Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee Co. Iowa
Friday, August 9, 1907

[The article starts out with a picture of Captain John Tapper, an old government teamster. Beneath the pictures is the caption:  This Venerable Pioneer Sets Iron Pins Marking the Locations of Sodom and Gomorrah, Two Notorious Saloons of the Old Teaming Days.  --  He Also Gives a Sketch of the Men Who Managed These Devils Dens.]

--Courtesy of and by the Editor of the Monona Leader.

The Holy Bible gives evidence of the existence and destruction of a group of cities, situated on the "Plain" or "Vale of Siddim", in the Syria, belonging to the Caananites.  In this group were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Sodom the chief city in the settlement.  A writer claims the locality of the cities in "the midst of the Garden of Jehovah", and names the four cities in the order of their greatness as Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zebvim, in the "Circle of the Jordan".  The destruction of these cities, as related in history, was "from a shower of brimstone and fire from Jehovah, from the skies."  The historian claims that Sodom and the rest of the cities on the plain of Jordan stood on the north of the Dead Sea; that neither of the cities nor the district were submerged by the lake, but that the cities were overthrown and the land spoiled."  From this it may be inferred that the wickedness of the people bro't ruin and devastation.  This much in reference to the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Sinful practices bro't ruin to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and likewise sinful practices brought ruin and devastation to two individuals and their log cabins, bearing the names respectively of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were erected and for two or three years were maintained as public resorts on the old Military Road between Monona and Luana in the years 1841 - 2 - 3.

Capt. John Tapper first set foot on Monona soil in 1840 and in the fall of 1841 and a part of the year of 1842 was a teamster in the employ of the government between Prairie du Chien and Fort Atkinson, transporting military supplies, so that he became familiar with the locality and well acquainted with the people along his route of travel over the old Military road.  He was for many years a resident of Monona township, conducting a farm two miles east of Monona.  As he was familiar with Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Anthony Falls and Minnehaha Falls all through their early period in the '40's, so he became familiar with this section in its earliest pioneer days, and in relating the story of the settlement of the country has proven time and again the accuracy of his statements, in the naming of persons who took an active part in the destiny of this great west country, and in locating prominent points of material interest to historians.  For a man of his age, now past 88 years, and still a robust, healthy, active, energetic pioneer, if put to the test, would no doubt run a foot race, leap the hurdle, or wrestle with his even weight, and be the victor in each bout.  From Captain Tapper we gain the information for this article, locating to a certainty the two rival saloons, named Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Military road, as laid out by the government, and in use until the construction of the railroad between Monona and Luana, followed the ridge from near the Snell farm along the present line of the railroad, passing through Main street from where the depot in Luana is now located, northwest, thence directly west.  The wagon road now is north of the railroad track and the original line of the Military road.  The object in following the ridge was to avoid the sags, deep gullies and ravines, through which it was impossible to haul heavy loads of merchandise.  All government wagons then in use were hauled by six mules, driven by one line, the driver riding on the nigh mule and with a six foot black snake whip could make the mules get-up-and-get and pull for dear life, and by the resound of the crack of the whip give notice of the coming to the loungers at Sodom and Gomorrah.

There has been more or less dispute over the location of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Capt. Tapper, confident that he could accurately point out their location, on Friday, July 26, 1907, drove iron pegs which designate the respective points of locality.

The Sodom Cabin was situated about 20 rods east of the switch post, (east of Luana) 23 feet north of the railroad track, 18 feet west of cattle guard and 113 feet south from center of the main traveled road.

The Gomorrah Cabin was located six rods south of the old government road, 79 feet north of the railroad, 163 feet west from center of road leading to the Luana creamery, 35 feet north from center of main traveled road, 29 feet south of railroad line fence.  Water was obtained from a spring located at the brink of the ravine north on the Hopkins farm, east from the hog yard.

The Sodom cabin proprietor obtained water from a dug-out north of his place in the ravine, principally a surface water running through a prepared filter arrangement.

