The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-08-10
A "Reminiscences of Early Days in Rock
Ts1a,nA

10 the fall OF first part of the winter of
1889 another person and myself conclud-
ed to try our hands at the pork business,
in small way, for there was but little
money in those days to do any business-at
least we did not have it. 1t was determin-
ed that should go and engage the hogs or
pork, and started, on my Indian pony, to
the lower part of our county; stopped at a
double one story cabin made of round logs:
enquired of man dressed in buck skin
coat and pants the way to Illinois City.
He told me the way, and pointed it out.
lot of fine hogs, and [ asked him what he
was going to do with them. He said he
supposed he would have to give them away
as he could not find any one that would
buy them. L asked him what he would
take for them, dressed, per hundred pounds,
delivered in Stephenson, now Rock Island.
He thought he ought to have at least two
dollars, | told him they would come to
quite sum of money and | did not know
where he would find n man that had as
much money. He said he knew that
would be hard to find, but he had the hogs
and corn and hoped to find a purchaser
some time. then told him | would take
his pork and gave him some money to bind
the bargain. then told him | would 90
no farther and wished to stay with him
that night. He said could do So The
next morning l started for home, and in a
few weeks the pork was delivered and
stored in a warehouse belonging to John
S. Miller, and Mr.. John Edglngton got his
money for the pork That was my first
acquaintance with him and his good wife.
Our friendship has continued to the pre-
sent, and he has long been numbered
among those at the head of the list OF
worthy citizens of the county,-as we'll as
the first pork raiser and feeder. After
the delivery of the pork barrels had to be
got, and where to get them was the ques
ton; could not hear of cooper nearer
: than New Boston. On the pony, [ started
for that place, about nine or ten o'clock O
very cold day, taking the Indian trail aud
, passing over the prairie now settled by
+ Scotch" Taylor and the Montgomerys
, heading Copperas creek and Mill creek
the first on my right and the latter on tn
left; but soon after leaving the bluffs O
, Rock river a snow storm set in and IN
short time became very heavy.
, After a while could not keep the trai
) Lor Indian road and got lost Thinking tn
t wind was from the west | bore up to thu
wind and not long after found the track O
horse, but soon found, by following it
, that it must have beeu my own horse, ant
I | turned to the wind again. Night comm
: on got on the brakes of Operas CreeI
and when dark set in | was on the bank
of the stream, keeping down, and crossin
every few rods, it being hard froze. Ate
some time, saw light in the distance an
}, made for it. Arriving at cabin, haile
t and was answered by man at the door
;. told him my situation and wished to b
; taken in. He said yes, if could slee
= with the hogs, and he would try and Civ
t me something to eat; got off the pony, pl
Y him in rail pen with plenty of corn
II barred the entrance with rails and went il
u to the cabin and found the hogs occupyin
IS nearly all the floor They were all dea
q and dressed. He had butchered that da
ot or the day before, and had to keep the
ID in his house in order to keep them fro
y the wolves until such time as he could CT
them up; got some supper. slept on II
t. floor on a good bed with the hogs close
g. my side. Mine host was Stephen Brayto
of good and worthy citizen of the lower pa
r of the county. After breakfast started f
re New Boston, bought what barrels wan
De ed, had them delivered at Rock Isla,
n in the spring; when the hogs thawed C
70 them up. packed the pork, cured the han
is and had all ready for the summer trad
N sold all the pork, lard aud most of Il
s. joints to the Sterlings, contractors on t
ly Rock river canal, which latter was new
at completed Its end was as all the prese
ms state and government improvements are
all a big steal, b. A. J.