davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

reduced in circumstances and applied
to Larson for aid in securing an ex-
press outfit. Knowing of certain ir-
responsible tendencies on the part
of his old friend, the millionaire
feigned an air Of business-like Sc
verify.
"Jim," said he, "I'll not give
you horse and wagon. I'll lend
you the money but you must pay me
back with good rate of interest"
The next day the horse and wagon
were Forthcoming and Jim had
signed note for their full value,
payable one dollar annually with in
| terest. Some time after Larson met
| his protege on the street.
"Say Jim," he exclaimed, you're
getting too old to work. Go put that
horse in the barn and I'll see that
you're taken care of for the rest of
your life
Now that death has broken the
| oS1A "hiNIl UouAu IuO lips Vi LIS
/ beneticiaries, countless instances of
his wisely distributed generosity are
coming to light. Larson never for
got a kindness and repaid in full
He loved to help men to help them
selves.
With a suspicious tremor in his
WNia of l,;c ~ 80
me how Larson, without a cent of
security or even scrap of paper,
| loaned hiM $4,000 at time when
other sources were unavailable. To
the last he retained his love of sim
plicity. For the use of his family
and guests there were elegant car
riages and funkeys, but he himself
preferred to walk to and from his
business. Politics, in the personal
sense of the word, never lured him.
While he was not adverse to stiff
; game of poker occasionally, the sim
pier amusements appealed to him.
The games of ping pong matches.
which Larson and his friend, H. C..
Henry, of Seattle, played at the Ran
Ter club furnished amusement for
the entire membership. Larson pos
sessed a dry sort of wit which crop
: ped out at unexpected moments Al
:. though mules had made him a mast
er Of the art Of driving, he would
insist on Mr.. Bloedel's handling the
reins whenever business demanded
the employment of a team by the
two partners. His partners lack OF
skill and whip furnished him keen
enjoyment and many sly criticism.
"Bloedel," he would say, 'you
may be kind husband and an in
) dulgent father, but you don't know
a id thing about horses
His was the rare faculty of re-
membering by name, every man
who had ever worked for him. When
news of Larson contract spread
about contractors from as far east
as Kansas City commenced to drop
: ! in and ask for ''Pete' and if he was
away they settled to wait for his re-
turn. Hello, Jack, Charlie, Joe or
Gus" would be his returning salu-
tation, and in a few moments the
plums would be distributed to the
satisfaction of all concerned.
A book might easily be devoted
to commemorating so worthy life,
but after all, what more, satisfying
epitaph could grace business car
5 eer than the words, "Shrewd and far
: sighted, but honorable and square
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

kotas, where he landed a job driv-
ing bull team for the Northwest
ern Freight company. This was back
in the time of the Black Hills ex-
element, and the Northwestern's
lines ran out of Bismarck and COM
petition was keen.
The manager of the line that ran
from Bismarck to Sidney, Nebraska,
was H. L. Dickinson, now promi
nent real estate dealer of Balling-
ham. Dickinson described to me
his first glimpse of Larson.
Twelve miles out of Bismarck, the
incoming roads converged into one
main highway. Larson had risen to
the position of "boss" of a "shot-
gun" outfit as a train of individual
bull teams and carts, hitched one
behind the other, was called in con-
tradistinction to one where several
yoke of oxen drew a series of wag-
ons. Dickinson had driven out in
his buggy to look for his own train
from the south, when he described to
the northward big cloud of dust
and little later met the rival outfit
as it turned into the Bismarck high
way. The road, in those days, a lit
tie more than a trail, was not wide
enough for two teams to pass.
With assistance of some Of the
bull drivers, the manager lifted his
buggy down into the gully and wait
ed for the procession to pass. Sud-
denly he became aware Of a gigantic
figure towering above him and look
ing up beheld young man clad in
the garb of frontier days flannel
shirt and thrown open at the neck,
trousers tucked into high boots,
broad brimmed Stetson hat and dust
| from head to foot, except where riv-
ulets of SWEET had left their fur
| rows. Dickinson extended his wis
! iting card" The young Dane grin
ned his appreciation, placed the bot
tie to his lips, kept it there till
most of the contents had disappeared.
exchanged a few commonplace with
his host and passed on.
This meeting paved the way for a
| lasting friendship. Years later in
the old Seattle hotel, Dickinson met
Larson, then a prominent conthact-
or and capitalist of Helena. The
first meeting was recalled and large
ly as result of this interview Lar
son became financially interested in
the future of the state of Washing
ton On the side of hill, from the
stump which serves me for writ
ing desk, can look down on the
shut down logging camp, swathed
in a Sabbath-like stiffness and see
beyond millions upon millions OF
marketable timber, the property oil
the Larson interests. When the rail.
roads see fit to abandon the exhor-
bitant tariff which wipes out al
reasonable hopes of profit, these
idle ''sides" will again echo with
the ring of axes and the shout Of
climber
The rough and ready days of Dead.
wood furnished ample opportunity
for the display of nerve and courage
l.. N. Griffin who ran hotel in
Bismarck, told me as we passed fol-
a moment under the sign of the
Horseshoe on Bellingham's streets
that everybody in and around Bis.
marck respected "Swede Pete" the
BOSS" of the bull train.
l 81 don't believe you can run
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

