The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-25
FOX RAN THE COUNTY.
Northwestern Pooh Bali Who Was
the Whole Thing for One winter.


From the Chicago Record.
Langdon, N. D.-There is a man in this
town who was the supreme ruler of the
whole county for almost six months. He
was a Pooh Bah with a vengeance. His
name is E. J. Fox, and he is fond Of tell
ing how he ran Cavalier county in the
first winter of its existence. 1t came
about in this way:
Cavalier county had been named but
unorganized for several years up to 1884,
1t consisted of large strip of land all
owned by the government, lying west of
the western boundary line of Pembina
county. About that time p McHugh of
Bathgate was elected as a representative
of Pembna county in the legislature, and
it occurred to him and to Attorney w. J.
Mooney~of the same village that il would
be well to organize Cavalier county and
add TO it the three ranges in the western
part of Pembina county. This western
part of Pembina county was very much
higher than the rest of the county, and
was situated, the people said, and say yet,
ION the mountain" SO McHugh got a bill
through the legislature defining Cavalier
county as It is to-day.
That was in the winter of 1S84-S5. A
court house was built at Langdon, which
was designated as the county seat and a
officers were elected. But none of the
county officers came to Langdon to live.
II was already a bad winter, and they
could see no reason why they should come
III there was some one there to take charge
Of the records. So they united in asking
T.. J. Fox, young man just from Canada,
to take charge of the Offices until summer
Fox accepted the position, or positions,
and in December took charge of the af-
fairs OF the county. The court house was
then a large building. In fact, too large
for use. Fox decided that II would be bei-
ter 10 leave IL vacant until spring, and
he took up his abode in a one-roOm "claim
shack" the only other building In town
This was about IS by % feet in dimensions
and there he lived and did business that
winter. lie was deputy clerk of the
courts county judge, county treasurer
county auditor. and register Of deeds. Tho
sheriff lived In the country and the super
intendent OF schools lived just across the
Manitoba line. The sheriff did not serve
out his term. for he was put IN Jail for
shooting a man in fight. There was not
another living soul within two miles.
Fox lived entirely alone, and did his own
cooking, except the bread baking which
was done by neighbor three miles away.
Langdon, though the county seat. was not
yet a postoffice. The postmaster OF Olga,
IN the eastern part Of the county, used to
NNAtA W. a. t'h - tNNAeeN VI ANNANio anu
papers about twice a week TO the people
whom he knew lived near
Langdon, and Fox would give
TO these people their mail when
they called for Il. There was not one set
tier forty miles TO the west, but about for
~ or fifty miles northwest near the Mani
toba line. there were several settlers. and
some of these used to drive that great dis
lance to "hle" on a homestead or a tree
claim. when they did that Fox had to
give them their meals and lodgings. and
IN fact. he had often 20 keep sort OF hotel.
The winter OF lSs4-S5 was very cod, ana