Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-05-15
THEa GRAIN FIELD OF THE
FUTURE.
Letter BY Gen. DeaAle
o. DakOta's Resources.
Correspondeut CHICAGO Tribune.


YANKroN. Oak, Nay 1.-The praises of
southern Minnesota BY NJ. Warren in
your columns arc % natural Of course that
he and your readers have cause to regret
he did not 20 further and do moro than
just peep Into Dakota. Had be contin-
ued on that branch Of the Northwestern
railroad TO it, terminus at Lake Kampes-
ka, he would have been far more delight.
ed than at the state line. There be would
have been nearer the head Of the Big
Sioux river. A little further west would
have brought him to the great rich plane
and lake region about aud above the head
of the Vermillion river, and thirty miles
more would have placed him on the Ds-
kota (populsrly called James, river, and
open before his eyes ono Of the richest
aud most attractive valleys in all the
west.
From that supposed line Of travel,
southern Dakota forms IN inclined plane
southwark to the Missouri river, into
which stream the above named flow. That
which common parlance called southern
Lakota. 10 that region east and north of
the Missouri and south of the forty sixth
parallel for 1t must be remembered that
the Missouri flows nearly due east for
about 100 miles along southern Dskota,
forming the boundary between il aud
Nebraska. What are properly known a.
the planes" extend from the base of the
Rocky Mountains eastward to the Mis-
souri,, and that whole region 10 . regular
plane, inclined toward the cast from 5000
feet elevation at the western edge, down
t. from 1,0OOto 600 feet ut the east. Across
that flow several we'll known streams in
nearly parallel courses. Here, north of
the Missouri, is = smaller copy Of the same
inclined to the south, having a mountain
on its northern edge. but . prairie, vary.
ing from 1900 to 1900 feet elevation,
and sloping down to = thousand feet or
less above sea level here along the Mis-.
sou:i. Down scross this flow the streams
named, the Big Sioux, the Vermillion,
and the Dakota, which empties into the
Missouri near Yanktou.
All the lands are rich,- the greater
part Of them very rich. They are level
planes, bottom lands along the streams, or
gently. rolling prairies, The summer
scenes are beautiful. and the whole ap-
p~earancc IF the country attractive. There
is room and opportunity for wheat. farms
Of any extent, but the prevailing tendency
Is towards smaller farms aud denser set
Element. There are unsurpassed facilities
tor stock raising and dairy operations.
The reports of dairy meetings 10 The
Tribune last winter commend highly the
native grasses for butter and cheese, If
those Of Iowa and Minnesota are good,
those here are perfect, for w have many
varieties in . limited ares, from the wav-
ing rank grass up to the lowlauds and
old flooded planes ofthe rivers, up to The
varied common prairie grasses aud the
buffalo and CANA grasses Of the higher or
drier lands. West, toward and beyond
the Missouri, the grasses' predominant
which cure upon the ground into rich
winter food.
Here, upon these fertile planes, Is pow
grown the standard hard spring wheat If
which VIC have before written, aud which
now contributes to the fair fame of MIN
nesuta wheat. About every bushel Of it
il bought especially and shipped to the
mills direct. Southern Dakota 10 also .
grod corn country; and here oats, rye,
UOStCys PUSotuOS OAu UA11VAt lIVAtD VIOQVC9
most sbundsntiy.
The Topography If this region, to
which Ne first alluded, 10 greatly In its
favor. There are no mountains In Dako-
tn except the ~ called Black Hills. The
general elevation 10 not great; but here
the Missouri hes plowsd up q deep and
vast valley. The bigest poiut IN North.
western Iowa 10 1,700 feet shove "a level.
and It is high in part along the Mime
sota line; yet Yankton 10 10 round num-
bers, elevated only 1000 feet, and the
whole region has = southern slope. Here
is the Dakota river. which rise near 100
miles north Of the Union Pacific railroad,
and joins the Missouri q this city.
This wide and fertile valley will in ten
years be ~ famed As that Of the Raw or
Kansas and its tributaries. immigration
is now pouring over our borders at every
point. The gold standard has kept our
farms and improved lands at . low value,
and'the opportunities are excellent. The
writer is o dealing In land. or Any
speculation, and purpoeely refrains from
advocating any special locality. The
region 10 broad aud all 10 open. One can.
not 70 amisA w. II. II, BRApLE,