Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-01
CUTTING UP DAKOTA.
REEEW4L OF THE LINCOLN TERRI
TORY PROJECT
The Proposition to Make New Territory
Well in Hand Again-The Black Hills
and Bismarck Working in Harmony-Ad-
vantagus of the Division.
Chicago Times, Feb. 9th. I


Chicago Times, Feb. 27th.]
When the Northern Pacific railroad was
projected Col. j. w. Raymond straddled the
project; and when the first locomotive
pointed it's nose westward from Lake Su-
perior, Raymond was complacent]y seated on
the pilot. Whenever the end of the track.
was reached he jumped off, ran ahead, select
ed good location for business, and waited
for the engine to come up; then, resuming
his seat, he was pushed out to the next jump
ing-off place. By the time Bismarck was
reached his pockets were comfortably lined
with the profits of mercantile enterprise, and
he determined to stick his stake. To-day he
is a banker and business man, and is promi-
nently identified with the interests of that
portion Of the northwest.
Col. Raymond has recently reached Chicago
from Washington, where he spent several
weeks in educating the territorial committees
of the Senate and House in regard to the
necessity for
DIVIDING DAKOTA
not new one, as it was preached and aei-
tated three years ago. but it has recently as
sumed new shape. The original plan was
to divide the territory on the forty sixth
parallel from east to west, the northern por-
ton to be known as Pembina, and the
southern to retain the name of Dakota. Bis
marck would naturally have become the CAPT.
tai of Pembina, while Yankton would have
been the chief city of the southern division.
The opposition to this scheme was so pro-
nounced that it was ultimately abandoned.
Last season the residents in the Black Hills
region endeavored to organize territory of
their own, drawing the greater portion of
their land supply from Dakota, but taking in
the greater portion of Wyoming and Mon
tana, comprising in all about forty thousand
square miles, and leaving Bismarck out.
Judge Whitehead and H. G. Walker were ap-
pointed commissioners to proceed to Wash
ington at the opening of the present session
of Congress, and make such representations
to the committees as would secure favor
able report. In this they failed, as the com
mittees reported adversely.
About the same time the citizens of Bis
marck held meeting and appointed COM
mittee of seven to look after their best in
terests, and the result was determination
north to south on the line of the one hun
dredth meridian, the west half.
TO BE cHR1sTENED LINCOLN.
To further this plan, Col. Raymond and Col
Lounsberry, members of the committee, pro-
ceeded to Washington. One of the first
moves was to have a consultation with the
commissioners from the Black Hills. This
resulted in the latter agreeing to abandon
their scheme, and accept that adopted by
the citizens of Bismarck. Thus far the
combined forces have met with encouraging
success. The Senate committee reported
unanimously in favor of the organization of
the new territory on the 10Th inst The
House committee has not acted as vet, but
the subcommittee of three, who have the
matter Immediately in hand, formerly re-
ported SO strongly against the organization
of the territory of Pembinah, that it is i'm
possible for them to favor the new project,
even If they were so inclined. The chair
man OF the house committee, however, who
has the appointment of all subcommittee
regards the projected division favorably. and
it is understood that he will shortly appoint
new subcommittee that will eventually re
port in accordance with his wishes. AS the
rule OF custom is for the committees to in
dorse the report of the subcommittee, and
for the Senate and House to stand by the
reports of its committees, the friends of the
Lincoln bill-as it is called-are quite conf
dent that they will soon have
A DOMAIN OF THEIR OWN.
One of the chief objections with members
of the house in the formation of new terri
tories, is, that as soon as they become States
they will have as many Senators as New
York or Illinois, although they may not be
entitled to more than single representa-
tive in the lower house. Should the adyo-
Gates of division win, the new terri. ory Of
Lincoln will contain population at the
start of twenty-five thousand, and an extent
of seventy thousand square miles in
the Black Hills region polled seven thousand
votes, while the Bismarck region polled one
thousand. In mining region the average
is about three inhabitants to one voter.
which would give the Black Hills twenty one
thousand; and in commercial section like
Bismarck the average is five to one, which
would give five thousand people to that por-
ton of the territory.
Even if the Black Hills should not eyentu-
ally prove success as mining region
and there is little doubt that they will
THEIR AGRICULTURAL VALUE
is unquestioned. The foothills are covered
| with luxuriant growth of pine, and the
valleys are unsurpassed for grazing purposes.
| As for the eastern and northern portion OF
Lincoln, it's adaptability to agricultural pur-
suits is pronounced fully equal to the best
portions of Colorado and Montana. or, in
deed, any territory west of the Mississippi
A strong argument used in favor of the
division is the fact that, to reach Yankton,
the present capital, from Bismarck, at any
other time than during the summer, Journey
of one thousand miles by rail must be made
by way Of st. Paul; and the connections are
such that the trip from Bismarck to Chicago
can be made in twenty eight hours less time
than to Yankton. During the summe,