Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-12

III toImcI IettcI ePoAC Va solAS shink .
native to Dakota In this will in part speak
of things here but not of Dakota. 1t is but
fair that we should discriminate. A vast
amount of the products of eastern enterprise
are pushed out into the Territory. and not
train but by express. mail, or in the pockets
of the people aboard, brings quantities of
money for investment, which the country
absorbs as the parched land does q refreshing
shower. Every new enIgrant sees q chance
for investment, and IN turn "blows in" his
wealth. Towns spring up with marvellous
speed aud soon take on the airs of q city.
Here lie the history of Huron, the place from
which write. The first building was erected
in March, 1880. 1t now has 1000 people,
perfect system of drainage. water works sup
piled with water and power BY an artesian
we'll, street cars, electric lights, q $50. 900
court house, four banks, six churches, two
daily, six weekly, and Eve monthly psriodi-
Gals, and all else to compare. 'Tis well to
remember that perhaps not ten thousand dol
lars of all this wealth is the product of Da-
kota. IT'S safe to say not house in the city
is built from money produced in the Terri
tory 1t 10 believed, though, that Dakota
will appreciate this expenditure and soon SO
condition things as to verify the faith in the
venture. This can only be from the product
of the sol, which has any amount of wealth in
it. But it happens that much else is essen
tial in agriculture than rich soil. Climatic
influences have decreed against the farmer in
central Dakota thus far. 1t is just to say
that at fair wages central Dakota thus far has
not paid so per cent of the cost of agrical-
ture. Hail is the greatest enemy. One mans
experience in Kingsbury county will repre-
sent the fate of many throughout Dakota
He represents that four successive crops were
destroyed by hail and fifth, which was q
remarkable one, was carried after it was in
bins and barns with the buildings bodily
away by cyclone. This seems discouraging,
but this man is a slayer and thinks the ele
ments hereafter will honor his courage apd
cease their war on him. The lightning. too,
for want of mark appropriates any object
above the earth animate or inanimate.
Dakota. except in some of the older parts
and with some of the more shrewd,is now in
the crucible. The most suicidal practice, in
voiving about all realty, is borrowing and
mortgaginR. The country almost as body
is under mortgage to insuranc and loan com
panies, and manv farms for more than they
are worth in the market. Indeed, il is the
practice of some to borrow of the loan agents
all they can get, and 1t is to the interest of
the agent to loan larger sums, and then the
owner of the land considers it sold and aban.
dons it. This is an easy method and will
result in time in pu ting much of the land in
the hands of money loaners, and is calculated
to depreciate value. The rate of interest
charged here is an extortion. On short loans
it is two to three per cent month. On large,
long time loans 10 to IL per cent, with heavy
premiums to obtain the loan and another
heavy penalty if you wish to pay it before it
is due. About the only way you can collect
q debt here is on a mortgage. so that every
credit transaction involving few dollars is
secured by mortgage chattel or realty, thus
making the seal in the hands of legal man
about equal to a mint This will all be diff
ferent some day.
Dakota is very healthy place. The at
mosphere is dry, bracing and invigorating.
Certainly have never in any other State
seen 50 many healthy-looking people. 1t is
especially noticeable in collection of wom
en-. East of this nowhere on the continent
can you collect as many fine. ruddy, healthy
looking women. But when one has travelled
in Dakota awhile, been guest ut hotels. paid
hack hire, or had occasion to purchase a col
lar button, he will form an idea that the peo
pie are not here alone for their health At
least the average citizen mixes business with
the pleasure of living in Dakota. The pre-
vailing idea here is the one born before COM
ing here, "Going to Dakota to better my
condition." and if a man surreDders that hope
you may depend upon it he has the conscious.
ness of having tried.
In intelligence Dakota will outrank for
numbers any State in the Union. Withal a
genial, law abiding, cheerful, hopeful com
munity and large Infusion of 6evout Chris
tan men and women, who move abreast in
church interests with all other enterprises.
An important question with Dakota is fuel.
Coal at So to Sl4 a ton in a country where
money is a limited product, and where the
thermometer plays around 40 degrees below,
and no wood, is an item But this NAV be
different some day. Indeed, the energy con-
centratng here is equal to any emergency, if
such thing can be. Hay is burned as fuel.
and when compressed is a good fuel summer
or winter. There is a fortune in hand for the
man who invents a good compress and binder
of hay for fuel. l was guest at a friends
six-bv-ten cabin a few nights ago, where he
has lived six months each OF the past four
years, bached holding down a claim alone.
Hay, prairie hay of course, boiled the pota-
toes. fried the ham. and cooked the meal in
style and on time. In the sence of e fuel
press for hav Il twist is made az our ancestors
used to twist their bands of fax after skutch-
ing "Chips" are used also. These make a
good FIRE and have little objection.
A first-class novelty in the way of pesti
ferrous plant is brought forth all over the face
of this country as soon as the sod is broken,
vulgarly called the "tumbleweed." They
grow the size of plum to that of shock of
wheat, much in the shape Of a straw bee
hive and about as dense. They have but one
root which when dead, is broken by the wind
at the TOP of the soil and the plant in this
state is light as feathers. Breaking loose in
the wind, they start to rolling and with their
various sizes, various weight and various
figures. they bound and caper and stride as
quiet as ghosts in every fantastic movement
of which moving object is capable. Oae
day, with the wind north, they go as if the
speedily to go to the Dominion of Canada
and you look on them and say "good bye,
the best of luck to you" But alas the
next day the wind is to the south
and here they come pell-mell back without
the loss of one and very little the worse for
wear. As they travel they thresh and market
their seed, provision in nature. Their worst
feature is not frightening horses but their
use as natures fire brand. In this they are
great success, as it often happens that they
are on fire in the wind and will roll across a
ploughed field aud carry fire to the grain
stacks. +. Ii. CAILoR.
Lafayette's Grave.
All the French cemeteries are lacking in