Iowa Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1884-1885 DAVENPORT. A thriving city in Scott county, on the west bank of the Mississippi river, 250 miles north of St. Louis, Mo., and 175 east of Des Moines. It is the second largest city in the State, and in commercial importance ranks second to none. Its shipping facilities,which are excellent, consist of the C., R.I. & P. Ry and C., M. & St. P. Ry, which have depots here, and the C., B. & Q., the Rock Island & Mercer County, and the Rock Island & Peoria Rys, all receive and deliver freight and passengers in this city. During 7 months in the year a large portion of the shipments to and from Davenport are made by way of the river, there being 2 daily lines of steamers between St. Louis and St. Paul, besides several steamers engaged in the local traffic. Opposite Davenport and tributary to it are the cities of Rock Island, with 13,000 inhabitants, and Moline, the largest manufacturing town in the west; and 3 miles south is Milan, another manufacturing place. These four cities combined and virtually forming only one settlement aggregate nearly 60,000 inhabitants. The city has a very large jobbing trade, and manufactures are numerous. There are 5 saw mills, cutting on an average 1,000,000 feet per day, agricultural implement works, glucose factories, foundries and machine shops, cigar factories, boiler works, box factories, 5 breweries, a number of brick yards, candy and cracker factories, a grain elevator, 8 flour mills, 2 horse collar factories, lumber yards, show case, churn, ladder, furniture, window shade, and sash, door and blind factories, plow works, a rope walk, oatmeal and woolen mills, a pottery, a pump and pipe factory, Oscillator thresher factory, marble works, a paper box factory, a piano factory, soap and lard oil factories, spice mills, carriage and wagon works, a washing machine factory, and many more too numerous to mention in the brief space allowed for this sketch, but of which a detailed and complete account will be found in the subjoined list of names. By the especial effort of the citizens of Davenport, an appropriation has been secured for the survey of a canal from Hennepin, Ill., to the mouth of the Rock river, or some other eligible point on the Mississippi river. Davenport has for years had the well deserved reputation of having the best schools in the State. The high and training schools are attended by a number of pupils from other places. The public schools comprise 10 grammar schools, a high school and a training school, and besides these there are quite a number of private schools among others the Griswold College and the Academy of the Immaculate Conception, the latter a ladies' boarding school of the highest rank. The Academy of Sciences and the public library, both established and maintained by the liberality of citizens are model institutions of their kind, the former has a most complete collection of relics of the mound builders, and numbers among its corresponding members some of the most eminent scientists of the day. The churches are numerous and comprise all the principal religious denominations. There are 6 first-class hotels and numerous smaller ones, 3 national and 2 savings banks with an aggregate capital and surplus of $1,000,000 and the learned professions and various branches of commerce are well represented. The Central Union Telephone Company with headquarters at Davenport now embraces all towns within the radius of 75 miles and the company is in a flourishing condition. The following papers are published and keep the citizens informed on all current topics of interest. The Democrat (daily, weekly, and Sunday), the Gazette, (daily and weekly), the Herald (weekly), the Demokrat (German, daily, semi-weekly and weekly), the Iowa Messenger (weekly), the Northwestern News( weekly), the Familien Journal, the Sternen Banner, and several monthly publications. Davenport is growing steadily; handsome brick blocks and private residences are going up in all parts of the town, and the value of real estate is increasing rapidly. The rate of taxation is lower here than in any other city of 10,000 inhabitants in Iowa, which fact should induce those seeking a location for new enterprises to choose Davenport. The city, covering nearly 5 square miles is traversed in every direction by street cars, enabling business men to reach their stores and offices quickly from any part of the town. Tel., W.U. Exp., U.S. and Am. Population, 26,000. Mail, daily. Edward Russell, postmaster. Cathy Joynt Labath Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm