Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-11-14

center dates back to the coming Of
the Northern Pacific in 1872. For sew
eral years following it was the west
ern terminus of this railroad, and dur
ing the building and the rebuilding of
the great bridge across the Missouri
"a structure which nov represents
an investment of 1 ,500, 900. 00-Bis-
marck was by far the most important
point west of the Minnesota line. To-
day it is noted as being one Of the
points where rail and river meet, the
Benton Packet Line here discharging
freight to the Northern Pacific, ana
with the latter's several branch lines,
all c%entering at this point, Bismarck
has become the axis of a dragnet
which covers some of the most profit
able railroad territory in the north.
west. The receipts of grain and cat
tie r very large. and the delivery OF
agricultural implements and machin'
cry has grown to great proportions.
The 500 Line, %affording the Capital
City connections with the rich coal
fields beginning at Wilton, 2S miles
north, has won a prominent place for
itself in the commercial life Of Bis
marck. South and east, to the South
Dakota line, the 500 enables Bismarck
to reach a rich and fast4growing coun-
try which looks upon the Capital City
as it's trading center. The 500, as
we'll as the Northern Pacific, has done
and is doing much to COLOMBO North
Dakota's fertile acres with actual far
mers, and in building up its territory
has been of material benefit to Bis
marck.
The Benton Packet Line, operating
north from Bismarck as far as Fort
Benton, is one of the most historic
transportation lines now in existence
in the northwest. Far back in Indian
days, the Benton line was the only re-
liable means of transportation north
and south from Bismarck. Its fleet
of boats made regular voyages as far
south as Sioux City and north to Fort
Benton, carrying soldiers, supplies for
the forts and to the neW settlers. With
the opening of the large coal mines
north of Bismarck, the carrying of
fuel became an important part of the
packet lines business. 1t is operat-
ing today a fleet of boats excellently
adapted to this traffic, and the fact
that Bismarck is the base of naviga.
ton means much to the capital city.
u. S. Indian School.
The United States Indian school,
just west of Bismarck, is an institu-
ton which is ever of interest, to resi-
dent and visitor alike. Here are be.
ing educated in good American citizen
ship, more than 100 descendants of
those first Americans who originally
held all of this great domain. The
students come principally from the
Standing Rock reservation-the larg-
est Indian colony in the northwest
where Sitting Bull and his followers
once had their hunting ground. The
Sioux boys and girls are bright, quick
and anxious to learn, and they are
home with them an influence
will do more than all other fac
tors to complete the civilization of
their people.
Fort A. Lincoln.
Fort "A. Lincoln, south of Bismarck,
is a modern battalion post, now idle
except for watchmen, its troopers hav-
ing been called to the Mexican bord-
err to guard a more dangerous frontier.
The fort. consists of a dozen fine, fire.
proof brick buildings, all of late de.
sign; parade grounds. stables, rifle
ranges and other features associated
with the twentieth century military
post. The government has an invest
.ent of more than a million dollars
in this plant, which, it is predicted,
will play a prominent part in Uncle
SANS future program of preparedness.
The fort would be an ideal location
for a military school, or for such a
camp as has been planned,
at various points in the east.
1urIeigh County Court House.
Bismarck, as the county seat of
Burleigh county, is the location of the
court house, afording a home for the
county Offices. The present
building is old, and it is proposed
that Bismarck and Burleigh coun-
~ join in the erection Of IN up
municipal and county building,
n which combining forces will give