The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1884-08-23
DICKINSON.
The County Seat of Stark County,
Presents its Balance Sheet to
The World.
A Most Brilliant RecOrd-Sixty Bushels
to the Acre-Its Past, Present
and Future.

/
to the Acre-Its Past, Present
and Future.
1t must indeed be gratifying to
those who are most deeply interested
in the welfare and progress of Dick
inson to look back and note the phe-
nomenal growth achieved during the
last two years.
The earliest remembrance the writ
Ell now has of this now flourishing
town dates back to 1881, when the
place was known as Pleasant Valley.
a most appropriate designation for
the pleasantest spot Oh the Missouri
division of the Northern Pacific rail-
road. A tent hotel. superintended by
Mr.. Messersmitl, coupled with Thos.
Kurtz's supply stores, then made up
the town. And as the mixed trains
(there were no distinctive passenger
trains running at that time) pulled
into this oasis, the race of the hungry
passengers for seats at the first table
would to-day make many a hotel man
turn green with envy. Before the
year closed, however, the Hon. w. S
Dickinson, of Malone, N. Y, acquired
the townsite from the railroad COM
pany and it's name was changed to
Dickinson.
The town is beautifully situated on
a plateau and commands a pretty
view from almost any portion of the
same. 1t borders on the Heart river,
which at all times Of the year affords
an ample supply of water for all pur.
poses. Dickinson is situated ITO
miles west Of Bismarck, and midway
between that city and Glendive.
1t is the end Of the freight division
of the Northern Pacific railroad,
which in itself has greatly added to
the substantial growth of the town.
The first settlers to cast their lot at
this now so promising point were A.
Messersmith, Eph. Seaman, Mike
Cuskelly, Geo. Auld, John McDon.
ough and M. Lenneville. The town
was plated in 1889, and to Geo. Auld
belongs the honor of purchasing the
first town lots, paying 1850 and 1905
for the same in September, 1882.
While the few, who had implicit
faith III Dickinson's future did not
find immediate accessions to their
happy family, a regular building
boom struck the town in the spring
of 1883, when the sound of the ham
mer bespoke of fast approaching
prosperity. In addition to this the
Northern Pacific commenced the
erection of elaborate round houses
and machine shops, investing $3.50, 200
in their various Improvements. The
town of Dickinson fourished as nev.
er before, and capital found it's way
thither in many way. New stores
loomed up everywhere and handsome
private residences began to adorn
the upper portion of the town. Two
churches were built, a school started
and families of the most intelligent
class were glad to make Dickinson
their home. From little hamlet a
city sprang up which to-day boasts of
a population of 700 inhabitants.
RESOURCES.
| Of these Dickinson has many. Be.
sides being railroad town, some
$4,000 to $4,000 being paid out at this
point every month by the railroad
company, it is the center of the finest
agricultural and stock raising coun-
try west of the Missouri. AS to the
farming interests it pre-eminently is
entitled to the blue ribbon, as an i'll
spection of it's vast fields of grain
will readily testify. While i'll 1883
only 900 acres were under cultivation,
this season crops, and heavy ones
will be harvested off 1000 acres of
the richest soil in Dakota. The most
noteworthy of these farms, and Ell
titled to favorable mention, are
THE DICKINSON FARM.
This valuable piece of property is
being managed by MI. II. L. Dickin-
son, most genial and competent
manager. The Dickinson farm this
season has 500 acres in crop, viz: oats,
wheat, barley and millet, and is by
all odds a model establishment.
Everything moves like clock work
and the neatness and cheerfulness
pervading the entire farm reflects the
greatest credit upon the manager.
This year the oat crop will average
fully 60 bushels to the acre, not a bad
showing for western Dakota. just
now the harvesters are busy at work
and the panorama which one beholds
in watching the interesting scene is
worthy OF a Rafael. Mr.. Dickinson
superintends everything in person.
A very instructive feature of his
farm is the successful cultivation OF
trees around his buildings. which
show rapid and healthy growth up.
on somewhat inferior soil. even. To
miss visiting this farm about harvest
time is to lose one of the greatest
Il {l>r