The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-12-31
Frsmths 81 Pau .PiOnssr.
The Territory OF DaIkOta--Its Pop
uIntIOn md dRes0urccs.

The Territory OF DakOta--Its Pop
uIatIon and dResourccs.
Il seems highly probable that at the COM
ing session OF Congress, Territory will be
organized west OF the State Of Minnesota,
comprising the large extent Of territory cut
from the State, by the act Of Congress uu-
thorizinR the people of Minnesota to form
a State Constitution, but over which the au'
thority of the Territorial Government of
Minnesota is extended. This comprises
the area lying between the western bounda-
nv OF the State of Minnesota and the Mis-
souri aud White Earth Rivers; which streams
form the eastern boundary of Nebraska
MANY of the residents Of Dskota--men who
have been prominent in taking measures TO
secure territorial orgsnizati -n-urge boun-
daries differing from the above.
AS TO the present population OF Dakota,
supposinC it to consist of the residue Of
Minnesota Territory, no very definite infer'
nation can be procured. II is estimated at
four thousand-giving fifteen hundred TO the
Red River region and the remainder TO the
country open to settlement, contiguous to
the river. On the Big Sioux, there are sew
eral thriving settlements, the principal one
Being the Falls-Sioux Falls City is the
l;hsme it boasts. Here there IRE about thirty
houses, steam saw mill, and several stone
buildings. We saw alelter from this place
Ethe other day, which stated thtt'such was
| The demand for lumber that the mill was
running night Gnd day, and that settlers
were hauling their logs to the mill, and
readily paying $40 per 1000 feet for saw
inp. AT Eminiia, a few miles below the
Falls, and the heud of steamboat navigation
! on the Big Sioux, there are several houses
At Flsndrau, on the Sioux, and forty mile:
above the Falls, there are Few houses.
At Medary, sixty miles from the Falls, BY
the tortuous course of the river, there is
thriving settlement, boasting upwards o
twenty houses, and probably as many fami
/ lies.
/ Settlements have been made by claim
seekers at different points on the B,ninI
and Rock Rivers, both of which stream
'empty into The Big Sioux. At variou
points on the valley Of the Sioux, claim
have been made. The character of the sol
in this valley il represented as peculiarl
adapted to agriculture; the entire valley
susceptible OF the highest degree of cultva
ton, ard will sustain dense population.
The only ceded land lying within DakC
ia Territory is that situated east of the Bi
: Sioux and west of the Minnesota. Th
a strip will probably average twenty five mile
in width, and is about one hundred and sixt
miles in length. This is the only land ope
: to settlement, Gntil a treaty is made for tn
d cession of the territory lying between tf
Q Big Sioux and Missouri, now mostly occl
~ ol,; Ia, b,
is probable that such treaty will be form
ed the ensuing year, as the Indians are wi
: ling, and the Government, as e&perienc
has demonstrated, seldom hesitate to de;
in real estate. The title to the Red Riv
county is in dispute. 1t ID Claimed by Il
half breeds who occupy Il, and when Il
n time arrives for the Government to tre
a. for it, their title will probably be recogniz
v. The great drawback to the prosperity
Dakota is the scarcity Of timber. Exec
- : 10 the valleys Of the rivers and on the bO
u. ders of sonre of the large lukes no limb
a. can BE found, and even waere it does ext
IS it is found in Quantities sufficient merely
meet the wants of settlers in the immedia
locality. On the Big Sioux, on the Jam
River, ard on the banks of smaller strear
in souri, and Red Rivers, timber is found al
, ply sufficient to meet the wants Of th)
who may settle On those streams; but not
10 sutFi tient qulutity to afford supply to sc
Tiers on tue prairies. 1t seems to lis tn
re for ma y years, at least until a system
,. speedy Communication in the Territory,
"a ther By land er water, is perfect d, the 81
.s tlsments il BaEGti, will Be co4lfned amc
e, exclusively to the 'lIeys Of the rivers.
O Dakot, is not destitdte, as many suppos
It of navigabIe streams. The Missouri
IF navisab.e far b~yChd the point " Wkere
ceases to form The western boundary of t
Territory. The Big Sioux is -navigaJ!e
one hundred mi cs; James River near
three hundred. The Red River is navie
BILE from the mouth of the Sh2Senne
IF Lake Winnipeg, in British America. The
- are other streams which empty into t
'e Missouri, north of the mouth of james Ri
IS er which are said to be navigabe for u sh;
ofl distance.
al There is portion of Dakota, situ1t
10 principally, we believe, on the high TAI
lands between the James AVID Missouri r
'e ers, which abounds in salt springs and lake
L. We conversed with gentleman yesterds
T. who visited the largest Of these salt lax
N as early as 1887, and at different perio
, since that time. The lake in question
: situated bear the head waters OF Salt R
'e er, saline stream emptying into the Sh
" yenne. He describes 1t as four or fl
miles in circumference, with few inch
Of water in it, lying upon bed Of cryst:
# lied salt. The bed OF salt. he found on C
- animation, to be at least three feet deep.
"a An energetic attempt will be made at t
to coming session, to secure the organzati
III OF the Territory, and we are pleased
,e keur, with cheering prospects Of success.
At the recent election held for Congressio
= al Delegate, six hundred votes were poll
y in the Territory, of which number A.
m Fuller, Esq received over five hundred.
ID He will proceed to Washington early in t
session.
..ETA new secret political society
- been established in Boston. called