The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-09-19

A dell nesting among hills just be-
yond the Country club and star-lit
canopy of sky formed a beautiful
setting for the historical pageant
presented last night by cast of
several hundred people, as part Of
the celebration of the completion Of
the new bridge, the fiftieth anniver-
sary of the founding of Bismarck
and the tribute to pioneers of the
Old West. There were several thou
sand people in the audience which
was grouped on the sloping 'hills t.
witness the event. -
The celebration was transferred
today to Mandan. where the pageant,
with special Mandan scenes, will be
given tonight and tomorrow night.
Threatening weather had changed
during the day, and sunshine in the
afternoon brought cheer to the vis-
itors. The early part Of the even
ing during the pageant was perfect
fall weather, with a frosty tinge to-
ward the end of the three-hour per-
formance.
The outdoor stage was lighted
with huge search and spotlights,
and the scenes were picturesque and
fantastic as lights played upon the
richly colored costumes Of scores of
dancers.
Bismarck AS Was"
The scene Of wild, roarin' Bis
marck in 1872, in which the adven-
turous and darker side of pioneer
days was depicted, with its dance
halls and murders, and the more
pleasant features of old Bismarck
with the Custer ball at old Fort A.
Lincoln, won the most attention
from the crowd.
An unusual feature of the Bismarck
of 1872 scene was that several Of the
principal characters were pioneers
who actually participated in the STIR
ring days were in the pageant, men
who aided in cleaning up the frontier
town with the aid of soldiers from
old Fort Lincoln. There was
shown Mullen's and Tippie's saloon,
a gambling place, and Wayne and
Rollo's minstrels. Faro banks
abounded and dance hall girls per-
formed in their own jazz way of the
day. One of the scenes was the ar
rival of Rev. Mr.. Lyon and Father
Sloan. According to the story told
of the days when the ministers en-
tered the gambling hall to hold ser
vice, a sheet was placed over the
bar, and gambling tables closed and
the people, listened respectfully. At
ter the sermon was ended faro chips
was given in the collection and cash
ed by the dealer
The audience eagerly watched the
many pioneers in the General Gus
ter scene, the beautiful quadrille and
the Virginia reel, and responded
with loud applause. The scene was
an officers concert and ball at Fort
A. Lincoln in 1874. Members of
Company A, Bismarck, and young
ladies of the city mingled with the
many pioneer men and women in the
ouadrille scene, but none went
through the steps more gracefully to
the call of Rudy Patzman than did
those who actually had danced at old
Fort Lincoln when the Army post
was the known as the most hospita-
BILE and aristocratic place of all.
Spirit of Dakota
The pageant opened with the pro-
loeue, in which appeared The Spirit
of Dakota, represented by Mrs. Cora
Strauss Mclean, who delivered the
prologue. A ballet Of natures gifts
to North Dakota followed and then
was shown the scene of the Veren-
drye's conquest, when the brave
French voyageurs in 1888 invaded a
wild country and made friends IN an
Indian village, after the white men
had cowed the Indians by the dis
play of the new and terrible weap-
on, the "fre-gun.'
General Sully's battle Of Kildeer
mountain was enacted with rifles
cracking, guns booming, the setting
being a hill beyond the stage. The
battle ended when the white men
drove back the Indians and burned
their tepees.
The dance scenes under the direc-
tion of Miss Mary Brown, in which
scores of young girls of Bismarck
CONTINUED on Page q