Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-06-02
PEOPLE BUILD A COUNTRY.
Jimmy Emmons Writes Another Let
ter from Oklahoma Advising Old
Friends to Work for Irrigation.

ter from Oklahoma Advising Old
Friends to Work for Irrigation.
Pawnee, Oklahoma, June 2.-Edito1
Tribune: Having received many let
tiers of thanks for my article in recent
issue of the Tribune giving my ex'
periences in Burleigh county farming
and pointing out the value of irriga
| ton, l ask your indulgence to say to
old friends and the new people, that
want to make clearer what you need
to make great and prosperous state.
First, irrigation; you have all in
natural soils and in snow and rain
fall; storage of it solves your problem.
Next, people-yes, human beings.
The irrigation law is wise in that it
provides for homes. Down here we
build towns and cities in day. With
irrigation you will do the same. Yes.
in hours instead of days.
Cattle ranches and horse ranches do
not make a state. Only people-peo-
pie.
My most intimate friends at Bis
marck never dreamed that l was a
farmer; but if they will examine my
tracks, they will find that I owned
farms east, west, north and south of
your future great city. Old timers
may remember that planted a pump.
kin patch south of the Northern Pa.
cific track-got the seed from DR..
Dunn's drug store-and raised pump.
kins enough to supply the town and
they were free to all takers. Another
time on few lots in the Williams adj
dition I planted potatoes and cabbage
had old Uncle Henry" and "Peter
Labresh." Oh what a crop. When
people wanted cabbage-they had to
take wheel barrow or a cart to get
it home. Such potatoes-so sweet,
white and fluffy, and those golden
hued rutabages; and those feasts of
wild duck and turnips. Well do 1 re.
member when Col. Lounsberry thresh-
ed his wheat on the upland-how my
eyes danced at the big golden grains
falling like drops gold out of ma
chine. Those were favorable seasons,
The dear old colonel and I afterward
reaped many a crop of parched ashes.
Seasons were not always favorable.
Knockers should know the facts.
AS for myself, I was bred farmer
from the earliest settlement of the
old dominion, proud inheritance
The immortal Stanley Huntley classed
me as politician and accused me of
laying political pipes, even at the fun.
eral of Dave Mullin. So 1 say most
emphatically, stand by your politicians
when they are pushing your salvation
wagon. When dream, the shades OF
the giants of adverse circumstances
who pioneered in the Dakotas, always
on awakening, give me renewed ener
sy. There is Pettigrew, LaMoure
Mccormick, Mckenzie, Lounsberry
Williams, Edwards, McCumber, Hans
brough, the Leightons-their names
leglon-giants among pigmies when
1t came to battle for what they
thought they wanted, or was right
If they at times erred who shall throw
the stone?
Yes, you have greater resources tc
make state than Oklahoma. when
you have water. And let me again
say to the stock man-you don't build
states. Horses and cattle are good
IN their way but human beings make
prosperity. Here we have one and
two families on every quarter section
PaWnee county has $4,000 inhabitants
Pawnee, our county seat, Is larger
ehan Bismarck. Irrigate and cut ur
your lands for homes, for people, and
IN ten years Bismarck will be the
dream city of the old timers that have
poured out their money like water TO,
her upbuilding: l am thankful today
that greed never entered my heart
Home building has been my love. ]
was the banker of the old settlers in
We early days-and many time have
been obliged to push the packages OF
money into my safe with my foot, with
no more thought of greed or pelf than
II 1t had been so much sawdust. Sc
let me say to young people-and the
new people, be home builders. In
that is the joy Of living. Happiness
IS something that comes every day
Welcome II, from boyhood to age
Have always laughed in the face Of
adversity-always believing in the
divine Injunction, Love they neighbor