Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-05-15
IPhs Home Of The Brave and The Free,
NOT A BOOM BUT SUBSTANTIAL.
Col. Towner's Foresight in Selecting
Site for a City.
WONDERFUL IN DEVELOPING.
But the Location and Soil Justify All
the Progress and More


history and family tradition no doubt can In
form us. There may have been soldiers, states
men and priests who have shed luster upon it
by deeds of heroism, words of eloquence or
lives of spotless purity. That the name has
never been borne unworthily assert without
fear of contradiction, but, gentle reader,
state nothing less than facts when say that
the man who has shed more luster up
on it than allAhe rest, does not bear the name
himself. The man who has made the name
famous, has put it into the mouths OF people
who otherwise would have lived and died
without pronounciug it. who has made
it familiar everywhere, who has spoken 1t
oftenest, praised 1t most, and who loves 1t
best, never did nor never will be called by 1t.
Larimore. What is there in name? What
is there in this name which causes everyone
who hears it to repeat it in tones of inquiry
or wonderment? I will tell you, reader Of the
GLOBE. 1t is because the best town in the
great Northwest has been endowed with 1t.
1t is because so much has been said about its
wonderful and unprecedented growth, of the
unsurpassed beauty aud fertility of its sur
rounding country, of its brilliant and IN
equivocal future, and for the grant chance it
offers to the honest and Industrious citizen to
build home and establish a business within
its borders.
And where is the town of Larimore, which
is occupying the attention of the public so
undoubtedly?
It is located IN the heart Of the Elk valley,
Grand Forks county, D. 7.
And what Is the Elk Valley you ask? l rise
to explain,
THE ELK VALLEY.
The Red river valley is bounded on the west
from beyond the national line south wards
TO point near the southern line OF Grand
Forks county, by line of hills called the
Pembina mountains which finally at the point
mentioned lose their identity In the level prairie
In these mountains or hills numerous streams,
the Goose, Turtle, Park and Others find their
sources and flowing eastward join the Red.
At the foot of these hills aud between tie
Park and the Goose rivers exists a sort Of
plateau or high rolling prairie elevated some
what from the Red river val
ley proper and separated from
it by q strip or ridge of high sandy ground,
narrow aud well-deined. Within these nat
ural boundaries this valley (so-calied) stretch
es out in scene of the most enhancing aud
rapturous beauty. IG was here where the
feed was rich and rank aud the water pure
and sweet that the elk and antelope used to
congregate in vast herds, and viewing thus it
was called the Elk Valley. It is some twenty
five miles in width and forty miles long north
aud south, and its lovely and enhancing as
pect would make craven image burst forth
into rapturous praise of its incompatible love-
illness. As stood and ga5sd about me or
rode along over Its level expanse, noted the
farms being opened here aud there
and the neat, trim cottages of
the settlers dotting its surface, when ex-
amined and tested Its soil and found it to be
remarkable for its richness and depth, when |
reflected that home and competency could
be acquired here with simple industry and a
nominal fee OF fifteen dollars to the govern
msnt, wondered to myself that everybody
did not come to this modern Eldorado, this
land that God made so much superior to other
lands and which wise government bestows
thus literally upon Its citizens who will make
their residence upon 1t.
WHO DISCOVERED IT.
The original discoverer OF Elk valley was
no doubt "poor Lo," but as usual with his
kind he only used it to chase elk, deer
and antelope over and the only marks
he has left are the whitening bones of the
animals he slew, more noble in their nature
than he. The first white mon who was cap
tlvated by it's beauty, and who determined to
possess at least part OF it, was Col. o. M.
Towner, Of st. Louis. This gentleman had
traversed much of Dikots, and, in fact, the
Northwest, IN search OF home; and as he
cast his eve over this splendid stretch of coun-
try, and noted its every feature, he knew at
once that the Elk valley was what he was
looking after. Locating himself st once, he
soon returned to St. Louis, where in a very
short space OF time he organized what is
now known as the Elk Valley Farm company,
with cash capital all paid up of
two hundred thousand dollars $500 600.
The company was organized for the legitimate
purpose OF engaging in wheat farming and in
settling and developing the country. When
man knows he has good thing and Is of a
liberal, cheerful disposition he wants all his
friends at least to share il with him. The
colonel came on and went to work building
buildings and opening O farm, buying what
additional land he wanted of original pur-
chasers from the government. There was no
railroad land to be gobbled up with bonds in
one vast tract. Every acre was obtained by
direct purchase, Not coUtent, however, with
enjoying it all by himself, he must needs pub
lish the name and fame of this favored region
abroad, AID with such convincing power
that people began to throng thitherward by
the scores, then by hundreds and then by
thousands. Last December the 1T. Iotten
branch of the St. 4, II. & NJ. reached the
valley, and town became not only possible,
but necessary. The Elk Valley Farm COM
pany at once proceeded to plat half section
Of land which Mr.. Towner, in honor of two
gentlemen, members of the company, named
LARIMoRE,
and hence my remarks at the outset. The
point at which this, soon to be, city was To-
Gated, is just twenty eight miles west from
Grand Forks, in the county of the same name,
In section Z, township Isl, range 81, and Sec
ton 70, township Isl, range IS. 1t is laid out
with its avenues running north and south and
It's streets east aud west, resting on the st. P,
NJ. & NJ. on the south, and intersected
aud crossedby the Casselton branch Of the
n. P. r. r. The first train of cars arrived
on December 1, last, at which time there was
nots single honse to mark the spot, so that
the LSrimore Of to-day is but Eve months
r{1fe he fhcfN III efriHen fhe