Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-12-26

IL aside the pitchfork and take up the
pen in order to comply with your re-
quest for Il brief write.np OF this town
ship. | shall endeavor to give you
something of it's past, present and pos
sibly Il glance at its prospective future.
As it's name indicates its soil is OF II
rich black loan OF that grade classified
rs self-drained soil viz: each cube
inch OF soil will absorb nearly that
amount of water. The Little Pambina
cuts off wedse-shaped piece OH the
north east corner. This section is dot
ted over with heavy bluffs Of timber
aud is an ideal home for the stock rails
er and has an abundant supply OF liv-
ing water, while in the protection OF
the timber, stock is allowed to run the
greater part OF the winter. The
balance of the town is open prairie,
gradually falling off to the southeast.
Loan stands foremost as an agriculture
al locality, having few if any equals
and no superiors.
When it first came under the gaze of
the writer in the spring OF 80, it lay in
a state OF nature. us fresh as when 1t
came from the hand OF the Creator.
On the town line between Harvey and
] Loan tound the advance guard OF
Immigrants from SouthernManitoba in
the persons of Rob't Scott and Neil
~ IVY, 1nv n .ljn
to being the pioneer settlers OF Loan.
They in western parlance having
set up their stake were enjoying
themselves in the comm) 1Ous quar-
ters OF the open prairie, with an lnvert-
ed wagon box pressed into service for
pa:lor and sleeping apartment. Re
ceiving a North Dakota Welcome par
took of the first square meal | had
been able to get for four days, consls-
ting Of bachelors bannocN, fried Chi
cago chicken and tea-Gnd such tea.
The COOK being busily engaged in con-
verSation with the new arrival forgot
aud all but sugarel it Off. Having
spent several days on the upper noun
tain-which, by the way is nota noun
tain, but rather the level of the
country, the lower plain being the val
ley of the Red River, l retraced my
steps to Pembina. Returning in two
weeks imagine my surprise in finding
the whole Pembina plain dotted with
tents-a man on each quarter. Train
after train of immigrants had pushed
on to the upper plateau and taken pos
session of what is now Loan and Har
vey. The following spring Uncle Sam
paid his respects by sending a corps of
surveyors and their lines cut ours into
all sorts of shapes. The population is
largely English-speaking though trac
ing their ancestors from different ma
tionalities. The original settlers might
be graded into three different classes.
First, young unmarried men who fan
cied they could by holding down
claim for a year or two acquire for
4 tune. Second, those who had failed in
almost every other calling expecting
without capital to make a success of
4 agriculture. Both were of course
doomed to disappointment, retiring in
from one to two years, but without the
+ expected fortune and as rule mort
gaging their land for few dollars be-
yond what was needed to pay the gov
eminent, then leaving the country.
Third, those who while having little or
nothing but their hands, possessed
will to succeed that would not recog-
niZe defeat.
1t is perhaps needless to refer to the
,. sufferings and hardships endured; the
privations and economy on every hand.
Suffice to say that each season saw
something done, which though it did
not give immediate relief was a bank
on which we could draw in the future.
In 1887 the st. p. NJ. & M. ran
. branch line into the county giving us
, market which we could reach IN
Il days "trip, instead Of taking three or
four as heretofore. This Was the year
OF the finest crop in the history of the
northwest and it seemed as if the fates
had become weary of pursuing us and
our labor was being rewarded and life
was worth living. AS if by magic
roads were opened up: school houses
erected and furnished with appliances
bearing the Stamp of being up to date.
The oxen were sent to the butchers
block, fine horses taking their place
and'on every hand the air of thrift and
, prosperity prevailed. The last quarter
section of government land and nearly
all the company lands have been pur-
chased and put under cultivation.
Enormous crops Of all kinds are raised
While a look at our kitchen gardens
would make our eastern friends turn
green with envy. Stock raising is re-
t cclving general attention and their