Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-09-19

Speaker E. "A. Williams Of the House
in that Year Recalls the
Circums stances.

The sudden death of Captain L. j.
Alfred at Winona, Mimi, last week re-
calls some early history Of the terri
tory Of Dakota in which Captain ALI
red was prominent actor, the re-
moval of the capital of the territory
from it's location at Yankton to- its
present location at Bismarck It was
in the early days OF the territory when
the political atmosphere Of the state
was full of sensations. The sessions
of the legislature were held at. Yank-
ton and it was during the session of
1898 that the scheme to move the
capital to Bismarck was set afoot by
Alexander Mckenzie and other prom
inent characters in the politics of the
northern part of the territory. Nc
kenzie's shrewdness had been proven
in other things before this, but the re-
moyal of the capital was the master
piece of his strategy up to that time.
During the session of that year, the
capital removal agitation was afoot.
The partisans of South Dakota and the
hackers of Yankton were alert all
through the session. They watched
every legislative move, thinking it
mil ght have some significance as affect
ing the capital question, and were pre-
pared to fight any move to that end to
the death: But while they were watch
ing the men from the north were work
ing. They canyassed the two houses
and figured out a bare majority for re-
moval. 1t was necessary to keep the
matter absolutely quiet and to let no
hint of the plans reach the South Da-;
kota men. The session moved along
until nearly the end The South Da
kota men breathed freer. They
thought the time of danger was passed.
The last days @of the session rolled
around, and the time came when it was
necessary to have unanimous consent
to introduce bills. The capital re-
moyal matter was thought to have
dropped. H.. ,&
Then came the sensation of the ses-5
sion. The work of the legislature was
nearly done. All Of the bills that had
been introduced had been reported on.
The members of the lower house were
not attentive. Some Of them paid lit
tie attention to what was passing in
the house, When there was little
lull in the proceedings, Captain ALL
red, who represented Cass county in
the lower house in a matter of fact
tone, betraying nothing Of the import
Of what he was to ask, arose and asked
unanimous consent to introduce a bill.
Captain Alfred had been selected to
introduce the capital removal bill. He
was not known, to be identified with the
capital removal movement. There
was no suspicion that the bill would
prove other thanya bill to create a road
somewhere, or provide for some legis-
lation of minor character. e. "A.
TE
Williams, the present surveyor gem
eral Of North Dakota then represent
ing Burleigh county in the legislature,
was speaker of the house. He heard
the request of Mr.. Alfred and paused
Are there any objections ?" he asked.
Then in moment, The, chair hears
none, and unanimous consent is de-
clared granted. !"
The bill was sent up to the clerks
desk. 1t was the bill to remove the
capital from Yankton, and appointing
a commission to locate It. Pande-
monium broke loose Members who
had been half doing sprang to their
feet. ..I object was howled from
half a dozen parts Of the hail. There
were shouts, objections and yells from
all parts OF the chamber. !. The South
Dakota men who had been watching
for Just such an occurrence during the
session had been caught or their.
guard. The lobbies and halls Of the
chamber filed up with X Yankton men,
bowling that the bill be not received.
Speaker Williams sat with his gavel
In his hand, firm and immovable.
Unanimous consent having been
granted z he ruled, 1T cannot be with