Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1903-10-01

Those who predicted that the
movement to start towns and settle
the lands in the western part of the
county would soon end, have found
their prophecies all wrong. Begin
ming about four years ago the first real
attempt to get new settlers on the
lands which had always been called
the hills - was started largely
through the efforts Of William Dwyer,
who came to Medina when it vas
nothing but passing track for the
Northern Pacific trains. The impe-
tus which he was first to give to the
town of Medina and to the SETTLE
ment by farmers of the surrounding
lands has continued in steady
movement His work has been TAX
en- up and supplemented by others
and now the labor OF building the
towns and settling the vacant lands
with producing class of farmers
and stockmen is in many hands.
Other interests have been attracted
to that part Of the county, and the
growth Of what was always consider
ed the poorest portion of the county
from an agricultural standpoint, mas
far out stripped that OF the more de-
sirable farm lands In the sou uthern
and eastern parts Of the county. The
cause for this has been active indi-
vidual effort working with resources
that were considered the most unde-
sirable and which gave promise Of
tho least success. The settlement is
yet in its infancy as far as che vest
ern part Of the county being we'll set
tied is concerned, rs there is a large
extent Of country to develope, and 1t
takes time to do all this work even
with the greatest hustling. The new
settlers Of a year ago have their crops
this gear to show for their labor.
All the good government Lands are
about taken, and 1t will not be long
before the results will be fully seen
in the utilization of the grass and
the farming Of an the land that can
be made productive.
West OF Cleveland and south and
north of the Mp track there is a
large area Of good farm land that has
again shown its fertility this year by
raising large crops Of wheat, oats,
fax, vegetables, speltz, corn, rye,
barley, hay. hogs, poultry, eggs and
potatoes. The valleys and rich lands
between the higher hills on both
sides Of the track are cultivated to a
profit. Every year since the settle
ment actually began has seen more
farmers, more stock and more crops
on lands that were annually swept
over by the destructive prairie fires
that shaved off the grass ard left the
soil bare and hard. The settlers are
keeping down the grass, destroying
fires, and turning over more virgin
Soil each year, and the results are
seen in a better pastarage, and a
larger acreage of food products sue
ces,fully raised. 1t was once asked
in derision ''What good can come out
of Nazareth?" and it was once the
common notion that no good could
ever be had from the rougher lands
in the western part of the county.
The idea prevailed that none but the
fiat, level prairie with its deeper soil
could ever be successfully cultivated.
But time and the active effoIts Of in
dustr0us men, women and children
have proven to the contrary and the
jest OF the sc0fier has been shown an
idle prophecy. Any one looking down
the busy streets of Medina, the prin-
clpal market town of western Stuts-
man these fall days seeing the wag-
ons, loading and unloading, the busy
air OF people hurrying to get through
the business that has brought them
miles to attend, will realize that al
change has occurred in the country
and one that has come 10 stay. Ine
increase in stores, and the business
done by the town merchants shows
that the country north and..south..east
and west mas people in it and work |
ing people. The elevators, the lum-
ber yards, the machinery houses, and
the various industries OF Medina are
the result of the growth Of the popu-
Iation of the country alone. Teams
are driven to Medina from 20 or more
miles daily. They come from even
Logan and Kidder counties, and on
most days in the week from 80 to 75
and more wagons are to be seen in
the streets. The stores are crowded
with farmers, their wives and chill |