The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1885-03-07
Stark County.

Stark County.
We take the following from the
book on Dakota recently issued by
authority Of Governor Pierce:
Stark county occupies a central
position in Northwestern Dakota, on
the line of the Northern Pacific rail.
road, and midway between the Mis-
souri, and Yellowstone rivers. There
was substantially no settlement in
this county prior to the spring OF
1882, and most of the farmers made
their first crop in 1883, on sod. A
good yoke of oxen will break from
one to one and half acres daily.
The sod is tender and yields good
crop. Oats average about forty bush
els, and upon well-tilled land as high
as seventy-five to one hundred bush
els to the acre. Wheat, rye, barley.
peas, fax, millet, clover and timothy
are all prolific. Dent corn has given
forty bushels per acre,.choice corn
and small eight-rowed corn, planted
from May lst to June 18th, yielded
remarkably. Garden vegetables of
all varieties do we'll, potatoes averag-
ing from 200 to 400 bushels per acre.
The latter are of very superior quail
ity and occasionally of enormous size,
in some cases one of them furnishing
an entire meal for q small family.
The grass is very nutritious, and,
when dead and dried, furnishes pas
turage throughout the winter that
maintains herds in good condition.
Texas cattle men agree that the win
ters in this section are less severe
upon cattle than in their latitude.
Cold, clear, dry weather usually sets
in about the Christmas holidays, con-
tinuing until the close of February.
Ice disappears from the rivers in
March. The Chinook winds from the
Pacific, which sweep through the
mountain passes, materially modify
the winter temperature. When spring
comes, it comes to stay, and work
goes Oh only interrupted by occasion
al rains, which are plentiful enough
to insure vigorous growth to the
starting crops. Summer rains are
frequent, with temperature ranging
frem 70 to 100 degrees. The nights
are always cool and refreshing. The
fall season is fine, with sufficient rain
to keep tho soil in good working
order. The climate is healthful; ague
and asthma are unknown, and con-
sumptives find relief. The settle
ment Of Stark county has been rapid.
Probably a fourth part Of the govern
ment land has been taken. There
are still, however, some choice claims
near the railroad, and plenty of rail
road lands can be procured at from
three to five dollars per acre, on seven
years time.
Dickinson, the county seat, has a
fine location in the Heart river valley,
midway between Bismarck and Glen.
dive. 1t is the center Of the Missouri
passenger division of the Northern
Pacific railroad and the terminus Of
the freight divisions. Large repair
shops are located at this point. Dick
inson was first settled in the spring
of 1883, and its growth has been
steady and vigorous. The town has
now upward Of 700 inhabitants, a
good school, two churches, three
hotels, eight stores and a livery sta
BILE. 1t is one Of the principal ship
ping points for fattened stock on the
line of the Northern Pacific railroad.
South Heart, about eleven miles west
Of Dickinson, is a thriving town upon
the railroad. 1t presents good oppor-
tunities for business men and me-
chanics. Gladstone, also upon the
railroad, eleven miles east of Dickin-
son, is finely located upon table-land
which rises seventy feet above the
bed Of Heart river, near its junction
with Green river. The town is on.
circled by hills which protect it on all
sides. The citizens are enterprising
and law-abiding. There are several
stores and u grist mill, and a popula-
tion of 300. Taylor, Richardton and
Antelope, all upon the line of the rail.
miles, respectively, east of Gladstone,
are thriving towns. Stark county
was organized in 1883, and is now
free from debt, with a surplus of
money in the treasury.