Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-08-31

pacity audience that filled the hall.
The performers were the sons and
daughters of old settlers from over the
northern part of the state. Each one
present was given a fitting souvenir
of the occasion, a gift from Editors
Wardwell and Thompson of the Pho.
neer-Express. 1t was in the form of
a folder and contained on one side a
picture of the first school building
built in North Dakota while on the
front was a view OF the two rivers.
the Pembina and the Red River of the
North at their juncture, locating the
spot where the first white men in Da.
kota built h%abitation. 1t is here that
the state park is to be located. We
could add that the state park at Penn
bina, provided for by act of the last
legislature, is we'll placed and its
towDsmen and women are fully enti-
tied to the pride they feel, knowing
as they do that it is the first in his
toric interest in thew hole state. Here
is the exact spot where at the begin.
ming of the eighteenth century, the
Selklrk settlers first located and spent
the winter. The voyageurs north and
south spent many months here in
those years. 1t was at this point, the
j%uncture Of the two rivers. the Red
and the Pembina, that Hatches', bat
allion located to guard settlers from
the raids of Indians in 1861. 1t is
known that as early as 1897 a trad.
ing post had been established here at
Pembina, where the state park is now
to be located. Part of this land was
owned by the city and has been deed.
ed to the state and the ladies of the
civic league have under consideration
the purchase of a tract adjoining that
is owned at present by private parties.
Our party was entertained during
the stay by old friends, the Kings,
Cavaliers, Quackenbushes, Myrricks,
Wilkins and we still found other latch
strings out, which we were eager to
pull, but time was too heeting. A
point of interest visited was the old
log Jail. built in 1878 by Robert Ew-
ing. Its size was 25 by 40 feet and
cost the town 500. 1t was made of
logs, the roof consisting of the same
material. 1t was in an excellent
state of preservation and on the in
side looked as good as new. Now a
days the large heavy door is not need
ed for its strength, but serves its pur-
pose in these later days to keep the
hens within bounds, as the grated
hole admits light to feathered priso.
ners only. An amusing story Of it's
first prisoners was given US by Mr..
Myrlck. 1t relates of how a light
ening rod peddler. named Murray fit
ted a house with rods for Charles
Brown, then sheriff of Pembina
county A guarantee went with the
contract that a house fitted with rods
would not be struck. The building
was struck, the contract broken and
the peddler, Murray, placed in the
Jail. About the same time a French
half.breed named Frank LaRose, had
been arrested and placed in the Jail
for murder of his wife. A couple of
months later both men made their es-
cape, by saving a hole through the
logs. They got to the river without
detection and there succeeded in find
ing a small boat. On reaching Emer-
son they found a blacksmith who saw
ed off their shackles, both making
their escape. laRose was never cap
tured and when last heard of Murray
was mayor of Salt Lake City. Mr..
Meyrick came here with the United
States army in 1865 as a member Of
Matches, battalion and in following
the raiding Indians several times went
over what is now Cavalier county.
We hope to get some "reminiscences
of theses days from him later.
Mrs. and Miss Cavalier gave us
many of their early day experiences,
when the moose, elk, antelope and
numberless buffalo roamed the prairie
In answer to Mr.. Mahon's questions
regarding the habits of the buffalo,
Mrs. Cavalier said they were very
quiet, grazing as oxen, except in case
of a stampede, when they would seem
to lose all animal caution and rush
bllndly over a precipice or what ever
happened to confront them. She
spoke Of the Wasteful slaughter of the
buffalo, not for their needs alone but
for the excitement of the chase. The
carcases were left wasting on the
prairie after the hides and the choice
cuts of meat had been removed. Then
with a happy reminiscent look on her
face she told US of a hunt of which