Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-04-17

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will be the most direct route to Chicago.
A couple of Chicago parties named Van
Pelt and Couch are buying all the land
they can secure at or near Ordway, Brown
county. They are supposed to represent
the capital syndicate. Mr.. Couch was in
Yankton during the closing days of tho
legislative session and became acquaint-
ed with the friends of "the nine most re-
putable men," He lis the father.in-law
of MIR. Elwell, of Sioux Falls. This is
the only discouraging thing we ever
heard about Mr.. Couch. Otherwise he
seems bright, intelligent. successful
man. The theory of those who have
watched the movements of these gentle
men is that Mr.. Van Pelt and Mr.. Couch
are of the opinion that the commission
will locate the capital at Ordway. For
the present they are buying only upon
contingency, but their hopes run high
and they may have struck it in advance.
Several members Of the capital COM
mission and several legislative hangers
on are OF and about Sioux City and Elk
Point and there are signs in the atmos-
phere: of Iowa, that something is about
to occur. Among the number are Alex.
Mckenzie and John P. Belding, of the
commission, and Pyatt and Bowman, of
the legislature. 1t is significant fact
that only those members of the legisla-
ture who voted for the capital bill fol-
low on the trail of the commission and
haunt the ante rooms and corridors of
its resting places. The members who
opposed the measure stay at home and
give no heed to the doings of the COM
mission. Since the appearance of the
capital locators in and about their Iowa
fortress, Alex Hughes has been their
courier between the capital of Dakota
and Sioux City. and on Saturday Gov
ernor Ordway went as far as Vermillion,
where he remained over Sunday. Some
scheme is on foot. Just why the COVER
nor of Dakota should be hob-nobb1ng
with the commission is not explained,
as there exists presumption that he is
not to influence their acts in any way.
But somehow there appears to be an at
traction between the two. When the COM
mission approaches within forty or sixty
miles the governor is unable to resist the
magnetic influence and is diverted twen-
ty or forty miles from his natural orbit
On these occasions conjunction of the
two bodies is liable to occur. Ifinterest.
| ed scientists, had their instruments ready
for an observation at the critical moment
they might be able to figure therefrom
the exact distance between the governor
and the prairie spot which is to boon,
under the name of Dakota's capital. The
marked periods of planetary disturbance
within the Dakota political system eccul
with amazing irregularity and the watch
ful speculator is unable to predict theil
approach. He only knows
that something has happened
when one of the susceptible bodies file!
off at tangent and comes in contact
with another one of the susceptible,
bodies. Alexander Hughes is not 81
much controlled by the laws of attraction
and resistance. He flies about reckless
ly hither and thither, in all directions
like unto blazing, long tailed comet
But he is not comet. lie is only {
rocket. By and by there will be moth
ing left of him but the stick.
A gentleman who has been down tc
Sioux City says that one of "the nine
most reputable men, put little more
into his mouth than was good for his
head and thereby became careless in his
expressions. 1t was gathered from hin
while in this conversational mood that
the commission designed filling in the
time between now and the sitting of the
court upon their case by giving a series
of Ordway boom meetings throughout
the territory. 1t will take the form q
an effort to resuscitate the corpse O.
their dead chief. AS the commission il
receiving six dollars per day and ex
penses, the project seems practicable
from financial standpoint. The pub
lie is notified in advance, without
charge, that these meetings may occur
The commission does not advertise il
the Press and Dakotaian.