The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-06-10

or alarm which this Indian raid again
caused i'll that settlement. MANY set
tiers again seriously contemplated
finally abandoning their homes and prop
erty and fleeing for their lives; but
squads OF armed men were organized
the country was secured, pickets were
put out, the women and children were
corralled as well as possible, and after
while confidence was again partially
restored
This was the last Indian raid int,
southwestern Minnesota, save the raid
in which The Jewet family in Rlpi
Can were murdered with the circunl
stances of which YOU are all familiar
but it is easy to understand the ter
rible mental strain and anxiety of the
people of these settlements through
those years. and why it is that they
are entitled to he listed among the
most hardy and daring pioneers OF
america.
Immigration Became Brisk.
about the inc of the close OF the
War of the Rebellion immigration be.
came brisk. and many new settlers
came into the southern part of this
county. Discharged soldiers with some
money came in. colony of thrifty
Germans located west of the Blue
Earth. and signs of thrift and pros
perty were for the first time manifest
i'll all directions. I'm the years of 1866
and 1867 there was veritable farmers
boom throughout all the country. Many
new settlers arrived, all seemed to have
plenty of money, much new land was
/ broken up, and much building was
done. All of the grain crop seemed to
be needed for bread, seed and feed for
the newcomers. Tire was no occasion
to haul produce to market. 1t was all
taken eagerly at the farm. There was
in 1866 a magnificent crop Of every
thing. Wheat sold at the farm in the
spring Of 1867 at from $50 to SIS
per, bushel Oats at 80 cents and -
cents, potatoes at 81 and upwards, and
everything else accordingly.
"This caused great increase in acre
age OF: producing ground. Every one
turned over all of the ,unbrokem land
which he could possibly break. The
acreage of titled land was increased
many fold. Some said that wheat
would never go below 81 again. How
about the result of all this? The crop
of 1867 was very bOuntiful one.
Farmers were compelled to pay So to
$3.50 per day for five, six and some
times seven harvest hands to follow
the old hand rake or self rake reapers,
and the wheat crop sold at FROM 50
cents to % cents per bushel Debts
were created for new machinery at high
prices and high rates of interest. Low
prices of produce continued to prevail
for many years, and the result was
an extended period of great depression
and hard times. Many farms were lost
under mortgages and many of the early
settlers we're compelled to go elsewhere
and start again.
The True Pioneer.
a true pioneer is strictly a pioneer,
and is very seldom fitted or able to
compete or cope with the more shrewd
and experienced man of the world. He
is as a rule quite unable to reason
from cause to effect, or to foresee APP
preaching conditions. and profit there
by He is quite Incompetent to deal
with the average business man at arms
length, and the result is inevitable,
"the survival of the tittest,"' as has
been. very hearlessly said.
The average big hearted, whole;
soued, generous and honest !. pioneer,
loved by all who know him.. rcvered
in memory after his death, suffers hard.
ship and privation, sometimes star
vation and dcath.to open and develop
some garden spot on this. beautiful
earth, only to be crowded out by his
more shrewd successor, who lives to en-
Joy the fruits of his toll.
In this day and age of great and
rapid transitions, of industrial and COM
mercial war. wonderful inventions and
intense life, when the industrial, COM
mercial and social world, is going at
such furious pace, let us not forget
that the pioneers of all this country,
both east and west. made all this pos
sible, yes, indeed, made this country.
They are the people who made this
great state. and who arc entitled to the
credit for pretty nearly all that, is good
and true, and brave and worthy in it.
"They came in the days when men
across the great river hitched oxen to
covered wagon. and with\ their FAM
lilies and household goods drove over
corduroy roads, through sloughs and
sand, through forests and prairie. across
half continent to the frontier beyond
Mere girls and boys driving teams and
following cows, as joyous as if lifeI
was one long holiday, tired women gaz
ing from under the canvas tops won
derng whittier bound children as ruddy
as cherries first riding and then running
along side, all chasing the setting sun.
Tribute to the Women.
IF we had a Gainsborough to paint
the pioneer men and women of the
west. would we not spend our efforts i
to more purpose, treasuring the pass
ing century's record of the heroic men
and women who have lead the van
guard of the nations frontier For |
heroism, enduring, suffering and daring,
the story of Americas pioneer women
alone, is one beside which the legends !
of Joan of Are turn pale.