USA > Illinois > Rock Island County > Past and present of Rock Island County, Ill., containing a history of the county-its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late Rebellion, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 20
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
room for putting together the wood-work of plows and cultivators, are each 100 by 90 feet; in the former are 24 large grindstones and 20 emery wheels. The wood-working shop is 200 by 50 feet, and the paint or finishing room and the shipping room are of the same size. The product comprises steel walking plows, breakers, gang and sulky plows, walking and " Imperial " combined riding and walking cultivators, road scrapers, harrows, etc. A specialty is made of the "Evans Plow City Sulky Plow," patented in July, 1876, of which 3,000 will be made for the current year. This is an iron frame and beam plow, strong and durable, and operates easily.
WAGON WORKS.
The Moline Wagon Co. was established in 1854, twenty-three years ago, and was incorporated in 1872, with a capital of $300,000. The works occupy 500 by 300 feet space, with complete and substantial buildings, fitted with special machinery invented and manufactured by the Company, which insures the utmost accuracy and perfection in every particular. From 200 to 250 hands are employed, who are required to be careful. experienced and practical mechanics, whose work is under the personal supervision of mem- bers of the Company, thus insuring the best, strongest and lightest running wagon in the market. Their wagons are all manufactured from the very best material, every portion of which is tested before being made up. The wheels, before being tired, are thoroughly saturated in boiling linseed oil- a sure preventive against loose tires. Their lumber is all thorougly seasoned under cover; their machinery is of the best and latest improved in the mar- ket, and much of it of the company's own invention, and not in use in any other factory in the country. The Moline Wagon Company make the largest and best variety of spring wagons to be found in the country, em- ploying an exclusive department for that branch of their business. These wagons are better adapted for the Western trade than any other in the mar- ket. These works have grown to their present immense capacity from a small beginning. through the superior excellence of their productions, coupled with the enterprise and well-known business qualifications of the present management. The capacity of the works is 150 farm and freight wagons and 50 spring wagons per week, aggregating the immense number of 10,400 vehicles per year, valued at over half a million dollars. Every wagon sent out is fully warranted to be well made and of the best material. Among the specialties of the establishment are the Moline Farm and Plan- tation Wagon, furnished with extra-heavy thimble-skein, made of refined iron, grooved box bottoms, double cleats in the center, secured by double straps. with steps on sides. The Moline Freight Wagons are made of all sizes-adapted to freighting purposes on the plains-and can be made of sufficient capacity to carry 20,000 lbs. The "Half Spring Office Wagon" is a strong, durable and light running vehicle, used for a delivery wagon, and very convenient on a farm. The "Two-spring Express Wagon." with two seats. The " Three-spring Picnic Wagon " is one of the most popular wagons in the market, and has given very general satisfaction wherever in- troduced, both to the farmer and merchant. The "Three-spring Excursion Wagon" has three seats ; the "Platform Spring Wagon" is a very general favorite wherever introduced. The " Four-spring Mountain Wagon " is very popular in a rocky and broken country, as it always carries its load level, and is peculiarly adapted for California and the Rocky Mountains.
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
FOUNDRIES, MACIIINE SIIOPS AND BOILER WORKS.
Williams, White & Co., mill furnishers and manufacturers of steam engines, mill machinery, boilers, couplings, shaftings, etc., have a large and flourishing business. This is an incorporated company, of which A. Wil- liams is President; M. H. White, Vice-President; and H. A. Ainsworth, Secretary and Treasurer. The main building, comprising the wood-working department, the office, etc., is 140x48 feet in size, two stories high; the black- smith shop and engine room, 70x30 feet, and the storeroom, 87x41 feet; the foundry, S5x50 feet. These, with the exception of the foundry, are all substantial brick buildings. From 50 to 60 men are employed, and the value of the annual productions will aggregate from $75,000 to $100,000.
The Barnard & Leas Manufacturing Co. was incorporated in 1872, with a capital of $120,000, though the business was established several years prior to that. The present officers are H. A. Barnard, President; S. J. Leas, Vice-President; W. C. Bennett, Secretary and Treasurer. The business of the Company is the manufacture of all kinds of flour-mill and warehouse machinery, smut machines, grain separators, etc. They make a specialty of their machine for packing flour and their brush-scouring machines, on both of which they received the highest award of merit at the late Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. The products of this Company are sold quite extensively in Great Britain, Germany and South America. They employ about sixty hands, and the value of their production for 1876 amounted to $110,000. The prospects for the current year are exceedingly good, and their works are run to their full capacity to keep up with their orders.
