The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1903-08-28

fertility in North Dakota. From Cam
eron' s proceeded south and west to
Superior postof1ice, about mile north
of the crossing of the Mouse river. I
found Mr.. Larson, the farmer-post
! master, busy cutting flax, and after a
short conversation on crop prospects
and other matters, I continued my
journey to the ferry landing, not with
the object OF crossing, but with a view
to acquiring a personal knowledge Of
the condition Of the crossing, having
heard that considera BILE discomfort e1
listed with regard to it. To my mind,
the people who are compelled to use
the crossing are entitled to the sym
patby of the public. The ferry itself
is bad enough, but the approach on
the west side is one trail Of mud and
impossible almost to the lightest con
veyance. There is 10 place on the
Mouse river, perhaps, where there is a
more crying need for bridge, not only
for the convenience Of the general trav-.
cling public, but for commercial rea-
sons Money is lost to the county
now, which, with a bridge, would be
spent in Souris, Bottineau, Omemee Or
Willow City. the distance from the
ferry to either Of these points being
very little. "When are we to have
a bridge?'' was repeatedly asked, but
I could not give any Information on
that point and referred them to the
county commissioners
Your readers have all heard of, if
they have not visited, the German set
tlement. It extends from Omemee
west to Superior, these thrifty settlers
occupying all the territory lying be-.
tween the township line south of One
NEE and the southern boundary of the
county with the exception of a section
occupied by the Icelanders bordering
on the Mouse river from Ely west, and.
here and there sprinl1ling of other ma
tionalities AS is the case wherever
you find these people, their farms are
we'll titled, their crops good, their
gardens filed with all kinds of vege-
tables and their homes have an air of
comfort which is painfully absent in
the case of the homes Of not few set
tiers in other parts of the county. Hay
seemed to be abundant, thousands of
stacks being visible in the meadow
land along the river and on the higher
land to the north. For their spiritual
consolation, the Germans have built
three churches one a short distance
north of Ely, and two few miles
southwest of Omemee. Schools have
also been provided where needed and
there is no cause to fear for the saliva.
tion or education Of our Gsefiiaaa Aen
erican fellow citizens. AS for the Ice
landers, they are hardy, industrious
people wherever you find them. They
are quick to learn and though they are
content with less than their German
neighbors, they make good citizens.
A crying need in some parts Of the
county I traversed, is good, passable
roads. Some grading and filing has
been done during this summer, but
more could be done with advantage to
the general public. Good roads not
only make travelling easy but enhance
the value of lands. Every dollar spent
to that end brings a ten-fold return
Yes, let us have good roads and good
schools, and with our fertile soil and
industrious settlers Bottineau county is
bound to become the garden of the
state, and the home of a happy and
contented people, which is the blessing
I wish them all. in the name of the
Courant. E#& s.&. ....