Burke County
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Prof. Ulvestad returned Monday from his vacation trip which
was spent at Montana points.
The traviling men are again putting in their
appearance along the line after the recent blizzard.
"Billy" Kurtz left
Saturday for Hartford, Ia., in response to a message announcing the serious
illness of his father.
F. A. Keup spent Tuesday and Wednesday at Noonan
in attendance at the annual election officers of the Security State bank.
Miss Stevenon failed to return this week from her vacation trip to Sherwood
and Carnduff, hence the Intermediate room has been closed this week.
Several of our citizens had the supreme pleasure (?) of waiting until two
o'clock Tuesday morning for the "G. N. ping pong" to put in its appearance at
Stampede.
That genial old gentleman, Jas. T. Miller, is a visitor in town
today. He informs us that he arrived here from Erricanna, Canada, about ten days
ago and will remain until the latter part of the month visiting at the home of
his daughter, Mrs. J. S. Greenup.
If there is anyone who has had their
share of the trials and tribulations of the recent stormy weather it is Dr.
McNeal and his driver, John Fay. Hardly a night has passed, in the past three
weeks, but what they have been on the road and in many instances lost on the
prairie but on each occasion, out side of a few brost bites, they have come out
on top. They are deserving of great credit in the chances they have taken in
their attempt to serve the sick ones.
Mr. and Mrs. Amos
Jorgensen are the proud parents of a fine baby boy, born Saturday morning.
Miss Nannie Gann has charge of the Hofius school while Miss Marcia Frank is
under the doctor's care.
School opened Monday after a vacation of two
weeks. Not many of the pupils were present Monday on account of the severe
weather.
The Soo is employing a large crew of men to keep the track clear
of snow these days. If the weather continues we'll have a winter similar to
1906-07.
A quite serious accident befell the little daughter of Wm.
Gallas last week when she fell and fractured her shoulder blade and collar bone.
The child was immediately brought to Flaxton and Dr. Paulson set the bones.
Mr. Henry Murdick, father of Eugene Murdick, who has been making his home
with the latter died Saturday of old age. Mr. Murdick was eight-five years old.
The funeral occurred Tuesday, the remains being buried in the Flaxton Cemetery.
Several Odd Fellows from Portal were in attendance at the funeral.
A. Morden is now employed at the electric light plant, since Curley Caldwell
resigned his position as chief engineer.
C. E. Davidson returned last
Friday from Bismarck where he had been present at the organization of the
legislature and spent a few days at home during the adjournment. He left Tuesday
evening again and will be on hand again when the legislature convenes again this
afternoon.
Miss Celia Paulson left yesterday morning for Mondak, Montana,
where she will spend a short vacation. She expects to be gone about two weeks
when she will return to her position at O. Bekkedahl's department store.
P. Hanson returned last week from his visit in Wisconsin. He returned sooner
than he expected on account of the bad storms we have been having here. He spent
a week in Hayward, Wis., where he says he saw John Deitz in the jail.
Dr.
D. H. McKechney was a visitor at the county seat last Saturday. He went down to
have a work done on his teeth. He says that of course he can do the dental work
for the common people in Portal but he wants a good man to do his work.
Miss Marie Jensen of Flaxton, spent a few days the
latter part of last week in Bowbells the guest of her friend, Miss Alice Tutt.
John Norlin was unable to leave his residence for a few days the fore part
of the week, being confined there with a severe attack of the grippe.
Sheriff Dick Stainhoffer was an official caller at Portal Monday afternoon.
Mrs. I. L. Ross left Sunday morning for Tompkins, Sask., where she was
called by the serious illness of her daughter-in-law Mrs. T. M. Ross, who
resides in that vicinity. She will be gone for several weeks or until there is a
decided improvement in the younger Mrs. R.
Mrs. Agnes Reap, who has a
claim north of here called at The Tribune office Saturday and informed us that
the item in the Bulletin last week saying that she had accepted a position in
the Jens Peterson store here and had moved to town, was erroneous, and that she
had come to Bowbells simply to attend to some matters of business that required
her attention for a few days. She stated that she was to leave for her claim
again Wednesday, and will continue residing there.
A few tidbits extracted 05 Nov 2019 by Norma Hass from The Bowbells Tribune, published in 20 Jan 1911.
