The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-21
THE GARDEN OF PLENTY
The Best Place E0,th for Homeseekey Zyge-Rich
Productive Ruirie Lunds-R1ces Ad- I
g0mcimg Rapidly.
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence
Watertown, s. D., March 2O.-The sec
ton Of the country. embraced in west
kota and eastern North Dakota is one
Of the most favored sections of the
United States, and it has justly been
called the "Garden of Plenty. = Our
early, recollections Of this country are
inseparably connected with sod houses
prairie lands over which the coyote
and jack rabbit sported at will. In the
summer season hayward winds ca
ressed the buffalo grass, or, in it's
fiercer moments, seemed determined to
uproot and destroy any vegetation that
| dared lift its head above the surface
e of the plain while in the Long and
feathery snow high into the air and
made the day a hardship and the night
! chaos of binding whiteness. Clus-
| tered about the hay-burning stoves, the
| pioneer whiled away the tedious hours
of forced inactivity as best he. could,
lating some incident connected with the
larger life "back east.' These days,
with all their tedious sameness, live
with us still, and, viewing their rigors
through the hazy distance of time, are
counted happy, ones, and we remember
| NV VIC ooIC, udlIHy dill u. SpIluS was
all the more welcome on account Of our
previous pent-up life. During the sum
mer every working moment was used
| to its utmost, improving the home, SOW
ing and reaping the crops, which even
tor our scanty needs were almost insult
fcient. But these days passed and, as
the country, became settled and i'm
bered only by the pioneer. Should the
details of those early hardships be
! told, they would seem unreal and would
be pure fiction to the friends "back
east and would even be taken by the
later inhabitants of this country with
"a: grain of salt,' and they would
probably, dispose Of the matter by char
itably thinking "the early inhabi-
tants' - memory was not of the best.
But all this has changed, and in
place OF the coyote and jack rabbit
having undisputed sway, they must
cattle, or tread their way through
the tangled maize of wheat, oat, flax
or corn field. The. sod house has given
place to beautiful homes. A picture
Of one Of these is given herewith. NJ
merous groves dot the plain and thou
sands Of contented, happy people have
their school and church at a convenient
were originally the gift Of "Uncle
SAM are now worth from $15 to $50
an acre and pay good revenues on that
amount. 1t is land of great natural
advantage and affords room for expan-
sion: No man in the prime Of life, if
to remain in the same co ndition from
year to year. He must find improve
ment coincident with the flight of time,
and here is his opportunity. No more
! beautiful or profitable life can be. found
than the life Of a prosperous farmer.
From his stOrehouse all the world is
! ted. His success means success to all,
his failure means hunger and want.
The limits Of his possibilities are
| bounded by nothing smaller than the
horizon, and in this favored spot his
honest effort is amply repaid. The win
tiers are now mild and pleasant and are
The old-time "blizzard' is unknown.
The, air is pure and clear and makes
healthy, energetic men and women.
You do not find the yellow compilations,
the shutting gait and the nerveless
movement among these people which is
SO common to the countries farther
| south. Our graveyards and poorhouses
are very scantily populated:
But, perhaps you do not want to
farm; but are looking for safe in
vestment., that will bring good returns,
if so let us call your attention to lands
in the "Garden Of Plenty Twenty
five years ago. you might have stood
at the door Of claim-shanty' in
the center of this section, and in
every direction lay thousands upon
thousands of acres Of rich and produc-
tive farm lands. These lands were
open to homestead entry or were for
sale at from So to 81 per acre. But
"Westward the course of Empire
wends it's way,' and today many Of
I these same lands are worth from $50
: to $500 per acre: In that early day
and safe and thol Lands of our well-to-
do and wealthy farmers and largo
per cent Of our moneyed men of today
owe their present affluence to the in
vestments they were farseeing enough