The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-16
THE PUBLIC MEETING,
Harper's Theatre Comfortably Filled
Last Evening to Witness the
Exercises Prepared for the Occasion.
and to Welcome the Medical Fra
ternity to Our City.

There was good turn out to the publ
meeting at Harper's Theatre last eveling
the occasion being the twenty eighth an
nual meeting of the Illinois Honeopathi
Medical Association. The City Counc
occupied seats on the stage DIR. G. Z
Kinyon. of this city, acted as chairman
After prayer by the Rev. Irving Searles
Biehrs orchestra discoursed some swee
music Mayor Mott was then INTRODUCES
to the audience, and he was received wit
applause. In behalf of the city of Rocl
Island he welcomed the medical gentlemen
in our midst snd trusted their stay woul'
be pleasant and profitable. Mayor Mot
in turn introduced Judge E. d. Sweeney
who made the address of welcome, a
follows:
Gentlemen of the Illinois State Hommo
pathic Medical Association: In the name
and by the authority of the Mayor ane
City Council of Rock Island, give you
cordial welcome to our city. welcome
you to our inequalities aud 20 all that we
have that is enjoyable. We think thai
the lines have fallen to us. in Rock Is
land, in pleasant places.
| The location of our city is half way on
| the great stream of commerce of the
| Northwest, carried on the greatest river
| of the continent, and which has tor its
termini st. Louis and st. Paul; halfway
of the great agricultural plains and valleys
| living between the great lakes and the
Missouri river. 1t location makes 1t OF
necessity railroad center, with as many
roads as the fingers on your hand, which
cross the river with their burdens on a
bridge second only to that of st. Louis.
Ii is also the terminus of the long looked
for and vet hopeful Hennepin canal. 1t
is within a mile of the junction of the
Mississippi and Rock rivers, and has the
advantages aud benefits of both.
You can take a car, in the center of the
city, and, after Il twenty minutes ride,
over a nice little railroad. behind the
incest little dummy in the West, find
Yourself at Milan, the city of mills not
only in name, but in fact. YOu viii find
there three Touring mills. two paper mills,
cotton factory. wagon factory and
other industries, with enough surplus
water power, TO turn all the wheels of
Lowell
In taking this ride permit me to remind
YOU that you will skirt along through what
was once the cornfields of the Sacs and
Foxes, where the squaw and the papooses
planted antAcultivated the Indian maize,
from generation To generation in the same
bills, many of which still remain, and
where you will also see the site of the
wigwam of Black Hawk, who was the
last great warrior and chief who made a
stand for the red man against the "pale
face" on this side of the Father of
Waters"
To the east of us, is the proud city of
Moline, which has made more plows than
any other city in the world, and is now
becoming as equally renowned in the
manufacture of wagons, Germ planters and
wooden ware. Here you will see the
great government dam which harnesses to
the wheels of industry nearly one-third
of the great river. In Moline You will
find more beautiful and comfortable
homes than in any other city of its size in
the West. built from the savings of in
dustries and intelligent mechanics.
Across our beautiful harbor, three
eighths of mile in width, is the flourish
ing and prosperous city of Davenport
with its 250 900 of people. where you will
find busy marts of trade, great glucose
factory and saw mills which have an out
put of millions of feet of lumber every
year. You will also find there the Acade-
my of Science, an institution which is the
pride of Iowa, and which will repay
visit from you.
But SURPRISING all in the mention of
our surroundings is the island of Rock
Island, which has been designated, on ac-
count of its unparalleled beauty and in
value, the Koh-i-nor of the Mis-
sissippi valley. 1t is beautifully located,
parting the great river in twain. The
in obedience to the maxim,
in the time of peace prepare for war"
is spending millions IN fitting it up as the
great work shop of the nation. Here
you will find access to buildings prepared
for the manufacture of arms. drive
along its great avenues, equal to the
of Chicago, and along and
through its beautiful drives, almost as
charming as you will find in Central Park
New York, will amply compensate you
for a visit to the Island.
l would not fail to to mention our own
plow factory, glass and stove factories,
our great lumber manufactures and our
water works, of which we are proud and
in which we know that You will be in
terested.
/ might he excused from further re-
mark but for the first time in my life, /
find myself addressing an audience of
physicians. and as one of the laity l may
be excused in saying a word that your
presence as physicians suggests. As |
the object of your society,"
you are here for the mutual exchange of
thought aud experiences as physicians,
and to learn from such intercourse lessons
which will enable you to better practice
your profession. The object is certainly
a worthy one and commends you to the
favorable consideration of all 1t appears
to me the incentive that physician has
to become proficient in his profession is
not excelled, if equalled, by the incentive
which addresses itself to the membership
Of any other of the learned profession. |
The priceless jewel of life is placed in |
your keeping. Upon the proper exercise |
Of this trust depends every interest of |
right and property, every relation of
business and family, the enjoyment of the |
of the past and hopes of |
he future, the continuance of every en-
erprise, the carrying out of every plan,
he fulfillment of every promise and en-
all depends upon it. Life is
as the good book has it in the |
new version, For what is a man prOfited
f he shall gain the whole world and lose
lis own life or what shall man give i'm
,xchange?'
/ am reminded that You gentlemen be-