The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1913-04-17
BRIGHT FUTURE
FOR CAKES
Banner City of Dickey County
Enjoys Great Wave
of Prosperity.
Fertile Farm Lands and Excel.
lent Railroad Facilities In
sure Steady Growth.

With everything laid out from the
section line on broad scale; with
streets 80 feet wide instead of the
usual 66 foot width, and lined with
as fine, modern business blocks as
are to be found in any city of similar
size in the whole Northwest. Oakes,
N. D., presents an attractive appear
ance to the visitor, and, according to
the older residents of the little city,
the attraction becomes deeper-rooted
the longer one remains in the town.
Logical in its location, fortunate in
environments that foster rapid devel-
opments, doubly fortunate in the ex-
tent and richness of its resources,
Oakes has grown and prospered. In
the heart of broad valley that ma
ture has lavishly end owed with attrib-
utes essential to the production of ag-
ricultural wealth, with splendid rail-
road facilities, with enterprising,
broad-guage people, lending every pos
sible effort to cooperate in the best in
terests of the town and community, it
is not surprising that Oakes has devel-
oped into one of the most enterprising
and hopeful little cities in the state.
cakes "Acorn" Stage.
Less than three decades ago the
buffalo wandered at will over the pres
ent townsite of Cakes, and there
wasn't so much as a sod shanty in
sight to interest the curious antelope.
In the year 1886, William Mills and
John Jones ventured away from the
! nearest settlements and esta blished
themselves upon four quarters of land
which came to point at the crossing
of what are now Union and Fourth
streets. Glendale, 80 miles away, was
at that time the nearest settlement,
Grand Rapids was within IS miles, Lis
bon at distance of 45, and Columbia
was 81 miles to the south.
The Northwestern had decided to ex-
tend from Columbia, boom town of
the early eighties. The Northern Pa
citic had reached LaMoure and it was
destined that the two should meet or
run parallel lines. The Northwestern
planned to make Ludden its terminus;
but this proved unsatisfactory to the
Northern Pacific, which had the town.
site, and compromise was effected
whereby the site of town was to be
selected farther north. Northwestern
officials looked for a desirable location
for the junction of the two great rail
way lines, and finally secured options
: upon part of the Mills and Jones lands.
A plat of the town was made, and the
main street was laid out directly on the
section line running east and west, anc
Fourth street on the line running north
and south. The Northwestern reached
Oakes in the latter part of September
and soon afterward the rails of the
Northern Pacific were laid, making thu
the connecting link at this point ant
providing a gateway between NORTH
and South Dakota.
The "Acorn" Takes Root.
Cakes first years growth was phe
nomenal, and over 200 buildings were
erected, including three large elevat
ors. In 1887 negotiations were carried
out with the 500 railway, as result
of which the line was not only extended
to Oakes, but the town was made the
division point. The converging of Sc
many lines at Oakes gave it great
advantage as railroad center, anc
this fact has contributed largely to its
splendid commercial activity.
The city of Oakes has not been i'm
mune from some of the drawbacks
that mark the new country. In its
early history 1t felt the staying hane
of hard times and later the destroying
breath of fire. Superior to all adver
sites, however, the town has risen by
virtue of its natural advantages anc
,, its pluck, to the position of metropoli.
and commercial center of it's natura
territory, which includes many mile.
of surrounding community.
With wide awake population of ap
proximately 1000 citizens, Oakes is o.
far more modern type than the averag.
city of similar size. Natural feature!
reduce the task of making and keeping
a city clean, sanitary and pleasant
Oakes has splendid level site at al
elevation of 1900 feet, on porous sol
that yields readily to drainage and pro
cludes more than the minimum of in
convenience in wet weather. An mex
haustible vein of pure water underlie
the whole townsite at depth of from
l Is to 20 feet.
. Has Splendid Streets.
Cakes principal streets are grades
and graveled, and an hour after heav,
rain will be found firm and free of mud
The James river, three-fourths of
! mile west of the city, affords conven
lent outlet for the complete sewerag
system that was installed several year