Evening journal., 1915-02-01
New News Of Yesterday
The Foresight OF a French
Canadian Indian
BY Holland.

When John NJ. Forbes, of Boston, in
his day one of the greatest forces in the
material development of the United
States was planning the extension OF
the Michigan Central Railroad from
Chicago across Illinois, thence westerly
to the Missouri river. he confessed him
self to he greatly interested IN the ira
ditions which clustered around many Of
the settlements of the Mississippi, both
on the Iowa and upon the Illinois side.
lie was fond of hearing everything that
could be told him of the early Indian
life along the banks Of the Mississippi,
and fe became persuaded that the siu-
pular faculty of driving good bargain,
which was characteristic of some ot
these Indians, was due To the fact that
thov were half breeds, having consii
erable proportion of french-O Oanadian
blood in their veins. Tho city of DaN-
enport Iowa, which in Mr. Forbes day
as a railroad builder was compare
lively small village, received its name
from pioneer of the name of DaNen'
port who had married an Indian.
Mr. Forbes. with his keen business
Judgment realized that the rapids of the
Mississippi which obstructed navigation
would, nevertheless, ultimately prove Ia
be great natural resource and would
Justify large industrial development. As
| Mr.. Forbes was the capitalist who tooh
up the Michigan Central Railroad whei
/ il was bankrupt and incomplete, m th'
midforties. and built 1t into Chicago
and as he had the foresight TO realiz
that it was essential that railroad b
built across illinois. and then agar
across Iowa to the Missouri, and begai
that construction which afterward bo
came the. great Burlington system. In
Judgment of the value of natural re-
sources was regarded as very valuable.
An anecdote was once told Mr.. torbe
which illustrated the shrewdness of
Fox Indian named leclaire, who ha
French Canadian blood in his veins. L'
claire had certain rights by reason
treaties TO lands in Iowa. He was el
titled To select square mile of Ian
and he did So, making choice Of Ian
which was directly opposite the raW'
of the Mississippi Leclaire lived Ion
enough to know that his shcWdness ia
brought him land which at the time NJ
Forbes learned of the incident was va
ucd at S300,O0O.
"There will be built railroad ru
ming from Chicago westerly" Mr. forb
is reported to have said to a man
capital in Boston, which Will utili
the island in the Mississippi for the pi
pose of building a bridge across I
river. and this railroad will biscct t
land selected by lecaire" That pred
tion was aftcrward verified aud \
Forbes was accustomed to speak OF
with some pride. for capital was fou
for the construction OF railroad trt
Chicago westerly which crossed
Mississippi river over the rapids a
= which practically bsected in eql
I, halves Leclaire's plot actually passl
! through the LOG cabin which Lecla
had built for his home.
Mr.. Forbes said that the Indian col
not foresee the coming of the railro
y since Stephenson had not at that ii
u invented the locomotive engine, but
j. strain OF French. Canadian blood VIII
the Indian Inherited taught him that
e some time the land winch he sclec
; would be of great value because
II river opposite and the island IN
river would under the white man
" ,cop great industries and great pr
g pority
downright. 1918. by E. D. Edwards.
rights reservcd)
d Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell oh
Some. of Our Presidents Were Made.