North Dakota, State of
A northern frontier State, formed by the division of
Dakota Territory into two States in 1889; is bounded on the north by the
Canadian provinces of Assiniboia and Manitoba, east by
Minnesota, south by
South Dakota, and west by
Montana.
It is limited in latitude by 46° to 49° N., and in longitude by 96° 30′ to 104° 5′
W. Area, 70,795 square miles, in thirty-nine counties; population in 1890, 182,719; in 1900, 319,146.
Capital,
Bismarck.
Although the
State yields coal to a profitable extent, its largest economic interests are comprised in its agricultural productions.
In the calendar year 1900
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488]
the yield of wheat was 13,176,213 bushels, valued at $7,642,204; oats, 6,299,284 bushels, valued at $2,015,771; barley, 1,998,840 bushels, valued at $699,594; and hay, 247,327 tons, valued at $1,397,398. The bonded debt in 1900 was $845,300 and floating debt, $61,000. The assessed valuation of taxable property, at one-third actual value, for 1899 was,
real estate, $72,019,059; personal property, $41,626, 240; total, $113,636,299; tax rate, $4.50 per $1,000. The valuation of personal property included railroad property assessed at $16,985,084.
History.
In 1780 a French trader settled at
Pembina, now the county seat of
Pembina county, which, in 1812, was occupied by a Scottish colony; but in 1823 the
United States discovered that this place was a part of its territory and the national flag was raised over it. In 1858, when the
State of Minnesota was organized, the
Territory of Nebraska having been already separated, the remainder of
Dakota was left without legal name or existence.
By the act of Congress of March 2, 1861, the
Territory of Dakota was organized, and in the following year its capital was located at
Yankton.
In 1883 the capital was removed to
Bismarck, and in 1884 the act for the admission of
Dakota into the
Union was passed.
In 1888 a convention met at
Watertown and expressed a desire that the northern portion of the
Territory be separated from the southern and formed into a State under the name of
North Dakota.
The
Territory was accordingly divided and two States were created,
North Dakota and
South Dakota (q. v.), both being admitted into the
Union on Nov. 3, 1889.
In 1891 an aggregate of 1,600,000 acres of land, comprising a former Indian reservation, was thrown open to actual settlers.
See
United States, North Dakota, in vol.
IX.
