Fire in Utica

UTICA, May 23.

At 3 o’clock this morning the Oneida brewery of Mullan & Co. took fire and burned to the ground.  Loss, $12,000 – insured.

A[t] 11 o’clock the fire works in one of the building[s] of Marchisi & Love, pyrotechnic manufacturers, took fire and [was] destroyed. – Charles Woolweber, a workman, was burned to death.  Loss of Marchisi & Love, $2,000 – no insurance.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 26, 1862, p. 1

Soldiers' Relief

It must not be forgotten by our citizens that the Soldiers’ Relief Convention will be held here on next Wednesday the 28th inst., commencing its sessions at 10 o’clock a. m.  A number of persons from other portions of the State will doubtless be in attendance, and the matter be systematized that much more good can be accomplished in future.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 26, 1862, p. 1

War Claims Agency

Mr. R. D. Congdon and our old friend T. D. Eagal have opened a war claims agency, as will be seen by their advertisement, and will attend to securing claims of all kinds against the war departments, held by soldiers or their friends.  See their advertisement and list of references; the latter are among the best men in the State.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 26, 1862, p. 1

Scott County Soldiers’ Relief Association

The Executive Committee are requested to meet in the office of Messrs. Putnam & Rogers, on Monday evening, 26th instant, at 8 o’clock.

H. PRICE, President.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 26, 1862, p. 1

A Contrabandish Idea of War

We were passing along the warves, a few days ago, wondering at the amount of business that was there transacted.  While standing observing a cargo of horses being transferred from a vessel to the store, an “old contraband” appeared at hour elbows, touching his old fur hat, and scraping an enormous foot.  He opened his battery on us with the following:

“Well, boss, how is yer?”

“Pretty well, daddy; how are you?”

“I’se fuss rate, I is.  B’long to Old Burnside’s boys, dos yer?”

“Yes, I belong to that party.  Great boys, aint they?”

“Well I thought yer belonged to dat party.  Great man he is, dat’s sartain.  Yes, sir.”

“We waited and waited; we heard yer was comin, but we mos guv yer up.’Deed jess did; but one morning’ we heard de big guns, way down riber, go bang, bang, bang, and de folks round yer began to cut dar stick mitey short, and trabble up de railtrack.  Den, bress de good Lord, we knowed yer was comin, but we held our jaw. Byme-by de sogers begun to cut dar stick, too, and dey did trabble! Goramity, ‘pears dey made de dirt fly!  Yah, hah!”

“Why were they scared so bad?

“De sogers didn’t skear um so much as dem black boats.  ‘Kase, yer see, de sogers shot solid balls, and day not mind dem so much; but when dem boats say bo-o-m, dey knowed de rotton balls was comin’ and dey skeeted, quicker’n a streak o’litenin.”

“What rotten balls did the boats throw at them?”

“Don’t yer know?  Why, dem balls dat are bad, dar rotten, flew all to bits – ‘deed does dey – play the very debil wid yer.  No dodgin’ dem ere balls; kase yer donno wher dey fly to – strike yah and fly yandah; dat’s what skeered ‘em so bad!”

“Well, what are you going to do when the war’s over?  Going along?”

“Duno, ‘praps I goes Norf, wid dis crowd.  Pretty much so, I guess.  ‘Peers ter me dis chile had better be movin’.”

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 2

Important Decision

It seems, from the following letter, that the Secretary of the Interior has reversed his decision in regard to Swamp Lands.  The Government, if we understand the correspondence, will now issue land scrip in lieu of swamp lands donated to the State, but sold by the Government, previous to the selection.  As the number of acres of swamp or overflowed land thus sold by the general Government is large, this decision of the Secretary is a very important matter in our State:

WASHINGTON CITY, May 10th, 1862.

C. DUNHAM, ESQ., EDITOR HAWK EYE,

Burlington, Iowa.

SIR: Enclosed I send you a letter from Hon. J. M. Edmunds, Commissioner of General Land Office in reference to swamp lands in the State of Iowa.

This reversal of the original decision of the Secretary of the Interior, made after hearing arguments of Senator Harlan and Representative Wilson, will give to the state of Iowa, many thousands of dollars, and a large amount of land scrip in lieu of lands selected in Iowa as swampy, previously sold.

Yours very respectfully,

JAS. A. BEARD.

GENERAL LAND OFFICE, May 7, 1862.

