Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-04-21
BANS QUAINT LETTER

I1HlA Y ! lUhiN LLiILM
Col. Balm Writes His Sons Some Of
His Impressions Of Bismarck.
BY an odd incident the following
letter from Col Balm to his sons in
Kentucky has fallen into the hands of
the Tribune, and although the genial
colonel probably supposes it was sent
to. the .boys," they will have to wait
| for It's news until this paper reaches
them. 1t will be remembered two Of
the colonel's sons were residents of
the city away back in the eighties, en-
lsaged in the grocery business, hence
the reference to cans and canned
corn, and, though years have gone
since then, they have always had a
warm place in their hearts for the
Queen City of the Prairie as
Colonel Balm aptly designates Bis
marck. The letter follows:
Here am at Bismarck, North Da-
kota, named in honor of the Iron
Chancellor" of Germany, whose great
ness was a steady growth, while his
namesake doomed and busted some
years ago. When the calamity came,
many left the town; 2
Some flew east, and some flew
| west, -
|
But we were mighty lucky.
| Because the boys that we loved
best '. s. = : ~-"~ -
Went back to old Kentucky. .
| The city has not moved location
since those days of old. It still lies
west of Jimtown, not far from Steele
where lots were cast for future
fortunes, and lost were lots for non
payment of taxes.
1t lies on the eastern shore of the
! Missouri river, whose muddy waters
wash the feet of Mandan cat or near
Bismarck") and also borders the
bad Lands" the refuge of the bad
"Red Man"
Since you left, Bismarck has risen
like Rome from her ashes, and as
one listens to the talk of the town,
he hears the hum of the machinery OF
the Queen City of the Prairie in her
race of progress.
The state capitol secured by the
pledges of the people from what they
didn't have Ito spare) stands on an
eminence facing the southland, and
1 overlooking prairie lawn adorned
with tin cans artistically arranged by
ia landscape gardener named Dakota
Zepher. At night it looks down upon
4 a city all aglow with electric stars
4 that pale the light of Luna, the stock
lof which you might have had shares
in if you had not. linked" the town.
j You left too soon. Had. you re
manned one might now be alderman
from the Fourth ward" and the
other doorkeeper in the state 'thouse
Of the wicked" Well, I guess this is
enough of the frivolous, poetic past
for a background to the facts you
would like to know about the old
4 town, linked with your lives when
hearts were young. and golden future
LOT hope stretched out before you, and
Twill doubtless carry you back to the
/ Blessed boon of your honeymoon,
I s To canned corn and your first
I @ born.
First, as approached the city, came
the penitentiary which is beautiful
Con the outside) and rebuke to ours
at Frankfort. Then the depot, one of
the handsomest of it's size I have
ever seen. The veneering of the
cement stone is of marble clippings
from the state capitol of Minnesota.
1t is an ornament to the city and a
credit to the great Northern Pacific
railroad.
The old Sheridan house, now red
brick, is the Northwest, facing Main
street on the corner of Fifth. In all
| G. Il
its appointments it is frst-class.
The sidewalks are cement and not
only cover the business blocks, but
run far out through the residence
portions of the city. Where the fire
swept, brick blocks have taken the
place of those burned: a high school
building costing $4,000 has been
erected; 100000 paid for sewerage;
many handsome homes have been
built, the finest, now being that of
Col. C. b. Little at a cost of $25, 900,
Fourteen trains a day go in and out
of the city daily. while an electric
road owned BY the state runs from
depot to capitol. S}t ,',,' i ss
i The government has expended near
lily half million dollars on Fort Lin
Icoln which Is now On the Bismarck
side Of the river two miles from the
lefty. ~ !
u - sErlhs =. . -