New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-26

their country rs to lpave them to-day ID po.n' y,
development two years behind where they Snou.u
have been and might have been. This Is no" M
did IT, Webster Merrifeld, young coiies,"i,
from Vermont, came here in May, 1885, se,.,eo
on 60 acres. and personally lived on II from my
till about November l, when what proven ~ Do
the last illness OF his mother called INN 70 W,
mont. lie Ind spent over 5000 improving h''
claim. lie had put up little house, Dough-
little stock. dug a we'll, and swears he meant 70
make his farm home. His mother died. al'ei
long siege OF sickness in August, 1854 III '''
previous June Mr. Merrifeld was chosen pro.
fcssor in the newly established University OF
Dakota, at Grand Forks. When he returned W
Dakota. after his mothers death, he went 10 .he
University. and not to his farm Sparks held his
patent for cancellation, on the ground that ITO.
fessor Merrifield was evidently a speculator' vi
course he wasn't, but what business OF Sparks
was IL ~ he had beenp There is nothing in the
laws OF the United States which says that man
shall not speculate with his own property, II he
wants to. The law rsys he shall live on the land
for so long u time, shall cultivate such an area OF
It, and shall pay so much for IT, When he has
done that it is his, and why should he not sell u
IL he likes1 How under the sun could the Com
missioner properly undertake to control Its dispo.
sition after the settler had done all the law called
for?
A young lawyer named Niece took q similar
claim. lived it eight months, cultivated hVe
times the required b. law, at the same time
practising his profession. lie sold his claim year
or so later and gave his whole attention to the
Inv. a large part OF his business being to &C.
fend settlers against Sparks. HIS pa'eh'
was attacked and held up" as the phrase Is,
because-I use the agents own words, taken from
his report-there was no evidence that he In
tended to make it the farm his future home
Future" home Mr.. MCGEE and his purchaser
are both still minus their land. 1t is still await
ing disposition because Sparks claimed the right
to draw conclusions as to mans intentions
about where he would live in the future Could
anything be more idiotcP Or more palpably
maliciOus1
Cases just like these could he cited ny the
hundred There are siXtv-six OF them still held
up her at Devils Lake. There ore as many more
at Grand Forks They have been pending for
from three TO four years. Thousands more were
attempted, causing great loss and expense TO the
settlers, who had TO come hundreds OF miles
with their witnesses TO the proper land office,
90 through long and barren trial and wait
six or eight months for decision The only
reason why this business did not ruin the country
WIS because the Democratic Territorial land
officers we 70 too honest and hgh-mindcd To stand
by it, But it nightly hurt North Dakotn, and
especially such very new parts Of the country
ms this There are still about 100000 acres
open TO. settlement in this district and all OF IT
is first -cln>S wheat land. IL Is rapidly going.
During April 50? settlers entered upon $4,000
acres. II cannot he too strongly impressed upon
the minds Of people who think Of coming West
that the time TO come is now. and that free
homes and the public domain are phrases
that will soon crns TO possess significance. II
is easy enough 10 learn all any one would wish
to know about Devils Lake or any other Western
town. All have local organizations Of their live
lirst business men, usually termed q Board Of
Trade, which make the supplying OF facts and
figures business. Investigations into what
these associations say usually show that they
speak we'll within the limits OF accuracy, md
thot their claims arc matters OF absolute history.
They esteem no trouble too serious that results
IN giving now and desirable settlers.
The city OF Devils Lake sits upon an arm
OF the curious body OF water from which IL has
taken it's name. When the great railroad pro-
prictor whom everybody in the Northwest fondly
CT lis " Jim Hin came along IN lss? TO see what
the country looked like. single log shanty was
rlgng in another year and n city hid meanwhile
arisen 70 meet it. Now there nrc 1900 Iroplc
living in handsome. comfortable houses. Blu ID
ing Improvements 10 thr amount Of sl37, 900
were made in 1883. Though among the very
Devils Lake has demonstrated lasting qu,litrs
1t has survived n boom. and thai i "A good gunr-
rntre that il contains all III" essential elements
Of prosperity. It's natural advantages are indeed,
numerous. South and east and west OF 1t is
beautiful lake, lftv-nvr miles long. and from
two 10 eight miles wide, with its shores cut
into u hundred cares and promontorirs. forming
deli ghtful little bays and inets. THIS lake is
ncvrr-faling source OF interest 20 the people
living nrnr II. II has surprising habits, and
upon II and within Il is Il population which HIS
fC. ~, il not the confidence. At least the re-
spectful consideration, Of everybody. II is any but
a useless lake, for all around is n heavy growth OF
timber, godsrnd to all prairie countries II sup
Plies the fish market. toO and its Influence upon
fhe general rainfall must DC great Like all the
winters in this country. II has been contracted TO
IT'S present proportions from Others far greater
II used to extend beyond its present shores over
three successive benches" or stcys plainly do
fined upon the prairie, 10 III" distant bluffs beyond
It's original shor.s. In those DAYS, which were many
whites ago. il undoubtedly possessed an outlet into
the Red River Now IT Is hell within the tight clasp
o. tho land. and is waters ms sal md ms blue
as those Of the ocean. Within the groves OF oak
a nd elm thar hnc Us sandy and pchbly shores are
many quaint and picturesque situations, soon to
become sumner resorts FOR practically the whole
Of North Dakota
As n market for wheat the city Is fast realizing
its destiny, but it is also becoming u great market
for cattle Beyond tn" Mouse River, hundred miles
away Immcn-" catt" ranges cAist. Tho land IN
1lnt country j. peculiarly adapted 10 the nccom-
mediation Of cattle, and many thousands nrc nj
ready being hcrd~l in IN" valley vast deposit
Of Ignite coal in the Turtle Mountains smplifes
tln nrnlllnm I'd rclnccs The eNpcnse Of living In