The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-07-08
Grand Forks, July /, 1915.

Grand Forks, July I, 1915.
To the Editor.
Dear Sir:-In loking over the past
40 years l thought tonight that little
bit of history about your beautiful city
would not be amiss, especially the first
Fourth of July celebration in Valley
City, that was at that time called the
| Second Crossing of the Sheyenne.
The people that lived there at that
time have since passed away and very
few are left. But If there are any
| that should perchance read this article
/ their memory will be refreshed with
the fond recollection of that period
| and time.
The names of the inhabitants OF Val
ley City living there that summer were
| Col. Marsh, who lived south Of the
town about eight miles, and then came
| the half-breeds, Asia, Vevia, Grant,
! Nolan, and Demers, all living between
the colonel and the town. The water
tank was about 600 feet west of the
railraod bridge and north of the rail-
road track; then south of the track
and opposite the water tank was log
house kept by Peter Seman, store, sa
loon and post Office all in the To-,
cabin; east of this was the log house
of Mr.. Morrison and his wife (no emit
dren); then east of the railroad bridge
and about $50 feet north was what was
called the section house. The section
foreman was Pat Flood with his wife
Julia and no children; the section men
were Peter Smith, John Olson, P.
Burns, Frank Heiner and Jonas H.
Lee. There were also Michael Nc
Loughlin and Mr.. Windelbow. Mr..
Windelbow had claim and a log
house about 800 feet north of the track
between the bridge and water tank;
then Mr.. McFadden had a claim and
log house short way north of Windel.
bows log hut That was all the white
people that were in Valley City then.
The N. P. gravel train arrived there
about June 27 to open up that pit that
is still to be seen on the top of the
west hill, and to do some road work.
The Fourth of July happened on Sun
day that year, and few days before
the Fourth l spoke to Clem Probert,
| baggageman on the train, to get me
a flag the next trip up, and true to his
promise he did.
The morning of the Fourth opened
with a glorious sun an6 all appear
| ances of grand day. The men on the
work train were mostly Swedes and
they certainly were some singers. The
night before l was delegated to go
south and interview the half-breeds
and invite them to the celebration. |
was successful and they came bright
and early. The only objection they
made was that the day was Sunday,
and after a parley that the day was
of great importance and that the men
on the work train could not attend on
Monday, they were willing to partici-
pate in the sumptuous festival.
When the proceedings began it was
discovered that we had not a copy of
the Declaration of independence, and
thought struck me at once. The
section house was not far away and
as my father was a subscriber. of the
Irish World printed in New York, that
arrived on Saturday, l put out and
to my joy there was the paper and
sure enough it contained the Declara-
ton of Independence. was at once
appointed to read it and l did, and
cannot recall any part of my life that
l was so proud of as that occasion.
Col. Morsh delivered fine address on
the day we celebrate and Pat Flood,
although an ex-soldier of the rebel
army, spoke very well on America.
Michael Mclaughlin spoke on the
American soldier and paid fine tri-
butte to the Seventh calvary, who were
at that time fighting Indians in the
west. Jonas H. Lee, who was splen.
did musician with the flute, played
SINE very beautiful pieces, both Amer
lean and Norsk and Irish airs. Dinner
was served by Mrs. Flood and Mrs.
Morrison, the only two white women
present. At that time Geo. Wright
arrived from the south, where he liv-
ed down the river on claim, and
he also gave us short talk on the
future of the valley.
The dinner was roast duck, goose,
potatoes, bread and butter, cabbage
dressed in cream, dried apple pie, and