Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-09-12
Z. Il. Reyno!dS

Il wen hHoWH
r. r. Heyno!4S- man and liked
By all. owing to his long time residence
in this city and to his genial. good ways
and charitable instincts. He was one of
the few men whose milk of human kind
ness was practically beyond measure. and
with whom an acquaintance meant re-
spect and admiration for the many good
qualities constantly showing themselves.
His history has been almost the history
of the transportation problem in this
country. and his acts are made more en-
dearing by these monuments of his own
ingenuity and energy than any words Of
tongue could speak or pen could write.
That a good man has gone, one in whom
interest, and that vacancy in the citi-
zenship of this city has been created that
none else can fill no one will gsinsay.
The acts and life of him who has gone
beyond is more than worthy Of the emu
lation oe those who are now with us or
who may come among us.
Hon. E. P. Reynolds was born on the
Orion river near Montpelier i'll Washing
to county Vermont, Feb. 13, 1917. His
father WAS u Baptist minister and he was
one of family of five brothers and three
sisters. His parents being poor, young
Elisha was at an early age compelled to
support himself and acquired his book
knowledge in an attic over a merchantile
in, hn cd his
board and clothes. Early recognizing
the possibilities in the west for a man he,
in company with his elder brother Nara,
recently deceased, started on the long
trip to the head of Lake Michigan. Arriv>
ing there and not being well pleased with
the locality which has since become the
site of the city of Chicago. they deter
mined to push on westward to the Mis-
sissippi river. This was done largely on
boat, except an occasional lift on the
way by friendly teamster. Coming
down on the Rock river they commenced
their residence in Rock Island county by
&C cepting service on the old Knox farm
near the end of the Moline bridge, as
farm laborers. This was about 1874. but
the venture not proving as successful as
anticipated, the subject of this sketch
three years later left the farm and he be-
came engaged in brick business, con-
tracing, erecting buildings. etc. This
line he followed for seven years. when in
1853 he enlarged his field Of operation,
ia king in the construction OF public
works. For four years he was engaged
in enterprises OF this sort including the
running af saw mill on the site of the
present c., R l. & P. engine house.
In 1857 he engaged in the work of
railroad construction. which has since
been his chosen avocation un-
til the present time. Among his earlier
work was some grading on the present
R, 1. & P. railway; he and Thomas
Saulpaugh-the latter now of Mankato,
MINI were associated together for more
notable contracts, being the st. Paul,
Dubuque and Louisiana bridges over the
Mississippi river. the Glasgow and Piatts-
Cincinnati Southern railway over the
Ohio river, besides a large amount OF
miscellaneous railway construction. The
largest contract he ever took to complete
in one year, and in fact one that ranks
among the heavy contracts of the coun-
try, was the construction OF $50 miles Of
the c.. B. & @, furnishing everything
except iron, ties and spikes. The amount
he received for this work alone was 81
500, 600, and during the time he was en-
gagged in it he employed 5000 men and
1900 teams.
In 1860 Mr. Reynolds purchased $50
acres of land in Hampton township.
which has been occupied by tenants
since.
In 1881 Mr.. REYNOLDS associated with
him his two older SONS John and Ben, in
the business, the firm being E. P. hey
nolds s. Co., which it remained until the
present date. During this time the firm
has done much important work on the
Burlington, Rock Island, Missouri Pa
ciflc, Chesapeake & OHIO, and Sioux City
systems.
The deceased was one of the original
organizers of the Rock Island Savings