Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-18
JOHN FISH, WHO AT ONE TIME WAS AN INSTRUCTOR IN OLD
UNIVERSITY TELLS SOME INTERESTING STORIES

John F. Fish, who is now living at
Hiteman with his daughter Mrs. Frank
Milligan and who came to Iowa in the
early thirties has written a very inter-
esting sketch of his remembrances Of
the pioneer days in this part OF Iowa
His "reminiscences cover the arrival OF
the frontiersmen by way of Keokuk,
their migration to other parts of the
state, and their settlements and the
difficulties and hardships borne by
these people in their early day life.
Mr.. Fish's story is given as follows:
"Keokuk and Burlington were the
favorite entries of emigrants to Iowa
in early days. The Ohio and its trib-
utaries landed them at Cairo. They
then came up the Mississippi to keo-
kuk. Not only people from Ohio,
Pennsylvania and other states came
Ibis way but it was the route taken
to this western country from the old
world. The emigrant landed in New
York then took the Erie canal to BUT
falo, then by lake to Cleveland, then
on the Ohio canal and the Beaver d.
visions of the Erie extension canal to
Beay er on the Ohio river, down that
river and up the Mississippi and its
tributaries to their respective destin-
atoms. The Swede would say II not
bane in this country very long, ! not
speak Anglish very plain, 60 to Nee
Nee Sofa to get me a farm, the
Dutchman would say, II go to Wlzgon-
zin,'' but the native American was par
tial to Iowa. Emigration poured into
state by way of Keokuk in torrents. 1t
looked as though everybody was TAX
ing Horace Greeley's advice to go west
and grow up with the country. At
Burlington two large steam ferry boats
running night and day were bringing
them over the Mississippi to the land
of promise. l arrived and yet there
were acres on the Illinois side covered
with wagons, horses and cattle and
people waiting their turn. The roads
in Iowa were good, following the lines
of easiest travel on the ridges or d.
vides without regard to section lines,
and would rank with our Blue grass
and white pole roads.
Not Many Bridges.
AT fords and hills sometimes the
emigrants would have to double team.
Bridges were not plentiful, there was
one swinging bridge across the Skunk
held I'D by iron rods Topped together
and swung to trees and pontoon
bridge across the Des Moines at Rae
coon Forks now called Des Moines
made of fiat boats anchored in the
river and planks laid from one to the
other. 1t is different now, in its place
is a great white concrete structure
equal to any bridge in Paris or London.
Travelling along on one Of those
ridge or divides even in an enligrant
wagon afforded a degree Of pleasure
commensurate with, If not greater
than on high power machine over
the White pole road Of today. You were
surrounded by great moving sea OF
grass as far as the eye could carry IN
any direction. You could scarcely tell
it from the ocean as it moved in gently
rolling pillows, on stems bending with
the breeze were all sorts of varigated
flowers throwing off an aroma which
permeated the whole air that no per-
fume manufacturer could initiate. NO
wonder the Indian exclaimed, Iowa.
(the beautiful land) This immense
quantity of vegetation when it was
ripe or after the frost had killed 1t,
was in the way of the settler on the
land he wished to cultivate or pasture
and there was no way TO get rid or "
only to burn it, and this was dangerous
unless great precaution was taken by
drawing several burrows with his plow
on the outside Of his fence and around
his stacks of grain and cribs and when
he wanted to burn the grass he must
fire it against the wind and be careful
and not let it get away from him or II
was likely to go off on rampage and
destroy every thing for miles. AS
was herding couple Of thousand head
Of sheep there was large prairie that
had not been burnt off for several
seasons and the several crops OF grass
made a great mat of dead grass and
would make a terrific fire II 1t was
burnt off new grass would start up and
make great pasture, it would be tender
and fine for the sheep. The temptation
was great SO lit a match one morning
at daylight and in few minutes ths
whole heavens and earth appeared to
be ablaze. The Chicago fire was moth
ing so far as flame was concerned. The
wind arose and famed the flames. the
fire yeered to the south and started In
the direction of Fletchers farm. ]
mounted and putting the spurs hard in
TO tie horsess tanks got to the farm
ahead of the fire back fired along a
COW path and saved it. When | rode