New-York tribune., 1882-04-08
NORTHERN DAKOTA.

GLIMPSE OF THE GREAT WHEAT REGIoN-LocAL
INDUSTRIES UNDEvELOPED-THE LUMBER QUEs-
TION.
[FRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT oPTHE rhihuNLl
GRAND Forks, Oak, March 20.-That one is
here well toward that region where explorers and ex-
podtiona disappear s indicated by the great Southern
dcclenson Of the and by the unusual brightness OF
the northern lights. This conviction Is still further HI
pressed by the beautiful prairie mirage, when ~ quite
wonderful as that Of the desert In the carry
morning of clear frosty day. can sec houses "oos
and other objects thirty forty miles away fted INTO
the air and made perfectly visible. On recent morning
when the Thermometer indicated 3OS below zero driving
into this city. l saw the town OF Cr0okston
and train OF moving toward II, potn
in Minnesota some thirty miles away.
This beautiful phenomenon s made still more brilliant
by the addition at times. of inverted picture answer
ing tree for for honse to the ono below
Notwithstanding these things. orc might easily imagine
himself upon the plains of Southern Minnesota or North
Iowa little does the climate parake OF the ira
dtona Iigors Of the region where the boys tree7e pieces
Of ice to their feet FOR skates while the natives ndlmmi
grants perform their morning ahutions In BOILING water
10 prevent s freeing their faces. Though this may
he considered exceptional winter yet the yearly mean
Temperature is ACE above zero, corresponding TO
Central Wisconsin, Michigan ani NcS-fork. with
the tcnperaurc "a low as 15o, the cold is quite
endurabo cf the dryncss Of the atmosphere
outdoor work il being carried On ms in 1s79 when
from December to March fifty buildings were erected
and many roofs sneel. with the temperature zoe he
low zero there being litile or no suffering.
Until recently. when the northern tier Of townships
was taken 20 form part Cf county, tlis county of
Grand Forks the st in the Territory. II vas
nearly square foriycigt by hty-threc miles
comprising larger than Rhode Island
Almost every mere Of this vast is sus-
cept.bc OF cultivation. several considerable streams
fhp fnl Ia on
Amid all The advantage II this region there s
drawback. which. however T. being overcome. One
IS here reminded Of the surroundings o; The Ancient
Mariner
"Watcr, watcr everywhere,
And not drop 10 drink"
Water be had anywhere hy digging from four to
six feet. hut neither man nor animals il. and
hence resort is bad 20 Tie rivers and ciserns But for
tunatciy Tie d0icnly extends only over small terri
tory
Grand Forks is county scat ana The principal town
in this whole region. Leaving Fargo, ono
travels uorthward for eighty miles sec
ing very fcw improvements in the way
of lwdncs ON either side OF the railway stretches
o. unbroken prairie large tracts o; frrrowcd land
But who has poIghed them where the owners are, e
mystery. Almoat cattle Visible, while now and
then solitary team is passed, II creeps along
track IN the grass which serves n roadway The
train stops The Tame Of station I. c1lci, but where
the statonhousc the town may be discover.
But al length the reaches end rOutc
rolls into a large busy town of 3.OOc nhabi'ants-a
most thousand for each year Of It's history.
Tie town has slrung from the actu1l needs Of the
country. While the through Canadian travel goes
down the side Of the r. this il the distributing
point for Northern Dakota, and carloads after car
leads # spectators and settlers continually com
ing in. As yet there few manuf1c-
tories here, but good trade 4. maintained
il all departments. Several movements foot
for the establishment Of various Institutions which
will add materially to The prosperity of the town and
surrounding country At present all The nccessarics Of
imported. making, with high rentals te cost OF
living very high Most OF the rouru.cd here Is manufac
iurcd abroad-hc wheat shipped ont aud -four brought
back Not Only all groceries and dry goods brought
not enough stock supply the local market and
milk il great rarity Lumber s all brought from Min
ncapos still water, Mimi. or from points even further
away, while lOcs arc rn r-ht past here to winnipeg.
The interest Of this entire region ls now centred On
movement prevent the nTtatiOE OF these logs and
TO oppose the passage OF Congressman Washhur's Pre-
tmptlOn and Pine aUd bills Both are declared by their
Ouohcnts to he movements IN the interest Of the Mime
apois Lumber Ring and exceedingly iniquitous In the
efforts OF The lumber interest 10 IosseSs Itself OF pine
as he has been able to select his land |
and hold 1t in spite o. all their efforts 70 |
disoigc him ard not seldom las nc been found in the
very centre II stretch Oftinber which they would
gladly possess themselves Of II he can be gotten rid Of
here VIII obstacle I'm the way getting tract
embraced in this bill comprise al the pine lands not al
ready the market possessed OF these ii II claimed
that they VIII have monopoly OF the entire business
Therefore many leading here are anxious Or the de-
II the movement and the Chamber OF Commerce pf
this city has addressed 10 the President. members of
both hoses of Congress, and Gc officials Washington
wordcd letter Of remonstrance against the
la - Oi the bill