Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1888-02-04
WINTER AT DEVILS A K
An Ohio Man Sees ana Believes
in Us.

WINTER AT DEVILS LAKE.
An Ohio Man Sees ana Believes
in Us.
Plain City (ohio) Dealer.
DEVILS LAKE, Dak., Dec. 20.-lIr. Ed
itor; When I left Columbus, O., Christ
mas we the ground was bare of snow.
At Chicago a few dirty. half-meltsd drifts
lay here and there, and when I reached
the wondrous twin cities Of st. Paul and
Minneapolis. with their united popula-
ton of 100000 souls, a heavy mantle
of snow covered the earth, which, glis-
tsning IN the sunshine, was almost pain
fully dazzling in contrast to the dull,
gloomy weather which has prevailed in
Ohio all through December. And now I
am hero in the town of Devils Lake, 4O5
miles northwest of st. Paul, and in the
midst of the great grain-producing re-
gion, North Dakota, which at once OK
cites the wonder and admiration Of all
who visit 1t. The town is on the st.
Paul, Minneapolis Il Manitoba railroad,
universally called the "Manltoba" up
hero, I suppose because it has not a mile
of track in that part of the Queens Do
minions, but only runs to the boundary
In two places where it connects with tho
Canadian Pacific. This country differs
In many ways from our preconceived
Ohio ideas in regard to it, and in no re-
spect more than that ofthe climate. This
morning is the coolest. so they say, of
tho winter; it is many degrees below
zero, yet without consulting the ther-
mometer We would never know it. As I
write the view takes in tho main street
of tho town and tho four immense eleva-
vators down by the railroad which are
surrounded by dozens of teams heavily
loaded with grain, each driver trying to
s'gst there first, and return four, six or
ten miles into the country for another
load. A little group of farmers have been
standing for the last half hour on the
sidewalk brsily talking, presumably
about the price of wheat or their claims,
az all the farms not yet decided by the
government to the claimant are called
here. They don't seem to mind the cold,
while on the vacan lot across tho way,
amerry group Of Children. yes! barehsad-
cd and barehanded, are frolicking in the
newly-fallen snow. Why don't the cold
take hold? I asked tho question of an
old settler who has been here four years.
"Well,"h he said, dry air is almost a per-
fsct non-conductor and the bodily hoat
can't get away, for there is almost no
moisture in the air here during tho win
ter timo." Whatever tho explanation, it
is . faot. and it seem that the colder tho
weather the more active business is in all
the towns I have visited. Though the
snow Is barely deep enough for sleigh
ing, every vehicle is on Whom
the first snow comes everything on
wheels il placed on runners, for it stays
all winter. Tho farmers haul wonderful
loads Of wheat on these hard smooth
roads. Wagon beds specially made to
hold 100 bushels of wheat, which is spout-
ed loose into them and dumped like corn,
are universally used. In fact, grain is
now handled but little in bags or sacks
up here; it is too slow and costly a way.
If any u thing strikes a southern or
eastern ma moro than another, it is the
great grain elevators at all the stations;
every little town has from three to six.
They are the most prominent objects,
and \ bs seen forlniles across the prai-
rie. I am told that in tho fall Of 1885 tho
station Of Auburn, nine miles from Graf
ton. had five elevators and II dwelling
house. 1t has grown however, since. 4
number of single points hero talso in over
a million bushels Of wheat each year.
Churchs Ferry, nineteen miles from this
place, was started in tho summer of 1885,
now has four large elevators, and will
market LOO, 600 bushels this year.
Tho astonishing crops raised here this
year a be understood when we COM
pare the wheat crop of Grand Forks and
Walsh counties with that of Kansas.
That state raised 1920 900 bushels; the
two counties named 10000, 600 bushels.
OF course, with the big crops, though
prices are low, the farmers pockets arc
literally lined with money and I hear no
"kicks'' about hard times. Their general
thrift is illustrated by the experience of
my old friend w. L. Perkins, Of Lakota,
in Nelson county. Four years ago he
sold his 200 acre farm in Sangamon
county, Illinois, and settled at that point.
He said: "My crops this year will pay for
my 1000 acres; for all the horses and ma
chinery to farm with, my house, barn,
and other buildings, and leave me a nice
little stake over with which to take a
trip during the slack season and carry on
farming operations next year." I could
write much more about grain raising or
the stock interest, which, although al
ready large, is rapidly increasing, but
will let up for this time perhaps to give
another letter soon on this wonderful
country and it's capabilities.
NEW NORTHWEST,
Wonderful. Cures.
W. u. Hoyt d Co., Wholesale and retail
druggists, Rome, Ga, say; We haye beon
selling DR.. Kings Now Discovery, Elec-
trio Bitters, and Bucklen's Arnlca Salve
for four years. Have never handled rom
lS@- At.~A --1I