The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-01-28
FIRST NEWSPAPER
At DICKINSON

Dickinson Recorder Post: The Dick
inson Recorder Post is In possession OF
the original copy Of the first local
newspaper launched in Dickinson, The
Sun. So far is known the copy we
have is the only one now in existence
in fact it is doubtful If more than one
copy of The Sun was ever issued. It
bears an artistically drawn heading
including picture of an antelope run
ming. with the date line reading. Vol
J., Dickinson, Feb. 1883, No. Il" and
the entire paper is written with a PEN
ell on ordinary white paper (now vel
LEVIED by age) 11x16, when folded to
make four pages.
Five columns are ffed, the first
item In column one reading "P,h-
lished and edited by d. C. Sparrowk
every month at Dickinson. Dakota
Devoted ito the interest of the conn
try as we'll as the incoming popuIa-
ton"
Mr.. Sparrowk was an adopted son
of that pioneer farmer, c. r. Parsons.
who came to Dickinson in 1882. Evil
IDENTIFY Sparrowk foresaw the necessity
for a newspaper to develop a new
country, a necessity that exists today.
and was Dickinson as his next ar
ticle reads:
This thriving little town is situat-
ed on the line Of the N. p. r. r.. 5s4
miles west of st. Paul, i'm a pleasant
little valley of the Heart river. Large
beds of Ignite, or native coal, under
lie this section of the country which
furnishes an abundance Of fuel for
all. 1t can be had at the mine for
the small cost of $3.50 per ton. The
principal business is dealing in buffalo
hides and meat, of which immense
quantities are shipped east. There is
one large hotel, one large general
merchandise house, one restaurant,
one retail grocery and two saloons.
"The N. P. r. r. have built round
houses, water tank and coal sheds at
this point and we think this point will
be one of interest in the coming sea-
son of 1888"
On the second page under heading,
Shorts About Town, appears the first
local reading, II. L. Dickinson has
been engaged in putting UP ice for the
past week" The second page, second
column is headed, between black lines,
CdlISQ I1OIlSy lOllOWSu DY an account
of the death of Charles Brooks, who
died Of pneumonia, and is said to have
been found i'll near Dickinson and
brought to town where he died two
or three days later Brooks is styled
"the noted hunter" His remains were
sent to Liberty, Mo-, a brother of the
deceased accompanying.
Sparrowk failed to profit by his en-
terprise, as history shows. The Dick
inson Press, (now one of the leading
weeklies of orth Dakota, under the
able management of Editor NJ L. Ay-
ers) was first published by j. G. Scott
under date of March 81, 1888. Spar
rowk died in the summer of 1883 and
his adopted father, Mr.. Parsons died
in 1884.
First Daily Newspaper.
The Recorder-Post also has in Its
possession seven copies of The Dickin-
son Daily News, numbers l to Z, in
elusive, issued during the A. r. u. or
Pullman" strike in 1894. These pa
pers bear dates June July Z, in
elusive, and contain telegraphic re-
ports of the eastern situation, much
local news and items of historic in
terest 1t will be remembered that dur
ing that strike, for two weeks Dickin-
son had no train service, suffered for
some Of the necessities, and that the