The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-04-07

be made which would prevent any Of
certain cities from becoming the cap
ital II we were divided on admission.
I believe Ill the bidders In North
Dakota were induced to submit bids
for the purpose Of interesting the
people Of the different localities and
closing their mouths Is directors. OF
course they did not know the purpose.
The bids were opened May Is at Can
ton.
When we began to make inspections.
the demand for passage on our spe-
cial trains, by people looking for spec
ulations, was very pressing. IRE.
quently we carried number Of such
people including several from outside
the state. One or two members Of
congress were constantly with W,
among them Congressman Burrows Of
Michigan, afterwards senator Gnd one
OF the DISTINGUISHED orators Of those
days.
Each place offered 100000 In cash
and 100 acres Of land, except Ordway
$40 acres, Pierre $50 acres, Redfield
$40 acres and Bismarck, which Of.
fered $40 acres, one-half Of It being
the quarter where the capital now
stands and the other half lying on the
flats south Of the city. This last Was
Of practically NO value but made the
bid look larger.
VISITED EACH PLACE
We visited each place and inspected
the site offered. and 1t each We were
entertained ut ut least one very elab-
crate banquet.
All this was before the days Of pro-
hibition or even Of local option ana
champagne was Z common beverage.
At Pierre 1 unique celebration was
staged. It included Sitting Bun and
many members Of his tribe. I recall
that crowds Of people gave . dollar
each for the privilege Of shaking
hands with Sitting Bun.
Each place had q reasonably suit
able and accessible site although all
which were near established cities
were some distances from the business
center. We ware often criticised for
locating the capitol building ct Bis
marck 50 far from the business por-
ton Of town, but, as . matter Of fact,
no candidate where there was already
e city or settlement, offered site as
near town as the one at Bismarck.
OF course, there were three or four
sites offered which were simply on
the prairie. I recall that at Frank
fort there was no settlement Of any
size and at Odessa, In North Dakota,
there was nothing but plated city
and one building. This was at the
east end OF an arm Of Devils Lake.
some twelve miles from the railroad,
whose western terminus was then at
Bartlett, but it was hoped by George
H. Walsh Of Grand Forks, the pro-
prietor Of the town site, that II 1t
should be selected the railroad would
soon build there.
Shortly after Bismarck was selected
Mr.. Wheelock declined to serve longer
as secretary, and at meeting on the
fifth Of July, 1853, I was elected to
succeed him In that position.
Records were kept Of all the meet
ings and proceedings Of the commits
sion and were deposited with the sec.
rotary Of the territory when the COM
mission dissolved In 1887, but diligent
search has been made among the ar
chives Of hts office and they cannot
be found. I have corresponded with
the secretary Of state Of South Dakota
thinking they might have in advert
emily got into those records Of the
territory which were transferred to
South Dakota on division. but they
are not there.
BAND OUT AT BISMARCK
There was no serious thought Of the
Bismarck bid being considered until
we, In due course. visited that city.
When we reached Bismarck We WoTo
surprised ct the extent Of the e1ter.
tainmeut which awaited us. The
Eleventh Infantry band had been
brought from IT. Keogh for music
and . great number q Indians from
the Standing Rock reservation to me-
vide spectacle. One, and ! thinl
two, banquets were set up n which
hundreds Of people participated. On
the lot where Webb's store nov y
stood Q little wooden building uGed
As . public library. The books wen
removed and Il became thu had.
quarters Of the entertainment com.
mittee. where champagne Was SERVED
i freely.
| When the people Of Fargo anl
other northern cities learned e tn
expensive fete put on By Bismarek
they recognised that It could not hav(
adj -