''Peter's gone,'' announced the
time-keeper of one of the Larson
Lumber Cos logging camps in
Northwestern Washington as he
hung up the receiver and turned to
the foreman.
'The hi you say" exclaimed the
individual addressed, seeking to
hide in familiar profanity the depth
of which he had been stirred. For
a moment he sat as one stunned;
then, brushing from either eye a
wholly imaginary cinder he bolted
for the door.
"Pete's. gone''
Down the long line of laborers
swept the message. The engineer
deserted his donkey to tell the
sled tender. The latter rushed
down the skid-road to shout the
news to the hook-tenders. The
snipers, bankers and knotters dropp-
ed their axes where they stood and
ran with sweat-grimed faces to learn
the cause of the commotion An
erstwhile busy camp-a silence rem
dered still more ominous b ythe oc-
casion intrusion of the discordant
jangle of funeral-toned cow-bell.
A sense of personal loss made it's
presence felt in the expression on the
faces of the rough woodsmen, with
their ready sympathies-a loss
shared by all, whether rich or poor,
young or old, country or city bred,
who marked the passing, not of the
Hon. Peter Larson of Helena, but of
Just plain "Pete Larson" counselor
and friend.
"Shrewd and far-sighted, but hon
orable and square," were the words
that j. H. Bloedel partner of Larson
in the Larson Lumber company of
Bellingham, used to characterize the
business dealings of the former a
business dealings of his former as
sociate, who died in Helena, Mont,
last year. What higher ecomium
could be accorded multimillionaire?
Rarely is a biographer called upon
to chronicle so many activities &C
complished with so few criticisms
The inspector who passed Honest
II Pete through the gate of Castle Gar
den some thirty-nine years ago prob
ably noted no more about the young
Dane of FL than that his passport
gave his birthplace as the Island of
Fuien. Perhaps, though, he may
have glanced with careless admira-
tion at the broad shoulders and the
swinging gate of the blond six-foot-
er. Pete never told just how small
his bank account was when he struck
New York, but he readily admitted
that it was considerably attenuated.
1t is not improbable that labor
contractor advanced the ne wcitizen
the price of ticket to Arkansas,
where the young foreigner went to
work on the levee with the pick and
shovel. Presumably it was because
he was busy paying back some such
loan that when he was offered the
+ job of timekeeper he had no watch
or the money to. purchase one. But
friend lent him a time piece and
so, on borrowed capital, was founded
one of the largest fortunes of the
northwest.
With that intuitive judgment
which seemed to enter into all of his
business proceedings later, he left
Arkansas and headed for the Da-
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05
SHOW MUCH
ENTERPRISE
n. D. Independent Telephone
COmpany's Facilities Are
Greatly Increased
Bismarck Exchange Enlarged
and Improved to Equal
Any in the Country,

Commercial enterprise as exempli-
fed by the North Dakota Independ-
ent Telephone company in this city
is of the kind which stands for pro-
gress not only in their own interest
but in the interest of the munich
pality as whole. The company has
expended about $4,000 in the past
year In giving Bismarck a complete
and up-to-date exchange which COM
pares favorably with any in the
country The only difference be-
tween the service furnished in this
city and in Chicago, the Twin Cities
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05
Romatic Story
of Remarkable Career of
Late Peter Larson Whose
Death Came as Aftermath
of CIallam Disaster

