The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-05-28
NORTH DAKOTA RESOURCES
By Senator Hansbrough in National Magazine.

In opening years of It's history. 1t
was too often the case that those
who took upon themselves the priv
ilege Of telling of the resources of
North Dakota were prone to indulge
IN exaggeration. It was q new
country, and the people who came
here were not to the manor born.
Moreover, a great many of them, es-
pecially those who wrote about the
state, were in a measure merely tran
siants and did not 60 to the bottom
Of things. In view of this situation,
many fabulous stories have been cir
culated. which. while they were de-
signed to help North Dakota, really
were an injury to it. But the period
of exaggeration has passed for two
reasons: First, because those who
now write most about North Dakota
are prominent residents thereof, and
know whereof they speak; and, Sec
ond, because no pen. however facile,
can exaggerate conditions as they
prevail today.
In population, North Dakota this
year passed the half-million mark.
Twenty-Five years ago It's population
scarcely aggregated 10000. It would
be tiresome to go into statistics to
show what there is here now or to
predict future possibilities. Whereas,
once 1t was believed that farm pro-
ducts could not be successfully raised
beyond the western edge of the Red
river valley, 1t has been demon
strated that almost every foot of soil
in the state as far west as the Mon
tana line is susceptible to the highest
state of cultivation. Where fifteen
years ago the bulk of population and
wealth was in the Red river valley,
now it has poured over the undulat-
ing hills toward the west, until the
great majority of the people of the
state live west Of a line drawn north
and south through Devils Lake.
Where fifteen years ago there was an
abundance of government land to be
had without cost. now there is very
little government land left, and the
prices for lands held in private own
ership have advanced from S. and
SO to $50 and $40 per acre.
While these latter figures ap-
pear to the average Dakotan as
being somewhat high, nevertheless,
when It is understood that an acre of
North Dakota land will produce as
great value as an acre of Illinois or
Iowa land. no one will be found be-
yond the borders of the state who
will complain at even the highest
price mentioned, because lands In the
middle west are now selling at from
500 to $3.50 per acre. 1t is real
ization Of these facts which is bring
ing North Dakota at the present time
an endless stream of people from the
middle and eastern states. At the
rate of settlement going on today,
North Dakota will have a million pop
ulation by 1915. and even then lands
will be much below their real value.
The nonresident will naturally in
inquire further into the nature of
to North Dakota in such numbers,
and why the great rush to buy lands
therein?" The answer to this has al
ready been limited at, namely: That
an acre of land in North Dakota
will produce as much value as an
acre of land in Illinois, and can be
bought today for less than one-fifth
of the prevailing Illinois price.
The inquisitive-minded person will
INQUIRE further int othe nature of
the products of North Dakota. 1t
seems like waste of time and ener-
gy, 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