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Among those meeting there were Palmer Stadum, 
Gaylord Landis , Harold Blegen, William Sosalla, 
and Lloyd Stadig, all interested in mechanics and 
electronics . It was in this workshop the idea of 
making an electrically controlled car was con-
ceived and accomplished. Palmer Stadum made 
the electronic brain while Lloyd Stadig was largely 
responsible for the body and mechanical parts. It 
was made from a child 's wagon. It was exhibited at 
Baker Day. 
Amnother of their exhibitions for Baker Day was 
Leapin' Lena, a novelty car . It was hinged in the 
middle so whenever the driver stepped on the gas 
the front reared up in the air. 
Palmer's favorite topic for discussion was how to 
bring electricity to the people of the area . Many 
ideas were discussed . When the Rural Elec-
trification Act was passed it opened the way for this 
dream to become a reality. The group organized 
into the Baker Technical Club and largely due to the 
efforts of Palmer Stadum were successful in 
organizing and building the Baker Electric 
Cooperative, the first rural electric Cooperative in 
North Dakota. 
In 1913 Baker began the celebration of Baker Day 
on July 11. It was an annual event until the 1920's. In 
the early 1930's the tradition was revived. At that 
time some of the events of Baker Day were a 
parade, a barbecue, or bean hole beans at noon, a 
carnival, races, baseball game, speaker with a 
pageant , home talent play or talent show and a 
dance . Hundreds of people came from near and far 
for the celebration . The last one was in 1942. 
But alas for by-gone days. The glory of Baker has 
departed . From a population of about 150 in its 
boom days it has now dwindled to a mere 20 and the 
chances are even that will decline . 
The Soo Line Comes!! 
By Mrs. Lloyd Stadig 
Along with settlement by the homesteaders, 
came the railroads! Early North Dakotans who had 
to drive their horses or oxen many miles to market, 
were pleased to learn of the coming of a nearer 
railroad . Our state, because of its level land, made 
railroad construction easy compared to that of the 
more eastern and western states. 
Early rivalry between the major railways 
regarding entrance into many of the fertile areas 
developed . The Soo Line and Jim Hill were in 
contests throughout much of the state. Railway 
construction lasted until World War I ; little has 
been done since that time . 
One of the last lines to be built by the Soo was the 
Drake-Fordville branch. This gave the Soo a route 
from its main line at Drake to its main Winnipeg 
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line at Thief River Falls , via Fordville. It thus gave 
it a more direct route to Duluth, where so very 
much of its grain was shipped. 
Construction of this railroad began about 1911. 
Much of the equipment to build the line was shipped 
into Esmond by our N.P ., then transported 
overland to the points of construction; some 12 to 15 
miles to the north . 
We recall when much of the equipment came to 
Esmond . Many dump carts, a steam shovel or two, 
several 'dinky' engines. These engines were 
transported from Esmond to near Fillmore by rail--
the rails laid ahead of the engines a short distance; 
the engines then navigated the laid rails; these 
were then dismantled, then laid ahead of the 
caravan again . This continued until the con-
struction area was reached . 
We recall the names of Peter Nelson, and 
Jamieson, contractors, and Mr. Wharton, the 
foreman , and his two daughters, Joyous and 
Gladness! 
The headquarters for much of the construction, 
during the two years of its peak, was in Esmond. 
This was quite a boom town during that period. 
Then, there was the rush, by some of the citizens, 
to purchase lots in the new towns to be. Newspaper 
ads in the nearby papers gave glowing accounts of 
the business opportunities to be had in these towns. 
The fertility of the lands adjacent to them was 
lauded. The towns close to Esmond were: Harlow, 
Baker, Fillmore, Silva, Egan and Orrin . When it 
was discovered that an Egan existed in South 
Dakota , the name of this town on the Soo was later 
changed to Balta, and has remained so to this day. 
It was feared that the name Egan in each of the 
Dakotas might cause confusion in the postal 
department, hence the change. 
All of the new Soo Line towns showed early, and 
in some cases, remarkable growth. Grain elevators 
sprang up, also grocery stores, hardware stores, 
meat markets, banks, implement dealers, some 
newspapers, and just about everything that a small 
town would need. Baker especially made a rapid 
growth. It was the second town in the country to 
boast of electric lights; Leeds was first. A more 
complete history of these Soo Line villages is to be 
found elsewhere in this publication. 
After completion, this Drake-Fordville line of the 
Soo began to prove its value to the railway. During 
the time of its existence it has contributed greatly 
as a passenger route, a carrier of grain, of coal and 
all farm commodities . Like other branch lines of 
the nation, it no longer has its passenger trains, but 
continues to be a heavy hauler of carloads of the 
farmers products.