The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-14

ballots in the city, who have watched
the city grow to its present proper
tions and have had their full share in
it's developing and still live here, are
Andrew McHench, Gordon j. Keeney,
S. G. Roberts, e. s. Tyler, N. X. Hub
bard, James Holes, N. b. Pinkham,
Matt Hammis. T. G. Comstock. ]. G.
Probert, Martin Hector, L. H. Lowe,
Harry O'Neill, Major Darling, S. v.
Hoag and Hans Larson.
Some of these men migrated to Da-
kota before the crossing of the North
ern Pacific railroad over the Red river
was surveyed. They were among those
who watched anxiously for the cross
ing to be located, while the railroad
engineers vibrated between the mouth
of the Elm and the mouth Of the Wild
Rice. They watched anxiously, for
they knew that on the west side of
the crossing city would spring up
that would be the commercial center Of
the great northwest. They wanted to
get In on the ground floor and grow
with this city. They have. Others
among them came while the city was
nothing but tents. They, too, have
prospered.
Earlier Elections Were Held.
Remembrance Of at least two other
elections prior to that Of 1873 are re-
called by some of these men. How
ever, these elections were not valid as
it was prior to the time the Indian
title to the land was extinguished.
James Holes, the prosperous farmer,
living on north Broadway. says that
the very first balloting was done In
November OF 1871. Just what this
election was for or who the officers
were Mr.. Holes does not recall, but he
distinctly remembers taking part In
the voting.
''Thds was the first election ever
held in Fargo said Mr.. Holes to a
representative of The Forum. Il re-
member that the balloting was to have
been done in the cabin Of Ole Peterson
In Oak Grove. The weather was mild
that evening and quite a crowd went
out from the main part OF town to cast
their votes.
Zone thing that flxed the incident
hrnlly In my mind was that when we
arrived at Peterson's cabin we found
he had left and that the doors were
SCCttA ely DN&FTCu. 4nGEG were quite a
number present and we did not want
to so to the trouble OF hunting up
some other place In which to locate
the polls, SO we built large camp
fire in the grove and held the election
by its light. We used cigar box for
the ballot box so 1t can be seen that
while we thought at the time there
was quite crowd present, we were
not SO many after ALL"
Voted In 1872.
Andrew McHench says that In the
fall OF 1874 another election was held
In tent on Front street which was
who should be recommended for APP
pointment to office when the Indian
title was extinguished.
It seems that word had been receiv-
ed that the title would be taken away
from the Indians the next spring and
that civil government would be start
ed then inythe county. This election
was held and when the title was ex-
tinguished in May. 1873. those who
were chosen at the election In the fall
were recommended to Governor Bur
bank to all the Offices for which they
had been chosen.
Governor Burbank, however, failet
to appoint any Of those chosen with
the exception Of Mr. McHench, wis
was made superintendent OF schools
He. however. refused to serve becaus,
the others had not received appoint
ment as the people wished
Both Of these elections were void Of
account of the Indian title to the cOun
try. This makes the first valid cleo
ton that which came In the fall d
1874 when officers we're chosen to i'll
Of the term OF the appointed officers