The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-09

which for more than 50 years has
contributed 30 much toward the de-
velopment Of North Dakota1
Since my arrival in Bismarck in
1877 have carefully watched its
growth and development, and not
withstanding its many adversities
and disappOintments since then have
never lost confidence in its ultimate
destiny as ONE of the great CONNER
cial centers Of the Northwest, and /
might also add as one Of the most
important manufacturing, education
al and medical centers Of this great
prairie country, which extends from,
Minnesota and the Great Lakes to
the Rocky Mountains.
To many Of the old settlers, who
year after year have experienced so
many failures in crops through ad-
verse seasons. this hope may seem
visionary. The agricultural exper-
fences and failures of the Dakotas
since its early settlement present
nothing new in the growth ind de-
velopment Of practically every other
section Of the great plains country
west Of the Mississippi from the Rio
Grande to the Canadian border and
further north. The same crop fail
ures from lack Of water, hail storms,
tornadoes and hot winds prevented
the successful raising Of crops for
many years In Texas, Oklahoma
Kansas and Nebraska, just the same
us in the Dakotas. The most fertile
and valuable portions Of the state Of
Kansas were abandoned for these rea-
sons and the grasshopper pests in
the early seventies in sections OF the
state now considered tn" bread bas-
ket Of the world. So serious were
the crop failures in Kansas at times
that the government was compelled
to send agents and food supplies
there to keep the settlers from
starving. At this time all that por-
ton Of the state west Of Topeka was
occupied by cattlemen. and on
account Of its aridity was never con-
sidered fit for agriculture. What
has been said Of Kansas equally APP
plies TO Texas. Within my rec0llec-
ton all that section Of the state
west Of Sen Antonio was known as
the arid. belt and fit only for cattle
ranches. This was also true in the
eighties Of nearly all Of the country
east and south Of San Antonio to the
Gulf and Rio Grande. Lands which
At that time in Texas could have been
readily bought for Il dollar an acre
or less and only considered fit for
grazing have since then developed
into the best agricultural sections OF
the state.
Few Of the farming population Of
the Dakotas realize that their ex-
perience in developing virgin soil
has been common to all others who
settled in the western plains coun-
cry, in the early frontier days. Not
outstanding their many failures
and hardships, have an abundant
faith that a. the years pass agricr/
tural conditions will gradually inn
prove. Many changes In farming
methods will have to be initiated:
The farmer will find in <the fu-
ture that he can not pin his faith to
an annual crop of wheat. barley or
oats. but must learn to diversity his
crop and reduce his acreage. The
prospects Of great dairy state have
been proven by many who have
turned their attention to the pro-
duction of butter. cream and cheese,
commodities which can easily BE-
shipped to all parts of the country in
our refrigerating car system. With
the dairy cattle. sheep. hogs, corn,
small grain. hay, chickens and diver
sified farming generally, the farmer
will attain success on the farm and
build up q substantial and increas-
ing bank account.
There can be no greater object
lesson for the farmers Of North Da-
kota than that shown at the govern
ment experimental station on the
hills opposite Mandan. Such splcn-
did samples Of grain Of every kind,
tubers, vegetables, fruits. flowers.
trees, shrubs i and hedges are pro-
duced there every year through in
telligent cultivation Sixty years ago
General Haxen reported officially to
the government that Dakota was one
vast desert. which would never be
fit for anything but the wild animals
and rowing bands which inhabited 1t
Mt the time. He advised them in
good faith not to open it to settlement.
Cener als Hazen was stationed on the
Missouri River at old Fort Buford,
and. like so many Of the old timers
at that time and since then, had no
vision Of the great development Of
the Dakotas, which had to eventually
come to those who wait and are
faithful.
When l began this letter l had in
mind q short article on Bismarck. its
past. present and future. Sixty-five
years seem a long period from few
log shacks and = handful Of people to
a flourishing city Of 10000 popula-
ton in land where so much was
predicted and promised a generation
ago.
When Bismarck was born the
Northern Pacific had not reached the
Missouri river and when It did few
years later there was nothing but
unoccupied rolling prairies for hun.
dreds Of miles north. east. south and
west. II took . few years before the
coming metropolis Of the northwest
caught its breath. and . decade more
before it was enjoying full and
healthy respirations. Like other
children. the infant Bismarck was
inflicted with the various complaints
Of early childhood but suffered q
serious disease IN 1883, which not on
ly almost proved fatal but left the
child inflicted with infantile par
alysis which lasted for many, many
weary years. The name of this dis
ease was the "Boom Of 1888" For