The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-08
swAlssa,

Waihslle. 81 ~ 4
The town o. wall,alia, ior,issly known
a. ". Joe. was founded In lslS by Father
Belcouer, a French r. q. missionary, who
had the people Of his parish lay out the
present site of Walhalla in streets and
lots, and build thereon substantial lag
dwellings 10 that they would bs the
better prepared ID resist the oaslauehts
Of the hostile Sioux. He took great
interest in the advancement of his people,
both temporal and spiritual. He built
hewn log church, 2Sx50 f., with base
ment in which he resided. He also
assisted them in building -four mill
with a small run Of stone. It was not q
decided success, owing to the primitive
machinery used. The boiler &C., belong
ing to this mill were purchased by the
father of our present miller, Mr.. John F.
Mayer. &
In 1858 Mr. ]. F. Mayer passed through
here on his way to Fort Garry with his
fathe-. mother, brother and sister, this
being one Of the main trails fiom st.
Cloud and st. Paul. where all supplies
were purchased and supplied by OK cart
in summer and by dog train in the win
ter. At that time the place con.
tanned 80 or 90 houses, including N. w.
Kittson's general trading post. Two o
the buildings then belonging to the trad
ing post are now used for stable aud
granary at the Bellevue Hotel. There
was also trading post one and one-hall
miles east, now known as tile Gingras
House and estate, on which, land there
was field CT forty acres Of grain growing
in 1S4S. Itl'as produced abundant crops
every year since without manure. The
population were in perpetual fear of the
Indians, who would lie in ambush ready
to kill any unlucky halibreed who might
come within range of their rifles, az
the town was built close to the timber
and mountain. In 1868 occurred what is
known as the st. Joe massacre, which
was the killing of the Protestant mission
ary's wife, Mrs. Barnett. and also q num-
Der ofhalfbreeds. There was no general
massacre as is commonly supposed,
neither has there ever been one.
Only four Of the original buildings re-
main, among these the old custom house,
post Office and minister's residence, the
halfbreeds having torn down a number
and used them for firewood.
In 1870 a company of American soldiers
were sent from Fort Abercombie to build
post near this point, but were recalled
after putting upa few logs which are now
used by Patrick O'lsourke as stable.
AS the Red river country he.
came settled, the town gradually
diminished in population until 1871,
in which year Mr.. Geo. Emmerling came
here, took up land, and started store
and stock farm. In 1872 ]. F. Mayer
returned, and with his father and Mr..
Emmerling, constructed dam across
the Pembina. In 1874 they ground all
the wheat (abcut 800 busll.) raised he
tween Scratching river, Man. and Two
Rivers in Mum. In 1875 the dam was
swept away and they then built a steam
Touring and saw mill. using the old
Belcouer boiler. In that year they
ground 1900 bush. Each succeeding
year since las witnessed an increase in
the milling business, until now Mr..
Mayer, (now sole proprietor. Mr.. Emmcr-
ling having died i'm 1881 has a first class
roller mill, with all the latest improve
nents in Touring mill machinery, a well
as saw mill with capacity of 10000
feet of lumber daily.
The first school was started in 1880.
To-day our school house is only second
to the one at Pembina. Mrs. Stearns, late
of Mich. is the efficient teacher and has
3G names enrolled.
Our first mail route was from Pcmbina
to st. Joe, once week. Now We have
daily service both ways, from Necle to
Olga, and the postutfice business here
has increased from $40 in stamps q
quarter, cancelled in 1875, to $4,000 q
quarter in 1885. There is also . post
office at Ernest. with Henry Mciuin as
postmaster, six miles east Of Walhalla,
and in this township. Mr.. McGuin also
conducts general store and is a notary
public.
The Casselton branch of the st. P. NJ.
& NJ. Railroad is surveyed and the right
of way cleared to within three miles Of
Walhalla. The road is completed to
Park River, 36 miles south Of US and the
prospects are good that we will have
railway communication at an early date.
The first settlement by whites in the
township was at Ernest in 1878. by Mr..
Owen McGuin and sons, and their fam
lilies, Mr.. WIN. Harvey aud others.
Some six miles to the north of the
town is q mound built it is
supposed by tie Mound Builders in the
long ago.
The town of Walllalla received its
present name from U. 8. Consul Taylor,
of Winnipeg. 1t Isl Scandinavian word
and means Goods home or as we would
say, Paradise" 1t is situated 81 miles
south of the boundary, OH the north
bank of the Pembina River, which here
issues from the Pcmbina mountains.
The town lies close to the mountain and
is thus nicely sheltered from the wind.
Tie view from tile top of the mountain is
one which must be seen to be appreciated.
1t commands the country for 25 miles;
the town Of Bathgate. the handsome
farlrs and farm buildings on the north of
tire Pembina. and the Mennonite villages
of Manitoba, forming pleasant contrast
to the timber intersected prairie OH the