The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-09


the farmers OF Clay and Norman coun-
ties, Minnesota, and CasS and Tran
but. owing to the grasshopper scourge.
no more than the seed was saved
In lSI4 Mr.: Bruins erected a steam saw
and flour mill at Moorhead. and this
mill soon demonstrated the superior
quality of Red river wheat for making
excellent bread. The saw mill cut tho
haa for the Of tw1
built at Moorhead in 1875 by the Mer-
chants transportation company. ThesJ
steamboats, assisted in opening UP Mani
toba and the Northwest territory as mar
kets for flour. Later the Upper Missouri
and Black Hills countries were secured.
and later still the Yellowstone country.
as markets for the flour of the Moor
head mill. This mill created market
for all the wheat produced Within wide
radius. and for a number Of years 1t
less than 81 per bushel. In 1878 Bruins &c
Finkle built steam elevator of 10000
bushels capacity at Moorhead.. This was
the first steam elevator built in the Red
river valley. Mr.. Bruins states that in
the fall OF 1873 he shipped the first car
load of wheat from the Red river to
There was no wheat grown on the
Minnesota side of the Red river north
of the line Of the Northern Pacific ra:.-
1878. when the St. Paul uYfn Minnea pGi &
Manitoba railway completed its line TO
st; Vincent. Immigration then set in.
OF anns settler settlers to many stations VINO
wheat. The region between the railway
and the Red river was first settled. The
building Of railroads into and through
the valley has been the most important
factor in settling the country and de-
velopfng the resources Of this fertile
plain. Without these 1t would today DO
practically unpopulated and undeveloped.
as it remained for more than fifty years
after the Seikirk settlers had demenstrat-
ed It's adaptabtlity to cultivation. There
along the streams; but, without more
efficient means for transporting wheat
and other agricultural products to mar
ket. there could not have been any great
development and production.
Another leading factor In settling the
country has been the so-called 'bonahza
scale the rtc tice BILL y Of producing wheat
at ii proa' oh The fiat lands of the valley
They advertised the. results Of great Cp-
the wonderful possibilities Of the region.
They induced Immigration and settlement
IN most remarkable degree Of rapidity
Dalrymple farm. eighteen miles west Of
the Red river. In Cass county. North Da-
kota. opened up in 1875 and subsequent
years.
The. growth in population and wealth
that has taken place in the Red river
valley withsa thirty years has been very
Is co. In 1885, issool in iso5 it IS estimated
as $4,000 The assessed ~. valuation Of
At this date 1t Is estimated at s1oo. 0oo,N 900.
When the valley shall be vet moro
thicky settled. and the value Of land high
In less extensive tracts. the wheat yield
per acre will be increased. It will be 40
eompanted also with more diversified
herds. milk and butter. eggs and fowl.
beef. pork. mutton. ETC.. and then the
Red river valley will be-. according to its
whole country.
The agitation for a reduction of the
rate for transporting wheat to terminal
was induced by, the great fall in the price
or wheat In the wear 1888 to about ca
cents per bushel. affording little or no
pront to many Of the producers. This
aEitation resulted In legislation providing
for the regulation of railroads and the In
speetion Of grain. under the supervision
Of the Minnesota state board Of railroad
ana warehouse commissioners through
winch the producers have been granted
s SUBS, 1S15 benefits sa table, Of rates
rate has been reduced from IS cents to ID
cents per hundred weight.
s,, dhe ere IS q Sreat contrast from the old
anu SLOW methods Of cultivation, harvest
ing ana tnreshing by hand. to the modern
rapid methods by horse and steam power
renHlne the marvellous creations of in
segder, the harvester and the thresher
The production of wheat In the twelve
counties OF the valley six In Minnesota
ana a, ti six In North Dakota Is OF particular
interest IN material and practical sense q,
II II the six Minnesota counties Of Wild az
S saa Norman 45n Polk sso Marshall and XY T.
wheat We're harvested. Welding HIS,
bushels. In tho six North Dakota cot,l.
ties, OF Riehland. Cass, Trail. Grand a
r Forks. Walsh and Pembina, S39. ss5 acres
or OF wheat were harvested. yielding $685.
ZIG bushels. In total 3.O1S 4s9 acres Weld
ed a. 112 75S bushels OF wheat At 60 cents
per pc, b hushel to the producer It's value was
S2s,s6I .65S: and. assuming that 1t cost
cents e, per bushei to market It. a vaius OF
~ ~. d do5. 6ls was added. making a total of
region. VI tno
Mr. Lamphere paid tribute to the octo-
genarian Charles Cavalier. who settled at
Pernbina In 1851
Tne address concluded with an ELOQUENT
perorat1on. referring more widely to the
Whole vat,s state Of Minnesota, its magnificent
resources and productions, the SURPRISING
beauty of its landscape. and the fnteiIi|
Sehce and progressiveness of its people.