The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1921-09-08
(By J. X. Falconer)

AuOSC ACouCLS VI VIC 4AuCpCuuCAIS
who mayhap have visited old friends
appreciate the feelings of the writer
as he journeyed from Mandan to
Glendive to visit friend whom he
had not seen in over forty years. At
the time Of our parting, in the wilds
Of Michigan in 1880, the writer. then
a youngster of tender years, for
years had been associated closely
with Charlie Krug, at the time SUPER
intendent Of large lumber company,
who boarded with the writer's par
ents. Desultory letters passed dur
ing the intervening years, but it re-
mained for convention of the Town
Criers of North Dakota to provide the
medium whereby reunion and re-
newal of our friendship was effected.
We decided that inasmuch as Man
dan is but 23O miles from Glendivc
and that a trip that way on returning
to Minot would give us glimpse Of
a section Of country we were long
eager to see, we decided to return
via Gfendive, Sidney and Williston.
We found our friend, Charlie Krug,
ripe in years but still active in the
commercial and agricultural interests
Of Dawson county of which Glendive
is the county seat. Mr.. Krug's good
wife is native of North Dakota, hav-
ing resided near Fort Totten in her
earlier life. As Miss Hackney, she
may be known to many Of the read,
ers of the Independent. Mr.. and
Mrs. Krug are the parents of five fine
healthy children, three Of whom are
in the high school at Glendive, two
in the senior year. Mr.. Krug has
many business interests in that Sec
ton, being president Of the Merchants
National Bank. Our welcome was
most cordial and we spent the greater
portion of two days going over the
events of former years and the chan
ges the intervening years have
wrought. As a. young man, Mr..
Krug, stepped out into life with sim
ply his two hands to carve his way.
He soon, earned enough to take .
course in the old Swensberg Business
College of Grand Rapids, Michigan,
and after this he made rapid strides
along the path to success. A finan-
.cial crash in the 70's wiped out his
savings but nothing daunted he Sc
cured another position and was soon
on the road to affluence. His sis
ter, an invalid living at Allegan, be-
ing told that a change of climate was
imperative, Mr.. Krug brot her west.
They. came to ,Glendive prior to the
entrance of the Northern Pacific, with
which company Mr.. Krug became
identified, and remained in their en-
ploy for eleven years. Ranchlng
next engaged his attention and at one
time he owned 43 sections of lana
upon which he herded $4,000 sheep.
He has closed out the greater portion
of his land holdings and is now TAX
ing life easy-as easy as an active
man of affairs can. he still retains
what he considers small ranch upon
which he has a herd of five or six
hundred cattle and nearly 5000 sheep.
This he considers small affair, sim
ply retaining the ownership and guild
ing hand in its management in order
to "keep out of mischief, he says:
Being one Of the early pioneers OF
the Yellowstone Valley, the Century
Publishing Company is compiling
work to Charlie Krug, being indebt-
ed to him for the major share OF the
history Of that particular section Of
that great state. Next to the pleas
ure Of meeting Mr.. Krug and his fine
family was to learn that he was still
a Democrat.
At the conclusion of the Crier con-
vention at Bismarck, the writer desir-
ing to pay his respects to an old
friend residing at Glendive, proposed
to his party that they motor westward
thru the Bad Lands to Glendive and
return home via Sidney and Willis
ton. In spite of our most persuasive
efforts we were obliged to compromise
much as the fellow did whose wife
insisted upon gding to the sea shore
whereas he wished to go to the noun.
tains. He says he compromised BY
going to the sea shore. Well, We
went to Glendive by rail. Our trip
over the Northern Pacific took us thru
New Salem the home Of the Holstein
COW, thru Dickinson, Meddra and
Beach, all thriving, prosperous com
munities. Medora which was tht
scene of the first packing house ven.
ture in the west presents pathetic
appearance. The sole remainS Of
what was once a splendid business
enterprise is single smoke stack
rearing its head above the trees Of
the struggling village. The DeMores
residence where the proprietor Of this
n 0HL0EpElSO ISS1OCO Ao StAA SsoAN1iAS
the exterior quite commonplace but
the interior is said to be rich in fur
nishings and design.
The Bad Lands are certainly won
derful.> It seems as if Mature hat
dumped immense piles of waste mate
rial over the surface and forgot t
smooth the hillocks or plant verdur,
Of any kind upon their bald exteriors
In shape some are round, some elon
gated and still others present the ap
4 pearance Of immense columns or pill
lars rearing their naked heads abov'
the surrounding country. Glendiv
is beautifully situated at bend o
the Yellowstone with giant buttes-
the out-posts Of the Bad Lands as
background. It is a city Of six o
seven thousand souls. fine hote
three or four, banking institutions
numerous garages and business place
all well housed and presenting ever,
appearance 81 I thriving community
y A splendid hospital maintained b,