Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-16
WAHPETON.

A Thriving Town In the Red River Valley
! why It Is a Favorite for Immigrants
| Its Remarkable Growth.
Where the Bots De Sioux and Otter Tail
unite to form the Red River OF the North, the
St Paul and Pacific (now st. Paul and Man.
atobal railroad, made the terminus Of their
main line some years ago and named the fu-
ture city Breckenridge. Whether nature or
circumstances killed it, this deponant saith
not but the present outlook is just what it
was seven years ago. The hand of time has
brought naught but decay. Even the signal
service has discovered that Fargo Is
81 better point to determine what kind OF
weather to dish up for the Red river valley,
and like the Arab, they have "fo lded
| their tents and silently stole away" When a
man is down kick him. Though this is the
way of the world, the GLOBE is more merci-
full, and simply pauses to remark that destiny
has again spoken, as she has often done be-
fore, Tor the west bank .of the river. Rich
land county, D. t., unlike Wilkin county,
Mimi, is, besides being very fertile, well
drained.
Early approaching the fact that immigra
ton would eventually seek the west bank,
Mr.. NJ T. Rich located at the junction of the
| two rivers on the west side, and awaited
events. In process of time settlers began to
follow him, and he had town site surveyed
and plated.
April, 1880, saw struggling village full of
uncertainties. April, 1881, saw future OF
great promise, and induced men of capital to
take hand in its development. Ninety days
later saw sixty buildings, large proportion
of them business buildings, under way or
completed 1t Saw bank-G. w. Hayward
| 81 Co., formerly of the First National, st.
Paul jim full running order, relieving the
settlers from the merciless frontier
land sharks, and giving an i'm
as well directed capital alone can. 1t found
| W. II. Bush (ate of Pilkington, Bush Co.,
st. PauD, with an immense agricultural i'm
Element house in full blast, and engaged in
building an elevator of 100, 900 bushels capac-
ity. 1t found Fl. H. Smith, late family
grocer on Jackson street, building a
hotel which for elegance, conye-
nience and adaptibility to the business
can scarce find an equal in the Northwest. 1t
| is of capacity of seventy-five people; is two
stories high, with French roof story above; is
built to keep out cold aud prevent a calamity
by fire, and will be a gem when done-costing,
net. IS, 900. Carlyle q Van, of La Crosse; E.
J. Hodgson, of st. Paul, and M. R. Phelps are
building elevators. 1t found the town site
not only neatly surveyed aud staked out, but
its streets all :. neatly y, graded My by the %
Rich Rich 1t found the site selected
| donated by Mr. Rich) for court house and
iail to cost $4,000, and the contract let for
| building it, the bonds having been already is
sued and negotiated at their face by Mr.. Hay
ward. 1t found the Manitoba road in opera
ton for fifty miles west to point SIX miles
from Wheatland, or Casselton, on the Northern
Pacific railroad, and 800 men at work upon
the Black Hills line, which branches off here.
1t found a survey of the Northern Pacific,
Fergus & Black Hills railroad made to point
one-half mile below the union OF
the two rivers, with strong
prospects of an early location. 1t found the
C. NJ, & St. Paul company threatening to en-
erthe Red river valley from Millbank by way
of this strategic point. And this is why SO
large number of people are coming here to
locate when there are so many good towns
all over the northwest In military parlance,
a point which is considered as the key TO de-
sirable position, is the point which every
nerve is strained to possess. This is just
what everybody is trying to do at Wahpeton.
The reception of the GLOBE representative by
/ the citizens was cordial in the extreme and he
was earnestly solicited to locate, and when
such staunch old Democrats as Charles Dam
erel Qate of lastings), and q. I. Darbellay,
| gave Tue rlSuI naHu VI ieiio supp ~ .ooe y
large amount of resolution to prevent him
from pinning his faith to the town at once
and cutting loose from the rest OF the world
| to float INTO fortune and renown on the heav-
ing wave of prosperity, which is making
Wahpeton the boss town of the West
In concluding its remarks the GLOBE would
not forget to mention the fact that the Hon.
B. McGotin, of Reserve township, Ramsey
county, who has vast wheat farm six miles
from Wahpeton, and who also owns large in
terests near and adjoining the town site, has
donated to the city five acres of his beautiful
grove for a park Its dark emerald green,
which in summer is suggestive of protection
from the SUMS fierce rays, and in winter from
the frisky blizzard, is one of the beauties OF
the landscape, and, is munifcent gift, which
| ic tod " the citizens