The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-04-14


paid to the wants of the other part OF the
town, and no appropriations were made for
roads, and not single bridge was built
| in this part.
AT last. man going home one cold
night in winter, was obliged to ford Dun
can Creek, had his feet badly frozen, SO
that he was laid up with them until the
next spring. Then a stir was made,
and the northern part of the town being
able to poll good many votes, some off,
GERS were elected who lived here, and i'm
provements were made as fast as practi-
cable, hut you all know that it takes time
to bring things from state of nature to
a condition fit for the service of man."
Such was something Of the experience
narrated by dear lady friend, who is
now sleeping in the quiet tomb, and the
home here described, was the first one
always pleasant, we may believe, under
her gentle influence, in the spot where
now stands the white village where I now
write.
THE PIoNEERs-THEIR TRAITS, HABITS, AND
CUSTOMS.
Below give brief synopsis of, and
extracts from speech delivered by Hon.
VIM. WEIGH, on the early settlement Of
Dane Co. Wis.
"The lecturer spoke Of the persistent
adhesion of original customs and habits,
which had existed in old communities,
to the new settlements formed by off
shoots from the old, and of the influence
of those customs upon the growth of the
new settlements, and noted the fact that
to-day the spirit does not exist which an
GENTLY impelled whole races to migrate at
once, of which the only parallel in the
United States is found in Norman emf
grafton. which has reproduced the pc
culiarities of the nomadic tribes of an
tiquity. The true history of the settle
ment of the great Northwest would form
one of the most remarkable pages of the
dispersion of the human race. After 1880
the great flow of immigration to the
Northwest from the Eastern States and
Europe began, which had before been
confined mostly to Western New York
and Eastern Ohio. This influx was made
up Of elements remarkable for their dis
similarity and equality: so for the harmo-
ny of their union, Christians and infidels,
paupers and millionaires, Jews and Gen.
tiles joining hands for the utilization of
our exhaustless mineral and agricultural
treasures produced results exceeding the
most sanguine expectations. These re-
suits were largely due to the hberality
Of the pioneers of the Northwest in mat
tiers of religion. In matters of opinion the
Northwest was a paradise Regained,"
and our pioneers determined that intoler-
ance should not make it paradise Lost"
The Indian, however, by the law of the
survival of the fttest was expelled from
his prairies and his forests.
The early settlers represented all shades
of opinion and nationality. They were
not fugitives from justice, though many
of them were fugitives from debts and
poverty. In regard to the hundred men
who settled in Madison, though many
were poor and many were unlettered,
Madison has not since contained, and will
never contain, another hundred men of
more energy and integrity. The greatest
unanimity prevailed in matters of public
concern. Each loved his neighbor as
himself. Each enjoyed liberty of con-
science. No mans merit was gained by
his wealth. A mean act was reprobated
by the perpetrator himself, and in politics
strict adhesion to party was the rule
When old acquaintance met there were
strong greetings and rejoicings, FOR all,
with scarcely an exception, were strangers
to each other.
Pioneer life was nothing without its fun.
The old settlers, thirty or forty at time
used to race for wagers in the public
streets. April FOOLS day was inaugural
ed as one of our institutions. The Norwe
gians were taught to drink in American
fashion, by one Of our stalwart Connecti-
cut pioneers, who prefaced his lessons in
manners by knocking his pupils right and
left as they stood barbarously drinking on
street corners. There was much exulta-
tion at the first products of the soil. in
fruit and vegetables, which assured them
Of the abundant harvests Of the future.
Indications that the early pioneers were
treading upon the remains OF dead civ
ilization were not wanting, in the shape
Of sepulchral mounds and prehistoric inn
plements. OF the mound builders, no ira
dition remained among the Indian tribes.
Common men and women must remain ig-
norant as to the origin of these prehistoric
remains and of those.who left them, while
the learned wrangle and dispute concern
ing them. The architect of the old Terri
torial Capital knew as much about these
questions as the Rerati who fill the chairs
of our universities.
Though usually cheerful, IL must not
be supposed that the early settlers were
never sad or detected. AS the Israelites
in the wilderness, sighed for the brick
yards Of Egypt, and longed to return and
help Pharoah finish Cheops, and to gaze
again upon the placid sphynx, so these
early pioneers, in hours of gloom, longed
to go back even to the stony hills OF New
England. and Canada thistles of New
York. Though hardy set of men, the
pioneers were not exempt from disease.
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