The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-07-06
OBSERVATIONS OF
H. N. MARION IN IA.
ATTORNEY SPENDS MONTH I'm
OLDER STATES-TALKS OF
MONT. TO EIAWKEYES

Mr.. and Mrs. Hugh N. Marion and
their little daughter returned this
morning on No. 1 after a month
spent at Mr.. Marron's old farm home
near Jackson Jc., Iowa. They en-
joyed thir visit immensely and while
there motored owed 1900 miles thro-
ugh Iowa and Minnesota. Mr. Mar
ron was greatly interested in OBJ
serving the changes that had taken
place during recent years, especially
the roads and agricultural conditions.
His observations and his contact with
r'Iowa farmers filed him with enthu-
siasm for the future of Montana.
When the possibilities of it's oppor-
Il tunities are fully understood by the
tenant farmers of these eastern
states he believes a big immigration
is certain. Some of the things Mr..
Marion said were noted as follows
81 found the crops looking very
fine all through the state of North
Dakota, central and eastern Mime
sofa and Iowa. The crops in west
ern Iowa are reported to be all
burned up, no rain since early spring
and farmers are turning their cattle
and hogs into their fields.
Modern Highways
''Being interested in the develop
ment of our home state of Montana, |
I took particular interest in noting
the different things which | thought
might be of interest to our commun-
ity and state. One thing was the |
roads in Minnesota and Iowa. They
have expended millions of dollars on
their roads, and their experience +
should be worth something to US.
They have constructed all of their
roads of such width that the cars
keep going in one direction and do
not have to turn out when they meet
another car This is managed by
building the roads to such width,
and also the corners, that all you
have to do is to keep to the right !.
and drive as fast as you wIs.l, ,yod
will never run into another car If
you keep to the right of the road.
I They also build the corners very
wide and with a dip towards the in
side corner so that if person should
be driving fast when they reach the
corner there are not many chances
of the car skidding and turning over.
In driving over the roads you will
very seldom find bump, and you
will see teams out on the roads at /
all times dragging them and keeping :
them in shape so that no ruts or ,
bumps appear. The tourist travel is ,
so heavy that it is not uncommon to !
meet a dozen cars from all parts of
the country in mile of travel. If !
any wet spots appear on the highway l
you may see them ditching and put !
ting in tile to drain away the water !
Iowa and Minnesota may well boast I
of their fine roads.
Know Little of Montana v
''In talking to a number of farm i
ers about their views of Montana | c
find that most of them are not aware h
that the Gland of Opportunity" for e
the farmer without much capital is
the state of Montana. Most of them 4
opportunities that are here waiting
for. them. In talking with several
farmers who were farming approx
mately 100 acres and paying $40
per acre rent, besides taxes on their
personal property, | asked them how !,
they managed to pay such a high rent. :,
They replied by dairying and raising j
enough cattle and hogs so that we \
can ship approximately carload of \
hogs and cattle each fall. !,
| asked them if they did not think :;
they could raise just as many cattle :,
and hogs in Montana if they were Il
farming here, and they said they 6
thought they could, they could see
no reason why they could not. I ),
asked them when they hoped to own :,
a farm of their own in Iowa when !,
they had to pay such high rent and -
such high price for the land. They Il
replied they did not think they would i
ever own one and have it paid for .,
at the present way things were go
ing. They were very much surprised
when | told them the wonderful OPP !!
portunities out here and that if they y
farmed the same way in Montana Il
they did in Iowa they could pay for :,
half section of land in one year. h,
look to see these men at Wolf Point
next year, ready to become farmers
residents of our county and state. z
Victims of Price Slumps !,
"I also took particular notice OF n
the fact that there are great many :,
farmers in Iowa and Minnesota who II
bought farms during the high prices, +
who invested practically every cent 2,
on the purchase price and who are ce
now unable to meet their taxes or in
interest. 1t is going to be very hard
for these men to start farming again =
IN their respective communities Tor