The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-06-07

and with band playing, the Pembina
citizens gave the party such a well
come as has never before been ac-
corded visitors here.
The night was beautiful and the
celebration marking the arrival of the
party in Pembina was one that will
long be remembered by all.
The following gentlemen were in
the party: State Auditor ID. K. Bright
bill, Bismarck; James Sorenson, Lis
bon; Walter Doheny, Rugby; DR.. H.
NJ. Waldren, j. T. G. Colley, j. T.
Cockburn. Drayton: r. w. Smith of
the Alloway-Champion company,
Winnipeg, D. T. S. AIather, represent
ing the Winnipeg Telegram, and DR..
H. NJ. Wheeler, Finley d. Cameron,
William Wolff, A. E. Logan. John l.
Void, P. Thorsen, B. F. Brockhoff,
William McGraw, o. Rustad, j. C.
Taylor. A. E Perry. S. P. Donahue,
H. S. Adair, B. w. Pravitz and N. B.
Black of Grand Forks.
N. B. Black.
Just half century ago the first
steamer that ever ran from the United
States to Canada piled it's way
through the waters of the Red river.
Fifty years later the same trip is be-
ing taken, but what change that
half century has brought about.
In 1853, when the Arson Northrup
made its way through the then unex-
plored and unsettled valley. only here
and there were they met by small
band of Indians. who peared out from
the trees along the river bank with
wonderment at this new thing which
was to take, as the after years proved,
such prominent part in the building
up of the greatest valley in the Unit
ed States and the great northwest.
In 1909, the same trip is being TAX
en-, but where, a half century ago, the
pioneers saw but the wigwams of the
Indians and the trading posts of the
early days, the Grand Forks party
which left here yesterday morning has
been greeted by hosts of people and
on every side are seen the works of
men. Beautiful cities have taken the
places CT the frontier posts; large
farm houses have displaced the In
dian huts while the virgin prairie of
fifty years ago has been made to pro-
duce Weaitn IN aDundance.
The First Steamer.
The first steamer to run on the Red
river was the Anson Northup. the pio-
neer steamship and Columbus OF the
Red river world. and her history is
interesting. In 1858 two Minnesotans,
with their teams. tents and provisions,
crossed the state to the Red river to
Hr.1o
ticable for steamboats,.
They reported to the st. Paul cham
ber of commerce that for four or five
months Of the year. the river was
navigable from we'll up toward the
source of the river. down to Fort Gar
ry The chamber of commerce at once
took action and offered $1,000 to any
one who would build a steamboat on
the Red river.
Captain Arson Northup came for
ward and offered. if the council would
give him $4,000. to build steamboat
which would ply the waters of the
Red river starting in the spring of
1859. and the money was Immediately
offered
The captain owned steamer in
Gull lake, Minn., called the North
Star. She was already historic
craft. as her machinery had been in
the Governor Ramsey. the first boat
that ever piled on the Mississippi
above the falls of st. Anthony at
Minneapolis.
Started in Winter.
Two frontiersmen Baldwin Olm-
stead and Lewis Stone combined their
resources and took the machinery,
furniture and cabin-the boiler alone
weighing 1000 pounds-upon sleds
employing thirty-four horses. twenty
six oxen and thirty men. and started
in the middle of one of the coolest
winters to cross the prairie without
roads or inhabitants for 200 miles.
T. H. Morse. master builder and ].
B. Young. engineer, built the hull,
placed her machinery and the steamer
Arson Northup was launched May
10. 1859, half a century ago. On the
third day of June of that year, the
pioneer steamship started on her first
trip to Fort Garry, Man.
Stage Route to Connect.
Blakely one of the promoters, I'M
mediately placed four-horse stage
oH luC ioutC, lIOIll ~. hul NId 81.
Cloud and Fort Ambercrombie. to
connect with the new steamer on the
Red river. On arrival at the Red
river. Blakely found the steamer laid
up at Fort Abercrombie after her re-
turn from Fort Garry He had to
build a flatboat to carry Sir Francis
Sykes hunting party and two Scottish
ladies. whom he had contracted to
conduct safely from St. Paul to Fort
Garry In his absence from ST. Paul
his partner. J. G. Burnbank had
bought tho Anson Northup from it's
owners. and Blakely and q friend.
Captain Bell. journeyed down the Red