The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-22

In the summer of $780, Cooper Bros
and a few others, mostly relatives ana
friends, visited what is now Griggs
county on a tour of investigation, large
tracts of land along the Red river
were already under cultivation. and
producing crops of No. 1 hard wheat
which astonished and attracted the
people of the United States and Eu-
rope The object of the Cooper party
was to learn whether the lands far-
ther back from the river were equally
valuable. They found the prairie
everywhere covered with luxuriant
growth of native grasses, and noticed
that the wild cattle and sheep which
still abounded were well fattened upon
them. They carefully inspected the
soil and were satisfied that 1T was as
rich and productive as that of any
portion of the Red river valley. So
we'll pleased were they that they de-
termined to settle here, and the same
fan Mr. r. c. Cooper returned and
erected buildings and made prepara-
tion for the opening up of the farm
in the spring. At this time there were
but two settlers in what is now Griggs
county, John II. Atchison had settled
on the Shayenne river at what is now
Gallatin postoffice, and Ommund Mel
son had settled also on the river at
what is now Mardell. In the spring of
1881 immigration TO Griggs county
really began. and so rapid was the set
tlement that in June of that year the
original county of Griggs was formed,
and the county seat was located at
Hope, in the eastern part of the coun-
ty, and what is now the county of
Steele. In November of the same year
the seat of government was by vote of
the people removed from Hope to its
present location at Cooperstown. In
1883 the county was divided, two
Of trrKr flo pc-f hniy f.aE
en- from Griggs and added to the new
county of Steele, giving to Griggs
county its present proportions and en-
vironment.
The location of Griggs county is all
that could be desired. In the midst of
the great wheat producing portion of
the state she sits a Veritable fountain
of wealth in her resources and posSi
bilities. Far enough north to be out
of the track of the destructive cyclone
and not so far as to have crops con-
tinually destroyed by frost. A better
location cannot be found in the state.
The Soil
In the soil lies the resources of the
county. She claims no mineral wealth.
she has but limited supply of timber,
though she has surface stone sufficient
for building purposes she has no quar-
TieS TO bring her wealth, but she has
a deep rich soil of black loam which
being underlaid with a heavy clay sub
soil is capable of producing wealth to
a fabulous extent.
Settlement and Growth
From the formation of the county in
1882 the growth has been gradual and
constant. She has had no unhealthy
booms and has experienced no depress-
ing setbacks, but every year has
brought it's quota of settlers who have
found permanent homes in the county.
and added not only to the number of
her inhabitants but as well to her ma
terial prosperity and the development
of her resources. Her population now
represents nearly every state in the
union as well as Norway, Sweden, Den
mark, Canada, Germany and England.
A more peaceable, law abiding, indus
trious and frugal people would be hard
to find within the limits of the United
States.
Material Prosperity
The basis of the countys prosperity
is in the product of the soil That this
has been abundant is evidenced by
many visible tokens. In every part of
the county the sod house and claim
shanty are being rapidly supplanted by
substantial dwellings. Good barns and
other evidences of prosperity are to be
seen upon almost every farm. Coopers-
town, the principal town in the county,
is the largest shipping point in the
United States of wheat from actual
producers.
Almost as soon as the county was
formed it began to be organized in