Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-03-17

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New Salem, shifted the new settlers
cars to this and left them there fol
temporary habitations, until shacks
could be built on the homestead acres
Beginnings Wore Difficult.
Scantily equipped were the members
of the company for the struggle ahead
of them. There was but one team OF
horses owned in the whole colony,
Oxen had to be bought to make a be-
ginning. The land was virgin and had
to be broken. Because of a lack OF
draft animals, the blowing done was
scant in, quantity and Indifferent in
quality. Oats, barley, wheat, flax and
potatoes were planted. The returns
were fairly good. The next year, and
the next, things went about as they
did the first year. But then came a
series OF dry years, and the little col.
ony had a hard fight. Prices for such
supplies as had to be bought went up
and there was less money with which
to buy. Temporarily many Of the
hOmesteaders had to seek employment
elsewhere.
The Cow to the Rescue.
There was one member Of the farm
institution, however, that was always
on the job, and that was the COW. The
COW ranged the rolling prairies, living
on native grasses, and came home in
the evenings bringing milk. This was
in part manufactured into butter,
which was traded at the village stores
for sugar, tea, calico and like things.
There was grass enough on the open
lands to feed more COWS, and more
would mean more Of the neces'
stiles that had to be obtained from
the merchants. Hence, these farmers
got more cows just as fast as they
could. Thus dairying just grew out Of
necessity.
Creamery Established.
The quality Of the butter thus OBJ
tanned, however, W S not of the high
est, and w. H. Mann, a business mar
Of New Salem, sought to bring i'm
provement in this by setting up a
small creamery equipment in the Gel
lar of his home. This was not a sue
cess, but it gave the farmers an idea
the creamery idea. This developed
eleven years after the colony had oc-
cupied the New Salem country. New
salem's business men became inter-
ested, and offered to put up a build.
ing, equip it, and make butter at a
cost of 4 cents a pound to the farm
ers, on condition that the latter would
haul the stone needed for the build
ing and contract to bring all of their
milk to the creamery when it was in.
operation. The creamery was built
and prospered fro mthe start. 1t has
been in operation summer and winter
ever. since. In addition, six or seven
other creameries have been erected
IN surrounding centers, all offshoots
Of the original community.
Cow-Testingr Begun.
Hardly had the creamery been set
going before the farmers began to de-
mand higher efficiency of their COWS.
They began to test them to see wheth
.er they were paying for their board.
In this they'Were greatly aided by R.
r.. Flint, the assistant dairy commits
sioner, now dairy commissioner, of
North Dakota.
Prosperity the Outcome.
The rest of the story of the New
Salem colony is simply and easily told
Last year from New Salem alone were
shipped about forty-five carloads of
golden butter, somewhat more than
100000 pounds. There are three
banks in New Salem. These have on
deposit today more than $500, 900,
most OF it the money of farmers. The
prairies all around New Salem are dot
ted with substantial farmsteads-
commodiOus and comfortable houses,
great barns, and towering silos, and
the lillsides show pasturing herds Of
high types Of dairy cattle. All evi.
dences of the oldtime hardships are
gone. The people Of New Salem tell
the visitor of the successes of the
various old.timers. One mar frequent.
ly mentioned is John Held. John was
a tailor before going to New Salem,
and had as hard a struggle as any in
the new venture. Yet he is now esti-
waited to he worth $4,000, and he
has brought up a family of thirteen
children. One wonders what would
have been his status had he remained
at his workbench in Chicago.
Breeding Circuit Organized.
The success Of the New Salem
group before long began to attract at.
tentfon. Stories as to how they lad
pulled outt of their difficulties came
into circulation. These reached tie
ears Of the men OF the agricultural
college at Fargo, who saw in the New
Salem center a field that could be
worked with profit for the spread OF
the gospel Of better farming.
The outcome was the organization
of the North Dakota Holstein Cattle
Breeding circuit, with New Salem as
Its capital. Each member Of the cir
cult, among other things, is required
to purchase and breed at least i've
COWS and one bull Of the Holstein
type, all of the animals being up to
certain standards and to be handled
under rules prescribed by the council
IN charge of the circuit. This council
consists of George M. Rommel, chief
OF the division of animal husbandry
IN the United States department of
agriculture; w. B. Richards Of the
North Dakota experiment. station, and
John Christiansor, a member Of the
association. The field man, the man
In touch with the circuits members,