Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-01-16
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A7P,P THROUGH THE BAD lands
BY S. p. CRANE

There are very few people VINO ''''> = NV
heard of or read an account OF 'ha' !'''' !"
North Dakota known as the Bad ''anns' "''
there is only small percentage WI" nav
seen Them or travelled thru them.
The Bad Lands proper arc 'oc''e" u
,h. southwestern par, OF North Dakota prih
cipally in Billings county, iut the same 'o'
nation of country also extends into NOR
., ,na son,h Dakota. though on les
elaborate scale. s number "i 2'oloS'sc
and government surveyors have Sfs''e'' '''''
.,,,,ars.,l This wild stretch o: land With !;
view of s,udvins its natural and curious
formation hut none can satisfactorily &c
conn, for there being such spot on The
face of the United States
For wears. dating as far back As the 7os
all the country adjacent to the BAD l-anes
stretching from one TO two-hundred mile:
on either side, was pcopled only by hunters
and ranchers and ii was in that vicinity
near Medora, that Theodore Roosevelt hae
his ranch and gained his experience ant
knowledge of the ways Of the west. Vas
herds of bison used to roam over the eNtcn
siye prairies of North Dakota and il vas ].
The vicini;, of the Bad Lands that the las
large herds We're seen.
Las, iall. in the latter par, OF October
The writer. in company with Albert NJ
johnson, c. y. Vincent and Wells Brlnton,
had occasion to take a trip thru the heart
of the Bad Lands. During rccen, wears
numerous settlers from the east have To-
Gated on homes,ea,ls ,hruou, this country.
some as remote as so 10 10 miles from a
railroad station and crops raised on these
homesteads have demonstrated the tact
that the country, far from being arid is as
fertile and productive as any in the state,
Having heard much about this Las,
West" and the construction OF the [. NJ.
a. ST. p. coast line thru Bowman county,
our object in making the trip was TO secure
slice OF the coveted land, and Mr.. Brin-
ton. who WAS somewhat acquainted in that
locality. was taken along as guide and
locator.
Leaving Manfred "Wednesday evening
October "a. we jonrneyed to Valley City.
Staying over night at Hotel Rudolf one OF
the most modern and well equipped hotels
west of the Twin Cities. we boarded the
N. =. train next morning and whizled
westward.
At Jamestown we had fine view of the
city but felt greatly relieved when the train
Started up again and we were lost TO view
from the state institution located on the
hill south of town. Passing thru western
Stutsll1an and kidder counties we saw
thousands Of acres that We're barren and
practically worthless for agricultural pur-
poses. We passed several places that ap-
peared to BIZ lakes covered with ice and a
thin coat of snow but on closer inspection
il was noted that they were dry lake bot
toms thickly coated with alkali. About a
mile east OF Bismarck we passed by the
massive walls OF the state prison, where all
evil doors are invited to learn the art OF
spinning Irvine. but as we are at peace with
our conscience we were assailed with no
quams OF fear and We're able TO put on /:
bold front and look the monster right in the
eye Leaving the fine ~ p. station house
at Bismarck we soon pulled across the
Muddy Missouri. Al Mandan we were
given an opportunity to fill our hungry
maws with pumpkin pies and riley coffee
At this point. in order to he up To date
and in keeping with the times of the coun
try, we We're obliged to set our time pieces
back one hour.
AT Dickinson we secured corrected plat
Of the townships tina, we wished to loo]
over. and after taking in the sights o, tn
Windmill City. we proceeded ON our wa
and arrived at Beach which. as the urare,
station to our destination, will describ
before proceeding further with my narr;
tive. 1t is about four miles from the Nor
tana line and located in what is known q
the Golden Valley. 1t is comparativel
new town. the station being establshe,
there only about three years ago, bu,
already has TOO or 700 inhabitants an,
boasts OF four elevators one flour mill
two banks. lumber yards. livery barns an,
several large and we'll stocked stores an
business houses OF various description,