The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-04-03
Frsm 'he Chcag Tihuoe
TIE NEW TERRITORY OF DACOTAH.

In describing this newly orcanize d for soon 10
be organizrd) Territory. ;he n. \ Ti5.se re.
mar KS: The Territory includes open, grassy
plsi..s, high rolling prairies, great humber II
lakes and pond, aud very numerous valuable
rivers. The land is well limbered and the val.
leys very productive"
Known. AS do something about this Terri.
tory, beg leave TO d-tftr With The writer o. tie
above.
80 far as "open. grassy plains. kgh rolling
pralres, lakes and ponds are couceined. the De.
scription is well enough, and even the valuable
rivers" might pass. but ~hen he speaks OF The
latter being numerous" he is sllghdv m'sa.
ken; Tor ~th the exception OF the Missouri.
for ming the western boundary. the Jacques and
tle Be- Sioux in he South, the Mouse River in
the extreme North. and the Red 1 ivrr With ITS
tributaries. the interior Of the country Is remark.
ably d, tcient in running streams. Compared
with Lows. Minnesota, Wisconsin,, &c. there 10
uot probably in pacotsh not one stream where
M either q. those States th, he ten.
But 10 say ,ha; 1.-The land : well timhered"is
very serious error; Tor the fact is that there is
scarcely any timber at all IN the whole If Dsco.
taoh. With the exception Of Mouse Rive, and
along a te~ other streams small scattering trees
are found the traveller NAV pass DAY after dsy
| and not see a tree Of an, kind whatever
Let make a few extrac's from A. ". Tink.
hams Itinerary. He accompanied Gov Stew.
eu>'s party in 1853:
jar Approaching the Shavennc; country
a. y.>Ierdsy for SIX miles; bordering the riv.
er the ground i broken with deep coun,s
and rayiues; 10 rood; water toleiabe is
| mi,
Jaiy s.-PrairTe swelling with ridges: de.
scsnd Ia the Shayenne bv steep i.iil cau.psd
| .. a y
rather poor.
Jaya- Crossed the Shavenne; 50 feet vide
aud 5 5 deep; p,aiie with swelling ridges and
occasional marshes To camp to a slough, aftcdd.
ng water and grass; ic0sd = miles
| Ja!y 20. = rairie s~.iins into ridges and
hills, with Il frequency IT niarshes; camlrc al a
pretty lake nc,, Lake Jessie iaIl, wooded With
water slightly sa'ii.e-l 10 miles.
jay ii.-Pass over high hills. then level prai.
| rie Nj small ponds and mar shes: detaiugd by
a bad slough; water toicisbe; no uooa - 10
IL nnl,s
Jdy l2.-Smooih prairie, generally level;
camp,-i by \ marsh water Jclerabl,; 40 ,rooi-
Is 3 / miles
J. - Is -Smcolh prairie with marshes cross
AID re eros, jacques river; small stream no
pood-l3 > mIi,s.
| Prairie In camp ON rive; water coed grass
! fair; a5 &c I'D micS
From LcuL Grov,.i X port j. ~ exploration
OF tins country, ex'ra.t tie following: The
valley OF the J,qn,s % james Rnef all, is rery
I,n Wood AID that III only tor tue , hut be-
tween this ANA the " use hisrr. q d,sia &C. Of
ls6 mites, not a pdrtieic of dsy k.rd IS - Ia
Jo"nd"
! Licut. Warren explored tie western portion OF
Daco-ah from Fou lierrs. fn Suux cav ard he
describes The country ,afir ~ oe,L,4f, o. tim.
Der, and who'll. uaf, 10 az, Kind oi agii, u.
tuta productions
Now tor the SOIL. Taking Gov Steven>' Re-
port, We have the following rtmaIhs ia reference
10 this subj Get:
Prom :, Paul To Little Falls 100 miles.
fertile sod. From Llulc Falls TO cad Cob III.
lock l55 miles Fertile soil"
On the above di-taucc, 20 nies the far
greater portion ia M the state at Minnesota
Dead Coli Iiil!oea being in Dacolah, NOT iar from
The Minnesota boundary
From Dead Colt lilloca 10 the crossing Of
James River, I'd mle-. the change ior iet,Ii'y 10
an uHculuvarabie COZ diIion taken place. Tneucs
To the crossing OF sun River, 725 mil,s, The
praIie Is nncultisntabie, except the river bot.
toms of the Missouri ia part, James AID Mouse
Rivers.
/" In fact. OF the > as miles from ST Paul to
Seattle, on Puget Sound, We have only space O.
about 235 mics Of which 200 miles AR. IN Min
neso'a, and about 200 in Washington Territory,
OF fertile country, the remaining ,i9u m.les be-
ing over unculiivaisb!e prairie or mountain land
with the limited exceptions Of occasional narrow
river bottoms or mountain valless."
} A word more and will coucluIe The y. Y
1rsJ0ae gives the lengIh OF Daco,sh as 30 niles
aud It's average bredth mt 200 miles aud gives il
AN area of 10000 square miles, whereas 900
times 45o would give 5000; d fl renee Of
2 900 square mics. l. w