The Moline Boiler Works of Messrs. Schillinger & Trumble are run- ning with full force on full time, on steam boilers, tanks and sheet iron work. They have a commodions brick building, S0x40 feet in size. They employ a force of ten to fifteen hands, and turn out an annual valne of $25,000 to $30,000. Their boilers are in use in many of the largest estab- lishments in the West.
E. B. Beers & Co. commenced the foundry business in the spring of 1874, in a small frame building adjoining their present ample and commo- dions shops, consisting of main shop, 60x45 feet in size; engine room, 24x 18 feet, and cleaning room, 20x20 feet. They made a specialty of all kinds of light castings, both of iron and brass, for all kinds of machinery, agricul- tural implements, etc .; employ eight workmen, and do a business of $15,000 a year. They have built up a flourishing business, and are full of work at all times.
MALLEABLE IRON WORKS.
The Union Malleable Iron Co .- C. S. Ells, President; C. W. Heard, Vice-President; H. O. Sleight, Secretary and Treasurer-is one of the pros- perous concerns of the city. It was incorporated in 1872, and from the first has been a decided success. The Company have every facility for doing a large business. The grounds are ample, being 150 feet front by 400 feet deep, with the following buildings: Foundry, 62x117 feet; annealing room, 50x100; tumbling room, 20x50; finishing room, 50x60; shipping room, 30x40; pattern room, 30x40; giving 18,654 square feet of ground floor room. The office is 20x40 feet, with capacious fire and burglar-proof vault. About 75 hands are employed, and an average of 9,000 pounds of metal is melted daily the year round. The aggregate sales last year amounted to
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
over $90,000. Orders are received from all parts of the country. The Company have a large trade on the Pacific coast. The Union Wagon Brake is one of the specialties of this Company. It has been adopted by some of the most extensive wagon-makers, among which we may mention the Mil- burn Wagon Company, of Toledo, Ohio; the Newton Wagon Company, Batavia, Ill .; O'Brien Bros., Kewanee, Ill .; Moline Wagon Company, Moline, Ill., etc. It is simple and reliable, entirely automatic, easily ad- justed, and each brake will work with either right or left hand, as desired. It is very durable, and every part of each brake is fully guaranteed.
The Moline Malleable Iron Works are carried on by a joint stock com- pany incorporated in 1870. H. H. Hill is president and general manger, and under his able supervision it is doing a good business. A general line of malleable castings for agricultural machinery, etc., are turned out to the value of about $60,000 annually. From 30 to 35 hands are employed.
PUMP WORKS.
The Moline Pump Company, manufacturers of farm pumps, was incorporated in 1873, with a paid-up capital of $75,000. The officers are A. S. Wright, President and Treasurer, and C. A. Rose, Secretary. The works have a capacity of 20,000 pumps a year. They employ about twenty hands, who are kept busy on full time. The pumps of this Company have a wide reputation throughout the Western States, where their trade princi- pally lies. Prospects for the present year are good, and they will do a much larger business than last year.
WOODEN WARE AND LUMBER.
This is one of the leading industries of Moline, and will undoubtedly keep pace with others in growth and importance.
Dimock, Gould & Co., manufacturers of wooden ware. lumber, lath and shingles. This is one of the pioneer establishments of the city, having been established in 1852. The present officers are D. C. Dimock, Presi- dent; J. M. Gould, Vice-President; C. M. Hill, Secretary and Treasurer; C. K. Ainsworth, General Agent. The lumber mills are shut down during the winter months, but the wooden ware manufacture runs all the year. The Company employ 150 hands, and turned out last year 9,000,000 feet of lumber, 300,000 pails, 77,000 tubs, 6,500 dozen wash-boards, and 13,000 churns. Their trade extends throughout the West, and their freight cars, of which the Company have a large number, may be seen on every railway. They are putting up an addition to their saw mill, 36x42 feet, for the next season's work.
J. S. Keator & Son, manufacturers of lumber, have a capital of $200,- 000 invested, and last year turned out 13,725,300 feet of lumber. 3,608,000 shingles, and 4.422,000 lath. They also run a planing-mill, and make the dressing of lumber and manufacture of mouldings a part of their business. They employ 125 hands. Mr. J. S. Keator came from Honesdale, Wayne County, Pa, where he had been engaged in mercantile pursuits, in 1856, and, soon after settling in Moline, became interested in a saw-mill with a capacity of about 3,000,000 feet of lumber annually. This mill was burned in 1872, and was immediately rebuilt by Messrs. Keator & Son on a much larger scale, at a cost of about $65,000 -- size, 165x54 feet, and capacity of
John AV. Spencer.
