Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-01-17
broke out, most of the officers here were

broke out, most of the officers here were
Southerners and they seeded" one by
one, until there were no officers left excep,
one Lieutenant and the Surgeon. with about
70 men. This post is now considered to be
one of considerable Importance, for the rea
son that it is the only Government post in
this section Of the country There is ae forI
on the river above this point. There have
been two or three higher up the river, buI
are all abandoned. The property at these
posts was removed to this place. and this
accounts for the large amount Of property
accumulated here. will not attempt to
give you an inventory Of the property here,
but will say that the property that goes to
ruin here in one year, from neglect, would
make you and me, and several other modest
men, independently rich, and | might add
that the property that is stolen woald make
as many more in the same happy condition.
Fort Randall is IN fact all there is of Dakota
at present. There are four or five hundred
voters in the Territory, hut most Of them
and the troops stationed here | will give
one instance to show you how they manage
to do this On the military road from Sioux
City t. this place, there are two ferries where
men have chartered privileges for fcrry'ng.
Well, for two or three days and nights be-
fore NC arrived ut these places. these men
worked like dogs to keep the stream open so
we could not cross on the ice, and in one
place where they kept channel open for
the ferry, we could have crossed at a lower
point, but they had so fixed the banks that
we could not get upon the river, and we
were charged 80 cents each for the teams,
and 10 cents for each man--this with 35
teams and 800 men made quite bill. But
these bills are not paid. and probably will
not he without liberal deduction.
AS far as can discover the country
about here is generally poorly adapted to
farming. | am satisfied that Dakota will
never be much of an agricultural district,
and God only knows what other Use tan be
made of it. kept to keep In'iians on, and it
is not fiji for thai as there is no timber
They say one can go straight across the
country east from here for a distance Of 100
miles, and not see any timber. Besides this
the country is poorly watered. There is
however a tract of country in the southeast
portion of the Territory that took great
fancy to. This is in the forks Of the Nilsson
ri and Big Sioux river. Here is some of the
finest country that | ever saw, and being in
short distance of Sioux City, | have no
doubt will some day be desirable property
The land here is easily accessible to good
timber, and Is very fertile. never saw
50 heavy wild grass and at the same time
OF such Excellent quality rs grows here
There must he three or four tons Of hay
on All acrc, and it is of quality nearly
equal to tinoihy.
Tn. "Old Jew" Marslin YOU probably
knew. IL lives in log >Ernty on the
rlvrr bank below the Fort, and is getti: e
rich out of the Suidrs. purchase iny
milk and butter Of him. H. is the same
old anti porker, and cannot talk Of anything
else except MONEY making The people
here say that there WAS one year since he
came here when he cleared tn dollars a
day selling mix and Other things HIVE
no doubt but that he has thousands buried
around his shanty.
see by the GAZETTE that you are to
have another OF those glorious New Eng
land Festivals tonight. Well. would it do
any good for m to wish was there' |
suppose no:-hut ven may BE- assured that
| shall think % vnu. ami try 20 imagine
| sc the familiar :acrS AS, m'sl-i there
| hope you will have glorious time
NJ ny W r. th,r" year ago who little ex-
t,,.f'A that ut III NIX. airnir rsarv they
. Nd - VII +. th"v now are and among
=, Sc may ~ found your II mhl "cIr~s-
pnn!trt. Your ri. nd,
=. n. PIERCE
s. LOMBARD, Esq.
F,om the Ninth Iowa,