Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-06-08
A Soaking Rain Dispels the Fear Of
q DrOuth on the Missouri
Slope.
Crops Looking Well and the Pros
poets for a Bounteous Harvest
Never Better.
The School Board Wresrles With the
Question Ot County Superin-
tendent of Schools.
Plenty of Moisture.

--0.0o0-O.
The month of May was the coolest and
dryest in the history of this section, but
the combination-dry and cold-prevented
damage to crops. Now comes Jnne-warm
and moist. That's the kind of combina-
ton that makes grain fairly jump out of
the ground. With a powerful glass you
can see it grow. Farmer Wentz was in
Monday, and, although man of three
score and ten, declares he needs no glass
at all to see the growth in his neighbor-
hood. Sunday the wind shifted to the
south and the barometer began to fall rap
idly. The clouds began to gather in the
northwest and before noon copious show
ers prevailed in every direction. South of
Menoken, it rained from IL O'clock until 2
in the afternoon. Along Apple creek it
didn't rain SO long, but it was nice
shower. In the afternoon the sun came
out again, but there was trouble above. A
cold current was coming from the north
and warm one from the south. They
met. and the result was precipitation. 1t
was raining at daybreak yesterday and
kept itup all day. 1t was an easy rain
one of those old fashioned down casters
soaking into the ground as it fell. A half
inch of such rain is worth two inches of a
hard rain. The latter runs into the ravines
and is wasted. The outlook now is for
Still more rain. Signal Officer Sherwood
says there will be plenty this month. This
is the month we need it, but we don't want
it in bunch. The crops are looking fine.
A TRIBUNE representative was out in the
country Sunday, and southeast of town
there is not a poor piece of grain to be
seen. Late sown grain does not look so
well as the early sown, but the color is
good and yesterdays rain will bring it out
in good shape. Early sown grain, owing
to the cool weather, has stooled well and a
big yield is assured.
1t has been too cold for corn to do well
but there is plenty of time for corn yet.
Hugh McGarvey and Jim Kerwin each
have large acreage. 1t is coming up in
spots but in some places the ground has
been too cold. These places will be re-
planted this week.
Barkman from Steele and Raymon from
Dawson bring in the same encouraging re-
ports from Kidder county. The farmers
are jubilant over the prospects for good
crop and the acreage is equal to last year.
They figure that q dry May will be followed
by wet June and that means bounteous
harvest. Nothing but hail is now to be
feared and farmers can insure against
damage from this source.
Clerk of the Court Wallin of Mclean
county was down yesterday and reports
that the rain of the last two days was gen.
eral throughout the upper country and
grain is looking we'll. A gentleman from
Emmons county brings the same report.
The Missouri slope is thoroughly soaked
and there is no longer any apprehension of
damage from drouth.
A good crop in this region means much
for Bismarck. 1t will be followed by a
large influx of settlers next spring and the
revival of business of all kinds. The iron
ing OF the 500 road will be followed by the
advent of the Milwaukee road and the Hi.
nois Central, which is now surveying its
line this way from Sioux Falls, will not be
far behind in the race for Missouri slope
products and Mclean aud Burleigh county
coal