The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-08

N the days of the old Hudson Bay
company's trading posts over the
northwest there was no territory in
the Red River valley which in their
opinion was so fertile, productive and
well worth owning as the Goose River
country, now embraced in Trail coun-
ty, North Dakota, and the old opinion
of those early pioneers in the north
west has been fully substantiated by
the further development of the coun-
try. Nowhere in the entire Red River
valley can there be found territory
which SO richly returns to the tiller of
the soil magnificent profit of his Ia
Dor as does Trail county.
Trail county was organized June II,
1895. A large majority of the county
are Scandinavians. Those sturdy sons
of the north whose thrift, enterprise
and honesty have been so well demon
strated throughout the northwest, and
whose natural characteristics are writ
ten in history. There are some COM
munities in which the Inhabitants to
a major degree are of German descent,
while there are not a few Americana
born citizens.
Prosperity reigns in Trail county.
Few of the lands are in the hands of
mortgage companies, and there are a.
very small number of homes which
bear any mortgages at all.
The richness of the agricultural soil
of Trail county is clearly shown by
the condition of the county banks at
Hillsboro, whose aggregate deposits
are at the present time in excess of
100000. This, in purely agricultural
district, is surely a good showing.
Trail county is one of the best coun-
ties in the Red River valley. 1t is
watered through its central and west
ern sections by the Goose river, with
Its several tributaries, and in the
northern tier Of townships by the Elm
river and its branches. The eastern
boundary of the county is formed by
the Red River of the North. There are
about 10000 acres of land in the coun-
ty along the banks of the streams and
the banks of the Grande Coulee.
The southern part of the county
early became the paradise of the bo-
nanza farmer. The northern part be-
ing outside of the railroad limits was
nearly all taken up by homestead set
tiers. 1t is today region Of small
but very productive farms.
The crops of the county, as in all
the sections of the Red river valley,
are diversified.
Wheat has been the most success
fuI crop. and there are many farms
that have been more than paid for by
the first crop, and have since that
time paid for themselves over and over
again. Settled in 1870, the county's
population ten years later was 4,126.
In 1890, 1927, and now exceeds $1,000.
The first wheat was sown in 1872, and
in 1880 the product amounted to more
than $4,000 bushels.
The total acreage in farms ic 40S OH
showing an unusual percentage of the
country 80 per cent under cultivation.
The total acreage of Trail county is
a546,417, subdivided into 1900 farms
There are twenty-five congressional
townships in the county, twenty-three
school districts, three incorporated
cities and two Incorporated towns.
In connection with the statistics as
to crops, ETC., it is well to state that
there has never been failure in the
crops. No doubt this is due in de-
gree to the fact that the farmers are
disposed to diversity their crops. Gar
den products and small fruits are sue
cessfully grown. There are over 1900
bearing fruit trees in Trail. Stock
raising is also successfully carried on,
though not in an excessively marked
degree. Trail county is remarkable
for its fine draft horses. The live
stock statistics for 1903 show 1852
horses, 5,217 cows, 1888 cattle, 1888
? hogs, 2,152 sheep, 669 mules and 20
stations.
The county schools rank with the
best in the state. The buildings have
a seating capacity of about 1000, and
the value of the buildings will exceed
$4,000. The public school building
at Hillsboro is one of the finest in the
state, having cost 5000. The main
{ tenance of the schools consumes over
100000 annually. One of the state
normal schools and several parochial
schools have been established at May
Vile. Be it said to the credit of the
Throughout the county the improve