Hon. JAMES HARLAND, U. S. Senate:

SIR – Referring to the case of report No. 13, 392 for $9,006 92-100 of Iowa indemnity on account of swamp lands, I have the honor to advise you that since the rendition of the recent decision of the Secretary of the Interior, I have been instructed to regard it as fixing form of affidavit and terms as facts in future cases, and not as affecting the past; and in this view I have certified said report and submitted it, this date, for final approval of the Secretary, so that It may be sent to the Treasury to the end that it may be followed by a draft.

With great respect your obd’t serv’t,

J. M. EDMUNDS, Commissioner.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 2

An Evening Drive

MR. EDITOR:  I have been reconnoitering, in force, in the vicinity of Davenport, and as in duty bound, report to headquarters.  Perhaps my document will be unacceptable, as I have nothing to report respecting slaughter and desolation, of broken cohorts, and flying phalanxes of Parrott’s and Dahlgren’s belching forth their iron hail, and mimicking thunders of heaven.  I speak but of Davenport and its surroundings.

I have been visiting the cemeteries, the home of the departed, in which all feel interested.  This is a pleasant and befitting season to visit our cemeteries, when vegetation is regaining its strength and the balmy breath of the advancing spring is driving back to its polar empire, the savage and unrelenting blasts of an invading winter which has plundered and laid waste the charms of the vegetable kingdom, and annihilated for a time the flowery nations.

I set out from Davenport with one of livery Smith’s best teams, piloted by his trusty man Friday.  We headed for Bridge Avenue – Mount Ida soon loomed majestically in sight.  Alas, Mount Ida! she appears in a wintery state; the painter and gardener have forsaken or neglected her; yet I feel a reverence for Mount Ida, for here in ’58 I undertook to master music and astronomy!  Now the then eighty merry students, as well as the worthy but unrewarded and neglected Codding, have disappeared, and the district school mistress, with a small class, occupies the then classic premises.  Fair schoolmates, whose merry laugh then gladdened the hearts of all, where are you?  Some perhaps have gone to the cold and silent tomb; others, with bitter tears, are contrasting the bright tints of girlhood’s morning with the dark somber hues of despair, that now in dusky folds, wraps their aching hearts.  All here now appears dreary, desolate and sad, yet a spirit of prophecy tells me that Mount Ida will yet fulfill her destiny and become a first class institution for the education of the young ladies of Iowa.  The location is beautiful, situated on the summit of the bluff some one hundred and twenty feet above the lower plain, overlooking the most might of rivers, the majestic Father of Waters.  Once Beautiful Ida,

Where the willow boughs entwining,

Cast a shadow o’er the plain,

In her classic shades reclining,

Genius will return again.

Leaving Mount Ida to the southward, we drove over hill and dale, upon nature’s primitive carpet of green and through a continuous wood made vocal by a thousand warbling songsters, we entered Oakdale Cemetery.  This is quite a beautiful Cemetery, embracing an area of some thirty acres laid out with taste and neatness.  A natural growth of oak and hickory trees, add greatly to its beauty, and the care with which many of the tombs are decorated, bear witness to the love borne towards the departed.

Leaving Oakdale for the northward, we entered one of nature’s most magnificent specimens of prairie, upon which is located Pine Hill.  Here we found the sexton, who welcomed us to the city of the tombs.  We found him not unlike the grave digger that Shakespeare gave to Hamlet – a philosopher.  Grave-diggers are all philosophers!  This philosopher informed me that Pine Hill embraced an area of 60 acres, with five miles of carriage road and eleven miles of walks.  This cemetery in time will vie with any in the west.  Art is furnishing the trees and shrubbery, and settling them down wherever taste and beauty require their presence.  The grounds are elevated, and susceptible of being rendered beautiful with little labor.

I will examine the stone records of mortality.  Here rests a man of years and experience, who tarried through many of the long years that make up the great past, and here will his mortal part mingle with the soil until the Almighty arm shall dash to pieces the structure of the earth.  And here’s an infant by its fond mother’s side.  The record speaks of a life of months.  Happy innocent! it did not long sip the cup of life.  And here the grim messenger of death has summoned to his tribunal a youth of sixteen.  Fair youth! hadst I been thy advocate, I would have plead thy tender years, and pointed to those who had outlived their allotted time.  And yonder rests, side by side, three of tender years.  Happy voyagers! no sooner launched than moored in Heaven; but you have escaped the barbed arrows of calumny, the finger of scorn, and the temptations of a sinful and dangerous world. – Highly favored probationers! were it not sinful, I would envy you your sweet and happy repose.  Sleep, angels, sleep, Heaven will guard and protect you.

