The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-04-07
and sell to the highest and best BID.

and sell to the highest and best 3D.
ders.
The commissioners were to Be pait
their expenses and were to employ I
surveyor 1T not exceeding IS per dal
with $3.50 per day for his assistant
and not exceeding IS per day each
for their own services, but the lattel
rot TO exceed $4,000 In all.
The act then provided for advertis.
ing for plans, selecting them, ant
letting the contract. The act further
prohibited any member Of the com.
mission from purchasing Or In any
manner acquiring real estate Or any
interest therein within 10 miles Of
the site selected for the capital within
one year from the passage Of the act
and from being directly or indirectly
Interested In any contract.
PASSAGE CREATED EXCITEMENT
The act creating the commission
was approved on the eighth day Of
March, 1883. and 1t Is now difficult
to imagine the excitement and agits-
ton which It occastoned. General
Hughes, one Of the commissioners, re-
sided at Yankton. He was quite &C.
tive In securing the passage Of the
Law. BY reason Of this the feeling
against him in Yankton and vicinity
was so aroused that 1t no doubt would
have been exceedingly unpleasant for
him TO have retained his residence
there. He later took up his residence
in Bismarck. Charges were banded
III oil directions to the effect that the
raseage Of the oct had been secured
BY the grossest acts OF corruption.
There Is no doubt that many people
looked upon the relocation Of the cap
ital - . golden opportunity for
amassing wealth through real estate
investments In the vicinity Of the To-
cation. Positions on the commission
were considered more desirable than
any office In the gift Of the people
OF the territory and its members were
constantly followed and importuned
for tips on the location.
I was informed ct once that the
understanding between the members
Of the legislature who supported the
measure had been that the capital
should be located at . point which
would b. fairly accessible to, eli parts
Of the state II the territory should
10 admitted Is one state and ct the
same time would be fairly central -
. location for South Dakota's capital.
ia case Of division. and that 1t was
agreed In view Of the spaYsity Of the
population In North Dakota. and the
much larger number Of people In
South Dakota, that It should not 30
to any point In what Is now North
Dakota. considered this agreement.
without which the bill never would
have passed, as morally binding on me
g . commissioner.
The members met In Sioux City
Iowa. - = starting point on the way
to Yankton to organize. We were de-
tailed there several days by my H.
neas. Rumors were current that "a
attempt would be made to enjoin the
commission from organizing and thai
proceedings for that purpose had been
instituted ct Yankton, and that %.
pers were ready for service.
Here let me say that no sooner had
the act become . law than all The
railroads became deeply interested
and they furnished special train.
without expense to the territory o.
the commission to carry its member.
on their quest for the most suitable
site.
After remaining two or three day.
IT. Sioux City, we boarded 3 trair
furnished by the Milwaukee road ant
started some time after midnight or
tho third day OF April for Yankton
The speed Of the train was 50 timed
that We arrived at Yankton just a.
the sun was rising. We were all ur
with everything prepared for perfect
ing the organization. We. stopped 4
few minutes as we drew into Yank-
ton. where the proper motions were
made and the commission organized
with Alexander Hughes as president
Ralph w. Wheelock then Of Mitchell
secretary, and Milo w. Scott Of Grand
Forks, treasurer.
I have recently found among my
files the original minutes made by
the temporary secretary Of the meet
ings held by the commission on the
day Of It's organization. The record
OF the organization IS as follows:
ALL MEMBERS WERE PRESENT
"At Z meeting Of the commission,
created to locate the capital Of d.
kota held at Yankton, D. T., April
3rd, 1883. the following proceedings
we're had: There were present the
following members Of the commission
Milo w. Scott, B. r. spalding, Ales
Mckenzie, H. H. DeLong, Alex Hughes
John p. Belding, G. H. Myers. M. p
Thompson, and George A. Mathews
being . full board. On motion o
Thompson the commission proceeded
to temporary organization. On mo.
ton Of Alexander Hughes, M. w
Scott was made chairman OF tn,
temporary organization. On motion
Of ]. P. Bedding, Geo. A. Mathew
was made secretary Of the temporar.
organization. On motion Of B. +
Ispalding the commission proceeded II
make q permanent organization. o,
motion Of Geo. A. Mathews, Aexande
Hughes was elected president Of tn
commission by reclamation. On mo
ton Of Geo. A. Mathews, M. w. Scot
was elected treasurer Of the commits
sion by exclamation. On motion Q
Geo. A. Mathews. Ralph w. Wheeled
OF Mitchell. p. T., was elected secre
tary Of the commission BY acclama
ton. The permanent organization q
the commission being completed tn
commission adjourned on motion Q
M. w. Scott to meet 1T Canton, p. 7
at 2 o'clock p. m. Of this 3rd day q
April. 1853.
George A. Mathews,
II Secretary Protein"
Il Is needless 70 say that the sherii
! had no opportunity to board the trai
to serve papers. As the train lei
J Yanktou one long blast Of the whist
! Of our locomotive Was sounded. Tn
] was the first intimation the people
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