Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-07-27
the OLD HARLAN HOUSE.
A Brief Sketch OF the Old House
Built ON Lots that were
Bought Once for q Pair
of Boots.

The famous old Harlan House Is
now a relic of past glory, the main
part of the building that suffered
most from fire has been taken down
piece by piece and removed by the
man who erected that popular house
26 years ago.
In 1880 j. NJ. Wahl built the first
part, the frame part of the building,
when Canton was the gateway for all
the country west along the Milwau-
kee. Everybody going to Mitchell
or points west by railroad had to come
to Canton.
The winter of S0-s1 will be long re-
membered as the winter Of deep snow
and blockades, and the Harlan House
became famous during that period,
yet it is safe to say a happier or a
more lively crowd never faced delay
than the crowd under the Harlan
roof that winter, and SO royalty enter
tanned by Captain and Mrs. Harlan.
In 1881 the three story brick part
was built, and if those bricks could
talk what secrets n might hear.
1t was to the Harlan House that
the famous Capital Commission came
after their race through Yankton and
Sioux City. The history OF that trip
need not be repeated now. At Sioux
City Alexander Hughes. main spokes-
man for the commission, telegraphed
Capt. Harlan: "Interest all paid"
which meant that the members OF
that capital making crowd would De
In Canton that night to do business.
"It will be remembered" said Mr..
Wafii, the other day, that H.. A.
Jerauld member of the legislature
from this county, held the balance OF
power as between the 9ankton n
Northern Pacific crowds. Had he
cast his vote with Yankton he could
have been delegate to congress n
dictator of Dakota politics Tor a time
at least. Mr.. Jerauid vas afraid to
trust the Yankton politicians, and
none can say he gained anything for
himself--he simply acted as a friend
of Capt. Hughes and the territorial
capital went to Bismarck, and the
story of that deal is history"
Mr.. VAIL finally sold the hotel to a
man named Bernard of Milwaukee
who in turn sold it to Mr.. Gale
OF Canton and he transferred the
property to Judge Shannon. and after
all those years the man who built 1t
is now engaged in removing the re-
mains left from the fire. A large
of a century hath passed be-
tween the periods when Mr.. Wahl,
full Of ambition and pride in his
to furnish Canton with a first
class hotel for the period in which it
was built, until the same Mr.. Wahl
again comes into possession OF MS
early day creation, not as he sold 1t,
but as a purchased wreck from fire
caused by the vandal hand OF a lire
bug whose mania is destruction. 1t
is the immutable evidence OF our
time, a proof of western enterprise a
sign that decay shall not be with us,
even If crime shall point the way to
progress through fire.
The lots on which the Harlan
House stood were first sold for s25
the owner having more need OF
boots than lots in those days trans
ferred his purchase to John Bertrand
for a pair of boots. 1t is not stated
what Bertrand valued the boots at,
but John probably considered them
worth s25 as he was never bashful
about figures. Nj. Wahl bought the
lots in 1879 for $3.50 and planted trees
and the next year built the wooden
part OF the hotel.
The Harlan prospered and flourish
ed under the management OF Capt.
Harlan and Charley Seely and for a
time under Charles Winter, until the
travelling public gradually deserted
their first love for the new and ele-
CANT Rudolph, a modern evidence Of
Canton's progress.
Landmarks don't thrive In this
country. Our people are Of the class
that work today and prepare for the
morrow. Yesterday is dead, the fu-
ture hath millions in hope.
2FL H