Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-12-22
NORTH DAKOTA IN 1910

ton is concerned, has nevertheless been
distinctly one of progress in North Da-
kota, and the outlook on the threshold
of 1911. is full of bright promise for a
continuance of the steady development
which has been the Distinguishing
feature of the states history IN the past,
according to the biennial report of com
missioner of Agriculture and Labor
Gilbreath, now in the hands of the
printers.
The constant influx of an aggressive
and intelligent class of farming popula-
ton into the vacant places of the state,
and especially into the western counties,
has been a distinctive happening of the
past year. Another noteworthy and
epochmarking happening of the past
season has been the maturing, all over
the state, of a record acreage of corn
crop. Notwithstanding the backward
spring and generally drouthy conditions
prevailing during an unusual and
abnormal season, corn was successfully
ripened in every county, demonstrating
to fnality the entire fitness of our soil
and climate for the successful %cultiva-
ton of this crop. In many localities the
amount of corn fodder secured tided
over a difficult situation caused by the
shortage of native hay, and live stock,
which otherwise would have been sold, |
can now be wintered safely and profit
ably.
The experience of the past year has
also proven beyond question that winter
wheat can be protitably grown in North
Dakota, some of the larger yields of the
past season coming from that variety of
the cereal.
Other agricultural products to receive
increased attention during 1910 have
been all varieties of tame grasses suited
for this climate such as alfalfa, timothy
red and white clover. bronze grass, mlllet,
Hungarian, etc.
The total acreage under cultivation
for 1910 shows a satisfactory increase
ever the previous year, being 13,O42,173
acres as compared with 12,348,447 for
1909, a gain of 693, 726.
There is now 5000 miles of railroad
actually under operation in the state,
which will be increased by some 1900
additional miles when lines now in
course of construction and projected are
completed.
Statistics gathered in the spring of
1910 show that there are 456,342 horses,
6,979 mules, 476,O33 cattle, 206,757 hogs
and 1o9, 759 sheep in the state, to which
must of course be added the natural in
crease of the year; 157,2O2 milk COWS
furnish milk and butter to our people,
and 81 creameries are engaged in the
manufacture of butter and other dairy
products, to which must be added a
butter item of 100000 pounds made in
families for home use and sale.
Financial development has grown pro-
%portionally with progress along other
venue of endeavor. There are now $50
state and $50 national banks within our
borders At the close of business on
June Both, 1910, there was on deposit in
the former S39,221 ,56l. 90 and IN the
latter s333, 1852, 1000.
lndustrially the state has made salts
factory progress during the past year.
The brick and pottery industries have
increased their output and continue to
capture the markets wherever their pro.
duct is offered for sale. In many towns
and cities the manufacture of concrete
blocks and other building devices has
developed a volume of trade of no mean
proportions, while fax fiber mills have
been successfully established in many
places. The Ignite coal industry has
thriven amazingly and there are now
lob mines being actively operated, the
total annual output being, according to
latest figures, 371 $50 tons.
A national consequence of the rapid
settlement of the rural district has been
a large expansion of the rural and long
distance telephone systems, the present
mileage reaching the high figure of
$4,000.
The number of postofices now reaches
the respectable total of 872 with 431
rural free deliveries. There are 60 in
corporated cities and 142 organized
towns and villages in North Dakota;365
newspapers furnish the news of the day
to their readers; 48 -four miles have
fled their reports with the department
OF agricultural and statistics and dis
close an aggregate daily output of 1915
barrels. The capacity of the 1,4O2 eleva-
tors in the state reaches the ]stupendous
total of 1856 500 bushels, e,45s, 900 of
which are contained in cooperative
farmers elevators.
Vital statistics show that there are
l44,6l4 males and III, 1913 females living
on farms in the state, a total of 256,4O7,
probably nearly half of the whole pepu-
49,