Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-02-25
SECUTED over SITE OF
CITY BEFORE IT EXISTED

CITY BEFORE IT EXISTED
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES OF
o. II. WALL, NOW LIVING IN
WASHINGTON STATE.
Was Friend Of Col. Lounsberry's-
Came to Bismarck in 1868 when
Site was Virgin Prairie.
The Tribune is in receipt of an in
teresting letter from o. H. Wall OF
Friday Harbor, Washington, which
will be very instructive to all who
are interested in the early history OF
this section of the slope. Mr.. Wall
secuted over the present site of the
capital city of the state before there
was any sign of human habitation.
His letter follows:
Friday Harbor, Washington,
February 20. 1911.
Editor Tribune:
The death of Marshall Jewell calls
to mind many events Of the Olden
time-the time when Bismarck was
not, as well as the time when Bis
marck was in it's infancy, for l rode
over the ground where Bismarck now
fourishes, before the town was even
Pigment in any human brain, and be.
fore the Northern Pacific railroad had
even been talked about as a dream.
Almost forty-eight years ago, of to
be specific, early on the morning OF
July 20, 1868, we entered the valley
of the Missouri from the east, in pur.
suit of the willy Sioux, whose strong
rear guard, in the gray dawn Of that
day, harrassed our advance to permit
their fleeing families and comrades
to cross the Missouri river before we
should reach that stream. 1t was on
a beautiful summer morning that we
got from the eastern hills of the val
ley, our first view Of the Missouri.
with its green forest-belt that so ap-
pealed to the soldier eye. long accus-
toned to treeless plains. I shall new
er forget that panoramic view Of the
Missouri river valley. There was a
newness and freshness about the
whole virgin scene. as it lay beauti-
full landscape at our feet, unfolded to
us under bening skies, in crisp spicy
atmosphere that was "elixir to the
lungs" and an inspiration to the soul
of youth. that will linger as long as
reason holds its throne. In acc0p-
plishment of their endeavor to escape,
the principal Indian mass, along with
their impediments, had, during the
night of July g and the early morning
of July 20, crossed the Missouri, and
as a part of the spectacle witnesses
when first the valley came into view,
was the scrambling mass Of Sioux,
climbing the hills upon which in later
years Fort Lincoln was founded.
However it was not of these matters
I started out to speak. but rather of
how near came to being a pioneer
citizen of Bismarck. and one Of the
founders and publishers of the Bis
marck Tribune. with which the late
Marshall Jewell was so long associat-
ed. Col. Lounsberry and myself, had
as young men. been engaged in the
newspaper business in Southern Min.
nesato since the close of the Civil
war, well acquainted with zach other,
but not however as business asso-
ciates. He had finally gravitated to
Minneapolis. where he remained on
the daily press of that city until he
was induced by officers of the North
ern Pacific railway company to 60 to
Bismarck. soon to become the term
mus of the road. there to found the
future capitals first newspaper. Hav-
ing disposed of my newspaper inter-
ests in southern Minnesota. was
spending a few months at Audubon, in
Becker county, Minnesota. On May 5.
1873, Col. Lounsberry wrote me from
Minneapolis, aDprising me of his con-
clusion to go to Bismarck, and assur
ing me there could te no escape from
my Joining him in founding the Tri
bune on almost any terms chose to
name. received this letter on the
9TH Of May. l was fcot-loose and
care-frce. submitted the matter of
a decision to Mrs. Wall, who was with
me, the sole question Ringing on social
conditions of Bismarck at that time
the worst imaginable. The town was
not only on the terminus of a great
transcontinental road, at the crossing
Of one of the nations greatest rivers.
navigated then by steamboats,, but it
was the outfitting point for the Black
Hills country. and conditions were I'M
speakably bad. On casting the matter
over in her mind Ms s. Wall expires sed
preference not to go to Bismarck
for reasons just stated. and as her
preference was we'll taken and re-
spected, decided not to join in the
proposed enterprise, which since that ,
day has done so much for North Da
kota. On the following morning
received a telegram from General !
Manager Mead. of the Northern Pa !
cific, dated at Brainerd. and one from |!
Co.. Lounsberry, also dated at Brain ;
erd. Mr.. Mead stated that he would /
be on the west-bound passenger train !
of that day, with transportation for
Mrs. Wall and myself to Bismarck.
The Coils telegram stated: Have
complete printing outfit in car attach
ed to passenger train. Join us at ALL
1ubon.' met the gentlemen at the
rain, and said as automatically and
with as much gratitude as my vOcab-