The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-08-09
Letter From Dakota Territory.

DILL RAPIDS, d. T.. July %. is7T.
To the Editor OF the Standards
Permit me through the columns Of the stan |
dard 90 pen a fsw items 10 the many readers of
your intei esting paper. This pihsc'sTle Dslis,"
10 called by the people Of this vicinity, are sit-
uatcd on the big sioux River. IN Minnehaha
county, Dakota Territory. There are two-the
wet aud dry dell. The wet dell which the wa
ter passes through consists of a deep cut through
a rcd colorcd granite resembling the scotch
granitel from % 10 10 feet high aud nom 10 10
- feet wide, leaves tire river NJ Dell Rapids
and makes aemi-circle OF about three miles
(of which about two miles Of the dell paszc-
through the granite,) and then returns 10 the
river again. The walls Of the dell consist of
layers Of stone from six inches 10 two feet thick
very iuch resembling the ancient ruins twaii.l
OF the Old World. II is supposed that NJ one
time the Sioux river passed through this dell.
Mr.. Emory Cherington and spent ono amer
noon examining the river valley and dcils. aud
IN boyish play. rolling stones over into the
abyss. listening % the roaring sound Of the
rocks dashinE upon each other like distant can
nonading and at last spiashing In the waters
below. The dry dell is not 10 picturesque.
Tacre n no water passes through ~, ana eH-
tends less than a mile; although the walls have
about the same appeannce as the vet dell.
river many years ago. The granite this val
ley aud about the dells, where visible. Il as
smooth A. glass. A person can not stand upon
u where Il slopes any whatever. II requirs
the bet Of attention 90 walk upon u, vhcru ~
IL perfectly level. The Emo0tbncsu of this gran.
lie gives evidence OF large body of watsr run.
uiug over u at one time
The sioux Falls, about twenty miles from
here presents a grand sight. The whole width
a.
rmbsnkment 10 embankmcnt, and ahootinE
throu gh the crcvices Of the rOeks with tremen.
dOus rOaT. until Il re-che-tbe depth of one hun
drrd aud ten fset nom the commencement OF
the falls. The Palisades, eighty feet high, per
pundicuiar, on split Rock Creek, are scenes o.
great interest 10 the weary traveller
There ~ many such grand scenes here
that time aud space will not permit their men
ton. These scenes thoroughly assert, "Great
aud marvellous are Thy works, Lord"
This i a beautiful country. I have been Ia
TIRES COUNTIES, aud ind the prairie rolling, not
too nat as In other places. The Chenngion
neixnborhood, about seven miles northwest oi
Dell Rapidz, has az aue "lhy ing land" ne have
sen in the West Crops are sliendid-wheat.
barley. rye, aud oats. Not much corn rsia a.
AR. Cheringtou's neigh hborhood 10 universally
settled by people from Iowa and Minnesota
East and south Of Dell Rapids Il settled By
Norwegians, VINO are not 10 Intelligent a. sons
puople We ind. There are also many swede.
and Danes. The swcdcs and Danes are fai
more cultivated, and are good AinEurA- Many
OF the Norwrgian- hav- quite a taste for musio
Tue majority OF the Norwcxiana live In Hod
hoasca OF "dug outa." There are several ma
uvs-s of this country who live Ia them. Thc=s
houses are built OF sod. The walls are non
| three % four feet thick and 10 the hight Of oEs
story.
| Lam to-day In a sod house writing this mote
some Of these hou.es arg piastcFcd aud looh
a. well a. many VI asteTcd house Ia Old -
tied countries.
the maturity OF young men. aud many fami'
lies. who take claims. build rod house. - Iufs.
Der II scarce. Mr. Chrrington brought iun.
| Der ON wagons sixtv miles 90 build hia house
he has a splendid farfn Of 1-O acrcs. The raii
road IL now within thiry-ssvcn Tniies OF IA,
farm aud l. SOON expected 10 pass thruugh hh
vicinity. via skunk Lakes aud TO ths Blaci
HIS. How beautiful ). the sight while vicw
ING the viciuity Of These lakes when about six
t.yn tniirs uast Of them. The prairi. l. rolling
aud tns dead grass twiid oats appears llk'
wild oats la thr distances.
