Rock Island Argus., 1902-04-26

able area of broken surface, but its
farms are well titled and il is es-
pecially well known as a stockraising
community. \ considerable portion
of its agricultural resources are de-
voted TO supplying the needs of the
cities of Rock Island and Moline.
COunty's Part in the War.
In the war of the rebellion Rock
Island county did her full share in
upholding the honor of the nation.
Not fewer than 2,299 of her sons en-
listed in the different branches of
the service and their bones We're left
on every important battlefield in that
stupendous conflict. Not enough able
bodied men were left at home to cul-
tivate the fields and the resources of
the county were taxed to the utmost
in caring for the widows and orphans
of soldiers and those who had been
left in want by the response of the
husbands and fathers to the call 10
arms. During that conflict also this
county had within its bounds an i'm
portaut prison, thousands of the enc
my being kept at Rock Island arsenal.
That the patriotic ardor of Rock Is
land county's sons has not died ont
was demonstrated during the late
war with Spain when TWO companies
of volunteers, Companies y and f of
the 9th Illinois. were sent ont and
saw actual service. while thousands
of others of her Young men were only
awaiting the chance 10 enlist
Since the civil war Rock Island
pn oil Il.
other counties in the upper Missis-
.sippi valley maintaining normal and
steady growth and development along
legitimate lines of industry. \ fea-
ture in this respect has been the up
bnilding of The urban community
comprised. in the adjoining cities of
Rock Island and Moline. second in
size and Importance ia the state out
side of Chicago, within its borders.
The acquiring of improved and di-
verse railroad facilities and the loca-
tion within lis territory of the larg-
est government arsenal in the United
States are the two things, next to the
energetic nature of the population,
that have had most to do in giving
the. county its present position. The
recent location of the terminus of a
canal connecting the Great Lakes
with the Mississippi river in the. CEN
tai part of the county has its sig
niticant side with respect TO the flu
ture
The country districts have kept pace
with the growth of the cities. espec-
tally during the past few years. There
was long period, which ended only
t
values i'm Rock Island county, i'm com
mon with other portions of this and
adjoining states advanced very little.
There was little growth i'm the rural
population in most of the townships
and in some there was a positive loss
owing to migration westward. The
condition of the country people i'm
proved but very slowly. Lately, how
ever. since the free domain of fertile
lands in the west has been occupied
there has been a reflex movement of
humanity and the resettling of this
community has begun. The results
are almost marvellous. Sons divide
the lands of their fathers. farms are
made smaller. better cultivation is
practiced and permanent improve
merts are in evidence everywhere.
Social conditions are improving.
Nearly every farmer of any cOnse-
quence now has a telephone with
which he can communicate with his
neighbors and the surrounding towns
and there are four free rural delivery
mail routes in the county.
The Present COurt House.
The most important single recent
undertaking of the county po-
litieal has been the erection of its
present substantial and well appoint
ed courthouse dedicated in the spring
of %. The old structure built in
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