Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-03-04
Bailey Dayenport'S Record
On the Island In
prevements.

him for resarding the growth Of Rock
Island; of calling him "behind the age,
and Of ofrepresenting him as being an iLcabus
on our municipal prosperity, and the NOR.
tai enemy Of poor men. The facts prove
that no man in the city has done more for
the advancement of Rock Island than Mr..
Davenport. He has been misiudged
simply because his manners and his deeds
are quiet aud unobtrusive.
Yesterday morning that sheet called upon
us for bis record in regard to the improve
ments on the Island. We will cheerfully
give Is. Mr.. DAvenpor! WAS our Mayor in
the summer Of 1861, when she subject of
the Island Improvements Was frat agitated
Being so largely interested in real estate at
this point, he took . lively interest in the
matter, aRd was ore Of the most prominent
Of the gentlemen who gave the scheme q
promise of success. Lengthy articles were
published in the ARGUS advocating the use
Of the Isand for its present purposes. Major
Connolly was sent to every leading
city of the states of Missouri, Wiscon sin
Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois, TO secure the
republication Of these articles in the most
influential journals of these states, in order
TO fsvorably concentrate public opinion on
this point. In the early part of 1862, Mr..
Davenport induced ths City Council to ap-
proPriste the sum of 81 600 for the pubGcs-
ton Off pamphlet setting forth the mill.
tAry advantages Of the Island, and for the
purpose Of paying various necessary ex-
penseS incident to securing the
location Of such an immense estab-
Nshment near our city. This money was
placed in Mr.. DAvenport's hands, to be dis
bursed as he saw 6t The result can be
seen in the towering srsenAls that rise Just
across Sylvan Water A committee was
SppOiO,ed to visit Washington, consisting q
Of Mr.. Davenport. Gen. Buford, Major
Connolly, and Judge Wilkinson. A por-
tion of the committee visited the national
capital At once. In December, 1862, q bill
was introduced into Congress BY Senator
Grimes, of Iowa, calling for the
location Of sn armory on the Isl
and. 10 January, 1868, Mr.. DAven-
port went to Washington, accom- panied BY
Judge Wilkinson, to work the project
through. Finding g strong opposition man.
Testing itself, Mr.. Davenport induced the
bill to be hanged, 80 that il would read
"for the location of an arsenal on the Island
Of Rock Island" which caused it to be re
ssrded more fAVorAbly, in view OF the fact
that there was then some talk ofrebuildiue 4
the ArsenAls at Harper's Ferry. Mr.. Dsv
euport found much 10 contend with. Chi
cago, 81. Louis, Pittsburgh, Peoria, AND
other large cities came into the field, tC
urge the claims of their respective point,
for the proposed improvement A delega-
iion Of forty OF the Ablest men Of Chicago
with vast sums Of money at their command
fought rssolotely against Rock Island AL
parties had hearing before 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 obtAined-A result which vastly out
weighs All the improvements which hAvt
been made here in the past twenty years
In securing it, Mr. Davenport expended q
considerable amount of his own priv ate
funds, Uhich he has neUsr asked tie city t
repay.
Wnen the prison for captured rebel sol
ders was established on the Island, Nj. .DAv
export, then Mayor, secured bridge to bt
built across Sylvan Water at an outlay o
$4,000, in order to obtain the trade Of th,
Island, which has ever since remained will
Us. The money was placed in his hands
and carefully and economically disburssd
10 1864, we believe it was, Mr.. Dsven
port, then Mayor, rebuilt the bridge Acros
the main stream Of Rock River, by contrAc
vish Boomer & Co., al a cost Of $4,000
which was considered the second best WACO
bridge in the state at the time il wa
finished.
In the following year, Mr.. DAvenpor
built three bridges across the slough, wit
stone piers and Abutments, at cost Of I l B
500 The first offer Of the contractors wa
SlS, 800, but Mr.. D. secured the reductio
Of the sum TO $4,000.
In regard to his landed property, NJ
Davenport has sold 60 lots within the laI
eight months, all TO poor mel
giving them four years in which to pay f,
than, and requiring no money down. I'll
prices Of these lots have ranged from $2C
to $500 apiece. Mr.. Davenport is all
selling lots on these terms at this very tim
a. the rate Of one day When be gs
through selling of this AddisiOn,he propOs
to lay of another addition of sixty or eig
~ more lots He considers it his intere
to sell of property in this manner as fast
possibly. In all this he has made no mol
or display.
In the iAst seven months he has expen
ed over $4,000 for labor, lumber, hardwsr
and teaming, in putting up buildings.
Tbs two acres Mr. Frysingsr wished
purchase, complained of in the Union, q
nov occupied By Kahlke's boat yard, er
ploying seventy-6ve men.
The land Cham berlin i Reynolds want
to lease, complained of in the Union is n,
occupied BY Keator & Wilson's saw nj
employing large force of hands.
Mr.. Davenport has given employmeut ut
twelve or fifteen msu al winter at his CT
mine, furnishing our markets with an ar.i
of fuel that takes the place of Blossbr
coal.
The statement of the Union tha.
D.vsnpors hiss no. paid his taxss is fal
almost everything else that sheet 'a
Il. Me-. Davenporfs taxes ara all paid, a
ir auy one is in doubt on that point, let b
oAll al the offices Of both city and town
leotoTE
During all the Ave years Mr. Davenp
acted as Mayor, he refused to accept
gle cent Of his salary.
We have thus hurriedly dashed OH
rsfutations to the ISLANDERS Of our oppone
ard ill ooocl,da hv Aaaarlina that