Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-06
QUITE A CURIOSITY.
An Old Time Directory and the Re.
collections 1t Brings Back-.-How
Things Have Changed.

An Oid-Tfme Directory and the Re.
collections 1t Brings Back..-How
Things Have Changed.
Mr.. Phil Mitchell has in his possession |
copy OF E. Coy & Cos. Twin City
Directory and Business Mirror" for the
year 1850. book published in 1859. and
including directory of Moline as well as
Davenport and Rock Island. A glance
through the pages of the book will bring
back many "reminiscences and facts of
early history to the mind of the old resi-
dent. What grand council Rock Island
had at that timel Thomas J. Buford was
mayor, while the aldermanic delegation
was composed of:
First ward-Mylo Lee and John B.
Hswley,
Second ward-James NJ Buford and
Reuben Hatch.
Third ward-David L. Cunkle and W.
E. Errett.
Fourth ward--David Barnes and John
| Warner.
R. NJ. Grennell was city clerk; WIN.
Kale, marshal; VIM. Frizzell, collector;
Henry s. Powers. weighmaster and 8. B.
Stoddard chief engineer of the fire de-
partment. Hon. J. w. Drury was cir
cult Judge; J. Hawley, circuit attor-
ney; QnincV Mcneil circuit clerk; Cor
nelius Lynde. county judge; NJ. D. Mer'
rill, sheriff; Joseph Comet, county clerk
z. Cook, treasurer; Thomas Martin. cor
oner. Benz. Harper was president of tht
board of education; W. Bailey was sec
rotary; P. L. Mitchell. treasurer; jane
Conway was a member of the board ant
B. Nj. Reynolds was superintendent ant
principal of the high school. E. d
Sweeney was principal of the Secon'
Local school district Hermon Field wa
at that time postmaster.
l. Huber was captain OF the Rock Isl
and Rifle company, while Gilpln Moor
was foreman of one OF the fire companie:
The newspapers in those days we're ii
ARGUS, issued weekly and riweekly an
the Register issued at the same periods.
The railroads were the Chicago s. Roc
Island of which W. B. Grenelle VI
ticket agent, and the Rock Island
Peoria, CT which Holmes Hakes W
Superintendent. Those were the days
steamboating on the upper Mississippi
In addition to two ferry boats plying CO
stantly between the two cities, four difft
ent packet lines landed their boats he
= daily.
Streets were then named instead
numbered as now, and Moline avenue
described IN the directory as extendi
"from Broadway east, south of Re
river"
Looking hastily through the directo
we find James NJ. Beardsley as depl
county clerk. T. j. and j, NJ. Buff
proprietors Rock Island foundry, P.
CaDle COal uehleI, hdusou H. Naoio'Nie
I. Huber proprietor city brewery, c.
Knox, undertaken. W. T. Magill, dent
Mitchell & Gable and Negus, Osborne
Lee were bankers, J, Il M. Resent
we're in the same business that they
now engaged in.
The Davenport department sh'
Ebenezer Cook IS mayor, james T. L
as city attorney, and r NJ. Littler C
of the fire department and assessor.
W. Guiteau, brother of the notoriou
j. Guiteau, was township clerk. T
John F. Dillon was judge of the dis
court, Hon. Chas. Wheston was col
judge. and Harvey Leonard, sheriff
Davenport papers were the Gazette
--rr. -..ssvurI -tarIoHu run west
Davenport
Moline was not of much importsn,
those days. Dewitt c. Marshall
president of the city government, S
Wheelock and L. E Hemenway
trustees and Ellsworth Mspes WAS
tice of the peace.
There are older directories than tn
existence perhaps, but none that ar
complete and that furnish so much il
terest In perussl