Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-03-17
EARLY DAYS.

Eds Republican, -
In my last promised to give an account OF
a Temperance meeting held in our place, but
before doing SO, will give some reasons in
addition to the one referred to then, why such
thing seemed necessit-. The old settlers
will remember what N iserabIe, crooked, zig
gag road Y 2 had from what was called Battle
Greek, Eve miles this side of Summit to this
place then called John5on's rapids The on
ly satisfactory reason I ever heard advanced
why it was made so crooked, was given by
one John B. Terry, who claimed That ne knew
whereof he spoke, having been on hand at the
time; he said that ''when they cut the road
through they had barrel of the stuff on
wagon, and they had to keep it near the river
to prevent its burning up" and every one
considered the explanation good one
give this incident to show that, from the first,
bad whiskey would show itself The first n
ter spent here about 80 Indians encamped
near my house, and remained nearly three
months. A more peacabIe class OF persons
never saw than they were, till one day a
miserable, bIear-eyed fellow m ade bis appear
ance with one-horse wagon loaded with bar
rel of whiskey and a box of tobacco, and from
that moment the devil was 10 pay. The first
night a squaw had her nose completely bitten
off, and she in turn with knife killed her
own brother. The camp WAS broken up, and
they left in sad and mournful procession. John
a. s., brilliant young man from weste m
New York came here and made claim He
worked hard and cleared off a piece of land,
and raised crop of corn from it. One day he
visited the house, mentioned in my last. occup-
led by P. Of course he must drink with
P once, twice and thrice and it was all
By the one horse man till all was gone, and
then was kicked into the street. The people
felt that it was time something should be DONE
a call was issued for a meeting one Sunday
politician of this place was engaged to address
the meeting. Every means was taken to ex
tend the notice, and when the time came the
day was beautiful, and those for whose benefit
the meeting was gotten up were on hand, and
strange to say, al perfectly sober. ~
The speaker arose and began first in ar easy
conversational manner abiding to the kind
manner in which he had ever been treated by
them, and that be reioiced to know that he en-
joyed their confidence and esteem and that he
in turn meant ever to be true to them. He
had ever faithfully represented them III the
Legislature and he proposed always to DO his
duty to his constituents tut he could not be
silent spectator of the evil that was daily in
creasing in our midst /; that he had watched
with an anxious eye its effect uron the poor
Indians, but he felt called upon more especial
friends and constituents and ne call ed upon them
as they cared for themselves and their posteri-
ty to band together to drive the demon from
their midst. As said he had began in an
easy laxative manner, but as he advanced he
grew more ANNA ted with his subject until he
stood up before Us one of the most eloquent
orators ever listened to, and to this day can
but think that VIM. ". D.. as he stood
pleading that canse that day, was in nay eye,
the handS0eest man had ever seen.
The effect ofthe speech was like magic upon
all present; pledge Of total abstinence was
drawn up and every enc present came forward
and signed it-those for whose especial benefit
the meeting was called were the first to put
their names to the paper. I can not but look
back to that day as one Of the brightest in my
life. OLD SETTLER