Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-02-03
THE WEST SLOPE.
a Few Ito Many NAtura, Advantages
Intelli9ently Discussed.

A Few of Its Many Natural Advantages
Intelli9entlv Discussed.
GLADSTONE, DAK., Jan. Sc! Special j.
To-day is the fifth day since the chinook
came over the mountain tops, relieving the
frigid conditions imposed by the late Al
berta breeze that swept with such fury
across this country from the northwest.
The mercury registers AZ degrees above
zero and the snow is fast disappearing, but
the cold wave of January, A. ID. 1883, will
long be remembered as the severest ever
known here.
In striking contrast with other parts of
Dakota, where twisted hay is depended
upon for fuel, is the fact that all in western
Dakota seem to have been so well supplied
with native fuel, that none were under the
necessity of hazarding life. and not a single
casualty. SO far Us we know, occurred.
The story of suffering that comes to us
from all parts of the country is heart
Sickening, and many are the expressions
Of gratitude here that we were SO much
better provided for, With an abundance of
good native coal.
1t was not an accident that our people
settled here. Like thousands of others, we
too were enchanted with the view of south
ern and eastern Dakota, but the utter
poverty of fuel within chat great race
course OF the blizzard induced us to make
the better choice and to Come further west
better protected against the sweeping
winds; where pure springs of water
abound, and where the tempering wind
from off the Pacific ocean modities the
seventies of winter.
But six years of residence has enabled
lis to demonstrate the important fact that
Dakota, the country of our choice, has
coal enough for all and for evermore, and
that any scarcity existing in any part of
the territory, is owing TO the lack, as yet,
of sufficient railway accommodation. The
Northern Pacific railway is competent to
meet every contingency, SO far as the pres
ent settlements are eoncerned, but it is
wholly unable to transact its transconti-
mental business and to convey coal enough
to supply southern and eastern Dakota.
1t is now six years since the first colony
landed in Stark county, and according to
all PRECEDENT in The settlement of new
countries, we should have had ere this at
least two competing parallel lines of rail
way, one crossing the comparatively level
prairie between the Hart and the Big
Knife, and the other between the Cannon
Ball and Hart rivers. Such lines could
be built at less expense and with fewer
heavy grades than were encountered on
the Northern Pacific railway and they
would open up the great agricultural
domain Of western Dakota.
President Harris, in conversation with
the writer, over two years ago, expressed
great surprise when he was informed OF
the existence of such vast and valuable
tracts of lands lying within their grant.
Put these lands lie entirely hidden from
the view OF the tourist, the Northern Pa
citic meanders its way across the country
following the river courses and exposes
the very worst features of the country, and
even bluffs, hills and mouths of froWlling
gorges.
II, The ii invincib1e Henry Willard made the
his golden-spike he exposed these rugged
features to his creditors. Naturally enough,
they thought the whole country only an
endless series of hills and gorges! This
caused them to throw their stock at once
upon the market, and the world knows
the result.
Each year since then, as if there were
method in their madness, excursions have
followed ''through to Dickinson,' bringing
out speculators, gentlemen Of leisure,
pleasure-seekers and tender-feet, with an
occasional lard seeker.
The latter in most cases found what they
sought, settled down and are now in pros
porous circumstances, but the ninety and
nine out OF each hundred, scattered all
over the world, are sought out as oracles
BY their fellow men who are seeking in
formation respecting the country.
But they get the same kind of ex-parte
opinion that Wizards creditors got-the
representative man in attempting to tell
them the truth woefully bellies the country,
and thus ten thousand breaks upon emil
grafton are applied year after year all over
America
In this way the hidden wealth of west
ern Dakota has been concealed, greatly to
the detriment of the whole commonwealth.
Gives us two or more such competing
lines of railway, and they would seal our
bond of territorial prosperity and comfort,
and our grand undivided Commonwealth,
whether admitted to statehood or not, can
bid farewell to every fear and wipe her
weeping eyes.