Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-03-18
An Emmons County Farmer Writes
A Curious Letter to Commits
siOner Helges0n.
Proposal From . Nebraska Man to
Furnish the River With Light
Draft Boats.
The Common Council Issues the
Call for the Regular Spring
Election.
A Curious Communication.

The following curious communication
translated from the original in Ger
man-was received by the commissioner
OF agriculture and labor in December.
The evelope was addressed, "Acker
Bou,'' meaning agriculture board, "Ko-
miser Helgesen, FARGO, N. Oak" From
Fargo it was sent to Bismarck. It was
finally translated and found to contain
some excellent suggestions. 1t is evil
IDENTIFY written by an intelligent Russian
German. 1t reads as follows:
McINTosH COUNTY, N. D., December
189l.-HON. LAND COMMISSIONERS: Greet
ing to you for New Years. Peace, happi-
ness and blessing. God may protect Your
home; protect from all sides from harm
this year and MANY more to come. Do not
greive at my greeting, the lord may bless
you with wisdom and knowledge for your
high office which you are cloaking. that you
may come to great hOnOrs.
Dear Sir, Land Commissioner: |. Jacob
sStOns, beg of you to bring this letter before
the high officers of the State with my
greeting.
Gentlemen of the State of North Dako-
ia: The man is composed OF i, any limbs.
The head is the commander. Consequently
if ones part of the body is sore he looks
faded, his color is not healthy, therefore
the head seeks a remedy for the body and
keeps it in proper motion. This is the case
with our state, you gentlemen are the head
ana can help the farmers which are the
body. Dear Gentlemen: The most desired
part Of our state is Mcintosh and Emmuns
counties. We suffer for want of q rail.
road. we have to traveltwenty thirty, sixty
and ninety miles to Eureka, S. D 1.-THE roads
are bad, our horses and cattle perish on
the roads. Think of the time it takes to
haul 1000 or 1000 bushels of grain to the
market, and how we North Dakota farmers
are treated in South Dakota, figure Onlv s
cents per bushel on 1000 and it makes
Mcintosh, Emmons and Logan counties,
sold this year 1900 bushels of wheat,
gether for $l0,50O at a loss at s cents per
bushel.
Our clothing and groceries cost from $lO,.
100 to $4,000 per year, and all goes to
South Dakota, and we are chargedbiv for
it. South Dakota gets $50 900 to $22,O O
more than she ought in trade from North
Dakota people. But if we had a railroad
we could go to Bismarck, and our trade
would amount to 100000 for North Da.
kOta, and the state would be blooming,
" gentlemen are the head of the state,
and we beg of you respectfully to help us
ln order to let North Dakota get the earn
lngs Of her produce, and unless we don't
get any railroad, wa are not able to make
a living in North Dakota, that means that
as long as we are bound to sell our produce
in Eureka, we CAM get teams, wagons
and oxen enough and we haven't got time
enough to work all are land as it TAX es
more time to bring the stuff to town while
q good many farmers has lost their health.
Now gentlemen, think it over and see if
you can help us any, help us and you help
the state and it would be for the good of
the farmers. l think it a be done as the
city of Eureka two years ago completed
the same thing. Eureka was against build
ing the railroad in Bismarck and ] think
the whole state ought to be able to change
that.
l wish all the land commissioners and
the governor and state officers a happy
new year; when the railroad is completed
she will bring plenty of gold and silver in
North Dakota.
Please write me your views about this
matter in the German language.
JACOB SToNs.
Exeter, Emmons County, N. D.