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

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Hahtl al NJ Nile Vocation a. at1ti.
pesEpoise Is lstispd he incrka ssRIly
Spps cia ID. in6so et,iycnisaali s..
libst byA hsSs md 3ipsrsroass tisl
ofcdintrf. II is the sdfrounlifs 6lntry,
that makes the town, and herein Is
Hami!tan's opportunity. III this .zccf:,
'ncction VIC may mention q fact, 1gaIned.
from u reliable source, viz: tint in tl.e.
vicinity Of Hamilton there IRE - twenty
farmers loaning money.
Ct. Thomas.
The town Of st. Thomas ss situated in
st. Thomas township OH the st. p, NJ. l.
NJ. railroad. fourteen miles nortl, of
Grafton. county town of Walsh county,
and thirteen miles south of Hamilton in
Pembina county. The township of st.
Thomas was surveyed in December of
the year, 1881, and was thrown on the
market the February following. The
town was plated in the month of May,
1882, and Messrs. e. H. Hager and Geo.
Lemon erected the first building, which
was completed in June of tile same year.
w. NJ. Holbrook & Go. followed next,
erecting . larRc double store, which was
filed with stock of general merchan-
disc by August LIST. T. ]. Lemons was
the third buildings commodio,s store
to be occupied by him in a GENERAL
merchandise business Olson, Thomson
& Christian also had a large gene al store
building ready for the fall trade. In the
meantime the Garfield House by Alonzo
Irish, and the Cameron House bt John
Cameron, were being pushed towards
completion and were opened to tile pub.
lie early in the summer. L. E. Storms
4 Co. established the first lumber yard,
but soon enjoyed the competition of ".
]. Ferguson. And before the fall trade
opened, nearly every branch Of business
in western city was represented, Tor the
most part, by young men of energy and
enterprise. st. Thomas was not the UNI
fortunate victim of "a phenomenal growth,
caused by peculiar circumstances, but
its progress was steady, rapid aud per-
manent, and the reaction experienced in
so many northwestern towns was scarcely
felt here. The following is brief repre-
sentation ofthe present business of the
town: -Four general stores, three hard
ware stores, two tin shops, one harness
shop, three lumber yards, one flour and
feed store, three agricultural implement
dealers, five hotels, one meat market,
one shoe shop, two drug stores. two
blacksmith shops, two carpenter shops,
one newspaper, one feed mill, five
saloons. one barber shop, one hank, one
photographer, one millinery and Dress
making establishment and three cIeva-
tors. There are three Furnishing church
organizations, Methodist, Rev. II. H..
Craig pastor; Baptist, Rev. ]. Crawford,
D. D., pastor; and Lutheran, Rev. 8.
Hansen, pastor. The two former have
furnishing Sunday schools in connection.
The Baptist congregation worship in a
comfortable 34x38 church, and the Mctl,o-
dists llaye accepted plans and have the
money raised Tor the erection ola church
to cost about $1,000. Tie school house
is two-story building with two depart
ments under the able direction of J. r.
Winn, principal. and Miss Adlic T..
Webster as assistant. There are nearly
one hundred names OH the register. The
three elevators of st. Thomas have a
combined capacity oflOO,OOO bushels, and
her citizens lave just reason to feel
proud of the fact that the greatest amount
of wheat marketed at any point north of
Fargo last season was at st. Thomas, not
excepting Grand Forks and Grafton.
Between 100000 and 100000 bushels Of
last years crop were shipped from st.
Thomas. A roller skating rink is soon
to be one of the attractions Of our town,
now being pushed towards completion
by Messrs. Walker & Arthur. st. Thomas
ls also to have.a cornet band. A CON-
plete set of instruments of fourteen pieces
have been placed in the hands of ne
many embryo musicians and under the
efficient leadership Of +. L. Porter, rapid
progress is being made. Among the
building Improvements not already mem
toned of this season, will he an addition
to the Pillsbury & Hubert elevator, ILL
creasing it's capacity to 100000 bushels
and it is stated that q fourth, elevator will
be built by the Red River Elevator Co.
Az an evidence of the prosperity of the
town an l the ability of its business men
1t may he mentioned that up to this date
there has never been a financial failure.
The country around St. Thomas is settled
by an intelligent and thrifty class of
people, mostly from Canada. Among the
bonanza farmers of the surrounding
country may he mentioned, Jos. Garnet
and sons, who must he given first place,
Frank Smith. Robert McAda,ns, Mr..
Walper, e. H. George and others too
numerous to mention. The future of
st. Thomas is assured. Her business
men, surrounding country and favorable
location. oil point in an, upward and on
ward direction, and st. Thomas without
doubt is one ofthe coming cities of Nortl,
Dakota. ., .4-..., f.,.-
DR.. kermott says: arrived in this
locality on May 9th, 1882. At that time
1 could not see more than q half dozen
shanties scattered over the prairie, and
yet could see over an area OF one hundred
square miles. An cmbankment was
thrown up for railroad. and small
building, l2xlA occupied by Mr.. Thos.
Lemon, half mile south of what is now
St. Thomas, was called st. Thomas post
Office. bst tt"
What st. Thomas is, her business men
have made her. A notice of them is
proper here. @ Is
Amongst the most widely known is the
firm of w. NJ. Holbrook e. Co.. general
mercantile dealers. Theirstock is heavy,
always kept replenisl.ed and ample in