The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-05-03
EfaO is Col. Lander ?
TIE FIGHTING HERO, GOLD GRIZZLY

We are permitted to make the following
extract from private letter of T. D. Jones,
Esq, the welI-khown sculptor to friend in
this city '."
Bowie-knives are "riz !" Northern pluck
is above par, just at this writing. wish
knew all the facts in the case am afraid
the news is too good. as published in the
yesterdays Commercial and Gazette. Col.
F. w. Lander for that is his real name) is
an old friend of mine, and he is no chicken.
assure. His life has been an eventful one.
He has far more ''presidcntial' material in
him than a dozen Fremonts. Col. f. ".
Lander is native of Salem Mass, and is a
defendant Of one of the oldest and wealthiest
families in the town He stands six feet two
inches in height. and weighs over two hun
dred pounds. He is better made man,
physically, than john G. Heenan, the Benz.
cia Boy. When saw him last, he had not
an ounce Of surplus flesh on him-all bone
and muscle. He has good education, and
is powerful writer in prose or verse, for l
have seen both After he graduated at -
college, he turned his attention to civil engi-
neering, and was employed building or rath-
er laying out and experimenting most of the
New England Railroads after which he went
to Washington, where his services were Sc
cured by our Government to accompany
Gov. Stephens expedition from ST. Paul to
to Oregon, on what was called the northern
route for railroad. He acted as engineer
and advanceguard for that expedition to the
Pacific. After their arrival on the Pacific in
Oregon, Gov. Stephens thought proper, for
some trifing cause, to pick quarrel with
Lander, which was finally settled without a
duel After which, Col Lander selected 7
men to accompany him to the States. They
struck as near as they could, bee-line for
Utah Territory. On reaching the chain of
the Rocky Mountains, Col. Lander encoun-
tered one of the largest of the known grizzly
hears, and despatched him single handed,
with one of Colts six-shooters; in fact he
discharged twelve balls into him before old
grizzly surrendered.
Col: Lander escaped without receiving even
a scratch and from that day to this he has
been Familiarity known among his friends as
"Old Grizzly He reached Utah Territory
with only three men of the seven he started
with from Oregon. From Utah he came to
the States, where he remained, and much of
his time in Washington, until our army
were ordered to march for the home of Brig
ham Young and his apostles
Col. Lander was engaged to construct the
wagon road in advance of our army, and it
is needless to add, that more arduous and
hazardous undertaking could not well be
imposed upon any man. His railroad sur
published by, or at the expence of the Ma
tional Government, because, forsooth, he
never learned the humlIiating art of "ben-
ding the pregnant hinges of the knee, that
thrifts may follow fawning." Such are the
brief, too brief, outlines of the man who
has so recently come forward to vindicate
the manhood of the North.
Col. L. has sister in Rome, who is the
first of American sculptors among her sex
for there are three American ladies in
Rome at present engaged as sculptors. Miss
Hosmer went there frst-Miss Lander mex.
then Miss Stebbins.
Col. Lander is about forty-6ve years Of
age, and an old bachelor Cincinnati
Commercial.