Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-06-11
e. Dana Durand. who is the new

South Dakota towns the new director
graced with his presense before he
rose to fame and fortune, and there
are more towns to hear from. -Aber
deem News.
We don't know so much about the
above but the writer acted as best man
at the marriage of his brother, Prof.
Durand, of Yankton college, which is
another claim to distinction for E
Dana.
Some of those who went to
Stratton, Col, to look at land return
ed Saturday and the others Monday.
w. G. Friedbauer bought . relin
punishment to a quarter section, but
the others did not purchase. Dave
Basart says he saw some very nice
country betwe. n De Smet and the
central part of Kansas, but none that
looked better to him than that section
through which he passed from this
place to the southern state line.
South Dakota is the best country !
ever saw" said Dave, as he concluded
hio uSCouut vi VIC tliD.
We. are sorry to report that the
celebration committee is disappoint
ed in not being able to produce the
free street attractions advertised for
Old Settlers Day. A contract vas
made with the Chaplin Amusement &
Producing Co., of st. Paul, which firm
agreed to put certain attraction for
the sum of $4,000, giving us three
performances during the day. Wed
nesday morning the concern tele-
graphed that it could not send the
actors called for in the contract and
wanted to substitute an act produced
here by the Cash Carnival people a
few years ago, an entertainment OF
very little merit. The committee re-
fused the substitute and the com
pany wired at noon Wednesday that
they had no control over the situta-
ton.
John O. Alseth attended the
state college oratorical contest at
Huron last Thursday evening. His
son, Oswald a. Alseth, represented
the Yankton college. The subject of
his Grafton was The Toilers" and all
the published reports give him great
credit in the effort. The judges de-
cided the contest by giving him
second place, the first place going to
the young man from Mitchell by a
margin of one-half point. A large
portion of the audience seemed |, o
hink Oswald was entitled to first
place. The two securing the high
honors in thu inter collegiate test will
represent the state in a contest to be
held al Grand Forks, N. D., latter in
the summer, SO both Young men will
he given another chsnce along with
contestants from that state. O-wald's
friends hope he may win first honors
over all at the next meet. Lake Pres
ton Times.
"A severe thunder storm visited
this locality Sunday morning, com
mencing at about 2 o'clock and last
ing until after daylight. The light
ming was severe, although on y n
place, the residence of VIM. Wurl in
the south part of the city, is reported
to have been struck. The bolt struck
the chimney and divided coming out
at the two stoves. One branch ran
from the stove to the window where
it tore the screen and window casing,
again entered the house and tore off a
Dashboard, then down through the
floor into the ground The other
branch knocked a hole through a par.
tition, passed through two rooms and
out at the southwest corner of the
house where it knocked the mortar
from a section of the stone wall. Mr..
Wurl was sitting up in his bed in the
northeast room of the house when the
bolt struck and saw the fire going
through the room, but was not shock
ed in the least. His daughter in an
other part of the house escaped with
out so much az a shock. The damage
was not great. Mr.. Wurl and his
daughter were both fortunate to es-
cape.
That De Smet is one of the best
business towns in the eastern part of
the state is a fact acknowledged on
all sides. That it is so situated as tn
have a handsome appearance and
give the visitor a very favorable i'm
preston is another fact beyond dis
pute. But we would have il improv-
ed in the latter respect and suggest
that a move be started for the estab-
lishment of a gateway park, if we may
call it so, between the depot and
FIRST street, extending from Calumet
avenue east to Joliet avenue, or
covering just about one block. In
this park we would propose further
to place a statue of Father De Smet,
the missionary among the Indians
for whom this city was named. We
believe that such a park would be an
improvement of which every citizen
could feel proud, and that it would