davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14

ana became the discoveries of the
MISSISSIPPI. Having left his wife, the
daughter of Pinarro, to govern Cuba,
De Soto sailed away to his own de-
structlon and that of five hundred of
his followers, as if he were gaily ma
neuVerlng in holiday naval parade.
Chains for captives, and bloodhounds
for fleeing aborigines We're parts of
an unwise and imperfect equipment
of the third Spanish expedition into
the interior OF Florida. Landing on
the west coast, these high-born ad-
Venturers turned towards Appalachee
Bay; thence westward to Pensacola
Bay. After wandering over what are
now Georgia and Alabama, De Soto
returned to the present site of Mobile.
where he destroyed large Indian
town, slaughtering more than 1000 of
It's inhabitants. Pursuing the foolish
policy Of treating all Indian tribes as
enemies, the new governor was in an
amending conflict with his new sub
jects. One he ordered burned alive
for bluntly declaring that he knew of
no country where gold abounded.
Thenceforward compulsory guides
manufactured the information de-
manded. Then they were thrown to
the Dloodhounds for misleading the
gold hunters. Receiving supplies
from Cuba, the naughty De Soto, re-
CARELESS of failure, marched north
wset to and across the Yazoo river.
Near this river of death" their win
ter quarters We're burned. their food,
shelter and clothing being wholly de-
Cfrnvn6 t,roc It'll
ward clothed in skins and in mats
made of PUSHES and wild ivy, that
these starving dons first beheld~ the
majestic Mississippi. Powell's paint
ing of this beggarly scene does great
credit to that artists wealth of inven-
ton. The point of discovery was
near the thirty-fifth parallel, now
known as the lowest Chickasaw
bluff. In May, 1541, the exploring
party crossed the river of the Holy
Ghost as the Spandiards first called it,
and ascending the west bank and
branching off northwest, reached the
upper waters of the White river, about
200 miles from the Great River. From
the state line of Missouri. the extreme
northern limit of De Sotos explora-
tons. the party crossed the Arkansas
to the salt waters of the Washita, and
descending along that stream return
ed to the Mississippi at the junction
of the Red river. Broken down by
malarial fevers and disheartened by
his inability to perpetrate the forests
and marshes Of the lower Mississippi,
De Soto prepared for his departure to
another and still stranger world. He
called his chiefs around him at the
last hour and selected Moscoso as his
successor. He was first buried with
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14

sight of home, his papers containing
the history of his discoveries. Indian
relics, in short, everything but life.
Pere Marquette was born in the pic
turesque cathedral town of Laon in
in France. A Jesuite without guile he
was the spiritual guide and life of the
expedition. AS self-denying a soul as
ever gave up life for humanity and
God, he passed to his eternal reward
in May 1915, observing all the rights
of his church and murmuring the
names Of Jesus and Mary, while calm
ly expiring in the solitude of the will
derness A year later the Ottawas,
among whom the pious and loving mis-
sionary had long labored. tenderly
bore his remains in a casket of birch
from near the promontory of Sleeping
Bear, where they rested, to the sacred
church in Saint Ignace. As they ap-
preached the mission in thirty canoes,
chanting their death songs, a vast null.
titude of Indians. traders and mission
aries thronged the shores, looking at
the strange spectacle in mute and rev.
erential awe. To this day, 1t is said,
that stormtossed mariners on Lake
Michigan, in the hour Of the darkest
and most dreadful peril, invoke on
their knees the prayerful intercession
of the sainted Marquette. This
Christian martyr has been honored by
a noble statue in the American Pan
thenon at our national capital, con-
tributed by Wisconsin.
cavelier De La Sale.
The greatest of the early explorers
n1nnnf hn fnllnwnI L:
ern lake and Canadian successes and
failures; his quarrels with the Jesuits
and his other distressing tribulations.
The successful explorer named the
whole vast region extending to Can
ada and to the great, tributary north.
west, Louisiana, in honor of it's new
sovereign.
In 1864, the ever-friendly Frontenac
having been recalled, and the large
minded Colbert having died. the in
domitable LaSalle betook himself to
the Court of Versailles, where his sig
nificant services, his worth, weight
and dignity of character secured a ia
vorable response to his praiseworthy
petition and lofty prayer. The minis
ter OF Marine and colonies, Seignelay
the son of Colbert, agreed to fit out
an expedition to proceed to sea to the
mouth of the Mississippi, for no less
grand purpose than to lay the foun-
dation of a great empire. The reso.
lutte La Sale purposed to establish a
fort and a colony, sixty leagues above
the mouth of the great river from
which the French could control the
settlement of a continent and eventu-
ally drive the Spaniards from Mexico.
He was given four vessels to be COM
manded while at sea" by Beaujeau
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14

