, 1870-06-23
DAKOTA.
The River Hatt0naB and 1ho Bench
IaaAsC8esae 1K&AstR4 and wheat
&revst14 FaSs DFAwsAexs
and FntHxo Pro4poe4as


YANKroN, o. T., June II.
The amount Of authentic information re-
Iatipg to the Territory OF Dakota ia probably
[sas than that referring to any other portion OF
The country Of equal extent and Importance.
The opening up Of the first railroad route |
acrnas the continent AttT1cted the attention OF |
travellers in that direction, while tie informa~ |
tion concerning the richness Of the great min
inr districts led the mass OF enigraata further |
West. While touriats and others, who hare
followed this track, have written books, uaga- !
zine articles, and newspaper letters almost
without plumber, and Of most interesting
CHARACTER, but little has been published with
reference to smother region, which is destined
to become an influential one in the "make-up
OF the United States few years hence.
The Territory Of Dakota embraces vast
SECTION. extending north from the Nebraska
line to the British Possessions = distance
eoual to cir and half degrees Of longitude,
and westward, from the west lines OF Iowa
and Minnesota, through seven degrees OF
longitude, containing in all about 15o,ooo
suuare miles Of land. The Missouri River en-
ters the Territory near the northwest corner,
but forms, for the distance Of shout ninety
miles in direct line, the boundary line be-
tween Dakota and Nebraska. 1t is along the
line OF this river, in the southern portion Of
have M been msde, and It Is here that most Of
the towns and villages may be found, although
there has been quite largo immigration to
the eastern section, along the line OF tue blg
Sioux, bordering upon Iowa, and u tho heo
liver country. in the northeast. The courses
Of tns Yerniiion and the James Rivers have
aIso been followed for fifteen or twenty miles
from ths point OF their Intersection with
Missouri.
MIC first settlers took their claims, almost
invariably, in the exceedingly rich bottom lands
bordering directly upon The a1issourl and
Borne places, many miles back from the river,
arc quite level, and arc covered by an exceed
ingly heavy and coarse gTass, which grows to
tho height Of three or four feet IN . seasora.
To look At it, the Eastern farmer would pro-
nounce it worthless for pasturage or ha5,
owing to its exceedingly COARSE appearance;
but, in truth, it ia highly valuable for both
Cattle fatten upon it very rapidly, and the hay,
which may be readily cut and cured at small
cost, is highly nutritious. As grazing conn-
world Cattle .re left out upon the prairie,
and require but little care, as there is no dig.
| position shown to roam abroad when food and
water can be found to their liking elose 1t
home. In many instances they are left ont
during, the entire winter, without any
80 they find for themselves. In the
co1dest weather thew seek the
thickets and wooda IN the low lands aud come
out In better condition in the spring otten.
times than when cared for in stables and fed
| regularly. In this way the owners frequently
eell 1t good round prices cattle that have
never cost them q cent. It would naturally be
| supposed that there WAS danger Of this branch
| Of business being ovardone and to see the
large herds Of cattle upon the PEaisaes at this
1 Al 10 h.
", quite in exceas Of the demand, especially
when it is considered that without railroad in
tho Territory the means for transportation
must be limited. This, however, is not the
case, and excellent prices arc realized. The
forts and Indian Agencies along tho line Of the
Missouri River above here require very large
number Of beef cattle, and viii continue TO do
| go for several years to come, to say nothing Of
Chicago and other markets to the eaat~
ward, which are by no means ont Of reach.
Mich COWS bring high prices. the wants OF new
They yield ricR milk, and prime butter is made
from it. Indeed, have seen no poor butter
since came here, but hare found It invariably
good and sweet, even upon hotel tables.
