Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-12-26
OUR CAPITOL.

OUR CAPITOL.
The citizens of North Dakota, ah1
especially Of Bismarck, the capta'
city, have always been h"pelul peu-
ole. In IN issue Of the Bismarck THU
une, dated July %, 7S73-over twenty
two years agO-appeared TINS propno
cy: 1--WE have an abiding faltn III lne
future Of Bismarck. We look FORWARD
to day not very far distant. ON Whlch
it will be announced to SISTER s."seS
and the world that Bismarck has De'
come the capital of the State Of Da-
kota." That this prophecy should nave
been realized lust ten years later Is
somewhat of coincidence. On June
2. 1883, it was proclaimed to the world
that Bismarck had become the seat or
government of the Territory Of Dako-
t. For twenty-one years the sessions
of the legislature had been held In the
city Of Yankton, in private halls ana
buildings wholly unfit for such pur-
poses, and no move looking to the con-
struction of a capitol building had
been made. The four years preceding
1883 had been prosperous ones for the
territory, especially for that portion OF
the north in which the extension OF
railroads had opened up an empire or
fertile land. Settlers flocked III by
train loads, and ambitious towns came
into existence as if by magic. At last
the pride of the people asserted itself
against the primitive environments or
the temporary seat of government at
YanktOn, and scheme looking to Its
removal was inaugurated.
The selection of a capital commits
sion. composed Of nine citizens from
different parts of the state-three
from the northern portion and six
from the southern portion-the strife
Of many cities for capital honors and
the final success of Bismarck are in
teresting bits of history. The removal
Of the capital to northern city was
contemplated by few if any of those
who at that time were members OF
the legislature or active in the remov-
al scheme. The removal act provided
that the commission should select q
suitable site after careful investiga-
tion and consideration of all advant-
ages, present and prospective and an.
otlsar important feature was the re-
Quirement of donation to the terrific
ry of at least 100 acres of land and
100000 in cash from the city or local
ity receiving the prize. The promi-
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 a
meeting Of the commission held in
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 the an
choring Of the permanent seat of gov
eminent Of North Dakota at Bis
marck. The selection Of the site was
followed by the acceptance of plans
ing and the letting Of the 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 the
finished appearance it 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
1850. 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
northmen went down to Yankton de-
termined to wage war against existing
conditions and obtain suitable recOgni-
ton for their section-at that time
without public buildings of any kind
and weak in representation. Hon. 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 II. Walsh Of Grand Forks,
Lion. 5. q: Roberts Of Fargo and Hon.
johnson Nickeus Of Jamestown. A
combination was finally effected that
secured for North Dakota a duplica-
ton of all the public buildings, and
nnally, through a commissioning
which the northern section was repre-
sented by Hon. Alex. Mckenzie OF
Bismarck, Hon. Milo w. Scott of
Grand Forks and Hon B. r. Spalding
OF fargo-the removal of the seat Of
government
The laying Of the cornerstone Of the
capitol building occurred on the 9Th dav
OF September, 1883, and extravagant as
the statement may sound, was wit
messed by the most distinguished as-
ssemblage of people ever copyrighted in
the United States. The ceremonies
were SO timed as to receive the assist
ance Of the members of the great VII
a l,l excursion en- route to give the
golden spike that marked the connie.
ton of the great transcontincnta,
Northen Pacific railroad, and bv
chance junction was formed at Ris.
martk with the Rufus Hatch party Of
foreign dignitares 1t was cosmo-
polltan crowd, in which the dircrt rnn-
rescntatlves of some Of the crowned
, mea''s or Europe and representative
iie :.1 or TINS nation stood elbow to lbow
n m,In Sitting Bun, Northumberland and
ot,'r representatives Of the onrr now
cilili sioux nation whose rntro,t 10