The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-11-13
HIGH lights OF
EARLY BISMARCK
GIVEN IN SPEECH
Interesting Incidents Of Early
Days Are Related by Or.
Fannie Dunn 0u1in

History Of the settlement Of Bis
rnarck and incidents Of early days
here were related by DR.. Fannie Dunn
Quain following q business meeting
Of the American Legion Auxiliary last
evening at the Business and Profess
sional Wornen's club rooms. Mrs.
Quain Is a daughter Of Mr.. and Mrs.
John P. Dunn, who were among the
first residents Of Bismarck.
The town was not called Bismarck
at first, Mrs. Quain pointed out, ex-
planning that the first few log dwell
ings were called Burleightown. It
was located on the river bottoms south
Of here but In the fall Of 1872 the
town was moved to its present site
and the name changed to Edwinton.
Later 1t was changed to Bismarck, In
honor of the German statesman, pos
sibly In an effort to please the Ger
man capitalists who had money In
vested in the Northern Pacific rail-
way, then being built to Bismarck.
AS was the case in most frontier
villages of that day, there were no
women residents, the men sending for
their wives and families when they
had homes prepared. The first wom-
en- to come to Bismarck arrived by
boat, that being the safest mode Of
travel, Mrs. Quain said. Among those
early arrivals were Mrs. r.. r. Marsh,
Linda Slaughter, Mrs. James Emmons
Mrs. T. p. Davis and several others.
The town was really tent village
In 1,aMrs. -Quain declared. Many
tents had sides built Of cottonwood
boards, sawed at Bly's mill on the
river. They had canvas roofs and
frequently the earth was the only
floor. Others were built OF rough
hewn logs.
The first finished lumber arrived
on the first freight train, which
reached Bismarck in July, 1878. From
this material q Mr. Marsh built the
towns first frame hotel.
Tribune Launched In '73
The year 70 was an important one
for the little city for that year the
first newspaper, The Bismarck Trib-
une began publication: the county
was organized: city government work
ed out; and q postoffice was estab-
lished. Linda Slaughter served as the
first postmistress, holding the office
until IT. Duties were not arduous.
as mail was received at six-week in
tervals. With the county organized,
John Dunn, James Emmons and a man
named Mercer were elected county
commissioners. The first mayor was
Edmund Hackett, territorial ap-
pointee, who was later replaced by
John A. Mclean, the first mayor to
be elected by popular vote.
The first school in the settlement
was q private one taught by Miss Adj
die Waffler in 70. The following year
q public school was established with
Mrs. Slaughter as teacher. Mrs.
Slaughter was active in the COM
munity life. It was she who organ
lied q Sunday school and helped to
raise funds for q church. She had
the honor. also of sending the first
message from Bismarck when the
lines were extended this far. The
entire message sent was read by Mrs.
Quain.
Used Gambling Den for Church
Mrs. Quain pointed out the inter-
esting fact that, though q church was
built In Bismarck, no services were
ever held in 1t. Instead, the first
sermon was preached In q gambling
hall, tho proprietor merely pushing
back the tables to accommodate the
congregation. It Is said On this &C.
(Cout1uueo on page eleveu)