|
a.
|
Note: The following is the text from sale advertisment for the ranch that Homer owned. I am not sure if he was the sole owner at this time. The poster-sized advertisment is in the possession of Michelle DeAngelo. It includes several pictures as well as a section of the plat.
A Dakota Stock Ranch Completely Equipped and Stocked.
2,840 Acres Deeded land, 4,000 Acres Lease Land, 175 Head of Cattle, 20 Head
Horses and Machinery --- WE WANT TO TRADE
We own and offer to exchange 2,800 acres deeded land together with 4,000 acres of leased land adjacent thereto, sixteen miles north of Bowman, N.D., eleven miles north of Griffin, N.D., both stations on the Puget Sound Line of the Milwaukee Railroad. All the deeded land is fenced for the greater part with cedar posts and three barbed wires; some woven wire fencing. Part of the leased land is unfenced, part of the fencing on the leased land is owned by the people from whom we lease. This ranch is improved with a good seven room house, large barn and cattle sheds, branding chutes, etc. Three and one-half miles of Deep Creek with its never failing supply of running water meanders through the ranch, with an expanse of bottom land on either side. There is at present on the ranch about 110 head of cattle, mostly cows, about 65 head of yearling calves and three registered short horn bulls. The cattle are all white faced stock bred upon this ranch in the past thirteen years. A great number of them are eligible for registration. A finer and smoother bunch of cattle cannot be found in the west. There is also twenty head of work horses on the ranch, mostly Belgian stock, also farm machinery for the cultivated land which amounts to about 250 acres.
«b»Topography and Improvements.«/b»
The deeded land on this ranch lays from level to rolling with probably about 1,800 acres that could be successfully cultivated. The balance of the land runs up to the edge of a row of hills on the north, forming an excellent wind brake [sic] for the stock and fine winter pasturage for at no time are these hills completely covered with snow. The leased land is somewhat broken but all covered with a luxuriant growth of grasses prevailing in this s3ection of the country. Deep Creek which meanders through this land and also through the leased land, forms an abundant water supply for the stock at all seasons of the year. Never since the settlement of this country has this creek failed to supply running water at all seasons. The ranch is cross fenced and fenced into several pastures. The fences are all up in good state of repair. Improvements consist of a seven room house, which is just being remodeled and re-decorated. There are also several small bunk houses, etc. There is a large two-story barn, about 40X65, with stanchions for milk cows, box stalls, etc. Adjoining this on the west is a shingled barn for 500 head of cattle. There is also a large corral, feeding lots, branding chutes, etc. The buildings are just being given a new coat of paint at the present time. There is sufficient hay and feed put up on the ranch and that goes with the deal to carry stock through the winter months.
WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
United States reports show in 1914: 100 head of cattle in the US for every 1,000 population. 1921 reports show 53 head of cattle for every 1,000 population.
Soil
The soil of this section is a rich dark loam of chocolate color of a depth of from two to six feet, superimposed on a porous yellow clay subsoil, which serves as a reservoir for the conservation of moisture. This is the greatest moisture retainer of any soil to be found and no section of the civilized world surpasses in productiveness and fertility. This section for many years prior to the coming of the homesteader was known as the Rancher's Paradise. Its reputation for stock raising was nationwide, many ranchers driving their cattle clear from the Gulf of Mexico to pasture there. It earned for itself this title because f the richness and self-curing qualities of its natural grasses, buffalo, bunch grass and blue joint, which enabled the early ranchers to raise tens of thousands of cattle yearly at no expense except the time spending in herding them. These cattle when of market age needed no stall feeding as the rich native grass contained all the properties necessary for this purpose. The richness of the grass indicates the richness of the soil, which will grow anything that can be raised in the temperate zone.
Climate
Unlike the general supposition, this part of North Dakota is possessed with a very mild climate. Although the winter season is somewhat longer than in th3 Mississippi Valley states, it is not subject to the rapid change of the thermometer, therefore, not only the people are more healthy but live stock do much better. Occasionally the thermometer will go several degrees below zero, but the weather at that time is more agreeable than in the eastern states when the thermometer hovers at zero. The air is not heavy or water soaked. The low temperature is no felt because the air is dry. There is practically no rainfall in the winter. Often the first snow falls about the middle of November and stays on the ground until the middle of March. When the warm Chinook winds from the northeast are felt in this country the snow melts very rapidly and spring has arrived. For ten years, cattle have been wintered on this ranch in the open the year around with the exception of the winter of 1919 and only a few of the weaker animals were brought up to the corrals for feed. They come through the winter months in good flesh. The snow at no time covers all this land, for the hills slope in every direction. In the summer, the nights are always cool and one gets a deep refreshing sleep. The autumn is a season of delight. Farming conditions continue favorable up until November.
Rainfall
Most of the moisture falls in the early spring and during the growing season. The precipitation is generally from 15 to 25 inches per annum.
