The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-05-18
A ROWING COMMISSION.

Mcdonald Visited ST. Paul-Proposed
Trade of Capital Pointers for AN Irish.
man-Porsonnel of tho Commission. p
YANkToN, Special Correspondence, May A.
Your correspondent left the capital commits
sio ners snoring soundy in their special car,
thi 8 morning, after having accompanied
them short distance on grand
tour Of inspection of the proposed sites The
commissioners realizo that their every act and
utterance will be analysed and criticiz,d, and
while it is evident that the individual sentiment
of the nine elect has no. yet crystalized into q
general understanding OF the plans and preju-
dices that will enter into the preliminaries Of
final decision, it is equally evident that there
is determination to 20 slow aud sure, and il
possible make no mistakes. To do tho COM
missioners justice it must DO said that they are
united in determination to transact their
business so fairly anl WILL that their present
critics and the peors must accept and commend
the final results. Your correspondent is aware
| from experience that munitions are often very
reliable, and whils not making auy CAIN Of
being on the inside or having received any
pointers, or even Of having believed all that he
has heard, has arrived at conclusions that are
worthy to be formulated into prediction.
First, then, 1t may be predicted that after
considerable secret discussion, aud not without
come opposition, majority OF tho commission
has decided to ignore the forty-sixth parallel
and all other imaginary dividing lines, and to To-
cate, the capital with reference to &C.
feasibility and convenience to the people
of the entire Territory it now exists. This
decision, from the start is a death blow to
the aspirations Of Mitchell, which is considered
too far south (only seventy five miles distant
from Yanktonl, and, besides, the commission
ers have said to one another, soThe lGO acres
of land offered by Mitchell is not actually worth
over ~, 900 and is not conveniently located to
! the city. But what of Pierre? is asked The
renIV ma0a in tho tqDVuaOa NJ n railroad
aud it would cost US over 81 900, 900 to ex-
tend our limo to that point It won't
pay US" This narrows the contest
Frankfort among the number having sub
| mitted propositions, and it may DO safely pre-
dicted that the actual contest will rest between
Huron and Ordway. Either town, it is alleged,
will be satisfactory to the leading railroad COM
panies. Three commissioners have already
privately committed themselves to the friends
of Huron, but the Ordway interest is thor
| oughly organized and powerful. aud tho towns
in their immediate vicinity, which will include
Forestburg and Redield, making the PROPOSE
Territory,is pretty sure of capturing the prize.
| This IS an unprejudiced summing up Of the
present situation, and may be supplemented by
| the following reliable gossip, picked up on the
| fly and Photographed for the PIONEER PRESS:
| COMMISSION PARAGRAPHS.
| Under the rule extending the time for open-
| ing bids until the 18th instant, supplementary
bids will be in order, and may cut an impor-
tant figure.
No one can ever guess from what town comes
| the unknown bid.
Chicago l. Northwestern representative &c
companyins the commission left for head
qnares post haste, yesterday, on o mission to
the general manager.
detective, incognito, accompanies the COM
| mission, and picks up pointers for the Chicago
l. Northwestern road. He is Of sandy COM
plexion and lives in St. Paul
Yankton is sure that Ordway is the place to
be selected
Huron, Mitchell, and all other candidates in
or near tho Jim River valley, want tho capital
to go 10 Pierro. as second choice.
A Mitchell real estate man was go confident
at the time of the departure of the commission
last night, that he offered to cover any money,
from $l to 81 900, any time within ten days,
on bet of two to one on Mitchell against the
field.
1t is predicted that On audience of 500 peo-
Pile will witness the opening Of the bids.
The PIONEER PRESS recently intimated that
the object of the visit of the notorious Mike
Mcdonald to St. Paul was to work up boom
for Carter Harrison for vice president. Here
ls the real reason: Years ago o 10 Of the capital
commissioners did not have US respectable
political following as at present, and q notori-
GUS threo-card monte man once saved his life
Subsequently the monte sharp was one Of two
or three that were arrested by Chicago, Mil
waukee l. St Paul detective and lodged IN Jail
at Rod Wing. Mike Mcdonald recently became
interested in the release of tho monte sharp,
and, coming to St. Paul, interviewed the capt
eaid monte man had once saved the
commissioners life, and finally asked
the commissioner to use his influence
with him to secure his release, an that il he
| would do so said commissioner should get all
the credit Of the same as being an act Of graft
tude. In order to secure the release it was
necessary to find an important witness in the
person Of an 1rishman, VINO had been success
fully secreted by the Chicago, Milwaukee L st.
Paul detective after once having been dlscov-
cred by detective in the employ Of Mike Nc
Donald This much preliminary. Last night
capital commissioner dropued down in q seat
beside detective in the employ Of the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St Paul road, and after brief
confding. pulled down his hat, put his arm
around the detective and gently whispered,
"By the way, where is Pat -" Uhe
important Irish wtness) The detective
st!aigh tened up and dropped his eyeid and
him. He spent 81, 900 looking for HIM at St
Paul and since, but pointer on the capital
location would not induce me to divulge his
| whereabouts"
The most prominent politician among the
has tho. brightest political future be-
Mckenzie of Bismarck. He is an untiring
| worker and never rests. 3. absorbs all the
information ahoat, and never yields any in re-
turn. Everybody who knows him is his
friend. He appreciates friendship, and never
tires working for his friends. He can quietly
and unob trusively pump dry the Information
and lay bare the plans of those WI b whom he
comes in contact, at the rate of ten men per
minute. He will ask question Of one person,
and finding itunimportant, will walk away and
! interrogate tbres more individuals before
| reply can be made He is magnificent
| organizer, sbrewd, sharp, independent, re-
liable and always 'sges there" The
commission arrives at town and comfortably
establishes itself at some hrt. headquarters,
| and Mckenzie goes out on d skirmi.h. He will
talk with everybody from bank to boot
black, and in an hours tim" eau so back aud
give to tho commission compile agnosis Of
the capital fever. He can tell tue symptoms
and state Of progress OF every case. He KNOWS
just how hard tho public pulse throbs with
hope, and can accurately count the number
that will not survive disappointment This
| saves the commissioners much labor aud
trouble and makes Mckenzie valuable men,
Der. He stands at tho hra of the line Of
North Dakota politicians, and can maintain his
position just as long as lie likes.
Commissioned Myers does not smoke or drink
and has tho appearance of y divinity student
| Commissioner De IOny il the farmer menu
Der, and tho stamp of honesty aud integrity is
80 plainly marked On his G. u Romance that .
corruptionist would no more dare off. r him Q
bride than an Englishnlan would dare fool
around an Irishman aud eau OF dynamite.
The commission AZ . body in anti cnnstitu-
tonal convention, and does not en- orse the
political scheme that will assemble at Huron
under tho guiss OF q constitutional convention.