| Summary: | Carter would go down to the river about every day to note the progress of the stream. On March 7 that year there came a snowstorm which lasted for three days and nights, blocking everything. Those were anxious days as Olson and his neighbors watched the flow of the stream as that snow melted more rapidly than ever. One day Prentice and Olson were at the stream when John Carter came along with his team and wagon. The wagon box floated away, but Carter held the reins tightly and eventually his horses pulled him out of the water. Getting across he went into town for groceries. On his return the water had receded four feet and the horses didn't have to swim. "But the water was still pretty high on the day Olson had to go to town for Dr. Goss. On the way out they forded the Pipestem but Dr. Goss had to lift his feet high to keep from getting wet. It was night when Dr. Goss was ready to go back to town, the baby^ having been brought safely into the world. When they got to the Pipestem, Olson was stumped for he couldn't see the spot where by daylight he could travel without dropping into a deep hole. It was a rainy night, and lightning flashed occasionally. That was the cue for Olson. He waited until one flash was brilliant enough to light up the ford. Then Olson got his bearings and crossed the stream without incident.' During the late summer months this same stream would be nearly dry. Bald Hill Creek East of the river is a gently rolling plain consisting of about 170 square miles in area. It is in this plain that Baldhill creek's western branches have their source. At present the stream is unimportant but during the recessional days of the ice sheet a mighty river rushed down its course cutting the broad valley with the waters from the melting ice. Bald Hill Creek has its western head waters in the east ten miles of Foster County and flows into the Sheyenne River in the northern part of Barnes County. Hence, its waters eventually reach the Hudson Bay. The Creek passes north and south through the county about three miles west of Lake Juanita and the James River. Lake Templeton Lake Templeton, named in honor of Joe Templeton, an early day squatter, is located eight and one-half miles east of Carrington on State highway no. 200. It is a swell in Kelly Creek, fed by local springs and a ten mile water-shed to the north. During high water periods it covers an area of about 20- 40 rods and was never known to be dry until the fall of 1935. It has a direct connection with the Jim River. In a draw to the southeast there is an outlet to the lake that merges into Kelly Creek and a little later joins up with the Jim. There is a full waterway from the lake to the river in high water time. This fact made it possible for fish to be in the lake. In 1927 when the ice on the lake broke up in the spring thousands of dead fish were washed ashore, running from minnows to pickerel that were over two feet long. In the fall of 1926 the water in the lake was exceptionally low, being not over two feet in the deepest part. As a consequence the fish were killed when the water froze to the bottom of the lake. Few people even realized that any fish were living in the lake. Various signs found by the early settlers led them to believe that the lake was used by the Indians as a central camping point when on their annual buffalo hunting trips in search of meat and robes. Buffalo bones were found in abundance as well as broken pieces of dishes and other equipment. It was thought that perhaps Sibley and some of his party might have stopped here in 1863 on his trip across Foster county. The lake served many purposes, besides being a natural water hole for the settlers' cattle. In the summer time it was a gathering place for the bachelor homesteaders and squatters on Sundays. This lake provided them the means to do their weekly washing of clothes and afforded them an opportunity to take a bath. It was used by the Dunkard church for their Baptismal services. The local people tell about the lines of buggies and wagons on both sides of the road with people waiting their turn to be baptized or just sitting there watching the proceedings. During the winter time the lake provided the ice that was stored for future use in the ice-boxes in the summer season. The water was raked clear of fungus and other debri in the fall to assure clean ice. Storage was made at a large ice house located near the lake. Between 1000 and 1600 tons of ice would be harvested. In 1932 Fred Schroeder, who was owner of the Carrington Ice and Coal Co. had a crew employed to cut the ice. Here's a story from the Independent, Jan. 8, 1925 which tells about harvesting ice. "Harvesting of Ice for City is Done for Year: "None fell into water this season for first time in dozen winters; Weather always improves after the ice harvesting for the year is completed; "The statement is the sworn belief of Chris Hansen, ice harvester for the Carrington community for the past decade. Every time he starts to harvest, Chris maintains, the weather turns cold, and as soon as the ice is ploughed, hauled to the ice house and packed, the weather turns warm and pleasant. "During the worst weather of the 1924-25 season, just before the Christmas holidays, Chirs Hansen, who with Harry Rusk handles all of the Carrington ice business, set out with a crew of 20 men to store away the ice supply of the city for the summer months. "In less than two weeks, in spite of the cold weather just at the hardest part of the season, the Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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