The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1889-09-12

"ioHo oilu utCOul poScu fcScCault
matter" Along its river sections
the fertility of the soil is practically
inexhaustible. Wheat is the prin
cipal crop and No. l hard raised ir
Richland county takes the premium
in the Chicago, New York and Liv.
erpool markets. Then its quality
is not the only thing in its favor
so bushels to the acre is not a rare
yield for many sections and 40 is
frequently realized an average OF
20 bushels has been known to con.
tinue for years. This, of course, is
not true of all portions of the
county, but is a fair representation
for the majority of farms now
under cultivation. The cost to
SOW and harvest wheat crop pei
year is from SIS to IS per acre, leav.
ing the rest clear gain. Other
cereals grow thriftily, oats in pay.
ing quantities. barley and buck
wheat also. Millet grows luxu.
riantly for feed, but is not sown
very extensively, as the native grass
yet supplies practically all the de.
mands in that line. In fact the
soil is the source of the county's
wealth. That is why the settler is
here--no stately forests to invite
HIM, no mineral wealth to retain
him. That is why the railroad is
here,-the soil furnishes marketable
freight, and every year its ten
thousand carloads roll away to the
worlds grain marts to be "cor-
nered." That is why the merchant
is here,-the tillers of the soil must
be supplied with the comforts of
civilization.
There have been a few stray
squatters in Richland county for
many years; but it has been settled,
practically, within the last ten
years. Commencing with the year
1879 or 1880, the land of the county
was rapidly taken up for five years.
Then, for the five years following it
has gone on more slowly; and that
which was occupied has been gradu-
ally developed until, as a farming
section, it is certainly "going on to
perfectiOn.' There are perhaps
MORE WEALTHY FARMERS
noting the time they have been on
the ground, than in any section OF
equal extent in the northwest. An
hours drive through any settled por-
tion will carry one by scores of set
tiers who came here with practically
nothing, and who now have com.
Portable homes, worth from $4,000
to $4,000 each ; and all this within
ten years. This has not come. how
ever by simply building air castles,
as to how it might be done. Prairie
is not turned into producing grain
fields, anywhere, without industry
and economy neither has it been
done in this county. But no where
has the immigrant been any more
richly rewarded.
The astonishing rapidity will
which the wealth and prosperity Of
the county have increased has beer
due, in great part, however, to the
class of settlers that occupy its
lands. Nor does this assertion be
come less true when we say that ;
majority of these settlers are not Of
American birth, but foreign. The
hardy race of Scandinavians,-tht
Norwegian, Swede and Dane,-s
race remarkable for its tireless in
| dustry, thrift and economy, ant
| sturdy morality, for ages in north
| west Europe,--is represented by
large and pros osperous colonies in this
county. To the northward they art
largely in the majority. Their love
for education, their unfailing sup
port Of exemplary religious princi
pies, their innate love of labor fol
what it gives, and their large mum
bers in this county, place them. al
things considered among the fore
most people in it. Southern anf
central Europe is represented by
several large colonies of German
and Bohemian citizens who have
all the qualities that make up
desirable settler, in tireless labor
and in accEmulating wealth arr
second to no people on the western
hemisphere the southwestern sec
tion of the county being settled
largely by them and is known az
the German settlement, while the
southeastern section is settled by
English speaking citizens and is
known as the Michigan settlement
And in speaking of our foreign