Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-03-01
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
An Interesting Bill Which Provides
For the Organization of a State
Historical Society.
Its Object to Be the Preservation of
Relics of the States Early
History.
Some of the Relics Which Will Be
Presented to the State I'm
mediately.

Presented to the State I'm
mediately.
The Historical Society.
The following bill was introduced in
the senate Monday by Mr.. LaMoure:
SECTION l. The governor, auditor, secre.
tary of state, commissioner of agriculture
and president of the North Dakota Histori-
cal society, shall constitute an historical
commission for the state of North Dakota.
SEC. 2. 1t shall be the duty of this com.
mission to collect and preserve the records
and relics pertaining to the early history,
early settlement and development of North
Dakota. 1t shall collect, arrange and pre-
serve a library of books, pamphlets,
papers, manuscripts, photographs, paint
lngs, sketches, cabinets of minerals, In
dian, archaeological and other curiosities
and material illustrative of the civil, politi-
cal, religious, literary and natural history
of the state. 1t may receive requests for
the purposes of this act, and shall expend
the same for the purchase of historical,
genealogical books and other, or collec-
lions suitable for this purpose, and may re-
ceive contributions from societies, corpora
tions and individuals of books, pamphlets,
papers, or othor matter herein contem-
plated, and shall faithfully preserve or APP
ply the same tor the purposes herein
stated. They shall provide a room in the
capitol for the sate-keeping and arrange
ments of the records and collections of
this commission and of the North Dakota
Historical society when cooperating
with it.
EMERGENCY.] Whereas, There is an
emergency in this that contributions and
collections have already been offered the
state and there is no authority to accept the
same or to provide a room for their safe
keeping, this act shall take effect and be in
force on and after its passage.
In 1873 the Burleigh County Pioneers
association was organized. Their records
are in the hands of Mrs. Slaughter, and
contain the signatures of about 100 old
settlers.
In 1889 the Ladies' Historical society
was organized. Its membership was at
first confined to ladies resident in Bur-
leigh county, who had been here before
the completion of the Northern Pacific
railroad in 1873. This vas subsequently
enlarged to include all who were here
before January l, 1874, and later it be-
came the Ladies' Historical Society of
Bismarck and North Dakota" with all
ladies who had resided in the northern
part OF the territory of Dakota by it's
admission as a state, eligible to men,
bership.
Gentlemen with like qualities could
become honorary members, and could
attend the meetings and take part in the
discussions, but were not allowed to vote
or hold Office. The declared object of
the society was "to promote friendship
and kindly feeling among the old settlers
of Bismarck and North Dakota, and to
preserve the records and relics pertain
ing to the early history of the territory
and state in correct and permanent
FORM"
The first board of directors who, by
the laws of the society were required to.
be chosen from among the Oldest resi-
dents among the members, we're Linda
". Slaughter, Inez Bailey, Phoebe H.
Marsh, Charlotte H. Davis and Nina }.
Emmons-all old settlers of 1872. Alice
O'Brien, the Oldest of the old settler
ladies', was honorary president, and Rosa
lind c. Slaughter, the youngest, was Sec
retary-no dues being exacted. There
was no treasurer.
During the past year the society has
greatly enlarged It's scope. Gentlemen
are now admitted on equal terms to
membership, and are eligible to any
office. u
The society is now possessed of a large
and valuable collection of curios and
historical matter which, being unable to
care for adequately, they desire to
: offer to the state, and to secure the CO.
operation of the state officers in preserv-
ing and adding to the collection. With
this idea in view they have r~eorganlzed
with a new constitution and bylaws un-
der the name of the "North Dakota His
torical Society,"" with the following board
of directors: ClementA. Lounsberry,
Linda w. Slaughter, Warren G. Baker,
M. H. Jewell and W. T. Gushing.
The collection of matter offered by the
society as a gift to the state, on condition
that the state take care of and add to it,
includes Mrs. Linda w. Slaughter's col
lectios of historical papers and manu-
scripts; this includes military orders is
sued at Fort Rice when the inhabitants
of that lone garrison we're in daily ex-
pectation of being massacred by hostile
Indians; orders issued from both depart
! :nent and post headquarters, directing
the movements Of the troops engaged in
escorting the Northern Pacific engineers,
in their first surveying excursions
to the northwest; a certified list
of the burials in old Fort Rice
cemetery, prior to 1870; letters from
Generals Sheridan, Crlttenden, Carlin,