The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-11-12
NORTH DAKOTA
CAPITAL CITY
UNIQUE PLACE
Has Annual Payroll of $780,
OOO-Population July 1,
1925, Was $3.50
FARMING AIDS GROWTH
Has All the Advantages of
Other Capital Cities Many
Times Its Size

Bismarck is unique among the cap
itals Of the 48 states of the union
that its chief industry is a state own
ed institution with practically no pay
roll, according to local boosters o.
North Dakota's capital city.
The industry is the st I" o"'
Irvine plant which last year o:oAr ID
100000 pounds Of bI....r t~lne
which was sold to farmers through
out the state. Production for 1926
is expected to show a % per cent N.
crease, additional room having been
provided by the construction OF new
wing on the prison building.
Despite the fact that laborers in its
leading industry draw no wages, how
ever. the c!ty's annual payroll is S.
100000, survey by the Bismarck AS
ISOLATION of Commerce shows.
Farming Is Diversified
Diversification of farm activities
has aided materially in Bismarck's
growth, together with that of the
neighborng city of Mandan, and the
largest private industrial enterprise
Is that of buttermaking, Il total of .
100000 pounds of butter having been
manufactured in the city in 1924.
As with most state capitals, en-
ployment for many Of it's citizens is
provided by the state government,
every department Of state having it's
executive offices here. In addition
the Bank of North Dakota, a state
owned institution. is located in the
capital city together with govern
ment school for the education of In
dian girls from nearby reservations.
Railroad Named City
Located in the heart Of the state
on the Missouri river, Bismarck was
\ town Of Importance even before the
advent Of the Northern Pacific rail-
road. In its early stages it was a
trading post o. Importance for men
who navigat.d the Missouri river in
flat bottomed stern wheelers and la
ter. with the advent of the railroad.
became the commercial center of
western North Dakota. 1t owes it's
name, however, to action by the board
of directors Of the Northern Pacific
railroad who christened their station
Rirmarck in honor of the "IrOn Chan
cellor" Of Germany. Protest against
Lne name was maze during the world
war. but efforts to change it proved
futile.
The present state capital was Sc
lected as the territorial capital in
1883. General Grant attended the
laying Of the cornerstone of the ter
ritorial capitol building and Sitting
Bull led the procession which was or
ganzed in his honor. according to
local historians. 1t was made the
state capital in 1888.
Large Hotel Center
Pioneers of frontier days planted
the seeds of the city's commercial
success and its location in the heart
of the state, at the edge of the Mis-
souri, slope district where large towns
are few and far between, made it the
hotel center Of the entire district be-
tween the Red River Valley in east
crn North Dakota and central Mon
tana. 1t claims the largest transient
population, in proportion to its size,
Of any city in America, its hotels ac-
commodating an average OF 800
guests daily. The population of the
city on July |. 1925, the state census
shows, was $3.50.
Since territorial days the old-timc
shacks have been replaced by modern
buildings, many of them fireproof
and the tallest eight stories high.
A Medical Center :.
In addition to being the greatest
commercial center in western North
DAKOTA, the capItal Guy Is also Tile
medical center Of this section, boast
ing two large hospitals. The school
system, public and parochial. has
buildings valued at 81 100000 and the
total property value Of the city is
$12,OOO,OO0.
Diversification of agriculture has
meant much to the capital city. more
than $2,OOO,O0O worth of butter, eggs
and poultry having been shipped to
eastern markets in 1924 and corn ma
tured in the territory being sold as
seed to farmers in Canada and nearby
northwestern states.
In addition to being the geographl-
cal center Of the state, the capital
citys lays claim to being one of the
most important club, social and re.
ligious centers of the state, several
religious denominations maintaining
headquarters here.
Despite high freight rates which
increase the cost of trans orting
paving materials, the city has 10
miles of paved streets, owns its own
water supply system and has a free
municipal swimming pool in addition
to parks and other recreatlonal ad-
vantages.