Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-05-09
THE GRAIN FIELD OF THE FUTURE.
Another Letter by Gen. Beadle On Dake
ta's Resources.
Correspondence Chicago Tribune.

Correspondence Chicago Tribune.
YANKroN, Dak., May 1.-The praises Of
southern Minnesota by Mr.. Warren in your |
columns are SO natural Of course that he |
and your readers have cause to regret he
did not 20 further and do more than just
peep into Dakota. Had he continued on
that branch Of the Northwestern railroad to
its terminus at Lake kampeska, he would
have been far more delighted than at the
state line. There he would have been near
the head of the Big Sioux river. A little
further west would have brought him to the
great rich plain and lake region about and
above the head of the Vermillion river,
and thirty miles more would have placed
him on the Dakota (popularly called James,
river, and opened before his eyes one Of the
richest and most attractive valleys i'll. all the
west.
From that supposed line Of travel, south
ward to the Missouri river, into which
which in common parlance ia called south
ern Dakota, is that region east and north Of
the Missouri and south Of the forty-six:h
parallel; for it must be remembered that the
Missouri flows nearly due east for about 100
miles along southern Dakota, forming the
boundary between it and Nebraska What
are properly known as "the plains" ex-
tend from the base of the Rocky Mountains
eastward to the Missouri, and that the whole
region is regular plane, inclined toward
the east from 5000 feet elevation at the
western edge, down TO from 1000 to 600 feet
at the east. Across that flow several well
known streams in nearly parallel courses.
Here, north of the Missouri, is smaller
copy of the same, inclined to the south, hav-
ing no mountain on its northern edge, but a
prairie. varying from ! 200 to $500 feet in
elevation, and sloping down to thousand
feet or less above sea level here along the
Missouri Down across this flow the
streams named, the Big Sioux, the Nermil-
lion, and the Dakota, which empties into
the Missouri near Yankton.
All the lands are ch,-the greater part
of them very rich. They are level plains,
bottom lands along the streams or gently
rolling prairies. The summer scenes are
beautiful, and the whole appearance Of the
country attractive. There ia room and op-
portunity for wheat-farms of any extent,
but the prevailing tendency is toward small
er farms and denser settlement. There are
unsurpassed facilities for stock. raising and
dairy operations. The reports Of dairy
meetings in The Tribune last winter com.
mended highly the native grasses for butter
and cheese. If those Of Iowa and Mime
sofa are good, those here are perfect, for we
have many varieties in limited area, from
the waving rank grasses upon the lowlands
and old tlood-plains of the rivers, up to the
varied common prairie grasses and the buffa-
10 and CANA grasses of the higher or drier
lands, West, toward and beyond the Mis-
souri,, the grasses predominant which cure
upon the ground into rich winter food.
Here, upon these fertile plains, is now
grown the standard hard spring wheat Of
which we have before written, and which
now contributes to the fair fame Of Mime
sofa wheat About every bushel Of it is
bought especially and shipped to the mills
direct. Southern Dakota is also a good
corn country; and here oats, rye, barley,
potatoes, and email fruits produce most
abundantly.
The topography of this region, to which
we first alluded, is greatly in its favor.
There are no mountains in Dakota except
the so.cailed Black Hills. The general
elevation is not great; but here the Mis-
souri, has plowed up deep end vast valley.
The highest point in Northwestern Iowa is
1,7OO feet above sea-level, and it is as high
in part along the Minnesota line; yet Yank-
ton Is, in round numbers, elevated only
1000 feet, and the whole region has a soutl
ern slope. Here is the Dakota river, which
rises near 100 miles north of the Union
Pacific railroad, and joins the Missouri near
this city This wide and fertile valley will
in ten years be as famed as that of the Kaw
or Kansas and its tributaries. Immigra.
ton is now pouring over our borders at
every point The gold standard has kept
our farms and improved lands at q low
value, and the opportunities are excellent.
The writer is not dealing in lands or any
speculation, and purposely refrains from ad
vocatiDg any special locality. The region
is broad aud all is open. One cannot now
go amIss
w. H. H. BEADLE.