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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 1902)
IINCQivIN' BACKWOODSMAN • STATESMAN HE birthday of Abra- | ham Lincoln brings j to every American citizen feelings of reverence such as ; perhaps arise on the natal day of but one other man who ever served the nation. Particularly In the west, which gave to 1 the country the grpat statesman, whose pa trlotlc services Am ericans will nlways remember with gratitude, should the day be an honored one. Reminis cences of the life of this most distin guished son of Illinois will be welcome reading now. ► f**TYTYTt?YV fTTTt? Y Y t» »ftTI»T*TtM*»TTY»tTT1T»Y4 Vdnqits&n] d Bully. fINCOLN'S extended repu lation as a wrestler and lighter frequently led him into combats which he would willingly have avoid ed. One of these encoun ters is tiiU3 described: Scarcely had Lincoln reached Coles County, and begun to think what next to turn his hand to, when he received a visit from a famous wrestler, one Daniel Need ham, who regarded him as a grow ing rival, and had a fancy to try him a fall or two. lie considered himself "ihe best man" in the country, and the report of Abe's achievements filled his big breast with envious pains. His greeting was friendly and hearty, but his challenge was rough and per emptory. Abe valued his popularity among ‘ the boys" too highly to de cline it and met him by public appoint ment in the "greenwood,” at Wabash Point, where he threw him twice with so much ease that Needham's pride was more hurt than ills body. "Lin coln,’' said he, "you have thrown me twice, but you can’t whip me." "Need ham,” replied Abe, "are you satisfied that I can throw you? If you are not, and must be convinced through a threshing, l will do that, too, for your sake.” Needham had hoped that the youngster would shrink from the ex tremity of a fight with the acknowl edged "buily of the patch;” but llnding him willing, and at the same time magnanimously inclined to whip hltn solely for his own good, he concluded that a bloody nose and a black eye would be the reverse of soothing to his feelings, and therefore surrendered the field with such grace as he could command. t Lincoln as a Voyajeur. «F Lincoln’s trip down the Mississippi on a flatboat innumerable tales have been told. Pprhaps the best of these describes the voyage which he made in * the employ of a merchant named Offutt: Loaded with barrel-pork. hogs, and corn, the boat set out from Sangamon rown as soon as finished. Mr. Offutt was on board to act as his own super cargo, intending to pick up additions to his stock along the banks of the two Illinois rivers down which he was about to pass. On the 19th of April they arrived at New Salem, a little village destined to be the scene of the seven eventful years of Mr. Lincoln's life, which immediately followed the conclusion of the present trip. Just below New Salem the boat "stuck,” for dne night and the better part of a day on Rutledge's mill-dam,—one end of it hanging over the dam, and the other sunk deep in the water behind. Here ■was a case for Abe's ingenuity, and he exercised it with effect. Quantities of water were being taken in at the stern, the lading was sliding backwards, and everything indicated that the craft was in momentary danger breaking in two, or sinking outright. But Abe suggested some unheard-of expedient for keeping it in place while the cargo was shifted to a borrowed boat, and then, boring a h%le in that. 1 ude of part of the bottom extending over the dam, he "rlgged-up” an equally strange piece of machinery for tilting and holding it while the water ran out. All New Salem was assembled on shore, watching the progress of thin singular experiment—and with one voice affirm that Abe saved the boat; although nobody is able to tell us pre cisely how. The adventure turned Abe's thoughts to the class of difficul ties, one of which be had just sur mounted, and the result of his reflec tions was "an improved method for lifting vessels over shoals.” Offutt declared that when he got back from New Orleans, he would build a steam boat for the navigation of the Sauga raon. and make Abe the captain; he would build it for runners for ice, and rollers for shoals and dams, for j with "Abe in command, by thunder, j she'd have to go.” . nTTtTT»*fTT»m f»?TTTTftTTT**»?trft* Bern Comm *n;ler o! Men. • itiiuuu N Incident. occurring during the Black Hawk war. well illustrates the character, manliness and chivalrous generosity of Mr. Lincoln. One day an old Indian found his way into the camp, weary, hungry and helpless. He professed to be a friend of the whites; and. although it was an