Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-08-05
Tells How he Hauled Flour to Web
ster City From Vinton During
the Pioneer Days.
NO MARKET FOR ANY GRAIN
Started to Fort Dodge, but Sold the
Flour to w. c. Wilson in
This City.

From the History of Hamilton
County by F. Q. and j. w. Lee: In
1855 I resided with my fathers fam
lily near Vinton, Benton county,
1t was comparatively old settle
ment and farmers were we'll supplied
with all kinds of grain and produce,
but there was absolutely no market
anywhere near and as it was the
wet season and the roads SO bad, it
was thought impossible to get bet
ter but more distant markets. My
father had thousands of bushels
penned up at different places on his
farm, but he could not sell it at ev-
en- ten cents a bushel, and money
was so scarce and hard to get that,
notwithstanding the abundance Of
grain and other products of large
and productive farm, he was utterly
unable to get money to pay his
taxes. OF course every other farmer
was in the same fix and it looked
as though the farmers would all
lose their farms through their in
ability to pay their taxes, though
surrounded with plenty to sell if
only a market could be found.
Very naturally my father worried
not little over his inability to pay
his tax and l, very naturally, be-
came greatly interested in the, mat
ter too.
Being in Vinton one day'I picked
up paper and read that -four was
worth ten dollars a hundred in gold
at Fort Dodge. Iowa, and the mar
ket was not supplied even at that
price. I mention ''in gold" for that
was very important proviso in all
matters where dollars were spok-
en- Of
The discovery of place where
Sour was sold at such a fabulous
price seemed to me to. be almost an
interposition of Divine Providence;
for by taking advantage of it, the
taxes could be paid and perhaps a
little ready money be left to boot.
/ had often heard of Fort Dodge,
and had a great desire to go there,
and here was an opportunity. Fill
ed with the project of taking load
of -four out there, l hurried home
as fast as could and told my faith
er the news, and wanted to make
the trip. He discouraged the project
and said it would be impossible toI
get through, the roads being so bad
and even if l did get through, the
market would in all probability be
supplied and | could find no sale al
ter all my labor. But ] was so bent
on going and urged the matter with
such persistence, keeping the mat
ter OF taxes always to the front that
finally my father told me l could
take an OK team and have all the |
wheat l wanted, and | might make |
a trial; that If had any money
when l got back he would borrow |
enoagh to pay the taxes, but that !
might have all l could make out of |
all the -four l could get to Fort !
Dodge. remarking that would prob
ably earn every dollar | got twice !
over before | got it.
Having got my fathers consent
to the trip, | hurried off to see the !
miller about grinding the wheat.
This he refused to do for toll, for
he had his mill full of worthless
wheat then and as l did not have a |
cent Of money it looked as though |
the scheme was about to fail, but
the miller becoming interested in
my project finally agreed to grind
the wheat and trust me, until | got
back, for the pay. The miller's
brother. West Young, was present
and he proposed to take his team
and go with me and charge me
cent hundred per mile. | immed-
lately closed bargain with him, and
went to the store to secure mater
ial to make sacks to put the -four in
] told the storekeeper my project
and he became so interested that he
offered to let me have all the mus
lin | wanted to make sacks of and
take his pay when / got back. My
uncle and one John Davis were pres
ent while | talked to the storekeep-
er and both of them agreed to go
with me and take load each ON the
same terms ! had made with Young.
/ took a couple of bolts OF muslin
home with me, and when l report
ed all that had been done and said
about the proposed trip, one Sam
Titus, young school teacher board
ing at fathers concluded he would