We now depart for the City Cemetery – westward.  We pass a large and stately mansion, with its lawns, vineyards and well selected shrubbery, situated on the bluff.  It is not only grand, but magnificent, and does credit to its projector.  It is built on the Ionic order, and is, beyond question the most beautiful and perfect mansion within the county – and I claim to be a connoisseur in architecture, as well as in furbelows and flounces.  Our contraband driver informs me that this splendid mansion is owned by J. M. D. Burrows, Esq.

The City Cemetery I find to be a small enclosure of some five acres, located on the river’s bank.  Here discord reigns supreme; an unfinished and rickety stone wall graces the eastern ditch; uncared for shrubbery, sunken graves and shattered tombs.  It needs no ghost to arise from the dead to tell the visitor that this Cemetery is under the supervision of a soulless body.

We now visit Westphal & Co.’s flower garden and nursery, then homeward bound.  Here, at Westphal’s, can be found choice plants and shrubbery, both in the useful and ornamental department.  The gentlemanly proprietor showed me over his expansive flowery domain, and gave me valuable information in the art of cultivating shrubbery, and presented me with one of May’s richest and choicest pearls – a boquet of flowers.

Concluding I have seen sufficient for one afternoon, I retire to rest, bidding you and all the world good night.

STE. MARGUERITE’S HILL.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 2

The Star-Flag Of The Free

(From the Ledger.)

BY GEORGE F. MORRIS.

“The Union now and forever — ONE and inseparable.” — WEBSTER. 

“United we stand — divided we fall.” — PROVERB.

This is the price of Liberty,

“Eternal vigilance and care;”

Sustain the star-flag of the free,

Our Union — represented there.

No traitor shall, with recreant hand,

Remove it from its place on high—

The symbol of our native land,

Which might the world in arms defy!

Oh ye, who cherish Liberty,

And every hope that on her waits,

Preserve for your posterity

The perfect Union of the States.

The stars that flutter to the breeze,

Were cluster'd there at Freedom's call—

Stern Fate foreshadowed all of these,

If sundered, would to ruin fall!

Then read, ye sons of Liberty,

And mark the homely proverb well,

Words that denote your destiny

Should States this solemn truth repel.

In Union there is strength and peace,

In separation endless wars—

Guard, bravely guard, till time shall cease,

Our country's free-born Flag of Stars.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 2

Shall Demagogues rule our Country?

The Democrat is puzzled.  It thinks it very strange if the Democratic party be dead, as some of its leaders have asserted, that republicans should kick its carcass.  It is true the old Democratic party is occasionally held up as a warning; that the civil war is instanced as the fruits of its policy in upholding slavery; and its most favored leader, now in retirement at Wheatland, pointed at as the man under whose administration the war was fomented; still it is not at that defunct political organization the blows of the republican party are aimed, but at the effort that is being made to resurrect it.  In the present distracted condition of the country the people of the North should be one in sentiment, one for the Union under all circumstances and not paralyze their strength by divisions among themselves.

If the Democratic party be dead, argues our neighbor, what the necessity of keeping up the Republican organization?  We answer, because it chimes with the popular sentiment of the North and the fact of its ceasing to exist would be taken as prima facie evidence that its principles were no longer entertained by the people, and the consequence would be, the immediate revival of the Democratic party on the broad basis of slavery as its foundation.  But as they are pro-slavery in principle, they hope with the aid received from the slaveholders of the South, after peace shall have been declared, to have a powerful political organization.  Hence, the leniency toward rebel slaveholders, which they constantly preach, their opposition to every enactment that favors the confiscation of rebel property, and their desire for compromise.  While they know that their party must be organized upon a slavery basis, they are not blind to the fact that it cannot receive much strength from the North, but must look for its element of power to the South.

It was the political demagogues of the South that seized upon the favorable moment to plunge our country into civil war.  Had the judgment of the people been consulted, there would have been no war.  So it is now with the same class of “rule or ruin” men, who, wishing for power, and regardless of the means of obtaining it, would combine the elements of treason into a political party, that they may be foisted into office.  If they succeed in their nefarious intentions our government will be founded upon Sicilian soil, liable at any moment to be disrupted by the internal fires of civil dissension.

