Morning journal and courier., 1882-09-26

fully for artesian wells. new government land office has just been established at Aber- deen, which will make it the business center for some time to come. as hlther everyone who settles upon Uncle Sam's land must come to get his patent after fulfilling the require ments of the law. As yet few have been here long enough to obtain patents, so that this business is still to be looked forward to with all the rest of the resources of this en- terprising town.
 Speaking of enterprise calls to mind two colonies of young ladies who have taken up land and are living on it in little settlements, where, like the abode of Tennyson's 'Prin- cess, y
 ''The land he understood for miles about
 Was tilld by women."
 One colony is fifteen miles west of Aberdeen, and railroad, and consists of fifteen or twenty young ladies who came out together from Minneapolis early last spring deter mined to become the owners of 16O acres of the public domain before marriage should de- prive them of this right and perhaps Gas more than half suspect) make themselves doubly attractive by their handsome ''dot" of real estate. They do not exclude men, as in the 'Princess, D but hire one or two of those rather useful animals to act as protec- tors and chors boys. It was your corre- spondent's good fortune to meet two of the young ladies, who have settled twelve miles north of Ellendale, the present northern ter minus of the railroad, at @ point called Key stone in honor of their State, which they left last March. The eight plucky girls came with @ number of their neighbors and have been holding claims during the summer, to which this fall they will be entitled. They not only like the life and country, but positively enthusiastic over it, so that they do not care to return to their Pennsylvania homes. They have Indian ponies Gone of them brides herself on the superior sleeknoss of hers as the result of her own grooming), and merry are the times they have riding across the prairie or racing around the buff falo rings for tracks Besides" one of them laughingly said, five have plenty enough to gossip about.'' These buffalo rings are circular depressions from thirty to a hundred feet in diameter and were made by the buffalo COWS tramping around and around their calves to guard them from the wolves.
 Some twenty miles east of EllendaIe on the banks of the James or Dakota river MT. Bush, Canadian, is founding settlement known as Ottawa City. He was sent out to select site for a body of Canadians, who determined to better their condition some two years ago. and after wandering unsatis fled all over our western country, going far south even as Arkansas, he at once deter mined to locate his people here in what he calls the finest section in the West. With characteristic English energy he chose the very best land, although removed from rail road facilities, and now is trying to put CurOuSu OI OWL. lulS 1S only one of innumerable specimens which might be brought forward to show how rapidly this section is being populated even beyond the railroad and surveyed limits. In fact, from Ellendale to Jamestown, distance of seventy miles, there is almost au unbroken chain of squatters, waiting for the land to bs veyed, and settlers on that already in market. To the south all along the lines running through "the golden James River valley,' and on both sides of the river, the land is occupied and cultivated considerably, es. pecially towards Ashton, where ''the land is fine ever laid out of doors," but suffers from the want of good water. Throughout the valley there are few evidences of frontier failings-no rows or drunkenness or display of weapons or swaggering ruffianism. How ever, poker heurishes and many of the hotels are provided with small rooms adjoining the bar, where the devotees of the ivory chips may be seen at all hours. Horse races are started on the spur of the moment and some very good local nags they have too. The town is too poor to have an elegant billiard table, which is generally housed in the best looking building in town. One very jolly valley town has made it rule to christen every building. whatever it's purpose, before occupancy by dance AS yet they have DO church, but whether that will be exempt it did not occur to me to ask. Altogether one could find here, even now, 8 sufficient inter- mixture of amusement ito drive dull care away" should he become James river far mer, and unless your correspondent is very much mistaken that title will become synon ymous with prosperity and ever increasing incomes. E. A. B.