The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-21
THE ROCK ISLAND d MERCER co.
RAILROAD.
The First Business Train.-Twenty-o one
Cars Of Live Stock.


Ian via Turkey Hollow and James Taylor's
to his new coal mines near Waughs Mills,
in Richland Grove township, Mercer coun-
ty, and yesterday the first business train
made a trip to Taylor Ridge IL miles land
brought in 81 car loads of cattle and hogs
which went to Chicago the same night
The train was made up of new G. V. Nj.
Co. locomotive; a new passenger and bag |
gage car, combined, and handsomely let
tered Rock Island & Mercer Co. r. r."
and "a empty stock cars. The train was
in charge Of j. R. Pitney, conductor; John
Weaver, engineer, James Clark, fireman,
and Tom. Wentworth and Pat'k Brady
brakesmen.
On board the train were P. L. Cable
Ben Harper, T. J. Robinson, Morris Ro-
sen6eld, S. W, McMaster, Al. c. Dart,
Will. III, Dart, David Donaldson, Alex.
Steel S. B. Stoddard, J. NJ. Montgomery,
A. j. Swanson, Charles 4, Dodge, J. B
Danforth, Jr. and perhaps others, whose
names we do not now recall.
At Milan Mr.. Ira Whitehead and Mr..
Riley Hayford (Mr. Cables Milan AGENT
came on board.
The train left Rock Island at IL 80 and
arrived at Taylor Ridge between u and |
o'clock where all was hustle and work, pre-
pairing to ship the stock At daybreak
not fence had been built, but when we
arrived there the stock was waiting in
ample yards and pens, and men were rap
idly constructing gangway oyer which to
drive the stock into the cars. The place
that months ago was an open prairie field
now contains railroad depot and country
store, (the store kept by Rufus Walker &
Co.. two blacksmith shops-one by Mr.
W. R. Pelton, aud the other by Mr. Hub
bard; a boarding house by Mr.. Pelton,
and some other small buildings-all giving
evidence that Taylor Ridge is soon to be-
come place of business-a place where
few shops will soon find work. MIR. Pelton
does the blacksmithing for the contractors
aud also some country custom. He does
not expect to be permanent resident
working with contractors being his bust
ness. He was with a brother Of one Of
the editors of this paper when he and
BalcA built raj lroad in Canada, and is a
frst-class man. He was formerly resi-
dent of Hanover. n. H.
The railroad office is in charge Of Col.
Mitchell, assisted by Mr. Geo. W. ID. Harris,
of this city Their sleeping room is
rough board shanty, which George says is
very comfortable-when it don't rain.
Near this shanty is a well and pump, and
under a cottonwood tree near the we'll is a
bench, with wash basins, on the tree a
looking glass and comb hanging by a cord,
and towels on the limbs, There is a jolly,
dcvil.may- care air about the whole bust
ness that lends romance to ali about there.
, But the men and women, and the great
boys, and the stock were the chief attrac-
ton. Nearly ali the farmer boys have fine
horses, and the cracking they made with
: their black snake whips and their CHEEKY
yells to the stock, were lively music.
Among the more prominent men present
were Moses and Charles Titteriugton,
r James Taylor, John Ball, John Edgirgton,
Joseph Lloyd, VIM. Little, W. D. Hat
D ton, VIM and Meigs Wait, II. 2. Stod-
dard, John Boultinghouse, r. & D. Mont
. gomery, Storer johnson, E. G. Cavett,
r Martin Schoonmaker there was a large
number present, the names Of which We
] cannot now remember. The scene was one
of great interest to all-especially to the
old men, some Of whom had lived on the
grand prairie farms there from % to &c
years. But what interested US most was
: to see those great, strong, brave boys
c handle the stock. Some of the hogs wers
: especially hoggish and behaved bad
y What they most disliked was to cross the
railroad track going to the yards. They
seemed to have an idea that it BODIED nc
good to them and some of them would run
n back through the crowd Of boys and young
J. men, ana then the scene was exciting
$ The drivers would lun them down and
:. take them by the ears, make breech
: ing of their black snake whips
# and hurry them across the track
5 the track at a rapid rate, the hogs squeal-
= ing with all their power. In some cases
# the hogs acted so badly that the boys got
s little out of patience and one of them
t ventured the profane but probably cor.
$ rect remark that Its them id town
4 fellers with their white shirts and shiney
|. boots that scares EN- so-they amt used
n to it." There was one occasion in which
v Morris RosenfeId was little in the way.
but he said 1.-THE hogs needn't be afraid Of
, him-he would eat any Of them!" But
they were weighed and loaded at last, and
the train left between 6 and Z o'clock
$ getting in before s, all safe, The number
: of the first car loaded was 4304-C, r. l
& P, r. Il.
It The passenger car was quite full, com
It ing in, aud we noticed, in addition to those
who went out on the train, r. K. Gable
: E, ?. Reynolds. Hiram Gable, Rufus
$ Walker. Miegs Wait, II. p Stoddard
IS John Edgington, W. d. Hatton. Alsc
!. Mrs. Ball, and Mrs. Campbell and child
: : Ben. L. Gable went out and returned Oh
e the gravel train.
n The stock was all purchased or fatten