Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-02-25

ness. They purchased mill. They
owned and speculated in land. They
traded with everybody who came
along, and trusted everybody who
wanted goods whether settlers or
emigrants to points further west.
They took everything in exchange
for goods that could be turned into
money, and infused spirit of enter
prise, trade and dicker into the set
tiers that made the town a "teem-
ing mart Of trade" A couple OF
years ago thegwriter was engaged in
conversation with a gentleman In
Des Moines. who, finding that we
were from Webster City, inquired
about Homer and stated that about
the time of which we are now
speaking, he came west with some
money, looking for future home
and a chance for speculation in
some new town that would in few
years become city of Importance.
He looked Des Moines over, heard OF
Homer, came to see 1t. From the
thrift and enterprise apparent, it's
location, and the. rapidity of Its
growth, he made up his mind that
here was to be one Of the first cities
of the state, and invested all his
means in town lots expecting to
get rich on the rise in valuation OF
property; and he laconically re-
marked, "That money is still invest
ed there. Do you think there is any
prospect Of every realizing upon it,"
We replied that inasmuch as he had
no doubt already realized very
large dividend of disappointment,
he could hardly hope to reap furth-
err emoluments, and he said he sup
posed he'd have to be satisfied with
that. The incident shows what
splendid prospects appeared then to
lie before the now desolate town OF
Homer.
John F. Duncombe came to Fort
Dodge this year t1S55) and that
town began to grow too. The land
Office, the hotel. and in fact almost
everything there was in the desert
ed government buildings, and
crowds of men came and went dur
;,r tbo opl FOIL
Benjamin Willard, who came to
this county that year, relates that
he came from Des Moines. going
through several counties southwest
of here, and finally arrived at Fort
Dodge in the last days of April. He
says there were SO many people
stopping at the old Waukonza House
the principal building of the old
fort,-that there was little accom-
mediation or comfort, man being
thankful If he got shelter of any
kind, and usually made no objee-
ton If he had only nice good hard
floor to sleep on. As soon as 1t was
light, the guests at the hotel rang
ed themselves as near the dining
room door as possible, and held their
places for almost two hours, SO as to
get in at the first table, and for two
reasons: first, to get away to their
business as soon as possible, and
second, because there would not be
much left to eat for those who came
last. Hotel keepers had no competi-
tion in the Fort, and while they
tried to provide for their guests as
well as possible, there We're so
many of them, and they were so far
from sources of supply that what
they could not conveniently get,
they did without. and the traveller
who didn't like the fare and &C
commodations. knew he couldn't do
any better and found It wisest to
keep quiet and take things as they
came. Il
Mr.. Willard didn't like the looks
OF things at the Fort, and so, hear
ing of Newcastle, started out to look
it over. There was then no road,
and being on horseback hal started
according to directions. across the
trackless prairies. He travelled so
long. he began to think he had miss
ed the place and would probably
have to stay out all night, but was
happily disappointed just before
night while crossing ravine near
where Millard's bridge now is, to
come upon the cabin of Mr. Dickin-