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Moline News from the Past

Dug out by
Bob Conklin, Adult Services Librarian
 “Moline Dispatch Archives” database at molinelibrary.com

 

 Moline Daily Dispatch
Saturday, August 9, 1902, page 5

Peter Peterson will Build Velie Mansion

“W.L. Velie has let the contract for his splendid new residence to be erected at the corner of Eleventh street and Eleventh avenue to Peter Peterson for $ 15,000.  This figure is for the building alone and with the finishing, heating and lighting the total cost will amount to $ 20,000. Gust Ed has finished laying the foundation.

Plans for the building, which were drawn in Chicago, call for a two-story structure of the latest eastern style. The exterior of the building, including the massive columns which will support the wide veranda surrounding the whole house, will have the appearance of stone. The roof will be low with long extending gables and the windows will be very broad.  The style of architecture is something new in this vicinity.”

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Remote Access to Ancestry.com Library Edition!

Temporarily access Ancestry.com Library Edition from home! We are excited to be able to provide this special service to Moline Public Library card holders for as long as the library remains closed. Once the library reopens the resource will revert to being for in-library use only, but in the meantime enjoy filling in your family tree! Click here to request remote access to Ancestry.com Library Edition.

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Moline News From The Past

Dug out by
Bob Conklin, Adult Services Librarian
 “Moline Dispatch Archives” database at molinelibrary.com

The Evening Mail
Saturday, July 25, 1914 page 8

Old Lettering is Laid Bare

Change in Old City Hall Reveals Date Painted on Wall Many Years Ago

“On the night of September 16, 1887, the members of Moline’s volunteer fire department held a celebration in what is now the Central fire station.  The volunteers had for some time used the building as their headquarters. Decision had been reached by the town council to use the building for a city hall and the volunteers were asked to move elsewhere.  They gathered for the last time in the old building on the night of September 16. One of the men painted in large lettering upon the wall “We Painted This Red, Sept 16   87.”  The wording was later covered when changes were made to the interior of the building.

Carpenters engaged in their present work of again improving the structure laid bare the lettering.  Before it is again covered with the white tile, which is being used for the interior wall Commissioner Eastman will have them painted upon the present date.  In years to come the building may be wrecked and the two dates will be found.  The red lettering found upon the wall is like a voice from out of the past and brings back memories upon the volunteers to guard against the danger of fire.”

 

 

 

 

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Moline News from the Past

Carnival Draws Crowd to River

Thirty Floats, Decorated by Campers, Join Procession; Honor Awarded Wilson

Dug out by
Bob Conklin, Adult Services Librarian
 “Moline Dispatch Archives” database at molinelibrary.com 

Daily Dispatch
Friday, July 22, 1921, page 15

“Thirty Floats, decorated by campers along Rock River near the Moline bridge, participated in the second annual river carnival held there last evening.

Each camp decorated a float, rowboats being as the basis of decorations. No restrictions or rules were laid down, and each float represented the originality of its producer.

Nearly 1000 , Moliners gathered at camps along the river to watch the carnival pass.  The floats started from Camp Chinook, belonging to O.F. Anderson, which is about three-fourths of a mile upstream from the bridge, at 8:20 under direction of Commodore Elmer Oakley, They wound down the river and beneath the bridge ending their course at W.E, Christison’s camp, about three-fourths of a mile below the bridge.

The evening was clear and the water still as the floats moved along. Each bank of the river was lighted by fireworks, and the floats burned red lights and they trailed along. Japanese lanterns were hung on many floats and around all camps.

An electrically lighted float produced by R.P. Wilson, was honored by the first place in the procession. No prizes were awarded, and the campers thought it only proper that Mr. Wilson’s work should be recognized in some way. His float represented a galley and electric lights had been placed on the oars.”

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Moline News from the Past

Dug out by
Bob Conklin, Adult Services Librarian
 “Moline Dispatch Archives” database at molinelibrary.com

Moline Daily Dispatch
Friday, July 14, 1905, page 5

Healy Hill Sold to Ralph Lourie

Another Park Site Lost

Desirable Residence Site on Bluff in East End is Purchased by Sales Manager of Deere & Mansur Co. — Will Build

Friends of Movement for Beauty Spots Had Regarded This as One of the Most Desirable

“ Another site that has been very favorably considered in the plans now maturing for a park system for Moline has now been lost through the purchase by R. B. Lourie, sales manager for the Deere & Mansur Co., of the Healy homestead property on the bluff in the east end of the city.
Mr. Lourie purchased almost five acres of the hill and hillside and will erect probably next year a residence for his own use—something in keeping with the beauties if what is considered one of the handsomest residence sities in the city with a glorious view both up and down the river.

Gets 537 Feet

Mr. Lourie has purchased 537 feet of the west part of the eight-acre tract which the Healy property comprises, and the east line of his purchase is 30 feet east of the house, but will be moved to another site by the Misses Healy.  The purchase price was $ 5,000. In connection with the purchase and the building there will probably  be other improvements that will be in the line of general improvement interesting to the residents of the addition.The deal was arranged through E. J. Eastman.

