The advocate., 1897-02-17
THE CONQUEST OF THE PRAIRIES
BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN, AND
WHAT CAME OF 1T.
BY JOHN DAVIS.
Copyrighted by John Davis, 1885,
Continued from last week.)

ham Lincoln's career. When he
helped to build his fathers cabin,
smokehouse and stable, and when he
split rails and fenced ten acres OF land,
he but performed the labors Of his an
oestors, and it had no great industrial or
commercial significance. But when he
broke that ten acres Of Enclosed prairie"
and planted it with corn; and when,
later in the summer, "he broke fifty
acres of prairie with four yoke Of oxen"
he performed acts which his fathers, for
q hundred years had not dared even to
attempt. He had started a conquest
which no settler on the Atlantic coast
had imagined possible. Abraham Lin
coin at that moment was the largest
prairie breaker on earth! He was captain
and leader Of the new invaders Of the
western world He had started con-
quest which was to "chsnge the front
Of the universe" No longer were the
farmers Of America to struggle with
deficient larders, with the rife and the
ak as their chief instruments for supply
ing their daily wants. But, in the future,
farmers were to be blessed with liberal
surplus beyond their daily needs; and
that important fact was the pivot Of the
coming industrial revolution.
But, wherein lay the terrors of the
dreadful prairiesP Why should they
be such a barrier, capable Of dersiling
and turning aside the normal migrstions
Of the great races of men? Were the
terrors real or imaginsryP Let US ex-
anime the subject as seen by the pioneers.
The condition of the Illinois prairies in
1880, fifty years after the settlement Of
the wooded regions Of southern Illinois,
was afterward described by Rev. j. M.
Sturtevant, New Englander, and Pres
ident OF Illinois College, as follows:
"It most be borne in mind that at
that time 1880 far less was known in
New England OF Illinois than we now
1850 know Of Oregon. It's soil, its
climate, it's resources and it's prospects
Of rapid growth in wealth and popu-
lstion had scarcely at all arrested public
attention. It was known that it was q
State OF the union, but it's few and
scattered people had attacted little atten-
tion and excited little interest. 1t was
supposed to be a region Of vast prsiries,
which could not be settled for centuries
for want Of timber" [Sturtevant's His
torical Address at Illinois College, July
III, 1866, page II.
The same authority (page 22) speaks
Of a trip from St. Louis to the new site
OF Jacksonville, I'LL, as follows:
ut was dreary journey in mud and
melting snow, through region, much
Of which seemed incapable Of settle
ment for a generation to come, on account
OK the scarcity OF WOOD.
In the same address (page 49 l find
the following from an early writer (Ellis),
describing the region where jackson
vile and Illinois College are now located
eft was bright and splendid morn
ing. The winter rain had covered every
tWig and blade Of prairie grass with ice,
and as the rising sun threw his clear
rays athwart the plain, myriads Of gems
Rparkled in the living light, and 'Dis-
mond Grove might have almost been
fancied q vast crystal chandelier"
This was q beautiful spot for the com.