Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1888-11-30

that large class who are either paying in.
terest on big mortgage or who are every
year giving up good share of the pro-
ceeds of their labor In paying rent. This
class could have much. better scope for
their energy and enterprise out here In
Dakota. There are free homes awaiting
them, aud they will be cordially welcomed
by the residents. We want practical
farmers above ANY other class of imm,.
grants, though in all parts men who
never did farm work prior to coming here
are building up comfortable and happy
homes. They have been handicapped, of
course, by being compelled to learn many
things in the dear school of experience !;
but they are coming out all right.
Though the methods of farming here are
somewhat different from those back east,
there are certain general principles the
knowledge of which will always give the
practical farmer great advantage over q
tyro in the profession. TO people who
are here, and who are year after year add,
ing to their cultivated acres, their fard,
buildings. and their live stock, and whb
see free land as good as their own lying
vacant near by, it seems wonderful that
the mortgaged farmers aud the renters of
the older-settled regions do not come out
IN a body. There are some drawbacks
and discomforts here, to be sure; but
when compared with those met and over!
come by the hardy pioneers who, with the
ak in one hand and the rife in the other,
settled the forest-covered states, such
drawbacks are dwarfed to utter insignifi\
cance. The practical farmer willing to
work who comes to Dakota to make
home will always succeed. (
~
Take this county Of Emnons, for in
stance. to which the crop results of the
five years since its general settlemen,
should give the title of banner agricult-
ural county of the Missouri Slope. This
county Is one of the largest counties ii,
the territory east Of the Missouri river
The great majority of its citizens are
proud of its grand proportions. and, re.
gardless OF county seat or other sectional
interests. they intend to keep those pro-
portions intact. Large as this county is,
every foot Of her soil. from the loftiest
bluff to the lowest valley. is available
either for agriculture. hay, or grazing.
There Is not sterile acre within the
boundaries of the county. In 1880 there
were 8s people in the county. AT the late
election All votes were east, and at leas,
80 may be counted who staid away iron,
the polls. There are fully $50 voters in
tho county. On the usual basis of five
inhabitants to each voter this would give
us population of 2,750 souls. But there
is large proportion Of bachelors in Da.
kota, and perhaps four people per vote is
nearer right. That would make our pop.
ulation about s,20o. And this increase
from IS in few years has taken place
without a railroad in the county, with the
markets distant. and most of the time
with wheat at bedrock prices. When
the first settlers came to this part of the
county, IN the spring Of 'ss, they found
the grass on the prairie burned off. and
they were compelled TO haul hay long
distance. Every bushel of oats, every
pound of -four. Of meat of food of all
kinds for the first Williamsport settlers
was brought from Bismarck, nearly forty
miles distant. The Winchester country
was settled soon after, and the pioneers
there had to haul everything upward of
fifty miles, and the first comers to Wi
mona went seventy-fve miles to market.
For the first few years cows we're scarce
article, swine curiosity, and scrub hens
sold at IS cents head. Notwithstanding
all these drawbacks, almost without ex.
ception the people of this county have
prospered. and every year has brought
improved dwellings, better shelter for
stock and larger grain fields. At every
farm house may now be seen horses, cat.
tie, hogs and poultry, and school houses
have been built wherever needed.
~
As we have stated above, the first arri.
cultural settlers who came to Emmonf
county had many drawbacks to contend
with; but they removed most of the
lmpediments from the pathway of those
who came later aud those who are vet to
come. The man who comes to this county
next spring will find plenty of govern.
ment land in all parts fully as good as
that already under cultivation. He will
not have to travel great distance and
pay high prices for stock. He will find
neighbors to welcome him good schools
for his children railroad already
graded, and to be ironed next spring q
country so healthful that, with over 2, 600
population, there is not one physician In
the county; q country where there is no
hog cholera, where the sheep have no
foot-rot, where wagon wheels never mire
to the hub, where the grass cures on the
prairle, where the cattle get rolling fat on
the Wild pasture, and where stock horses
run on the range all winter without q
pound of hay. He will. while obtaining
a good farm for nothing, avoid many
mistakes through profiting by the expert
ence of others. In fact, he may at once
settle into III independent aud comfort.
able life where society and schools are as
good as he leaves behind. That eastern
farmers whs think of emigrating may
not think this picture overdrawn, We offer
to give them the addresses of practical
farmers and stock-raisers in any part of
the county, so that they may investigate
through correspondence. Or, let them
take advantage of cheap railroad excur-