on great
depression in prices aud dullness in trade,
after the spasmodc activity of the war had
died out. There are more evidences OF this
expected and predicted season now than
aver before since the war. Particularly are
the signs Of bard times poTtentous IN the
West. where we labor under peculiar d'sAu
vantages lust now. We have never had our
proportion Of the circulating med4u'h oI
values. which is the life.blood OF trade, aud |
wb,cb Cor the frat time in the history OF the
country Congress has the exclusive regol"'
,ior and control Of, We receive from the
Foaors, hand all our banking facilities ana
;ftbe money thus furnished u5 proves mad
equate to our wants we must either botto"
in the East or suffer the consequences. Inc
commerce of the West has sensioly ielt ths
from the first assumption by Congress OF the
right to distribute to the various sections OF
the country such amounts Of the currency
a. it might please. But now comes another
cause of commercial distress to US we
spFer from the double misfortune OF short
and inferior crops in come articles OF pro-
duc!ion, and low process for all FROM the
very pinnacle Of agricultural prosperity IN
full crops and high prices, we have at once
fallen into the other extreme OF short crops
and low prices. This ia not true OF an!
other section Of the country 10 the extent
that it is in the West. The South, when
alone bears any analogy to Us as an agricnI
tural people, is rejoicing in full crops al
most everywhere, and in some sections uni
yersal agricultural prosperity. The people
of that section, whom we have generally fec
from our well filed grsnerles have not onlJ
raised their usual cotton crop, but have als'
undertaken successfully to feed themseive
from the productions Of their own SOIL
Tbav thns 90 into both the domestic an
; foreign markets this season az sellers OF tn
worlds staple, ct three times the prices secu'
ed before the war, and as buyers OF little o
nothing. Whereas, the people of the Yves
though more generally out Of debt pfob'
= bly, 90 into the market es sellers OF whei
. and corn at very little, if anything aboy
the average ante war prices, and lind otht
crops which have heretofore brought the'
h..aoome returns, ba,ely worth marketn
n and not paying the cost of production. !
1 deed not few extensive farmers in the We
- will find themselves in debt on the wear
operations. =. ;,
II root in the prosperity Of farmers, cam
expect very vigorous business lie Tor
wear. at least. But happily for US, 40
Isleud ia peculiarly situated, and IS e&"m
IL from the effects upon its trade which me
" communities in the West will eXperien
= c-,r, tho causea mentioned. For the ne
nd wear or two. barring few severely &C
he winter months,l Rock Island has Gil the
Oh ynntapes Of q thriving and active manu-
ne turing community, whose goods are IN
mand in every corner of the world, and
,,v 10 this extent not dependent on success
and remuneratiye agriculture Nhhte
may be the scarcity Of money, however n
Bile the times. there il It system OF lmPro
mvnts projected in and about Rock lsl0
which must and will he prosecuted.
;nr deed the times ara rather favorable to
prosecution of such enterprises
The work on the Island, which has
nloyed several hundred hands for g
est. part Of the summer, will be prosecuted
to renewed yigor ring the next season;
iday construction Of the new government ram
bridge between this city and Davenport
..a, be but fairly commenced in the spring
on,. will employ very large force, not only
)eral - the summer and fall, bat during
aid next "'"ter also. It Is not
probable that 4te demand for
Dor on this ta-rroyement
wing cease before year from next sf'.-r
held possibly even later than that. The
log and water power Improvements will en-
Bur a large body Of laborers next season
has this.
The above enterprises alone would
49,. sufficient to impart to Rock Island
ness activity far beyond that enjoye
other places of the same size, having
ry- p,,t all li1n rr
d to exemption from dull trade have not yet
lence enumerated. Immediately upon the
ct. to ing of spring will be commenced aud '
nara ous'y pushed to completion, the laying
br;st. track of the Peoria End Rock Island
road. The work, We are assured, Is
commenced at both ends OF the line Al
'Etc0' large force kept upon it as can be ell
above ed 10 advantage, till it shall be conn
amers and the cara running, The Rockford
Paul Island and st. Louis Railroad Con
y the will also be ready to push the work on
+ this road Southwark early in tho spring, al
ID the ,i,awise work a heavy force, in the vi
of the city for some time, and thus CIV
graph P0ymen' 70 H"Du' e'' W 81 oo.1Ionaas
10, cars on this road will soon be runnln!
= G. the city from the East, and this will be
ona the base of supplies from which tn
10 the seasons operations will be carried o.
addition to this, the portion now nearl
pleted will open up to our tradesmen
''~'''' f4ld, to which they have heretofore h
say access, and if they are prompt to
ntry is -',..,-., :. oo,s;aorohre hns;nes
10 lRst 49, L.ue