davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

(From an address by W. ]. Entrikin
before Old Settlers association at Pros
pect park. Aug. %, 1889
II OR about a hundred years prior
to 1928 this, one of the most
beautiful and richest parts of
Gods footstool, had been the home of
the Sac and Fox Indians. There were
but a few thousand of them. They
were not tillers of the soil and the
time had cone when the land was
needed for the worlds teeming mil
lions. So this war-stricken land must
become land of peace. Under the
two jealous chiefs, Keokuk and Black
Hawk, the former of regal blood, an
orator and a tribesman, the latter
warrior who had never met defeat,
there could be no lasting peace. Black
Hawk had that heroic virtue, love Of
home, and in his estimation not to
defend home and the sepulchres of
his fathers. was to be coward.
In 1904 the Indians made treaty
with the United States by which they
sold the title, but reserved the use
of the land until needed for perma-
nent settlement.
In 1929 the lands have been sur
veyed and thrown open for settle
ment The time has come for the
Indian to go and the white man to
come. The old settlers of Rock IS
land county began to weave their i'm
portant part of the history of Hi
nois. In the 20 minutes allotted me
can only recall a few of the first
things they did.
Colonel George Davenport was prob
ably the first settler, as he came TO
the island of Rock Island in the
spring of 1916 and lived there until
he was murdered on the fourth day
of July, 1845. He was an Indian trad
er before the lands were opened to
settlement, and might be called the
connecting link between the Indians
and the old settlers.
Among the first lands to be entered
after the country was opened to set
tiers by the sale of lands in 1929 as
mentioned before, was the land Oh
which Black Hawks wigwam stood
which was bought by Rinnah Wells
This farm was at the west foot OF
Black Hawks Watch Tower. He was
enc of the kind that would have
peace if he had t. fight for it. The
Indians fences we're not strong
enough to turn the white mems cattle
They succeeded, however, in coming
to an agreement that all the white
people should yard their cattle al
night, and the squaws and children
would watch the corn fields by day
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

nature mad, in fact, been changed but
little.
NOT PROMISING SITE.
From what the early residents say
the site of Rock Island was not, in
its raw state, a particularly inviting
one upon which to start a city. At
least we of the present day would see
many disadvantages. Much OF the area
now thickly built over was swampy
and in places water stood the year
round. The Mississippi. on it's annual
June rises, spread over great deal
of the land, usually cutting on the
present downtown section and form
inE temporary island. or rather two
islands. Mosquitoes and other in,
sect pests were numerous in warmer
seasons, and malaria was common and
"chills and fever" regularly afflicted
the inhabitants. even after there was
healthy young city here. There
were no bridges and Rock river and
the Mississippi offered formidable
barriers 10 travel and transportation
east and west. A thick growth of
young timber covered the hills and
most OF the bottoms as far west as
Ninth street. Where there was no
timber the grass grew rank and tall
There was no blue grass TIL long
after white man had settled here. In
the bottoms was coarse slough grass
and on the hills and higher prairies
what is now known as upland
prairie" grass aud blue stem" we're
20 be found. Mr. Cleland recalls that
IA the early 40's the only blue grass
ia this vicinity was to be found in
Edgington township. and emigrants.
travelling through on their way still
Z farther west, went out OF their
course so that their horses and cattle
might feed upon IL.
The Indians found the north bank
Of Rock river preferable TO that
slong the Mississippi here and built
thar permanent settlement at the for
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

