Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-29

and substantial county of Rock Island.
In those DAYS different test was applied
to the lands on which living was to be
made than now. The reason was, there
had been no coal discovered anywhere in
the west. and transportation from the
fields of Pennsylvania of course at that
time was utterly out of the question-not
to be thought of for moment by prac-
tical people. Neither was there then in.
vented w!ndmills TO pump the water for
the stock. Hence locations must be we'll
supplied with water and wood to consid>
cradle extent and the great prsiries
were passed over to come here where
water timber and fertile soil were obtained.
THE TRIALS AND HARDsHIPs
of the sturdy pioneers were innumerable
that braved the storms, the heat and cold
of this changeable climate. The only
houses were constructed of logs. and
those not scientifically built on many oc-
casions. But they were an indomitable
people; there was no turn back; it was
push, press onward more towards sue
cess, and success would come. 1t did
come. None of the old residents
of this community ever gave up
in dispair to return from whence
they came, yet the obstacles were
of the most numerous-no markets
near FOR the products of the field or shop.
The means of transportation were then
very poor-only for few months of the
year, and that down the Miss ssipp
river where nature and civilization never
did intend our productions should go. 1t
was many years before the railways were
built east to connect with the Atlantic
seaboard. But they struggled on against
disadvantages that could not now be
named, until the many advantages We
now have surrounding us.
The population of the county has con-
tinually increased from year to year as is
shown by every census that has ever
been taken. The farming townships
fourteen in number-sre not keeping
pace with the city's progress; their popu
latiou is now increasing the cities. But
those magnificent cities built up in the
last few years-Rock Island and Moline
and the healthy increase that continues
in those cities bids fair for their future
with the county. Here is the largest
manufacturing center west of Chicago in
Illinois. and now Chicago has been named
the fair city by our national congress.
Its success has been marvellous and phe>
nominal. The state of Illinois has been
advanced TO the third state OF the union
all the barren places of the west
are blossomlng-fourteen new states adj
mitted northwest of Illinois. This
progress has gone on until today.
Unless this organization takes in
hand the matter of writing up a
history of the early settlement of this
county, l believe it will never be done,
and unless il is soon started the tradi-
tional information will have been lost.
which is certainly the most valuable for
preservation, and would be splendid in
book form. Relics are gathered by
many county organizations and preserved
to show the progress and history. A
history would please me moro than any
thing else. There have been county his
tories published upon a representation
that they would contain the desired work.
but they are sadly lacking in this respect.
The opening feature of this afternoons
programme was the address of
SHERMAN w. sEARLE
In opening his address Mr.. Searle said !:
I'VE would apologize for our apparent
presumptuousness in addressing the pio
neers of our county. But.no for though
we may lack in experience, still We know
of what stuff you are made; of the hard>
ships you have endured, and of the great
results you have accomplished. There
L.
continued
The waves are chasing down the stream
of time; they break in shining ripples
along her pebbly strand: they rise and
fall, advance, retard, and yet we are not
sure from watching on the shore that
they really do progress. Take now some
landmark on the further shore and sight
your wave, see whether it is the same
one or some other that takes its place.
You watch and finally say the pillows
do roll on" Those are the shining
waves of progress you have watched
with impatient eye their movements for
many year; you have seen their gigantic
swells, and yet were unable to tell that
they did move. But looking back along
the years that have gone by you see that
great changes have taken place. since
first the Great Father of Waters was seen
by civilized eyes; man has called to the
giant stream, and he has stalked forth
and shook the world with his powers; he
sang a beautiful chant to the lightning,
and she Quit her play at hide and
seek" among the lowering clouds
and stepped forth to run his cars
along their hues and haul his messages
from shore to shore. That once grand
wild country where you sought your
home has been transformed. The very
hills you have subdued by earnest labor,
by honest toll, where first you sowed your
seed in the the untamed soil and reaped
your scanty harvest, now are vast vine
yards of industry and thrift. Where once
you chased the deer or shot the turkey
from the tree top. YOU see the constant
rush of traffic You hear the hum of
busy wheels and keeping cadence with
their wild CHATTER the merry voices of the
free" Where once your cabin stood you
see beautiful homes and happy tiresides,
broad fields of golden grain or the green
cocks of the new mown hay. The
streams you forded or crossed in your
canoe are spanned with mighty bridges
and throughout all that once wild land
the shrill shrek of the locomotive tells
you of progress. We would not cast a
shade upon the
DAYS THAT HAVE GONE BY,
nor dim the iustre of the glorious work
that you have done. These things of
which we speak are but the coping, but
the capital of the mighty pillar you have
built You formed it's base upon the
solid rock. and step by step, by hardship,
toll and perseverance, until now it
reaches the blue vault of heavens high
dome. Great fathers, the time is fast
fieeting. 1t will not be long until
You leave this earthly work that