The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-04-07
500 Tracks Didn't Reach
Capital City Until 1902
Railroad Came Into N. D. ir
1886, However, Extending
to Lidgsrwood

Though the 500 Line entered North
Dakota In 1886, the line did not reach
Bismarck until 1902.
First 500 rails into North Dakota
were laid 48 years ago. when the lire
from Minneapolis was extended to
Ldgerwood. In 1891 an extension
vas made from Hankinson to Valley
CITY and the line was continued into
Cathay the following year. The Lid
gerwood terminus was extended to
Boynton (near Fullerton) in 1887,
continued to Merricourt In 1891, to
Kuhn in 1892. and to Braddock In
1898. A branch from Wishek to Pol
lock was constructed In 1901.
Items in old files Of the Bismarck
Tribune show that Bismarck long an
ticipated the extension Of the road
into the city. There were rumors and
plans during those years but nothing
materialized until 1902, when surveys
and grade actually were made into
Bismarck. The rails were laid down
to the edge Of the city early In Au-
gust.
The Bismarck Tribune for Aug. z.
1902, has the following account Of
the first passenger to come to Bis
marck on the new line:
L0ganito First Passenger
Zion. ]. A. Weed, Logan county's
courteous and efficient county audi
tor, was the first passenger over the
500 ticketed to Bismarck. but like
many other notable achievements
proved to be q distinction not un-
mixed with tribulation. When Jim
left Napoleon 1t was with the UNDER
standing that the train was coming
to the end Of the track, about two
miles east Of Bismarck. The train
was loaded with construction ma
terials and upon reaching the siding
near the Robidou tree claim about
seven miles out the loaded cars were
side-tracked and the engine and ca
boose returned to Braddock. Mr..
Weed being Of that sturdy stuff of
which most pioneers are made pre-
ferred walking to the city rather than
return with the train. and at about
the midnight hour started out over
the newly track. His starting
point was in the sandhills and the
newly made grade was in many places
soft footing and Jim took to the road
with the result that he wandered off
south for Q considerable distance be-
fore discovering he was on the wrong
trail, when he turned about coming
across country through field and
Misunderstanding the city about I
. m"
The issue Of Aug. II announced
that the first train would reach Bis
marck Aug. q, and that q celebra-
ton fitting to the Importance Of the
occasion would be held ct that time.
Foley wrote "Fulfillment" ending
with these lines:
Promise, know we thy fulfillment!
Destiny, we see thy star,
Claim We yet new dominion where
the boundless acres are!
End Of waiting. day Of triumph!
Sound It Ill the valley through,
Ring ye voices, with the greeting:
It's the Sool The 500! The Soo!"
Gala Day IN Bismarck
Saturday the 23rd was q gala day
IL; Bismarck. attended by thousands
from out Of town. Headlines Of the
Tribune for Monday the 25th carried
q welcome to the 500 Line and q
report Of the celebration which It
stated was the largest and best ever
held In Bismarck. The 500 train car
ried 100 passengers and . Washburn
train brought 500 more. The account
reads IN part:
ssTvt,n nelnl,pe tao., ,,.o.>o, t>.e,> ,,it,,
the parade shortly before 2 o'clock.
The 500 train was scheduled to ar
rive ct ! O'Clock and It was few
minutes ahead Of time. AZ it drew
into the Washburn depot . salute
was fired and throng Of visitors to
the city alighted. There were visi-
tors from Ill towns along the 500
Line. The train started from Min
neapolis with . number OF Minnea-
politans to take In the celebration
end rec Bismarck on the 500. with
the arrival at each station more pas
sengers were taken abroad. Hankin-
son, Lidgerwood and all towns along
the line sent their share. Underwood
sent . band which helped furnish
music for the passengers and for the
visitors In the city during the day. At
Kuhn several hundred passengers
were taken and at Braddock the En-.
mons county contingent boarded the
train to take their long expected trip
to Bismarck, viz the 800 Lane. When
the train reached Bismarck station
It was crowded from and to end with
excursionists."