McLaughlin, The "Magic City"
New City is growing faster than any other Town on Either of the
Reservations.
(From the Mobridge News, March, 1910)
McLaughlin, the "Magic City," has grown faster since its inception than any
other town on either the Standing Rock or the Cheyenne River Indian
reservation.
Lots in the new town, which has risen phoenix like from the ashes of the
Indian camp fire, were first offered for sale on October 7, 1909-six months
and one week ago - and today McLaughlin is a well-defined city with many
substantial business buildings and cozy resi-dences. On every side is heard
the sound of the hammer and the saw and new buildings are going up like
magic.
Few buildings are entirely com-pleted and those few are being al-tered and
enlarged by additions.
The largest building in McLaughlin today is owned and occupied by R. S.
McLaughlin, the "pioneer merchant," Indian trader and postmaster. This
building is 24 x 70 feet, two stories in height, the first floor being
occupied by the store while the second floor is used for a hall. The
investment exceeds $4,000. Mr. McLaughlin moved into the new store last
week.
Next door tot he McLaughlin store is the store building of Kirk & Whitesell,
also dealers in general merchandise. This building is a one-story affair,
representing an investment of nearly $2,000. North of the Kirk & Whitesell
Store is the W. A. Harder pool and billiard hall, now being doubled in size
by an addition to the rear. Mr. Harder's building is two stories high.
The McLaughlin Kirk & White-sell and Harder buildings are on the west side
of Main street in the first block from the depot. Opposite them is the new
hardware store building of H. M. Sletten, who is also building on the lot
directly south of the hardware store in a large building to be used for his
furniture stock. Both the hardware and the furniture store buildings are
two stories in height, work on the latter, however, being barely be-gun.
In the second block from the depot are the present bank build-ings, but both
of these financial institutions have during the week begun work on new and
larger structures. The McLaughlin State Bank, the first institution of the
kind to locate in the new town, is building on its present location, moving
the old building to the rear of the lot. This new bank building will be the
largest structure in McLaughlin, having a frontage of 50 feet on Main street
and being two stories in height.
The First State Bank is building directly across the street from the
McLaughlin Bank; the First State fronting west and north while the other
will front east and north. The First State building will be one story high.
Directly south of the First State bank building is the new drug store
building of McGuires & Goar now nearing completion. This is one story high
and at present enjoys the distinction of being the only plas-tered building
in the new city.
South of the drug store is the L. A. Johnson building at present oc-cupied
by the owner as a residence.
On the west side of the street south of the McLaughlin State bank is the F.
W. McGowan real estate office, at present occupied by the First State Bank,
while south of this office is a new office building be-ing erected by
Contractor W. S. Fulmer for his own use.
Building is not confined to the main street of the new town by any means,
however. On the first street east of Main, running north and south, fronts
the Marshall Hotel and the Barbour restaurant, both of which institutions
have all the cus-tom they can attend to. The hotel is two stories high with
eleven rooms above the first floor.
The restaurant is one story in height, though Miss Barlotte, the
proprietress, is having plans made for the addition of a second floor.
On the first street west of Main, running north and south, fronts the
McCaull-Webster Elevator com-pany's large lumber yard and the office of J.
B. Niles, contractor. A large addition is now being built tot he latter.
On the cross streets, running east and west, front several other buildings.
One of these is the two story schoolhouse where 35 chil-dren, white and
Indian, are taught. On the next street north is the Da-kota Lumber Company'
s office and yard while opposite it is the large livery barn of R. D.
Belden, who not only keeps horses for hire, but has a couple of automobiles
in commission. The Dakota Lumber Company is an independent con-cern with
George C. Jewett as manager.
On the next street north, this being the first street south of the depot,
fronts Leo Brugier's Black-smith Shop and W. J. Major's feed store.
On the corner of this street and Main, F. Wehrfritz, a Chicago capitalist,
has bought two lots dur-ing the week, but he has so far de-clined to tell
any one in town just what he is going to do with his en-viable location,
though it is be-lieved that he will decide to errect on them a substantial
building.
Many residences have been built during the last six months or are building.
Among these are the homes of F. W. Methowan, R. C. Spangler, R. R. Hartung,
R. S. McLaughlin, R. P. Higheagle, John S. Brown, Mrs. M. L. McLaughlin,
William Kill Crow, J. B. Niles, Asa Slow and W. J. Major.
