Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-08-22

counties of Billings, Bowman, Stark,
Ward, etc.
The valuation of the real estate
and personal property as returned
by the state board of equalization
in August 1908, is 1928, 1871 1852. The
cent valuation. About 100000
acres of the state was in crop in
1908 The distribution of rainfall
throughout the state is in the Or
binary season such that is most pro-
pitious for the growing crops. The
long period of sunshine during the
growing days rush the growth so
that in nearly every season all crops
are matured sufficiently to be unin-
jured by killing frosts in the fall.
Excellent Railroad Facilities.
North Dakota is we'll provided with
railroads, two trans-continental lines
cross the state from east to west, viz
the Northern Pacific and the Great
Northern. While one .trans-continen-
tai line, the Minneapolis, st. Paul &
Sault Ste. Marie, crosses the state
from southeat to northwest, and the
Pacific coast extension Of the Chica-
go, Milwaukee & St. Paul cuts north
WESTERLY across the most most south
! western counties of Adams and Bow
man. With the numerous extern
sions and. branches which are con-
tinually being constructed the trans
portation facilities by the railroads
are exceptionally good. Much OF
our grain Is shipped to Duluth, Mimi.
and Superior, Wis, the head of
navigation on the great lakes, and
most of the coal used in the eastern
part of the state is brought to us by
the lake route, thus making cheap
! transportation to and from the east
for our raw materials.
The principal crops at present be-
ing grown under irrigation in North
Dakota are wheat oats, barley, alfal
ia. fax, potatoes and all kinds Of
F, garden truck, but that sugar beets
of good quality can be profitably
grown can no longer be questioned.
The long days of sunshine during
! the growing season in the part of
i the state benefited by. irrigation,is
particularly desirable for the pro-
duction of large quantity of saech
arine matter in this crop Being in
latitude five degrees north of the
sugar beet fields of Michigan and
] Wisconsin and with a soil more fer
title, and with a larger percentage
Of clear sunny weather during the
growing season, it is stated by those
familiar with sugar beet production
part of the State of North Dakota
is destined to become large pro-
Queer of sugar beet.
All the irrigation enterprises in
North Dakota of any magnitude
that have been undertaken are Unit
ed States reclamation service pro-
jects, there being no Carey
act projects or projects under private
enterprise which furnish water to
other lands than to those owned by
the ditch proprietor.
The Fort Berthold Reservation.
The Fort Berthold Indian Reser-
walton containing 100000 acres,
Lying between AZ degrees thirty min
utes and 4S degrees north latitude,
/ is divided into nearly equal parts by
| the Missouri river which flows
Through it from the northwest to the
southeast corner. Only nine town
ships Of this reservation have as yet
been surveyed by the general land
office, and, these for the purpose Of
making ailotme nts to the Indians.
Along the river through the reser-
walton are several fine bottoms and
adjoining bench lands that can be
irrigated by pumping water from
the river. Realizing that 1t will only
be few years when this reserva-
ton will be opened to settlement,
the state engeneer has recently made
preliminary surveys Of the larger
tracts in order that irrigation sys-
TENS could be constructed prior to
the opening of these lands.
Lignite coal In abundance is found
along the whole course of the river
through the reservation. and q party
OF the United States geological sur
vey are making examinations for the
purpose of determining the thick
ness of the viens and quality OF the
coal, which Is In close proximity to
the several pro3ects. A branch of
LuCT1NOItuSlA 4 Ao0 USSA aSSAs
ed and the right Of way purchased
ora line north from Mandan follow
Ing closely the left bank until the
Yellowstone is reached and up the
right bank of the Yellowstone to a
juncture with the main line at Glen
dive. This line will undoubtedly be
in operation within two years, and
will make more valuable the pro-
jects on the west side Of the river
through the reservation. s@ a..
On the larger irrigation projects In
North Dakota in preparing land for
irrigation we do not have to contend
with the sagebrush and greasewood
common to the plains Of most wes-
tern states, no greasewcod whatever
being found and but little sagebrust,
which is small in size. The absence
Of these shrubs indicate a more fer
tile soil with a, deeper loan than In
the other states and consequently
the cost Of preparing the land for
irrigation is. lessened. Ordinarily
the land when first broken is seeded