218 GEOLOGY OF ILLINOIS. 



Rock river, is the only considerable depression in this elevated plateau. 

 This valley, though small, contains some good farm lands. Over this 

 elevated region, especially towards the north east, many small farms are 

 opened. The soil is thin, but well adapted to the growth of cereals and 

 fruits. The alluvial bottoms, when dry enough to cultivate, make the 

 best and richest corn lands, and the wet portions make good meadow 

 and grass lands. The agricultural resources of northern Rock Island 

 county are not very rich or varied. Much of the land is unproductive, 

 much of it is too high, or too low, or two sandy, small portions of it are 

 almost unsurpassed for fertility. 



As a fruit growing region it ought to excel. Some of the large apple 

 orchards along the bluffs near Cordova, bear abundantly and uniformly, 

 and produce fruit of excellent quality. That whole encircling range of 

 bluffs have hundreds of localities where the hardie'r varieties of the vine 

 might be raised with great success. There is no reason why grape 

 growing and wine making might not be made a producing interest of 

 the county. The few local experiments with the vine, tried by amateurs, 

 certainly give promise of this. 



The manufacturing facilities of Rock Island county are among the 

 best in the State. The coal is abundant and cheap, the water powers 

 are heavy and conveniently located. The well-known power at Moline, 

 obtained from an arm of the Mississippi river, has built up a flourishing 

 and wealthy village within sound of its roaring wheels, and sends out its 

 shining steel plows and other manufactured articles over the north- 

 west. 



At Camden a vast enterprise has been undertaken. When I was last 

 there (in 1808) Rock river was turned out of its accustomed channel by 

 a series of coffer and other dams, and a little regiment of men and teams 

 were at work in its bed, quarrying rock and building one of the most 

 elegant and solid dams on the whole river. Foundations for mills and 

 other buildings were also being laid. The object is to build up another 

 manufacturing village at this locality, that shall rival or surpass Moline 

 in wealth and importance. The natural advantages are abundant, men 

 of energy and abundant capital are at the head of the enterprise, and 

 there is no reason to anticipate a failure. 



& u rfa c e (i e o I o g y . 



The Rock river and Maredosia bottoms, above referred to, belong of 

 course to the alluvial deposit. They are from two to five miles wide. 

 Their character and agricultural capabilities have already been stated. 

 That part of the county north of the bluff line, made up mostly of the 

 township of Cordova, is a broad, level sand prairie, and at a time when 



