Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-08-31
The new COUNTY SEAT
ALEXANDER, M'KENzIE CO.

Forum correspondence from McKen-
zie county, Aug. 81: To The Forum:
/ used to feel an occasional twinge Of
regret that 1 had emigrated to the Red
river valley little too late to be num-
bered among the catfish aristocracy of
that historically interesting section;
and II the whole truth must be told I
fear that may also have envied the
descriptive talent of your worthy
townsman and my very good friend,
James Holes, whenever conversation
turned upon experiences incident to
those early and enchantingly distant
days. Since q have mingled more
with frontier society and been regaled
with fish stories of other setting and
environment, regret has gradually
given place to resignation and envy
to Indifference. Not to change the
subject too abruptly. l am reminded
that pain and pleasure go hand in
hand even in the COW counties; and
that there is an amusing side to this
present life albeit there appear to be
times and conditions when and where
under none but an optimist of full
habit and unimpaired digestion has
license to make its discovery.
A, prospective townsite boomer an
swering the, above general description
blew in from the east the other day
and after looking repeatedly at the
plat of survey of this important center
OF civilization-through bottle-and
making critical examination of the
sites set apart for its public buildings
and dog-pound, while his digestive
apparatus was wrestling with a combi.
nation salad of sardines, mixed pickles
and bareback, expressed the some.
what over-stimulated opinion that no
town in the state has more promis-
Ing future. A facetious bystander re-
quested leave to amend by adding, cor
interesting past" whereat the p. t. b.
really looked grieved.
AS matter of fact, in common with
every acre of this rich grazing section
the county-seat of Mckenzie county
has past, and one about which much
activity has long centered.
The little fiat on which it stands is
even yet doing service as the pastured
enclosure of the Bird Head Cattle Co.
whose 5000 or 1000 sand beeves find
among it's encircling hills, we'll water
ed by cool springs and carpeted with
succulent and nutritious grasses, an
ideal summer range. Within the en-
closure, hard by, constant spring of
clear, cold water sufficient flow to
supply the requirements of a sizeable
town, in the log cabin of the COM
panys Zine riders"-obliging, COM
panionable fellows, whose daily task
it is to ride the range boundaries es-
tablished by custom and a due regard
for the convenience Of others, ever
keeping watchful eye upon the grazing
herds. AS this is written the annual
beef roundup is beginning to assume
busy proportions that will grow and
gather intensity until the last market
able steer has been entrained at the
various points Of shipment.
AS to the future of Alexander, time
and the material interests of Compel.
ing lines of railway will doubtless
determine. Its location is such that
any line coming into the county from
the east or south seeking easy gradi-
ent into the wide and soon-to-be irri-
gated valley of the Yellowstone will
naturally tap it. Territorily it occu-
pies the central point, practically, of
that portion in Mckenzie county like
ly to prove most attractive to incoming
settlers DESTROYS of engaging in mixed
farming. Fifteen miles to the south
ward lies Cherry Valley; seven miles
north the broad fiat of Camp Creek;
while to the westward lie the valleys
Of the Antelope, the Charbonneau and
the Yellowstone; the last and most
distant but fifteen miles away.