Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-12-14


majority OF the people for a division of the
territory should he respected.
A MATTER OF HISTORY.
The history of Dakota would be incom-
plete without the record of the following
letter written by Judge Flandrau of
Minnesota in 1879 and published in the
Winona (Minn.) Republican. 1t will be
seen that the movement for statehood for
Dakota was begun as early as 1857-over
thirty years ago-and a legislature, dele
gate, governor and other state officers
elected. Judge Flandrau's contribution
to the history of this territory will be
read with interest:
ST. PAUL. September 8, 1879.
Edward Ely, Esq, Winona. MINI.
DEAR SIR:-ln response to your letter of
August Is, 1879, asking me for information
concerning the origin and early history Of
! am glad to say that l am in possession of
the facts you seek to know, and that give
them to you with pleasure because there
seems to be agOOd deal Of fmisapprehension
among the people of that place about its
origin. Being somewhat Of an "old settler'
| take great interest in all that concerns
the history of this portion of the north
west, and like to see the facts CORRECTLY
stated. 1t happened thus:
In the early part of the year 1857 we all
felt pretty sure that the state of Minnesota
would be admitted into the union upon
which we then called the "north and sOuth'
line of division, which was the line finally
adopted: There was strong party il favor
division, which would. if adopted, have cut
the territory in two on a line Just north of
Minneapolis, making the state out of the
south portion and leaving the territory or
a remnant north of that line.
You will remember that when Wisconsin
was admitted on the western boundary of
the st. Croix. it left ali the country west Of
that river in an unorganized condition, and
that the inhabitants held a convention and
elected Gen. 81. II. Sibley as delegate to
congress as an experiment, and that he was
admitted to q seat, and the act of congress
Of 1849 was soon after passed organizing
the territory of Minnesota. We anticipated
just such condition of things on the ad-
mission OF Minnesota, and concluded we
would occupy the territory west of the new
state, and send delegate to congress. se-
cure the capital, university, penitentiary
and other. public buildings at our own
towns: and make a good speculation out Of
the enterprise. To enable us to accomplish
act of the legislature of the territory of
Minnesota. passed May q, 1857, which was
entitled can Act to Incorporate the Dakota
Land Company" The original incorpora-
tors were W. II. Mobiles, j. r. Brown, A. G..
Fuller, 8. A. Medary, Samuel #. Brown,
James w. Lynd, n. r. Brown, F. j. De
was vested with full powers for the pur.
chase and entry of land, and the doing Of
anything that was necessary to establish
towns and cities anywhere in the territory
of the future state.
Under the organization agents were sent
into the southwest and the sites for several
cities selected, among which were Sioux
Falls City, Medary and Flandrau, all on
the Big Sioux. Sioux Falls was designated
for the capital of the future territory, and
the other places were to share the govern
ment prices. Mr.. A. G.. Fuller was elected
delegate to congress and went to Washing
ton, but was never admitted to q seat not
sibieys admfnistratEon r in ists IN shepe %npe
sofa. Very considerable improvements
were made by the company at all the places,
but especially at Sioux Falls, where cap
ital building was erected, q hotel built and
a printing Office established, with Sam. AL
bright as editor, and q very handsome
newspaper was published there called the
Dakota Democrat.
The efforts of Mr.. Fuller in Washington,
and other friends of the organization,
failed to procure territorial government
for Dakota for several years, and my Opin
ion has always been that the delay was on
account Of all the members Of the Dakota
Land company being democrats, and con-
gress expecting to change the administra-
ton in 1880 destined to postpone the crea-
tiOn of the territorial government until the
other party could control it. At any rate
they did postpone it until March 2, 1881,