The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-15
MANY SIGNS OF PROSPERITY
In SOUTHWESTERN N. DAKOTA
Missouri Slope Of the Present Day Compared With That Of 20
and IS Years Ago. Remarkable Development
Of That Section Of the State

Napoleon Homestead: The recent
| appointment of g. r. Staley as receiv-
er Of the United states landoffice al
Bismarck, brings back to memory in
\ cidents of the early settlement of the
J Missouri slope. There has been a won
derful development in this section OF
the state since, Mr.. Staley came to
what was then the northern portion OF
Dakota Territory. He and his brother
engaged in ranching and were quite
successful, so much so that Charlie,
who had been watching with jealous
eyes the attentions of other young men
to one of Burlefgh countys fairest and
brightest of schoolma'ams, whom he
had already decided to make the queen
of his heart and home, proposed, was
accepted, and moved with his bride to
Mclean county, where they have since
continued>to prosper.
Looking back to the early history Of
Emmons county, which joins the coun-
ty Of Logan on the west, one is re-
minded of incidents that have prob
ably faded from the memory Of some
of the early settlers. In the spring of
1884, just twenty-seven years ago, Ed
itor Streeter walked from Bismarck to
Williamsport, the first county seat OF
Emmons county, and made arrange
ments to establish his Emmons Coun-
ty Record. There was a population Of
eighty or eighty-seven people, men,
women, children and kittens in the
free and independent borough of En-
mons at that time and Mr.. Streetr
hired farmer, who lived near Will
Transport, to haul The Record plant,
which at that time consisted of an
Army hand press, a few fonts Of
type and a small job press, from Bis
marck to Billsport. A few miles dis
tant from their destination Mr.. Farmer
and his mules got mixed up in mud
puddle and 1t required the united eff
forts Of the present member from EN-
mons, the mules, and Mr.. Farmer to
extricate The Record plant from its
perilous position, a position nearly as
embarra ssing as that in which The
Record now finds itself In the controA
versy with Speaker Hanley.
Think Of the changes in Emmons
county since then, population now OF
nearly 10000, fine churches good
schools, three railroads, well improved
farms, three newspapers and several
good towns that are a credit to any
farming community. Her sister coun-
ty Of Logan has also made rapid pro-
gress during that time. Logan county
was organized April II, 1884, and has
been settled with an energetic, thrifty
class of people, From its earliest set
Element farmers readily recognized its
many advantages. We have the best
soil, plenty of good water to be found
on an average depth Of thirty to forty
feet, fine climate, fine churches and
schools, and a good market, convenient
to every farmer in the county, so it is
not remarkable that Logan county has
kept pace in development with her
neighboring sister Of Emmons.
Napoleon, the county seat of Logan,
is situated right in the heart Of one Of
the best farming communities I'm the
state To illustrate the development
of Logan county to some extent, it is
worthy of note that Fl. G. and ]. ]. De-
laney at one time, since the organiza-
tion Of this county, owned 10000 acres
Of land, situated some distance east of
Napoleon which they purchased at rs
cents per acre from the Northern Pa
cific Railway company. The Delaney
ranch was the largest in the county
and they owned large herds of cattle.
The number Of cattle in these herds
differed from one season to another,
according TO the prices paid for cattle
in the fall of the year, but their herds
of cattle numbered as high as 5000
head. The land the Delaneys owned is
now. worth from $50 to $50 per acre.
The ranch was twenty-fi miles from
Napoleon and some of the land was
only suitable for grazing purposes.
Land near town, the very best of land
can be purchased at about $50 per acre,
but 1t will probably be but short time
until 1t will command much better
price. Heretofore land has been very
reasonable in price on account of the
large acreage of government land still