Another View Of Dakota

To the Editor of The Register : Sir:- I notice in your issue of Jan. 2f, a letter from Sargent county, Dakota, which, in my opinión, does not fairly represent Dakuta I have hved in Washtenaw county, and graduated from the Vniversity in 1860. I have been traveling in Dakota for the past year. I am now using my sixth one-thousaud mile ticket, and have driven by team nearly 5,000 miles. So I think 1 have a fair knowledge of the territory. My friend from Sargent county does not teil you that when he went to Dakota, wheat was worth (1.25, and that this fall it sold for 44 cents and was docked from three to six poundsfor cleauing. He did not teil you that land was cheap'ír in nis county now than when he went there, but such is the case. Eastern loan companief. have a mortgage on threefourths of all the land proved up in the territory, and are now withdrawing their money. It is not easy to secure a loan on any terms. Running water is very scarce, and the water ispoor and in many places so strongly alkaline thatcattle cannot drink it. Agood sweetriver like your Hurou cannot be found in the territory. Cattle do well in the summer: the ranges are laige yet, but if at any time the land should be so occupied as to give 160 acres to each farm, then grazing will be uphill work. The winters are so long, and leed and stock are so cheap that there Is but little money in raising it there. Fat steers are worth % to ü cents live weight, and uo market at that. Corn does not do well in Dakota. The drawbacks in Dakota are many. All fuel, lumber fruit, clothiugandall machmery must be freighted' a long way, and everything they raise must be ireighted a long way out. There is very litile timber in the territory, and that of poor quality Planted timber does not do well : the climate is too dry aud winters too cold. Snow was from three to ten feet deep when I left there a lew days ago, and with the thermometer down to 6l and trying u climb lower, it takes many of the roses out of the territory. One word to the young men and maidens of Washtenaw : if you can get a fairly good living, and by industry and economy lay up somethmg for a rainy day, do uot hastily rush to the great plains of Dakota. To you who are older ■ when you leave a country like Michigan, you go from home and many comfort of life which you willnot fand in D-kota. I know many families who buy all the water they use at 2b cents per barrel, and ice by the load which theymeltin winter over straw flres. I have eaten mauv a immer cookecl with hay. Salem, Mich., Jan. 20. 1888.