Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-02-02
AGROUND HOGCASE
That's What 1t Seems to Be
Out at Taylor Ridge.
MEETING OF AN ANCIENT SOCIETY

Ceis bratinE Iss Organization Over Half .
Century Ago In Honor OF His Hoesh,p-
Tale II an o ganizaiIo refsely Told by
One Of Them.
Tsy lor Ridge. Feb. 2.-The Ground
Hog society me. here at 10 O'Clock
this morning, as it has has done
since its organization SIS years ago.
At its organization there were 20
mem bers initiated, and q resolution
adopted at that meeting that no
new members be taken in, and that
the society should exist until the
last one was taken hence-and then
cease. To this and to keep the Sc
crets pertaining to the society. we
all took q most solemn vow. There
are now five of us left, two living in
Rock Island. one in Milan. one in
Taylor Ridge and the fifth an old
grizzled farmer, who lives near the
latter town. The meetings OF late
have bee1 mere formalities, as we
feel our work is accomplished. and
the object of our society carried to
q successful termination with a FIN
gle exception, and this we still hope
to see accomplished, viz: That
'.Ground Hog Day" be made
a legal holiday by law in the
state of Illinois; for that our
Legislators may speedily become
enlightened on this great question of
ground hogology, and abandon a lot
OF the old fogyisms that they are
frittering their time away with
should be the prayer of every good
loyal citizen OF the state. At the
meeting this day it was suggested
that as our members were fast de.
creasing, and those of US left are
lettering on our way, that a short
history Of our society and it's great
head be written up for publication
and for the benefit of future genera.
tions.
Tho Old Hunter.
The great head and principal pro-
moter of this society lives near Tay-
lor Ridge, and is undoubtedly the
oldest man in the county, if indeed
not the oldest in the state, and il
familiarly called "the old hunter, .
and is wonderful character. His
knowledge of natural history is as.
founding. He seems to have the
faculty of communicating with ali
kinds of animals, and has learned
from them the means whereby to
foretell the weather, and the many
other things they do instinctively
He has been interviewed by some OF
the greatest philosophers of our day,
and is we'll known from New York to
San Francisco. He was born in the
Mohawk Valley, York state, and it il
believed by him that his father also
was born in that section of country
He has an abundance of proof in his
possession, in letters and various
documents, that his father was init
mate with some of the most noted
men of that state in colonial days.
One Of the most priced is a com
mission as game keeper and signeC
by Rip Van Dam, who was governor
of New York in colonial times. Th,
document is dated Aug. 1, 1881, ane
is in q good state of preservation
By the way, he claims that it wal
this governors name that suggested
Rip Van Wrinkle to Washington Irv
ing's mind. One verytcurious docu
ment ceding large tract of land i.
signed by his mark (X). Red JACKIE
or Sagoxewatha, chief of the Senec.
Indians, and many other valuable
documents which would be fortune
to relic hunters. Our sold hunter
says he was brought up with GROUND
hogs. was their daily companion il
his youth and often hibernated will