The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-02-13
Our Dakota Letter.
GRAND RAPIDS, DA, Feb @ 80.

Editor Of the EETgRPRIsE:-
ave are not dead, uoryet sleeping but
busy, very busy, this beautiful winter
weather. Usually, after the rush of the
summers work and autumn's harvest, peo-
pie here have the winter for rest, study, or
pleasure but when the seeding time
comes this spring many will hardly know
they have had any winter, the fine wealth
rr enabling them TO engage in almost any
kind of work out ol doors. Last winter
Dakota was furious, (as well she might
be) being denied her rights and ignored
completely by the Chief Executive of the
nation. but she has shown her apprecia-
tion Of the coming administration by con-
duchng herself in the most exemplary
manner.
Our first snow fell January 10. Previ-
Gus 10 that IL htd not stormed since Au.
gust November and December were as
mild as April. Many farmers narrowed,
p eparatory tn tie springs seeding, in De-
cembcr. and some in the first week 10
January, and [ hear iha. hundreds Of
acres have been sown to wheat, especially
in Cass county, near Fargo. so as IN steal
a march on Father Time next spring.
Since the snow fell we have an occasional
"blizzard," the high winds now and then
frolic with the snow until one is crpaVed,
but they are few and are Immediately iol-
lowed by the usual clear sunny weather.
As write the sun shines through such
clear, light atmosphere that It is dazzling
in its brightness, recurring the lowering OF
window shades to read or write with ease.
Even the "chronic grumbler" is Obliged
to keep silent this winter about the Da.
kOta weather. What delightful change
It would be for some of your miasmatic
and aslhmntlc citizens 10 I've nble 10 inhnle
the "ozone" Of the Northwest this winter.
We lorego many pleasures and privileges
which We once 50 fully enjoyed in your
beautiful little city, for the sake Of the
home making" we are engaged in here,
but We are also saved many ann0yances
and evils you have to contend with. First
and foremost the health oi the people, es-
pcially the children. No malaria to sap
the vitality very seldom fever Of any
kind. Colds are not unknown, but n
cough is 80 rare that II would be noticeable
at once in any audience. The "LlizznTds"
will lose all their terror when the country
becomrs more thickly settled. The two
first winiersspent here there was M storm
resembling n blizzard Last winter was
terrible, and had II been so In Dakota
alone | dare say II would have well nigh
depopulated It, but go where you will,
even 10 the Eastern states or Pacific
Coast. you are liable to violent storms in
the coulse Of u few years, but who would
advise nll The people To vacate their homes
aud sacrifice their property on the Atlantic
Coast on account Oi the storms there
They are the exception, instead Of thu
rule there, aud SO they are here. We Ger.
tainly have the laugh ON them this winter
Mud is never known here. Prairie roads
are superior TO any I've ever seen, for
while rs smooth rs pavement they are
soil, elastic, and almost nolseless, and this
continues the year through. A light fall
of snow makes lovely sle'ghing, the only
impu.iment being the drifts which ARE
caused by the depresslons aud they are Of
small account this winter.
Game is plentiful, wolves, foxes, and
jack rabbits are numerous. The chicken
law forJids the slaughter OF the grouse and
prairie chicken, Of which mere are hun.
dr, ds.
The "rop this season pas, was in some
parts df Dakota simply immense, while 10
olher parts II was acomplete failure, No
while some farmers realized almost for
tune, with No. quality and IA No. 1
price III reached $l.i9 al one iime), otbers
are still hoping that another year they mn,
be- more fortunate. This difference was
caused by the severe frost which visited
us (unasked) August i7h. Thousands OF
acres were wholly ruined in the northern
counties. A part Of this county escaped
almost entirely, but late sown grain, OF
that ripening slowly on new ground, was
damaged more or less, so we had a varitty
of grades here.
Stuck raIsing is rapidly becoming one ol
the leading industries VI this section and
J II Is marvellous the strides II Is taking. II
was automatically stated that $4,000 worth
Of thoroughbred stock was coming int
Dakota weekly during the fall. To show
10 what extent this industry has reached
In 90 few wears quote from the assessors
returns Of '88, that Dakota has 175,0O(
head Of sheep, i74,02S head Of swine, 2es.
4l0 horses over | year old, and 597,8Ot
head Of cattle over year old. When you
consider that moro than one-half Of these
are thoroughbred or blgh grades, you car
/ ~. fh.t th.tx w.t.xsst<.. ~-...SI - - -