Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-03-13
GRAND FORKS EARLY DAYS.

GRAND FORKS EARLY DAYS.
Grand Forks Herald: One October
day thirty-nine years ago the first set
Element of Grand Forks w. G. Nash
camped on the bank Of the Red River
on the site of the present residence OF
Major Hamilton, and was so impressed
with the location, that he afterwards
located on the land just across the
river on which he gazed for the first
time that day. At that time there was
not a white settler within seventy
miles of the LIE Grand Fourche," as
the place had then been known by
voyagers for many years. The Sloux
and other tribes of Indians had met
here in battle, and the red men and
the buffalo were in full possession OF
the territory for many miles round
Mr. Nash was not alone. He was in
company with a battalion OF United
States troops under Major E. A. Hatch,
consisting of four companies of cav
airy. His health had been poor for
some time and on the advice OF physl-
clans had decided to try "roughlng II"
for q, time. 1t was the year following
the Indian outbreak, and the army
officers learned that two of the leaders
of the outbreak, the Sioux chief Little
Six and Medicine Bottle, were in hid
ing somewhere in this section, n
decided to send the troops up here
to effect their capture if possible, and
to occupy the valley at any rate. The
command was accompanied by a wa
gon train, and a large number of
horses, mules and oxen, and progress
was slow. Continuing northward af-
ter breaking camp here the soldiers
proceeded as far as the international
boundary line, which effectually BAR
red their progress farther. They had
not effected the chief object of the ex-
petition. but it was then too late in
the season to return and temporary
II 4uSt1 GClS- gWSiO n SIS az. LIZ &pOAA1c
where the Pembina river enters the
Red river. Here they found a small
settlement Of trappers traders and half
breeds, a Catholic mission, etc. Scouts
were sent out from that point in search
of the chiefs. Later a permanent fort
was built there. Mr.. Nash left the
soldiers at Pembina and went on to
Fort Garry, now Winnipeg, where he
remained during the winter. While
there he learned that Little Sioux and
Medicine Bottle were at an Indian
camp about twenty-five miles distant
from Winnipeg. He quietly sent word
to the commanding officer at Pembina
to send an officer and two or three men
up there ION a vacation without their
uniforms and then proceeded with the
assistance Of a post trader and an
Indian to beguile the two chiefs to
Fort Garry, which was accomplished
after skillful maneuvering. They
were induced to visit the traders store
and while being entertained in, one Oh
his warerooms were treated to drugged
liquor, and before they recovered OF
their friends had discoveed the situa-
ton they were secured and before
morning were some distance away
from Fort Garry and duly landed in
United States territory. They were
kept in custody at the fort during the
winter and entertained the soldiers by
mock trials, partial executions, sac-
cidental" discharge of fire arms, ETC.,
and were brought through Grand
Forks during the following spring en-
route to Fort Smelling, where they
were finally executed. Mr.. Nash in the
summer of 1874 secured the contract
for a tri-weekly mail service between
Fort Abercrombie and Fort Pembina,
which he continued for nearly five
years. During this time he made
many visits here. In 1869 he erected
several buildings for the government
at Fort Pembina, which was built on
the site first selected by Major Hatch
Tor temporary quarters. The brick
Tor the buildings were manufactured
by Mr. Nash on the spot. After COM
pletlng his contract there he "set-
tied" on the beautiful site which has
been his home for thirty years.
CAN'T KEEP IT SECRET.