The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1889-03-07
|Tlg TURTLE Nt56TlI0S.
The Paradise Of the Stock Grower.
Their Varied Resources yet
in Their Infancy

+ considerable has been written regarding
the runrLS MeJxrA1Ss Of Dnkoia.
but there still exists more or less
doubt and uncertainty ssto their extent and
character and also that Of the country sur
roaading it. and it 10 the purpose OF this
article to furnish such insormtin. derived
from personal observation IS we'll Ms from the
figures ofIhe census of 1885, the assessor q ire
turns Of 1888 and the U. s. lond office, IS
will dispel all doubt heretofore entertained
on the subject Of this tho most picturesque
region Of Dakota, for while the Turtle
Mountain region is one Of the best known,
it is q, the same time the least known; the
latter because Of the fact that the resources
that arc in its coal beds. clay pits, stone
quarries, mineral springs and possible iron
mines are as yet undevelopsd.
In respect to that in which, II is best
known, it lays claim to superiority because
Of the produc,iveness Of its soil and the
steady, sturdy character Of its Inhabitants.
The best quality Of wheat is raised in Bot
tiDeaa county and for which it took the FIRST
premium over all samples Of spring whea,
on exhibition at the New Orleans exposition
Of 1885. 1t 10 also to be noticed hat q
sample Of the Number one hard for which
only Dakota Ia celebrated. which was raised
by John and David Dinwoodie at the foot Of
these mountains last year, will be sent "a
the exposition to be held this year At Paris,
France.
These mountains cover M area Of about
1900 square niles-about thirty by fifty
~miles-by for the larger portion Of which
being within the limits Of Dakota and wholly
within the counties Of Rolette and Bo.tineau,
in the extreme northwestern corner Of the
settled portion If the territory in the Devils
Lake land district. Several Of these
mountain townships have been surveyed
within the past two years by Q s. Surveyor
H. G.. Greene, who in his report recently
made to the land department at Washington
concerning township l63, range Is, which
he sharscterises as
THE BANNER rowEsHn
bat which may be regarded ~ 9 type Of the
whole, gives the following description Of it:
The soil 10 this tow nshlp is Of a very good
quality, nearly AL olASsed hrst-rate ana capA-
ble OF producing magnificent crops. The
surface tor the m Ist part IL not 81 billy as
other parts of the Turtle Mountains; the
highest and toughest part being In the north
eastern port, which has Q general slope
toward the center, which contains the valley
OF Fish Lake, Duck LAX and Oak Creek. The
township Is al In Inc mJunUAins and has
been covered with fine tlmber-poplar, oak,
birch and elIn, nearly ali of which has been
killed by hrs, though still quite useful Tor
building and fuel. This township is we'll
adapted to stock raising az there are large
meadows covered with rich and nutritious
grasses The timoer a6Ording good shelter
and there Is NO scarcity VI water as there are
humorous streams, ponds and lakes. The
Ia kes contain GEAR, fresh water, Ne well as
many Of the larger ponds. Fish Lake, the
largest, extends from near the south SIDE Of
section 10, nor3hward into the British pOsses-
sions; it varies in widihfrom 3 few chains to
about ~ miles, and Is from 10 feet TO % feet
deep and abounds with dne p.ckerel and
suckers. Good water Is also found in wells
without digging very deep. The township
is being rapidly settled by an industrious
class OF people,, some OF whom have already
quite extensive improvements-at presenL
there are about Atty settlers in this township
whose homes are located In groves Of timber.