The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-02-07

New York, Feb. 6.-The one hun
dredth anniversary of the birth OF
Abraham Lincoln, which is TO be OBJ
served on February u, has brought
TO light some facts regarding his ca
reer which were little known before
Notwithstanding the many volumes
that have been written about nina
Two of these comparatively OBSCURE
features of his career are brought ou'
by magazine article in which II Is
shown that Lincoln was once cor
poFation lawyer and that he never saw
more than a third of the territory o.
the United States, never having pene-
trated west of the Missouri river
According to General Grenville II.
Dodge. one Of the few men still liy-
ing who was closely associated with
Lincoln before the war between the
states, as we'll as during that strug-
gle. Iincoln's visit to Council Bluffs,
the Westernmost point in the country
that be ever visited, was made IN
1859, Just fifty years ago. At THAI
time Gen. Dodge was an engineer IN
the service of the Chicago and Rock
Island railroad engaged in work on
its line west from Chicago to Council
Bluffs. Mr. Lincoln had been one or
the legal representatives. of the road
in some of its litigation and through
this connection vas induced to pur-
chase some lots at the western ter
minus of the line. The fact that
Lincoln was at one stage of his ca
reer a railroad lawyer is not gener-
ally known. If he had had to do with
the politics Of the present day no
doubt greater publicity !. would have
been given to the fact anu it might
have been used against him. but at
that time il was not considered any
thing against man TO serve cerpo-
ration.
Lincoln's visit to Council Bluffs was
made to inspect the property that he
had bought and in this connection an
interesting coincidence is brought out
by the Appleton writer.
About this same time" he says.
Clement J.. Vallandingham bought
property adjoining the lots owned by
Mr.. Lincoln The fact that they had
neighborly interests in Council Bluffs
does not seem to have brought them
any closer in their political views, for,
as is known 10 all, Mr.. Valianding-
ham in mis- public speeches during the
civil war denounced Mr. Lincoln and
the government, was arrested, tried
by court martial, and sentenced TO
close confinement. The president
obeying the generous instincts of his
big heart, commuted the sentence to
Punishment into the Confederate
lines. Mr. ValIandingham, however,
was disappointed with his reception
by the ConfedeTates. and sought
refuge in Canada, so that the affairs
of the two men apparently never met
again.
8Ir. Lincoln came from Chicago to
ST. Joseph, Missouri, by rail, and then
proceeded up the Missouri river by
steamboat to Council Bluffs. These
steamboats, were stern wheelers, and
so rugged that they could lift them
selves by spars over the shallow
places and sand bars in the river. We
may feel certain that the voyage was
of great interest 10 the traveller, for
he himself devised an apparatus for
that purpose. Having planned n
mechanism of bellows, ropes and
pulleys, he made a model of it, sent
it to Washington, and a patent waE
issued. although it is not recorded
that the invention was ever utilized.
During LincOln'S visit, some of the
citizens of Council Bluffs took him 10
a high blum known as Cemetery Hill
Just north OF the town. From this
point could be had view of ne
country ten miles north and ten
niles south, up and down the great
IisSouri river valley. and across the
Missouri river five miles west. lie
vas greatly impressed with the out
look. and the bluff from that time has
been known as Lincoln Hill. 1t is