exceedingly perilous experiment for one of his color, he ventured to throw himself upon the mercy of the soldiers. But the men first murmured, and then broke out into fierce cries for his biood. “We have come out to fight the Indians," said they, "and by God we intend to do it!” The poor Indian, now. In the extremity of his distress and peril, did what he ought to have done before; he threw down before his assailants a soiled and crumpled paper, which he implored them to read before his life was taken. It was a letter of character and safe-conduct from Gen. Cass, pronouncing him a faithful man, who had done good ser vice In the cause for which this army was enlisted. But it was too late; the men refused to read it. or thought it a forgery, and were rushing with fury upon the defenceless old savage, when Capt. Lincoln bounded between them and their appointed victim. "Men," said he, and his voice for a moment stilled the agitation around him, "this must not be done; he must not be shot and killed by us." "But," said some of them, "the Indian is a damned spy." Lincoln knew that his own life was now in only leas danger than that of the poor creature that crouch ed behind him. During the whole of this scene Captain Lincoln seemed to “rise to au unusual height" of stature The towering form, the passion and resolution In his face, the physical power and terrible will exhibited in everj* motion of his body, every ges ture of his arm, produced an effect upon the furious mob as unexpected perhaps to him as to any one else. They paused l’stened, fell back, and then sullenly obeyed what seemed to be the voice of reason, as well as au thority. But there were still some murmurs of disappointed rage, and half-suppressed exclamations, which looked toward vengeance of some kind. At length one of the men, a little bolder than the rest, but evident ly feeling that he spoke for the whole, cried out, “This is cowardly on your part, Lincoln!” Whereupon the tall captain's figure stretched a few inches higher again. He looked down upon these varlets who would have mur dered a defenceless old Indian, and now quailed before his single hand,, with lofty contempt. The oldest of his acquaintances, even Bill Green, who saw him grapple Jack Armstrong and defy the bullies at his back, never saw him so much "aroused” before. "If any man thinks I am a coward, let him test it,” said he. "Lincoln,” re sponded a new voice, “you are larger and heavier than we are.” "This you cnn guard against; choose your wea pons,” returned the rigid captain. Whatever may be said of Mr. Lin coln's choice of means for the preser vation of military discipline, it was certainly very effectual in this case.1 There was no more disaffection in his camp, and the word “coward” was never coupled with his name again. Mr. Lincoln understood hts men bet ter than those who would be disposed to criticise his conduct. lie has often declared himself, that his life and character were both at stake, and would probably have been lost, had he not at that supremely critical moment forgotten the officer and asserted the man. To have ordered the offenders under arrest would have created a formidable mutiny; to have tried and punished them would have been im possible. They could scarcely be call ed soldiers; they were merely armed citizens, with a nominal military or ganization. They were but recently enlisted, and their term of service was just about to expire. Had he preferred charges against them, and offered to submit their differences to a court of any sort, it would have been regarded as an act of personal pusillanimity, and Jiis efficiency would have been gone forever. T»»»TTTTT?mm 'ITfff»*TTTtt?TTT»*tT»?T»TrTtT»nT 4 l!te Kotor’s Irtish. ► A AJ, A A AAA *i*iiii**l AAA A A A A A A A A A HE debt which the great President owned to hts step mother for her tender care and constant love was al ways gratefully acknowl edged. A pathetic picture of this gentle lady in her last days is given as follows: “Mrs. Lincoln was never able to speak of Abe's conduct to her without tears. In her interview with Mr. Hern don, when the sands of her life had nearly run out, she spoke with deep emotion of her own son, but said she thought that Abe was k'nder, better, truer, than the other. Even the moth er's Instinct was lost as she looked back over those long years of poverty and privation in the Indiana cabin, when Abe’s grateful love softened the rigors of her lot, and his great heart and giant frame were always at her command. 