Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-12-02


vans on the island at the time, and
OF course, the firing brought them all
out, and quite a number Joined in.
They kept up continued firing for
about two hours, occasionally a bali
coming through, aud at times pretty
close for comfort and safety. Soon
after the hring ceased, a rap was
heard at the door. asked if a white
man was there, and the reply was 10
the Affirmative. The door was inn
msd.ately un aba loaded and ID The he
Alexis Bailey, of Prairie du Chien,
who was on his return from & trading
expedition up the river The Indians
who were not engaged in the figh.,
came around, and were very much
frightened and surprised, aud wanted
TO know the cause uf il. Nh. Bailey
being an old trader aud understand.
ing the language pretty well, tried to
fad ont from the Indians why they
made the attack, but could not get
any definite or correct answer, or
information. Those who commenced
the fuss were seen by Mr.. Bailey that
night at Mr.. Laboth's trading house,
about four miles below. Laboth as
there trading for the American fur
company End many have thought
since that the Indians were put up
to drive US away, SO there would be
no opposition in business ia that sec
ton. This might have been the case
and might not. The affair turned
out very fortunately that no one was
hurt on either side, for had we shot
one of them we would have been
KILLED WITHOUT DOUBT.
Mr.. Laboth's trading house was
situated on an island. about four
miles below Prairie La Crosse, oppo
site the mouth of Root rlv,r. He
continued his travel uutil the spring
of l843 to "A
la the spring of 1912, | put my
fnrs on the keel boat that used to
come up with, and started tor Prairie
du CHEN to sell my tufs aaa return
the boat TO the fort. On nv way
down | overlook j. B Miller, who
was on his way from his post down
the river in canoe | took him on
board and we went down together.
After arriving at Prairie du Chen, |
made Miller an offer of one half of
my claim, and profits made during
the winter, if he would return to La
Crosse and go in company with me,
which offer he accepted. After get
ting our matters fixed up at Prairie
du CHEN, we embarked IN a very
large canoe and padded back to La
Crosse. In June, Miller went down
to Rock river and purchased five
yoke OF oxen and drove them up.
With these we marked out our claim.
and plowed up small piece for
potato field. The present blocks 6,
and 10, or part of them, are on the
same ground in the original plot.
During Mlller's absence after the
oxen, | was alone most of the time
and had tie pleasure of spading up
a piece for garden, and put it in
myself and can assure you that the
potatoes were first rate. During the
summer | got Ira Brunson, who re.
sided at Prairie du Chen, to come
up and survey off a town site. The
survey was used until 1851, when the
land was resurveyed and
CHANGED IN SOME RESPECTS.
In the summer of 1912 or 1843, |
am not not positive which, DR.. Snow
and Philip Jacobs came and put up
house and went into trade. During
the summer of l84l, had some pine
timber got out on Black river, and
put up comfortable hewed log
house with shingle roof, and cistern
connected with 1t, which was the first
good Improvement made on the Pra-
irie. There were two small steam
boats put into the Galena and Fit
Smelling trade, named the "Oster"
and Crock River" They made a
trip once each two weeks, which was
a very great improvement on the
year before.
Nothing of interest occurred during
1912 except | would have occasional
ly a fight with the Indians, who
would try to drive us away, claiming
that the country belonged to them.
bat we always came out best.
In June 1913, l went east for the
double purpose OF purchasing goods
in New York, aud alse to get mar
ried, which was consum ated in Au-
gust, and in September | returned to
La Crosse with my wife and Miss
Louisa Pierson, who came out to
spend the winter with US. and then
visit her friends iu Illinois, which she
did. In the summer of 1914 she
! married Mr.. Miller and came back to
La Crosse. Mrs. Myrick is the first
white woman who came to La Crosse
to settle aud Mrs. Miller next.
In 1913 Mr.. Peter Cameron came
up and made claim on the Prairie
to Cameron's Crossing up. A man
by the name OF Scott also came up
and made a claim, and went away
when Cameron took possession of it
or what we call dumped it, land kept
it. In the fall of ls43 Asa White
came up to WORK for Cameron, during
the winter and made claim for him.
lf,adjoining Cameron's, now Came.
ron's addition to La Crosse. While
| was east in ls43 Miller put up a
ware houses frame barn and black
smith shop, which was at that time
considered quite extensive improve.
ments. Ia 1914 or '45, F. NJ. Lev,
made his advent to La Crosse, and
purchased house that was built OF
the lots now occupied by the large
brick hotel. | gave the lots to hin
to build on and afterwards decided
them to Levy. Mr. Peter Cameron
snd wife settled permanently in 1874
or rs.
There were three or four trading
houses between La Crosse and PraI
RE du Chen and some five or six be
tween La Crosse and TT. Smelling OF
| ST. Paul, but there were no towr
settlements between FIT Smelling anC
Prairie du Chen except La Crosse
The trade, in the mean time, in,
creased with Indians and the lumber
men on Black river up to ls4s, a
which time the Indians were removed
IN the Inner Mississinni In nonsa