Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-15
jim RIVER VALLEY.
Beautiful Climate, Fertile Soil, Spleen
did Productions.
Progress and Prosperity in the Pro-
life Banana Belt" Of North
Dakota.
The Sun Shines Upon No Fairer
Land.
Jamestown, the Beautiful Gem of
This Golden Setting.
Especial Correspondence of the Globe.]

The unprecedented progress Of Dakota is
now matter Of record. Its almost magic
growth has been written and spread not only
over the American continent but broadcast
over the countries of the old world.
The sceptlcism, which butSs few years
ago prevailed, regarding the bountifu /
possibilities of then almost unknown coun-
try, has, in the light of positive proof, been
forced 10 give way to belief in the truth, and
this knowledge of the advantages offered by
Dakota has become so widespread as to result
in stream of immigration; which, 1T first
small, has gathered strength with the passage
of each year until the stream that will flow to-
wards Dakota as soon as the season opens,
this year, will be of such q volume as never
before experienced. All present indications are
to the effect that northern Dakota is on the eve
of witnessing one of the greatest floods of
immigration ever before received into the
limits of state, or territory, in the history
OF the country.
JAMES RIVER VALLEY.
Probably few sections in this favored region
have, of late, attracted more attention, or are
destined to receive such a large proportion of
the human tide that is rolling towards the
illimitable prairies of Dakota, as the James
River valley, for few sections have greater
magnetic power.
Those who know this valley know it only
for its beauty and fertility; for the abundance
of its products and a soil excellent in quality,
rich, as well in organic matter as in those
mineral salts which give rapidity to the
growth of plants, and that durability which
enables it to sustain long succession
of crops. Here, where but short while ago
the Indian stood a bar to the progress of q
peaceful civilization over one of the falrest
valleys Of the continent, the children of a
stronger race are building homes and schools,
and spreading gardens and grain fields over
the old land of the Dakotas, until it is rapidly
becoming new born paradise, where the
American and the foreign born pioneer are
working together for the development of a
land as fair as that which Moses saw from the
crown of Pisgah.
In several portions of t he older states, from
whence have come settlers to this valley. and
to which accounts have been returned of its
charms and richness to friends left behind, so
many have slgni6ed their intention of selling
out the old farms and of joining these friends
shat it is customary to allude to this move
ment as caused by the
JIM RIVER FEVER.
But irony will not stem the torrent nor pre-
vent the desertion of those localities by peo-
pie who have once become possessed of the
facts which cause this fever. Personal
1nxya icrafin ion frIllu
claims of this valley put forth by those who
have settled there, although at the first blush
many of the statements seem too like extraya-
gance to be believed.
IN view, therefore, of the interest that so
widely exists and the eagerness with which in
formation is being sought in regard to the
Jim river country, what follows cannot
fail to prove of interest to very many, as it is
the result of careful investigation
The peculiarly enthusiastic language used
80 freely bv he who has resided some time
in Dakota, when describing the
country to friends or strangers, and which so
often, in the past, used to provoke an amused
smile of incredulity on the part of the listen
er or reader, had its origin in the magnificent
surroundings of earth, air ans water Il was
called forth by the wonderful possibilities the
future had in store for the country in which
he had settled. 1t is subject that irresiti-
bly, seems to demand the lavish use of super
latives for it is a theme which affords scope
for the most forceful word paint
ing. The unexampled richness!of this mag
niicent valley is caused by the
peculiarities of the James, or as it is more pop
ularly, if less euphoniously, called the slim"
river. This stream, which occupies the
central region between the Missouri and Red
rivers, has Its source some distance to the
yact IS 1t1 IL
Wells county, near latitude 4S, and traverses
525 miles of country, emptying into the Mis-
souri, near Yankton. Its length, so serpentine
and tortuous is its course, is nearly
double the above figures. Few streams, il any,
exceed it in the number of turns and bends il
describes. 1t is this feature that has caused
the great fertility of the region it waters. In
prehistoric times its course has been many
times changed; and, in consequence, rich allu-
vial deposits have been made, so that the deep
black loan: which is found deepest above lati-
tude forty-six, has a depth of several feet,
thus furnishing soil practically inexhausti-
BILE, which is capable of generating the most
diversified products. The land is
from 1880 to 1900 feet above
the sea level and is chiefly beautiful, slight
ly undslating, prairie, which has, beneath
these several feet of black loan, subsoil of
silicious mari, with heavy clay beneath for
considerable depth.
This rich subsoil is one of the distinguish
ing characteristics of the region. On ac-
count of there being so much lime, it prevents
the exhaustion of the soil, and is the cause of
the strength of the straw which excites so
much comment in the East.
In this valley is now grown finer quality
of wheat, and more of it to the acre, tfan
can be obtained in even the Red River valley.
The following, deducted from the last crop re-
port Of Stutsman county, must be of COM
manding interest to all who are concerned in
agricultural matters; taking the ames of
fifty farmers, who reported 1871 acres in
wheat, total crop (for the number specifed)
of 121 1872 bushels is arrived at, VIII ich gives
an average Well per acre of
TWENTY-FIVE AND THREE-QUARTERs BUSHELS
all of which graded No. hard. From the
same report it is shown that there was OBJ
tanned an average yield of fifty bushels of oats
per acre. large part of this acreage of
wheat and oats was the first crop on new
breaking. The figures quoted are accurate,
and emphasize in the strongest manner the ad.
vantages of settlement in such an unparalleled
region of fertility. Such a favored locality
must perforce become the scene of the most
abundant material prosperity, the focus of pop.
ulation and business.
II is the recognition of these facts that has
e.