Never in the history of our country has there been a time more favorable to the founding of our Republic upon a rock, against which the storms of party strife may beat without avail, then than the present.  If now the great question of human slavery – which contains within it the seeds of dissolution, and with which incorporated in it no nation can long exist on earth – be settled – the very God of Heaven will smile upon us, and we shall become the most prosperous and powerful people on the face of the globe.  But if we throw aside our present advantages, disregard our present opportunities, and permit ourselves to be ruled by a parcel of demagogues, who will fasten this incubus upon us, we will have gained nothing by civil war, and still continue to live under a Government possessing the same element of discord that came so near effecting our ruin.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 2

Deaths of Prominent Men

Rev. George Bethune, D. D., of Brooklyn N. Y., died at Florence Italy, on the 28th ult., aged 58.  Dr. B. was a prominent minster of the Reformed Dutch Church, and was a poet and author of great merit.  Rev. Dr. Thomas Macauley, formerly a prominent Presbyterian minister died in New York city, on Sunday last, aged 85.  Charles J. Ingersoll, a prominent Democratic politician of Philadelphia, died in that city on the 14th inst. at the advanced age of eighty.  He was son of Jared Ingersoll, the Federalist candidate for Vice President in 1812, and again from 1841 to 1849.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 2

Hugh T. Reid, Hoyt Sherman, W. F. Coolbaugh, and Lucius H. Langworthy . . .

. . . of Iowa, are among the proposed corporators in the Pacific Railroad bill now before Congress.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 2

Capt. Mahanna, of Co. B 14th regiment . . .

. . . is acting Major at Fort Randal Dakotah Territory, where there are three companies of that regiment stationed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 2

The Democratic State Convention of Iowa . . .

. . . is to meet at Des Moines, Thursday, June 17th, to nominate candidates for Secretary of State, and other officers.  “Lafayette” Jones and Clay Dean, a worthy pair of rebels are traversing the State as emissaries of Jeff. Davis, under the cloak of organizing the Democracy to respond to this call. – Chicago Trib.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 2

The War News

McClellan Close to Richmond.

Our Fleet go up to Vicksburg.

Movements before Mobile.

FOREIGN NEWS.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Iowa Homeopathic Medical Association

A number of practitioners of the Homeopathic school, from different parts of the State, assembled in Convention in this city yesterday, for the purpose of organizing a State Medical Society, to aid in disseminating the peculiar theories of the followers of Hahnemann.

The Convention met at 10 o’clock A. M.

On motion of Dr. Guilbert, of Dubuque, Dr. C. Pearson of Mt. Pleasant was appointed Chairman pro tem.

On motion of Dr. Paine, of Burlington, Dr. Austin, of Muscatine, was elected Secretary of the Association.

The chairman named the following committee on constitution and by-laws: Drs. Guilbert, of Dubuque, Paine, of Burlington, Worley, of Davenport, Waggoner, of Wyoming.

Drs. Worley and Paine were appointed a committee on organization.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

The constitution and by-laws, as reported by the committee on the subject, were accepted and adopted.

The committee on permanent organization made the following report:

Dr. Prince, of Davenport, President; Dr. Jackson, First Vice President; Dr. Austin, Second Vice President; Dr. Guilbert, Secretary and Treasurer.

CENSORS. – Drs. Worley, Pearson, Waggoner, Williams and Payne [sic].

Drs. Paine, Austin, and Pearson were appointed a committee on scientific subjects.

The committee reported the names of the following gentlemen, and the subject on which the report at the next annual meeting, as follows:

Dr. Paine, Physical Education; Dr. Guilbert, Diptheria; Dr. Worley, Stimulants; Dr. Austen, Surgical Diseases; Dr. Pearson, Hereditary Transmission of Disease; Dr. Waggoner, Epilepsy; Dr. Jackson, Pneumonia.

On motion of Dr. Guilbert, the place of holding the next annual meeting was fixed at Dubuque.

On motion of Dr. Austin, Dr. Pearson was appointed to deliver the next annual address.

An informal debate here took place on various medical subjects.

The Convention then adjourned.

The Society numbers about twenty-one members.  There are about thirty practitioners of the school in the State.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Local Matters

THE WEEKLY GAZETTE is published this morning.  It contains all the matter of the Daily during the past week, including correspondence, etc.  Send it off to your friends that they may learn Iowa is in the field with her brave troops, fighting for the stars and stripes.

