Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-06-25

VlSlC the 0lQe oAulOlLlOu CARS DIS lue
train was parked in the yards at Man
day in the very heart of the city. The
Better Farming Special arrived at
Mandan shortly before ten o'clock
Saturday evening after conducting in
stitutes the latter part of the week at
Dickinson, Belfield, Beach, Richard.
ton and Glen Ullin.
At one o'clock Sunday afternoon
the train departed over the south
branch for Mott. There was a decid'
ed change in the personnel of the
passengers, some leaving the special
at Mandan while as many more Joined
the rain for the trip through Hetting.
er and southern Morton counties. Con-
auctor A>'ams of the dining car an
nounced luncheon as soon as the train
was under way. In this connection it
may be said that the dining car serv.
ice furnished those aboard the spec
ial has been we'll nigh indispensable.
Conductor Adams has overlooked moth.
ing in his department that would con-
duce to the comfort of his guests.
A famous general said Men fight on
their stomachs.' If that be true!
these men and women who are wa
g;ng a statewide battle for the employ.
ment of better farming methods on
North Dakota farms have been sup
piled with the very best munitions OF
war. Mr.. Adams has arranged series
of surprises for his guests in the form
of the menus, which appear in a Diff
ferent form or each meal, and contain
varying humorous and unique features
for each occasion.
With the mercury registering above
ninety degrees the cool breeze that
swept in through the car windows was
very refreshing. J. l.. Burnham, trav>
elling freight agent of the Northern
Pacific, with headquarters at James
town, is in charge of the train, and it
is largely through his eff lent efforts
that the special has been following
it's itinerary so promptly and under
such suspicious conditions. Mr.. Burn.
hams private car is attached to the
train, and through his courtesy the
writer was permitted to make it his
headquarters during the run from
Mandan to Mott. 1t was the writer's
first trip over the route, and although
he had long been aware of the mag
nificent country traversed by the
south branch, the journey proved a
marvellous revelation, as it would be
to anyone who had never before visit
ed this section of the fertile Missouri
Slope.
Never in the history of he state
have crop conditions appeared more
favorable for corresponding season
of tn eyear than they are at this time.
One of the most noteworthy features
of the trip is the manifestation of the
awakening interest being taken by the
farmers in Investigation. More corn
is to be seen along the railway be-
tween Mandan and Cannonball than
may be observed in many reputed
corn sections of the eastern states.
Inland from the railway, however, flax
and wheat have been sown extensive
ly, owing to the difficulty experienced
by farmers this year in securing test
ed seed corn. The corn seen from the
train is from four to six inches high
and appears to be in excellent condi'
ton. Wheat fields are Furnishing, the
grain growing heavy and thick. Wheat
is from IL to "a inches high, being
high enough and heavy enough so that
it is almost impossible fo7 the suns
rays to penetrate to the ground and
suck the moisture from the soil, yet
permitting the rain to go through and
remain on the ground where it sinks
in to a good depth.
The south line follows the Missouri
river to Cannonba1l, where It branch
es off westward toward Mott. For
several miles south of Mandan the
capital city is plainly seen on the op-
posite side of the river, its magnifi-
cent business blocks, above which
towers the state capitol building, man.
to all the prosperity and bust
ness success which it enjoys.
In 1881 James J. Hill wrote to Aaron
C. Wells of Cannonball, advising him
to purchase all available land at the
mouth of the Cannonbal river, stat
ing that it would be question of only
ten years before a railroad would be