The Dickinson press., 1884-04-05
GRAND COUNTRY,
As Seen by DIR. s. Pelton Of Frederick
CITY. Md.

~ Va VA
City, Nd.
Dickinson, D. T. April 3. 1884
Editor Dickinson Press.
l thank you for permission to cor.
respond with my friends east through
the columns of your paper, and l
trust my friends will receive the pa
pers sent instead of a written CORES
pondence, us l find it impossible to
find time to write all the letters l
promised. 1 left Frederick City, Md.
oath ult. at $40 A. NJ. by the Pa. Il.
r. Found ice and snow banks along
the Jnniata in Pennsylvania. Ar
rived at st. Paul about noon on the
Goth. Country bare of snow, except
drifts. Found the 10 nearly gone
from Fargo to Jamestown, Dakota,
yet a few sleighs running in the soft
snow and black mud. Fields nearly
bare at Steele and quite 81 at Bis
marck, except drifts. Found the
farmers blowing and seeding this side
of the Missouri river. About this
town they had been blowing several
days. and are O pushing their seed
ing. with land in fine order. The
country north, south and west of here
to Bclfeld is one of remarkable beau
ty geographically, and is properly
named Pleasant valley. The bottom
lands of the Heart river are about a
half mile wide. The river winds
gently from bluff to bluff, forming Il
series of letter SIS in q channel deep
enough to prevent any possible ovcr.
flow. with banks of clay that 40 not
wash; it has a quick current and is
fordable, except at high water. On
each side of the bottoms are table
lands, or second bottoms. about is to
25 feet higher and much broader,
which extend back until they rise
gently to the top of low swells. and
then gently descend into valleys.
rOfmlng a succession OF low ridges OF
swells and beautiful valleys. There
are low buttes a few miles apart, of
drift formation, 100 to $50 feet high
with plenty of stratified sand rock to
supply the wants of settlers for build
ing purposes. They are usually small;
perhaps have an area of 100 to $50
acres and are covered with nutritious
grass, beside forming wind breaks
and landmarks in what would other
wise be a m%onotonous, gently rolling
country. This town stands upon a
large and beautiful second bottom,
yet can he seen for miles around,
from places but little higher. Streams
Of pure water occur every few miles,
flowing east, with occasional springs
in the buttcs and valleys. Wells of pure
water are dug to various depths,
mostly ranging from Is to 40 feet.
with clay wall firm enough to stand
without walling. The soil is a sedi-
mentary, alluvial loan, with Il slight
trace Of sand and abundance of hui
mus; very fertile and varying in
depth from 2 to 6 OF s feet, with oc.
casional places near the top of some
of the highest swells that are more
sandy with occasionally a little fine
gravel, yet 90 to s. per cent. of the
whole country is choice farming land
and all good for grazing. The sub
soil, as far rs 1 have been able to ex-
anime it, is a clay loan (rich in ele-
ments of plant food) except in the
few sandy places, where the gophers
and badgers pull up fine sand. The
climate is remarkably healtlful and
enjoyable. nearly all sunshine in the
winter, with light snow; not enough
for reliable sleighing, nor to inter
fere with stock getting a good living
on the dry nutritious grass. March
and April L hardest on stock, yet
we have now fine fat beef taken from
the ranges. The young growth of
grass is springing up and stock will
soon have plenty of fresh grass. l
will write fully of this country
after a more extensive exploration.
The color of the soil when freshly
! worked, varies from dark brown to
black, with a Slightly reddish shade
when dried. 1t has been packed
very solid by til buffaloes, yet is very
mellow when worked. The imm ense
mining and grazing interests will
furnish an excellent home market.
There is an abundance of very free
burning coal, : but very little timber
along the streams. This is a very
superior country for men of small
means to become Independent, and
those who come first get the best
chance. The class of peolRe now
here are kind and intelligent, a supe.
rior class, full of enterprise and enel
gy.
s. PELTON.