Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-11-12

settlers at Mussel Slough.
Green fields grew broader and green
er. Little hocks and herds of cattle
and sheep were to be seen feeding on
the rich vegetation which came with
the water that oyerspread the land
from the system of irrigating bitches;
and as the result of all this, new and
pretty cottages were taking the place of
the wretched huts in which nearly all
had been forced to live during the first
years of their residence; and it was in
the midst of this prosperity, when want
had been banished by years of patient,
persevering toll. and they were rejo;c-
ing over troubles past. and the thought
that for the rest of their days they
could take life easy, that the stroke
came which turned all their JOY into
mourning, and changed the current of
their blood from the peaceful flow of
quiet. happy hearts to q seething flood
in hearts made hot with fear and
hatred.
This was no rumor from an unknown
source that reached their ears. awaking
doubt in some and ridicule in others.
1t was not the faint murmuring of a
distant storm that might never reach
them, but the sudden rush of the whirl-
wind; the flash of the lightning, the
falling of the thunderboit from a sunny
sky. 1t came as notice from the rail-
road company to each settler, inform
ing him that he was trespasSer on the
lands of the company, ana must lmme-
diately vacate unless he was prepared
to paw the value of the lands occupied
by him. which had been carefully ap-
pra's ed, so the notice read, by COM
petent Judges, whose estimate of the
value of each quarter-section accom-
panied the notice.
This appraisement ranged from ten
to thirty-tive dollars per acre; that of
Erastus Hemingway being thirty dol
lars per acre, or total Of four thousand
eight hundred dollars, which he was
asked to pay to the railroad company
for the land he had redeemed from the
desert; or failing therein was ordered
to at once vacate the premises.
The excitement which the receipt OF
these notices caused can be imagined.
Threats of vengeance upon the officers
of the company were both loud and fire.
quent. and had they been present, there
is no question as to what their fate
would have been. Death in some form
would unquestionably have been melted
out to them.
But they were careful not to be pres
emit.
They had deliberately laid, and were
now executing, plan to rob these peo-
pie of their homes, and they were too
cunning to come within reach of their
victims while the first hot flush of right
eous anger was upon them.
With the power which their immense
wealth, the gift of Congress, gave them,
thew did not fear the courts or the State
authorities.
They already controlled these, and
were prepared to bride or threaten, as
they deemed most likely to accomplish
their ends. any official who stood in the
way of their plans for wholesale rob-
berry.
The leaders in the plot stood high in
social and political circles.
The. settlers had small means of max
ing the outrage upon their rights
known, and their cause was, indeed,
desperate. and it is small wonder. when
in every dwelling at the Slough were
women whose eyes were red with weep
ing, that there should be men whose
lips uttered curses, and whose muscles
twitched with eagerness to lay hand
upon the authors of their woe.
Only a few days before the notices to
pay or vacate reached the settlers,
Erastus and Lucy had received 3 letter
from Mrs. Parsons saying that they had
at last found a probable purchaser for
their place.
They would know in a few DAYS, she
wrote, and if they sold they should pack
up and start for the Slough at once, as
they did not wish, even it the purchaser
of the property would permit, 10 re-
main on the mountain through the win
ter. 1t would seem more lonely than
ever when the place was no longer their
own
The only thing that would delay
their coming, if they sold, was John
ny's health.
The boy had not been as well as
common the past summer, and had
been quite sick recently, but was get
ting better now, and she thought would
be able to be moved. and If they sold
she would take him and start at once
by boat, leaving Mr.. Parsons to drive
across with their household goods, Is
Erastus and Lucy had done.
The reception of this news had
caused much pleasure to the young
couple, who were both DESTROYS of hay
ing their parents near them.
Lucy was especially anxious for the
presence of her mother at this time,
and fastened to reply, urging that they
sell if they could get anything like a
fair price. and that they come at once.
But when the determination of the
railroad corporation to rob them OF
their own home became known to
them. they felt it would be better for
their parents not to sell, at least for the
present; and Lucy again wrote, telling
her parents of the difficulty they Were
in. and that if they had not sold. ii
might be better not to do so.
1t was hard thing to do, and the
poor young wife had often to pause and
wipe away the tears that blinded her
eyes as she wrote of their troubles
thinking. too, of the sorrow it would
bring to the hearts of the old people
| upon the mountain side.
She was expecting to become a moth
er soon, and all the sweet Joy with
which she had been looking forward to
the coming of the babe had given place
to terrible fear of what the future
might have in store for them all
Erastus had not been loud in his
threats, as had others. Indeed he had
not threatened at all; but he was not a
man of many words. And she had not
forgotten how at the Suscol Ranch,
when but a boy, he had taken her moth
er and Mrs. Richie with the children,
of which she was one, to a place OF
safety and then returned to defend the
cottage with his life. And now the
thought kept coming to her: what if
the company should actually attempt