Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-09-09

Charles E. Lovett, who plated the
town and led the boom, are many
incidents amusing to readers of to-
day. One of them concerns the first
EpestmasteT In the county; Gap SCI
lott. "Cap" was interested in sell
ing lots in Grand Rapids, and as the
%postoffice was then considered to be
in the main part of town If any
thing was, lots next to the postofficc
were particularly desirable. Cap"
according to the story, began to have
lots next to the postoffice," and no
matter how many such sales he con-
pleted, the supply was inexhaustible.
As no pOstoffice had then been
built, the matter was hard to deter
mine. Several were cruel enough to
suggest that one postoffice would be
enough, while another ventured that
cap" intended to have a %postoffice
on wheels. However it was, Cap"
Elliott sold his lots.
The first building in La Moure
vas built in April Of the year 1888.
and was a blacksmith shop l2xl2. 1t
stood between the Northern Paeific
elevator and the river, but was torn
down a year after. The first church
services were held there. 1t was a
memorable event-this gathering Of
pioneer settlers in a new country to
worship the same God whom they
had worshiped in the east in luXur-
iously appointed churches and in the
conventional way. The congregation
was of the Congregational faith.
People from the county over gath
cred, coming in wagons and buggies.
The minister stood in the far end Of
the blacksmith shop and delivered
his sermon, while those who could
not gain admittance because of the
crowd remained outside in their
wagons and listened.
Another incident illustrates the;
friendly spirit between the towns OF
La Moure and Grand Rapids. La
Moure's intended Fourth Of July Gel
ebration had fallen out in some way,
and the Grand Rapids people we're
exultant. A letter to C. e. Lovett,
of La Moure, read as fellows:
Seeing that your Fourth Of July
celebration has flattened out, and
deeply. regretting and plying the
fact, we beg to make the following
proposal: We will take your fire
works off your hands for 1-3 cash,
and the balance in two payments
one-half when the first railroad
reaches La Moure, and the balance
when the second railroad enters"
Moreover, they offered La Moure
only twenty-five cents on the dollar.
In the early days the James river
was used for exploitation purposes.
Stories were told of the excellent
navigation it afforded. and the James
River Navigation company seemed
to bear the tales out. Two South
Dakotans, coming up to visit the new
town, doubted the tale, for they We're
we'll acquainted with the James as
it is in South Dakota. One of the
men was an attorney and systemati-
cally attempted to disprove the
claims of Chas. Peck, president Of
the company, and C. b. Lovett. It
was a dark night that the four were
assembled in a room arguing the
question, and the confident. talk
given out by Peck and Lovett had it's
effect on the South Dakotans. Still
they we're s%neptical. AS if to clinchj
the defense, a whistle blew from the
direction Of the river. There" said
one of the La Moure lmen. What
did | tell you? There's one of the
company's boats now" The four went
down to the river, and there, sure
enough, was the Nellie Baldwin an