The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-01-29
SETTLING In THE WEST.
SCENES IN PRAIRIE SCHOONER
DAYS OF LONG AGO.
Pressing ON to Possess the Land Beyond the
Zig Muddy and Fleeing the FarmcrS
. BY the Way-A Picture Of
the Past. .."

During the latter '60s and the earlier
TVS the settlers Of western Iowa who
lived upon the thoroughfares leading
toward the Occident were accustomed
to seeing vast numbers OF ''prairle
schooners," whose destinations were
points somewhere beyond the Big
Muddy, name deservedly applied to
the Missouri river. Yet not all of the
schooners were bound for the west
Some had gone. seen and been con-
conquered and were retreating on the
back track. Those going east were
generally referred to as the ones who
were ''going home to spend the winter
with my wife's folks" Some had gone
west, fought good fight against the
drought and the grasshoppers, but
were finally compelled to surrender
and return to Goods country" as they
termed the states east of the Missouri.
The motto, "Kansas or Bust" which
they had painted on the sides of their
wagon covers when on their way west
would be changed to "B listed, by
Thunder.' Others who had met with
i'll fortune in the west would, on their
return trip, use their wagon covers as
bulletin boards ON which were painted
warnings for all to keep away from
the scenes Of their misfortunes o.
casionally a returning Kansan would
put his kicking into meter something
like this:
Farewell, Kansas, fare you we'll,
A long good-by forever;
We may emigrate some time to h,
But back to Kansas never.
Notwithstanding the warning of
those who through Encouragement or
misfortune had been worsted in the
struggle, the great stream of emmi-
grafton continued to flow toward the
land of the setting sun. "Westward
the star of empire takes it's way"
While the disa bled and the stragglers
were getting back to the rear the great
army of homeseekers kept pressing to
the front. The many huge, white
covers of the wagons moving up and
down the undulating hills or across
the broad stretches of level prairies
looked not unlike slow, sailing vessels
upon the bosom Of placid sea. They
were truly the ships of the prairies
making their way across seas of wav-
ing grass to the fulfilling or the blasting
of hopes that led their crews to press
on to the vanguard of civilization,
there to take upon themselves the
hard, sturdy lives of those who carve
out home on the frontier. Most of
them were bound for Nebraska or
Kansas, but others were bound still
farther into the Northwest, West, or
Southwest. The railway facilities for
reaching the lands beyond the Mis-
souri, were at that time somewhat lin
tied, and the popular means for emf
grafton were the white-covered prairie
schooners. An emigrant train in those
days popularity meant long line of
covered wagons following a sinuous
trail that stretched like dusty brown
ribbon across broad expanse of
green.
The picture thus presented was a
very familiar one to the occupants of
an isolated home on the Iowa prairies.
In those days the more or less widely
separated western Iowa homes that
were located upon the lines of travel
were by force of surrounding circum-
stances converted into hotels and
places of shelter for the comfort and
entertainment of man and beast 1t
made but little difference whether or
not the proprietor Of home cared to
serve in the capacity of mine host. 1t
was not his to decide, and it frequently
happened that he was almost CON-
PEELED to unwillingly serve those whom
he wished might have tarried under a
roof where they would have been more
. welcome. For periods of weeks at a
time there would be no hour during
the day when a greater or less number
OF the white covers were not in sight
Ever coming, ever going, drifting by,
not unlike the ceaseless flowing of a
mighty river. From what at times
might have in measure seemed a
necessity, but much more often from a
predisposition SO to do, many of the
emigrant trains formed. themselves into
what could have been mildly termed
foraging parties that almost lived
upon the country through which they
passed. Hay was plentiful every where
during the summer season, but corn
and other grains could be gotten only
by purchase or otherwise. It must be
frankly stated that many of the travel
ers preferred to procure these COM
modities otherwise, and woe unto the
field OF corn that was hidden by a hill
from the farmers house or was near a
favorite camping ground to be visited
under the cover of darkness When
the season for husking the corn arrived,
unless the farmer had taken extra pre-
cautions to prevent pilfering. he would
find a large share Of tho worl. o1roo1v