600 which represented his share of
the monthly earnings of the Morn
ing mine
After the accident to the ill-starr-
ed steamer Clallam,~ in the Straits
Of Fuca four years ago, Mr. Bloc
dell found Larson recuperating from
the shock in bed at the Hotel But
Ter. To one end of the radiator was
pinned substantial pair OF wollen
socks. On the other reposed the
faithful wallet, between a heteroge-
neous collection of papers aggrega-
ting in value many thousands of
dollars, lay spread out to dry.
What do you think of my assort-
ment of socks and bonds?" ex-
claimed Larson, facetiously, as soon
as his anxious partner had satisfied
himself of the victims welfare.
Although the lumber man would
never admit it, the exposure and
shock of the Clallam accident are
generally conceded to have fastened
the end During gale the water
ballast Of the Clallam, operating be-
tween Seattle and Victoria, got be-
yond control, threw the ship on her
beam ends and put out her fires. No
aid could be procured from Port
Townsend, the nearest harbor Fin
ally word reached Seattle and two
tugs were sent to the rescue. To
find the floating hulk in the dense
dark was like hunting for needle
in hay stack. Meanwhile the at
tempt had been made to send the
women and children ashore in boats
| 1t was five hours later before the
tugs located the sinking ship. The
captain, over-anxious to save the
| vessel, insisted that she could be
towed to land. The sea was running
/ too high to transfer the survivors
who chung to the bulwarks and
shrouds until they could cling nc
longer, and dropped into the heavy
waves.
One of the tugs followed behind
picking up as many of the passengers
| as it. could locate. A wave tore
Larson from the deck, but he manag-
! ed to get hold of piece of wreckage
and keep afoat until he
was sighted by aid of the tugs
searchlight and rescued, more dead
than alive. His body was covered
with bruises where he had' been
struck by floating debris, but he new.
er could be induced to attach blame
to any of the ships officers or the
| crew.
A year prior to his death this
truly big man knew that his days
were numbered. Yetshis interest in
the welfare of those around him
never tagged At his funeral fol
the first time, men who, unknown tc
each other, had been associated with
him in various enterprises, met on
common ground. A published esti
mate of his estate placed it's value
at about 100000. Although he
died in the Catholic faith, his bene
factions included a legacy of $1,000
to every church in Helena, regardless
of sect or color. That he did not
however, believe in discriminating
and undermining charity is evinced
| by typical incident which occurred
during his life.
! 1t seems that an associate of his
early days in Dakota had become
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

tributing rack. This rack is protect
ed from lightning by the latest i'm
proved methods and it is practically
impossible for lightning to do any
damage to the plant.
In connection with the switchboard
is the power plant, consisting of a
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

across man in the whole wide
world who can say that Pete Larson
ever turned a dishonest dollar" he
declared.
''Tell me-" l beseiged Dickinson,
"of any facts of personal daring you
chance to recall"
81 recollect one thing" he an
swered slowly, as if mentally pick
ing out from an ample stock some
particular incident. GAS 1 have said
before, in those days a great deal
of rivalry existed between Larson's
company and mine. The feeling ex-
tended to the employees and frequent
clashes took place between the men.
There were two big corrals in Bis
marck wehe visitors were allowed
to quarter their horses and cattle.
| One nigh our outfit occupied one of
the corrals and little later the
Northwestern trailed into town and
took the other.
! '"The Bella Union was notorious
dance hall where shooting bee oft
en- marked the height of the even
ing's fun l was sitting alone in
the company's Office that evening,
when the sound Of shots from the di-
hection of the dance hall caused me
| to seize my hat and ruch out to see
what was up. The foreman of our
| gang joined me and as we hurried
across the public square we met
Larson headed in the same direction.
| On arriving at the hall, we found
that the two gangs had settled their
| differences and joined forces. Be
hind the bar two whit clad figures
stood with hands stiffly upheld A
historical group of girls huddled to-
gether in a corner. AS we entered
Larson drew gun and covered the
ring%leaders. Instantly he became
the focusing point of a dozen wicked
looking revolvers. AS cody as if
reaching for a pocket handkerchief
he drew from its holster a second
pistol and, addressing the men
! said:
"'You blankety blank fools, get
out of this and go home. I've got
two of you, anyway, before you can
do anything to me-
s'The men hesitated sulkily. Fin.
ally, one spoke up. We'll, it's nc
use fighting Larson, boys, because
he'll keep his word Driving the
twenty men before him, the boss
passed out into the night while the
rest of us thankfully came out from
hiding places"
Shortly after this incident Larson
entered the employ of the Northern
!" Pacific railroad as a grading con.
tractor and worked his way west.
ward as the road advanced. Start.
ing with a rented outfit, by the
time he got to Helena he was the
owner, as one man expressed it, "o
j a county full Of mules" At the time
\. of his death he had contracts will
no less than five of the big trunk
lines.
i "The reason that Larson got con
tracts where others failed" said al
old railroad contractor to the writ
er, "was because when he said {
piece of work would be done at {
certain time for certain price, the
the agreement was kept withou
ringing in any extras or 'belly-ach
in around to get an extension O.
| time"
| Everything he touched seemed tt
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

