Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-02-10
Recalls Other Events at Army
Post During Late
= w. Eighties

mention was made of the Lincoln post
master. This man remained at Llncol!
until the spring Of 1887, when a post
officer Inspector came to inspect the OF
flee: when It was found that G had been
paying himself . salary at the rate OF
one thousand dollars per year from can
cellations. This was considered large for
the number OF residents. The inspector
found, in looking over the accounts. tina
no record of cancellations had been kept.
c was a man who stood high with the
business men Of Mandan where he was
a bank director, and the owner or town
property. While he was not, to my re-
collection arrested, he must have anti
cipated arrest or disgrace, for he at
once disappeared and his body was at
forwards found in the Missouri. 1t was
reported that when the body was re-
covered it was discovered that he was
neither a man nor a woman.
While he was trying to recover the
stolen. money he offered a reward to any
one who might give information. but
WHOM the money was recovered he gave
the party who hunted up the evidence
a five cent cigar; and q poor n at that.
The day C was taken to the place where
the money had been hidden, some one
shot a. fine COW belonging to the guide.
So the party who hunted up the evil
dence was out O forty dollar COW, but
ahead a five cent cigar. ....
During a conversation with the inspec-
tor he informed the writer that the only
evidence against c was his failure to
keep O cancellation record: and that all
which the Government could have done
would be to relieve him as postmaster.
All companies at Lincoln planted gar
ders. and raised great quantities Of veg
etables, and melons Of all kinds. The
year 70 showed what the soil of North
Dakota would produce when there was
sufficient moisture; and this was one
Of the Fat years that Joseph described
in Egypt many years ago..
Doctor Wolverton and Captain Poland
were chicken fanciers and introduced to
the West side the Plymouth Rock and
White Brama's. In the early eighties
there were few chickens in Morton coun.
ty. excepting those at Lincoln. ola
introduced fine seed potatoes and many
excellent vegetables. Many Of the early
settlers received thir seed potatoes from
the post gardens.
The country around Bismarck had the
reputation Of a great farming country;
but farming was in its infancy In the
year 1873. Henry Suite or the East side
and Eliza Boley on the West side were
among the early farmers Of the Slope
country.
Late in the fall Of this year orders
were received for the purchase Of large
quantities Of onions and potatoes for tho
new posts Of the far north; the object of
the government was to make the pur-
chases near where grown to make a mar
ket for the produce and to save, trans
~portation. The Major was the one whose
duty 1t was to make the purchases. He
would visit Bismarck daily but never
appeared to secur the goods and get
them ready for shipment. One trouble was
that the quantities of goods wanted were
not In the country. The merchants did
not want to miss the sale so they order
ed them by wire. shipped from Saint Paul
It was suggested to the Major that as
the boating season was nearly over
haste must be made and that he better
take me with him to Bismarck to assist
We drove to Bismarck In a small
phaeton, which had been the property
OF Miss Ella Sturges, now Mrs. Penning.
ton. On arrival in Bismarck 1t was found
that the Major had engaged goods from
various merchants, but none were ready
for shipment. We put in two days get
ting the goods ready. Late the second
day as we were about leaving for the