The Dickinson press., 1883-07-21
Dakota Saturday, 81 1888
THE NEW WEST.

What it is--What it will be-Why it
BOOms.
Dakota Farmer.
Much has been said and written
about Dakota. One cannot pick up
paper-east, west, north or south
but there is something said about
this great northwest territory. Face
tious editors have tried to rilicule
the country by publishing extrava-
CANT stories about the soil. climate,
and general character of the country
calling it the "Banana Belt" and the
"Goose Orchard;" but the fact re-
mains that Dakota has climate
much less rigorous than Minnesota or
northern Iowa; soil unsurpassed for
fertility, even in the famous valley of
Ohio, or the corn region of Illinois.
and is as beautiful a prairie country
as the sun ever shone upon. The
endless tide of settlers that is pouring
in to occupy the free homes of the
territory-the thousands of excursion.
lists and tourists who are visiting the
country, all testify to the grandly
beautiful country, the fertility of the
soil, and the mildness and healthful-
ness of the climate. Dakota was
once supposed to be a rainless en-
panse of dry, sterile plains. capable of
sustaining only meagre populations
of Indians, who lived along the rivers.
II such were the facts. there has been
a remarkable climatic change within
the last twenty-five years. The rain
fall of Dakota now is sufficient for all
practicable farm purposes, coming as
it does, at the season of the year
when it is most needed. The rainy
season commences in April, and con-
tinues through May, June and July,
embracing the four growing months
of the year. There are usually a few
rainy days in September and October,
but the fall is season of bright,
clear days, and still, star.lit nights.
The cold, dreary, rainy days of the
eastern states are unknown in this re-
gion. The people who are settling in
this favored spot are not lunatics nor
land-sharks, but they represent the
most enterprising, energetic clements
Of the older states. They come out
to this new country simply because
they wish to better their condition.
and having once seen the country,
and tested it's climate and soil, moth
ing can induce them to return to
their old homes in the eastern states.
Many Of them owned valuable farms
and beautiful houses, but they sold
them, and came here. In conversing
with one of this class, the question
was asked "What induced you to
sell your farm in Illinois, and leave
home where you were doing well
enough. and come out to this new
coumtry!" The answer he gave will
stand for a large number Of men sit
uated as he was. Said he: ''My farm
was too valuable for me to own.
I had too much money locked up in
the land and Improvements to realize
anything above very small per cent.
OH the investment; so l sold out for
$50 per acre, loaded a car with house.
hold goods, another with my teams
and farming tools, came on, got a
farm for nothing, twice as large as
my old one, and had the money for
my home in Illinois to build a better
house here and buy more stock, and
i'm five years my home here will he
worth double the money that the old
place was worth" That is the rca-
son so many men are leaving good
homes to settle in q new country.
Farming lands are too high in most
of the eastern states to make farming
Il very profitable business. so the eyes
of the whole United States are turned
to the valuable free homes of Dakota.
There is room for thousands yet, and
not until the whole vast area of
Dakota is occupied by actual settlers.
will the rush of immigration cease.
or the country cease to boom.