The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1902-08-21
NORTH DAKOTA NEWS
State Valuation.

State Valuation.
The total valuation of property in
the state for purposes of taxation
this year will exceed that of-iast year
by over ten million dollars. Much OF
this Increase is in the normal addi-
ton to the valuation of state proper.
ty. Personal property also has in.
creased largely. The railroads will
be made to bear their share of the
burden of taxation. Their increase
will be about $2,0OO,OOO. Taking the
average of their. taxation for all pur.
poses at per cent, the additional val.
uation will mean additional taxes of
100000 to be paid by them, Friends
of Governor White assert that in
standing for a fair increase of rail.
road valuation he has effectually an.
swered his critics on the merger ques.
ton.
With the increase in valuation Of
property and the bumper crop in
sight everywhere through the state.
North Dakota ought to be on finan.
cial easy street another year. The
recent statement of the state treasur.
err showed good balance of cash on
hand and bills paid to date. Taxes
at the usual rate on a valuation OF
$135 100000 will give the state plenty
of funds for current expenses.
The number of state banks in the
state has more than doubled in the
past two or three years. New towns
have been established, and it has
come to be the case that n bank and a
newspaper. are about the first insti-
buttons started.
- Flax Fiber.
Secret experiments with fax fiber
for binding Irvine have been SO sue
cessful that indications now are an
industry will be developed in the
northwest which will save the farm
ers millions of dollars annually.
Since the development of the flax
fiber srmills in this state progressive
farmers concluded that the tow could
be converted into a form of binding
twine. 8.
Tests were quietly made until re-
cent experiments show a grade of
Irvine of lighter weight and far SUI
perior quality to the best qualities
on the market. s.2.,
The immense distances from which
sisal and other primary essentials of
Irvine are secured make the cost so
great that the new plan of manufac-
turing will be much cheaper and the
trade for all the northwestern states
could be supplied.
North Dakota raises more flax than
all other sections. of the United States
and the millions Of tons of straw can
he converted into tow here and ship
ped to the Irvine factories and con-
verified into the much desired product.
Little change in the machinery
used for sisal Irvine will be necessary.
Crop Estimate.
H. Y. Jones. the we'll known crop
expert, publisher Of. the Commercial
West, of Minneapolis, has just COM
pleted his tour of North and South
Dakota and Minnesota on which he
has gathered information for an elab-
crate crop estimate which will be
published in his paper this week. Mr..
Jones makes the following estimate
of the wheat acreage and yield of the
three states:
Acres. Yield.
Minnesota .......5 100000 82,15O,OO0
n. Dakota 600. .3,95O,O0O 55,1O0,OO0
S. Dakota .3,5OO,OOO 41,6OO,OOO
Mr.. Jones expressed surprise at the
wonderful increase in flax acreage in
this state, which he says is far great
er than anything that has been antic-
ipated by him. There has been
great decrease in the wheat acreage,
but the crop sections are looking
we'll.
burning bridge wrecked an east
bound freight train on the Northern
Pacific near Medora. The engineer
did not see the structure was burn
ing until too late. When he saw that
it would be impossible to stop in
to cross by running his train at full
speed. The engine and tender were
safe on the opposite side when eight
cars on the bridge broke through the
burning beams, fell to the ravine be-
low and were destroyed by the
flames. Brakeman Hayes sustained
few bruises and a dislocated wrist.
Pearls.
Some excitement has been caused
as the result of fresh-water pearl
find by Z. F. Rudolph, who is en-
ployed on the steamer Grand Forks.
Rudolph made sort of graphing
hook and secured several fine speci-
mems and "slugs," all of which are
of commercial value. They have been
placed on exhibition at Grand Forks
and have been viewed by hundreds.
AS a result of the find, many may de-
vote their entire attention to the bust
ness. These are the first pearls found
in the Red Lake rivers, as far as
known. a& tt 3
News In Brief.
Alfred Galloway was driving home
from Walahalla when one wheel of
his buggy collided with stump and
Mr.. Galloway was thrown out break
ing his collar bone.
+ The phone line connecting Anets,
Mayville, Hatton and Northwood
with Lakota and Petersburg has been
%o1