Part 3 "I told the farmers that westward the star of empire took its course; that progress, civilization and commerce had their birth in India; that they slowly rolled into Assyria, Egypt, Greece and Rome; then more slowly found their way into France and England; then they floated westward on the ocean's waves to Plymouth Rock. They did not long linger amongst the scrub oaks and the barren soil of New England, but rolled their way with increased momentum westward to Chicago, and now they have to leap the rapidly moving floods of the Mississippi river and onward through Iowa to the Rocky mountains, not to tarry, but to leap over their snow-capped summits to continue to roll upon the far westward plains; to plant commerce and civilization on the coast of the Pacific ocean, and I call on you who possess the power to keep the wave of progress in its course onward. And the united county and Davenport city subscription of $100,000 was carried by a large majority to perfect the first link in the great Pacific railroad, in time to astonish the world. "Taking the wealth and population of that day, that $100,000 was a larger sum than $500,000 would be this year, 1901. "When Iowa had made good headway, and I alone called many meetings at Moline and Camden, now Milan, and worked up an interest in the enterprise, then many counties in Illinois and many individuals in Scott County came into the work. At this day great injustice has been done to the real creators of bridge, railroads, arsenal, canals and edifices. In some instances big men, who opposed them and other works of utility, have been extensively written as their creators. No difficulty in arriving at the correct history, as many journals have the facts indelibly stamped within their columns and which point out the world builders. "The thoughtless do not know that he who plows the ground and sows the seed is as much the producer as the man that reaps and eats it. I have ancient history on file at my office including the railroad creators. "In a Rock Island journal, dated October 24, 1849, a railroad meeting is reported as being held in Rock Island and Rock Island, Davenport, Moline and Camden were represented. A committee of five on resolutions were appointed as follows: H. A. Porter and C. B. Waite of Rock Island; James Thorington and A. C. Fulton of Davenport; and W. A. Nourse of Moline. "Action toward vigorous work on the Rock Island & Chicago railroad and on bridging the Mississippi river at Rock Island, and extending the railroad to the Pacific ocean was taken up and discussed. "To push those gigantic works to completion required untiring energy. To accomplish the undertaking, a committee of five, consisting of William Baily and Fernando Jones, of Rock Island; A. C. Fulton, of Davenport; I. M. Gilmore, of Camden and W. A. Nourse, of Moline, was appointed to carry the three great works to completion, and who appointed Sailor I as chairman. Two of my associates soon resigned and moved from that section, and later two of them left the lower world. But I, well knowing that resolution was omnipotent, continued to add to my stock lists and worked up town and county aid. I journeyed to Chicago by stage; put up at the ancient Briggs House to see a good team of horses stall in the muddy street with a cord of wood a few rods distant from my quarters. I talked western railroad to many merchants and business men; all looked me over with great astonishment and said: 'Best go and see long John Wentworth.' I saw long John, who deliberately fathomed me, then exclaimed: 'Tut, tut, young man, you must be insane! A railroad west would not pay for the grease for the wheels,' and I departed from the then muddy town, without even a symptom of encouragement. Debbie Clough Gerischer Iowa Gen Web, Assistant CC, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ IAGENWEB: Special History Project: http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm Gerischer Family Web Site: http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/