The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-04-25
THos. HUGHES PAPER.
Continue d from Fifth Page. J

time the export of grains had grown
to be an important item. With SO
many Indians in the valley the ship
mept of furs, which at first had been
about the only export of the country,
still continued valuable, but because
of their small bulk cut but little hg-
ure in the boating business. This year
the value of the furs from the Sioux
agencies was $4S, 416, and from the
Winnebago country, 81. 600.
The spring of 1869 witnessed another
great food in the Minnesota and navi-
CATION was opened by the Albany. She
reached ST. Peter and Mankato on her
first voyage. on April 18th. The Pomeroy,
an excellent new boat, was put.into the
trade this spring by the Davidson
company. Two small boats, the Clara
Hine and G. 81. Wilson, entered the
Minnesota also for the first time this
spring. Messrs. Stage and Handy,
of ST. Paul, put small boat called,
New Ulm Belle, which they built
with the machinery of the Clarion,
also into the Minnesota traffic in
charge of Captain Scott. The Favor
tie, oficered by Edwin Bell, captain
and n. B. Hatcher, clerk, and the
Jeanette Roberts Differed by Nelson
Robert. captain, and Jack Raney,
clerk, were active in the trade this
year as usual. The register OF boat
arrivals at Mankato for the year is as
follows: Albany, from below, ~;
from above, 1 Jeanette Roberts, from
below, 10, from above, 81 Favorite,
from below, 9. from above 1; Clara
.Hine from below s from above l
Pomeroy from below from above l !;
Ariel from below 2; G. 81. Wilson
from below l. Total from below 5S;
from above -. Length of period of
navigation April 18th to July Goth
3 months and days. Wheat shipped
from Manksto to these boats amounted
to 81, 900 bushels and s, 900 bushels
were shipped from South Bend.
Below the rapids navigation con-
tinued until late in November and the
total arrivals at st. Paul wharf from
the Minnesota was 413-the largest in
the rivers history. The fall naviga-
ton may have been slightly stimulated
by the requirements of the Sioux
war. Immediately, on news of the
ha re- Y,pSa7s N
Bell, carried the first soldiers of Gen
eral Sibley's command with such arms
and ammunition as could be hastily
gathered at Ft. Smelling and st. Paul,
to the defense of the frontier, taking
them to Shakopee and one company as
far as the rapids.
The Jeanette Roberts was the first
boat in 1868. She arrived in Mankato
on April 3rd, and was there greeted
by the entire population of the town,
including about 1000 soldiers, who
made the echos ring with their cheers.
1t was customary in those steamboat
days for young and old, male and
female, in every town along the river,
at the deep baying sound of the first
whistle, to gather at the levee to well
come the first boat. To the lonely
pioneer, the vigils of long winter
in the wilderness were trying, and the
arrival of the first boat was an event
in his life, when he heard from his
childhood home and the outside world,
and when his exhausted larder would
be replenished and a few relishes
would relieve the monotonous round of
corn cake
Much of the traffic this year consist
ed in transporting troops and supplies
in connection with the Sioux war.
The Favorite. the winter before, had
been heightened by cutting her in two
and inserting piece thirty feet long
into her middle, just ahead of her
machinery and wheels. This, while
it materially increased the boats
capacity, rather spoiled her appear
ance. She was taken entirely into the
one of her hrst duties was the trans
portation Of the 270 condemned Sioux
from their Mankato prison to their
new quarters at Davenport, Iowa
They left Mankato on April 22d, and
the As acquitted Indians with 10 or
90 squaws, who had been acting as
cooks went with them
During the winter, under the re-
ligious instruction of the missionaries,
Williamson, Riggs and Pond, won
derful trsnsformation..had occurred in
these wild savages of "a few months
before-a transformation that proved
sincere and lasting-and as they sailed
down the river they sang religious
hymns in their native tongue. Affect
ing indeed was the scene as, in pass
ing Fl. Smelling, and st. Paul, where
their squaws and papooses were i'm,
prisoned, they sang their favorite
hymn, "Have Mercy upon Us, c
Jehovah to the tune of Old Hun
dred.
In May the Winnebagoes were re-
moved from Blue Earth county tt
their new Agency in Nebraska. and OF
the evening of the 9Th of this month,
the Pomeroy and Eolian arrived al
Mankato to take part in the transpor
tation of this tribe. Eleven hundred
Of than had alreadv nitchad thail
teepees in what was called Camp Por
ter-on the river bank just back o.
rnhorn nnm atands Hubbard &n PalYna]