Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-02
TOWN LIKE JONOLI'S GOURD
Story Of the Boom Days in Dakota
Reads Like Romance.
FARBANK THRIvED AND FADED
Built ON Prospects, IL Drew Thou
sands of Residents and Died
as Quickly when Pros
poets Failed.

poets Failed.
PIERRE, s. D., July place your
finger on the map of South Dakota at a
point where a line drawn directly north
would intersect the Missouri river and
there you win be able to locate the site
of the town OF Falrbank, a city that had
a mushroom growth for a period of six
months and died almost as suddenly as It
came into existence
AS the crow flies, Fairbank was located
thirty-five miles north OF this city and was
conceived purely as real estate booming
scheme and within sixty days after the
first lot sale was held, it had a population
OF close TO 1900 people. Now nothing re-
mains to mark its greatness, aside from
excavation over which stood a building that
remained for close to twenty-eight years.
but which was destroyed by fire a few
weeks ago.
The city of Fairbank, or rather the two
Fairbank, attracted the attention OF the
public for few months during the spring
of 1884 At that time the Western Townsite
company, a subsidiary company of the
Northwestern Railroad company, secured
title TO 10 acres Of land due north of
Pierre and thirty-five miles distant. Albert
Keep. then president Of the railroad COM
pany. was president Of the townsite COM
pany. About the same time the Fairbank
Townsite company of which Charles
Walker a real estate man of Pierre, was
president and Judge Bartlett Trip. then
of Yankton. s. D., but subsequently
minister to Austria. was vice president,
secured title to t60 acres OF land adjoining
that Of the Western Townsite company.
In addition to the high standing of the
officers OF the two townsite companies,
both officially and financially and the
further fact that a few weeks after the
town plats were filed with the secretary
OF the then territory of Dakota, that the
Northwestern Railroad company sent out
It's map showing a contemplated line of
road from Redfleld to Fairbank, town lots
sold at fabulous prices and in great num-
bers. On the same, day, offices for the sale
OF lots in Fairbank were opened in New
York, Chicago, st. Louis, Omaha, st. Paul
and dozen other cities, where capitalists,
business men and laborers became pur-
chasers. seeing in the purchases an
enormous profit within short time.
Doomed as n Capital.
This was during January, 1884, and as
q part OF the same real estate boom
scheme, a bill was introduced in the South
Dakota legislature, the last session ever
held at Yankton. providing for the To-
cation of the capital at Fairbank. Bis
marck, Pierre, Mitchell, Huron, Aberdeen,
Sioux Falls, jamestown and a dozen other
towns were in the list, so that 1t was be-
iieved that Fairbank stood an equal show
with any OF it's competitors, considering
the fact that II was proposed to donate to
the then territory of Dakota 1000 acres of
land adjoining the town and $4,000 of its
bonds, the proceeds to be used In paying
the cost OF the erection Of territorial build
ings.
The Fairbank capital boom never got
beyond the boom stage. but IL served well
the purpose for which II was intended for
on April Is. thirty days after the first
lot sale was held. there were 800 buildings
in course Of erection. Additions to the
original townsites had been laid out and
plated, park and boulevard system.
more elaborate than those of most of the
older towns. had been provided and an
election had been called for the purpose
of selecting officers and voting bonds for
improvements. The territorial legislature
had enacted a law, declaring the mushroom
town q city and all that remained for the
people to do was to ratify the act. The
law designated the date and the manner
of holding the election.
Candidates and Citisens.
Candidates for the various offices came
out thick and fast and the only one who
was without opposition was w. d. Perci-
val, publisher CT the paper that was enter
Ing upon the second month Of It's career.
which was to be short, but interesting
After giving the required notice provided
for by law the election WAS held, just two
months after the first stick Of lumber was
hauled upon the townsite Six hundred and
forty-three votes were cast and 1t was
estimated that this indicated a population
OF little over 1850 persons. They we're
living In tents. board shanties and even
caves. A bed for a night in any enc of the
many hotels was worth 81 and 50 was not
an unusual price. Meals went up from rs
cents to 81. and were hard to get at even
that. Yet all the time more people were
coming to town to take part In the boom.
They came on foot, by steamers UP and
down the Missouri river, as there were
two lines, each operating three boats.
which touched at the Fairbank landing
usually three times a week.
In addition to those who walked and came
via the river. hundreds were coming In on
the stages. three and four coaches operat-
ing daily out OF Pierre. All who were des-
tined to Fairbank and came to Pierre over
the Northwestern road had a stage coupon
attached to their railroad tickets This
was a part OF the regular railroad ticket
ana was good on any OF the stage lines
II not used these coupons were redeemable
at any Of the Northwestern offices.
Bonds Were Plentiful.
At the election for city officers numerous
bonds were voted. there being little or nc
opposition. Capital bonds aggregating $500,
900 carried without a vote being cast against
them. Besides these there were 100000 OF
sewer, $4,000 OF grading. $50 900 of electric
lights and $4,000 of school house bonds
voted, none OF them meeting with much op.
position.
Lots commenced to jump in price Lots
on broadway that the townsite company
two months before had sold for $500 to 500
went up to 1900 and 5000 and were sold
and resold. II was nothing unusual fol-
choice lots to double in value over might
and It was nothing unusual for a man e
go 20 bed the owner OF a lot having 4
market value OF tl,OOO and the next morn.
ing before breakfast. sell his holdings fol
$500 to 5000. Real estate offices wer.
on every corner. Many of them kept oper
all night. and while the boom was az IL
height, as much business was being don,
nj midnight as during the day Every ma,