The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-17
leueals Capital Bids
From, Pierre, Aberdeen

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syndicate. Indeed, were 1t not that
suggestions have come to us from all
parts of the territory urging us to pre-
sent our claims, we might still have
remained quiescent. We are at pres
ent the center of population, north
and south, located in the James river
valley, region unsurpassed for beat
ty and fertility Of soil, the surround
ing country is filling up rapidly WIN
settlers from the eastern states, and
in few months will be as thickly
settled as any portion of the north
west. In two years the land between
the valley and the Missouri river will
be occupied. and as the Sioux reser-
walton, and the character of the soil
west of the Missouri river will for
some time prevent emigration there,
we may safely assert that we are
the destined center for some time to
come.
Stress Geographical Site
But this is not all. Geographical
position is, of course, an important
factor in the settlement Of the ques-
ticn of capital location. but standing
alone would be comparatively insig-
nificant. We are already a railroad
center. Directly from the east the
c.. M. & st. p. r. r. comes into the
town. One branch of this same road
goes directly north to Glendale, and
by building and grading few miles,
connection can be established with
the N. P. r. r., meeting it at Bis
marcx or at. Jamestown. Another
branch of the c. M. & st. P. r. r.
runs south as far as Ashton. During
the summer connections will undoubt-
edly be made between another branch
of the same road. thus giving easy &C
cess from all points in southern Da-
kota. AS far as concerns southern
Dakota connection is already formed
by means of G. & M. R. r. running
from Huron through Aberdeen, thus
competition, SO desirable, will result
between these two great corporations.
AS a matter of fact, the Wadena. F..
F.. g. B. H. r. r. would certainly pass
through this town, giving a new route
from the northeast.
THUS it can be plainly seen that
already we are accessible from the
east, from the south and from the
north by railroad, in connection with
40 miles stage line.
Considering the fact that the G. M.
g. st. P. will shortly build to the Mis-
souri, river, being headed in that di-
rection; considering also the fact that
to a certainty the same road will build
to the N. P. can We not say with con-
fidence that there is no other town
in the territory so readily accessible at
present, or which can be made more
so with SO little expense?
I'VE believe that no town can be
mentioned in this part of the terri
tory which combines as Aberdeen does
geographical centrality with extraor-
binary railroad facilities. 1t may be
said that the railroads will necessar-
lily strike the point of location. But
this is a gratuitous assumption and
wholly problematical. 1t is not to be
presumed that the roads will deviate
from their present course or from
well-settled plans. Besides that, the
experience of other capital cities
would seem to indicate that they will
either give preference right to
towns of their own making or en-
deavor to reach commercial centers.
And here We are brought to an
other question, Aberdeen has all the
essential elements of great CONNER
cial city. Its situation. the capital in
vested here, the number of non-resi-
dents who flock here. and the fact
, that the U. S. land office is located
here will of necessity make it the
principal commercial center of this
portion of the territory.
: Point to Population
ct already has five times the popu-
lation of any town in the vicinity, and
it is fair to presume that the present
ratio will be maintained for years to
come. It already acts as distribu-
ton point for the whole adjacent re-
gion, a region as we have intimated,
as full of promise as any portion OF
the country.
Hence the commission need not be
, left in the dark on the question OF
whether the capial located in any par
! ticular spot will draw after it all the
accommodations and conveniences
! (which are necessary to secure the
comfort of all public officials who
may reside here or what persons are
drawn here by business connected
with the seat of government we al
ready are provided with these accom-
modations and conveniences.
And it may be presumed safely
that neither one Of the great roads
which run into this town would dis
approve making Aberdeen the capital
1t may be objected that the commits
sioners ought to locate the future seat
of government regardless of the de.
sire of railroad corporations, and II
1 ~ al will n1,i