The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-06
NORTH !. Q III DAKOTA. D u, in GOOD SHAPE
GENERAL CoyYAN SAYS
THE FARMERS ARE PROS
Porous
Wheat Crop Was of Uniform Grade
Generally and Easy to Handle
The Only Crop That Ras Fallen
Off Is Divorces.

~ Ihe only crop Vh2t fins Fallen
Off Is Divorces.
John F. Cowan, Of Devils Lake, at
torney general of North Dakota, was
among the Sunday visitors in the city
yesterday Speaking of North Dakota
commercially and agriculturally MI
Cowan said: Money has never been
easier in our state than at present. A
great deal of Eastern capital is being
freerS Invested and money at this time
is one Of the cheapest things we have.
The bumper crop Of 1899 has all been
harvested 'thresGed and a great deal
marketed, leaving the farmers in excel
lent shape financially. Statistics for the
past year will show that very great
amount has been paid on farm mort
cages; in fact, more than any two years
since 1890, and most of the farmers still
have on hand "a considerable amount of
wheat that has not been marketed. TIE
wheat crop this year was very easy to
handle and Of an especially uniform char
acter. Grades have been fairly salts
factory and freight rates, while not
entirely satisfactory. are lower than
when the subject was taken up by the
railroad, and warehouse commission. The
freight rate case is still in litigation. The
courts decided that the schedule fixed by
the commission was unreasOnably low
and the appeal is still pending. In the
meantime however, the railroads re-
duced the rates to a figure much below
the former basis, and a great amount
has been saved to the farmers since last
spring on this reduction. 1 should say
that it amounted to somewhere in the
neighborhOod Of 100000.
POLITICALLY there is little said in any
part of the state. The people in the
cities are too busy making money, while
the farmers have had all they wanted
to attend to harvesting and marketing
their 1889 crop.
People are coming to North Dakota
as in the past to unite uncongenial mat,
rimonial alliances. The legislature
year ago passed law requiring a years
residence in the state, instead of three
months, and as a result a great improve
ment is noticed in this respect. The
state prison is putting in a new binding
Irvine plant, which will, 1t IS calculated,
save a great many thousands of dollars
to the farmers in the purchase of their
Irvine and at the same time give the
prisoners steady occupation. 1t is I'M
derstood that the prison binding Irvine
will sell for several cents lower than
the trust product
"a great oedl VI Aeal estate 10 CH@ASIAS
hands in Devils Lake, as well as other
North Dakota cities. While there is
not What could be called a boom, real
property commands a good price and is
advancing in value very steadily. Years
ago when we experienced our initial
boom great deal of property was
bought by'noutsof-town people. Later
a great many mortgages were placed, and
when the hard times came on a great
deal of mortgaged property was ADAM
doned by owners, and 1t fell into the
hands of-.the investors. During the de-
preston 1t was a drug on the market
and could not be handled. Conditions
now, however, are much changed, and
every one in North Dakota feels the
effect of the generally improved condi-
tons and looks upon the future Of the
state as particularly bright and as
sured."