ROCK ISLAND, Ill., city, county-seat of Rock Island County, on the Mississippi River and on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, Rock Island Southern and the Milwaukee and Saint Paul railroads, )80 miles west by south of Chicago, opposite Davenport,Iowa, a few miles below Moline and 125 miles, in direct line, north by west of Springfield, the State cap ital. The city is named after the is'and in the river between the cities of Rock Island and Davenport. The United States government and the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad built a combined railroad and highway bridge from Rock Island the island and thence to Davenport. The original cost of this bridge was $1,000po0. Another bridge connects Moline with the island thus making the three cities Tripletsi) one in many matters com mercial and industrial. Rock Island has steamer connections with all the Mississippi ports. The island is three miles long, composed largely of • limestone. A government arsenal and armory are located here and represent an investment of about $30,000,000. The grounds cover' 1,000 acres. That portion of the river between the island and Davenport is navigable, but on the west side of the island the river has been dammed by the United States government thus furnishing Rock Island, Moline, the island and Milan (a few miles below the city) with extensive water power, which has contributed to the development of a large and important manufacturing' centre. Rock Island has excel lent transportation facilities which make it of importance as a commercial city.
The chief industrial establishments are the arsenal in which there are normally 4,500 em ployees, plow and tractor factory, lumber mills, petroleum wax-plant, paint factory, oilcloth fate+ tory; brick, gas engine, lumber, stove works; soap, electrical appliance, storage battery and plumbing fixture works; sash and door and building materials factories, etc. The prominent
public buildings are the government arsenal, the courthouse which cost $175,000; the high school, $125,000; the library, $75,000; Saint An thony's Hospital; the 20 churches and a num ber of fine business blocks. The Davenport mansion, on the island, is of historic interest. The educational institutions are Augustana Col lege (Lutheran), opened in 1860; Vila de Chan tal (Sisters of the Visitation), public and parish schools, several private schools, one city library and three school libraries. The five banks have a combined capital approaching $1,000,000. The government is conducted on the commission plan.
Rock Island-was settled in 1826 by Col. George Davenport It was platted in 1835 and called. Stephenson. In 1841 it was united with Farnhamesburgh under its present name, and in 1849 was chartered as a city. When Colonel" Davenport built his home on the island in 1833 the neighboring places were a fort and an In dian trading ..st. Prior to his settling in this locality, in 1: he had been there in 1816 with the government ttoops, when Fort Armstrong was established. Black Hawk, the Indian of ten visited him here, and many of the people who are now regarded as history often visited Davenport in his island home. During the Civil War the prison here was the place of detention of many Confederate prig. oners. When the Mississippi Valley began to change from a raw producing region to a sec-. don sending to the world the finished and pol ished product of the best in manufacturing methods, Rock Island was among the leading cities which were quick to welcome the railroad and the manufactory, and the first to use the improved means presented to extend the com merce to the city. Pop. 27,961.