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STREET RAILROADS

The city of Davenport has two lines of street railway.  The first, the Davenport City Railway Company, was organized in 1867 and constructed in 1868; was known as the Third street line, extending east and west the entire length of the city.  The first directors of this line were A. C. Fulton, John L. Swits, Ira M. Gifford, Thos. Scott, Joseph Shields, Chas. E. Putnam, B. B. Woodward, H. R. Claussen and James Armstrong; A. C. Fulton, first president.  The road is now operated by Mr. Henry Schnitger, who holds a 10 years' lease.  The other organization is known as the Davenport Central Railway Co., and was organized and constructed, November, 1870.  The street cars began running about July, 1871, from the corner of second and Brady streets to the Fair Grounds.  Subsequently a branch was built from the corner of Fifteenth and Brady streets to Mississippi avenue in East Davenport; also a branch from corner of Grand avenue and Fifteenth street to Oak Dale Cemetery; another from the corner of Sixteenth and Brady streets to the Washington Garden, West Davenport.  The present officers are as follows:  James Grant, President; George Murry, Vice-Pres.; S. F. Smith, Treas.; O. S. McNeil, Sec.; Directors, James Grant, D. N. Richardson, Geo. Murry, Whit. M. Grant, S. F. Smith, R. D. Meyers, O. S. McNeil, W. R. Haight, Geo. H. Parker.  The road is now operated by J. M. Davies, who leased the road for a term of 10 years, beginning April 1, 1877.

WATER-WORKS

As a city grows, the question of a water supply becomes an important one.  The city being unable to do anything, Michael and Peter Donahue, the former of Davenport and the latter of California, undertook the erection of water-works in this city, and organized Jan. 13, 1873, and took active personal control of the whole financial and mechanical details of the enterprise.  They proceeded at once to the work, and on the first day of January, 1874, less than one year after, started the pumps of the Davenport Water-Works.  These pumps were 17 inches in diameter, six-feet stroke, and engines 22 inches in diameter, 36-inch stroke, with 15 miles of pipe laid down in the streets.  There are now 22 miles of main, and private consumers are constantly increasing.  A. H. Sanders says of the works, in a pamphlet published in 1874:

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"The water is better for all ordinary purposes than any other which has heretofore been used here.  It is taken from the channel of the Mississippi River, by means of a conduit cut in the rock under the bed of the river, 150 feet from the shore.  The expense of the cofferdam to accomplish this great work to secure perfectly pure water, away from the influence of the sewerage of the city, was more than the whole cost of water-works at some places.  The main pipes from the works are 14 inches in diameter, and the farthest point from the works is three miles.  The highest point pumped to is 175 feet, and at this height there is always pressure sufficient to put out any fire, or throw a flood of water on the highest houses in the locality.

"Although Davenport has never been devastated by any large conflagration, yet the warnings of destructive fires elsewhere had suggested ample provisions here as circumstances would admit, to prevent such a clamity.  Hand engines were superseded by steam engines, with proper supplies of hose, and hook and ladder carriages, and companies to manage all this machinery, and houses for their accommodation. But the deficiency of available water in many quarters of the city made this costly apparatus at last only partially useful as a protection.  The water-works have now rendered the presence of any of these steam engines entirely unnecessary.  With public hydrants at almost every block corner, and even extending to the outskirts of the city, it merely requires a connection of the hose to have the equivalent of a steam engine wherever a hydrant is located.  Of these public hydrants, 240 will be required by the city, and paid for, by the 1st of next January.  Davenport is now safe from any extensive conflagration.  Many tests have been made of this water-power by the application of hose without the knowledge of any one interested in or at the water-works, and it has been abundantly proved that on the bluffs, as below, they can throw on top or over, and deluge any building, and from a number of streams at once.  By an official test at nearly the highest point water is pumped, two heavy streams of water were thrown 160 feet.  Several fires and the speedy subduing of them have already demonstrated that no large fire can ever threaten Davenport under our present water arrangements.  Hose companies are being organized on the bluffs, or in more distant parts of the city, for the protection of neighborhoods.  The water is there in any quantity, and only the availabilities are required for its use when necessary in time of danger.  Besides the public accommodations, and the idea of safety consequent upon the establishment of these great water-works, it must have its marked influence in reducing insurance.

