The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-23
A GREAT CONCERN.
Such are the Argill0 Works at Carbon
Cliff, this County.
What the Reporter Saw There, and
Items Gathered on the Way.

Wednesday was glorious day. The
sun shone from clear sky, and all nature
seemed merry, and in keeping with the
lightness of the atmosphere As the
ARGUS reporter was about to start out on
his rounds for news, he met Deputy
Sheriff Silvis driving down street, holding
the ribbons over fine team of blacks.
Hello. Sheriff, are you going out in the
country to arrest some one2" said the
scribe. NO, | am going out to Carbon
Cliff, on some business, and If you want a
nice ride jump in and go with me-" The
reporter hesitated 1t was too good an
invitation to decline, and so rushing back
to the office, he arranged matters so he
could get away for the day, and then took
his seat along side OF the good looking
deputy sheriff. y
| Passing through proud Moline, We went
south over Rodman avenue. This road
was not in very good condition, but
going on little way we met the good
and only Joe Heck, who had couple of
scrapers leveling the ground and making
the road more passable OF course we
couldn't go by Heck without stopping
and giving him few words of encour-
agement for the good work he was
engaged in. We told him that he would
be rewarded for his noble deed, and that
if he kept on in the good work that he
would be loved and respected by all. Joe
believed US and said he would make the
road as smooth as a floor.
| Getting to the top of steep hill, we
encountered Uncle" Louis Haner who
had black mule hitched to cart. The
mule looked tired, and acted as though
it wanted to lay right down on the road
and go to sleep. But Uncle" Louis
objected and the mule was kept moving.
| Soon after passing this gorgeous outfit
we struck railroad track. There was
no sign up Look out for the cars, but
just the same it was raiload track. We
!, inquired what trunk road that was
"Mansills great and only road" was the
reply. This was the first time the reporter
. had ever gazed at this road. and as he
looked down sharp curve, he almost
fancied that he could see the renowned
Dick sticking his good natured face out
of the cab window of an engine, and that
he seeing us crossing the track pulled
the throttle wide open, and devilist
CLEAN came into his eyes as he thought hi
would make lis fit subjects for coroner'>
4 jury. But Dick" wasn't there, neither
was the train, and so we passed the cross
, ing in safety.
A new sight now met our eyes. Thi:
new curiosity was nothing less than DaviC
Beal, the assessor of South Moline, who
s had man cornered against the fence, ant
was endeavoring to find out whether thu
r fellow owned any property or not and il
he did, how much We didn't wait tt
E hear the result OF the confab, as TIT
4 assessor had already interviewed US.
II We stopped short time at the Uni
versal church, which was built October
16, 1879, by Mr.. Samuel Bowles
one of the prominent citizens
of Hampton township. 1t is (
5 very nice edifice, and is a monument t.
the christianity and generous nature o
the builder. The cemetery which adjoin
this church is beautiful place, and somt
elegant and costly monuments are erect
ed there.
sILyIs BROS. COAL MINES.
These coal fields are very extensive
comprising some three hundred acres
These were formerly owned by Mr.. VIM
Porter, who made quite fortune out o
5 them. All the houses on the land alst
belong to the Messrs. Silvis, which the,
5 rent at reasonable rates. They have twt
coal shafts erected, but are at presen
only using one of them-shaft No. 2
Arriving at this shaft we found Mr. s. r
Silyis and his assistant Mack Posten
hard at work, handling coal which cam
up from the depths below, where abou
twenty men were digging it from tn
! ground. Mr.. s. r. Silvis has complet
t charge of the coal business, and from on
short talk with him, we are satisfied tina
2 he is well versed in the trade. We pai
visit to his Office, but can hardly pa
= him a compliment on its appearance.
we visit him again we vii
I send up some brooms ahead, s.
n that he can have it cleaned on
q when we arrive. In the summer, bushes
r is not so lively as in the winter, but the
r are kept busy the year around, as the
D.. furnish coal to the Argillo works, whicl
G consumes an immense amount of fue
Mr. Silvis said that their coal mines wer
J almost inexhaustible, and that he did nc
q expect to live long enough to see the SUI
n ply exhausted. Besides the coal fields
T both gentlemen own fine farms, which al
Il under cultivation, and yield them larg
N crops.
tel Theirs is good example of what thri
te and enterprise will accomplish. The
q. came to this county as poor boys. an
q were compelled to hire out to farmers fo
re very small pay. They saved their earning
* however small they were, and in time hs
Is accumulated enough to buy few acr
for themselves They labored from ear
morn till late at night and the fruits
their industry are now apparent. The
. earthly possessions today are of NUT
more yalue than MANY of the persons {