SOMETHING NEW. – Ladies’ seamless vomp gaiters, new style, never before offered in this city, to be found only at Ordway’s new store, no. 26 Le Claire Row.  dlw

An extensive fire occurred in the town of Alexandria, Mo., opposite Keokuk, on Sunday morning last, consuming property to the amount of $45,000.  The Keokukers went over and assisted to extinguish the flames.

RELEASED. – Frank Collins, arrested by Officer Teagarden on Monday evening, on a warrant issued by Coroner Tomson, was yesterday released, there being no legal evidence to sustain the charge against him.

ALMOST A FIRE. – An attempt at fire occurred in a shed in the rear of Mr. R. E. Sickels’ residence, corner of Thirteenth and Main streets, night before last.  It was discovered and extinguished before any great amount of harm was done.

WILD RICE. – We are indebted to Mr. Jas. D. Hogarty for a package of wild rice, the native product of Wisconsin.  We have eaten of this rice and found it almost equal to the Southern production, being darker, more substantial and of different favor.  It is preferred by some to the Southern article.

CHARITY NOT NEEDED. – We published a not the day before yesterday, stating that Mrs. Knoeke, of this city was in an actual suffering condition.  We are informed since, by the woman herself, that such is not the case, nor is she in condition to appeal to the public for charity.

PROMPT ADJUSTMENT. – We are informed that Messrs. A. Green & Co., and C. E. Converse, who were losers of grain by the recent fire which destroyed the Elevator, have received from the New England and Lorillard companies full satisfaction for the losses sustained at that fire.

BOOTS AND SHOES. – Neighbor Todd returned home yesterday, after a trip to the East, where he has purchased an extensive lot of boots and shoes, ladies’ slippers, gaiters, and everything in his line, which he is receiving and opening at his store, Todd’s well-known corner.

NEW GOODS constantly arriving at Ordway’s, manufactured expressly for the retail trade, which he is selling at prices that will defy competition.  Every one in want of boots and shoes should call upon him before purchasing, for people do say that he is selling a good quality of goods cheaper than any other house in the city.    dlw

ROYAL ARCH-MASONS. – At a regular convocation of Davenport Chapter No. 16, Royal Arch Masons, held in Masonic Hall, on the evening of the 20th inst., the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: O. H. Watson, High Priest; Geo. H. French, King; P. L. Cone; Scribe; Samuel Perry, Captain of the Host; F. H. Griggs, Principal Sojourner; W. W. Parker, Royal Arch Captain; E. Y. Lane, Treasure; A. P. Luse, Secretary; R. D. Myers, Grand Master of the Third Veil; W. A. Remington, do Second Veil; J. J. Burtis, do First Veil; G. G. Jones, Guard.

Insurance against fire and the perils of inland transportation, and life insurance, can be had of W. F. ROSS, general insurance agent, Metropolitan building, who will not represent any but the most reliable companies.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Wanted

A NUMBER OF WARDMASTERS, FEMALE nurses, men nurses, cooks, washer-women and two watchmen for the Military Hospital.

Application to be made to

Dr. J. OLSHAUSEN

Third St., near Washington Square

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Relief Association

It is well, in view of the fact that we are soon to have a military hospital at Camp McClellan, that we have such organizations as the Relief and Soldiers’ Aid Association to make preparations, and through their energetic Executive Committee care for the invalids when they arrive, and dispense the benefactions of the kind-hearted to the relief of the sufferers in a systematic manner.  Last fall, a great portion of the donations for the comfort of the soldiers at Camp McClellan were lost for want of proper management.  It is even said that of all the goods donated at that time, in the shape of blankets, quilts, &c., none can now be found.  There was no one in particular to take care of them, and as everybody’s business is generally very well taken care of by nobody, no one can be found who knows anything of them.  Hereafter such matters will be carefully attended to, by a person or persons, especially selected for the purpose; so that articles contributed will be made to do all the good they possibly can, and care will be taken that they be not stolen or squandered.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Hospital Supplies

Since the organization of the Relief Association, large amounts of supplies for sick and wounded soldiers have been forwarded from different parts of the county to the Executive Committee of that Association.  This committee, in the exercise of a wise discretion, have retained a large portion of these supplies, in anticipation of the establishment of a hospital here; so that the committee have something wherewith to make comfortable the expected invalids at the hospital.  A good deal more is being prepared, and much more will be needed for the comfort and convenience of those who will soon be thrown, to some extent, on our hospitality and generosity.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Wanted For The Military Hospital

We direct attention to the advertisement in another column for watchmen, nurses, &c., for the new hospital at Camp McClellan.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1