The bottom lands having been rapidly taken
| rily turned to the table lands on what is known
! here IL "tho bench" These, it was firHt
thought, wcrc comparatively poor, and rather
! undesirable, the short and sparse grass grow
ing upon them leading to that belief 1t has
been found that they are more easily broken
keep down the wecls. By keeping, out thu
Gres. the grass has chance to thicken up,
and the eoil to gather The moisture, in which
II was believed to DO lacking. These landsare
very rapidly reclaimed By cultivation, and are
believed BY many to possess many advantages
over tho bottom lsnds tor grain raising, AZ
they are dry enough to work oarher IN the
spriug, bring out the crops quite as rapidly, anc
tho comparative nea1ness OF the suhsoil to the
surface-for it is only two or three feet down
at . dry time. It is questionable nov
whether the nplapds cannot better stand
| drought, after Little cultivation, thar
the low lands. Tie latter certainly canno1
be excelled for grazing purposes, and thei1
producing power in m ther natiye state, Is Pe5,
! not mistake, arc bound to take the lead il
, whent raising and other cultivated crops. Con
does not seem, upon the whole, to pronist
much. 1t comes OH very rapidly, for the SOL
| is d very watn one, but it seems to 30 par
ticulaf}y iisblDto destructive inBects. and whit
, tho days arc hot enough in June and Jnly, th
. nights are almost invatiably quite cool ,-st
a / that quilt OF two is always il order when j
. comes to aleeping. Hot nights, Al we'll n
days, seem essential for good corn country
the man who, like Sancho Panza, is disposed
to blees him "Who first invented Sleep ant
{ ate productive Of heavy dews. are found te
. hare very chilling and inhospltablo edec
/ upon this product: Wheat grows very luxu
. nantly and produces alundantly. sprinl
! wheat il generally raised, and is ready 10
harvesting, in three months after II il Gown
> \ yielding heavily. Just now, oats seen1s to b
: very inviting grim to raiee. 1t sells, just =
tl.is tlme, higher than whoat, and yields stl]
much attention to Agricultural pursuits, an
, has one Of the pleaaantest homes IN tho Tel
| ritory, tells mo that last year his oats yieldet
q 10 buAhe1s to the acre, and were sold at til
T.: machine at is cents per hnBhel-maklng ovc
. ESQ per acre as the yield Of one season. Thi
| the land, as that which was not manured pro
n I ducel but 60 bushels. He does not be]ieve
|. | with many others, that this land needs n
, manure, but has found tho application Of !
!, | highly advantageous wherever he has tried i
d Several things have operated quite strongl
= against the Territory, which have been, to
O very great extent, removed. First, it va
i | said that it never rained in Dakota !
q this statement there was, at one tlme muc
i truth in the statement but, Ike many othe
n sections Of the great West, the settlement {
n the country, even to a very limited extent, ha
q \ had marked effect upon the climate in thl
|. ! reBpect. 1.ainB are much moro frequent tha
q formerly, aud, with the heavy dewB. it is nj
:, probable their want will be felt in the futuz
"a anv more than in the States to the cast Of I'll
I
l. on The other hand, forms . most agEeeab1
n contrast when compared with that of Souther
!. Illinois Or Indiana, makes the climate . ves
u healthy one, aud prevents the cold weatht
"a Of winter from seeming 60 severe {
n it otherwise would. For three year,, too, IL
i, ting down IN an hour, as they swept over Il
a. country, c1ops That looked most promising
70 and taking every green thing, almost, befo
them. Thief have lad their season, howoTe
and their return is not expected, two yea
Indian depredations, and the fear of lyi1
e. with treache1ous foe at the door, have ope
or / atcd greatly against the settling OF tho 1and
any distance back from the river, until with
I'd the past three or four years. This questio
le even now, is involved in much nneettalnt
s. but there is not SO much anxiety felt here
regard to it az in the East. With . hue Of
j. dian agencies and forts extending along Il
T. line Of the Missouri NiFer, and with friend
O. Indians, who are even more interested thi
the white settlers in keeping tho peace, alol
10 prise to the white ssttle1s in any neighbt
o. hood. That there are tribes beyond Il
Missouri that mean mischief there C
= be no doubt, but the fear Of 1osi
=. the assistance and supplies from t
y quite hopeful that they may come out q
e. show their true colors, and give the goves
ment chance TO give them dressing dow
l., The love for the Indian in thus region 1s n
ed very great. There Is disposition to tolera
e, him and assist him in getting along, go long
ho behaves himself; but he has only to take
a. the hatchet to bring out hundreds Of men VI
N will willingly volunteer in order to give hi
ed the whipping he deserves. ind that the I
ho lection and respect for the Indian, and 1
ut spirit Of meckness and forgiveness towa
+ him increases in direct ratio with the distane
and dmnishes rapidly Is this is 1essened.