Omaha daily bee., 1885-06-16

4 III hu ulDIOhou ioNbl No AhE 80 ho 0lO VI
see, save where q fringe of timber mari
the course of some creek. 1t is Ian
where a furrow can be plowed for man
miles without taking the pillow out of th
Ground, q land through which a rive
flows "down" north, q land reschin
from Breckenridge, Mimi, on the sout
to Winnipeg, Man. on the north, en-
brsclng over 100, 600 square miles, nearl
every acre Of which is tillable-probabl
q larger area of fertile productive Ian
than can be found together In any othe
country. At Moorhead we cross tn
tracks of the Northern Pacific railroad
This ambitious city of about 1000 inhsb
itants situated on the east bank of tn
Red river styles Itself the Key city, Will
Fargo, OAK, on the west bank ssplres Il
be the metropolis of the far northwest.
This is not really the far northwest
for q mile post placed beside of the
Northern Pacific track within o few rod
of the Red river informs us that Port
land, Or, Is 1912 miles distant, SO We
are not quite half way CROSS the contin.
emit. We have only to pass through Da.
kots, Montana, Idaho and Washington
territories toreach the Pacific ocean, but
these are mighty tracts of land wherein
we shear the tread of millions yet to
be-" Moorhead and Fargo are situated
at the gateway to the rich section of
country known as the Red river valley,
and In this early stage of their develop
ment, possess many of the modern con-
veniencIes and equipments of an eastern
city Of 30, 600 Inhabitants. The Fargo
electric light shines down from it's tall
tower on a prosperous city of nearly TO-
600 people and Its farther rays reach
ACROSS the two handsome iron bridges and
family light the western suburbs of
Moorhead. These cities have gotten
over the "boom" of 1872 and naturally
there are some mourners who bswail the
demise OF that Inflated period. Many of
the real-estate spectators and those who
attracted by the chance to make
money without working for 1t, have gone
to seek pastures now, while those remain
ing are the ones whose faith In this sec
ton of country holds good and who will
reap when the next harvest comes.
We are now in latitude AZ degrees
north, on the same parallel as Quebec
and the northern part of Maine, and
one consideration with another
The climate of this section is about as
inc as any portion of the United States
IAN boast. The winters, to be sura, are
or three weeks longer than in Massa-
,husetts or New York and the mercury
.pt to get nearer the bulb In the Their
nometer, but these apparent drawbacks
lave their compromising features. The
un shines brightly about $50 days every
rear, and it's rays come down through a
lear dry atmosphere with ozonic proper
les and which does not benumb one If
he mercury is 80 or 40 degrees below
ero. 1t is undeniably a rather frigld
Innate which keeps the mercury below
.ero for thirty or more consecutive days
nd nights, as was the case during the
winter of 1888 4. But the Inhabitants
Prepare for this low range of temperature
y unanimously clothing themselves In
urs; buffalo, wolf, beaver, otter, coon
nd dogskin overcoats are generally worn
nd are a necessity for anyone who has
driving to do over the frozsn prai-
les. But few southern people have EN-
grated to this section, the population
icing mainly composed of those from the
lorthern tier of states, from Canada and
rom Norway and Sweden, to whom cold
weather. Is no hardship.
However 1t Is not winter now, and as
We resume our northwest journey down
he valley the air Is like unto that of
unpy Italy, minus the fragrance of fruit
nd flowers and the odor Of garlic. We
re fairly In the heart Of the No. l hard
Theat belt Of north Dakota, and in the
egion of the bonanza wheat farms. 1t
s o fine sight to see a dozen self binding
Iarvesters at work, rs they level the
landing grain and leave behind the
heaves, bound ready for stacking or the
hresher. In the distance the smoke
ises from q steam threshing machine
which separates in one day 1000 bushels
f golden grain from the chsff, and piles
p q small mountain Of straw to be burned
he next day, for straw is a drug In the
new. 1t will, doubtless, be In
Iemand come day for the manufacture of
'aper here as In the east. No. l hard
Wheat, as 1t is called, is nearly all raised
Iorth of the 10th parallel of latitude,
nd q large portion of the 1000, 900
'ushels raised is ground into patent pro-
ess flour by the big Minneapolis mills.
here are however quite a number of
nills In the Red river valley of from rs
o 800 barrels. capacity, which turn out
excellent quality of flour. This grade
f hard wheat brings the highest market
rice, and a barrel of -four produced
.erefrom will make about 10 per cent
,ore bread than flour made from the
otter varieties of wheat. At each town
long the route are from one
D four elevators, tall, ugly-lookipg
uildings owned mainly by two
companies though the largest
arms usually have q warehouse of their
wn. Wheat Is cash at the ~elevaror but
,st seasons crop brought the lowest
rice ever paid for wheat In this section,
DO low for any margin of profit to the
versge farmer who as a rule Is strug-
ling under a burden of mortgages on his
md, chattels and In some cases on his
crops. The farmer Is tempted
, buy expensive farm machinery because
Q can get 1t by paying a small sum down
'aving the balance to draw 10 or IL per
interest, depending on a bountiful
and a good price therefor to meet
10 obligation. Few of the farmers as
ct have sheds In which to store their
tools, so for lack of such shelter !
10 loss Is large each year of self binders,
,eders and other farm machinery. Time
I course will correct this evil when the
learns by dear experience to con-
net his farming operations In the same