nue. and of selling the hides to ]. &
M. Rosenfield for 10 cents each, the
proceeds being always invested in
more ammunition to kill more musk
rats. The north bank u the slough
was largely composed of gravel,
there being a deep bed of this as far
east as the court house. From there
on east the soil was black and in wet
seasons the mud was a factor to be
reckoned with by those early pio-
neers.
ToPOGRAPHICAL CHANGES.
The present business sections of
the city was comparatively level when
settlement began. There was a ridge
between Fifteenth and Seventeenth
streets and Spencer square was low.
In places some filling has been done,
but in others the SURFACE has been
lowered. The fill in the vicinity of
the skating rink. which stands at the
head of the old slough. amounts to
10 feet or more in places. Thousands
OF tons Of dirt and refuse from the
city have been used in bringing the
StSeeA oP ~ "hG PAcccAA ASfci us
work was, OF course. gradually done.
Ninth street was the first crossing
place. and this was filed to form a
dixie to protect the upper part OF the
city from foods. Owners OF proper.
~ living below Ninth street made
strenuous objections against being
left outside TO shift for themselves
VI hen the water rose. They had no
protection till the Rock Island & Pc
oria road was built in the middle SOS.
After that they had comparatively lit
tie trouble from high water.
The memory of the oldest living in
habitant goes back TO the time when
Rock Island was a thriving village
O. 500 or perhaps a few more. Dav-
export was about the same size.
There were a few soldiers on the is.
land, quartered in four log forts. In
dams we're frequent visitors. There
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

owner established a grade to
suit himself. Those who could not al
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27
ALMOST A CENTURY SINCE
FIRST WHITE SETTLERS
CAME TO ROCK ISLAND

Continued from Preceding Page)
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

(Contiued on Next Page0
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27
ORGANIZATION OF
OLD SETTLERS in
COUNTY ISACTIvE
Association Has Been Holding
Annual Meetings Since
Year 1865.
GREGG FIRST PRESIDENT
]. n. CleIand. Present Secretary, Has
Served In That Office for
81 Years.

The Old Settlers association Of Rock
Island county, the object of which is
chiefly social, was organized in 1866.
Dec. Is, 1856. a preliminary meeting
was held in Norris & Co.'S book store,
lect plans for permanent organization.
This committee reported to a meeting
held at the court house Jan. 10 Of the
following year. A constitution and by
laws were adopted and permanent OFF,
GERS elected. with DR.. Patrick Gregg
president, and A X. Philleo secretary.
Membership was limited to those set
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27
ORIGINAL SITE OF
R0CKISLAND WAS
NOT PROMISING
Land in Its Raw State Gave
Little Inducement for
Founding of a City.
LARGE PART OF 1T MARSHY
Town az Oldest Residents Recall II
Furnishes Striking Contrast
With That Of Today.
RoBABLY few Of the present gen

II ROBABLY few Of the present gen.
GRAFTON in Rock Island ever have
tried to frame a mental picture
of the site of the city before the hand
of white man wrought the changes
We now see all about us. There are
none now living whose memory runs
back so far, but there are several
who distinctly recall the scenes of
the early 40's, even before the name
OF Stephenson had been abandoned
for that Of Rock Island. j. H. Gle
land, justice Of the peace, is one OF
these. He came here as a boy in
1912 and the things that he thcn saw
made a vivid impression upon him.
This impression has been retained
with unusual clearness, partly due, no
doubt, TO the fact that the family re-
moved after a few years to Edging-
ton township and so the things and
events that came later did not crowd
out the images left by the experiences
Of early youth.
At that time, 10 years before The
Argus, now observing its Goth birth
day anniversary. was founded, i'm
provements hereabout were so few
that 1t requires but a short stretch
OF the imagination TO go back to the
days Of the red man. The face of
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

Fer place. The white man came here
because Of the protection of Fort Arm
strong and the facilities for COM
merce offered by the Mississippi riv.
er, which was then the great highway
for north and south transportation.
These considerations overcame the
lure Of greater natural advantages
elsewhere in the near vicinity and 50
the great task Of clearing the forest,
fling the swamps and diking to keep
the river from annual encroachment
began.
WERE NOT DISCOURAGED.
The early corners laughed alike at
the freezing blasts of winter, the
moist heat of summer, the mud, mi
asna and all the rest of it, II they
got wet oftener than we they had
fewer clothes to dry; II they were
oftener hungry and thirsty, they were
less particular of the food they ate
and the water they drank; If their
Unprotected homes we're the more
frequently destroyed by fire they had
the less to lose; IL they had less
money to buy. there we're fewer
things to arouse the desire to pur-
chase; II markets were poor, they had
little TO sell. and. finally, if disease or
accident took them away before their
allotted three-score and ten, the loss
was not irreparable, for there were
plenty of others migrating from the
east to take their places. And SO
Rock Island was built.
At some time before the day OF
white man there was an island where
the greater part OF the old town of
Rock Island now stands. The water
came through the present banks
about or above Twentieth street and
still farther west, at about Four
! teenth street, the streams uniting
south Of Fourth avenue. A number
now living can recall when, in high
stages of the river, steamboats, pass
ed up the slough from the west end
of the city and out again into the
main channel below the court house.
( Major c. W. Halves recalls that as a
boy, he caught his largest wall-eyed
pike somewhere near the junction OF
Third avenue and Fourteenth street
Phil Mitchell tells of hunting musk,
rats at Eleventh street and Fifth ave,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

