Town Of Rock Island, Illinois
The Town of Rock Island came into being as a new edition of Stephenson,
enlarged and revised by an act of the Legislature, passed in March, 1841.
This act changed the name to Rock Island, and incorporated the latter as a
town under a board of nine trustees. The trustees of the old village held
over until the next annual election in September, but a special election
was held on the first Mon-day in April for four other trustees, who,
together with the five old trustees, constituted the new board. The
additional trustees elected were: John Buford, George W. Lynde Lemuel
Andrews and James M. Bellows.
The boundaries of this town, as defined by this act, were made to include
"all that portion of land contained within the limits of the plat of the
town of Stephenson, and all the additions thereto, as of record in the
recorder's office, in the County of Rock Island." By consulting the
records we found that the following additions had been made: Thomas and
Wells' Addition, April 5, 1836; Spencer and Case's Addition, May 17, 1836;
and Jones, Garnsey and Beardsley's, known as the Chicago or Lower
Addition, October 22, 1836. As is well known, numerous additions have
since been made to the city, extending its limits to something like ten
square miles, viz: About two miles and a quarter in average width, by
about three and a half miles in length. It was invested with a city
charter by "An Act to Charter the City of Rock Island," February 12, 1849.
February 16, 1857, a more comprehensive charter was granted. November 4,
1879, by an election the incorporation was changed, and an organization
effected under the general laws of the State, of 1872. A canvass of the
votes by the City Council November 10, 1879, affirmed for organization,
under the new general law, and on December 10, 1879, was certified to and
made of record in the County Court. Its eastern boundary coincides with
the western corporate limits of the City of Moline, and thus the two
cities adjoin, and are connected by three street railways, as well as by
the regular passenger trains of four railroad systems.
The nearest approach to a "boom" experienced by Rock Island was in 1854,
when the old Chicago and Rock Island Railroad reached Rock Island in
January of that year, being the first railroad to reach the Mississippi
River; but in 1857, a year of panic, and heavy migration west, gave us a
few years set-back; we regained, however, in good time, and since have had
a steady, legitimate growth, one to be proud' of. From that period the
city began to move west in its building operations, and of late years,
both east, west and south. The greatest credit for the vast and rapid
improvement now enjoyed by Rock Island may be ascribed to the Citizens
Improvement Association. The proposer of the association was Richard
Crampton, who, coming from a trip east, recognized that we were stagnant,
needed a push and stir, and his ideas interested W. T. Medill, Will R.
Johnston, Dr. Willard A. Paul, Fred Hass and others, and the association
was organized. They advocated and secured, through the good offices of the
City Council, the special assessment tax for home improvement.
This organization of business men performing the same beneficial work now
being accomplished by the Rock Island Club. It was mainly through the
efforts of the association and club that the paving of our streets was
secured, new additions were laid out into city lots, sidewalks brought to
a high standard, factories encouraged, and others secured, the force at
the Arsenal enlarged, new bridges constructed, new railroads promoted, a
new Federal building secured; all these materially increasing the
population, and adding strength and reputation to the city.
Rock Island has a strong urban population. beautiful homes, cheap fuel,
the finest of coal at our very door, an abundance of water furnished by a
fine combined system of water works, a large water power adjacent to
our-selves and neighboring city, awaiting development, a wealthy farming
district surrounding us, and a location that capital and labor can both
appreciate. There are few cities that can boast of, and offer more
advantages for investment, than the City of Rock Island. The Chicago, Rock
Island and Pacific; the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy; the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul, and the Davenport, Rock Island and Northwestern
Railroads entering her boundaries-each of the great roads supplying every
facility for both passenger and freight traffic. There is also a net work
of electric surface cars running to Davenport, Moline, East Moline,
Silvis. Milan. Watertown, Rock Island Arsenal, and a score of pleasure
resorts, giving her one of the finest street car systems anywhere. Her
prosperity is evidenced by the parks and drives, which excite the
admiration of all visitors; her substantial and commodious schools and
colleges, the large number of churches of all prominent denominations,
shops and stores of every kind, and manufactories with millions of
capital, giving employment to thousands of men. A plow factory which ranks
with the best in the country, a large stove factory of prominence, an
immense table oil cloth factory, a brewery with 1,500 barrel capacity,
soda and mineral water factories, candy factories, immense lumber, sash
door and blind interests, large insurance agencies, good hospitals, ample
police and fire protection, the best of hotels, has a magnificent public
library, which is a home production.
Source: Historic Rock Island County, pub. Kramer & Company, Rock Island, Illinois, 1908