Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1889-09-19
IT WILL Be WEI AGAIN.
Plentiful Rains for the Dakotas
Com1ng-Proved by Obser-
vatlons on Lakes, etc.
The Dry Seasons at an End-Next
Year Will see Sloughs filed
up and Crops Flourish.
Farmers take Notice and act Ac
cordlngly- Now IS the Time
when Pluck wins.

Z
Some weeks ago The Alert gave the
first news to farmers and others of North
Dakota that recent information acquired
by members Of the government geologi-
cal survey pointed to the end of the dry
seasons. Warren Upham of the govern
men: service, had made notes and record
ed observations on the height Of various
lakes in North Dakota, extending over a
period o; four years. These observations
were upon the shore lines of Devils lake
Stump lake, Spiritwood lake and several
other smaller bodies of water. They
were not made with the object OF deter
mining the rainfall Of past years, but
strictly in the line of other duties con
nected with the scientific work of the
glacial period of North America, upon
which the government proposes TO issue
full report later on.
But in travelling from farm house to
farm house, from the Red river to the
Missouri, and from the south boundary
of North Dakota to the Turtle mount
aims, Mr.. Upham became acquainted
with many farmers and their complaints
of the drouth were only too thoroughly
substantiated by their short crops. seen
on every hand. He became convinced
that deep seated impression exists
among most of the farmers that the dry
seasons of the past five or six years are a
fxity, and that the rainfall will continue
to grow less This idea is demorallzing
bnt is, in fact, of general acceptance.
In recent visit to jamestown. Mr..
Upham appeared before the senate com
nllttee on irrigation, and gave them
much inform, ton regarding the topics
they were Investigating. During con-
versatiei. at The Alert Office. ths fact.
that he had complete notes in his possess
sion OF the height in past years OF GER
tain lakes ia North Dakota and the con
d1tion Of the seasons accompanying them.
was developed and the question asked
il the shore lines indicated any regular
rise and fall CT water for any definite
period of time Mr.. Upham at once, saw
the drift Of the matter. as it related to
the present agricultural state of affairs
and went to work to see if his compen-
dunn of notes would indicate anything
of the kind. 10 his surprise, this very
fact was brought out, and stated with
great confidence by him.; viz, that there has
been regular period of wet and dry
seasons in Dakota, extending over
space of ten or twelve years. This was in
dicated with astonishing accuracy by the
condition of the lake beds and lake
shores as shown by scientific notes-con-
ditions which have existed to certainty
for from fifty to seventy-tive years. at
least, and doubtless much longer. This
would bring in the end of the present
dry period at 1S9O;and this unvaring rule
of the past indicates as surely the begin
ming Of wet years with the next crop sea
son in North Dakota.
This Information was published, has
re-appeared in most of the newspapers
ID,
siderable interest by many farmers,
whose poor luck again this year has
tended to give them little confidence in
the assertions made.
Since that time Mr.. Upha'n has further
investigated the subject. examining
streams and lakes with great care, and ex-
tending his observations over the west
erp portion of the state east of the Mis-
souri, He is now more confident than
before that his statements will be found
absolutely correct. The rotation OF
moist and dry seasons is mathematlcally
demonstrated by the lakes and ponds.and
the time fixed by his investigations shows
this occurs in space Of ten or twelve
years, about which there can be no mis-
take. So confident is he of this, that he
has furnished under bis own signature q
statement of facts for The Alert, which
are printed below. They should be copied
by all newspapers and put before every
farmer in the territory. The statements
are based upon the most Intelligent OBJ
seryation. patient inquiry of old settlers
and are sensible, practical reasons. The
following is the result of Mr.. Upham's
Investigations and his conclusions on the
same:
FLUCTUATIONS OF THE RAINFALL.
JAMESTOWN, North Dakota, Sept IL 'S9
EDIroR ALERT: The severe drought
which has prevailed during the past year
mer. not only throughout North and
South Dakota, but also westward to the
Pacific coast, causing the contagratlons
in Seattle and Spokana Falls and the