Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1885-06-11
4 BIT Or History.

BY reference to the early history of Da-
kota, published in the Atlas of Dakota
you will find that at the first election fol
delegate 10 congress. IN 1861. the can
dldates were John e. S. Todd, A. j. Bel
and Charles p. Booge. The country was
The organic act for this crlitOry was
different from that of most or all other
territories in that it did not provide that
the laws of any state should govern until
the legislature should enact laws The
only law in the territory then was the re-
volvcr, and the judgment of the court
was with the fellow that "got the DROP
Bell had come into the territory as gov
ernment surveyor but later had estab-
lished newspaper at Vermlllion, called
the Republican, the first, or among the
first papers IN the territory. The oppo-
nents Of Todd met in convention at Yer
million the first day of June, 1861, and
nominated Bell for congress. Afterwards
Booge, Of Sioux Falls, came out as an in.
dependent candidate, and then the TRAN
gular struggle commenced.
During the campaign Bcll's life hal
several close calls. At one time stranger
approached HIM charging hlm with being
q Red river man and with Il design to
take the capital over into that country,
following the few uncercmonions remarks
by thrusting pistol into his face and
firing the ball grazing his left cheek and
leaving lifetime scar. Another time
during the campaign Bells life was
threatened by desperate, but Bell hay
ing heard Of it was prepared for him and
the first time they met Bell "got the
DROP on his adversary but finally let him
off on his good behavior. Many other
instances that tried mems grit occurred
during this campaign when there was no
law.
The Bell referred to in the above is the
Evangelist A. j. Bell who is now con-
ductlng the grsI Iel meetings in tins city.
Mr.. Bell ls an entertaining talker on
things terrestrial as well as celestial, and
can recount the scenes of the early days
IN Dakota in most interesting style. He
is pioneer Of the pioneers. He went
out OF the territory about twenty years
ago at the time of a massacre in South
Dakota with the war whoop of the In
dians behind him and has not been in the
territory since till the present time. lie
is highly pleased with the people and
thinks upon the whole we have better
society here than in the old settled towns
and cities of the east
Several of the surrounding counties are
now taking the preliminary steps towards
holding agricultural fairs this fall. This
brings up from the deep recesses of men,
ory the fact that several farmers meet
lngs were held here IN the early part of
last winter which resulted in an organ
lzatlon for like purpose in this county.
The indications then were that If the
high pressure of enthusiasm should be
maintained we would have fair IN md
winter with the thermometer 40 below
zero. But in the midst of this high pres
sure the last of series of meetings ad
iourned subject to the call of the presi-
dent and still stands so adjourned. Can
not our Stutsman County Agricultural
and Mechanical Association be resurrec-
ted
The Fargo Republican says: "The
mayor, the city council AMI the citizens
generally of jamestown are preparing
for grand celebration of the Fourth.
Cannot movement to that end be inau-
gurated In Fargo a' Better all come to
Jamestown and see live Fourth of July
celebration. All Others will only be pic
MICS.