Reminiscences: Chapter 9

Reminiscences of Early Peoria
by Odillon B. Slane

Chapter 9
page 22

USING THE LAND

IT is hard to realize that land was held so cheaply in those days. But there was far more land than anything else, far more than the settlers could use. The land was there, free to the use of any one, and one of Peoria's most wealthy and influential citizens got his start by an ingenious plan which was a promise of the shrewdness and imagination he was later to display in building up a big business.

He went into the general store, a log cabin, owned by John Hamlin, one day. This store was probably located at what would be Fayette and Water Streets today. At that time there was no street, only a road running past those strings of cabins on the river bank.

This young man wanted to buy a scythe. He had no money, but he presented his plan to Mr. Hamlin, promising to pay for the scythe with the first profits of his venture. He expected to go out on the prairieland ---out where the library and the post office stand today, for this then was prairie --- and mow grass. This young man cut down the grass, piled it up in cocks, and then when the immigrants came through on their way further west, sold it to them for their oxen and other live stock. The young man seemed honest and talked plausibly and Mr. Hamlin let him have the scythe.

The plan worked well. The immigrants in their covered wagons were glad to purchase the prairie hay. The young man, true to his word, paid for the scythe with the first money he made. That young man was Jacob Darst, later one of Peoria's wealthiest men. Some of the old settlers will recall his name and influence.

Chapter 8 Chapter 10

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