The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-11-10
North Dakota Pioneers, Pushed to
the Wall by Bad Crops, Must
Be Aided.
Settlers Who Have Worked Haro
For Years in Danger OF
Losing their Farms.
Homes BIanketsd With Mortgages a.
High Rates of Intcrest--sad Cases
Of Dcstitution.

DEVIL = LAKE, n. D.f NV q - y" -
eral way attention has been called to the
present unhappy condition of the farmers
IN a few localities in North Dakota. An
analysis of individual cases may accentuate
the appenls for that aid which must Ger
tainly come from tho east. Local country
rs,;ef ia exhausted Both Nelson and Ram
sew counties, ms well as others in the AZ
aicted sections, are bonded TO the full ex-
tent of the law and dependence ON this
source must be abandoned. Aside from the
list of names below hundeds Of other cases
could be mentioned. Nor are the cases oil
these men at all exceptional. They are
representative of the class Of people whose
present financial distress appeals to our
sympathies.
Thomas Reynolds, Of Lakota township, IN
Nelson county, is hard working farmer
For three years he has lived upon quarter
section of land which is now under the eye
of the MORTGAGE. Financially Mr.. Reynolds
has no interest in the land. He sustains
the relation TO il of Il renter paying or
agreeing TO pay high rent in the shape oil
interest. During the entire three years he
has not raised what could fairly be called a
crop. He has in his temporary possession
some stock, all covered by mortgage, rapid
ly accruinc interest eating their heads or
The one problem in his life Just at present
is 10 again secure footing sufficient TO en-
nble him to remain in the country and as-
sist in contributing to the future prosperity
of a state that, under ordinary clrcum-
stances, should, as 40 many seasons u mas,
laugh with harvest when tlckled with a
hoe.
in Nelson county, is an industrious Norwe-
pian and gritty. He has a wife and four
children. All of his cattle are blanketed by
mortgages. With winter upon HIM and not
a dollar of resources, the gloomy prospect
presented 10 his view consists of a strip OF
land in which he can claim no particular
interest. For two years he has managed TO
keen his family alive. Present assistance, a
good snowfall, few spring showers, and
this nian would become self-supporting
citizen.
j. w. Billips has received county sup
port for n year. Frost last year and drought
this hit him hard. His stock has all died.
Andrew Diets, of Enterprise township, ~
literally destitute. with wife and SIX
children upon his hands Without assist
ance it will be impossible for them TO sur
viye the winter.
Frank Propelca. Of lAkuta township, with
a family of six or seven children, IL wholly
destitute. Mortgages have taken every
thing he had, ns they have the stock
of Mr.. Churchgar, who is equally unfortu-
nate.
In Ramsey county tue people who have
depended ON farming during the past two
years are in an equally unhappy CONDITION.
That is, in proportion to the POPULATION,
there is tie sine class of destitute but
worthy people The country commissioners
have appointed a relief committee, and
some aid has been already received. man
in the town of Bartlett stated, IN different
stores the destitute condition of his ihm-
ily, and asked credit for q sack OF Hour.
In each case he was refused. At the last
store. a Mr.. Houser, upon investigating
the case, directed the stOrekeeper to give
the man the -four. such is but one of the
numerous instances in which the people are
helping each other. 1t is not an unusual
circumstance only in 80 far as Il is type Of
cRses altogether too numerous for the crtd dit
of a state proverbial for abundance. lndi
yidually the people are generous 10 each
other In the extreme, but they have lived
upon internal resources for 80 long that the
supply is exhausted.
John Wolf il an instance of an energetic
German farmer utterly destitute. To him
the county nlIibnted assistance until the
fund was exhausted. Until lately he had
few chickens and pig or two but his re-
sources are all gone.
For the last four or five years farmer
named LYLE has lived in a section known as
No Mans land. fourteen miles north OF La
kota. All of his stock is mortgaged, and he
is unable to state exactly how he has lived
the last year, but be can see no inducement
for continuing the struggle.
These men who have been mentioned are
all energetic, practical farmers. Under Ia
vorable circumstances they would reject
offers of relief. Some of them to-day are
inclined 10 present their cases IN the most
hopeful light. A few of them, with others
not named, may declare their ability to pull
through. This Is pluck of high order, but
such an assertion Is in the nature of whls-
ting in graveyard. There are, of
course, certain men who have ayalled
themselves of chances 30 slip OFF lOad
or two of mortgaged grain b some place
where their circumstances are not known.
Others have earned few dollars thrashing.
A good snowfall this winter will be worth
millions OF dollars 10 Dakota. This may
sound strangely 20 eastern people who have
sung 50 long the horrors of the Dakota
blizzard" hut thousands of INDECENT people
in few localities are now ready and eager
10 welcome the blizzard.