Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-23
NORTH DAKOTA.
Points About the Coming State Of
the Great Northwest.
The Place Where Young Men Of
Energy Make Fortunes in
One Year.
Fargo Cor. Jacksonville lilll Courier.

Fargo Cor. Jacksonville (llll Courier.
/ have just returned from North.
ern Pacific railway expedition TO
jamestown, the future capital of
North Dakota, charmngly situated on
the east bank OF James river and
most happily surrounded By ranges OF
handsomely sloping hills, one OF
which is already designated as Capitol
Hill. 1t is a bright, new place of
about $500 population, and the hope
of 10000 in five years. Out from
Fargo to uasselton the broad Red
river valley seems as fiat and smooth
as a floor 1t is all demonstrated"
lost the same, and the little ten By
twelve settlers homes" are as
numerous MS prairie dog houses upon
the Western Kansas plains as far as
the eye can reach upon either side.
At Oasselton the lands are higher up
in the world, and bear closer re
semblanci to eur gently undulating
Illinois prairie lands. This chsrac
ter OF country continues almost as
Tar west as Bismarck, when the lands
become broken, hilly and sandy.
As the railroad crosses Cheyenne
river at Valley City, and James river
at jamestown, we find the only excep
tions to the general levelness. The
Red river lands are the richest, but
those OF the Cheyenne and James
river regions are quite equal to our
Jersy and Pike county lands in Hi
nois The soil is easily pulverized,
and the very finest potatoes are raised
after sod blowing. 1t is also we'll
adapted for producing prolific crops OF
the best wheat and oats. The dwell
lers claim that these grains are pro
duced at the rate of from twenty to
forty aud from fifty to one hundred
bushels per acre, according to the
sowing That is to say, the more
profu .ely it is sown the more prolific
will be the yield.
AS far as | could see the true claim
settlers" are making but slow progress,
but the homesteaders have the ground
turned over everywhere. At all of tie
railway stations there have been
erected large steam grain elevators,
and these are now kept busy at all
p5iass. AL! Of these elevators, we are
told, have been erected l'y the Mime
apolis mill companies, showing to
what extent the grand water power is
drawing upon this entire region. In
every direction, through the snow and
cold weather, we saw the teams and
sleds coming to these elevators laden
with the plumply filled wheat sacks in
larger loads than could be hauled up.
on our Illinois roads. All over these
prairies the threshing machines and
| the agricultural machinery generally
are standing out 10 the open wealth.
er. Everything is out Of doors
except the jewellers aud the farm
stock. The people stick close to their
little huts, and the horses and cattle
are kept in their half buried, low and
fat prairie barns A two story
house or clever barn is the exception
10 the rule. The country is too new
to expect much in the way of regular
farm improvements. 1t will be
several years before it can be expected
that the country will look improved
outside Of the towns. There are no
trees anywhere except the small
natural groves of water elms to be
found nestled at exceptional points
below the hills which skirt the river.
There are no fences on the farm lands,
and it is rarely the case that fence
surrounds the best improved town lots.
| One can take near cuts between houses
and across blocks without respect Ia
sidewalks.
Next to the American element
comes the Scandinavian in all this
northwest region. There are large
numbers of Germans. French and
Irish in the various settlements. The
half>breed indians are as scarce as
Cinnamon. People in the States who
have an idea that the country is over
run with Indians, will be surprised
to learn that there are noue except in
the extreme portions. where they are
confined to their reservations. Va
left home with many kindly admoni.
tons to beware Of the Indians, and "a
keep at a distance from the deer
,nows and out Of range Of the biz.
yards.
At st. Paul and Milwaukee | saw
a few half. breed Indians and an occa-
sional Cbinaman, and in these re-
moter districts | have felt quite a.
little concern about my scal[
as | would upon the public
square in Jacksonville. The frs
snow came about ten days since, anC
although we have had alternate days
Of sunshine and snow every twenty.
| four hours since, and passable sleigh
| ing from the first to the present time
the whole has not aggregated six
inches, but it is Of the drifting kind
and in some places where it 6ndl
lodgment, it is waist deep. In the cu,l
along the railways it has been neces
sary for the engines to pillow through
atfording much fun for the spectators
Railways are being projected anc
I 4