Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-01-23
sEMsER OF 7HeAssocareo PRESS
Isz:1,1ss5Fs sEL
SOMETHING TO OVERCOME.

The reports that have been circu-
lated broadcast through the east with
regard to weather conditions in North
Dakota are seized upon with avidity
by the representatives of southern
immigration associations to be used to
the detriment of this state. An ex.
ample of this is to be found in a
clipping from the Kansas City
Journal, which quotes John S. Little,
president of the First National Bank
at Bismarck upon the dreadful state
of affairs in North Dakota. There is
no John S. Little, president of the
bank named, and c. B. Little, who is
president of this institution is a sena-
4 tor from this district and has been
engaged with his senatorial duties
and has not been in Kansas City to
make any statement whatever. The
& Tribune reproduces the article in
question herewith, for the purpose OF
4 showing to what extent misrepresen,
i tation has. gone, and how much North
~ Dakota will have to do to offset and
Il overcome the reports that have been
distributed through the east. The
article subjoined is made of whore
cloth and is without foundation in any
particular, and yet it appears in what
should be reputable newspaper, and
is given the color of fact:
John S. Little, president of the
First National bank of Bismarck. N.
D., arrived in Kansas City yester-
day enroute south. He stated that
North Dakota is now in the throes
of the most alarming situation
which has faced that state since the
Indians made life a terror and
death a daily fear to the white
settlers.
There are hundreds upon hun
h dreds of people without single
lump of coal to burn, the temper
azure is standing at So degrees be- .
low zero and the shelters in the new
country are nythfng but proof to
the biting wind said Mr.. Little.
After Investigating conditions be-
fore I left the state I sent word to
Governor Burke, who has just been
inaugurated, asking that he make
provisions for some relief
In some portions of the north
and west portions of the state the E
4 people have already taken step
which / think the governor will
have to make obligatory either by
proclamation or the establishment
of martial law. This is the aban-
doning of homes and the surrender
of all coal and food products. The
people then can be lodged in school
hoHses, large halls and public build
ings and by thus centralizing the
Il use of fuel and food can withstand
for a greater length of time the
rayages Of cold and hunger. Il
Snowdrifts in places are thirty
and forty feet deep and railroad
traffic is out of the question on the
branch lines. Many of the smaller
branch lines have not had freight E
train in three weeks and food sup
plies are running low while there
has been little coal there this sea-
SON
Appeals have been made to J. J.
q Hill and our Senator Hansbrough
. . ~
IN Washington. Mr.. Hill has issued
orders placing the Northern Pacific
and Great Northern tracks and 6
relief movements, with preference
over passenger traffic This order !.
was published and read well, but
has not served to help the situation
any. The tracks in many cases are
buried under twenty feet of snow
and are of no use.
The situation is not so acute in
the Red river valley, where the
towns are large and the farmers
wei established In Bismarck, where
there is much native coal, we fear
nothing, but for the new settlers
about Minot and surrounding
Devils Lake, the worst is to be Il
feared. e
While regretting the nature of such
reports. as this one, which will do UNI
doubted harm to the state, ii is re-
freshing to read such observations as
the following from 4. 2. Phelan, before
the grain growers association at Fargo
recently and which reflects real CON
ditions:
Between Dickinson and antelope