Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1884, 1880-05-07
THE BUSINESS or BISMARCK

HER FREIGHfING CAPACITY OIE1
133,OOO,0O0 POUNDS a YEAR.
Commercial Industries and Steamboat
TrAmc-- A City that Does Moro Busl-
ness than all Other Towns ON
tho N. p. Combined.
THE o1rY OF B1sMARoK,
as elsewhere stated, is town Of 5000 peo-
pie, situated at the North Pacific crossing
OF the Missouri river. It is the western
terminus of the Dakots division Of the
North Pacific railroad and the beginning
OF the Missouri division, which extends
from the Missouri river to the Yellowstone.
Bismarck has two newspapers, eight law
yers, two banks, eight hotels, one of them,
the Sheridan House, being the largest build
ing in the Territory, costing upwards Of
$4,000. 1t is lighted by gas and heated by
steam, and is first class in every particular.
Among its business houses will be found
nine dealers in general groceries and mer-
SAs<sAASsD~S
ing goods, two in dry goods, two hardware
stores, two drug stores, two boots and shoes,
one furniture, two lumber yards, two baker
les, two markets, two -four and feed stores,
one Touring mill, four Wholesale liquor
houses, two breweries, blacksmith, wagon and
gun shops and numerous saloons and bill
lard halls, several barber shops, etc.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
are graded into three departments, and the
Benedictine Sisters also have excellent
graded schools. The Presbyterian, Episoo-
pal and Catholic people have built churches,
and the Methodists will build this summer.
The county commissioners have let con-
tract for building court house, an elegant
fre-proof brick building, the best in tho
Territory, costing $4,000.
FIVE LINES OF STEAMERS
make Bismarck their headquarters, plying on
the Missouri river 1900 miles above to Fort
Benton; 300 miles on the Yellowstone from
Fort Buford to Fort Keogh, and IS miles on
the Big Horn from Fort Keogh to
Fort Custer. The lines are the
Coulson, Benton, Yellowstone, Peck and
Kountz, in all forty odd boats, car
rying generally about $50 to $50
tons each. The Gen. Sherman, govern
ment boat, should be added to the above;
also North Pacific, transfer boat; the steam
ferry Union, the Eclipse, recently pur-
chased by Capt. Braithwaite, and the l,ed
Cloud, owned by J. G. Baker 6, Co., of Fort
Bcnton.
>a DAILY STAGES
To %
from Bismarck to Fort Keogh, 800 miles;
from Bismarck to Fort Yates, Go miles;
from Bisma arck to Mandan, and Bismarck to
Fort Abraham Lincoln, each miles, and
tri-weekly stages from Bismarck to Fort
Buford. Fully $500 teams are engaged in
freiehting from Bismarck to the Black Hills
and other points.
Bismarck polls about $50 votes, and is met
ropolitan in it's tastes, habits and appearance.
1t is the center of a vast country rapidly i'm
proving and must grow. As mail routes,
stage and transportation lines now lead out
from Bismarck, all interests in this North
western country centering here, 80 the In-
dian trails in times gone by used to center
at this point. Here was the great battle
ground of the Sioux and the allied tribes Of
Arrickaries, Gros Ventres and Mandsns. A.
ter the Sioux conquered their various tribes
they gathered iii this vicinity for their annual
sun dance and other great occasions, showing
it to be natural center and where there will
be built city that Will be eminent in the
future for it's schools and colleges and for
it's business relations.
While this is true, trade of every sort ia
fully represented, but there Is room
for the investment of money in loans. in
farm lands and farming, in stock growing
and in speculations of almost every sort.
Money will bring net return of 12 Der
cent. above the cost OF placing and collect.
ing and in many instances much higher
return.
The country doesn't need men looking
for soft snaps; it doesn't need idlers
without money, but it does want
men who will work at anvth;no
they can find to do, while those who baye
money which they want to use will fi.,d this
just the place for them.
THE TRADE OF BISMARCK
comes from the concentration of interests
heretofore mentioned. While this trade 10
not likely to die out, the country is speedily
and in time from it's agricultural
resources alone Bismarck will enjoy as great
a trade as any of the Red river towns, two
OF three years at most will bring boom
that will astonish those who have hopcd for
but little. For 1000 miles north and west
of Bismarck there is rich country which is
as certain to settle as that country lying be-
tween Fort Sully and Yankton
which is now being so rapidly
taken, and whstever in the
way of trade results from this will bring.
grist to Bismarck mills. Other lines Of
road will soon connect with the North Pa
ciic at this point which in the near future,
is destined to become, in all probability, the,
capital Of one of the grandest of the North.
western States.
Some idea of its importance to day nav,
be gained from the following statemen. Of
freight delivered at Bismarck during 1879:
Tonnage STATEMENT BY MONTHS