The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-02
FAMOUS "GOW COUNTRY COM
!. sas ING TO THE FRONT AS A %~h'
477-. al REGION OF GENERAL
FARMING
Homeseekers I'M Their Quest for Free
Government Land Are Encroach-
/. ing Upon and Gradually Driving
Out the Cattlemen-Grains Ex-
ceiling in Quality and Quantity
Raised by New Settlers.

North Dakota, has surprised itself by the
development it has made, and Is making,
in the western part OF the state, says w.
l.. Dudley in The Record, published at
the North Dakotans Of the Red river val
lev proud as they were of their
state as a. whole, we're yet inclined to con-
slider the western portion as not very de-
sirable except as "cow country and not
generally adapted to successful farming.
This impression was general in the east
ern part Of the state, and indeed else
where. and the people were honest enough
in this belief. But it has transp1red that
this idea was largely due to Its active pro-
motion by the interests to which the set
tlernent Of the western part OF the state
might be detrimental
{, ! The stockmen. the owners Of "the cattle
4 in a thousand hills" preferred that their
Z lection should remain a Cow country;
hat the grazing lands might not be dis
> h1rbed; that their cattle might have &C
cess, unlimited by settlement, to- the grass
of the plains the waters Of the running
streams and the shelters Of the hills and
timber They looked with disnay on the
appropriation of these lands, so important
to them, by the incoming settler. The
stockmen were accordingly prompt in
using every opportunity and all occasions
to advance the idea that their section Of
the state was not adapted to farming. So
x long as they were the only residents, COM
paratiyely, Of this section, it was easy to
believe this, and honestly enough, too.
As Farming Country. -..
The time came, however, when home
seekers in their quest for free government
land kept pushing further and further into
the domain Of the cattlemen. The desir-
4 able free lands in the eastern portion OF
the state were rapidly disappearing, and
the more venturesome Of the claim seek
ers concluded to try the lands further
west and many Of them experimental ir
f a small way with diversified farming, and
in so many cases with such signal success
as to attract attention to the western
part Of the state as farming country
Many Of the desira BILE lands, near railroad
& and streams. were soon taken, and those
who came later went further out fol
choice claims; then others who came still
later were content with claims that were
not so choice. Those who came anC
i found claims to their liking sent word tt
their friends to come and obtain land. The
500 and the Great Northern also turned
+ their forces to the settlement of the coun
try and the Northern Pacific. too, but il
i. their case mostly through syndicates, t,
. whom they sold large tracts Of railroad
q lands. These syndicates added to tn,
& attractions Of the new country chea]
5s lands alongside of government land. .Th
# result has been that this portion of tn
state has settled up with amazing rapidity
A while the catlemen have moved thei
Il herds to still more inaccessible grazing
q lands. -.
The new settlers began raising wheat
Il flax and other crops, and when the re
# turns from the thresher came in, it wa
"A found that the yields would compare ia
yorably with even the famous Red rive
y valley, and in many instances were supe
rior in quantity and quality to the crop
In the valley counties.
It makes Good"
Settlers who sowed fax on breaking
were rewarded with yields of from Is t
& 2s bushels per acre, and with a net in
" come of from $40 to- $50 or more per acre
and the fact was amply demonstrated tha
the western part sof the state was a farm