The Washington herald., 1915-02-01
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Foresight of a French-Canadian
Indian.
(wrtten Expressly for The Washington Herald)
BY DIR. Z. j. EDWARDS.

Cwritten Expressly for The Washington Herald.)
I BY DIR. e. j. EDWARDS.
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 himself to
be greatly interested in the traditions
which clustered around many of the set
Elements of the Mississippi both on the
: Iowa and upon the Illinois side. He was
1 fond of hearing everything that could be
told him of the early Indian life along
the banks of the Mississippi, and he be-
came persuaded that the singular faculty
of driving a good bargain. which was
characteristic of some of these Indians,
was due to the fact that they were half
breeds, having a considerable proportion
of French-Canadian blood in their veins.
The city of Davenport, Iowa, which in
Mr.. Forbes day as a railroad builder
was a comparatively small village, re-
ceived its name from a pioneer of the
name of Davenport, 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 to
be a great natural resource and would
Justify large industrial development AS
Mr.. Forbes was the capitalist who took
up the Michigan Central Railroad when
II was bankrupt and incomplete, in the
midforties, and built II into Chicago, and
as he had the foresight to realize that II
was essential that a railroad be built
across Illinois. and then again across
Iowa to the Missouri, and began that con-
struction which afterward became the
great Burlington system, his judgment of
the value of natural resources was re-
garded as very valuable.
An anecdote was once told Mr.
Forbes which illustrated the shrewd-
ness of Fox Indian named Leclaire,
who had French-Canadian blood in his
veins. Leclaire had certain rights by
reason of treaties to lands in Iowa.
| He was entitled to select a square mile
of land. and he did so, making choice
of land which was directly opposite
the rapids of the Mississippi. Leclaire
| lived long enough to know that his
shrewdness and foresight had brought
him land which at the time Mr.. Forbes
| learned OF the incident was valued at
| $500 900.
There will be built a railroad run
ming from Chicago westerly" Mr..
| Forbes is reported to have said to
man of capital in Boston," which will
utilize the island in the Mississippi for
the purpose of building a bridge across
the river, and this railroad will bisect
the land selected by Leclaire." That
prediction was afterward verified and
Mr.. Forbes was accustomed to speak of
it with some pride, for capital was
| found for the construction of a rail-
road from Chicago westerly which
crossed the Mississippi River over the
rapids and which practically bisected
in equal halves Leclaire's plot, actual
ly passing through the log cabin which
Leclaire had built for his home.
Mr.. Forbes said that the Indian
could not forsee the coming of the
railroad, since Stephenson had not at
that time invented the locomotive en-
gine, but the strain OF French-Cana-
dian blood which the Indian inherited
taught him that at some time the land
which he selected would be OF great
value because the river opposite and
| the island in the river would under
the white man develop great industries
and great prosperity.
| Copyright 1915. by E. J. Edwards. All rights re-
seryed)
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards will tell
How Some OF Our Presidents Were
| Made"