Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-03
AFFAIRS At veamlLLloN.

AFFAIRS At vERnlLll0N
Tho Railroad Washout- N1aEuiro's "Con.
ing Empire "-Crops and Personalities.
Special Correspondence.
VERM1LLIoN, July 2, 1873.
Theprincipal subject of interest at Ver
million just now is the washout below the
town, by which the Dakota Southern rail
road track for u distance of about 75 feet
was precipitated into the boiling whirlpools
which exist in the Missouri river at this
point. The cave-in which carried away the |
road bed for the distance above stated, oc-
CURED on Saturday evening last short
time-some say, only half hour-after the
westward bound train passed over the spot.
At the particular point where the greatest
damage has been done, about 100 feet Of the
bank has been cut away. For distance Of
some 250 or 800 feet, all the level ground
has disappeared, and for half that distance
the bluff has been cut away SO that the
height from the water to the top of the
ground is about fifteen feet. Here the cav
ing in still continues, but not SO rapidly as
heretofore, and strong hopes are entertained
that the worst is passed, and that with the
falling Of the river the direction of the cur
rent will be changed, and further damage
averted. The railroad is now compelled to
transfer passengers and baggage distance of
half mile around the destroyed or endan-
gered track, but it expects to remedy this
Inconvenience in few days. Engineer Van
Antwerp has surveyed line along the side
of The bluff, and Superintendent Merchant
has 125 men and l3 teams at work to-day
grading for the new track. Tomorrow this
force will be increased to thirty teams and
all the men that can find room to shovel.
He expects to have the work done 60 that
trains can pass over OH Thursday. A little
over half mile Of grading and track-lay-
ing will have to be done to close up the
break. The deepest cut will be about 20
feet, and the grade will be equal to $50 feet
per mile. The new track will be one hun
dred feet at the nearest and most dangerous
point from the river, and it is very doubtful
whether it will afford more than temporary
relief, as at the rate the water has been en-
croaching upon the bank it will take but
few days to reach the new grade. The only
relief lies, as stated, in the falling Of the
river and change in the direction Of the
current. Should the road which they are
now building have to be abandoned, then
new route beyond the reach of danger
through or over the bluff will have to be
selected, and it is claimed that feasible one
can be found through the ravine which cuts
the bluffs short distance below the passen.
ger depot. This route would not necessitate
change of the track through the city, and
if change Of route must be made this will
doubtless be adopted.
We had brief chat with Judge Mcguire,
who is busy closing up the copy for his
forthcoming book "The Coming Empire"
The work is in press, and he expects to have
it ready for delivery within fortnight.
He deyotes considerable space in his book
to a description of that portion Of the ter
ritory lying east Of the l0lst meridian, and
very ably and truthfully presents the varied
and valuable resources of this portion Of the
territory. The country east OF the line in.
dicatcd contains about Is 900 square miles,
fully four-ifths Of which is susceptible OF
profitable cultivation. It now contains a
population of $4,000, or one person to each
square mile of territory, and he estimates
that when it is settled as thickly as Illinois
now is it will have not less than 3,500,00C
people. The judge is a close and intelligent
observer, clear and forcible writer, and
, We feel assured that "The Coming Empire
will be a source of full and reliable infor
nation in regard to the vast section o
which it treats.
t The crop outlook along the railroad ant
throughout the adjacent country, as W,
learned by inquiry of farmers and others
is first-rate, although in some sections it il
claimed the wheat is rusting, which will de
tract from the quantity and quality of tn,
grain. 1t is believed, however, that the los
from this cause will be trifing. Corn il
: coming on finely, while barley, oats, rye
and in fact all other crops, promise a,
abundant yield.
: Billy Try is here fitting up handsom
club room, in which he will dispense al
sorts of temperance beverages and some tina
are tabooed by tetotallers. He has rentee
for his purpose the large store room ownet
and lately occupied by H. J. Austin.
Knappen, the. genial host Of the Dakot:
. house, is deservedly meeting with good sue
= cess. He is untiring in his efforts to main.
: tain the 6rst-class reputation of his house
and make it pleasant home for his guests
He knows how to keep hotel.
The distinction of being the father o
healthy twin boys is source of perennial
joy. Jolley is happy, and is emphatically o
the opinion that no man should he eligible
to seat in congress from this territor,
whose knees are not stridden by pair o
< chips cleft at one blow from the paren