Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-12

for the Aetna mill, and also to see To
the construction of the large Albion
brick mill, and. at the same time, |
was building a first class brick dwell
ing on Second and Perry streets. |
erected this mansion on valuable
ground to be near my mill, and in
time il became the home of the
wealthy Hungarian, Nicholas FeJer-
vary. and on its site now stands the
extensive Fejervary commercial block.
1 built the extensive two-story frame
bazaar, where now stands the brick
block on the east side of Brady street.
on the levee at the river landing. at
the same time working with energy
on the Mississippi & Missouri rail-
road.
Until the Aetna mill building was
completed for its running machinery,
had no millwright, and never had an
architect, although | erected build
ings in four different states and one
territory. The number is beyond my
ability now to count.
No lumber yards at that day. l had
to cut the timber in my Illinois woods
and team ii to the river, and person
ally run the log RATS to Mr.. Sears
saw mill, and when sawed. personally
run the lumber RATS TO my mills at
the Davenport landing. | had such a
vast world of work on hand that |
had to rob the night to lengthen day.
During the years of 1S47 and 1S4S
the journals and experts reported
that Old Sailor | employed more men
and paid out more money than the
balance of the town.
In mill building. all my workmen
were green and inexperienced work
men. until the task of placing ma
chinery took place. Yet when expert
millwrights came they pronounced
every timber. every line. in ship-shape
order. But | did not enter on the
work without knowledge. for | claim
ed to be an expert on every class of
and | had visited at large
cost the best Pennsylvania Touring
mills, and taken notes and sketches
of machinery to improve on.
From the moment that the first
spade of earth was taken from the
excavation for the massive stone
for the brick Albion
mills on the river front at the foot of
Perry street, where they now rest in
their solid strength to some day be
cut into and create establishment, j
went into training in every class of
work on building and placing machin-
cry. and became competent to stand
watch and operate in the engine room
or the grinding department by night
or day.
Milling at that day was Il lottery.
No eastern market. and thousands of
barrels of -four produced during win
ter to be shipped in the spring when
all rivers were open to overstock the
| sustained losses i'm Iowa steam
mills and railroads of over 100000 i'm
4 few years-a large sum at that day,
when "A portion OF il was procured at
SIG per month. and called to duty
Turing storms and tempests by night
Dr day; but / had to train or drop
Dut of the contest. The latter, never!
The first number of the Davenport
iazette here spoken of was issued
Aug. 26, 1S4i. 1t was wing journal,
and | preserved and had the first 13
years of its active, useful life bound
'Or coming generations, if they should
possess ordinary brains.
The records witness that l owned
II acres in the First ward of the city.
% in the Second and Third wards. II
N the Fifth on Brady street, and over
800 in the Sixth ward. all south of Lo-
,ust street; and had over 1000 acres
n Scott. Cedar and Muscatine coun-
lies. one farm in. Scott and Muscatine
IF 500 acres under fence.
| should have possessed far more
when | was constantly training for
he supremacy of all things. during
he big end of the century. and per-
'orming the work of Il dozen ordinary
andSmen. and when at sea. full duty
md beyond.
When l went into world building.
IN that then wild prairie. there was
not n habitation in sight, but herd
IF nine deer and two wolves longer
'emained and were almost daily in
'ight. l personally put up the first
inc of fencing, and planted the first
rees in CIeona township, and follow
ID il with a vast world of work. What
# it? The easy-go-slow, professional
alker takes the stand and talks of
he Bannered Star of genius. and of
he big bird, the eagle, that roosts
III the mountains summit. and is APP
llauded by hundreds.
The man who puts up the fence and
plants the trees is not applauded. no,
lever. never!
/ laid off the town of Fulton near
his farm. but had to change the
name to Stockton as a town of Full
on existed i'm Iowa. and we could not
get the second postoffice with the
same name in state.
To create town and farm. not
house in sight ut the outset, and set
ing out before sunrise to walk II
niles, then making nine hours days |
work as have done. is training that
viii put the double and twist in a
younU man and would domnen the