Language is conveyance of thought
and her thoughts are arranged as her
material belongings are arranged.
ihey occupy as little space as posi-
Bile with no thought for beauty of ex-
preston. We are trusting that Lin
MES appreciation of all that is beau
tiful will come to her rescue in this
particular and that she may be in
duced to avoid sacrificing beauty for
the sake of accuracy"
Linnie Says She is Very Grateful.
In concluding his report to the gov
ernor, Mr.. Murphy says:
"Linnie has long desired an oppor.
tunlty of expressing her thanks to
the people of Iowa for the priceless
gift OF understanding which has been
made possible for her and beg to
close my report with her words"
1 want to thank the Iowa people
for sending me to school. like nv
work very much and want to be edu.
Gated. ! am happy every day when |
am studying and want to learn how
to control myself and to do my work ,"
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14
LOOK FOR CRATER.
Woman Works the Residents of Cedar
Rapids.

Cedar Rapids, Nov. "A female
CRATER is being looked for by the po-
lice. She was appointing agents for
three books, according to her story,
one a book on literature, another a life
of President Mckinley and the third a
story of the war in South Africa. She
promised her victims a salary of $40
per week, but to show their good faith
each had to put up SIS for prospectus
of the book. Three victims have been
heard from and it is not known how
many the woman left behind. The
swindler is described as a blonde,
about 35 years of age, and was accom-
panied by little girl about three
years old. One of the parties swim
died asserts that the woman must be
a hypnotist, for she talked SO seduct-
lively that her victim rushed over to a
neighbor and borrowed SIS bill, so as
to be sure to get the agency.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14

LOUISIANA REGION PRIOR TO 1900
MES QHoWARD

To know the history of the Louisi-
ana Purchase we must know the prior
history of the territory purchased.
Who discovered and explored this
vast domain? Who settled and devel-
oped it? Who exercised sovereignty
and established political governments
over it? are questions to be consider
ed and answered.
The first European commissioner to
exercise any legitimate authority over
any part of this territory was the i'll
fortuned Spanish officer, Narvaez.
Panfilo de Narvaez was fourteen when
Columbus discovered the West Indies.
He was born where the great navigat-
or died-at Valladolid. AS second in
command to Velasquez, who had con-
quered Cuba, he was sent to super
cede the indomitable -Cortez who had
conquered Mexico. Cortez gave his
would be successor blind eye and in
corporated the invading army in his
own. The partial blindness of this
representative of royal authority
seems to have characterized all Span
iards since, until the climax of total
blindness was reached IN 1900 by the
profitless transfer to France of an en-
pire larger than that of Charlemagne.
For his early exploits in Cuba, the
one-eyed hero, Narvaez, was made
second governor of Florida, with au-
thority extending definitely beyond
the present state of Louisiana and in
definitely over all the forests, rivers,
Swamps, and Savages he could con-
quer. The Indians and alligators
came off victorious and Narvaez per-
1shed miserably at the mouth of the
Mississippi in vessels that were not
seaworthy.
Four men survived of four hundred
and thereby hangs a tale of woe and
glory. These survivors We're the first
white men to cross the Mississippi
and the American continent. Cabeza
de Vaca, one of the four, who reached
Spain by way of New Mexico, became
the historian of his own wanderings.
De Vaca's glowing oral account of the
Rio del Orc and of wonderful regions
and cities, fired the ambition of Her.
nandez de Soto, who had gained
wealth and distinction under the re-
nowned Pizarro, in the conquest of
Peru. Having won the hand of his
chieftain's daughter, De Soto sought
and obtained the governorship of
Cuba. He proposed to his sovereign,
Charles v, to conquer Florida at his
own expense. The restless, the ambi.
tious, the avaricious, and even the set.
tied owners of vineyards and olive
groves, sold all to follow the Peruvi.
an hero. The nobility and aristocra.
cy OF Spain made mad rush for gold
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14

