The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1883-07-05
EARLY DAYS.
How Bismarck was Situated Ten
years ago.
Trib

years ago.
Bismarck Tribune.
Communities as we'll as men have their
struggles and their triumphs. Bismarck
is notable example. Its long pending
town site contest-lasting FIVE years, serv-
ed as a wet blanket upon It's prosperity.
The financial troubles of the North Pacific
beginning in 1872 seriously affected this
region, while it gave the Red river valley
by throwing cheap lands upon the market,
the productiveness of which were unques-
toned, that has given them uninterrupted
prosperity.
Indian and military expeditions, trans
portation in connection with the mines,
and the extension Of the railroad, employ
ed all the teams and labor in the country
and the deyelopement OF our agricultural
resources, and the belief naturally became
general that the country was not valuable.
This retarded settlement and Bismarck
struggled on depending almost entirely
upon treig lighters, river men and army peo
pie for support.
There was little to encourage our peo-
pie except that the location Of the city
was believed to be 50 important that soon
er or later it would attract attention and
then begin to boom. For six years it
mod =. br. E,+lo ,,rorraCu I,,t IN 1870 an
effort was made to cultivate the soil which
proved to be productive beyond all ex-
pectation, and three years later We cap
tured the silk banner for the best display
of agricultural products at the great north
western exhibition at Minneapolis And
this was practically our first triumph, at
ter years Of struggling. An era Of pros
perity was then ushered in, and from that
time onward one success after another has
crowned the efforts eff our people to build
up their city and make it attractive, and
to-day its people-are in the height of their
prosperity.
All of the old-timers find themselves
in comfortable circumstances-some Of
them wealth y, and in almost every indi-
yidual case incidents can be recalled in the
struggles of the past that are exceedingly
interesting. Think of Alex McKen zie,
who only ten years ago delivered pop IL a
wheelbarrow, f. A Williams and John
4 MI o,, -. iobo~c~. ~ ~ c--, a
Flannery as a brief es. barrister, without
a foot Of real estate, Call. burdened by
unfortunate investments, Richards
| as speculator, Raymond az canvasser
for newspaper advertising On commits
| sion.
The Tribune, which now publishes a
morning and evening edition with full as
socIated press reports, less than ten years
ago was printed on quarter medium
Gordon jobber, and frequently ON brown
paper. At one time to keep from distress
| it borrowed $3.50 from Jack Champlln,
who did not keep the most cha.te kind OF
an establishment, giving a mortgage on
property worth $500 paying 10 per cent
! per month interest. 1t borrowed for
months at per cent. per month. and for
years at ? and per cent. and its pub
fishers sacrificed one piece of real estate
after another that to-day would bring
100000, for the sake of keeping the
Tribune alive, and it is worthy of note
that during all these long years it has nev-
er missed an issue; has never complained
Of lack Of patronage, or .squealed in
any sense; has never used its columns to
| abuse its cotemporaries or for unjust at