Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1913-07-24
VISIT TO TT. CLARK,
THE HISTORIC SITE
SCENE OF WINTER QUARTERS
OF LEWIS AND CLARK IN 1904
VISITED BY HUNDREDS,

blSmarck, July lS.-OVer l,IVO
people went to Stanton yesterday
and visited Fort Clark, the winter
headquarters of Lewis and Clark
when they made their expedition
through here in 1904. This site
was also the home of Sakakawea, the
Indian bird woman, who helped
guide the expedition.
The excursion was under the aus
pices of the State Historical society
and several historical addresses were
delivered. DR.. Meg Beede, the In
dian missionary from Ft. Yates, Gu
rator Fish of the State Historical
society, who gave the very interest
ing history of the Indian woman,
Secretary of State Thos.
Hall, who gave a resume of the Lew
is and Clark expedition, were speak
ers. Ceremonies were conducted by
W. H. Stutsman of Mandan, presi-
dent of the state railroad commits
sion. The gathering of people was
made up largely of old settlers from
the surrounding country who utiliz-
ed the fold fort grounds for picnic
festivities.
Dedicated an Empire.
In 1904, 1906 and 1906 two men
commanded an expedition which ex-
plored a wilderness that stretched,
from the mouth of the Missouri riv-
er to where the Columbia enters the
Pacific, and dedicated to civilization.
a new empire. Their names were
Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark. But to most readers they
are known as Lewis and Clark. In
effect they were one and indivisible.
The morale of the expldition was =;
ideal, and under their guidance was
wrought out what has we'll been
called our national epic or explora-
tion.
For almost 20 years prior to the.
organization Of the Lewis and Clark
expedition and long before the gen
eral public was more than passively
curious upon the subject of Louis
lana, President Jefferson had nour-
ished the plan of exploring the Lou
isiana territory. The primary pur-
pose of the expedition was to discov-
er what the land really held.
Acquires Louisiana Territory.
In 1900 Napoleon had acquired
title to Louisiana by trading with .
Spain and giving in exchange the lit
tie kingdom of Etruria. But his
control of the territory was more
tacit than actual; war between
France and England was imminent.
had in America no ade-
quate means of defending his new
domain, which would be likely to
fall into the hands of the British at
once on the outbreak of war. JEFF
ferson, with his long head, saw that
the proper time had come, and ac-
quired title to this territory, paying
S1O,UVU,VVV CueTe1OT.
Expedition Organized.
The expedition was organized.
nothing was known of
the difficulties to be encountered. So
far as sure knowledge of it was con-
cerned, the land was virgin, and
Lewis and Clark were to be its dis
coverers. They were directed to
explore it in detail. Observation of
and longitude were to be
made at all points of particular in
terest.
Natives to Be Studied.
The native nations and tribes en-
along the way were to be
studied with care, and records pre-
served of their names and numbers;
the extent and boundaries of their
possessions; their relations with
other tribes and nations; their Ian
guage. traditions and monuments;
their occupation, implements. food,
clothing, and domestic accommoda-
tions; their diseases and methods of
cure; their physical, social, moral
and religious .peculiarities and GUS
toms; their ideas and practice Of
and the possibility Of
among them the influences
Of civilization-in short, every cir
was to be noted which
might render relations with these
people intelligent.
Given Letters Of Credit.
The expedition was given open let
ters Of credit to draw on the gov
ernment at any place. But these
letters were certainly ironical. With
such country to pass through, let
ters Of credit would have been Just
as paeful had they been given to the