The advocate., 1897-02-24
THE CONQUEST OF THE PRAIRIES
BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN, AND
WHAT CAME OF 1T.
BY JOHN DAVIS.
Copyrighted by John Davis, 1867
Continued from last Ceek.)
DIRECT MIGRATION FROM THE EAsT-TH
CONQUEST NOT ACCIDENTAL.

breaking became regular industry, and
farms were opened in central Illinois
with rapidity and on scale as to size
never before Witnessed. Immediately
the farmers had products for sale. Then
appeared the first direct migration from
the East. About 1867, people from
Pennsylvania and Ohio began to fill
central Illinois as far north as Bloom
ington and Peoria, and "Checagou" was
laid out near "Checaqua" river and
finally named "Chicsgo."' In the Hortles
began the migratiOns from New York,
New England and northern Europe,
which settled northern Illinois and Wis
consin, and are still filling all the greet
prairie States Of the Northwest.
It may be claimed that Mr.. Lincoln's
conquest Of the prairies was accidental,
and that he became q prsirie-breaker
Just as he was rsil-splitter or wood
chopper, merely that he might earn o
livelihood. After admitting all the
truth that can be found in this view OF
the case, there still remains much evil
dence Of design and weIl-matured inten-
tion on his part. In the first lace, the
family moved to the prairie part OF Illi-
nois instead Of the wooded parts, which
were nearer to them, and whore vacant
lands were still cheap and plentiful.
They wished to avoid the woods, 90 far
as culture was concerned. That meant
the settlement and culture of the
prairies. They also appreciated the
difficulties, knowing that this great
natural barrier had terrorized and turned
aside the current Of migration from the
East, for q full half century at least.
Abe had seen small prairies. He had
talked with men from prairie regions,
and he had heard all that Dennis Hanks
had to say on the subject With all
possible data within his reach he had
studied the question in all it's phases.
In the first place there were the bleak
winds and the lack Of timber for fuel and
fencing. These difficulties he thought
could be avoided or mitigated by build
ing in the edge Of the woods, near the
prairies. That plan was adopted and
carried out in Illinois. AS TO the blood
thirsty green-head flies and the rattle
snakes, they, surely, would be no more
annoying or dangerous among farm
animals than among the loose herds that
had long been grazing upon the prairies
with comparative impunity.
There remained, then, but one prin-
cipal dificulty-the toughnes0 Of the
wild prairie sod. The usual woodland
Implements and teams we're entirely in
effective in the matter Of plOwing tho
raw prairies. This Mr.. Lincoln provided
foF. The common teams used in wood
land farming consisted of one or two
yoke Of oxen or one or two pair Of horses
for breaking purposes, and q single
animal for cultiyatlng the crops. In all
cases the oxen were guided with q line
OF small rope on the horns, and were
urged forward with stick or small whip.
With one OK, or even with one or two
yoke Of oxen, this plan was quite praC-
ticable. But when the team was strung
out, consisting OF three to six or eight
yoke Of cattle, the line plan Of manage
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