Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-12-26
NORTH DAKOTA.
Continued From First Page.

United States senate for the short
term and Hon. Lyman r. Casey for
the long term. Hon. Henry G. Hans.
brough, having been defeated for re-
nomination for congress at the end Of
his first term, was elected to the SEN
ate to succeed the Hon. Gilbert A.
Pierce. Senator Lyman r. Casey was
succeeded by William N. Roach, q
Democrat, who was elected by the
Democratic and Populist votes. COM
bined with seven Republicans, to
make the majority.
There was little de, elopment in
North Dakota prior to 1870. In 1860
the Hudson Bay company built the
International road, used in connection
with their business on the Ned river,
and sooG afterwards J. G. BtHLinx,
Russell Blakeley and G. w. Carpenter
established a stage line to Abercrom-
bic; but as matter Of fact, the land
in North Dakota was unsurveyed, and
no roads had been established until
about 1867. There were military and
Indian roads, but no established roads,
and, as shown above, no civil organic
alton.
The first settlers, for agricultural
purposes, came in 1870, and they were
more for speculation than for perma-
nent settlement.
In 1871 settlers were gathering at
Pembina, Grand Forks and Fargo, and
other points along the Red river,
which was then extending its line
across Minnesota, watching it's move.
ments.
This was thought to be settled at
Elm river, east of Grandin, in the fall
Of 1870. 1t was settled at Moorehead
and Fargo in 1871, but the last rail
was not laid to the Red river and
across the bridge, touching Dakota
soil. until Jan. 1, 1872. In 1872 the
road was extended west to about
Steele, and completed to Bismarck
June 5, 1873. I had the honor, q
month later, July g. to publish the first
newspaper in what is now North Da-
kota viz, the Bismarck Tribune. The
Grand Forks Plairdealer was the Sec
ond, some time in 1874, esta blished by
George Walsh, and then the Fargo
Express and the Jamestown Alert, in
the order named.
While there was q farm opened in
the vicinity Of Neche, comprising sixty
acres, as early as 1867, and another
considerable tract was broken that
year at Ransomu, these tracts were al
lowed to go back to prairie, and IL
was 1873 before any attempt to devel-
op agricultural interests Of the state
was made.
The first farm Of any Importance
was in 1874, when ]. B. Chaplin opened
farm of 100 acr.s on land now with.
in the townsite of Fargo.
In 1874 the land for the Dalrvmnle
farm was selected and the Grandin
farm In connection with that. There
was some breaking done on the Dali
rymple farm in 1874, but no crop till
1919: Therefore from next to nothing
In 1873 the wheat fields in North Dako-
Ia nave come to produce this year over
6oUO,ooO bushels Of wheat and other
crops IN proportion and long since the
territory became two states with Don
ulation of upwards of 100000 in the
north and 100000 in the south.
FRED Girard. now residing in Mime.
npolls, was the first white settler in
the Missouri rievr valley. He was =
printers devil In the st. Louis Repa,t.
licnn and ESCAPED" into the Indian
country about 1S4S. Louis Aagord was
also an old settler there, and In 1857
Joseph Taylor, Joseph Dentricle, Hem
ny lnette and n few struggling wood
choppers comprised the settlements In
mut pirt OF me state There was not
Wiiite settler west of the Missouri
VI Nortm DakotA prior to 1875. I took
ny so'hlers homestead In 1873 within
.ne present corporate limits of the
capital Of the state. Tho first setti"'
ment at bismarck was In 1872 and ths
settlers had TO sleep on their arms ia
guard against Indian attack.
Clement A. Lo,nsbsrry.