Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-10-25

1
feet and, while brushing off the damn
clay, he with energy exclaimed:
"Such an awkward driver / never did
see. l would not go with you an
other night for all Iowa. Here it is
near midnight, and / should be at
home and backing my boots and
shaving for Sunday" And whilst our
congressman was in clay mud ditch
the stay-at-home-do-not were
snoozing in their beds. We drove
some miles home to Davenport in n
lop-sided buggy in silence, and paid
James Thompson, the coming bank
er, for the team and for new set of
springs for the buggy.
| | neglected to say that at lie Claire
we did not secure even one share of
stock, and but one vote for the coun-
ty subscription. That republic pro-
tested against building railroads in
Illinois. They had their Monroe doc
trine, and objected TO foreign in
vasion, even to talk railroad
frequently reported my lone night
meetings as chairman to the press.
l name one here that you may have
Il knowledge of railroad building in
y
three mile walk to the then hamlet
of Moline and back, during dark,
stormy night; a river TO cross As
respects success, my report Witness
es: Cor the Gazette.)
Mr.. Sanders:-I attended a rail
road meeting last night at Moline.
All present seemed resolved to carry
out the grand object for which they
had assembled. The greatest enthu-
siasm prevailed; many of the old
stockholders came forward and dou-
bled their subscriptions and new sub
scriptions were obtained. Thirty-one
shares were subscribed in a brief
time, and il was unanimously resolv-
ed that the town council -ake a sub
scription of 50 500. Amongst the sub
scribers were two youths of not over
- years of age, who took one share
each, and not only subscribed, but
paid up their installments. What
noble example, / would walk 10
miles any night to see such praise
worthy actions. / have, Mr.. Editor, |
sometimes thought that the union |
might at some future day be scarce |
of the proper kind of material for |
presidents and senators, but the |
noble conduct of the /
Moline youth has dispeIled my fears |
am satisfied that such noble-hearted |
youths Will, when they arrive at man
hood, be fitted for any station. We
need no longer wonder howe few in
lividuals of Moline, with but limited
means, erected all those costly mills
md manufactures - the mystery is
OF II
scott county who have not paid mp
heir installments initiate the above
Example by coming forwai and h
,ashing up manfully. 1 was much
pleased with the resolve of the meet
ng to drop all sectional jealousy and
advocate the shortest, cheapest and
BEST route for the railroad, let that +;
1e where it may. Yours,
~. c. FULTON. (
Davenport, April 1, 1851
When / at that day feared we might
'un short of presidential timber the i
sreat Lincoln and Mckinley had not I
topped before the footIights of fame
o astonish gazing. gaping world.
md our highly praised and efficient {
Roosevelt was not born.
The eXertion here made and the
unds raised became known to east
I'm railroad men, and Messrs. Far
lam, Walcott and Durant visited us.
The 100000 required by charter hav- 1
ng been subscribed, contract for I
he construction and equipment of {
abroad between Chicago and Rock -.
sland was perfected with the above I
constructors on the 18th day {
4 October, 1851. The first payment :
N work performed was made on
april 20, 1852; then on Feb. %. 1854, t
midst the waving of banners and the 2
hunder of artillery, the iron horse '
f the Atlantic drank the water of |
he great Mississippi river The first t
nix of one hundred and eighty-one /
allies of the Pacific Railroad had been
t
The construction company was or i
anized in 1853, ten years after my c
urvey. The work was commenced \
an. II, 1854. &c
The wood work was constructed by I
tone, Boomer and Boyington, of c
davenport, and the stone work by f
ohm Warner, Esq, of Rock Island, a
II western men. The stone piers c
ere seven feet wide at the top by Is
hirty-five feet long and thirty-eight |
eet high, resting on solid rock. Each Il
pan was $50 feet in length. The turn f
able was 2S5 feet long and had a P
lear channel of 40 feet on each side. |
The length of the bridge from Dav- t
nport to Arsenal island was 1851 t
eet There was used in its construc- y
on, 1,0s0,000 feet of lumber, 100000 d
ounfLs of XvrouUbt iron and 900 0OO il
ounds of cast iron. The cost of the y
ridge was $350,000. il
The draw was swung open April 8, e
$50. Then on April 21, 1856, the p
Dlendid new locomotive, Des Moines, c
it'll freight train, entered lowe
midst shouting crowd. e