The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-08-19
PRESENT PROGRESS
DUE TO Them SAYS
ROADMASTER BURNS
Recalls Days Of 1907.'08 When
Steam Lines Were In.
vading Section
INCURRED MANY HARDSHlPS
Fine Homes Now Dot Prairies,
Replacing Shacks Of rs
Years Ago
INCURRED MANY HARDSHIPS
(Tribune Special Service)

~ AZ ~ N0s
Tribute to the pioneer farmers of
development Of this section Of the
state is paid emphatically by Peter
j. Burns, roadmaster here for the
Milwaukee railroad.
Mr.. Burns does not wish to detract
from the excellent work that is being
done by experts in farm management,
but wants the pioneers to have full
credit for the foundation they laid.
That Mr.. Burns Is a pioneer him.
self is evidenced by the fact that he
has been in the employ of the Mil
waukee railway So, years.
Mr.. Burns was at the head of q
construction that laid 200 miles
or more Of the Milwaukee track
cross southwestern North Dakota in
1907-'8. The country at that time
was almost a wilderness. A woman
who visited one of those camps told
Mr.. Burma that her nearest woman
neighbor was so miles away. A squat
ter who drove his yoke of oxen and
right-of-way at Mclaughlin, South
Dakota, intended to proceed into
North Dakota ahead of the railroad,
but the country was rough and track
less, and the homeseekers could do
no better than keep up with the
tracklaying crew, which pushed
northwestward at the rate Of a mile
and one-eighth for. each half day
shift.
Townsites Were Established
It was the business of the railroad
builders to establish townsites as the
iron trail was pushed inland. This
was done by building a sidetrack and
establishing a settlement" The set
Element consisted of a section FORE
man and small crew of men, who. were
given m or two bunk cars and left
at the siding with tools and pro-
visions. Their duties consisted partly
In giving what aid they could to the
pioneer squatters who were seeking
homesteads along the new road. Soon
a little house about the size of q
chicken coop would make its appear
ance on a flat car; it was showed off
at a siding and became the first sta
ton and telegraph office. Sales of
lots followed in due course and
towns sprang up in rapid succession
all along the line.
MI. Burns said: "The pioneers who
went out on their claims and spent
those first hard winters in tiny shacks,
sod houses or dugoutS, suffered not
only from lack of food, but from lack
OF fuel and water. They were gamb-
ling with death and many Of them
lost. They deserve to be kindly re-
membered for the brave fight they
put up. And don't forget that out
in this territory the Milwaukee rail-
road company deserves a big share Of
the credit for the big things that have
been accomplished in the past quar-
ter century in building up this part
Of the west"
A large proportion Of the farm
homes in the territory described by
the roadmaster are large, we'll painted
m fully modern, and compare fav-
orably with the best rural homes in
Iowa and Minnesota.
One OF the communities close to New
England is known as the Iowa settle.
ment. Here the farmers have had
the shortest crops in recent years, but
they owe the least, according to Frank
Kenny, one of the Iowans. Since the
war, practically all of them have
raised sheep. each farm having from
loo to 300 head; and they also milk
cows and raise hogs.
There are several big farms in va
r1ouS parts of this territory. Peter
Schrosch and son, IL miles northwest
OF Regent, farm 10 quarters, and are
using combines to harvest their
wheat, which is going 8 to 10 bushels
per acre. Their neighbors, the Dubo
brothers, farm 1900 acres, and their
whe will average IS bushels to the
acre. They also use combines.
Combine Is Discussed
Ther appears to be a great diver
slty OF opinion among farmers as to
the best method of handling the
crop. Some say the old binder Is
still the best-it binds the stuff ION
the green side" and gathers up most
OF the noxious weeds, while the COM
bine scatters it on the field. Many
farmers in this section are using
headers. The farm women seem to
be quite unanimous in favoring the
combine, as it has eliminated the
threshing crew and its attendant hard
work and expense.
The farmers are unanimous in de-
crying the evils of overproduction, but
do not confine themselves to the over
production of wheat and cattle. They
claim there is ar oversupply Of farm
machinery, politics, high powered
statesmen, farm relief, chambers Of
commerce, good advice, hot weather,
taxes, hot air and just plain bunk.
A reduction all along the line would
be appreciated at the rural cross
roads, where the farmers meet to
discuss their problems.