Laurel outlook., 1945-06-20
Observation-Disclosures
LEWIS AND
CLARK
The Great American Odyssey
A Condensed Story of
the Historic Expedi-
ton of 1S04-6.
Copyright 1915, Walter Meacham)

Copyright 1915, Walter Meacham)
4.
Five Cents An Acre

L. u
Five Cents An Acre
After Livingston and Monroe had
signed the treaty for the purchase
of Louisiana, they commenced to in
quire as to just what they had
bought, but nobody seemed to be
able to tell them. The exact bound
aries of Louisiana were rather in
definite but, roughly, they extended
from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada
and from the Mississippi river to
the Rocky mountains.
Louisiana at that time included
all of the present states of Missouri,
Arkansas, Iowa, North and South
Dakota and Nebraska, and most of
Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colo
rado, Wyoming, Montana and Min
nesota. This territory covered al
area of 883,072 square miles, con-
tanning 565, 166,080 acres. 1t was
an area larger than England, Ire
land, Germany, France, Spain and
Portugal combined, and nearly as
large as the original Thirteen Colo
MES.
The price paid for Louisiana was
$11, 100000 in bonds, with interest
at six per cent, plus the claims of
American citizens against France
for goods seized and damage done
by French privateers, amounting to
$3,750,000. When all the claims,
plus the bonds and interest, had
been paid, it brought the total cost
of Louisiana to owe $28, 100000, or
a trifle over five cents an acre for
one of the richest sections on. the
North American continent. 1t was
"a price which would make a real
estate agent turn green with envy.
President Jefferson's dream was
about to come true. All obstacles
had been removed. There was ne
more need for secrecy. Captain
M eriwether Lewis, twenty-nine
years of age, private secretary to
President Jefferson, was chosen to
head the expedition to the far West.
He was tall, blond, of a serious, al
most morose, disposition. He chose
as his companion and equal in rank
William Clark, who was thirty-three
years of age. Clark was tall, red
haired, and of a happy nature. This
was a young mans expedition and
its members were chosen with great
care, for theirs was a serious re-
sponsibility.
After some delays, the expedi-
ton left it's camp on the Dubois or
Wood river, opposite the mouth of
the Missouri, a few miles above st.
Louis, on May ID, 1904, and pro-
ceeded by boats up the muddy tide
of the Missouri. The party had n
keelboat, fifty-five feet long, draw
ing three feet of water, and equip
ped with a large square sail, and a
small cannon called a swivel. Be-
sides this boat there were two
pirogues. A pirogue was a boat
shaped like a flatiron, with a
pointed prov, a square stern, a flat
bottom. 1t carried four oars and
was steered with a long sweep. 1t
also carried a sail which was used
when the winds were favorable.
According to the journals of Ser
geants Gass and Ordway, there were
forty-three men in the party, in
Guiding Lewis and Clark.
The junction of Missouri and Kan
sas rivers was reached on June 26,
site of present Kansas City, where
the river turned abruptly north. On
July A the expedition was in the
vicinity of present Atchison, Kan.
The day was observed with a shot
from the cannon, there being nc
time for further observance. Fourth
of July creek and independence
creek were named in honor of the
day. In the evening they fired a
shot from the cannon and issued {
grog to the men, who drank a toast
to the Stars and Stripes. Il
Platte river mouth was passed on !
July 81. Progress was slow and V
laborious. Fierce storms assailed
them, ~sandbars, driftwood and snags
INSTRUCTED the river. One night i
they had a narrow escape when the
sandbar on which they were camp I
ed d~isintegrated beneath them. On
July 80 they made camp on a high e
bluff overlooking the Missouri river \
to await a party of Indians. Three
days later a group of Ottoe and a
Missouri Indians arrived and, on S
the following day, a council was d
held, the pipe of peace smoked, and E
medals and presents were given to
the chiefs. The place where the a
council was held was named Council n
Bluff by Clark, and was about 20 G
north of present Omaha, Neb. n
Ito be continued) In
n