Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-16
EARLY "REMINISCENCES.

Another Ynteresiin% Letter from y.
| w. McMaster---IIOw the Ranks or
the Old settlers Have Been ThInned
davenport as n Rival,
Editor Argus:
Rock ISLAND, Jan. 10. OF the persons
living in Rock Island 10 1885. when 1
came here, there now remains only DR..
P. Gregg, and John A Boyer. 10 Knox.
George Mixter L. Andrews, David
Halves, E. p. Reynolds. Benz Cobb and
many others came in 1887 and '3S. John
w. Spencer. Jonah Asakel Chas. Case,
VIM. Brazier and Joel Wells lived on
farms in the neIghborhood. The Wells
family were scattered along from Rock
river to the head Of the rapids numer>
Gus tribe with them, connections and
relatives. OF the old settlers. not one
remains. and but few OF their descend>
ants are living in the county.
From 81 to 40 the town filed up
quite rapidly with an enterprlsing, go
ahead set of Young men-many of them
quite talented. VIM. E. Franklin was
recorder of deeds for number of years
a genial fellow, great wag, somewhat
dissipated. 10 Wells. New Hampshire
lawyer, a canal commissioner aud lieu
tenant governor, was whole souled
gentleman, and when the occasion called
forth his power, genuine natural
orator. He was a candidate for the legs
islature. and while out on an electioneer-
ing tour he called at farm house. He
found the good lady spinning on small
wheel. What is that you are spinniug?"
FLAX" was the reply. "Ah. fax; many
a day have l hoed fax when | was
a hey" When Wells returned to his
office in the court house. the story of the
fax had got ahead of him and he found
huge bundle of: flax tow attached to his
door knob, placed there by his waggsh
friend, Franklin.
To while away the time during the long
winter evenings aI.debatlng isociety was
organized. in which large number took
part. The debaters were able and in-
teresting lawyers, ministers. doctors and
others. The school house was usually
packed full. l think the population of
that period would contrast very favorahly
for intelligence and enterprise with any
subsequent period. AT this time Daven
port commenced to grow. and soon
became rival to Rock Island. A feel
ing of jealousy sprung up between the
two cities. (That feeling seems to be all
|
fine flag staff on the. island near the west
end. belonging to the. government The
post had not been occupied for some
time. A report got out that the Daven-
port boys intended to gobble the staff for
their Fourth of July celebration. We of
Rock Island would not allow this. so some
twelve or fifteen of US went over to the
island in yawl. with axes, ropes, block
and tackle to take it down and transport
| it to Rock Island. Soon after lsnding we
commenced getting ready for operating
| But soon old Coke, Col. DavenpoTt's
man, appeared. his eyes big as saucers.
and told us Col. Davenport wished that
we would come up and see him before
doing anything. VIM. E. Franklin aud
! myself went up TO see him, He told us
| it was all a mistake about the Davenport
boys intending 10 take the staff away
| Upon looking at the massive staff we
made up our minds we had better let it
alone. as the only way we could get it
down would be to cut it. One of our
number, impulsive Tom B., says, "Down
| she comes" but it stood, | believe, O
number of years after, until it rotted
down.
| In the spring of 1889 Lemuel Ander,
son and myself who had been doing bus
| mess together some two years had large
stock of goods purchased in St. Louis the
fall before, frozen up in the ice at Louis
lana and other points. In order to work
; them off we loaded keel boat with some
ten or fifteen tons of groceries and some
dry goods. Ben Cobb went as captain
and | was super cargo salesman, and with
a crew of three men we started from Rock
Island and got along all right until we
struck the rapids at Vandrutf's island,
when we found our boat drew too much
water We obtained fatboat from VIM.
Carr to tighten over, but still found too
little water. A large number of men
were then employed by the state digging
the canal at Vandruff's. We hired num-
Der of them to help us over. This
they done by standing in the water
lifting and pushing the boat along. After
staying there days, we finally got over
but found our boat leaking badly, We
tied up to muddy bank above Csw's and
commenced pumping; a blow came on,
rocking the boat about in the mud and
stopping the leaks and we went on our
toilsome way polling slowly up the beau>
tiful rapid stream. We stopped to trade
whenever we found little settlement.
We stopped at Portland Seeley's place
some ten days, and had brisk sales while
there l spent day with Mr.. Dwight
who had built large substantial log
cabin in a beautiful bend of the river.
He was son of Professor Dwight of
Harvard, had ample means, large farm
with fine horses, hunting dogs and every
thing comfortable about his bachelor
home.
| Some twenty-five years after this in
taking trip OIL the North Missouri rail-
road one evening gentleman sat down
by ME and entered into conversation. A
Mr.. Cleveland. an occasional correspond
ent of the New York Tribune, a contrib>
utor to the Atlantic. He told me be, at
the time was there, carried on Dwight's
farm for him. One Sunday when he
came in he found d. dressed up in his
best, with white gloves, and went walk
| ing up and down his long porch facing
the beautiful river. He asked Dwight
what he was dressed up so fine for as
there is no one here to see you. His re-
ply was, God sees me-" that is enough. |
Was there not deep wisdom In that re-
mark We would do well to heed it at
all times. s. w. NJ.
Men should be what they SEEM" and
if they are suffering tortures with tooth>
ache, they should not try to smile and
look cool and handsome. How much |