The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-17

II = Ae aSSOCAdtcu EIeSS Dy BurlelRn
F. Spalding of Fargo, member
of the commission which located
and constructed the capital of
Dakota Territory at Bismarck.
Recently have found some of the
original minutes of meetings held be-
fore MIR. Wheelock assumed the du-
ties of his office and some of those
which made during the progress of
meetings after l became secretary. to-
gether with some of the other files.
Among these papers are the bids of
Pierre and Aberdeen which will serve
to indicate the boom ideas which in
those days possessed the minds of
real estate dealers and owners. Had
some OF these places been on the map
when Proctor Knott made his cele-
brated speech in congress on Duluth,
The Zenith city of the unsalted sea-"
he doubtless would have substituted
some city of our boundless prairies in
place of Duluth.
The Pierre bid follows:
THE undersigned, committee APP
pointed for that purpose by the citi-
Gems of Pierre, in mass meeting as
sembled. hereby extend to you, in be-
half of the city of Pierre, cordial in
vitation to visit us before making the
location of the capitol and to per-
sonally inspect the advantages that
cause us to lay claim to that superb
GRITTY of situation, over every other
city of Dakota as site for the CAPT.
n hn OF not will VI
when the territorial condition has
ceased to exist: and to view those fea-
lures of landscape for which this city
has become justly celebrated: and,
at this point to personally observe and
consider the appropriateness of locat-
ing the capital of a mighty state upon
it's greatest river-and upon one of
the great rivers of the globe-and at
a point where the finger board of ma
ture has manifestly indicated that
great city must rise, as the city of
Thebes rose upon the Nile, of Babylon
upon the EupErates. of London on the
Thames and of Paris on the Seine
all of which were and are capitals of
the countries in which they were and
are situated. And also to consider
whether it will or not be to the in
terest of Dakota, as a whole. to thus
aid in the building of central COM
mercial city upon it's great waterway
and aid in laying the foundations Of
an interstate river commerce whose
benefits shall bless each city, town
and village along the 100 miles of
this rivers flow between our boun-
daries-in fact to bring the tide of
trade from New Orleans, St. Louis,
Kansas City, Omaha and Sioux City
to hundred towns and cities of Da-
kota that will quicken into life be-
meath its influence and thus so util-
lie this gigantic engine of commerce
that it's results will reflect power and
grandeur upon the whole of the new
state and cause it to take rank high
among its sisters as a state great as
we'll in commerce as in magnitude Of
domain. of mining and agriculture.
Five Sign Document
Hoping that your duties will allow
you to accept our invitation, We are,
respectfully yours, H. E. Dewey. George
M. Barbour. Thomas S. Nolan, B.
Wakefield, Henry Blakeley, commit
tee on invitation and correspondence,
et.'
The Aberdeen bid follows:
1.-The undersigned, having been APP
pointed committee for the purpose
of presenting to the commissioners
considerations which may act as an
inducement to locate the capital here,
respectfully request your attention to
these facts:
IF any town can be found in the
territory more accessible to all por-
tons of the territory, supplied with
more of the conveniences which 60 to
make up civilized life. and more likely
to add to the general convenience of
the people of the territory, by all
means let it be located there. In this
matter, while we are not unsuscepti-
BILE to the personal advantages which
would accrue to us by being made the
capital, we remember that this is a
matter not of local interest, but one
which effects widely-spread popu-
lation and which may be in the future
a source of annoyance and trouble III
case of an unsuitable location. But,
if Aberdeen presents greater natural
advantages and has greater claims
than other towns. we respectfully sub
nit that it ought to be entitled to
the capital. We have hitherto, while
other towns have agitated their
claims. held our peace. We have
made no agitation, employed no lob