Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-15

ure, ana OF vl6ltlng some properly winch ne
had purchased in Iowa. Before he left Eng
him to report to them on
his return if he met with
any desirable land for an investment. He de-
cided after careful investigation "that for an
English investor nothing would be likely to
pay so we'll as judlciOus purchase and cult
vation of the wheat lands Of the northern por-
ton of Dakota" On his return to England
he was invited to make written report as to
the land which he had bought In this country.
This report, being the result of careful invest
igation on the part OF scientific agricultural
expert, is of great interest. In 1.-THE says, "l
would naturally have preferred to have Sc
lected land in Canada, but though firm be-
lever in the future of this colony, am of
opinion that. for some years to come, an in
vestment in Dakota will prove more remu-
nerative than in Manitoba, or the northwest
territory of Canada
His attention having been called to the IA
nous Red River Valley he decided to visit that
region. He thus relates his experience and
the result OF his researches: "Whilst at LIE
Mars Qowa) was fortunate in making the
acquaintance of gentleman who knew the
district which wished to visit, and he kindly
offered to accompany me on my expe-
dition. Travelled through sinto Manitoba;
l visited the Cheyennesand James river valleys,
crossed the Missouri, and passed into Montana.
During this trip did not leave stone I'M
turned in order to obtain every possible infor-
nation. met and conversed with several of
the leading farmers and land owners in North
Dakota, and Travelled hundreds of miles over
the prairies.
"The result of my work is that I have Sc
cured two tracts of land, of about Is, 900
acres each, besides two smaller tracts of about
5000 acres each. These lands lie within
reasonable distance of Jamestown, on the
Northern Pacific railroad, which, owing
to Its situation, is likely to become an impor-
tant railroad center. I selected the James
ley, because found the soil dryer and quicker,
thus enabling the farmers to get on to their
land ten days earlier in the spring than their
neighbors in the Red river valley. Being fully
500 feet higher than the Red river, the climate
is more healthy. The water is very good,
which cannot be said of the water in the Red
river valley. AS far as could gather, the
production of wheat per acre in the James
river valley equals that of the Red"
Mr.. Sykes has appointed as his agent. to
manage the property he has acquired, young
Englishman named Walter j. Hughes, who
will reside at Jamestown, and arrange to
break the land in the coming spring. A re-
cent letter states that he is now on his way to
perfect his arran gements.
In addition to productive soil, the presence
of good water, which is easily obtained, and
a most delightful climate, the val
ley is favorably situated as to rail
crosses at Jamestown, near the centre of the
valley. The Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
railroad is also being rapidly pushed up the
valley from the south towards jamestown.
The Northwestern has also line projected
and partly located from Ordway to James
town. Then the Mouse River branch of the
Northern Pacific leaves the main line at James
town. This important branch traverses a
most magnificent region Oh its way to tn
Northwest, where 1t penetrates extensive coal
and timber fields. 1t will be inferred, there
the focal point of great rail
way system. Its geographical pc
sition is such as to prevent it being other
wise, as the roads which have their objective
points in the northwest are barred by the CO.
teaux which are situated little to the west of
jamestown and have a straight north and
south direction for distance of sixty miles,
when they bear off to the west. 1t should be
also that it is the presence of these
coteaux that have such beuifcent climatic
logical influence on the valley by moderating
the severity of the winters. They act as the
boundary of a line of isotherm drawn from a
distance south. They protect the valley from
bllzzards In the winter, and check the hot
blasts in the summer.
The jamestown aud Mouse river branch will
be built from jamestown in northwesterly
course, following the general course of the
James river and
CROSSING THE MOUSE RIVER
at the big bend in McHenry county, one hun
dred and twenty miles from>J JAMESTOWN. The
survey for this line has been completed, the
road partly graded, and by the terms of the
contract one hundred miles must be finished
this summer. This line is of great Importance
to Jamestown, as 1t will not only open up and
aid in developing fine agricultural country,
all of which will be directly tributary to it, but
will give cheap fuel, as there is an
abundance Of good timber and
large deposits Of fine quality of
ignite coal. This is one of the incentives
acting upon the railroad company to push the
road to completion as soon as possible. The
expectant volume of immigration to this re-
gion is the cause Of the anxiety of the Chica-
go, Milwaukee & st. Paul and Northwestern
roads to tap the valley at Jamestown so as to
share with the Northern Pacific in the wheat
carrying trade, which in few years, will be
immense in extent. One effect OF this compe-
tition will be reduction in the freights which
will be of incalculable benefit to the people of
this section.
The most prolific sections of the James
River valley are Stutsman, La Moure, Foster
and Wells counties. Stutsman is the most
populous of these, and has jamestown as its
county seat. La Moure is to the south
and Foster and Wells are north of Suits
man.
La Moure has recently been organized az q
county, with Grand Rapids as the county
seat. This town derives its name from the
rapids in the river, where it is ninety feet in
width and three or four feet deep, with banks
over fifteen feet high, which will give head
of over twelve feet. This is the first water
power south of Jamestown. Grand Rapids is
well laid out and has already good settle
ment tributary to it.
sTUTsMAN COUNTY
was organized in the early spring of 1878, the
first election for county officers taking place
the following June. The panic of that year
affected its progress and it was not until 1877
that the first successful farm was started and
the first harvester and threshing machine
brought into use. AS soon as the marvellous
success of crops grown in the county was
demonstrated by the receipt of the first
premium at the St. Paul fair in 1879, settlers
became plentiful and the growth of the county
c,noe hos haen rand md a inorAo e;nov ~on