Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-05-17
River valley has long been known.

nnd more thriving or prosperous
agricultural section than within the
boundaries of the Red River Valley.
No matter what part of the valley you
visit you find evidence of thrift and
prosperity on every hand. The Red
River valley is in class by itself. AS
the "bread basket of the world" it
has made the fame of North Dakota
world wide.
In the development of the railroad
systems of the northwest, and the
transportation interests as we'll, Grand
Forks is rapidly becoming an import
ant railway center.
| A small mill in a prairie city is not
common, but Grand Forks has an ex-
cellent saw mill and planning mill, but
they borrow their logs from their
neighbor on the east.
To the west of the Red River valley
is that rapidly growing and prosperous
district of the state known as the
Devils Lake country, and.with the city
of Devils Lake as it's chief center.
The Devils Lake country is rapidly
losing the newness in appearance in
cident to the early years, of settle
ment. The farmers are building new
and better houses and barns, planting
trees and otherwise improving their
farms.
Devils Lake is one of Natures beau
ty spots and is most picturesque and
interesting body of water. 1t is the
only body of inland salt water in the
United States, excepting the Great
Salt Lake. The lake is very irregular
in form with shore line of more than
three hundred miles, it's length is
about sixty miles.
North of Devils Lake is chain of
smaller lakes furnishing the best geese
or duck hunting in the United States.
To the northwest of Devils Lake is
the Turtle Mountain district, COM
prising the county of Rolette and
eastern Bottineau county. Still fur
ther west is the Mouse river country,
a large and rapidly developing agricul-
tural district, included within the ter
ritory watered by the Mouse river in
it's circuitous route from Canada and
back again.
-Minot is the chief city of this Sec
tion, and within the past few years
has developed from a small frontier
town to the third city of the state in
population, and a commercial and
railroad center of considerable i'm
portance, enjoying large and steady
retail trade and also becoming a
wholesale distributing point. Minot
has many fine business blocks, elegant
schools aud fine residences.
Between 1886 and 1889 there were
shipped from Minot $50 tons of
buffalo bones. The bleeched bone of
buffalo weighs about SO lbs. indicat-
ing that 259, 300 buffalOes were killed
to furnish these bones.
The western part of the state has
become known by common consent as
the Missouri slope country. 1t has
long been a great stock raising
district, but it is only within three or
four years that it has been coming
into note as a farming district.
The first impression one gets Of the
bad lands is that they are rightly
named, they certainly look barren and
desolate. l shall spend few days in
the bad lands this week and will have
something to say about them in my
next letter.
Somehow an impression have gone
out that North Dakota is way out at
the jumping off place." but they are
not so far from modern improvements
after all.
North Dakota is the only state in
the union to have trolley line OF its
own. The line now in operation be-
tween Bismark and the state capitol
grounds was built by state appropri-
alton and is operated for the con-
venience of the state employees
working at the capltol and living or
boarding at Bismark.
The women of North Dakota are
not only taking very active interest
in literature and kindred objects, but
they are strongly organized for work
along temperance, religious and other
lines of aggressive work.
Its along time between drinks in
North Dakota. Last week we
Travelled 800 miles in this new state
and could not find saloon. and did
not see drunken man; but in every
town Of any size, we found from one
to five churches, well painted, and to
all appearances well supported. Leeds,
place of 700, has four good churches,
and the excellent school Buildings will |
attract attention in every part OF the
state, but the wages Of the teachers
are not what they ought to be.
North Dakota people are proven
bially hospitable and social in tempera-
ment. They are given to making more |
home life and the advantages OF
music, literature, art, social privileges
and kindred enjoyments than is the
case in many sections.
A. DECKER.