Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-09
'atural economy work hand in hand. Sin.

b NJ hs5s invssisS hut two PRINCIPAL
CO to tksna "a Ny ildaced mo % rec.
tsl.N Andtbs sslay as(s6thsir. immigra.
price .oee reasons Weeee First. the
Of lara lands "a Illinois and
and .ld then the pasuslof lie Rs.nhoppers
: the lndtsn tronkies N those parta,ofthe
,Nestern region where aloas parties with
moderate means might in q short time work
themselves into afluence and independence.
About two years ago my attention was d.
rected to Dakota territory BY an article which
appeared in one of our German periodicals,
and which article gave a short and superb
cial description Of the soil, productions, ad-
vantages. and natural resources of Dakota
territory. From that time forth l
constantly looked out for any items
in our numerous publications which
might have reference to this interesting
country. ! had already come to the con.
clusion that Dakota territory would some
day. as to its agricultural wealth and miner
al resources, play = remarkable part in
American history, and that it would be the
most desirable location for my countrymen,
when a friend Of mind, DR.. b. H. Law, Of
this city. determined to explore this terri
tory at q time Of the year when everything
in nature appears lovely and to its greatest
advantage. The doctor, on his return, gave
q glowing description Of Dakota, but he by
no means exaggerated the ideas I had previ-
ously formed concerning it; nay, he has
been by far too moderate in his praise of
this bountiful section ofthe great northwest.
And in order now to come to my own deter
mination as to just where to locate those
parties in whom / feel interested, l conclud-
ed to convince myself in person, BY taking a
glance at some Of those rich lands which
nature, in my opinion, has especially pro-
vided for ,illers Of the soil. A welcome
introduction by my friend, the doctor, to a
man who has done more than any olhe, set
tier for the development of that country,
favored my cherished plan. OF course l al.
lude here-ss every enc who has any know.
ledge Of the territory and its people knows
to Judge w. w. Brookings. And in two
years hence our people will give their ex.
preston to. this effect when our territory
shall certainly rank among the states of the
union. Then the Judge will be our COVER
nor. 1t is a great Gala nifty that official
%wire-pullers and political bummers who al
ways hover around the presidential chair
generally get the preference to a man the
people desire to honor, and who is identi-
fed with our interests. These sentiments
were universal wherever the CONVEX: alton
TOOK q turn III that direction.
On my arrival in Sioux City, Ia, l
changed cars for the Dakota Southern road,
and was soon absorbed iE the contemplation
Of those rich bottom lands which presented
themselves to nay view on both sides of the
Oak ,ta Southern railroad. Although l
travelled through this part Of the territory
land l had my reasons for doing so) at a
season when everything looks dismal and
gloomy, still the old luxurious grass, weeds,
and the gigantic constalks were sufficient
evidence to me Of the richness Of the soil.
Numerous improved farms are already to be
seen on both sides of the railroad, and a,
every station OF the line q counted twelve
in number) from Sioux City to Yankton
noticed dozens of farmers wagons loaded
with grain for the market. The d. S. train
which carried both passengers and freight
stopped at all the stations, Of which the
principal ones were Elk Point and Vermil.
lion. On inquiry, l learned that Elk Point
had a population of 1890 and Vermillion
boasts Of 1000 inhabitants. McCook is the
first station in Dakota territory on the D
S. railroad from Sioux City to Yankton, anc
is a thriving village. All the land from
McCook station to Yankton is one beautiful
rolling expanse, and this vast expanse o
> rolling and rich bottom land is only in
few instances broken by low ranges Of par
, tally timbered grottos stretching along the
Big Sioux and Vermillion rivers and thei
numerous springs and creeks which poul
their surplus water into them. Through
the courtesy Of Judge Brookings and NJ. NJ
Matthiesen, who is a successful dealer il
real estate, l was conducted some ten mile
down the James or Dakota river, and
must confess that in my candid opinion til.
richest and most beautiful land in the worlt
, may be found in the valleys Of these rivers
To give an idea of the richness and strength
of the land, l will mention that, three ant
. half miles from Yankton, on the Dakot
river, where l purchased, = farm, l saw, OF
a piece of land joining mine, about twenty
acres of broken land, and which had beef
neglected for seed last year, on which weed
had grown at least twelve feet high, ant
these weeds were 60 close together that i
was impossible for q man to force . way
through them. Any farmer who under
stands the quality Of land will conclude
from this instance that if land will, without
any care, support such . dense mass of veg
%etation IS that, must produce = rich crop o
grain when managed BY an industrious snt
skillful farmer. In my conversation viii
a very successful German farmer, 1 learned
that he had raised last year on a tract o
thirty acres LILY bushels of wheat. ex
hibited a sample Of this wheat to some mem
bers of the Board of Trade, who pro
nounced it a frst-class No. l hard wheat
Nature has formed this country for . wheat
growing country, as the soil is absolutely in
exhaustible. It is retentive Of moisture
In the bottom lamb it is nearly coal black
is of rich alluvium, and from five to thir.
teen feet deep. On the table-lands, hills
and plateaus, it is from thirty to forty inche.
deep, is strongly ~impregnated with lime
and other good qualities which a first class
grain and grass-bearing toil needs. o
course I can only form an opinion Of those
parts Of the territory which I have investi
gated, but will not be long before l shall
continue my researches in other parts of it
and shall then be glad to give my expert
ence to all those who are interested in thi.
remarkable country.
The reader will of course infer from those
rivers which l have mentioned that the sup