Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-06-26
THAT 100000 ACRES.
Devtls Lake -T~rtle M0wntain-M0Hse
RiUer.

cAGcut OI 1cTIll6 COuuCTV Ill CtuITdl uOIIu.
ern Dakota, which has so long been held
by the Indians, has awakened universal
curiosity in regard to it, but information
is extremely meager. That the entire
district is exceptionally rich and attrac-
tive there is no doubt. All the particu-
lars procurable from available sources
have been collected by j. H. Hanson, of
the St. Paul, Minneapolis s. Manitoba
Railway company, and by his permission
they are given below in condensed form.
THE SPLENDID COUNTRY
beyond that comprising the Grand Forks
land district, has long been known to be
exceptionally fertile and valuable and
has proved
A TERRIBLE TEMPTATION
to land hunters. Hundreds have yielded
and are already located on land to which
there was no immediate prospect of OBJ
tanning title. Thousands of others have
long had their eyes on some excellent To-
cation and are impatiently awaiting the
time when by the com pletion of govern
ment surveys they may become possessed
of it.
The tract of land referred to extends
from the western boundary of the Grand
Forks land district to the eastern bound
ary of the Bismarck district and contains
about 5000, 900 acres.
1t includes three distinctive and dis
tinguishing features or localities
Devils lake, Turtle mountain and Mouse
river valley. This immense body Of
land has for years been supposed to be
the property, by treaty, Of the Turtle
Mountain Chippewas, a tribe consisting
of only about $50 Indians. In
May last, the secretary of the
interior, Hon. II. NJ Teller, an
nounced that these Indians had not a
shadow Of claim to these lands, they hav-
ing been coded to the United States by
the Sious Indians, in the treaty OF 1868.
This country will undoubtedly be immc-
diately surveyed and opened to settle
ment.
Information in regard to this splendid
country is extremely meager, but the
thirst for everything pertaining to them
is so great that the following has been
collected from every available source.
DEVILS LAKE.
This magnificent sheet of water, called
by the Indians Minnewaukon, is located
midway between the Red River of The
North and the Missouri river, and about
fifty five miles south of the international
boundary line. The water is dense. and
salt, and green, closely resembling the
ocean. The lake is nearly sixty miles in
length and fifteen miles in width. 1t is
surrounded by swells and hills varying
in height from twenty to 250 feet. The
northern side is bordered by hills that
are well wooded, and is furrowed by ra-
vines and coolies. The opposite side has
fine timber, and is also quite billy. Fish
of large size are found in the lake. There
are many jutting promontories and hand
some islands, giving most beautiful eff
feet. The land around DEVILS
lake is rolling prairie, is of the
richest description. and is being
rapidly taken by settlers. The grass is
very nutritious, and strawberry and grape
vines, and the brightest of scarlet and
purple roses and honeysuckles abound in
the woods and fields. Analysis shows
that the water of Bevil's lake contains
sulphates of soda and Of magnesia (ep-
som and glauber salts) and chloride OF
soda common salt) and magnesia. These
medicinal properties taken in connection
with the magnificent climate, will attract
tourists from all parts of the world, and
MinneWaukon will be as famous as q sum-
mer resort, as the country around 1t will
be for prOductiveness.
| TURTLE MOUNTAIN.
Turtle mountain is located 40 miles
west of the Red River of the North on
the international boundary line. 1t is
probably fifty miles long and is known to
be THU ty-four miles wide. Its general
direction lengthwise is from southeast to
northwest. Fully two-thirds Of the
mountain lies in the United States. 1t
rises 500 feet above the &c neral level OF
the higher prairie, the eastern slope
being gentle, and the western side quite
abrubt and sharp. The entire mountain
| is covered with heavy continuous forest
of birch, aspen and oak, and many fine
lakes are found, one OF which, Lake
Farquhar, is more than a mile in width.
Turtle mountain has been but
little explored except by the In
dians, who found an abundance
of game in it's forests, but it is known
that on the southern slope there are many
small fertile prairie openings. The gen
eral surface of the land lying between
DEVILS lake and Turtle mountain Is roll
ing, and the soil is extremely fertile.
There are but few running streams, but
many coolies whose direction is toward
the lake and which drain the agricultural
lands in the most excellent manner.
Small lakes and patches of timber are
frequent. In Turtle mountain a good
quality of coal--lignite-has been found,
and there are undoubtedly immense de-
posts. This fuel can be cheaply OBJ
tanned, and will prove boon to all the
settlers in the great Dakota prairies.
MOUSE RIVER.
The Mouse river valley extends from
the western slope of Turtle mountain to
the couteau of the Missouri river, the
river crossing the boundary line about
twenty miles west Of the mountain. The
river Is of great length, probably over
400 miles. A large part Of it is on the
British side of the line, and it finds an
outlet into the Assinniboin. The valley
has long had the reputation of being one
of the most beautiful and fertile in the
world, but being claimed by the Turtle
mountain Indians, it has not been open
tn cettlempnt The secretary of the in