Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-23
A Washington BOY on Hts Travels
Life i'm the Great NOrthyvest-Scenes
and Adventures Incident to Holding
Down q Government Land Claim.
rrespondence Of The EVENING STAR.

the unusual climatic advantages for the cultiva-
ton of cereal crops. To give your readers some
little conception ofthe extent ofthis vast territory
| l will state that the area Of Dakota is larger
than the combined areas of Maine, New Hamp-
| shire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut. New York, New Jersey Della
ware and West Virginia, with balance Of terri
| tory sufficient to make state So times larger
than the District of Columbia. Dakota besides
| has enough area to make q kingdom larger than
Great Britain and Ireland and half Of Holland.
This immense territory is at present governed
| by an appointee of the Chief Executive at Wash
ingtOn, N. G. Ordway.
| THE GROWTH OF DAKOTA.
Inasmuch as the attention of the whole coun-
try has been drawn to the demand of Dakota
for admission into the union of states it will be
of interest to many to learn of her population.
In 1850 there were but 1897 persons resident in
Dakota; in 1870, 14.1S1, and in 1880 something
like $4,000. Since the taking Of the last census
the latter number has been largely augmented
| by steady flow Of immigration into this cOun-
| try. The railroad traffic has grown to enormous
proportions. In 1872 there was not single rail-
road running into the territory. To-day there are
| three companies. whose lines are rapidly max
ing spiders-web appearance of the broad ex-
panse OF rolling prairie land. To the Chicago
and Northwestern, and Chicago, Milwaukee and
st. Paul railroads belong the credit Of the great
Dakota boom. The rush to Dakota in the past
| three years has been unprecedented in the his
| tory of American colonization.
| Naturally the question arises in the minds of
the curious eastern folk what is the of this
| extraordinary rush here. Residents of Washing
ton have the facilities at hand, in the office Of
| the commissioner of public lands, to acquire Q
| knowledge of the why and wherefore 1t Is the
| prospect of getting four hundred and eighty
acres Of public land that induces people to
come to Dakota. Under the land laws per-
son over twenty-one years Of age can take up
| three land grants, viz: A presumption grant,
| 16O acres of land, which requires occupancy by
| the person for six months, and at the eXpra-
| ton OF that time payment to the government OF
! $780, which IS exactly S1.25 per acre; home
stead, 160 acres. which requires five years resi-
dence only and the payment of land office fees,
and timber claim of 100 acres. which has Ger
| tain regulations of law to the cultivation of
| the tract, which can easily be complied with by
| the claimant.
| BIG LAND BUSINESS.
Some idea can be had of the extent of the land
business in Dakota by the increase in the num-
Der of clerks in the general land Office at Wash
ingtOn. For the year 1888 the business in the
various land offices throughout Dakota has been
unprecedented, taxing the officers In charge to
their utmost capacity in meeting the great pres
sure OF claimants seeking land.
Having introduced your readers to the coun-
| try and the nature OF the motives which are in
ducing many to come from all quarters of the
United States and Europe will give hurried
sketch of Dakota characteristics, touching briefly
on the people, and the scenes incident to a camp
life In the broad prairie lands
HOW ONE GETS TO DAKOTA.
| The entrance to this vast domain is made
| through Chicago, though there is alar ge amount
| Of travel which comes into northern Dakota at
| Fargo, by way of ST. Paul and northern Wiscon-
sin. By system of skillful and shrewd adver-
Using both railroads obtain heavy Transports
ton of immigrants and freight. In this connec-
ton 1t may be Of interest to state that during
the period commencing March Is, 1883, and
ending April 18, 1888, 1874 freight cars, carrying
| In the neighbOrhOOd of four and one-nalf mil
lions Of pounds of merchandise, consisting
mainly OF emigrant movables and stock. has
been received at and for people in Clark.
| Those who come here find land Of school
houses and churches; railroads and splendid mar
kets push and energy; good society and en-
| lightenment. It would surprise those resident
In the east to know the large number of young
men In Dakota 1t Is clear demonstration of
the fact that the old and already thoroughly
| developed country east ia no place for Young
men OF enterprise and ambition in any of the
pursuits. The reason ia clearly explained by the
| fact that 1t is almost impossible for young men
without capital or influence to compete success
fully with men already established in business.
| CONCERNING CLARK
Prominent among the towns of central Dakota
is Clark, the county seat of Clark county, al
ready one of the richest in this section of the
territory. Its history may be of interest mas
much as 1t is iair sample of the western towns
Of mushroom growth" The village of Clark
was laid out on paper early in MAY, 1882 but
| nothing was done toward building the town
until June, when the first building was erected
| On the site where one year ago not sign of
| civilization had appeared now stands one of the
| most thriving and beautiful villages in the land.
Its warehouses and grain elevators receiving
| the products OF the surrounding farms and its
| numerous and extensive business houses fur
| nshing articles of use and ornament in return
| To-day the population is something like 800, and
| the wholesale and retail trade Of the town is
| done by forty business firms During the one
wear OF Clark's existence $50 buildings have been
! erected. besides large number of business
| blocks.
! AS already said, the main object of a visit to
| Dakota is in the interest of government land,
and 1t is astonishing how rapidly the land is
being taken up. 1t is predicted by the land OFF,
GERS that before fall the entire country east of
the Missouri will be taken up by settlers This
great influx Of people has, Of course. materially
| increased the population OF Ia, 400 square
miles. which has induced many of the prominent
| political leaders OF Dakota to seek to gain the
admission Of our territory into the Union
1t being the prevailing opinion that the pre-
| emptiOn law will be repealed during this COM
Ing Congress, . great many, in fact the major
! ity, take out q pre-empti0n entry and tree
| claim together, and then, at the expiration of
| six months, move out ON the former and take
up homestead claim. But to take up a home
| stead forfeits the right to take upa presumption
| claim.
1t was this great privilege of acquiring good
public land and to take peep at the country in
the great northwest that caused your cores
pondent to take the journey of something like
eighteen hundred miles from the home of his
| childhood and high priced gas to the land of
two seasons. Dakota has no spring and au-
tumn, but lawyers and doctors are thicker than
| politicians around Washington
The eastern people who get discouraged here
because they do not find the persons they meet
| to be Of teachable character, and who come to
Dakota expecting to dig gold up in the streets
and XIII their game already dressed and cooked,
| are styled by the Dakotans ''tenderfeet."
THE DAKOTA '.RUsTLERs."
The people themselves bear the suggestive
title Of '.Iustlers." And don't they deserve
their title2 A gentleman at my elbow has lust
told me funny incident Of an eastern mans
experience, who climbed into . tree after a
l dav'e HINT fO hQ tina rooehnP