Over this water supply there was more or less contention, but the majority of teamsters patronized the Gomorrah spring.  The two places were rivals for the trade and every means was resorted to for controlling the patronage.

Taff Jones was proprietor of the cabin called Sodom.  He was of Irish-Welsch descent, his father from Ireland and his mother from Wales.  Taff was a pugilist by nature and practice.  He was always ready for a scrap and brooked no threats in his hearing.  His fighting qualities were tested on every possible occasion and he had many an encounter with the soldiers and the rough and ready fellows who were hoofing it through the country in search of homes.  Notwithstanding the brutal part of the man there was a kindness of heart in Taff Jones.  To a friend he was a friend indeed.  While the exterior of the man was of the brutish type the inner man gave demonstrations of a worthy character.  There were two sides to the man, the good and the bad.  He could fit a case to either as his emotions seemed to dictate.  After three or four years he left the country and Sodom became a thing of the past.

Graham Thorn was the proprietor of the Gomorrah cabin.  He was a discharged soldier -- Hospital Steward -- from Fort Crawford, having served two enlistments in the regular army.  He came into this country in the latter part of 1840, following in the wake of the moving Winnebago Indians, bringing with him a few dentist tools and a case of medicine, and to some extent administered to the sick and needy.  The reservation line run north and south through what is now the main street in Luana, along by the old Mott store, the depot being almost on the line.  Upon the reservation Thorn built his first log cabin, about five rods west of the corner store, which he named Gomorrah.  While Thorn was absent at Prairie du Chien, purchasing a supply of liquors and groceries, the U. S. Dragoons came along and finding Thorn's cabin on the reservation set fire to it and it was burned to the ground.  Only a pile of ashes were left for Thorn to view on his return.  Nothing daunted, however, Thorn proceeded to rebuild, this time locating his cabin on the south side of the main traveled road as previously described.

Sodom and Gomorrah, as now located, were about an eighth of a mile apart, in view of each other.  Thorn remained selling liquors and nicknacks until he got into trouble with a roving band of Indians and in a fight killed one of the braves.  Becoming alarmed and fearing the vengeance of the Winnebagoes, Thorn skipped the country.  His cabin was burned to the ground, supposedly by Indians.  On removal of the Winnebagoes to another and distant reservation, Thorn returned and again built a log cabin, this time on the Andrew Walch farm, in the field near the junction of the Monona and McNeil roads, about where the bunch of evergreens appear, in the neighborhood of five rods west from center of north road.  Here Thorn resided for several years.  He was here in 1852, since which time no trace is had of him.  Perhaps someone of the '50's can throw light on his future movements.

Both of the cabins were in size about 12 X 14 and while they answered the purpose for which they were erected there were times when their capacity was fully tested.  Drunken brawls were of frequent occurrence in both places and many hot encounters between the proprietors, soldiers and roving Indians are remembered.  The U. S. Dragoons were constantly on the trail between Prairie du Chien and Fort Atkinson, made necessary by the scattering members of the Indian tribes and the constant travel of home seekers who began pouring into the country in 1840.  Up to 1844 there was only a scattering of settlers' cabins to be seen on this broad prairie, and while there were earlier selections of homesteads their occupancy was delayed until the government began the movement of the Indians further north, 60 miles above St. Paul.  H. M. Rice had the contract with the government for the removal of the red men from this immediate vicinity.

It is hardly necessary to go into further detail regarding Sodom and Gomorrah.  That they existed and were "dens of iniquity" is not disputed.  Their exact location was in doubt.  Happily, Capt. Tapper's acquaintance with the locality and the settlers and his long service with the government on the Military road, becoming familiar with the topography of the country between McGregor and Ft. Atkinson, makes him a valuable and reliable witness.  And so far as the location of the cabins are concerned, we are inclined to believe, from other evidences obtained, that Capt. Tapper has planted his stakes upon the original ground and has correctly located Sodom and Gomorrah.