The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-12-27


removal was inaugurated.
The selection Of a capital c0mm&
sion, composed of nine citizens from
different parts Of the state three
from the northern portion and ok
from the southern portion-the strife
of many cities for capital honors ana
the final success Of Bismarck are In
teresting bits of history. The removal
Of the capital to a northern city was
contemplated by few IL any Of those
who at that time were members or
the legislature or active In the remov-
al scheme. The removal act provided
that the commission should select o, +
suitable site after careful investiga-
ton and consideration of all advant-
ages, present and prospective, and an.
other important feature was the re-
quirement of a donation to the terrific.
~ Of at least 16O acres Of land and
100000 in cash from the city or local.
ity receiving the prize. The pr0mi-s
nent bidders were Bismarck, In the
northern portion, and Huron, Pierre
Mitchell, Redfield, Ordway, Aberdeen
and Canton in the section south Of
the seventh standard parallel. at q
meeting Of the commission held In I
Fargo, June 2, 1883, the bid Of Bis.
marck Of 800 acres Of land and $780, |
600 in cash was accepted and the per. !.
manent seat Of government located In
this city. This was but the beginning
of the struggle which finally resulted
In division and statehood and me an.
choring Of the permanent seat oA;cY- KS
eminent Of North Dakota = w. Sss
marck. The selection Of the s,tL ~ :
followed by the acceptance OF plans
for neutrality-suspicious. build
ing and the letting Of tho contract for
the construction Of the center or main
building. Another coincidence is the
fact that just ten years later, by act OF
the legislative assembly Of 1899, the
building Of the south wing was au-
thorized, which gives the building tho
finished appearance 1t now has. OF
the legal barriers encountered by the
capital commission, the sectional strife
engendered, the unsuccessful attempts
at removal on the part Of the disap.
pointed members from the southern
portion in the memorable session Of
1855. 1t Is not the province OF this arti.
Gle to enumerate. For years the north.
ern portion Of the territory largely In
the minority in political conventions
and in the legislative assembly, had
acted only as tail to South Dakota's
kite; but in the session Of 1883 the
mortimer went down to Yankton de.
termined to wage war against existing
conditions and obtain suitable rec0gnl-
ton for their sectional that time
without public buildings of any kind
and weak in representation. Zion. q.
A. Williams of Bismarck was chosen
speaker Of the lower house, and in
the upper branch of twelve members,
the north was represented by Hon.
George il. Walsh Of Grand Forks.
Hon. 8. g. Roberts Of Fargo and Hon.
Johnson Nickeus Of Jamestown. a
combination was finally effected that
secured for North Dakota duplica-
tion Of all the public buildings, and
nnally, through a commissiOn-in
which the northern section was repre-
scented by Hon. Alex. Mckenzie OF
Bismarck, Hon. Milo w. Scott Of
Grand Forks and Hon B. r. SpaldinR
OF Fargo-the removal Of the seat Of
government.
The laying Of the corner stone Of the
capitol building occurred on the 9Th day
OF September, 1883, and extravagant a.
messed by the most distinguished a..
semblage Of people ever conereeated n
the United States. The ceremoniea
were 30 timed as to receive the assist.
anee Of the members Of the great WI.
lard excursion en- route to give tn
golden spike that marked the compla.
ton OF the great transcontinental
northern Pacific railroad, and By
chance junction was formed at Bis.
marck with the Rufus Hatch party Of
foreign dignitariee. II waa a cnsynn