The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-21
I'm the WOnde erland
OF North America.
Over the Northern Pacific from the
Unsalted to the Sailed Sea.

sofa, the latter In Dakota. With such
advantages of situation as they possess,
these cities must increase In CONNER
cial Importance with the development
Of this rich country surrounding them.
Moorhead Is a well-built city of 1000
population. at an elevation OF eighty
four feet above the sea level. and 250
miles west Of Duluth. 1t has fine busi-
ness blocks, Touring mills. grain eleva-
tors and attractive residences and pub
lie buildings, among which ds Bishop
Whipple's school," under the control
OF the Episcopal church. Immediately
across the Red River OF the North
Is the bustling city Of Fargo. connect
ed by immense bridges which span the
river. Fargo Is the largest city In Da-
kota and called the metropolis OF the
Red River Valley. Its importance IL
largely due to the railroad systems, Of
which 1t Is a central poinut. The arri-
walls and departures OF passenger trains
number tweEty-slx daily. The growth
Of Fargo began when the Northern Pa
clfic reached the Red river in 1871.
Fargo has a population OF 5000 and is a
lively type of new western town,
with all the modern improvements. A
noticeable feature was the two-story
brick buildings. This plan was agreed
upon after the disastrous fire in 1889
when 200 acres right in the heart Of the
city was totally destroyed Here are
huge elevators, Touring mills, several
manufactures, twelve churches, twen-
ty-eight hotels, three daily newspapers
and educational facilities exceptionally
good. The Northern Pacific Elevator
company has Its headquarters here,
owning over fifty elevators and many
warehouses. Our Sunday stay was OF
peculiar interest and profit.
Bonanza Farms,
At Dalrymple, eighteen miles from
Fargo. and at Casselton two miles
farther west. are the great wheat
Farms or Oliver Dalrymple, comprising
to,OOO to $4,000 acres, all under cultiva-
ton. These acres are divided into
tracts Of 5000 acres each and sub-di-
vidcd into farms of 1000 acres
each. on each of which Is
ts placed superintendent, book
keeper and stOrehouse Of supplies, and
as the result of the thorough system
employed this farm can raise wheat
and deliver to the railroad at a cost Of
80 cents per bushel. The net profit on
bushel Of wheat Is seldom less than
10 cents. and the average yield per
acne may be safely put at fifteen
bushels.
The Casselton farm OF 10000 acres
employs 400 men in harvesting and 500
to 600 In threshing. Over 250 pairs Of
| horses and mules are used 200 gang
plows, 1:5 self-bindng reapers and q
steam threshers. About the first Of
August the harvester is heard and
those who have witnessed the opera
tion of securing the golden grain will
| never forget the scene. The sight of
these immense wheat fields stretching
away farther than the eye can reach
In one unbrOken sea with golden waves
Is In Itself grand one. Just think of
a sea Of wheat containing twenty
square miles-l3.000 acres-rich, ripe
and golden, with the long procession
OF reaping machines moving like bat
teries of artillery formed against the
thick-set ranks of grain. Each ma
chine Is drawn bythree mules or horses
and with each gang Is a superintendent
who rides along on horseback and di-
rects the operations of the drivers.
There are the mounted repairers who
carry with them the tools for repairing
disabled machinery without delay.
Thus the reaping goes on with the ut
most order. Think Of lis reaping ma
chimes travelling in line together cut
ting a swath one-fifth of a mile in
width, laying low twenty miles of grain
In a swath of that great size in the
course of single day No brass band.
no drum beat or shrill note of the fife.
Dut the army moves on daily, a solid
phalanx to the music Of its own ma
chinery. the reapers tossing the bundles
spiritedly into the air, each binder do
Ing the work Of six men.
J. E. Richmond.