Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1904-08-12
How Pierre SGT the Cap11al
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NAo Game from 2zlnne,ota -
.1nd Revea Suckers.
II How Hopes to Rouna the Notsrs .
Np 1gain and Brand 6Asm
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BRIBERY REsoRrEp TO.

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BRIBERY REsoRTED TO.
How did Pierre secure the state
capital fourteen years ago3
There never was in the history Of
this or any adjoining state go much
fraud perpetrated, 90 much bribery re.
sorted to. 60 much premeditated swindl.
ing done in one form and another to
stats as tosze dit:
lin the campaign Of 1890 and years
prior thereto.
TOWN LOT BooMERT.
Away back in the early settlement Of
this northwestern country the name Of
Pierre, or rather Fort Pierre as 1t is
sometimes called. because the most
famous location on the Missouri river
a. trading point for dealing In furs
and buffalo hides between ST. Louis and
the head waters of the river and it has
held that distinction until the present
time except that It is dealing In sheep
pelts and cattle hides.
During the discussion Of the division
OF the territory Of Dakota in the early
eighties several land boomers from the
east became attracted to Pierre by reason
Of its much advertised name by the
Northwestern Fur Company and its ap-
parent geographical center" Of what
was to be South Dakota and they came
70 Pierre, the terminal Of the railroad.
Now. who were these land and town
lot boomers, where did they come from
and what did they do after their ar.
rival3
They were Billy" Wells. Mr.. Well
man, James Ward. Tracy Pratt and
others, most Of whom came from Zum.
brota, Minnesota. They settled on or
bought from 1000 to 500 acres Of land
directly east from the Missouri river
back over the gumbo bluffs, believing
when the state was divided they could
impress on the people the necessity Of
locating the state capital near the
geographical center" Of the state with
out regard to its availability to produce
farm products that would sustain q
population. These schemers and town
lot boomers were right in their ideas
about fooling the people TO vote to put
the capital at the geographical center
even though the eastern half of the
state would sustain eight times q
many people as the western half. They
had secured absolute control of all lands
surrounding the village of Pierre and
they proceeded to lay this gumbo land
ont into town lots with . 2O.foot front.
The division Of Dakota territory hav.
! ing occurred in 1889 and the state hav'
/ ing been admitted into the union, these
2O.ft town lot boomers established East
Pierre and erected the Wells hotel and
the Park hotel. They built street cal
line from Wells hotel In East Pierre
to the old village mile and hall
away. they built several residences, 9
bank and few store buildings and
then asked the Northwestern railway
to giys. them station to East Pierre. 9
fedseal postoffice, and they secured the
erection Of q UNCONVENTIONAL college.
They were now ready to open the boom
fqe Pierre for the capital as soon as they
cotld secure money for their scheme.
HOY were they to secure it,
ISSUING BONDS.
They conceived the idea Of going in.
to the business Of issuing bonds and
selling them to men and women who
had money for investment and the
records of Hughes county. the city Of
Pierre and the school districts of the
county will show they issued and sold
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars worth
of bonds more than they ever redeemed
OF paid the interest on. The county Of
Hughes was bonded for 100000 to
build railroad from Pierre to Aber.
deem and from Pierre to the Black Hills.
They made preliminary survey Of the
road to Aberdeen, and then hired some
farmers to plow and scrape dirt at and
near Pierre, at and near Aberdeen, at
and near Faulkton, and when anyone
visited any of these railway towns they
were shown the Aberdeen, Fort Pierre
& Black Hills railroad, now (then) be.
ing built" III
FARMERS RAILROAD GRADE.
The east was thoroughly csnvassed
by these gumbo< land and town lot
boomers and land and lots were pro.
miscously sold to people wanting to in
vest who. when they visited these
towns were shown the farmers rail-
road grade" which extended mile or
two each way from the towns.
Bonds were issued and sold against
everything possible to bond. A rail-
road was promised to the Black Hills
Men from Pierre travelled in every
precinct in the state to boom Pierre for
the capital. Money taken from people
all over the country for bonds that
were unlswfully and frsudulently
issued and for gumbo 2O.foot.front lots
sold was lavishly spent by the town lot
boomers of Pierre for the capital.
Votara uueYa honpht either with caah