Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-04-28
Letter Prom Dakota.
- FARGO, Dakota Territory.
Auril Is 1870
-

and give YOU something Of 8 description ei
Fargo and the surrounding territory, and
in doing 50 shall try not to overrate its adj
vantages and prospects.
The Red River Of the North rises
many miles south Of this point and flows
in = northeriy direction, forming the boun-
darv line between Minnesota and the ter
ritory Of Dakota, and empties into Lake
Winnipeg in the British possessions. The
valley formed by TIM, river is from fifty to
one hundrd and fifty miles in width and
an almost perfectly level prairie, with a
very deep. rich, black, clay soil, adapted
TO the production, with little labor, Of al
kinds OF grain usually raised In the New
England states, and especially suited 70
the production Of wheat, which is, as vet,
the main crop. About threefourths OF
this valley lies on the Dakota side OF the
river: and for this reason much more is
said and written about the Red River Val
lev in Dakota than in Minnesota.
Fargo is the most important town IN
the region and is about the size Of Mont
pelier. 1t contained in 1872 only four or
five houses. but now aspires TO the dignity
OF a city and is growing very rapidly and
bids fair to continue, as it now is, the key
CITY of northern Dakota. II lies practical
" at the head Of navigation, and is at the
crossing of the line by the Northern Pacific
railroad. the round houses and repair
shops of which are located here. 1t COB
tains three large first-class hotels, seven
or eight small ones, four churches and a
large number of stores Of all kinds, two
elevators, q brewery, an abundance OF
professional men Of all kinds, including
about twenty-five practicing lawyers. II
an eastern town Of such size contained so
large q number OF business firms and pro-
fessonal men the chances are that every
thing would be overdone, but such does
not seem to be the case here. Immigrants
arrive in large numbers every day nearly
all Of who have everything to buy before
settling, and as all or nearly all, the
attorneys deal more or less IL land. the
immigrants make q great deal Of trade,
over and above what comes from the in
hahitants Of the city and country around,
for all kinds Of business.
Twenty miles west is Castleton, where
is situated the celebrated Cars, Cheney
and Alton farms, which with the Grandin
farm Il few miles north of Fargo, make
50. 900 acres under one management.
New Buffalo and Tower City are from
forty 10 fifty miles west and are smart
little places and growing rapidly.
Valley city is still further west OIL the
Shevenne river and is settlement OF Nor
wegians.
jamestown, ninety-three miles west
here, Is the most promising place between
Fargo and Blsmark and contains & large
number Of Vermont men, among whom is
J. J Flint, formerly OF Randolph, now
one OF the proprietors OF tine Dakota
house.
jamestown is on the JaWes river which
mas a valley OF almost equal beauty TO the
Red river, but with the difference that the
Drairies upon it are rolling instead of
evel
The government land is all taken in this
county, Du. large quantities OF land are for
sale BY parties VINO bought Of the railroad
y exchanged stock Tor land At from So to
80 per acre, and government land is
plenty in the vicinity Of jamestown or in
he counties north and south Of this
The average yield Of wheat per acre is
aid 10 be over twenty bushels, at cost
or seeding and harvesting Of $3.50 the
irst year and 81 per year afterwards.
Any one can see that this leaves quite
margin with which TO build and make
each year, provided there
5 no failure of crop, which is what all are
earring, and seems to be the only setback
which This country can have. But it is now
eight years since farming was commenced
IN this valley and no failure mas vet &C.
cured, and :irom this we may conclude
mat one is not likely to happen very often
If ever.
Government lands are obtained by COM
plying with the requirements Of the pre-
smplIon, homestead or tree culture acts,
and any single person twenty-one years of
age, or head Of family, can obtain three
hundred and twenty acres Of as fine land
as the county affords for the sum OF $50,
as the government allows one to take one
lundred and sixty acres under each the
and tree culture acts, the for
ner Of which requires an actual residence
1f five years, and the latter breakage of
i've acres tine first year, which must be
cropped the second and five more broken
and the third year the first five acres must
De planted with trees and the second five
;ropped, and the fourth the second five
planted with trees-making ten acres in
II that must be planted with trees, which
1t the end Of eight years, with due allow
snces for fires and grasshoppers, must be
Il good condition TO perfect the title and
ecure a patent. Nearly everyone who
zones here secures land in some way and
IL make money rapidly after the first
year.
Aside from obtaining land there is an
opportunity for all kinds Of business in one
" another OF the places on the railroad,
banking and merchandise being especially
profitable.
Money readily commands twelve per
'ent, and borrowers willingly give much
,etter security than is usually given in the
last.
There are a great many foreigners here.
Norwegians and Germans
a great share of the Americans here are
rom the four states of Michigan, Wiscon-
in, Iowa and Minnesota and it seems as
hough farming and business must be poor
Il those states, from the numbers that are
eaving there now, though considering the