Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-08-07
A TRIP TO THE MOUNTAIN.
What a Visitor Saw--Embryo Cities
and Towns.

and Towns.
Special Correspondence Of the I~N1Eg-OcEAS.l
BARTLETT. August 4.-Having just re-
turned from a trip to Bottineau. i'll the
Turtle mountain country, ard thinking
that perhaps Il short sketch ofthe coun-
try l passed through might be beneficial
to the readers of INrERLOCEAN. l shall
give it instead ofthe regular correspond
ence from this place.
Having fully equipped myself for the
journey in the way of team, wagon,
camping outfit. etc, | started from Bart
lett and passed through Crazy, a rising
and prosperous town about half way be.
tween Bartlett and Devils Lake, situated
on the NJ. t. NJ. road. soon left Crazy |
behind and got to Devils Lake, where !
remained that night and until noon next
day. refrain from saying anything of
that far-famed city by the sea, as l could
not do ample justice it. After having |
bid adleu to my friends-Mr. P%ercival,
our e%ver-obliging and efficient county
clerk, and Mr.. Thorson, whom every.
body knows as the best fellow out, and
others to numerous to mention, | re-
sumed nv journey. Keeping the old
travelled road | passed through Grand
Harbor, Il neat little place, situated at
the extremity Of an arm of Devils Lake.
This place is about three-quarters of a
mile from the railroad, and l should
say that If they don't move over they
will be very apt to get left. My next
stopping place was Church's Ferry,
where the nucleus Of a pretty good town
is laid, having in II few weeks put up
good large stores, saloons, hotels, black
smith shops, and Il large number Of other
buildings. 1t is situated about twenty
miles west of Devils Lake. and sur
rounded on every side by II magnificent
agricultural country, besides being at
the junction of the main line and the
Cando branch Of the NJ. & NJ. road.
Then, instead of continuing on the trail,
l kept right along the side OF the rail-
road track, my purpose being to see
what kind Of a country 1t passed through.
From Church's the road runs west by
northwest through Il tract of country
that cannot be surpassed for fertility of
soil, rs shown by the long grasses, and
generally pretty level, with small lakes
here and there. About fifty miles from
Devils Lake l came to the end Of the
track, where lots Of men were unload
ing cars of ties and rails, and shortly
afterwards I arrived at the junction Of
the Bottineau branch with the main line.
l should think that at this point a pretty
smart town will arise some day, as it has
the backbone to do it, and think that
if the business men Of Devils Lake. with
the prestige they have o over this
western country. do not take steps to-
wards putting themselves III a position
to secure the trade by supplying it in a
wholesale way they ought to. ! now
took the branch to Bottineau, and ar
rived at Willow river about IS miles
east Of B%ottineau, where | found a side
track had been graded and a site located
fora town. On the west side Of the river
camped for dinner which l partook Of
with two mel who were living in a tent
and holding down Il claim beside the
town site. One of the gentlemen was a
Mr.. Hagar, a printer by profession and
lately in the Herald Office, Grand Forks,
and he informed me that he was
going to start Il paper right off and
That he would send me a copy Of the first
issue. l looked around to see where the
subscribers were. but l should say there
were none within five miles. anyway,
but | did not think much about that, as
atown can be started in a day in Dakota
Dunseith is cut of about II miles from
this point.
now made my way to Bottineau, the
city by the mountain side and the ter,
minus Of the branch, where | received a
right royal welcome from my old friends,
Mr.. Dana, Judge of probate, and Mr.,
Simrall, county clerk and register Of
deeds, both from Devils Lake also from
a. Thompson, druggist, from Bartlett
I was soon introduced to more of the
boys, amongst whom were Maj. Thomp
son, of the customs. Politics are pretty
hot in that region, and as ! have many
friends there they took special care o.
me. l believe that the great question
of the day is whether any saloons should
be admitted into that fair county.
soon found which way the wind blew
and having some curiosity to see how
the boys felt ! animated that things
looked pretty dry and that we had bet
ter adjourn over to the saloon for DRINKS
At the mention Of drinks Judge Dans