The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1915-08-26
VISIT TO THE
SHlhllllN RANCH
HILLS BECOMING COVERED WITH
GRAIN FIELDS
Some Notes of the Government Geo
logical Survey in West
End Of County

The Times family went to Forbes
Saturday to spend a few days with
relatives. Sunday was spent at the
Shimmin ranch in the hills, where Tod
Wright was left to spend the week
with his cousins, the others returning
home Monday.
1t takes visit to the hills in the
west end about once year to keep up
with changes. To go there in the .har-
vest season.i is especially interesting.
The hills, which once were only con-
sidercd good for grazing land, on ac-
count of the numerous stones, are
now almost covered with fax and
wheat fields. The highest knoll is
none too high to be conquered by the
pow The stones have been put in
piles or carried to the sides and fine
fields of grain are raised clear to the
apex of the hill.
The Shimmin Ranch is an interest
ing place. Tom settled there in the
very early days Of settlement, and has
gathered around him 720 acres, which
lis all under fence. A fine spring comes
out of the hillside where stands the
home, and trees of natural as well as
artificial planting stand on all sides
of the buildings. A fine lake comes
up to the spring and in it may be seen
at any time wild ducks by the dozen.
Over east and south of the buildings
are crops of wheat, barley and flax
that will compare favorably with any
in the valley. The fax is especially
good. One interesting feature is the
way vegetables and melons are grown.
About four acres Of raw sod are
broken and disced and on this is sown
the seed broadcast. There is no hoe
ling to be done to keep down the weeds
and the watcrmelons, squash, pump
kins, citron, sweet corn, carrots,
onions, were there in abundance. The
melons wene ahead of any we have
noticed in the valley this year.
There was time when Mr.. Shin
min devoted all of his time to the
raising of horses and cattle, but the
big barns have almost come into dis.
use. About forty heed of horses are
in the pasture and what cattle he
keeps he only summers. Diversity
has come to be the slogan with the
hills people as well as in the valley.
A few years ago Mr.. Shimmin in.
terested himself in local telephone
line. Now he has five lines, running
between Forbes and Ashley, about
265 miles, and costing about $4,000
From this revenue of from $1,000 t,
$4,000 per year is derived.
. Prof. H. A. Hard and daughter hav'
; been in that vicinity for some weeks
Mr.. Hard completing the geological
survey. The early survey Of the hill
is wrong, and Messrs. Hard and Shin
min have spent some weeks in cor
recting it. Mr.. Shimmin is some ge
ologist himself. rs visit to his larg
Library will show. He has geologica
| specimens picked up in his travels
enough to fill three ordinary boo
cases, and was able to give Mr.. Har
much information on the subject. Hi
contention that the Kotto drift cam
from the northeast (Hudson's Bay
has now been confirmed by Mr.. Hart
The first range Of hills is correct
named the Kotto, while the ones start
ing at Bismarck and coming this wa
are the Coteaus. The hills are of gls
cial drift and were formed abor
l18.000 years ago. Biologists disagree
on the length Of time, but Mr.. Har
thinks the above figures are abo,
correct. One mile and half nortl
last Of the Shimmin buildings is
modern formation Documentary leda
Of stone) the second one 50 far {
known in the United States. I'll
other one Is in Minnesota. The higl
et point in the hills Of Dickey count
is 200 feet, the Shimmin residen.
is 1850 feet above sea level, viii
Forbes i 1900 feet high.
It will be = year or better yet b
fore the sociological maps are out. D
Alden Of Washington. d. c.. head 6