Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-09
Western Letter.
Matters AND THINGS IN THE TERRITORY OF
DAKOTA.

fCorrespondence of Kennebec JourDal.)
Life is all experience, but one has not got
all of life until he strikes the warm winds OF
this country. Coming from the sea breezes
off the coast of Maine, where at MONDAY IN
August an overcoat is luxury, we are wont
to look upon wind as the vehicle of Boreas.
But here when s~eltering inside building
YOU hear the brisk wind without and are i'm
PEELED to 20 into the breeze YOU feel that the
wind has the joke on you. Not satisned
quite that it is a joke you unbutton your ves-
iure for an airing and as you find that there
Is positively no ledge" to the wind. you look
| to The weather vane to see if you are leeward,
while sensation Of disgust creeps over you
and YOU Quit. The people say that the wind
saves its edge for winter. These winds and
warm waves have been abundant this season.
This one question you are sure to ask when
once beyond the Mississippi river, out
upon the prairie, on any line of rail.
road running east aud west, "What are
these high fences?" They look as if the
most of this country was laid out 20 hold
State or county fairs on. They are snow
fences to prevent the snow from blowing IN
to the cuts. They are built in several de-
signs The snow belt extends in a line of
Central Minnesota from the Mississippi river
to the Jim river, Dakota, $50 miles, but is
extending west, same as rain belt. The coun-
try from ST. Paul TO this point, Huron, Da
kota, about 400 miles and on to the Missouri
ntnfa fad nPpiF 10
with not native plant or tree above the
grass. (Some slight exceptions along the
streams No hills, yet undulating and dry,
q most delightful feast to the eye Every
body talks about the country and little else
suggests itself for conversation. Every man
has his way to pick up q conversation about
the country and has something to interest
YOU. "Growing up with the country" had
for its author dreamer, if we must believe
all we hear from the man of actual expert
ence, who has ventured to break the virgin
soil Of the West. Few persons have thought
how fittingly the word" subdue" applies to the
work of settlers. A large portion of the attack
ing party who first attempt to subdue new and
wild country like this are themselves SUBJ
dued, driven off the ground, defeated, or
destroyed. More than one Bull Run retreat
has been experienced in this West The earth
and elements in their native state make, as it
were, an intelligent, intense effort to dislodge
the intruder One or the other, and some
times an alliance of two or more of the
elements or forces of Nature, combine to
thrust out the unwelcome intruder and it is
with great sacrifice and undaunted energy
that any one remains to enjoy a victory.
The funny side of growing up with the coun-
try will be the story one tells to his grand
children when the country lies conquered at
their feet Yet there is no lack of men to
fill the ranks and push on. Just now there
is much delight at the belief that the govern
ment will soon open up III 100000 acres
across the Missouri river on the Indian
reservation.
elbow do you like the looks of Dakota?" is
asked every new conner. country, like
fair maiden, is much valued for looks but of
the country as of the maiden 1t takes some
thing more than looks to make up
character. No set of men perhaps
can be found on the earth who has endured as
many disappointments AS the farmer in this
new north west for the last five years, and
yet with buoyant hope they look to and be-
ieve in the future of the country and stake
all on the results. 1t has been and is vet
game of chance. 1t will be better some
day.
i nave Salu tne general view VI Tue lhuu is
attractive but there are also some details of
interest to the eye. There are not few
beautiful lakes. some of them full of fish
and all of them the resort of water fowl
The buffalo has gone, but upon the prairie
are still seen the skeletons of former gener-
atoms and their bones are source OF revenue.
The horns of these buffalo are made account
of and are worked into a most beautiful relic
as they are susceptible of very high finish.
If the editor of the Journal wishes a brace
of these desirable mementos, let HIM speak
We are able to drive a team in straight
line in any direction and almost any distance.
while the carriage wheels run as on carpeted
floor. There are many farms met with, but few
fences, but the soil under cultivation is com
paratively little and think much less than
two years ago, as hundreds of claims have
been proven upon and abandoned by the own
er and the country, left, so far as those indi-
viduals are concerned .to"grow up a,one-or
as is the more modern putting of that idea
elbow up" We would not do the West a
word of harm but it is well enough to saw
what is true of this new country bur what Is
not new of the settling of other parts of the
West also. 1t is anything but funny to be a
first settler and be one of the rank and file.
"Holding down piece of land" has an ex
perience that is something like the innocent
little girl who smiled a. she took the dentists
chair and remarked that she was going to
have tooth pulled. This holding down
business, though, can be done in more than
one way and then, too can be made to accom-
plish more than one end 1t is said to be
the one way to utilize a mother-in-law.
Thus: gentleman living near enough to
Miller, Hand county, to practice law, filed on
two homesteads and two tree claims, $40 acres.
He then built his house half and half on
either homestead, put his moth. rim law in
one end to hold that quarter down and he and
his wife sleep in the other end of the house
and hold the other claim down.
E. II. CAYLoR.
Personal.