The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-09-15
Editorial Comment
North Dakota's Historic Capital
minneapolis Tribune)

Reproduction in the Bismarck Tribune Of a wood cut
taken from an issue Of Harper's magazine, printed IN
North Dakota, which now Is enjoying remarkable growth,
are still to be written some Of the most fascinating
chapters Of the history OF the western great plans area.
Bismarcks founders envisioned there a city as great
as Chicago and went about its building accordingly when
it was the end Of the Northern Pacific railroad, the
headquarters for bull trains to the Black Hills and the
generally recognized head OF navigation on the missouri,
although as a matter Of fact the river was ~navigable
much farther up and into the Montana country.
Arthur Rogers, the artist. who made the picture re-
produced in The Tribune, comments on scenes IN Bis
marck 50 years ago. In an old-fashioned variety snow
he saw the sheriff and q man sentenced to be hanged
sitting together enjoying the performance. The towns
LEADING LAWYER entertained the crowd as q trapeze per-
former. Indians traded buffalo robes In the street.
Bottled groceries were dispensed at the familiar sign
Of the pelican. There were other evidences OF the old
fashioned western democracy.
Perhaps the sheriff who took the condemned prisoner
to the variety show was none other than the late Alex
ander Mackenzie man Of many talents, who in his day
became one Of the great political leaders of the north
west. Few men who entered into the ~intrigues OF
pioneer days served their state more resourcefuly.
Dennis Hannifan, old fashioned western gambler,
credited with taking up in his gaming palace the iirst
collection ever made for church purposes IN that sectlon
of the state.
Some day a great writer of fiction will go to Bismarck.
look out on the lordly expanse Of the Missouri from
Sleep Hill, ancient vantage place OF the Mandans.. and
create there from its community lore a story as taSclnat-
Ing as Emerson Hough's western classics. For such the
city OF Bismarck and its envtrons have a local color and
history most inspiring.
The dream of the pioneers that Bismarck would. be-
come a second Chicago may never come true. It would
be too bad, as q matter of fact, if the clean. busting.
virile western city that is the Bismarck Of today ever
approached the present estate of Chicago.
It has a most fascinating natural setting by the broad
sweep of the Missouri. This so charmed the late Presi-
dent Wilson when he was aAguest at the Bismarck Coun-
try club that he called it one Of the most beautiful spots
in all America.
At Bismarck there are still old men who can recall
the days when swimming herds of buffalo tied up the
steamers of Captain Grant Marsh navigating the up
per river, the arrival Of the boat from up river with
news of the Custer massacre, the colorful picture Of blan-
ket Indians swimming their ponies across the Mis-
souri,.
place of old memories OF the old heroic west. A score
Of western cities Of less Importance as milestones In the
western trek of civilization have been the inspiration Of
entertaining western books and pictures. The movie
makers and the fiction writer's have long overlooked one
Of the most fertile fields in the entire country for their
art.