ford horses, walked, for there were no
street cars. OF course, the telephone
and electric light were unknown at
that time.
In 1871 the first public water pump
ing station was built being located in
the west end of the city. Sewers fol-
lowed in a few years and it became
necessary to remove the pumping
plant 20 the eastern end of the city,
which was done in 1881.
The first paving was laid in 1889,
from Fourteenth to Twentieth street
on Second avenue, and this was fol-
lowed rapidly by other street improve
ment At the same time it became
necessary to establish sidewalk grades,
and this was done, and the old irregu-
lar board walks were done away with.
In 1891 the paid fire department sue
ceeded the old volunteers, such an adj
vance in fire fighting methods being
made possible through the extension
of water mains to all parts of the city
and the increase in revenues which
provided for maintenance. In 1898 the
levee from West Seventeenth to Nine
teenth street was improved.
PUBLIC UTILITIES COME.
In the meantime public utilities cor
porations were formed and supplied
the city with transportation, telephone
communication, gas, light and power.
| The telephone came in 1879. The first
telephone franchise was voted by the
city council in 1881 to the Western
/ Telephone company, which was absorb
ed by the Central Union company six
years later.
The first street railway line was
built A years ago and was a crude af-
fair. Rail communication with Moline
was established by the Moline & Rock
Island Horse Railway company in 1888
! In 1882 Bailey Davenport built dunn
my line to Milan and Black Hawks
| Watch Tower. In 1892 the Bridge line
was built. giving communication with
Davenport The Peoples Power COM
pany began supplying gas and cleo
tricity to the public in the sos.
The public school system had its be-
ginning in 1857, when a special charter
was granted the city for the purpose
by the state Legislature. Schools were
erected to keep pace with the growing
demands of the population till now
there are high scholar 10 grammer
schools, with manual arts building in
course of construction. all being mod
ern and thoroughly equipped.
SECOND TO NONE.
Municipal improvements have kept
pace with the demands of the times,
and Rock Island is today second to
none in this regard Public utilities
corporations, too, have not Jagged be-
hind, and at the same time they have
been regulated so that the public is
| served at reasonable cost. The city
has been beautified and made sanitary.
A public park system accessible TO all
has been established and is being de-
veloped from year to year, already RI
valing that of any other city of equal
class in scope and beauty In 1911 the
form Of municipal government was
changed, the council being done away
with and a commission as legislative
body substituted, its members consti-
tuting also the executive body.
Everywhere Rock Island has shown,
a disposition to go forward. to keen
abreast Of, or little ahead, of it's con.
temporaries. Its past is the best guar.
anty as to its future.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27
WATER STREET LED THEN.

Continued on next page.)
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

was no bridge of any kind. Commun-
ication across the stream was by
means of a ferry driven by a tread
mill worked by horses. If the wind
blew the ferry did not run.
The town nearly all lay west Of
Twentieth street, with scattering
houses as far east as Thirtieth street
along the bottom, and as far west as
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

Second or Third street. There was
no settlement on the south side of the
slough, the northern boundaries of
the Case and Brashar farms being
along the corporate limits. Then, as
for many years afterward, Bailey
Davenport owned most of the land
frcm Ninth to Eighteenth avenues
from the river at the west eastward
to Thirtieth street. This was used
as a COW pasture The hills south
eastward were not fenced.
WATER STREET LED THEN.
First avenue, then Water street,
vas the main business thoroughfare.
1t was not till after river traffic lost
something of it's Importance to the
town that Second avenue, or Illinois
street, became a formidable rival.
Ninth street early became the main
Continued on next page)
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26

Movius Land and Loan Company,
a corporation, Plaintiff,
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26
NOTICE OF cHATTEL MORT
GAGE SALE.