captain OF the navy, who was so con-
sumed with conceit, that the ceaseless
recognition of his own importance an.
peared more essential to him than the
success of the expedition. Through
the incapacity or the deception of
Beaujeau. the colonists were landed
at Metagorda bay one hundred and
thirty leagues west of their destina-
ton. From this blunder followed no
end of disasters. A landing place in
the wilds of Texas was a wholly diff
ferent thing from settlement on the
banks of a mighty continental river.
The martinez of the royal navy return
ed to France, taking what was most
useful to the colonists with him. The
abandoned settlers were reduced to des-
perate straits. La Sale and his col
ony while suffering from malarial fe-
yers, from lack of food, and from all
the perils and privations of the wilder
ness, resolved in March, 1857, as a last
hope to seek succor from the remote
outposts near the northern lakes.
Some progress had been made in this
dangerous direction, when a hunters
quarrel, resulting in the killing of Mo-
renger La Sales nephew, precipitated
conspiracy which ended in the assas.
sination of the intrepid leader of the
expedition.
Here on the banks of the placid
Trinity River, beyond the restraints
of civilization, wretch named Larchy.
esque lures under the guns of Duhaut
and Liotot, two more despicable mis-
creants lying in wait in the reeds. the
lIncnSnnnfirr sc
perlls and storms, two shots ring out
IN the dead silence of the wilderness
and the dauntless discoverer drops
speeches. at the call of death! What
a scene for some immortal Inner!
The stern, flushed face of LaSalle, still
illuminated with the light of a UNIQUE
nobility; the faithful Friar, Anastase,
standing appalled, at the enormity of
the crime perpetrated before his eyes
and the three miserable murderers ex.
ulting' over and insulting the uncon.
scious victim of their abhorrent
treachery. If any statue is to be
erected to any of the earlier discover
ers of the broad domain embraced in
the Louisiana Purchase, that honor is
due to the fearless La Sale. His was
the first broad mind to grasp the gran
deur of the Great Northwest and its
mighty outlet to the sea; he it was
that moved Frontenac, Colbert and
Louis XIV. to action; he lived a life
of toll, peril, obloquoy and privation to
the extreme limit of human endur-
ance; he suffered untold wrongs and
Injustice while living, and gave I'D his
life to demonstrate the priceless value
of America to his country and to man.
kind. Let us honor unhonored great.
ness. James @. Howard.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14

in the enclosure of the encampment
but later. his followers fearing. thai
i'll consequences might flow from the
knowledge of his mortality and death
his body was heavily weighted and
sunk at midnight in the deep water
channel of what seemed to be a great
flowing sea. A fitting burial place
truly for a relentless chieftain whose
cruelties were revolving, who was as
pitiless and merciless as the devas
tating torrents of river that de
stroys babes in their cradles and
drags children from their mothers
arms. De Soto died May 81, 1912
and Moscoso returned by the way oil
Texas and Mexico to Spain with less
than one-third of the gay naval expe
dition that set out from Havana.
Joliet and Marquette.
More than a century and quarter
had elapsed from the time when the
lower Mississippi, to the year when
the Frenchmen, Joliet and Marquette,
appeared upon its upper waters. These
experienced explorers with party OF
seven starting from Macki-
nav in two birch canoes. assembled
Fox river and connected by narrow
portage with the upper Wisconsin
Floating down the latter, the beauty OF
the shores of which having impress.
ed them much they entered the Father
of Waters on the current of the Wis
consin, June II, 1878. They descended
the great river for thousand miles.
Exploring, they seemed much impress
ed by the frightful appearance of the
monsters painted in red, blue and
green colors, that disfigured certain
high cliffs below the mouth of the Hi,
nols. Pursuing the humane policy OF
kindness and frankness. the chiefs OF
the Illinois Indians received Joliet and
Marquette in their native and naked
dignity, smoking the calument of peace
and declaring with Unborn grace, that
their presence made the river more
calm, the sky more serene and the
earth more beautiful" They passed
the lonely forest that covered the site
OF the busy and opulent city of st.
Louis, and later saw on their left the
stream to which the Iroquois had Civ.
en- the name of the Ohio or Beautiful
River" The whole of the name and
parts of the river remained beautiful
Having successfully explored the Miss
issippi to the Arkansas, some 600
miles from its mouth, the discoveries
accomplished perilous but safe re.
turn, having been absent from civiliza.
tion just four months.
Joliet, although the son of Quebec
wagon-maker, was an enterprising
trader, brave, keen-eyed explorer and
an honorable man. Unfortunately for
his fame and fortune he lost in the La
chine Rapids, on his return, within
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14
ime and the nuts regularly reach the

