Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-11
Our Correspondent Visits the sLoweII
OF the West" and Graphically
Describes the Town and
People.
Advantages and Brilliant Prospects
Of the Tswn.
Large immigration and Rapid Settlement, Of
Government Lands.
Some Mention of the Leading Business
Men. q
Concluded from Saturdays pally.l

lSVAASiNNtSu Chtkti uuN . any
VIM. Van Fps is another extensive mer-
chant and %enterprising business men. He
own and conducts q large wholesale and
retail mercantile establishment, and is a
heavy dealer in grain and agricultural i'm
plements. He is proprietor Of a large part
of the town of Luyerne, Minnesota, own
large interest in Dell Rapids and Flandreau,
and the large Touring mill at Dell Rapids
belongs to and is conducted by him. This
mill is . large structure, is supplied with
four run Of stone, all the best modern ma
chinery, and occupies one of the best water
powers in the territory. Mr.. Van Fps is at
engaged in the erection of a large
business building in Sioux Falls, the first
floor Of which is to be occupied a. a liquor
by Adler d Gilman of Yankton, and
the upper part is intended for a public hall.
Van is a thorough business man, and is des-
tined in a few years to rank rs one Of the
m%illionaires Of the Sioux valley.
w. H. Corson, the popular and widely
known landlord of the Cataract house, came
here at an early day, when the town num-
bered but a few houses, built . good house,
and has ever since, through good and hard
times, kept a frst-class hotel. And now
that the business of the town demands it,
he has commenced the erection of a three
story brick addition to his house, the old
one will be raised up to the same height and
veneered with brick, so that when compile
ted he will have q building eighty feet
square, three stories high, and complete in
all its appointments as a frst-class house.
Harry is a model landlord, and his hosts of
friends will be glad to hear Of this evidence
of his deserved prosperity.
Phillips & Brown, are old residents of
the town, and extensive dealers in hard
ware, stoves, machinery and drugs. Nye
Phillips is well and favorably known to all
old Dakotaians, and Mr.. Brown is remem-
Fbered with the highest regard by the frater-
nifty as the first master Of the Masonic
Grand Lodge of Dakota.
The newspapers of the town are the In
dependent by f. E. Everett, and the
Paragraph by G. NJ. Smith & Co both Of
which are sprightly, ably edited papers, and
faithfully represent the interests of the town
and country.
The United States land Office for the
southeastern district of Dakota is located at
Sioux Falls, and the excellent oficers-Col.
B. F. Campbell, register, and Maj. J. NJ.
Washburne, receiver, with a corps Of clerks,
are kept busy as bees in attending to the
location Of homestead, presumption and
timber culture claims. From the first OF
January until the 25th Of February, which
is usually the dullest season of the year in
land Office business, there were entered at
this Office 10000 acres under the timber Gull
ture act 36,4s0 acres under the homestead,
and 1880 acres under the pre-emption law,
making a total of 1880 acres in a little
less than two months. The rush for land
continues without abatement, and we have
no doubt that at this date the number of
acres taken will aggregate fully 1850 0
And right here We will say that the char
acter of the land embraced in this district
fully justi6es the anxiety of the people to
secure portions Of it. For beauty of sur.
face and fertility it is unsurpassed in the
territory, while its proximity to good mar
kets gives it advantages which few other
sections possess which have u~nappropriated
government lands.
The Worthington & Sioux Falls railroad
is now completed and in operation to Bea-
yer creek, % miles east Of Sioux Falls. The
citizens here have secured the right of way
to the Minnesota state line, the contracts
have been let and work commenced to ex-
tend the road from its present terminus to
Sioux Falls. BY the first of September,
and probably sooner, the rumble of the cars
will mingle with the roar Of the falls, and
the whistle Of the locomotive will resound
far and wide over the surrounding hills and
plains.
The celebrated falls Of the Sioux consist
Of a succession of rapids, cascades and falls,
the highest fall being about twenty-five feet
From the top TO the foot OF the falls the dis
lance is about half a mile, and the fall in
the stream is one hundred and ten feet. The
capacity Of the water power furnished by
these falls We will not undertake to compute.
1t is sufficient TO say that the power is ample
for all imaginable emergencies. 1t is the
best and easiest improved water power we
have ever seen. Thus far the power has
been utilized in but two piaoes-at the head
and foot of the falls. At the latter point is
the Touring mill of Messrs. Weber & Shaw.
These gentlemen have q magnificent ate
use but a 1.-THE of the power they con-
troll. At the head Of the Alntke newly
erected mill of Messrs. Skefrnan, Emerson
& Co, who have IN almost exhau.tle,s
power. Their building has been completed
but a short time and has not yet received its
machinery, which, however, is ON the way
and is expected to arrive in = few days.
Their building IN :5x52 feet in size. and