Mrs. Ralph Hall writes of her experiences in this new place they call Foster County:
"The early eighties witnessed in Dakota Territory, particularly in the northern part, a development the like of which was never known before and will never be experienced again. The Railroads exploited the new country all over the world, and the Dakota boomer worked with so much enthusiasm that he became celebrated. One of these boomers came to our hometown just at a time when we were forced to seek a change of climate on account of my mother's health. So what more natural than that we should try the wonderful recuperative power of Dakota pure air.
Arriving in Jamestown we were compelled to drive the rest of the way and certainly thought we had reached the Arctic region, for Carrington‑ just a few dingy buildings‑ was half buried in snow, although it was the first of April.
It was customary for every man and woman who had the right to file on as many claims as possible, and we like all the rest acquired the land fever, but every quarter with a radius of 15 miles of town was taken before the land was in market, consequently, one must purchase a relinquishment from the squatter before one could file. So we bought our relinquishments and went to Fargo ourselves to file when the land was thrown open. I will never forget the excited mob that poured in the night before, and how my heart sank when we went down to the land office at what seemed to me an unearthly hour, to find a long line of men and women waiting for the window to open. It wasn't long that we had to wait because a friend, who was connected with the office, interceded for us and on account of mother we were taken in the office and allowed to file just the instant it was legal, and just as the window was open, we were spared the tedious waiting.
We returned immediately so we might establish our residence by staying overnight on the claims. We were given a tip that they were going to be jumped. While we didn't care for the land we were in the fight, so we hired a team and driver, and loaded up with provisions, gasoline stove, and bedding, and by the time we reached the claim it was dark, but we thought we knew the exact location of the shack and could easily find it. After driving around for about an hour we had to return home and make the trip the next morning; when we found a jumper had demolished our shack and hauled one of his own on to the opposite corner. And so many claims changed owners in a few hours.
The unstable character of part of the population had a bad effect on the development of the country in some things. (The law then allowed each individual to take a pre‑emption, tree claim and homestead.) Hundreds took up claims with the sole purpose of turning them over to a purchaser as soon as six months residence had been proven.
Money poured in from the East. Claims proved up on borrowed money were abandoned. Thousands of acres coming into the hands of mortgages who did not want the land and had no disposition to improve it‑ so the boom, as is usually the case, was followed by serious collapse.
Although the conditions of the territory were such as to attract the notice of bad men‑ gamblers and other undesirables‑ and saloons were too numerous, Foster County was remarkably free from crime of the more brutal sort. From the beginning of the marvelous growth of the country, it attracted settlers of the highest class. Professional men of established reputation came in from other states. Men of means brought in capital and put big enterprises afoot and these, supported by the high standard of the settlers on the land, constituted such a community that there never was anything like the dominance of the rough element which was common, in the making of the West."
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 41