The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-13

orally, and particularly of prospective
investors, such a favorable impressiny
that the sale OF the securities would
be easily and quickly made.
The value of the granted lands was
to be made the basic value Of a large
amount of the company's securities
particularly SO it's first mortgage 7.S
land grant bonds.
In the furtherance Of his scheme
early in the summer of 1870, he
brought together a party of well
known writer's and influential news
paper men for a trip from st. Paul
to and down the Red river valley. In
return for the trip he expected glow
ing "write-ups'' Of the beauties, rich
ness of the country and of the brilliant
future for the railroad as the agri-
cultural resources of the new Eden
were developed.
The members of the party were
Bayard Taylor, the well known trav-
eler and writer, Chas. A. Dana. he
was assistant secretary of war in
1862, of The New York Sun, Vim.
Bross Gan e~x-lieutenant governor of
~Illinois) of The Chicago Tribune, Geo.
Evans of The New York Herald. Sam
uel Bowles of The Springfield (Mass.)
Republican, c. G. Coffin, the author
and war correspondent for The Boston
Journal; representatives of The New
York World, The Toledo Blade, The
Chicago Advance Ca religious paper),
and a few others of lesser note
names not now remembered, in al
there were about a dozen in the party
] was hen chief clerk in the u. S
surveyor generals office in st. Paul
and it so happened 1 was just ther
detailed for special duty al the u. S
landofice at Pembina (then the only
U. s. landofice in the northern par
Of the Dakotas, Enos Stutsman, reg.
lister and George /. Potter, receiver)
and arrangements were made whereby
l could accompany the party.
With one exception they were OLE
campers out" travelling with ligh
baggage and clothing for such a trip
The exception, never mind the name
had with him two trunks, changes O
clothing for all conditions n occa,
sions, dress suits, oxford ties, TOT
boots, umbrella, rain coat, rifle, six,
shooter, rubber air bed and pillows
linen sheets, a contrivance with which
he could support a mosquito bar ovel
his bed, a complete fishing tackle anC
a darby servant to care for him ant
his belongings.
With it all, though, he was a gooC
fellow, needing initiation only in som,
of the rough ways of life to bring GU
his real worth, and he got some al
right before we again saw st. Paul.
We left st. Paul by special train or
the st. Paul & Pacific (now G.. NJ
making a quick run to Morris, Their
its western terminus, there dndins
coaches and baggage wagons witt
complete camping outfit, we started
overland Immediately after lunch max
ing about fifteen miles to our camp
ground.
1t was here that our exquisite had
his first experience in the pleasures
of camp life; it was a hot night, the
air was filled with mosquitoes, our
sleeping tent was protected as well
as could be from the pests, but they
found every crevice, evidently hungry
for choice blood from ten, well fec
city people, and notwithstanding al
our efforts to keep them out the tent
was o filled with the buzzing, bit
ing torrents; sleep for us was out
of question, our exquisite however
in spotless nightrobe, on a soft air.
filed bed, with fine cool linen sheets
snugly tucked away in his mosquito
protector soon fell into profound Stun
Der, undisturbed by the mutterings
growlings, explosive English and to-
bacco smoke of his restless compan-
ions.
AT the first approach of daylight We
were out of cur tents. Anything fnl
a change from the miseries Of the
night. Tent flaps were thrown wide
open for air; the warmth brought II
our tormentors by additional thou
sands; through it all "Chumley,' a,
he has been named by Dana, wa.
sleeping like a babe; it did not seen
right that one man should be alloweS
to have so much solid comfort aftel
all we had suffered during the night
SO very carefully the mosquito bal
was removed and the ravenous in.
sects soon covered the sleeping vic.
tim; his thin linen was M protection
and in a few minutes we had thi
malicious pleasure of seeing most fran,
tic, g~r0tesque, movements by the hal
awakened sleeper, until when full.
reused and fairly IN his feet, he pour
ed at u.s., like hot shot. in more Wig,
orous than polite language. his opin,
ion of those who would play sucl
a scurvey trick; another blast be.
cause called out at such a beastl.
hour for breakfast.
"A breakfast in the open air sooI
after sunrise was a new one on him
but there was where he had the hes
of us for his valet was behind hin
waving a great fan which permittes
him to eat his breakfast In compare
tive comfort, while we poor, unattend
ed mortals had to fight as best w
could for ours. But then again he ha,
to do without his usual mornin.
plunge, and that rather evened III
things again for we were not
as a bunch, regular plungcrs. Enougi