Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-10
Acsoss the Country.

ACROSS the COUNTRY.
From Sio~x Falls, via Finlay aud swan
Lake 10 YARktsn.
On Wednesday morning We took passage
on Dsming 4 Shurtleff's Yankton and Sioux
Falls daily stage line for n homeward trip
through the country tnversed by this line.
These gentlemen run q we'll managed line.
Their stages are always on tims-or rather
ahead Of time-and were never known to
miss q trip. The business Of the limo is
daily growing better, and in order to accom-.
modste the rapidly increasing passenger
traffic the company design to put on four.
horse coaches, and reduce the running
time to ten hours. The length Of the route
is sixty.five miles.
Leaving Sioux Falls, the road leads ever
q handsome rolling prairie for . distance Of
about four miles, where the Sioux river is
reached and crossed = short distance above
where it changes its course to the north.
The valley at this place is about q mile
wide, and the lay of the land simply perfec-
ton. OF course the land il all taken, and
much Of it under q high state cultivation.
and the farms adorned with good buildings
and handsome groves Of trees.
After crossing the valley and ascending
a small elevation the sligbtly undulating
prairie is reached, which character 10 main
tanned the entire distance to Yankton, ex-
cept for a short distance in the neiRhbor-
hood Of Turkey creek where higher and
more abrupt bluffs are met with. Between
the Sioux and Vermilion rivers there are
numerous small PONDS and sloughs, and an
occasional small stream of clear running
water. These sloughs are a benefit rather
than a detrimcnt to the country, because as
the land around is cultivated they will be-
come dry and produce an excellent quality
of grass for hay.
\ few miles before resching the Nermil.
lion river is Howard pos,oficc, presided
over by our old friend u. Stewart, who is
comfortably located on a handsome and we'll
cultivated farm. On the east bank of the
Nermillion is the fine farm of ]. II. Shurt-
left, one Of the proprietors Of the stage line,
and on the west bank is he town Of Finlav,
founded by Rev. j. j. McIntirc, who cont,n-
ues to reside there, and in addition to his
duties as postmaster aud storekeepsr, is ex
tensivelv engaged in farming yet, notwith-
standing the multiplicity of his business
duties, the tender passion found a way to
his heart, and lie has recently taken unto
himself q handsome and blooming bride.
Finlay is situated in one Of the most delight
full vallies of the territory, which under the
intelligent industry of its settlers is rapidly
approaching its destiny, which is to be the
garden spot Of Dakota. The town contains
two stores, a number Of good dwelling
houses, anil presents general evidences Of
being the centre of the we'll settled country
around it.
The next place reached is Swan Lake. the
seat o! government of the county. Here
we noticed many evidences of prosperity
and growth. A weekly newspaper has re.
Gently been established here BY VIM. H.
Gardner. which will be of great service in
bringing TO the notice OF the people the
advantages OF the Nermilli IN valley. A
harness maker. a shoe maker aud smother
blacksmith have flung their shingles t, the
breeze. and are all doing a prosperous bust
ness. The hotels Of Messrs. Allen and
Aurncr are having all the custom they can
accommodate, end all the business men of
the town are actively employed and apoar-
emily prosperous. Mr.. Thiclmsn is doing
q large land Office business, and is KEEP,
busy FROM morning till night in attending
to the wants of new corners 10 quest OF
land. Turner county is being rapidly set.
tied with actual, bona fee farmers, and not
with land-srabbing spectators.
From Swan Lake Yanktonwards the
road is over a somewhat broken and thin.
ly settled country, until Clay creek valley,
in fankton county, is reschel, where beau.
tiful land, we!'-,ilied farms and comfortable
houses greet the EYED in every direction.
Some Of the older settlers have good brick
houses, and other corresponding Improve.
ments. Here. and everywhere else in Da.
kota, where good. practical, common sense
farming has been done, are to be seen the
convincing proofs Of the fertility, produc.
tiveness and lasting qualities Of Dakota
soil.