Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1883-1884, 1883-12-28
OUR CITY'S BACKBONE
A Few Words Concerning the
Makers of fCOoperstown and
Their Industries.
Solid Growth and Prosperity of the Place.

Eleven months ago the COURIER was
planted on the then snow-bedecketl and
blizzard famed prairie where now
blooms and bustles brisk Cooperstown.
The twenty-sixth day of last February
when the paper was first issued one firm
sold goods here, and to day we have the
pleasure Of referring to numerous prom
lnent business men who have bent their
energies during the past few months to
make a town that, for it's age, stands
without rival. Less than one wear ago
we claimed that Cooperstown would be
great distributing point-not in the
dim and golden ultimately, but that it
would be accomplished within IL few short
months. The present prosperity of the
place, the throngs of customers that
crowd our great mercantile institutions,
proclaim better than can voice or pencil
the truth that has come to pass. The two
or three partly completed buildings of one
year ago have given place to beautiful
busy little city that springsas if by magic
from the bosom of a swelling prairie.
Who and what has caused the achieve
ment OF such remarkable results, eau
tiously inquiries the credulous and sedate
eastern reader? Unequalled geographic
cal position, exhaustless agricultural re-
sources, and good backing of indomit-
able, never-say die, patriotic pioneers,
is what has done it, and the object of
this article is to refer briefly to the prin-
clpal ones OF that class, and there can
be none better to begin with than
KOLLlN c. COOPER,
of the firm of Cooper Brothers. farmers
and dealers in stock. A person thirty
and his Maker not only q fine physlca!
OF true manhood. lie is not only the
Wealthiest resident of Griggs county i'm
the possession Of the nations coin and
Dakotas darkest dirt, but he is we'll
fixed in honor, integrity, generosity.
good-natuip, and all that goes 10 make a
man respected by his fellow being. The
efforts OF Cooper Bros. through him have
been tile prime factors that has resulted
III our present prosperity. No man on
earth could do more for the people of a
than he gladly did for the
early settlers OF this entire region. To
ask a favor OF him was good as obtain
ing the desideratum. When the first
crop OF grain was ready for market and
no railroad to carry it away his energies
were at once bent in that direction, and
the steam horse ploughs REGULAR
~ INTO the midst OF our fertile region.
HIS connection with the townsite has
Deen upright and generous; as a county
he has been careful. fear
less and frank with the people: as a
private citizen he has been noble i'm his
dealings. His every act has been open
anu Tor the public veal. No person, vet
70 make Grlggs his home, will ever know
now much X. G. Cooper has done for
CooperstOWn and its surroundings.
ODEGARD & THOMPSON
are very aptly termed the pioneer Mer-
cflants" for it was them who first directed
trade to CooperstoWn. The indefatiga-
PIE resident manager of this institution,
hnud thompson, fought billiards. and
adverse circumstances last winter, until
llally onthe 5th day of january he was
able to open a few cases OF goods. Three
weeks later the Courier made the follow
ng remark: '.In the starting of new
GOWNS quite as much depends upon the
class OF business men who establish
here as upon the townsite proprietors
themselves, when high and lasting de-
gree OF success is the desired result. In
his respect CooperstOwn has unusual
good luck, being the chosen field of OPP
.rations for the firm of Odegard 4
thompson. gentlemen of extensive bust |
less experience, WHO believe in the
liberal SYSTEM How well
hey have justified that item is best
by their store full of eager
'lstomers and tie five or six busy men
attending their wants. The firm has
'een great boon to Cooperstown and
re on the tidal wave OF prosperity, their
;'lts being constantly on the gain. A
areful approximate gives them busi-
ess or $l5O.OOO for the ensuing year.
bunting machinery, III which they pro-
ose to deal. Their sales Since starting
ggregate about 100000.
WHIDDEN BROTHERS
re mercantile firm OF mighty progress.
nd the chief, w. Il. Whidden, has
roven himself during his eight months
areer in COoperstoWn to be a tireless
'iler Of trade. Push, pluck, printers
Tx, fair, square dealing and just-as-
epresented goods has made the tie name
f''Whidden 3ros.'' a household word
lroughout numberless adjoining town I
1ips, for people come twenty and thir-
! miles to buy their supplies. 10 see !
le amount of business MIR. Whidden is l
Ding would be like an electric shock to
'me of his old merchant neighbors of
le east, who whistle and lament the +
'untry's condition while grass grows t
rough the cracks of their floors. With a
$4,000 stock to keep up and with 4
les from 5000 to $500 per week this a
m hardly have time to talk politics or y
oak. The energy, the philosophical y
'ss of Whidden Bros. is something h