'Abe was a poor boy.' said she, 'and I can say what scarcely one woman—a mother—can say in a thou sand. Abe never gave me a cros3 word or look, and never refused, in fact or appearance, to do aifVthing I requested him. I never gave him a cross word in all my life. • * • His mind and mine—what little I had—seemed to run together. • •. • He was here after he was elected President.’ (At this point the aged speaker turned away to weep, and then, wiping her eyes with her apron, went on with the story. ‘He was dutiful to me always. I think he loved me truly. I had a sou. John, who was raised with Abe. Both were good boys; but I must say, both now being dead, that Abe was the best boy I ever saw, or exp?ct to see. i wish I had died tvhen my husband died. I did not want Abe to run for President; did not want him •lotted; was afraid somehow,—felt in my heart; and when ho came down to see me, after he was elected Prelsdent. I ; still felt that something told me that something would befall Abe, and that i should see him no more.’ 'is there anything In the language | we speak more touching than that sim ! pie plaint of the woman whom we must regard as Abraham Lincoln's I mother? The apprehension in her I heart’ was well grounded. She ’saw him no more.’ When Mr. Herndon i rose to depart, her eyes again filled I with tears; and. wringing his hands as if loath to part with one who talked so much of her beloved Abe. she raid. ‘Gk>od-by, my good son’s friend. Fare well.’ ’’ _ ►*tt»*TTT»rTTTTtf*»tTVYYVVTYYTTVYTYV*TTVTYYTYrTTTTY* Unique Stump Speech. * **ii*ii**ii»»4»»*iii*Ui4»*i*****4i titiimuiiiu* fINCOLN’S unique methods of campaigning are th«s described by an eye-wit ness. This was on the oc casion of his first nomina tion as a legislative eandi \—^ date: ’’Mr. Lincoln’s first ap pearance on the stump, In the | course of the canvass, was at Pappsville. about eleven miles west i of Springfield, upon the occasion j of a public sale by the firm of Poog & Knap. The sale over, speech making was about to begin, when Mr. j Lincoln observed strong symptoms of inattention in his audience, who had taken that particular moment to en gage in what Mr. James A. Herndon pronounces 'a general fight.’ Lincoln saw that one of his friends was suffer ing more than he liked in the melee; and, stepping into the crowd, he shouldered them sternly away from his man, until he met a fellow who re fused to fall back; him he seized by the nape of his neck and the stat of his breeches, and tossed him ’ten or twelve feet easily.’ After this episode —as characteristic of him as of the times—he mounted the platform, and delivered, with awkward modesty, the following speech: “ ‘Gentlemen and Fellow Citizens. I presume you all know who I am. I am humble Abraham Lincoln. I have been solicited by many friends to be ; come a candidate for the legislature. My politics are short and sweet, like the old woman's dance. I am in favor of a national bank. 1 am in favor of the internal-improvement system and a high protective tariff. These are my sentiments and political principles. If elected. I shall be thankful; if not, it will be all the same.’ “In these few sentences Mr. Lincoln adopted the leading principle of the Whig party—Clay’s ’American Sys tem’ in full. In his view, as we shall see by another paper from him when again a candidate in 1834, the internal improvement system required the dls | tribution of the proceeds of the sales ; of the public lands amongst the states. He says nothing of South Carolina, of nullification, of disunion; and on these subjects it is quite probable his views were like Mr. Webster's, and his sym pathies with Jackson. The opinions announced in this speech, on all the subjects touched by the speaker, w’ere as emphatically Whig as they could be made in words.” ► TffT»T»V»TTTtm»Yvmvv»TTfTTTf tj f ? * f T T T TTTYTTTT T 4 Lincoln’s Great Heart. NK cold winter day. Lin coln saw a poor fellow named "Ab Trent” hard at work chopping Tip “a house,” which Mr. Hill had employed him to con vert, into firewood. Ab was barefooted and shiv ered painfully while he worked. Lincoln watched him a few moments and asked him what he was to get for the job. Ab answered “one dollar,” and, pointing to his naked and suffer ing feet, said that he wished to buy a pair of shoes. Lincoln seized the axe, and. ordering the boy to comfort himself at the nearest fire, chopped up "the house” so fast that Ab and the owner were both amazed when they saw it done. According to Mr. Rut ledge, “All remembered this act with the liveliest gratitude. Once he, being n cast-iron Domocrat. determined to vote against his party and for Mr. Lincoln; but the friends, as ho after wards said with tears in his eyes, made him drunk, and he voted against Abe. Thus he did not even have an opportunity to return the noble con duct of Mr. Lincoln by this small measure of thanks.” RIGHT TO USE THE WATER, State Board of Irrigation Overrules Motion for Rehearing Case. LINCOLN. Nel>.. Feb. 1.