The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-06-20
A LETTER FROM DAKOTA.
ABERDEEN, Brown Co D. T
June 4tb, 1882

EDITOR SPIRIT: Not having seen any,
thing in your columns from Dakota for
sometime past, thought would write
You few lines that may interest some
OF your many readers The last time
wrote it was from Grant Co d T., that
heing my home for the past two years
But having heard so much of the fine
river valley | accordingly came oat here
to look at the country and also to visit
my brother n. W Keller, formerly of
Monroe Co., Ohio, and late of Grant
Co., D. T., aud at present in Brown Co
D. t where be has heen since about the
1st OF April of this year. He came to
the Jim River Valley about the 10Th. OF
June, 1881, and in July filed his home
stead papers on ! section of land (in
Brown Co.. which is beautifully and
advantageously situated, living West oi
the Dakota Central R. R. miles, and
North of the Hastings and Dakota r
R 4 miles and South of the Elm River
one mile. The land is choice, good SOIL
and near to market. 1t is situated with.
in 81 mics of Ordway on the Oak Cen.
trail R R., and miles of Aberdeen on
the H. & D R. R., and 5 miles of Bath
on the H. & D. r. R. He has 10 acres
broke and in crop which looks very
nice, house 10 bv II feet and a fine
we'll of water which latter we flashed
Yesterday. A year ago last April the
| land N thic nf fhn ntrv oil
vacant and Aberdeen and Ordway were
not thought of, now the land is all claim.
ed and the merry whistle of the plow.
boy and the happy song of the milk
maid is heard all over the country
Land is rapidly increasing in value
Claims are selling readily for from ST..
600 to $1,000 each. Too much cannot
be said in favor of this delightful couu
try. 1t is the garden of the Northwest
The climate is healthy and not too Sc.
we're | am aware that back in Ohio
Dakota is spoken Of as the land Of Biz
yards and Cyclones, but it has been mis-
represented. | have been bere Two
years and have not seen a cyclone yet
but have seen, it is true, few hliZzards
a year ago last winter, hut il we had
hllzz lrds here they also had them in the
Eastern and Southern States. The only
inconvenience we have here is the scar.
city of fuel, but since the R R. Co.'S
have got their lines completed to and
beyond those points above named there
is no scarcity of coal which is the prin
cipal fuel used, which is not very expen-
sive. Hard coal sells for $12 so and
soft coal for &c so per ton. We are,
to use the Western expression, Baching,
or in other words doing our own cook.
ing, which is much cheaper than hoard
ing at the hotels. Common boarding
costs about 81 per week here in this
vallev. Laborer's wages are good We
like Dakota better than anv part of the
country we have ever been in, and we
would be glad to meet with some more
of the Monroe county bows out here.-
Among those with whom we have net
are James and John Thomas Warwick
and Levi Blythe from Masterton, Mon.
roe county, Ohio. The BOYS have gone
little farther West, where they are To-
Gated on choice land, and we are happy
to say they are doing we'll To the
Young men of Monroe county who are
working nv the MOI tn and farming rent
ed land | would say far better take the
advice of Horace Greeley and come
West where You can get from Sc to SIC
more per month than there and besides
you can get farm of your own. We
inv brother Hiram and y have 4SO
acres Of land, we have 40 acres in crop
which looks very good; we are also
builiing house the cost of which when
completed will be about 500.
Well for fear nv letter will prove un
interesting l will close. Any informa
ton in regard to the country and lands
can be had bv addressing,
Yours Very Respectfully,
JOHN W. KELLER,
Aberdeen, Brown Co., d 7.
P S.-The prospect for a large crop
is good