The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-05-03
Settlers Still Flock to
North Dakota F arms
Conditions Never Better New Settlers Are Contented and
Prosperous Westward Rush Has Put I'm
proved Farms Market.

cattle country and there is money in
grading up to now on the slope
ranches. Stock wintered we'll this
year, and the stockmen have had an
abundance of fodder to carry them
over to grass in good condition.
Slope Settlers Prospering.
The tremendous movement into
Stark county through the Dickinson
gateway keeps UP, and what used to
be small cattle town has become a
city through which pours stream of
settlers. All along the headwaters
Of the Knife river and the Heart river
are fine locations. and the develop
ment of this region is nothing short
of marvellous. Stark, Hettinger and
Mercer counties have certainly made
good, and the old fallacies about the
slope have been completely dispelled
by the showing slope farmers have
made. They are satisfied. as anybody
can find out for himself. by tackling
one of those new settlers and asking
him to put price on his farm.
The Ignite coal proposition is look
ing up. and Ignite is becoming more
and more one of the mainstays of the
state. 1t is no longer despised as
fuel. and the vast quantities of it
that underlie the soil of the counties
that border on the old Missouri river
are beyond estimate. Ignite has
gone far to make North Dakota in
dependent of the coal trust, and it is
an especial advantage in the western
counties where it can be had so cheap
h4
may be found some of the finest farm
ing lands in the west. Bismarck and
Mandan are busy gateways for the
tide of homeseekers. and the move
ment of the past three or four years
has completely transformed Burleigh,
Mclean, Oliver, Morton and Emmons
counties. kidder is filling up rapid
~, and these new settled districts are
already prosperous. The men who
came here with next to nothing and
fought their way at first have within
four or five years reached independ-
ence. Naturally they are enthusiastic,
and could not be tempted to part with
their farms for double the present
market value. unless able to turn
around and buy more just like them.
Opening New Territory.
New railroad building projected in
many North Dakota counties for this
year will open up large number of
remote tracts, and bring them nearer
to market. Many thousand acres have
been held back from settlement for
just the one reason. remoteness from
the railroad station, and the new lines
will open them and fill them with
homo in oh
good work is being done in advertise
ing these tracts and directing the at
tention of homeseekers to the new
opportunities.
The new settlers in this part. of
North Dakota are long-sighted peo-
pie as a rule. and most of them do
not go in solely for wheat. There is
good money in it. and it is made
pretty easy. but they do not like to
have all their eggs in one basket.
There are splendid returns from fax,
and oats at the prices of the past
year bring fine returns. Then as they
get money they are bringing in cat
tie, sheep and hogs for breeding, are
raising feed and starting in with
stock, not on the range plan, but just
like the farmers where they come
from in the older states. They are
turning out fat, high grade cattle and
hogs, and are furnishing a supply
that will find a splendid market in
the twin cities, and especially in the
new Armour plant at Minneapolis.
Want Settlers to Take . Leok.
North Dakota people are proud of
their state and its prosperity. They
do not need anybody to tell them that
North Dakota is a.land of opportunity
where nature gives bountiful rewards
to labor. They do want the rest of
the world to know about it, and the
whole state is heartily back Of the
publicity campaign being so vigor-
ously conducted under state auspices,
and with the hearty cooperation of
the various land companies. The
main thing is to draw the homeseek-
ers' attention. If they only come to
North Dakota and investigate for
themselves they are won. and it is
a fine class of people that Is filling
up the new lands of North Dakota.
The new settlers are meo with fam
lilies who hadn't capital enough to get
homes of their own in the older COM
munitles. They started out to find
land just as good for less money.
They investigated and found North
Dakota just what they wanted. More
are coming this year than ever. from
all Indications.