The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-25
CAME WEST EARLY
Charles w. Cannon One of the Earl
lest Of the Pioneers Visits
Minneapolis.
Finds Only One Whose Memory Goes
Back to Days Of His
Arrival.


experiences in the early days of ST. Paul
is an unusual experience. TO be the old
est living settler of Minnesota, the old
est OF Montana, and, at the same time,
the oldest Of Iowa, is still more remark
able. All Of these belong to a. man who
is in the city to-day, the guest of Joseph
Chapman, Jr.
ranch owner of Helena, Mont, came to-
st. Paul Tuesday with his wealth of rem
iniscences he found A. l.. Larpenteur the
only one who could awake with him mem
cries OF common experiences Of early
days, now that Governor Ramsey has
gone. Captain Blakeley, ]. c. Burbank,
Colonel j. H. Stevens, Editor Goodhue,
Louis Robert, companions of former days,
are all departed. Yet Mr.. Cannon, to be-
20 years old July 1, looks only go, and
apears as hale. or even heartfer, than
members Of the younger generation.
Paradoxically Mr.. Cannon said: Sun
day met more of my old-time friends
than have seen together for years. They
were very amicable, forgetting their old
some glorious future Mr.. Cannon re-
ferred to a visit at Lakewood, where AZ
saw almost countless headstones OF men
whom he had known in early days.
Turned George Pullman Away.
In 1886 Mr. Cannon went from his ma
tive city, Cleveland, to Dubuque, when
Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin were in
Guided in the territory of Michigan. In
1849 he came to st. Paul and In 1850 he
returned to Dubuque by boat, going from
there, thirty eight years ago, to Montana
by the way Of Omaha and along the Platte
in wagons. This took over five months.
and the principal diet was flour and penn
mican. One experience which pleases him
to recount is the fact that he refused to
sell George Pullman two sacks OF -four
at Central City on credit Mr.. Pullman
never forgot this, and had paid many
time the price of the -four while re-
counting the joke to friends on occasional
meetings with Mr.. Cannon.
When living in ST. Paul, Mr.. Cannon
was with ]. w. Simpson & Co., at Third
and Robert streets, the first stone store
in the town, and adjoining the executive
mansion of Governor Ramsey. Some Of
the incidents which caused Mr.. Larpen-
teur to weep with laughter on their re-
call. Mr.. Cannon related to-day. Mr.. Lar
penteur would read from a book Of pio-
neer sketches and Mr.. Cannon would fin
ish the story. One was of Captain Null
ford, a steamboat man, who had curl
ously worked Indian flute. He would play
this beautifully, and, laying it down casu-
ally would stroll off. When the curious
passenger would try to draw notes from
full Of flour.
Treats for the Savages.
Ramsey and Cannon used to furnish the
'.victuals'' for Indian pow-wows on the
river front. Governor Ramsey would
furnish barrels of hard tack. Cannon
would add several pounds of sugar to
water which the Indians would bring in
pals from the spring beside Moffetts
hotel, or "The Temperance Place"
Stirred with broomstick the detection
was delicious.
! The first circus came toe town on q,
steamer This circus had a caliope and
after the Indians were gotten safely
aboard the steamer the caliope was let
loose with vengeance causing the In
dams to get overheard in every conceiv-
able fashion to avoid the supposed inn
pending explosion. This circus couldn't
pay its license, so Cannon, acting for
Simpson, the city treasurer, collected the
first 500 at the entrance and turned the
balance over to the show treasurer.
The Little Crow Sioux used to spend
much time in ST. Paul in games and
pow-wows. One remarkable occasion was
when two chiefs. Little Grow and Hole
in-the-Day, bet their beaded leggins on q
race between members of their bands.
Goodhue's Boom Stories.
what they are. 1t is revelation to see
them with their bands playing" This as
the Gentry shows parade passed, was
caused by the relation of the wonderful
foresight Of the northWest's future shown
by Editor Goodhue of the Pioneer. He
published to the world the great advan-
tages of Minnesota and its future as
grain growing country and a great farm
ing and stock raising territory. 1t was
o 1chf nd ~f,,1
preston Of it Dire to ST. Paul inn
migrants from Maine. After they had
gone out and viewed the land they re-
turned and threatened to throw the Pho
neer's press into the river. Your id
country is nothing but tamarack swamp
and all you can raise is cranberries.'' So
Infatuated were they that they wanted to
hang Goodhue.
"And poor Goodhue did not tell one
fiftieth of the resources of the state. with
all his extravagances. He had great ex-
pectations and some of these same peo-
pie from Maine realized on them,' added
Mr.. Cannon.
Whisky in Cook Stoves.
In those days there was no staging be-
tween ST. Paul and st. Anthony. Mr..
Cannons time was before that. Hudson
Bay goods were shipped from New Or
leans by boat and reshipped by the Simp-
son company at St. Paul in Red river
carts. The Indians would thus get their
teas. etc. Cook stoves were shipped north
in this way. but the ovens were invari-
ably Allied With pint bottles of whisky
which were exchanged with the Indians
for furs alcng the road.
Mr.. Cannon's life has been a remarkable
one and his vivacious manner of story
telling detracts not one whit from the
zest which favored the actual incidents Of
early days.
William LIE Grande Cannon, who died in
February at San Diego. well known
young man thru the country. was the SON
of Mr.. and Mrs. Cannon. They have just
completed the burial at Dubuque. the
early home. Mrs. Cannon is with the
family of Charles Brush In Cleveland