Slope County
Slope County is a new county formed out of the County of Billings. It is on the east side of the Little Missouri. The first settlement of this country was in 1879 by Cap. S. Baker, Co. B, 6th Ing. A military cantonment was established in Nov. 1879. The country at that time was full of game and the paradise of hunters. The railroad reached this country in 1880 when some small herds of stock were brought in to graze. In 1881 a station was established here known as the little Missouri. For years this was a great resort for hunters and travelers. The cantonment was abandoned in 1882 and was sold to Commander Gorringe of the Navy, Sir John Pinder and the Duke of Sutherland, who formed a company, operating stores and raising stock. By 1884 many herds of cattle had been placed on the ranches, some companies owning as many as 30,000 head. The small rancher commenced to settle in 1883 and at that time Theodore Roosevelt opened his famous ranch in this county, made his home and went into the cattle business until 1896. Although a part of this county is broken and there is some rough land, the fact remains, however, that they contain some of the richest soil in the state, alfalfa, corn and other grains being easily raised. This strip of county is one of the most picturesque in the state. The land is underlaid [sic] with lignite coal. The settlers for the most part are American citizens of German and Scandinavian extraction.
Bowman
Bowman, the trading point for this ranch, is 16 miles from the land. It is a nice little village of 800 to 1,000 population. It has two good banks, the First National and the Farmers and Mechanics State Bank; has a flour mill and several elevators. Also a number of general stores. It has a $60,000 High School building.
Shipped from Bowman, Year 1920 Cattle, 66 car loads --------------------------------- $98,900.00
Hogs, 10 car loads ----------------------------------- 19,000.00
Sheep, 28 car loads --------------------------------- 20,100.00
Horses, 16 car loads -------------------------------- 42,000.00
Wheat, 100 car loads ------------------------------- 232,515.00
Rye, 9 car loads --------------------------------------- 16,055.00
Oats, 2 car loads -------------------------------------- 1,260.00
Flax, 278,103 lbs. ----------------------- ------------- 94,520.00
Wool, 278,103 lbs. --------------------- -------------- 8,618.00
Cream, 76,000 gal. shipped and sold locally ---- 106,400.00
Eggs, 300 cases----------------------------------------- 4,050.00
Butter, 25,000 lbs ------------------------------------- 15,450.00
$658,968.00 Market
This land being adjacent to the main line of the Milwaukee Railroad with a direct line into ST. Paul and Chicago makes the marketing facilities of the very best obtainable. There is a new line of railroad surveyed, the right of way purchased by the Northern Pacific. This will probably be completed next year or shortly thereafter which put the railroad with in about a mile and a half to two miles of this land.
Crops
All kinds of crops are grown successfully in this country although for the most part, the crops grown on the ranch are in the nature of winter feed. Cord in generally put up in fodder; considerable tame hay is grown. The self-curing qualities of the natural grasses are known the world over.
Summary
We offer this elegant ranch of 2,840 acres together with an assignment of the leases now in effect. 175 head of white-face cattle, 20 head of horses, wagons, harness and farm machinery for the price of $35.00 per acre for the deeded land.
There is a first loan on the ranch of $25,750 running thirty years, 5 ½ per cent, under the amortization plan, of which 1 per cent of the principal is paid annually. There is a second loan on this land of $8,000, which also covers a part of the live stock, which at present is due in one year, as all live stock paper generally runs this length of time, although this can run indefinitely. The terms are very fine and the mortgage is small.
We will trade this ranch, equipment and live stock for good first or second mortgage paper, high grade income property or for several small farms in the corn belt country. We are willing to assume a reasonable amount but will not take a large farm with a large encumbrance. Here is a proposition that is well worth investigating. For a man who has grown or growing children and desires to get on a ranch that will pay dividends from the start, this is an ideal proposition.
Bert L. Cook and Company
218-20 Mass. Building
let's Make a Trade. Sioux City, Iowa Phone Auto 3735.
Summit County Land Records
Lombard, Frank W. Meridian: 5 TWP: 134 N. Range: 102W Sec 008 Acreage: 160 Type: 251101 Case type: PA DocID:413686 Date: 6-12-1914
Lombard, Frank W. Meridian: 5 TWP: 134 N. Range: 102W Sec 008 Acreage: 80 27 Type: 272002 Case type: PA DocID:365252 Date: 11-14-1913
Lombard, Homer A Meridian: 5 TWP: 134 N. Range: 102W Sec 008 Acreage: 40 27 Type: 272002 Case type: PA DocID: 379189 Date: 1-23-1914
Lombard, Homer A Meridian: 5 TWP: 134 N. Range: 102W Sec 008 Acreage: 40 27 Type: 272002 Case type: PA DocID: 379189 Date: 9-24-1940
Lombard, Homer A Meridian: 5 TWP: 134 N. Range: 102W Sec 008 Acreage: 40 27 Type: 272002 Case type: PA DocID: 381300 Date: 1-29-1914
Lombard, Homer A Meridian: 5 TWP: 134 N. Range: 102W Sec 008 Acreage: 40 27 Type: 272002 Case type: PA DocID: 381300 Date: 9-24-1940
(no Lombards on the 1900 or 1925 Census for Slope County; 1920 records were not viewable on the website; sadly, I didn't record the website where I found this information. MLD 6-30-2014)
|
