The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-11-24
REMINrscENcEs or EARLY
DAYS.
a Face for . Farn.--And how It came
Out.

In the fall of 1885 William Brooks and
family reached Rock Island Then Steven
sony, emigrating from the northern part OF
New Hampshire. They came all the way
by land, in their own conveyance. They
moved into the old Farnum Ferry House,
which stood just back of Davenport
quarry on the bank of the slough. How
the old house leaked when the first heavy
rain came, wetting all the winter supplies
of groceries and how some of the children
were put under the bed and then were not
kept dry. | will not stop to describe Tor
are not all these trials set down in the re-
cords of the Old Settlers.
John FL. Sullivan came here about the
same time from the MuskiDgum Valley,
Ohio, and built store where the old
Negus house stands On First street. He
filled it with fine stock of goods, the first
| in the place. He was full of energy and
enterprise, He LAID off the town of Rock
| ingham and by his persuasive powers ln-
duced number of men and means to To-
cate with him expecting to build up the
| leading city in this section OF the country
opposite the mouth of our beautiful Rock
river which it was then thought would be
navigated by steam boats successfully with
little Improvement, Wen, about the
race for a farm. The thought of entering
a certain tract of land lying between Rock
| Island and Moline, seems to have struck
them both at about the same time, in the
spring of 1886. Steam boat arrivals in
those early days were few and very If
regulaR Boats plyed between st.
Louis and Galena, and about every 10 to IL
DAYS a boat landed at the wharf
which had been expected several days, and
for which B had been waiting. DE
| learned then that Sullivan was going ur
on the same boat, to enter the same tract
of land He we'll knew that he would
stand no chance against Sullivan, young
and vigorous 10 the race which would en-
sue at Galena, up the steep bank to Beach
street. The boat would remain at ihe
landing q few hours before starting sc
| Brooks cast about ior some way to cir
cumvent Sullivan. He and his br0ther-iu
law, Charles Eames, held consultation
They agreed on the following plan: Brooks
was to go up on the boat with Sullivan
taking along the specie TO enter the land
| Eames was TO start at once on old Buck
a favorite horse they had driven from New
| Hampshire. to ride night and day and
change horses at least three or four times
on the route. AS he was we'll acquainted
with the few settlers on the route, be
could DO this. Eamcs started out on his
race with the steaEhoa sbout two hours
ahead Brooks and SuiivAn went up or
the boat together passing the time
| pleasantly enough, taking about every
thing except entering land. Eames left
old Buck at Cordosa. getting very fail
steed IN exchange. Ha speeds along at .
swing trot over the long stretch of prairie
| between Cordova and Albany. Al
Savannah he gets fresh horse of his old
| friend Pierce; thirty miles yet to Galena
| the coat still behind, how far he does not
know. BE knows tbis is the hardest and
| toughest part OF the journey as be has tC
leave the river road and take the rough
| 10 Davies hills for many miles.
1t is dark night His horse STUN bles
along the rocky road, shying occasionally
at mineral hole in dangerous proximity
to the ROAD. About s O'Clock in the morn
ing he comes in sight of Galena, peers
down into the deep VALLEY, follows down
the winding course of the little river, sees
about two miles off the smoke of the boat
| Hurrah! the race is won! He dashes
down the bill; awaits the slow motions oil
the ferry nan TO Ggogs the sluggish stream
up the steep bank to the land Office
Finds the tract unentered, files his appli-
cation and starts for the boat at the land
ing He meets Sulivan rushing up the
rocky alley for the land Office. A little
further 90, Brooks coming along lookins
rather Respondent, bat as soon as he see.
him he brishteBs as he knows all is right.
Ali he has TO do Is TO go aud leave hi:
specie. They meet Sullivan just outside o.
the land Office crestfaIlen. with his bag o.
specie still on hand This terminates the
story of the race for the Brooks farm.