Trails to the Past
Stutsman County North Dakota
History of Kensal
Part 6
 
 
 
 

 

The prospects for the future of Kensal were never brighter.  Like all western towns it has had its problems and still has them.  Some are solved, others are being solved. Questions moral, political, commercial remain. Those who know say a more laudable civic consciousness has not prevailed since the townsite was laid out.  This carries with it, and rightly so, antagonism to evil of whatsoever character. We who have just come on the scene have great reason to rejoice in the fruits of the labors of our predecessors.

Agriculturally the possibilities of this section are simply marvelous. The soil is a rich, dark loam, comparatively free from stones and is very productive of wheat, barley, oats, durham wheat and flax. These grains, as to quantity, are produced in the order named. The yield some years is larger than in other years.  In 1905 there was shipped from Kensal 750,000 bushels of grain and in 1902, with only about one-half the land that is now broken and planted, 190,000 bushels of flax. which averaged $1.35 per bushel, was shipped, beside other grain. It is estimated by competent authority that, notwithstanding the fact that the Great Northern cut off which will parallel the Soo fifteen miles north of Kensal will detract some grain to its line that would otherwise reach Kensal, nevertheless the shipment of grain from this place should not be under 700,000 bushels annually. This is urged because of the increased acreage of broken land and the scientific character of farming which more and more prevails on old land. It is not surprising that old land thus farmed, after producing wheat fifteen or twenty years, has yielded thirty-three, thirty-eight and even forty-two bushels of wheat per acre, when in Great Britain. on lands that have been farmed for more than a thousand years, the yields of wheat now exceed thirty-two bushels of wheat per acre. In the Netherlands the average yields are still higher. There the soil at one time was poor because of its light character. There is no better land in the world tor growing wheat than is to found around Kensal. The future in this respect is full of premise. The Kensal soil is not only suited to growing wheat but will produce vegetables of all kinds, particularly roots. No better peas can be found in the country for canning than are grown here. What a splendid opportunity for a cannery!

Dairying will more and more engage the attention of the farmer, a creamery being a not very remote certainty. When the large farms are cut up into smaller tracts and each quarter section is supporting a family, then land which can be had for thirty-five and forty dollars per acre now will be considered cheap at double that price.

The character of the water at Kensal insures the stopping of all passenger trains, guaranteeing excellent passenger and mail service. Lodges are numerous and well patronized. Religious opportunities were never better, school facilities never so commensurate and commercial openings never so attractive.

With the breaking up of winter and the resumption of immigration westward, Kensal will no doubt welcome her share of the cream of prospective settlers.

 

 
 
 

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