Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-08-25

it's banks ever so far. Then by fell
ing a tree that reached over it, we
concluded to take short cut over
the bluffs to reach McGregor instead |
of following the waters edge. In |
this we made a terrible mistake. The |
steep hills covered with timber and
brush, together with the deep snow
imreded our progress so that we did
not reach our destination before long
after midnight. Fortunately for us
a dancing party at the little hotel
was using the small hours in merry
making. This gave US access to a
warm room for the rest of the night
When called to breakfast the next
morning my appetite was keen
enough, having had nothing to eat
since the previous morning, but my
stiff and sore limbs could hardly
be made to carry me to the table
We took a job of cutting wood at
| fifty cents cord, boarding ourselves.
be found, SO we had to board at the
hotel. The only heightened part of
the hotel was the bill The outcome
of this adventure was that after two
weeks OF hard work we had saved
sufficient to buy iron for two wedges
snd maul-rings, with which to
\ Of
and little sugar. On our going home,
the trip came near being as severe
to me as it had been coming down.
We started early one morning, in
company with neighbor who had a
yoke of oxen. This slow way of
going did not suit me, hence, falling
in with young man of our acquaint-
ance. parted company with my ia
Their, to walk on ahead and try to get
home the same day. Ny portion OF
the little lunch we had along was
forgotten in the hurry and the jour-
ney of nearly fifty miles, afoot on
bad roads, was accomplished without
morsel of food, having not a cent
of money to buy with and being too
proud or too diffident to beg. Long
after dark when given something to
eat my strength was so entirely ex-
Eausted that / fell into a kind tof
swoon from which 1 recovered after
resting a while.
In the matter of clothing, we were
put to about the same straits as men,
| toned in the way of food. | remem-
Der distinctly that during the two
first winters ncith". Undertaking
nor oveicoats were worn, for the
soo d reason that there were none to
wear, and overshoes were a thing
scarcely heard Of, much less seen.
Nevertheless good health was always
enjoyed by young and old.
The land on which we settled did
not came into market the first year,
but the settlers agreed upon plan
by which they could defend each
other in the possession of their homes
against unwelcome intruders. Club
claim" expressed this method exact
ly, both because it indicated a join
or clubbing together, and at the
same time reminded one of clubs
and cudgels as the most ready wea-
pons Of defense, If need be. When
the COVE, nment proclaimed the lands
in market, $500 in gold was the
price Of quarter section. Land
warrants given to soldiers of the
Mexican War were used extensively
for the entering of lands, as they
were sold and borgit at a less price
per acre than that demanded by the
government. To get the necessary
fun Is with which to pay for the land
was, for many, a difficult thing to
do. Those who had money would not
lend 1t for less that three or four
per cent per month on good security. |
Generally the owner of the money
bought the land in his own name and
gave the posessor a bond for the |
deed. Fortunately for the poor, land
was not supposed to be worth i.uch, |
there being SO much of it and no
reasonable prospect of it's becoming |
settled for a long time to come !
Hence there was at first no grea: |
rush at the land office in Dubuque |
70 which our district belonged. This |
state of things did not, however, last |
very long, people poured into the |
country much faster than anticipa-
ted. The consequence was that a |
scrambling for getting good land |
ensued, which defies description. In
our midst no bloody encounters
took place, but some ludicrous
scenes were enacted to the merriment
OF the lookers-On, though serious
enough to the actors.
There was at that time no limit,
a person could purchase all the land
he wanted IL he had the money to
pay for it. This afforded spectators
or