Oxen are used i4rIuing, going 70 church ans
visiting. We went 10 chufch iast sanaay ab0u
seven tuilu. frum here. It was rather a ai0u
| .say vi EOing. Ladies drive oxen h.rr wbsl
s0ing 10 snsrkut, or yiaiting. - we'll the d.
4 dis,. VI cato eau drive h0u-us on tns same occa
| sion.
Many viii wonder how farmcra can rails,
| grain mere, when there arg iencra. I hav'
aOt sscn a Isncv tsxcrpt = part or q mixture q
| a fcncc, on Tue way ~ slyuK Falisl Ia the thfv,
eSuntios that have besn la cor ln nlnsiy milsa
"a dircot hns. Il looks quite eurioas 10 NJ
.co aay fone.s aud golden acids Of grain.
| nave rode througn wheat nslds, aud while ~
tins Ia thc wagon, pall heads of wheat from
tie stalk.
rarnlurs spicket" their hog, Twin fcw "a.
ceptiou-, some are in a small board pgn,l oywa
oxen, and horses (which aru fuwl. Thu st0cE
cattle, Sc.. are seut cut la h srda. I saw h.fu
VI Two hundred last week. Thgy were hsid q
| by yOuug iHoy aud small giri. while th,
msn were huying and Eaths ring woOd. Thsrt
l. not much differences in tag terms haying and
gathering wOud. Hay j. burnt instead ot wood
| A. d. gathered aud stacked iu tiiu same manner
a. pvrson would gather it ior cattle. Wuea
ready Tor use, u Il twisted similar 10 twist VI
tobacco hat 4 nave sscu ~ svveszi farm h0us..
In Jackson county, Oi.iO. Tho- term "pickrt'
tie one end OF a iopv - OF 70 feet hong " pig'.
leg, or around an Ox's horns, aud ths other sua
~ a stake In the grVuna, aud they viii pastufs
| well f0r a few dayE-tLen change ~ auOthcf
/ place. by earsiuliy ou.eryiug the pruc-,iiuH
tn.tructoI, cat.is aud hos a.. will bcuom,
very "a uwl 10 walesvd. On gJiug viaiting or
tJe.u ca, separats the oxen from TIE wagon
~uun wItnia vna or two huudfsd yanis of ca.
dwciiing house or church. aud picket thsIn.
have E0ue visiting. and 20 euurch. obs , ing
tue ab0vo advice. & "a fou.id everything sgrc -
aDly pleasant to myself aud colleagues. Tue
Sauaio, Indlan aud graasnoppcr arv E0t forgot
ten. Turfc are uiorv buuslus la this viciu.-
~. There afs plenty uf buffalo bOus- and horns
lying around ON tue piairi-. on arriving here
I dian, were about the lr.t objvcts 1 saw. I
saw quite a land OF them Immediately sfs. .
| gsttiHa Ou oi tbs Gals ~ La Ncrns. Thsy lOsE
| a iiatle somewhat Wild ON fiIst appearances. bat
a cn-On will soou ggt accustomed 90 tbsir Wild
and savage iv0ks. Tbcru !. svt, lemsnt abyut
tsn mile, from hgru. Tu,y are uying o. faIfn.
a. Though tueFe are many that uavui around.
hers u stVne about thiTty miios above Lcfe,
fr1in which they make pipsa. Tho most savago
t,ibcs meet there Ia pvrfgct peace and maEu
thu .'pcacu pipe." Tnsy viii attack each o. her
a. any o. her place. I have several OF tlsta
l4pcs. They arr maze La many different shapes
-htads OF ncu, animals aud bids. I w0uld
send ihv EDITOR Of the STANDARD one. but
know DE 10 such - despstate man on the ano-
bat hv would not amoks the 'pipo of
paac.." N0w, Mr. Editor, dat lsughi
The Ersssbopper uaa uone vuy htue damage
d, ro-hAfuiy n0tsecabic. saw where thsy In
iufyd "a. fisx some. Tue y heat - not yvt har-
vested. Many eKpsct 10 commvncs harvesting
" n -at to-day. All other a.isAl grains are har-
vested. FaImefs are yst dr,ading the Efasshop-
len. 1 heard some Of tho farmers make sad
y W asiou- Last saturday when Wc saw the