Jamestown alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1882, 1881-09-09
Pittsburgh Dispatch Sept I, 1881.
THE WESTERN 9SILDS.
A Pittsburgller's Impression Of Dakota
Territory.

county seat of Stutsman county. 1t
is situated on the left bank of the
James river, and on the line of the
Northern Pacific Railroad, % miles
directly west of Fargo. Its location
as place of residence cannot be ex.
celled, being dry and healthy, sur.
rounded by bluffs which break the
force of the winds in winter. The
site Of the town was located nearly
10 years ago but the reverses of the
Northern Pacific affected it's growth.
About two years ago, however, when
the rebound from the panic came,
jamestown began to improve, and
now it is substantial business town
Of about l, 900 people, and not drone
among them. The amount of business
done is very large. Every one seems
to be on the move as we'll as con the
make," but, so far as have seen, the
snake" must be legitimate. There
is frank, manly way about everyone
that drives away all telling of strange
ness from the moment You set foot in
the town.
| INDUSTRIES OF THE TOWN.
There are two papers published
here; the Herald, weekly and the Alert,
daily and weekly. They both keep
abreast of the times, are newsy and
readable, and although having CON-
Paratively limited population to draw
from tor. support pay handsomely.
There are three church organizations,
Presbyterian, Methodist and Catho.
lie, and large school building cap
able of accommodating all the chill
dren of the place.
jamestown is very different from
the impression I had formed of from
tier towns. 1t is as quiet and peace
able as the most orderly of Pcnnsyl-
vania towns. There is no drunken.
ness or gambling, and the Sabbath
day IL surprisingly quiet. Seemingly
the "scum" Of the States have sought
other points were law and the pro.
prle,ies Of life are not regarded. So
far AZ | have been able to discover,
litigation is almost unknown.
james river is Il s:nal!, sluggish
stream, with possibilities almost equal
70 CHARTERS creek.
The Northern Pacific, which trav.
crses Dakota from cast to west, af..
f"rds facilities for travel and transpor-
ta,i"n Of supplies without which this
part OF the country would have very
few inhabitants. 1t is now complet-
ed to Glendive, on the Yellowstone,
in Montana, over 300 miles west Of
this. Yesterday work was begun on
u branch to extend from here north
west to the coal and timber country
along Mouse river in Dakota; thence
to British America, possibly touching
Fort Totten. This fort is one Of
the largest in this part Of the country.
1t is situated on Mime. Wauken, or
Devils Lake, IS miles directly north
of jamestown. This lake promises
in the near future to be the watering
place Of the Northwest. Fort Tot.
ten draws its supplies from James.
town.
RAILROAD FACILITIES.
In addition to the Northern Pa.
citic, Devils Lake will have the
Chicago and Northwestern, Chica.
go, Milwaukee and St. Paul and
the st. Paul, Minneapolis and Man.
itoba roads, each of which have in
contemplation extensions of their
lines to that point. The prelimi.
nary surveys have been made, and
all will pass through Jamestown.
These roads have extensive ramifi.
cations in the Northwest, but they
regard their extensions to and
through the James river valley as
more important than any other.
When these roads are constructed
Jamestown's future cannot be
doubted.
You may ask what makes James
town now, there being no mines,
no manufactures. True there are
none of these, but there is wheat.
And such wheat! "No. 1, hard,'
is it's grade, and it is fast coming
to be recognized as the best in the
country for -four, far SURPRISING the
product of the Red river country.
For this reason, recently the tend.
ency of settlers is to the James riv-
er valley.
| rode out about ten miles the
other day and was amazed at the
extent Of the fields, thickly dotted
with shocks of wheat. At one time
in full view, [ counted seven steam
threshers in operation. l noticed
one peculiarity of farming here.
Immediately after threshing, the
straw is burned "to get it out of the
way,' the soil is 50 rich that it does
not not require manure.
RESOURCES OF THE SOIL.
1t is too early to determine the
average yield of wheat for this year.
From indications it will not reach that
of last year, when the average per
acre was 254, bushels, the highest
being ss bushels. The report on
oats showed yield of from 40 to 90
bushels per acre, and potatoes from
200 bushels on sod to $50 on cult
waited land. And yet this country
is only in it's infancy. Some farmers
this year are experimenting with flax,
buckwheat and timothy, with favor
able prospects. Native grass is very
nutritious, and the hay 1 have seen
is almost equal to that in Eastern
States.
To a Pennsylvania the most Sc
rious lack of the country is that of
timber and running water. However,
of the latter the very best is found at
depth of 80 feet, and farmers con-
sole themselves with the absence of
the former in thay they do not have