The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-11-18
I correspondence.
CORNWALL, VT.

Editor of Ms Rtrt~!
After being absent nearly four months
travelling in eight OF the Western States,
We indulge now at home again, IN some
interesting "reminiscences.
And among other places about which
our thoughts Iinger PLEASANTLY, while trav-
ersing recently the Mississippi valley is
the city of Moline, situated on the east
bank Of the Father OF waters, with back.
ground of immense picturesque bluffs,
which appear to have once been the bank
of the river. The city lies mainly on the
fiat, low ground, though the bluffs are be.
coming covered with elegant residences
where people Of wealth apd taste prefer
to live and avoid the dust and noise Of the
city. In 1S47 Moioe was an inconsider-
able town with but a small number of iu-
habitants, and with plenty Of chills and
fever to Brighten away the timid from
making it their home. Now 1t has grown
to the number of seven thousand iuhabi.
tants, and is one of the most important
points of business on the river. Inter-
sected by railroads from every point of
the compass, well filed freight and pas.
senger trains, of immense length, are con.
stantlv passing over them, till one queries
in very wonderment whence come, and
whittier flows the never ending throng."
Street cars ply between Moline and the
city of Rock Island, three miles south,
through the two cities if they are not al.
ready, will soon be united in one corpor-
alton. There is a magnificent railroad
bridge spanning the river from Rock Is.
land city to Davenport. The old bridge
was torn away to erect this three years
ago, and beneath this and one connected
with it, there is fine carriage way, and
foot passenger way, which makes it one
of the grandest works of its kind of the
age. Crossing this bridge you fod gen.
orally on the Pacific railroad the princi-
pal route to California. There is an iron
toll bridge constructed by government,
running from Moline to Rock Island over
which no one is allowed to travel without
pass. The Island is owned by the gov
ernment and is about three miles long
and one mile and half wide, very well
timbored, and is a deposit for immense
military stores.
Hundreds Of mcu are in constant cm.
ploy; some in one way, some in another !;
and great sums Of money are constantly
expended in erecting military works for
the constructing of common aud smaller
arms to fill the s, Armory there. A
railroad runs to the south end of the Is.
land over which government supplies are
brought. All the avenues to the grounds
are strictly guarded by U. S. troops.
Great numbers of men were passing
out stone on the Island for the erection OF
government buildings This stone is
brought from Joliet, H., where it is
quarried and brought in its rough state to
the Island by rail. A new arsenal was
already completed, and several workshops
were in full blast turning out arms, The
old arsenal stands in full view as you cross
the railroad bridge and is also promi.
nent object as you sail down the river. 1t
was full OF arms, but mainly condemned
Many cannon were standing about on the
grounds. 1t is one of the loveliest spots
in nature, aud when it shall become dot.
ted with govcrnmcot works, and embel.
ished more fully with drives and works OF
art it will be unexccllcd III its atirac.
tons to the lovers Of the beautiful. In
connection with NIolin, is an immense
work Of art, made by hewn stone, three
quarters OF a mile long, and twenty feet
deep. 1t is an immense dixie OF break.
water, Of solid masonry, built along the
east bed Of the river, not far from the
bank for the purpose of throwing the wa.
ter over into the west channel of the riv.
er, and raising it SO that steamboats, eau
pass over the rapids with less trouble and
danger. 1t is also protection TO the
water power machinery constructed for
and used by machine shops on the bank
Of the river. Moline is noted for its man.
ufactories and machine shops. The pail
and tub factory, are a marvel TO behold
The lumber is RATED down the river, taken
from the raft by machinery, put into the
saw mill, sawed into such forms as they
need, put into the planning mill and plaped
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constructed article. A large moulding
establishment is worthy Of note also, bu,
what interested US most, was the Deere
d Co., Moline Plow Works." John Deere
president. BY invitation Of the president
(wbo is also Mayor of the city, we went
through these wonderful works. The
blacksmith shop. shade of vulcan. 1t had
more the appearance Of working palace
than smiihy. Airy, capaeious, neat
with an abundance of light let in from
windows above Here were score Of
men, each busy at his forge, with, his
special piece of work, that went 10 make
pillow. Immense hammers piled up and
down, shears that looked like the great
jaws OF an alligator all had their work to
do, and as we passed along through, il
looked like vast beehive Of labor. Thi:
was on the first building. One was filled
with immense grindstones for polishing
the plows when finished, AMI they came
out like FURNISHED silver. Another was
devoted to the wood works &C. These
!, Plow Works were established here il
lofi ana Incorporated IN 1905, VIII
branch offices and ware houses in kansa,
City and st. Louis. Mr.. Deere is i
Middlebury man, and some Of the present
inhabitants will rem ember him well ,wheI
a lad, aud he worked in this village. He
commenced business at Grand Detour il
1887, made three pows there in tha
year. In 1S47 moved to Moline, Ii
lS45 made one thousand plows in Moline
now makes sixty Thousand year. The
following items handed TO us while there
will show the magnitude Of the worl
done. "Consumed annually SIX hundred
tons steel, one thousand tons wrough
iron, two hundred tons pig iron, fifty.fvC
tons malleable castings six hundred tom
Lehigh BloSsburg coal, three hundred
tons grindstones, three tons emery, three
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