The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-05-14
THE FERRY.
A New Boat soon to Replace
the Old Craft.
Facts and Figures Concern
ing the Rock Island.


has been in active service between this
city and Davenport for the past quarter Of
| century, will soon be laid by, and its
place taken by the John w. Spencer, =
which has JUS. been completed at Jefferson
vile, Indiana.
The latter will leave Jacksonville on
Monday, and it is expected that the trip
viii be accomplished in about two weeks,
which will bring it on the goth of May.
| The boat will tow new wharf boat, de-
signed to take the place of the present
dock at Davenport. The tow will retard
the progress of the ferry, and may cause
the arrival to be postponed for few
days.
The new ferry is an Improvement on the
craft nowply ng the river at This point. It is
somewhat larger and better adapted for the
| passenger trade; but is constructed on the
same general principles that characterized
the Rock Island" IL is side wheel
affair, and will make the trip in much
shorter time than has been the case in the
past.
THE OLD FERRY
past twenty five years it has transported
passengers across the river as long as the
condition of The weather permitted navi
cation.
The Crock Island" made its first appear
ance in these waters on tho .25th of August,
1857, or exactly twenty five years ago the
coming August. During that time it has
been visited by no serious accident of any
character 1t has averaged nine months
out of every year, in which navigation was
continued.
The most eventful years in its existence
were those of 1881 aud 1882. In the for
mer year, the boat went into winter quar-
tiers on the 5th of November, and was not
taken out for the spring trade until the
18th of the following April. This period
of some five months was the longest time
that the boat was exempt from service, as
the average winter season has been trif1e
over three months.
LAST WINTER
Of the river was such that the ferry boat
was not placed in winter quarters at all,
but has been in active service, with but a
single exception, every day since the nth
of April, 1881. The exception was caused
by severe wind storm the present spring.
necessitating such temporary suspension
of business.
The experience of last winter has never
| before been encountered, as in the past the
river was always closed for short time at
least, and the ferry boat was tied up and
repaired.
During the past twenty ffve-years but
three suicides have ended their existence
by jumping from the boat. One of these
occurred during the war, and the remain
ing two were accomplished during the
present year. A few attempts at self de-
struction have been made, but the would
be suicides were recovered.
THE PRESENT OFFICERS,
consisting of Capt. Cameron, pilot John
Reimers and engineer Leroy Lawhead,
have filled their respective positions for a
number of years, and viii probably take
| their place on the new craft.
From these officials, the following stat
istical information is cleaned:
During each day the boat has averaged
thirty round trips between the two cities.
The distance is three quarters of mile,
and a round trip, being double that figure,
is represented by II miles. The distance
travelled every day has been 45 miles.
During month this latter amount has
increased to 1850 miles. The navig alton
season consists of nine months, and the
total number of mi les travelled during that
period is represented by 10, $50 miles.
The boat has been in service over "a
years, and has during that time travelled
291. 600
PASSENGERS.
The passenger travel has been best on
SUNDAYS, but averaged about the same. the