The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-02-09
A Good Smaritan.

Bismarck Tribune: :--Some weeks
ago the Washburn Leader pub
lished an article relating to the CO.
incidence in the manner OF the
death of Senator G. K. Davis and
DR.. Van Solen, whom the senator,
when a struggling young attorney,
had defended OH the charge of
numbering one DR.. Harcourt.
This article has come to the atten-
ton of James A. Emmons, one Of
the pioneers of the Missouri slope,
and in the Aklahoma State Capi-
tai of recent date there is another
chapter of this story written by
Mr.. Emmons. who.says:.
The struggling attorney spoken
of i'll the above sketch was known
to what is nov called old timerss
in Minnesota and the Dakotas as
Cush Davis famed in congress as
the Hon. Cushman K. Davis
clothed with senatorial honors and
powers, as great statesman, res
nownetl as an orator. and a trusted
natural law maker.
In the fall of 1870 I loaded q
little steamer named the Admiral
Farragut for Fort Buford, located
at the mouth Of the Yellowstons;
river, the fort had been a summer
cantonmento or camping place tor
n regiment of United States regu-s
lars. General Blunt, acting:
quartermaster for the department.
Of Dakota, then under command
of General Winfield S. Hancock
had been ordered to hire carpen-
tiers, artisans, laborers, clerks ami
attendants. who with TOOLS, stores
and supplies were to proceeds t.' I
Sioux City to take a steamer and
go to Camp Bufor.l with a full
corps of engineers, lay out and
build a fcrt, barracks, and q.arters,.
and stalles for q twelve company,
military post. at the above strategic
sslecstiea and If l,pssib bla M y 8
the crossing placs, q hostile -In-
lia1ls,. men occupying; the Yellow
stone valley and Big and little Horn
mountains and basin country.
\. When the little steamer. was
loaded with freight and he7 cabin
and upper decks crowded with peo-
pie, the command to cast off was
given. She steamed out of Sioux
City to sound and spar her way
out a thousand miles, to the upper
Missouri. 1t was a tedious voyage,
with all the vexations oflow water,
picked up wood, high winds, spar
ring, hauling and washing over
sandbars and reefs
Many of the deck crew from cold,
exposure and severe hardships
we're taken down with the ague
and delirious fevers. Here COM
menced my acquaintance with Mr..
Van Solen, which rippened into
long years Of love and close friend
ship, that has never wanded, to
this day, and | trust never will
though he is cold in his lonely
grave.
On my usual rounds on coming
OH watch l paced the cabins and
deck to see that all was well and
visit my sickened deck crews, I
found this good Samaritan. Mr..
Van Solen, kindly and tenderly
carrying for the feyerish victims,
administering medicines. bathing
their foreheads or whatever needed
to be done to bring relief. On ill.,
qairy I asked him ifhe understood
using and handling medicines. He
answered that he did. I imediately
ordered the steamer medicine chest
to be brought from the cabin to
the lower deck ant, !, placed in charge
Of Mr.. Van Solen. He had won
my hearts affection and everlast-
| ing friendship BY his own good
conduct; kind and gentlemanly
.lemeanor.
Tne fort was finally reached, the
passengers ashore, cargop piled npon
the warf and ! parts with my
new found friend, Y s,l s'olen, with
great reluctance.
n 1872 il Was my pleasure *