Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-02-15
THE SIMPLE LIFE OF A COMMONER
an AUTOBIOGRAPHY
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

At that time there were no rail-
roads in the state running west
from the Mississippi; all produce
was hauled to the river towns by
wagon, which was slow, tiresome.
expensive way of getting it to mar
ket; 1t also entailed much suffering
during the winter months for be 1t
remembered that there were no arc
tics or fur-lined shoes. nor were
there any fur overcoats as at the
present time; so that farmers who
were obliged to haul their wheat.
pork and other products to market.
some of them fifty or sixty miles.
suffered intensely from frozen hands
nd feet, and not infrequently from
~ : of nourishing food, being sev-
ere 'eys on the road. often hind
cred. billiards. and the deep
SHOWS, ough which they were
compelled to shovel a passage for
their teams. Then, too, when they
had overcome all obstacles and
finally reached the river, prices were
so low that it took almost all the
load brought to pay their expenses.
AS an illustration of the difficulties
connected with the transportation
problem, the farmers after killing
and dressing their hogs at home and
hauling them to Lyons, were oblig-
ed to cut off the heads and feet,
which they sold or gave away to
anyone who would take them rather
than pay the expense of their trans
portation by boat to market down
the river This the steamboat peo-
pie were glad to have them do as
they were often unable to meet the
demands upon their carrying capa-
city, Also in addition to these trou-
bles there was another very serious
embarrassment; the country was
without a stable currency, there was
not sufficiency of coin to do its
business and its paper money was
decidedly unsafe. Much of 1t here
in the west was what was character
izedzas Wild cat. red dog, shin pias-
ters, ETC., which might be good to-
day and worthless tomorrow. 1t
became necessary for business men
to have at hand a ban k note de-
tector, which was of some value IL
the issue was the very latest, for
1t gave the value of the paper
money at the time of issue, which
would be worth anywhere from ten
to ninety cents on the dollar. 1t
also gave great opportunities for
dishonesty on the part of the buyer
If he was disposed to take undue ad-
vantage of the ignorance of the
farmer and unload on him depre-
ciated currency, the true value Of
which the farmer would be ignor-
ant. 1t was therefore very dis
couraging TO men who had hauled
their grain fifty miles to market and
sold it at night, to find the money
which was supposed to be good
when they were paid either utterly
worthless or not worth more than
forty or fifty cents on the dollar
next morning. Many of the mer-
chants issued their own paper in the
form of a due-bill which they after
ward redeemed in cash or paid in
goods. In this way the money prob
lem was partly solved for the time
being at least. for the residents of
the towns.
The fearful tragedy at Spirit
Lake, which so horrified the state
and concerning which so many diff
ferent accounts have been given, oc-
Cured the following spring. AS 1t
is a part of the history of our state
in which every Iowan is interested,
take the liberty to quote from one
who was on the ground and may
therefore be reckoned as an author
ity whose words may be received
without question. The Rev. Mr..
Taylor says: THE Indians having
camped near .Smithland for the pur-
pose of hunting and fishing, oc-
casionally some few would pass
through the town. At this time,
three or four called in at store,
with few ears of corn gathered
up in field thrown out to the COM
mons. A few of the whites or rath-
er roughs asked them where they
had obtained their corn, to which
the Indians frankly replied. No
more was said, but the whites went
out into tnicket, cut each one a
hickory, then returned. fell upon
the Indians and chased them into
their camp. The males, most OF
them. being absent on a hunt. the
whites gathered up all their guns
remaining and brought them to
Smithfield, having made them prom
too hafnra thnxr I>et xkot ~ :