Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-11-14
Growth Of Bismarck Has
Been Steady and Future
Promises Big Development
Building This Season Will Reach in Value $3500O0. Increase in
Postal Receipts Indicate Healthy Commercial Con-
dhion. All lines of business Aourishing

bismarck became an enClty May IT,
1872; a county seat July 4, 1873; a
territorial capital June 3, 1882, and a
state capital, October l, 1889.
The first stakes were driven on the
present site of Bismarck MAY Ia,
1872, by Col. George w. Sweet. attor-
ney for the Northern Pacific and for
the lake Superior & Puget Sound
Co., operating in lands along the line
of the railroad. The new town was
not located in closer proximity to the
river because John J. Jackman, John
ii, Richards, William Woods and
George Sanborn were found in pos
session when the colonel arrived. The
named originally proposed was Ed
winton," later changed to Bismarck
waen German capital become interest
ed In the region. ,.t
The survey was made the summer
Of 1872, although the land had not
yet been ceded by the Indians and
did not become open for entry until
the following spring. DR.. W. 4. Bur
leigh, who gave his name to the
county, built the first two houses in
Bismarck, to provide quarters for his
men, engaged in building the railroad
to a point fifty miles east. In the spring
of 1872, Camp Hancock vas located
where the United States weather
bureau offices for the district Of NORTH
Dakota now stands, Capt. Charles
Clarke, a brother of Grace Greenwood,
being detailed there with a company
Of infantry.
Once Home Of Greeley.
Bismarck's first telegraph connec'
ton with the northwest was a mill.
tary line commenced in August, 1873.
under the direction of Lieut. a. w.
Greeley, later to become famous and
to almost forfeit his own life and that
Of his expedition by his arctic explora-
lions. Lieut.. Greeley and his young
bride, spent six months of 1878 in
Bismarck, remaining until the COM
pletion of the telegraph line to Fort
Ellis, on the Missouri and Yellow
stone rivers, connecting Forts Buford,
Keogh and Custer.
The father of farming in Burleigh
county was Col. William Thompson,
who commanded an Iowa regiment
during the Civil war and later repre-
santed his state in congress- Colonel
Thompson was n of the earliest
settlers in the Bismarck region, and
he did much to encourage agricul-
tural development.
George II. Fairchild, son Of the then
president of Oberlin college, met the
new towns growing demands for
banking facilities in 1873, when with
Walter Mann of St. Paul he founded
the Merchants bank. In 1879 Mr..
EAircaild organized the First National
bank, one Of the Oldest financial insti.
tltions in. the state today.
@ Tribune First Newspaper.
sBurleigh county came into being in
July, 1873. Bismarck's first educa-
tional institution was founded by Mrs.
Slaughter, wife Of the post surgeon at
Camp Hancock, who organized a class
of a half.dOZen children and taught
them in her own home.
Col. G. IA. Lounsberry arrived in
Bismarck on May II, 1875. The Sec
ond railroad train that reached Bis
marck, on June 6, 1875, brought a
printing plant, and Bismarckis first
newspaper, The Tribune, was issued
July II, 1875. There was associated
with Colonel Lounsberry in the publ
cation Of this pioneer journal, M. H.
Jewell, who remained editor Of The
Tribune until his death, living to see
ais frontier newspaper become one of
the most influential journals in the
northwest.
A Territorial Capital.
When q commission was appointed
by the territorial legislature in 1883
to select a site for the removal of the
capital from Yankton, Bismarck was
given the honor, after its public
spirited citizens had volunteered a
contribution Of 500, 100000 in money
and 800 acres Of land. The building
Of the capital was begun at once,
Charles W. Thompson of Bismarck
being awarded the contract.
September 5, 1883, the day set for
the laying of the cornerstone, witness
ed the assembling in Bismarck of a
notable gathering of foreign noble
men, statesmen and diplomats;
American %jurists, public officials and
financiers. In the party were Henry