1882 Davenport, Scott County, Iowa

Davenport, Ia. 1888. Wellge, H. (Henry)

CREATED/PUBLISHED: Milwaukee, American Publishing Co. [1888]
NOTES: Perspective map not drawn to scale., Bird's-eye-view. Includes illus. and index to points of interest.
MEDIUM: col. map 50 x 101 cm.
CALL NUMBER: G4154.D2A3 1888 .W4
REPOSITORY: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g4154d.pm002100

Davenport, Iowa 1888

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Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Image Source: From the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division.
Permission: Public Domain

Panoramic View of Davenport, Iowa
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From 1882 Iowa State Gazeteer and Business Directory: Davenport, Scott County, Iowa

DAVENPORT- The city of Davenport is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi River, 188 miles west of Chicago, Ill., 249 north of St. Louis, Mo., and 174 east of Des Moines. It was first laid out in 1836, and the county of Scott, of which it is the judicial seat, was organized in 1837. Its growth in population and wealth has been steady and constant from the first, and today its commercial importance is second to no city in Iowa. Nearly opposite, in Illinois, are the cities of Rock Island and Moline, and in the river is situated Rock Island, upon which is located the most extensive government arsenal and armory in the county. The three cities and the islands are connected by fine bridges. The C.R.I. & P. Ry, and the D line C., M & St P Ry, are the important railway lines which enter the city which with close connections with other lines on the opposite side of the river and the great Mississippi highway itself, gives it ample shipping facilities to every point of the compass. The sum of $66,194 was expended in 1881 upon the maintenance of its public schools. Griswold College and several other smaller educational institutions are also well supported. Its academy of natural sciences and public library are the pride of the city. Twenty-five churches of various denominations are well sustained. The water works system is complete and is supplemented by a fire department with fire alarm telegraph. About 10 miles of street railways are in operation. A telephone exchange connects the three cities of Davenport, Rock Island and Moline and several villages within a radius of 15 miles. The leading hotels are the Kimball House and the St. James, and there are no better in the west. The Burtis opera house is a fine structure with a seating capacity of 1600. There are three daily newspapers and six weekly journals.

For healthfulness Davenport ranks first of 60 cities reporting to the National Health Bureau. Its death rate for 1881 was 17.2 in 1000 being the lowest on the list. The manufacturing and commercial interests of the city are best shown by a brief resume of the statistics compiled by the Gazette for the year 1881 as follows:

The cut of lumber by its several mills was larger than ever known in its history. The sales for the year aggregated a value of $1,280,000 with 480 men employed. In agricultural implements, the facilities for manufacture have been largely increased by extensive additions to buildings and working force and capital, among the most prominent of which are the Eagle Manufacturing Company, the Davenport Plow Company, and J.S. Davis' Sons. The Davenport Pump Co., the Oatmeal mill, and the "Crescent" and "Phoenix” flouring mills have each largely increased their capacity for manufacture. The Glucose Co. has made extensive additions to its works, and has now a capacity for consuming 3, 000 bushels of corn daily. The Davenport Pottery, a comparatively new enterprise, has doubled its capacity. The Davenport Woolen Mills, long suspended, have renewed operations with extensive contracts. The manufacture of carriages and wagons, of furniture, confectionery, crackers, cigars, lager beer, cordage, etc. has largely increased, and give every evidence of profitable results. Among the new and important enterprises inaugurated during the last six months of the year are the sash and blind factory of George Ott, which employs 20 men, the Groton Manufacturing Co. branch house (Messers. Perrigo & Avery and Chas. Perrigo & Co., of Groton, N.Y., proprietors) for the manufacture and sale of threshing machines, agricultural engines, etc.; the Davenport Vinegar and Pickling Works; and the Stearns & Smith Paint Company, for the manufacture of mixed paints. Each of the above, except the latter company, has erected extensive and substantial structures for the accommodation of their business.

Davenport is each year increasing its wholesale and jobbing trade; in 1881 there was $1,742,000 capital invested, the sales amounting to $8,273,500. The number of loaded cars received for the year 1881 was 15,875. The number forwarded was 17,176. By river the shipments show a total of 251,600 packages, consisting of potatoes, onions, grain, flour, oatmeal, etc., in sacks; barrels of sugar, vinegar, and oil, pumps, agricultural implements, merchandise, etc, in various shapes. A proportionate increase is confidently expected for the future Population, 23,570. Exp. U.S. and Am. Tel., W.U., Mail daily.

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1882 Iowa State Gazeteer and Business Directory: Davenport, Scott County, Iowa