The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-11-22
American BooIns,

The correspondent of the London
Times with the Hatch party wrote that
journal from Minneapolis as follows:
Boom is one of the most expressive
words of recent American coinage, and
the significant meaning seems to be
finding its way across the Atlantic.
Originated to signify the outward and
public results of the secret wire-pulling
resorted to for the advancement of the
fortunes of the willy politician, the word
has passed into general use as a term
designating the efforts made to push
into notoriety anything or anybody
needing it. Thus there has been in
American politics the "Grant boom;"
there has also been and will probably
continue perennially loudly-sounded
and far-reaching Chicago boom," in
dustriously expanded by its vigorous
citizens; and there has recently arisen,
and is growing to steadily larger. pro-
portions, an untiring "boom Of the new
northwest" which the world will hear
much of in the future. The prodigious
energy and fever heat with which the
development of the far northwest is be-
ing pushed since the Northern Pacific
railway has been constructed to open
it to settlement, is something amazing
to the eyes of slower going people frora
the seaboard or from Europe. OF much
of this have already written in chron-
icling the progress of this tour to the
Yellowstone national park; but starting
on the return journey and going back
from the outposts of civilization through
the new frontier towns. within q few
days after having first visited them on
the outward trip, has shown actual and
tangible evidences of their rapid
growth. Two classes of settlers go
to the frontier, and start the new set
tlement, the hard-headed pioneers
measuring them by the "go-ahead"
proclivities they develop. When the
white man first arrives, and shows re-
serve and caution, he is known as 3
.'tenderfoot" carefully feeling his way.
When he 'learns the ropes" shows a
reckless and daring spirit, and begins
to "catch on to the infectious and
restless spirit of the .'boom'' that is all
around him, he becomes in border
phrase, q ''rustler.' He rushes in to
get the prizes, starts new town sites,
''pegs up" the quotations of eligible
corner lots on the prairie, and bubbles
over with sonorous adjectives in his de-
scriptions of the new settlements
achievements, merits and prospects.
The return journey after ten days spent
in the park, demonstrated that the
''rustler" was out in force, all along
the Northern Pacific line, and had not
been talking only, but was at work. In
Livingston, just at the entrance of the
pass leading to the park, an entire new
street of good wooden houses-not very
large or pretentious-had been built,
and some were already occupied, all
done since we were there, beside start
ing new national bank" Miles City
and several other places displayed new
hotels and "saloons;" Steele had sew
eral new houses, and similar reports
were made from Pyramid Park, San
born, jamestown, Glendive, Fargo, and
other towns. Billings was endeavor-
ing to dot down some more buildings
on its widely expanded town site.
Glendive, you will be glad to hear, has
done the handsome thing by starting
the Times as the daily newspaper that
is to take care of it's ''boom.' ''The
Times Office" in large letters, adorns
the front of a little cubical-shaped,
White-painted wooden house, measur-
ing about fifteen feet each way, from
which this small, but very energetic
newspaper is issued every morning.
The editor varies the monotony of lead
er-writing by conducting lively and,
I hope, profitable traffic in town lots.
Mandan, since our recent visit, added
large new hotel and several substan-
tial dwellings to its domain. Bismarck,
which is always displaying prodigious
energy, beside many new houses, had
also started second newspaper, find
ing one sheet entirely inadequate to
looking after all its interests. Thus is
the new northwest booming" two
thousand miles and more beyond New
York, while every arriving train brings
more settlers to seek their fortunes in
the land that ten years ago knew few
inhabitants other than soldiers and
Sioux. AS Whittier has significantly
written:
Behind the squaw's birch-bark canoe,
The steamer smokes and raves;
And city lots are staked for sale
Above old Indian graves.