Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-11
WEALTH is IN THE SOIL.

WEALTH is IN THE SOIL.
The wealth of North Dakota is in
the soil. The wealth of all states is
In the soil, but in North Dakota more
so than in almost any other state.
Did it ever occur to the reader-the
travelersas he goes about the country
from ocean 10 ocean and from Mani
toba to the Gulf, that nowhere else
will he see such vast empire of
undeveloped land as while riding
through the Dakotas? Here, all day
long, from early morn until the late
night, one can look out of the open
car window on a picture of luxuriant
vegetation unexcelled, uneQualley In
all the world. To the very hill tops
the emerald tint tells of the wonder
full opportunities for the grain grow
er. the dairyman and the stock raiser
The percentage Of waste land is in
finitesimal And right here on the
Missouri Slope-the Missouri river
valley-with Burleigh county and Bis
marck as the true center-observe
the transformation. A few years ago
there were $4,000, 900 acres of I'M
appropriated government land, and
nearly as much unused railroad land
In the Bismarck land district. Now
nj
government land left subject to home.
stead entry. The country is develop
ing rapidly and land values are in.
creasing in like proportion.
And yet the opportunities right
here within an hour, two hours, four
hours ride from the capitol of the
state, there has been no boom, few!
changes in, ownership, and here are
golden opportunities for the thrifty
husbandman. = wv
In their write-up of Bismarck and
vicinity the special stff correspond
emit of the Minneapolis Journal very
properly lay great stress upon the
agricultural features of the state,
and the following is an excerpt:
'The farm lands of North Dakota
are the states best asset. If 1t were
not true, it would not support a pop
.ulation of over half a million souls,
and yet the richest and most fertile
agricultural sections have not been
touched. No state has better rail-
road facilities, and no purely agricul-
tural state has made more progress
=, than has North Dakota. Her popula-
ton in the past two years has nearly
doubled, while her wealth has tribl-
3D. This is a wonderful statement,
when one stops to consider that the
early pioneers-the homesteaders,
came here as rule almost penni-
less; yet today they are the Iading
citizens. the men of money, the men
of affairs. Evry dollar of this wealth
was taken out Of the ground. from the
fertility of the soil. First it is
wheat, then fax, and today 1t is MIX
ed farming; oats, rye, barley, corn,
potatoes, apples an d small fruits
speltz, alfalfa, tame grass and D9llet;
~lairying and stock-raising is one of
the states growing assets. Sections
I OF vast plains that were dubbed the
"cow country" have been transformed
into rich farms, the garden spots OF
this great fertile zone. This Is why
such cities as Bismarck, Fargo, Grand
Forks Devils Lake and Minot have
grown into metropolitan life, with
greater possibilities before them, to
say nothing of the smaller towns that
are really the back bone Of the cent
ers of population. North Dakota .
an agricultural zone that should have
a population of 100000 by 1880. The
richest state in fertility of soil from
The Ohio river to the Pacific coast.
Nowhere under the canopy of heaven
are there such grand and glorious op-
portunities as right here in North
Dakota, stretching out on all sides
from the Capital City. The climate
conditions are the best, based on a
twelve months observation; where all
the best OF life can be enjoyed, en-
bracing narby trading cities and
towns, with railroads intersectine
nearly every county in the state;
the best of schools and churches;
up-to-date colleges and academies for
higher education, making it an ideal
home center, free from the contain
: mating influences of the older set
! tied communities. Mere land values
alone will So increase as to make
each settler on 100 acres well-to-do,
Independent American citizen. You.
that live in the Older agricultural
states. with land values at 500 to
5000 an acre, who are unable for this
reason to give your boys and girls
the same chance you enjoy, will find
these opportunities awaiting you IN
many sections OF North Dakota Lane
that will also BE worth $500 to 5000
an acre in the coming years, fust as
the homestead lands in iowa have In
creased In fifty years. It is these op.