The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-04-06
THE FIRST PAPER
SQUATTER GOVERNOR ZIEBACH
TELLS STORY OF FOUND
ING AT YANkTON
NOW PRESS and DAKOTAN
Two Wagons Brought Outfit into the
Newly Organized Territory Of
Dakota, From Sioux
City, June, 81

Yankton-F. M. Ziebach, n of the
pioneers in the newspaper field of
Sioux City and Yankton, well known
al the "Squatter Governor Of Dakota
Territory" has dived into the earliest
history of the newspaper now known
as the Press and Dakotan, Of Yankton,
and has, in a letter TO that paper,
given the following interesting his
tory:
The Dakotan, the first paper printed
In the organized territory of Dakota,
was established at Yankton in June,
1861, the first issue being on the 9Th
day of that month. The promoters Of
the enterprise were +. NJ. Ziebach,
William Frenzy and J. B. s. Todd, I'M
der the firm name of THE Dakotan
publishing Company" The material
used in this enterprise was that with
which the first paper in Sioux City
was printed-The Sioux City Eagle
established in July, 1857, by Seth w.
Swiggett, who sold his printing outfit
in 1860 to the proprietor of the City
Register" which latter paper was es-
tablished in 1858, by F. M. Ziebach.
The material was transported from
Sioux City to Yankton in two wogans,
one drawn by a span Of horses and the
other by a yoke of oxen, and the time
occupied in making the round trip was
four days.
The first home Of the Dakotan was
in a log building on the west side OF
Broadway, between Second and Third
streets. the property Of Judge Congle-
ton. This building was later covered
with siding and used for a store, and
remains today as one of the old time
structures on that part OF Broadway,
and is We believe. the only building
remaining In Yankton erected prior to
the organization of the territory, IN
less it be the building on the southeast
conner of Broadway and Second street,
which was built early in 1861, and US
ed as an Office by General Todd.
The primary object of the first two
named projectors Of the Dakotan
(Messrs. Ziebach and Freney) was to
get in on the ground floor, and reap
whatever profit there might be in the
public printing, and the last mention
ed member of the firm Gen. Todd to
have the support of the paper in his
candidacy for delegate in congress.
The %lotter's purpose was accomplished
and he was elected as the first terri
tcria' delegate. The two first named
met with disappointment. They had
an i~ll-grounded idea that the major
ity ruled. in public printing, as in
other things, but the idea was soon
dispelled. John Hutchinson was Sec
rotary Of the territory and he had
entered into a contract with Josiah G.
Trask of Kansas, to act as official
printer for the first territorial legis-
lature, and the pioneer printers were
given to understand that Trask would
get the price no matter who did
the work. Among the first acts of the
new legislature was to elect Ziebach
public printer, but under the ruling
of the secretary, he was up against
it, and did the next best thing-sold
his interest in the paper to Mr.. Trask
and took cases" in the office during
the session. After the printing for
the first session was completed, Mr..
Trask sold his interests in the paper
to George w. Kingsbury, and +. M.
Ziebach, who had in the meantime ex-
changed his interest in the Sioux City
Register for William Freney's inter-
est in the Dakotan, resumed the own
ership of General Todd's interest, and
the paper was continued under the
new ownership, with Geo. w. Kings
bury as editor, until the spring OF
1863, when the outfit was sold to DR..
Rurleigh, who wanted the support OF
the paper in his candidacy for con-
gress.