Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-01-16
NORTH DAKOTA WOMAN
FARMER and GOLD miner

FARMER and GOLD miner
Miss Emma L. Kelly, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. ri. B. Kelly. is in
Topeka to spend the winter with her
parents. Miss Kelly joined the first
rush to the Klondike and took 4 part
| in the mad scramble for gold III the
far North. Since that time, says
the Topeka Capital, Miss Kelly has
made six trips to Alaska, where she
has several gold mining claims and
has spent two winters in that
country. II 2
| Two years ago she drew a fine
claim in the drawing when the
Devils Lake Indian reservation was
opened for settlement She has
since added to her land there until
she now has a farm of 400 acres of
THE finest wheat land in North Da-
kota, of which less than one-half has
been broken. She intends to break
the rest of it and plant the entire
400 acres next year. 4.
Miss Kelly landed at Nome, Alas
ka, in 1897, when that town was but
a dumping place at the north end of
| the sea route from United States
ports to Alaska, and when the trail
from there across the White Noun
tains was an almost impossible path
strewn with the bodies of horses and
lprospectors who had died with their
faces toward the golden Ell Dorado
of Dawson City and the Klondike.
OF those who went from Topeka to
join this stampede the majority
failed to survive the hardships and
iperils, but Miss Kelly went through
Everything and has made the trip
five times since. So B
1 mo, I shall not go to Alaska next
isummer,' said Miss Kelly. Il left
my claims in the hands of reliable
Ipeople, and so it will not be neces-
isary for me to go again SO soon. I
will spend next summer in Dakota
lon my farm. My farm now consists
tof little more than 400 acres. I
idrew No. % in the drawing when
THE Fort Totten reservation was
iopened and chose my quarter on the
Isouth bank of Devils Lake, near its
eastern end. When I first took my
claim I was surrounded on all sides
except toward the lake by Indians.
When the reservation was opened
/ the Indians were each given a quar-
tier section: They are the remnants
1of the Cut Head Sioux tribe.
.sThe fullblood Indians let their
Hand go to waste, making no effort
at farming except occasionally graz
ling few head of stock. The half
breed and quarter bloods, however
fcultivated their land and are fairly
successful farmers. AS fast as the
Indians die the Indian bureau al
i Washington advertises their farms
4 for sale to the highest bidder. All
/ bids are sealed. The money re-
fceived from these sales is divided
among the heirs OF the Indians tc
/ whom the land belonged. I bid Ii
one of these quarters only hall
mile from mine and will break this
next spring. 9S # z
I. my nearest neighbor is an Ole
Indian woman who occupies the land
between my two quarter sections
She is now very old and is the
daughter of the last chief OF tht
Cut Head Sioux. Chief Wanata. 81
she is q princess, but she lives in Thu
same squalor as is usual with ths
fold time Indians It makes 4 on,
smile to see her in the midst OF he
idirt and then to consider that she il
princess, q real live princess 4 ant
here Miss Kelly smiled at til,
remembrance. She has named M,
farm Wilma Tapa Woman,s House,
in her language.
This year I broke 100 acres /,
my claim and sowed the land to fIas
This is the usual crop used to pu
newly broken and III shape 10
wheat. Il IS considerably NOR
profitable to raise than wheat, bu
it soon destroys the fertility OF til
ground if grown two or three year
n succession on one piece Of land
There Is good sale for the crop an
the price is never less than . doIla
q a bushel. NY crop from 100 acre
! planted returned so per cent on b
original claim, the land + bougE
{ afterward. the cost OF breaking Il,
land, planting and harvesting til
crop, the cost OF the four room VI