Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-02

Il
and that Fairbsnk never really wanted to
be the seat Of Dakota'a territorial gov
eminent.
| But disappointment TO Fairbank did
not come. Along In the summer Of 1884
the Northwestern Railroad company Issued
a new official map and the projected ex-
tension from Redfield, across the country
to the Missouri river was omitted. This
was real grief and a committee of promi-
nent business men hurried to Chicago,
where they held a conference with railroad
officials, who assured the visitors that
leaving the line off the map was Just a
mistake of the printers and that 1t would
appear next time" However, it has never
appeared and after twenty-seven years, the
townsite is no nearer a railroad than when
It was plated.
Getting Away from Town.
With the return Of the committee from
Chicago and the report being made public
the exodus commenced. People commenced
to realize that there was no way Of keep
ing the boom alive and as the country west
OF the river was an Indian reservation and
that to the east occupied by homesteaders
who then were mostly poor, there was no
immediate future for the town.
Percival, as editor of the paper, the Head
| light, filled its columns with inspiration
He boosted the country and painted word
pictures OF the future of the town, pointing
that the Missouri river was one of the
great commercial highways of the country
and that Fairbank would eventually become
the metropolis of the central west.
BY September the boom had completely
collapsed. Even the stage line had been
pulled off and instead of stopping at the
Fairbank landing, the steamers whistled
disdainfully and passed by without even
slackening their speed. 1t was then that
final effort was made to breathe life
into the dying town.
| Last of Fairbanks Effort.
If Fairbank could but get the county seat
OF Sully county, then located at Clifton, a
town of 100 1t could pull through until a
reaction would occur. II went into the
fight as did Onida. a small town in the east
end of the county. In an attempt to conf
dence the voters and secure their support,
fifty scrapers were borrowed from a grad
big contractor at Pierre. Along about the
middle of the month these scrapers were
brought up from Pierre and with a band
accompanying them. they were distributed
through the county along the line OF a road
that the townsite company had surveyed.
Money was raised by subscription and by
taking what little remained In the Fair
bank city treasury and grading commenced.
! This worked well enough and would have
won the county seat fight had the money
held out
The day before election, the money having
been ali expended and 1t being impossible
to raise any more, grading was suspended
and ell of the men discharged. The town
was behind with the contractor and this
Individual Immediately commenced to
spread the information that there was
nothing behind the railroad building and
that It was simply scheme to get votes
for F'airbank for the county seat. That
ended it, for Onida won hands down.
Failing to secure the county seat, the
started anew and families by the score
sought new locations
Editors Efforts in Vain.
Again, Percival. in the Headlight, at
tempted to stay the tide that threatened to
sweep the town from it's foundation. The
morning following the election, in a double
column, double-leaded article. an extra edi-
ton OF the paper was pulled off the old
Washington hand press. This scored the
people for their lack of confidence In the
future OF Fairbank. 1t referred to the
recent landslide of purchased votes and
consoled the readers by assuring them that
II was better to lose the prize than have
won It by such disreputable methods as
were adopted by the competitors" In an
other article. front page, top of column,
he called attention to the possibilities Of
the town, predicting that 1t had a bright
future as q manufacturing center, picturing
coal fields to the west, which have never
yet been discovered. He also told of the
vast beds Of clay In the bluffs east OF the
town and told how by bringing the raw
products to Fairbank It could be converted
into a metropolis, one into which the vari-
Gus railroads would build their lines, thus
adding wealth and building up city that
would be the pride of all Dakota
Turns to the Indians.
Again an effort was made to bring the
town to the fore. Late in the fall Hump
the head chief of the Cheyennes and Little
No Heart, hereditary chief of the Two
Kettle band of Sioux Indians, were invited
to feast They were requested to bring
their warriors, their squaws and pap
pooses along the idea being to cultivate a
friendly feeling and secure the Indian trade
Of the country tributary, 1t then being
occupied by between 1900 and $500 families.
Subscriptions were taken up among the
inhabitants of the town and several hun
dred dollars raised. This was expended in
buying dozen fat steers hundreds OF
loaves OF bread and barrels of dried apples.
For two days and two night preparations
were in progress getting the barbecue and
feast ready for the guests. Then the In
dams came-almost 1000 of them-bringing
along the most ravenous appetites. Roast
OK, potatoes, other vegetables, apple pie
and dried apple sauce disappeared like dew
before the morning sun.
At last the feast having been finished,
the oratory commenced. AS chief execu-
tive of the municipality II fell upon Mayor
Percival to deliver the address. Not being
proficient in Sioux. he spoke ins English,
which was interpreted by James Pear
man. an American who had been raised
among the Indians and who had married
into half breed family. The good quail
ties, bravery ana honesty of the Indians
was dwelt upon. The Indians were told
that Fairbank wanted them for it's friends
and that when ever they visited there. they
would be received as honored guests and
made to feel at home.
Hump Tells What.
! With grunts OF approval. Hump replied;
he assured the mayor OF the dying town
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