Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-11-01
JOURNALISM IN WILLARD.
A Dakota Town That Has One House AID
One Newspaper

lHS
"Where is Willard and what is the
LEADER
1t is the readers misfortune that II
should be necessary To ask that ques-
| tiM. Half way across North Dakota
and in the second tier OF cour ties from
the Dominion border Willard may be
found upon the map. 1t is beside the
| Moose river. One day stranger was
travelling down the Moose River val
ley and he came to single log house
by the roadside. Stopping his team
he accosted woman standing ut the
door OF the house with this:
Good day, ma'am. Can you tell mo
where Willard lisp"
Eyes, sir" replied the woman.
This is Willard"
twisted his neck and looked around
him.
Fright here, sir. This is V illard,"
the woman replied.
The stranger returned his vision to
focus on the woman and the log
house.
"Do you mean to say, ma'am that
this single house is all there is Of il
lardpn
Eyes, sir; so sure as I've got cinch
on the truth this is Willard and all Of
Villard?n
1t is fact that Willard consists of
one house. That has been the size of
the town for some time Willard was
once twice as large. but it was good
| while ago. Willard. as most people
remember, is the man who got control
of the Northern Pacific when it con-
sisted OF two ends and no middle. He
induced his friends to put s., 600, 900
into blind pool. When these friends
discovered what Willard wanted to do
with so much money he had ousted
Billings from the control OF the road
and was ready to connect the east and
west ends by long central link and
the Dakota town which stands as a
namesake tribute 10 the genius OF Viii
lard consists of just one house. But it
is the liveliest one-house town on the
continent. From this house is issued
every week, hot winds or billiards.
drought or flood, the Willard Leader.
There was a time when Willard eX-
pected railroad. Then it had two
houses and two newspapers. And the
way the Leader and the Advocate
poured hot editorial shot into each
other week after week made the whole
| Territory laugh But the railroad
never came. The Advocate and the
other house were moved away The
Leader now has the whole
field to itself 1t is a genuine local
newspaper, all fresh and of good
dimensions. The editor, proprietor,
printer and pressman is Richard
ii. Copeland, a TALL fne-looking,
quick-witted man, with a pleasant,
laughing face. a high, well-formed fore
head, and wavy name of brown hair
which falls to his collar a better COM
panion for an hours chat can not be
found in all North Dakota than this
editor in the one house on Moose river.
Mr.. Copeland lives in a fine home-
stead, and besides getting out the
Leader fulflls the duties of justice
| of the peace. He would like to see
| Willard grow, but he has no inten-
ton of leaving. Subscriptions TO the
Leader come from long distances
| When subscribers run behind. no bills
are sent to them. Enough money
comes in without dunning TO keep the
Leader in white paper, ink, and an oc-
casional new dress. The rest Mr.
Copeland does himself and he is con-
tent. A visitor drops in and tells bit
of gossip about some Of the stockmen
in the valley. Out comes Mr.. Cope
lands notebook. and iotting is made
of the news item. The only time. dur
ing several years. that the Leader
missed publication was when Mr..
Copeland was tempted to play cowboy.
| An old OK had been bothering him
by making nuisance OF him
self about the streets of Willard.
Mr.. Copeland could have caught
the animal by the horns and led him
away, but he conceived the idea Of
lassoing the OK af er the manner OF
the Moose river country. The clothes
line did duty as lariat, and the editor
with good grip on one end sent the
moose over the ox's head. Astonished
at the unfamiliar performance the OK
started off across the prairie. Behind
trailed Mr.. Copeland. unable to free
himself. All went we'll until the editor
stepped in gopher-hole. What fall
was there! The rest of the population
gathered up Mr.. Copeland, straight
ened Him out on barn door, and car
ried him home. He has lassoed moth
| inn sinna st nrin Elnho- Damon,