Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-05-17

en- HL//o0' But this partlc-
ular message conveyed more Of interest TO
the Northwest than any similar telegram
that has been sent over the wires for
many a long day, IL was brief, as
kilograms always are. and simply stated that
Commodore Kittson had died on a train near
an obscure station on the Omaha road in
Wisconsin.
But few men in the Northwest. even those
who boast pioneer record, have snch re-
markable career as Norman Walfred Kittson
He was born in Lower Canada-Sorel-in
March, 1914, and was trifie over seventy
four years of age at the time of his death
A grandson of Alexander Henry, the cele-
brated explorer who journeyed Through the
Superior, Manitoba and saskatchewan dis
tricts as early az 1776. 1T was not surprising
that his ambition led him 10 probe
the Northwestern forests In May, 1880,
then but sixteen years old, he became an
employee of the American Fur company and
journeyed northwest, being stationed be-
tween the Fox and Wisconsin rivers In
1882 he was sent to the headwaUers of the
Minnesota river, and two years later he was
employed in the suffers department at Fort
Smelling Here he remained until 1888.
when he returned to Canada for brief
period, returning TO establish fur business
of his own at a point not far ABOVE Fort
Smelling In 1S43 he entered the American
Fur company as a special partner. and his
headquarters were at Peplbina, where he
collected fnrs and shipped them in Red river
carts TO Mendoza. 1t was in that same .1sar
chat ne purchased the tract of land now
known as @Kittson's addition on the map of
st Paula tract that Is now among the
most valuable business property in the city.
MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE
In 1851 he was elected a member of the
council of the Minnesota legislature from
the Pembina district. He was reelected in
1858. and served four sessions, in which he
took an active and appointment part Old set
tiers now delight TO recall the fact that to
attend these sessions Mr. Kittson was
obliged TO travel the distance-about 500
miles-bv dog sledge or on snow shoes It
was in 1854 that Mr.. Kittson came 10 St
Paul to reside permanently. He formed a
partnership with the late William H Forbes,
the firm being known as Forbes d Kittson,
engaged in the general Indian trade supply
business. That same year he built the Sin
tomine hotel at the corner of Sixth and John
streets, but IL was burned shortly after In
1878 he was elected mayor of st Paul.
he ever held, though often solicited 20 per-
NIT the use of his name for other places
Mr.. KittsoD's personal history is as inter
esting as a romance. Without single ex-
ception he was the Oldest pioneer of the
state Gen. Sibley, Edmund Rice, Russell
Blakeley Col Allen and scores of others
known as pioneers came after him But
aside from his private life he had great in
en- 1AfIhf in Nv
mayor of ST Paul, but as one of the prolec-
tors of the Manitoba road Years of litiga-
ton, now almost ended, but still more mud
died by Mr. Kittson's death, has been the
outcome of his first and only railroad inter-
est He was on his way home to answer TO
the suit brought against himself and J. j.
Hill when death overlook him. Mr.. Hill and
the Kittson heirs will now be left to hight the
battle
Years ago, when fortunes in the Northwest
were estimated at five figures, Commodore
Kittson was rated millionaire. His long
life, frugal habits. enormous profits reaped
from business that was practically mo-
nopoly. enabled him to gather a fortune
such as is seldom given TO adventures in a
new country, In 1860 he boosted $780,
900. Ten years later his st Paul property
aud railroad speculations made that
sum 81, 900, 900. Fortunate investments, in
crease in realty values, a boom in Manitoba
stock soon added other comfortable figures to
the oyerburdened vaults, and yesterday men
could have been found--of good Judgment,
tco-to take oath that Sc, DOC, 900 would be
a moderate estimate of Mr. Kittson's wealth.
With a possible exception, he was the
wealthest man in the state. Generous with
bounty, transformations yet lavish, he did
not spend his income even with such magni-
icent stockfarms as Erdenheim and Kittson-
dale TO drain his Golfers His St Paul
property is of great value The Kittson
residence on Summit avenue, is valued at
$3.50. 900 and is the largest and one of the
handsomests private residences in the city.
Other valuable property includs the Claren-
don hotel, valued at 81 900 and the
Astoria hotel. valued at the same figure. A
large interest in the ST. Paul Gas company
is a portion of the commo iore's belongings,
and the revenue has formed good por-
ton of his annual income