time and the nuts regularly reach the
markets.
There is a pecan grove on an island
in the Mississippi river near Ca.
manche. Clinton courtyard about IT'S
trees are found growing there. The
pecan is supposed to be a southern
fruit, but this grove was discovered
about ten years ago and has borne
nuts every year. The United States
experiment stations have been sup
piled with nuts from the grove to be
planted in northern climates. A mum.
Der of experiments have been made in
Iowa with nuts from this grove and
it is believed northern pecans will re-
suit.
The tobacco industry in northeast
ern Iowa is also reported to be in
flourishing condition this year. Tobac-
co is grown regularly in about a dozen
counties and it is generally shipped to
the factories in Wisconsin for use.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14
is TEN YEARS ON ERRANp.
Illinois Farmer Leaves Home for
Long Time Without Motive.

Nation, Ill, Nov. 4.-Ten years ago
John White. substantial farmer near
here. sold his farm and with his wife
removed to GAINESVILLE, ten miles south
OF here, to lead a retired life. One
day his wife sent him to the grocery
store to purchase a package of soda
and he disappeared. BY many he was
regarded as dead. 1t transpires that
he went to Texas and purchased a
cotton plantation and later went to
North Dakota. He stepped off the
train in Janesville the other day, went
to the grocery store, purchased pack
age of soda and entering his home
said to his wife: There's the soda"
She was overjoyed to see him and
they are living together again. White
offered no explanation for his ten
years absence.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14

the Anaconda hotel, which is four sto.
res nigh and covers an area of about
one-half a block.
Another striking piece of engineer.
ing in connection with the smelters S
the immense fiume which carries the
water to the smeiter distance of
about fourteen miles. 1t measures
seven feet in width and four feet in
helghth and not taking into account
the immense tressles which support it
in many places, it contains about T.
100000 feet of lumber
Stage Ride.
Leaving the great Northern states.
a trip of eighteen miles by stage
brings one to the city of Grainsville,
Idaho. Grainsville is situated on what
might be called half way ground, with
the mountains rising in all their beau
ty and grandeur on the east while to
the west of the city spreads out the
broad and fertile valley of Casmas
prairie.
Casmas Prairie.
This is one of the most fertile val
leys in the state and in its wide ex-
panse are to be found many large
ranches with their broad acres of way
ing grain or great herds of cattle row
ing here and there over its acres of
pasturage. Though the profit from
this valley every year reaches a large
sum. Mr.. Smith is of the opinion that
if fully utilized its output would be five
times greater than at present.
Prospecting.
About three years ago great inter
est was taken in the hunt for gold
about Grainsville and it was thought
at one time that it had been discoy-
cred in considerable quantity Pros
pecting is still being done in this vi
entity which is resulting in the discoy-
cry and opening up of new mine oc-
casionally.
Phenomenal Growth.
From a mere village with about
years ago Evansville has grown until
at present it numbers 1000 people
among its residents. Evansville as a
business center is one of the most pro-
gressive little places in the west Sew
eral large business firms are located in
Grainsville and aside from local trade
they do very large jobbing business
with the mining camps for miles
around the city.
City Improvements.
In point of city improvements Mr..
Smith stated that Grainsville was far
ahead of any towns of equal size in
lis part of the country, having well
equipped system of water works and
electric lights. 1t also beasts of local
and long distance telephones. 1t may
be of interest said Mr.. Smith to some
TO know that in running telephone
through that part of the country CON
necIlon is made with the top wire Of
fences wherever it can be done"
Former ottumwans.
During his trip Mr.. Smith saw many
people who were formerly residents of
Ottumwa, among were M. C. Myers, of
Anaconda, formerly chief of the fire
department in this city; James Hicks,
q former county auditor of Wapello
county, and Mrs. Hugh Gilchrist, a sis
ter of w. A. Work, formerly of Van
Buren, county, also of Anaconda; Rev
II. D. Crawford, of Aberdeen, Wash
ington, who was minister and council,
man in Ot'umwa years ago. when ask
ed by Mr.. Smith if he was still in poll.
tics replied, that he was not inasmuch
as the expansion idea was too preva-
lent in that part of the country. Then
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14
SERVED FIFTY WEARS.
Muscatine Priest in One Parish for
Half Century.


