The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-12-14
Topography of State.


The general land surface of the
state has been divided into three
characteristics, planes or plateaus.
The Red river valley comprises the
lowest in altitude of the three. The
valley takes up the entire eastern
edge Of the state, this portion of ter
ritory being comprised in the Lake
Agassiz area. The Red river valley
is one of the most fertile regions on
the face of the earth and although
steadily farmed for almost forty years
excellent yields are still extant. The
extreme western portions of the state,
especially the northern corner, com
prises the highest land in the state,
while between this strip and the val
ley lies middle land. Both these
plateaus fairly TEEN with fertility.
Fertility can be seen furnishing in
every bush and grain stalk in the
land. Water facilities also are ex-
cellent. Almost the entire state over
lies the great Dacotah sandstone ar
tesian basin and numerous wells
spout forth in every corner of the
area.
In the western part of North Da-
kota several irrigation schemes of
great magnitude are now under way.
Through the reclamation act of con-
gress this state will enjoy large
benefits and Senator H. C. Hans
brough is to be greatly commended
for his work in the national congress.
Under this act the net proceeds of
the sale of lands are converted into
leases for the benefit of the irrigation
and reclamation services.
Surveys have been made in various
portions of the state and work in the
vicinity of Williston is we'll under
way. Streams have been gagged to
see how much water can be supplied.
In localities above the gravity stage
pumping stations will be established
and these, on account of the cheap
ness and abundance of Ignite coal,
can be operated at very low cost.
The steadiness of the wind is another
help for small irrigation projects as
windmills will be utilized.
lie L8kCSs
The surface of North Dakota is in
denied here and there by lakes and
ponds, none of which, however, are of
very great magnitude. Devils lake.
situated ninety miles west of Grand
Forks, is the largest sheet of water
in the state. 1t is perhaps forty miles
in length and is spread out like the
foliage on tree top. A Chautauqua
grounds is located on the shores of
this lake and the spot is veritable
Garden of Eden visited every year by
thousands of people. Stump lake,
another of similar class, Is located in
close proximity to Devils Lake. This
body of water is about twenty miles
in length and varies from one to five
miles in width. Des Laos lake in the
western part of the state is another
pretty sheet of water. 1t stretches
from the city of Kenmare northward
into Canadian territory a distance of
thirty-five miles. The lake varies
from four feet to twenty feet in depth
and line of steamers ply up and
down carving on a grain and freight
trade.a
Every part OF North Dakota enjoys
excellent postal facilities. The num-
erous railroad lines which cut the
state into small tracts aid in this ex-
cellent postal service. Nearly every
city in the state has daily mail SER
vice and those localities which are
~ I,
by rural routes. All the large post
offices earned from 40 to so per cent
over expenses last year. Grand Forks
ranks second in the matter of postal
receipts but is rapidly drawing to the
fore.
The annual snowfall of the state
is less than fifty inches.
Fuel Question.
The question of fuel is one that has
long bothered the older states and in
this rspect North Dakota has no cause
for concern for many years to come.
Underlying almost one third of the
state are beds of high grade of lig-
mite coal in seams ranging from six
inches to two feet in thickness. This
coal is mined in every western county
and thence is shipped into the eastern
portions of the state. The mines in
the neighborhood of Kenmare, Willis
ton Wilton and Washburn are all en-
joying prosperity in every phaze A
briquetting plant Is in course of con-
struction at Kenmare under the direc-
ton of Engineer Stewart. Samples
from the coal have already been test
ed and found entirely satisfactory in
every respect. The nearness of North
Dakota points to the great coal
distributing center Duluth, which
stands at the head of the lakes, whence
is shipped almost all anthracite and
bituminous coal used in the eastern
states, also stands the state in good
stead and coal is much cheaper than
in South Dakota, Nebraska and Kan
sas. Forests of pine and cottonwood
and other varieties of the tree family
furnish abundant wood fuel.
Rainfall.
The region embraced in the Red riv-
er valley enjoys a rainfall of almost
twenty inches while the western and
central portions of the state have
have about fifteen inches. When it
is considered that eight to ten inches
is all that is absolutely necessary and
when the retentive qualities of the |
soil here are considered 1t can easily |
be seen that drought is an almost I'M
known thing. Irrigation in these dis
tricts is NOT needed and indeed only |