The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-12-27
Y I'M Tears Ago They We're Wild.
"a Without People Now Cities
md Towns Are Growing and Pros
ering There The Greatest Of All
these IS Fargo. but Fargo Has
Wants Which Are Modestly Spoken
An Opportunity to Capture
Fortune.

north by the British possessions, on
the east by the states of Minnesota
and Iowa, on the south by the state
Of Nebraska and on the west by Mon
tana and Wyoming, geographically
the center of the continent OF Nortn
America, being midway betw zen the
two great oceans and between the
Gulf Of Mexico and Hudson's bay,
between the 43rd and the 10th paral-
lels Of latitude and between the merid-
lans SO and 104, west from Greenwich
ls vast area, its extreme length north
and south being nearly 430 miles AMI
Ito extreme width, east and west being
e50 miles. People are accustomed to
look upon the country as the "far
north" and few Of them reflect that
al Of Britain, Norway and Sweden
are to the north of our northern bound
ary and that the notifications of tenn
perature made by the Japan current
on the Pacific coast compare with the
action Of the gulf stream that renders
the north Of Europe inhabitable.
OF the two states made of this great
territory, North Dakota contains an
area Of 1882 square miles, 1860, $50
acres, about 5000 square miles less
than the state of Minnesota, and is
about the size Of Indiana and Ohio
together, or nine times as large as
the state Of Massachusetts,. Com
mencing at Fargo, which city I have
the honor to represent in this conven-
ton, the Red river valley is entered.
This is veritable prairie, 80 to 60
miles wide, broad, level plain, high
enough for splendid drainage through
Its principal river and streams. Tho
soil la a deep, black loan over a clay
marl subsoil and is the most fertile
In the world. 1t produces q special
quality Of wheat, known the world
over as No. hard. The oats, barley,
aax and vegetables from this section
are known for their superior quality
wherever they are handled, and there
are farmers in this valley who, in a
dozen years, have never failed to raise
good crop of Indian corn. The soil
Is lighter, as one journeys to the west
beyond the valley; out to the very
margin of the Bad Lands, beyond
Dickinson, 800 miles west of the Red
river, the soil has capabilities which,
to one accustomed to the lighter East
ern soils. seem almost marvellous. TAX
Ing into consideration the soil alone,
this central prairie of the continent
may safely be said to be the richest
spot on earth. the very garden of the
western hemisphere.
In the western part of the state Of
North Dakota the settlers not having
cOngregated there and the reliability
of the rainfall not being sufficient,
with present facilities and knowledge
of the adaptability Of the country, to
ensure yearly crops Of grain, the stock
raisers and ranchmen have established
themselves. These stockmen depend
entirely upon wild grasses Of the prai-
rie for the development and perfection
Of their bands and herds Of horses,
cattle and sheep, and the results &C.
complished by them are the finest
stock at a minimum Of expense.
The western lands, in q very large
area, are undertake with coal deposits
and 1t is asserted by those who have
fully investigated the matter that
North Dakota has more acres of coal
lands than has any state in the Union.
The settlement Of this splendid
northwestern prairie has only begun.
Not one-eighth Of the land Of North
Dakota is under cultivation. If the
land Of the state was equally divided
among the present population there
would be more than one-third of q
square mile for each man, woman
and child In the state. It's resources
are almost untouched. The coal fields
are not sufficiently developed to make
more than slight impression on the
vast deposits. Creameries, starch fac
tories and wooden mills are but Just
getting into operation. Thousands Of
tons Of fax straw are allowed to go
to waste every year, because Of the
lack Of fibre mills to work 1t up.
Fargo, the chief city Of North Dako-
Ia, offers more inducements for the
advantageous employment Of capital
In modest amounts probably than any
city in the world. There is city Of
about ten thousand people, In the very
garden Of the world. It is a city Of
such enterprise that, when it's business
buildings and many Of its residences
were wiped out by fire in June. 1893,
its citizens had the energy, in the face
Of panic then raging, to rebuild In
more solid and substantial manner
before the November snow Of that
year. It Is city of schools, colleges
and churches, Of electric lights and
Of paved streets, with an elaborate
water and sewerage system, modern,
Up'IO-udlc CITY. IL nus WQOleBal0
houses in one or two lines, four solid
banks, three daily newspapers and 3
most prosperous community Of retail
Merchants. On it's streets, at any
time, can be counted score or more
Of well-to-do men who came to the
country with nothing. It is the seat
OF the State Agricultural college, an
Institution to the support Of which tho
United States government contributes
$4,000 annually. It has six railroads
entering its limits, and with the spec
,ial freight rates that have been award
ed to 1t, 1t is able to compete success
fully with all its Eastern rivals In
the distribution Of all kinds Of goods
over territory containing popula-
ton of more than 100000 souls. For
the country surrounding this city, na-
ture has done everything. Soil, cli-
mate, cheapness Of land and Of farm.
Ing methods, make 1t the ideal farm
er's country. Its enterprising and %.
srRetic citizens have built a beautiful
city at the margin Of the most fertile
prairie on earth. But they have only
0psned the door. There 10 scarcely .