EX-COUNTY JUDGE . ROCK ISLAND
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
twelve million feet. Messrs. Keator & Son own extensive pine lands, and ent their own logs, and have their own steamer on the river.
SCALE WORKS.
The Victor Scale Co. was organized in 1870, since which time the business has grown yearly, and was never more promising than at the present time. S. W. Wheelock is President, and H. W. Candee, Secretary. The works were removed several years ago from Dixon, Ill., to Moline, as a more promising location for the business. Some twenty workmen are em- ployed, and the prospects now are that new buildings and increased facilities will have to be added, to keep up with the growing demand for these popu- lar scales. Although the business of the Company is mainly in the West, their trade extends to all parts of the country.
ORGAN WORKS.
Lancashire & Turner, proprietors of the Moline Pipe Organ Works, established the business of building church organs here in 1871, since which time they have run to the full capacity of their works. They have a capital invested of about $15,000, and employ about fifteen workmen. They are themselves practical organ builders, having been engaged in that business in London, Eng., before emigrating to this country. The prospects for the coming season's business are promising, as they have already orders on hand amounting to over $10,000 for church organs. They use all the latest im- proved machinery, and manufacture all parts of the instruments themselves.
EARLY HISTORICAL EVENTS.
The original proprietors of the water power, in 1841 or '42, laid out some lots on the south side of Main street, opposite the grounds now occu- pied by the plow works and paper mill, and named the place "Rock Island Mills." The plat, however, was never recorded. In 1843, Charles Atkin- son, D. B. Sears and others, purchased of Huntington Wells a portion of his farm lying east of the Rock Island Mills property, and they, together with the owners of the latter, laid out the town of Moline, the same year. The plat thus laid out constituted the original town of Moline. Subse- quently Charles Atkinson laid out his first addition, which was followed by his second addition in 1856; since which, various additions have been made from time to time, till the place has reached its present corporate dimen- sions. It extends on the east to the city limits of Rock Island, and west from that point about one and three-quarter miles, and is about one mile in width north and south, with plenty of room to grow in either direction.
Moline was quite early incorporated as a town, but the records having perislied in a fire, we have no authentic information respecting the first municipal organization and officers. It was, however, incorporated as a city under the general law of the State, approved April 10, 1872. That law came in force on the first of July, 1872. On the third of that month a petition was presented to the Board of Trustees of the town of Moline, asking the question of the adoption of a city government, to be submitted
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
to the qualified voters of the town for their decision. The petition was granted, and in pursuance thereof an election was held on Tuesday, August 6, 1872, resulting as follows:
For city organization, 261 votes; against city organization, 22 votes; for minority representation in the city council, 21 votes; against minority representation in the city council, 247 votes.
On Tuesday, August 29, 1872, the election for city officers was held, and the following named persons were elected: Mayor -- Daniel L. Wheel- ock; City Clerk-Orrin K. Ferguson; City Attorney-John T. Browning; Aldermen-George W. Vinton, Luke E. Hemenway, Jerman S. Keator, Marvil H. White, Henry Klahn, Charles W. Lobdell, Swan Hanson, Dan- iel W. Dimock, Charles F. Hemenway.
The following comprises the city official register from 1872 to the present time:
1873. Mayor-John Deere; City Clerk-A. C. Dimock; City At- torney-W. J. Entrikin; Aldermen-George Wittick, H. A. Ainsworth, L. F. Kerns, H. A. Barnard.
1874. Mayor-John Deere; City Clerk-D. C. Dimock, Jr .; City Attorney-W. J. Entrikin; City Treasurer -- C. F. Hemenway; Police Magistrate-A. F. Swander; Aldermen-Daniel Gault, M. H. White, L. E. Hemenway, Everett Wheelock.
1875. Mayor -- D. L. Wheelock; City Clerk-Stephen T. Walker; City Attorney-Eugene Lewis; City Treasurer-J. S. Gilhore; Alder- men-Henry O. Whipple, Eric O. Kerberg, Job Tuffley, C. F. Grantz.
1876. Mayor-D. L. Wheelock; City Clerk-Stephen T. Walker; City Attorney-Wm.R. Moore; City Treasurer-C. F. Hemenway; Alder- men-John Shallene, M. H. White, C. F. Grantz, H. A. Barnard.
MOLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Prefatory to the facts and figures we propose to give tonching the present excellent graded school system of Moline, we shall glance back some thirty-five years. In 1843 the first school house was built. It originated in a two-fold interest which it has been peculiar with Americans, especially with New England people, always to keep associated, viz .: Religion and Education, the School House and the Church. In the early pioneer settle- ments, before separate buildings could be afforded for each of these para- mount institutions, they were often brought together under the same roof- the school being taught during the week and the school house converted into a sanctuary of religion on Sunday. In precisely such a state of feeling originated the " old brick school house " of 1843. "The people," says an old settler, "felt the need of schools and of some place in which to hold religious meetings." Accordingly the proprietors of the town site donated two lots ; a subscription was circulated and a school house built, on the site of the present engine house. For several years it was used as a place of worship on Sundays, by different denominations.
The first stated teacher in Moline was Joseph Jackman, well known to many of the old settlers, not as a teacher only, but as a worthy citizen and an efficient public servant, in the capacity of Town Clerk and Justice of the Peace. He came from Massachusetts, where he had formerly been a
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
schoolmate of Hon. Charles Atkinson. The school was subsequently taught by S. P. Hodges, late County Clerk, and for many years one of the worthy citizens of Moline.
Mr. Jackman first suggested the idea of graded schools in Moline, though it was not till many years after that the system was fully adopted and put in successful operation.
The present system, with the exception of the improvements which are constantly being made, dates from April, 1873, when the first Board of Education was elected under the City Charter and in accordance with the revised school laws. That Board consisted of the following members : C. A. Wheelock, President ; H. H. Grover, Secretary ; Wm. H. Edwards, Ezra Smith, C. O. Nathan, Jonathan Huntoon.
The Board this year appointed W. H. Russell Superintendent of Schools. Through his labors an elaborate course of study for all the grades of the schools was prepared and subsequently adopted by the Board.
COURSE OF STUDY.
FIRST GRADE.
Language-Reading and spelling, from charts and blackboard, 250 words; sentence-making; use of period, interrogation point, and capital let- ters for proper names.
Numbers-Arabic notation to 50; Roman notation to 10; add and sub- tract, answer not exceeding 10; addition and subtraction tables, with ob- jects, to 10.
Drawing-Combination of 2, 3, and 4 lines using sticks; Drawing Book No. 1 to page 7.
Writing-First three principles; formation and analysis of the " short letters."
Objects-Name, parts and uses of familiar objects, the human body, plants, animals, etc. Color; distinguishing, naming and grouping simple colors. Form; shape of objects, straight, crooked and curved lines, lessons on corners.
Singing, physical exercise, lessons in morals and manners.
SECOND GRADE.
Second Reader-Part I., spelling all the words; uses of all punctna- tion marks and capital letters. Exercise in expression, making and writing sentences.
Numbers-Arabic notation and numeration to 1,000; Roman to 500; add and subtract, answer not exceeding 200; addition and subtraction tables with objects.
Drawing-Combination of 5, 6, 7, and 8 lines, using sticks; complete Book 1.
Writing. The principles, formation and analysis of short, semi- extended, and extended letters, and combination into easy words.
Objects-Name parts, qualities, and uses of familiar objects; the lin- man body (bones), plants and animals. Form; wave, spiral, virtical, hori- zontal, oblique, parallel lines; angles and plane figures. Color; tints and shades. Weight and size.
Music, physical exercise, lessons in morals and manners.
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
THIRD GRADE.
Language-Second Reader, Part II .; use of capital letters and all punctuation marks; oral and written spelling of all the words; practice in simple composition, and the use of spoken language.
Numbers-Notation and numeration, Arabic and Roman; simple examples in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; addition, subtraction and multiplication tables.
Writing-Book I., using pencil.
Objects-Same as in previous grades, extended according to capacity of pupils. The senses: voice, its organs; sight, sound, weight, distance, place, etc. Lessons on color and form, continued. Drawing book II., using pencil.
Music, physical exercise, and lessons in morals and manners, contined.
FOURTH GRADE.
Language-Third Reader; oral and written spelling from reader, all words used; instruction and practice in composition and expression.
Numbers-Same as Third Grade, extended; multiplication and divi- sion tables; U. S. money; linear measure, liquid measure, dry measure, avoirdupois weight, and time tables. Teacher use Primary Lessons as a guide.
Objects-Continued; lessons in natural philosophy, with experiments. Drawing Book III.
Writing-Book II., using pen.
Music, physical exercises, and lessons in morals and manners.
FIFTH GRADE.
Language-Complete Third Reader; oral and written spelling all new words; composition, and exercise in proper use of language.
Arithmetic-Elementary to fractions.
Geography-Taught orally, using Our World, No. 1, as guide for teacher.