In 1908 plans were made to divide Ward county into four parts, on lines
corresponding to the present boundaries of Burke, Mountrail, Renville, and Ward
counties. Another proposition was to divide Ward county into two parts by a line
running east and west between townships 158 and 159; the northern portion was to
be named Lake county, the southern portion was to retain the name of Ward
county. The former plan was supported by Mohall and the smaller towns of Ward
county, and the latter by Kenmare and Minot. Minot regarded the Ward-Lake
division as the lesser of two inevitable evils, for there was little hope of
blocking both attempts at division. It was necessary to secure a mandamus to get
the auditor of Ward county to put both propositions upon the ballot, for he
contended that only one question could be voted upon at a time.
The
results of the election held on November 3, 1908, indicated that Lake, Burke,
and Renville counties had failed to receive a majority vote but Mountrail county
had been created.
However, the question was to pass through a long
process of litigation before final settlement. The opponents of Mountrail county
challenged its right to existence, alleging that although the votes favorable to
Mountrail county were a majority of the number cast on that proposition, they
were not a majority of the total number of votes cast for the different
candidates for governor. The case was brought before the State Supreme Court.
The decision made on January 16, 1919, held that Mountrail county was legally
created: "a majority of the votes cast upon a question submitted to vote, if in
the affirmative, carries it."
Mountrail county, therefore, entered upon
its legal existence on January 16, 1909. The boundaries of Mountrail county are
as follows: on the north, the line between townships 158 and 159; on the east,
the line between ranges 87 and 88; on the west, the line between ranges 94 and
95; and on the southwest and south by the Missouri river and the north boundary
of McLean county.
In April, 1909, counsel for Renville and Burke
counties filed a suit in the District Court presided over by Judge Charles F.
Templeton, contending that Section 21 of Chapter 109 of the 1907 Session Laws,
part of the primary election law, was unconstitutional and void. This section
provides that the list of those voting at the primary election shall take the
place of the first registration of the voters required by the general election
law. It was alleged that none of the ward inspectors held a meeting on October
27, 1908, to revise, correct, and complete the registration list, neither was
the list of names of those voting in the primary election in June, 1908, in the
possession of or used by the election officers at the general election in
November, and no list purporting to be a registry list was used. Moreover, none
of the voters furnished affidavits showing their qualifications as electors
before voting.
This suit was an attempt to have the entire vote of
Kenmare thrown out. If this could be done, both Renville and Burke counties
would be created by small majorities. There was an adverse majority of 531 in
the case of Renville county, which the judgment of the district court cut down
to about 477. At the primary election in June, 1908, only 207 votes were cast in
Kenmare, but at the general election in 1908, 625 votes were cast against
Renville county and 2 in favor of it.
This enormous increase in the
number of votes naturally aroused suspicion of illegal voting.
A recount
of votes reduced Kenmare's vote against Renville county to 618; if this entire
vote were rejected, Renville county would have a favorable majority of 87. Burke
county had an adverse majority of 420, which was reduced by a recount to 395. If
Kenmare's vote of 592 against Burke county were rejected, there would be a
majority of 197 in favor of Burke county.
In the latter part of May,
1909, Judge Templeton gave his decision. He held that Renville and Burke
counties were right as to the facts alleged in regard to non-registration in
Kenmare, but that this was a special election and no registration was necessary.
The case was immediately appealed to the Supreme Court.
On February 8,
1910, the decision of the Supreme Court was announced. It held that the 207
voters who had voted at the primary election in Kenmare were therefore
registered de facto and that their votes should be counted. Making allowances
for all the adverse votes cast against both Burke and Renville counties, the
court found that after deducting the illegal votes in Kenmare, Burke county was
organized by a small majority, but Renville county was defeated, having still an
adverse majority
The Renville county counsel succeeded in having the
Supreme Court grant a re-hearing of the case on May 20, 1910. The revised
decision of the court, filed on June 3, 1910, held that registration of voters
was mandatory, and that no elector who was not registered in the manner provided
for by law could have his vote counted. This decision meant the rejection of
Kenmare's entire vote and the legal establishment of both Burke and Renville
counties. Renville county was formally organized on July 20, 1910, when Governor
John Burke appointed the commissioners.
Contributed 2025 Apr 2 by Norma Hass, extracted from Collections of the State Historical Society of North Dakota by State Historical Society of Nort Dakota, 1923, Volume 5, pages 241-246.
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This page was last updated
04/03/2025