Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1870-02-11
Fort Dodge CorrcsIson-
Kenc0.
Fort DODGE, Feb. 3, 1870.

I" ht"H 'hos IfoaiirSp uituouSh
have but little to say, and but a
short time In which to say It. While
mediiating OH the train few miles
west of your place, on the afternoon
of my departure, the thought occur
red to HE that had near and dear
friend residing in o town not far dis.
tant on the road, and on inquiry OF
the conductor, ascertained that l
could stop over and take the morning
freight to Ackley, where / also de-
signed spending q day. My mind
was made up, and on the arrival Of
the train, stepped off, and soon
found myself in hotel nearthe Rail-
road track, and from all appearances,
in live and but recently built
town. On inquiry of gentleman
at the hotel, found my friend alb
sent In the country, but expected
home in The evening. Meditating q
surprise, on learning Of his arrival, |
sought him at his residence, there to
ascertain that lie was attending
meeting at the school house. Not to
be defeated In my purpose of seeing
an old friend, / made my way to
the school house, and then, to my
surprise, found q great number of
persons-men, women and children
--besieging the door for admittance,
and on my manifesting some anxiety
to gain admission, by little extra
force applied to the door, was inform
ed by a person within, who partial
ly opened the same, that the house
was already damned full" and
that / could not come in, and sud-
denly closed the door upon me, when
I turned away disheartened. The
thought of being shut out of a relig.
ious assembly caused me to mediate
as 10 the occasion of so much excite
ment, and meeting, just then, a gen.
tleman made inquiries concerning
the meeting, and learned that a very
interesting revival was i'm progress,
that very talented young preacher,
of the Methodist persuasion, was
drawing crowded houses night after
night, the like of which had never
been known in the place before; that
there was general awakening on
the subject Of religion, and that there
was great need of it; and i'm his anx-
iety to attend the meeting, passed on
before had gained all the informa-
ton / desired. So | concluded tc
wait the close of the meeting. and
spend little time in looking over
tie town. Most of the business
houses being closed, "a fright light in
corner building attracted my atten-
ton, which I entered, and found to
be q saloon. The fir-t object that
met my gaze was sign tackled to a
post with these words in large letters:
"No more trust here" There was a
goodly Number in attendance, and
the principal topics Of discussion
were beer and tobacco, interpreted
with lively oaths, smutty stories and
slang. Not feeling very much at
home in instructions Of that cbarac-
Ter. | left, thinking of Nasty and
the Confederate Cross Roads, Deacon
PoCrnm," &c. Turning to my right,
I had passed but short distance
down what happened to he rather a
pleasant street, when another bright
light attracted my attention. and i
soon turned the knob of the door and
wake into another saloon. Here
found about the same attendance,
and the usual topics of discussion
beer and ACKNOWLEDGMENT with
billiards. did not tarry long here,
but made my way out and up on
street parallel with the railroad.
thinking that l had probably seen
the last of the saloons, and wonder
ing if saloon keeping was the chief
feature Of the town, when another
bright light attracted my attention,
and ! again dropped into saloon
and found about the same attendance,
and beer and tobacco the chief topics
of discussion. This seemed to be a
new affair just opening out, and was
presided over by two tolerably well
appearing men. Taking a chair, for
a moment, I began to mediate on
the scene, but the conversation which
coon followed not berg congenial
to my feelings, soon took my depar-
ture, thinking very seriously to my
self how two such persons could so de,
grade themselves, and whether there
was no other occupation but saloon
keeping for those robust, rugged
looking men. After q short walk
astwardanother bright light attract
ed my attention, and soon found
myself in another and fourth sa-
loon. The attendance here was not
quite so large as at the others, but
beer, card playing and billiards SEEM
ed to be in order, with the usual ac-
compartments. A little recess, off
the rear end Of this saloon, reminded
me of the dark and fearful places Of
which had read i'm former days, and
l shuddered as thought of the prob
able history of that institution. This
last, AID one of the pioneer estab-
lishments of the place, rs / after
wards ascertained, was formerly pre-
sided over by one of the township
trustees, as late ms 1869, and who also
held the distinguished office of town
ship assessor, while another official,
the township constable, held forth in
another we'll known establishment.
in another part of the town, the two
places, at times, becoming the terror
of the peaceable and law abiding citi-
zens Of the community. A fearful
comment upon the morals of the peo-
pie in elevating such men to places of
trust and responsibility. Arriving
at the hotel l learned that the meet.
ing had not yet closed, and it being
near the hour of ten retired for the
night, expecting to see my friend in
the morning. Thus alone, and dis.
appointed, my mind naturally went
back to the scenes through which |
had just passed. Four saloons i'm
little town ofabout two years growth,
and numbering 300 to 500 inhabitants.
Can it be possible that the persons