The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1891-04-02

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blished ferry boat which did good
service to '76, when a bridge was
built over the Sioux by subscription,
the settlers for miles around taking
lively interest in it; John Kots-
chevar succeeding Dow as postmaster
in rs. when the name was changed
from Chahinkapa to Wahpeton.
However, the gentlemen had not been
located on their claims but a few
months Of III when the department
at Washington informed them they
were on the Wahpeton and Sisseton
Indian reservation and would have
to move off. But these were wide
awake men and at once set about
having that portion of the reservation
extending from the James River
country in the west and the Goose
country in the north and down
toward Watertown, thrown open to
settlement, excepting the present
Wahpeton and Sisseton reservation,
which was accomplished in 1928.
But the st. Paul & Pacific road not
crossing the river as was expected. a
store or two was put up at Brecken-
ridge, the end of the road, and it
was "a before Messrs. Sitterich &
Morfin erected the first store build
ing in Wahpeton and engaged in
general merchandising, Mr.. Morfin
being instantly killed by lightning
within a month after opening the
store, when his interest was pur.
chased by John Kotschevar who sub
sequently bought out Mr.. Sitterich
and finally closed out the store in 'S6,
and went upon his farm near Moore
ton. S
Notwithstanding the store estab-
lished here in "a, much of the trade
from this side continued to cross
the river up to '79 when Kraker s.
Mlksche located general merchan-
dising establishment here, which
was purchased in full by Mr.. Mix
sche in 'S3. T. l.. French dropped
in in ~ and purchased large tracts
of land and established the Pio-
neer farm machinery house in the
latter '7Os, with j. II. Miller manager
of the same; Mr.. French coming ON
about 80, being occupied between
his Iowa interests and interests here
all the time up to opening the Peoples
Savings Bank in '87. Martin schott
dropped in and built the Commercial
hotel in '78, which was purchased by
Michael Schmitt in 80; Charles
Damerel established his hardware
store in 80. and the First National
Bank Bank was established IN 81. as was
the mill and elevator by the same
men, and the late Headquarters
Hotel by D. H. Smith. Thus
did the sixty-niner and the pio-
neer of the seventies await ten
years the advent of development
which ushered in 80 with an abun-
dance of men and capital, which gave
Wahpeton an impetus, sending it
forward with a bound. The Manitoba
road crossing the Sioux in Island
coursing off to the northwest gave
Wahpeton her first railway facilities,
and really placed this superb town
upon the broad road to prosperity
which now promises ultimate power
for good in the land.
wAHPEToN's PRESENT AND FUTURE.
This city now has population of
twenty-five hundred, and is not only
situated ut the confluence of the Otter
tail and Bois des Sioux and at the
head of navigation on the Red river,
but is about centrally located in the
county, north and south, comm and
ing from every direction the trade of
as fine section of farming lands as
the sun has ever shone upon. The
city is admirably supplied with
schools, in graded departments of
which there are four and high school,
of which Prof. M. III. Robinson is
principal. Then there is the st.
Johns parochial school in charge of
three Benedictine Sisters in the fine
new brick building, erected last fall
at cost of $4,000. And Mrs. Will
cox conducts kindergarten school
which is we'll attended. In the way
Of churches there are enough, as fol-
lows: St. Johns and st. Adalbert's,
Catholic; the Congregational, the
Methodist, the Baptist and the
Lutheran. protestant, all well fur
nished and supplied with able minis
ters. A mayor and city council pre-
side over tho destiny Of the rising
young city, James Purdon holding
first place mentioned. Has one OF
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