The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-06-29
North Dakota Letter.

EDITOR OWOSS0 ZINES:
Dear Sir: promised my friends in and
around the city that would write a letter
to all through The TIMES, giving my i'm
preston of the country and whether ]
would advise any one to come here or not
About our trip here-as for myself and
from what observed and talked with those
on the train, the railroads did all they
could for the comfort of the passengers
All the passengers certified to 1t on our car
in paper passed around. We had good
passage across the lake and all heard say
anything about the trip were we'll satisfied;
In fact 1t was picnic sor me. We had no
accident on any of the trains that heard of;
l think that is good showing for the rail-
roads. There were always from four to six
railroad and general agents on our train, in
Guiding Marx Boss, who went from st. Paul
to Devils Lake. They commenced to drop
off at every branch until we had only Lee
and Grouse, who were left to 90 to Bottineau.
Marx Boss went the next day to Bottineau,
but l do not know how long he stayed, as 1
stopped at Willow City, a place of about
500 Inhabitants. Bottineau has about 1900
inhabitants and Is the county seat of Bot
tineau county; the place is growing, as 1t is
the headquarters for most of those north of
Omeme to get their supplies. All the
stations have from two to four elevators,
each holding from 10000 to 90, 900 bushels
of wheat They draw their wheat loose in
double wagon boxes, anywhere from rs to
1875 bushels to the load, drive on the scales,
weigh it, drop down the rear wheels, open
the slide and run the wheat into the vault
below. Wheat is worth here 5316 cents per
bushel
The last fall Of snow we saw was when
we were In st. Paul, Minnesota. When we
got to the River Valley they were preparing
and sowing wheat, and some are sowing
here yet. There will be considerable flax
sown this week and next.
Now for what l think of the country.
There Is no better land or a more beautiful
country that l have seen than this for a
prairie. 1t is gently rolling, beautiful
sight to look upon, but 1t has its draw backs
as all countries have. They haye their
droughts; but was talking with an old resi-
dent here and he told me he had never
raised less than Is bushels of wheat to the
acre; of course 1t depends on how the crop
is put in. This man told me that they did
not have any rain for ten months that year.
They do not need as much rain here as the
ground freezes so deep that the moisture
coming from the frost appears to keep 1t
growing except on sandy subsoil. If farm
ers out there had had it as dry there as 1t
has been here until last week they would
have thought it would be no use of putting
out crop, while here the crops look first
rate, and if we have occasional showers the
prospects are there will be good crop.
Now about coming here. If 1 was a
young man and had enough to keep myself
with what l could earn the first year 1
should come west, get me homestead, and
IL one will work as bard as he would there
and be saving and have no sickness In the
time they have to prove up they can have
good home and need ask no odds Of any one.
They have no taxes to pay and need not
prove up under six years. But will say
il they are going, to expect to have picnic
or get money without labor they will be dis
appointed. Those who have been here
from to 10 years and had any snap about
them are we'll off, with money to buy what
they need, with good buildings and every
thing comfortable around them. II they
want to come this year, want to work, un-
less they are carpenters or masons, l would
not come until the last of July or first of
August Then If there is good crop there
will be work for all at good wages: Carpen-
tiers, so. SO to SO. so; masons, $3.50 to $500;
men in harvest and threshng, 50 80 to So. 90;
common labor, S1.50 per day, but on ac-
count of the influx this and last year, at this
time of year there are more laborers than
work.
want to say right here that any one
having a good home and business there
should stay there, though man with capi-
tul ouu 8OOu Uuolucoo uouu Cuu moho hAoho
money here than there. They sell their
agricultural tools and machinery on time
and take cinch note on the crops for one,
two, and three years at IL per cent interest,
and most of the farmers come out all right.
There Is tanning mill firm from Detroit,
Mich, which sells on three years time and
they can load at each town on the road.
There are people here from all over the
world. l have met them from Michigan,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Ar
kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Indiana,
Tennessee. Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland
and Pennsylvania. There are also foreign
Germans, Norwegians, Danes,
irish, Scotch, Icelanders, etc. l could fill
pages with descriptions Of the way they
live, but as this letter is long enough and /
am afraid you will reject 1t as 1t is 1 will
bring 1t to close.
Politically you can count North Dakota in
the republican column this fall.
Respectfully yours,
.t @. o. LAPHAM.
Vacation Tour.
The Seaside Excursion Of the Western