nection with the switchboard the new
equipment includes complete pow
err system and a terminal rack for
future growth. The main cables
from the outside are brought into
the building through underground
conduit and taken directly to a dis
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

prosper, with one exception, and that
was the Blue Canyon Coal Mine,
promoted originally by the famous
Jim Wardner. Mr.. Bloedel was
secretary of this company and on
this one occasion Larson made an
exception of his rule of cutting loose
from anyone who had lost money
and went into partnership with
Bloedel and one j. J. Donovan (then
civil engineer in charge of construc-
ton on the Cascade division of the
N P. railroad) under the name of
the Larson Lumber company.
But prior to this time Larson had
contracted other and even closer
partnerships. Somewhere on the
trail from Kansas to Montana he
fell in with one Moran, pioneer and
father of four bright and pretty
daughters. One of these, Margaret,
became the wife of the young con-
tractor, and here, as in all other in
stances, the excellence of the Larson
judgment was again demonstrated.
BY his side she accepted joyously the
the limitations of their early mar
ried life and when fortune had es-
tablished Honest Pete" in the mil
lionaire row" of Helena, her natural
grace and charm won her hearty
and sustained social recognition.
Another one of his successful as
! sociations was with Tom Greenough,
whom, as sub-contractor back in
Dakota, Larson had put in the way
of making some money In 1893 the
Hussey Bank of Spokane failed and
among it's liabilities were found GER
tificates of stock controlling the now
famous Morning mine. Lead and
silver were low, but Greenough per-
suaded the Montana contractor to
go in with him and buy it. The
price paid was 100000. One night
in October, 1905, J. J. Donovan
called on Larson at the Waldorf-As-
/ toria to invite him to go to the
theatre, and found him sick in bed.
Even then, with characteristic and
unsalfish consideration, the older
man urged his guest not to forego
the pleasant evenings pleasure for
the sake of remaining with him, but
Donovan insisted on staying. In the
course of the ensuing conversation,
Larson casually reached into peck
ct and drew out hugh wallet from
which he extracted deposit slip
on New York bank for million
and half.
you've sold the mine,' exclaim-
ed Donovan, intuitively.
Correct was the reply; you've
guessed it-first time. This repre-
sents my half interest"
Larson could never be induced to
go into any other mining specula-
tions. 'The most valuable mine,''
he was wont to say, els the mine
that's sold''
Reference has been made to his
wallet, which Mr.. Bloedel describes
as 'having the capacity of a small
dress suit case" Like many other
self-made men, Larson never wholly
got over the habit of carrying his
business around in his pocket
habit acquired during the early pho
neer days. This wallet served as a
vehicle for as varied an assortment
of papers and memoranda as lady's
shopping bag. 1t has so many com
partments that the owner once COM
pletely overlooked a check for $685.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

out the city they represent but a
portion of the total expenditures
made by the company to give the
local patrons better service. The
central Office has been remodeled
throughout and board of the lat
est style has been installed. In con-
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

Webb Brs. have announced in this
mornings issue their Millinery and
Spring opening to occur Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday, April z,
8 and 8.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-04-05

Additional Local on other pages
Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-03-10
NINING DEVELOPMENTS IN ELK
Weekly Bullion Shipments Now
Reach $4,000.

