The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-03-04
Red River Valley Is
Garden Spot Of y. S.
Two Excellent Addresses Delivered Before the Real Estate
Meeting in Bismarck BY Hon. j. L. Cashel and Hon T.
Twichel-Three Lower Counties.

Two addresses delivered last week
at the real estate meeting held in Bis
marck are of particular interest to
people of the Red River Valley, inso-
much as they deal with that part of
the state. Hon. John l.. Cashel de-
livered an address on the lower Red
River Valley, and he said:
Mr.. Chairman and Fellow Citi-
xens: The subject of my considera-
ton this evening is the lower Red
River valley in North Dakota. 1 re-
greet exceedingly the limited time l
had to devote to this important dis
trict of the state, the modern para
disc comprising the counties of Grand
Forks, Walsh and Pembina. The soil
is deep, rich loan with clay sub
soil that has proven for over twenty
five years of continuous cultivation
to be inexhaustible under a good
system of cultivation. 1t exceeds the
valley of the Nile in that it does not
receive, nor requires alluvial de-
posists to retain its fertility to pro-
duce good crops annually under a
proper system of rotation.
All grasses congenial to the cent
raj and northern ATTITUDES thrive in
the soil and climate. Corn is be-
coming a favorite crop, especially
for fodder and renovating the soil,
which produces two or three good
crops of wheat following. The sur
face is almost level yet undulating
and sloping gradually toward the
Red river. Small streams cross the
valley at intervals varying in dis
miles, their banks lined with good
growth of hard and soft timber, thus
adding wealth to the district and
beauty to the landscape.
Early settlements were made at
Grand Forks and in Pembina county,
at St. Joseph and Walhalla ~ the
Hudson Bay company's Jealous mis-
sionaries and adventurous fur traders.
Time forbids any retrospect prior to
1881, when I became settler in the
valley at Grafton, Walsh county. Grand
Forks was then village, the .termi-
nus of the st. Paul, Minneapolis &
Manitoba railroad, now the Great
Northern. No railroad then traversei
these counties, while at present there
are 1875 miles in Grand Forks county,
1856 in Walsh county and 112 miles
in Pembina county, total 492 miles
interesting and penetrating in all
directions, placing every farmer ac-
cessible in good markets.
The population was then composed
of a heterogeneous class few citi-
zense holding down claims, living
mostly in sod shanties. possessing
little means and struggling to get a
foothold. The population, products
and assessed valuation were small.
Let us see what the growth and
development have since been. The
population was in 1905:
Grand Forks county. ......... 26,495
Walsh county -. 80. 80. zee. 2O,265
Pembina county 80. 80. ..... 1920
lotdl 63,lSU
What were the products in wheat,
fax, barley and oats inn 1905?
Wheat, Flax,
Bushels. Bushels.
Grand Forks go. 3,5S0,300 S55,S35
Walsh -. 90. =. 4,064,975 4S6,6O0
Pembina 90. =. =. 2,700,2S0 11O,275
Total %. 800. 1o,s45,555 1.452,71o
Barley, Oats,
Bushels. Bushels
Grand Forks =. =. $4,000 1,963,7S
Walsh .. =. 800. S35,960 1,sO3,675
Pembina =. .. =. 1,174,770 1,330,435
Total go. 90. ...2,SS1, $3.50 5,097,S9O
Their assessed valuation, real and
: personal, including railroads, for
1906:
Grand Froks county =. =. $13,2S6,00o
Walsh county go. go. =. 9,S50,00O
Pembina county .. .. =. 6,632,000
Total. -. -. 80. 80. $29, 768,000
Assuming that all property, rail-
roads, realty and personal, were as
sessed at Is per cent of their actual
value, they would give to these coun-
ties wealth of over $119,OO0,O00.
making nearly $1,000 per capita.
This district is entering actively
and extensively into diversified farm
ing. One farmer in Walsh county,
John Donnelly, received one of
James ]. Hills first prizes for the
best herd of blooded stock and the
best kept farm. The creamery is
becoming prominent industry and
is increasing yearly.
In 1906 these counties contained
the following numbers OF two classes
of live stock, as assessed, viz:
Horses. Cattle.
Grand Forks county. 14,307 16,245
Walsh county 80. -. 1884 1858
Pembina county =. go. 10,115 1910
The counties have no bonded in
debtedness, but they have good
surplus, thereby reducing their last
tax levy. They have complete county
buildings in good condition.
One of the strong indications of
the thrift ind intelligence of the cit
liens is the great interest taken in
the education of their children.
Convenient and modern school-houses
are erected in the rural districts, maxi
ing them accessible to every child of
school age.
In the cities and towns heautiful