The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-10-27

lne sheridan House, one of three
hotels built in the Northwest by e. H.
bly,, occupied the site where the Nor.
thern Pacific railroad station now
stands. 1t was big frame building.
1t was the scene of a great celebration
when the Northern Pacific trans-con-
tinental railroad was completed, and
was the center of social life when the
old Seventh cavalry was at Fort Lin
coin.
It was leased in 1893 to E. G.. Pat.
|terson and IL. S. Allen, Mr.. Patterson
taking full control a year later !.
In 1901 it was moved to the
site of the Northwest hotel building,
it's name was changed to the North.
west, and it was brick-veneered. E.
G. Patterson said today that the. Nor.
thern Pacific railroad placed SCI, 400 in
his hands to improve the building.
William lager moved the building.
Hard wood floors were put in and the
hotel was made what was considered
fine hOstelry 20 years ago.
II Used for Exposition
Some years later the building was
leased to the state for 81 a year for an
industrial exposition building. Par
titions were torn out. 1T was at this
time that the frame building which
housed the Independent garage was
built by the state, prison labor being
largely used.
1t was closed as a hotel in 1911 and
was reopened in 1917, Mr.. Patterson
said. He had contract to open the
hotel before the Legislative session.
Furniture was ordered. Two carloads
of furniture were stuck in a snow bank
near La Crosse, Wis, and another or.
! der was sent in, the furniture Being
shipped by express. The other furni.
ture was released and accepted by Mr..
Patterson, which accounted for the ex'
traordinary amount in the building.
The third floor had not been used
lately except for storage purposes.
Bly, Well Known
E, H. BLY,, who built the Sheridan
house, was we'll known character In
the northwest. lie came to Bismarck
with $250,O00 in cash, ready to plunge
into the business life of the new west,
according to stories told of the Old
days.
F; He built the Headquarters hotels In
Brainerd, Mimi, and in Fargo. Both
of those hotels we're destroyed by fre.
Mr.. BLY, and associates, catching the
daring and speculative spirit OF pio'
neer days, plunged into business on
lbig scale. He is said to have put $780,
loco into a saw mill in the Missouri
river bottoms, intending to float the
logs down the river. There was not
enough water in the spring to float the
great log piles. He is said to have
sunk a fortune in the. "Raby mine at
Sims. Il when he died He lived on a
rabbit farm south Of Bismarck, &C
cording> to old residents.
General Grant a Guest
When the Northern Pacific built the
hotel in 1877 Bismarck was the west
ern terminus of the railroad. The
Northern Pacific gave 'BlS a 99-year
lease on the gnound at 81 a, year The
Northern Pacific, in it's agreement,
gave one.half transportation rate on
an supplies, and one.half rate on all
hotel employees brought here. ply
laereed to maintain a passenger tlcKet
office in the hotel.
In 1900 the railroad bought bly, 8
hotel and cancelled the lease. A year
later the hotel was moved to the site
~ the Northwest. e. G. Patterson
Cancelled the lease in 1911 when the
Mckenzie opened, and again TOOK =
lease, five years later.
when the :tgolden spike" was driven
lin the Northern Pacific, completing
the trans continental line, Genera
Grant was one of the visitors. ne
stopped in the Sheridan mouse. @ u,I
registers show the names OF uehe' q, r.
Sherman, General Sheridan Cus'e!,
Terry and others.