The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-10-05
Fine Modern City Follows Boom
Town Which Existed in
Early Eighties

Exercises connected with the laying
of the cornerstone Of North Dakota's
capitol building will present colorful
picture, etched in the sharp contours
OF contrast.
Back in 1883 when the cornerstone
for North Dekota's historic first cap
ital was swung into place, Bismarck
was boom" city just emerging from
the swaddling clothes of infancy. AL
though it boasted a population Of
more than 1900 inhabitants there still
remained some of the swashbuckling
atmosphere of the frontier wild west.
Today Bismarck is the hub of set
tied agricultural area that covers the
entire southwestern section OF the
state. 1t is an established community.
the retail center of an agricultural
district which contains more than
100000 people.
In the span of nearly so years sep
arating ceremonies marking the con-
StrllctiOn of old and new structures
housing the seat OF government, the
capital city of North Dakota has UNI
dergone a metamorphoSis which has
transformed it from mushroom set
Element into hub city around which
revolves the activity Of great agri-
cultural state.
Few Brick Buildings
In the early eighties, Bismarck
boasted q scant half dozen brick build
ings scattered over the business sec
ton of the town. Nearly all mercan-
~, Ill. &c vi
frame buildings hastily constructed TO
meet the growing demands OF from
tier community. There was no pave :
nlent and board sidewalks were to be
found only in the more thickly settled
sections of the town. After every
rain. a blanket of mud enveloped the
streets to the CONSERVATION OF house
wives
There were several hotels scattered
along Main Avenue and Fourth ST.
with the Sherman House, situated
near the site of the Northern Pacific
depot, regarded as the outstanding
hosiery of the city.
The spiritual life of the community
found expression in three churches
which were built in the years of the
city's first development. They were
the Catholic, Methodist and Presby-
terrain. Congregations were large and
religious life thrived in the commu-
nifty despite the fact that only fe"
wears before, many bad men Of the
earlv west had made their headquar-
tiers here.
Social life in the city reflected the
influence of the Victorian era. With
the advent of the capital, there sprung
,,p inaugural balls at the state mousse
receptions and banquets given in the
elaborate manner of the decade.
Attracted to West
Many young fasteners, attracted
bv the opportunities of the new coun-
try. brought their wives to Bismarck
and set up residences here. The Mel
Ion brothers were among the young
men from the east who came here te
start their careers in the Dakotas
The sons OF a Pittsburgh banker, then
name was later to become identified
with one of the largest fortunes II
the world.
Although the city had made rapio
strides in development since its or
ganization in 1872, it was vastly dill
ferent from the modern Bismarck o.
today. The first hospital was estab-
lished in the early eighties in the
three story brick building which still
stands on the corner of Sixth st. ane
Main Avenue. Originally built by r
B. Mellon, the structure was taker
over as hospital by the Benedictine
Sisters, who established the first st
Alexius hospital there. Now the city
has two of the most modern hospital!
in the state, the new st. Alexius ano
the Bismarck. The Catholic hoSplta
contains 40 beds for patients and has
26 private rooms in addition to 6
nurses home which is regarded as one
of the finest in the state.
The Bismarck hospital operates
plant with SIS private rooms and IN
beds and also maintains q modern
nurses home.