The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1911-06-15
FIRST governor
OF STATE RELATES
HIS EXPERIENCES
jayne Executive Man.
sion a Log House
at Yankton
LOYAL TO STATE
LOYAL TO STATE
People at Yankton South
Dakota Is His First

Yankton, s. D.-Sioux City's spe-
cial train and its rs boosters inject
ed, more ginger into the home COM
ing reunion celebration being held
here than the city has seen since the
beginning of the festivities.
Their special ,lain arrived at 10
Y O'Clock yesterday. Their bagpipers
i'll kills led the line up from the sta
tion to a nearby street, where the
Fourth Regiment band and a dele
cation of Yankton citizens We're wait
ing.
The Speaking Program.
The grandstand was crowded with
the pioneers when the speakers We're
called upon for remarks. Gov. r. S.
Wesley, Bartlett Trip, eX-United
States minister to Austria; Otto Pee
miller, eX-United States marshal, and
DR.. William Jayne, the first govern
or of Dakota territory, put the crowd
in good humor by their interesting
speeches. In every speech could be
found the sentiment that it required
bravery to stick in the Dakotas 40
or 80 years ago, yet there was moth
ing about the addresses that smack
ed of cOnceit or an appeal for APP
plause.
Governor Jayne is the leading
figure on all sides and in the center
appears on the streets. He has a re-
markable memory and recalls dates
and incidents relating to the early
days without the least difficulty.
Cheers for Governor Jayne.
Lets give three cheers for Gov
ernor jayne shouted a young Da-
kotan when the former executive
had concluded his address to the peo-
pie. The crowd instantly responded
and in a minute the air was filled
with the hearty hurras for the popu-
lar visitor.
Seated in an automobile on the col
lege campus and While the Fourth
Regiment band played patriotic airs,
DIR. Jayne gave an interesting and
brief account of his life to a cores
pondent. This is his first visit to Da-
kota since he left here in 1862, at
ter serving his term of governor.
Young man." he said, as he lean
ed from the ear seat of the machine
and shook his forefinger emphatical-
ly, you are now in the greatest state
of all the western states west OF
Iowa. Idaho, Montant, Nebraska and
Utah are grand places, but South
Dakota is the real land of promise: !
was happy here as governor; now !
feel as if l had returned to my first
love and l cannot express my feel
ings.
Log House Executive Mansion.
When l came here there were no
accommodations for my family, SO
they remained in Sioux City and came
to visit me at intervals. drove
the country from Fort Dodge
to Yankton, We We're stuck in the
mud several miles from Yankton and
we might be there yet had not John
r. Wood come to our rescue with a
team of oxen and pulled us out. My
executive mansion in Yankton con-
sisted of a log house. The first floor
was used as an Office and l ate and
slept on the second floor. But we
did the necessary work just as well
as they are doing it at Pierre today"
At that moment a gray haired man
approached the machine and, caught
the governors eye. ~
Well, if it isn't the chief clerk OF
the first assembly of South Dakota"
exclaimed DR.. Jayne, while he ex-
tended a welcome hand to Major JOS
eph r. Hanson, a real pioneer of the
state. He has the reputation OF be-
ing the only one Of the first white
settler who kept his claim near
Yankton during the days Of hardship.
DIR. Jayne is one Of the few men
now alive who knew Lincoln and
enjoyed the close friendship of the
martyr. He was appointed to the
governorship by Lincoln and was ev-
err an admirer Of the emancipator.
He first met Lincoln when the future
president was a young lawyer in IL
war nm