The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-02-02
WILL pIrcfiIfia PAY.

WILL DlTcHINa PAY.
A rectangular piece of land com
prising that part Of the north town.
ship Of Midland, and all Of Lincoln,
Toilette and Carlisle townships lying
between the Northern Pacific railroad
and ten miles west Of that road,
makes $50 sections, 40 quarter sec
tlons or LII, 200 acres. This block Of
land approximates in area and out
line section of country which at
present is almost wholly unsettled.
For, where there are localities farm.
ed within the boundary named there
are equal areas near by. but not In.
cluded, which are vacant, particular.
ly In the south Of Pcmbina township.
Now there is only one reason why
these lands are vacant. viz: want Of
drainage; The question then occurs
will it pay to drain? And from this
comes the queries, first: IL the land
itself good land? and second what
will it cost to drain? The answer to
the first question may be found In
the experience Of many farmers who
have made Il success OF wheat-raising
IN these lands, notwithstanding the
drawbacks of lack of drainage, bad
roads and sparsely settled locality;
aud in the experiences of other farm
ers who have failed for no other rea.
son than lack of drainage from rails
ing good crops. We think that al
most every man who has a knowledge
Of this region of country will .grce
with us that at least the great bulk
of this land might be redeemed by
drainage.
But the question comes as to the
cost, aud this after all is the most
important question. 1t has been. de-
n"nstratcd that grader will dig a
Itch ON both sides and make a road
between. for about 800 per mile, and
the ditchers or road machines will
put in a pretty good ditch on one side
for $500 ii mile. But these bitches
are not level and in places where they
% through uneven ground will have
TO be supplemented by scraper or
hand work. So, to get a good broad
level ditch, we might add another
800 per mile, making in round num-
bers $500 per mile. Now a ditch on
each section line east and west, aver.
aging ten miles long, through the
section described would cost about
1000 to each ditch or about $50, 900
in all. This is large sum of money
and pretty near takes ones breath
away to think Of. But let us look at
the other side Of the equation. What
is the value received?
AS one value received we have 200
miles of good roads, for the road can
he made at the same time the bitches
are dug. We have opened up over
700 farms to settlement and culture.
The average farmer pays $50. taxes,
per year, making $35, 900 income from
100 farmers. A new settler is usually
inquired In statistics as worth 81, 900 to
the country In which he settles.
Seven hundred farmers would thus
be worth 100000. There are over
$4,000 acres opened to cultivation.
Take off $1,000 acres for waste lands
etc, and there is enough left to raise
100000 bushels Of wheat per year
besides oats, barley and potatoes.
all equalling in value ten times the
cost of the bitches. The approxima-
ton in value of the lands themselves.
aud of lands adjacent, the increase
IN business at the market towns, the
building up these and oGher new
towns are all incidental to retaining
these lands and their settlement.
An increased value of only one dol
lar per acre would more than double
'he cost of dftching alone, while the
"otal expense per acre would be from
nly fifty to sixty cents. Anaddition-
II yearly tax of ten dollars per quar-
Ter section for ten years would pay
the bill. And ten dollars in o wet
'pring for dry farm is little money.
We believe the benefits from in.
'reased value Of land drained, the in
:idental increase to lands adjacent,
'nu to towns would approximate at
east 5000 Look at the two COL
nmns, and draw the balance. Figure
he items to suit yourselves and esti.
nate the cost as very much more and
he benefits as very much less and
vet the balance is bound TO be over
shclming in amount in favor of the
'enetits.
This drainage business is for the
people who live In and about the To-
c,lity; incidentally it is bound to
'enetit the whole county, but only
the people near by are interested suf-
liciently to take the necessary steps.
This is the time of year when farm.
ers have leisure to think and plan for
the future. Every farmer in Lin.
coin, Midland, Carlisle townships and
Pembina, is directly or indirectly
interested in financial way in this
work. Every business man in each
Ut the surrounding towns on the
Northern Pacific and Great Northern
railways is directly interested in build.
ing up trade and in the locality of the
burned region" is the best oppor-
tunity. Make this matter a subject
Of conversation and discussion, as you
meet at neighbors' houses, at the
school house, and in town. Public
sentiment and thought needs direc-
tion. This is matter that takes
time and thought. Let everybody
take time and think. II anybody has
anything to say on this matter to q
larger audience, the PIONEER Elk.
PRESS is not only willing. but anxious
to assist you with the use of its col.
umns.
EDITORIAL RECOGNITION.
There are some of our state news
papers pushing the special claims of
the editorial fra ternifv ftr.recOunitlOn