The Irish standard., 1902-12-20

JtItNdtl LSOf.
''On the Goth day of April, 1910, in
the afternoon. Il st. Louis steamboat,
the first of the season, arrived at Du-
buque, bound for ST Peters and Fort
Smelling. Right Rev. DR.. Loras i'm
mediately came to me and told me
that he desired to send me towards
the upper waters of the Mississippi.
"There'waS TO st. Paul ut that time;
there WAS ON the site of the present
city but Il single log house, occupied
by Il man named Phelan. and steam
boats never stopped there. The boat
landed at the foot of Fort Smelling,
then @:lrriSonel Ivy Il few regular
soldiers, under command OF Maj.
Plimpton. The sight Of the fort, COM
manding from the elevated Gronontory
the two rivers. the Mississippi and tue
st Peter. pleased me: but The dis
covery which | Sron made that there
were ouly Il few houses on the ST.
Peter side, and but two on the side
of the fort. surrounded by Il complete
wilderness, without any signs of fields
under tillage gave mo to understand
that hcnccforth my mission and life
must be career of rrivation, hard
trials and suffering, and wCu d require
of me patience, labor and resigna
tion. | had before me. under my
charge, Il large territorial district. but
few souls to watch over. | introduced
myself to Mr.. Campbell, IL Scotch yl,ll-
tleman. the Indian inierllcser. to
whom was recommended l'y the hisl-
op. At his home | received Il kind
welcome from his good Christian wife.
Il charitable Catholic woman. For
about Il month | remained there as
one of the family. But although we'll
treated by all the mpmh,rS of tho
house. l did not. Willie thus living
feel sufficiently free to discharge my
pastoral duties. so | obtained Il Sepa-
rate room for my own use and made
of it Il Kitchen. Il pnror and Il chapel.
Out of some boards | built Il little
altar, which WAS Gptnc in tiiir ht serv
ice, and during the balance of the day
was folded up and colcc;llcd hy dlapa-
ry.
''In that precarious and somewhat
difficult position | continued fer over II
year. On the Fort Smelling side | had
under my charge. besides some sol
diers. six families -Reschr. lnpn,
Quinn. Campbell, Brace and RrSico
and on the ST Peter side. hrSilcs some
unmarried men in the employ OF he
company, five f;lnilics-l'Hl'ii
Martin. Lord and two TulpinS
IN circumstance rather l,au in Itself
commenced t" better my situation by
procuring for me II new station and Il
change i'm my field Of labor. Some
families who had left the Red river
settlement. British America, ON Ac-
count of the Hoods and loss of the
crop in the years lS33T-:iS. had located
the Mississippi opposite the fort. TN
fortunately some soldiers; crossed the
river NOW and then to the houses of
these settlers and returned intoxicated.
sometimes remaining out a day or two
or more without reporting TO their
quarters. Consequently !: deputy mar
shall from Prairie .lu chicn was order
cd to remove the houses. lie went to
work. assisted by some soldiers. aud
tages, extending about livr mics along
the river. The settlers wcrr forced
to seek new homes.
N new settlement WIS formed auulii
two miles below The cave, composed Of
those enliGrartS from the Rcd river
ard others. There wrra Ron,lo. vino
purchased the only cultivated iprr OF
ground in the place. phr'an's Il cl i'm.
Vital Gurrin. GerNai; and his brother.
etc. ! had to visit occasionally these
forsallen families. II lrcam" Mrrt's,.
sary To chupSc II Suitable snul for :!
church. Three points were uttrsph one
called H Point" li;lSsr, ur ruintr Ir,
clair (now on account ,f Il sand bar.
in its vicinity commonly known rs
Pigs Eye lar>. | cb rct Il TO that
place; it WAs the extreme end of the
settlement and being low ground was
exposed in high water to iuvnlntiun,
The itcl Of llvimg the church swept
down towards st. Louis onr day did
not please me. Two and onc-half
miles farther up. on his elevated ri;,iln
Il Catholic named Charles Mollsscau Of
fered me an acre Of his ground; but
neither did this place suit my purpose.
was truly looking ahead to the f,l-
turc as well as to the present time.
Steamboats, could not stop there; the
bank was too steep and space on the
summit was too narrow and commune
cation difficult With the places of the
other settlers UP and down the river
After mature reflection Sc. el;ll per
SONS asked me to put UP the church
as near as FOSSIL lc to the cave. it be.
ing more convenient for me on my
way from st. Peters to cross the ryc:'
at this point. and that place being the
nearest point to the head of navigation
Ouside the reservation line Mrssrs. y.
Gervais and Vital Guerin two good