The Mankato free press., 1912-06-28
CONQUEST OF FRONTIER
Continued from Page Three.


on one of my shoes; the other one
l could not find. In fifteen minutes
from the first tap of the drum we
were in line, some without shoes,
some without hats, several without
guns, nearly all in partial state of
undress, only to receive well-de-
served scolding for our utter dis
order.
After two more similar expert
get into line of battle, fully equipped
in three minutes from the first tap
of the drum. ] am still inclined to
practice the lesson l then learned.
About the first of October we were
relieved by company of Minnesota
cavalry, and were ordered to join
our regiment at Fort Smelling and
go south.
High Price For Wheat.
About the time of the close of the
war, immigration became brisk. and
many new settlers came into South
western Minnesota, and signs of
thrift and prosperity were for the
first time manifest in all directions.
In the years 1866 and 1867 there
was veritable farmers boom
throughout all the country; much
new land was broken and much
building done. All of the grain crop
seemed to be needed for bread. seed
and feed for the newcomers. There
was no occasion to haul produce to
market 1t was all eagerly taken at
the farm. There was in 1866 a
splendid crop of everything. Wheat
sold at the farm in the spring of
1867 at from 81 to SO per bushel;
oats at so cents and Is cents; pota-
toes at 81 and upwards, and every
thing else accordingly. This caused
a great increase in acreage of pro-
ducing ground, which was increased
would never go below 81 again. How
about the result of all this?
The crop of 1867 was very
bountiful one. Farmers were com
PEELED to pay from So to $3.50 per
day each for six or seven harvest
hands to follow the old hand rake
or self rake reapers. and the wheat
crop sold at from 35 cents to SIS
cents per bushel. Debts had been
created for new machinery at high
prices, and high rates of interest.
Low prices of produce prevailed for
many years. and the result was an
extended period of great depression
and very hard times. Many farms
were lost under mortgages, anA
many of the early settlers were com
PEELED to go elsewhere and start
again.
A true pioneer is very seldom
fitted to compete with the more
shrewd and experienced men of the
world. He is as rule quite unable
to reason from cause to effect, or to
foresee approaching conditions, and
profit thereby He is quite incompe-
tent to deal with the average busi
ness man at arms length, and the
result is inevitable "the survival Of
the fittest" as has been very heart
1essly said He suffers hardship and
privation, sometimes starvation and
death, to open and develop some
garden spot on this earth, only to be
crowded out by his more shrewd
successor, who lives to enjoy the
fruits of his toll.
In this day and age of great and
rapid transitions, of industrial and
commercial war, wonderful inven-
tions and intense life, when the in
dustrial. commercial 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 possible;
yes indeed, made this country. They
are the people who made this great |
state. and who are entitled to the |
credit for pretty nearly all that is /
good and worthy in it.
Conquest Of the Frontier.
They. came in the days when men |
across the great river hitched oxen /
to covered wagons, and with their