Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1906-04-05
MISSOURI SLOPE.
This Part of North Dakota is Attract
ing New Settlers and Towns are
Built in a Day.
BY Herbert VanderhOOf

l
An unusually large proportion Of
the stream OF new settlers that is
now invading North Dakota in quest
of lands and homes is bound for that
section of the state which is known
as the "Missouri slope''. This is
about the western third Of the state,
and comprises the land west of t e
Missouri river and a small strip of
the east side of the river. Here lies,
roughly speaking, something like
2,0OG, 900 acres of as rich and produc-
tive soil as is in any state OF the
Union. While the eastern part has
been filling up, this western part has
been comparatively neglected., but
with the extension of railway facili-
ties the merits of this section have
become apparent and now the crush"
is on In earnest.
There are several reasons to ac-
count for this. One, and with many
newcomers the most important, is
that land is cheap on the Missouri
slope. Another is its great fertility
and the apparent inexhaustibillty of
the soil. 1t is deep black loan,
suited for wheat growing or for d.
versified farming ant. the CROPS that
are grown upon it are tremendous.
I visited one farm about twelve
miles from Bismarck, the state capt.
cal. where for fifteen years in success
sion the owner has had 320 acres in
wheat, and he told me that his crop
during those years had never failed
to give an average Of twenty-eight
bushels to the acre, while some years
this rate had been exceeded. And
this was on land that had never
known fertilizer.
This whole section Of North Dakota
is booming. Its natural shipping
point is the city of Mandan, which
is across the river from Bismarck.
and with which CITY it is running "a
lively race for supremacy. 1t iEt one
of the busiest towns of its Size III the
country and does a business that is
out Of all proportion to its size. The
cattle ,hogs, and sheep Of a vast re-
gion are brought to Mandan for ship
ment east, and the wheat and other
crops also see the same outlet.
Everybody is busy and on the jump
and in all parts Of the city can be
seen new buildings going up. which
are generally rented or sold before
the roof is on.
"Where are all the people coming
from that are taking up lands here?"
l asked one Of the tanners whom
met.
"Mostly from the middle western
states,' was the reply, ''although
we have quite few from the east
and south and even from Canada.
Case of one Family. i,
"Take my neighbour. for instance.
He came from Lovington, ILL.,, where
he had lived for years, and where he
was doing well. He has a large fam.
lily, nine children, and he saw tine
opportunity here to provide for them
all nicely. First, he sent his oldest
boy here. and the lad bought 800 &C.
res. He did so well that the next
year the old man came up and bough,
the 32O acres adjoining. Now the
whole FAMILY is here, and they
wouldn't 60 back to Illinois for any
consideration
I had an opportunity to meet this
Illinois man little later and talh
with him. l put the same question
to him: "Why did you come III
here?''
"Well'. Mr.. Vol replied, ~ have
nothing against Illinois, but cannot
afford to buy land at sl25 and sl5(
an acre and I could See no other way
OF doing anything for my family ex'
cept by moving to a new corntr,
where the land is cheaper. The sol
In this section OF North Dakota !!
every bitas good as the best dirt II
our Illinois corn belt. / talked with
/ q good many farmers. and they al
liked the country and are doing we'll.
One Of them came from Assumption
I'll. u
$50 here am, and I'm glad OF IL
Why shouldn't I Be? Any man tina,
Knows anything about farming car
.come uptheIe and clear the price 81
his land from his first seasons crop
/ I did IL and something more. Il.
i the greatest country ID the world iol
i wheat, oats, nax and corn. For 20
4 tatoes and Other root crops never
i saw aRythipg 10 equal 5it. What ds
4 YOU think sOf 80 bushels Of potatoeI
Ito the acie7 That Htlat IS lyerages
Il ont twenty scres ana " never ~ g6n
a - nj M tfs.s Some Sof These potatoe
IRoald vsi9h sixtyi j. psoonds ana tle,