The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-09-17
Col. Flaglsr's History of the Island Of
Rock Island.
TO the Editor Of the Argus:

prepared by Col. Flagler, by order of the
war department, and published at the
government printing Office at Washington
is a valuable contribution not only 20 our
local but to our national history. 1t bears
evidence Of much patience and labor in
collecting materials and arranging them in
an intelligent manner. Col. tlagler de- |
serves the thanks of the war department, |
and of the people generally for his labors. |
In the brief limits of this ccmmunica- |
ton cannot spare space for statement
of the plan of the work, or its general con-
tents, and will therefore proceed directly to
what wish to say.
Of course no one expects a work of that
sort, prepared In short time and from
scanty aud scattered materials, to be per.
feet, and it is with view Of supplying in
future editions some defects in the first
issue that venture to call attention to a
few imperfections.
On pages 23-4 is d list Of custoGians of
the Island from lS45 to 1868 and ending
with II. Y. Saymaker. The name of T.. j.
Pickett is omitted from the list. Mr..
Pickett succeeded Mr.. Slaymaker, alter
the inauguration of President Lincoln, and
held until relieved from duty by the occu-
patton of the Island for military prison
and the commencement of work On the
arsenal. His name should have its proper
place in future editions.
In my own name the "Jr" is frequently
omitted, which would be unimportant had
not my father held a federal Office here at
that time.
Pages 2S to IS give the report of Capt
Bell, u. s. A., in 1910, in relation to an
arsenal at Rock Island; also the report, in
lS4l, of a board of army officers selected
by the secretary of war on the same sub
ject, composed of Gen. Armistead, Sur
geon General Lawson and Col. Long; also
a petition to John Tyler, president of the
United States, signed by John Buford,
Joseph Knox, John b. Wells, an error.in
name-it should read Joseph B. Wells, !
John Morse, and George Mixter, in be-
half of citizens of Rock Island, for
the establishment of an arsenal here.
This matter is interesting and valua-
Bile, but why not follow it with the
petition to congress of Rock Islanders
in 1851 and the pamphlet published by
Rock Island, Moline and Davenp ort, which
were laid before every member of congress,
aud which caused the passage of the act
of 1862 establishing the arsenal? This
matter ought to be printed in future edi.
tions as part of the history, and thus
preserve it in more enduring form.
On page 70 is a letter from John p.
Cook, dated June 9, 1857, and addressed
to Hon. John B. Floyd, secretary of war
complaining of trespasses on the Island
which letter contains the following remark
able sentence, viz: THE agent, Mr.. Dan.
forth, is cognizant of all that is going on,
and so far from endeavoring to prevent
ut, is moro than suspected of aiding the
''trespassers" characterize the last par
Of the foregoing sentence as grossly Sian
derous and untruthful. Mr.. Cook always
pretended to be friendly to me and / car
conceive of no reason why he shoulC
have secretly slaudered me to the war de
partment unless because he was an at
torney of the railroad of which his brother
was director, and which was at that yer,
time through the aid Of himself, Gen
Dix, and others, endeavorng to rob tn
United States of the best portion of tn
Island. Mr.. Cook had been a member o
congress, aud his chances of effect worl
in slandering me in Washington were good
The appearance OF his letter in Col FLAG
lers book is the first knowledge | ever ha
Of it-but it did me no harm for my II
ports, before its date, were already betor
the department and had been acted on b
Gen. Jesup, giving the lie to Cooks lei
ter. In the April previous to Cooks lei
ter Gen. Jesup had Endorsed on my re
port aud sent to the secretary OF war
recommendation that the proper civil of
GERS the district attorney and marshal)
required TO remove the trespassers, an
Gen. Jesup censured the civil officers fC
lack of promptness in the matter. q
another of my reports Gen. Jesup endorse
Ia. -,
appealed 10, but it is impossible to e,
them to act. And Deputy Q. NJ.
Crosman indOrsed on a report of uine thi
the Island should either be occupie
promptly by detachment of United Stat,
troops or sold. The book contains mar
of my official reports and they show Il
very contrary to what Mr.. Cook charge
me with. If he had desired to know Il
truth instead of secretly slandering me
could have learned it any day by askiI
me for an examination of my official lett
book. Col Flagler, during the prepar
ton of his history, sent to me for lit
information, and | sent him my letter boz
with permission to use any portion of
He kept it some months, and returned
with the following note OF thanks:
Rock ISLAND ARSENAL, J
MARCH II, 1877 !
Col. j. 3. DANFoRTH, in.
Dear Sri have to thank you
your courtesy in lending me your lett
book, kept during the time you We
custodian of the island.
| found all the important letters amor
the correspondence and records sent TO q
from the war department, Washingto
and intended to return the letter book
you at once, but | haye been unwell al
,,o,-,J b,ory nd IL yyou CyarlooGaI I t-n
it has caused you no inconvenience
Thanking you again for your kindness,
am, Very ResD'y, your ob't.
ID. W. FLAGLER,
Brvt. 1t. Col. U. S. A. Com Dig.
owe thanks to Col Flagler for using
many of my reports as they complete
vindlcate me from Mr.. Cooks seer
SANDER, The Cooks are both dead, b
that fact shall not prevent me from vino
eating myself from SANDER of 20 yea
ago, just come to knowledge. And here
think is good place for me to say tn
when Gen. Dix, the Cooks, and othe
were trying to rob the United States of 4
best portion of the Island for a rsilro
company one of their employees came
my little printing Office, over Whitaker
Everts store, called me outside a.
offered me a handful of $40 gold piec
asking mo to delay as long as could a
report Of the railroad work Just commenc
on the Island, aud 60 as light on them
possible" l did not take the money, Al
did my duty in the reports, as @
Flapler's hook shows II was N