Gold bullion to the amount of
from $4,000 to $4,000 a week is be-
ing received by the First National
bank of Lewiston for transmission
to the assay office and mint. This
development tells the story of the
successful operation of the mines in
the Elk City district and foretells
the big output that will follow the
development of well-known proper
ties of that district.
The Elk district is one of the old
est mining sections of Idaho, and
during the pioneer days the placer
fields were rich is gold, and large
shipments of the precious metal
were made by each pack train.
During the more recent years the
attention of mine operators has been
turned to the quartz deposits as the
placer fields were practically work
ed out. A number of small STAMP
| mills have been installed, and dur
ing the past year the Buster mine
has passed into the hands of Fred
Bradley and associates, and STAMP
mill of large capacity has beer
shipped in. Other companies viii
install good mills during the com
ing season, and the following winter
will witness a number of the plants
in operation.
The fact that the camp is now
regular producer is of the most en-
couraging character and with al
conditions assuring material IN
crease in the weekly shipment a
the capacity is enlarged, risint
sun is promised for all meritoriou
properties in that district.
Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-03-10
FROM THE COUNTY RECORDS
(By Commercial Trust Co..
March 9. 1a08--Deeds.


G. w. Green to Ferdinand b.
Laing, Sc u Sc u 25-S7-2 w;
lots 8, 4, section 80; lot l section
1871 w. $500.
oliver A. Jones to P. R. Bevis,
lots 10, 90, 20, 80, section IS; lot
8, e " sW u NE u 1892 W..
$1,000
w. o. Bond to Clara Westendahl,
lots 5, Z, block 2, Thompson's Sec
end addition, 5000.
Carl Koepp ct al to Wilhelm I7ar-
tung, right of way in E " SW =
22-38-2 W., 81.
Wilhelm Hartung to Carl Koepp
Ell al, strip 5 feet wide along the
East u sw " 22-sS-2 w, 81.
Carl Koepp ct al, to Wilhelm A.
Hartung, sW u Sc u 27-SS-2 W,
| except lis acres; part SW n NE
" 1882 w, NV a Sc " 81
3S-2 w, except acres, 81.
Final Receipts.
| u. ;. TO Johh ~. 9eh1oh' iot0 - =
section 25-33-S w.
Patents.
| U. S. to William ]. Baker, sW a
NV u, N y SW 4 15-41-1 2.
u. S. to Melchior A. scheldrup, n
u sW u. S X NV u 1o-41-1 r.
U. S. to Jacob n. Lands, w h
NV u, N Y sW u 24-S7-6 e.
U. S. to Samuel Gray, sW u NV
u, N u sW X. NV 4 Sc u
34-S9-2 E.
U. S. to Ezra Taylor, W X SW
j u 4; E X Sc u 2-4o-1, 2.
Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-03-10

oomyille had grown, however.
There were those in the little city
that saw things to be done. They
looked around them and discovered
many opportunities for development
and they bucl,led on their Armour
and Swift and went to work, and
built and improved, developed and
exploited and contributed towards
the actual growth of the city.
They did not hold any corner
grocery meetings to see It come.
They did not watch for Il to come.
They hoped that it would come and
they also hoped that they would be
ready when it would come They
knew that if it did come it would
come and that it would mean great
things for everybody, but they also
knew that by keeping at things that
they would be in a better position
to meet it when it did come.
Those that went ahead and left
lle Watching anu "ciIAAS AOl INC
rot over-worled crowd, grasped the
opportunities that knocked at their
doors, knowing full wei that none
received more than one call to the
field where lies the golden reward
and that they laid away a few shek-
els for rainy day, believing that
il was a good policy. Some of them
waved rich, none of them mighty
but they always hoped, and believed
that when it would come that il
would, and They knew that they
were in a better position to profit BY
| it than many who worked double
shifts waiting and watching for it
Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-03-10
It is reported that Russ Hall has

1t is reported that Russ Hall has
landed Denny Shay to catch for
him this year. This Mick is cou-
sin of Danny Shay, the Tacoma
catcher He is a bow-legged Turk
who can line the ball down to sec
end about two feet high with the
speed of a bullet. lie played out on
the Coast several years ago, but of
'ate he has been kicking around
down South. Shay is good catch
Ell, and he will give Russ better re-