The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-01-26
About Ferries.


the south and Prairie du Chen on the
north, distance of 500 miles, was estab-
lished by Colonel George Davenport In
1926. 1t is true that the garrison at Fort
Armstrong, on Rock Island, had their own
private fiat boats as early as 1916, with
which they could take their horses and
provisions across, if needed, With these
fats they ferried over the hay which they
cut and made in large quantities on the
many acres where Davenport now stands,
or the winter wood for the enormous fort
Gre-places, from the adjacent islands; but
this was hardly public ferry, nor prevl-
Gus to the commencement OF the second
quarter of the present century was there
any need for such an enterprise. Few in
deed were the travellers, except at stated
seasons, until 1928 or 20 but for the ac
commodation of such as wanted to cross
the Indian traders people going to the
lead mines, and general adventures, the
ferry was established at the date mention
ed, and full crews employed both at the
slough" and the main channel for be 1t
known that the original ferry led across
the Island and not below it. The slough
ferry touched the Illinois shore near where
the passenger depot of the c., K. |. Il Z.
now stands. The Island landing on the
main channel was just in front OF the Dav-
export mansion still standing there, while
on the IoWa-then WiscOnsin-shore there
were two an arriving and departing land
ing. The rapids current was strong, and
the boats, ordinarily propelled by oar and
helm-sometimes a sail set-were natural
" carried we'll down stream in crossing.
The first landing was at point where
Renwick's mills now Standard from this
point-having discharged its freight-the
boat was poled up along the shore to a
point at the foot of Mississippi Avenue
from which it returned to the Island land
ing. 1t was seldom indeed that there was
any return trade The crew consisted of
two oarsmen and man at the helm, and
to set man and horse across was one dol
lar and twenty five cents, or two horse team
for two dollars. Single passengers in a
skif, twenty-five cents.
This system Of ferriage was kept up I'M
til 1884. Stephenson (now Rock lsland)
had become a point, and its'twin sister DAY.
export was just sprouting forth, when An
tome LeClaire started his ferry below the
Island, and Davenport's boats and crews
retired from the business. LeClaire open
ed out with fatboats. His first Captain
was l.. 5. Cotton, sergeant In the 9TH L.
s. Infantry which had been disabled at the
Fort The outfit was not at all gorgeous
simply useful After three years service
of the public. Mr.. LeClaire sold out his
franchise and boats to John Wilson-for
81 900, and retired from the business.
Wilson made communication arrangements
with the Rock River Ferry, at the mouth
at Green river, whereby one fare paid way
over both, which liberal arrangement, we'll
advertised, greatly increased his business
and broughtshither many a home-hunter
who would otherwise not have come. Fur
thermore,- the Io1ca San, of Aug. 4,
1888, it was announced that he had steam
ferry upon the stocks and proposed to
bring it forth in good time-which was not
until l842-not until he had operated
horse boat three years-and when it did
appear it was found to be in advance of the
times; was taken off to reappear no more
until 1852 However it was the first steam
ferry on the river above St Louis.
by this time (lS42) there was no less
than twelve ferries chartered in Scott coun-
ty. Hopeful towns, or promising sites,
were numerous, and every site had to have
a ferry, or stop talking" B.W Clark had
ferry at Buffalo, which still exists. In
the spring of 1888, Benz W Clark was IL
cenced to run a ferry at Buffalo; John H.
Sullivan and Adrian II. Davenport, at
Rockingham; Marmaduke S. Davenport
at Credit Island. These ferries NAV
have been in operation before that time,
but this is their first public record. The
Buffalo ferry is the only survivor of the
three Rockingham died out-and its
ferry with it and how long or what for the
Credit island Ferry run is a musty mys-
terry. b. W Clark was the father of Capt
w. L. Clark, now of Buffalo; and NJ S
Davenport, the father Of Capt. Adrian II.
now of LeClaire j. Fl. Sullivan was
brother of Mrs. DR.. Barrows Of this city
In the spring of 1899, j Ohm and Matthias
Mounts were chartered ferrymen Just be-
low Buffalo. Avery Thomas started fiat
boat ferry at Pinneos Landing - now
Princeton; 3. W. Doolittle was also char
tered for the Wapsie, near its mouth. These
were all fats The Princeton boat now. as
for several years has been run by steam.
The Mounts ferry died out long ago-if in
deed, it ever started.
''In 1910 Gilbert Marshall was licensed
to ferry the Wapsie at Point Pleasant, and
this became the property of j, W. kertly
in 1872 and afterwards that of Judge
Grant
In 1912 Lucius Wells started a ferry at
Pleasant Valley-nOw owned by Eugene
Birchard and Parkurst (nOw LIE Claire
had been similarly blessed for several years,
though we are unable to fix the date of the
enterprise.
In those days nearly all the coin in cir
culation was foreign coin, and the most
common change was that of three
silver pieces, Of Mexican coin
age-a small silver piece rated at cents,
called 'fourpence half penny, or pence
happany, another of l23 cents, or " ork
shilling, and these Two made the lS4 cents
change The other was the Mexican quar-
ter with the pillars For more than so
years America fixed prices, even postage
rates, to suit this Mexican coin. Thirty
years ago, when we held the Office of post
master in our native town in Vermont, post
age rates were as follows: For single let
ter, y composed of only one piece of paper,
30 miles or under 81 cents over 30 and
under 80 miles 10 cents; over 80 and I'M
der 100 miles l23 cents over $50 and I'M
der 800 miles IS4 cents over 300 miles
% cents And double these rates for every
piece cf paperin the package ThisEIexiean
coin accounts for the following in tue DEM
ocrot's history
Fare for Mississippi .ferrioge.. foot