Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-07-16
Letter From Dakota.

one .SHOI,aS Il Hal 6Ildl we are lOlu-
ing the fort ahd are in no need of as
sistance.
If you have a large map you can
easily see that Fargo is about Z
miles south of the 47th degree of
north latitude and the same distance
east of the Doth meridian, west from
Washington. Although two degrees
farther north than you in Orleans Co.,
we are in the same isothermal line as
the White Mountains and northern
Vermont having a mean highest tenn
perature of 90 degrees for three
months in the year. This city is the
county seat of Cass county north of
center line Of the territory, situated
at the east side, about midway be-
tween the northern and southern
boundaries. The county was organ
lied in 1873 and the city chartered in
1915. The county lies in the val
lev of the Red River of the North
and contains about 100000 acres
of the finest land in the Northwest.
The Red River is navigable for steam
ers, which bring large amounts of
grain from points below for shipment
by rail. Besides the Red the county
contains four other rivers, making it
we'll watered. Four railroads enter
Fargo, two of them being trunk lines,
the Northern Pacific and the ST. Paul,
Minneapolis and Manitoba. They do
a business amounting in the aggre-
gate to nearly $1,500,000 yearly at
this point.
Fargo is the largest city in the Ter
ritory, being credited by the commits
sion of immigration with 10000 in
habitants. This estimate may be
trife large, but not much. The pop
ulation is made up from every state
in the Union. l am pleased to say
that Vermont has goodly represent
alton, and they are among the best
in the city. AS class the business
men are young or middle aged. They
are keen, careful fellows and are
making money. There is no lack of
public spirit and interest in matters
that will benefit the town. To sue
coed a man requires youth and ablll-
ty. They do not look to his ances-
try or personal surroundings, but to
him. A fellow is sized up for just
what there is in him. If he has in
trinsic merit it will be appreciated
and he will be honored as readily as
anywhere in the world. The compe-
tition is sharper, and man has to hit
harder to knock his way through to
success, but when attained, he will
find himself surrounded by people
who can appreciate him and whom he
can associate with and appreciate
also. There is large foreign ele-
ment here, principally Norwegian,
They are a sturdy, phlegmatic peo-
pie, possessing the necessary thrift
and perseverance to make the very
best of advance guards to civiliza-
ton. They take kindly to American
WAYS and become valuable citizens.
Some of the brightest men of the
Northwest have Morse blood in theil
veins. All the branches of business
are represented; the dry goods, fur,
niture, hardware and grocery stores
carry large and we'll selected stocks
The largest amount of capital is IL
the agricultural implement business
in which there are 13 dealers, whose
sales the past year have been ovel
$4,000, 900. The city contains si2
banks, two breweries, two boiler max
ers, a roller Touring mill, which Il
turning out $50 barrels of flour daily
a tanking station of the Standard vi
Co., with a capacity of 5000 bar
rels, six newspapers, a Congregation
al college, and is now completing
500, 900 hotel, which will be the fines
in the Northwest when completed
There are numerous elevators ant
grain warehouses in the city doing
large business.
You may ask what supports al
this industry. The reply at presen
must be wheat. The crop of thl
country is hard spring wheat, tn
finest grown in the world, / suppose
The commissioner report shows tina
Cass county last year had 2,1O
farms. from which were produced q,
100000 bushels of wheat. Ih
county contained in 1887, 11,49
horses, 1866 mules, 1896 cattle
6,5O5 sheep and 1884 hogs, ana ii
total assessed valuation was S12, liza
$50. The territory has fine scho'
system and takes pride in its schools
The city schools which have jus
closed are equal to any in the cour
try. l had the pleasure of attendin
; the graduating exercises of th
Grammar and High School grades
and can say nothing except in prai'
of the scholars and teachers. III
exercises showed excellent drill an
wide range of study. The who
} system, board Of education, superb
tendent and teachers work in harm
nv and all do their best. | may
excused a feeling of pride in sayir
: that the city superintendent, who
5 the manager of the schools, and
! whom is due the high standard thu
have REACHED, is one of the Gree
: Mountain boys.