The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1905-04-06

come to America" Strangers in a
strange land ,as they were, this
greeting was joyous note tothem
nuder the circumstances. They
supposed they were coming to a
wilderness and had brought with
them all manner of household goods,
chests, cabinets, plows, farm wag-
onsall of which could have been
purchased in St. Louis. They had
much to unlearn, and many morc
things to learn. They journeyed By
the primitive American railroads and
canals to Pittsburg, thence by
steamer on the Ohio and Missis-
sippi rivers to st. Louis.
The journey was tedious and wear
isome to these peasant people. The
cars were so small that they scarce
ly Accommodated eight persons with
comfort and wele drawn up steep
grades by stationery engines. The
emigrants were unaccustomed to
mountains. There were no hills in
the home land. They were accus-
toned to canal boats but these were
so different American boats climb
ed mountains by means of locks.
crossed rivers and viaducts ana
passed through tunnels under noun
tains.
They were three weeks in making
the journey from Baltimore to St.
Louis. They reached st. Louis
early in July. 1t was three mGaths
since they left Holland. Twenty
had died on the sea voyage and
four since they left Baltimore. They
remained in st. Louis during July
and. part of August. The weather
was extremely hot to them and
their Accommodations were poor, but
they were thankful for the cordial
American welcome everywhere. One
of the st. Louis Presbyterian church
es was thrown open to them during
their stay and they used it for both
church and Sunday school services.
The newspapers of the cities
through which they had passed had
published the report that they were
possessed of much wealth and these
rumors caused them to have to pay
higher prices for what they needed
than were paid by other emigrants
who had the reputation of being in
poor circumstances.
In truth, they had with them quite
an amount of money, all in gold,
which they kept guarded very close.
ly. Money was extremely scarce at
that time in the west, especially
west of the Mississippi At St.
Louis H. P. Scholte, the president
Of the colony, joined them, after
having made a tour of a number of
the eastern cities in the interet os
the coming settlement. lie vas
much gratified at the cordiat well
come extended to his coiatr?men
everywhere ne went. In New York
he met many of the descendants of
the Hollanders whose ancestors had
come to America some two hundred
years before. ,' ~ - rf
From st. Louis they sent out fiSe
spies to report on suitable place
to form their settlement. Missouri
was Objectionable because of the
slavery question; Illinois was ser.-
ously considered and it is stated
that the town of Nauvoo, which
had just been abandoned by the
Mormons, was offered to them at a
bargain. From the first Iowa had
been regarded with favor and the
commissioners to this state went to
Fairfield to counsel with General Van
Antwerp who had charge of the
government land Office. Inc Dutch
name attracted them. While there
they met the Rev. NJ. J. Post, a
Baptist missionary, in whom Mr..
{ Scnolte says he "noted the hand of
God" Having been all over tho
New Purchase, he persuaded the
commissioners to visit the divide in
Marion county, which he called the
garden spot of Iowa. The commits
sioners were pleased with the beau
tiful rolling prairies, and according
ly bought two civil townships of
land, paying the government price,
$1.25 per acre. This done, they re-
turned TO ST. Louis TO bear the good
news to their people.
All were thoroughly glad to be on
the move and a steamboat was
chartered from st. Louis to Keokuk
They left st. Louis on Saturday af-
ternoon and reached Keokuk on Mon
day morning. Impressive religious
services were he'd on Sunday. In
the addresses the colonists were
compared to the Israelites entering
the promised land. At Keokuk they
purchased horses, oxen and wagons.
into which their goods were loajed.
They paid for everything in gold,
much to the delight of the Ameri.
cans, who were little accustomed 20
see so much money in the west.
The seven hundred strangers at
tracted 10 little attention aud thor
outfit formed quite procession.
Some amusing things occurred as
they were preparing for their over
land journey. Mr.. Matthias De