The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-10-08
Recalls Faith, Constancy and
Courage of Those Who
Settled West
HAD ABILITY AS BUILDERS
Recalls Stirring Events Of 1883
When First Cornerstone
Was Laid

Ing OF the COrQerSCONe 1OE tNc NeW
capitol building follows:
"Your excellency, Vice President
Curtis, honored guests and fellow
citizens:
"This occasion is, indeed, the most
notable civic event in the growth and
history of North Dakota. For the
second time since the advent of white
settlement in this territory, and for
the first time since statehood, the
people of the northwest have gath
cred to witness the founding of a
state capitol.
1T was on Sept. S, 1883, little
more than 40 years ago, that his ex-
cellency, the Honorable Nehemiah j.
Ordway, governor of the Territory OF
Dakota, stood on this historic spot,
and in the presence of the most dis
tinguished body of European and
American statesmen, including For
mer President Ulysses S. Grant, that
has ever gathered in the West, intro
duced the ceremony of the laying of
the cornerstone for the new capitol
of the territory, which, when COM
pleted, was to serve as the statehouse
for the Territory of Dakota and the
state of North Dakota until con-
sumed by fire on that fatal Sunday
morning, Dec. %, 1890. On that
eventful day, Governor Ordway and
his contemporaries, many of whom
are privileged to be with us today,
made lasting history for North Da-
kota. Guided by the skilled hand Of
the artisans, these architects in the
science of government, laid the cor
nerStone of the new territorial capi-
toll on a base of brick, mortar and
stone, so enduring in character and
SO strong in structure as to defy both
the stress and strain Of time and the
consuming fury OF a devastating fire.
Only by the use of the mighty me-
chanical power OF a giant caterpillar
tractor was it subsequently possible
to pull asunder the cemented base
which enclosed that historic corner
stone.
Symbolic of Faith
The inherent strength and dura-
bility of the stone foundation and
the brick walls of the old capitol, the
remnants of which still stand to
challenge our gaze and admiration.
was symbolic of the lasting faith and
answering confidence which the
pioneer fathers of this common
wealth had in the future of Dakota.
I'm the ceremony of cornerstone
laying on that notable occasion, those
eminent men were laying. not merely
the physical foundation Of q new
statehouse, but the political founda-
ton of new state, a state then
planned and soon to be born-a COM
monwealth conceived in the princi-
pie and nodded in the form of the
federal republic, and destined to be-
come the seth member of that in
separable union of republics, the
United States Of America, the
strength and virtue of which is now,
and will ever remain, the principal
source of American liberty, happiness
and progress.
"Nor, was that faith and confidence
Of our territorial fathers merely the
fervent prayer. or the visionary hope
OF well disposed citizens living in an
ambitious and adventurous period:
rather, it was faith well grounded
on seasoned judgment. confidence
abundantly warranted by the thrilling
history of the past.
THE remarkable progress achieved
by our people during the past five
decades in every field of human en-
deavOr, has indicated their fondest
hopes and amply rewarded their ener-
getic labors. The progress of North
Dakota, and that of its sister state,
South Dakota, since 1883, is a stirring
and inspiring narrative Of American
achievement that has been retold in
the life experience of every American
state from the birth of the nation
until its western frontier disappeared
beyond the horizon of the west. van
pushed by the conquering spirit of
the American pioneers. It will serve
no useful purpose for me to resketch
that romantic story here.
Heroism and Tragedy
I'm Dakota'S valleys and plains, on
her rolling hills and beside her
streams and rivers, there has occurred
every act of heroism and tragedy
known to the history of the Ameri-
can continent. Here, in this empire
of the west, were the first settlers
confronted with every challenge OF
the frontier. Here. our pioneer cit
liens experienced the rising and the
blasting Of every human hope, and
the suffering of those many bitter
reverses which inevitably befell those
who ventured far into the realm of
the far west. Here, far removed from
the centers Of trade and commerce,
North Dakota and North Dakotans
have endured many discouragements,
economic and financial, only to rise
again, and to triumph and progress.
The historian of this day need only
observe our splendid institutions of
government, our magnificent schools
and churches, our numerous temples
of public service, our modern avenues
of transportation and communication,
our astonishing agricultural develop
ment, and our limitlesS resources of
the soil; he need only note our un-
paralleled social progress, the steady
march of our ideals of state and ma
tional unity, the undiminished throb-
bling Of the spirit Of freedom and
democracy in the hearts Of our peo-
pie, and he must record that victory
has been the ultimate reward of our
people. that armed with the weapons
of industry, courage and resourceful-
ness, our citizens have conquered the
wilderness and built great state on
these prairies of the west, where Lewis
and Clark found glory and adventure
nearly q hundred and thirty years
ago.
Pioneer Period Gone
GAS We look upon these scenes to-
day, we are keenly conscious of the
definite passing Of the pioneer period
in the development Of North Dakota
and the northwest. While there are
some among us who personally wit
messed. and others who actually as
sisted in the location and building Of
our first state house on these grounds,
and whose presence here this day Is