, 1861-03-16
-. = .
The: New Territory of Dacotala,


Editors Chicago Tribnnc:-- :.
In describing this newly organized Tor soon
to bo orgnaizcd) Territory, the N. Y, Tribune
remarks: "The Territory Includes open, eraeay
plains, high;rolling prairles, great number Of
lakes und ponds, and very numerous valuable
rivers. The, land il well timbered and the val
leys very productive" - :
Knowing as do something about this Ter
ritosy, I beg leave to differ with the writer Of
the above.
So far as "open, grassy plaina, high rolling
| .prairies, lakes and ponds - are concerned, the
description is well enough, and even the syal-
uable rtyers," might pass, but when he speaks
Of the latter as being Numerous" be is
slightly mistaken; for with the exception Of
the Missouri, forming the western boundary
the Jacques and the Big Sioux in the South. thu
Mouse River In the extreme North, and tho
Red River with its tributaries. the iaterior of
the country is remarkably deficient in run
ming streams. Compared with Iowa, A1innc-
eota, Wisconsin, &c, there is not probably in
Dacotah not one stream where in either Of
those Statates there are tea.
But to cay that q" the land is well timbcred"
is very serious error; for the fact is that
there is scarcely any timber at all in the whole
Of Daeotah. With the exception Of Mouse
River, and along few other streams where
small scattering trees are found, the traveller
may pass day after day and not gee tree Of
| any kind whatever.
Let INC make 3 few extracts from A. ".
TinkLanl's Itinerary. He accompanied Gpy,
steyens's party III 1865:
5.Ay 7--Approaching the Shaycnne; coun-
try as yesterday for six miles; bordering tla
river the ground is broken with deep coulies
and rayines; 40 acood; water to1erable--15
miles.
July s--Prairie swelling with ridges; de-
scend to the Shaycnne by q steep hill canped
in bottom Of river; wood and water good
grass rather poor.
judy 9-Cro5setl tile Shayenne; 50 feet wide
and 81 deep; prairie with swelling ridges and
occasional marshes to camp to slough, afford
ing water ana grass; no 1DootE7 miles.
July 10.-Prlirie swelling into ridges and
hills, with frequency of marshes; ca.nped at
pretty lake near Lake Jessie; fairly wooded,
with water slightly saline-10 miles
JaIy ll:-Pass over high hills, then level
prairie with small ponds and marshes; de-
tanned By By bad slough; water tolerable; no
seood-10H miles.
{, July 12.--Smooth prairie, generally level;
ca,nped " anarsh; water tolerable no zcood
-1655l miles.
J'Gy ]3.-Smooth prairie, with marshes;
cross and rc-eross Jaqqes river; small
strs;isn no ooe2-1415 uailes.
PrtlrIe to camp OIL river; water GOOD gras3
fair; no aoood-5145mllcs.
From Lieut. Growers Report in his exp1ore-
tion Of this country, I extract the following:
81 The valley Of the Jaques OF James River af-
foTds terry little aeood, and that fit only tor fuel
but between this and the Mouse River. a dis
tance Of 1856 miles, not particle Of any kind Is to
be. .JoatadF'
Lieut.. Warren explored the western portion
Of Dacotaf from Fort Pierre TO Sioux City, and
he describes the country as entirely destitute Of
timber, and wholly untitled to any kind Of as-
ricultural productions.
Now for the SOIL. Taking Gov. Stevens
Report, we have the following remarks in ref.
erence to this subject:
''From St. Pilll to Little Falls, 100 ,ni]ek.
fertile soil. From Little Falls to Dead Coli
Hillock, 1GS miles, fertile soH.'
OF the above distance, a75 miles, the far
greater portion is in the State Of Minnesota,
Dead Colt Hi]lock being in Dacotah, not lar
from the Minnesota boundary.
"From Dead Colt Hillock to t1c crossing Of
James River, &C miles, the change from fertil-
ily to m uncultivatable condition takes place.
Ihcnce to the crossing Of Sun River, 752 miles,
The prairie is 'ncnltivatab9e, except thc river
bottoms Of the Missouri in part, James and
Mouse Rivers.
"In fact, oil the 2, ,0225 miles from st. Paul 10
Seattle, on Puget Sound, We have only space
Of about 535 miles {of which $50 miles are in
Minnesota, and about 200 in Washington Ter.
rltory,} Of fertile county, the remaining 400
miles being oyeT uncultivatable prairie or
mountain land, with the limited exceptions
Of occasional narrow river bottoms or noun
tain valleys"
a word more and I will conclude Tic N,
I. tribune gives the length Of Dacotah at 450
miles, and its average breadth at 200 miles,
and givesit an area Of only 70, 900 square miles,
whereas 200 times $50 would give 10000; 4
difference Of &c, 900 So. miles. E.W.