Notice is hereby given, that de-
fault has occurred in that certain
Chattel Mortgage, made, executed
and delivered by Math Meyer Of
Section four az, Township One
Hundred Twenty-nine (129,)
Range Forty-eight (48,) mortga-
gor, to John r. Jones Of Hankin-
son, North Dakota, Mortgage,
dated the 14th day of December,
1907, and filed for record in the
Office Of the Register of Deeds of
Richland County, North Dakota,
on the 10th day of December,
1907; at eight o'clock A. NJ, and
assigned by said mortgage, John
R. Jones, on the 28th day of De-
cember, 1907, to R. R. Purcell,
who is the present owner and
holder of said mortgage; which
default consists in the failure of
the mortgagor, Math Meyer, to
pay the amount due on the note
therein described; that the debt
secured by said mortgage became
due and payable on the first day
of September, 1908; that the a.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26
LEGAL NOTICES
mM0N8

sUmmoNS
State of North Dakota,)
:ss.
County of Richland. J
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26

mount claimed TO be due thereon
on the date of this sale Is ths sum
of Seven Hundred Three Dollars
and Twenty fourC Gents, t$703.24) ;
that said mortgage will be fore
closed to satisfy the debt secured
thereby by sale Of the property
described in said mortgage and
which is hereinafter described, at
the front door Of the Post Office
in the City Of Wahpeton, Richland
County, North Dakota. at the hour
of two O'Clock P. NJ, on the 28th
day Of September, 1919; that the
property described in said mort
gage and which will be sold to
satisfy the claim is described as
follows, to-wit:
One black gelding named Bar
ney;; age, about four years old,
will be five in the spring Of 1908;
weight about 1900 lbs.
One iron grey gelding; age
about four years old; will be five
in the spring of 1908; weight
about 400 lbs; called Frank.
One brown mare; age about six
years old, will be. seven in the
spring of 1908; weight aboutitOO
lbs; called Lady.
One black horse colt; age about
one year old, coming two years
old in the spring of 1908; with
white stripe in face; called King.
One brown COW; age, about six
years old; weight about 900 lbs:
is dehorned.
One iron grey mare; age, about
ten years old; weight about 100
lbs; called Queen.
One brown mare; age about
~ years old; weight about 100
lbs; called Dolly.
One set of bob sleds; seven foot
runner; bought of Fred Worner.
One fourteen inch new deal
gang pillow, complete with shares.
One Studebaker truck wagon
with while trees, neck yoke and
Stoughton triple box spring seat.
One two-seated D. M. Schiller
buggy bought of John R. Jones.
One brown heifer with white
star in face; age, about two years
old: has horns.
One 10h #. Fuller s. Johnson
hay rake, all steel, self dump;
with all natural increase of any
live stock herein described.
The foreclosure of said mort
gage will be made by w. P. Rob-
bins, Sheriff of Richland Coun-
ty, North Dakota.
w.. ROBBINS,
Agent.
Dated this 18th day of Septem-
Der, 1912.
PURCELL & DIVET,
Attys. for assignee of mortgage,
Wahpeton, Richland County, ND.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26
THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA
TO THE ABOVE NAMED DE-

THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA
TO THE ABOVE NAMED DE-
PENDANTS:
You are hereby summoned to
answer the complaint of the Plain
tiff in. the above entitled action,
which said complaint was filed
in the Office of the Clerk of the
District Court of Richland Coun-
ty, N. D. on the 4th day of Sep
TENDER 1912, and to serve a copy
of your answer thereto upon the
subscriber within thirty t3O) days
after the service of this summons
upon you exclusive of the day Of
such service; and in case of your
failure to appear or answer, judg-
ment will be taken against you by
default for the relief demanded
in the complaint.
Dated this 3rd day Of August,
1912.
w. S. LAUDER,
Attorney for Plaintiff.
P. o. Address, Wahpeton N. ID.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26
ORGANIZING AGAINST rAmMAmv.