—The. state board of irrigation overruled a motion for a rehearing of the case of the Farmers' and Merchants' Irrigation company of Lexington against the Gothenburg Water Power and irriga tion company. This action grew out of the extension of the canal owned and operated by the Gothenburg com pany. The contention was that, the Gothenburg company had no right to use water under its original claim for purposes otherwise than those speci fied in the grant. The extension was eighteen miles in length, and the company sought to turn the water from the old canal into the new one, instead of turning it bark into the river. On a hearing several weeks ago the board decided that the com pany could use the allotted amount of water tor irrigating purposes, even in the extension. In the case of Nicholas* McCabe against Maude 1 Unman. appealed from Lincoln c ounty, the hoard decid ed that the abandonment of an irri gating ditch forfeits all further rights for the appropriation of water. The I Unman ditch, which furnished water for approximately 4.50(1 acres of land near North Platte1, was abandoned af ter it had been operated for several years, and subsequently an attempt was made to renew its operation. HORSE DISEASE BREAKS OUT. Forty-Seven Animals Succumb to Sick ness in York County. Columbus. xob„ Fob. i.—The fa tality among horses in the northern part of Platte county during the last ten days or two weeks has been quite alarming, the disease being some thing with which the veterinary sur geons seem wholly unable to cope. County Superintendent L. H. Leavy visited fourteen schools in the vicin ity of Humphrey, Creston and Corn lea last week, in each district mak ing inquiry among the farmers as to the loss of horses, and in this way learned that twenty-two men had had 'forty-seven fatalities from the strange disease, which manifests itself in at lease some cases in blindness and loss of consciousness to pain or insanity, the animal plunging into barbed wire fences and not being repelled by se vere cuts, but with the coming out of cold sweat quickly dying. One seemingly siguiiicant fact men tioned by a farmer and corroborated by Mr. Leavy's subsequent observa tion. is that tlie half dozen farmers in the county supplied with flowiug wells are free, not only from this disease among horses, but have also been free during recent years from cholera among hogs. BEET SEED FOR THE WEST. Omaha Becomes the General Distribut ing Point. OMAHA. Neb.. Feh. 1.—Omaha has been designated the distributing point for all sugar beet seed that will be planted in the states west of the Mis sissippi river. Meyer & Kaapke of this city are the distributing agents. All sugar beet seed planted in this country is raised in Germany. Al ready consignments for the crop of the earning season have begun to ar rive in Omaha. It comes in bond and after reaching here is under the con trol of Collector Taylor of the customs house until it is taken out and sent to the factories, the managers of which supply the beet growers. To plant the western country with sugar beets requires thirtv-flve to for ty carloads of seed. Ten carloads have come and another large lot Is expected within the next few days. The seed is put up in sacks, contain ing 200 pounds each. Large Acreage of Wheat in York. YORK. Neb.. Feb. 1.—The farmers of York county rejoice over the fine fall of snow which has covered the wheat fields in all directions. Over 50 per cent of cultivated acreage in York county is in winter wheat, which is the farmer's greatest mortgage lift ing crop, and if there is an average yield of 30 to 50 bushels an acre there will scarcely be a farm mortgage in York county next year. To Discuss Land Leasing. DENVER. Colo.. Eel). The American Cattle Growers’ association, composed of leading cattlemen of the west will meet in Denver March 4 to discuss public land leasing and oth er questions affecting the industry The bill concerning land leasing now before congress will be a matter foi special consideration. The cal! foi the meeting was issued today. Power from Niobrara. LINCOLN. Neb.. Feb. 1.—An appli cation for permission to appropriate water from the Niobrara river for a power plant near Valentine was pre senied to the secretary of the state board of Irrigation, it is proposed tc construct a plant with a capacity ot 8,000 electric horse power for opera tion twenty-four hours each day. Ali prior claims for the appropriation of water from the Niobrara river were withdrawn before Cornell filed. TELLS HOW TO GROW FRUIT Nebraskan Gives hcsultc of His Prac tical Experience. KEARNEY, Neb.. Feb. 3.