Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1907-04-04

United States during the time our
children's children should live, and
then there would be plenty Of coal
left in North Dakota to supply all It's
demands. In speaking Of the CON
ditions that prevailed during the re-
cent winter, the concensus of opinion
was that North Dakota needed abso-
luteiy 20 defense; that nowhere could
more money be made than in North,
Dakota, and that you could never stop
the people from coming into our
state, because It is purely agricul-
tural state. and has the only cheap
land left In the union that will pro-
duce crops that average as we'll as
they 20 anywhere.
I'VE and that people with malicious
intent have magniied the conditions
that existed during the past winter
TOR selfish interests and purposes. We
also find that many irresponsible re-
porters for eastern newspapers have
magnified small instances into noun
tatns of falsehood, for the purpose of
producing sensational stories and get
ting them accepted and paid for We
md that people who have become
envious of the progress and develop
ment of the state of North Dakota
have aided and abetted in producing
and circulating malicious stories detri-
mental to the interests Of this state.
We also find that some of our state
newspapers have published stories
prompted by pique and a feeling of
uncertainty as to the future, and these
stories have found their way eastward,
to be magnified by people who wish
to stay the tide Of immigration that is
coming to North Dakota. We find
even at this late date, when railroads
are open and fuel is in abundance,
that the eastern newspapers and land
agents, who are directly opposed to
the best interests Of North Dakota.
are giving publicity to these false
stories and malicious reports.
THE branch lines of the railroads
are now opened up. and the farmers
are now coming into the different
towns. From them 1t is learned that
the fuel situation was not nearly SO
bad as was reported. 1t develops that
scarcity Of fuel existed only in iso-
lated sections. and this was due large
ly to the carelessness and Indifference
OF many people in not preparing for
winter. These people, however, are
not censurable for this neglect, be.
cause the winters Of the past have
been such as to require no unneces-
sary precautions to be taken or any
great quantity of fuel to be provided.
From reports received, farmers in
many parts Of the state are now pre-
pairing for their spring work, and the
general conclusion is that the heavy
fall of snow during the winter will
prove blessing rather than a detri-
ment. The snow is rapidly disappear
Ing into the soil, supplying plenty of
moisture. which will place it in excel
lent condition to produce bountiful
crop. 1t may be that there will be
some water standing in the depres-
sions, but these will be drained when
the spring plowing begins, which will
probably be earlier this year than in
many past years. The fact is that,
with few exceptions, the people of
North Dakota have been free from
suffering or hardship caused by eli
matte conditions.
This winters scare-for such it
really was-will successfully teach the
people Of this state the necessity of
making preparation for the winter
months and to guard against the re-
currence Of fuel shortage, though 1t
is extremely doubtful If such con-
dition will ever exist again. The peo-
pie of this state have heretofore been
SO bountifully supplied with fuel, and
the winters have been SO mild for a
northern latitude, that they became
careless, seeing no necessity for lay
ing in supply Of this necessary ar
ticle, depending upon the local dealers
for any demands they might make up
on them at any given time during the
/ winter.
The past winter has taught the in
habitants of North Dakota the neces-
sity of following the example and Gus
tom of the people Of the eastern
states, who every fall fill their coal
bins with sunicient quantity of fuel
to last through the entire winter
This important duty has been over
looked by our people, who had been
for SO many years basking in the s..ls-
shine of pleasant winters, and had
grown to think that North Dakota YVES
veritable banana belt
"The report Of the United States
weather bureau for January states
that the precipitation for that month,
which consisted wholly of snow, aver
aged 1.4O inches for the state The
mean temperature for January, which
was the coolest month in this state
for the past sixeen years, was 6.2
degrees, or 1875 degrees below the nor
NAL, and 1874 degrees lower than the
L