Muscatine, Nov Especial.
Rev. Father P. Laurent, of ST. Mat
thias' Catholic church Of Muscatine
has the remarkable distinction of hay
ing served the parish fifty years and
in addition has the honor of having re-
NAMED with one church longer than
any other priest in the state. Noyem-
Der 3, 1851, he came to Muscatine and
November s. 1901, the half century
jubilee will be celebrated by his par
ishoners and large number of visit.
ing priests. He began his passionate
here When % years OF age and is now
~, hale and hearty and intensely low,
ed by hundreds of this city, who have
had reason to appreciate his worth
and experience I'D his kind ministra-
tons.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14
SMOOTH SWINDLER.
Fiim-Flammed Cedar Ripadis Man Out
of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars.

Cedar Rapids, Nov. A. - Tommy
Naso, one of the best known Italian
fruit dealers in the city, was victimiz-
ed by a smooth stranger yesterday,
who sold him 10000 "ten-cent" cigars
for $3.50 cash, representing himself as
a federal revenue collector and claim.
ing that he was offering stock from Q
bankrupt factory that was heavily in
debt to the government. The cigars
are not worth place in garbage
crematory.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14
lOWA'S BLIND WARD.
Linnie Haguewood's progress in
Her Studies.
S DEXTROUS ALONG MANUAL LlNESl
Blind, Deaf and Dumb Girl, for Whose
Education the State Is Paying, Elk
presses Her Thanks to the People
Report Filed.

Des Moines, Nov. 4.-The annual
report of B. Murphy, trustee of the
Linnie Haguewood fund is on file in
the office of Governor Shaw. The re.
port details the manner In which the
appropriation of the state legislature
mas been expended and there is ap,
pended the report made by Miss Dora
Donald, under whoe tutorage the
states blind ward has been for several
years. Miss Donald is now the super.
intendent of the school for the blind
OF South Dakota, and Linnie Hague
wood is with her. The most interest
Ing part of the report in addition to
the precociousness and ambition OF
The blind girl in her studies is her
love for the work in the mechanical
department. Miss Donald says:
"Linnie's dexterity along manual
lines has been often mentioned. Her
love for the feminine arts is deeply
rooted in her nature and serves to
NIL each vacant hour with never end
ing pleasure. This ability has been
called into activity in the institution
printing office where she has taken
nrst honors as an operator of the
stereotype maker. All Linnies natural
characteristics are here called into
activity. She is not called upon to
depart from the well known path, and
she writes with an assurance born of
conscious power. Proof reading and
binding make Linnie a valuable as.
sistant in the printing office while it
opens an avenue of employment in a
financial way.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14
BUYS INDIAN LAND.
Fort Totten Reservation Probably Will
Be Opened Next Sprinq.

Devils Lake, N. D., Nov. 4.-Major
Mclaughlin, special agent of the Int.
rior department, has concluded a
treaty with the Fort Totten reserya-
ton Indians and the government. The
Indians agree to sell $4,000 acres for
$55O,00o, the sum of $4,000 to be
paid after Re tifcation and $4,000 a
year for twenty years. They also
agree to .relinquish all rights to a rec
ognized claim against the government
of $4,000. Senator Hansbrough be-
lieves the reservation will be ready
for settlement next spring.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14
MORE FACTS FROM THE CENSUS
Figures on School, Militia, and votina
Ages for All States,


Washington, D. c., Nov. 4.-The
census report on school, militia, and
voting ages for all states and terrific
ries show the following summary for
the country as whole:
Persons of school age, to 20 years,
26,11O,7SS, of whom 24,S97, 100 are ma.
tive born, 22.490,211 are white, and
l3,0S6,l60 are males; males of militia
age, 16,360,363, of whom 1872, 2SO are
native born and 14,495,396 are white;
and males of voting age. 21,329,S19, of
whom 16,227,2S5 are native born and
19,036.143 are white.
OF the total number of males 81
years of age and over 2,34o,255 are il
literate. OF the 16,227,2S5 native born
males q years of age and over 1,706,-
293 are illiterate and of the STOP, $50
foreign born $4,000 are illiterate.