"The water-works rates for consumers are reasonable, and can form no just subject of complaint.  These works have cost over a half million of dollars, and, being owned by a private company, are no tax on the city.  It simply pays for its public hydrants for fire purposes, just as individuals do for their private use of this …

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… water-power, and water that is crystal pure is the brightest spring water.  No city in the West or country has a better supply of water for public use, nor through its water-works better protection against conflagration."

FIRST THINGS IN DAVENPORT

In the spring of 1837 the first duel "on record" in Iowa was fought between two Winnebago Indians.

The first marriage in Davenport was William B. Watts and a niece of Antoine Le Claire, in 1837

The first female born in Davenport was a daughter of D. C. Eldridge.

On the 8th of May, 1841, the first Territorial Whig Convention was held in Davenport.

The first Fire Department of Davenport was organized the 27th of July, 1838, by requiring every man who had a house, to keep two fire buckets always in readiness, and to use them.

The first temperance society was organized by Rev. Asa Turner, receiving at its first organization 56 signatures, Rodolphus Bennett, the mayor, being its first president.  The society commenced with about 80 members.

The first flouring mill in Davenport was introduced by D. C. Eldridge, being one of "Getty's Patent Metallic Mills.:  It was somewhat larger than a coffee mill, and its motive power was horseflesh.

The first Ferry Company was organized in the spring of 1837.

Dr. A. E. Donaldson was the first resident physician.

The first hotel was opened by Edward Powers in 1836, on the corner of Front and Ripley streets, and was built by Davenport and Le Claire, and called the Davenport Hotel.

James Mackintosh opened the first store in 1836.  His stock consisted of a general assortment of dry goods, groceries, hardware, provisions, etc., worth about $5,000.  He commenced business on the corner of Third and Ripley Streets, in a log house.

The first child born in Davenport was a son of  L. S. Colton, born in the fall of 1836.

The first law office in Davenport was opened by A. McGregor, in April, 1836.

The first religious discourse was delivered by Rev. Mr. Gavitt, in the house of D. C. Eldridge.

The pioneer ball was held in Mr. Le Claire's house, Jan. 8, 1836; some 40 couples were present.

In the summer of 1836, Antoine Le Claire was appointed first postmaster.  Postage at that time was 25 cents.  The postmaster carried the mail across the river in his pockets; and his percentage for the first three months was 75 cents.

There were seven houses in the old town limits at the close of the year 1836.

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The first brick-yard was constructed and owned by Harvey Leonard in 1837.

Frazer Wilson was the first sheriff of Scott County.

In the summer of 1837, the first brick house was built by D. C. Eldridge.

The first Presbyterian organization was completed this year.

On the 15th day of August, 1838, the first number of the Iowa Sun was published by Mr. A. Logan.

In September, 1838, a stock company was formed and built a school-house.

The first shoe store was opened in 1841, by L. B. Colamer.

The first butcher's stall opened by Mr. Armitage.

The first harness shop was opened the same year by Jacob Sailor.

The same year R. L. Limbaugh opened a watch-making and jewelry store.

The first Bible society was organized in 1842.

The first pork packing was done in 1842, by J. M. D. Burrows. Mr. A. C. Fulton entered the business in 1843.

1850 - In 1850 there were in Davenport twenty-two carpenters, nine stone masons, five brick-makers, six bricklayers, ten cabinet-makers, five chair-makers, seven wheelwrights, two coach-makers, twelve blacksmiths, fifteen coopers, five saddle and harness makers, one trunk maker, eight boot and shoe makers, three tin and coppersmiths, seven tailors, four engineers, three millers, two sawyers, eight draymen, nine teamsters, three butchers, one dyer and scourer, one gunsmith, one watch-maker, one japanner, one turner, one baker, one upholsterer, one barber, nine ministers of the gospel, four physicians, two lawyers, and, a local writer adds, "all are actively and profitably engaged, unless I might except the physicians and lawyers, and work plenty for a few more."  At the same time there were two newspapers, two steam flouring mills, one steam saw-mill, one college, one medical college, five schools, three hotels, two billiard rooms, two coffee houses, nineteen stores, one public hall, one exchange office, two pork houses, one livery stable, one plow factory.

Transcribed by: Laura H. Rathmann