A great organization Of New York
Democrats. described as the Empire
State Democracy" and pledged to die.
pute the control Of the state with
Tammany. is declared by a number OF
the great eastern journals to possess
more strength than any similar organ.
isation that has preceded It. The
main issue IL to prevent Charles +.
Murphy from naming the state ticket
at the state convention in October.
With reference to this uprising Of
progressive democrats in the Empire
State, the New York World says:
There is new Democracy in the ma,
ton. and under the leadership Of
Woodrow Wilson 1t ought to be q
more inspiring Democracy than the
country has known since the days OF
Jackson. 1t is time the Democratic
party in New York put itself In touch
with the militant progressive Demo.
,cracy Of the United States. The first
step is the obl!teration OF Murphy and
Murpby!sm."
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26
What We Never Forget.

according to science, are the
things associated with our early
home life. such as Bucklen's
Arnica Salve, that mother or our
grandmother used to cure our
burns, boils, scalds, sores, skin
eruptions, cuts, sprains or bru-
ises. Forty years of cures prove
its merits. Unrivled for piles,
corns or cold sores. Only % cts.
at all druggists.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26

Few, if any, medicines,hav met
with the uniform success that has
attended the use of Chamberlain's
collie, cholera and biarrhoea
remedy. The remarkable cures
Of collie and diarrhoea which it
has effected in almost every
neighborhood have given it wide
reputation. For sale by all deal
rs.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26
MONEY.

Plenty of money on hand for
real estate loans at lowest rates
If interest. Eugene Schiller Com
pany, Real Estate, Insurance,
Loans, Collections, Wahpeton, N.
D., Schiller Block.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26

If you knew of the real value of
Chamberlain liniment for lame
back, soreness of the musles,
sprains and rheumatic pains, you
would never wish to be without it,
For sale by all dealers.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26

lnsurance.-We have line of
good companies and solicit part
of your Observation-Disclosures Schu-
Ter Company, Schiller Block, Yah
peton, N. d.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26

For kidney and bladder troubles
try a box of DR.. j. V. Quick's
Alaska Kidney Pills. For sale by
all druggists.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26

In District Court, Fourth Judicial
District.
The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-26

Mortgage Company of America, "a
corporation, and Francis P.
Pace, Receiver of said Mort.
gage Company of America,
Defendants.
The Clay City times. [volume] (Clay City, Ky.) 1901-current, 1912-04-25
SAYS Al Were Drunk.

One sailor of the Titanic on
duty says the high officers and
passengers had attended a big
ball and drank heavily of wine
and champagne and were mostly
all drunk. He says that the
lookout was also asleep. This
sailor was sober which was quite
diferens to the majority of the
sailors who he said had been
treated by the higher'ofiicers af-
ter the latter had drunk to the
full and still had some of the
beverage. The whole maneuvers
of those in charge resd.to us like
a drinking crowd.
The Clay City times. [volume] (Clay City, Ky.) 1901-current, 1912-04-25
War on the Fly.

Begin right now to fight that
pesky pest, the housefly. Clean
away all garbage and lime the
places where it has been. See
that the screens are in proper
condition, and better get them
up, too, if 1t Is early. The TIM.
est pinch of prevention is worth
a ton of cure when it comes to
flies, says IA well known writer.
Working on this principle the
city of Cleveland for the next
ten days will pay the school chill
dren of that city penny for ev-
cry ten flies they will catch and
deliver to the proper authorities.
The Clay City times. [volume] (Clay City, Ky.) 1901-current, 1912-04-25
Better Telephone Connection.

Clay City can now get connec.
ton by telephone over the long
distance lines of the Bell tele.
phone system, arrangements of
this kind having been made with
the Cumberland Telephone and
Telegraph Company to make con-
nectlOns with the Old Kentuck v
Telephone Company at Mt.
Sterling. This connection is
given as result of the law pass.
ed by the last session of the Leg.
islature which compels all tele.
phone companies to cOnAect.
The lack of this law has cost the
people of this state thousands of
dollars. The Legislature in pass.
ing this law has done more real
good for the people of Kentucky
than the past dozen such assem-.
blies, and it never cost the State
a cent either.