Drawing-Analytic, Books 1. and II.
Writing-Book III.
Oral instruction in natural science, music, etc., as before.
SIXTH GRADE.
Language-Reading Fourth Reader, 100 pages; spelling from reader and geography all new words; exercise in composing and writing.
Arithmetic-Elementary, continued.
Geography-Our World, No. 1, first half.
Drawing-Books II. and III.
Writing-Book IV.
Music, etc., as before. Oral instruction in natural science, simple mechanics, etc., to be used in connection with lessons in composition.
SEVENTH GRADE.
Language-Complete Fourth Reader; oral and written spelling all new words in reader and geography; language lessons, parts of speech, sentences, etc .; composition and expression.
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
Arithmetic-Elementary, completed.
Geography -- No. I, completed. Drawing-Books III. and IV., analytic. Writing-Book V. Music, etc., as before. Oral instruction, as in Sixth Grade.
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EIGHTII GRADE.
Language-Fifth Reader; oral and written spelling all new words from reader and geography. Grammar and composition taught orally.
Arithmetic-Common School, to fractions.
Drawing-Books IV. and V. Writing-Intermediate.
Music, etc., as before.
NINTH GRADE.
Language-Reading, U. S. Reader; oral and written spelling all new , words from reader and geography; analysis of words begun. Grammar, etymology, composition, continued; declamation.
Arithmetic-Common school, to involution.
Geography-No. 2, 150 pages.
Drawing-Perspective.
Writing-Book II.
Music, etc., as before.
TENTH GRADE.
Language -- Reading from U. S. Reader; spelling, oral and written, from reader, etc .; analysis of words. Grammar, syntax and parsing; U. S. history, foot notes of reader learned. Composition and declamation. Arithmetic-Common School, completed.
Geography-No. 2, completed. Drawing-Perspective.
Penmanship -- Reviewed.
Music, etc., as before.
HIGH SCHOOL.
FIRST YEAR.
First Term-Book Keeping, or Arithmetic reviewed. English Analy- sis ; Latin Grammar and Reader, or German. Algebra begun.
Second Term-Algebra continued. English Analysis ; Latin Gram- mar and Reader, or German. Physiology begun.
Third Term-Algebra completed. Rhetoric ; Latin Grammar and Reader completed, or German. Physiology completed.
Compositions, declamations, reading, spelling and etymology of words, music, drawing, penmanship, etc.
SECOND YEAR.
First Term-Geometry begun. Rhetoric ; Caesar, or German. Zool- ogy begun.
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
Second Term-Geometry continued. English Literature begun ; Cæsar, or German. Zoology completed.
Third Term-Geometry completed. English Literature completed ; Sallust, or German. Botany begun.
Composition, declamation, reading, spelling, music, etc., as before.
THIRD YEAR.
First Term-Natural Philosophy. General History ; Cicero, or Ger- man. Botany completed.
Second Term-Natural Philosophy. General History ; Virgil, or German. Chemistry.
Third Term-Logic. Virgil, or German. Chemistry.
Composition, declamation, reading, spelling, music, etc., as before.
TEXT BOOKS.
The following is a list of text books in nse : Independent Readers, first five books of the series ; Anderson's U. S. Reader and History ; Monroe's Sixth Reader, in High School ; Our World Geographies ; Hager's Arith- metics ; Greene's Grammar and Analysis ; Krusi's Drawing ; Spencerian Penmanship ; Bryant & Stratton's Book Keeping; Harkness' Latin Gram- mar and Reader ; Alın's German Series ; Tenny's Natural History of Animals ; Gray's How Plants Grow ; Loomis' Algebra ; Loomis' Geom- etry ; Hitchcock's Physiology.
GRADATION.
The public schools comprise four departments, each of which may be regarded as a school complete in itself, and yet all are dependent upon each other in an ascending order. These are known as Primary, Intermediate, Grammar and High School. The Primary comprises grades one, two, three and four ; the Intermediate, grades five, six, seven and eight ; and the Grammar, grades nine and ten.
The grades are distributed to rooms according to numbers in grades and capacity of rooms. In the Central building, for convenience, are dis- tributed two grades to each room ; grades one and two to A room, two and three to B room, three and four to C room, etc., thus keeping the highest class of any room the same grade as the lowest class of the next higher room. By this arrangement it is easy to transfer pupils from a crowded room to one less crowded, without affecting the gradation. In the West Ward there are in some rooms two, and in others three grades. Pupils are promoted from grade to grade as fast as their proficiency in studies pursued will permit.
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