Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-01-25
A Voice From Dakota.

alton they might be acceptable to
your reaOers.
In almost all communities there are
those who are dissatisfied with their
surroundings. and resources, and are
looking for a new locality, wherein to
commence life anew, and they almost
invariably bok toward the West for
that new home, in which they hope to
! find those things that were not attain
able to them in the one they leave be-
hind. Most generally, those emmigra-
ting West are men of small, or at least
moderate means, and wish to make
what they have 60 as far as possible
toward starting them in the New
World to which they go; consequently,
the first question with them is "where
is the best locality for me to goY If
q farmer, he naturally inquiries about
the price of land if a mechanic, the
price of labor, cost of living &c.
Now do not propose to answer all
the questions that might arise from
this subject, but will mention q few
Of the advantages this country offers
to Immigrants.
In the first place, we have a splendid
climate. This is no small item TO
those seeking q permanent home for
themselves ana families. In the sec
ond place we have as fine land as one
ever need see, and plenty of it. The
soil is rich black loan of good depth,
with Il clay subsoil. The general sur
face is a fine rolling prairie, just roll
ing enough to drain well, with here
and there beautiful lake OF good
clear water, which is well stocked
with fish. We have some of the finest
natural meadows ! ever saw, where
hay OF excellent quality can be cut in
abundance, which makes stock raising
not only easy but profitable. Consid-
cradle attention to stock raising is paid
here, and we have some stock in this
county that would do credit to any OF
the old settled States.
The land is all Government. No rail
road or spectators land here, which
is the bane of so many localities.
Every male of twenty one years of age
can take q homestead or presumption
OF one hundred and sixty acres. and in
addition, can also take another quarter
section under the Timber Culture act,
which makes him, when improved, a
nice little" farm OF three hundred and
\ twenty acres, which is about as much
as one man need care for, as we have
but very little poor land in this coun-
try. The water is excellent, and can
he got by digging from twelve to
twenty feet. There are numerous
streams Of running water in different
parts of the country, but the one in
which we are most directly interested
here is the Big Sioux, on which there
are numerous mill sites" which are
being rapidly taken and improved. as
they are Of themselves, sources Of con-
siderable wealth.
The crops generally raised in Wis
consin, arc raised here, anddo remark
ably We'll. Wheat this season averaged
think about twenty-five bushels per
acre. LII some cases "a high as thirty
five, and even forty bushels were rails
ed, and of most superior quality
minnesota Hard has. for Il number
of years ranked as the best quality Of
Spring Wheat raised, but where Dako-
til wheat has been placed in compete
ton with it,, Dakota has invariably
carried off the palm, and is destined
ere long to stand ut the head Of its
class in the markets Of this country
Corn, oats, rye, barley, potatoes and
garden vegetables all do well. The
advantages Dakota offers to em1ni-
grants is being rapidly appreciated as
the amount of land taken in this coun-
ty alone within the last four months
will abundantly testify; the amount
being nearly twenty thousand acres,
all by actual settlers. Everything III
dica,es the largest immigration 70 this
country next season ever known.
Land hunters III winter time i usu-
ally novelty. but this winter they
are So common that no one seems to
think it ii all out Of the general order
OF things.
The settlers in this county are
largely Americans, although we have
quite i sprinkling Of Seaudinay ians,