The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1896-05-30
TA1ao's FOURTH OF JULY CELE-
BRATI0N.

A Twenty.Fifth Anniversary-Illus.
trating the PrOgress of Twenty
Five Years.
The Fourth of July celebration at
Fargo this year will be in commemora-
ton of it's twenty-ffth anniversary.
The first settlement in North Dakota
for townsite purposes was on the night
of July 3, 1871, when the settlers
broke their camps at Elm Greek, near
what is now Grandin, and at Probst-
fields, four miles north of Moorhead,
and moved in a body to Fargo. They
had been waiting and watching dur
ing the long winter months, and as the
springtime heightened into summer,
for some certain sign, but not until
July 3 did they awaken to the truth
that the crossing was surely located
at what is now Fargo and Moorhead.
Those who have seen an army strike
their tents and prepare for the ordered
march, especially in response to som
hasty call, may imagine the hurry and
excitement of that midnight move,
when Jake Lowell, the acknowledged
first settler, gave the word. If some
We're left sleeping in their tents it was
in order that their nearest neighbOr
in tents might realize on their hopes
without danger Of interference from
their sleeping neighbor.
At the hour when the small boy
usually disturbs the rest Of the older
members of the household on that
glorious 18th day of July, 1871, Fargo
with shot gun and tom-tom began to
celebrate it's birth. There were no
firecrackers, but the red, white and
blue under clothing of the first set
tiers furnished material for the first
flag which had f1oated on North Da-
kota soil, which had been flung to the
breeze by other than United States
employees in connection with military
occupation or exploring parties.
They celebrated that day twenty-five
years ago right royalty, with Jake
Lowells cayuse, which outstripped all
others, very much in evidence. Nc
Hench, Book and others date their
settlement from that Sd Of July night,
when still others awakened to the fact
Of their coming on the morning Of
that glorious Fourth.
And now, twenty-five years later, it
is proposed to celebrate their coming
by every e known to American
genius. The city will be decorated by
flags and evergreens, and in the ever
ing by electrical displays and fire.
works. The fireworks will be under
the direct supervision Of the manu-
fa%cturers, who will introduce many
novelties. There will be parades
of firemen and Of the militia, industries
and bicycles. The governor and staff
and state officers, the Lisbon battery
with the First regiment band, will be
present and take part. The Tower
City and Detroit bands have signified
their intention to come, and these,
with the Fargo militia company, the
Fargo band and the old settlers Of
twenty years or more will swell the
parade to two miles or more There
will be horse racing, sack and foot
racing and all Of the old time sports
belonging to a proper celebration Of
the day. All Of the railroads have de-
cided to give one fare for the round
trip.
1t is hoped that the state will take
hold Of this affair and make it a state
celebration, for when the foundation
Of Fargo was laid forces were put in
action out of which the life Of the state
has grown. 1t was Dec. 10, 1870, that
the first land entry was made. Little
of the public land had then been sur
veyed. What wonders have been
worked during these twenty-five years.
The idea of making the celebration a
state occasion is certainly a grand one.
Fargo was the first in name, the first
to be laid out and occupied for pur-
poses of trade; as it is now first in
size and in business Importance. Let
the state join with it in celebrating
that day twenty-five years ago when
its first settlers took possession.