The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-08-18
BISMARCK, ID. T., Aug. IL, 1884,.


Immigrants into this Territory the
present season have mostly found loca-
tions east of the James river. Last
year many homesteads could be had
five miles north of jamestown, and now
they are all taken for thirty miles north
and as far south, and southeast below
Lisbon. in Ransom county.
The wheat around the bend of the
Cheyenne river through Ransom county
is claimed to be as good as any in the
Territory-2O to rs bushels per acre.
Leaving jamestown, going west, the
land is very rolling, and of POOR quail
ity, except for the first few miles west
OF the river. / saw threshing machine
threshing barley, which was yielding 30
bushels per acre, Thirty miles west of
jamestown l passed an alkali lake ten
miles lag. It was a desolate looking
place, the grass being thin and dead
around it, and it smelled like soap
kettle. There are no settlers in this re-
gion. There are no birds to be seen,
except few duck that are breeding in
the small marshes tina. we pass. Fifty
miles from jamestown we pass "Tray
Farm" where the land is more even
and of very good quality. They were
threshing wheat here from the shock,
but l did not lean what it was yield.
ing. The ''Steele Farm" in Kiddcr
county, has 1900 acres under cultiva-
ton; and crops are good. Mr.. Steele is
also developing dairy, having some
so cows on his place.
The "Clark Farm" thirteen miles east
Of Bismarck, has 800 acres of wheat,
averaging % bushels per acre, and 900
acres of oats which will yield 60 bushels
per acre. They claimed 80 bushels on
the oats, but don't see IT.. A large
portion of the grain is cut on these
places now, harvest being two weeks
earlier here than at Fargo. The above
named places are the principal points
settled west Of the "Jim," until you APP
proach Bismarck, on the "Big Muddy"
The people of Bismarck are alive"
and greet every one visiting them with
hearty welcome. On inquiring for
John F. Wallace, one of Mankato's
early settlers, l found every one knew
him, but he lives few miles out of
town. ]. F. Is president of the county
agricultural society, and is one of the
noted men here. Col. VIM. Thompson,
a retired army officer, took me into his
buggy and showed me the town. 1t
has 5000 inhabitants, and, in the Ian
guage of the Colonel, "m0re a COM
ing" The water is slightly alkali, and
many citizens get their water from the
Missouri river, one mile from town,
costing them Is cents per barrel. The
river bottoms are full of deer, and they
eat up the sweet corn in the gardens a
mile below town unless scare-crows arc
erected, Ia brighten them away. The
Northern Pacific railroad bridge now
being built here is a grand affair. The
piers are Of granite stone, 70 feet below
the bed of the river and 80 feet above
the water to the bottom Of the trestle
work. The trestie work is of the best
wrought iron, and is so feet high above
the piers, SO any steamboat can pass
under. 1t has four spans, each 400
feet long, and will be completed this
fall. Last week two of the workmep
got into fight and fell from the top of
1t into the river, 1870 feet, and that end
ed the fight, as they were never seen
again. The muddy Missouri never gives
up its victims. Five steamboats, lie at
the bank below the bridge, and. the rail
road transfer boat is busily engaged
transferring cars across the river, taking
OVcI Six edCn Trip.
After dinner the Colonel drove up and
invited me to take another ride down
the river. We went down four miles, |
and l saw splendid crop of everything
growing. Fields of several hundred
acres of oats were seen in body,which
will yield 60 bushels per acre. Oats is |
the favorite crop here, and the price is
always high.
There is plenty of land to be had of
the Government within ten miles Of
town. South of the Northern Pacific
road and east of the Missouri river lies
a vast territory 100 miles square, which
;a ,,ruct;callv unknoun IN tho uhi<a !