Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-06-21
EDITORIAL LETTER.
Bismark, N. D., June II,

|
Dear Readers This, the capital city
OF North Dakota, is situated about one
mile east of the Missouri river. 1t j.
the distributing point tor quite large
territory out here and has some natural
advantages. 1t was lucky enough tc
get the state capital which was located
here in times of the boom when peo-
pies heads were in whirl and when
most thought this whole country would
soon be settled up and farmed like
Iowa. They placed the capitol build
ing over mile north of town on an
eminence, laid out and sold town lots
even out beyond the capitol building.
Those lots were never fenced and if it
were not for the town plat they could
not be distinguished from the rest of
the prairie range. Herds of cattle
browsing the buffalo grass on the sur
rounding hills crowd around and tramp
across the plank walk running from
town out to the capitol end are only
kept from encroaching on the capitol
grounds themselves by few strands
of barb wire. The capitol is as far in
the country as it was ten years ago.
The state penitentiary is located
here. A military fort across the river.
A hospital is here. One thing that
doesn't seem to be here in this town to
Il very marked degree is enterprise.
The town isn't making much of its
opportunities. They may waken up
and do better. Sidewalks and nearly
everything show lack of disposition
or ability on the part of the people to
keep up with the procession. The
town only has about 5000 people.
The railroad to Washburn and north
is being pushed. There is quite a
boom up in that direction. l have not
been up and do not know that I shall
go as l want to hurry on to see the
wonders Of the west. From reliable
sources | learn that the soil is quite
good in the vicinity of Welton and
Washburn and that if they had a little
more regular rainfall each year it
would be n good wheat country. As
1t is they often get a good crop and
often they don't. But this is all good
stock country. The wild grass is
nutrative and sheep raising especially
is having boom. | have 10 doubt
but that if man came up here and
farmed some and raised stock good
deal that he could succeed / am not
in the real estate business. Any one
contemplating moving up here ought
come up and see and investigate before
moving up.
A widespread, uniform and serious
drought is prevailing over the country
from eastern central Minnesota to cen
trail North Dakota and perhaps farther
west. Minnesota has it as bad as this
state. The famous Red River valley is
badly afflicted. l staid day at Fargo.
There they claim they have not had
such a drought this time in the year
for ten years. They do not expect a
more than half Yield of wheat even
if they have good rains soon, and
if they do not come soon the Yield will
be almost nothing. The wheat Yield
in that valley is usually almost a Ger
tainty, but when it fails it is a hard
stroke on business, as everything there
is nearly altogether dependent on their
wheat. Fargo is beautiful city. The
buildings, streets and everything indi-
cate prosperity or enterprise. The
State Agricultural college is located
there, also a Congregational college.
The population is about $4,000. The
Red River of the north makes it's tor
tuous course north past here. 1t isn't
much of stream here, not nearly
so big as is its reputation. 1t ism t
much bigger than the Botna. These
wheat fields around Fargo are a won
der. There is a little undulation to
the land, but much of it has so little as
to be scarcely discernable. The fields
with its carpet of green widens and
stretches out before your vision appar-
emily as level as a floor, and as far as
the eye can reach. This is agriculture
on scale calculated to surprise the
easterner. They are doing what they
can to feed the world. The soil there
is like garden and deep enough to
last.
l had delightful visit at st. Paul
with Henry Gray and desire to tell you
something of it in another letter.
Enough for now. Yours d. C. M.