Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-04-25

Correspondent Of the Daily PATRIOT

ror of Tennessee can have conception OF the vast
amount of emigration to the Northwestern States,
and of the trade and travel on the Upper Missis-
sppi, without being an eye fitness. No State in
the West is filling up more rapidly than this and
certainly none offering greater inducements to set
tiers. The rich and fertile soil of Iowa, her beauti-
ul streams of water, and her prairies, all in
vting to the husbandman, and hold out inducements
of rich reward.
Until two or three years past this place was only
viii ge at the foot of the Rapids; and, that your
readers may know the reason Of it not improving
faster years ago, propose to state the difficulties
she was lAboring under. By treaty with the In
dams made on the 4th of August, 1924, $4,000
acres were reserved for the of the Half Breeds
of the Sac and Fox nation, and was called the "Hali
Breeds Tract" 1t occupies the strip of country be-
tween the Mississippi and Des Mones river, and
south of line drawn from a point on the Des
Moines river, ABOUT one mile below Pennington,
east to the Mississippi river and at the lower end OF
Fort Madison, including Keokuk and all the land be-
tween said line and junction Of the river. The title
which the Half Breeds received from the General
Government for this tract, was the same as other
Indian titles the United States retaining reversiOn-
airy interest which deprived the Indians of the pow
er to sell Butin 1884, Congress passed an act re-
linquishing 10 the Hall Breeds the reversionary in
terest of the United States and thus they became
possessed of fee simple title, and the right to sell
and convey. 1t was the manner of this relinquish-
ment that gave rise to the troubles about titles i'll.
asmuch as the right to sell not given to indi-
viduals By name, but to the half Breeds a class,
which opened wide door forinnummerable frauds
Naturally enough, difficulties about titles began
after awhile to overshadow the 'Hslf Breeds Tract
As no names were mentioned in the act of Congress-
giving the Half Breeds the powerto sell, it became
difficult to fix with any approach to certainty upon
the real owners. Most of them had sold out
their interests before partition effected; oc
casionaly the same tract sold to several per-
sons successfully. From these causes the original
claims had swelIed to a large and ind finite number
and titles became involved in bewild,ring confus-
ion Add to all this that many persons had settled
upon the lands with the idea that tn re was no title
vested in any person. but that it still belonged to
the General Government, and that they would BE-
entitled to presumption rights first settlers. OF
course there was a large population the lands
when the decree of partition was made, who held
defective titles but who in numbers, as wei as in
determination were too formidable to be hastily re.
moved. Many instances of resistance to legal pro
cess occurred fierce excitement, violent mobocraric
outbreaks, and even small battles ensued Thus
Keokuk came into existence amid confusion and
discord, and through obstinate difficulties has fought
her way oprosperity.
| In 1886, the Legislature Of Wisconsin undertook
to settle the vexed question by the appointment of
| three commissioners to investigate and adud.cate
the claims. They sat about'two years commencing
in 1887. Their labors dspleasing to the set
tiers in the disputed territory and they app aIed to
their representatives to interpose the Legislative
power Of the territory to get rid of them In 1888
the Iowa Territorial Legislature enacted parti-
ton law, and soon as the law went into effect,
suit for partition instituted by parties and af
ter about one years litigation an agreement was
entered into by the plrties litgant, compromising
some matters, and referring others to the decision
OF the court. The decision of the Judges thereon,
settled the vexed question. This decree was made
After Iowa had become a State, the Decree Title
was tested in the District Court, then iu the Su-
preme Court of the State, and thence was taken uD
to the United States Supreme Court and in every
instance the Decree Title was sustained. At the
| time the Decree Title made the number of
Halfbreeds was ascertoined to have been one hun
dred and one when their joint estate was served
1 L.
come and were the property Of the persons named
in the judgment. The Decree named the owners
of the shares aud of this number forty one were ad
judged to the New York Company.
Tho imperfection of titles, until within recent
period, not only retarded the growth and prosperity
of this place. but spread throughout the whole tract
in dispute. But the dark hour of night is passed,
and the once Insignificant town at the foo, Of the
rapids has grown up to be the largest in population
! and as a commercial mart more than trebled any
other town in the State. Keokuk now has a popu-
ation of about IS OO0 and is increasing in popuIa-
ton and wealth faster than she ever did before
Her situation is a natural tariff to her trade, COM
merce, and manufactures, as the rapids are not nav
| igable but short time during the year
The past season between seven and eight hun
bred houses we're erected and from present appear
ances. the number this season will be greatly aug
mented. Go where you wi |, piles of stone, bri k,
and lumber greet your eyes, snd the incessant noise
Of the hammer is heard from "early dawa Tin dewy
eve" ! have visited place that betokens
such universal prosperity in al branches Of bus.
ness as this does. She is made up with people of
the right ,trpe in all rpartment, possessing ener-
gy aud indOmtable perseverance, the word "ail'
having been erased from their dictionary when they
commenced.
The ra1aF property OF the city at present ia over
$40. 600 .O0O whi,h il greater than any city, am
Informed, on the river above st. Louis Navigation
10 this pllcc is uninterrupted, except few weeks
in the winter when frozen up by ice. Size il the
entrance gateway into the State, commanding al
ready the trade Of t1rtytwo counties OF Iowa,
eral Of Missouri, several of Illinois on the opposite
sid Of the river Her situation makes her the nat
uril receptacle for the proiuc aud minerals Of the
Des Noines valley. of the richest and largest IN
extent in the world, and of i,seti vi have popua
ton and wealth sufficient to support a city witt loo,
600 Inhabitants.
Her railaav facilities are beginning to be op q
ed up, the Keokuk, Fl DIS Moines aud Min
nesota road, being completed 10 Hast, distance
of 20 miles and will be flushed to Bentousport,
distance Of 80 miles byAhe lss OF July. The Kco-
kuk Mt. Pleasant and huscatine road Is finished
! l2 mies. Awaiting mys If yesterday Of the kind
ness Of HuGa T. REID, E.q the President Of the
former road, in company with about one hundred
Of the citizens, took trip on the road TO Bel
fast. The track, moe. of the way. Vas in very
good condition. It passes through, thus FAR, some