Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-02-21
LETTER FROM NORTH DAKOTA
G. Fl STEEN, FORMER WINNIE
SHIEKER WRITES INTER-
ESTINGLY FROM
FREDA.
Having An Unusual Cold Winter and
Lots of Snow.
Freda, N. D., Feb. 2, 1917.

teresting for your readers to hear
from this part of the Great North
west" ] thought l would send yon
a few words, and if there is not
room for ii in the columns Of the
Public Opinion, know there will BE-
lots of room in the waste basket.
Freda is located in the southeast
ern part of Morton county, about 40
miles southwest of Bismarck. Nor
ton was a pretty large county, the
largest in the state, so at the cleo
ton last fall we voted to divide it in
to two counties, SO now the south
ern part is new county by the name
OF Grant, with Carson as the county
seat. We have excellent railroad IA
cilities, Freda being located. on
branch Of the Milwaukee, branching
out from the main coast line at Nc
Laughlin, S. D., and is only abou.
five miles from the nearest point of
the Northern Pacific, branching out
from its main line at Mandan- We
live only three miles from Freda, but
the railroad runs within half mile
from our place, so we see the trains
as they go by every day, sight den
led many people, even in the old
settlements back east. The crops
here last year were not just the best
on account of the drouth. The worst
damage was done to the wheat, which
was also hit quite hard by the
rust. Corn and other small grains
turned out pretty fair yields. But
the days of exclusive wheat raising is
a thing of the past now, as we are
practicing the diversified farming
plan. Most farmers are milkins
cows and raising cattle and hogs,
and every once in a while we see car
loads of cattle and hogs being
shipped out. One day last fall seven
car loads of hogs and cattle left the
local stockyards for the South st.
Paul markets, a special freight be-
ing sent up from Mclaughlin to ac-
commodate the shipment. To give
you little idea of the amount of
cream being shipped from here will
say that the passenger trains last
summer had to carry an extra bag
gage coach 20 handle the cream cans.
Some OF the cream was shipped to
the Twin Cities and some to Sioux
Falls, but since our Equity Union
Creamery at Aberdeen commenced
doing business the bulk of the cream
goes there, as quite a few farmers
here own shares in it.
New settlers are coming in every
spring. Last year quite few moved
in, some coming from Iowa, Wiscon-
sin, Montana, and two even coming
from Sunny California" But there
is room for lots more and we hope to
see more come next summer. We
are having an unusual. cold steady
winter this year, with lots Of snow.
The second day after Xmas we had
the worst blizzard I have ever seen
during my nine winters residence in
1.-The wild and woolly west" With
about foot of Loose snow and the
wind blowing about 60 miles an hour
you can, form an idea of how it look
ed. But then we have had lots of nice
spring days since with some
Chinook winds, SO most of the
| snow has disappeared.
Before closing. just a few words
about politics. You have undoubt-
eddy read and heard about our
Farmers Non Partisan Political
League. which has completely revo-
lutionized politics in North Dakota.
At the general election last Novem-
Der, with the exception of one candi-
date, that Of state treasurer, our en-
tire league state ticket was elected
and Governor Frazier was elected by
a larger majority than any previous
North Dakota governor ever receiv-
ed. / think the days of big biz
and the "old gang politicians" are
numbered, and when we get our
own terminal elevators. packing
plants. -four mills, ETC., the farmers
of North Dakota will have chance
to get a square deal, which is some
thing they have not had as long a:
the Minneapolis Chamber OF Com
merce and other big concerns Sc
their own prices. And with such al
honest, intelligent and conscientiou
man as Sym j. Frazier at the helm
of our ship of state" We are look
ing forward to better, brighter an'
more prosperous future.
/ With greetings and best wishes u
our many Winneshiek county friends
II remain,
Yours truly,
G. F. STEEN.