Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-05-22
STORY OF FT.ATkINSON
lContinued from first page. J

| cities OF Iowa.
| Ellis had become acquainted with
| the soldiers Of the fort and with the
teachers. He did not at that time
think that in less than twenty years,
these men daily on the parade ground
were training TO enter into a conflict
against one another. which Well nigh
divided forever this union of states
which Clay and Webster at this time
by concessions and compromise tried
to unite into a formidable union
lone and inseparable. "
Gen. Henry Atkinson, by birth a
southerner and bv choice democrat,
wonld no doubt have fought on the
southern side in that approaching
conflict, but he was spared tnat choice
which fell to Lee and passed away in
1912 lamented on account of his many
good qualities of head and heart.
What name could he not have made
| for himself as the first governor of
Iowa. He was extremely popular, a
leader of men, and had lived on the
frontier. and knew how to come in
contact with the class of men, of
which the white population was at
that time made up. He no doubt
could have become leader and would
have been respected and admired and
! would have died full of honors as the
| first governor of territory which
became in course of time, one of the
most important west of the Fathers of
Waters. V
Even at that time there seemed to
have been number OF candidates for
the place, and many of whom later
became important factors in our gov
eminent. Most prominent among
these were men like Henry Dodge,
and George w. Jones Robert Lucas
had not been an avowed candidate but
he had influential friends at Washing
ton. Martin Van Buren, had heard of
this fighter, who took part in the war
Of 1912 and who had taken leading
part in the bitter campaign which
elevated Van Buren, to the chief
magistrate and the president figured
shat he could be still more useful in
swinging the state to his way of
thinking, in the battles which might
have to be fought for democratic
supremacy in the new territory to the
west of the Mississippi river. The
result was, that Robert Lucas re-
cejved the appointment and at once
started fo- his new position with
hope in his heart and with full faith
in his abilities to rule the infant
country with its struggling settlers
who had built log huts along the Dor
ders OF the great river-the Indians
holding forth over most of the terri
tory.
Thus Atkinson, explorer and Indian
fighter, empire builder and man of
affairs, lost his only chance to become
governor of a territory which later
should WELD such an influence in the
affairs of the nation. Atkinson's
fame then, is to be linked with that
of Black Hawk the two characters of
, the last great Indian war waged for
continent, and with Bad Axe, the last
stand the stubborn redskin took for
his wigwam and his firesde, which
defeat opened up the richest and the
largest territory yet opened up to
white settlement. Atkinson survived
Black Hawk only four years, the lat
ter passing away at what was known
us lowaville on Oct. ~, 1888, aged
more than three score and ten. but
still in the full strength of his early
manhood defeated, but still having
faith and hope that some day some
member of his race might arise to deal
vet another blow at the white civil
cation, such as he had done on many
bloody battlefield. 1t would have
been fitting tribute to the old chief
had The conqueror been acting ms gov
ernor at that time and taken part
at the funeral of one of the shrewdest,
most alert Indians with which our
government has had to deal.
The tort which bore the name of
Atkinson was not long to survive the
name of the founder, for that too,
was to perish together with its school,
military road and all improvements.
When the post was disbanded the
people removed. the Indians were
taken away 70 other quarters, and il
became in n few years only desolate
ruin, the fit place for bats and owls:
and now. today, one can find but
little of value TO remind him of the
halcyon days of the forties. of the
swell parties, of the social dances. of
the dress parades and of the good Old
times which VIII never return. Ii is
forsaken spot like so many other
early Iowa ventures and even the name
of the Indian fighter is forgotten by
most OF our population, so tickle is
fame and SO uncertain the length of
duration of those whom fate marks as
her own. Bladder in @. X. Gazette.
More News from the New England States
IL any one has any doubt as to the
yirtue of Eoley's Kidney Cnra thav