The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-04-27

Graphic Sketch of the Trip and the Ex-
periences Incidental to Settling on the
New Claims.


EDITOR TIMEs:-The North Dakota
homeseekers reached here In good condition
with the exception of a few OF those who
expected to 6pd this paradise, and were
somewhat disappointed to find 1t wild
prairie.
was with crowd which we will call
Mr.. Gardeners crowd. We left Michigan
on the 9Th of March and had very
pleasant trip all the way. We crossed the
lake In the night, and some that had never
been on the water before, got a little light
headed. We arrived in Manit0woc, WIS.,,
nice town, on the morning of the 2Sth, and
left about 10 a. m. for st. Paul, over the
w. G. r. r., passing through some OF the
incest farming land of the west, right In
Wisconsin. We arrived early In the
morning, about a. m. of the goth, and not
leaving there until about $50 p. M, we
had a good long time to looks the twin
cities over. This time was well spent by
most of the excursionists.
After leaving st. Paul, where the boys
had got on new supply of refreshing
drinks, we rolled along, everybody as
happy as larks, seemingly, over the Great
Northern r. R., which is one of the best
roads of the west, until along toward morn
ing of the 3Otb, when the supply of Mis-
sissippi river water began to run low.
Well, the most of us were surprised when
it came light enough so we could see to
look out of the Car windows and could see
nothing but land and farm buildings-no
trees, nothing to furnish shade for
bicycle riders.
We reached Devils Lake, N. D., on the
morning of the 30th, about 10 q. M, and
Immediately some went to the U. 8. land
Office to obtain information as to homesteads
while others began looking for saloons,
having quite forgotten that North Dakota
was a temperance state and would rot
grant licenses for the making or selling OF
liquor in the state. But the drug stores did
a good business, for most of the boys were
sick at having such poor luck In finding
saloons.
Well, at Devils Lake we divided up for
different parts. People going to points on
the ST. Johns branch were put on one train
and others going to Bottineau were on
another, while those going on the Main
line thru to Minot, were on still another.
Several came to Minot who did not intend
to but had to in order to file claims which
are in the MinOt district, after filing, going
back to different points along the Bottneau
branch. The most of the women folks got
to Bottineau Friday afternoon of the 3Otb,
while the men who came to Minot had to
stay oyer Sunday there. Some went back
to Bottneau Monday, while others had to
wait until Wednesday evening. was with
the crowd that had to stay in MinOt until
Wednesday because of not getting my
papers, but joined the Gardner crowd at
Bottineau, Thursday.
Will Gardner, with a large crowd of men
going out west across the country to look up
their claims, left Bottineau on Wednesday,
April 4th, with a small load of lumber,
tents, and provision to last week or SO,
breaking the first road across that part from
about 10 miles east of their claims. When
he got to their claims there were not so
many In the crowd. Some had stopped
east of there and some went on still farther
west. But the boys, glad they had found
the spot, pitched their tents, got supper, and
lay down for the night. This was the end
of the second days travel and the next day,
the 9th, Will started back to Bottineau,
leaving Hiram Stanton, Joe Alexander and
Melvin Booth at the tents to look after
things Will got back to Bottineau on Sat
urday, the 7tb, staying there over Sunday.
Monday morning we loaded up load OF
lumber and other necessary things, tied the
buggy behind the wagon, loaded the women
In, including Mrs. Gardner, Miss Ella
Hillace, and Miss Olive Gardner, and
started out again across to the farm, dis
lance of about SO miles. The first thing of
any great attraction was we'll that was
1 900 feet deep and natural gas we'll at
$50 feet. We travelled on that day and
until II o'clock that night, when we stopped
at Norwegian's to stay the rest of the
night.
Never In my life was l, and think the
rest were the same, more delighted to see
house than l was to see that one, for we
had driven about 10 miles since we had
seen house. The Norwegian lady got up
out of bed and got our supper. Then they
gave us their bed. So there were IL of as
and eight of their own family who stayed
all night In one small house, 16x24.
Well, the next morning we started along
again and travelled until long after dinner,
when we come to a cody Called creeks In
Mich.) This was about % or 30 feet wide
and the water was about two feet deep In
II. We all got on the wagon to cross the
cody and as luck would have 1t, we got
stuck when the horses were just coming up
on the other bank and the women were In the
middle of the stream. The next thing was
to unload our stuff and transfer the women
to shore, which was done by young Glen on
horse back, by taking one of the women at
time en- the horse with him. Some one
said we might as well laugh as to cry, so
we all laughed. Well, we unloaded and
got out and loaded up again, which was
very pleasant, as you readers may know,
and started on again arriving finally all
right at what will be home. Tuesday night,
about $3.50 p. m, after which we had sup
per and went to bed. After breakfast the
next morning Mr. Gardner said, well,
ladies, do you think you want to live here
mr. not?v Mrs Gardner said ~ want to