The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-26
the OLD ROCK ISLAND HOUSE,
When 1T was Built
Some Reference to It's Eventful His.
tory.
And to the Men Who Have Kept It

landlord. Capt. Powars came here from
Boston, Mass.
In the winter of 1867 he went to Port
Byron, taking along with him Zadock Kali
baugh, Dad Hoskins one-armed SOL
der named Babcock, and some others
whose names we cannot now get, and on
the bluffs back Of Port Byron they chop
ped down oak trees and hewed timber for
the frame of the house. They had jolly
times while at their work. Babcock
was noted as a good cook, and when Ben
Cobb and S. w. McMaster went on their
famous trading expedition. with fat
boat, up Rock river, Bah was their
chief cook. Most of the men,
especially Dad and Babcock, had
been soldiers, stationed at Fort Armstrong.
on the Island of Rock Island, and, when
the little garrison which had been kept
here for the protection of the early settlers
from the Indians left, Dad and others
remained. dad" was character" as
in fact were most of those who were here
in those days. He knew something about
hewing, and was kind of boss in the
gang of men who got out the timber, which.
when the house was torn down, last May,
was apparently as sound as when cut,
nearly forty years ago. The timber was
hauled to the river bank and was RATED
down to Rock Island as soon as the river
opened in the spring of 1887.
In the meantime, Capt. Powars had
bought, in Pittsburgh Cincinnati and st.
Louis, the other materials for the house.
There were no saw mills here then, and
all the boards, shingles, doors, window
frames, door frames, sash, nails, glass,
paint. etc., we're brought from those cities.
Common siding boards then cost $50. a
thousand in st. Louis, and freight from IS
cents to 81. hundred pounds. 1t will,
therefore, be seen that although the Rock
Island House was not very large struc-
ture. it cost good deal of money, for
those days. Zadock Kalbaugh was the
boss builder, who, with Dad" Hoskins
and others, did the work The fine work
was done by Thomas Biddisou, who had
just arrived here from Baltimore, and who
was then called 1.-THE Dandy Carpenter. -
Everything thus being ready, as soon as
spring opened the foundation was laid,
the raft of timber arrived, and the early
boats from below brought the other ma
terials, and in about s weeks after the ma
terials arrived and work was commenced
the house was ready for occupancy 1t
was plain two story affair, about 40 by
60 feet in size, with porch in front 1t
had little bit of an office, called ''bar
ROOM small dancing hall in the second
story; and few sleeping rooms. When
not used for balls. beds were set up in the
dancing hall for the use of travellers OF
boarders. Afterwards an addition of about
80 feet was made to the rear of the house.
thus enlarging the dining room and giving
more sleeping rooms above. Years after.
wards two story brick, 40 by 60, was
built on the west side of the old house
which added greatly to its capacity. The
bar room" was also enlarged, many year:
afterwards, by taking into it that portion
of the porch in front oft
In 1854, the story wooden building
now standing, was ereted, together will
the L on the alley, thus giving the i'll
shaped caravansary the capacity to &C
commodate quite large number Of peo
pie. 1t covered space of about 100 b.
$50 feet on the ground, and a portion of i
. was stories in height. And this hideou
looking old pile of buildings was the noteC
Rock Island House, till torn down by Mr.
Isaac Negus in May 1875. And when tn
workmen were leveliDg the ancient pile,
d noted physician of Rock Island. who ha
seen many happy days within its walls
: could have been seen, with streaming eyes
lamenting the fate of the famous pile who's
= history was part of his life and of tn
r history of the town.
t The opening of this famous house too
: place July 4, 1887. the event being cele
: brated by large social party and dane
+ which has been the talk of the town from
n that day to this. About 100 couples wer
: then present, made up of men and women
. young men and girls, from Gaiena to Mon
$ mouth. nearly every place between thos
: points furnishing some representatives
: Capt Powars was an exceedingly aetiv
: and enterprising man, and he had aston
ished everybody by the rapid manner i
= which he had built and furnished tn
house. He astonished the people still
more by his liberal provisions for tn
!. opening party. The house over
;. flowed with champagne and jollity N
:, aristocracy or rings exilted in those days
no exclusive society; bat all the early sci
3 tiers felt common sympathy and CON
mon interest with each other and fratel
> nized in the most friendly way, without re
!, gard to style of dress, education, or wealth
= Rockingham was then the largest town
: this vicinity. and probably furnished quit
a number Of representatives at the oper
ing ball. among whom was DR.. Barrows, a
ways prominent man in this region. Th
: Cooks, Gen. Sargent aud other
i were present from Davenport. Of OF
- own citizens, still living, DR.. Gregg, Ma
= Frazer Wilson, T. A. Babcock, S. w. Nj
:, Masters, James NJ. Bellows, and probabl
:, n. Belcher. Lucius Wells and others no.
living were present-and many who hav