The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-09-10
AULD LANG sYNE.
Annual Picnic Of the County Old Set
tiers at the watch Tower.


vive upon this historical spot the fond
recolections of days agone. 1t has been
most delightful day at the tower; the
weather was all that could be desired and
the excellent means of transportation af-
forded many VIII, could not otherwise
have done so.opportunity to meet and talk
over old times among the trees and along
the shores of the river, which in their
early days was yet an unbroken
country.
The exercises opened in the pavilion
on the summit of the tower at IL o'clock
this morning, by prayer by Rev. A. r.
Morgan, and thenJ. 7. Kenworthy, ESQ,
secretary of the society, delivered an
address of welcome which was as follows:
Old Settlers of Rock Island County and your In
yited Guests:
have been requested to perform the
very pleasant office of opening the exer>
cises of this day by addressing to you on
behalf of the president of your assocIa
ton, few words of welcome.
First, permit me to congratulate you
that the day is pleasant and favorable for
your meeting, and that the number in at
tendance is so large, and the prospect for
an enjoyable occasion is so flattering.
see many among you whose white hairs
denote ripe old age, and congratulate
you that your lives have been spared and
that your health permits you to again
meet with us and enjoy the visit aud ex-
change greetings. | congratulate you
that it was your lot to be pioneers of this
county and vicinity, and that your lives
have been spent in honorable toll as well
as that your labors have been crowned
with success and with great achieve
ments. 1t must certainly be a source of
pride and of pleasure to you to look back
upon your work, and to see that your
lives and your energies have been spent
in developing this fair. this beautiful,
this grand and goodly land 1t is, in
great measure, the result of your labors,
your tolls, sacrifices and achievements
that this fair garden has been developed,
beautitied and enriched. until today, the
busy hum of its industry, its trade, its
factories and its commerce make this
once primeval prairie and forest, the hap
py home of over $4,000 free, prosperous
and intelligent citizens. Another source
of congratulation is that your lives have
also been spent in raising to manhood
and womanhood, families that are not
only comfort and an honor to Your old
aye, but an honor to the land that gave
them birth, as well as to the community
in which they live. The officers of YOUR
society are gratitied that the old settlers
have taken sufficient interest in this meet
ing to bring their families and invite their
friends to attend, and aid and assist in
making this day pleasant and agreeable
Again congratulate you that SO many
of the friends from the adjoining coun,
ties, and from Iowa are present today to
lend their aid and assist in the exercises
of the day, and in adding so largely to
the pleasures of this meeting.
l bid YOU all welcome; thrice welcomed!
May you exchange friendly greetings. in-
dulge in "reminiscences, and eat. drink and
be merry; may this day be day long TO
be remembered by you all and treasured
with pleasant recollections and friendly
greetings With music and sociabiltv
We welcome you, and with appetites
made keen by the mornings ride and ex-
ercise. we bid you prepare for the feast.
The baskets are filled to overlooking with
good things that the wives and daughters
of tile old settlers have, with their dex-
trous hands and skill in culinary art. pre-
pared for this occasion. The dav is
beautiful, the scenery grand and the air
is pure and iuvigorating. Health and
goOdfelowship and cheer are all here
and We bid you welcome Make free use
of all the facilities here offered for good
visit, warm personal greeting and an old
fashiOnd old settlers picnic.
One other thought and l shall have
done: You and | stand today upon his
toric grounds; grounds well known in
history, in legend and in song. The his
tory, legend and poetry of these sur
roundings and vicinity will be, yes, must
be, remembered, treasured and trans
mitted to those who shall come after us,
long after you and | and our children
and our childrens children shall have
been gathered to our fathers. How
reclly transmitted to those for
whose benefit 1t was and is made?
And do you know, do you realize Old
Settlers that it, in very great measure,
rests with you to preserve and perpetuate
that history? The recollections, incl
dents, "reminiscences, anecdotes, and all
that go to make up history and poetry
are fast-alas how solemnly fast-passing
into the tomb Of oblivion. In those vast
caverns where repose the unborn genera
tons of mankind. what merchant princes,
authors, statesmen and schOlars-un-
known they are 10 us-but sure to be
leaders, as they will be. of that vast pop
ulaiiOn that in time will fill this beau>
tIful and fertile valley and when they
are on the stage of action, what mater
ials will they have TO trace the life the
manners and spirit of your time? Think
of this Make the archives of your sos
ciety the repository of all the materials
that you can; never mind about the grams
NAUTICAL construction or literary excellence
of your productions. State facts. And
| those that shall come after you will rise
up and call you blessed for that little that
you can do. and without inexcusable
negligence should do Behold in the men,
DRY of some of you what changes have
taken placer A race of men, now alas
unknown, except in snalches of history
and poetry and legend, have passed
away never. never to return. Here, in
this valley. rivalling in beauty the vale of
| Cashmere, here almost within the sound
| of my voice, stood Sauk>e-muc, the
ancient city Of the Sauks, which at one
time contained by actual enumeration.
4 900 active, brave, energetic and intel>
ligent people-a city almost as large as
Rock Island. and here it had withstood
the mutation of time for a century or