Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-06-21
SCRANTON OF BOWMAN COUNTY
Metropolis Of This Fertile New Section Of Southwestern
North Dakota Has a Great Future Before II
No Town in Stat Has Had More Steady and Substantial
Growth Nor Better Country Back Of It

Scranton, N. D., June 90. Special
to Tribune. Bowman county has
been bounteously prepared by ma
ture for the coming of man. No
part of the county has been better
treated from that standpoint than
has the locality directly tributary to
the new town of Scranton. This city
is ideally situated with reference to
the agricultural district in Bow
man, Adams, Hettinger and Billings
counties. Besides furnishing mar
ket and shipping point for the grain
and other produce the town will
soon be prepared to furnish coal,
brick and different manufactured
products for the surrounding coun-
try.
The business men who are ac-
quainted with the future Of Scran-
ton are all optimistic and are back
ing their judgment with their CAPT
tai. At the recent sale Of town
lots thirty-thr were sold at auc-
ton at price which averaged over
five hundred dollars, some going as
high as eleven hundred. Most of
the high priced lots were purchased.
by men who are at present living
in the locality and are the most IA
miliar with the prospects. 1t is inn
possible to find a resident of north
west Bowman county who does not
firmly believe that this town is to
be the metropolis of southwest North
Dakota. Everything appears to point
to such future for the town. Bust
ness, which formerly went to Dick
inson, will be diverted to the south
by the better facilities in that direc-.
ton. The country north of Scran-
ton has been settled for many years
and all supplies have had to be pur-
chased in Dickinson and freighted
across the country by team The
building Of the Milwaukee railroad
has given these settlers a chance to
buy without the added cost Of a
hundred miles teaming and the new
town just formed will gain the bulk
Of this diverted trade.
Scranton at present has about two
hundred actual residents but it can
be expected to a great deal more
than double inside Of the next few
months. New industries which will
employ two or three hundred men
are in process Of formulation and the
Consolidated Coal Co., whose mine
is located in Scranton, expect to en-
p1oy between two hundred and fifty
and three hundred men in the near
future. This mine gives promise Of
being one Of the best mining prop
critics in the state. The company
has vein of high grade Ignite
which averages about twenty feet
in width. The coal lays within
thirty-fve feet Of the surface. It is
nearly level and there will be no
trouble from water, as the substrah
under the coal is slightly above the
level of the water In the stream
which drains the country. This gives
natural drain to the mine with a
fall Of possibly six or seven feet to
the creek. The seepage from above
the coal is just sufficient to allay the
dust in the mine and make working
easy. The mine will be one Of the
big factors in making Scranton a
large city. Col. Peake, one of the
owners, stated that they expected to
employ about $40 men this sum-
mer and they will ship coal to all
parts of the state, as well as into
Montana and South Dakota. Up to
date the company has been handi-
capped by lack of freight rates on
the Milwaukee road The railroad
has fixed rate which is acceptable
to the mine owners and mining for
shipment will be started shortly.
The manufacture Of brick will
also form one Of the big Industries
Of this city. Three heavily financed
companies have already been formed
and are expected TO be in operation
by the end Of the present summer.
The Scranton Brick q Tile Works
are already manufacturing brick
with considerable success. Another
concern financed by Dickinson and
Chicago capitalists will be ready to
4 enter the field In a short time. The
third company will be managed by a
st. Louis concern. It will pay more
attention to the manufacture Of
higher grade fire brick and other fire
clay materials. The natural loca-
ton for the manufacture OF brick
will be hard to beat. One Of the
best beds of clay to be found In the
United States underlays a large tract
of land just east Of the town. Strip
ping operations will not be necessary
to any extent as the surface soil lis
not over a foot and a half deep. The
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