The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-01-13
r., K. |. l. ST. L. r. X.
The Railroad Banquet.
An Immense Success.
HULL'S AND DARTS HALL
CROWDED TO REPETITION.
Beautiful Decorations, Flowing
Wine, and Eloquent 9oasts
and Responses.
Rock Island outdoes Herself.

anu SAoSpOuScSs
Rock Island 0utdoes Herself
| That Rock Island is equal to an emergen
cy was illustrated last evening in one OF th'
grandest social successes in the history
the city. 1t was something more than al
indiscriminate feed.
1t was jublistion OF more impors 'nAu
such usually are. 1t was at once eenera
pnbendinS and season of enjoyment for the
hearty expression of our JOY at the coming
in of the Rockford railroads by which anoth
ar yisduct is added to our trade, and q
breaking of bread and tasting
of salt with the new friends whose interests
the Rockford road has firmly banded with
our own. As such, it was grand success
SO great one, that not one Rock Islander
who was present, bu, felt pride in the socis
resources of the city. The completion Of the
Rockford road is another most important
edyance towards Rock Island becoming the
Lowell of the west. 1t adds to oul
| facilities and to the Arsenal also infinite ad
advantages and direct connections east
west and south. Consequently there wa.
abundant reason for jubilation as We did on
a scale which has never before been equal
ed in the west, we think outside of the larger
cities. The history of the preparations tol
the affair has already appeared from time to
time in the ARGUS. 1t only remains to des
cribe the banquet as it trsnspired, beginning
with short account of the
THE EXCURSION TO STERLING
The party of seventy five people who left
this depot on Wednesday morning. arriving
in Sterling at half past l o'clock and took on
train of Pullman's palace cars, under the
charge of A B. Pullman, Superintendent OF
the Palace Car Company, and G. L. Dunlap,
General Superintendent of the Northwestern
road. On this train we're about 6fiy guests,
who RECALLED with lunch in the palace
dining car in the train. The visit TO the
coal mines was foregone on account Of the
inclemency Of the weather, and the train
came whirling into Rock Island, gsily dec
GRATED with streaming bunting, at three
o'clock, two hours earlier than anticipated
A number Of carriages were in readiness
al the depot, and the guests were driven to
the homes of several citizens who rendered
them the public hospitality of the occasion.
THE SALUTE.
As the train came into the
depot, the ordnance detachment, under
charge of Capt. Poland, at the point OF
the Island, fred grand salute Of thirty
seven guns.
DARTS HALL
Had been specially fitted up for the recep
ton of the guests before the banquet, and
Tor dancing afterwards. The body Of the
hail had been cleared OF chairs, except q
row or two of seats for the ladies. Here
the guests and citizens commenced as
sembliDg about six, and the time until the
commencement Of the banquet was spent
n general introductions and hand shskings.
At seven o'clock Major Beardsley formed
those present in battallions and the line of
march to the banqueting hall was began.
THE DECORATIONS
were most tasteful and too much credit
cannot be given to the committee under
whose direction they were made The first
object that attracted the eye on entering the
hall was a perfect model in cardboard of
Shop No. l. Rock Island Arsenal, as it will
appear when completed. The utmost &C
curacy was observed by Messrs. Flemmiug
and Channou, the architects of this
miniature, in their work, the form
of the cornices being reproduced and the
whole bearing the closest inspection. 1t was
The tables were brilliantly adorned with
pyramids of Illuminated contections, and
glittering china hesped with visuds from the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts from the tropics
and from the grea: plains burdened the
groan.ng tables. Chinese lanterns hung
thickly around the windows, gave the
whole place festive brilliancy, and at the
other end o. the hall over the platform tor
the music, most appropriate transparency
had been placed. 1t was the sutithesis of the
present and the past in travelling faciliues
as divergent as the poles. One half of the
transparency represented pioneer driving
a yoke of cattle attached to prairie
schooner toward the setting sun-the other.
a train of cars with brilliant headlight
cleaving the gray dawn. Underneath was
the inscription, "Welcome," and ar, K. /.
L St. L." 1t was q most beautiful device,
and creditable to Mr.. Whifen, who con-
ceived it.
THE BANQUET.
There is usually but little ceremony in an
affair of this sort. Everybody usually comes
to banquet to eat, simply as a mere
animal qualification and the refined social
amenities and immunities ere forgotten in