Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-24
THEN AND NOW.
Moline Avenue as Originally I'm.
proved Forty Years Ago.
special Assess ms mt the Plan OF Pro-
crdur. In ln,eres ing his,ori
cal Document I'm the Pos.
session of r. r.
Reynolds.

Apropos of the extensive Improvement
which Moline avenue has experienced this
season and is IN iergoing. it may be inter
esting to the denizens of that thorough
fare of the present day to know that that
portion of the street extending from
Twenty third street to Cable avenue was
originally opened by petition and i'm.
proved by special assessment of saore
voluntary kind than the present one.
Hon. E P. Reynolds. who was at the
time road supervisor of "Rock Island
road district, has in his possession the
original documents authorizing and order
ing the improvement. Previously, as
such officer, he had opened county
road. extending from near the present
residence Of john Warner to the north>
west corner of the Cable homestead,
thence northwesterly to the Sylvan water
bridge at TwentYfourth street. This
highway is still available to the public
except that portion extending from the
northwest corner of the Cable property to
Twenty fourth street, which has been
occupied by the Burlington railroad
through grants by ordinance, and the
Rock Island railroad bV virtue of occupy
ing the same without leave or hindrance
for great many years.
The original order addressed 10 Mr..
Reynolds bears date of June 81, 1851, or
just 40 years before the present i'm
provemcnt was insugurated. and is signed
by Joseph Comet as clerk, giving
the legal description, but which is more
generally described as from Broadway
in Bailey Davenport's addition. to the
southeast corner of Hsrpers land" The
petition bears the same date and is signed
by j. W. Drury, P. Gregg, George Mix
ter, J. S. Koox. j W. Wood. E. Whistler,
Daniel Crist, George Suter, c. J. Yates.
S. W. Eastman. L. Buttrick. Joseph
Comet, Joseph Gerard. James Boyle, B.
F. Barrett, F. Ridenbsugh, r wilkins
son, NJ. Sutton, Nszro Reynolds, Lemuel
Andrews, Isaac Negus, Jacob Norris
James Bracket, James W. Bracket
William T. Norris, P. S. Albert, J. G.
Bolmer, B. J. Cobb. j. w. Denison,
James Copp, William Bailey, Hibb ard
Moore, c. H. Perry. E A. Rugg, T. Bid.
olson, II. Hskes.
The most interesting document is the
voluntary special assessme ut" list, Illus
trsting as it does how the pioneers of
this, aud 1t might be said OF all sections,
put their shoulder to the wheel to build
up communities. 1t reads:
I'VE. the subscribers hereto, do each of
us severally promise and agree to paw to
the order OF Elisha p. Reynolds, and on
demand made by him, the sums or amount
set opposite our respective names, TO be
paid in work as We may elect and desig-
nate on subscribing hereto. to be appro-
pristed and expended by him and under
his supervision and direction in repairing
that part of the public road between Rock
Island and Moline which lies between the
residence of Ben Harper (the house now
occupied by John Wsrner), and James
Bracket, ST., (tbe house at the south,
west corner of Twen,y-fourth street aud
Fifth avenue) said work 10 be performed
to the acceptance of john w Spencer,
Esq, and B. T. Birrett Esq and Lemuel
Andrews. ESQ (wi;h rotations and sig
natures as below:)