Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-06-26
GILbREATn Tells Of
CROP CONDITIONS

RETURNS FROM TRIP With. THE
NORTHERN PACIFIC RAIL.
ROAD OFFICIALS.
Prospects Of Good Crop in Most Sec.
tions Of the State Are Fine, Says
! the Commissioner.
Commissioner Gilbreath, who &C.
companied President Howard Elliott
and Land Commissioner Cooper of the
; Northern Pacific Railway company on
!; their trip west of the Missouri river
: last week, in an interview with a Trib-
une reporter, said:
ION our automobile trip We passed
/ through six different counties. In
| southern Morton the grain was in
good condition, but needed rain. In
Hettinger county the crops in the
northern and eastern parts have re-
ceived considerable more moisture
than in tne southern and western
parts, and therefore present a more
favorable impression. The stand OF
grain in the western part is fairly
| good and if visited by copious and
! timely showers will yet produce
! medium crop"
1--WE spent considerable time in
southern Billings and drove over a
| large portion of that county and in
spected the growing grain closely.
The present terminal of the Northern
Pacific on the new line is at Mott,
and as consequence the officials
were very much interested in the ter
ritory westward and especially Bill
ings county, through Nlich the road
will be ultimately constructed. TIE
crops in that county were very good
indeed and presented fine appear
ance. More rains have visited that
county than in Hettinger and as re-
suit the crops are looking splendid
and the farmers are feeling confident
of an abundant harvest. There has
been large immigration to Billings
county and the numerous new houses
and large area of flax gives evidence
of that fact. The people are anxious
for the railroad to come, believing
then they will be prosperous and con-
tented.
From Billings we drove into Stark.
The conditions in that county are
fairly good and the farmers appear to
be satisfied with the outlook. The
abundant rains during the past week
have put on more rosy aspect and
the people are congratulating them
selves on these favorable circum-
stances. The poorest crops in Stark
appear to be along the line of the
railroad from Belfield to the eastern
boundary line, but that also seems to
prevail in Morton.
"The heavy rain of Wednesday
night placed the roads in bad shape
for travelling, but We left Dickinson
next morning at O'clock for a tour
of the northern counties. The crops |
are better in that section of the coun-
try than the portion through which We
had previously gone over.
I'VE arrived in Manning early |
Thursday morning. This is thriving
village and numerous buildings were
in process of construction. It's a good
business point and the people were
optimistic. From Manning We rode
through Dunn county up to the Kildare
mountains and stopped at Oakdale,
on the eastern side of the mountains.
Rom there We rode for hours up and
down through that country and then
passed over into Mercer county and
then back into Dunn. We would ride
awhile in one county and then go
over into the other for eight or ten
miles in order to get view of the
land and an idea OF the growing grain
"The conditions of these counties
were certainly revelation and a sur.
prise to those of us who had never be.
fore been in that section of the state
Such wonderful crops, such excellent
growth could scarcely be found in any
section Of North Dakota. Acres after
acres of sod, with splendid crops of
flax growing, with wheat and oats of
such magnificent growth; wheat that
is predicted will average from 20 to
IS bushels to the acre; flax that is -,
claimed will yield IL to IS bushels to
the acre, unless SOME unforeseen &C
cident Overtakes it; new settlers on
nearly every section, new titled fields
Of corn, good stock and a contented {
class of farmers.
ut is we'll worth ones time to visit.
what is known as Goodman flats
This is beautiful valley of somo 30 .
miles in length and runs from six to
- miles in width, should Judge.
Most of it is under cultivation and
the soil is rich. black loan that
produces wonderfully.
The Goodman flats and the gener- .
al prevailing condition of the crops,
he class of farmers and their meth