Oscar Anderson has sold his house on Sixth Avenue near Twentieth street to George Weaver and will build a fine residence on the site.
C. North, the contractor, is building a residence on the Twenty-fifth street bluff.”

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Moline News from the Past

Dug out by
Bob Conklin, Adult Services Librarian
 “Moline Dispatch Archives” database at molinelibrary.com

Moline Daily Dispatch
Tuesday, July 8, 1919, page 2

May Bar Trucks on Many Streets

Stringent Parking Rules are Also Carried in Pending Ordinance

“Motor trucks and other vehicles weighing, with a load, more than two tons, are prohibited from practically all asphalt pavement in Moline, by an ordinance introduced before the Moline council last evening.

The new traffic measure, containing nearly fifty rules, was read by Alderman Swanson, chairman of the ordinance committee, and was then referred to the council committee of the whole for consideration.

Only four or five of the regulations vary from the ordinance now in force. The principal variations, in addition to the section prohibiting heavy traffic on asphalt pavements, follow:

All parking of motor vehicles on Fifth avenue between Thirteenth and Sixteenth streets on the east side of Sixteenth street between Fifth and Sixth avenues and on the south side of Sixth avenue between Fifteenth and Seventeenth streets, is prohibited.

No vehicles may stop within fifty feet of corners of the congested district where street cars stop.

The congested district is changed so that the north boundary is Fourth avenue instead of Third avenue.

It is probable that several changes will be made in the ordinance before it finally passes the council. There was some talk among aldermen last evening of raising
the heavy truck limit to three tons.  Some aldermen want Nineteenth street included in the barred zone. Some believe that the no-parking rule for Fifth avenue is too stringent.”

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Moline News from the Past

Dug out by
Bob Conklin, Adult Services Librarian
 “Moline Dispatch Archives” database at molinelibrary.com

Review Dispatch
Friday, July 11, 1884, page 4

Struck by Lightning

“Tuesday morning at about 4 o’clock the denizens of the Third Ward living near the Lutheran church were startled by a terrific crash and at the same a blinding flash of light which seemed to penetrate the innermost corners of the room which they had been sleeping.  For a time the air seemed to be full of electricity, the telephone bells rang and a number of people were perceptibly shocked and in one or two cases they were almost lifted out of bed.  Most of the people who were awakened by the noise and light, began to investigate and see if any damage was done, but as nothing could be seen they once more retired.
When it began to grow lighter a watchman going home from the shop noticing the shattering condition of windows of the church, called to J.A. Holm, the janitor of the church, who was sleeping in the building, and wanted to know if he was alive.   This was the first Mr. Holm knew of the work of the storm.
Upon investigation the men found that lightning had struck the tower of the church at the southwestern corner, about thirty feet above the roof.  It ran down the corner about twenty feet, when it seemed to burst right through the brick and run down to the window on the inside of the tower, when it again went outside and struck the roof and ran down beside the tower and at last went through the roof into the church below where it came in contact with the large pipe organ, almost completely demolishing its interior.
From there it seemed to difuse [sic] itself  throughout the whole west side of the building,  every window being broken.  Large pieces of cornace [sic] were torn from the side and end and thrown the entire length of the building.  In the vestibule in the northeastern part of edifice, the plastering had been torn off in large patches, and the wood work in several places had been wretched from the side of the building and smashed into fine pices [sic].  The church room proper was completely covered with plastering and pieces of wood, most of which had came from the northeastern corner of the room.  The large painting behind the pulpit showed signs of having been struck by some hard substance in several places, and some zinc figures which had been hanging on nails near by for the purpose of telling the number of the hymns to be sung, were strewn over the floor in every direction. Strange to say, there was not the least, sign of fire about the building, the wood being blackened, and the odor was like that eminating [sic] from burnt powder.”

**Note: Listed in the Moline City Directory 1881-1885

Lutheran Church, 1226 5th Avenue
(southeast corner of 5th Avenue and 13th Street)
—-(probably the church in the newspaper article)—

and

Lutheran Church, 310 4th Avenue
(northeast corner of 4th Avenue and 3rd street)

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Moline News from the Past

Dug out by
Bob Conklin, Adult Services Librarian
“Moline Dispatch Archives” database at molinelibrary.com
Moline Evening Mail and Journal
Wednesday, June 26, 1912, page 3

Horses Run and Driver is Thrown

“James Bax, driver for the Lagomarcino Ice Cream Co., while driving along Fifteenth street and Eighteenth avenue, late yesterday afternoon, was quite badly hurt, when trying to turn across the street car track the three mules hitched to the wagon started to run and the driver was thrown to the pavement. He was removed to the City hospital, where Dr. E. Sargent dressed the wounds. The patient is pretty badly bruised and cut but no bones were broken.”