The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-10-04
A TRIP OVER THE NORTHERN
PACIFIC r. r.

ED. PLOT:-ln the early stages OF
protracted trip over this great line of
rail road, our attention was principally
directed to Dakota, the land of boundless
prairies of vast wheat fields and of BOOM
ers. There is nothing particularly at
tractive to be seen in that portion OF
Minnesota traversed by the road. 1t is
for the most part covered with shrubbery
and is difficult to clear. Sometimes the
monotony of the view is broken by
strip of prairie land and sometimes ''oak
openings" are struck. The soil is for
the most part sandy and the country is
somewhat rough. On the whole this
portion of Minnesota is not good farm
ing country and will not be settled for
some time to come. As you near the
Dakota line you see nothing but prairie
on which some farming is done, but very
little.
We feel as though we were treading
on forbidden ground when we attempt
to speak of Dakota. Our observations
were confined to the northern part, and
it is of that portion of the territory we
propose to speak. We think no place
in the world is misrepresented more than
this place has been. The reason is obvi-
Gus. Land agents, rail road companies,
professional and business men, and all
property holders there are vitality inter-
ested in the rapid development of the
country. They desire to make it appear
paradise, a second garden of Eden
Every point that may tell in its favor is
set forth in an exaggerated and distorted
form. The powers of Rhetoric are ex-
hausted to infame the mind of the pros
pective emigrant, and apparently respect
able newspapers are subsidized for
booming SO that every avenue through
which reliable news might be obtained
is cut off. Every disagreeable feature of
the country is carefully suppressed SO
that from reading an account of Dakota,
about all you get is an extremely exag-
gerated one sided story of it. On the
other hand, those who have been there
and run down the country are generally
as immoderate as those who take oppo-
site views. 1t not infrequently happens
that after the mind of the intended emil
grant has been wrought to certain pitch
of expectation, a reaction sets in. When
he gets to Dakota he finds no land flow
ing with milk and honey. When be
comes to pay 75c. meal for victuals, 25c.
for shave, and SO on, the idea will
probably strike him that the denizens of
Dakota are quite mercenary. He loses
the comforts and conveniences of home
and has to suffer privations, and at this
stage it is not difficult for him to get dis
gusted. When he goes back the desire
is natural that he should justify his &C.
ton to his friends and this is usually
done by adopting the tactics of the
boomers. The good features of the
country are lost sight of and undue
prominence is given to the disagreeable
ones. We have written this for the pur-
pose of showing how unreliable any IT,
formation is that is not obtained by a
personal visit to the country. Every
country has its drawbacks, and North
ern Dakota certainly has it's share of
them. 1t is subject to drouth, its win
tiers are long and severe, its summers are
excessively hot; it is hard to get water
in many portions of it; frosts set in early;
wheat is about the only crop that can be
raised; everything that the farmer has
to buy is exceedingly dear; the produce
he has to sell is cheap; grain is often
greatly damaged by hail, and the country
is frequently visited by cyclones.
About the only thing that is cheap is
land and that can be got for almost moth.
ing. Perhaps nearly all the disagreeable
features of Dakota are to be found in
Wisconsin or others, are just as bad
We believe that no country in the world
produces finer wheat or better yield to
the acre than Northern Dakota, when
the year is favorable. The farms are
large. The soil for the most part is fer.
tile. 1t is not uncommon to see hun
dreds of acres of wheat growing in one
piece, neither is it to see one or two
steam threshers working in one field
threshing wheat from the shock while
several teams are at the same time at
work blowing the portion Of the fc,,d
that may be cleared.
The owner Of large farm, if he has
enough to start him, can by judicious
management, make money. A small
farm there is nat of much account, the
out goes are apt to be equal to or greater
than the income. The laborer who has
saved up some money could perhaps do
no better than go to Dakota and take I'D
as much land as be possibly could. The
same is true OF a man owning a small
farm further east who wishes to provide
for his family. But our impression is
that the man who owns comfortable
home in Manitowoc county and wishes
to enjoy his present comforts continu-
ously had better remain where he is
If he goes to Dakota he can make up his
mind before he starts that he will have
to suffer privations and bardships that
he little dreams of, and before any one
would think of selling out here with the
intention of going there he should by all
means go and see the place first.
One Of the greatest natural curiosities
which we saw while there was the great
war chief of the Sioux Indians, Sitting
Bull. He and some of the other high
dignitaries of his tribe were off on a
pleasure trip. All the party were gaudily
attired and painted. Sitting Bull him
self was the most unpretentious of the
party in dress and appearance. He wore
high plug hat which was decorated with
feathers, blue breeches, linen shirt and
had blanket thrown loosely around his
person. His moccasins and tobacco
pouch were decorated with beads in D