—At the second day's session of the Farmers' institute representatives of Urn vari ous cream separators, six in number, had their innings right at the start and gave demonstrations of the points of superiority of their machines. Among the interesting exhibits was a collection of over forty varieties of farm and garden seeds grown in Buf falo county last year by H. C. Green of Kearney. S. A. I). Henlin also made an exhibit, of seeds and samples of flavoring extracts. The subject of “Orcharding," by J. L. Brown, was particularly interesting, principally for the reason that he discarded the ac cepted theories and gave his own practical ideas regarding tree planting and fruit growing in central Nebras ka, and particularly in Buffalo coun ty. H. D. Watson entertained the large audience with a talk on "Alfal fa and Forage Crops." The afternoon session was especial ly interesting to stock growers be cause of the lecture of Dr. Fetors of the university experiment station on "The Prevention of Animal Diseases.” The lecture was confined to four heads of the subject, suggested by the audience, as follows: Cornstalk dis eases in horses and cattle; blackleg in cattle; tuberculosis or consump tion. and cholera or swine plague. Dr. Peters does not advance any theories, but gives the facts regarding these diseases as he lias found them in his regular practice. "The Growing of Pork for Market" was handled by O. Hull of Alma. Both Legs Frozen Stiff. FREMONT, Neb.. Feb. 3.—An aged man named John Fedora, who Uvea at Ottumwa, la., and his young son, Fred, had portions of their bodies frozen near Leavitt, several miles northwest of here. They were travel ing to Wood Lake. Neb., where Mr. Fedora has a son and daughter. The two were to change ears from the Union Pacific to the* Elkhorn at this point, but for some reason were car ried past to Ames. They got off the train there., and as the hour was early, were forced to walk around with the temperature at thirteen degrees below zero in order to keep warm. The father was found lying helpless in a feed yard near Leavitt, some time lat er. both his legs having been frozen stiff. The boy was close by. and his cars had been bitten by the frost. Neither of the pair had been able to secure any shelter, as the depot was locked tip and people were not yet astir for the day when they arrived at Ames. Dairymen Are Interested. LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. 3.—The dairy men of Nebraska as well as the dairy men of the entire country, are great ly interested in the new Grout bill, just reported by the committee on ag riculture in the lower house of con gress. A number of bills relating to this matter were before the commit tee. and there was considerable strife and ambition among the authors of the various bills as to which one should receive the approval of the committee. In fact it appeared as if there might be a quarrel among the representatives of the dairy interests and thus prevent any legislation in this direction. This has been averted and the bill reported favorably by the committee, 12 to 5, is entirely satisfactory to all interested in the dairy industry. Farmers Have Much Money. M’COOL JUNCTION. Neb.. Feb. 3. —Banks of York county, owing to their not being able to secure any notes at public sales of farm property, consisting of horses, cattle, hogs, im plements, grain and hay. have agreed to charge $5 fee for clerking sales. The average York county farmer has become so prosperous that he has no need to give a note, and it frequent ly occurs that at sales amounting to from $1,500 to $3,000 there is not a note given. Telephone Companies Consolidate. HOOPER. Neb., Feb. 3—The stock holders of the Hooper Telephone com pany decided to consolidate with the Farmers’ Telephone company, now op erating forty miles of line in the western part of the county. Paroled Prisoner Rearrosted. FAIRBURY, Neb., Feb. 3.—Frank Ward, who was paroled from the peni tentiary. w here he was serving a three year term, after disappearing from public view for several months, came back to visit his relatives here and was arrested. Cold Snap Defies Game Laws. SUPERIOR. Neb.. Feb. 3.—A man who keeps tab on such thyigs says that fully 75 per cent of the quail were killed in the recent sudden storm. The storm came so quickly that they could not get to shelter. Rural Telephone Company. HUMBOLDT, Neb.. Feb. 3.—A new stock company has been organized with a capital of $2,500 to build a ra nd telephone line from Dawson to Middleburg.
