The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-05-09
sumed an oratorlcal manner. The gov.

sumed al oratorical manner. The gov.
ernor's room is very pleasant, having an
outlook of several miles on two sides, the
capitol being located on a little eminence
ONE distance from the center of the town.
He was outlining the great future of Bis
marck to the visitors, told of his holdings
and what he would realize, and then re-
ferred to valuable suburban property
which he controlled and would sell.
"Where is that LOCATED" ~ inquired one of
the gentlemen, who was getting reused up
to the buying point.
Farmer Wallace marched over to the
lips, and threw out his finger in the direc-
ton of his acres. He was evidently a little
disappointed in the atmospheric condi-
lions, for, with an impatient gesture, he
turned, as his eye swept the country for a
distance of five miles, and said:
"Im sorry, gentlemen, that it's hazy to-
day, but, by Cd, if it was clear, we could
Farmer" Wallace was never able to I'M
derstand, until recent years, why they
smiled at this. They had expected to see
some acres pointed out adjoining improved
property. after Wallace's harangue, but
when Informed that it took a clear day to
SCC ouUulUnll PlOpCISy HI Dlolu0ICh3 tlCS
lost their nerve and went back east. Ira
ditiOn says that this speech of Wallace's
broke the Bismarck boom.
This story recalls another in connection
with the locating of the capitol in Bis
marck, which, whether true or not, is a
good Illustration of how towns were made
in the west in boom times. The capital Oe
the territory had been fixed at Bismarck,
and the location of a site had been left to
a commission. 1t was finally announced
that the commission was coming. The
town had settled on a hill overlooking the
city as a proper site, and in order that the
minds of the members of the commission
band stand was hastily built, and when
the commission arrived the whole town
turned out. The distinguished gentlemen
were ushered into carriages and driven to
the hill, where the band was blowing
away for dear life, and the hill
was covered with gaily dressed spectators.
The commission was pleased. The recep-
ton committe proposed a railroad ride to
the Bad Lands, as it was desired that they
see that a rich country separated them
from the barren region, and as the town
grew up. the capital would be sufficiently
accessible for convenience. The commits
sion and distinguished citizens left n
evening on the trip. Some rival real es-
tate owners regarded their absence as an
opportunity, and that night they quietly re-
moved the band stand from the hill where
it stood to another about half a mile away,
and next day when the commission re-
turned the band was discoursing sweet
men had the carriages in line. and again
the party started for the hill, but by a diff
ferent route. They approached the stand
from what appeared to be another side,
and while the visitors and citizens observed
that things seemed to look changed, they
thought it was due to a change Of route.
the description description Of the NJ 1 ar de was giyf eha ana 70
be the site. The trick was not discovered
until it was too late, for even the citizens
of the town not in the scheme were so en-
thusiastic over the thing in general that
they failed to detect the woodchuck.
There are many funny stories afloat about
western than the selecting Of a capitol