Devils Lake Inter Ocean News Today

Jolly Dance, a special correspondent for the Devils Lake Inter-Ocean newspaper in March of 1887, did an inspection of various ranches. Following are excerpts

There was a great deal riding on the presidential election of 1900. The Philippine American War was in its third year and Americans were nervous about the state of the country’s economy.

The 1904 Lewis and Clark Centennial and Pacific Exposition and Oriental Fair, known simply as the World’s Fair, was held in St. Louis. With everything from new foods like ice cream cones to the first Ferris wheel, the fair was a combination of trade show, museum, amusement park, and food court.

About sixty million years ago, western North Dakota was densely forested. Today it is hard to imagine a subtropical forest with trees up to twelve feet in diameter and over one hundred feet tall. In fact, on this date in 1910, geology professor D.E. Willard punctured what he considered were tall tales of massive trees. He assured the readership of the Devils Lake Inter-Ocean that there were no petrified trees in North Dakota.

In August 1887, ground was broken in Devils Lake for a new courthouse and jail. The courthouse had caused some initial angst among some residents, although the Devils Lake Inter-Ocean calmly stated that some of this came from “the first mistake of the [county] board,” which was that it “tried to please everybody.” Completion was planned for December, but it was soon extended to February 1, 1888. Of course construction plans change—especially when working in the winter!