Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-18
BISMARCK AND
MANDAN' JOIN IN
IN CELEBRATI0N
Structure Accepted By Gov:
ernor Nestos in Name
Of State. {.
Historical Pageant Marks
Formal Opening Of the
) Structure. .s.

bismarck, N d., Sept. -
and feremony dominated the formal
dedication Of the $2,Q00,000 Missouri
River bridge project by citizens Of
Mandan, Bismarck and other west-i
ern North Dakota cities here. today.
To%the community the bridge marks
a new step in the development of the
entire western part Of the state, re-
moving as 1t dos the barrier Of the
Missouri which has held two sections
o; the stateFapart for a; half centurys
Pioneers from many parts of the
state gathered fn%Sreunion here for
the bridge dedication, while automo-
biles and trains: brought large num-
bers fro ma score. Of towns. The for
celebration of the completion of the
.vehicular bridge, with which is in
cluded a tribute to the pioneers, pres
sentation of a historical pageant and,
in Bismarck, celebration of the fiji
tieth anniversary OF the founding Of
the city. :,
nv Nestos Accepts Bridge.
Governor r. A. 'Nestos accepted the
bridge In the name of the people OF
the state Of North Dakota, after for
chief engineer. The dedication exer-
cises were held at the bridEe-7the
people of Mandap and Bismarck APP
preaching from opposite sides Of. the
bridge and burying rivalry and ami
mostly longs existing between the
two towns in a pledge for joint effoIi
in the development of the Twin CHI
les of the Missouri Sloue." After the
mayors of the two citeis met TN the
middle of the half-mile long bridge
and Sclasped hands, four children ap.
preached and cast growing grain into
the>waters of the Missouri below. as q
tribute to the basic industry OF tn
section, agriculture. (
State Engineer Robinson reviewed
the method by which the bridge wal
THE bridge Is perhaps the first II
which the federal government ha!
appropriated money to pay half thu
cost on the ground that the bridge
being a part Of the Trans-continenta
National Parks Highway, can proper
~ be included in highway, appropriai
lions. The state pk North Dakota ap
propriated one-thtrd4Msof the none!
and the counties .sof Burleigh ant
Morton paid, the:$spremaihder. It II
nearly a Observation-Disclosures. ITO tee
to 1.-The topmost point sof he super
Structure and Is q little less than $3.50
fact in length. With completed ap
tbroaches on either side the cost VII
approach ~$2,oo0,o0o.
Historical Pageant.
Today was Bismarck day in tn,
celebration, and 1t included in add
ton to the joint dedication, q parade
barbecue for visitors, airplane stun
flying and presentation Of a hisorica
pageant in which 1000 actors will
participate and will re-enact stirrinI
scenes of the early days Of the city
when dance halls, saloons and opel
gambling fourished in true movi
~? The east will include pioneers VIII
aided in the. Founding Of Bismarcl
on May IA, 1872, and members o
: Reno's command at the time of tn
Custer massacre iny1s76. One 80
the scenes will include a reproduction
ola ball %givenSat the&headquarters Q
General Custer at old Fort \. Lin
coin in the early days.
The two cities will divide feature
of the celebration on the two days
with citizens Of Mandan planning spe
cial features, on Wednesday, Manda'
J,av. Among the episodes to be pre-
bented in the historical pageant a
, Mandan Is a scene during the lilac
Hills gold rush in the winter Q
1s74-75, in which n Of the origina
peadwood stage coaches will be use
in 4 realistic hoid-up.
Rich in History. ~
rhe northern Missouri valley Is rio
In history. over this great stretch 9
rolling prairies the Indians made thei
last stand against the never-ceasin
struggle of the white man to advanc
Is the west. Long after the BRAY
French .voyageurs, the Verendrya'
irving to discover a route to tn
"Great Salt Waters Of which the ~
Nam had spoken, traversed Dakot
} soii.in. 1888 the region Of the Grea
Plains was known as the Great AmSi
icanSdesert. Today it is teeming wit
farms. manufacturing is beginning
4beTafactor in the business life, and II
citizens see for It a great and rapi
development as. population move
wAstWard. The history of he Wei
endryes expedition was conflrme
years g by the finding in h Biac
) Hiiis Of South Dakota Of a plate whic
J q OF their exploits. q !. \
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