The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-05-17
vailing Illinois price.


will inquire further into the nature
of the products of North Dakota.
It seems like a waste Of time and
energy, because the whole world
must know it by this time, to say
that North Dakota is the greatest
wheat growing state in the Union
At the lowest estimate, the wheat
crop of the state this year will
reach the enormous sum of eighty
million bushels. In addition there
is the usual amount Of barley, oats
millet and other grasses, and a
vast area of corn.
Perhaps the most profitable crop
great number throught the state.
There are already several linseed
oil mills in successful operation
within the state.
In the earlier years we frequent
ly heard complaint that there was
no fuel in North Dakota, and,
indeed, a quarter Of century ago
but few men could be found any.
where who would certify that there
was any coal in the state. As
time has gone along in the state
is flax, and. at the risk Of being
classed as an Qptimist, it is wholly
within the truth for me to say
that from twenty to thirty dollars
per acre have been realized il
many instances in this state from
single years crop of flax, an
amount, indeed sufficient to pay
the entire cost of the land anc
something to spare. It is reason
able to anticipate twenty millior
bushel crop Of flax this year
Last year North Dakota grew twt
thirds of the fax-seed crop Of th'
United States. The great bulk o
this product is shipped away t.
the linseeds soh mills Of the country
and there is no reason to doub
that before long these mills will b.
established. 1t has tesn demon
strated by the government survey
and examinations that there ar
almost thirty thousand squar
miles of coal in North Dakota
true, it is a Ignite coal, but of I
very superior quality, and SO ia
superior to the best wood for fue
and steam purposes that it is con
stantly growing in demand. LiR
mite coal for some years past ha
been used in all of the publ
institutions of North Dakota, an,
tits fast coming into general use
There are vast regions !sof; lam
underlaid with heavy veins Q
Ignite coal, above which are founl
the most wonderful fire clays tha
have been discovered anywhere o.
the continent. The time is no
far away when pottery will be on
of the great industries here.
| In the western part of the stat
There are numerous manufact urer
of fire brick, and the demand TO
these brick is already in exec
of the present means of supply
Shipments of fire brick made fron
North Dakota clays are going t
the Pacific coast, to Canada, t.
Mexico and elsewhere. There
today an exhibit of pottery ant
queenware at the capital building
in Bismarck made from Nort]
Dakota clays at New Jersey potter.
that will bear the closest compari
son with like products from an,
part of the world. Men with capi
tai for investment in this iue viii
before long discover the great ad
vantage for their business in Nortl
Dakota, where vast tracts of Goa
and clay may be found together.
+ In addition to the advantage
thus far enumerated, there is, o
course the we'll known adaptabiIity
of the country for stock raising
Here, especially in the valley
along the rivers of the state, car
be grown the finest quality o
alfalfa, red clover, bronze grass
timothy. and in fact every kind o.
forage for stock.
It is a discouraging sight t.
see the straw produced from th'
vast crops Of fax, wheat and othe:
grains destroyed by fire in th,
fields, and the time will come
when all such material will b.
utilized in the manufacture o
valuable and salable products.
At the present writing no golt
mines have been discovered il
North Dakota, but with the won
derful possibilities in agriculture