St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-24
ASHTON.
a Beautiful and Thriving City. Lo-
Gated in the Heart Of Sphinx, the
Richest Coenty in Dakota.
This Region one Of Natures Best Productions
Her Rich, Black Soil Raises
Crops as Good as Gold.
Especial Correspondence of the Globe. |

oEANh AOOAI1s
In writing of Sphinx county / shall only
aim to voice the sentiments Of all that have
visited it. There are instances where people
nave been misled by the articles written and
published in newspapers and different
pamphlets sent cut By railroad companies to
advertise certain localities in the grand terri
tory OF Dakota. Such articles are detrime rt
to any country. They are written simply for
one purpose, that, to get people TO come
west and locate in certain portions of Da-
kota where land sharks are waiting to get
the peoples money, and then laugh at them
for being such fools. But / have visited this
county several times, and can truthfuly say
it is the Eden of this wonderland" for
Dakota is a wonderland" A country tina
has been settled SO rapidly aud its resources
developed as fast, is certainly wonderful. Its
equal is not. A few short years ago this
country WAS scarcely known; known only BY
the red men, and they loved it, and it would
be strange if they did not. They have been
compelled to give 1t up, but they did so with
desperate struggle.
THE SOIL.
The soil of this beautiful county of SPHINX
is the richest in the famous Jim" river
valley. 1t is rich, black. sandy loan, its
depth varying from eighteen inches to six
feet. 1t is uuderlaid by sandy clay, i'm
pregnated with lime and magnetic, which
has moved strong fertilizer. 1t is remark
able how it retains its moisture, so much so
that drouth is almost impossible It has
been enriched for an endless number of
years past by the ash or decay of rank yege-
tation. In some of the older states where
the land has lost its richness it has to be re-
enriched by land plaster or some other pro-
cess. This needs nothing Of the kind. For
ages it has been thus enriched by the yearly
burning OF the broad prairies. There is no
sandy desert here as many used to suppose,
no coctus, no sage brush, but a beautiful
rolling prairie that raises yearly one Of the
finest crops of grass of any country under
the sun. To-day there is no roaming herds
of buffalo as in years past; to-day the war
whoop OF the American Indian is not heard
as of yore, and they are scarcely ever seen.
But in their stead is seen the vast herds of
native cattle quietly grazing, and the white
man is seen tilling the rich soil that has
waited so many years for bis coming
How different the scene. Once a scene
of bloodshed, now scene of peace and hap
piness. Once nothing was seen growing but
grass, now yearly broad acres of wheat, oats,
corn, barley, flax, potatoes and garden veg
etables are raised. 'FThe crops raised here
now are of the best quality, even surprising
those raised in eastern states. 1t is an adj
TniffnH fao fbaf oil Of i, L.
comes from Dakota. can remember when
people did not think corn could be raised
successfully in Minnesota or northern Iowa
Now they raise immense cropsr Now the
Inhabitants of that country think corn can
not be raised in Dakota, but such is not thes
fact. There is raised yearly in Dakota as
hne corn as in any country, and raised with
perfect safety. Thousands of bushels OF corn
and even beans were raised here in Sphinx
county last season.
All the government land has long since
been taken in this county, but good decided
land can be bought for from SIS to SIS per
acre. Accomplishments can be had for some
less. The coming season will be golden
opportunity for eastern farmers to procure
land for these figures, after that they will
have to go farther west
The farmers that settled here four wears
ago are now in comfortable circumstances,
and there is none that will sell at sacrifice
for another crop will put them in fine shape.
Every farmer is going into stock raising as
rapidly as possible. This season, hundreds
of head Of cattle have been shipped from
Ashton.
The land in Sphinx county can nearly all
be titled. That portion that cannot be furn-
ishes immense crops Of hay, and the hay
raised here is the most nutritious of any
country, stock live on hay alone all win ter
and come out in the spring in fine order q
farmer quite frequently put up hay enough
on his land, when sold at "a per ton, to pay
the government for his patent.
WATER.
There are several beautiful streams of pure
eold water that cross the county in different
directions. The famous ''Jimn river of
which so much has been said, is the princi-
pal stream. 1t crosses the county from
north to south. The stream is narrow but
deep. Its banks are fringcd with young
trees, growing very rapidly since the country
has become settled and the fires kept out.
Snake creek is another beautiful little
stream winding its way through the country.
1t got its name no doubt from being SO
crooked.
Foster. These creeks run in diff
erent directions and furnish water
that is pure for many herds of
cattle. There is not county in the territory
30 well watered by streams as is SPHINX. And
the fact that such vast amount of hay is
raised and there being such excellent graz
ing in all parts of the county. Sphinx county
is bound to become one of the richest stock
raising counties in the territory.
CLIMATE
There w9s time when the people of the
eastern states supposed that all the weather
Dakota had was winter weather, made up
of blizzards and blockades, aud there are
Bome that still think so: so for their special
benefit, 1 will say that the climate in this
portion of Dakota can not be surpassed In
stead of the long and disagreeable winters
viii say the winters are less than three
months duration and the old time blizzard
has disappeared, owing no doubt to the
denseuess of population. This country
scarcely ever has great amount of snow.
can remember twenty-five years ago when
southern Minnesota was considered, SO the
eastern people said, country where they
ha three months winter and nine months
awful cold weather. Now the people Of Min
nesota think the same of this country. But
such is not the case, the winters here are
shorter and warmer than they have in Min
nesota, and the summers beautiful beyond
description. The summer breeze IS health