Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-10-04
Al, NUMBER 70
THE GREAT
AMERICAN DESERT

10 many people, especially the
younger ones the above heading may
seem peculiar. However, the writer
hereof. and perhaps many of the
older people we'll remember the time
when the above name was applied and
meant the Dakotas and adjoining
territory, especially to the westward.
On the 9th day of September, 1904,
the writer together with his better
half set out to visit North Dakota
leaving on the Green Bay & Western
Railway 1890 a. M, arrived in st.
Paul 4:20 p. M. where we changed cars
and took the Great Northern, leaving
st. Paul at 4:30 and got into Dakota
about midnight having entered the
state at Wapeton, and arrived at our
destination (Kempton) els a. m.
Sept. I, where we met our frien DIS
at the station.
We found that the wheat crop was
poor, say about one-half crop. The
reason being very late, wet spring
and some of the lower lands were not
seeded until late in May and some as
late as June first, and the season was
cold and unfavorable for wheat, the
result being rusty wheat. However,
oats, barley and flax crops are very
good.
During our stay we visited large
farm of fifteen thousand acres,
known as the Elk Valley farm lying
between Kempton and Llrimore.
Wheat harvest was on here and we
had the pleasure of seeing farm opera
tions on large scale. Here we saw
thirty-three binders all in operation
at once, drawn by three mules to
each binder. The manner of doing
farm work on this farm is on economi-
cal principles as follows:
The foreman drives about the field
with horse and carriage and two
horse wagon equipped with water
tank, a regular repair outfit and
binding twine. Should any of the
binders need repairing, the machine
is driven out on the Stubble and the
repair wagon called-and the repairing
done by an expert whether it be
binder, harness, or what nOt-and
then the machine swings into place
and proceeds to business. About all
the handwork lin Dakota harvest
field is shocking the bundles and the
gain is threShed in the field-and
grain hauled to the machine by the
threshing crew, and the farmers part
of the threshing is to haul The grain
to the elevator, where it is unloaded
in four or five minutes as follows:
Grain is received into large tanks or
boxes made for the purpose and
usually holds from one hundred and
twenty-five to one hundred and
seventy-five bushels each. After the
hind wheels are lowered until the box
rests on the floor and then the end
board removed and the grain dumped
into hopper in about two minutes,
hind wheels again elevated and team
moves 90.
Another feature of this country
which pleases are the highways, which
are on every section line and in four
directions one can see turnpiked roads
for miles as solid and,frm as macadam
excepting in early spring or i'm
mediately after heavy rain. Another
inspiration one gets here is the sight
of miles and miles in any direction
and drive of half day does not
materially change the scenery SO far
as rich fields OF grain are concerned.
One other feature of our trip |
must mention and that is, that we had
prairie chicken to eat almost every
meal during our seven days visit. One
thought often came to my mind while
here and that was how this country
was ever called "the great American
desert" for would much rather call
it the ''great American garden spot
There are other things Of which l
would like to speak but space pre-
vents. T.. COOPER