The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-19


of Richland county, North Dakota, and
judging it from its agricultural great
ness, would naturally conclude that 1t
was so called because it was rich land,
as it is but its name comes from an
early settler, NJ. T. Rich, who located
at what is now Wahpeton, in 1859.
There were a few settlers along the
river when Mr.. Rich came. The tenth
territorial assembly, in session at
Yankton, on Jan. 4, 1873 created the
county, and named it, but 1T was not
organized until in the following sum-
mer, when commissioners, appointed by
Gov. Burbank, met at the house of Mr..
Rich, and Wahpeton was selected as
county seat. In November of the same
year the first election was held, and
sixty votes were cast, Wahpeton being
the only voting precinct. In The preSi-
Dental election of 1900, there were 4,430
votes cast The history of Wahpeton
covers less than thirty-fiye years, and
now there are quite 5000 people in the
town. while the population of the coun-
ty is close up to 10000, the figures of
the census of 1900 being 1887.
Richland is a large county, having
an area of LAO square miles, being
wider at the south end than at the
north, owing to the course of the river.
Its forty-f1ve congressional townships
are divided for purposes of government
into thirty-four civil townships.
In a general way it may be said that
the surface of Richland county consists
of a more or less undulating plain.
well drained by rivers and creeks, all
of which lead to the East.
The principal streams are skirted
with timber, while groves of home
grown trees everywhere vary the
prairie landscape. The soil is a deep
rich dark drift of alluvial loan UNDER
laid with a clay subsoil, all containing
a remarkable supply of plant food.
Richland is at the head of the Red
River valley, known the world over for
Its hard wheat, and universally recog-
nized as one of the most important ag-
riculturaI districts on earth. The val
ley is about 800 miles long and from
forty to eighty miles wide. The wheat
crop of this valley is a factor in MAX
ing a price in the great markets on
both sides of the ocean. This wheat
makes better flour, and the flour makes
more and better bread than any other
in the world. 1t may not be generally
known that flour made from Red River
valley wheat supplies the table of the
English royal family. as 1t does natur-
ally the tables of most of the nobility
of Great Britain.
Fifty years ago but little was known
of this bountiful region. The active
agricultural development really began
some thirty years ago, and in this pc
riod of less than a generation, as time
is measured in the life of man, a mar
Velous transformation has taken place.
thriving cities, towns and villages are
to be seen where the bison roamed at
will half century since, and the whole
surface of the valley proper is now a
succession of splendid farms, inter-
sperSed with towns.
Richland county is in the southeast
corner of the state, and is bounded on
the east by Traverse and Wilkin coun-
ties, Mimi, from which 1t is separated
by the Red and Bots des Sioux rivers, |
which unite at the city of Wahpeton. |
The southern boundary is Roberts !
county, S. D. On the north is Cass
county, N. D., and on the west, Ran
som and Sargent counties, N. D. In |
the matter of railways the county is !
well favored. The Great Northern
gives it direct connections with ST. |
Paul and also runs north and west
through the county The Northern
Pacific, Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul
and 500 lines also cross it. Good towns
are found on all of these roads and no.
where in the county do farmers have
far to go to find market for their
products. Altogether, the railway mile
age of the county is over $50 miles
Settlement in what is now Wahpeton
was first made in 1869, the first conner
being M. T. Richie, the second, Will
liam Root and the third, Folsom Dow.
The latter is still living and holds the
office of justice of the peace. The
Great Northern railway came to
Breckenridge in 1871, but it was not
until 1880 that it crossed the river to
Wahpeton, where the first real growth
of the town began.
AT Wahpeton the Red river leads off
into Minnesota, under the name of
Ottertail and is Joined by the Bots de
Sioux, which comes up from Lake
Traverse. Across the Red is the town
of Breckenridge the county seat of
Wilkin county, MINI. Wahpeton is
962 feet above the sea and the Red
river In its course north to Winnipeg
has gradual fall of PIP feet. The
original town was laid out by Mr.. Rich,
but additions have since been made by
others. The town is laid out on a
generous plan; the avenues running
east and west are named for states,
While the streets running north and
south bear numbers. 1t was organized
as village in 1882, and as a city in |
1885, when it had about 1000 popuIa- |
ton, but which at this time pushes the
5000 mark. The growth has been sub
stantial and steady, keeping pace with
the country, being fortunate in never |
having had a boom strike it, and is
therefore financially and commercially
strong. The business concerns are all
reliable
In school affairs Wahpeton enjoys
high standing. The public schools have
reached point of efficiency second to
no other city in the state. The high
school building recently completed is a
model, and cost 100000 The Red
River Valley university is a Methodist
institution of higher education, and
well supported, with students from
this and other states. The Catholics,
too, have furnishing school. The
state scientific school began it's first
term Sept %, in temporary quarters,
pending the erection of a $25, 600 build
ing ordered by the last legislature.
This school has an endowment of 40
600 acres of land. 1t is expected that
the next congress will establish an
Indian agricultural school here, bill
appropriating 100000 for buildings
passed the last senate, but did not
reach the house. The Norwegian
Lutherans recently opened an institute
In their church pending the erection of
a $4,000 building, for which funds are
already provided. There is also a uni
versity of music. 1t will be seen that
Wahpeton gives promise of becoming
an important school center.
Wahpeton has three excellent papers
whose we'll patronized columns reflect
the commercial octivifxy