Saturday, October 30, 2010

Local Matters

‘YANKEE VEGETABLES.’ – Our friend Hickox of the Davenport Hotel, is certainly in luck and has a heart so generous as to wish to share his good fortune with others.  We are indebted to him for an assortment of Yankee vegetables, consisting of lobsters, eels and smelt – sea-fish that don’t often find their way so far West.  Having a supply of all these sea luxuries, including fresh oysters, Mr. Hickox has concluded, at the request of his friends, to give a supper this evening at 8 o’clock at his hotel.  Those from the East should revive older recollections of these dishes by taking supper with him, and those from the West in the same way learn something of the Yankee mode of preparing them.

GRAIN FROM ILLINOIS. – The farmers of the Sucker State pour into our streets every day with their loads of grain.  The prices paid here for wheat yesterday were about two cents higher than in Rock Island.  A good part of the winter, the millers of Rock Island county have purchased from Davenport Warehouses in order to keep their mills in material.  Only a few days ago, one of our buyers sold to the Moline Mills several thousand bushels.  The ruling price of wheat here yesterday was about 65 cts., and in Rock Island 63, and in some cases 64 cts.  Of course, with no ferriage across the river, it is natural that the grain from the other side should seek our superior market.

AS ARTIST. – Yesterday afternoon, while in at Mr. Dalzell’s store, we were politely invited by that gentleman to visit ‘our studio.’  We acceded, but although in doubt lest some deliberate ‘sell’ was on foot.  Going up to the second floor, and passing the stores of wheat there kept, we found a sought-for object in a secluded corner of the building.  Entering the room we were agreeably surprised at seeing an easel with an artist at work at it, and some crayon portraits of a number of our prominent citizens, executed in an artistic manner – the pictures being very accurate reproductions of the features and expression of the original.  The artist, Mr. J. B. Rowse, is engaged at the business, but his modesty has prevented him from making any noise about it, though such a work as his cannot long remain hidden under a brush, but will ere long speak for itself.

A SINGULAR PHENOMENON has been observed during this winter, attendant upon the sudden changes we have had in the temperature of our atmosphere.  During the night after a change from mild to very cold weather, there is a constant cracking of the woodwork of our dwellings.  Those who live in frame houses have remarked it in every portion of the building; in brick houses it has been confined to the roof.  Sometimes these reports are like a smothered boom of cannon and attended by the falling of dirt, etc., loosened by the concussion.  This is by no means uncommon during the winter, but never has been remarked to the extent shown this season, owing to the many sudden changes experienced.  Those who have frequented woods during very cold weather, have noticed the same occurrence among the trees.  We have given the cause of this phenomenon, but leave the rationale for others to determine.

EXTREMELY COLD. – Where’s the man who said that we wouldn’t have any more cold weather?  If he were about yesterday morning he found, on examination of his thermometer that the mercury stood 18 degrees below zero, the coldest morning of the whole winter.  If the sun has got so high in the heavens as it is said, the cold takes the advantage of his absence during the night to assert its supremacy.  Bright and beautiful as yesterday was, the warmth of the sun’s rays scarcely succeeded in getting the mercury above zero.


Announcements

MESSRS. EDITORS. – Please announce my name as a candidate for the office of City Marshal, at the coming election, subject to the decision of the Republican nominating Convention.

WM . J. C. TAYLOR


MESSRS. EDITORS. -  Please announce the name of JOHN L. REED, as a candidate for City Marshal at the coming election, subject to the decision of the Republican nominating Convention.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, February 15, 1862, p. 1

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