About Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905
Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.] (1884-1905)

Devils Lake Inter-Ocean

The Devils Lake Inter-Ocean of Devils Lake, North Dakota, began publishing as the Creel City Inter-Ocean on March 31, 1883; between June 1883 and October 1884, it also published under the title the North Dakota Inter-Ocean. Its first editor was Bickham W. Lair. In these years, the railroad expanded westward from Grand Forks, carrying into Dakota Territory thousands of people seeking free land under the Homestead Act. The first train arrived at the shores of Devils Lake on July 4, 1884.

The Inter-Ocean documents the growth of this part of Dakota Territory, which includes the history of the Devils Lake Indian Reservation, the rise and fall of steamboat navigation on the lake itself, and the effects of the Homestead Act in the settlement of the region, including resulting land disputes. Shortly after beginning his newspaper, Lair himself was involved in a property dispute in which several persons were shot and killed. Lair was among eleven individuals indicted. Even though he was not convicted for the murders, Lair left the Territory. Henry Clay Hansbrough purchased the Inter-Ocean Publishing Company and became the next publisher of the newspaper. The community of Creel City was renamed Devils Lake; as a result, the title of the newspaper was changed to the Devils Lake Inter-Ocean in November 1884. An able journalist and politician, Hansbrough became the first Representative to Congress from North Dakota. He retained ownership of the Inter-Oceanuntil approximately 1909. Stephen A. Nye became editor of the newspaper in 1889. He remained with the Inter-Ocean until 1898, when Hansbrough hired Sylvester J. Small, who had worked on numerous Midwestern newspapers. Nye later took over publishing of the Valley City's Times-Record.

Provided by: State Historical Society of North Dakota