The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-12-31
NORTH DAKoTA'S PROGRESS.
The Advancement wade in Wealth
ami Various Resources.

Of the state of North pa I
koi9 Was given in a paper read AT
meeting of the tortnightlN club OF /
Grand Forks 10y u. II. Bcechcr. pres
ident of the Union National bank of |
Grand Forks. who has been Il spec /
1ator of, and a participant in the de- |
velppmrnt of which he writes:
Our state gained in population he |
tween 1880 and 1900, 1876, t2,. or Il
10 per cent and it is generally he
lieNed that we have gained in the
past three wears more than 100000 i'll
population. From 1880 TO 1000. South
Dakota gained - ,G2. or 22 lilo per
cent. II will hr seen that North Da
hota gained almost two in popnla
tion where South Dakota gained one.
Fourteen countries in South Dakota
lost in population between 1890 and
1000, while every county i'm North
Dakota showed u gain i'm population
all the WAY from 9ol@ in Cass county
to 596 in Oliver county. The coun-
ties that showed the greatest gains
at the last census were: CasS. 9.Ol2;
Wells. zoos: Ward. $3.50: Richland.
61s6; Barnes. 6,ll5: Cavalier. 61oo:
Grand For},s. GlO2: Benson. 5.S51;
The last census awards us the hon.
or of being the wenlthcSt state in
the niun AVID the largest income per
capita according rn population.
The assessed valuation of real and
personal property for the year 1908
WAS Sl46.5%.. .i}4 which would bring
the actual wealth oil our state at the
present time 10 I've over S450,Ooo,ooo,
and Vet there are no Very rich men
i'm our state. These figures DO not
take into consideration hut q small
portion of the vast Ignite coal de-
positS in the western half of the
state. whose actual extent aud value
is Is Yet impossible to estimate.
Estimated value of farm products.
1908. Si&&.o0o,UN value of our dairy
and creamery industry in 1908 is So
100000. North Dakota cora, Won sec
! ond prize Al TIE lan-lmrriran cx-
position ia rompetlllnn with the great
corn states. Onr of our largest far
mers in kirhlanh county was so en-
rouragrd with his corn growing on
prrencr that he planted 1.So0 acres
| in 1902. | have taken particular pains
To ohsrrN" the progress made in
growing corn and am convinced that
as soon rs our farmers learn how to
\ develop proper seed (Which can be
easily accomplished We shall !,c rec
4 u@NiIpsl as being reasonably sure
! corn growing state.
The value OF agricultural products
per capita i'm North Dakota is the
highest OF any state in the Union,
being GO per cent. South Dakota
come; second. We rnmc in at so
in the average value of farms per
farm in 19on, which amount was ST.
49, per farm. and we we'll know that
since 1909 these values, have very
largely Increased. w" are tenth in the
size of farms. the average being SAC
acres per farm. South Dakota comes
in at 6 and Minnesota H. We are
~" 18th i'm the total of agricultural
products South Dakota 2ilh anG
minnesota tcnth. Estimated that in
1908 We were It'll or better. We are
fifth in the percentage" of farmers who
own their own farms. Seven states
have less, money invested in mann
features than we. The value of oul
manufactured products doubled from
1890 TO 1900 and il is estimated that
they have doulIrd since hat period
Oar last census YiycS MS the value
per capita of agricultural products, il
North Dakota. $40. South Dakot;
$40 and Minnesota Sll1. This per
larS is rs strong IN index as we have
Of the rrn! earning power of nu1
North Dakota farms Our cnHnin.
power is still stronger emphasized
when II may he remembered that thu
size of the North Dakota family i!
much above the average. In the tota
value Of agricultural and nnnufac
iurpd products in 1900. North Da
llota was S245, Minnesota $40, Soutl
Dakota S2lO and iowa S245. he SANE
as North Dakota. The average value
of farm products per farm for Nortl
Dakota is Sl.45o North Dakota come
tenth in percentage Of population
engaged i'm agriculture. South Dallnt;
twelfth and Minnesota twcntyfifth
Mention should be made of the pos
sibilitics of manufacturing in on
state. made possible by our immcns
coal deposits. by which we should b.
able to create power and oDerat
very chcaplv. When we are able Il
get equitable freight rates from th'
coal beds to different parts Of tn
state. we will find our coal will CONF
TO be used very generally for steam
purposes. The process Of brio,lcttins
. is being developed and it is though
will eventually result in Il lignit'
product that will equal any hard Goa
mined in the world and at Il compa1
ativev small cost. Our enormous
: clay beds will turn out the fines
kind of tile and pressed brick and WI
. NAV expect before many years to b.
eating our breakfast out of dishe
made Of our North Dakota CLAWS. w
are already turning ont n PORTLAND
cement that is fast finding its wa.
into the leading markets by reason
7 of its unusual staying qualities. w
think it should be named No. ] hard
for surely it is about as hard as fin
when in use.
Railroad facilities are uneXcelled il
any state of its population and stat
of development. Nine different line
in 1890 had a combined mileage o
2,GG3 miles In 1902 the mileage ha
increased to 2.03S and at the pres
3 ent time it is said to be 3.4SO miles
There is no s,lrer index of tn
growth of country than its ban
deposits Every business man as wei
as farmer knows that the past fe,
years has shown great activity a'on