. The last American frontier . ed by the river steamers andthe ferries from northern Illinois. Two years afterthe erection of Wisconsin the western towns re-ceived their independent establishment, when in1838 Iowa Territory was organized by Congress,including everything between the Mississippi andMissouri rivers, and north of the state of , a village of log houses with perhaps fivehundred inhabitants, became the seat of govern-ment of the new territory, while Wisconsin retiredeast of the river to a new capital at Madison. AtBurlington a first legislature met in the autumn, t
. The last American frontier . ed by the river steamers andthe ferries from northern Illinois. Two years afterthe erection of Wisconsin the western towns re-ceived their independent establishment, when in1838 Iowa Territory was organized by Congress,including everything between the Mississippi andMissouri rivers, and north of the state of , a village of log houses with perhaps fivehundred inhabitants, became the seat of govern-ment of the new territory, while Wisconsin retiredeast of the river to a new capital at Madison. AtBurlington a first legislature met in the autumn, to 46 THE LAST AMERICAN FRONTIER choose for a capital Iowa City, and to do what itcould for a community still suffering from the re-sults of the panic. The only Iowa lands open to lawful settlementwere those of the Black Hawk purchase, many ofwhich were themselves not surveyed and on themarket. But the pioneers paid little heed to titles to the future, they cleared theirfarms, broke the sod, and built their Iowa Sod Plow The heavy sod of the Iowa prairies was beyondthe strength of the individual settler. In the yearsof first development the professional sod breakerwas on hand, a most important member of his com-munity, with his great plough, and large teams offrom six to twelve oxen, making the ground readyfor the first crop. In the frontier mind the landbelonged to him who broke it, regardless of meretitle. The quarrel between the squatter and thespeculator was perennial. Congress in its laws IOWA AND THE NEW NORTHWEST 47 sought to dispose of lands by auction to the highestbidder, — a scheme through which the sturdy im-pecunious farmer saw his clearing in danger of beingbought over his modest bid by an undeservingspeculator. Accordingly the history of Iowa andWisconsin is full of the claims associations by whichthe squatters endeavored to protect their rightsand succeeded well. By voluntary association theyagreed upon their claims and bounds. Transfersan
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