Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-02-13

He Held All the OmCeo Tor one Wtneea
aud Rather Enjoyed the Experiences
Though It II Presumed That He Wa
somstirnes Little LOnesoEns.
There Is a man an this town who wa
the supreme ruler Of the whole county
for almost six monthA BE was Pooh
Bah with a vengeance. His name Il E.
J. Fox. and he Is fond Of telling how
he ran Cavalier county In the first win
ter OF its existence. II came about ip
this ways
Cavalier county had bean named, but
unorganized. for several years mp &C
1884. It consisted Of q large strip OF
land. all owned by the government, "
ing west OF the western boundary line
Of Pembina county. About that time
P. McHugh OF Bathgate was elected AZ
q representative Of PembinR county IN
the Legislature. and IL occurred to him
and to Attorney W. J. Mooney Of the
same village that it would be well tc
organize Cavalier county and add to II
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 q
bill through the legislature defining
Cavalier county as it Is today.
That was In the winter Of 1684-b.
A courthouse was built at Langdon,
which was designated a. the county
seat, and at the election In November
various county officers were elected
But none Of the county officers came to
Langdon TO live It was already q bad
winter, and they could see no reason
why they should come II there was
some one there TO take charge Of the
records. So they united In asking E. J.
| Fox, q young man Just from Canada,
to take charge Of the offices until sum
mer. Fox accepted the position, or posi-
tions, and In December took charge q
the affairs Of the county. The court
house was then q large building
fact. too large for use Fox decideS
that IL would be better TO leave IL va
cant until spring, and he took up hi
abode I'm q one room ''claim shack, T" tn
only other building In town This wa
about 10 by 90 feet In dimensions, an
there he lived and did business tina
winter. BE was deputy clerk OF tn
Z courts. county judge, county treasurer
( county auditor and register Of deeds
The sheriff lived In the country and tn
I superintendent Of schools lived jus
Z across the Manitoba line The sherii
! did not serve out his term. for he wa
D put in Jail for shooting aman in a fight
/ There was not another living soul with
I in two miles
a Fox lived entirely alone and did hi
: own cooking, except the bread baking
4 which was done by neighbor thre
r miles away. Langdon, though the couI
' ty seat, was not yet postoffice. Tt
g postmaster Of Olga. In the eastern pa,
o Of the county, used to send over larE
g package Of letters and papers abo1
8 twice o week to the people whom /
n knew lived near Langdon, and FC
! would give to these people their ma
n when they called for it. There wss M
! one settler 20 miles to the west, bV
!. about 20 and 90 miles northwest, net
10 the Manitoba line, there were sever
Il settlers, and some Of these used 10 drf,
? that great distance to ''1le" ON q hom
I stead or tree claim When they d.
d that, Fox had to give them their mea
"a and lodgings, and, I'm fact, he had off
A TO keep q sort Of hotel.
e The winter of 1S84-5 was very col
IN and at night Fox used often to
Is awake and listen to the billiards. hoV
10 around his little shack. He was Ike
n busy, however, for there were maj
m filings, registerings OF mortgages and
II few deeds. An average Of two or thr
men would come to see him daily
business, but he seldom saw woma
Nearly all the settlers near him at th
"a time were bachelorH, who afterwa
q went back TO Canada to get marie
va and indeed Fox did the same. Ever
To body was poor, and yet they all seem
TO enjoy themselves, though they b
a. to haul their wheat from 80 to 20 mi
So to market.
On The winter passed very swiftly, q
ie in the summer Mooney and McHu
came with their families Then otl
settlers began to pour In Buildir
went up, as if by magic, and In q 4
VI months there were a postofhce and
dozen dwellings Talk Of railroad
Is gan to be heard, and In a few mont
- it came. Then indeed Pooh-Bah !
had to surrender his glory. He chose
take up the humble position of super
IT -tendent of the schools of the coul
sS and he still retains the place. he is {
posed to think that, In spite Of the &C
forts and convenience Of the pres
mode Of life here, he enjoyed himf
.oh moro that winter when he was mona
the OF all the government offices OF Caval
of county. IN. D. } Cor. Chic,
of Record