The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-12-14
Development Of the Cattle Industry
Throughout the State of N. Dakota

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Since Jim Hill first observed that
where the wagons had cut the native
sod as they crossed the prairies Of
what is now North Dakota and noted
the fact that such cutting had caused
the grass to grow more abundant than
1t had on unbroken parts. It has been
known that the great northwest was
an agricultural country, with untold
wealth awaiting the coming of man.
1t was known then by those who could
see into the future that the great
plains which were then covered with
vast herds of buffalo, would in time
become the bread basket of the world.
and that the trains bearing the COL
den wealth of the harvest fields would
be rushed across the continent with
the speed of the wind in order that
they might deposit their cargoes in
the waiting holds of steamers which
would carry the bread of the fields of
the west to the hungry hordes of
Europe.
But 1t was not seen at that time.
nor believed even by the most opti-
mistic advocates of the new land-the
country across the Jordan-that with
In the memory of the men who on
snow shoes were paving the pathway
OF civilization towards the setting sun,
these same prafries would be dotted
with herds of cattle in whose veins
would flow the aristocratic blood of the
ancestors whose records and pedi-
grees were written in the year books
of Europe. They believed the tens of
thousands of buffalos which had
grazed upon the native grasses of the
northwestern plains for centuries
seemed to have peculiar fitness for
the country and its climate, and while
the first Corners titled the soil in a
half-hearted way and raised a crop
which because of the bounteousness
of nature, was sufficient in good years
to make them weather. than they had
ever hoped to dream of, they could
not see that it was possible to con-
vert the prairies into grazing lands
for the blooded stock which was max.
ing other states rich and famous. Cat
tie were not to be a part of the
wealth producing power of the new
| country.
Fortunately for the future of the
state and the wealth of the people
who are to become the permanent
citizenry of North Dakota. crop fail
ures came as they must come in all
new countries before the tillers of
the soil have learned the methods nec-
essary to make nature respond to the
call OF man upon her resources with
never failing results, and when these
came, the men who have laid the
foundation for the greatest CONNER
cial commonwealth in the nation, were
driven to the consideration Of other
means OF making money from the
acres which they had in many instan-
ces reclaimed from nature.
Whether it was because of the fact
that they had learned the value of a
commodity which constituted a nec-
essary food product or not, is not ma
terial to the consideration of this ar
ticle. But the important matter is that
the people turned their attention to
the raising of cattle. First it was the
vast herds which roamed the plains
almost like so many wild animals and
which were kept under the subsection
of man by the work of the cowboy
that picturesque character of the west
which has been renowned in story and
song and around which 80 much of
the rugged romance of the west has
been woven. The cattle ranch Of the
northwest became as much part of
the western life as the prairie schoon-
ers of the across the continent" days.
This class of life attracted men OF
education and wealth from the more
effete east, and by this means much of
the polish which had been acquired in
the less energetic and more social
east became an inheritance OF the
western plainsmen. The fact that all
the country was one great pasture up
herds of cattle and when they had be-
come ready for the market, be con-
verted into large sums Of money. made
the life decidedly attractice, especially
to those who possessed a certain
amount of the zest for such a reck-
less and free life.
But from these ranches did not
come the development of the fine
blooded cattle which are now to be
found in thousands throughout the
state. 1t might be said with justice
to the ranchers Of the early days that
they retarded the development of i'm
proved stock in the state by retarding
the conversion of the grazing into
agricultural lands. Business motives
which have been said were selfish
ones. prompted these cattle owners of
the early days to discourage the set
tlement of the lands they were oc.
cupying, by men who would by con-
verting the lands into grain produc-
ing farms, reduce the acreage of the
feeding grounds of the range cattle.
1t was in fact, the progressive
farmer-the man who took pride in
the appearance of his farm, who built
comfortable residence for his family
and barns for his stock, the man who
in conjunction with his neighbors,
constructed good roads and built the
school houses and churches, that is
responsible for the development of the
improved stock industry in the state.
They came as natural consequence
and a natural adjunct to his progress
sive methods.
Realizing that to be as successful
in farming as the opportunities of the
country would justify, that class of