Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-03-05
Bailey Davenport's Record
On the Island In
provements.


him for retarding the growth Of Rock
Island; Of calling him "behind the age,
and ofrepresenting him as being On incubus
on our municipal prosperity, and the NOR
tsl enemy Of poor men. The facts prove
thai no man in the city has done more for
the Advancement Of Rock Island than Mr..
Davenport. He has been misjudged
simply because his manners and his deeds
are quiet and unobtrusive.
Yesterday morning that sheet called upon
us for Ais record in regard to the improve
mens on the Island. We will cheerfully
give II. Mr.. Davenport was our Mayor in
the summer Of 1851, when the subject of
the Island Improvements was frat agit.ted
Being so largely interested in real estate at
this point, be took lively interest in the
matter, AHd was ore Of the mos, prominent
OF the gentlemen who gave the scheme .
promise Of success. Lengthy articles were
published in the ARGUS advocating the use
Of the lsand for its present purposes Major
Connolly was sent to every leading
city of the states of Missouri, Wisconsin
Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois, to secure the
repu ALLEGATION of these articles in the most
Influential journals of these states, in order
to favorAbly concentrate public opinion on
this poiOs. In the early part of 1862, Mr..
Davenport induced the City Council to Ap-
propriAts the sun Of 81 800 for the publica-
tion Of pamphlet setting forth the mill
tAry advantages of the Island, aud for the
purpose Of paying various necessary sx-
penses incident TO securing the
location Of such an immense estsb.
lishment near our city. This money was
placed in Mr.. DsvenpOrls hands, to be dis.
bursed ~ he saw ft The result can be
seen in the towering srsenals tha, rise Just
across Sylvan Water. A committee was
AppOiOsed to visit Washington, consisting
Of Mr.. Davenport. Gen. Buford, Major
Connolly, and Judge Wilkinson. A por-
tion Of the committee visited the national
capital Gi opce. In December, 1862, . bill
was introduced into Congress BY Senator
Grimes, Of Iowa, calling for the
location of an srmory on the Isl
and. 10 January, 1868, Mr.. Daven-
pOrs went to Washington, accompanied BY
Judge Wilkinson, to work the projs
through. Finding . strong opposition man
ifss'ing itself, Mr.. Davenport induced the
bill TO be changed, so that il would read
"for the location of an arsenal on the Island
of Rock Island" which caused i, to be re
garded more favorably, in view of the fact
that there was then some talk ofrebuildirg z
the arsenals at Harpers Ferry. Mr.. Dsv-
enport found much TO contend with. Chi
cago, 81. Louis, Pittsburgh, Peoria, and
other large cities came into the field, to
urge the claims of their respective points
for the proposed improvement. A delega-
iion Of forty Of the ablest men Of Chicago,
with vast sums Of money at their command,
fought rssolusely against Rock Island All
parties had 9 hearing before Q committee
appointed by Congress for that purpose, and
Rock Island carried the day. 1t was main
ly through the perseverance and influence
of Mr.. Davenport that this grand result
was obisined-A result which vastly out
weighs ell the Improvements which have
been made here in the past twenty years.
In securing it, Dir. Davenport expended a
considerable amount of his own private
funds, tDhich he has nerer asked the city 10
re6ay.
When the prison for captured rebOl SOL
diers was established on the Island, Mr. .Dav-
export, then Mayor, secured bridge to be
built across Sylvan Water at an outlay of
$4,000, in order to obtain the trade Of the
Island, which has ever since remained with
Us, The money was placed in his hands,
and carefully and economically disburssd q.
Ia 1864, we believe it was, Mr.. DAven.
port, then Mayor, rebuilt. the bridge across
the main stream of Rock River, by contract
with Boomer & Co.,, alta cost of $9,6OO
which was considered the second best wagon
bridge in the state at the time il was
finished.
In the following year, Mr.. Davenpor
built three bridges across the slough, with
stone piers and abutments, At g cost Of : D,
500. The first offer Of the contractors wal
$l5,5O0, but Mr.. D. secured the reduction
of the sum TO $4,000.
10 regard to his landed property, Mr.
Davenport has soid 90 lots within the las
eight months, all to poor men
giving them four years in which to pay 70
thAm, and requiring no money down. Th'
prices of these lots have ranged from 500
to 500 apiece. Mr.. Davenport is ais
selling lots on these terms at this very time
al the rate of one day. When he get
through selling of this addition, he propose
to lay of another addition Of sixty or eigh
ty more lots. He considers il his interes
to sell of property iu this manner as fast q
possibly. In all this he has made no nois
or display.
In the last seven months he has axpend
ed over $4,000 for labor, lumber, hard ware
and teaming, in putting up buildings.
The two acres Mr.. Frysinger wished 4
purchase, complained Of in the Union. ar
now occupied By KshlEe's boat yard, en-
ployiug seventy-6ve men.
The land Cham berlin q Reynolds wante
- lease, complained of in the Union,is no,
pied BY Keator & Wilson's saw mil
49, fo, ing large force Of hands.
e~I,o'D n. vsnpor, has given employment,
twelve T or ,''ssn men all winter at hi, CO.
e.;.h;r our markets with an artic
m'ns, M g., ,u .S.. "a kes the place of BlOssbur
coal. -. IT,, H.. NJ
Davsupor. has not paid his take, !. ial. falls
a. almost everything else that sheet say
Is. Mr.. Davsnpors's taxes are oil pa,d, 81
&c Any one is in doubt on that point, let hi
call q, The Offices of both city and town &C
leotorS. =.
During all the Eve years Mr.. Dsvenpc
acted as Mayor, he refused to accept 81
gle cent ofhi salary. 49,,
We have ihus hurriedly dashed on x
of OOD0u0f