Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-10-22


and induced Indians to negotiate that
had no authority to act. In 1923 over
one-half Of the two tribes under Keo-
lluk broke camp on Rock river and
the vicinity of Rock Island and moved
over the river into Iowa. The first
lands in Rock Island county were
brought into market in 1929
\ company was formed in 1885 to
lay off the town of Davenport. The
lsurvey was made in the spring of
1886. The first house built after the
survey was log house at Third and
Ripley streets. This house became
Davenport's second store building.
In 1886 Wisconsin was organized as
a territory. of which Iowa was a por-
Ition. Its legislature met that year.
Its first session was held at Belmont,
land Iowa was by it divided into two
lcounties by line beginning at Rock
1 Island and extending west to the
Missouri river. The north portion
was called Dubuque county. The
lsouth portion was called Des Moines
Icounty. Davenport was in two coun-
ties. This year. 1886, y. lie Claire was
appointed postmaster by Uncle Sam,
and had a weekly mail from the east
and every two weeks from Dubuque
Postage on all letters during the first
year was 75 cents, then reduced to
the regular rate of % cents. The
first religious discourse and public
prayer was delivered in a dwelling by
Rev. Gavitt, a Methodist. The first
case of matrimony in Scott county
took place in Davenport in 1887. One
nf he
liam II. Watts and the other a niece
of \. lie Claire, native of the far
west
1t is now over seventy years since
L entered the Mississippi river from
off the Atlantic ocean under adverse
circumstances, having placed some of
my shipmates beneath the ocean
waves.
L brought here a cargo of assorted
goods, suited to the white man and
the Indian. too. Capt. Wood said it
was the largest tonnage and largest
pay that he had received from one
man on the upper Mississippi.
l Immediately purchased piece of
ground, 12S feet by $50 feet, at the
northeast corner of now Second. once
Sac street, and Rock Island streets.
for $1,000, from Pottawattamie
Indian. l erected the two-story brick
store and dwelling, which now stands
in perfect trim and Will stand to
meet the storms of time when more
recent structures cruInble into dust.
also, then III 1912. erected a brick
warehouse east of it. now removed. |
The upper floor of this warehouse |
was the first Odd Fellows hall. and |
the first Free Slasons' lodge in Scott |
county, and the first brick sidewalk |
within this city was at that corner !
placed.
In the spring of 1913 l erected the !
three dwellings that stand north of !,
this corner for my coopers, and my /
cooper shop on the same tract of /
land. where L made. barrels and /
tierces for my pork packing house at /
the since Armour stand at Front and |
Perry streets.
In the fall of 1912, in passing up
the river on the Iowa shore side of
the upper rapids, l Immediately saw
that a vast water power there waited
development. I Immediately made a
survey. took the levels, upon which |
purchased at large cost the river
and marine walls outside. and pur-
chased the island south of Sycamore
chain, as it was essential in the con-
structIon. This island is now record
ed on the government river maps and
within the Iowa state geology re-
ports as Fulton's island. For cost
and extent of purchase see Scott
records of 1912 and 1913. To
supply the vast quantity OF lumber
that l expected to use in the works
/ purchased 100 acres of good timber
on the Illinois side of the Mississippi.
| sold the water power, the Iowa
lands and the island to New York
parties, at n discount, in considera-
ton of their completing the work,
but the big monied man of the three i
was struck by tidal wave and went
under, and nature there reigns SUI
preme-no water power improve
ment.
Iowa had her Black Hills and her
days of thrilling events,
but too lengthy here to rehearse.
Whilst l was securing possession
of the Mississippi's vast water power
in the fall of 1912, l took a half in
terest with William Bennett in land
claim that he had built his claim
house on. in Buchanan county, Iowa,
and which embraced the fails of the
river. We with great
risk and labor placed Il dam at the
falls. and built the ordinary country
grist mill, of cheap order. and also
built warehouse and a blacksmith
shop We hoped there to build up
Hn ,
When l first visited Buchanan coun-
ty the population of the county num-
bered nine. all residing in or near our
town of Quasqueton.
When our mill was completed there
was not one busheI of wheat within
20 miles to test ii with. The adven-