Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1893-12-29

with no less SORROW and rerre; in all
parts Of the city. Mr.. Warner had
been indisposed fo- 4 number O.,
years. aud seriously so during
che past few days. the system which
had once been so rugged. yielding a,
last 70 ;he weight and infi-mities OF
years. and dissolution being final y
due TO congestion o: the brain.
There are none OF our early settlers
who were more prominently and
firmly identified with the original
growth OF che city than was John
Warner. but it remained FOX those
who knew o: his achievements and
his successful undertakings TO tell o.
them. He was of too modes; aud re-
firing . disposition to relate them
himself. Yet he was not aver>e TO
anecdotes. and he could tell As much
in she WAY OF interesting remiuis-
cence of Rock Islands history as any
one living hereabou,s.
sketch of His Life.
Mr.. Warner was bonn in the town
OF Greenbush. Rensselaer, county.
y. Y. Aug. y, 1914. He received
the early advantages of common
school education. and commenced
the work of public Improvements in
1888. doing the masonry on the
Black river canal near Rome. y. Y.
The year following the date last
t,a ~
Western railroad doing grading and
masonry for that line. Then he did
similar work for the Boston Il Al
bauy and Boston * Schenectady
roads. and isii found him grading
the Harlem * Connecticut River rail-
road. including the construction of
the Willima.sett and Ohio bridges.
Then he built the Pittsiield * Adams
road. did great deal of mechanical
work. stone work and grading for
the Worcester * Providence. and the
Rutland * Burlington. being en-
gagged in the latter undertaking in
l>i>-i9. and then ne was engaged in
grading for the Hudson River road
below Albany. and af;erward pre-
pairing the same prcliminaries for
the Rochester & NIAGARA Falls line.
This took him up to 1850. and that wear
he did the grading and stone work
for she Michigan southern. This
brought him westward. and his next
contract was in Illinois on the main
line OF the great Rock Island road.
Came to Rock Island.
Monday. March =. 1851. witnessed
Mr.. Warmers arrival in Rock Island.
He was accompanied by the late W.
II. Whitman. then like himself. an
extensive railroad contractor. and
the two. with Others. having driven
across the prairie state from Chicago.
They stopped the night before reach
/ ing here in Moline. In those DAYS
great excitement prevailed here over
/ the construction of the road. and
public interest ran high. The peo-
ple wanted the road. and wanted ii
I badly. but they lacked confidence in
I the ultimate success of the project.
/ They were rather inclined 10 the be-
| lief that the chief contractors sou-h,
mainly to obtain the right of way
for purely speculative purposes. and
that once securing it some would be-
come fleeced. and the road choked
of Mt LaSalle.
Jarvis X Farnam were the enCi-
necrs having the contract. and the
afternoon of the day Messrs. War
ner and Whitman put loot in Rock
Island a great mass meeting was to
have been held n the court house. al
which Mr.. Earnam was to speak. bu:
the people had become so convinced
as to what was the purpose of the engi-
neers that they would not permit
MIR. Farnam to speak until he had
printed and distributed handbill;
bearing a statement from John War
ner that the latter had been given :
sub-contract to do the grading and
stone work west, to and across the
Mississippi river at this point. The
circulation OF these handbills turned
q prevailing sentiment Of doubt into
q spirit Of general rejoicing. and ~
elaborate public reception wa.
rendered Mr.. Warner.
Bait the Road.