Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-04-14
ON THE TOURNAMENT.
A Few Words Concerning the Re
ported Disaffection Among
the Firemen.
How Bismarck Firemen Regard the
Reported Refusal Of the Yerxas
to Participate.
A Blizzard RACES Fiercely and the
Spring Poet Gets In His
Deadly Work.
Concerning the Tournament.

Concerning the Tournament.
There has been considerable senti-
ment aroused among the volunteer fire.
men of the state, because of the change
in location of the approaching tourna-
ment from Devils Lake to Fargo. It
is but natural that the 6remen of Devils
Lake should feel little disappointed
and that they should be 10th to partici-
pate in the coming tournament and con-
tribute in any way to It's success. A
spirit of disaffection has been aroused,
which, unless harmony be restored and
good feeling take the place Of bitterness,
promises to initiate against the complete
success Of one of the most pleasant of
the states annual gala days-the fire.
mems tournament.
The spirit of disaffection which has
been nutured and fastered by disap-
pointed and disgruntled tiremen seems,
from recent reports, to have extended to
CAo L CA AdS VI d1SO, nuA ~ 10 Cul1cut1y
reported without denial that the Yerxas
do not intend 10 participate. Among
Bismarck hremen this report is hardly
credited, as it is we'll known that the
Yerxas, claiming to be the fastest hose
team in the state, are or should be.
anxious to have another opportunity to
wrest that gold medal from the possess
sion of the Bismarck team where it
now is.
While not with any spirit of unfriend-
illness with the tiremen or citizens of
Devils Lake, the Bismarck tirenlen were
without exception pleased to learn of
the change in location of the
tournament from that place
to Fargo for one reason. When Pioneer
hose company defeated the Yerxas for
the gold medal in the last tournament
Fargoites were eager to circulate re-
ports of unfair decisions and fraud in
various other ways. They claimed that
the citizens of Grand Forks were preju-
diced against them, and that Bismarck
firemen were favored in decisions, to an
extent accountable for Fargo's defeat.
This manner of talk, from the defeated,
was to be expected, and yet at the same
time it was unpleasant to Pioneer Hose
company, who have long wanted an op-
portunity to do battle with the Yerxas
upon their own vantage ground and be-
fore Fargo people, and show them that
they (Bismarck's team could accomplish
Fargo's defeat. And the change in loca-
tion of the tournament gives them the
opportunity they have looked for.
In the ligh; of these facts, the re.
ported refusal of the Yerxas to partiol-
pate in the tournament looks exceed
ing suspicious. To Bismarck fremen,
it looks as though the Yerxas realized
their inferiority-were afraid of beng
beaten before their own people-and
made the disaffection among themselves
an excuse to withdraw from the tourna-
ment-refuse to participate-and thus
leave the question of superiority in
in the least harming
their reputation for courage, in the mat
ter OF eontesting for prizes. OF course,
there may be nothing in this-the sup
position may he faulty-hut it seems to
be the impression among Bismarck fire.
men, and the only way in which the
Yerxas can remove the impression is to
train down their runners, polish up that
cart, apply liniment to their bruised
joints and wounded feelings, put them
selves in shape. physically, and then
come forth and do battle with Bis
marck for the possession of that gold
medal. The Bismarck boys do not
boast-do not claim that they can walk
away with all of the prizes-but they
announce in good faith that they intend
to have as good il not better running
team than they had last year, and that
anyone who wants prizes must do some
tall hustling to get them. They want to
see the Yerxas in the tournament and at
their best, and they want fair trial of